Jonathan Miller's Blog, page 412

Anonymous: A Tribute to My Father

When I sat down to write this, I Intended to go into some detail about my father and me, but after some effort, I realized how difficult it is to sum up a 53 year relationship with one's father in the amount of time we have here today, so I will keep it brief.

Being his son was not easy. He was not a hugger or a warm and fuzzy guy, and by the time I came along, he had little patience for kids. He made a sincere effort at times, but you could tell that he was not comfortable in the role of...

Roger Auge II: My Father the Military Hero

On Father's Day when I was growing up, my Dad would play golf with some friends, do some work around the house and sit down me, my mother, brother and two sisters for dinner.  Dinner usually consisted of standing rib roast, mashed potatoes and peas or string beans and, of course, iced tea.  Dad would talk about golf which bored my mother and two sisters to pieces.  My brother, still a mid-seventies golfer today, loved the golf gab.  

The calm, normal family event on Father's Days in the...

Michael J. Miller: My Dad the Barber

Dad was a barber.

I grew up as a gay boy knowing this and knowing  that my hair somehow did not deserve this atrocity. Seven years old is when I  first, really, knew. Wanting to "grow my hair out" was NEVER an option.

This was 1969 and the only boys who had the Hair of Dreams did not have Barber Dads. They had Moms who would bring them in and have their "bangs trimmed".  Boys, mind you. 

Bangs. Trimmed. Jealous. Angels. Jesus.

They would come into his northern  KY barber shop with their...

Jerry Wurmser: A Tribute to My Father

On this Father's day, while I'm being pampered, wined and dinned by my kids and grandkids, I know I'll spend some time reminiscing about my Dad, "Pop", as he was called by the many who knew him. 

He was born in 1885 in the small village of Alt Breisach, Germany.  He, his two brothers and three sisters, all ended up in America.

Pop settled in Louisville in Feb., 1913, after serving his stint in the German army.  There he met my Mother, and they were married  in November of...

The RP: A Eulogy to My Father

Today, this Fathers' Day, would have been the 73rd birthday of my hero, mentor and best friend, Robert S. Miller.

I could write a tribute to him today, but the speech I wrote and delivered on the occasion of his funeral still says everything that I would want to say today.

Below, I share the video of the eulogy I delivered in two parts.

Happy Birthday and Happy Fathers' Day, Dad:

Fathers' Day at The Recovering Politician

Today, we dedicate ourselves to the individuals who hold the most important position a man could have — father.

Over the course of this day, you will hear from recovering politicians, friends of RP, and our RP Nation reader community.  Some of the stories will make you laugh; others, might tug at your heart strings.  But I'm confident you are in for a treat.

So buckle up, and tune in every 30 minutes or so to hear another poignant story about some great men.  We'll be adding news stories until ...

Fathers' Day Weekend at The Recovering Politician

This weekend is a special one for me.

For the first time in several years, I have one of my RPettes at home to spoil me on Fathers' Day.  Also, I will be remembering my own beloved father who would have turned 73 this very Sunday.

And I hope you join me online for a very special Fathers' Day edition of The Recovering Politician.  As we've been promoting this week, we are opening up the site on Sunday to our readers and their tributes to their fathers.

We've already received some outstanding...

The RP's Weekly Web Gems: The Politics of Wealth

The Politics of Wealth

10 "vintage" stocks that are now worth a fortune. [The Street]

5 lessons from IBM's 100th Anniversary. [CNN Money]

Desperate public pension funds are doubling their bets on hedge funds. [CNBC]

Who's the AIG in the Greek financial tragedy? [Forbes]

One more freedom down the drain? San Francisco mulls a ban on goldfish. [NBC Bay Area]

The RP's Weekly Web Gems: The Politics of the Planet

Politics of the Planet

In Austria there is a debate about selling public land to the highest bidder. [npr.com]

Deforestation in the Amazon is more than just cutting down the trees. Loggers are being accused of murdering activists. [bbc.com]

Wind farms may be one solution to our energy problems, but as Wales is experiencing, you must still get past the NIMBY mindset. [bbc.com]

A list of American historical sites that are endangered, better see them while you can. [msnbc.com]

No John McCain…But Still Pretty Interesting

So, I get my big break on radio, and my celebrity guest doesn't show up.

I won't pull a Letterman, because John McCain had a good excuse — he had an unexpected vote — and he promises to join us in a few weeks.

But we still had a great show, featuring economist Robert Shapiro and Jennifer Duffy of The Cook Report.  Rob delivers one of the most cogent and simple explanations of the impact of a national credit default — it is worth the whole show.

And if you listen until the end, you will witness m...