DRIVING MUSE CRAZY
“What’s the matter with you? Want to get your head full of lead? Get out of here.”
–James Cagney to Pat O’Brien in ANGELS WITH DIRTY FACES (1938 gangster movie)
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As you’ve probably heard, Flint, Michigan, has a problem. To save money, the powers-that-be in that distressed city decided to change the source of their water supply from the Great Lakes to the lead-laden Flint River….whereas they could’ve bitten the bullet (if they wanted to get their heads more full of lead than their constituents) and found a way to pay for safe drinking water for those with less desire to live dangerously.
More water problems in Flint, Michigan
Not to make light of man-made malfeasance, but humans aren’t the only ones who suffer. Suppose you’re a fish in that river –or other such stream or body of water. I think it’s safe to say you’d carp about any amount of brain-damaging lead, much less having our elected blowfish bargain for more. Holy mackerel — even a bullhead knows adding pollution is no solution! Can you imagine facing death floundering around like a crazed piranha because a bunch of political pikers don’t give a crappie about your well-being?
So I’m glad I’m neither a fish nor a resident of Flint….as if there aren’t already enough things that drive us crazy in this dogfish-eat-dogfish world, without having to worry about budget-balancers compromising our health. Now, I’m willing to allow that they dood it more out of ignorance than pure evil, but poison by incompetence is little comfort to its victims. Talk about a costly can of worms.
Of course, screw-ups aren’t the only thing DRIVING MISS DAISY crazy (you may think said film title is a stretch as far as a connection here is concerned, but take another look at this post’s title). Word play aside, I could probably come up with a plethora of pet peeves, but why go to all that trouble when I can sum it all up in four words: LIFE drives me crazy! — or, as my wife might call it, a short trip for a big drip. Well, love o’ my life, perhaps you’ve forgotten the words to our (some might say) fin-icky love song:
As for those of you who are drowning in pet peeves and want them spelled out, I hope the following will serve the porpoise:
76 Incredibly Accurate Pet Peeves That Will Drive. You. Nuts.
P.S. But after all is said and done….
Cynthia Jobin 12:23 am on February 5, 2016 Permalink |
Your second paragraph is the punniest, but the whole post is a delight. Especially liked the Temperance Seven music and video!
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mistermuse 1:34 am on February 5, 2016 Permalink |
Thank you. I, too, love the video and the Temperance Seven’s rendition of the song, which was a big hit in 1930 composed by Walter Donaldson. I probably should’ve waited until February 15 to publish this post, as he was born on that day in 1893. Perhaps I’ll still honor him with a post on that day, as he was a prolific and great songwriter.
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Midwestern Plant Girl 7:28 am on February 5, 2016 Permalink |
Love your punny post!
It is so sad what has happened in Flint. I wish more of the folks in power would consult with scientists and environmentalists about these things before they try to kill everyone. 😵
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mistermuse 7:56 am on February 5, 2016 Permalink |
Amen.
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Don Frankel 7:43 am on February 5, 2016 Permalink |
They left out people who suck their teeth after eating.
But talk about filling people full of lead and other things.
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mistermuse 8:03 am on February 5, 2016 Permalink |
I wasn’t aware of such people, Don. They must really be into that old saying, “Waste not, want not.”
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tomorrowdefinitely 8:24 am on March 5, 2016 Permalink |
🙂
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Don Frankel 9:48 am on February 5, 2016 Permalink |
Or good to the last drop.
This one though is for Mrs. Muse as I’m pretty sure this is what you were alluding too.
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mistermuse 10:14 am on February 5, 2016 Permalink |
After she sees and hears that, I will follow up with this:
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arekhill1 12:29 pm on February 6, 2016 Permalink |
We are all put here by God or Darwin to annoy each other, Sr. Muse. Some of us just do it better than others.
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mistermuse 7:08 pm on February 6, 2016 Permalink |
I think you hit on something, Ricardo, because God obviously put Darwin here to annoy religious fundamentalists.
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tomorrowdefinitely 8:33 am on March 5, 2016 Permalink |
he he he
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RMW 12:13 pm on February 7, 2016 Permalink |
The problem with EVERYTHING comes down to one word: PEOPLE. Cats would do a better job…
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mistermuse 8:33 pm on February 7, 2016 Permalink |
Dogs too (see the comments of Don Frankel and myself near the end of my previous post’s comments). Lucy Lou for President!
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RMW 11:20 am on February 8, 2016 Permalink |
Okay, I’ll allow dogs too…
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