Most Repeated Cliche In Tonight's State Of The Union Address? I Am Betting on "Gun Violence"

Happy Birthday to Howard Stern, Rush Limbaugh, Jeff Bezos and Rob Zombie.

As Judith Regan pointed out long ago, there are a lot of similarities between Stern and Limbaugh. They are both prototypical Capricorns, breaking molds and finding success in a serpentine, abrupt or unpredictable manner. Bezos probably also fits this prototype but I know less about his biography.

Speaking of Capricorns, rest in peace, David Bowie. I consider myself someone who understands pop culture even when I run away from it. Bowie, like Elvis, will always be a bit of a head scratcher for me. Bowie was born on Elvis Presley's birthday and the similarities are unending. It is so much easier for me to see these artists's goodness than their greatness. Of course, "The Man Who Sold The World," "Young Americans," "Changes" will always resonate with me. It's always a shock when an icon dies suddenly.

Dig this segue: El Chapo claims to be a Capricorn, born on Christmas day but that issue is in dispute. Meanwhile prototypical Leo, Sean Penn, should probably be more concerned about the wrath of the Mexican cartels than any legal trouble he might incur as a result of his association with the reputed Christmas baby.

BTW, I find Penn's association with El Chupo much less disturbing and much less sleazy than his bromance with his fellow Leo, the late Hugo Chavez. And speaking of chronically dishonest and thuggish Leo's President Obama will deliver his final State Of The Union Address this evening. Everyone is on edge: what will be the most-repeated cliche in tonight's speech?

I am betting on "gun violence." The over/under is three and a half but I think it could hit seven or higher. "Social justice" and "income equality" seem a bit overpriced to me but you can bet they will be honorably mentioned.

Of course, the so-called smart money is going with "climate change." If you are playing the climate change chug along game and you have to drink every time you hear that vapid cliche, you might have a nasty hangover tomorrow.

Most bookies are offering pretty generous odds at the mere mention of "global warming." Consider that a bad bet at any price. Don't think the old gal has one more in her, at least not in January. I am loaded for bear and hope to hit the bullseye with "gun violence."

Obama In A Word Revisited

OK, so Obama In A Word is not playing out to be this decade's Six Degrees of Kevin Bacon but it is still challenging and thought-provoking. In my initial post on this subject I stated that "narcissist" best described our 44th president. This snap judgment came on the heels of SOTU and the announcement that he would take his proposals on the road to sycophantic fans but first the president would meet with YouTube stars in a desperate effort to keep the spotlight on himself. We had not seen a lot of our president since he went to Vegas to "sell" his executive orders on immigration to a city that hosted the Latin Grammies. See a pattern here? 

In a prior post http://obotomy.blogspot.com/2014/11/revisiting-personality-of-barack-obama.html I stated that the one word that describes Barack Obama is "grandiose." I would like to reassert that choice is the best one word description. Yes, BHO is narcissistic but his grandeur is the father of his narcissism. We would all be better off if he were just an empty suit. Unfortunately, the grandeur is at work even when the cameras are pointed elsewhere. I don't recall who said that a man who believes his own bullshit is a dangerous man but I have to endorse that crudely-stated aphorism. Barry Soetoro has created an all-powerful persona and that persona believes in his own divinity with every breath he takes.

In summary, "grandiose" describes Barack Obama more thoroughly than "narcissistic." I felt the need to clarify my contradiction without sounding like one of those blowhards who falls back on quoting himself. Speaking of which, did anyone else endure the SOTU all the way to its conclusion? How do you wrap up a rambling pile of nonsense and insults and self-praise? You quote someone famous if not infamous. Who did Barack Obama select for this epiiog? Himself of course! Shakespeare, Aristotle, Lincoln, Jesus...Nix! The president quoted Barack Obama.

Grandiose or narcissistic? Grandeur or narcissism? Stuffed suit or empty suit? These are the sorts of questions that will follow Barack Obama into history.