“I believe this story, except for the apology part.”
I recently wrote the song lyrics to an upbeat tune called “Corn Pop Baby.” I got the song title from a story that former President Joe Biden has told over the years about a fellow named “Corn Pop.” That name also has special meaning for me, going back almost 60 years.
Joe Biden related this tale about working as a lifeguard at a public pool in Wilmington, Delaware. He said a local tough guy nicknamed “Corn Pop” was causing trouble, and that Biden confronted him for breaking pool rules.
According to Joe, Corn Pop later waited for him outside with a group of thugs, and Biden prepared to defend himself with a chain. Joe Biden said he ultimately apologized for embarrassing Corn Pop, and the confrontation ended without a fight.
I believe this story, except for the apology part. I think Biden was trying to be politically correct here as a politician, because once the chain was put down, and with no other equalizer, this guy and his friends would’ve cleaned Joe Biden’s clock.
My brother had a similar encounter, except this thug was the person having the chain. Greg Lozano was a bully and attempted to terrorize Jim, Bob Malone, and me. In an attempt to take a Daisy BB gun from my brother, also threatening us with his chain, Jim beat the guy nearly senseless with the gun stock.
We never had any problem with Greg Lozano again. In fact, the kid would turn and go the opposite direction when he saw us. You might say my brother “corn popped” him. I now use the words to describe a fictitious dance that seniors do.
“Corn Pop Baby” will never sweep the nation, but the name alone cracks me up, just as my brother physically did to Greg Lozano in Anchorage, Alaska, so many years ago.
“Repeating bogus information is not much different than what viewers of CNN and MSNBC do these days.”
With the world in a tizzy, especially in the Middle East, it got me wondering where the term or phrase, “All is fair in love and war,” came from. According to Democratic leftist doves, as they were called during the Vietnam War, a war-mongering Republican would be the culprit. I found that not to be true and merely political rhetoric.
The phrase “all is fair in love and war” is believed to have originated from the English author John Lyly’s novel “Euphues: The Anatomy of Wit,” published in 1578. This expression suggests that in matters of love and war, people are not bound by the usual rules of conduct or fairness.
It implies that any action, however unconventional or morally questionable, is justified if it helps achieve one’s goals in these two realms. Mainstream media would have President Donald Trump using these tactics regarding Iran, although that isn’t totally the case. It’s more like Iran using such against us and Israel by launching deadly missiles from populated neighborhoods.
In common usage, the term is often quoted to excuse behavior that might otherwise be considered inappropriate or underhanded, emphasizing the intense emotions and high stakes involved in both love and conflict.
Author John Lyly is best known for his innovative literary style rather than for his political or philosophical views. There is limited evidence regarding Lyly’s personal ideology, and he is primarily recognized for his role in shaping English prose and drama during the Elizabethan era. He was also a very witty character.
While his works reflect the culture and values of his time, it would be inaccurate to label him strictly as a liberal or conservative by modern standards, since those terms did not exist in the same context during the late 16th century.
When I think of “all is fair in love,” I think back to my workdays when a fellow basically stole his best friend’s wife. I didn’t see the act as fair, and neither did anyone else, including the children of both married couples. Sadly, this happens all the time in Hollywood and is oftentimes condoned by the liberal secular crowd.
What I’ve observed with love more than anything is how stupid it can make a person. In the case of these two cheaters, they thought they were in love and had found their perfect soulmates. They stayed together for two years before going their separate ways. By then, two families had been wrecked beyond repair. Their impromptu love relationship turned out to be a lust relationship.
John Lyly must not have been talking about fairness in love in this same sense because he stayed with his wife regardless of his literary success. Perhaps John’s wit and humor are what held them together through thick and thin.
Early on, he had a distinct advantage over other suitors in his courtship because of this. That’s my humble opinion. How a cheerful woman or man connects with a humorless, dour partner is a question seemingly answered by the phrase “opposites attract.”
The phrase “opposites attract” is commonly used to describe the idea that people with different personalities or characteristics are drawn to each other, especially in romantic relationships.
Socialist and accomplished writer Robert Francis Winch is credited with the concept, which began in the early 1950s. It is rooted in the theory that complementary differences can create balance and intrigue in partnerships, and it was further popularized by songs, movies, and literature.
There’s no definite proof that opposites attract and that all’s fair in love and war. From my viewpoint, these are just opinions two writers expressed, and after people read their analogy, they began to repeat things as if they were the truth.
In today’s electronic world, it’s called going viral. Repeating bogus information is not much different than what viewers of CNN and MSNBC do these days. I guess the same could be said for CBS watchers.
Detective Harry Callahan (Clint Eastwood) had a saying regarding unsubstantiated statements. “Opinions are like assholes. Everyone has one!”
I tend to believe fictitious Detective Callahan’s take on things over those of John Lyly and Robert Winch. Harry has what’s called street smarts, a subject that, unfortunately, is not taught in today’s colleges.
I like to write junk... 