THE FLUB-A-DUB AWARD

After ten years of awarding Flub’s to the best Flubbers in Flubberville, U.S.A., I have decided to discontinue this column in favor of a new one. Baby Babble Boomer will appear on the 2nd and 4^th Thursday of each month, from August until I run out of things to talk about. The new column will chronicle the era of the boomers, those of us born between 1946-1960.

So here’s to you Flubbers out there. I hope you have enjoyed the awards you have received, and will continue to cherish them for years to come. It was a pleasure recognizing you as one of the best in the business of Flubbing.

Speaking of Flub’s. It just wouldn’t seem right if I didn’t Flub Bush one last time. He has been by far the biggest recipient of the Flub’s since their inception. This guy is a Master Flubber. During his recent trip to Prague, Bush referred to himself as a “dissident”. He was suggesting that he,, like President Mabarak in Egypt, were dissidents in their fight to end tyranny. I guess I for once can’t argue with Bush, he does appear to be a dissident. I would use the word degenerate, but still, he is a person who does not follow established protocol or policy. He pretty much makes those things up as he goes. As far as fighting tyranny, I see Bush more as the master of it rather than the conqueror of it. If it’s cruel and arbitrary power you want, he seems to be your man. He also recently contradicted himself and is now saying Iraq is a lot like Vietnam. He claims there will be mass killings and destruction and bloodshed if we leave prematurely, as he apparently thinks we did in Vietnam. I wonder what the hell he thinks is happening now? So here’s to you, Mr. Bush. Rub-A-Dub-Dub, how about another Flub?

The University of Colorado took a shot at the last Flub. The University fired Professor Ward Churchill for suggesting that the early settlers gave smallpox infected blankets to the Native Americans. There’s a farfetched idea. Being one of America’s greatest neoconservative institutions, they don’t like such talk about their heroes. I haven’t favored Colorado for quite some time. I favor them less now. For the Board of Regents neoconservative cleansing of the university, this Flubs for you.

The last Flub ever is going to the Galesburg City Administration and the City Manager form of government. Neither seem to work. The level of mediocrity and overwhelming desire to maintain the status quo has been evident in Galesburg’s city hall leadership for the last 50 years. Hiring a city manager to run a city was early-on thought to be a good idea. The theory was to get a professional who would not be influenced by politics. Good theory, bad result. Politics, with its many downfalls, is a much more dynamic and accountable way to run a city. While a full-time mayor can certainly run amuck with power and greed, at least he or she is accountable to the public. A city manager is not. We have seen some terrible city managers come to Galesburg and make a career out of it. This is indicative of the dilemma inherent in the belief that a degree is more relevant to running a city than the tension and dynamics of public office and elected officials having to maintain at least some level of satisfaction with the public. I will always pick the later, if for no other reason than to enjoy the entertainment value. So, basically, the City of Galesburg gets the last Flub. After all, we deserve it. So congratulations to all of us.

Its been a pleasure. May Flub-A-Dub live in your hearts forever.