Dennis Copson
He is available for freelance writing assignments.
More information is available at www.naturesbigbud.com
Articles by Dennis Copson
August 14, 2009
I was shocked to hear that the Saturday night, August 15th, preseason game between my local San Diego Chargers and the visiting Seattle Seahawks had become a victim of the National Football League´s ´blackout policy´. It did not sell out is the given reason. Hogwash! Greed is the real reason.
July 08, 2009
Count on the bloviating Reverend Al Sharpton to taint the memorial service to Michael Jackson held in Los Angeles on Tuesday, July 7th, 2009. Not the first time the consummate media- seeking irreverent reverend has done something of this nature. And, as long as he deems himself the spokesman for all of black America, and as long as black America allows him to perpetuate that false image to the rest of us, it won´t be the last.
May 03, 2009
Justice David Souter has confirmed rumors of his retirement from the United States Supreme Court with a call to President Obama at the White House. Now comes speculation on who will replace him.
April 27, 2009
Over the past fiscally shocking months I thought we had seen it all in regards to American corporate greed. We´ve had instances of massive fraud, incomprehensive incompetence, exorbitant bonuses awarded to executives of failing companies, and too many other manifestations of greed on behalf of corporate America to detail here. Now we are witness to another egregious example, a thoughtless and irresponsible act of greed by none other than the National Football League!
April 24, 2009
There is a stench in the air emanating from the headquarters of MSNBC, the far left cable news network who proclaim themselves "The Place for Politics". While they fail to qualify this claim with the bent of their politics, their cacophonous cries, narrow-minded and blatantly biased, for prosecution of former Bush administration officials for what MSNBC proclaims war crimes related to the torture of terrorists captured in the current war exceeds what, by any stretch, could be considered objective journalism.
February 03, 2009
Super Bowl Sunday is the primo day of the year for those companies who can afford to advertise their wares on a worldwide basis. While hundreds of millions watch the football game, many are just as interested in the entertaining, highly expensive commercials. This year, Denny´s apparently has hit a grand slam during a football game! (Baseball parlance for a home run with all the bases full.)
January 22, 2009
Well, it is done! The first black President, as we have been told over and over, ad infinitum, ad nauseam, by the Obama - adoring press, has finally been sworn in as the 44th President of the United States. There were many firsts in this celebrated moment not the least of which was the attendance of Ms Kitty Kitty Kitty at the ceremony. She also made history in that she is the first black cat to ever attend one of these affairs. In fact, she is the only cat.
January 20, 2009
On January 20th, 2009, it dawned cold but sunny in our nation´s capital. It was a new day, a day of hope for millions attending the ceremony in Washington, DC and for those watching around the country and, indeed, the world. Barack Obama was sworn in as the 44th President of the United States.
January 14, 2009
Wednesday, January 13th, found Hillary Clinton in seated in front of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee in what can only be described as a love fest vice confirmation hearing. It was a celebratory event more than an official hearing by any stretch of the imagination.
January 12, 2009
Six weeks ago, the San Diego Chargers were a written off as a lost cause by nearly everyone. They had lost eight of twelve regular season games and had no real chance of even having a winning season let alone reaching the playoffs. Then something happened on the way to the funeral. They were revived - one game at a time, a week - by - week survival march to the postseason.
January 06, 2009
Last Spring I wrote an article on America´s weight problem, a short piece based mostly on my personal views and observations. Since then I have been reading more on the dilemma and have become a more avid ´weight watcher´. (No, not my own as I still need to lose some excess pounds to reach my optimum weight.) I have been watching other people a little more closely – making mental notes of what I see - and have been appalled at what I observe in my everyday travels about town. Fat people galore! – especially young people who should never be in that condition.
December 21, 2008
On November 4th, 2008, Americans went to the polls to choose the 44th President of the United States. They did so with a convincing declaration that they were unhappy with the status quo in Washington, D. C. and wanted change – dramatic change! They rejected experienced John McCain with passion and in convincing numbers, and selected an untested Barack Obama.
December 19, 2008
The liberal press - which is now most of that establishment - in general, has always had it in for President Bush. However, I have noticed of late they are picking up the pace in so doing to the point where it has become patently obvious and blatant. Have they decided to get in their last licks during the few remaining days of the 43rd President´s term? It certainly seems such is the case – on certain networks at least.
December 10, 2008
Have you noticed smaller sizes or strange happenings to some of your old standby products on market shelves recently? I have – and I´m not fooled nor am I happy about it. I have been 'downsized' by American companies making consumer products! This is a case of "Honey, they've shrunk our Brand X!"
November 22, 2008
Rumor is, pretty much confirmed now, that Hillary Rodham Clinton will be awarded the crown jewel in the Obama administration – Secretary of State. "WHY?", you may be asking yourself. You are not alone.
November 06, 2008
Though President Bush has been quite gentlemanly, polite, and reserved in his rebuttals of the rampant press bias aired nearly daily pertaining to his administration, the same can not be said of First Dog, Barney.This morning at the White House, Barney bit a correspondent as the reporter bent down to pet him. It's Page 1 news!
November 04, 2008
Tuesday, Americans chose our next President with a convincing declaration that they were unhappy with the status quo and wanted dramatic change! They rejected experienced John McCain selecting an untested Barack Obama. There were seven reasons for this:
October 07, 2008
The second Presidential debate was held Tuesday, October 7, 2008 – exactly four weeks before Election Day - at Belmont University in Nashville, Tennessee. Belmont is a small Christian liberal arts institution (5000 students) near downtown Music City, USA.
The debate was a 90 minute affair; the format was the ´town hall meeting´ type of discussion with questions from the audience and several internet users of selected, mostly undecided, voters directly to the candidates with a one minute limit on a discussion period. (That was largely violated.)
September 26, 2008
On Friday evening, September 26th, the first Presidential debate between Senators´ McCain and Obama as their respective party´s Presidential nominee was held in the deep south at the University of Mississippi, ´Ole Miss´, in Oxford, Mississippi. It was intended to be a debate on foreign policy.
September 21, 2008
The incredible adventure of Ms Kitty Kitty Kitty, my little black cat, continues with her being invited by VP nominee Sarah Plain to go moose hunting in Alaska. It was a clever ruse to recapture the headlines after the nomination speech and the lipstick on a pig frenzy had died down. It worked!
September 18, 2008
Unknown to most of us, islands of plastic and other debris have been accumulating in our oceans mostly over the past 40 years. This plastic pollution is killing millions of sea birds and tens of thousands of mammals and turtles. How did it happen and how do we correct it is a question scientists are now asking.
September 07, 2008
The time is near. We will be electing our 44th President of the United States on November 4th, 2008. We all have a decision to make. Who will that new President be? Who will we choose to head the government of one of the most influential and powerful nations on earth? And, how will we base our decision. Is it a Presidential election or populaity contest?
August 28, 2008
Oak trees in the back country of eastern San Diego County are under attack by a beetle presumed to be relatively new to California and not previously connected to the deaths of these types of trees in this area. Only very recently has the connection to the dying trees and the rare shiny green oak borer been made. It is difficult to determine at this time the exact number of trees affected and killed by this pest, but it is thought to be a spreading problem affecting perhaps hundreds of square miles.
August 25, 2008
The Democrats will all gather en masse in Denver, Colorado this week to toot their political horns and promote hysteria in their quest for the Presidency come November. It should be a hoot to watch as varied groups with diverse and conflicting interests attempt to state their case political platform be damned. It will be great pageantry to say the least.
August 17, 2008
The pickle jar, as far back as I can remember, sat on the floor beside the dresser in my parents' bedroom. When he got ready for bed, Dad would empty his pockets and toss his coins into the jar. It was a nightly ritual for many, many years in our home.
July 25, 2008
Keith Olbermann, talking head of the weeknight MSNBC program COUNTDOWN is a controversial figure – perhaps a gross understatement. Is he an unbiased observer of the news or actually a vile proponent of the most far left positions in today´s media while masquerading as an objective television observer of our nation and its politics?
July 16, 2008
Go Green Aid Company (www.gogreenaid.com) has joined the ever growing battle against polluting plastic bags by introducing their own version of a reusable canvas tote shopping bag designed to provide the shopper and others with something stylish and durable as well as functional.
July 16, 2008
My wretched, battle weary hometown San Diego Padres have limped into the seasonal All-Star break with a terrible ´first half´ now complete accentuated by Sunday afternoon´s pounding by the Atlanta Braves ending in a score of 12 - 3.
July 15, 2008
It just had to happen – you knew it especially if you´ve read Chapters 1 thru 6 on this site. No matter what you may have thought before, Ms Kitty was destined to make the short list for Vice President in someone´s mind. It was inevitable.
July 10, 2008
It seems California coastal communities have drawn a line in the sand in the battle against plastic bags. A number of seaside towns have banned them or are in some process of doing so. The battle is joined; ordinances have passed or will soon be passed in many coastal cities at least.
July 06, 2008
Last week the San Diego Padres went absolutely loopy spending an inconceivable amount of money on five foreign players – an unprecedented total of 4.8 million dollars in signing bonuses. The real frightening aspect of this deal was that four of these players are 16 years old! Probably not even yet old enough to drive, they can now buy the whole car lot out!
June 30, 2008
We consumers have become unwittingly hooked on plastic. Manufacturers have increasingly resorted to plastic in packaging their products. (Don´t you just love those deceivingly humongous packages that hold a tiny product when unwrapped leaving you with a big mess?) We buy them, unwrap the product, and discard the plastic. In the trash it goes to be carted to the landfills of America where it sits for hundreds of years before disintegrating. Sometimes it doesn´t even get there – it is discarded as litter along our highways and byways, on our beaches, in our streams, waterways, and oceans. Plastic is a big problem – bigger than we may even expect or of which we are aware.
April 27, 2008
The inimitable Frank Tinelli is a man of action. When he sees something of which he doesn´t approve, he takes it in his own hands to fix. That happened when he became aware of this eco - unfriendly plastic bag problem. That, and the fact too much of our manufacturing is being done in China nowadays. He decided to solve both dilemmas with one product, his MADE - IN - USA durable canvas tote bag with his original, trademarked ´Go Green´ promotional logo.
June 13, 2008
I liked Tim Russert. Always have. He was a lovable guy, a man from modest means and a good Catholic upbringing. He was the consumate political commentator. He was a genuine human being, a trait difficult to find in the circles he traveled in Washington, D. C. His plump smiling Irish face was ever present during political commentary shows on NBC or its affiliates. He was a pious man of faith, a dedicated family man, and a man of principle.
June 09, 2008
On Saturday, JUne 7, Hillary Clinton finally 'conceded' the Democratic nomination to Barack Obama. Or did she?
May 21, 2008
I read an article in my local paper recently by a corporate real estate sales person which irked me to no end. In it he ´hypes´ the current market as having reached bottom and now accelerating upward. "Don´t miss the boat," he implies, "lest the new ´boom´ set sail without you!" Pure unadulterated hype designed to scare a buyer into the market now rather than later. Peeves me - you, too?
May 18, 2008
In reading the real estate section of my local paper today (San Diego Union-Tribune, Sunday Edition, May 18th) I came across an article which sorta irked me. The longer I thought about what the author had to say in it and the more carefully I read it, I progressed beyond just being irked to a state of indignation for I felt I had been ´hyped´ at the least if not lied to.
May 10, 2008
The San Diego Padres have bottomed out. Could it get any worse? Probably not after losing their 18th of the last 22 games last night to the visiting Colorado Rockies while pitching their ace, Jake Peavy. The sports radio ´talking heads´ pontificate on all sorts of reasons for this resounding flop - start to the new season. (But don´t they always – and aren´t they nearly always wrong?)
May 06, 2008
Those words of a popular country song also pertain to the results of today´s (May 5th) election for Democrats. It´s over! Why? It is doubtful Obama can win the general election although his nomination is assured by today's results. Let me try to explain my position.
April 30, 2008
On the front page of my local paper recently (The San Diego Union – Tribune, Monday, March 24th), in bold headlines: "Mexico is second - fattest nation after U.S." Wow, I guess I should be overjoyed. We´re ´first´ in something! We are first in being the fattest among industrialized nations on earth? Somehow, I don´t think this is a positive accomplishment.
April 30, 2008
Nature's Big Bud Worm Castings announces sale prices at their online store for ´nature´s miracle´ 100% organic liquid worm castings (worm tea) helps gardeners ´go green´ by not using polluting toxic chemicals.
April 25, 2008
The saga of Ms Kitty Kitty Kitty continues. You´ll remember in Chapters 1 thru 5 I told you about my cute little black cat getting ´accidentally´ elected to Congress and the trials and tribulations of that happenstance. She took it all in stride and even managed to thrive in the halls of Congress where she became a ´celebrity´ of sorts. Her adventure would not have been complete without a visit to see the President at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue. (You might want to catch up on this story by reading Chapters 1 through 5 first?)
April 25, 2008
"Let´s go to Cross Pond," I suggested to Fred during my visit to Maine in September, 2003, intent on revisiting one of the places of our youth. He eagerly agreed. Fred liked sentimentality especially that associated with our growing up together. We had pretty much spent our adult years apart. That is one of the cruel ways of modern life - separation by the exigencies of careers and all that goes with that. My brother, Fred, died one year later. That afternoon return to the past had been one of our ´On Golden Pond´ moments in his last year living.
April 25, 2008
Its spring - gardening time again! Time to tuck your plants into their outdoor beds. In so doing, many home gardeners make the critical mistake of sticking their bedding plants into the same old worn out soil they've used for years. They dig it up a bit, maybe throw on some fertilizer, and expect their plants to do the rest. I know a better way.
April 23, 2008
Have you noticed how expensive nursery - bought plants are these days? You can avoid spending your hard earned money. With a little planning and some small effort you can grow your own plants from seed. It's simple and fun. Spring is here - now is the time to get started. If you have children here is an excellent way to pique their interest in gardening.
April 23, 2008
Politicians may be my number one pet peeve! Politicians really get my blood boiling as I watch them parade about, in Washington especially, doing everything possible for themselves and almost nothing for me. It is a charade and one I am increasingly ´peeved´ about. You, too?
April 21, 2008
In Chapters 1 thru 4 I told you about my little black cat, Ms Kitty Kitty Kitty: how she came to live with me, ´accidentally´ got herself elected to Congress, and the excitement which her initials, KKK, caused in our nation´s capital. (That brought the Reverend Al down on her case hard, but it was a losing cause for the irreverent reverend who demurred in the face of the popular uproar over his meddling in affairs of state.) No sooner had that settled down when another incident blew up and Ms Kitty was again in the spotlight.
April 18, 2008
Chapters 1, 2, and 3 tell the story of my little black cat, Ms Kitty Kitty Kitty: how she came to live with me, accidentally get herself elected to Congress, and her first days there. Oh, what a story! This chapter is about an unfortunate incident concerning Ms Kitty and her name - more specifically, her initials, KKK. One that became quite controversial to say the least.
April 16, 2008
Chapters 1 and 2 related the incredible aspects of my little black cat, the inimitable Ms Kitty Kitty Kitty, accidentally getting herself elected to Congress from my district and how the ACLU withstood strong challenges to this happenstance to eventually prevail in the dubious Ninth Circuit. You´ll have to read them to really catch up on how this all transpired. I won´t go into detail now. Suffice to say it was astonishing to everyone least alone me. Well, probably me after the other ´human´ candidates running for the same office.
April 16, 2008
Every kid has an 'Aunt Ruth' - or wishes they did. My Aunt Ruth ws my 'American Idol' in those days of growing up in rural Maine on a farm where times were hard. She baked all those cookies, cakes, and pies that kids love. She was the best baker - to us anyway - in the world!
April 10, 2008
In CHAPTER 1: Ms Kitty Kitty Kitty Goes to Washington, I explained the life of the inimitable Ms Kitty Kitty Kitty as a kitten and the trials she faced growing up resulting in her making a ´change´ in her life. She came to live with me. She is a cat of solutions not simply change for cha...
April 04, 2008
How did it all start? I really can´t answer that. All I know at this point is that my cute little black cat, Ms Kitty Kitty Kitty, is now in Washington, D.C. where she went having somehow been elected to Congress from my district. In a landslide, no less! "Preposterous!" you say. Well, let me finish first – THEN you decide.
March 16, 2008
Traveling to northern Baja, Mexico along the picturesque coastline of the blue Pacific Ocean was once an enjoyable leisure activity. Apparently, times there have changed dramatically - dangerously so.
March 13, 2008
We must soon decide who is 'the right choice' to be the Democratic nominee for President of the United States. Hillary offers us 'experience', Barack 'change'. There are weaknesses in both their claims. I have written of Hillary as the 'right choice' candidate. Here is my view of Obama asking the same question.
March 04, 2008
Hillary Clinton. Is she the 'right choice' as our Democrat nominee for President of the United States? Here are some thoughts on that interesting and most important question.
March 03, 2008
'Go Green' is more than a slogan nowadays. It is becoming a lifestyle. Home gardeners are looking for products that are friendly to the environment as well as effective in their garden. Liquid worm castings (worm tea) with natural yucca shidigera extract added are one of those products.Yucca is another of nature's miracles.
February 23, 2008
Some things in today's world are simply irritants and just plain bug me! Politicians who do nothing, biased news coverage couched as fact, immigration out of control,loud music, "Made in China"...! Why do they happen and what can be done about it?
February 17, 2008
Sigaf, a purebred, award winning Andalusian stallion has been recently puchased in the fall of 2007 by Stephanie Parisi, owner of Horse of the Sun Ranch in Pine Valley , CA.
November 20, 2007
They called it a near miss, but I called it terrifying. I had just nearly killed my Uncle Harry!
After fifty years, I still clearly remember the incident. It occurred when I was about twelve years old and had just begun to be allowed to hunt with the men in my family. Traditionally, every Thanksg...
November 08, 2007
On November 10th, 1775, The United States Marine Corps was founded by the Continental Congress in Philadelphia, Pa. Appropriately, ‘Tun Tavern’ was the place where history was made.
Since that date Marines have been in uninterrupted service to our country for 232 years and have distinguished the...
October 24, 2007
Day four, Wednesday, October 24, 2007 and San Diego County, CA continues to burn. Hundreds of thousands of acres have been scorched, thousands of houses burned to the ground, more than six hundred thousand people displaced … and the nightmare continues virtually unabated today.
The fires stretch ...
October 01, 2007
“…in the winter, far beneath the bitter snow, lies the seed that with the sun’s love, in the spring becomes the rose.” “The Rose” by Amanda McBroom, 1977.
My previous article detailed the production of worm castings and worm tea at Legacy Ranch in Campo, CA. One of my favorite topics is the many ...
September 11, 2007
Gardening here in San Diego County and around the country is more than just a weekend seasonal hobby. It is becoming a craze. Homeowners everywhere are devoted to beautifying their yards year round and they are increasingly looking for ways to maximize their efforts. Most importantly, the use of ...