Baseball would be a better game if we moved the outfield fences back another 50 feet or so. It would make out-of-the-park home runs much rarer while giving us lots more singles, doubles, triples and inside-the-parkers.
There are very few occasions where it is appropriate for men to wear shorts in public.
People ought to have autonomy over their bodies. But one can be both committed to the principle of self-determination--a right to choose--and still believe, as writer, legal scholar and former law clerk to Harry Blackmun Edward Lazarus once wrote, "as a matter of constitutional interpretation and judicial method, Roe v. Wade border[ed] on the indefensible ..." because "it has little connection to the constitutional right it purportedly interpreted. A constitutional right to privacy broad enough to include abortion has no meaningful foundation in constitutional text, history, or precedent."
A lot of people who are very confident about their reading comprehension skills get thrown whenever they read something that doesn't conform to their expectations.
There's nothing inherently cool about your tattoo.
It's OK to be a little judge-y.
People who take pride in their own ignorance are pathetic.
Brian Wilson and Bob Dylan concerts are sad affairs these days.
The Dunning-Kruger Effect, as most of us misunderstand it, is probably not real. (It's more about being misinformed than uninformed.) But part of being deeply stupid is thinking you're really smart.
If you can't drive a stick shift, you can't drive. You can steer.
A lot of people who describe themselves as "political junkies" and follow cable shows religiously have no more acumen about their passion than most sports fans do, which isn't much.
The genius benefits more from following rules than the generally competent does.
Genuinely wanting to be president of the United States should be grounds for disqualification.
Talent is cheap and plentiful and amounts to very little without mindful development, application and good fortune.
Office dress codes are valuable. It's OK to put on a coat and tie once in a while.
While he was one of the most important figures of the 20th century, Elvis Presley's musical legacy is pretty meager; it boils down to a handful of memorable songs. To understand and appreciate Elvis, you have to consider how he smuggled Black codes into the mainstream.
Not all cultural appropriation is evil.
It's OK to keep some aspects of your life private.
There are some cultists involved in the deep study of the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Not that there's anything wrong with that.
People are generally smarter and kinder than other people give them credit for being, but all of us are capable of being dumb and mean.
College basketball is pretty ugly; the pro game is far more watchable, even during the regular season.
There is no such thing as a short-sleeved dress shirt.
Every player in AA baseball could acquit himself honorably in Major League Baseball.
Every once in a while, a rare steak and a glass of claret are exactly what you need.
I don't care how big your wrists are, no wristwatch should be bigger than 41 mm.
Most people who whine about political correctness killing the culture just want to frame their rudeness as courage.
Reality TV shows and the imperative to make television news profitable killed the culture.
Brussels sprouts are delicious.
It's not that hard to "get" James Joyce if you just read him.
Throwing overhand is dangerous and unnatural.
Smoking looks cool even though it kills you and smells bad.
"Top Gun: Maverick" is a well-made nostalgia trip for baby boomers.
Marijuana is overrated.
Hitler wasn't that terrible a painter.
"Game of Thrones" is bad.
There ought to be cops walking beats in downtown Little Rock.
It's more important to be kind than to be scrupulous about pronouns.
A lot of the people who want to be in the military or in law enforcement are precisely the sort of people who should never be allowed to handle firearms or given any authority over other people.
Beyonce, bless her heart, is overrated.
Elon Musk is an unbalanced person, more to be pitied than despised.
Challengers are cooler than Chargers, but with the possible exception of Ram pickups, no Dodge product manufactured after 1975 is actually cool.
There is never any excuse for a professional writer to use a cliche. Writers who violate this rule should be fined $5.
Henry James is an absolute joy to read.
You can't be stupid and play football at a high level.
Laziness is le vice américain.
Most people who try to write poetry have no idea how to do it.
Donald Trump was once funny.
Bill Maher was once funny.
Larry David was once funny.
Woody Allen used to make good movies, but now I can't enjoy those either.
There are only a very few things that can't be taught.
It is perfectly natural to be a hypocrite; we are in constant conflict with ourselves and perpetually adapting to new experience and information.
Economic growth shouldn't be any government's prime goal--increasing the happiness of its citizenry should.
Ramen noodles (cooked, not straight out of the package) are good for breakfast.
We might do better if we drafted political leaders rather than electing them.
The Johnny Depp-Amber Heard imbroglio told us absolutely nothing about our society or culture other than people are nosy and like to hear gossip about pretty people.
A lot of poor people absolutely worship the rich for no reason other than they have money.
Kim Wexler ("Better Call Saul") is the most compelling character on television.
If it's easy, you're not doing it right.
I bet Betty White had bad days when she yelled at the help.
Cricket is an immensely interesting game with a stupid name.
To brand semi-professional sports teams as representatives of institutions of higher learning is perverse.
There's nothing wrong with elitism, so long as it's based on something real. We might consider abandoning democracy for epistocracy, a system where voting rights are restricted to "the competent."
Having tiny hands is in itself no cause for shame for men. Jack Nicklaus has tiny hands. (What's more important is whether your index or ring finger is longer.)
August is the cruelest month.
"Stranger Things" is overrated in the same way hot fudge sundaes are overrated. Once in a while it's great, but it gets old quick.
Disco wasn't that bad.
pmartin@adgnewsroom.com