We are a commune of inquiring, skeptical, politically centrist, capitalist, anglophile, traditionalist New England Yankee humans, humanoids, and animals with many interests beyond and above politics. Each of us has had a high-school education (or GED), but all had ADD so didn't pay attention very well, especially the dogs. Each one of us does "try my best to be just like I am," and none of us enjoys working for others, including for Maggie, from whom we receive neither a nickel nor a dime. Freedom from nags, cranks, government, do-gooders, control-freaks and idiots is all that we ask for.
Found this LaVern Baker at, of all places, RightWingBob. A new blog, to us. Long lost cousin? Belongs on our Dylan blogroll.
The site has good quotes from Bob's most recent radio show, Theme Time Radio, here. A sample:
Johnny Cash — Fuego del Amor (Spanish lingo version of “Ring of Fire” ) (Bob reads Danté on the Ninth Circle of Hell.) “I’m gonna leave you with one last thought. This one isn’t quite so deep as Danté. It’s from our plain-talkin’ president, Harry S. Truman. He said, ‘Never kick a fresh turd on a hot day.’ See ya next week.”
The Politics of Poker and online gambling, also at Reason TV. I do not know how the gummint can try to control online gambling, but leave the casinos alone. Besides, isn't the gummint in the sinful gambling business itself? Lotteries, etc?
Excellentbasic info for the new cigar-smoker (yes, we are always ten years behind the fad curve, here at Maggie's. Next post: Fun With Hula Hoops.)
Goodadvice on cigar storage. (Including Don't use analog hygromofisticators - they are inaccurate. In the old days, they used apple cores as humidifiers, and no hygrometers. I like that idea - a nice apple smell.) Like an earthworm, a decent cigar out in the air will begin to lose its vitality in two hours unless it's a muggy day.
All this post needs is a bit on Port and Cognac, but I won't do that. They are delicious, but give me a headache if I consume them in a masculine volume.
Re photo: Not to worry. I unwrapped those Montes before I put them away.
It's a good time of year to re-link our past piece on Removing Pachysandra, that durable shade ground cover which is ubiquitous in these parts and which can be pleasant in the right place, but vulgar, I think, in others.
Getting it established takes some doing, but once it's happy it sure is tough to get rid of.
I have a patch to remove, maybe this weekend but my wheelbarrow has a flat so I need to fix that first.
LARRY KUDLOW: "Recessions are part of capitalism. They happen every so often. We’ve had two in the last 25 years. And it looks like we are entering a third one after today’s jobs-loss report."
The Clintons' entire approach to this campaign season was based on learning the wrong lessons from their political history. They survived the Lewinsky imbroglio, the pardons scandal, and the theft of White House gifts and assumed they were bulletproof. They confused our forgiveness with gullibility and came to feel that they could get away with anything. When Hillary won her Senate seat in New York, after Giuliani dropped out and Lazio could offer only nominal opposition, she believed she could sell voters any kind of chimera and they would fall for it.
He saw her from the bottom of the stairs Before she saw him. She was starting down, Looking back over her shoulder at some fear. She took a doubtful step and then undid it To raise herself and look again. He spoke Advancing toward her: “What is it you see From up there always?---for I want to know.” She turned and sank upon her skirts at that, And her face changed from terrified to dull. He said to gain time: “What is it you see?” Mounting until she cowered under him. “I will find out now---you must tell me, dear.” She, in her place, refused him any help, With the least stiffening of her neck and silence. She let him look, sure that he wouldn’t see, Blind creature; and a while he didn’t see. But at last he murmured, “Oh” and again, “Oh.” “What is it---what?” she said. “Just that I see.” “You don’t,” she challenged. “Tell me what it is.” “The wonder is I didn’t see at once. I never noticed it from here before. I must be wonted to it---that’s the reason.” The little graveyard where my people are! So small the window frames the whole of it. Not so much larger than a bedroom, is it? There are three stones of slate and one of marble, Broad-shouldered little slabs there in the sunlight On the sidehill. We haven’t to mind those. But I understand: it is not the stones, But the child’s mound---” “Don’t, don’t, don’t, don’t,” she cried. She withdrew, shrinking from beneath his arm That rested on the banister, and slid downstairs; And turned on him with such a daunting look, He said twice over before he knew himself: “Can’t a man speak of his own child he’s lost?” “Not you!---Oh, where’s my hat? Oh, I don’t need it! I must get out of here. I must get air.--- I don’t know rightly whether any man can.” “Amy! Don’t go to someone else this time. Listen to me. I won’t come down the stairs.” He sat and fixed his chin between his fists. “There’s something I should like to ask you, dear.” “You don’t know how to ask it.” “Help me, then.”
John Masterson Burke (1812-1909) led a long and successful life with many prominent friends and business associates, including Russell Sage and the Vanderbilts.
He never married, had no close relatives, and lived in a spartan manner in Manhattan. He left his $4.5 million estate in the name of his mother "for the establishment of the Winifred Masterson Burke Foundation, which is to be a rest home for convalescents..." The inspiration for his idea is unknown. Today, The Burke Rehabilitation Center in the NYC suburb of White Plains, NY is the premier rehabilitation and rehabilitation research center in the world.
A dear and close relation of mine is there right now, post hip-replacement and, if you have any doubts about American medicine, you will not after you see how this amazing place works.
It's interesting to read Burke's 1909 New York Times obit. Annoyed distant relatives came out of the woodwork after he wrote his final will.
Also wonderful to read the Victorian language (eg "will says he gave money to restore health, not for enjoyment") in this New York Times report on his bequest.
Our friend Gerard Van der Leun tried his hand at a little musical comedy today: Did You Ever Have To Make Up Your Mind?, by the Lovin' Superdelegates. A fine effort of course, as are all things American Digest. But of course, we can't help thinking he's mining a shaft with precious little ore in it. Dick Van Dyke and Julie Andrews is the mother lode, my brother!
SuperClintObamaDelegateFightIsAtrocious! Howard Dean is whining: Hey! infighting's gonna croak us If he says AARGH! loud enough He hopes the flock will focus SuperClintObamaDelegateFightIsAtrocious!
When Obama starts to speak Assembled throngs go mad Rodham gives his nose a tweak Points out his pastor's rad Then old Barry learned a word That saved his aching nose SuperClintObamaDelegateFightIsAtrocious!
Conversely under sniper fire There's no need for dismay For losing votes in Florida for caucusing last May Just claim those superdelegates If they can make parole SuperClintObamaDelegateFightIsAtrocious!
Although a vocal minority continues to attack the Christian faith, for most Americans, faith is a large part of their lives: 86 percent of Americans refer to themselves as religious, and 75 percent of all Americans consider themselves Christians. So how should they respond to these passionate, learned, and persuasive books that promote science and secularism over religion and faith? For years, Tim Keller has compiled a list of the most frequently voiced “doubts” skeptics bring to his Manhattan church. And in The Reason for God, he single-handedly dismantles each of them. Written with atheists, agnostics, and skeptics in mind, Keller also provides an intelligent platform on which true believers can stand their ground when bombarded by the backlash. The Reason for God challenges such ideology at its core and points to the true path and purpose of Christianity.
Why is there suffering in the world? How could a loving God send people to Hell? Why isn’t Christianity more inclusive? Shouldn’t the Christian God be a god of love? How can one religion be “right” and the rest “wrong”? Why have so many wars been fought in the name of God? These are just a few of the questions even ardent believers wrestle with today. In this book, Tim Keller uses literature, philosophy, real-life conversations and reasoning, and even pop culture to explain how faith in a Christian God is a soundly rational belief, held by thoughtful people of intellectual integrity with a deep compassion for those who truly want to know the truth.
Tim is the pastor of New York's booming Redeemer Presbyterian Church, but he is also well-known through his Thursday Men's Breakfast talks at The Harvard Club, which focus on the application of Christianity to daily life and especially to business life. Either or both are worth attending when visiting NYC.
Recordings of these excellent and routinely sold-out talks can be gotten here by subscription, or here on recordings (most are $5.)
The top 2007 giver to 527s is — drum roll, please — George Soros, with $3.5 million in contributions to Democrat-affiliated groups. The rest of the top ten are Rachel Mellon, with $3.48 million to Democratic-affiliated groups, Sheldon Adelson, with $2 million to Republican-affiliated groups, Fred Godley, with $1.1 million to Republican-affiliated groups, Donald Sussman, with $1 million to Democratic-affiliated groups, Stephen Bing, with $883,000 to Democratic-affiliated groups, Robert Bingham, with $812,000 to Democratic-affiliated groups, Lee Fikes, with $600,000 to Democratic-affiliated groups, John R. Hunting, with $593,000 to Democratic-affiliated groups, and Francine Goldstein, with $500,000 to Democratic-affiliated groups. (It should be noted that the two Republicans in the top ten, Adelson and Godley, gave most of their money to Gingrich.) And you should remember that these are 2007 figures — off-year figures — and the contributions will likely go way up in 2008.
Well, so much for McCain-Feingold. The Lefties took advantage of that loophole before the Repubs, didn't they?
CBS is developing a "Texas Version" of the popular TV show "Survivor."
The rules are so simple that even a non-Texan can follow them.
Each of the contestants must drive from Amarillo to Wichita Falls then Abilene, Fort Worth, Dallas, Waxahachie, Waco, Tyler, Lufkin, Vidor, Houston, skip Austin, on to San Antonio, Burnet, San Angelo, Midland, El Paso, then back to Amarillo through Monahans.
Each contestant must do this while driving a Prius with a prominent bumper sticker which reads, "I Voted for John Kerry, I’m voting for Barry Hussein Obama, I Think I'm Transgender, and I'm Here to Take Your Guns."
Skook made me think about possibles bags, ie pocketbooks, and I was reminded that guys needed them because clothing didn't have pockets. Who invented pockets?
"Tweeter and the monkey man were hard up for cash They stayed up all night selling cocaine and hash To an undercover cop who had a sister named Jan For reasons unexplained she loved the monkey man
Tweeter was a boy scout before she went to Vietnam And found out the hard way nobody gives a damn They knew that they found freedom just across the Jersey line So they hopped into a stolen car took Highway 99
(chorus) And the walls came down all the way to hell Never saw them when they're standing Never saw them when they fell
The undercover cop never liked the monkey man Even back in childhood he wanted to see him in the can Jan got married at fourteen to a racketeer named bill She made secret calls to the monkey man from a mansion on the hill
It was out on thunder road, tweeter at the wheel They crashed into paradise, they could hear them tires squeal The undercover cop pulled up and said everyone of you's a liar If you dont surrender now its gonna go down to the wire
(chorus)
An ambulance rolled up, a state trooper close behind Tweeter took his gun away and messed up his mind The undercover cop was left tied up to a tree Near the souvenir stand by the old abandoned factory
Next day the undercover cop was hot in pursuit He was taking the whole thing personal He didnt care about the loot Jan had told him many times it was you to me who taught In Jersey anything's legal as long as you dont get caught."
(chorus) ... Lyrics continued below.
"Tweeter and the Monkey Man," off the Traveling Wilburys, Vol. I, from 1988. The chorus is sung by the rest of the group: Roy Orbison, Tom Petty, Jeff Lynne and George Harrison, but the lead vocals and all the words are Dylan's (with a little assistance from Petty). A close read of the lyrics reveals a lot of imagery lifted/borrowed from Bruce Springsteen. Don't worry too much about them though - just enjoy the original recording below.
Furthermore, the dominance of these SF Dems - these Vietnam-sentimentalists - in the party and in the primaries is the reason they will lose in November.
The brilliant one-time lawyer and Warren Buffet partner Charlie Munger (I think the cynical - or should I say skeptical - Munger does the deep thinking, and Buffet is the practical guy) loves Robert Cialdini, who writes about influence and persuasion. Here's Cialdini's The Psychology of Persuasion.
Most condescending essay I have read today, at Boston Review.
It's about urban poverty. Not a word about rural poverty, and not a word about American subcultures. Well, it shows how policy wonks think: they think of their fellow adult humans as objects to be improved - by them.
Our morning links today reported the growing ogling crisis in the UK. Men are pigs: the government must do something. We hope this sign will contribute something useful to the discussion of the crisis, if not offer a simple solution. Why ogle, after all, if you can just stare?
We like the healthy, wholesome NSFW barmaid on the continuation page.
Obama-Gore 08?Dino. Good grief. And Obama gets another endorsement. That sure will help him.
I don't care how they check up on foreigners on American soil, but I do not like this. Where is our Constitutional right to privacy? And speaking of observation, Garbage Men double as cops. That really stinks.
Iraqis line up to join the army. Ace. Hmmmm. Maybe these dudes know something.
A mom discusses raising her autistic kid. Video. "A slice of heaven"
It's what's for dinner: Ted Turner says warming will cause cannibalism. He suggested no recipes. Speaking of impending cannibalism outbreaks, it was 19 degrees here this morning when I went to Dunkin Donuts.
Why don't "they" like America? AVI thinks about it. I would debate the premises. Exactly who doesn't "like" America, and why should it matter?
The crisis of barmaid ogling in the UK. They are also dealing with the crisis of Euroland bus routes. Aren't they lucky to have folks who really care about them?
The Prof takes a look at McCain's Annapolis speech, and is not impressed by its content. Me neither. Needs a bit of the vision thing. A bit of inspiration and cheerful optimism. (h/t, Insty). Repubs nominated the man - now he needs to become a candidate and show some zip. Since Obama will corner the market on negativity about America, John needs to ring some positive, uplifting bells. Bells of Freedom, I hope.
The sliding scale between "rich" and "poor" - I guess it depends on whether you're being taxed or receiving benefits.
Photo: A Mr. Free Market-style wave of the Capitalist cigar to Buddy and to Roger de Hauteville, (ex-King of Sicily) whose recent efforts at humor have struck a chord. That's a '96 Montecristo #10 - too strong for my taste.
Texas Throw 'Em. Video at 
It's a good time of year to re-link our past piece on 
Islam has taken over the 
Home Burial (1914)
Limited government vs. expansive government. 
Obama-Gore 08? 