Saturday, June 7. 2008
That's the title of the commencement address J.K. Rowling delivered at Harvard. One quote: Actually, I have wracked my mind and heart for what I ought to say to you today. I have asked myself what I wish I had known at my own graduation, and what important lessons I have learned in the 21 years that has expired between that day and this. I have come up with two answers. On this wonderful day when we are gathered together to celebrate your academic success, I have decided to talk to you about the benefits of failure. And as you stand on the threshold of what is sometimes called ‘real life’, I want to extol the crucial importance of imagination.
Read the whole thing, or watch the video, at Harvard Magazine
The Mighty Quinn might have been a reference, in part, to the great actor Anthony Quinn, but it feels like Obama/Messiah today. Not to worry. Reality will set in, at some point. Always bear in mind that Dylan is a genius, but, like most geniuses, a nut. This world would be lost without us regular, common-sense folks.
How about a vaccine for human flatulence? The Reaper in action, in Afghanistan. Video Bob will be touring in New England in August We need more leaders like Vaclav Havel Is DC's military checkpoint plan unconstitutional? The blooming of red Burgundies Getting Mugabe out. LA Times Israel: Iran attack unavoidable Cashing in on Castro's cashing out. Parliament has little to do anymore. Peak oil vs speculation. Blodget on oil prices
 I cannot see what flowers are at my feet, Nor what soft incense hangs upon the boughs, But, in embalmed darkness, guess each sweet Wherewith the seasonable month endows The grass, the thicket, and the fruit-tree wild; White hawthorn, and the pastoral eglantine; Fast fading violets cover'd up in leaves; And mid-May's eldest child, The coming musk-rose, full of dewy wine, The murmurous haunt of flies on summer eves.
A verse from Ode to a Nightingale. John Keats, who had medical training, wrote the poem as his brother was dying from TB. Keats also had the curious belief that he could enter into things, merge his identity, and speak through them. Read the whole poem on the continuation page below.
Continue reading "Saturday Verse: Keats (1785-1821)"
 This is a weekly Saturday morning feature that will slowly, over time, turn you into a full-fledged computer expert. More info here.
Lesson 9: Keyboard Skills
Sometimes it's just a matter of using the proper incentive.
For example, a few years ago I was teaching a number of classes at a computer college and one of them was "Keyboard Skills." It was a two-part class in the sense that it taught the students standard typing skills, plus it introduced them to all of those other keys that a typist normally doesn't touch.
When it comes to learning how to type, Rule #1 is "NO PEEKING!" Peeking at your fingers is extremely counterproductive, not only because it inhibits the learning process but, while you're peeking at the keyboard, you could be making a bona fide typo up above. Typos are the classic giveaway that someone doesn't know how to type correctly. People who actually know how to type rarely make typos because they're watching what they're typing as they type it. (spelling errors are a different story entirely)
But then there was Big Jim.
A mountain of a man, he wasn't about to be intimidated by some punkass computer teacher telling him over and over again to "QUIT PEEKING!" He was a smart guy and was catching on as fast as anyone, but he just couldn't break the habit.
So I did what any caring teacher would do. I brought a great big shiny butcher's knife to school.
After the class started and I caught Big Jim peeking, I pulled out the butcher's knife, let the bright chrome reflect the room lights into his bedazzled eyes, held the glistening, razor-sharp blade just above his fingers and said in a somber voice, "One more peek and you lose them all."
To the best of my knowledge, he never peeked again and aced the class.
If you, too, feel the need for such helpful, friendly incentives in order to become a master keyboardist, please...
Continue reading "Dr. Mercury's Computer Corner: Lesson 9 - Keyboard Skills"
Friday, June 6. 2008
Hour by hour, drop by drop,
Pain falls upon the heart
And against our will
And even in our own despair
Comes wisdom from the awful grace of God. Aeschylus, Agamemnon
Klavan went to a NYC grade school to do Story Time. A quote: The teacher told me that she once had to explain to the class why her last name was the same as her father’s. She dusted off the whole ancient ritual of legitimacy for them—marriages, maiden names, and so on. When she was done, there was a short silence. Then one child piped up softly: “Yeah . . . I’ve heard of that.” I’ve heard of that. It would break a heart of stone. Beating poverty in America nowadays is largely a matter of personal behavior. Get a high school diploma, don’t have kids until you’re married, don’t get married until you’re 21, and you probably won’t be poor. It also helps if you work hard, show up on time, act courteously, and avoid anything felonious. But where are these kids going to learn such things?
Read the whole thing in City Journal.
 It's not too late to get some tomatoes in the ground. NYT
RFK in Palestine. Belmont Anna Quindlen gets the gay marriage issue wrong. Ankle Biting Oregon Health won't pay for cancer drugs, but will pay for doctor-assisted suicide. That is called Pragmatism. NASA is doctoring temps. Ace Some wealthy UBS clients are going to be very sorry. EU to ban ads for performance cars. Lucky Europeans to have such wise and caring rulers. Shut Up and Sing Department: Dylan praises Obama
The Wooden Boat Show. June 27-29, at Mystic Seaport, Mystic, CT. 
Thursday, June 5. 2008
Fascism, at its core, is the view that every nook and cranny of society should work together in spiritual union toward the same goals overseen by the state. "Everything in the State, nothing outside the State," is how Mussolini defined it. Mussolini coined the word "totalitarian" to describe not a tyrannical society but a humane one in which everyone is taken care of and contributes equally. It was an organic concept in which every class, every individual, was part of the larger whole. From Jonah Goldberg's book, as quoted at No Pasaran. It's what Mark Levin terms "soft tyranny."
 Rick Moran on Hillary. A quote:
I will fight her hammer and tongs over what will be an effort to pass national health insurance regardless of who wins in November and her other schemes. But I will do it with a new found appreciation for her tenacity and a recognition that she is more than just an empty pantsuit.
Obama as King Canute. Never Yet Melted. The guy really does speak messianically (sp?). A quagmire. US Out of DC Now! It's a civil war. John Bolton lights into Obama. Michelle Now that a woman has come within inches of the White House, can we declare feminism obsolete? And with Obama's nomination, can we declare the obsolescence of the old Civil Rights movement? From the peak of the housing bubble, Americans have lost a lot of $. Bubbles create a false sense of wealth. No one has to starve in Africa. It's their rulers. That's why Clinton gave up on Africa. Easily fooled. Obama as Candide? I don't think so. Don't break one of those supposedly greenie fluorescent bulbs. A quote from Nidra Poller, via Scott at Powerline, on the Al Dura Affair: The French media blackout of information about this gigantic media hoax is an indication of the abysmal absence of a vibrant free press here in France. The media sleaze Sarkozy, trash Bush, and protect Charles Enderlin whose reports from Israel perpetuate the tiresome bashing that serves no honest purpose. This zombie French press silence should not be contagious. American mass media broadcast the al Dura image, participated in the dissemination of the hatred it bears. They have not even begun to examine the case, the footage, the sources.
They never checked with Snopes first.
 If you create a fair number of new projects, be it spreadsheets, desktop publishing brochures, word processing documents, web pages, pictures, songs or whatever, you'll be interested in this.
There are actually two ways you can create a new project with all (or at least most) of your customized settings already in place, such as font styles, 'author', project size or length, etc, depending on which method you use and how much info the program saves along with its files.
For example, if you made a lot of customized WAV sound files, you could open a 'New' WAV file from the menu and it'd open with all of your custom bitrate and frequency settings already in place, rather than you having to do it manually every time. It can obviously be a real time-saver.
If you consider yourself a 'New WAV' kinda guy, then please...
Continue reading "Doc's Computin' Tips: Customized 'new' projects"
Via Theo: During a visit to the mental asylum, a visitor asked the Director how he determines whether a patient should be institutionalized.
'Well,' said the Director, 'we fill up a bathtub, then we offer a teaspoon, a teacup and a bucket to the patient and ask him or her to empty the bathtub.'
'Oh, I understand,' said the visitor. 'A normal person would use the bucket because it's bigger than the spoon or the teacup.'
'No.' said the Director, 'A normal person would pull the plug. Do you want a bed near the window?'
Basic life skills: How to shake hands Random facts: Population of Long Island in NY State: 7.5 million. Population of Iowa: 3 million. More on McCain's speech: Leaves FOX speechless. Shake your tomatoes, and related topics. SISU Once again, global temps take a dive in May What happened to free markets and hard work? Conspiracy. "What happened to Thrift?" WSJ Why we can count on rates going up: Inflation. SDA is a good place to get summaries of the antics of the Steyn Witch Hunt
Wednesday, June 4. 2008
The below came in over the transom (thanks, reader), and our fact checker is on strike this week so you have to take this as it is: 1.) Selma Got Me Born - NOT EXACTLY, your parents felt safe enough to have you in 1961 - Selma had no effect on your birth, as Selma was in 1965. (Google 'Obama Selma' for his full March 4,2007 speech and articles about its various untruths.) 2.) Father Was A Goat Herder - NOT EXACTLY, he was a privileged, well educated youth, who went on to work with the Kenyan Government. 3.) Father Was A Proud Freedom Fighter - NOT EXACTLY, he was part of one of the most corrupt and violent governments Kenya has ever had. 4.) My Family Has Strong Ties To African Freedom - NOT EXACTLY, your cousin Raila Odinga has created mass violence in attempting to overturn a legitimate election in 2007, in Kenya. It is the first widespread violence in decades. The current government is pro-American but Odinga wants to overthrow it and establish Muslim Sharia law. Your half-brother, Abongo Obama, is Odinga's follower. You interrupted your New Hampshire campaigning to speak to Odinga on the phone. Obama's cousin Odinga in Kenya ran for president and tried to get Sharia muslim law in place there. When Odinga lost the elections, his followers have burned Christians' homes and then burned men, women and children alive in a Christian church where they took shelter. Obama SUPPORTED his cousin before the election process here started. Google Obama and Odinga and see what you get. No one wants to know the truth. 5.) My Grandmother Has Always Been A Christian - NOT EXACTLY, she does her daily Salat prayers at 5am according to her own interviews. Not to mention, Christianity wouldn't allow her to have been one of 14 wives to 1 man. 6.) My Name is African Swahili - NOT EXACTLY, your name is Arabic and 'Baraka' (from which Barack came) means 'blessed' in that language. Hussein is also Arabic and so is Obama. Barack Hussein Obama is not half black. If elected, he would be the first Arab-American President, not the first black President. Barack Hussein Obama is 50% Caucasian from his mother's side and 43.75% Arabic and 6.25% African Negro from his father's side. While Barack Hussein Obama's father was from Kenya, his father's family was mainly Arabs. Barack Hussein Obama's father was Arab (his father's birth certificate even states he's Arab, not African Negro). http://www.arcadeathome.com/newsboy.phtml?Barack_ Hussein_Obama_-_Arab-American,_only_6.25%25_African 7.) I Never Practiced Islam - NOT EXACTLY, you practiced it daily at school, where you were registered as a Muslim and kept that faith for 31 years, until your wife made you change, so you could run for office. 4-3-08 Article "Obama was 'quite religious in 8.) My School In Indonesia Was Christian - NOT EXACTLY, you were registered as Muslim there and got in trouble in Koranic Studies for making faces (check your own book). February 28, 2008. Kristoff from the New York Times a year ago: Mr. Obama recalled the opening lines of the Arabic call to prayer, reciting them with a first-rate accent. In a remark that seemed delightfully uncalculated (it'll give Alabama voters heart attacks), Mr. Obama described the call to prayer as "one of the prettiest sounds on Earth at sunset." This is just one example of what Pamela is talking about when she says "Obama's narrative is being altered, enhanced and manipulated to whitewash troubling facts." 9.) I Was Fluent In Indonesian - NOT EXACTLY, not one teacher says you could speak the language. 10.) Because I Lived In Indonesia, I Have More Foreign Experience - NOT EXACTLY, you were there from the ages of 6 to 10, and couldn't even speak the language. What did you learn, how to study the Koran and watch cartoons. 11.) I Am Stronger On Foreign Affairs - NOT EXACTLY, except for Africa (surprise) and the Middle East (bigger surprise), you have never been anywhere else on the planet and thus have NO experience with our closest allies. Lots more, below. Just "distractions from the critical issues," of course...
Continue reading "More Obama issues that the MSM ignores"
We Conservatives may be guilty of nurturing a "flattering consensus" in our own ways, insulated from rigorous debate. Thompson uses the neoneo piece we linked a while ago about the lack of intellectual diversity in the academy, and takes it a bit further, concluding: If students and faculty are spared serious, thoughtful contact with opposing arguments, their own views can easily become lazy, reflexive and glib. One can simply feel one is right, or ought to be, and that may be the end of the process. This should matter irrespective of one’s political leanings. If a person wants to be right about a given issue, it helps to know why their ideas are sound, if indeed they are. And knowing why an idea is sound generally arises from that idea being tested, vigorously, by people who disagree.
 "Deceptive simplicity." An "artist's artist."
Auction at Christie's of Scott's work in London on June 6. This is Blue Frying Pan.
A quote from his Obama's Real Religion: ...what troubles me most is what he said... while campaigning in Oregon: "We can't drive our SUVs and eat as much as we want and keep our homes on 72 degrees at all times ... and then just expect that other countries are going to say OK." "That's not leadership," Obama declared. "That's not going to happen." What's not going to happen? Us continuing to drive our SUVs and eat as much as we want and keep our homes at 72 degrees? Or other nations saying OK? We already know, from Obama's comments at a private meeting with big-pocket donors in San Francisco, that he's an elitist who sneers at the common people who cling to religion and guns because they're bitter about job losses twenty years ago. But what this statement reveals is that Obama's real religion has nothing to do with Reverend Wright. Obama is a true believer in the religion of Environmentalism.
Well, I don't know. You never know whether pols believe in anything or not - except in their own advancement. In any event, he is, at the least, pretending to drink the Kool-Aid. Or will they ban Kool-Aid, and make us all drink organic Chardonnay?
 P.J. O'Rourke rips the Field Museum's new function as purveyor of dumbed-down, mealy-mouthed pomo platitudes. One quote:
You escape the pity parlor of When Worlds Collide and traverse a space of video screen talking heads and interactive displays with all their buttons being pounded by toddlers. This is "Living Descendants." The ancient Americans' modern relations are regular folks, as well as their ancestors were, and with clothes on, too, the same as you and me. Of course, if they're the same as you and me, why do they need a room in a museum any more than we do? Well, "despite centuries of injustice and oppression, today's "Indigenous peoples strive to sustain their cultural traditions." You could say the same of the Irish. Being one, I looked for the exit to go find a drink.
Ghana more advanced than the US. Ghana opts for nuclear energy. Is Todd Purdam a "scumbag"? Bruce Kesler says no. Pickled. Red wine slows aging. McCain launches his campaign with an excellent speech, poorly, uninspiringly and stumblingly-delivered. He cannot compete with Obama in flash, but he's got to do better than this. The WSJ asks "Who is Obama?" The young Senator has been a supernova exploding into our politics, more phenomenon than conventional candidate. His achievement in winning the Democratic nomination has been impressive. Now comes a harder audience. The presidency has to be earned, and Americans have a right to know much more about the gifted man who is the least tested and experienced major party nominee in modern times.
AVI asks: "Do you really want to help the poor and the developing nations of the world, or do you just want to do those things that feel good?" He alerts us to The Copenhagen Consensus on the world's top 30 problems. "Climate" comes in 30th. Quote from the above piece in Reason: At number 30, the lowest priority is a proposal to mitigate man-made global warming by cutting the emissions of greenhouse gases. This ranking caused some consternation among the European journalists at the press conference. Nobelist and University of Maryland economist Thomas Schelling noted that part of the reason for the low ranking is that spending $75 billion on cutting greenhouses gases would achieve almost nothing. In fact, the climate change analysis presented to the panel found that spending $800 billion until 2100 would yield just $685 billion in climate change benefits.
Betsy on Dem populism, which, as we have often noted here, is negative as it is designed to inspire childish feelings of helplessness and grievance - and the delusion that government can offer you a life make-over. She quotes Mrs. Obama: Obama begins with a broad assessment of life in America in 2008, and life is not good: we’re a divided country, we’re a country that is “just downright mean,” we are “guided by fear,” we’re a nation of cynics, sloths, and complacents. “We have become a nation of struggling folks who are barely making it every day,” she said, as heads bobbed in the pews. “Folks are just jammed up, and it’s gotten worse over my lifetime. And, doggone it, I’m young. Forty-four!”
From these bleak generalities, Obama moves into specific complaints. Used to be, she will say, that you could count on a decent education in the neighborhood. But now there are all these charter schools and magnet schools that you have to “finagle” to get into. (Obama herself attended a magnet school, but never mind.) Health care is out of reach (“Let me tell you, don’t get sick in America”), pensions are disappearing, college is too expensive, and even if you can figure out a way to go to college you won’t be able to recoup the cost of the degree in many of the professions for which you needed it in the first place. “You’re looking at a young couple that’s just a few years out of debt,” Obama said. “See, because, we went to those good schools, and we didn’t have trust funds. I’m still waiting for Barack’s trust fund. Especially after I heard that Dick Cheney was s’posed to be a relative or something. Give us something here!” Give us something? Like what? Would the Presidency suffice for your family, Mrs. O?
Tuesday, June 3. 2008
 June 14th is Flag Day. Got your bright shiny new one?
I love our flag, but remain quite fond of the old Gadsden flag.
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