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.
But-but-but, his computer models proved the link between good health and red wine. So whats the problem? So what if he made up a few numbers and tweaked the model to coincide with his theory, nothing new, everyone does it. Hey, the more red wine I drink, the better I feel. That’s all the modeling I need.
I am just finishing it. One hell of a tale - and I do mean hell. The xenophobia and racism of the Japanese is well-known, but the book will give one a harrowing picture of it.
Mentioned to my father-in-law that I was reading it, and he told me he saw Zamperini run in Madison Square Garden. We young'uns don't realize that Track and Field used to be perhaps the most popular sport in America.
Pic is Louie Zamperini carrying the Olympic Torch in 1984.
...the German vision of a Europe transformed into virtuous northern savers who play honestly and conscientiously by the accepted rules of the game looks hopelessly unrealistic, and never so more than now as the Italians get into the game.
Herbert London: The Failure of the Century's Grand Experiments:
If there is one obvious condition associated with the last century, it is the lack of government humility. Among the century’s leadership there was the self confident belief that “good ideas” will trump tradition, customs, history, even instinct. There were scarcely limits to political ingenuity. Here was the triumph of positivism, the assumption that rationality can subdue emotion. The engineers were in history’s driver’s seat and the lights appeared to be synchronized in green. Somewhere along the way things went wrong and the lights turned crimson...
You might suppose that the anti-Vietnam press corps might have approved of this demonstration of independent thinking. But Romney was, after all, a Republican. Moreover, as White makes clear, he was a particular kind of Republican — naïve, innocently moralistic, and old-fashioned — qualities that the liberals in the press were inclined to loathe. Within days, the “brainwashing” quote was everywhere. Eugene McCarthy added a cruel but amusing quip that no brainwashing was needed as “a light rinse should have been sufficient.” Romney’s polls tanked. He was finished.
Driving into "the Hive," as Vanderleun terms it, on the West Side Highway a few days ago. Always exciting for a simple country boy like me. I love the feel of it all, and I have good old friends there and lots of cool places to go to:
“Put first things first and we get second things thrown in: put second things first and we lose both first and second things. We never get, say, even the sensual pleasure of food at its best."
The country’s largely suburban and increasingly Southern electorate does not see big government as its friend or wise liberal mandarins as the source of its salvation. This sets up a potential political crisis between those who know what’s good and a presumptively ignorant majority. Obama is burdened, says Joe Klein of Time, by governing a “nation of dodos” that is “too dumb to thrive,” as the title of his story puts it, without the guidance of our president. But if the people are too deluded to cooperate, elements in the progressive tradition have a solution: European-style governance by a largely unelected bureaucratic class.
The tension between self-government and “good” government has existed since the origins of modern liberalism...
Another movie comment from the weekend, this time the new Tinker Tailor. I don't advise seeing it.
Not because it is poorly-done, but because it is impossible to depict the plot and the subplots of this complex Cold War counterespionage story in 2 hours. Had I not read the book, and seen the BBC miniseries several times, I would not have understood this film at all.
The gold standard for Tinker Tailor is the 6 hour miniseries with Alec Guiness as Smiley. It's one of the best things ever produced for TV. Ever. Even so, following the plot is difficult if you haven't read Le Carre's book first.
Reagan's end of the Cold War was a great loss for fiction.
Our webmeister is on vacation on Kauai, and emailed this pic of Koloa Church yesterday. Looks like New England, and not by accident.
A quote from the guest preacher at my own home church yesterday: "Go with Jesus today, and let Him take you to places that cash and Mastercard can't take you."
"Atheism is like AIDS: it robs you of the ability to repel invading viruses, philosophical or mental, by crippling the spiritual version of your immune system."
Dining in a clam shack can be cheaper, and far better, than eating at home. I love rickety little clam shacks. This one has a more extensive menu than the usual. Place is famous for the best Lobster Rolls in the world (in their opinion).
Why Sea Scallops cost more than Bay Scallops, these day, is a puzzle to me. The little Bay Scallops are much tastier, but the big Sea Scallops make a better presentation, I guess. Lots of people just don't know their seafood. I don't know much, but I think I know my seafood.
Beurre Blanc is for seafood. Dynamite simple sauce for baked cod, haddock, scrod, or scallops. The trick seems to be the (unnecessary for flavor, but useful for the process) dollop of heavy cream in the saucepan.
WHO THREW THE OVERALLS IN MISTRESS MURPHY'S CHOWDER?
Mistress Murphy gave a party just about a week ago, Everything was plentiful, the Murphys, they're not slow. They treated us like gentlemen; we tried to act the same And only for what happened, well it was an awful shame. When Mrs. Murphy dished the chowder out she fainted on the spot; She found a pair of overalls at the bottom of the pot. Tim Nolan he got ripping mad, his eyes were bulging out, He jumped upon the piano and loudly he did shout.
cho: "Who threw the overalls in Mistress Murphy's chowder?" Nobody spoke so he shouted all the louder. It's an Irish trick that's true, but I can lick the Mick that threw The overalls in Mistress Murphy's chowder.
They dragged the pants from out the soup and laid them on the floor; Each man swore upon his life, he'd ne'er seen them before. They were plastered up with mortar and were worn out at the knee, They had their many ups and downs as we could plainly see. And when Mrs. Murphy she came-to she 'gan to cry and pout, She had them in the wash that day and forgot to take them out. Tim Nolan, he excused himself for what he said that night, So we put music to the words and sang with all our might.
cho:
(Trad. Irish pub song - correction, a Vaudeville tune)
Our hunting friends all must have pheasants in the freezer at this time of the year.
This may be my favorite Pheasant recipe: Pheasant Braised with Red Cabbage and Apple. I plan to make some soon. A simple dish, but a treat for dinner guests. The meat must be pink in the middle but the skin crispy. Forget the legs - pheasant legs can only be consumed in a confit.
I like to throw a splash of reduced gibier sauce on top, to finish it off. A Pinot Noir is a good idea too - a white wine is always wrong with poultry and/or game birds.
If you have a favorite Pheasant recipe, let us know.
Don't swim in it: 
Seems like everybody I run into has already read this book: 
Photo via 
Another movie comment from the weekend, this time the new 
Our hunting friends all must have pheasants in the freezer at this time of the year.