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Maggie's FarmWe 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. |
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Sunday, December 19. 2010Urbanization in Asia
Beijing is, apparently, a dead city, and Shanghai a phony city. There's the autocratic way and the free market way. At City Journal, Asian Megacities, Free and Unfree - How politics has shaped the growth of Shanghai, Beijing, and Seoul. (h/t, Legal Ins.)
Posted by The Barrister
in Our Essays, The Culture, "Culture," Pop Culture and Recreation
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12:59
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Christmas Eve in BethlehemA re-post from last year - Our dear friend Nathan, a Jewish more-or-less atheist, decided to attend midnight Mass at the Church of the Nativity in Bethlehem this year. Good on him. His snaps and comments below:
His description of the experience begins:
Continue reading "Christmas Eve in Bethlehem"
Posted by Bird Dog
in Our Essays, The Culture, "Culture," Pop Culture and Recreation
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12:30
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Well, I Wish Zombie Ike Was Still President, But All In All, I'd Rather Re-Enact "Three's Company"Someone apparently not at risk of ever touching a human female boob has constructed a replica of the 4077 M*A*S*H unit in their backyard, and submitted it to Home and Garden's Rate My Space. I thought all the comic convention types were dressing up as Klingons, not Klinger nowadays, but what do I know? Go Mudhens! Saturday, December 18. 2010Man up, Psychologist weenies
What is it about Psychologists that they are always agonizing about the hypersensitive? Isn't their job to help people feel stronger, not more pathetic, victimized, and aggrieved? And hey - where's all the Kwanzaa stuff this year? Perhaps the Kwanzaa cult quit their "ancient and beloved tradition" for diversity reasons, so others might not be "offended." I miss those 12 days of Socialism. I can handle 12 days of it, but not years of it. If you give me years of it, I will quit working and let the Socialist suckers pay my bills. If they have jobs, that is. Great Christmas Idea for Guys! It's time to begin to start thinking about Christmas shopping...
Not sure what "whinning" is, but it's probably an extended version of whining about some perceived deprivation or injustice or whatever. Wives do that and, if I can reach back far enuf into my memory bank, I think I recall dimly that girlfriends do that too. Once they have you on the hook, that is. That's life. It's genetic. We guys, however we are, are never the right White Knight of their 13 year-old dreams. Just dopey guys is what we are, and utterly powerless without this remote control. The only button missing is the "Be Charming, Cheerful, Optimistic about Life, Deeply Appreciative of Me Despite My Flaws, and Wittily and Flirtatiously Amusing" button. Guess all those words won't fit on a tiny button, so there it is.
Posted by Bird Dog
in The Culture, "Culture," Pop Culture and Recreation
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11:43
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Friday, December 17. 2010"I pleja lejens..."
As this piece at Reason tells it, it was a late 19th Century response to large waves of immigration. It's not really about a flag. It's about "the Republic for which it stands." It's a way of testifying that you agree to the American social contract. In other words, "I agree to this deal." Kids cannot know what that deal is. It's quite a serious deal, really, because it can cost you your life, plenty of your property, and some of your freedom. It's freely given, too, if you're old enough to give it. You can always move somewhere else. Tom Friedman can move to China. I don't care whether Rousseau's social contract theory is valid or not; it's an essential concept anyway because it makes it clear that a conscious choice of citizenship is meaningful and important - even if secular and not sacred. Chaucer on Kindle and iPad
We are Chaucer fans here at Maggie's. I prefer to hear it read, rather than to read it. Audio of a modern translation here. When I was in school, we did it in the original and had good fun with it.
Posted by Bird Dog
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12:18
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Christian medical insurance? Plus a reminder to those on MedicareIt's exempt from Obamacare rules, too: Medi-Share. Readers know we hate government compulsion, and believe that government one-size-fits-all stuff fits about as well as a Mao jacket. My examples are, for a few, what if you're a Christian Scientist? What if you're wealthy and want to self-insure? What if you only want Major Medical (which I believe is the only thing that makes sense anyway)? When they talk about medical insurance, they sneakily speak as if it were equivalent to medical care. It is not.
A reminder to readers on Medicare: Give your doc a nice Christmas gift. He or she is losing money each time you see him in the office. A little - or a lot - of appreciation is in order, because you are the recipient of their charity and good will. They don't have to do it. Something special like this often goes over well: Heck, I always give my docs a Christmas something even though I am not on Medicare yet.
Posted by Bird Dog
in Our Essays, Politics, The Culture, "Culture," Pop Culture and Recreation
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10:52
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Thursday, December 16. 2010It's like a Leica, I am toldI am informed by someone who knows about these things that this is what I want for Christmas: the Lumix LX -5. I guess it's a clone of the Leica D-Lux 5. This guys says to chose the Leica. I'm not sure I need one, but it seems like a nice thing. I think I could take lousy snaps with any camera, though. On second thought, maybe I'd rather have the Leica. Heck, I don't know. I'll take the Lumix, Santa.
Posted by Bird Dog
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19:21
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America vs. EurolandLegal Insurrection reminded me of this:
These really are different views of the world and of the human being. Bill WattersonA few of Bill Watterson's college-era toons (Kenyon College, '80) were posted on the Kenyon site:
Posted by Bird Dog
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05:16
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Wednesday, December 15. 2010A free ad for SureFire
The problem with them has been that the battery drain has been so fast that they were not useful for any regular flashlight use (for which they were not designed anyway - they were first designed to incapacitate and illuminate a human target). They have now come out with a line of LED flashlights, some of which may not meet the same tactical specs but which have a longer battery life, and still should not be used in anybody's face unless you wish to disable them. A MagLite on steroids.
Also, Insty informs us that Amazon has deals on knives. Practical knives, not the fancy ones. Except when boarding a plane, a guy needs a knife in the pocket. Tuesday, December 14. 2010BooksJust a few of the various books I am getting for people this Christmas: The Complete Idiot's Guide to the Bible Historical Atlas of the United States The Law (Bastiat) Right now, I am reading Matterhorn: A Novel of the Vietnam War. Tom Sowell offers his list of Christmas books.
Posted by Bird Dog
in Our Essays, The Culture, "Culture," Pop Culture and Recreation
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19:36
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Monday, December 13. 2010Carnegie Hall: NYC snaps from yesterdayMy brunch at Petrossian yesterday was blini with Beluga, smoked Salmon Eggs Benedict, and Pear Tart, with a Bloody Mary first, and then some champagne. A fine day on the town with my in-laws who love my kids more than words can tell. Some pics - don't know who those guys are at the door in the rain, but they did not enter and were not properly dressed anyway.
Carnegie Hall has some exterior renovations going on. They almost tore down Carnegie Hall in 1960:
Posted by Bird Dog
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20:12
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Bug of the Week: Carpet Bugs
I thought Carpet Bugs were mythical. Pic is Carpet Beetle and beetle larva.
Posted by Bird Dog
in Our Essays, The Culture, "Culture," Pop Culture and Recreation
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17:36
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Manhattan Skyline to Change Dramatically This DecadeAt Pajamas, "A perfect reflection of America's character, Manhattan will be displaying many new skyscrapers in the coming years." The piece quotes The Fountainhead:
Posted by The Barrister
in The Culture, "Culture," Pop Culture and Recreation
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13:45
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Sunday, December 12. 2010Human nature and capitalismExcellent summary of the topic at The American by Arthur Brooks and Peter Wehner. Perhaps I like it because it confirms my line of thinking, but says it better than I can. They begin:
It's one of the biggest topics on earth. Good job, guys.
Posted by The Barrister
in Politics, The Culture, "Culture," Pop Culture and Recreation
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12:17
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Saturday, December 11. 2010Another expensive giftFor wristwatch hoarders and collectors, a 6-watch watch winder. I didn't know such things existed, but I did not need to know.
Posted by Bird Dog
in The Culture, "Culture," Pop Culture and Recreation
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12:40
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Friday, December 10. 2010Christmas, 1920The 1920s Christmas pics on this site are great fun. Some can be embiggened, with wonderful detail. (I don't know how to enable embiggening on our site.) I notice that Santa did not seem to use wrapping paper back then.
Posted by Bird Dog
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21:25
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For your Santa list, T
I advised a gun rack for his Porsche, and alligator boots (When in Rome, etc.). The Lucchese customized gator boot pictured here is nice for formal wear. Better, of course, to get a pair made for your own feet like the stars do. Put something like this on your list, old buddy. Might need something to put on that gun rack, too. We can offer advice on that.
Posted by Bird Dog
in The Culture, "Culture," Pop Culture and Recreation
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10:44
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Tuesday, December 7. 2010No connection with Maggie's Farm
Nice cufflinks.
Posted by Gwynnie
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13:56
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Monday, December 6. 2010Those Who ServeMy sons and I were at the pancake breakfast last Saturday morning at Camp Pendleton paid for by Congressman Darrell Issa’s Family Foundation to gather toys and contributions for Homefront San Diego. Issa’s Family Foundation is matching all contributions. Homefront San Diego has no overhead and no payroll. Every cent of tax-deductible contributions directly benefits the lower enlisted active duty military families in the San Diego area. Just go to the Homefront site and make your contribution to those who serve. As a former Marine Sergeant, of course I enjoyed who worked the line serving us Saturday morning, though they serve us every day. Continue reading "Those Who Serve"
Posted by Bruce Kesler
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11:04
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Sunday, December 5. 2010Character and FatalismA fairly serious essay by Prof. Bertonneau at Brussels titled A Lesson for Our Time in Three Late-Antique Narratives: Satyricon, The Golden Ass, and Confessions. One quote from this literary jeremiad:
Read the whole thing. It's a good reminder about those three classic texts, too, which we all read before we had the age on us to really appreciate what the authors were talking about. Non-technical education is wasted on the young, because they are too interested in questions about themselves than in the big questions. These books were not written for adolescents. Friday, December 3. 201012 years12 years is the average difference in age between men and women, in second marriages. I wonder why...
Posted by Bird Dog
in The Culture, "Culture," Pop Culture and Recreation
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11:07
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Tuesday, November 30. 2010Under The BoardwalkRemember when you carried around one of these, every where you went? Remember the music, also liberating, at the 50s start of RnR and pre-Beatles. Remember when you'd stay up late harmonizing with your friends or the song or all night listening. Remember when love was romantic and not another four-letter word. My friend Charlotte sent me this one. Maybe you'll still like it, and you don't have to stay up late to listen. Or, you can find many of the greats on Youtube, and rock and remember all night long. Got something better to do?
Posted by Bruce Kesler
in Our Essays, The Culture, "Culture," Pop Culture and Recreation
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23:34
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