Saturday, December 29. 2007
Story here. h/t, our Wall Street daughter. Aren't you glad you have owned Berkshire Hathaway shares all these years? You have millions now, and can tell Maggie to go to hell if you want to.
You are not paid to think,” is what my father said. “You are paid to sit there and do what you’re told.”
He was imparting his wisdom when I told him about the troubles I was having working in banking.
Whole piece here. h/t, Small Dead Titmice
"I appreciate your gift more than I can say." NYT
Friday, December 28. 2007
A re-post from 2005 J.M. Coetzee reviews Jay Parini's Life of William Faulker: "Now I realise for the first time," wrote William Faulkner to a woman friend, looking back from the vantage point of his mid-fifties, "what an amazing gift I had: uneducated in every formal sense, without even very literate, let alone literary, companions, yet to have made the things I made. I don't know where it came from. I don't know why God or gods or whoever it was, selected me to be the vessel."
A fascinating piece, even for non-Faulkner fans, which might tell you all you need to know about him. Click here: The New York Review of Books: The Making of William Faulkner
Thursday, December 27. 2007
- The revival of fox hunting since the ban. (h/t, Englishman's Castle)
- Chasing foxes on Boxing Day in Olde England: Mr. Free Market (whence the photo below).
- Customs of fox hunting 
Re-posted from 2005: Abortion and the Need for Babies: Remember the "population bomb"? Well, Steyn deplores the low birth rates in the West, comparing Europe's rate with that of the celibate Shakers, and predicting a similar outcome: "Almost every issue facing the EU - from immigration rates to crippling state pension liabilities - has at its heart the same glaringly plain root cause: a huge lack of babies." Click here: Telegraph | Opinion | The strange death of the liberal West
"Women now hold half of all management jobs in America. Business books and magazines tout their superior leadership style. What’s really changing in the country’s corner offices?" Read the whole piece by Judith Haveman in The Wilson Quarterly
Wednesday, December 26. 2007
Tuesday, December 25. 2007
I stole this from Dan: Remember, the gift of Christ that God gave us:
- is always the right size
- is always the right color
- never needs a receipt
- will never go out of style
- doesn't need batteries
- comes as no assembly required
- doesn't come with excess packaging
- and is exactly what we need!!!
Monday, December 24. 2007
This charming little home is of very recent vintage, yet exhibits some fine Craftsman details, delicate brickwork and an ornate roof. It has recently hit the market and is available in move-in ready condition following a foreclosure. Great curb appeal: your neighbors will all want a piece of this property. 
Powerline Related: Altruism feels good. Indeed it does, for many if not most of us. Getting is fun, but giving feels like soul food.
"I thought 'By golly, I'll give it my all.' " It's about love and the glory of God (h/t, my pastor):
Sunday, December 23. 2007
 We periodically write about flying toys, which we believe are for all ages.
If you are going to Costco tomorrow to pick up some fixin's, they might still have some of these left: The world's first radio-controlled dragonfly.
This Yule story, which occurred 3 weeks ago, came in over the transom:
 It started last Christmas, when Bennett and Vivian Levin were overwhelmed by sadness while listening to radio reports of injured American troops. "We have to let them know we care," Vivian told Bennett. So they organized a trip to bring soldiers from Walter Reed Army Medical Center and Bethesda Naval Hospital to the annual Army-Navy football game in Philly, on Dec. 3.
They created their own train line to do it. Yes, there are people in this country who actually own real trains. Bennett Levin - native Philly guy, self-made millionaire and irascible former L&I commish - is one of them.
He has three luxury rail cars. Think mahogany paneling, plush seating and
white-linen dining areas. He also has two locomotives, which he stores at his Juniata Park train yard. One car, the elegant Pennsylvania, carried John F. Kennedy to the Army-Navy game in 1961 and '62. Later, it carried his brother Bobby's body to D.C. for burial. "That's a lot of history for one car," says Bennett.
He and Vivian wanted to revive a tradition that endured from 1936 to 1975, during which trains carried Army-Navy spectators from around the country directly to the stadium where the annual game is played. The Levins could think of no better passengers to reinstate the ceremonial ride than the wounded men and women recovering at Walter Reed in D.C. and Bethesda, in Maryland. "We wanted to give them a first-class experience," says Bennett. "Gourmet meals on board, private transportation from the train to the stadium, perfect seats - real hero treatment."
Continue reading "A Yuletide Train Story"
By our friend Elissa Gore (10X30, oil/canvas) 
Saturday, December 22. 2007
Mr. Flywheel at The Shelf seeks his inner George Bailey
 It is the time of year to focus on helping, remembering, and praying for the poor and the poor in spirit.
Hard Times Let us pause in life's pleasures and count its many tears
While we all sup sorrow with the poor.
There's a song that will linger forever in our ears,
Oh, hard times, come again no more.
'Tis the song, the sigh of the weary.
Hard times, hard times, come again no more.
Many days you have lingered all around my cabin door.
Oh, hard times, come again no more.
While we seek mirth and beauty and music light and gay.
There are frail forms fainting at the door.
Though their voices are silent, their pleading looks will say.
Oh, hard times, come again no more.
'Tis the song, the sigh of the weary.
Hard times, hard times, come again no more.
Many days you have lingered all around my cabin door.
Oh, hard times, come again no more.
There's pale drooping maiden who toils her life away
With a worn out heart, whose better days are o'er.
Though her voice it would be merry, 'tis sighing all the day,
Oh, hard times, come again no more.
'Tis the song, the sigh of the weary.
Hard times, hard times, come again no more.
Many days you have lingered all around my cabin door.
Oh, hard times, come again no more.
'Tis the song, the sigh of the weary.
Hard times, hard times, come again no more.
Many days you have lingered all around my cabin door.
Oh, hard times, come again no more. Editor - Here's an excellent performance of the song by Bob Dylan:
Friday, December 21. 2007
 The crisis of global warming climate change has rapidly transformed the North Pole back into the jungle tropical rain forest that it was in ancient history, when Santa originally bought his place up there.
After all these years living in an ice palace, it must be a nice change for Mr. and Mrs. Santa. NSFW photo below tells the story.
Continue reading "Santa's female elves suffering, forced to remove their parkas due to climate change"
From Winding Road: The Twike is an innovative electric vehicle that allows a driver to generate his or her own power by pedaling. Instead of directly moving the wheels though, pedaling the Twike charges up the car’s five-speed electric motor. Twike says that the car can obtain speeds of up to 45 mph, and that adding a passenger on the pedals can help to generate almost 500 watts.
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