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Sunday Morning Book Thread 04-25-2020

armchair books edinburgh 02.jpg
Armchair Books, Edinburgh, Scotland

Good morning to all you 'rons, 'ettes, lurkers, and lurkettes, wine moms, frat bros, crétins sans pantalon (who are technically breaking the rules). Welcome once again to the stately, prestigious, internationally acclaimed and high-class Sunday Morning Book Thread, a weekly compendium of reviews, observations, snark, witty repartee, hilarious bon mots, and a continuing conversation on books, reading, spending way too much money on books, writing books, and publishing books by escaped oafs and oafettes who follow words with their fingers and whose lips move as they read. Unlike other AoSHQ comment threads, the Sunday Morning Book Thread is so hoity-toity, pants are required. Even if it's these pants, and I'm not sure I'd want to meet the person they would actually fit.



Pic Note:

Many of the library photos I select show great ceilings. This used bookstore, by contrast, seems to have impressive rugs:

Armchair Books ekes out its intense and blustery existence on Edinburgh’s hallowed West Port…ancient home of booksellers. In view of the castle, above the Grassmarket, it bakes under the torrid Scottish sun. The dangers are manifold; our overburdened shelves groan like masts in a squall, our threadbare and quasi-oriental rugs may distractingly catch the eye or foot. Books in the window may spontaneously burst into flames, and the Managers must be kept locked in at all times… Sporadically under feeble but sinister attack by the government, we struggle under goad of Fear, towards Beauty.

OK, then. Armchair Books carries "every type of book you could possibly think of including a standard and hefty stock of used fiction and nonfiction books, as well as a beautiful assortment of leather and cloth-bound rare and antiquarian books."


It Pays To Increase Your Word Power®

20210425_book_pic_02.jpg
It's 1000 times greater than a gigadiddle.




20210425_book_pic_05.jpg



There Is Nothing New Under the Sun

"Right-thinking" people used to roll their eyes when any discussion of the communist infiltration of the civil rights movement was brought. "So, you think that anybody who wants blacks to be treated equally is a communist!?" they'd sneer. "Only Birchers believed in that conspiracy nonsense."

But then there's this book.

I heard about it on a podcast clip via twitter: Color, Communism, and Common Sense - A True Story, a book that explains the, uh, "intersectionality", if you will, of communism and the civil rights movements:

The words penned in 1958 by Manning Johnson in Color, Communism, and Common Sense eerily resonate with the troubled atmosphere that arose in 2020 and remains embedded today in our Western culture. Manning Johnson spent ten years as a high-ranking member of the Communist Party USA, believing that the Party could help the conditions of black people in America at that time. When finally realizing that the Communist Party was not helping but actually harming black people and using them for its own purposes, Johnson left the Party and spent the rest of his life warning about communism.

The book was first published in 1958, and it does seem quote prescient for 2020. There is no Kindle preview, so here are a couple of quotes I found:

"The heavy hand of communism has stirred up racial strife, creating confusion, hate, and bitterness so essential to the advancement of the Red cause."

And:

"It is a hangover from slavery when the Negro had to depend on the master for everything necessary for his well-being. At the same time, it proves that no "Emancipation Proclamation" is capable of freeing those who do not wish to be free. The Negro intelligentsia, by far and large, is physically free but mentally slave. After nearly a century removed from chattel slavery, they are unwilling and incapable of throwing off their slave psychology. Reds and political charlatans of all shades, aware of this fact, find the Negro intelligentsia easy prey."

Also, as an added bonus:

This special 2021 edition includes photos, illustrations, and two bonus sections about current affairs in the 21st Century: Critical Race Theory and the Church and S Is for Social Justice: The Language of Today’s Cultural “Revolution.”

I only wish some liberal would stand up and say "You know, I'm all for minority rights, but can we get that without all of this commie crap thrown in with it?"

___________



Who Dis:

who dis 20210425.jpg

(Last week's 'who dis', reading an unabridged dictionary, was Glenn Ford.


"Politics is downstream from culture."

--Andrew Breitbart

I heard about this new site, Upstream Reviews, last week:

For a while now, I’ve been frustrated with what you might call the mainstream institutions of publishing–particularly science fiction and fantasy publishing...

Part of what we are going to do with this site is to draw attention to some of the problems I mentioned above...But mainly what we’re going to do is post reviews of books that we enjoy. Every Monday, Wednesday and Friday we’re going to recommend a book and tell you exactly what we like about it. We’re going to focus mainly on books by newer, lesser known authors, particularly authors whose work is “superversive,” meaning that it breaks from the current trend of cynicism, snark and bland progressivism and dares to be uplifting and a pleasure to read. Additionally, we will be working with authors on price promotions, so that you’ll often be able to get books for as little as $.99–or even free. If you want to be alerted when a book we recommend goes on sale, you can sign up for our promo alerts here.

They're just getting started, so there's not much there yet, but if you're a reader of science fiction and fantasy, it's probably worth bookmarking and checking back in on a regular basis. Because who doesn't like 99 cent e-books?



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Moron Recommendations

200 Currently reading bankrupting physics by a German college professor, Alexander Unzicker. He goes through the three dozen or so reasons why modern physics theories are absolutely ridiculous. He doesn't reach the conclusion that the entire exercise should be scrapped and then we should go back to the very beginning of be rising and try to come up with something that actually describes the universe instead of being mostly fantasy based theories that cannot be quantified or falsified. I do reach that conclusion.

Posted by: Sharkman at April 18, 2021 11:20 AM (y6l0F)

Bankrupting Physics: How Today's Top Scientists are Gambling Away Their Credibility looks fascinating, but not $50 worth of fascinating, which is the price for a new hardcover edition. There is no e-book version available. Used copies are considerably cheaper.

This authors of this book, both scientists,

...take us on a tour of contemporary physics and show how a series of highly publicized theories met a dead end. Unzicker and Jones systematically unpack the recent hot theories such as "parallel universes," "string theory," and "inflationary cosmology," and provide an accessible explanation of each. They argue that physics has abandoned its evidence-based roots and shifted to untestable mathematical theories, and they issue a clarion call for the science to return to its experimental foundation.

At least they're not arguing that quantum physics will have to be scrapped because it's rooted in systemic racism and white supremacy.

Unzicker sounds like a bit of an iconoclast. A couple of his other titles are The Mathematical Reality: Why Space and Time Are an Illusion and Einstein's Lost Key: How We Overlooked the Best Idea of the 20th Century.

If you're looking for a less expensive book on this subject, I discovered this one that looked interesting, Farewell to Reality: How Modern Physics Has Betrayed the Search for Scientific Truth, which asks the question

Where does one draw the line between solid science and fairy-tale physics? Jim Baggott argues that there is no observational or experimental evidence for many of the ideas of modern theoretical physics: super-symmetric particles, super strings, the multiverse, the holographic principle, or the anthropic cosmological principle...

Informed, comprehensive, and balanced, Farewell to Reality discusses the latest ideas about the nature of physical reality while clearly distinguishing between fact and fantasy, providing essential and entertaining reading for everyone interested in what we know and don’t know about the nature of the universe and reality itself.

The Kindle edition for this puppy is only $10.99.

___________


bookish problem 146.jpg


42 I'm now back to reading Lovecraftian fiction with Black Wings of Cthulhu 6. I really enjoy this series. S.T. Joshi is very good about commissioning or finding quality Lovecraftian stories that are genuinely unsettling. It's not for everyone, but if horror is your thing, then I highly recommend the Black Wings of Cthulhu series. Once I finish that, I'll move back to my stack of Clifford D. Simak short fiction stories. Also HIGHLY recommended. Arguably the greatest science fiction author of all time.

Posted by: Lord Squirrel at April 18, 2021 09:24 AM (hQrcu)

There are 6 books in this series. There are usually around 20 stories, plus or minus, in each volume. Here is the first installment, Black Wings of Cthulhu: Tales of Lovecraftian Horror, and apparently the editor, S.T. Joshi is "the recognized authority on all things Lovecraftian, and is famous for his restorations of Lovecraft's original works." This first installment gives you 21 stories that are "brand-new, utterly terrifying, and thoroughly entertaining tales of Lovecraftian horror and the macabre."

The Kindle edition is $7.99.

___________

83 Other book I've been reading lately is a James Thurber anthology. That man could write. His comedy is still as fresh and funny now as it was when he was writing. One line actually made me crack up laughing out loud for a minute or two. How many other humorists from the mid-20th century are still remembered?

Posted by: Trimegistus at April 18, 2021 09:45 AM (QZxDR)

I can think of two, and one of them may not count. Ogden Nash, and when I was in grade school, I remember reading the light verse of Richard Armour, only I'm probably the only one in the United States who remembers him now. Very much like Nash, I think.

But back to James Thurber...

He was quite a writer: cartoonist, author, humorist, journalist, playwright, and celebrated wit. Most of what he is known for is his cartoons and short stories, many of him were published in The New Yorker magazine.

Much of stuff is still in print. There's a good selection on Kindle, and the prices are all over the map, from $3 to $20. You should be able to find something you like.

Or, if you want the big enchilada, you can get everything he ever wrote in a single collection, The works of James Thurber: Complete and Unabridged in a bonded leather hardback edition for < $40. I don't normally recommend books that experience, but that one sounds like it might be a good deal.

___________

So that's all for this week. As always, book thread tips, suggestions, bribes, insults, threats, ugly pants pics and moron library submissions may be sent to OregonMuse, Proprietor, AoSHQ Book Thread, at the book thread e-mail address: aoshqbookthread, followed by the 'at' sign, and then 'G' mail, and then dot cee oh emm.

What have you all been reading this week? Hopefully something good, because, as you all know, life is too short to be reading lousy books.




20210425_book_pic_04.jpg

Posted by: OregonMuse at 09:00 AM




Comments

(Jump to bottom of comments)

1
"I will not permit thirty men to travel four hundred miles merely to agitate a bag of wind."

-- Andrew D. White, president of Cornell (1873), when the University of Michigan proposed a UM/Cornell football game in Cleveland

Posted by: All Hail Eris, Sans-Culottes (except for the Book Thread) at April 25, 2021 08:01 AM (Dc2NZ)

2 Hiya

Posted by: JT at April 25, 2021 08:02 AM (arJlL)

3 Nixon

Posted by: CN at April 25, 2021 08:02 AM (ONvIw)

4 Nice First, Eris !

Posted by: JT at April 25, 2021 08:02 AM (arJlL)

5 Tolle Lege
But I need a trip to used book store

Posted by: Skip at April 25, 2021 08:03 AM (Cxk7w)

6 I only wish some liberal would stand up and say "You know, I'm all for minority rights, but can we get that without all of this commie crap thrown in with it?"

I am not in favor of special privilege for minorities.

Posted by: CN at April 25, 2021 08:03 AM (ONvIw)

7 Almost looks like Tricky Dick as Leftists called him

Posted by: Skip at April 25, 2021 08:04 AM (Cxk7w)

8 President Nixon.

And I first heard "taradiddle" when listening to Iolanthe.

And I am absoultely shattered. Hope I didn't make too much of a fool of myself last night.

Posted by: Mary Poppins' Practically Perfect Piercing at April 25, 2021 08:04 AM (2JVJo)

9 The pants pic is Tank Abrams panties.

Posted by: JT at April 25, 2021 08:04 AM (arJlL)

10 and apparently the editor, S.T. Joshi is "the recognized authority on all things Lovecraftian, and is famous for his restorations of Lovecraft's original works."

He's also a very in-your-face atheist.

Posted by: Mary Poppins' Practically Perfect Piercing at April 25, 2021 08:07 AM (2JVJo)

11 But I need a trip to used book store
Posted by: Skip

There ain't none in my neck of the woods.

There's a book swap at my local Post Office and one of them book thingies up the road apiece, but they're BOTH getting LOADED with those wine mom books.

Posted by: JT at April 25, 2021 08:08 AM (arJlL)

12 Dick "I am not a crook" Nixon.


Interesting note - he earned the money he used in his early campaigns by playing poker while in the Navy. JFK, on the other hand, grifted if from fat cat donors and his bootlicking, anti-Semitic Dad.

Posted by: Tonypete at April 25, 2021 08:08 AM (Rvt88)

13 Panties Type M1 Abrams

Posted by: Alien Exterminators at April 25, 2021 08:08 AM (Tnijr)

14 Good Sunday morning, horde!

Tarradiddle is the kind of word you would expect to find in a Nero Wolfe novel.

Posted by: April at April 25, 2021 08:08 AM (OX9vb)

15 Not so much re-reading but studying it more closely, Color and Light by James Gurney is becoming indispensable.


James Gurney is an interesting fellow, he and Thomas Kincade were friends when they were young and decided they would travel the country and learn to draw and paint.


The trip worked out pretty good for both of them.

Posted by: Thomas Bender at April 25, 2021 08:09 AM (b3fsZ)

16 Good Sunday morning, Horde.

Posted by: Ladyl at April 25, 2021 08:09 AM (+4oV5)

17 yo

Posted by: rhennigantx at April 25, 2021 08:09 AM (yrol0)

18
g'mornin', book-ish 'rons

Posted by: AltonJackson at April 25, 2021 08:09 AM (DUIap)

19 Hiya Ladyl !

Posted by: JT at April 25, 2021 08:09 AM (arJlL)

20 Nixon was a great and prolific writer. This was long before they had slush funds that paid off former presidents through fake book deals. Nixon's books were for real, he actually had something to say.

Posted by: Quint at April 25, 2021 08:09 AM (TPY/s)

21 Good morning fellow Book Threadists. I hope everyone had a great week of reading.

Posted by: JTB at April 25, 2021 08:10 AM (7EjX1)

22 That painting up top. Must have. It's beautiful. Does anyone know the title or artist? It doesn't seem to be clickable.

Posted by: grammie winger at April 25, 2021 08:10 AM (45fpk)

23 Finally reading John J. Miller's "The Big Scrum: How Teddy Roosevelt Saved Football" (2011). I've been meaning to, but no library near me carried it...until now. In its early days, this American spin on rugby had no set rules and was played with no protective gear. There were serious injuries and several deaths at games played at the top universities. The story is over a hundred years old but strangely timely:

"When the Progressives turned their eyes to football, many saw nothing but the violence. If their first impulse was to wince at the brutality, their next urge was to protect boys and young men from what they considered a frivolous and fatal activity. Why pass laws to get children out of urban factories and coal mines if they were simply going to maim themselves on football's killing fields? So the Progressives tried to address the problem by turning to their favorite solution: They sought to regulate it out of existence.

Posted by: All Hail Eris, Sans-Culottes (except for the Book Thread) at April 25, 2021 08:10 AM (Dc2NZ)

24
Panties Type M1 Abrams

Posted by: Alien Exterminators at April 25, 2021 08:08 AM


ISWYDT

golf clap

Posted by: AltonJackson at April 25, 2021 08:10 AM (DUIap)

25 They saw the sport as an unacceptable risk and believed its participants were not capable of making their own judgements about the costs and benefits of the game. Instead, elites would relieve them of the burden of choosing to play or not to play. They would ban the sport for the sake of its players."

It was felt by many that Americans needed wholesome physical activity. I am amused that even back in the rough and tumble "Good Old Days" there was an obsessive fear that America's youth were weak, sickly, and feminized. "On the threshold of a new century, would the country seize its historic destiny and grow into a world power or would it stop short of this accomplishment because it had turned out, in Roosevelt's words, "mollycoddles instead of vigorous men?""

Posted by: All Hail Eris, Sans-Culottes (except for the Book Thread) at April 25, 2021 08:11 AM (Dc2NZ)

26 Nixon, of course.

Posted by: dantesed at April 25, 2021 08:11 AM (88xKn)

27 Hiya JT!!!

Posted by: Ladyl at April 25, 2021 08:11 AM (+4oV5)

28 Love that top photo. Now THAT is a used book store.

Posted by: JTB at April 25, 2021 08:11 AM (7EjX1)

29 I'm also pretty sure that "who dis?" is Nixon. And can I also as an author reiterate the plea for reviews, if you enjoyed a book? Amazon does add on some publicity benefits for books with fifty or more posted customer reviews.
Still working my way through the Outlander books, although I cheated by binge-watching the series while doing hand-sewing on the reconstruction of a Victorian christening dress.

Posted by: Sgt. Mom at April 25, 2021 08:11 AM (xnmPy)

30 The Negro intelligentsia, by far and large, is physically free but
mentally slave. After nearly a century removed from chattel slavery,
they are unwilling and incapable of throwing off their slave psychology.
Reds and political charlatans of all shades, aware of this fact, find
the Negro intelligentsia easy prey."

That's a pretty profound and relevant insight. Clearly this fellow is a white supremacist.

Posted by: pep at April 25, 2021 08:12 AM (v16oJ)

31 The pants pic is Tank Abrams panties.
Posted by: JT at April 25, 2021 08:04 AM (arJlL)

Before they go through the printer to have "Wide Load" printed on them.

Posted by: Alberta Oil Peon at April 25, 2021 08:13 AM (mzC78)

32 I have started to put together a little library for the kiddies on the side of the side. There is a small clearing which you reach by a stone path which is currently used by the neighborhood urchins to travel between different parts of the 'hood.

I have the reading bench installed - a monster slab of maple about 7 ft long and 4 inches thick. It's a perfect hideaway for the littles.

Posted by: Tonypete at April 25, 2021 08:14 AM (Rvt88)

33 Dem pants would make great bordello curtains.

Posted by: All Hail Eris, Sans-Culottes (except for the Book Thread) at April 25, 2021 08:14 AM (Dc2NZ)

34 Dick "I am not a crook" Nixon.


Interesting note - he earned the money he used in his early campaigns by playing poker while in the Navy. ad.
Posted by: Tonypete

Do you believe that ?

I never did .

Posted by: JT at April 25, 2021 08:14 AM (arJlL)

35 That painting up top. Must have. It's beautiful. Does anyone know the title or artist? It doesn't seem to be clickable.
Posted by: grammie winger at April 25, 2021 08:10 AM (45fpk)


Grammie, I think it's "Reclined Reader" by Romel de la Torre. At least that's what my feeble search skills come up with.

Posted by: Mary Poppins' Practically Perfect Piercing at April 25, 2021 08:15 AM (2JVJo)

36 Tarradiddle is the kind of word you would expect to find in a Nero Wolfe novel.
Posted by: April

Or percussion notation.

Posted by: Tonypete at April 25, 2021 08:15 AM (Rvt88)

37 The Who Dis is definitely not LaBrawndo James. I mean, it looks like Tricky actually could read a book or two.

Morning Horde. Haven't picked up anything new to read this week. Just stopping in to stir the pot and drink coffee.

Posted by: Jak Sucio at April 25, 2021 08:15 AM (jvt6t)

38 Kamala "wrote" a children's book...they're handing it out to illegal immigrant kids @ the border...kid's who can't read or speak English...@ taxpayers expense.

Posted by: BignJames at April 25, 2021 08:15 AM (AwYPR)

39 Beach vacation is rapidly approaching. I need to choose one new suspense/thriller to read, and I'll also rustle up an old Travis McGee book to re-read just for fun.

Posted by: Buck Throckmorton at April 25, 2021 08:16 AM (d9Cw3)

40 Who dis? That's a tricky-dicky question!

Posted by: Biden's Dog at April 25, 2021 08:16 AM (1mKLx)

41 Grammie, I think it's "Reclined Reader" by Romel de la Torre. At least that's what my feeble search skills come up with.

Posted by: Mary Poppins' Practically Perfect Piercing at April 25, 2021 08:15 AM (2JVJo)


Thank you! Off to the hunt!

Posted by: grammie winger at April 25, 2021 08:16 AM (45fpk)

42 golf clap

Posted by: AltonJackson at April 25, 2021 08:10 AM (DUIap)

that term is starting to annoy me. Anyone who uses the term "golf clap" has never been to a PGA Tour event. I have seen people running down fairways, freaking the crap out because of Tiger, The Shark, Jack and even Jim Thorpe. If golf fans are sedate, it is because nothing it happening, and they are not Cleveland fans.

I understand the term, and it is pretty funny. But the idea that golf fans don't go off when something great happens is to be historically inaccurate.
https://tinyurl.com/5ysfucn3

Posted by: Quint at April 25, 2021 08:17 AM (TPY/s)

43 Oh whew! I thought for a moment you said Tara diddle!

Posted by: Gropey Joe at April 25, 2021 08:17 AM (Fc5rx)

44 No to be confused with a paradiddle.

Posted by: Dr. Varno at April 25, 2021 08:17 AM (vuisn)

45 That is so cool, Tonypete! Kids love little hidden away nooks like that.

"Urchins" isn't used nearly enough. Street arabs, waifs, mudlarks, guttersnipes, and ragamuffins all need to make comebacks.

Posted by: All Hail Eris, Sans-Culottes (except for the Book Thread) at April 25, 2021 08:17 AM (Dc2NZ)

46 38 Kamala "wrote" a children's book...they're handing it out to illegal immigrant kids @ the border...kid's who can't read or speak English...@ taxpayers expense.
Posted by: BignJames at April 25, 2021 08:15 AM (AwYPR)
-
You'd think she wants to be the mayor of Baltimore or something!

Posted by: Biden's Dog at April 25, 2021 08:17 AM (1mKLx)

47 Woot! Another recommendation from me has been posted! Always exciting. FYI - I finished Black Wings of Cthulhu 6 and while it was good, it didn't seem to be quite as good at BWC 5 due to some token "wokeness" that some of the authors inserted that really didn't serve the story well. Then I read story "Satiety" by Jason V. Brock. This story has some EPIC anti-woke speeches by one of the characters, who comments on the quality of modern-day literature. SPOILER: He goes on to murder his companion in an unholy festival orgy designed to enhance his personal power. But the truth of his speeches is hard to deny...

Posted by: Lord Squirrel at April 25, 2021 08:18 AM (hQrcu)

48 Posted by: Buck Throckmorton at April 25, 2021 08:16 AM (d9Cw3)


For beach read suspense, you can't go wrong with anything John Sandford.

Posted by: grammie winger at April 25, 2021 08:18 AM (45fpk)

49 "Urchins" isn't used nearly enough. Street arabs, waifs, mudlarks, guttersnipes, and ragamuffins all need to make comebacks.
Posted by: All Hail Eris

Hear! Hear!

Posted by: Tonypete at April 25, 2021 08:19 AM (Rvt88)

50 I had a good couple of weeks for books.

The hospital's TWIG bookstore was open on my onsite day this week. I got a copy of The Gulag Archipelago, a 1942 printing of The Oxbow Incident by Walter VanTillburg Clark, paperback Dr. Zhivago by Boris Pasternak, The Virginian by Owen Wister, The Once and Future King by T.H.White, and a hardcover collection of The Exploits of Tommy Hambledon by Manning Coles, with introduction by Rex Stout.

Posted by: April at April 25, 2021 08:20 AM (OX9vb)

51 I apologize if this is a repost. I remember trying to write about it during the HQ's green phase and it kept being rejected or the website failed, so I'm not sure if it ever posted.

And now on with our show:

I found a book at a library sale titled "You are the General" that looked really neat. I thought it was going to be a grown up version of the cool old choose-your-own-adventure books, because it had a chapter setting up a scenario and then four questions at the end.

Sadly it just ended up being more like "C is the correct answer", and then when you turned the page it would give you the historical information about the scenario and outcome. It was all pretty well known stuff, too, so that even casual history readers like myself got all of the answers right.

I really do think there would be a market for grown up choose-your-own-adventure books, though.

Posted by: Reverend Chanequa Moron-Robbie Deonkay Smith Jr. III, Foster Dad at April 25, 2021 08:20 AM (k1L5r)

52 Question for teh Horde: Why would a used book on Amazon cost more than the new book?

Posted by: I am the Shadout Mapes, the Housekeeper at April 25, 2021 08:21 AM (PiwSw)

53 I really do think there would be a market for grown up choose-your-own-adventure books, though.
Posted by: Reverend Chanequa Moron-Robbie Deonkay Smith Jr. III, Foster Dad

"My life with a Redhead" not terrifying enough for you?

Posted by: Tonypete at April 25, 2021 08:22 AM (Rvt88)

54 I have seen people running down fairways, freaking the crap out because of Tiger, The Shark, Jack and even Jim Thorpe.

Posted by: Quint at April 25, 2021 08:17 AM (TPY/s)

You saw Jim Thorpe? You must be old

Posted by: BignJames at April 25, 2021 08:22 AM (AwYPR)

55 BLM
5. Globalism
We see ourselves as part of the global Black family and we are aware of the different ways we are impacted or privileged as Black folk who exist in different parts of the world.

Posted by: rhennigantx at April 25, 2021 08:23 AM (yrol0)

56 I'm guessing the reference to the "torrid Scottish sun" in the bookstore's description is meant ironically.

I have been a Thurber fan since childhood. My particular favorite is the sort-of autobiographical "My Life and Hard Times." I like the cartoons, too. My husband can always make me burst out laughing by saying "All right, have it your own way--you heard a seal bark."

Posted by: Art Rondelet of Malmsey at April 25, 2021 08:24 AM (fTtFy)

57 In actual reading, I listened to audiobook of Paradigm by Johnathan Cahn. Thank you to whoever recommended that. The author did a great job analyzing the King Ahab/Jezebel years, and relating that to modern times and individuals.

I read Escape From Warsaw, which I've had on my shelf since I was a child, about a family's escape from WWII Poland to meet up with their parents in Switzerland. And listened to a C.J. Box novel and a Longmire. Good week.

Posted by: April at April 25, 2021 08:24 AM (OX9vb)

58 I liked the newest Joe Pickett mystery so much that I went back to the beginning. I really like this series. Pickett, a fish and game warded in Wyoming, is straightforward and intelligent but he still makes embarrassing mistakes and is caught flat-footed by the perfidy of crooked men.

Posted by: All Hail Eris, Sans-Culottes (except for the Book Thread) at April 25, 2021 08:24 AM (Dc2NZ)

59 Also name field test to link to study showing that the planet enjoyed MORE air pollution during the shutdowns because people were doing stuff like painting, running their inefficient HVAC units in tens of millions of small homes instead of a few hundred thousand large buildings, and burning yard waste with abandon.

(spikes football)

Posted by: Reverend Chanequa Moron-Robbie Deonkay Smith Jr. III, Foster Dad at April 25, 2021 08:25 AM (k1L5r)

60 Oh whew! I thought for a moment you said Tara diddle!
Posted by: Gropey Joe at April 25, 2021 08:17 AM (Fc5rx)

Heh! Here in Apache Junction, they recently opened a bar called "Taradiddles" in the premises formerly occupied by the Cowboy Up steakhouse and bar. Which I rather liked. They had a good steak sammich. Drove by there Friday evening, and the parking lot was quite full.

And for some reason, I keep saying "Flapdoodle" instead of "Taradiddle".

Posted by: Alberta Oil Peon at April 25, 2021 08:25 AM (mzC78)

61
I have seen people running down fairways, freaking the crap out because of Tiger, The Shark, Jack and even Jim Thorpe.



Posted by: Quint at April 25, 2021 08:17 AM (TPY/s)



You saw Jim Thorpe? You must be old

Posted by: BignJames at April 25, 2021 08:22 AM (AwYPR)

heh, when I typed that I guessed someone might call me out. Jim Thorpe was one of the few African American golfers on the pga tour back in the 80s. i remember once he was on a run in the Kemper Open. I saw a crowd so huge following him, I had to get caught up in it. i even saw Marion Berry in the Crowd, no kidding there.

Posted by: Quint at April 25, 2021 08:25 AM (TPY/s)

62 and apparently the editor, S.T. Joshi is "the
recognized authority on all things Lovecraftian, and is famous for his
restorations of Lovecraft's original works."



He's also a very in-your-face atheist.

Posted by: Mary Poppins' Practically Perfect Piercing at April 25, 2021 08:07 AM (2JVJo)
Not that surprising considering who Joshi is studying. A lot of Cthulhu authors probably fall into some form of atheism. Me, I see the majesty of the universe around me and I can't help but believe in some sort of divinity. It is just too beautiful and terrible all at the same time.

Posted by: Lord Squirrel at April 25, 2021 08:25 AM (hQrcu)

63 MP4 - you were right. It is indeed 'Reclined Reader' by Romel de la Torre. I can't find a print for sale. I may have to figure out a way around this. Thanks!

Posted by: grammie winger at April 25, 2021 08:26 AM (45fpk)

64 Good morning, Horde. I've been reading a book on Mongolian poetry. Not bad so far; it does have prose and Khans.

Posted by: Duncanthrax at April 25, 2021 08:27 AM (DMUuz)

65 Posted by: Quint at April 25, 2021 08:25 AM (TPY/s)


You were at Kemper? That's a nice course.

Posted by: grammie winger at April 25, 2021 08:27 AM (45fpk)

66 Well, I need to go lay down. It takes a lot longer to get over a drunken night than it used to.

Hope you all have a lovely day.

Posted by: Mary Poppins' Practically Perfect Piercing at April 25, 2021 08:29 AM (2JVJo)

67 Good morning, Horde. I've been reading a book on Mongolian poetry. Not bad so far; it does have prose and Khans.
Posted by: Duncanthrax at April 25, 2021 08:27 AM (DMUuz)

Pro tip: don't read Mongolian poetry out loud. You might become a little hoarse.

Posted by: Alberta Oil Peon at April 25, 2021 08:29 AM (mzC78)

68 I liked the newest Joe Pickett mystery so much that I went back to the beginning. I really like this series. Pickett, a fish and game warded in Wyoming, is straightforward and intelligent but he still makes embarrassing mistakes and is caught flat-footed by the perfidy of crooked men.
Posted by: All Hail Eris, Sans-Culottes (except for the Book Thread)

I LOVE that series of books !

Posted by: JT at April 25, 2021 08:29 AM (arJlL)

69 Today's illustrations are on the mark. The painting of the girl hints at the world around her but keeps the focus where it belongs: sitting comfortably and reading a good book.

And praying for rain is perfect. There is no better time to read than on a chilly, rainy day or night, ensconced in a nice chair, warm drink at hand, while the world fades away into the pages of a book. I was hoping for one of those today but the damn sun is coming out.

Posted by: JTB at April 25, 2021 08:31 AM (7EjX1)

70 Fuck Nixon. He and LBJ should've died together in a 2-man plane crash in 1959.

Posted by: SFGoth at April 25, 2021 08:31 AM (1kzjW)

71 Read irving gellman one of the only honest historians about nixon.

Posted by: Alien covenant was worse at April 25, 2021 08:31 AM (hMlTh)

72 ... prose and Khans.
Posted by: Duncanthrax


****

Yikes!!! That's gonna leave a mark!

Posted by: Gropey Joe at April 25, 2021 08:31 AM (Fc5rx)

73 Posted by: All Hail Eris, Sans-Culottes (except for the Book Thread) at April 25, 2021 08:10 AM (Dc2NZ)

It's like the saying: "The more things change, the more they remain the same."

Posted by: April at April 25, 2021 08:31 AM (OX9vb)

74 He writes a book about every 20 years because his researching is copius

Posted by: Alien covenant was worse at April 25, 2021 08:32 AM (hMlTh)

75 /sock

Posted by: Muldoon at April 25, 2021 08:33 AM (Fc5rx)

76 (1 of 2) I recently read several books by the Venerable (future Blessed) Fulton Sheen. I found them all informative, and he had a clear and concise writing style. These are all small books (less than 100 pages) and pretty quick reads:

i) The Rainbow of Sorrow, first published in 1938. Abp. Sheen explores the redemptive nature of suffering, and uses the Seven Last Words of Christ as the theme for each chapter. He makes the point that by embracing suffering we prepare ourselves for Heaven, while embracing pleasure will eventually become painful. I found it very enlightening and highly recommend the book.Rating = 5.0/5.

ii) Seven Words to the Cross first published in 1944, Abp. Sheen again uses the Seven Last Words as the themes to refute several classes of non-believers. He describes the "Intelligentsia" as people educated beyond the capacity of their intelligence ... heh. Generally very good, although I thought the last chapter a bit disjointed. Rating = 4.5/5.

Posted by: Retired Buckeye Cop is now an engineer at April 25, 2021 08:34 AM (pJWtt)

77 Posted by: SFGoth at April 25, 2021 08:31 AM (1kzjW)

what an erudite critique of his many books.

Posted by: Quint at April 25, 2021 08:34 AM (TPY/s)

78 I've got a beef with these Mongolian puns.

Posted by: SFGoth at April 25, 2021 08:35 AM (1kzjW)

79 He's also a very in-your-face atheist.

Posted by: Mary Poppins' Practically Perfect Piercing at April 25, 2021 08:07 AM (2JVJo)


Yeah, I noticed that when I was scanning though his other books.

Posted by: OregonMuse, AoSHQ Thought Leader, Pants Monitor & Social Distancing Professional at April 25, 2021 08:35 AM (5/qak)

80 Posted by: Quint at April 25, 2021 08:25 AM (TPY/s)


You were at Kemper? That's a nice course.


Posted by: grammie winger at April 25, 2021 08:27 AM (45fpk)

I worked there.

Posted by: Quint at April 25, 2021 08:35 AM (TPY/s)

81 prose and Khans.
Posted by: Duncanthrax

*****

Genghis Khan was a sweetie, but Attila was a hon!

Posted by: Muldoon at April 25, 2021 08:35 AM (Fc5rx)

82 Change usually ain't.

Posted by: klaftern at April 25, 2021 08:35 AM (RuIsu)

83 Do you believe that ?



I never did .

Posted by: JT at April 25, 2021 08:14 AM (arJlL)

---
I've seen interviews with people he served with explaining how he did it. Nixon played to win, period. He had a great poker face, but he was a very dispassionate player, going purely on the percentages.

It's a very boring way to play, but he was a patient man. The officers there had very little to do with their money, so they gambled with it. Nixon sent all his winnings home and did this for YEARS. I find it plausible.

Posted by: Ace-Endorsed Author A.H. Lloyd at April 25, 2021 08:35 AM (llXky)

84 I've got a beef with these Mongolian puns.

Posted by: SFGoth at April 25, 2021 08:35 AM (1kzjW)

...yak, yak, yak...

Posted by: BignJames at April 25, 2021 08:35 AM (AwYPR)

85 The Bankrupting Science book reminds me of the book by Joh Horgan, "The End of Science: Facing the Limits of Knowledge". He talks to a number of eminent scientists and asks if we've already discovered everything there is. He does this, BTW, after dealing w/ the canard that that's what they said in the late 19th century.
Most of the people he talked to said, no surprise here, of course not, but had no real ideas on what there was left.
He called the theories which couldn't be tested, like string theory and multiverses, ironic science, relating it back to literary criticism. I always liked this book.

Posted by: yara at April 25, 2021 08:35 AM (N7mou)

86 Nice Book Store!

Those pants....yowza! Too much botty in dem pants.

The Who Dis is President Nixon reviewing the bombing results from Linebacker II.

Posted by: Hairyback Guy at April 25, 2021 08:37 AM (R/m4+)

87 At the Daily Mail

David Asher, an expert on biological, chemical and nuclear proliferation, who led State Department inquiries into the origins of Covid-19, said: 'The Chinese have made it clear they see biotechnology as a big part of the future of hybrid warfare. The big question is whether their work in these fields is offensive or defensive.'

Posted by: rhennigantx at April 25, 2021 08:37 AM (yrol0)

88 I bought some used copies of the Wishbone series for the grandsons, and have been allowing a one episode a day viewing of the series. They love it and it introduces them to great writers and themes.

Posted by: CN at April 25, 2021 08:38 AM (ONvIw)

89 I'm in a bad mood from a book to shelf space ratio in the 3 digits to 0 range.

Posted by: SFGoth at April 25, 2021 08:39 AM (1kzjW)

90 Another big Lovecraft scholar, Robert M. Price, is also kind of an asshole atheist. He's very much the stereotype of the "seminary student loses faith, decides it's all bunk, and spends the rest of his life insulting those who still believe."

I think atheists are common in Lovecraft scholarship for two reasons:

1. HPL himself was kind of a jerk atheist, so there's some intellectual kinship, and
2. They're all huge nerds.

Posted by: Trimegistus at April 25, 2021 08:39 AM (QZxDR)

91 I used to get a paycheck from the PGA Tour. I could play a bit, but of course I was light years away from that. But I did work at a PGA Tour owned course. Our checks came with the PGA Tour logo. That was kind of cool.

Posted by: Quint at April 25, 2021 08:40 AM (TPY/s)

92 'The Chinese have made it clear they see biotechnology as a big part of the future of hybrid warfare. The big question is whether their work in these fields is offensive or defensive.'

Posted by: rhennigantx at April 25, 2021 08:37 AM (yrol0)

*snicker*

Posted by: BignJames at April 25, 2021 08:40 AM (AwYPR)

93 I have a kindle tablet and I go to Amazon to download samples of books that look interesting. Does that make me a lazy reader?

If I see a book I want, usually I go someplace like ebay to see if there is a used copy of it.

Posted by: dantesed at April 25, 2021 08:40 AM (88xKn)

94 "My Lords! My Lords!

Taradiddle is the modular cannibalism of rationalism by silhouette idealism."

- Sir naturalfake addressing the House of Lords, 1799.

Posted by: natturalfake at April 25, 2021 08:41 AM (dWwl8)

95 I found this the other day:

"P is for Pterodactyl: the Worst Alphabet Book Ever"

https://tinyurl.com/yvywtasp

Posted by: All Hail Eris, Sans-Culottes (except for the Book Thread) at April 25, 2021 08:41 AM (Dc2NZ)

96 Eris, was that Long Range? That was the one I read this week. I love the Joe Pickett series, despite the improbability of one man's family and friends being in constant mortal danger.

Posted by: April at April 25, 2021 08:41 AM (OX9vb)

97 I recently read several books by the Venerable (future Blessed)
Fulton Sheen.

Posted by: Retired Buckeye Cop is now an engineer at April 25, 2021 08:34 AM (pJWtt)

---
My wife listens to podcasts of his old radio shows. He's got that wonderful near-Irish accent that has disappeared from the American language but was once pervasive. One of our priests (since moved onto another parish) had a trace of it.

It's interesting how much of what we are dealing with now was around in the 1930s. Our culture was more robust back then and religious figures had stiffer spines. Somewhere along the way Christians deluded themselves that "toleration" and "niceness" were Christian values. They aren't.

Posted by: Ace-Endorsed Author A.H. Lloyd at April 25, 2021 08:41 AM (llXky)

98 22 That painting up top. Must have. It's beautiful. Does anyone know the title or artist? It doesn't seem to be clickable.
Posted by: grammie winger at April 25, 2021 08:10 AM (45fpk)


See this page:

https://www.cuded.com/figurative-paintings-by-romel-de-la-torre/

Posted by: OregonMuse, AoSHQ Thought Leader, Pants Monitor & Social Distancing Professional at April 25, 2021 08:41 AM (5/qak)

99 I remember Richard Armour! His poems brightened many issues of Reader's Digest.

*******

Still reading "Sweet Silver Blues," in short bursts, usually while in bed. Taking slight detours, such as last night, when I revisited a Saint short story, "The Story of a Dead Man." One of the earliest Saint tales, it remains one of my favorites.

I find it funny that in the book, the early 1930s seem so primitive, but in movies and photos of and about that era, they seem modern.

Pity that the Saint has been overdone in movies and TV. The original stories would make for great viewing -- or would they? So much of the attraction is Charteris' wordplay, and that would be lost on the screen.

Posted by: Weak Geek at April 25, 2021 08:41 AM (V5lmZ)

100 89 I'm in a bad mood from a book to shelf space ratio in the 3 digits to 0 range.
Posted by: SFGoth at April 25, 2021 08:39 AM (1kzjW)


If you have wall space, these are stackable.

https://is.gd/1SIpUk




Posted by: I am the Shadout Mapes, the Housekeeper at April 25, 2021 08:42 AM (PiwSw)

101 A critter just came in from outside and jumped on me.

Posted by: SFGoth at April 25, 2021 08:42 AM (1kzjW)

102 I have the reading bench installed - a monster slab of maple about 7 ft long and 4 inches thick. It's a perfect hideaway for the littles.

Sorry to be the pessimist realist, but that'll be great for spray painting and carving initials into.

Posted by: Oddbob at April 25, 2021 08:42 AM (qc+VF)

103 (2 of 2)
iii) Characters of the Passion first published in 1947. This book in not just biographical sketches of the people involved in the Passion of Christ, but rather, a refutation of Modernism and Communism. He uses various individuals from the Passion, discusses their failing or support of Christ to make a point on how a Catholic should oppose Modernism and Communism. This is a very prescient book and it seems as if Abp. Sheen wrote this book yesterday. Highly recommended: rating = 5.0(+)/5.

Posted by: Retired Buckeye Cop is now an engineer at April 25, 2021 08:42 AM (pJWtt)

104 Nixon sent all his winnings home and did this for YEARS. I find it plausible.
Posted by: Ace-Endorsed Author A.H. Lloyd

I always thought that it was a story concocted by his handlers to make it seem that he was beholden to no one.

Posted by: JT at April 25, 2021 08:43 AM (arJlL)

105 Re-reading John Ringo's "Empire of Man" series.

I had forgotten how good it really is.

Posted by: TANSTAAFL at April 25, 2021 08:43 AM (fBtlL)

106 "Taradiddle." Boy, that word needs to come back.

Posted by: Weak Geek at April 25, 2021 08:43 AM (V5lmZ)

107 I think atheists are common in Lovecraft scholarship for two reasons:



1. HPL himself was kind of a jerk atheist, so there's some intellectual kinship, and

2. They're all huge nerds.



Posted by: Trimegistus at April 25, 2021 08:39 AM (QZxDR)

---
3. Atheists are jealous of people they consider inferior who have something they can't reach, so they claim to be smarter than everyone else.

Posted by: Ace-Endorsed Author A.H. Lloyd at April 25, 2021 08:44 AM (llXky)

108 April, I started out with "Dark Sky", the newest. Great read. Then I went back to "Open Season" and I'm currently in "Savage Run".

Posted by: All Hail Eris, Sans-Culottes (except for the Book Thread) at April 25, 2021 08:45 AM (Dc2NZ)

109 Posted by: Ace-Endorsed Author A.H. Lloyd at April 25, 2021 08:41 AM (llXky)

I am a Protestant. But everything I have seen from Sheen has been worth watching. He was a bit before my time, but I do think the country as a whole took him in for obvious reasons.

They don't make those types anymore, regardless of denomination.

Posted by: Quint at April 25, 2021 08:45 AM (TPY/s)

110 https://www.romeldelatorre.com/ collections/95726

These seem to be the *original* works, and even though this is the "available" section, some are listed as sold...

Posted by: Helena Handbasket at April 25, 2021 08:45 AM (b8eqQ)

111 92 'The Chinese have made it clear they see biotechnology as a big part of the future of hybrid warfare. The big question is whether their work in these fields is offensive or defensive.'

Posted by: rhennigantx at April 25, 2021 08:37 AM (yrol0)

I guess they are pretending it's defensive to protect their inroads here, and now to damage India. Still people like to see their colonists as "freedom seeking" sweetie pies, and ignore the espionage.

Posted by: CN at April 25, 2021 08:45 AM (ONvIw)

112 who was the last president more intelligent than Nixon?

Posted by: Quint at April 25, 2021 08:46 AM (TPY/s)

113 I haven't read anything in the last 3 weeks. That's pretty unusual for me; I usually read 3 or 4 books a week.

I just started reading The Wanted, by Robert Crais, an Elvis Cole and Joe Pike novel.

Posted by: JT at April 25, 2021 08:46 AM (arJlL)

114 I always thought that it was a story concocted by his handlers to make it seem that he was beholden to no one.

Posted by: JT at April 25, 2021 08:43 AM (arJlL)

---
The way I saw the story told, it was not particularly favorable to Nixon. The other officers played poker for fun, he played for money. Good on him for banking his winnings, but it's pretty much selfish jerk behavior to build your finances on sharking your shipmates.

Posted by: Ace-Endorsed Author A.H. Lloyd at April 25, 2021 08:46 AM (llXky)

115 Why would a used book on Amazon cost more than the new book?

*****

I always assumed it was re-sellers trying to catch a sucker and turn a quick buck. Some of the marked up prices are ludicrous.

Maybe someone could make a living as a re-seller by buying a book at list, signing his name inside the front cover and marking it up, selling it as "Signed by the Reader".

Posted by: Muldoon at April 25, 2021 08:47 AM (Fc5rx)

116 I would highly recommend that you consider everything you've been told about Nixon is a lie. Do your own research. He is the first politician they sucessfully used the big lie on. I'm still not a fan but the Press lied about him and continues to do so.

Posted by: Notsothoreau - look forward at April 25, 2021 08:47 AM (YynYJ)

117 More re-reading this week: _The Thin Man_ by Dashiell Hamett.

It's a lot more hard-boiled than the movie. The film turned Mimi the ex-wife into a silly, gullible fool, but in the book she's a nasty piece of work.

On the other hand, the studious boy Gilbert Wynant gets a more sympathetic treatment in the novel. With modern eyes it's obvious the character is "on the spectrum" and trying desperately to figure out some algorithm for human interaction.

Posted by: Trimegistus at April 25, 2021 08:47 AM (QZxDR)

118
You've probably all heard the rumors
Those pants are Tank Abrams' bloomers
But if you were to look closer
It really much grosser
Those tread marks don't smell like petuniars

Posted by: f'd at April 25, 2021 08:48 AM (Tnijr)

119 Old and busted:

Frere Jacques Frere Jacques
Dormez vous? Dormez vous?

New and shiny:

Paradiddle paradiddle
That's the news. That's Joe too.

Posted by: Anonosaurus Wrecks, Tyrannosaur Wrangler at April 25, 2021 08:50 AM (VVEnO)

120 Eris, was that Long Range? That was the one I read this week. I love the Joe Pickett series, despite the improbability of one man's family and friends being in constant mortal danger.
Posted by: April

No more improbable than the Reacher books, in that no matter WHERE he goes, he finds himself smack-dab in the middle of the local skullduggery.

I love those books, too !

Posted by: JT at April 25, 2021 08:50 AM (arJlL)

121 The contender written almoxt 25 years ago, the preident (eisenhower) amd the apprentice 6 years ago.

Posted by: Alien covenant was worse at April 25, 2021 08:51 AM (hMlTh)

122 If Nixon were so smart, why was his presidency such an abject failure, he bailed rather than finish his second term? (Not that i'm not glad he bailed.) Dude was the original RINO.

Posted by: SFGoth at April 25, 2021 08:51 AM (1kzjW)

123 115 Why would a used book on Amazon cost more than the new book?

The older books still have the saucy bits and triggering words in them. I have no idea.

Posted by: Jak Sucio at April 25, 2021 08:51 AM (jvt6t)

124 It's a lot more hard-boiled than the movie. The film
turned Mimi the ex-wife into a silly, gullible fool, but in the book
she's a nasty piece of work.


Posted by: Trimegistus at April 25, 2021 08:47 AM (QZxDR)

---
Ah, the old book vs movie debate. One thing that movies can add is a great performance by a great actor. The Thin Man movies are a treat to watch. The adaptation of The Big Sleep famously has no discernable plot, but Bogart and Bacall's banter is great.

Jeremy Irons really defined the role of Charles Ryder in Waugh's Brideshead (actually, everyone is great, though I know CN thinks Olivier hammed it up a bit much). And of course Alec Guinness redefined the character of George Smiley, even for the author!

Posted by: Ace-Endorsed Author A.H. Lloyd at April 25, 2021 08:51 AM (llXky)

125 Although I will say that _The Thin Man_ has one of the greatest examples of literary padding I've ever seen. At one point the boy Gilbert is telling Nick about a case he's been reading about: the Alferd Packer cannibalism case in 1870s Colorado. Hammett spends four pages basically re-typing the encyclopedia entry on Alferd Packer. It has nothing to do with the rest of the story (not even metaphorically, as far as I can tell) but I guess it let Dashiell hit his daily word target early so he could go out drinking with Commies.

Posted by: Trimegistus at April 25, 2021 08:52 AM (QZxDR)

126 Interesting note - he earned the money he used in his early campaigns by playing poker while in the Navy. JFK, on the other hand, grifted if from fat cat donors and his bootlicking, anti-Semitic Dad.
Posted by: Tonypete at April 25, 2021 08:08 AM (Rvt8


Yeah, it's something you'd never think about Nixon given the public flogging he'd received by the Left over the years. (Watergate!11! Horrors!!!!...Stealing an election with probable Chinese communist aid? Meh.)

Anywho, he was supposed to be a fabulous poker player. What an interesting night you could have playing poker and drinking whiskey if he opened up and talked about the figures of his lifetime between deals.

Posted by: naturalfake at April 25, 2021 08:52 AM (dWwl8)

127 My wife listens to podcasts of his [Fulton Sheen's] old radio shows. He's got that wonderful near-Irish accent that has disappeared from the American language but was once pervasive. One of our priests (since moved onto another parish) had a trace of it.

It's interesting how much of what we are dealing with now was around in the 1930s. Our culture was more robust back then and religious figures had stiffer spines. Somewhere along the way Christians deluded themselves that "toleration" and "niceness" were Christian values. They aren't.
Posted by: Ace-Endorsed Author A.H. Lloyd at April 25, 2021 08:41 AM (llXky)


The Communists intentionally seeded the Christian churches with Commie saboteurs. Bella Dodd admitted to getting some 1,200 into Catholic seminaries. The Methodists already had fellow-travelers within their midst. Paul Kengor's The Devil and Karl Marx goes into detail on this.

It's bad, but I believe that it's part of God's plan. "The Church of Nice" is collapsing and Christians are going to called to be martyrs again. Ultimately, this will result in a revitalized Church and the rejection of Communism.

Posted by: Retired Buckeye Cop is now an engineer at April 25, 2021 08:52 AM (pJWtt)

128 "Only Birchers believed in that conspiracy nonsense."

Looks like they were more right than wrong.

Posted by: Like A Rock at April 25, 2021 08:52 AM (SNXkD)

129 I think nixon strove too hard to impress the crowd that had rejected him at sullivan cromwell when he moved to ny and mudge rose he picked up some bad pitts

Posted by: Alien covenant was worse at April 25, 2021 08:52 AM (hMlTh)

130 Why would a used book on Amazon cost more than the new book?
---
The usual answer is that it is a rare and sought after edition.

However, I know that when a book goes out of print, Amazon automatically sets its price to $100 or so. When I discontinued my first edition of Conqueror, the default price went to $100 (or close to it). It was now a "rare first edition.," albeit of a self-published book whose revision was in every way superior.

Posted by: Ace-Endorsed Author A.H. Lloyd at April 25, 2021 08:55 AM (llXky)

131 And jfk was sleeping with a nazi spy in the 40s thats why they sent him to the solomoms and a easr german spy in the 60d

Posted by: Alien covenant was worse at April 25, 2021 08:56 AM (hMlTh)

132 I have an autographed copy of Richard Armour's book "On Your Marks". Dated April 16, 1971 and autographed " To f'd (not my real name) to help him make his mark". My mom got it when Richard spoke to a ladies group at Edwards AFB the year my dad was stationed there.

I have the book in front of me. It's a collection of poems about punctuation marks.

Posted by: f'd at April 25, 2021 08:57 AM (Tnijr)

133 I would highly recommend that you consider everything you've been told about Nixon is a lie. Do your own research. He is the first politician they sucessfully used the big lie on. I'm still not a fan but the Press lied about him and continues to do so.
Posted by: Notsothoreau - look forward

So, his real name is Pigeye Jackson ?

Posted by: JT at April 25, 2021 08:58 AM (arJlL)

134 Habits nixon was like nunes if he had been an extrovert, in terms of ideals you have goldwater but you saw what they did to him.

Posted by: Alien covenant was worse at April 25, 2021 08:58 AM (hMlTh)

135 If Nixon were so smart, why was his presidency such
an abject failure, he bailed rather than finish his second term? (Not
that i'm not glad he bailed.) Dude was the original RINO.

Posted by: SFGoth at April 25, 2021 08:51 AM (1kzjW)

wait what? I didn' know the impeachment was an intelligence test. I do know presidents of bot parties asked him for council. Even Clinton admitted everyone wanted to learn from Nixon when he spoke at the Nixon funeral. Not that his eulogy was anything special, Pete Wilson and Billy Graham were much better.

I am not passing this along to you, but to others that want to learn. The Nixon funeral was something. Wilson and Graham were particularly poignant. I am sure you can find it on YT.

Posted by: Quint at April 25, 2021 08:58 AM (TPY/s)

136 I have the book in front of me. It's a collection of poems about punctuation marks.
Posted by: f'd at April 25, 2021 08:57 AM (Tnijr)


Ah, a period piece.

Posted by: I am the Shadout Mapes, the Housekeeper at April 25, 2021 08:58 AM (PiwSw)

137 It's bad, but I believe that it's part of God's
plan. "The Church of Nice" is collapsing and Christians are going to
called to be martyrs again. Ultimately, this will result in a
revitalized Church and the rejection of Communism.

Posted by: Retired Buckeye Cop is now an engineer at April 25, 2021 08:52 AM (pJWtt)

---
Don't overlook the effect of Vietnam. If you were studying theology, you got an endless deferment. Lots of draft-dodgers hid in the religious studies departments and then push their politics on their unsuspecting congregations. Some of it was deliberate subversion, but I'd bet that most of it just organically happened - liberals always put politics before faith, so it was natural that where scripture conflicted with politics, scripture would lose.

Posted by: Ace-Endorsed Author A.H. Lloyd at April 25, 2021 08:59 AM (llXky)

138 >>> 136 I have the book in front of me. It's a collection of poems about punctuation marks.
Posted by: f'd at April 25, 2021 08:57 AM (Tnijr)


Ah, a period piece.
Posted by: I am the Shadout Mapes, the Housekeeper at April 25, 2021 08:58 AM (PiwSw)

Here comma the puns again.

Posted by: Helena Handbasket at April 25, 2021 08:59 AM (b8eqQ)

139 Color, Communism and Common Sense is free here.

http://campconstitution. net/files/2020/ Color,%20Communism,%20and%20Common %20Sense.PDF

Not much of a book. The fallacy that there were Commies that supported the civil rights movement therefore the civil rights movement is tainted by communism, is the same fallacy that there are racists that support Trump, therefore MAGA is tainted by racism. It's cherry picking BS. The overwhelming majority of blacks in 1960 were anti-communist and pro-civil rights.

Posted by: Ted Torgerson at April 25, 2021 09:00 AM (/aiGx)

140 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tara_(plantation)

I'm thinking "taradiddle" means to do a minor in the cotton fields.

Posted by: You Really Don't Want to Know at April 25, 2021 09:00 AM (AHq56)

141 Why would a used book on Amazon cost more than the new book?
---
The usual answer is that it is a rare and sought after edition.


There's definitely something weird going on with some of the pricing of books on Amazon. For example, during a recent search, I found prices between $10 and $900. Yes, condition and rarity can drive some of that, but the book description gave no hint why the book priced at $900 was worth that.

Checking abebooks (a site for book sellers) the pricing was $30 - $50.

Posted by: Retired Buckeye Cop is now an engineer at April 25, 2021 09:00 AM (pJWtt)

142 His presidency was a disaster before watergate, and then if you treat watergate like game theory, he completely bungled it.

Posted by: SFGoth at April 25, 2021 09:01 AM (1kzjW)

143 BASIC TRAINING

"The reason to wear pantaloons
Is hiding your privates, Muldoon!"

So Muldoon said, "Hey Sarge!
Those pants are so large,
Not just privates... the whole dang platoon!"

Posted by: Muldoon at April 25, 2021 09:02 AM (Fc5rx)

144 So here's a question: anybody in the used-and-rare book field know if Amazon's odd pricing algorithms for out-of-print works have affected the prices of books in that market?

If yes, that's interesting, and if not, that seems like an opportunity for some serious arbitraging.

Posted by: Trimegistus at April 25, 2021 09:02 AM (QZxDR)

145 No more improbable than the Reacher books, in that no matter WHERE he goes, he finds himself smack-dab in the middle of the local skullduggery.

I love those books, too !
Posted by: JT at April 25, 2021 08:50 AM (arJlL)

Right! Or, really, any of our favorite mystery or thriller writers.

Posted by: April at April 25, 2021 09:03 AM (OX9vb)

146 Okay, I'm off to plant flowers.

Later, my bookish sibs from different cribs.

Posted by: All Hail Eris, Sans-Culottes (except for the Book Thread) at April 25, 2021 09:03 AM (Dc2NZ)

147 "The problem with doing nothing is that you never know when you're finished."

Groucho Marx, gentleman of leisure

Posted by: BackwardsBoy - Psychos Rule! No, really. They're in charge now. at April 25, 2021 09:03 AM (HaL55)

148 Question for teh Horde: Why would a used book on Amazon cost more than the new book?
Posted by: I am the Shadout Mapes, the Housekeeper at April 25, 2021 08:21 AM (PiwSw)

If the name of the book is Your Money or Your Life, it's because they "updated" it and the update is horrifically bad. Sucks doesn't cover it. It used to be about prioritizing and had some timeless tips, and they made it political and removed the tips. As Sarah Hoyt might say if she lost her eloquence, my eyes rolled under the couch. And sadly, I passed my first edition along to someone who could use it more; so I'm likely never to find it again.

Posted by: Catherine at April 25, 2021 09:03 AM (7RYnA)

149 Later, my bookish sibs from different cribs.
Posted by: All Hail Eris, Sans-Culottes (except for the Book Thread) at April 25, 2021 09:03 AM (Dc2NZ)

TTFN!

Posted by: I am the Shadout Mapes, the Housekeeper at April 25, 2021 09:03 AM (PiwSw)

150 Here's an example from Armour's "On Your Marks"

Fat little period, round as a ball,
You'd think it would roll,
But it doesn't
At all.
Where it stops,
There it plops,
There it stubbornly stays,
At the end of a sentence
For days and days.

Posted by: f'd at April 25, 2021 09:04 AM (Tnijr)

151 "Get out of my way!"
Cries the sentence "Beware!"
But the period seems not to hear or to care.
Like a stone in the road,
It won't budge, it won't bend.
If it spoke it would say to a sentence,
"The end."

Posted by: f'd at April 25, 2021 09:04 AM (Tnijr)

152 "Urchins" isn't used nearly enough. Street arabs, waifs, mudlarks, guttersnipes, and ragamuffins all need to make comebacks.
Posted by: All Hail Eris

What did Sherlock Holmes call the boys he occasionally called on? Was it street Arabs?

Posted by: Northernlurker, surgite at April 25, 2021 09:05 AM (cSyAR)

153 Why would a used book on Amazon cost more than the new book?
---
The usual answer is that it is a rare and sought after edition.

There's definitely something weird going on with some of the pricing of books on Amazon. For example, during a recent search, I found prices between $10 and $900. Yes, condition and rarity can drive some of that, but the book description gave no hint why the book priced at $900 was worth that.

Checking abebooks (a site for book sellers) the pricing was $30 - $50.
Posted by: Retired Buckeye Cop is now an engineer at April 25, 2021 09:00 AM (pJWtt)


I don't think it's anything beyond sucker fishing by scumbags. You see this in the stock market as well in some particularly hot or volatile stocks stocks, someone will post a bid to sell at a ridiculous price or post a buy at a very low price. Particularly, in off hours.

If the sucker isn't paying attention, Bingo-Bango! you've made a lot of money at very little expense to you.

Posted by: naturalfake at April 25, 2021 09:05 AM (dWwl8)

154 Hey, anyone here ever hear of Thorsten Veblen? I've got one of his books to get around to reading.

Posted by: SFGoth at April 25, 2021 09:05 AM (1kzjW)

155 Regarding the unlikelihood of mystery protagonists always finding themselves mixed up in another adventure:

Charteris approached that in a short story well into Simon's career. He posited that when the Ungodly knew that Simon was around, they would take extra measures to conceal themselves or throw him off the track, and by doing so they brought themselves to his attention.

Posted by: Weak Geek at April 25, 2021 09:05 AM (V5lmZ)

156 And I first heard "taradiddle" when listening to Iolanthe.
--------
"Taradiddle, taradiddle, tol lol lay!"
--Peers razzing Fairies

Also shows up in Ruddigore.

Posted by: Captain Obvious, Laird o' the Sea at April 25, 2021 09:05 AM (WGara)

157 If most authors get an advance of less than $2 million...why do they bother?

Posted by: Amy Comey Barrett at April 25, 2021 09:06 AM (Lt1JN)

158 If the name of the book is Your Money or Your Life, it's because they "updated" it and the update is horrifically bad. Sucks doesn't cover it. ...

Posted by: Catherine at April 25, 2021 09:03 AM (7RYnA)


Interesting. The book in question is James Cone's A Theology of Black Liberation, and yes, it is an updated version. I guess they must have added additional Wokium to the earlier version....

Posted by: I am the Shadout Mapes, the Housekeeper at April 25, 2021 09:06 AM (PiwSw)

159 142 His presidency was a disaster before watergate, and then if you treat watergate like game theory, he completely bungled it.
Posted by: SFGoth at April 25, 2021 09:01 AM (1kzjW)

I just watched The Last Narc on Amazon last night. Horrifying story about Enrique Camarena, the DEA,CIA and Mexican corruption. So, yes. Between the DEA and EPA, normalizing relations with the ChiComs. I'd put Nixon in the disaster category.

Posted by: Jak Sucio at April 25, 2021 09:06 AM (jvt6t)

160 >>Here's an example from Armour's "On Your Marks"

Who are we to question marks?

Posted by: Boswell at April 25, 2021 09:06 AM (w2LAm)

161 The Oxford Comma is what separates us from the beasts of the field.

Posted by: BackwardsBoy - Psychos Rule! No, really. They're in charge now. at April 25, 2021 09:07 AM (HaL55)

162 Book idea: Give a Brontosaurus Underwearsaurus.

Posted by: Anonosaurus Wrecks, Tyrannosaur Wrangler at April 25, 2021 09:07 AM (VVEnO)

163 Speaking of religious issues, our Bishop's Friday message basically said: "Time to come back to Mass. The disease will be with us for years to come, so we'd best get used to it."

He also made a point of saying that the shutdowns and distancing were always supposed to be temporary to ease the burden on hospitals. The burden having been eased, they need to go away. So far the Catholic Church in Michigan has been patience, but it's wearing thin. When the governor *suggested* that schools go back to remote learning, our diocese ignored it.

Also of note: the "saints of the month" this year all seem to be affiliated with martyrdom and battle. Interested to see St. Pius V (who engineered the victory at Lepanto) getting prominent treatment.

Posted by: Ace-Endorsed Author A.H. Lloyd at April 25, 2021 09:08 AM (llXky)

164 Pete Wilson eulogizing Richard Nixon.
https://tinyurl.com/8puj7fsc

Posted by: Quint at April 25, 2021 09:08 AM (TPY/s)

165 I tried to find a hard copy of MPPPP's "The Director's Cut" and the only one available was over $700 used on Amazon. It's not listed anymore so I wonder if someone bought it.

Posted by: f'd at April 25, 2021 09:08 AM (Tnijr)

166 "I will not permit thirty men to travel four hundred miles merely to agitate a bag of wind."

-- Andrew D. White, president of Cornell (1873), when the University of Michigan proposed a UM/Cornell football game in Cleveland
Posted by: All Hail Eris, Sans-Culottes (except for the Book Thread) at April 25, 2021 08:01 AM (Dc2NZ)
------
Andy! There are statues of him and Ezra Cornell on the Arts Quad. Legend says that if there is a virgin on the Quad at midnight, they will walk to the middle of the Quad and shake hands.

They haven't budged for decades.

Posted by: Captain Obvious, Laird o' the Sea at April 25, 2021 09:08 AM (WGara)

167 Huh,I thought "Taradiddle" was what Joe Biden did to campaign workers.

Posted by: JohnTaloni at April 25, 2021 09:08 AM (/Nhc5)

168 Posted by: f'd at April 25, 2021 09:04 AM (Tnijr)

That's cool, but I wanna hear about your dad and your recollections of Edwards AFB.

Posted by: Jak Sucio at April 25, 2021 09:08 AM (jvt6t)

169 I love those Little Free Libraries, and there are three within walking distance, where I live. Full of great books, and the contents are constantly turning over.

Such a great idea, especially when the libraries all ran in terror before the germ of doom

In the old days, there was the table at the laundromat, where everyone left their used books.

Posted by: artemis at April 25, 2021 09:09 AM (AwPyG)

170 I enjoyed "The Thin Man." One bit that stuck with me is a newspaper running a photo of Nick from when he was investigating the Haymarket bombing of 1898.

Again, "the good old days" weren't that old.

Posted by: Weak Geek at April 25, 2021 09:09 AM (V5lmZ)

171 Hey, if I can, I scrolled to the chess thread and that Estonian chess champ is unbelievably adorable. Did you know that Estonia offers a work visa to encourage those who remote telework (like for a company in the US) to live in Estonia. I'm applying as we speak.

Posted by: Actually Inside the Beltway at April 25, 2021 09:09 AM (Rs1MW)

172 What did Sherlock Holmes call the boys he occasionally called on? Was it street Arabs?

******

I thought they were the Baker Street Irregulars

Posted by: Muldoon at April 25, 2021 09:09 AM (Fc5rx)

173 Reverend Bill Graham eulogizing President Richard Nixon.
https://tinyurl.com/jk7z3scf

Posted by: Quint at April 25, 2021 09:09 AM (TPY/s)

174 Give a Brontosaurus Underwearsaurus.
Posted by: Anonosaurus Wrecks, Tyrannosaur Wrangler

Tyrannosaurus Rex wouldn't be able to pull them up.

Posted by: Tonypete at April 25, 2021 09:10 AM (Rvt88)

175 Interesting. The book in question is James Cone's A Theology of Black Liberation, and yes, it is an updated version. I guess they must have added additional Wokium to the earlier version....

Posted by: I am the Shadout Mapes, the Housekeeper at April 25, 2021 09:06 AM (PiwSw)

Preparing to start a collection of Flannery O'Connor...I've skimmed a little...can't believe the woke mob hasn't unpersoned her yet.

Posted by: BignJames at April 25, 2021 09:10 AM (AwYPR)

176 I thought they were the Baker Street Irregulars
Posted by: Muldoon at April 25, 2021 09:09 AM (Fc5rx)

Hey, what about us??

Posted by: The Fabulous Baker Boys at April 25, 2021 09:10 AM (jvt6t)

177 booken morgen horden

Posted by: vmom stabby stabby stabby stabamillion at April 25, 2021 09:11 AM (GBZnB)

178 Except for the posts on Ace, I've stopped paying attention to political or cultural matters. That includes talk radio. Dwelling on such things can destroy your soul these days. Figured reading would get me through this and it helps but not enough. I need a hands-on activity as well.

This is a long winded way to say I've dug out my books and magazines on wood carving, mostly whittling. There is something satisfying about shaping a figure using nothing more than a good sharp knife. It is quiet and peaceful and simply transports me to a calm place. Only reading and fishing are similar for me.

I have several books on classic whittling projects like ball in a cage, wooden chains, chip carving, etc. Also, a couple of books by Harley Refsal, the dean of Scandi style figure carving. That is enjoyable reading while I wait for my order of basswood to arrive.

Posted by: JTB at April 25, 2021 09:11 AM (7EjX1)

179 Hi Readists! Thanks OM!

Skip if you're still here (also IronMike) - thank you for the reviews and comments on my recent book. Cheers, Mate.
As a recent retiree, I expect my reading will pick up. Hope so, anyway.
Looking for some classic 40's-50s noir detective dime novels.
At the beach presently, although it's blustery weather. Enjoy all!

Posted by: goatexchange at April 25, 2021 09:12 AM (TIMnZ)

180 Some good news.

Ontario walks back new pandemic police powers following widespread backlash

Posted by: Anonosaurus Wrecks, Tyrannosaur Wrangler at April 25, 2021 09:12 AM (VVEnO)

181 So, yes. Between the DEA and EPA, normalizing relations with the ChiComs. I'd put Nixon in the disaster category.

Posted by: Jak Sucio at April 25, 2021 09:06 AM (jvt6t)

---
Don't leave out the ATF. Nixon left a lot of bureaucratic nightmares for future generations to endure.

I do dispute the China opening, however. Using China to checkmate the Soviets made sense, and it helped stress the USSR to the breaking point.

The problem wasn't 'opening' China, it was opening *us* to China. That was on the Bushes and the Clintons.

Posted by: Ace-Endorsed Author A.H. Lloyd at April 25, 2021 09:13 AM (llXky)

182 Some years back, keyboardist extraordinaire Keith Emerson wrote his autobiography Pictures of an Exhibitionist. It's been out of print for years and the only copies I found whilst looking on Amazon were upwards of $700. I'd really like to read it, but not at that price.

Posted by: BackwardsBoy - Psychos Rule! No, really. They're in charge now. at April 25, 2021 09:13 AM (HaL55)

183 to live in Estonia. I'm applying as we speak.
Posted by: Actually Inside the Beltway at April 25, 2021 09:09 AM (Rs1MW)

Cool! Keep us posted! You might have company.

Posted by: April at April 25, 2021 09:13 AM (OX9vb)

184 Huh,I thought "Taradiddle" was what Joe Biden did to campaign workers.

Posted by: JohnTaloni at April 25, 2021 09:08 AM (/Nhc5)


No.

Taradiddle is what they called Sex Night at Scarlett O'Hara's Plantation.

Posted by: naturalfake at April 25, 2021 09:13 AM (dWwl8)

185 Where does one draw the line between solid science and fairy-tale physics? Jim Baggott argues that there is no observational or experimental evidence for many of the ideas of modern theoretical physics: super-symmetric particles, super strings, the multiverse, the holographic principle, or the anthropic cosmological principle...


==

I've often thought this

Posted by: vmom stabby stabby stabby stabamillion at April 25, 2021 09:13 AM (GBZnB)

186 52 Question for teh Horde: Why would a used book on Amazon cost more than the new book?

Posted by: I am the Shadout Mapes, the Housekeeper at April 25, 2021 08:21 AM (PiwSw)


The iron law of supply and demand, sir!

Posted by: OregonMuse, AoSHQ Thought Leader, Pants Monitor & Social Distancing Professional at April 25, 2021 09:14 AM (5/qak)

187 Good morning, horde! I am continuing on my Tom Holland binge with Millennium. I watched "Risen" - the Resurrection as seen though the eyes of a Roman tribune ordered to find Christ's body - and found it very moving and well done.
It does a great job of conveying the wonder and strangeness of the Resurrection, especially to an outsider with no prior knowledge of Jesus or Jewish scriptures. But it was also strange and terrifying to the apostles themselves, who had to work out what all this meant.

Posted by: Donna&&&&&V at April 25, 2021 09:14 AM (HabA/)

188 I always enjoyed Victor Borge's bit using the sound effects and hand signs for the punctuation.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zFzMWml_X5o

Posted by: Muldoon at April 25, 2021 09:14 AM (Fc5rx)

189 "your dad and your recollections of Edwards AFB."

Oh man that was back when he could take me out to the flight line, which he did a number of times. He was a C-130 pilot, specializing in snatching people off the ground and satellites returning to Earth out of the sky.

In the mornings when the planes were warming up or testing or whatever we could hear it from school on base. We called it "Dinosaur Land" because it sounded to us like dinosaurs fighting.

Posted by: f'd at April 25, 2021 09:14 AM (Tnijr)

190 185 Where does one draw the line between solid science and fairy-tale physics?


This is about me, isn't it?

Posted by: Michael E. Mann, Nobel Laureate at April 25, 2021 09:14 AM (PiwSw)

191 https://tinyurl.com/2z25hswfsecond part of Graham's eulogy.

Posted by: Quint at April 25, 2021 09:14 AM (TPY/s)

192 Jak - spot on. Right wing culture warrior with a suck-up-to-the-left idea of governing. But then he created a commission to demonize marijuana and it backfired in his face. Can't have adult Americans smoking a plant not called tobacco, but drinking is fine, and what's wrong with a little burglary?

Posted by: SFGoth at April 25, 2021 09:15 AM (1kzjW)

193 Read this, it's hilarious and literary. Walter Mondale get to heaven and tells Shakespeare that some people think he didn't write his plays. Perfect for the book thread:
https://tinyurl.com/yg76e96z

Posted by: who knew at April 25, 2021 09:15 AM (SfO/T)

194 Nixon resigned because the entire Republican party decided he needed to go. Sound familiar? Let me give you a different lens to view this from. Read about Alger Hiss. He was one of the communists in the State Department. Press never forgave him for that.

I had the regular Leftist view of Nixon back when I was a Leftist. When that changed and I realized how many lies I'd been fed, I did my own research. I came across a book by a historian that had full access to the Nixon library and had no politican axe to grind. Wish I could find it again.

Nixon wasn't a conservative and bears the blame for opening up China. He did a lot less damage to the country than LBJ did.

Posted by: Notsothoreau - look forward at April 25, 2021 09:15 AM (YynYJ)

195 Later horde. Off to see my mama. Have a wonderful day, everyone!

Posted by: April at April 25, 2021 09:15 AM (OX9vb)

196 @125

They call that "author intrusion", where an author of fiction wants to put some knowledge on you about some subject.

I think everyone does it to some extent, but sometimes it is very heavy handed.

Posted by: artemis at April 25, 2021 09:15 AM (AwPyG)

197 not sure what happened there. I hope this works.
https://tinyurl.com/2z25hswf

Posted by: Quint at April 25, 2021 09:16 AM (TPY/s)

198 The problem wasn't 'opening' China, it was opening *us* to China. That was on the Bushes and the Clintons.
Posted by: Ace-Endorsed Author A.H. Lloyd at April 25, 2021 09:13 AM (llXky)

I can agree with that assessment, hindsight being 20/20 and all, we didn't need them to check anything. It was a strategic error that we see being played out in realtime today.

Posted by: The Fabulous Baker Boys at April 25, 2021 09:16 AM (jvt6t)

199 Estonian Language

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rL-sAFFQfxY

Posted by: You Really Don't Want to Know at April 25, 2021 09:17 AM (AHq56)

200 Where does one draw the line between solid science and fairy-tale physics? Jim Baggott argues that there is no observational or experimental evidence for many of the ideas of modern theoretical physics: super-symmetric particles, super strings, the multiverse, the holographic principle, or the anthropic cosmological principle...

-
Modern science is like imagining what you would do if you had a billion dollars.

Posted by: Anonosaurus Wrecks, Tyrannosaur Wrangler at April 25, 2021 09:17 AM (VVEnO)

201 musical sock off......

Posted by: Jak Sucio at April 25, 2021 09:18 AM (jvt6t)

202 The Jungle is Neutral can be had from anywhere from 22 to 350 dollars on Amazon.


Quite a spread.

Posted by: Thomas Bender at April 25, 2021 09:19 AM (b3fsZ)

203 I saw all kinds of planes when we lived at Edwards. I remember going in the "Pregnant Guppy" on the flight line and marveling at the space inside.

We lived in base housing and if you went up to the end of our road it terminated at miles and miles of open desert with the mountains in the distance. We spent a lot of time out there on our bikes.

Posted by: f'd at April 25, 2021 09:19 AM (Tnijr)

204 Figured reading would get me through this and it helps but not enough. I need a hands-on activity as well.


Posted by: JTB at April 25, 2021 09:11 AM (7EjX1)

---
Good for you! I've been revisiting hobbies as well. I dug out the old recurve bow and started doing some archery. Love the re-usable ammo!

I'm also cleaning/reorganizing the house and we're looking at some long-delayed renovations this summer. It's so easy to get lost in things you can't change. The other night I was enjoying some music and whiskey while admiring the sunset and I realized that all it would take was a single news story about something in *another country* to wreck my contentment and make me angry. Who needs that?

Posted by: Ace-Endorsed Author A.H. Lloyd at April 25, 2021 09:19 AM (llXky)

205 The people who can't tell you the length of coastline of the UK or what's at the bottom of the ocean tell you all Science has already been Scienced.

Also wear your mask.

Posted by: Reverend Chanequa Moron-Robbie Deonkay Smith Jr. III, Foster Dad at April 25, 2021 09:19 AM (k1L5r)

206 176 I thought they were the Baker Street Irregulars
Posted by: Muldoon at April 25, 2021 09:09 AM (Fc5rx)

That's it.

Posted by: Northernlurker, surgite at April 25, 2021 09:20 AM (cSyAR)

207 Posted by: f'd at April 25, 2021 09:14 AM (Tnijr)

That sounds awesome. Being an aviation geek, I would have loved to be able to roam around and check things out there. The history alone is priceless.

Posted by: Jak Sucio at April 25, 2021 09:20 AM (jvt6t)

208 Modern science is like imagining what you would do if you had a billion dollars.

Posted by: Anonosaurus Wrecks, Tyrannosaur Wrangler at April 25, 2021 09:17 AM (VVEnO)

...by bilking taxpayers of a billion to fund your "research".

Posted by: BignJames at April 25, 2021 09:20 AM (AwYPR)

209 Finished a decent mystery this week called "Quiet in Her Bones" by Nalini Singh. I guess she writes paranormal fantasy romances but this a straight mystery set in her native New Zealand. The body of a woman, missing for ten years, is found in the deep forest not far from the exclusive enclave where she lived. Her son is determined to find the killer who he believes must reside in that enclave. The kicker is that he has recently suffered a severe brain injury in an auto accident and you become aware early in the narrative that the son's thought processes are perhaps skewed. Good book.

Posted by: Tuna at April 25, 2021 09:20 AM (gLRfa)

210 String theory is math.
It became popular in the early 1980s when it was shown that it was the only way to build a theory combining general relativity and the standard model. If that's what you want, it's strings or nothing.

Posted by: You Really Don't Want to Know at April 25, 2021 09:20 AM (AHq56)

211 I remember we went thru 2 windshields on dad's car because they were sandblasted so badly.

Posted by: f'd at April 25, 2021 09:21 AM (Tnijr)

212 I was never a leftist and i've always detested Nixon. Granted, the alternative.... Hence my original statement.

Posted by: SFGoth at April 25, 2021 09:21 AM (1kzjW)

213 thorstein veblen, wrote, iirc, the theory of the leisure class back in the early 1900's. ah, looked it up, 1899. discussed in heilbroner's the worldly philosophers. never read ToLC, but TWP impressed me a lot when i read it back in the distant past.

Posted by: yara at April 25, 2021 09:22 AM (N7mou)

214 Monaco scene live stream. Lots of masks.

Posted by: klaftern at April 25, 2021 09:22 AM (RuIsu)

215 208 Modern science is like imagining what you would do if you had a billion dollars.

Posted by: Anonosaurus Wrecks, Tyrannosaur Wrangler at April 25, 2021 09:17 AM (VVEnO)

...by bilking taxpayers of a billion to fund your "research".
Posted by: BignJames at April 25, 2021 09:20 AM (AwYPR)

...and selling it to the CCP.

Posted by: rhennigantx at April 25, 2021 09:22 AM (yrol0)

216 Where does one draw the line between solid science and fairy-tale physics? Jim Baggott argues that there is no observational or experimental evidence for many of the ideas of modern theoretical physics: super-symmetric particles, super strings, the multiverse, the holographic principle, or the anthropic cosmological principle...
I've often thought this
Posted by: vmom stabby stabby stabby stabamillion at April 25, 2021 09:13 AM (GBZnB)


I won't say we've reached the limits of our knowledge as humankind, but I will say that we've reached the limits of easy knowledge.

Newton's "discovery" of gravity changed the world. These days you get some scheme studying waterbears hoping for a cancer cure or good floor cleaner.

It's like Easter morning and you've come late to the Egg Hunt. Now, to find any you've got to search for the very few left that were cleverly hidden.

It's a cheap way to become famous without any real data/discovery if you can, in essence, write mathmatically literate science fiction.

Posted by: naturalfake at April 25, 2021 09:23 AM (dWwl8)

217 "Street Arabs" was a generic term for urchins, ragamuffins, etc. The Baker Street Irregulars were the ones Holmes recruited to act as runners, spies, and informants.

By the way, Doyle kind of blows it by having all of them troop into Holmes's rooms to report. Way to blow your cover, kids.

Posted by: Trimegistus at April 25, 2021 09:23 AM (QZxDR)

218 And I don't know what the Chinese have planned regarding biological warfare, but I'm just glad the US official funding those labs in China hasn't encouraged a big nationwide push to have everyone injected with a "operating system" chemical that can be activated by external stimuli like cold viruses.

Posted by: Reverend Chanequa Moron-Robbie Deonkay Smith Jr. III, Foster Dad at April 25, 2021 09:23 AM (k1L5r)

219
I can agree with that assessment, hindsight
being 20/20 and all, we didn't need them to check anything. It was a
strategic error that we see being played out in realtime today.

Posted by: The Fabulous Baker Boys at April 25, 2021 09:16 AM (jvt6t)

---
There's a common error for people to go back and look at something (like recognizing China) and say it was a mistake because other, subsequent decisions made it mistake.

It's like blaming Reagan because he didn't solve every single problem.

Nixon's foreign policy was really quite good. The fact that his successors made a botch of it reflects on them, not him.

Posted by: Ace-Endorsed Author A.H. Lloyd at April 25, 2021 09:24 AM (llXky)

220 Jak - spot on. Right wing culture warrior with a
suck-up-to-the-left idea of governing. But then he created a commission
to demonize marijuana and it backfired in his face. Can't have adult
Americans smoking a plant not called tobacco, but drinking is fine, and
what's wrong with a little burglary?

Posted by: SFGoth at April 25, 2021 09:15 AM (1kzjW) I knew it would come back to Marijuana. Why not trash a man's life because he didn't like what you and Cheech liked.
I have tried to get on, but it is over. I still will try to get on, but will have to ignore any possible time when Marijuana is the answer. The thing I will never get about marijuana proponents. They argue is is not addictive, and way safer than booze. But they will risk their lives, just ask countless NFL players, and also do anything to make this non addictive, non dangerous plant legal.

Posted by: Quint at April 25, 2021 09:24 AM (TPY/s)

221 Why go after Nixon here? You think CLinton and Obama supported
legalizing pot? I personally think it should be legal. But I am not a
sell out. I say keep the government and revenuers out of it. If it is a
kindly plant, then people should be able to grow it and keep the gov.
out of it.

Posted by: Quint at April 25, 2021 09:24 AM (TPY/s)

222 What's funny is that the "scientific method" has been turned on its head. Scientists are supposed to come up with a hypothesis, and then try to prove it is wrong.

They record everything, and preserve the raw data so that other scientists may also try to prove their hypothesis is wrong.

Compare with "the science is settled."

Posted by: artemis at April 25, 2021 09:24 AM (AwPyG)

223
And I first heard "taradiddle" when listening to Iolanthe.

__________

I wouldn't say a word that could be reckoned as injurious,
But to find a mother younger than her son is very curious,
And that's a kind of mother that is usually spurious.
Taradiddle, taradiddle, tol lol lay!

Posted by: Hadrian the Seventh at April 25, 2021 09:24 AM (mht8P)

224 Nixon wasn't a conservative and bears the blame for opening up China. He did a lot less damage to the country than LBJ did.
Posted by: Notsothoreau - look forward at April 25, 2021 09:15 AM (YynYJ)

Opening China is not the same thing as transferring a huge amount of manufacturing there, or inviting their spies and colonists here.

Posted by: CN at April 25, 2021 09:25 AM (ONvIw)

225 scheme = schmoe

Posted by: naturalfake at April 25, 2021 09:25 AM (dWwl8)

226 The fact that Mandela was a communist could have been a clue to 'right thinking' people.

Posted by: Sebastian Melmoth at April 25, 2021 09:25 AM (2DOZq)

227 It's interesting that we've reached the point where actual science is too difficult and tedious so we have begun making up our own Science with things like global warming.

Posted by: Reverend Chanequa Moron-Robbie Deonkay Smith Jr. III, Foster Dad at April 25, 2021 09:25 AM (k1L5r)

228 ToLC is what i have to read. It's behind a stack of legal opinions high enough to hurt myself if i jump off it.

Posted by: SFGoth at April 25, 2021 09:26 AM (1kzjW)

229 Kudos to Robert Kroese for starting Upstream Reviews. He's also a terrific author. I recommend any and all of his books, especially the Iron Dragon series.

Posted by: DIY Daddio at April 25, 2021 09:26 AM (RJscS)

230 Hiya Donna of the Ampersands !

Posted by: JT at April 25, 2021 09:26 AM (arJlL)

231 No Little Free Library near me, but as I work all over se Pa see them but have yet to stop at one.
For used book stores 1 easy in bike distance and another 20 minutes away. They can be found on a web search and like them for 1st look as you can find jems.

Posted by: Skip at April 25, 2021 09:27 AM (Cxk7w)

232 "The basic inflationary paradigm is accepted by most physicists, as a number of inflation model predictions have been confirmed by observation" wikipedia


I sure can't do the math, or the physics on any of that, but the whole "dark matter/energy" idea is incredible, how it is not identified, yet now largely accepted. It is like God, they can't "see" it, but they see the manifestations, so they know it must exist.

Posted by: illiniwek at April 25, 2021 09:27 AM (Cus5s)

233 Nixon's foreign policy was really quite good. The fact that his successors made a botch of it reflects on them, not him.


Posted by: Ace-Endorsed Author A.H. Lloyd at April 25, 2021 09:24 AM (llXky)

they knew he was smarter than them. That this is even an issue is a bit troubling. Nixon didn't give a damn about pot. The reality is most people over 50 don't care about it either. Maybe we did get played, maybe Mary Jane was the path to enlightenment. But Nixon did nothing weird re drugs, I would guess if anything he was more lenient.

Look a the country today. Legal pot in more places than ever. And who thinks this is a better country other than many one guy?

Posted by: Quint at April 25, 2021 09:27 AM (TPY/s)

234 I grew up in Barstow from 60 to 66, the sonic booms we got from the planes out of Edwards were epic.

Posted by: Tinfoilbaby at April 25, 2021 09:28 AM (+xIcB)

235 116 I would highly recommend that you consider everything you've been told about Nixon is a lie. Do your own research. He is the first politician they sucessfully used the big lie on. I'm still not a fan but the Press lied about him and continues to do so.

Posted by: Notsothoreau - look forward at April 25, 2021 08:47 AM (YynYJ)


Nixon was instrumental in exposing and taking down Alger Hiss. The East Coast elites never forgot, and never forgave him for that.

Posted by: OregonMuse, AoSHQ Thought Leader, Pants Monitor & Social Distancing Professional at April 25, 2021 09:28 AM (5/qak)

236 That Calvin and Hobbes comic at the bottom reminded me: I bought my nephews (and niece) the Complete Calvin and Hobbes soft-cover boxed set for Christmas. (four kids, four books, it seemed the perfect fit.) But, due to travel restrictions and such, they never made it to the family gathering to collect it, and the set was a bit too big/heavy to ship (cost effectively). So I left the set with my parents, who are finally on the road to visit that side of the family. Hopefully they will enjoy their very belated Christmas present. I just kind of wish I were there to see them crack it open...

Posted by: Castle Guy at April 25, 2021 09:28 AM (Lhaco)

237 Quint, because he contrived a panel to demonize it in the first place. Was there a genuine bone in his body?

Posted by: SFGoth at April 25, 2021 09:28 AM (1kzjW)

238 GOPe yoga is reaching out across the aisle while they're moving the goalposts. Keeps you limber.

Posted by: Anonosaurus Wrecks, Tyrannosaur Wrangler at April 25, 2021 09:28 AM (VVEnO)

239 What's funny is that the "scientific method" has been turned on its head. Scientists are supposed to come up with a hypothesis, and then try to prove it is wrong.

***

I have long suspected that the beginning of the end was when people - scientists included - began to demonstrate that they had no idea what a theory was and would use it when they meant hypothesis, and now language uses them almost interchangeably.

Well, it would if people knew to use hypothesis, which they don't.

Posted by: Reverend Chanequa Moron-Robbie Deonkay Smith Jr. III, Foster Dad at April 25, 2021 09:29 AM (k1L5r)

240 It occurs to me that both weed and communism are examples of a very powerful technique the left has perfected. When you can't really justify or excuse something, you mock the critics.

They turned concern about Communist influence and espionage into "McCarthyism" which of course is Worse Than Hitler (except when they do it, of course).

They found one overdone anti weed film, "Reefer Madness" and mocked it so widely that even today there's basically no research being done in the USA on medical harms from marijuana. There's been some results out of the UK and other countries, but nothing here because a movie once said some wrong things. Ha, ha! Straights are dumb.

Useful rule of thumb: if Leftists are mocking something, it's probably true and important.

Posted by: Trimegistus at April 25, 2021 09:29 AM (QZxDR)

241 Greetings:

I've been reading a good bit of military history recently (James Holland's "Sicily '43" and his "Normandy '44" in particular and very well done they are.)

I don't know whose designing these books but they, and the genre, leave some things to be desired. First, I have a concept of "heavy in the hand" which effects the lectern-less among us. I can't help but wonder how or if such is evaluated vis-a-vis the readers when page counts go well over 400.

Second would be notes and/or citations. In this digital age, I don't quite understand the need to be flipping back and forth, front to back, every several paragraphs to find unuseful cites and/or notes. I would much prefer their incorporation into the body of the text where they could be easily and quickly scanned and /or ignored.

Third would be mapping. There don't seem to be any real accepted standards but I would think that places mentioned in the text show up on the maps. Also, instead of maps all clumped together in the front of the book requiring more back and forth although in the opposite direction, they would show up in some close proximity to the pertinent text.

Posted by: 11B40 at April 25, 2021 09:30 AM (evgyj)

242 Nixon wasn't a conservative and bears the blame for opening up China. He did a lot less damage to the country than LBJ did.

Posted by: Notsothoreau - look forward at April 25, 2021 09:15 AM (YynYJ)

you might want to read more about that. People act as it Nixon opening up China was some left wing action. The reality is only Nixon could do it, no one trusted the leftists. And opening China didn't in any way make out like Communsism was ok. I tend to wonder what people are reading.

Posted by: Quint at April 25, 2021 09:30 AM (TPY/s)

243
It's interesting that we've reached the point where actual science is
too difficult and tedious so we have begun making up our own Science
with things like global warming.

Posted by: Reverend Chanequa Moron-Robbie Deonkay Smith Jr. III, Foster Dad at April 25, 2021 09:25 AM (k1L5r)

---
This is also a function of "everyone can be anything they want," so even if you have a room temperature IQ you can go to college and get a doctorate.

And then people have to respect your superior intellect.

Posted by: Ace-Endorsed Author A.H. Lloyd at April 25, 2021 09:30 AM (llXky)

244 It is like God, they can't "see" it, but they see the manifestations, so they know it must exist.


****

It's becoming obvious that the vast majority of Science these days is just a form of religious belief and worship, with holy men and sacred texts and all the rest.

Posted by: Reverend Chanequa Moron-Robbie Deonkay Smith Jr. III, Foster Dad at April 25, 2021 09:31 AM (k1L5r)

245 Pervs pictured at the Whitehouse

https://tinyurl.com/e4fnwy7w

Posted by: rhennigantx at April 25, 2021 09:31 AM (yrol0)

246 Quint, because he contrived a panel to demonize it in the first place. Was there a genuine bone in his body?

Posted by: SFGoth at April 25, 2021 09:28 AM (1kzjW)

you know more about the subject than I do. My guess is he had other issues to deal with like the Cold War. In the end, it depends on which issue is most important to you.

Posted by: Quint at April 25, 2021 09:31 AM (TPY/s)

247 Nixon is the boogey man for the Left to be replaced by Trump shortly. I may be in the minority but I blame General Eisenhower and President Eisenhower for a lot of our problems.

Posted by: Sebastian Melmoth at April 25, 2021 09:31 AM (2DOZq)

248 Some good news.

Ontario walks back new pandemic police powers following widespread backlash


That's strange. Medical Science is decided by popular opinion? Oh, that's right- it was never about medical science.

Posted by: t-bird at April 25, 2021 09:32 AM (fFtVH)

249 My reading habits are eccentric to say the least. Bizarre is probably closer to reality. However, there are some series that I want to pursue or read again: those silly MASH books, Patrick O'Brian, Bernard Cornwell, the Hornblower series and a few others. Part of this week was spent trying to figure out what can be moved to make space, keeping all those books in one place. Not as simple as it seems. But I get tired of looking all over the place to find a specific book that falls into the 'likely to read' category.

Posted by: JTB at April 25, 2021 09:32 AM (7EjX1)

250 Question for teh Horde: Why would a used book on Amazon cost more than the new book?

Posted by: I am the Shadout Mapes, the Housekeeper at April 25, 2021 08:21 AM (PiwSw)

The iron law of supply and demand, sir!
Posted by: OregonMuse, AoSHQ Thought Leader, Pants Monitor & Social Distancing Professional

And some people are just stark raving mad !

I was at a yard sale and some woman had some books out; one was a thick Stephen King novel, so, I picked it up and ask how much. She said "eight dollars" I put it down and walked away and she followed me down the street asking in a loud voice, "How much do YOU think it should be ?"

I wouldn't pay 8 bucks for a used paperback even if I wrote it.

Posted by: JT at April 25, 2021 09:32 AM (arJlL)

251 Thanks for the note on Thurber. He remains one of my favorite writers. If you're new to Thurber, though, omnibuses of his collected works is not the place to start: he wrote for a weekly and had to produce copy by the deadline, so much of it is pretty tepid. Instead, start with "My Life and Hard Times", in which he writes about growing up in Columbus, Ohio; then "The Thurber Album", in which he writes about his family. You can find copies of both on alibris.com for a dollar or two (plus SH).
By the way, Thurber is one of those writers who benefits from being read aloud. Much of the humor of his prose is in its cadence, how it unfolds the story - like the way a skilled comic tells a joke.

Posted by: Nemo at April 25, 2021 09:33 AM (S6ArX)

252 If nothing else, Nixon awakening China,, should have never even made a phone call to them.

Posted by: Skip at April 25, 2021 09:33 AM (Cxk7w)

253
Allen Drury's A Senate Journal is now available for download. It's his diary of the Senate from 1943 to 1945, when he reported on it for UPI. It's full of observations of the Senate, it's members and their work.

On the whole, Drury tries to portray senators sympathetically (he particularly admires Robert Taft) but on the whole is scathing about how the Senate operated, particularly its dilatory nature while great issues were needing attention.

Reading it, some of the models for the fictional senators and episodes of Advise and Consent can be discerned.

Posted by: Hadrian the Seventh at April 25, 2021 09:34 AM (mht8P)

254 Bruce Herschensohn wrote a book about the Press and Nixon and Vietnam called, The Gods of Antenna.
I have a few pages scanned from it at
https://thinkforaminute.tumblr.com/ tagged/The-Gods-of-Antenna

Posted by: Stonn at April 25, 2021 09:34 AM (QDEge)

255 " Good morning, Horde. I've been reading a book on Mongolian poetry. Not bad so far; it does have prose and Khans.
Posted by: Duncanthrax" This is why I wish the comment had a "like" button.

Posted by: who knew at April 25, 2021 09:35 AM (SfO/T)

256 Pervs pictured at the Whitehouse

https://tinyurl.com/e4fnwy7w
Posted by: rhennigantx

Clinton had a buy-ten-sex-assalts-and-the-next-one-is-free punch card.

Posted by: Anonosaurus Wrecks, Tyrannosaur Wrangler at April 25, 2021 09:35 AM (VVEnO)

257 you might want to read more about that. People act
as it Nixon opening up China was some left wing action. The reality is
only Nixon could do it, no one trusted the leftists. And opening China
didn't in any way make out like Communsism was ok. I tend to wonder what
people are reading.


Posted by: Quint at April 25, 2021 09:30 AM (TPY/s)

---
"Opening China" doesn't mean what people think it means. What Nixon did was recognize reality - that mainland China was under Communist control and would be for a long time. Prior to that time we had no diplomatic relations with them, instead treating the ROC regime in Taiwan as the legitimate government.

By reaching out to the ChiComs, Nixon shattered the myth of monolithic Communism, recognizing that China and Russia hated each other and by cozying up to one, he could freak out the other. He deftly employed "madman" diplomacy to put America's enemies back on their heels, and even after his disgrace, he was consulted by people because he knew a lot about foreign policy. He had tons of blind spots, but diplomacy was one thing he did really well.

Posted by: Ace-Endorsed Author A.H. Lloyd at April 25, 2021 09:35 AM (llXky)

258 If nothing else, Nixon awakening China,, should have never even made a phone call to them.

Posted by: Skip at April 25, 2021 09:33 AM (Cxk7w)

i don't agree there. It made the world a safer place. What did Nixon going to China do to promote commies in any way? I guess you could say it led to our buying their crap, but that is a long way to go really. Nixon was a foreign policy expert. Just like pretty much no president since, other than Walker, was a foreign policy guy. I still want to know what Nixon did wrong re China.

Posted by: Quint at April 25, 2021 09:36 AM (TPY/s)

259 The medical community still seems to be tried and true, when it comes to science.

The are a lot of advances being made in cancer treatment, for example, based on medical trials from all over the world, using the scientific method.

Posted by: artemis at April 25, 2021 09:36 AM (AwPyG)

260 Calvin and Hobbes.

I miss it.

Posted by: Pleistocene Megafauna at April 25, 2021 09:37 AM (doAIC)

261 10 out of 10

Posted by: Quint at April 25, 2021 09:38 AM (TPY/s)

262 Calvin and Hobbes.

I miss it.
Posted by: Pleistocene Megafauna

That and The Far Side.

Posted by: JT at April 25, 2021 09:38 AM (arJlL)

263
Calvin and Hobbes.

I miss it.
Posted by: Pleistocene Megafauna at April 25, 2021 09:37 AM (doAIC)

__________

Proof life is unfair. Calvin and Hobbes is gone, but Doonesbury is still around.

Posted by: Hadrian the Seventh at April 25, 2021 09:39 AM (mht8P)

264 @250

Which is another gratifying thing about the little libraries; nowadays its easy to sell a used book on line to make a buck, but no one is swiping all the books to do so.

Or not that I've noticed, anyway

Posted by: artemis at April 25, 2021 09:39 AM (AwPyG)

265 10 out of 10


Posted by: Quint at April 25, 2021 09:38 AM (TPY/s)
A.H, Lloyd.

Posted by: Quint at April 25, 2021 09:39 AM (TPY/s)

266 One thing the covids taught me is how many third world poor people die in order to develop vaccines for 1st world nations.

It didn't happen this time because they're testing it on the 1st world nations instead.

Posted by: Reverend Chanequa Moron-Robbie Deonkay Smith III at April 25, 2021 09:40 AM (vBc2/)

267 People act as it Nixon opening up China was some left wing action. The reality is only Nixon could do it, no one trusted the leftists.

Posted by: Quint at April 25, 2021 09:30 AM (TPY/s)


Hence the saying "Only Nixon could go to China."

Posted by: OregonMuse, AoSHQ Thought Leader, Pants Monitor & Social Distancing Professional at April 25, 2021 09:41 AM (5/qak)

268 The Calvin and Hobbes box set is worth the money when it goes on sale around Christmas. Bonus is that you can pretend to be buying it for the kids.

Posted by: Reverend Chanequa Moron-Robbie Deonkay Smith III at April 25, 2021 09:41 AM (vBc2/)

269
Stopped at a different place for coffee after Mass this morning. Two signs on the doors, "No Mask, No Service". I went in without a mask and bought my (terrible) coffee. I didn't go to the trouble of getting two shots, plus getting sick after the second, to be told nothing's changed.

Posted by: Hadrian the Seventh at April 25, 2021 09:42 AM (mht8P)

270 15 Not so much re-reading but studying it more closely, Color and Light by James Gurney is becoming indispensable.

Posted by: Thomas Bender



...That's the 'Dinotopia' artist, right? Neat!

Posted by: Castle Guy at April 25, 2021 09:42 AM (Lhaco)

271 254 Bruce Herschensohn wrote a book about the Press and Nixon and Vietnam called, The Gods of Antenna.
I have a few pages scanned from it at
https://thinkforaminute.tumblr.com/ tagged/The-Gods-of-Antenna
Posted by: Stonn at April 25, 2021 09:34 AM (QDEge)


I remember Herschensohn. A decent man run out of politics by Barbara Boxer's dirty tricks.

Posted by: OregonMuse, AoSHQ Thought Leader, Pants Monitor & Social Distancing Professional at April 25, 2021 09:43 AM (5/qak)

272 If you want an interesting take on philosophy of science, there's Ed Feser's Aristotle's Revenge.

I like Thurber, but IMO many mid-century humorists hold up. Runyon does, and Parker. Waugh, of course.

And there's always Wodehouse.

Posted by: Eeyore at April 25, 2021 09:44 AM (7X3UV)

273 Calvin and Hobbes was ok. I get most of it from stickers on pick up trucks. I was big on The Far Side, and even Garfield as a kid.

Posted by: Quint at April 25, 2021 09:44 AM (TPY/s)

274 And there's always Wodehouse.

The Patwick Swayze move ?

Posted by: JT at April 25, 2021 09:45 AM (arJlL)

275 242 Nixon wasn't a conservative and bears the blame for opening up China. He did a lot less damage to the country than LBJ did.
Posted by: Notsothoreau - look forward at April 25, 2021 09:15 AM (YynYJ)

you might want to read more about that. People act as it Nixon opening up China was some left wing action. The reality is only Nixon could do it, no one trusted the leftists. And opening China didn't in any way make out like Communsism was ok. I tend to wonder what people are reading.
Posted by: Quint at April 25, 2021 09:30 AM (TPY/s)

There's a video by Razorfist, I don't recall the URL, where he shows a clip of Black Sabbath, the heavy metal band fronted by Ozzy Osbourne, being interviewed in the '70s, and China came up.
The band members mentioned the huge number of people killed by the communists.
Razorfist found it interesting that literally nobody from the mainstream press, ever, or Nixon, apparently, mentioned the nearly 100 million people killed by the communists, but some pothead heavy metallers mentioned it right off.

Posted by: Stonn at April 25, 2021 09:46 AM (QDEge)

276 Calvin and Hobbes was ok. I get most of it from stickers on pick up trucks

*

Fun fact:

The creator never licensed the images out for anything. He had a big discussion about it in regards to Peanuts iirc.

Posted by: Reverend Chanequa Moron-Robbie Deonkay Smith III at April 25, 2021 09:46 AM (vBc2/)

277 @269

I tried to explain to the milennials in my orbit that there can't be a clearer indication that the covid thing was a power grab than the fact that you have to wear a mask even if you've had the vaccine.

They scratch their heads. I think if their phones told them they had to drink toilet water to be cured, they'd be frantically searching to see how much.

Posted by: artemis at April 25, 2021 09:46 AM (AwPyG)

278 I have a few pages scanned from it at
https://thinkforaminute.tumblr.com/ tagged/The-Gods-of-Antenna
Posted by: Stonn at April 25, 2021 09:34 AM (QDEge)

I remember Herschensohn. A decent man run out of politics by Barbara Boxer's dirty tricks.
Posted by: OregonMuse, AoSHQ Thought Leader, Pants Monitor Social Distancing Professional at April 25, 2021 09:43 AM (5/qak)

Look at the scans. It covers the history in depth.

Posted by: Stonn at April 25, 2021 09:48 AM (QDEge)

279 They scratch their heads. I think if their phones told them they had to
drink toilet water to be cured, they'd be frantically searching to see
how much.

Brawndo.

Posted by: BackwardsBoy - Psychos Rule! No, really. They're in charge now. at April 25, 2021 09:48 AM (HaL55)

280 OT and I'm sure it will be discussed in the Food Thread. The Paste Eater wants us to consume 90% less red meat. Kiss your rib-eyes and T-Bones goodbye.

For climate change, natch.

Posted by: Jak Sucio at April 25, 2021 09:48 AM (jvt6t)

281 268 The Calvin and Hobbes box set is worth the money when it goes on sale around Christmas. Bonus is that you can pretend to be buying it for the kids.

Posted by: Reverend Chanequa Moron-Robbie Deonkay Smith III


I bought the set, opened it, read it for myself (its the only way I'll ever get Attack of the Deranged Killer Mutant Monster Snow Goons sunday strips in color) and then put it back it its box for the kiddos.

Posted by: Castle Guy at April 25, 2021 09:49 AM (Lhaco)

282 Not a good week for reading for whatever reason. About halfway through Grendel by John Gardner. The start was a bit of a confusing slog until he meets the dragon, which was a hilarious encounter as the dragon hit him with all sorts of snarky comments Grendel had no chance of understanding after which everything makes more sense.

Also read a few stanzas of Eugene Onegin, which is pronouned Oh-nay-gin with the accent on the second syllable and the g as in game, not like the alcohol. Anyway I ended up buying the Nabokov translation so I guess I might end up reading all his non poetry fiction (except I won't read the extra volume of notes he wrote explaining all Pushkin minutiae). And yes, Burt (I think) I'll read the translation you recommended as well.

Here's to a better reading week...

Posted by: Captain Hate Won't Forget Ashli Babbitt at April 25, 2021 09:49 AM (y7DUB)

283 If you like Calvin and Hobbes, you might like this new cartoonist.

https://bit.ly/3sQmQeP

Posted by: Anonosaurus Wrecks, Tyrannosaur Wrangler at April 25, 2021 09:49 AM (VVEnO)

284 Razorfist found it interesting that literally nobody
from the mainstream press, ever, or Nixon, apparently, mentioned the
nearly 100 million people killed by the communists, but some pothead
heavy metallers mentioned it right off.

Posted by: Stonn at April 25, 2021 09:46 AM (QDEge)

I am not disparaging it and I will look it u. Razorfist you say? I will look into that and hope to see their defense of freedom.

the idea that Nixon did not oppose commies in the USSR and China is mind blowing to me. My guess is people got some bad schooling It is not as if that is an unheard of thing these days. Why so many Repubs would be anti Nixon is interesting to me. My guess is they got some pretty biased info, or got most of it from Hollyweird.

Posted by: Quint at April 25, 2021 09:49 AM (TPY/s)

285 The Paste Eater wants us to consume 90% less red meat. Kiss your rib-eyes and T-Bones goodbye.

*

Make it ineligible for food stamps for ten years and then we'll talk.

Posted by: Reverend Chanequa Moron-Robbie Deonkay Smith III at April 25, 2021 09:50 AM (vBc2/)

286 273 Calvin and Hobbes was ok. I get most of it from stickers on pick up trucks. I was big on The Far Side, and even Garfield as a kid.
Posted by: Quint at April 25, 2021 09:44 AM (TPY/s)


Fun fact: any C and H swag, stickers, t-shirts, whatever, is technically illegal, i.e. use without copyright license. I don't know how he was able to do it, but Bill Waterston managed stand up to the publishing syndicate and not permit any merchandising of his characters.

Posted by: OregonMuse, AoSHQ Thought Leader, Pants Monitor & Social Distancing Professional at April 25, 2021 09:50 AM (5/qak)

287 At the price of a good steak it's getting off the menu more anyway.

Posted by: Skip at April 25, 2021 09:50 AM (Cxk7w)

288 I used to love Dilbert, and I think Scott Adams was a genius when it came to creating characters that everyone recognized from their own experiences.

He's big on twitter and podcasts, now.

Posted by: artemis at April 25, 2021 09:52 AM (AwPyG)

289 Stopped the marijuana wars have.

Usually, they go on forever.

I don't see it as a societal good or even a personal good. Pot has all the health negatives of tobacco with more added on, like schizophrenia, according to research in other countries

You don't go out and get drunk ever time you have a beer or cocktail or whatever, but with Grass your objective is to0 get stoned every single time. That's an alcoholic's behavior, whether a functional alcoholic or not...still an alcoholic.

So, that tells me MJ is fairly addictive in some way shape or form. Esp, for daily smokers.

BONUS! The Left has been pushing it so hard for years, it's probably is deleterious to individuals and society in general.
So, I( guess we'll find out. There's big money and graft to be made and paid, legal MJ is coming soon to your town regardless.

Posted by: naturalfake at April 25, 2021 09:53 AM (dWwl8)

290 Fun fact: any C and H swag, stickers, t-shirts,
whatever, is technically illegal, i.e. use without copyright license. I
don't know how he was able to do it, but Bill Waterston managed stand up
to the publishing syndicate and not permit any merchandising of his
characters.

Posted by: OregonMuse, AoSHQ Thought Leader, Pants Monitor Social Distancing Professional at April 25, 2021 09:50 AM (5/qak)

he should certainly check the truck stops.

Posted by: Quint at April 25, 2021 09:53 AM (TPY/s)

291 "If you like Calvin and Hobbes, you might like this new cartoonist.

https://bit.ly/3sQmQeP
Posted by: Anonosaurus Wrecks, Tyrannosaur Wrangler at April 25, 2021 09:49 AM (VVEnO)""

LOL.

My grandson loves, loves Dogman

Posted by: Tuna at April 25, 2021 09:54 AM (gLRfa)

292 Look at the scans. It covers the history in depth.
Posted by: Stonn at April 25, 2021 09:48 AM (QDEge)


Wow, very interesting. Is there a part 1?

Posted by: OregonMuse, AoSHQ Thought Leader, Pants Monitor & Social Distancing Professional at April 25, 2021 09:54 AM (5/qak)

293 @286

There was an Antiques Roadshow episode with an archive of Bill Waterson's drawings in high school. (I think it was a fellow student.)

You can see the talent, even then.

Posted by: artemis at April 25, 2021 09:55 AM (AwPyG)

294 They argue that physics has abandoned its evidence-based roots and shifted to untestable mathematical theories

This has been my complaint with modern physics especially but other sciences for a while now. They've apparently reached the practical limits of what they can discover with what we know and how we can do things at the moment and are off into cloud cuckoo land inventing things that might be true, but are merely speculation and philosophy, not science.

The driving force behind this isn't so much the desire to know and understand more, but at best is just "this is how I can make my name" and at worst "this way I don't have to believe in God".

We're awaiting another huge breakthrough in science that will unleash astounding new things, but rapidly are crowding up against the wall of what can be known. That's my theory at least.

Posted by: Christopher R Taylor at April 25, 2021 09:55 AM (KZzsI)

295 he should certainly check the truck stops.

Posted by: Quint at April 25, 2021 09:53 AM (TPY/s)


Heh. I know it. Calvin likes to pee on lots of things, amiright?

Posted by: OregonMuse, AoSHQ Thought Leader, Pants Monitor & Social Distancing Professional at April 25, 2021 09:55 AM (5/qak)

296 @289]

It's interesting that it's dangerous for kids to inhale second hand tobacco smoke from two blocks away, but no one thinks its dangerous for kids to inhale marijuana smoke hanging heavy in the air

Posted by: artemis at April 25, 2021 09:57 AM (AwPyG)

297 I don't see it as a societal good or even a personal good. Pot has all the health negatives of tobacco with more added on, like schizophrenia, according to research in other countries

It isn't good but its not the kind of bad that justifies government bans, either. Its in that "we shouldn't do this but shouldn't jail people for doing it" gray area.

So, that tells me MJ is fairly addictive in some way shape or form. Esp, for daily smokers.

It is clearly addictive, and from watching people I knew well in my life, its very destructive as well. The addition doesn't seem to be physical, though, not a chemical thing but a psychological one. Pot lets you escape and feel the way you want to feel, so it becomes more and more a compulsion, so it seems to me from the outside.

Posted by: Christopher R Taylor at April 25, 2021 09:58 AM (KZzsI)

298 check out dilbert for today (apr 25). i can see him getting some feedback on that from the feminazis.

Posted by: yara at April 25, 2021 09:58 AM (N7mou)

299 Wasn't Nixon a Quaker? I had mixed feelings on him. He was an economic retard and grew the derp state like there was no tomorrow, even as the apparatchiks hated him because he was right about that piece of commie shit, Alger Hiss. He was the victim of Coup Number One and anyone saying otherwise is flatout wrong. He seemed very uncomfortable in his skin.

Posted by: Captain Hate Won't Forget Ashli Babbitt at April 25, 2021 09:59 AM (y7DUB)

300 It's interesting that it's dangerous for kids to inhale second hand tobacco smoke from two blocks away, but no one thinks its dangerous for kids to inhale marijuana smoke hanging heavy in the air

Some of the same people who want tobacco banned for its clearly bad health effects want pot legalized, and do not mean edibles.

And there's considerable evidence that pot is very destructive to the development of young minds. I saw it happen in real time to family and friends.

Posted by: Christopher R Taylor at April 25, 2021 09:59 AM (KZzsI)

301 Can't we compromise? Just wear a mask when you smoke marijuana.

Posted by: Anonosaurus Wrecks, Tyrannosaur Wrangler at April 25, 2021 10:00 AM (VVEnO)

302 Bloom County was a favorite of mine. I still have a giant Opus.

Posted by: nurse ratched at April 25, 2021 10:01 AM (U2p+3)

303 Some of the same people who want tobacco banned for its clearly bad health effects want pot legalized, and do not mean edibles.

-

I'd love to see a Venn diagram of them and the people who hate GMO foods but line up for the covid vaccine.

I bet it's one circle.

Posted by: Reverend Chanequa Moron-Robbie Deonkay Smith III at April 25, 2021 10:01 AM (vBc2/)

304 299 Wasn't Nixon a Quaker? I had mixed feelings on him. He was an economic retard and grew the derp state like there was no tomorrow, even as the apparatchiks hated him because he was right about that piece of commie shit, Alger Hiss. He was the victim of Coup Number One and anyone saying otherwise is flatout wrong. He seemed very uncomfortable in his skin.

Posted by: Captain Hate Won't Forget Ashli Babbitt at April 25, 2021 09:59 AM (y7DUB)


Nixon was born into a Quaker family, but when he was an adult, he repudiated all that stuff he learned in Sunday school. I believe he was explicit about this. May God have mercy on his soul.

Posted by: OregonMuse, AoSHQ Thought Leader, Pants Monitor & Social Distancing Professional at April 25, 2021 10:01 AM (5/qak)

305 Can't we compromise? Just wear a mask when you smoke marijuana.
Posted by: Anonosaurus Wrecks, Tyrannosaur Wrangler at April 25, 2021 10:00 AM (VVEnO)


Now, here's a man that thinks...uh...well...

Here's a man!

Posted by: naturalfake at April 25, 2021 10:02 AM (dWwl8)

306 Scott Adams tweets and podcasts are a study in someone who wants to straddle the fence on a lot of subjects, so as to appeal to the widest audience.

Nothing wrong about that, of course.

Posted by: artemis at April 25, 2021 10:03 AM (AwPyG)

307 Anyway, I just finished dog class online do to rain.

Anyone have any recs for a good series for 8-10yo boys?

Everything new is PC or glib, and neither are the result I's like.

Posted by: CN at April 25, 2021 10:03 AM (ONvIw)

308 292 Look at the scans. It covers the history in depth.
Posted by: Stonn at April 25, 2021 09:48 AM (QDEge)

Wow, very interesting. Is there a part 1?

Posted by: OregonMuse, AoSHQ Thought Leader, Pants Monitor Social Distancing Professional at April 25, 2021 09:54 AM (5/qak)

Yes, under part 2. It's Tumblr, ordering things from newest to oldest.

Posted by: Stonn at April 25, 2021 10:04 AM (QDEge)

309 And there's considerable evidence that pot is very destructive to the development of young minds. I saw it happen in real time to family and friends.
Posted by: Christopher R Taylor at April 25, 2021 09:59 AM (KZzsI)

That's what I observed in practice setting. But trying to address this with people today and you get branded a propagandist.

Posted by: CN at April 25, 2021 10:05 AM (ONvIw)

310 He's about the right age for the Rush Limbaugh children's books. I've read them all. Sort of adventure American history.

Posted by: Infidel at April 25, 2021 10:06 AM (E0OEG)

311 Richard Armour:

1066 and All That.

It all Started with Columbus.

Yeah. I may be the one other of the few who remembers him.

Posted by: David B Harrington at April 25, 2021 10:06 AM (KQlIt)

312 SO I've been reading some of the hyper masculine killer books from the 60s, like The Destroyer and the Executioner. I've seen these books on shelves for ages but never picked one up because they felt too cartoonish and lurid. Especially with the covers they were given.

Essentially, the Jack Reacher books are the latest incarnation of this genre.

Mack Bolan Executioner is just wish fulfillment "if only someone would go after the Mafia!" Its the same kind of thing as comic books, but with more gore and sex. Bolan is not exactly the hardcore killer like The Punisher, nor is he superhuman like Reacher. But it was an entertaining enough read with some good concepts and scenes. Its also a bit naive about how the police and mob worked (probably still do in some areas) but fun enough.

Not fun enough to really want to read the 309481047 sequels, but I picked the book up really cheap on Kindle.

Posted by: Christopher R Taylor at April 25, 2021 10:07 AM (KZzsI)

313 Anyone have any recs for a good series for 8-10yo boys?

*

Magic Tree house.
Geronimo Stilton
Nate the Great
Everyone is pretty crazy about the Diary of a Wimpy Kid books (they're not too bad)
Redwall, although it might be a year or two too old

Posted by: Reverend Chanequa Moron-Robbie Deonkay Smith III at April 25, 2021 10:07 AM (vBc2/)

314 That and The Far Side.

Posted by: JT at April 25, 2021 09:38 AM (arJlL)


Every so often, Gary Larson will draw and circulate a new cartoon. The last one I saw was an anti-Trump sneer. I've never known Larson's cartoons to be explicitly political that way. He's dead to me now.

Posted by: OregonMuse, AoSHQ Thought Leader, Pants Monitor & Social Distancing Professional at April 25, 2021 10:07 AM (5/qak)

315 I've tried marijuana a few times since it was legalized here. It does nothing for me.
I tried one joint but I can't stand to inhale smoke and cannabis doesn't do anything good for me.

Posted by: Northern lurker at April 25, 2021 10:07 AM (cSyAR)

316 I read two Destroyer books and they're kind of interesting, but not quite as solid as the Executioner book. Remo Williams is less a sympathetic character and essentially has superpowers. The first book was within the theoretical limits of human ability, and the second takes it a bit further beyond what is reasonable.

Both books have excessively detailed sexual activity (especially the Destroyer) although reasonably within the confines of the story; that is, the sex advanced the story instead of being an extra thing tacked in just for excitement and being sexy. But instead of a fade to black thing, they go into more information and detail than I like in a story.

I probably won't read any more of those, either but like the romance novels I've read, I wanted to check into the genre so I knew more about it.

Posted by: Christopher R Taylor at April 25, 2021 10:08 AM (KZzsI)

317 310: I am waiting a bit on these due to the political climate. The new private school, blessedly bans political stuff, so I'd like something different.

I do have these, but I'm waiting toll summer.

Posted by: CN at April 25, 2021 10:08 AM (ONvIw)

318 Did Reagan ever comment on Nixon? Ronnie was on a mission to rehab the image of AuH2O but I imagine Nixon was way too lib for his liking; plus he challenged Ford in the 76 primary.

Posted by: Captain Hate Won't Forget Ashli Babbitt at April 25, 2021 10:09 AM (y7DUB)

319 311 Richard Armour:

1066 and All That.

It all Started with Columbus.

Yeah. I may be the one other of the few who remembers him.
Posted by: David B Harrington at April 25, 2021 10:06 AM (KQlIt)


Armour did not write '1066 and All That.'

Posted by: OregonMuse, AoSHQ Thought Leader, Pants Monitor & Social Distancing Professional at April 25, 2021 10:09 AM (5/qak)

320 Nixon was born into a Quaker family, but when he was
an adult, he repudiated all that stuff he learned in Sunday school. I
believe he was explicit about this. May God have mercy on his soul.

Posted by: OregonMuse, AoSHQ Thought Leader, Pants Monitor Social Distancing Professional at April 25, 2021 10:01 AM (5/qak)

the guy was flawed. I am a Reagan man. If you want my exact view, look at Reagan and his "A time to Choose" speeches for AUH20.

But I respect Nixon. Hell I defend him, and even cling to him when so many trash him. I think few know about that man's life. Why did Dems ask him for guidance long after Watergate? And Repubs did the same thing, but three times as much. Hell, Monica Crowley was his personal assistant late in his life, she wrote a good book about it.


Posted by: Quint at April 25, 2021 10:09 AM (TPY/s)

321 It is not for me to tell people to like Nixon. I am a Reagan man. But i
will defend the man's legacy. He was one of the most important political
figures of the 20th century. Hell I posted the funeral tapes. Those are
not my words they are the words of the political and religious world.
Not to cast aspersions. But my honest guess is those that quickly
discount him, have no clue how huge he was on the world stage.

Posted by: Quint at April 25, 2021 10:10 AM (TPY/s)

322 I bought the Rush series but never even saw them opened, but only ever heard and read great things so that's why I got them for grand niece.

Posted by: Skip at April 25, 2021 10:10 AM (Cxk7w)

323 Redwall, although it might be a year or two too old

My mom always had the philosophy that we should read stuff slightly advanced for our age, to make us reach and push our minds to grasp more. I think that's a very good approach. Plus in our dumbed-down culture, what ages book publishers recommend are often 2-5 years below what most kids that age can read and handle.

Narnia is another good choice. Hobbit as well.

Posted by: Christopher R Taylor at April 25, 2021 10:10 AM (KZzsI)

324 I'm listening to Foundation by Asimov. It's entertaining, with some interesting thoughts about science as a religion.

Posted by: Northern lurker at April 25, 2021 10:10 AM (cSyAR)

325 the idea that Nixon did not oppose commies in the USSR and China is mind blowing to me. My guess is people got some bad schooling It is not as if that is an unheard of thing these days. Why so many Repubs would be anti Nixon is interesting to me. My guess is they got some pretty biased info, or got most of it from Hollyweird.
Posted by: Quint at April 25, 2021 09:49 AM (TPY/s)

Going to China gives me the idea Nixon didn't oppose the commies.
Ending the Vietnam war gives me the idea Nixon didn't oppose the commies.
The Democrats forced that last, but Nixon was limpwristed about opposing it.
In that I may be disagreeing with Herschensohn, whom I mentioned earlier.

Posted by: Stonn at April 25, 2021 10:11 AM (QDEge)

326 277 I think if their phones told them they had to drink toilet water to be cured, they'd be frantically searching to see how much.
$100 a bottle.

Posted by: Belle Delphine at April 25, 2021 10:11 AM (AHq56)

327 ...Anyone have any recs for a good series for 8-10yo boys?


They're a little too young for Heinlein's Juveniles, but buy them now anyway in case RAH gets Seussed.


Posted by: I am the Shadout Mapes, the Housekeeper at April 25, 2021 10:11 AM (PiwSw)

328 Yes, under part 2. It's Tumblr, ordering things from newest to oldest.

Posted by: Stonn at April 25, 2021 10:04 AM (QDEge)


( *scrolls down* )

Heh. There it is, right where you said. Thanks.

Posted by: OregonMuse, AoSHQ Thought Leader, Pants Monitor & Social Distancing Professional at April 25, 2021 10:12 AM (5/qak)

329 James Thorpe afaik was not of African descent.

Posted by: EdmundBurkesShade at April 25, 2021 10:12 AM (RJCvt)

330 302 I still have a giant Opus.

Pics?

Posted by: Belle Delphine at April 25, 2021 10:13 AM (AHq56)

331 My mom always had the philosophy that we should read stuff slightly advanced for our age, to make us reach and push our minds to grasp more. I think that's a very good approach. Plus in our dumbed-down culture, what ages book publishers recommend are often 2-5 years below what most kids that age can read and handle.


A 1-1-1 approach might work--one challenging book for the sake of stretching, one book right in that sweet spot--and one easy book, to build confidence.

Posted by: Northern lurker at April 25, 2021 10:14 AM (cSyAR)

332 Did Reagan ever comment on Nixon? Ronnie was on a
mission to rehab the image of AuH2O but I imagine Nixon was way too lib
for his liking; plus he challenged Ford in the 76 primary.

Posted by: Captain Hate Won't Forget Ashli Babbitt at April 25, 2021 10:09 AM (y7DUB)

i don't think Nixon was that lib. I think it was a different time and he dealt with what he had to deal with. Sure he was not Reagan, I want to be clear about that. But he was an incredibly smart leader, and there is a reason foreign leaders wide and far seeked out his council for decades after Watergate.

Regan did attend the funeral. Let's be honest The president was already in a downward spiral at that time. it was early on, but he was already in early Alzheimers. I don't think he was as huge Nixon fan, there might have been some personal stuff there. But I don't recall Reagan ever bashing Nixon in public.

Posted by: Quint at April 25, 2021 10:14 AM (TPY/s)

333 But I respect Nixon. Hell I defend him, and even cling to him when so many trash him.
Posted by: Quint at April 25, 2021 10:09 AM (TPY/s)

Then you should read Herschensohn's The Gods of Antenna. He was a Nixon staffer and the book is filled with ways the press and the Democrats trashed Nixon.

You could read my scans, link in an earlier post, to get a feel for the book, or just buy it.

Posted by: Stonn at April 25, 2021 10:15 AM (QDEge)

334
Instead, start with "My Life and Hard Times", in which he writes about growing up in Columbus, Ohio; then "The Thurber Album", in which he writes about his family.


His remembrances of the bimonthly "Knife Fight Saturdays" provides necessary background to events of today. Central Ohio made urban "mean streets" look like debutantes' ballrooms.

Posted by: Krebs v Carnot: Epic Battle of the Cycling Stars (TM) at April 25, 2021 10:15 AM (dGXW9)

335 Going to China gives me the idea Nixon didn't oppose the commies.

That was more an anti Rooski move imo.

Posted by: Captain Hate Won't Forget Ashli Babbitt at April 25, 2021 10:15 AM (y7DUB)

336 But I respect Nixon. Hell I defend him, and even cling to him when so many trash him. I think few know about that man's life. Why did Dems ask him for guidance long after Watergate? And Repubs did the same thing, but three times as much. Hell, Monica Crowley was his personal assistant late in his life, she wrote a good book about it.

Posted by: Quint at April 25, 2021 10:09 AM (TPY/s)


I wasn't disparaging Nixon, just stating a fact about his religious background and beliefs. He was unfairly maligned for most of his career and the books that he wrote were solid pieces of work.

Posted by: OregonMuse, AoSHQ Thought Leader, Pants Monitor & Social Distancing Professional at April 25, 2021 10:15 AM (5/qak)

337 Thanks for interesting suggestions!

I am very concerned about book banning so the books for older kids are a good idea too. This is why I buy hard copies.

Posted by: CN at April 25, 2021 10:17 AM (ONvIw)

338 332 Did Reagan ever comment on Nixon?
Posted by: Captain Hate Won't Forget Ashli Babbitt at April 25, 2021 10:09 AM (y7DUB)

i don't think Nixon was that lib.
But I don't recall Reagan ever bashing Nixon in public.
Posted by: Quint at April 25, 2021 10:14 AM (TPY/s)

Well there was Reagan's 11th Commandment, which is, never speak ill of another Republican.

Posted by: Stonn at April 25, 2021 10:17 AM (QDEge)

339 I bought the Rush series but never even saw them opened, but only ever heard and read great things so that's why I got them for grand niece.
Posted by: Skip

I got them for gson. He didn't want to read them. Video games. *sigh* Dad and I read them all.

Posted by: Infidel at April 25, 2021 10:17 AM (E0OEG)

340 the idea that Nixon did not oppose commies in the
USSR and China is mind blowing to me.


Posted by: Quint at April 25, 2021 09:49 AM (TPY/s)

---
Same. This is a guy whose basically invented the term: "He's a bastard but he's OUR bastard." Pinochet, Marcos, you name the ruthless dictator, if they opposed the Commies, we'd send some guns to 'em.

As OM said, Nixon was the ONLY person who could open relations with the ChiComs because his hatred of them was so notorious.

He wasn't apologizing for Mao or anything, just making a cold, calculated decision to turn the screws on the USSR. It was a diplomatic masterstroke.

Posted by: Ace-Endorsed Author A.H. Lloyd at April 25, 2021 10:17 AM (llXky)

341 Nixon was at best a GOPe type, and at worst a progressive, but he was pro-American and aside from the paranoia that led to stupid moves like Watergate, was a moral individual who saw problems with how the country was headed.

I can't defend or support Nixon but he was less bad than the alternative, and certainly less bad than his predecessor.

Posted by: Christopher R Taylor at April 25, 2021 10:17 AM (KZzsI)

342 Alot of dog-faced pony soldiers and pony-faced dog soldier Indians in She Wore a Yellow Ribbon!!

Posted by: andycanuck at April 25, 2021 10:19 AM (UHVv4)

343 Regan did attend the funeral. Let's be honest The president was already in a downward spiral at that time. it was early on, but he was already in early Alzheimers. I don't think he was as huge Nixon fan, there might have been some personal stuff there. But I don't recall Reagan ever bashing Nixon in public.
Posted by: Quint at April 25, 2021 10:14 AM (TPY/s)


Reagan understood the dignity of the office better than anyone afterward until DJT. And unlike the backstabbers the GOP is rife with, he wouldn't badmouth a fellow Republican.

Posted by: Captain Hate Won't Forget Ashli Babbitt at April 25, 2021 10:20 AM (y7DUB)

344 335 Going to China gives me the idea Nixon didn't oppose the commies.
That was more an anti Rooski move imo.

Posted by: Captain Hate Won't Forget Ashli Babbitt at April 25, 2021 10:15 AM (y7DUB)

Can't agree. Russia and China were already almost at blows. There was no reason to think giving China lots of benefits would make anything worse for the Soviet Union.
And why make an anti-Soviet move that benefits the other huge world communist power?
Couldn't they think of any other anti-Soviet move?

Posted by: Stonn at April 25, 2021 10:20 AM (QDEge)

345
James Thorpe afaik was not of African descent.

Posted by: EdmundBurkesShade at April 25, 2021 10:12 AM (RJCvt)

is this directed at me? Jim Thorpe was an African American PGA Tour golfer. I know there was a more famous one, but that was not the man i was referring too. I saw this guy live, in his home town of DC, he was freaking huge.
https://tinyurl.com/8arjy8pa
that is what I love about this place. i am standing up for Jim Thorpe the golfer and Richard Nixon. I didn't even know I would be posting this morning lol.

Posted by: Quint at April 25, 2021 10:21 AM (TPY/s)

346 What cracks me up culturally about Nixon is that he's treated as this unbelievable monster for... doing far less than what Clinton and Obama did while in office, and they're treated like gods astride the earth.

If you look at Watergate now it seems kind of quaint. He had some guys try to break into the DNC office and learn their strategy. Then he tried to keep the press from reporting on it.

That's all it was. And that was supposedly the greatest evil in our country's history. Teapot dome eclipses that by several magnitudes. Sending weapons to North Korea and helping China with military and nuclear secrets for cash makes Watergate seem childish.

Fast & Furious and the other scandals Obama got away with make Watergate seem positively saintly.

Posted by: Christopher R Taylor at April 25, 2021 10:21 AM (KZzsI)

347 287 At the price of a good steak it's getting off the menu more anyway.
Posted by: Skip at April 25, 2021 09:50 AM (Cxk7w)

Not just steak. Everything.

Posted by: Justsayin' at April 25, 2021 10:21 AM (Fs5vw)

348 Rosie O'Donnell has a huge Opus too.

Posted by: andycanuck at April 25, 2021 10:21 AM (UHVv4)

349 Deep State took Nixon out.

Posted by: JAS, AoSHQ addict at April 25, 2021 10:21 AM (D3Oux)

350 Bloom County was a favorite of mine. I still have a giant Opus.
Posted by: nurse ratched

!

Pics ?

Posted by: JT at April 25, 2021 10:22 AM (arJlL)

351 Reagan understood the dignity of the office better
than anyone afterward until DJT. And unlike the backstabbers the GOP is
rife with, he wouldn't badmouth a fellow Republican.

Posted by: Captain Hate Won't Forget Ashli Babbitt at April 25, 2021 10:20 AM (y7DUB)

he was better then what followed by a long shot. And that includes Walker and his son.

Posted by: Quint at April 25, 2021 10:22 AM (TPY/s)

352 And unlike the backstabbers the GOP is rife with, he wouldn't badmouth a fellow Republican.
Posted by: Captain Hate Won't Forget Ashli Babbitt at April 25, 2021 10:20 AM (y7DUB)

K, but there's lots of that happening from the right, right on this website.
Not merely policy disagreements, but badmouthing. To the point of people saying they won't vote for Republicans anymore.

Posted by: Stonn at April 25, 2021 10:22 AM (QDEge)

353 When I think Jim Thorpe, I think of the Olympic athlete.

Posted by: CN at April 25, 2021 10:23 AM (ONvIw)

354 Thank you for the content and comments.

Read a bunch of the Nero Wolfe detective series. Interesting. Nero Wolfe has a sidekick/helper Archie who is pretty interesting.

Been reading a series of Delta Force novels by a former Delta Force officer with the pseudonym Dalton Fury. The author might be best known from his first book, Kill Bin Laden which was his telling of the Deltas effort to capture or kill Bin Laden. I thought the books series was very good, excellent. I am now on the fifth of the series, the last, as the author died of pancreatic cancer while writing this last book.

Posted by: MikeM at April 25, 2021 10:23 AM (3F0Ql)

355 Always late to the party.

Trimestigus, I adore Thurber. Two of his cartoons, one involving fencing and the other a kangaroo, never fail to crack me up, even if I just picture them in my head.

I started "Ripples of Battle" yesterday and we've dived right in to Okinawa, and holy cow, having read relatively little about WW II, I'm already freaked out at the US's misapprehension of what the Japanese had done on the Island. I listened to "With the Old Breed" about Peleliu and, unfortunately since I listened, it didn't stick really well, but this is going in via my eyeballs so it will stay with me.

I'm listening to an abridged version of The Gulag Archipelago and, although I like to read advice columns to remind myself that there is no end to human nastiness, this is living evil on a scale I had not imagined, and I've read tons about communism, including Natan Sharansky and Armando Valladares's memoirs.

I have been watching "The Chosen" and I can't recommend it highly enough. My favorite scene so far is at the very end of the very first episode, but I am enjoying all of it immensely.

Posted by: Tonestaple at April 25, 2021 10:23 AM (Tkqec)

356 There was no reason to think giving China lots of benefits would make anything worse for the Soviet Union.
And why make an anti-Soviet move that benefits the other huge world communist power?


Yeah I think it was driven not by anti-communism, but by $$$ seeing another huge market. Everything we despise about the GOPe and corporate Republicans, Nixon was. The only inconsistency was the EPA, which is one of the worst, most constitution damaging things ever done by the federal government.

I don't mean that ecology and wanting to clean up the environment was bad, those pink haired "love your planet" people would die of shock if they saw what the country was like in 1970. Its just not federal territory.

Posted by: Christopher R Taylor at April 25, 2021 10:24 AM (KZzsI)

357 Going to China gives me the idea Nixon didn't oppose the commies.
Ending the Vietnam war gives me the idea Nixon didn't oppose the commies.

Posted by: Stonn at April 25, 2021 10:11 AM (QDEge)
---
Lol, wrong on every count. Nixon expanded the war into Laos and Cambodia, and then, when the North Vietnamese still held out, unleashed total aerial warfare on them *during Christmas* to get them to buckle. Nixon was soft on Communism the way Bill Clinton respects women.


Posted by: Ace-Endorsed Author A.H. Lloyd at April 25, 2021 10:24 AM (llXky)

358 My mom always had the philosophy that we should read stuff slightly advanced for our age, to make us reach and push our minds to grasp more. I think that's a very good approach

*

I very much agree, although Redwall has some topics in it that might be a bit ahead of a little one's sensibilities. Murder, betrayal, and some other things that might be a bit much if the kid still believes in Santa Claus.

Although justice is generally served throughout.

Posted by: Reverend Chanequa Moron-Robbie Deonkay Smith III at April 25, 2021 10:24 AM (vBc2/)

359 A friend of mine found a pair of pants like that and mailed them home to his mom who was a good seamstress. He asked her if she could let them out a bit for him.

Posted by: Diogenes at April 25, 2021 10:24 AM (HPSCb)

360 Posted by: Christopher R Taylor at April 25, 2021 10:21 AM (KZzsI)

And that doesn't even take into account the post-Constitutional mess we're in now.

Posted by: CN at April 25, 2021 10:25 AM (ONvIw)

361 247 Nixon is the boogey man for the Left to be replaced by Trump shortly. I may be in the minority but I blame General Eisenhower and President Eisenhower for a lot of our problems.

Posted by: Sebastian Melmoth at April 25, 2021 09:31 AM (2DOZq)


According to historian Paul Johnson, Nixon once said that Eisenhower was the most devious man he had ever met.

Posted by: OregonMuse, AoSHQ Thought Leader, Pants Monitor & Social Distancing Professional at April 25, 2021 10:25 AM (5/qak)

362 345 pretty funny, know nothing about golf, thought you were referring to a famous olympic athlete of times gone by.

Posted by: EdmundBurkesShade at April 25, 2021 10:25 AM (RJCvt)

363 Is there a right think wrong think when it comes to fantasy and of course masterbation?

My fantasy uses lots of weaporney, war and perp walks. But that is still just foreplay.

Am I a good citizen still?

Posted by: humphreyrobot at April 25, 2021 10:25 AM (EFCBR)

364 I would highly recommend that you consider everything you've been told about Nixon is a lie. Do your own research. He is the first politician they sucessfully used the big lie on. I'm still not a fan but the Press lied about him and continues to do so.
=====

I know discussions have moved on, but I do want to point out that Dick and Pat Nixon were the first modern couple not to have married into money and influence.

Oddly, I think their very success galvanized the hysteria against them. See 21st Cent Trump.

Posted by: mustbequantum at April 25, 2021 10:26 AM (MIKMs)

365 Quint, I've followed golf for a long time and didn't know about that Jim Thorpe.

Posted by: Captain Hate Won't Forget Ashli Babbitt at April 25, 2021 10:26 AM (y7DUB)

366 Murder, betrayal, and some other things that might be a bit much if the kid still believes in Santa Claus.

I think kids understand a lot more about that kind of thing than we give them credit for. On a small level they've dealt with betrayal already from friends and family: you promised!!! joey got credit for my work! Sally kissed the boy I told her I liked!!!

Posted by: Christopher R Taylor at April 25, 2021 10:26 AM (KZzsI)

367 Nobody needs to see a picture of Stacy Abrams' thong on Sunday morning.

Posted by: Northern lurker at April 25, 2021 10:26 AM (cSyAR)

368 nurse ratched, I still have a Sunday strip from Bloom County during the Clinton Administration. Hillary and Chelsea are talking about Bill the Cat and I can't remember how it starts but it ends with Chelsea saying, about Bill, something like "But he's a barf-faced retardo-butt," to which Hillary replies, "Honey, so is Congress," and so say all of us.

Posted by: Tonestaple at April 25, 2021 10:27 AM (Tkqec)

369 Trimestigus, I adore Thurber. Two of his cartoons, one involving fencing and the other a kangaroo, never fail to crack me up, even if I just picture them in my head.

Posted by: Tonestaple at April 25, 2021 10:23 AM (Tkqec)


The fencing one, is that the one where one of the fencers is yelling "touche'! as the other guy's head is flying off?

Posted by: OregonMuse, AoSHQ Thought Leader, Pants Monitor & Social Distancing Professional at April 25, 2021 10:27 AM (5/qak)

370 Lol, wrong on every count. Nixon expanded the war into Laos and Cambodia, and then, when the North Vietnamese still held out, unleashed total aerial warfare on them *during Christmas* to get them to buckle. Nixon was soft on Communism the way Bill Clinton respects women.
Posted by: Ace-Endorsed Author A.H. Lloyd at April 25, 2021 10:24 AM (llXky)

Yes. Herschensohn talks at length about those things (in The Gods of Antenna.)
And a good point. He suffered politically quite a bit for doing these things.
But the two things I mentioned, ending the war and going to China, gives me the strong impression he didn't oppose the communists when push came to shove.

Posted by: Stonn at April 25, 2021 10:27 AM (QDEge)

371 I wasn't disparaging Nixon, just stating a fact
about his religious background and beliefs. He was unfairly maligned for
most of his career and the books that he wrote were solid pieces of
work.

Posted by: OregonMuse, AoSHQ Thought Leader, Pants Monitor Social Distancing Professional at April 25, 2021 10:15 AM (5/qak)

I didn't know he changed religious beliefs. I know he was very close to Billy Graham. I still recommend the Nixon Funeral. I saw it live and taped it. There was something about it that rang true to me. i am not big on funerals, but that one is one I will always remember. Clinton was the low point, but even he had a few tidbits about Nixon in there.

Posted by: Quint at April 25, 2021 10:28 AM (TPY/s)

372 But the two things I mentioned, ending the war and going to China, gives me the strong impression he didn't oppose the communists when push came to shove.

I think sometimes he and the guys in charge were a bit too clever for their own good. I think they tried subtle double secret 7th dimensional chess moves to deal with communism that were self-destructive at times.

Posted by: Christopher R Taylor at April 25, 2021 10:29 AM (KZzsI)

373 I wasn't calling you out or critiquing you O.M. I was just posting my thoughts and your post was a place holder. No criticism here whatsoever.

Posted by: Quint at April 25, 2021 10:29 AM (TPY/s)

374
That's all it was. And that was supposedly the greatest evil in our country's history. Teapot dome eclipses that by several magnitudes. Sending weapons to North Korea and helping China with military and nuclear secrets for cash makes Watergate seem childish.

Fast & Furious and the other scandals Obama got away with make Watergate seem positively saintly.
Posted by: Christopher R Taylor at April 25, 2021 10:21 AM (KZzsI)

Blatant voter fraud that gave this nation it's first illegitimately elected prez.

Posted by: Justsayin' at April 25, 2021 10:29 AM (Fs5vw)

375 As OM said, Nixon was the ONLY person who could open relations with the ChiComs because his hatred of them was so notorious.

He wasn't apologizing for Mao or anything, just making a cold, calculated decision to turn the screws on the USSR. It was a diplomatic masterstroke.

Posted by: Ace-Endorsed Author A.H. Lloyd at April 25, 2021 10:17 AM


there's an old saying on Vulcan: "Only Nixon can go to China"

Posted by: Mr.Spock at April 25, 2021 10:30 AM (DUIap)

376 Many year ago I used to frequent a book store in London called "Compendium Books". It was a wild place. I used to stop by in my three piece suit just to freak the other customers out.

Posted by: Javems at April 25, 2021 10:30 AM (8SSHh)

377 Tonestaple,
Good stuff, it was.

Posted by: nurse ratched at April 25, 2021 10:31 AM (U2p+3)

378 Lol, wrong on every count. Nixon expanded the war into Laos and Cambodia, and then, when the North Vietnamese still held out, unleashed total aerial warfare on them *during Christmas* to get them to buckle. Nixon was soft on Communism the way Bill Clinton respects women.


Posted by: Ace-Endorsed Author A.H. Lloyd at April 25, 2021 10:24 AM (llXky)

During the Paris talks, when the NV were stalling because of the shape of the table, he bombed Haiphong to get them to cut the bullshit.

Posted by: BignJames at April 25, 2021 10:31 AM (AwYPR)

379 According to historian Paul Johnson, Nixon once said that Eisenhower was the most devious man he had ever met.
Posted by: OregonMuse, AoSHQ Thought Leader, Pants Monitor & Social Distancing Professional at April 25, 2021 10:25 AM (5/qak)


Didn't Harry Truman make a similar comment about Delano?

Posted by: Captain Hate Won't Forget Ashli Babbitt at April 25, 2021 10:31 AM (y7DUB)

380 I always enjoyed Victor Borge's bit using the sound effects and hand signs for the punctuation.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zFzMWml_X5o
=====

Borge is the exception that proves the rule that Scandi's have little sense of humor.

Posted by: mustbequantum at April 25, 2021 10:31 AM (MIKMs)

381 I have been watching "The Chosen" and I can't recommend it highly enough. My favorite scene so far is at the very end of the very first episode, but I am enjoying all of it immensely.

Posted by: Tonestaple at April 25, 2021 10:23 AM (Tkqec)


That indeed is a touching scene, but I gave up on the series after a couple of episodes. It's obviously supposed to be an (respectful) historical drama about the life of Jesus, a period piece, if you will, but almost everything about it screams "21st century! 21st century!" It grated on my nerves like fingernails scraping a blackboard.

Posted by: OregonMuse, AoSHQ Thought Leader, Pants Monitor & Social Distancing Professional at April 25, 2021 10:32 AM (5/qak)

382 WZ has a great Cast Iron Skillet Vid. Check it.

Amazing how little sticks to those things.

Posted by: garrett at April 25, 2021 10:32 AM (iOL+r)

383 You know I accidentally saw the pants once, that was years ago.

Posted by: Skip at April 25, 2021 10:32 AM (Cxk7w)

384 Russia and China were already almost at blows. There
was no reason to think giving China lots of benefits would make
anything worse for the Soviet Union.
Posted by: Stonn at April 25, 2021 10:20 AM (QDEge)

---
Wow. Just wow. I guess people don't recall that the point of opening up China was also to lower US defense commitments. At that time, Korea was a hot zone with ongoing cease-fire violations. The Taiwan Straits were a shooting gallery.

By reaching out to China, the US freed up resources to threaten the Soviets and raised the specter of a strategic alliance in the Far East, forcing the Soviets to divert resources from Europe.

So: reducing tensions with one adversary and ratcheting them up on another is generally regarded as smart. I'm struggling to see how this was a bad thing.

Posted by: Ace-Endorsed Author A.H. Lloyd at April 25, 2021 10:32 AM (llXky)

385 Borge is the exception that proves the rule that Scandi's have little sense of humor.
Posted by: mustbequantum at April 25, 2021 10:31 AM (MIKMs)

You don't find the character of Lisbeth Salander amusing?

Posted by: Northern lurker at April 25, 2021 10:33 AM (cSyAR)

386 April, I started out with "Dark Sky", the newest. Great read. Then I went back to "Open Season" and I'm currently in "Savage Run".
Posted by: All Hail Eris
I recently finished CJs latest Joe Pickett. I will have to wait a while before I can reread all of them. The last I felt was a lot like Savage Run.

Posted by: MikeM at April 25, 2021 10:34 AM (3F0Ql)

387 Blatant voter fraud that gave this nation it's first illegitimately elected prez.

Kennedy almost certainly did not legitimately win election.

Posted by: Christopher R Taylor at April 25, 2021 10:34 AM (KZzsI)

388 I guess I should see if I can get my car started. If I can get it started I will go to church.

Posted by: Northern lurker at April 25, 2021 10:34 AM (cSyAR)

389 Blatant voter fraud that gave this nation it's first illegitimately elected prez.
Posted by: Justsayin' at April 25, 2021 10:29 AM (Fs5vw)


I think not contesting the thievery was one of those well intentioned acts by Nixon that was ultimately regarded as the worst thing for him to have done.

Posted by: Captain Hate Won't Forget Ashli Babbitt at April 25, 2021 10:34 AM (y7DUB)

390 Wow. Just wow. I guess people don't recall that the point of opening up China was also to lower US defense commitments.
So: reducing tensions with one adversary and ratcheting them up on another is generally regarded as smart. I'm struggling to see how this was a bad thing.
Posted by: Ace-Endorsed Author A.H. Lloyd at April 25, 2021 10:32 AM (llXky)

It's not a struggle.
Reducing tensions with one adversary by making things easier and better for that adversary is a bad thing. Not a struggle to see.

Posted by: Stonn at April 25, 2021 10:35 AM (QDEge)

391 Quint, I've followed golf for a long time and didn't know about that Jim Thorpe.

Posted by: Captain Hate Won't Forget Ashli Babbitt at April 25, 2021 10:26 AM (y7DUB)

to be honest, he is kind of regional. There are only a few African American PGA Tour players. There was Charlie Sifford, Lee Elder, Calvin Peete, Jim Thorpe, and Tiger woods. Today you have a few others that I will not mention, because who cares really, they are just great players.

I remember at the Kemper Open once when Jim Thorpe went on a tear. I can honestly tell you I was shocked by the crowd following him. I got caught up in it. This was in the late 80s and early 90s. I think it was the early 90s./

Posted by: Quint at April 25, 2021 10:36 AM (TPY/s)

392 Well, I'm off to Mass. All the folks ragging on Nixon for China need to actually go back and see how awful the US strategic situation was in 1972. We had riots in our cities, NATO was wobbling, the Soviets were in Africa and the Middle East and Vietnam was a shitshow.

Nixon flipped the script and put the Soviets on the defensive. Carter pissed the gains away but Reagan finished the job.

Posted by: Ace-Endorsed Author A.H. Lloyd at April 25, 2021 10:36 AM (llXky)

393 373 I wasn't calling you out or critiquing you O.M. I was just posting my thoughts and your post was a place holder. No criticism here whatsoever.
Posted by: Quint at April 25, 2021 10:29 AM (TPY/s)


No offense taken, and thank you for posting the Billy Graham clip. I may have to hunt down the others from Nixon's funeral.

Posted by: OregonMuse, AoSHQ Thought Leader, Pants Monitor & Social Distancing Professional at April 25, 2021 10:36 AM (5/qak)

394 I think not contesting the thievery was one of those well intentioned acts by Nixon that was ultimately regarded as the worst thing for him to have done.
Posted by: Captain Hate Won't Forget Ashli Babbitt at April 25, 2021 10:34 AM (y7DUB)

If Nixon had won the election, would the assassination of the president still occurred?

Posted by: Northern lurker at April 25, 2021 10:36 AM (cSyAR)

395 And I think not mentioned yet how the FBI brought down its first President

Posted by: Skip at April 25, 2021 10:38 AM (Cxk7w)

396 Good morning, OregonMuse, good morning, Horde,

Thank you for the great content, OM.

Posted by: callsign claymore at April 25, 2021 10:39 AM (9gSJi)

397 387 Blatant voter fraud that gave this nation it's first illegitimately elected prez.
Kennedy almost certainly did not legitimately win election.
Posted by: Christopher R Taylor at April 25, 2021 10:34 AM (KZzsI)

Also mentioned in Herschensohn's Gods of Antenna.
And how The Washington Post's Ben Bradlee heard Mayor Daley saying, "with a little bit of luck and a few close friends, you're going to carry Illinois."

Posted by: Stonn at April 25, 2021 10:39 AM (QDEge)

398 If Nixon had won the election, would the assassination of the president still occurred?

Possibly, but if it really was the mob who did it, they might not have had as much a problem with Tricky Dick.

Posted by: Christopher R Taylor at April 25, 2021 10:40 AM (KZzsI)

399 Remember that there's a tried and true method throughout history of obtaining peace--it's enlisting the enemy as a partner, so that everyone can work together for common goals, like peace and prosperity.

It doesn't always work, but often it does.

Posted by: artemis at April 25, 2021 10:40 AM (AwPyG)

400 Frying Pan for the win!

Posted by: Let Freedom Ring! at April 25, 2021 10:40 AM (6Ccyd)

401 >>Frying Pan for the win!


Hard to take a second look at Tire Iron when Frying Pan is right up in your face like that.

The Sound!

Posted by: garrett at April 25, 2021 10:41 AM (iOL+r)

402 I remember seeing Charlie Sifford at the US Open Ken Venturi won at Congressional. Father Hate heard him in an aside talking about whoever was the first round leader resembling a Cadillac with an automatic choke. Golfers in the 60s were pretty funny with Arnie and Jack boosting the popularity.

Posted by: Captain Hate Won't Forget Ashli Babbitt at April 25, 2021 10:41 AM (y7DUB)

403 The Executioner and the Destroyer. I loved those.

Nobody would want Bolan's life, including Bolan. An extended suicide mission. I own all the Pendleton originals. Lost interest with the John Phoenix stories.

The Destroyer was laugh-out-loud funny. Really. Phased them out with #52, just after comics took primacy in my reading.

I contend that the reason they're hard to find these days is because they're stored in private homes. Mine are.

The same goes for the Perry Mason mysteries.

The best place to look for those, I think, are estate sales.

Posted by: Weak Geek at April 25, 2021 10:41 AM (V5lmZ)

404 Perry Mason books are excellent reading, I recommend them highly. If all you know him from is the TV series, the books are much, much better. Especially the earlier ones.

Posted by: Christopher R Taylor at April 25, 2021 10:42 AM (KZzsI)

405 Remember that there's a tried and true method throughout history of obtaining peace--it's enlisting the enemy as a partner, so that everyone can work together for common goals, like peace and prosperity.

It doesn't always work, but often it does.
Posted by: artemis at April 25, 2021 10:40 AM (AwPyG)

Oh yeah...happens all the time.

Posted by: BignJames at April 25, 2021 10:43 AM (AwYPR)

406 Y'all need to quit looking at Nixon for our troubles with Russia and China. Nixon was just a firefighter try to keep the communist fire under control.

The real culprits were Roosevelt and Churchhill.

See also Gen. George Patton who had a solution to these problems.

Posted by: Justsayin' at April 25, 2021 10:43 AM (Fs5vw)

407 Posted by: OregonMuse, AoSHQ Thought Leader, Pants Monitor Social Distancing Professional at April 25, 2021 10:36 AM (5/qak)

here is Pete Wilson. https://tinyurl.com/8puj7fsc
i remember when a major prognosticator said Wilson would likely be on the rise because of that speech. I could be wrong, But I think it was Paul Harvey. Either way, that guy was wrong. But still, this was a great eulogy.

Posted by: Quint at April 25, 2021 10:44 AM (TPY/s)

408 Anyone have any recs for a good series for 8-10yo boys?

-
Barry Sadler, the Green Beret who found pop fame singing The Ballad of the Green Berets, wrote the Casca series about a Roman soldier at Jesus' crucifixion cursed to fight in wars throughout history. They're a little ridiculous but likely to be loved by boys. And you accidentally learn some history along the way.

https://www.goodreads.com/series/51203-casca

Similar, Takbut Monday wrote a number of boy's adventure bokks, e.g.

https://amzn.to/3eqcJZ4

Posted by: Anonosaurus Wrecks, Tyrannosaur Wrangler at April 25, 2021 10:45 AM (VVEnO)

409 There's a Bloom County cartoon I kept that has Opus at the seaside looking across the sea daydreaming of "far away kingdoms and crowns" or the like and then it cuts to Prince Charles saying to young (6-year-old??) Prince William who is dressed in a Victorian-style sailor's uniform, "No, we won't be ordering the Royal Navy to 'take back' Massachusetts today, son." "Mom's right. You're such a bloody wimp, dad!"

Posted by: andycanuck at April 25, 2021 10:46 AM (UHVv4)

410 there's a tried and true method throughout history of obtaining peace--it's enlisting the enemy as a partner, so that everyone can work together for common goals, like peace and prosperity.

Yeah but you need essentially common goals and interests. England and France could achieve peace that way. US and China, not so much. China never, ever stopped being at war with the USA because their essential ideology, political viewpoint, religion, and culture is so much at odds with the US.

We don't have common goals or interests.

The real culprits were Roosevelt and Churchhill.

Churchill much less so. He was warning about communism long before WW2 even started. That's why the Brits could not wait to get him out of power, even before the war ended. Its why Nelson has a huge square named after him and a statue on a gigantic pillar, and Churchill a little bust hidden by a building and no mention of him these days.

Posted by: Christopher R Taylor at April 25, 2021 10:46 AM (KZzsI)

411 CRT, which Executioner and Destroyer books did you read? Neither series -- especially the Destroyer -- hit its stride until after the first few books.

The Destroyer took off when Chiun was devastated when the "ugly men talking about Gatewater" pre-empted his soap operas.

Posted by: Weak Geek at April 25, 2021 10:47 AM (V5lmZ)

412 Where does one draw the line between solid science and fairy-tale physics?
-------

I can answer that...

Posted by: Bill Nye at April 25, 2021 10:48 AM (1vynn)

413 Posted by: Christopher R Taylor at April 25, 2021 10:46 AM (KZzsI)

I'm an admirer but Churchill was dealing with Stalin behind our backs.

Posted by: Sebastian Melmoth at April 25, 2021 10:50 AM (2DOZq)

414 Blatant voter fraud that gave this nation it's first illegitimately elected prez.

-
I was always told that in America anybody could grow up to be president and Biden proves it.

Posted by: Anonosaurus Wrecks, Tyrannosaur Wrangler at April 25, 2021 10:51 AM (VVEnO)

415 @410

I may be naïve, but it seems to me that the China leadership is governing now only by brutal oppression, while the people themselves are longing to be enlisted as partners.

Posted by: artemis at April 25, 2021 10:51 AM (AwPyG)

416 Let's see if it's my VPN...

Posted by: BurtTC at April 25, 2021 10:51 AM (bsHXp)

417 413 The real culprits were Roosevelt and Churchhill.

See also Gen. George Patton who had a solution to these problems.
Posted by: Justsayin' at April 25, 2021 10:43 AM (Fs5vw


Patton was cursed with being right, but at the wrong time. America was simply not ready for another war.

Posted by: OregonMuse, AoSHQ Thought Leader, Pants Monitor & Social Distancing Professional at April 25, 2021 10:52 AM (5/qak)

418 Science is just made up as we go along nowadays

Posted by: Skip at April 25, 2021 10:52 AM (Cxk7w)

419 I never exceed the nanodiddle level. Femtodiddles, however, are the stuff of all of my posts.

Posted by: Mike Hammer, etc., etc. at April 25, 2021 10:52 AM (1vynn)

420 Fraud in Chicago and Texas won it for Kennedy but the national vote really was split 50:50 for that one unlike for China Joe's "win".

Posted by: andycanuck at April 25, 2021 10:53 AM (UHVv4)

421 I read that if nukes went off in a city, that MAYBE enough particles would get into the jetstreams and that would be real weather change. Similar to how a large volcanic reaction changes weather.

Then girls would like me for my gargantuan carbon footprint instead of my extreme devonaire.

Posted by: humphreyrobot at April 25, 2021 10:54 AM (EFCBR)

422 Crap, so I have to figure out how to reconfigure the VPN so I'm not on a stupid hotel open network, or not be able to post on AoSHQ from this connection, because some idiot trolls got it banned...

What a dilemma.

Posted by: BurtTC at April 25, 2021 10:54 AM (bsHXp)

423 I do remember well reading and loving the Louis L'Amour books as a young teenager, but I was a big book reader then, still am I guess.

Posted by: Skip at April 25, 2021 10:55 AM (Cxk7w)

424
Churchill much less so. He was warning about communism long before WW2 even started. That's why the Brits could not wait to get him out of power, even before the war ended. Its why Nelson has a huge square named after him and a statue on a gigantic pillar, and Churchill a little bust hidden by a building and no mention of him these days.
Posted by: Christopher R Taylor at April 25, 2021 10:46 AM (KZzsI)


Hmmm. It was Churchill that had the secret agreement with Stalin for much of his land grabs. When that agreement was revealed in Potsdam, Roosevelt caved and signed on to it. Churchhill told Roosevelt that it was the way Europe worked.

Roosevelt was a socialist extremist anyway, so it didn't take much talking for him to agree.

Posted by: Justsayin' at April 25, 2021 10:55 AM (Fs5vw)

425 That reminds me, I was bitching the other day about the plethora of good syfy books out there while the SyFy Channel gives us dreck like Sharknado. Our own Christopher Taylor's Life Unworthy would make an excellent SyFy Channel movie.

Posted by: Anonosaurus Wrecks, Tyrannosaur Wrangler at April 25, 2021 10:56 AM (VVEnO)

426 I wouldn't say a word that could be reckoned as injurious,
But to find a mother younger than her son is very curious,
And that's a kind of mother that is usually spurious.
Taradiddle, taradiddle, tol lol lay!

Posted by: G. Gnome, Savoyard at April 25, 2021 10:56 AM (OQcPl)

427 Science is just made up as we go along nowadays
Posted by: Skip
---------

One of my favorite Sydney Harris cartoons:

https://tinyurl.com/yzzbenz6

Posted by: Mike Hammer, etc., etc. at April 25, 2021 10:56 AM (l0Lgi)

428 399 Remember that there's a tried and true method throughout history of obtaining peace--it's enlisting the enemy as a partner, so that everyone can work together for common goals, like peace and prosperity.
It doesn't always work, but often it does.
Posted by: artemis at April 25, 2021 10:40 AM (AwPyG)

In the Bible we are called to judge with righteous judgment.

The leaders of China had just killed 90 million of their own people.
You have to wisely decide when enlisting your enemy as a partner will work.

Posted by: Stonn at April 25, 2021 10:57 AM (QDEge)

429 Hello, late posting/reading folks!

Didn't post last week - big doin's at church with confirmations, bishop visit, finance committee meeting, party for grandgirls confirmations. It was nice to go back to work to be able to take a breath.

So, in the last two weeks I finished Bleak House - which now stands at the top of my Dickens ranking. I listened to the audiobook version, narrated by Simon Vance, which was excellent.

I also read The Pleasures of Reading in an Age of Distraction by Alan Jacobs, which I enjoyed very much. It was not exactly aimed at me - more at those who sense that their ability to read deeply and enjoyably has been negatively affected by social media and the like, which isn't my problem. But it has lots of nice quotes about reading and was worth the time. It is very short.

One thing that was interesting to me about it was that Jacobs felt that he was falling into something like that and was saved by reading on his Kindle. I was never quite clear *why* exactly it worked for him, but it was different to see someone credit a new technology with *helping* in the reading world rather than being decried as the downfall of reading as we know it.

Posted by: SummaMamaT at April 25, 2021 10:58 AM (USQVR)

430 It was Churchill that had the secret agreement with Stalin for much of his land grabs. When that agreement was revealed in Potsdam, Roosevelt caved and signed on to it. Churchhill told Roosevelt that it was the way Europe worked.

Roosevelt was a socialist extremist anyway, so it didn't take much talking for him to agree.
Posted by: Justsayin' at April 25, 2021 10:55 AM (Fs5vw)


I read that at the conference in Tehran, where the commies has everything bugged, Delano wanted to take the lead on playing Stalin and got massively played in return.

Posted by: Captain Hate Won't Forget Ashli Babbitt at April 25, 2021 10:59 AM (y7DUB)

431 Note that Churchill's agreement with Stalin about southeastern Europe "gave" Stalin stuff that Stalin's army was currently sitting on. In exchange Churchill got guarantees (which the Russians, weirdly, honored) of autonomy for everything else.

Posted by: Trimegistus at April 25, 2021 10:59 AM (QZxDR)

432 Patton was cursed with being right, but at the wrong time. America was simply not ready for another war.
Posted by: OregonMuse, AoSHQ Thought Leader, Pants Monitor & Social Distancing Professional at April 25, 2021 10:52 AM (5/qak)

Stalin saw the atomic bomb. We should have told him to return to the original Soviet borders or we would use them. That Stalin attack Poland at same time as Hitler and was ultimately rewarded is sickening.

Posted by: Sebastian Melmoth at April 25, 2021 10:59 AM (2DOZq)

433 I just gotta say that the dropdown ads on the front page are REALLY REALLY EFFIN' IRRITATING!!!!!

Posted by: Earl Fromimpanema at April 25, 2021 11:00 AM (fBtlL)

434 Aubrey/Maturin >> Flashman >> Sharpe >> Hornblower

And why aren't these on HS reading lists?

Posted by: Ignoramus at April 25, 2021 11:00 AM (ZHVt1)

435 But my honest guess is those that quickly discount him, have no clue how huge he was on the world stage.
=====

See, eg, Trump.

Remember, the little neighborhood bullies do not allow any actors on their turf outside the coastal self-anointed Elektoi.

Posted by: mustbequantum at April 25, 2021 11:01 AM (MIKMs)

436 425 That reminds me, I was bitching the other day about the plethora of good syfy books out there while the SyFy Channel gives us dreck like Sharknado. Our own Christopher Taylor's Life Unworthy would make an excellent SyFy Channel movie.

Posted by: Anonosaurus Wrecks, Tyrannosaur Wrangler at April 25, 2021 10:56 AM (VVEnO)


Not as presently written. In order to be a good Syfy movie, (a) the werewolf would have to have about 6 heads, and (b) there needs to be a beach scene at the beginning involving a number of bikini-clad hotties whipping off their tops, perhaps for a photo shoot.

Posted by: OregonMuse, AoSHQ Thought Leader, Pants Monitor & Social Distancing Professional at April 25, 2021 11:01 AM (5/qak)

437 CBD HAS A NOOD

Posted by: Skip guy who says NOOD at April 25, 2021 11:01 AM (Cxk7w)

438 I also read The Midnight Library by Matt Haig. It's dealing with that game we've all played: "What if I had made one little choice different right here. What would my life be like?" The book was ultimately unsatisfying for me, because I already knew the answer that would be given, because I am an old lady and have lived enough to know some of the lessons the "library" taught the protagonist. I probably would have liked it better 40 years ago. Shrug.

I'm now in the midst of Jane Eyre (reading along with the Close Reads podcast, which I highly recommend) and The Pickwick Papers in audio while I crochet.

Posted by: SummaMamaT at April 25, 2021 11:02 AM (USQVR)

439 Finished 'Death in the Garden'. Ironside. More novel than mystery, and a pretty good read. I want to look into her other books.

Still working through David Sarnoff biography. A truly astounding man, the archetype of the self-made American man.

I've started the second volume of 'A History of Engineering & Science in the Bell System'. It is a great tome, will take me months.

Posted by: Mike Hammer, etc., etc. at April 25, 2021 11:02 AM (1vynn)

440 Stalin saw the atomic bomb. We should have told him to return to the original Soviet borders or we would use them.

Posted by: Sebastian Melmoth at April 25, 2021 10:59 AM (2DOZq)


Of course, by the war's end, we had already used up all of our nukes. What if Stalin had called Truman's bluff?

Posted by: OregonMuse, AoSHQ Thought Leader, Pants Monitor & Social Distancing Professional at April 25, 2021 11:03 AM (5/qak)

441 Anyone have any recs for a good series for 8-10yo boys?
=====

Since not mentioned yet: Wayside School.

Posted by: mustbequantum at April 25, 2021 11:04 AM (MIKMs)

442
I just gotta say that the dropdown ads on the front page are REALLY REALLY EFFIN' IRRITATING!!!!!
Posted by: Earl Fromimpanema


They have reached the point where they've made the front page unreadable and to click on any "Comments" link to escape their hellhole is a hit or miss proposition.

Posted by: Krebs v Carnot: Epic Battle of the Cycling Stars (TM) at April 25, 2021 11:04 AM (dGXW9)

443 That Stalin attack Poland at same time as Hitler and was ultimately rewarded is sickening.
Posted by: Sebastian Melmoth at April 25, 2021 10:59 AM (2DOZq)


Koba was ruthless and would sacrifice any number of people for strategic gain.

Posted by: Captain Hate Won't Forget Ashli Babbitt at April 25, 2021 11:04 AM (y7DUB)

444 I do remember well reading and loving the Louis L'Amour books as a young teenager, but I was a big book reader then, still am I guess.
Posted by: Skip

I never read westerns until I moved to Taiwan,which many say is a renegade province of China. But the Taiwanese say fuck you. We have had our own identity for decades while you made Solvent Green,,,,,,,,,,,,fuckers.

Read Lonesome Dove til every quantum particle went puff.

Posted by: humphreyrobot at April 25, 2021 11:05 AM (EFCBR)

445 Mrs D got me reading a series written by Beth Byers. Set in London in the 20's it is a series of murders. The cool thing about these books is all the different drinks they talknabout. Im going to have fun trying them.
Sidecar, French 75, Aviation Fizz.
Woohoo!

Posted by: Diogenes at April 25, 2021 11:05 AM (HPSCb)

446 Has anybody read "Malazan Book of the Fallen" series it's different Fantasy, The BridgeBurners work for the Emperor and he is Killed and a new Queen takes over, Reminds me of Black company. I like Fantasy books but I can't stand any SJW crap. Just wondering if anybody else has read the series.

Still Reading Spellmonger series, Funny series and Serious at times. He's up to book 12 and if you are an Audiobook fan these are very long books 24 hours.

Posted by: Patrick From Ohio at April 25, 2021 11:06 AM (dKiJG)

447 Of course, by the war's end, we had already used up all of our nukes. What if Stalin had called Truman's bluff?
Posted by: OregonMuse, AoSHQ Thought Leader, Pants Monitor & Social Distancing Professional at April 25, 2021 11:03 AM (5/qak)

No I think we had a few and the ability to make up to 6 in a reasonable time period.

Posted by: Sebastian Melmoth at April 25, 2021 11:06 AM (2DOZq)

448 Someone here mentioned Blind Man's Bluff about the raising of a soviet sub. Excellent, and now I'm hooked on sub warfare and surveillance so I'm reading others. Thank you.

Posted by: All words matter at April 25, 2021 11:07 AM (S4jmh)

449 Patton was cursed with being right, but at the wrong time. America was simply not ready for another war.
Posted by: OregonMuse, AoSHQ Thought Leader, Pants Monitor Social Distancing Professional at April 25, 2021 10:52 AM (5/qak)

How do you know that?
Ready like would have refused, or ready like literally couldn't have done it?
I'm pretty sure we could have done it, so it should have been put to the American people.
Then we'd know.

Posted by: Stonn at April 25, 2021 11:07 AM (QDEge)

450 They have reached the point where they've made the front page unreadable and to click on any "Comments" link to escape their hellhole is a hit or miss proposition.

Posted by: Krebs v Carnot: Epic Battle of the Cycling Stars (TM) at April 25, 2021 11:04 AM (dGXW9)

Yep. I've given up several times. And read a book.

Posted by: All words matter at April 25, 2021 11:09 AM (S4jmh)

451 Any suggestions for a non-lefty book about Vietnam Nam?

Posted by: All words matter at April 25, 2021 11:09 AM (S4jmh)

452 I just gotta say that the dropdown ads on the front page are REALLY REALLY EFFIN' IRRITATING!!!!!
--------
They have reached the point where they've made the front page unreadable...


Turn off JavaScript. If you're using a reasonably modern browser (I'm not), you can turn it off on a per-site basis. In Chrome, it's under Settings -> Privacy. Turn off JS for http://ace.mu.nu and https://ace.mu.nu.

Posted by: Oddbob at April 25, 2021 11:12 AM (qc+VF)

453 Aubrey/Maturin >> Flashman >> Sharpe >> Hornblower



And why aren't these on HS reading lists?

Posted by: Ignoramus at April 25, 2021 11:00 AM (ZHVt1)

because people suck.

Posted by: Quint at April 25, 2021 11:12 AM (TPY/s)

454 Also mentioned in Herschensohn's Gods of Antenna.
And how The Washington Post's Ben Bradlee heard Mayor Daley saying, "with a little bit of luck and a few close friends, you're going to carry Illinois."

Posted by: Stonn at April 25, 2021 10:39 AM (QDEge)


Just picked up a used hardback edition of this book on Abebooks, signed by the author(!)

Posted by: OregonMuse, AoSHQ Thought Leader, Pants Monitor & Social Distancing Professional at April 25, 2021 11:14 AM (5/qak)

455 I appreciate Nixon because Nixon led to Watergate and Watergate led to Chuck Colson who was then led to God.

Posted by: grammie winger at April 25, 2021 11:14 AM (45fpk)

456 Back from a constitutional with the lovely and athletic Mrs naturalfake.

Anything new and exciting to read that I missed?

Posted by: naturalfake at April 25, 2021 11:14 AM (dWwl8)

457 I count about ten books on Amazon written by Chuck Colson. Born Again is one of my favorites.

Posted by: grammie winger at April 25, 2021 11:16 AM (45fpk)

458 No I think we had a few and the ability to make up to 6 in a reasonable time period.

Posted by: Sebastian Melmoth at April 25, 2021 11:06 AM (2DOZq)


OK. I thought we had used up the two we had and were building a third. They were not easy to make back in those days. Plus, the State Dept. was lousy with Soviet agents, so you can bet that Stalin would've known exactly what our capabilities were.

Posted by: OregonMuse, AoSHQ Thought Leader, Pants Monitor & Social Distancing Professional at April 25, 2021 11:17 AM (5/qak)

459 Remember reading Across Five Aprils, in school?

I think nowadays the schools try to avoid fictionalized history books, even though it would make the kids enjoy history more.

You can kind of see the point, even though it is a shame.

Posted by: artemis at April 25, 2021 11:18 AM (AwPyG)

460 Met a guy yesterday. He said he was bored and didn't know what to do.

So I say, close your eyes. You are in a dark theater and a great movie is starting. FIRE.

Posted by: humphreyrobot at April 25, 2021 11:23 AM (EFCBR)

461 459 Remember reading Across Five Aprils, in school?

I think nowadays the schools try to avoid fictionalized history books, even though it would make the kids enjoy history more.

You can kind of see the point, even though it is a shame.
Posted by: artemis at April 25, 2021 11:18 AM (AwPyG)


I looked this book up. Wow. Newberry award winner, but no way are the gods of woke going to let any public school kid in America read this.

But it's still in print and you can get it on Kindle.

Posted by: OregonMuse, AoSHQ Thought Leader, Pants Monitor & Social Distancing Professional at April 25, 2021 11:23 AM (5/qak)

462 I count about ten books on Amazon written by Chuck Colson. Born Again is one of my favorites.


Posted by: grammie winger at April 25, 2021 11:16 AM (45fpk)

I need to check one of those out. I have heard nothing but the best about the man. I was dumb, i read G Gordon Liddy's book "Will" I also read the book "Silent Coup" by Colodny. I won't speak for the veracity of the last one, i am sure stuff by Colson would have been time better spent. Will, by Liddy was worth reading though. But again. I will check out the Colson stuff.

Posted by: Quint at April 25, 2021 11:23 AM (TPY/s)

463 454 Also mentioned in Herschensohn's Gods of Antenna.
And how The Washington Post's Ben Bradlee heard Mayor Daley saying, "with a little bit of luck and a few close friends, you're going to carry Illinois."
Posted by: Stonn at April 25, 2021 10:39 AM (QDEge)

Just picked up a used hardback edition of this book on Abebooks, signed by the author(!)
Posted by: OregonMuse, AoSHQ Thought Leader, Pants Monitor Social Distancing Professional at April 25, 2021 11:14 AM (5/qak)

Woohoo!

Posted by: Stonn at April 25, 2021 11:24 AM (QDEge)

464 You can kind of see the point, even though it is a shame.
Posted by: artemis at April 25, 2021 11:18 AM (AwPyG)

I see the point a lot, as many "historical novels" are light on history and heavy on fiction, the same is true with movies. It is this mindset that gives us the nazis are forever stuff we have today. If historical fiction could leave the fact intact, it would be better for everyone. And if there is any delving into thoughts and feelings, this should always be left to the fictional characters, not falsely attributed to real persons unless the words come directly from their writings.

Posted by: CN at April 25, 2021 11:27 AM (ONvIw)

465 Nixon was probably the brightest president we have had in ages Some people saw this and used his intellect. Sure he had flaws. But tell me the last president that did not have flaws. You never see libs bashing there own, only Repubs make a sport of that. And going after Nixon in particular makes you subject to scrutiny to me. What was it about him you hated? That the left hated him, or the uber left hated him?

Posted by: Quint at April 25, 2021 11:27 AM (TPY/s)

466 I look at this:

""So, you think that anybody who wants blacks to be treated equally is a communist!?" they'd sneer. "Only Birchers believed in that conspiracy nonsense.""

And then I look at the post just above this one about the Yale study and the quote:

"They found that "despite leftward shifts in public attitudes towards issues of racial equality, racial framing decreases support for race-neutral progressive policies"."

Putting the two together, I can only conclude that Yale is a Bircher stronghold.
At least by the standards of the "academy and American intelligentsia". You know, like at Yale.

Posted by: Sam at April 25, 2021 11:28 AM (ohyxL)

467 451 Any suggestions for a non-lefty book about Vietnam Nam?

Try Duc: A reporter's love for the wounded people of Vietnam, by Uwe Siemon-Netto
He was a German reporter in Vietnam.
Very good.

I actually have a couple pages scanned at:
https://thinkforaminute.tumblr.com/ post/641255316316618752/jean-paul-sartre -and-pol-pot-jean-paul-sartre
It's at the end.

Posted by: Stonn at April 25, 2021 11:29 AM (QDEge)

468 I actually have a couple pages scanned at:
https://thinkforaminute.tumblr.com/ post/641255316316618752/jean-paul-sartre -and-pol-pot-jean-paul-sartre
It's at the end.

Posted by: Stonn at April 25, 2021 11:29 AM (QDEge)

Thanks so much!

Posted by: All words matter at April 25, 2021 11:31 AM (S4jmh)

469 We Were Soldiers Once, and Young.

Also Reluctant Warrior: A Marine's True Story or Duty and Heroism in Vietnam.

Posted by: Quint at April 25, 2021 11:33 AM (TPY/s)

470 What was it about him you hated?

What, me?
What I hated about him was:
Price controls.
Ending the Vietnam war.
Letting Congress tell him, the Commander-in-Chief, that the American military wouldn't give South Vietnam any aid after we left, so they ran out of bullets and bandages.
Going to China.
I'm sure I can think of other things, but it's been a while.

Posted by: Stonn at April 25, 2021 11:34 AM (QDEge)

471 I knew one of the guys in the last book. I was about to say it but nah. I hunted with one of the major officers in that book. enough said.

Posted by: Quint at April 25, 2021 11:35 AM (TPY/s)

472 What, me?
What I hated about him was:
Price controls.
Ending the Vietnam war.
Letting
Congress tell him, the Commander-in-Chief, that the American military
wouldn't give South Vietnam any aid after we left, so they ran out of
bullets and bandages.
Going to China.
I'm sure I can think of other things, but it's been a while.

Posted by: Stonn at April 25, 2021 11:34 AM (QDEge)
if that is about Nixon, sounds like major projection to me. The Left asked for all of that. It is amazing the Left blames Vietnam on Nixon. You have to to some mental gymnastics that would make a modern progressive blush, to blame Vietnam on Nixon.

Posted by: Quint at April 25, 2021 11:39 AM (TPY/s)

473 Random thought:
I remember Jerry Pournelle, the science fiction author, said, of the American solders that he knew that served in Vietnam , that nearly all the ones from the north were drafted, and nearly all the ones from the south volunteered.

Posted by: Stonn at April 25, 2021 11:41 AM (QDEge)

474 469 We Were Soldiers Once, and Young.

Also Reluctant Warrior: A Marine's True Story or Duty and Heroism in Vietnam.

Posted by: Quint at April 25, 2021 11:33 AM (TPY/s)

Got it.

Posted by: All words matter at April 25, 2021 11:42 AM (S4jmh)

475 if that is about Nixon, sounds like major projection to me. The Left asked for all of that. It is amazing the Left blames Vietnam on Nixon. You have to to some mental gymnastics that would make a modern progressive blush, to blame Vietnam on Nixon.
Posted by: Quint at April 25, 2021 11:39 AM (TPY/s)

Good! Tell me about his fight against them.
Or did he go along?

Posted by: Stonn at April 25, 2021 11:42 AM (QDEge)

476 Random thought:
I remember Jerry Pournelle, the science fiction author, said, of the American solders that he knew that served in Vietnam , that nearly all the ones from the north were drafted, and nearly all the ones from the south volunteered.
Posted by: Stonn at April 25, 2021 11:41 AM (QDEge)



Pournelle doesn't know what he's talking about.

Posted by: Diogenes at April 25, 2021 11:44 AM (HPSCb)

477 Pournelle doesn't know what he's talking about.
Posted by: Diogenes at April 25, 2021 11:44 AM (HPSCb)

Also good! I'll try to dig up the quote for next time, maybe I remember it as stronger than it was.

Posted by: Stonn at April 25, 2021 11:46 AM (QDEge)

478 When your number came up in the draft, could you then select which branch of the service to join? I remember some of my friends running to the Navy recruiter.

Posted by: grammie winger at April 25, 2021 11:52 AM (45fpk)

479 Sorry, I messed up the Pournelle quote.
It was about the Korean war. A slight difference.
Here's the quote:

....during my military time in the Korean business I met many Southernors but few Southern conscripts; and many Northerners, but most of them were conscripts. You could tell by their serial numbers: conscript serial numbers started with US, while volunteers started with RA.

https://www.jerrypournelle.com/ chaosmanor/ edited-hiv-cures- cancer-beware-of-cytokine- release-madness-whither- tolerance-and-rational-debate/

Posted by: Stonn at April 25, 2021 11:52 AM (QDEge)

480 Good! Tell me about his fight against them.
Or did he go along?

Posted by: Stonn at April 25, 2021 11:42 AM (QDEge)

I am going to hold off here. the next time i am going to freaking go off. Let's leave this one hear and call it a mistake.

Posted by: Quint at April 25, 2021 12:00 PM (TPY/s)

481 I had a hard time reading We Were Soldiers. It's brutally, graphically written in a way I didn't enjoy. I appreciate it, but couldn't finish it.

And that might've been me re: Blind Man's Bluff. I thoroughly enjoyed that book and you're welcome.

It also makes me laugh every time I see that commercial about the guy trying to help people not turn into their parents.
"you know who else reads books about submarines?"
"my dad?"
"yep."

Posted by: Reverend Chanequa Moron-Robbie Deonkay Smith III at April 25, 2021 12:15 PM (vBc2/)

482 @36 Tarradiddle is the kind of word you would expect to find in a Nero Wolfe novel.
Posted by: April

Or percussion notation.

(drumroll, please...)

The drum thing is "paradiddle"

Posted by: Peter B at April 25, 2021 12:22 PM (AtLwd)

483 Speaking of books, be sure to pre-order Heels up Harris's forthcoming memoir "Mr. Brown's Willy: the Making of an American Political Slut".

Posted by: Sirius the Canine Pundit at April 25, 2021 12:37 PM (LBO1U)

484 @369 --

*chuckle*

I read "fencing" and thought "enclosures."

Farm boy upbringing. Helped Dad build and repair a lot of fence. Hated that.

Beef is my revenge.

Posted by: Weak Geek at April 25, 2021 12:38 PM (V5lmZ)

485 For a not-very-political novel set in the early days of the Vietnam War, try Lloyd Little "Parthian Shot". He was a Special Forces medic, and apparently worked a great deal of SF lore into the book. The book itself is hilarious and heartbreaking by turns.

Posted by: Sgt. Mom at April 25, 2021 12:50 PM (xnmPy)

486 'SOG: The Secret Wars of America's Commandos in Vietnam' , strongly recommended.

For good background, 'Street Without Joy: The French Debacle in Indochina', also strongly recommended.

Posted by: Mike Hammer, etc., etc. at April 25, 2021 01:00 PM (l0Lgi)

487 #77:

1. Apparently Fulton Sheen wrote 7 different meditations on the 7 last words, one connecting them with the 7 Deadly Sins, 6 more taking other approaches. A Catholic publisher has put them all together to make "The Cries of Jesus from the Cross: A Fulton Sheen Anthology", only $16.97 new on Amazon for 400 pages. If you read chapters 1a, 2a, etc., you get one of his books, 1b, 2b, etc. another, and so on. Or you can read 1a-1g to get all his thoughts on the first "word" from 7 different books. I like the flexibility - and the price - and will buy a copy, straight from the publisher, if I can.

Posted by: Dr. Weevil at April 25, 2021 01:04 PM (uLYrP)

488 SOG: The Secret Wars of America's Commandos in Vietnam' , strongly recommended.



For good background, 'Street Without Joy: The French Debacle in Indochina', also strongly recommended.

Posted by: Mike Hammer, etc., etc. at April 25, 2021 01:00 PM (l0Lgi)
I am going to check those out. I think I have heard at least one of those names here, possibly from you. But this time I am writing them down and will read them. thanks for the reccos.

Posted by: Quint at April 25, 2021 01:05 PM (TPY/s)

489 Continued, since Pixy rejected my too-long message:
2. Classical composers
have done musical versions of The Seven Last Words of Christ on the
Cross. I don't really know Pergolesi's version, but Haydn actually did
four different versions: an oratorio (contemporaries ranked it with The
Creation and The Seasons), and versions for orchestra, string quartet,
and keyboard. The quartet version is the most recorded, but I
particularly love the orchestral version - my recording is conducted by
Jordi Savall. It's basically musical meditations on the seven last
words.

Posted by: Dr. Weevil at April 25, 2021 01:05 PM (uLYrP)

490 Continued again, since Pixy thinks Spam would be talking about Haydn's Seven Last Words:
There's a prologue, then the seven utterances spoken in Latin,
each one followed by 8-10 minutes of (I guess you could call it) mood
music for meditation, with a 2-minute fast movement at the end evoking
the earthquake and rending of the veil in the Temple when Christ dies.
As someone (the liner notes?) once said, you wouldn't expect an
80-minute musical work with 8 long slow movements in a row followed by 1
short fast one to work, but it does. Highly recommended. The Latin bits
are quite short, so you don't have to program your CD player to omit
them, even if you're not interested in them or can't understand them.
They're less than a minute each, a nice quick break from the music.

Posted by: Dr. Weevil at April 25, 2021 01:06 PM (uLYrP)

491 Thurber and Nash told stories like my grandfather did. I introduced my daughter the artist to them to great delight. Richard Armour's English Lit Unlit is a laugh a minute. Three of my favorites.

Posted by: MercyTex at April 25, 2021 01:09 PM (shj7/)

492 Just wanted to add to the pro-Thurber comments above: check out his books for children. They are rare examples of the genre that can be read with great pleasure by both kids and adults. Specific titles that I recommend are "The Thirteen Clocks", "The White Deer" and "The Wonderful O".

Posted by: John F. MacMichael at April 25, 2021 01:11 PM (yWpl7)

493 SOG: The Secret Wars of America's Commandos in Vietnam' , strongly recommended.



For good background, 'Street Without Joy: The French Debacle in Indochina', also strongly recommended.

Posted by: Mike Hammer, etc., etc. at April 25, 2021 01:00 PM (l0Lgi)
I am going to check those out. I think I have heard at least one of those names here, possibly from you. But this time I am writing them down and will read them. thanks for the reccos.
Posted by: Quint
-------

Both have received several thumbs-up from readers here.

Posted by: Mike Hammer, etc., etc. at April 25, 2021 01:18 PM (AytXr)

494 For good background, 'Street Without Joy: The French Debacle in Indochina', also strongly recommended.
Posted by: Mike Hammer,

The same author wrote Hell in a Very Small Place: the Siege at Dien Bien Phu

Posted by: JT at April 25, 2021 01:22 PM (arJlL)

495 381, OM, yes, the use of some current slang is grating but it's not happening enough to make me quit watching. Not yet, but I don't like anachronisms even a tiny bit. It's the characters of the Apostles, and I'm also waiting to see if Dallas Jenkins decides to go all evangelical on it and start blathering about the nonsense in his daddy's truly awful books.

Posted by: Tonestaple at April 25, 2021 02:25 PM (Tkqec)

496 495 381, OM, yes, the use of some current slang is grating but it's not happening enough to make me quit watching. Not yet, but I don't like anachronisms even a tiny bit. It's the characters of the Apostles, and I'm also waiting to see if Dallas Jenkins decides to go all evangelical on it and start blathering about the nonsense in his daddy's truly awful books.

Posted by: Tonestaple at April 25, 2021 02:25 PM (Tkqec)


And some of their decisions about characters were bizarre. I mean, Matthew the tax collector as an borderline-autistic nerd? Seriously?

Posted by: OregonMuse, AoSHQ Thought Leader, Pants Monitor & Social Distancing Professional at April 25, 2021 03:26 PM (5/qak)

497 Richard Milhous Nixon, one of the greatest presidents the Republic has ever had.

Taradiddle is a new word for me. Paradiddle is not.

Posted by: Wade Hampton at April 25, 2021 03:28 PM (Su9Le)

498 Words like taradiddle are deservedly forgotten.

Posted by: goodluckduck at April 25, 2021 05:42 PM (V8zw+)

499 I'll do my part to get this thread to 500 posts.

"Sweet Silver Blues" is starting to move. I look forward to the resolution.

Posted by: Weak Geek at April 25, 2021 05:50 PM (V5lmZ)

500 Late to return, but gotta bitch to somebody.

I just saw a PBS "American Experience" episode on Frank L. Baum, author of the Oz books. This otherwise excellent biography was laced with pinch-faced scolding on American expansionism, genocide, and racismracismracism. I mean I know it's PBS, but everything must be viewed through the glass of race/class/gender. I also noticed that if there was a turn-of-ye-century crowd photo, they would always focus on the one POC and pan out from that individual. Weirdness!

Posted by: All Hail Eris, Sans-Culottes (except for the Book Thread) at April 25, 2021 06:25 PM (Dc2NZ)

501 Hate to break a perfectly round number, but I believe the name is L. Frank Baum.

Posted by: Weak Geek at April 25, 2021 06:44 PM (V5lmZ)

502 It was Churchill that had the secret agreement with Stalin for much of his land grabs. When that agreement was revealed in Potsdam, Roosevelt caved and signed on to it. Churchhill told Roosevelt that it was the way Europe worked.

Churchill "gave" them land they already occupied, and as he stated would have made a deal with Satan to stop the Nazis and protect England.

Roosevelt was half red to begin with, he took no convincing.

Posted by: Christopher Taylor at April 25, 2021 07:03 PM (KZzsI)

503 You are correct, of course!

Posted by: All Hail Eris, Sans-Culottes (except for the Book Thread) at April 25, 2021 07:18 PM (Dc2NZ)

504 Do not forget about H. Allen Smith for humorists of the 20th century. A goodly part of his output was non fiction humor, and it is still hilarious after more than half a century.

Posted by: Craig A. Reid at April 25, 2021 07:20 PM (hu8Hr)

505 504, Craig A. Reid: I think I've read some of Smith's non-fiction, but almost nothing tops "Rhubarb."

Posted by: Tonestaple at April 25, 2021 08:15 PM (Tkqec)

506 I remember seeing Charlie Sifford at the US Open Ken
Venturi won at Congressional. Father Hate heard him in an aside
talking about whoever was the first round leader resembling a Cadillac
with an automatic choke. Golfers in the 60s were pretty funny with
Arnie and Jack boosting the popularity.

Posted by: Captain Hate Won't Forget Ashli Babbitt at April 25, 2021 10:41 AM (y7DUB)

damn! That was an epic US Open! They say Venturi almost died. Maybe that was overblown a bit, but not by much. They did have to give him IV's.

Posted by: Quint at April 26, 2021 07:58 AM (TPY/s)

507 Quint,

I was 13 when it happened and it was brutally hot. I just found a place by a pond in the shade and hung my feet in to stay cooled off while still being able to see some action. That was when they played 36 holes on the final day which ended shortly afterward (the USGA still wants the Open to be a maximum test to the golfers and aren't shy about it). I don't think it was overblown. He came close to collapsing more than once.

Posted by: Captain Hate Won't Forget Ashli Babbitt at April 26, 2021 08:42 AM (y7DUB)

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