Sailing the Last Voyage with Newton and Pascal
New Song A City Set Upon a Hill Cannot Be Hid (New Song NS-0001) 1976 Back when I first encountered the "Jesus Music" of the 1970's, I always wondered: what if they ditched the guitars and tambourines of the "Fisherfolk" and did something orchestrally? Evidently someone else had the same idea. The result of that …
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Michelle Obama is catching heat for referring to Charlotte, NC's, great barbecue: In listing Charlotte's many virtues, Obama named southern charm, hospitality, diversity — "And of course, great barbecue." That was news to residents, who know that North Carolina's best barbecue lies farther afield. "We appreciate the compliments, and they're all spot-on until that last …
Continue reading "Michelle Obama: "Great Barbecue" is a Relative Term"
This, from the Egyptians, the Middle East's stand-up comedians: Hosni Mubarak, Barack Obama, and Vladimir Putin are at a meeting together when suddenly God appears before them. "I have come to tell you that the end of the world will be in two days," God says. "Tell your people." So each leader goes back to …
This post is something of a departure, in that it features the pencil sketch art of my great uncle, William H. Warrington (right, from his carte de visite.) But first some background is in order. William H. Warrington was born 17 September 1846, grew up in Chicago, Illinois. He became the manager of the Vulcan …
New Year's greeting cards from the Soviet Union. The one at the top is dated 1978; the one at the right 1989. Note how both of them--especially the one at the top--strongly resemble Christmas cards we send (or used to send). In a country where the government operated and subsidised a Museum of Atheism, this …
Christmas is a time when many "traditions" (that word has worn with use in our culture) get hauled out and paraded. Some, like standing out in the elements on Black Friday morning waiting for the store to open at 0500 (or earlier) could be dispensed with, especially with the internet, where we could do Black …
Continue reading "Gloria in excelsis Deo. Now Let's Get That Pronunciation Right!"
For reasons beyond my knowing, I get spam from the Middle East. I cannot resist posting the following, an advertisement for a cosmetics exhibition in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia: Think: this is a country where women (the predominant users of cosmetics) are not permitted to show their faces in public.
Well, at least prohibiting people from sitting on the streets, as San Francisco just did: A new law targeting those who hang out, and lie down, on the sidewalks and streets of San Francisco has some asking whether this city, known for its "love thy neighbour" attitude, has perhaps decided some neighbours aren't welcome. In …
Continue reading "Liberalism Reaches Its End by Making People Get Off of Theirs"
The recent fracas over the strip searches (that's what they amount to, no matter how they're done) the TSA has instituted for the flying public in the U.S. reminded me of something I posted a long time ago. My family business celebrated its 100th anniversary in 1952 with a celebration in Chicago. One of my …
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A couple of interesting tidbits from this election cycle: first, concerning Allen West's victory over Ron Klein (congratulations are in order) in Florida's 22nd Congressional District, the Palm Beach Daily News noted the following: The West-Klein race was one of the nastiest campaigns of the season. Only the Shiny Sheet would put it this way. …
Continue reading "The Nastiest Election of the Season, and Yes, They're Smoking Something"
