Newton's 1st Law of Motion

Summary: The Writing & Critique Group Survival Guide: How to Give and Receive Feedback, Self-Edit, and Make Revisions

2011-06-05T19:49:00.000-05:00

Becky Levine, Writer’s Digest Books, 2010, 293 pgs.

The book is divided into several sections. The first and last sections deal with questions that arise in looking for and/or being part of a critique group: start your own or join an existing group; in-person or online; frequency, structure or format, expectations and responsibilities of members of a critique group; etc. A relatively minor section towards the end sketches a plan for the writer to utilize critique comments in revising and/or rewriting his work. But the bulk of the reference deals with critiquing a writer’s submission; there are separate sections for critiquing fiction, non-fiction (magazine articles, non-fiction book proposals, how-to/self-help, memoir, travel writing), and children’s books. Each section, save the last, concludes with worksheets and examples that also serve as a summary or highlight of that particular section.

Regardless of genre, Levine starts off each chapter within the various critiquing sections with a call to the critiquer to pay attention to his feelings or impressions about what he’s reading; e.g., areas of boredom, lack of tension, disconnectedness, hero passivity, confusing dialogue, etc.: something that either frustrates, confuses, or bores you as a critiquer/reader. Such impressions are basically symptoms that generally signal weaknesses in the writing. After listing the possible feelings you might experience, Levine discusses probable root causes for such symptoms and suggests not only remedies, but ways to “soften the blow” and provide constructive criticism in a positive light. By way of illustration, Levine shows us actual excerpts that “get it right,” followed by a fictitious negative example of writing that falls flat, along with possible critique comments.

The critiquing fiction section seems to have the lion’s share of the book, as there are separate chapters on the different foci of critiquing fiction: critiquing for plot, character, point of view and voice, dialogue, description, and scene structure. The critiquing non-fiction section has a chapter on each of the types of non-fiction writing, and the section on critiquing children’s books has a chapter each on picture books, beginning readers, and chapter books. Irrespective of one’s particular genre interest(s), the reader would benefit from reading all sections rather than skipping the ones pertaining to other genres.

I think this book will prove helpful not only for the person interested in learning how to give a worthy critique, but also for anyone who wishes to improve his writing. Knowing in advance some of the common writing weaknesses can assist the writer in avoiding these pitfalls in the first place. I am looking forward to implementing some of the tips and suggestions I’ve gleaned from reading this book.

Gamle Bilder: Bestum

2011-05-19T21:58:00.005-05:00

Jeg lurer om det fins noen som kjenner igjen scenen hvor bildene ble tatt. Sannsynligvis er begge bilder tatt på samme sted - det ser jo ut som det er tilfellet. På baksida til det ene bildet står det skrevet "Bestum," så det fører meg til å tro at det kan være stedet hvor bildene ble tatt. Men det sier også Holmenkollen på kortet, vet ikke om Bestum ligger i nærheten.

Jeg vet ikke, derfor spør jeg...

Test pix

2011-03-05T09:22:00.001-06:00

Test:

GB Pics - Katzen

GB Pics - Katzen

GB Pics - Katzen

GB Pics - Katzen

GB Pics - Katzen

GB Pics - Katzen

GB Pics - Katzen

GB Pics - Katzen

Old Army Stuff - Addendum

2011-02-03T12:00:00.004-06:00

I had put up this picture in a previous post, but I wanted to put it up against because I have some additional information. I found an old picture of my grandfather, ostensibly from the year 1914 (can't verify that date, but on the other hand, have no reason to doubt it), wearing some sort of uniform with the pin on the left on his hat and collar:

If you click on the picture, you can zoom in and see the pin. Now, according to census records, my grandfather was not a veteran. So, what's with the army-type getups?

New Year 2011: Resolutions

2010-12-31T20:51:00.001-06:00

Every year I make resolutions (which I prefer to think of as "setting goals"), with a track record of limited success. This year is no different: I have been thinking about what sort of things I'd like to accomplish this year, and have written them down in a rough draft. What's new (and hopefully improved) for this year is that insofar as possible, I am appending to each goal specific, actionable steps to help me achieve that goal; e.g., if one of my goals is to complete my writing projects, I have under that goal "Write a minimum of 1000 words a day."

For some, this might seem like a no-brainer, and, indeed, I have heard before the advice about being specific in setting goals. But the "a-ha" insight for me lies in not only being specific about the goals themselves, but in getting specific about the steps necessary to achieve those goals. It forces me to think more clearly about the goals - thus, the goals are more realistic, giving me a better chance at success.

Nine Years Ago Today

2010-09-11T07:44:00.002-05:00

Never Forget.

And some want to build a mosque on its ashes, supposedly in the name of "tolerance" and "building bridges." In a pig's eye.

RIP

2010-07-17T22:19:00.003-05:00

Inesechay Amspay

2010-07-08T11:11:00.002-05:00

I am sick of getting Inesechay Amspay. From henceforth it shall be immediately and permanently deleted. I realize it probably comes from bots, but all the same....

Ditto for tiny urls or questionable links from people I don't recognize.

For the Benefit of our Congressmen

2010-03-04T20:57:00.003-06:00

I submit the following for their edification. Our congressmen should note that there is a particularly fascinating little clause in the second paragraph:

That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed...

I realize that this is pretty heady stuff, but I am reasonably confident that if Congress will avail themselves of a dictionary, they can ascertain what the Founding Fathers meant by that clause.

Well, okay, maybe Madam Pelosi and M. Reid need a translation, so here it is:

YOU HAVE NO RIGHT TO RAM LEGISLATION DOWN OUR THROATS WHEN THE MAJORITY OF AMERICANS ARE AGAINST IT.

Clear enough?

NB:
The little ditty about "imposing Taxes on us without our Consent" is enlightening as well.

I have dreams of Democrats taking the Declaration of Independence and the U.S. Constitution seriously.

I know, I know - I must be deluded. However, hope springs eternal....

Anyways, for the benefit of our Congressmen (and the ones with a (D) after their name, in particular), I present to you for your edification and enlightenment: the Declaration of Independence.

(How they ever managed to get through school without learning this stuff, I'll never know.)

IN CONGRESS, JULY 4, 1776
The unanimous Declaration of the thirteen united States of America

When in the Course of human events it becomes necessary for one people to dissolve the political bands which have connected them with another and to assume among the powers of the earth, the separate and equal station to which the Laws of Nature and of Nature's God entitle them, a decent respect to the opinions of mankind requires that they should declare the causes which impel them to the separation.

We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness. — That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed, — That whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new Government, laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their Safety and Happiness. Prudence, indeed, will dictate that Governments long established should not be changed for light and transient causes; and accordingly all experience hath shewn that mankind are more disposed to suffer, while evils are sufferable than to right themselves by abolishing the forms to which they are accustomed. But when a long train of abuses and usurpations, pursuing invariably the same Object evinces a design to reduce them under absolute Despotism, it is their right, it is their duty, to throw off such Government, and to provide new Guards for their future security. — Such has been the patient sufferance of these Colonies; and such is now the necessity which constrains them to alter their former Systems of Government. The history of the present King of Great Britain is a history of repeated injuries and usurpations, all having in direct object the establishment of an absolute Tyranny over these States. To prove this, let Facts be submitted to a candid world.

He has refused his Assent to Laws, the most wholesome and necessary for the public good.

He has forbidden his Governors to pass Laws of immediate and pressing importance, unless suspended in their operation till his Assent should be obtained; and when so suspended, he has utterly neglected to attend to them.

He has refused to pass other Laws for the accommodation of large districts of people, unless those people would relinquish the right of Representation in the Legislature, a right inestimable to them and formidable to tyrants only.

He has called together legislative bodies at places unusual, uncomfortable, and distant from the depository of their Public Records, for the sole purpose of fatiguing them into compliance with his measures.

He has dissolved Representative Houses repeatedly, for opposing with manly firmness his invasions on the rights of the people.

He has refused for a long time, after such dissolutions, to cause others to be elected, whereby the Legislative Powers, incapable of Annihilation, have returned to the People at large for their exercise; the State remaining in the mean time exposed to all the dangers of invasion from without, and convulsions within.

He has endeavoured to prevent the population of these States; for that purpose obstructing the Laws for Naturalization of Foreigners; refusing to pass others to encourage their migrations hither, and raising the conditions of new Appropriations of Lands.

He has obstructed the Administration of Justice by refusing his Assent to Laws for establishing Judiciary Powers.

He has made Judges dependent on his Will alone for the tenure of their offices, and the amount and payment of their salaries.

He has erected a multitude of New Offices, and sent hither swarms of Officers to harass our people and eat out their substance.

He has kept among us, in times of peace, Standing Armies without the Consent of our legislatures.

He has affected to render the Military independent of and superior to the Civil Power.

He has combined with others to subject us to a jurisdiction foreign to our constitution, and unacknowledged by our laws; giving his Assent to their Acts of pretended Legislation:

For quartering large bodies of armed troops among us:

For protecting them, by a mock Trial from punishment for any Murders which they should commit on the Inhabitants of these States:

For cutting off our Trade with all parts of the world:

For imposing Taxes on us without our Consent:

For depriving us in many cases, of the benefit of Trial by Jury:

For transporting us beyond Seas to be tried for pretended offences:

For abolishing the free System of English Laws in a neighbouring Province, establishing therein an Arbitrary government, and enlarging its Boundaries so as to render it at once an example and fit instrument for introducing the same absolute rule into these Colonies

For taking away our Charters, abolishing our most valuable Laws and altering fundamentally the Forms of our Governments:

For suspending our own Legislatures, and declaring themselves invested with power to legislate for us in all cases whatsoever.

He has abdicated Government here, by declaring us out of his Protection and waging War against us.

He has plundered our seas, ravaged our coasts, burnt our towns, and destroyed the lives of our people.

He is at this time transporting large Armies of foreign Mercenaries to compleat the works of death, desolation, and tyranny, already begun with circumstances of Cruelty & Perfidy scarcely paralleled in the most barbarous ages, and totally unworthy the Head of a civilized nation.

He has constrained our fellow Citizens taken Captive on the high Seas to bear Arms against their Country, to become the executioners of their friends and Brethren, or to fall themselves by their Hands.

He has excited domestic insurrections amongst us, and has endeavoured to bring on the inhabitants of our frontiers, the merciless Indian Savages whose known rule of warfare, is an undistinguished destruction of all ages, sexes and conditions.

In every stage of these Oppressions We have Petitioned for Redress in the most humble terms: Our repeated Petitions have been answered only by repeated injury. A Prince, whose character is thus marked by every act which may define a Tyrant, is unfit to be the ruler of a free people.

Nor have We been wanting in attentions to our British brethren. We have warned them from time to time of attempts by their legislature to extend an unwarrantable jurisdiction over us. We have reminded them of the circumstances of our emigration and settlement here. We have appealed to their native justice and magnanimity, and we have conjured them by the ties of our common kindred to disavow these usurpations, which would inevitably interrupt our connections and correspondence. They too have been deaf to the voice of justice and of consanguinity. We must, therefore, acquiesce in the necessity, which denounces our Separation, and hold them, as we hold the rest of mankind, Enemies in War, in Peace Friends.

We, therefore, the Representatives of the united States of America, in General Congress, Assembled, appealing to the Supreme Judge of the world for the rectitude of our intentions, do, in the Name, and by Authority of the good People of these Colonies, solemnly publish and declare, That these united Colonies are, and of Right ought to be Free and Independent States, that they are Absolved from all Allegiance to the British Crown, and that all political connection between them and the State of Great Britain, is and ought to be totally dissolved; and that as Free and Independent States, they have full Power to levy War, conclude Peace, contract Alliances, establish Commerce, and to do all other Acts and Things which Independent States may of right do. — And for the support of this Declaration, with a firm reliance on the protection of Divine Providence, we mutually pledge to each other our Lives, our Fortunes, and our sacred Honor.

Earthquake!

2010-02-10T08:31:00.001-06:00

Yes, that's right - we here in terra-not-so-firma Illinois had an earthquake last night, 3 something in the morning. It was strong enough to wake us up out of a sound sleep, and it also knocked a small picture frame off of its perch on top of the stereo. The picture frame didn't merely drop from its customary spot, but it was actually knocked two or three feet away.

The Big House for the Big Mouth

2010-01-11T12:10:00.002-06:00

Al Gore is such a scam artist, he should share a cell with Bernie Madoff, especially if "crap and trade" goes through.

More Cheap Entertainment

2010-01-08T22:38:00.002-06:00

From this site:

Introduction

A salad dressing competes with a chess board for a cashier. Most people believe that the fundraiser related to the parking lot greedily tries to seduce a food stamp, but they need to remember how almost the buzzard inside a scooby snack trembles. Furthermore, a defendant over some polygon goes to sleep, and an industrial complex competes with the girl scout. An ocean inside a globule, a food stamp living with the garbage can, and a reactor behind the class action suit are what made America great!

The steam engine of a chess board

When a purple carpet tack is frozen, a secretly impromptu polar bear figures out the plaintiff. Sometimes another cashier for the squid beams with joy, but a fundraiser toward an insurance agent always feverishly seeks the short order cook of some food stamp! A ball bearing negotiates a prenuptial agreement with a South American power drill. Furthermore, some crispy rattlesnake prays, and a hole puncher learns a hard lesson from a blithe spirit.

The pork chop inside a pig pen

A fraction about the minivan gives secret financial aid to a completely pompous polar bear. Any pit viper can can be kind to the South American line dancer, but it takes a real photon to conquer an imaginative judge. Now and then, a diskette around the submarine knows a fairy over a steam engine. Indeed, a traffic light near a senator seeks an insurance agent.

An obsequious salad dressing

An earring living with the freight train inexorably assimilates a frustrating fire hydrant. Now and then, the cough syrup shares a shower with a pickup truck for a dolphin. The microscope flies into a rage, and a plaintiff defined by the blithe spirit sweeps the floor; however, a pork chop pees on a recliner near a cocker spaniel. A gentle wheelbarrow hides, but a class action suit defined by a bullfrog ostensibly buys an expensive gift for a pine cone toward a warranty. Most people believe that a cab driver lazily learns a hard lesson from a most difficult tripod, but they need to remember how barely a hydrogen atom leaves.

Conclusions

Any movie theater can give a pink slip to the hole puncher from a movie theater, but it takes a real fruit cake to accidentally conquer a cheese wheel around a razor blade. Sometimes the corporation returns home, but a buzzard about a parking lot always goes deep sea fishing with some proverbial movie theater! Sometimes a chestnut trembles, but a prime minister always non-chalantly dances with the vacuum cleaner! A false anomaly derives perverse satisfaction from a geosynchronous senator. Sometimes a feline corporation rejoices, but another temporal paycheck always takes a peek at an avocado pit defined by the razor blade!

Favorite phrases:

completely pompous polar bear
obsequious salad dressing
the microscope flies into a rage
frustrating fire hydrant
crispy rattlesnake

Cheap Entertainment

2009-12-30T10:34:00.003-06:00

It's too cold for watching grass grow or paint dry, so this is what passes for amusement at our household these days - waiting for paper to come out of the printer.

A Visit from Saint Nicholas

2009-12-24T23:40:00.003-06:00

by Clement Clarke Moore

’Twas the night before Christmas, when all through the house
Not a creature was stirring, not even a mouse.
The stockings were hung by the chimney with care,
In hopes that Saint Nicholas soon would be there.

The children were nestled all snug in their beds,
While visions of sugar-plums danced in their heads;
And mamma in her ’kerchief, and I in my cap,
Had just settled down for a long winter’s nap;

When out on the lawn there arose such a clatter,
I sprang from the bed to see what was the matter.
Away to the window I flew like a flash,
Tore open the shutters and threw up the sash.

The moon on the breast of the new-fallen snow
Gave the lustre of mid-day to objects below,
When, what to my wondering eyes should appear,
But a miniature sleigh, and eight tiny reindeer,
With a little old driver, so lively and quick,
I knew in a moment it must be Saint Nick.

More rapid than eagles his coursers they came,
And he whistled, and shouted, and called them by name:
“Now, Dasher! now, Dancer! now, Prancer and Vixen!
On, Comet! on Cupid! on, Donder and Blitzen!
To the top of the porch! to the top of the wall!
Now dash away! dash away! dash away all!”

As dry leaves that before the wild hurricane fly,
When they meet with an obstacle, mount to the sky,
So up to the house-top the coursers they flew,
With the sleigh full of toys, and Saint Nicholas too.

And then, in a twinkling, I heard on the roof
The prancing and pawing of each little hoof.
As I drew in my head, and was turning around,
Down the chimney Saint Nicholas came with a bound.

He was dressed all in fur, from his head to his foot,
And his clothes were all tarnished with ashes and soot.
A bundle of toys he had flung on his back,
And he looked like a peddler just opening his pack.

His eyes — how they twinkled! his dimples how merry!
His cheeks were like roses, his nose like a cherry!
His droll little mouth was drawn up like a bow,
And the beard of his chin was as white as the snow.

The stump of a pipe he held tight in his teeth,
And the smoke it encircled his head like a wreath.
He had a broad face and a little round belly,
That shook, when he laughed, like a bowlful of jelly.

He was chubby and plump, a right jolly old elf,
And I laughed when I saw him, in spite of myself.
A wink of his eye and a twist of his head,
Soon gave me to know I had nothing to dread.

He spoke not a word, but went straight to his work,
And filled all the stockings; then turned with a jerk,
And laying his finger aside of his nose,
And giving a nod, up the chimney he rose.

He sprang to his sleigh, to his team gave a whistle,
And away they all flew like the down of a thistle.
But I heard him exclaim, ere he drove out of sight,
“Happy Christmas to all, and to all a good-night!”

Happy Birthday, Hannah!

2009-12-19T14:56:00.003-06:00

(A bit late, but better than never):

Then:

and now:

Happy Birthday!!

Pithy Truth

2009-12-18T18:35:00.003-06:00

Spotted yesterday on a bumper sticker:

So far, the change s***s.

(Asterisks not in original, and the "o" in "So" was an Obama "o.")

Yup, just what you'd expect from a two-bit Chicago pol - all the hype and change is nothing more than same-old-same-old.

That's the thing about buyer's remorse - it never comes on time.

NaNo 2009: Lessons Learned

2009-12-05T09:49:00.003-06:00

Well, NaNo has come and gone. I didn't make it to 50K, but it was a worthwhile attempt for me even at ca. 17K. I managed to write a hefty (for me) chunk anyhow, one that gives me a good start on a potential novel, and I plan to keep on plugging away at it. If nothing else, it will give me the opportunity to improve my writing as I slog my way through the story.

Things I've realized as a result of this intensive (!) attempt at writing:

Discipline: The key to reaching the goal is discipline. You can have the best plan on the books, but unless you have the discipline to carry it out, fuggedaboudit. In this particular case, that translates to writing daily and achieving your word count goal for that day.

Don't worry about perfection: As I read on another author's website, the writer's "enemy" is not the badly written page, but rather the blank page. If you have something scribbled down on the page, at least that gives you something to work with. On the other hand, a clean, white sheet stares back at you, mocking you and defying you to sully it with letters and words. Before you know it, your mind is as blank as that page, and creativity is out the window. Just start writing. Get the big picture, and flesh out the details later.

So, these are the two lessons I need most to practice; hopefully by the time next November rolls around, they will have become second nature to me.

NaNo Update: Broke 10,000!

2009-11-15T19:20:00.002-06:00

So, I am still behind - November is half over, which means that by rights I should be somewhere around 25,000 words. At least I'm not as behind as was earlier with my slow start. I need to close out this day with at least 12,500 words and then average 2500 words a day to meet the goal of 50,000 by the end of the month. Definitely doable, but I have to be diligent about writing each day, as this schedule leaves me no margin for error.

On the positive side: I'm definitely learning about forging ahead and writing stuff down without regard to how euphonious it sounds or how logical the plot elements are (or aren't, as the case may be). That stuff can always be fixed later; that's what rough drafts are for.

Here's to diligence and discipline in writing daily!

Really Scary Pumpkins

2009-11-10T20:13:00.003-06:00

Our pumpkins are ready to be retired. We actually carved them a couple of days after Halloween, so they're fresher than they might be otherwise. We lit the candles today, the first time in a few days. The pumpkins are really scary now - moldy on the inside, and producing some pumpkin juice wherever they sit.

Here are two glowing pumpkins:

The larger pumpkin:

Three glowing pumpkins:

This is Hannah's pumpkin:

You can see the mold growing on the inside of my pumpkin:

Hannah and Jacob looking into their pumpkins:

It's a good thing tomorrow is garbage day ;)

NaNo Update: Finally Finished Chapter 1

2009-11-09T19:16:00.002-06:00

It's about time, too. I'm only about a week behind schedule - ha! Behind enough, but not impossibly so, if I can just manage to be more consistent in writing every day. It's now the 9th, which gives me 21 more days to reach the goal of 50,000 words. Since I'm now at a word count of 2502 (unofficial), that means that averaging a little over 2200 words a day will get me there (and getting 3000 words a day will push me quite comfortably over the finish line). Not at all impossible, so no need to concede defeat yet.

I must confess that I am amazed at the people who can crank out several thousand words a day. Some have already surpassed the 50K goal. As for me, I do happen to have a life outside of this NaNo lark, so I'm going to focus on consistency (think: "tortoise" rather than "hare") and enjoy myself.

Self-Righteous Hypocrisy

2009-11-07T23:39:00.002-06:00

You know, I really don't believe it when people say, "Oh, I'd gladly pay extra (in taxes) if it meant no one would have to go without health coverage."

Baloney. What's stopping you NOW from walking across the street to your neighbor who doesn't have insurance and giving him $100 (or more, since you're feeling so generous) every month so he doesn't have to worry about medical bills?

Do you do that, NOW, without Uncle Sam's prodding?

Oh, you don't?? Why not? If you're so glad about paying extra for your neighbor, what are you waiting for? Nothing says that you can't do it on your own, without the government getting involved.

You see, my friends, the "I'd gladly pay extra in taxes if it meant that XXXX" line is nothing more than a hypocritical, self-righteous throwaway lie that some people like to spout because it makes them sound like they're taking the high road.

They're lying, because they can't be bothered to do it NOW, without government coercion.

And I'm calling them on it.

Cure for Writer's Block?

2009-11-07T10:02:00.002-06:00

I just discovered this page, and decided to give it a try. I set a goal of 200 words in 10 minutes; I managed 208 words in 6 minutes. Here is the fruit of my inaugural effort. (Ignore the misspellings and lower case - the idea behind the software is that it makes you focus on output. The spelling, etc. can always be cleaned up later.) It's a silly little story, but who cares? Enjoy!

once upon a time there was a little girl who never liked to eat broccoli. she hated it so much that she would scream every time her mother brought some home from the store. one day, her mother brought home some brocolli that was colored red instead of green. the little girl was so surprised that she accidently ate the red broccoli. to her surprise, the brocolli actually tasted pretty good. after that, she decided that she would make her own red broccoli. she did this by slathering ketchup all over the green broccoli that her mother cooked. the strange thing was that it tasted exactly like the red broccoli that her mother had brought home from the store. she didn't know it, but her mother had only pretended to have bought red brocolli from the store. what her mother actually did was take regular, run-of-the-mill brocolli and boil it in ketchup. that way, the broccoli turned red as it cooked and the flavor was changed so that it tasted more like ketchup than it did brocolli. From that day forward, the girl never hesitated to eat brocolli as long as it was boiled in ketchup.

the end.

NaNo Update: Behind Schedule :(

2009-11-04T21:43:00.003-06:00

Well, my original plan was to average 2000 words a day - then I could be finished w/50,000 in 25 days, giving me a few slack days. Right now, however, I am up to the grand whopping total of 878 words. Less than impressive, I know, but the good news is that if I finish off today at 3000 words and do 3000 words every day for the next five days, I'll be back on track by the 9th. Not impossible, I think - if I write 100 words in 5 minutes (which I am assuming is a fairly reasonable timeframe, given that we are talking about organizing one's thoughts and then recording them, as opposed to merely copying the words of someone else), then that would translate to 2 1/2 hours per day.

One of my biggest mistakes has been waiting for the muse to strike, and looking for sizable chunks of time to sit down and write. Waiting for either one of those conditions to be fulfilled (not to mention waiting for both to happen simultaneously) will virtually guarantee that nothing (or precious little) will get written. So I am coming to the realization that any progress to speak of will have to be accomplished in dribs and drabs. That 2 1/2 hour chunk of time just ain't gonna happen - not for writing, at any rate.

So, here's to making use of what would otherwise be "down time" !

Best. Snack. Ever

2009-10-31T22:53:00.004-05:00

Found some Nutella at Wal-Mart today, but what I really miss is Nugatti.

My favorite snack:

{sigh} I miss it so much...

Thirty Days and Nights of Literary Abandon!

2009-10-30T18:33:00.002-05:00

That's the motto of NaNoWriMo, an annual (international!) event for would-be writers to try their hand at writing that book that they've always thought about writing but never got around to it. NaNoWriMo stands for "National Novel Writing Month," and participants are encouraged to write a 50,000 (or more) word novel within the month of November. Anyone who meets or exceeds that word count goal is a "winner." (There is a junior version for kids under the age of 13.)

This year I'll be giving it a shot for the first time, so we'll see how it goes. If I "win," that's great, but my chief aim is to learn to shut off the "internal editor" and focus more on creativity and the flow of output. Anyone interested in my NaNo novel and its progress can follow along here. Hopefully by December 1, I'll have a diamond in the rough that (when edited) will be the hottest thing since Harry Potter ;)

Feel free to drop a line of encouragement now and then during the month of November!

Stupid People

2009-10-28T18:11:00.002-05:00

The other day I had the privilege of driving behind an inattentive driver. This gal was more interested in daubing gook all over her face than in operating her 2000+ pound machinery.

Ditzy chick.

Maybe you don't care a whole lot if you cause a crash because you couldn't be bothered to get up five minutes earlier so you could slather makeup all over your mug, but I sure care, especially if I'm driving behind you.

People like that honestly shouldn't be allowed to drive.

Fall Colors III – Peninsula State Park, Wisconsin

2009-10-23T13:50:00.002-05:00

More pix from a fall colors drive.

Along Skyline Drive in Peninsula State Park. It's like a tunnel of trees.

View from overlook on Skyline Drive. Looking north along the east side of Green Bay.

View from another overlook. You can see an island running parallel to the park.

Another view of the same island. There is some sort of landing or beach on the island.

There was an overlook tower at one of the scenic turnouts along Skyline Drive. If you climb to the top of the tower, you can see a sea of yellows, greens, and reds.

Fall Colors II – Harrington Beach State Park, Wisconsin

2009-10-23T13:20:00.003-05:00

More pix from a fall colors drive.

Along the shore of Lake Michigan. It was windy and cold, but fun anyhow!

Trees along Quarry Lake. Here we see arbor vitae (of the cypress family) and birch.

Birch overhanging Quarry Lake.

View along Quarry Lake. Lovely yellows and reds.

Along Quarry Lake. The orange-red maples contrast nicely with the arbor vitae, and there is a slight reflection on the lake.

Under the maple trees along Quarry Lake.

You can the the leaves of this maple are just beginning to turn.

Fall Colors I – Buckhorn State Park, Wisconsin

2009-10-23T13:12:00.003-05:00

Some pictures from our fall colors drives over the past couple of weeks.

A small pond with a path around it, lit by the late afternoon autumn sun:

Having fun walking along the nature path. Gorgeous fall colors:

Look Who's Four!

2009-10-20T09:00:00.003-05:00

Then:

Now:

Happy Birthday, Jacob!!

Eight Years Ago Today

2009-09-11T09:44:00.001-05:00

Never Forget.

Rest in Peace

2009-08-26T21:28:00.001-05:00

I bet that Mary Jo Kopechne's family finally has closure.

Now This Looks Intriguing

2009-08-16T11:30:00.001-05:00

I'd love to try this out, if I had the time and/or money.

In a similar vein, you can get a view from the deck of the Norwegian training vessel, Christian Radich. Be sure to check out the full-screen version.

On a Clear Day...

2009-08-15T20:00:00.000-05:00

...you can see forever - or "up to 18 miles" with these opera glasses. Seems like a stretch to me, but I suppose if you're stuck watching a football game live and in person, these things might be better than nothing.

Oh well, what do you expect for 75 cents?

Send in the Clowns

2009-08-13T19:21:00.002-05:00

Don't bother; they're here:

I just caught a glimpse of an article from one of the local newspapers. The article mentioned one of the local representatives of Congress complaining about the healthcare townhalls being a circus.

Well, lady, you may be right about that. It's clear that Congress is sending the clowns home for their recess, ready to pimp for Obamacare.

Elected representatives, guess what?

We the people do NOT want that so-called "healthcare" bill.

Remember that, if you wish to remain a member of Congress.

Anyone who votes for that monstrous disaster of a bill is every bit as foolish as a clown.

Old Army Stuff

2009-08-08T18:44:00.004-05:00

Below are a couple of pins that I found a number of years ago among my grandfather's stuff. I have no clue as to their origin, or where or when my grandfather came to possess them. From what I've found on the internet:

The item to the left is evidently an enlisted men's dress insignia for E troop, 2nd infantry - not unlike the ones found on this page. I assume that 1905 would be the first year that this design was used, but I have no idea when (if?) it was retired. Judging by the method of fastening, it looks like something that would go on a hat.

The item to the right is a pin with the Latin motto, "NON SIBI SED CUNCTIS" (Not for himself, but for all). Apparently it is the motto for the Quatermaster Replacement Training Command Unit. Here is another site with this pin. Again, I have no idea as to where or when this insignia was used, etc.

If anyone knows about the history of these items, feel free to share your knowledge in the comments.

Below is a picture of my grandfather. There are no markings on the picture itself, and only the year (1912) on the backing, which year I have no reason to doubt, given how young my grandfather is in the picture. He is clearly dressed in some sort of uniform (reminds me of a mounty, with the jodhpur-type pants), and appears to be bivouacking somewhere.

I don't know if my grandfather was a citizen at the time this picture was taken - would it be possible for a non-citizen to enlist in the Army? If the year is indeed correct, this would be pre-WWI.

Again, comments (especially enlightening ones :) ) are welcome!

All Sorts of Cool Stuff

2009-07-18T19:37:00.002-05:00

I was always intrigued by the x-ray specs, partly because I couldn't imagine how they could actually work. Otherwise, the trick black soap and jack pot bank would have appealed most to me as a kid.

The only thing this page is sorely lacking is some disappearing ink.

If You're Tired of Being Pushed Around

2009-06-27T20:43:00.002-05:00

Just follow Mac's lead. Forget Bowflex - all Mac needed was a free book from Charles Atlas.

Surely this ad is one of the better known ones in the self-improvement category. At least Charles Atlas looks realistic, instead of the grotesque specimens seen in some of the bodybuilding literature.

I can't say much about the validity of bodybuilding to make oneself a chick magnet, though. Wimpiness is more an attitude than a lack of physique. (If the shoe fits, take heart and strengthen your backbone before your biceps.)

Major Matt Mason

2009-06-20T20:00:00.000-05:00

No doubt this toy was launched during the Apollo space missions. I never owned it, so I can't vouch for the authenticity of the jet propulsion pak: "Actually makes him fly through the air. Just like the real thing!"

The moon suit looks less like something Neil Armstrong would wear, and more like the robot from "Lost in Space." I wonder if there's a pouch of "Tang" hidden in one of the pockets ;)

Speaking of the Revolutionary War...

2009-06-13T21:18:00.002-05:00

...I just finished re-reading Johnny Tremain. I recall having read it when I was in the third grade (or thereabouts), but honestly the only part of the story that I actually remembered was the accident that resulted in his having to abandon his dreams of becoming a silversmith.

Favorite quote (p 283):

Robert Newman, suspected of having hung the lanterns in Christ's Church the night before, was thrown into jail, and John Pulling, merely suspected of having helped, was forced to hide in his grandmother's wine butt.

Now it turns out that in context, "butt" is nothing more than a large cask, or, alternatively, a unit of volume equal to two hogsheads (ha! more weird words: a hogshead is about 63 gallons).

But to contemporary ears, "wine butt" conjures up a whole different image ;)

204 pc. Revolutionary War Soldiers set

2009-06-13T20:00:00.000-05:00

"Every piece of pure molded plastic...hours of fun for the whole family!"

All that for $1.98.

Nowadays, how many kids would be able even to name a couple of famous battles of the American Revolution, let alone re-live them with little plastic soldiers?

Come to think of it, plastic soldiers are probably not made any more. Instead, kids will have to order sets of diplomats and conflict resolution managers. After all, fighting is so barbaric - not to mention it's an embarrassing vestige of patriarchal society. Governments are nannies to take care of you and wipe your leaky orifices, not anything that should actually provide for the common defense.

Just Like the Real Thing

2009-06-06T20:00:00.000-05:00

From the back page of a Tarzan comic book. They forgot about the possibility that some little Annie Oakley might be interested in ridin' shotgun, too.

Love Story in Harvard

2009-06-03T19:01:00.002-05:00

I've been watching this Korean drama lately. Even though it's supposed to be set at Harvard, it was actually filmed at U So. Cal / UCLA. (I thought I caught a glimpse of a palm tree or two, which is rather strange for Harvard. The seashore scene is also decidedly un-Massachusetts like, and the clincher is the state highway signs are just like those in California.) For those who like romantic drama, it's a captivating story nonetheless. And of course the male leads are good-looking ;).

Surprisingly (to me, at any rate), the guy who played the strict Prof. Keynes is none other than Frank Gorshin. Frank who? Think "The Riddler" from the Batman TV series. I never woulda thunk it!

Haunted House Mystery Bank

2009-05-30T20:00:00.001-05:00

Note that this too is "sturdily constructed," like the Polaris Nuclear Sub.

My fave: "...or (if you're independently wealthy) a quarter..."

HA. But then again, Bazooka Bubble Gum was only a penny a piece, too, so...

Calling All Breadmakers

2009-05-29T23:26:00.004-05:00

I've been on a breadmaking kick lately. I had beginner's luck with my first loaf (maybe had something to do with using rapid-rise yeast, too), but since then I've encountered some difficulties: my loaves get these huge caves in the middle, as you can see from the pictures of today's loaf. (Actually, the all-bran loaves that I tried last week had even bigger caves in them - big enough for Tom, Becky, and Injun Joe to hide in, it seems.) You can see that the dough in the bottom of the cave is somewhat underbaked, but the outside of the loaf looks lovely and tastes fine.

I'm wondering if the cave is a result of overproofing - from what I've been able to read on the internet and elsewhere, it appears that that could be the case, but I'm not entirely sure. At first I thought it might be due to underkneading, so today I tried to remedy that.

Anybody have any ideas/tips/hints?

I wish I had learned this from my mom and/or grandma - no doubt they would have been able to tell me where I'm going astray. (There's something to be said for apprenticeships.) My grandmother was baking the family bread by the time she was eight - and here I am, trying to produce a decent, edible loaf of bread. Well, I more or less have the edible part down, I guess....

Make Money, Get Prizes!

2009-05-23T20:00:00.000-05:00

I though the telescope, the archery set, and the walkie-talkie would be fun to have. This seed ad doesn't tell you how many you need to sell, though.

Polaris Nuclear Sub

2009-05-22T22:47:00.003-05:00

Great minds think alike - so I've been told. I dragged out a box of old comics the other day and got the idea of putting up some of the ads here. Now I see that Lileks has already started that meme. (I will concede, however, that it appears that the majority of his stuff antedates my material by a couple of decades, at least. So perhaps there is not too much harm done ;) Well, at least I've beat him to the punch with this:

Firing the rockets sounded kind of cool. "Sturdily constructed of 200 lb. test fibreboard" was all too easy to overlook, though, as I imagined this was just the thing I needed to go cruising up and down the mighty Fox.

The More Things Change...

2009-04-27T15:57:00.002-05:00

In reading Drucker's The Effective Executive, I stumbled across the following prescient concept:

Every organization is highly susceptible to these twin diseases. But they are particularly prevalent in government. Government programs and activities age just as fast as the programs and activities of other institutions. Yet they are not only conceived as eternal; they are welded into the structure through civil service rules and immediately become vested interests, with their own spokesmen in the legislature.

This was not too dangerous when government was small and played a minor role in social life as it did up until 1914. Today's government however cannot afford the diversion of its energies and resources into yesterday. Yet, as a guess, at least half the bureaus and agencies of the federal government of the United States either regulate what no longer needs regulation - for example, the Interstate Commerce Commission whose main efforts are still directed toward protecting the public from a monopoly of the railroads that disappeared thirty years ago. Or they are directed, as is most of the farm program, toward investment in politicians' egos and toward efforts that should have had results but never achieved them.

There is serious need for a new principle of effective administration under which every act, every agency, and every program of government is conceived as temporary and as expiring automatically after a fixed number of years - maybe ten - unless specifically prolonged by new legislation following careful outside study of the program, its results and its contributions.

President Johnson in 1965 - 1966 ordered such a study for all government agencies and their programs, adapting the "program review" which Secretary McNamara had developed to rid the Defense department of the barnacles of obsolete and unproductive work. This is a good first step, and badly needed. But it will not produce results as long as we maintain the traditional assumption that all programs last forever unless proven to have outlived their usefulness. The assumption should rather be that all programs outlive their usefulness fast and should be scrapped unless proven productive and necessary. Otherwise, modern government, while increasingly smothering society under rules, regulations, and forms, will itself be smothered in its own fat.

Hear, hear. Too bad no one (save one) in government has been listening in the forty-odd years since Drucker first wrote this.

The exception? President Reagan:

Government is not the solution to our problem: Government is the problem.

P.S. When will Obama heed this wisdom?

When will pigs fly?

Happy April 15th!

2009-04-15T18:44:00.002-05:00

'Nuff said.

Non-examples of "Humility"

2009-04-07T20:10:00.004-05:00

The ~~emergent/emerging~~ pupating church fancies itself as offering a "new kind" of "Christianity" that is more humble and charitable than the version of Christianity foisted on the unsuspecting world by those nasty fundamentalists and others who are actually so naive as to insist on minor things like sola scriptura. Watch this, and see for yourself who is being humble, and who is the epitome of hubris. (The comments at the post are especially eye-opening in this regard.)

The ~~emergent/emerging~~ pupating church likes to pretend that they're "engaging in conversation" (boy, what a hackneyed phrase that has become), but apparently that applies only if you're one of their sycophants. Otherwise, they're more interested in shouting you down, because (of course), you're hopelessly backwards and you don't really understand them anyways - after all, if you truly understood them, you'd agree with them, too. But, then, since you have negative things to say about them, you're just so mean and uncharitable (not merely "inaccurate," mind you, but downright "uncharitable" - which, as the moderator of the panel points out, is a value judgment - Exhibit #1 in the illustration of ~~emergent/emerging~~ pupating "tolerance" for differing views) and have therefore forfeited your right to speak up.

If the ~~emergent/emerging~~ pupating church is hosting a smørgåsbord where (hackneyed phrase alert) "nuanced views" are the norm and any religious belief is welcome (as long as it doesn't come from one of those hidebound Bible-thumpers), then, the ~~emergent/emerging~~ pupating church, like any good host, is making sure that they provide plenty of whine for their anything-goes-except-Scriptural-doctrine lovefest.

~~Emergent/emerging~~ Pupating humility, anyone?

Illinois/Chicago Politics - Say No More

2008-12-09T12:38:00.002-06:00

I'm not surprised. Frankly, it's about time!

Now if we could only get rid of all the crooks inhabiting the hallowed halls of our political institutions.

Congratulations, America.

2008-11-05T11:21:00.002-06:00

51% of you just got snookered by a Chicago machine pol. Hope you're happy now, because in 4 years you'll be singing a different tune. If Obama gets to implement his tax policies, you'll have plenty of change - after all the withholdings are taken from your paycheck, all you'll have is chump change. Forget about upward mobility.

Tax Lesson for the Average Man

2008-10-27T12:17:00.002-05:00

A comment from the post "Redistribution of Wealth Experiment":

Explaining Our U.S. Tax System with Beer

Suppose that every day, ten men go out for beer and the bill for all ten comes to $100. If they paid their bill the way we pay our taxes, it would go something like this:

The first four men (the poorest) would pay nothing.
The fifth would pay $1.
The sixth would pay $3.
The seventh would pay $7.
The eighth would pay $12.
The ninth would pay $18.
The tenth man (the richest) would pay $59.

So, that’s what they decided to do. The ten men drank in the bar every day and seemed quite happy with the arrangement, until one day, the owner threw them a curve. ‘Since you are all such good customers,’ he said, ‘I’m going to reduce the cost of your daily beers by $20. Drinks for the ten now cost just $80.’

The group still wanted to pay their bill the way we pay our taxes so the first four men were unaffected. They would still drink for free. But what about the other six men - the paying customers? How could they divide the $20 windfall so that everyone would get his ‘fair share?’

They realized that $20 divided by six is $3.33. But if they subtracted that from everybody’s share, then the fifth man and the sixth man would each end up being paid to drink his beer. So, the bar owner suggested that it would be fair to reduce each man’s bill by roughly the same amount, and he proceeded to work out the amounts each should pay.

And so: The fifth man, like the first four, now paid nothing (100% savings).
The sixth now paid $2 instead of $3 (33%savings).
The seventh now pay $5 instead of $7 (28%savings).
The eighth now paid $9 instead of $12 (25% savings).
The ninth now paid $14 instead of $18 (22% savings).
The tenth now paid $49 instead of $59 (16% savings).

Each of the six was better off than before and the first four continued to drink for free, but once outside the restaurant, the men began to compare their savings. “I only got a dollar out of the $20,” declared the sixth man. He pointed to the tenth man, “but he got $10!” “Yeah, that’s right,”exclaimed the fifth man. “I only saved a dollar, too. It’s unfair that he got TEN times more than I!” “That’s true!!” shouted the seventh man. “Why should he get $10 back when I got only two? The wealthy get all the breaks!” “Wait a minute,” yelled the first four men in unison. “We didn’t get anything at all. The system exploits the poor!” The nine men surrounded the tenth and beat him up.

The next night the tenth man didn’t show up for drinks, so the nine sat down and had beers without him. But when it came time to pay the bill, they discovered something very important….they didn’t have enough money between all of them for even half of the bill!

And that, boys and girls, journalists and college professors, is how our tax system works. The people who pay the highest taxes get the most benefit from a tax reduction. Tax them too much, attack them for being wealthy, and they just may not show up anymore. In fact, they might start drinking overseas where the atmosphere is somewhat friendlier.

David R. Kamerschen, Ph.D. Professor of Economics University of Georgia

Face it: Bad things happen when you ignore the Ten Commandments:

Thou shalt not covet thy neighbor's house, thou shalt not covet thy neighbor's wife, nor his manservant, nor his maidservant, nor his ox, nor his ass, nor any thing that is thy neighbor's. (Exodus 20:17)

It's Fall...

2008-10-25T15:08:00.002-05:00

and the nuts are out in full force.

I don't care which side you're on - if you're going off the deep end, seek professional help.

Seriously.

Liar, Liar

2008-10-15T22:41:00.002-05:00

Obama:

You didn't tell Joe the Plumber that he needed a tax cut four or five years ago. You told him he needed to "spread the wealth" around - and no doubt you think that it's government's role to enforce compliance with your socialist scheme.

Taking people's hard-earned money and giving it to shiftless bums who would rather whine about not having enough money instead of moving up the economic ladder by the sweat of their brow is NOT the way to stave off recession/depression.

Non-Conservation of Angular Momentum - How does Torque Come into Play?

2008-10-07T23:13:00.005-05:00

Okay, here is a rotational motion problem that is baffling me:

We are given an object's (specifically, a wheel's) moment of inertia, an initial rpm, and a final rpm. The question is: What (constant) torque is required to produce the angular acceleration?

No time is mentioned at all, so

(torque) = (moment of inertia)(angular acceleration)

is out. I suspect that I must use angular momentum somehow. However, the book (Schaum's Outline series) provides no specific examples, except in the case of conservation of angular momentum. On the net there are tons of examples of conservation of angular momentum when there is no net torque acting on the object. But I can't find any examples to tie together

(final angular momentum) - (initial angular momentum)

and torque.

This is driving me nuts.

Why the Subprime Mess Redux

2008-10-06T21:56:00.003-05:00

Well, the video that explained the subprime mess has mysteriously vanished.

Fancy that. Bet they didn't take down the Obama-jugend video.

Hmm - wonder why? Who's got something to hide?

Throw a rock at a pack of dogs, and you can tell which one got hit by the yelping.

Truth hurts, I suppose.

Another reason not to trust any politician with a (D) after his name.

"Community Organizer"?

2008-10-02T14:10:00.000-05:00

More like community rabble rouser.

Why the Subprime Mess?

2008-09-26T18:28:00.002-05:00

A concise explanation:

Of course, the Dumbocrats are the usual suspects in this fiasco. They are more concerned about their own bank accounts than they are for the economy, or the American people. For shame! Those bums all need to be thrown out, including Wonder Boy Obambi.

If You Love Your Freedom of Speech...

2008-09-18T19:03:00.002-05:00

...you'd better think twice before you vote for Obambi. The "Anointed One" evidently can't tolerate any criticism.

Slublog's astute observation:

One of the great ironies of this election is that liberals are worshiping a guy who embodies everything they claim to hate about the Bush administration.

'Nuff said.

I'm no Hillary fan, but...

2008-09-10T12:45:00.002-05:00

...the way she's been treated by the MSM and those within her own party is nothing short of disgusting, especially if allegations of widespread, systematic voter fraud turn out to be true. Obambi (which is an insult to Bambi, to be sure, and not nearly enough of a putdown of the Dem's "messiah") is little more than puppet who can't even piece together a half-way coherent sentence without someone writing it down for him first and then flashing it on a teleprompter. Small wonder "Mr. Eloquent" lacks the guts to go head to head with McCain/Palin in town hall forums.

Elsewhere, in watching this music video, a couple of things struck me immediately:

Obambi positively exudes contempt for Mrs. Clinton - captured very well in one of the stills. (I wonder if that was before or after he asked her to do his dirty work for him by going after Sarah Palin, hmm?)

Another still, evidently taken at some political rally, shows a number of politicians (Hillary among them, I believe) in front of huge American flag backdrop. Tellingly, everyone except Obambi has their hand over their heart.

And, a final note - the boys at Triablogue make an interesting point regarding Keith Olbermann: Does he realize that with his ranting about Gov. Palin's Pentecostal connections, he's effectively managed to insult a wide swath of black Obama supporters? News flash for Olbermann: in the interest of preserving what's left of your career, try exercising a little of that good ol' liberal virture of tolerance and go read up on some basic information about Christianity, evangelicalism, and Pentecostalism. You might just be able to avoid shooting yourself in the foot next time.

Back from the Wild

2008-08-11T16:30:00.009-05:00

Spent a week camping in Michigan. We didn't see any bear this time, but we did see deer and either a fox or a coyote (it darted across the road, and I caught a glimpse of it too late to tell).

Here are a few pix of our trip.

Our campsite (lower Michigan - the "little finger").

Fun around the campfire.

Playing among the rocky shoals.

Sleeping Bear Sand Dunes.

"Tree tunnel" north of Harbor Springs.

Tahquamenon Falls - the upper falls.

Tahquamenon Falls - the lower falls.

Hippie Dreams

2008-07-23T11:50:00.003-05:00

I remember when the musical "Hair" was the in thing. Of course, the top-40 stations played the 5th Dimensions' "Age of Aquarius," with such pithy lyrics like

Harmony and understanding
Sympathy and trust abounding
No more forces of derision
Golden living dreams of visions
Mystic crystal revelations
And the mind's true liberation

Yeah, right. I suppose if you're toking dope 90% of the time, you might actually start believing that stuff, too. In the ensuing 40 years, however, I sure don't recall a lot of harmony, understanding, sympathy, or even trust abounding. You would think that only aging hippies would still buy into that line, but it looks like the Obamaniacs have tried to retool those canards, with the result that the true Obama believers have no doubt that there's nothing that BHO can't do, including walk on water.

Meanwhile, as Charles Krauthammer put it the other day, the rest of us have gone from "Who is he?" to "Who does he think he is?"

Well, He Didn't Fit in the Dishwasher...

2008-07-19T11:07:00.002-05:00

Face it, sometimes the kitchen sink is the handiest thing!

Another Reason to Homeschool II

2008-07-16T11:57:00.001-05:00

Glad I'm not in France. I'd like to think that an American audience would do better, but I'm not so sure:

http://view.break.com/335023 - Watch more free videos

Another Reason to Homeschool

2008-07-09T13:35:00.002-05:00

Introducing "forgiving" division - one of the latest fads from the wonderful world of the educrats, where constructivist philosophy decrees that constantly reinventing the wheel is somehow nobler and more memorable than instruction in the proper use of tools in the first place. Sure it works, but that in and of itself is no reason to advocate the abandonment of traditional long division.

You could pound nails with a rock. That "works," but you'll never catch a joiner or master craftsman tossing out his hammer and filling his toolbox with various chunks of gneiss.

If you have the stomach, witness the silliness:

Coming Soon to a Barnes & Noble Near You?

2008-06-11T11:21:00.003-05:00

The bozos over at Barnes & Noble evidently don't understand the difference between "making something available" and "shoving it in your face." Selling homosexual erotica is one thing; making it readily available at kids' eye level is quite another.

Does Barnes & Noble really want to be complicit in contributing to the corruption of minors? They may have the "right" to peddle porn, but they do not have the OBLIGATION to do so, especially in an upscale establishment that ostensibly welcomes families by having a children's section.

One More, for Math Geeks

2008-06-02T14:33:00.001-05:00

The singer needs voice lessons, but geeks can overlook that shortcoming:

An Engineer's Guide to Cats

2008-06-02T14:01:00.000-05:00

Found this on my internet wanderings:

Haiku

2008-05-29T17:51:00.000-05:00

A bright, calm morning
A white flash, but not the sun
Obaasan weeps

The Duel

2008-05-27T09:46:00.001-05:00

Eugene Field. 1850–1895

The Duel

THE GINGHAM dog and the calico cat
Side by side on the table sat;
'T was half-past twelve, and (what do you think!)
Nor one nor t' other had slept a wink!
The old Dutch clock and the Chinese plate
Appeared to know as sure as fate
There was going to be a terrible spat.
(I wasn't there; I simply state
What was told to me by the Chinese plate!)

The gingham dog went "bow-wow-wow!"
And the calico cat replied "mee-ow!"
The air was littered, an hour or so,
With bits of gingham and calico,
While the old Dutch clock in the chimney-place
Up with its hands before its face,
For it always dreaded a family row!
(Never mind: I 'm only telling you
What the old Dutch clock declares is true!)

The Chinese plate looked very blue,
And wailed, "Oh, dear! what shall we do!"
But the gingham dog and the calico cat
Wallowed this way and tumbled that,
Employing every tooth and claw
In the awfullest way you ever saw—
And, oh! how the gingham and calico flew!
(Don't fancy I exaggerate—
I got my news from the Chinese plate!)

Next morning where the two had sat
They found no trace of dog or cat;
And some folks think unto this day
That burglars stole that pair away!
But the truth about the cat and pup
Is this: they ate each other up!
Now what do you really think of that!
(The old Dutch clock it told me so,
And that is how I came to know.)

You can watch the fur fly here.

A Blast from CCM's Past

2008-05-08T14:28:00.000-05:00

Not a popular message these days, especially amongst those who consider themselves "progressive" or "emerg***".

What Do You Want to Be When You Grow Up?

2008-04-19T13:56:00.002-05:00

It's sad that such a concept is deemed almost heretical to the average man in the street, but it's true. Why push everyone into college? Not all high school graduates are really cut out for college, and it is irrational to rack up a ton of debt for something that for most people is irrelevant to success in one's adult life.

Sushi for the Rest of Us

2008-04-14T11:27:00.001-05:00

Here. Made from the finest cows, I'm sure.

Westminster Shorter Catechism, Ques. XXII - XXIV

2008-04-13T10:00:00.000-05:00

XXII. Ques. How did Christ, being the Son of God, become man?

Ans. Christ, the Son of God, became man, by taking to himself a true body and a reasonable soul, being conceived by the power of the Holy Ghost, in the womb of the Virgin Mary, and born of her, yet without sin.

XXIII. Ques. What offices doth Christ execute as our Redeemer?

Ans. Christ, as our Redeemer, executeth the offices of a prophet, of a priest, and of a king, both in his estate of humiliation and exaltation.

XXIV. Ques. How doth Christ execute the office of a prophet?

Ans. Christ executeth the office of a prophet, in revealing to us, by his word and Spirit, the will of God for our salvation.

Gifted? Oh, Really?

2008-04-11T18:29:00.002-05:00

According to a US Census Bureau report, nearly 25% of kids "were in a special class for gifted students or did advanced work in an academic subject." Must be a rather expansive definition of "gifted" - IQ scores of 130+ ("gifted" and "genius" level), being normally distributed, are less than 3% of the population.

Question: If 1 in 4 students are "gifted" or doing "advanced" subject work, why then have SAT scores steadily declined since the early '60's?

I think a lot of the "gifted" labeling is probably motivated by the opportunity to get additional funding more than anything else.

Westminster Shorter Catechism, Ques. XIX - XXI

2008-04-06T21:35:00.002-05:00

XIX. Ques. What is the misery of that estate whereinto man fell?

Ans. All mankind by their fall lost communion with God, are under his wrath and curse, and so made liable to all the miseries in this life, to death itself, and to the pains of hell for ever.

XX. Ques. Did God leave all mankind to perish in the estate of sin and misery?

Ans. God having, out of his mere good pleasure, from all eternity, elected some to everlasting life, did enter into a covenant of grace, to deliver them out of the estate of sin and misery, and to bring them into an estate of salvation by a Redeemer.

XXI. Ques. Who is the Redeemer of God's elect?

Ans. The only Redeemer of God's elect is the Lord Jesus Christ, who, being the eternal Son of God, became man, and so was, and continueth to be, God and man in two distinct natures, and one person for ever.

Ghost Pix!!

2008-03-31T18:24:00.003-05:00

Well, one, at any rate. Haven't really had enough time to fritter away working on it. Hope you like it, though - does it look ghosty enough? Lincoln is standing at his writing desk in his bedroom at the home in Springfield.

Westminster Shorter Catechism, Ques. XVI - XVIII

2008-03-30T18:17:00.000-05:00

XVI. Ques. Did all mankind fall in Adam's first transgression?

Ans. The covenant being made with Adam, not only for himself, but for his posterity, all mankind, descending from him by ordinary generation, sinned in him, and fell with him, in his first transgression.

XVII. Ques. Into what estate did the fall bring mankind?

Ans. The fall brought mankind into an estate of sin and misery.

XVIII. Ques. Wherein consists the sinfulness of that estate whereinto man fell?

Ans. The sinfulness of that estate whereinto man fell, consists in the guilt of Adam's first sin, the want of original righteousness, and the corruption of his whole nature, which is commonly called original sin, together with all actual transgressions which proceed from it.

Hyperliteralist

2008-03-29T22:14:00.003-05:00

We took a couple of days off to visit some Lincoln sites in Springfield. At the hotel, I told the baby to put his shoes by the door. Here you see his interpretation of my command. I suppose when you're only two, everything is pretty clear-cut, and "by the door" means exactly that: by the door. :)

Later on this week I'll try to post some pix from our visit to the Lincoln sites. (We didn't see any ghosts, so I'll try and enlist Gimp to tweak a picture or two accordingly. :D )

Westminster Shorter Catechism, Ques. XIII - XV

2008-03-23T19:26:00.002-05:00

XII. Ques. Did our first parents continue in the estate wherein they were created?

Ans. Our first parents, being left to the freedom of their own will, fell from the estate wherein they were created, by sinning against God.

XIV. Ques. What is sin?

Ans. Sin is any want of conformity unto, or transgression of, the law of God.

XV. Ques. What was the sin whereby our first parents fell from the estate wherein they were created?

Ans. The sin whereby our first parents fell from the estate wherein they were created, was their eating the forbidden fruit.

Japanese Pizza

2008-03-19T10:16:00.000-05:00

Say no more:

Westminster Shorter Catechism, Ques. X - XII

2008-03-16T18:00:00.000-05:00

X. Ques. How did God create man?

Ans. God created man male and female, after his own image, in knowledge, righteousness, and holiness, with dominion over the creatures.

XI. Ques. What are God's works of providence?

Ans. God's works of providence are his most holy, wise, and powerful preserving and governing all his creatures, and all their actions.

XII. Ques. What special act of providence did God exercise towards man in the estate wherein he was created?

Ans. When God had created man, he entered into a covenant of life with him, upon condition of perfect obedience; forbidding him to eat of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, upon the pain of death.

Experience? Pheh - Who Needs It?

2008-03-15T12:24:00.002-05:00

Evidently, that's what a lot of people think regarding Obama's "qualifications." The rest of us, however, realize that Obama has no noteworthy accomplishments to his name. There is nothing on his resume to suggest that he has any leadership qualities to speak of. The most that can be said of him is that he has the gift of blab (as do most other politicians, so this "gift" can hardly be considered "noteworthy").

Not only is the man unimpressive, but the vomit that spews forth from the mouth of his "pastor" of 20 years is pretty vile and disgusting, too. If a white person had said such things about another race, he'd be labeled "racist" without a moment's hesitation or any second thoughts. Why, then, does the "reverend" largely get a free pass regarding his vitriolic bile? Obama supposedly has attempted to distance himself from the "reverend" by claiming that he doesn't fully agree with everything the "reverend" says, etc. Day late and a dollar short, Mr. Obama. He's been your "pastor" for 20 years and you've claimed him as a "mentor;" only now that the man's vile speeches have been exposed to the light do you deem it expedient to loosen your embrace of the "reverend."

I don't know which is scarier: the fact that so many people seem to consider Obama as a serious presidential candidate, or that so many people would let race be the determinative factor in their decision for a particular presidential candidate. Maybe the liberals are right - maybe racism is alive and well in America. I guess Martin Luther King had it all backwards: it's not the content of a man's character that counts, it's the color of his skin.

If you share the sentiment that Obama lacks the pertinent qualifications to be Commander-in-Chief, you can get a bumper sticker to publicize your conviction.

Westminster Shorter Catechism, Ques. VII - IX

2008-03-09T17:48:00.002-05:00

VII. Ques. What are the decrees of God?

Ans. The decrees of God are his eternal purpose, according to the counsel of his own will, whereby, for his own glory, he hath fore-ordained whatsoever comes to pass.

VIII. Ques. How doth God execute his decrees?

Ans. God executeth his decrees in the works of creation and providence.

IX. Ques. What is the work of creation?

Ans. The work of creation is God's making all things of nothing, by the word of his power, in the space of six days, and all very good.

More Gimping Around

2008-03-07T15:39:00.005-06:00

Although I haven't been able to achieve exactly the effect I'm looking for, it seems like I'm at least heading in the right direction. Recent efforts:

Some pictures seem to lend themselves better to this type of treatment than do others. (Last picture: Edo Castle Wall.)

Westminster Shorter Catechism, Q IV - VI

2008-03-02T20:32:00.002-06:00

IV. Ques. What is God?

Ans. God is a spirit, infinite, eternal, and unchangeable, in his being, wisdom, power, holiness, justice, goodness, and truth.

V. Ques. Are there more Gods than one?

Ans. There is but one only, the living and true God.

VI. Ques. How many persons are there in the Godhead?

Ans. There are three persons in the Godhead, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost; and these three are one God, the same in substance, equal in power and glory.

Gimping Around

2008-02-27T17:27:00.004-06:00

I've been practicing some of the techniques as described in this tutorial. Here are a couple of my better efforts thus far:

Westminster Shorter Catechism, Q I - III

2008-02-24T19:16:00.002-06:00

Something that I've thought about for some time and finally started doing was learning the Shorter Catechism. I've been taking them at the steady pace of three questions per week, and figured it was a good idea to review them here on the blog as well.

I. Ques. What is the chief end of man?

Ans. Man's chief end is to glorify God, and to enjoy him forever.

II. Ques. What rule hath God given to direct us how we may glorify and enjoy him?

Ans. The word of God, which is contained in the scriptures of the Old and New Testaments, is the only rule to direct us how we may glorify and enjoy him.

III. Ques. What do the Scriptures principally teach?

Ans. The Scriptures principally teach what man is to believe concerning God, and what duty God requires of man.

Oh, Really?

2008-02-23T09:09:00.003-06:00

This is precisely why many of us are skeptical regarding China's supposed openness to capitalism. Politically, economically, philosophically - they're still communist in heart.

You Think You've Got Problems.........!

2008-02-19T20:31:00.002-06:00

(The following is something that I got from the Japanese language email group that I belong to.)

BIG PROBLEMS AT JAPANESE BANKS.

Following the problems in the sub-prime lending market in America and the run on Northern Rock Building Society in the UK, uncertainty has now hit Japan.

In the last 7 days Origami Bank has folded, Sumo Bank has gone belly up and Bonsai Bank announced plans to cut some of its branches.

Yesterday, it was announced that Karaoke Bank is up for sale and will likely go for a song, while today shares in Kamikaze Bank were suspended after they nose-dived.

Furthermore, 500 staff at Karate Bank got the chop and analysts report that there is something fishy going on at Sushi Bank where it is feared that staff may get a raw deal.

Japanese Tetris

2008-02-18T13:50:00.000-06:00

Frustration needs no translation. Sure is funny, though:

Plausible Myths

2008-02-15T14:04:00.002-06:00

Well, my alma mater has made national news. The smoke hadn't even cleared before folks spouted the inevitable knee-jerk reaction: "We need more gun control laws!"

Thing is, declaring a school to be a "gun-free" zone only gives an illusion of safety. Until and unless you can convince someone bent on murder and mayhem that he shouldn't use a gun because it's against the law, your lawbreaker will use the "gun-free" zone as his personal shooting range full of terrified sitting ducks. Gun bans only give more power and control to the lawbreaker, not to law-abiding citizens whom the gun ban ostensibly protects.

It's time to lay to rest the myth of "gun-free" zones. Educate the citizenry about the lawful use of weapons, allow them to protect themselves, thereby making it a fair fight. Make it harder for mentally ill people to obtain firearms by enforcing the laws presently on the books - don't make it more difficult for law-abiding citizens of sound mind to protect themselves.

Smokey Bear, Where Are You?

2008-02-11T23:03:00.000-06:00

Korea's #1 National Treasure, a victim of arson:

They Don't Make 'Em Like They Used To

2008-02-08T23:49:00.000-06:00

At this site are some pix of Big Loo, the robot that terrified me as a pre-school child. The neighbor kids across the street had one of those things, and of course once the older brother found out how much I hated it, he proceeded to exploit that weakness at every conceivable opportunity. When they moved away a few years later, they bequeathed me the ghastly thing - perhaps it was an armchair attempt at psychotherapy to cure me of my aversion. I can't recall that it worked, and somewhere along the way Big Loo got dumped. To tell the truth, I couldn't even remember what it was called until I finally found an entry in a toy collectibles book. Supposedly Big Loo goes for $2600 now - if only I had known he was actually going to be worth something some day!

Perhaps if I had seen this commercial, I would have been persuaded on how cool the robot really was.

Winter Driving Crash Course

2008-02-02T14:59:00.000-06:00

Pay attention now, class. In this Winter Driving Crash Course, you will learn some basic physics that will help you avoid getting into crashes due to gross ignorance. Namely, you will learn Newton's Three Laws of Motion:

A physical body will remain at rest, or continue to move at a constant velocity, unless an external net force acts upon it.
The net force on a body is equal to its mass multiplied by its acceleration.
For every action there is an equal and opposite reaction.

How will this help me to drive in snow, you say? Very simple. These three laws (particularly the first one) form the basis for the cardinal rule of winter driving:

Any change in velocity must be done gradually.

This means:

If you speed up, do it gradually.
If you slow down, do it gradually.
If you make a turn, do it gradually.

That's it. That's all that you have to remember, really. Acceleration / deceleration and making turns all constitute a change in velocity, so any one of these must be done gradually due to the reduced frictional force from the snow. It's the idiots that try to peel rubber, slam on the brakes, or think they can take turns at normal speeds that wind up in the ditch.

1st Corollary:

Driving in a straight line at constant speed means that you will continue going in a straight line at constant speed. You won't wind up in a ditch. That is for the idiots who think that the laws of physics are suspended for them because they happen to have 4-wheel drive.

You are not safer because you're driving slowly. You're safer because you're driving in a straight line. In fact, driving slowly can pose just as much a hazard as the 4-wheel-drive idiots who don't know what they're doing. Driving slowly means (for instance) that you won't have enough momentum to make it up a hill - you'll start sliding backwards, and then you'll end up in a ditch.

2nd Corollary (for idiots - repeat 50 times, or however many times it takes to sink in):

Having 4-wheel drive does not make me invincible. The laws of physics still apply to me. I still have to make changes in velocity gradually. If not, I will wind up in a ditch, 4-wheel drive and all.

Stupid Laws

2008-01-29T07:11:00.001-06:00

Somebody please explain to me why I should be required to pay unemployment insurance on myself. The idiocy of such an idea ranks right up there with other scams like mandatory insurance and social security.

Just another example of the government taking our money and flushing it down a big black hole. We'll never see it again.

Contentious and Angry Woman

2008-01-26T18:16:00.000-06:00

Better to dwell in the wilderness,
Than with a contentious and angry woman.

Prov 21:19 (NKJV)

(Which no doubt provides insight as to Bill's preference for separate quarters....)

The Aquariums of Pyongyang

2008-01-17T21:50:00.000-06:00

I got The Aquariums of Pyongyang the other day. It is the eye-opening story of a nine-year-old boy who was sent, along with his father, grandmother, uncle, and seven-year-old sister, to one of the North Korean concentration camps. Their "crime"? The grandfather had been marked as a political enemy, which condemned the entire family (save the mother) to ten years in the gulag for "reeducation." It is nearly impossible for us to imagine life in the hellhole he describes, and what is even more astonishing is that the particular camp that he and his family were sent to wasn't even considered one of the hard labor camps. Imagine being brutally kicked and beaten for the merest infraction of the rules. Imagine being so hungry that you would literally eat anything that moved - centipedes, earthworms, salamanders, rats, frogs. Imagine working outside in single-digit (or colder) temperatures dressed in nothing but rags. Imagine cleaning out a latrine by hand. Imagine digging mass graves for the hundreds that didn't make it through the winter. Imagine plowing a field with rudimentary tools, and discovering rotting corpses in the overturned earth. Imagine that despite the horror of these conditions, there are other camps that are far more hellish.

The book is a very compelling read, and although I didn't intend to, I ended up reading the entire book from cover to cover in one day; it sounds like a cliche, but I really didn't want to put the book down. It should be required reading by anyone who thinks that man is basically good, or thinks that the efforts of man (i.e. socialism, fascism, communism) can create paradise on earth. It should be read by anyone who thinks that they can cozy up to a totalitarian regime and not get burned because they're somehow special or will be protected. (Liberals: You would do well to remember this about Islam.)

Listen: Whenever one of these despots gets into power, the first ones to be purged are always those who were unquestioningly faithful to the man and the principles - and the purge doesn't stop there.

Like excrement, a purge starts at the top and runs downhill, sparing no one.

May God have mercy and depose the tyrant of Pyongyang. May He bring freedom and righteousness to that tortured nation.

Drives Me Nuts

2008-01-15T15:25:00.000-06:00

...and, as my father would say, it's a short trip. The kids got toys for Christmas, and the packaging is insane. Instead of putting all the accessories in a separate plastic bag, the toys are packaged such that all the tiny little doodads and thingamabobs are positioned as if they were being played with. Of course, they can't stay in that position by themselves, so every conceivable doodad, door, hinged part, truck, bed, and whatever is tied down with wired that is twisted around half a million times, or held down with plastic little rubber-band type things. It takes forever (well, to an antsy kid it might as well be forever) to take the toy out of the package.

I'm sure it's part of a vast conspiracy to put all parents in the loony bin!