Category — Uncategorized

Amy Greenberg shows Sarah Polk as manipulative, scheming, deceptive, cunning and devoid of inconvenient compassion. But she also depicts a bright, sociable, and charming woman of her time, and in a regal way, attractive.   Read the rest of this entry »

Cons work on a macro level, too. It’s not that difficult to wholesale a lie. Bernie Madoff did by persuading investors he was realizing mathematically impossible investment gains. Only there were no investments. He used investor money to pay off other investors. He had everyone believing he had a golden touch. It worked until he ran out of other people’s money. Sort of like socialism, it was all a fairy story.

America has the necessary components: a dedicated minority determined to sell a myth and a larger population mesmerized by promises of a perfect society (and lots of free stuff).   Read the rest of this entry »

And now for something completely different - a steampunk/dieslpunk alternative history boardgame.   Read the rest of this entry »

The pairing of Churchill and Orwell in a title attracted this reader’s attention. That they were both superb writers did not seem adequate justification. Thomas Ricks explains that both were dedicated to preserving freedom, albeit in different ways. It is an intriguing title, but the author had to strain to maintain the connection.   Read the rest of this entry »

Orwell delivered a speech on the BBC in 1941 that appears to be a precursor to his novel 1984. Marcia examines the speech and finds some parallels for today and that despite his prescience, Orwell refused to give up on his dream of a socialist utopia. Such is cognitive dissonance.   Read the rest of this entry »

This is an excellent book on many levels. The husband-and-wife team of Cloud (former Washington bureau chief for Time) and Olson (former Moscow correspondent for Associated Press) pierce the smog of time to recall The Murrow Boys. They were broadcast journalists who both reported history and made it. In an accompanying chronicle, the authors’ describe radio’s glory days, its decline, and its impact on American life.   Read the rest of this entry »

There’s a pretty good article here on USA Today about the largest ship ever lost on the great lakes.

As big Gordon Lightfoot fan, it seems fitting to listen to this today.

…

  Read the rest of this entry »

GOP candidate Dr. Ben Carson tells Chuck Todd that the faith of a candidate should matter to voters and that Islam is not consistent with the Constitution.

Source: Ben Carson Does Not Believe a Muslim Should Be President – NBC …

  Read the rest of this entry »

I was going to review this show, but my son beat me to it (and probably did a better job.)   Read the rest of this entry »

A pretty good blog here from my son.

(He is a bit of an anachronism – all of his posts’ titles are taken from Rush lyrics and his blog was inspired in part by Ray Bradbury.)…

  Read the rest of this entry »