Category: Varia
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Stupor Bowl Sunday
My annual Stupor Bowl Sunday rant, together with a nice curmudgeonly quotation from Edward 'Cactus Ed' Abbey, is here.
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For the New Year
One of the elements in my personal liturgy is a reading of the following passage every January 1st. I must have begun the practice in the mid-70s. Friedrich Nietzsche, The Gay Science, Book Four, #276, tr. Kaufmann: For the new year. — I still live, I still think: I still have to live, for I…
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Merry Christmas!
Top of the season to all my readers, new and old. Charles Brown, Please Come Home for Christmas. Elvis Presley, Blue Christmas. Jose Feliciano, Feliz Navidad.
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Professor Mondo
Looking for some high-quality conservative culture critique anent the antics of the late Captain Beefheart who died last week, I typed 'New Criterion Captain Beefheart' into the Google engine. I was forthwith conducted to the stoa of Professor Mondo, presumably because he links to New Criterion and recently posted about Beefheart. Noting that he also links…
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Conservative and Libertarian Deists
If you are on Facebook, this page by Mike Valle may be of interest.
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What Ever Happened to Linda Lovelace?
Her real name was Linda Boreman. The daughter of a New York City cop, she was raised in Yonkers and attended Catholic school where she was known as "Miss Holy Holy" because of her noli me tangere attitude. She died in April of 2002. Read her sad story here. Her case and that of others, Kerouac…
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Ned Polsky, Maverick Sociologist
Reader Ray Stahl of Port Angeles, Washington, kindly mailed me a copy of Ned Polsky, Hustlers, Beats, and Others. It is a work of sociology by a maverick sociologist, academically trained, but decidedly his own man. I wasn't aware of it or him until a few days ago. The preface already has me convinced that…
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Apologies to E-Mailers
If you have e-mailed me and haven't received a response, I apologize. During the last three days I have been revamping my 'work station,' including configuring and getting used to a new computer. It may be a day or two before I figure out how to access my e-mail account. There are some old e-mails that…
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Christopher Hitchens on the Topic of Cancer
Here. Via Malcolm Pollack.
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Innumeracy in the Check-Out Line
The Sarah Lee frozen pies were on sale, three for $10, at the local supermarket. I bought two, but they rang up as $4.99 each. I pointed out to the check-out girl that this was wrong, and she sent a 'gofer' to confirm my claim. Right I was. But now the lass was perplexed, having…
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Hitch Lives
Here.
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Islamic Bias at Wikipedia?
A post by our favorite logical sparring partner. Wikipedia is a helpful resource if used cautiously and skeptically.
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’60’s Era Noxzema Commercial: Take It All Off . . .
I well remember this one. Is there a blade in that razor? Would like to know the exact year. The theme music is David Rose, The Stripper. The tune in question became a hit in 1962, though it was composed earlier in '58, so I'd guess the commercial is from '63 or thereabouts.
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Superannuated Pussy Terrifies Leeds Letter Carriers
As a former mailman, I can tell you that if a pussycat keeps you from your appointed rounds, then you are one. "Postmen are refusing to deliver letters to a house because they are terrified of one of the residents – an elderly cat." Story here.
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Brew 102
I asked an old friend if he remembered the huge Brew 102 sign visible from a Los Angeles freeway back in the '50s and '60s. (See photo below.) His response: 'Deed I do remember Brew 102.Over the Hollywood Freeway.My arm 'round a cutie in a '55 BuickGoin' long 'ol Highway 101. Here is…