Category Archives: The Culture

Rule 5: Nancy Upton

Posted on June 6, 2015 | 1 comment

NancyUptonDallas

Speaking of irony, Dallas native Nancy Upton knows her some.

1 Comment

Posted in Texana, The Culture

Tagged , , ,

Why we can’t win wars anymore

Posted on June 5, 2015 | 1 comment

Mr. B. goes for an interview this morning with some city bureaucrat for a lifeguarding job at a public pool this summer. While I deal with the fence guy (who allegedly will be coming around 8 a.m. after failing again to show yesterday) Mrs. C. must go along with No. 1 son.

Can’t just drop him off, then come back for him. A parent “must be with him at all times,” sayeth the city. If the city can’t trust their own office personnel not to abuse a 15-year-old boy, how can they trust him to lifeguard by himself? Or is a parent expected to sit in the vicinity during his pool shift? Apparently not. Apparently they do trust the supervisor of lifeguards. Can’t imagine why.

What a chicken-shit society we live in. No wonder we can’t win wars anymore.

1 Comment

Posted in Mr. Boy, Mrs. Charm, Texana, The Culture

Tagged

The Fart, Barf & Itch Air Force

Posted on June 4, 2015 | 1 comment

“The FBI is operating a small air force with scores of low-flying planes across the country carrying video and, at times, cellphone surveillance technology — all hidden behind fictitious companies that are fronts for the government, The Associated Press has learned.

“The planes’ surveillance equipment is generally used without a judge’s approval, and the FBI said the flights are used for specific, ongoing investigations. In a recent 30-day period, the agency flew above more than 30 cities in 11 states across the country, an AP review found.”

Looks like Rand Paul’s battle with the NSA—which I predict he will lose despite his initial victory—is only the beginning. Or maybe not.

Via NR’s Jim Geraghty

1 Comment

Posted in Blogosphere, Obamalot, The Culture, The Drug War

Tagged , ,

Chamber Orchestra Workshop

Posted on June 3, 2015 | 4 comments

Less than a week still to practice for my five-day Chamber Orchestra Workshop at Blackerby Violin on Anderson Lane not far from the rancho.

Twenty of us adult beginners, including violins, cellos and violas, will be rehearsing Telemann’s Concerto In D Major, Elgar’s Chanson de Matin, and Mozart’s Serenade in Four Movements for a recital on the last day. “The real classical repertoire,” as my teacher put it. But also a couple of light things such as Scarborough Fair.

After several years of playing Old Time and contra dance music, and lately practicing jazz ballads and klezmer, this will be my first venture into classical music. I think it’s going to be fun.

UPDATE:  Fun, yes, but also work. Not only am I one of the few 70-or-older participants, I’m the only one without much classical in my musical background.

4 Comments

Posted in Fiddle Stuff, Music, The Culture

Tagged ,

Battles of Wikipedia

Posted on June 1, 2015 | 3 comments

“There was the day in February [2008] when an editor replaced a photo of Hillary on her Wikipedia page with a picture of a walrus. Then there was the day this month [March 2008] when a Hillary supporter changed Obama’s bio so that it referred to him as ‘a Kenyan-American politician.'”

The problem of all encyclopedias, i.e. editorial bias, is sharpened by Wikipedia’s voluntary editing and real-time updating. These days it’s most obvious in the ongoing struggle over global warming/climate change (a wholly-owned subsidiary of the Democrat Party) in manipulated Wikipedia entries about the climate blog What’s Up With That. It’ll be back to political infighting in next year’s presidential campaigns.

Nevertheless, as you will see from the widget at the bottom left of this page, I support Wikipedia for what it indispensably is: a pretty good internet encyclopedia. You just have to read it with a suspicious eye sometimes.

But that was also true of the Britannica and the World Book set I had as a kid.

Via WUWT

3 Comments

Posted in Blogosphere, Library, Obamalot, The Culture, Weather/Climate

Tagged ,

2nd Amendment follies

Posted on May 31, 2015 | Comments Off on 2nd Amendment follies

Here’s an idea from Gay Patriot that the Stupid Party or the much smarter Tea Party really should look into.

“…if the right approached gun rights the same way the left approaches abortion and gay marriage, they would demand that the state subsidize gun purchases and that businesses be forced to sell guns whether they wanted to or not.”

Works for me. About time those RINOs in Congress got around to being proactive about something besides their graft.

Comments Off on 2nd Amendment follies

Posted in Blogosphere, Guns, Obsessions, The Culture

Tagged , ,

The ultimate in collateral

Posted on May 31, 2015 | 3 comments

Your creditors might pursue you across the galaxy to get their money, hammering you with repeated calls and voicemails. But after you die? Aren’t you free?

Not at one funeral home in Taylorsville, in northeastern California. (And probably others elsewhere.) They’ve been keeping this man’s “remains” since last October (seven months and counting) until his kin or friends pay the bill for cremation.

Talk about the ultimate in collateral.

3 Comments

Posted in Obituaries, The Culture, The Economy

Tagged , ,