Just when I think politics can’t get any stranger, a Congressional candidate in Alabama seems to be advocating armed rebellion. What bothers me is the bewildering lack of historical understanding on display here. Railing against a progressive income tax? Thomas Paine was in favor; read The Rights of Man where he devotes an entire chapter.Continue reading “On the Tea Party and Their Place in History”
On Doctor Who Anticipation
The more I watch Doctor Who this year, the more impressed I am. The reason? I have the sense that Steven Moffat is creating (and has achieved) a 13-part story. Each episode feels like a chapter in a novel, and now we stand on the cusp of the conclusion. And I have no idea whatContinue reading “On Doctor Who Anticipation”
On World Cup Musings
I’ll be honest. I’m indifferent to the World Cup. I’ve nothing against soccer. I like Hibs in the Scottish Premier League, for instance. I’ve played FIFA on the PS2 and Xbox; I’ve even been decent at playing it. Nick Hornby’s Fever Pitch is a fantastic book — and Jimmy Fallon’s Fever Pitch is an utterContinue reading “On World Cup Musings”
On Shore Leave Anticipation
Shore Leave is coming up. The second weekend in July — the 9th through the 11th. Guests this year include Edward James Olmos and Katee Sackhoff. If you’re in the Baltimore area in mid-July and you’re looking for a convention, Shore Leave’s worth your time. I bring up Shore Leave because yesterday I received anContinue reading “On Shore Leave Anticipation”
On Mid-Week Errata
I’ve had Cat Stevens’ “Peace Train” stuck in my head today. My day actually began with Jethro Tull. My Tull collection is not large — Aqualung, the Christmas album, a greatest hits album. While working this morning, I needed something different to keep me going, and “Locomotive Breath” from Aqualung seemed auspicious. Which made meContinue reading “On Mid-Week Errata”
On Things I’ve Been Reading
I haven’t done one of my comic book reading round-ups since, umm, well… it’s been about nine months. I’ve read a lot of comics in the past nine months. I’m not going to try and catch up on things I’ve read; instead, I’ll point out three things I’ve read recently. Do Androids Dream of ElectricContinue reading “On Things I’ve Been Reading”
On the New Blog Design
After deciding to redesign my blog’s layout, I decided against it. I ran a Hot Wax Weekend instead over Memorial Day. The thing was, I’d already started coding the new website design I’d selected, taking the CoolBlue stylesheet from StyleShout. I had the “main” files done — header.php, index.php, sidebar.php, and footer.php. Yes, there areContinue reading “On the New Blog Design”
On Walking Through Rain
My last hour at the office, the skies grew ever darker. I had not brought my umbrella to work with me; it was barely cloudy when I left the house and I neglected to check the weather forecast. Even at lunch, sitting on the outdoor patio at Chipotle, what clouds there were were billowy, cottonyContinue reading “On Walking Through Rain”
On a Retro Weekend
Hot Wax Weekend! When I was young, the local radio stations had a Hot Wax Weekend from time to time; they would roll back the clock and play hits of the 60s instead of hits of the 80s. For me, on a Hot Wax Weekend, I also turn back the clock. The blogging clock. ToContinue reading “On a Retro Weekend”
On a Reminder of the Past
I received in the mail today a “Save the Date” postcard. My 20 year high school reunion is this year, midway through Wedmath. I’m not planning on attending. The reasons aren’t complicated, and were probably best explicated by Martin Blank in Grosse Pointe Blank — “I don’t know what I have in common with thoseContinue reading “On a Reminder of the Past”