I've read four of the books on the list and two of the books I think shouldn't be on the list (including one I've read). Will try to read one a month for the year. Think The Beginning of Infinity by David Deutsche should make the list too. (Via)
Sunday, December 31, 2023
Linky Links
Stuff I found interesting or amusing and thought I'd share.
- 100 Year Plan: Securing your online legacy for a century. May have to look into this but the pricetag is a bit steep. (HT Kevin Kelly)
- DOJ accused of covering for "dep state" by not ordering second trial against SBF. Most corrupt DOJ in history.
Sunday Flotsam and Jetsam
Have a new miscellaneous thoughts and observations post up on Substack.
The NYT vs Open AI case is well worth watching. AI LLM (large language modules) shouldn't be trained on the sweat and inspiration of anyone. Sad to say but rooting for NYT. As always - please Subscribe (reminder starting tomorrow only Subscribers will have access to the Quotes for Today), hit the Like button, or share the Link. Thanks!
Quotes for Today
Some quotes I hope you may enjoy.
"I learned that courage was not the absence of fear, but the triumph over it. The brave man is not he who does not feel afraid, but who conquers that fear." - Nelson Mandela
"He's listed as day to day, but then again, aren't we all?" - Vin Scully
"A good book can make almost impossible existence livable." - Charles Bukowski
"Practice of compassion is ultimately a benefit to you. So I usually describe: we are selfish, but be wise selfish rather than foolish selfish." - Dalai Lama
Saturday, December 30, 2023
Saturday Flotsam and Jetsam
Have a new miscellaneous thoughts and observations post up on Substack.
Missouri is set to have two new laws outlawing transitioning youths from one sex to another go into effect Monday. Meanwhile Ohio Governor Mike DeWine veto's a similar law in his state. Somehow I take solace in Missouri kicking Ohio State's ass in the Cotton Bowl. As always - please Subscribe, hit the Like button, or share the Link. Enjoy the last Saturday of 2023.
Some Memes You May Enjoy
Quotes for Today
Some quotes I hope may resonate with you.
"Moral courage is the most valuable and usually the most absent characteristic in men." - George Patton
"A good bet in economics: the past wasn't as good as you remember, the present isn't as bad as you think, and the future will be better than you anticipate." - Morgan Housel
"I am enough of an artist to draw freely upon my imagination. Imagination is more important than knowledge. Knowledge is limited. Imagination circles the world." - Albert Einstein
"Be a free thinker and don't accept everything you hear as truth. Be critical and evaluate everything you believe in." - Aristotle
Friday, December 29, 2023
Linky Links
Stuff I found interesting or amusing and thought I'd share.
- What the US spends on education. If you saw how this compares to Europe you'd homeschool immediately.
- 20 tips for a positive new year. (From the archive.)
- Tyler Cowen on the "Harvard mess." (HT Steve Landry)
- Interesting profile of Corso and Herbstreit. Long but entertaining read.
Some Memes You May Enjoy
Friday Flotsam and Jetsam
Have a new miscellaneous thoughts and observation post up on Substack.
As always - please Subscribe, hit the Like button, or share the Link. As a reminder come Monday you'll have to a Subscriber to get the Quotes for Today. Thanks!
Quotes for Today
Some quotes I hope may resonate with you.
"The hero and the coward both feel the same thing, but the hero uses his fear, projects it onto his opponent, while the coward runs." - Cus D'Amato
"Forgive but do not forget, or you will be hurt again. Forgiving changes the perspectives. Forgetting loses the lessons." - Paulo Coelho
"We've been conditioned to think that only politicians can solve our problems. But at some point, maybe we will wake-up and recognize that it was politicians that created our problems." - Ben Carlson
"Anyone who stops learning is old, whether at twenty or eighty. Anyone who keeps learning stays young." - Henry Ford
Thursday, December 28, 2023
Life Advice
"A good plan, violently exercised now, is better than a perfect plan next week." - General George S. Patton
Like many military men, Patton believed in action. Likewise Ulysses S. Grant believed that speed and timing were more important than "having every soldier in perfect position." Not sure where this belief was first adopted but it has proved successful during the ages.
Likewise:
"Robert Johnson wrote that the word happiness comes from to happen. Our happiness is what happens." - Jeff Bridges
Our success and happiness in life comes from our actions. Be sure to act now - don't wait. Tomorrow is promised to no man.
Thursday Flotsam and Jetsam
Have a new miscellaneous thoughts and observations post up on Substack.
Not sure if I just missed this episode or if Tucket Carlson put out Episode 58 first but anyway - here's Episode 57. Enjoy - and please Subscribe, hit the Like button, or share the Link. Thanks!
Quotes for Today
Some quotes I hope may resonate with you.
"Our point is, if you try to approach every problem with your moral compass, first and foremost, you're going to make a lot of mistakes." - Stephen Dubner
"Don't go for funny. Go for the truth and you'll hit We ae\funny along the way," - Glenn Close
"We are simultaneous gods and worms. - Abraham Maslow
"If I'm not a little bit nauseous when I'm done, I probably didn't show up like I should have shown up." - Brene Brown
Wednesday, December 27, 2023
Ulysses S. Grant
Amid this Grant mania, many newspaper readers noted that in reports of the final day's fighting at Fort Donelson, Grant was holding a cigar - the one he received from Foote. Until that point, Grant had been primarily a pipe smoker. Now admirers flooded him with "boxes of the choicest brands" of cigars "from everywhere in the North. As many as ten thousand were soon received." Before long, Grant smoked eighteen to twenty cigars a day and they became an inescapable part of his persona. While many people characterized him as even-tempered, the compulsive smoking bespoke a deeper tension bottled up inside him. "Smoking seemed a necessity to General Grant's organism," said Ely Parker, who "noticed that he smoked the hardest when in deep thought, or engaged in writing an important document." The gift of so many cigars bred an ultimately fatal addiction.
Ulysses S. Grant was to die of throat cancer in 1885.
Some Memes You May Enjoy
Wednesday Flotsam and Jetsam
Have a new miscellaneous thoughts and observations post up on Substack.
The week between Christmas and New Year's Day really does need a name. Nothing gets done that week. At least in the week before Christmas people are busy delivering holiday gifts or attending holiday parties and in the week after New Year's everyone seems to have a new diet or exercise regime. While you think that one over - please Subscribe, hit the Like button, or share the Link. Thanks!
Quotes for Today
Some quotes I hope may resonate with you.
"If you're studying my game, you're entering my game, and I'll be better than you." - Marcelo Garcia
"This may sound cliched, but how you do anything, is how you do everything." - Tim Ferriss
"I believe that when you're not cultivating quality, you're essentially cultivating sloppiness." - Josh Waitzkin
"If a cluttered desk is a sign of a cluttered mind, of what, then, is an empty desk a sign?" - Albert Einstein
Tuesday, December 26, 2023
Tuesday Flotsam and Jetsam
Have a new miscellaneous thoughts and observations post up on Substack.
You are probably aware that each day I post "Quotes for Today" on this blog. On January 1st I will be increasing the selected quotes from four to six and moving it exclusively to my Substack account. This is to both thank my subscribers but also hopefully to help grow my Substack. Those quotes both give me and the reader something to ponder each day but it does take effort on my part. Hope everyone understands and thank you to my subscribers! Memento mori.
Quotes for Today
Some quotes that I hope may resonate with you.
"There is a choice you have to make, in everything you have to do. So keep in mind that in the end, the choice you make, makes you." - John Wooden
"People sleep peaceably in their beds at night only because rough men stand ready to do violence on their behalf." - George Orwell
"The value of a college education is not the learning of many facts but the training of the mind to think." - Albert Einstein
"If you want to have good ideas, you must have many ideas." - Linus Pauling
Monday, December 25, 2023
Linky Links
Stuff I found interesting or amusing and thought I'd share.
- The 2023 Festivus report is out showing $900,000,000 in government waste. I have a lot of problems with you people!
Quotes for Today
Some quotes I hope may resonate with you.
"Champions behave like champions before they're champions. They have a winning standard of preference before they're winners." - Bill Walsh
"People with self-confidence are honest about their own motivations, actions, and results. They recognize when the voice in their head might be ignoring reality. They also listen to the feedback the world gives them, instead of shopping around for other opinions." - Shane Parrish
"For the true man wants two things; danger and play. For that reason he wants woman, as the most dangerous plaything." - Friedrich Nietzsche
"When you're lacking motivation, remind yourself: discipline now, freedom later. The labor will pass, and the rewards will last." - Ryan Holiday
Sunday, December 24, 2023
Sunday Flotsam and Jetsam
Have a new miscellaneous thoughts and observations post up on Substack.
Today is the day before Christmas but also an NFL Sunday. That means lots of people traveling. I just hope that they find some time to watch some football. Oh and that they also Subscribe, hit the Like button, or share the Link to my latest post. Feliz Navidad!
Quotes for Today
Some quotes I hope may resonate with you.
"Criticizing others is easier than coming to know yourself." - Bruce Lee
"The kind of man who wants the government to adapt and enforce his ideas is always the kind of man whose ideas are idiotic." - H.L. Mencken
"Talent is cheaper than table salt. What separates the talented individual from the successful one is a lot of hard work." - Stephen King
"Those who aren't committed find faults. Those who are committed find a way." - Dan Rockwell
Saturday, December 23, 2023
Saturday Flotsam and Jetsam
Have a new miscellaneous thoughts and observations post up on Substack.
Twas a few days before Christmas and all through the house not a creature was stirring - except Florida State regents who wanted to sue everyone to get out of their grant of rights. Whatever sympathy they may have gotten for being snubbed by the CFP seems to have dissipated by their latest actions. Please Subscribe, hit the Like button, or share the Link!
Quotes for Today
Some quotes I hope may resonate with you.
"Mastering the basics is the key to being ruthlessly effective." - Shane Parrish
"The first rule of investing is to never lose money." - Warren Buffett
"Politicians are not born; they are excreted." - Cicero
"Always play it forward. And don't keep count." - Naval Ravikant
Friday, December 22, 2023
More Memes You May Enjoy
Many a truth is said in jest.
- Vampires don't cast images in mirrors and flames don't...
- This is funny if you know the history of the British Museum
- Any other time of year this is OCD behavior. These days its a concern about making it for Christmas in time.
Linky Links
Stuff I found interesting or amusing and thought I'd share.
- We used to call it skitching or bumper riding.
- Drugstores give out personal medical information to police basically on demand. That's bad - really bad. (HT Borepatch)
Some Memes You May Enjoy
Friday Flotsam and Jetsam
Have a new miscellaneous thoughts and observations post up on Substack.
Let me be yet another jackass who asks, "Hope you got all your Christmas shopping done!" Not even if done ironically is that funny. In case you're wondering - all I want for Christmas is for you to Subscribe, hit the Like button, or share the Link. Thanks!
Quotes for Today
Some quotes I hope may resonate with you.
"Yet what they became was the not the result of a sudden act, but the culmination of all they had ever done: a triumph of self-development, the end of something general, the beginning of something specific." - William Kennedy
"One reason we resist change is that keeping things the way they are requires almost no effort. This helps explain why we get so complacent," - Shane Parrish
"The great enemy of any attempt to change men's habit is inertia. Civilization is limited by inertia." - Edward Bernays
"Show we a guy that's afraid to look bad, and I'll show you a guy you can beat every time." - Lou Brock
Thursday, December 21, 2023
Linky Links
Stuff I found interesting or amusing and thought I'd share.
- Colorado undermines democracy in the name of democracy. It was a 4-3 decision by the state Supreme Court it should be remembered. Also remember that all 4 justices who voted for this are Democratic appointees and Ivy League grads.
- Colorado Supreme Court orders Jack Phillips bake cake to celebrate Trump ruling.
- Jonathan Turley on the Colorado Supreme Court's decision. Today's offering is pretty top heavy with this issue.
- Dan Wetzel on is Florida State leaving the ACC? A little football for palate cleansing.
Crony Beliefs
Interesting look at our different beliefs and why we believe them. The essay is worth reading from time to time to examine if you have "merit beliefs" and "crony beliefs." I like the idea that "the greater our urge to talk about a belief, to wear it like a badge, the more likely it is to be crony." That would explain vegans and why they are so vocal about explaining they're vegan.
On a more global basis I also like the idea that "social incentives are the root of all our biggest thinking errors."
Long read but worth the time. If you believe in "good explanations" - this one fits the bill.
Thursday Flotsam and Jetsam
Have a new miscellaneous thoughts and observations post up on Substack.
Colorado and Donald Trump will be in the news everywhere you look today. Their Supreme Court just guaranteed Trump the sort of coverage the media gave him for free in 2016. They're getting Trump elected and hurting the state's tourism all in one fell swoop. Ridiculous! Please Subscribe, hit the Like button, or share the Link.
Quotes for Today
Some quotes I hope may resonate with you.
"Time is the friend of someone who is properly positioned and the enemy of someone poorly positioned." - Shane Parrish
"Never forget that your unconscious is smarter than you, faster than you, and more powerful than you. It may even control you. You will never know all of its secrets." - Cordelia Fine
"Be satisfied with even the smallest progress." - Marcus Aurelius
"The great archetypal activities of human society are all permeated with play from the start." - Johan Huizinga
Wednesday, December 20, 2023
Linky Links
Stuff I found interesting or amusing and thought I'd share.
- Tucker Carlson Episode 55 on The Babylon Bee.
- How many Santas? Mixing an eternal question with the future of risk.
Some Memes You May Enjoy
Many a truth is said in jest.
- Analysis true. Also makes a great trumpet ta-ta-da!
Wednesday Flotsam and Jetsam
Have a new miscellaneous thoughts and observations post up on Substack.
Just started A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens. A bit of a Christmas tradition for me - though I wonder if it's more tradition or more OCD or just pure stubbornness at this point. Don't be a bah humbug - please Subscribe, hi the Like button, or share the Link. Thanks!
Quote for Today
Some quotes I hope may resonate with you.
"When the rest of us are chasing victory, the best in the world know they must avoid losing before they can win. It turns out this is a surprisingly effective strategy." - Shane Parris
"The world is split between those who don't know how to start making money and those who don't know when to stop." - Nassim Nicholas Taleb
"We can easily forgive a child who is afraid of the dark; the real tragedy of life is when men are afraid of the light." - Plato
"I cannot escape death, but I can escape the fear of it." - Epictetus
The Truth About the Island of Misfit Toys
It is the Christmas season which means soon holiday classics will be on TV constantly. I need to get off my chest the truth about Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer and the Island of Misfit Toys. The thing about the misfit toys wasn't that they were squirt-guns that shot jelly or cowboys who rode ostrich's. The really strange thing about these "toys" was the fact THEY WERE ALIVE!
Now any high school biology student can tell you that life comes from life. These misfit toys were probably the offspring of some sick minded magic elves who must have gotten too "friendly" with some of the toys they were working on and fondling day after day. They were put on the Island of Misfit Toys probably as an attempt by upper management of Santa's Workshop to cover up some of the sick shit that was going on when the lights got turned off at night.
Let's be clear here - we aren't talking about misfit toys either - we are talking about FREAKS! If my kids got a choo-choo with square wheels that was alive - I would freaking BURN IT WITH FIRE! I would also then have to start spending thousands of dollars on therapy probably for the whole family. You could bet that Christmas and Santa would take on whole new meanings (and nightmares) from that day forward.
God help the children who ended up getting those freak misfit toys on Christmas morning.
And don't even get me going on the heroin backstory to The Little Drummer Boy.
Tuesday, December 19, 2023
Tuesday Flotsam and Jetsam
Have a new miscellaneous thoughts and observations post up on Substack.
Starting to think that Tucker Carlson is so pro Donald Trump that there's no way he could be an impartial debate host. That idea is probably toast anyways. As always - please Subscribe, hit the Like button, or share the Link. If you don't "I have a lot of problems with you people." Thanks!
Quotes for Today
Some quotes I hope may resonate with you.
"The most important trick to be happy is to realize that happiness is a choice that you make and a skill that you develop. You choose to be happy, and then you work it. It's just like building muscles." - Naval Ravikant
"Those that are offended easily should be offended more often." - Mae West
"Life is a full-contact sport, especially on the Internet." - Tim Ferris
"Trying to get everyone to like you is a sign of mediocrity." - Colin Powell
Monday, December 18, 2023
Linky Links
Stuff I found interesting or amusing and thought I'd share.
- On this day in 1979 Lego was given a patent for their toy person. Somehow thought it was older than that.
- Voyager 1 is 46-years old but may be in trouble. (HT Leather Penguin)
- Interesting: life on Alcatraz. I'd never considered it from the perspective of the guards or their families.
- Wow - Eric Montross RIP
Some Memes You May Enjoy
Many a truth is said in jest.
- Aaron Rodgers watching the Jets O-line. A little NFL humor for a Monday morning.
- A little Taylor Swift humor.
Player Comparion
This NFL player comparison has been eating at me for some time.
Player A: 30-17 record / 66.9 Comp% / 11,712 Yards / 76 TD / 33 Int
Player B: 30-32 record /66.6 Comp% / 17,223 Yards / 114 TD / 42 Int
Cut to the chase but Player A is Tua Tagovailoa of Miami while Player B is Justin Hebert of the Chargers. Despite coming out in the same draft - Tua went 5th overall while Hebert went one pick later, ever since Tua has had people question whether the Dolphins took the wrong QB while Hebert seems to be immune to criticism. Despite playing fewer games because of injury and playing behind Ryan Fitzpatrick for some of his career - Tua has the same number of wins as Hebert.
Have never been much of a Tagovailoa fan but also think it unfair the way he gets treated as the lesser QB to Hebert. Remind me again - what did Hebert win in college? Oh yeah - that wasn't his fault either.
Quotes for Today
Some quotes I hope may resonate with you.
"Fighting emotions is like flailing at quicksand - it only makes things worse. Sometimes the most proactive 'defense' is a mental nod and a wink." - Tara Branch
"Question with boldness even the existence of God; because, if here be one, he must more approve of the homage of reason, than that of blindfolded fear." - Thomas Jefferson
"Love is given, not received." - Naval Ravikant
"Your goal is not to find love, but to remove all barriers which are preventing you from receiving it." - Rumi
Farnam Street Knowledge
"Our obsession with being informed makes it hard to think long-term. We spend hours consuming news because we want to be informed. The problem is, the news doesn't make us informed - quite the opposite. The more news we consume, the more misinformed we become." - Share Parrish
Sunday, December 17, 2023
Sunday Flotsam and Jetsam
Have a new miscellaneous thoughts and observations post up on Substack.
Even though the Pats lost I still had a good NFL Sunday. Wish you did too. As always - please Subscribe, hit the Like button, or hit the share Link. Thanks!
Important to Remember
Especially at this time of year when the combination of a lack of sunlight and the pressures of the holidays can lead to crippling depression for many. Go out of your way to be kind.
Linky Links
Stuff I found interesting or amusing and thought I'd share.
- The history of Bastogne - the Battle of the Bulge. Good stuff!
- Thank God Joe Biden is bringing decency back.
- The history of Band Aid's Do They Know Its Christmas. Was it a good deed gone bad?
Quotes for Today
Some quotes I hope may resonate with you.
"Do not take life too seriously - you will never get out of it alive." - Elbert Hubbard
"Try smelling with your mouth open, as you'll more information." - Richard Betts
"For me, a convenient place to work is a remote place among strangers where there is good swimming." - Tennessee Williams
"We are learning to make friends with ourselves, our life, at the most profound level possible." - Pema Chodron
Saturday, December 16, 2023
Linky Links
Stuff I found interesting or amusing and thoughts I'd share.
- What is yoga nidra (sleep with awareness)?
- VDH on civilization vs the nihilists.
- Chevy's self-driving Cruise pilot is halted and production delayed for at least a year.
- Truth! Start rebuilding the FBI by moving its HQ to Salt Lake City and put all people like Charles McGonigal off the force and in jail.
Saturday Flotsam and Jetsam
Have a new miscellaneous thoughts and observations post up on Substack.
Love Elon Musk but controlling a company that could drill a hole anywhere he wanted to build a lair (Boring Company), putting computer chips into people's heads (Neuralink), self-driving cars and being able to control them remotely (Tesla), and controlling space (Starlink and SpaceX) does give off serious James Bond and Dr. Who villain vibes. As always -please Subscribe, hit the Like button, or share the Link. Thanks!
Quotes for Today
Some quotes I hope may resonate with you.
"In science that credit goes to the man who convinces the world, not to the man to whom the idea first occurs." - William Osler
"In any situation in life, you only have three options. You always have three options. You can change it, you can accept it, or you can leave it." - Naval Ravikant
"The supernatural is the natural not yet understood." - Elbert Hubbard
"There can be no such thing, in law or morality, as actions forbidden to an individual, but permitted to a mob." - Ayn Rand
Friday, December 15, 2023
Linky Links
Stuff I found interesting or amusing and thought I'd share.
- I for one welcome our AI weathermen on our smartphones.
- Where does Matt Araiza go to get his reputation back.
- When the New York Times lost its way. Corporate media is dying a slow death of its own making. Common ground of shared facts no longer exist in corporate media.
Some Memes You May Enjoy
Many a truth is said in jest.
- Learn something new every day.
- Shouldn't laugh at this but I did.
Friday Flotsam and Jetsam
Have a new miscellaneous thoughts and observations post up on Substack.
A little depressed that people around my age are starting to die (cancer, sudden heart attacks, etc.) and your obligations start being filled up with wakes and benefit "parties" for the survivors. Just another reminder not to take any day for granted. Memento mori. As always - please Subscribe, hit the Like button, or share the Link. Sorry if not as upbeat as I normally am.
Quotes for Today
Some quotes I hope may resonate with you.
"Honor those who seek the truth, beware those who've found it." - Voltaire
"I treated every single patron like a ten second love affair." - Amanda Palmer
"Books are out there to show your heart, to show your soul, and to tell your fans, readers: You are not alone." - Paulo Coelho
"Be a free thinker and don't accept everything you hear as truth. Be careful and evaluate what you believe in." - Aristotle
Tim Ferriss' Slow Carb Diet Rules
- Avoid "white" carbohydrates (or anything that can be white).
- Eat the same few meals over and over again.
- Don't drink calories.
- Don't eat fruit.
- Take one day off per week and go nuts.
That's it - that's the diet in a nutshell. Though even though Rule 3 does not count water or black coffee - it does count beer.
Thursday, December 14, 2023
Linky Links
Stuff I found interesting or amusing and thought I'd share.
- Elon Musk plans to donate $100 million towards STEM schools in Austin. Texas based Tesla needs smart people and the traditional schools aren't providing them.
- Facebook DEI chief found guilty of $4 million kickback scheme. Shocker!
- Morgan Housel on Long-term News. To quote William Goldman, "No one knows anything."
Thursday Flotsam and Jetsam
Have a new miscellaneous thoughts and observations post up on Substack.
Everyone by this point has seen the articles about the benefits of exercise yet we delay taking action and just doing it. I'm as guilty as the next person but I want that to change. Please Subscribe, hit the Like button, or share the Link to show your support of daily exercise. Thanks!
Quotes for Today
Some quotes I hope may resonate with you.
"Brevity doesn't mean that it's short. It mean that it's to the point." - Morgan Housel
"Life is meaningless, but worth living, provided you recognize it's meaninglessness." - Albert Camus
"The limits of my language mean the limits of my world." - Ludwig Wittgenstein
"Whenever you find yourself on the side of the majority, it's time to pause and reflect." - Mark Twain
Good King Wenceslas
Good King Wenceslas is one of my favorite Christmas carols. Did you know that he was a real person and that on September 28, 935 AD he was killed by his brother? Now maybe you can think of that cheery fact every Christmas when you hear the tune. At least you can take comfort in thinking no matter how stressful your family gatherings are at least you probably won't be killed by one of your siblings.
Wednesday, December 13, 2023
Linky Links
Stuff I found interesting or amusing and thought I'd share.
- Tucker Carlson Episode 50 with John Daly
- Why it took Tesla so long to deliver the Cybertruck
- FCC nixes Starlink RDOF appeal. Everyone I've spoken with enjoys their Starlink connection (like Musk says it's much better than nothing). Meanwhile everyone who has Comcast is considered served by the FCC.
Some Memes You May Enjoy
Wednesday Flotsam and Jetsam
Have a new miscellaneous thoughts and observations post up on Substack.
Nothing has lost value more in my lifetime than the value of a college degree. To me the blame lies with a triumvirate of causes: the growth of university administrators instead of teachers, DEI, and not having student loans subject to bankruptcy laws. Think that bubble is bursting and I could not in good confidence honestly tell anyone they are better going to college these days. As always - please Subscribe, hit the Like button, or share the Link. Thanks!
Quotes for Today
Some quotes I hope may resonate with you.
"I do not suffer from insanity. I enjoy every minute of it." - Edgar Allen Poe
"Quality is not an act, it is a habit." - Aristotle
"The man who reads nothing at all is better educated than the man who reads nothing but newspapers." - Thomas Jefferson
"Always be a first-rate version of yourself, instead of a second-rate version of somebody else." - Judy Garland
Tuesday, December 12, 2023
Linky Links
Stuff I found interesting or amusing and thought I'd share.
- Tucker Carlson Episode 48 with Kid Rock.
- Tucker Carlson Episode 49 with Dana White. Maybe Tucker is angling for holiday bonuses for his staff releasing back to back episodes.
- Dr. Phil on the presidents of Harvard, MIT, and UPenn. Worth a listen.
- Niall Ferguson: The Treason of the Intellectuals. The rise of the new Nazis of the college left.
Some Memes You May Enjoy
Many a truth is said in jest.
- You may have to be familiar with Irish history to laugh at this
Tuesday Flotsam and Jetsam
Have a new miscellaneous thoughts and observations post up on Substack.
May be older and may have watched the original Magnum P.I. from the beginning (one of the few - look at the ratings) but haven't watched the remake at all. No desire to what so ever. As always - please Subscribe, hit the Like button, or share the Link. Thomas Magnum thanks you!
Quotes for Today
Some quotes I hope may resonate with you.
"The best days of my life are given over to uninterrupted debauchery, but these are, alas, undependable and increasingly difficult to arrange." - Tim Kreider
"When no one will pay directly for your subject matter, that's often a sign that something's gone wrong." - Alain de Botton
"The difference between the people you admire and everybody else [is that the former are] the people who read." - Brian Callen
"The poorest way to face life is to face it with a sneer." - Teddy Roosevelt
Eisenhower's Warning
Ike's warning of a "military-industrial complex" is much more famous but given our current state of things - I think the above warning which was also in his Farewell Address may be more apt.
Dangers from "scientific-technological elite" may be among the top dangers facing this nation.
Monday, December 11, 2023
Linky Links
Stuff I found interesting or amusing and thought I'd share.
- Andrew Sullivan on why Harvard needs a new president.
- Interesting history: Hittite empire may have been doomed by 3-straight years of drought.
Some Memes You May Enjoy
Monday Flotsam and Jetsam
Have a new miscellaneous thoughts and observations post up on Substack.
Weird weekend with really only one game on Saturday and the Patriots not playing because they already played on Thursday. Football is truly winding down. As always - please Subscribe, hit the Like button, or share the Link. Thanks!
Quotes for Today
Some quotes I hope may resonate with you.
"The Zen mantra is 'Sit, sit. Walk, walk. Don't wobble." - Kevin Kelly
"When stupidity is considered patriotism, it is unsafe to be intelligent." - Isaac Asimov
"In order for life to imitate art, you first have to have a life." - Whitney Cummings
"One of the mysteries of the ages is why the political left has, for centuries, lavished so much attention on the well-being of criminals and paid so little attention to their victims." - Thomas Sowell
Sunday, December 10, 2023
Reminder - Lockdowns are Evil
An OECD country stands for Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development. (Via)
Linky Links
Stuff I found interesting or amusing and thought I'd share.
- The Great Cash for Carbon Hustle. Interesting but long read. It has always been a hoax. (HT Tim Ferriss)
- Cheat Neutral. A satire hoax by a different name.
- Jonathan Turley on the Hunter Biden Indictment. DOJ goes out of their way to not mention Joe.
- Victor Davis Hanson on the testimony of the three blind mice university presidents.
Quotes for Today
Some quotes I hope may resonate with you.
"I you think about something more than three times a week, you have to write about it." - Lous CK
"The first year and a half, two years of stand up of standup is just getting comfortable on stage. Your material doesn't matter." - Whitney Cummings
"Perfectionism leads to procrastination, which leads to paralysis." - Tim Ferriss
"Any man is rich in proportion to the number of things which he can afford to let alone." - Henry David Thoreau
Saturday, December 09, 2023
Some Memes You May Enjoy
Farnam Street Knowledge
What the Most Successful People Do Before Breakfast
Only problem for me is I no longer eat breakfast. I wait to at least 10:30 am to have my first meal of the day.
Saturday Flotsam and Jetsam
Have a new miscellaneous thoughts and observations post up on Substack.
Today is the annual Army-Navy game but this time in Foxboro Mass at 3:00. Bill Belichick is the special Game Day guest and can almost guarantee that he picks Navy over Army as his he basically grew up on the Annapolis campus where his dad was a longtime coach. As always - please Subscribe, hit the Like button, or share the Link. Thanks!
Quotes for Today
Some quotes I hope may resonate with you.
"Secrets are a buffer to intimacy." - Caroline Paul
"Israel is the only nation on earth that inhabits the same land, bears the same name, speaks the same language, and worships the same God as it did 3,000 years ago." - Charles Krauthammer
"When buying and selling are controlled by legislation, the first thing to be bought and sold are the legislators." - P.J. O'Rourke
"Where religion is compulsory, I am an atheist; but where religion is forbidden, I am a believer." - Theodore Dalyrmple
Friday, December 08, 2023
Linky Links
Stuff I found interesting or amusing and thought I'd share.
- "How will we pay for this?" College leaders ask regarding the new NCAA proposal.
- VDH on how were the universities lost? Make student loans subject to existing bankruptcy laws would be a good first step to get universities to provide degrees that are actually marketable. Who's going to hire a green, antisemite Diversity major?
- Jonathan Turley on Joe Biden's " I did not have relations" with "those people" moment. The whole family is guilty as sin.
Friday Flotsam and Jetsam
Have a new miscellaneous thoughts and observations post up on Substack.
Watched the second half of the Patriots / Steelers game at home with New England winning 21-10. Fell asleep only to wake up to a special on Deion Sanders. Saw this morning that the final was 21-18 and now I have a good news, bad news situation. The good news is I obviously didn't miss any offense in the second half by falling asleep. The bad news is the story lines about the lack of offense in the second half are bound to be awful today and I may skip many stories about the Pats even though they won. Good day to give me a pity Subscription, hit the Like button, or share the Link because I'm a New England fan and can't help it.
Quotes for Today
Some quotes you may enjoy.
"I will disengage from any conversation as soon as I detect the other person is WILLFULLY trying to 'misunderstand' me. Energy vampires." - Zuby
"For us in Russia, communism is a dead dog, while, for many in the West, it is still a living lion." - Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn
"Life shrinks or expands in proportion to one's courage." - Anais Nin
"Courage takes practice. It's a skill you have to develop." - Tim Ferriss
Thursday, December 07, 2023
Thursday Flotsam and Jetsam
Have a new miscellaneous thoughts and observations post up on Substack.
Today's offering seems heavy on DEI and the pendulum of history but it does reaffirm the saying that those who don't know history are doomed to repeat it. Never again means never again. As always - please Subscribe, hit the Like button, or share the Link (the key for new people to experience my efforts). Thanks!
Some Memes You May Enjoy
Linly Links
Stuff I found interesting or amusing and thought I'd share.
- SpaceX is set to launch 80% of space's cargo this year. First China's bond gets downgraded and now this.
- Bari Weiss: End DE I. You can't have antisemitism at the college level without it.
- Tyler Cowen on the testimony in front of Congress by the Presidents of Harvard, MIT, and Penn. As Tyler put it "a dark day for education."
Quotes for Today
Some quotes I hope may resonate with you.
"A year from now, you will wish you started today." - Karen Lamb
"I read a few books; I read the library." - Thomas Edison
"Tell me what you know. Tell me what you don't know. Only then can you tell me what you think. Always keep these three things separate." - Colin Powell
"What you owe yourself is to work for your living; what you owe your neighbor is not to interfere with his work." - Ayn Rand
Wednesday, December 06, 2023
Norman Lear RIP
There is a version of an All in the Family re-make that I would be interested in seeing. In my version Mike and Gloria stayed together (on the original show they got divorced). Mike Stivic (played by Rob Reiner) became a professor at a local Queens college but he's having issues.
First off Mike and Gloria (played by Sally Struthers) have both now put on so much weight that they need to get around on scooters. Second, Mike's 70's hippy-ethics are no longer in tune with today's woke students and he finds himself getting into trouble at the college for voicing his opinions. Mike can't believe he's getting in hot water simply stating what he believes to be the truth (echoes of Archie). And he's really worried about being fired before his pension kicks in.
Finally, their daughter has grown up to be a Tea Party Republican who supports Trump.
The comedy would basically write itself. That's a remake I'd take the time to watch.
Linky Links
Stuff I found interesting or amusing and thought I'd share.
- Gad Saad: The West suffers from cultural self-delusion.
- VDH on Weimar America. The words never again have lost all meaning.
Wednesday Flotsam and Jetsam
Have a new miscellaneous thoughts and observations post up on Substack.
Don't expect the furor of the CFP leaving out Florida State to subside until the bowl games begin. That's the nature of a 24/7 sports news cycle. As always - please Subscribe, hit the Like button, or share the Link. Thanks!
Quotes for Today
Some quotes I hope may resonate with you.
"The coronavirus is dumb." - Elon Musk
"The best way to raise the price of something is to say you would never sell it." - Larry Gagosian
"Facts don't cease to exist because they are ignored." - Aldous Huxley
"When you change the way you look at things, the things you look at change." - Max Planck
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Tuesday, December 05, 2023
Linky Links
Stuff I found interesting or amusing and thought I'd share.
- Mookie Betts to be full-time 2nd baseman.
- The rise of the US dollar since the 19th century. The dominance of the dollar is a relatively new thing and should not be assumed to be permanent.
- Spotify lays off 1,500 workers. CEO keeps job. (HT Steve Landry)
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