Wes Anderson's Lord of the Rings

Happy Hobbit Day

Tomorrow is the joint birthday of both Bilbo and Frodo Baggins. 

Not sure why J.R.R. Tolkien picked June 22nd but he did and in America June 22nd is celebrated as Hobbit Day and that whole week as Tolkien Week. 

Also be sure to read the first book - The Fellowship of the Ring - to get a better understanding of how Tolkien wanted Hobbits portrayed. As Sam says, "It's the job that's never started that takes the longest to finish." So read it now.

Books I Re-Read

There a number of books I re-read on a regular basis. Some of these books I read almost yearly but all of them I've re-read at least 5-times.

• Kim by Rudyard Kipling
• The Killer Angels by Michael Shaara
• Cannery Row by John Steinbeck
• Lord of the Rings by J.R.R. Tolkien
• The Razor's Edge by W. Somerset Maugham
• A Moveable Feast by Ernest Hemingway
• A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens. Re-reading this book has become a Christmas Eve tradition.

When I was in high school I used to read Trinity by Leon Uris every year. I think it was my way of trying to connect with my Irish roots. However, I haven't picked up that book in 20-years - so I won't count it. I guess you could also count the Harry Potter books but I've stopped having an obsession with them.

Rohan Announces New Minister of Truth

Some Memes You May Enjoy

Many a truth is said in jest.

- Google AI employee explains.

- I feel seen

- Calvin & Hobbes called a long time ago

- Tucker Carlson narrates Lord of the Rings

Quotes for Today

Some quotes I hope may resonate with you.

"I have decided to stick with love. Hate is too great a burden to bear." - Martin Luther King Jr.

"I don't know half of you half as well as I should like; and I like half of you half as well as you deserve." - Bilbo Baggins

"$44 billion was not the cost of Twitter. It was the cost to restore free speech in a liberal world." - Elon Musk

"To get what you want, you have to deserve what you want." - Charlie Munger

Awesome - Wes Anderson's Lord of the Rings

 

HT Digg

Rohan Announces New Minister of Truth

One Donut to Rule Them All

Mood Rings of Power

Always thought a Lord of the Rings spoof about the "Mood Rings of Power" would be amusing. One mood ring to control them all! It would have the power to make people happy, sad, etc. 

If you wanted to make it an R rating you could also make the One Ring also have the power to make people horny.

This Was Amusing Once (Now Not So Much)

 

One Donut to Rule Them All

 

Mood Rings of Power

Always thought a Lord of the Rings spoof about the "Mood Rings of Power" would be amusing. One mood ring to control them all! It would have the power to make people happy, sad, etc. 

If you wanted to make it an R rating you could also make the One Ring also have the power to make people horny.

Happy Hobbit Day

 

Today is the birthdays of both Bilbo and Frodo Baggins and is celebrated internationally as Hobbit Day.

Be sure to have a second breakfast and maybe a pint or two to celebrate!

Flotsam and Jetsam

Miscellaneous thoughts and observations.

Many people misunderstand the famous Harry Truman "Buck Stops Here" sign he used to keep on his Presidential desk. That was a poker term Truman liked. The "Buck" was the "puck" or disk or marker used to denote whose turn to deal it was. It was not slang for a dollar bill or anything else. The dealer had to decide what game he was about to deal. It was a metaphor for "decider" so he was the "Decider in Chief" as George W might have phrased it...  A little Lord of the Rings humor... It might be the hangover talking but I think the hardest thing to do in baseball is to bunt for the cycle... I wonder if in Adam Smith's wildest fever dreams he ever thought the "Invisible Hand" could be something as nefarious and pernicious as the Chinese Communist Party has been these past two decades... I think going forward it would be helpful that whenever you hear or read the word "expert" your mind adds the word "witness" to the sentence. It would be helpful because the phrase "expert witness" has become somewhat of a pejorative meaning the expert witness expounds whatever side or set of facts that suit the side that is paying them. It's no wonder that certain scientists and healthcare professionals can switch beliefs simply based upon what political party happens to occupy the White House... Not for nothing but nine days ago I wrote, "Wish I could get odds that Joe Biden's initial announced VP pick (whoever that ends up being) will have to be walked back and replaced (for whatever reason)." Now this happens and is immediately walked back. Let's see if a different person is later announced... 

Linky Links

Stuff I found interesting or amusing and thought I'd share.

- Hong Kong in Ireland? That would be cool but you'd think Australia would be the natural landing spot given the proximity.

- Heh Heh - Orcs march on Minas Tirith in mostly peaceful protest

- 14 colleges in New York likely to "perish" in coronavirus pandemic. List includes names like Fordham and Hofstra and St John's. 

- Tesla Model 3 three-year anniversary: How one sedan changed cars forever.

- Steven Pressfield: The King Archetype. Be the king!

- Over 100 police agencies reportedly pull out of agreements to guard DNC Convention in Milwaukee. Why would any police officers want to be at a place where they are not wanted or valued?

Linky Links

Stuff I found interesting or amusing and thought I'd share.

- Fascinating thread about the possible inspiration for Lord of the Rings

- Matt Taibbi - If it's not "Cancel Culture," what kind of culture is it?

- Interesting data. My take-away is that overall deaths are back to where they were pre-Wuhan Virus,

- Nassim Nicholas Taleb - Lebanon: from Ponzi to Antifragility

- Robert DeNiro says the coronavirus decimated his finances. And just like that Rocky and Bullwinkle II and a Bad Grandpa sequel are green-lit.

- On this day in history

- Lying liars who lie.

Flotsam and Jetsam

Miscellaneous thoughts and observations.

President Trump contacted Alex Rodriguez about the Wuhan virus because he wanted to check with A-Rod how the centaur community was handling the crisis. Next the President with check with Beto O'Rourke to check on how the furry community is coping...  Always thought a Lord of the Rings spoof about the "Mood Rings of Power" would be amusing. One mood ring to control them all! It would have the power to make people happy, sad, etc. If you wanted to make it an R rating you could also make the One Ring also have the power to make people horny... I see this and I automatically think "well that's proof they should re-open the golf courses!"... "It is remarkable how much long-term advantage people like us have gotten by trying to be consistently not stupid, instead of trying to be very intelligent." - Charlie Munger... Heh Heh - are we sure this is photoshop?... Remember when ESPN's Adam Schefter wrote, "Robert Kraft is 'not the biggest name' involved in [last year's Orchids of Asia] prostitution bust"? Well Adam we're still waiting. Why was Kraft singled out? And people wonder why Patriots fans dislike ESPN... Memento Mori would be a great name for a life insurance company...

Flotsam and Jetsam

Miscellaneous thoughts and observations.

Not all heroes wear capes. "It's important that we lend a hand and provide them with an enjoyable way to pass the time." Heh heh "lend a hand." On a separate note - what the hell was PornHub doing with 50,000 surgical masks anyway?... US Space Force had it's first official rocket launch yesterday.  An historic event that went almost completely without notice... I've been doing this blog for 16-years now and I don't think I've ever explained that the inspiration for calling these miscellaneous thoughts and observations actually came from the title of my favorite chapter in The Lord of the Rings... In this time of crisis be sure to use both sides of the toilet paper... Babe Ruth caught the Spanish Flu in 1918 - twice! Wonder why the phrase "the grippe" went out of favor? Also note that the Red Sox team doctor did more harm than good. The more things change...

Heh Heh

Via Instapundit