Obama's 2010 First Pitch vs. Bush's 2001 First Pitch

Remember the good old days when this was a free country?

A Car and a Pumpkin

We got a new (used) car. It's our third Suburban. We kept our first (big blue) for 12 years and 150 thousand miles. Our second one (also big blue) was 10 years old and had 210,000 mi.

This is what it has. It's probably the best car I've had. It has a moon roof and leather seats. I think they are heated. That is not what we paid. We paid 29,000 and got 2200 for the old suburban.

Happy Halloween!!!



Public-Employee Unions Funnel Public Money to Dems - Michael Barone - National Review Online

Public-Employee Unions Funnel Public Money to Dems - Michael Barone - National Review Online

The Goose that Laid the Golden Egg

People often ask me why I decided to homeschool my children. The answer is simple in one way and endless in another. The simple answer is "Schoolschmertz" (loosely based on weltschmertz) - a free floating dissasisfaction with everything the schools were doing.  There are several points of contention that stand out. One was when Kim came home one day with a list of "cliches". They were not cliches - they were aphorisms- they were not tired and hackneyed- they were timeless truths.  This made me realize that kids these days are not learning the old standards - the stories that teach moral lessons in a fun way.

A child's education is not complete unless he has read "The Emperor's New Clothes"  Apply the lessons of the story to the current controversy over evolution and motives become clear.

The Goose that laid the golden Egg should be required reading for anyone who wants to "Tax the wealthy"!

DON'T SAY THIS

I just heard another person say "chomping at the bit" It's CHAMPING at the bit. Thanks to McDonald's hardly anyone can pronounce "gri-MACE".  It's NOT grimiss. Long lived has a long "i". Data has a long "a" and is plural. Media is plural. It's wheel BARROW not (Lord help us all) Wheelbarrel.

I really love the English language. When used correctly it is capable of creating great beauty. People should try to be more careful in using it .I have actually responded to those who have told me that their dog is "spaded" with "who dug her up?" It never gets a laugh.

There was an article once in the Worcester Magazine on how the internet is affecting people's ability to write proper English. Wouldn't you know he made a couple of mistakes in the article. I e-mailed him about it and he wrote back, properly chagrined. It can be a tricky business. At least he cared. I like people who care and I am miffed at my kids who think that if everybody says it wrong then they should, too. I never mind being corrected. It's how you learn.

One of my favorite mistakes was when Southern Living Magazine had a food article entitled "Pancakes for Breakfast are Crepe" (It's really funny if you know how to pronounce crepe - it rhymes with pep)

The New York Post has some really clever headlines. One of them, however, was about how Oprah had endorsed Obama and they titled it "OMENTUM". They weren't up on medical terminology.

A Good New Book

Quanah Parker was the last chief of the Comanche. He was the son of Cynthia Parker who had been kidnapped by the Comanches and who became one of the wives of the warrior Nocona. This book manages to capture (I think) the truth of the times - honest and balanced - detailing the good and bad on both sides. Quanah eventually surrendered and became a successful member of the white community, although he reamined a polygamist. He founded the Native American Church which is based on the use of Peyote.
(Peyote was mixed with water to use in taking communion) Which leads to the following:

Here is the QUOTE OF THE MONTH by Quanah Parker:

"The white man goes into his church and talks about Jesus - The Indian goes into his tipi and talks WITH Jesus."

This one's for you, Buddy