tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9103772230302021699.post9078136265039401827..comments2024-03-10T09:24:45.565+02:00Comments on Dispatches from Vilnius: Meandering MissouriJames Fergusonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05901612633415337879noreply@blogger.comBlogger36125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9103772230302021699.post-68520429211559258442011-02-09T10:23:30.782+02:002011-02-09T10:23:30.782+02:00A friend recommended the Fountainhead to me in the...A friend recommended the Fountainhead to me in the early 1980s. I wasn't aware of Rand's extreme politics at the time. I think I also read Atlas Shrugged. I can see how people would enjoy the book, but her political ideas? No way.<br /><br />I took some of what I read in the books as being against stupidity within corporate culture. It's been a long time, so I don't remember theMartihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11341915969684349287noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9103772230302021699.post-17864354650434227882011-02-08T16:32:53.593+02:002011-02-08T16:32:53.593+02:00As much as I don't like Ayn Rand's politic...As much as I don't like Ayn Rand's politics, I enjoyed The Fountainhead. To some degree she modeled her protagonist after Frank Lloyd Wright, who actually designed a house for her. He had some pretty crazy ideas himself such a carving out a diamond in the middle of the country, calling it Usonia, and limiting all development to within this diamond. The rest was supposed to return to James Fergusonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05901612633415337879noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9103772230302021699.post-21329795510033760952011-02-07T11:05:05.343+02:002011-02-07T11:05:05.343+02:00Further on Ayn Rand, I posted this one on facebook...Further on Ayn Rand, I posted this one on facebook last week:<br /><br />http://www.themudflats.net/2011/01/30/voices-from-the-flats-i-me-mine-the-unholy-trinity-of-ayn-rand/Martihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11341915969684349287noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9103772230302021699.post-3036142196138776162011-02-07T08:11:56.659+02:002011-02-07T08:11:56.659+02:00There goes Huffington Post,
http://news.yahoo.com...There goes Huffington Post,<br /><br />http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20110207/ap_on_hi_te/us_aol_huffington_post<br /><br />I can't imagine an AOL buy out will help HP one bit. Amazed that Huffington could get so much for the site.James Fergusonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05901612633415337879noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9103772230302021699.post-37706201980706902252011-02-07T03:45:30.274+02:002011-02-07T03:45:30.274+02:00This is a fascinating story on secret holds -- how...This is a fascinating story on secret holds -- how the internet can help people hold Congress accountable. They haven't found the culprit yet, but not for a lack of trying, and the list is getting shorter each time I look:<br /><br />http://www.wnyc.org/blowthewhistle/avrdshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07997163948247445009noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9103772230302021699.post-56535043019059191782011-02-07T03:40:56.101+02:002011-02-07T03:40:56.101+02:00Don't have to go that far back for someone unh...Don't have to go that far back for someone unhinged. How about our favorite Michelle Bachmann:<br /><br />http://www.politico.com/blogs/glennthrush/1209/Antisocialist_Bachmann_got_250k_in_federal_farm_subsidies.htmlavrdshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07997163948247445009noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9103772230302021699.post-3382491692290489332011-02-07T02:35:09.459+02:002011-02-07T02:35:09.459+02:00''unhinged from reality''
A good ...''unhinged from reality''<br /><br />A good way to describe far right pundit and hypocrit Ayn Rand who despised government handouts but who was secretly taking loads of cash:<br /><br />http://www.good.is/post/conservative-darling-ayn-rand-died-loving-government-handouts/<br /><br /><br />This item has been disclosed a week ago but the far right media refuses to touch it. No Tripplerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16568801152695491482noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9103772230302021699.post-74298548722859266892011-02-06T15:21:13.713+02:002011-02-06T15:21:13.713+02:00Fortunately, he's in Florida somewhere, so I f...Fortunately, he's in Florida somewhere, so I feel relatively safe. But I'm beginning to think there are more people like this than we might think.Rick Diguettehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09556088192579865532noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9103772230302021699.post-78023467418649266352011-02-06T06:28:18.267+02:002011-02-06T06:28:18.267+02:00Rick make sure all this guy gets is your email.He ...Rick make sure all this guy gets is your email.He sounds a bit unhinged from reality.JAbelhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08594625881177704355noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9103772230302021699.post-4260754867474459372011-02-06T03:34:50.783+02:002011-02-06T03:34:50.783+02:00Here's the latest from the guy who had a thing...Here's the latest from the guy who had a thing for "the" and "a":<br /><br />"I can offer information, you decide whether or not to accept it. <br /> <br />In response to the murder of 4 veterans of World War II, two couples, on a back road in Georgia, Truman integrated the armed forces, he believed grammar ought protect veterans. He ordered that grammar.<br /> <br />Rick Diguettehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09556088192579865532noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9103772230302021699.post-84398569926043366232011-02-05T18:59:15.332+02:002011-02-05T18:59:15.332+02:00Scary. I think I've mentioned here before tha...Scary. I think I've mentioned here before that I'm trying to set up Chautauqua-like series, bringing in Thomas Jefferson and others to engage in informed public debate, particularly about the so-called Founders. <br /><br />The person at the top of my list -- if I could ever get him to answer my emails -- is Clay Jenkinson, whose Jefferson Hour absolutely entrances me. <br /><br />To avrdshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07997163948247445009noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9103772230302021699.post-83691587122764175172011-02-05T18:40:19.629+02:002011-02-05T18:40:19.629+02:00The previous email should read "And there you...The previous email should read "And there you have it."Rick Diguettehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09556088192579865532noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9103772230302021699.post-40247605710645141772011-02-05T18:39:02.126+02:002011-02-05T18:39:02.126+02:00I've already received one email response to th...I've already received one email response to the column from someone telling me that the government is indeed controlling our minds through grammar. Here's what he has to say:<br /><br />""The" Blacks (never underestimate the power of the grammar "the" or "a"- "a" Black) accomplished considerably where government imposed it, enforced it, and Rick Diguettehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09556088192579865532noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9103772230302021699.post-11723555349452009422011-02-05T16:21:58.122+02:002011-02-05T16:21:58.122+02:00Thanks, Rick. We have those people in Montana, to...Thanks, Rick. We have those people in Montana, too. I thought they were only in Montana. Looks like they are spreading.avrdshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07997163948247445009noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9103772230302021699.post-13178671462933547992011-02-05T14:16:22.228+02:002011-02-05T14:16:22.228+02:00Rick, thanks for sharing.
Just looked up JFK'...Rick, thanks for sharing.<br /><br />Just looked up JFK's speech from June 10, 1963 at American University. I'd read about it in James W. Douglass's JFK and the Unspeakable.<br /><br />http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AG2PwhT0TDc<br /><br />This is the first of three youtube videos with the speech.Martihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11341915969684349287noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9103772230302021699.post-67835590892728272592011-02-05T13:31:14.987+02:002011-02-05T13:31:14.987+02:00My Op/Ed piece on grammar and Jared Loughner has f...My Op/Ed piece on grammar and Jared Loughner has finally run in the Atlanta Journal Constitution. Oddly enough, in between the time I wrote it in the first week of January and now a local state senator has made some noise arguing against the need for driver's licenses. Uh oh . . . <br /><br />Here's the link: http://www.ajc.com/opinion/dekalb-mental-illness-revealed-828427.htmlRick Diguettehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09556088192579865532noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9103772230302021699.post-81190857645895599302011-02-03T20:11:52.981+02:002011-02-03T20:11:52.981+02:00I love these. But then, imagine having the Ground...I love these. But then, imagine having the Ground Hog beat every year for the New York Times. Like Being Bill Murray only in some ways funnier.avrdshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07997163948247445009noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9103772230302021699.post-85166290470254843772011-02-03T06:51:34.633+02:002011-02-03T06:51:34.633+02:00Good sense of humor.Good sense of humor.James Fergusonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05901612633415337879noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9103772230302021699.post-71706062865304541232011-02-02T16:26:33.304+02:002011-02-02T16:26:33.304+02:00Or perhaps this one:
Humiliated by published ...Or perhaps this one:<br /><br /> Humiliated by published statements that all groundhogs are nature fakers and have been for a few centuries, two of the species committed suicide yesterday in the metropolitan area. One chose death in Second Avenue rather than suffer disgrace in the Empire State Building. Another charged a loaded bus in Oradell, N.J….<br /><br /> Manhattan’s only woodchuck avrdshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07997163948247445009noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9103772230302021699.post-49124689063720271072011-02-02T16:24:12.793+02:002011-02-02T16:24:12.793+02:00Speaking of today in history:
The Emperor Jon...Speaking of today in history:<br /><br /> The Emperor Jones, weather prophet of the Bronx Zoo groundhogs, threw the shadow-casting world’s series yesterday by sleeping until after sundown, and it remained for Blinkie the Bear to save the day and the Winter Solstice. Scarcely more than a shadow himself, Blinkie came hungrily out of his hibernation at 3 in the afternoon. As he stood at right avrdshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07997163948247445009noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9103772230302021699.post-64226807547288180452011-02-02T16:04:32.627+02:002011-02-02T16:04:32.627+02:00I just noticed that it was "today" in hi...I just noticed that it was "today" in history. Interesting story.avrdshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07997163948247445009noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9103772230302021699.post-1354111411873407482011-02-02T15:56:58.069+02:002011-02-02T15:56:58.069+02:00I've only read Selkirk Island, which I enjoyed...I've only read Selkirk Island, which I enjoyed very much. Excellent eye for detail.James Fergusonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05901612633415337879noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9103772230302021699.post-57116624074930064582011-02-02T15:45:28.466+02:002011-02-02T15:45:28.466+02:00She has a fascinating lineup of books! I had neve...She has a fascinating lineup of books! I had never heard of her before.avrdshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07997163948247445009noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9103772230302021699.post-63765387860041651022011-02-02T08:42:18.509+02:002011-02-02T08:42:18.509+02:00I read Diana Souhami's book, Selkirk Island,
...I read Diana Souhami's book, Selkirk Island,<br /><br />http://www.dianasouhami.co.uk/selkirk.php<br /><br />not that long ago. Fascinating story.James Fergusonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05901612633415337879noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9103772230302021699.post-60357679912994775042011-02-02T06:41:09.665+02:002011-02-02T06:41:09.665+02:00I'm not a big fan of po-mo to begin with, alth...I'm not a big fan of po-mo to begin with, although I guess Franzen would be po-po-mo. God knows. Anyway, he made no positive impression on me. His writing was entirely for effect.James Fergusonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05901612633415337879noreply@blogger.com