Sunday Funnies

Above is my all-time favorite Far Side cartoon by Gary Larson. There was a time when Larson's panel was probably the most popular of daily comics, and people (at least many that I hung out with) endlessly debated which ones were best.

Larson's bent view of the world really captured one's attention, especially since his work often appeared adjacent to the likes of more innocuous single panel cartoons like Marmaduke or Ziggy.

Much like Bill Watterson (Calvin and Hobbes), Larson quit when he was still at the top of his game. I imagine the book-size collections continue to generate healthy sales, and you can still find calendars, mugs, etc. as well.


One of Larson's pet themes (no pun intended) was to imagine a much more complex life for animals than we mere humans typically noticed. Cows seemed a particular favorite for Larson (I wonder if he grew up on a farm?).

Larson inspired a lot of imitators over the years, but I can't think of anyone who tapped into that twisted vein of humor with the same visual wit that he demonstrated throughout his peak. That kind of originality is the hallmark of great art, even popular art.

Sunday Morning Philosophy

Max Horkheimer (1895-1973) was one of the founders of the Frankfurt School of Social Research, and a key thinker of the mid-twentieth century. He was perhaps especially insightful on the rise of fascism, which forced him, like so many others, into exile. Here's a long, but interesting quote that remains, unfortunately, relevant:

"Although most people never overcome the habit of
berating the world for their difficulties, those who
are too weak to make a stand against reality have
no choice but to obliterate themselves by identifying
with it. They are never rationally reconciled to
civilization. Instead, they bow to it, secretly
accepting the identity of reason and domination,
of civilization and the ideal, however much they
may shrug their shoulders. Well-informed cynicism
is only another mode of conformity. These people
willingly embrace or force themselves to accept
the rule of the stronger as the eternal norm.
Their whole life is a continuous effort to suppress
and abase nature, inwardly or outwardly, and to
identify themselves with its more powerful
surrogates—the race, fatherland, leader, cliques,
and tradition. For them, all these words mean
the same thing— the irresistible reality that must
be honored and obeyed. However, their own
natural impulses, those antagonistic to the
various demands of civilization, lead a devious
undercover life within them."

Cool Zippy Strip

I know that Zippy by Bill Griffith is something of an acquired taste, one which many never acquire. Today's edition made me laugh and laugh, so I thought I'd share it in the hopes some readers may be won over (that is, if you're not already a fan). "Two Bozos." Heh, heh.

Photoshop Fun

Here are three more pictures I've been playing around with on Photoshop Elements. Above is a Big Sky shot on which I enhanced the contrast and color a bit to (I hope) bring out the more dramatic elements of the image.

This shot was originally so blurry that I was tempted just to delete it. But then I thought I'd see if I couldn't play up the blurriness to good effect. So I worked on the texture and lighting to emphasize its dream-like qualities.

This is a shot of Main Hall on the UM Western campus where I teach. On this one, I tried to bring out the stateliness of the building by again playing around with the lighting and contrast especially. My next goal is to learn how to use the layering function of the software, which I've been reading about but so far haven't utilized. Results will be posted soon.

Saturday Morning Cartoon

To my mind, Yogi Bear was the best of the Hanna-Barbera cartoons I grew up on-- better than Huckleberry Hound, Snagglepuss, Ruff and Reddy, the Jetsons, you name'em. Here's what I believe is the first Yogi cartoon from 1958:

Today's Quotation

Fyodor Dostoyevski (1821-1881) was one of the giants of literature. Here's something he wrote in Notes From the Underground:

"But there are other things which a man
is afraid to tell even to himself, and every
decent man has a number of such things
stored away in his mind... A man's true
autobiography is almost an impossibility...
Man is bound to lie about himself."

Classic Joe Ely

I've been to the museum that Joe Ely talks about in the intro to this song, and my impression was pretty much the same as his. I wish I could say that I wrote a song as cool as this one in response to the experience, but then Joe already has, so I guess I'm off the hook on that count:

Friday Family Blogging Quiz

Here's a slightly altered photo I (or was it Ben?) took of Natalie last summer. The question is, where was this picture taken? Be as specific as possible and put your guesses in the comments section.

Last week, I asked you to identify who, among the photo's subjects, was celebrating a birthday, which birthday it was, and what the main present was for the birthday celebrant. That turned out to be easier than I expected, as the correct answers were almost immediately forthcoming: it was in fact my ninth birthday and the big present that year was a guitar (which, despite a number of lessons over a couple of years, I never got the hang of). Unfortunately, none of the correct answers came from signed responses, so I don't know who to credit with stellar memories (though I suspect Mom and maybe Sally). If you want to take credit, go ahead and make your case in the comments this week.

More Friday Family Blogging

Okay, this picture wasn't taken last week, but I scanned it from Liz's collection during my visit over Thanksgiving. Doesn't Marenka look like some kind of South American rock star? And no, I don't really know what that means.

Friday Family Blogging

Here's a picture of Maria, Sara, and Joseph taken last week while I was visiting the Bannings out in Washington. I'll leave it to your interpretation whether that's a hug or a chokehold Sara has
applied to Joseph's neck.

Friday Philosophy

Chuang Tzu was a Chinese mystic from the 3rd Century BC. Here's a comment he supposedly made that you might want to turn over a couple times in your own mind:

"Human life is limited, but knowledge is
limitless. To drive the limited in pursuit
of the limitless is fatal; and to presume
that one really knows is fatal indeed."

New Blog Feature

You may notice that I've added a search function to the blog. It appears just below my profile at left, and is set to find anything that's been mentioned at any time on this blog. I know Lil Sis likes to check up on me (to see if I'm recycling material), and this should make her (or anyone else's) efforts much easier ;-)

Video of the Day

I don't know what Bruce Springsteen has to do with Paris, but I was mesmerized watching these shots of Paris with the Boss providing the soundtrack (especially the first song: I love "Rockaway the Days").

Pop Quiz

Anyone care to guess where the picture that now adorns the heading of this blog was taken? Put your guesses in the comments, and try to be as specific as possible.

Photoshop Fun

Here are a few pictures that I've attempted to enhance with Photoshop software. Above is the pier in Santa Monica.

Here's a barrel I shot in a field by Grasshopper Creek in Bannack.

And a party boat casting off near the Erie Canal terminus in Buffalo. I played around with the lighting and color on each of these (also added some arty filters with the barrel). In the mail today I received my first issue of Digital Photography magazine (recently subscribed to) and so I'm looking forward to learning how to do more with the software.

Thursday's Thought of the Day

Heywood Broun (1888-1936) was a New York journalist, and respected member of the Algonquin Round Table. Here's a quip of his from 1922:

"The most prolific period of pessimism
comes at twenty-one, or thereabouts,
when the first attempt is made to
translate dreams into reality."

Classic Thin Lizzy

I tend to forget about these guys when I get into discussions about great rock bands of the past, and I don't know why. I know they were never as big in the US as in the UK, but I'd rather listen to their records than say, Pink Floyd. Anyway, here's one of their best songs:

Soup Diary 091202

Still catching up from last week.... Lizzie and I stopped at a funky little sandwich shop in Tacoma (was it the Antique Sandwich Shop?) after our visit to Point Defiance. Since it was Friday, my soup options were limited by the inevitable inclusion of clam chowder on the menu (which I don't like), so I went with the Vegetable, as seen above. As long as you don't cook it until the vegetables are indistinguishable mushy lumps-- and they did not-- you pretty much can't ruin vegetable soup. It's wasn't very exciting, and certainly not revelatory, but it made for a decent supplement to my hummus and sprouts sandwich. Oh, and the ice tea there was really really good (even came with a bit of froth on the top).

A New Thanksgiving Tradition

This is the second year in a row I've had my picture taken with Dudley and Luna, so I'm thinking it has become part of the holiday tradition. Next year we'll have to see if we can get them both on my glasses.

Wednesday's Quotation

Joseph Conrad (nee Korzeniowski)was a notable British author, born in Poland. Here's something he wrote with which I can agree:

"The artist appeals to that part of our being
which is not dependent on wisdom; to that
in us which is a gift and not an acquisition--
and therefore, more permanently enduring.
He speaks to our capacity for delight and
wonder, to the sense of mystery surrounding
our lives, to our sense of pity, and beauty
and pain...."

Video of the Day

I think Dragnet must be the most parodied TV show ever. Here's an example from when Jack Webb guested on the Tonight Show in what looks like the early seventies:

This Week's Top Five List

This week's radio show was devoted to my Guilty Pleasures (aka the Turkey Shoot-- a post-Thanksgiving tradition on the program). But the Top Five had nothing to do with that theme-- just another random list. Check it out:

Pictures From Washington

Here are a few shots from my trip last week. Above is a picture taken at a place called Dry Falls in central Washington. Apparently several thousand years ago this spot would've put Niagara Falls to shame. But sometime around the end of the last Ice Age, the flow disappeared, leaving this striking landscape behind.

This is an apple tree somewhere alongside Bonney Lake. I'm pretty pleased with the way the colors came out (unretouched), considering I shot this at dusk.

This was taken at the Japanese Garden in Point Defiance Park in Tacoma, the day after Thanksgiving. Luckily we had some nice weather, so Liz and I drove over to the Park to snap some pictures. I'll post some others tomorrow.

Quote of the Day

I think Eleanor Roosevelt was probably the greatest First Lady in our nation's history, and one of the greatest advocates for those ideals which define us as Americans. Here's a nice summary of those principles:

"Any citizen in this country is entitled to equality
before the law; to equality of education; to equality
at earning a living, as far as his abilities have made
it possible for him to do; to equality of participation
in government so that he or she may register their
opinion in just the way that any other citizens do.
Now those things are basic rights, belonging to
every citizen in every minority group, and we have
an obligation, I think, to stand up and be counted
when it comes to the question of whether any
minority group does not have those rights as
citizens in this country. The minute we deny any
rights of this kind to any citizen, we are preparing
the way for the denial of those rights to someone else.
We have to make up our minds what we really believe.
We have to decide whether we believe in the Bill of
Rights, in the Constitution of the United States, or
whether we are going to modify it because of the
fears we may have at the moment."

Classic Love

Here's the Love song that took the group into Round 2 of the Battle of the Bands on Dr. John's Record Shelf last night. There are some recent live versions from when the band was reformed by Arthur Lee in the early 2000s avaialble on YouTube, but that version of the band did not include the late Bryan Mclean who wrote this song and took lead vocals on the version that appeared on the classic Forever Changes lp (the cut we played on the show). So the video here is nothing to get excited about, but the song, well, the song is fantastic:

Battle of the Bands Update

Love

This week on Dr. John's Record Shelf, we finished up Round 1 in the Southwest Bracket of our ongoing Battle of the Bands (American, 1954-1974). The Doors, seeded no. 3, took a split decision from the Seeds (14), while Love (13) scored a unanimous upset over the Eagles at no. 4.

The Doors

The songs played were "Light My Fire" by the Doors vs. "Pushin' Too Hard" for the Seeds, and Love's "Alone Again Or" against "Take It Easy" by the Eagles. Our guest judge this week was Tom Rosiek, voting along with Art Vandalay and myself (I struck the lone dissenting vote on the evening by picking the Seeds).

So, with one week left in the first round, we'll be finishing up the midwest bracket next Sunday. I should have the full slate of second round matchups posted here sometime the following week, including the songs to be played (which, by the rules of the comptetion, must be different from those in round one). The bands squaring off in the SW Bracket's second round will be: the Byrds vs the Doobie Brothers; Bobby Fuller Four vs. Love; Spirit vs the Doors; and the Sir Douglas Quintet vs. the Beach Boys.

The Last Movie I Saw

Yesterday I wrote about Pirate Radio, a British movie set in the sixties about (partly) a young man's coming of age working on the titular vessal. The same day, I also saw An Education, a British movie set in the sixties about a young woman's coming of age working her way through school with aspirations of going on to Oxford. As mentioned in the earlier post, Pirate Radio was not very good, but nonetheless somewhat likeable. An Education is much better if ultimately kind of inconsequential in its lesson (such as it is). Directed by Lone Scherfig (apparently her first English-language film) and written by Nick Hornby (who I'm convinced is incapable of turning out anything less than interesting), An Education is much better constructed than the other movie, and the performances by Peter Sarsgaard, Alfred Molina, and especially Carrie Mulligan as the main character, Jenny, are first-rate across the board. As the plot unfolds, the precocious Jenny seeks to define her future on her own terms (as opposed to those laid down by her father and teachers), and siezes on the opportunities represented by her older "boyfriend" David (Sarsgaard), who it turns out is manipulating her in his own quietly selfish way. The trajectory of this smart girl's seduction into David's world-- a world she covets even before she meets him-- and the subsequent revelation of his betrayal could be the stuff of lurid melodrama or exploitation. But Scherfig and Hornby keep this on a realistic, human scale, which plays out less in histrionics than the slow concession to the sort of personal compromises that most of us accept in the face of unanticipated setbacks. That's what I mean by the film being somewhat inconsequential: it's an interesting, even compelling story, well told and well-acted. But in the end it's hard to see that it really stands out as anything more than that, since the consequences of the climactic revelation merely reaffirm notions most of us would accept as common knowledge, reflecting the all-too-familiar expectations we have about "playing with fire." That's actually consistent with Hornby's fiction generally, which hardly effects it's entertainment value (his novel Slam has much in common with this film, for example), but for some reason I was led to expect something more-- although I'm hard-pressed to say exactly what that was. On balance, it was a good film, and I'd see it again, if only for the combination of good qualities that pulled me in and made me interested in the outcome, even if that outcome itself was something less than spectacular.

Soup Diary 091130

I had a nice cup of Split Pea Soup a few days ago, worthy of mention here. It was actually a mix (from the Nutrisystem program)-- just add boiling water. I have to say, it was pretty tasty, not at all what I would expect from a diet program-- except that the portion was kind of small. I recently bought a box of organic split pea soup to try as well, along with some potato leek and sweet potato soup from the same company. These store-bought package soups are not readily available locally, but since I was on the road, I checked the selection in some of the bigger towns I visited. So it looks like soup for dinner or lunch through most of this week. The irony is that the weather is warming up a bit, just when I was expecting the opposite, so I may not always be in a soup-mood. But who am I kidding... I'm almost always in the mood for soup, especially if it turns out to be good (I have especially high hopes for the Sweet Potato). I should mention that being in Washington last week also provided me with the opportunity to once again enjoy the truly excellent Chicken Tortilla Soup at Baja Fresh-- I've written about it a couple times before, so suffice to say that I have yet to discover a chain restaurant staple that comes close to this glorious concoction, complete with avacado slices. If the executives at Campbell's ever tasted this, they'd have to be embarrassed to call the stuff they can "soup."

Monday Philosophy

William Henry Channing (1810-1884) was a Transcendentalist, inspired by Margaret Fuller to embrace a philosophy of self-discovery and individual revelation. Here's his definition of what that meant to him:

"To live content with small means; to seek
elegance rather than luxury, and refinement
rather than fashion; to be worthy, not respectable,
and wealthy, not rich; to listen to stars and birds,
babes and sages, with open heart; to study hard;
to think quietly, act frankly, talk gently, await
occasions, hurry never; in a word, to let the
spiritual, unbidden and unconscious, grow up
through the common—this is my symphony."

Great Betty Hutton Performance

I'm not sure if there was anyone who could sell a song like Betty Hutton. She was also a wonderful comedienne (check out The Miracle of Morgan's Creek for proof). Here's one of her best, from (I'm guessing) about 1944:

The Last Movie I Saw

By almost any objective standard, Pirate Radio, directed by Richard Curtis, is a bad movie. It's does a crummy job of plot construction, character development is spotty at best, and visually it is unnecessarily chaotic and choppy. It is well cast, and the soundtrack is pretty good (despite a couple odd anachronistic insertions), but aside from that it's pretty much a mess. But I'd have to throw it in the guilty pleasure category for its adoption of the increasingly quaint notion that "rock and roll can save the world," and sticking to it. That really did seem possible in 1967, when the film is set, and I'm just enough of a musical romantic to want to believe that message has not become completely irrelevant as time has passed. Part of the problem the movie can't quite overcome is its tacit insistence that it was that specific moment in time alone that was ripe with possibility, kind of leaving contemporary audiences (or at least that segment that wasn't around in 1967) scratching their heads about what to do with a message that the film itself implies is embedded-- maybe that should be "embalmed"-- in the past, despite the montage of subsequent album covers that accompany the end credits. As someone who loves rock & roll and radio, on many levels this seems like a terrible missed opportunity; but then again, maybe a big part of rock radio's charm is its inherent sloppiness, which can only be expressed by wallowing in the mess-- in which case, maybe Curtis and crew deserve more credit than I'm giving them here. But I doubt it.

Sunday Funnies

Of course The Flintstones did not originate on the comics page, but rather as the first prime-time cartoon on television. But cross-marketing being what it is, it didn't take long for the folks at Hanna-Barbera to get it into the Sunday papers too. I don't know how long it lasted in that format, but I have fond memories of reading it as a kid, and here are a few samples from that period.

I wouldn't put thses in the classic category, but they were fun. And you can see that there was a time, not so long ago, when artists could put a bit of detail into their work-- certainly much more than you see today in the funnies.

Although Hanna and Barbera signed the strips, I imagine the work was actually done by folks working in their studio. One difference between the strip and the show is that I don't recall any celebrity cameos in the former, but that could just be my faulty memory.

Maybe next week I'll post some examples of The Flintstones sister strip, Yogi Bear, also produced by the folks who brought us youngsters the well-known cartoon (and appearing, at least in the Buffalo Courier Express, on the same page in the Sunday funnies).

Today's Quotation

Jean Piaget (1896-1980) was one of the giants of educational theory. Here's an idea of his that ought to be embraced by all teachers:

"The principal goal of education is to
create men who are capable of doing
new things, not simply of repeating
what other generations have done."

Breaking in My New Camera

Hoping to take my recently-adopted hobby to a new level, I recently purchased a new camera, a Pentax K-x DSLR. My trip over Thanksgiving gave me my first real opportunity to check it out , and so far I'm quite pleased. I'll probably be posting some of my favorite pictures over the next few days, starting with these from an afternoon wandering around downtown Spokane. The first two, above and below, are of the Spokane Falls, which rush by just a few steps away from the downtown shopping district.

Below is the giant Christmas Tree in the downtown mall (can't remember what it's called-- maybe Riverwalk or Riverfront). It's in a gant atrium that extends the height of the facility-- four floors of shopping and movie theaters. What's neat is that you can look out past it all the way up the hill that rises from downtown to out past the interstate. It's a great view, especially at night.

Last, for now, is a shot of a clock tower that's adjacent to the river. I think I can make this one a little better with a bit of editing, but I'm pretty pleased with the raw version too. The new camera does a nice job on those night shots I like so much.

Soup Diary 091128

I'm actually a few days behind on these diary entries, but I should catch up soon enough. While driving to western Washington for Thanksgiving, I passed through and had a meal in Spokane, at a diner called Flapdoodles. I like diners-- they often make me feel like I'm stepping back in time to a different kind of restaurant experience than what one finds in the now-more-common fast food places. Part of that is that they tend to offer soup, and if you're lucky, homemade soup. That was the case here. The choices were Cream of Tomato and Cabbage Kielbasa. As you can guess from teh picture above, I went with the latter. I should mention that, when the waitress told me the options, my gut reaction was to go with the Tomato, as I'm not that big a fan of either kielbasa or cabbage. But I decided to be adventurous and I was amply rewarded. The broth was very rich and tangy, the cabbage still had a bit of crunch to it, and the though the kielbasa was in short supply (just one chunk, by my count), it definitely lent some flavor to the concoction. So, score one for taking a chance-- I just hope my luck holds the next time.

Saturday Morning Cartoon

I remember really liking these cartoon "documentaries" when I was a kid. I don't recall on what program they aired, but there were so many shows that included cartoons back then, it could've been any of them. Anyway, here's a good example of that style, made by the immortal Tex Avery:

Quote of the Day

Walter Benjamin (1895-1942) was one of the thinkers associated with the Frankfurt School, and wrote quite a bit on aesthetics and culture. Here's an idea he expressed that bears repeating:

"Opinions are to the vast apparatus of social
existence what oil is to machines: one does
not go up to a turbine and pour machine oil
over it; one applies a little to hidden spindles
and joints that one has to know."

Friday Family Blogging Quiz

The above picture was taken on someone's birthday... whose? Also, for bonus points, what birthday was it (year) and what was the main present for that person? Put your guesses in the comments section.

Last week, I asked you to identify the subject of an altered photo. The correct answer was Maria, which Natalie was the first to guess (Catie and Thomas also knew it was Maria). Sally correctly identified the place as the family reunion back in 2008, and Lizzie got the balloons part, so just about all the players got something right. Thanks to all who played!

More Friday Family Blogging

Here's the Dobes Family ready to give the Cowsills or Jonases a run for their money (though harder rocking than either).

Friday Family Blogging

Visiting family (as I am over Thanksgiving) means lots of new pictures. Here's one of Joseph, Maria, Kitty, and I'm pretty sure Thomas' fingers.

Happy Thanksgiving Everybody!

I'm visiting family in Washington, so posting will be light for a couple days, but I wanted to wish all the readers of this blog a happy and filling Thanksgiving. Enjoy the turkey, or whatever, and the company. I shoud be back on my regular schedule of posting by Friday (with new family photos).

A Christmas List

This is a little self-serving, but I think a few folks who read this blog may have me on their Christmas lists, and I thought it might be useful if I posted a list of books (and a couple cds) that I would not mind finding under the tree on December 25th. They are listed below. By the same token, if anyone reading this would like to post a wish-list in the comments, I might be subject to some friendly suggestions as I go about my own holiday shopping.

Books I'd Like to Read:
Morris Dickstein, Dancing in the Dark: A Cultural History of the Great Depression [history]
Greil Marcus & Werner Sollors, eds. A New Literary History of America [history]
William Knoedelseder, I'm Dying Up Here! Heartbreak and High Times in Stand-Up Comedy's Golden Age [humor]
Robert Pinsky, Thousands of Broadways: Dreams and Nightmares of teh American Small Town [history]
Ian Almond, Two Faiths, One Banner [history]
Jim Walsh, The Replacements: All Over But the Shouting [music]
Tony Judt, Reappraisals: Reflections on the Forgotten Twentieth Century [history]
Neil Harris, The Chicagoan: A Lost Magazine of the Jazz Age [history/media]
Mark Steel, Vive La Revolution: A Stand-Up History of the French Revolution [humor]
William H. Goetzmann, Beyond the Revolution: A History of American Thought from Paine to Pragmatism [history]
Jackson Lears, Rebirth of a Nation:The Making of Modern America 1877-1920 [history]

Compact Discs I'd Like to Hear:
Various Artists, Where the Action Is! Los Angeles Nuggets 1965-1968*
Cornershop, Judy Sucks a Lemon
Various artists, Mad Mike Monsters, Vol. 1-3
Various Artists, Honey & Wine: Another Gerry Goffin and Carole King Song Collection

*This one is kind of expensive, but can be had at considerable discount at Amazon.com

This Week's Top Five

Direct from the airwaves of KDWG fm in Dillon, Montana, here is the Top Five List from last Sunday's edition of Dr. John's Record Shelf. I hope you enjoy it as much as we did broadcasting it...

Tuesday Philosophy

Today's words of wisdom come from the great Scottish skeptic, David Hume, one of the key figures of the Enlightenment:

"The mind is a kind of theater, where several
perceptions successively make their appearance--
pass, repass, glide away, and mingle in an
infinite variety of postures and situations.
There is properly no simplicity in it at one
time, nor identity in different, whatever
natural propension we may have to
imagine that simplicity and identity..."

Battle of the Bands Victor

Here's a live clip of Country Joe and the Fish performing a live version of the song (from the Monterey Pop Festival) that took them into round two in the Battle of the Bands playing out on Dr. John's Record Shelf. To me, this is perhaps the quintessential sound of the San Francisco scene circa 1967:

Battle of the Bands Update

Jefferson Airplane

We finished up the first round in the Northwest Bracket this past Sunday evening on Dr. John's Record Shelf with a couple of split decisions. Moving on to round two are Jefferson Airplane (the no. 3 seed) and Country Joe and the Fish (13), the latter in an upset. Their competition was the Quicksilver Messenger Service (14) and Santana (4) respectively. Our guest judge was once again the Rock Doctor (and US Professor of the Year) Rob Thomas.

Country Joe & the Fish

"Somebody to Love" was the song used by the Airplane to advance, nudging out "Fresh Air" by Quicksilver (who Art Vandalay voted for), while Country Joe advanced behind "Not So Sweet Martha Lorraine" which was matched against "Evil Ways" by Santana (who garnered the Rock Doc's vote).

So, here's how the second round stacks up in the NW Bracket: Creedence Clearwater Revival v. Big Brother & the Holding Company; the Electric Prunes v. Country Joe & the Fish; Steppenwolf v. Jefferson Airplane; and the Kingsmen v. the Standells. Next week we'll wrap up round one in the Southwest Bracket.

Monday's Quote

Here's a truly radical concept, promoted by Prince Peter Kropotkin (1842-1921), a Russian geographer and philosopher. I wonder if people will ever develop to the degree implied in this idea:

"Anarchism is the name given to a principle or
theory of life and conducted under which society
is conceived without government-- harmony in
such a society being obtained, not by submission
to law, or by obedience to any authority, but by
free agreements concluded between the various
groups, territorial and professional, freely
constituted for the sake of production and
consumption, as also for the satisfaction of
the infinite variety of needs and aspirations
of a civilized being."

Klassik Kinks

Here's another example of the amazing stuff I never would've dreamed of finding, yet there it is on YouTube. In this case the Kinks doing one of their hits from about 1966. I have no idea where or for what this was originally produced, but it's a kick to see it however it came about: