Lives in a Shoe

Atlas Shrugs. Ayn Rand Spins.

 

CALEDON ATLAS SHRUG

Inspired by the blockbuster book by Ayn Rand, the Atlas Shrug is more than a fashion statement. It's a statement about modern society. The construction is reminiscent of railway lines, in the color of the metal created by the brilliant industrialist. Knit your own Atlas Shrug in Caledon Hills yarn and tell the world that you value your independence.

Just the thing to wear to that picnic in Galt's Gulch.

Note:  For those non-knitters among you:  A shrug is a kind of truncated sweater that covers from shoulder to shoulder down the back, and across the sleeves. 

Note to Caledon copywriter:  the "brilliant industrialist" is Hank Reardon. 

"Dave's Not Here, Man..." Still Makes Me Smile.

Commercial.  Nice to see old friends, but -- funny a little; sad a lot.

 

I miss Janis but kind of glad she died before she was tempted to make commercials.  "Oh Lord, won't you buy me a pack of Depends..."

Sally Go Round the Pretty Roses

I'm recovering from two surgeries for a detached retina -- all is well so far, according to the surgeon who appears to be about twelve and fugitive from study hall.  Hard to read or write anything sustained.  My Nook has a setting for the Missus Magoo font -- four or five words per page -- so I can at least keep up with my recreational read: Margaret George's Elizabeth I.

I miss posting so I'll share something I like very much.  This is "Sally Go Round the Roses" by the Jaynetts. (I didn't care at the time but the making of the record is an interesting yarn.)  This was 1963 -- a summer of beaches and golden sunshine every single day. 

 

I just can't resist -- here is the same song done by  ? and the Mysterians.  Complete with feather fans and (WTF) pandas. Pandas? Really?  Some things are destined to remain mysterious.  Forever. 

Can This Be Right?

A few days ago on Big Peace -- Breitbart -- there was an interview with Richard Miniter whose book "Mastermind" about Khalid Shaikh Mohammed has just come out.

I was stunned to learn while researching Mastermind that Guantanamo detainees succeeded in convincing prison officials to no longer raise the American flag anywhere they could see it. Each morning on every U.S. military base around the world, the American flag is raised to a bugle.  But in the interests of not offending the detainees, it was stopped at Guantanamo.

Beautiful Joe

One nice thing about the Nook George gave me, which is also a terrible thing about it, is the instant gratification of obtaining new books -- less expensive in electronic form, but more expensive than secondhand.  Another disadvantage is the impossibility of passing a book along to a friend.  I know, I know -- you can lend one to someone who also has a Nook, but...it's limited as to time, and it's just not the same. 

As opposed to the Kindle, I think the Nook might be the most fortunate choice for me because it operates off a touch screen and there are no physical buttons to break.  Also, I understand some libraries now lend electronic books to the Nook.  Something to look into.

I LOVE my Nook.

Works that have passed into public domain are available easily -- sometimes free or "The Complete Works of So-and-So" for a buck ninety-eight.  

I found "Beautiful Joe" -- from my childhood.  I read it and reread it as a girl.  Finding it again was a joy.  I enjoyed it just as much as an adult.  I learned that my childhood book had been edited, probably for length (little Billy joined a circus -- who knew?)  I hadn't known that Marshall Saunders was a woman and Canadian, that there was a real Beautiful Joe, that the book won a contest sponsored by a humane society, and that there is a sequel.  Even though to my contemporary sensibilities it's preachy (in the same way Louisa May Alcott is) I love it still.  

 

 

 

Happy Birthday, Baroness

Lady Thatcher.  In the early 90s she was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the highest honor the United States of America can give to a foreigner.  Her health has been poor lately, and I wish her recovery and a long life.  She was the reason I first read "The Road to Serfdom" by Hayek and I'll always be grateful for the inspiration.

In 1984 or '85 Mrs. Thatcher, as she was then, spoke in Seattle.  George and I took my mom to hear her, and it was a privilege indeed.

    

 And who can ever forget the magnificent hat she wore to her friend President Reagan's funeral?

How Wonderful is This Picture?

Coincidence abounding -- I had a really good long chat on the phone with Judi and we were talking about movies.  She and her sister Penny had just seen "Julia" and liked it.  Judi mentioned particularly how the real Julia Child was so life-loving she would have liked to have known her.  I had it in mind to say that it would be great if somebody would make a film about Harry and Bess Truman based on the wonderful book about Bess that was written by their daughter.  Judi and I both read that book and loved it.  But the conversation richocheted around, as our conversations do -- and somehow it never came around to that.

After we'd hung up I thought, "Dang. I forgot to mention the Harry and Bess Truman thing."  I went right to email intending to write to Judi -- and there was an email from Deborah with some nice Harry Truman stuff -- and this seriously wonderful picture which I cannot look at without a cheek-rounding grin. Channeling Nancy Drew I deduced that this is a reproduction of an actual book cover.

Sure enough, there the book is on Amazon.  And of course I ordered it, and if it's as good as I think it will be, I'll send it along to Judi and then to Deborah if she might want to read it also.  Free shipping with Amazon -- can't beat that.  You really can't.

Harry Truman is a hero to me and -- I say this with all sincerity -- I named one of my dogs Harry Truman in heartfelt tribute.  I have been thinking of renaming Belle, my gorgeous Aussie shepherd, and calling her Bess, since it gets tiresome being asked again and again and again if she is named after the Disney princess. 

I've been tempted to say she's named after Belle Cora, particularly after reading an essay by one Dr. Weirde titled "For Whom the Belle Toils"  detailing the history behind the graveyard at San Francisco's Mission Dolores.   Buried there are "the Gold Rush era's most notorious madam, Belle Cora, and her gambler lover, Charles Cora, whom she finally married two hours before his neck was stretched by the Vigilance Committee."  This has absolutely nothing to do with Bess or Harry Truman.

I wanted to know something about the author (of the book I was talking about before) and came across a nice op-ed he wrote for the New York Times about President and Mrs. Truman's trip.  The whole thing is below the break.