nourishing obscurity

Wright, J.C., The Enlightenment of the Benighted: That morality is an inheritable characteristic is a speculation, and even if true, it would seem to be a rarefied inheritance. The moral natures of great leaders, even of Philosopher-Kings, are not always passed to sons; just ask Marcus Aurelius. Or a preacher s kid. We would have [...]

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Filed under: Chuckles

Recent research has revealed that white van drivers are the brightest on the road, ahead of BMW drivers and cyclists. I used to have a white van (well, it was a Transit pick-up actually. My vans were blue) James is a cyclist…… Rossa drives a BMW……… Just saying, that’s all. _________________________ JD‘s profile and a [...]

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Filed under: Blogging, Diversions, JD

As Stormbringer asks: Does this video show the British Navy firing on an Iranian speedboat? … or as Chuckles asks: Why can’t they all just be friends?

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Filed under: Society & human issues

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Filed under: Chuckles, Humour

I mean – all these dials and things they put on watches – what do you need a bloody compass for?  You’re making love – North by Northwest, darling.  No, South by East!

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Filed under: Diversions

Irking the driver: While American cities are synchronizing green lights to improve traffic flow and offering apps to help drivers find parking, many European cities are doing the opposite: creating environments openly hostile to cars. The methods vary, but the mission is clear — to make car use expensive and just plain miserable enough to [...]

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Filed under: Politics & economics, Society & human issues

It is that time of the year again, when the whole world descends on Pamplona (Navarra) in Spain for the Fiesta de San Fermin. The fiesta begins on the 6th of July and this moment is marked by a rocket – the “Txupinazo” All morning, crowds gather in the “Plaza Ayuntamiento” and at midday the [...]

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Filed under: History & Culture, JD

For an apt commentary, try this article [H/T Chuckles]:

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Filed under: History & Culture

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Filed under: Chuckles, Humour

What LA-NY folks call ‘flyover country’ is the heart and soul of the US. It is where Everyman lives, it is where people retain what are known as ‘the old values’ and continue to try to live up to them. It is conservative with a small ‘c’, it believes in ‘love thy neighbour’ (even if [...]

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Filed under: Blogging, JD, Society & human issues

Oh, I like this one, from RC/St. Peterburg Times: “I don’t know how those boys made it,” said John Rauchbauer, 30, of Port Richey, Fla. He was awakened at 2:00 a.m. when a car plowed into his house — right through his living room, dining room, and into his sons’ bedroom. The only illumination came [...]

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Filed under: Diversions, Leisure, travel & sport

I was thinking of wishing my American readers well on July 4th, without trotting out the same cliches, year after year.  Twilight gave me the idea – celebrate a quintessential American artist:

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Filed under: Art

CherryPie, on July 3rd, 2011 at 00:02 wrote: As I said before, you do read some strange books… “Closet sexual element between mothers and sons and fathers and daughters…” No!!! that is not at all what the connections are about. The connections are emotional NOT sexual. The book Cherie is referring to is about one [...]

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Filed under: Society & human issues

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Filed under: Chuckles, Humour

Did DSK discover that the U.S. has no gold reserves – that it’s all been stolen? A new report prepared for Prime Minister Putin by the Federal Security Service (FSB) says that former International Monetary Fund (IMF) Chief Dominique Strauss-Kahn was charged and jailed in the US for sex crimes on May 14th after his discovery that all [...]

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Filed under: Politics & economics