11/12/24
Brit photographer David Gilliver created an eerie orb sitting within the ancient Callanish stones on the Isle of Lewis by swinging a light on the end of a string like a lasso during the long exposure time. Photo from bbc.com:
RIP coach John Robinson, 89. Born in Chicago, his family eventually settled in California. He was a TE on Oregon’s 1958 Rose Bowl team that lost to Ohio St.. He was an assistant at his alma mater, then at USC (two national championships) and the Raiders before being appointed head coach of the Trojans in 1976, a very successful stint that included a national championship in ’78 and four bowl victories. That led to his being named head coach of the Rams. His team made the playoffs in six of his nine years at the helm, but never advanced to the Super Bowl. He returned to USC in ’93 and did well, winning three bowl games in five seasons, but a falling out with the AD led to his dismissal. In ’99 he became head coach of UNLV but had only one winning season in six. He even put in a year as a high school assistant. He did radio color analysis and worked as a consultant at LSU for several years, enjoying a national championship in 2019. At the collegiate level his record was 132–77–4. In the NFL it was 75–68. He was a father of four. He is a member of the College Football Hall of Fame. Well done, Sir. Photo from Google Images:
Trump had to accept, but kudos for Melania for shunning the invitation to a White House that sent a fully armed squad to Mar a Lago, including to her room.
In trying to learn what constitutes great literature, I read many classics. At times I had to force myself, especially in the case of epic poetry. Here’s a checklist gleaned from 14 Classic Books People Claim to Have Read but Haven’t by Omega Ukama at msm.com:
The Iliad by Homer — Tough going, but the adaptations it has spawned in prose and film attest to its greatness.
The Odyssey by Homer — Ditto.
The Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger — Shouldn’t be on the list. It’s widely read and is always gobbled up when I have it for sale at my curbside store.
Crime and Punishment by Fyodor Dostoevsky — most influential work in my life. Inspired my Close to the Edge.
The Brothers Karamazov by Fyodor Dostoevsky — Awesome.
Great Expectations by Charles Dickens — Love it.
Anna Karenina by Leo Tolstoy — Too much digression in an otherwise great story.
War and Peace by Leo Tolstoy — Ditto.
Les Misérables by Victor Hugo — Ditto.
The Divine Comedy by Dante Alighieri — Couldn’t stand it.
Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen — Great novel.
Ulysses by James Joyce — Understood maybe ten percent of it. Did my own version, Vito’s Day, that I hope anyone would understand.
Moby-Dick by Herman Melville — Tough read but worth it. Surprisingly, it’s not devoid of humor.
Infinite Jest by David Foster Wallace — Haven’t read it and likely never will given its length.
Great news about Shell, headline from foxnews.com: “Oil giant wins appeal against climate activists in landmark case.”
The wind took much of the joy out of today’s session of the Anti-Inflation Book Shop. My thanks to the woman who bought Bram Stoker’s Dracula in hardcover, and to the Latina who purchased a piece of costume jewelry.
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