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The ideal subject of totalitarian rule is not the convinced Nazi or the dedicated communist, but people for whom the distinction between fact and fiction, true and false, no longer exists. -- Hannah Arendt ... read more

People read fiction seeking clarity -- in the payoff at the end of the book -- so, one of the worst things a writer can do is to create confusion. People also read fiction for a taste of something better than their own reality. So, keep i ... read more

Acknowledging Receipt of Australopithicus Spiff-arinoThe story behind the letter below is that there is a man in Newport, RI named Scott Williams who digs things out of his backyard and sends the stuff he finds to the Smithsonian Institutio ... read more

I came across this video last night and thought, Yes! Thank you! This guy (and Lee Child) share my disagreement with the saying, Show, Don't Tell. As Child puts it, You tell a story. You don't show a story. That saying might apply ... read more

New Los Angeles Driver's ExamFor those not fortunate enough to live in Los Angeles, here is a copy of the Los Angeles Driver's Exam. For those of you who are, study real hard. This is a new exam. Since driving conditions (and cultu ... read more

I'm just writing this post to get something new on the blog other than that free ad for Windows 7. :)We drove up to be with my wife's side of the family today for Father's Day. An extra special treat upon returning home was to discover ... read more

We've received our court date. We're haggling with the airlines now. One round-trip ticket for one adult costs a little over $800. One one-way ticket for our daughter's flight home with us costs $1,600!! I suggested just buying our daugh ... read more

We leave in an hour for Court. I just got back from breakfast. Tara did not join me because she can't eat, she's so nervous. Gotta go get dressed. Wish us luck! ... read more

Watch Tara the Hero Cat attempt to throw a ceremonial first pitch. The first pitch video is now missing from the Times, so there's now a link to the origina ... read more

This could get expensive coming here on a regular basis at $9-$10 every time, but Tara had a coupon that made it half price. We're at the new one in Brentwood/Cool Springs. Much better than the one north of town near ... read more

We're in a different hotel, the Holiday Inn -- Moscow Sokolniki, for the rest of our stay. This is the one that was originally reserved for our return from Astrakhan. It has ... read more

from My Persian KitchenPrep time: 1 min Cook time: 30 mins Total time: 31 minsServes: 1 cupIngredients1 tsp grated fresh turmericfrac12 tsp grated fresh ... read more

It's amazing the level of self-loathing. These people are certifiable. A California educator has demanded that schools in the state ignore 'privileged white voices,' and argued that the curriculum should be even more anti-white than it al ... read more

If you're looking to get away from it all, here is some hopefully useful information. If you're primarily English-speaking (maybe looking to move permanently), here's a list of countries (whose primary language is NOT English) ranked by ... read more

This one's for those too lazy to actually work out. :)Regular visits to a health club in the online virtual world Second Life appear to help shed the pounds in real life, say exercise scientists. Participants in two 12-week weight loss ... read more

If your brakes ever go out, just shift into Park. Better to ruin the transmission than to die! You're welcome!Don't ask. :) ... read more

The Leaky Faucet Vol. 4, No. 2, February 13, 1992 The quintessential newsletter. Warning: May not be suitable for the humor impaired ... read more

The Obtuse Moose Vol. 6, No. 3, April 21, 1994 Jeannie finds dog Jeannie and John have a ranch in Tracy, California. To help pay the bills, they board a few horses. One of those horses, a fat old gray Arabian mare, had been particularly ... read more

the NEWS Vol. 2, No. 6, April 16, 1990Back in spite of popular demand. WORLD NEWS Mike is back from Germany and looking very European. (Fancy haircut, pale complexion, but otherwise healthy. ) He's having trouble getting used to speakin ... read more

Itchy Trigger FingerVol. 6, No. 1, February 6, 1994Earthquake in Southern California!We're sure you've heard all about it on the news, but we just wanted to mention it in case you've just recently emerged from a cave. It happened at 4: ... read more

news from La-La Land HAPPY NEW YEAR!!Vol. 3, No. 1, January 4, 1991Newsletter editor murdered!The editor of this newsletter was apparently murdered some time over the weekend according to police. We think it was ... read more

The Holmes Family Newsletter Vol. 2, No. 8 Anniversary IssueMay 25, 1990Editor's Note: This is the big one! The big enchilada. The killer tomato. It's the anniversary issue! (Aren't you excited?) It was one year ago today that a yo ... read more