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Rutabaga

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Everything posted by Rutabaga

  1. I finally figured out that I had started to read this some years ago, but for some reason stopped maybe 1/3 of the way in. Everything seemed very familiar until I reached a certain point. In any case, I have now read/re-read the whole thing, and I have to share the sentiments posted above from the original publication. It really is a dazzling piece of writing. I had, like many, hoped for more of a "riding off in the sunset" ending with Bran and Nick, but at least the Epilogue leaves a glimmer of possibility. In all events, the banter and the craziness provide a lot of entertainment on the way to this ending. R
  2. It's perfectly obvious that you yobs are not taking this threat at all seriously enough. Imagine what will happen if these uppity gardeners are allowed to get away with this, the first step toward total garden anarchy. Are we going to stand for this unprincipled and unrestrained exercise of expression? Where to next? I shudder to think about it. R
  3. The e-book version of Stephen Pressfield's "Do the Work" is available for free today and tomorrow. It's normally $4.95. See http://shop.blackirishbooks.com/products/do-the-work-freebie?mc_cid=e9ab6f967e&mc_eid=0f46a40e62 This book really nails all the things that stop us from doing things. Excellent for writers. R
  4. I think the idea of biblical analysis is important but I was a bit disappointed here. For instance, the story sets out "Matthew 6:13… God tempts men" as one half of a supposed contradiction in scripture, but that scripture cite actually leads to the line "and lead us not into temptation" from the Lord's Prayer. It is a ridiculous stretch to assert that this prayer request, part of a format proposed by Jesus himself, stands for the proposition that "God tempts men." Similarly, the story sets out "Samuel 6:19" [i think the author must have meant I Samuel 6:19] for the broad proposition that "God is cruel, unmerciful, destructive, and ferocious," but the specific event in this passage is God striking down certain of the people of Beth Shemesh because they had violated the rules and looked into the Ark of the Lord. Again, it is an unacceptable stretch to turn this passage into a general assertion that "God is cruel, unmerciful, destructive, and ferocious." Which isn't to say that the Bible isn't full of passages that seem contradictory, if not bewildering, or that the Old and New Testaments may seem at odds with one another. It takes serious study, coupled with a knowledge of the culture of the times, to begin to make sense of these things. Two books that I have found very helpful on these subjects are these: What the Bible Really Says About Homosexuality, by Daniel A. Helminiak, Ph.D. Is God A Moral Monster?: Making Sense of the Old Testament God, by Paul Copan I realize that for purposes of a short story it would never have been possible to go into the depth and nuance of these book-length analyses. The discussion of Leviticus and related ritual-cleanliness passages in the Old Testament was more on point. In this regard, the Helminiak book mentioned first above is particularly helpful, because it makes a sharp distinction between things that are inherently, morally wrong (i.e., the Ten Commandments) and things that violate ritual cleanliness (lacking in moral gravity but merely symbolizing membership in a special group). Not wearing clothes made of two different fibres falls in the latter category, and, according to Helminiak, so does the prohibition in Leviticus 18:22. Overall, of course, I liked the thrust and tenor of the story. In fact, the only puzzlement I had was that Jacob would have been familiar with the term "gay" after such a sheltered, internet-free upbringing. So please don't interpret the above as being critical of the overall message of the story. R
  5. All of these things would tend to cause people to Attach Significance to something of no greater consequence than pushing the wrong button in an elevator. R
  6. Unfortunately I had saved the post. The system wouldn't let me edit it down to a blank post, but it permits a couple of punctuation marks. So my dorkiness is on display for all to admire. R
  7. I still want Silas to make that phone call, although it looks like more immediate things will occupy him. I was not surprised that Tara did the thing I predicted earlier, and of course that would make Silas hesitate to make the call. Above all, I (and every other reader) are rooting for Silas and the gang to get to the bottom of the events they are about to look into. R
  8. Acknowledging another Pick from the Past. This is an incredible saga that is full of the interesting characters for which Joel is known. I followed this chapter by chapter as it was being posted, and in order to be able to read it while out and about, I would copy each new installment from the web page and paste it into an empty Word document, then upload it to my Kindle Fire for offline reading. I can't begin to guess how many thousands of words are represented here, but let's just say there are quite a few. What makes it more fun, for those who have read Joel's other long pieces, is that this story includes tie-ins and foreshadowings of people and things that appear in the later stories -- including the beginnings of the St. Marks Fire liqueur and the famous birthmark that appears throughout the other stories. But I don't see any necessity to have read any of the Mystery and Mayhem at St. Marks series or Aladdin's Awakening in order to fully enjoy Tom Browning's School Days. Just be sure to set aside enough time. R
  9. I posted by mistake. Can't delete posts once you start them. Must be my hand experiencing morning sickness or something. R
  10. A US Navy cruiser anchored in Mississippi for a week's shore leave. The first evening, the ship's Captain received the following note from the wife of a very wealthy and influential plantation owner: "Dear Captain, Thursday will be my daughter's Debutante Ball. I would like you to send four well-mannered, handsome, unmarried officers in their formal dress uniforms to attend the dance." "They should arrive promptly at 8:00 PM prepared for an evening of polite Southern conversation. They should be excellent dancers, as they will be the escorts of lovely refined young ladies. One last point: "No Jews please." Sending a written message by his own yeoman, the captain replied: "Madam, thank you for your invitation. In order to present the widest possible knowledge base for polite conversation, I am sending four of my best and most prized officers." "One is a lieutenant commander, and a graduate of Annapolis with an additional Masters degree from MIT in fluid technologies and ship design." "The second is a Lieutenant, one of our helicopter pilots, and a graduate of Northwestern university in Chicago, with a BS in Aeronautical Engineering. His Masters Degree and PhD. In Aeronautical and Mechanical Engineering are from Texas Tech University and he is also an astronaut candidate." "The third officer is also a lieutenant, with degrees in both computer systems and information technology from SMU and he is awaiting notification on his Doctoral Dissertation from Cal Tech." "Finally, the fourth officer, also a lieutenant commander, is our ship's doctor, with an undergraduate degree from the University of Georgia and his medical degree is from the University of North Carolina. We are very proud of him, as he is also a senior fellow in Trauma Surgery at Bethesda." Upon receiving this letter, Melinda's mother was quite excited and looked forward to Thursday with pleasure. Her daughter would be escorted by four handsome naval officers without peer (and the other women in her social circle would be insanely jealous). At precisely 8:00 PM on Thursday, Melinda's mother heard a polite rap at the door which she opened to find, in full dress uniform, four very handsome, smiling Black officers. Her mouth fell open, but pulling herself together, she stammered, "There must be some mistake." "No, Madam," said the first officer. "Captain Goldberg never makes mistakes."
  11. I realize it must be a minority view here, but I'm with Pertinax. R
  12. How nice that this terrific story is a Dude's Pick from the Past. I recently re-read it and continue to admire its elegance and its penetrating intelligence. On the faint chance that anyone reading this post hasn't experienced this tale, go here: http://www.awesomedude.com/cole-parker/on-the-high-plains-of-wyoming/on-the-high-plains-of-wyoming.htm The lead character (Mason) is a remarkable young man in a number of respects. We should all have such class. Highly recommended. R
  13. Here's another story that deserves notice here, yet I can't find an existing thread. See it here: http://codeysworld.com/graeme/short_stories/life-after-death/life-after-death.php It handles its theme in an engaging manner with a gratifying conclusion. I won't say more for fear of spoiling it. A recommended read. R
  14. Damn. Just as Silas was going to make that fateful phone call. And how about all those evil clerics? Things have moved way past suspicious. R
  15. In honor of Chris James's "Groms": R
  16. I started out in Los Angeles city public schools in the late 50s, where the attitude toward handwriting (and particularly cursive writing) was pretty casual. In 1960, in the middle of third grade, my family moved back east, to the suburbs of Washington, D.C. In this school system there was an obsessive focus on handwriting, and I suffered mightily because of my poor preparation. I made it through (though I still don't understand why a capital 'Q' is supposed to look like the number '2') but it was always a struggle. I think cursive writing can be beneficial because unless a person actually knows shorthand it is the quickest way to get words written down, as when taking notes. But maybe kids don't take notes any more. My current handwriting would not win any beauty contests but it's serviceable. I find that I have to slow down enough, when taking notes, to make sure that I will be able to decipher what I wrote. R
  17. First let me say that I have really liked the pictures accompanying these chapters. I meant to say something earlier and now I see there's a reference to them in a note at the end of the chapter. They're great. Indeed there are a lot of great pictures at AD and it's obvious that significant effort goes into them. I felt a sense of peril throughout the story. Often I expected that the drug connection would lead to bad outcomes, particularly for Charlie. I was also biting my nails during Finals day. All in all very nicely done. It's nice to see the good guys come out on top from time to time. R
  18. Now that was an unexpected twist, this backstage visitor. It certainly confirmed what lowlifes Ian's and Silas's parents are, not to mention the local constabulary. And here I thought Utah was one of the 50 states. R
  19. The lesson in the latest chapter is that when someone gets a restraining order affecting a student, the relevant school should be notified of it. R
  20. Two words for this chapter: "Loose lips . . . " R
  21. What a lot to happen in one chapter. Seems like the walls are coming down, ever so slowly. Being able to face the reality of things is a sign of maturity. Or should I say, being able to face the pain of that reality. R
  22. Actually, under the Supremacy clause, what the constitution says is the final word. The constitution can be (and has been) amended to specifically supersede contrary U.S. Supreme Court decisions. It is a non sequitur for a court to pronounce that specific language in the constitution is "unconstitutional." R
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