We welcome persons from all forms of former naïveté

Comes now news that liberal icon, he of the round spectacles, The Beatles, and Strawberry Fields (Forever): John Lennon - may have been a closet Republican.

At least that's what a supposedly close assistant to the musician is now asserting.

For the moment, count me as a bit skeptical, wondering if the assistant, who is said to have worked for Mr. Lennon since 1979 (Lennon was murdered December 8, 1980), is hawking a book or something.

Nonetheless, it's possible:

• Ronald Reagan (the best President in my lifetime) was very personable.
• Lennon was disenfranchised with the confiscatory tax rates of his native country - thus, his abode at the Dakota in NYC.
• Even with the level of 'handlers' and security around him, his travels would have allowed him to see quite plainly that no communist or socialist society came anywhere near the standard of living and liberty of the United States.
• Peace is not inconsistent with conservatism.
• David Horowitz
• Charles Krauthammer

It would be interesting if the story proves to be true, though I don't necessarily predict that Yoko shared the same conversion. 

Imagine that.


Edit: Iowahawk has some updated JL songs for your enjoyment.

Clap for the Wolfman

I loved the Mindnight Special.

When I heard Dave Mason was coming to North Texas for the Freedom Fest, or Hippie Fest, or somesuch, my first thought was: "I thought he died"...

Of course, I also thought Chris Rea was dead.




Wonder if he got that vest from Todd the Blogger.

Here is a more recent version.  Now he's even got TTB's hairstyle.

Ship of dreams

If I had a really nice boat, I would name it Dreamboat Annie or Rubye Pearl.

Different Times...

The week seems to have gotten off to a shaky start.

This instead of a post that's been ruminating for a couple of days in my head.  It seems that the headline grabbers of late have to do with the most recent celebrity breakups or rehab stints, and celebrating boys and girls who dig getting it on with others of the same gender (whether in New York or Rome).

So, it would be relatively easy to overlook the obituary of a gentleman who died last week, his career beginning before World War II, and whose work included some of the most important aviation designs in history.

The current 'culture', if it may be so termed, could scarce comprehend a time when a young man could be disowned by his father for getting his doctorate in aeronautical engineering instead of chemical engineering.  Ah, but few today are predisposed to such high achievement.

I don't know that I'd heard or read Mr. Widmer's name before today.  I do know that his contributions will still loom large well after today's 'newsmakers' are long forgotten.

Trivia note:  Colonel Henry J. Deutschendorf, Sr., USAF, was a distinguished pilot of the B-58 Hustler aircraft.  He was also the father of Henry J. Deutschendorf, Jr., more widely known as John Denver.

Target Practice

I don't think I'll make it to the range this weekend, but on my next trip, I plan to shoot one of these:



A Martin-actioned Birmingham Small Arms (BSA) heavy-barrelled competition .22 LR target rifle. Yes, this is the same BSA that manufactured motorcycles up until the early '70s.

The video is not the actual rifle I'll be shooting.  I've admired this firearm since I was about five years old, and took it to my military science marksmanship labs in college.  Its owner has agreed to let me borrow it for a little practice.

Thanks, Dad.

Limerick Time

From the email bag, I don't know who originated it:

There once was a horn-dog named Weiner
Who had a perverted demeanor

Forced from the Hill
For acting like Bill

Now Congress is one weiner leaner

H/T:  Mike C.

A post-Father's Day thanks

Last weekend, I noticed that the air temp inside my house in the evenings was not so conducive to comfort.

So, early in the week, my Dad came over and added a pound or two of R-22 to my A/C system (and I took the opportunity to gently wash the coils so they could get increased airflow), and it's cozy at night.

Thanks, Dad!

It's the first cut...

...that's the deepest.

Let It Be Me

Daughter and I were shopping over the weekend when this song came on over the store's PA.  While I might admit to sort of singing along, I will under no circumstances confess that I also helped Karen Carpenter on Goodbye to Love.  Didn't happen and you can't prove anything...

I present to you the Everly Brothers...Phil and that other guy (what's his name?):



Open the door, let 'em in!

Happy Father's Day

Seen @ Silver Creek Baptist Church:

Fort [Worth] Apache, not the Bronx

I have a suspicion, partly because of the door graphic, and its proximity (less than half a mile away), that this is owned by the same folks as the '66 Ford tow truck.

I always thought this was a great body style - wonder why GM hasn't done a retro design of it?

¡Viva el Ron Paul!

Seen on Jacksboro Highway, between Azle and Lake Worth.  The driver was a Hispanic male, and from the window graphic, one assumes Cuban.  What I found interesting was the Ron Paul sticker.  Did it come with the truck?

 Or is there support among Hispanics for Dr. Paul?  If so, this could be an interesting development.

"Мы вас похороним!"

We will bury you!:

We're Wilbury U.!:

Yeah, that was stupid.  But you didn't come here expecting Steinway or Hemingbeck, did you?

Susan knocks it out of the park...

Susan Thomas delivers last weekend's message.  Brandon had better watch out.


SUMMER SERIES: Part 3 - What Are You Living For? from Keystone Church on Vimeo.


I like the comparison of Esau to Ted Nugent/Zach Galifianakis and Jacob to Mark Zuckerberg/Ashton Kutcher.

Make hay while the sun shines

And shine it did today.

• Saw several large pastures out near White Settlement Road and Cattlebaron Trail chock full of round bales ($45/each) and several semi trailers transporting them, well, to somewhere else.
(near Horseshoe Bend)
• My hay hauling days are far in my past, but it appears from the spacing in the fields, they got a good cutting.  With the drought, I reckon the next will be pretty thin.
• Some 15 years or so ago, when local hay got really scarce, and diesel wasn't $4.00 a gallon, I used to finance a retired rodeo cowboy who would take a flatbed semi up to Kansas, Nebraska, or South Dakota (however far he had to go to get a load) to bring back round bales for Texas stockmen and suburban ranchette owners.
• With today's fuel prices, I'm not sure he could get north of Wichita.
• Next month marks four years since I lost my best friend.
• If I had college to do over, I think I would study mechanical engineering or economics.  I might would even go to divinity school after.
• Does that surprise you?  It surprises me.
• I have, in the past week, started two posts - one on morality, a fusion of the Weinergate debacle and Hefner getting hung out to dry; the second on finance and economics, with the conclusion that we may already be, financially as a nation, toast, and we just don't know it yet.
• Synopsis of the first: We've morally bankrupted ourselves under the guise of sophistication and diversity.
• Thumbnail of the second: We've bankrupted ourselves through abdication of fiscally sound money practices.  Our great-grandparents would disown us for what our parents' - and our - generations have allowed with regard to the proliferation of public, and private, debt.  I frequently harp about the abandonment of the Bretton Woods/gold standard, but that's only one piece of the puzzle.
• I think that morality and economics are intertwined.
• It sounds like the Mavericks' parade today was a success.  What to make of Vancouver's lawlessness?  Aren't Canucks supposed to be all peaceful and stuff, eh?
• If you haven't seen the civic booster video by a Grand Rapids, MI group, check this out from Lagniappe's Lair.  I know some folks thought it was great that Eminem was 'representing' Detroit in the new Mopar commercials.  Not being a Michigander, I don't have a dog in that fight, but I would say that I wouldn't want him representing me.  I'm more Jerry than Marshall Mathers.
• And, considering the prior morality and divinity talk, I'm still quite a ways off from Cotton Mather.
• I bought some AA NiZn batteries today for the camera.  NiZn, in contrast to NiMH's 1.2 vdc, has a nominal voltage of 1.6 vdc  -  I'm hoping this results in shorter boot-up times and faster cycling.
• The Angus Beef swiss and mushroom snack wrap at the Golden Arches today was pretty good - I probably don't want to know the calorie count, but hopefully it's less than the burger.
• Finally, Keystone posted last weekend's message - I'll put it up in a separate post.

Let it Roll

Just to show I have no ill will toward Canadians:



What?  You were expecting Geddy Lee, Neil Peart and Alex Lifeson?

Or Gordon Lightfoot?

Maybe next time.

Déjà vu?

Left at the altar, relieved of command?

(When I was eleven, I had a hat like that...from Six Flags!)

 It's all a bummer, man!

Reno Raines, your motorcycle called...

OK, since this is actually a Honda, it's not Reno's ride.  But back in the day, when Renegade was on the air, I would've totally wanted this bike.

I'm more mature now, and need fewer, not more, things.  Besides, the other side of this bike is sporting a moderate case of road rash.

Odds and Ends

OK, something other than pictures and videos:

• What's with gas prices?  Thursday, my neighborhood QT had regular priced at $3.43 - the next morning, $3.59.  After passing another QT and several other stations at the same price, I also saw an Exxon at $3.43.  Not exactly sure what drove the spike, but it was a soft peak, as it's dropped a penny every day since then.  No apparent news indicating supply shortages.
• To the contrary, the Saudis apparently announced they were increasing the flow or dropping the price of their black gold.  Seems maybe they're catching on that, in a global recession/depression, they may not be able to call the shots if they want to maintain their standard of living.
• I plan to return to that theme in another, serious post.
• Glad the Mavs won the NBA title.
• My middle son is a huge Dirk fan.
• But, I couldn't help but chuckle at a radio commercial from one of the sporting goods retailers, admonishing me to buy and wear the same gear the pros wore after the championship.
• Why?
• I mean, they're athletes - they should wear ballcaps and jerseys and the like.  But, I don't need to.  And if I did, I wouldn't be any more of an athlete, or any cooler.  So, what's the point.
• By now you have likely surmised I'm not so much impressed by sports apparel.  
• However, I did wear my Bob Lilly (NFL licensed) shirt to a Cowboys game last fall.  Middle son had pointed it out to me from the $3 clearance rack at Wal-Mart.
• The preceding reflects my regard for NFL gear, not Bob Lilly.  I consider him the greatest Cowboy ever to play the game.
• Dewey sent me the video of the ditz getting vaklempt about cats.  Apparently, it's everywhere, even on the Leno show. The only time I get emotional about cats is if I run out of .22 ammo.
• Just kidding - I have never shot, or shot at, a cat. 
• But, I am still not a cat person.
• Went to Haltom City yesterday to pick up some heartworm tablets that I forgot to buy when the vaccination-mobile was in my town a while back.
• About 60% of the people in line were speaking Spanish.
• On Sienna's paperwork, they show her age as: 7 yrs, 11 days.  Not that they really know, since it's just a guesstimate, given that she's a rescue dog from HSNT.
• It may explain, however, why we get along so well, being pretty much the same age.
• Scrubbed the tiles on the front porch this weekend - haven't done that in years.
• Have been on a bit of a salsa kick lately - small batches: 3-4 tomatoes, a tomatillo, three or four assorted peppers (serrano, fresno, ancho, jalapeño, cascabel, but no habanero), some bell peppers, 1/4 cup of red onions, cilantro, a packet of turbinado sugar, a small peach or a couple of wedges of pear.  Blend, and simmer in a saucepan on medium heat for 7-8 minutes (to ward off the e coli).  Chill & enjoy.
• EDIT: Also, red wine, garlic, shallots, sea salt.
• I'm not a recipe cook.  Mostly I just throw whatever I have into the pot and season to taste.
• The same approach wouldn't work for baking, I don't think.  So I don't do baking.
• Nearly done with chipping and shredding small branches and leaves.
• My grandmother's been gone since 1997, but some irises or lillies transplanted from her garden are thriving on the side of my house, and are currently in bloom.
• It's a good memory.

Say You Will

I sort of started a Fleetwood Mac thread on another blog recently, and, one thing leading to another, revisited this song from 2003.  I've always thought Buckingham was underrated as a guitarist.

The audio is sub-par, but the interplay between Stevie and Lindsey makes the video.  Enjoy:



A little better audio, from The Tonight Show:



For best audio, but still images, click here.

More refined than a lot of people these days...

Two dogs dining:

And now, a non-PC moment...

This may put a different take on 'handicapped parking':

Remember the Alamo! Remember the Alamo?

Well, this isn't it.

Chup, any ideas what this building was?