Off to court in Hayward in the AM. Court date in Eureka Sept. 14th (Friday); assuming it happens, my sweetie and I will make a mini-vacation out of it by staying over an additional day. There are touristy things to do there, and the weather should be pretty good at that time of the year.
For one hundred points, write an essay on one of the two following subjects:
1) Compare and contrast the revolutionary ideology, tactics, and legacies of John Brown and Fidel Castro.
2) Was Janis Joplin the Marilyn Monroe of the Baby Boom Generation?
Take care, all. Just passing through, no time to get caught up with the blog.
Since I am not a Boomer, I cannot really speak to Janis Joplin. But wasn't she a singer? Seems odd to compare her to the actress Marilyn Monroe.
John Brown and Fidel Castro: Both led rebellions against governments they regarded as immoral. Brown launched what turned out to be a premature attack against a federal armory. But this decision may have been forced on him by the fact that many of his potential supporters were unarmed slaves. Castro, on the other hand, spent his early years hiding in the bush, recruiting supporters. This was facilitated by the fact that Cuba is perhaps the most heavily armed nation on earth. Acquiring weapons was no problem. When the time was ripe, he marched. And the Batista government was no more.
Brown is remembered today as a martyr. Perhaps a rather foolish one. Whether his actions contributed significantly to Abolition is arguable -- I don't think so. Castro, on the other hand, left a national government in his own image. I regret that what was essentially a personal dispute between him and Eisenhower led him to claim he had "always been a Communist." But that is beyond the scope of the comparison.
Ah, it's good to wake up and find late night posts from you, Alan!
When it reaches 111F you get not only Second Breakfast but Elevensies as well! Whoo! Be careful you don't put on a ring and disappear! Powerful number, that.
Okay, I have to say your question about Janis Joplin and Marilyn Monroe followed me around today. In both lives, the situation they lived in was more than they could handle and factors they could not control ultimately were their undoing.
I'm going to watch the movie My Week With Marilyn soon and see if I can note any Janis Joplin moments in it.
I woke up exhaustified from several days with VT*Grand and had to drag myself through the shower and off to work. But! The coworker who can be difficult is away this week and the rest of us had a good time. I worked hard, but it went smoothly. I love it when that happens.
Plus, Mah*Sweetie had a banner day! He met with the new boss again and got some solid attaboys, then solved some software issues and figured out some more code for new projects. We are happy campers tonight!
VT*Grand will be away this weekend, so we are going to drive down to Weston VT to see Fiddler on the Roof at the Weston Playhouse! Can't wait!!
All this and the kitties have been happy and healthy all day! Sweet!
Busted flat in Baton Rouge, waiting for a train And I's feeling nearly as faded as my jeans. Bobby thumbed a diesel down just before it rained, It rode us all the way to New Orleans.
I pulled my harpoon out of my dirty red bandanna, I was playing soft while Bobby sang the blues. Windshield wipers slapping time, I was holding Bobby's hand in mine, We sang every song that driver knew.
Freedom's just another word for nothing left to lose, Nothing don't mean nothing honey if it ain't free, now now. And feeling good was easy, Lord, when he sang the blues, You know feeling good was good enough for me, Good enough for me and my Bobby McGee.
From the Kentucky coal mines to the California sun, Hey, Bobby shared the secrets of my soul. Through all kinds of weather, through everything we done, Hey Bobby baby kept me from the cold.
One day up near Salinas, I let him slip away, He's looking for that home and I hope he finds it, But I'd trade all of my tomorrows for one single yesterday To be holding Bobby's body next to mine.
Freedom is just another word for nothing left to lose, Nothing, and that's all that Bobby left me, yeah, But feeling good was easy, Lord, when he sang the blues, Hey, feeling good was good enough for me, hmm hmm, Good enough for me and my Bobby McGee.
La la la, la la la la, la la la, la la la la La la la la la Bobby McGee. La la la la la, la la la la la La la la la la, Bobby McGee, la.
La La la, la la la la la la, La La la la la la la la la, ain`t no bumb on my bobby McGee yeah. Na na na na na na na na, na na na na na na na na na na na Hey now Bobby now, Bobby McGee, yeah.
Lord, I'm calling my lover, calling my man, I said I'm calling my lover just the best I can, C'mon, hey now Bobby yeah, hey now Bobby McGee, yeah, Lordy Lordy Lordy Lordy Lordy Lordy Lordy Lord Hey, hey, hey, Bobby McGee, Lord!
Yeah! Whew!
Lordy Lordy Lordy Lordy Lordy Lordy Lordy Lord Hey, hey, hey, Bobby McGee.
I should compare the raid on Harper's Ferry with the raid on the Moncada Barracks, and Fidel Castro's defense, published underground as "History Will Absolve Me" with John Brown's statements in jail. I fully recommend the books "Patriotic Treason" (about John Brown) and "My Life" by Fidel Castro.
Marilyn Monroe was not just a pretty face; she was an accomplished cook, for instance. I should argue that both MM and JJ were interesting, conflicted personalities, entertainers who symbolized their generations in important ways, and who could not cope with the pressures of stardom. The fact that they both died of drug overdoses is a similarity, but most likely MM committed suicide (I know, there are conspiracy theorists) and JJ died accidentally (her dealer sold some much stronger than usual heroin to several people). But if they hadn't been in a hard place psychologically it probably wouldn't have happened.
Things are all set up for our mini-vacation in Eureka. Fly up on 9/13, court for me on Friday 9/14, stay an extra day on our own dime, and return on Sunday 9/16. So a full day at our leisure, and parts of two or three other days. The Old Town section of Eureka has a lot of interesting shops and restaurants, and the weather is likely to be good.
The Gov. is No. One!
ReplyDeleteOff to court in Hayward in the AM. Court date in Eureka Sept. 14th (Friday); assuming it happens, my sweetie and I will make a mini-vacation out of it by staying over an additional day. There are touristy things to do there, and the weather should be pretty good at that time of the year.
For one hundred points, write an essay on one of the two following subjects:
1) Compare and contrast the revolutionary ideology, tactics, and legacies of John Brown and Fidel Castro.
2) Was Janis Joplin the Marilyn Monroe of the Baby Boom Generation?
Take care, all. Just passing through, no time to get caught up with the blog.
Since I am not a Boomer, I cannot really speak to Janis Joplin. But wasn't she a singer? Seems odd to compare her to the actress Marilyn Monroe.
DeleteJohn Brown and Fidel Castro: Both led rebellions against governments they regarded as immoral. Brown launched what turned out to be a premature attack against a federal armory. But this decision may have been forced on him by the fact that many of his potential supporters were unarmed slaves. Castro, on the other hand, spent his early years hiding in the bush, recruiting supporters. This was facilitated by the fact that Cuba is perhaps the most heavily armed nation on earth. Acquiring weapons was no problem. When the time was ripe, he marched. And the Batista government was no more.
Brown is remembered today as a martyr. Perhaps a rather foolish one. Whether his actions contributed significantly to Abolition is arguable -- I don't think so. Castro, on the other hand, left a national government in his own image. I regret that what was essentially a personal dispute between him and Eisenhower led him to claim he had "always been a Communist." But that is beyond the scope of the comparison.
OK, I lied. Through my teeth. Went back a bit in the blog.
ReplyDeleteHappy teaching, Rene!
Re Galt/Gekko: Can't say that I recognize the allusion, but Krugman's post IS forceful…
We had some very summery weather here--111 degrees the other day, so they say.
TTFN
Ah, it's good to wake up and find late night posts from you, Alan!
ReplyDeleteWhen it reaches 111F you get not only Second Breakfast but Elevensies as well! Whoo! Be careful you don't put on a ring and disappear! Powerful number, that.
Wow, such questions! One thing I am certain of is that Fidel Castro was not the Marilyn Monroe of this or any other generation. LOL!
DeleteI don't believe John Brown was either. . . .
DeleteOkay, I have to say your question about Janis Joplin and Marilyn Monroe followed me around today. In both lives, the situation they lived in was more than they could handle and factors they could not control ultimately were their undoing.
DeleteI'm going to watch the movie My Week With Marilyn soon and see if I can note any Janis Joplin moments in it.
And, Alan, keep the interesting questions coming.
I am kinda liking this:
ReplyDeletehttp://fivethirtyeight.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/08/13/aug-13-polls-have-middling-reviews-for-ryan/#more-33156
THIS has had me laughing for hours:
ReplyDeletehttp://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=407043669353408&set=a.177361598988284.45507.173828239341620&type=1&ref=nf
Thying something to check out how Google works
ReplyDeleteI actually had a good day. Amazing.
ReplyDeleteI woke up exhaustified from several days with VT*Grand and had to drag myself through the shower and off to work. But! The coworker who can be difficult is away this week and the rest of us had a good time. I worked hard, but it went smoothly. I love it when that happens.
Plus, Mah*Sweetie had a banner day! He met with the new boss again and got some solid attaboys, then solved some software issues and figured out some more code for new projects. We are happy campers tonight!
VT*Grand will be away this weekend, so we are going to drive down to Weston VT to see Fiddler on the Roof at the Weston Playhouse! Can't wait!!
All this and the kitties have been happy and healthy all day! Sweet!
listener8/14/2012 11:34:00 PM
ReplyDeleteMy favourite Janis Joplin tune:
Me & Bobby McGee
Busted flat in Baton Rouge, waiting for a train
And I's feeling nearly as faded as my jeans.
Bobby thumbed a diesel down just before it rained,
It rode us all the way to New Orleans.
I pulled my harpoon out of my dirty red bandanna,
I was playing soft while Bobby sang the blues.
Windshield wipers slapping time,
I was holding Bobby's hand in mine,
We sang every song that driver knew.
Freedom's just another word for nothing left to lose,
Nothing don't mean nothing honey if it ain't free, now now.
And feeling good was easy, Lord, when he sang the blues,
You know feeling good was good enough for me,
Good enough for me and my Bobby McGee.
From the Kentucky coal mines to the California sun,
Hey, Bobby shared the secrets of my soul.
Through all kinds of weather, through everything we done,
Hey Bobby baby kept me from the cold.
One day up near Salinas, I let him slip away,
He's looking for that home and I hope he finds it,
But I'd trade all of my tomorrows for one single yesterday
To be holding Bobby's body next to mine.
Freedom is just another word for nothing left to lose,
Nothing, and that's all that Bobby left me, yeah,
But feeling good was easy, Lord, when he sang the blues,
Hey, feeling good was good enough for me, hmm hmm,
Good enough for me and my Bobby McGee.
La la la, la la la la, la la la, la la la la
La la la la la Bobby McGee.
La la la la la, la la la la la
La la la la la, Bobby McGee, la.
La La la, la la la la la la,
La La la la la la la la la, ain`t no bumb on my bobby McGee yeah.
Na na na na na na na na, na na na na na na na na na na na
Hey now Bobby now, Bobby McGee, yeah.
Lord, I'm calling my lover, calling my man,
I said I'm calling my lover just the best I can,
C'mon, hey now Bobby yeah, hey now Bobby McGee, yeah,
Lordy Lordy Lordy Lordy Lordy Lordy Lordy Lord
Hey, hey, hey, Bobby McGee, Lord!
Yeah! Whew!
Lordy Lordy Lordy Lordy Lordy Lordy Lordy Lord
Hey, hey, hey, Bobby McGee.
I should compare the raid on Harper's Ferry with the raid on the Moncada Barracks, and Fidel Castro's defense, published underground as "History Will Absolve Me" with John Brown's statements in jail. I fully recommend the books "Patriotic Treason" (about John Brown) and "My Life" by Fidel Castro.
ReplyDeleteMarilyn Monroe was not just a pretty face; she was an accomplished cook, for instance. I should argue that both MM and JJ were interesting, conflicted personalities, entertainers who symbolized their generations in important ways, and who could not cope with the pressures of stardom. The fact that they both died of drug overdoses is a similarity, but most likely MM committed suicide (I know, there are conspiracy theorists) and JJ died accidentally (her dealer sold some much stronger than usual heroin to several people). But if they hadn't been in a hard place psychologically it probably wouldn't have happened.
Things are all set up for our mini-vacation in Eureka. Fly up on 9/13, court for me on Friday 9/14, stay an extra day on our own dime, and return on Sunday 9/16. So a full day at our leisure, and parts of two or three other days. The Old Town section of Eureka has a lot of interesting shops and restaurants, and the weather is likely to be good.
Testing Google again.
ReplyDelete