We're told we'll have one more unseasonably hot day today then, starting tomorrow, a run of more comfortable temps. Puddle hit the nail on the nose last thread. We've been having an incursion of June, late June at that.
Been having fun the past couple days reading The Scarlet Pimpernel, which I somehow missed out reading as a youngster. What a delightful book!
We got 2.8" of rain here the last few days!! Given how dry the week prior were, we are delighted! I'm grateful that we've gone from July back to May. The Shad and the Apple (white) are in blossom and the CrabApples are ready to burst. Our Bleeding Heart plants are phenomenally covered in hearts this year! Wow!!
You haven't heard from me for a while either. That's because I've been in Columbus (OH) for Marcon. Spent pretty much the whole con either sitting on a panel dais or sitting behind a fan table interesting people in this year's Worldcon or the train trip to and from it. I enjoy being on panels and sitting a fan table gives me a chance to talk to people, so it was an enjoyable trip. Except when the bus broke down on the return and it took them nearly four hours to get a replacement to us. But my $10 fare was refunded.
listener--in response to your request to keep you updated on what I gather from Marx, here's the book I have been reading: The Life and Teaching of Karl Marx by Max Beer [Click] in various formats from The Gurenberg Project, downloadable and online. (I started out with a Kindle version, then realized I needed a paper copy for serious study. Found a good copy from 1920-something at alibris.com--Thanks again, Susan!) What particularly struck me was in Chapter IV [The Marxian System], Part IV [Outlines of the Economic Doctrines], Section 7 [Surplus Value as Social Driving Force]. In an inadequate nutshell, competition drives down profits, which combined with advances in technology and division of labor into smaller and smaller increments, reduces the share of surplus [created] value shared with labor [which is its source] and the number of laborers needed to produce it, decreasing the market for their products, dividing society into many have-littles and a few have-lots, ultimately destroying the profits of the capitalists. Cue Henry Ford: pay the workers enough to purchase their products and business will thrive.
--Alan
P.S.: If you are going to be working for a Socialist, it can't hurt to be able to toss off the occasional Marxist catchphrase! (We won't expect you to be able to sing The Internationale from memory just yet--grin. But it IS a dandy song.)
For my money, The Internationale is best as an up-tempo marching tune, not as a highly orchestrated version sung by a massive chorus. Ditto for Marching Through Georgia.
The Doctor and the Nurses are First!
ReplyDeleteAnother good Bernie tee:
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Here's the Bernie tee I ordered…in white so the flag looks best.
ReplyDeletehttps://www.facebook.com/Sanders2016/photos/pcb.741962292591477/741961809258192/?type=1&theater
More here:
http://www.cafepress.com/+bernie+t-shirts
This sure makes me miss ♥ jc ♥ and her wonderfully artistic designs!!!
{♥JC♥} Miss you, my friend.
DeleteWe're told we'll have one more unseasonably hot day today then, starting tomorrow, a run of more comfortable temps. Puddle hit the nail on the nose last thread. We've been having an incursion of June, late June at that.
ReplyDeleteBeen having fun the past couple days reading The Scarlet Pimpernel, which I somehow missed out reading as a youngster. What a delightful book!
Goodness, Alan, I hope you can get some rest soon!
ReplyDeleteGettin' there...
DeleteAnd I have fond memories of Daffy Duck as The Scarlet Pumpernickel. (Sufferin' Succotash! It even has a Wikipedia article!)
The Scarlet Pumpernickel [Click]
--Alan
{{{ NEPAL! ;-o }}}
ReplyDeleteWe got 2.8" of rain here the last few days!! Given how dry the week prior were, we are delighted! I'm grateful that we've gone from July back to May. The Shad and the Apple (white) are in blossom and the CrabApples are ready to burst. Our Bleeding Heart plants are phenomenally covered in hearts this year! Wow!!
ReplyDeleteYou haven't heard from me for a while either. That's because I've been in Columbus (OH) for Marcon. Spent pretty much the whole con either sitting on a panel dais or sitting behind a fan table interesting people in this year's Worldcon or the train trip to and from it. I enjoy being on panels and sitting a fan table gives me a chance to talk to people, so it was an enjoyable trip. Except when the bus broke down on the return and it took them nearly four hours to get a replacement to us. But my $10 fare was refunded.
ReplyDeleteIt sounds like an exceptionally good Con, Bill!! Welcome back! Bummer about the bus. At least it was on the way back, rather than to?
DeleteHave fun catching up with the blog. :-)
Bill, glad you got there and back again safely, and that you enjoyed the con.
DeleteWeather in Columbus was warm by not hot (80s, I believe). Got home to chill and windy. Currently 55F.
ReplyDeletelistener--in response to your request to keep you updated on what I gather from Marx, here's the book I have been reading:
ReplyDeleteThe Life and Teaching of Karl Marx by Max Beer [Click] in various formats from The Gurenberg Project, downloadable and online. (I started out with a Kindle version, then realized I needed a paper copy for serious study. Found a good copy from 1920-something at alibris.com--Thanks again, Susan!) What particularly struck me was in Chapter IV [The Marxian System], Part IV [Outlines of the Economic Doctrines], Section 7 [Surplus Value as Social Driving Force]. In an inadequate nutshell, competition drives down profits, which combined with advances in technology and division of labor into smaller and smaller increments, reduces the share of surplus [created] value shared with labor [which is its source] and the number of laborers needed to produce it, decreasing the market for their products, dividing society into many have-littles and a few have-lots, ultimately destroying the profits of the capitalists. Cue Henry Ford: pay the workers enough to purchase their products and business will thrive.
--Alan
P.S.: If you are going to be working for a Socialist, it can't hurt to be able to toss off the occasional Marxist catchphrase! (We won't expect you to be able to sing The Internationale from memory just yet--grin. But it IS a dandy song.)
For my money, The Internationale is best as an up-tempo marching tune, not as a highly orchestrated version sung by a massive chorus. Ditto for Marching Through Georgia.
Delete--Alan
Don't remember the Chinese version any more, but you're right about the English version. The Russian men's chorus version is almost funny, grin.
Delete