War, Politics, and Life by Bruce Maulden
(Note: This is a re-post of mine from three years ago, and with an end of the year coming again, appropriate. The original piece appeared here on Dec. 30, 2007. And yes, indeed, 2008 was really one for the books, a watershed year). Near forty years ago was 1968. A very big, long year. Life-altering…
In an age of near-total uncertainty, there’s an upswing of ugly sweaters for the holidays and a worldwide view of a growing, unstoppable corruption. (Illustration found here). A survey for the times — 60 percent of the world’s peoples say all kinds of unofficial/official corruption has increased in the last three years, at least to…
This evening 30 years ago, John Lennon was shot dead — a shock end to an era. In this an iconic anniversary for an icon, a lot of media attention will focus on Lennon’s years as a Beatle, but at the time of his death, he stood alone, a solo musical performer, and, to the…
Some serious-looking stuff there, just down the road a-coming. (Illustration found here). As I’ve mentioned before on this blog — to the mega-scant regular readers (on average) — life has become so physically dysphoric in these waning days of 2010 AD, there’s a growing apprehension I’m watching/reading/listening to the end of an age on my…
This a photograph taken via cell phone near Willits, located in California’s Mendocino County, and e-mailed to me. Cloud formations are always inspiring, but this shot is oddly fascinating with an intriguing, pleading image for reconciliation of harmony. More than cool. And, this the last stanza of Percy Shelley’s The Cloud I am the daughter…
“But February made me shiver With every paper I’d deliver. Bad news on the doorstep; I couldn’t take one more step. — ‘American Pie,’ Don McLean Surfing Internet news sites can be overly-depressing. Any kind of news nowadays is depressing — beware of those bearing glad tidings, they either don’t want to upset you, or…
Thirty years ago today Steven Terrence McQueen died. McQueen was only 50. He died one day after an operation to remove several metastatic tumors in his abdomen, the end result of a fight against mesothelioma. An avid McQueen fan as a youngster — I even had a toy replica of John Randall’s featured armament, a…
“Incredible. Fifty percent of all traffic deaths, no, yes, that’s about 25,000, right. Forty percent of all arrests, traceable. Fifty percent of all first admissions to mental institutions traceable to alcohol. And then, of course, there’s diabetes, gout, high blood pressure, heart disease, insanity, divorce. So I always say “Drink up, Shriners!” whenever I see…
Little GTO, you’re really lookin’ fine Three deuces and a four-speed and a 389 Listen to her tachin’ up now, listen to her why-ee-eye-ine C’mon and turn it on, wind it up, blow it out GTO — Little G.T.O., Ronnie and the Daytonas (Illustration found here). One of the great cool, and violent cars, of…
The future has been downloaded into just about right now. “If a man has good corn or wood, or boards, or pigs, to sell, or can make better chairs or knives, crucibles or church organs, than anybody else, you will find a broad hard-beaten road to his house, though it be in the woods.“ —…
