tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-69071982012-02-16T12:02:49.052-06:00Wagstaffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09197425222788144402noreply@blogger.comBlogger13621100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6907198.post-70147453324860002082011-08-06T12:14:00.004-05:002011-08-06T12:28:59.319-05:00

from the Green Hornet

Jeffrey Hillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04923435451049982632noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6907198.post-77269416069628650692011-03-26T21:20:00.001-05:002011-03-26T21:24:10.508-05:00

Jeffrey Hillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04923435451049982632noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6907198.post-85398287201052326532011-01-11T17:30:00.000-06:002011-01-11T18:28:10.137-06:00

from Sei Shonagon"#99 – Adorable thingsThe face of a child drawn on a melon.A baby sparrow that comes hopping up when one imitates the squeak of a mouse; or again, when one has tied it with a thread round its leg and its parents bring insects or worms and pop them in its mouth – delightful!A baby of two or so is crawling rapidly along the ground. With his sharp eyes he catches sight of a tiny

Jeffrey Hillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04923435451049982632noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6907198.post-29258213389163011812010-12-05T08:15:00.004-06:002010-12-06T07:56:07.554-06:00

from Sei Shonagon"#148 - Repulsive things – The back of a piece of sewing. Hairless baby mice tumbled out of their nest. The seams of a leather robe before the lining’s been added. The inside of a cat’s ear. A rather dirty place in darkness.A very ordinary woman looking after lots of children. The way a man must feel when his wife, who he’s not really very fond of, is ill for a long time."_______

Jeffrey Hillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04923435451049982632noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6907198.post-68516513820778385022010-12-01T08:00:00.004-06:002010-12-06T07:56:33.643-06:00

from Sei Shonagon"#65 – Poetic anthologies – The Manyoshu. The Kokinshu.#66 – Topics of poetry – The capital. The kudzu vine. The water burr. Horses. Hail.#67 – Disturbing things – The mother of a monk who’s embarked on the twelve-year mountain retreat.The retainers who accompany their master on a visit to some unfamiliar place on a moonless night – to avoid being seen, they don’t light a fire

Jeffrey Hillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04923435451049982632noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6907198.post-24282132384620247942010-11-28T08:00:00.005-06:002010-12-06T07:56:55.148-06:00

from Sei Shonagon"#55 – Young people and babies should be plump. Provincial Governors and suchlike people who have some authority should also be on the portly side.#56 – Little children waving quaint toy bows or sticks about in play are wonderfully cute. It makes me want to stop the carriage and scoop them up and gaze my fill. And what a delightful whiff of incense from their clothes lingers in

Jeffrey Hillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04923435451049982632noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6907198.post-58889382878490826072010-11-24T14:35:00.003-06:002010-12-06T07:57:15.863-06:00

from Sei Shonagon"It’s disgusting when a well-bred young man casually calls out the name of some low-ranking woman he’s visiting, in a way that reveals his intimacy with her. It’s much more impressive if he pretends not to have it quite right, even though in fact he knows her name perfectly well. If he’s visiting the apartments of women in palace service, he should really enlist a grounds-man to

Jeffrey Hillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04923435451049982632noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6907198.post-48403936396217492282010-10-31T11:24:00.033-05:002010-11-21T08:53:37.298-06:00

<!--[if gte mso 9]> <![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]> Normal 0 false false false EN-US JA X-NONE <![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]>

Jeffrey Hillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04923435451049982632noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6907198.post-92048928144322485012010-09-08T12:00:00.008-05:002010-09-20T21:23:48.224-05:00

Hello Reader! It has been a year since I have updated this site. You would think a year hiatus should be more than enough time for an aimless blogger to recharge the batteries, and that would be right, except that the aimless blogger quite comfortably fell out of the practice of blogging, passing the days and weeks in other pursuits instead: traveling or doing things of interest without a thought

Jeffrey Hillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04923435451049982632noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6907198.post-30616735641719159082009-11-11T17:55:00.004-06:002009-11-21T11:28:29.067-06:00

"I can predict with absolute certainty that within another generation there will be another world war if the nations of the world do not concert the method (the League of Nations) by which to prevent it."- Woodrow Wilson, trying to sell the League of Nations to the American public in the fall of 1919. The Senate shot down the League of Nations proposal. 63 nations did sign on, but the League

Dudehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03456290129508101940noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6907198.post-55421052222733470172009-08-23T18:02:00.007-05:002010-11-30T22:32:40.429-06:00

During a recent trip to Japan, Lady T____ and I toured Kanazawa, a town of about 450,000 in Ishikawa Prefecture, a peninsula jetting out into the Sea of Japan.We took the bullet train (aka shinkansen) from Omiya to Echigo-Yuzawa, a little over halfway across Honshu, well in the mountains and not too terribly far from Nagano, as the crow flies. That took only about 30 minutes. Be forewarned, if

Jeffrey Hillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04923435451049982632noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6907198.post-19081074847047441972009-08-10T22:29:00.016-05:002009-08-30T10:30:08.560-05:00

I haven't seen any other reports about this, and I don't trust the declaration that Honduras has won, as the link suggests, but it seems that the the tide is turning for the pro-constitutionalist freedom lovers in Honduras and that their exiled president, a wannabe-socialist-dictator, will remain in the dustbin of history. The U.S. apparently is no longer pushing for sanctions against the

Jeffrey Hillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04923435451049982632noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6907198.post-55842236236067461802009-08-06T19:01:00.001-05:002009-08-06T19:02:46.014-05:00

from Kenko"A house should be built with the summer in mind. In winter it is possible to live anywhere, but a badly made house is unbearable when it gets hot.There is nothing cool-looking about deep water; a shallow, flowing stream is far cooler. When you are reading fine print you will find that a room with sliding doors is lighter than one with hinged shutters. A room with a high ceiling is

Jeffrey Hillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04923435451049982632noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6907198.post-79829136828978383212009-07-26T12:49:00.000-05:002009-07-26T12:50:52.999-05:00

from Kenko"As soon as I hear a name I feel convinced I can guess what the owner looks like, but it never happens, when I actually meet the man, that his face is as I had supposed. I wonder if everybody shares my experience of feeling, when I hear some story about the past, that the house mentioned in the story must have been rather like this or that house belonging to people of today, or that

Jeffrey Hillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04923435451049982632noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6907198.post-44863289566138335472009-07-15T22:40:00.010-05:002009-07-18T00:06:27.353-05:00

by Kenko"Someone once remarked that thin silk was not satisfactory as a scroll wrapping because it was so easily torn. Tona replied, "It is only after the silk wrapper has frayed at top and bottom, and the mother-of-pearl has fallen from the roller that a scroll looks beautiful." This opinion demonstrated the excellent taste of the man. People often say that a set of books looks ugly if all

Jeffrey Hillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04923435451049982632noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6907198.post-4048512910588263432009-07-12T01:23:00.002-05:002009-07-18T00:06:03.972-05:00

from the Buddhist priest, Kenko:"The world is as unstable as the pools and shallows of Asuka River. Times change and things disappear: joy and sorrow come and go; a place that once thrived turns into uninhabited moor; a house may remain unaltered, but its occupants will have changed. The peach and the damson trees in the garden say nothing - with whom is one to reminisce about the past? I feel

Jeffrey Hillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04923435451049982632noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6907198.post-49744604591331418762009-07-09T21:04:00.014-05:002009-07-11T01:23:11.189-05:00

Yes, dear reader, as Herman Melville lived, 167 years from this date he jumped ship and began an exotic adventure that jump started one of America’s great and tragic literary careers. There’s nothing particularly significant about 167, unless you’re predisposed to celebrate prime numbers. I just ran across the date the other day and it stuck to me since I've been reading Hershel Parker’s Herman

Jeffrey Hillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04923435451049982632noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6907198.post-38191177581151842312009-07-05T13:27:00.002-05:002009-07-05T13:37:24.758-05:00

An except from Robert Dallek's "An Unfinished Life: John F. Kennedy 1917 - 1963":Kennedy also hoped that appeals to the national well-being might sway congressional majorities to support a tax cut and other reforms. In his January 1963 State of the Union message, he announced a program of changes, which he described as essential to the nation’s future. Although the most recent recession was over,

Dudehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03456290129508101940noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6907198.post-1563858271235763872009-07-04T13:45:00.001-05:002009-07-04T21:41:57.196-05:00

Despite our current President’s reluctance to adequately value Liberty in the big bad World, evidenced by his half-hearted, fool-headed response to freedom seekers in Iran and his flagrantly appalling response to the Honduran's trying to preserve their democracy, American Independence is still worthy of universal celebration, as it has benefited the earth many times over. Our Declaration of

Jeffrey Hillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04923435451049982632noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6907198.post-76132331531459748702009-06-25T20:48:00.005-05:002009-06-27T18:29:55.590-05:00

Our very own Shelby Button (AKA Charlie Parsley, AKA Farm Boy) went to OKC's premiere film festival featuring serious cinematic features as indicated in the shot above (the aftermath of some bad Popeye's methinks) and then turned around and filed a report over at the House Next Door.

Jeffrey Hillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04923435451049982632noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6907198.post-20337211831888731302009-06-22T19:53:00.003-05:002009-06-27T18:30:10.080-05:00

"I know a lot of you are saying 'What can I do? I'm just a little punk. I don't count.' Well, you're dead wrong! The little punks have always counted because in the long run the character of a country is the sum total of the character of its little punks. But, we've all got to get in there and pitch. We can't win the old ballgame unless we have teamwork. And that's where

Dudehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03456290129508101940noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6907198.post-91138543894338417842009-06-17T17:53:00.003-05:002009-06-27T18:30:37.098-05:00

Last week, a business trip took me to Grand Rapids, Michigan, home to 38th President Gerald R. Ford. The museum was just across the Grand River from my hotel, so I couldn't pass up the opportunity, even for someone considered to be a caretaker president.As is typical, the museum starts off with a 20-minute video, in which the late president himself takes some credit for ending the Cold War. While

Dudehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03456290129508101940noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6907198.post-50774866237298063332009-06-15T19:52:00.005-05:002009-06-27T18:30:58.204-05:00

"Dick Russel is absolutely shittin' a squealin' worm. He thinks it's a disgrace for a kid who's never practiced law to be appointed (Attorney General)....I agree with him." - Lyndon Johnson on RFK's appointment as AGFrom "An Unfinished Life: John F. Kennedy, 1917 - 1963"

Dudehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03456290129508101940noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6907198.post-32688144582382607782009-06-14T08:49:00.005-05:002009-06-27T18:31:18.296-05:00

I recently took a detour from presidential bios to read Tim Harford's "The Undercover Economist: Exposing Why the Rich Are Rich, the Poor Are Poor--and Why You Can Never Buy a Decent Used Car!" (2006). The book makes economics accessible to the layperson, and reinforces my belief that market forces are the best way to solve problems, since the underlying motivation for everyone is self-interest.

Dudehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03456290129508101940noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6907198.post-20404820750367144072009-05-25T00:44:00.010-05:002009-06-27T19:33:26.279-05:00

a poem from Herman Melville's Battle Pieces (1866)On the Men of Mainekilled in the Victory of Baton Rouge, Louisiana.___________________________Afar they fell. It was the zone Of fig and orange, cane and lime(A land how all unlike their own,With the cold pine-grove overgrown), But still their Country's clime.And there in youth they died for her - The Volunteers,For her went

Jeffrey Hillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04923435451049982632noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6907198.post-31327606469566714842009-04-23T04:05:00.004-05:002009-06-27T18:31:41.595-05:00

"If one thing was bored into me as a result of my experience in the Middle as well as the Far East, it is that Communism cannot be met effectively by merely the force of arms. The central core of our Middle Eastern policy is [or should be] not the export of arms or the show of armed might but the export of ideas, of techniques, and the rebirth of our traditional sympathy for and understanding of

Dudehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03456290129508101940noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6907198.post-27559195278664640402009-04-16T19:58:00.009-05:002009-04-22T16:29:15.337-05:00

by DudeIn a bid to better understand our country's history, I've begun reading presidential biographies. All too often, history is presented as a collection as facts. But it's so much more than that. It's an inter-tangling of compelling story lines. (Jefferson Davis was the son-in-law of Zachary Taylor, and served under him during the Mexican War. Robert E. Lee was married to Martha Washington's

Dudehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03456290129508101940noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6907198.post-35703415784721845042009-03-01T17:50:00.011-06:002009-06-27T18:32:02.890-05:00

From Melville's The Confidence Man, which I've been rereading after finishing P.T. Barnum's Struggles and Triumphs (more on that later...maybe. I haven't been into commitment of late). The following is from Chapter IX: "Two Business Men Transact a Little Business." The two men are discussing the stock market:"Why, the most monstrous of all hypocrites are these bears: hypocrites by inversion;

Jeffrey Hillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04923435451049982632noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6907198.post-53929334714144491402009-01-17T01:00:00.002-06:002009-01-17T01:25:03.833-06:00

"As the years passed, most Americans were able to return to life much as it had been before Nine-Eleven. But I never did. Every morning, I received a briefing on the threats to our Nation. And I vowed to do everything in my power to keep us safe."He did just that...and more.I had a pretty long piece lined up detailing his term in office, the absurdity of his critics and the scourge that is BDS -

Jeffrey Hillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04923435451049982632noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6907198.post-47236264781813527982009-01-10T21:18:00.004-06:002009-06-27T18:32:21.068-05:00

Today was a proud day for the US Navy. The last of the Nimitz class carriers, the USS George H W Bush, was commissioned and is projected to spend the next 50 years protecting America.

Jeffrey Hillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04923435451049982632noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6907198.post-41996058997944492582008-12-25T21:36:00.003-06:002008-12-25T21:47:07.923-06:00

Jeffrey Hillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04923435451049982632noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6907198.post-46063721280619545082008-11-27T11:22:00.008-06:002008-11-27T11:34:23.432-06:00

I'm thankful for the pilgrims for hacking out an existence in the great American wilderness and gaining a toe-hold for freedom and individualism.

Jeffrey Hillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04923435451049982632noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6907198.post-20423380261774614982008-10-23T14:01:00.001-05:002009-06-27T18:32:42.852-05:00

The planes in question are the rocket powered Bell X-1 and the Boeing B-29 Superfortress. I meant to post this on October 13th, which would have marked the 61st anniversary of catching the demon. A great moment in history. Chuck Yeager is a hero. What better way to commemorate the event than with a video of the coolest model airplane I've ever seen:

Jeffrey Hillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04923435451049982632noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6907198.post-40209310512668569572008-09-24T23:47:00.006-05:002009-06-27T18:34:08.726-05:00

Another, possibly the last, installment (pgs 289-290) from Baa Baa Black Sheep - though there are plenty of other excerpts worthy of posting. In this episode Boyington has been a prisoner for about a year (January 1945). The first significant air raids over the Tokyo Bay area have just begun with a carrier based strike. Ofuna, the interrogation camp where Boyington is stationed, is about 10

Jeffrey Hillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04923435451049982632noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6907198.post-33873085251355894462008-09-19T00:30:00.010-05:002009-06-27T18:33:53.660-05:00

Still more Boyington. There will be one or two more posts yet from his exceedingly impressive Baa Baa Black Sheep. For almost the last two years of the war he was a captive with the Japanese. Not a P.O.W., but a "special prisoner," which meant that word of his survival was not sent to the U.S. via the Red Cross. Conditions were harsh, as one would expect, but Boyington points out that his own

Jeffrey Hillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04923435451049982632noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6907198.post-56179015047901131322008-09-17T20:00:00.002-05:002009-06-27T18:34:33.538-05:00

More Pappy from his book, Baa Baa Black Sheep (pages 131-137). This time he's in the Pacific with his newly formed (and unorthodox) squadron, the famous VMF-214 Black Sheep flying the great Chance-Vought F-4U Corsairs. Their legitimacy as a permanent squadron hangs in the balance as Pappy desperately tries to find some enemy action in the hope that they can impress the brass and keep their

Jeffrey Hillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04923435451049982632noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6907198.post-38574697674510301732008-08-25T10:54:00.003-05:002009-06-27T18:35:06.430-05:00

Another excerpt from Pappy's Baa Baa Black Sheep - during his Flying Tiger days:As we scrambled into our P-40s, with their hideous shark-faces painted on their noses, we could see a farewell reception gathering next to the DC-2 transport waiting for the famed couple.A jeep messenger came up to us at the last minute with some instructions from good old Harvey, but not enough of them. The

Jeffrey Hillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04923435451049982632noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6907198.post-48460746568547748772008-08-21T23:43:00.020-05:002009-06-27T18:35:48.265-05:00

From Pappy Boyington's book Baa Baa Black Sheep. Before he formed the VMF-214 Black Sheep, Greg Boyington volunteered with the Flying Tigers in Kunming, China. At one point his fighter group is assigned to Rangoon:Here at Rangoon I was to meet two of the most genuine friends I hope to have. For two semi-portly gentlemen in their fifties, showing signs of years of good living, came across my path.

Jeffrey Hillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04923435451049982632noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6907198.post-70871949256946536932008-08-06T16:49:00.013-05:002009-06-27T18:36:22.295-05:00

I just finished reading Stephen Ambrose's The Wild Blue about the 741st Squadron in the 455th Bomb Group of the 15th Air Force (whew - AAF designations are a bitch) - particularly the crew of the Dakota Queen - George McGovern's crew. It's a helluva story guaranteed to leave the reader in awe of the young men that won the war, a great companion piece to Ambrose's Band of Brothers. The following

Jeffrey Hillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04923435451049982632noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6907198.post-36365350908419952242008-07-04T08:00:00.008-05:002009-06-27T18:37:20.313-05:00

Earlier this spring my parents took a trip to San Diego and visited the USS Midway - now the most visited floating museum in the world. It was a special event, particularly for my dad, who'd served on the Midway as an A-6 pilot in the mid-70s.What follows are a couple of things: a general history of a remarkable ship; a history of a remarkable squadron; an overview of aircraft that have served on

Jeffrey Hillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04923435451049982632noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6907198.post-76256999512082206872008-07-04T07:58:00.110-05:002009-06-27T18:38:17.265-05:00

Like her name suggests, the USS Midway was born out of battle hardened experience and wartime ingenuity. There is something almost organic about her life - even during the earliest moments of construction the Midway was adapting to a changing world. For 47 years she went through a variety of modernizations that kept her and her men at the vanguard of U.S. naval power, responding to crises and

Jeffrey Hillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04923435451049982632noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6907198.post-5545147298852033222008-07-04T07:56:00.040-05:002009-06-27T18:38:48.126-05:00

My dad kept several old squadron mugs in the kitchen cabinet at home - some with his name and the squadron's insignia on them, others with a cartoon accompanied by an aphorism on the opposite side. The one that always stuck with me was titled, "VA-115 QA Gator Control" and showed a man with his dukes up ready to fight an alligator standing on his hind legs, also with his dukes up. The statement

Jeffrey Hillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04923435451049982632noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6907198.post-25565431300555539812008-07-04T07:52:00.010-05:002011-02-11T22:04:39.394-06:00

For almost half a century Midway was home to a show-room of aircraft representing a comprehensive overview of naval aviation. Perhaps the only high-profile plane in the Navy's arsenal that did not hook the Midway's arresting cables was the Grumman F-14 Tomcat (NOTE: two readers have pointed out that the F-14s have landed on and launched from the Midway). Otherwise, her deck has handled the best:

Jeffrey Hillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04923435451049982632noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6907198.post-40297773301016442572008-07-04T07:50:00.007-05:002009-06-27T18:39:21.206-05:00

The Midway at port in Subic Bay. The ship in the forground is unidentifiedAircraft at Cubi PointVA-115 Intruders (Midway in background)Preparing to taxi while a C-5 Galaxy is landing Over the flooded landscape of the PhilippinesAir-to-air refuelingFleet Angels. One of these choppers was usually hovering over the starboard side of the ship while other aircraft were landing - waiting in case

Jeffrey Hillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04923435451049982632noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6907198.post-16760007810592289772008-07-04T07:45:00.005-05:002009-06-27T18:39:43.146-05:00

This is hazing at its finest. The shot below is of King Neptune's court. Presumably, the day before the initiation, the Pollywogs are afforded the opportunity to trade places with their superiors - something referred to as the Pollywogs' Revolt. During the revolt, Pollywogs are free to do whatever they want to the Shellbacks. However, the next day (initiation day) the Royal Court is wheeled out

Jeffrey Hillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04923435451049982632noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6907198.post-77005761456875935342008-07-04T07:25:00.007-05:002009-06-27T18:40:06.494-05:00

Above is a picture of two A-6 Intruders at Cubi Point. Below is a shot of Intruders flying low level over the Philippines.A town north of Manila. Note the cathedral.Around Subic Bay just off base.Grandy Island - a halfway point in the bayMonkeys at the Cubi Point BOQ* * * * * * *The USS Midway The Tip of the Sword: A Brief History of the USS MidwayGator Control: The VA-115Aircraft of the USS

Jeffrey Hillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04923435451049982632noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6907198.post-83790800360861867882008-07-04T07:23:00.005-05:002009-06-27T18:40:28.174-05:00

Pakistani military fort protecting the bayMaritime TerminalThe New Luxury Hotel The guy standing up is Chief Dusty Rhodes* * * * * * *The USS Midway The Tip of the Sword: A Brief History of the USS MidwayGator Control: The VA-115Aircraft of the USS Midway GalleriesOn the Deck and In the Air, 1974-77Pollywog to Shellback: Crossing the Line, 1975Japan: A Forward-based HomefrontHome: Yokosuka and

Jeffrey Hillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04923435451049982632noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6907198.post-21072165539378093002008-07-04T07:21:00.004-05:002009-06-27T18:40:48.365-05:00

These slides of Pusan in April-May of 1976 were not labeled and have faded quite a bit. My mom noted that there wasn't much color to the city at that time, so maybe the faded blue look serves a purpose. Pusan is not that way today. I believe the first shot is of Pusan Harbor. Unfortunately, I was not able to identify much else.Pusan TowerPusan International AirportThe USS Midway The Tip of the

Jeffrey Hillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04923435451049982632noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6907198.post-59068315467603432122008-07-04T07:19:00.005-05:002009-06-27T18:41:09.473-05:00

Hong Kong - where East meets West...Pearl of the Orient. The first few shots are from a cable car climbing the hillside.Hong Kong skyline and Victoria HarborShots from the hotelTiger Balm Gardens. The first couple shots are of Aw Boon Haw's mansion. He built the Gardens in appreciation for the success he had with selling Tiger Balm - the Ben Gay of the East.The garden Dragon Wall next to Hew Par

Jeffrey Hillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04923435451049982632noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6907198.post-29907795808897261312008-07-04T07:15:00.009-05:002010-05-09T17:11:44.648-05:00

Singapura - the Lion City - courage, resilience, might....excellence. The statue of the Merlion is a symbol of the city state - located at Merlion Park. The island was previously referred to as Temasek.A snake charmerToday Singapore is known as the cleanest city in the world - looking at this street scene it is apparent that it was not very dirty back in the 70s either.The Singapore River -

Jeffrey Hillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04923435451049982632noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6907198.post-539338294905713252008-07-04T07:02:00.007-05:002009-09-02T18:54:42.259-05:00

Kamakura was the capital in the latter 12th century and during the Hojo Regents until the 14th century. I can't imagine another town having a higher number of shrines and temples per capita than Kamakura. Given its proximity to Yokosuka and Atsugi, it receives a lot of American visitors. Not least of the sites, of course, is the famous bronze Daibutsu. First a wooden statue in 1238, the bronze

Jeffrey Hillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04923435451049982632noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6907198.post-80974669953820010122008-07-04T07:01:00.008-05:002009-06-27T18:42:12.291-05:00

Adjacent to the U.S. Naval installation is the memorial ship, Mikasa. In front of the ship is this statue of Admiral Togo. Yokosuka has always been a major player in Japanese naval operations, giving the town a rich, if young, history.The Nagai coastYokosuka street scene. Turn right at the Coca Cola sign to get home.Nagai street scenesThe base housing in Nagai was built on an old kamikaze

Jeffrey Hillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04923435451049982632noreply@blogger.com14tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6907198.post-30531525518504277472008-07-04T07:00:00.006-05:002009-06-27T18:42:45.746-05:00

A Bicentennial Parade - Japanese style (put on by American and Japanese organizations in Yokosuka). It is great to celebrate a birthday with a good friend.The Kanagawa flag corpsJDF marching bandThanks for your service, young manJapanese fuzzPlaces for the kidsThe junk parks - an ideal spot for kids to climb around on stuffJapan is a perfect place to be a kid. Great parks, great candy, great toys

Jeffrey Hillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04923435451049982632noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6907198.post-47292355310705752082008-06-06T10:44:00.001-05:002009-06-27T18:43:43.222-05:00

Jeffrey Hillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04923435451049982632noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6907198.post-31324869645030784232008-05-28T21:31:00.004-05:002009-06-27T18:45:07.134-05:00

I've written a tribute piece on the man over at Ed Copeland on Films. Also, for the inclined, Mark Steyn has what looks to be one of several Ian Fleming pieces up, where he makes a similar point regarding the Bond formula.

Jeffrey Hillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04923435451049982632noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6907198.post-3583197071098757282008-05-16T14:56:00.011-05:002009-06-27T18:44:31.037-05:00

Far from just being the pride and joy of a dynamic, if recent, Japanese naval history, the Mikasa is, sadly, the only ship that has survived Japan's imperial past to be preserved today as a museum in Yokosuka, near the U.S. Naval station. The Mikasa's glory long preceded the Pacific War, going back to Japan's debut as a top tier naval power during the Russo-Japanese War. During that time, she was

Jeffrey Hillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04923435451049982632noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6907198.post-70525620484929442612008-05-11T07:52:00.004-05:002010-09-09T23:41:36.959-05:00

When we arrived to the museum very near the Saitama's Super Arena, there was a sea of Japanese teenage girls - thousands of them - waiting to enjoy a concert from S. Korea's hottest boy bands, TVXQ (Tohoshinki in Japan). Sadly, the picture above is of the museum as we were leaving (when the show was already in progress). It was a curious juxtaposition between a pop icon from 40 years ago to a

Jeffrey Hillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04923435451049982632noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6907198.post-30154123968925153462008-05-10T16:26:00.008-05:002010-09-09T23:45:53.693-05:00

The temple Kenkon-zan Nihon-ji on the Chiba peninsula off Tokyo Bay dates back to 725 A.D., but the daibutsu (large Buddha figure), itself, was chiseled in 1780. The temple has changed hands between various sects over those 1300 years and currently belongs to the Soto Zen sect. The main attractions of the temple grounds, in addition to the daibutsu, are three summit overlooks on Mt. Nokogori,

Jeffrey Hillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04923435451049982632noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6907198.post-82903302086838309112008-05-09T13:27:00.005-05:002009-06-27T18:46:36.268-05:00

I love cattle songs, and Cattle Call was the cream of the crop! His voice was as smooth as silk and so soothing he could turn a Bremer bull into Kobe beef.

Jeffrey Hillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04923435451049982632noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6907198.post-41102052465395031722008-03-27T01:50:00.014-05:002009-06-27T18:47:21.816-05:00

Tourist slides from Redwood National Park in 1979:Approaching Trees of MysteryPaul BunyanBabe the Blue OxElephant TreeFamily TreeUpside-Down Tree

Jeffrey Hillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04923435451049982632noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6907198.post-35974825691884059952008-03-23T09:48:00.003-05:002008-12-08T18:27:08.073-06:00

The Liverputty staff would like to give a shout out to the real Messiah. The King of Kings. Mr. J.C.

Jeffrey Hillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04923435451049982632noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6907198.post-80546422862380135552008-03-02T13:45:00.011-06:002009-06-27T18:50:22.142-05:00

Much more than She-Bubba’s phone-call at 3 a.m. commercial. For someone who thinks it’s a sad reflection on today’s political discourse when someone dares to stoop so low as to say his middle name, Barrack Hussein Obama (oops! I gone and dood it!) doesn’t shy away from a commercial that is essentially just his last name. As Mark Steyn aptly observed of Stevie Wonder’s lyrically challenged ditty

Jeffrey Hillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04923435451049982632noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6907198.post-63781396312915994182008-02-25T00:24:00.002-06:002008-12-08T18:27:08.202-06:00

be back after awhile....

Jeffrey Hillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04923435451049982632noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6907198.post-13276166776791255482008-02-11T13:12:00.001-06:002009-06-27T18:48:58.394-05:00

or Happy Nation Day! On this day 2668 years ago the first emperor in the Japanese royal family set up shop in Kyushu. Jimmu was his name and he was a mythical badass. The royal line is actually only traced back to ca AD 600 but that still makes it the longest unbroken royal bloodline in the world. In 1872, after the fall of the Tokugawa Shogunate, the day was made into a national holiday to

Jeffrey Hillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04923435451049982632noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6907198.post-80893899171785152452008-02-08T17:40:00.001-06:002009-06-27T18:49:54.835-05:00

A lot of conservatives are choking with rage over the prospect of a McCain candidacy and, after so many years of his fingers poking the eyes of the conservative movement, it’s easy to see why. But now he’s pretty much got the nomination sewn up, and it’s time to swallow all the personal animosity generated over the past several years and get on board the “Straight Talk Express”. That doesn’t

Jeffrey Hillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04923435451049982632noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6907198.post-87080965578995812362008-02-03T18:50:00.001-06:002009-06-27T18:48:00.788-05:00

Several weeks of pouring over the NFL Super Bowl Films has finally come to fruition with a post over at the House. Check it out.

Jeffrey Hillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04923435451049982632noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6907198.post-48093596570279917542008-01-20T13:14:00.001-06:002009-06-27T18:49:18.900-05:00

Recently, I was updating the List of Stuff I Want to Do with My Life, an idea I stole from John Goddard. As my updates center around showing my 3 boys things around the country, I went searching for Enterprise Square, a museum befitting one of the most conservative states in the nation. To my dismay, the Oklahoma Ciy museum shut its doors in 2002, probably more due to mismanagement than to the

Dudehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03456290129508101940noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6907198.post-18990962436375255122008-01-19T12:53:00.002-06:002009-06-27T18:51:01.558-05:00

Unfortunately, a credible witness could not be found.I'm torn on who not to believe. Unions and non-secret ballots are a bad mix - yet, every time you see Slick Willy pointing his finger, he's usually got on the triangulation grease. He needs to holster that thing or else it's going to go off.

Jeffrey Hillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04923435451049982632noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6907198.post-22377534865163486642008-01-17T20:35:00.001-06:002009-06-27T18:54:14.250-05:00

Jeffrey Hillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04923435451049982632noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6907198.post-70569825738025032642008-01-06T14:13:00.001-06:002009-06-27T18:51:20.576-05:00

Don't get me wrong, I'm legally obligated to point out that I think the man is likable & has some dignity about him, but I think he's infinitely and dangerously naive. In the debate last night when he asserted that the Democrat victory in 2006 is what sparked the Sunni tribes in Anbar to turn against the terrorists, it reminded me (well, 'remind' is not an accurate word since I'd never forgotten

Jeffrey Hillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04923435451049982632noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6907198.post-72449168135345374732008-01-02T20:17:00.002-06:002009-06-27T18:51:39.200-05:00

beyond that it was worth waging?....Go to the House Next Door to find out.

Jeffrey Hillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04923435451049982632noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6907198.post-47194100756664513452008-01-01T13:33:00.001-06:002009-06-27T18:52:09.006-05:00

A Japanese tradition for New Year's Day (not sure how far it dates back or exactly how extensive it is) is to watch one of the many versions of the famous Japanese story of the Loyal 47 (aka The 47 Ronin....aka Chushingura). There are countless versions of the story on film and the stage. The picture above depicts a kabuki performance, but if puppet plays are your thing, then there's a 1748

Jeffrey Hillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04923435451049982632noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6907198.post-62163910338098350592007-12-24T15:03:00.000-06:002008-12-08T18:27:09.477-06:00

Jeffrey Hillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04923435451049982632noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6907198.post-32176618948211029982007-12-12T23:42:00.001-06:002009-06-27T18:54:40.622-05:00

Jeffrey Hillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04923435451049982632noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6907198.post-53696523911296259332007-12-07T00:00:00.001-06:002009-06-27T18:55:15.234-05:00

Jeffrey Hillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04923435451049982632noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6907198.post-30894699144574471352007-12-06T20:00:00.000-06:002008-12-08T18:27:22.508-06:00

[Here's my contribution to the Short Film Blog-a-thon being hosted at Only the Cinema and Culture Snob.]NOTE: The following is not a review. I just started getting screen grabs and got carried away. Nobody teaches science better than Disney. Schools would be well-served to show this gem to science classes anywhere from Jr. High to college survey courses. The optimism Disney had for the prospects

Jeffrey Hillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04923435451049982632noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6907198.post-49430899233825090102007-12-06T09:53:00.001-06:002008-12-08T18:27:22.646-06:00

In addition to wishing everybody a happy Hanukkah (I think it started on the 4th), I'd like to build on that Earth friendly notion for Jews to light one less candle in their celebration in order to save the planet, which only has 9 and a half years left, according to the unquestionable estimation of Dr. Gore, giver of peace. We can all do something. As a Christian, I plan on wearing an extra

Jeffrey Hillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04923435451049982632noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6907198.post-29040302791222795842007-11-29T14:11:00.000-06:002008-12-08T18:27:25.081-06:00

How I wish we were able to get a clear shot of Cinderella's castle. As you can sorta see, they draped the castle in tinsel-lighting and projected a blue color on it, which changed to purple and red every 20 minutes or so. It was quite impressive. Looking back, we missed a lot of photo opportunities - partly because I was always in a hurry to get to the next ride. Also, we experienced some camera

Jeffrey Hillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04923435451049982632noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6907198.post-14729878077245791802007-11-28T23:34:00.002-06:002010-11-30T22:35:18.899-06:00

So what if the Universal theme parks are sorta knock offs of what Disney created? Disney raised the bar for everybody. I applaud Universal for their Orlando efforts. We did both parks in one day, which was about right, though, to our disappointment, both parks closed at 6pm - far too early for the ticket price. Still, we moved at a brisk counter-clockwise pace through both parks, starting with

Jeffrey Hillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04923435451049982632noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6907198.post-80503093948191925092007-11-27T17:27:00.002-06:002010-11-30T22:38:36.909-06:00

If history serves me well, I believe Mark Twain stayed at the Port Orleans Riverside Hotel when he wrote Tom Sawyer. The rooms were about average and there was not an internet connection, but the period design of the outer hotel and the maze-like landscaping made it enjoyable. The rooms were grouped in about 20 two-story buildings, each with about 20 rooms or so. In between each building were

Jeffrey Hillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04923435451049982632noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6907198.post-9839461154870197672007-11-24T09:28:00.000-06:002008-12-08T18:27:29.837-06:00

Life has meaning once more. Photos pending.

Jeffrey Hillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04923435451049982632noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6907198.post-27420073734538570882007-11-24T08:56:00.001-06:002009-06-27T18:52:49.560-05:00

He's been one of the finest leaders on the world stage, as far as I can tell, and while he was in power, nobody had our back more than the Aussies, on a variety of issues. He leaves behind a strong stance against terror, a sober stance on global warming/destruction, and a booming economy. Conservatives will miss him. Good luck to the victorious Kevin Rudd and his Labor Party.

Jeffrey Hillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04923435451049982632noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6907198.post-48679725082157782252007-11-15T09:41:00.000-06:002008-12-08T18:27:30.056-06:00

We have been on holiday for the past week or so & will eventually return.

Jeffrey Hillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04923435451049982632noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6907198.post-330163673809581642007-11-08T11:11:00.001-06:002009-06-27T18:53:43.188-05:00

A nice contrast to the knuckleheads who destroyed the Buddha relief below.The Iraqis asked me [Michael Yon] to convey a message of thanks to the American people. "Thank you, thank you," the people were saying. One man said, "Thank you for peace." Another man, a Muslim, said "All the people, all the people in Iraq, Muslim and Christian, is brother." The men and women were holding bells, and for

Jeffrey Hillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04923435451049982632noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6907198.post-16770702808671457792007-11-07T16:54:00.001-06:002009-06-27T18:55:48.848-05:00

They failed in September, but kept at it in their ongoing jihad against impressive sculptures. It was a pointed statement against the intolerant Buddhist crusaders that slaughtered Mohammattans in the land of Swat back in the olden days. My history may be a bit fuzzy in the details but the larger point stands: the giant relief was just asking for it.

Jeffrey Hillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04923435451049982632noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6907198.post-14948352814895877012007-10-31T10:21:00.001-05:002009-06-27T19:07:20.146-05:00

More from Thrilling Cities. This time Fleming recounts his bath and massage experience at the capable hands of a real-life Kissy:The night before, Dick and I had consumed large quantities of raw fish in a restaurant off the Ginza, which is one of the great pleasure street of the world, and even larger quantities of sake, a heated rice-spirit to which I took rather too enthusiastically, and now,

Jeffrey Hillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04923435451049982632noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6907198.post-17241903560626177772007-10-27T14:22:00.002-05:002009-06-27T19:07:42.775-05:00

More from Thrilling Cities. Fleming discusses the physical characteristics of the Japanese...The first thing that struck me was how gay and purposeful the young Japanese are and how healthy a rice diet must be. They move at an astonishing speed compared with the easy stroll you will normally see in the comparable Piccadilly or Champs-Elysees crowds. And how bright all theire eyes are, wiht

Jeffrey Hillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04923435451049982632noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6907198.post-29895886699068738462007-10-27T10:55:00.001-05:002009-06-27T18:56:36.282-05:00

They are Rather-like in their quest for the truth. I'm sure Brian DePalma read Beauchamp's piece & knew he had his story."Faced with the fact that Beauchamp stood by his story and the fact that the Army investigation had serious gaps - as well as the fact that our earlier reporting had uncovered significant evidence corroborating Beauchamp’s accounts - The New Republic decided to continue its

Jeffrey Hillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04923435451049982632noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6907198.post-89562238470507440822007-10-26T14:36:00.000-05:002008-12-08T18:27:31.319-06:00

Jeffrey Hillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04923435451049982632noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6907198.post-25735825164228612402007-10-19T14:12:00.001-05:002009-06-27T18:57:20.670-05:00

Kudos to Rush Limbaugh for doing more for our troops in a week than Sen. Reid has done all year.Nancy Pelosi backs off on trying to shoot America's war effort in the foot.No patriotism was questioned during this post.

Jeffrey Hillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04923435451049982632noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6907198.post-20766146029129161302007-10-17T23:47:00.001-05:002009-06-27T18:58:46.931-05:00

I always loved the introduction of Mifune's character in Samurai Assassin. Just put a camera on him, and he'll take care of the rest. The setting is a meeting amongt members of the Mito faction, who are plotting, through assassination, to topple the Tokugawa government. The head of the Mito faction has determined that there must be a spy among his men. All eyes turn on the one man who is a

Jeffrey Hillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04923435451049982632noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6907198.post-69843920442492990722007-10-14T23:13:00.001-05:002009-06-27T18:58:03.365-05:00

Since I've been unable to settle on a single or series of cinematic close-ups, I could not help but think of one of the most fascinating close-ups in literature. Moby Dick is teeming with chapters closely examining the physical nature of whales and whale hunting and such, but two chapters immediately sprung to mind. Both are in the middle of the book, when the Pequod has (through a series of

Jeffrey Hillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04923435451049982632noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6907198.post-7746422263125714132007-10-14T15:39:00.000-05:002008-12-08T18:27:35.182-06:00

for winning one of the last Nobel Peace Prizes to ever be given. Liverputty feels he makes a good fit among other recent peace prize recipients.

Jeffrey Hillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04923435451049982632noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6907198.post-64369927422316703612007-10-12T22:46:00.001-05:002009-06-27T19:03:42.448-05:00

from Escutcheon Blot'Marktkirche von Halle'I have been looking back at the last few months of Liverputty International, and thought that I might put in a little art appreciation of one of my favorite painters, the American-German-American modernist, Lyonel Feininger.Born in America to German parents, Feininger migrated to Germany as a teenager, and studied art, eventually becoming a caricaturist

EscutcheonBlothttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00192576198740786305noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6907198.post-82987199431467438452007-10-08T19:11:00.001-05:002008-12-08T18:27:36.236-06:00

Jeffrey Hillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04923435451049982632noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6907198.post-50696367874560073222007-10-04T02:07:00.002-05:002009-06-27T19:07:00.716-05:00

More from Thrilling Cities. Fleming discusses the tongs and the triads...On our way back to Hong Kong, recalling Dr. Lobo’s mention of the tongs, now known as triads, and musing over their possible connection with the smuggling of gold and opium which are more or less interconnected, I asked Dick Hughes, who knows the answer to everything in the Far East, what the triads really amounted to, and

Jeffrey Hillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04923435451049982632noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6907198.post-16308620557214466742007-10-01T01:02:00.001-05:002009-06-27T19:06:37.589-05:00

In 1959 Fleming took a trip around the world visiting key cities and reporting about them to the Sunday Times. A compilation of these articles was published in book form in 1964 under the title of Thrilling Cities, the same year as his death. Cities traveled included: Hong Kong, Macau, Tokyo, Honolulu, L.A., Las Vegas, Chicago, New York, Hamburg, Berlin, Vienna, Geneva, Naples, and Monte Carlo.

Jeffrey Hillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04923435451049982632noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6907198.post-61677955669874646232007-09-22T09:33:00.001-05:002009-06-27T18:59:53.669-05:00

Now that the righteous fury over Columbia's seemingly permanently reinstated invitation to Iran's nut-case president has abated a bit, the focus has shifted to how to effectively protest the man's speech. The suggestions have ranged from polite to polite, as it is mostly the right who are incensed by the invite. (nice little internal rhyming, what?)I however would suggest to the Gay-Lesbian

EscutcheonBlothttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00192576198740786305noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6907198.post-20998866120880075722007-09-20T15:37:00.000-05:002008-12-08T18:27:37.127-06:00

Leave it to Japan to promote cuteness in the military:

Jeffrey Hillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04923435451049982632noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6907198.post-55493684127152026062007-09-16T20:44:00.001-05:002009-06-27T19:04:21.145-05:00

from Escutcheon BlotI have always loved the short story. To me the perfection of these little novels more than makes up for the lack of time they kill. In earlier times, these were great moneymakers for novelists of all stripes. The Saturday Evening Post, the New Yorker, Playboy, Harper's Weekly, and hundreds of others all paid authors good money for stories of just a few thousand words, rather

EscutcheonBlothttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00192576198740786305noreply@blogger.com15