Archive for November, 2011

“Let Us Continue”

Sunday, November 27th, 2011

On November 27, 1963 Lyndon Johnson addressed a Joint Session of Congress and the American public only a few days after the assassination of John F. Kennedy.

It’s a pretty amazing speech, that starts as good as any I know:

All I have I would have given gladly not to be standing here today.

LBJ goes on to set up his vision of his presidency, deftly using JFK’s memory to lay out his own goals.

Check out the full text.

Broken Contract

Saturday, November 26th, 2011

Just read a fascinating article in the new Foreign Affairs: “The Broken Contract: Inequality and American Decline“.

Coin-Covered Car

Saturday, November 26th, 2011

Oh UAE, you never cease to amaze me: “Car with a coat of coins to be dedicated to UAE“.

New Yorker Cover

Friday, November 25th, 2011

I meant to post this yesterday, but I forgot. Here’s the newest New Yorker cover:

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Happy Thanksgiving.

Changes in Baseball, 2

Monday, November 21st, 2011

Also, along the lines with my not liking the Astros moving to the American League in 2013, I really, really don’t like the new Miami Marlins name and logo:

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Political Class

Monday, November 21st, 2011

The Washington Post had a good article yesterday about the nation’s debt and the “supercommittee” tasked on fixing it: “Debt panel’s failure puts Bush tax cuts in spotlight“.

The key quote that sums up politics right now:

The deadlock on the committee offers the latest reminder that the country’s political class seems unable to address fundamental national problems unless faced with an immediate crisis. In this case, the Bush tax cuts – and, with them, the fate of the nation’s precarious finances – will in all likelihood be punted beyond next November’s election.

The person (or party) that recognizes this and campaigns on it will have a good shot of winning next year …

Burj Impossible

Saturday, November 19th, 2011

Yesterday on the Apple site they added a minute-and-a-half featurette on shooting scenes from the upcoming Mission: Impossible – Ghost Protocol at the Burj Khalifa in Dubai.

Check out the featurette.

Changes in Baseball

Thursday, November 17th, 2011

Currently Major League Baseball has 8 teams of 30 reach the playoffs. New one-game wild card playoffs discussed today for the 2013 season would push that to 10 teams.

At first I thought 30 percent of teams reaching the post season was too high a ratio. Then I read this tonight:

In the NFL, 12 of 32 teams make the playoffs. In the NBA and NHL, 16 of 30 teams advance.

Huh.

Youk

Friday, November 11th, 2011

So we’re at the Birthplace at Mercy, working on having this baby. It’s been an uneventful 11 hours so far.

Last night, while Liz was watching Grey’s Anatomy I watched the 2004 Red Sox video “Faith Rewarded”.

You might recall how Kevin Youkilis was on that team, but barely played. In fact, he was one of the handful of players who came to the parade in Portland. I believe, at the time, I made the joke, “Kevin Who-kilis?”

Anyway, it was funny to see him pop up in the video last night, more often than I would have thought, too.

Although, oddly, I found a commonality to all of the Youk sightings. See if you can notice it:

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Parker House Rolls

Wednesday, November 9th, 2011

Last winter Liz and I had a wonderful weekend getaway to Boston at the Omni Parker House.

That’s not likely this winter, though. I just saw this Yankee Magazine recipe for Parker House Rolls. That might need to be our getaway instead …

Baby Blog

Tuesday, November 8th, 2011

There’s a new story over at the Greason-Edwards Family blog … Check it out!