Our leaders!

[Kirbstone]

Well, Thatcher is still around, although by all accounts not in full command of her faculties anymore. There is a new film coming out in the New Year 'The Iron Lady', with Meryl Streep playing Thatcher. Should be a cracker.

As to Ronald, being a B-movie actor was hardly the best qualification for assuming the most powerful command on the Planet, yet the electorate put him there. Apparently, his best answer when asked if he had 'American Express' was....'That'll do Nancy!'

Tom

[Milfmog]

Kindred souls those two, Reagan and Thatcher; I hope they both rot in whatever Hell they most feared.

It seems that Altzheimers may be claiming Mrs Thatcher so she could be said to be rotting in her own mind. That may not be the hell she feared the most, but living (or dying) in her mind would be pretty close to the worst hell I can imagine. Probably second only to rotting inside my own head (that's a really scary place, I've been living there for a long time...)


Ian.

[kingfish]

As to Ronald, being a B-movie actor was hardly the best qualification for assuming the most powerful command on the Planet, yet the electorate put him there. Apparently, his best answer when asked if he had 'American Express' was....'That'll do Nancy!'

Tom

One bit of trivia that did go to Reagan's qualifications:
In 1932 he received a degree in sociology and economics from Eureka college in Illinois.

[crfriend]

One bit of trivia that did go to Reagan's qualifications:
In 1932 he received a degree in sociology and economics from Eureka college in Illinois.

Some confusion betwixt the two at advancing age might, then, explain "Voodoo Economics". (Bonus points go to anybody who can name the character that called the policies out as such.)

I don't know much about Eureka College, but in the 1930s economics was a rather concrete subject where one could be proved "right" or "wrong" mathematically (and the country had just gotten it very wrong). That's changed, of course, and I don't think for the better.

[kingfish]

Some confusion betwixt the two at advancing age might, then, explain "Voodoo Economics". (Bonus points go to anybody who can name the character that called the policies out as such.)

I don't know much about Eureka College, but in the 1930s economics was a rather concrete subject where one could be proved "right" or "wrong" mathematically (and the country had just gotten it very wrong). That's changed, of course, and I don't think for the better.

"The only thing we have to fear is fear itself" -- Franklin Delano Roosevelt

The economy tends to get influenced by the mood of us as a people. This means that you can screw with the economy just by screwing with the minds of people. Maybe sociology and economics isn't all that strange of a combination, But what do I know, this entire paragraph is conjecture based on a guess.


"Any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic." -- Arthur C. Clarke

Or maybe the Voodoo economics thing is about using tools and techniques that don't seem to be useful to manipulating the economy, or may be downright counter-intuitive in their use. I've heard the phrase "rocket science" used to describe the calculation of our own economic indicators.


For the one who called his plan "Voodoo Economics", I heard that it was the man who eventually became his running mate, George Herbert Walker Bush.

I also don't know squat about Eureka College. I had to dig around to make sure the fact was right before posting that trivia. Until today, I didn't even know that Reagan was a fan of FDR, and was even registered as a democrat and considered himself a liberal up until sometime in the sixties. (Of course, that was probably before the collectivists started calling themselves liberals). At the very least, it would have given him an above average BS detector regarding his economic advisers. As for the boom years that put his popularity practically into orbit, who knows. For all I know, he could have just gotten lucky and rode a natural economic rebound.

[Mugs-n-such]

Thanks Kirbstone for the snapshot of the Miata. I'll try and see if I can get my technology-challenged self to post a picture of my Miata. It's a little beat-up, but it runs fine, it's mine and it's a SPORTS CAR! (And it's paid for )
I hope I may share what books I have been reading without being slammed for being too political...here goes:
The Secret Knowledge by David Mamet...exposition of the liberal agenda.
Slander by Ann Coulter...radical left lies about the right.
What Darwin Didn't Know...an exposee of evolution.
I also read "Broke" by Glenn Beck and liked it. Scary though...

[crfriend]

[My Miata's] a little beat-up, but it runs fine, it's mine and it's a SPORTS CAR! (And it's paid for )

One cannot ask for much more than that!

I, too, drive a small sports-car, a Nissan 240SX, that's done wonderful things over the years including looking after me after I got slammed from behind by a small SUV at highway speeds. The car is my late father's and, I suppose the "rational" thing to do would have been to scrap the little guy, but that just didn't seem to be the right thing to do. I do not regret, for one instant, my decision.

I hope I may share what books I have been reading without being slammed for being too political...here goes:

I will admit that I'm conducting a bit of a "science experiment" here, which is why I haven't suppressed the thread yet, and we shall see how it goes.

The Secret Knowledge by David Mamet...exposition of the liberal agenda.
Slander by Ann Coulter...radical left lies about the right.
What Darwin Didn't Know...an exposee of evolution.
I also read "Broke" by Glenn Beck and liked it. Scary though...

One of the common pitfalls of personal choice, and I am most certainly not taking pot-shots at anybody here, is self-selection of material. I was lucky to have been brought up by exceedingly bright folks (smarter than I'll ever be, mind), and one of the things that got pounded into me as a wee tyke was that, "Everybody lies. Get a good cross-section of viewpoints before you make up your mind." There's a reason that I still like short-wave radio for news, even though lots of countries are abandoning it thanks to the 'Net. For years, I listened to the BBC, ABC (Australian Broadcasting Corporation), Radio Havana (the English-language service), and, when I could get it, in defiance of law, "Voice of America" (which sounded very much like a Murdoch diatribe) -- and then tried to average all of that into something that may, possibly, represent truth.

Meaning no disrespect, the above reading list seems decidedly one-sided. Why not read Darwin in his own words? It's still available. Do a counterpoint between Glenn Beck and any of the far-left commentators? "Left Lies About the Right"? How about "Right Lies About the Left"? (We need to be particularly careful about the terms "Left" and "Right" or "Liberal" and "Conservative" (all of which have been corrupted into slanderous terms each))

It's the broad view that must be looked at, not one's own microcosm. Yes, it's very uncomfortable to put somebody else's shoes on now and then, but understanding can only be gained by occasionally doing so. Do I enjoy listening to Hugo Chavez spout off? No, but he serves as a useful counterpoint to listening to Rupert Murdoch (and his similarly-powerful media empire) spout off. The truth is somewhere in the middle.

[Kirbstone]

I agree, a lot of very shiny metal one sees about is still owned by the money lenders. My 'transport of delight' is an old estate Merc. which has travelled more than the distance from the Earth to the Moon, and bi-annually I spend more on replacement bits for it to get it through our National Car Test than it is actually worth, so in a sence it's 'paid for', too.

I plead ignorance of the literature mentioned, but as to Darwin, the best book to read is 'The Voyage of the Beagle'. That was Darwin's conveyance to the ends of the World to carry out his entomological research, and is a sort of background to his later publishing of his Evolution theory.
His ship's captain, Fitzroy fared rather less well, in that when he was snubbed by the British government authorities because they effectively closed down his already chronically underfunded and undermanned weather forecasting service to shipping, which he started entirely for altruistic reasons. He took his own life.

He is very posthumously remembered in the British Shipping Forecast, in that the Sea Area to the West of North Portugal known as Finnisterre has been named 'Fitzroy'.

That gives the game away. I devour historical literature and novels, also any yarns that have a maritime theme.

Tom K.

[Kirbstone]

We've just had our very first two-day budget presented us by our PM and his Finance Minister. It was a tough one, given the Euro and European financial state of affairs &c.

....But the joke going round here about why it took two days to deliver a budget speech is that it took that long to translate it out of the German!

Tom K.

[Milfmog]

....But the joke going round here about why it took two days to deliver a budget speech is that it took that long to translate it out of the German!

Are you sure it's a joke?

Have fun,


Ian.

[Kirbstone]

You're right of course, Ian. It's no joke really, but we're sruck with it, and we're pulling in our horns quite a bit as a result.
I've sold my fifth share in the 40 foot sailing boat I kept bragging about here, and another casualty has got to be my participation in Henley Masters' Regatta next July.
I am however being prevailed upon to go to the Brit. Masters' Rowing Champs. in Nottingham in June, which would be a less expensive trip. We've been there, done that & got the tee-shirt before, but it remains very attractive looking from here. It's sudden death multi-lane slaughter with enough entries in any given age category for side-by-side mortal combat.
Here we invariably row against other age groups with handicapper's seconds seperating us at the start, so each race is a persuit contest, exciting only towards the finish, when the young guys catch the old lags up. Needlass to say I perform for the latter!!
I won't be buying any more expensive kilts either, for a while.

Tom

[Big and Bashful]

Tom,
If you happen to be visiting the mainland of the U of K in June, why not have a wee diversion to Scotlandshire, or at least near the Border, for one of those meet type things? I bet your trip clashes with my next Royalist trip though. That is how life works!

[Kirbstone]

Great idea, B&B, and thanks for the invite. When I said 'it' would be a less expensive trip than Henley I was reckoning on bumming a lift in the towcar that would tow the boats over to Notts., thus saving myself a flight & share of a hire car.

Alas Nottinghamshire is a bloody long way from Scotlandshire, and I would be beholden to the others who drive that towcar for my transport, which no way would detour North of Hadrian's Wall!

I'll have to await another opportunity, e.g. a professional conference in 'Aidinberrragh' or 'Glazgie'. Problem is, nowadays the firms that sponsor such gatherings generally favour either Sunny South Europe or Stateside as attractive venues.

I'm not surprised they won't sail the 'TS Royalist' without their chef. Where are they off to this time? If they ever touch Hibernia N or S with you on board I'll be the guy in the kilt on the quayside hopping up & down and waving both arms frantically!

Tom

[Big and Bashful]

Pity you are tied to the routine of the others, I expected something like that though. Next June the Royalist trip will be in the English Channel I think. Must get myself a passport for this one! You used to be signed on as an article of the ship, but now passports are required apparently.
If I can get enough time away from work I still intend sailing for Ireland sometime next year, but it looks like it is going to get busier (Possibly with a promotion in the offing). I have fingers and other things crossed!

[Mugs-n-such]

Thanks for the posts crfriend and Kirbstone. I agree a person should remain open-minded, and reading only books which support what you already believe and know (or think you know) might not be the best way to find the truth. I have always wanted to read "The Origin of Species", my excuse is I already have so many books on my reading list.
I have already had the experience of reading about a candidate, and you think you know everything about them, then you hear something 180 degrees opposite of what you (think you) know and then I think, "what in the **** is the truth anyway?"
The only problem with the approach you mentioned is, it involves work and it makes you think. Some drawback to everything I guess *sigh*.