6 Month Blogging Anniversary: Thanks Everyone

Last Friday, 6/24 marked my 6 month anniversary blogging. I've learned a lot (and a lot I have to learn). I've withstood hardware problems, software problems, operating system crashes, network failures and plenty of user error.
I responded to a "tag" with an unusually long response that resulted in wiping out all my links, including my archives. Everything was recovered except that specific post and I still haven't figured out what happened.
I have been corrected and chastised, flamed and dumped on, congratulated, encouraged, inspired, ridiculed and rejoiced. It's been great.
According to the TTLB Ecosystem today, I am a Flippery Fish. But I think my true calling might be a Slimy Mollusc . I wrote about being an Insignificant Microbe back in February and I still love the categories more than what they mean (# of blogs linking to your blog). Of course, I am amazed that anyone finds my words and thoughts of any interest (whatsoever) and to those who take the time to comment, thank you, even you who heartily disagree.
Most importantly, I'd like to acknowledge my gratefulness to all the bloggers (whether they know me or not) who have offered such wonderful insights, made me laugh, and question and ponder, and scratch my head, ultimately, expanding and enriching my world. Thank you all!
I hope to improve and since I have a new computer and laptop, I guess I could start with a new picture. The present one is 5 years old! This is bold talk because
I generally don't like pictures of myself . So we'll see...
Here's to more blah, blah, blah blogging.

CXV courtesy t/Space Corp.

Do you love air and spacecraft photography? If so, check out these links:
Alan's Mojave Airport Weblog and Scaled Composites Gallery and t/Space
Interestingly, these are all private enterprises.

Tagged by Portia: Important Books

This inquiry into what people are reading and what books have been important to them has been going around the blogosphere. I'm honored to be part of the buzz but I must confess by the time I get tagged, more often than not, just about everyone I know has already been tagged, aren't blogging anymore, couldn't care less and rarely, if ever, read my blog to know that they have even been tagged. So even though I'm willing to participate (answer the questions), I always feel like I'm the jerk who dropped the torch so to speak. Nevertheless, here I go:

What is the total number of books you have ever owned?
A lot. I shudder to think exactly how many. Books have become friends throughout the years. Some are enlightening and instructive, others are humorous and lighthearted. Whether thick or thin, beautiful or plain, I've owned plenty. My best guess would be 1500.

What is the last book you have purchased?
I just received 4 books in the mail this week! Some were new. Some were used. One was a gift for someone else. Black Rednecks and White Liberals, by Thomas Sowell, A Mathematician Reads the Newspaper, by John Allen Paulos, Modern School for Xylophone Marimba Vibraphone, by Morris Goldenberg and The Music of Chance, by Paul Auster. Try to guess the one I'm giving away.

What is the last book you have read?
How the Mind Works, by Steven Pinker

What are 5 books that mean a lot to you?
The Wind and the Willows, by Kenneth Grahame. I read it in 3rd grade and it ignited my lifetime interest in books.
Narcissus and Goldmund, by Hermann Hesse. Hesse rocked my world in high school. I read many of his books , all English translations since I did not read German. Funny. I tried re-reading Hesse a few years ago when I was in my late 30's and just couldn't get into him.
The Picture of Dorian Gray, by Oscar Wilde. A timeless story of vanity and selling ones' soul to the devil.
Anatomy of an Illness, by Norman Cousins. When laughter really was the best medicine.
Free to Choose,by Milton and Rose Friedman. The foundation of my economic thinking.

It was hard narrowing the books down to only 5 . There are so many important books and this list seems ridiculously incomplete. Where are all the wonderful biographies, gardening and philosophical meanderings, history, science fiction and poetry books? Honestly, I could select an entirely different bunch next week.

It occurs to me that this list actually is a timeline of my early life and that something important was happening in my life when I read them. So the substance of these books and what I was doing at the time when I read them are tightly entwined.

I now would like to tag Pat at Dr. Sanity
Norma at Collecting My Thoughts, Bryan at Off the Wall and J.T. at Absence of Arbitrage.

"if the words are smooth and natural and sonorous..."

Since I have been thinking of wonderful language:

"If you read any work and you find that it is full of ideas that make you think: if those ideas are conveyed in imagery or drama and above all - if the words are smooth and natural and sonorous, and as effortless as a drum beating in a distant forest- then you are probably reading great poetry."

Andrew Barton (Banjo) Paterson wrote that. You may know him as the Australian bush poet and lawyer who wrote "Waltzing Matilda" and "The Man From Snowy River".

The Best Film Noir

I was up all night Sat. watching Raymond Chandler movies, black and white beauties, all shot in the 40's. I love ,film noir and femme fatales, especially from that era. Cars were big. Men wore suits to baseball games and bars. Women had elaborate, perfectly coifed hairstyles. "Bad" girls got their due. As stylized and visually appealing as these movies are, Chandler was a master at descriptions and dialogue. For example:

"There was a desert wind blowing that night. It was one of those hot dry Santa Anas that come down through the mountain passes and curl your hair and make your nerves jump and your skin itch. On nights like that every booze party ends in a fight. Meek little wives feel the edge of the carving knife and study their husbands' necks. Anything can happen. You can even get a full glass of beer at a cocktail lounge."-- "Red Wind" (opening paragraph)

"We sneered at each other across the desk for a moment. He sneered better than I did."

"You could get to like that face a lot. Glamoured up blondes were a dime a dozen, but that was a face that would wear."

Wonderful stuff.

Colorplay 

Deep Throat Revealed

Today, W. Mark Felt admitted to being "Deep Throat" the anonymous informer who leaked Nixons' secrets to reporters. There is no question in my mind that Nixon HAD to relinquish his responsibilities as President (by impeachment or resignation) but in no way did this justify the actions of Mr. Felt, the then #2 man at the FBI who as it turns out was really just a disgruntled employee, wounded from not receiving the top post when Hoover died, a guy with a grudge.
What amazes me and continues to amaze me is how politicians and lawyers (often the same) believe the laws are for everyone but them, that somehow they are above the rules that govern everyone else. But that's ok because "they are right". Nonsense. No one is above the law, not the President, not the FBI, not journalists. Mr. Felt's "respect for the law" was demonstrated later when he was convicted for violating the rights (and homes) of friends & family of SDS activists.