Musings from Brian J. Noggle
Saturday, July 04, 2009
 
Kicking Taylor Swift to the Curb
I'm giving up Taylor Swift as my current songstress crush because, frankly, a large number of her songs refer to her Daddy, and each time she does, I'm reminded that her Daddy is probably my age, and that makes me feel creepy. If it makes me feel creepy, it must be creepy indeed.

Instead, here's Jane Monheit:

I am pretty sure Monheit translates into Hot, man in some language.


- posted by Brian J. @ 12:20 PM   0 comments
Thursday, July 02, 2009
 
Stossel on Health Care
Here.


- posted by Brian J. @ 7:35 AM   0 comments
Wednesday, July 01, 2009
 
Get Your Picks In
I have July 4 in the Chavez invades Honduras pool.

Because our current leadership seems incapable of handling nothing, so what say the North Koreans fire a missile and Communist tanks roll on the same day?


- posted by Brian J. @ 7:03 PM   1 comments
 
Tyrannosaurus Debt


(Link seen on Instapundit.)


- posted by Brian J. @ 2:54 PM   0 comments
Tuesday, June 30, 2009
 
Too Long For A Bumper Sticker
War Is Not The Answer; War Is C., and The Answer Is D. All Of The Above.

or

War Is Not The Answer, But It's A Good Guess.


- posted by Brian J. @ 12:07 PM   0 comments
 
Book Report: St. Louis in Watercolor by Marilynne Bradley (2008)
This is a collection of watercolors by local artist Marilynne Bradley. Each depicts a notable landmark in the St. Louis area, most of which remain. Additionally, each watercolor comes with a bit of the history of the depicted location; Ms. Bradley is also active in the local historical society, so she brings that bit of knowledge to bear.

I paid full price for it in the local bookshop; if I'd planned better, I probably could have gotten an autographed copy from Bradley. I'd originally thought I'd bought the book as a gift for my mother-in-law, but I'd only had the notion to do so, so I got it for me instead and will share it.

Do I recommend it? I guess, if you're into looking at watercolors or want a little trip through some history vignettes.

Books mentioned in this review:


- posted by Brian J. @ 11:35 AM   0 comments
Monday, June 29, 2009
 
How Republics End
neoneocon and Donald Sensing have more details about the "coup" in Honduras where the military removed a president whose term limits were about to expire and who was going to have a referendum not supported under the Honduran constitution to remove those term limits.

One wonders what would happen in the United States if that sort of power grab occurred. At the local level, it worked for Mayor Bloomberg of New York City. Meanwhile, here's the start of the Constitutional amendment to repeal the 22nd amendment to our constitution limiting Presidents to two terms.

I think there should be more term limits at the Federal government level, not fewer; however, I do not support the consolidation and acquisition of power to a central, self-selected few as a new aristocracy in Washington.

When the Republic falls, an emperor is not far behind.


- posted by Brian J. @ 1:12 PM   0 comments
Friday, June 26, 2009
 
Cross Purposes
How would the passage and signing of cap-and-trade legislation help in President Obama's stated goal of keeping health care costs down?

Last time I was in a hospital, there were lots of blinky lights, garbled intercoms, and buzzing machinery that need energy to function. With more expensive electricity, how many treatments must be denied to make the scales balance for the unelected board or commission in charge?


- posted by Brian J. @ 9:11 PM   2 comments
Thursday, June 25, 2009
 
Book Report: Sudden Prey by John Sandford (1996)
Being as this is a 13-year-old Sandford novel, it's one of the better ones in the series. If you're familiar with the series but are reading them out of order, note this is the book whose events precipitate the first breakup between Lucas Davenport and Weather, which is the name of his girl who was going to become his wife and eventually does.

The plot centers on a biker-slash-light-militia guy seeking revenge on Davenport and his (city-wide, not state-wide) team after they kill the man's sister and wife in a bank robbery. Thus, Davenport dispenses with much of the mystery element with which he sometimes struggles in favor of a more straightforward thriller plot. Since Davenport's still a city cop in this book, he deals with crime instead of the mix of crime and politics he has to deal with later.

That being said, why is it that the quality of many modern series declines over time? Is it because once the brand is built, the author puts less efforts in those books while he or she tries to increase earning potential by writing additional series or books in the time he or she used to spend on a single title? Don't get me wrong, as a former wannabe novelist, I'm all in favor of that, but as a reader, sometimes it leaves me cold.

Books mentioned in this review:


- posted by Brian J. @ 8:41 AM   0 comments
 
Telling Metric
You know, President Obama was apparently on the television doing an hour-long presentation about health care control. And you know what I find a telling statistic about the perceived importance of this event?

Where were the drunkbloggers?

VodkaPundit didn't cover it. Instapundit didn't link to any.

It cannot be an important policy presentation without drunkblogging.

Ergo, nobody in the blogosphere must have taken it seriously.


- posted by Brian J. @ 8:27 AM   0 comments
To say Noggle, one first must be able to say the "Nah."