First Looks category archive

Via The Bob Cesca Show Blog.

Always be packing. Every noise you hear is a potential target.

The boy and his stepfather had been watching the Perseid meteor shower from a remote area in Nome near Highway 90 and Highway 326 when the shooting happened according to a release from the Jefferson County Sheriff”s Office.

While the two were walking back to their vehicle the stepfather told deputies that he heard something, which he though might be a animal, running up behind him according to the release.

The stepfather, who was carrying a pistol, pulled it and fired and immediately realized he had shot his stepson the release said.

Jesus. The stupid.

Stalked by unknown twits.

Shortly before Twitter was launched a decade or so ago, I heard an interview of its founders on NPR, probably on Terry Gross’s show. They predicted great things would come of their creation, great things of openness, communication, community-building, and the like.

Boy, were they wrong.

Via Job’s Anger.

Off to drink liberally.

Another picture from my brother in Virginia’s Northern Neck:

When fellowship is needed, join us . . . .

When: Thursday, August 9, 6 p.

Where:
Croc’s 19 Street Bistro
620 19th Street (Map)

Read the chapter blog and sign up to have your inbox flooded with one or two emails a month here.

Midnight Cab.

This is an excellent and quirky mystery series from the CBC. It stumbles a bit towards the end, but regains its stride in the last episode. Click the “More Information” button for more, well, you know, information.

It’s all about the algorithm.

I guess ESPN just gave up on competing with the baseball all-star game.

While we’re at it, can’t we agree that cornhole is a most unfortunately yclept pursuit?

(Missplet wrod corectted.)

Shaun Mullen keeps track of the Russia investigation so I don’t have to.

The Wars of the Jews, by Flavius Josephus.

Surprisingly enough, this is a rip-snorter. If you want to learn about Roman siege tactics, this is the book for you.

A couple of warnings:

When Josephus refers to a rebel leader named “Josephus” in the text, he refers to himself. He was initially one of the Jewish rebels against Rome, then was captured by the Romans, and ultimately concluded that the rebels were, as my old boss would have said, “in error.”

Also, the translator wastes much energy in trying to align Josephus’s words with the Christian scriptures, but, fortunately, such is confined to the footnotes.

Also, if you can, kick a few bucks to Project Gutenberg. It is one of the best things on the inner webs.

Off to drink liberally.

When fellowship is needed, join us . . . .

When: Thursday, July 10, 6 p.

Where:
Croc’s 19 Street Bistro
620 19th Street (Map)

Read the chapter blog and sign up to have your inbox flooded with one or two emails a month here.

Via Job’s Anger.

Patent pending.

To comply with GDPR (EU) regulations, I’ve posted a privacy policy. (That’s also why you get a cookie notice when you hit this site.)

The short version is this: I respect your privacy.

I value my own privacy, therefore I respect yours.

Gordon Weil comments at the Bangor Daily News. A snippet:

Kings were the same as their countries because they alone were sovereigns. The people were their “subjects,” not “citizens.”

That practice disappeared as sovereignty came to be held by citizens, and the surviving kings or queens reigned but no longer ruled.

(snip)

But here is a problem with President Trump. He sometimes seems to believe that his unusual and unexpected election means that he should be respected as if he enjoyed what used to be called “the divine right of kings.”

Off to drink liberally.