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We appreciate your help
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01-04-2013, 09:34 AM
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Loyal Opposition
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Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: Johnson County, Kansas
Posts: 14,401
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I have to admit that I was a little disappointed by Waging Heavy Peace. It lacked any real structure, which some might find entertaining, but I found difficult to follow. At times it seemed like the asides got interrupted by the story he was telling.
It was also partly an infomercial for the new music system (Pono) that NY is developing. I give him the benefit of the doubt, though, because he sounds genuinely passionate about the mission of the system to deliver music as it was created.
It has its good parts, too. Some of the stories were fascinating, such as the fact that he was briefly in a band fronted by Rick James. He also provides plenty of insights into the songwriting and record-making process. That is reason enough to give it to the kid and the boys in the band.
Regards,
D-Ray
__________________
Then I'll get on my knees and pray,
We won't get fooled again; Don't get fooled again
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01-05-2013, 07:21 AM
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Loyal Opposition
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Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: Johnson County, Kansas
Posts: 14,401
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Just started another of my Christmas books: Theodore Rex by Edmund Morris. So far it is captivating. Morris does a wonderful job of making history come alive. He is as much a story-teller as a scholar. The book covers the years of Teddy Roosevelt's presidency.
Regards,
D-Ray
__________________
Then I'll get on my knees and pray,
We won't get fooled again; Don't get fooled again
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01-15-2013, 10:24 PM
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Loyal Opposition
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Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: Johnson County, Kansas
Posts: 14,401
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Finished "Theodore Rex." The level of accomplishments by the man - before and during his presidency - leaves one feeling seriously inadequate. By the time he reached the White House, he had already written fifteen books, and read over ten thousand. The book describes an astounding level of energy. TR's warts come through as well, but one is left with the impression of a giant American figure.
Regards,
D-Ray
__________________
Then I'll get on my knees and pray,
We won't get fooled again; Don't get fooled again
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01-15-2013, 10:40 PM
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Senior Member
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Join Date: Nov 2009
Location: Sonoma County, CA
Posts: 20,496
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And, when you look at his Square Deal and his cousin's New Deal, you know why today's Republicans hate them so much.
John
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Smoke me a kipper. I'll be back for breakfast.
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01-15-2013, 10:50 PM
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Senior Member
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Join Date: Nov 2009
Location: Sonoma County, CA
Posts: 20,496
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Sound familiar?
Teddy Roosevelt, January, 1908
"The attacks by these great corporations on the Administration's actions have been given a wide circulation throughout the country, in the newspapers and otherwise, by those writers and speakers who, consciously or unconsciously, act as the representatives of predatory wealth--of the wealth accumulated on a giant scale by all forms of iniquity, ranging from the oppression of wageworkers to unfair and unwholesome methods of crushing out competition, and to defrauding the public by stock jobbing and the manipulation of securities. Certain wealthy men of this stamp, whose conduct should be abhorrent to every man of ordinarily decent conscience, and who commit the hideous wrong of teaching our young men that phenomenal business success must ordinarily be based on dishonesty, have during the last few months made it apparent that they have banded together to work for a reaction. Their endeavor is to overthrow and discredit all who honestly administer the law, to prevent any additional legislation which would check and restrain them, and to secure if possible a freedom from all restraint which will permit every unscrupulous wrongdoer to do what he wishes unchecked provided he has enough money. The only way to counteract the movement in which these men are engaged is to make clear to the public just what they have done in the past and just what they are seeking to accomplish in the present."
John
__________________
Smoke me a kipper. I'll be back for breakfast.
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01-15-2013, 10:55 PM
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Senior Member
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Join Date: Aug 2012
Posts: 3,223
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Just finishing "Why I Left GoldmanSachs".
It's a pretty good book and gives a salesman's perspective of the market meltdown if nothing else. The stories about office politics are nothing new for those that have worked in high pressure professional firms.
__________________
People like stories.
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01-20-2013, 02:05 PM
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Loyal Opposition
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Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: Johnson County, Kansas
Posts: 14,401
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Picked up a labor history, "There is Power in a Union: The Epic Story of Labor in America," by Philip Dray. It looks to be a fascinating and inspiring read.
Regards,
D-Ray
__________________
Then I'll get on my knees and pray,
We won't get fooled again; Don't get fooled again
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01-20-2013, 05:27 PM
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Admin
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Join Date: Dec 2011
Location: Behind the Orange Curtain in California
Posts: 37,188
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Not a book but I definitely enjoy reading these letters from my favorite congressman. I stole the graphic for an avatar, thanks Alan.
Dear Bob :
In our Inauguration Breakfast drawing, our national winner is Kathleen K., in New York City. Our local winner is Catherine S., in Orlando. We got off to a slow start, but in the end, almost 2000 of our supporters participated. Thank you to each one of you.
I know that this may come as a shock, but I actually read, personally, many of the comments that are sent to our campaign. I can't respond to each one, of course - there are thousands and thousands. But I try to listen and learn.
Several of our supporters pointed out that they couldn't participate in the drawing, because they have to work on Inauguration Day. That's an interesting point, because this year, Inauguration Day happens to coincide with a federal holiday, Martin Luther King, Jr.'s birthday. Regular readers will recall that on Thanksgiving Day, I visited a WalMart in Orlando, and handed out turkey sandwiches and chips to WalMart employees who unfortunately had to work that evening. I feel the same way about Martin Luther King, Jr.'s birthday. If you can't go to see your President's inauguration because you are being forced to work on a federal holiday, then something is wrong with that picture. That's why I introduced the Paid Vacation Act in 2009, which would give every worker at large companies at least five days of paid vacation, of their own choosing, each year. There are more than 20 million working Americans who never get a day off. If you happen to be one of them, then I'm sorry, and I'm trying to help.
Several other supporters said that they just don't have $25 to give to our campaign, for this reason or any other. I understand that, too. There have been times in my own life when the same thing was true for me. It galls me to see someone toss off $100,000,000 to buy and sell political candidates, when some of us have trouble coming up with $25. But from time to time, I'm going to ask you to help anyway, because I'd rather ask Mr. or Ms. $25 for support than to have to beg Mr. $100M. Our campaign demonstrates, time after time, that all those sawbucks, added together, are enough to win. And if enough People Power candidates win, then the People win Power.
Every once in a while, a whole bunch of small fish eat that big fish.
Courage,
Congressman Alan Grayson
__________________
I don't know half of you half as well as I should like, and I like less than half of you half as well as you deserve.
- Mr. Underhill
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01-21-2013, 07:46 AM
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Resident octogenarian
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Join Date: May 2009
Location: Maryland
Posts: 20,860
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Quote:
Originally Posted by bobabode
Not a book but I definitely enjoy reading these letters from my favorite congressman. I stole the graphic for an avatar, thanks Alan.
Dear Bob :
In our Inauguration Breakfast drawing, our national winner is Kathleen K., in New York City. Our local winner is Catherine S., in Orlando. We got off to a slow start, but in the end, almost 2000 of our supporters participated. Thank you to each one of you.
I know that this may come as a shock, but I actually read, personally, many of the comments that are sent to our campaign. I can't respond to each one, of course - there are thousands and thousands. But I try to listen and learn.
Several of our supporters pointed out that they couldn't participate in the drawing, because they have to work on Inauguration Day. That's an interesting point, because this year, Inauguration Day happens to coincide with a federal holiday, Martin Luther King, Jr.'s birthday. Regular readers will recall that on Thanksgiving Day, I visited a WalMart in Orlando, and handed out turkey sandwiches and chips to WalMart employees who unfortunately had to work that evening. I feel the same way about Martin Luther King, Jr.'s birthday. If you can't go to see your President's inauguration because you are being forced to work on a federal holiday, then something is wrong with that picture. That's why I introduced the Paid Vacation Act in 2009, which would give every worker at large companies at least five days of paid vacation, of their own choosing, each year. There are more than 20 million working Americans who never get a day off. If you happen to be one of them, then I'm sorry, and I'm trying to help.
Several other supporters said that they just don't have $25 to give to our campaign, for this reason or any other. I understand that, too. There have been times in my own life when the same thing was true for me. It galls me to see someone toss off $100,000,000 to buy and sell political candidates, when some of us have trouble coming up with $25. But from time to time, I'm going to ask you to help anyway, because I'd rather ask Mr. or Ms. $25 for support than to have to beg Mr. $100M. Our campaign demonstrates, time after time, that all those sawbucks, added together, are enough to win. And if enough People Power candidates win, then the People win Power.
Every once in a while, a whole bunch of small fish eat that big fish.
Courage,
Congressman Alan Grayson
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You know if I have been critical of American corporaions (and I have) there are some of the reasons.
How many American workers get 3 weeks vacation after 5 years?
Four weeks after 10? Five weeks after 20?
Six weeks vacation after 25 years?
How many get sick leave after a year as needed?
Get guranteed four hours time to vote?
Get a defined benefit pension?
I got all of that, but not from an American company. No wonder Foxxcon is planning to open a factory here.
We are comfortable but by no means wealthy. That said we did contribute to several Democratic candidates this year. Happily they all made it.
__________________
Great minds discuss ideas; Average minds discuss events; Small minds discuss people.
Eleanor Roosevelt
Last edited by merrylander; 01-21-2013 at 07:59 AM.
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01-21-2013, 08:01 AM
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Resident octogenarian
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Join Date: May 2009
Location: Maryland
Posts: 20,860
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Just arrived yesterday - "Proof of Heaven" by Eben Alexander M.D.
and
"The Cavazos name in History" by Ancestry.com
One for curiousity the other for research.
__________________
Great minds discuss ideas; Average minds discuss events; Small minds discuss people.
Eleanor Roosevelt
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