Where the sky and the water meet

Florida sunsets are really pretty 🙂

Leave Robin Hood alone!

Ed Morrissey and Ace are having themselves a little discussion about whether Robin Hood was 1) left-wing; 2) right-wing; 3) capitalist; 4) socialist; 5) evil; 6) pragmatic, etc.

To which I say — LEAVE ROBIN HOOD ALONE!

With all due respect to The Altar of Ayn Rand, I think she got this one wrong. Her character Ragnar Danneskjold opines that we must rid the world of the memory of this “hero” who stole from the productive rich and gave to the undeserving poor.  But even he admits that Robin Hood’s “rich” were rich through taxation and exploitation, not production.

Come now, haven’t you all seen the Disney Robin Hood? (“Oodle-lally, oddle-lally, golly what a day!”) We could make that movie the Official Evil Conservative Showcase Movie, it’s got everything!

Powerful state/government figures being corrupted with power? Check!

Those with powers of taxation using them mercilessly to deprive the public of their hard-earned wealth? Check!

Showing that the poorest are hit hardest by greedy government? Check!

Hell, we’ve even got Second Amendment rights — the right of the people to resist tyranny with bows, arrows and swords! Check-checkity-check-check-check!!

If you read the book, it gets even better. The Earl of Locksley, like so many others, was a target of king because his estate was rich; as a result, he was unjustly deprived of his land and station. He refuses to go gently into the good night, instead retiring to Sherwood Forest to live as an outcast and an outlaw. But when he steals from “the rich,” he does not target barons and lords who rule their people well, nor millers, nor tradesmen. He targets what Randians would term “moochers” — sheriffs, monks, abbots, folks who suck money from the helpless but productive people they rule.

What, exactly, is not to like about this?

Hmph.  Ed and Ace must be fox-haters or something.

Full disclosure: I went through a period, some twenty years ago, in which I watched Robin Hood at least once a week. To this day, you can put the movie on mute and I can supply each line, voice by voice, verse by verse. I do a mean Prince John.

and P.S.  Yes, Ed, we can agree that Kevin Costner was the worst Robin Hood EVAH.  In other news, the sky is blue, puppies are cute, and chocolate is delicious.

I totally did, too, Tam

And I’m not ashamed of it.

Semper Fi, y’all.

This one’s for Breda

I know, I know, I promised all these updates and posts yesterday and never got around to them.  But I didn’t anticipate that we’d have to wait three hours before the surgery!  And I didn’t think it would take another four hours before we could leave!  Instead of taking about three hours, as I thought, we were there from 9 AM to 4:30 PM.  Ugh!  (I know, I know.  I’m lucky it was minor.  I’m lucky he had access to good and quick medical care.  I’m aware that I’m impotently b*tching and kvetching, I swear.)

Since I’m already behind on blogging, let alone promised posts, I humbly beg your pardon and offer you some Ziva (you may need to turn up the volume):

UPDATE: Breda linked.  Thanks!  (And the first time I typed it I wrote “Ziva linked.”  I doubt Breda minds the mix-up!)

UPDATE: The Rustmeister linked.  Thanks!

Happy Valentine’s Day!

What Mike got me for Valentine’s Day:

What I got Mike for Valentine’s Day:

We make a good couple, do we not?  🙂

Kindle alert!!!

The Wall Street Journal had an article about it, Amazon.com has changed their home page and the browser page for Kindle 2 is already crashing sporadically due to demand:

Amazon.com Inc. is announcing a new version of its Kindle e-book reader on Monday. And, in a sign that the electronic book is gaining clout in the publishing world, Amazon is also expected to say it has acquired a new work by best-selling novelist Stephen King that will be available exclusively, at least for a time, on Kindle.

Many publishers have long feared that Amazon would persuade a major author to write for its Kindle on an exclusive basis. Although retailers such as Barnes & NobleInc. have long published their own books, they have struggled to find distribution outside their own stores. But Amazon has already proven that it can sell as many Kindles as it can manufacture. Indeed, Amazon is working to overcome the supply problems that have plagued the device.

It’s not being released until February 24, but you can try and pre-order it, if you like.  I absolutely positively unequivocally adore mine; I’d recommend it to anyone who likes to read (and can afford an expensive toy). 

After all, being without a Kindle can cause you to have nightmares . . .

A celebration of bacon

During Iron Chef last night, one of the judges stated his firm belief that “Bacon is nature’s perfect food; even vegans know that.”  According to Iowahawk, even PIGS know that:  “Pigs eat other pigs! And can you blame them? Even pigs themselves know that pigs are delicious!”  And since it’s Friday (hooray!!), what better way to celebrate the coming weekend than with a celebration of the perfect food?

First comes Bruce’s post from yesterday, featuring a peanut-butter-and-bacon sandwich.  He claims a Guinness is the perfect drink with which to wash this down, but I’d probably opt for bacon-flavored bourbon, myself.

Next up comes Breda’s famous pig candy.  I’ve actually made this one, so I can attest personally to its deliciousness.  (Note to self — less cayenne next time!)  Breda also gets a nod for bacon apple pie!  (Psst, Breda — how can you have 24 blog-posts tagged “beer” and not have a “bacon” tag??)

If Bruce’s sandwich doesn’t do it for you, what’s better than a nice burger topped with bacon?  Glad you asked!  Why, that would be the burger MADE OF ground bacon.  Served with a side of heart attack.

If you’d like something fancier, you could always try the fru-fru version of a BLT:

Danish Bacon Focaccia

Or you could go back to simple, delicious basics:

By way of BorePatch, I’d like to officially add this to my Christmas wish list:

Because last but certainly not least, there’s nothing like a savory breakfast of eggs-over-easy, buttered toast and bacon.  (And if you don’t dip the bacon in the egg yolk, I just can’t help you.)

Now if you’ll excuse me, I’m off to find a pig.

What’s your favorite way to eat bacon?

Omigod, it’s VDH!!

Victor Davis Hanson is, of course, a learned historian.  A writer for Pajamas Media, and The Corner, and his own private publications.  A unapologetic defender of classical liberal ideals and the best of what makes America, America.  A knowledgeable and respected historian.

And he’s on the Special Features section of 300.

HOLY.  [BLEEP].

(I knew I like that movie . . .)

UPDATE:  (still watching)  Cute historian chick (Bettany Hughes) says, “They loved coming out with these really swift, really cute put-downs.  When Leonidas is fighting at the battle of Thermopylae, the Persian emperor asks the Spartans to put down their weapons [cut to movie), ‘Spartans!  Lay down your weapons!’] and Leonidas says, ‘hey, just come and and get them from us,’ he goes, ‘ Molon Labe.‘  It’s a great moment.”

Gee . . . why do I think I’ve heard that term before???  🙂

Wasting time on a Friday

Not that *I* would ever do such a thing, of course.  I am the model of efficiency and productivity.  (snort)

However, if you’re looking for the occasional time-waster, you might want to try this excellent game:

The object of the game is to get the little red doo-hickey to eat the flag; you draw circles, squares, rectangles, triangles and see-saws to move the doo-hickey around.  Seriously, this game taught me more about physics — and how bad I am at them — thenthan any high school class.  Remind me to NEVER try and build a trebuchet. 

( . . . although if I do, I’m totally going to launch a large wooden rabbit.  And then I shall taunt you a second time!)

Ziva versus Buffy

Shoothouse Barbie’s  comment here made me ask myself the über-important question:

Who would win in a fight — Buffy or Ziva?

Buffy, of course, has all these supernatural ass-kicking powers and fights off monsters on a regular basis.  On the other hand, Ziva knows her way around an ammo shop — I recall that Buffy was almost killed when Warren shot her with a simple pistol.  Tell me Ziva wouldn’t bring a machine gun to a stake-fight?

This question is too important to ponder by myself!