Almost everything worth preserving in life in these fast-changing days could be termed as "old-fashioned."

It is not improper to use a double negative. However, it is wrong to use a double negative when you are attempting to express a positive thought. I understand that in some other languages, multiple negatives serve to intensify the negative, but not in English. "He didn't do no wrong" means that he did do something wrong.

Does anyone read this (other than child #4)?

Rachmaninoff's Piano Concerto #2 is to music what cheesecake is to food.

If at all possible, every man needs a "fall-back" skill, i.e., something that people will pay for that is distinct from his regular employment. When times get hard, as they are now, this is almost imperative.

The Rasmussen Matter

Perhaps the best-done of all the old radio shows that we have is The Rasmussen Matter on the Johnny Dollar program. It still makes my eyes get misty when I listen to it.

According to a young man who works for one of our suppliers who parents were Salvadoran by birth, half the citizenship of El Salvador lives in the United States.

Apology does not make it OK

You are a politician, and it is revealed that you have been committing adultery against your wife. So, you go on television, act contrite, apologize to everyone - and that is supposed to make everything all right? I'm sorry. Not to me.

St. Louis Cardinal moments

I was listening live when Lou Brock broke the single-season steals record, when Fernando Tatis his two grand slams in the same inning, and when Fernando Valenzuela pitched his no-hitter against the Cards. Lots of fun.

What is wrong with these expressions?

"Roger willco"
"Over and out"

What do The Runt, Jameison, Birmingham Brown and Goldie Locke have in common?

Our old movie collection

You kids realize that you will get to fight over all the old movies we have after we are dead and gone. That’s the good news. The bad news is that DVD’s will probably be obsolete by then so you won’t be able to play them anyway.

My costs vs. my earings

When I was in college at Westark, has was almost exactly 1/10 of the cost today. When I got my first job three years later, I was making more than 1/5 of what I am making today. In other words, the price of has has gone up more than twice as fast as my earnings.

Doing great things

When we are young, we often think in terms of accomplishing great things, and sometimes we are able to do just that. As we grow older, however, we frequently turn our attention just to accomplishing something; and if we can add up a number of “somethings” consistently, it will be significant.

I suspect that the underlying issue in the current health care crisis is that this earth is still under a curse. It is still by the sweat of our faces, and this is no Garden of Eden. We know how to heal much: but now we cannot afford to do it.

Trivia fact. While under contract to Warner Bros., George Raft turned down picture after picture as being "unimportant" and thus unworthy of his talents. Among his turned-down projects were such minor items as High Sierra and Casablanca.

Hmm. It turns out that everyone's new favorite Susan Boyle has a sewer mouth, just like the rest of the stars.

Fibber McGee and Molly

Fibber and Molly.
(One of the posters on the UALR board is a relative of Jim and Marian Jordan (Fibber and Molly McGee of radio fame). Here are some comments he sent to me about them.)

My mom tells me how they were just normal people. I haven't heard any old replays in about 30 years. Mom and I are going to sit down and listen to some tapes that she bought online.

I am glad that people still enjoy their shows. When Marian/Molly died our family didn't feel included and it was like they didn't have closure. Not to sound conspiracy but Grandma always said Jim acted suspicious. Not that he did anything wrong but they had a quick service and buried her out in California and "that was that" and never heard from him again.

There is a vast difference between showing respect and having respect. We are required to show respect to many people, but they will not have our respect unless they earn it.

Old cars in old movies

It is far from the only reason, but one thing I really enjoy about watching old movies is getting to see the old cars. Especially in the old detective movies.

Great quote from "Shenandoah," starring Jimmy Stewart:

Charlie Anderson: Do you like her?

Lt. Sam: Well, I just said I...

Charlie Anderson: No, no. You just said you loved her. There's some difference between lovin' and likin'. When I married Jennie's mother, I-I didn't love her - I liked her... I liked her a lot. I liked Martha for at least three years after we were married and then one day it just dawned on me I loved her. I still do... still do. You see, Sam, when you love a woman without likin' her, the night can be long and cold, and contempt comes up with the sun.

Who, in literature, was Dr. Grimesby Roylott?

What we do always affects more people than just ourselves, and we must always take that into consideration in our decisions.

I would like to see a lot less communicating via Facebook and a lot more communicating with God.

If you want to take a chance on a stock, you might try Ford right now. It appears that Chrysler will not survive, and that GM will be forced into bankruptcy and, if it does survive, will be vastly different than it is now. That would leave Ford as the only domestic automaker. It would be a risky purchase, but who knows?

We love our vowels

We of the South cherish our vowels. Those north of the Mason-Dixon are rude to vowels and give them short shrift.

If you get a chance to get recordings by Artur Rubenstein, get them. He was possibly the greatest classical pianist ever. One feature of his playing is that he did not POUND the keys as so many think they have to. His playing was refined and not overstated.

Phrrhic victory

The term Phrrhic victory refers to a victory that costs more than the victor can afford, such as a key player being injured in a sports win. It comes from the comment, "If we are victorious in one more battle with the Romans, we shall be utterly ruined," made by King Pyrrhus of Epirus, whose army suffered irreplaceable casualties in defeating the Romans at Heraclea in 280 BC and Asculum in 279 BC during the Pyrrhic War.

Lum Edwards - Air Raid Warden

On Lum and Abner, Lum just got himself appointed Air Raid Warden. The idea of Montgomery County, Arkansas having to have someone to watch for air raids is pretty funny in itself.

I love to listen the music of Franz Josef Haydn. It is clean, easy to listen to, and very relaxing.

If Presidents are allowed to make "signing statements" stating which portions of a bill they do not intend to enforce, what is the point of have a legislative or judicial branch? If Presidents legislate and interpret the laws, then they have grossly usurped the prerogatives of the other branches.

The shortest mailed letter on record.

"?"
The author inquiring as to the sales of Les Miserables.

"!"
The publisher's answer.

As Pam and I were leaving the house for New Hope yesterday morning, there were seven deer in Daddy's pasture by the lane. They stared at us for the longest time, then when I honked the horn, they loped away.

Do any of you remember when Papaw and I played "All of Me" as a duet?

REALLY beautiful music

Every once in a while you will hear a piece of music that is so beautiful it almost physically hurts to listen to it, strange as that seems.

Gilbert the Boy Trapper

Gilbert the Boy Trapper. In what old radio show is this book frequently mentioned? Lum and Abner, of course.

To what trip is Hope's and Crosby's trip on the Road to Morocco compared in their song?

McGoohan and Montalban

Dead: two of my favorite actors from my youth. Patrick McGoohan was Secret Agent, a well-done early series of that genre. Ricardo Montalban, a suave Latin American actor who was always mistaken for Fernando Lamas.

If about the best you can say about your job is that it beats being unemployed, that is not saying very much.

Korngold

You may not know that Erich Wolfgang Korngold won the 1939 Oscar for the best musical score for Robin Hood. Flynn, Rathbone, and Korngold. How can you beat it?

If any of my female acquaintances are into scrapbooking, I have quite a number of pictures of ministers and church meetings that I would love to get properly preserved.

Crime and Punishment

I read Dostoevsky's Crime and Punishment when I was a sophomore in high school. Read it if you have LOTS of time on your hands. Otherwise, forget it.

Lives with great variety may be more exciting, but lives with routine are usually more productive.

We are really enjoying our set of old Our Miss Brooks TV show episodes.

I am very thankful for God's providential deliverance. I was on I-540 last night in all that traffic jam-up, and got home with only a dented fender.

POSSUMS AND CATS

One night this week I went to the pump house at night to get something out of the freezer. As I stepped out, I saw a possum jump off the AC unit where he had been stealing from the cat's bowl. As I was crossing the yard back to the house, I stepped on the cat, who threw a scratching, biting fit, naturally. At first, all I could see was that possum, so I was dancing around pretty well. My ankle hurt for several days.

Lonely goodbye

One of the most poignant scenes Hollywood ever produced is that from Fiddler on the Roof when Tevye and his daughter are sitting on that isolated bench out in the middle of the vast plains of Russia at the train stop. She is about to leave to join her fiance who is in Siberia. She says, "Father, God knows if we shall ever see each other again." He replies, "Well, then we will leave it in His hands." It is heart-rending.

Subordinates have to "push back" to make companies better

No company can ever expect to improve if employees do not "push back," that, resist bad management decisions. They may have to end up doing them, but if the folks doing the work are discouraged from having input into the processes, the company will never improve beyond the level of management, which usually is puffed up with its own importance.

If you need to fall in love all over again, just listen to the second movement of Rachmaninoff's Second Piano Concerto.

NEW BELVEDERE MOVIE.
Mr. Belveders Goes To College

Persimmon seed forecast

The persimmon seed weather forecast is for lots of wet, heavy snow this year.

Wouldn't it be fun to play the piano well enough to entertain yourself indefinitely by just noodling along?

One of the great sources of stress is having responsibility without the requisite authority to get it accomplished.

Grandpa said this week that he supposed that Hogan's Heroes was his all-time favorite TV show.

"Thanks, Harry, you're nice to old folks." Great line by Fibber McGee (Jim Jordan) at the close of an appearance by him and Molly on the Bing Crosby radio show.

The financial crash

Actually, at least so far, the financial crisis has been pretty good to me. Gas prices have come down a good deal, and my 401K is buying shares at greatly reduced prices right now.

I have nothing but utter, absolute despite for the criminal negligence of the business executives who, through untramelled greed, ran their companies into the ground in the current crisis. NO EXCUSE for that.

If you enjoy old-time fiddling, I recommend the John Hartford CD: Wild Hog in the Red Brush. Very nice. 19 tunes.

Sarah Palin

In case anyone cares what I think about Sarah Palin, there is no way in the world that I would vote for a woman who would leave an afflicted child to go off to seek fame and fortune.

How to hold CEOs accountable

I have a cure for the current financial crisis in America. Whenever a CEO runs his company into the ground, let him appear on national television having hot splinters driven under his fingernails. I am guessing that business management would improve markedly and immediately.

Does anyone still read this blog?

The Presidential candidates are all calling very loudly for change - principally a change from them not being President to them being President.

A great irony is that when a nation gets large enough to defend itself in today's world, it has become so large that it is basically ungovernable.

Dave Byrd was the credit manager at the toy company when I was there. He graduated from Branch High School before it consolidated into County Line. He told me that his senior year Branch and the school they played in the finals of the district basketball tournament were the only two schools in the district who had only outdoor basketball courts.

It is not enough to do things well; we must do the right things well. How many famous people were greatly skilled a things that really were not very important in the greater (scriptural) scheme of things? This is true in natural as well as spiritual matters. How many religions today are congratulating themselves because they are busy, busy, busy doing things that the Lord neveer commanded or authorized to be done?

Is communication a virtue in itself?

Is ease of communication necessarily a good thing? Think about when you are forced to sit by someone who is a non-stop talker. Communication is a means to an end, and the end is more important than the means. In society today we have made the means too easy, and we glory in our technology as if the means were all-important.

When my wife's grandfather died

One of my favorite memories of my father-in-law is when his father-in-law died. He was on the road selling at the time, and so Nana had to bear up by herself for a little while, which she did with remarkable composure. However, when Papaw got home, she met him on the walk in front of their home and dissolved into tears in his arms. It was a very touching moment.

Extreme temperatures I have known

I can tell my grandchildren that I have seen 110 degrees plus and below a minus 10 degrees - in western Arkansas.

Adulation

Does adulation hinder performance? Performers who become very famous - are they hindered in their subsequent performances because of the high level of distraction and lowered motivation that fame brings?

Converting radio shows to CDs

The Old Radio Show Conversion Project is coming along nicely. It will take a long time, but some day I may have all the shows we want to switch over into digital format on CD's. We have some real "keepers" among them.

Old detective movies

As most of you know, the wife and I are great fanciers of old detective movies. Any of you who like them, come over and we'll pick out a scintilating example for your watching pleasure.

Colonel Klink in a western TV show

Colonel Klink in a western? At Jason's last night we watched an old episode of Have Gun Will Travel in which Werner Klemperer (Colonel Klink on Hogan's Heroes) was the guest star.

Old radio shows

OLD RADIO SHOWS. As most of you know, Pam and I have collected thousands of old radio shows - most on cassette tape - over the years. With the held of Rachel, I am in the process of converting the better of them over to CD's, and thus digital form. If any of you want to make copies, you are welcome to do so.

I am counting on my wife to keep up with the CD's so they don't get lost after I go to all the trouble to get them converted. Great weight on her shoulders.

Which party will help with gasoline prices?

Neither of the major political parties has a driving incentive to reduce gasoline prices. The Republicans are tightly tied to big business, and right now Big Oil is making record profits (and presumably making record contributions). The Democrats (and Republicans to the extent they have jumped on the global warming bandwagon) want fossil fuel use to decline, and nothing will do that quicker than the prices we are seeing. But both McCain and Obama trumpet "change." Hmmmmpf! Not likely in this instance.

One of the things that irritates me is when you are at a stoplight with a long line of cars backed up behind it, and people just ease through the intersection when the light turns, as if they were the only one there and no one else could possible have anything to do or anywhere to go.

"Amity"
That is a pleasant word that has very positive connotations, but I do not recall offhand ever having heard anyone named that.

For her 18th birthday I got Sarah an 8X10 of Basil Rathbone. How's that for being out of your generation?

SENIOR CITIZEN. It is now officially my privilege to be married to a Senior Citizen. Pam turned 55 yesterday. Needless to say, I am thankful the Lord has spared us to have been married 35 years, as of next month.

We trumpet our communication capability today, but I declare that we are grossly over-communicated today, and that has become a huge negative of our society.

We are in an era in which no one shows respect for anything. One of the ways in which this is manifested is by a total disregard for appropriate attire. It does not matter how formal the event is any more, it is considered acceptable to wear the most informal attire. I find this most offensive and disrespectful, and I wish folks would show a great deal more consideration for others than to show up in clothing that basically says, "You don't matter."

We have a new Green. Clayton James, born to Jessica and Seth last night.

I got to hold Eily again last night, and she is a pretty little lady. Good set of lungs, too.

I have in my possession (but I have to give it back) an original copy of the 1942 valedictory speech of Magazine High School. My father gave it. Interestingly, my uncle, his twin, gave the salutatory speech.

Eily Edith Sacran. Born today, 6 lbs, 14 oz. Good lungs. Mother and baby came through it in fine fashion. Father holding up well.

SHEET MUSIC. For those of you who visit my house and play the piano, I got in a batch of old sheet music. I have only played one of them, but they look enjoyable.

Earl Grey tea

If you like hot tea in the British manner, I recommend the Earl Grey variety. I drink a cup each morning at work (not that I like hot tea that much, but it is supposed to be good for you). I picked up a tin of Earl Grey at Tuesday morning, and it is not bad.

General Pershing

In 1919 Congress honored Pershing for his wartime service by permitting the President to promote him to General of the Armies of the United States, which he held until he retired in 1924. He chose his own insignia, which was four stars. Nobody else has received that rank during his lifetime. In 1976 Congress authorized the President to posthumously appoint George Washington General of the Armies of the United States and specified that he would rank first among all officers, of the Army, past or present.

If I haven't mentioned it, I HATE loud cell phone rings!!!!!!!!

Too Late Now

Too Late Now.

Here are the lyrics. The song is from the Fred Astaire movie, Royal Wedding.

Too late now to forget your smile
The way we cling when we danced awhile
Too late now to forget and go on to someone newT
oo late now to forget your voice
The way one word makes my heart rejoice
Too late now to imagine myself away from you
All the things we've done togetherI relive when we're apart
All the tender fun together
Stays on in my heart
How could I ever close the door
And be the same as I was before?
Darling, no, no I can't anymore
It's too late now

Timeless - by Diane Schuur

TIMELESS.
Let me highly recommend the CD entitled "Timeless" by Diane Schuur. I am not a huge fan of her singing, although she is very good. The arrangements on this recording, however, are tremendous. It includes some swaggering big band pieces like "Come Rain or Come Shine," (one of the all-time great arrangements, IMHO), and "Do Nothin' Till You Hear From Me". But probably the real strength of the album are the slower numbers: "How About Me,"  "Too Late Now," "A Time For Love," "How Long Has This Been Going On?" On the last three mentioned, the sax solo is by the all-time great, Stan Getz, who could play romantic obligato lines like no one else.

Janice Holt Giles

JANICE HOLT GILES. Has anyone read any of her books? I remember reading one (her first one) years ago and enjoying it.

Diplomatic Courier (1952)

DIPLOMATIC COURIER
When undercover secret agent Tyrone Power is thwarted in his efforts to obtain a vital document with details of the Russian invasion of Yugoslavia by the death of the courier at the hands of two Russian agents, played by Mario Siletti and Charles Bronson, it becomes his duty to go after the murderers and retrieve the papers. With more loops and turnabouts than a snake, the plot has surprises with agents, double agents, mistaken information and is, all in all, a surprisingly exciting spy vehicle.

Fight the convenience syndrome.
We live too close to town, and it is too easy to dash down to the store. How much gas (money) do we waste every year because we do not plan our shopping?

Mary Ann arrested?
Did you see where Mary Ann from Gilligan's Island was busted for drugs? (The actress, not the character.)

What is your favorite Bob Hope movie?
Mine would be either Road to Rio or Monsieur Beaucaire.

Ashlie's Bowtique

http://www.etsy.com/shop_sold.php?user_id=5561499

One of the disadvantages of having lots of family and friends is that you have to go to a lot of funerals over time.

Grandchildren

I WANT IT CLEARLY UNDERSTOOD that I expect all these grandkids to be taught to pamper their grandparents in their old age.

Lots of sickness going on around here. Has anyone avoided it?

OLD IRON GUT. Grandpa was throwing up Sunday, sick enough that he did not go to church. However, by Sunday night he was snarfing down pizza like a dog after a biscuit.