So, what you do to move something as intractible as a federal bureaucracy is cause a huge problem, declare a "crisis," and then propose a solution that not only undermines your enemies but allows you to cut budgets thereby eliminating large portions of the government. Since the American public has the attention span of a bug, all you have to do is wrap yourself in the flag as you do this and you're golden.
Current Agenda
Philip Pullman: His Dark Materials Trilogy (The Golden Compass; The Subtle Knife; The Amber Spyglass)
Some children's stories are not children's stories. (****)Hilary Mantel: Wolf Hall: A Novel
Tough sledding to get through, but brilliant in spots.Anthony Bourdain: Kitchen Confidential Updated Edition: Adventures in the Culinary Underbelly (P.S.)
If Hunter Thompson was a foodie. (*****)Elizabeth Moon: Command Decision (Vatta's War, Book 4)
Good basic space opera (***)Orson Scott Card: Ender in Exile
Boring in spots, but sprinkled with diamonds of writing. (***)Timothy Ferriss: The 4-Hour Workweek: Escape 9-5, Live Anywhere, and Join the New Rich
Tim's a little crazy, but there's lots to chew on here in the area of questioning your basic assumptions. Good for that if nothing else. (****)James Ishmael Ford: Zen Master Who?: A Guide to the People and Stories of Zen
Middle section reminds me of Genesis (begat, begat, begat) but the best up-to-date (2001) explanation of how all those Zennies got here. (****)Soko Morinaga: Novice to Master: An Ongoing Lesson in the Extent of My Own Stupidity
Delightful book about a Zen master's progression. (*****)Linda Greenlaw: The Hungry Ocean: A Swordboat Captain's Journey
Nuts and bolts of swordfishing from the world's only female captain. More fish than polemic. (***)Natalie Goldberg: Writing Down the Bones: Freeing the Writer Within
Best book on interior of writing I've read in quite some time. Great advice for we the writing afflicted. (*****)
Self Portraits 10/07
- Seems easier to maul my own image than other people's somehow.
Obama 10/22/07
- Barak Obama at the New Hampshire Statehouse Rally, 10/22/07
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