Cats

The cats surprised me. Coco and Ash stayed with me overnight, Ash for only a couple of hours, Coco until six in the morning. I thought one of the next-door neighbor teens might have spooked them, being so loud, but that conclusion entails a big leap of imagination. Still, Coco did seem scared. She was off to the other side of the house, hiding in the shadows, when I opened the door and stuck my head out, and then she ran inside.

Downsizing the Military

It looks like the Obama administration is seeking to bring our military back down to pre-9/11 days. Naturally, one has to be skeptical about how such a course will be maintained under a Republican administration. As it is, Republican congressman are going to do all they can to stymie these efforts. Nevertheless, I think this is worth noting.

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WASHINGTON — Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel plans to shrink the United States Army to its smallest force since before the World War II buildup and eliminate an entire class of Air Force attack jets in a new spending proposal that officials describe as the first Pentagon budget to aggressively push the military off the war footing adopted after the terror attacks of 2001.

[...]

A result, the officials argue, will be a military capable of defeating any adversary, but too small for protracted foreign occupations.

-- The New York Times

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Reading Life

I changed my mind about exclusively reading “The Man Who Loved Dogs”. With the clear mind of morning, I see that I need something more substantial than fiction. I am skipping Dickens, more fiction, as well as the Pentateuch, which is arguably fictional too, not to mention being very dry in the reading.

I’m picking up Christopher Hitchens’s essays. I still have about a dozen essays left in his book, and I want to give Orwell a rest. Besides, I find myself missing Hitchen’s voice. He should still be with us, commenting on the events in Syria and Ukraine, giving us some colorful historical background, flinging his rhetorical daggers and anecdotes, regaling us with drunken tales.

"Hannibal"

Maybe I should give "Hannibal" another chance.

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The first season of NBC’s critical darling, Hannibal, is a mixed bag. At times, it can be a genius depiction of the inner workings of a psychopathic mind that refuses to accept itself for what it is. But at other times, it can be a bag of pretention, full of nothing more than fifty shades of red. That said, the conclusion of Hannibal’s freshman season is one of the best twists ever depicted on a pop-culture defining moment [...] The hope with the show’s sophomore season is that it would learn from its mistakes of over-pretension and grow into the series much of the critical community claims it to be… and the good news, is that it has.

-- ONTD

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KFC and "True Detective"

I decided to take advantage of having Kay here. I asked Pop to drive me for some Kentucky Fried Chicken takeout. I would save money on the coke, the biscuits, and the busfare - about four bucks. Pop surprised me and picked up the tab. I told him that he should save his money for tomorrow, which is our Pizza Day, but he decided to play Mr. Big Man. I’ll offer to pay tomorrow, and I will be stronger-willed about it. I think the pizza is only about five bucks.

I was particularly interested in getting the chicken today, because I wanted to enjoy this week’s episode of “True Detective”. And I did, very much, thank you!

Iliad (1) Zeus's Nod

Zeus is not happy with Thetis’s prayer, which entails helping the Trojans, even if only temporarily. His wife utterly hates the Trojans. Nevertheless, he seals the divine contract with Thetis.

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Filled with anger
Zeus who marshals the storm clouds answered her at last,
“Sad work thou mak’st, in bidding me oppose
my will to Hera’s, when her bitter words
assail me; for full oft amid the Gods
she taunts me, that I aid the Trojan cause.
But part in peace, secure thy prayer is sped:
witness the sacred honors of our head,
the nod that ratifies the will divine,
the faithful, fix’d, irrevocable sign;
this seals thy suit, and this fulfils thy vows,”
he said, and nodded with his shadowy brows;
waved on the immortal head the ambrosial locks,
and all Olympus trembled at his nod.

-- The Iliad of Homer (Tr. Fagles, Edward, Pope et al.)

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Celebrities and Stuff

"The Pretty Reckless - Follow Me Down (Official Lyric Video)" (Watch on YouTube)

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