Tuesday's List: Old Drive-In Theaters and Dog Tracks in South Florida

When I was growing up in south Florida...specifically Hollywood...during the 1960s and early 70s, there were two prominent features that no longer figure into the equation in today's world: drive-in movies and greyhound racing.  When my family went out to see a movie, it was always to the drive-in: we never went to indoor theaters.  And although I never wagered at a dog track, my father became quite an enthusiastic, studying the races and visiting the different locations...and he would fill my ears discussing his betting strategies, to my consternation.  Still, I have a soft spot in my heart for these old times, and although its probably a good idea to eliminate pari-mutuel dog race betting (Amendment 13 is on the ballot in November to this effect) due to the abuse of the greyhounds involved in it, it's still yet another relic of my youth fading into obscurity.  As for drive-ins, though, we had to contend with the heat, humidity, scratchy sound from the speakers, annoying people in other cars, mosquitos, and noisy planes passing overhead...it was great!!!  There are movies I sometimes come across that I remember first seeing in a drive-in, films like A Hard Day's Night, The Ipcress File, Modesty Blaise, Psycho, and others.  Well, I no longer live in south Florida and both drive-ins and dog racing have largely sunk into the past.  Here are a couple of very short lists of the drive-in theaters and dog tracks that made an impact on me during my young years...

DRIVE-IN THEATERS
ARROW DRIVE-IN....North 441, Hollywood...probably went here the most often
GOLDEN GLADES DRIVE-IN...near Palmetto Expressway in Miami Shores, twin screens
HI-WAY DRIVE-IN...US 1 in Dania...I actually worked here at the concessions stand in 1969-70
THUNDERBIRD DRIVE-IN...Sunrise Blvd in Ft. Lauderdale...my dad once was part-time manager of both the HI-WAY and THUNDERBIRD: the latter still exists with 14 screens

DOG TRACKS
MIAMI BEACH KENNEL CLUB...I could be wrong, but I think this closed with the area's renovation, I never went there
FLAGLER KENNEL CLUB...closest to downtown Miami, ran its final race a few months ago
BISCAYNE KENNEL CLUB...in Miami Shores, I went there with my dad a few times, but not to bet
HOLLYWOOD KENNEL CLUB...in Hallandale, I went there a couple of times...

Casinos have taken over organized gambling in south Florida...Flagler and Hollywood dog tracks became only parts of Big Easy Casino and Magic City Casino, respectively.  I never did care for gambling on dog races...like my mother, I just enjoyed watching them chase the "bunny" around the track.  As for drive-in theaters, I think I've become completely spoiled by the lush comfort nowadays in indoor theaters, with their reclining, cushiony seats and all...

Kavanaugh's Accuser Comes Out

With the Senate Judiciary Committee vote on Trump's U.S. Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh still slated for Thursday (at this writing), a new issue has been brought up.  Senator Dianne Feinstein, the ranking Democrat on the committee, three days ago came out with an anonymous accusation against Kavanaugh of a past attempted sexual assault that he was alleged to have committed against a girl while in high school.  Feinstein received a lot of criticism for not only having withheld the letter...which she had in possession since July...from the Judiciary Committee, which could have brought up the matter during the hearings, but also for not mentioning it during her own meeting with the nominee when he had earlier visited her in her Senate office.  Well, the accuser has come out publicly now, and it looks as if as she will be testifying under oath before the Committee as early as tomorrow about her experience with Kavanaugh.  All I know about what supposedly happened is that there was a party at a house back then and Kavanaugh, along with a male accomplice, is alleged to have forced the accuser into a back room before attempting a sexual battery against her.  I'm glad this woman decided not to remain anonymous but am concerned about how this will affect her life going forward. I'm hoping that a detailed testimony will direct this nomination process to a decisive vote. If what is being alleged is true, then Kavanaugh would have technically been a minor at the time, but this would not necessarily have exempted him from being charged as an adult.  I doubt that any conclusive proof one way or another can be offered...you either believe the accuser or Kavanaugh in the end.  What this does, though, is give the three Democratic senators running for reelection in pro-Trump states...Manchin (WV), Donnelly (IN), and Heitkamp (ND)...the political cover needed for "no" votes for final confirmation.  And it may (or may not) sway some Republican senators to oppose Kavanaugh as well: Maine's Republican senator Sue Collins last year urged Senate colleague Al Franken to resign over much less serious allegations.  If the nomination fails or is withdrawn, though, the Republicans have a problem: the midterm elections are less than two months away and there is a slight chance that the Democrats might wrest away control of the Senate, effective January 5th next year.  So with this scenario Trump wouldn't have much time to squeeze in a replacement nominee to his ideological liking.  It's all very interesting and I'm going to be watching to see how this all unfolds.  I'm compelled at this time to be angry at Feinstein for secretly holding this card against Kavanaugh, for I had come to like and respect him on a number of levels.  Oh well, I'm open to changing my mind and will strongly do so if the testimony leads me there...let's see what happens...

Early Evening Sky Loaded With Planets, Moon

Yesterday evening just after sunset I stepped outside and looked at the southwest sky...it was a celestial treat with planets abounding.  Nearing the horizon was very bright Venus while Jupiter, still much brighter than any of the surrounding stars, was a little higher.  A little to the left was the moon, approaching its first quarter phase.  And over some more, about due south, was the planet Mars, much brighter than it usually is.  I've been neglecting sky gazing for quite some time recently...the main reason is that it's been so doggone unpleasant at night during this still-sweltering summer here in northern Florida, combined with awful humidity and constantly pestering mosquitos.  Usually in the evening I'm at work, and when I finally do get home my habit has been to get something to eat and watch a little TV.  But yesterday I was off, and I didn't stay outside long enough to get consumed by the nasty little bloodsuckers, who seem to be especially plaguing us more than usual this summer...

So at least in the early evening, if the sky is clear, you'll be able to see three of our fellow planets and a pretty bright moon.  I have to contend with city lights where I live, so the stars just don't work out here for me.  Still, I'll probably be star-gazing more whenever...if ever...the mosquitos kindly pack up and leave us in peace...

Just Finished Reading the Litigators by John Grisham

In the middle of a stretch where I've been reading a lot of fantasy literature I decided to try out another one of legal fiction writer John Grisham's books: I settled upon his 2011 The Litigators, and it was a good choice. It's about three lawyers struggling in their own ways to make their profession work for them in Chicago.  Oscar Finley and Walter "Wally" Figg are barely competent ambulance chasers, dreaming of the big case that will win them millions and set their financial lives at ease.  David Zinc is just one very well-paid staff attorney of many working at a major firm, Rogan Rothberg. Although making money hand over fist, he hates his job and one day finds himself unable to step into the elevator leading to his office.  Instead he turns around and goes to a nearby bar, drinking himself silly all day and eventually noticing a Finley & Figg ad on the side of a bus.  He visits their office in his drunkenness and offers his services...meanwhile, Wally has discovered what he believes is the goose that laid the golden egg: he will join his pathetic firm with a nationwide class-action lawsuit against Varrick, a pharmaceutical company producing the cholesterol-reducing drug Krayoxx.  Krayoxx is suspected in the deaths of many of its users, and the hunt is on to find anyone who has used it recently and passed away.  Oscar is skeptical about the case, but his partner is confident that Varrick will settle and not want a full jury trial...but what if they do?

The Litigators, from start to finish, may be John Grisham's funniest book...I'll have to read all of them to render a final "judgment".  Oscar and Wally represent a segment of the legal community that just barely rises above malpractice...and sometimes dips down into it, too.  Their secretary Rochelle is the one stabilizing character keeping them afloat, but David's entry into the firm will change not only all of their lives, but his own as well as he discovers how he wants to develop and employ his skills as a litigation lawyer.  The author examines litigation in both its seedy and honorable aspects, and from the perspectives of both plaintiff and defendant.  I loved the characters in it and want a sequel...probably won't happen, though.  Yes, this was one of my favorite John Grisham novels: you'll enjoy it!

Quote of the Week...from Robert Heinlein

The United States has become a place where entertainers and professional athletes are mistaken for people of importance.                          ---Robert Heinlein.

Robert Heinlein, who died in 1988, was a renowned American science fiction writer, responsible for such works as Stranger in a Strange Land, The Moon is a Harsh Mistress, and Starship Troopers...all books that I have read and recommend.  It's been thirty years since he left us...his above quote is much more significant and true today than it ever was.  When he composed it he was referring to the notion that too many of us hold that our celebrities have some kind of special wisdom...which got them to their level of fame and success in their respective specialties...that they can extend to issues, philosophy, and politics, giving their opinions more weight than those of people who are actually more knowledgeable and skilled in these areas. I have three reactions to this...

First, I'm fine with entertainers and athletes giving their opinions on what's going on around us...they have as much a right to do this as you or I.  The problem is how the public at large treat them: instead of learning something new from our celebrities, we tend to use them to prop up our worldviews, not from persuasive argumentation but rather by serving as living banners or symbols supporting our preconceived beliefs.  Second, our media with its soundbites and commercial breaks, along with over-politicized late night talk shows, wants limited arguments about issues and, with social media taking off the way it has, embraces overgeneralizing and simplicity over analysis and objectivity: it's easier to take a known name and run with their opinion than come up with a much more obscure, real expert who would more likely than not provide a nuanced and more lengthy response.  And third, I have a great problem with the tendency of the last few decades...greatly magnified in the last few years...of the formation of social-political movements, most of them protests in nature, that promote various innately biased narratives labeling in a sweeping manner certain groups of people as "victims" and other groups as villainous '"aggressors".  Entertainers and professional athletes seem to be especially attracted to this kind of political correctness and make any legitimate attempt at mitigating the arguments of the "protesters" more difficult...

Yes, I bet Robert Heinlein would have plenty to say about what's going down today...

9/9 Sermon on Miracles, Part 1

Last Sunday at The Family Church here in Gainesville our senior pastor, Philip Griffin, began a new sermon series about seven miracles of Jesus as they appeared in the Bible's New Testament book of John.  The first of these miracles was at the wedding feast, which you can read from John 2:1-11 by clicking on the passage (through Bible Gateway)…

The miracle at the wedding feast in which Jesus turned water into wine, Pastor Philip began, was a sign of revelation, which can be broken down into three parts: his mission, his power, and his glory.  In traditional Jewish weddings of that time, the parents of the families involved negotiated a contract through which costs would be paid. Jesus was considering the costs of his own spiritual wedding with his bride, which is the church with his mission entailing dying on a cross, when he was told that they had run out of wine.  The atoning power of Jesus, Philip continued, which was represented by the wine, symbolically replaced the water of purification that had preceded it. The incredible amount of wine produced was a demonstration of the abundance of his love and power.  This miracle glorified God: it was something magnificent and praiseworthy that draws us into worship and belief.  Our pastor concluded by reminding us that there is an eternal void in our hearts that longs for the glory of God and a deep relationship with him...

You can watch this sermon through the church's YouTube video website...click on the following link: [TFC Videos]. The Family Church, at 2022 SW 122nd Street, holds its weekly services on Sunday morning at 9 and 10:30.  Along with the excellent and thought-provoking message is wonderful praise and worship music, prayer, and opportunities to join small groups for discipleship and fellowship.  There are plenty of friendly people here to get to know, as well as a hospitality room providing free coffee before and between services.  The miracles continue this Sunday...

Weekly Short Story: The Picture Man by John Dalmas

The Picture Man, by John Dalmas, is the opening story in the anthology Donald A. Wollheim Presents The 1985 Annual World's Best SF.  The narrator is a college professor whose wife had earlier left him for another man and who is now adjusting to his empty house.  One evening he notices a man...obviously homeless...going through his garbage and invites him in for some food, even letting him clean himself up and giving him some of his own clothes to change into.  The man's name is Finnish: Jaakko Savimaki is from a town in Michigan that essentially shut down decades earlier when its mines closed.  Jake, for short, is grateful for our narrator's hospitality and wants to return the favor, asking him if he has a Polaroid camera.  The good professor then is told to take a snapshot of Jake's head...the resulting picture is of an old house...Jake's old Michigan home.  Another picture is snapped and a different scene comes out.  It seems that Jake has inadvertently developed the psychic ability of transferring something from his mind to film.  The narrator gets hold of some people who study parapsychology and they test Jake, getting even more amazing results.  Finally, he is steered toward showing what Soviet spaceships will soon look like...and then the story takes a sharp left turn.  To find out what happens, you'll have to read it for yourself: I'm not spoiling the ending...

Written after Stephen King's Firestarter, The Picture Man also addresses an issue I've discussed a number of times over the years on this blog: if someone possesses a paranormal talent, then the last thing they would want to do would be to openly advertise it in the manner that all the fake professional "psychics" around us do.  For a truly paranormally-endowed individual would quickly become a target of governments...and not necessarily ours, seen both as a potential asset in covert matters or a dangerous threat.  In any case such a person would end up losing their liberty, at the very least.  Jake recognizes this in Dalmas's tale and acts accordingly...

Besides the main story line, I felt that The Picture Man had a certain sweetness and optimism to it not only by how the professor treats Jake, but also how others embrace and accept this once forlorn man into their community.  And Finnish curiously fits into it all...

On This Tuesday, 9/11

Seventeen years ago on both this date and day Islamic extremist terrorists of Al Qaeda...15 of the 19 involved from Saudi Arabia...hijacked four American passenger jets and crashed them, bringing down the two World Trade Center towers, damaging the Pentagon, and one plane intended for the Capitol or White House taken down into a remote Pennsylvania field when its passengers bravely revolted.  The deaths from these attacks totaled about 3,000 with several thousands more injured...a great number of them were first responders at the Towers, killed or injured when they collapsed.  Since then the United States has been in a perpetual state of war in Afghanistan, where the then-ruling Taliban had been giving sanctuary and support to Osama Bin-Laden and his organization.  As I usually do on this date each successive year, I went through the TV channels looking for shows about this event which should never be forgotten or diminished...I was surprised to see that MSNBC, which had for years been faithfully rebroadcasting the NBC live ongoing account of that day's events, wasn't showing it anymore.  There were the events at the Trade Center site with the readings of the names of the dead from 9/11, the news channels were showing recaps of the attacks, and the History and Discovery channels had special 9/11 programming as well.  Maybe some of the other channels will devote something to it later, but I'll be at work then.  This year it seems to me like the "reading of the names" ceremony is being pushed as the main media remembrance, as opposed to the attacks themselves and the importance for us to remain vigilant and uncompromising in the face of terrorism.  I'll never forget 9/11 and get very frustrated when I hear political correctness about the source of most of our terrorism used to confuse people about the ideological background of its perpetrators.  And terrorism is still here as much as we might like to pretend that we are insulated from it...the tactics have changed but their violent, delusional hatred hasn't...

Judge Kavanaugh's Senate Hearings and His Expressed Attitude

The Senate Judiciary Committee hearings on the nomination of Brett Kavanaugh to replace retiring Anthony Kennedy as the next United States Supreme Court justice took place last week.  The proceedings, aired live on C-Span and the major cable news channels, gave the country a chance to see for themselves what kind of person he is.  From my point of view, he did quite well, very composed in the face of continually screaming hecklers and some very harsh questioning from the Democrats, most severely by Senator Kamala Harris.  We all know that he is conservative, but Kavanaugh himself stated that he would put his own personal views on issues to the side and address how the various cases he is presented with stand up to the law...most importantly, the foundational U.S. Constitution.  However, I've heard similar pronouncements from Court nominees in the past: Gorsuch, Kagan, Sotomayor, Alito, and Roberts all would supposedly deal with the law and not allow personal prejudices to influence them.  The only problem is that the pattern in any decision that has come down over the past few years with politically partisan implications has seen these justices and the others predictably line up on their different "sides" that they claim don't exist.  Kavanaugh said that he would treat the Supreme Court as the "team of nine" and would work hard to create more of a consensus with rulings instead of the sharply divided 5-4 votes that have characterized it in recent years.  Well, I'm pretty sure that he will be confirmed...maybe this will be one of those justices in history who will make a positive difference in unifying the nation.  I have written before that I like Brett Kavanaugh: unlike with Neil Gorsuch, whose performance at his hearings made me skeptical of his fairmindedness, this nominee far exceeded my expectations...in fact, much better than did the previous ones I've mentioned.  I wish him the best, but I'm also hoping against hope that he will truly be the independent justice that he promises to be...wouldn't that be a breath of fresh air for a change...

Just Finished Reading The Black Prism by Brent Weeks

Probably against my own better judgment I decided to start yet another ongoing fantasy book series: I just finished reading The Black Prism by Brent Weeks, the first installment in his reportedly five-volume Lightbringers series...only the "final" book remains to be published.  The story takes place in a world where magic is possible, but only by people gifted with the power of converting certain colors of light into matter...this is called "drafting", the product is a substance called "luxin", and the entire practice with its very complicated rules is called "chromaturgy".  I spent a great deal of effort trying to figure out what the heck the author was trying to say as he described in painful detail the differences between yellow, red, green, ultraviolet, and blue drafters, the different levels of talents, and what happens when drafters draft too much and become "wights".  Ugh, it's all too much...but incredibly, there really is a story here and some interesting characters as well, with a lot of suspense and drama if you can get past the chromatic mess.  There are the two brothers Gavin and Dazen Guile who were rivals for the affections of pretty Karris White Oak.  All three are gifted in different ways with drafting colors, and the brothers years before had been on the opposite sides in a war: Dazen in revolt against the established order and Gavin leading a brutal assault on his brother and his allies.  Thought killed by Gavin, Dazen is instead secretly imprisoned by his brother in a hidden, escape-proof vault deep underground...or is it Gavin imprisoned and Dazen the free one (they closely resemble each other)?  There is a teen-age boy Kip, thought to be Gavin's illegitimate son, who is fighting for his life in the town of Rekton as that "satrapi's" ruler Garadul has decided to burn it down and kill all its inhabitants for their refusal to pay taxes to him.  And then there is the strange white dagger that Kip's mother gives him to use to kill in vengeance the man she blames for their troubles.  In Chromeria, the governing home of the Union that is composed of the Seven Satrapies (isn't this all terribly boring, yawn), Gavin Guile has the supreme position of the Prism, responsible for keeping all colors on the world in a state of balance and charged with the duty of correcting excessive drafting and related abuses with colors...this leads him back to the site of his earlier confrontation with Dazen and the intensification of the story...

Whenever I could step beyond all the tedious jargon about colors and drafting and just follow the story in The Black Prism, I thought it was pretty good.  I get it: the author needed a different gimmick to use in his story, and it was the magical use of colors...in Brandon Sanderson's Mistborn series, it was similarly the magical use of different metals, with a similarly complex system of rules regarding their uses and users.  I'm continuing Weeks' series with the next book, titled The Blinding Knife, with the hope that it won't get too much more intricate with all the colors and such...

Quote of the Week...from Mick Jagger

Don't you think it's sometimes wise not to grow up.           ---Mick Jagger

I can't say that I endorse everything that Rolling Stones front man and rock legend Mick Jagger has done and said in his life...but then again I don't endorse everything I've done and said, either.  Like so many other quotes I come across, I don't know the context of this one...for all I know it might even be part of one of his songs' lyrics.  But it rings true to me, especially since it includes the word "sometimes"...

Life can be funny in that it can run in cycles...parents of little children can find themselves ardent fans of kiddy TV shows...I certainly did.  Kids like to play, and if you're around them, then inevitably you get into that same spirit...me, too.  And when Will and Rebecca were old enough to brave the thrill rides at the various theme parks ringing us...inverted roller coasters and all... then I in turn enthusiastically rode them as well, actually getting a bit fanatical about it.   If you're reading this then you once were a child and most likely can remember being one...I don't think that ever leaves us.  If we're successful in our development, then as adults we shed the childishness of our youth that is based on self-centeredness, impetuosity, and amorality.  But we should retain the childlike sense of wonder and optimism that we had in greater abundance during our formative years, along with an attraction to adventure and new things. And having fun playing games is something we should never "grow" out of.  Nothing wrong with being mature and adult, but respecting the child within us is a good thing, too...

Happy Anniversary, My Dear Melissa

For my wonderful wife Melissa, with whom I've been so blessed to be married for the last thirty-two years, I say "Happy Anniversary, Sweetheart!" I'm no Ralph Kramden, but Baby, you're the Greatest!!!

9/2 Sermon on "Theology for Dummies", Pt. 5

At The Family Church here in Gainesville, senior pastor Philip Griffin continued his sermon series explaining the fundamental concepts of Christianity...he calls it "Theology for Dummies", always self-deprecatingly referring to himself when presenting it.  Last Sunday's message was about the Christian church and asked the question, "What is the church all about?"...his Bible passages of focus were 1 Peter 2:4-12, 21-25, which you can click on to read via Bible Gateway, a good site to explore in its own right...

In asking what the church is about, Pastor Philip gave three basic answers: it's about being the church and not attending the church, being in the world and not of it, and being servants and not consumers.  Many people, as Philip noted, when asked what "church" brings to their minds, will respond with the image of a building where people go.  But, as he continued, we are the church building and the blocks putting it together...with Jesus representing the cornerstone on which it is built.  As far as the world is concerned, we as Christians have dual citizenship: one foot in the world, one foot in God's kingdom.  Our pastor stressed that while we may be tempted to either assimilate into the world's system and morality or isolate ourselves from it, we are instead called to be change agents within this world: love the world while walking through it (as Jesus did) but not be a part of it.  As with our identities within the church, our focus should be to emulate Jesus's example as servants, using the gifts God has bestowed on us in concert with others whose gifts we are lacking.  Pastor Philip concluded that this makes us all dependent upon each other, just as those blocks depend on each other's integrity and position within the church body...

Your can watch this message by clicking on the following link to the church's YouTube video website: [TFC Videos].  The Family Church is located at 2022 SW 122nd Street and holds its Sunday morning services at 9 and 10:30, including the weekly sermon, praise and worship music, prayer, and lots of friendly people eager to meet and chat.  There are also different courses for discipleship, mentoring, and learning...child care and teaching are also provided.  I look forward to next Sunday...

Weekly Short Story: The Cabinet of Oliver Naylor by Barrington J. Bayley

Barrington J. Bayley's science fiction short story The Cabinet of Oliver Naylor has so many different facets to it that I left it with a sense of frustration at not being able to put it all together.  Appearing in the anthology Donald A. Wollheim Presents The 1977 Annual World's Best SF, Bayley's tale primarily concerns itself with the deep, deep space voyage of Englishman Oliver Naylor.  He is both a philosopher and inventor, and takes advantage of a future invention called the Harkham velocitator that enables faster-than-light travel...even to several hundred powers of the speed of light.  Naylor's universe is an infinite one with an infinite level of complexity: the one problem with space travel like this is that it's still nearly impossible to find one's way back.  And that is the problem that Naylor sets out to solve, using the concepts of identity and logic machines to aid him.  Along the way he picks up a space hitchhiker...which not only begins to eerily resemble Douglas Adams' The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy in some respects, but also turns out to be a big, big, mistake for the reclusive, solitary traveler...

This story delves into speculation about how society might develop in the near-future while presenting space travel more in terms of how we travel in a personal manner (as we do by car) rather than the traditional sci-fi picture of large spaceships and fleets...I liked that.  It also went a little deep philosophically about the concepts of identity and logic...muddy waters to wade through when you're reading a work of fiction.  I believe that the author may have tried to fit too much stuff into one story...or maybe I'm just not getting all that he was trying to express.  Some of The Cabinet of Oliver Naylor seems farcical while other parts set forth the notion that, regardless how advanced humanity may become technologically, it still has to deal with its repugnant basic nature that doesn't grow with the science...now that I get.  This is one story that I would truly welcome others to read and give feedback...

Spans Between Recent Supreme Court Nominees and Their Confirmation Votes

Senate Judiciary Chairman Charles Grassley (R, IA) has been accused by the opposition Democrats in the Senate of placing President Trump's July 10 nominee to the U.S. Supreme Court, Brett Kavanaugh, on a fast track to confirmation.  First, Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D, NY), along with other senators, stated that no nominee should be considered in an election year...signaling in advance their opposition.  Other Democrats had already come out against Trump's pick...even before it was made.  In their defense, I remind readers that the president had already promised that his nominee would be from a list of names already hand-picked by right-wing conservative think tanks.  After Brett Kavanaugh's nomination was announced, the emphasis changed to his long record of writings while he served in government, including working for Ken Starr's investigation of President Clinton in the 1990s, for the George W. Bush administration as legal counsel, and later as a federal judge.  There has been a strong push to get all of his records, but Grassley has resisted, stating that much of it is irrelevant to Kavanaugh's consideration for the high court...Democrats counter that the nominee's writings are being sifted out by an employee at the George W. Bush library and that many of the ones released have been altered.  Whatever you might think of all this, let's just consider how long it will take between Trump's nomination of Kavanaugh, when the final Senate confirmation vote is expected to happen, and how this compares to other sitting Supreme Court justices and their confirmation experiences.  As of today, September 4 as Kavanaugh's Senate confirmation hearings begin, it has been 56 days since his nomination.  Grassley has stated that he wants the final Senate vote around October 1...if that happens, then it will have taken 83 days between Kavanaugh's nomination and confirmation vote.  Here's a list of the current Supreme Court justices along with the current nominee, ranked by speed taken between their nomination and confirmation by number of days...I placed Kavanaugh in two spots, the first showing his status today and the latter as Chairman Grassley projects it.  Keep in mind that John Roberts was initially nominated by Bush to be an associate justice to replace Sandra Day O'Conner, but was elevated to Chief Justice when William Rehnquist passed away...I totaled the two processes and the number represents the time from his initial nomination to the final Senate vote.  Well, here's that list, which I assembled after researching Wikipedia...the nominating president and party affiliation follow the justices' names in parentheses...

DAYS   NOMINEE
50          RUTH BADER GINSBURG (Clinton, D)
56          so far: BRETT KAVANAUGH (Trump, R)
62          JOHN ROBERTS (W. Bush, R)
65          NEIL GORSUCH (Trump, R)
66          SONIA SOTOMAYOR (Obama, D)
73          STEPHEN BREYER (Clinton, D)
82          SAMUEL ALITO (W. Bush, R)
83          projected: BRETT KAVANAUGH (Trump, R)
87          ELENA KAGAN (Obama, D)
99          CLARENCE THOMAS (HW Bush, R)

Just Finished Reading The Rithmatist by Brandon Sanderson

Brandon Sanderson, one of my favorite authors of fantasy fiction, already occupies my attention with two of his ongoing series, Mistborn and The Stormlight Archives.  He has also begun a new fantasy series for young readers, the first installment published in 2013 and titled The Rithmatist...I just read it. It's set in an alternative world similar to ours, but with marked differences: where the United States is lies the United Isles instead...and magic is present with the discovery of Rithmatics centuries earlier.  What is Rithmatics? It involves the precise drawing of circles and other geometric shapes around oneself (presumably by one with the rare magical powers of a Rithmatist) with chalk that projects force into the real world.  Although Armedius Academy...the school that Rithamtist wannabe Joel, the main character, attends...holds Rithmatics competitions, the ability is primarily used in war, to fight the scourge of "Wild Chalklings" that has plagued this world and is now being fought on the isle of Nebrask.  There are specific strategies for winning at Rithmatics that involve different types of drawing...Sanderson lays several of them out in detail, although I couldn't make heads nor tails of them.  To become a Rithmatist involves going through a religious ritual...and a special room of inception...at age eight: only about one in a thousand come out with the special magic ability.  Joel, now in his teens, missed his chance when his father, a master chalk-maker, suffered a fatal accident and he stayed with him instead of going to the inception.  Joel's lack of Rithmatic ability, though, doesn't stop him from learning everything he can about this field.  Generally rejected by Rithmatic professors, Joel finds a friend and tutor in Professor Fitch, as well as a rebellious Rithmatic student, Melody.  In the meantime, Rithmatists are disappearing and the circumstances indicate violence, possibly death.  Can Joel help to solve the mystery?  And who is this sinister new Professor Nalizar...Joel strongly suspects him of foul play...

The idea of working in two-dimensional drawings and making them materializing in three dimensions is an intriguing idea, but it's already been done before in a SpongeBob SquarePants episode when the lovable yellow sponge comes across a magic pencil that a frustrated artist dropped into the sea from his boat...his drawing of himself springs to life and causes all kinds of havoc.  The Rithmatist was an enjoyable read, but I was a bit disappointed and a little confused by the ending.  Brandon Sanderson is supposed to come out with a sequel to it, but it's been five years and counting now.,.apparently, this series isn't high on his priority list...

Saw the Movie "Alpha" Yesterday

Yesterday afternoon Melissa, Will, and I went to see the movie Alpha at a local theater...I had been intrigued by the previews shown late last year and looked forward to its release.  The setting is twenty thousand years ago in Europe as a small community of people brave the elements and set out for their annual bison hunt.  These are modern humans in every respect, not the stereotypical cavemen of films past. The father, who is the chief of the group, has allowed his son Keda to join the hunting party on their trek to the buffaloes...with much reservation expressed by his mother, who feels that he is not yet ready for such a dangerous task.  And dangerous it is, for it involves inciting the large herd to charge them and then steer them around, over the steep cliff to their deaths.  But Keda gets charged by one and hung up on one of its horns, both of them going over the edge, to his father's horror.  It seems at first to be certain death, but no, he is seen lying on an inaccessible ledge halfway down to the bottom, maybe dead but possibly unconscious.  Convinced by the others in his group that his son is dead, the father erects a memorial to him (a pile of stones) and they leave to return home with their dearly-won prizes from the bison.  But the boy is not dead...and at this point the story is all about him and how he manages to tame and befriend an injured wolf: believe it or not, I'm not giving away anything beyond the previews I saw...

The name "Alpha" refers to the top dog in the wolfpack, and it is also the name Keda gives his new companion in the wild as they together struggle to survive.  This movie has a great story, believable characters, and stupendous special effects of which I'm pretty sure much was computer enhanced...given the long list of credits to this effect given at the end.  It's one of the films you definitely should go and see this year...that's quite a recommendation, coming from somebody who doesn't get out to the theater that often...

Just Finished Reading The Blade Itself by Joe Abercrombie

A few days ago on this blog I listed the top 51 fantasy book series according to BuzzFeed...Joe Abercrombie's First Law trilogy was #8.  So when I discovered that my son Will had already read it and left behind the first two volumes, I sat down to read it for myself...and I just finished reading the first book, titled The Blade Itself...

Abercrombie lifted his title from a saying by Homer, which he inserted at the beginning: The blade itself incites to violence.  And The Blade Itself is full of sharp, deadly blades, as well as all kinds of gratuitous, gory violence: squeamish readers beware.  If you can handle it, though, you might find, as I did, that not only is the story interesting, but the characters are deep and unforgettable.  It all takes place on another one of those fantasy worlds with its own continents, islands, nations, magic, history...and, of course, wars.  The narrative jumps around among its main characters:

 ---Logen "Ninefingers", a Northman (Viking-like) warrior with a long resume of wartime atrocities and now an outcast from his old ruler Bethod's empire.
 ---Inquistitor Glokta, a cynical yet strangely compelling figure, formerly a war hero but reduced to near-crippled status after his torture while a POW...right now he's my favorite character.
 ---Jezal, an inexperienced and somewhat pompous nobleman who is talented at fencing but virtually ignorant about the realities of war.
 ---First Magi Bayaz, a powerful wizard with a dark side who seems to want to do good.
 ---Collem West, a practical, courageous, and sympathetic officer.
 ---The Dogman, a friend and fellow fighter for Logen who, after their separation, sets out with his comrades to fight their enemies.
  ---Ferro, an abused former slave from the south with a single-minded passion for revenge. 

The United Empire is being attacked from the north, by Bethod's Northmen, and from the south, by the Gurkul Empire (which resembles loosely the early Muslim caliphates).   And then there are the Flatheads, or Shanka, in the far north that may eventually threaten the whole world.  It is in this context of conflict that the above characters (and others) find themselves...

One thing that bugged me with this book was the incredible number of names introduced, making it difficult to keep up with references to characters or places brought up earlier: I decided to write down each new name, with the page number, whenever I found one.  The other problem I had was: no map! In fantasy fiction, if you're going to make a big deal about its geography, then you'd better provide a map as well...but Abercrombie didn't.  Being a totally map-oriented kind of guy, I did find a useful one on the internet and have been using it ever since...

I'm already close to 200 pages through the next book in this series, titled Before They Are Hanged...and, yes, the title is derived from yet another famous line.  My son picked a good series to read...I'm intensely interested in seeing what happens to the different characters, as well as how some of the mysteries are explained in the end.  So far, I think it merits its high ranking from BuzzFeed...

Quote of the Week...from Alberto Salazar

We may train or peak for a certain race, but running is a lifetime sport.   ---Alberto Salazar

Alberto Salazar was known for excelling at the marathon in the early 1980s...now he is a track coach and running instructor.  This quote of his is true, with an important qualification. After all, a lot of folks, especially as they age, may find themselves physically unable to continue running even if they enjoyed it earlier in their lives.  That having been noted, what Salazar said resonates with me: when I look at the calendar and see an upcoming race, that motivates me to want to train more for it.  But when I sit back and reflect upon running, it is the daily activity and my experiences while training that ultimately define it for me.  My problem is that I have numerous little afflictions that come up from time to time, requiring me to take a few days off from running.  I also live in northern Florida, which for much of the year features hot and humid weather and works against just stepping outside anytime and jogging for a few miles.  I have run my share of races at different distances, but it has been the times when I regularly went out running on my own that ultimately that have brought me the most satisfaction.  This summer has been especially noteworthy for its heat and mugginess...I'm hoping that September will bring more hospitable conditions, if only slightly.  And with that, here's my August, 2018 running report...

In August I ran a total of 72 miles with 5 miles being my longest single run.  I missed 4 days from running due to an upper respiratory infection, which I'm still struggling to completely recover from (one of those little afflictions I earlier referred to).  I'll turn 62 in October and I'd like to take my running to a higher level by covering longer distances while at the same time adjusting my regular running pace to a level that is more conducive to where I am at in life.  I'd like to continue participating in races as they come up, but with the main goal of getting through to the finish line without so much stress on how fast I run them.  If I'm to successfully see running as a lifetime sport for me, as Alberto Salazar claims, then I'll need to make a few adjustments here and there...

8/26 Sermon on "Theology for Dummies", Pt. 4

At The Family Church here in Gainesville, senior pastor Philip Griffin continued his series discussing the basics of the Christian faith, humorously titled Theology for Dummies with a message about the Holy Spirit. His scripture reference of focus was John 14:15-26, which you can click on to read via Bible Gateway...

Pastor Philip brought up three questions: who is the Holy Spirit, what does He do in my life, and how do I receive Him? The Holy Spirit is one of the Trinity, i.e. the three persons that God manifests himself through, the Father and Son being the others. Philip added that He is personal and can both help us to fulfill God's plan for us and be grieved when we turn our backs on Him.  The Holy Spirit makes his home in me, a believer, and is my advocate/comforter/counselor, one who comes alongside and declares truth.  And, as our pastor stressed, he also empowers me to do His will. In answer to that final question...how do I receive the Holy Spirit...Pastor Philip listed three steps: trusting my life to Jesus, surrendering it to him so that the Holy Spirit will fill me, and remaining in Him so that He will produce fruit in me...

You can view this sermon, in which Pastor Philip greatly expands on my paltry summary and adds a lot of other interesting material, by clicking on the following link to the church's YouTube video website: [TFC Videos].  The Family Church is at 2022 SW 122nd Street and holds its Sunday morning services, consisting of praise and worship music, the weekly message, and prayer, at 9 and 10:30.  There are numerous programs for discipleship and learning offered, as well as weekly small group meetings at different times.  Looking forward to the next message...