Author: Thomas Fleming

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FF / Revisions

16 Jun, 2015

Reading For the Movies by Ray Olson 2

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Reading After the Movies: William Wister Haines By Ray Olson Every so often, instead of reading a book before I see the movie made of it, I’ll read it afterward because I want to see whether it’s as good or better. Often the same kind of clue that gets me to read before—the writer’s reputation, the book’s, or even, in the case I’m going to present, a name—boosts my curiosity to read after. In Command Decision (1948), bomb group CO K. C. Dennis (Clark Gable) is sending his planes deep into Germany to destroy three separate facilities involved in producing jet aircraft....

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From Under The Rubble

12 Jun, 2015

From Under the Rubble 5: The Best Party That Dollars (Canadian or Brunei) Can Buy

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The Best Party That Dollars (Canadian or Brunei)  Can Buy Thomas Fleming The Best Congress Money Can Buy is divided over President Obama’s demand for “fast-track” trade authorization, which maintains presidential authority to make trade deals without interference from a reluctant Congress that might be too sensitive to the needs of the American people.  The authorization bill is so complicated that members of Congress are voting on it without knowing, much less understanding the contents.  All we really do know is that the globalists are reaching out to Europe and the Pacific Rim in order to create “a more perfect union.”...

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Best Revenge

8 Jun, 2015

The Best Revenge 3: A Party for Boethius

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The Best Revenge 3:  A Party for Boethius Thursday we held our first little get-together.  It was too modest to be called an “event.”  About 20 friends came for a glass or two of wine to our crumbling stuccoed shack on Highcrest Road.  We cannot afford expensive stuff for this many people, but we did serve a decent Merlot from Mirassou and a better Portuguese Douro  (Altano).   I don’t remember which pinot grigio we served, but one of the guests in a misguided gesture of friendship brought a bottle of E.B. (Ezra Brooks contribution to single barrel Bourbon).  After...

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From Under The Rubble

3 Jun, 2015

From Under the Rubble 4: Washington’s Criminal Conspiracy

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Washington’s Criminal Conspiracy By Thomas Fleming One way or another, the provisions of the Patriot Act will be confirmed and strengthened.  There is nothing that either libertarian Republicans (Rand Paul) or leftist civil libertarians (Bernie Sanders) can do to stop it.  Conspiring against the citizenry is the lifeblood of our government. Most of the debate on the renewal has been focussed on practical and legal matters:  Are the Feds listening to my telephone calls and monitoring my email?  Has Federal surveillance actually stopped acts of terrorism?   Does this surveillance violate the US Constitution? These are serious questions, and they are...

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From Under The Rubble

2 Jun, 2015

From Under the Rubble 3: Hijab Rules!

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Hijab Rules By Thomas Fleming In an 8-1 decision that surprised no one, the Supreme Court has ruled in favor of a Muslim woman’s right to wear a head-scarf in defiance of an employer’s dress code.  Abercrombie and Fitch—a maker of overpriced preppy status clothing—had implemented a dress code that required sales staff to dress in in the style of A&F’s product line.  Among the prohibited items was any form of head-covering.  A Muslim  woman took the job without informing the company either of her religion or her intention to wear a head scarf.  A&F’s lawyers took the line that...

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From Under The Rubble

25 May, 2015

From Under the Rubble 3: Same Sex Sex No News

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  From Under the Rubble 3:  Same Sex Sex No News Thomas Fleming The gibbering classes were alternately elated and depressed by two “news” on same-sex marriage.  They were thrilled when Irish voters lived down to expectations by voting overwhelmingly to legitimate the love that used to be said that it did not dare speak its name but now shouts it from the rooftops, but they were depressed when it turned out that a “scientific” study on changing attitudes toward same-sex marriage was, according to its principle author, bogus.  These two stories are all the proof you need that a...

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Best Revenge

23 May, 2015

The Best Revenge 2: Going Greek

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Sometimes I slip, almost by accident, into some other universe, such as the Byzantine Empire in the Tenth Century or Stuart England or Paris before World War I.  I am not quite sure how it happens.  Sometimes, it is because I have started reading a book or it might happen that I hear a piece of music.  Once, in the short drive from my office (when I had an office) to my house, I was asking myself whether or not I should do a program in Scotland.  My schedule was busy, but to plan such a program ten or twelve...