June 1, 2014

A Thought About Catcher In the Rye

I read it years ago and thought "What a whining shit this Holden Caulfield is." I hold to that. The biggest 'phony' in the book is Holden Caulfield. And I'm not the first to say that, I'm probably the millionth. And it is that book was intended to be part of a series, each titled after a baseball position and a grain, "The Pitcher in the Wheat", "The First Baseman in the Oats", the "Second Baseman in the Barley", "The Third Baseman in the Quinoa", "The Shortstop in the Rice", "The Left Fielder in the Spelt", "The Center Fielder in the Corn", and "The Right Fielder in the Millet". But after finishing Catcher in the Rye, Salinger decided that he had said all he had to say, and decided to shut down. A wise thing that other writers could emulate.

But in my opinion, and as far as I can discern, this book is popular because J.D. Salinger's character is the FIRST teenager in literature to talk the way teenagers actually talk. That is the reason for its popularity among the young. Everybody who went to high school in the 40's and 50's knew a self absorbed shit like Holden Caulfield. He's real. He sweats real sweat and farts real farts. Contrast him to other literary teens, Andy Hardy, Penrod, the kids in Our Town and so on. How prettied up they seem. How fake they seem. Their 'Golly, gosh, gee's fade before a single 'damn' from Holden Caulfield.

Salinger freed writers to describe teenagers as they 'are', not as they 'should be'.

Wolf

May 26, 2014

Rage Adds Strength to your Arm

but harms your Aim. Rage puts power in your Cut and your Thrust, but impairs your Ability to parry, counter and riposte. Rage clouds your Judgment, spoils your Ability to pick a Target, and ultimately weakens your Endurance. Fight calmly, control your Emotions. Do not hate nor fear, but face all Foes with a calm Mind and good Courage.

Do not suffer yourself to be abused, nor should you abuse others. If Someone shall abuse you, call him out, fight him bravely, and beat him calmly. If you see Someone being abused and they cannot help themselves, aid them, for in this World what we do for Others will come back to us.

As far as Hate is concerned, be wary of it. Hatred is often used as a Tool, to incite Men to do Things against their true Interests.

Wolf

March 23, 2014

I Know Those Restaurant Rescue Shows are Fake but..

I would like to see. When the cameras are set up and the Celebrity asshole, Willie Degel the credit card fraudster, Robert Irvine or that Mystery Diners asshole starts abusing the staff, they say, "We're not gonna take this to keep these fucking minimum wage jobs. We quit!" Everybody, from head chef to dishwasher walks out. The owner turns to the celebrity asshole and says, "You've ruined me, you dumb shit. I'll sue!"

Wolf

January 3, 2014

Joe, No Matter How Much You Want to Be

No matter how much you kiss their ass, no matter how much you study, write and learn; you will never be an old money, old family, WASP. You're a sh**ny, Joe. A Old Money, Old Family WASP will go into business with you, employ you as an accountant, lawyer, doctor, or dentist, have cocktails with you at a bar, borrow from you and lend money to you, buy and sell with you, have an affair with your daughter or son, and have dinner at your house or your club. But you will never be welcome at his club, welcome at his house, or be regarded as anything other than a pushy, money grubbing Jew.

There are exceptions, or course. But that is the attitude from my experience. The OMOF Wasps would NEVER join the Klan, or the Nazis, that's vulgar and common, and will get you blackballed.
But Joe, you will NEVER be regarded as their equals.

Wolf

(Who is neither Jewish, nor an OMOF WASP, but has had experience with both. The above has been told me by members of both communities.)

December 29, 2013

Sick of Turkey? Best 2 Days after Christmas Dinner

Schleisicher Himmelreich.

1 tbsp flour

2 pds rolled boneless pork

1 cup dried apricot

1 cup dried pitted prunes

1/4 cup granulated brown sugar,

1/2 cup dry white wine.


Dust the inside of a cooking bag with flour.

Place meat and fruit in cooking bag; sprinkle with brown sugar. Pour wine over all.

Tie bag securely.

Puncture 4 small holes about 4 inches apart in top of bag.

Place bag in shallow roasting pan.

Cook in a slow oven (325 F.) 1 1/2 hours. Place meat on serving platter; arrange fruit around meat. Serves 4-6.

You'll find a cooking bag where they sell parchment paper for cooking


Serve with Gustav's home brewed Breslauer bier.

Wolf

November 29, 2013

A Movie Line That Should Exist, but Doesn't

From 'Snakes on a Plane'. The snakes are released. An Indian guy lifts a carrier on his lap and says, "Say hello to my little friend." He lifts the door, and out pops a hungry mongoose.

"As we know, a mongoose's chief business in life is to kill and eat snakes."

Wolf

November 24, 2013

My Big Problem With Conspiracy Theories is This

Any conspiracy that is strong enough to remove a sitting president, is strong enough not to have to hide itself. It IS the power structure, and all must obey. And any "HEROIC LONE INVESTIGATOR DIGGING OUT THE ACTUAL TRUTH" : Mark Lane, Jim Garrison, et. al would end up as part of the accident statistics, or in Garrison's case, found guilty of a felony and sent to a prison full of men he sent there.

Sorry CT'ers, a lone nut killed Jack Kennedy (hereafter Jakkabang). Just like a lone nut shot Reagan (Pithecanthropus Bonzoensis), a lone nut missed Ford, a lone nut killed McKinley and Garfield, a lone nut shot Teddy Roosevelt, a lone nut shot at FDR and hit Tony Cermak.

But go on, Ct'ers, keep believing in conspiracies, like you believe Space Aliens built the Pyramids (Them brownputterers couldn't have built something like that), the moon landing was faked, George W. Bush controlled the Saudi hijackers on 9/11, invisible Lizards caused the depression, Saucer Nazis caused Watergate and other stupid things.

Wolf

September 15, 2013

I Was Given a Letter from my Great Grandfather William, who Served in the Union Army in the

Civil War.

Here is an excerpt.

"Why am I here? It is God's will. Men should not own men. That is abomination.. Please send me the pipe you promised, and the good Pennsylvania leaf."

Wolf

August 24, 2013

"We Don't Need To Answer these Charges

The people know they're false." This means the charges will stick. And a candidate who won't defend himself won't defend the voters' interests.

The People are looking for a thoughtful word above the battle." I actually once heard a candidate say that. He lost, badly. This means, I don't care if I win or lose. I just want to make a noise.

Wolf

August 14, 2013

Things You Would Swear You Saw or Heard, but Didn't

For years I would have sworn I once heard June Tabor sing the ballad 'Kinmont Willie.' I went looking for it and discovered she never recorded it. I've gone through her complete discography, and it's not there. Still in my mind's ear I can hear her distinctive voice singing, "Hae ye nae heard of the fause Salkelde? Hae ye nae heard of the Keen Laird Scroop? For he has ta'en the Kinmont Willie, to Haribee for to hang him up."

Also, I was certain I saw on TV back in the early '80s when heroin was fashionable, an anti-drug ad featuring William S. Burroughs. He is sitting on a table. The camera scans over the old needle tracks on his skin. Then he says, "You keep on shooting heroin, you could end up looking like me, if you're lucky. If you're not, (Camera does jump cut to body lying on gurney. Sheet is pulled away to reveal man dead of overdose) you could end up looking like him."

Camera focuses on Burroughs. He says, "It doesn't matter what you call it, heroin, eukodol, dragon, pantopon, morphine, it's junk. And it doesn't matter how you take it. You can shoot it, eat it, smoke it, snort it, drink it, gum it or shove it up your ass, the result is the same, addiction."


I've done an exhaustive search, and that ad never existed.

Does anybody else have memory bumps like that?

Wolf