Caption?

Update: gwood got it in comments with “Use enough gun!”– homage to Ruark….

Feathered Tyrants

Are we finally having the sense to use feathers as the default condition on at least Theropod Dinos? New and new- ish examples of these smaller relatives of T rex would seem to argue “yes”. Add caption Brian Switek muses on the state of the arthere. See also the website of John Conway, the most …

Read more

Utter Image Fail

How do they think that cartridge shoulder gets out through the barrel? And why should we take someone promoting their agenda with anything this dumb seriously?

Central Asian Dogs and Falconry

First, a wonderful film from Kyrgizstan– in English! Next, an amazing album of photos by our friend Jutta, who traveled there this spring. I have already posted a few of her photos. Another film, from Turkmenistan. Notice the smaller Sakers there, more like Prairie falcons than Gyrs. The style of hunting is much like ours, …

Read more

Quote

“Some read that they may embellish their conversation, or shine in dispute; some that they may not be detected in ignorance, or want the reputation of literary accomplishments: but the most general and prevalent reason of study is the impossibility of finding another amusement equally cheap or constant, equally independent on the hour or the …

Read more

Coursing Poem

The sporting poem lives– in several forms, but I like it that it does in our own vernacular and non-academic culture, not just as a barely- living remnant in England. By Dave Isely, of the threatened California coursing culture, sent by his wife Robin:

Observation

John Davila, one of my oldest NM friends, is an unreconstructed Catron county rancher, an unconventional soul who used to raise game chickens in the old days, not to mention cattle and stranger things.  I bet he likes the quote from a distant relative, 20th century philosopher Nicolas Gomez Davila, courtesy of David Zincavage’s Never …

Read more

I Quote Myself

Grouchily, from 2006, on the then- proposed coursing ban in CA. I may or may not elaborate…but I would not take back a word. Nor is its relevance particularly narrow. “Calfornia and the current government of the UK are in the lead of the west’s trying to ban death, injury, history, tragedy, and hurt feelings. …

Read more

Local Color

Bar owner Darryl Pettis, new mayor Diego Montoya, and some library donations from Darryl — because I can, and because I support both. (I am on the library board). Not a secret, but I bet Libby and I are the only Magdalenians who have been there other than her: Diego’s mother came from Waltham, Mass. …

Read more

Found Poem

Recently there has been a small revival of the odd early twentieth century writer Robert Chambers, especially his “King in Yellow” a sort of pre- Lovecraft, atmospheric, semi- horror tale with a fin- de- siecle air about it– think old Howard crossed with Beardsley or Wilde, though not as good. I saw  a battered  copy …

Read more