River Valley Blogs

Slider wrote on Dec 14, 2007 11:47 PM:

" This country needs to have the kind of rebels they had in 1968 and everyone knows it FLOWER POWER, PEACE and all that went with it. The Governmanet today is too big for its britches and you the tax payer allow this, you know you can refuse to pay these imbalsales especially the president and vice president, they are making money hand over fist from the war in Iraq and Afganistan, with their no bid government contractors and oil barrons. "

Michael Welch: One More Correction -- Of Myself!... wrote on Dec 9, 2007 1:11 PM:

" New York POST -- it was James Bennett of the Herald who sent Henry Stanley in search of 'Dr Livingston,' the one 'presumed' the proto-Schweitzer of Africa. Bryant was the editor of the Post... "

Michael Welch: BRYAN And TR... wrote on Dec 8, 2007 10:24 AM:

" This 'Johnny' sounds like a human being -- re: Harsch are there TWO 'Johnnys' as there are TWO 'Bugs'? Are all four split personalities? Are the Johnnys and Bugs' quadruple personalities of the same individual? Is this the 'Three [Four] Faces of Eve'? Oh and by the way: 'BRYAN' -- it was William Jennings BRYAN; 'BRYANT' was William Cullen, editor of the New York Herald and a major American poet of the mid-19th century. And 'Dorothy' is a three-syllabic 'twisting' of 'THEE-O-DOR' which of course means 'Dorothy' is supposed to be Theodore Roosevelt... "

RE: Boom wrote on Dec 8, 2007 5:50 AM:

" Boom is the sound of the babyboomers detroying the great B-plan the "Greatest Generation" left them. The latter, the most sacrificing and selfless generation, the boomers....the self-absorbed panicky corpulent gluttons. "

Johnny Hobo wrote on Dec 7, 2007 1:35 PM:

" It's been awhile since Poli Sci 100, but a Google search stated that Byrant was the Cowardly Lion in the Baum novel. Also, I think the Yellow Brick Road might have also been silver. Having not read the novel, I think that Dorthy loses the "magic" slippers which some read as Bryant's presidential election defeats and subsequent retirement from politics. Jimbo, if you haven't seen "Oldboy" (2003) from talented director Chan-Wook Park, I'd suggest watching this weekend between shoveling. People from both sides of the political spectrum will find this story of lost freedom and retribution enlivening and redemptive. "

Jimmy to Johnny Hobo wrote on Dec 7, 2007 1:21 PM:

" You're absolutely correct, Johnny. I don't know much about it, but I have heard (or read somewhere) about Baum's intention to use the "Oz" stories as a way of calling attention to social injustice. And you're also absolutely correct about the reference to silver, which I believe was reflective of Baum's desire to see silver added to the "gold" standard of the time. Lastly, hats off to you for knowing (as I'm sure few people do) that DG's slippers were made of silver in the book, not rubies. Good stuff; thanks, Johnny. "

Johnny Hobo wrote on Dec 7, 2007 12:38 PM:

" Jimbo, I'm not sure what you knowledge of American political history is, but there is a case to be made for an interpretation of Baum's original "Wizard" story as a story of the Granger movement, Free Silver (silver, not ruby slippers in the novel) and William Jennings Bryant (the scarecrow.) Baum always denied any symbolism, but who knows. What we do know is that Baum called for the extermination of American Indians, so he had his "moments." "

Bugs to Jimmy wrote on Dec 7, 2007 12:13 PM:

" You must be pooped. "To honor the attack on Pearl Harbor"? Are you saluting the Japanese? Surely, there's a better phrase than the one you used." "

You're right, Bugs wrote on Dec 7, 2007 12:09 PM:

" You're right, Bugs. I am pooped. I changed it to "commemorate." Thanks, Jimmy. "

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