A Large Regular

Poet Robert Hunter has passed away. Like many, I was only familiar with Hunter through his work as the lyricist of many Grateful Dead songs. I am ashamed to say that though I've heard many of the Grateful Dead songs he penned (especially Ripple) dozens or hundreds of times - I never fully contemplated how profound the lyrics were.

"Let it be known there is a fountain that was not made by the hands of men." - Robert Hunter RIP

Thanks to Vanderleun for helping me consider Hunter's words in a whole new light and with a much greater appreciation. It saddens me that it took his passing for that to happen. The world is a lesser place today.

Stuff I found interesting or amusing and thought I'd share.

- MAD Magazine is shutting down. An end of an era.

- Steep decline in nuclear power would threaten energy security and climate change goals. You can't be for fighting carbon emissions and trying to curb "climate change" and yet still be against nuclear power.

- 3,400-year old palace discovered in Iraq

- How Beautiful We Were by Vanderleun

- A Fine Time to Become an American. Congrats to Niall Ferguson,

- This is great

Vanderleun has an excellent essay on what it was like to land on the beaches of Normandy 75-years ago today.

The whole thing is great (be sure to also read the comments) but this piece really spoke to me:

They'll ask you, throughout long decades after, "What did you do in the war?" You'll think of this day and you will never think of a good answer. That's because you know just how lucky you were.

If you were not lucky on that day you lie under a white cross on a large lawn 75 long gone years later.

Somewhere above you among the living weak princes and fat bureaucrats and rank traitors mumble platitudes and empty praises about actions they never knew and men they cannot hope to emulate.