Home on the Range: "The Quitter (1912)
When you're lost in the Wild, and you're scared as a child,
And Death looks you bang in the eye,
And you're sore as a boil, it's according to Hoyle
To cock your revolver and . . . die.
But the Code of a Man says: 'Fight all you can,'
And self-dissolution is barred.
In hunger and woe, oh, it's easy to blow . . .
It's the hell-served-for-breakfast that's hard.
'You're sick of the game!' Well, now that's a shame.
You're young and you're brave and you're bright.
'You've had a raw deal!' I know--but don't squeal,
Buck up, do your damnedest, and fight.
It's the plugging away that will win you the day,
So don't be a piker, old pard!
Just draw on your grit, it's so easy to quit.
It's the keeping-your chin-up that's hard.
It's easy to cry that you're beaten--and die;
It's easy to crawfish and crawl;
But to fight and to fight when hope's out of sight--
Why that's the best game of them all!
And though you come out of each gruelling bout,
All broken and battered and scarred,
Just have one more try--it's dead easy to die,
It's the keeping-on-living that's hard.
- Robert Service"
Friday, July 08, 2011
Wednesday, July 06, 2011
Tuesday, July 05, 2011
Sunday, July 03, 2011
Jesse's Caf�Am�ricain: On Liberty
Jesse's Caf�Am�ricain: On Liberty
On Liberty
"We have gathered here to affirm a faith, a faith in a common purpose, a common conviction, a common devotion. Some of us have chosen America as the land of our adoption; the rest have come from those who did the same. For this reason we have some right to consider ourselves a picked group, a group of those who had the courage to break from the past and brave the dangers and the loneliness of a strange land.
What was the object that nerved us, or those who went before us, to this choice? We sought liberty; freedom from oppression, freedom from want, freedom to be ourselves. This we then sought; this we now believe that we are by way of winning.
What do we mean when we say that first of all we seek liberty? I often wonder whether we do not rest our hopes too much upon constitutions, upon laws and upon courts. These are false hopes; believe me, these are false hopes. Liberty lies in the hearts of men and women; when it dies there, no constitution, no law, no court can even do much to help it. While it lies there it needs no constitution, no law, no court to save it.
And what is this liberty which must lie in the hearts of men and women? It is not the ruthless, the unbridled will; it is not freedom to do as one likes. That is the denial of liberty, and leads straight to its overthrow. A society in which men recognize no check upon their freedom soon becomes a society where freedom is the possession of only a savage few; as we have learned to our sorrow.
What then is the spirit of liberty? I cannot define it; I can only tell you my own faith. The spirit of liberty is the spirit which is not too sure that it is right; the spirit of liberty is the spirit which seeks to understand the mind of other men and women; the spirit of liberty is the spirit which weighs their interests alongside its own without bias; the spirit of liberty remembers that not even a sparrow falls to earth unheeded; the spirit of liberty is the spirit of Him who, near two thousand years ago, taught mankind that lesson it has never learned but never quite forgotten; that there may be a kingdom where the least shall be heard and considered side by side with the greatest.
And now in that spirit, that spirit of an America which has never been, and which may never be; nay, which never will be except as the conscience and courage of Americans create it; yet in the spirit of that America which lies hidden in some form in the aspirations of us all; in the spirit of that America for which our young men are at this moment fighting and dying; in that spirit of liberty and of America I ask you to rise and with me pledge our faith in the glorious destiny of our beloved country.”
Judge Learned Hand, 21 May 1944
On Liberty
"We have gathered here to affirm a faith, a faith in a common purpose, a common conviction, a common devotion. Some of us have chosen America as the land of our adoption; the rest have come from those who did the same. For this reason we have some right to consider ourselves a picked group, a group of those who had the courage to break from the past and brave the dangers and the loneliness of a strange land.
What was the object that nerved us, or those who went before us, to this choice? We sought liberty; freedom from oppression, freedom from want, freedom to be ourselves. This we then sought; this we now believe that we are by way of winning.
What do we mean when we say that first of all we seek liberty? I often wonder whether we do not rest our hopes too much upon constitutions, upon laws and upon courts. These are false hopes; believe me, these are false hopes. Liberty lies in the hearts of men and women; when it dies there, no constitution, no law, no court can even do much to help it. While it lies there it needs no constitution, no law, no court to save it.
And what is this liberty which must lie in the hearts of men and women? It is not the ruthless, the unbridled will; it is not freedom to do as one likes. That is the denial of liberty, and leads straight to its overthrow. A society in which men recognize no check upon their freedom soon becomes a society where freedom is the possession of only a savage few; as we have learned to our sorrow.
What then is the spirit of liberty? I cannot define it; I can only tell you my own faith. The spirit of liberty is the spirit which is not too sure that it is right; the spirit of liberty is the spirit which seeks to understand the mind of other men and women; the spirit of liberty is the spirit which weighs their interests alongside its own without bias; the spirit of liberty remembers that not even a sparrow falls to earth unheeded; the spirit of liberty is the spirit of Him who, near two thousand years ago, taught mankind that lesson it has never learned but never quite forgotten; that there may be a kingdom where the least shall be heard and considered side by side with the greatest.
And now in that spirit, that spirit of an America which has never been, and which may never be; nay, which never will be except as the conscience and courage of Americans create it; yet in the spirit of that America which lies hidden in some form in the aspirations of us all; in the spirit of that America for which our young men are at this moment fighting and dying; in that spirit of liberty and of America I ask you to rise and with me pledge our faith in the glorious destiny of our beloved country.”
Judge Learned Hand, 21 May 1944
Saturday, July 02, 2011
Wednesday, June 29, 2011
Tuesday, June 28, 2011
A Reporter at Large: The Lost City of Z : The New Yorker
A Reporter at Large: The Lost City of Z : The New Yorker: "Nec Aspera Terrent"= difficulties be damned
Grouchy Old Cripple
Grouchy Old Cripple: "There once was a pervert named Weiner
Who had a perverted demeanor.
Forced from the Hill
For acting like Bill,
Now Congress is one weiner leaner"
Who had a perverted demeanor.
Forced from the Hill
For acting like Bill,
Now Congress is one weiner leaner"
Sunday, June 26, 2011
Sense of Events: Conan O'Brien Delivers Commencement Address
Sense of Events: Conan O'Brien Delivers Commencement Address: "Conan O'Brien Delivers Commencement Address
By Donald Sensing
Conan O'Brien Delivers Commencement Address:
'Graduates, faculty, parents, relatives, undergraduates, and old people that just come to these things: Good morning and congratulations to the Dartmouth Class of 2011. Today, you have achieved something special, something only 92 percent of Americans your age will ever know: a college diploma. That’s right, with your college diploma you now have a crushing advantage over 8 percent of the workforce. I'm talking about dropout losers like Bill Gates, Steve Jobs, and Mark Zuckerberg. Incidentally, speaking of Mr. Zuckerberg, only at Harvard would someone have to invent a massive social network just to talk with someone in the next room.'"
By Donald Sensing
Conan O'Brien Delivers Commencement Address:
'Graduates, faculty, parents, relatives, undergraduates, and old people that just come to these things: Good morning and congratulations to the Dartmouth Class of 2011. Today, you have achieved something special, something only 92 percent of Americans your age will ever know: a college diploma. That’s right, with your college diploma you now have a crushing advantage over 8 percent of the workforce. I'm talking about dropout losers like Bill Gates, Steve Jobs, and Mark Zuckerberg. Incidentally, speaking of Mr. Zuckerberg, only at Harvard would someone have to invent a massive social network just to talk with someone in the next room.'"
Saturday, June 25, 2011
Friday, June 24, 2011
Kansas golfers hit consecutive holes-in-one on same hole in Hesston | Wichita Eagle
Kansas golfers hit consecutive holes-in-one on same hole in Hesston | Wichita EagleKansas golfers hit consecutive holes-in-one on same hole in Hesston
23 Comments
BY BOB LUTZ
The Wichita Eagle
Photos
«
1 of 2
»
Greg Bontrager, left, and Justin Pressnall had back-to-back hole-in-ones at the Hesston Golf Course at hole 17. (June 23, 2011)
Fernando Salazar/The Wichita Eagle | Buy this photo
Greg Bontrager, left, and Justin Pressnall had back-to-back hole-in-ones at the Hesston Golf Course at hole 17. (June 23, 2011)
Greg Bontrager, left, and Justin Pressnall had back-to-back holes-in-one at the Hesston Golf Course at hole 17. (June 23, 2011)
Fernando Salazar/The Wichita Eagle | Buy this photo
Greg Bontrager, left, and Justin Pressnall had back-to-back holes-in-one at the Hesston Golf Course at hole 17. (June 23, 2011)
What are the odds?
What is the chance that a golfer will make a hole in one?
* Tour player making an ace: 3,000 to 1
* Low-handicapper making an ace: 5,000 to 1
* Average player making an ace: 12,000 to 1
* Two players from the same foursome acing the same hole: 17 million to 1
* One player making two holes-in-one in the same round: 67 million to 1
Information taken from the National Hole-in-One Registry
I'm going to give you the details of what happened last Thursday on hole No. 17 at the Hesston Golf Park. You're not going to believe them. You're going to think I'm making them up to get attention. Or that I've gotten into the liquor cabinet.
On the 212-yard par 3 hole, Greg Bontrager and Justin Pressnall, involved in match play against one another, made back-to-back holes-in-one.
Stay with me here.
Pressnall, raised in Moundridge and now living in McPherson, hit first. The wind was blowing gently toward the No. 17 green as he launched a six-iron.
It was a pretty shot, one that was definitely going to land on the green.
But Paul Voran, who was in the foursome, screamed out that it was something more than just a good shot. He said Pressnall's ball went into the cup, although it was difficult for anyone to see exactly what happened.
Clearly, everyone in the group needed a moment to contemplate. And to wonder.
Then Bontrager, a music teacher in Buhler who lives in Newton, stepped to the tee box. He and Pressnall barely knew one another from their participation in the Hesston men's club. They've never been golfing buddies and could never have known they were about to do something so incredible, so amazing, so unbelievable that they would forever be bound together.
Using a 23-degree hybrid, Bontrager hit his tee shot. Remember, now, everyone on the tee box had just gone through the emotions of what at least one of them swore was a hole-in-one by Pressnall, so the energy level was high.
Bontrager's shot, he said, mirrored the shot hit by Pressnall. The golf ball took the same path of flight and landed on the green and looked to roll straight toward the flag stick.
Could it be? Had a couple of small-town Kansas guys — decent golfers but nothing close to scratch — done the impossible? Or at least accomplished something National Hole-In-One Registry determined has at least 17 million to 1 odds?
But that's on a typical par-3, whatever a typical par-3 is. Hesston's No. 17, at 212 yards, isn't typical.
Hesston pro Scott Welsh, who has been at the course for 11 years, estimates there are three or four holes-in-one on No. 17 a year, among the thousands of rounds played.
"It's not a hole that regularly gives up holes-in-one,'' Welsh said. "I don't remember where the pin was that day, but does it really matter?"
No, probably not.
Neither Bontrager nor Pressnall had ever had a hole-in-one.
As they neared the No. 17 green, neither saw his ball on the green. The anticipation was enormous, but had to be contained. The worst thing would have been for Bontrager and Pressnell to get their hopes up, then be disappointed.
"We all jumped out of our carts and went running up there pretty quick when we noticed there were no balls,'' Pressnall said. "Greg's partner (Voran) got to the hole first and looked into the cup and saw both balls sitting in there.''
Another moment was needed.
"We never really believed it until then,'' Bontrager said. "You want it to be, but you're not going to get too excited before you actually see it.''
At that point, both golfers went a little crazy. It was so loud, they said, that golfers on nearby holes stopped to take notice. And the celebrating lasted for a good long time, a combination of euphoria and disbelief.
Mostly disbelief.
"I've always wanted to just witness a hole-in-one,'' Bontrager said. "It was just crazy.''
The two golfers might have stopped their rounds right there. Called it a night and rushed to a nearby watering hole to rehash the story over and over and over.
But there was a match to be decided. Pressnall had a one-hole match-play lead over Bontrager as they stood on the No. 17 tee and Pressnall, for good reason, probably thought he had locked up the match with his shot.
It turned into a push, however, and Bontrager won No. 18 with a par to Pressnall's bogey. It's probably justice that they tied the match.
Thursday night, Bontrager and Pressnall treated the other players in the men's league to a barbecue and drinks. Probably a few drinks, considering the enormity of their accomplishment.
"If something like this happened on the PGA Tour, I'm sure it would make the Top 10 plays,'' Bontrager said.
Instead, it happened in Hesston, Kan. Two shots heard 'round the world.
Or at least 'round Harvey County.
This is no urban legend. Years from now, when this story of back-to-back holes-in-one is being told yet again, non-believers will be shrill in their skepticism.
But this happened. It really happened.
Read more: http://www.kansas.com/2011/06/24/1906241/its-hole-in-one-after-another.html#ixzz1QDTXgxEo
23 Comments
BY BOB LUTZ
The Wichita Eagle
Photos
«
1 of 2
»
Greg Bontrager, left, and Justin Pressnall had back-to-back hole-in-ones at the Hesston Golf Course at hole 17. (June 23, 2011)
Fernando Salazar/The Wichita Eagle | Buy this photo
Greg Bontrager, left, and Justin Pressnall had back-to-back hole-in-ones at the Hesston Golf Course at hole 17. (June 23, 2011)
Greg Bontrager, left, and Justin Pressnall had back-to-back holes-in-one at the Hesston Golf Course at hole 17. (June 23, 2011)
Fernando Salazar/The Wichita Eagle | Buy this photo
Greg Bontrager, left, and Justin Pressnall had back-to-back holes-in-one at the Hesston Golf Course at hole 17. (June 23, 2011)
What are the odds?
What is the chance that a golfer will make a hole in one?
* Tour player making an ace: 3,000 to 1
* Low-handicapper making an ace: 5,000 to 1
* Average player making an ace: 12,000 to 1
* Two players from the same foursome acing the same hole: 17 million to 1
* One player making two holes-in-one in the same round: 67 million to 1
Information taken from the National Hole-in-One Registry
I'm going to give you the details of what happened last Thursday on hole No. 17 at the Hesston Golf Park. You're not going to believe them. You're going to think I'm making them up to get attention. Or that I've gotten into the liquor cabinet.
On the 212-yard par 3 hole, Greg Bontrager and Justin Pressnall, involved in match play against one another, made back-to-back holes-in-one.
Stay with me here.
Pressnall, raised in Moundridge and now living in McPherson, hit first. The wind was blowing gently toward the No. 17 green as he launched a six-iron.
It was a pretty shot, one that was definitely going to land on the green.
But Paul Voran, who was in the foursome, screamed out that it was something more than just a good shot. He said Pressnall's ball went into the cup, although it was difficult for anyone to see exactly what happened.
Clearly, everyone in the group needed a moment to contemplate. And to wonder.
Then Bontrager, a music teacher in Buhler who lives in Newton, stepped to the tee box. He and Pressnall barely knew one another from their participation in the Hesston men's club. They've never been golfing buddies and could never have known they were about to do something so incredible, so amazing, so unbelievable that they would forever be bound together.
Using a 23-degree hybrid, Bontrager hit his tee shot. Remember, now, everyone on the tee box had just gone through the emotions of what at least one of them swore was a hole-in-one by Pressnall, so the energy level was high.
Bontrager's shot, he said, mirrored the shot hit by Pressnall. The golf ball took the same path of flight and landed on the green and looked to roll straight toward the flag stick.
Could it be? Had a couple of small-town Kansas guys — decent golfers but nothing close to scratch — done the impossible? Or at least accomplished something National Hole-In-One Registry determined has at least 17 million to 1 odds?
But that's on a typical par-3, whatever a typical par-3 is. Hesston's No. 17, at 212 yards, isn't typical.
Hesston pro Scott Welsh, who has been at the course for 11 years, estimates there are three or four holes-in-one on No. 17 a year, among the thousands of rounds played.
"It's not a hole that regularly gives up holes-in-one,'' Welsh said. "I don't remember where the pin was that day, but does it really matter?"
No, probably not.
Neither Bontrager nor Pressnall had ever had a hole-in-one.
As they neared the No. 17 green, neither saw his ball on the green. The anticipation was enormous, but had to be contained. The worst thing would have been for Bontrager and Pressnell to get their hopes up, then be disappointed.
"We all jumped out of our carts and went running up there pretty quick when we noticed there were no balls,'' Pressnall said. "Greg's partner (Voran) got to the hole first and looked into the cup and saw both balls sitting in there.''
Another moment was needed.
"We never really believed it until then,'' Bontrager said. "You want it to be, but you're not going to get too excited before you actually see it.''
At that point, both golfers went a little crazy. It was so loud, they said, that golfers on nearby holes stopped to take notice. And the celebrating lasted for a good long time, a combination of euphoria and disbelief.
Mostly disbelief.
"I've always wanted to just witness a hole-in-one,'' Bontrager said. "It was just crazy.''
The two golfers might have stopped their rounds right there. Called it a night and rushed to a nearby watering hole to rehash the story over and over and over.
But there was a match to be decided. Pressnall had a one-hole match-play lead over Bontrager as they stood on the No. 17 tee and Pressnall, for good reason, probably thought he had locked up the match with his shot.
It turned into a push, however, and Bontrager won No. 18 with a par to Pressnall's bogey. It's probably justice that they tied the match.
Thursday night, Bontrager and Pressnall treated the other players in the men's league to a barbecue and drinks. Probably a few drinks, considering the enormity of their accomplishment.
"If something like this happened on the PGA Tour, I'm sure it would make the Top 10 plays,'' Bontrager said.
Instead, it happened in Hesston, Kan. Two shots heard 'round the world.
Or at least 'round Harvey County.
This is no urban legend. Years from now, when this story of back-to-back holes-in-one is being told yet again, non-believers will be shrill in their skepticism.
But this happened. It really happened.
Read more: http://www.kansas.com/2011/06/24/1906241/its-hole-in-one-after-another.html#ixzz1QDTXgxEo
Tuesday, June 21, 2011
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