Previous William Thomas Sherman Info Page postings, quotes, observations, etc.
"Aw, but Chicken Little, the sky's not falling..."
These people are so guilty they would have you believe it's the Biblical last days; indeed, such hints have been slyly dropped my way as quasi-explication of late, and not a few among "them" are genuinely convinced that once prophesied global doom is indubitably nigh at hand, and persons who previously professed their avowed disdain for Christianity are now eschatological savants who quote me scripture with particular reference to signs of the end times! (Good thing they got in on all that loot, plunder, and "booty" before it was or will be all gone.)
The Demonist
You feel sorry for yourself? We all feel sorry for ourself. Confound you demonist! Why won't you mind your own business (in the first place)?!
"We have heretofore viewed the Indians chiefly through the eyes of those who were
interested in exploiting them; or of exterminating them. Perhaps it is time to listen to their
own words. Another educated Indian, Dr. Charles A. Eastman (Ohiyesa), a full-blood Sioux,
writing on this subject in The Soul of the Indian (1900), declares:
"'The native American has been generally despised by his white conquerors for his poverty and
simplicity. They forget, perhaps, that his religion forbade the accumulation of wealth and the
enjoyment of luxury. To him as to other single minded men in every age and race, from Diogenes
to the brother of Saint Francis, from the Montanists to the Shakers, the love of possessions
has appeared a snare, and the burdens of a complex society a source of needless peril and
temptation. It is my personal belief after thirty-five years experience of it, that there is no
such thing as Christian Civilization. I believe that Christianity and modern civilization are
opposed and irreconcilable and that the spirit of Christianity and of our ancient religion is
essentially the same…. Since there is nothing left us but remembrance, at least let that
remembrance be just.'"
~ Frederick S. Dellenbaugh, "Travellers and Explorers, 1846–1900," found in
The Cambridge History of American Literature. (1907–21).
Without question, one of the most edifying and useful books I have read in recent years is the three volume (in one) Cambridge History of American Literature. As well as informative in filling you in on and about many American authors you do and don't know about, it is invaluable, if not exhaustively perfect (e.g., Dellenbaugh in his chapter strangely elides John Lloyd Stephens' incomparable Incidents of Travel in Egypt, Arabia, Petrae, and the Holy Land -- 1837), in providing the reader leads to rare, interesting, and unusual works you are, in many instances, not likely to learn of elsewhere; unless you already happen to be a historical or literary specialist. At present, I am about three-fourths through the some 1500 page compendium, and the last chapter I finished was "Travellers and Explorers, 1846–1900" by Frederick S. Dellenbaugh, written in 1911. Not only is the latter helpful as a survey of American travel and exploration literature of the mid 19th to very early 20th century, but it also serves as a rough outline of the history and settlement of the American far West, and in this wise and other respects serves as welcome nostalgia for those who know and appreciate the way the Old West and the culture it spawned really were. True, much of the text is simply matter of fact and academic, but not all of it is so. Yet more importantly, it furnishes a long list, with commentary, of many curious, illuminating, and inimitable works that bring the authentic Old West, in both its bad and good facets, to life again; the spirit and many traces of which many Westerners will fondly recall encountering (and to some extent still present) in our own childhoods growing up in this part of the country.
For a .pdf of "Travellers and Explorers: 1846-1900" by Dellenbaugh, and which I cannot recommend too highly, click here.
"We are dumb, yes, but most everyone is dumb; therefore, everyone agrees with us."
Veniebat, Videbat, Vincebatur.
It takes millions of dollars to run Wikipedia. Yeah right. Rather, what is actually meant is, if you don't come up with a million dollars you won't be permitted (by "the powers that be") to have a high profile website like Wikipedia (or Face Book, YouTube, Google, etc.)
Size Does Not Matter
The principle of least action, first (it is believed) enunciated by Leibniz and later Maupertuis, states:
"All effects in the world of motion tend to be achieved by the least force sufficient for the result."
For more, see: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Principle_of_least_action
How to be a Billionaire.
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Note. I would emphasize, as I have previously, that I don't blame Spielberg as such, but tend to view him as merely a well-meaning pawn and dupe of others.
["Heather O'Rourke - Poltergeist 1982 / Part - "They're here."] and ["Heather O'Rourke" -- obit from NBC Nightly News]
How do you say in Latin the (so called) gods are really just a bunch of weirdos? (And who because they are spirit people adept at magic get away with murder?)
["AROUND THE WORLD - Victor Young 1956" -- from orig. soundtrack LP]
This being the time of year to extend charity to the lame and unfortunate, here's a picture (from Harper's Weekly, Apr. 29, 1865) guaranteed to stir and cheer the frigid hearts of such as Google, Bill Griffith, the ghoulish magician, et al. who thoroughly detest Christmas. (Click on image for a larger view.)
