A pithy comic strip about life, love, lust and puthy cats.

Est. 1985

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Roaring Forties

By Jimmy Johnson


Buy the new book, "Beaucoup Arlo & Janis!"Today's "Arlo & Janis!"
A lot has happened since we visited last. A Super Bowl was played. Harper Lee is publishing the sequel to “To Kill a Mockingbird.” Friends in the Midwest and Northeast are being buried in snow still. There are new pictures of Fidel Castro. It’s been a busy few days. Speaking of Harper Lee, I lived in Monroeville, Alabama, and worked as a reporter for the weekly “Monroe Journal” when I was a young man. Monroeville is where Harper Lee was born and raised. She would fictionalize it as “Maycomb” in her famous novel. In my day, the book and Ms. Lee were not the industry they would become, but the town was very proud of its Favorite Daughter, who was living in New York City at that time. The only bookstore in town was a religious bookstore on the town square. As a matter of course, it had for sale autographed copies of “To Kill a Mockingbird,” available to anyone with a few dollars. Did I buy one in my almost two years in Monroeville? No, of course not!

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82 responses to “Roaring Forties”

  1. Mark in TTown Avatar
    Mark in TTown

    Here’s a list of the scheduled performers so far: http://tasteofcountry.com/charlie-daniels-volunteer-jam-2015/

  2. Mark in TTown Avatar
    Mark in TTown

    Jackie, I can’t find an event calendar for that time yet. Guess it’s a little early. You could go sailing on Old Hickory Lake, see The Hermitage (Andrew Jackson’s home, where he is buried), visit the Country Music Hall of Fame. There are quite a few old plantation homes open for viewing. One, Cheekwood, is now an art gallery and another is part of the Nashville Zoo.

    And this is a fun event, a real old-fashioned fair with lots of livestock and a collection of restored old buildings including a working water mill.

    http://www.wilsoncountyfair.net/

  3. sandcastler™ Avatar
    sandcastler™

    Jackie, Belle Meade mansion is a great tour. We enjoyed it.

    GR6, just started a book you might like “Red Notice” by Bill Browder. True story about doing business in modern Russia. Check out a review.

  4. Mark in TTown Avatar
    Mark in TTown

    emb, here’s a video tour of what remains of the buildings. This is part 1, part 2 will be on the right-hand side of the screen when this finishes.

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QLeEeiLNp8w

  5. Ghost Rider 6 Avatar
    Ghost Rider 6

    emb: I understand England is covered with WWII airfields, many of them literally just fields now. You were obviously one of the smart officers…the ones who let their sergeants run things. 🙂

    Jackie, “To the victors go the spoils” has been SOP for as long as there have been losers.

    Thanks, sand. I’ll check it out.

  6. Jackie Monies Avatar
    Jackie Monies

    My goodness, I have been away from concerts far too long except Jimmy Buffet and stuff kept getting in way on that one even, since he never refunds a ticket sale. It appears this event is in class with a Buffet concert based on what I paid last year for good seats to see Jimmy be snowed out but go on stage anyway. Which I did not see.

    I will need an insider’s advice on seating options in this arena. Are some of those I assume backstage pass tickets or private “boxes” and do the VIP tickets with food and beverage act like the party suites we used to have in Houston for things like football and rodeo? Curious which seats are OK but not super $$$$ Performers look great and Mike would have had me go for Sean Hannity.

    Andrew Jackson is one whom some would view differently. He is considered anathema to my native American friends and a hero to some others as founder of a new political party, while I am certain some of Mike’s ancestors fought with him at the Battle of New Orleans. They were the Islenos who came from deep in the swamps, not pirates but hunters and fishermen and watermen from the Portuguese Islands off Africa. Those weren’t especially Cajuns fighting with Jackson. No Cajuns down there.

    For years I had a portrait of Jackson who hung with Jefferson and Washington on our office wall. My mom and step-dad asked if they were Mike’s ancestors and I said not exactly. No royalty, sorry Ghost, but a lot of early veterans who fought in some places here in America!

    The Quakers did not, my Quakers were pacifists who got expelled from church. They made up for it after that.

    Love, Jackie

  7. Jackie Monies Avatar
    Jackie Monies

    Am I in GR6’s list of pacifist tree huggers now? Because I think we should give back art, since culture cannot be returned?

  8. Ghost Rider 6 Avatar
    Ghost Rider 6

    Wan’t condoning the practice, babe, just commenting it’s been around for a long time. War may be an extension of politics, but for some it’s just an extension of business.

  9. Ghost Rider 6 Avatar
    Ghost Rider 6

    Milo Minderbinder: As a matter of fact, Father, I know I can get my hands on an entire shipment of religious relics, blessed by the Pope himself. The Germans swiped them and put them on the open market. As I understand it, the stuff includes a wrist and collarbones of some of your top saints!

  10. Mark in TTown Avatar
    Mark in TTown

    Jackie, here’s the Ticketmaster seating chart for this event. If you click on the box that says best available seats it will open up a box with the different seat prices and show you what areas they are in.

    http://www.ticketmaster.com/the-charlie-daniels-band-volunteer-jam-nashville-tennessee-08-12-2015/event/1B004D8BED00971B?artistid=767970&majorcatid=10001&minorcatid=2&tm_link=artist_msg-0_1B004D8BED00971B

  11. Jackie Monies Avatar
    Jackie Monies

    Many a year ago I read that one, Ghost! Milo did make an impression I guess. Don’t think I saw the movie but the book, oh yeah!

    Crusaders, now that is an interesting topic. And Greeks. And Romans. And those we find a few clues about and no longer know their names nor where they came from nor who they fought.

    We are indeed just a blip on the history of the planet, kind of a Doomsday Clock of creation.

    I need to take those pills I picked up on Walmart, where my sweat pants slide off my butt and almost mooned a really elderly shopper, male, before I caught them. They are being retired at once after a one wearing resurrection. So, weight going down?

    Love, Jackie

  12. Mark in TTown Avatar
    Mark in TTown

    My ex and I saw Fleetwood Mac there. We were in the red section that is #107 on this chart, about halfway up. Great view of everything on that side, including peeks into the backstage area. This is a huge facility that was used for an indoor football team and now is home to Nashville’s pro hockey team. Floor seats in the red zone midsection should give a good view of the stage. If you are in the far end, better bring binoculars, though they do have one of those giant tv screens at the middle of the building. Eat before you go. Better food for the price elsewhere.

  13. emeritus minnesota biologist Avatar
    emeritus minnesota biologist

    Mark: Thanks, emb

    PO was a Quonset [Brits had a different name: Nissen?]. Since outside roof and walls were one steel structure, it may now be just a pile of rust. Some of the ruins may actually have been built after my stay there, Sep. ’52-May ’53. The aerial shot looked like lots more bldgs than I remember, esp. what appear to be married family housing. I think any couples that I knew of lived off base in private housing.

    There was a nearby wild area called Coxford Heath. No idea if it was privately owned, a public commons, or what. No cattle or horses on it, but a good area for birding.

    Peace, emb

  14. Ghost Rider 6 Avatar
    Ghost Rider 6

    Yep, Jackie. Tequila may make your clothes fall off, as the song goes, but so will weight loss.

  15. Jackie Monies Avatar
    Jackie Monies

    Marginally on subject, they use this form of “shelter” all over West Texas for farm equipment mainly, ie. airplane hangers so snow slides off easily. So I am riding along looking out window of truck and commented on the quasi-huts, thereby ensuring a life time of hearing them referred to as those “quasi-huts for almost planes” or equally dumb joke/blonde remarks.

    Not dumb nor much blonde any more but often guilty of Spoonerisms where it comes out “almost right”.

  16. Jackie Monies Avatar
    Jackie Monies

    I hope that proves to be true, Ghost. Some women’s charity will benefit from this.

  17. Old Bear Avatar
    Old Bear

    I went looking for a The Cousin and ended with the Step-sister
    (see my last post yesterday)

    From an E post

    God didn’t promise
    days without pain, laughter without sorrow, sun
    without rain, but He did promise strength for the
    day, comfort for the tears, and light for the
    way.

    If God brings you to
    it, He will bring you through
    it.

    The Cabin boat Hank designed is a
    #5687–BUILD BARNABY: A 16-FT. CABIN CRUISER
    #5696–LITTLE BUBBLE : Nine Feet of Runabout Fun!
    #5329–CORKY
    http://www.dngoodchild.com/divide_author.htm
    Go down to Hank Clark
    Boy does that bring back memories

    Back in the day Evenrude would lend him a couple of outboards for the season.

    rereading
    F. Van Wyck Mason’s Manila Galleon
    Story of George Anson’s trip around the world starting in 1740
    Rotten ships, rotten food, and invalid men.

    He also wrote Hugh North stories – very much the James Bond type.

    10-7

  18. Jackie Monies Avatar
    Jackie Monies

    The Corky is a very famous boat, actually, often joked about as how”the only thing smaller that one could use for an adventure race is a Corky.” So I must look it up and also look for Hank Clark.

    You know the old home building/mechanics illustrated/even women’s magazines all featured designs for back yard and home builders. During the 1950’s almost everyone in an area with any form of water built boats in their back yards, either for fishing, water skiing, paddling, all forms.

    The highest sales of plans ever recorded came from a woman’s magazine! I should do a little homework? Anyway, those of us who put on shows to get the public enthused try to bring in children and families, usually without much success. Kids today seem too attuned to a computer screen than outdoor activities. We try, I go after men, women, children and dogs, multi-generational. Try to make kids know how totally cool they are to do stuff like this. I have friends who work with kids, despite being childless.

    My daughters will not allow their children on a boat, despite being on them as children from infancy. Pretty sad when my oldest commented on one of the tributes to her dad, the one this week, that it was so sad to see the photos and they weren’t there. I wanted to say, “Whose choice was that?” But I didn’t.

    Love Jackie

  19. Jackie Monies Avatar
    Jackie Monies

    Yep, that is the “Corky” one of the famous one sheet wonders. I still have friends who do this, design one sheet wonders, boats that can be built from a single sheet of plywood. Goal is to use minimal materials, lighter weight, etc. Two of them are rocket scientists retired to boat designing, one in Illinois, another in Arizona, Boat designers seem to take a vow of poverty, if not celibacy.

    Actually, one sheet wonders are the minimalist boats moving upward in complexity to two, three, four and ultimately in my case a stash of $4000 in marine ply for a single boat. I rush to mention I will not be using it on one boat! If you use real wood and produce a classic boat, not a plywood boat, that number pales!

    Love, Jackie

  20. Jerry in Fl Avatar
    Jerry in Fl

    4 small quakes outside of US in last 24 hours. The Shark Tank tonight had two guys with a kayak folded up to the size of a briefcase

  21. curmudgeonly ex-professor Avatar
    curmudgeonly ex-professor

    Galliglo, you were one of my “maybe” hits on the lost assets site. I didn’t know enough to make a definitive “hit” out of the site.
    Now, though, you can check out everyone you know and possibly elate a few with your own “hits”!

  22. Debbe Avatar
    Debbe

    Good morning Villagers….

    I remember when I first saw the above retro….it was funny then and even funnier now. 🙂

    Jackie, good advice on how to make those little emoticons 😀

    Mark mentioned roller coaster weather the other day…tonight’s low 12 degrees, tomorrow’s high 20 ish, then it’s 53 degrees on Saturday…..what the ????

    I agree, Jean has been MIA too long.

    Llee, you got to love the artwork and the fact he is a cat man intrigues me. Not that I am a tattoo fanatic

    https://i.chzbgr.com/maxW500/8440122112/hDCFDBB7A/

    Happy hump day

    =^..^=

  23. emeritus minnesota biologist Avatar
    emeritus minnesota biologist

    Again, TIP BlogSpot and comic are the same.

    http://thatispriceless.blogspot.com/

    10-20+ years ago there was an ad*, can’t remember for what, 45ish guy and 3 babes in the water at the shallow end of a swimming pool, he obviously the center of their attn. but also obviously in distress, same basic question below the ad.

    Peace, emb

    *in a magazine, I believe.