The Man in the Arena

This is a speech given by Teddy Roosevelt at the Sorbonne in Paris, France on April 23, 1910. It was subsequently re-printed in his book Citizenship in a Republic. Here is a passage:

"It is not the critic who counts; not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles, or where the doer of deeds could have done them better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood; who strives valiantly; who errs, who comes short again and again, because there is no effort without error and shortcoming; but who does actually strive to do the deeds; who knows great enthusiasms, the great devotions; who spends himself in a worthy cause; who at the best knows in the end the triumph of high achievement, and who at the worst, if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly, so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who neither know victory nor defeat."

1141

Now we’re learning to turn to our spirit,
Now we’re learning to take Christ as life;
Now we’re learning to feed upon Jesus
And be freed from all struggling and strife.

favorite ties

Paul Stuart

#26 Manhattan

Stuff White People Like
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Another secret fact about white people, if you are in group setting and the topic of New York City comes up, find the highest ranking white person and say “oh, are you from New York?”

To them, this means you are calling them cultured, cool, and urban. They will respond with something like “oh, well, I’ve spent a lot of time there,” or “I lived there for three years.” You will have instantly become more popular than all other people in the group.

Comments from the Economist

Okay this one is funny. Sorry for the deluge of political content:

"Your editorial writers and others who say that the Obama administration will not be able to raise enough money to pay for its massive expansion of government are clearly wrong. When you consider a stimulus package that is designed to stimulate nothing but inflation and massive deficits in the proposed budget, it is easy to see the plan.

The current government must be counting on hyperinflation that will, in a short time, place all households in the over $250,000 income bracket. Imagine the spending possibilities for a government that collects 40% of everyone's income."

zippy died and we took her engine out, finally

i'm a lifesavers junkie

With no larger problems
That need to be erased
Nothing more important than to know
Someone’s listening
Now I know
You’ll be listening

Learn a bit

Crisis explainer: Uncorking CDOs from Marketplace on Vimeo.

more dabblings

All things considered, I regard myself among more frugal sort of people. Penurious, if you will. But there are a few items, I have decided, for which such frugality receives a particular pardon. These are the must-haves of life - the items for which quality demands no exception. I would rather live on ramen noodles and have an these essential luxuries than sacrifice them to afford to eat better food, like hamburgers. Here are two examples:

Coffee
Sometimes I buy coffee roasted by Greyfriar's. You can find it at Cups Coffee. Buying my coffee pre-ground and then taking it home to Mr. Coffee was the routine, but I recently was enlightened to the terrible error of my ways. I purchased a coffee grinder, and a nice awesomely large coffee mug. Additionally, have been buying spring water which tastes better than regular tap water; there's a discernible difference. Hence, a new chapter in my coffee-consuming career has begun. I simply cannot wait to wake up tomorrow and brew a quality cup of Joe.

Ice cream
Haagan-Dazs, no questions asked. Unless you're buying for a group or party - then it doesn't really matter. You simply cannot compromise when it comes to ice cream, period. And as a matter of opinion, White Chocolate Raspberry Truffle is creme de la creme. Although, a few items receive honorable mention: Banana Pudding from Blue Bell, the Chocolate Trinity from Publix, and a particular Breyers flavor that slips my mind for the time being - it does exist.

Comfort in Trials (1)

He giveth more grace when the burdens grow greater,
He sendeth more strength when the labors increase,
To added affliction He addeth His mercy,
To multiplied trials, His multiplied peace.

* His love has no limit, His grace has no measure,
His power no boundary known unto men,
For out of His infinite riches in Jesus,
He giveth and giveth and giveth again.

When we have exhausted our store of endurance,
When our strength has failed ere the day is half-done,
When we reach the end of our hoarded resources,
Our Father's full giving is only begun.