Larry and I spoke to the Redding event to a large room with am enthusiastic crowd. The event that is going on still brings the area tea parties together. We left as a covers band entertained the audience.

Or just a sign of the Apocalypse?

Norman Geras is Professor Emeritus in the Department of Government at the University of Manchester, and a well-known UK blogger who’s been on my blogroll for a couple of years now. His politics are approximately 180 degrees opposite to mine; but he has a generosity of spirit and openness to argument that you don’t often find these days among partisans of any stripe. He and Christopher Hitchens were some of the prime drivers behind the Euston Manifesto (full details at his site in the right sidebar) a plea to Britain’s Left to, you know, GROW UP already. Being a jew-hating, Yank-bashing ass-clown has its moments, but it’s no way to go through life, son. (A similar effort in Canada failed when they couldn’t find any leftists with a mental age > five.)

Apart from all that, Norm has a little hobby; namely, profiling the world’s great bloggers, from Glenn (Instapundit) Reynolds to Kate at SDA to our very own Andrew Ian Dodge to, um, me. (Full list here.)

He’s got the easy part: He sends out fifty questions with an invitation to answer thirty that catch your fancy. I had more fun than I expected writing them, and hope you’ll enjoy reading them too. And thanks again to Norm for the platform.

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On trip south to California we made one last stop in Washington State. Its cold and clammy but people still turned out. Press were here too which is nice.

TPP and Larry from CA had the pleasure of being hosted in a pub called McCoy’s Firehouse by the Seattle TPP, Sally & Crystal. Good beer, food and company has made our drive to the Pacific Ocean worthwhile. The relay has made the end of 90 or bust so much fun, as a result of our wonderful hosts.

Many thanks to great folks of Washington. They inspired us to endure the various passes on the drive here.

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Larry from San Diego is along to help spread the word about the Central Valley. Jenny Beth is briefing all about the TPP. We got some horns for the cause.

Thanks to the organiser Kirk & all who turned out.

cognac.com:

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As we ready ourself for Washington State we rest in Idaho. My is this place gorgeous. The bald eagle shadowing us was a lovely touch. 75mph speed limits, great company, fascinating chat and a great cause… what not to like?

Music Reviews: Defiance, Insomnium, Secrets of the Moon, Leave’s Eyes, Imperial Vengeance

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All seats are filled on a Tuesday night in Great Falls, Montana. A nice room of concerned patriots wanting to learn about the fate of cental valley farmers.

Thanks to all those who turned out and the impressive organisation by Jack & his team.

Here is the report on the local news. While positive mostly, its pretty pathetic and short.

Go listen and then head over at read the latest Haveil Havalim.

There is a Britblog collection as well.

Of course, Fausta has her carnival up as well.

Metro.co.uk:

A Ugandan government official has said that the bodies of people who die from drinking an illicit local gin should be caned six times before burial as an example to the living.

District commissioner Edwin Komakech advocated the corpse-punishing on Saturday at a security meeting in the Amuru district.

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Despite the event starting @ 3 with the constitution and the car carrying it arriving 2 hours later, quite a few people stuck around to welcome us on our trek. By a bit of good planning Jenny Beth & Ben (with delightful wife in tow) managed to arrive on time by air despite Denver airport having snow troubles. What little time I spent with the people here gave me a great sense of welcome and kindness.

The snow on the ground and the hills surrounding reminded Kim & I of Maine.

Next stop Great Falls, Montana, after a visit to get the oil changed of our vehicle which is whinging at me (no really a voice is nagging me from the radio) for the next stage of this epic journey across the land.

NB: I am attempting to sample the best in local ales where ever I go. Its so nice to see local restaurants stocking their local microbrews. Its makes the whole endeavor much more enjoyable.

Please check out Save the Valley, Tea Party Patriots and Contract from America.

Curse you, Lewinski. You and your antics have poisoned the name “Monica” for songwriters for at least the next generation. However, it became a laughingstock for us many years before, when I on a later recording foolishly added a few chords to it with a humble yet popular free-reed wind instrument. I didn’t make the connection, but my cousin instantly did: The song would from that moment and forevermore become “HAR-monica.” It’s terribly difficult to sing when you’re giggling.

This, too, was recorded in Africa in early 1976; I’m pretty sure that I wrote it some time before leaving Canada, though.

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Nothing like watching nutters trash my wife cause she is English. Even worse is that a local organiser gave her number to a Larouche organizer.

Petty Napoleons are the bane of the grassroots. Vindictive ones are worse than our political opponents.

Update: In Seattle we attracted a few Larouche nutters…

I have a piece posted on the entire endeavor from someone on it please check it out.

A collection of strange science fair exhibits . Some are undoubtedly photoshopped, though the one above looks like it could be genuine.

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About to address an enthusiastic full room @dubuque about freedom & farmers relay.

Audience was well versed and rather pleased to see us. It was good of them all to queue and sign the declaration of independence we are taking cross-country.

I would like to thank all in attendance for their warm welcome to us after such a long and draining ride. It kind of them to appreciate our efforts to raise awareness on this issue.

We arrived fashionably late but the audience was enthusiastic. Ben made his point well to the folks of Ohio.

Here is my speech:

And here is Ben:

Tomorrow we hit Mansfield for a big rally. Alas, we have to say good-bye to Ben until Fresno. Just learned that Pittsburgh is tough if you don’t know the way… NYC is easier to get round.

(For D.C.T., Killed at Fricourt, March 1916)

Once an earlier David took
Smooth pebbles from the brook:
Out between the lines he went
To that one-sided tournament,
A shepherd boy who stood out fine
And young to fight a Philistine
Clad all in brazen mail. He swears
That he’s killed lions, he’s killed bears,
And those that scorn the God of Zion
Shall perish so like bear or lion.
But the historian of that fight
Had not the heart to tell it right.
Striding within javelin range
Goliath marvels at this strange
Goodly-faced boy so proud of strength.
David’s clear eye measures the length;
With hand thrust back, he cramps one knee,
Poises a moment thoughtfully,
And hurls with a long vengeful swing.
The pebble, humming from the sling
Like a wild bee, flies a sure line
For the forehead of the Philistine,
Then… but there comes a brazen clink,
And quicker than a man can think
Goliath’s shield parries each cast,
Clang! clang! and clang! was David’s last.
Scorn blazes in the Giant’s eye
Towering unhurt six cubits high.
Says foolish David, “Damn your shield,
And damn my sling, but I’ll not yield.”
He takes his staff of Mature oak,
A knotted shepherd-staff that’s broke
The skull of many a wolf and fox
Come filching lambs from Jesse’s flocks.
Loud laughs Goliath, and that laugh
Can scatter chariots like blown chaff
To rout: but David, calm and brave,
Holds his ground, for God will save.
Steel crosses wood, a flash, and oh!
Shame for Beauty’s overthrow!
(God’s eyes are dim, His ears are shut.)
One cruel backhand sabre cut -
“I’m hit, I’m killed,” young David cries,
Throws blindly forward, chokes… and dies.
And look, spike-helmeted, grey, grim,
Goliath straddles over him.

Robert Graves

Warning: Music.

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Walked out the hotel bumped in Jackie while off to dinner with Fox’s Rob Mauro.

Let Josh handle the conference call and report in. Driving into NYC at night makes you in need of a good drink.

Yet again NE does a wonderful job of mustering support for the relay and the cause. Thanks to all the people for being there.

Here is a two part video of the event: one & two.

Check out the web site of Chris Cassone who is doing a few dates with us along the tour.

Follow us on hashtag #frfr

Please check out and comment on the Contract From America.

We appeared on local radio in Worchester this morning @ 8am. We had a great time with our local host during our discussion. It nice to be so well taken care of here in Western Mass.

Next stop Cheshire, CT and then its off to NY, NY.

One of my typical songs. First I write the opening verse and chorus. It’s pretty good, so I write a second verse. It’s a bit weaker, but defensible. Then for the sake of “completing” the song, I write the third verse, which is complete garbage, fully intending to fix it some day. Well, guess what? It’s 30+ years later and I still haven’t fixed it. I’m beginning to think it’ll never happen.

Just so you don’t have to strain your ears picking them out, here’s the verse: I’d like to see you trapped in a cloud-chamber/Then you’d see that randomness is all a part of nature/And when you woke up/You wouldn’t feel so much the stranger

To which the only rejoinder is “Huh?” Even I can’t tell you what I was thinking when I wrote that (or more likely, picked words at random out of a dictionary). In later years I would just repeat one of the successful verses until I could figure out what I was meaning to say. That might be the lazy way out; it does, however, prevent you from coming across as a complete lunatic.

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