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Anatomy Of A Photo: Looking Westward

"Who is your model?" I was asked this several times when this photo was first published on the old site.. Truth be known, she never modeled for me. Her name was D'a-lal  and she was the muse of sculptor  Harold Cash . This piece stands outside the  Hunter Museum Of American Art  in Chattanooga. She stands arms over head, looking ever westward.

April In The South

 We've had a mild winter this year, albeit one with record rainfall and the occasional polar vortex sending temperatures below freezing for a day or two. It is early April as I write; Spring is in the air, birds abound, the first of long days is upon us. These are the days that fill my soul with renewal.

Futureproofing: Compound Interest Is Your Frenemy

First, an apology for using the term "frenemy." I hate this word but find it useful for this post. What is compound interest? From our friends at Wikipedia: Compound interest is the addition of interest to the principal sum of a loan or deposit, or in other words, interest on interest. How does it work? With stunning efficiency. For instance, if you have an interest-bearing savings account, compound interest is your friend, as your banking institution will pay interest (albeit a minisule amount these days) on the principal dollar amount. Over a long period of time, compound interest is earned on both the principal and accumulated interest, eg $100 principal + 5% interest = $105.00. Left untouched, your next round of 5% interest will be paid on the $105.00 balance, resulting in a sum total of $110.25. This is a simple (and unrealistic, in terms of interest paid) example of money making money. If, however, you have debt on an interest-bearing loan, compound interes

The World In Which We Live: Safety Is An Option Edition

In a world in which Fight Club , The X Files , and the complete works of Phillip K Dick have collided into one twisted reality we call normal (with a dash of Black Mirror and The Big Short for flavor), we now learn that software upgrades that could have prevented the crashes of two Boeing 737 Max passenger jets were available... at a price . "Want your passengers to live to fly another day? Sure, but it'll cost you." And I'm unsure who is more evil, the manufacturer for making safety features ON A FLYING MACHINE optional at additional cost or the airlines for declining to install the features. This is a stunning failure of human decency in the eyes of this writer. Perhaps I shouldn't be so surprised. This is business as usual in our extortionary economy. In the US, medical bills are the leading cause of bankruptcy , a real-world manifestation of the "your money or your life" ethos of the street thug in literature and film. The hand wringing over w

Quote Of The Day, Harrison Edition

Some of our strangest actions are also our most deeply characteristic: secret desires remain weak fantasies unless they pervade a will strong enough to carry them out. - Jim Harrison, Legends Of The Fall

Anatomy Of A Photo: Weathervane

Chattanooga, Tennessee is a vibrant city. Its Bluff View Art District overlooking the Tennessee River is home to galleries and the Hunter Museum . Situated nearby is this weathervane, as seen from below in this photo.

Quote Of The Day, Maclean Edition

One of life's quiet excitements is to stand somewhat apart from yourself and watch yourself softly becoming the author of something beautiful even if it is only a floating ash.  - Norman Maclean