William F. Buckley, Jr.; 1925 - 2008

Had he lived, William F. Buckley, Jr. would have been 83 today. There is no diminishing the impact Mr. Buckley had on my life and writing career, not to mention the minds and thought processes of millions and millions of others. To mark the occasion, I have linked to his 1968 appearance on Laugh-In, in three parts. (For whatever reason, embedding the videos here wasn't immediately possible; some technical glitch or the other.)

http://media.putfile.com/William-F-Buckley-on-Laugh-In-part-1

http://media.putfile.com/William-F-Buckley-on-Laugh-In-part-2

http://media.putfile.com/William-F-Buckley-on-Laugh-In-part-3

Shelby Foote; 1916 - 2005

Had he lived, Shelby Foote - author of the absolutely astounding three volume opus The Civil War: A Narrative (hardcover used; paperback new) - would have been 92 today. Like so many others, I was first exposed to Foote via Ken Burns' brilliant film, The Civil War, nearly a decade before I began my own study into Lincoln and the War Between the States. Someone took the time to splice together memorable footage of Foote from the Burns film, which I present here, in memoriam.

Well, This Was Bound to Happen

Obama Win Causes Obsessive Supporters To Realize How Empty Their Lives Are