But why guess when we can settle this once and for all?

Incidentally, my result was “Legolas,” although I specifically said I did not have pointy ears.

Believe.

take the WHAT BAD BOOK ARE YOU test.


and go to mewing.net. not as good as reading a good book, but way better than a bad one.

I don’t know what to say. I haven’t read it, either.

Believe.

Greetings, loyal minions. Your Maximum Leader would like to thank Lemuel for this quiz.

take the WHAT BAD BOOK ARE YOU test.


and go to mewing.net. not as good as reading a good book, but way better than a bad one.

Actually, your Maximum Leader likes “Heart of Darkness.” He’s read it a few times. It always entertains him. It is so short that one couldn’t really consider it all that awful. Awful books normally are quite long (in your Maximum Leader’s experience at any rate). He was honestly hoping to be Beowulf. Which your Maximum Leader really did dislike when he had to read it in high school (or whenever). It was awful. Although your Maximum Leader is told that there is a pretty good version of it recently done by Seamus Heaney. It is a verse translation with Heaney’s work on one page and the original Anglo-Saxon on the facing page. Your Maximum Leader has seen it in Borders and thumbed through it a little. It didn’t seem to bad actually…

Carry on.

Greetings, loyal minions. Your Maximum Leader has a number of different things to do today, so this may be his only opportunity to blog today. As this might be his only post he will touch on a number of different topics. Pay attention.

First off, we are into the budget season in Congress. This time of year always amuses your Maximum Leader. You see the budgets were supposed to be completed last month. Congress (both the House and Senate) appear to have the whole legislative year to talk about the budget and prepare; but they don’t. Instead they wait until after the last minute and the work like crazy to get a budget passed. One could speculate (perhaps quite rightly) that part of the budgetary mess our Republic always finds itself is due in no small measure to the budget writing rush.

Anyhoo… It seems as though tax cuts are the hot topic du jour. As surprising as it may sound coming from your tax cutting Maximum Leader, this is not the time for new tax cuts. Your Maximum Leader is all for keeping the current taxes on everything as is. What is needed is spending control. At this point further tax cutting is diverting attention and political energy from budget cutting.

Your Maximum Leader will suggest to Republicans in Congress (and to the President) that their focus ought to be eliminating waste and cutting smallish programs that could stand to be cut. Outside of the realm of supply-side theory, the other reason that Ronald Reagan wanted to cut taxes was to “starve” the government into spending less. Reagan (and his team) made a logical (but wrong) assumption that if the government didn’t have money to spend it would at least try to stop spending growth. That didn’t happen. There was no outcry. There was no political price paid. So… Now Republicans have learned to spend better than the Democrats in the 1980s. The fiscal conservatives need to rise up and exert more control over the budget agenda in Congress. A strong untied block of Congressmen and Senators could push through a more responsible budget if they had the political will to do so.

And if the Republican Congress doesn’t start showing that it can do something about anything meaningful 2006 will not be a fun year.

Next up… The Smallholder made some fine comments about your Maximum Leader’s post about NH taxes on views in yesterday’s post. Allow your Maximum Leader to clarify a bit. He understands that houses with nicer views will be more expensive to buy than houses without nicer views. That doesn’t bother him. He understands that you will have variation in price based on location, views, and the quality of the neighbourhood. With variation in market price you will have variation in assessed value for property taxes. Neither does that bother him. But what is going on in New Hampshire is tax assessors going out to houses and doing an extra assessment on the view of the house and adding that assessed view’s value to the value of the house. This is done in a fashion completely independent of any market forces. And it also seems to be done only in areas (or to houses) that appear to fit a profile. The profile of “second home for rich Boston resident.” That is what appears to be wrong. Your Maximum Leader will try to learn some more about this and post further.

The Poet Laureate of the MWO made a fine comment about your Maximum Leader’s use of the “Below the Fold” feature of this blog and the placement of his traditional close “carry on” even when there is more below the fold. Very good points. Your Maximum Leader must confess that he likes to see the words “carry on” at the bottom of the main area of the post… Even if there is more below the fold. In the case of yesterday’s post, the paragraphs below the fold were something of an afterthought and inspired by - but not required for the enjoyment of - the main body of the post. In most cases where your Maximum Leader goes below the fold it is with material that he thinks is a nice addition to the post but perhaps not essential.

All that plus he wonders how many people actually click through and read below the fold…

Your Maximum Leader will second Robbo’s suggestion of putting French news babes on to replace Koppel. Frankly she could replace Greta Van Sustern in a better time slot. Your Maximum Leader wouldn’t even make Melissa learn English. She could just talk all she wanted in French. It might acutally make for better viewing.

Your Maximum Leader will also thank his Poet Laureate for his coverage of the French riots. Your Maximum Leader agrees that religion isn’t the major motivating factor, but it probably is a contributing factor. The French need to seriously review their immigration policies (for going forward) and figure out what they can do to assimilate the young disaffected French of North African descent. If assimilation is even possible…

Just like we’d say to Mr. Kotter… Welcome back.

Phoenix… Your Maximum Leader grows tired of waiting for that which he desires. Produce the dreamy Jennifer Love Hewitt immediately!

Lastly… If you happen to be a regular reader of the Worlds Greatest Tabloid you should be familiar with the bosomy ladies of Page 3. Well… Now gentlemen (and ladies who are inclined) you can play the “Guess the Model’s Bra Size” Quiz. The quiz is definately not safe for work. So don’t think about clicking through if you are in danger of losing your job if your boss comes by and sees breasts all over your monitor screen. If you are good with breasts on your monitor then clicky here. Your Maximum Leader got 4 of 6. (For those of you who wonder about these things.)

Carry on.

Greetings, loyal minions. Your Maximum Leader thinks you have some time to kill and figures he’ll suggest a few quizzes a give you a meme to review to take up some of your time…

First… The meme… Because all the cool kids are doing it.

It is the average American Meme. All the items listed are things that apply to average Americans. The ones crossed out are the ones that do not apply to your Maximum Leader. Pithy commentary in italics.

Eats peanut butter at least once a week. Your Maximum Leader had to think hard on this one, but then realized that in fact it has been about three weeks since he’s had peanut butter. (But only about 3 hours since he ate some peanuts.)

Prefers smooth peanut butter over chunky. Your Maximum Leader thinks chunky peanut butter is positively barbaric.

Can name all Three Stooges. But why would you want to. The Marx Brothers are far superior.

Lives within a 20-minute drive of a Wal-Mart.

Eats at McDonald’s at least once a year. With little kids who think that McDonalds is the finest of all eateries…

Takes a shower for approximately 10.4 minutes a day Likes to take much longer showers.

Never sings in the shower. You wouldn’t want to listen when he does.

Lives in a house, not an apartment or condominium.

Has a home valued between $100,000 and $300,000.

Has fired a gun. He even owns a few.

Is between 5 feet and 6 feet tall Six foot three actually.

Weighs 135 to 205 pounds Humm… 205 lbs… When was your Maximum Leader last 205 lbs? He thinks it was his sophomore year of college.

Is between the ages of 18 and 53.

Believes gambling is an acceptable entertainment option. Absolutely.

Grew up within 50 miles of current home Just barely out of range actually. Well, it depends on how you parse this. If you go by actual driving route, then you exceed 50 miles. If you go the way the bird flies, he might come in just under 50.

And two quizzes below the fold…

Otherwise…

Carry on.
(more…)

Julius Caesar You scored 51 Wisdom, 73 Tactics, 49 Guts, and 42 Ruthlessness!

Roman military and political leader. He was instrumental in the transformation of the Roman Republic into the Roman Empire. His conquest of Gallia Comata extended the Roman world all the way to the Atlantic Ocean, introducing Roman influence into what has become modern France, an accomplishment of which direct consequences are visible to this day. In 55 BC Caesar launched the first Roman invasion of Britain. Caesar fought and won a civil war which left him undisputed master of the Roman world, and began extensive reforms of Roman society and government. He was proclaimed dictator for life, and heavily centralized the already faltering government of the weak Republic. Caesar’s friend Marcus Brutus conspired with others to assassinate Caesar in hopes of saving the Republic. The dramatic assassination on the Ides of March was the catalyst for a second set of civil wars, which marked the end of the Roman Republic and the beginning of the Roman Empire under Caesar’s grand-nephew and adopted son Octavian, later known as Caesar Augustus. Caesar’s military campaigns are known in detail from his own written Commentaries (Commentarii), and many details of his life are recorded by later historians such as Suetonius, Plutarch, and Cassius Dio.

Credo.

Greetings, loyal minions. Your Maximum Leader shouldn’t have to remind you that the poor agrarian Smallholder has trouble connecting to the internet from home. So your Maximum Leader decided to take some quizzes on his behalf and share the results with you…

Which historical general is the Smallholder?

George MacClellan You scored 31 Wisdom, 73 Tactics, 27 Guts, and 16 Ruthlessness!

Like General McClellan, you’re smart enough to know what tactical decisions to make. However, the problem with McClellan is that he could never sprout the balls to act on his information, and in the end, that’s why Geoge McClellan is only a sidenote in the history books. After graduating from West Point, he served with distinction in the Mexican War and later worked on various engineering projects, notably on the survey (1853-54) for a Northern Pacific RR route across the Cascade Range. Resigning from the army in 1857, he was a railroad official until the outbreak of the Civil War. In May, 1861, McClellan was made commander of the Dept. of the Ohio and a major general in the regular army. He cleared the western part of Virginia of Confederates (June-July, 1861) and consequently, after the Union defeat in the first battle of Bull Run, was given command of the troops in and around Washington. In November he became general in chief. The administration, reflecting public opinion, pressed for an early offensive, but McClellan insisted on adequate training and equipment for his army. In Mar., 1862, he was relieved of his supreme command, but he retained command of the Army of the Potomac, with which in Apr., 1862, he initiated the Peninsular campaign . The collapse of this campaign after the Seven Days battles was charged by many to his overcaution. In Aug., 1862, most of McClellan’s troops were reassigned to the Army of Virginia under John Pope . After Pope’s defeat at the second battle of Bull Run, McClellan again reorganized the Union forces, and in the Antietam campaign he checked RobertE. Lee’s first invasion of the North. He was slow, however, to follow Lee across the Potomac and in Nov., 1862, was removed from his command.

Hey… At least he’s not a hippie.

And in other news the Smallholder is…

Which Food Network chef are you?
brought to you by Quizilla

Your Maximum Leader suspected as much… But Rachael Ray is much better looking than is the Smallholder. But the Smallholder might beat out Rachael Ray in the boobie department… Might…

Carry on.

Have I been in Europe too long?

A Hippiebr> You scored 68 Wisdom, 54 Tactics, 54 Guts, and 34 Ruthlessness!

You know nothing about tactics or war. You are docile and cowardly and the mere thought of violence is enough to make you wet yourself. Hate to break it to you, but chances are very good that you’re not General material…. not even BAD General material. Hell you’re probably not even a productive member of society. Why are you even here? Don’t you have a peace pipe to smoke, or a war to protest or something? So here’s to you and to whatever naive country that lets you vote…. Leaders who share your beliefs include: Jaques Chirac and Gerard Schroeder

Greetings, loyal minions. Your Maximum Leader is in a quiz mood it seems. Here is one courtesy of Lysander.

Your Maximum Leader is:

Julius Caesar You scored 53 Wisdom, 73 Tactics, 58 Guts, and 44 Ruthlessness!

Roman military and political leader. He was instrumental in the transformation of the Roman Republic into the Roman Empire. His conquest of Gallia Comata extended the Roman world all the way to the Atlantic Ocean, introducing Roman influence into what has become modern France, an accomplishment of which direct consequences are visible to this day. In 55 BC Caesar launched the first Roman invasion of Britain. Caesar fought and won a civil war which left him undisputed master of the Roman world, and began extensive reforms of Roman society and government. He was proclaimed dictator for life, and heavily centralized the already faltering government of the weak Republic. Caesar’s friend Marcus Brutus conspired with others to assassinate Caesar in hopes of saving the Republic. The dramatic assassination on the Ides of March was the catalyst for a second set of civil wars, which marked the end of the Roman Republic and the beginning of the Roman Empire under Caesar’s grand-nephew and adopted son Octavian, later known as Caesar Augustus. Caesar’s military campaigns are known in detail from his own written Commentaries (Commentarii), and many details of his life are recorded by later historians such as Suetonius, Plutarch, and Cassius Dio.

Carry on.

Greetings, loyal minions. Your Maximum Leader sees that his results on this quiz are the same as JohnL of Texas Best Grok. That is a good think as best he can tell.

Which Food Network chef are you?
brought to you by Quizilla

Your Maximum Leader is glad he didn’t come up as Rachael Ray or Giadia DeLaurentiis. Although he is fond of both Rachael Ray and Giadia DeLaurentiis. At some point in the past he (or was it Brian) imagined being in a Rachael Ray/Giadia DeLaurentiis sandwich…

Hummm…. Sandwich…

Carry on.

My results on that quiz:

You are a Social Liberal (65% permissive) and an… Economic Conservative (60% permissive) You are best described as a: Centrist Link: The Politics Test on Ok Cupid

No surprises here, either. I’m posting my results before the blog veers any farther right.

You are a Social Liberal (78% permissive) and an… Economic Liberal (28% permissive) You are best described as a: Strong Democrat Link: The Politics Test on Ok Cupid

Believe.

Greetings, loyal minions. Your Maximum Leader decided to take this quiz he saw over on JohnL’s site. No surprises really. And this quiz isn’t as good as some other ones of a similar ilk.

Results:

You are a Social Moderate (50% permissive) and an… Economic Conservative (76% permissive) You are best described as a: Capitalist Link: The Politics Test on Ok Cupid

Carry on.

Greetings, loyal minions. Your Maximum Leader saw this quiz over at the Llama Butchers and decided to take it. He scored 67.3. The results mean:

Your score is : 67.3
A score of less than 50 means you’re likely to panic in an emergency. You’re not very likely to panic if your score is between 50 and 70. If it’s between 70 and 90, you’re panic-resistant. Above 90, you’re as close to being panic-proof as a human can be. Men should score a trifle higher than women.

Take the quiz yourself. How Panic Proof are you?

Like Robbo, your Maximum Leader thinks he missed a whole row of “X”es. He thinks he also misse some of the letter positioning items.

Carry on.