Yes, Kev, we missed you! But a sunset on Malibu with those wonderful smog-enhanced colors, probably worth the escape.

I think a ronald reagan flyswatter would be fun.

Ah, Reagan country. My neck of the woods. Also Gallegly country. CA-24. Don't get me started.

Yes, you're in full-bore pagan idolatry mode there, but what else is new at a presidential? I was researching at the Truman a couple weeks ago, same story only less so -- smaller museum, smaller giftshop, fewer tchotchkes.

Plenty Reagan bobbles on eBay, though, the source for all good things presidential.

Naw, you fooled only yourself, thanks for giving the government time to snoop thru your belongings.

[kidding]

Here's what happened while you were out: Barack Obama's campaign for the nomination crashed and burned because he said that people in economically depressed communities have given up on the idea that anyone will address their economic concerns and instead have turned to voting on issues like guns and religion. And Hillary said that was elitist and it was horrible for Obama to say anyone is "bitter" even if they are. Then she talked about how she once shot a gun and then she did a shot of whiskey in a honky-tonk bar and then the next day started handing out "I'm not bitter!" stickers at her campaign events.

Pretty much the political weekend in a nutshell.

If the vice president had shot someone in the face, you would have been so busted on the hooky-playing front...

Today in New England, the clouds broke and the sun shone for about five minutes. The people grew fearful.

Ahem Kevin, but those would be *kiteboarders* (or sometimes "kitesurfers"). Windsurfers have small masts & sails attached to surfboard-like rigs.

Signed, Kiteboarding N00b.

Did you go to Neptune's Net for steamed lobster and shrimp? I miss LA sooooo much...

I lived at the mouth of Topanga Canyon for years (South Malibu?) and had those sunsets almost every night. Yaawn.

It snowed this morning here in Michigan....

I'm going upstairs and sob for awhile.

Did you see John Kerry Windsurfing a volvo while drinking a latte?

Im just saying Ive seen pictures....

The other thing that you missed is that Glastris seized control of the blog and was advocating something illegal with the Olympics. I had no idea WM was associated with the Mob.

Oh... That kind of fixing? Never mind.

Ooooh, Kevin! You missed cling-gate? Better to undelete all those RSS feeds...

*

Your ability to mock Reagan is only limited by your imagination. Don't blame the library.

I second the kiteboarding noob above.

Are Kevin and liberals out of touch? He makes a cheap (and not funny) joke about a president who is highly regarded by a majority of Americans, who recently died after confronting a horrible disease with dignity and grace, and who is already pretty well regarded by historians as a president.

It is a free country and Kevin can say what he wants, but it is surprising such a smart guy does not see how such a joke demeans him and not President Reagan.

Ask and ye shall receive:

http://www.fadtoys.com/political/index.html

15 bucks. As compared to $280 for the Princess Di bobble. Relative value as presidential material is probably commensurate.

While you're there, you can pick up your Rudy Giuliani and George Bush on an Oil Barrel bobbleheads.

Reagan pretty much sucked. His actions enabled really greedy people to take full control of our country for their own benefit. By supporting his legacy you show your support for that cadre. But you'll never be a member even if you win the mega ball lottery. Ten times.

Great weather for a day in Hell, I mean, Simi!

Since Reagan had a fine ability to poke fun at himself (regardless of your thoughts on his policies, most of which I cared little for), it's unfortunate the gift shop doesn't recognize his human qualities instead of treating him like a monument.

Meanwhile, the Nationals actually won today (I know -- I was there).

Rule of civilized public discourse according to "brian":

No comments that could be considered jokes at the expense of an individual who possessed some unspecified combination of the following attributes. A. Viewed favorably by a majority. B. Died of a terrible disease with dignity and grace (meaning that you like the person and he or she did not fall to pieces in public). C. Viewed favorably by some unspecified group of historians.

Of course, I don't see much insulting in anything Kevin wrote, except some snark directed not at Reagan, but at the library. Sure, that he would let his cats play with the bobblehead might indicate he doesn't hold Reagan in high enough regard for your tastes (or perhaps that he doesn't show sufficient respect, in your estimation, to bobbleheads-cum-idols). I suggest you deal with it. Many people don't think much of the Reagan presidency. Not only are we free to say so, as you point out, but we also have a point, or two. With everything that's happened the past seven years, the very idea that it's questioning whether Reagan was really a great president that puts one outside the bounds of civil and/or legitimate discourse is simultaneously laughable and tragic.

Driving today in a radio dead-zone, I caught Limbaugh citing some sort of unconfirmed reports that Jeremiah Wright "used to be a Muslim." He went on to draw all sorts of important conclusions from this. And yet it's Kevin's post that is out of touch... We live in very stupid times.

Sure, that he would let his cats play with the bobblehead might indicate he doesn't hold Reagan in high enough regard for your tastes...

I'd think it would show the highest regard for Reagan's legacy. After all, feel-good entertainment was his forte.

What better than a cheap mass-market bauble with a molded plastic happy face providing mindless and meaningless motion at the flick of a finger (or paw) to remember him by.

Just for the record, I had a vague notion that a Reagan bobblehead doll might produce some good catblogging moments. Whether that's more or less insulting to the great man's memory, I couldn't say. Maybe I'll ask Inkblot.

Nobody confronts Alzheimer’s with dignity and grace, because it is a disease that robs you of your dignity and grace. Ronny was lucky that the twenty-second amendment stopped him from running for reelection, and that he had Nancy to take care of him and shield him from the press. Reagan’s last years were very undignified and very ungraceful – that is the nature of Alzheimer’s. If you enjoyed not knowing, thank Nancy.

Congratulations on the well-deserved respite, Kevin. Malibu is a magical place.

Reagan's legacy consisted of an enormous budget deficit and an unprecedented degree of TV-centered political vapidity (which has since become the norm). I remain puzzled about why he is so venerated.

Politicians voluntarily put themselves into the public eye. Part of the territory is getting made fun of, and he richly deserved it. The mockery has nothing to do with his private last years; it has to do with his time in office.

Did the Ray-gun library at least sell Hugh Hewitt bobblehead dolls?

Reagan deserves our veneration as the first acting President in the history of the United States.

genome, You call that acting? Have you tried to sit though one of those movies?

Well, I enjoyed the photographs. Just wondering Kevin, did you select a specific “Style� with your camera or just pointed it and took the photo?

The final results look very good. The Sun in a photo usually tricks the camera and poor images are the result.

Oh, and the composition is very pleasant to the eye.

Hmm, did your wife take these shots?

Just kidding and no, I’m not trying to suck up.

Kevin made an interesting comment in the thread. I don't know him or the liberal mind well enough to know if he was backtracking or further mocking President Reagan with his "great man" comment. I fear the latter.

As to confronting Alhzeimer's with dignity and grace, surely you folks can't be so filled with hostility that you will not at least concede that Reagan's handwritten letter annoucing the diagnosis, thanking America and saying goodbye was an act of dignity and grace.

For those of you with enough of an open mind to consider it, I share the leter with you:

Nov. 5, 1994
My Fellow Americans,

I have recently been told that I am one of the millions of Americans who will be afflicted with Alzheimer's Disease.

Upon learning this news, Nancy & I had to decide whether as private citizens we would keep this a private matter or whether we would make this news known in a public way.

In the past Nancy suffered from breast cancer and I had my cancer surgeries. We found through our open disclosures we were able to raise public awareness. We were happy that as a result many more people underwent testing. They were treated in early stages and able to return to normal, healthy lives.

So now, we feel it is important to share it with you. In opening our hearts, we hope this might promote greater awareness of this condition. Perhaps it will encourage a clearer understanding of the individuals and families who are affected by it.

At the moment I feel just fine. I intend to live the remainder of the years God gives me on this earth doing the things I have always done. I will continue to share life's journey with my beloved Nancy and my family. I plan to enjoy the great outdoors and stay in touch with my friends and supporters.

Unfortunately, as Alzheimer's Disease progresses, the family often bears a heavy burden. I only wish there was some way I could spare Nancy from this painful experience. When the time comes I am confident that with your help she will face it with faith and courage.

In closing let me thank you, the American people for giving me the great honor of allowing me to serve as your President. When the Lord calls me home, whenever that may be I will face it with the greatest love for this country of ours and eternal optimism for its future.

I now begin the journey that will lead me into the sunset of my life. I know that for America there will always be a bright dawn ahead.

Thank you, my friends. May God always bless you.

Sincerely,

Ronald Reagan

The old Air Force One was a 707, which was about the only size available in terms of passenger jets when it was introduced. (The only competitors were the DC-8, about the same size, and the DeHavilland Comet 4, which was smaller.)

What is surprising is that it took them so long to upgrade to a 747. By the time Reagan was President, you would have thought someone would have said "we're gonna need a bigger boat".

Over-cephalized savannah apes have a predilection for tall places overlooking bodies of water. Those were prime hunting/gathering locations, after all.

But why are sunsets so appealing? Do they prep us for sleep? But if that's the case, wouldn't we confuse them with sunrises?

Nice pics, btw.