WHEN in the course of human Events, it becomes necessary….
Dispatches #3
byVanderleunonDecember 30, 2022
The Blue Mandarin Coat (The Blue Kimono) – Among the most sought-after portraitists in New England, Joseph DeCamp concentrated on formal portraits of men and decorative images of women set in tasteful interiors. The Blue Mandarin Coat is a decorative piece, yet the model possesses a regal bearing typical of DeCamp’s male subjects.
“Reddy” Pearson, an Irishwoman who served as DeCamp’s model and secretary in his final years, is shown draped in a stunning Japanese kimono—a bold and exotic choice of costume that, along with her assertive pose, contradicted contemporary models of femininity.
Art Contrarian: 1949 Frazer’s Unusual Advertising Art America’s only major new post-World War 2 automobile maker was Kaiser-Frazer Corporation. There were two brands: Kaiser, a lower mid-range car, and Frazer, an upper mid-range car. Kaisers competed with the likes of Pontiac and Frazers with upper-range Oldsmobiles. Frazer advertising was usually conventional. But for the 1949 model year, it was given a set of unusual ads — visually unusual for the times.
Class Struggle – The Board Game of Revolution, 1978 – In an article published in Texas newspaper The Eagle on 24 May 1978, we learn that Class Struggle was being sold in outlets from bookstores to Bloomingdale’s for $9.99.
The game was translated into Italian, German, French and Spanish.
Over 230,00 units were sold.
As the paper quips: “Since the game came out, the professor has been learning about capitalism first hand.”
According to Board Game Geek, “the Workers move around a board while trying to survive against the Capitalist who control everything. As the Workers unite they take power from the Capitalist players but if they do not succeed in uniting the Capitalist will win.”
When I lived in Boston way back there was an Italian family with 22 kids, one mother. She was 42. Ha. So there. They were not all girls though. That was impressive.
Joyfully, JPAC, AmyJoy, Sweet16th, and others...December 31, 2022, 6:03 AM
My mom and dad had 16 children. Mom had number 1 at age 21 and 16 at age 42. When she was pregnant with number 12, they were featured in the local paper for a Father’s Day article along side another family who also had 11 children and their mother was also pregnant with their 12. My mom had twins, so I guess she “won”. Ultimately had 8 boys and 8 girls. I literally cannot imagine being an only child…
KlahnDecember 31, 2022, 5:30 PM
Greetings to all.
I’ll add how my grandfather and grandmother had 13 children, pioneered a remote homestead through the Great Depression, and sent the 7 boys all to war. One of those was my father.
Rob De WittDecember 30, 2022, 12:22 PM
In the ’40s-’50s midwest I learned from older folks to pronounce that automobile name “Frasier,” long before the spelling made me question it.
Ah, Bertell Ollman’s Folly! I’d begun to think I was the only one who remembered it. Let me tell you a story, Gerard.
Some years ago — quite a number, actually — I was strolling through the shopping district of Stony Brook, when I came upon a store I hadn’t previously seen: a game shop that catered to a wide variety of gaming enthusiasms. (This was well before such fads as Magic: The Gathering.) As I was always on the lookout for novelties back then, I sauntered in. The shop was without any customers at that moment. The clerk was “college-town typical” for that era: skinny, bearded, long hair tied back in a pony tail, and clad wholly in denim.
I went through the offerings in a leisurely fashion, and noted a couple of unique chess sets whose purchase I was considering, when at the bottom of a pile of assorted board games I spotted a copy of Class Struggle. The clerk, who’d come out from behind the counter, saw my eyes widen and grinned sourly.
I turned to the clerk and asked him if he’d read Ollman’s book “Class Struggle is the Name of the Game.” He replied in the negative. So I asked him if he’d sold many copies of Ollman’s game. His reply was memorable.
“It’s the only copy I’ve seen,” he said, “and for the life of me I can’t imagine why we have it.” He spread his arms to encompass the establishment. “We practice capitalism here. What the hell are we doing, selling a game that attacks it?”
I was greatly surprised. That clerk’s appearance was the epitome of the Kumbaya-socialist hippie leftover of the Sixties, of which there were many in Stony Brook. Yet his response was spot-on. “Preach it, brother,” I said. I offered a hand. He grinned and shook it.
An observant man doesn’t need a lot of time in the trenches to learn what works and what doesn’t. Whatever he’d believed before taking employment, the clerk had learned it through his labors and his paycheck. From the tale in his book, Bertell Ollman’s education was rougher and more expensive.
ThisIsNotNutellaDecember 31, 2022, 6:15 AM
The Michael Anton vs. Z-Man cage match is one thing. This here is a whole ‘nother kettle of gefilte fish.
Warning. Do NOT read this vile material. Do NOT laugh fit to split your sides.
Lady’s and gentleman, I literally just received a telephone call from our leader, GV, asked me to post the following.
Gerard’s in the Hospital in Chico Calif. the “Enloe Hospital”, on the covid ward. He’s been their since Friday. He s doing fine, but demonstrating a few covid related symptoms, theirs more, but I’m afraid I’d get the other issues mixed up.
. Guys I’d provide a number, but think he needs the strength to heal get stronger. He sends his best wishes to you all, his friends and family. GV’s a trooper, he wanted all to know his condition so nobody thought he was sterling responsibilities.
The phone call was short duration, I’ll try and keep you posted.
I have few hero’s in this world, Gerard is one of them.
Dirk
Rob De WittJanuary 1, 2023, 10:23 AM
Thanks for the news, Dirk. Not good news, but better to know.
Prayers for G.
Funny- I was thinking the same thing. But, you know all too well. Those of us who are owned by a cat don’t forget the boss. Olive will be OK. Add my prayers to the list.
JWM
Karen he knows,,,,,,,this is a family GV built. Good or bad, better or worse. He cherishes, and respects everybody in the circle.
Respect, friendship are interesting dynamics, it is opinions, thoughts, from wise men and women, which keep this place poppin. Words shared are sooooo important.
Snakepit KansasJanuary 1, 2023, 6:49 PM
Not what I wanted to hear this evening. Certainly prayers to GV from me.
jdJanuary 2, 2023, 6:34 AM
Was wondering also. My fervent prayers added.
HylandJanuary 2, 2023, 8:31 AM
We love Gerard…. and American Digest. When he returns to his computer monitor I want him to make this a headline attraction…. remember cartoonist Scott Adams flipping out on his live feed screaming at a woman named Shelly who merely questioned Adams’ flip flops regarding the vaxx? It inspired Vox Day to write a ripping rock tune whose lyrics were composed solely of Adams’ violent outburst towards Ms. Shelly. NOW… another cartoonist… Ben Garrison… has inked a toon dubbing the Dilbert creator as “Clot Adams.” All of this is butt rocking good fun. Or maybe I’m easily amused. https://gab.com/UnrestrictedWarfare/posts/109618557015500844
My mother was born in New Bedford, MA (60 miles south of Boston) in 1921 and was the youngest of 18 (that lived!!!). Add to this, that her mother was blind for much of her life.
Real World Address for Donations, Mash Notes and Hate Mail
Gerard Van der Leun
1692 MANGROVE AVE
APT 379
Chico, Ca 95926
Green Pants Interior by Klahn
Who Am I? by Carl Sandburg
My head knocks against the stars.
My feet are on the hilltops.
My finger-tips are in the valleys and shores of universal life.
Down in the sounding foam of primal things I reach my hands and play with pebbles of destiny.
I have been to hell and back many times.
I know all about heaven, for I have talked with God.
I dabble in the blood and guts of the terrible.
I know the passionate seizure of beauty
And the marvelous rebellion of man at all signs reading “Keep Off.”
My name is Truth and I am the most elusive captive in the universe.
Duty, Beauty, Liberty, Country, Honor, Family, Faith — Plus a few simple easy to follow rules for guys
Men saw the stars at the edge of the sea
They thought great thoughts about liberty
Poets wrote down words that did fit
Writers wrote books
Thinkers thought about it
Take it where you find it
Can’t leave it alone
You will find a purpose
To carry it on
Mainly when you find it
Your heart will be strong
About it
Many’s the road I have walked upon
Many’s the hour between dusk and dawn
Many’s the time
Many’s the mile
I see it all now
Through the eyes of a child
Take it where you find it
Can’t leave it alone
You will find a purpose
To carry it on
Mainly when you find it
Your heart will be strong
About it
[Chorus]
Lost dreams and found dreams
In America
In America
In America
Lost dreams and found dreams
In America
In America
In America
And close your eyes
Leave it all for a while
Leave the world
And your worries behind
You will build on whatever is real
And wake up each day
To a new waking dream
Take it where you find it
Can’t leave it alone
You will find a purpose
To carry it on
Mainly when you find it
Your heart will be strong
About it
[Chorus]
Change, change come over
Change come over
Talkin’ about a change
Change, change
Change come over, now
Change, change, change come over
I’m gonna walk down the street
Until I see
My shining light
I’m gonna walk down the street
Until I see
My shining light
I’m gonna walk down the street
Until I see
My shining light
I’m gonna walk down the street
Until I see
My shining light
I see my light
See my light
See my shining light
I see my light
See my light
See my shining light
The Blue Mandarin Coat (The Blue Kimono) – Among the most sought-after portraitists in New England, Joseph DeCamp concentrated on formal portraits of men and decorative images of women set in tasteful interiors. The Blue Mandarin Coat is a decorative piece, yet the model possesses a regal bearing typical of DeCamp’s male subjects.
Photos of The Biggest Family in 1920s Boston – 13 Children And Counting 
Class Struggle – The Board Game of Revolution, 1978 – In an article published in Texas newspaper The Eagle on 24 May 1978, we learn that Class Struggle was being sold in outlets from bookstores to Bloomingdale’s for $9.99.
The game was translated into Italian, German, French and Spanish.
As the paper quips: “Since the game came out, the professor has been learning about capitalism first hand.”
Gerard Van der Leun
Comments on this entry are closed.
When I lived in Boston way back there was an Italian family with 22 kids, one mother. She was 42. Ha. So there. They were not all girls though. That was impressive.
My mom and dad had 16 children. Mom had number 1 at age 21 and 16 at age 42. When she was pregnant with number 12, they were featured in the local paper for a Father’s Day article along side another family who also had 11 children and their mother was also pregnant with their 12. My mom had twins, so I guess she “won”. Ultimately had 8 boys and 8 girls. I literally cannot imagine being an only child…
Greetings to all.
I’ll add how my grandfather and grandmother had 13 children, pioneered a remote homestead through the Great Depression, and sent the 7 boys all to war. One of those was my father.
In the ’40s-’50s midwest I learned from older folks to pronounce that automobile name “Frasier,” long before the spelling made me question it.
Anybody else?
That’s how I always heard it.
Ah, Bertell Ollman’s Folly! I’d begun to think I was the only one who remembered it. Let me tell you a story, Gerard.
Some years ago — quite a number, actually — I was strolling through the shopping district of Stony Brook, when I came upon a store I hadn’t previously seen: a game shop that catered to a wide variety of gaming enthusiasms. (This was well before such fads as Magic: The Gathering.) As I was always on the lookout for novelties back then, I sauntered in. The shop was without any customers at that moment. The clerk was “college-town typical” for that era: skinny, bearded, long hair tied back in a pony tail, and clad wholly in denim.
I went through the offerings in a leisurely fashion, and noted a couple of unique chess sets whose purchase I was considering, when at the bottom of a pile of assorted board games I spotted a copy of Class Struggle. The clerk, who’d come out from behind the counter, saw my eyes widen and grinned sourly.
I turned to the clerk and asked him if he’d read Ollman’s book “Class Struggle is the Name of the Game.” He replied in the negative. So I asked him if he’d sold many copies of Ollman’s game. His reply was memorable.
“It’s the only copy I’ve seen,” he said, “and for the life of me I can’t imagine why we have it.” He spread his arms to encompass the establishment. “We practice capitalism here. What the hell are we doing, selling a game that attacks it?”
I was greatly surprised. That clerk’s appearance was the epitome of the Kumbaya-socialist hippie leftover of the Sixties, of which there were many in Stony Brook. Yet his response was spot-on. “Preach it, brother,” I said. I offered a hand. He grinned and shook it.
An observant man doesn’t need a lot of time in the trenches to learn what works and what doesn’t. Whatever he’d believed before taking employment, the clerk had learned it through his labors and his paycheck. From the tale in his book, Bertell Ollman’s education was rougher and more expensive.
The Michael Anton vs. Z-Man cage match is one thing. This here is a whole ‘nother kettle of gefilte fish.
Warning. Do NOT read this vile material. Do NOT laugh fit to split your sides.
https://www.unz.com/ejones/the-full-truth-behind-jordan-petersons-recent-speech-on-logos/
Do NOT be a Very Bad Person.
You Have Been Warned.
The cartoon became quite stale, preachy and safe long ago… however… The Simpsons have on occasion delivered creepy prophetic moments that hit a home run. Excellent video here.
https://www.armstrongeconomics.com/international-news/disease/did-they-get-the-pandemic-idea-from-the-2010-simpsons/
Lady’s and gentleman, I literally just received a telephone call from our leader, GV, asked me to post the following.
Gerard’s in the Hospital in Chico Calif. the “Enloe Hospital”, on the covid ward. He’s been their since Friday. He s doing fine, but demonstrating a few covid related symptoms, theirs more, but I’m afraid I’d get the other issues mixed up.
. Guys I’d provide a number, but think he needs the strength to heal get stronger. He sends his best wishes to you all, his friends and family. GV’s a trooper, he wanted all to know his condition so nobody thought he was sterling responsibilities.
The phone call was short duration, I’ll try and keep you posted.
I have few hero’s in this world, Gerard is one of them.
Dirk
Thanks for the news, Dirk. Not good news, but better to know.
Prayers for G.
Thanks for letting us know, Dirk. We’ll be praying for him.
Thanks Dirk. Will be waiting to hear more and will pray for him.
Thanks Dirk, was wondering why he hasn’t posted. I hope the best for Gerard. He’s like an anchor.
Hope he has some help with Olive.
Funny- I was thinking the same thing. But, you know all too well. Those of us who are owned by a cat don’t forget the boss. Olive will be OK. Add my prayers to the list.
JWM
Thanks, I’m sure GV will appreciate your concerns and prayers. Aa
Thanks Dirk for letting us know, was becoming concerned. Please pass along my love and respect to Gerard. -Karen-
Karen he knows,,,,,,,this is a family GV built. Good or bad, better or worse. He cherishes, and respects everybody in the circle.
Respect, friendship are interesting dynamics, it is opinions, thoughts, from wise men and women, which keep this place poppin. Words shared are sooooo important.
Not what I wanted to hear this evening. Certainly prayers to GV from me.
Was wondering also. My fervent prayers added.
We love Gerard…. and American Digest. When he returns to his computer monitor I want him to make this a headline attraction…. remember cartoonist Scott Adams flipping out on his live feed screaming at a woman named Shelly who merely questioned Adams’ flip flops regarding the vaxx? It inspired Vox Day to write a ripping rock tune whose lyrics were composed solely of Adams’ violent outburst towards Ms. Shelly. NOW… another cartoonist… Ben Garrison… has inked a toon dubbing the Dilbert creator as “Clot Adams.” All of this is butt rocking good fun. Or maybe I’m easily amused.
https://gab.com/UnrestrictedWarfare/posts/109618557015500844
Thanks, Dirk.
My mother was born in New Bedford, MA (60 miles south of Boston) in 1921 and was the youngest of 18 (that lived!!!). Add to this, that her mother was blind for much of her life.
Get well Girard!