Early in 2003 I started e-mailing Ender’s Review to people who had expressed an interest in receiving a compiled list of short quotes or summations for interesting web items with links to those items. At first, the Review mostly focused on things closely related to political issues, but over time it spread its focus further and grew.

Lately, for the last six months or so, I have not kept up as well since I have had my interests widen even further and also taken up some new activities. I had hoped to issue two more Ender’s Reviews of the traditional format, but I have missed that goal. I now plan on one more to sum up 2008. That seems like a good place to end the five year effort.

I will continue to read many of the same sites and will post blog entries here tagged with Ender’s Review (like this one) for those that fit within the spirit of what I have done for the last five years with my compilations. However, I’m taking a break from the “regular” weekly or bi-weekly format and the large number of entries. Over the next few weeks I hope to consolidate my separate web sites and maybe add some new elements. I’ll post here on progress in that vein.

If you have constructive suggestions feel free to comment here or e-mail me at the usual address for Ender’s Review. I will consider suggestions that fit within the reduced format I’m planning. I suspect I may become a more active blogger.

In The Know: Should The Government Stop Dumping Money Into A Giant Hole?

In The Know: Has Halloween Become Overcommercialized?

Was There Too Much Sex And Profanity In The HBO Presidential Debate?

I have enjoyed many of Paul Newman’s movies, from early on in The Helen Morgan Story and later Hud, through Hombre, Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid and Sometimes a Great Notion. I haven’t seen many of his more recent films. If I had to pick a favorite, one does stand above the others for me . . .

Good bye, Paul.

I have posted before about the Mogambo Guru. His offering today exceeds his usual levels of both comedy and insight.

Here I provide some links to two supplemental articles to which he refers in his excellent screed: one by Jason Hommel and one at Seeking Alpha. Those interested in precious metals investing ought to find both amusement and insight from the Mogambo and his “friends.”

Many’s the time I’ve been mistaken
And many times confused
Yes, and I’ve often felt forsaken
And certainly misused
Oh, but I’m alright, I’m alright….

When you see your ship go sailing
When you feel your heart is breaking….

When you need a shoulder to cry on
When you get so sick of trying….

When you get so down that you can’t get up
And you want so much but you’re all out of luck
When you’re so downhearted and misunderstood….

People in America who oppose big government may often feel as though they might want to “get out.” However, where can one go?

Not Australia.

First, they killed the real Crocodile Dundee, now they hound Paul Hogan.

I searched for this film on the web a few years ago, along with a few other shorts that I loved from filler spots on cable; but I found nothing at the time. Before Juno and Thank You for Smoking, Jason Reitman made this short film. It stars Richard Speight Jr., an actor who played a small role in Thank You for Smoking, as its protagonist; and Jeff Witzke, a contributor to Juno, as his main antagonist.

I recommend it not for its view of “metaphysics” or cosmology, but for its attitude. If you liked Juno or Thank You for Smoking (fairly different films), or even if you attempt to catch all of Shelley Berman’s performances, then you might like this. At any rate it only runs a little over 16 minutes.

Enjoy your independence, but most importantly: Beat the System!!!!