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The New American Digest

For Followers of Gerard Van der Leun's Fine Work

  • About American Digest
  • About New American Digest
  • “The Name In The Stone”
  • Remembering Gerard Van der Leun
    • from the website: Through the Looking Glass
    • from the website: Barnhardt
    • from the website: Neo’s Blog
  • Articles
    • The Overland Stage
      • The Holladay Overland Stage: 1 – The Central Route
      • The Overland Stage – 2 Company Operations
      • The Overland Stage – 3 Exploring The Route – An Overview
      • The Overland Stage: 4 – South Platte/Julesburg/Ft Sedgwick
        • Jack Slade
      • The Overland Stage: 5 – Julesburg to Junction Station (aka Ft Morgan)
      • The Overland Stage: 6 – Junction Station to Latham
      • The Overland Stage: 7 – Latham Crossing to Fort Collins
      • The Overland Stage: 8 – LaPorte to Virginia Dale
      • The Overland Stage: 9 – Virginia Dale to Cooper Creek
      • The Overland Stage: 10 – Cooper Creek to Pass Creek
        • Fletcher Family
      • The Overland Stage: 11 – Pass Creek to Bridger Station
      • The Overland Stage: 12 – Bridger Pass to Duck Lake
      • The Overland Stage: 13 – Duck Lake to LaClede
      • The Overland Stage: 14 – LaClede to Almond
      • The Overland Stage: 15 – Almond to Rock Springs
      • The Overland Stage: 16 – Rock Springs to Fort Bridger
      • The Overland Stage: 17 – Fort Bridger to Weber Station

I find I don’t wish to explore new lands, but to explore again those I have already passed through, trying to see what I’d missed in the first hectic rush … Gerard Van der Leun

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Author Archives: DT

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Date Night

The New American Digest Posted on March 20, 2025 by DTMarch 20, 2025
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Posted in Uncategorized | 7 Replies

The Tolerant Left

The New American Digest Posted on March 19, 2025 by DTMarch 19, 2025

"Remove this president or there will be violence"

I'm guessing they're so blinded by their own light that they don't realize it's that supposedly intolerant right - those that haven't been burning, looting, and destroying in "peaceful protests" - that have the weapons and would tend to "violence" back if push came to shove.

I've not seen any way to avoid large sale guerilla action in this country for quite a while; the only surprise is it hasn't gotten fully started yet. I suppose much of that reason is the so-called "right" hasn't started pushing back yet.

Going to be an interesting show this summer ...

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Belt-Drive

The New American Digest Posted on March 19, 2025 by DTMarch 19, 2025
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Actually – I Don’t Have A Problem With This

The New American Digest Posted on March 18, 2025 by DTMarch 18, 2025

"Indiana’s Chatterbox Jazz Club Threatens Patron with a Bat for Wearing MAGA Hat -Then Kicks Her Out"

Though the threat of physical harm was uncalled for.

Time to rock the boat and let my extreme right-wingness out of its box for a bit - I'm all in favor of a bit of judicious segregation.
Let me know you don't want me "there" and I won't go. Just don't be surprised or "offended" if I return the favor.

I believe the owner of a private business* has every right to "We reserve the right to refuse service"; to serve the customers desired and not serve those not desired. Put up a sign at the door: "Abandon all hope, ye honkies who enter here". I've known places like that, even without the sign.

If a bar owner wants to allow customers to smoke, those that don't smoke do not have to enter. It's certainly not the government's business ... and if the bar owner goes out of business because of such a policy, so be it, it's his concern. And "protestors" do not have the right to argue or block said business.

If I offer custom services, I get to pick and choose those I will work for. "No, I won't bake your cake. Find someone else or do it yourself."

If a store wishes to serve only the latest collection of letters and not straight white men, so be it. If a straight white man chooses to not serve those of that latest alphabet soup, so be it.

(There's a restaurant in town here that makes a point of telling all that it's "LGBTQ+ friendly". I don't go there. Not that I care who or what you sleep with but a place that feels the need to advertise such would probably get me involved in some sort of politics ...
... and I'm just looking for a good meal.
They're probably Democrats. Would they spit in my food knowing I'm not LGBTQ?

If someone doesn't want blacks or arabs or whites or gays as customers? ... there are plenty of businesses that prefer to not serve straight white Americans. That's OK ... just don't be upset if straight white men don't want you as a customer.

If store wishes to not serve gays, gays stay out ... as the same gays should be able to keep straights out of their places of business. Actually, I've found gays - the screaming queen types - to be more one-sided segregationist than any other group. Those I've known (I worked theatre for several years) want every "right" to do as they please, to go where they wish ... but want to keep straights away from their "special" places (not that I ever understood why a true "straight" would want to go to such places).

(Though there is a tale of me and a girlfriend looking for a room on Castro St in SF over 40 years ago.
We were meeting a gay friend who happened to be the editor of a national magazine in NYC.

He got pissed at that hotel over their treatment of us.
We ended up at the Sir Francis Drake instead ... It was a different world back then.
)

People love the 1st Amendment because of "freedom of speech" (or hate it for the same reason). A less known phrase is "the right of the people peaceably to assemble" which may also be stated as freedom of non-assembly. Nothing is gained by forcing "togetherness". Gee - I have relatives I'd just as soon not "assemble" with.

Much might be gained by allowing voluntary separation ... aka, segregation. Screw "civil rights"; LBJ messed up this country more with his Great Society than he did with Kennedy's assassination or Vietnam. How can anyone claim "affirmative action" is not as >ra-a-ay-cist< as any Jim Crow law???

When all these "special" groups argue for "rights", they're not seeking equal treatment, they're arguing for "we're special" rights (rights being contrary to freedoms). Left-handed, 3-legged dwarfs don't want equal treatment - they want special consideration because they're victims of being left-handed 3-legged dwarfs and want the rest of us to be required to bow down to their victimhood.

Bah, humbug ...

*A business which chooses to become "public" - that is, raising money on the open market; selling stock on a public exchange for example, should not have that right.

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Posted in Uncategorized | 13 Replies

Tunes For Tuesday – Ozric Tentacles “Space Out”

The New American Digest Posted on March 18, 2025 by DTMarch 21, 2025

A sample of some obscure – and some maybe not obscure – tunes from my strange and off-the-wall collection.

Today’s selection: Ozric Tentacles - Space Out

I'd say Pink Floyd on acid, but that's a bit redundant - at least regards Pink Floyd's early days.

How about Pink Floyd with a bit of Porcupine Tree, both on acid?

The vast majority of their songs are instrumentals because, "I've never really liked vocals. Words always get in the way, make everything too specific. Our music is more about creating moods and giving the listener the chance to get whatever they want out of it. Music is better than singing."

English psychedelica.

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Not That He Had A Choice

The New American Digest Posted on March 17, 2025 by DTMarch 17, 2025

Schumer approved the "continuing resolution" the other day. Nothing more than kick the can a bit further down the road but the DNC was pissed because it didn't include funding for the study of transgender penguins in the Arctic and other such necessary Federal programs.

Seems the Dems are more pissed at Schumer than Trump this week; this may finally be the break-up of the DNC that's been coming.

Schumer didn't have a choice though. Much as I feel he's guilty of crimes worthy of public execution, he didn't dare bow to the wishes of the other loonies - if he had allowed the government to shut down last Friday, Trump would have had more evidence of other parts of the government to cut.

Now we all know the only parts of the government that shut down during a shut down are those parts that benefit the citizens.

Government owes you money? Oh, sorry, that office is closed.
You owe the government money? Funny - that part isn't closed.

Still waiting for arrests and convictions though ... underlings don't count so I won't hold my breath.

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Posted in Uncategorized | 1 Reply

St Patrick’s Day

The New American Digest Posted on March 17, 2025 by DTMarch 12, 2025

Even if Ulster-Scots

"Amazing Grace" and "Scotland The Brave" are over-done ...

Makes one want to go out and tweak some Sassunach bahookie, eh?

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Posted in Uncategorized | 8 Replies

A Paragraph

The New American Digest Posted on March 16, 2025 by DTMarch 16, 2025

It is my policy on this site to not publish any of Gerard's work until after AD goes dark - and to not publish anything that's been published in his book.

It's also my policy that if it weren't for rules, I'd have nothing to break.

Before AD goes dark in the next few days or maybe a week or so, I'd like to recommend those that haven't purchased "The Name in the Stone", to go to the archives and read "A Death On The Net" from Aug 30, 2022; titled "Thomas E Mandell" in the book.


It took the third or fourth time reading this post before it sank in.
An excerpt, just this single paragraph - the part that led to this post:

"What Tom Mandel knew, and what many companies and individuals still refuse to learn, is that on-line is not about selling something to someone or bringing information to the starving masses. what it is about is people wanting to connect in a real and genuine way to other people, free of the filters of older media -to establish, no matter how ephemerically, communities of like-minded souls who are not separated by facts of geography, and to create a place where it really is the content of one's character that is the first and foremost thing people see. Through his work on The Well and Time Online, Tom Mandel gave the net an example of how to transmit your soul through the medium of conferencing."

I'd say that Gerard Van der Leun also accomplished that as well as any before and possibly after.

It's not in my nature to be of that nature but perhaps it was some stirring of some inner voice of the same that led me to step up and start this site - this is not the me that I know. Perhaps it is to be my future self to at least find and follow the footsteps of those before me and to show that same path - good or bad - to those of you who desire to follow along.

Or maybe, just maybe, I'm full of it once again ... which is my nature.

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Posted in Uncategorized | 6 Replies

Overland Stage – Part 17 Fort Bridger to Weber Station

The New American Digest Posted on March 15, 2025 by DTMarch 16, 2025

... and just a bit beyond.

Part 17 - Fort Bridger to Weber Station is now live ... and this chapter ends the story.

The nature of the route changed after Fort Bridger. The stage followed other well-established trails: This was part of the Hastings cut-off on the California Trail, the Donner Party passed this way. The Mormon Trail (1847) came through here, as did Johnston's army during the Mormon War of 1857/58. The Pony Express passed through here in 1860 as did the Transcontinental Railroad in 1867.

The modern highways bypassed the section between Fort Bridger and the head of Echo Canyon though.

The passage through Echo Canyon had been forced by nature - there wasn't a feasible alternate route - there still isn't today.

Weber Station was at the mouth of Echo Canyon, where I-84 splits off from I-80 and heads NW to Ogden while I-80 continues on to Salt Lake City. I add a small section showing the Overland Road beyond Weber Station; it followed what is now I-84 and the Weber River a short distance to Henefer then cut SW along what is now a secondary Utah highway, UT65 through the mountains on its own path to Salt Lake. This was the route of the Donner Party some 15 years before the Overland Stage started operations.

This is the last chapter of my tale ...

Coming up next: Nothing. This is it.

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Posted in Overland_Stage | 3 Replies

The Season’s Not Quite Over

The New American Digest Posted on March 15, 2025 by DTMarch 15, 2025
at least in the high north country
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Rules

Contact: dt@newamericandigest.org

Gerard Van der Leun
12/26/45 - 1/27/23


Gerard's Last Post
(posthumous): Feb 4, 2023
"So Long. See You All a Little Further Down the Road"

When my body won’t hold me anymore
And it finally lets me free
Where will I go?
Will the trade winds take me south through Georgia grain?
Or tropical rain?
Or snow from the heavens?
Will I join with the ocean blue?
Or run into a savior true?
And shake hands laughing
And walk through the night, straight to the light
Holding the love I’ve known in my life
And no hard feelings

Avett Brothers - No Hard Feelings

The following was posted along with the announcement of Gerard's passing.
Leonard Cohen - Going Home

For a 2005 interview with Gerard


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Blogroll
The New Neo
Jean's Blog - Pondering
The Feral Irishman

Hey, Mr. Tambourine Man,
play a song for me
I'm not sleepy
and there ain't no place I'm goin' to

Hey, Mr. Tambourine Man,
play a song for me
In the jingle jangle morning,
I'll come followin' you

Take me for a trip upon
your magic swirling ship
All my senses have been stripped
And my hands can't feel to grip
And my toes too numb to step
Wait only for my boot heels to be wanderin'

I'm ready to go anywhere,
I'm ready for to fade
Unto my own parade
Cast your dancing spell my way
I promise to go under it


Men who saw night coming down about them could somehow act as if they stood at the edge of dawn.


From Gerard's site. The picture always caught my eye.

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Contact: dt@newamericandigest.org

About "DT"

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