I am very lucky and grateful to have this living link to a past era, the violin presumably having much more history to it than the later portion that I know.
“Many of the earmark request forms are actually filled out by lobbyists and then just turned in by the member's staff to the appropriations committee.”
“People who have tried it, tell me that a clear conscience makes you very happy and contented; but a full stomach does the business quite as well, and is cheaper, and more easily obtained.”