The songs I listen to while at the beach are rarely about the beach or ocean lyrically. These days, it's usually something relaxing along the lines of Susan Enan.

I was given a professional aptitude test once. My musical memory puts me in the top few percentile. Does that mean I should be a successful musician? No, because drive and social skills are also necessary for success. Aptitude is nothing without determination.

The test also concluded that I have a great mind for numbers. The admin asked if I often remembered license plates. "Um... no." But I can. There's a world of difference between what one can remember and what one chooses to memorize. Encoding memories requires attention. As a creative dreamer, my mind's usually not focused on exactly what I'm seeing and hearing.

Memory encoding and memory recall are separate abilities. Individuals who are better at the former suffer from constant tip-of-the-tongue frustration. On the bright side, we recall-impaired folks can enjoy the same novels and movies over and over again.

Like you, Rachel, I'm much better at organizing information than remembering it. My mind leaks like a sieve.

"Right-wing extremists", but no mention of "Muslim extremists". Hacking someone to pieces in broad daylight must be the action of a lone lunatic... even if video footage shows his neighbors walking around him without fear.

I read in the local paper today that 10% of legal immigrants to the US in 2012 were Muslims.

I took those pictures in October or November last year. The water is calmer in the fall. The waves rarely get big enough there for surfing, but I do prefer to swim in the bigger waves of summer.  I like to swim into the belly of the wave and let it shoot me out the top. We used to kayak there as well.

Some pictures from Perdido Key, for all you Buffett fans:

Isn't this an annual event, like Mardi Gras?

Thanks for the heads-up, Misthiocracy.

All these anti-European Europeans might be just what true Europeans need to regain their cultural strengths. Look at European history in the centuries before WWII. The EU has been a brief time-out before returning to the normal pattern of nationalism and war. What could prevent them from completely fragmenting into separate societies and going after each other? A common enemy. Islam has declared war on Europe. Europeans are beginning to understand that.

Darn it, I haven't put my beach songs up on YouTube yet. Perhaps in a couple weeks.

My beaches are the same as Jimmy Buffett's: Gulf Shores, AL and neighboring Perdido Key, FL. The water is clearer in other places, but you won't find whiter or softer sand anywhere in the US. And there are still relatively secluded parts. Buffett grew up here in Mobile and attended the same schools as my dad. His mom and sister run a restaurant in Gulf Shores called LuLu's.

Anyway, here are a couple verses from my "Beachbum" song.

I got up before the sun
but that's alright today
this time, it's not the traffic
but seashells in my way
you say my pager's shaking?
I don't hear a thing

it's sad how pale I've gotten
but a beachbum understands
now, if only I could find
my shades in the sand
I hear the phone ringing
I would never make it back in time
but, please, don't call back again

Has any legal case ever established that "freedom of the press" extends to the publication of information knowingly acquired by illegal means (classified information)?

Are conservatives suddenly fans of Julian Assange?

Again, I wonder about the modern habit of considering the 1st Amendment only a clause at a time, as if each is independent of the others. By my reading, the Constitution recognizes no rights for reporters which are not shared by all citizens.

Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.

I am not suggesting there is nothing disturbing about recent events.

KC's larger point could have been made without reference to the recent scandals. The corruption is bone-deep.

My nephews and nieces learned to manage smartphones, iPads and whatnot before they were 2 years old. I have mixed feelings about it. But their parents do send them outside, encourage them to socialize face-to-face, and give them chores. Only the last must be forced.

The difference between old Playboys and modern internet porn is the difference between a boxing match and gladiators being mauled by lions. Kids who search for erotica will inevitably be redirected brutal and grotesque vulgarities.

If only I had known all I needed to remain employed for a year or two was a theory and a tree stump!

It sounds like y'all are trying to apply the axiom that, "History repeats itself, but not in the exact same way" with much difficulty in the latter part of that axiom. We've seen it all before, but not all together before... and now there are a few new twists. Is that right? Which elements (or cominbations thereof) are old and which are new?

Y'all might also consider that history is driven by events. Whatever theories anyone makes about how all we are experiencing now fits together, there might be a few more historical bumps in the road which we have yet to encounter. For example, another war or our politicians finding another way to undermine the trust of our creditors.

Speaking of the Founder's relevance, does anyone believe they would have put up with the legal farce that is Obamacare?

The way in which Obamacare was passed violated no law. It did, however, violate the essential principle of democratic government: consent of the governed. We the people do not authorize our legislators to pass legislation without even knowing what it is. The Founders did not write that into the Constitution because they never dreamed something so obvious would need to be spelled out in law.

Refuse to submit that new Obamacare form next year with your taxes. Do not count on legislators to address a pre-legal issue.

Don't worry. Republicans will demand consequences after a year or two of hearings. President Obama will be toothless by then, surely.

Agreed.

Obama's smart enough to know that they will go along with anything if they believe they are in the club of rulers. But is he prudent enough and humble enough to feign interest in them?

Exactly, Merina. Affluence fills our lives with distractions from challenges, responsibilities and even our own consciences.

Lust is an exceptionally powerful distraction.

This is one of those titles that sets me on a tumble of alliteration: Nipples in New York, Biceps in Brussels, Tails in Tazmania, Abs of Abu Dhabi...