Some Things Just Need To Be Said
     Sometimes, a thing needs to be said, in a just-so sort of way, without any regard for how it might be interpreted, understood, or perceived by any person or group. Sometimes, a thing is patently and irrefutably true, and regardless of how hurtful or awful that truth may be, no amount of denial, hostility, or revisionism will make it less true. Sometimes, a true thing spoken is a force for good; other times it engenders evil. Often, truth is unwelcome, even when it is beneficial, because the light of plain truth often reveals the wrinkles in our public faces. Yeah, well. . . .

     The Grand Retort was conceived as a place where I (and occasionally others like me) can say publicly what I feel needs to be said; where truth--at least my perception of it--can be spoken without being diluted or corrupted by interference, and without regard to the shackles of political correctness, the tyranny of weak intellect, or the narcissistic self-promotion of rabid, drooling extremists. My goal is not hurt or villainy, but rather to provoke self-examination and debate that leads to positive change in our society. Toward that end, while not everything on this site will be either grand or witty or even necessarily interesting, insofar as possible what is here will be true and accurate, and hopefully of value.

American Focus, Centrist at Heart, Sensibly Tolerant
     The Grand Retort is intentionally and proudly American in both foundation and orientation, so most of the material on this site will pertain to the United States and its People. Without question, ours is not a perfect country, and not everything I post here will be complimentary to my countrymen or my government; nonetheless, I am unabashedly and unashamedly an American, and I intend for this website to reflect that.

     Politically, this site is not meant to be Conservative, Liberal, or Libertarian. I am a centrist at heart, but I tend to more conservative views than otherwise, and that is what will be found here most often--but not always. I despise as intellectually and morally deficient people who are close-minded extremists of any kind, especially those on the fringes of religious, racial, political, environmental, or legal spectra. Anyone seeking a viewpoint that is relentlessly, rabidly black-or-white has come to the wrong place--I don't spend most of my time in a darkened closet with the door closed, wearing a tin-foil hat.

     On the other hand, I am not unquestioningly tolerant or excessively empathetic. Tolerance and empathy are important personal and national characteristics, but tolerance to the point of self-destruction is stupidity, and empathy to the point of self-loathing is absurd. I can tolerate almost any behavior, attitude, or lifestyle that doesn't cause me harm (either directly or indirectly), but I am not required by God or Man or any moral code in existence to deny or abandon my own convictions or to embrace mores, attitudes, and beliefs which are either harmful or repulsive to me. I believe it is possible to be sensibly tolerant while adhering to one's convictions. That is the philosophy I live by, and which informs many of my opinions.

Comments
     The Grand Retort is a closed forum, at least for now. It is closed because I simply don't have time to spend managing, moderating, or cleaning up a comments section, which all too often becomes an interpersonal battleground or a spam collector, neither of which is an appealing alternative. This may change later.

     In the meantime, anyone who cares to comment about something published here can write to me. If I like what is sent, I may post it even if I don't agree with it. I really like clear, concise, logical arguments bounded by reason and common sense. That is what earns my respect and possibly a spot on this website. I hate sophomoric jingoism, preposterous sophistry, unwarranted egotism, and inarticulate ranting, so anyone who is prone to that kind of nonsense should just save it for the other drones.

     It really just comes to this: Freedom of the press is for those who own a press, and I own this press. All decisions about what gets published on this site are mine alone to make--or unmake--as the whim strikes me. Anyone can question my judgment, but nasty mail goes straight to the trashcan. Threats will be treated as the yapping of small dogs, serious threats will be documented in a police report.

Disclaimer
     Unless specifically noted elsewhere, The Grand Retort is solely the product of my own mind, and is not in any way affiliated with nor supported by any other individual or organization. The views and opinions expressed on this site may be shared by other people, but I alone am responsible for everything that is posted or displayed here. It really is that simple.

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ADMIN
Responsibility
     Unless specifically noted elsewhere on this site, The Grand Retort is solely the product of my own mind, and is not in any way affiliated with nor supported by any other individual or organization. The views and opinions expressed on this site may be shared by other people, but I alone am responsible for everything that is posted or displayed here.

Comments & Suggestions
     TGR welcomes thoughtful, intelligent, and relevant comments and suggestions. Suggestions for improvements are also welcome, but only insofar as they pertain to content, interface, site organization, or features. Stupid, venal, vulgar, or vapid comments will be ignored and the sender's e-mail address will be permanently added to a twit-filter.

Complaints
     TGR is a private press, by means of which its owner is exercising the God-given, U.S. Constitution-guaranteed right to express opinions and views about any topic, without regard to the feelings, concerns, opinions, race, gender, ethnicity, or interests of any other person. Simply put, if anyone is offended by anything posted or published here, he or she should just stop reading and go away. There is no alternative except in the case of a factual error, which will absolutely be corrected as soon as the error is pointed out and validated.

Postings of Works by Others
     TGR occasionally will publish or post articles, essays, and commentaries written and offered by the lawful copyright holder for publication or posting on TGR. As a private press, TGR is not required to provide "equal time" or "equal access" to any person, organization, or agency for any reason whatsoever. Writers and artists may ask to have their work published on TGR, but the owner of this site is the sole arbiter of all decisions regarding the publication or posting of any item. Demands of any kind will be discarded without consideration or reply.

Trackbacks
     Trackbacks to TGR are disabled and I generally do not use them as links. I see no value to them, and I am not interested in maintaining permanent links to content on the web given there are perfectly good search engines capable of doing so dynamically. More important, for the time being, I am only academically interested in who links to this website, and if I feel it's important for other people to know I've linked to their sites, I'll just send them a note.

LEGAL (Definitions and Terms of Use)
Definitions
The following terms and definitions apply to The Grand Retort website:
•  Website or Site. The electronic files, documents, images, and other materials that make up a discrete publication available or accessible via the Internet.
•  Content. Any document, image, or multi-media item that is available on a website, including all program code, images, and text related to the design and display of the website.
•  The Grand Retort. This website and all of its content (regardless of the format or media in which it may be viewed, displayed, or preserved).
•  Visitor. Any person who navigates to this website using any kind of network communication protocol or internet client (e.g., a browser like Internet Explorer), or who obtains content from this website using 'foraging' or 'harvesting' tools, e.g., an RSS reader.
•  Original Content. Content created or owned by the person who publishes that content on this website.
•  Non-Original Content. Content not created or owned by the person who publishes that content on this website.
•  Publish or Post. To make new original content available on this website.
•  Re-post (Re-publish).To make previously published original content or non-original content available on this website. The re-posted content may have been previously published on this website or elsewhere.
•  Terms of Use. The rules all visitors to this site agree to abide by.

Terms Of Use
     The Grand Retort website (also sometimes referred to herein as TGR) is intended for use only by natural or legal persons, or legal entities. Access to and use of this website is without exception subject to the conditions and requirements described in this and the following paragraphs. BY VIEWING TGR CONTENT, VISITORS TO THIS WEBSITE TACITLY AGREE TO ABIDE BY THESE TERMS OF USE, BOTH NOW AND AS THEY MAY BE AMENDED FROM TIME TO TIME. THERE ARE NO EXCEPTIONS, REMEDIES, OR EXCLUSIONS TO THESE TERMS OF USE EXCEPT AS DELINEATED HEREIN. Under no circumstances shall any item published or presented on this website or in any other venue in any way supersede, limit, or invalidate these Terms of Use, which may only be amended by publication on this website on this page, under the Terms of Use heading.

Limits of Liability & Exclusive Defense
     Visitors agree not to use this website or its content for any unlawful purpose. No person affiliated with this website shall in any way be liable to any visitor nor to any other party for any damages resulting from or arising from the use of material published or presented on TGR. Visitors agree to indemnify and hold blameless the TGR owner and his assigns against or for all losses, expenses, damages, and costs, including attorneys' fees resulting from a violation of any term of this Agreement. The TGR owner reserves the right to assume the exclusive defense of any claim for which he may be entitled to indemnification under this paragraph, in which case, visitors also agree to cooperate to a reasonable extent if asked to do so.

Hyperlinks
     TGR contains hypertext links or references to other websites. To some extent, but solely for esthetic and design reasons, hypertext links on TGR are labeled or organized in a way that alerts visitors to the general nature of the content of the site referred-to; however, such links are included on TGR solely for the convenience of TGR visitors, on an as-is basis, without express or implied warranties. The TGR owner accepts no responsibility whatsoever for link labeling, nor for the suitability, content, or availability of websites found at those links.

Copyright, Trademark, and Other Intellectual Property
     Unless otherwise noted, copyright for every item on The Grand Retort website belongs to the TGR owner, and ALL RIGHTS ARE RESERVED. NO RIGHTS ARE WAIVED OR ABROGATED AND NO ONE EXCEPT THE TGR OWNER OR HIS ASSIGNS MAY CONVEY ANY RIGHT TO ANY ITEM ON THIS SITE. Further, the names 'The Grand Retort,' 'Natches Largo;' 'Sanger Magee,' and 'SangerM,' and The Grand Retort logo, The ZAP button image, and all other TGR-related images, names, and logos are herein declared to be unregistered Trade- or Service-marks belonging to TGR. Natches Largo and Sanger Magee are pseudonyms used entirely for legal purposes, and other pseudonyms may be used from time to time for similar purposes. All other product and service names mentioned on this website are the trademarks of their respective owners, whether marked or not marked.

     Unless otherwise noted, all original written content on this website is licensed under a Creative Commons License. It is important to note, however, that Images displayed on this website are NOT licensed under the creative commons license, and the use of images found here in any way other than as described in applicable U.S. Fair Use Regulations and Laws is expressly forbidden. Where a conflict might arise between the Creative Commons License and these Terms of Use, in all cases the document takes precedence that retains for the TGR owner the greatest control over intellectual property.

     Regarding original written content: At all times, anyone using TGR copyrighted material—even under Creative Commons License—must preserve the editorial integrity of the material when reprinting or redistributing said content. In simple terms, if any TGR item or excerpt is used, it must not be edited or presented in such a way as to alter the message or original intent, or to otherwise misrepresent the facts or opinions expressed in the original item. Crediting the original creator is not always mandatory, but it is requested.

Copyright and Use of Materials Not Owned by TGR
     The TGR owner respects the copyright of others, and visitors to this site tacitly agree to do so as well. The TGR owner cannot grant permission to copy, distribute, display or use any material appearing on this site, or any material to which TGR links that is owned or copyrighted by others, including video or audio clips, documents, articles, photographs, or images. Only the person or agency holding copyright can grant permission to use an item. In all cases, as much care as possible has been taken to ensure that all content used on this site is legally available for use and is properly attributed. Mistakes do sometimes happen, however; therefore, if any person believes a copyrighted work has been incorrectly or illegally reproduced on TGR and wants that work removed or properly credited, that person need only send an e-mail containing verifiable proof of copyright ownership. Please use the 'E-Mail Me' link at the top of this webpage. A response of some kind will be given as soon as possible thereafter, and in every case either the item will be removed or properly attributed, or an explanation of disagreement will be sent. Please note that vile or threatening messages will be ignored or referred to the appropriate authorities.

Unsolicited Items Sent to TGR
     Without exception, any unsolicited item sent to TGR—regardless of its format or medium—will be accepted with the understanding that unless otherwise agreed to in writing, that item or any part of that item may be used on this website or anywhere else, in any context, for any legal purpose, without restriction and without the need for acknowledgement or any additional communication, to the fullest extent of the law. Additionally, only the owner of TGR may accept liability or financial responsibility for anything sent to TGR and NO COMPENSATION OF ANY KIND WILL BE OFFERED OR GIVEN unless agreed to in writing before the item is sent.

Applicable Law & Jurisdiction
     This website is intended for use by citizens of the United States, and it may not, therefore, adhere to laws or specifications enacted or enforced outside U.S. jurisdiction that pertain to internet publications or other forms of publication; moreover, the TGR owner does not recognize the force or legitimacy of any foreign or international law in relation to this website or his person, except to the extent that such laws are recognized or endorsed by the U.S. Government. Any legal claim pertaining to this website, its content, or its use is subject to the interpretation of the laws of the United States of America, and more specifically, to the laws of the State of Texas.

Severability
     If any part or provision of these Terms Of Use shall be deemed by a legitimate and competent United States authority to be unlawful, void, or for any reason unenforceable, that part or provision shall be deemed severable from these Terms of Use, and shall not affect the validity or enforceability of any remaining part or provision, which shall remain in full force and effect.

Changes
     The TGR owner reserves the right to change, suspend, or discontinue any part of this website, including these Terms of Use, without prior announcement, at any time, for any reason.

Last Updated: 24 Jan 14

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The definitions below are from the American Heritage Electronic Dictionary, 3rd Ed., v.3.6a © 1994 Softkey International.

Grand
-- adj. 1. Large and impressive in size, scope, or extent; magnificent. 2a. Rich and sumptuous. 2b. Of a solemn, stately, or splendid nature. 3a. Dignified or noble in appearance or effect. 3b. Noble or admirable in conception or intent. c. Lofty or sublime in character. 4. Wonderful or very pleasing. 5. Having higher rank than others of the same category. 6. Having more importance than others; principal. 7. Of a haughty or pretentious nature. 8. Including or covering all units or aspects.

Retort 1
--v. tr. 1.a. To reply, especially to answer in a quick, caustic, or witty manner. 1.b. To present a counterargument to. 2. To return in kind; pay back.
--n. 1. A quick, incisive reply, especially one that turns the first speaker's words to his or her own disadvantage. 2. The act or an instance of retorting.

Retort 2
--n. A closed laboratory vessel with an outlet tube at the top, used for distillation, sublimation, or decomposition by heat.

Distill
--v. tr. 1. To subject (a substance) to distillation. 2. To separate (a distillate) by distillation. 3. To increase the concentration of, separate, or purify by or as if by distillation. 4. To separate or extract the essential elements of: distill the crucial points of the book. 5. To exude or give off (matter) in drops or small quantities.

Essay
--n. 1. a. A short literary composition on a single subject, usually presenting the personal view of the author. b. Something resembling such a composition: a photojournalistic essay. 2. A testing or trial of the value or nature of a thing: an essay of the students' capabilities. 3. An initial attempt or endeavor, especially a tentative attempt; --tr.v. 1. To make an attempt at; try. 2. To subject to a test.

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