We are a commune of inquiring, skeptical, politically centrist, capitalist, anglophile, traditionalist New England Yankee humans, humanoids, and animals with many interests beyond and above politics. Each of us has had a high-school education (or GED), but all had ADD so didn't pay attention very well, especially the dogs. Each one of us does "try my best to be just like I am," and none of us enjoys working for others, including for Maggie, from whom we receive neither a nickel nor a dime. Freedom from nags, cranks, government, do-gooders, control-freaks and idiots is all that we ask for.
Twas the night before Inauguration, and up in the tower,
The Donald reflected on his newfound power. The conservative masses had come out in force, And delivered a victory that would chart a new course.
The snowflakes were shell-shocked with tears in their eyes, The media lied to them . . . What a surprise. They had been promised a Hillary win, But the criminal Clinton took one on the chin.
As we were taught yesterday here, even the government doesn't know how many federal criminal laws there are, but it's over 10,000.
Nobody knows all the federal criminal laws, much less all of the state and local laws. And we are not even talking about civil laws and regulations and administrative rules. They can always get you on something if they want to, and that's the problem.
I'm not sure when the most dangerous time to live might be, or may have been. Apparently, some think it is now. My personal opinion is all eras are dangerous. Some may have, or had, increased risks. I can't think of any period of my life where I felt life was on a precipice. A few days or weeks with elevated fears and tensions? Sure, I can think of a few. April and May of 1972, 1979 at the peak of the Iran crisis, 1987 after the market crash, 1991 as Iraq was pushed out of Kuwait, September 2001. I was too young during the Cuban Missile Crisis, but I'm told that was a very shaky time. There may be one or two other moments I've forgotten, but 'dangerous time', to me, is almost every day. Which is to say, so common it's not really all that dangerous.
I focus on the fact, in general, our lives are improving. Today, most of us hold more computing, audio and video power in our pocket, at a reasonable cost, and this device can help us control our houses, cars, and money with a few swipes. We text or call someone and are sure they got a message. Our diets are vastly improved, our choice of diets extensive, and we have more options regarding the quality and types of foods. When I was in my teens, few people had flown in a plane. Today, most have. I was the first of my friends to visit Europe in 1976. Today, most of them have kids who have vacationed or studied abroad.
After a quarter century of chanting about health care, most everyone seems to buy into the belief that it is a fountain high up on Magic Mountain. It is guarded by the twin dragons of Big Pharma and Big Insurance. The keepers of the faith sent their paladin, Barak Obama, to slay the dragons so that the people could dip their cup into the fountain of health care, getting all they need. His failure to accomplish this is proof that the dragons are mighty and therefore the most extreme weapons must be deployed.
It’s all ridiculous nonsense, of course, but that’s where we are with the topic.
Complexity Theory fascinates me. I have always enjoyed math and physics as an avocation. Physics was, originally, my college major, but I soured on it in my second year. Classes were very cut-throat, and I didn't have that mentality. Today it's a fun hobby. Years ago, I attended a conference sponsored by the Santa Fe Institute, which sought to apply the principles of Complexity to a variety of industries. I managed to convince my firm to send me, and it was one of the more interesting conferences I'd ever attended.
I've wanted to apply several ideas I picked up there to business. Unfortunately, I've never had the opportunity. I'd be interested to see what this recent discovery on the math of innovation can yield.
I'm sure there are some great applications of this concept. I haven't thought much about it, having just read the article. I can, however, see some bad applications. If innovation can be quantified mathematically some people may be lead to believe you can arbitrarily 'create' innovation. It's pretty clear the math doesn't work that way, since innovation seems (even in the equation) to spring more or less organically and its benefits are related more to acceptance rather than application.
What I want to say is that Jesus (by which I mean the whole tradition that flows from him) saved my mind. From what? Well, for starters, from mountains of bullshit.
Sublimation is the process by which a solid goes directly to a vapor. Snow does that, even when it's below freezing. It evaporates. It's finally above freezing during the daytime here, at least for a day or two.
Americans have tried the kinder, gentler, let-me-be-your-friend approach to parenting for the last several decades. If the behavior problems in schools and the heightened level of sensitivity on college campuses are any indication, this parenting approach hasn’t produced the positive outcomes we were hoping for. Is it time for today’s parents to reverse course and begin teaching their children to respect others first instead of their own little selves?
...private insurance was also responding to ObamaCare’s impact by squeezing physician payments, as well as by reducing the number of doctors and hospitals covered through their networks. Some insurers were dropping many of the best — and therefore most costly — doctors and hospitals altogether. With consumers having more choices and more control over their health care spending under Republican proposals, they may well demand more provider options as well.
Still, one shouldn’t get too excited. US health-care spending, the world’s highest, is not sustainable over the long run. Medicare is roughly $58 trillion in the red going forward. Changes, probably including reimbursement cuts, are inevitable. And if consumers are spending more of their own money for health care, they are likely to demand lower costs (and higher quality) the way they do for other goods and services. Not every physician will appreciate a more involved — and questioning — customer.
Does David Remnick, editor of The New Yorker, really believe (as he wrote in the immediate aftermath of Trump’s victory) that “the election of Donald Trump to the Presidency is nothing less than a tragedy for the American republic, a tragedy for the Constitution, and a triumph for the forces, at home and abroad, of nativism, authoritarianism, misogyny, and racism”?
I can "get" popular music fairly quickly, but with "classical" music - hate that term - it takes me longer. My basic music education was unfortunately interrupted and it is difficult to understand adult music without some guidance. That's why we love Bob Greenberg.
One of our Christmas presents this year were Metropolitan Opera tix with dinner.
Being musically retarded as I am sure some of our readers are, I need to listen to a piece several times before I have the privilege of hearing it live. There is no way that I can get the music or the singing the first time around and I have not enlisted the help of weed for that in many, many moons.
We have Gounod's Romeo et Juliette tix coming up soon, so we are both listening to various productions on YouTube and on the Met's site. A daughter said "Don't listen to the end or you won't be surprised."
Like Bird Dog, I was raised with one shoe in city life and one boot in manure and mud. I believe that Bird Dog grew up similarly, not the "mink and manure" set but the "LL Bean and manure set." Comfortable at the Metropolitan Opera and happy with country folk, horses, and farm animals, and in the wild woods with a 20 ga. shotgun and a dog.
I have gotten a kick out of winter bird-feeding since I was a kid. It helps you find out what is around. The birds don't need it, but when it is frigid and there is snow cover, they certainly appreciate it.
Once you begin, though, you should continue the freebies until March because, in your generosity, you have created dependents.
If you have bears around, forget bird feeding.
I do it on the cheap and in a squirrel-wise way. I buy 50 lb. bags of cracked corn or chicken feed and throw a few handfuls around every morning. Ground feeding birds go for it. They might prefer something else, but they go for it when it's cold. It keeps the squirrels busy too. In my squirrel-proof feeder, I just put the more costly whole sunflower seed that I mix with a small amount of niger seed.
If I bothered to put out suet, I would attract more interesting birds but would have Starlings too.
Around here, most of what we see around the food in January are Juncoes, BC Chickadees, WT Sparrows, Cardinals, Blue Jays, Red Bellied Woodpecker, Downy Woodpecker, Titmouse, Carolina Wren, Mourning Dove, Goldfinch, Fox Sparrow, an occasional Song Sparrow. The occasional Sharpie or Red Tail trying to catch the feeder birds. Sometimes House Sparrows and House Finches, but they don't like this food - which is a good thing. Nothing exciting most of the time. I rarely see Purple Finch, Crossbills, Redpolls, Pine Siskins, or a flock of Evening Grosbeaks. I wish they would visit sometime but I am not on the edge of piney woods. In April, blackbirds arrive.
Mine is like the one in the photo with a collapsible plastic perch thing on the bottom. I got the largest I could find so it only has to be refilled every ten days or two weeks.
I'm not sure when the most dangerous time to live might be, or may have been. Apparently, some think 
Dream weddings 
Ringling Bros. circus
I have gotten a kick out of winter bird-feeding since I was a kid. It helps you find out what is around. The birds don't need it, but when it is frigid and there is snow cover, they certainly appreciate it.