Maggie's FarmWe 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. |
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Sunday, October 31. 2021You are Old, Father WilliamTwo verses from Lewis Carroll's parody of an old sanctimious verse:
Thank you, Roger, etc. from ItaliaIf Roger, semi-retired King of Sicily, would take over my morning links job here, we'd be a far more interesting, amusing, and educational website. But he won't. Mrs. BD and I have been driving around northern Italy for 12 days, staying in cool places, tasting real Italian foods (avoiding pasta and pizza as usual - they are just not the best Italian food), and trying to keep to my limit of 1 museum (limit 1 hr) and 1 old church/day. And on this trip 1 Etruscan ruin/day. It got to the point that I called everything, including newstands,"Etruscan" just to calm things down. As usual, I will post iphone photo travelogues when I get organized. For now, though, a menu from an ordinary cafe in Porto Santo Stefano. Nice lunch right on the fishing docks. We drove out there to the island Monte Argentario to look around while we were staying in Orbetello (in the Maremma). Fun to look at all of the frutti di mare in the fish stores. Vecchia Pesa. Here's the menu. - click on it. I am always amazed by the rate at which Octopi must reproduce given the rate at which Italians and Greeks eat them. Best grilled, I feel. I love seafood of every type. Random bonus trivia: The police in Siena drive Alfas - Alfa Guiliettas, in fact. Me? I drive a Stelvio here at home. Fun, but this time in Italy we had a big diesel Citroen which was great especially on the highways. Mrs. BD loved driving it. Mapquest is excellent in Eurolandia. Second tip re tourism: October is the only time to visit Italy. Off-season hotel prices, far fewer tourists, no hot weather and no rain, and everything open, cheerful, and lively. Plus it's truffle season. Third thing: Tourists in Italy are still there in October, but in manageable and not-annoying numbers. We only saw them in Siena and some in San Gimignano. Mostly Scandinavians and Germans, bunches of Brits, a few French. Almost no Americanos or Asians at this time of year. You can ID tourists by dress, manners/mannerisms, posture, etc. Brits look and dress quietly elegantly, tastefullly, and always get lost; Scandinavians hip with their babies running around randomly or in backpacks and do not care if they get lost; and Americans and Germans dowdy, clunky, and overweight. You can easily ID the natives because they are skinny and fashionable at all times. La bella figura. If you want to look local, good luck: a cigarette, a dog on a leash in the bar, Max Mara, a Prada bag, and good shoes (so testifies Mrs. BD, who can pass for Italian even without Prada). Re the flag - Italy has not been a nation for very long, if they even are a functional nation now. Began 1861 or so. The history of this peninsula and its surrounds is long, complex, and fun but not important in the long run. The only reason they all now speak Italian is because the Tuscans took over. Mrs. BD: "How does this country function? Nobody works hard or pays their taxes ("We prefer cash"), and everybody looks great and seems happy. And they love their untrained, ill-behaved dogs." Yeah, their dogs are terrible, untrained menaces but they all have them. They might love dogs, but they do not have a clue how to train one for a use or for civilization. All on leashes.
From today's LectionaryMark 12:28-34 12:28 One of the scribes came near and heard them disputing with one another, and seeing that he answered them well, he asked him, "Which commandment is the first of all?" 12:29 Jesus answered, "The first is, 'Hear, O Israel: the Lord our God, the Lord is one; 12:30 you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind, and with all your strength.' 12:31 The second is this, 'You shall love your neighbor as yourself.' There is no other commandment greater than these." 12:32 Then the scribe said to him, "You are right, Teacher; you have truly said that 'he is one, and besides him there is no other'; 12:33 and 'to love him with all the heart, and with all the understanding, and with all the strength,' and 'to love one's neighbor as oneself,' --this is much more important than all whole burnt offerings and sacrifices." 12:34 When Jesus saw that he answered wisely, he said to him, "You are not far from the kingdom of God." After that no one dared to ask him any question. Saturday, October 30. 2021Chocolate Cream PieYes, you can make it at home but it's always better in a diner. Many things taste better in a diner, especially breakfast after church. Was John Lennon a top guitarist?Saturday Stuff and Junk
Architect Resigns in Protest over UCSB Mega-Dorm
A crypt-keeper pal of vulture capitalist Warren Buffet came up with the plan, and the money to build it -- as long as you don't change his plan. From the photos, the rooms would be illegal as prison cells. A dorm room on the oceanfront with no windows. It's genius, I tells ya.
The Friends of Eddie Coyle is a great movie, based on a book from a guy who knew Boston criminals inside and out. It's also the first place I heard this quote: "This life's hard man, but it's harder if you're stupid!"
A four-year-old with a badge and gun would be the perfect detective. Just keep asking "Why?"
The ZMan is a lively writer and an interesting thinker. North and West Africa: INTERPOL report highlights human trafficking for organ removal
See, that's why I drink plenty of whiskey. That way, no one will want my liver or kidneys. Western Maryland lawmakers ask West Virginia officials to ‘consider adding us’ to their state
Many states could use a reshuffle. Rhode Island shouldn't even be a state. Delaware shouldn't be a state. Vermont should be folded into New Hampshire and stapled to Maine. California should be -- sawn off and pushed out to sea. The 37-Year-Olds Are Afraid of the 23-Year-Olds Who Work for Them
We went over this yesterday. Zoomers don't like Millennials much. Never mind that. Try to wrap your head around this New Yoik Toims writer who thinks Millennials have an "obsession with work." That must be why they were all able to pay off their student loans early, huh? Why AC won the Electricity Wars
The Current War is a terrific movie about this topic, despite being badly written and chaotically directed. Westinghouse was the shizzle.
I'm always worried I'll run out of things to worry about. Thank heavens for social media. Microsoft Becomes World’s Most Valuable Stock as Apple Slumps Doesn't matter. Next year is the year for Linux on the desktop. Just like last year was. Zillow’s Zeal to Outbid for Homes Backfires in Flipping Fumble
I remember when fixing dilapidated homes was a job for regular people and first time home buyers, not page thirteen on some arsehole's slidedeck pitch to venture capitalists for a javascript empire. I hope Zillow chokes on it.
Enjoy your weekend, folks!
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Friday, October 29. 2021Serious hiking and climbing kitDo you aspire to climb Ben Nevis in winter? Or, God forbid, Mount Washington? Autumn is the time for serious hiking in whatever the weather serves up. Adventure. We feel the best stuff is made by Montane. It's a Euroland company so it has an Alpine feel. LL Bean is fine, but not for winter climbing. Patagonia has the brand, but check out Montane. Bear in mind that they use Euroland sizing, which is different.
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A Little Roundup on The Internet's Weeds
Scientists recreated classic origin-of-life experiment and made a new discovery
No, this finding supports my hypothesis that the glass was dirty. You know, with organic molecules. Scientists haven't been very scientific for a long time now. Why do dogs tilt their heads? New study offers clues
Well, pit bulls tilt their heads to make them more irresistible to humans, and to make it easier to get the toddler's head in their mouths. Duh. Remote-first work is taking over the rich world
So, "That meeting should have been an email" was right on the money, and at least fifteen years ago at that. HTTP 419 Never Gonna Give You Up
A website error message that Rickrolls the bot. Like most coder things, it's almost clever, but not quite. It's also childish, kinda pointless, and the name of the object of the exercise (Rick Astley) is spelled wrong. Troll A – The Tallest Structure Ever Moved by Mankind
"It is construction"? Man, noone can spell anymore. They're's mispellings everywere.
Isn't that supposed to be spelled "Time Masheen"? Oh well. It's an interesting idea about checking software reliability. Of course a much more useful tool is to set your computer's clock backwards in time. You can use timestamped software trials forever that way. You didn't hear that from me. Neuroscientist argues the left side of our brains have taken over our minds
Nope. I've seen Twitter. The spleen has taken over our minds. ‘Astounding’ Roman statues unearthed at Norman church ruins on route of HS2
A new railway built on bulldozed graveyards. I think I've seen that movie. Elon Musk wants to start a university in Texas that will have epic merch
I've seen college bookstores. There aren't any books in there, so worrying about the college themed merchandise before founding the college isn't that dumb. Infantile, but not dumb, which is what Musk should have on his business card. Feds cuff Russian said to be developer of 'Trickbot' ransomware
I still prefer "infantile but not dumb." For the Price of a Tesla Model S, You Can Buy a Flying Car That Doesn’t Require a License
John Denver acutely unavailable for comment.
Zoomers ain't Boomers. Sorry to break it to dullard Millennials who think Zoomers are going to help them smother Boomers with a pillow, but Zoomers don't like Millennials much, either.
Have a great Friday, everyone!
Posted by Roger de Hauteville
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Thursday, October 28. 2021A broad-stroke review of human civilizationThe two best meals of your life: A Maggie's Scientificalistic SurveyI would amend that to foods or meals. I'll start it off: A dinner which included woodcock ravioli with gibier sauce, followed by roasted (boned) Quail stuffed with foie gras. The appropriate wines, of course. Followed by a tarte tatin - with a hard caremelized crust. Ice cream on top. My second might be a dinner when we indulged in 24 Wellfleet oysters each, followed by broiled Cod, Portuguese-style. I could go beyond two, but that's the science. The Mrs. would list Maryland Crabcakes in a Eastern Shore crab shack, and a burger she and her gal-pal had in Hattiesburg, Mississippi. She claims they are both worth a trip, and I concur with real crab cakes. I've had fancy meals all over NYC and Europe, but those are my best. What about you?
Stop the violenceHither and Yon and Here and There
Hackers steal $130 million from Cream Finance; the company’s 3rd hack this year
People prepping for the end of the world love cryptocurrency. You know, money that only works if everything on the internet does. Good luck with that. Forget “Best” or “Sincerely,” This Email Closing Gets the Most Replies The first shall be last and the last shall be first and "Best" shall be last. Why the U.S. Navy Never Built Titanium Submarines Like Russia
Yeah, but titanium submarines sure helped the Russians beat the Afghan navy pretty quick. Anyway, the US Defense department also seems to be based solely on the "money is no object" procurement plan. Wait until we're totally soviet to find out what that really means. You won't have to wait long.
The original Flight of the Phoenix was a great movie. The remake, not so much. China limits construction of 'super high-rise buildings'
That's the 21st century in a nutshell. The Great Competition to Give Away Money
The headline describes venture capital investment as "giving away money." That's the 21st century in a nutshell. Why The Metaverse will be Bigger than Facebook and Google Combined
I'm sure guaranteed basic income and phony empty box refund claims from Amazon will make this wonderful new world possible. Solid-State Batteries Rev Up Electric Cars, Boost Grid Storage
Not really a battery per se. It's a (super)capacitor. Supercapacitors are the only thing that will make electric cars really viable. They'll figure it out eventually, and think of all the money you can make running a superfund recycling site for Tesla batteries when they do.
I once heard someone whose medical coverage didn't cover dental work describe teeth as "luxury bones." Home Values Soared in 2020 -- but So Did Property Taxes
I'm sure towns and cities will use this extra money wisely, by investing in the additional police officers needed to arrest all the citizens who attend school board meetings, for instance. That's truly the Christmas spirit, isn't it? I suggest Germans follow Groucho Marx's advice in these matters: Don't join any group willing to have you as a member. Have a great Tuesday, everyone! Best, Roger. Oops
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Wednesday, October 27. 2021DIY LinksFruit is for dessertFruits are designed as attractions for critters to spread their seeds. Thus they contain sugar (fructose, not glucose) and a bit of fiber to hold it together. Fruit is a fun snack, especially with pears. Pears are perfect with cheese. If you want to lose weight, fruit is something to avoid. Fructose goes directly to fat storage. Olivier in blackfaceExertion and the brain
Wednesday Notes From All Over
Jobs that Marry Together the Most It's fun to press the random occupations button and see who's schtupping whom. Of course homemakers aren't on the list, because they don't exist and you're weird for asking why they're not. Bitcoin is largely controlled by a small group of investors and miners, study finds As opposed to the Federal Reserve, which has a single director, Beelzebub. France moves to shield its book industry from Amazon
Wow. French people talking sense. Truly it must be the end times. Oh, they fix the problem by charging the customer more. Never mind. How Much Do Los Angeles Interns Get Paid? Interns get paid? Who knew? According to the graphic, a social media intern makes about double what a healthcare intern makes. Legal interns make the most, probably because medical malpractice lawsuits caused by low wage healthcare interns pay great. Giant, free index to world's research papers released online No thanks. I get all my vital information from brilliantine dullards who read scripts written by social media interns on the TV news. Securing your digital life, part one: The basics Pro Tip: Leaving your password on a Post-It note appended to the screen isn't good. It's especially not good if you're using the computer at the library. Walmart Billionaire Marc Lore Is Planning a $500 Billion “City of the Future”
Hmm. That sort of arrangement isn't new. It's called a favela overseas, or an Indian Reservation around here. Good luck with that.
Women, minorities, Neil DeGrasse Tyson hardest hit. A photographer and artist walk into a fake news factory
So, every molecule of the story was fake, except the part that smears Trump. That was totally legit. Got it. Humans Are Actually Terrible at Navigating Cities, Study of Over 14,000 People Shows
Better headline: Cities are actually terrible at accommodating humans. Microsoft beats revenue expectations, reporting 22% growth Microsoft is IBM now. Kinda staid, reliable, always makes money. No one gets fired for hiring Microsoft, as they say. IBM is now, oh, I don't know, Fotomat. The Unique Pros and Cons of Being An Older Dad
That's why being a sugar daddy makes more sense. You can be a sugar daddy at any old age. And your protege won't mind if you die. She might even help.
Posted by Roger de Hauteville
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Tuesday, October 26. 2021Cleaning waxed cotton and waxed canvas garments, re-posted for autumnInverness has several shops which sell waxed jackets. They sell models that are more for working purposes rather than the more style-oriented ones available in the US. If any place in the world is right for a Barbour or similar brands, it is Scotland. Gore-tex made waxed clothing obsolete, more or less, but people still like it. What is not widely-known is that Gore-Tex, over time, loses its waterproofing effect and you have to replace the item. Waxed cotton and waxed canvas can be re-proofed. I have waxed canvas Filson hunting pants, waxed canvas hunting brush chaps, a Barbour, maybe something else too. Damn things are heavy to wear compared to Gore Tex. If these things get too dirty or muddy on the outside, you just brush then off or hose it off with cold water. But what about when the lining gets sweaty and smelly? Ideally it won't because of the other stuff you are wearing, but if you want to clean it out, how? I read up on the topic. The only way to do it that protects the wax is to hose down the lining with cold water. No soap, etc - just cold water. Let it soak, then hose it again and let it air-dry. That's all you can do until the jacket needs re-proofing, at which time the company cleans the lining too.
Pull-upsWhether you want to view pull-ups as weight-lfting or as a calisthenic, it is a strength-builder for the entire upper body. The problem is that many middle-aged people have trouble doing reps without assistance. Does assistance really help over time? A couple of years ago we had a one-month push-up challenge, and it worked for those who kept with it daily. The goal was 100 push-ups/day by the end of the month (not 100 at once, but 100 daily). Turned out that it was quite do-able with good results even for push-up beginners - and for women. Their reps got longer, and their muscles got tougher. There are a couple of women I see in the gym doing 20 pull-up reps. They look fit, but neither muscular nor skinny. A 60-day 100 pull-up challenge might work too, but I do not know how to begin it for those who cannot do a single one. Ideas? How did "the Humanities" end up in formal education?The “Permanent Crisis” of the Humanities
DIY LinksThis, That, and the Other Thing
This is what the coming Depression will look like now that we have Instagram. On to the news! Why aviation’s compass is shifting towards True navigation I guarantee your luggage will stick with the old method. Rights have concomitant responsibilities. Stop clutching homing beacons and sending randos pictures of your private parts, and then we'll talk. Here's the FBI's Internal Guide for Getting Data from AT&T, T-Mobile, Verizon The only question remaining about the FBI is whether it's always been evil. We need to talk about how Apple is normalising surveillance I don't. New York Times Journalist Ben Hubbard Hacked with Pegasus after Reporting on Previous Hacking Attempts They took over his iPhone with an email attachment. He gets his online privacy advice from his granny, I guess. Right-to-disconnect policies included in new labour legislation being introduced by Ontario government They'll still time warehouse workers in the bathroom, however. Hertz Order for 100,000 EVs Sends Tesla Value to $1 Trillion Hertz just went bankrupt. Now they're spending Wall Street Bets dough. Wisely, as usual. That's why I only search for porn online. It's safer. Facing sky-high connection fees, rural Ontarians go off the grid They use a substantial amount of electricity, too, which is unusual for off-grid. Good for them. Facebook Reports Third Quarter 2021 Results An obscenity wrapped in a travesty inside a perversion. Blacklisted Chinese tech giant Huawei paid Tony Podesta $500,000 to lobby the White House They should have skipped the middleman and sent it direct to the Big Guy. He must have a drive-up window at this point. Viewing website HTML code is not illegal or “hacking,” prof. tells Missouri gov. Conservatives are never going to figure out how the internet works. Hint: it doesn't work for you. Chicago poised to create one of the nation’s largest ‘guaranteed basic income’ programs This sounds like looting with extra steps. Decades after polio, Martha is among the last to still rely on an iron lung to breathe Did she write the bulk of any series? From Homes to Cars, It’s Now Time to Electrify Everything That's funny. Stalin said the same thing.
Have a great Tuesday, everyone.
Posted by Roger de Hauteville
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Monday, October 25. 2021Red SquirrelI had one rummaging around in my shrubs recently (American Red Squirrel), and had not seen one here for years. Cute little guys, not often seen on the ground or away from good-sized conifer stands. There is a Eurasian Red Squirrel too. DIY LinksWho Pays Sin Taxes? Understanding the Overlapping Burdens of Corrective Taxes The Senate is setting a dangerous precedent with Iron Dome funding Israel outlaws Palestinian rights groups, alleging terrorism: The Defense Ministry said the organizations are “controlled by senior leaders” of the PFLP and employ its members, including some who have “participated in terror activity.”
Our Sex Starts in the Womb, Our Gender As We Toddle On Monday Is Nearly 15 Percent of Your Life. Then Again, So Is FICA
Don't get all down in the mouth because it's Monday. Every day is a gift, remember? Of course Monday is a gift of socks under life's Christmas tree, but it's still a gift, isn't it? So be smart, dear readers. Don't work for Monday. Make Monday work for you. On to the links:
Volcanic activity, seismic shifts: WWII ships from Battle of Iwo Jima raised from watery graves
Funny that the Taiwan news is full of, well, Taiwan news. It's the American papers that are full of imminent Chicom invasions and WWIII . The number one story in this paper is a robbery at a convenience store. We are recreating the entire planet in Minecraft
I'd volunteer to help, but I finally touched a boob some years back, and have moved on with my life. Deadly infection linked to contaminated room spray sold at Walmart
With gemstones? Do aromatherapy misters throw rocks at you, too, or just make you smell like a spinster aunt? The Fatiguing Effects of Camera Use in Virtual Meetings: A Within-Person Field Experiment
That little tidbit is kinda buried in there. Apparently, you can manage people more efficiently remotely than face-to-face. Burying the lede, there, research dweebs.
I've similarly formally claimed the recliner to protect it from those parties who would exploit it, but the cat doesn't respect my authority, I guess. Servicing and repairing electric cars requires new skills
I am beset by doubts. I am looking forward to sitting by the side of the road in my bricked car while waiting on hold to talk to someone about my software update in pidgin English. Tesla Bumps Model S And Model X Prices Higher By $5,000 Each The Model X Long Range price has gone from $99,990 to $104,990. The Model X Plaid price has stayed the same at $119,990. The Model S long range price has moved from $89,990 to $94,990 for the cheapest version of the car. The Model S Plaid price remains $129,990. But think of all the money you'll save on spark plugs! Exosuit Designed in Woodruff School Helps with Awkward Lifts
Back when I was doing heavy manual labor we already had a device on our backs that helped us lift more weight than we thought we could comfortably handle, and move it around faster than we ever dreamed possible. We called it the "Boss," and the technology that made it go was called "yelling." Jedi Blue: A Scandal That Highlights, Yet Again, The Need To Regulate Big Tech
The knucklehead author posits that this calls for more regulations. There's mention in the court documents that Facebook and Google had a plan on how to hide the plan if they were investigated. That's jail time, not regulation time. COBOLing Together UI Benefits: How Delays in Fiscal Stabilizers Impact Aggregate Consumption
I'll bet you the states still relying on COBOL and Madge in accounting had way more than $181 billion in savings because their old-fashioned methods didn't approve every fake claim immediately
The subheading on this article is a true example of begging the question. Who says urban policies have been "well-meaning"? It was criminals decriminalizing criminality. Film at eleven.
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