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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, June 2. 2019It's like a sermonBut it's more like a Witness: Back Row America by Chris Arnaud. Arnaud is a recovering Wall st. banker. It's excerpts from his book, Dignity: Seeking Respect in Back Row America (h/t Instapundit)
From today's Lectionary: A jail storyActs 16: 16-34 16:16 One day, as we were going to the place of prayer, we met a slave girl who had a spirit of divination and brought her owners a great deal of money by fortune-telling. 16:17 While she followed Paul and us, she would cry out, "These men are slaves of the Most High God, who proclaim to you a way of salvation." 16:18 She kept doing this for many days. But Paul, very much annoyed, turned and said to the spirit, "I order you in the name of Jesus Christ to come out of her." And it came out that very hour. 16:19 But when her owners saw that their hope of making money was gone, they seized Paul and Silas and dragged them into the marketplace before the authorities. 16:20 When they had brought them before the magistrates, they said, "These men are disturbing our city; they are Jews 16:21 and are advocating customs that are not lawful for us as Romans to adopt or observe." 16:22 The crowd joined in attacking them, and the magistrates had them stripped of their clothing and ordered them to be beaten with rods. 16:23 After they had given them a severe flogging, they threw them into prison and ordered the jailer to keep them securely. 16:24 Following these instructions, he put them in the innermost cell and fastened their feet in the stocks. 16:25 About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the prisoners were listening to them. 16:26 Suddenly there was an earthquake, so violent that the foundations of the prison were shaken; and immediately all the doors were opened and everyone's chains were unfastened. 16:27 When the jailer woke up and saw the prison doors wide open, he drew his sword and was about to kill himself, since he supposed that the prisoners had escaped. 16:28 But Paul shouted in a loud voice, "Do not harm yourself, for we are all here." 16:29 The jailer called for lights, and rushing in, he fell down trembling before Paul and Silas. 16:30 Then he brought them outside and said, "Sirs, what must I do to be saved?" 16:31 They answered, "Believe on the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved, you and your household." 16:32 They spoke the word of the Lord to him and to all who were in his house. 16:33 At the same hour of the night he took them and washed their wounds; then he and his entire family were baptized without delay. 16:34 He brought them up into the house and set food before them; and he and his entire household rejoiced that he had become a believer in God. How we liveSaturday, June 1. 2019Rhubarb TarteA daughter visiting from LA helped me work the garden today, and decided to make a tart for her friend. Crust from scratch, of course. That's a BD family specialty- flakey pie crusts. Rhubarb tarte is amazing, in my opinion. We grow good rhubarb here. I took it from my Mom's rhubarb patch when she died. Rhubarb takes minimal care, grows like a weed but does not spread. Just a pile of cow manure on top in early Spring. Germany to Vienna: Matt's commercial flight home is amusing. Young people can eat whatever they want to.Summer Scientific Survey: How do you like your marshmallows?
Campfires, and their suburban cousins firepits, seem to me to be a basic part of life. Fireplaces too, of course. I know you are curious about the invention of the American delicacy, the S'more. Originally called a S'more Sandwich. How do you like your marshmallows?
Political QQQWell, the media reaction is strange. Normally the media would be interested in letting the sunshine in and finding out what the truth is. And usually the media doesn't care that much about protecting intelligence sources and methods. But I do and I will. AG William Barr Sessions was one of Trump's worst appointments. A shame. High energyDecides spontaneously to shake hands will every graduating cadet, for 90 minutes. His enthusiasm increases as it goes on. Well, he is only 72 years old.
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Saturday morning links
Experts cite 'bully parents' in decline in youth sports participation nationwide The Greyhound Bus Company Is Up For Sale Clean Energy Has Questions to Answer What's The Potential Bipartisan Compromise On "Climate" Policy? New York Times needs to ‘look in the mirror’ if it thinks MSNBC, CNN are too partisan, critics say Keeping Minority Kids in Their Place - If you wonder what Bernie Sanders’ education plan means for African-American and Latino students, then look at what’s happening in California. Federally Funded Study: Common Core Sunk U.S. Kids’ Test Scores - In several cases student achievement reversed under Common Core, and in every subject studied students would have been better off if states had not adopted Common Core. California Dems propose resolution linking Israeli government to massacre at Pittsburgh synagogue Slavery Is Neither Strange Nor Peculiar Trump's approval rating hits highest point in two years VDH: Trump Has Become the Democrats’ Great White Whale John Durham Needs To Investigate Why The Info Generating The Mueller Probe Is All Linked To Hillary Clinton 27% of Israeli Arabs voted for Zionist parties in recent elections Why Agritech Is Israel’s Next Big Import 30 Years Later, the Tiananmen Tiger Still Stalks Communist China's Dragon Friday, May 31. 2019Grandpa's documented life, with watercolors
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Sorry, alarmistsWhen students quit doing the readingMemorial Day is planting season: A $50 hole for a $5 plantWell, not really. It is planting time for tropical things like tomatoes and peppers up here in Yankeeland. Everybody likes to get an early jump on the season, but it's never worth the trouble. Annual plants do not get going until late May and June here. On the other hand, from now on it's too late for planting shrubs and trees. Water them all you can for the first growing season, but transplantation stress and hot weather is tough. If they hold their own, next Spring they will grow fine on their own - if they like the spot you selected for them. The great Ralph Snodsmith who had a gardening show on WQXR or somewhere for 100 years always said "Prepare a $50 hole for a $5 plant." With inflation, I'd say a $300 hole for a $30 plant. Loosen up the roots of a potted plant, or chop them up a bit if the new plant is root-bound. After that, the hole is the thing. Double the diameter of the shrub or tree. A firm base, and fill with enhanced dirt (peat moss, planter soil, manure, whatever). I mix it all up for fill in a wheelbarrow to give the thing an easy start. Then soaker water plentifully the first year. Why? Because the plant doesn't have a sustainable root system yet, and to make it easier to send out new roots. Dry or compacted soil doesn't have the water space between soil particles in which to send new roots. We planted a bunch of hollies this Spring. Actually, two batches. They are looking good thus far.
Is it a government's job to make us happy?Should Government Produce Happiness? If governments know how to do that, I am all in as long as it does not involve distribution of soma. Maybe governments do know something, because they seem to know how to make themselves happy. Mostly, government seems to annoy and burden me, though.
Friday morning links
UMich decides facial feminization surgeries, Adam's Apple reductions are 'medically necessary' White women cause harm every day Georgia Should Tell Disney's CEO to Go Home if His Actresses Can't Get Through a Month Without an Abortion The miracle of life, from the world's smallest surviving baby Ruth Bader Ginsburg Says a Woman Who Gets an Abortion 'Is Not a Mother' Sociologists Believe Shrieking Left-Winger Who Is Throwing Things May Be Expressing Disagreement Federally Funded Study: Common Core Sunk U.S. Kids’ Test Scores. In several cases student achievement reversed under Common Core, and in every subject studied students would have been better off if states had not adopted Common Core. Maine-Stream Madness: Measles and Misinformation. Is it wise to override common sense? Bill Gates downplays renewable energy: “Do you guys on Wall Street have something in your desks that makes steel? Where is fertilizer, cement, plastic going to come from?’ What’s Behind the Push for Open Borders? Revoke Ilhan Omar's Marriage Fraud Immunity Card Ilhan Omar: If You Want A Merit-Based Immigration System, You Might Be Racist Against Latinos US Will Impose Tariffs On Mexico Until Illegal Immigration Ends Black Voter DESTROYS Trump-Hater Justin Amash: It’s Bewildering That You Can Treat the President in this Way When He’s Doing Such a Great Job for Minorities! Robert Mueller and the Art of Innuendo - He used Wednesday’s presser to take a final cheap shot at Trump It may be impossible to ignore ‘Spygate’ for long IDF reveals ‘longest, most significant’ Hezbollah tunnel on northern border Don’t Blame the Surge of European Anti-Semitism on the Populists Triumph of a Free Society - Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s victory is a tribute to India’s democratic reforms. What do Tibetans, Kurds & Uighur Muslims have in common? All are marginalised by media’s Palestine fixation Top North Korean Official in Charge of Kim-Trump Nuclear Summit – Kim Hyok Chol – Is Executed After February Summit Fails Thursday, May 30. 2019Roman banquets
Except for our technologies, I say that we live today much as did wealthy Romans. Same culture. I agree with this comment at Quora, responding to a query about whether modern-day Italians are descendents of the Romans (not much):
How do you prove that you are innocent of accusations or insinuations?And if you fight back, are you obstructing? Amazing: Mueller's Statement Confirms Whatever You Already Believed About Trump Since when is a prosecutor supposed to determine degrees of innocence? Charles Blow in the NYT: Be bold! impeach now! Just on general principles... Thursday morning links
NBA To Assign 'Adversity Score' To Pudgy White Guys Who Want To Play Professional Basketbal Williams College Professor: For Some Of My Students, Social Justice Ideology Trumps Science Hating White Males Is Not a Curriculum It's also racist and sexist. Some of my best friends are white males. Good guys. Penn Profs Confirm Left's Worst Fears: Racism Plummeted After Trump's Election It’s Not Your Imagination: The Journalists Writing About Antifa Are Often Their Cheerleaders Mueller offers sly impeachment bait Byron York: Retrospective: Mueller and the fatal flaw of the Trump-Russia affair The fatal flaw was confirmation bias. People wanted to believe. It is always wise to identify what one wants to believe and to take that wanting into account. Did Brits warn about Steele's credibility, before Mueller's probe? Congress has evidence Steele was hired by Clinton to smear Trump. He did. It worked. He got a nice paycheck. DOJ watchdog: Former FBI official illegally leaked court docs, disclosed 'sensitive' information and took gift from media Dalio Warns Of "Risky Time As US-China Conflict Is "Much More Than A Trade War" Wednesday, May 29. 2019Wednesday Bob: I'll Remember You"When the roses fade, and I'm in the shade, I'll remember you." love this tune
QQQIf you judge people by their mistakes, you will hate everybody. Scott Adams, who adds that the way people handle their mistakes is the important piece
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A daily calisthenics routine for beginners, re posted
After a few weeks of these simple low-impact calisthenics/cardio daily, you can begin to advance, lengthen, and intensify your overall program. Ignore those calories - it's not true and it means nothing. Sure, it takes an hour to burn a donut or a bagel. So don't eat it. These trainers talk kind of silly, but that's normal. The girl shows you how to modify if you can't keep up with the guy yet:
Wednesday morning links
University offers ‘Problematizing Whiteness’ course A case for studying world history Educators In NYC Told To Associate Objectivity And Individualism With ‘White Supremacy’ Not doing those kids any favors Media Curiously Incurious About MLK Story - Is a Pulitzer winning biographer of Martin Luther King suddenly without standing? CrossFit Quits Facebook and Instagram Over Privacy Concerns, Manipulation on ‘Marketplace of Public Thought’ He Finally Admits He’s Not a Reporter: In New Book, Jim Acosta Insists ‘Neutrality’ Doesn’t Work in the Age of Trump His idea applies to almost anybody with an R after their name Why obstruction and cover-up charges smack of desperation Joe diGenova: John Huber Investigation of Clinton Foundation is a Farce – Never Even Started Byron York: As Barr mulls declassification, a familiar tune from critics Tuesday, May 28. 2019Tucson Trip We went to Tucson, Arizona for Memorial Day weekend. It's about a 7-hour drive east of the San Diego area. I hadn't been there in 12-years, as part of a thousand mile circle through Yuma (Mostly Muffins are terrific then and still)-Tucson-Tombstone-Coronado Monument-Huachuka-Sedona-Flagstaff-Grand Canyon-various Pueblo ruins- Oatman. There are sights and activities worth the trip at all those spots. But that was with very young sons, so much was also missed, especially hiking. This time we enjoyed the lively refurbished old buildings converted to bars and restaurants downtown and the scenic drive up 8000-feet on 23-miles of twisty-turny road to the top of Mt Lemmon with vistas all around Tucson.
Admittedly, you have to appreciate desert scenery, and the best way to enjoy it is walking step by step examining the frequently changing vegetation as soils and elevations change slightly. There are great walks and hikes in the Saguro National Park (actually two of them, east and west of Tucson). These photos don't show the diversity of vegetation and tiny flowers on short cacti, grasses, and bushes, or the flowers at the top of tall Ocotillo. They do show the largest cacti in America, the Saguro. The seedling is the size of your thumbnail, and most get eaten by birds or trampled or die in too intense sun and heat. The best condition for survival is in the shade of a mesquite bush or palo verde.
They'll grow in an elongated barrel shape, and flowers start to appear at the top after 6-years and later at the end of arms that grow after about 75-years. The flowers are the state flower of Arizona. Each bud flowers for just one day, and there are many buds. Flowering season is May-June. (You can see the buds and flowers at the top of the Saguros in the first photo above, and then at the end of an arm in the photo below.)
Severe freezing, winds, lightening, and disease result in Saguro damage and death. They seldom live more that 200-years. The tallest reach 4-stories in height. Is there a kernel of integrity in grievance studies?Spotting fake news
A Scott Adams podcast: Teaching You Some Tricks for Spotting Fake News When Everyone Else is Getting Duped
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