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.
Stuff does not appear by magic, even if Amazon makes it feel that way.
Many freighters do take a small number of passengers. This guy took one from Germany of Charleston (a great town to visit - one of the best). People tell me everybody ought to try one freighter trip. Get a lot of books read, but BYOB. And a date, I think.
Of course there was no Trump Russia collusion. It was a Clinton/Obama hoax to damage Trump, and it has done so with years of smears. Truly disgusting, even by low American political standards. All collusion with Russia was done by the Clinton team. (This was not investigated, of course.)
So, given no wrongdoing, they have moved on to obstruction. It's a fact that obstruction is wrongdoing, even when there is no underlying wrongdoing.
Problem is, Trump behaved like any angry and innocent victim of a nasty persecution. Donald "You're fired!" Trump fired off at all of this, frequently, and publicly, because he foresaw an endless assault on his presidency by political enemies.
Dems will try to keep this active for the next five years. It's not good for the country, but that's not the point. It's all they have.
One unfortunate effect of all of this bs is that it has made it difficult for the US to work with the Russians, a third-world country but oil rich with nuclear weapons. Trump has been too harsh with them because they are not enemies, just sneaky sleazes.
I think Mueller exhaustion has set in, except for NPR and MSNBC.
Outside of college campi, the victim role doesn't garner much respect in life, does it? Blame, and a sense of victimhood even if justified, reduce a person's dignity.
As we approach the end of Lent, there are still a few hours left for fearless self-scrutiny. Blame and victimhood are, in the end, all about bad sorts of pride. So it seems to me.
The BD family will also be celebrating another almost- arising from death on Sunday. My father in law recovered from his quadruple bypass after a near-fatal heart failure, returning back home from San Diego on Saturday and we'll all provide an Easter feast for them down in NJ after their Mass - if they can get to Mass. They never miss Mass. At worse, a priest visits but they do not need that yet. Guy emails me that he feels great.
Along the way, he learned that one or two drinks per day can help prevent future heart problems. Will not need to twist this Irishman's arm about that wholesome remedy. It seems mild to moderate alcohol enjoyment prevents heart disease. Diet, otherwise, does not seem to matter at all so no fruits and greens and nuts for this Irish meat and potatoes mensch.
Williamson: I would like you to entertain, for a moment, an idea that might sound a little eccentric, or maybe as plain and obvious as a thing can be. It is this: The division of labor is the meaning of life.
"The Last Supper" is thought to have been a Passover seder. That supper was the source of Communion: "For as often as you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord's death until he comes again."
In our church, we remember this event with a group Passover supper on Maundy (Middle English, "holy") Thursday, eaten in silence. No wine, though, as a consideration to the abstinent.
Below, Bassano's Last Supper (1542), depicting the reaction to Jesus' prediction that one of them would betray him.
It depends on what one means by "equality," doesn't it?
Equality under law is the most important form of equality, and is remarkably standard now in Western nations. Equality of opportunity is important too. Equality of personal attributes, along with wealth and power, are another matter.
The protagonist is a 12th C English stonemason who travels to France to learn about the new design fad we now know as Gothic. Besides the architecture, there's a lot of novel in this novel. Good fun and a compelling portrait of 12th C England.
1. The whole aim of practical politics is to keep the populace alarmed (and hence clamorous to be led to safety) by menacing it with an endless series of hobgoblins, all of them imaginary.
2. Government is a broker in pillage, and every election is a sort of advance auction in stolen goods.
3. Democracy is a pathetic belief in the collective wisdom of individual ignorance.
4. Democracy, too, is a religion. It is the worship of jackals by jackasses.
5. Democracy is the art and science of running the circus from the monkey cage.
6. Democracy is the theory that the common people know what they want, and deserve to get it good and hard.
7. Every decent man is ashamed of the government he lives under.
8. If a politician found he had cannibals among his constituents, he would promise them missionaries for dinner.
9. As democracy is perfected, the office of president represents, more and more closely, the inner soul of the people. On some great and glorious day the plain folks of the land will reach their heart’s desire at last and the White House will be adorned by a downright moron.
10. All government, of course, is against liberty.
- Fewer wars, more peace - Tiger won the Masters - Great economy, nobody without a job - Prison reform - A bit of sanity in the Dept of Education - Calm with North Korea, heading in good direction - Trade sanity with Mexico, and on the way with China - Terrorism on the wane - NATO nations headed towards paying their share - Energy and climate issues close to being solved with Gen 4
The only big unsolved issue is illegal immigration. What would Trump need to accomplish in a 2nd term? Medical care insurance reform of some sort? We'd all appreciate more choices in medical insurance. Well, national debt is not good either.
A recent conversation involved exercising our dogs.
A neighbor runs his dogs by letting them chase his car around the neighborhood each evening until they are fatigued. That reminded me of how they get hounds in shape for fall hunting. In the southern US, you tie the dogs to a rope or chain to the back of your pickup and drive around dirt roads for a while. If you did that around here you would probably end up in jail.
Up here, it's not unusual to tire a hyper-energetic hunting dog, before a hunt, by letting him run around the woods with a 5-6' length of chain on his collar. That can help an overly-exuberant dog focus on his task afterwards.
That's what we do in the gym each morning to ourselves so it is far from abuse. Years ago, I would run with our Lab each morning 5 or 6 miles. Being a well-trained dog, she needed no leash for road running. We had fun. And, of course, any dog loves a few hours to run free in the wilderness too. That's the best for them, going full dog. Dog-training snob that I am, I hate any use of leashes (except maybe on human children, pet Cheetahs, and dancing bears).
How do our readers make sure their dogs get the exercise they require every day? Don't tell me you "walk them" like a yo-yo. Walking is neither exercise for dog nor human being. Exception: people or dogs recovering from something.
Starting a mile further north at a Dunkin' (Donuts) near the Natural History Museum (yes, Dunkin' Donuts is our traditional launchpad). I've done what I can to keep this at 11 miles. I'd like to make it shorter - but The Cloisters is the goal. So we can make choices along the way to see how people feel and what can be cut. The Little Red Lighthouse was something I considered cutting - but as Mrs. Bulldog says the view of the GWB is pretty spectacular. I could cut out the Collyer Brothers' Park, but let's be honest, if they can clutter up their house, we can clutter up our walk.
So we'll go for it. I'm sure I'm missing a few things. However, High Bridge, Morris-Jumel Mansion, Collyer Brothers, several Carnegie Libraries, Hamilton Grange, the Fascist Building at Columbia, the Battle of Harlem Heights....it's all there. UPPER MANHATTAN in all its glory to be invaded by Maggies' Farmers. I'll find subway stops for those who need to leave early, have swollen feet, etc. If you're hardy enough...maybe we shall return to Lower Manhattan and have a drink. Mrs. Bulldog and I have started stopping in at The Ear Inn - a magical place - where we have seen a ghost (or at least I believe I have) throw a glass. I'm sure there's a logical reason for it having broken by flying off the rack...but I WANT to believe. Alternatively, the Campbell Apartment is a good place to relax.
Looking forward to seeing everyone. I have been trying to find a weekend to do a test walk to pin down eateries, but weekends fill up quick these days. I may drive it just to see how it goes...
Popularly known as Easter. The word Easter comes from the Teutonic goddess of spring, Eustre.
“Lindsey Vonn, The Winningest Female Ski Racer in History, 
Several of the world's richest French billionaires 
A recent conversation involved exercising our dogs. 
Notre Dame Priest Says 