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.
A few suggestions from a reader on what things to promote to reduce material poverty around the world:
work ethic showing up on time frugality saving investing for profit enforceable contracts freely entered independent arbitration of disputes rule of law in which all persons are equal secure private property rights good education to high standards
All the same, I believe the Pope' s job is to worry about spiritual poverty, not material. St. Francis took a vow of poverty and rejection of secular matters to assist his spiritual development and preaching mission.
Old log cabin is older (1876) than the young Sequoia gigantea (c.1895) - note c.1885 photo before the sequoia was planted.
Giant sequoias grow to an average height of 250 to 275 feet (76-84 m) and 15 to 20 feet (5-7 m) d.b.h. Record trees have been reported to be 310 feet (95 m) in height and 35 feet (11m) d.b.h. The leaves are awl-shaped,sessile, and persistent. Seed cones are 2 to 3 inches (5-8cm) long, serotinous, persistent, and may remain green up to 20 years. Bark is fibrous, furrowed, and may be 2 feet (0.6 m) thick at the base of the columnar trunk. The oldest known giant sequoia based on ring count is 3,200 years old.
Were I to dare to write a note to His Holiness, it would include some phrases like these:
...putting aside your concerns about nature and the weather, which I think the Creator may control in some way which is beyond our comprehension...
...instead of trying to be an amateur meteorologist or amateur economist, why not focus on Christ and His offer of salvation? That's what people need.
...if money is one of your major interests in this transient earthly existence, one constructive path of inquiry would be to focus on and to promote what makes people prosperous instead of blaming others...not that has anything to do with your job or your expertise, but the sources of prosperity and material abundance are well-understood...while the sources of religious abundance always need instruction, guidance, support and help.
If touching is assault then I have been assaulted by hundreds of women who have amiably touched my arm in conversation, and hundreds of men who have given me pats on the back. On a few occasions I have even had the experience of women tentatively touching me under the table and, for a guy, that is difficult to resist but it is not sexual assault.
Rape is violent, forceful assault with sexual intent. It is a felony. It is not equivalent to hand-holding, to a touch, or to a try for a good-night kiss on the porch. Equating normal social behavior with assault can only trivialize the reality of true assault.
Effortful physical exertion has many benefits (not walking or slow jogging, but heavy exertion) and should be pursued by anybody who desires to stay fit, but weight loss can only be achieved via diet. That means no carbs. It is settled science...
We take it for granted today, but it is an astonishing fact that, at least in the Western world, one of our challenges is dealing with too much cheap good high-caloric food. For regular folks, that's a first in human history.
The design of anything is always an interesting topic. Bouquets, clothing, furniture, buildings. It's not just interesting for gays and females.
One of Mrs. BD's hobbies is floral design. She competes, seriously. She has seen tons of books on the topic but she recommends one short one which goes through the fundamentals: Balance, Emphasis, Harmony, Proportion, Rhythm, and Unity. Cool stuff:
It's not a "how to," it's more about the "what." The mechanics and the how-to are another complex topic but over the years I have learned a bit about that too as have most of the genial husbands of the garden club ladies.
I told her that my Mom got so deep into the art of it it that she finally quit it all in older age, and decided to just throw handfuls of wildflowers, daisies, and grasses in vases. However, with all of her training she knew how to do that with simplicity and taste.
He thought he was being cute and ironic. There is no cute and ironic anymore, dude. Thank God, one more witch (on the right) brought to justice. The other person in the photo might be a collaborator requiring similar justice.
Sailed on that fine ship several times as a youngster out of Pier 40 in Manhattan. Nobody has ever regretted taking at least one (non-military) trans-Atlantic ship crossing (well, excepting Titanic, Lusitania, Andrea Doria, etc.) Elegant ship, no stabilizers.
When you get out of a harbor, a tiny little boat comes out to take the harbor pilot back to port. Regardless of weather or seas. Trans-Atlantic all very cool, especially when you run into nasty weather.
The HAL's ad used to be "Getting there is half the fun." In my view, way more than half.
At a daughter's request, I am re-linking Ray Dalio's Principles. He seems like a unique, humble character who understands how much we all can learn from our mistakes.
At his firm, public self-criticism is key. Second to that is unvarnished, public mutual critique. It is not for the hypersensitive or faint of heart.
Now I've always been the kind of person that doesn't like to trespass but sometimes you just find yourself over the line Oh if there's an original thought out there I could use it right now You now I feel pretty good but that ain't saying much, I could feel a whole lot better If you were just here by my side to show me how. Well I'm standing in line in the rain to see a movie starring Gregory Peck Yeh but you know it's not the one I had in mind He's got a new one out now I don't even know what it's about But I'll see him in anything so I'll stand in line...
I feel sad to be reaching the end of this book, packed as it is with the history and culture of the rowdy Jacobean England which was the context for what is considered the finest work ever written in English. My ditto on that.
The translating committee members needed to know Hebrew, Aramaic, and Greek. Their instructions from King James were to produce a book majestic and poetic in tone but simple enough for an illiterate plowman to comprehend. James' goal was to have one bible for one people, and he even included Separatists on the committees. (The two Bibles in English at the time were neither majestic nor poetic. Those Separatists who became the American Pilgrims used the Geneva Bible which was a dry tome.) The King James has a few notorious mistranslations (eg camel and needle), but that's niggling.
4:26 He also said, "The kingdom of God is as if someone would scatter seed on the ground,
4:27 and would sleep and rise night and day, and the seed would sprout and grow, he does not know how.
4:28 The earth produces of itself, first the stalk, then the head, then the full grain in the head.
4:29 But when the grain is ripe, at once he goes in with his sickle, because the harvest has come."
4:30 He also said, "With what can we compare the kingdom of God, or what parable will we use for it?
4:31 It is like a mustard seed, which, when sown upon the ground, is the smallest of all the seeds on earth;
4:32 yet when it is sown it grows up and becomes the greatest of all shrubs, and puts forth large branches, so that the birds of the air can make nests in its shade."
4:33 With many such parables he spoke the word to them, as they were able to hear it;
4:34 he did not speak to them except in parables, but he explained everything in private to his disciples.
Everything 
The design of anything is always an interesting topic. Bouquets, clothing, furniture, buildings. It's not just interesting for gays and females.
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