Thursday, October 9. 2014
 My pal who returned from a couple of weeks in Zambia is quite the wildlife photographer.
Wish he had included photos of the people, town life, etc., but these are wonderful.
More pics below the fold -
Continue reading "More Zambia wildlife"
Wednesday, October 8. 2014
There are at least two main trends in Psychiatry in the US nowadays, with a large area of grey in between.
At one extreme, there are those who practice as if there were neither mind nor soul, as if there were nothing to a person but a bag of chemicals.
At the other extreme, those who practice as if there were no protoplasm and nothing but a bag of conflict and developmental/situational hang-ups.
Both extremes suffer from some form of psycho-utopianism. Most of us come in somewhere in some grey zone, in a confusing and challenging grey zone which keeps our brains working hard. A zone of ambiguity and mystery.
My close colleagues and I tend towards Dr. Levinson's view: Psychiatry’s Underground Economy. (It's not mainly about money, it's about how we think about patients.)
That's a lot of our daily experience in the world today. Maybe it has always been thus, living in worlds of constructed realities.
Wiki: Hyperreality:
The simulacrum is often defined as a copy with no original, or as Gilles Deleuze (1990) describes it, “the simulacrum is an image without resemblance”.[9] Baudrillard argues that a simulacrum is not a copy of the real, but becomes truth in its own right, aka the hyperreal. He created four steps of reproduction: (1) basic reflection of reality, (2) perversion of reality; (3) pretence of reality (where there is no model); and (4) simulacrum, which "bears no relation to any reality whatsoever".[10]
And at the Stanford encyclopedia of philosophy
(Links via S&M's The economy as hyperreality)
Tuesday, October 7. 2014
A street fair on Lex
They are cooking that corn the right way. The city is always a blast to walk around in, everywhere.
More pics below the fold -
Continue reading "Strolling around midtown Manhattan, a week or so ago"
It's called Trailhead.
It begins like this:
The Trailhead Queen was dead. At first, there was no overt sign that her long life was ending: no fever, no spasms, no farewells. She simply sat on the floor of the royal chamber and died. As in life, her body was prone and immobile, her legs and antennae relaxed. Her stillness alone failed to give warning to her daughters that a catastrophe had occurred for all of them. She lay there, in fact, as though nothing had happened. She had become a perfect statue of herself. While humans and other vertebrates have an internal skeleton surrounded by soft tissue that quickly rots away, ants are encased in an external skeleton; their soft tissues shrivel into dry threads and lumps, but their exoskeletons remain, a knight’s armor fully intact long after the knight is gone. Hence the workers were at first unaware of their mother’s death. Her quietude said nothing, and the odors of her life, still rising from her, signalled, I remain among you. She smelled alive.
The deception was made easier by the fact that in life she had never given orders or led them in activities of any kind—even though she could have performed all their tasks if she chose. She had taken the only initiatives she ever took all in a burst, at the beginning of her adult life, when she had abandoned the colony of her birth and, along with it, her mother and her sisters. First, she had spread her four membranous wings and flown into the air. There, she’d joined a swarm of flying males and other virgin queens. One of the males had caught her. He’d clamped his legs around her body, and the couple had spiralled down to the ground. On landing, he had used the large claspers at the rear end of his body to hold their genitalia together as he completed the insemination. Within five minutes, the act was finished, and the queen shook the male loose. All the sperm she had received flowed up into a special bag-shaped organ in her abdomen, where it would stay until called on to fertilize her eggs. It might last for years into the future. Each sperm was endowed with a potential life span equal to her own.
In contrast, the father of all her children was programmed to die almost immediately after the mating. The only thing that he had ever done was accept meals regurgitated to him by his sisters, as if he were a nestling bird, and wait, and wait some more, and finally take the one short flight from his home, followed by five minutes of copulation. In other words, the male was no more than a guided missile loaded with sperm, his life’s work a single ejaculation. Afterward, he was left with only one instruction, to be enforced if necessary by his sisters: Don’t come back. He had been issued a one-way ticket. He had no chance at all of survival. A delicate creature, he could not find food, or feed himself if he stumbled across some. He would die by dehydration, or crushed in the beak of a bird, or chopped into pieces by the jaws of an enemy ant, or, less quickly, pierced by the bloodsucking proboscis of an assassin bug.
To escape the same fate, the newly mated future Queen of the Trailhead Colony, full-brained and powerfully muscled, hurried to find shelter. She had to get back underground as quickly as possible. First, however, she had to take a few minutes to shed her wings. To do that, she simply bent her middle legs forward, pressed them against the base of the wings, and snapped them off. This mutilation caused no injury to the rest of her body; it caused no pain. The Queen was a parachutist who slipped her harness upon landing. Now she could move more quickly to avoid the ants, spiders, and other predators hunting around her in the grassroots jungle.
Soon she came upon an open space between grass clumps, a small clearing at the Lake Nokobee trailhead. By luck she had found an ideal site to build a nest. She began at once to dig a vertical tunnel in the sandy clay soil. Her movements were swift and precise, and within minutes she had deepened the shaft to more than her body length. This provided her some degree of protection, but she needed to proceed as quickly as possible. Her life remained in constant danger.
It is a short story. Read it all.
 Hilton selling the Waldorf
Nobel Prize for work on brain's navigation system
Standards for a school Diversity Leader
Lambeth Conference Postponement Spells More Uncertainty For Anglicans
The Left’s Religion of Unhappiness
"You have to lie to win elections."
The decomposition of the Obama presidency has created what Obama might call a teachable moment.
Mead on sex:
I’m sick of it all, especially the obsessions of the Sunday New York Times Magazine, whose editors seem to have great difficulty getting their heads out of their, or other people’s, crotches. I am unashamedly old-fashioned: I think public discussion of intimate sexual matters is unseemly, a word that has become as quaint as outlandish mass-culture fare has become hideously sexualized. I don’t care if the subject to hand is essentially heterosexual in nature, or homosexual, transsexual, omnisexual, multisexual, interspecies-sexual, or all the other kinds of sexual that I’m sure exist but know nothing about. I could not give a damn what consenting adults do with their genitalia in private, but I don’t need or want to hear about it in public—and these days you nearly have to hole up in a mountain cave somewhere to escape it.
Caifornia drought: "Nobody Has Any Idea How Disastrous It's Going To Be"
ISIL Within Shelling Range of Baghdad Airport
Despite the California drought, our swimming hole in the Sierras still had its usual 8' of water in August.
Monday, October 6. 2014
From my dumpster guy, a good, reliable fellow, Hernando:
"I wish I could send all these stuffs to my relatives in Colombia. They could use all these stuffs you people throw away."
Common Core and Common Lunch: The ‘Common Calorie’ Revolt - Schools and students fight the tasteless, small lunches required by Michelle Obama’s signature initiative.
Where is it written that the Feds have power over tater tots?
Gerard Vanderleun refers to this sort of thing as a "Manhattan Death March."
We have some takers. We'll definitely start at 10 AM at South Ferry. Rain or shine.
Even though we are only doing parts of southern Manhattan, we are going to try to keep the walking distance under 11 miles, and the time under 7 hours (including stops). Lots of meandering (and lots of street crossings which slow things down a lot).
We'll have to delete some things from our wish list but if people like it - and survive it - we can do a different route next year.
Can you identify that cool building? Answer below the fold -
Continue reading "Update on the Maggie's Farm NYC Urban Hike on Saturday, Oct. 18"
Fewer men are working, and marriage is dying.
Assisted Suicide 'Out of Control' in Netherlands
Sultan: Science is for Stupid People
Hailing the First 'Great' Transgender TV Show
Steyn: Ebola Yes, Bagpipes No
Thomas Jefferson’s Folly - California’s worst-performing law school illustrates the moral hazard of federal student loans.
Please don't vote. The biggest fans of "democracy" treat this orgy of vacuous lever pulling as if it were sacred or patriotic. It's neither.
Canada: I’m an adult. Stop nudging me
Planners have tried all kinds of incentives to get us to cycle more. Toronto has built dedicated bike lanes, as well as semi-dedicated lanes (a safety menace, in my view). It even invested in a money-losing bike-share program. Sadly, though, I’m no more inclined to ride a bike than ever. My reasons are pedestrian: Sweatiness, helmet hair, inability to pick up dinner and 10 kilograms of cat litter on the way home. And the weather, which is crummy half the year.
But mostly, I enjoy not having my teeth knocked out.
Every single thing this president has tried has failed
The Dark Side of Green Justice - Review: ‘Law of the Jungle’ by Paul Barrett
“I once worked for a lawyer who said something that I have never forgotten,” Donizger recalled in another outtake. “‘Facts do not exist. Facts are created.’ Ever since that day, I realized how the law works.”
Dutch Military Retreats Before... Tweets!
White House Can't Hide Look Into Koch Tax Data Misuse
OBAMA FORCED OUT INTEL CHIEF WHO WARNED ABOUT WEAK IRAQI ARM
Hamas disarming? Forget about it, says top IDF intel officer
Sunday, October 5. 2014
Why Liberals Love the Disease Theory of Addiction, by a Liberal Who Hates It
My impression was that the "disease" model became popular for three main reasons; 1) it made it more comfortable for the addict, 2) it made it more likely to get insurance coverage for treatment and 3) addictions do have a physiological aspect. It never occurred to me that politics had anything to do with it.
We are remembering last September's trip to Northern Italy and the Dolomites (with a drive down to Verona). Pic is me - yer editor Bird Dog with well-used Osprey day pack - made in Dolores, Colorado. That pack has been from Telluride to Tunisia to Turkey, and lots of places in between.
I do not mind looking like an American tourist. In fact, I often try to, just for fun.
Northern Italy 2013, #1: Bergamo, with food
Northern Italy 2013, #3: Gardone Riviera on Lake Garda
Northern Italy, 2013, #2: Breakfast time on Lake Garda
Northern Italy 2013, : Italy's Sud-Tyrol in the Dolomites
Northern Italy 2013, #4: Hiking in the Dolomites
Northern Italy 2013, #5: Mostly random street photos in Verona
Back from Italy: Home, Sweet Home
Holiday season is fast upon us, which means conflict, tension, and related frivolity. Here's something useful: An Idiot’s Guide to the Right
We are getting sick of explaining the basics of the non-liberal world every Thanksgiving.
Please forward this link to your nephew and refuse to argue with him until he’s read it.
Exodus 20:1-4, 7-9, 12-20
20:1 Then God spoke all these words:
20:2 I am the LORD your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery;
20:3 you shall have no other gods before me.
20:4 You shall not make for yourself an idol, whether in the form of anything that is in heaven above, or that is on the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth.
20:7 You shall not make wrongful use of the name of the LORD your God, for the LORD will not acquit anyone who misuses his name.
20:8 Remember the sabbath day, and keep it holy.
20:9 Six days you shall labor and do all your work.
20:12 Honor your father and your mother, so that your days may be long in the land that the LORD your God is giving you.
20:13 You shall not murder.
20:14 You shall not commit adultery.
20:15 You shall not steal.
20:16 You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor.
20:17 You shall not covet your neighbor's house; you shall not covet your neighbor's wife, or male or female slave, or ox, or donkey, or anything that belongs to your neighbor.
20:18 When all the people witnessed the thunder and lightning, the sound of the trumpet, and the mountain smoking, they were afraid and trembled and stood at a distance,
20:19 and said to Moses, "You speak to us, and we will listen; but do not let God speak to us, or we will die."
20:20 Moses said to the people, "Do not be afraid; for God has come only to test you and to put the fear of him upon you so that you do not sin."
But I will post more of his pics soon. Caption this!
Saturday, October 4. 2014
Everything in the attic, basement, and garage that has not been used in two years is on its way out today.
The attic will be emptied, completely. Nothing will ever go back up that attic pull-down stair, so long as I am alive. Will keep a few pieces of furniture that the kids might need when they find their own homes. Otherwise, total clean-out. A dumpster, and two strong helpers. Pancho and Ruiz, our good yard guys. "Nice house, but too much stuff" said Pancho.
Gave them nice tips - deserved it for sure.
Lots should probably go to Good Will but it's just too much trouble. Clothing, furniture, old kids' stuff, etc. If my legal immigrant helpers want stuff, they are welcome to it. I'm sick of my attitude of "I might need it or want it someday." Yeah, right. Will keep my Sawzall, tho. Best tool since the stone-age stone hammer. Chain saws? I use them frequently. Brio train set? A keeper!
If we lived on a busy middle-class street, almost everything would be taken by people if we put it on the curb. That's what my brother does with his excess stuff. Great set of 6 kitchen table chairs which I always liked, etc.
The way we Americans accumulate stuff is ridiculous. It expands to fill and then overflow the space - and then you can't find it even if you wanted to. That's why God, in his infinite goodness and wisdom, created dumpsters. Also, He created rent-a-tool places. Great. Why buy, store, and maintain something if you can rent it for a day or two when you need it?
Firearms? Well, I think I'll save all my spares for future grandkids. All most people really need around the house are a handgun, a deer rifle, a .22, a 16 ga. and a couple of BB guns for the little kids, but I do not even know how many firearms I have. More than I can use, for sure.
Update: It only took us only 5 hours to fill the dumpster over the brim. Found Mrs. BD's wedding gown, kept it (who knows, she might need it someday - it's a nice one and I can be a pain). Lots of keeper kids' books and keeper train set. And some antique oriental rugs I had stored away zipped up in mothballs and forgot that I had. Nice, but I don't need more rugs now. In fact, I already have a stash of very nice antique orientals waiting for my kids' use. They are not in fashion, but I love them. Especially the Caucasians. Well-worn but fascinating to look at.
Now just vacuum the whole attic, and it's done. Onward and upward with the autumn honey-do list...
People taking pictures of themselves has become a kind of 'normal' thing with the advent of the smartphone. Teens seem to do it regularly, and even the president takes part (which seems to give the practice validity, though he is very consumed with himself). The term 'selfie' has been added to the the dictionary and this self-indulgent practice has spawned a number of YouTube compilations. Some really are just self-indulgent. Others are well-designed and give insight. Still others have an artistic bend to them. But each has two things in common. The first is it is taken by the subject, the second is it is about the subject as an individual.
While the concept of taking regular pictures of a subject is not new, the ease with which it can be done (particularly on an individual level) has improved. As a project for an artist, however, it can yield intriguing results. Nicholas Nixon's study of the Brown Sisters provides a tremendous view of how a subject group, in this case a family, progresses through time. I am not sensitive enough to be moved to tears, though others have been.
My wife and I had very different reactions to the pictures. She focused on the items mentioned in the article, all of which are intriguing. I looked at the individual pictures, seeking to find indications of change and age. While each picture shows differences, I was of the opinion noticeable changes started appearing somewhere around the 16-20 year mark.
Through the Jewish High Holy Days ending with Yom Kippur tonight, we search our souls and behaviors for corrections that will bring a better year. Last night before Kol Nidre, I was chatting with the new, young Assistant Rabbi. I commented that much of life is a test of how we will act and react. The Senior Rabbi’s sermon last night added depth to this. He examined a facet of resilience that is at the core of our teachings, gratitude. We begin our days with a prayer of thanks for experiencing our senses. The Rabbi added that as we face adversities, beyond just faith in our Creator or ourselves there is the strength and refocus from pain provided by gratitude for the blessings of life we have had, have now, or will have. As we always end our prayers tonight at the end of Yom Kippur services, “next year in Jerusalem,” not just literally but figuratively will we be in the land of milk and honey.
 Remember this good vid? It's not about the nail!
Ex-mayor Bloomberg was asked why he decided to go back to his job running Bloomberg. His reply: "I could stay home listening to Elaine talk about her feelings, or go back to work. Now, what would you do?"
What's a Grandma Pie? And Where Can You Find One?
How to improve your memory
Is this the baseball glove of the future?
Which sports teams should transgender students play on?
A "Misc." team? I can picture that.
5 simple ways to “age-proof” your body before it starts breaking down
A gal to avoid: I Don’t Want to Marry a Man Who Will Feed Our Kid McDonald’s
Disgusting food, occasionally necessary
‘It’s Science’ Has Become the New ‘it’s Gospel’
Five Reasons Americans Can't Find Jobs
Welcome to Illinois, the state that doesn't work
BATTERED, BEREAVED, AND BEHIND BARS -Arlena Lindley’s boyfriend Alonzo Turner beat her for months and murdered her child — so why was she sent to prison for 45 years? A BuzzFeed News Investigation.
4 Years Later, Fed Critics Explain Why Central Planning Still Doesn't Work
It’s official: no global warming for 18 years 1 month
Why That Guy Keeps Reminding You He Went to an Ivy League School
It's called marketing, branding
It's Insulting to Women to Suggest They're Interested in Weddings, Dresses, and Other Girly Things!
Modern girls love trucks, modern boys love dresses
Forget Secession. Americans Want to Boot California From the Union.
Hmmm. Expulsion?
Obama Sent Emissary To Tehran in 2008 To Assure Mullahs He Was A Friend To Iranian Regime
How Low Can It Go? Oil Benchmark Hits 28-Month Low
Labor Participation Rate Drops To 36 Year Low; Record 92.6 Million Americans Not In Labor Force
Gotta like Rand Paul
Dick Morris Tells Hannity: Obama Pushing for One-Party Rule
Isn't that power what parties strive for?
Psychologists try to figure out how to alarm people about global warming
Ebola Expert Demands Americans Die for White Guilt
Is Germany Planning to Ban Work Emails After 6 P.M.?
What a great idea - unless you're in management. Idiots.
Average IQ by nations, via Important Ebola Note
The list might explain why there are so many Singaporean software developers in the US. They are in high demand.
The President of Inequality : Policies Promoting Equality Over Growth Have Damaged Both.
Who brought the Arabs to this nadir?
An annual reposting, now at the beginning of duck hunting season.
 WHATEVER YOU DO IS WRONG
When you sit in the blind awaiting the flight
Of the white-breasted northern sprig,
While they circle high and think to light,
And they look so close and big,
You whisper your pard, as you both crouch low,
“Now! – Don’t wait too long!”
You shoot – too far – and off they go;
Whatever you do is wrong!
Then you curse yourself for a fool greenhorn,
Your pride has had a blow;
Sullen you sit and smoke and mourn,
When – in comes a bunch, fair low!
You watch them circle ‘round and ‘round,
“Just let them work along!”
When – off they swing, southward bound;
Whatever you do is wrong!
And so, through life, a poor wretch tries
To do what he thinks is right,
To place his funds so that when he dies
His family’ll be sitting tight;
To raise the young with the best in mind,
And sometimes it works like a song,
But often he finds like the man in the blind,
Whatever you do is wrong!
Still, I think that our God who sits in His sky,
And watches each man in his blind,
When it comes time for the hunter to die,
Surely, He’ll keep in mind
That each tried to do what it seemed he ought,
And He’ll put us where we belong;
For He’ll understand the fellow that thought,
Whatever he did was wrong!
L.E.H.
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