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.
Eels are very cool fish with remarkable life histories. They are also good to eat. Eeling, like crabbing, used to be a major cottage industry along the North American coast.
The first time I caught an eel, as a kid, I thought I had caught a snake. Unlike snakes, Eels are slimy and difficult to get a grip on.
Damming of rivers and streams is the likely cause of the drop-off of eel populations, just as with other anadromous fish.
24:13 Now on that same day two of them were going to a village called Emmaus, about seven miles from Jerusalem,
24:14 and talking with each other about all these things that had happened.
24:15 While they were talking and discussing, Jesus himself came near and went with them,
24:16 but their eyes were kept from recognizing him.
24:17 And he said to them, "What are you discussing with each other while you walk along?" They stood still, looking sad.
24:18 Then one of them, whose name was Cleopas, answered him, "Are you the only stranger in Jerusalem who does not know the things that have taken place there in these days?"
24:19 He asked them, "What things?" They replied, "The things about Jesus of Nazareth, who was a prophet mighty in deed and word before God and all the people,
24:20 and how our chief priests and leaders handed him over to be condemned to death and crucified him.
24:21 But we had hoped that he was the one to redeem Israel. Yes, and besides all this, it is now the third day since these things took place.
24:22 Moreover, some women of our group astounded us. They were at the tomb early this morning,
24:23 and when they did not find his body there, they came back and told us that they had indeed seen a vision of angels who said that he was alive.
24:24 Some of those who were with us went to the tomb and found it just as the women had said; but they did not see him."
24:25 Then he said to them, "Oh, how foolish you are, and how slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have declared!
24:26 Was it not necessary that the Messiah should suffer these things and then enter into his glory?"
24:27 Then beginning with Moses and all the prophets, he interpreted to them the things about himself in all the scriptures.
24:28 As they came near the village to which they were going, he walked ahead as if he were going on.
24:29 But they urged him strongly, saying, "Stay with us, because it is almost evening and the day is now nearly over." So he went in to stay with them.
24:30 When he was at the table with them, he took bread, blessed and broke it, and gave it to them.
24:31 Then their eyes were opened, and they recognized him; and he vanished from their sight.
24:32 They said to each other, "Were not our hearts burning within us while he was talking to us on the road, while he was opening the scriptures to us?"
24:33 That same hour they got up and returned to Jerusalem; and they found the eleven and their companions gathered together.
24:34 They were saying, "The Lord has risen indeed, and he has appeared to Simon!"
24:35 Then they told what had happened on the road, and how he had been made known to them in the breaking of the bread.
An appealing narrative arc is always useful whether truth or fiction. Usually they are fictional, though. Raw truth doesn't lend itself to compelling narratives.
This last pain for the damned the Fathers found: "They knew the bliss with which they were not crowned." Such, but on earth, let me foretell, Is all, of heaven or of hell.
Man, as the prying housemaid of the soul, May know her happiness by eye to hole; He's safe; the key is lost; he knows Door will not open, nor hole close.
"What is conceivable can happen too," Said Wittgenstein, who had not dreamt of you; But wisely; if we worked it long We should forget where it was wrong.
Those thorns are crowns which, woven into knots, Crackle under and soon boil fool's pots; And no man's watching, wise and long, Would ever stare them into song.
Thorns burn to a consistent ash, like man; A splendid cleanser for the frying-pan: And those who leap from pan to fire Should this brave opposite admire.
All those large dreams by which men long live well Are magic-lanterned on the smoke of hell; This then is real, I have implied, A painted, small, transparent slide.
These the inventive can hand-paint at leisure, Or most emporia would stock our measure; And feasting in their dappled shade We should forget how they were made.
Feign then what's by a decent tact believed, And act that state is only so conceived, And build an edifice of form For house where phantoms may keep warm.
Imagine, then, by miracle, with me, (Ambiguous gifts, as what gods give must be) What could not possibly be there, And learn a style from a despair.
Maggie's Farmers are fans of William Empson, more for his books than for his poetry. For many of us, his 7 Types of Ambiguity (written at age 22) opened a door to a new world. A commenter here claimed that his The Structure of Complex Words is the best book ever written. Better check it out.
I think Bob takes his painting seriously. If he did not, I do not think he would agree to exhibit it.He seems to be a skilled amateur whose name lends weight to his artistic efforts, same as it does with Churchill's (or George Bush's for that matter).
Seems like he paints more from photos or from his imagination that plein air, but how could he? Well, I guess he could at his place in Scotland.
Right now is the peak of shorebird and songbird migration down south where I am camping and tramping on a remote island for a few days, so there will be a brief break from my morning buffet of links. If all goes according to plan, our breakfasts will be biscuits and gravy, and shrimp 'n grits. Fried oysters and grilled oysters for supper, maybe with fried chicken. In the South, I break my No Breakfast rule because I can't resist that stuff.
To us Yankees, the South is a magnificent, exotic wonderland.
I'll try not to tangle with a rattler. Those sobs are everywhere so you have to watch your step on or off the trails on Little Saint Simons but there are other more interesting snakes to look at too. The clouds of mosquitoes are just something up with to put.
I am not referring to Battle Ropes, although I do like those as part of a calisthenics circuit. I am talking about heavy jump ropes.
Readers know I have become a fan of jump rope for calisthenics/cardio exercise. Unlike some of my fellow exercisers, I can not do a solid series of double-unders yet but I can do Running Man at length. During a set, I try to alternate Running Man with ordinary singles. I generally use an RX Smart Gear "Buff" 3.4 oz. rope, which is not a light speed rope.
I decided to try a 1 lb. rope last week for a few 45-second sets, aiming for 60 seconds. That is not weighted handles: it's the rope itself that weighs a pound. If you can jump rope at all, you can use this monster and it kicks your ass once you get it moving.
I did not expect it to take as much out of my entire body as it does. A man-killer. It was the first time in two years that I actually found myself sitting on a bench after a set of anything. That is shameful but, dammit, I just found myself sitting.
Give it a try sometime, for the fun of it. Like a set of burpees with jumps, you know that if you survive it you probably will not die of a heart attack, that day anyway.
"Seventy percent of success in life is showing up."
Woody Allen. Life has confirmed the truth of that observation to me countless times. As they say in the program, "Never mind how you feel. Suit up and show up."
We posted about the new Steiner interview book last week, and invited a fellow Steiner fan to write a review of it: “A Long Saturday,” George Steiner and Laure Adler. 2017 U of C. Press., Reviewed by Nathan Szajnberg, MD -
Over “A Long Saturday,” George Steiner faces down Death. He does so not alone, but with a beautiful, smart French journalist who Chunnels from Paris to England. He does so like a Tai Chi master, using Death’s strength and weight against this, his dark Angel. And, Death will not be proud.
My opinion: That is not a strength-building workout but it isn't a bad simple calisthenic workout for those who must exercise on their living room floor and have no access to fun calisthenic toys like kettlebells, heavy balls, pull-up bars, jump ropes, floor ladders, step-up boxes, etc.
Still, I'd say that that circuit repeated for 45 minutes would be an ok calisthenic workout. 9 minutes is nothing. Calis do not build strength but they certainly help maintain vigor. In other words, 45 minutes of that is a heck of a lot better than sitting on your ass.
We stand by our recommendations: Resistance + Calis + Cardio for overall fitness for life.
John 20:19-31 20:19 When it was evening on that day, the first day of the week, and the doors of the house where the disciples had met were locked for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood among them and said, "Peace be with you."
20:20 After he said this, he showed them his hands and his side. Then the disciples rejoiced when they saw the Lord.
20:21 Jesus said to them again, "Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, so I send you."
20:22 When he had said this, he breathed on them and said to them, "Receive the Holy Spirit.
20:23 If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven them; if you retain the sins of any, they are retained."
20:24 But Thomas (who was called the Twin), one of the twelve, was not with them when Jesus came.
20:25 So the other disciples told him, "We have seen the Lord." But he said to them, "Unless I see the mark of the nails in his hands, and put my finger in the mark of the nails and my hand in his side, I will not believe."
20:26 A week later his disciples were again in the house, and Thomas was with them. Although the doors were shut, Jesus came and stood among them and said, "Peace be with you."
20:27 Then he said to Thomas, "Put your finger here and see my hands. Reach out your hand and put it in my side. Do not doubt but believe."
20:28 Thomas answered him, "My Lord and my God!"
20:29 Jesus said to him, "Have you believed because you have seen me? Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have come to believe."
Just a few links this morning - thanks a lot United Airlines. Do you guys have any flights without 6-hour delays? 
"Rare heritage" corn. That's called marketing. I'd call this Krazy Korn.
This last pain for the damned the Fathers found:
I think Bob
I am not referring to 
Why Teaching Proper Manners to Kids 
Not Farewell Angelina, just plain Angelina. It begins