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.
We finally made it to the Picasso sculpture show at MOMA this weekend with old friends. As I expected, it was a visual feast. Furthermore, it was more fun and less tiring than spending an hour and a half looking a paintings.
He experimented with sculpture intermittently during his life, beginning with realism and moving through all of his stylistic phases: cubism, surrealism, etc., and just plain whimsical but all with what I term the Picasso Perfect Eye because I have never found the right words for his transformative genius, making the ordinary into something entirely new and startling with great discipline and economy of line.
The Uberization of Money - The familiar middlemen of 20th-century banking and investing are giving way to something very
different. Are we ready for the opportunities—and the risks?
4 am, relaxing in the Maggie's HQ while Bird Dog has his pre-workout coffees and ceegar. Nobody's perfect, but Man can not live without loyal dog who overlooks all human flaws.
12:28 One of the scribes came near and heard them disputing with one another, and seeing that he answered them well, he asked him, "Which commandment is the first of all?"
12:29 Jesus answered, "The first is, 'Hear, O Israel: the Lord our God, the Lord is one;
12:30 you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind, and with all your strength.'
12:31 The second is this, 'You shall love your neighbor as yourself.' There is no other commandment greater than these."
12:32 Then the scribe said to him, "You are right, Teacher; you have truly said that 'he is one, and besides him there is no other';
12:33 and 'to love him with all the heart, and with all the understanding, and with all the strength,' and 'to love one's neighbor as oneself,' --this is much more important than all whole burnt offerings and sacrifices."
12:34 When Jesus saw that he answered wisely, he said to him, "You are not far from the kingdom of God." After that no one dared to ask him any question.
That is our version of regional haute cuisine and I am sure it is government-approved. However, I still prefer a grilled cheese with ketchup. Cheddar, please, white bread, and tomato slices in it. Yum.
Lobster is overrated. It's just a big bug, but I am happy to promote Yankeeland's Clam Chowda, Cod Chowda, and baked beans. Especially Cod Chowda. With hot biscuits on the side.
Th' expense of spirit in a waste of shame Is lust in action, and till action, lust Is perjured, murd'rous, bloody, full of blame, Savage, extreme, rude, cruel, not to trust, Enjoyed no sooner but despisèd straight, Past reason hunted, and no sooner had, Past reason hated as a swallowed bait On purpose laid to make the taker mad; Mad in pursuit, and in possession so, Had, having, and in quest to have, extreme; A bliss in proof, and proved, a very woe; Before, a joy proposed; behind, a dream. All this the world well knows, yet none knows well To shun the heaven that leads men to this hell.
A classic, cool weather Southern Italian dish. Easy. I am not a big fan of southern Italian, but this is a standard for those many who enjoy this sort of thing. Use chicken thighs only.
"There is a self-hatred in the West that can be considered only as something pathological. The West attempts in a praiseworthy manner to open itself completely to the comprehension of external values, but it no longer loves itself; it now only sees what is despicable and destructive in its own history, while it is no longer able to perceive what is great and pure there."
A man should have the serenity that comes from living in his own home; should not depend entirely on some boss for his livelihood, and daily permissions; nor be entangled from adolescence in debt, nor constantly huzza’d by tempters. He should never be treated as cattle, or chattel, or “demographic target.” He should not be deflected from the life of pilgrim, sub specie aeternitatis; nor deprived of the freedom to make his own way.
Feminizing the Air Force with legal terror. Having young females around makes guys act stupid, always. I somehow doubt that the Russkis or the Chinese would do that, and their Bergdahl would have been instantly executed
Those were my first skis. Wood Northlands. Kept them for sentimental reasons I guess. I must be ancient. Off to the garbage. At the time, my rich friends had Heads.
Gosh do I love skiing, once I am on top of a mountain. The hassle and cost to get there is what deters me often.
We're throwing out everything we can, or giving away. Closets full of older winter clothing, spare sweaters, parkas, leather jackets, fur coats, the snow-blower, the power edger, the power-washer.
Left 10 duck stamp prints off for the Ducks Unlimited event. I have never had anywhere to hang them.
And tons of stuff to church winter clothing drive, and Good Will.
It's not to prepare for Global Warming; it's to lighten the burdens of excess possession and clutter. We have too much stuff from many years and three kids. On Thanksgiving, I am going to unload all of the family antiques, family china, and art that I can onto my sibs because I will not wait for my kids to have houses.
The only things I am "keeping for the kids when they might need them" are our substantial collection of antique oriental rugs. Rugs on top of rugs, like Armenians. Trouble is, they are so out of fashion they probably won't want them.
I have too many firearms too. More than I ever use. Should sell most of them.
The pleasure in a new possession is fleeting, isn't it? It's a cliche because it is so true. It's a relief of an interesting sort to get rid of stuff.
It’s possible that the looming custodial state, where the Cloud People rule over the Ground People like game wardens, is going to be wonderful. The Ground People will embrace being cared for like children and accept being pushed around by the authorities when necessary. The sense of looming catastrophe that animates much of the alternative right will turn out to be completely misplaced. Instead, it will be viewed as a great leap forward for humanity.
‘Can you imagine a worse incentive system than one that rewards failure with higher budgets and punishes success with lower budgets?’ I can’t – yet that’s pretty much the prevailing incentive system for governments around the world.
Billionaire investor George Soros has confirmed he wants to bring down Europe’s borders, following the accusation made last week by Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban. Last week, Mr Orban accused Mr Soros – who was born in Hungary – of deliberately encouraging the migrant crisis.
Soros is a Hungarian Jewish immigrant, was Nazi collaborator, got rich manipulating currency markets. What's his issue?
Scarborough:
No Republican Has Hosted Network Sunday Show or Newscast in 50 Years -
See more at:
http://newsbusters.org/blogs/nb/mark-finkelstein/2015/11/02/scarborough-no-republican-has-hosted-network-sunday-show-or#sthash.0BpWQZrW.dpuf
The problem for the U.S. political class is that the provision of actual public goods is nowhere near large enough of an enterprise to justify all of the clients they want to pay on the public payroll or all of the large, complex, lavishly funded agencies that they want to establish for the purpose of putting themselves in charge of them. So they have to return to the old protection-racket model: Much of American government today exists simply to stand between you and your own goals to collect a fee.
The "modern" system that we have adopted with its low birth rates, late marriages, working parents, high social spending and retirement benefits is at odds with itself. We can have low birth rates, deficit spending or Social Security; but there is no possible way that we can have all three.
The expert consensus is that the best all-purpose exercise shoe is the Nike Metcon. I will give it a try, because the sneaks I am using are not right for all of the things I do.
Barefoot would probably be ideal, except for transmitting foot fungi. People say these Nike sneakers feel sort of like being barefoot.
I wonder how many pairs of sneakers I have been through in my life. Running shoes, trail-running sneakers, city-walking sneakers, tennis shoes, bang-around sneakers.
For whatever reason, never owned any Converse as far as I recall. Roundball is much more fun to play than to watch, but I was way too bad at it. Can dribble, can't jump. Pathetic.
Saw this on Food Channel yesterday morning while chained to the stair machine, so at Costco yesterday I picked up a big package of ribs to make today.
Long and low - that's how to do baked ribs.
Those at Costco were not exactly short ribs, but whatever. Ribs are delicious, and for me polenta is as good as grits - or better. Basically, very similar. This has cheese polenta. Nice, but plain is good enough for me if there is a great sauce.
21:1 Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth; for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and the sea was no more.
21:2 And I saw the holy city, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband.
21:3 And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, "See, the home of God is among mortals. He will dwell with them as their God; they will be his peoples, and God himself will be with them;
21:4 he will wipe every tear from their eyes. Death will be no more; mourning and crying and pain will be no more, for the first things have passed away."
21:5 And the one who was seated on the throne said, "See, I am making all things new." Also he said, "Write this, for these words are trustworthy and true."
21:6a Then he said to me, "It is done! I am the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end.
... call this condition Bubble Blindness. It’s a contagious ideological disease that afflicts the entire corridor from Wall Street to Washington, and CNBC is the infected host that propagates it.
Hundreds of immigrant families caught illegally crossing the Mexican border told U.S. immigration agents they made the dangerous journey in part because they believed they would be permitted to stay in the United States and collect public benefits, according to internal intelligence files from the Homeland Security Department.”
Image via 
Most kids in New England are raised on 
Photo: Dawn at Maggie's HQ, with coupsie car 
Sonnet 129
Agriculture is "
Those were my first skis. Wood Northlands. Kept them for sentimental reasons I guess. I must be ancient. Off to the garbage. At the time, my rich friends had Heads.
Decade long ice age
I ate your candy! Jimmy Kimmel Pulls Off Halloween Candy Prank for 5th Straight Year,
Images via
The expert consensus is that the best all-purpose exercise shoe is the 
Saw
Why leaves change color