Maggie's FarmWe 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. |
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Thursday, July 6. 2017A fun book
Amazon:
Posted by The Barrister
in The Culture, "Culture," Pop Culture and Recreation
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13:52
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Monday, July 3. 2017Siestas
In my workday, I schedule in a 20-minute catnap after a chicken-salad lunch. It does me a lot of good, since I do my daily workouts at 6 am. After my catnap I am good for another 6 hours of work or a drive to NH. Mediterranean-based societies have siestas - especially Spanish and Italian. Naptime, or sex + nap. In many cultures, lunch is their dinner and I do not know how they handle work after a large meal. I don't know about Asians or Africans. I do believe that some of what we term "sleep disorders," and diagnose at great expense and often treat with amphetamines, are simply due to a need for a power nap. People vary. Sunday, July 2. 2017Emergence phenomena and Emergence theory
Posted by Dr. Joy Bliss
in The Culture, "Culture," Pop Culture and Recreation
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12:02
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Saturday, July 1. 2017Swing Time
Posted by Bird Dog
in The Culture, "Culture," Pop Culture and Recreation
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17:49
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Fun book: A Field Guide to the Architecture of the American Home
Posted by Bird Dog
in History, The Culture, "Culture," Pop Culture and Recreation
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16:52
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Tipping
Jimmy Buffet, multi-multi-millionaire, once mentioned how rewarding it can be to discover a $5 bill in the pocket of some old jeans. Funny how that works. When my Dad would visit me at college, he would slip me a $50 - "walking around money." Small gestures and unexpected small rewards can mean a lot. Our early Spring Cleaning has resulted in small hills of those black leaf bags filled with old magazines, old books, old clothing, household clutter, obsolete paperwork, lots of shredded old financial records and tax records, etc etc. Some fairly heavy, some not, but far beyond the usual. We are required, more or less, to separate bags of theoretically-recyclable garbage from other garbage, but I believe it all ends up in a dump in West Virginia. Regardless, when we have large piles I always scotch-tape a $10 or a $20 to the pile. To the sorts of people who say "He gets paid to do it anyway," I say "Bullshit." The piles of snow and ice do not make the job any easier. My theory is to always tip people who do personal work for you unless they are the owner of the business. When you give a tip, you make life better for a little while and you feel better too. Even if it's only beer money. For some very occasional household jobs like rug cleaners, window-washers, or annual barn-cleaning crews, I will tip before the job begins. Try it sometime. I make a point to always have some $5s, $10s, and $20s in my pocket to show gratitude and to create small moments of good cheer and more positive helpers.
Posted by The Barrister
in The Culture, "Culture," Pop Culture and Recreation
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15:46
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What are Jake Brakes?
Heavy trucks could burn out their foot brakes on hills, and downshifting can be risky - if you get stick in Neutral, you could be dead.
Posted by The News Junkie
in The Culture, "Culture," Pop Culture and Recreation
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11:33
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Friday, June 30. 2017A linguist's festival
h/t Do You Know The Difference Between "Settlers" And "Immigrants"?
Posted by Bird Dog
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16:04
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The HakaNew Zealand rugby teams do the Maori Haka (war dance) before their games. Especially the "All Blacks" team. I have no doubt that it is intimidating, especially since the New Zealand teams have Maoris on them.
Posted by The News Junkie
in The Culture, "Culture," Pop Culture and Recreation
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16:02
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Can Jonathan Haidt Calm the Campus Culture Wars?
The Left eats their own. See the French Revolution.
Posted by The Barrister
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13:41
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Thursday, June 29. 2017Tips for Cross ExaminationFrom the 1970s, The Ten Commandments of Cross Examination. It's a good intro to one of the basics of trial law.
Posted by The Barrister
in The Culture, "Culture," Pop Culture and Recreation
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16:38
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Summertime Maggie's Farm Scientific Survey # 1: Happy to get it, happy to get rid of it
That is hyperbole of course, but it makes a point about the burdens, expenses, and hassles of ownership. Even having a closet full of firearms means taking them out and cleaning and oiling them once a year. Hassle. New roof for a house or barn? Major. So our survey question is this: What were you once thrilled to possess and later thrilled to get rid of? I hope nobody says a spouse, but they probably will. I'll start it off with more than several acres my wife and I inherited on Martha's Vineyard. The old house on the land had been sold decades ago to pay estate taxes, but an elegant family compound could have been built on the land. Just a dream. I never had the spare dough to do that, and, really, I have a perfect set-up now although we are too far from salt water. Sold the land a few years ago, big capital gains and fees, etc., but I got off the hook for the property taxes, maintaining the right of way, and maintaining the fields in the center of the property which we never used. Big relief. Fact is, if we love the Vineyard (it's an ok yuppie place) we can rent a house for ten days and go there whenever we want. We never do. We go to Rhode Island instead, and rent. What about you?
Posted by The Barrister
in The Culture, "Culture," Pop Culture and Recreation
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12:54
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Tuesday, June 27. 2017"Progressive Traditional" design
Posted by Bird Dog
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15:06
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Saturday, June 24. 2017Movie Review: Four great flicksSide note: This is Saturday, which means three of the best shows on TV are on tonight on Fox. 'Watters World' at 8 (EST), 'Justice With Judge Jeanine' at 9, and, especially, 'The Greg Gutfeld Show' at 10. If you don't have a TV (like me), all three will have been posted to YouTube by tomorrow. If you haven't seen a Judge Jeanine opening monologue, buckle your seat belt.
Following is a review of four movies. IMHO: I'll put the whole mess below the fold. Continue reading "Movie Review: Four great flicks"
Posted by Dr. Mercury
in The Culture, "Culture," Pop Culture and Recreation
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14:00
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Wednesday, June 21. 2017How to get offended by anything
Posted by The News Junkie
in The Culture, "Culture," Pop Culture and Recreation
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15:45
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Feelings aren't Facts
Posted by The Barrister
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14:47
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Tuesday, June 20. 2017Birds are dinosaurs
More info on that 99 million year-old baby dino.
Posted by Bird Dog
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16:32
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Sunday, June 18. 2017For Dad's Day: Bring it with you when you comeI first heard this old jug band tune from Jim Kweskin, but can't find his version -
The superb David Bromberg This is a cool version - Michael l Roach
Posted by Bird Dog
in The Culture, "Culture," Pop Culture and Recreation
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14:53
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Friday, June 16. 2017What is so rare as a day in June?Weekly 3-4 hour hikes are good for mind, body, and soul. Also good for a marriage. Also good for breaking in new leather hiking boots. Meindl Perfekt Light Hikers - not all that light in weight unfortunately but tough enough for all purposes other than crampons. Made in Italy - not Germany. Lots of Bluebirds on this pastoral and not very challenging countryside hike last weekend - hills but no steeps and well-groomed trails. Many meadows. I love large meadows, despite their being unnatural in New England.
Posted by Bird Dog
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05:10
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Thursday, June 15. 2017For Father's Day Week: The Moment LARRY ELDER changed DAVE RUBINS Mind ForeverLarry discusses fatherhood in the latter half of this -
Posted by The Barrister
in The Culture, "Culture," Pop Culture and Recreation
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13:18
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Sunday, June 11. 2017Kerouac and Steve Allen
Posted by The Barrister
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15:37
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Thursday, June 8. 2017Hiking and Hunting Footwear #2Photo is the Meindl Burma Our commenters to our Hiking Footwear post were well-informed, experienced, and helpful. Appreciate all of those offerings. Lots of hikers, hunters, and some field geologists among our readers. Two basics about boot sizing: Your dress shoe or sneaker size might be small for boots. Try the boot at the end of the day when your foot is most expanded. With the heaviest socks you might wear with them, but unlaced, check to make sure you can fit your index finger down the heel. Tips: - What you need to know to buy Hiking Boots - Lots of good info about hiking boots, insoles, etc. - Good website: Cool Hiking Gear This is useful too:
Office Politics in the Modern EraI can't say I agree with the conclusions drawn by this Harvard Business Review article. If office politics are only about influence, the premise is that being political is actually beneficial. I see a significant difference between being social and being political.
Is that really true? Did I join a fraternity to be political and gain power and influence? Did my joining mean there were political implications? As a member of my church, is membership political? And to influence, must we have power? I have always been taught that influence is not power, but access to, and ability to, inform and shift power. I can see how these memberships can morph into political alliances or positions, but they are not inherently political, we don't necessarily join social groups for political reasons (though I know plenty of people who joined country clubs for political reasons). We have too many sociologists, psychologists and anthropologists over-analyzing behaviors and assigning them improper value. I completely understand the value and benefit of good work socialization. We need to maintain relationships and behaviors to not just garner influence, but to just to get jobs done effectively. But the maintenance isn't in itself political, most often (certainly in my case) it's genuine, sincere and geared toward generating productive and useful outcomes. My perspective is that it becomes political when it is self-serving or guided by less than sincere or honest motives. When subterfuge, dissemination of false or bad information, and exclusion take place it becomes political. The author tries to differentiate these behaviors as Machiavellian, anathema to proper behavior in an office. Certainly they are - but they are far too common, particularly in large organizations, simply because people can get away with it. By lumping good social action in with political behavior, this author does employees a disservice.
Posted by Bulldog
in Politics, The Culture, "Culture," Pop Culture and Recreation
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12:22
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Tuesday, June 6. 2017Hiking FootwearHere's my chance to elicit opinions from readers about hiking gear. I'll limit the discussion to footwear for relatively rugged lengthy day hikes on uneven, sometimes wet, sometimes rocky, steep, or unstable ground with no more weight on your back than a full daypack (in other words, not real backpacking but not ordinary walking either. Something that would be good for our 9-mile urban hikes too). And I will stipulate that merino wool or wicking synthetic socks, with or without liner socks, are important for this sort of thing to prevent blisters. One blister or hot spot can ruin an outing - or a week. I'm thinking of footwear that would be good for scrambling up Tuckerman's Ravine, for woodsy hikes through hill and dale, and for boggy spots. So I think we're in the realm of what they call "Light Hiking" or "medium duty" waterproof boots with good arch and ankle support, without the weight of those monster boots designed for mountain hikes with a 40 lb pack on your back - or 60 lbs of fresh elk meat. I've done a lot of hiking in running shoes and it's not ideal but it is blister-free. I have also done a lot of backwoods all-day hunting in things like wellies, LL Bean Maine boots, and heavy snow boots. Those things are not great for distances - at least for me, they become fatiguing to wear after a couple of hours. I guess I am more experienced with the Hunting Boot category (though I don't know why they are different from the hiking boot category except that hunting boots are higher and often insulated - here's a good hunting boot) and with the steel-toed Work Boot category than I am with the Hiking Boot category. I have worn out many pairs of Work Boots at the farm. In my research I have seen the yuuuge variety of offerings in the general category of Hiking Boots. Capitalism with competition certainly offers us endless choices in things and they all seem to be very good. These range from heavy-duty sneakers with heavy treads to slightly lightened, or ordinary, heavy-duty mountaineering backpacking boots. Some are higher, some lower, some softer, some harder. Some leather, some suede, some synthetics. Some insulated, most not. Hard leather boots need 20-40 miles of breaking in, others not so much. Waterproof usually has some Gore-Tex in it. Gore-Tex was one heck of an invention. Well, maybe it makes sense to have a couple of different boots for different hiking purposes but I like the idea of a versatile boot which is well-broken-in, and I have no plans to do any mountaineering with a 40-lb. pack. I have not "done" the Presidential Range, but I would like to have done the Presidential Range just so I could say I did it. What is your experience and what are your preferences? Photo above is a Merrell Capra boot. A few random examples of pretty good boots below the fold -
Continue reading "Hiking Footwear" Saturday, June 3. 2017Helicoptering around Antarctica
Superb video: MCMURDO STATION
Posted by Bird Dog
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13:21
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