Maggie's Farm

As the angle of Mr. Sun begins to increase in the New England skies, we generally post a few boats that catch our eyes. Usually classic old boats, but this 2003 Beneteau 36 for sale seemed appealing.

They term this Farr design a racer-cruiser, but she looks like a racer to me. In this sort of economy, nice boats become more affordable. Asking 124,000.

Via Bruce Kesler, from a reader(with his permission), on our post on the film Defiance. He needs to see the film:

I read with great interest your review of the film, “Defiance,” which I have not  seen yet. I am writing a book on my family's town, Dolhinov, and have been conducting both archival research and interviews, About 450 Jews in the town—the only ones left of 5000 residents and refuges--survived fighting or living with various partisan units, primarily with the one next door to the Bielski's, the 'People Avengers" commanded by Ivan Timchuk whose chief aide was Avraham Freedman of Dolhinov. These stories are just starting to be told, partially because of the availability of new documents and studies from the post-Soviet countries.

In a unique event, about 300, including a number of my relatives, were evacuated by the Red Army on a 500-mile march through German lines, organized by Timchuk. This is an area of swamps and thick forests, perfect for partisan warfare.

A key factor was whether units had Jews as members. The Bielskis were almost unique in being commanders since in most cases, the leaders were chosen by the Soviet command from experienced veterans told to stay behind German lines in 1941.

Another feature of this area was that it experienced 18 months of Soviet occupation followed by 3 years   (though  Jews only lived through the first ten months in their  homes  or at all) of  German occupation. Those who couldn't get out at the war’s end spent the next 12 years  trying to get out of the USSR to come to Israel.

Professor Barry Rubin

Director, Global Research in International Affairs (GLORIA) Center http://www.gloriacenter.org
Editor, Middle East Review of International Affairs (MERIA) Journal http://www.meriajournal.com
Watch on the Middle East http://www.watchonthemiddleeast.com
Editor Turkish Studies, http://www.informaworld.com/smpp/title~db=all~content=t713636933%22
 

Let's say you get your hands on a fascinating 100+ year-old Caucasian rug (like the 3x5 Kuba/Shirvan in the photo), and do not want to destroy it and its history by having it walked on, cat-scratched or dog-chewed or dog-peed. (They were made for bare feet, and all Caucasian rugs were rather small.)

Well, you can hang it like a tapestry - like the work of art which it is, and focus on the details and patterns that you would cease to notice if you put it on the floor.

Rug Rat likes these wall hangers.

By Bruce Kesler -

A friend whose relatives valiantly served in US forces in World War II, and lost relatives in combat and concentration camps, credits me with similar heroism for volunteering to serve in the Marine Corps in Vietnam.  She said to me recently that she thought of me when she saw the movie Defiance, which I had not yet seen, that I would have been one of those partisans fighting back against the Nazis and locals exterminating the Jews in the Byelorussia where my family came from and the film takes place.

I replied that she gives me too much credit.  There is a big difference between my experience and theirs.  I was trained by and part of an elite armed service of the most powerful nation on earth.  They found themselves running into the forest alone or in a small group, most untrained and devoid of experience in the harsh decisions of survival or war, and fought back against the overwhelmingly powerful occupying Nazis and their local collaborators.

I told my friend that I have asked myself often over the years whether I would or could have had the sense and guts to do what they did, still with no firm answer.

I’ve now seen Defiance, and still am little closer to that personal answer, but a few other questions are answered.

None of us really know what we’ll do under stress or threat until we do, despite whatever our self-image or the guesses we may make.  However, experience tells us that being prepared in attitude and training is essential to rising to any challenge, and qualified, decisive, courageous leadership acting with integrity is essential to cohering in an effective organization. Otherwise, we are subject to the whims and follies of others, sometimes fortunately well but often not.  When our very lives are at stake, or even our or our children’s financial security, standing around awaiting someone else’s choice of our fate is less likely to be practical.

Relatively few American Jews of my generation chose to serve in our armed forces, and most have adopted near-pacifist attitudes.  Many are even conflicted about our brethren in Israel taking the measures necessary in the jaws of survival threats.

Hopefully, as if hope were enough, American Jews will not have to make those decisions for themselves, as did those in Defiance.  But, to believe in or counsel being ill-prepared or weak-kneed or effete for those Jews who do have to make those life-saving decisions is dangerously suicidal.  To engage in wishful thinking or to evade training or service here in the US is just as dangerous in being unschooled and unprepared for those training to or attacking us as Americans or Jews.

For a discussion of the existential decisions and consequences in the film Defiance, I recommend this review. Then don’t miss seeing the movie.  

At AVI. He begins:

For women of the 1930s, emotional stability, dependable character and ambition ranked as the top three characteristics they wanted in a man. Attraction and love didn't come in until No. 5. Today, women, like men, put love at the top of the list, with dependability and emotional stability rounding out the top three characteristics in Mr. Right.

Read the whole thing. It would appear that people have become more romantic in their hopes and dreams.

I keep one of these little log cabins around the place, with pine incense. It's a cheery winter olfactory treat, but not just for winter.

The air goes in the door, and the smoke goes up the chimney. Few things for $12. can give so much enduring pleasure.

Does pine incense count as second-hand smoke? Naw.

No, not batteries. It's about broadcasting electric power. This is cool. (h/t, No Pasaran)

This derives from the work of physicist Nikola Tesla.

But how long before kooks, cranks and paranoid psychotics claim that the electromagnetism is giving them health problems? Well, all they need are nice tin foil hats to keep them safe. Like the basic household one I am modeling in the photo.

Nothing like a full-sized carpet to pull a room together. I found this antique 14X22' Kerman on eBay. It's just the thing for my double-wide. They want $120,000 for it, which seems quite reasonable for the size, the condition, and the age. The link and details here.

I did buy this very appealing semi-antique 9X12 Tabriz this week on eBay. Geometric and more shroomy-hallucinatory than the usual Tabriz. $230. How's that for a cost-effective way to bring beauty into one's house? I've seen old rugs like this go for $2-4000+ at auctions, and I really enjoy the look of this one. I don't mind if rugs are a bit worn. New rugs look terrible to me.

And here's one I really like. It is an antique 5X8 Caucasian Kuba. The seller claims it's 1890 but I am always a skeptic with the ages of rugs. The yellow looks unnaturally bright to me, but what do I know?

NYPD boat passing by Roosevelt Island, formerly known as Welfare Island, and formerly known as Blackwell's Island, and in future probably to be known as Obama Island:

Nice racks:

Around 71 st, East River. FDR Drive on left, East River, Roosevelt Island on right. Bridge in distance is the Triboro, which the City Council has attempted to rename the RFK Bridge. Why? I have no idea.

Spent today in NYC, around New York Hospital-Cornell Medical Center, (now known as New York Hospital and Weill Medical College, thanks to the Citigroup genius Sandy Weill Or is it properly New York Presbyterian Hospital - now that Presbyterian and NYH merged?). It was cold as hell.

That's Sotheby's building in front with the flags, and New York Hospital beginning just to the right of it.

A couple more below the fold -

In a way it's surprising that even one European Dark Ages manuscript survived, but in another way it's surprising that we don't have more of the doubtless many lost Beowulfs. (When you think about it, it's a miracle that we even have Boswell's letters from the 1700s. Some were found being used as wrapping paper in Marseilles. Long story.)

Prof. Sutherland inspired Mrs. BD to dig into this intricately-constructed story, but she elected to do it with Seamus Heaney's wonderful translation from the Anglo-Saxon instead of with the original.

The illustrated edition helps bring the times to life, but it comes in a plain version too. We like Seamus very much.

How many Army and Navy stores have closed over the past 20 years? Here's old Levine's, finally shuttered. My lousy photography makes it difficult to read the "Est. 1923" under the name. Note the signs on the little shop next door.

My mentioning a pied a terre in Manhattan motivated me to locate this nice little 2 BR place on West 81st, facing the Museum of Natural History. I want this (photo of LR with working fireplace).

They are asking $1.2 million. Details here.

I used to own a 1 BR place with doorman on West 82, but that was long ago. Bought it for $62,000. and, had I kept it, it would have been the best investment I ever made.  

Today is Candlemas. Thank you, Never Yet Melted.

Candlemas is when the badger checked the weather, and when you took down the Christmas greenery.