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.
19:1The heavens are telling the glory of God, and the firmament proclaims his handiwork.
19:2Day to day pours forth speech, and night to night declares knowledge.
19:3There is no speech, nor are there words; their voice is not heard;
19:4yet
their voice goes out through all the earth and their words to the end
of the world. In the heavens he has set a tent for the sun,
19:5which comes out like a bridegroom from his wedding canopy, and like a strong man runs its course with joy.
19:6Its rising is from the end of the heavens and its circuit to the end of them, and nothing is hid from its heat.
19:7The law of the LORD is perfect, reviving the soul; the decrees of the LORD are sure, making wise the simple;
19:8the precepts of the LORD are right, rejoicing the heart; the commandment of the LORD is clear, enlightening the eyes;
19:9the fear of the LORD is pure, enduring forever; the ordinances of the LORD are true and righteous altogether.
19:10More to be desired are they than gold, even much fine gold; sweeter also than honey and drippings of the honeycomb.
19:11Moreover, by them is your servant warned; in keeping them there is great reward.
19:12But who can detect one's own errors? Clear me from hidden faults.
19:13Keep
back your servant also from the insolent; do not let them have dominion
over me. Then I shall be blameless and innocent of great transgression.
19:14Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable to you, O LORD, my rock and my redeemer.
TGIF: I Solemnly Swear - DONALD TRUMP ATTEMPTS TO KISS MELANIA TRUMP AT HIS INAUGURATION. Trump
took the oath, Biden pardoned Fauci, Ross Ulbricht walked free, China
cut the cord, TikTok got more time, Kemi ate lunch, the Constitution got
a fact-check, and much more. By Nellie Bowles
The End of DEI? Plus. . .Coleman Hughes on Trump’s color-blind
agenda. Plus: Is the president’s meme coin a scam? Kat Rosenfield on
‘Severance.’ Ben Kawaller on San Francisco’s moderate turn. Eli Lake’s
new podcast. And more.
Trump’s critics, “the so-called progressive elites, are howling at the
idea that this chump, who is so very unserious, is The One who will
restore our seriousness. They miss the point. Only the brawling,
bumbling ringleader of the great circus that is today’s Republican Party
could break open our sclerotic overclass and lay it bare for the whole
republic to see not simply its emptiness but its rot.”
Biden is not just leaving the White House in disgrace but he left his
party in tatters. Who’s on the Democrat bench now? Kamala Harris? Yeah,
no. How about Gavin Newsom? That nitwit has completely screwed up the
disaster in Los Angeles. Who’s left for the Democrats? Is Pete “What, me
worry?” Buttigieg going to save the day? But it’s not fair to blame
Biden for the total disaster that is his own party. His own party has
done a pretty good job of screwing up on its own. They are disorganized.
They are confused. They are totally trapped within the paradigm of
their bizarre commie constituents, forced to sell a product no one wants
to buy.
It's a southern Italian bean soup/stew. Real, non-Americanized Italian peasant food. If you are from around Napoli, it's pronounced something like "fazool." Otherwise, "fajole." Fagiole are la Carne dei Poveri. (No, I am not a paisan but I married a half of one.)
I see recipes online which include meat, but Pasta Fagioli is best made with meat broth (chicken or beef), and properly has no meat in it. When it was a meatless Friday meal, of course veg. broth. Why did the RC's get rid of meatless Fridays anyway?
This recipe about gets the basic version, but I use canned cannelini (white) beans for convenience - stupid not to - (no chef, unless cooking for hundreds, would waste time with dried beans), and chicken or beef broth instead of vegetable broth. I am not enough of one of the poveri not to have meat broth around.
Another recipe includes tomato sauce. I've never had a Pasta Fagiole with tomato in it other than a tablespoon or two of tomato paste, and believe it ought to be without the tomato. It's meant to be pleasantly bland, cheap, and filling. If I make it, no tomato but I'll add some hot pepper flakes to give it a little zip.
Any small pasta works in it, but I like to use the small shell pasta. Serve with a plate of simple crostini, eg with oil and garlic and maybe some herbs on them. You can put some shaved parmesan on top of your soup if you want.
The thing with Italian cooking is that you make it your own way, and never follow a recipe after the first time.
No, my Mom never made this or ever heard of this, but my wife's Grandma made it to please her husband who required it weekly to feed his Neapolitan soul. Mrs. BD kindly claims my version is better than her nonna's.
In the1860s, the Egyptians didn't seem all that fascinated by the ancient history of their lands but the French, and especially the Brits, were.
At the time, Nile river cruises were already popular, especially for Brits escaping their winter weather. Some by sail, some by steamboat, up to the second cataract (which, due to the Aswan Dam, can not be done now).
Many of these travelers were women: lesbians, wives bored with their wealthy husbands, hypochondriacs and neurasthenics needing "rest and fresh air," etc. Sometimes their excavations were sponsored by people like Lord Carnavor of Downton Abbey familiarity. Cairo had a nice Brit hotel: Shepheards. Luxor had a nice hotel for Europeans.
Unsurprisingly, the riverboats then made the same stops that we did last week. Cook's Tours was the agent then.
Those women, God forbid, did not dig or get dirty but they did hire laborers and archeologists. They helped reveal the half-buried treasures of ancient Egypt that the tourists love today. They also naughtily bought and stole all sorts of artifacts - including mummies - and shipped them back home.
They were not "Egyptologists," but just curious tourists with money, no rules, and no knowledge. They rode donkeys and did not walk much, and took recuperative rests often. Laborers were happy to work and did not care about old stuff. They did hire some young eccentric archeologists.
At their times, the famous temples and ruins were lived in, some filled with pigeon coops, most half-buried by Nile floods, some transformed into Christian churches, etc.
Despite my interests in history, I still feel I was more interested in how Egyptians live today than 4000 years ago. They sure made some art, though. We term it "art." They did not have a concept of art but artisans for sure.
Those Brit ladies uncovered the 2-mile Alley of Sphinxes between the Karnak Temple to the Luxor Temple. Good for them:
Head of Infamous "Information Disorder" Commission Promoted at NPR. A
Twitter Files all-star and former head of an Aspen Institute panel on
content suppression is moved up the ranks at National Public Radio
The president promised to connect rural Americans to the internet. But
‘woke leftist policies’ have helped prevent the $42 billion scheme from
servicing a single customer.
That nice lady was our Cairo guide for 3 days. Hassam was our driver - excellent too but he had no English. Yes, we liked to stop for coffee.
From our trip:
- They like US dollars - not their own currency.
- Everybody expects baksheesh (in US dollars), even if you are an Asian tourist. No Euros either. For everything including using a bathroom.
- Everyone has a cell phone
- Nothing seems dangerous, but you are out of place in non-tourist sites without an Arabic-speaking guide. It's a bargaining culture too, so everything feels like they want to rip you off. Cairo is dirty, kinda random. Has some top-knotch hotels.
- Feral cats and dogs are everywhere. No pets.
- Zero recreational boats on the Nile. All work boats.
- The Coptic Christian religion is alive and well, thus all the Christmas decorations. There are no Jews in Egypt now, but there used to be.
- Every male smokes cigarettes, except a few who smoke hookahs.
- English is their second language. Not widely spoken, though.
- All those camels are just for tourist photos. I refused that.
- Even in Cairo, lots (not most) of guys wear thobes with turbans.
5 Physics Equations Everyone Should Know, 
Bulk Carrier Paralyzed On Lake Erie
