... you can talk about whatever you want.
(And consider shopping through The Althouse Amazon Portal.)
April 22, 2017
At the Daffodil Café...
... you can talk about whatever you want.
(And consider shopping through The Althouse Amazon Portal.)
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
Posts
39 comments:
I saw some magazine had Julia Roberts plastered on their cover as "The World's Most Beautiful Woman." All I can think is it is some kind of not so subtle cross promotion with the Kentucky Derby.
When I had my house in Lake Arrowhead, I planted hundreds of daffodil bulbs.
There is a field east of Arrowhead where someone planted hundreds of bulbs many years ago and now the whole field is daffodils about this time each year.,
Out walking in my nabe this week, I saw some kind of mustelid snaking/thrashing around. Best guess - marten. Maybe young fisher? Never seen any kind of Mustelidae around here. (Only the ex-mustelid skunks).
Further along, I came across the remains of some kind of porcupine-y creature. Nothing left but the quill-laden hide. Never seen any of these creatures around here, either. Did the mystery marten do in the mystery porcupine?
What's happening? Are these critters expanding their range? Are the Mustelidae up to something, sneaking around where they don't belong? Are they going to take over the neighborhood and savage our dogs, and then us? Anybody else with reports of mystery mustelid sightings?
Julia Roberts rides a horse into a bar and the bartender says "Why the long face?", and the horse answers "I'm worried - it started out as a bump on my back."
In case you missed it, the following is a repost of a late entry in the "I-Took-Notes" Cafe.
From the annals of a handwriting expert:
Basic trait inventory based on the café note above; Ann Althouse: Exceptional memory; strong attention to detail; need for order (everything in its place); loyal (at times to a fault); thrifty; dependable; methodical; highly analytical; tenacious, independent thinker; reticent.
Interesting: Reticence may seem a contradiction, as in a non-talker, but here it concerns a reluctance to freely associate or discuss matters the writer simply considers personal. "Reticent" individuals are often quite talkative, but without revealing very much about themselves. This trait - again, based on the note above - is impacted by the inclination to be thrifty, which also applies to one's thinking, equaling mental efficiency.
Individuals with exceptional memories are natural learners, and excellent test-takers. Usually, a single exposure to a set of facts or complex information/ideas is enough for a high degree of intellectual retention. No need to "cram," the course material has already registered and is readily available when needed.
Loyalty, while obviously an admirable and desirable trait, may, at times, cause one to become a bit quirky or mildly eccentric in at least one notable aspect: Because of its global nature, individuals who are highly loyal - as in the sample above - tend to save objects past their "due date." It's not just loyalty to people and ideas, but also to things.
Finally, the writing shows all the mental processes necessary for what would be considered a superior mind: quick perception; strong analytical skill; methodical thinking; and investigative ability. What I call the “Four Horsemen of The Mind,” suggesting possible “MENSA” material.
That’s Ann Althouse in shorthand, and pretty impressive, too!
DB, CGA
David Baker said...
From the annals of a handwriting expert:
Stick with the settled science, like astrology.
"No evidence was found to validate the graphological method as a measure of personality."
Fernandinande said... "No evidence was found to validate the graphological method as a measure of personality."
Actually, I tend to agree. But hasten to add; it depends on the analyst, and the method used. Generally speaking, graphologists lack the proper training, discipline, and experience. So its not at all surprising that some or many would conclude that their results are unreliable.
David Baker said...
Generally speaking, graphologists lack the proper training, discipline, and experience.
You are special.
Heather Mac Donald has two recent articles regarding her experiences with affirmative-action people on campuses.
We Few, We Miserable Few
Get Up, Stand Up
Unhappy Blog Commenter at the Psychiatrist...
"Is this your first time seeing a psychiatrist?"
"Yeah. I've been feeling very disappointed in people, lately."
"Ah, yes. And you want to know how you can adjust your behavior to a more appropriate level of understanding."
"Fuck, no. I want to know why everyone else sucks."
"How about we discuss some of these people who have disappointed you..."
"Well, there's a Blog I read, and the writer is always blogging about shit that doesn't matter, and NOT blogging about the shit that DOES matter."
"Have you considered reading another blog? One more to your liking?"
"They ALL disappoint me. I just like this disappointment best."
"And how do you respond to this disappointment?"
"I add comments. I add a LOT of comments."
"And what do you discuss in these comments?"
"I write about how this Blog and its commenters make me sick. Angry and sick."
"And this makes you feel better?"
"Yeah. I tell them they are all assholes who are getting it wrong. I come up with some pretty great put-downs. Occasionally I wish death on another commenter."
"While this may make you happy in the short-term, it doesn't seem healthy as a long-term behavior."
"Yeah. It gets tough coming up with new insults. But those people really suck: they deserve it."
"Again: maybe you could try a Blog more in line with your thinking."
"They don't appreciate me, either. What's worse, they ignore me, because EVERYONE is disappointed. And angry. I don't stand out."
"And 'standing out' is important to you?"
"Of course it is. If people would just understand how Intelligent I am then they would realize I am Right. All the time. And they should then just Shut Up with their shit."
"Well, I don't think ANYONE is right 'all the time'..."
"That's because you're used to dealing with crazy people. You never have dealt with someone like me."
"Actually, I have. I have many patients who suffer from Narcissism and Delusions of Grandeur."
"Yeah -- those kind of people are the ones I'm talking about. The other commenters. They're so full of their own shit and then they write that shit on the Internet like it's important."
"How do you view YOUR writing on the Internet?"
"I see what you're doing there. The difference is I AM writing Important Things. These people need to know how disappointing they are."
"Maybe you should try a Positive Comment, and see how people respond?"
"Fuck that. I'll never give those fuckers an inch. And that starts with the Blog's Writer, herself."
"We're near the end of our session. So, to recap: you are Unhappy, and you spend your time reading a Writer you don't respect and then communicating with others that you don't respect. And you want all of them to change while you stay the same. Is that a fair assessment?
"Pretty much. It gets so tiring, being compelled to constantly deal with people who disappoint me. But it also helps me masturbate too, you know?"
"I think we're going to need a LOT of sessions..."
"I would think so: it takes a lot of time for someone to fully understand just how smart I am..."
I am Laslo.
Fernandinande, Buzz-Killer General (and Harsher of Mellows without portfolio).
Michael K, when did you sell your place in Arrowhead? I lived (full-time) there for about 5 years, though not during it's best season. Moved there right before the Old Fire started, which was also before and after a time they were way over-building in the area.
Loved kayaking the lake, which was especially great during the off-season when I was often one of the only people on the lake besides the tour boat. Had a long enough kayak that I could cross through the middle (not just stay near the edges), and hang out enjoying the view.
Fernandinande said...You are special.
Well, the proof is in the pudding. So let's see if Althouse disagrees with all or part of the analysis provided here.
Bravo, Laslo.
Paco Wové said...
Fernandinande, Buzz-Killer General (and Harsher of Mellows without portfolio).
OK, I'll admit it: I make fun of horses because I'm afraid of them.
"It gets tough coming up with new insults."
$ insult 10
You troubling dipper of bilious Sussex spaniel chaff
You ill-favored water butt of encephalitic large black excretion
You repugnant platter of unhealthful setter embers
You hard-featured blister of mortified tanager froth
You grinding ammunition box of polluted buff Orpington defecation
You ill-featured salad bowl of consumptive turtle slabber
You horrifying bassinet of unclean Belgian sheep dog soot
You loathsome cyst of infectious Landrace sewerage
You plaguing mortar of freeloving lapin rubbish
You crushing davenport of paralytic snipe BO
"Michael K, when did you sell your place in Arrowhead? "
I had a weekend house there 35 years ago, which is where I planted the daffodil bulbs.
I moved back to live full time in 2010 but discovered to my dismay, I could not tolerate the altitude. I had to move back to sea level and sold that house a huge loss.
I spent a few years licking my wounds, then bought a house in Tucson, which is at 2500 feet but seems to be OK with my lung situation. I had been spending time in Tucson for 25 years so was pretty comfortable with the move. In fact, I very nearly moved to Tucson in 2010 but my kids had a fit about me moving so far from grandchildren, etc.
Arrowhead has never recovered from 2008 which why I was making a big mistake to buy there in 2010. Palm Springs had the same issues as many people could not afford second homes and both places are very much second home locations.
La France is hoping for a new Joan of Arc at the Battle of Orleans, much as a new American Republic once got itself an heroic leader at the Battle of the New Orleans.
Our Old Hickory sees him self in Le Pen's courge to do battle to save France from Muslim conquest.
35 years ago was a dream time to live in Arrowhead, I bet. The lake shore wasn't so over-developed back then. Lot of corruption between developers and SB county officials really helped the area lose its charm. But it was still a great place for my soul. I miss the forest.
After visiting that link, I no doubt drove by your house many times on my way to get mail near Stater Bros. Though not when you lived there, as I moved back down the mountain in January 2009.
Sorry you couldn't stay. Living their full-time is a very different experience, with the full-timers a very friendly group and the atmosphere much more relaxed during the week and non-holiday seasons.
Very good, rhhardin. Those should tide over Ritmo for a few days. He's been struggling of late. He tossed "You're old!" at me last week, which shows a sorry lack of imagination. He needs to come up with more original ways of saying "You're all poopy pants and I hate you and want you to die!" which is basically what all of his comments amount to.
Just sayin' Laslo, I'm a fan.
I remember seeing lots of little black squirrels in DC. I've never seen them in the Midwest.
I once had a Japanese roommate who took a lot of pictures of squirrels. Of course, the Japanese are famous for taking lots of pictures of utterly mundane things (I once saw a bunch of them taking a picture of a stop sign) but she told me that squirrels are only to be found in zoos in Japan. So yeah, I can imagine that seeing these little rodents running around everywhere must be disconcerting to those who didn't grow up with them.
Japanese dogs would feel very sad if they knew how disadvantaged they are, with no squirrels to chase.
"I remember seeing lots of little black squirrels in DC."
Speaking of squirrels and Arrowhead, all the squirrels at Arrowhead were dead when I moved up there again in 2010. West Nile Virus had killed them all. I found a few carcasses but the many squirrels that were there when I had my vacation home were all gone.
I don't have a photo of the other house, which was on Crown Way near the middle school, but it had an enormous sugar pine right by the steps to the front door. There was a parking place there but we could not use it part of the year because the sugar pine cones, which were 2 feet long and weighed about 6 pounds when they were green,were being dropped by the squirrels that would gnaw through the stalk and drop the cone. They would then eat all the seeds. If a car was parked by the door, the cone would do a miniature MOAB scene.
I loved that house and was looking for another "Bavarian" style like it. As you may know, most of the real estate people up there are not exactly ethical, especially in 2010, and the agent never showed me one Bavarian. I wound up with more house than I wanted, a white elephant when I had to sell it.
Friends say the squirrels are rebounding but it was definitely devastating Between bark beetles killing the pines and west nile, nature wasn't exactly showing its welcoming side.
Real estate agents came with the over-development, and they got knocked by the crash too. There's honest ones, but even they got desperate.
If I ever move back to SoCal, I'm definitely interested in looking for something in or near Arrowhead. The prices aren't bad and it's such a more friendly place than LA area.
Huell Howser's Lake Arrowhead episode is one of my favorites.
Big Bear was also an irrigation reservoir. It would fluctuate wildly for years and the lake was finally bought from the water district to stabilize the lake level. I used to go up there a lot back in the 50s and 60s and some years the lake would be down to the old dam level.
In re the mustelids (and maybe the squirrels) proper paranoid reference is Carel Capek "War with the Newts".
Sorry for deleting my squirrel post, when it garnered comment! :^)
Anyway, I saw a squirrel the color of dried grass, or maybe overwintered cornstalks, more precisely, the color of last years cattail leaves in the early spring, sort of blonde.
I think that the black squirrels in DC were given as a gift to Abraham Lincoln from a population of black squirrels that occurs in southern Ontario and Western New York. Forgot who gave them, but Westfield, NY comes to mind. This is all from memory of a news article I read 40 years ago, so it may not be 100% accurate.
There are black squirrels in Omaha.
There are many ham contests today and the band is dead (current conditions).
There's a low power contest "in the field," worked exactly one of those in TN.
Then it's international marconi day. I worked for of those in MA and DE, I guess commemorating old telegraphy radio stations. WA1WCC in fact took the call letters of WCC which I used to listen to in the 50s, though not as much as NSS, which was much more reliable in schedule.
Finally it's a Nebraska contact party. I heard one very weak Nebraska station and nothing else.
Bad propagation conditions are like rain on your picnic.
Wild squirrels, unlike chipmunks, do not tame.
You have to start young.
Chipmunks don't understand the full situation and tend to go along with the flow.
Laslo Spatula said...
Unhappy Blog Commenter at the Psychiatrist...
"Is this your first time seeing a psychiatrist?"
"Yeah. I've been feeling very disappointed in people, lately."
"Ah, yes. And you want to know how you can adjust your behavior to a more appropriate level of understanding."
"Fuck, no. I want to know why everyone else sucks."
"How about we discuss some of these people who have disappointed you..."
"Well, there's a Blog I read, and the writer is always blogging about shit that doesn't matter, and NOT blogging about the shit that DOES matter."
"Have you considered reading another blog? One more to your liking?"
"They ALL disappoint me. I just like this disappointment best."
"And how do you respond to this disappointment?"
"I add comments. I add a LOT of comments."
"And what do you discuss in these comments?"
"I write about how this Blog and its commenters make me sick. Angry and sick."
"And this makes you feel better?"
"Yeah. I tell them they are all assholes who are getting it wrong. I come up with some pretty great put-downs. Occasionally I wish death on another commenter."
"While this may make you happy in the short-term, it doesn't seem healthy as a long-term behavior."
"Yeah. It gets tough coming up with new insults. But those people really suck: they deserve it."
"Again: maybe you could try a Blog more in line with your thinking."
"They don't appreciate me, either. What's worse, they ignore me, because EVERYONE is disappointed. And angry. I don't stand out."
"And 'standing out' is important to you?"
"Of course it is. If people would just understand how Intelligent I am then they would realize I am Right. All the time. And they should then just Shut Up with their shit."
"Well, I don't think ANYONE is right 'all the time'..."
"That's because you're used to dealing with crazy people. You never have dealt with someone like me."
"Actually, I have. I have many patients who suffer from Narcissism and Delusions of Grandeur."
"Yeah -- those kind of people are the ones I'm talking about. The other commenters. They're so full of their own shit and then they write that shit on the Internet like it's important."
"How do you view YOUR writing on the Internet?"
"I see what you're doing there. The difference is I AM writing Important Things. These people need to know how disappointing they are."
"Maybe you should try a Positive Comment, and see how people respond?"
"Fuck that. I'll never give those fuckers an inch. And that starts with the Blog's Writer, herself."
"We're near the end of our session. So, to recap: you are Unhappy, and you spend your time reading a Writer you don't respect and then communicating with others that you don't respect. And you want all of them to change while you stay the same. Is that a fair assessment?
"Pretty much. It gets so tiring, being compelled to constantly deal with people who disappoint me. But it also helps me masturbate too, you know?"
"I think we're going to need a LOT of sessions..."
"I would think so: it takes a lot of time for someone to fully understand just how smart I am..."
I am Laslo.
4/22/17, 11:28 AM
Pretty darn good. If there were such a person here, they would be in a tough spot, wanting to defend themselves without acknowledging self recognition.
"wanting to defend themselves without acknowledging self recognition."
That person, if indeed it exists, probably would just go full obscenity and bluster.
Not too much subtlety in trolls.
Lovely picture. The daffodils and jonquils are blooming all over the place here, but we don't have the sunlight for such a glorious effect on this gray blustery day. Maybe tomorrow!
Michael K said...
"wanting to defend themselves without acknowledging self recognition."
That person, if indeed it exists, probably would just go full obscenity and bluster.
Not too much subtlety in trolls.
4/22/17, 3:47 PM
Or, pretend they did not see Laslos comment. Gotta be hard not to respond, haha!
FullMoon wrote:
Or, pretend they did not see Laslos comment. Gotta be hard not to respond, haha!"
Which is why, if Laslo does not object, the comment should be saved and inserted into threads when such a commenter resorts to the methods referred to by Laslo's Unhappy Blog Commenter. It's a bit like the old housebreaking method of rubbing a puppy's nose in the mess he created, although in this case the puppy is probably incapable of being housebroken or trained for any useful activity.
"The daffodils and jonquils are blooming all over the place here"
The cactus is blooming here.
Post a Comment