... you can talk all afternoon... preferably about things that are not raised in this morning's posts. Please challenge yourselves to discuss anything other than Trump, the last election, and yesterday's events in the Capitol. There are 7 posts this morning on those topics, so scroll down if you want to talk about that.
It's a new year. What have you been up to? Have you embarked on a wholesome sunrise run routine or anything like that? Are you decluttering and "death cleaning"? Have you read any good books? What TV shows are you following these days? What are you cooking? Are you feeling blue? Are your dogs and cats okay?...
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292 comments:
1 – 200 of 292 Newer› Newest»Feeling blue. yes.
How are you and Meade, Ann?
everything OK? We wish you the best. Thanks for letting us vent.
Waiting for NHL to start.
Finished the year with Frankl's Man's Search for Meaning; started the new year with a restart of Paul Johnson's Intellectuals. Both great!
Blue is the new shit-brown.
Was Trump right that we've stopped talking about covid? How many died from covid yesterday? How many are dying today? Have we turned the corner?
Back in the 80s, the Royal Shakespeare Company recorded all the canon plays. I've had them on DVD for years, decided to finally watch them all over a few months. I just watched Twelfth Night with Felicity Kendal and Robert Hardy. I'm going to do A Winter's Tale next, then probably start going in chronological order. I watch with the captions on, don't worry much about what the words mean, it's much like watching opera.
Had a talk with the raccoon that continues to defecate on my lawn.
Promises were made - then broken. So I've already got a lot on my plate.
Get him off your plate!
At night I watch "the great British baking show"
I'm in love with the cast - Paul Hollywood and Noel.
I even miss Sue and her side kick.
"15 minutes until I sink my teeth into your buns."
Classic.
Watching people make cake and pastry under pressure is kinda fun.
Readering - can you follow directions? are you daft?
Show some respect- asshole.
Show some respect for the dead and dying.
"Are your dogs and cats okay?..."
My German Shepherd, pushing 12, is finally reconciling himself to senior dog status. We did a week or so of trying to train him to use a set of steps to get up in the car. He seemed to think that they were some sort of trap, avoided them every which way, and finally gave me an unmistakable "I'm gonna bite you" look. I backed off, and while I was wondering if I still had a muzzle for him he went right up on his own. He just wanted it to be his decision.
Are your dogs and cats okay?
Yes. Some guy at the park called our ever-so cute 'n' sweet little border collie mix a "mean little bastard" when it took down and started to beat up his big dog which was running loose and came racing right up to us. The poor little guy doesn't like big hairy dogs for some rez-dog reason, and starts "stalking" when he sees one.
Rory, I am with you. Tonight I will finish watching DVD of the 1983 production of Richard III staring Ron Cook. I have watched numerous filmed versions and one stage and he matches the greats. I also use subtitles, and with dvd easy to rewind and replay passages.
Well a nice semi-sunny day here in the greater pugetopolis. We are waiting to hear if our boy cat recently diagnosed with diabetes is stable enough to come home today from the emergency vet where he has been since Sunday. It has been a real emotional rollercoaster, but he has responded well to insulin and we should be able to manage him at home with daily insulin and adjusted diet.
His sister cat and his two humans miss him.
I feel great afterall I'm a year younger than Althouse. I have started a new fitness routine and will share the results in 30 days if it seems to be working.
I am busier than I can remember at work- lot of people want to exit their businesses after disastrous COVID year and prospect of Biden / Dems wrecking the economy even more. I barely saw any news yesterday but am kind of proud that Congress Critters may now know what it felt to see their workplace disrupted by the same kind of "peaceful protests" that devastated our citoes this year.
When laws are not enforced, this is the result. When people feel aggrieved, this is how they respond. I assume even liberal Dems can grasp the logic here.
Both cats are fine. One is pretty old and taken to howling randomly, but is otherwise fine. The younger one has become a determined lap sitter.
I am baking a lot of bread these days. I made a light rye yesterday, perfect for toast. I prefer bread with high hydration but loathe working with sticky dough, so I am looking for compromise recipes! I find adding oatmeal seems to help keep the bread soft and moist.
Speaking of oatmeal, if you make a meatloaf try oatmeal not bread crumbs as the binder. Miraculous.
Halfway through a lockdown month here. Most stores are open but for pick up only. Libraries too.
Over the last year or so I've noticed what seems to be a trend in writing, both among commenters and professional (or at least published) writers. It's the misuse of the word "women" when referring to a singular woman. I've wondered if the rules had changed and I'm the moron, but searches on DDG don't seem to indicate it. Am I the only one noticing this trend? Is it actually a trend? Maybe it is only my perception. It drives me crazy when I see it.
On New Year's Eve, my wife, who'd already had a rough 2 years health-wise, decided to send off the old year by tripping over the dog and breaking her foot. That's pretty much all that's going on my life--cooking, cleaning, and helping her up and down the stairs. Right now I'm waiting for a phone call from a medical supply store about a wheeled walker so she can get outside and get some air and exercise.
Feeling good. The year is off to a good start. We are scheduled to close on the new house next week, move in shortly thereafter. I'm going to miss this place but very excited to begin nesting in the new one. Moving out of our house of 20 years in June, and now from our 1,000 sq ft rental has given us a great opportunity to declutter. I'm here to say we have NAILED IT. I've not taken up anything new this year, though have recommitted myself to my workout regime.
@BFTPFCP: I've been watching, along with mrs. stevew, the Baking Show. It's really fun and engrossing. The hosts and judges are great, and the show does a great job of picking interesting characters for the bakers. So far I've not disagreed with the judging much, though Paul does seem to have his favorites (and they aren't just the attractive women!). The pace is perfect. I especially like that the contestants seem to like and support each other. The idiosyncrasies of their English vs ours is fun too.
Are your dogs and cats okay?
An article I read recently on the interwebz said that animal behaviorists have determined that when your cat sticks its rear in your face what it's really saying to its owner is that you can kiss my furry little ass.
My two border female collies haven't been herding any sheep lately because our trainer suspended all activities due to the pandemic. As a result my BCs aren't getting enough mental and physical stimulation and they're acting out as only border collies can. E.g, they're playing dominance games with each other, trying to herd each other around the house, and flagrantly disobeying me. It can all get pretty lively. I sure do hope this pandemic ends soon.
Readering said...Was Trump right that we've stopped talking about covid?
We pretty much have. We haven't turned any corners on cases or deaths, but the vaccine has caused a shift in priorities from lockdowns to bend the curve and lockdowns for as long as bureaucratic busybodies can get away with keeping us locked up and locked down. They'll stretch this crap out for as long as we let them and will never voluntarily loosen their grips.
Oh and if anyone is interested (they aren't), I'm running 50 miles a week, teaching Taekwondo along with my black-belt teenage son, and pretending not to see my weight rack every time I walk past it because I HATE doing squats.
On the food front, I'm starting to make cured meats. Corned beef, fuet sausage, and rillettes so far.
Christ on a bike, I am sick of politics! It has infected every corner of my life, and I've had enough.
For something completely different: It was announced yesterday that the guitar company Gibson aquired amp maker Mesa/Boogie. Gibson has been struggling in recent years due to poor management, spending large sums on a series of highly dubious acquisitions (audio companies Onkyo, TEAC, and Royal Phillips) among other bad decisions. Prices of their guitars climbed and quality control slipped quite a bit, not a good combination. They even filed for bankruptcy a while back since they racked up a half a billion in debt.
The announced aquisition of Mesa/Boogie naturally caused quite a stir among fans of their amps. There's worries that Gibson might use Mesa as a piggy bank. Prices of the amps have started to climb on reseller sites like Ebay and Reverb. Glad I still have my Tremoverb.
Dog is OK. Vikings (Prime) got my attention for a full 6 seasons until it ran out of shows and thank God it did. I thought it would not end, though I did mostly like it. Sometimes these shows go on a season or two, too long. Now I've got to get back to reading. Just picked up "Empire of the Summer Moon", by S.C. Gwynne. It's a history of the Comanches, considered the most powerful Indian tribe in American history. Hmm. I apparently went from Vikings to Comanches. Similar 'tribes' different cultures.
Business is tanking, but that's OK. I was thinking of packing it in, in another year anyway. Covid just moved things up. Still have a few customers reaching out for help on some projects, but as I'm no longer traveling, meeting, presenting, or marketing in any way, I'm letting it die organically, naturally. When it gets to the point of 30 or so days with no requests, I'll probably end the corporation and call it a long, productive, and mostly fun career. I'm ready. My mind is ready- finally. Like watching a loved one pass on and feeling good about their life and glad it's over before any suffering.
I'm filling in my days with more writing, which is something I've wanted to do since college. Life got in the way. Now it's time for Life, Part Deux! Oh...and the beach. Long walks on the beach coming soon. So is the NHL. (Go Bolts!)
I opened the year up with a New Years Day blood donation, and intend on making 2021 a 6 pint donation year after the covidiocy screwed up my 2020 schedule.
It's the misuse of the word "women" when referring to a singular woman
The sisterhood? A collective of anonymous cutouts of the female sex, perhaps feminine gender. There is precedent, and around half of women not only subscribe to it, but are affirmative advocates. That said, we are not pleased.
I'm so happy that I have, since covid basically, improved my life by watching less news and doing something that I always wanted to do - learn French and be fluent. I had some in the past but I have been steadily taking live courses through UW continuing education (zoom of course) and other online stuff.
In addition I quit drinking back in February.
My life is exponentially better. It would be super duper if we can start getting shots in arms and all of the morons and idiots would stop destroying stuff.
I’m baking a key lime pie and oven dried tomatoes. Other than that I’m thinking Snowden is right. The deep state pulled off a coup. Censorship and surveillance won.
Early last year I came across the historical costuming community on YouTube, and honestly it's pretty interesting. Some of these women do some serious research to get things correct, and the craftsmanship involved is impressive. Inspired, I've tried my hand at making a couple of 18th century shirts, with mixed success. I figure next I'll try a waistcoat and then a jacket.
@dustbuny at 12:19 - no need to bake a key lime pie.
Ken B said...I prefer bread with high hydration
Here's a weird suggestion that I recently got out of a bean cookbook to go with Boston Baked Beans and it's amazing--have you tried steamed bread? There's a bit of technique involved-you set up a sort of double-boiler system and it takes a few hours. The bread comes out super moist but not soggy.
And Ohio State will win outright on Monday night.
This weekend I am putting in a parley on Buffalo, Baltimore, Buccaneers and Buckeyes.
Bitcoin just hit 40K. I'm buying a Tesla.
Ken B said...
Both cats are fine. One is pretty old and taken to howling randomly
We have one like that.
when your cat sticks its rear in your face what it's really saying to its owner is that you can kiss my furry little ass.
A pussy hat. If you're one of us, you'll wear it.
Personally, Tank had a great 2020. I feel a little guilty about that.
Surgery on New Year's Eve was the perversely perfect end to 2020. Tuesday's pathology report, "High grade urethelial carcinoma" kind of took the air out of my electoral passions. Now, it seems like other people's problem.
Looking at treatments, options. Oh, well, I wasn't that attached to my left kidney and ureter (except, you know, literally).
"I am sick of politics! It has infected every corner of my life, and I've had enough."
Amen to that!
Gospace said...
I opened the year up with a New Years Day blood donation, and intend on making 2021 a 6 pint donation year...
THANK YOU!
(from someone with blood cancer who has needed a couple transfusions, and will almost certainly need more at some point)
In 2020, I read through the Bible, but this time in the English Standard Version translation through an app called "Read Scripture" developed by the Bible Project (free in the App Store). Each day includes a few chapters in a chronological reading and a Psalm. By mid-December, you'll have finished the entire Bible and read through all the Psalms about 3 times. Each book of the Bible is introduced by a summary video that discusses that book's structure and themes. If you're looking for a Bible-reading plan for 2021, I highly recommend it.
This weekend I am putting in a parley on Buffalo, Baltimore, Buccaneers and Buckeyes.
What about the Bruins, Broncos, and Blue Bombers?
Robother-
Best of luck with the treatments!
I blame all covid deaths on the Chi Coms.
BBC TVer "Escape to the Country" available on various platforms, is interesting to watch. Each episode takes buyers house-hunting and exploring various parts of the British countryside, or at least the photogenic bits. It's interesting that the Brits have a much different set of imperatives and tastes than most Americans do: they need a fireplace and to be close to a pub.
I am doing death cleaning. No hurry, I've likely got a couple years before the cancer wins.
And I started the year eating better (once the Christmas cookies and New Years cinnamon rolls were gone. ) No more soda, cookies, etc. Small amount of dark chocolate each day.
In October 1066, Harold Godwinson, responding to the invasion of his realm by a Norman army led by Duke William of Normandy, summoned his "housecarls" to muster at the "Hoar Apple Tree" (haran apuldran in Angle-Saxon, which meant "grey pollard [apple] tree] close by Senlac Hill near the village of Hastings in Sussex, England. The Hoar Apple Tree was by then very ancient, and well known to the inhabitants, hence its suitability as an assembly point for the Anglo-Saxons. The Battle of Hastings was fought nearby, with Harold's doomed army arrayed along the top of Senlac Hill to meet the cavalry charges of William's army.
I wrote a poem some months ago. The first line is: "I keep forgetting my past isn't some place I can drive to." The last line, apropos of the howling cat above, is: "My old dog keeps forgetting which side of the door opens."
Best wishes to Robother, and at least kidney-wise, you've got another.
I'm about to get the beagle, now about 9 months old, fixed. We played it out as long as we could, as they say immunity and other longer term health considerations may improve if you let the dog hold on to its nuts longer. But he's increasingly canis-non-grata at the dog park for all his humping and dominance play, including other owners and not just their dogs, and he's doing the same to our 5yo and all our blankets and pillows. House-training was a snap, but his marking in new places is getting tiresome, and hopefully will abate after the big snip so that we can take him to other people's houses when that's allowed again. He tends towards alpha behavior but has always been completely respectful of me and my wife and our authority, willingly submitting to various uncomfortable treatments and he even drops the bras and underwear if we raise our voices. I feel terrible now when he looks at me with those sad, trusting beagle eyes. Poor little fucker's going to have to wear a cone for a week to add discomfort, humiliation and insult to castration.
Blood donations - you are awesome.
Good reminder for all of us, if possible.
I’m about half way through the book about James A Baker III, written by two NYT writers. So far, it’s not a hatchet job.
"15 minutes until I sink my teeth into your buns."
Classic.
Food is the closest thing the British have to sex.
PM said...
Had a talk with the raccoon
You can lure them with peanut butter into a humane trap but then you have to [get an animal control officer who will] release it into the wild [which may actually be nearby according to the animal control officer] or far away.
"I blame all covid deaths on the Chi Coms."
It took my Mom last month. Some in the family blame the CCP. Sone Trump. Some the facility she lived in, and some the individual residents and staff who let their guards down over Thanksgiving gatherings outside. I find when it comes to one's own it does not pay to dwell on it. Thankful she survived the first 9 months and try not to think about how close she might have been to a vaccination.
Tim M
No I had never even heard of that. I do have a book that suggests putting the bread in a Dutch oven, covered.
I have had steamed chicken though. Once. Or actually about a third of a time. Dreadful. Rubbery skin.
Finally working on my memoir: The Wonderful Story of my Fabulous Life. H/T Mad Magazine for the (working) title.
Althouse's riff on "alternate lives" was a good writing prompt.
Biden's on TV doing some "healing" and "unifying".
This is Charlie Hebdo day. Je suis toujours Charlie.
Not nearly enough talk on this Wisconsin blog about the Packers incredible year.
They converted 80% of their red zone possessions into TDs - 48 out of 60 tries. No NFL team has done that well in 40 years. Rodgers had 48 TD passes to go with 5 interceptions. He set new NFL records for games with a passer rating of at least 100.0 (14), and games with at least three touchdown passes and zero interceptions (10). He now holds the two best passer ratings in a single season in NFL history: 121.5 in 2020, and 122.5 in 2011. They had more TD passes than punts. They scored 30 plus points in 12 games. They had as many games scoring 40 plus points (4) as games scoring less than 30 points (4).
Even political enemies can bond over football.
Having to give up working out at the gym and swimming in the pool, I have taken up long walks at night along the bike path that runs by Dunn's Marsh and the arboretum --often times I am alone under the night sky and have found a new appreciation of this outdoor silence. One new thing, among others, that Covid has nudged me into.
We had a pizza oven built on the patio and have been learning how to use it to make great pizza and wings. I think I’m pretty close, so will now invite a few friends over, and also start learning how to bake bread in it. I have a new e-bike and ride it more, but it is not a routine – too cold or windy most of the time. I’m a fair-weather rider. I’m selling some of my Peanut’s collectables on Ebay and sending stuff to Goodwill as well. I'm reading “Never Call Me a Hero” by N. Jack “Dusty” Kleiss and “Conquistador” by Buddy Levy. We have been watching “Endeavor” the past few weeks. Feeling OK, but still combative on FB with my fewer and fewer liberal friends. They have a habit of unfriending me. The dogs are fine – the 18 pound 8-year-old half -Dachshund got into it with the two-year-old 65 pound half pit bull yesterday. He put her head in his mouth so she bit his tongue. She’s a runner and fearless, and I’m afraid coyote will get her one of these days when she escapes. I also buy my Amazon items through your portal, but am going to try to use it less and less. If so, I’ll go back to my traditional PayPal Christmas jar tip.
Thanks for asking!
Dan from Madison, key lime pie has egg yolks, you need to bake it for 15 min.
I was raised in Madison and had never even heard the term rime ice until today! I was calling it hoarfrost all this time.
We have truly been lucky with nature this week in Madison's winter wonderland.
Looking for a new SY-FI series to binge.
Some of my old favorites were:
Fringe
Orphan Black
Stargate Atlantis
Firefly
12 Monkeys
Stargate SG-1
Humans
Star Trek Discovery
Babylon 5
Dark Matter
The Man in the High Castle
And of course The Expanse.
Any ideas?
A double whammy, hoar ice and rime ice.
No not feeling blue as in sad, feeling blue in a good way. I’ve been using my Christmas present from one of my daughters, an enameled cloche by Emile Henry. I’ve tried several different loaves and it’s baked every one of them beautifully. I love it.
I went back to eating less meat, so I’m experimenting with mideastern dishes, lots of lentils and spices.
I started watching Netflix’s Guide to Meditation and The Surgeon’s Cut series. I finished watching Season 1 of Bridgerton, I enjoyed it. Interesting to see so many Black characters in starring roles in a period piece. They give a quick explanation, a King had married a Black woman some generations back. Fun to see all the Black and mixed Dukes and Duchesses and gentry speaking in an upper crust British accent living as equals with the White ladies and gentlemen of that time.
I started an audiobook subscription, I don’t know what took me so long, I’m quite enjoying it. I’m listening to The Jewelers Wife. Very good!
Temujin said...
Just picked up "Empire of the Summer Moon", by S.C. Gwynne. It's a history of the Comanches, considered the most powerful Indian tribe in American history. Hmm. I apparently went from Vikings to Comanches. Similar 'tribes' different cultures.
Read it when it first came out awhile back, excellent book.
I've been reading my way through Shakespeare in chronological order. Read a bit of criticism, read the play, wait awhile, next play. Up to the Merry Wives of Windsor and got 98% of the jokes the first time. The first time I read it in 1963 I got zero % so I suppose I've somehow soaked up the mental background.
Reading New England history with the goal of finding out exactly how the title to some land I once owned a part of was transferred from the Penacooks to the Europeans. Archaeology says that since time began, or at least the glaciers receded, no one ever lived continuously in this valley in any kind of settlement until the English Puritans came in 1740. It was always a summer place. Reading Bradford's History of Plymouth and Hubbard's History of the Indian Wars. The anthropologists at the end of the 19C really changed the way in which "The Indians" were viewed as compared to how they were viewed by Bradford and Hubbard. It's those anthropologists and social scientists around 1900-1920 who introduced categories of "primitive", "childlike", "had no permanent settlements" and so on, categories which are now being protested. 1900 was almost three centuries after the Pilgrims and a lot of realities were dropped in the interest of conforming the social sciences to Hegel, Darwin and Herbert Spencer.
And I'm watching the Crown which is anti-monarchical propaganda but strangely interesting because the limitations of the monarchy which the show keeps hammering on are also the obvious (to me) limitations of present day lefty mayors like Cuomo et al - closed in, in the hands of an out of date clique, dignity (show) not efficiency.
I want to thank Ann Althouse for running a fair blog with intellectual honesty. She is a first rate intellect. Why this comment?
Last night I got into on Twitter with the Dean of the lowly-rated Creighton Law School (my alma mater) and three of his faculty members.
They are all liberals. The Dean tweeted out his condemnation of the "armed takeover of the Capitol" and similar language. He also wrote that "our legal system is designed to give each person a voice." The judiciary wholly failed to give President Trump a voice in the election contest lawsuits.
I tweeted back and refreshed his recollection that he had not condemned - and in fact praised - one of his law students who tried to start a riot in Omaha last year. This non-traditional law student has 5k Twitter followers. After a police officer shot a man, he tweeted that it was "murder." Other tweets were along the lines of: "police shoot black man in traffic stop."
There were protests in Omaha over this and they easily could have been violent like the ones earlier this year in Omaha and other cities.
Turns out the killing was justified. The twice convicted felon was reaching for his loaded handgun when the police fired. The law student rushed to judgment. The poor cop was NOT given the benefit of the doubt or any due process from this so-called law student.
But to the Creighton Dean, this law student is a Man for Others and needs to be protected from the likes of DDB.
Three of his faculty members launched ad hominem attacks on me.
The point of this comment is that these law professors aren't very smart at all. In a real courtroom, they would get carved up by a real judge. They are emotional liberals. I also note that they all identify their pronouns (he/him and she/her) in their Twitter profiles.
These Creighton Law professors are really an embarrassment. The real laugher is that they assert they are following Jesuit values because they are liberal Dems. I don't think St. Ignatius Loyola would be a member of today's Democrat party.
As an aside, I am so, so glad my son didn't even apply to Creighton. He graduated from a school that is ranked much higher than Creighton. Creighton needs a law school as good as its men's basketball team.
So, thanks Ann Althouse.
Ann promised yesterday to "withhold her comments" until today. Yet, as is becoming more routine, she has made no commentary, given zero insight. I started reading this blog in whatever year hurricane Katrina hit, and fell in love with her insights. First I would read Drudge for the quick hits and then come to Ann for analysis. Drudge is worthless these days, but I still believe that Ann's mind is truly exceptional, it's just sad we rarely get a peek of it anymore.
I appreciate a lot of you folks in the comments, but most comments just seem to be more of the snark you find on horrible Twitter.
Katrina was in 2008 I think late August.
"Let us sit upon the ground and tell sad stories of the death of kings." I'm reading a book by Edvard Radzinsky, The Last Tsar," about the final days of Czar Nicholas and his family. Beyond sad. The guards and the former Empress shared the same bathroom. The guards left obscene drawings of Rasputin fucking the Empress on the walls....Rasputin never had carnal relations with the Empress or, for that matter, any of the aristocrats, but that was the common belief.....Lots of conspiracy theories, many of which were, in fact, actual conspiracies. There was a conspiracy to kill Rasputin, and it happened. There was a Bolshevik conspiracy to take over Russia, and it happened.
Hoar reminds me of Mike Hoare, the infamous Africa mercenary, which reminds me of the first 2021 book I'm reading, an oldie but goodie from Frederick Forsyth: The Dogs of War. Supposedly, this was more memoir than fiction, as he's alleged to be one of the main financiers and planners of a failed African coup.
Nonapod asked "What about the Bruins, Broncos, and Blue Bombers?"
Yep I noticed that too - my bets all begin with B.
However, it really is an art to me or I'd also be picking the Bears, the Browns or pittsBurgh too.
Jersey Fled said...
Looking for a new SY-FI series to binge.
DEVS on Hulu was not bad. We enjoyed it.
Not really Science Fiction but Homecoming with Julia Robert’s was another we finished.
Daskol
A really great novel about mercenaries in Africa is Horn of Africa by Caputo.
A fun one is Kahawa by Westlake.
I read Kon Tiki when I was a kid - pretty fascinating Thor Heyerdahl account of raft trip from S. America to far west Pacific islands or vice versa. Will a young person today find that book interesting?
Facebook and Instagram have completely banned Trump, a man who is still the President until the 20th. Yet most Republicans are bleating about how terrible some of their own voters are.
Blogger Jersey Fled said... Looking for a new SY-FI series to binge.
Based on your list you might enjoy Travelers. The full series (3 seasons) is on Netflix. It's one of those Canadian/American productions filmed in Vancouver.
If you don't mind Anime, Attack on Titan is pretty good.
Agree with Patrick.
We read the Althouse blog for Althouse's analysis and insight. Not reading for fights with Inga and Chuck.
My mother called me the evening of December 23rd while I was walking with my husband and daughter to view our town’s city hall winter light display. She wanted to know what it meant that her ultrasound showed a 3 cm mass in the head of her pancreas. With modern electronic records she read her result online before her doctor. So, we’ve been spending the new year and the holidays preparing for death. She’s 82 and has lived a good life. Makes me not care about the chaos in the world.
Hey! For the first time this year both CNN and MSNBC reported on violence at a protest! Theres that!
Katrina was during Dubya's second term.
Hurricane Katrina - Wikipediaen.wikipedia.org › Hurricane Katrina was a large Category 5 Atlantic hurricane which caused over 1,800 deaths and $125 billion in damage in August 2005, particularly in the city
@Jersey Fled: give "Raised by Wolves" on HBO Max a try. I enjoyed all the ones you listed and am enjoying this one. The other one I'm re-watching is "Farscape". Cheesy and low-tech but pretty entertaining.
I'm sorry to hear about all these cancer incidents. I can only wish everyone good luck. It's easy to lose perspective until you or a loved one has a health issue. Cancer kills far more people than Covid and will continue to kill long after the 'Rona is gone.
There's a divinity that shapes our ends. Czar Nicholas certainly believed this. He was steadfast in his belief that he was God's annointed king and that his suffering served some higher moral purpose. He wasn't a very good Czar, but he was a good man. The early Bolsheviks didn't refer to it as a divinity, but they believed dialectical materialism was a force that shaped our ends. Well, the joke's on everybody. It's a tale told by an idiot, full of sound and fury, signifying nothing.....The Bolshies made it a priority to tear down statues of the old czars. Then the statues of Lenin and Stalin got torn down.
It's been a good year. I slightly revised the daily bike excursion so that it visits no stores, and started buying usually slightly overpriced (not always) groceries from Amazon Fresh instead, every 3 weeks or so. Some out-of-stock irregularities, is all. Who can be out of frozen peas? Learn variety, substitution. Also you rarely get all of everything you ordered and were charged for, but you get most of it. There's some sloppy work in the bagging area. Just allow for it. It's not the fault of the driver and you couldn't reach anybody about it anyway.
The dog is sharing lunch of rice and veg as the loose expiration date on brown rice approaches.
I am tired of hoarfrost and fog. Something different, please.
Retired at the end of July (unrelated to the pandemic - had planned on that timeframe for several years.) Reading a lot - mostly biographies of significant historical figures (i.e. non-celebrities, other than John Cleese's auto-bio.) Just finished a year-long reading through the Bible (NIV).
Due to the pandemic, have been unable to do what was supposed to be my main retirement activity, which was volunteer tutoring at local elementary schools (been doing it for about 10 years, but was planning on a significant increase in frequency.) Spending time with grandkids (we have 7). Donating platelets every two weeks (did it 24 times in 2020.) My wife is an exceptional artist and cook, so I get to enjoy her output in both those areas. (Some fantastic sandwiches!)
I am tackling learning to paint in dry pastels (as opposed to oil pastel). Talk about humbling. I never really struggled like this in art school with previous mediums. Have mastered pencil, pen and ink and etching/lithograph. Did some oil painting and even that wasn't the struggle this is! Some day I'll be able to sit down and render Ann's photos in pastel - and the end result won't look like a child did it. Like this photo here - gorgeous! I can kind of see a vision of it in pastel but dayum - gonna take me some time before I can do that.
The nerve of some guys, dust bunny!
Over five thousand years ago, Moses said to the children of Israel , "Pick up your shovels, mount your asses and camels, and I will lead you to the Promised Land."
Nearly 75 years ago, Roosevelt said, "Lay down your shovels, sit on your asses, and light up a Camel -- this is the Promised Land."
Today, the Democrats plan to steal your shovel, tax your asses, raise the price of Camels and Gasoline, and they have mortgaged the Promised Land!
I was so depressed last night thinking about Health Care Plans, the economy, the wars, lost jobs, savings, Social Security, retirement funds, etc .... I called a Suicide Hotline.
I had to press 1 for English.
I was connected to a call center in Pakistan. I told them I was suicidal.
They got excited and asked if I could drive a truck!
rhhardin said...
Also you rarely get all of everything you ordered and were charged for, but you get most of it. There's some sloppy work in the bagging area. Just allow for it. It's not the fault of the driver and you couldn't reach anybody about it anyway.
Please complain to them about it. I won't try to argue that they care about you, but they certainly care about your business. That's what makes capitalism work.
Jersey Fled: I don't see Star Trek Deep Space Nine on your list - my favorite! There is also a Russian movie called "Sputnik" worth the time. Also Philip K Dick's "Electric Dreams".
I'm also slowly working my way through the BBC/Time Life Shakespeare productions from the 1970s and 80s in one version of chronological order. Just finished Twelfth Night. It's always fun to see who will show up: Felicity Kendal as Viola, Alan Rickman as Tybalt, Charles Gray ("It's just a jump to the left!") as Julius Caesar...
Things you will NEVER see on Twitter...
https://thepeoplescube.com/peoples-blog/things-you-will-never-see-on-twitter-t22088.html
re: bread - I've been focusing for a year on different breads with and without sourdough starter. Best recipe I've found for a high hydration is in a sweet little book called Artisan Sourdough made Simple by Emilie Raffa. She uses a dutch oven - which I think is imperative to use making any high hydration dough other than focaccia. Good luck Ken B!
I finally pulled the cable plug yesterday. Well sort of. I'm still paying for YouTube TV for awhile, but at half the cost. And I'm doing that so my inlaws can cancel their cable bill also. They still want news and sports. I'd be happy with Discovery Plus, except with only the previous Scripps Network channels and none of the Discovery legacy channels. Actually, if it was just me; I'd only be watching the Castle series that I purchased on DVD years ago.
I added some debt in 2020, but oddly I lowered how much I'm paying in total every month by dramatically cutting my re-occurring utility costs. It also helps to have added much more income. I'm on pace to retire 10 years early, if I choose to do so. All this is giving me the freedom to call bullshit on so much, and that's a great feeling.
I am trying to get some consistency back into my running after some health and other problems in the last year. Saturday morning I'll do a 25k on trails located on a resort ranch about two hours west of where in live in DFW. Two weeks after that, I'll do a road half. Altought the half is about 2.4 miles shorter than the 25k, the half will actually be harder as I will run right up against an edge most of the way. On the trail, the terrain will not allow me to push it aerobically and there will probably be some "power hiking" mixed in. I know the trail goes down a steep ridge to the Brazos and back and we do that loop twice so I expect to have some forced heart rate lowering. I don't have the technical skills to go all out on tough terrain so I have to slow down. Trail races allow for shame free walking/hiking which is nice.
I'll be doing something down around Del Rio in February then over to Fort Davis in March. That one has a lot of elevation change and you start at about 5000 feet to begin with. The series I'm running has stops in several other State or National parks in Texas and ends with a beach ultra on packed sand in Port Aransas in November. I'm not sure how far I will be running at each stop yet, but it will be a marathon in Fort Davis and probably 50k to 100k the rest of the way. Hopefully, I'll stay healthy this year. I got in excellent shape this past winter then had to have a thyroidectomy in April which put a crimp in things for a few minutes. Getting the meds lined out is the hard part.
I'm meditating alot and probably doing a retreat in Sedona very soon. February, I think.
They are still allowing retreats at the place I'm interested in over there with only a few minor inconveniences. I was in Sedona in September and was surprised to see how nonchalant the attitude was toward the Covid overreaction. I hadn't been there before and I was expecting full blown statist virtue signaling, but I detected a strong libertarian streak in many of the natives. It's nice to be surprised like that; it doesn't happen to me very often.
I started the Bible in a Year podcast.
So far, it's great.
I'm so sorry to hear of people's health traumas. May 2021 be benevolent to you.
Our eldest cat, who just turned 19, was diagnosed a year ago with beginning kidney failure. He's still alive, still independent, still noisy. He was always a champion mouser, never left a mess except an intentional trophy piece now and then.
Dad, who'll be 87 in a few months, is also alive and independent. He's a little rickety on his feet, and he jokes that he doesn't know who will go first, him or the cat. We're blessed to have him live with us.
"Mad" Mike Hoare, World War II veteran and Congo mercenary leader, died in 2019 at the incredible age of 101.
"Mad Dog Killers: The Story of a Congo Mercenary," by Ivan Smith, is an excellent, page-turning account by a South African soldier of fortune who served in one of Hoare's Congo commandos. It is in many respects quite shocking. They really were mad dog killers (and so were their enemies). Illustrated by lots of photos taken by the author, who has very little good to say about Hoare.
Looking for a new SY-FI series to binge.
Travelers.
It's 12 Monkeys meets Quantum Leap.
New Year Wholesomeness: Dry January. No wine, beer, or alcohol. Just to see if I can. Wife already failed. Her job must be more stressful.
Reading: Venice by Jan Morris, who I learned was a pioneering transgender-er. The writing is terrific, as is the history. Never knew the influence that Venice and Venetians had in the Adriatic and Aegean Seas, or that the Fourth Crusade sacking Constantinople (from the heathen orthodox Christians, no less, only to be sacked again by the Turks in 1400 and re-named Istanbul) was led by Venetians. It was supposed to be a raid to recapture Jerusalem from the Muslims, but shit and detours happen.
Watching: Peaky Blinders on Netflix. My UW-Madison son got me into this historical fiction series set in 1920 Birmingham, England. A gritty time in the industrial city, post WWI, Bolsheviks lurking, IRA active, Churchill seeking a name for himself and a band of boys just looking to run numbers, booze, gambling and other illicit trade in peace.
Eating: Lots more quality cuts of pork and beef from the local butcher. What a difference fresh from the butcher makes over the grocery meat counter. About 50-75% more expensive, but no waste and so much better tasting.
Dogs: Still really happy that workers and students are home in the daytime. For them, 2020 was pretty good.
My USMC coauthor of the book we wrote on the 2nd Marine Division in World War II, Lt. Col Dean Ladd, turned 100 on December 8. Fought on Guadalacanal, Tarawa, Saipan and Tinian. Wounded in action five times. He thinks he may be the oldest living Marine. An extraordinary man. I spoke with him a couple of days ago. He's sharp as a tack and physically active.
Happy birthday, Dean. Semper fi! Oohrah!
I started a new fitness routine about two years ago and have had remarkable results. My doctor said I should write them up and share them and become a "celebrity." I'll pass. Not until I lose the very last 10 lbs and get down to zero % body fat. That has proven to be very tough indeed.
Empire of the Summer Moon? I have a signed copy. I was born in Quanah, TX. The story of Cynthia Ann Parker is heart breaking. After being kidnapped and raised by the Comanche for 24 years she was never able to fully re-assimilate into the culture into which she was born.
I'm researching the history of scuba diving in the Madison area beginning in the 1950's, and 60's.If anyone has anything to share, please contact me at the email in my profile.
MadisonMan said...I am tired of hoarfrost and fog. Something different, please.
C'mon, man! I recently moved back to the La Crosse area and I love the weather after so many years in SoCal. I can't get enough of XC skiing and winter walks. I'm looking for a decent pair of men's ice skates (not the crap on Amazon). I'm successfully forcing tulip bulbs indoors in time to give to all my secret Valentines.
The stimulus checks are in for some people, anyhow. Me. I bought some potted flowers, hyacinths and daffodils. And I'm going to get a whole paper-white arrangement, pebbles and all. And an orchid. And a baby bamboo plant. And a Chinese ginger jar pot. And beaten copper pot. Maybe a guitar. Beck on Botany. Should I get some dark Gosling's rum? A larger santoku? a tomato knife? New tires (meh). Replace the wiring in the car? double meh
Our black Dackel, who is between 12 and 14 years old is looking distinguished, as befits a senior pup. He was eunuched at an early age, long before we got him, and was often mistaken for a puppy by people, and for a pushover by other dogs. We're looking into some ramp possibilities--he's still able and eager to jump, but he uses steps when they're available and would probably take to a ramp OK also.
Reading my Christmas gifts to myself-- Postrel's Fabric of Civilization and Pye's Edge of the World. Excellent works both, showing the value of the constant revision and re-visioning of our pictures of the past. Postrel's especially is a Kurlanskian excursion through seemingly mundane things we take for granted; Pye reframes and recenters the North Sea as an economic and cultural crucible, invisible to us by its very pervasiveness.
Son's second CCP-lungcrud test turned out negative, so he was back at work today I think. And my wife just brought the mail in-- $1200.00 from Uncle Sugar! Is this a great country, or what?
Working my way slowly through amazon prime historical documentaries. "The Crimean War" of about 2104 vintage is well done, at least the bulk of it I've watched so far. "The Boer War" next probably.
If not for improved testing, I would still be a blood donor; I miss making that little contribution to the general welfare.
Narr
Thanks for asking
We cut the cable some time ago. I don't miss it and my wife uses netflix to watch all her stuff. Plus, if there's a golf tournament or a sporting event I want to watch, there are ways to do it without paying ESPN. Most "Sportsball" has become boring anyway. Tried to watch a NBA game a while back, and it was like watching space aliens. who cares about these oddballs?
I finally found my screen saver-new computer 2 months ago; nothing was worthy.
This photo is me. I am intimately connected to the woods. It's the only place in this world I am comfortable, free, and connected to God.
Thank-you, Althouse.
I cut the cable 5 years ago. Haven't missed it one bit, in fact that only TV I've watched in abut 6 months was the annual Christmas showing of Die Hard.
I'm going through a list of Classical Music and trying re-listen to some composers and give them another chance. Richard Strauss, Mahler, DeBussy, Ravel, Stravinsky, Jean Sibelius, Williams. Same thing with Jazz. I'm giving Coltrane, Miles Davis, Bird, and Dizzy G. more attention.
Maybe my taste has become more "Sophisticated", or maybe I'm just the same old simple man with simple tastes.
Regarding Cable TV, we got rid of it after we realized we'd been saying "300 Channels and nothing to watch" about 25 times a month for a year.
@rcocean: I stream KUSC all day long. I used to pick up the FM signal when I lived in SoCal, and that's how I got hooked. It's a very good station with nothing but classical and with no commentary except about the music.
Thanks for the suggestions.
I did watch Deep Space 9 and enjoyed it. Forgot to add it to the list. Same with Electric Dreams and Farscape.
Travelers, DEVS and Raised by Wolves sound interesting. Adding them to my watch list.
It was a beautiful day and now me and my SO are getting ready for a nice dinner date.
thanks Chick. Sounds like just my kind of radio channel!
I'm reading and enjoying the Beatles book AA recommended. Long book. It'll take a while.
Already read Convenience Store Woman, also an AA recommendation. An easy read and thought provoking.
Watching The Sopranos which I never watched before. Should finish by the end of next week. Hmmm, what to watch then?
I watched The Midnight Sky with George Clooney. Terrible. I mean terrible.
@Tabk, I watched that too the other day. Very formulaic, but the main subplot about the girl was well done. In that way it reminded me of "Occurrence At Owl Creek Bridge."
I'm going to try to watch "The History Of Swear Words" episode 1 tonight.
BTW, I don't have and don't intend to get cable. I mooch off my brother.
Two great science fiction novels, both published in 2012: "The Dog Stars," by Peter Heller (2012); and "The Age of Miracles," Karen Thompson Walker.
Both are post-apocalyptic and of high literary quality.
I'll be the contrarian here: I have lots of cable and I love it. I spend all day writing, reading, and researching. I'm a writer and I spend a lot of time, too much time, in my head. At the end of the day I like to watch movies. Gets me out of my head. I like to watch murder shows for the same reason. I'm also involved sheep herding competitions and training with my border collies, but the pandemic has put the kibosh on that, so ... I watch a lot of movies on cable.
"300 Channels and nothing to watch"
I just stream free trials. Britbox only gives a week, so I bought one extra month. Other than that, I haven't had a trial that had me wishing it would last longer.
I got an offer for a free month of Amazon Prime recently. It was the first since the virus hit, and I was wondering if it means the flow of business to Amazon has finally subsided. Anyone else getting those?
Probably the single most frustrating and disappointing aspect of the lockdowns is the lack of live music. I finally had the time, energy, and money to spend on chamber music concerts, of which there would be a fair number every year-- between our very good music school and what was developing into an appreciable local audience, things were getting quite thivilithed . . .
OTOH, I can still have my eardrums beaten* by my friend Elmo and his stable of old bluesmen, musicians who recorded with Otis, and Booker T, and Isaac, to name a few. Oft of late, those men's last performances are with Elmo.
Narr
*Deaf hippy-dippy soundman, not the musicians' fault
Probably the single most frustrating and disappointing aspect of the lockdowns is the lack of live music.
I know a secret place where you can hear live music on Sunday mornings.
Aside: I actually met Booker T at a wedding reception a couple years ago in San Francisco (he was a guest). He didn't say much and didn't seem too happy to be there. Green Onions still slaps though.
Seinfeld is leaving Hulu and going to Netflix this January. On January 2o? a show about nothing starts?
Show some respect for the dead and dying.
I have several friends that work in nursing homes. Almost 1/2 the patients are refusing the vaccine. The are ready to die.
large% of deaths are from nursing homes(for some reason the experts haven't figured out how to create a safe environment to protect the most vulnerable). I know of two cases were love ones were put in hospice care, and labeled Covid deaths when they died in the predicted time frame.
The point of all this?
Person getting infected at this point are not paying attention. Either not capable of taking the appropriate measures to protect themselves or knowingly taking the risk. I am one of those people. I am not seeking any sympathy. I want the govt to get out of my daily life, I'll suffer the consequences of my own actions
Also the death toll is vastly over stated. BTW flu deaths are almost zero. Strange huh?
Tank said...
I'm reading and enjoying the Beatles book AA recommended. Long book. It'll take a while.
@Tank
This one is excellent and even longer! ;-)
Blogger Tank said...
"I watched The Midnight Sky with George Clooney. Terrible. I mean terrible."
So true. The acting was okay but the plot was completely ridiculous. So many holes ...
Love that show Escape to the Country, tcrosse, and agree with your account.
Would add that another difference between UK and USA is they see a modest-sized living room and get excited,`It's GRAND!!' and say how much room there is, and an American would say, `It`s a closet!!!`
Love the show. Wish they would show more Northern Ireland and Wales.
I finally had the time, energy, and money to spend on chamber music concerts
My old friends at the Saint Paul Chamber Orchestra are good enough to put a number of concerts on the internet, both video and audio. SPCO Online I had moved from St Paul to Las Vegas a few years ago because my wife had a circulatory condition which was exacerbated by the cold. I miss the cultural amenities of St Paul, but due one thing and another they no longer exist.
I finally had the time, energy, and money to spend on chamber music concerts
My old friends at the Saint Paul Chamber Orchestra are good enough to put a number of concerts on the internet, both video and audio. SPCO Online I had moved from St Paul to Las Vegas a few years ago because my wife had a circulatory condition which was exacerbated by the cold. I miss the cultural amenities of St Paul, but due one thing and another they no longer exist.
As I recall Rime Isle was the locus of some of the last Fafhrd and The Gray Mouser stories.
Though nothing compares to Lean Times in Lankhmar.
IMPEACHMENT II:
Resolved, That Donald John Trump, President of the United States, is impeached for high crimes and misdemeanors and that the following articles of impeachment be exhibited to the United States Senate.
Article of impeachment exhibited by the House of Representatives of the United States of America in the name of itself and of the people of the United States of America, against Donald John Trump, President of the United States of America, in maintenance and support of its impeachment against him for high crimes and misdemeanors.
ARTICLE I: ABUSE OF POWER
The Constitution provides that the House of Representatives “shall have the sole Power of Impeachment” and that the President “shall be removed from Office on Impeachment for, and Conviction of, Treason, Bribery, or other high Crimes and Misdemeanors”. In his conduct of the office of President of the United States — and in violation of his constitutional oath faithfully to execute the office of President of the United States and, to the best of his ability, preserve, protect, and defend the Constitution of the United States, and in violation of his constitutional duty to take care that the laws be faithfully executed — Donald J. Trump engaged in high Crimes and Misdemeanors by willfully inciting violence against the Government of the United States, in that:
On January 6, 2021, pursuant to the Twelfth Amendment of the United States Constitution, the Vice President of the United States, the House of Representatives, and the Senate met at the United States Capitol for a Joint Session of Congress to count the votes of the Electoral College. Shortly before the Joint Session commenced, President Trump addressed a crowd of his political supporters nearby. There, he reiterated false claims that “we won this election, and we won it by a landslide”. He also willfully made statements that encouraged — and foreseeably resulted in — imminent lawless action at the Capitol. Incited by President Trump, a mob unlawfully breached the Capitol, injured law enforcement personnel, menaced Members of Congress and the Vice President, interfered with the Joint Session’s solemn constitutional duty to certify the election results, and engaged in violent, deadly, destructive, and seditious acts.
President Trump’s conduct on January 6m 2021 was consistent with his prior efforts to subvert and obstruct the certification of the results of the 2020 presidential election. Those prior efforts include, but are not limited to, a phone call on January 2, 2021, in which President Trump urged Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger to “find” enough votes to overturn the Georgia presidential election results and threatened Mr. Raffensperger if he failed to do so.
In all of this, President Trump gravely endangered the security of the United States and its institutions of government. He threatened the integrity of the democratic system, interfered with the peaceful transition of power, and imperiled a coordinate branch of government. He thereby betrayed his trust as President, to the manifest injury of the people of the United States.
Wherefore President Trump, by such conduct, has demonstrated that he will remain a threat to national security, democracy, and the Constitution if allowed to remain in office, and has acted in a manner grossly incompatible with self-governance and the rule of law. President Trump thus warrants impeachment and trial, removal from office, and disqualification to hold and enjoy any office of honor, trust, or profit under the United States.
Welcome to the 25th amendment!!
Wow!!....gadfly!! I would share the schizoid text messages from a very close relative.
.......but I see I don't have to!?!?!?
You're fantastic!! All you have is some grievance that can only be expressed with innuendo.
You will never produce hard evidence. Dead girls, live boys!!
You should ask Chuck about hard evidence, but it probably only exists between his dick, and the keyboard.
Did you see Joe and Nancy today, characterizing Trump supporters (as seditionists) and rehashing old charges against the President that have been disproven, or rather, were without merit (or STANDING)?
They are going to have their pound of flesh because TRUMP upset their timetable.
That's THEIR agenda.
These old, political hack puppets, are going to take us on a ride, a magical mystery tour of horrors, that may finally take down the USA we grew up in.
Our zombie president-elect, the "big guy", is scary.
Nancy, the old crone speaker of the haunted house, is VERY old and demented. She is going to be eaten by "the Squad".
The Republican party is on life support, a ship that just cut down their mast. TRUMP!
The Democrats are a horde of anarchic lost souls, looking for something to believe in.
Remember Hilary touting "the politics of meaning"?
Not the Constitution.
Remember Michelle saying we need NEW traditions?
Meaning we should tear down and erase our history.
What a disgusting, vile lot they are.
The Swamp.
Like PRESIDENT TRUMP said, "It's a lot deeper than we thought."
I WITNESSED that today, when I saw the videos of Biden and Polosi.
These are ENEMIES OF THE PEOPLE and the U.S. CONSTITUTION.
GOD HELP US!
You should ask Chuck about hard evidence, but it probably only exists between his dick, and the keyboard.
I'm sure I've over-rated Chuck's capabilities.
I'm generally opposed to censorship but Althouse should delete gadfy's 5:38 for deliberately straying off topic and for sabotaging yet another thread.
Live up to your promises, Althouse!
"You should ask Chuck about hard evidence, but it probably only exists between his dick, and the keyboard."
You mean the one in his mouth? No, not the keyboard.
More collateral damage from the fear of Covid. Went to my new podiatrist today for a foot issue. I asked him how business was. He said it slow early in the pandemic, but he has been real busy lately. He said every Friday is toe amputation day at the local hospital. What???
Apparently, people are so afraid of getting out to go to the doctor/ER that by the time they get there, it's too late.
I am also generally opposed to censorship. In fact, I am so pigheadedly opposed to censorship that I have been known to go so far as to oppose it even for people I disagree with.
It continues:
NYT: Simon & Schuster cancels publication of Sen. Josh Hawley’s upcoming book
What for? Everyone needs to self publish these days, it is modern samizdat.
He thinks he may be the oldest living Marine. An extraordinary man. I spoke with him a couple of days ago. He's sharp as a tack and physically active.
My 104-year-old uncle was a retired Navy Captain. My uncle died in December.......I know the Navy ain't the Marines, but it's close!!
So, your buddy might be!!
So Semper Fortis!!
I live on a lake and have a dog that loves to swim and hike. My yard is fenced, and she can come and go in and out of the house whenever she wants. She weighs 85 lbs and is pure love muffin. My son lives in a 4th floor loft, and this summer he asked me if I would take in his elderly dog who was finding city life becoming difficult. I said I would, and it's been fun watching this old man adapt to his new environment. The concept of just going outside when the mood strikes, and stretching out on the deck on a sunny day was obviously new to him, but he adapted quickly. My dog was happy to show him the ropes. He's a hound, and he isn't the swimmer my retriever is, but he likes to splash along the shore. He's blind in one eye and doesn't hear as well as he used to, but his energy level has picked up. My son visited me over the holidays and invited his dog to leave with him. The dog went and hid under my bed so I think he likes it here. The experience has made me think I'd like to, perhaps, rescue older dogs when slots on the floor at the foot of my bed open up.
The cats are doing great.
tim maguire The thing to get is an UPWALKER Light for outdoor excursions. Got the wife one and she can do miles straight up as an arrow. Not hunched over like the wheeled walker. We have two of those in the basement. For indoors we got a tricycle (wheeled) walker. Gets around
in tight spaces and collapses for the trunk. I was skeptical as hell because of the cheesy commercials, but it handles uneven concrete with ease. We've started a trend round here, because the empty boxes started showing up on trash days. 5 out of 5 - scored by a hard case.
You mean the one in his mouth? No, not the keyboard.
I wondered who would bite on that riff!!
I hope Chuck is humiliated......that ain't gonna happen!!
Yes, Jupiter, but these sorts of posts are intended be clear of the partisan bullshit that gadfly posted.* I used to support Althouse with a monthly contribution. One reason I quite was because she started making etc and unenforced "rules." She Neds to live up to her own rules. Sort of a take on Fen's law.
Eleanor said...
Good for You!!
A fun one is Kahawa by Westlake.
That Caputo one I hadn't seen before--thanks, on the list!
Kahawa seems to feature a similar McGuffin to Dogs of War: a $6M coffee train here, a $10B mountain of platinum there. When you play that game of if you could have a drink or dinner with anyone in the world living or dead, I've got to flip through the mental rolodex including guys like Bob Denard, Mike Hoare and Viktor Bout, because, well, mercenaries and black market arms dealers probably tell really interesting stories, way better than Lincoln, for example, who I imagine either silent or really long-winded.
Yeah, I'm feeling blue.
Here in Washington state, Gov. shit-face Inslee's original vaccination plan (published mid-December) indicated that my husband and I would get the vaccine NLT end of March. But the social justice warriors screamed and now we have been completely dropped from the first phase - no vaccine until at least July. As of last week, WA State was 43rd in the nation in terms of vaccine distribution/injection rate. Forty-Third. And my lib friends tell me what a fine job he is doing. I know that each and every one of my white, Biden supporting friends will be trying to game the system (based on an HONOR system) to get the vaccine ASAP.
And, re one of our dogs. She is getting very old, she's in pain, but still eats well and wags her tail. Loves to be with us. We should be making plans to put her down, but our vet doesn't allow any owners to come into their office (nine months so far). There is no effin' way we are going to hand her over to some assistant for her final few minutes.
So, yes - I'm blue.
Narr:
I made some doggie-steps for our Tzu-shut. We'd moved from a single-story condo to a trilevel house and Pepper couldn't climb or descend the steps. The doggie-steps turned the one giant step into four doggie-sized steps. Used a 2x8, 2x6 and 2x4, about 8-in to 12-in wide. Covered all of the steps with carpet so he could get traction. Took a few days to train him to go up and down. He learned how to use them and could always go from one level to the other.
He's been in doggie-heaven for about 20 years now. Our chihweenie (chihuahua-dachshund mix) has learned how to get into my RAV4 and her car seat. She first jumps into the rear footwell, then onto the bench seat and finally into her car seat. The car seat is a kind of a throne, it gets her high enough that she can see out and also provides her a semi-private bed. She loves it. We had others that she hated.
Watching The Sopranos which I never watched before. Should finish by the end of next week. Hmmm, what to watch then?
Deadwood, at least the first season. Or Justified if you've already watched Deadwood.
gadfly said...
IMPEACHMENT II:
You people are insane. It keeps you up at night, and eats you up inside.
Imagine your surprise when the revolution comes to your door and says "you're next".
it is modern samizdat.
I knew it was a website, but there is also an entry in the dictionary
I had NO idea it was a Russian word for "self-publishing" house.
Holy Shit!! Google just cleaned up my anchor tag to Sammy Is Dat!!
....and we thought they Don't Do Evil!!
Jersey Fled, Under the Dome is under appreciated. Also The Last Ship is pretty ridiculous, but I enjoyed it.
In fact, it wasn't even a reference to Sam Is Dat. It was a reference to the dictionary site LeXiCO.
Our hostess is not the only one moderating the web site.
Try is for yourself......"https://www.lexico.com/en/definition/samizdat"
King Jay I of Washington hasn't a clue on how to handle this pandemic. He got it right for the first 30-days, but he's been strangling the state ever since. Locking down businesses that don't spread the virus while encouraging everyone to stay home where the virus is most likely to be spread.
Interesting comments! Thanks.
I’ve been avoiding the news other than what’s in writing. Housecleaning, running, blogging. Read the graphic novel Patience. Watching all the old episodes of The Crown.
Try is for yourself......"https://www.lexico.com/en/definition/samizdat"
Try is for yourself......"https://www.lexico.com/en/definition/samizdat"
Oh....my!?!?
Yes, the second reference to Sam Is Dat had the anchor html removed!!
Are you wondering why althou.se went NOWHERE????
Roughcoat... Fellow I work with father was in 2nd division for that campaign. Some hardcore kids that were pounded into men. Retired a Captain in a large urban fire department. Had a large family who've done well. Toughest thing they had to put up with were his PTS night terrors which he fended off with whiskey. Tremendous sacrifices they made for this world/country. Semper Fi.
He got it right for the first 30-days, but he's been strangling the state ever since.
I wondered outside the Seattle political bubble when I visited WallaWalla.
The
Insee, the Idiot
campaign signs ended when I-90 crossed under that overpass that leads out of Issaqua, and helps people up to their homes on the Issaquah Highlands. It was a fairly profound distinction. I'm pretty sure Inslee does voter fraud as well as Biden.
You're doing a good job, Mike!!!!
Day 8 of recovering from COVID. 2021 sucks so far.
This weekend I am putting in a parley on Buffalo, Baltimore, Buccaneers and Buckeyes.
Normally you’d look at a matchup between a fine, 11-5 team led by a future Hall of Famer and a team that backed into the playoffs with a sub-500 record that backed into the playoffs only because the coach of their opponents — the worst team in the division — made one of the most inexplicable substitutions in the history of the NFL, and the words “sure thing” would run through your mind. BUT!
At the halfway mark in the season someone asked me to define the term “mathematical possibility” and my choice for an example was “there is a mathematical possibility that the Washington Football Team could win the Super Bowl.” At that time they were 1 - 7 and had lost both games to the Giants, giving the Giants the tiebreaker, plus there were some very good teams ahead of them on the schedule.
Can one retired mathematician and computer geek jinx the entire NFL? I am not normally a superstitious man, but they did go 6 - 2 and they are in the playoffs. Will lightning keep striking? Brady better bring his A game.
Thanks for asking. I'm doing okay. My "pod" has been a genuine bright spot this year, as my kids continue to be schooled, and also see friends. It's actually been one of our best years ever in homeschooling and that's with 20+ years of experience. Hope you and Meade are doing well. I so appreciate your blog.
Yes looking for something to binge on. Last winter the wife's girlfriends talked her into Downton Abbey. I wasn't excited but I could read a book or read this blog at the same time, so I didn't care. I got into it after the first couple episodes and enjoyed it alot. Need to find something else.
Finally finishing out the basement, so there is always something to do there. Get the Bathroom done and move the TV room downstairs and the upstairs wont be so cluttered.
Try THis for your self......
is what I meant to say. I'm not completely daft.
BUMBLE BEE:
Thanks for the note. Dean was 22 years as a 2nd Lt. platoon cmdr on the Canal. The boys in his platoon called him "the old man." Most were under 20, some as young as 16. He suspects a couple were 15. His captain and company commander (B/1/8) was 23; everyone called him "grandpa."
He was stationed in Samoa in 1941-42 before they shipped out to the Canal. They shipped out to Samoa, from San Diego, 2 weeks after the attack on Pearl Harbor. They fully expected the Japanese to invade the island. The followed the events on Bataan closely and one all resolved to die fighting if and when the Japanese came rather than surrender. True story: one of the men in Dean's unit was Don Adams of "Get Smart" fame. He was 15 or 16 years old and had lied about his age to enlist. But the brass found out his true and shipped him back to Hawaii. A year later he was on Guadalcanal.
Washington Football Team
You mean.....the team formerly known as the Redskins might be foisted into the championship game????
Maybe, they want us to become familiar with the new name???
After Google stripped out the anchor reference......above.....I'm buying-in!!
I'm watching "Engrenage" Mhz. it's in French , but a good cop drama none the less. Putting a new door atcuator on the Honda Pilot. Hoping this solves the battery drain problem and the inop. rear hatch.
Selling my Miller Synchrowave 250. Whole bunch of other stuff going to my engineer nephs. The girls are grown and gone so I'm taking pictures of their stuff in the basement and then asking if they want to keep it or donate it.
Probably going to retire in a couple of months. I know you've been waiting to hear that.
Hope all is well with you.
I'll write when I find work.
Love
Rusty
Nice post.
From my neck of the woods: working more than I thought I might be; swimming several mornings a week in The Outdoor pool (sometimes we're treated to the sunrise but swimming in the rain is fantastic); often death cleaning; reading stacks of books; watching 'Midnight Diner' and 'Kim's Convenience'; cooking and baking a lot (today was dark chocolate cake with spicy orange ganache and lamb balls); Joanie the Cat is good. We are good. Thank you for asking.
My other thoughts jibe with those of madasHell and Mike of Snoqualmie above regarding our potentate in Olympia.
Thanks for the note. Dean was 22 years as a 2nd Lt. platoon cmdr on the Canal. The boys in his platoon called him "the old man." Most were under 20, some as young as 16. He suspects a couple were 15. His captain and company commander (B/1/8) was 23; everyone called him "grandpa."
I read E.R. Sledge's book because of recommendations here.
I'm not a Marine, but that E. R. Sledge took a mountain of PTSD to the grave. Writing the book was apparently recommended by his children. Semper Fi, Corporal Sledge!!
Read it.
ROUGHCOAT...I honor your coauthor, Lt. Col Dean Ladd for his service. MANY of my uncles served in World War 2, in Italy and the Pacific. My Uncle Mike, a gunner on the USS MANNERT L. ABELE, was killed by a Kamikaze off Okinawa. My uncle in Italy fought in the Po Valley campaign,a platoon sergeant in the 34th RED BULL Infantry, and with Yugoslavian freedom fighters. Another was with the 1st Engineer Battalion Ist Infantry Division (The Big Red One), seeing action in Tunisia, Sicily, Italy and finally on Omaha Beach, were he was wounded and sent stateside to recover.
My bother was with the 101st Airborne at An Khe in 1966. He saw a lot of action, and was one of six of the group to survive his tour.
My question is as follows.
IF, those who sacrificed so much, putting their lives on the line, to preserve, protect and defend the country they loved, could see the nation, as it is today, with the SWAMP, as represented by Biden, Polosi and their ilk, would they have considered or rejected the DUTY their country called them to?
Would they have questioned what they were fighting for when they were told they were not only fighting for themselves, but for their children and grandchildren?
Would they have believed that their "elected" representatives were serving in selfless interests to preserve, protect and defend our US Constitution and traditions?
Today, in light of all the skullduggery we have witnessed on a national, state and local level of our political class, would they take up arms to preserve THEM?
I don't think it's about the US Constitution at all.
It's all about power, and who holds it.
What is your view, ROUGHCOAT?
Commenters, what is your view?
Are we protecting the powerholders or the US CONSTITUTION?
Day 8 of recovering from COVID. 2021 sucks so far.
@Brian, but you’re alive. That’s a good thing isn’t it? What can we do to help you keep it that way?
Narr, absence of live music up there. In LA I enjoyed free or modestly priced classical music all the time. Streaming not the same.
@Imam (2:27), great update on a joke I first heard in grade school i the 1950s.
Thanks, madasHell and Fandor for your posts.
Fandor: I conducted hundreds of hours of oral history interviews with WW2 Marine vets for our book (most of them in the 8th Marines, with Dean) and came away from the experience with the impression that nothing could cause them to regret their service. They were still fairly young during the upheavals of the 1960s and these did not shake their faith in the nation nor cause them to question and doubt their service. Dean has no regrets.
It occurred to me that deaths among major league baseball veterans provide a pretty good study of morbidity this year. The site baseball-reference.com records death dates for players, and you can draw up a report for deaths in any year. The population - living current and former major leaguers - is just about impossible to fudge. You get about 200 new players every year, and you can only leave the group by dying. Most deaths are well-publicized.
The site records 111 deaths in 2020, as compared to 97 in 2019 and 98 in 2018. There are about 10300 (number growing 100 or so per year) living current and former major leaguers. The group lost about 1.1% of its members in 2020, as compared to about 1.0% in 2018-19. That's in all categories: of covid, with covid, no covid, pre-covid. The deaths included at least 10-12 black American and Latin players, and of course the whole population is of adult males.
ROUGHCOAT...Of course, no regrets, in the Lt. Col.'s time and place.
I'm asking, had they had a 'crystal ball" into 2020, 2021, would they have considered other options?
What changes might they have made, in their own time, to prevent the rise of the socialist seduction in our universities, the unbridled influence of fourth estate, and the greed of a political class that makes a life long career in elected office?
These our just some of the things that have contributed to our present corrupt state of decline.
How would the GREATEST GENERATION have separated the wheat from the chaff with the 2020 vision of hindsight?
The more I read the Gadflys of the world, the more I think, can you say Reichstag? The Dems current ideas for governing are straight from their ideas of the 1930s and, it turns out, so are their ideas for seizing power.
All that rime brought back a vivid memory. Way back in November 1973 I took a night train from Sarajevo that went up into the mountains to Zagreb and then proceeded to Belgrade.
With me in my six-person compartment were four Yugoslav soldiers wearing olive-drab Russian-style uniforms, complete with wide belts and red piping on the hats, and a bearded Orthodox priest in everyday black robes and cap.
The soldiers were eager to chat with an American and luckily we spoke enough English and German to do that. Pretty soon, a bottle of slivovitz came out and we were having a merry time. (The priest didn't say anything.)
With the help of the booze we finally fell asleep in the cramped compartment.
Around dawn, the train stopped at a "station" consisting of a drab shack beside the tracks. When I pulled down the frosted window for a better look I saw snow on the ground, a cold fog and thick rime covering the trees. But no people.
Then an old woman dressed entirely in black and wearing a babushka trudged by pulling a load of sticks for her fireplace. An ancient wood-burning locomotive---the kind with a funneled smokestack---chuffed past, its engine emitting snorts of steam and smoke.
As it disappeared into the fog I looked back into my compartment to see the sleeping priest and soldiers, and said to myself, "I feel like I'm in the movie "Dr. Zhivago.""
A great moment.
Yup, been watching "The Crown," too. We celebrated New Year's Day with a day trip into Vermont's Northeast Kingdom. Saw many interesting sights, learned some history, got some exercise, and didn't see hardly anyone. Commentary and photos here:
http://switcheltraveler.blog
Indiana v Wisconsin in roundball. 1:40 left wisconsin by 1.
Things are tense in the Meadehouse, now indiana by 2
Books: Currently reading and nearly finished, MacArthur: American Caesar. Excellent bio by Wm. Manchester. I think I've read about every wartime general in history [well, not quite] but had neglected MacArthur because he didn't sound very interesting. Boy, was I wrong! The guy was egotistical, yes, but what a brilliant man and brilliant strategist. His occupation of Japan was nothing short of genius. Anyway, that's what I'm still reading. Already have a short list of recommendations from this blog but always looking for more. Anyone recommend a good biography of Zhukov?
at the Rhymin' Whore Cafe...
...Kamala's rappin' freestyle
Whatever your politics, I'm not a doc, but I think over the next 2 years we are going to see amazing results in options for treating various cancers, a continuation of the last several years -- exponential growth, of knowledge, now on the good side.
As it disappeared into the fog I looked back into my compartment to see the sleeping priest and soldiers, and said to myself, "I feel like I'm in the movie "Dr. Zhivago.""
Man.......I'll bet you can teach anti-climactic!!
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