"WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump vetoed a plan presented by Israel to the U.S. to kill Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, according to a U.S. official familiar with the matter."
Um, apparently reporters these days don't understand what the word "veto" actually means. It is a specific move in the constitutional setup for legislation. As Wikipedia puts it, it's "a legal power to unilaterally stop an official action." It doesn't mean somebody kinda said they didn't like an idea and sorta talked somebody out of something. It's not even a good metaphor for that, because it could be misunderstood.
I'm ambivalent on this. The issue becomes who replaces him: will they be better or worse? It's why, while I dislike RatPutin, I don't want him replaced by the current Russian bench. If he gets killed, the successor fighting will make the Hunger Games seem pleasant.
Iran is Shia in the middle of a largely Sunni world: the Sunni would love to take over Iran, and it will not make Iran a better place. That's why, while I want Iran defeated soundly, I am ambivalent about taking out Khahmenei.
I think if Iran could become a real democracy, it'd be awesome. The Iranian people are good folks.
I don't know enough about the international political ramifications of that scenario to comment on that part. But I do wish the journalism persons would recognize that clarity of language is important, not merely one possible aesthetic choice.
Could very well have been that. Which is why journalism persons shouldn't be able to get away with being as ignorant of the subjects they are covering as the people they are interviewing may be.
Apropos of nothing in particular this morning, other than maybe a bit of comic relief that the usual murder and mayhem in the news cycle cannot provide:
California had O.J.
South Carolina got this guy... whose name is Bubba, according to unconfirmed reporting...
What we need more of on Sunday mornings is the Sunday Funnies.
My grandfather would read the comics to us when we were children, and my dad would read them. The comics were a dad thing in my immediate family, although I don't think my brothers took to them the way I did.
So after church I am going to celebrate Father's Day with today's Father's Day comics.
Ah! The Comics Page! That's one of the few things I missed after I cancelled home delivery of a physical newspaper. The digital version of my local newspaper has deteriorated so much by this point that it doesn't even include comics anymore. I can go to sites like gocomics.com, but as you say, it's just not the same as having them in your hands.
It also seems that some of the best days of comic strips are behind us. Strips like "Calvin and Hobbes" and "Bloom County" still seem funnier than some of the strips being created today. Even 50 years after his death, the political commentary of Walt Kelly's "Pogo" still seems pertinent to what's going on today.
Or perhaps I'm just feeling nostalgic today. Time to go yell at some kids who may or may not be on my lawn.
I recently had to drop my home delivery subscription because they made it too expensive. Probably on purpose. The electronic version doesn't include comics. I now view my favorites online, using several sources. It's a bit of a hassle but the content is worth it. My must-reads include: Baby Blues, Zits, Frazz (the most intelligent comic around), Mister Boffo, Brewster Rockit (a must for sci-fi fans), Dustin, Mutts (animal oriented with retro style), Dick Tracy (still going, and with occasional nods to long-gone classics), Doonesbury, and Prickly City (for political misfits like us).
I hear you! Baby Blues and Jumpstart Fox Trot have held up, at least when I'vecaught them. And of course Non Sequitur. I do miss Calvin and Hobbes. And Kudzu. And Funky Winkerbean.
We're doing worship this morning on-line, as we're leaving for a family gathering too soon after the service might end. On X, the joke has been that the average age of the No Kings rallies were in the 60s-70s. I had to laugh, one member of our meeting attended the local 'No Kings" rally yesterday. She is in her 80s, and other than the pastor (50s), the others are all late 70s early 80s.
Katie is excited because she bought me a Snoopy globe. I'm not a Peanuts nutter or anything like that, but my favorite nativity creche has Peanuts characters (Woodstock plays the baby Jesus). I dunno why. There's something innocent about Peanuts. I have 1 peanuts t-shirt (not counting holiday t-shirts), Katie wore it to the Project Linus sewing event yesterday. She came home with a giant garbage bag of mostly finished projects, which she'll finish for them before their next meeting. She's excited about working with Project Linus.
Last night I made 8 devilled eggs--started with 9, but one didn't do well. I cut back on mayo, adding it last, adding sweet pickle relish. Katie told me I did well! I made them for Pam's mom, Janet, for lunch. I plan to stop at Uranus fudge factory for two squares of peanut butter fudge for Janet as well. Janet turns 80 this year, and has a fatal illness, the same one Pam had. My goal is to make her last years more happy and pleasant. So when she sees me she gets stories, sweets, and I listen.
We had a good visit. Janet ate three devilled eggs; I didn't have one so she'd get one more (I left her and Bob 3).
Meeting for worship was meh. It was about "imagination", and nothing about fatherhood on, wait for it, "father's day"! Our pastor is a seminary graduate, but went the chaplaincy route...and it shows. His sermons are touchy feeling, buzzword laden about authenticity, marginalized, etc.
My sadness is there are certain Sundays that are a "day off" for pastors, like Mothers Day and Fathers Day. Since 6,74892 trillion sermons (more or less) have been given on the topics already, no one expects original here. Do something moving and respectful, call it a day. No one will complain.
Our new hymnal has John Lennon's "imagine" in it. We sang it today, since his sermon used the word imagination in it. I like the song, sang it as a kid, but even back then I never imbued it with deep meaning. If I am honest, I am embarrassed for those who think it is deep and meaningful. It's just a pop song. Enjoy it for that. I liked CCM in college I like praise music today, but I can't say they shaped my theology more than a smidge. At most they remind me of lessons I already know.
Driving over, we had a funny talk about death. I told my youngest my goal has been to live until he gets through college. "so you're saying you'd be ready to die in two years if I wasn't going on to a professional school"? Katie chimed in. "Your Dad will outlive us all, but he's so morbid". We talked about how long our relatives lived. Our youngest is targeting Dental school right now (four years, no residency). I told him "I haven't given up hope of you becoming a surgeon; I believe you have a gift for that". He replied "I know I can do it, I would enjoy it, but I don't want to wait until I'm 45 to begin my career". "You'll be 30, 31 at most". "I'm gonna be pissed if I go that route and die at age 32. 12 years of school to work one year? Blech!". Pam was 30 when she died, but I didn't say it out loud. I don't think I'm conveying how funny it was, but we all were laughing.
We stopped by Uranus Fudge to get janet 2 squares of peanut butter fudge. She grinned, and ask Bob to hide them from the grandkids!. There was a surprisingly long line in there. My youngest said "Dad, 90% of what they have appeals to fathers. I go down an aisle and say to myself "I bet Dad would like that. 2-3 times an aisle".
So all in all a fun day. I got more out of reading Michael Renau's column than from worship, but that's okay.
Father Redacted said that he would keep his sermon short as a Father's Day gift, but then he didn't. After considerable rambling to no particular point, he first read the lyrics to George Strait's "Love Without End, Amen" in Spanish and then played the song (on his phone into the pulpit microphone) in English.
"Imagine" is innocuous and nicey-nice within itself, but as religious music its theology is a non-starter from the start: "Imagine there's no heaven." That might do for some religions, but for mainline Christianity I have to wonder: doesn't anyone realize it's problematic? Do lyrics mean nothing? Where's the meaning supposed to be if not in lyrics?
My guess is that to progressives, it sounds "not-fundamentalist", so that makes it good to their ears. to me, just cringy. They still like Godspell songs. We did a skit 20 years ago, where we pretended at camp to be really old geezers and sang Day by Day. The kids laughed.
It should not be in a hymnal.
That's why I like a lot of praise music: a good chunk of it comes from scripture, so there's not nearly so much an issue about meaning. But that is too "right-y" for many progressives to consider. I had to laugh when someone complained about playing Silent Night on a guitar...
Yeah, the story of "Silent Night" ("Oh, no! The organ's down! What do we do?") was covered annually in our Sunday school, so no excuses for my generation at least. Plus, acoustic guitars were all the rage back then as a folky thing. Which is one reason why the Singing Nun became a one-hit wonder with "Dominique."
Most of you probably know Russ Roberts. His reflection about the optimism and joy of the Israeli people, even while in a bunker in Tel Aviv, was heartwarming. Especially with such a spate of other discouraging news yesterday.
Placido Domingo, friends. I came in 3rd at Wingspan last night. Vlad was 5th: he had a strategy that didn't pay off. I often come in 3rd, because I play conservatively. If you (say, Jay Janney) studied the correlation between people's Wingspan play and their lifetime earnings, you'd probably find that Vlad ends up extremely well off, while I am comfortable.
Good morning! Thanks to one lucky guess relating to something you posted yesterday, I got wordle in 2 tries this morning. I won't say more out of respect for other wordlers here. But - thanks!
Back from the wedding of Zacarias and Ester, who had actually been married for 25 years but never had an official church Sacrament of Matrimony. Zacarias looked distinguished, and Ester looked beautiful, and they had a lot of family and friends. And all the songs were performed without significant error.
Just a quick news note: A gunman impersonating an officer shot two state representatives from Minnesota, one died, the other is critical, but believed will live. Greater Minneapolis area.
State representative Melissa Hortman and her husband Mike were killed. State Senator John Hoffman and his wife Yvette were injured. An update from CNN says both are "out of surgery and stable". A bullet 'very nearly missed" John Hoffman's heart. An adult daughter who was with them was not injured, as her mom threw herself over her.
People should protest this administration all they want, but should be sure to keep it within the legal, civil bounds. They should also be very aware that there are domestic and foreign parties who will try again and again to insert agents provocateurs to “mix things up” with violence and chaos that causes normie citizens to sympathize with a crackdown—even a heavy-handed one.
A few updates: authorities are requesting to not attend the No Kings rallies today as flyers for it were found in the shooter's vehicle. The vehicle was a black SUV tricked out to look like a police car.
Some sites state the suspect has been identified, but others are not confirming it, so I won't.
The two who were shot were Dems who voted against a bill provided taxpayer funded healthcare for illegal immigrants, which was supported by the Dem party. Guv Walz has called it (in a speech) a politically motivated assassination.
Although I understand the sentiment for voting against it, Federal laws on EMTALA requires no one be turned away for treatment at an ER, and related facilities, including illegal immigrants. So when we refuse to provide healthcare we shift those folks to treatment at ERs, which may not be efficient. It may be cheaper to have co-pays and the like for illegal immigrants to help drive down costs a bit.
Awww...I love watching quail bob along! Can't understand how someone could shoot and eat them, though. Our family used to look forward to see the new quail families every year on our farm.
Quail. We used to hunt quail. It's essentially impossible without a good bird dog, which we had. I still couldn't shoot them, though. They were so smart and cute.
In Indiana, we had a Quail once, we all called him Dan or Danny. He wasn't considered the sharpest tool in the shed. I think you can still find him today on golf courses.
A bird. Not a bettor or player of games of chance.
I've always thought those comma-tuft things on their heads are a really interesting look. I have no idea what they're for. Possibly nobody knows. Of course not all animal features have to be "for" anything.
awesome! another backyard friend! We once had a very small patch of lawn that the builder/owner put in. used tremendous amounts of well water unfortunately and I killed it all. But the Gambrel Quail families loved it. Now they hang out just outside the wall. occasionally on top od the wall. really pretty.
Twiga, Calvin and Zeuben are having fine days. Yesterday was Fat Friday Feed as my Weed and Feed supplier loaded 24 lovely green bales of hay into the tack room side of the barn. There is always spillage and fun cleanup afterwards!
There was also a banana Feed. Dr. Donkey loves the soft fruit. Calvin loves the banana peel.
Dog Zeuben, 3rd (rescue) of the house, 6th of the household is settled in nicely. Never needed the crate. all doggie routines are…routine!
Finally! A tasteful TSAF! Not one of those gaudy ones from New Guinea. My Puritan ancestors (actually, my ancestors were Polish and French Huguenot, but they acted like Puritans) would be pleased with this bird. Tasteful AND productive.
You just never know what will appeal to the audience. I like the loud birds, myself, at least at a safe distance.
We had some guys in the other night to give a quote on replacement windows, and one of them said that he had recently been doing a quote for an elderly lady, and she wanted him to take a macaw home with him. "It was my late husband's, and it's driving me crazy!"
My youngest absolutely loved birds. He saved up his money and bought a Conure, who was quite obnoxious. Of course he went away to school, and then the army, and left the horrible bird with us. “Dragon” learned to mock my preaching voice. Fortunately they don’t live to be 100 like African Greys and some macaws.
My impression of sight hounds is that they’re mainly lazy. They have a metabolism that makes them thrifty with energy, not hyperactive.
I had a manager once who had rescue greyhounds. She said they mainly just napped on the couch. You’d let them out and they’d race around the house a lap or two, then they’d be spent for the next 23 hours and 50 minutes or so.
The nursing home next door to our Meetinghouse (technically our building is on their grounds) had greyhounds. They were good for being petted by the residents, and mostly snoozed. The elderly would sit on a couch, the dogs would stand next to them or lay down next to them. They were beloved there.
"WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump vetoed a plan presented by Israel to the U.S. to kill Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, according to a U.S. official familiar with the matter."
Um, apparently reporters these days don't understand what the word "veto" actually means. It is a specific move in the constitutional setup for legislation. As Wikipedia puts it, it's "a legal power to unilaterally stop an official action." It doesn't mean somebody kinda said they didn't like an idea and sorta talked somebody out of something. It's not even a good metaphor for that, because it could be misunderstood.
Sigh.
I wish they had done it anyway. Nertz to Trump.
I'm ambivalent on this. The issue becomes who replaces him: will they be better or worse? It's why, while I dislike RatPutin, I don't want him replaced by the current Russian bench. If he gets killed, the successor fighting will make the Hunger Games seem pleasant.
Iran is Shia in the middle of a largely Sunni world: the Sunni would love to take over Iran, and it will not make Iran a better place. That's why, while I want Iran defeated soundly, I am ambivalent about taking out Khahmenei.
I think if Iran could become a real democracy, it'd be awesome. The Iranian people are good folks.
No tears would be shed by me.
I don't know enough about the international political ramifications of that scenario to comment on that part. But I do wish the journalism persons would recognize that clarity of language is important, not merely one possible aesthetic choice.
I wouldn’t be surprised if the “U. S. official” said “veto” to the journalist, or if that official was Trump…
Could very well have been that. Which is why journalism persons shouldn't be able to get away with being as ignorant of the subjects they are covering as the people they are interviewing may be.
Apropos of nothing in particular this morning, other than maybe a bit of comic relief that the usual murder and mayhem in the news cycle cannot provide:
California had O.J.
South Carolina got this guy... whose name is Bubba, according to unconfirmed reporting...
https://apnews.com/video/not-so-hot-pursuit-sees-police-cars-chase-excavator-at-walking-pace-c0996ac83b3041488f326dae4d75e85a
Edit: Updated link. Name still not officially released. But it's definitely Bubba...
https://apnews.com/article/excavator-chase-police-south-carolina-3469bc3b2c51a551015e8730679c93bf
What we need more of on Sunday mornings is the Sunday Funnies.
My grandfather would read the comics to us when we were children, and my dad would read them. The comics were a dad thing in my immediate family, although I don't think my brothers took to them the way I did.
So after church I am going to celebrate Father's Day with today's Father's Day comics.
Ah! The Comics Page! That's one of the few things I missed after I cancelled home delivery of a physical newspaper. The digital version of my local newspaper has deteriorated so much by this point that it doesn't even include comics anymore. I can go to sites like gocomics.com, but as you say, it's just not the same as having them in your hands.
It also seems that some of the best days of comic strips are behind us. Strips like "Calvin and Hobbes" and "Bloom County" still seem funnier than some of the strips being created today. Even 50 years after his death, the political commentary of Walt Kelly's "Pogo" still seems pertinent to what's going on today.
Or perhaps I'm just feeling nostalgic today. Time to go yell at some kids who may or may not be on my lawn.
I recently had to drop my home delivery subscription because they made it too expensive. Probably on purpose. The electronic version doesn't include comics. I now view my favorites online, using several sources. It's a bit of a hassle but the content is worth it. My must-reads include: Baby Blues, Zits, Frazz (the most intelligent comic around), Mister Boffo, Brewster Rockit (a must for sci-fi fans), Dustin, Mutts (animal oriented with retro style), Dick Tracy (still going, and with occasional nods to long-gone classics), Doonesbury, and Prickly City (for political misfits like us).
I hear you! Baby Blues and Jumpstart Fox Trot have held up, at least when I'vecaught them. And of course Non Sequitur. I do miss Calvin and Hobbes. And Kudzu. And Funky Winkerbean.
Good morning. Happy Father's Day to all fathers! 77 degrees here, which is close to the predicted high. Rain forecast later.
Between the Minnesota killings and the Iran-Israel conflict, not to mention various parades, not exactly a slow news weekend.
We're doing worship this morning on-line, as we're leaving for a family gathering too soon after the service might end. On X, the joke has been that the average age of the No Kings rallies were in the 60s-70s. I had to laugh, one member of our meeting attended the local 'No Kings" rally yesterday. She is in her 80s, and other than the pastor (50s), the others are all late 70s early 80s.
Katie is excited because she bought me a Snoopy globe. I'm not a Peanuts nutter or anything like that, but my favorite nativity creche has Peanuts characters (Woodstock plays the baby Jesus). I dunno why. There's something innocent about Peanuts. I have 1 peanuts t-shirt (not counting holiday t-shirts), Katie wore it to the Project Linus sewing event yesterday. She came home with a giant garbage bag of mostly finished projects, which she'll finish for them before their next meeting. She's excited about working with Project Linus.
Last night I made 8 devilled eggs--started with 9, but one didn't do well. I cut back on mayo, adding it last, adding sweet pickle relish. Katie told me I did well! I made them for Pam's mom, Janet, for lunch. I plan to stop at Uranus fudge factory for two squares of peanut butter fudge for Janet as well. Janet turns 80 this year, and has a fatal illness, the same one Pam had. My goal is to make her last years more happy and pleasant. So when she sees me she gets stories, sweets, and I listen.
I hope your meeting is spiritually fulfilling, Jay, and the rest of the day goes well. Happy Father's Day!
We had a good visit. Janet ate three devilled eggs; I didn't have one so she'd get one more (I left her and Bob 3).
Meeting for worship was meh. It was about "imagination", and nothing about fatherhood on, wait for it, "father's day"! Our pastor is a seminary graduate, but went the chaplaincy route...and it shows. His sermons are touchy feeling, buzzword laden about authenticity, marginalized, etc.
My sadness is there are certain Sundays that are a "day off" for pastors, like Mothers Day and Fathers Day. Since 6,74892 trillion sermons (more or less) have been given on the topics already, no one expects original here. Do something moving and respectful, call it a day. No one will complain.
Our new hymnal has John Lennon's "imagine" in it. We sang it today, since his sermon used the word imagination in it. I like the song, sang it as a kid, but even back then I never imbued it with deep meaning. If I am honest, I am embarrassed for those who think it is deep and meaningful. It's just a pop song. Enjoy it for that. I liked CCM in college I like praise music today, but I can't say they shaped my theology more than a smidge. At most they remind me of lessons I already know.
Driving over, we had a funny talk about death. I told my youngest my goal has been to live until he gets through college. "so you're saying you'd be ready to die in two years if I wasn't going on to a professional school"? Katie chimed in. "Your Dad will outlive us all, but he's so morbid". We talked about how long our relatives lived. Our youngest is targeting Dental school right now (four years, no residency). I told him "I haven't given up hope of you becoming a surgeon; I believe you have a gift for that". He replied "I know I can do it, I would enjoy it, but I don't want to wait until I'm 45 to begin my career". "You'll be 30, 31 at most". "I'm gonna be pissed if I go that route and die at age 32. 12 years of school to work one year? Blech!". Pam was 30 when she died, but I didn't say it out loud. I don't think I'm conveying how funny it was, but we all were laughing.
We stopped by Uranus Fudge to get janet 2 squares of peanut butter fudge. She grinned, and ask Bob to hide them from the grandkids!. There was a surprisingly long line in there. My youngest said "Dad, 90% of what they have appeals to fathers. I go down an aisle and say to myself "I bet Dad would like that. 2-3 times an aisle".
So all in all a fun day. I got more out of reading Michael Renau's column than from worship, but that's okay.
Father Redacted said that he would keep his sermon short as a Father's Day gift, but then he didn't. After considerable rambling to no particular point, he first read the lyrics to George Strait's "Love Without End, Amen" in Spanish and then played the song (on his phone into the pulpit microphone) in English.
I think you probably got a worse deal.
🥶🤢
I'm a fan of George Strait, but the song is schlock.
"Imagine" is innocuous and nicey-nice within itself, but as religious music its theology is a non-starter from the start: "Imagine there's no heaven." That might do for some religions, but for mainline Christianity I have to wonder: doesn't anyone realize it's problematic? Do lyrics mean nothing? Where's the meaning supposed to be if not in lyrics?
My guess is that to progressives, it sounds "not-fundamentalist", so that makes it good to their ears. to me, just cringy. They still like Godspell songs. We did a skit 20 years ago, where we pretended at camp to be really old geezers and sang Day by Day. The kids laughed.
It should not be in a hymnal.
That's why I like a lot of praise music: a good chunk of it comes from scripture, so there's not nearly so much an issue about meaning. But that is too "right-y" for many progressives to consider. I had to laugh when someone complained about playing Silent Night on a guitar...
Yeah, the story of "Silent Night" ("Oh, no! The organ's down! What do we do?") was covered annually in our Sunday school, so no excuses for my generation at least. Plus, acoustic guitars were all the rage back then as a folky thing. Which is one reason why the Singing Nun became a one-hit wonder with "Dominique."
Most of you probably know Russ Roberts. His reflection about the optimism and joy of the Israeli people, even while in a bunker in Tel Aviv, was heartwarming. Especially with such a spate of other discouraging news yesterday.
https://substack.com/@listentothesirens/note/p-165955437
That’s just what I was looking for this morning, thanks!
Thanks for reading! So shines a good message in a weary world.
Thanks, that was really inspiring.
Placido Domingo, friends. I came in 3rd at Wingspan last night. Vlad was 5th: he had a strategy that didn't pay off. I often come in 3rd, because I play conservatively. If you (say, Jay Janney) studied the correlation between people's Wingspan play and their lifetime earnings, you'd probably find that Vlad ends up extremely well off, while I am comfortable.
Good morning! Thanks to one lucky guess relating to something you posted yesterday, I got wordle in 2 tries this morning. I won't say more out of respect for other wordlers here. But - thanks!
Fascinating!
Happy Sunday.
Is Vlad’s strategy more risk-taking? You’re supposed to do more risk-taking as a young person—so say all the sage givers of sage advice.
Yes, his strategy involved a possibility of getting a lot of points at the end of the game if everything worked out ... but it didn't.
Back from the wedding of Zacarias and Ester, who had actually been married for 25 years but never had an official church Sacrament of Matrimony. Zacarias looked distinguished, and Ester looked beautiful, and they had a lot of family and friends. And all the songs were performed without significant error.
Very glad it went well!Thanks for the report.
Just a quick news note: A gunman impersonating an officer shot two state representatives from Minnesota, one died, the other is critical, but believed will live. Greater Minneapolis area.
State representative Melissa Hortman and her husband Mike were killed. State Senator John Hoffman and his wife Yvette were injured. An update from CNN says both are "out of surgery and stable". A bullet 'very nearly missed" John Hoffman's heart. An adult daughter who was with them was not injured, as her mom threw herself over her.
🙏 for all
People should protest this administration all they want, but should be sure to keep it within the legal, civil bounds. They should also be very aware that there are domestic and foreign parties who will try again and again to insert agents provocateurs to “mix things up” with violence and chaos that causes normie citizens to sympathize with a crackdown—even a heavy-handed one.
The legislators who were shot were Democrats. A manifesto has been found. The gunman is still at large.
A few updates: authorities are requesting to not attend the No Kings rallies today as flyers for it were found in the shooter's vehicle. The vehicle was a black SUV tricked out to look like a police car.
Some sites state the suspect has been identified, but others are not confirming it, so I won't.
The two who were shot were Dems who voted against a bill provided taxpayer funded healthcare for illegal immigrants, which was supported by the Dem party. Guv Walz has called it (in a speech) a politically motivated assassination.
Although I understand the sentiment for voting against it, Federal laws on EMTALA requires no one be turned away for treatment at an ER, and related facilities, including illegal immigrants. So when we refuse to provide healthcare we shift those folks to treatment at ERs, which may not be efficient. It may be cheaper to have co-pays and the like for illegal immigrants to help drive down costs a bit.
For better or worse, ERs have turned into "health care of last resort".
Often, the ER is first resort.
For many without insurance, the only resort.
Dems who opposed a Dem-supported bill? The plot thickens.
https://alphanews.org/just-five-state-democrats-voted-to-repeal-taxpayer-funded-healthcare-for-illegal-immigrants/
From the updates I’ve seen so far, state and administration officials are sounding the right tone.
https://www.cnn.com/us/live-news/minnesota-shootings-manhunt-06-14-25
oh no...
Awww...I love watching quail bob along! Can't understand how someone could shoot and eat them, though. Our family used to look forward to see the new quail families every year on our farm.
Thanks for this sweet adventure, Cynthia.
You're welcome.
“To cure disorder, law and punishment are like potent medicine;
to preserve peace, moral education must come first, like nourishing food.”
治乱之药石，刑罚为重；兴平之梁肉，德教为先。
~ From “Book of Elementary Learning” (《幼学琼林》), Volume 4: “Litigation and Punishment” (讼狱篇), anonymous Ming Dynasty compilation, c. 16th century.
Genius
by Billy Collins
was what they called you in high school
if you tripped on a shoelace in the hall
and all your books went flying.
Or if you walked into an open locker door,
you would be known as Einstein,
who imagined riding a streetcar into infinity.
Later, genius became someone
who could take a sliver of chalk and squire pi
a hundred places out beyond the decimal point,
or a man painting on his back on a scaffold,
or drawing a waterwheel in a margin,
or spinning out a little night music.
But earlier this week on a wooded path,
I thought the swans afloat on the reservoir
were the true geniuses,
the ones who had figured out how to fly,
how to be both beautiful and brutal,
and how to mate for life.
Twenty-four geniuses in all,
for I numbered them as Yeats had done,
deployed upon the calm, crystalline surface—
forty-eight if we count their white reflections,
or an even fifty if you want to throw in me
and the dog running up ahead,
who were at least smart enough to be out
that morning—she sniffing the ground,
me with my head up in the bright morning air.
Quail. We used to hunt quail. It's essentially impossible without a good bird dog, which we had. I still couldn't shoot them, though. They were so smart and cute.
In Indiana, we had a Quail once, we all called him Dan or Danny. He wasn't considered the sharpest tool in the shed. I think you can still find him today on golf courses.
The family is still there.
A bird. Not a bettor or player of games of chance.
I've always thought those comma-tuft things on their heads are a really interesting look. I have no idea what they're for. Possibly nobody knows. Of course not all animal features have to be "for" anything.
They were put there because they look cool.
awesome! another backyard friend! We once had a very small patch of lawn that the builder/owner put in. used tremendous amounts of well water unfortunately and I killed it all. But the Gambrel Quail families loved it. Now they hang out just outside the wall. occasionally on top od the wall. really pretty.
You live in a fun habitat, Doug.
Indeed!!!
How are the donkey, camel, and new dog today?
Twiga, Calvin and Zeuben are having fine days. Yesterday was Fat Friday Feed as my Weed and Feed supplier loaded 24 lovely green bales of hay into the tack room side of the barn. There is always spillage and fun cleanup afterwards!
There was also a banana Feed. Dr. Donkey loves the soft fruit. Calvin loves the banana peel.
Dog Zeuben, 3rd (rescue) of the house, 6th of the household is settled in nicely. Never needed the crate. all doggie routines are…routine!
I'm pleased to know they are all flourishing.
I posted some Camel and Banana pics. on my DougAz substack. Haven't figured out how to link it here..
they totally appreciate your interest!
Finally! A tasteful TSAF! Not one of those gaudy ones from New Guinea. My Puritan ancestors (actually, my ancestors were Polish and French Huguenot, but they acted like Puritans) would be pleased with this bird. Tasteful AND productive.
I understand the Huguenots were Calvinists, as were the Puritans. I ha ve no issues with "gaudy" birds.
It's more complicated than that in both English and French Protestant history.
There was a great deal of complexity in the Protestant Reformation.
It was fissiparous.
A new dino I've never heard of. Are fissiparous plant eaters, meat eaters, both?
Trying too hard, Jay. 🙂
How Sesquipedalianist...
I had to look that one up. . .
For fun and profit!
You just never know what will appeal to the audience. I like the loud birds, myself, at least at a safe distance.
We had some guys in the other night to give a quote on replacement windows, and one of them said that he had recently been doing a quote for an elderly lady, and she wanted him to take a macaw home with him. "It was my late husband's, and it's driving me crazy!"
My youngest absolutely loved birds. He saved up his money and bought a Conure, who was quite obnoxious. Of course he went away to school, and then the army, and left the horrible bird with us. “Dragon” learned to mock my preaching voice. Fortunately they don’t live to be 100 like African Greys and some macaws.
Oy. When my oldest daughter joined the Coast Guard at 18, she left us a greyhound, the best dog on earth.
My impression of sight hounds is that they’re mainly lazy. They have a metabolism that makes them thrifty with energy, not hyperactive.
I had a manager once who had rescue greyhounds. She said they mainly just napped on the couch. You’d let them out and they’d race around the house a lap or two, then they’d be spent for the next 23 hours and 50 minutes or so.
The nursing home next door to our Meetinghouse (technically our building is on their grounds) had greyhounds. They were good for being petted by the residents, and mostly snoozed. The elderly would sit on a couch, the dogs would stand next to them or lay down next to them. They were beloved there.
They like to lie on their backs looking like a spatchcocked chicken ready for roasting.
Yes. That's accurate. She took being retired very seriously.