With the edges of Hurricane Florence beginning to whip up the waters of South Carolina, my thoughts are with the folks who will be on the front lines when the areas re-open. Right now, South Carolina is taking the first hits, while the winds will soon impact North Carolina, Georgia, the southern parts of Virginia around the Chesapeake Bay, and possibly all the way down to Daytona beach in Florida. Florence is a huge storm, and even though she's only a Category 2 at this time, she will probably cause trillions of dollars of damage.
I was worried about my beloved islands of Chincoteague and Assateague on the Eastern Shore of Virginia (and Maryland) - but it looks like they'll just receive the effects of a really nasty and long-lasting nor'easter. The folks along the coast lines of the Carolinas, however, are in for a beating from the winds, and a drowning from rains and storm surge. I feel for those who had to leave their homes, but that is one of the downsides of coastal living. (Having been in Florida for 38 years, I know what I'm talking/writing about.)
Last year, Hurricane Maria crashed through the US Territory of Puerto Rico. Immediately after the storm, the number of dead caused by Maria was listed at 64. As time has passed, and people have been questioned about health care and the aftermath of Maria, it turned out that the number of deaths related to Maria came to a total of 2,975. This included those who died from heat prostration, from dehydration, from starvation, from filthy and impure drinking water, from not receiving medical care, etc. - And one of the latest finds was 20,000 pallets full of bottled water that have been lost for over a year - laying under tarpaulins where they were deposited, and sitting there while people died.
Yesterday, as Hurricane Florence approached the United States, the current President denied this had happened. He tweeted, "3000 people did not die in the two hurricanes that hit Puerto Rico. When I left the Island, AFTER the storm had hit, they had anywhere from 6 to 18 deaths. As time went by it did not go up by much. Then, a long time later, they started to report really large numbers, like 3000."
The President is refuting studies done by the US government and US universities.
Here in Boulder, a resident can tell that it's fall. The leaves are changing colors early this year; a lot of juvenile mountain lions are on the move, leaving mom and siblings, and staking out their own territories; and our local population of black bears are raiding garbage cans and cars that have food left inside them. I live in what is considered "downtown" North Boulder - it's on US 36, the main road from Denver to Rocky Mountain National Park. A couple of weeks ago, a young (but adult) mountain lion was tranquilized and moved to RMNP from beneath the deck of a house 1/8 mile from US 36, and a couple of blocks from our apartment. Earlier this week, a friend called to say she had seen a black bear opening trash cans 10 blocks from my apartment, and 6 blocks from her house. The bears need to consume 15,000 to 20,000 calories per day to hibernate successfully. And two elementary schools were placed on lock-down due to the presence of a mother bear and three cubs in there vicinity for a full school day.
Two days ago, Bob Woodward's new book, Fear, was released for sale. In it, Woodward details a conversation between former National Economic Council Director Gary Cohn and the 45th President. They were discussing rising interest rates, the deficit, and the national debt, to which the President offered an interesting solution: "We should just go borrow a lot of money, hold it, and then sell it to make money," the book quotes the President. Cohn told Woodward that he was "astounded" at the President's "lack of basic understanding" about how the government works, and what borrowing would mean. When Cohn told the President that wouldn't work, the President came up with an alternative resolution - "Just run the presses," the President told him. "Print money." Gary Cohn again tried to explain the basics of debt, inflation, the stock market, and the debt ceiling worked, but the President just kept saying that he should print more money. Woodward wrote "it was clear that" the President "did not understand the way the US government debt cycle balance sheet worked."
But this really isn't news. In May 2016, when the President was running for office, he told CNN's Chris Cuomo, "People said I want to go and buy debt and default on debt, and I mean, these people are crazy. This is the United States government. First of all, you never have to default because you print the money, I hate to tell you, OK?"
Yes, it has been announced that the US will have a $21 trillion national debt at then end of this fiscal year, and not 2020, as previously believed. But the President believes we can just borrow our way out of debt and then just print more money when he needs it....
And, with Hurricane Florence about to strike the shore, and with all those other lovely hurricanes lined up behind her, I can't wait to see what this man, who stated, "I, alone, can help you," will do. Not much, I think.
It seems that there might be a hold-up in Judge Brett Kavanaugh's Supreme Court bid... He has been, apparently, accused of unwanted sexual advances.... The FBI has been asked to investigate, and the voting on his SCOTUS seat has been postponed for a week.
And it was also announced by ABC News that it appears that Paul Manafort has reached a plea deal with prosecutors in his second trial - this one for 7 felony accounts including lobbying for a foreign country, not being registered as an agent for a foreign country and tampering with witnesses. ABC stated that it is believed that the plea deal will be announced tomorrow in the Washington DC court. At this time it is unknown whether he is just pleading guilty to the charges, or if he will assist Robert Mueller's Special Investigation to keep from spending so much time in jail. (He is 69 years old.)
Showing posts with label this and that. Show all posts
Showing posts with label this and that. Show all posts
Thursday, September 13, 2018
Wednesday, July 18, 2018
This and That
An interesting medical study was released yesterday, correlating the use of digital media and the increasing diagnoses of ADHD - Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder. ADHD symptoms include inattention, hyperactivity, restlessness, or impulsivity that is more severe, frequent, or debilitating than normal. The study followed a group of teenagers who had no, little, average, or above average usage of "digital media" - Smart phones, tablets, etc - and found those people who accessed their digital media more than 14 times per day were likely to be diagnosed with ADHD as they aged.
The 45th President of the United States was amazed and aghast by the American people's response to his "wonderful" time with President Putin in Helsinki. He went on television today to say that he "misspoke" and meant that he thought he conveyed the idea that Russia might have interfered in the US 2016 election. - I believe he did not misspeak, and that he meant exactly what he said...
He also stated, "We met with the Queen, who is absolutely a terrific person, where she reviewed her honor guard for the first time in 70 years, they tell me. We walked in front of the underguard, and that was very inspiring to see and be with her. And I think the relationship, I can truly say, is a good one. ... She was very, very inspiring, indeed." - Why is the President using the Royal "we?" The Queen reviews the Coldstream Home Honor Guard multiple times each year. And the Queen has only been Queen for 66 years - how could she not have reviewed her Honor Guard for 70 years? Not to mention the fact that she was wearing a beautiful blue brooch that was a gift of the Obamas' during 45's visit; or that their "tea" lasted for 17 minutes only....
And regarding his belligerence at the NATO meeting, he stated: "The press covered it quite inaccurately. They said I insulted people. Well, if asking for people to pay up money that they are supposed to pay is insulting, maybe I did. But I can tell you when I left, everybody was thrilled and that's the way this was, too. My meeting with President Putin was really interesting in so many different ways because we haven't had relationships with Russia for a long time. And we started." - Oh I can totally believe that "...when I left, everybody was thrilled..." That stupid man doesn't think anything through before he says it! (And, being a nasty, bitchy woman with a prurient mind, his comment about Putin and relationships with Russia being so very interesting in different ways makes me wonder what he's been up to with Vladi...)
Here in Boulder, we've just been notified that a "violent sexual predator" has been released from jail, and, having to declare a residence, has filed papers saying he is homeless and will be camping out along Fourmile Creek, within the city limits. He states that he'll be staying east of Broadway, near Rosewood Avenue. A lot of the citizens are suddenly upset because they live near there, in new, upscale homes and/or apartments and they are suddenly worried over their safety. This is two blocks away from the Homeless Shelter, which is across the street from a topless girlie bar... Am I the only person who finds this confusing?
I had planned on rehanging out outdoor balcony lights yesterday, but just didn't feel like it. It was cloudy and threatening rain all day, after a day of clouds and rain on Sunday. I slept and read, and slept and read... Finished a new Alyce Clare book, and began a new Paul Doherty book. Will hang the lights when I finish posting for the day...
The 45th President of the United States was amazed and aghast by the American people's response to his "wonderful" time with President Putin in Helsinki. He went on television today to say that he "misspoke" and meant that he thought he conveyed the idea that Russia might have interfered in the US 2016 election. - I believe he did not misspeak, and that he meant exactly what he said...
He also stated, "We met with the Queen, who is absolutely a terrific person, where she reviewed her honor guard for the first time in 70 years, they tell me. We walked in front of the underguard, and that was very inspiring to see and be with her. And I think the relationship, I can truly say, is a good one. ... She was very, very inspiring, indeed." - Why is the President using the Royal "we?" The Queen reviews the Coldstream Home Honor Guard multiple times each year. And the Queen has only been Queen for 66 years - how could she not have reviewed her Honor Guard for 70 years? Not to mention the fact that she was wearing a beautiful blue brooch that was a gift of the Obamas' during 45's visit; or that their "tea" lasted for 17 minutes only....
And regarding his belligerence at the NATO meeting, he stated: "The press covered it quite inaccurately. They said I insulted people. Well, if asking for people to pay up money that they are supposed to pay is insulting, maybe I did. But I can tell you when I left, everybody was thrilled and that's the way this was, too. My meeting with President Putin was really interesting in so many different ways because we haven't had relationships with Russia for a long time. And we started." - Oh I can totally believe that "...when I left, everybody was thrilled..." That stupid man doesn't think anything through before he says it! (And, being a nasty, bitchy woman with a prurient mind, his comment about Putin and relationships with Russia being so very interesting in different ways makes me wonder what he's been up to with Vladi...)
Here in Boulder, we've just been notified that a "violent sexual predator" has been released from jail, and, having to declare a residence, has filed papers saying he is homeless and will be camping out along Fourmile Creek, within the city limits. He states that he'll be staying east of Broadway, near Rosewood Avenue. A lot of the citizens are suddenly upset because they live near there, in new, upscale homes and/or apartments and they are suddenly worried over their safety. This is two blocks away from the Homeless Shelter, which is across the street from a topless girlie bar... Am I the only person who finds this confusing?
I had planned on rehanging out outdoor balcony lights yesterday, but just didn't feel like it. It was cloudy and threatening rain all day, after a day of clouds and rain on Sunday. I slept and read, and slept and read... Finished a new Alyce Clare book, and began a new Paul Doherty book. Will hang the lights when I finish posting for the day...
Tuesday, June 12, 2018
This and That Miscellany
Our family moved to Gainesville, Florida in July of 1961; Dad had retired after 22 years in the Navy, was going to get a teaching degree at the University of Florida using the GI Bill, and I had just turned 5 years old. Dad wanted to live in "a place where I never have to shovel snow again," and he had been stationed at Vero Beach and at Whiting Field, near Pensacola. I spent my school years, except the summers, in Gainesville, and I also attended the University of Florida after graduation from high school. We lived in the south east section of Gainesville, a relatively poor section of town, outside the city limits. We were friends with people of all colors, races, and religion. We frequently traveled to the island of Cedar Key, in Levy County, in the Gulf of Mexico. I had no idea we were going through what would have been the town of Rosewood, were it still standing. In 1982, information about Rosewood and the horrific racial injustice that happened there became common knowledge. Today, I was saddened by reading a newspaper article about the last house in Rosewood, and I am wondering what it's fate might be.... Please read this article. I wish I had the means to purchase, keep, and develop this building and the land around it, for the sake of all people who have had to withstand injustice - including the current owner. Her story, too, is heart-rending... http://www.tampabay.com/data/2018/06/06/the-last-house-in-rosewood/
Justify, the newly honored Triple Crown Champion, has returned to Churchill Downs and seems to have no ill effects from such a compacted major schedule. He ran in his first race 112 days before he won the Belmont, and won the 13th Triple Crown in 100 years. He will appear for racing fans on Saturday, June 16, in the paddock and on the track. Then he will travel back to Santa Anita, his home base.
And I had to laugh out loud at an owner of another horse in the Belmont Stakes, who claimed that Justify's stablemate, who is not even owned by the same people, was sent out to "run interference" for the big chestnut. Restoring Hope bolted at the start, under jockey Florent Geroux, went wide on the first turn and then moved back closer to the rail. He finished 8th. The horse usually runs back in the middle of the field and then runs in the later stages.
And the orange turkey in the White House seems to loose more marbles every day... First the G7 Summit, where he wanted his pal Vladi reinstated, and then refusing to agree to the final compact. Then he insults all of the members, except Abe of Japan, and tries to belittle and beat down Justin Trudeau of Canada. He leaves early to go to Singapore to met with Kim Jong Un, where he gives the North Korean dictator everything he wants, and gets nothing in return for our country. Stopping the US-South Korea war games is a significant concession to Kim, and to receive in return only a promise of a "complete" denuclearization - rather than the complete, verifiable, and irreversible kind to which the current administration has been referring in the entire lead-up to this summit - is NOT enough, in the immediate term.
Not to mention two of the orange majesty's comments in a news conference about the meeting:
1: "Honestly, I think he's going to do these things. I may be wrong, I mean I may stand before you in six months and say, hey, I was wrong - I don't know that I'll ever admit that, but I'll find some kind of an excuse."
2: "As an example, they have great beaches. You see that whenever they're exploding their cannons into the ocean, right? I said, "Boy, look at that view. Wouldn't that make a great condo?" And I explained, I said, instead of doing that you could have the best hotels in the world right there. Think of it from a real estate perspective. You have South Korea, you have China, and they own the land in the middle. How bad is that, right? It's great."
Justify, the newly honored Triple Crown Champion, has returned to Churchill Downs and seems to have no ill effects from such a compacted major schedule. He ran in his first race 112 days before he won the Belmont, and won the 13th Triple Crown in 100 years. He will appear for racing fans on Saturday, June 16, in the paddock and on the track. Then he will travel back to Santa Anita, his home base.
And I had to laugh out loud at an owner of another horse in the Belmont Stakes, who claimed that Justify's stablemate, who is not even owned by the same people, was sent out to "run interference" for the big chestnut. Restoring Hope bolted at the start, under jockey Florent Geroux, went wide on the first turn and then moved back closer to the rail. He finished 8th. The horse usually runs back in the middle of the field and then runs in the later stages.
And the orange turkey in the White House seems to loose more marbles every day... First the G7 Summit, where he wanted his pal Vladi reinstated, and then refusing to agree to the final compact. Then he insults all of the members, except Abe of Japan, and tries to belittle and beat down Justin Trudeau of Canada. He leaves early to go to Singapore to met with Kim Jong Un, where he gives the North Korean dictator everything he wants, and gets nothing in return for our country. Stopping the US-South Korea war games is a significant concession to Kim, and to receive in return only a promise of a "complete" denuclearization - rather than the complete, verifiable, and irreversible kind to which the current administration has been referring in the entire lead-up to this summit - is NOT enough, in the immediate term.
Not to mention two of the orange majesty's comments in a news conference about the meeting:
1: "Honestly, I think he's going to do these things. I may be wrong, I mean I may stand before you in six months and say, hey, I was wrong - I don't know that I'll ever admit that, but I'll find some kind of an excuse."
2: "As an example, they have great beaches. You see that whenever they're exploding their cannons into the ocean, right? I said, "Boy, look at that view. Wouldn't that make a great condo?" And I explained, I said, instead of doing that you could have the best hotels in the world right there. Think of it from a real estate perspective. You have South Korea, you have China, and they own the land in the middle. How bad is that, right? It's great."
Saturday, May 12, 2018
This and That...
While sitting and working at my computer yesterday evening, I saw two bats fly by; and this morning, I saw the first goldfinches of the season. And I just had an immature house finch alight on the balcony railing, and inspect my desk and me through the window. It was very curious, and kept tilting it's head from side to side, while chewing on a pumpkin seed that was larger than it's bill. And there are now 31 foals kicking up their heels on the southern end of Assateague. - Today, if I were in Scotland, I'd say it was a soft day - overcast with a misty drizzle.
I realize that it's the normal course of Mother Nature and our Earth, but I'm appalled by the loss of life in the Rift Valley in Kenya. They had over a year of drought, and now have had two months of torrential rains. The majority of jobs and industries there are agricultural, and owners build reservoirs on top of hills. With the rains, the walls are breaking, sending floods down through the homes built below them. More than 157 people have died in the last month, either drowned or buried in mud.
Then, of course, there's the eruption of Kilauea on the big island of Hawaii, that began on 3 May. More than 15 volcanic vents have opened around the caldera, spewing lava and toxic gases. The latest warning say a large eruption could toss boulders as large as 10 tons in almost any direction, should there be an explosion within the caldera.
After all the crap coming from the White House since the last inauguration, I should not have been surprised or upset by the latest leak of information from a staff meeting held "behind closed doors." I'll be honest and say that I have rarely agreed with Senator John McCain's stance in politics. However, the man was a pilot in the Viet Nam War; his plane was shot down; and he was held prisoner in Hanoi for 5 years. He was a physical wreck when he returned home after his ordeal. But to have a White House staff member say that the Senator's opposition to the appointment of Gina Haspel to lead the CIA, "...doesn't matter; he's dying anyway" is disgusting. Special assistant Terry Sadler now claims that she said that as a joke, just as 45 always claims his disparaging remarks are jokes. Because a Senator is fighting brain cancer is no reason for Cadet Captain BoneSpurs and his chosen few to disparage an American hero.
Thoroughbred trainers are still deciding whether or not they'll have an entry in next Saturday's Preakness Stakes at Pimlico, outside of Baltimore, Maryland. Justify, the colt who won the Kentucky Derby, has already had a 1 and 1/2 mile gallop over the track there. Justify's regular jockey, Mike Smith, has received a 4 day suspension from the stewards at Santa Anita in California. His mount, under a right-handed whip, drifted to the left and interfered with Kent Desormeaux's mount. Smith's suspension will not affect his ride on Justify in the Preakness.
And I am throwing my complete support behind Jared Polis in his run for Governor of Colorado. Jared is a local from Boulder; he is gay, and he and his partner have adopted three children. I firmly stand behind all that Jared represents as a father and as a legislator, as he is currently serving in the United States House of Representatives, serving the Second Congressional District. He is also an entrepreneur and philanthropist. - And I laughed out loud at one of his tweets this morning: You know you're living in the 21st century when your inbox contains an announcement about a "DNA Sale!" announcement for Mother's Day. Call me old-fashioned, but I'm getting Mom some beautiful flowers...
.
I realize that it's the normal course of Mother Nature and our Earth, but I'm appalled by the loss of life in the Rift Valley in Kenya. They had over a year of drought, and now have had two months of torrential rains. The majority of jobs and industries there are agricultural, and owners build reservoirs on top of hills. With the rains, the walls are breaking, sending floods down through the homes built below them. More than 157 people have died in the last month, either drowned or buried in mud.
Then, of course, there's the eruption of Kilauea on the big island of Hawaii, that began on 3 May. More than 15 volcanic vents have opened around the caldera, spewing lava and toxic gases. The latest warning say a large eruption could toss boulders as large as 10 tons in almost any direction, should there be an explosion within the caldera.
After all the crap coming from the White House since the last inauguration, I should not have been surprised or upset by the latest leak of information from a staff meeting held "behind closed doors." I'll be honest and say that I have rarely agreed with Senator John McCain's stance in politics. However, the man was a pilot in the Viet Nam War; his plane was shot down; and he was held prisoner in Hanoi for 5 years. He was a physical wreck when he returned home after his ordeal. But to have a White House staff member say that the Senator's opposition to the appointment of Gina Haspel to lead the CIA, "...doesn't matter; he's dying anyway" is disgusting. Special assistant Terry Sadler now claims that she said that as a joke, just as 45 always claims his disparaging remarks are jokes. Because a Senator is fighting brain cancer is no reason for Cadet Captain BoneSpurs and his chosen few to disparage an American hero.
Thoroughbred trainers are still deciding whether or not they'll have an entry in next Saturday's Preakness Stakes at Pimlico, outside of Baltimore, Maryland. Justify, the colt who won the Kentucky Derby, has already had a 1 and 1/2 mile gallop over the track there. Justify's regular jockey, Mike Smith, has received a 4 day suspension from the stewards at Santa Anita in California. His mount, under a right-handed whip, drifted to the left and interfered with Kent Desormeaux's mount. Smith's suspension will not affect his ride on Justify in the Preakness.
And I am throwing my complete support behind Jared Polis in his run for Governor of Colorado. Jared is a local from Boulder; he is gay, and he and his partner have adopted three children. I firmly stand behind all that Jared represents as a father and as a legislator, as he is currently serving in the United States House of Representatives, serving the Second Congressional District. He is also an entrepreneur and philanthropist. - And I laughed out loud at one of his tweets this morning: You know you're living in the 21st century when your inbox contains an announcement about a "DNA Sale!" announcement for Mother's Day. Call me old-fashioned, but I'm getting Mom some beautiful flowers...
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Tuesday, April 10, 2018
This and That
I was greatly cheered to learn that the Mets baseball team had sent Tim Tebow to their AA minor team, the Rumble Ponies, in Binghamton, New York. On his at bat, on the first throw, he hit a three-run homer.... Way to go, Tim Tebow! I've always loved the man and he is following his dream. Good on him!
The new American Spring League Football season will start the week after the 2019 Super Bowl. There will be 8 teams the first year and the league has been set up by ex-professional football players. The announcement of the first city to host a team and the first announced head coach for that team made me sit up and smile - Orlando Florida and Steve Spurrier. Hoping to see some great things - take me back to the Tampa Bay Bandits!
At the moment the weather forecast for the Spring Round-up on Assateague Island at the Chincoteague National Wildlife Refuge is fantastic for mid-April. I hope everything goes well this Friday and Saturday and that the long-unseen will turn up alive and well...
I found a name yesterday in the 1900 US Census yesterday that I really liked - Tilelka - and then I just rolled laughing because another name hit me just smack dab on the funny-bone: a man named Rolla A. Hole....
We're a little over 3 weeks away from the first Saturday in May - which always, for me, means the Kentucky Derby at Churchill Downs in Louisville. This year will be the 144th Run For the Roses, and will be broadcast live on NBC television. The race is scheduled to begin at 6:50 pm (EDT), and there will probably be the full number of entries, limited to 20, and based on points earned in other graded races...
1. Good Magic (134)
2. Audible (110)
Noble Indy (110)
3. Vino Rosso (107)
4. Bolt d'Oro (104)
5. Enticed (103)
6. Mendelssohn (100)
Justify (100)
7. Flameaway (70)
8. Bravazo (54)
9. Promises Fulfilled (52)
10. Magnum Moon (50)
Runaway Ghost (50)
Quip (50)
11. Free Drop Billy (44)
12. Lone Sailor (42)
13. Hofburg (40)
14. Firenze Fire (39)
15. Solomini (38)
16. My Boy Jack (32)
17. Instilled Regard (29)
18. Snapper Sinclair (22)
Combatant (22)
Blended Citizen (22)
19. Reride (20)
Dream Baby Dream (20)
Restoring Hope (20)
Old Time Revival (20)
The new American Spring League Football season will start the week after the 2019 Super Bowl. There will be 8 teams the first year and the league has been set up by ex-professional football players. The announcement of the first city to host a team and the first announced head coach for that team made me sit up and smile - Orlando Florida and Steve Spurrier. Hoping to see some great things - take me back to the Tampa Bay Bandits!
At the moment the weather forecast for the Spring Round-up on Assateague Island at the Chincoteague National Wildlife Refuge is fantastic for mid-April. I hope everything goes well this Friday and Saturday and that the long-unseen will turn up alive and well...
I found a name yesterday in the 1900 US Census yesterday that I really liked - Tilelka - and then I just rolled laughing because another name hit me just smack dab on the funny-bone: a man named Rolla A. Hole....
We're a little over 3 weeks away from the first Saturday in May - which always, for me, means the Kentucky Derby at Churchill Downs in Louisville. This year will be the 144th Run For the Roses, and will be broadcast live on NBC television. The race is scheduled to begin at 6:50 pm (EDT), and there will probably be the full number of entries, limited to 20, and based on points earned in other graded races...
1. Good Magic (134)
2. Audible (110)
Noble Indy (110)
3. Vino Rosso (107)
4. Bolt d'Oro (104)
5. Enticed (103)
6. Mendelssohn (100)
Justify (100)
7. Flameaway (70)
8. Bravazo (54)
9. Promises Fulfilled (52)
10. Magnum Moon (50)
Runaway Ghost (50)
Quip (50)
11. Free Drop Billy (44)
12. Lone Sailor (42)
13. Hofburg (40)
14. Firenze Fire (39)
15. Solomini (38)
16. My Boy Jack (32)
17. Instilled Regard (29)
18. Snapper Sinclair (22)
Combatant (22)
Blended Citizen (22)
19. Reride (20)
Dream Baby Dream (20)
Restoring Hope (20)
Old Time Revival (20)
Monday, March 5, 2018
This and That
The wind began to blow yesterday afternoon around 2 o'clock, and it's still blowing. The National Weather Service station here says we'll have sustained winds of 25 to 40 mph all day, with gusts of 45 to 75 mph. We still have snow and ice from the two snowfalls (more than 10 days ago) in our parking lot, and snow is clearly visible on the Flatirons and Front Range. And in the last few days, the high temperatures have been in the 50s and 60s. So it seems incredible to also read that we are under a Red Flag warning for extremely high danger of fire... Current temperature says 34 degrees, humidity is 23%, and the wind is blowing at 25 mph. It's a day that weather means I'll stay inside....
Almost finished with Shadow Country by Peter Matthiessen. I had to look up the story about Ed Watson and Belle Starr to see what was "really" what. Ed was a sharecropper on Indian lands he leased from Belle Starr. At a dance, she refused to take the floor with Ed. He had been drinking and was angered by her refusal, according to witnesses. She was found dead the next day. Ed Watson was arrested, but, as there was only circumstantial evidence against him he was tried and acquitted. He left, returning to Florida soon after his acquittal.
I think that the 45th President is not sleeping well... It seems that Special Investigator Robert Mueller's team is getting closer to naming him as a defendant each day...
Had my taxes done by AARP-IRS volunteers at the Boulder Senior Center on Thursday. I don't owe anything to either the federal or state government, but I'm not getting back either. Since my birthday is in June, I'll have to wait for another 2 years before I can apply to the City and County, and get my food tax refund. Last year they paid back $62; this year it's $83... Since I need a crown for a dead tooth, and it's going to cost $700, it would've been nice to get a little bit of cash back!
Still working away on my family tree, and my room-mate, Beatrice's. I'm lucky that there are so many church and tax records for most of my family. I have to admit that I've divided my family tree into three parts, not four. That's due to the scarcity of Swedish records for my mother's paternal side. I have over 4,000 entries for my father's paternal Nocks family; and I have over 2,000 for his maternal Lancaster/Mobley/Washburn side. I have about 1,500 for my mother's family, in entirety...
For Beatrice, I started with her parents names, her maternal grandmother, and her paternal grandfather's names. As they are African American, and the families were slaves on plantations in Louisiana, I am very happy to have found more than 1,100 hundred relatives so far. Her second-great-grandfather was the son of the plantation owner, and I have been able to trace the owner's family back to the late 1500s in Europe. But we're still stuck at her grandfather Bell - we don't know his parents' names, and I've found 12 different Henry Bells that were born around the same time and near the right place.... I'll continue to look, and hope to have a break-through.
Almost finished with Shadow Country by Peter Matthiessen. I had to look up the story about Ed Watson and Belle Starr to see what was "really" what. Ed was a sharecropper on Indian lands he leased from Belle Starr. At a dance, she refused to take the floor with Ed. He had been drinking and was angered by her refusal, according to witnesses. She was found dead the next day. Ed Watson was arrested, but, as there was only circumstantial evidence against him he was tried and acquitted. He left, returning to Florida soon after his acquittal.
I think that the 45th President is not sleeping well... It seems that Special Investigator Robert Mueller's team is getting closer to naming him as a defendant each day...
Had my taxes done by AARP-IRS volunteers at the Boulder Senior Center on Thursday. I don't owe anything to either the federal or state government, but I'm not getting back either. Since my birthday is in June, I'll have to wait for another 2 years before I can apply to the City and County, and get my food tax refund. Last year they paid back $62; this year it's $83... Since I need a crown for a dead tooth, and it's going to cost $700, it would've been nice to get a little bit of cash back!
Still working away on my family tree, and my room-mate, Beatrice's. I'm lucky that there are so many church and tax records for most of my family. I have to admit that I've divided my family tree into three parts, not four. That's due to the scarcity of Swedish records for my mother's paternal side. I have over 4,000 entries for my father's paternal Nocks family; and I have over 2,000 for his maternal Lancaster/Mobley/Washburn side. I have about 1,500 for my mother's family, in entirety...
For Beatrice, I started with her parents names, her maternal grandmother, and her paternal grandfather's names. As they are African American, and the families were slaves on plantations in Louisiana, I am very happy to have found more than 1,100 hundred relatives so far. Her second-great-grandfather was the son of the plantation owner, and I have been able to trace the owner's family back to the late 1500s in Europe. But we're still stuck at her grandfather Bell - we don't know his parents' names, and I've found 12 different Henry Bells that were born around the same time and near the right place.... I'll continue to look, and hope to have a break-through.
Friday, July 21, 2017
This & That, Here and There
I had a wonderful time yesterday, as a large flock of magpies descended upon our two bird feeders and the next door restaurant's trash dumpster. It was very noisy because there were quite a few juvenile fledglings out with parents - and they kept following their folks around,fluttering their wings and begging to be fed. The majority of adults just kept looking at the youngsters, trying to show them how to feed themselves, but a few gave up and fed their babies... After ten solid minutes of importuning, you could almost see shoulders shrug above wings as some parents gave in. Having spent 45 minutes here, there was a sudden whoosh of air as they all left together and headed for another meal station. It was a nice experience.
Pony Penning, the 92nd annual one, held by the Chincoteague Volunteer Fire Company, will begin tomorrow with the Round-Up of the southern herds. Sunday the northern herds will be gathered, and, at dawn on Monday, the northern ponies will walk down the beach to the southern holding pens. Monday and Tuesday the ponies will be evaluated by the veterinarians and any needed treatments will be given. Older mares, like Unci, and very pregnant mares, as well as new babies and their moms will be trailered over to the Carnival Grounds on Chincoteague. Wednesday morning, at slack tide (early in the morning this year), the ponies will swim from Assateague to Chincoteague. After a short rest, they will parade up Main Street to the Carnival Grounds. Thursday morning the foals will be auctioned off. Friday the remaining ponies will swim back to Assateague. (My mind and heart is already there.)
The President gave a very long and very disjointed interview to The New York Times and it was released Wednesday afternoon. He talked about how intelligent he is; stated that French President Emmanuel Macron likes to hold his hand; stated he would never have appointed Jeff Sessions to the position of Attorney General if he had known that Sessions would recuse himself from the Russia investigation; stated that Special Investigator Robert Mueller had better not investigate his family's tax returns; and said that anyone would have accepted and attended the 9 June 2016 meeting to get dirt on a political opponent, no matter who was offering it. He also stated that he was talking to Vladimir Putin at the G20 dinner for less than 15 minutes, not an hour; and that they were discussing Russian adoptions - something "close to" his "heart" - which means they were discussing sanctions, because the Russian adoption issue is tied up in the Magnitsky Act, which sets Russian sanctions.
We knew that Senator John McCain had gone to the Mayo Clinic in Arizona for the removal of a blood clot above his left eye. Wednesday night it was revealed that the blood clot was tied to a cancerous glioblastoma tumor in his brain. His doctors say they think they removed most of it. Glioblastomas attack the central nervous system and grow at an alarming rate, spreading tentacles throughout brain tissue. I wish this war hero well. - And I wonder if this tumor might have been partly to blame for his odd questioning of James Comey on 8 June in front of the Intelligence Committee.
Gee - the US Treasury Department has decided that the Exxon Oil Company, while under the leadership of CEO Rex Tillerson (now the US Secretary of State), ignored US sanctions against Russia in 2014, when it entered into a joint venture with Russia's Rosneft. The Treasury Department slapped the world's largest publicly traded oil producer with a $2 million fine for "reckless disregard" of US sanctions. Yesterday, Exxon Mobil Corporation sued the US government, calling the fine "unlawful" and "capricious." Please note that a $2 million fine is barely a slap on the wrist to Exxon, which declared a profit of $7.84 billion last year....
Russia is planning war games in September in the country of Belarus. US allies in eastern Europe and Ukraine are worried that the games may be a "Trojan Horse" aimed at leaving Russian military equipment behind for later use. Russia has sought to reassure NATO that the military exercises will respect international limits on size, but NATO and US officials remain wary about the war games' scale and scope.
It was also reported last night that the 45th President has been asking his law team questions regarding Presidential Pardons - for his family, his friends, and for himself. Now, if he and his family and friends are absolutely innocent of collusion with Russian regarding the 2016 Presidential election, and if none of them have any ties with Russia, as the person keeps claiming, why is he interested in Presidential Pardons? This idiotic Pricktator is such a buffoon!!!! - And I still find it frightening and sickening that he is the so-called Leader of Our Country.... May the Gods help all of us!!!
Pony Penning, the 92nd annual one, held by the Chincoteague Volunteer Fire Company, will begin tomorrow with the Round-Up of the southern herds. Sunday the northern herds will be gathered, and, at dawn on Monday, the northern ponies will walk down the beach to the southern holding pens. Monday and Tuesday the ponies will be evaluated by the veterinarians and any needed treatments will be given. Older mares, like Unci, and very pregnant mares, as well as new babies and their moms will be trailered over to the Carnival Grounds on Chincoteague. Wednesday morning, at slack tide (early in the morning this year), the ponies will swim from Assateague to Chincoteague. After a short rest, they will parade up Main Street to the Carnival Grounds. Thursday morning the foals will be auctioned off. Friday the remaining ponies will swim back to Assateague. (My mind and heart is already there.)
The President gave a very long and very disjointed interview to The New York Times and it was released Wednesday afternoon. He talked about how intelligent he is; stated that French President Emmanuel Macron likes to hold his hand; stated he would never have appointed Jeff Sessions to the position of Attorney General if he had known that Sessions would recuse himself from the Russia investigation; stated that Special Investigator Robert Mueller had better not investigate his family's tax returns; and said that anyone would have accepted and attended the 9 June 2016 meeting to get dirt on a political opponent, no matter who was offering it. He also stated that he was talking to Vladimir Putin at the G20 dinner for less than 15 minutes, not an hour; and that they were discussing Russian adoptions - something "close to" his "heart" - which means they were discussing sanctions, because the Russian adoption issue is tied up in the Magnitsky Act, which sets Russian sanctions.
We knew that Senator John McCain had gone to the Mayo Clinic in Arizona for the removal of a blood clot above his left eye. Wednesday night it was revealed that the blood clot was tied to a cancerous glioblastoma tumor in his brain. His doctors say they think they removed most of it. Glioblastomas attack the central nervous system and grow at an alarming rate, spreading tentacles throughout brain tissue. I wish this war hero well. - And I wonder if this tumor might have been partly to blame for his odd questioning of James Comey on 8 June in front of the Intelligence Committee.
Gee - the US Treasury Department has decided that the Exxon Oil Company, while under the leadership of CEO Rex Tillerson (now the US Secretary of State), ignored US sanctions against Russia in 2014, when it entered into a joint venture with Russia's Rosneft. The Treasury Department slapped the world's largest publicly traded oil producer with a $2 million fine for "reckless disregard" of US sanctions. Yesterday, Exxon Mobil Corporation sued the US government, calling the fine "unlawful" and "capricious." Please note that a $2 million fine is barely a slap on the wrist to Exxon, which declared a profit of $7.84 billion last year....
Russia is planning war games in September in the country of Belarus. US allies in eastern Europe and Ukraine are worried that the games may be a "Trojan Horse" aimed at leaving Russian military equipment behind for later use. Russia has sought to reassure NATO that the military exercises will respect international limits on size, but NATO and US officials remain wary about the war games' scale and scope.
It was also reported last night that the 45th President has been asking his law team questions regarding Presidential Pardons - for his family, his friends, and for himself. Now, if he and his family and friends are absolutely innocent of collusion with Russian regarding the 2016 Presidential election, and if none of them have any ties with Russia, as the person keeps claiming, why is he interested in Presidential Pardons? This idiotic Pricktator is such a buffoon!!!! - And I still find it frightening and sickening that he is the so-called Leader of Our Country.... May the Gods help all of us!!!
Saturday, March 4, 2017
This and That
Two months away, the Kentucky Derby is already getting a lot of news coverage. It is the best known race in the United States, and this is the normal hyperbole, but it seems that this year,again, the Derby is a wide open race... El Areeb, Irish War Cry, and Beasley have recently been in the headlines surrounding the Derby, and there are 9 stakes races at Gulfstream Park today. There have also been a spate of stallion deaths, including the 11-year-old Giant Oak, a son of Giant's Causeway.
The Chincoteague Pony Spring Round-Up will take place on April 7 and 8 this year. The ponies of the north and south herds will be rounded up and checked for any problems, plus they'll get blood drawn for testing, annual vaccines, and the equine veterinarian will give each and every pony a check-up and evaluation.The buy-back ponies from last summer's auction have been staying at the Carnival Grounds on Chincoteague, and they will be released back onto Assateague on Saturday, 8 April. Hopefully, my filly, Surfer Princess will be taken back to the north end of the island to be separated from her full-brother, Riptide. She managed to get back down to the south end of the island after Christmas, and joined her brother's herd. (I wouldn't worry if she were running with Maverick or the Don Leonard Stud II - but she's with her brother.)
Rosie continued improving yesterday, and wandered around the back yard on her own when I took her for her daily outing. I got some really good photos of her. I wasn't sure this past Tuesday if she'd survive until the end of the week, but it looks like she'll definitely hang on until next weekend, when the son of the family will return home from College for his spring break. That will make all of us humans very happy.
Had a great time playing with Tipsi last night and again this morning. His people went cross-country skiing and took the two dogs, so Tipsi is at home by himself (since Pounce passed away last month). We played with the laser light, and tossed catnip toys, watched birds and squirrels in the back yard - and he ate like a little piglet. He's tangled with other critters (cats or raccoons) three times in the past year and ended up with an abscess and surgeries each time. He is now an indoor cat, and does not like it.
And now the idiot "45" is claiming that President Obama tapped all of Trump Towers during his, 45's, run for office. What a hoot! As Nancy Pelosi called him, he's the "Deflector-in-Chief" for trying to get folks to stop asking questions about his and his associates ties to Russia and Vladimir Putin. As a top United States Security man stated, a wiretap cannot be directed at a U.S. facility, without finding probable cause that the phone lines or Internet addresses were being used by agents of a foreign power - or by someone spying for or acting on behalf of a foreign government. "You can't just go around and tap buildings," the official said. - And any wire-tapping must be approved by a Federal judge...
Hope you have a great weekend!
The Chincoteague Pony Spring Round-Up will take place on April 7 and 8 this year. The ponies of the north and south herds will be rounded up and checked for any problems, plus they'll get blood drawn for testing, annual vaccines, and the equine veterinarian will give each and every pony a check-up and evaluation.The buy-back ponies from last summer's auction have been staying at the Carnival Grounds on Chincoteague, and they will be released back onto Assateague on Saturday, 8 April. Hopefully, my filly, Surfer Princess will be taken back to the north end of the island to be separated from her full-brother, Riptide. She managed to get back down to the south end of the island after Christmas, and joined her brother's herd. (I wouldn't worry if she were running with Maverick or the Don Leonard Stud II - but she's with her brother.)
Rosie continued improving yesterday, and wandered around the back yard on her own when I took her for her daily outing. I got some really good photos of her. I wasn't sure this past Tuesday if she'd survive until the end of the week, but it looks like she'll definitely hang on until next weekend, when the son of the family will return home from College for his spring break. That will make all of us humans very happy.
Had a great time playing with Tipsi last night and again this morning. His people went cross-country skiing and took the two dogs, so Tipsi is at home by himself (since Pounce passed away last month). We played with the laser light, and tossed catnip toys, watched birds and squirrels in the back yard - and he ate like a little piglet. He's tangled with other critters (cats or raccoons) three times in the past year and ended up with an abscess and surgeries each time. He is now an indoor cat, and does not like it.
And now the idiot "45" is claiming that President Obama tapped all of Trump Towers during his, 45's, run for office. What a hoot! As Nancy Pelosi called him, he's the "Deflector-in-Chief" for trying to get folks to stop asking questions about his and his associates ties to Russia and Vladimir Putin. As a top United States Security man stated, a wiretap cannot be directed at a U.S. facility, without finding probable cause that the phone lines or Internet addresses were being used by agents of a foreign power - or by someone spying for or acting on behalf of a foreign government. "You can't just go around and tap buildings," the official said. - And any wire-tapping must be approved by a Federal judge...
Hope you have a great weekend!
Friday, February 10, 2017
This and That
At first I couldn't figure out why I had awoken this morning - then I realized that the apartment building was swaying, thanks to heavy winds. There were several huge gusts, and then I saw all the lights go out (I keep my blinds/curtains open at night). I got up and turned my computer off, even though it's power light was on (this was at 2:05). The recycling fan was still on in the bathroom, too. I went back to sleep and awoke at 4:10, with more building movement in the high winds, and realizing that the apartment had absolutely no sounds. Surprisingly, my landline telephone was working, so I called in the power outage and was told that a wire had come down at 2:10. They thought power would be restored at 6. The phone went dead as I was thanking the company representative. The power was restored, including the phone, internet and television at 6:50. The power went off again at 7:45. This time I called the power company using my cell phone, and was told a transformer had just blown - power should be back on around 11. I had toasted waffles when I first got up. Beatrice hadn't yet made coffee, nor fixed her breakfast, when the power went out again. She headed down the street in search of an open restaurant, where she finally got breakfast.
In the meantime, I wrote out postcards to send to the White House and to a Colorado congressman whom I dislike. I don't write anything that is threatening, but I admit that some of it is mean-spirited. My cards to the White House say "Attn: President" on the front, but on the back read: "To: bannon/putin/trump" One to the circus peanut states that I understand he is upset about leaks from his office - has he had his pump-up erector set checked for nano-transmitters? I send two postcards a day, and have about 30 written so far, as well as stamped....
The high winds I spoke of earlier are gusting between 40 and 103 mph. The winds at 2 and 4 this morning were measured at 93 mph. They are not helping, in any way, a huge grass fire to our north, where hundreds of people have been evacuated since the early morning hours. The land there is broken and irregular, with a combination of agricultural fields, pastureland for cattle, horses and llamas, and many creeks and arroyos at the foot of the Rockies. So far, according to reports, no lives have been lost, and livestock is being sheltered at the County Fairgrounds. There are two fires burning, and each has covered hundreds of acres. The winds are supposed to die down tonight, and rain is also forecast for tonight. Let it be soon, for all the critters!
I rejoiced last night when the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals voted 3 to 0 in favor of keeping the circus peanut's executive order against immigration and travel stopped. I laughed when the orange idiot tweeted; "See you in court..." in all capital letters. I had an even bigger laugh when it was announced that the tangerine tyrant had had Cory Louie, his cyber security chief, escorted from the White House... because that happened several days ago! The itinerant idjit has been without a chief of cyber security for almost a week! And he was always screaming about HC's use of her personal computer - his telephone, or whatever he tweets from, is totally insecure... Sad. So sad.
In the meantime, I wrote out postcards to send to the White House and to a Colorado congressman whom I dislike. I don't write anything that is threatening, but I admit that some of it is mean-spirited. My cards to the White House say "Attn: President" on the front, but on the back read: "To: bannon/putin/trump" One to the circus peanut states that I understand he is upset about leaks from his office - has he had his pump-up erector set checked for nano-transmitters? I send two postcards a day, and have about 30 written so far, as well as stamped....
The high winds I spoke of earlier are gusting between 40 and 103 mph. The winds at 2 and 4 this morning were measured at 93 mph. They are not helping, in any way, a huge grass fire to our north, where hundreds of people have been evacuated since the early morning hours. The land there is broken and irregular, with a combination of agricultural fields, pastureland for cattle, horses and llamas, and many creeks and arroyos at the foot of the Rockies. So far, according to reports, no lives have been lost, and livestock is being sheltered at the County Fairgrounds. There are two fires burning, and each has covered hundreds of acres. The winds are supposed to die down tonight, and rain is also forecast for tonight. Let it be soon, for all the critters!
I rejoiced last night when the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals voted 3 to 0 in favor of keeping the circus peanut's executive order against immigration and travel stopped. I laughed when the orange idiot tweeted; "See you in court..." in all capital letters. I had an even bigger laugh when it was announced that the tangerine tyrant had had Cory Louie, his cyber security chief, escorted from the White House... because that happened several days ago! The itinerant idjit has been without a chief of cyber security for almost a week! And he was always screaming about HC's use of her personal computer - his telephone, or whatever he tweets from, is totally insecure... Sad. So sad.
Tuesday, January 17, 2017
This 'n' That
We had about three and a half inches of wet snow fall during the first half of Monday - Martin Luther King, Jr Day. About one in the afternoon, I stepped out onto our balcony and used the dustpan to scoop the wet snow off the railings, and to uncover Penny and Wendell's solar batteries. Nedi came out, but Lovey decided it was too wet for her little toesies. This morning there's a think sheet of ice on the balcony floor, but that's all that's left.
On Saturday, 28 January (my Mom's birthday), the inaugural running of the Pegasus World Cup will take place at Gulfstream Park in Florida. Twelve people, or racing entities, each put up $1 million to enter a single horse in the race. It will cover a distance of one and one-eighth miles on the main dirt track. The names of the horses running were turned in yesterday. I'm not sure when the draw for post positions will be held, but NBC is covering the race live from 4:30 until 6 p.m. EST. The twelve declared runners are: California Chrome; Shaman Ghost; Keen Ice; War Story; Neolithic; Breaking Lucky; Prayer for Relief; War Envoy; Ralis; Noble Bird; Arrogate; and Eragon.
Well, as usual, I was tracking backwards on my family tree yesterday. I had started with a woman named Miriam "Mary" Swett, who was born in 1672 and died in 1734. As it got later, I was (honestly) hoping that her ancestors would disappear... However, about 10:30 last night, I came upon one of her (and my) ancestors whose name was William de Braose. He was known as "Black William" Baron of Abergavenny; he was born around 1204 and he died on 2 May 1230. I had no problem with that. However, under cause of death, it stated that he, Black Will, had been hanged inside his own castle, Aber Castle, by Llywelyn ap Iorwerth. Both of these men are my many-times-great-grandfathers.... I decided to stop investigating for the night. I had already run into an ancestor, who, along with his son-in-law, were killed in battle at Blore Heath, the first battle in the War of the Roses.... Too much history. (I'm currently reading an excellent account of the years 1775 & 1776 in and around Boston, Massachusetts, from both the English and American point of views.)
I start taking care of Roxie and Finney today - as well as walking Rosie. The first two are Brittany Spaniels, and Finney just returned from 4 weeks of Hunting School. Not that her owners use her for hunting; she just has a huge drive to hunt and point at prey, so it was decided to use her energy in a non-harmful way. She used to point at squirrels in the yard, and one had to grab her by the collar and pull her away to get her to break the point. I'll have to see what we'll be doing while the owners are gone...
I hope you have a great week!
On Saturday, 28 January (my Mom's birthday), the inaugural running of the Pegasus World Cup will take place at Gulfstream Park in Florida. Twelve people, or racing entities, each put up $1 million to enter a single horse in the race. It will cover a distance of one and one-eighth miles on the main dirt track. The names of the horses running were turned in yesterday. I'm not sure when the draw for post positions will be held, but NBC is covering the race live from 4:30 until 6 p.m. EST. The twelve declared runners are: California Chrome; Shaman Ghost; Keen Ice; War Story; Neolithic; Breaking Lucky; Prayer for Relief; War Envoy; Ralis; Noble Bird; Arrogate; and Eragon.
Well, as usual, I was tracking backwards on my family tree yesterday. I had started with a woman named Miriam "Mary" Swett, who was born in 1672 and died in 1734. As it got later, I was (honestly) hoping that her ancestors would disappear... However, about 10:30 last night, I came upon one of her (and my) ancestors whose name was William de Braose. He was known as "Black William" Baron of Abergavenny; he was born around 1204 and he died on 2 May 1230. I had no problem with that. However, under cause of death, it stated that he, Black Will, had been hanged inside his own castle, Aber Castle, by Llywelyn ap Iorwerth. Both of these men are my many-times-great-grandfathers.... I decided to stop investigating for the night. I had already run into an ancestor, who, along with his son-in-law, were killed in battle at Blore Heath, the first battle in the War of the Roses.... Too much history. (I'm currently reading an excellent account of the years 1775 & 1776 in and around Boston, Massachusetts, from both the English and American point of views.)
I start taking care of Roxie and Finney today - as well as walking Rosie. The first two are Brittany Spaniels, and Finney just returned from 4 weeks of Hunting School. Not that her owners use her for hunting; she just has a huge drive to hunt and point at prey, so it was decided to use her energy in a non-harmful way. She used to point at squirrels in the yard, and one had to grab her by the collar and pull her away to get her to break the point. I'll have to see what we'll be doing while the owners are gone...
I hope you have a great week!
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