Saturday, July 27, 2024
Did you know....
The 2024 Olympics has an official song, and it's not terrible!
Friday, July 26, 2024
Haiku Friday: Olympic events
We all have a favorite event, and then there are those that we just didn't know about. Let's haiku about those this week! Here, I will go first:
Wait, trampolining
Is a real Olympic sport?
Backyard practice pads.
Now it is your turn! Just use the 5/7/5 syllable pattern and have some fun!
Thursday, July 25, 2024
The Olympics are almost here!
And can the opening ceremonies in Paris hope to match this moment from London in 2012?"
And that's all good, because learning is good.
Wednesday, July 24, 2024
Oh, yeah, I'm ready
As mid-summer passes, the minds of Minnesotans go to the same place: The State Fair is coming!
A lot of states have a fair, but nothing quite reaches the level of what goes on in Minnesota. It's profoundly old school-- the primary activities are eating weird food and looking at stuff-- but it's also different every year. Here are some highlights:
-- All-you-can drink milk stand
-- "Ye Olde Mill," which is basically a train through a dark building where you can make out
-- The Seed Art exhibit
-- Various political party booths where the politicians show up
-- The Dairy Barn, where Princess Kay of the Milky Way is enshrined in a butter sculpture
-- Misc. arts competitions involving pretty much anything
-- The Univ. of Minnesota's newest apple
-- Things that are fried and placed on a stick
Tuesday, July 23, 2024
Flashback! Conversations with IPLawGuy
Monday, July 22, 2024
It's Recipe Week!! First up: Make your own popsicles!
Sometimes you just want to have a popsicle, but are mad about the high price of store-bought popsicles, so you just do without and get in a really bad mood because you are hot and hungry and really wanted a popsicle. Well, no more! Here is a great recipe for making popsicles at home.
1. Collect almost anything that even nominally counts as food-- Strawberries, raspberries, donuts, Burger King's original chicken sandwich, gummy worms, Funions, corn, leftover goulash, it really can be anything-- and put it in a blender.
B. Now add honey, vanilla extract, yogurt, and some apple juice.
3. Run the blender until it looks about right.
4. Pour the goo into popsicle molds. I love this cheap option available at Amazon.
5. Freeze for 5 hours and 25 minutes.
Now you are ready for summer!
Sunday, July 21, 2024
Sunday Reflection: A quiet place
Today I want to focus on this one little part of Mark 6:
The apostles gathered around Jesus, and told him all that they had done and taught. He said to them, “Come away to a deserted place all by yourselves and rest a while.”
Yeah, in the end it doesn't work out (they are swamped with people) but I love this advice. So often we take the time we have to get away to go someplace more hectic! I know I do-- New York, for example, is always attractive. But it is not a deserted place.
I do love actual deserted places, too, though. West Texas. The Boundary Waters. That part of Pennsylvania just south of the New York border that is all forests and mist. The empty spaces of Nevada (as opposed to that one super-busy part of Nevada).
But what do we make of Jesus being kind of wrong? He gives them this advice, and then this happens:
And they went away in the boat to a deserted place by themselves. Now many saw them going and recognized them, and they hurried there on foot from all the towns and arrived ahead of them.
Didn't Jesus know his advice wouldn't work out? Or was there a lesson in that, too?
Saturday, July 20, 2024
JD Vance
If you are curious, you can check out newcomer (relatively) JD Vance's speech as the Republican National Convention below. Comments welcome!
Friday, July 19, 2024
Haiku Friday: Summer Kids
There I am (at right) with my brother & Jenny and Jeffery Plansker, probably somewhere in Indiana on our way to a bluegrass festival. Summer is special for kids because it is so different than the rest of the year-- remember? Let's haiku about that this week. Here, I will go first:
Fishflies and baseball
Trips in an old Microbus
Summer's a rocket.
Now it is your turn! Just use the 5/7/5 syllable pattern and have some fun!
Thursday, July 18, 2024
PMT: The Attempted Assassination of Donald Trump
It's been a been a bad few weeks for President Joe Biden. The debate was a disaster, his party is divided on the issue of his candidacy, and now he has COVID-- but at least no one tried to kill him.
The attempt on Donald Trump's life, which resulted in an innocent death and several injuries (including Trump's), was a vile act. What's with American's 20-something White guys? It seems like too many of them are intent on making their mark in the world in the worst possible way. As I've argued before, I think the American conception that one's life has to be famous in some way to be significant or meaningful is part of what drives this.
Well, that and the way pretty much anyone can get an assault rifle.
I do think that the assassination attempt will be a turning point in the race and in history. It turned Trump into a more sympathetic figure for many, I suspect, and the iconic imagery from the event will reinforce the image he seeks to project. In no way, though, do I think Trump or his people had anything to do with the shooting; really, who would say "ok, shoot me in the head, but only a little?"
Biden's circles, inner and outer, are shrinking. He seems angry that people care about his abilities. None of this bodes well for him.
Wednesday, July 17, 2024
Thomas Matthew Crooks
Here is what we know about Crooks, the man who shot Donald Trump and several others:
-- He's a 20-year-old white man
-- His father had about a dozen guns, including the assault rifle Crooks used
-- He was a loner, who was pretty good at school but not active there
-- There is no sign yet of any kind of deep political ideology, though he was conservative
-- He was bullied at school
It is odd how often these shooters turn out to be young white men. In The NY Times, Michelle Goldberg writes that the dangerous combination of attributes is "humiliation and an obsession with firearms."
We probably should work to make sure there is less of both of those things.
Tuesday, July 16, 2024
It's JD
Is it just me, or does JD Vance look kind of confused about how he ended up in the Senate in his official Senate photo (above)?
Anyways, I've looked a lot more confused in photos. Here are some facts about the man Donald Trump has chosen to be his running mate:
-- He's from Middletown, which is oddly in Southwest Ohio rather than in the middle of Ohio.
-- His parents were kind of messy, and he was raised primarily by his grandparents.
-- He went straight into the Marine Corps after high school, and served in Iraq.
-- After that, he enrolled in Ohio State University, which is like Ohio University but bigger. Way bigger.
-- Then he went to Yale Law, where the Tiger Mom, Amy Chua, told him he had to write a memoir or she'd be mad, so he did. The memoir, "Hillbilly Elegy," was a bestseller.
-- After law school he worked for a big firm and then some venture capitalists. In 2019, he launched his own venture capital firm.
-- In 2022 he ran for the Senate in Ohio, for the seat vacated by Rob Portman, and won.
Monday, July 15, 2024
In the garden (again)...
Good stuff people, good stuff! We had two strong anonymous entries, including this:
Front yard pumpkins failed
Farmer's market sunflowers
Delight dog walkers.
Farmer's market sunflowers
Delight dog walkers.
Then this:
Pink, white, tangerine
Cosmos bloom in my garden
Grandma's spirit hovers.
Cosmos bloom in my garden
Grandma's spirit hovers.
IPLawGuy apparently grew Bok Choy?:
Lettuce almost done
Bok Choy, Blueberries are gone
Tomatoes, peps soon!
Bok Choy, Blueberries are gone
Tomatoes, peps soon!
Jill Scoggins is in the game:
Photos arranged of
kids and grandkids creates my
happiness garden.
kids and grandkids creates my
happiness garden.
As is Des (of course):
The okra isn’t
tall, but those jalapeños-
they don’t disappoint!
tall, but those jalapeños-
they don’t disappoint!
And Christine-- sorry about the heat dome!:
Water and sunshine
Heat dome bakes, flowers wither
Hoping for relief
Hummingbirds cruise yard
Seek nectar from resilient
Blooms and my feeder.
Heat dome bakes, flowers wither
Hoping for relief
Hummingbirds cruise yard
Seek nectar from resilient
Blooms and my feeder.
Sunday, July 14, 2024
Sunday Reflection: The Death of John the Baptist
I have always been perplexed by the story of the death of John the Baptist, from Mark 6:
"For Herod himself had sent men who arrested John, bound him, and put him in prison on account of Herodias, his brother Philip’s wife, because Herod had married her. For John had been telling Herod, “It is not lawful for you to have your brother’s wife.” And Herodias had a grudge against him, and wanted to kill him. But she could not, for Herod feared John, knowing that he was a righteous and holy man, and he protected him. When he heard him, he was greatly perplexed; and yet he liked to listen to him. But an opportunity came when Herod on his birthday gave a banquet for his courtiers and officers and for the leaders of Galilee. When his daughter Herodias came in and danced, she pleased Herod and his guests; and the king said to the girl, “Ask me for whatever you wish, and I will give it.” And he solemnly swore to her, “Whatever you ask me, I will give you, even half of my kingdom.” She went out and said to her mother, “What should I ask for?” She replied, “The head of John the baptizer.” Immediately she rushed back to the king and requested, “I want you to give me at once the head of John the Baptist on a platter.” The king was deeply grieved; yet out of regard for his oaths and for the guests, he did not want to refuse her. Immediately the king sent a soldier of the guard with orders to bring John’s head. He went and beheaded him in the prison, brought his head on a platter, and gave it to the girl. Then the girl gave it to her mother. When his disciples heard about it, they came and took his body, and laid it in a tomb."
The part that baffles me is Herod's offer of half of his kingdom because of some pretty good dancing. I would imagine that offering that to a daughter (rather than a son) would be pretty transgressive, of course. But that can't be the only thing we take from this.
Perhaps the lesson is not to make open-ended offers? Don't make deals with those controlled by others? Don't drink too much at a feast?
Actually, all of that is pretty good advice. I learned long ago not to drink too much at a party-- it's very fun to be the most sober person sometimes! And most of the things that seem like a good idea when drinking turn out not to be so great.
Saturday, July 13, 2024
The Fascinating "Thing"
Friday, July 12, 2024
Haiku Friday: How's the garden?
It's that time-- when we kind of know how the garden turns out. Maybe not yours, and maybe not a literal garden, but you know what I mean. So let's haiku about that this week! Here, I will go first:
I'm watching a bee
Its task is to find flowers
Same color as it.
Now it is your turn! Just use the 5/7/5 syllable pattern and have some fun!
Thursday, July 11, 2024
PMT: This strange dialogue
It's a strange time in our nation's history, as we have two presidential candidates and neither one is making much sense.
Worse, the Democrats who might have some sway in urging Biden to step away seem to be playing a weird game. Nancy Pelosi said he needs to make a decision soon, echoing others-- but Biden adamantly has already made the decision to stay in the race. It's like they don't believe him, and perhaps they have reason not to.
In an excellent op-ed in The NY Times, George Clooney made a great argument for Biden to step away, and added an additional fact: that at a fund-raiser Clooney held recently, the Biden who showed up was the Biden of the debate, not the one who ran for office previously. That's scary, and telling.
I'm not one of those who thinks Biden has been a great president, but part of that is because of my rare focus on the issue of criminal justice, where Biden has accomplished far less than Trump did in terms of reform. Yes, that's hard to say as a Democrat, but it's true-- the 1st Step Act was a very significant piece of legislation, and Biden hasn't even tried to do anything of substance in this field. Will Trump do more of that if re-elected? Probably not, and I'm hoping that the Dems settle on a candidate who is better than either Trump or Biden on that issue.
Wednesday, July 10, 2024
Cooper Flagg?
The newest basketball prodigy in the US is a 17-year-old kid from Maine named Cooper Flagg, who hasn't even started his freshman year at Duke yet.
He was part of a scout team recruited to practice against the Dream Team of NBA stars that will represent the USA in the Paris Olympics and.... well, check out that video. Wow.
Tuesday, July 09, 2024
Me and millions of others....
As readers of this blog know, I was deeply troubled two years ago when Joe Biden decided to run for a second term-- and now my worst fears have been confirmed. Here is the piece I wrote about it for the Waco Tribune Herald. Here is part of what I said there:
We must remember what it is that Biden is campaigning for: To be the leader of the free world when he is four years older than he is today. Given that is the real question before us, Biden’s own deep morality and love for the county should tell him to step aside. His inability to understand, respond and articulate simple messages is not going to improve with age; most of us have seen this movie before with friends and relatives. Age goes in one direction. If Biden was running to be president at some point in the past, it would be different — but his case is to be the president not then, not now, but for several years into the future.
Monday, July 08, 2024
Great poems of America!
Zounds! Great work on the topic of America. I was thrilled to see the return of Gavin, with this pearl:
She is at her best
Not when we pursue greatness
But act with courage.
Not when we pursue greatness
But act with courage.
And Craig A, who taught me how to swear in Boston:
Love the Boston Pop’s
Fourth celebration on the Charles:
tunes, fire, tradition.
Fourth celebration on the Charles:
tunes, fire, tradition.
Desiree is positive:
The neighborhood loves
to celebrate the fourth with
fireworks and food.
India, Iran,
Korea, Germany born.
Melting pot party!
to celebrate the fourth with
fireworks and food.
India, Iran,
Korea, Germany born.
Melting pot party!
Amy is less so (but right):
SCOTUS gut punches,
Same old candidates, made me
Sad on the Fourth. Seems
a door's open to
A different USA. But
There are still fields of
Ripe peaches, blackberries,
Zinnias, bumblebees, white grapes.
Must remember this.
Same old candidates, made me
Sad on the Fourth. Seems
a door's open to
A different USA. But
There are still fields of
Ripe peaches, blackberries,
Zinnias, bumblebees, white grapes.
Must remember this.
And IPLawGuy has always loved the band America (and Bread), so he went in a different direction:
Sister Golden Hair
great tune; not so for Tin Man
Or the no name horse.
great tune; not so for Tin Man
Or the no name horse.
