Thursday Open Thread 3-15-2018

An introduction to world religions in college explored the idea of learning how other cultures viewed the world around them as a method to clarify ones observations regarding their own culture. Internet Sacred Text Archive opens the door to thoughts and opinions from different times and cultures.

If using a non-native language to think about an solve a problem can improve rational decision making and reduce cultural bias, imagine the potential benefits of applied cultural literacy.

"A foreign language provides a distancing mechanism that moves people from the immediate intuitive system to a more deliberate mode of thinking," wrote Keysar, professor of psychology at UChicago, in the paper, "The Foreign Language Effect: Thinking in a Foreign Tongue Reduces Decision Biases." The paper, which appears in the current issue of Psychological Science, was co-authored by UChicago graduate students Sayuri Hayakawa and Sun Gyu An.

Learned as many moral lessons from Aseop's fables and colored fairy books as Sunday school lessons.

Gardening Techniques
Heating soils using soil solarization techniques can reduce weeds and problems of reusing potting soils without resorting to herbicides and pesticides.

[video:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gNLd-uv1XDQ]

Farm Report
The yearly spring cycle begins again, a few variances with the familiar patterns. the important part of resilience is learning our local pattern and what adjustments that may need to be taken with climate change.

Trees are starting to wake up.
soe choke.jpg

Tulips are starting to peak out of the ground.
soe tulips.jpg

The hens & chicks stay green all winter.
soe hen & chicks.jpg

Fortunately no predators since fall. Anxiety level of the flock has come down and with spring on the horizon hens are laying more eggs.
soe hens.jpg

Once again watching cows for signs of calving. Stock have had a taste of green grass and are not as satisfied with the last year's dried. Rained today, the cool weather grasses will get serious about growing within the next 7 days.

The 2 yr old steer has grown taller than my fences. He is staying in the corral until there is plenty of graze and no temptation to jump or walk over a fence. When they are this big staying inside a wire fence is an honor system.
soe past calves.jpg

Did not plan on taking Snowflakes picture, but her face kept getting in front of the camera.
soe smowflake.jpg

Share
up
0 users have voted.

Comments

Raggedy Ann's picture

Your animals are looking good. We, too, are getting more eggs and I'm starting to see baby calves in the fields. Our trees are awakening, as well ~ elm pollen is high these days. I'm thankful I live in the country.

Speaking of foreign languages, I can't agree more with that "deliberate mode of thinking" phenomena when I speak Spanish. Everything slows down so I can choose my words carefully. Fascinating! Wish I knew more languages!

We got lots of moisture on Sunday, but we are still in severe fire danger. There have been small next-to-the-road fires in the past few weeks. We stopped to put one out, ourselves, on our way out of town two weeks ago. It's frightening.

Have a beautiful day, everyone! Pleasantry

up
0 users have voted.

"The “jumpers” reminded us that one day we will all face only one choice and that is how we will die, not how we will live." Chris Hedges on 9/11

studentofearth's picture

@Raggedy Ann Scary how fast a fire can spread. Too much excitement for the beginning of a trip.

Took a year of Spanish in high school. Dropped it the second year due to a conflict with an Ag class. The different ways to construct a sentence and division of European countries related to language continue to effect my thinking.

Glad your chickens are laying after the racoon episode. I have one around, seen tracks in the snow. It know how to hunt better for wild food than yours did and has not bothered the chickens.

up
0 users have voted.

Still yourself, deep water can absorb many disturbances with minimal reaction.
--When the opening appears release yourself.

smiley7's picture

Always a pleasure to read your OT, warms the soul, grounding us in this insane political world.

Been a bad week for me; topped off by the town towing my car last evening for so-called emergency snow removal-- storm was yesterday and the towing was unnecessary. $125 later around 4am this morning the towing guy picked me up to get my car as i have two doctor appointments this morning i've been waiting for and more problems this week with estate BS from greedy extended family i really don't even know, since childhood, and not feeling well...sometimes this Job has had enough.

Speaking of enough, good to see our youngsters protesting today; may the force be ever with them.

All this to say c99 grows more important each day as a depository of sharing and caring for all of us.

Thank you and have a good day!

up
0 users have voted.

@smiley7

private and governmental aggravation that has been coming your way. Here's hoping it ends soon.

up
0 users have voted.
smiley7's picture

@HenryAWallace

up
0 users have voted.
studentofearth's picture

@smiley7 Takes some effort to dig out, but no towing fee - ouch.

Passing of a life brings out the need to avenge old grievances for some individuals. Sometimes it is simply greed and other times vengeance for a real or perceived wrong. Blessings sent your way to help provides some shelter from the buffeting winds.

up
0 users have voted.

Still yourself, deep water can absorb many disturbances with minimal reaction.
--When the opening appears release yourself.

riverlover's picture

That is enough that my dog did a leap in and one step further and reconsidered. I am too lazy to brush off my car today and drive to the hospital across town.

Monday I got to see a turkey vulture, first of 2018. It was on the ground doing a wing display. Robins are in the woods. Heard, not seen.

I am getting daily delivery of rocks. Half of the cost is postage from Singapore or Indonesia or South Africa. I have ordered a new tumbler to polish roughs. If it's like the old one, it will have to live outside. It is currently 24F. But sunny. Solar gain!

up
0 users have voted.

Hey! my dear friends or soon-to-be's, JtC could use the donations to keep this site functioning for those of us who can still see the life preserver or flotsam in the water.

studentofearth's picture

@riverlover Is a foot above your Cairn's head? Our vultures normally show up in April. The hawks have arrived for the breeding season.

Will be interesting to see what the tumbler reveals. Maybe a picture or two of before and after. Take care for the week and stay safe.

up
0 users have voted.

Still yourself, deep water can absorb many disturbances with minimal reaction.
--When the opening appears release yourself.

mimi's picture

is that the same?
[video:https://youtu.be/iGWxthnRDOs]
There are somen nuggets in this clip I suggest to listening to. "Keiser Report: Siren song of YouTube (E1201)" and

Max and Stacy discuss when success still means poverty . . . in the new gig economics of social media ‘fame’ and what Travis Bickle’s Uber would look like if he were economically ignorant enough to drive one. Max continues his interview with professor and author Dr. Michael Hudson of Michael-Hudson.com about tariffs, trade deals, NAFTA, AI apocalypse and Karl Marx.

I found the second half with Michael Hudson eye opening in the comparison with labor mechanization in the industrial revolution of the late 18th and 19th century and AI labor in its race to the bottom nowadays.

Don't have the vocabulary to explain what I mean. Listen for yourself.

oh, yes, what else would you have expected?
U.S., U.K., France and Germany Blame Russia for 'First Offensive Use of Nerve Agent in Europe Since WWII'

Have a good day, all and thanks for the garden and farmer's wish come through OT.

up
0 users have voted.
studentofearth's picture

@mimi when the vegetable trimming from the kitchen are sent out to the pen.

Thanks for the video. The Michael Hudson was great, had stopped the video when I reviewed it earlier not planning to watch it to the end. It is frustrating Uber and Amaway prey on individuals desire for a better life. The same scam of be your own boss is used to trap hope.

up
0 users have voted.

Still yourself, deep water can absorb many disturbances with minimal reaction.
--When the opening appears release yourself.

Even we cement cliff dwellers get to see the promise of leaves on trees planted on city streets by our forebears and to enjoy flowers in urban garden spaces, from "back yards" to terraces to window boxes to doors of urban buildings. Bouquets and plants brighten supermarkets and even tiny convenience stores and the sidewalks immediately outside them. (Seems like weeks ago, those same areas held pumpkins, then holiday greenery).

In homage to Hawking, this streams free until March 23. Not even an email addy required. https://curiositystream.com/hawking/

up
0 users have voted.
studentofearth's picture

@HenryAWallace The binge watching starts tomorrows.

up
0 users have voted.

Still yourself, deep water can absorb many disturbances with minimal reaction.
--When the opening appears release yourself.

enhydra lutris's picture

here. It has been raining for about a week and allegedly will, off and on, for about another. Meanwhile, I have to try to guess when to try to plant perpetual spinach chard from seed, a plant I've no experience with. The packet says to plant in April to mid July, which seems oddly late, but who am I to say.

I am trying to currently limit myself to those kinds of concerns for a few weeks, until and through the annual desert trip, for relaxation and recharge. (The national and international insanity gets wearing if one thinks about it too much, in any tongue.)

up
0 users have voted.

That, in its essence, is fascism--ownership of government by an individual, by a group, or by any other controlling private power. -- Franklin D. Roosevelt --

studentofearth's picture

@enhydra lutris First time I planted the perpetual spinach was October for a winter container garden. It produced for a year and a half. The new seedlings are just now coming up for this years container plant. Will plant some more in April or May outside. Must collect seeds this time (a biannual plant). Bountiful Gardens closed their doors last year.

up
0 users have voted.

Still yourself, deep water can absorb many disturbances with minimal reaction.
--When the opening appears release yourself.

earthling1's picture

We have snow on the mountains around us but it's fairly warm here near the river(Columbia).
Crocuses are a couple of weeks ahead of schedule.
Crocuse.jpg
Started seedlings one week ago in the closet.
Seedlings in closet.jpg
Early green beans are growing fast (orange and pink square containers) and I may have to move them outside to harden in a week or two.
Everything but the habeneros have germinated. Some of these seeds are 4 years old, so never throw seeds away. Some are seeds that come from harvested plants from last season (mini-peppers).
Haven't had freezing weather in over three weeks so I may be able to get an early start this year. Last year I was really sick with bronchitis the whole month of March and most of April. Avoided the flu and colds by avoiding people and staying close to home this year, crossing fingers.
Hope your area warms up soon.
Thanks for the OT.

up
0 users have voted.

Neither Russia nor China is our enemy.
Neither Iran nor Venezuela are threatening America.
Cuba is a dead horse, stop beating it.

studentofearth's picture

I can get a double dose of spring by traveling over the mountains for a day, then waiting for it to occur over here a few weeks later.

Like the closet garden. Comparing it in my mind to the wall of plants it will produce in your outside beds. Definitely a master gardener. Thanks for the crocus picture. One of my favorite flowers and it appears mine did not make it through their 3rd winter.

up
0 users have voted.

Still yourself, deep water can absorb many disturbances with minimal reaction.
--When the opening appears release yourself.

mhagle's picture

I spent yesterday morning writing the dyslexia essay and went to the garden in the afternoon, so I am just now spending time here. Nice read as always. Have saved the link to sacred texts and found the article about thinking in another language fascinating. We hit that topic in the dyslexia essay too because Pluto's Republic commented on how learning Chinese made him/her think differently. Interesting!

And your pictures are lovely.

It is spring break this week, so I am trying to get a bunch of gardening work done. Feeling overwhelmed because the goals are sort of big.

Thanks again!

up
0 users have voted.

Marilyn

"Make dirt, not war." eyo