Welcome to Saturday's Potluck

“Learn the rules like a pro, so you can break them like an artist.”
Pablo Picasso

Let the Games begin!

The opening ceremony video highlighting parade of athletes and lighting the torch has already been pulled form youtube. Must not have been an official sponsor and paid the appropriate fees.

The medal count scoreboard.

Protests, disease and weather are extra challenges for the participants.
(2.47 min)
[video:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0pjUp5oeSwE]

________

Human folly has marred the spirit of the Olympic Games generating more of a Monty Python feeling to the event.
(3 min)
[video:www.youtube.com/watch?v=qgSzGIkFq2A]

Welcome to Tokyo’s five-ring Olympic circus (siatimes.com)Catalogue of blunders compounded by the coronavirus cast a dark cloud over Tokyo's Summer Games

If “Fukushima is under control” was the biggest lie told by Japan in this decade, the second can be found in Tokyo’s original bid for the 2020 Games. They claimed July 24 to August 9 is a great time for sports “With many days of mild and sunny weather, this period provides an ideal climate for athletes to perform at their best.”

Anyone who lives here knows this isn’t true. With a heat index of 101 degrees and thousands hospitalized with heat-stroke each summer, Tokyo summers are not ideal for anything. That’s why the 1964 Tokyo Olympics were held in October.

By 2019, Tokyo had to sort of admit it had lied and began trying out a coating on the marathon roads to reduce the heat. In August, it was reported that it had a reverse effect, making the temperatures rise 2.6 degrees celsius at 150 centimeters above the ground, and increasing damage from UV rays. The IOC later ignored Tokyo Governor Koike and moved the marathon to northern Japan’s Sapporo City.

________

What is on your mind today?

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Comments

Funny clip from Monty. Like just about any international event these days, the actual sport seems to take a back seat to the politics, at least here in the US. I admire the talent and dedication of the athletes. But the doping issues, gender issues, corrupt committees, boycotts, etc. detract from the coverage. Last time I tried to watch the olympics (many years ago), it was mostly showing in-depth exposes of the American contenders their families. Pre-packaged 'human interest' stories lasting longer than the actual event. Oh, well.

Will go for a bike ride instead. Enjoy the day and thanks for the OT.

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studentofearth's picture

@QMS I am going for a stroll in the fields. Too bumpy for an enjoyable bike ride.

Enjoy your outing.

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

enhydra lutris's picture

@lotlizard
foxes to instinctively run away from everything that isn't a moue or vole for centuries now.

be well and have a good one

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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 --

@enhydra lutris

are more inclined to flee than face down a surmountable adversary
I'll take the cat on 2:1 odds
Wink

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studentofearth's picture

@lotlizard If so when? Where is the venue? Will it be a pay for view event? How much money will be made by the contenders? What are the betting odds? Interested parties want to know.

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

enhydra lutris's picture

batch or maybe two of fledglings here, husefinches for sure and possibly chickadees. They started early and continue to have clutches. Perhaps I feed them too well.

Farmers' market and yard chores today. Only supposed to get to 79 which means about 81-85 here, since our forecast is really for an area closer to the bay that gets the bay effect.

Our recent house-guests are gone off on an 18 month road trip, and we are harvesting green beans at a prodigious rate; also a few carrots a day and we have a small stand of basil ready to convert into pesto. Something, however, is eating all of our Napa cabbage and chard even though it is pretty well protected

be well and have a good one

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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 My resident sparrow and chickadee fledglings have been flocking to the chicken feed. Time to decrease the amount of food spread twice daily. There is adequate feed this time of year and they need to learn to forage. One the weather turns bad or natural food decreases will restart their supplemental feeding. The young robins have learned to hunt for worms in recently watered areas.

The continuing hot weather prompted me to set drying racks using old window screens. First batch from the abundant apple harvest was successful. Now throwing various herb greens on to dry to bring a bit of summer to winter dishes.

Thanks for stopping by.

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

Lookout's picture

Had a nice stroll around Trade day and bought a few peaches. Then a quick grocery and home to chores. Jap beetles are back again this year. Hand picking and drowning them in soapy water. At least they are only hitting the chestnuts, hazelnuts, persimmons and a bit on the apples. Trying to get to it mornings and evening. Making some progress. Will be applying milky spore before the next wave of rains.

That's what came to my mind with the discussion of the Japan Olympic fiasco...Japanese Beetles.

Well, have a good one and thanks for the OT!

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“Until justice rolls down like water and righteousness like a mighty stream.”

studentofearth's picture

@Lookout sounds so good. Would enjoy walking through a Trade Day market regularly.

Slugs are a new issue this year. Small population been hand picking and feeding to the chickens. Now need to address the pest stripping the cabbage leaves. Saw a garter snake a couple of weeks ago in the courtyard, probably ate the frogs who were eating the insects. The cycle continues.

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8 users have voted.

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

enhydra lutris's picture

@studentofearth

We've had something strip Portuguese Kale, Napa cabbage and some chard, eating all but the tough veins and leaving these vein only leaves. If you find what is doing yours, let me know.

be well and have a good one

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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
There may be a peach for you.

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I've seen lots of changes. What doesn't change is people. Same old hairless apes.

studentofearth's picture

@The Voice In the Wilderness Cascade Mountain range. Annual rainfall 10 to 12 inches, have good water irrigation tied to the land. If one can keep a peach tree alive, nights are too cool for good sugar and flavor development. Southern Oregon around the Medford and Ashland area is best area for growing peaches the state. Hood River along the Columbia River peaches are sweet enough to buy a box of Cling Free occasionally for home canning. Not sure what is put in those tin cans labeled peaches by Del Monte.

An idea of my harvest season, today the Transparent apples still taste a little green. Picked some rhubarb to make a cobbler. Raspberries started ripening last week. Blackberries are a few weeks away. It was 39 when I got up this morning, high was 92 at 3 pm. One advantage, able to cool the house down overnight by simply opening windows.

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

@studentofearth
I know a stone fruit guy in Idaho. I'll contact him.

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I've seen lots of changes. What doesn't change is people. Same old hairless apes.

studentofearth's picture

@The Voice In the Wilderness if he has ideas. I planted a full size nectarine 10 years ago and its still alive. It's partner died. Planted a semi-dwarf last year. It survived the winter, but they bloomed 3 weeks apart. Maybe the new tree will figures out not to bloom because of a few warm day in March. it took the older tree a couple of years. Also, have a couple of Manchurian apricots planted last year I am hoping will eventually produce some fruit.

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

@studentofearth
Starting "Red Haven" tomorrow.
I imagine Alabama/Georgia peaches are finished picking by now. I'm loyal to Michigan peaches but have to admit that Georgia peaches are special.

California peaches are big, beautiful and tasteless.

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I've seen lots of changes. What doesn't change is people. Same old hairless apes.

janis b's picture

@studentofearth

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Lookout's picture

@studentofearth

...is the cabbage looper.
https://morningchores.com/cabbage-loopers/

I use BT, commercial name Dipel to dust my plants. We have better luck with fall cabbage because of decreased pest pressure (plus the frosts add a sweetness to the cabbage that just isn't there in late spring or summer).

Best of luck with your cabbage!

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“Until justice rolls down like water and righteousness like a mighty stream.”

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studentofearth's picture

@janis b This is the first season ever actually found some in my garden. Might be the cabbage with the stripped leaves is located by a new carnation plant. They were 1/4 to 1 inch in size. The pinks about 10 feet away is where I found the first slugs. Then a few under some tiles by a clematis near the small pond . The other cabbages have some worm damage which responded to BT (Bacillus Thuringiensis). I'll set up a beer trap and see if anything is caught.

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4 users have voted.

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

janis b's picture

@studentofearth

The beer trap should be a good test.

For a good part of the year the conditions here are ideal for slugs. I use plastic collars for some plants and they are quite effective They look like these and have lasted forever -

I have also made something similar by slitting the top of collected plastic pots in four equal places, and folding the pieces back, and cutting out the bottom which goes in the soil. Slugs don’t like having to bend backwards and upside down to get under and then over the lip onto the plants you are protecting. If it’s not too inconvenient you can check at night with a flashlight for slugs and pick them off. I found that effective except at times when all the babies are born. Also keep in mind that the slugs will climb up plants adjacent to the protected ones and just drop in. So if you use the collar method keep that in mind.

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studentofearth's picture

@janis b should also work for cutworms. have some plastic containers that might work - thanks.

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1 user has voted.

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

studentofearth's picture

@gjohnsit need to support people like the Union Steward. Thanks for the clip.

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4 users have voted.

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

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studentofearth's picture

@humphrey Water use continues to grow faster than nature is replenishing. Real estate development, tourism, agriculture and industry keep being pushed as the economic engines of our future. it looks to be a dry future for most of the population. Hydroelectricity is now in jeopardy. Wildlife and plants are on the bottom of the priorities.

Those picture tell the story better than words.

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

lotlizard's picture

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@lotlizard

It is very hard to put the United States of America behind you when the fog of an endless propaganda war warps your mind and tries to crush your spirit even when you look away as far as the eye can see.

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studentofearth's picture

@lotlizard of the world we live, possibilities and on going evilness still to be brought to light.

It is so beautiful where I sit. The sun is breaking through the fog and blue patches stipple the heavens. Call it dreamy. Here the Nauset Indians fished these waters long before Thoreau. Fishing for them was like the clam shells that litter the beach.
....
Behind me across the narrow strip of land and Cape Cod Bay lies the city of Boston. It was built to its current renown on the money made by its famous blue blood families through the opium trade that killed so many Chinese in the 19th century. They were money-obsessed, bloodthirsty killers. I don’t think they warned the Chinese that they were being sold a drug pandemic. You have heard their “illustrious” names: Forbes, Cabot, Cushing, Weld, Delano (the grandfather of Franklin Delano Roosevelt) and Perkins. These drug dealers laundered their massive drug profits by giving to Harvard, founding Massachusetts General Hospital, and creating Boston’s renown reputation for culture and education.

First the native Americans and then the Chinese and Vietnamese and Afghanis, et al. – it makes no difference whose blood was shed to create an elegant city upon a hill, a beacon of human benevolence – and to keep it going. The beat goes on. It is a war of drugs, foreign and domestic. Follow the trail.

These “illustrious” families were also crucial in the founding of the CIA whose tentacles stretch their banking interests in black operations worldwide. These are the criminals they like to call the Agency whose existence is sustained through drugs and blood. Agents of death.

It is terrible to think such thoughts on this beautiful beach, but my forgettery seems to fail me when the wind is blowing from behind.

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5 users have voted.

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

janis b's picture

I do though feel for the participants who have dedicated their lives to training and competing in their sport. Not all can be professional and earn fame and fortune.

A bit more from the absurd perspective ...
https://www.washingtonpost.com/sports/2021/02/03/yoshiro-mori-tokyo-olym...

I don’t comment much, mostly because of timing, but I generally read and appreciate the subjects you address, and the knowledge and thoughtfulness you present them with.

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studentofearth's picture

@janis b Friday Photography, seldom comment. Hard to find the time to it all. Thank you for stopping in this evening (morning?).

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

earthling1's picture

when it went commercial.
Everyone made money but the athletes.
Spent the day floating down the lazy Cowlitz River interspersed with several class .5 rapids.
Ten miles/ 3 hrs.

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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

@earthling1

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4 users have voted.

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