Saturday Open Thread - 11/29/25: Odds and Ends
Good morning, good people!
The official holiday was Thursday, the unofficial corporate enticement for the plebes to spend holiday was Friday, so today is post-holiday rest and relaxation for two consecutive days. Enjoy, friends!
And now, I speak of deer. They were here daily, then every few days, then gone for almost 2 weeks, but a few days ago, a buck ran across the pasture, sort of gimpy in his gait, then disappeared into the woods. Days of no deer guys, then Friday just at sunset, a doe comes to eat, hanging around, grazing, beautiful. I just never know about the deer guys.
What must they be thinking?
And, clothing.
Since WHEN did government care about how we dress on an airplane? And since WHEN did dressing up improve behavior? Because we don't won't our nicey nice clothes stained in an airport tussle?
Is this a set yourself apart from the rabble rouser poor who go grocery shopping in pajamas EVERY DAY who are polite as can be?
And did the family in lounge wear at Walmart attack anyone, or was it the person riding in economy for 11 hours offered a package of crackers and water, and asked to pay for a pillow and blanket?
Well, this is an open thread, friends, limited only by your imagination. Lots of interesting news happening the world over, and one way to keep up with it all is to share it here with your friends in the community.
Let 'er rip!
Comments
Good morning, friends!
Most Thanksgiving holidays for the last 20 years, I have been somewhere adventuring. This time, my adventure is learning, like learning about current events, learning about ways to make my friends and loved ones happy. The first is just reading or listening, while the second is by experimentation. So far, the experimentation should include delicious food for positive results, then take it in various directions.
Your turn, friends!
Let 'er rip!
"We'll know our disinformation program is complete when everything the American public believes is false." ---- William Casey, CIA Director, 1981
Hey, good morning
.
Just saw a deer galloping past the window outside.
We have 4 or 5 that frequent the yard back by the woods.
Fun to watch them graze. The other day a squirrel surprised
me by jumping onto the screen and stared inside. Crazy critters.
Enjoy your R & R and thanks for the OT!
Zionism is a social disease
Good morning, Cap'n!
I think deer remind us of how wonderful it is to live in the countryside. It has been 40 years since I lived in the Houston area, listening to sirens every couple of minutes 24/7, few or no birds, no howling coyotes...Like deer, I love pastures, not lawns. The birds are back, the squirrels are tucked away with acorns and pecans to get them through the winter...it's just all good, ain't it?
Dad farmed acres of corn for us, the cattle, and instead of high fencing, he just planted extra rows for the deer.
Enjoy your weekend, my friend!
"We'll know our disinformation program is complete when everything the American public believes is false." ---- William Casey, CIA Director, 1981
Your Dad did a good thing...
with those extra corn rows for the deer. When I was growing lots of things in the fields, I always did that. An extra 10% to the animals, paying my tithe to nature. Once I had some young-uns come by from the local university, wanting to know how I did my organic growing. They were astounded at the wildlife here, that it didn't ruin all the crops and so on. Well, the wildlife got its bit of food, and I got mine!
If you're poor now, my friend, then you'll stay poor.
These days, only the rich get given more. -- Martial book 5:81, c. AD 100 or so
Nothing ever changes -- Sima, c. AD 2020 or so
Good morning...
It was a chilly 28F this AM. About five deer were browsing near the garden when I left for Trade Day.
I bought a pair of rechargeable hand warmers a while back, and they sure make being out in the cold more comfortable.
Yesterday I finally got the leaves on the roof and yard blown into the woods. Nice to have the green yard back.
Rain is due tonight and tomorrow, and off and on next week. It's okay, we need it.
Hope everyone has a great weekend. Thanks for the OT!
“Until justice rolls down like water and righteousness like a mighty stream.”
Good morning, LO!
We have rains coming today and hard rains and near freezing weather Monday. That's fine with me. I do not have to go anywhere but that 3 minute drive to the office Monday.
So, I am getting ready to start cooking the roast. We will have a traditional (sort of) meal this evening, with mashed potatoes and gravy, steamed broccoli. I can have pecan pie a la mode, but Dear One must avoid sugar. I figure after one piece, I will give the rest of the pie away. It is a luxury many of my neighbors can't afford.
The trees around our home are far enough away that leaf blowing isn't a thing, but sometimes we have to attend to the office roof because the office is rimmed with pecan trees.
I have some disposable hand warmers, but those rechargeable ones are something Dear One should consider. The toxic chemicals in him cause his hands to be super sensitive to cold.
We are enjoying a relaxing weekend here, and wish the same for you and yours, dear friend!
"We'll know our disinformation program is complete when everything the American public believes is false." ---- William Casey, CIA Director, 1981
Dusting of snow
last night, 10degF this AM.
First snow of the year, finally. Guess I’m gonna haveta start wearing socks again. Sigh…
Time to roll over and go back to sleep, until the sun is high and warm.
Twice bitten, permanently shy.
I checked the weather at my property in Colorado
and tonight's low is 13 deg. Couple inches of snow tomorrow and Monday. Meanwhile, here at home, I went outside to clip a few green briars, poison a few ant beds, and regretted wearing a sweatshirt.
I hope your socks are loose and hardly noticeable beyond extra warmth.
"We'll know our disinformation program is complete when everything the American public believes is false." ---- William Casey, CIA Director, 1981
Heh, not too much to say today. For us T-day
is a serious interruption; excessive cleaning, rearranging the house and patio, planning psecial menu and procuring ingredients, and then prepping same M-T-W and then cook, celebrate talk and such until well after bed time, then clean, put away, and rearrange shit to the way it normally is on Friday and a chunk or Saturday, plus farmers' market.
We seldon do the shopping frenzy thing, but do sometimes take advantage of some of the sales. This follows a normal pattern, Sometime in July or August it is either discovered that thing x is on the fritz, or that its glitches and malfunctions are beginning to get intolerable. After failed attempts to repair or determination that it cannot be repaired or isn't worth it to try a decision is made to replace, usage is minimised while esearch on replacement is undertaken until mid October. Black Friday we go get the chosen replacement at the vender with the best price or order for later delivery.
I can't really tell aboout the deer. They show up on the driveway cam now and then. We have fenced them out of the back yard, but they are visible in the various yards facing the court and out in the court fairly often and we often have deer scat in the front yard. They are mostly dusk til dawn visitors and we generally aren't night people so we don't have a really good handle on their presence, but they are still out and about these evenings.
be well and have a good one
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 --
Good morning, el!
Well, I do not have a family beyond a brother who does his own thing, and Dear One's family is 5 states away, so a phone call does the trick. Not much of an interruptions here.
Like you, an appliance or tool on sale is the only temptations of Black Friday for us. Our only appliance replacement needed was an air fryer, and we replaced it with one that happened to be on sale at Walmart a couple of months ago.
When a holiday celebration becomes hard work, it kills the mood for me. One of my clients and her family gathered for a giant family meal at a Golden Corral restaurant. Not a bad idea for more than a dozen folks of all ages. Let the wait staff do the clean up!
FWIW, Campbell's fired the exec who told about fake chicken in their soup. He was fired! Yes! But there was no official denial, no assurances that the food was natural...and with the firing, the scandal went away. Campbell's stockholders can rest easy.
What an economy!
Enjoy your weekend, my friend!
"We'll know our disinformation program is complete when everything the American public believes is false." ---- William Casey, CIA Director, 1981
Clothes make the....you know...the thing.
The airport obsession with clothes is part of stereotyping I think. A corporate type that we know well does a lot of traveling by air. In so doing, he collects a lot of mileage, and has the status special perks thing going on. Once he upgraded a flight for Ms. So to an overseas destination, once the very top first class or whatever just to impress her, I guess. Don't get me wrong, he's a great guy. He's got a wonderful sense of humor too, and I think that's part of it.
If she's going to be five to twelve times zones out, lugging bags, etc. Ms. So dresses informally in jeans and whatever else is comfortable. We often joke about a South Korean youtuber who wears the most expensive attire, paraphernalia, bag, sunglasses, hat, etc., all myungpoon, Italian and French designer brands, etc. She doesn't. Definitely not her style. (Ms. So told me despite her effort to maintain an ordinary appearance in Vatican City last, she was being stalked by a thief, who had an eye on her handphone; some young guy chased the thief off, after she had taken it out for pictures). At the airport VIP priority boarding or whatever, she was stopped, checked and interrogated in the first class. while others dressed the part, or the right race, just breezed through. She didn't have the Crazy Rich Asian look, I guess.
"Are you sure you're in the right place? This is first class you know...you're not in the right line. Go over there," pointing in the imperative voice. Then Ms. So has to go into the indignant role, raise her voice. She says things like, "do you even know what you're doing? Get your supervisor over here, now. How long have you worked here? You say that without checking my boarding pass, yadan yadan." Then as the airline employee tries to maintain their superior position and authority because they wear a spiffy uniform, the raised voices attract other employees in the area, who get rid of the idiot who makes judgements based upon stupid assumptions.
There are a fair number of youtube videos about this sort of thing. It's a joke between us, because in the Kdramas they always say, in an indignant tone, Nugoo inji ara? (gap jil- berating subordinates) Do you know who I am? In the youtube videos it's a canned plot gimmick. When the poorly dressed passenger is mistreated by the flight crew, the guy sitting across the aisle in economy watching the whole humiliating episode turns out to be the airline CEO, who comes to the rescue. Sometimes it doesn't actually work that way.
It must be going around.
Glad to hear the good medical news OTC. Thanks for the holiday weekend O&E.
(fixed more typos)
語必忠信 行必正直
Good afternoon, soryang!
How shitty of the airline to categorize your wife at a damn glance!
Well, sitting in an airport 3 hours, boarding for an 11 flight, 3 hour layover, boarding for another 11 hr flight did not seem to me to require clothing I would wear to court!
I always wore loose slacks, sometimes flannel lounge wear, but nice enough to be seen in public. I won't sit upright with a button or zipper or belt gouging me for a day!
Insofar as safe touring, I studied up on what the locals wore so that I would fit in. I never wore jeans, tennis shoes,sweat shirts or sweat pants, or exercise clothes. Americans do that, the Europeans and Asians do not. Central and South Americans do not. It makes you stand out as an American target in a crowd for thieves. Slippers are easy to take off and put on when going through security, and if you ever suffered from edema after hours in a plane, you will know first hand, your nice shoes won't fit back onto your swollen feet.
I have several $5 watches I wore when traveling. Sometimes I wear them when traveling in the US. And some small, cheap earrings. Rio de Genaro is where I didn't take out my camera for photos unless I had a guy close by.
Enjoy your weekend and dress appropriately, friend!
"We'll know our disinformation program is complete when everything the American public believes is false." ---- William Casey, CIA Director, 1981
I see those frequently in the Youtube "shorts"
.
I knew it wasn't a Chinese storyline, but I hadn't realized it was a Korean genre, but of course it is. The moral play always features the Good Millionaire or the Good Business Owner or CEO, who rescues a bullied worker or the relative of a worker, or a poor person who is treated horribly by authoritarian middle management.
Makes me wonder why the South Koreans continue to put up with the US warmongers and their dangerous Western policies. Their lives are in danger. They must fear the self-serving Ruling Class, who keep putting their competitors in jail.
Thanks for the heads-up, Soryang. It's good to know Mrs. So can be characteristically fierce, when she must.
Thanks PR!
When I was learning Korean, I watched a lot of historical dramas, later as my understanding grew, I watched historical analysis of the Korean experience on a weekly history discussion group in South Korea broadcasts among experts, and also followed JTBC News' Son Suk-hee's reporting, analysis, and political commentary. I consider Son Sok-hee to have been my greatest influence in understanding modern Korean history.
Korea was mostly a Chinese tributary state during its long history. It was greatly affected by Chinese culture, religious influences, language, theory of government, royal court practices, etc. In fact, it's been said routinely, and I still think it's true, without extensive understanding of Hanja (traditional Chinese characters}, which served as the written language of Korea, among the nobility/scholar/bureaucrat class until the modern era, you could not be achieve a professional status in Korea, at least in the humanities. Sejong adopted the Korean alphabet in the 15th Century, but Hanja was still largely used by professionals, still in conjunction with Hangeul. I still think it's true. Now maybe in the sciences too. I'm not proficient in Hanja, maybe a I have what used to be a South Korean primary school level. I don't know what the standards are now.
Korean words have 60 percent Chinese roots. I find new common vocabulary and expressions in the languages almost every day, although syntactically/grammatically the languages are not related. Out of pride, I think Koreans resent outsiders like me, who dwell on the profound cultural similarities. Maybe I'm an "orientalist" who therefore has no credibility whatsoever according to critics becasue I am "minimalizing the other." Yet, when there is tension in Korea, or talk of North Korea rising in the news, I always notice an increase in interest in my old posts overseas among SE Asian and Brics countries. This even though I don't write as much as I use to on Korea related affairs. Lately, I just occasionally publish song or poetry translations for their aesthetic value. The whole thing is just a hobby.
Chinese military forces typically invaded Korea proper in the event of an outside power invading Korea. Imjin (Japan) invasion, first Sino-Japanese war, Korean war are examples. The Yuan dynasty invasion (Mongol) was an exception. There were limited Chinese interventions when Korea didn't know which way to go during the Ming-Qing dynasty transition. In the late 19th Century Japan and Russian competition for dominance in Korea led to the Russo-Japanese war, after which the US conceded Japan's imperial control of Korea, in return for recognition of US colonialism in the Philippines. The UK green lighted and supported Japan's war with Russia which ended in 1905.
So five "great powers" are regarded as having strategic influence on the peninsula in the modern period. Korea, South and North maneuver among them. Despite this I think the historical importance of maintaining a balanced foreign policy in a complex situation is the position of the Democratic Party since Kim Dae-jung. On the democratic side, often accused of being communists or jong buk, partial to North Korea, they maintain a more pragmatic approach to foreign policy and policy to the North seeking stability, exchange, and peace. The democratic party now in power again has popular support, although it tends to be regional, with the Southeast provinces unwavering in their support for the new right, the proxy of the US, and Japan. The popular left in South Korea demonstrates massively against the right, the cartels (chaebol), and the US and Japan, when it sees the need to do so. (See the collapse of Yoon's coup attempt, an effort to reinstall martial law) Imo South Korea's people are much more visceral and politically active than anything in the US. To me South Koreans "wear their political hearts on their sleeves." President Lee as the product of the candlelight movement as it is known, is much more flexible in foreign policy and maintains more than a token effort to preserve relations with China, avoid Indo-Pacific commitments, and to pursue independent foreign policy and economic goals. South Korea's Lee isn't going to play a unilateral hand as a proxy for the US or Japan, or burn bridges. Historically, before the cold war era, this is how Korean operated traditionally.
The fact that South Korea hasn't abandoned its trade and security ties to the US, as well as better relations with Japan, while avoiding anti-Chinese policies, because it is not in its interests to do so as a small power in a strategic position between a number of rocks and hard places. They are unlikely to play a hand prematurely, unless an idiot like Yoon is in charge. And if so, he will be countered inside government and on the streets.
I really appreciate your comments and posts on these subjects PR.
東亜樹 Azuma Aki performance of 1990 Korean song If tears were pearls. This is an old Lee Mija hit. Writer Kim Yong-hwa, composition Pak Choon-seok.
If tears were pearls
If tears were pearls
Perhaps, they will go dry
I fear
My heart, my love
Drop by drop together
I weave
For the seat
when my beloved arrives
to lay a pearl mat
Now, my tears yet
all fallen
Only the traces remain
(edit added UK influence for five)
語必忠信 行必正直
Elon's Grokpedia
The Intercept tells us:
Elon Musk’s Anti-Woke Wikipedia Is Calling Hitler “The Führer”
Here is the page in question itself. As the character "Linda Richman" used to say, talk amongst yourselves.
"It hasn't been okay to be smart in the United States for centuries" -- Frank Zappa
Good afternoon, Cass!
I couldn't read this without giving them my email, but I sort of get the point.
Who'd a thunk that the anti-woke crowd had a hero? Lol!
I look back upon the pre-Musk times fondly.
I hope your weather is good, and that your weekend plans include some fun and frolic, friend!
"We'll know our disinformation program is complete when everything the American public believes is false." ---- William Casey, CIA Director, 1981
I don't know how much of a controversy there is.
The thing about AI writing, however, is that it is phenomenally uninspired, since there is no human there to have the inspiration to write AI writing.
"It hasn't been okay to be smart in the United States for centuries" -- Frank Zappa
AI is dull and lifeless,
but occasionally by mistake is funny as hell. Will we live long enough to outlive AI?
"We'll know our disinformation program is complete when everything the American public believes is false." ---- William Casey, CIA Director, 1981
Good funniness….
And very Denver.
https://www.reddit.com/r/Denver/comments/1p8hff4/funniest_thing_ive_seen...
Hey, how do you get a link to auto-open embed? This image is in .webp format, and won’t upload from my iPad- and I’ll be damned if I’ll go do the conversion on my laptop in the office on a Saturday… (;-)
Twice bitten, permanently shy.
Good afternoon, ufs!
I bought a can of Reddi Whip for the first time in maybe 25 years. I used it on my coffee cake, just so you know. I forgot all about the better use! Lol!
People are nuts, friend! And not just in Denver!
Enjoy your weekend!
"We'll know our disinformation program is complete when everything the American public believes is false." ---- William Casey, CIA Director, 1981
I found out what ....
'whippit' means in modern culture just a few days ago. Yes, I'm that old. To me whippit is from 'Whip It, Whip It Good!' and means... something. I think not having a TV since 2000 or so has made my ignorance even worse. But knowing what whippit is made it so I got the joke and it was dang funny. Thanks.
If you're poor now, my friend, then you'll stay poor.
These days, only the rich get given more. -- Martial book 5:81, c. AD 100 or so
Nothing ever changes -- Sima, c. AD 2020 or so
Anniversary of the father of Brit blues
.
born on this day some time back
kick it up a notch
Zionism is a social disease
Impeach Trump in DC now being livestreamed
"It hasn't been okay to be smart in the United States for centuries" -- Frank Zappa
Interesting, Cass!
I hadn't heard about this. Do you know who organized it?
"We'll know our disinformation program is complete when everything the American public believes is false." ---- William Casey, CIA Director, 1981
Missed these Thursday
NYC
Chicago
Where's the popsicles when you need them? Surprised the gnome didn't round them up.
語必忠信 行必正直
Very creative dance display
.
whatever choreographer
did a good job with this
in both NYC and ChI town
thanks for sharing it!
Zionism is a social disease
My roast is cooking,
I watched a movie with JtC, and started looking for stuff and things, saw this video that would have caused my false teeth to fall out, if my teeth were false.
"We'll know our disinformation program is complete when everything the American public believes is false." ---- William Casey, CIA Director, 1981
The Clash...
Yea, I'm rocking around the room now, remembering being a young adult, when I we didn't have to wear special clothes on an airplane. We did have to wear clothes though, I do remember that.
As for deer, I do like seeing them when we do. Recently I walked up the driveway (it's long) with Nikko and we found a bear scat. Now I know why the deer aren't around recently
Have a great rest of the weekend!
If you're poor now, my friend, then you'll stay poor.
These days, only the rich get given more. -- Martial book 5:81, c. AD 100 or so
Nothing ever changes -- Sima, c. AD 2020 or so
Hello otc. I saw the good news about
JtC in an earlier post by Sima (I think). I know I was cheering it!! Is he perking up, too? Cos his attitude is a big part of that fight against the Big C or any other disease, for that matter.
Turkey Day Weekend is quiet down here in ECFL. Hubster's krewe is in western TN, and mine is in Gainesville and the Panhandle. We don't do Black Friday, period. I'm an anomaly for an American. Have always hated shopping and am not a consumerist. Going to decorate a small Xmas tree today, and my holiday plans are set. That is really cool that you live out in a rural area where you see deer. Only minus is the home/yard maintenance. Speaking of music, I was a fan of the Clash. I hated the Sex Pistols. Talk about frauds; and Sid Vicious was a bad joke. Anywho, I am rambling. You take care! Rec'd!!
Inner and Outer Space: the Final Frontiers.
Same here amiga
.
cut and mounted the tree yesterday
brought down the decorations today
from the loft, fire in the wood stove ..
spouse is like a kid with all of this -
the goal is to prevent a divorce in the
process. Ba humbug
Zionism is a social disease
Thanks for the well-wishes, obf!
While a positive attitude can't directly kill a cancer cell, it does positively affect heart rate, circulation, appetite, digestion, restful sleep, energy levels, and all kinds of systems and functions that do kill a cancer cell.
I would describe JtC's approach as combative. He is The Supreme Commander, will give no quarter.
"We'll know our disinformation program is complete when everything the American public believes is false." ---- William Casey, CIA Director, 1981