Open Thread - 9/8/23 - Odds and Ends

While you are reading and commenting this morning, I will be in court, representing the last criminal case I will ever take in an adjacent county. The District Attorney there has not gotten the hang of managing all her assistant attorneys and other support staff. It is a nightmare. What takes an hour in other counties take 4 hours there. My client admits to driving while intoxicated, just wants a reasonable fine and probation. He is in his 60s and has never been arrested before.(And never will be again.)

Meanwhile, the new client I took in today has witnesses he drank 1 beer, 4 hours later, wrecked his truck when he fell asleep behind the steering heel. Well, I asked him about his working conditions, discovered he works in 130 deg. heat during this heat dome over Texas. Hell, the man passed out from heat stress, not a beer! Anyway, he has at least 3 co-workers and his employer who will testify he had one beer to wash down his lunch tacos.

Strangely, no tests, not road side breath test, no jail breath test, no blood draw, not even the walk in a straight line test.

I think I have mentioned that a nearby county where I practice is notorious for crooked cops. My latest example: My client had 23 $100 bills in his wallet, a $10, and 9 one dollar bills. When he bonded out of jail, he didn't get his pocket knife back, and after 2 hours of raising hell, he got his money back. In an envelope that had been opened, full of $50s, $20s, $5s, that added up to his correct amount. (I figure staff at the sheriff's office pulled out their wallets, pooled their money to get him at break even.)

Now...testing for intoxication by BAC, or blood alcohol content, was introduced in the 80s. 1.0 BAC meant drunk. Then, in the 2000s, .08 meant drunk.

Just so you know, those numbers have no scientific support. They were pulled out of someone's ass. Make money State, and destroy careers. Odd. MADD, Mothers Against Drunk Driving lobbied to get these new laws. Oddly, the founder of MADD got a DWI conviction within the last decade, resigned from the
group leadership.

Dear One has the bird feeder and bird bath situated in the yard where he can see out a window, enjoy the bird action. The majority of the birds we draw are Cardinals. When I called them red birds, he thought I was a goober. Then, when he has hung around East Texas a few years, and has yet to hear anyone call those birds anything but red birds, he has begun to suggest we get a sign, call the place "Red Bird Ranch". Except, Hoppy changed things.

Now, for a couple of weeks, we have noticed a fledgling red bird that hangs around, doesn't fly. One of her wings didn't flap quite normally. She would hop to the feeder, hop back to some bushes. Her appearance is at the exact time we had some rain and very high winds one evening. Maybe she was blown out of her nest? Injured? So, Dear One set out a bowl of water on a brick on the ground. Seed is always on the ground near the water. For at least 2 weeks, we didn't know if this would be a forever thing for Hoppy. Well, with some food and water, she is alive. This weekend, I saw Hoppy fly about 6 inches above ground for about 3 feet. Yesterday, Dear One saw her fly a foot high, maybe 10 feet. So, we might get a sign that says, "Red Bird Rescue and Rehabilitation Ranch". I never thought calling a bird that was red a red bird was weird. Thoughts?
Blue birds? Black birds? But Cardinals?

Dear One cannot cook unless accompanied by George Straight. He just isn't inspired without George. In a couple of weeks we will head to Amarillo to attend a Mavericks concert. Here it comes:

The forecast has been predicting tomorrow would reach 104 deg. That has been revised. 102 deg. is the latest, greatest forecast.

The night time lows forecast in Amarillo for our 3 nights there is 59 deg. We will freeze. Must pack warm and fuzzy lounge wear.

Locally, Saturday begins riddance of 100 deg. temps for the rest of September. Still not cool fall weather, but we will take it.

Have you seen gas prices rising? Shelves at the stores empty here and there? I have. What I have not seen is help. Oh, except to Ukraine. I will not say what I want to say because it would be extremely vulgar content. I leave it to you, you fabulously polite folks whom I respect and cherish.

Thank me for shutting up about it. And stock up on necessities when you can.

I am not the only one that comes across oddities. You do, as well. As I said, this is odds and ends OT, open for everything. Sometimes, absolutely normal is odd as hell.

Talk about odd. I saw this fountain performance when in Dubai, the land of criminalized homosexuality.

What is odd, and fairly often happens, is a client from years ago pops in with some new legal problem. In this instance, a Mom, Dad, grown son, 6 yr old girl needing help with a landlord squabble. After I gave advice, the grown son said, "I can't remember what kind of beer you drink" Parents knew. They had given me beer tips years ago.

After they had gone, they came back with a 12-pack of beer for me. I am finishing off Beer 12 now.

Mom and Dad hired me 6 years ago to get custody of the granddaughter, just a few months old. Problem: Son is mentally challenged. Really challenged. I wasn't inclined to take the case until he, who could hardly speak coherently, took his baby into the reception room to the sofa, did her diaper change, cleaned her poopy butt up like a damn nurse, disposed of the poopy diaper, rejoined the client interview, holding that baby. I was hooked. I will never forget that.

I won custody of the child for him. The child, with two very mentally challenged parents, is normal, excelling in school approaching her 7th b'day. They want her to come work for me when she gets older, hope she becomes a lawyer.

Doesn't extremely rare fit into the odd category? Dear One says, "Prost!" With my last beer from that tip, Prost!

Let 'er rip, people! Prost!

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I hope your Friday winds up a long week and starts up a fun weekend.
I will be around later to see what is on your minds and in your hearts.

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"We'll know our disinformation program is complete when everything the American public believes is false." ---- William Casey, CIA Director, 1981

usefewersyllables's picture

to a hellish commotion. The Douglas County Sheriff's Department apparently had a felony arrest warrant to serve on somebody residing in our little apartment community, so they decided to do so with overwhelming force: the SWAT team, the door-buster, and a whole bunch of heavily armed deputies. Shelter in place, again, with guys in flak jackets carrying assault weapons everywhere, and the whole place locked down for a couple of hours.

Moving from a single-family house back into an apartment setting brings some benefits (no more snow plowing!), but exposes you to the downside of all the bad descisions of your neighbors much more closely. "Shelter in place" doesn't mean much when you've only got a couple of layers of sheetrock between you and some numbnuts with an AR-15.

We've seen this movie up close and in person far too often. I've long said that there is something fundamentally flawed with any society in which the first response of an ordinary citizen to the sight of a cop is *fear*. Doing the whole Blues Brothers Daly Plaza schtick this often certainly doesn't win any hearts and minds.

Not a fan, but not is a position to do much about it just yet. Life in these united states, eh?

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Twice bitten, permanently shy.

QMS's picture

@usefewersyllables

but it sure seems close to the end
glad you were not collateral damage

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usefewersyllables's picture

@QMS

And thanks for the kind thoughts. We're trying to find out exactly what the warrant was for- was the miscreant a serial axemurderer, or did they just have a couple too many parking tickets? The pigs seem to treat them all the same, these days. Enquiring minds want to know.

One thing's for certain- they weren't a politician of any sort. Nothing bad ever happens to *them* (and they wouldn't be living in a friggin' apartment, anyway).

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Twice bitten, permanently shy.

@usefewersyllables as killers.
A man called his son in jail, told him he was headed to my office to have me prepare a deed, and when he was given the cash after the sale, he would make his son's bond. Seems Dad had a warrant out for a misdemeanor he didn't know about. The buyers, a couple in their 80s, came in the office, here comes Dad, I drew up the deed, got it signed, and Dad was about to leave. In comes 2 police, 2 were stalking my office yard, 2 more were at the entrance. A 6-man swat team inside and outside my damn law office for a misdemeanor arrest, which was non-violent. One wrong move could have injured the elderly couple, or me and my staff.
Thing is, the Dad's crime, for which he eventually was found not guilty, occurred at his home, so the police had his address. I know it was done to intimidate me. I told him to read my client his rights or I would report him to the FBI.
Bastards!

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"We'll know our disinformation program is complete when everything the American public believes is false." ---- William Casey, CIA Director, 1981

QMS's picture

What would be odd in the end is that grandpa Biden gets fired for his corruption
(which has been a long train running) before he wobbles off the stage.

Good luck with your defensive motions today.

Thanks for the OT amiga!
BTW, the synchronized fountains in Dubai are amazing.

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@QMS Yeah, those fountains were all that.
Hope your weekend is getting off to a good start.
My client got a sweetheart deal for his plea bargain, but the chaos of the docket and ineptitude of the prosecutor's staff had me waiting for my 5 minutes before the bench for over 2 hours.

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"We'll know our disinformation program is complete when everything the American public believes is false." ---- William Casey, CIA Director, 1981

enhydra lutris's picture

grief with your cases. MADD is crazy people, reminiscent of the TCU. Tried to get a law passed in CA using an enormously costly fantastically deceptive media campaign that would've taxed booze of all types at enormous rates.

Friday for us retirees has less of an impact than it does for those not retired. Very happy TGIF to you and have a great weekend.

Here it simply means the end of an "interesting" official week and the release of a ton more people into the public spaces and roadways. For us specifically, some added new tasks and projects, on top of all the ones still in process and undone; but that is what life is, I guess.

Glad that hoppy is getting better. I thought a redbird was a summer tanager, since we get the tanagers and not the cardinals. There are, btw, phenomenally multi-colored birds which complicate color based schemes in a different way; but what I really feel I need to note is that "cardinal" is also a color, arguably the color of the adult male redbird, which could ergo equally be cardinalbird. Wink

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 @enhydra lutris There was an attorney in the room this morning who was well into his 80s, still kicking ass and taking names. This profession is hard to put in the rear view mirror. If I didn't have time off on weekends to look forward to, and they became just another couple of days, I would have to make a real adjustment in my life. You tell me if I would like it.
Hoppy is gonna make it. We have made that effort to feed and water her as long as it took for her wing to work. Dear One said, "I'm such a softie, aren't I?" Well, a big yes to that.
Maybe I associate Cardinal with the Catholic Church, of which I am no fan?

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"We'll know our disinformation program is complete when everything the American public believes is false." ---- William Casey, CIA Director, 1981

enhydra lutris's picture

@on the cusp

still had a boss, actually, bosses, so that made a big difference, as did seeing the bureaucracy fuck things up. Another factor is that I get a pension which includes paying a chunk of the cost of my chosen medical plan.

You hit upon a big problem with the bird's name. It helps to remember that the full name is Northern Cardinal, and the chirch don't got one of those.

be weell 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 my case load, getting pickier about taking in cases. Less pressure, more down time, so I am sort of easing into the retirement thing.
I learned on this thread that Jonathan Livingston Seagull is pure fiction.
Northern Cardinal does help me emotionally, as I am such an emotional person, as you well know. Lol!

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"We'll know our disinformation program is complete when everything the American public believes is false." ---- William Casey, CIA Director, 1981

'remember, we're hillbillies but we ain't white trash'

also called cardinals 'red birds'...

Speaking of Tejas and legal stuff - the National American Renaissance Movement is attempting to get state and federal investigations going into the Plandemic criminal enterprise - have submitted requests for grand juries to be empaneled in several states already, with the intention of doing so in all states.

Hard to say what, if anything, will come of it but they appear to have done extensive homework - they certainly name names and offenses. Wouldn't take but a couple state AG's to pick this up and run with it to cause some headaches for people who richly deserve them.

Latest state is Texas , their Texas Grand Jury Petition can be found here

(I did note a couple typos - they left in 'Idaho' (state previously submitted to) in a couple places that should have been changed to 'Texas' and the misspelled Peter Hotez' name)

“You have deep-seated survival anxieties. And you don't like bigots, bullies, snobs or hypocrites. Subconsciously there are many people you hate."

"Consciously, sir, consciously," Yossarian corrected in an effort to help. "I hate them consciously.”
― Joseph Heller, Catch-22

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@Blue Republic I admit to a mere skim, I also thought some edits were in order, but it is thorough and sourced, so who knows?
Your Grandmother was pretty clever, eh?

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"We'll know our disinformation program is complete when everything the American public believes is false." ---- William Casey, CIA Director, 1981

Dawn's Meta's picture

Mon mari and I enjoy Alejandro Escovedo. He said somewhere that he heard Street Hassle with two cellos and immediately added two to his own band. The result is the following:

It starts slow and at about 2:10 the cellos begin percussion. It's marvelous use of strings for the beat. We sing la la la la la, la la, aha, aha, ahahaha.

Here is Lou Reed singing Street Hassle with the driving cellos:

And here is my favorite version of Lou singing Walk On the Wild Side. The words are great, some real sly stuff in there. Not for the faint of heart for gender fluid comments and early use of racial terms...

And a final oddity, a version of On the Wings of Horses by Grace Griffith. I have thought of you when I hear this song...

ETA On the Wings of Horses.

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A society grows great when old men plant trees in whose shade they know they shall never sit. Allegedly Greek, but more possibly fairly modern quote.

Consider helping by donating using the button in the upper left hand corner. Thank you.

@Dawn's Meta I had that wild horse that nobody could catch or ride, but me. He did take wings. He flew. There would be nothing else in the world but me and him.
It is so good to see you back posting, DM. Thanks so much for your comment.

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"We'll know our disinformation program is complete when everything the American public believes is false." ---- William Casey, CIA Director, 1981

@Dawn's Meta , hope you are doing well.

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dystopian's picture

Hi all, Hi OtC! Hope it's all good out there!

Now you really did it this time... Wink

OK, let's do Redbirds, Buzzards, Timberdoodles, Shite-pokes,and White-arses. In biology, there are these things called taxonomy and nomenclature. It is how we name things. Generally based around Linnaeus' binomial system wherein everything has a two-word moniker which is unique. First one is a genus, this of other similar species, and then a species epitaph denotes which one each specific one is. Sometimes called a scientific name, and incorrectly called latin name (as many are greek or other local, even indigenous language, based). Then for many things (well studied groups) there are common names. these are the officially accepted names of things. Official generally means they were created by a governing body which is made up of experts in that field. The American Ornithologists Union in the U.S. for instance was the authority for over a century that named birds.

The reason we name things is so that we can communicate about them. The problem was that everywhere you went, they called it by a different name. The Timberdoodle, aka American Woodcock has 50 colloquial names, at least! So everyone having their own name for things can present communication problems.

No birder or biologist in Texas calls them Redbirds. You can tell one is not partucularly bird aware if they say redbird or buzzard here in the U.S. Birders use the correct proper names, cardinal or vulture for them. A buzzard is a Buteoine hawk (like our Red-tailed) found in the old world (across the pond). A buzzard is not a vulture. Yet all Texans call vultures buzzards here, as they call Northern Cardinal (there are other species of Cardinal elsewhere), redbird. I just call them Cards if with other birders, unless acting say as a trip leader.

When I moved to Corpus Christi in 85, the first thing every person said when they found out I was a birder was, as if I was a blind birder, "have you seen the pink flamingoes yet?" Pink flamingoes. Of course there is no such thing named that, but they were talking about Roseate Spoonbills. Everyone I ever met on the Texas coast that was not with a dash of bird knowledge calls Roseate Spoonbills, Pink Flamingoes. I wonder what they call flamingoes when they show up? Flamingoes too no doubt. Which is why their system is not usable for me.

Does this further our knowledge or make us smarter? To make up names for things, and pretend we know what we are talking about? Should I have begun calling them pink flamingos because all the locals did? Mostly I tried to educate them, but which was overwhelmingly a waste of words.

Recently when I moved back here (20 years ago) I was asked about the Ring-neck (or Ringed) Turtle-Doves here. They are Eurasian Collared-Dove. Education has been a waste again, they still all call them Ring-necked Turtle-Doves. Should I start calling them that?

You can't change what others are calling things. But YOU can name them correctly. The difference is one of education. I can go anywhere in the world and know which bird, bug, or fish they are talking of, if I know the binomial. I sell thousands of species of fish and marine invertebrates, from people I mostly cannot communicate with, only possible due to the binomial system, and having a proper name for
things.

Call them gulls, not seagulls. There are dozens of species, and many are often not at sea. Wheatear is thought to be derived from various old English 'white-arse', for the white on the birds rump and in tail as it flys away. That is what you see. Many herons but Am. Bittern especially, have been called various versions of shit-poke, for their habit of lightening the load when they take flight.

There are a gazillion local names for things. Fortunately each one has a published official names, scientific and common, or nature study would not be possible.

What do they call female redbirds, which are mostly brown? And what are Summer Tanagers? Are they not a red bird?

So, there went my morning... Smile be buried all day here now. I saw SAT per the WU stats broke its high temp record last couple days. Today is said to be peak. Had it with the heat here...

Have good ones all, countin' on ya!

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We cannot solve our problems with the same thinking we used when we created them.
Look deep into nature, and then you will understand everything better.
both - Albert Einstein

QMS's picture

@dystopian

An example are the long legged birds that are always in or near the water. They are variously
called storks, cranes, egrets, herons etc. depending on where you dock your boat.

I like your nomenclature approach but most people I have found use local common names.

If you travel a lot, it becomes problematic. Blackbirds, grackles, starlings same thing.

Thanks for the clarity!

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dystopian's picture

@QMS @QMS Great point and examples QMS. Storks, herons, egrets, and cranes are all correct names for birds. For those types of birds. But not for each other. Each is a unique group of birds. I always liked the term 'long-legged waders' that was coined for that whole group of birds. Egrets are not cranes, storks are not herons, and so on, obviously.

I guess the key is, does one just want a name to call something, or do you want to know the correct proper name by which something is called?

Have a good one Capt.!

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We cannot solve our problems with the same thinking we used when we created them.
Look deep into nature, and then you will understand everything better.
both - Albert Einstein

@dystopian and explanations, and you did not disappoint. Wow, Birders must get really irritated at we official Bird Goobers.
When I was age 2 to 4, my grandmother was teaching me to be the perfect, sinless child. So, when I sinned, I had to bow my head, say "I am sorry, Lord". Not finishing my meal was a sin. Getting dirty playing with my dog was a sin. Now, I was a little slow on pronouncing certain letters of the alphabet, r being the most obvious.
So, never again Red Bird, always Cardinal, at least not around a Birder. And Dysto, I will say, "I sawwy, Lawd."
We are having a cold front come in tonight, some strong winds, some rain. Today will be the last day for 100 deg. or more for this month, possibly for the year.This is what defines cold front now: temperatures falling from 104 to 94. That definition is sinful, in my mind!
I can no longer endure this heat. I am going to find a way to get out of here in August fron now on, although September has been hellish in nature this first week.
Take care!

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"We'll know our disinformation program is complete when everything the American public believes is false." ---- William Casey, CIA Director, 1981

dystopian's picture

@on the cusp Howdy OtC! You are forgiven, completely forgiven! Smile We all start out on the same blank page, some just read different books. Wink Good birders of course are keenly aware there are indigenous peoples all over the world that know more about lots of animals and plants and their science, than most scientists, that often do not know modern names.

Here in the U.S., redbird certainly has to be one of the most commonly used colloquial names, up there with buzzard. One old book I have has all of those known names as of the early 1900's, often funny, listed for each species.

The last thing they called a cold front a week or so ago, lowered the highs from 104 to 94, but where you really felt it was we had 6 days of lows at 67F, instead of 74F, which was a thrill! Lots of the people here have summer cabins at Ruidoso, or in CO. They bail out for July and August, if not June too.

Mrs. dysto and I have both had it with the heat too. It is 10F hotter here for daily highs in summer than it was in the 1980's. At Lost Maples St. Nat. Area for instance there are hundreds of big old now dead trees from 25 of last 35 years being in extreme drought. Desertification before our eyes. Rainfall has dropped from 30" per year to less than 20", in a few decades! The habitat is desiccating, not just us.

be well amiga!

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We cannot solve our problems with the same thinking we used when we created them.
Look deep into nature, and then you will understand everything better.
both - Albert Einstein

@dystopian Oddly, my brother did basic training in the Air Force in San Antonio. The guys ran in full uniform until it reached 117 deg., then they walked thru their maneuvers. And he said it was hot, but doable. Now, he can't even mow his lawn. He gets light headed. I rode horses, worked cattle, never had an issue, other than one day on a tennis court when I was maybe 22 yrs old. I did drop, but did not pass out. It is different and not an age thing. The outside manual laborers dropping dead around me are young. I can't emphasize enough: this heat is not the heat of yore.
I have some friends here with Co. property 18 miles from mine in Co. It was 107 deg. in places. Co. may not be my August escape place after all.

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"We'll know our disinformation program is complete when everything the American public believes is false." ---- William Casey, CIA Director, 1981

@dystopian , put on by the Master Gardener's in our area. One of the speakers pointed out that for the sake of diversity, you should aim to have a landscape plan of 30%-20%-10%. That is 30% plants of the same family is ok, 20% of the same genus and 10% of the same species. The reason for this to create a resilient landscape that can better survive disease, pests, weather events such as extreme heat, etc.
[I have something to say about that extreme heat too, also!]

And here again, on C99, I run into that "family, species, genus" stuff.

Linnaeus' binomial system

My lack of education about all that is coming back to bite me. So I have to figure out who, what, where, the family-species-genus tag gets stuck. So, not being a naturalist, and not being very observant either [so it's a good thing I'm not a naturalist] all this does not come [so sorry] very naturally.

Then, I wandered over to Naked Capitalism and they had this very nice post about birds (well, it's depressing too, but that's beside the point) and about the biodiversity crisis. https://www.nakedcapitalism.com/2023/09/amid-steep-global-bird-declines-...

Anyway, I'm learning some of this stuff as an oldster instead of as a youngster. It's OK, I enjoy it, even if we do have to talk about Linnaeus Smile

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dystopian's picture

@randtntx Hi Rand! Cool stuff man, good for you... That is a neat take on the breakdown in landscaping. Here I can only grow what deer, pigs, and dillos will leave alone. Lots of Salvia sages, and American Germander.

I grew up learning binomials for many things, but less so with birds as there were good official common names for them. For insects and many other groups not so. You had to learn binomials. The dragonfly society has only given official common names for all of them in the last 20 years or so.

Just remember genus then species. Human beings are Homo sapiens. Except some are H. ignoramus, or H. stupidicus, H. redneckensis, and so on... Wink

be well brother!

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We cannot solve our problems with the same thinking we used when we created them.
Look deep into nature, and then you will understand everything better.
both - Albert Einstein

@dystopian , that I don't like going to buy plants at the nursery that aren't properly identified with the binomial, it's always a mistake waiting to happen.

Your various binomials for the human group are apropos. How else can you explain this mess humanity has made.

Genus, species....Thanks dysto! Looks like we're getting one of your cold fronts here next week, down around 100 instead of 102-105. I can't wait! Hope your week sees some cooling temps as well.

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The Liberal Moonbat's picture

Please, tell us about Dubai; I am (also) interested in why you were there in the first place!

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In the Land of the Blind, the One-Eyed Man is declared mentally ill for describing colors.

Yes Virginia, there is a Global Banking Conspiracy!

@The Liberal Moonbat and engineers to Saudi. There happens to be a 16 hr direct flight from Houston to Dubai. Most of the hands would stop for a few days in Dubai on their way back home, told me it was fun.
My travel pal and I did an independent tour, picking and choosing certain organized day trips with tour guides.
We spent a day browsing the world's biggest shopping mall, containing the world's largest indoor skating rink. The fountains were right in front of the mall. We got the schedule, went out and found a good place to stand for the show. My pal is from NYC. And she is a musician. When the music began, we fell out laughing at the damn irony of it.
We were able to explore several of the Emirates. It is fun, has a very unique history,great museums, and one doesn't want to miss out of the sand dune safaris. Or the Whirling Dervish. Or camel rides. And...
Women should read up on how to dress, and anyone who drinks should expect limited access to booze, high prices, stiff penalties for being drunk in public. I would love to visit again some day.

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"We'll know our disinformation program is complete when everything the American public believes is false." ---- William Casey, CIA Director, 1981

comments on a couple of posts
I see earthship was in the smith complex
and got torched
sad

But(here we go)
the dude in his vid openly
says forest MISmanagement
is what exacerbated the fire

lightning started it
understory fuels availability
kicked it into overdrive

he even says it Could be the best
thing to happen because those fuels
are now Gone

personally I got problems with
0.04% of atmospheric gas being
the culprit

I have even More problems with
the Pollution and habitat destruction
we impose on this world than
co2 increase

next time you have a beer
check what happens as your
beverage Warms, co2 bubbles form
not the other way ‘round

same happens in the oceans
science not SCIENZE

just a random neuron sparking
in a vast darkness. . .

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Ya got to be a Spirit, cain't be no Ghost. . .

Explain Bldg #7. . . still waiting. . .

If you’ve ever wondered whether you would have complied in 1930’s Germany,
Now you know. . .
sign at protest march

@Tall Bald and Ugly explanation, or, better yet, the truth.
My cynical view is that it will be too late.
Have a great weekend!

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"We'll know our disinformation program is complete when everything the American public believes is false." ---- William Casey, CIA Director, 1981

snoopydawg's picture

.

https://www.thegatewaypundit.com/2023/09/outrageous-border-patrol-agent-...

But it has a statement from the state department that makes it seem that it is true. I wonder what the people in East Palestine, Maui, Florida and everywhere else that have been hit with disaster think about this? Shame if the information went viral and hey Joe good luck on reelection!

Zero hedges reported that over a million Americans lost their jobs and over 900 immigrants found one. Remember when Huchol the NYC governor said that she would replace nurses and doctors that were fired for not getting jabbed with foreign workers.

Yeah I gobbled her name…

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Was Humpty Dumpty pushed?

@snoopydawg This is going on while fentanyl is killing us, 100,000 job losses in 1 month, same month sets record with 90,000 immigrants getting jobs.
When Abbott bitches about it, he gets slammed for being a rwnj. Well, how about the mayor of New York? Is he a rwnj? Really?
Have a great weekend and give my client a hug.

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"We'll know our disinformation program is complete when everything the American public believes is false." ---- William Casey, CIA Director, 1981

snoopydawg's picture

@snoopydawg

immigrants are getting per person? That’s a hell of a lot more than the people in Maui got.

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Was Humpty Dumpty pushed?

@snoopydawg @snoopydawg Insane, cruel to American citizens who are living on the sidewalks. And cruel to tax payers who want those $ to go where we want it to go, like uplifting the lives of fellow Americans!

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"We'll know our disinformation program is complete when everything the American public believes is false." ---- William Casey, CIA Director, 1981

mimi's picture

@mimi I always order!
Well, I wouldn't want to hurt my various and sundry clients' feelings by turning down their tips...beer! I do it for them.
Have a great weekend, mimi!
Prost!

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8 users have voted.

"We'll know our disinformation program is complete when everything the American public believes is false." ---- William Casey, CIA Director, 1981

QMS's picture

Packing a major punch. Yet to see if it changes course and heads our way?
It won't be until about a week from now if it does. Gives me time to secure
the boats. BTW, 'M' indicates major, as in over 110 knot winds. It is a
category 5 and sustained winds are now 155 knots.

145620_5day_cone_no_line_and_wind.png
20232511240-20232511810-GOES16-ABI-AL132023-GEOCOLOR-1000x1000.gif

Hang onto your hats. It is not odd nor the end.

Q

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@QMS Some states are gonna get their asses blasted! I hope the warning systems work better than in Lahaina!

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8 users have voted.

"We'll know our disinformation program is complete when everything the American public believes is false." ---- William Casey, CIA Director, 1981

@QMS . Cat 5 they say? That will take your socks off too, and unwind all your threads for that matter.
Hopefully the thing will spin out it's fury out in the middle of the sea, away from everyone.

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@randtntx It takes lots of preparedness, safety practices, and luck.
I have friends in the Carolinas. I worry and hope they will not hesitate to evacuate.

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6 users have voted.

"We'll know our disinformation program is complete when everything the American public believes is false." ---- William Casey, CIA Director, 1981

@on the cusp , these storms will just get worse. He wrote his book Storms of My Grandchildren: The Truth About the Coming Climate Catastrophe and Our Last Chance to Save Humanity in 2009. It looks like the storms won't be coming for his grandchildren. They'll be coming for us.

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5 users have voted.

@randtntx The controversy about climate change was traditionally between liberals and conservatives.
Now, so many strange, to the point of being suspicious, catastrophic events have been blamed on climate change, that the controversy has caused heretofore liberals to step back, re-examine what is going on. Does climate change cause everything bad, environmentally?
I absolutely agree with Hanson that storms are likely to worsen. Look around. Look back, and look ahead.
I won't give up hope. I sincerely hope he is wrong, and that this future he predicts can be changed for the better by those of us who love this planet and everything on it.
I will do my part, although at my age, that is a short span. I have tried since I was 16 to protest industrial pollution, the inception of climate change activism. 55 years. I have made absolutely no dent in the destruction of the planet. Sad state of affairs.

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6 users have voted.

"We'll know our disinformation program is complete when everything the American public believes is false." ---- William Casey, CIA Director, 1981

@on the cusp . Especially since quite a few of us are kind of fond of this planet and would like it to remain habitable. At least it would be nice if our species were not the culprits who ruined the place.

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@randtntx Perhaps blame the military and corporate agriculture? But, that's just me.

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4 users have voted.

"We'll know our disinformation program is complete when everything the American public believes is false." ---- William Casey, CIA Director, 1981

@on the cusp . What does Ray McGovern call them ....the MICIMAC or something like that. I don't think we can hold the cows and sheep responsible, unless we're talking about the sheeple variety, and I'm not even sure about them.

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@randtntx Me, either!

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3 users have voted.

"We'll know our disinformation program is complete when everything the American public believes is false." ---- William Casey, CIA Director, 1981

At one company I worked at, the local math graduate put up a sign "MADD Mathematicians Against Drunk Deriving"

It seems that DUI is a cost center of sorts. For example, in my state, mandatory to attend and pay for group therapy sessions around "why are you an alcoholic". I would bet that those therapists must be like one half of all licensed therapists.

I know the local sheriff deputies will hand out to any passing teenager a citation for a minor with alcohol ticket when they get called for party noise. No use expunging the ticket as many organizations demand any expunged transgression still be listed on employment apps.

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QMS's picture

@MrWebster

Make it a crime to be in public after a drink, regardless of age. The alcohol industry
lobby may have a problem fighting madd mothers on that? If sobriety is the new
purity test, I guess we go back to the prohibition days. That didn't work out very
well before.

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@QMS who had to determine which types of businesses had to close during the pandemic lock down. Law offices were deemed essential. And so were liquor stores, after all!

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"We'll know our disinformation program is complete when everything the American public believes is false." ---- William Casey, CIA Director, 1981

@MrWebster @MrWebster Every one of them was a DWI.
No 2 people show intoxication the same way or at the same time, much less at the identical BAC. Men metabolize it faster than women, young people metabolize faster than old people. It is arbitrary, unfair, the most punitive penal sentencing on the books. I can plead guilty to capital murder, be put on deferred adjudication, and get off probation early. No mandatory jail.
With DWI, starting with the 2nd, jail is mandatory, no deferred is allowed, and a 3rd DWI can get you a life sentence.
Murderers are legal to drive. DWIs can cause loss of driving licenses. You must purchase the costliest liability insurance offered, go to classes, and on and on. With no scientific proof of intoxication in the first place.All misdemeanors, especially DWIs, are the money makers in all Texas counties.

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10 users have voted.

"We'll know our disinformation program is complete when everything the American public believes is false." ---- William Casey, CIA Director, 1981

travelerxxx's picture

Hi OTC!

It’s dropped to 95º here after hitting 105º on the back porch — in the shade. Nearby Hooks airport was listing 107º. That just a couple of miles from me. Over two months of one hundred degrees or over, and not a drop of rain since the middle of June, has us on edge. Don’t think it’s been much different for you, OTC.

Sounds as though your court date today was in my county. Your description of the inept DA office pretty much confirms it to me.

We’ve been dealing with that DA for over four years now. Our case isn’t really ours, but it is. It involves a crooked cop (later another crooked cop) and his wife brainwashing a young child (our granddaughter, her grandparents) and coaching her to call Texas CPS and report an assault. The “target” of this call was our daughter’s fiancé, but the real impetus was bad blood between our daughter and the child’s grandmother. Those grandparents are the parents of our daughter’s ex-husband.

That happened around Labor Day, 2019. The whole thing has been in court ever since. The DA has been informed long ago by CPS that “nothing happened,” the child (now a teenager) has long since fessed up and recanted. There is absolutely no case whatsoever, never has been, and all evidence and witnesses agree with that.

Still, the DA continues with this. There have been at least four different prosecutors assigned to the case. We’ve long ago lost count of the postponements and delays by the DA. My wife and I have had to hire attorneys for our daughter; the fiancé’s family has had to do likewise. I think we’ve needed four or five attorneys and, while the bulk of the expense has been borne by the fiancé’s family, it’s been bad enough for us that we’ve had to cash in one retirement account and start disbursements with another. I know that the other family has spent in excess of $100,000 on attorneys and that’s just retainer fees.

There’s a lot, lot more, but you get the picture.

I actually voted for this DA, but I damn sure will not again.

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6 users have voted.

@travelerxxx I have had literally dozens of cases like this come up. Over and over and over. I am settling a divorce case right now where teen recanted allegation on step-dad, said it only because mom made her do it.
It wasn't your county, but a county northeast of you. That DA got in office a year ago.
Yes, delays. Problem is, if your attorney asks for re-sets and continuances, it kills the statute of limitations. In other words, strict timelines to prosecute are waived. On the other hand, if you push while the teen is willing to lie for whomever, you could be screwed.
It destroys families financially, but I have actually had a client terminate his parental rights to his only child, a son I managed to put into his custody through court, because that kid threatened to accuse his step-mom and step sisters of sexual molestation.
In he county where I reside, and where most of my practice is, I have a DA, two Asst. DAs, that stick to important cases, dismiss out bs cases. I am so lucky. I have criminal cases dismissed nowadays more than at any time in my practice. This is my 7th local DA. One was the top DA in the country. BAD ASS. Only 2 were goofballs.
Let me know how it goes. Send me a pm about the lawyers your families have hired. I am curious. I know a number of attorneys in your area.
Hope you and your wife are doing well, handling this heat!
Always a great pleasure to "see" you!

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5 users have voted.

"We'll know our disinformation program is complete when everything the American public believes is false." ---- William Casey, CIA Director, 1981

travelerxxx's picture

@on the cusp

Fired off a PM to you just now.

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1 user has voted.

@travelerxxx Don't know his guy or this firm. I might ask around, just for the hell of it.
We are having a good weekend. No cooking! Well, I made potato salad to o with several lbs. of perfectly smoked beef brisket and beef ribs.
I have this friend who operates a food cart. His family has had a barbecue stand for pretty much all my life. He is the last one in that family. He has tricks and secrets! But no internet or computer. He needed to get a permit to set up his cart at our high school's Homecoming football game last night. My secretary did the application, I paid for the permit. She got a couple of lbs. of beef, and Dear One and I got 5 or 6 lbs. It is so damn good!
Hope you and your wifey are doing great. Always drop me a line if you need anything, friend.

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2 users have voted.

"We'll know our disinformation program is complete when everything the American public believes is false." ---- William Casey, CIA Director, 1981

travelerxxx's picture

@on the cusp

People can say what they want about Texas, but nowhere on the planet does brisket like Texas. If it's not the State Dish, it should be.

Jealous here...

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2 users have voted.

@travelerxxx Texas gets a lot of things wrong, but brisket ain't one of them! It was delicious. Let me just rub it in some more...It was off the charts!

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2 users have voted.

"We'll know our disinformation program is complete when everything the American public believes is false." ---- William Casey, CIA Director, 1981

mhagle's picture

First I must say that I really enjoyed this essay and all of the interesting comments. I always enjoy hearing about your legal work! And red birds, cardinals . . . they are our most common bird here. However, with 24 cats around, some meet their demise.

About covid. My husband brought it home from his part-time job at Home Depot. He was sick already last Friday. At first, it didn't even occur to me that it might be covid. We've had all of the shots! Saturday morning I ran into Walmart and bought some tests. My husband tested positive so we moved him into our camper for isolation. I felt fine, but thought I'd better test myself too on Sunday morning. Positive. I moved out to the camper. We tried to stay away from the kids but they both got it too. 4 days of it for my husband, my daughter and myself. Only 2 days for my son. For us it was short but pretty miserable. Thank goodness it is over and we are all OK.

IMO a vaccine is crap if it doesn't keep you from getting the disease.

I haven't been paying attention. Have lots of folks here taken the vaccines and still got covid?

Wishing you all a wonderful weekend!

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6 users have voted.

Marilyn

"Make dirt, not war." eyo

@mhagle The kid I know that tested positive on a Saturday was back in school Monday. It was my secretary's son. She only took him to the Dr. to test to get him in school. She gave him otc meds for symptoms that weekend.
Did you see a Dr. and did the doc do anything for you?
I saw that Megyn Kelly is publicly regretting her shots and boosters. She got COVID anyway, and now has an autoimmune condition, sounds like rheumatoid arthritis,(which can kill you) since she mentioned her dr. specialized in RA, who said the vaxxes had caused her to have lots of new patients.
Marilyn, please explore the FLCCC suggestions post-vax. We all love you, we want you well as you can be, and we want your family up and at 'em right now! It won't hurt, just might help.
I know you gave up social contact and connections for 3 years, years you will never get back. You and I missed out on face time and hugs. Take the bull by the horns, see what you can do for yourself. Government may scare the hell out of your Dr., but isn't gonna take your license that you don't have in the first place.
Hang in there, and more importantly, HANG TOUGH!
And we will have that face to face, and we WILL hug! You hear? WE WILL!

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6 users have voted.

"We'll know our disinformation program is complete when everything the American public believes is false." ---- William Casey, CIA Director, 1981

QMS's picture

@mhagle

off the top of my head, there have been very few that admitted
to having taken the shots and then have gotten the virus.
Perhaps it is the atmosphere of this site that prevents
confessions of that sort?

I know I have had the flu-like symptoms 3 times over the past
4 years, the first was the worst. Took a while to recover. The
hardest part was when everyone was in a panic and I was always
asked if I got the jab. Answer: no. Then the vindications began.
I believe more in my body's ability to repair than the Fauci scam.

Glad you are getting better.

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@QMS If anyone would shame people for being unvaxxed, or being vaxxed, well, shame on them!
We are all, in terms you will appreciate, Mister, navigating in uncharted waters.
I can't think of a single stupid site member. Not a single one. So many brilliant site members, it boggles my mind. Man, we are so fortunate.
Everyone did what they researched, and thought was their best route to travel.
Marylin and anyone, and everyone, who jabbed, we hope for a good outcome. Vice versa. It is cruel and inhumane otherwise, and we damn well ARE better than that.
EVERYONE should share their COVID experiences in any context they wish. And all of us wish the ill to be well, as EL says.
There will not be a neener neener moment. Not here.

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7 users have voted.

"We'll know our disinformation program is complete when everything the American public believes is false." ---- William Casey, CIA Director, 1981

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"We'll know our disinformation program is complete when everything the American public believes is false." ---- William Casey, CIA Director, 1981

QMS's picture

@on the cusp

but I thought it was a good rejoinder
thanks otc

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4 users have voted.

"We'll know our disinformation program is complete when everything the American public believes is false." ---- William Casey, CIA Director, 1981

QMS's picture

@on the cusp

he goes way too fast for my reptile brain to process
reading it makes a lot of sense

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4 users have voted.

@QMS I never actually "heard" the lyrics, so fast, drowned out by instruments, had no idea until I read them how remarkable his song was, and is. Traces history extremely accurately. I posted it because of my very superficial idea it said the 99% isn't the problem. It says way, way more than that.

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4 users have voted.

"We'll know our disinformation program is complete when everything the American public believes is false." ---- William Casey, CIA Director, 1981

QMS's picture

@on the cusp

it is a snapshot of our lives in the 1968 to 1972 range
and what we were subject to during those times

there was another social commentary song back then
only remember parts of it ..

suicide, too many pills, hippies moving to the hills
people all over the world saying end the war
and the band played on

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7 users have voted.

@QMS I wish I (we) could just expat to Portugal. Of the 73 or so countries I have seen, that would be the one. But I (we) are old. Too late.

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"We'll know our disinformation program is complete when everything the American public believes is false." ---- William Casey, CIA Director, 1981

QMS's picture

@on the cusp

socially advanced than here.
Also fascinated by Iceland and Brazil
for different reasons.

I would go there in a heartbeat but
we have an ice cube problem
which doesn't seem to melt
as fast as the glaciers

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3 users have voted.

@QMS Wow!
Thanks!

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4 users have voted.

"We'll know our disinformation program is complete when everything the American public believes is false." ---- William Casey, CIA Director, 1981

She came to get a drink of water from her bowl on the ground. Then, she flew back to her spot in the vines about 20 ft. Her wings kept her up, although she still flies only 6 to 8 inches off the ground.
She is gonna make it!

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"We'll know our disinformation program is complete when everything the American public believes is false." ---- William Casey, CIA Director, 1981

QMS's picture

@on the cusp

we are pulling for you to get better.

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@QMS for her 1 second flight. She made a perfect landing.
Tough little baby girl red birds are Bad Ass!

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3 users have voted.

"We'll know our disinformation program is complete when everything the American public believes is false." ---- William Casey, CIA Director, 1981