OT ~ Welcome to Saturday!

open thread.jpg

Sit-a-while
on swinging porch
where tin-dippers and
sweet water
in cool touches
meet lips
from hand dug wells.
"Time is the coin of your life. It is the only coin you have, and only you can determine how it will be spent. Be careful lest you let other people spend it for you." ~ Carl Sandburg


Good morning good people,


Goodbye Venice

"Goodbye Ravenna, goodbye Ferrara, goodbye Carthage? Many World Heritage Sites around the Mediterranean are at grave risk from sea-level rise by 2100, report says.
A study conducted by Kiel University in Germany, published online by Nature, the peer-reviewed, multi-disciplinary journal for science, shows how the projected sea-level rise for the Mediterranean may affect the 49 Unesco World Heritage sites (WHS) situated at 10m or less above sea level.

"The most threatened are on the coast of the northern Adriatic: Venice and the Venetian fortifications; the early Christian town of Aquileia, the late Roman imperial complex of Ravenna with its Byzantine mosaics, and the Renaissance city of Ferrara with the delta of the river Po. The next highest risk area is the Dalmatian coast, with the episcopal complex of Porec, and the Tunisian coast, with the medina of Tunis, and the archaeological sites of Carthage and Sabratha." https://www.theartnewspaper.com/news/ancient-cities-were-built-on-water-...

Hand shaking on the stop-cock, she looks
at the X, the warning cross,

the water-tap unlocked, its padlock cracked.
Breath hacks in the throat, Check your back.

Turn it on and an anxious mutter swells
to thunder in the plastic bucket. Don’t spill it.

Fill it to the top. Lift to the hip, stop,
balance the weight for the dangerous walk

home. Home.
Don’t lose a drop.

From the police chowki across the track
a whistle, a shout. Run. Don’t stop. Don’t slip.

A drag at the hip. Hot, hot underfoot. Water slops
up and out in every direction, over the lip,

over her legs, a shock of cool, a spark of light.
With her stolen piece of sky, she has taken flight.

Behind her, the shouters give up. She puts down
the bucket. The water stills. Our melting, shifting, liquid world': celebrities read poems on climate change

She looks into it, looks up to where the blue
is scarred with aimless tracks.

Jet-trails cross each other off
before they die out, a careless X.

X” ~ Imtiaz Dharker

We were the first that ever burst
Into that silent sea

Another vessel sheds the chrome
of its silver mile until a mile
meanders into three, triples again

over the reef. Nothing can breathe
under oil, nor register that
dark membrane’s slick

over sight. We were the first
cracking the hull of the earth
open, our foolish husbandry
Our melting, shifting, liquid world': celebrities read poems on climate change

a metallurgy that’s brimmed
with false gold too often
we can talk, and talk, and talk

but a ship in space, manned
by non-thinking from non-feeling,
says absolutely nothing at all.

Silent Sea
- ST Coleridge

We’re sat by the ocean and this
could be a love poem; but that lullaby murderer
refuses each name I give it
and the icebergs seep into our sandwiches,
translated by carbon magic. And even this might be
to say too much. But the muse of poetry
has told me to be more clear – and don’t,
s/he said, for the love of God, please, screw things up.
Ambiguous, I didn’t reply; as we’re sat
by the ocean and I could make it
anything you wanted, for this moment
of speaking – but we have made it
something forever. Together
the weather
is a language we can barely understand;
but confessional experts detect
in the senseless diktat of hurricane
a hymning of our sins, our stupid counterpoint.
Love has served its purpose, now must be
transformed by an impersonal sequester
of me into the loves I will not see,
or touch, or in any way remember.
Perhaps it was always like this – take my hand,
horizon – ceding this land.

A Language of Change
~ David Sergeant


New York’s Metropolitan Museum of Art, Yup’ik mask, around 1900

Mother nature on the mind this morning. Wherever you are, hoping you've a marvelous day.

The porch is yours ...

Photo credit: Atelier des Lumières, Paris

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smiley7's picture

old mind, i guess. Anyways, have a good one.

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@smiley7 Time is relative? lol I am still hung up at tempus fugit, reminded me of ye olde rhymer Ogden Nash:

A flea and a fly in a flue
Were imprisoned, so what could they do?
Said the fly, "let us flee!"
"Let us fly!" said the flea.
So they flew through a flaw in the flue.

When my gf was at McMurdo she'd email me tomorrow (Sunday her one day off) and I would get it today (Saturday), it's the same TZ as New Zealand I think. Speaking of NZ, I think of Janis B almost every d-diddly-day now, because fennel seeds are so good in my curry just like she said. It is part of the anti-inflammatory healing regimen for my back sprain, ice packs too. I love ice packs and fennel seeds and turmeric. Turmeric reminds me of yellow vests... lol. ~wandering~
---
Boy howdy the R-evolving D-evolving door spins fast nowadays. woo!
Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke, under cloud of scandal, forced out

There are a number of potential Republicans in the running to follow Zinke as leader of the sprawling department that manages the nation’s natural resources, from national parks to offshore oil drilling. Among the candidates frequently mentioned is David Bernhardt, a former oil and gas lobbyist who has been Zinke’s second-in-command.

Rollback the Clean Water Act then bring on the Oil and Gas guys why not. cheap and dirty

peace fleet

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smiley7's picture

@eyo
Eyo,
Take Gabapentin regularly, some days more for nerve pain and the back's worn out tissue down low between the vertebra, the electric shock running round the right hip and down the big thigh of the right leg--use a ski pole as cane most days to walk.

Purchased about seven bucks of turmeric and cayenne powder last week; need to do both and other expensive fresh herbs for my lung conditions, daily in large quantities; known about this for years, now, but i'm hit and miss about it, partly due to cash-flow and mostly due to a lack of due diligence.

Lifts spirits to see you.

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Deja's picture

@smiley7
I'm interested. I, too, lack the due diligence, more often than I like to admit, but I'd like to hear about it.

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smiley7's picture

@Deja

A for instance: of my multiple diseases, interstitial lung disease destroys the membranes carrying oxygen form the lungs to heart making the production of Glutathione difficult in the process and pulmonary hypertension constricts vessels in need of relaxation; turmeric long known as a relaxer, a fancy ibuprofen--kind of--helps promote the growth of Glutathione as well as easing inflammation.

Asparagus is a power Glutathione food, so in shortly answering the complex, this past week, i've eaten fresh asparagus covered in turmeric and cooked a soup yesterday with other lots of growing in the earth plants, with a heavy dose of turmeric and cayenne.

Sure other c99ers know more about herbs and their health benefits than me.

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Deja's picture

@smiley7
So you eat them. I'm often confused about how things are used when people mention spices, herbs, plants for healing.

Just yesterday I pondered in a group text with my kids and brother just how many gallons of snot I might have blown out of my nose in the past week of being sick. My son said that I should "use essential oils" and that his friend sells them. He never replied when I asked if I was supposed to stick them up my nose or what. See what I mean?

Turmeric is pretty tasty. My brother makes cauliflower and turmeric. Delicious and bright. Cheyenne can, as my dad used to say, "Put hair on your chest." I've heard that low carbs can help promote lung function too, but I'm not sure if that's fact or hoopla surrounding a fad. Sure do like me some potatoes, though.

Thanks for explaining, and hope they help with your condition.

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The Aspie Corner's picture

[video:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4M7evppIN6A]

Bonus: Questions Liberals Can't Answer (But Socialists Can)

[video:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=frU21i9CJKI]

I will say I applaud this guy for putting up with this kind of crap. Listening to that bimbo whine and bitch made me want to shoot myself.

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Modern education is little more than toeing the line for the capitalist pigs.

Guerrilla Liberalism won't liberate the US or the world from the iron fist of capital.

smiley7's picture

@The Aspie Corner
much and love you for it; we hear you and very much appreciate your daily contributions; don't let the BS get you down, bring it here when it does. It's part of community.

Cheers.

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Raggedy Ann's picture

THE HIGH DESERT
Here in the high desert
rising water levels
are of little concern.

Oh, the thought of water
gathering into a pond,
or trickling down a stream,
is not in the high desert cards.

Drought and pestilence are the
monsters to fear
in this land of native vegetation
and blowing dust.

Water rising is concerning to
everyone, as people
become displaced.
Where to go, is the question.
The high desert
might be the answer.

Thanks for the morning jazz. It let me know I had a poem in me this peaceful morning.

Have a beautiful day, folks! Pleasantry

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

smiley7's picture

@Raggedy Ann

Tickles me to have you say a rain drop caused creativity.

Smiling words yet to be written.

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Lookout's picture

From Loudermilk's terriffic pamphlet based on a world study in 1938-39...
"Conquest of the land through 7000 years"
https://www.soilandhealth.org/wp-content/uploads/01aglibrary/010119lowde...

Along the northern coast of Africa into Tunisia and Algeria we read the record of the granary of Rome during the empire—by surveying a cross section from the Mediterranean to the Sahara Desert, from 40 inches of rainfall to 4 inches, from Carthage on the coast to Biskra at the edge of mysterious Sahara.
In Tunisia we found that it rains in the desert of North Africa in wintertime now as it did in the time of Caesar—in 44 B. C. Caesar complained of how a great rainstorm with wind had blown over the tents of his army encampment and flooded the camp. It rained hard enough to produce flash floods in the wadies. At one place muddy water swept across the highway in such volume that we decided to wait for the flash flow to go down before proceeding.
We stood on the site of ancient Carthage, the principal city of North Africa in Phoenician and Roman times—the city that produced Hannibal and became a dangerous rival of Rome. In 146 B. C. at the end of the Third Punic War, Scipio destroyed Carthage, but out of the doomed city he saved 28 volumes of a work on agriculture written by a Carthaginian by the name of Mago.
Mago was recognized by the Greeks and Romans as the foremost authority on agriculture in the Mediterranean area. These works of Mago on agricultural subjects were translated by such Roman writers as Columella, Varro, and Cato. The translations tell us that the traditions of conserving soil and water discovered on the slopes of ancient Phoenicia had been brought there by colonists. We suspect these measures furnished the basis of the great agricultural production that was so important to the Romans during the Empire.
Over a large part of the ancient granary of Rome we found the soil washed off to bedrock
and the hills seriously gullied as a result of overgrazing. Most valley floors are still cultivated but are eroding in great gullies fed by accelerated storm runoff from barren slopes. This is in an area that supported many great cities in Roman times.
We found at Djemila the ghosts of Cuicul, a city that once was great and populous and rich but later was covered completely, except for about 3 feet of a single column, by erosion debris washed off the slopes of surrounding hills. For 20 years French archaeologists had been excavating this remarkable Roman City and had unearthed great temples, two great forums, splendid Christian churches, and great warehouses for wheat and olive oil. All this had been buried by erosional debris washed from the eroding slopes above the city. The surrounding slopes, once covered with olive groves, are now cut up with active gullies.
The modern village houses only a few inhabitants. The flat lands are still farmed to grain but the slopes are bare and eroding and wasting away. What is the reason for this astounding decline and ruin?

The more things change, the more they stay the same.

Loved your Sandburg quote Smiley...as my buddy says, "We're richer than kings because our time is our own"

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

smiley7's picture

@Lookout
good to see you, keep on strumming, making cords singing to lyrics with friends on Lookout.

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mimi's picture

@# (edit Englishe Sprache - schwere Sprache - oder mimi has no mind for spelling)
we lose our minds and it all gets lost.

Thank you for the mindful poems and art. If I had your mind, I would be immensely proud of myself. So, please, never forget how much you have given us and how wonderful it is to be on the receiving end of it.

The only thing I regret is that I never know who you are in real life. What a pleasure it would be to know to whom we talk and listen.

Bless your soul.

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smiley7's picture

@mimi
out 'shite' all over him." At least, a boast i often make in jest with local friends. Me, too, i want to touch your hand in person, someday, look into your eyes, and see mimi.

Plan on it; hell or high water, top of our bucket list! Maybe, we could draw a crowd of c99ers to a union.

Love you, especially for your wisdom and huge heart.

Thank you.

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Raggedy Ann's picture

I found this video interesting about the yellow vest movement.
Good Pleasantry

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

lotlizard's picture

@Raggedy Ann  
Absolutely nothing about what’s happening with GJ in the rest of France.

Other items on German 7 o’clock evening news:
Climate conference in Kattowitz extended by a day but still no agreement.
Australia recognizes West Jerusalem as Israel’s capital.
Something about personnel changes in the White House, something about Brexit.
Facebook security breach leaked up to 6.8 million users’ photos.
Protests in Hungary against labor law change.
Something about a railway accident.
German political party “Free Democrats” celebrate 70th anniversary of founding.

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magiamma's picture

another beautiful day here on the western front. we need more rain.

eve hesse is one of my favorite artists. you really have to see her work in real life to eperience the full impact of it. stoic and sensual a the same time. died when she was thirty due to the chemicals she uses to make her art. good friends with sol lewitt.

Eva Hess 1_0.jpg

[video:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dlPOqbtDUYM]

[video:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HG65ymJ3xo0]

thanks for the ot and the news smiley. may your heart be surrounded and leavened with penetrating light.

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Stop Climate Change Silence - Start the Conversation

Hot Air Website, Twitter, Facebook

smiley7's picture

@magiamma
Special cheers for bringing her work to us, magi.

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lotlizard's picture

@magiamma  
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eva_Hesse

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enhydra lutris's picture

Thanks too for the Sandberg. "Time waits for no man", they say, but it did not stop for Odysseus all the same, much to Polyphemus' chagrin. In a silly mood today, sorry. Because I have a twisted mind, your column conjoined with RA's comment called forth the never coined phrase "where are the floods of yesterday?" which in turn generated remembrances of "The Day The Dam Broke" by Thurber which in turn called forth multitudinous personal adventures with flash flood warnings. Sadly, the rising seas are all to real and certain, and who knows how the high deserts will fare.

Off to market today, so have yourself a great one and spend your time well.

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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 --

smiley7's picture

@enhydra lutris
of comparisons since first reading Thurber. On to something good, el, though i've not the articulation to carry it through, i can feel.

Perhaps humanity can learn to walk before it has to swim again.

Good wishes to a week of new discoveries.

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Anja Geitz's picture

on today's wonderful selection of poetry and artwork...

Time. Yes, that seems to have become a precious commodity as I grow older. Sometimes I like to fantasize that the snooze button on my alarm clock actually stopped time. Where I could set it at 6:00am every morning, hit it, go back to sleep, wake up when I felt like, do what ever I felt like for as long as I felt like, then hit the alarm button it again and go back to my 'real' life.

Hmmmm...how am I spending my time these days? Good question. Except I don't have the time to answer.

Hope everyone has a good day!

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There is always Music amongst the trees in the Garden, but our hearts must be very quiet to hear it. ~ Minnie Aumonier

smiley7's picture

@Anja Geitz
hope i don't sound like a publisher in saying so and knowing time will tell as it infinitely does; my patience seems to grow by reaches, little steps, too.

"One day champagne, next day, a bottle of beer, but we're here."

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Anja Geitz's picture

@smiley7

I am working on an essay right now but have been so busy at the store and with all the holiday stuff, I haven't put it on paper yet. But I will. Smile

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There is always Music amongst the trees in the Garden, but our hearts must be very quiet to hear it. ~ Minnie Aumonier

magiamma's picture

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Stop Climate Change Silence - Start the Conversation

Hot Air Website, Twitter, Facebook

smiley7's picture

@magiamma
Sweet, music to the ears; as you featured earlier this week; earth's future belongs to children

Talent abounds:

Good dreams.

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