Thursday Open Thread 6-28-2018
Having some internet problems and technician is to be out today. May not be able to add comments until Friday. Please comment on any subject and anyone with garden reports add a note.
As one is weaving through literature, videos and websites different names may refer to the same person, god or historical figure. For example Fu Xi, the roginal Chinese Emporer ruling over 5,000 years ago, is also known as Fuxi, Fu Hsi, Bao Xi, Pao Xi, Mi Xi and Tai Hao.
Fu Xi is attributed to have discovered the bagua trigrams (used in I Ching), development of the Chinese writing system. He taught how to domesticate animals, cooking, make a fish net, to hunt with weapons made of iron and developed the guqin (qin) string interment. Not stopping with those achievements he instituted marriage and offered the first open-air sacrifice to heaven.
Interesting one of our trade disputes is China's lack of respect for intellectual property. The poster of this clip had to dispute Sony's copyright claim for a 800 year old melody to post on youtube.
[video:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RjPmTTCQvbM]
These two movies mark major events in Modern China.
Beginning of the Great Revival celebrating the 90th anniversary of the Communist Party of China, has English subtitles. Time period is 1911 to 1921 as different groups try to govern in China and ends with the first meeting of the Communist Party of China. Revolutions are almost always messy. (Avaliable on Netflix and some clips on Youtube)
[video:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i1-yuI2DOQo]
The Founding of a Republic celebrating the 60th anniversary of The Peoples Republic of China, has poor quality subtitles. List of significant persons in the movie. It is assumed the viewers of the movie are familiar with them. I was able to watch on Youtube.
[video:href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qplkX1cZk2U]
How modern China may reacts to conflict is reflected patterns from the past. We may look at Communist China as a fairly new enemy. They consider the West an old enemy.
A tragedy in the making as the US confronts China
Chinese officials are warning that they are prepared not only for trade war, but for financial, diplomatic and limited military confrontation with the United States, in response to American demands for fundamental changes in Chinese economic policy.
The dispute between the world’s two largest economies has moved beyond narrow issues of trade or specific areas of prospective conflict: Washington now views China’s technologically-focused economic strategy as a challenge to America’s world position, and China views Washington’s demands on China as the equivalent of a “new Opium War,” as a senior Chinese official told Asia Times last week.
...
But Beijing has concluded that Washington does not want specific trade concessions, the official continued, but rather wants China to abandon its economic policy of subsidizing nascent industries and acquiring advanced technology – in effect giving up its plans for economic development, in the Chinese perception.
The term managed democracy showed up in my reading this week. Reminded me of our political process with the two parties ruling with similar outcomes.
The reality, though, is far from being such an optimistic scenario. Both men are autocrats; Vucic, for example, is at least as bad as Hungary’s Viktor Orbán and is perfecting the new European art of “managed democracy”, which is likely to be a model that Bin Zayed may copy in the future. Like Orbán – who is also fiercely anti-Muslim – Vucic presents himself to Brussels as a liberal with the full intention of subverting democracy if and when Serbia joins the EU.
Guided democracy, also called managed democracy,[1] is a formally democratic government that functions as a de facto autocracy. Such governments are legitimized by elections that are free and fair but do not change the state's policies, motives, and goals.[2]
In other words, the government controls elections so that the people can exercise all their rights without truly changing public policy. While they follow basic democratic principles, there can be major deviations towards authoritarianism. Under managed democracy, the state's continuous use of propaganda techniques prevents the electorate from having a significant impact on policy.[3]
The concept of a "guided democracy" was developed in the 20th century by Walter Lippmann in his seminal work Public Opinion (1922) and by Edward Bernays in his work Crystallizing Public Opinion.
Farm Report
Somehow missed taking any pictures this week. Setting up a perinatal flower bed to extend the bloom for me and the insects.
Comments
good morning all
I just came in from picking blueberries...another half gallon for the freezer. Our technique is to put a single layer on a cookie sheet in the freezer for an hour or two till frozen. Then bag them up (some folks use milk jugs)and put them back in the freezer till you're ready to use them. Pour out what you want to use, rinse them, and voila ready to eat. We still have a couple more weeks of daily picking off of our 5 Rabbit eye blueberry bushes. It is a prolific, deer resistant crop.
Harvested our first cherokee purple tomato yesterday...yum. So it is harvest season from now till September....a busy time for gardening here.
Living in the hinterlands has a price in terms of poor internet service. We often have issues. Our line of consolation is "oh the joys of country living". Among poor internet service other challenges include eroding roads, fallen trees (I've fallen and you can drive out), power outages, rabies, copper heads and rattlers, and so on. It ain't all fun and games.
I've been enjoying your China series. All the best to you, your farm, and better internet service!
“Until justice rolls down like water and righteousness like a mighty stream.”
I would so love
to grow blueberries here in South Central TX. I've tried once and failed. I used a variety that was breed for this region but still had no luck. I will try again hopefully some time but not this fall as I have a full agenda.
We are having trouble with leaf-cutter ants on the plot of land that we borrow for our big garden. They are very destructive and have damaged pecan trees, olive trees, pomegranates, lemon and lime trees. We didn't plant much except radishes and onions this year and they didn't seem to bother them. The ants seem to thrive in sandy soil. We put a load of native cedar mulch around the trees and it seemed to help a bit but it was too late for some of the trees.
I know what you mean about hazards around in the rural areas. We have spotted 3 copperheads and a coral snake. Areas where there are stacks of hay seem to be a draw for them. The land is just up a bit from a river, so that is also a draw.
It seems to be a hotter summer here than last year with temperatures getting higher earlier in the summer. My plants in pots are really struggling and I have resorted to using shade cloth over some of them.
Good morning. Thanks for the OT, SOE. No real garden report
except that the onions re ready to harvest, but we have to leave them planted for a week or more so that we will be here to keep an eye on them while they harden off after picking. Vacations play havoc with gardening. We lost some stuff during our recent stay at the coast due to irrigation issues and, insome cases, sun. Has anybody tried artificially creating dappled light zones for "partial shade"?
Our problems with China, like most of our problems center around our view that everything is a competition,that everybody else is a competitor and that we must win all competitions. To the US, competitions are all zero sum games, for us to win, others must lose; there can be no cooperative advancement for all, that is simply not a concept in our weltanschauung.
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 --
we use shade cloth to extend lettuce into the summer
https://southwestgardener.com/garden-shade-structures/
We use hoops of metal garden fencing (upside down u) with cloth over them. In 4 ft sections they are easy to move around to harvest etc. It has the added advantage of keeping most insects and all the deer out.
and ollas are a great way to water while absent
https://suburbanfarmonline.com/2010/08/09/make-your-own-ollas/
Have fun with your garden!
“Until justice rolls down like water and righteousness like a mighty stream.”
Good ideas
and nice pictures in those links, thanks. I have been meaning to try ollas. I really appreciated last week's OT with the link about the guy in Tucson who managed water. I will take to heart his statement about never planting fruit trees and other water-hog plants until first constructing an efficient way to give them water.
Thanks, Lookout. We have some all purpose material that
is a frost cover and a shade cloth (allegedly) that we use for frost. Dunno what I can get set up by tomorrow, however. What I was really wondering about is more general and all season => I once read that "part shade" and "part sun" could be a few hours of full sun and a few hours of deep shade, or a full day of dappled shade and I had a couple of areas in mind to try to convert to said "dappled shade" - which I envision as being similar to in the shadow of certain deciduous trees.
The ollas seem like a good idea, but I'm pretty much already all on drip and microsprinkler combinations. That is an especially good solution for multi-week absences, which we are prone to. Unfortunately the controllers sometimes barf out on us, which is not so good.
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 --
No kidding.
just can't have that. Even though that particular weltanschauung will ultimately put absolutely everything in peril. Our 'civilization' thinks it is so smart, but this way of living is profoundly stupid.
Good morning , SoE. Supremes to take up double-jeopardy case in
fall, talking head just said; quaint timing isn't it?
Thanks for your continuing China series, so much to learn from your investment.
Read recently that it's more important to eat fresh produce than distant, shelved organic; not a scientist, but that seems reasonable. Ate the first June apples yesterday, good year for apple trees, thankfully as i visit trees in about a 20-mile radius, i've noted over the years, favorites are green and tart.
Blessed with lots of rain so far this season, but that probably doesn't bode well for the community's tomatoes as they are prone to blight in our climate.
Hoping internet troubles go away soon.
I've read
that the nutritional value decreases with time. You can conceivably eat an orange that has zero vitamin C in it. Plus the fact that we have been depleting our soil of life and minerals with our poor agricultural practices.
Glad you have good apples available. Several years ago I was in Western Massachusetts during apple season and ate some of the best apples I've ever had. I do love good apples. We really don't have them in my neck of the woods. We do, at times, have beautiful locally grown peaches though.
Hope you are doing well s/7. I missed commenting in your OT last Saturday, it's a hectic schedule around here with battling the elements and all. The only 'culture' that I managed to imbibe last week was watching a clip of the comedian Cameron Esposito on our rape culture, reading a bit (posted by Aspie) about Hector Garcia's book Alpha Gods and I managed to read a book called Canine Confidential by Marc Bekoff which was a niece view on how to be mindful of animals.
Dog behavior intrigues ...good to see you, randtntx; thanks,
having a decent week health-wise, knocking on wood.
Some of the apple trees are the remaining survivors of old homesteads, clearly, and sometimes i ponder how and why an apple tree grows where it is seemingly isolated from past human experience. Apple pies with homemade double crust is a specialty when i calculate the exact amount of butter to add to crust batter; a trick i've borrowed is once peeled and cored, place the peelings and cores in water, boil, reduce down, cool, strain and pour over apple slices adding cinnamon, lemon juice and zest, and occasionally raisins; yummy.
Have a good Day!
Managed Democracy...
my first thought was "Emergency Managers"...
I sometimes wonder what it was like being a Roman when their aspirations of no kings turned into an Empire. Now I know.
At least the circuses are awesome.
[video:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vv7flBVmFgU]
I do not pretend I know what I do not know.
Chinese veterans are up in arms
citizen solidarity
I agree with the Chinese, intellect is not property to be monopolized by corporations. Share freely, that's what I say. Advance the civilization.
http://www.micheleboldrin.com/research/intellectual_property.html
--- Fred Vision
From the solitary chamber of my mind, in case anyone else was wondering: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hedge_fund
about ethics
https://whalewisdom.com/filer/grayson-fund-lp
lately
4/20/2018 (good date pick lol) SEC linky: Filing Detail
D-Values
D-Erivatives
D-Brand is still Crisis
so D-Profit why not
Pat Benatar - Red Vision
In Fred We Trust
Apropos “Fred”
[video:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u1cjaheraq8]
Oh Mexico
James Taylor-Mexico
Sales of imported US apples down as 20% tariff kicks in
---
One of FBI’s most wanted captured in Michoacán
---
Ballots stolen in Tabasco, Oaxaca; some polling stations at risk
some say
¡Viva la Revolución!
Peace & Love
Great OT and comments
Lots of variety here today. Still enjoying learning about China. And everyone's gardening successes and struggles.
I have to say I miss apples. Planted a couple that are supposed to survive here this year. Back home we had some yummy sour old fashioned varieties out in the woods. Our fruit trees in Texas are at the end of our gray water pipes, and that has made a great difference. Saw a non-venomous snake yesterday, but we do have copperheads and water mocassins in this area too.
Now for this weeks veggie photos . . .
Banana squash and orange butternut squash
Brussel Sprouts
Armenian Cucumbers
First time to grow any of these varieties. The classic butternut and these orange butternut squashes are doing very well, except for the squash bug problem. I go out and kill them every day, but when I miss some - a whole plant can be dead the next day. Fortunately, the squash are still fine. These two banana squash will be the only ones I get because I picked them off the dead plant. They are supposed to be very sweet and good for pie. ??
Looking forward to cooking the brussel sprouts. Cut up an Armenian cucumber and it was delicious IMO. It is actually a melon that people use like a cucumber. I liked eating it raw. Will try pickles.
I also started seeds this week. Some in those little peat pots and some are soaking for sprouting, then planting. Figured, why the hell not? The tomatoes I planted in March, most are dead. A couple big tomatoes were delicious, and some cherries made it too. Argh!
So I guess it is important to be excited about what I do harvest - which I am. It counters other disappointments.
Marilyn
"Make dirt, not war." eyo
German TV airing documentary on ex-drone-pilot whistleblowers
at this very moment (cable channel Phoenix), with actual footage and audio from an incident where U.S.-NATO blew up a wedding party, killing 23 assembled family members including many children.
U.S. authorities are subjecting these whistleblowers to extreme surveillance and legal harassment.
Edited to add: They didn’t even intend to become whistleblowers. The things they witnessed, caused by themselves or other drone operators, left them with PTSS. I didn’t catch the beginning of the program, but it seems that the U.S. government didn’t want to recognize that their drone-operator experiences had left them disabled and in need of treatment.
One of them, ignored by regular government channels, went to a reporter with audio and video of attacks on innocents that had traumatized him, resulting in the Obama administration prosecuting him under the Espionage Act.
In another case, a woman ex-drone-operator contacted survivors of victims murdered by her drone unit in Afghanistan to apologize to them. She has also been accused of espionage.
I’d like to see Maxine Waters or that Splinter “This is just the beginning” writer call for mobbing all the “Nazis” involved in, say, U.S. policies and actions that have caused children to be slaughtered in Afghanistan, Iraq, Libya, Syria, and throughout the Middle East, North Africa, and Central Asia.
Glad to hear that the drone operators are speaking out about
their experiences. The use of drones is another war crime that won't be prosecuted. I'm sure that those who developed PTSD are having to fight to get considered for disability. If congress is going to continue to vote to send people to kill others who are no threat to this country then they damn well plan on paying for the consequences.
The espionage act is unconstitutional IMO. It doesn't allow people to mount a proper defense against bogus charges. And if ones actions can't stand up to exposure then don't do them. That the only person who went to prison for torture was the person who blew the whistle on it is just one more stain on this country.
I recently read a distortion of reality comment about how scandal free Obama's tenure was. Boy did I have something to say about this person's fantasy.
Here in the USA arming and funding Israeli genocide and mass murder is perfectly OK, but objecting to it will get you expelled, arrested or deported.
Sounds like National Bird
thanks.
http://nationalbirdfilm.com/
Good catch! Yes, I’m pretty sure that’s the one.
I do recall spotting the name Wim Wenders in the closing credits.
The danger of peace
it takes courage