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Featured Editorials

Welcome to Saturday's Potluck - Oct 14, 2023

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

My journey into early American history keeps circling back to global wars. This time exploring areas claimed and settled by Virginian residents.

Surprise - George Washington fired the first shots leading to the French-American war and the global 7 year war.

Thomas Lee, Stratford Hall and the Ohio Company (1:24:50)(starts at 55 to subject ends 58:44 min) 2022

Friday Night Photos Maritime Edition

Happy Friday the 13th everyone. I hope everybody is doing well. Post any photos, memes, or music you like.

I had family in town visiting this week. On Tuesday we went to the Maritime Museum of San Diego. It was a beautiful sunny day with temps in the low 70s. The last time I was at the museum was four years ago. Since that time the boats are looking a little worse for wear and the Russian submarine they used to have is no longer there. I don't know if that has anything to do with the war in Ukraine or not. I also noticed the HMS Surprise is now tied up on its starboard side. Last time I was there it was tied up on the port side. All in all it was a fun day and week.

https://sdmaritime.org/visit/the-ships/

The first five shots are the Star of India, the second five are HMS Surprise, the ship used for the movie Master and Commander.

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Open Thread - 10-13-23 - TGIF the 13th

So, we are going to a concert at Gruene Hall, Texas' oldest dance hall, staying in New Braunfels tonight and tomorrow night. The performer we will see is Junior Brown.

Junior Brown: 3 songs, about 3 minutes each, most interesting little riffs and teasers at or near the 6 minute mark

Open Thread - Thurs 12 Oct 2023: Dance and Sing in Russian!

Dance and Sing in Russian!

I was gonna write a bit about the economy. But, there were some minor panics in the family arena: nothing major (parents' tax return from the accountant was late, one of their car's wouldn't run (until my husband touched it, then it ran!)); all hands on deck were needed for a few days. And then the new war (Hamas/Israel) started and I'm... yea. I just want to get my comfy-est blanket wrapped around me, put it over my head and mumble once in a while. Maybe I'll eat a gallon of ice cream too. Or this great apple tart Hubby made me. I'll peek out when something good happens, like, Halloween or something.

I think I'm getting too old, or I just don't watch enough current thought-manipulation, err, main stream media. All I could think when the Hamas/Israel thing started was, 'Ahh, now 'they' have another war! And we can all forget about the Ukraine thing which wasn't going so well! Just in time. Imagine that!' And, 'How did this Hamas stuff happen without the intel in the USA, Nato, Israel, not knowing?' I mean, apparently Egypt knew, and tried to tell them. So, were those poor people who died so awfully just sacrifices to gin up enthusiasm for a new war, which is really horrible, frankly? Am I too cynical?

Okay now here's an offhand thought.

While Hamas et al. are in the third day of fighting, some Ukrainians are going off-script:

Russia Seeks to 'Frame' Ukraine with 'Trophy' Western Weapons in Gaza: Kyiv

Not only is this an admission that the Russians have been capturing gobs of Ukrainian weapons, but it's a suggestion that great US gifts of weaponry to Ukraine are going to find their way to the Middle East.

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