caucus99percent

free-range politics, organic community

Agritourism, Our Trip to White Oak Pastures

We're driving home today from a bird banding on Dauphin Island, so I've posted a story of our trip from last fall to an amazing regenerative farm, White Oak Pastures. This essay largely appeared in our little local paper. I hope you find it of interest, some did.

Maggie is an avid fan of the paper. She particularly enjoyed last months regenerative agriculture article

Afternoon folks!

Here's a bunch of great music to enjoy some good weather with, or, alternately, enjoy sheltering from miserable weather with. Starting off we've got Buddy and the Juniors, Buddy Guy, Junior Wells and Junior Mance doing the stuff that made Chicago great. Following that is another Chicago blues album from Blues Queen Sylvia with guitarist Jimmy Dawkins and then a compilation album of (hmmm, this is becoming a theme) Chicago blues guitarist Otis Rush's early recordings. Next we've got a live album of blues and blues rock from Albert Collins, Etta James and Joe Walsh. Rounding out the lineup is an album of Japanese prog rock from the Sadistic Mika Band.

Enjoy the tunes and have a great weekend!

Good morning, good friends!

To begin, I ran across meme. Young black man asking, "How do I tell someone, "F'ck you" in a more polite way?

One response was from an elderly white woman. "Well, in Texas we say, 'Bless your heart.'"

Friends, I have stood beside attorneys making nutty arguments, said the same thing to them at the bench.

Happy Friday everyone. Welcome to Friday Night Photos your once a week escape from the day to day insanity of the world we live in. Post any photos, memes, music or whatever else you find of interest that helps tune out the madness.

The rose bushes in the Balboa Park rose garden are in bloom after being cut back for the winter. That means it's time to get out with the macro lens and look for bugs in the garden.

If I recall correctly, Donald Trump threatened to obliterate Iran recently: a threat of genocide. Then came the phony ceasefire, and nothing really change. Should we not worry about Trump's promotion of his genocidal capacities?

Original text from May 2025

The original Declaration of Independence was signed in 1776 -- its 250th anniversary takes place on July 4, 2026. Virtually nobody in the country is satisfied with our society, but we are mainly at each others' throats about what is wrong or how to address it.

Morning,

This week I began reading the Sterling Seagrave book Lords of the Rim. Rethinking the relationship of the overseas Chinese with the mainland as nearly a 2000 year saga. Peoples Republic of China vs Republic of China intermingling with foreign actors is the modern era of the saga. The future in one to two hundred years will probably develop a new chapter with different players.

Italy Steps Up!

Italy recently blocked American use of airbases in Italy (Sicily) for the war with Iran. US Military Air planes can use the bases for other reasons, but not for the war. Go Italy!

I keep thinking of the iconic Italian anti-fascist song, Bella Ciao, humming it as work around the farm and so on. Hopefully, I won’t get in trouble… Heh!

Here’s a really good flashmob performance of Bella Ciao in France!