IrishAyes
IrishAyes's JournalYeah, but it would be nice if Newark and NYC could be saved.
People who move to Florida are just begging for sharknado! If the boa constrictors, alligators, and giant poisonous toads don't get 'em first.
Class act all the way.
I always get excited over a live press conference because it's complete and unexpurgated. Then the talking head comments to follow are ever so much funnier as they try to explain what just happened. Even funnier on the evening news when they only offer recorded snippets in hopes of bolstering their lies. Seeing the whole process work itself out is just beautiful.
We aren't allowed to look the other way, are we?
Here in the great American bible belt I'm constantly advised to keep my long damnYankee nose out of the world's business and quit wasting time on things over which I have no control. Which to the locals means anything outside a 50 mile radius of town. They're willfully ignorant about most of what's going on in the world, and I've met so many who are proud they've never been so much as a hundred miles from home. That imbues them with an extra sense of ownership and territory they think they do control, however. And many can tell you the geneologies and crimes and misdemeanors of the various bloodlines HERE going back centuries.
One of the saddest things I remember hearing anyone say here was a mother literally bragging how her daughter had travelled to big bad Chicago for her college freshman year and came running home in weeks because the big city scared her too much. That was proof positive the kid had good sense and was a true scion of her wealthy bank-owning family. They'd set her up in her own lakefront condo, etc. but it just wasn't 'home'. She saw for herself how evil and dangerous the outside world is and came running home to mommy and daddy like a good girl. Made the whole family SO proud!
It's more than enough!
You're right about turning the entire GOP worldview upside down, too. 'bout time they found out some things.
They must really hate hearing him say that other countries have the right to determine their own fate, too - that's really what democracy's about, not us imposing our own will on everyone else. But dear lord in heaven, to admit in public that we don't and can't control every square inch of the planet.... heresy!
It goes nicely with the one where he's raising a glass to toast someone
but the look in his eyes says something more like 'up yours' or 'so sue me!' or even 'kiss my black ass if you don't like what I'm doing.' That's one thing about the weird thread wondering if President Obama has a spine; I can hardly imagine anyone not seeing how he's whipping some rear ends right now. Even if I have to do the public 'hard language' interpretation on his behalf for some people that don't know what the hell they're seeing.
Well, even 20 years ago I was reading from the social scientists that
the next big migration would be to the Midwest. Would be surprised to see that, with the west and southwest entering a severe drought period expected to last decades or longer. That's one reason I bought here for retirement - it's the lowest population county in the state with the largest land area, but mainly because the entire town, tiny though it is, sits 850' above sea level and 300' above the nearest river. We're already losing population, though, because if you don't own a big farm you're basically screwed. Although food stamp use has been reported sinking slowly in some places, here it's been rising. I was able to buy a house for $14.5K which though in terrible repair would've cost a minimum quarter mil some place like San Francisco. Any day now I expect to see one of those signs on the highway reading, Will The Last Person Leaving Please Turn Out the Lights?
Of course all that could change when all of California finally burns to the ground and the 3 coasts sink even lower. Already in Norfolk VA. I read (for what it's worth) that vehicle travel is impossible even in town during high tide. Even if that's not really true yet, it soon will be. We'd better be asking the Dutch to teach us how to build better sea walls.
Who'd've ever thunk it?
Bothering animals in the wild makes about as much sense as sayng, "Oh look, there's a cute little bear cub - he must be lost, let's pick him up and take him home with us." I'll never forget the guy who styled himself 'Grizzly Man'. He and his girlfriend long ago got turned into grizzly scat.
The only exception I ever made was with a young bird with an obviously broken wing, and even then I pulled the bill of my cap low over my eyes in case the parents decided to defend the baby they couldn't rescue themselves. Too many times I discovered a nest in a tree the hard way: from bird talons because I wandered too close to a nest I didn't even see.
How beautiful! Thanks so much for that picture.
It's going straight into my file Saved For Later Large Prints. Look at the dainty little feet on that baby... they're gorgeous animals.
That's the major 'beauty point' some hold against Arabians, their comparatively large hooves. But that was to promote navigating treacherous sand dunes, and I think it even helps their stamina. They also have an undeserved reputation in some quarters of being flighty. I say that's due to human fault entirely. Every one I ever had was as cool under pressure as a cucumber. In fact that was the nickname for one of my saddle mares. I could and often did ride her straight into a flock of birds resting on the ground. When they flew up all around us (sorry, birds!) she'd shake her head and whinny at our mischief. Loved it.
Since I'll never be able to keep horses again, I'd really love to get my hands on some Marsh Tacky videos. I'm totally entranced with them.
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PS: In the past I might've had an edge at those races, however, given equal mounts, because my preferred saddle was a 3-lb Stueben that was little more than a leather pad with racing stirrups. God love people who ride Western, but it drives me battier than I am already when I try. I need a forward seat with as much direct horse contact for myself as possible. I was great at plunging at top speed across unmarked rough terrain, but I'd be pretty useless working on a ranch. (Love to watch cutting horse competitions.) Never used more than a broken snaffle, either.
While I'm not exactly wild about the DAR, having noticed an apparent preponderance
of conservative members, I have a friend who belongs and she passes along to me their official magazine because of my general interest in history. Recently one edition had a fascinating article about South Carolina's Marsh Tacky horses and their use in the Revolutionary War by The Swamp Fox. An effort's now underway to create a formal breed registry for them, as they deserve due to many unique qualities.
One interesting thing I learned is that when caught in quicksand, unlike most other horses which would struggle, Marsh Tackys will instead lie on their side for bouyancy and get out that way. They also have particular physical characteristics, of course. And they tend to run smaller than many modern horses do due to mankind's mania for size. The breed standard will run from 13 hands to 15. Despite the damn-near knockdown dragouts I've had over general horse vs pony classifications, particularly with regard to straightline Egyptian Arabians (whose bloodlines go straight back to the original source with no side branches), I'm glad to see another breed registry willing to accept compact models of only 13 hands as true horses.
My estimation of South Carolinians shot up over this lovely bit of reason. Too many Americans look down their size-obsessed noses at smaller horse breeds, not appreciating the fact that any top drawer Egyptian Arabian can run the socks off any thoroughbred given a good 3 miles to prove it. Most true Arabians (I tend to dismiss modern variations like Russian and Polish) can do 3-4 miles at top speed w/o blinking. One time I allowed my favorite mare to run all she wanted on a loose rein, but I had to pull her up after close to 5 miles because I started to worry about possible injury.
I used to breed straightline Egyptian Arabians and have a keen appreciation for toughness and brains, both of which appear abundant in the Marsh Tacky. W/o that magazine I might never have heard of them.
I was particularly impressed by something in the news this week.
Unfortunately it involves the tragedy of the ebola outbreak in Africa. A news show happened to mention that one doctor who died while treating patients was a sheik. Sorry I don't remember his exact name. However, that's less important than the fact that here was a person of means who could clearly be living a life of ease but chose instead to serve his fellowman at great personal risk to himself. I always find that sort of thing noble, wondering - doubting, if you must know - whether I'd be willing to risk my own life and comfort that way for people I don't know, just on principle.
Part of the reason I'm posting this is because I retired to a remote tiny town in the Midwest where almost everyone's a carbon copy of the next (although it doesn't stop them from fighting like cats and dogs!). There are no minorities of any kind here unless you count me, the only outspoken liberal around. When I hear people say dumb things about other people I know very well they've never met, I do try to give them a gentle admonition. But although I know a certain amount of history, that's too far in the past to matter to these people. Having been marooned here for quite a few years, I no longer have direct personal friends of other religions and ethnicities to cite as admirable examples. Specificity carries weight in statements.
Now I'm really sorry the good doctor died, particularly from such a dread disease. I'm also sure he must have loved ones who'll miss him sorely. But the next time some yahoo says something stupid around me, I will have an excellent example to offer them of conduct superior to their own. There are many others, I'm sure; although as I said, my direct knowledge is sorely lacking. I once googled 'famous American Muslims' for people everyone would recognize, but at the moment I only remember Kasey Kasim and Dr. Mehmet Oz. I know there are countless others, so I need to google that again.
Anyway, I'll never forget the sheik and intend to make sure these people here don't either, even though they're xenophobic as geese.
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Gender: FemaleHome country: US
Current location: retired to MidWest
Member since: Mon Feb 18, 2013, 10:15 PM
Number of posts: 6,151