Having seen it used in a column, this morning, I was moved to look up the word “kakistrocacy” in Wikipedia. [Click] The first recorded use is worth quoting at length:
The earliest use of the word dates to the seventeenth century, in Paul Gosnold's A sermon Preached at the Publique Fast the ninth day of Aug. 1644 at St. Maries:
Therefore we need not make any scruple of praying against such: against those Sanctimonious Incendiaries, who have fetched fire from heaven to set their Country in combustion, have pretended Religion to raise and maintaine a most wicked rebellion: against those Nero's, who have ripped up the wombe of the mother that bare them, and wounded the breasts that gave them sucke: against those Cannibal's who feed upon the flesh and are drunke with the bloud of their own brethren: against those Catiline's who seeke their private ends in the publicke disturbance, and have set the Kingdome on fire to rost their owne egges: against those tempests of the State, those restlesse spirits who can no longer live, then be stickling and medling; who are stung with a perpetuall itch of changing and innovating, transforming our old Hierarchy into a new Presbytery, and this againe into a newer Independency; and our well-temperd Monarchy into a mad kinde of Kakistocracy. Good Lord!
Since the coronavirus first came around we were careful to get each version of the vaccine; I never had classic "flu-like" symptoms and was good about wearing a mask. But I have been short of both breath and vigor since around that time, which I attributed to sloth. I saw our doctor, and he noted abnormal lung sounds (probably due at least in part to pneumonia twice when I was young) and increased blood pressure (probably a compensatory response to maintain cardiac output). He put me on a blood pressure medicine and ordered a pulmonary function test, which didn't reveal anything exciting. The vaccine was intended to keep people out of the hospital and off respirators rather than to assuredly prevent infection, and I might well have had a subclinical case. Recently my vigor has been returning--- slowly, but noticeably. I wonder if I might have developed "long covid;" even young people can require years to recover from it. This morning we will take a walk (lately I have been able to walk our previously customary two km--- at the low point it was a struggle for me to walk 500 meters), and I mean to murder weeds, which is the last step in getting them under control (both last week and this week we *completely* filled the big wheeled yard waste garbage bin with weeds and leaves). ----Alan
It sucks that it's taking so long for you to feel better. Right around Thanksgiving I got symptoms that felt exactly like the last time I had COVID, but the tests came back negative. I still haven't had my flu and COVID shots this season, because I was waiting until three months after my last bout, but then I got sick in the meantime.
Naomi will be traveling to Australia next year, so out of curiosity I checked to see if Qantas might furnish passengers with small packets of Vegemite (the Australian sort-of Marmite). Alas, Qantas is ditching all things non-recyclable, so single-use packets of Vegemite are out. -----Alan
Joe Blogs video: Russian energy crisis [Click] Austria and other nearby countries that have continued buying Russian gas transported through Ukraine have been making preparations for it to be cut off. ——Alan
I should have said they have been preparing for it to be cut off for some time, and are now reasonably well prepared, albeit not yet completely prepared for a permanent shutoff. Maybe there will be profits to be made [or being made] in wool clothing? ----Alan
I was getting dressed to go outside and murder weeds, when my sweetie gave me a dispensation from yard work for today. I accepted with alacrity and expedited putting out the trash for collection on the morrow. The overcast remains thick [3:45 PM] and the high temperature was 51F; some clearing is expected tomorrow, and a high temperature of 61F. Good wishes to those in the way of the Alberta Clipper. -----Alan
Rudy Giuliani ordered to appear at contempt hearing in January over failure to give up assetsA federal judge on Wednesday ordered Rudy Giuliani to appear in court in early January to face claims that he should be held in contempt for failing to turn over assets including a New York apartment lease and a signed Joe DiMaggio shirt to two Georgia election poll workers who won a libel case against him.
Judge Lewis J. Liman in Manhattan signed the order calling for the former New York City mayor and onetime personal lawyer to President-elect Donald Trump to appear before him on Jan. 3. -- nordy AP:
A government shutdown looked unlikely. Then Elon Musk took to X.Congressional leaders had lined up on Tuesday to approve a spending bill that would avert a government shutdown — before Elon Musk, President-elect Donald Trump’s “first buddy,” injected himself into the conversation in the wee hours of Wednesday morning.
With a five-word post on X, Musk threw the process into chaos.
“This bill should not pass,” the Tesla and SpaceX CEO wrote at 4:15 a.m. Eastern time, a message that reverberated across Washington, where some took it as the strongest signal yet of the new reality under the head of the “Department of Government Efficiency,” Trump’s nongovernmental panel charged with finding ways to slash federal spending. -- nordy
Wapo: Panel warns against vitamin D, calcium use to prevent falls in older adults A panel of independent health experts recommended Tuesday against older adults using vitamin D and calcium supplements to prevent falls and fractures, citing inadequate evidence to support their effectiveness.
The guidance from the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force underscores the risks of supplementation without prior testing and diagnosis for a vitamin D deficiency or for osteoporosis. -- nordy
That is choice!
ReplyDelete-----Alan
Having seen it used in a column, this morning, I was moved to look up the word “kakistrocacy” in Wikipedia. [Click] The first recorded use is worth quoting at length:
ReplyDeleteThe earliest use of the word dates to the seventeenth century, in Paul Gosnold's A sermon Preached at the Publique Fast the ninth day of Aug. 1644 at St. Maries:
Therefore we need not make any scruple of praying against such: against those Sanctimonious Incendiaries, who have fetched fire from heaven to set their Country in combustion, have pretended Religion to raise and maintaine a most wicked rebellion: against those Nero's, who have ripped up the wombe of the mother that bare them, and wounded the breasts that gave them sucke: against those Cannibal's who feed upon the flesh and are drunke with the bloud of their own brethren: against those Catiline's who seeke their private ends in the publicke disturbance, and have set the Kingdome on fire to rost their owne egges: against those tempests of the State, those restlesse spirits who can no longer live, then be stickling and medling; who are stung with a perpetuall itch of changing and innovating, transforming our old Hierarchy into a new Presbytery, and this againe into a newer Independency; and our well-temperd Monarchy into a mad kinde of Kakistocracy. Good Lord!
Note: This was during the reign of Charles I]
—Alan
I suspect that the word "presbytery" in this case is used in this sense:
DeletePresbytery (residence), a clergy house, especially for the home of one or more Roman Catholic priests.
----Alan
I suspect he was referring to Presbyterianism and then to Congregationalism.
DeleteSince the coronavirus first came around we were careful to get each version of the vaccine; I never had classic "flu-like" symptoms and was good about wearing a mask. But I have been short of both breath and vigor since around that time, which I attributed to sloth. I saw our doctor, and he noted abnormal lung sounds (probably due at least in part to pneumonia twice when I was young) and increased blood pressure (probably a compensatory response to maintain cardiac output). He put me on a blood pressure medicine and ordered a pulmonary function test, which didn't reveal anything exciting. The vaccine was intended to keep people out of the hospital and off respirators rather than to assuredly prevent infection, and I might well have had a subclinical case. Recently my vigor has been returning--- slowly, but noticeably. I wonder if I might have developed "long covid;" even young people can require years to recover from it. This morning we will take a walk (lately I have been able to walk our previously customary two km--- at the low point it was a struggle for me to walk 500 meters), and I mean to murder weeds, which is the last step in getting them under control (both last week and this week we *completely* filled the big wheeled yard waste garbage bin with weeds and leaves).
ReplyDelete----Alan
It sucks that it's taking so long for you to feel better. Right around Thanksgiving I got symptoms that felt exactly like the last time I had COVID, but the tests came back negative. I still haven't had my flu and COVID shots this season, because I was waiting until three months after my last bout, but then I got sick in the meantime.
DeleteThanks for the sympathy, but I was beginning to think the difficulties would be permanent. This is a nice turnaround.
Delete---Alan
Perhaos not a turnaround, but at least a change of course.
Delete----Alan
Econ Lessons video: Russia’s parts shortages/a> [Click]
ReplyDelete——Alan
Oops---- the link works, but here it is corrected:
DeleteEcon Lessons video: Russia’s parts shortages [Click]
----Alan
BANNED ADVERT - MARMITE ADVERT 2013 SOOOOO FUNNY [Click] Banned?
ReplyDelete——Alan
Naomi will be traveling to Australia next year, so out of curiosity I checked to see if Qantas might furnish passengers with small packets of Vegemite (the Australian sort-of Marmite). Alas, Qantas is ditching all things non-recyclable, so single-use packets of Vegemite are out.
Delete-----Alan
Joe Blogs video: Russian energy crisis [Click] Austria and other nearby countries that have continued buying Russian gas transported through Ukraine have been making preparations for it to be cut off.
ReplyDelete——Alan
I should have said they have been preparing for it to be cut off for some time, and are now reasonably well prepared, albeit not yet completely prepared for a permanent shutoff. Maybe there will be profits to be made [or being made] in wool clothing?
Delete----Alan
I was getting dressed to go outside and murder weeds, when my sweetie gave me a dispensation from yard work for today. I accepted with alacrity and expedited putting out the trash for collection on the morrow. The overcast remains thick [3:45 PM] and the high temperature was 51F; some clearing is expected tomorrow, and a high temperature of 61F. Good wishes to those in the way of the Alberta Clipper.
ReplyDelete-----Alan
Rudy Giuliani ordered to appear at contempt hearing in January over failure to give up assetsA federal judge on Wednesday ordered Rudy Giuliani to appear in court in early January to face claims that he should be held in contempt for failing to turn over assets including a New York apartment lease and a signed Joe DiMaggio shirt to two Georgia election poll workers who won a libel case against him.
ReplyDeleteJudge Lewis J. Liman in Manhattan signed the order calling for the former New York City mayor and onetime personal lawyer to President-elect Donald Trump to appear before him on Jan. 3. -- nordy
AP:
A government shutdown looked unlikely. Then Elon Musk took to X.Congressional leaders had lined up on Tuesday to approve a spending bill that would avert a government shutdown — before Elon Musk, President-elect Donald Trump’s “first buddy,” injected himself into the conversation in the wee hours of Wednesday morning.
DeleteWith a five-word post on X, Musk threw the process into chaos.
“This bill should not pass,” the Tesla and SpaceX CEO wrote at 4:15 a.m. Eastern time, a message that reverberated across Washington, where some took it as the strongest signal yet of the new reality under the head of the “Department of Government Efficiency,” Trump’s nongovernmental panel charged with finding ways to slash federal spending. -- nordy
Above by wapo. -- nordy
DeleteWapo: Panel warns against vitamin D, calcium use to prevent falls in older adults
ReplyDeleteA panel of independent health experts recommended Tuesday against older adults using vitamin D and calcium supplements to prevent falls and fractures, citing inadequate evidence to support their effectiveness.
The guidance from the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force underscores the risks of supplementation without prior testing and diagnosis for a vitamin D deficiency or for osteoporosis. -- nordy