Here, we have "Front Porch Forum" where people communicate locally. You register (no charge) and receive a daily email newsletter/bulletin board of notes posted by neighbours. It includes everything from announcements of events to items for sale to opinions to requests. I have seen people loan items to others. Recently, I asked for recommendations for someone who can install carpet. I got 7 helpful replies. :-). My favourite thing is when someone reports a pet missing and the very next post is someone else reporting a pet found. Remember, this comes out once a day, and it's usually the same pet being mentioned. :-).
On Tuesday, March 4 … At a revealing press conference, Putin claimed he had the right to go to war with Ukraine in defense of "Ukrainian citizens." Putin also said if he made the decision to go to war, "women and children" would act as a shield for Russian troops. http://www.cnn.com/2014/03/14/opinion/motyl-putin-war-ukraine/index.html?hpt=hp_c2
The link headed with the word "Thoughtful" was written by a Yale professor of history. I didn't want to write all of that at the time for fear the post would disappear before I could publish it.
He talks about disappearance of the Ukraine as a nation. But there is no particular sign of that happening. So far Putin has annexed the Crimea, a region where many (most?) of the people are direct descendants of people who emigrated from Russia within the past two or three generations. There are other parts of eastern Ukraine where that is also true, and people worry that he may try to annex those regions as well. But there is nothing resembling Hitler's claim that Germans and Austrians were the same people. Indeed, Putin's stance is essentially based on the idea that there are clear differences between Russians and Ukrainians.
We're off to the Old Courthouse in Oakland [Click] for court and Oakland Chinatown for shopping all day Wednesday. The court building is a great example of WPA architecture; sculptured concrete, brass, polished stone, and oak throughout. For security and accessibility reasons the entrance nowadays is through a side door rather than the old main entrance, which has incredible stone mosaics by a well-known California artist of the day. I have never been into the secure parts of the building, but I hear the walls and stairs were made by shipbuilders, and look like it--welded steel walls for instance. It also has the only high security courtroom in the San Francisco area--behind multiple guarded steel doors, and every inch of it within sight and range of the armed guard stationed above. It was intended for trials of mafiosi and suchlike. There's a hundred-bed jail on the top floor, but I understand they don't use it anymore. For those who are not bothered by heights, I bet the view from the cupola is great.
Now, here's a good idea (like Howard Dean):
ReplyDeleteBerlin 'borrowing shop' promotes the benefits of sharing [Click]
Leila project, billed as a 'library of things', has proved so popular it has spawned similar initiatives across the country
--Alan
Very nice!
ReplyDeleteHere, we have "Front Porch Forum" where people communicate locally. You register (no charge) and receive a daily email newsletter/bulletin board of notes posted by neighbours. It includes everything from announcements of events to items for sale to opinions to requests. I have seen people loan items to others. Recently, I asked for recommendations for someone who can install carpet. I got 7 helpful replies. :-). My favourite thing is when someone reports a pet missing and the very next post is someone else reporting a pet found. Remember, this comes out once a day, and it's usually the same pet being mentioned. :-).
Since I'm from Texas, of course I love the flower!
ReplyDelete:-) Thanks, Shelley. It was in a birthday arrangement received by a coworker recently.
DeleteOn Tuesday, March 4 … At a revealing press conference, Putin claimed he had the right to go to war with Ukraine in defense of "Ukrainian citizens." Putin also said if he made the decision to go to war, "women and children" would act as a shield for Russian troops.
ReplyDeletehttp://www.cnn.com/2014/03/14/opinion/motyl-putin-war-ukraine/index.html?hpt=hp_c2
Thoughtful:
Deletehttp://www.cnn.com/2014/03/05/opinion/russia-ukraine-austria/?iref=obinsite
The link headed with the word "Thoughtful" was written by a Yale professor of history. I didn't want to write all of that at the time for fear the post would disappear before I could publish it.
DeletePuzzling.
DeleteHe talks about disappearance of the Ukraine as a nation. But there is no particular sign of that happening. So far Putin has annexed the Crimea, a region where many (most?) of the people are direct descendants of people who emigrated from Russia within the past two or three generations. There are other parts of eastern Ukraine where that is also true, and people worry that he may try to annex those regions as well. But there is nothing resembling Hitler's claim that Germans and Austrians were the same people. Indeed, Putin's stance is essentially based on the idea that there are clear differences between Russians and Ukrainians.
I dunno, Bill. It sure seems to me that Putin has ulterior motives. Cold war here we come again.
DeleteMore freezing rain for tonight and tomorrow morning. This has been the *oddest* winter of my life. . . .
ReplyDeleteWe got our first vegetables from the garden today. Well, a small kale leaf and a little piece of Jerusalem artichoke. But from the garden.
ReplyDeleteAnd I wore my spring jacket when I went to vote today. With several sidewalks inches deep in snowmelt.
We're off to the Old Courthouse in Oakland [Click] for court and Oakland Chinatown for shopping all day Wednesday. The court building is a great example of WPA architecture; sculptured concrete, brass, polished stone, and oak throughout. For security and accessibility reasons the entrance nowadays is through a side door rather than the old main entrance, which has incredible stone mosaics by a well-known California artist of the day. I have never been into the secure parts of the building, but I hear the walls and stairs were made by shipbuilders, and look like it--welded steel walls for instance. It also has the only high security courtroom in the San Francisco area--behind multiple guarded steel doors, and every inch of it within sight and range of the armed guard stationed above. It was intended for trials of mafiosi and suchlike. There's a hundred-bed jail on the top floor, but I understand they don't use it anymore. For those who are not bothered by heights, I bet the view from the cupola is great.
ReplyDeleteTTFN
Alan