Every day I plan to get to the thread to post this before 1:00am but lately that's been difficult.
VERMONT 13 AUG 2021 26,040-25,883= 157 by the math. 107 officially. Deaths 264 (0) 1496 active cases 23 (-2) hospitalised; 7(-1) in ICU 972 Tested 36 more Recovered (93.8%) Positivity rate holding at 3.3%
Although I was assured in 1949 that "Americans love children," I have since developed doubts. Children are considered property and subject to being used/abused as their owners see fit. We have 475,000 a year in foster care because parents are either negligent or abusive. Some use religion to justify being tyrannical. When "health" insurance policies first provided for "mental health treatment," that was an impetus for setting up juvenile "treatment programs" in which parents expected their children to be "fixed" in 90 days, or however long the insurance provided. Remember the Pennsylvania judge who finally got convicted for sending juveiles to his friends' treatment facilities? That only got stopped because of some non-compliant parents. The norm is for parents to let professionals make decisions for them. And it all happens behind closed doors to "protect the privacy of the children," as if they do not know they have been abused. There are apparently a lot of people who kling to the idea of owning people as an ideal. These are the same people who argue that the slaves were well cared for and their condition was not peculiar. After all, are not children owned? As a parent, I was astonished to discover that, if I did not want my children beaten with wooden paddles at school, I would have to formally opt out. I did. African-American children were routinely paddled because their parents were strict authoritarians. What does it do to the psyche of a child to know that the parents agreed to having him/her beaten for talking in class?
I spent too many years as a Social Worker in Children's Protective Services. It gave me a general hatred of people because I saw first-hand the vicious and animalistic things people can do to their helpless children. I've listened to them argue that it is "my child, my right" to abuse them at will. I have much more respect and regard for animals than I do for humans.
The case of Mary Ellen Wilson [Click] remains instructive. Well into the early 20th Century children were property of their father, and wives had no legal personhood in much of the world governed by the English Common Law. Blackstone: “Husband and wife are one, and that one is the husband.” The concept that in case of divorce the mother should have charge of the children because of her natural disposition to care for them, later succeeded by the idea that what was best for the child should be the deciding factor, was still evolving a hundred years ago. In researching my family history I had occasion to become educated about those matters.
In verifying my recollection of the Blackstone quote above, I discovered that it is very often propounded by "Christian" web sites. Rather a weird conflation of religion with obsolete law.
What's most impressive about the photo is that it was taken "shooting blind." I just aimed the camera toward where the butterfly appeared to be headed, and hoped something would turn out. And it's in focus!
U.S. Sen. Rand Paul claimed to be a "board-certified" ophthalmologist on the basis of being certified by a board that he created himself and that he put his wife and father-in-law in charge of. "
I didn't remove Alan's "This comment has been removed by the author" post because it felt like it might fit in the "Alan nearly posted things not lawful to be uttered" category ~ LOL.
It occurs to me to wonder if some political cartoonist might make a current allusion to this painting from the First Anglo-Afghan War. [Click] Probably not—the significance would probably be lost on American newspaper readers, to the extent that they still exist.
Maureen Dowd: Behold Barack Antoinette [Click] Good Heavens—the optics of Obama’s 60th birthday bash were bad enough seen dimly from three thousand miles away; but the details are plain disgusting.
Of course, currently the risk of getting Covid is low on Martha's Vineyard. The Low Risk meter runs 0-24. Florida is Critical Risk at 99. Fresno County is 62. Vermont is 38. Martha's Vineyard is 11.
Thanks for the alternative site; I read the article ... and found it preposterous. A person celebrating their birthday gets to invite whomever they wish (well, not during Covid, of course, but they get to choose) without turning it into a Thank You Dinner! Most of the criticism is just Dowdy snark and old grudge. Was it Gatspy-esque. Maybe. The shocker for me was the estate itself...! I suppose if you were President of the United States for 8 years going all over the world and meeting bigwigs of every stripe, it would take something big to create a memorable celebration. I don't begrudge it in general. I do think it was in poor taste during a pandemic.
“Hospitalizations of Covid-19 patients in their 30s have hit a new record, a sign of the toll that the highly contagious Delta variant is taking among the unvaccinated,” the Wall Street Journal reports.
Every day I plan to get to the thread to post this before 1:00am but lately that's been difficult.
ReplyDeleteVERMONT 13 AUG 2021
26,040-25,883= 157 by the math. 107 officially.
Deaths 264 (0)
1496 active cases
23 (-2) hospitalised; 7(-1) in ICU
972 Tested
36 more Recovered (93.8%)
Positivity rate holding at 3.3%
3 more Monarchs fledged on Friday! Two females and a male.
ReplyDelete‘This is real’: Fear and hope in an Arkansas pediatric ICU [Click] “As the delta variant surges, some experts worry we may be entering the most dangerous moment in the pandemic for children.”
ReplyDeleteAlthough I was assured in 1949 that "Americans love children," I have since developed doubts. Children are considered property and subject to being used/abused as their owners see fit. We have 475,000 a year in foster care because parents are either negligent or abusive. Some use religion to justify being tyrannical.
DeleteWhen "health" insurance policies first provided for "mental health treatment," that was an impetus for setting up juvenile "treatment programs" in which parents expected their children to be "fixed" in 90 days, or however long the insurance provided.
Remember the Pennsylvania judge who finally got convicted for sending juveiles to his friends' treatment facilities? That only got stopped because of some non-compliant parents. The norm is for parents to let professionals make decisions for them. And it all happens behind closed doors to "protect the privacy of the children," as if they do not know they have been abused.
There are apparently a lot of people who kling to the idea of owning people as an ideal. These are the same people who argue that the slaves were well cared for and their condition was not peculiar. After all, are not children owned?
As a parent, I was astonished to discover that, if I did not want my children beaten with wooden paddles at school, I would have to formally opt out. I did. African-American children were routinely paddled because their parents were strict authoritarians. What does it do to the psyche of a child to know that the parents agreed to having him/her beaten for talking in class?
I spent too many years as a Social Worker in Children's Protective Services. It gave me a general hatred of people because I saw first-hand the vicious and animalistic things people can do to their helpless children. I've listened to them argue that it is "my child, my right" to abuse them at will. I have much more respect and regard for animals than I do for humans.
DeleteThe case of Mary Ellen Wilson [Click] remains instructive. Well into the early 20th Century children were property of their father, and wives had no legal personhood in much of the world governed by the English Common Law. Blackstone: “Husband and wife are one, and that one is the husband.” The concept that in case of divorce the mother should have charge of the children because of her natural disposition to care for them, later succeeded by the idea that what was best for the child should be the deciding factor, was still evolving a hundred years ago. In researching my family history I had occasion to become educated about those matters.
DeleteIn verifying my recollection of the Blackstone quote above, I discovered that it is very often propounded by "Christian" web sites. Rather a weird conflation of religion with obsolete law.
DeleteLA Times Editorial on Gubernatorial recall. [Click] I figure they have it about as right as possible.
ReplyDelete‘Ten years ago this was science fiction’: the rise of weedkilling robots [Click] I should think it ought to be possible to dramatically reduce their weight.
ReplyDeleteLove the "first flight" photo. Outstanding.
ReplyDeleteWhat's most impressive about the photo is that it was taken "shooting blind." I just aimed the camera toward where the butterfly appeared to be headed, and hoped something would turn out. And it's in focus!
DeleteWow!
DeleteWhat's more, what I posted is a crop of the original. Go see...I just added the original out front.
DeleteRepublican leaders fiddle while Covid burns through their own supporters [Click] Some dandy quotations.
ReplyDeleteAaarrggh!! They're calling Rand Paul "a licensed physician". HE IS NOT!
Delete"Rand Paul: "Well I'm a doctor and I say..." Dr. Fauci: "You're an ophthalmologist and I don't need glasses to see that you're an asshole."."
DeleteBut an ophthalmologist is a (presumably) licensed physician.
DeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
DeleteI looked up his Wikipedia entry, and he is in fact an M.D. and is licensed to practice as such.
DeleteU.S. Sen. Rand Paul claimed to be a "board-certified" ophthalmologist on the basis of being certified by a board that he created himself and that he put his wife and father-in-law in charge of. "
Delete"The medical certificate held by the Republican candidate for Kentucky's senate seat is not recognized by the state."
DeleteI didn't remove Alan's "This comment has been removed by the author" post because it felt like it might fit in the "Alan nearly posted things not lawful to be uttered" category ~ LOL.
DeleteIt occurs to me to wonder if some political cartoonist might make a current allusion to this painting from the First Anglo-Afghan War. [Click] Probably not—the significance would probably be lost on American newspaper readers, to the extent that they still exist.
ReplyDeleteMaureen Dowd: Behold Barack Antoinette [Click] Good Heavens—the optics of Obama’s 60th birthday bash were bad enough seen dimly from three thousand miles away; but the details are plain disgusting.
ReplyDeleteAlternate site, without paywall [Click]
DeleteI have such little respect for Maureen Dowd that it's probably just as well that the NYT won't let me read the article.
DeleteWell, Obama's 60th birthday bash was tone deaf. In my opinion.
DeleteIt does seem insane to hold a party of 200 with the Delta variant raging.
DeleteOf course, currently the risk of getting Covid is low on Martha's Vineyard. The Low Risk meter runs 0-24. Florida is Critical Risk at 99. Fresno County is 62. Vermont is 38. Martha's Vineyard is 11.
DeleteThanks for the alternative site; I read the article ... and found it preposterous. A person celebrating their birthday gets to invite whomever they wish (well, not during Covid, of course, but they get to choose) without turning it into a Thank You Dinner! Most of the criticism is just Dowdy snark and old grudge. Was it Gatspy-esque. Maybe. The shocker for me was the estate itself...! I suppose if you were President of the United States for 8 years going all over the world and meeting bigwigs of every stripe, it would take something big to create a memorable celebration. I don't begrudge it in general. I do think it was in poor taste during a pandemic.
DeleteIt seems totally preposterous to throw such a bash for a mere 60th birthday. That might rate renting a movie.
Delete😆
DeleteI guess maybe he never thought he’d get there.
“Hospitalizations of Covid-19 patients in their 30s have hit a new record, a sign of the toll that the highly contagious Delta variant is taking among the unvaccinated,” the Wall Street Journal reports.
ReplyDeleteGrand #3 gets her second Covid dose this week! Yayyy!! I sent her a "Fully Vaccinated" button to wear proudly.
ReplyDelete