Lots of notes on the last thread. We were out for the evening at VT*Grand's school concert. She's the only Freshman in the a cappella group...and there are no Sophomores. And, she's the tallest. LOL.
It was a really nice concert. VT*Grand is also the only clarinet player in the school band, and she's also in Chorus. So, we got to see a lot of her tonight. (Proud out loud! 😊) Afterward, we wondered why she didn't come to meet us by the stage, as usual. Eventually we went looking for her and discovered she was working at the raffle table. All this and she helped with sets too. Busy lady! Ha! She did finally get the flowers we brought her. 😁
Turns out there are no Sophomores and few Freshman doing music because that scene fell apart during the pandemic. But! I hear that the middle schoolers are robust in the music dept, so in a year or two the numbers will swell.
Not yet time to turn on the heater here, but I am wearing a wool bathrobe this morning, and a week or two ago we put a second blanket on the bed. Predicted high temperature here today and tomorrow 90F, then falling into the 70's. I saw a medium-range forecast a couple of days ago predicting a polar vortex hitting the North Central and NE states, with relatively high temperatures in the west, the two to interact and produce serious weather in the plains states, the cold weather slipping down into the SE while the warmer weather replaces it to the north. I would take such a complicated prediction with several grains of salt.
Never got that cold here, even though we are further north. Lows near 40. Highs moving up to the 60s today and predicted for the 70s for several days starting tomorrow.
EGAD! Liz Truss Resigns as British Prime Minister October 20, 2022 at 8:43 am EDT By Taegan Goddard
Liz Truss has resigned as British prime minister after just 45 days in office, The Guardian reports.
“The announcement, made by Truss outside Downing Street, follows the near-complete evaporation of her political authority which has seen her crash the markets, lose two key ministers and shed the confidence of almost all her own MPs.”
“Truss will be the shortest-serving prime minister in UK history.”
New York Times: “Her departure, after only six weeks in office, was a shockingly rapid fall from power, and throws her Conservative Party into further disarray, following the messy departure of Boris Johnson from Downing Street over the summer.”
The BBC reports there will be a Conservative leadership election within the next week to replace Truss.
“Even though her short, six-week stint as the UK’s prime minister came crashing down on Thursday, Liz Truss will still get to claim a yearly £115,000 allowance reserved for former prime ministers,” Insider reports.
My Dad had Parkinson’s. He wasn’t a gardener, though…and lived in the city. So that’s probably not why, in his case…. But I hope this gets worked out and the EPA becomes a worthy entity again.
The EPA was set up as a buffer between industry and irate citizens. Citizens were supposed to be mollified by permitting, which merely requires a modicum of information (like how much shit will you put out in a year) after which a permit HAS to be issued. It is not optional for the simple reason that all resource exploitation is presumed to be beneficial. It took conservative Justice Anthony Kennedy to explain that to me. His phrase, "the issuance of a permit is not a matter of grace." While it is this principle which mandated the issuance of marriage liscences to same-sex couples, it is a piss-poor strategy to protect the environment from chemical contamination. Moreover, if a mineral such as arsenic or mercury occurs naturally in the environment, it does not have to be tracked or considered for elimination because the purification and concentration of hazardous substances is not subject to monitoring. "The solution to pollution is dilution" is no longer formal policy, but the attitude persists. That is why oil spills from drilling in the Gulf is not perceived as a problem. The volume of water is so much greater than the spillage! Conservatives and progressives have to get togeher to make the EPA effective as a setter of standards for environmental protection from contamination and enforcement.
Scientists now believe the plague spread too fast for rats to be the culprits. [Click] It was much more likely to have been spread by human lice and fleas. So in addition to being an island nation, better personal hygiene could explain why the Black Death did not significantly affect Japan. [More bathing and laundering of clothing than in much of mainland Eurasia.]
Lots of notes on the last thread.
ReplyDeleteWe were out for the evening at VT*Grand's school concert. She's the only Freshman in the a cappella group...and there are no Sophomores. And, she's the tallest. LOL.
It was a really nice concert. VT*Grand is also the only clarinet player in the school band, and she's also in Chorus. So, we got to see a lot of her tonight. (Proud out loud! 😊) Afterward, we wondered why she didn't come to meet us by the stage, as usual. Eventually we went looking for her and discovered she was working at the raffle table. All this and she helped with sets too. Busy lady! Ha! She did finally get the flowers we brought her. 😁
DeleteTurns out there are no Sophomores and few Freshman doing music because that scene fell apart during the pandemic. But! I hear that the middle schoolers are robust in the music dept, so in a year or two the numbers will swell.
DeleteAll good; things will come right before long.
DeleteIt is 28 degrees here in SW Ohio this morning. Son #2 told me there were random snowflakes on Monday when he went outside.
ReplyDeleteNot yet time to turn on the heater here, but I am wearing a wool bathrobe this morning, and a week or two ago we put a second blanket on the bed. Predicted high temperature here today and tomorrow 90F, then falling into the 70's. I saw a medium-range forecast a couple of days ago predicting a polar vortex hitting the North Central and NE states, with relatively high temperatures in the west, the two to interact and produce serious weather in the plains states, the cold weather slipping down into the SE while the warmer weather replaces it to the north. I would take such a complicated prediction with several grains of salt.
Delete{listener}
DeleteYeah, but it’s actually happening.
Well, that does increase the probability!
DeleteNever got that cold here, even though we are further north. Lows near 40. Highs moving up to the 60s today and predicted for the 70s for several days starting tomorrow.
DeleteEGAD!
ReplyDeleteLiz Truss Resigns as British Prime Minister
October 20, 2022 at 8:43 am EDT By Taegan Goddard
Liz Truss has resigned as British prime minister after just 45 days in office, The Guardian reports.
“The announcement, made by Truss outside Downing Street, follows the near-complete evaporation of her political authority which has seen her crash the markets, lose two key ministers and shed the confidence of almost all her own MPs.”
“Truss will be the shortest-serving prime minister in UK history.”
New York Times: “Her departure, after only six weeks in office, was a shockingly rapid fall from power, and throws her Conservative Party into further disarray, following the messy departure of Boris Johnson from Downing Street over the summer.”
The BBC reports there will be a Conservative leadership election within the next week to replace Truss.
“Even though her short, six-week stint as the UK’s prime minister came crashing down on Thursday, Liz Truss will still get to claim a yearly £115,000 allowance reserved for former prime ministers,” Insider reports.
Delete{listener}
DeleteYou’ve really got to stop sleeping, Alan. It’s ruining UK politics. 😉
Pretty nifty retirement package for 45 days of sweat.
Nice work if you can get it.
DeleteSecret files suggest chemical giant feared weedkiller’s link to Parkinson’s disease [Click] “Documents seen by Guardian detail effort to refute scientific research into paraquat and derail nomination of key EPA adviser”
ReplyDeleteMy Dad had Parkinson’s. He wasn’t a gardener, though…and lived in the city. So that’s probably not why, in his case…. But I hope this gets worked out and the EPA becomes a worthy entity again.
DeleteOne of my wife's uncles, a farmer, suffered from it.
DeleteCome to think of it, there is a fellow down the street who suffers from it, but was not an agricultural worker. Still, it is heavily used hereabouts.
DeleteThe EPA was set up as a buffer between industry and irate citizens. Citizens were supposed to be mollified by permitting, which merely requires a modicum of information (like how much shit will you put out in a year) after which a permit HAS to be issued. It is not optional for the simple reason that all resource exploitation is presumed to be beneficial. It took conservative Justice Anthony Kennedy to explain that to me. His phrase, "the issuance of a permit is not a matter of grace." While it is this principle which mandated the issuance of marriage liscences to same-sex couples, it is a piss-poor strategy to protect the environment from chemical contamination.
DeleteMoreover, if a mineral such as arsenic or mercury occurs naturally in the environment, it does not have to be tracked or considered for elimination because the purification and concentration of hazardous substances is not subject to monitoring.
"The solution to pollution is dilution" is no longer formal policy, but the attitude persists. That is why oil spills from drilling in the Gulf is not perceived as a problem. The volume of water is so much greater than the spillage!
Conservatives and progressives have to get togeher to make the EPA effective as a setter of standards for environmental protection from contamination and enforcement.
Anne Sacoolas pleads guilty to causing death of Harry Dunn [Click] There seem to be a typographical error toward the end of the article; Dunn’s mother, Charlotte, is evidently referred to as “Charles.”
ReplyDeleteLouisiana trio imprisoned for 28 years freed after judge tosses murder convictions [Click]
ReplyDeleteThey qualify for maximum wrongful imprisionment award. [Click]
Here's one for the "How The Great Have Fallen" file:
ReplyDeleteWhat Happened to Oliver Cromwell’s Corpse? [Click]
Iceberg lettuce in blond wig outlasts Liz Truss [Click]
ReplyDelete<a “Supermarket salad is crowned winner of bizarre competition that attracted global media attention”
The devastation of the Black Plague left such an incredible genetic mark on humanity that it's still affecting our health nearly 700 years later. [Click]
ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
DeleteScientists now believe the plague spread too fast for rats to be the culprits. [Click] It was much more likely to have been spread by human lice and fleas. So in addition to being an island nation, better personal hygiene could explain why the Black Death did not significantly affect Japan. [More bathing and laundering of clothing than in much of mainland Eurasia.]
DeleteWestern accounts of the Black Death in India seem very questionable. [Click]
DeleteBBC headline about prize winning pumpkin deserves a prize itself. [Click] “Oh my gourd! Giant pumpkin squashes US record.” Also very appropriate that the grower is a horticulture teacher.
ReplyDeleteFeds Alerted to Creepy Surveillance Attempt at Arizona Drop Box [Click]
ReplyDeleteI guess it's interesting to know how it is supposed to work . . .
Delete