Month: June 2019

Posted on

Where’s My Rainbow?

Two years ago: HISTORIC FLOOD IN AMERICA’S THIRD WORLD COUNTY!

Not so “historic now. Last time, for example, flood waters rose two feet on our basement walkout door, resulting in ~3” of water in the basement. This time, water was came up to about five feet on that door, but still, only about 4”-4.5” inside.

Main Street “nearly historic” WPA bridge in downtown Third World County Central still (JUST) standing, BUT the creek it once straddled has a new bank, and the bridge is detached from the street. Bridge built better than the land it was attached to? *huh*

Here’s a pic of the bridge before the high water hit, and several hours before it receded and the street washout could be seen.

Had a LOT of flotsam come OVER our 4′ tall fence and into our back yard, including a completely sodden, very heavy heavy bag (for boxing training). Most of my “tire garden” washed up against the far south boundaries of our yard (fence caught that), though four “tire-garden” lil planters with plants stayed put, and the plants look to be OK (some tomatoes and peppers, none bearing, and no longer flowering, *sigh* though the one surviving squash plant has hung onto a flower). Yes, as noted, a bit more water in basement than 2 years ago, but with the HUGE additional surge in water, apparently my mods at the basement walkout served to effect some moderation. Probably have to rent a “destruction dumpster” and just toss MUCH of furniture, etc. from downstairs.

Actually, this is probably all for the good. I may be able to save a couple of the pieces of furniture downstairs–or at least usable portions, like cushions?–or at least abate any water damage/mold issues and donate them, but the rest? Like I said, rent a dumpster and have it hauled off, then get everything down to bare walls again.

Was talking with a (sort of former) neighbor this AM, after he checked out a large storage building he owns that sits just west of our property line. Explored the idea with him of tearing down my fence and replacing it with a stabilized rammed earth wall, about 2′ wide by 5′ tall. *heh* Maybe taller would be better. Have to check that out. That’s a HECK of a lot of tamping of sand/clay/cement mix. . .

Oh, but FIRST I have to repair a leak in a water fitting just south of our water heater. Yes. Water’s been turned off since Saturday afternoon (and no, we don’t stink. . . now. Spent the night at an Econolodge last night. Rates aren’t all that economical, but the amenities are. *heh* No, seriously, they were good folks, and the room and amenities were OK. Certainly better than camping out here with no water and no power. And yeh, the power was off until today, too). Gonna try something fun on the very minor leak at a plumbing fitting, ‘cos major repairs to plumbing ain’t in the picture until all the flood stuff’s dealt with. Check out the YT video below. The best mini-infomercial I have seen in a long time.

Posted on

I Concur

Th= Kentucky Resolutions of November 1798 and December 1799 are instructive, I think, regarding at least a significant number of Founders’ views. Though penned by Thomas Jefferson (and enacted by the Kentucky legislature), Madison expressed similar views in the December 1798 Virginia Resolution, approved by the Virginia Senate. The second point in the 1798 Kentucky Resolution is particularly instructive, and expresses a view I have long held,

Resolved, That the Constitution of the United States, having delegated to Congress a power to punish treason, counterfeiting the securities and current coin of the United States, piracies, and felonies committed on the high seas, and offenses against the law of nations, and no other crimes, whatsoever; and it being true as a general principle, and one of the amendments to the Constitution having also declared, that “the powers not delegated to the United States by the Constitution, not prohibited by it to the States, are reserved to the States respectively, or to the people,” therefore the act of Congress, passed on the 14th day of July, 1798, and intituled “An Act in addition to the act intituled An Act for the punishment of certain crimes against the United States,” as also the act passed by them on the — day of June, 1798, intituled “An Act to punish frauds committed on the bank of the United States,” (and all their other acts which assume to create, define, or punish crimes, other than those so enumerated in the Constitution,) are altogether void, and of no force; and that the power to create, define, and punish such other crimes is reserved, and, of right, appertains solely and exclusively to the respective States, each within its own territory.

Posted on

Desert Dessert

No, this isn’t a post about low-carb dieting. It’s about part of what makes reading dictionaries entertaining, even fun. “Desert” (the verb: to abandon) was derived from a different Latin root (deserere: forsake, abandon) than “desert” (the noun meaning deserving a certain treatment for one’s behavior, as in “just deserts”) was derived from a _different_ Latin term (desevire: serve well; de–~completely, sevire–serve), while “desert” (the noun meaning wasteland, wilderness, barren area) was derived from the same Latin root as the verb meaning to abandon.

And “dessert,” of course has nothing to do with any of the meanings of “desert” noted above, although it is pronounced similarly to ONE of the words spelled “desert.”

Yeh, reading dictionaries is just plain fun. ? Also, as James D. Nicoll has so infamously noted, “We don’t just borrow words; on occasion, English has pursued other languages down alleyways to beat them unconscious and rifle their pockets for new vocabulary.”

GOOD dictionaries can unlock these words, provide linguistic and even historical context, and thus greatly enrich one’s experience of English, both spoken and written. Why more folks don’t read dictionaries for pleasure, I just can’t fathom.

Posted on

Choices, Choices. . .

Since I have used and really appreciated a Huskvarna machine in the past (OK, so it was my Wonder Woman’s super capable Huskvarna sewing machine, still. . . ), I am strongly leaning that way for my next chainsaw purchase, but for homeowner use, on a small lot, should the significant price differential between a Husky and, say, a Poulan be a factor in choosing between them? Keep in mind, I will likely also be using a chainsaw mill for much of my use of the new chainsaw (means replacing whatever crosscut chain comes with it with a ripping chain, of course).

This isn’t an immediate concern, since we are awaiting a place in the local reliable tree guy’s schedule to poll some trees and take down others.

Oh, and Stihl is right out of the running, since, though we actually have a local dealer, the prices for Stihls at the local dealer are even more than comparable Huskvarnas. *smh* Apparently one just cannot get the “street prices” HUskys are available for with a Stihl. (Or. . . maybe not. I just noticed the local dealer is having a sale through Fathers Day. . . Hmmm. . . Nah, the only ones at “reduced prices” are unsuitable for my needs.)

Also been needing a small chipper-shredder for a while, now. And then there’re the upgrades I need to make in my charcoal making process. . . and. . . and. . .

Looks like I’ll be too busy for a while to even think about shuffling off this mortal coil. ?

Posted on

Why Stable Marriages Are More and More Rarely Depicted as Normative in the Media

An acquaintance’s recent comment about “stable marriages” recalled to mind a conversation with Son&Heir about the Decalogue and the differences between laws that are related to acts that are malum in se (wrong in and of themselves) and those that are merely about acts that are malum prohibitum (offenses ONLY because there is a law prohibiting the acts).

The Decalogue deals only with those things God defined as malum un se. After some discussion, we ended up classifying the prohibitions in the Decalogue into purely relating to God and those that governed relations between humans–number five “honor father & mother” probably leans toward only interpersonal relations. Of the five commandments (the last five “thou shalt nots”) that are clearly in the latter category forbidding murder, false witness, adultery, theft, and lusting after that which belongs to another, one can easily see where each of those acts either directly violates the rights of another person or, as in the last commandment, leads almost inexorably to such violation. Of course, each of these malum in se behaviors is deprecated by our society today. Murder? Abortion is celebrated by many. False witness? Heck, it’s become routine practice among large segments of _law enforcement_. Adultery? *smh* Normalized and even celebrated. Theft? Quotidian practice again for law enforcement (can anyone say “asset forfeiture” absent ANY conviction of a crime?). Envying the possession of others to a degree that qualifies to “lusting after that which belongs to others”? *cough* Bernie Sanders-Occassional Cortex-et al*cough*

It is no wonder at all, at all, that Hollyweird in general, the Mass MEdia Podpeople Hivemind, Academia Nut Fruitcake Bakeries, DC and most local and state governments militate against public display of the Decalogue.

“Stable marriages” are a slap in the face to a society that worships only self. Stable marriages require an honorable committment to one’s vows, freely given, integrity, among other virtues deprecated or openly derided, even rabidly attacked, by those committed to their polar opposites.

Posted on

Yet Another Ill to Lay, at Least in Part, at the Feet of the Internet

*smh* Self-pub writers who just HAVE to “write” a book, but who have no interest in becoming literate enough to avoid felonious assaults on the English language just give me a rash. It’s not that hard, for example, to learn the differences between “go” and “come,” or “take” and “bring,” or that plural subjects take verbs that indicate, urm, you know, MORE THAN ONE, etc. But wannabe subliterate self-pub writers (there are good self-pub writers) have another major flaw: they usually seem to have an overabundance of confidence in their subliterate writing, and avoid literate proofreaders and editors like the plague.

(Aside: it’s often a Very Bad Sign when a self-pub writer thanks his mom for “critiquing” his book. As a matter of fact, in my experience, it’s a 100%, dead certain indication that the writing will stink up whatever room the book’s read in.)

This is not a good thing.

Posted on

Power Corrupts

Yep. Corrupt cops ARE everywhere. This afternoon, I watched a cop lie his ass off concerning an incident I witnessed. No just exaggerating or coloring his testimony to favor his position, no. Every single detail was exactly NOT what happened.

After I testified, the judge told the prosecutor to “Produce the video for me to view.”

That cops ass is grass. . . or would be if LEOs didn’t routinely get “byes” even for perjury.

Yeh, the corruption is endemic. Power corrupts.

Posted on

Brigandage

n. “the life and practice of highway robbery and plunder. It is practiced by a brigand, a person who usually lives in a gang and lives by pillage and robbery.” See IRS, et al.