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Simon Says

Radiolaria, Carpocanium Irregulare

Last April we were on a Glass Trip to Pittsburgh. During the trip we bought a lampwork glass piece that evoked an early, now extinct, jellyfish. Last week while I was organizing our taxes I found a credit card charge for Radiolaria, Carpocanium Irregulare. It took me a few steps to figure out what it was and that it was a legitimate charge. I hadn’t been ripped off by a Latin speaking internet scammer. I need to get more regular at reviewing my credit card… Read More »Radiolaria, Carpocanium Irregulare

Shame on Arizona

On June 2, 1924 American Indians were granted full citizenship by an act of the US Congress.It wasn’t until 1948 that Arizona allowed Indians to vote. From The Heartbeat of Wounded Knee by David Treuer An embarrassed “no comment” is all I can muster. For 24 years Arizona delayed and obfuscated. Shame. The question we need to ask is: What are we doing today that a hundred years from now will appear so awful? The photo is of some petroglyphs on Shaw Butte in north… Read More »Shame on Arizona

Worth Reading

The Heartbeat of Wounded Knee by David Treuer If you care about fairness and justice this is a disturbing book. It is also a book about hope. The Native Americans were totally defeated by 1900 their number were down to about 300,000 people. Now 120 years later there are over 3 million Native Americans and they have lots of success stories. The book includes a very good short history of the Native American experience. It is eye opening. That story about deliberately spreading smallpox did… Read More »Worth Reading

Congress Moves

“Like all other large bodies, where there is a variety of different interests to reconcile, their deliberations are slow.“ George Washington, 1783 During the winter of 1783 Congress was dithering and the Continental Army was starving. A seditious letter was circulated at Newburgh and Washington made a speech, which included the line above, to quell the potential rebellion. He succeeded and that summer Cornwallis surrendered at Yorktown. Our government has always been slow and it has often been wrong but eventually it does the right… Read More »Congress Moves

Stone Donuts

In Cornwall, England they find iron age stones very similar to the stone donuts found in the Hohokam ruins around the Salt River. The royal Museum of Cornwall has identified them as loom weights. The purpose of the stone donuts in the Southwest have not yet been identified. There are a lot of stone donuts at S’edev Va’aki Museum. Some are grooved and some are more bagel like. At the beginning of this month they were taken out of the artifact carts because they might… Read More »Stone Donuts

Energy Vortex

My friend Peter B sent me this word salad advertisement. I am in awe of people, like Christy Whitman, who can with a straight face charge $47.00 a month for access to her web site and its multiple level “Energy Vortex.” Pete has a YouTube channel called Pete’s Nature, it is free, and he is more likely to teach you how to “live life to the fullest” than anyone who claims to understand the “Laws of the Universe.” Here is a link to Christy Whitman… Read More »Energy Vortex

Ball Point Pens

Ball point pens are a ubiquitous marvel. They are everywhere. The price ranges from free to hundreds of dollars. They are an engineering marvel. But are they a collectible like fountain pens or watches? My friend George F wrote a book about collecting fountain pens. I wonder if such a thing exists for ball points? The results of a quick search using my Knows Everything Machine are ambigious. How many ball point pens do you own? Is that a collection? If creatively mounted they would… Read More »Ball Point Pens

Old Shoes

The shoes on the right were my oldest piece of clothing. I bought them in the early 1970’s they started oout as my semi-posh shoes and for the past ten years i have worn them as my trail relief shoes. They finally failed. Fortunately I have a newer pair of Topsiders that will now fill the role of shoes that I put on after a hike. They look good and should last me the rest of my life. The question is do I need too… Read More »Old Shoes

Reassuringly Expensive

Reassuringly Expensive Luxury Goods need to be Reassuringly Expensive. Think about it. Is it the opposite of Bargain Hunting? Photo is Zelensky searching for weapons in Napa.