“Beware the dog that does not bark and the man who does not talk.”
Lakota Folk Wisdom
The photo is of one of the beautiful pieces of glass we saw on our recent trip to Florida. The quote is from one of the Pendergast novels
Beware
Words Seldom Seen: Stifle
Stifle
Verb: To prevent something from happening, being expressed, or continuing.
Example one: “She barely stifled a yawn as he droned on.”
Example two: “The parliament stifled dissent by jailing the opposition.”
I joined a school of fish in Palau for a photo opportunity.
Information
“Information is like electricity. It powers the light that allows us to see our way forward.”
Aloysius Pendergast
The first in a series of quotes from the Pendergast novels by Preston and Child. The books are definitely summer reading. They have little redeeming intellectual value but are very engaging. You can read one in a day. Think Louis Lamour or Earle Stanley Gardener.
The photo is one I took of Chihuly glass on display in St Louis.
Iran the Theocracy Hypocrisy
On November 4, 1979 Iran invaded the US embassy in Iran and took 52 people hostage. They were held hostage until January of 1981.
Fast forward to early April of 2024 when military commanders from Iran were killed in a missile strike on a building next to the Iranian embassy in Syria.
Iran and its Allie’s are acting outraged. Have they forgotten that they were the ones who changed the rules about the sovereignty of embassies back in 1979.
We stand with Israel.
Lo Barato Cuesta.
“Cheap Costs You.”
“Lo barato cuesta.”
Mexican Folk Wisdom
Bargain hunting is endemic. And then we complain that the local store with excellent service and lots of variety is vanishing. That is the long term cost of being cheap. But there is also an immediate cost. To sell it cheaper somebody has to make it cheaper or service it cheaper or reduce the number of options. And whatever it is if you buy it because it was cheaper you are much more likely to be disappointed. I like the idea of reassuringly expensive.
Note there is an exception for seasonal products. There is a week or two in the spring when asparagus is ripe, delicious and cheap. Same for squash one week in June and sweet corn in July and August. But in general lo barato cuesta.
I found this in Gustavo Arrellano’s Weekly Canto definitely worth subscribing to.
Our Finest Hour (Not)
Chasing down maids and meatpackers will not go down as America’s finest moment.
I commissioned these sketches back when I was active in the immigration movement.
Words Seldom Seen: Elide
Elide
Verb: To suppress or alter a sound, a word or other fact.
Example one: “in the word “ain’t” we elide the r and the o sounds from are not.”
Example two: “while singing the praise of government action the press elided the consequence of the new dependency.”
The photo is again from Palau in 2015. A large friendly fish the name of which I have forgotten. In this description I elided the fact that the fish was begging to be fed.
Theirs
When you put the 2 words ‘The’ and ‘IRS’ together it spells: “Theirs…”
It is time to file for your extension.
The view from our lovely rental house in the Sonoma area last December. VRBO
My opinion on taxes is that they are not high enough on everybody. I have specifics but they are as unrealistic as your ideas. 💡
More Serendipity
“Be on the lookout for serendipitous moments.”
Obligations, commitments, fears and inertia all combine to make us miss the serendipity that surrounds us.
Backyard Scuba is a method to surreptitiously discover serendipity.
This display of liquor bottles is a joy to behold. It can be seen at The White Chocolate Grill in Scottsdale AZ.
Forks in the Road
“There are many forks in the road of life. At every one, most people choose safety and possessions over risk and learning.”
The Nesselroth silverware from Germany is the best “fork” photo I could find.