Tuesday, September 29, 2020

PISSING MATCH


No matter what you were expecting to learn when you turned on the Presidential Debate this evening with Donald Trump and Joe Biden, were you disappointed that bad behavior reigned?

It was like a pissing match with two little kids acting like their mothers never taught them how to behave. Name calling like prepubescent boys... Seriously?

Chris Wallace 'tried' to moderate the evening with his choice of topics and questions re: the Supreme Court vacancy, Healthcare -COVID 19 (vaccine, masks and rallys), the Economy of Trump's 'V' shaped vs Biden's 'K' shaped, US Racism- protests vs riots and a reference to Black Lives Matter, Policing, Climate Change, Voting and Why voters should vote for them...

Repeatedly Wallace was talked over and interrupted and it wasn't by Biden. No high school debate team member would have ever been able to conduct themselves in such a manner nor should presidential candidates on a national stage no less. 

If the moderator, Wallace in this case, had lights to indicate time left of those 2 minute allowances / there are time warnings, these certainly are not followed. Solution? The speaker's mike needs to be turned off to regain civility when infractions continue to occur.

Were you able to listen, much less learn anything new about these 2 men's plans for our country which is suffering?  Biden did spout some of his intentions. Perhaps the most telling line of the 90 minutes was when Trump was asked to denounce White Supremists  and he finally said "Stand back" but then added "and Stand By. " That definitely is not what this country needs.

Later upon reading about the pre debate strategies, it was written that Trump did not traditionally prepare with mock debates but concentrated on his rallies whereas Biden did and his strategists wanted him to bait his competition. A brawl was expected. Personally, that advice didn't sit well with me. Remember Michelle Obama saying when they go low, you go high?  Certainly, one didn't see this in action.

The pissing match debate was like sitting in a bad movie and staying,  hoping it would get better. No such luck. Do you think we could get a refund? ' Just checking... 

WORTH A LOOK...


I really wasn't sure what I wanted to post today but you all are familiar with how random my posts are, right?

So you've been spared recipe day/ another Fall photo but what would be shared this morning is something that came across my FB feed yesterday. Good stuff...
Photo is internet stock images.



Thank you for posting this Diane from David Ferree:

"I have heard from people that they want a reason to vote FOR Biden beyond that he's not Trump. Okay, I respect that, so I went on his website, poured through his policies, and came up with 100 reasons to vote for #JoeBiden that don't mention Trump.
1.) $15.00 federal minimum wage 2.) Reinstate DACA – allowing new applicants to apply 3.) 12 Weeks federal paid family leave 4.) Universal Pre-Kindergarten/Childcare for ages 3 and 4 5.) Tuition free college for those with household income less than $125,000.00 6.) Allow student loans to be relieved in bankruptcy 7.) LGBTQ+ Equality Act in the first 100 days in office 8.) Rejoin the Paris Climate Accords 9.) Decriminalize cannabis use and expunge convictions
10.) Eliminate cash bail system
11.) Eliminate mandatory minimum sentences
12.) Outlaw all online firearm and munition sales
13.) Restore the voting rights act
14.) Create a new $20 billion competitive grant program to spur states to shift from incarceration to prevention.
15.) He’ll triple funding for Title I Programs
16.) Appoint the first Black Woman to the Supreme Court of the United States
17.) Reauthorize the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA)
18.) Ensure the US achieves a 100% clean energy economy and net-zero emissions no later than 2050
19.) Protecting Biodiversity, slowing extinction rates and helping leverage natural climate solutions
20.) Develop a plan to ensure that America has the cleanest, safest and fastest rail system in the world, for both passengers and freight
21.) Expand the safety net for survivors
22.) Confront online harassment, abuse and stalking
23.) End the rape kit backlog
24.) Address the deadly combination of guns and domestic violence
25.) Change the culture that enables domestic violence
26.) Support the diverse needs of survivors of violence against women
27.) Protect and empower immigrant women
28.) Lead the global effort to end gender-based violence
29.) End capital punishment
30.) End federal private prisons
31.) End all incarceration for drug use alone and divert individuals to drug courts and treatment
32.) Invest in public defenders’ offices to ensure defendants’ access to quality counsel
33.) Expand and use the power of the US Justice Department to address systemic misconduct in police departments and prosecutors’ offices
34.) Reform qualified immunity for officers
35.) Ban choke-holds/neck restraints by police
36.) Launch a national police oversight commission
37.) Stop transferring weapons of war to police force
38.) Free access to testing for all with national testing board
39.) Double drive through testing sites
40.) 100,000 contact tracing workforce
41.) Guarantee first responders have priority access to PPE
42.) Emergency paid leave for anyone who gets COVID or needs to take care of a loved one
43.) Free housing for health care workers to quarantine
44.) Ramp up large scale manufacturing of as many vaccine candidates as necessary
45.) Nationwide vaccination campaign to guarantee fair distribution
46.) Ask every American to wear a mask
47.) End the mismanagement of the asylum system, which fuels violence and chaos at the border
48.) Surge humanitarian resources to the border and foster public-private initiatives
49.) End prolonged detention and reinvest in a case management program
50.) Rescind the un-American travel and refugee bans, also referred to as “Muslim bans.”
51.) Order an immediate review of Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for vulnerable populations who cannot find safety in their countries ripped apart by violence or disaster
52.) Ensure that Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and Customs and Border Protection (CBP) personnel abide by professional standards and are held accountable for inhumane treatment.
53.) Revitalize the Task Force on New Americans and boost our economy by prioritizing integration, promoting immigrant entrepreneurship, increasing access to language instruction, and promoting civil engagement.
54.) Convene a regional meeting of leaders, including from El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico, and Canada, to address the factors driving migration and to propose a regional resettlement solution
55.) Raising the corporate tax rate to 28 percent.
56.) Requiring a true minimum tax on ALL foreign earnings of United States companies located overseas so that we do our part to put an end to the global race to the bottom that rewards global tax havens. This will be 21% — TWICE the rate of the Trump offshoring tax rate and will apply to all income.
57.) Imposing a tax penalty on corporations that ship jobs overseas in order to sell products back to America.
58.) Imposing a 15% minimum tax on book income so that no corporation gets away with paying no taxes.
59.) Raising the top individual income rate back to 39.6 percent.
60.) Asking those making more than $1 million to pay the same rate on investment income that they do on their wages.
61.) Tackle the crisis of Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women
62.) Ensure tribal nations will have a strong voice and role in the federal government
63.) Restore Tribal lands and safeguard natural and cultural resources
64.) Joe will dramatically increase funding for both public schools and Bureau of Indian Education schools.
65.) Invest $70 billion in Tribal Colleges and Universities and Minority Serving Institutions.
66.) Ensure full inclusion of people with disabilities in policy development and aggressively enforce the civil rights of people with disabilities.
67.) Guarantee access to high-quality, affordable health care, including mental health care, and expand access to home and community-based services and long-term services and supports in the most integrated setting appropriate to each person’s needs and based on self-determination.
68.) Expand competitive, integrated employment opportunities for people with disabilities.
69.) Protect and strengthen economic security for people with disabilities.
70.) Ensure that students with disabilities have access to educational programs and support they need to succeed, from early interventions to post-secondary education.
71.) Expand access to accessible, integrated, and affordable housing, transportation, and assistive technologies and protect people with disabilities in emergencies.
72.) Advance global disability rights
73.) Double the number of psychologists, guidance counselors, nurses, social workers, and other health professionals in our schools so our kids get the mental health care they need
74.) Invest in our schools to eliminate the funding gap between white and non-white districts, and rich and poor districts
75.) Improve teacher diversity
76.) Support our educators by giving them the pay and dignity they deserve.
77.) Invest in resources for our schools so students grow into physically and emotionally healthy adults, and educators can focus on teaching.
78.) Ensure that no child’s future is determined by their zip code, parents’ income, race, or disability.
79.) Provide every middle and high school student a path to a successful career.
80.) Start investing in our children at birth.
81.) Double funding for the State Small Business Credit Initiative.
82.) Expand the New Markets Tax Credit, make the program permanent, and double Community Development Financial Institutions (CDFI) funding
83.) Improve and expand the Small Business Administration programs that most effectively support African American-owned businesses.
84.) Increase funding for the Minority Business Development Agency budget.
85.) Make sure economic relief because of COVID-19 reaches the African American businesses that need it most
86.) Reserve half of all the new PPP funds for small businesses with 50 employees or less
87.) Help families buy their first homes and build wealth by creating a new refundable, advanceable tax credit of up to $15,000
88.) Protect homeowners and renters from abusive lenders and landlords through a new Homeowner and Renter Bill of Rights.
89.) Establishing a $100 billion Affordable Housing Fund to construct and upgrade affordable housing
90.) Fully implement Congressman Clyburn’s 10-20-30 Plan to help all individuals living in persistently impoverished communities
91.) Expand access to $100 billion in low-interest business loans by funding state, local, tribal, and non-profit lending programs in Latino communities and other communities of color and strengthening Community Development Financial Institutions (CDFIs
92.) Expand broadband access to every American.
93.) Protect and build on the Affordable Care Act to improve access to quality health care in rural communities.
94.) Expand access to high-quality education in rural schools.
95.) Transform our crumbling transportation infrastructure – including roads and bridges, rail, aviation, ports, and inland waterways.
96.) Expand bio-based manufacturing to bring cutting-edge manufacturing jobs back to rural America.
97.) Strengthen antitrust enforcement
98.) Introduce a constitutional amendment to entirely eliminate private dollars from our federal elections
99.) End dark money groups
100.) Ban corporate PAC contributions to candidates, and prohibit lobbyist contributions to those who they lobby
***EDIT*** this again is all from his website. I literally copy pasted the bullet points from his website. If you go on his website, click Joe’s Vision, he has different themes. “Criminal justice reform, helping America’s farmers, etc.” I clicked through a bunch of those, and tried to get the quickest bullet points from his website."

Sunday, September 27, 2020

MONDAY MUSINGS: ESCAPE



  

There's change in the air... During a time when we are tired of feeling helpless we need to turn off our TVs and technology and escape.

We are very fortunate to live where we don't have to drive hours to discover fall's beauty as in the End of the Rainbow Valley each fall morning the surrounding hills look different. On our road trip yesterday we travelled east on Cty Hwy P in Coon Valley to Cty Hwy D and with each curve in the road was another surprise like an artist had created a new masterpiece on the rolling hills of the Coulee Region. 

Since you might live in a part of the country where you will have to wait a bit longer enjoy seasonal change, click on the video's arrow below and enlarge the screen by click on the icon in the lower right corner...  


My southern friends probably will have to wait a bit longer 
for these fall sights. 

Friday, September 25, 2020

FOTO FRIDAY: FAVORITE


 know, I know we are not supposed to have favorites but this past Friday, I had a new found favorite. All because of a need for a substitution and Natureman's suggestion, a new favorite food which gets to be my FOTO FRIDAY pic...  


Can you identify my substitution? Aren't they pretty. They grow in the wild and are miniatures of what the recipe called for which was pomegranate. After calling all the food stores and not being able to find them, these became the substitute. The extras were used to decorate the table...

If you guessed elderberrries you are oh, so right! My newest holiday salad was not only good but beautiful...

You can always send me your photos to add to any FOTO FRIDAY. Here was last week's:FALL's FALLING

Thursday, September 24, 2020

TBT:BLACK 'N BLUE in the Times of COVID

AP Photo
 From today's title of Black 'n Blue you might think here she goes again talking about Black Lives Matter and the men in blue, our police who are supposed to protect "us" but be forewarned this is going in another direction throwing back to something that actually happened over a year ago after biting down on a quarter pound burger no less...

Yep, when I chomped down on the Thurday burger special there was a crack in my mouth.  I actually caught part of the beef bone before swallowing it. A dentist visit determined the best guess was there was just an upper tooth involved although the lower opposite tooth might have been involved but the xray didn't show a problem. The upper tooth was fixed and actually paid for by the meat processor's insurance. I had just signed off on the claim last fall. 

Wouldn't you know this summer at an overdue teeth cleaning (overdue bc of COVID) that very same lower tooth had a little cavity AND a fine line crack! The filling appointment was made but 2 days later as I bit down on a piece of frozen chocolate chip cookie dough the part of the back of that very same tooth broke off. Just air passing by it was excruciating. So back to the dentist for a temporary composite as the tooth could be saved.

Last Tuesday I went in to fill the cavity. It's been ages since I had a cavity maybe even since I was a kid as there was already a silver filling in that tooth. The dentist gave me a shot of anesthesia, gave it time to numb. BUT when drilling started it was obvious the entire tooth wasn't numbed as my eyes almost popped out of my head. After 3/4 more tries that side of my mouth was finally numbed. 

My mouth would be numb for a good four hours and I went home with instructions to take Tylenol, be careful not to bite my tongue/ cheek, chew my food on the opposite side, have a smoothie for dinner, avoid tacky foods, seeds, etc... 

3 days later at dinner, Natureman says to me, "you have something black on the bottom of your chin." After trying to gingerly remove it as it was the sore side, he said it was still there.

Much to my surprise upon looking in the bathroom mirror there was a huge bruise and it was black. Now I get it now, a black n blue bruise. OMG. There were also green bruises wherever the needle had been.  


Due to my alarm in its severity I texted the dentist with a photo that night.  The next day it looked worse and I hadn't heard back so I called the dentist. The number had been a pager's. When my daughter saw me on Facetime she thought I had been in a fight and encouraged me to pursue it. It was scary looking.

The dentist did return my call and we discussed that sometimes this happens that a vessel could be involved, bruising can occur and the fact there was still pain wasn't abnormal. The plan was for us to continue to touch base daily with photos included. 

The bruise and swelling have subsided as has the pain, the area is more yellow now. Personally I really would have rather not found out how the term black 'n blue originated...

Tuesday, September 22, 2020

WHAT A DIFFERENCE A DAY MAKES...

 

It's not exactly peaceful to go out on a mini weekend car trip as everybody else has the same idea. And guess what?  'They' are not wearing masks. Now that is just plain scary.

Yep, and due to those non mask wearers, we couldn't even get out of the car on Saturday afternoon at the Lansing Overlook. Well to be truthful, the Mississippi view has seen clearer days... 

We opted for a less travelled Amish county highway on the return trip.  I couldn't wait to get home. Two plus hours and 'only' one single mask sighting.

It wasn't difficult to stay home on Sunday as Natureman went mush room hunting as I worked on some scrap booking.  Monday would definitely be a better day to attempt another field trip when folks were back at work.


After packing a picnic lunch the next morning off we went to a Vernon County Park, Sidie Hollow with 521 acres outside of Viroqua. Built in the 60's this flood retention dam protects farms downstream from flash flooding in the Bad Axe River Valley with its 40 acre lake and 11 miles of mountain bike trails through the woods. 


We were a bit early for the hillside colors but in time for  the blooming native asters while the solomon seals were past their peak. We even spotted some shaggy mane mushrooms. We had the trails to ourselves.


Those hillsides should be stunning in another week/ two... 
We'll have to return to see them in their glory.


And as Dinah Washington sang so well it was true-  WHAT A DIFFERENCE A DAY MAKES...



 





RIGHTEOUSNESS & RBG



Not sure who the author is of the following but read on re:RBG and righteousness...

There are a few posts going around reminding folks that since RBG is Jewish, the proper thing to say about her passing is : "May her memory be for a blessing," which is true, but I wanted to add a bit of perspective on what that means.
Jewish tradition does not focus on the afterlife. There are a few thoughts on what happens when we go, some of which look a bit like reincarnation, and some of which looks like time to reevaluate our actions and relationships on earth, but for the most part, the whole "Do good things, get good reward from God; do bad things, get bad punishment from God" is just not part of our worldview. (Spoiler alert: this is why I love The Good Place so much- the final season feels very in line with Jewish thoughts on the afterlife.)
When Jews speak of righteousness, it is never with the idea of an eternal reward. We work to be good humans to others and ourselves because justice and peace are their own rewards. We don't know what happens next, but we know what happens here, and that is enough. The pursuit of justice is one of the highest callings of Judaism, and it should not be misinterpreted as vengeance or punishment. The ideas of justice and sustainability are inextricably linked in Judaism. A system that is unjust cannot sustain, and a system that is unsustainable cannot be just.
It is said that a person who passes on Rosh Hashona is a Tzedek, a good and righteous person. When we speak of tzedakah, the word is often translated as "charity" but it is more accurate to say righteousness. Tzedakah can take many forms (including monetary donation) but it's important to note that tzedakah is not a benevolent contribution given to be kind or nice to those who need it, it is to be viewed as a balancing of the scales, an active working towards justice. To use a simple example, one should donate to the local food bank not to gain favor with God, or to be nice to those with less than ourselves, but because it is unjust for anyone to be without food, especially while others have plenty. Correcting injustice, balancing the scales, evaluating the distribution of power and creating equity is tzedakah, the work of righteousness.
Similar to Maslow's (imperfect) hierarchy of needs, Maimonides wrote in the Middle Ages of eight levels of Tzedakah, the highest of which results in self sufficiency, or rather, an act that creates a sustainable form of justice. "Teaching a man to fish" is an extremely reductionist view of this idea, but it's a start- the real meat of it is the idea that charity is good, but eliminating the need for charity is better. (i.e. Tax the billionaires so we can have universal healthcare instead of praising the rich for building hospitals with their names on them.)
The second highest form is where both the giver and the receiver are unknown to each other. This allows both for the dignity of the recipient, and for the giver to be free from personal motivation and reward. In other words, we should help create a more just world for the benefit of people we don't know, without the expectation of praise, gratitude, or reward, in this life or the next.
When we say that Ruth Bader Ginsberg was a Tzedek, we don't just mean she was a nice person. What we're saying is that she was a thoughtful person who worked tirelessly to create a more just world. One that would perpetuate equality and access, one that wasn't reliant on charity, one that was better for people she did not know, without the expectation of praise or fame. THAT is what it means to be a Tzedek, and I can't think of anyone who better embodies the pursuit of justice.
When we say "may her memory be for blessing" the blessing we speak of is not "may we remember her fondly" or "may her memory be a blessing to us" the blessing implied is this: May you be like Ruth. Jewish thought teaches us that when a person dies, it is up to those who bear her memory to keep her goodness alive. We do this my remembering her, we do this by speaking her name, we do this by carrying on her legacy. We do this by continuing to pursue justice, righteousness, sustainability.
So when you hear us say "May her memory be for a blessing" don't hear "It's nice to remember her"-- hear "It's up to us to carry on her legacy." When you hear us say, "She was a Tzedek" don't hear "She was a nice person"-- hear "She was a worker of justice."
May her memory be for a blessing.
May her memory be for revolution.
May we become a credit to her name. 

Monday, September 21, 2020

MONDAY MUSINGS: TESHUVAH

COVID 19 has altered our religious communities in so many ways and prevented services for many from being held inside our sanctuaries. Congregations have sought alternatives in an effort to try to provide community. 

Our community's spiritual leader has been zooming our Sabbath services in which our family can participate from the End of the Rainbow Valley. Of course, we'd all rather be together but this will have to do for right now. 

This weekend Jews the world over began the 10 days of Teshuva, (teh-shoo-vah) repentance, a time for self reflection re: one's actions during the past year. At the end of the 10 day period G-d and one's fellow man will be asked for forgiveness to wipe their slates clean and start anew in the lunar calendar year of 5781.

Our local congregation decided to hold our services this past week- end in a large open tent for those willing to socially distance and wear masks.  

Definitely not a gospel church revival but a roof over one's head to protect one from the elements.  Many opted to not try the tent option. A live video was streamed on FB for those of us who could not join in person. Unfortunately, the internet reception was less than stellar due to a lot of interference with transmission glitches and frozen screens...

What we could do was shul hop. My hometown of Little Rock, Arkansas handled it in a couple of different ways. The Reform Temple prerecorded its services and participants's readings.  It actually was really lovely to see photo montages of congregants and listen to various readers/musical renditions from either inside the Temple/comfort of their own homes. The conservative synagogue there had limited reserved socially distanced sanctuary seating and live streamed their service...  

One of the weekend sermons especially resonated with me from the youngest spiritual leader and included the following questions we need to ask during these days of repentance. 

The first question is a question for oneself:

"What is standing in my way from being the best version of myself?"


The second question actually is for someone else: a friend, partner,                                                                        family member/ stranger

 "What do you need from me? "


And the third question is for G-d: 

One is to make up a question to ask G-d...


If only all of us would take the time to truly be introspective, do an action that would better someone else's life and be spiritual perhaps the world will be a better place to live in 5781... 

I'm willing to try, how about you?

I ask your forgiveness if I have injured you with words or actions this past year... 

Friday, September 18, 2020

FOTO FRIDAY: FALL IS FALLING

 


FOTO FRIDAY finds fall falling already. Having passed this beauty I had to return to take its pic before Mother Nature started dropping its leaves. 


Don't forget to look up as you are getting from here to there.


                                      Happy Fall and 5781!

Last week's FOTO FRIDAY... PERSPECTIVE


Wednesday, September 16, 2020

PEACHES 'N CREAM


 

Who knew the gift of peaches is the gift that keeps on giving?

Well we were thrilled to share our good fortune of that bounty of  peaches and its recipients have been sharing with us too!

Yesterday I came home with a huge round loaf of sour dough bread and black garlic. Super stoked to try that black garlic. 

A box of peaches was shared with the dentist's office too and they sent me home after an hour and half appointment with not only a numbed mouth but a prescription for a smoothie for dinner. 

Perhaps a wives's tale but it is said citric foods will help the numbness dissipate sooner so you don't bite your tongue / cheek unknowingly. So orange juice would be part of my dinner smoothie. 

Besides the orange juice in went a peach, banana, dollop of peanut butter and a bit of honey which all did the trick for a nice 'cool' dinnner.


And to think that blender thought its working days were done after the garden load, here I come with icecubes and smoothie demands.


Even though my mouth is still sore today, I know my breakfast peach smoothie will be my peaches 'n cream.

Have a great day!


Monday, September 14, 2020

JUST PEACHY ...

 What happens when a trucking company's shipment of 7200 cases is refused by a major franchise due to a refrigeration issue during its voyage?  


Well, the contents needed new homes. So all the pantries were approached. And then the company's employees were offered to take what they could use and share and spread the news to anyone who was interested to come to the loading docks and help themselves. Each case contained 8 of this product. And would you believe 7200 X 8= 57,600 of these found a home.  My neighbor even called to ask me if I 'd like some as she was the recipient of being gifted some.

But 15 cases had already come home with Natureman. 7 of those cases are already gone and others are spoken for but for whatever  remains will be sliced with most of them being frozen to eventually become come peach cobbler, baked peaches, grilled peaches, peach crostata, peach currant and cilantro chutney, peach tartes, etc... If the natural sugars aren't working, one can always add that white stuff.


One thing's for sure, everything will look a lot peachier in the freezer here in the End of the Rainbow Valley this week !

MONDAY MUSINGS: CREATURE OF HABIT, EARLY RISERS

.

With our local schools back in session a lot of our lives are affected. Summer schedules have to change and albeit I'm a retired teacher my early mornings are affected too. 

Although there is a later option for my live online Jazzercise class, unfortunately it has lousy transmission due to its basement location with perhaps the use of other technology in the building. What that means for me is the alternative of a 'better' uninterrupted class from another location now airs at 5:30 am vs its summertime 8 am class time since its instructor has returned to teaching her public school classes. 

Even as an early riser these bones are not used to moving that early. My early couch potato quiet time normally 'was' with the daily online jigzaw puzzle and composing blog entries, will have to change. 

Since I also don't want to disturb Natureman's shuteye and we live in a house without curtains nor carpets, nothing blocks light nor cuts down on noise, the laptop's screen light and moonlight are my only  lighting.

I  also found my wireless ear buds but have forgotten how to use them. If you ever owned JBL ear buds, do IM me



Yeah, it'll be challenging but doable...  




So M,W and F while our household here in the End of the Rainbow Valley is still sleeping, I'll be doing the 5:30am class and be done with class by 6:30am. 

Who says the early bird gets the worm?  Cock a doodle do, I'm already awake...




Friday, September 11, 2020

FOTO FRIDAY: PERSPECTIVE

 


FOTO FRIDAY's PERSPECTIVE is all about how you look at life. So,it's your choice each day when you wake up... 



Do you feel you're living in the clouds/ in a fog? 


Add caption

It's up to you! Have a great weekend.

Last week's FOTO FRIDAY.

Thursday, September 10, 2020

STRANGE NEW WORLD :Conversations in Times of Crisis

 On Sunday we had the pleasure of being introduced to the National Library of Israel's Reading Room, a new virtual space where one can enjoy live/ recorded conversations/lectures via Zoom.


We joined the first program of a Strange New World: Conversations in Times of Crisis on Justice and Leadership in Crisis with two very articulate participants, (L)American Philosopher Michael Sandel, one of Harvard Law's popular political professors, author... (Democracy's Disconnect and In Justice, What's the Right Thing to Do?The Tyranny of Merit: What's Become of the Common Good?,What Money Can't Buy: The Moral Limits of Markets and also Liberalism and the Limits of Justice...) and (R)moderator Moshe Halbertal, noted Israeli philosopher, professor and writer and expert on Maimonides(The Birth of Doubt: Confronting Uncertainty in Early Rabbinic Literature, Maimonides: Life and Thought, Nahmanides: Law and Mysticism, Idolatry...)


You get it, both very prolific individuals who have spent their careers piecing together the whys and hows of contemporary society. Their dialogue spoke of our strange new world in times of crisis. 

So what we have learned from the virus? 

Remember the statement at the beginning of the virus 'WE are ALL in this together'? - The mutual dependency and vulnerability, social distancing, wearing of masks and quarantining. The 'ideal' where mankind would take precedence over economy. Yet, the truth would  be lurking in the shadows before demonstrating we are not ALL in this together.

Class, race and may I add, gender inequality would be instrumental in who would not be included. Those providing our essential work in society often are made up of the fore mentioned and are also those least compensated in salary and societal recognition. Over the last 40 years the benefits of society haven't been shared equally but have gone to the top 20%. 

What is merit?

One might assume where you are in the social hierarchy is due to your own merit and that market economies reward those whose hard work and production contributes most to society. Yet, those on the bottom  are blamed for their suffering.  In Deuteronomy we are warned about thinking our good fortune is due to our own merit. The book of Job points out there are morally and good people and yet they suffer for no apparent reason.

So,WHO receives a vaccine when it's developed?

When there is a vaccine who will be first in line and at what price? Would essential workers / those who were volunteer guinea pigs in the clinicals / the most vulnerable be vaccinated before those who are protected by their privilege? We should remember Jonas Salk's contribution to the world of the polio vaccine without profit. 

Our market has no morality and doesn't consider who contributes the most to the well being of society. 

What is apparent are the many cracks and flaws in the strange new world we are part of today...

This program will eventually be posted in the collection of the Reading Room's site @The Reading Room

Below is this week's upcoming presentation should you want to take a listen/ you can read my synopis next week/visit the site at a later date...

That's 10am Central Time... 11am EST

Wednesday, September 9, 2020

CURBSIDE & CHIPS

 One of the advantages of a blog is the conversation can go wherever and although I'm working on another entry, today I wanted to divert the convo as yesterday took us to town for a pickup for goat food no less. 

Natureman had placed the order on line and even though there's a 3 day pickup allowance, the goats needed breakfast... 

Our local stores and franchises have seen an opportunity to guarantee our business by adding on line shopping. It took some a bit longer than others but they're all adapting and still tweaking whether to charge for this service or not. How do you feel about this customer service?

No matter whether it's called Click'n go, Shop Woodman's/ Curbside pickup, most likely you will need technology. (Some do phone calls but payment varies dependent on the business.) Our convenience stores won't take charges over the phone but will come out to your car and take your card then.  Pickup time usually requires a phone to alert them you are there. Yesterday we had a faulty buzzer system at Farm & Fleet but fortunately I had my cell. 

Our Festival grocery store adds little thank you gifts in our orders. Bottled water ( Natureman has a fit, tell them we don't want the plastic) and it usually has  mini chocolates/snacks from their suppliers's new product line. Yesterday was another variety of chips.

Take a look at the note stapled to the bag.



   Mexican Street Corn with paprika , garlic and lime.

And we've had samples of other company's flavors of chips and they span the flavor continent...

Yep you read right , Korean BBQ street taco. And it did taste asian flavored.

Checking out some of the combos on line the new ones sounds like the State Fair on steroids.  Sirachi, Fried Green Tomato, Crispy Taco, Lime and Sea Salt, Beer 'n Brats, Tzatzikis, Thai Basil Chili and the list goes on...

 I don't know about you but just give me plain potato chips and maybe once in a while bar-b que potato chips and I'm a happy camper...

So tell me, back to on line shopping, are you using curbside shopping?

Monday, September 7, 2020

DO YOU HEAR WHAT I HEAR?

A strange sound has been echoing through our valley this past week as a ram's horn, called a shofar, an ancient bugle was being blown to remind all to repent. After its blowing the traditional saying of the Jewish New Year Holy Days is exchanged " Kotvenu b’sefer he-ḥayyim," “Inscribe us in the Book of Life” /“May you be written down and inscribed for a good year.”

Since we will not be able to celebrate with our community this year due to social distancing we were blessed and thankful to be able to hear the shofar in person twice this Hebrew month of Elul. Monday by our present spiritual leader, Brian, who came out to the End of the Rainbow Valley to blow the shofar yesterday and another video by our friend Ed. Enjoy.

Take a listen: 

1.Shofar Blowing:9-7 by Brian yesterday


2. Shofer blowing after Schaharit Service with Ed


MONDAY MUSINGS: UNPAID LABORERS







Monday Musing this week is about some labor going on in the End of the Rainbow Valley. It's not like we don't pay our bills but we didn't even know this work was going on until plants starting growing and now are in bloom.

You wouldn't know it but for a person who's not really keen about the color yellow in the flower garden, 'yellow' has taken over this August... unplanned.  

A huge cup plant has splayed its branches with yellow flowers across the south side of the flower bed.

Black eyed Susans flank both sides of the walkway and can be spotted in different sections.

There is also a nice batch of Sunflowers ~4ft high with varying size heads. I named it Cari's Patch as it is her favorite flower.


It turns out the 'volunteers' who dropped seeds en route to and fro from the feeder are our birds who do get feed well daily so I guess they aren't exactly unpaid. 

I sure hope they took the day off... And I do hope a lot of our country's essential workers also got some paid time off.

Thursday, September 3, 2020

FOTO FRIDAY's SQUASHING IT

                                                            

FOTO FRIDAY's: SQUASHing it is not about the latest insects I have stepped on in/outside in the End of the Rainbow Valley although I have been quite busy in the spider department since the inside webs are becoming a bit too numerous.


Squashing it in this entry is about one of the latest of our garden produce, a  squash that we hope will make it to our Thanksgiving table.


'Gotta love those striations and coloring. 

What's one of your beauties out of your garden? Please do share.

Last week's FOTO FRIDAY was TWINKLE OF AN EYE