G+ Migration Blog

More Tiffany from Richmond. This time, it's just one window. What's unique is that it is in a synagogue. This is Congregation Beth Ahabah. They trace their founding to 1789, originally as Beth Shalome, which was Sephardic. Eventually, they became a German Reform congregation as Beth Ahabah in 1841. The window shows Mt. SInai erupting. Clearly artistic license, as Mt. Sinai is not a volcano, but it does make for a beautiful and intense window. The synagogue is a lovely neoclassical building. Richmond was clearly very into neoclassical architecture at one time. The docent also noted that the synagogue has a Holocaust Torah which was rescued from the Nazis and restored after WWII. While it's clear from their museum that they had some interaction with the Confederacy, not avoidable in Richmond I would think, when I asked they said that mostly they just tried to keep a low profile at the time. Interestingly, when I looked up more info there's a suggestion that it's just ...

More Tiffany from that trip through Richmond. This is St. Paul's, again. They have 10 Tiffany windows in addition to the beautiful mosaic I previously posted about. St. Paul's was the church in Richmond for leaders of the Confederacy. It had been prominent before and after the Civil War, but it was inextricably linked to it. In fact, it was/is known the Cathedral of the Confederacy. Following the murders in Charleston, SC, they (finally) removed all images of the Confederate battle flag from the church. I mention this because 4 of these windows, 2 of the Tiffanys, are specifically dedicated to Lee and Davis. In addition, there's another of the Tiffany windows, as well as the mosaic altarpiece I previously posted which are dedicated to another Confederate general who was also instrumental in providing the Confederacy with munitions. I gather discussions are still ongoing, and theoretically the Tiffanys could be removed and put in museums, but at the moment they are still in...

Edwin Rist and his ilk should be skinned as specimens. The main NPR story linked here is pretty mild, but the link to the book excerpt from WBUR makes it very clear that these people should all be locked up or forced to do supervised field work in the most inhospitable environs on earth. http://www.wbur.org/hereandnow/2018/04/26/feather-thief-kirk-johnson https://www.npr.org/2018/04/30/607079309/a-weird-but-true-story-takes-flight-in-the-feather-thief https://www.npr.org/2018/04/30/607079309/a-weird-but-true-story-takes-flight-in-the-feather-thief

Vigilante justice, here we come. https://www.npr.org/2018/04/30/606990239/arkansas-requires-training-for-enhanced-concealed-carry-permit https://www.npr.org/2018/04/30/606990239/arkansas-requires-training-for-enhanced-concealed-carry-permit

Vox, harshing your mellow with information. https://www.vox.com/policy-and-politics/2018/4/30/17302692/opioid-epidemic-medical-marijuana-painkiller https://www.vox.com/policy-and-politics/2018/4/30/17302692/opioid-epidemic-medical-marijuana-painkiller

What a mess. http://abcnews.go.com/US/privacy-dna-wake-golden-state-killer-suspects-arrest/story?id=54777919 http://abcnews.go.com/US/privacy-dna-wake-golden-state-killer-suspects-arrest/story?id=54777919

This is very cool. http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/d-brief/2018/04/30/us-uk-thwaites-glacier-antarctica/ http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/d-brief/2018/04/30/us-uk-thwaites-glacier-antarctica/

Things I will never have the guts, drive, or determination to do: https://www.independent.co.uk/sport/general/rodrigo-koxa-video-surf-biggest-wave-world-record-surfing-watch-nazare-beach-portugal-a8329466.html https://www.independent.co.uk/sport/general/rodrigo-koxa-video-surf-biggest-wave-world-record-surfing-watch-nazare-beach-portugal-a8329466.html

So far today I have - gotten breakfast for today and tomorrow sorted - gotten car washed - acquired useful storage organizing containers - found the elusive dormant oil to spray on our apricot trees (seriously, one nursery had apparently closed, Lowe's didn't have any - it was a hunt) - also got neem oil for later tree spraying purposes Next on the agenda - lunch - oil change on the snow blower, cleaning it, running it dry for storage, and other fun maintenance stuff.

This is my surprised face. https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-election-millennials/exclusive-democrats-lose-ground-with-millennials-reuters-ipsos-poll-idUSKBN1I10YH https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-election-millennials/exclusive-democrats-lose-ground-with-millennials-reuters-ipsos-poll-idUSKBN1I10YH

This is extremely rare. It's fortunate they've identified these clusters. I hope they can figure out why they are happening because this is very odd, at least, based on current science it is. https://www.cbsnews.com/news/ocular-melanoma-eye-cancer-detected-two-groups-huntersville-north-carolina-auburn/ https://www.cbsnews.com/news/ocular-melanoma-eye-cancer-detected-two-groups-huntersville-north-carolina-auburn/

The Secret Service made them do it. (Headline: The NRA said guns will be banned during a Pence speech. Parkland students see hypocrisy.) https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/post-nation/wp/2018/04/29/the-nra-said-guns-will-be-banned-during-a-pence-speech-parkland-students-see-hypocrisy/?noredirect=on&utm_term=.5fa147da9f53 https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/post-nation/wp/2018/04/29/the-nra-said-guns-will-be-banned-during-a-pence-speech-parkland-students-see-hypocrisy/?noredirect=on&utm_term=.5fa147da9f53

Wow. He directed a lot of well known movies, not just some famous scifi. https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/michael-anderson-dead-logans-run-around-world-80-days-director-was-98-724070 https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/michael-anderson-dead-logans-run-around-world-80-days-director-was-98-724070

It's nice to know some things never change. These rules about observation and 3 night stays were in place well before Obamacare and have been problematic at least since the 1990's. Feel free to add to the list of complaints to your Congresspersons. https://www.npr.org/sections/health-shots/2018/04/20/583338114/how-medicares-conflicting-hospitalization-rules-cost-me-thousands-of-dollars https://www.npr.org/sections/health-shots/2018/04/20/583338114/how-medicares-conflicting-hospitalization-rules-cost-me-thousands-of-dollars

Lol durian. https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/food/wp/2018/04/29/fears-of-a-gas-leak-forced-an-evacuation-at-a-melbourne-university-it-was-a-durian/?utm_term=.d12b07c36002 https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/food/wp/2018/04/29/fears-of-a-gas-leak-forced-an-evacuation-at-a-melbourne-university-it-was-a-durian/?utm_term=.d12b07c36002

I imagine a lot of you already knew about cochineal. Even so, because pictures this article is super squicky, but a potential lesson in the law of unintended consequences. PETA can stuff it. Ms Butler Greenfield says it is important to remember that carmine is a natural product that it is a vital source of income for poor farmers in Peru. "People, mostly Peruvian, and mostly very poor, depend on carmine for their livelihood," she says. What are you gonna do to replace an industry that employs 32,600 people? Are you kidding me? http://www.bbc.com/news/business-43786055 http://www.bbc.com/news/business-43786055

Race and genetics is continuing to be discussed, I guess. tl;dr - 1) The history of the science of molecular biology and genetics is inseparable from the history of eugenics. Awkward. This does not mean we need to continue to be influenced by eugenics and racism. 2) We are just beginning to understand epigenetics. Epigenetics inherently suggests change at a genetic level is possible. What we know so far is a potential "genetic" explanation for the long-term damage that slavery, poverty, and abuse can cause in a population. However, that does not mean we should confuse science that may provide evidence of prior inflicted damage with something that is unable to be changed going forward by changing the environment that led to the epigenetic changes. Simplisticly, there can be good epigenetic changes, as well as bad ones. I don't read the Reich article as a "defense of race as a biological fact". Maybe I am missing something. The Vox article doesn't seem to have...

Her answer about Brown v. Board “I don’t mean to be coy,” she said, “but I think I get into a difficult area when I start commenting on Supreme Court decisions which are correctly decided and which I may disagree with.” Vitter said Brown was “binding” and that she would “uphold it” from the bench but also insisted that “if I start commenting on ‘I agree with this case’ or ‘don’t agree with this case,’ I think we get into a slippery slope.” Another judicial appointee, Andrew Oldham, did the same. ... insisted at his confirmation hearing that the canons of conduct precluded him from discussing the merits of Brown." And then he quoted RBG to further validate himself. Maybe I was just raised in a liberal, biased, public education system, but this is a) garbage, and b) an interview answer that would lead me not to hire anyone in any job, ever. By example, a physician has to make judgment calls, too, but if you're hiring them, you do not want to hear, yeah, there's all these e...

Math is hard. Title of article: The CDC just announced 1 in 59 children are autistic. Here’s why that’s not evidence of an epidemic. https://www.vox.com/the-big-idea/2018/4/28/17295398/cdc-autism-rates-epidemic-diagnosis-vaccines-myth https://www.vox.com/the-big-idea/2018/4/28/17295398/cdc-autism-rates-epidemic-diagnosis-vaccines-myth

I was unfamiliar with Michelle Wolf before tonight and although every so often her jokes were funny, it was more like one of those off-color roasts, where it was mostly just uncomfortable. Probably not the best choice for this environment.

Offs. The what aboutism burns - Obama, unnamed members of Congress, Clinton - why don't they just blame the Tooth Fairy? Also rich - when Trump commentators complain about ad hominem attacks. P.S. Not one single one of the Republican, Conservative, Trump commentators has said it is inappropriate, unacceptable, precedent breaking for Trump to threaten Testor. In fact, they deny that Trump is threatening Testor. Also, stop with the "it's New York" crap. It's the movie version of NYC, it's the TV version. It's bullying, and it's Roy Cohn (who's dead) and Donald Trump. It's also a bunch of other states and cities and the intensity of some of their public figures, politics, etc. It's not all Robert De Niro in "Taxi Driver" or every mob movie, ever, anyway. This is all Donald Trump and his bullying. You don't get to dump on NYC for that. (Even if NYC were exactly that, it is still no justification for Trump acting like a bully, a ...

Oh, christ. Because somebody is willing to consider giving Trump any credit at all for North Korean talks does not mean they are not giving him credit because they don't think it means he should get a Nobel peace prize. The fact that Obama should not have gotten one also does not mean he should get a Nobel peace prize. Not to mention this is hardly Camp David, here; nobody spent a lifetime fighting apartheid; nobody died for satyagraha. Moon Jae-in may have had something to do with it. Xi Jinping may have been involved. North Korea may have blown up its own program by accident temporarily. Interestingly, other than by shooting his mouth off, Trump hasn't done a doggone thing.

Omg, where do these people come from? Paris Dennard is bizarre. If that's what the GOP and Conservatives have to offer as commentators, no wonder there are problems in this country.

Uh, wow, ok. There's a restaurant in California called Yellow Fever and it is totally referencing the term in its racist context. The owner (female, Korean) says it was intended to reclaim the term. https://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/whole-foods-yellow-fever-twitter-controversy_us_5ae4aadee4b02baed1baacab https://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/whole-foods-yellow-fever-twitter-controversy_us_5ae4aadee4b02baed1baacab

I made spanakopita for dinner. That is all.

Not a good look #nimby https://www.rawstory.com/2018/04/watch-wealthy-white-manhattan-parents-angrily-rant-plan-bring-black-kids-schools/#.WuKse6SaPVw.twitter https://www.rawstory.com/2018/04/watch-wealthy-white-manhattan-parents-angrily-rant-plan-bring-black-kids-schools/#.WuKse6SaPVw.twitter

First of all, anybody from the US should stay the heck out of this - politicians, bishops. Second of all, I'm at a bit of a loss as to what difference it would make to allow the family to take him to Italy, as long as they are paying for it. Leading to thirdly, in all of this nobody has talked about who is paying for his care. That matters a whole lot because if his parents can pay out of pocket, then that's an argument to let them do what they want. If they are expecting the public to spend hundreds of thousands of dollars, at least, on their son's care to no beneficial end to their son while other people are therefore being deprived of documentably life-saving care then that is an ethical and moral conversation that has to happen. Fourth, anybody who manipulates the misery of this family and their child's illness as a publicity stunt to push their anti-abortion agenda should burn in whatever hell they believe in. This is tragic for this family. How dare you use them. ...

Yeah, this is going to go well. It is most certainly an issue, if they can leverage it. It's not implausible, either. All the other old hatreds are rearing up, and hating Catholics is long established in this country. https://www.nytimes.com/2018/04/27/us/politics/house-chaplain-fired.html https://www.nytimes.com/2018/04/27/us/politics/house-chaplain-fired.html

tl;dr - You're not legally protected. Don't give out your genetic information or it could be used against you. This is not a case of well if you don't do anything wrong you don't have to worry, either. Think of what the Nazis would have done if they'd had actual DNA databases to work with. https://www.cnn.com/2018/04/27/health/golden-state-killer-genetic-privacy/index.html https://www.cnn.com/2018/04/27/health/golden-state-killer-genetic-privacy/index.html

Cumin lamb, from that Chinese restaurant. It's supposed to be spicy, but it wasn't at all. In spite of the obvious chili oil and dried chilis. It was delicious, just not spicy. One thing I forget, though, is that in many cultures they go for fatty meat and I actually don't prefer that. I don't mean about marbling, I mean it's clearly fatty. I just don't prefer the way that tastes or feels. An oddity about this place is that there always seems to be one or two men shouting in the kitchen. The tone sounds angry or something, but nobody seems to notice or react. They aren't speaking English, so I can't make any guesses there, either.

So they'll be looking for a nice Jewish Rabbi, probably a married woman with children, to act as Chaplain? http://thehill.com/homenews/house/385159-ryan-explains-decision-to-dismiss-house-chaplain-in-closed-door-meeting http://thehill.com/homenews/house/385159-ryan-explains-decision-to-dismiss-house-chaplain-in-closed-door-meeting

The problem is Trump and the GOP made their own beds. Instead of coming out strongly and openly against Russian interference, but spinning it as not affecting the outcome of the election, both politicized it and used it to attack Obama and his administration, Clinton and the fact that shes breathing, and a bunch of other stupid moves. They could have easily had bipartisan investigation of Russian involvement without turning it into this. Plus, it's nice that they want to warn us about the likelihood of continued attempts to interfere, but it's them, the GOP, that keeps blocking efforts to do anything. If you won't let anybody do anything to stop it, at what point are you not only part of but responsible for the problem? https://www.nytimes.com/2018/04/27/us/politics/house-intelligence-committee-russia-investigation-report.html https://www.nytimes.com/2018/04/27/us/politics/house-intelligence-committee-russia-investigation-report.html

I decided to use the being up anyway to go for a short walk this morning. #csbp

I thought I was going to sleep in. Then the latest I could get my body to sleep was 7:30 am. This is not how that was supposed to go.

Sigh. https://www.nytimes.com/2018/04/13/arts/television/roseanne-bad-joke-controversy-kelvin-yu.html https://www.nytimes.com/2018/04/13/arts/television/roseanne-bad-joke-controversy-kelvin-yu.html

So much pain. https://www.nytimes.com/2018/04/26/arts/television/cosby-show-african-americans.html https://www.nytimes.com/2018/04/26/arts/television/cosby-show-african-americans.html

Sure, why not? Let's have a fight about religion in the House. Unless it's not. In which case, what is it? https://www.politico.com/story/2018/04/26/house-chaplain-ousted-paul-ryan-556027 https://www.politico.com/story/2018/04/26/house-chaplain-ousted-paul-ryan-556027

I'm not sure why I find this surprising, but at least it seems like surprising in a good way? https://www.cnn.com/2018/04/25/europe/germany-kippa-protest-intl/index.html?sr=twCNN042618germany-kippa-protest-intl0843PMStory https://www.cnn.com/2018/04/25/europe/germany-kippa-protest-intl/index.html?sr=twCNN042618germany-kippa-protest-intl0843PMStory

We need to talk.

Only $12 per pint! https://www.instagram.com/p/BgjilEdgY64/?utm_source=ig_embed https://www.instagram.com/p/BgjilEdgY64/?utm_source=ig_embed

In another critically important development, I have found a replacement instant hot cocoa with poison I can tolerate. See, sometimes I will use instant cocoa as a treat. I used to just buy whatever at the store. Back when that meant it contained sugar, I was fine. What I didn't realize is that even the ones not labeled 'diet' or 'reduced calorie' or whatever now have acesulfame and aspartame and other stuff in them. I was forced to this realization because I was getting sick to my stomach every time I had the hot cocoa, which was weird. So I have been hunting for regular sugar poisoned cocoa mixes that tasted decent and were not gritty. Finally found one at Whole Foods. Sad, I know. It's their regular 365 brand organic cocoa. Now, I can have cocoa without getting sick. I mean, while drinking the cocoa. Obviously, the sugar will eventually kill me. But today is not that day.

I already feel the need for another dog pic today. So here you go. Being owned by both dog and cat. Dog has R lower leg and feet, cat has L upper leg.

OMG NO WHY WOULD YOU DO THAT I DON'T CARE WHAT THEY EAT IN CAMBODIA (no way I'm linking with a picture - the headline in the link should be enough). http://www.dukechronicle.com/article/2018/04/bull-city-burger-has-a-new-option-for-adventurous-eaters-a-tarantula-burger

Criminy, James Comey has a heck of a life story.

We already know that algorithms are biased because they are based on people and people are biased. Exactly how is that not going to be a problem in this type of thing? The participants also mention that the design industries for furniture and things other than clothing are using algorithm powered computer design. Isn't that a good way to make innovation and creativity less likely? On the one hand, they point out that fashion tends to cycle, so even this may change or evolve (letting the computer tell you what to wear). On the other, they talk about issues like Amazon pushing whatever they have in inventory, how would you know? They can only sell you what they've got, after all. My thoughts were immediately that these algorithms are all going to be various manifestations of white people in certain socioeconomic situations because where did they get the info to develop the algorithm? Lastly, I applaud the people who talked about not caring what other people think about how one lo...

Stupid question: If you kill your customers by lacing their cocaine with fentanyl, how is this a business growth strategy? Aren't you killing off your own market? http://www.wbur.org/onpoint/2018/04/25/fentanyl-opioid-addiction-cocaine http://www.wbur.org/onpoint/2018/04/25/fentanyl-opioid-addiction-cocaine

I may be misunderstanding, but it sounds like gmail is about to get very annoying. https://blog.google/products/gmail/stay-composed-heres-quick-rundown-new-gmail/ https://blog.google/products/gmail/stay-composed-heres-quick-rundown-new-gmail/

Well. That explains that. There's a link to the actual proposed rule at the beginning of the article. It's a fun read. By which I mean it's long and convoluted and painful to try and logic through. Fortunately, The Atlantic kind of did a precis. It's fairly clear that this is specifically the interested industries and friends going after an old Harvard study. Not that I have any love lost for some of what Harvard has done (fat vs. sugar, anyone?), but apparently this has been a sort of holy grail of the industry to get rid of for decades. https://www.theatlantic.com/science/archive/2018/04/how-the-epas-new-secret-science-rule/558878/ https://www.theatlantic.com/science/archive/2018/04/how-the-epas-new-secret-science-rule/558878/

In the midst of the VA Secretary kerfuffle, I'd just like to say that a hostile workplace created by a senior or supervising physician, especially if it's a prior history and not a current ongoing issue, were it a disqualifier, ought to have displaced an awful lot of deans, chairs, faculty, staff, and just random physicians everywhere. It's endemic to the culture. While it's now trendy to disavow that, and even occasionally do something substantive to change localized environs, the underlying culture is still not happy that the cult of horrible personality has been criticized. After all, some of the most brilliant ... but he (mostly) made this breakthrough! ... great leadership! ... money, efficiency, saves lives! ... etc. There's a sort of parable (?) that tends to pop up within the inner halls of medical care/training where one asks: if you were sick and could choose between the very best doctor/surgeon in the world, but he (it's always he) is an utter bastard...

In case you wanted to see pictures of those bone daggers. They're kind of elaborate and artistic. There's other pics in the link comparing the cassowary and human daggers. "We conclude," the researchers wrote, "by suggesting that people in the Sepik region of New Guinea engineered human bone daggers to withstand breakage, and that their prevailing motivation was to preserve intact the embodiment of symbolic strength and social prestige, an outcome that agrees well with the predictions of signalling theory." Heh. https://www.sciencealert.com/human-thigh-bones-best-bone-daggers-papua-new-guinea-sipek https://www.sciencealert.com/human-thigh-bones-best-bone-daggers-papua-new-guinea-sipek

Good grief - Henry Kissinger?! Augh. Also, it finally crystalized for me that this niggling irritation about the state dinner coverage on flotus is setting us back to at least 1960. It's not that no men do event planning, but it is still regarded in many circles as that thing women do. And a lot of socialites have done real work with fundraising and things, so even that is kind of dumping on women. Meanwhile, flotus is "putting her stamp on the WH". Iow, the most restrictive, traditional, circumscribed roles of women are being met by someone with expensive clothes and a fancy house. She's a role model. Many prior flotuses have broken out of the traditional to do more - Eleanor Roosevelt, Hillary Clinton, Michelle Obama - even the traditional ones have done something lately - Barbara Bush, Laura Bush. This flotus is really hitting her stride, though, because she can put on a fancy dinner. Which is great, but it's not really the role model young women need. https:/...

Today has started with a whole lotta nope.

Wibbly-wobbly, sciency-schmiency. I can't find the actual proposed rule anywhere. Which is bizarre. It should be somewhere. Where's the website where the public gets to comment? Anyway, a lot of people seem very certain that Congressperson Lamar Smith (bless his heart) has convinced Scott Pruitt to propose a rule that the EPA can only make policy based on studies with publicly available data. Not because they care about transparency, but so they can throw out once and future science. Without the source material (the proposed rule) I'm going on the innumerable articles that have popped up everywhere on this (NYT, WaPo, Forbes, etc.). It sounds like hiding under the cover of what everyone should be doing in science anyway, they are demanding that studies make publicly available the raw data from studies, including personally identifiable information on individuals and patients. Every article on this points out that some studies are so old this information would no longer exis...

I don't know if it's as dramatic as the headline, but apparently virtually no Democrats and definitely no media people are going to this State Dinner. Color me unsurprised that a socialite can throw a fancy dinner party. https://www.nytimes.com/2018/04/23/us/politics/trump-state-dinner-france.html?ribbon-ad-idx=3&rref=politics&module=Ribbon&version=context&region=Header&action=click&contentCollection=Politics&pgtype=article https://www.nytimes.com/2018/04/23/us/politics/trump-state-dinner-france.html?ribbon-ad-idx=3&rref=politics&module=Ribbon&version=context&region=Header&action=click&contentCollection=Politics&pgtype=article

Another career possibly stomped due to incidental contact with Trump. https://www.nytimes.com/2018/04/24/us/politics/ronny-jackson-veterans-affairs.html https://www.nytimes.com/2018/04/24/us/politics/ronny-jackson-veterans-affairs.html

Lol. Actual study title (study linked below): Premenstrual syndrome and alcohol consumption: a systematic review and meta-analysis How it is being reported in the media: 1) Heavy drinking linked to worse PMS 2) Too Much Drinking May Be Tied to PMS: Study 3) Alcohol consumption linked to PMS risk, study suggests Etc. http://bmjopen.bmj.com/content/8/3/e019490 http://bmjopen.bmj.com/content/8/3/e019490

I don't know how they coordinated this, but it's kind of awesome they were willing and able to help like that. http://www.nbc-2.com/story/38029549/semi-trucks-line-up-under-michigan-overpass-after-man-threatens-to-jump http://www.nbc-2.com/story/38029549/semi-trucks-line-up-under-michigan-overpass-after-man-threatens-to-jump

The NRA - deeply concerned with accuracy, but failing that, never an advocate of violence or threats of violence to control and influence people. Angry? Don't waste your time with facts and information, just blow stuff up. Especially expensive stuff you have to pay to replace with something else. Yes, we definitely want people like this influencing our country, culture, and government. https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/morning-mix/wp/2018/04/24/nra-supporters-are-blowing-up-yeti-coolers-yeti-says-its-all-a-big-mistake/?utm_term=.78d4eaf1520b https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/morning-mix/wp/2018/04/24/nra-supporters-are-blowing-up-yeti-coolers-yeti-says-its-all-a-big-mistake/?utm_term=.78d4eaf1520b

Jesus christ. https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/morning-mix/wp/2018/04/24/three-mexican-film-students-were-killed-their-bodies-dissolved-in-acid-authorities-say/?noredirect=on&utm_term=.b34599724191 https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/morning-mix/wp/2018/04/24/three-mexican-film-students-were-killed-their-bodies-dissolved-in-acid-authorities-say/?noredirect=on&utm_term=.b34599724191

I can't even with this. Except, these things no longer surprise me, I guess, now that we know we never finished the Civil War. Disgust doesn't even begin to cover it. http://www.tampabay.com/news/education/Sarasota-student-under-fire-over-his-racist-promposal-_167623809 http://www.tampabay.com/news/education/Sarasota-student-under-fire-over-his-racist-promposal-_167623809

- locked - Totally not shocking, I am exhausted after counseling session today.

This article kind of speaks for itself. Granted, the quotes they used might have been cherry picked (all from Missouri schools). Nonetheless, it appears that it was simple to find people who not only thought the murderer should have been shot, but that the police were obligated to shoot him. If that's what you teach law enforcement and police, that's what they'll do. http://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-43876772 http://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-43876772

Mike Shields thinks it's an excuse to say that Donald Trump doesn't even know what what he's tweeting means. He also doesn't consider "breeding" to be a dog whistle. This is the leadership of the GOP. Well, he's in charge of a PAC, now, I guess, that backs the GOP. A difference without a distinction. A white man with money and power is ignorant of the history of "breeding" being a reference against immigrants. And thinks ignorance is an excuse. Personally, I think Trump knows exactly what he is saying. It's exactly what plays to his base and the worst possible strains of our history and culture. As long as the white guys hang together, I guess, with the occasional token female, or poc or non (white) evangelical or non-christian. #disgust

I feel like any day would be made better by this. Isn't he cute in his little sweater?

I imagine the Secret Service is having kittens, even if they managed to give him a secure phone. Plus, he may be doing it on purpose hoping it isn't documentable for accountability. Except if foreign governments can eavesdrop, so could we. Somebody just has to authorize and pay for it. https://www.cnn.com/2018/04/23/politics/donald-trump-cell-phone/index.html https://www.cnn.com/2018/04/23/politics/donald-trump-cell-phone/index.html

Look at those beautiful, clear headlights. Better living through fine grit and nasty chemicals that contain an aromatic hydrocarbon and some halogens. Very meta. (It was warm and dry today, so I could do this.) They're so clear, I can see the little circles for lining up the lights. Edit: If you're bored, you can zoom in and see them, too!

More St. Paul's. It's right across from the state capitol, a location associated with its historical prominence, although the neighborhood itself is clearly the opposite of prominent, these days.

Other things I did on my travels - Having been edumacated re: Tiffany's mosaics by the exhibit in Corning, I paid attention to where else there might be some. There is one in the church in Richmond, VA. It turns out that if you want to see Tiffany, the area around Richmond and Petersburg is replete with it. Unfortunately, this is tied to the more unsavory aspects of American history. Then again, we need to face and deal with that, so maybe it's not the worst way to get people's attention. This is the altarpiece at St. Paul's Episcopal Church in Richmond. It is Tiffany mosaic of The Last Supper from 1896. The floor and rail around the altar also have mosaic elements, but I couldn't tell if they were Tiffany or not. My guess is not, since it isn't mentioned anywhere I could find, but there were other churches where they had done floors and railings so it is theoretically possible.

Editor-in-Chief of PNAS (Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences), among other things. Slightly influential. By which I mean extremely influential, in case you aren't familiar with PNAS. http://www.sciencemag.org/news/2018/04/salk-puts-cancer-scientist-inder-verma-leave-after-harassment-allegations-announces http://www.sciencemag.org/news/2018/04/salk-puts-cancer-scientist-inder-verma-leave-after-harassment-allegations-announces

Well, that's terrifying. https://www.washingtonpost.com/sports/nationals/white-sox-reliever-suffers-brain-hemorrhage-during-game/2018/04/21/9bc9c31c-459f-11e8-b2dc-b0a403e4720a_story.html?noredirect=on&utm_term=.950207c4be6a https://www.washingtonpost.com/sports/nationals/white-sox-reliever-suffers-brain-hemorrhage-during-game/2018/04/21/9bc9c31c-459f-11e8-b2dc-b0a403e4720a_story.html?noredirect=on&utm_term=.950207c4be6a

https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/2018/04/21/neo-nazis-anti-fascist-groups-descend-georgia-town-competing-rallies/538857002/

You know, you'd think Congress would be expending all this energy trying to rein in Trump and the Executive branch, who are stomping all over their prerogatives. But no, they're going after the Judicial and trying to eliminate their independence. I guess being 40+ years post Watergate, it no longer means anything to keep the DOJ independent? https://www.nytimes.com/2018/04/21/us/politics/rod-rosenstein-justice-department.html https://www.nytimes.com/2018/04/21/us/politics/rod-rosenstein-justice-department.html

If you're at all into hats, costuming, or classy dress from the past, this is very cool. http://buffalonews.com/2018/04/21/last-of-buffalos-master-hatters-finishes-off-wardrobes-of-broadway-and-hollywood-stars/ http://buffalonews.com/2018/04/21/last-of-buffalos-master-hatters-finishes-off-wardrobes-of-broadway-and-hollywood-stars/

That is sad. https://www.cnn.com/2018/04/21/entertainment/verne-troyer-obit/index.html https://www.cnn.com/2018/04/21/entertainment/verne-troyer-obit/index.html

Aw, google stylized my cherry blossoms.

Series 5: Duke Gardens, invasive species. As noted on the pics, they used to have some wisteria planted on purpose, but they finally got rid of it and after much hemming and hawing decided not to replant the invasive stuff, but go with native related species. This was on the edge of the gardens by a road and parking lot way off at the edges. Clearly not deliberately planted there.

Last few pictures. I did find a few of the later blooming cherry trees still in full bloom, and they were lovely. The only reason I took that last picture is because there is a cherry tree still with some flowers, a dogwood, and several azaleas and rhododendrons, all blooming at the same time when, generally, that wouldn't happen. There are several very large magnolias behind them of the kind that is more traditional and blooms later, but the dark, glossy leaves are distinctive.

Series 4: Duke Gardens, Historic Terraces and Fish Pool. Seriously, some of these names are deeply uninspired, if accurate. They had the same weird weather we've all had, so it was cold and then it wasn't and all of a sudden, everything bloomed. I am informed the cherry trees went 'poof', so very few were still blooming, although you can see some. All the carefully designed and planned bulbs and such that are supposed to appear continuously over 2 months in sequence just bloomed all at once. It's like Monet exploded. Lovely, if intense.

Series 3: Duke Gardens, some magnolias. There are dozens of kinds of magnolias throughout the gardens, including plenty of the archetypal giant ones with the glossy dark green leaves and giant creamy white flowers. Those bloom later, though. I was stupid and forgot the name of the tiny creamy white cup shaped ones, but since they were in the Asiatic Arboretum, it's a safe bet they're some type of magnolia from that part of the world, or one of their hybrids.