Progressive perfidy

 
I read the headlines today at the NYT, Democratic Socialists Are Winning Big. Now They Want Action.The Democratic Socialists of America, after a string of election victories in New York, is eager to tax the rich and enact anti-Israel policies.

The left has a new whipping boy, Israel and its supporters. Jews in general are advised to keep their heads down and kippahs off because they are getting attacked, killed and beaten by many people who don't bother to query them regarding their views on Israel and Palestine.

The only thing that scares me as much as the far right is the far left and its pretty even steven at this point.

I don't Facebook but couldn't resist the urge to post this comment on Linked In.

Sentiment in the column ran against me on this point about twenty to one. No big, I got it off my chest. When Hamas kills it is a sudden terrorist event or righteous liberation, Israelis are of course always guilty of genocide. Now I am the last guy to be an apologist for Netanyahu or the Israeli far right but how about some fairness here?

No, instead the left mostly glorified October 7th as mere collateral damage. Israel had it coming and Israeli kids were saved the opportunity to become genocidal Israeli adults. Alahu akbar.

Two nights ago this Islamic terrorist drove his vehicle into a Pride parade in Berlin, killing one and wounding many. Abdel Ballout tried to join Islamic State and ended up taking his displaced wrath out on a bunch of poor gay people.

What do you hear from the far left progressives regarding this foul act? Those people so fervently concerned with human rights?

Basically crickets.

You would think it would be roundly condemned. But no. It is a fact, the Islamic world is one of the most homophobic cultures on the planet but it doesn't fit the progressive narrative so we won't talk about it. You want to throw your lot in with Abdel here, well be my guest. You won't be breaking bread with me.

Let's look at the facts: gays are routinely hung in Iran, women are beaten for showing their face or touching a man in much of the Islamic world, homosexuality is a criminal act in Gaza.

On 18 September 1936, the criminal code of Mandatory Palestine, British Mandate Criminal Code, which drew from Ottoman law or English law, was enacted. Section 152(1)(b)(c) of the code states that any person who "commits an act of sodomy with any person against his will by the use of force or threats" or "commits an act of sodomy with a child under the age of sixteen years" is liable for imprisonment up to 14 years, while Section 152(2)(b) states that anyone who has "carnal knowledge" of anyone acting "against the law of nature" is liable for a prison term up to 10 years.

The Islamist militant groupHamas took control of the Gaza Strip in June 2006, and has controlled the territory since then.[22] In Gaza, Hamas has criminalized homosexuality, and LGBTQ+ individuals risk incarceration, torture, and execution.Gaza under Hamas offers no possibility to live a queer life: lashings and "honour" killings point to the aggressive enforcement of anti-LGBTQ+ policies.

The left, once again turns a blind eye. 

And it is not only in the middle east, the first thing the all muslim and mayor city council did in Dearborn last year was outlaw gay pride flags. 

It seems like the progressive left's concern for human rights is somewhat selective, doesn't it?

Sharia is great, until it comes for you.

Don't say you weren't warned.

Rose Royce

God save us from the capitalists

Here's an interesting one. New Jersey is the third state to ban surveillance pricing, which allows a store to use personal online data and an algorithm to charge different people different prices for the same product.

Could a grocery store charge you more for the same gallon of milk because of data collected about your shopping habits?

New Jersey shoppers will be protected from that practice, known as “surveillance pricing,” under a new law signed Thursday afternoon by Gov. Mikie Sherrill. Sherrill signed the Fair Price Protection Act, which prohibits grocery stores and third-party grocery delivery platforms from using a consumer’s personal data to determine or vary the prices of food products.

The first-year Democratic governor said the law is intended to stop businesses from using information such as online activity, location data and purchasing history to charge different prices for identical products based on what an algorithm predicts a shopper is willing to pay.

Supporters of the measure say the practice could result in different shoppers seeing different prices for the same products.

Of course, business groups oppose the measure.

I wonder if local gas stations are on to this algorithm. Why is gas a dollar cheaper in Escondido, a mere twenty minutes away? Let's pillage those rich folks up in Fallbrook.

Djon Maya

Scottish pal Pat from England sent this along. I only went to one Womad show but it was great, Peter Gabriel and the Stereo MCs. Love the feedback from across the pond. 

Howdy Robert Speaking of voices of angels… The other day Victor popped up on one of my playlists… saw him once at a Womad festival… sublime And I rather like the fact I have no idea what he is singing about. It would only spoil it to know. I’m off to another Womad festival today for the weekend. Looking forward to seeing and hearing many bands I’ve never heard of and have little clue what they are saying. But I’m sure they will have some English or French to give me some pointers. Sounds like the best fun…. Rock on! Px

 

New avocado diversity

Interesting article for those of us in Fallbrook and the avo growing region. New avocado varieties discovered in Central America.

The researchers extracted and analyzed DNA from 47 native avocado landraces, 32 of which came from Nicaragua. They then compared the DNA from the various landraces with previously published genetic data from more than 200 other avocado lineages.The findings, published in the journal Plants People Planet, showed that the avocados sampled in the lowlands of Nicaragua were genetically tied to avocados found further south, including populations along the coast of Colombia, rather than north in Mexico.

This revealed that many local landraces in that part of Central America are planted from fruits originally grown in South America.

Mr. Wann believes the trove of avocado diversity preserved in Central America’s lowlands could help protect commercial avocados from the fate of other clonal crops such as bananas, which have been devastated by fungal pathogens in the past.I have lived in the avo region and grown avocados for much of my life. Once upon a time I wrote for California Grower magazine and traveled around the world doing avo research.

We lived on an old avo ranch on Fuerte drive as a kid in La Mesa. 

Later I had a bacon zutano ranch in Rainbow before my present ranch which was filled with fuertes when I bought it. 

I cut them down to build a horse pasture and save money on water.

I only have a few trees left.

My favorite avos were always Reeds and Fuertes but Hass eventually took over the market, easy to ship and pack. Now it is practically the only fruit out there and ripe for a biological pathogen, like the cavendish banana.

The problem in the old days was the phytophera cinnamoni fungus, or root rot. You couldn't step into a yard in Fallbrook back then without stepping into a pan of white power to kill the fungus. People were very strict.

Trees were planted on steep hillsides as they needed drainage to hold the disease off. 

I think that a lot of that was alleviated with the new g7 rootstocks that were fungus resistant. I honestly haven't kept in touch with the market. 

When I visited groves in Israel I was dumbfounded that they grew on flat earth. Their problem was not drainage it was keeping nutrient levels up, their land drained too well.

I remember lots of other varieties of avos in my youth, queens, dukes, gwens, pinkertons. One of my favorites were the little black topa topas that you could sometimes find on old rootstocks. They had paper thin skin, which you could eat right through, looked like a superball. Loved the little young fuertes that looked like a small rounded cucumber, so delicious.

I hope that the new discoveries are planted and that we find wonderful new additions to our table. 

NIck Lowe

Pump it up

 

Pretty as you feel

Be a better neighbor

One thing that you learn when you live in the country is to not pick fights with your neighbors. They may do something you don't love, they may feel the same way about you, but you let things go. Most of us just want to be left alone. Things work out better this way.

I don't agree with the President on most things, it is true, but his alienation of a good neighbor like Canada makes no sense. Why make an enemy out of a good friend?

Okay, we are getting hit with smoke. That sucks. But it's not like they did it on purpose. And these people send their firefighters a long way to fight our fires, even down here in Southern California. Let's face it, our reliance on burning fossil fuels has definitely helped heat things up globally. 

I appreciate the people of Canada and think they are great tourists and also contribute to our national economy in a big way. Love them, from Gordie Howe to Gordie Lightfoot. But they have soured on us of late and you know why.

Canadians’ net favorability rating of the United States stood at +13 points before Trump returned to office. Now, however, it has plunged to -33 points. 

So, as far as I am concerned, the AI images Trump created recently of Canada as our fifty first state is just an incomprehensible own goal, it serves no purpose except showing the world once again what a dick our President is. Canada bad, North Korea, Russia good.

And lets not forget our farmers depend on their potash fertilizer. Our builders use their lumber.

Now we have new 50% tariffs. Even Republicans don't understand this one, it will hurt the contiguous states greatly.

Senator Susan Collins, who is in a tough reelection campaign in Maine, told Politico Tuesday that she has “voted repeatedly against the Canadian tariffs.”  

“Maine and Canada’s economies are very intertwined. A lot of our blueberries, our potatoes, our lobster, our lumber are harvested in Maine, processed in Canada and then come back. I don’t want to see the tariffs on the books,” Collins said.

The verdict is in: Canadians hate America thanks to Trump 

Canadian confidence in the U.S. has plunged to a new low thanks to Donald Trump, according to an opinion poll.

Seventy-nine percent of Canadians currently say they have no confidence in Trump’s leadership, compared to just 20 percent in favor, according to Pew Research Center data cited by CNN analyst Harry Enten.

May saner voices prevail. This crap should have never happened. I love you Canada, from Banff to Nova Scotia, may we remain eternal friends. This too shall pass.

Back home boogaloo

I had a decent show up in Santa Barbara. 

It was a struggle at times but I pulled it out at the end and made it happen. 

I'm really glad I stopped the chemo when I did.

The shows would have been near impossible.

I tried to take more affordable material, don't think it made a difference. 

People either bought or they didn't, a couple of my regulars either passed or never showed up.

Still I sold some paintings and have some strong decorator be-backs so we will see.

Bought a lovely washoe basket at the show.

I love California and Nevada baskets.

A dealer friend rented a gorgeous 20's era Spanish Revival home and let me rent a room.

The owners were obviously world travelers and it was filled with lovely ethnic antiquities.

We had a barbecue on Saturday and it was pretty outrageously fun.

Had some good meals in town. Went to Maestra with my old friend Steve Pedroff and caught up on the last thirty years or so.

And an awesome ahi benedict at Chad's.

Superb!

After eating ahi omelettes in Kauai, I am a big believer in fish and eggs. 

This could not have been better.

Packed out Sunday night, too tired to drive home, I got a marginal motel room in Camarillo.

Dinner there was a fiasco I will try to forget.

So I am back and it is freaking hot.

Getting ready for the next leg of my journey.

Things are okay on the home front although neither of us feels good at present.

I was happy to see that my bougainvillea is finally taking root and intertwining the fence. Because my wife takes care of everything and doesn't let anything die.

We have never had luck with the plant. Too cold in the winter and hot in the summer.

But this one might survive.

Looks like it will be a great fuerte avocado set this year too.

I bought a half interest in a low mileage cub cadet mower from my friend Tom. 

Should really help around the ranch.

Have to run. 

Later.

Digital leash

 

I saw this on Linked In yesterday and thought it fit me and most of my friends to a T.

We have lost the war to our digital overlords without a signup sheet or a shot being fired.

I would trade my apple car play for a working cd player any time.

I don't like Google straining my phone conversation or email so that people can sell me products.

Don't make me rate my transaction with every anonymous voice in the Philippines or India I contact when I am trying to talk to the bank or mortgage company.

Not fair to them or me.

I don't need the phone or computer suggesting how I should talk or respond to a letter.

Give me a paper menu and two orange juice cans held to each other with a long piece of string for communication and I will function quite well.

Call me analog man.

Coco Montoyo

Dasylirion Longissimum

Leslie and I stopped by Mick and RoxAnn's beautiful home this afternoon for drinks, snacks and music. 

I couldn't help but notice this incredible flower from their deck, about fourteen foot tall at minimum.

What in the heck produced a bloom of such a lustrous amaranth color?

I don't think I have ever seen one quite like it before.

We walked down the slope.

It was a marvelous dasylirion longissimum but with the most lovely and unusually richly colored flower spike I have ever seen.

They can be quite muted.

I have one decent specimen of this plant, and five or six small ones, several more of the broader leafed wheeleri variety.

What a wonderful bloom. 

The contrast with the stark white stalk only adds to the allure.

RoxAnn has quite the green thumb!

Television Eye

Here and there

 

A wonderful photographer on Nextdoor, Tammy took this picture of a magpie jay at the bird and butterfly garden in San Diego the other day.

I am jealous, I have never seen one.

Pretty bird.

This guy walked past my shop yesterday. I miss a lot about the seventies but I do not miss cassette tapes.

I have rewound plenty of them in my time.

Maybe slightly better than 8 track but not by much,

What I do miss are cd's, for both home, computer and car.

I feel much more comfortable loading a disk than letting my phone dictate my music.

Nice sunset tonight.

Leslie took this through the window.

My sister in law Julia is in town from Toronto. 

We had dinner with her toight and she gave me these pictures from long ago at John's wedding. 

Lovely picture of my wife.

I guess I am the last brother standing.

It sucks.

This was in the New Republic today and I thought it was funny and probably somewhat accurate.

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Surprised?  The U.S. spent $30 billion to ditch textbooks for laptops and tablets: The result is the first generation less cognitively capable than their parents.

Yes, but they are sporting way better ink. I swear I saw an eleven year old at Texas Roadhouse tonight with a full sleeve.

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And there's this:

If there's one stat that neatly sums up the current case of arrested development, it's that nearly a fifth of 25- to 34-year-olds live with their parents or grandparents, a record high, per a recent analysis of census data by John Burns Research and Consulting. 

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Morning mammatus clouds 

Moon over Red Mountain

 

Plantation Inn

So long Lindsey

 

Senator Lindsey Graham has passed. A cause of death has not been proclaimed, my amateur guess is brown nose asphyxiation. But hey, I'm not a doctor, I only play one on the computer. Hate to talk ill of the dead but here goes.

I actually was a Lindsey Graham fan once, but that was a long time ago. He used to call them from both sides of the plate and not be a political whore. The one time military jag was going to bat for the civil liberties of Guantanamo detainees, to the consternation of his party members. He used to take non partisan and principled stands. But that was a long time ago.

In time, the one time Trump hater went full time MAGA and sold out every conviction that he ever had. I did a search on the blast for his name and was astounded by how many times I wrote about his perfidy. 

If you want to go down the wayback machine of my remembrances, click here.

Here's a few. I could take the high road but I can not, I don't want to be a hypocrite. He sold out his country and his principles in his slavish obeisance to MAGA power. A tragic figure.

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Graham was initially a critic of Trump’s, whom he briefly ran against during the 2016 Republican presidential primary, warning: “If we nominate Trump, we will get destroyed.” Graham even voted for a third-party candidate for president in 2016, saying he could not support either Trump or Hillary Clinton.

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“Trump and I, we’ve had a hell of a journey. I hate it to end this way. Oh my God, I hate it. From my point of view, he’s been a consequential president,” an emotional Graham said once authorities cleared the rioters and allowed senators to reclaim their chamber. “All I can say is count me out. Enough is enough.” Lindsey Graham 1/06/2021

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When the going got tough, Lindsey Graham sold out, was nothing but the worst kind of partisan hack. Just my opinion.

Minimal interference

But the war go on...

Elder of Zion

I thought that this woman's post was pretty funny.

I guess the cat is out of the bag now. We found her.

Sail Away

The hits just keep on coming

 CDC Stopped Monitoring Parasite Now Causing Explosive Diarrhea Across The Country

The country is in the midst of a nationwide outbreak of explosive diarrhea caused by a parasite the CDC stopped surveilling at the federal level in July 2025.

That’s around the same time the Trump administration began haphazardly attacking and defunding federal health and science agencies under the guise of “government efficiency,” with Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. separately also pushing out critical federal scientists and researchers. 

In addition to the ongoing cyclospora outbreak, Trump administration cutbacks made under the guise of “government efficiency” also brought back a flesh-eating parasite that favors cattle, accidentally fired scientists managing the bird flu outbreak, accidentally fired the FDA’s medical device reviewers, and pulled research funding to protect pregnant women from domestic violence, among other things.

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Trump Administration Taps Climate Science Critic to Oversee Flagship Report - And guess what, surprise, he has no formal training in climate science.

The Trump administration has appointed a critic of mainstream climate science to oversee the federal government’s flagship report on how climate change affects the United States.

Matthew M. Wielicki is a former geochemist at the University of Alabama with no formal training in climate science.

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He Wanted to Track Microplastics in the Sea. The E.P.A. Fired Him.

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US Food and Drug Administration rejects petition to set Pfas limits in food

Recent FDA testing found 70% of seafood samples contain the chemicals, while independent milk testing found it in 12% of 50 samples, including extremely high levels in Whole Foods and Kirkland Signature brands. The FDA rejected the revised petition, stating it plans to take action on setting standards for Pfas, and there is “insufficient evidence to support [TEJTF’s] request”.

The agency said it plans to set less non-binding “action levels” that do not require contaminated food to be removed from shelves. 

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Trump, Ending Decades of Protection, Opens Wild Habitats to Drilling and Mining

The Trump administration on Friday moved to open the habitats of imperiled animals to farming, drilling, mining, real estate development and other activities in what environmentalists characterized as the most severe erosion of protections for wildlife in half a century.

It did so by recasting a single word, “harm.”

For more than 50 years, the federal government has used a broader definition of harm to animals under the Endangered Species Act, a bedrock environmental law. It included any significant “modification or degradation” of habitat that kills or injures animals by impairing their ability to eat, shelter or breed.

The Supreme Court upheld this interpretation in 1995, ruling against property owners who argued that harm should only mean directly killing or injuring an endangered animal.

But on Friday, the Interior Department and the Commerce Department announced a final rule that rescinded this longstanding interpretation. Under the rule, destroying an endangered species’ nest or habitat would no longer be considered illegal.

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EPA proposes weakening heavy-duty truck pollution rules 

The EPA did not model the resulting effect on air quality or human health, but noted that the modifications would likely reduce the benefits of prior rules changes in 2023.

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Cross on the moon?

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DOGE cuts kill. 

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Proposed White House regulations could kill 5,000 clinical trials, analysis finds The Trump administration is mulling new rules that would give political appointees final say on research grants.

Nearly 5,000 clinical trials, including more than 1,000 cancer treatment tests, face termination under proposed federal regulations, a new analysis by the science advocacy group Stand Up for Science finds. The potential cuts would also affect hundreds of pediatric, veteran health and heart disease trials, according to the report.

Take 5 - String Cheese

Susie Reneau

I bought a bunch of signed silkscreen prints from the estate of a woman named Susie Reneau. Very colorful and whimsical with heartfelt messages.

She has not passed but my understanding is that she is now in a home near San Diego. 

She was a longtime working artist in San Diego. 

I don't have a lot of biographical information but what I do know is quite interesting to me.

She was Sister Corita Kent's apprentice at Immaculate Heart as a student from 1964 to 1968 and in the summer.

She produced a calendar for the Corita Kent foundation and did her own calendar every year. 

She herself was a nun but ended up leaving the order and marrying an ex priest, according to the daughter of a woman she lived with when she got older.

Her work is like Corita's but different.

I am going to try to arrange a meeting to interview her but there are a couple interviews or websites that mention her online like here and here.

I like the work, I have only photographed a fraction of it. 

I understand there is a lot more out there. 

Most of them are original signed in ink.

I think it will appeal to a younger art enthusiast that likes graphic works and saturated color.

I am going to try to photograph everything and put it up on my gallery website.  Will frame some of these up. Hopefully can see enough to make my money back. If you have more information about her, please let me know.

Hope that you enjoy it.