private

Enco,

The issue of free speech is in essence a balancing of interests. On the one hand there is the individual. We all know in any variety of dictatorship that the state will censor the individual when the individual is critical of the state. That happens in Communist states. Happens in theocracies. Happens in North Korea. Happened with John…[Read more]

Jake,

The genocide could occur whether not the effigy is burned and that is what a State should act to prevent and what citizens should limit a State from practicing.

And, of course, as Californians will certainly attest, burning anything in an uncontrolled fashion is always dangerous, so there’s that angle. If anybody’s going to burn anything…[Read more]

Enco,

I assume you are an absolutist as to free speech?

I agree insofar as your take is speech directed at power. Not so when it is power intending to harm the defenseless, the vulnerable, the disenfranchised, and that sort of power dynamic. So if some antitheist burns a Quran the state ought not punish the antitheist for that expression. (or…[Read more]

Reg,

Far be for me to interrupt the Lonely Planet/Conde Nast/Town & Country happy talk, but there were several thing earlier that you mentioned about the Euros that need addressing:

One, free expression necessarily includes offensive expression, and that includes hateful expression. Free expression would mean nothing if it were only freedom to…[Read more]

Donegal looks like a no fishing sign to an avid angler. Loop hikes are always good. Something about not setting foot on already tread land. I have in mind hiking the trail that goes along the Newfoundland coastline. It is around 190 miles and looks spectacular.

Every day? So you never get sick. That is impressive having that quotidian rythm.…[Read more]

It is funny how our interests broaden as we age….

I find the broader my range of interests, the less complicated life becomes. When I am on a long walk or hike, at some point I remember that I am not just observing nature, but that I am part of it. It is not external to me. Of course, you already know what I mean 🙂

I like Florida too. Like some birds, I have spent some winter migration time there too :-). Mostly in Panama City Beach.

Donegal in the very NW of the country has a surreal natural beauty to it. No. 7 is on my list this year. A friend of mine went there for a holiday about 15 years ago and is still there!! He was thinking about moving back to NC…[Read more]

Reg,

I am envious. My sis and bro in law vacationed in Ireland. The’re enthralled and may decide to retire there. My sis told me how much i would like to hike there. She aint wrong. He is an O’Solomon who had family there so there is some right of return or other, a zionist plot i suspect.

Robert,

It is funny how our intests broaden as we…[Read more]

Reg the Fronkey Farmer wrote:
I spend very little “off time” at home. I tend to disappear to the West of Ireland for a few days, maybe 6 times a year with a few 1 day visits in between. Mostly hiking or beach walking in some of these locations. (Often do the Diamond Hill trip, at about 16:10). I do some “digital nomad” work too and will go to o…

[Read more]

jakelafort wrote:
Robert that is charming. Really cool spot.

Thanks Jake,

We enjoy watching the wildlife and keep bird feeders running all year.

I spend very little “off time” at home. I tend to disappear to the West of Ireland for a few days, maybe 6 times a year with a few 1 day visits in between. Mostly hiking or beach walking in some of these locations. (Often do the Diamond Hill trip, at about 16:10).

I do some “digital nomad” work too and will go to one of the Canary Islands fora…[Read more]

Robert that is charming. Really cool spot.

We have a house in the woods….well it’s more like a bayou, LOL. It’s about 78 degrees today. You would think 3 acres is enough, however if we ever left here, I would like at least 30 acres. High of 85 today, but it’s supposed to dip into the 50’s tonite.

One of the weird things about traveling to the far north in Vermont during the winter is the felicity of the apricity. The clean air. Yeah. You can taste it. City slickers who never ventured outside their rat cages would be amazed.

As soon as you cross over from MA to Brattleboro there is more snow. A lot more snow in some years. A line of…[Read more]

Yes Jake, we have a small break to allow the iced rain to plunge down and glaze the snow, so when the snow returns this evening, it will have a nice new platform to settle on.

I’m leaning towards The Shining, Reg

Rest assured Strega, nothing has every happened to anyone who spent time in a cabin in the woods!! MAGA and Musk have everything under control.

All snow Strega? Raining ice here in CT.

Thank you, Reg!

I’m in a 24 hour snowstorm in a cabin in the woods. What could possibly go wrong?  😑

(I’m actually caretaking this property, so technically I’m more like Jack Nicholson in The Shining)

I also posted this elsewhere, but it’s worthy of being posted here as well. By quoting Napoleon’s  “He who saves his Country does not violate any Law,” he’s basically announcing that he’s prepared, has mentally justified to himself, moving into the full dictatorship phase where he obeys no one but himself. Not the courts, not the congress, and…[Read more]

Trump goes full dictator, posting Napoleon’s  “He who saves his Country does not violate any Law.” What it means is that he doesn’t feel bound by the courts, congress, or even the Constitution he swore to defend.