Wednesday, September 30, 2015
Tuesday, September 29, 2015
Friday, September 25, 2015
A Frightening Trend in Thought
Article Six of the United States Constitution forbids a religious test as a requirement for holding a governmental position.
Adolf Hitler blamed for Germany's problems on Jews, Communists, Freemasons, Socialists, Liberals, Pacifists, Gays, Czechs, anyone who was believed to not be Aryan.
Throughout history there are those who have risen to power by blaming societal problems on others. They create what has become known as "scapegoats." When we here rhetoric claiming that Muslims, Mexicans, Syrians, those from South America or the Middle East are responsible for our ills, beware. Remember Senator McCarthy and the "Red Scare?"
Unthinking masses are prone to accept the premise that they are not the cause problems. It lets them off the hook, relieves them from responsibility, and places blame squarely on the shoulder of "them." The them being those who think, look, dress and talk differently. This is dangerous and frightening thinking. It gives rise to dictators, atrocities, genocide, and the loss of freedom.
When election time comes around, a clear message needs to be sent to the hate mongers that No, this is not the way we think. No, we will not fall prey to hate. No, we will not blame others as we are all responsible for our actions, our successes and our failures. No, we will not build ourselves up on the fall of others.
Thursday, September 24, 2015
Wednesday, September 23, 2015
Tuesday, September 22, 2015
Monday, September 21, 2015
Friday, September 18, 2015
Wednesday, September 16, 2015
Tuesday, September 15, 2015
Monday, September 14, 2015
Friday, September 11, 2015
Thursday, September 10, 2015
Refugees
We are sad because of your sorrow
We weep because of your tears
We hurt because of your pain
We are shamed because of your torment
We hunger because of your deprivations
We are parched because of your thirst
We shiver because you are cold
We sweat because you are hot
We hang our heads because of your abuse
Wednesday, September 9, 2015
Tuesday, September 8, 2015
Friday, September 4, 2015
Thursday, September 3, 2015
Tuesday, September 1, 2015
Odd summer, 2015
While not technically over and with some unusually warm weather in the forecast for Maine, this was an odd summer from a weather perspective. Coming off of record snowfalls, spring was very dry in our corner of the state. It was also a very cool for the first half of the summer. There were a few hot days and it looks like summer may be going to happen in September, but it's still dry. Only had to mow the lawn four times. Probably one more by the end of the month, but ....
It was so dry in the spring that hay yields have been 1/3 to 1/2 of normal. We put in bee hives for the first time and ended up with six swarms, something uncommon for new hives. Had only three pairs of barn swallows and ended up with 14-26 after hatchlings. But they went away in early August-normally they would only now be heading out. Japanese beetles were way down from two years of garden devastating hordes. For the first time in ten years apples on the tree were scab free and edible.
When it did rain it came all at once, so in some areas the total looks good, but the effect was not. getting 2-3 inches in a storm and then nothing for 2 weeks may keep averages up, but when the lawn is brown 2-3 days later, it just shows that averages don't tell the truth.
It is clear that weather/climate patterns are changing. The Jet Stream is not behaving and while El Nino has been building, one can only hope we don't get the same snow levels as last winter. Overall, it was just an odd summer.
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