Well, the babying and bundling up of my last two tomato plants to overnight them is over – the deer came through and cleared out the last of my tomatoes just as they were starting to turn. I guess all that extra work and effort was just to give the deer a last feast before the winter.
Had our final mow of the season done today, got our firewood last week, and plan to finish my last outside project (the egress window insulation) this week. We left the big field mow to wait until spring – last year we missed it on accident but enjoyed watching the deer come through in the snow and much on the foliage that was above the snow. We also got the quote for the new air return I want to have installed (so our fan will pull from downstairs and can circulate the heat from our wood stove in winter and cool air in the summer) so hopefully we can get that scheduled and done in the next couple weeks as well. It will be nice to have all the projects done and be able to enjoy the seasonal changes.
Anyhow, it’s a bit chilly in here, so I guess it is time to start a fire…
Interesting Tidbits
Song of the day: Disposition by TOOL
How Iron Maiden’s Eddie went from a blood-spewing mask on a drumkit to metal’s most iconic mascot – “He’s been a knife-wielding killer and a flagwaving soldier, a cyborg bounty hunter and a Japanese samurai. He’s been mummified, lobotomised, disembowelled, set on fire, interred and dug up again (twice), and turned into a tree. He’s fought the Devil, murdered a Prime Minster and attempted to kill members of Iron Maiden onstage on numerous occasions. We’re not exaggerating when we say there’s nothing like Eddie.”
Why the White House is behind a rare Supreme Court push to limit gun ownership – “As an increasing number of states provide Americans access to legal cannabis, the U.S. Supreme Court is set to debate one of the less-obvious but hugely impactful implications of this country’s growing legalization movement: gun rights. On Monday, the high court announced it would hear arguments in U.S. v. Ali Danial Hemani. This narcotics-related case could upend firearm access for millions at the request of the Trump administration. It’s a rare instance of this White House seeking to limit, rather than expand, gun ownership.”
FBI arrests federal employee for alleged unlawful retention of national defense information – “Ashley Tellis, 64, was arrested by the FBI on Oct. 11 after he allegedly removed over a thousand pages of classified national defense information from government facilities and stored them in the basement of his home in Vienna, Virginia.” Curious if we ever hear more about this story, or if it ends up being stashed away and forgotten…
Trump Allegedly Misidentified a Colombian Fisherman as a Venezuelan ‘Narcoterrorist’ – “The potential for deadly error underlines the lawlessness of the president’s bloodthirsty anti-drug strategy.”
Arizona attorney general sues House over Johnson’s delay in swearing in Adelita Grijalva – “Arizona’s attorney general is taking legal action against the House of Representatives over Speaker Mike Johnson’s delay in swearing in Democratic Rep.-elect Adelita Grijalva, who would be the decisive signature on a petition to force a vote on releasing files related to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.”
Unsealed Epstein Files Secrets Exposed As Pressure Mounts to Release Hidden Documents — Including Litany of Gruesome Evidence Being Hoarded by F.B.I. – “The FBI has refused to confirm whether any of the material references Trump or other high-profile associates. But as the fight over transparency deepens, Democrats insist that the files must see the light of day – even as the White House scrambles to keep them sealed.”
Neuroscientist explains why it’s impossible to ‘live in the present’ and what to do instead – “How many times have philosophers and meditation experts suggested we “live in the now”? Countless bestselling books have been written on the topic and it’s no doubt a helpful tool in reducing anxiety, depression, and other mental health barriers that many of us struggle with. In other words, it’s a perfectly lovely idea—and an important one. But, according to one neuroscientist, it’s actually impossible. In fact, she suggests that we need to reframe how we think about time—and our space in it—in order to truly thrive.”
This strange phenomenon could unlock the secrets of the mind – “For some people, sleep brings a peculiar kind of wakefulness. Not a dream, but a quiet awareness with no content. This lesser-known state of consciousness may hold clues to one of science’s biggest mysteries: what it means to be conscious.”
Your Brain Creates Its Own Version of Reality—And It’s the Version That Keeps You Alive – “Researchers shot lasers into brain cells and triggered illusions on demand—a breakthrough that’s rewriting how we see the world.”
How poisonous glands helped modern toads conquer the world – “Modern toads (Bufonidae) are among the most successful amphibians on the planet, a diverse group of more than 600 species that are found on every continent except Antarctica. But just how did they conquer the world? An international team of researchers set out to find the answer and discovered the toads’ global success was due to their toxic glands and geological timing.”
Musk’s SpaceX Settles Lawsuit With Cards Against Humanity – “Celebrating the settlement, Cards Against Humanity announced a special pack of Elon Musk-themed cards.”
Leave a Reply