That's not a T-shirt; that shirt has a collar...
November 26, 2025 at 6:18 AM
That's not a T-shirt; that shirt has a collar...
That is wonderful!
Once years ago I got to visit Rome & while walking beside the Tiber w/ my traveling companion I looked at the river & found myself staring.
"What's wrong w/ this picture?"
"What?"
"No boats. History's major city was built on this river, & it has no boats? What happened?"
Once years ago I got to visit Rome & while walking beside the Tiber w/ my traveling companion I looked at the river & found myself staring.
"What's wrong w/ this picture?"
"What?"
"No boats. History's major city was built on this river, & it has no boats? What happened?"
November 26, 2025 at 5:48 AM
That is wonderful!
Once years ago I got to visit Rome & while walking beside the Tiber w/ my traveling companion I looked at the river & found myself staring.
"What's wrong w/ this picture?"
"What?"
"No boats. History's major city was built on this river, & it has no boats? What happened?"
Once years ago I got to visit Rome & while walking beside the Tiber w/ my traveling companion I looked at the river & found myself staring.
"What's wrong w/ this picture?"
"What?"
"No boats. History's major city was built on this river, & it has no boats? What happened?"
I always put the "Jr" in because, well, it offends me to see RFK Jr doing & saying things that seem to me to tarnish his father's memory.
But -
A) It's very clear which one you meant.
B) you're being more correct, as there's an old, old rule that the most senior *living* name holder gets the name.
But -
A) It's very clear which one you meant.
B) you're being more correct, as there's an old, old rule that the most senior *living* name holder gets the name.
November 25, 2025 at 10:13 PM
I always put the "Jr" in because, well, it offends me to see RFK Jr doing & saying things that seem to me to tarnish his father's memory.
But -
A) It's very clear which one you meant.
B) you're being more correct, as there's an old, old rule that the most senior *living* name holder gets the name.
But -
A) It's very clear which one you meant.
B) you're being more correct, as there's an old, old rule that the most senior *living* name holder gets the name.
Would it be too reply-guy to observe that some men wear hats indoors for religious reasons?
November 25, 2025 at 1:41 AM
Would it be too reply-guy to observe that some men wear hats indoors for religious reasons?
Should have said "nearly all mothers."
Also I left out the nuance that some mothers stop acting like their kids is 6yrs old when the kid gets married &/or has a kid of their own &/or some other life milestone.
Also I left out the nuance that some mothers stop acting like their kids is 6yrs old when the kid gets married &/or has a kid of their own &/or some other life milestone.
November 24, 2025 at 7:29 PM
Should have said "nearly all mothers."
Also I left out the nuance that some mothers stop acting like their kids is 6yrs old when the kid gets married &/or has a kid of their own &/or some other life milestone.
Also I left out the nuance that some mothers stop acting like their kids is 6yrs old when the kid gets married &/or has a kid of their own &/or some other life milestone.
No, upon reflection, it was my usage that was incorrect. They're both properly called faucets in USAmerican English.
But anyway, I meant the kitchen sink type thing.
But anyway, I meant the kitchen sink type thing.
November 24, 2025 at 12:38 AM
No, upon reflection, it was my usage that was incorrect. They're both properly called faucets in USAmerican English.
But anyway, I meant the kitchen sink type thing.
But anyway, I meant the kitchen sink type thing.
By "real faucet" I mean something that looks as if it belongs on a kitchen sink rather than the outside wall of your house.
November 23, 2025 at 10:15 PM
By "real faucet" I mean something that looks as if it belongs on a kitchen sink rather than the outside wall of your house.
It's weird how often this sort of thing happens - not just w/ caulking but w/ all sorts of trades where you'd expect the expert professional to be, well, expert.
November 23, 2025 at 10:09 PM
It's weird how often this sort of thing happens - not just w/ caulking but w/ all sorts of trades where you'd expect the expert professional to be, well, expert.
Was Lily responsible?
November 23, 2025 at 10:07 PM
Was Lily responsible?
Having just set up an outdoor garden rinsing sink with a real faucet, I now have reason to believe that a whole faucet is easier than parts.
November 23, 2025 at 10:06 PM
Having just set up an outdoor garden rinsing sink with a real faucet, I now have reason to believe that a whole faucet is easier than parts.
Interesting. Weird.
Hmm - I wonder if my dogs would like watermelon rind?
Hmm - I wonder if my dogs would like watermelon rind?
November 22, 2025 at 1:16 AM
Interesting. Weird.
Hmm - I wonder if my dogs would like watermelon rind?
Hmm - I wonder if my dogs would like watermelon rind?
All mothers think their children are 6yrs old, for the rest of their lives.
It's not great, but they do it anyway.
It's not great, but they do it anyway.
November 22, 2025 at 1:14 AM
All mothers think their children are 6yrs old, for the rest of their lives.
It's not great, but they do it anyway.
It's not great, but they do it anyway.
Horrible labor conditions did come within a generation or two, as stepped-up immigration supplied a labor surplus. But in the very beginning, the US industrial revolution was much pleasanter.
Unless you count the downstream horrible effects on the already horrible institution of slavery.
4/4
Unless you count the downstream horrible effects on the already horrible institution of slavery.
4/4
November 21, 2025 at 4:06 PM
Horrible labor conditions did come within a generation or two, as stepped-up immigration supplied a labor surplus. But in the very beginning, the US industrial revolution was much pleasanter.
Unless you count the downstream horrible effects on the already horrible institution of slavery.
4/4
Unless you count the downstream horrible effects on the already horrible institution of slavery.
4/4
Those early model New England mills were paternalistically controlling horrors by our thinking, but compared to England's dark satanic mills, New England versions were paradise.
So another reason New England's industrial revolution would be hard to recognize is the general lack of horribleness.
3/
So another reason New England's industrial revolution would be hard to recognize is the general lack of horribleness.
3/
November 21, 2025 at 4:03 PM
Those early model New England mills were paternalistically controlling horrors by our thinking, but compared to England's dark satanic mills, New England versions were paradise.
So another reason New England's industrial revolution would be hard to recognize is the general lack of horribleness.
3/
So another reason New England's industrial revolution would be hard to recognize is the general lack of horribleness.
3/
As a side note, New England's early industrial revolution wasn't as generally horrible as England's because there wasn't (yet) a concomitant labor surplus, so the early NE industrialists had to persuade farmers to send their children (daughters, mostly) to work in the mills.
2/
2/
November 21, 2025 at 4:01 PM
As a side note, New England's early industrial revolution wasn't as generally horrible as England's because there wasn't (yet) a concomitant labor surplus, so the early NE industrialists had to persuade farmers to send their children (daughters, mostly) to work in the mills.
2/
2/
I would mostly agree but disagree on two points:
A) England too was extremely agrarian well into the 19thC, in spite of all the enclosures & people streaming into cities because they'd been kicked off the land, &
B) New England really wasn't *that* far behind the UK.
1/
A) England too was extremely agrarian well into the 19thC, in spite of all the enclosures & people streaming into cities because they'd been kicked off the land, &
B) New England really wasn't *that* far behind the UK.
1/
November 21, 2025 at 4:01 PM
I would mostly agree but disagree on two points:
A) England too was extremely agrarian well into the 19thC, in spite of all the enclosures & people streaming into cities because they'd been kicked off the land, &
B) New England really wasn't *that* far behind the UK.
1/
A) England too was extremely agrarian well into the 19thC, in spite of all the enclosures & people streaming into cities because they'd been kicked off the land, &
B) New England really wasn't *that* far behind the UK.
1/
One often has to use weird wording because of post character limits.
November 21, 2025 at 3:29 PM
One often has to use weird wording because of post character limits.
Yes, the US tried to do the imperialism thing in the 19thC.
But the US just was not a Great Power in the 19thC.
A European Great Power military leader watched US Civil War operations & described them as "a bunch of armed mobs chasing each other around the countryside."
But the US just was not a Great Power in the 19thC.
A European Great Power military leader watched US Civil War operations & described them as "a bunch of armed mobs chasing each other around the countryside."
November 21, 2025 at 3:10 PM
Yes, the US tried to do the imperialism thing in the 19thC.
But the US just was not a Great Power in the 19thC.
A European Great Power military leader watched US Civil War operations & described them as "a bunch of armed mobs chasing each other around the countryside."
But the US just was not a Great Power in the 19thC.
A European Great Power military leader watched US Civil War operations & described them as "a bunch of armed mobs chasing each other around the countryside."
Thanks.
I knew the Act of Union was 17-something (just looked it up - 1707 - wow, forgot it was that early - why was I thinking 1760-something?) but I wasn't thinking about all the complexities.
I knew the Act of Union was 17-something (just looked it up - 1707 - wow, forgot it was that early - why was I thinking 1760-something?) but I wasn't thinking about all the complexities.
November 21, 2025 at 2:20 PM
Thanks.
I knew the Act of Union was 17-something (just looked it up - 1707 - wow, forgot it was that early - why was I thinking 1760-something?) but I wasn't thinking about all the complexities.
I knew the Act of Union was 17-something (just looked it up - 1707 - wow, forgot it was that early - why was I thinking 1760-something?) but I wasn't thinking about all the complexities.
I can't tell if you're talking about the US, the modern West, all 19thC empires, or the Borg.
Signing off for now.
Signing off for now.
November 21, 2025 at 1:11 PM
I can't tell if you're talking about the US, the modern West, all 19thC empires, or the Borg.
Signing off for now.
Signing off for now.
Yes, but this convo (which has gotten really weird, I must admit) is about empires.
In terms of imperial power & of govt in general, the US breaks off from England (well, technically the UK by the time of the breakup), but keeps things like English common law.
In terms of imperial power & of govt in general, the US breaks off from England (well, technically the UK by the time of the breakup), but keeps things like English common law.
November 21, 2025 at 1:02 PM
Yes, but this convo (which has gotten really weird, I must admit) is about empires.
In terms of imperial power & of govt in general, the US breaks off from England (well, technically the UK by the time of the breakup), but keeps things like English common law.
In terms of imperial power & of govt in general, the US breaks off from England (well, technically the UK by the time of the breakup), but keeps things like English common law.
Of course it did.
I got into this convo by pointing out that there couldn't possibly be a US Empire lasting 500+ years because that's older than the US.
We need another term if the discussion is to be about modern imperial powers that originated in Europe or in European settlement-colonies.
I got into this convo by pointing out that there couldn't possibly be a US Empire lasting 500+ years because that's older than the US.
We need another term if the discussion is to be about modern imperial powers that originated in Europe or in European settlement-colonies.
November 21, 2025 at 12:47 PM
Of course it did.
I got into this convo by pointing out that there couldn't possibly be a US Empire lasting 500+ years because that's older than the US.
We need another term if the discussion is to be about modern imperial powers that originated in Europe or in European settlement-colonies.
I got into this convo by pointing out that there couldn't possibly be a US Empire lasting 500+ years because that's older than the US.
We need another term if the discussion is to be about modern imperial powers that originated in Europe or in European settlement-colonies.
Ruling the world.
Pre-WWII US just wasn't that powerful.
Maybe that should be pre-WWI, but US was so extremely isolationist during the inter-war years that questions of relative power tended not to come up.
Pre-WWII US just wasn't that powerful.
Maybe that should be pre-WWI, but US was so extremely isolationist during the inter-war years that questions of relative power tended not to come up.
November 21, 2025 at 12:38 PM
Ruling the world.
Pre-WWII US just wasn't that powerful.
Maybe that should be pre-WWI, but US was so extremely isolationist during the inter-war years that questions of relative power tended not to come up.
Pre-WWII US just wasn't that powerful.
Maybe that should be pre-WWI, but US was so extremely isolationist during the inter-war years that questions of relative power tended not to come up.