Thursday, November 15, 2018

SEVERAL SOMETHINGS DIFFERENT

1.  NPR

A couple of days ago I was listening to Wait Wait Don't Tell Me where Faith Sayley was interviewing P.J O'roarke all about how he got started at NPR etc. 
    At one point PJ was explaining that he was telling someone on the panel the difference between hay and straw.  Faith interrupted to ask what exactly was the difference.  PJ then stated that  the stems were stray and the tops were hay.  
   Um, no as my brothers can testify having bucked bales of hay as kids.  PJ, the stuff that grows on the top of straw is grain that gets ground into flour to make bread, cakes, etc.  Hay is actually a separate crop grown with very expensive clover seed and smells fabulous freshly mown.  There should be aftershave that smells that good. Let's call it Sex in the Clover.  Yeah, seriously.

2. POLITICS
    I grew up in a nuclear, hard working, voting family. Politics and religion were never discussed.  The subjects never came up.  I do remember my folks saying that they did not like a governor of Idaho. 
    As a result of that I have been apolitical for most of my life.  I registered as a Democrat at one point to help a friend run for office in my home town.  That activity consisted of a couple of planning meetings with various party members and a more boring pastime I cannot imagine.  
    I read a sci-fi story years ago where in the Devil and God exchanged jobs.  The pressures of the job demanded that they do the same tasks in order to get the job done.
   I feel the same way about whoever occupies the White House.  It doesn't matter overly much as the founding fathers designed things so that there was a balance of power.  I still feel the same way no matter what antics the current occupant gets up to.  The pressures and requirements of the job require a certain amount of cooperation. While I can only think of one good thing about the man, he doesn't drink, I can cheerfully let the networks and what not get all hysterical.
    And the not-so-late and late night comedians have supreme material provided by POTUS.  Rock on!
    
3. WILD FIRES
    The tragedy of the horrible fires must not be ignored. By that I mean don't throw money to rebuild with the same material.  For goodness sakes, use cement  or adobe or fireproof materials for the buildings and metal roofs.  Let local government change code to require such materials.  Offer a tax break to help the owners rebuild with these materials.  Keep the brush cut back or hire a pack of goats to come nibble it down to bare earth.  I would also recommend that towns begin limiting housing or any further development.  Get the current owners grandfathered in and the wild life will thank them.

4.  BOOK series recommendation.  I have been reading a series of books that involve a woman FBI agent who gets bitten by a werewolf on one of her  assignments.  The first book is titles "Siren". She develops some not usual normal powers and she is having a tough time adjusting.  This is not your usual paranormal shifter story.  There is no instant healing by shifting.  If a wolf is hurt they heal at slightly accelerated rates.  Only a gold bullet can kill them and this is a top species secret.  The stories are well written, the world building is excellent and I look forward to alpha bitch reading the series.  Wolf howl!!!!! 

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