Countdown to disaster

After a wet weekend, we endured on and off showers yesterday.  The wet conditions have steadily worsened prospects for many crops.  The saturated soils and cloudy weather have slowed the warm weather crops to a crawl.  My main crop of tomatoes, planted on heavy soil is barely holding its own and with more showers expected throughout the week I am not too optimistic.  The peppers are likewise in dire straits.  The cool weather lovers, carrots, beets, chard and lettuce are still doing well, but pretty soon, rice will be the only thing thriving in this weather regime.

Myth and Reality

While we all cheered and felt a profound sense of relief when the second escapee from the Clinton Correctional Facility was captured on Sunday, I think in a small, dark corner of our minds, there was disappointment.  The myth of the convicted felon with the heart of gold, represented in movies notably by Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid holds a strange appeal for many in the baby boom generation.  The spectacle of literally thousands of law enforcement officials scouring the North Country for 2 convicted killers fired up the meme of the plucky convicts on the lam against overwhelming odds.  The fact no civilians were harmed or even threatened by Matt and Sweat also shifted sentiment.  Of course, we know that Bonnie and Clyde, John Dillinger and the aforementioned Cassidy and the Kid went down in a hail of police bullets, but it doesn't make their stories any less compelling.  There are probably dozens of word processors whirring as I write these words as screenwriters begin the process of turning the events of the past three weeks into a movie.

The triumph of reason

It would seem that Chief Justice John Roberts and President Obama will have a common legacy in years to come.  Roberts is probably the single biggest defender of the ACA, aka Obamacare and the key to the latest victory over the conservative challengers of the law's legitimacy.  By broadening the Court's decision to prevent further lawsuits based on grammar and focusing on the law's intent, Roberts essentially said the future of the ACA will be decided by the legislative branch of the government, not an activist judiciary.  Of course, Antonin Scalia's head exploded!  As Paul Krugman points out in today's NYT, the law has worked much better than its proponents hoped and its detractors feared.  The same idiots on the right (I'm talking to you, Ted Cruz) who are still calling for repeal would have been in the forefront of the battle to kill Social Security in the 1930s and Medicare in the 60s.  Within a few years, I predict we will move toward universal coverage and eventually single payer health care, or Medicare for all.  As Social Security and Medicare helped make the last years of life more secure for seniors, Obamacare will take away some of the anxiety for the rest of the population.   Expect to see the following slogan at future Tea Party rallies;  "Keep your hands off my Obamacare"....

Dunces in the Confederacy

The breathtaking speed with which symbols of the Confederacy are being attacked and removed from view has taken many racist bigots by surprise.   As usual, Rush Limbaugh is leading the charge from the right.  Condemning those who would tarnish the reputation of the treasonous secession of the 11 southern states, Limbaugh seemingly has never encountered a hateful meme he didn't like.  As many have pointed out, the major reason for secession was the fear that a President Lincoln administration would chip away at the institution of slavery and eventually end the practice of one human being owning another.  Though many poor whites in the south never owned slaves and fought under the stars and bars for various reasons, it remains true that the elites broke away from the United States because they wished to preserve the economic system enabled by slavery.  The present day nostalgia for the Confederacy is mystifying to me.  While the provocation provided by the addled Mr. Roof has resulted in a new debate regarding the Civil War, I can only hope it continues until even the diehards realize their ancestors fought and died for a despicable cause, despite the heroism many exhibited while fighting and dying for it. 

Monsoon Blues

I could have emptied the rain gauge again last night, but the effort would have been profoundly depressing, so I ignored it.  We have had roughly 5 inches of rain in the last three weeks and the soils in this area are saturated.  The heavier soils need at least a week or two of dry weather to get into shape to allow me to stand on them, let alone plant, weed or harvest.   The corn is turning yellow, the tomatoes are drowning and most of the rest of the plantings in the back gardens  are barely holding their own.  Two years ago we had a similar inundation and I had to wait until late July to begin planting fall crops.  I don't know if I have the patience or fortitude to do the same thing this year.  I have a feeling the next few years will bestow similar disappointments on anyone farming or gardening on marginal soils.  The ideal soil for the conditions we will face is a well drained sandy loam.  Good luck finding that type  of soil in this area.  I used to laugh at people who claimed the future of farming high value crops was in a controlled indoor environment.  I'm beginning to think they will have the last laugh.

Playing at Rebellion

The big flap over the Confederate battle flag in the wake of the Charleston massacre last week is somewhat ludicrous and at the same time ominous.  The maniac whose hatred was nourished by the white supremacist propaganda which is still ubiquitous in the south is shown in many selfies waving the symbol of southern resistance.  As a kid growing up in New York, my trips to and through the south were an eye opening experience.  Virtually every pickup truck had a gun rack and a confederate flag emblazoned on the rear window.   The southern states had been defeated for over 100 years, but were (and are) still waving the symbols of their rebellion, much as a child will keep fighting parental authority long after the curfew has fallen.   The fact a 21 year old in 2015 is still breathing in the hatred and intolerance associated with slavery and its aftermath gives the lie to those who would have us believe that a color blind America is reality.  That President Obama used the N word in an interview and was subjected to endless dissection of his motives is another indication we have not yet moved beyond the judgement of people based on the color of their skin. 

Golfing hell

Regardless of the fact he is a millionaire and soon to be married to Wayne Gretsky's daughter, you have to feel some of the pain Dustin Johnson experienced on the 72nd hole of the US Open yesterday.   Standing behind a 12 foot putt to win the Open outright, he lived every duffer's nightmare.   He missed the first putt for eagle, then missed the birdie that would have forced a playoff with Jordan Spieth, finally settling for par and a share of second place.  After missing many shots on the back nine, his chance for redemption went down like a $2.00 Nassau at my local course.  Still a young 31, he should have many chances in the future, but based on his past trials, he will probably be stuck with the title "Best player never to win a major", until he excises this latest demon.

Father's Day musings

It was a lovely Father's Day at Casa Monzeglio on Sunday.   The girls and their significant others were present and accounted for as well as the next generation.  As I told the Divine Mrs. M, I couldn't have been a father without her, I realized the reverse was not true.  This led to an epiphany regarding fatherhood.  Despite the role evolution has assigned to men, with modern scientific advances we are becoming less and less biologically necessary to the process.  It behooves us to make our presence in the family a beneficial one.   Gone are the days of patriarchal dominance.  As I look at my sons in law interact with their children, I see an new paradigm.  They are even more involved in their children's lives than I was.   I think that is a hopeful sign for the future.   I expect to be a larger presence in the grandchildrens' lives as I head toward retirement.  They will enrich my life in many ways I was unable to experience with my own girls.  That's a change to cherish.

Domestic Terrorists

If the 21 year old punk who slaughtered 7 people at a black church in Charleston had been a muslim, there would be howls of outrage from the right.  Lindsay Graham would be calling for the President's impeachment for not keeping us safe.  Billions more would be appropriated for homeland security.  However, since it is apparently a home grown racist with a handgun, we only hear the chirping of crickets from the other side.   Some gun rights advocates are making a half-hearted argument that there should be guns in churches so some "good guy" could have taken down Dylan Roof.  The overwhelming evidence says citizens are far more likely to commit crimes with guns than defend against them.  It is ironic we have spent trillions since 9/11 to defend ourselves against terrorism and yet more people have been killed by our fellow citizens with guns than have perished due to the World Trade Center bombings.  Every year, thousands die from handguns and we listen to the NRA tell us we need more of them to keep us safe.   It is the same Bizarro World the Shrub's administration sold us: black is white, up is down, etc.  When will we wake up.

New occupants in the Clown Car

Jeb Bush and Donald Trump have officially announced their addition to the GOP sweepstakes.  It's hard to figure which one is more pathetic.   Bush looks like he is checking off a box on his bucket list.  There seems to be little joy in his demeanor.  He seems to feel his name is his ticket to the White House.  Meanwhile, the Donald kicked off his campaign in front of a paid for audience by declaring " the American Dream is dead".  There is some inspiration!   I guess we can't all dream of playing at being billionaires and reality show hosts.  Seriously, is this what we have come to as a nation.  A legacy candidate and a reality show clown.  The worst is that their predecessors in announcing their intentions are not a whole lot better.  Denying health care to the poor, tax cuts for the rich and the continuing decay of American infrastructure is the default Republican program for the country.  I'd say that's pretty short on inspiration.

Delayed posting

Sorry about the delay posting.   After arthroscopic knee surgery, I am working from home for a couple of days and couldn't figure how to do a new post.  As far as the knee goes, it's too early to tell how much the surgery helped, although the orthopedist is pretty confident.  I was hoping to be able to play golf by Father's Day.   We'll see, but the joint still seems pretty sore.  Meanwhile, the garden continues in a downward spiral from too much water.   Couldn't buy a drop in May and now can't shut the tap in June.  I used to feel the heavy clay soil in the Champlain valley was ideal for gardening, but without adequate drainage, a couple of weeks of rain will blight your best efforts and prevent further planting and weeding until such time as the skies cease and desist.

Hitting the right note

No one will ever mistake the buttoned down Hilary Clinton for the rumpled Bernie Sanders.  It's like the prim grandmother confronting the crazy uncle at Thanksgiving.  Hilary showed at her first rally that she hears the supporters who prefer Bernie's populism to another dose of Democratic Leadership Council and will adopt at least some of his policies.  As the Divine Mrs. M said, she checked off all the right boxes in her coming out speech.   The media was somewhat taken aback by the populist message, but most were impressed by Ms. Clinton's commitment to a New Deal agenda.  As Paul Krugman pointed out today, when Ronald Reagan was inaugurated, 60% of the population disapproved of Interracial marriage.  Today, 60% approve of same sex marriage.  Should Hilary be elected president, she will govern in a drastically different manner than Bill Clinton.  The wind will be at her back and Democratic policies dealing with everything from bank regulation to safety net spending will be enormously popular with a majority of the population.  Assuming Dems capture the Senate and at least put a dent in the Republican majority in the House, some of these policies may actually become a reality.
     

Fighting a rear guard action in the culture wars

The state of Michigan is following hard on the heels of North Carolina.  The legislators are channeling the intolerance of about 30% of their constituents who can't abide the thought the wrong people are able to marry and adopt children.  So in Michigan, social services representatives can deny otherwise qualified couples from adopting children if they are same sex.  Likewise in N.C., registrars can exercise their personal bigotry to deny marriage to same sex or even interracial couples if they determine the union of the two people applying for a license is against their personal ideology.  Of course, by the time our grandchildren are adults these blatant attempts to discriminate based on outmoded concepts will appear quaint, much as our grandparents looked at slavery.  There will always be a fraction of the population who want to live in a world which looks like it did when they were coming of age.   If these same people were transported to 1776, they would have denounced the Declaration of Independence and either fought with the British, or moved to Canada.

Fugitives in our midst

The two murderers who escaped from the max security prison in Dannemora last Saturday are still on the loose and state officials seem to have no clue as to their whereabouts.  Considering the enormous amount of planning that went into the actual escape, I find it curious that the police seem to feel the escapees had no plan once they emerged from a manhole cover several blocks from the prison.  Much like the escape depicted in the Shawshank Redemption, I wouldn't be surprised if the Mat and Sweat are sitting on a beach in Mexico and laughing at the efforts of the state police as they scramble from one North Country location to another.

New Farmers

In today's NYT, Marc Bittman enthuses over the possibility of getting a new generation of farmers on the land.  Most of the present farming population is 60 or older and the hurdles that must be jumped by a fledgling grower are formidable, the cost of land being the greatest.  As a part time micro farmer, I can testify that even if you have the land, the cost of growing and marketing a crop is also capital intensive.  Other small time growers I know, including my little brother are heavily invested in machinery to make a part time farm doable.   To get to a scale which would support a family in a suburban setting would require several hundred thousand dollars.  This to make a living which could be duplicated by any number of middle class jobs without the investment.   Absent a thorough rethinking of the way we feed the people of this country, the march of corporate farming will continue.   Small, boutique growers and hobbyists like myself and other gardening maniacs will keep farmer's markets stocked with organic vegetables, but I think these will be exceptions to the industrialization of food production in this country.

visions and tomorrow

The Divine Mrs. M and I went to see the movie "Tomorrowland" at the local multiplex over the weekend.    Despite the dizzying nature of some of the special effects, the film is a hopeful take on the future and a plea to remain optimistic in the face of disappointments.  Technology can save the world if only we give it a chance.  The film opens with a virtual trip to the 1964 World's Fair in Flushing, New York and the adventures of Frank Taylor, whose attempts to build a working jet pack symbolizes the "can do" ethic the filmmakers want to showcase.  Unfortunately, our hero turns into a bitter George Clooney, similar to Matthew McConeghy's farmer in the film Interstellar.  Both men are rescued by their innate optimism, represented in Tommorrowland by Casey, a NASA engineer's daughter who schemes to stop the dismantling of a Launchpad at Cape Canaveral.   As the clock ticks down to the an unexplained ecological disaster the unlikely duo manage to save the day with their combination of technological virtuosity and plucky attitude.  Hugh Lawrie as the techno-villain and a cute robot who supplies the bridge between Casey and Frank are the other main characters.  The moral of the story is to trust the future and follow your dreams.  Maybe not the most profound movie of the century, but it left us feeling hopeful.  that is no small accomplishment in 2015 America.

Down and dirty

Not much sweating over the weekend, as the weather was bright and sunny, but cool.   Lots of gardening going on.  Planted corn, spinach, fennel, parsnips and transplanted lettuce, cabbage, broccoli and cauliflower.  Killed weeds and treated the garlic and leeks for an infestation of leek moth.   Looks like rain today, so the season progresses with enough rain to keep things on schedule.  The extended bout of cool weather is hampering the warm weather crops like tomatoes and peppers, but warmer temps are expected as the week wears on.

All Fear all the time

Lindsay Graham kicked off his presidential campaign the other day.  Any voice of reason near the senator should be telling him he has about as much chance of being elected president as a snowball fight breaking out in Columbia on July 4.  Especially as his theme or Meme of the campaign is to be very afraid of the terrorist under your bed.  As if $600 billion a year is not enough to keep us safe, he is ready to rebuild the military.  At what cost, we can only imagine.  By now, most Americans know you have more chance of choking to death on a chicken bone than being killed by a terrorist.  Fear seems to be the republicans major selling point.  Fear of terrorists, voter fraud, illegal immigrants, executive overreach and  BENGHAZI are all reasons we should be terrified.  Climate change, economic inequality and Wall St. corruption, not so much.  At least there seems to be a large contrast between the dems and repubs this time around.  If only the media can discern and report on it.

The Canary in the mine

Refugees are in the news around the world.  They are fleeing economic and political troubles in Latin America, southeast Asia, Africa and the Middle East.  Europe, China and the US as the receivers of the rush are wary at best and hostile at worst.  Boatloads of immigrants from Myanmar are being held at bay as they try to land in Singapore and Malaysia.  Africans are drowning by the thousands as they try to cross the Mediterranean and as we know, many Mexicans and Central Americans are trying to cross the increasingly fenced and fortified southern border of the US.  What all these refugees are telling us is time is running out to find solutions to some intractable economic and social problems that will overwhelm the developed world if we don't heed the warning signs.  Climate change, economic injustice, religious and racial persecution are increasing the pressure every day.   Meanwhile, overburdened governments deal with these problems on an ad hoc basis without understanding or dealing with the underlying problems. 

Big Brother and the Village Idiot

For some reason, most republican candidates for president hold two mutually opposed views of the government they wish to lead.  The military and security apparatus can do no wrong, and the civilian side can do no right.   That would seem to be the default talking point for all candidates.   To the Lindsay Grahams and Ted Cruzs of the world, we need to surrender all of our freedoms in order for the military and CIA to protect us, but we must hobble the rest of the government so the "job creators" can conjure millions of low paying service jobs to cater to the 1%.  It is a bleak outlook for the average proletarian in the US.  Of course, if you can afford it, you can have an assault rifle and unlimited ammunition to repel the evil minions of the EPA or IRS if they have the temerity to try and protect the environment or collect the taxes to pay for it.  Is this what we fought the Revolutionary War and countless other actions for?  Those of us who know the dedicated men and women who staff various government agencies understand they are doing a yeoman job with little support from most politicians.  They are just as dedicated as the members of the armed forces. 

Touchless Reality

The clueless ciphers who make a living on the MSNBC show "Morning Joe" demonstrated their complete disconnection from the majority of Americans as they commented on the demise of the economy of Connecticut this morning.   As always, the blame was laid at the feet of the tax and spenders, generously including both major parties in the indictment.  One guest who lives in the state says all the tradesmen have fled the state due to high taxes and business unfriendly policies.  If you can't find a plumber or electrician in Greenwich, it is prima facie evidence the government is conspiring to destroy the economy according to the collective wisdom.  Better to point to South Carolina, which has lured auto plants from around the world, promising low taxes and cheap American labor.  This is the same agenda the southern states used to lure the textile industry from New England 100 years ago.  Shortly, Korea or Viet-Nam will lure those plants away from Carolina.  The relentless race to the bottom and the soul killing nature of many jobs should be the talk on shows like Morning Joe, but the millionaire commenters on these shows have only a hazy notion of what the 99% is doing on a daily basis.  I am waiting for them to invite Bernie Sanders on to the show, but I'm not holding my breath.

Rainy Days

Finally some relief from the incipient drought here on the NCR!  Over an inch of rain spread out from Saturday night through this morning with more predicted today.  A lot of damage from the dry weather has to be overcome, but at least we have a start.  The rain also brought in some abnormally cool weather which will slow crop development.  As the Divine Mrs. M would say, a farmer's glass is always half empty.  For every positive development there is usually a negative aspect that has to be dealt with.  In this case, however I consider the rain an unalloyed good.  But let's not have too much of a good thing.