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Civil War
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- Written by: Rod Boyle
- Category: Miscellany
- Hits: 2551
The time is drawing near, and he's proving the remarkable catalyst of change that everyone hoped he would be:
Links:
- Donald Trump Fires Attorney General Sally Yates
- Donald Trump Fires acting Immigration and Customs Enforcement Director Daniel Ragsdale
- Donald Trump Remembers the Wall Promise
Now it's their country, they can do as they wish. But the speed with which he is expediently honouring promises no one took even slightly seriously is alarming. And impressive. And, as much of it's all internal (and we should - like every other country in the world - deny US Citizens access or immigration until they sort it all out) - I'm hoping for a Civil War. Because, quite frankly, a few more of his recommendations and Imperial decrees and it will be a world war...
Remember. They were a democracy. They asked for this. Be Careful What You Wish For. And we owe them nothing.
The End of an Era
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- Written by: Rod Boyle
- Category: Miscellany
- Hits: 2255
After a dozen or so missed calls, telephone tag, the Nephew and I finally connect.
There's news, but it waits until after he's told me about the big night out with Troy, Troy, one of the restaurant's more pleasant demon's, partier extraordinaire, after we split up on our last night out he and his buddies made their way there...and, no explanations beyond "Worse Night Ever...", which could mean all sorts of things but in this I suspect it's just a sigh of "Too Much Partying". And - other news, he's found himself a girlfriend, a 35 year old hooker, he sounds excited, think of all the money he's saving...
Peculiar.
And then there's the news, finally, yes, the restaurant sold. Last week. Chinese owner for the Property, a Lebanese owner for the business. It will change hands the end of February. And that will be the end of the institution - the customers, they're all part of the cult of the owner, without him, most will no longer come. It will not be the same, for better or worse, but the nephew, he's met the new owners, he's relieved, looks forward to reclaiming his life, 7 years there is a long time...
He's confident he'll get another job, regular hours, less hours, I don't know, he's had it pretty good - I wonder if remembers how to work, I don't know any restaurants that would hire him, but we'll see...
The restaurant, it will need to reinvent itself, what this means for the staff, the imported foreign workers, well, I'm curious. The final Valentines trip, work a few days, see what's in store...doubtless the final parade of regulars, the ones we like, the demons of hospitality, the End of an Era.
The Staffordshire Hoard
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- Written by: Rod Boyle
- Category: Found
- Hits: 1899
The greatest hoard of Anglo-Saxon Treasures ever found, discovered in 2009 by a metal detectorist near the village of Hammerwich in Staffordshire, England.
Links:
Bezoars, Toadstones & Madstones
- Details
- Written by: Rod Boyle
- Category: Ideas & Questions
- Hits: 2197
In which precious stones, usually of animal origins, are used to treat and cure a wide variety of ailments. Bezoars, stony concretions formed in the bellies of animals, were long considered antidotes against poison, and in fact were found to work against certain Arsenic based poisons. Toadstones were similar but derived from fossils (not the head of toads as erroneously believed), and Madstones would prevent rabies if stuck into the wound or bite of a mad dog.
Links on Wikipedia:
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bezoar
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Toadstone
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Madstone_(folklore)
And one on the History of Geology:
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