Blog Milestone

Today's blog post marks a milestone of sorts for the staff here at The Platz.

This is post number 6000 for the old blog.

Measured by bandwidth, that's a lot of hot air.......

Snowbirds

Meet Junco hyemalis - one of the sweetest little birds to share the winter with us is the dark-eyed junco.  You're unlikely to confuse this species with another bird as this member of the sparrow family sports a slate-colored head and back, white belly and pink beak.  Quite distinctive.

These little birds migrate from Canada to winter here in tropical Wisconsin.  All I've ever observed are juncos of the male persuasion and I am told that females do not travel as far south as the boys do.   

They'll readily come to a feeder and it is not unusual to see a flock of them scratching-about on the ground.

They're commonly called Snowbirds.

Sunday Morning Economics - Debt Ceiling Simplified

It is factual to say the our burgeoning federal debt is a consequence of budget choices made by both Democrats and Republicans.  It has been a bipartisan endeavor to borrow money to finance expanded federal spending, underwrite the indirect costs of tax cuts, maintain social safety nets and expand assistance during recessions.  It is an oversimplification to suggest that growth in spending is the sole domain of Democrats or cutting taxes is the sole domain of Republicans.  

Democrats and Republicans mutually engage in both pursuits.  

Recent history suggests that the largest drivers of our accumulation of debt has been the federal response to the economic downturns of the 2008 financial crisis and the 2020 pandemic crisis.

You may recall that when Obama took office in 2009 he inherited a recession from Bush.  In response, he persuaded Congress to authorize $787 billion in stimulus spending and tax cuts.  Safety-net spending continued at higher levels over the ext few years as the economy slowly rebounded.

After COVID spread across the globe in 2020 leaving floundering economies everywhere in its wake Trump persuaded Congress to authorize a much larger aid package exceeding $3 trillion.

Biden ascended to office in 2021 and signed into law an additional $1.9 trillion in stimulus.

It would be fair to question the efficacy of individual components of all of the foregoing.  Both parties continue their finger-pointing.  And economists disagree amongst themselves.  Nevertheless, there is general agreement that in the face of a serious economic decline federal spending (and its resultant borrowing) to protect citizens, businesses and stimulate the economy is a good thing.

There is also general agreement - amongst economists anyway - that recent inflationary pressures can be laid at the feet of flooding the economy with all of that liquidity.  But I digress.

So, is it a small matter to assign blame to individual parties or administrations for the debt?  Of course not.  Like I said at the outset this is bipartisan.  The deficit increased by roughly $12.7 trillion under the administrations of Bush and Trump.  And an additional $13 trillion under the administrations of Obama and Biden (so-far).

Of course, these are simply the raw numbers and do not account for the deficit impacts of policy decisions that persist for many years after presidents depart.  Nor does it address the fundamental principle of matching spending with revenue.  In years of extraordinary spending demands my own household may exceed its revenue resources.  But subsidizing a lifestyle solely with borrowing is reckless and fraught financial planning. 

The important thing to remember is that we got here largely as a consequence of the actions of the four most recent administrations.  As you witness the current drama remain mindful that any newfound spine for deficit spending is coming from many of the same members of Congress who sat idly by and with nary a whimper raised the debt limit three times while the former guy was in office. 

Sure, they want to blame everything on the current guy.  That is theatrics and politics.  I get it.

I'll conclude this post with an observation and admonition.  Failing to raise the debt limit does nothing to control spending for the simple reason that the money has already been spent.  Getting your undies in a knot for all the stuff they've already bought doesn't do anything to stop Congress from spending the money from the get-go.  It may keep your base in a near-state of constant agitation and near-erotic arousal but when you pick it apart it's conflated virtue-signaling.  Sure, I admit to being raised in a simpler time; but I learned this:

Paying your bills is virtuous.

Playing with dynamite is dangerous.

You're welcome.

And stay-tuned.....

January Night Sky

Depending-upon where you live the close of the January night sky delivers an occultation.  

On January 30 and 31 the moon and Mars are going to have a close encounter in the early morning hours beginning on the 30th.

This last happened in December; and again the moon will pass in front of the red planet.  Astronomers call this event an occultation.  The moon is said to occult Mars - eclipsing (covering) it.

My location here on the peninsula places me considerably far north to witness the eclipse of Mars by the moon.  Nevertheless, it will be a VERY close encounter.  A near miss....
 

Friday Beer

An English Pale Ale from Morland Brewery, UK

 

First brewed to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the Morris Garage factory in Oxfordshire.  Named after the the factory's old runaround vehicle often parked outside the factory paint shop.  Spattered in paint the car became known as the Owld Speckl'd Un.  There is even a close resemblance between the MG logo and the label on the bottle. 

Rich malty taste, balanced aroma, slightly bitter making it popular with ale drinkers. 

Good ale. 

 

It’s possible I’m the only one on the peninsula drinking one at this moment. 

5% ABV

Warming fire in the hearth on a cold, snowy, blowy day.

Slàinte!

 

Friday Music

Popularly-known as The Lion Sleeps Tonight, Wimoweh and Mbube (Zulu for lion) this song was originally written and recorded by Solomon Linda in 1939 under the Mbube title. 

Just about everyone and anyone has covered the tune since as most Americans ignored South African copyrights since South Africa was not a signatory to U.S. copyright law.  Following the Disney movie the Lion King the lawsuits grew in scale. 

Long story short, it was back in 1961 that the English translation of this song became popularized by the doo-wop group The Tokens.  Since I know you’re fond of ear worms I’ll post another version before too long.

In the meantime this is a totally fun cover performed by the Young People's Chorus of New York City.

Enjoy..... 

More Winter Yote

From the trail cameras there is more winter coyote photos - including some really fun video footage taken by the same camera, date and time.

Technically not footage as much as megabytes.  But fun nonetheless.....

 

Hostage Taking

So it would appear that we're going to be witness to a grand game of chicken as our nation has once again bumped up against a technical limit on how much debt it can issue.  Before too long, all the moving of chess pieces on the financial board will be exhausted.  Analysts from the realm of my former day job are already warning that the fight could tip from partisan brinkmanship into some serious economic and market badness. 

The GOP holds the House by a slim majority and Speaker McCarthy has made it clear that they want deep spending cuts in exchange for raising the debt limit.  To be clear, raising the debt limit is a requirement to paying for all that has been previously spent on behalf of all of the previous Presidents and Congresses.  Think of going to a restaurant and after reviewing the menu you order several courses of delicious food, you consume it and it is well on its way to digesting.  Now you have to pay the tab.  If you refuse to pay the bill that is bad form.  

You are a deadbeat.

If you are fond of wagers take note that Bank of America has suggested that a default in late summer or early fall is the odds-on favorite.

This blogger takes no issue with sensible budgeting and fiscal responsibility.  Along with keeping their nose out of my business and personal life my daddy's GOP was all over that.

On the other hand if all you want to do is blow-up shit and burn it to the ground that's called nihilism.  Nihilism is not Conservatism. 

Good governance is more aspirational.  

It's not hostage-taking.

Stay-tuned for the shit show and hope for normal congressmen to prevail over the nihilists.

I'm fully-stocked with Merlot and popcorn.

Winter Weather

How we know that the Witches' Tit thing is not a myth....

Eagle Update

After a week and a half of gloom a couple of things happened this afternoon.

The sun came out and everything became bright a beautiful.

After a couple of days of being away (or out of sight) there were several bald eagle sightings.  Every time I went out to try for some video of a soaring bird I was thwarted.  Nevertheless, the both of them (yes, two) perched in a cottonwood north of the house along the creek.

2022 brought the largest number of coyote sightings.  And 2023 is starting-off with the largest number of bald eagle sightings.  That is a significant anecdotal (unscientific) uptick in a couple of keystone predators in the last three decades.

Must be something in the water....

National WWII Museum

On our road trip to the Gulf Coast we made a point during our time spent in New Orleans to visit The National WWII Museum.  From a purely sensory point of view it was close to overwhelming.  I don't mean that in a negative sense; but unlike other museums this venue makes significant use of personal testimonials and multimedia lighting and sound technology to add realism to many of its experiences.

I recommend a visit - particularly if you like military history or have a personal connection.

Most of you readers likely know that my father was an infantryman during WWII. 

Howard landed at Utah Beach as an infantry replacement shortly on the heels of the initial invasion. He was assigned to M Company, 47^th Infantry Regiment, Ninth Division. He served in a weapons platoon and including mortar his MOS was - 605 - heavy machine gunner.   

He was a gunner on this...

The M1917A1 Browning Machine Gun

Introduced in the waning days of the First World War this heavy machine gun saw service in multiple global conflicts from 1917 into the 1970s.  

This was a crew-served, belt-fed, .30 caliber, water-cooled machine gun.  The weapon had a cyclic rate of 450 to 600 rounds per minute and unlike the lighter, air-cooled, Browning Model 1919, was capable of a longer sustained rate of fire.  Because of its weight (gun, tripod, water chest and ammo) this was frequently a regimental-level support weapon and on rare occasion crews were assigned a Jeep for ease of movement.

During my dad's war his crew made use of M2 ball, armor-piercing and tracer rounds to provide both offensive and defensive fire in support of infantry.  If he were alive, dad would tell you that when on the move his crew ditched the water chest, preferring to carry additional ammo.  Urine was always available to pee in the barrel.

National WWII Museum

This machine gun was gradually phased-out of service in the late 1960s - replaced by the lighter M60 machine gun chambered for the 7.62 mm NATO cartridge.

If you are interested you can read an account of my fathers story about Operation Cobra and the Breakout from the Bocage at Saint-Lô.  On the home page of the blog you can search under "Normandy" or "D-Day', etc. for similar accounts and references.

The museum in New Orleans has an extensive exhibit hall on the European Theater of Operations if that interests you.

Winter Yote

These are coyote (Canis latrans) photos taken the end of November and two days in December.

2022 was a big year for coyotes around these parts with more photos than any other calendar year in memory.  Remarkably, as many as three appearing simultaneously in a single photo.  The implication is that the territory of a breeding pair includes our property or a den is situated in close proximity.  

These canids always look their best during the winter months as their coat is in prime condition.

January Night Sky

If you like star gazing but prefer not to remain up in the wee hours tomorrow brings an opportunity you can't possibly pass-up.  Not only will the darkness of a new moon play to your advantage, you don't have to stay up late.  Although it may interrupt your dinner plans.

During the month of January our brightest planet Venus becomes easier to spot as it climbs higher in the twilight with every evening.  Saturn began the month high in the twilight sky but has descended in the direction of the horizon with every passing sunset.

Tomorrow, around 5 PM, Venus and Saturn are going to slide past each other with only about a half a degree of separation.

With a cold, clear, dark sky this will be way cool.

Dinner can wait.....

 

Fresh-Baked Breakfast Treat

Made these today for a cold, snowy morning breakfast treat.

 

Sourdough Breakfast Rolls

 

Starting the day with these sourdough breakfast rolls is a real treat. No kneading required. Just mix the dough before you go to bed, and you will have freshly baked bread for breakfast in 45minutes the next morning.

 

Prep Time 10 mins

Cook Time 15 mins

Total Time 25 mins

Servings 8 rolls

 

Ingredients

● 420 g high protein unbleached bread flour

● 6 g yeast

● 250 g water

● 50 g milk

● 80 g sourdough starter

● 9 g salt

 

Before you go to bed

1. Mix all ingredients before you go to bed. You don't have to overdo it, just make sure that all flour is hydrated. Cover the dough with cling film and let it ferment overnight at room temperature.

 

Next morning

1. The first thing to do the next morning is to preheat the oven to 480ºF / 250ºC.

2. Pour out the dough on a floured working surface and fold and stretch it into an elongated package. Let the dough rise for 30-45 minutes. Divide the dough into 6-8 pieces and put them on parchment paper on a pizza stone or cookie sheet.

3. Bake them for 15 to 20 minutes. They should have a nice golden brown color. Let them cool on a wire rack or eat them immediately.

 

Pro Tip

These would make for a hearty hoagie roll for lunch sandwiches. Cutting and baking these in smaller rolls would yield an awesome dinner roll.

 

VERY easy recipe that yields big dividends from your domestic tranquility account....

 

 

Friday Music

Inducted twice into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, as founding member of the Byrds and Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young; David Crosby has died.  He was 81 years of age.

What a transformative musician who made an incalculable contribution to American music.  The music of my youth and coming of age.  I was blessed to experience his glorious harmonies as they were happening.  Born at the right time.

Carry on.  Love is coming.  Love is coming to us all.

Rest in peace, David Crosby...

The video indicates 1965 - likely 1967

The Eagle Has Landed - An Update

Six days in a row our pal has been hanging out here. 

I finally took a walk to see if I might locate a carcass or other attraction. 

Nothing. 

 

Although there’s three inches of fresh wet snow on the ground. 

Got within 50 yards before it flew off. 

If I get another opportunity I’ll have enough presence of mind to get some video.

January Night Sky

Once you wrap your arms around this piece of advice you may likely conclude I am nuts.

GET YOURSELF OUTSIDE AT NIGHT!

Yes, that's right; remove yourself from the cozy confines of a warm house replete with a fire in the hearth, a glass of Merlot and a classic movie on Netflix.  This is because cold temperatures create conditions for optimal sky watching and star gazing.  Cold air traps less moisture than warmer air resulting a clearer skies.  Combine this with longer evenings you can get outside long before your bedtime. 

There is a new moon on Saturday the 21st and without competition from light reflected by the moon there is less light pollution to interfere with your astronomical endeavors.

If you can find yourself outside of the city that's a bonus.  A rural location has less light pollution as a consequence of less competition from artificial light production.

Raising a toast to cold, clear winter skies identifying constellations and planets.  And put your comet-spotting to the test!

And remember there are no mosquitoes.....

The Eagle Has Landed

There was a time when the appearance and spotting of a bald eagle was a rare occurrence.  With the passage of time it became more common.  Lately it has been rather frequent as it seems that just about every other day we spy one of these birds of prey flying overhead or perching out back to the north of the house.

Monday there was this. 

A favorite perch is this dead elm snag on the line fence.  The eagle was content to hangout for the morning alternating between the snag and a spot on the ground betwixt the pond and the house.  

By early afternoon the bird had departed (or vanished from view) and I was tempted to walk out there to see if there was a dead animal that was enticing the eagle to hang around here with frequency.  Alas, it was raining hard and I didn't want to get soaked.

Then the dang bird returned.  And was content to perch on a muskrat hut sticking from the icy pond surface.

The the bird dismounted, walked like a drunken sailor across the ice (yes, that is how their ungraceful walk appears) and hangout on the north shoreline of the icy surface.

I took numerous videos hoping for some action to occur.

But the bird was having nothing of it and didn't put on a show.

By the time you read this hopefully the weather will have cleared and I had an opportunity to walk out there and see what the fuss was all about - if anything.  Meanwhile, I'm sill learning the ropes of this new iPhone 14 Pro - the camera that manages data communication too.....

Door County Basics

Long before European settlement, eight different Indigenous groups made their homes on the peninsula.  Nomadic paleo-hunter-gatherers first made use of the resources of the peninsula after the retreat of the last glaciation.  

About 2000 years ago indigenous people settled here permanently.  They raised crops, hunted, fished and built dwellings and manufactured tools, pottery and other implements and household effects.  Evidence of their settlements, portages and seasonal encampments persists to this day.  Indigenous nations that called the peninsula home included the Potawatomi (best-known), Winnebago (Ho-Chunk), Menominee, Ojibwe, Sauk, Petun, Huron and Ottawa.  

In the 1600s French explorers and missionaries found their way here and established trade routes and temporary settlements.  They were the earliest European settlers.

The Potawatomi people and other nations were forced out of Door and neighboring counties by the federal government as a consequence of the 1830 Indian Removal Act.  This constituted a forcible relocation and was a dark and unjust stain upon the historical record.  Chief Simon Onanquisse Kahquados, leader of the Potawatomi and Chief Roy Oshkosh, leader of the Menominee nations were unsuccessful in their efforts to have the land returned to their people.

In the early 1830s the federal government surveyed what is now Door County to determine the value of the timber and divide it into parcels for eventual sale.

Following the opening of the Erie Canal in 1825 European settlement moved further westward.  Increase Clafin, wife Mary and 6 children arrived by boat in what is now Little Sturgeon Bay in 1835.  They traded furs, farmed and raised horses.  Clafin's son-in-law Robert Stephenson dealt unfairly with the remaining Menominee people leading to violent conflicts.  Increase eventually handed everything over to Stephenson and moved north to what is now Fish Creek.  Any number of Clafin family members and descendants are buried in Peninsula State Park.

Following statehood in 1848 settlement picked-up.  About half of the county's estimated 2000 residents were squatters making a living cutting wood and shingles.  The remainder were fishermen and the largest population center was located on Washington Island. 

The oldest town in Door County is Baileys Harbor.  Captain Justice Bailey sought refuge there in a gale and upon landing reported vast timber and limestone resources.  Within a year a pier and sawmill were constructed with lumber being shipped for export.  Virtually all trade and transportation was conducted on the surrounding waters.

 

What became Carlsville was initially settled by Irish followed by a larger number of Germans.  The settlement was named for the significant number of settlers named Karl.  The name was later Anglicized. 

Ephraim was a religious settlement founded by the Reverend Andrew Iverson and three of his followers.  This community of Norwegian Moravians constructed the first church and school in the County.

Asa Thorp (not Clafin) is credited with founding Fish Creek.  Thorp constructed a dock and was the sole source of fuel for shipping between Fort Howard and Rock Island.  The village thrived with the settlement of fishermen, farmers, lumbermen and their families.  Relatives Jacob and Levi Thorp founded Egg Harbor.

By 1853 Southern Door was populated by Walloon-speaking Belgians who established the towns of Brussels and Namur.  To this day the surrounding community hosts the largest concentration of Belgians outside of Belgium.  It is on the National Register of Historic Places.

By 1870 Door County had nearly 5,000 residents and was growing as the lumber, fishing and farming economy grew.

In 1881 Charles and Maria Scofield  sold most of the peninsula to John Leathem and Thomas Smith for $33,000.  

Purchased for $200 on November 18, 1890 our 80 acres has remained continuously intact.  We are the tenth owners of record.

So much for settlement.

Stay-tuned for more.....

LCVP

The Landing Craft, Vehicle, Personnel (LCVP) or Higgins Boat was a landing craft that saw considerable and meritorious service during the Second World War.  Some have said that it singularly changed amphibious operations inasmuch as the capture of a port facility was no longer required to necessitate the transportation of troops and material from ship to shore.

36 feet in length, this shallow-draft, barge-like craft was largely constructed of plywood (saving wartime steel and cost) and could ferry a platoon-sized complement of combat-equipped infantrymen or eight tons of cargo to a beachhead at 9-12 knots.  Disembarkation was facilitated by means of dropping the steel bow ramp.

My pop clambered down a cargo net hung over-side a troopship to board a Higgins craft for a ride to Utah Beach in June of 1944. 

US Army

The craft did not offer much in the way of protection from enemy fire and performance in choppy seas resulted in sea sickness.  Nevertheless, this boat could disgorge its contents on a beach, reverse backwards into the surf and return to a ship to reload for a return trip. 

It was a New Orleans businessman and designer, Andrew Higgins, who designed similar flat bottom boats for use in the Mississippi bayous.  The Navy had struggled over the design and construction of a landing craft until Higgins pitched his design to the Navy and Marine Corps in 1938.  Higgins' original design was adopted yet was bedeviled by the loading and unloading process.  Troops and cargo had to disembark or be off-loaded over the sides of the boat needlessly adding time, aggravation and potentially longer exposure to enemy fire.  Borrowing from a Japanese design; beginning in 1941 a drop ramp in the bow solved this dilemma.  

US Army

Over the course of the war more than 23,000 boats were built by Higgins Industries and its licensees.  Only a few have survived to modern times.  The boat pictured (top) is on display at The National WWII Museum in New Orleans.  It is a replica constructed faithfully from the original Higgins design specifications.

Notably, Andrew Higgins sold boats to the US Coast Guard to interdict gulf coast liquor smuggling during prohibition.  Local legend suggests that he sold faster boats to the rum runners.

Fact or fiction?  

If only the dead could talk....

Kulturkampf - Part I

Noun. Kul·​tur·​kampf ku̇l-ˈtu̇r-ˌkäm(p)f. :conflict between civil government and religious authorities especially over control of education and church appointments. broadly : a conflict between cultures or value systems.

Historically, this was a conflict that occurred in the late 1800s between Otto Von Bismarck (the Prussian government) and Pope Pius IX (the Vatican).  The principle points of contention were clerical v. secular control of education and ecclesiastical appointments.  Begging the obvious there were differences of opinion depending-upon the relevant point of view. 

An 1875 cartoon lampooned this standoff illustrating Bismarck lassoing St. Peter's Basilica while declaring to Satan his intent to topple the papacy.  To which Satan says:  I have been trying to do it all my life.  If you manage it, I shall give you full marks.

Satire is hardly new under the sun but it is important to note that Bismarck, a staunch Protestant, distrusted Roman Catholic loyalty to the state.  He was deeply troubled by the notion of Papal Infallibility and its implication of supremacy to the Pope that outweighed loyalty to the state.  Finally, there was the Catholic Centre Party and its resistance to his policies in parliament.  

Of course there was no shortage of resentment on the part of Catholics as a consequence of decades of persecution that had begun under the rule of Kaiser Wilhelm I.  As the Prussian Empire expanded this continued under what they perceived as the iron fist of Bismarck.  To make a long story short, as Prussia amassed larger sway over other German states, Catholic populations found themselves chafing under a Protestant administration.

For Bismarck the challenge was solidifying German national and cultural identity complicated by sizeable Catholic populations in an expanded Germany.  From Bismarck's point of view Catholic influence had to be blunted.  Bismarck found political allies in two seemingly disparate parties:  The Conservatives, who were determined to maintain the Protestant character of the government.  And the Liberals, who supported constitutional government and embrace of German Enlightenment (the rejection of perceived superstition, absolutism and dogmatism of Catholicism). 

Beginning in 1871, with the support of his political allies, Bismarck began implementing the following:

• Abolished the Roman Catholic bureau within the Prussian Ministry of Culture.  

• Threatened priests with imprisonment for voicing political opinions from the pulpit.  

• Jesuits were expelled from the German Empire (only to return in 1917).  

• All religious schools had to accept official government inspection.  

• Religious teachers were expelled from all government schools.  

• The German government broke-off diplomatic relations with the Vatican. 

• Strict state controls were placed on religious instruction and appointments within the Church.  

• Civil marriage became mandatory. 
  

• State funding for non-compliant Dioceses was revoked and their clergy expelled.

To their credit Roman Catholics responded politically and in the 1874 elections the Centre Party doubled their representation in parliament.  Sensing the handwriting on the wall Bismarck sensed that circumstances for the German Empire may have changed.  Closer relations with the Catholic Austrian Empire could serve as a counterweight to Russian ambitions.  Embracing the Catholic Centre Party to resist the rise of the Social Democrats was pragmatic.  Fortuitously, with the passing of Pope Pius IX in 1878 it was the ascension of a new Pope Leo XIII which led to a gradual declaration of an end to hostilities followed by the repeal or dilution of anti-Catholic legislation.  

Post Script:

Kulturkampf was considered dead, although the (rarely enforced) prohibition on political speech from the pulpit remained in effect until 1953.  Public education and public records remained under the control of the state. Civil marriage persists as the law of the land.  A generation of Catholics was alienated from German life.  And Bismarck's career ended pathetically when he resigned in 1890 at the insistence of his onetime pupil Wilhelm II.

History Lesson:

Catholic faithful were oppressed and humiliated in their own country for the sake of nationalism and cultural purity.  For generations the Catholic Centre Party remained a powerful force for good in German governance holding the chancellorship eight times; voluntarily dissolving itself in 1933 before Hitler could disband it.  This is a cautionary tale about citizens who risk labeling as enemies of progress in the face of vast cultural and ideological struggles.

Stay-tuned.....

Dewey Decimal System

Last week we learned that classified documents were found in President Biden's garage.  This, following the revelation of classified documents found at Biden's office at the Penn Biden Center for Diplomacy and Global Engagement.  Unsurprisingly, supporters of former President Trump pounced with comparisons of the investigation by the Justice Department of Trump's possession of hundreds of classified documents at his home in Mar-a-Lago.

I have no personal knowledge about how these classified documents landed were they were found.  Although I have some speculative theories about carelessness and a desire for holding onto ephemera.  But those would be theories only.  Inasmuch as a Special Counsel has been appointed for both the former guy and the current guy the facts will eventually be revealed.

There appears - for now anyway - to be some differences between Trump and Biden; but that may change depending on what is uncovered. 

In the case of the former guy the National Archives initially contacted Trump in May of 2021 about missing documents.  Trump initially pushed-back on returning them.  When he relented we learned that some of them were highly classified.  When it was discovered that not all of the documents were accounted-for a subpoena for their return was issued.  Trump's records custodian falsely certified that the former president had returned all the government records.  A court authorized search warrant led to the FBI discovering even more highly classified documents.

In the case of the current guy as soon as the documents were discovered officials at the Archives were notified and the documents immediately turned over.

But like I said, these narratives may change as the investigations play-out and the facts are revealed.  Heck, Congress can (and possibly should) add both to their list of matters that they want to investigate and hold hearings about.

What has been on my mind is how does any document with a security classification end-up in someones basement, office or garage?  What I know is when I had a day job if it was found that I removed a confidential (secure) document to my home I would have been summarily dismissed (or most seriously disciplined).  Is the National Archives so sloppy that it takes significant passage of time to note that classified material has gone missing?  Or in the case of Biden that possibly it went unnoticed?

If my library book becomes overdue I get an email reminder to ask for an extension.  And if it is a wait-listed publication a demand for immediate return.  Of course, the library uses the Universal Decimal Classification (UDC) system so that users can locate material and for the library to keep track of who has a particular item in their possession.  It is quite efficient.

Maybe the Archives should take a page out of that playbook.....

Friday Music

This American singer-songwriter is known for melding soul, R&B, pop and country music.  

Building a fan base upon cover tunes on his YouTube channel he amassed 400 million views already this year.

He released a debut single in January 2020 and recently two EPs - Unlearning and Tough Love.

Jaten Dimsdale - AKA Teddy Swims covering this Marvin Gaye's What's Going On.....

What To See In New Orleans

Our recent marathon road trip to the Gulf Coast brought us to New Orleans for four days of terrific food, adult beverages, jazz music and history.

We spent the better part of an entire day to visit The National WWII Museum.

I've been to a large number of museums in my life - some devoted exclusively to military history and events.  As far as military museums go this was a stellar attraction.

It relates the story of the American experience in a war that changed the world - why it was fought, how it was won and how it defined the world following its conclusion.

Differentiated from most museums this venue makes extensive use of personal accounts,  multimedia technology to provide a visitor with an immersive experience of the war and every theater it was fought.

If you're gonna visit NOLA for any reason this is a must-see.

You can learn more here.

Douglas C-47 Skytrain, Veteran of D-Day (Serial Number 42-93096)

 

Kitchen Magician

We recently returned from a marathon road trip to the Gulf Coast and while we were away my two strains of sourdough starter languished alone in the dark confines of the fridge in the garage.  And not so remarkably after almost three weeks of neglect they bounced back immediately following a feeding.

The other day I fed them again on their regular Friday schedule and reserved what would have been discarded to make sourdough blueberry pancakes for breakfast and a rustic sourdough loaf.

Yummy bakery if you can get it.

Recipe here:

Start to finish 12-14 hours. Hands-on time is less than 1 hour.

385g water
90g starter
520g flour (100g whole wheat and 420g high protein bread flour)
12g table salt (to be added later)

Mix water with starter to make a slurry. Whisk the flour together and add to the slurry. Mix
everything by hand. Cover and allow to rest for 15 minutes.

Stretching the bread:

Stretch and turn eight times. Rest another 15 minutes. Sprinkle half the salt on the dough then
stretch and turn 8 times. Let it rest for 15 minutes. Sprinkle the dough with the remaining salt
and stretch and turn 8 times. Cover the dough and let it rest overnight (8-12 hours) at room
temperature (68-70 F) until doubled in size. If it is warmer this may take 6-8 hours. Wet hands
are non-stick.

Forming the loaf:

Dump the dough out onto a floured counter. Cover with a bowl and let it rest ½ hour. With wet
hands stretch and fold the dough forming a round loaf. Place on a floured towel and place in a
bowl seam side up. Cover and allow to rest in the fridge for 1-4 hours.

Baking the loaf:

45 minutes before baking allow the cast iron pot and lid to preheat in a 450 oven. Tip the
towel-lined loaf from the bowl into parchment paper-lined cast iron. Slash and bake covered
for 40 minutes at 425. At 40 minutes remove the lid and bake for 20 additional minutes at 425
(uncovered). Reduce heat to 400 and continue baking for 10 - 15 minutes. Remove loaf to a
wire rack and allow to rest at room temperature.

Resist any urge to cut the loaf before it has cooled. Place the loaf cut side down on a cutting
board for up to a day before bagging in plastic.

One More Ticked-Off The List

Over the course of an adult lifetime of traveling I will admit to having the opportunity to visit any number of old watering holes.  

Including:

Since 1673 the White Horse Tavern and Inn is among the top 10 oldest in the world and offers a trip back to colonial Newport, RI.  Famously, George Washington stayed near by and local lore suggests that he and his soldiers planned part of the Battle of Yorktown whilst tossing-back adult beverages in one of the tavern's dining rooms.

Located on Rue Saint-Pierre in Old Québec is Pub L'Oncle Antoine. This historic watering hole is tucked on the ground floor of one of the walled city's oldest surviving structures.  It was once owned by Marie-Anne Barbel, a prominent business woman who operated several business following her husband's death in 1745.

Then there is Seán's Bar.  A pub adjacent to the Shannon River on the County Roscommon side of the town of Athlone, Ireland (between Dublin and Galway).  Continuously-operated since AD 900 it is the oldest watering hole in the world.  Great place to enjoy a Guinness.

And recently a road trip to the Gulf Coast brought us to New Orleans for four days of terrific food, adult beverages, drag queens, long walks, jazz music at night and another old tavern.  Jean Lafitte - privateer, entrepreneur, sailor, diplomat, spy and hero of the Battle of New Orleans owned this blacksmith shop on Bourbon Street.  Another watering hole operated since 1770.

One more ticked-off the list...