Enjoy your weekend, be well, have fun, and be safe. We're all in it together. Back on Monday.
Friday, January 30, 2026
Angelou
Come, and Be my Baby by Maya Angelou
The highway is full of big cars
going nowhere fast
And folks is smoking anything that’ll burn
Some people wrap their lies around a cocktail glass
And you sit wondering
where you’re going to turn
I got it.
Come. And be my baby.
Some prophets say the world is gonna end tomorrow
But others say we’ve got a week or two
The paper is full of every kind of blooming horror
And you sit wondering
What you’re gonna do.
I got it.
Come. And be my baby.
The highway is full of big cars
going nowhere fast
And folks is smoking anything that’ll burn
Some people wrap their lies around a cocktail glass
And you sit wondering
where you’re going to turn
I got it.
Come. And be my baby.
Some prophets say the world is gonna end tomorrow
But others say we’ve got a week or two
The paper is full of every kind of blooming horror
And you sit wondering
What you’re gonna do.
I got it.
Come. And be my baby.
Thursday, January 29, 2026
Ushnisha
"The ushnisha is a distinctive cranial protuberance or topknot on the head of the Buddha, symbolizing his spiritual attainment, expanded wisdom, and enlightenment, appearing as a rounded bump or an elaborate hair knot in Buddhist art as one of the 32 major marks of a great man, distinguishing the enlightened Buddha from ordinary figures."
Image from Wikimedia Commons
Wednesday, January 28, 2026
Schumacher
“Any intelligent fool can make things bigger, more complex, and more violent. It takes a touch of genius — and a lot of courage to move in the opposite direction.” E.F. Schumacher
Tuesday, January 27, 2026
Verbicide
verbicide - noun
1: deliberate distortion of the sense of a word (as in punning)
2: one who distorts the sense of a word
1: deliberate distortion of the sense of a word (as in punning)
2: one who distorts the sense of a word
Monday, January 26, 2026
Avocado Mayo
From Ai Gemini:
Making your own mayo with avocado oil is a total game-changer. It’s significantly healthier than store-bought versions filled with seed oils, and once you nail the technique, it takes about 60 seconds.
The secret to success is using an immersion blender (stick blender) and a jar that is just slightly wider than the blender head.
The 1-Minute Avocado Mayo
Ingredients
- Avocado Oil 1 cup (neutral flavored)
- Egg 1 large (room temperature is best)
- Lemon Juice or Apple Cider Vinegar 1 tablespoon
- Dijon Mustard 1 teaspoon (acts as an emulsifier)
- Salt ¼ teaspoon
Instructions
1. The Layering: Crack the egg into the bottom of a tall glass jar (a wide-mouth Mason jar works perfectly). Pour the avocado oil, lemon juice, mustard, and salt on top. Let it settle for a moment until the egg is resting at the very bottom.
2. The Position: Place your immersion blender into the jar, pressing it firmly against the bottom, right over the egg yolk.
3. The Pulse: Turn the blender on high. Do not move it. Hold it steady at the bottom for about 20 seconds. You will see white, creamy mayo start to creep up the sides.
4. The Finish: Once most of the oil is emulsified at the bottom, slowly tilt and pull the blender upward to incorporate the remaining oil at the top.
Why did my mayo fail?
If you end up with a watery mess instead of a thick cream, it usually means the oil was added too fast or the egg was too cold.
Pro-Tip: If it breaks (separates), don't throw it out! Put a fresh egg yolk in a clean jar and very slowly pour your "failed" mixture into it while blending. It will usually rescue the batch.
Making your own mayo with avocado oil is a total game-changer. It’s significantly healthier than store-bought versions filled with seed oils, and once you nail the technique, it takes about 60 seconds.
The secret to success is using an immersion blender (stick blender) and a jar that is just slightly wider than the blender head.
The 1-Minute Avocado Mayo
Ingredients
- Avocado Oil 1 cup (neutral flavored)
- Egg 1 large (room temperature is best)
- Lemon Juice or Apple Cider Vinegar 1 tablespoon
- Dijon Mustard 1 teaspoon (acts as an emulsifier)
- Salt ¼ teaspoon
Instructions
1. The Layering: Crack the egg into the bottom of a tall glass jar (a wide-mouth Mason jar works perfectly). Pour the avocado oil, lemon juice, mustard, and salt on top. Let it settle for a moment until the egg is resting at the very bottom.
2. The Position: Place your immersion blender into the jar, pressing it firmly against the bottom, right over the egg yolk.
3. The Pulse: Turn the blender on high. Do not move it. Hold it steady at the bottom for about 20 seconds. You will see white, creamy mayo start to creep up the sides.
4. The Finish: Once most of the oil is emulsified at the bottom, slowly tilt and pull the blender upward to incorporate the remaining oil at the top.
Why did my mayo fail?
If you end up with a watery mess instead of a thick cream, it usually means the oil was added too fast or the egg was too cold.
Pro-Tip: If it breaks (separates), don't throw it out! Put a fresh egg yolk in a clean jar and very slowly pour your "failed" mixture into it while blending. It will usually rescue the batch.
Friday, January 23, 2026
Perspective
"A small section of the Andromeda Galaxy, as seen by the Hubble Space Telescope, showing off nearly 2 billion stars." Ed Elderman
Henley
"Henley suffered from many medical issues and had a leg amputated. Doctors just barely saved his other leg. Henley wrote this poem during recovery. Invictus is Latin for "unconquered." The poem praises resilience in the face of adversity. It stresses an individual's power to control responses to hard times. Winston Churchill frequently quoted the poem in the darkest days of World War II. Nelson Mandela often read 'Invictus' to fellow inmates in the Robben Island prison" - McIntyre.
Invictus by William Ernest Henley
Out of the night that covers me,
Black as the pit from pole to pole,
I thank whatever gods may be
For my unconquerable soul.
In the fell clutch of circumstance
I have not winced nor cried aloud.
Under the bludgeonings of chance
My head is bloody, but unbowed.
Beyond this place of wrath and tears
Looms but the Horror of the shade,
And yet the menace of the years
Finds and shall find me unafraid.
It matters not how strait the gate,
How charged with punishments the scroll,
I am the master of my fate,
I am the captain of my soul.
Thursday, January 22, 2026
Wednesday, January 21, 2026
Buddha
I think I have this right. The Buddha's right hand is touching the ground, this is called the gesture of peace. We're talking this is about peace for you, for everybody. The Buddha's left hand holds a begging bowl, this is about not being attached to anything. The Buddha is not a materialist, doesn't hold on to grievances, a sense of impoverishment, jealousy, and negative internal thoughts and emotions. He is beyond attachment.
Tuesday, January 20, 2026
Yeats
When You Are Old by William Butler Yeats
When you are old and grey and full of sleep,
And nodding by the fire, take down this book,
And slowly read, and dream of the soft look
Your eyes had once, and of their shadows deep;
How many loved your moments of glad grace,
And loved your beauty with love false or true,
But one man loved the pilgrim soul in you,
And loved the sorrows of your changing face;
And bending down beside the glowing bars,
Murmur, a little sadly, how Love fled
And paced upon the mountains overhead
And hid his face amid a crowd of stars.
When you are old and grey and full of sleep,
And nodding by the fire, take down this book,
And slowly read, and dream of the soft look
Your eyes had once, and of their shadows deep;
How many loved your moments of glad grace,
And loved your beauty with love false or true,
But one man loved the pilgrim soul in you,
And loved the sorrows of your changing face;
And bending down beside the glowing bars,
Murmur, a little sadly, how Love fled
And paced upon the mountains overhead
And hid his face amid a crowd of stars.
Hayden
Scrambled Eggs and Whiskey by Hayden Carruth
Scrambled eggs and whiskey
in the false-dawn light. Chicago,
a sweet town, bleak, God knows,
but sweet. Sometimes. And
weren’t we fine tonight?
When Hank set up that limping
treble roll behind me
my horn just growled and I
thought my heart would burst.
And Brad M. pressing with the
soft stick, and Joe-Anne
singing low. Here we are now
in the White Tower, leaning
on one another, too tired
to go home. But don’t say a word,
don’t tell a soul, they wouldn’t
understand, they couldn’t, never
in a million years, how fine,
how magnificent we were
in that old club tonight.
Scrambled eggs and whiskey
in the false-dawn light. Chicago,
a sweet town, bleak, God knows,
but sweet. Sometimes. And
weren’t we fine tonight?
When Hank set up that limping
treble roll behind me
my horn just growled and I
thought my heart would burst.
And Brad M. pressing with the
soft stick, and Joe-Anne
singing low. Here we are now
in the White Tower, leaning
on one another, too tired
to go home. But don’t say a word,
don’t tell a soul, they wouldn’t
understand, they couldn’t, never
in a million years, how fine,
how magnificent we were
in that old club tonight.
Monday, January 19, 2026
Onomastics
"Onomastics is the scientific study of names (proper names, especially) and their origins, meanings, history, and usage, encompassing names of people (anthroponymy), places (toponymy), brands, and even specialized terms, acting as an interdisciplinary field that touches on linguistics, history, and culture to understand how we name things and what those names reveal about us and our world."
Friday, January 16, 2026
Suspect
"If we suspect that a man is lying, we should pretend to believe him; for then he becomes bold and assured, lies more vigorously, and is unmasked." Arthur Schopenhauer
Thursday, January 15, 2026
Oliver
In Praise of Craziness, of a Certain Kind by Mary Oliver
On cold evenings
my grandmother,
with ownership of half her mind-
the other half having flown back to Bohemia-
spread newspapers over the porch floor
so, she said, the garden ants could crawl beneath,
as under a blanket, and keep warm,
and what shall I wish for, for myself,
but, being so struck by the lightning of years,
to be like her with what is left, that loving.
On cold evenings
my grandmother,
with ownership of half her mind-
the other half having flown back to Bohemia-
spread newspapers over the porch floor
so, she said, the garden ants could crawl beneath,
as under a blanket, and keep warm,
and what shall I wish for, for myself,
but, being so struck by the lightning of years,
to be like her with what is left, that loving.
Wednesday, January 14, 2026
Apigenin
"Apigenin is a primary active ingredient in chamomile and is traditionally used to promote relaxation, ease anxiety, and improve sleep quality. It may help people fall asleep faster and stay asleep longer by modulating neurotransmitter systems and reducing cortisol (stress hormone) levels."
Blunt
1827 illustration 'A Blunt Razor'.
The caption reads, "E...cod!...one might as well....shave...with... a SAW!"
Tuesday, January 13, 2026
Monday, January 12, 2026
Friday, January 09, 2026
Rank
From AI Gemini:
Overall, the United States ranks significantly lower in life expectancy compared to other high-income countries, and its ranking among all countries is relatively low for a developed nation.
Here is a summary of the U.S. life expectancy rating based on recent data:
US Life Expectancy: Key Facts
- Global Ranking: The United States typically ranks somewhere outside of the top 40 among all countries. For example, some sources place the US around 48th or 49th globally, with a life expectancy generally around 79.5 years (estimates vary slightly by source and year, but it's consistently in this range).
- Below the World's Leaders: The countries with the highest life expectancy—such as Monaco, Hong Kong, Japan, and Switzerland—often have average life expectancies exceeding 84-86 years, creating a gap of around 5-7 years with the US.
- Falling Behind Peers: The most notable comparison is with other large, wealthy, or high-income nations (like those in the OECD). The U.S. consistently has the lowest life expectancy among this group of comparable countries. For example, in 2023, the U.S. life expectancy of 78.4 years lagged 4.1 years behind the comparable country average of 82.5 years.
- Recent Trends: While global life expectancy has generally been rising, the U.S. has seen a slower rate of improvement, and even declines, in recent years (exacerbated by factors like the opioid crisis, chronic diseases, and the COVID-19 pandemic), causing its global standing to drop further.
In short, while the U.S. life expectancy is well above the global average (which is around 73-74 years), it is considered low when compared to its economic peers, and it ranks in the middle of the pack when looking at all countries worldwide.
Overall, the United States ranks significantly lower in life expectancy compared to other high-income countries, and its ranking among all countries is relatively low for a developed nation.
Here is a summary of the U.S. life expectancy rating based on recent data:
US Life Expectancy: Key Facts
- Global Ranking: The United States typically ranks somewhere outside of the top 40 among all countries. For example, some sources place the US around 48th or 49th globally, with a life expectancy generally around 79.5 years (estimates vary slightly by source and year, but it's consistently in this range).
- Below the World's Leaders: The countries with the highest life expectancy—such as Monaco, Hong Kong, Japan, and Switzerland—often have average life expectancies exceeding 84-86 years, creating a gap of around 5-7 years with the US.
- Falling Behind Peers: The most notable comparison is with other large, wealthy, or high-income nations (like those in the OECD). The U.S. consistently has the lowest life expectancy among this group of comparable countries. For example, in 2023, the U.S. life expectancy of 78.4 years lagged 4.1 years behind the comparable country average of 82.5 years.
- Recent Trends: While global life expectancy has generally been rising, the U.S. has seen a slower rate of improvement, and even declines, in recent years (exacerbated by factors like the opioid crisis, chronic diseases, and the COVID-19 pandemic), causing its global standing to drop further.
In short, while the U.S. life expectancy is well above the global average (which is around 73-74 years), it is considered low when compared to its economic peers, and it ranks in the middle of the pack when looking at all countries worldwide.
Footprint of an African elephant in fine sand at Mole National Park, Northern Ghana.
Photo from Wikipedia Commons
.jpg)
Thursday, January 08, 2026
Keene
Beatitude by John Keene
Love everything
Love the sky and sea, trees and rivers,
mountains and abysses.
Love animals, and not just because you are one.
Love your parents and your children,
even if you have none.
Love your spouse or partner,
no matter what either word means to you.
Love until you create a cavern in your loving,
until it seethes like a volcano.
Love everytime.
Love your enemies.
Love the enemies of your enemies.
Love those whose very idea of love is hate.
Love the liars and the fakes.
Love the tattletales and the hypercrits, the hucksters and the traitors.
Love the thieves because everyone has thought
of stealing something at least once.
Love the rich who live only to empty
your purse or wallet.
Love the poverty of your empty coin purse or wallet.
Love your piss and sweat and shit.
Love your and others’ chatter and its proof of the expansiveness
of nothingness.
Love your shadows and their silent censure.
Love your fears, yesterday’s and tomorrow’s.
Love your yesterdays and tomorrows.
Love your beginning and your end.
Love the fact that your end is another beginning,
or could be, for someone else.
Love yourself, but not too much
that you cannot love everything and everyone else.
Love everywhere.
Love in the absence of love.
Love the monsters breeding
in every corner of the city and suburb,
all throughout the soil of the countryside.
Love the monster breeding inside you and slaughter him
with love.
Love the shipwreck of your body, your mind’s
salted garden.
Love love.
Love everything
Love the sky and sea, trees and rivers,
mountains and abysses.
Love animals, and not just because you are one.
Love your parents and your children,
even if you have none.
Love your spouse or partner,
no matter what either word means to you.
Love until you create a cavern in your loving,
until it seethes like a volcano.
Love everytime.
Love your enemies.
Love the enemies of your enemies.
Love those whose very idea of love is hate.
Love the liars and the fakes.
Love the tattletales and the hypercrits, the hucksters and the traitors.
Love the thieves because everyone has thought
of stealing something at least once.
Love the rich who live only to empty
your purse or wallet.
Love the poverty of your empty coin purse or wallet.
Love your piss and sweat and shit.
Love your and others’ chatter and its proof of the expansiveness
of nothingness.
Love your shadows and their silent censure.
Love your fears, yesterday’s and tomorrow’s.
Love your yesterdays and tomorrows.
Love your beginning and your end.
Love the fact that your end is another beginning,
or could be, for someone else.
Love yourself, but not too much
that you cannot love everything and everyone else.
Love everywhere.
Love in the absence of love.
Love the monsters breeding
in every corner of the city and suburb,
all throughout the soil of the countryside.
Love the monster breeding inside you and slaughter him
with love.
Love the shipwreck of your body, your mind’s
salted garden.
Love love.
Wednesday, January 07, 2026
Kelly Clarkson - 'The Trouble With Love Is'
Got to admit I never listened to her, but she has got it.
Tuesday, January 06, 2026
Finalist
It's not AI.
"2023 finalist in the Wildlife Comedy Photography awards."
Photo by Jacek Stankiewicz
Monday, January 05, 2026
Rabbit
A priest, an imam, and a rabbit walk into a blood donation center.
The nurse asks the rabbit: “What’s your blood type?”
“I’m probably a type O,” says the rabbit.
The nurse asks the rabbit: “What’s your blood type?”
“I’m probably a type O,” says the rabbit.
What The Dalai Lama Says About Emptiness
If you are new to this Buddhist term, 'emptiness', it's a vast topic. Don't worry about it. Just listen if you want and don't come to any immediate conclusions, good or bad.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)