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Spending time on the school board provides a lot of information. Some goes into the brain and must be forgotten unless a later incident brings it up. Some are opinions that seem irrelevant, but are important to the person sharing them. Recently, I’ve learned that a student can have a home but still be homeless.
Part of it is a social thing. People like to own their own piece of the west – and raw land, particularly when it is less accessible and remote from the electric grid, is more affordable. Here is the publication that defines homeless for Montana’s Office of Public Instruction:
OPI Guidance for Substandard Housing Determination (Unsheltered) for Students Identified as Homeless
Homeless Liaisons should consider multiple factors when determining if a family’s or unaccompanied youth’s situation meets the criteria of homelessness due to substandard housing.
- Home must have a solid foundation and a roof that does not leak
- Security locks must be on all exterior entrance doors
- Home must be free from insect or rodent infestation
- Home should have no more than five unrelated persons living in a single-family dwelling, or no more than two family members for each bedroom in the home
- Each room must have a window or duct to provide ventilation, and interior air must be free of harmful pollutants such as mold
- Home must have electric service and at least one electric outlet in each room
- Home must have adequate heating facilities, and hot and cold running water
- Home must have a separate kitchen and bathroom, each with an operational sink
- Kitchen must have space for storage, preparation, and serving of food, including a refrigerator and stove or range with oven
- At least one bathroom must have a bathtub or shower, flush toilet, sink, and offer privacy
- Every sleeping room must have a window or door providing access to the outside
Additional factors that should be considered:
- The family’s financial situation and ability to obtain suitable housing
- The overall care of the children, including personal hygiene, cleanliness of clothing, nutrition, and healthcare
*Adapted from guidelines from the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD)
It seems a bit unreal to live in a community where a family can pay over $1000 per year in property taxes, and find that their child is homeless. Still, if you can own your home, free and clear, and still be homeless, it does say something about equality.
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Fall ended, and my winter started in December. It may be due to a warming global temperature – but in the seventies, when much of my life was dedicated to snow surveys, I would have been explaining it by la nina. Add the tilde to the second n – the Spanish word for little girl, the situation of the coast of Peru that increases precipitation here in the northwest.
I’m not one to complain about rain – one of the predictable portions of our climate is that early Summer has rain, and we tend to harvest alfalfa later than the optimal 10% bloom because of rain. After July 4, we’re moving into the dry times that make drying hay easier – even if its a bit late. You develop an appreciation for rain when your climate gives you long, hot dry spells.
This Fall, I could watch Mount Marston and Stahl Peak as the snow would come and go – I have a good view of their western slopes, and my thermometer lets me watch the difference in temperature. I live at about 3,000 feet elevation. The top of those two mountains is about 6,000 feet. It’s one of the great things of living here – mountains are great, and altitude kind of sucks. Nothing personal, but I like 3,000 foot valleys and 6,000 foot mountains a lot more than 6,000 foot valleys and 10,000 foot mountains. My lungs fit better.
Back to the topic – the adiabatic lapse rate. As you go up, atmospheric pressure goes down. It is kind of obvious – as you climb the mountain, there is less atmosphere above you. Less atmospheric pressure means that there are fewer particles of atmosphere – nitrogen and oxygen – in any particular unit of volumetric measurement you care to use. Colloquially, the air is thinner.
It kind of makes sense – with more space between the molecules, molecules hit each other less frequently. Fewer molecular collisions correlate with a drop in temperature. (Physicists might invoke causation here – my training really doesn’t let me offer an explanation, but I can point out a correlation.)
So we need two tools to develop an understanding of the adiabatic lapse rate – the thermometer and the barometer. Evangelina Torricelli invented the barometer in 1643. Fahrenheit invented the alcohol thermometer in 1709, and a more useful mercury thermometer in 1714. Paul Kollsman modified the idea of the barometer and developed a usable altimeter in 1928.
The adiabatic lapse rate is defined as the rate at which the temperature of an air parcel changes in response to the compression or expansion associated with elevation change, assuming no heat exchange occurs between the air and its surroundings. Aviation, and icing wings gave an impetus to quantifying this rate of temperature change – and the need for weather forecasts provided even more. The number is 5.2 degrees Fahrenheit for every 1000 vertical feet, or 5 degrees Celsius per 1000 meters. (in the real world it can vary from 4 to 9 depending on humidity, etc)
So this Fall, with its snows and thaws, left me with elevation contours I could watch on the mountainsides – something that the deep snows of winter do not readily allow in the Spring as things warm up. Since nobody came along and asked “What’s the temperature half-way up Marston?” it has been a private observation – but it has been fun to watch.
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Ignore the dangling participle in the headline. I know it violates the rules of grammar, if not conversation in my neighborhood. Lately, I’ve been looking at the state closest to Montana in population – Rhode Island. Until this last decennial census, it had two congresscritters and we had but one. Next year, the shoe goes onto the other foot – we will have two and they will have one.
One of the Rhode Island stories I ran across was an article titled “I Battled Rhode Island’s Cookie Police.” Now Rhode Island is 1214 square miles – in Lincoln County terms, about the size of a high school district. The entire state consists of one metropolitan area – Providence. I don’t believe I have ever been in Rhode Island – or if I have, I must have missed it.
Kara Donovan opens her story: “Friends raved when I started making hand-decorated sugar cookies for my children’s birthday parties in Portsmouth, Rhode Island. They often would tell their friends about me, and soon other parents were asking me to bake for their events. Before long a small business emerged in my kitchen. I called the enterprise A Spoonful of Sugar. As a stay-at-home mom with four children under the age of 12, I had limited opportunities for income. So, the revenue proved valuable.”
Her second paragraph ends “Customers also appreciated my commitment to food quality and safety. They trusted me, and I never received a complaint. Everyone was happy — except the Rhode Island Department of Health, which shut me down in January 2021.”
Obviously there was a law: “The reason had nothing to do with my facilities or processes. Regulators never even inspected my kitchen or sampled my work before taking action. They ordered me to halt my operation based on a zero-tolerance law in Rhode Island that blocks everyone except farmers from selling “cottage food,” meaning food made in a home kitchen for sale.”
She points out that there are fewer than 1800 farmers in Rhode Island. Now that was interesting – if you split this little state equally between the farmers, each would have about 40 acres. She wrote of her need to rent a commercial kitchen 7 miles away. Now a farm has to produce $1000 worth of ag products in a year, so I’m not sure it wouldn’t be possible to qualify a backyard as a farm – but the point is her tax dollars paid the folks who closed her business, and, according to her story, it was a business that would have been legal in 48 of the fifty states.
At any rate, it’s a good article, about fighting the cookie police in the state next to us in population. She’s probably too civilized to think “X. Biedler, where are you when we really need you?”
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I have reached the age where IRA disbursements are mandatory. A dozen years back, life expectancy tables became personal, as opposed to a general demographic exercise. I walked away from my oncologist with a 3 year prediction, and I didn’t really like it. On the other hand, a dozen years later, I believe that I have demonstrated that demographers are better at projecting the group tables than medical doctors are at individual predictions. The tyranny of small samples is the basis for a lot of the world’s errors.
Anyway, I got this copy of the IRS tables from bankrate.com. They have a lot more information than the table – but it looks like the IRS is giving me until the middle of 2047. That’s much more upbeat than what I got from the medical profession, I kind of like the IRS view of life expectancy.
In comparison, social security and the IRS are both optimistic. But the optimism looks a bit different. With regards to their budget, the IRS cheerfully predicts that you will have along life (paying taxes). Conversely, Social Security happily gives you few years (in which to be an expense in their budget). Personally, the projections from the IRS are much friendlier.
IRA required minimum distribution (RMD) table
Age of retiree Distribution period (in years) Age of retiree Distribution period (in years) 72 25.6 94 9.1 73 24.7 95 8.6 74 23.8 96 8.1 75 22.9 97 7.6 76 22.0 98 7.1 77 21.2 99 6.7 78 20.3 100 6.3 79 19.5 101 5.9 80 18.7 102 5.5 81 17.9 103 5.2 82 17.1 104 4.9 83 16.3 105 4.5 84 15.5 106 4.2 85 14.8 107 3.9 86 14.1 108 3.7 87 13.4 109 3.4 88 12.7 110 3.1 89 12.0 111 2.9 90 11.4 112 2.6 91 10.8 113 2.4 92 10.2 114 2.1 93 9.6 115 and older 1.9 Source: Internal Revenue Service (IRS I’ve never been so generous – perhaps the accountants at the IRS are just more upbeat and positive than sociologists. The folks at Social Security have calculations closer to my own – but 2033 still is a lot more upbeat than 2012 was.
M F M F M F M F M F M F Year 0 0 30 30 60 60 65 65 70 70 100 100 2012 75.63 80.11 47.06 51.01 20.48 23.31 16.68 19.25 13.24 15.51 1.91 2.19 2013 75.74 80.19 47.16 51.08 20.55 23.37 16.74 19.31 13.3 15.55 1.92 2.2 2014 75.85 80.28 47.25 51.15 20.62 23.43 16.8 19.36 13.35 15.6 1.93 2.22 2015 75.96 80.37 47.35 51.23 20.69 23.49 16.87 19.42 13.41 15.65 1.94 2.23 2016 76.07 80.45 47.44 51.3 20.76 23.55 16.93 19.47 13.46 15.7 1.95 2.24 2017 76.18 80.54 47.53 51.38 20.83 23.62 16.99 19.53 13.52 15.76 1.96 2.25 2018 76.29 80.63 47.63 51.46 20.9 23.68 17.05 19.59 13.57 15.81 1.97 2.27 2019 76.39 80.71 47.72 51.53 20.97 23.74 17.12 19.65 13.63 15.86 1.98 2.28 2020 76.5 80.8 47.81 51.61 21.04 23.81 17.18 19.71 13.68 15.92 2 2.3 2021 76.6 80.89 47.9 51.69 21.11 23.87 17.24 19.77 13.73 15.97 2.01 2.31 2022 76.71 80.98 47.99 51.77 21.17 23.94 17.3 19.83 13.79 16.03 2.02 2.32 2023 76.81 81.06 48.08 51.84 21.24 24 17.36 19.89 13.84 16.08 2.04 2.34 2024 76.91 81.15 48.17 51.92 21.31 24.07 17.42 19.95 13.9 16.13 2.05 2.36 2025 77.01 81.24 48.26 52 21.38 24.13 17.48 20.01 13.95 16.19 2.06 2.37 2026 77.11 81.32 48.35 52.08 21.45 24.2 17.54 20.07 14.01 16.24 2.08 2.39 2027 77.21 81.41 48.44 52.15 21.51 24.26 17.61 20.13 14.06 16.3 2.09 2.4 2028 77.31 81.49 48.52 52.23 21.58 24.32 17.67 20.18 14.11 16.35 2.11 2.42 2029 77.41 81.57 48.61 52.3 21.64 24.39 17.73 20.24 14.17 16.4 2.12 2.43 2030 77.51 81.66 48.7 52.38 21.71 24.45 17.78 20.3 14.22 16.46 2.13 2.45 2031 77.61 81.74 48.78 52.46 21.78 24.51 17.84 20.36 14.27 16.51 2.15 2.47 2032 77.71 81.83 48.87 52.53 21.84 24.58 17.9 20.42 14.33 16.57 2.16 2.48 2033 77.8 81.91 48.95 52.6 21.91 24.64 17.96 20.48 14.38 16.62 2.18 2.5 2034 77.9 81.99 49.04 52.68 21.97 24.7 18.02 20.53 14.43 16.67 2.19 2.51 2035 77.99 82.07 49.12 52.75 22.03 24.76 18.08 20.59 14.48 16.72 2.21 2.53 2036 78.09 82.15 49.21 52.82 22.1 24.82 18.14 20.65 14.53 16.78 2.22 2.55 2037 78.18 82.23 49.29 52.9 22.16 24.88 18.19 20.71 14.59 16.83 2.23 2.56 2038 78.28 82.31 49.37 52.97 22.23 24.95 18.25 20.76 14.64 16.88 2.25 2.58 2039 78.37 82.39 49.45 53.04 22.29 25.01 18.31 20.82 14.69 16.93 2.26 2.59 2040 78.46 82.47 49.54 53.11 22.35 25.07 18.37 20.87 14.74 16.98 2.28 2.61 2041 78.55 82.54 49.62 53.18 22.41 25.13 18.42 20.93 14.79 17.03 2.29 2.63 2042 78.64 82.62 49.7 53.25 22.48 25.18 18.48 20.98 14.84 17.08 2.31 2.64 2043 78.73 82.7 49.78 53.32 22.54 25.24 18.54 21.04 14.89 17.13 2.32 2.66 2044 78.82 82.78 49.86 53.39 22.6 25.3 18.59 21.09 14.94 17.18 2.34 2.67 2045 78.91 82.85 49.94 53.46 22.66 25.36 18.65 21.15 14.99 17.23 2.35 2.69 2046 79 82.93 50.02 53.53 22.72 25.42 18.7 21.2 15.04 17.28 2.36 2.71 2047 79.09 83 50.09 53.6 22.78 25.48 18.76 21.26 15.09 17.33 2.38 2.72 2048 79.17 83.08 50.17 53.67 22.84 25.53 18.81 21.31 15.14 17.38 2.39 2.74 2049 79.26 83.15 50.25 53.73 22.9 25.59 18.87 21.36 15.19 17.43 2.41 2.75 2050 79.35 83.22 50.33 53.8 22.96 25.65 18.92 21.42 15.24 17.48 2.42 2.77 2051 79.43 83.3 50.4 53.87 23.02 25.7 18.98 21.47 15.29 17.53 2.44 2.79 2052 79.52 83.37 50.48 53.93 23.08 25.76 19.03 21.52 15.33 17.58 2.45 2.8 2053 79.6 83.44 50.55 54 23.14 25.82 19.08 21.57 15.38 17.62 2.47 2.82 2054 79.69 83.51 50.63 54.07 23.2 25.87 19.14 21.62 15.43 17.67 2.48 2.83 2055 79.77 83.58 50.71 54.13 23.25 25.93 19.19 21.68 15.48 17.72 2.49 2.85 2056 79.86 83.66 50.78 54.2 23.31 25.98 19.24 21.73 15.53 17.77 2.51 2.87 2057 79.94 83.73 50.85 54.26 23.37 26.04 19.29 21.78 15.57 17.81 2.52 2.88 2058 80.02 83.8 50.93 54.32 23.43 26.09 19.35 21.83 15.62 17.86 2.54 2.9 2059 80.1 83.86 51 54.39 23.48 26.15 19.4 21.88 15.67 17.91 2.55 2.91 2060 80.18 83.93 51.07 54.45 23.54 26.2 19.45 21.93 15.71 17.95 2.57 2.93 2061 80.26 84 51.15 54.51 23.6 26.25 19.5 21.98 15.76 18 2.58 2.95 2062 80.34 84.07 51.22 54.58 23.65 26.31 19.55 22.03 15.81 18.05 2.6 2.96 2063 80.42 84.14 51.29 54.64 23.71 26.36 19.61 22.08 15.85 18.09 2.61 2.98 2064 80.5 84.21 51.36 54.7 23.77 26.41 19.66 22.13 15.9 18.14 2.62 3 2065 80.58 84.27 51.43 54.76 23.82 26.47 19.71 22.18 15.95 18.18 2.64 3.01 2066 80.66 84.34 51.5 54.83 23.88 26.52 19.76 22.23 15.99 18.23 2.65 3.03 2067 80.74 84.41 51.57 54.89 23.93 26.57 19.81 22.28 16.04 18.27 2.67 3.04 2068 80.81 84.47 51.64 54.95 23.99 26.62 19.86 22.33 16.08 18.32 2.68 3.06 2069 80.89 84.54 51.71 55.01 24.04 26.67 19.91 22.37 16.13 18.36 2.7 3.08 2070 80.97 84.6 51.78 55.07 24.1 26.73 19.96 22.42 16.17 18.41 2.71 3.09 2071 81.05 84.67 51.85 55.13 24.15 26.78 20.01 22.47 16.22 18.45 2.73 3.11 2072 81.12 84.73 51.92 55.19 24.2 26.83 20.06 22.52 16.26 18.5 2.74 3.12 2073 81.2 84.79 51.98 55.25 24.26 26.88 20.11 22.56 16.31 18.54 2.76 3.14 2074 81.27 84.86 52.05 55.31 24.31 26.93 20.16 22.61 16.35 18.58 2.77 3.16 2075 81.34 84.92 52.12 55.37 24.36 26.98 20.21 22.66 16.39 18.63 2.78 3.17 2076 81.42 84.98 52.19 55.42 24.42 27.03 20.25 22.71 16.44 18.67 2.8 3.19 2077 81.49 85.05 52.25 55.48 24.47 27.08 20.3 22.75 16.48 18.71 2.81 3.2 2078 81.56 85.11 52.32 55.54 24.52 27.13 20.35 22.8 16.53 18.76 2.83 3.22 2079 81.64 85.17 52.38 55.6 24.57 27.18 20.4 22.84 16.57 18.8 2.84 3.23 2080 81.71 85.23 52.45 55.65 24.62 27.23 20.45 22.89 16.61 18.84 2.86 3.25 2081 81.78 85.29 52.51 55.71 24.68 27.28 20.49 22.94 16.66 18.88 2.87 3.27 2082 81.85 85.35 52.58 55.77 24.73 27.32 20.54 22.98 16.7 18.93 2.89 3.28 2083 81.92 85.42 52.64 55.82 24.78 27.37 20.59 23.03 16.74 18.97 2.9 3.3 2084 81.99 85.48 52.71 55.88 24.83 27.42 20.64 23.07 16.78 19.01 2.92 3.31 2085 82.07 85.54 52.77 55.94 24.88 27.47 20.68 23.12 16.83 19.05 2.93 3.33 2086 82.13 85.6 52.84 55.99 24.93 27.52 20.73 23.16 16.87 19.09 2.94 3.35 2087 82.2 85.65 52.9 56.05 24.98 27.56 20.78 23.21 16.91 19.13 2.96 3.36 2088 82.27 85.71 52.96 56.1 25.03 27.61 20.82 23.25 16.95 19.18 2.97 3.38 2089 82.34 85.77 53.02 56.16 25.08 27.66 20.87 23.29 17 19.22 2.99 3.39 2090 82.41 85.83 53.09 56.21 25.13 27.7 20.91 23.34 17.04 19.26 3 3.41 2091 82.48 85.89 53.15 56.27 25.18 27.75 20.96 23.38 17.08 19.3 3.02 3.42 2092 82.55 85.95 53.21 56.32 25.23 27.8 21.01 23.43 17.12 19.34 3.03 3.44 2093 82.61 86 53.27 56.37 25.28 27.84 21.05 23.47 17.16 19.38 3.05 3.46 2094 82.68 86.06 53.33 56.43 25.33 27.89 21.1 23.51 17.2 19.42 3.06 3.47 2095 82.75 86.12 53.39 56.48 25.38 27.94 21.14 23.56 17.24 19.46 3.07 3.49 2096 82.81 86.17 53.45 56.53 25.43 27.98 21.19 23.6 17.28 19.5 3.09 3.5 2097 82.88 86.23 53.51 56.59 25.47 28.03 21.23 23.64 17.32 19.54 3.1 3.52 2098 82.94 86.29 53.57 56.64 25.52 28.07 21.27 23.68 17.37 19.58 3.12 3.53 2099 83.01 86.34 53.63 56.69 25.57 28.12 21.32 23.73 17.41 19.62 3.13 3.55 2100 83.07 86.4 53.69 56.74 25.62 28.16 21.36 23.77 17.45 19.66 3.15 3.57 -
Some of the stuff a guy reads is contrarian. That’s OK – science moves ahead by questioning the existing explanations. Science World has an article describing the potential for a new “mini-ice age” hitting us around 2030. It isn’t my field, but I did teach Indians of North America – and my timeline started as the glaciers retreated 10 or 12 thousand years back. The article is here.
The article describes
The plummeting temperature will then lead to something called the “Maunder minimum”, which is referred to a previous mini ice age that occurred between 1646 and 1715, turning London’s Thames into a frozen river, scientists claimed. The latest research, led by maths professor Valentina Zharkova at Northumbria University, is built on a previous research that predicts the movements of two magnetic waves produced by the Sun. It also foretells rapidly decreasing magnetic waves for three solar cycles that will begin in 2021, and last for as many as 33 years.
According to the model, the two magnetic waves will become increasingly offset during Cycle 25, which peaks in 2022. During Cycle 26 between 2030 and 2040, the waves will become out of sync, causing reduction in solar activity by as much as 60 percent.”
The article looks as if English is a second language, but I tend to look at graphs and charts first. Personally, I’d prefer a little warming for my elder years. Still, professor Valenkhova has some items that are worth looking at – this chart shows weather (or climate) from the Maunder minimum to roughly now:
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I ran across a recipe for Hoover Stew – the website said “content other than actual recipes on this site is copyrighted material” so I figure I can copy the recipe and add my own commentary.
1 16 ounce box of elbow macaroni|
2 16 ounce cans of stewed tomatoes
1 16 ounce package of hotdogs
1 16 ounce can of corn (a can of beans may be added for protein)Directions:
- Cook macaroni according to directions on box
- Slice hotdogs into very thin coins
- Open cans of tomatoes, beans and corn, but do not drain corn or tomatoes. Beans may be rinsed.
- Combine the contents of the cans and the hotdog slices in a large pot and bring to a simmer
- Break up the tomatoes into small chunks as the mixture heats
- Drain the macaroni when it is almost done. Save the cooking water to add to the pot if needed.
- Add the macaroni to the tomato mixture in the pot and continue simmering until all ingredients are thoroughly heated.
- Season as desired with salt and pepper.
- Add any reserved cooking water from the macaroni to keep it from becoming dry. Serve.
For folks who don’t remember Hoover, he was the president who brought in the great depression. If your political sentiments tend to run Republican, you can change the name to Brandon soup.
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I listened to a comment about the median household income in Trego – and defaulted to my professional statement before retirement – “That’s American Community Survey data, and it’s not very good for small communities.” When I checked it, the $36,458 median household income for Trego translates as “somewhere between $27,478 and $45,438. ACS data has its uses, but it has to be used with a lot of caution.
So here’s a little ACS data on our communities – you can check for margin of error (MOE) here. I wouldn’t recommend using any of the numbers without reviewing MOE – but just sharing the data shows the variance. It’s safe to admit that my household was one selected for the ACS. With two retirees at home, I didn’t hurt Trego’s school enrollment rate, I raised the percentage of bachelors degree or above, kept the employment rate down, and raised the median age.
Trego CDP Fortine CDP Eureka CCD Rexford Town Population 515 317 6,470 78 Median Age 60.5 27.9 50.1 53.3 Median Household Income $36,458 $68,036 $40,827 $30,481 Bachelor’s Degree or more 26.10% 19.20% 22.40% 0.00% Veterans 6.80% 16.20% 12.90% 16.80% Poverty 9.50% 5.20% 20.40% 23.60% School Enrollment 97.80% 72.30% 81.90% 100% Employment Rate 40.20% 59.50% 38.30% 20.60% Housing Units 283 177 3,716 73 Occupied Housing Units 237 144 2,796 46 Disabilities 31.10% 18.80% 26.70% 65.90% Children under 18 9.30% 32.50% 22.10% 13% It looks like the Fortine sample drew some younger respondents. Eureka CCD with a larger population and larger sample is probably closer to correct, and the town of Rexford data is probably close to useless because the small sample size almost guarantees sampling bias
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The story that gave me the most confidence in my single-shot 22 rifle was the story of Bella Twin – the grandmother who took the largest grizzly of 1953 with her single-shot Cooey 22. She didn’t even have long rifle shells – she had a few 22 longs. They were cheaper back then. Her bolt action 22 wasn’t self-cocking – you had to work the bolt, put in the shell, close the bolt, cock the striker, and then you could shoot. I sold a few Cooeys back in the eighties – they were a decent “bottom of the line” 22, but the Winchester 67 had a better extractor.
Her encounter with the grizzly was in Alberta – a bit to the north of my neighborhood. In the photo below, her left hand covers the spot where, because of a missing screw, the rifle she used was held together with tape. I doubt if she ever knew how much confidence her story, her accomplishments, gave to a kid with another single-shot 22 ten years later.
The picture shows a tiny woman and the hide from a huge bear.
The whole story is here – including photographs of the bear’s skull and instructions on where to aim should you also need to take the real bear up close and personal. Now we have bear spray for this sort of encounter – but in 1953, a Canadian grandmother showed Voltaire was right – “God is not on the side of the biggest battalions, but the best marksmen.” https://www.ammoland.com/2017/06/bella-twin-the-22-used-to-take-the-1953-world-record-grizzly-and-more/#axzz7DKzzxPtk
It’s as good a read now as it was in the sixties.
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This time last year, we were writing about the Health Hazards of Loneliness (many!), Irish Democracy (not exclusively Irish), trying recipes: Frybread (good) & Dried Corn Soup (we’re doubtful), and learning about the insects we see at this time of year, both indoors and outdoors (Crane Flies).
How unhealthy is loneliness?
Are isolation and loneliness actually bad for our health? Do they increase the risk of dying?
Irish Democracy
I started looking for a definition of “Irish Democracy.” Found all sorts of descriptions of government in the Republic of Ireland – but nothing that described the unorganized ignoring of laws that lack popular support. The term “Irish democracy” refers to uncoordinated, wide-spread civil disobedience. An example is a sign in the window requiring face masks by order of Governor Bullock – and once you’re inside, you’re the only one masked. I started into a store, pulling my mask on. The guy in a Stetson alongside me was humming “Desperados waiting for a train.” I haven’t…
Fry Bread
South Dakota’s official state bread is Fry Bread – Probably the best I ever tasted was with wojapi when I visited the Lower Brule Reservation. I was fortunate to meet, and get to know, Mike Jandreau, who was Tribal President. His first question was, “What do you know about tribal sovereignty.” I could answer competently because I had traveled with Joel Clarenbeau as he studied the topic. The Lower Brule Reservation was settled under the leadership of Chief Solomon Iron Nation (1815-1894), a man who accomplished a great deal for his people. I don’t have the…
Dried Corn Soup
Once, when I visited the Lower Brule, I was served soup made from dry field corn. There was no large explanation, just the opportunity for the wasichu to recognize how tough the times were in the first days of the reservations and the last days of the buffalo. While it’s not five-star cuisine, the recipe probably has a place with anyone who stashes a couple bushels of dried corn in the emergency rations stash. 1 lb. lean boned beef, cut in cubes1 tbsp. bacon drippings4 c. water1 c. dried corn1/2 tsp. salt Brown meat. Add water;…
Winter Crane Flies: widespread and little-known
As I was walking over to my in-law’s place one chill and sunny afternoon, I happened to spot a fly. A gangly, long-legged fly, seeming to bounce up and down in the brisk winter air. Unlike the cluster flies lining the edges of our ceilings, this one was fairly active, despite the temperature.
Ask the Entomologist: Bug on my kitchen wall
“Is this a stink bug? Our house has a few of these, and they’re often walking on the walls. Why?”
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A pleasant man stopped by asking to hunt on the place. He explained that he uses black powder, and his bullet can only travel 70 yards. He sounded confident in his assertion. If I hadn’t had the opportunity to teach a computer course for gunsmithing students half a lifetime ago, I might have believed him. I did make the comment that I had watched a movie about a guy named Quigley, and he seemed to have shot a bit farther than 70 yards. His response was that he uses round balls.
It wasn’t like I was being paid to educate him. So he left with a no hunting answer – and yet the incorrect statement, and the confidence bothers me. He isn’t making an Alec Baldwin quality mistake – but the error remains. A round ball leaves a lot to be desired when it comes to aerodynamics. That’s why the minie ball (invented in 1849) replaced the round ball when the war between the states came along. Still, it’s not like a round ball rifle has a 70 yard range – my math tells me that if I can put a 50 caliber roundball out of the barrel at 1800 feet per second, I have a projectile that, if I sight in 3 inches high at 50 yards, will be pretty much on target at 125 yards.
There’s the Civil War story of General Sedgwick – Confederate sharpshooters were firing from around 1000 yards away when the general said “Why are you dodging like this? They couldn’t hit an elephant at this distance.” He was apparently unfamiliar with the Whitworth rifle and the fact that the Confederacy had at least 20 of them. There is no record of the Confederates hitting an elephant that day, but one marksman did hit General Sedgwick.
Tim Murphy is credited with a 350 yard shot from a flintlock at the battle of Saratoga, in the American Revolution, that ended the career of the Scots general Simon Frazer. There are arguments as to who actually fired the shot that took the general out and what the range actually was – but it would take another 75 years before the minie ball was developed.
Black powder has been effective for a long time.
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