July 15, 2017

At the Impudent Flower Café...

P1140061

... you can talk about whatever you like, including which flowers you like and dislike. Do you like those lilies? They're huge, by the way, and, right now, all over my favorite local garden, Allen Centennial Garden. I don't find them aesthetically pleasing, not in the garden anyway. They look like they belong in a flower shop or a church. And I loathe the colors, a combination that might be found in a poorly tended bathroom wastebasket.

And perhaps you need a bathroom wastebasket, crickets for your ice cream, an LED pumpkin, or a dufflebag that can stand up to getting hurled over a nontransparent wall. If so, consider using The Althouse Amazon Portal.

63 comments:

Kate said...

You don't mention their fragrance, naturally, but I can smell them from the picture. Poorly tended bathroom wastebasket. How brilliantly Poundish of you.

roesch/voltaire said...

Well I wonder why Althouse never posts about the fake news that floats though Drudge that makes its way up to Trump. For example the claim the Veselnitskaya was a democratic plant because she was seen with McFaul that turned out to be a no story about an open public meeting where she was sitting a row behind McFaul who said, "It's ridiculous," McFaul said. "It's silly. And I think it shows the desperation in a world where facts don't matter. That's the part that bothers me as an academic and American. Basic facts don't seem to matter in these debates." And on it goes.

Ann Althouse said...

Sorry, tcrosse, you are one of my favorite commenters. Email me if you don't understand why I have to delete comments like that.

tcrosse said...

Ann,
Thanks for those kind words. I know exactly why you do what you do, and thanks for that as well.

Phil 314 said...

Now as more of an observer than commenter on Althouse I ask"

Can someone please explain to me the pleasure of insulting the author of disembodied words on a website?

Ann Althouse said...

"Well I wonder why Althouse never posts about the fake news that floats though Drudge that makes its way up to Trump."

What do you mean? I have a threshold about junk and there are a lot of things I never talk about because they don't seem substantial enough or they trigger my fake news instincts. Are you saying that I have to start talking about them because other people talked and then had to backtrack when I had the sense to withhold discussion all along? It wasn't good enough, so I get credit for not wasting my time, but I'm not going to waste time making posts about why I didn't waste time in the past. I reap my benefit by continuing to look for other, more attention-worthy things.

There is so much junk swirling around in this RUSSIA!!!! story. I can't watch the news on TV at all and I speed by most of the headlines. I'm being very selective about what I blog about, whether people can tell or not.

rhhardin said...

My bathroom wastebaskets are poorly tended but fill with cellophane razor bags.

rhhardin said...

"It's fourteen degrees I'm Christie Chapman more news at 12:30..."

The random Steyn-hosted Rush for the day begins. 2/4/2009

Big Mike said...

It you or Meade fell into the flower bed and broke a bunch of stems, would that cause $200,000 worth of damage.

Ann Althouse said...

"Thanks for those kind words..."

Also, I just front-paged you in the cricket post, noticed I'd misspelled your name the 2 other times I'd front-paged you, and went back and fixed the misspelling.

Unknown said...

I've always wondered why Jews are Democrats. I'm the only one in my family who isn't one, although my nephew is a reactionary.

Traits correlated with intelligence, especially openness to new experiences, make me think that the Democrat-Jewish correlation is inherent.

This theory doesn't explain why Jews favor abortion at higher rates than any other group, though.

Unknown said...

@ Kate

Apparently, a Lily's fragrance is subjective. I searched the kitchen for 2 days to identify a horrible smell. Not the garbage... not the Fridge.... Hmmm. Finally i mentioned it to my GF. Turns out it was the vase of Lillies on the counter. She is of the opinion that they smell good.

traditionalguy said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
traditionalguy said...

Fleur de Lis. Everything is coming up France suddenly. But will La Donalde now support Quebec's freedom movement to get a better deal on oil sands out of Ontario and throw in A new Paris Accord of his own? It all depends on Melania translating from French for him.

Michelle Dulak Thomson said...

Once I discovered that all lilies are deathly poison to cats (even in tiny quantities) and that the stupid gits will eat them anyway, I've rather gone off lilies. Even though one of said cats is named ... Lili.

Hagar said...

I am beginnninng to speculate that "the meeting" began as some other scam, perhaps of both the Trumps and Veselnitskaya & Co., that did not come off, but someone remembered it when the Russia!, Russia!!, Russia!!! thing took off and thought, "Hey, maybe we can do something with this?" and here we are.

rhhardin said...

Himmelfarb coined the aphorism on the Jewish community's political persuasions: "Jews earn like Episcopalians, and vote like Puerto Ricans. -wiki

n.n said...

The audacity.

rhhardin:

Jews with a "living" Torah. So-called "reformed" or "progressive" Jews. An oxymoron of liberal proportions.

FullMoon said...

Another Criminal Mastermind. Just like in the movies. No bullshit !


The Mission Impossible Burgalar

roesch/voltaire said...

I appreciate your selective view on art,culture and politics but have noticed you will feature examples of the Trump dearrangement syndrom but not that same twist and fake news supported by Drudge and other Trump supporters on the media right. I am a long time reader and occasional commentor from the so-called left and I understand your view from the "crunchy" right" or skeptical conservative side of things.And yes the Russia story seems overwhelming not helped by the Whitehouse which seems determined to draw it out with each new revelation it reveals.

roesch/voltaire said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Hagar said...

The Republican Party (your great-grandfather's Republican Party, not Paul Ryan's) was in charge from 1861 through 1932 so Jews, the Irish, and other immigrant waves naturally associated the Republican Party with the dominant party or "demographic" in the country they came from, and voted Democrat to spite them.

Hagar said...

Oddly though, in those days it was the Republican Party that also had room for the radical activists. The "prairie populists" were Republicans, as, of course, was Teddy Roosevelt and his "Bull Moosers.".

Michael K said...

Well I wonder why Althouse never posts about the fake news that floats though Drudge that makes its way up to Trump.

Immediate jump to TDS. No surprise R/V.

ALP said...

Tricytris - Toad Lily - a smaller but very exotic looking relative of the lily pictured here. Ever consider them in your yard? They make for amazing, close up photos.

Unknown said...

"voted Democrat to spite them."

Interesting. I think that there is that legacy, also of FDR making common cause with Stalin and defeating Hitler. That's part of it. I also think that deep down, no matter how much love Christians and Evangelicals show them, that Jews really really despise them.

Jael (Gone Windwalking) said...

Impudent Flower ...

“basket of deplorables”


So good ...
... to see
Democrats
for...
... Plessy.

Christy said...

I love the Casa Blanca Lily. It's big, pure white, and has a divine smell. Off course the yellow pollen will stain something awful, so the careful gardener will, soon after it opens, gin up some man-hate and snip those anthers off the stamen.

Etienne said...

I've always wanted a mirrorless camera to be my next camera. I keep playing with them, but they are all deficient. They are no better than my current camera (an old Canon 20D which I bought new in 2005, and have loved it. It is an excellent camera through and through. The only thing missing is auto clean).

I often go to the camera store and they let me play with the latest mirrorless camera. I always leave depressed. Expensive, and not worth it. I've watched all the brands.

Okay, get to the point, the Sony A9. Holy shit. This is a work of art. But then the price, holy shit. Now I know what a real professional camera costs so much. It's perfect. Way better than my 20D. My 20D is a Model-T comparably. The A9 sounds like a Rolls Royce (it has no sound). It's $4500 bucks.

OK, I don't need to justify this, I just need to afford it. If I sell my truck I can get 1/4th what I need (it's a farm truck). I have to think bigger. It's three social security checks. Hmm, since I don't really live on SS, and instead live on my pension, maybe I could use my pension, and live on SS. Hmm.

But I'm not buying a new camera without a new lens. Let's see: $2200 for what I like to use - 24mm to 70mm. $6700 bucks for a full frame camera and lens. It's kind of obscene, because I miss my old Canon AE-1 which did full frame (on film), and I got it for one paycheck. Time is not good to cameras...

So how can a hobbyist justify a professional grade camera. They can't. You have to admire the quality, and the features you want. I want a mirrorless camera, but I'm not sure I want it that bad. I also want a BMW but I don't buy one, because I don't drive that much. I take pictures in bursts of activity. A month may go by and I ignore my camera bag.

Hmm, I guess I'll sleep on it. Who knows, I may get hit by a bus next week, and won't even have to worry about it...

Laslo Spatula said...

Laslo Films Presents:

"I Am Laslo: Laslo and Harvey Keitel Part One"

Laslo tells of his relationship with Harvey Keitel.

Harvey Keitel is Hungry.

Hungry Like The Wolf.

I am Laslo.


I am Laslo.

Jael (Gone Windwalking) said...

Christy

Yeah boss, but really, some flowers are man-eaters, and the trick is to know, “Once Bitten” (more E.O. Wilson, less Jim Carrey), which are edible.

Ralph L said...

traditionalguy said...
Fleur de Lis
I've always heard a fleur de lis is a stylized iris, which is an entirely different plant from a lily, as are daylilies. Just like the French to screw up the name.

Bicolor irises seem to be fashionable, but I don't like them. At least they don't look like antique bathroom trash.

Fernandinande said...

A scientist(!) says that science proves that Milo Yiannopoulos is harmful, and therefore:

"That’s why it’s reasonable, scientifically speaking, not to allow a provocateur and hatemonger like Milo Yiannopoulos to speak at your school."


(!) Well (to sound "dodgy"), a psychologist in the fNYT.

Paco Wové said...

"...he believes to have discovered that they are motivated by a deep and abiding contempt for Western civilization. To them, Europeans are the enemy, and their women are legitimate spoils, as are all the other things one can take from them: housing, money, passports. Their laws don’t matter, their culture is uninteresting and, ultimately, their civilization is going to fall anyway to the horde of which one is the spearhead. No need to assimilate, or work hard, or try to build a decent life here for yourself—these Europeans are too soft to seriously punish you for a transgression, and their days are numbered."

I've Worked with Refugees for Decades. Europe's Afghan Crime Wave Is Mind-Boggling.

Big Mike said...

@Paco, I read that article. It certainly has the ring of truth.

Etienne said...

Ralph L said...I've always heard a fleur de lis is a stylized iris

No. It's been a stylized lily since Latin times.

Anonymous said...

Matthew Blaine: I've always wondered why Jews are Democrats. I'm the only one in my family who isn't one, although my nephew is a reactionary.

Traits correlated with intelligence, especially openness to new experiences, make me think that the Democrat-Jewish correlation is inherent.


People vote according to what they perceive to be their interests. I doubt it has much to do with intelligence. (Urban vs. suburban/rural is probably a better predictor.)

At present, the Democratic party attracts both low-average IQ groups as well as high-average IQ groups like Jews. Episcopalians who are (iirc) as high-IQ as Jews, were once known as "the Republican Party at prayer". Nowadays? Don't know, but their dwindling numbers appear to have gone full prog-tard. Things change. E.g., I've seen numbers indicating that the younger people among the now reliably-Republican Cubans are drifting Dem-ward, whereas my own ethnic kin have been moving to the right over my own lifetime.

For whatever reasons (e.g., see Hagar's comment @11:41), Jews overwhelmingly vote Dem now, but that affiliation could change with changing circumstances (say, the anti-Semites occupying part of the Dem's "coalition of the fringes" gain more power). The political affiliations of Jews may change over time, as have those of other groups, and I don't think it has much to do with these groups getting smarter or dumber, or even better- or worse-educated. People tell themselves that they vote on principle, but people vote on (perceived) self-interest.

Jael (Gone Windwalking) said...

“a better predictor .... (perceived) self-interest"

y = 2x + 1

Where the equation describes the two most unpopular presidential candidates in history.

Let "y" represent candidate-hatred.

And "2x" represent all the shit said in the shitstorm.

And "+1" represent your vote.

And you will get the Art of the Deal.

tcrosse said...

Why are Jews Democrats ? Tradition ! ( Cue Tevye and Chorus. )

Bad Lieutenant said...

Jews, like Irish and Italians, were swept up into the Democratic community-city machines (e.g., Tammy Hall) when they came into this country. Most of those people became bloc votes, like the population of the social media universe these days is bloc data for the FANG companies. A few of those people became powerbrokers for their communities and leveraged that into generational political power and influence.

Ralph L said...

It's been a stylized lily
Not according to Wikipedia.
Earliest usage

The fleur de lis is widely thought to be a stylized version of the species Iris pseudacorus, or Iris florentina


Jesus' lilies of the field were probably not lilies either.

Fernandinande said...

Ralph L said...
Jesus' lilies of the field were probably not lilies either.


Well, "Mormon crickets" are not crickets, they're katydids.

buwaya said...

Advice on mirrorless camera - I recently bought a used Sony NEX 7, to be able to play with my old Leica/Canon/Voigtlander rangefinder lenses, for $200. Its a beauty. The Voigtlander 15mm is just a 22mm on this, but extremely nice anyway, and much easier to use than on its old Voigtlander Bessa.

You can mess with its settings to get all sorts of film effects. I have mine set all the time looking like I'm shooting 1970's Tri-X.

The Sony A7 full frame, used, is also incredibly cheaper than an A9, plenty of them well under $1000 on ebay. I thought of that, but I am, usually, terminally cheap. If $1000 will get you 95% of what you would get for $4000, then $200 will get you 90%.

As for lenses, there are huge piles of excellent used lenses, especially old manual ones. 24-70 zoom full frame lenses are all over the place, many excellent ones under $50.

FullMoon said...

"A “blueish mass” of 17 contact lenses has been discovered in the eye of a patient who was scheduled for cataract surgery.

The 67-year-old patient was unaware that the contact lenses were missing, and later told surgeons that she thought her discomfort was due to dry eye and old age."

I don't wear contacts. Hard to imagine this happening.

buwaya said...

Also, the cool kids are buying Fuji XT series, which are also way cheaper than the A9's.

tim in vermont said...

I have similar in my yard, I want to dig them out with a backhoe.

buwaya said...

Also note that Amazon lists used cameras.
Plenty of Sony A7 variants there for well under $1000.

Ralph L said...

Mountain oysters aren't oysters

tim in vermont said...

That's the part that bothers me as an academic and American. Basic facts don't seem to matter in these debates." And on it goes.

Ha ha ha! Good one! That's what bothers you! Go back to CNN and the NYT and take another draught of distortion and misinformation based on highly selective quotes. I almost admire your ability to deceive yourself so thoroughly.

FullMoon said...

Laslo Spatula said...

Laslo Films Presents:

"I Am Laslo: Laslo and Harvey Keitel Part One"

Laslo tells of his relationship with Harvey Keitel.

Harvey Keitel is Hungry.

Hungry Like The Wolf.

I am Laslo.


I am Laslo.


Expected Scarlett to appear

Narayanan said...

Who was it checked her eyes before scheduling surgery? Big malpractice or sheer incompetence?

Etienne said...

buwaya said...Plenty of Sony A7 variants there for well under $1000.

The A7 wasn't acceptable, and the A9 is not much better, but these power hungry cameras need a pocket full of batteries.

It's just that the A7 was a joke. The battery died while you were still posing the model. It needed a wall wart.

FullMoon said...

Found ten more, 27 total.


https://www.aop.org.uk/ot/science-and-vision/research/2017/07/14/uk-surgeon-finds-27-missing-contact-lenses-in-womans-eye

FullMoon said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Bad Lieutenant said...

It's just that the A7 was a joke. The battery died while you were still posing the model. It needed a wall wart.

That sounds pretty sad, but now they have these very large smart device recharging power packs that hold 20000+ mAh and still fit in a pocket, so you could run the wire down your sleeve I guess or get one of those Scotty vests.

Ralph L said...

I don't see (ha) how anyone could physically get that many lenses in his eye at one time. She must have nerve damage in her eyelids not to feel them--and dementia, too.

buwaya said...

What the heck do you do that would drain an A7 while "posing" a model? Perhaps that is not a good question come to think of it. No need to answer, this is not a question that needed to be asked, please excuse me.

The real use of these things, the A7 and its ilk, is for casual applications, not re-shooting "Gone With the Wind". Or the equivalent for certain other entertainment markets of course, I don't judge.

They belong on the table, with a 70-year old Leica lens attached, while you are at the cafe, cigarette in your teeth, doing your best to be French. You discuss art first, with the lady, then you take three pictures in black&white. You will not, however, call it art. They are judiciously ambiguous, and grainy. The battery suffices.

You will pay someone a fortune to print them.

Ralph L said...

“In this day and age, when it is so easy to purchase contact lenses online, people become lax about having regular check ups,” she added.
Can you buy lenses online with a prescription more than a year old in this country?

Ken B said...

David Brooks on original sin. https://www.nytimes.com/2017/07/14/opinion/donald-trump-family-ethics.html

I bet his grandfather had lousy creases too.

Paco Wové said...

"among White Clinton voters with postgraduate degrees, support for the idea that it’s racist to want reduced immigration for ethnocultural reasons is almost total, at over 91%. By contrast, only 11.2% of Trump voters agree. Minority voters are slightly more likely to back the ‘racist’ interpretation than whites, 45-36, but this 12-point difference is dwarfed by the 62-point gap within White America between Clinton and Trump voters."

From here, via there.

Unknown said...

Why are Jews Democrats ? Tradition !
Jews.. were swept up into the Democratic community-city machines..


Agree that tradition explains a lot. My shitlib brother beams with pride recalling our openly Communist uncles. And I also think about newer key Democratic issues like less-restricted immigration, and gay marriage, and how support for those things is basically openness to new ideas, and how that openness correlates to intelligence. It's that inherent pre-disposition to like new ideas, or dislike them, or even be disgusted by them, that is interesting. I think experience counts for only so much.

Anonymous said...

Matthew Blaine: And I also think about newer key Democratic issues like less-restricted immigration, and gay marriage, and how support for those things is basically openness to new ideas, and how that openness correlates to intelligence. It's that inherent pre-disposition to like new ideas, or dislike them, or even be disgusted by them, that is interesting.

I think defining "openness to new ideas" is problematic. I've also seen this trait described as "novelty-seeking", which covers rather more complex mental territory.
(Though both strike one intuitively as correlated with higher intelligence.)

"Less-restricted immigration" isn't a particularly new idea (the goodness of which has been the CW since the '60s). But both an extreme stance on removing immigration restrictions and gay marriage (which were relatively new notions) hardened into "sacred dogma which is questioned only by Bad People" in an astonishingly short amount of time, among alleged possessors of "openness to new ideas". Modern liberalism of the last few decades is marked by an increasingly restricted range of permitted debate, not lively intellectual pluralism. So something else is going on, which may have more to do with traits associated with Orwell's dictum about things "so stupid only an intellectual could believe them", rather than merely the simple correlation between intelligence and curiosity.

Unknown said...

Modern liberalism of the last few decades is marked by an increasingly restricted range of permitted debate, not lively intellectual pluralism.

Brilliant point. Maybe it's the trait neuroticism which correlates to the liberal/progressive mindset and aligns really well with being Jewish.