Old Crank
Old Crank's JournalFrom todays Frank Bruni newsletter.
Since this came in an email I con't link to the original article. I am going to post a few snippets to stay under copywrite restrictions for regular news stories.
The 2024 election cannot be about the price of gas
Which matters more — the easing of inflation or the persistence of prices that many people can’t afford or accept? Low unemployment or high interest rates? Is the intensity of Americans’ bad feelings about the economy a sane response or a senseless funk estranged from their actual financial circumstances?
On such questions may the 2024 election turn, so the litigation of them is no surprise. It’s not just the economy, stupid. It’s the public relations war over it.
But never in my adult lifetime has that battle seemed so agonizingly beside the point, such a distraction from the most important questions before us. In 2024, it’s not the economy. It’s the democracy. It’s the decency. It’s the truth.
I’m not talking about what will influence voters most. I’m talking about what should.
cut
His bastard music is consequential because it’s paired with a “series of plans by Mr. Trump and his allies that would upend core elements of American governance, democracy, foreign policy and the rule of law if he regained the White House,” as Jonathan Swan, Maggie Haberman and Charlie Savage wrote in a recent Times article that all voters should read once, then read again, then commit to memory so they can refer to it constantly. Those plans include the use of military funds for huge detention camps for undocumented immigrants, a Justice Department turned into a personal revenge force and ideological litmus tests for federal employees to ensure maximal sycophancy.
He really nails it.. And it is something that his paper, and most others are glossing over for coverage of the horse race and both sides of 'issues'
Nora, Sardinia
As teased in the previous post, here are a few from Nora. This is south of Caligari and has two natural ports. The usual suspects of countries took turns controllling the area starting with the nativ Nugari. Southern Sardinia is sinking intothe Meditereanian so it was larger. There are a number of tiled floors still remaining. The site itself is very large and makes it a good open air museum.
The required seagull picture
It is quite large.
One floor
Second
Theater
Tarrus, Sardinia
This is from the central west coast of Sardinia, just outside of Oristano.
Ruins from the Nugaic era, then Phonecians, Romas to Spanish. The tower is a Spanish look out tower from around 1500/1600.
Most of the visible ruins are Roman, pretty large complex with 2-3 baths. Ever wonder if they apreciated the view they got from some of these places. Or was it all just utilitarian.
It was windy.
Roman ruins
Roman road
REcommendations for things to see in Milan Italy. Cross posted in Photography
Hoping for not weblist stuff.
https://www.democraticunderground.com/1036123496
Recommendations for things to see in Milan, Italy?
It looks like we will be going there for 2-4 days in a week or 2. I can look up places to see on the web and get the touristic points. Not that all of those aren't worth seeing. It might be nice if some of you had places you thought might be of more interest from a photographic view point. Any ideas would be welcomed.
Pisa
We did a drive by shooting to say we saw it. I wasn't too crowded when we got there but it quickly picked up. I was thinking of taking a series of people from the back while they were pictured trying to hold the tower up. Yes you can still go up it. I found the outside of the other buildings more interesting.
Permanent vendors outside the walls.
Rook to B5.
Everybody lean
BAckwards lean
Tower detail
Another look at the Nugahric
This site has a special well. The stairs and pool at the bottom are lit by the sun during the equinox months. From about 1000 BC.
The low walls were fences. It is interesting that the description waxes poetically about the workmanship of the pool and entrance but the low walls, which are 3,000 years old, took no particular skill to build....
Low skill walls....
Symbiosys
View from the top of a structure
Sheep in the sunlight.
Nurgaric ruins, Sardinia
As we drove around Sardinia we familiarized ourselves with the type of ruin that was endemic to the civilization here. Roughly from 1900-720 BC. There are about 7,000 of these structures identified from an estimate of 10,000. From 1 -4 rooms, some with stairs/ramps to get to an overlook. Massive stone and arches are early corbled. These are from 3 different Nurgare.
A break in the clouds
Street art and grafitti.
From Bologna, still haven't pulled the 'film' out of my camera to get to the better, hopefuly, pictures.
Near the center of Bolgna is a market street and two of the door are painted in theme. There arre others arouind town, like the mechanic door. Fun just to wander around these places.
Today I made the switch
Like daylight savings I switched from the summer breakfast of granola, yogurt, and fressh fruit to porrige, oat and or wheat, and fruit cooked into the mix.
Of course Sunday is still Blueberry pancakes day.
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Name: RalphGender: Male
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