Cactus and the Administration

Posting has been a little light, as of late.  I'm annoyed with myself, this is my aide de memoir for when the details of the second coming of Satan fade from memory, so I should be more diligent.  But first there is the setting sun and baby cactus.

Jim took this on January 3.  It was quite impressive.  His phone camera is better than mine, because my phone is old.  Since I hate getting a new phone more than anything, I'm not moving on just yet.

We put some more rocks on the bank in the back yard.  While we were up there we found some volunteer cacti.  I think this is a saguaro growing under some sort of yucca.  Saguaro do best with a nurse plant, it gives them some shade.

The is a red hook cactus, growing amidst a lantana.  When they're large, their spine clusters can pierce a shoe.  

I think this is a prickly pear.  He's growing on the bank in the rocks, and so he will be removed.  There shall not be anything growing on the bank.

There was a walk in the desert Monday.  We both went in for dexa scans in the early afternoon, which took up prime bike riding time.  The light was really good.

The scan results were interesting.  I'm slightly better in the spine and hip, but worse in the back.  Jim's T scores are similar to mine.  I think, given our ages, that we're not that bad off.  Our lifetime risk of fractures is about  8.8%.  However, the GP is advocating quite strenuously for Jim (but not me) to take Fosamax.  Fosamax has two terrible possible side effects, osteonecrosis in the jaw, and thigh fractures.  Apparently the radiologist is using the fact that Jim has already experienced a "low trauma fracture" as a criteria for medication.  From the report, we can't tell if they're talking about the acetabular fracture, or the compression fracture at L1.  The acetabular fracture is a bike accident from 2006 wherein Jim launched over the handle bars of his bicycle, somersaulted through the air, taking skin off the shoulder blades, then progressing to break two ribs and driving his femur through his acetabulum.  At the time he departed the bike, we were riding about 18-19 mph.  Does this sound like a low trauma fracture to you?  So, we need clarity on what fracture they're using for decision making.  There are physical therapists that specialize in bone building exercises, I think we're going that route first.  I should work on it, as well.  

47 is back on the topic of he wants Greenland.  Never mind the fact that Denmark first colonized Greenland in 1721.  Never mind the fact that the US renounced a claim to Greenland in 1917.

The US bought the Danish West Indies during 1916. The two sides agreed to a sale price of $25,000,000. As part of the sale, the United States accepted a Danish demand for a declaration stating that they would "not object to the Danish Government extending their political and economic interests to the whole of Greenland". Although the US had a claim on northern Greenland based on explorations by Charles Francis Hall and Robert Peary, the United States decided that the purchase was more important, especially because of the nearby Panama Canal. Historian Bo Lidegaard questions the utility of such a declaration, as the country had never disputed Danish sovereignty.

There are words on the subject in this Wiki.  

If the US invades Greenland with troops and guns, it will break NATO.  NATO will defend Denmark.  Denmark today said that if troops come on the island, they will shoot to kill and ask no questions.  

47 is now badgering the oil companies to go to Venezuela and upgrade their oil producing infrastructure.  They want the US to pay for it.  That would be the tax payers.  I'm linking to a substack about how the billionaire oligarchs will benefit from all of this.  Apparently there can never be enough money for these people.  Venezuela has continued to say no to any thought of the oil companies returning to their land.  They kicked us out last time for good reasons.

DHS and 47 both covered themselves with glory yesterday by immediately declaring that the ICE agent who murdered Renee Nicole Good acted to defend his life.  Video shows a completely different story.  No agent was hurt by the car.  The murderer in question was standing beside the car and shot through the driver's window.  These people are animals.  Schools are closed in Minneapolis due to an incident involving ICE attacking high school kids on school grounds.  Who does this?  There is an article here.

I used to think it could never happen here because I had faith the the military would uphold their oaths to the Constitution.  Never thought the military would follow illegal orders; yet here we are, performing extrajudicial killings in the Caribbean Sea, invading Venezuela and kidnapping the President and his wife, and now we're talking about invading Greenland.  I guess when 47 declares martial law, the military will take up arms against us, the citizens.  ICE, CBP and the other armed federal sub-groups will probably do so, as well.

Mike Franken put this up on twitter.  He's right. "His actions will only get worse. He wants domestic upheaval. He wants civil uprising. He wants martial law and no elections. He wants unbridled power. He wants his history. He doesn't think like us. He is abnormal. His ear grows back." 

This is from people who live in Minneapolis. 

I will close with this photo of a cyclocross race.  They don't stop for weather.