That Could Never Happen Here - We'll Do It There

In a previous post, That Could Never Happen Here, I discussed a certain aspect of American hubris regarding government medical programs. I mentioned the Tuskegee Experiment an example of what has happened here. Now evidence of the continuation of that "medical study" has emerged. Dr. John Cutler, with the U.S. Public Health Service, was involved in both experiments. The new evidence details a U.S. funded Guatemalan syphilis experiment conducted on prison inmates. So, if it can't happen here, but did, and it needs to go to another level that can't happen here, we export what can't happen here -- to Guatemala or wherever. Never say never. UPDATE: Now a federal judge has allowed a one billion dollar law suit related to the Guatemalan syphilis experiment to go forward.

1940 Blockade and Monty R Duel in Maryland Timber Racing

In 2007 The Chronicle of the Horse magazine published my article about Monty R and the 1940 Maryland timber racing season. In 2010 I gave the article to Ric Cottom to adapt for his WYPR Public Radio segment, Your Maryland. I missed the broadcast when it finally aired in 2014, but recently found it in the WYPR podcast archive. You can listen to it by clicking here. Or read the article with photos by clicking here.

Fake News - There's fiction, there's non fiction and there's what you read in the newspaper or on the web.

Or hear on the air.

Joseph Pulitzer and William Randolph Hearst invented "yellow journalism."

H. L. Mencken was a practitioner of the fine art of creative reporting.

Two examples of  Mencken's work are at the links below for your listening pleasure:

https://www.wypr.org/post/menckens-synthesis-news

http://wypr.org/post/bathtub-hoax-0

Thanksgiving Weekend Walk

The Sunday after Thanksgiving I hiked along the Patapsco River from Alberton Road to the Dorsey tunnel and back. It was a beautiful afternoon and the late afternoon light on the river glowed. All saw a weathered tree stump that one friend described as looking like "upright driftwood."

San Francisco and the Bay Area

After San Diego, Chris and I flew into Oakland Airport and were picked up by an old friend, Mike Snider. He put us up for three nights and gave us a whirlwind tour of San Francisco and Point Reyes National Park in Marin County, north of SF. Had dinner at a great little restaurant in Berkley. Also drove down to Monterey and Carmel by the Sea. We had a great time.

San Diego

Went to San Diego in late September with Chris. He wanted to tour the Taylor Guitar factory in El Cajon. We also visited the San Diego Mission that was the origin of the city, and we toured the carrier Midway, which is now a floating museum on San Diego Bay. Oh, and we saw Cindy Lauper in concert at the hotel where we stayed. Beautiful weather.

Blizzard 2016

When you have a blizzard you need to hire local crews. All these guys and a gal did a great job helping me dig out.