Laughs!

 

Another Column from Jennifer Rubin

 From the Washington Post Jan 19, 2024

by Jennifer Rubin

What caught my eye

In response to endless carping about his age, Biden cannot change his birthdate, but he can project an image of vitality and vigor. Indeed, alert voters should have noticed by now the contrast between his cogent, policy-laden speeches and the increasingly unhinged, rambling screeds we get from the GOP front-runner. The contrast might sharpen as four-time-indicted former president Donald Trump launches more rants on more courthouse steps in the coming months. In the new year, Biden already has made headway in blowing away the right-wing canard that he is enfeebled and out to lunch. The president’s strength and decisiveness in support of U.S. interests stand in stark contrast with Trump, who cozied up to dictators, undermined NATO and allegedly purloined national security secrets at the end of his presidency. In the foreign policy realm, Biden answered the Houthis’ Red Sea attacks with military strikes. Decisive action and tough rhetoric undercut the claim that he is feeble. “The operation, short and limited to military targets, and in a nation that cannot control the piratical acts of an unwelcome group, falls well within the legal as well as the traditional requirements for the use of force by members of the international community,” military expert Tom Nichols wrote for the Atlantic. “So far, both American political parties, even with a bit of GOP grumbling, have made the right call to support action against the Houthis.” It didn’t hurt Biden that hysterical voices on his left flankmade constitutionally unsupportable demands that he seek permission from Congress before acting. Also, expect to see Biden’s whirlwind visits to war zones in Israel and Ukraine featured in more campaign ads and speeches. “Twice now President Joe Biden made the decision to visit active war zones not under U.S. military command,” professor and journalist Steven Beschloss wrote on Substack. “These trips, to Kyiv in February and to Tel Aviv … are without precedent in modern American history.” Beschloss added that voters can appreciate the “vigor and guts — and principle — it took to meet American allies in person to demonstrate American support, despite genuine danger.” Punchy speeches with sharp barbs aimed at Trump also show the sort of instinct for the jugular rarely seen during Biden’s first three years in office. Delighting in calling Trump a loser, Biden no longer hides his contempt for his likely November opponent. During his speech last week at Mother Emanuel AME church in Charleston, S.C., Biden declared, “Let me say what others cannot: We must reject political violence in America. Always, not sometimes. Always. It’s never appropriate.” He added about Trump, “Losers are taught to concede when they lose. And he’s a loser.”

The Biden campaign has also embraced the “Brandon” meme, transforming an obscene chant into a winking affirmation of Biden’s strength. As Axios reported, “‘Dark Brandon’ — an online meme that portrays the 80-year-old president as a two-steps-ahead Machiavelli — is driving the Biden campaign’s merchandise sales.” Meanwhile, Biden’s campaign now openly mocks Trump for “confused,” rambling utterances. And when late-night comics pick up the refrain, news outlets and voters alike begin to look for more instances of unhinged, incoherent tirades. Collectively, the predominant “narrative” might shift to match reality. Biden is old but sharp; Trump is out of shape and out to lunch.

Precision Museum, Windsor, Vermont

According to the introductory video Windsor, Vermont and this armory turned into a gun manufacturing plant is where the American method of manufacturing was born. A need for rifles made quickly led to a method of manufacturing that created interchangeable parts and machines run by water power to speed up the time required to make them.

A subsequent show of this method at the Crystal Palace in London - the first World's Fair - had people convinced that a new age of precision was born.

I know you've heard of Silicon Valley, but before that there was Precision Valley starting in Windsor.

The Precision Museum is one of those small museums that packs a lot into it. The focus is machines that made manufacturing and subsequently life easier for all of our ancestors and us, too.

 

There is quite a collection of machines and at least one below, a gift, no one knows what it did.

The one above was a small one.  The one below is a large one and it's use is known I just didn't note what it was.

It was a blue sky cold morning on Martin Luther King, Jr's Birthday when we visited.

Here are more of the collected machines.

These are facts I didn't know.

If you visit Vermont make this one of your stops.

I had to take this photo of the rear of the building. It looks like other buildings once were attached and all that's left are the ghost marks.

To end let me share this photo and video. It's a case of miniature machines.

You push a button and the machines start working.

Card-Making Class

 Last Sunday I had the opportunity to finally meet the woman who I've been ordering Stampin Up card supplies from since I moved to NH in 2020.  Lorraine lives about 50 minutes south of me and when she offered this Sunday class I readily signed up.

Lorraine has the entire basement devoted to her crafting. Here is the table all set for the class.

I couldn't capture it all but had to admire all the sample cards including this one I plan to replicate twice for the 10 year birthday of granddaughter #1 and the 2 year birthday of granddaughter #4.

We made three cards together, two birthday cards and a Valentine.

The one below was my favorite.  Before I mail this one off to a birthday recipient I need to make some more.

Lorraine is on the right below.  I'm in the back holding a card over my head.

A good time was had by all.

If you want to see what Lorraine is up to, visit her website HERE.