The Road to Unfreedom: Russia, Europe, America by Timothy Snyder (2018)

This is an odd book that was difficult at the start but really came together at the end.  The author had certain phrases he would repeat like mantras throughout that made more sense as I got into it.  The thesis is that Russia is basically at war with the US and other countries presently and is converting us (and others) into Russia-like countries. This denies their citizens hope that another place and anothe system can be better. 

This book is a good, strange insightful read.  It helps to make sense of the current events.

old glass bottle found in back yard

I found it digging by home plate, which is in the northwest corner of the back yard.  It says DES PAT 98424, which was a bottle design patented in 1935. It could have held a chemical for killing pain smell or medicine, or maybe something else.  Who knows.  But it does seem old.  It was buried under the roots of the removed oak tree, which likely preserved it.

from a website: http://www.historicbottles.com/medicinal.htm

"Classic Oblong" style drug/chemical bottle - This commonly encountered bottle on mid-20th century historic sites is what the maker - the Owen-Illinois Glass Co. - called in their catalogs a "Classic Oblong" and listed in those catalogs "Drug & Chemical Containers" sections (Lucas County Bottle Co. 1940s; Owens-Illinois Glass Co. 1952; 1962).  This example is 5.5" tall, holds 4 oz., has an external screw cap finish, and made of colorless glass that is slightly straw colored indicating glass decolorization with arsenic and/or selenium.  Click side view to see such which has several staggered vertical ribs defining the edge of the side.  Click base view to see such which, although hard to read, is embossed with DES. PAT. / 94824 along with a mold number "2" (to left side of base) and the glass makers marking (the earlier "Saturn" marking) with an undecipherable plant number, but a likely "38" date code (to right side of base).  The base also shows some of the suction scar made by the Owens Automatic Bottle Machine.  The best way to understand the somewhat "Art Deco" design is to view the original Design Patent #94824 which was issued in 1935 to an (apparent) employee of the glass company.  The patent date along with the noted catalog information indicates this bottle was popular from 1935 until at least the early 1960s, this being an earlier example indicated by the 1938 date code.  (All of the later examples would also have date codes on the base, if decipherable.)  It is likely that these bottles were also used for other products like hair tonic, aftershave, and other toiletries.

Strawberry towers-- start up costs

dripper line-- $13
strawberries-- $27
towers-- $22
soil-- $39

Plan for grass in cage

COSTS

Bermuda grass-- $.75/ $1.03 per SQ, 450 SQ  (estimated)+ $75 delivery. JHM Supply
additional drip irrigation lines--
edges-- $17/ 16' x 5=  JHM Supply
push mower--
red clay for batter's box??

STEPS

paint the plate

de-weed and de-clover the cage

straighten out and bury poles

flip the dirt

put on manure

mix manure with dirt and make it even

put in irrigation system

put on grass

water and keep people out for 1 month


today we did some weeding, and smoothed out the batter's box.  I took out some logs we buried there, and chopped them up better, and reburied.  James said one was sticking out on the left side batter box.

Rose Bowl 5k First Annual Turkey Trot

Today the Hall family participated in the First Annual Rose Bowl 5k Turkey Trot.  The course was one loop around the Rose Bowl.   This was James' first. He ran continuously.  There were 1276 participants.  James came in 212 (approx) at a time of 26:58.  He finished 6th in his age group (10 and under).  Dan came in at 33:00 and finished in 412 place, and 195 in the age group (18-99).

How Democracies Die by Steven Levitsky, Daniel Ziblatt (2018)

This book compares President Trump to Erdowan of Turkey, Duderte of the Philipines and Chavez of Venezuela to make the point that our democracy is degrading.  There is nothing unique about the US that would prevent it from happening.  Although there is nothing surprising in this book it was helpful to see it laid out so convincingly and dispassionately.

Cross country CYO finals today 11/12/2018

James Hall competed in the final race of the CYO (Catholic Youth Organization) cross-country season, which took place at Hollydale Regional Park at 5400 Monroe Ave, South Gate, CA 90280.  James, a third grader, ran in the 3/4 mile with the third and fourth graders.  He completed the race in a time of 5:30, finishing 16 out of 137 participants.

Kickflip Boys (2018) by Neal Thompson

This is a memoir by a writer with two skater "bad boy" sons told in a conversational first person narrative. It's easy reading but, as they say, easy read, little gained.