Illegitimi non carborundum

[If you need it, here's a translation of today's title.]

Oliver Hardy noted, in quite a few Laurel and Hardy films, " Well, here's another nice mess you've gotten me into." That phrase occurs to me more and more as I daily scan my Twitter TimeLine and the headlines of the Minneapolis Star Tribune and The Guardian. To take just a few examples:

• Drought deepens in Minnesota, watering bans more likely (Strib)


• Investors dump stocks, buy bonds as virus fears flare again (Strib)


• ‘It’s chilling what is happening’: a rightwing backlash to Biden takes root in Republican states (Guardian)


• Wind and lightning complicate Bootleg fire as 80 blazes burn across 13 states (Guardian)


• First Person: A Healthcare Reporter Who Asks Questions for a Living Can’t Get a Straight Answer on Her Own Care (Daily Yonder via Twitter)

Fortunately, there are also dribs and drabs of better news such as

• BREAKING: Another PolyMet permit rejected & returned to sender by the courts - this time, it's the air pollution permit for the 2nd time. (Twitter)

Plus, my email inbox today contained a message with  an apt and timely quotation from one of my favorite historians:

Truth Serum

By Naomi Shihab Nye

We made it from the ground-up corn in the old back pasture.

Pinched a scent of night jasmine billowing off the fence,   

popped it right in.

That frog song wanting nothing but echo?   

We used that.

Stirred it widely. Noticed the clouds while stirring.

Called upon our ancient great aunts and their long slow eyes   

of summer. Dropped in their names.   

Added a mint leaf now and then   

to hearten the broth. Added a note of cheer and worry.   

Orange butterfly between the claps of thunder?   

Perfect. And once we had it,

had smelled and tasted the fragrant syrup,   

placing the pan on a back burner for keeping,   

the sorrow lifted in small ways.

We boiled down the lies in another pan till they disappeared.

We washed that pan.

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