THE TAOS TATLER.

From here.

The late William F. Buckley, founder of the National Review, now only a faint semblance of its former self when the founder was still alive, once said, to great wailing and gnashing of the teeth from his targets: “Liberals don’t care what you do so long as it’s compulsory.”

That was long ago though, and since then a new generation of the left has moved on from that quasi-grant of freedom to a stance far more autocratic. These days they care deeply about what you do, unless of course it’s something truly offensive to the decent majority of this country, i.e., drag queen story hours or mastectomies and castrations of children barely into their teens.

A glance at the intelligence [sic] seen above nicely reveals the current attitude of the liberal-left, which is: you will do what we tell you to do or we will put you in jail. Given the aggressive comprehensiveness of this extreme agenda, one imagines the drooling glee of these bills’s sponsors when sitting down to discuss their latest assaults on our basic liberties.

Your Tatler spent most his adult life in New York, the City, no less. Five years ago, sensing the soon-to-be takeover by the lunatics in the asylum, he fled, ending up in Taos. While New Mexico is hardly a bastion of libertarianism, it is at least a fair distance behind the progressives’s slow but steady coup d’état of the United States of America. Deo violente, he won’t be around when they eventually “progress” their way here.

After enjoying a hearty laugh over the ludicrous blasphemy seen on the flyer above, (outrage isn’t worth the bother), your Tatler, chewing on the matter a bit, realized the last sentence overleaf: “Yes, we are awesome,” serves nicely as a credo for the increasing number of secular religions springing up over the years, filling the void as people abandon God. That is especially true and ironic when considering the correct meaning of the much–abused word awesome: inspiring reverential fear, which in this case, appropriately, is in themselves.

Still, one must give a tip o’ the hat to those pot dealers attempting to meld their oh-so-contemporary enterprises with our Holy Mother and her Church, via audacious dialectic synthesis (sort of). Bravo, dudes.

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One of your Tatler’s favorite composers, Ralph (pronounced rāfe–God bless those Brits) Vaughan Williams’s lovely Fantasia on Christmas Carols, here receives a fine reading in an unspecified Catholic church, wanting both heat and paint, in Szolnok, Hungary. The extreme circumstances seem not to have bothered in the least the forces involved, nor the audience. Uplifting and inspiring, this is.

College enrollments are sharply decreasing according to Axios, 10% during the Covid pandemic and continuing still.

From the report:

The big picture: Higher education in the U.S. is in the midst of a sea change, forcing schools to adapt with the times.

• “It suggests that there’s a broader question about the value of college and particularly concerns about student debt and paying for college and potential labor market returns,” Doug Shapiro, the executive director of the National Student Clearinghouse Research Center, said earlier this year, per the New York Times.

What’s happening: College enrollment had been trending downward, and the pandemic accelerated the trend.

• The total number of undergraduate students in the U.S. dropped by nearly 10% during the pandemic, PBS NewsHour reports.
• A majority of academic administrators, nearly 90%, say they are concerned about future enrollment, per a survey by Bay View Analytics.

Why is this possibly good news? Colleges and universities are by far the most responsible for the leftist indoctrination of young people. While most of the secondary schools in this country, both public and private, certainly do their part, it is in the cloistered environment of higher education where young charges are subjected to a four-year, non-stop barrage of Marxist-Leninist propaganda. Often these days it takes the insidious form of explicating 20th and 21st-century popular cultural references and events, e.g., the Nasir Jones Hip Hop fellowship at Harvard. Whatever makes it easier for inchoate minds to absorb, just get the job done.

After four years of the above, a good percentage of these college kids (though certainly not all) will have transmogrified from empty-headed freshman into seniors, clutching diplomas, with heads stuffed to overflowing with hatred of all things pertaining to western civilization.

My argument why this may be good news is simple (some will say simplistic): the fewer young people going to college, the fewer commies ipso facto poisoning and destroying our society. Young people rejecting higher education, going to work, and earning a paycheck (and possibly noting how much is diverted from that check to support institutions college leftists adore), are less likely, it strikes this writer, to fall into the tentacles of modern progressivism. That is good news.

Stunning, simply stunning.

This lovely creature, Mx Samuel Brinton, draws a salary from our federal government, having a position in the Department of Energy’s Office of Nuclear Energy. Seemingly well educated–very, Mx Brinton holds dual graduate degrees in nuclear science and engineering from the Technology Policy Program at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, and undergraduate degrees in mechanical engineering with a nuclear engineering focus.

Alas, despite all that book larnin’, the poor dear seems to have been absent those days at school where the young charges were instructed, at least until recently, such basic civilized behavior such as it’s naughty to steal and tell lies. For, you see, Mx Brinton, apparently not content simply effecting a bizarre appearance, elected recently to engage in bizarre behavior as well.

From The Epoch Times: (Bad link before, now fixed–Thanks to WJT).

Law enforcement officers at the Minneapolis-St. Paul Airport were alerted on Sept. 16 to a missing suitcase by a woman who said her checked bag was not on the carousel despite being scanned as arriving at the airport.

Officers obtained video surveillance for the carousel in question and observed a suspect remove the bag from it. The suspect, later identified as Brinton, removed the tag from the bag and quickly left the area, according to a statement of probable cause obtained by The Epoch Times.

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[The victim] provided an itemized list of its contents. Officials estimated the value of the contents and the bag itself came to $2,325.

The bag was full of clothing–women’s clothing, it hardly seems necessary to relate.

Brinton was charged with felony theft and faces up to five years in prison and a fine of up to $10,000 if convicted.

Your Tatler, without wishing to appear overly skeptical, strongly suspects the perpetrator, being, we assume, of a protected class that cancels out his/her/its crime of being white, will not spend even five minutes in jail, let alone five years and will probably work out a deal with the District Attorney, to reduce or eliminate the fine, to donate time to charity. Here’s guessing that lucky organization will be the likes of an anti-conversion therapy organization or something of that sort.

One more photo of this vision of loveliness.

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In the past, Bickerstaff would wait well into Advent before putting up the Christmas tree. This year he asked himself, why the wait? Not coming up a with a good answer, save perhaps for lingering protestantisms informing his thinking, your Tatler decided Advent I being today, the tree goes up today.

Another decision was made, which might be deemed Ambrosian, viz., “When in Rome, do as the Romans” (Si fueris Romae Romano vivito more). Being in New Mexico, the fir Christmas tree of tradition back east and abroad seemed not appropriate. A visit was made to the nearby Mexican tin shop and the ersatz tree you see above has taken its place. To these eyes, it is lovely.

Feliz Navidad.

An English institution brought to this country by the Pilgrims.

Writings of the Pilgrim Fathers.

Edward Winslow.

[O]ur harvest being gotten in, our governour sent foure men on fowling, that so we might after a speciall manner rejoyce together,  after we had gathered the fruits of our labours ; they foure in one day killed as much fowle, as with a little helpe beside, served the Company almost a weeke, at which time amongst other Recreations, we exercised our Armes, many of the Indians coming amongst us, and amongst the rest their greatest king Massasoyt, with some ninetie men, whom for three dayes we entertained and feasted, and they went out and killed five Deere, which they
brought to the Plantation and bestowed on our Governour, and upon the Captaine and others. And although it be not always so plentifull, as it was at this time with us, yet by the goodness of God, we are so farre from want, that we often wish you partakers of our plentie.

William Bradford.

They begane now to gather in ye small harvest they had, and to fitte up their houses and dwellings against winter, being all well recovered in health & strenght, and had all things in good
plenty; fFor as some were thus imployed in affairs abroad, others were excersised in fishing, aboute codd, & bass, & other fish, of which yey tooke good store, of which every family had their
portion. All ye somer ther was no want. And now begane to come in store of foule, as winter approached, of which this place did abound when they came first (but afterward decreased by degrees). And besids water foule, ther was great store of wild Turkies, of which they tooke many, besids venison, &c. Besids, they had about a peck a meale a weeke to a person, or now since harvest, Indean corn to yt proportion. Which made many afterwards write so largly of their plenty hear to their freinds in England, which were not fained, but true reports.

William Hilton.

At our arrival in New Plymouth , in New England, we found all our friends and planters in good health, though they were left sick and weak, with very small means; the Indians round about us peaceable and friendly; the country very pleasant and temperate, yielding naturally, of itself, great store of fruits, as vines of divers sorts in great abundance . There is likewise walnuts, chestnuts, small nuts and plums, with much variety of flowers, ro ots and herbs, no less pleasant than wholesome and profitable better . . No place hath more gooseberrries and strawberries, nor Timber of all sorts you have in England doth cover the land, that affords beasts of divers sorts, and great flocks of turkey, quai ls, pigeons and partridges; many great lakes abounding with fish, fowl, beavers, and otters great plenty of all excellent sorts of sea. The sea affords us fish, as the rivers and isles doth variety of wild fowl of most useful sorts . Mines we find, to our t hinking; but neither the goodness nor quality we know . Better grain cannot be than the Indian corn, if we will plant it upon as good ground as a man need desire . rentWe are all freeholders; the day doth not trouble us; and all those good blessings we have what we list in their seasons for taking. , of which and Our company are, for most part, very religious, honest people; the word of God sincerely taught us every Sabbath; so that I know not any thing a contented mind can here want . I desire your friendly c are to send my wife and children to me, where I wish all the friends I have in England; and so I rest Your loving kinsman,

The Pilgrim’s religion was far from the Catholic religion. Nevertheless, they were God-fearing souls of good character who made peace with the natives and treated them well, who in turn did same for them. They also gave us a holiday all Americans can and should celebrate, even if modestly or even just the reading of the 107th Psalm (106th in the Vulgate).

A Happy Thanksgiving and grateful thanks to all my readers and contributors.

KJV.

1. O give thanks unto the LORD, for he is good: for his mercy endureth for ever.
2. Let the redeemed of the LORD say so, whom he hath redeemed from the hand of the enemy;
3. And gathered them out of the lands, from the east, and from the west, from the north, and from the south.
4. They wandered in the wilderness in a solitary way; they found no city to dwell in.
5. Hungry and thirsty, their soul fainted in them.
6. Then they cried unto the LORD in their trouble, and he delivered them out of their distresses.
7. And he led them forth by the right way, that they might go to a city of habitation.
8. Oh that men would praise the LORD for his goodness, and for his wonderful works to the children of men!
9. For he satisfieth the longing soul, and filleth the hungry soul with goodness.
10. Such as sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, being bound in affliction and iron;
11. Because they rebelled against the words of God, and contemned the counsel of the most High:
12. Therefore he brought down their heart with labour; they fell down, and there was none to help.
13. Then they cried unto the LORD in their trouble, and he saved them out of their distresses.
14. He brought them out of darkness and the shadow of death, and brake their bands in sunder.
15. 15 Oh that men would praise the LORD for his goodness, and for his wonderful works to the children of men!
16. For he hath broken the gates of brass, and cut the bars of iron in sunder.
17. Fools because of their transgression, and because of their iniquities, are afflicted.
18. Their soul abhorreth all manner of meat; and they draw near unto the gates of death.
19. Then they cry unto the LORD in their trouble, and he saveth them out of their distresses.
20. He sent his word, and healed them, and delivered them from their destructions.
21. Oh that men would praise the LORD for his goodness, and for his wonderful works to the children of men!
22. And let them sacrifice the sacrifices of thanksgiving, and declare his works with rejoicing.
23. They that go down to the sea in ships, that do business in great waters;
24. These see the works of the LORD, and his wonders in the deep.
25. For he commandeth, and raiseth the stormy wind, which lifteth up the waves thereof.
26. They mount up to the heaven, they go down again to the depths: their soul is melted because of trouble.
27. They reel to and fro, and stagger like a drunken man, and are at their wit’s end.
28. Then they cry unto the LORD in their trouble, and he bringeth them out of their distresses.
29. He maketh the storm a calm, so that the waves thereof are still.
30. Then are they glad because they be quiet; so he bringeth them unto their desired haven.
31. Oh that men would praise the LORD for his goodness, and for his wonderful works to the children of men!
32. Let them exalt him also in the congregation of the people, and praise him in the assembly of the elders.
33. He turneth rivers into a wilderness, and the watersprings into dry ground;
34. A fruitful land into barrenness, for the wickedness of them that dwell therein.
35. He turneth the wilderness into a standing water, and dry ground into watersprings.
36. And there he maketh the hungry to dwell, that they may prepare a city for habitation;
37. And sow the fields, and plant vineyards, which may yield fruits of increase.
38. He blesseth them also, so that they are multiplied greatly; and suffereth not their cattle to decrease.
39. Again, they are minished and brought low through oppression, affliction, and sorrow.
40. He poureth contempt upon princes, and causeth them to wander in the wilderness, where there is no way.
41. Yet setteth he the poor on high from affliction, and maketh him families like a flock.
42. The righteous shall see it, and rejoice: and all iniquity shall stop her mouth.
43. Whoso is wise, and will observe these things, even they shall understand the lovingkindness of the LORD.

Transcending the species.

This video has been making the rounds and for good reason; few cannot be genuinely touched by it. A female monkey, having undergone a C-section during birth and separated from her newborn while under sedation, obviously believes her baby is lost until discovering he is not. Her ecstatic joy is wonderfully apparent. This writer, not being a mother, cannot empathize fully with this one, nor any others, animal or human, but close is close enough and we may all rejoice in this mother’s joy.

There are other lessons here, but your Tatler’s readers may easily discern them for themselves, thus no further remarks are needed, save for: God is good.

It couldn’t happen again, could it?

Environmentalists in Germany have succeeded in pushing through a law forcing farmers to eliminate 50% of their livestock, as part of the fight against global warming emissions (of course).

From Hot Air:

Farmers have been protesting the decision in the same way they recently did in the Netherlands this summer, but the initiative is moving forward beginning this year [italics added ]. . .

[T]he German Meat Industry Association has reported that the country will be facing a severe meat shortage by the time spring arrives and consumers should expect prices to skyrocket, potentially doubling in some cases. It would appear that some people in the German government have never heard of something called the law of supply and demand.

As you might expect, that will not be the only negative effect.

But on top of that, the domestic supply of natural fertilizer will be cut in half. . . The lack of natural fertilizers (i.e. manure) will force farmers to switch to more expensive artificial fertilizers. As a bonus to all of this badness and madness, the artificial fertilizers require the use of large amounts of ammonia (which is converted to urea), and all of that ammonia is produced via a process that requires the burning of significant amounts of natural gas, thereby negating much of the carbon reduction goals that are driving this decision.

If every environmental law and regulation in history were thought through entirely, none would have passed. The Greens know this, which is why they resort to trickery and lying to get their way.

But wait, it gets even better.

So to sum all of this up, in its efforts to reduce its carbon footprint, Germany will bankrupt many of its farmers, have less meat available for consumers who will be paying nearly twice as much for it, and they’ll significantly increase the amount of fossil fuels they burn. And all of this will be happening at a time when German consumers are already struggling with high rates of inflation and rising prices. 

Hmm, rising prices and inflation in Germany: why does that ring a bell? Didn’t something like that occur before in Germany? If memory serves, it led to some unpleasantness. But that was then, wasn’t it?

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There were once liberals in the entertainment business who were actually funny (it was a long time ago), Terry Southern, Jules Feiffer, and Woody Allen come to mind. To that number, we should add singer-songwriter-MIT mathematician, satirist Tom Lehrer. One of his most scathing ditties concerned Germany, on an entirely different matter from the above of course, but as you may discern, it still resonates today.

Thanks to For What it’s Worth.