Archive for January 15th, 2022
Not a partridge in a pear tree
Not the Christmas song’s partridge in a pear tree, but a bunch of turkey vultures (Cathartes aura) in a live oak tree (Quercus fusiformis) is what we found on January 3 while driving along Burnet County Road 330 for what I think was the first time ever. Branches blocked the line of sight to all but the highest-perched birds, so I zoomed in on a few of those. Click the thumbnail below for a closer look at the top pair from a different frame.
After I moved a little closer all the vultures flew away, leaving me to take a few more-is-more pictures of the scraggly live oak branches in their own right.
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It’s heartening that people and organizations have been working to counter the onslaught of illiberalism coming from certain sectors of our society. In posts over the past year I’ve singled out some of the people and organizations that uphold free speech and due process, and that work against “wokeism” and “cancel culture,” or whatever other name you care to use.
Following is a list of people and groups working to maintain the values of a free society. Some of these consider themselves politically center-left, some center-right, and others centrist or independent or libertarian. The important thing is that all of them favor freedom, value open discussion grounded in demonstrable facts, and deplore indoctrination. Most of the links below take you to sites where material keeps getting added (as opposed to books, which could make up another list), so you can go back to each site from time to time—even daily for some—and expect new articles.
FIRE (Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression)
FAIR (Foundation Against Intolerance and Racism)
Clear and Present Danger (to free speech)
The National Association of Scholars
Bret Weinstein and Heather Heying
Jewish Institute for Liberal Values
© 2022 Steven Schwartzman
Portraits of Wildflowers 