Cygnia

Supposedly they are edible, but some closely-related species are toxic so there's lots of suspicion.  One expert supposedly has tried them and described them as "edible, but not worth it."

Indian pipe

The Jules version is the Donnie Darko version.
 
The original is by Tears for Fears and is one of my favourite songs ever.

Hermit, I firmly believe there are substantial numbers of moderate conservatives in America, and responsible Republicans. However, they've been conspicuous by their absence on the public stage for a long time. In the GOP they were either muzzled or driven out. In the general populace they were apparently willing to tolerate the abuses by Trump and Trumpists in exchange for token nods to conservative policies.
 
It's not enough to say that both sides need to come to the table. The Left has been pushed away from the table too many times. It's now incumbent on leaders on the Right to convince the Left that they're prepared for genuine dialogue, consensus, and compromise.

So as to how vigorously to investigate and prosecute the people who organized and participated in the Capitol Insurrection...
 
My concern is that the FBI and other agencies won't push too hard or attempt too thorough a sweep because of "Weaver Fever," the decades-long policy of treating right-wing anti-government extremists with kid gloves lest they be riled into committing worse acts, as the Ruby Ridge incident helped provoke the Oklahoma City bombing.
 
I think that policy is wrong. Instead, I offer the advice given in the PoiSci textbook People, Power, and Politics, by John C. Donovan, Richard E. Morgan, and Christian P. Potholm. The chapter on "Revoutionary Change and Counterelites" ends with a section on "Some Practical Advice for the Ruler in Dealing With Revolutionary Counterelites: Machiavelli Brought Up to Date."
 
"1. Don't worry about the disloyal opposition. There will always be some people who will oppose your government, no matter what you do! Jail these chaps or send them into exile, but don't waste time trying to convert them. Those who are bent on the violent overthrow of the political system should not be placated or coddled. And don't be too quick to grant them amnesty. Remember the examples of Stalin, Castro, and Hitler [23]
[Footnote 23: For advocating the violent overthrow of the Weimar Republic and marching at the head of a group of men bent on the same, Hitler spent one year in a luxurious prison, where he wrote Min Kampf. Once in power, Hitler did not make a similar mistake in dealing with his opponents.]"
 
So find the organizers, the funders and manufacturers of internet fakery, and Gitmo their asses.
 
Still, this does not mean that everyone who believes Trump's lies is culpable. The authors also suggest:
 
"2. Do worry about the loyal opposition. There will always be people who oppose specific policies of your government but who are basically loyal to the system. These people will seek the government's overthrow only if you force them into it. Do not jail, torture, harass, or exile the loyal opposition.
when in doubt, assume the opposition is loyal until definitely proven otherwise. You will lose far more than you will gain by treating this part of the body politic harshly."
 
Sen. Josh Hawley has definitely placed himself in the "disloyal opposition" camp. ATC noted that he has a Harvard law degree and taught Constitutional law as a college professor. He knows perfectly well that his claims have been false and his actions seditious. Oh, and that First Amendment rights are not violated when a private company decides it doesn't want to publish his book after all.
 
Dean Shomshak

More assorted detritus from my life:
Berke Breathed was the cartoonist for the campus paper at Texas/Austin my first couple of years of grad school.  I've got the two collections of his strip from the Daily Texan, Academia Waltz. I have stayed at the motel which is the putative final stop on the Billy & the Boingers World Tour. Sadly, I don't own the t-shirt.

Only one side of the dispute has broadly embraced deceit, fear, and hatred. There will be no meaningful discourse while that is in play. It can only be opposed.

Meltdown in 3...2...
 
Twitter permanently suspends President Donald Trump

Meltdown in 3...2...
 
Twitter permanently suspends President Donald Trump

Meltdown in 3...2...
 
Twitter permanently suspends President Donald Trump

Meltdown in 3...2...
 
Twitter permanently suspends President Donald Trump

Hall of Fame Los Angeles Dodgers manager Tommy Lasorda dies at 93