SO TREES are now racist?

Kamala Harris is dumber than a box of rocks to be sure, but the urban heat island is real, and planting trees -- even non-racist 'environmental justice' trees -- in the urban core is at least a modest mitigation strategy.

It's the progressive equivalent of a more rational strategy of dispersing the urban core to the suburbs and beyond, something which the pandemic lockdowns have proven feasible in this age of internet.

Of course that's in complete opposition to the progressives' desire to house America in little boxes of highrise ticky-tacky so we won't do anything wasteful -- like enjoy life.

FALLING LEAVES 2021. Week 10:

We had a little rain and a lot of high wind this week, so the leaf fall was spectacular. I had cleared our road in the days earlier while grading, and when I left early in the morning, it was clear. When I returned after the wind died down, there were sections where the gravel road was no longer visible under the newly blown down leaves.

Now on to the pictures. Here are my two staples -- the pond view and fire pit/barn from our deck.

The pond is clearly visible now, and that's probably the best view we'll ever have through the forest. The fire pit view shows the deciduous trees are nearly nude -- only a few 'bitter clingers' left.

This next photo is a scenic view from our neighbor's house -- in the summer about all you can see is the trees in their back yard.

Here's our house, taken on the trek back from our neighbor's home. If it's green, or mostly green, it's an evergreen. But even those pines have lost a lot this year. And the road was completely clear of leaves a few days ago.

This is my 'jungle' picture taken from the driveway on the south side of the house. It's finally pretty clear of the undergrowth that dominates in the summer. If you think it looks relatively flat, think again -- that's about a 45 degree slope going down into the ravine leading to the creek.

The next two are pond pictures. The first is the fountain, taken from the far side from our house (wish we had as clear a view from our deck) and the second is looking toward our house from the far side. The stairs leading up to the house are kinda-sorta visible just to the right of center.

And finally, the holdouts. This picture was taken nearly straight up from below the tree. It happens to be the same one visible in the fountain picture above.

Until next week, then....

GOOD LUCK WITH THAT: Why I’m co-founding a new university dedicated to freedom of thought and study.

Here's their web site. I'm intrigued, although why they chose San Francisco Central [Austin] is beyond me. At a minimum any land they choose for a campus should be at least 30 miles from city center -- east to avoid the Austin smug (not a typo).

I can understand why: "Hundreds of college professors pleaded to join a new university dedicated to free speech just hours after it was announced, a founding faculty member told Fox News."

I don't know that the University of Austin will be a success, but I wish them well. I do know that if I were younger, I'd have my application in to join their faculty.

BREAKING: The Glascow climate conference (COP26) was actually a 'giant writers’ room meeting for the Babylon Bee'.

BARNEY AND CLYDE understand the pharmaceutical industry.

AMMO GRRRLL takes on 'gangstas' and Twits.

And wins. With style.

LET THEM EAT [EVEN LESS] CAKE: The White House dismisses rising inflation.

As Glenn Reynolds [Instapundit] noted in the second link, the Biden presidency's return to normalcy means 'normal for the Jimmy Carter presidency'.

Jimmy was a one-termer you know, Joe. And he ushered in 12 years of Republican presidents.

Noted. That's what happens when you steal an election, Democrats....

BIDEN ADMINISTRATION ADMITS: "We love high gas prices."

And if they get high enough, then 'Mayor Pete' won't have to worry about rebuilding those racist roads and bridges.

INFLATION SPIKES: highest in 30 years.

Want to guess when it started?

Based on the dates in the chart above, my guess is that it began with the introduction of government intervention in the form of the Coronavirus Preparedness and Response Supplemental Appropriations Act, 2020 (Public Law 116-123), the Families First Coronavirus Response Act (P.L. 116-127), the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act (P.L. 116-136), and the Paycheck Protection Program and Health Care Enhancement Act (P.L. 116-139) in March and April of 2020.

Then along came the Biden administration in January 2021....

And here we are today.

POWERLINE'S Week in Pictures has two favorites this week:

AND

Now go see the rest (with this caveat: it's impossible to unsee the first gun picture).

GREGG JARRETT: Adam Schiff's disgraceful legacy.

Adam Schiff is such a lowlife he could walk under a snake's belly without stooping.

WELL, IF TWO MASKS DIDN'T WORK, think of how well three masks won't work.

RANDOM THOUGHT: There ought to be a "Eff U; go away Little Person and bother someone who actually gives a shit what you think" clause embedded in the Constitution for the States to invoke as needed.

Actually there is; it called 'federalism'. And the States should be much more aggressive invoking it.

SHOE EXPLAINS the price of free stuff.

THAT'S SOMETHING any cat owner knows.

THE RITTENHOUSE TESTIMONY from a gun owner's perspective.

Follow the link and read the whole thing.

INFLATION'S GREAT! IT REDISTRIBUTES MONEY: The New York Times does inflation.

Unmentioned is the fact that it redistributes money from those who have the least to those who have the most.

WHERE WAS HE FOR TWO WEEKS? Gavin Newsom had adverse reactions to COVID booster and flu shots.

But he couldn't just admit that without giving ammunition to the vaccine hesitant.

OCTOBER GUN SALES 30 percent above pre-pandemic levels.

And I'm open to increasing that percentage.

BLACK LIVES MATTER promises bloodshed in New York City if Mayor-elect Eric Adams "reverses the abolition of the NYPD’s controversial anti-crime units".

I'm okay with that as long as it's their blood being shed.