"It takes considerable knowledge just to realize the extent of your own ignorance." - Thomas Sowell

Feel free to add your own caption.

I don't understand antisemitism. I do NOT approve of racism of any sort against any ethnic group because, among other things, it's antithetical to the gospel. But animosity between races can be understood in light of the physical differences that play to the us-vs.-them fears in too many people. Add in a history of exploitation and oppression and we can at least identify the roots of most racism.

But I can rarely identify visual differences between this descendant of western European and someone who traces their roots back to Abraham. Unless someone tells me they're Jewish, or I know their last name (an unreliable indicator to be sure) I can almost never tell someone is Jewish. And there's no history of hostility or oppression between Europeans and Jews.

Before the Dark Ages conflict between Jews and other Europeans is brought up (cf. Shakespeare) consider that the hostility toward the Jews and accusations of financial evils was just the historical manifestation of the same antisemitism that exists today. Yes, they were typically the leaders (lenders) in the financial realm, but Scots were the leaders in masonry (hence the Scottish origins of the Free Masons) and the Brits and French leaders in the maritime industry. Why were the Jews singled out?

I understand the hostility between Jews and Arabs. Most importantly it traces back to Abraham's two sons, Isaac and Ishmael, and the bad blood between them. That animosity has, shall we say, divine roots. But so far as I can tell, no similar basis can be identified for the hatred others have for Jews.

This comes to mind because of the vandalism in two Jewish cemeteries that's made the news. Why? Assuming (!) it wasn't 14-year olds too young to drive down country roads knocking over mailboxes - that is, just juvenile stupidity - why would someone target Jews?
I don't get it.

Mondays are the day I muck out the goat pen and weigh the kids. It takes about an hour and isn't difficult or particularly nasty. The most challenging part of the process is the three goats who are sure something interesting must be happening and are constantly getting in the way. It's hard to get dirty straw into a wheelbarrow that has a goat standing in it.
Itzhak gained 3.2 lbs. over the last week and Asante went up 3.8 lbs. That's a crazy rate of gain and puts them at 39 and 33 lbs. respectively. At this rate we'll be eating goat by the Fourth of July. (They'll slow down as soon as they're castrated, in about two weeks.)

Take this quiz at home:

• How are conditions in Syria? What's happened there in the last month?
• Name one significant current event of any sort from the entire continent of Africa. Or Asia? Or Europe?
• Which national fast food chain is installing kiosks this year for ordering food in over 1,000 of their restaurants? 
• What is happening in Barcelona this week?
• Name six stories that show alleged malfeasance, misfeasance, or nonfeasance from the Trump White House. 

Now, answer this one: is the U.S. press obsessed? 

I made good progress on the trailer today and have all but one piece of wallboard up. Tomorrow I'll pick up a whole bunch of aluminum angle iron (oxymoron?) that will be used for baseboard and all outside corners. If things go smoothly with the cover for the water heater and electrical panel I should have this wrapped up by Wednesday with the possible exception of the coat rack/shelf they want installed. I'm having trouble finding one locally. 

I'm pretty ready to be done with this project. 

I'm also eager to get to my dentist appt. Wednesday morning. A month ago he worked on my left upper canine tooth which had two holes not caused by decay. He wasn't sure his solution would fix the problem and it's now clear it did NOT. 

Ibuprofen is my friend.