Beautiful example of human social nature, our ability to organize ourselves for the common good, one of the great aspects of the human race, double meaning intended.
A pleasant parable to read as I come back from scattering hedgehog food around my garden - especially as, in other news here in the UK, we have Trump forging ahead to destroy the BBC, and/or (as reported by the BBC) planning to attack Venezuela. But, on the positive side, he has turned on Marjorie TG.
I’m so curious about what hedgehog food is. Great news about MTG. Never expected her to be schismatic, but more power to her! I never thought I would say something like that about her!
Hello! Hedgehog food is very like cat kibble, but specifically formulated for hedgehogs. I have several of these endangered creatures getting ready to hibernate around my vegetable garden. It's been a bad year for them - the ground has been too hard and dry for them to dig naturally for their usual food of grubs and slugs. Sorry for the hedgehog lecture!
Looking after my patch of ground is my equivalent of going running. We all need something!
We have 13 plus offspring on our farm, since we have been rescuing and rehabilitating them. We lost one poor rescue, but the others are now visible daily in the summer. Just starting to go beddies now under the leaf mounds we secure for them against bushes.
I was born and grew up in the UK, in the country, and back in the 1940s or so we were for ever stopping to "rescue" a hedgehog sunbathing in the road. We'd take them home, and then they'd vanish. We should have parked them closer to where we found them. I've read that they are under pressure in the UK now, so great that you're helping them out. I thought worms and insects were they're food? Not sure though.
Hedgehogs in New Zealand are an invasive pest and actively hunted and destroyed by the government conservation agency. They eat eggs and young of endangered ground nesting birds and compete with other indigenous fauna for food. Like a lot of other introduced animals and plants, it would have been better to leave them in their natural environment, however if you have a shortage in Britain I'm sure we could find someone to repatriate them, with sufficient incentive.
That is a GREAT idea ! Please look actively for a Patron Saint of Hedgehogs. They are small and easy enough to transport, It would be a great good if you would do this. No one should be extinguished just for living their life. Especially Hedgehogs. Please take action on this really wonderful idea. Find a sponsor. I can help you with written pitches if you need them. -- Kate Decker
I'm smiling because I have shared your sense of MTG, but suddenly I'm confused. She's speaking up about the Epstein files and has signed the petition to release the files. This past week she said the tariffs were hurting her constituents. I don't know whether to throw her under the bus or give her a little hug.
I watching her with great suspicion. She's positioning herself for something. I don't see the GOP running her for President. A Cabinet position in a prospective GOP administration someday (god forbid)?
As I read the first lines and until I came to the word "scam," I stopped to pour a cup of coffee and imagined that your good Canadian runners might just come up with a "let's do it anyway" option. I loved being right, but more than that, I love that there is still human goodness and dignity and fellowship and sportsmanship out there in the world and that maybe...just maybe...the ugliness of our horrible nightmare will not be able to survive much longer by this overwhelming human force.
From far away Belgium I opened maps and found the Mimico Creek Arch Bridge in Toronto....
The start and finish line of the self-organized running contest.
Looks like a hell of a beautiful run passed all those parks, over the Humber Bay Arch bridge and through some more parks along the Humber Bay towards downtown Toronto and back again to Mimico Creek Arch Bridge.
I say that although the scammer 'ran' of with a bit of money.... the scammer got scammed!
Such a lovely story/parable. Thanks for being in the world. Gratitude is its own reward! The Ukrainians get laurels for being self-organizing but it must be a widely shared human characteristic. American, too, according to de Tocqueville. Canadian, too, obviously, from this story. Thanks again.
You all relied on your personal ability to self-organize and collaborated as a group to cooperate and do the thing you love, as planned. This is part of what we consider "the human spirit." Thank for the inspiration!
Thank you, Timothy Snyder, for taking the time to share your story with us. It is a beautiful reminder of what a small group of resilient and creative people can do together--overcoming the ill intentions of those whose callousness could have ruined the day. The joyful image of the first runner waiting to high-five your daughter was a gift to all of us. Thank you.
Fabulous. The lesson I hear: although we may be scammed by politicians, we must still practice democracy - exercise, our vote, demonstrate empathy for all people, show respect, ensure equal treatment under the law.
My thoughts exactly. Let’s get on top of this thing! Let’s organize ourselves against this scam (viz., NoKingsDay!), congratulate ourselves on our efforts, and overcome it!
Apparently, civil society is not always civil. Now, if I only had some cartilage in that left knee. I am confined to pool running and taking up yoga again, which I quit during Covid, but now can do in front of my TV.
But in one pool I belong to now, they won’t let you run in the shallow end while doing 200 of my 800 yards, even when i have the lane to myself, after having previously said that I could.
Scammers and strict bureaucracies are both in their own ways destroying our social trust. Substack is a unique platform for bringing together critical thinking. My Substack is free, but I’ve taken it private so you have to request a subscription.
Beautiful example of human social nature, our ability to organize ourselves for the common good, one of the great aspects of the human race, double meaning intended.
And a wonderful reminder to the human race that although we cannot control what happens, we can control our reaction to what happens.
I think Canadians are pretty good at that.
Stoic philosophy.
Beautifully said, Ellen. And very generous. Thanks.
A pleasant parable to read as I come back from scattering hedgehog food around my garden - especially as, in other news here in the UK, we have Trump forging ahead to destroy the BBC, and/or (as reported by the BBC) planning to attack Venezuela. But, on the positive side, he has turned on Marjorie TG.
I’m so curious about what hedgehog food is. Great news about MTG. Never expected her to be schismatic, but more power to her! I never thought I would say something like that about her!
Hello! Hedgehog food is very like cat kibble, but specifically formulated for hedgehogs. I have several of these endangered creatures getting ready to hibernate around my vegetable garden. It's been a bad year for them - the ground has been too hard and dry for them to dig naturally for their usual food of grubs and slugs. Sorry for the hedgehog lecture!
Looking after my patch of ground is my equivalent of going running. We all need something!
We have 13 plus offspring on our farm, since we have been rescuing and rehabilitating them. We lost one poor rescue, but the others are now visible daily in the summer. Just starting to go beddies now under the leaf mounds we secure for them against bushes.
You can have our hedgehog. Where should I send it? 😉
https://hedgehogs-northumbria.org.uk/
please! Well packed, of course.
Lovely! We all need something!
I think it’s an act to serve her own purpose.
To be sure! But how nice to see her diverge from MAGAland.
I thought you were talking about the hedgehog!
I was born and grew up in the UK, in the country, and back in the 1940s or so we were for ever stopping to "rescue" a hedgehog sunbathing in the road. We'd take them home, and then they'd vanish. We should have parked them closer to where we found them. I've read that they are under pressure in the UK now, so great that you're helping them out. I thought worms and insects were they're food? Not sure though.
Hedgehogs in New Zealand are an invasive pest and actively hunted and destroyed by the government conservation agency. They eat eggs and young of endangered ground nesting birds and compete with other indigenous fauna for food. Like a lot of other introduced animals and plants, it would have been better to leave them in their natural environment, however if you have a shortage in Britain I'm sure we could find someone to repatriate them, with sufficient incentive.
Perhaps the US govt would lend you RFK Jr and Kristi Noem? They should be able to deal with any unwanted living thing.
That is a GREAT idea ! Please look actively for a Patron Saint of Hedgehogs. They are small and easy enough to transport, It would be a great good if you would do this. No one should be extinguished just for living their life. Especially Hedgehogs. Please take action on this really wonderful idea. Find a sponsor. I can help you with written pitches if you need them. -- Kate Decker
Worms, slugs, grubs, insects, anything in the soil that they can dig up.
Yup, but what they really like is my scrambled eggs! 🍳😎
Ok. Scrambled eggs added to the menu.
I'm smiling because I have shared your sense of MTG, but suddenly I'm confused. She's speaking up about the Epstein files and has signed the petition to release the files. This past week she said the tariffs were hurting her constituents. I don't know whether to throw her under the bus or give her a little hug.
Give her a little hug, and THEN throw her under the bus.
I watching her with great suspicion. She's positioning herself for something. I don't see the GOP running her for President. A Cabinet position in a prospective GOP administration someday (god forbid)?
Fell, hit her head?
Love it when they start eating their own...
As I read the first lines and until I came to the word "scam," I stopped to pour a cup of coffee and imagined that your good Canadian runners might just come up with a "let's do it anyway" option. I loved being right, but more than that, I love that there is still human goodness and dignity and fellowship and sportsmanship out there in the world and that maybe...just maybe...the ugliness of our horrible nightmare will not be able to survive much longer by this overwhelming human force.
nice story…when things go wrong look for the better angels in our midst.
From far away Belgium I opened maps and found the Mimico Creek Arch Bridge in Toronto....
The start and finish line of the self-organized running contest.
Looks like a hell of a beautiful run passed all those parks, over the Humber Bay Arch bridge and through some more parks along the Humber Bay towards downtown Toronto and back again to Mimico Creek Arch Bridge.
I say that although the scammer 'ran' of with a bit of money.... the scammer got scammed!
Such a lovely story/parable. Thanks for being in the world. Gratitude is its own reward! The Ukrainians get laurels for being self-organizing but it must be a widely shared human characteristic. American, too, according to de Tocqueville. Canadian, too, obviously, from this story. Thanks again.
You all relied on your personal ability to self-organize and collaborated as a group to cooperate and do the thing you love, as planned. This is part of what we consider "the human spirit." Thank for the inspiration!
I loved --not only did you all run but you lined up to cheer one another at the finish line.
The ability to self-organize PLUS the willingness to encourage and acknowledge one another.
Both critical for our cultural and political moment.
That was the best part of the story for me.
What a beautiful story. Thank you, Tim.
Thank you, Timothy Snyder, for taking the time to share your story with us. It is a beautiful reminder of what a small group of resilient and creative people can do together--overcoming the ill intentions of those whose callousness could have ruined the day. The joyful image of the first runner waiting to high-five your daughter was a gift to all of us. Thank you.
Fabulous. The lesson I hear: although we may be scammed by politicians, we must still practice democracy - exercise, our vote, demonstrate empathy for all people, show respect, ensure equal treatment under the law.
"It feels better to run than not to run." So true. Your share started my morning off on a positive note💕
A wonderful parable for our current (American) predicament.
My thoughts exactly. Let’s get on top of this thing! Let’s organize ourselves against this scam (viz., NoKingsDay!), congratulate ourselves on our efforts, and overcome it!
Inspiring story thank you for sharing!
A runner who is prepared will not be deterred. Good job!
Apparently, civil society is not always civil. Now, if I only had some cartilage in that left knee. I am confined to pool running and taking up yoga again, which I quit during Covid, but now can do in front of my TV.
But in one pool I belong to now, they won’t let you run in the shallow end while doing 200 of my 800 yards, even when i have the lane to myself, after having previously said that I could.
Scammers and strict bureaucracies are both in their own ways destroying our social trust. Substack is a unique platform for bringing together critical thinking. My Substack is free, but I’ve taken it private so you have to request a subscription.