I no longer have any interest in religion, nor believe in a supreme being. But these women were doing God's work, doing good wherever they can, and it's awful to think that the cash they quietly amassed is - at some point - going to be absorbed into the maw of the corrupt church. / end

The food was plain, but very good (and prepared and served by staff). And the sherry served with dinner was very nice.
The younger sisters - in their 60s and 70s - kept working with London's poorest.
So much better than those who control the Church. / one more

That, and tens of millions of pounds. The Catholic church, having been found guilty of enabling sexual abuse of minors, etc., was (is) super interested.
The nuns kept on living their quiet life. When my aunt died, she had two pairs of clunky shoes. Three sets of identical grey clothing. / more

The major diocese in England was interested. The Vatican was interested. Of course, it was all just described as helping the nuns with their evident problem. Right.
When in 2021, my aunt died, peacefully, at 91yo (not COVID), there were but a handful of sisters left. / more

A decade or more ago, it sold one of its last London properties, an early 19th century mansion, to a Russian oligarch, for some tens of millions of pounds. There were fewer than 10 nuns in the order in Britain. The mother convent of the order, in France, was interested. / more

But the horizon of value for nuns was a mirage. Opportunities for young women in the workforce expanded. Fewer, then almost no young women became nuns. The sisters grew old and started dying off.
My aunt's order found itself with excess properties and started selling them. / more

. . in the 1960s, in the aftermath of Vatican II, when it looked as though Rome would consider women to be people and nuns to be useful. Lots of women became nuns.
Properties were acquired to house convents. My aunt's bought several in London, and Rudyard Kipling's former country home. / more

And somewhere here is the answer to what Asian spicy food was like before the arrival of chili peppers from South America in the 16th century, or so.

Interesting thought but @kff.org research suggests not. www.kff.org/affordable-c...

Arkansas is really special. But why?

That was the last time I met Michael. He died in a solo plane crash last year.

Always pass on praise.

I'll miss you Michael, although you were an odd duck.

A was reading a battered, well-marked-up copy of: my PhD thesis. A explained that the science in it was light, but it was the best-written thesis he'd ever read, and that he used it as guidance on writing.
A had just won the Nobel prize in physics.
Michael wanted me to know this. / 1 more

Thanks for this question - and it's a reminder to do our part and pass on praise.
Anyway, my story.
Michael was a post-doc when I was doing my PhD, long ago. A few years ago, we got together; his idea. He told me of a flight to a tech conference where he was seated beside Prof. A. / more

Now, now.
Chinese for England is Yingguo. America is Meiguo. France is Feiguo.
San Francisco is JiuJinShan.

Mícheál Ó Coileáin
of course

My local Ace hardware dude, when bolts I needed were only available in the wrong length, cut them to size, polished the ends, refused to charge me, since he enjoyed it.
HomeDepot dude owns a superyacht. I won't go there, even when they have bolts in the right size. luxurylaunches.com/transport/ar...