Patrick McConeghy
@pmcconeghy.bsky.social
Retired MSU professor of German; gardener, birder, biker, daylily hybridizer, cat lover
Jen, you're equating the Olympics with the World Cup! No European or South American nation in their right mind would pull its team from the World Cup for all the tea in China. Besides 2/3 of the sponsorship is from the good guys, Mexico and Canada. 😀
January 19, 2026 at 7:06 PM
Jen, you're equating the Olympics with the World Cup! No European or South American nation in their right mind would pull its team from the World Cup for all the tea in China. Besides 2/3 of the sponsorship is from the good guys, Mexico and Canada. 😀
Haha. I hope not. I meant snowshoeing of course. Where's the spell checker when you need it?
December 24, 2025 at 1:59 AM
Haha. I hope not. I meant snowshoeing of course. Where's the spell checker when you need it?
Peter and Tommy, Holiday greetings to you from Michigan, USA. The photo is from a shoesnowing hike I took just behind my house along the fairways of a golf course.
December 23, 2025 at 11:34 AM
Peter and Tommy, Holiday greetings to you from Michigan, USA. The photo is from a shoesnowing hike I took just behind my house along the fairways of a golf course.
Interesting is R's assumption that kids are going to public school. Republican line is go elsewhere. Many home school kids (no child care costs), others to expensive parochial, miltary or private schools. Aside from the extra taxes required for public schools, this idea is crazy for a Republican.
December 7, 2025 at 5:30 PM
Interesting is R's assumption that kids are going to public school. Republican line is go elsewhere. Many home school kids (no child care costs), others to expensive parochial, miltary or private schools. Aside from the extra taxes required for public schools, this idea is crazy for a Republican.
Jay, Since SCOTUS says that POTUS can't be held criminally responsible for actions taken as part of their pres. duties, why doesn't Trump say he gave the order to kill the survivors? He's untouchable. Of course, ala Nuremberg, it still wouldn't absolve underlings who carried out the order.
December 3, 2025 at 3:37 PM
Jay, Since SCOTUS says that POTUS can't be held criminally responsible for actions taken as part of their pres. duties, why doesn't Trump say he gave the order to kill the survivors? He's untouchable. Of course, ala Nuremberg, it still wouldn't absolve underlings who carried out the order.
Hast du die Reportagen aus den USA gesehen, dass der originelle 28-Punkte Plan von Trump ursprünglich von Russen geschrieben wurde. Einige Reporter sehen darin Zeichen einer direkten und stylistisch holprigen Übersetzung aus dem Russischen. Siehe, u.a.: snyder.substack.com/p/russian-un...
Russian Unreality and American Weakness
Notes from a bizarre moment of diplomatic history
snyder.substack.com
November 24, 2025 at 3:04 PM
Hast du die Reportagen aus den USA gesehen, dass der originelle 28-Punkte Plan von Trump ursprünglich von Russen geschrieben wurde. Einige Reporter sehen darin Zeichen einer direkten und stylistisch holprigen Übersetzung aus dem Russischen. Siehe, u.a.: snyder.substack.com/p/russian-un...
Obwohl ich trotz seines Verschwindens in den Medien hier in den USA diesen Krieg nie vergesse, bin ich dankbar, dass du uns immer wieder solche personalen Berichte aus der Ukraine lieferst, die dazu beitragen, die Gräueltaten des Kriegs noch vor Augen zu halten. Ich wünschte, ich könnte mehr tun!
November 4, 2025 at 12:15 AM
Obwohl ich trotz seines Verschwindens in den Medien hier in den USA diesen Krieg nie vergesse, bin ich dankbar, dass du uns immer wieder solche personalen Berichte aus der Ukraine lieferst, die dazu beitragen, die Gräueltaten des Kriegs noch vor Augen zu halten. Ich wünschte, ich könnte mehr tun!
What a nice photo of you two!
October 20, 2025 at 11:19 AM
What a nice photo of you two!
Oh, don't fret, Austin. Wait a week or so and "radical left" will have been supplanted by "Antifa." Seriously, what to do about yet another baseless provocation? Responding at all seems to play into their hands and yet such distortions of reality need to be called out. A conundrum.
October 13, 2025 at 4:09 PM
Oh, don't fret, Austin. Wait a week or so and "radical left" will have been supplanted by "Antifa." Seriously, what to do about yet another baseless provocation? Responding at all seems to play into their hands and yet such distortions of reality need to be called out. A conundrum.
How about a Dem debate on the core functions of the federal government v desirable ones. What is federalism all about? Dems can show they are in touch with the national mood if they engage in an honest and public debate on this topic within its own ranks. Defense? Civil Rights? Is this too cerebral?
October 11, 2025 at 9:54 PM
How about a Dem debate on the core functions of the federal government v desirable ones. What is federalism all about? Dems can show they are in touch with the national mood if they engage in an honest and public debate on this topic within its own ranks. Defense? Civil Rights? Is this too cerebral?
Toll! Schön eine Sendung zu sehen, wo zwei Menschen sich eigentlich gern haben und einander zuhören!
October 5, 2025 at 11:24 AM
Toll! Schön eine Sendung zu sehen, wo zwei Menschen sich eigentlich gern haben und einander zuhören!
Tip: Next time just say "show me all ads and then show me the episode." I bet it will work every time! 😀
August 29, 2025 at 5:40 PM
Tip: Next time just say "show me all ads and then show me the episode." I bet it will work every time! 😀
I totally support you in this article. Excellent. My question is how you interpret "She pleaded for mercy in the name of God" in Henry Bibb's 1849 memoir. The woman was certainly not Christian, but Bibb's was clearly appealing to Christian readers, correct? What is the backstory here? Thanks!
August 23, 2025 at 4:51 PM
I totally support you in this article. Excellent. My question is how you interpret "She pleaded for mercy in the name of God" in Henry Bibb's 1849 memoir. The woman was certainly not Christian, but Bibb's was clearly appealing to Christian readers, correct? What is the backstory here? Thanks!
Total nicht verhandelbar. Das macht Trumps "Friedens"-Vorschläge lächerlich und gefährlich.
August 9, 2025 at 6:28 PM
Total nicht verhandelbar. Das macht Trumps "Friedens"-Vorschläge lächerlich und gefährlich.
You are amazing, Ferris! I got 7/10 and was proud of myself! Good lesson in that the images here had no reason to deceive. It matters more when deception is the goal. So IDing signs in a neutral setting is great teaching device. Hands, reflections, slickness, etc. Thanks for the post.
May 27, 2025 at 5:24 PM
You are amazing, Ferris! I got 7/10 and was proud of myself! Good lesson in that the images here had no reason to deceive. It matters more when deception is the goal. So IDing signs in a neutral setting is great teaching device. Hands, reflections, slickness, etc. Thanks for the post.
Always risky to join a debate about Israel and being misunderstood: I agree with you: what you put in quotes is not "party line." But Pete, whom I support at least 99%, inserted "antisemitic" before violence. We don't know if the shooter was antisemitic or anti-Israel. No need for an adjective here.
May 22, 2025 at 4:27 PM
Always risky to join a debate about Israel and being misunderstood: I agree with you: what you put in quotes is not "party line." But Pete, whom I support at least 99%, inserted "antisemitic" before violence. We don't know if the shooter was antisemitic or anti-Israel. No need for an adjective here.
Here in Mid-Michigan that would mean we'd get eggs for at most 12 cents a dozen. Not a price I've seen recently at local markets. What? Most of Trump's schemes went bankrupt? What a surprise!
May 16, 2025 at 6:58 PM
Here in Mid-Michigan that would mean we'd get eggs for at most 12 cents a dozen. Not a price I've seen recently at local markets. What? Most of Trump's schemes went bankrupt? What a surprise!
Altho I don't like the CDU/CSU, I am thankful that Germany is not plunged into a political crisis at this critical time because of a handful of disgruntled reps in the SPD. That's all that the AfD, Trump, and Vance could hope for.
May 6, 2025 at 5:00 PM
Altho I don't like the CDU/CSU, I am thankful that Germany is not plunged into a political crisis at this critical time because of a handful of disgruntled reps in the SPD. That's all that the AfD, Trump, and Vance could hope for.
I almost clicked the love icon on your comment, Paul, since I feel the same way. The only thing I would say is that this country also *still* produces people like the bystander who confronted the woman and her outrageous behavior and filmed her, then received similar abuse. Great example of courage.
May 6, 2025 at 4:33 PM
I almost clicked the love icon on your comment, Paul, since I feel the same way. The only thing I would say is that this country also *still* produces people like the bystander who confronted the woman and her outrageous behavior and filmed her, then received similar abuse. Great example of courage.
The superhero here is the bystander who confronted her about her language and endured abuse of his own.
May 6, 2025 at 4:28 PM
The superhero here is the bystander who confronted her about her language and endured abuse of his own.
Agree. Isn't it at least hopeful that Thune admits the nomination is trouble? He could have said a lot of other things that would have been more punishing of Tillis's position.
May 6, 2025 at 4:21 PM
Agree. Isn't it at least hopeful that Thune admits the nomination is trouble? He could have said a lot of other things that would have been more punishing of Tillis's position.
Another couple of rare exceptions: The Lone Ranger from 50's TV and Zorro. Both heroes of sorts in the popular mind. Of course, both legends of the Wild West, where masking protected their exercise of vigilante justice from vigilante revenge. The masking (hooding) of the KKK is a related matter.
May 6, 2025 at 4:12 PM
Another couple of rare exceptions: The Lone Ranger from 50's TV and Zorro. Both heroes of sorts in the popular mind. Of course, both legends of the Wild West, where masking protected their exercise of vigilante justice from vigilante revenge. The masking (hooding) of the KKK is a related matter.
Makes me wonder about survival-of-the-fittest evolution. Are these fabulous colors and iridescences in some unknown way related to being "the fittest"? Or are they random irrelevant hangers-on of more important traits. Your next prize-winning book, Ferris!!
May 4, 2025 at 5:03 PM
Makes me wonder about survival-of-the-fittest evolution. Are these fabulous colors and iridescences in some unknown way related to being "the fittest"? Or are they random irrelevant hangers-on of more important traits. Your next prize-winning book, Ferris!!
Vielen Dank für diese Dikussion! Ich bin immer so dankbar bei dir, dass du nicht bei der informierenden Reportage steckenbleibst, sondern auch logische, klare Stellungen nimmst und informierte Meinungen hast. Eher ein mitfühlender, engagierter Expert, als ein beruflicher Faktensammler.
May 4, 2025 at 10:21 AM
Vielen Dank für diese Dikussion! Ich bin immer so dankbar bei dir, dass du nicht bei der informierenden Reportage steckenbleibst, sondern auch logische, klare Stellungen nimmst und informierte Meinungen hast. Eher ein mitfühlender, engagierter Expert, als ein beruflicher Faktensammler.
I wish the cartoon were true - we'd be in better shape. But those who support and vote for Trump repeatedly act against their own economic and health interests. Either they don't care, are ignorant, want to own the libs, or are masochistically and falsely altruistic! T's poll numbers are still high.
April 8, 2025 at 4:28 PM
I wish the cartoon were true - we'd be in better shape. But those who support and vote for Trump repeatedly act against their own economic and health interests. Either they don't care, are ignorant, want to own the libs, or are masochistically and falsely altruistic! T's poll numbers are still high.