mushrooms

Either two or three years ago I saw some gorgeous photos by Dirk Ercken of mushrooms. They were lit beautifully and the pictures looked like elven fairy tales. I rented his class but never watched it and it expired. I bought his class so it wouldn't expire again and then never saw a suitable mushroom with nice surroundings/background. Yesterday I at least saw a mushroom. Today I rushed out to practice on it - despite still not having watched the class. 

How about I share this picture instead?

I have a teeny Japanese Maple on my steps. It is bent over at a near right angle and so these are branches growing upward from it, turning red. 

When Samuel was a puppy I met a former Russian soldier in the dog park. We discussed soldiers following orders and I told him American soldiers are not allowed to follow illegal orders. This was completely nonsensical to him, he insisted I was wrong, he insisted this was not possible, I was naive,  was innocent, this simply could not be. He got quite upset. 

Russian soldiers do not question orders. They do not confront superiors. They do not make critical videos and post them on social media. Russian soldiers are doing all of these things and even writing letters and signing them. The letter was published on a Russian military blog yesterday. The letter was sent to a regional Russian governor and criticizes their general by name. 

Russia's heavy casualties in Ukraine sparked an outcry amongst their family members. For the first time since the invasion, the Russian Defense Ministry has officially responded to reports of mass casualties and criticism of commanders on Telegram. It is a big thing that they felt compelled to. 

Massachusetts just elected the first openly lesbian governor of the United States!

Ukraine is running low on the missiles that its Soviet air defense systems use but on Monday they received their first shipment of the National Advanced Surface-to-Air Missile System, or NASAMS. NASAMS is jointly produced by the US and Norway. It has radar, sensors, launchers, and a mobile command center. It is not "self-propelled," it has to be towed or placed on the back of a truck. 

Spain sent Aspide air defense systems. Germany sent the first of four Iris-T air defense systems. All of these are medium-range. The NASAM protects Washington DC. The Apside is produced by Italy. Spain trained Ukrainian soldiers in how to use it in September and will train 400 more soldiers this month. 

Good night.