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Episode-1726- Listener Feedback for 2-8-16 — 13 Comments

  1. On ‘Royal Empress Tree’ the genus is Paulownia. Tomentosa is a bit more spreading with lower total height, Elongata is more vertical and a bit quicker growing to height.

    Tomentosa is known to be a bit invasive with the spread of its seeds, Elongata not so much.

    All Paulownia produce huge quantities of massive leaves for mulch. It’s also often intercropped with grains to improve production in Asia.

    They’ve also got massively deep taproots and should become drought hardy after a few years.

  2. Your stance on alimony, Jack, is not taking into consideration all cases.
    I.e. A long term marriage (33 years) where the wife stayed home to raise the children (4), foregoing college education and outside employment as a mutual decision between husband and wife. Wife supported husband in his recreational ventures and career advancement with the caveat that “til death do us part” meant just that.

    But he gets bored and seeks a divorce, leaving the wife to seek employment after having been out of the job market for decades. An older female in these circumstances will never be able to achieve a salary even close to his.

    Here, alimony is warranted.

    -The Wife

    • Im assuming this is not a hypothetical discussion, but will continue as if it were… And know now that I’m not hypothetically defending the piece of garbage that broke his oath to you.
      Oaths can be broken… so can bones 🙂 .

      “A long term marriage (33 years) where the wife stayed home to raise the children (4), foregoing college education* and outside employment as a mutual decision between husband and wife.”

      There were several mutual decisions made. But thats not my point.

      Were the 4 children home schooled?

      Was the entire estate in the divorce?

      In 33 years of being a stay at home spouse… Did the individual (wife)?
      – Cook
      – Clean the home
      – Administer medicine or care for any human (child, elderly, incapacitated) not capable of caring for themselves
      – Care for any animals or family pets
      – Handle the shopping duties
      – Pay bills / balance check book

      My point is that all those skills can be leveraged, very successfully, even though the person may feel like since they have no college or professional education they have no skills.

      Look im not being an insensitive dick, my mother in law is in her late 50’s just got the final letter for her divorce 2 days before Christmas. After 35 years, raised 2 kids (one faliure to launch), helped raise 2 grand kids in house (of failure to launch child), was a “professional” dental assistant and chose not to keep up with her professional training and now drives a school bus.

      She is struggling, hard, to make it… in texas… so no alimony. We (family and friends) make sure she doesnt go without… and no stupid judge court ordered us to do it.

      • Let me add if the above happens even without alimony the wife is going to take 50% OR MORE of the marital estate. Her half of what she built.

        Sorry if a marriage ends the obligation ends.

        The scenario laid out of the man that just gets bored and divorces a woman after 35 years is why alimony was started, a good case can be made with it. However it is a law from the 50s, it is now the teens of a new century.

        Sorry I know of way too many divorces to buy into this where the woman cheated, got caught, still got alimony, shacks up with the new boyfriend and never gets married to avoid losing the support money.

        Frankly the US court system is not the place to dissolve a marriage, it pretty much destroys any hope or a decent divorce.

  3. One thing to think about in regards to planting trees for screen is habitat. A tree that could add nicely to a screen would be a tulip poplar. They grow 70 to 90 feet high with lower limbs 15 feet high. They are fast-growing, and the blooms are a great nectar source for honeybees. Leyland cypress offer a good place to rooster for guinea hens.

  4. Nettles – they might be prickly but they are also Delicious. I am finishing up a batch of nettle soup for lunch today. I don’t know why more people don’t grow them. Delicious edible that takes care of itself. Not really bothered by insects usually and comes back every year. Super nutritious. Also makes a tasty tea.

    Here’s a gourmet recipe for soup (hope it is okay to post this here).
    http://sustainabledish.com/stinging-nettle-soup-with-lemon-chive-creme-fraiche/
    Here’s a recipe for nettle risotto:
    http://www.italiannotebook.com/food-wine/recipe-risotto-alle-ortiche/

    I could go on….