Crotty Farm Report

After an idyllic 3-0 victory over the poor saps from The Czech Republic—which I witnessed first-hand three rows from the Azteca Stadium field at about the forty yard line—I trudged about 30 minutes past the immense security zone and at least 2000 cops and came upon this delightful older gent who commandeered a wildly colored taxi. I overpaid him 1200 pesos for the 90 minute ride back to the Four S...

To get your head around how dysregulated, crime-ridden, and homeless-occupied Brandon Johnson’s Chicago has become, you only have to look at the neighborhood 7-11. To deter criminals from entering the property, the owners of 7-11 play opera. Opera. Because the criminals of Chicago are so openly tolerated by the city’s Woke Mayor, the only effective force against them is civilization itself. It wor...

I couldn’t help it. I broke down and cried when the Persians blared The Village People’s “YMCA” from loudspeakers on Sunday, as thousands gathered for blocks around L.A.’s Westwood Federal Building to celebrate Trump’s war on the diabolical regime in Iran and the killing of its Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. I hadn’t felt such overwhelming joy since Trump’s victory in 2016. It was infectio...

Amid the general desecration of all that is good about Chicago under the current Woke incompetent leadership of the clueless and déclassé Mayor Brandon Johnson, there remain a few standouts of excellence. One is the Starbucks on North Michigan Avenue. At 35,000 square feet, it’s the world's largest. It’s called Starbucks Reserve Roastery. And it makes you wonder, perhaps naively, why all Starbucks...

The Billy Goat Tavern is one of Chicago’s most enduring cultural landmarks, a subterranean saloon—evocatively situated below street level on the city’s Near North Side—whose mythology blends journalism, sports lore, and blue-collar humor. Founded in 1934 by Greek immigrant William “Billy Goat” Sianis, the tavern became famous for its no-nonsense menu—”cheezborger,” chips, and a Coke—and for Sianis...

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The Permian Basin: * Covers an area about 250 miles wide by 300 long. That’s roughly 75,000 square miles. It encompasses both Big Bend National Park and the Guadalupe Mountains National Park. * It is situated in West Texas and Southeastern New Mexico, with the central production and service hubs in Odessa and Midland. * It is the largest oil-producing field in the U.S., accounting for over 40% of...

I rolled south on Highway 385 from the captivating high-desert town of Marathon, Texas. A truly relaxing stay at the evocative, peaceful Wild West accommodations of the Gage Hotel prepared me for the adventure ahead. The road down is looooong , with not a tree in sight, a ribbon of asphalt cutting through stark, empty beauty. After a stop at the Panther Junction Visitor Center, I head a further tw...

I was very excited. I had heard about the Austin bat emergence. Now I was going to see it in person. What to expect? Hundreds of people were milling on the southern edge of the Congress Avenue Bridge near gorgeous Lady Bird Lake. Most talked in very hushed tones. “Would they emerge tonight?” It was long past prime season for bat emergence. Soon they would be making their yearly trek down to centra...

Norah Jovine is not your typical 20-something. She is a very smart graduate of the University of Chicago, easily one of the best schools in the country. Among the alumni are Susan Sontag, Milton Friedman, Carl Sagan, Thomas Sowell, Mike Nichols, Bernie Sanders, Phillip Roth, Kurt Vonnegut, Jr., Adam Silver, David Brooks, Larry Ellison, Nate Silver, and Satya Nadella. The list goes on and on. I wor...

It was a beautiful Thursday afternoon when I arrived at the innocuous ICE detention facility in Plain Jane, Broadview, Illinois. The protesters, about 100 yards away from the facility, were friendly, well-behaved, even to the Charlie Kirk wannabes there to film the action. The gathering was serenaded by a transsexual man who never once stopped talking, no doubt the effect of steroids on his young...

One of the hardest lessons I had to learn in DC was to become small to become big. In short, keep your head down and do your job well and rigorously, and you will get noticed. You will rise. Of course, that takes an office able to discern excellence. That is not the case in today's world of Trump. Those who excel in their craft, such as I do in writing, communications, and high-level policy analys...

I know. A crime-free and stylish subway system. And most of it is unmanned! And it is one of three in the world that operates 24/7. But Copenhagen has it. In fact, Copenhagen is considered the safest city for women in the world. American cities can only dream. Our soft-on-crime policies have enabled open season for criminals. Thanks for reading Crotty Farm Report! This post is public, so feel free...

The Turning Torso in Malmö, Sweden—often mistakenly called the “Twisted Torso”—is one of the most striking feats of contemporary architecture in Europe and a defining symbol of the city’s post-industrial reinvention. Designed by the celebrated Spanish architect Santiago Calatrava and completed in 2005, the 190-meter, 54-story residential tower remains the tallest building in Scandinavia. Its form...

Copenhagen has more bikes than cars. More than 62% of residents bike to school, university, or work. Though 6 million people live here and 330 million live in the U.S., as many people commute by bicycle in greater Copenhagen as cycle to work in the United States. The result is a large metropolis gratifyingly free of air pollution, though the bicyclists are a bit righteous about getting in their la...

Gullfoss, or "Golden Falls," is a spectacular two-tiered waterfall in southwest Iceland, formed by the glacial meltwater from the Hvítá river, which originates from the Langjökull glacier. The waterfall derives its name from the golden-brown color the water can take on during a bright, sunny day. It is a major attraction on Iceland's popular Golden Circle tour (which we took) and is known for its...

Watch Crotty in the subways of Copenhagen attempting to break through and have real connection! Crotty Farm Report is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. Get full access to Crotty Farm Report at crotty.substack.com/subscribe

Crotty Farm Report is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. Thanks for reading Crotty Farm Report! This post is public so feel free to share it. Get full access to Crotty Farm Report at crotty.substack.com/subscribe

With hints of his Guggenheim Museum Bilbao, Frank Gehry’s Disney Concert Hall is to die for. It wasn’t cheap––$270 million for the Hall, and another $110 million for parking. But this world-class facility, the gem of LA, is worth every penny. With free entrance for viewing from 10 AM to 2 PM, this is a must-see stop on any proper tour of the City of Angels. While in the area, visitors should also...

The Santa Lucia Festival was founded 100 years ago by Grazia Bonafede Caniglia, of Carlentini, Sicily, to instill faith in her community and deepen their connection to the Sicilian heritage. Having moved many times over the years, the festival is back where it all began, in the heart of Omaha’s Little Italy. Crotty Farm Report is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my...

On February 3, 1959 , Buddy Holly, along with Ritchie Valens, J.P. "The Big Bopper" Richardson, and pilot Roger Peterson, died in a plane crash near Clear Lake, Iowa. The musicians had chartered a plane after experiencing heating problems with their tour bus. The single-engine Beechcraft Bonanza crashed shortly after takeoff, and all four were killed instantly due to head trauma. * The Day the Mus...

This French Ontarian remarked how he never saw U.S. residents on this remote stretch of Canadian highway. I was the first! So, I made him famous. Crotty Farm Report is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. Thanks for reading Crotty Farm Report! This post is public so feel free to share it. Get full access to Crotty Fa...

A trip to Canada would not be complete without a dip in mighty Lake Superior. Crotty Farm Report is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. Thanks for reading Crotty Farm Report! This post is public so feel free to share it. Get full access to Crotty Farm Report at crotty.substack.com/subscribe

I came across the monstrosity after getting a private tour of the Agnico Eagle Goldex facility in Val-D’or. Photos of the Goldex mine are found below, where they are mining a mile beneath the surface. A job not for the claustrophobic (read: The Crotty). Crotty Farm Report is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. Thank...

The Rosario captures The Crotty ranting on the absence of pickup pickleball in Gotham. Inexcusable. Get full access to Crotty Farm Report at crotty.substack.com/subscribe