We are a commune of inquiring, skeptical, politically centrist, capitalist, anglophile, traditionalist New England Yankee humans, humanoids, and animals with many interests beyond and above politics. Each of us has had a high-school education (or GED), but all had ADD so didn't pay attention very well, especially the dogs. Each one of us does "try my best to be just like I am," and none of us enjoys working for others, including for Maggie, from whom we receive neither a nickel nor a dime. Freedom from nags, cranks, government, do-gooders, control-freaks and idiots is all that we ask for.
" The dot coms and academics of San Francisco and Boston, the financial firms of New York and the lobbyists of Washington D.C. will pick the Democrat nominee. But will they pick the president?"
At this point, Google has the power to elect a president
A Scott Adams intervew with Dr. Drew explains that housing is not the issue. It's about mental illness, personality disorders, addiction, and mental insufficency and otherwise low-functioning people. That is a lot of people.
It is a tragedy of false compassion. Thousands of people who need help, when help is available, resist it. It's a free country. Freedom often means messy.
“Never before in all our history have these forces [the media and the opposition party] been so united against one candidate as they stand today. They are unanimous in their hate for me—and I welcome their hatred."
Poison Ivy, Toxicodendron radicans, is a vine, sometimes a standing plant, which is native to and common in the entire eastern US. It's a good plant for wildlife, both leaves and berries. It likes edges, roadsides, beaches, barren areas in sun.
Only humans have reactions to Poison Ivy. People vary in their reactions to the urushriol in its sap (and leaves). Some have no reaction, some severe. I am prone to an itchy rash from contact, but Mrs. BD can develop several days of dramatic migrating hives just from patting a dog who has passed through some. Benadryl helps.
Besides patting dogs, a serious danger in Poison Ivy is inhaling smoke from burning it when burning brush. Not good to burn it.
Little-known fact: Poison Ivy is a close relative to the mango. Some people react to mango skin just as they do to Poison Ivy. Me loves Mangos, no problem.
The gym on the Titanic. Might have been useful to have a rower...
In my experience, all modern ships have excellent gyms with ocean views. All modern or modernized hotels have good gyms. Luckily for me, because my day can not begin without 2 coffees and an hour workout of some sort.
It is parsley abundance season up here right now. I grow the curly leaf and the Italian flat leaf. They grow like crazy, and sometimes give you a second year after a milder winter.
"Pesto" means "paste." Sure, basil besto is delicious on lots of things and everybody loves it on vegetables, pasta, chicken, fish, whatever. But if you have lots of parsley, try a parsley-walnut pesto. It is perfect for grilled beef along with everything else you might use pesto for.
“Postmodern prose is perhaps best approached as an exercise in posturing and phonetics, of couching slim and trite observations in needlessly Byzantine language… Efforts to fathom deep meaning, or, very often, meaning of any kind, are generally exhausting and rarely rewarded. More often, what you’ll find is essentially a pile of language, carefully disorganised so as to obscure a lack of content.”
When the temperature outdoors is over 80, I advise no running. It can be damaging to most parts of your body. Treadmill in the gym with a/c is fine.
Admittedly, I am not a fan of road running anyway. Trail running is fine for a cardio day, but 2 days of cardio is enough for those who are already in decent shape. As we say, once you are in decent shape, 2 hrs cardio, 2+ hrs of weights, 2 hrs calisthenics.
Reminder: "Jogging" - like 4-5 mph - is slow running. It does little to nothing for cardio fitness, but it is good for maintaining endurance. We are fans of HIIT for heart fitness.
For anybody who had fun with Chaucer during high school or college, this essay, CHAUCER’S DIVINE SERIOUSNESS, will be a delight.
Chaucer, the Londoner who is credited with the invention of modern literary English, was well-educated and became rich importing wine from France. Writing was his hobby. He invented English iambic pentameter - all credit to him for that gift. He had read Bocaccio too, which probably gave him ideas.
I fondly remember reading Chaucer out loud in class, using the dialect our teacher thought was most likely accurate. Great fun. It still rings in my ears.
Lots of footnotes were necessary. Word meanings change.
Core work - planks, sit-ups, back lifts, "bicycles," leg lifts, mountain climbers, etc are for strengthening core, not for aesthetics. A strong core is darn important for everything in life
"... it’s so bizarre to watch the majority of NEA delegates eagerly dive into politically-fraught abortion and race debates, while voting down a clear commitment to prioritize student learning. So please, NEA: Can you explain?
Simple, light, and good
True Toxic 
Poison Ivy, 
It is parsley abundance season up here right now. I grow the curly leaf and the Italian flat leaf. They grow like crazy, and sometimes give you a second year after a milder winter.
When the temperature outdoors is over 80, I advise no running. It can be damaging to most parts of your body. Treadmill in the gym with a/c is fine.
For anybody who had fun with Chaucer during high school or college, this essay, 