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.
It is a fun topic but, as Scott preaches and as every attorney knows, logic+facts, and persuasion, are entirely different subjects. An emotional image or an anecdote beats logic often when it comes to persuasion.
“The song was the No. 1 hit in the U.S. for the five weeks encompassing March 1966 and the No. 1 hit on the Billboard Hot 100’s end of the year chart for 1966, despite the competing “California Dreamin'”, sharply dividing the popular music market, and the No. 21 song of the 1960s, even though the Vietnam War later became unpopular.
“The rivalry between “Green Berets” and “California Dreamin'” was so fierce that the two records tied for the No. 1 record of 1966, according to Cashbox. “Green Berets” has sold over nine million singles and albums and was the top single of a year in which the British Invasion, led by the Beatles and the Rolling Stones, continued to dominate the U.S. charts.
The first wave of lockdowns certainly didn’t stop the spread of the virus, and more lockdowns will not stop it from spreading either. And now three separate scientific studies have shown that COVID-19 antibodies disappear very, very rapidly, and that means that a vaccine is not going to end this crisis and we will never reach a point of “herd immunity”. So we are going to have to find a way to function effectively as this virus circulates around the globe year after year, because it isn’t going to go away.
We simply cannot shut down the economy every time the number of cases starts to surge again. The damage that we have already done to the U.S. economy has been incalculable, and now these new lockdowns will do even more damage.
I'd really like to take in a ballgame this summer. I know I won't be able to. Which is odd, because if this sport were played indoors, I think I MIGHT be able to understand why not having fans was a reasonable step to keeping people safe. But as I've watched the protests over the last several weeks - all far more crowded than the Sandy Hook beach I sat on during the July 4th weekend - and the crowded beaches themselves, I've noticed there has been no spike in NY/NJ of any meaningful nature.
Obviously what were told originally - distance is important - really only plays a large role indoors, not outdoors.
But let's stick to baseball (or football, soon enough) and mull over the possibility of sitting in a crowd cheering. Is it safer, or less safe, than marching to protest Trump, or the US in general? I'm going to be a heretic and say it's just as safe. Oh I know some people will cry "condemning people to die" or some such nonsense. The reality has been quite the opposite, though. As testing has increased, new cases have (naturally) increased. Like a witch hunt, when you search for something, you tend to find more of it. This, of course, is particularly true of a natural spreading event like a virus. What must be driving the lockdown supporters nuts is the lack of increase in the mortality rate. Recent spikes in mortality were simply delayed reporting. (see chart below fold)
It's one of my favorite fishes. I happen to have plenty of favorite fishes though. Halibut has been overfished in the North Atlantic, like Cod and most other things. Atlantic vs Pacific Halibut.
This old photo of a handliner is from our favorite seafood cookbook, Howard Mitcham's The Provincetown Seafood Cookbook. As is typical of P'town, lots of Portuguese recipes.
"It's a true classic, one of the most influential of my life." --Anthony Bourdain, from the new introduction
The revolution is over unless the guillotine is next. Academic freedom no longer exists. Free speech no longer exists. The media is a propaganda ministry. Without free speech there can be no answer to denunciation. White people are guilty. Period.
They have big sales now. I just bought what I hope will not be my last Brooks blazer, but might be. Most useful wardrobe item ever, so I always have two.
Also bought a pair of their famous and classic tassel loafers. They will last me the rest of my life. They were once considered weekend shoes, but not anymore.
"In his first and exclusive interview for Polish media, Elmer Yuen, an influential Hong Kong businessman, reveals the true motives of the CCP for the #NationalSecurityLaw in Hong Kong, the #CCPVirus pandemic, Chinese influence in the Vatican and much more."
The man (now speaking from NYC, I think) is completely unreasonable to imagine that the US has any interest in interfering with the sad future of Hong King. His speculations about the Vatican's links to China are also strange, but who knows?
I lived on their black beans with rice during college, and still love that combo with some garlic and chopped celery or carrots and maybe some hot sauce or chopped chilis.
The founder loves America. Complimented Obama a few years ago, now compliments Trump too and gets criticized.
25:19 These are the descendants of Isaac, Abraham's son: Abraham was the father of Isaac,
25:20 and Isaac was forty years old when he married Rebekah, daughter of Bethuel the Aramean of Paddan-aram, sister of Laban the Aramean
25:21 Isaac prayed to the LORD for his wife, because she was barren; and the LORD granted his prayer, and his wife Rebekah conceived.
25:22 The children struggled together within her; and she said, "If it is to be this way, why do I live?" So she went to inquire of the LORD.
25:23 And the LORD said to her, "Two nations are in your womb, and two peoples born of you shall be divided; the one shall be stronger than the other, the elder shall serve the younger."
25:24 When her time to give birth was at hand, there were twins in her womb.
25:25 The first came out red, all his body like a hairy mantle; so they named him Esau.
25:26 Afterward his brother came out, with his hand gripping Esau's heel; so he was named Jacob. Isaac was sixty years old when she bore them.
25:27 When the boys grew up, Esau was a skillful hunter, a man of the field, while Jacob was a quiet man, living in tents,
25:28 Isaac loved Esau, because he was fond of game; but Rebekah loved Jacob.
25:29 Once when Jacob was cooking a stew, Esau came in from the field, and he was famished.
25:30 Esau said to Jacob, "Let me eat some of that red stuff, for I am famished!" (Therefore he was called Edom.)
25:31 Jacob said, "First sell me your birthright."
25:32 Esau said, "I am about to die; of what use is a birthright to me?"
25:33 Jacob said, "Swear to me first." So he swore to him, and sold his birthright to Jacob.
25:34 Then Jacob gave Esau bread and lentil stew, and he ate and drank, and rose and went his way. Thus Esau despised his birthright.
In North America, we have the North American River Otter. They are neither common nor rare. In the Northeat US, it has been my theory that they raise their babies on hatchery trout. Otters, like all weasels, have a high metabolic rate and are voracious.
They are not seen often, but they are around most stocked trout streams and rivers.
"We'll Have To Suck It Up" - 
If nobody decides to buy them out of bankruptcy, it will be sad for me and for the many for whom they have been the go-to place since youth. 
Buying Goya this weekend?
Otters of a large range of species are basically water-oriented 