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.
$1,799.95? You mean "compete with the Germans" in outrageous price? For $939 I can have Canon 15x50 IS All Weather Image Stabilizer Binoculars from the same site.
As an aside, I learned as a Navy Officer of the Deck that the Navy provides 7x50 binoculars because they have learned that the human on a moving platform cannot hold higher power binoculars stady enough to get accurate sightings. Over 8x, therefore, we highly recommend any one of the stabilized optics - the difference I experience with my Canon IS 12x36's is amaxing.
I always your birding entries, and the interesting mix of politics, religion and social commentary on your site. I'll have to get up and out one of these mornings to see the warblers, my favorite spring migrant -