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.
Sometimes it was a Triathlon with biking, but most often just a Biathlon, 7-10 mile run race and a one mile swim race across and back Long Pond in Wellfleet. Last time I did that I almost drowned trying to keep up with my brother, who is a Master Swimmer, a world competitor. We have Bookish-Athletes in my family. And Good Olde Cape Cod. Bob loved it. Heaven for him. We always angled our morning runs through the ancient graveyards...
Looking forward to getting away from the madness of the last few months. Huffpo is now assuring me that the Dem's minor victory was a massive rebuke of Trump. I still don't see how outspending the Republicans by about 15% and only gaining a slim House margin while losing seats in the Senate is a massive rebuke. Democrats seem to live in a dream world. I know they felt a lot of pain on Wednesday and now they are just trying to rearrange chairs on the deck of the Titanic. Bernie Sanders and Alexandra Occasional Cortex are the new face of their party, and it's sure to cause them problems nationwide. I don't expect much to change for the Democrats.
In NYC, the self-righteous and self-assured were absolutely certain the 'blue wave' was coming. The only blue wave I'm looking for is in a thermal pool in the next few days. I'll simply take in some fjords, the Aurora Borealis, see Glacier Bay, lava fields, etc.
It was supposed to be a relaxing trip with me and the Mrs. Once we'd booked (cheap - $320 per seat R/T all in) flights and our AirBnb, we added our sons. Sticker shock upon arrival with food and drink, I've heard. The boys follow "Game of Thrones", filmed in Iceland, so that will be an enjoyable portion of the trip for them.
Maybe I'll even learn to pronounce some of their words.
"Tucker Carlson, Fox News host and author of "Ship of Fools", joins Ben to discuss the social impact of rapid technological advances, what role government should or shouldn't play in the economy, and how both Donald Trump and Bernie Sanders are able to appeal to the same voters..."
Carlson is too humble. How is diversity a strength? Tucker's brain runs on high octane. Enjoyable interview by the annoying but smart-as-heck Shapiro:
I'd like to do a Maggie's Scientific Survey of the cost of unskilled labor where y'all live. I mean jobs like lugging and hauling and lifting indoors and outdoors, barn and garage clean-up, and jobs like paper-filing, house-cleaning, and junk-removal.
Around here, these jobs cost 20-30/hour. They will ask for pay in cash. Apparently high school kids no longer are willing to do this work. It's too hard for their delicate selves. I would like to think that in Ohio or Missouri American youth would jump at a couple of hours' work for gas money.
While conservatives have much reason to be encouraged by the Senate results, the bottom line is that the balance of power has shifted tonight, and now the Democrats decisively control one half of one branch of government, a part of the government with considerable power. Don’t be surprised if they use it as aggressively as they can against Donald Trump.
I have only heard Scott Adams discuss "talent stacks" in reference to himself or to Donald Trump. (By the way, he is not a Trump supporter, just an admirer of his skills.)
Adams' point, if you have not heard him, is that there can only be one Tiger Woods who possesses a single world-beating talent, but you can move towards your hopes and dreams quite well if you have a good-sized talent stack of "pretty good" talents and abilities.
By "talents," he seems to mean mainly natural gifts like social skills and social instincts, IQ, appearance, curiosity, comfort with novelty and adventure, adaptability, interpersonal style, sense of humor, athleticism and physical grace, observational skills, communicative skills, and so forth, as they are matched and combined with acquired skills.
We also noted that Adams does not discuss flaws. Sadly, we can be blessed with a decent talent stack but be cursed with a few unfortunate or even one fatal flaw which act as anchors on our lives. People have deficit stacks too, but they are not fun to talk about.
Just voted. Took me 45 minutes. Longest it's ever taken, midterm or otherwise. Lots of older people, but it's midday so younger people may vote later. Still, given the rain, I was shocked at so many people who were there. It's pouring, and typically that keeps older people at home. Not this year.
The time it took was due to several factors. New machines were confusing. More people than expected showed up. Rain meant some poll workers were cleaning up rather than assisting people. Too much going on. My son came home to vote, and he took over an hour.
I don't care who he votes for, as long as he doesn't vote for Menendez. I've never liked that corrupt jerk. I told my son this, then told him the letter-writing battles I had with that fool back in the 90s when he was my Representative. Back then, he was a Gephardt-style protectionist. Today, he pretends to be a free-trader. He's not. He just wants money shoveled into his pocket for his support down in DC. Corrupt as can be. Hopefully my son will not vote for him.
It's my view the high turnout is better for Republicans than Democrats. While some will say that's counter-intuitive, due to new registrations and younger people not being apathetic as they usually are, I have a different view. National elections with high voter turnouts usually indicate a desire for change.
Midterms, which typically go against the sitting President's party, have higher turnouts when people want to protect what they have. These elections are national in nature only in aggregate, people usually think their representative is 'safe' and are complacent. Showing up to vote, rather than being complacent, means you're concerned about something, and it's usually that you'll lose some constant that you're familiar with.
Either way, one party is going to have some soul-searching to do. If the Republicans suffer a "Blue Wave", there will need to be some work done on what they stand for and represent. I don't believe this outcome is likely at all.
I do think that the Dems will get a small House majority. Very slim. But this will force them to re-think what they stand for, because they are looking for a referendum. I do not think they will get one.
If the Republicans (which I don't think will happen) manage to hold or extend both the houses, that will be a very clear message to the Dems that they need to be retooled in a major way. Frankly, I'd prefer this because it's the best chance to extend the addition of Constitutionalists into the Supreme Court. With Breyer and Ginsburg nearing the end of their useful tenures, it will be important to maintain this position.
2 of the 3 outcomes, and the one I believe is most likely, don't really favor the Democrats in the long run. But anything can happen, and polling has been notoriously awful. From the extremely small sample size I've seen, though, I don't think the Democrats are going to have their 'blue wave'.
LIC, a once-industrial area of the western tip of Queens, is no longer cheap. I've been there. Some excellent bistros and high-rise luxury apartments. 20 years ago, that was unimaginable. If this happens, all those Amazonians will not be able to afford NYC. They will need to commute from Long Island.
Adams' concept of the "talent stack" is a good one. It helps me understand many things. What is my Talent Stack, and how does it effect my life? (Being a basically positive guy, he never talks about anybody's Weakness Stack which is also a major factor in life.) I also like his distinction between people who order their lives by "systems" and those who use "goals." He thinks systems work better. I had never thought of that. I think he might be correct. It does apply to fitness programs.
Pic is from Sippican in Maine, who used to heat his home with firewood. Now I believe he burns coal scavenged from the coal trucks as they leave Maine's coal mines.
A 23 year-old (legal) Polish immigrant with a US accounting degree. Works for Task Rabbit (taskrabbit.com) on weekends. Strong. Eager to work and lift and to move stuff around and throw out brown furniture that nobody wants or is willing to take away. Dumpster. And we moved or purged tons of books and moved heavy furniture around.
Best thing about this kid: I said after an hour and half of shlepping that it was time for a ten-minute break. Want a coffee? Bustelo? He said "Yes, please. And may I try your piano during our break? I have never played a Steinway." Sure, I said.
Self-taught, played his own sort of Keith Jarrett-like jazz. A delight, a gentle touch. Told him he had God's gift of some talent, and should stick with it. He said he played around with a cheap keyboard.
Great at getting rid of household cluttered stuff. Moving fast with me as a second body. $30/hr is a bargain, and with piano, it feels free.
I thought he was inspired by Jarrett, but he had never heard of Keith Jarrett. I have always loved Keith so I turned him on to Keith. Here's Keith:
... if the fact your country is poorer than the US qualifies you as refugees who cannot be turned away (really?) then we’ll have the entire world here. That’s fine. We’ll move en mass and found the US elsewhere. Hey, there’s a ton more natural resources further south. They can have our land. We’ll take theirs Within ten years, they’d be wanting in to our place again. Easier if we just tell them to take a hike…. in the other direction.
12:28 One of the scribes came near and heard them disputing with one another, and seeing that he answered them well, he asked him, "Which commandment is the first of all?"
12:29 Jesus answered, "The first is, 'Hear, O Israel: the Lord our God, the Lord is one;
12:30 you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind, and with all your strength.'
12:31 The second is this, 'You shall love your neighbor as yourself.' There is no other commandment greater than these."
12:32 Then the scribe said to him, "You are right, Teacher; you have truly said that 'he is one, and besides him there is no other';
12:33 and 'to love him with all the heart, and with all the understanding, and with all the strength,' and 'to love one's neighbor as oneself,' --this is much more important than all whole burnt offerings and sacrifices."
12:34 When Jesus saw that he answered wisely, he said to him, "You are not far from the kingdom of God." After that no one dared to ask him any question.
Coffee Is Awesome for Your Health, 
I'll be heading out to Iceland this evening. 
Endorsing Dead People 
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