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.
Z-Man goes to the wrong doctor. Our doctor (guy with a solo practice, his wife works in the office and they care about their people) knows the whole family, we see him around town, he has known me for 15 years, knows my medical history,makes me get echo stress tests,goes through a lengthy interview touching on health, fitness, diet, emotional issues, work, family, etc.He will see anybody in the family at any time, and he will give phone advice. In fact, he was the one who advised my wife to fly my father-in-law from Cabo to UCSD Med Center this Spring.
College professors. Manufacturing workers. Recent college graduates. What do they all have in common?
They are all, as a group, seeing the terms of their employment reset downward. The average package available to those people is worse than what similarly situated people got a generation ago...
Carly Fiorina got fired once (for her decision to buy Compac?). But hey, MSM - do you remember this?
Lifelong democrat Jerry Zeifman, in charge of the Watergate investigation, gave this reason for firing Hillary: "Because she was a liar. She was an unethical, dishonest lawyer, she conspired to violate the Constitution, the rules of the House, the rules of this Committee, and the rules of confidentiality."
From David Warren: "The Sonnets were published late in Shakespeare’s career (1609) — by a clever and unscrupulous man. His name was Thomas Thorpe." It's an interesting story. Warren discusses #73.
That time of year thou may'st in me behold When yellow leaves, or none, or few, do hang Upon those boughs which shake against the cold, Bare ruin'd choirs, where late the sweet birds sang. In me thou see'st the twilight of such day, As after sunset fadeth in the west, Which by-and-by black night doth take away, Death's second self, that seals up all in rest. In me thou see'st the glowing of such fire That on the ashes of his youth doth lie, As the death-bed whereon it must expire Consum'd with that which it was nourish'd by. This thou perceivest, which makes thy love more strong, To love that well which thou must leave ere long.
Iowa
Democrats Can’t Name Hillary’s Accomplishments - See more at:
http://legalinsurrection.com/2015/05/iowa-democrats-cant-name-hillarys-accomplishments/#sthash.aB8aeJmx.dpuf
I am becoming indifferent too. The world is full of evil people, always has been. Why is that my problem? Why should I get upset by these ignorant raghead lunatics? They have been there for a long time, killing eachother. It's what they do - their culture.
Water balloons are bombs, and water hoses are flame-throwers. Dangerous out there if you have a psychotic imagination. Life is more fun without psychosis.
The point is that the left doesn’t kowtow to Islam because they actually love Islam, but rather because they hate our own culture. They have been steeped in a narrative about how American and Western culture is racist and “imperialist,” and they’ve been trained to see anyone with a dark complexion and a non-Western origin as the victim of our crimes. When they see criticism of Islam, or deliberate attempts to defy Islam, they filter it through that narrative. They see it as: there go those bigoted right-wing Christians, demeaning dark-skinned foreigners again. So they reflexively oppose it.
For finish coats on refinished or freshly done wood, Sippican recommends this stuff. It's what he used as a finish for his furniture: Deft clear finish.
I always listen to him. As an old-timey Yankee traditionalist, I figgered he'd go for for waxes or oils which I prefer on my gunstocks, but he likes a couple of coats of that Deft stuff, sprayed or brushed. I will not use polyurethane on furniture as my religion forbids it but that's not polyurethane. It's a lacquer.
I am still contemplating how to finish one of our old oak rustic, wide-board family dining tables which I sanded, steel-wooled, and stained. Why do that? Drink and other stains, and 90 years of grime, food, wax, dust, and dead mouse excretions. And rustic enough that I could not screw it up badly. Would never dare touch fine furniture. Maybe I'll use the Dreft Deft.
Obama
— You’re a bad person to do the best for your kids. Me? You’re kidding,
right? - See more at:
http://proteinwisdom.com/?p=56832#sthash.4YhFG9Qo.dpuf
A friend sent this pic from Colorado yesterday. He was visiting Denver to see family, heard some slopes were open, rented some skis and boots and skied in his jeans. Arapahoe Basin.
Procession
Honoring Virgin Mary Considered “Provocation,” Attacked by Moslems in
Italy - See more at:
http://moonbattery.com/?p=58511#sthash.9uxYlOp1.dpuf
Pvt. Joe Bowers: Every time Metsler says, "Lead, follow, or get out of the way," I get out of the way.
Sgt. Keller: Yeah, when he says that, you're not supposed to choose "get out of the way." It's supposed to embarrass you into leading - or at least following.
A wife comes home late one night, arriving early from being out of town and quietly opens the door to her bedroom. From under the blanket she sees four legs instead of two. She reaches for a baseball bat and starts hitting the blanket as hard as she can.
Once she's done, she goes to the kitchen to have a drink. As she enters, she sees her husband there, reading Maggie's Farm.
"Hi, Darling", he says, "Your parents have come to visit us, so I let them stay in our bedroom."
His story reminds me of Mike Mulligan and his steam shovel. I think I read that book out loud 200 times. Mrs. BD has it memorized, just like Good Night, Moon, Hungry Caterpillar, etc.
1:1 Happy are those who do not follow the advice of the wicked, or take the path that sinners tread, or sit in the seat of scoffers;
1:2 but their delight is in the law of the LORD, and on his law they meditate day and night.
1:3 They are like trees planted by streams of water, which yield their fruit in its season, and their leaves do not wither. In all that they do, they prosper.
1:4 The wicked are not so, but are like chaff that the wind drives away.
1:5 Therefore the wicked will not stand in the judgment, nor sinners in the congregation of the righteous;
1:6 for the LORD watches over the way of the righteous, but the way of the wicked will perish.
Another place where I imagine that I could happily live (were it not for my kids, my work, my church, our friends, our clubs, etc) - Nonquitt, MA
An Indian name, of course, but it's a good name in English too. Gen. Philip Sheridan's summer house was there. It's a waterfront village in the town of Dartmouth, MA.
The Italian Coastal Dinner, May 18, at The Lincoln Ristorante at Lincoln Center. That delicious-looking Italian menu is below the fold, but it's neither on my workout nor my wallet menu although it's cheaper than flying to Italy for a good supper.
Best socks for casual fun:
That time of year thou may'st in me behold
Why 
An Italian classic and a Maggie's HQ favorite. This recipe calls it an antipasto but we use it as a secondi.
The origins of human beings 
For finish coats on refinished or freshly done wood, Sippican recommends this stuff. It's what he used as a finish for his furniture: 
Woodcock Chicks
In a spa town in the Swiss Alps, you'll find snow-capped mountains, chocolate, goats... 