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 fair to say that Defender in Chief: Donald Trump’s Fight for Presidential Power is a book Yoo never thought he’d write. Fair because he says so himself, right up front: “If friends had told me on January 21, 2017, that I would write a book on Donald Trump as a defender of the Constitution, I would have questioned their sanity.”
The North American White Ash of the eastern US is one of the majestic canopy trees of American woodlands and landscapes. It is, in fact, the wood from which baseball bats are made. It has been also used for lobster traps and electric guitar bodies.
In 2002, the Emerald Ash-Borer appeared in Michigan, and since then it has spread rapidly. I lost an 80 year-old Ash.
"Misssissippi" is one of those songs that sticks in my mind. Probably will no matter how demented I may become. Some words have an inevitability to them.
The recorded version is perfect. This one is live. I heard the Dixie Chicks do it live and hated their version. Lyrics here. When Bob got past his word and image intoxication of his youth, things changed. Not for the better necessarily, but sort-of more grounded and more personal. Genius, either way.
I sometimes wonder what Bob's life is now. No touring during covid. He's put out a couple of new tunes in the past year. I wonder whether he is hanging out in Scotland, Mallorca, Minnesota on his farm, or in Malibu. He ain't done yet. I know he loves boats, farms, motorcyles, fast cars, girls, and pals. Dont't know much else. I like those things too...
Anyway, thanks Bob for the fine, mostly positive, stuff you have implanted in my brain.
Addendum: I did not know he had a new record this year: Rough and Rowdy. Have not heard any of it.
Ohio State Professor Apologizes for 'Hurt, Sadness, Frustration, Fatigue, Exhaustion and Pain' Caused By Pro-Football Article. Matthew Mayhew is sorry. Very, very sorry.
Deads strengthen the "posterior chain," from neck to the soles of your feet. We tend to view deads as a legs exertion, but no, not only. That's why they are an invaluable totaly body exertion.
That posterior chain of muscles is what it makes it possible to be bipedal and to stand up straight instead of slouching. It's counterbalanced by various anterior muscle groups, expecially the abs.
I am no body-builder guy, but after 4 years of including deads in my routine twice weekly (pushing the weights, admittedly, but gradually with high-rep days and low rep days), I can no longer button my dress shirts. 2" more. That's crazy, not what I wanted but it just happened. Brooks Brothers shirts ain't cheap, and I fairly often wear jacket and tie at work, especially for meetings when it is expected. I don't have a single dress shirt that I can button now.
Deads are the single best way, and most efficient way, to stay sturdy after age 40.
Many women will view Barrett as a regular suburban mom just like them. This is where Barrett’s biography is deadly to Democratic attack lines: small-town, middle America, Catholic, teacher, mother of seven, with two kids adopted from Haiti after a devasting hurricane and one kid with Down’s Syndrome. Demonizing any part of her biography inherently demonizes thousands of other women sharing that same trait or who will find nothing but goodness in Barrett’s biography.
Almost everybody's favorite opera buffa. Rossini wrote it in three weeks. Over 200 years old, and going strong because it is so much fun and so silly, with irresistable tunes.
Forget politics -this is joyful. Good actors too. Ain't Italian beautful? To me, Sienese Italian is the most musical and expressive tongue in the world.
My Brown Turkey Fig shrub has been highly productive this year, and has grown about 6', but I think none of the fruit will ripen before the first frost.
They usually ripen in August, and it's been a hot summer too. Too late now for these fruits to ripen.
In New England, these plants tend to die back to the roots in winter. However, they revive and grow like weeds.
Stonington Borough (pop 929) is as boaty and salty a tiny village as can be found on the East Coast. It is also quaint as heck, almost to a fault. It's a popular summer getaway, right down the road from Westerly and Watch Hill, RI. Also, it has a sizeable retirement population because there is so much to do around there.
Its rock coast has only a postage stamp-sized beach. There is one very pleasant inn, and a yacht club.
I wish to note that in the last 40 years alone the UK has had seven official epidemics/pandemics; AIDS, Swine flu, CJD, SARS, MERS, Bird flu as well as annual, seasonal flu. All were very worrying but schools remained open and the NHS treated everybody and most of the population were unaffected. The country would rarely have been open if it had been shut down every time.
I have explained how a hopelessly-performing diagnostic test has been, and continues to be used, not for diagnosis of disease but, it seems, solely to create fear.