Maggie's FarmWe 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. |
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Monday, August 9. 2021Boating is complicatedDo you think boating is a simple pastime? We all see boats happily zooming around on nice days. I've been around boats all of my life but handling a larger powerboat in biggish water takes lots of practice and learning. Brains + Feel, like a Farmall on slanty fields. At sea, except for storms and high seas, it's easy to get around with a Marine GPS. We have a semi-displacement boat so she is heavy, steady and comfortable unless there is a reason to clamber up to the bow to do things. A trained monkey would be better than me. Besides heavy seas and storms, the challenge to boating is when you approach land: docking and mooring. In that way, boating is like airplane flying if less dangerous. Planes are meant for the air, and boats are designed for sea. Besides all that, you need to understand the seacocks, the engine and oil (fairly new tough Yanmar diesel engine) the generator, the electronics (we got a new very complex marine GPS which I do not understand), the water systems, radar, etc. And that's just if it is a serious powerboat. For sail-boaters, there is a ton more to learn but I kinda have a feel for sail. Of course, sailboats have to maneuver under power often, near port and outside too. I will not do nighttime or fog boating. Done with that. My Skipper, Mrs. BD, is getting better. I am First Mate cuz it is her beautiful Maine-style, lobster boat hull "midlife" boat. She has driven it on the Atlantic with giant swells, but I will not do that. I will never be able to dock this boat backwards into a slip. If she were a Hinkley with a joystick, I could dock her in the darn Grand Canyon but those boats are not for heavy seas, really. Funny thing happened yesterday evening. We're about to leave dock after washing down, and a big Hinckley tries to dock next to us. From Newport. He is single-handed so I wait to help handle his lines because it is quite wavy gravy with 20 k wind. Tied up, he offers me a $20 dollar bill. I say thanks, but I am not a dockhand! Just do us a favor and help us push off. He did.
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Monday morning links, for onceTake the 27-mile round trip between Hollidaysburg and Martinsburg on No. 11. Traveling through the breathtaking Morrison’s Cove, including a stop for ice cream at the Roaring Spring depot, will leave you with a sense that all is right with the world, at least for a few hours. Book: How to Stubbornly Refuse to Make Yourself Miserable About Anything--Yes, Anything! ‘That’s Bullsh*t’: Vietnam Vet Star Wars Shop Owner Tells Trans Council Member ‘You’re Not A Woman’ In Viral Public Confrontation They Don’t Speak for Me. The need for free black thought in academia—and beyond ‘Defund the Police’ Mayors Used Taxpayer Cash to Hire Their Own Private Security VOX tells you how to deal with the emotional trauma of climate crisis Guardian: Major climate changes inevitable and irreversible – IPCC’s starkest warning yet New Hampshire delivers a double victory for school choice This website has always liked school choice, and not just for urban kids Polyamory Gets Another Push, This Time From Harvard Law Did the CDC Director just kill the rationale for vaccine passports? Anti-Racism Reaches Its Most Ridiculous Low Yet: $50,000 to Move a Rock Corporate Rent-Seeking Reaches New Level With US Postal Service Reform Bill The Green Dream of Electrified Vehicles Where'd you go, Ohio? How a swing state went red Wargaming in progress: The early panic by Team Biden about "the Kamala crisis" is ... something Like it or not, Cuomo will be hanging around Althouse considers Cuomo's sexiness Women appreciate toughness when needed, but not creepiness COVID Power: Biden Extends Freeze on Repayment of Student Loans Through January 2022 Democratic leaders are increasingly at odds with their own voters Sunday, August 8. 2021From today's LectionaryEphesians 4:25-5:2 4:25 So then, putting away falsehood, let all of us speak the truth to our neighbors, for we are members of one another. 4:26 Be angry but do not sin; do not let the sun go down on your anger, 4:27 and do not make room for the devil. 4:28 Thieves must give up stealing; rather let them labor and work honestly with their own hands, so as to have something to share with the needy. 4:29 Let no evil talk come out of your mouths, but only what is useful for building up, as there is need, so that your words may give grace to those who hear. 4:30 And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, with which you were marked with a seal for the day of redemption. 4:31 Put away from you all bitterness and wrath and anger and wrangling and slander, together with all malice, 4:32 and be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ has forgiven you. 5:1 Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children, 5:2 and live in love, as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us, a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God. Saturday, August 7. 2021I have no links
Off to Martha's Vineyard for the million dollar bash, as the date of Beyonce. She promised to bring her bathing suit. Eat your hearts out, readers.
Friday, August 6. 2021Pre-weekend link dumpUnder Fire from Social-Justice Warriors, Classical-Music Organizations Grovel Teaching Biological Sex and Gender to Med Students: What's Really Going On? — A controversial blog post has stirred intense debate among the medical community Intense debate? Really? C'mon, man. Climate Change Doesn’t Cause All Disasters. Warmth annually causes about 120,000 heat deaths but prevents nearly 300,000 cold deaths. AVI considers the "third spike" and why it makes sense to get vaccinated Despite ‘Delta’ Alarmism, US COVID Deaths Are at Lowest Level Since March 2020 How Fauci et al undermined public trust Professor suggests it should be a federal hate crime to criticize Fauci and other government-funded scientists Americans Are Willing to Take Pay Cuts to Never Go Into the Office Again The Progressives’ Callous Indifference to the Loss of Small Businesses Via Dr S, Our Broken Politics I dunno. Politics is war without guns Facebook executive helped Cuomo smear sex-harassment accuser: AG report Dem Rep. Cori Bush: ‘I’m Going To Make Sure I Have Security…Defunding The Police Has To Happen’…. DESANTIS IN THE BREACH Trumpy without the mean streak "This is a mess": White House, Dems feud expands over eviction-moratorium failure Landlords have mortgages to pay, usually Is it possible that Biden’s not as stupid as he appears? Biden Wants Half of All Vehicles Sold in US by 2030 to Be Zero Emission So the power comes from unicorn poo?
Thursday, August 5. 2021Misc. linksOmigosh, the Delta Variant Now Has a Variant and You Know What That Means What the heck is going on in this country? California May Mandate Menstrual Products for Men Infrastructure Bill Would Require Alcohol Monitors for All New Cars But what about THC and meth? Misinformed about Misinformation Everyone’s deserted you, Creep Cuomo. It’s over. Just go. Politico: Biden’s Border Plan A Has Gone Bust, What’s Plan B? Not a bust, it was the plan Wednesday, August 4. 2021Workout update
For starters, it is still the Maggie's Fitness for Life Program which is a mix of weights, HIIT and endurance "cardio", and a broad category of Calisthenics with includes plyometric stuff and other misc things. I'm fairly sure I have a semi-retired pal who is willing to do the Cali days with me - but he won't do 5 AM. - "Heavy" weights twice/week, with trainer. My current guy pushes me to my limits, unlike my previous guy who was a slow incrementalist. This guy feels as if I am not getting my money's worth without pushing the limits routinely. It's ok. It's powerlifts and accessory lifts, plus abs, and I can't call it fun. Failure doesn't bother me much. - "Cardio" days: I use these for endurance and to try to keep my heart in good shape. Might work because I just had my cardiology check-up with all the bells and whistles and it's all good. "No rust in the pipes, or not much, yet," he told me. What I tend to do is a mix of HIIT on the treadmill and the stair machine, 20-30 minutes total. For the rest of the hour I'll do vigorous - no sprints - on elliptical and rower. Great way to begin a day. - "Calisthenics" days: I use this term as a grab bag of athletic-style exertions which are not all technically calis but which mostly do not include moving any weights much heavier than my own body. I kinda like doing them in rotations of 3. It's more inspiring to do them in a group or with pals. I put samples of these rotations below the fold: Continue reading "Workout update" Misc. links
PODCAST: KEVIN ROCHE ON CORONAMANIA Jonathan Turley calls it ‘chilling’ that President Biden admitted the eviction moratorium is unconstitutional but he’s doing it anyway Tuesday, August 3. 2021Another delightful boating couple, Brits in this caseYes, Brits do understatement
Misc.
Vanderleun: The Man Who Loved Not Wisely But At Least Twice
Monday, August 2. 2021More Monday linksBook: The Heist, A Novel by Daniel Silva American Medical Association Wants Sex Removed From Public Birth Certificates Insane California Voters Were Tricked Into Banning Bacon What good is life without bacon? A Day in the Life of a Low-Information Voter Sydney Police Calls for Army to Help Enforce Lockdown Rules Biden* Surgeon General Says Libs Should Wear Masks At Home Around Their Children… Good grief LinksUnlicensed Dog Grooming Alarms Local News Reporter Maher: Maybe the "woke Olympics" shouldn't have taken its cues from the Oscars GOP Senator Says He’s Grateful for Ashli Babbitt’s Killer – Insists ‘Criminal” Babbitt Was Warned before She Was Shot Dead in Cold Blood 'Suicidal' black teenager yells 'I can't breathe' and vomits as white Texas cop lays on top of her to stop her jumping in front of a car while her family yell abuse at him Sunday, August 1. 2021BOAT TOUR: Inside our Tiny Home.
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From today's LectionaryPsalm 51:1-12 51:1 Have mercy on me, O God, according to your steadfast love; according to your abundant mercy blot out my transgressions. 51:2 Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin. 51:3 For I know my transgressions, and my sin is ever before me. 51:4 Against you, you alone, have I sinned, and done what is evil in your sight, so that you are justified in your sentence and blameless when you pass judgment. 51:5 Indeed, I was born guilty, a sinner when my mother conceived me. 51:6 You desire truth in the inward being; therefore teach me wisdom in my secret heart. 51:7 Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean; wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow. 51:8 Let me hear joy and gladness; let the bones that you have crushed rejoice. 51:9 Hide your face from my sins, and blot out all my iniquities. 51:10 Create in me a clean heart, O God, and put a new and right spirit within me. 51:11 Do not cast me away from your presence, and do not take your holy spirit from me. 51:12 Restore to me the joy of your salvation, and sustain in me a willing spirit. Saturday, July 31. 2021Crazy fun lyrics"I took my potatoes down to be mashed and headed on over to the million dollar bash." I think Dylan did this one on of the original Basement Tapes in 1967. Those were fun, often silly tunes if you can find them anywhere (not the produced ones, the original ones). Some feel this tune was making fun of Andy Warhol, but it doesn't matter. Full lyrics here. I know somebody who threw a $500 K destination wedding for a daughter. The marriage lasted 6 months. Sorry I can't find the old basement tape version, but Fairport Convention tried it:
Summer reading
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The Insect (and bee) Apocalypse That Never WasMisc.He sold cheesesteaks to take his mom on the trip of a lifetime. She died weeks after getting back. Biracial doctor demoted for objecting to BLM-inspired segregation policy, files lawsuit against hospital 74% Of COVID-19 Cases From Massachusetts Outbreak Occurred In Fully Vaccinated People: CDC Were they "cases," or were they sick? SOME DARE CALL IT INFRASTRUCTURE Iran’s execution of wrestler Navid Afkari sparks outcry on social media Friday, July 30. 2021Good stuffI feel that Roger didn't do it rough enuf because he is too sweet of a guy, too happy a guy (reborn Christian for a long time) but this is all good. Yes, it was Pete Seeger who put the Ecclesiastes bit to song.
2 LinksNYT Op-Ed: Allow Foreign Nationals to Vote in U.S. Elections Imagine there's no countries... Migrants arrive to US border from all over the world: 'We are seeing a permanent change' I guess they all want to live in an evil, Trumpy, racist, patriarchal, capitalist place Thursday, July 29. 2021Leaving your worries behind
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More misc.What Will Happen When We Kill Meritocracy? Biden Official Orders Immigration Judges To Stop Describing Illegal Aliens As "Illegal Aliens" We've Discovered the Real Reason the CDC Is Requiring All Kids Wear Masks in Schools Calm down about the Delta variant. Seattle Mayor Who Dismissed Lawlessness Now Begging For More Police… Biden's latest whopper: "I used to drive an 18-wheeler truck, man." WH staff scrambles to cover for him. QQQ"The government is idiotic, but more government is the answer." Via the UK Spectator's A volte face over what caused the pandemic needs explaining
LinksDusty Hill, ZZ Top bassist, dead at 72 There’s a new “Pride” flag. Do try to keep up. Power Outages and the Indian Point Closure: An “I Told You So” Event "While workers of all ages have become accustomed to dialing in and skipping the wearying commute, younger ones have grown especially attached to the new way of doing business." Can The Care And Feeding Of College Students Go Too Far?
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