Realize the Divine

As a cultural Catholic, it's hard to talk to people about Jesus.   Everytime you get to an intellectual dead end, the answer is that it is true, and it is "the Mystery of Faith".  Plus people get awfully pissed at you if you ask a question that they interpret as threatening to their mantle of faith.

I don't buy Dogma that doesn't make sense.  I believe that the Holy Spirit guides us all outside of interpretation by others.

So at the risk of pissing off those who would be reincarnated Crusader combatants,,,,,, Here's what I know and believe.

At the age of thirty, Jesus set out to minister to the people of Israel. In three short years, he performed astounding miracles like walking on water, raising the dead, turning water into wine and ultimately rising from his own tomb and appearing to his followers after his public execution.

Interspersed within these events, he proclaimed a practical philosophy of  behavior.... turning the other cheek, embracing your enemies with kindness, loving your neighbor, praying to God without ostentation, and phoniness.  I believe this behavior allows you the greatest chance to live in peace with your fellow Man.

We have no physical record of where he was, or what he did in his formative years up to the age of thirty, and in three short years, he managed to run afoul of the government, i.e. the Jewish Religious Leaders and the Roman Occupiers.... so the Government killed him.

I believe that he continues to perform miracles and give mystic guidance to those who seek his counsel in a sincere manner, and I believe that his Mother Mary performs the same as well.

There are other paths to God, walked by Muslims, Taoists, Hindus and countless others striving to lead a blessed life as well, and that there is no need to debate and kill over which path that you take.  It would be nice if we could drop this exclusivity intolerance and celebrate all of the cultural paths that God has given humanity to realize the Divine.

Happy Easter.

Below is a nice chronology of his ministry compiled by http://www.ccel.org/bible/phillips/JBPhillips.htm

THE STORY OF JESUS Matthew, Mark, Luke, John rearranged by Subject & in Date order

Interlude - SUMMARY OF HIS TRAVELS and ACTS

Year One Year Two Year three Galilee area

The travels and acts of Jesus have been compiled from "Gospel Harmonies". Although there are discrepancies, the following itineraries and maps give an indication of Jesus' movements over these three years

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TRAVELS and ACTS OF JESUS, YEAR ONE - c AD27-28

Key: 1 - Approximate sequence of events, used in the list following

OPENING EVENTS

[1] Jesus, now about 30 years old (Lk 3:23) travels from his home-town of Nazareth in Galilee
[2] At the River Jordan, possibly near Bethany-across-the-Jordan, he is baptised by John the Baptist (Mt 3:13; Mk 1:9)
[3] He goes in to the Judean Desert or wilderness to face the devil's temptation (Mt 4:1; Mk 1:12; Lk 4:1)
[4] At the River Jordan near Bethany-across-the-Jordan, or Bethabara (Jn 1:28), and according to John's Gospel, Jesus calls his first five disciples (Jn 1:35). These include Philip, Andrew, and Simon Peter all from Bethsaida in Galilee (Jn 1:44)
[5] Jesus returns north to Galilee with his disciples (Jn 1:43), and at a wedding in Cana, changes the water into wine - his first recorded miracle (Jn 2:1)
[6] He continues on to Capernaum, on the northern shore of the Sea of Galilee with his mother, brothers and disciples, and stays there a short time (Jn 2:12)

EARLY MINISTRY IN JUDEA, SAMARIA AND GALILEE

[7] He travels south to Jerusalem for the Passover - the first one mentioned in the Gospels (Jn 2:13). There he drives the money-changers from the Temple for the first time (Jn 2:14). He also meets the Pharisee, Nicodemus (Jn 3:1)
[8] Jesus leaves for the countryside of Judea where his disciples baptise believers (Jn 3:22)
[9] Jesus and his disciples continue northwards from Judea (Jn 4:3), passing through the territory of Samaria (Jn 4:4). Near Sychar, Jesus meets the Samaritan woman at the well (Jn 4:5). Many Samaritans believe in him (Jn 4:39), after which he continues on to Galilee (Jn 4:43)
[10] He reaches Galilee (Mt 4:12; Mk 1:14; Lk 4:14; Jn 4:45), and back in Cana heals the official's son who lays sick in Capernaum (Jn 4:46)
[11] Jesus returns to his home-town of Nazareth, and preaches in the synagogue (Lk 4:16). He is rejected for the first time (Lk 4:28)

 

TRAVELS and ACTS OF JESUS, YEAR TWO - c AD28-29

Key: 1 - Approximate sequence of events, used in the list following

[1] Jesus moves to Capernaum (Mt 4:13; Mk 1:21; Lk 4:31). According to the Synoptic Gospels, Jesus call his first disciples - perhaps only now to full-time service (Mt 4:18; Mk 1:16; Lk 5:1). In Capernaum he heals the madman in the synagogue (Mk 1:23; Lk 4:33) and Peter's mother-in-law of her fever (Mt 8:14; Mk 1:29; Lk 4:38)

FIRST PREACHING TOUR OF GALILEE

[2] Jesus travels throughout Galilee, preaching and healing (Mt 4:23; Mk 1:39), including the leper (Mt 8:2; Mk 1:40; Lk 5:12).
[3] Returning to Capernaum (Mk 2:1) a paralysed man is healed (Mt 9:2; Mk 2:3; Lk 5:18) and Jesus calls Matthew (or Levi) the tax-collector to be a disciple (Mt 9:9; Mk 2:14; Lk 5:27)
[4] Jesus travels from Galilee south to Jerusalem for a Jewish festival - possibly the Second Passover identified in the Gospels (Jn 5:1). At the Pool of Bethesda he heals the crippled man (Jn 5:2)
[5] Returning north to Galilee, Jesus heals the man with the shrivelled hand (Mt 12:9; Mk 3:1; Lk 6:6) and many others (Mt 12:15; Mk 3:7)
[6] On a hillside in Galilee, probably near Capernaum, he selects his twelve apostles (Mt 10:1; Mk 3:13; Lk 6:12) and delivers the Sermon on the Mount (Mt 5:1). In Luke's report Jesus comes down from a hillside to give the Sermon (Lk 6:20)
[7] Back in Capernaum, (Mt 8:5; Lk 7:1) Jesus heals the Roman centurion's servant (Mt 8:5; Lk 7:2)

SECOND PREACHING TOUR OF GALILEE

[8] Jesus continues preaching and healing in Galilee, and in Nain brings the widow's son back to life (Lk 7:11)
[9] Accompanied by the twelve apostles and some of his women helpers, Jesus continues his second Galilee tour (Lk 8:1)
[10] He sails across the Sea of Galilee (Mt 8:18; Mk 4:35; Lk 8:22) and calms a storm (Mt 8:24; Mk 4:37; Lk 8:23). Landing in the region of the Gerasenes (Mk 5:1; Lk 8:26) or Gadarenes (Mt 8:28) in Gentile Decapolis - the Ten Towns or Cities, Jesus heals the madman in the story of the Gadarene Swine (Mt 8:28; Mk 5:2; Lk 8:27)
[11] Sailing back across the Sea of Galilee (Mk 5:21) Jesus lands at "his own town" of Capernaum (Mt 9:1). Here he raises Jairus' daughter from the

 

TRAVELS and ACTS OF JESUS, YEAR THREE - c AD29-30

Key: 1 - Approximate sequence of events, used in the list following

THIRD PREACHING TOUR OF GALILEE

[1] Jesus travels from Capernaum to "his own native town" of Nazareth (Mk 6:1)
[2] In Nazareth, he is rejected for a second time (Mt 13:54; Mk 6:1)
[3] He continues through Galilee (Mt 13:58; Mk 6:6) and sends out the twelve apostles to preach the Gospel (Mt 10:5; Mk 6:7; Lk 9:1)
[4] The Twelve return to Capernaum from their mission (Mk 6:30, Luke 9:10)
[5] From Capernaum, they go off by boat with Jesus to a quiet place (Mk 6:32) near Bethsaida (Lk 9:10). Here he feeds the 5,000 (Mt 14:14; Mk 6:33; Lk 9:11; Jn 6:5)
[6] The disciples return across the Sea of Galilee (Mt 14:22; Mk 6:45), Jesus walking on the water to join them (Mt 14:25; Mk 6:48; Jn 6:19). They land near the Plain of Gennesaret and Jesus heals many people there (Mt 14:34; Mk 6:53).
[7] From Gennesaret they make their way back to Capernaum (Jn 6:24) and Jesus teaches about the Bread of Life (Jn 6:26)

JESUS PREACHES AND HEALS IN SYRIAN-PHOENICIA, ITUREA and TRACHONITIS, THE DECAPOLIS

[8] Jesus retires from Galilee to the region of Tyre and Sidon in Syrian-Phoenicia (Mt 15:21; Mk 7:24) where he heals the daughter of the Gentile Syrophoenician woman (Mt 15:22; Mk 7:25).
[9] He leaves Syrian-Phoenicia via Sidon for Galilee (Mt 15:29) but travels through the Decapolis (Mk 7:31).
[10] In the Decapolis he heals the deaf and mute man (Mk 7:32) and feeds the 4,000 (Mt 15:32; Mk 8:1)
[11] Reaching the Sea of Galilee, he crosses by boat to the Magadan/Dalmanutha region (Mt 15:39; Mk 8:10). There the Pharisees and Sadducees ask for a sign from heaven (Mt 16:1; Mk 8:11)
[12] Continuing on to Bethsaida, a blind man is healed (Mk 8:22)
[13] Jesus now travels from Galilee, north to Caesarea Philippi in Iturea and Trachonitis, where Peter confesses that Jesus is the Christ (Mt 16:13; Mk 8:27)
[14] Continuing on from Caesarea Philippi possibly further north towards Mount Hermon, three of the disciples see Jesus Transfigured in the presence of Elijah and Moses (Mt 17:1; Mk 9:2; Lk 9:28). On his return, Jesus heals the boy with epilepsy (Mt 17:14; Mk 9:14; Lk 9:37).
Other traditions place the Transfiguration to the south, on Mount Tabor. The epileptic boy would then have been healed in the Galileearea
[15] In Galilee (Mt 17:22; Mk 9:30), in Capernaum (Mk 9:33), Jesus pays the Temple Tax with a fish! (Mt 17:24). Then to avoid the dangers in Judea, he remains in Galilee (Jn 7:1)

LATER MINISTRY IN JUDEA

[16] Jesus leaves Capernaum and Galilee for the last earthly time (Mt 19:1; Mk 10:1) and heads for Jerusalem (Lk 9:51; Jn 7:10). Travelling by Samaria, he heals the ten lepers (Lk 17:11) but is rejected in a Samaritan village (Lk 9:52)
[17] Arriving in Jerusalem for the Feast of the Tabernacles in the Autumn of c AD29 (Jn 7:10), Jesus forgives the woman caught in adultery (Jn 8:2) and heals the blind man who is taken before the Sanhedrin (Jn 9:1)
[18] During his travels in Judea, Jesus visits Martha and Mary in Bethany (Lk 10:38), returning to Jerusalem for "Hanukkah", the Feast of Dedication in December c AD29 (Jn 10:22)

THE LAST FEW MONTHS - c AD30

[19] Jesus withdraws to Bethany-across-the-Jordan (or Bethabara), and into the province of Perea, and stays for a while (Jn 10:40)
[20] Following the death of Lazarus, Jesus returns to Bethany near Jerusalem, and raises him (Lazarus) from the dead (Jn 11:1).
[21] Because of threats to his life, Jesus withdraws to Ephraim to the north of Jerusalem (Jn 11:54)

HIS MINISTRY IN PEREA (MODERN JORDAN)

[22] He then crosses the River Jordan and works in Perea (Mt 19:1; Mk 10:1). There he blesses the little children (Mt 19:13, Mk 10:13; Lk 18:15) and speaks to the rich young man (Mt 19:16; Mk 10:17; Lk 18:18)

THE FINAL JOURNEY TO JERUSALEM

[23] Jesus now travels towards Jerusalem for the last time (Mt 20:17; Mk 10:32; Lk 18:31). Passing through Jericho he heals one (or two) blind men (Mt 20:29; Mk 10:46; Lk 18:35) and converts Zacchaeus the tax collector (Lk 19:1).
[24] Reaching Bethany (Jn 12:1) the home of Lazarus, Mary and Martha, Jesus is anointed by Mary either now (Jn 12:2), or later (Mt 26:6; Mk 14:3) after his triumphal entry into Jerusalem (Mt 21:1; Mk 11:1; Lk 19:29; Jn 12:12)
[25] During the Easter week, Jesus returns to Jerusalem each day after staying overnight in Bethany on the Mount of Olives (Mt 21:17-18; Mk 11:11-12;19; Lk 21:37).

 

GALILEE AREA

As much of Jesus' three year ministry took place in the Galilee area, a more detailed map follows:

Map - Galilee Area where Jesus Preached and Healed During Much of His Three Year Ministry, c AD27-30

to Contents List

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on to Parts 8-12 - THE START OF HIS MINISTRY OR back to Harmony of Jesus

Maps by Gordon Smith can be used without further permission. Please quote http://www.ccel.org/bible/phillips/JBPhillips.htm

Nanepashemet Peeps of the Week for the 16th Week of 2014

Superpeep Brendt D'Orio reminded me that I have completely fallen off of the wagon in my weekly obligation to choose a Nanepashemet Peep of the Week.
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My old, feisty Mountain of a Man persona would probably be a bit annoyed at this poke at my failing, but it dawns on me that the proud Danish-Italian machine shop entrepreneur is dead-on with his observation.
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Somehow the despicable yet inspirational tradition has been set aside, but today will receive a strong dusting off.
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As Nanepashemet Peeps will recall.... to become a Peep of the Week... one must fit the following criteria.

1. Must have done something either inspirational or annoying.
2. Cannot be an animal.
3. Cannot be Dead.
4. Or fulfill the automatic criteria of buying the MOAM a bottle of Lagavulin 16 year old Single Malt Scotch... otherwise known as the King of Scotch.

How is it then, that I have neglected this weekly duty for so long????
I am duped by the mystery as you must be also.

You would think that dwindling Lagavulin supply would have tipped me off that something was wrong.... but it was the Italo-Dane who snapped me back to attention.

And So.... after a long hiatus....

ANNOUNCING.....
Nanepashemet Peeps of the Week for the 16th Week of 2014

Brendt D'Orio
Brian Donovan
Dave Bruett
Lindsay Lohan
Lynda Murray

Somehow, the world is starting to feel right again.

Mindless Maggot Sickos. Why?

It's been a year since those mindless maggots carried out their perverse and cowardly plot to kill and maim people standing at the finish line of the Boston Marathon.   A crowd of people, assembling to applaud the human achievement of enduring 26 miles,  an achievement of self esteem and self worth..... stricken by two sickos.... viciously and cowardly by two vermin who slimed by them with their concealed explosives, and placed them in spots next to innocent, young, thriving victims,
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Why?   What was the motivation to kill and maim?  Was it jealousy?  Of What?  These two Muslims were in America.... on the dole.... subsidized by the people that they wished to kill.   What could possibly have been the outcome that they hoped for?   That we would cower in our homes?......  Unwilling to carry on our way of life?
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That didn't happen.
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All day long, the local news media has been talking about what happened.... and how we responded.... Boston Strong.
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But still no real analysis or answers as to WHY IT HAPPENED?   Why did these two mindless maggots kill. Who was their audience?  What message did they wish to convey?  Who were they trying to impress?
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If we answer these questions truly to ourselves.... things start to get wicked politically incorrect.  Don't they?

Living the Dream

Gearing up for a long day.
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By day's end, I will have submitted a complex lease for legal review, prepared a zoning application that is sure to antagonize abutters, and present at a public hearing in NH for a new tower proposal.
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I'm thinking that I'll be back at this living room recliner with a Bud Light in my hands by about 11:00PM tonight.
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I'm not complaining..... and in fact, I am technically Living the Dream.... working at my own company for major carriers.  But when I was dreaming the Dream back when.... I didn't anticipate how much work Living the Dream would actually entail.
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This is indeed my Dream job, just not so much of it was in my Dream.

Return of the House Finch

It was a huge day of renewal today.



We saw the first House Finch that I have seen in the last few years on the feeder.

Plus UPS delivered the grill gas regulator replacement part which I installed after getting back from a couple of County Courthouse filings that had to be made in Southern New Hampshire.

The grill works like a charm with the new parts, and I'm grateful that I went with the repair parts rather than shelling out all of the money for a new one.

We grilled some burgers for dinner.

Fake It Till You Make It.

You have to fake it till you make it.
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As I waded through lease review processes that I loathe today,  I played a mind game that they were really interesting and relevant to getting the job done.
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It worked.
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Tomorrow I have to go to a Balloon test where the neighbors are sure to show up with torches and pitchforks.  They are none too happy about a cell tower proposal that we have proposed for their backyard and, I can empathize with their hostility even though I am basically the cause of it.
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Not sure what mind games I can come up for that one.

Path to Wings and Burgers

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I've been busy lately working to get my gas grill repaired.  It's a Charmglow model that I bought from Home Depot about six or seven years ago and has served us well despite some real neglect.  The burners and the drip shields are all corroded and rusty, but the stainless steel chassis of the grill is in great shape and the grill grates are of large gauge stainless steel so I thought I could replace the worn parts and avoid a $300 new grill expense.
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Bought new ceramic drip plates for $10 and new burners for $7 on Amazon, which also sold the two components as Charmglow replacements for $135.   So I went with the $17 option which was delivered in two days.  I can't imagine how the $135 deal could be worth it, because the parts that I received were solidly made.
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Ryan came over this Sat. morning, looking for something, and I pretended that I didn't know what while I fiddled with taking apart the grill.   It seems like a simple devise, but the corroded burners were welded in place by the heat over the years, and what seemed to be a question of simply hacking them off of the chaissis turned into a lot of concentrated thought and effort, but Ryan eventually wrenched them out and we figured how to install the replacements.
Now... only to hook up some propane and try it out, right? .... Wrong.
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The propane would not proceed from the tank to the burners and it seemed that the gas regulator and feed had to be replaced.  Naturally the threads were completely rusted so I WD-40'ed the hell out of the nut and waited a while.   Turned the grill on its backed so that I could get better leverage and worked off the regulator nut, releasing the gas regulator from the grill.
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It was  a Nexgrill model 7806 regulator.... nothing on Amazon, so I went to the Web and found the part for sale at ereplacementparts.com.    $40 bucks for the part and $10 for shipping.
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It should be here by Tues. if the web site is the real deal.
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So now I'm in this grill repair job for $67 which will be a great deal it the grill works with the new regulator.  Will just have to shine up the stainless steel and the wings and burgers can resume.

Spring

Birdfeeder Resurgence

I finally got around to setting up the bird feeder and filling it with seed out on the new deck.   The  birds in this neighborhood haven't witnessed my generosity since we moved to the Sundance House from 32 Beverly Ave.
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In no time, a couple of Chickadees were snacking at the station.
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Also, one Titmouse.

Homophobia

Naturally, because of the last post, some of you Peeps saw the need to call me an anti-Gay homophobe.
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No.... No.... that's not it.
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All I've been trying to say is that, if Gays want to go mainstream, then they should get in the freaking boat.    Because us mainstream types have respect for others, and keep things that should be left private as our own private affairs.
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No parades are necessary.
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I'm not anti-gay.  I am definitely anti-anyone who wants to advertise their sexual preference for the express purpose of causing a distressful emotion in others.   If you want mainstream respect, then respect others in the mainstream.

Erin Go Bragh? or Bra Less?

Should Gays be allowed to march in the South Boston St. Patrick's Day Parade?

Absolutely.  It would be illegal to use the public streets and restrict anyone because of race, creed, religion, national origin, sex, or sexual preference in Massachusetts

Should they be allowed to wave flags and flaunt their sexual preference?   That  is up to community standards.  Personally, poke it wherever you want.  That's your business, not mine.  And if you want to advertise your preference, that's not an inherent right, and basically is in bad taste in my opinion.

So I support the ban on Homosexuals marching to advertise that they are homosexual.  If they want to march in a marching band, or with any other group.... fine.  But just to flaunt their preference for members of their own sex is not a valid reason and is offensive to community standards in my opinion.

I would be in favor on banning a group of nymphomaniacs from marching for the same reason.
Keep your sexuality in your own pants in public.

President's Day Musings

It's Presidents Day.  When I was a kid in grade school, it was a time to think about George Washington and Abraham Lincoln.  Pretty simple, non-descript stuff.  You would never compare modern day Presidents with them.

But by the end of 2011, President Obama had characterized himself as one of the top four Presidents in history... behind FDR, Johnson, and Lincoln.  Not a little hubris and ego going on with our current Prez, whose jetsetting ways and ostentatious family vacations paid by the Feds seem to border on that of an entitled Emperor rather than the leader of a democratic republic.

I believe that Obama will go down in history as a scheming ideological opportunist, who squandered the chance to improve race relations in this country by widening the gap and sharpening class divisions through unthinking and non-inclusive policies.  His use of Federal agencies to punish conservative groups will be classified as Nixonian, and his incompetent foreign policy will be compared to Carter.  The ObamaCare debacle will implode under its own weight of bureaucratic incompetence, and whenever people think of FDR, BHO will be the antithesis.

It's too bad.  Not sure what went wrong with him, but he has generated a surge of Black conservative politicians, anxious to correct the legacy of our first Black President.

Maybe that is a good thing.
Happy President's Day.

Giarda's Recipe for Pizza Dough

This is Pizzeria grade dough.   The secret is little or no sugar in the yeast, and a hot 500 degree oven.  Bake for 8 minutes on a pizza stone that has been heated for 30 min. in the oven.

 

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cups warm water, 100 to 110 degrees F, plus extra as needed
• 1 (1/4-ounce) packet active dry yeast
• 5 cups all-purpose flour, plus extra as needed
• 1 1/2 teaspoons fine sea salt
• Olive oil, for drizzling

Directions

Put the water in a small bowl. Add the yeast and stir until dissolved.
In a large bowl, whisk the flour and salt together. Add the yeast mixture and stir until a soft dough forms. If the dough is too dry, add a little extra water, 1 tablespoon at a time. If the dough is too sticky, add extra flour, 1 tablespoon at a time. Transfer the dough to a floured work surface. With floured hands, knead the dough until it becomes smooth and elastic, about 10 to 12 minutes. Drizzle the inside of a clean bowl with olive oil. Put the dough in the bowl and cover loosely with plastic wrap or a damp kitchen towel. Set the bowl in a warm, draft-free place, until the dough has doubled in size, about 2 hours.
Using a fist, deflate the dough in the center and cut it into 3 equal-sized pieces. Form the dough pieces into 3 balls and put into 3 oiled bowls. Cover each bowl loosely with plastic wrap or a damp kitchen towel and let rest for 1 hour. Remove the dough and wrap in plastic. Refrigerate for up to 1 day.

You Didn't Ask Me, But....

Time for another episode of....

"You didn't ask me, but...."

~  Julia Roberts seems to have lost her Bloom.... Definitely not the Pretty Woman.
~ Woody Allen may not be guilty of molestation, but he is a weird dude with a lot of personal baggage.
~ Despite the propaganda, Michelle Obama is really unattractive.
~ Lots of people seem to be bitching about the winter this year.... more than usual.
~ There are many stupid sports in the Winter Olympics... topped by the Luge.
~ Amazon.com is the best site on the Web.
~ Sarah Palin is the Hottest 50 year old on the Planet, and the Liberal Media knows it.
~ Popcorn is the Anti-Christ of Dental Hygiene, but it tastes awesome with extra butter.

Post about Posting

I usually post on this Blog when I am annoyed or anxious about things.  Does the dirth of posts on the last few weeks indicate that I found a modicum of tranquiity and contentment?

In a sense... yes.  I blame the real reason on the activity at Nanepashemet Telecom.  We are wicked busy, somewhat stressed, but in a nice growth mode with good quality job prospects up the line.  Our marketing has reached a point where we are asked to take on jobs by customers... not the former situation of asking prospective customers to take a chance on us.

The company will be changing... growth means new staff and adjustment to different ways of doing things.  Maybe causing some more frequent posts on the Nanepashemet Blog.

On a personal level, things also seem to be on a more even keel.... the events of past years, the Fresh Ayer episode in particular, seem to fading to the point where it feels incredible that we actually endured that turmoil not so long ago.

But I do feel the need to keep this pathethic Blog afloat.  This time of peace and prosperity is sure to diminish.

French Fries

Perfect French Fries

• 31 Reviews 

Recipe courtesy of Emeril Lagasse

Recipe courtesy Emeril Lagasse, 2003

SHOW:

The Essence of Emeril

EPISODE:

Deep Frying

Total Time:

1 hr 25 min

Prep:

15 min

Inactive:

30 min

Cook:

40 min

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Yield:

4 servings

Level:

Intermediate

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CATEGORIES

• Potato
• Side Dish
• Fries

Ingredients

• 4 large russet or kinnebec potatoes, peeled and cut into 1/4 by 1/4-inch thick batons
• 2 quarts peanut oil
• Salt and pepper

Directions

Rinse cut potatoes in a large bowl with lots of cold running water until water becomes clear. Cover with water by 1-inch and cover with ice. Refrigerate at least 30 minutes and up to 2 days.

In a 5-quart pot or Dutch oven fitted with a candy or deep-frying thermometer, (or in an electric deep fryer), heat oil over medium-low heat until the thermometer registers 325 degrees F. Make sure that you have at least 3 inches of space between the top of the oil and the top of the pan, as fries will bubble up when they are added.

Drain ice water from cut fries and wrap potato pieces in a clean dishcloth or tea towel and thoroughly pat dry. Increase the heat to medium-high and add fries, a handful at a time, to the hot oil. Fry, stirring occasionally, until potatoes are soft and limp and begin to turn a blond color, about 6 to 8 minutes. Using a skimmer or a slotted spoon, carefully remove fries from the oil and set aside to drain on paper towels. Let rest for at least 10 minutes or up to 2 hours.

When ready to serve the French fries, reheat the oil to 350 degrees F. Transfer the blanched potatoes to the hot oil and fry again, stirring frequently, until golden brown and puffed, about 1 minute. Transfer to paper lined platter and sprinkle with salt and pepper, to taste. Serve immediately.

FLOTUS Birthday Wish

Happy 50th Birthday to the FLOTUS!



Nothing personal, Michele, but I will really be celebrating on your 53rd.

Income Taxes

Time to feed the cat

New Year's Resolutions - 2014

Plan and Confront Each Day.
We have the ability to guide our own experiences of this life's journey, rather than randomly bump into the future.  Planning helps you to enhance your observation of your life events.
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Respect the time it takes to complete tasks and realize that everything will eventually get done, but not necessarily today.   Spread your tasks into realistic time slots in your daily calendar, and don't be afraid to push items ahead to future time slots.  Sometimes, accomplishing a task is realizing that it can not be completed immediately.   This technique reduces stress.

Process the Present.
Deal with the events and challenges that are sent your way daily.  To procrastinate is to give our challenges power that they don't deserve.
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 Open your mail as soon as you receive it, scan it, and discard as much paper as possible in real time. Never let an envelope rest unopened.   If you can't pay a bill immediately using Internet Banking, set a time in the future when you will pay it.  Return emails and calls as soon as possible.  Business is a tennis match.  Make sure that the ball doesn't sit in your court.
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Exercise every day.... no excuse.  Keeping healthy is more important than sitting on the couch watching TV, or conducting business.    Exercise and Health is essential to good business and needs to be recognized as a first priority  in the present.

Try Not to Judge Your Life's Experiences
This is God's Plan, not Your's.  Planning helps you to recognize and appreciate the direction of the Journey that has been chosen for you.  Good and Bad are changing, transitory labels.
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Keep the Drama to a minimum.  Life is mean't to be joyful.  It it doesn't seem that way, be patient... it will.  Eventually there is always a reason for the bad that leads to the good,... although it may take a few lifetimes to see it through.

BTW, these resolutions are hard to keep, but I believe that attention to them will aid the quality of life..

2014 Nanepashemet Peep of the Year

The moment that so many of you have waited all year to witness is now upon you.  As we witness the waning moments of 2013 and look to the birth of a New Year of hope and promise, the time to select the Nanepashemet Peep of the Year descends upon us with its normal elements of gripping intrigue and intensity.
~
The most sophisticated Nanepashemet Peeps know the criteria for selection and keep its tenets close to their bosom week in and week out during the year.  To be selected as a recipient of this Honor/Disgrace, the hapless yet fortunate individual must....

• Not be Dead.
• Not be an Animal.
• Have done something either exceptionally Inspirational or exceptionally Annoying.

And the reason for the selection must never be disclosed lest a severe tear be made in the fabric of the Universe.   There is nothing more annoying than to have a Peep of the Week ask me the moronic question, "Why was I picked?"   It immediately justifies the selection and so becomes self explanatory.
~
Last year, for reasons that should be as clear as a Moonlit Maine Sky, the Peep of the Year for 2013 was my new Son-in-Law, Brady Boyle.   Brady responded to his selection with an acceptance poem that would have put Robert Frost to shame, and carried out his reign with with incredible style as he carried out his plan to wed my daughter Katelyn in a most memorable matrimonial event.  It was a class act all year long.

But now, Brady's POTY run draws to a close, and it is time to pass the crown to a new Peep of the Year,,, the 2014 POTY.
~
People are going to say that you have to become a fully functional member of the Mountain of a Man's immediate family to become POTY..... and that may indeed be the circumstantial evidence.... but I put that squarely in the realm of stranger than life coincidences.

The 2014 Nanepashemet Peep of the Year is Kim Hause... who is to be renamed this year as Kim Nestor, but not because of this POTY gig.

Congratulationss Kim.   Your predecessors will attest that this year promises to to be a whirlwind breakthough as the psychic power of the POTY permeates a most eventful year for you.

TommyO said2:42 PM

Congratulations Kim. Well Done Mr. Nestor.
Some life changes that you should be aware of. Buy hats and sunglasses. Privacy can be tough when you hold such a lofty status. You can't just go out of the house and not expect the throngs of people out there to just nod as you walk buy. They are relentless in thier pursuit to have a brush with greatness. Then there are the tough decisions, your wedding for example will present a tough call. You can sit at the head table with Ryan or sit at the POTY table with the important people. Feel free to call on me if it gets too tough out there, we have to stick together, we can help get you through those times when you just want to be left alone. Congrats again, all the best and Happy New Year. TommyO

POTY Stress

Can you feel the tension?

• Tom McMahon ~ 2007
• Lauren Rathbone ~ 2008
• Michael "Murph" Murphy ~ 2009
• Jeremy Johnson  ~ 2010
• Tommy O'Shea  ~ 2011
• Kerry Russell D'Orio  ~  2012
• Brady Boyle  ~  2013
•   ???????   ~  2014

Pie Crust Recipe for Cuisinart

“ This recipe makes ample crust for a 9 to 11 inch regular or deep-dish pie or tart. Leftover pastry may be rolled out and cut into shapes to garnish the pie, or brushed with milk, sprinkled with sugar or cinnamon and sugar, and baked until lightly browned. "

 Ingredients

 3 cups all-purpose flour
½ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon baking powder
16 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut in ½-inch pieces, well chilled
2 tablespoons shortening (Crisco), cut in ½-inch pieces, well chilled
5 to 8 tablespoons ice water

 Instructions

 Insert the metal blade. Process the flour, salt and baking powder to sift, 10 seconds.

 Add the well chilled butter and shortening. Use short rapid pulses until the mixture resembles coarse corn meal and no pieces of butter larger than a “pea” remain visible, 15 to 20 pulses.

 Sprinkle half the maximum ice water on the flour and butter mixture, then pulse 5 or 6 times. The dough will be crumbly, but should begin to hold together when a small amount is picked up and pressed together.

Sprinkle on more water, a teaspoon (two for the two-crust recipe) at a time, with 2 to 3 quick pulses after each addition, adding just enough water for the dough to hold together easily when pressed into a ball. Add the liquid sparingly so that the dough is not sticky. Do not over process or the pastry will be tough, not tender and flaky.

Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Press together into a ball, then flatten into a disk about 6 –inches in diameter (two disks for the two-crust recipe). Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 1 hour before continuing to allow the glutens in the flour to rest.

 The dough will keep refrigerated for up to 3 days, or may be frozen (double wrapped) for up to a month, thaw at room temperature for an hour before using.

 To bake the pastry blind for a single crust filled pie or tart, roll out pastry 1/8-inch thick to fit pan, crimp and seal edges. Prick bottom all over with a fork. Chill for 30 minutes.

 Preheat the oven to 400º F.

 Line with a sheet of aluminum foil or parchment paper and fill with pie weights, dry rice or beans. Bake for 15 minutes. -

See more at: http://www.cuisinart.com/recipes/desserts/405.html

Smartphone Photo Consequense

It was another wonderful Christmas... now in the record books.   Even a Mountain of a Man can take a break from the reveling and frivolity.... but not without bearing the consequences of unforgiving smartphone photos.

Merry Christmas from Henry the Cat

Christmas Eve Excursion

Are you ready for Christmas?
~
With so many raised expectations, it is a time of much planning and not a little stress.
~
Thanks to Amazon, I can generally take care of my relatives in Florida, and leave the grandkids to Joanne.
~
But now that the kids all have significant others that Joanne and I really love, the Christmas Eve. restaurant dinner is threatening to be a break the bank affair.  There will be eight joyous people, festively libating and celebrating the season with uninhibited ordering from the high priced menu.
~
If it wasn't so much fun, I would really be dreading it... but some of these Christmas Eve. Family restaurant excursions have become my favorite holiday memories.... I'm sure another is in store tomorrow night.

PAtriot Game Strategy

Apple Crisp... Antidote for a ton of apples that I bought.

This is on the diet for the Christmas season and well beyond.  I'm doing a telecom lease with a beautiful apple orchard on the NH Seacoast Region and bought a lot of apples in the process.

 

Apple Crisp

 

• 
• Prep Time: 10 mins
• Total Time: 45 mins
• Servings: 8

Ingredients

• 8 apples or 8 peaches, peeled
• 1 1/2 cups brown sugar
• 1 cup flour
• 1 cup oats
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon nutmeg
• 1/2 cup cold butter

Directions

1. Heat oven to 375°F.
2. Lightly grease a 13x9 glass pan.
3. Cut fruit into slices (removing pit or seeds) and layer in bottom of pan.
4. Mix dry ingredients in a medium sized bowl and then cut in butter with a pastry cutter (cut until crumbly).
5. Sprinkle mixture over fruit.
6. Bake for 30-35 minutes.
7. Top should be browned.
8. Serve with ice cream or whipped cream.

The Reason for the Season

A person, whose opinions I value, just posted in Facebook saying,   "Jesus Christ is the only reason for the season."
~
I respectfully disagree.
~
 I almost hate to say this, but the reason for the season is Peace on Earth, Goodwill to All Mankind.
~
Jesus definitely fits in, but what did Jesus have to do with Santa, Elves, Christmas Trees and Rudolph???? 
~
And BTW, I have my own intimate relationship with Jesus, and feel that he and his Blessed Mother have helped me out of more than a few jams during my present Earthly incarnation......so don't be calling me Anti-Christian and stuff. 
~
 I just think that Christmas, which is a national holiday in the United States, has morphed into something for everyone.... not just Christians.  And there is nothing wrong with celebrating Goodwill and Peace on Earth, even if you are Liberal, Muslim, Gay, Red Neck , or my favorite minority .... slightly overweight, middle aged, white guys.

POTY Time

The end of the year is rapidly approaching and that means that it is POTY time.   Yes.... time to select the Nanepashemet Peep of the Year.
~
I know that this pathetic, yet esteemed Blog has lost a bit of its lustre lately.  For the most part, three  factors are to blame.
~
1.  Work at Nanepashemet Project Management, Inc...... at intensive, breakthrough levels..... can't afford to take my hands off the steering wheel for any significant period of time.
2.  Facebook.... this has become my medium of choice lately to blow off steam and aggravate people.
3.  Recent Rental of the 32 Beverly Ave., Marblehead birthplace of Nanepashemet.   Needed to take extra care that we didn't rent to deadbeat whackjobs, so we were particularly due diligent with the tenant selection process.
~
As the new year approaches, and I begin to access resolutions, maybe this will pick up again.  Next year will be breakthrough on many fronts.

Ryan is getting married to Kim Hause (a spectacular choice as a MOAM Daughter-in-Law).

This will shape up as a breakthrough year with Nanepashemet as we have major contracts with two of the four major telecom carriers and other significant prospects.

I intend to intensify efforts to lose weight and get in shape, then possibly embark on a second career as a senior undergarment model.   Daily updates will follow.

And lastly, my philosophy that life is mean't to respond to challenges.... not avoid them.... will manifest in aggressive attention to the little details.... like processing the mail and attacking bills every day.

This Mountain of a Man is gearing up for a huge push in the quality of life next year, and you Peeps are free to chime in during the process.



Course the POTY designation is always a high point.

Duck Dynasty

Duck Dynasty is a reality show.... until reality kicked in.   Seems like the "Thought Police" are right on the job making sure that us sheep can't make up our own minds when some Bearded, Bible Toting, Southern Red Neck decides to lay down his beliefs.

I don't need the liberal media to tell me what beliefs I can listen too.  This country is getting so intolerant... The Duck Dynasty guy is an opinionated whackjob.... but his Liberal critics truly suck.

Like the Lease

The Nanepashemet House rented again to a great family after 20 days and significant interest.   Everytime I showed it, I had a little remorse that Joanne and I didn't still live there, with all of the great memories.
~
But now a new family will experience the magic

HOUSE for RENT

The Nanepashemet House is Available for Lease - 12/15/13.

  CALL 781-727-6516 FOR DETAILS.
_______________________________________________________
Live in Marblehead, Massachusetts!

A Mecca of American History and Culture.  World Class Fishing, Sailing, Yacht Clubs combined with New England ambiance.

The featured house for lease is a completely renovated, three bedroom, 1 1/2 bath colonial in a quiet family neighborhood. New kitchen with gleaming granite counters, custom designed cherry cabinets and oversize plank hardwood floors. Danish fireplace stove inserts in living room and family room fireplaces.

New Cherry Kichen with Granite Counters

Extensive raised paneling and crown moulding throughout. Spacious deck adjacent to dining and perfect for entertaining.

Walk to Salem Harbor - Village Landing.

No Smoking.   Pets Welcome.
One Year Lease at $2,200 per month.
First and Last Month plus Security Deposit required .
 

Contact John Nestor 781-727-6516 jnestor@nanepashemet.com for a showing.
 



Spacious Deck for Entertaining

Bash Aftermath

It was one of the most subdued Bash's that I can remember.   Not sure if I should blame ObamaCare, or something. .  Maybe I didn't hype it as aggressively as past years, and maybe the fact that we saw so many of the Peeps at Katelyn's Wedding recently had an effect.

   But that didn't effect the quality....  which was virtually assured when Brendt D'Orio showed up with the King of Scotch... 16 year old Lagavulin Single Malt to the uninitiated.
~
That made Brendt an Automatic Peep of the Week.... an honor that he has achieved in the past with distinction.

Ceremonial Dish of the Nanepashemet Bash

It is the Eve of the Thanksgiving Eve Bash.
A high holy day in the ancient religion of Nanepashemetism.
~
We will be going to BJ's or Costco later this afternoon to gather cases of beer and handles of booze with which to conduct the sacred rituals.
~
As usual, no invitations have been issued, yet you will be vilified and scorned if you do not attend.
~
This year, we will not be firing up the turkey frier to make the coveted wings due to insurance issues, but we will have a kettle of oil on the stove in order to deep fry the White Trash Balls.
~
Unfortunately, the Political Correctness Police have issued a citation to this MOAM, insisting that the delicious orbs of crispy fried white dough, sprinkled with powdered sugar and cinnamon.... cease to be called by their long term label as "White Trash Balls".  These are the same folks that are seeking to change the name of the "Washington Redskins" to the "DC Deficits", so I don't want to screw with them.
~
In honor, of SuperPeep Brian Butler, whose enthusiastic vigor for the tasty balls outshines all others, I have decided to rename  the traditional dish known as "White Trash Balls".
~
Henceforth, and from this day forward, the ceremonial dish of the Nanepashemet Thanksgiving Eve Bash is now to be known as "Brian Balls".
~
Crispy and sweet on the outside, with a satisfying and addictive interior consistency.... Brian Balls are sure to be a significant part of the Nanepashemet Legend for years to come.

Sunday morning breakfast

Blog Rambling and Rating

Peeps -
I just noticed that this pathetic Blog is rated number 13,151 in the world.  When my Blog was first rated a few years ago, it was in the 25,000 range, so we've been moving up. Considering that there are over 150 million in existence, I guess this rating is pretty good.

But I can't help but think what is so good about number 13,150  to be rated better than Nanepashemet.

Some of you have often asked why I write this Blog, but it really writes itself.  I have never struggled to get words on the page.... if they don't flow, I don't write.   There is no effort on my part and when I make an entry, it is usually when I am irritated about something and have to vent a little.... so the Blog helps me to blow off steam.

Often, after I make an entry, I marvel that I wrote so much because it doesn't seem to take any time at all.  The Blog is in it's eighth year, and over that time, I have irritated quite a few of you.  It has caused hysteria once or twice as well.

But it would be unfair if I didn't note that more than a few times, Peeps have thanked me and taken a little inspiration.   So it's a balance.

I've seen others come and go and I especially miss Doug Maxfield's "Waterman".  Doug is a talented writer, an insightful professional fisherman, and a funny guy but he abruptly stopped posting a year or so ago.  Must have his reasons, but I miss that one.   My friend, Harvey Rowe, also got the bug a while ago and has tailed off some.   Sarah Crawford's Blog is ongoing and entertaining and I check that from time to time.

I especially get a kick out of people who go out of their way on Facebook and other medium to tell me that this Blog sucks.   If you take time out of your life to read a Blog that sucks, then take more time to inform me.... what does that say about you???   I usually Block and Defriend losers who get too negative.   It's important to avoid people who try to bring you down.   There is no benefit in wrestling with a skunk, because even when you win, you always stink afterwards.

So Maybe pretty soon, I'll surpass number 13,150.... as it currently stands,  as long as I'm breathing, and the Internet is humming, this Blog is here to stay.

When Kennedy was Killed

I was two weeks short of eleven years old.  School was out and I was at my sixth grade post of traffic boy at the intersection of Rockaway and Hollingsworth Streets, outside of the Highland school in Lynn, Massachusetts.

  As I motioned a couple of kids to cross the street, Bobby O'Leary, the traffic Boy covering the opposite intersection yelled over to me.  "Hey Nestor, did you hear what happened?  Kennedy got croaked."

~

I didn't understand.  "What did you say? " I asked.  "He's dead. Kennedy was shot." came the reply.

~

I remember just feeling confused, and when the crossing shift was over, I ran the quarter mile down Hollingsworth street to my house.

~

when I went in the front door, sitting at the kitchen table was my Mother and Father... just sitting silently.   I said, "Bobby O' Leary just told me that Kennedy got croaked."  My father just kept sitting there, and my Mother said "Well, he must be a Protestant."  She was taking offence at the glibness of the remark.    Back then, we as Irish Catholic Democrats, were keenly aware that Kennedy was the first Catholic President.... and the Camelot legacy was not pronounced like it is now.  Kennedy was still proving himself.

My father remained silent and it started to feel ackward, so I broke the silence by saying, "Well it must of been his time to go."   That brought the rise from Dad who said, "It's not your time to go if you are murdered."  Then more silence.

I went into the living room, leaving them sitting silently at the kitchen table.   Sitting on the couch was a Life Magazine picture article about Kenndy, playing with his kids and with John John crawling under the desk in the Oval Office..  I stared at that magazine for a long time.

That was fifty years ago.  I remember it as clearly as yesterday.

Bash Countdown

Tommy O just dropped by with two gallons of award winning Bobby Byrnes Restaurant clam chowder from Cape Cod, which will be consumed by the Peeps who make the sacred pilgrimage to this year's Thanksgiving Eve Bash.

Super peep Brian Butler has already put his order in for the White Trash Balls, and your MOAM has started to ready the turkey frier to meet the expected demand.

Momentum is building.... Six  more Days!

Too Harsh?

My parents were Democrats.... And very hardworking.     But that seems like a different era.

Bash Notice

Bash is on for next Wed. 

Thinking of Renovating the Bathroom

Pendulum Swing

Watching the Sunday Morning News Show.

~

The President is taking a beating, and Martha Radatz is holding the Dems feet to the fire.

~

Is this an alternative Universe?

~

The most that the Dems can say is that the Website is going to get fixed...... but that is the beginning of the problem.   When the website is operable, and people can actually see what ObamaCare has done to emasculate their insurance choices.... when it is apparent that they are screwed with deductables which basically give them the same options as being uninsured.... that's when the doggy doo will come ripping off the fan.

~

The Liberals , in their self absorbent basking in the power to control people's lives, have demonstrated a huge weakness in trying to shift basic life choices away from the individual.  Real power exists when each individual is challenged and positioned to think for herself.

~

Central authority is always disastrous when solely relied upon.   The Germans controlled the continent of Europe, but their extremely competent military could not make a move without the express consent of Hitler.   The Americans and Allies, on the other hand, always empowered their people in the field, down to the lowliest grunt private, to take initiative.   The US Army was an Army of One.  

~

The United States Army crushed the competent Germans with unprecedented superiority and efficiency.  Had the Germans been able to act on their own, without being held back by Hitler's control, the ordeal would have been vastly more difficult.

~

This is a dangerous analogy, because I am not saying that Obama is like Hitler, I am just saying that seeking control and sapping individual initiative is never the successful approach

~

Who is Nancy Pelosi and Barack Obama to say that individuals can't make their own insurance choices and force the free market to cater to this choice?  Their incursion into the intiative of people to provide for themselves is going to backfire into the demise of their political position.

~

The average person really doesn't care about national politics.... doesn't care about the national debt, who's responsible for sequester cuts, whether people vote without ID's, and who is entering the country illegally.    None of these things hit home.    

~

But now.... when they have to take their kid to the emergency room for stiches.... and it costs a grand that is not deductible.... and that goes straight back to the President who imposed this system that never impacted them before.... that is something that they care about, and something that will translate to the ballot box.

~

The pendulum is swinging back to the Republicans, and the Democrats have given it an abnormal push.

Pyrrhic Victory

I just don't have the energy to rant and rave about ObamaCare today.  It was abnormally cool, and I read an article that the ice cap in the Antartic is at its thickest point in history.   Even though I've  been vilified in the past for disclaiming global warming, I just don't feel like pointing out to Lefty Libs the folly of their cherished Al Gore scam.   

It's only fun chiding the Dems when the verdict is not concluded on an issue.   But they are so freaking wrong lately that there is no joy in it for me.... No celebration in being right.

It just saps your energy,

Plus there is such a mess they are making that our future generations have to clean up.

Biology Factory

Ryan and I pulled the Pram off of the Village Street Wharf ring last Friday.
~
I didn't put bottom paint on this year..... thinking.... just a little algae... how bad could it get?

 

 

 Pretty Bad!   Hard to believe all of the growth, and crawly stuff on the bottom of the pram... Shrimp like creatures, slime pods, barnacles cemented to the surface. 

Had to remove it with a brick chisel and it doubled the weight of the pram.

~

All this from the murky Salem Harbor.

~

Life finds a way.

Fooling the People

How does it go???
~
You can fool some of the people, all of the time,
And all of the people, some of the time,
But not all of the people, all of the time.
~
Kind of think that this little ditty is starting to bite the Obama administration in the Ass.
~
I remember early in my career, dealing with Community Organizers in the City of Lynn, that at the beginning they seemed committed and credible, but later on, it was apparent that they were malcontented ideologues who were not interested in answers... just wanted to wield power over people's lives.   There was a lot of hype and no common sense.
~
And even though I generally don't harbor conspiracy theories, it was an eye opener back then in the seventies when we exposed their allegiance to forming organized communist cells.  Even now, I hate to articulate this because it seems so out there.  But it was true.  Their only commitment was to agitation and disruption.
~
Now it seems that one of them is the President of the United States.
~
But getting back to the ditty above, the act is starting to get old as more and more people see through their actions and motives.  The reality of ObamaCare with its cost and bureaucracy, will ultimately be the downfall of the administration, rather than a crowning achievement.... because the real motive is not better and cheaper health care.... it is control over people's lives, and this will become apparent and ultimately be rejected as the program rolls forward.

ABC Propaganda

So this morning on ABC News....
A heroic story of how a female police officer in CA took a bullet in the face and one in the chest, yet still pursued a 20 mile car chase of three Hispanic males who did the shooting.
~
The Three Perps were illegal aliens, but ABC News described them as "happen to be undocumented immigrants."
~
THis is the kind of ideological, thought police, rhetoric that makes me a complete mental case.
~
Propaganda, disguised as news, is hard to swallow.