Talking Politics

Peeps....

I've been noticing lately that some of my Friends really are uncomfortable talking about politics.

I've never felt that way.   Maybe being a political science major in college, and always being interested in history and geography have given me a sense of security with the subject.

In my own situation, I was brought up in an Irish Catholic working class democratic household.   Everytime I would ask my father who he voted for, he would answer, "The Best Man."   My mother always reminded me that Democrats were for the working man, and Republicans were for the rich.

When I was in the sixth grade, President John F. Kennedy was assassinated, which had a devastating effect on my family.   He was our first Irish Catholic President.   But the words that resonate with me to this day... "Ask NOT what your Country can do for you.  Ask what you can do for your country.".... told the Liberals of the day to stand for themselves and contribute.... not look for Government to take care of you.

The Vietnam War raged through my high school years, and ended during my sophomore year in college.... it made no sense to me.... trying to interfere with the affairs of that country under the pretense of stopping communism.   And the Civil Right movement was in full swing,  with the inherent injustice of institutionalized racism being challenged and dismantled.   President Nixon lied about burglarizing Democratic campaign records, and I was happy to see him resign his office.

I was a stanch Liberal in those days.  Liberals were for change, and I believed that change was right.   In fact, I could not understand how anyone could be a conservative.  We grew our hair long, our music was radicalized and we railed against "the Establishment".

I think we were right... and things started to change.

The environment was cleaned up with sweeping legislation and rules on the way business was conducted.

Affirmative Action changed the damages caused by years of racism and created opportunities for the advancement of minorities in education, business, and over quality of life.  It grabbed racism by the nose and forged situations that our culture would have taken decades to overcome.

Ronald Reagan stared down Communism and this oppressive Leftist system of large autocratic government  collapsed under its own ineptitude.

In my personal business, I found the freedom to sink or swim based upon my own competence and business acumen.  I demonstrated to myself that I could survive by my own wits and never looked to others to provide a safety net.

But slowly, Democrats started to piss me off....   Jimmy Carter was incompetent,  Bill Clinton diddled with an intern, while his wife Hilary claimed he was the victim of "a vast right wing conspiracy".  For the first time since Nixon, I started to feel that I was being lied to by the President.  There was a disingenuous slime factor about the Clinton's that I feel to this day.   I was happy when George W. Bush invaded Iraq to rid the world of an Hitler figure in Saddam Hussein... and proud that America led the world in this effort.

I had a profound dislike for Al Gore, Jr. His global warming, Nobel Prize winning hypothesis on Global Warming and his claim to have invented the Internet started to sway me to the opinion that Liberals had gone looney.   And John Kerry... please.... coming from Massachusetts, I had watched his manipulative and conniving career first hand.

But when Barack Obama was first elected, there was a part of me that was elated.  We had elected an African American to the highest office in the land.  I'm not going to rant here against Obama.  The kindest thing that I can say is that the country is guilty of wishful thinking and rushed to elect a completely unprepared and unqualified candidate.   We listened to our hearts and not our heads.

Which brings me to my present situation.

Winston Churchill said, "If you are twenty and not a Liberal, you have no heart... and If you are forty and are not a Conservative, your have no head."

While I still protect my unenrolled "Independent" political party designation, I now find myself frustrated that Democrats have abandoned the exaltation by John Kennedy, and call for an entitlement state with no budgetary controls.   Does that make me a Republican or a Conservative?

I wish it didn't, but that's where I see myself landing these days.

Ryan and Kim Got Married

It was another  wedding spectacular last night as Ryan Nestor tied the knot with Kim Hause at a Crocker Park harborside ceremony conducted by Reverend for a Day, Tyler Gill.  Chad Raleigh played the acoustical background guitar.

After the outdoor ceremony held in perfect weather, the party walked next door to the Boston Yacht Club, and the venue didn't disappoint with great food and a killer band.  Chad sat in for lead guitar a couple times and ripped the place apart with his tremendous musical ability.  I doubt that the staid old BYC has witnessed that type of rock talent much in its stately history.

To this MOAM, the highlights were too numerous to mention, but I would have to say that it was one of the most enjoyable weddings that I have attended.  Ryan performed his Johnny B. Goode routine as well as ever, and the Dark and Stormies flowed like wine.

Johnny B. Goode Performance

It was nice to reconnect with many of  Ryan and Kim's friends who I have known since they were little kids.

The day was the culmination of a weird and totally unpredictable path that calls to the fact that everything happens for a reason, and everything ultimately happens for the best.  It's not up to us to evaluate or question God's plan too closely.... better just to trust and try to enjoy the ride.

Ryan and Kim

Ryan and Kim are getting married tomorrow, and their rehearsal party was at Maddies Sail Loft in Marblehead tonight.
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Tomorrow the nuptials occur at Crocker Park, with a reception at the Boston Yacht Club.
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I love them both, wish them the best, and hope to observe their happiness long into the future.

Let them Eat Cake

This faux water tank is located in Creston, CA and stands roughly 53' tall and contains a conventionally framed roof. 

Not for nothing, but I vastly prefer the look of a modern communications facility rather than an old fashioned water tank.

I guess beauty is in the eye of the beholder.

Sometimes I wish that all of the carriers would just shut down the service for a day.  Then with all of the whining and gnashing of teeth,  we would reverse those naysayers who want Broadband but not Broadband antennas.   Classic case of the entitlement generation wanting to  have your cake and eat it too.

Nanepashemet Blog Ranking

There are over 150 million Blogs worldwide on the Internet.
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Teads of the United Kingdom rates this pathetic Blog as 11,447 in the World, and 5,757 in the United States.
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What the Hell do they know?
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As far as I'm concerned, we are Number 1... or at least in the Top Ten.

Whacky Martha

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Peeps...
Those of you who know me best know that the MOAM sometimes makes mistakes.... sometimes forms the wrong judgement... misses the mark once in awhile.
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Course... not nearly as much as the rest of you.... but it happens nonetheless.
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So I appeal to you to set me straight in the unlikely event that I am wrong.  But I don't think I am.
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We have the democratic gubernatorial candidate, Martha Coakley, running ads stating that her brother had a breakdown, and after her parents died, took his own life because "he had no place to go."   And then she grimaces.
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I'm sorry, but my only conclusion is that there was no way he could ask his sister for help after their parents passed, ergo he committed suicide.    So where the hell was Martha?.... and what is her point?  That Government should have nurtured and guided her brother???  What was Martha's role?
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And how, in God's Green Earth, does Coakley think this will get our vote to make her Governor of Massachusetts????
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So Peeps.... What the hell am I missing?   There must be something because this one just seems to be the wackiest Liberal political ad that I've seen in a long time.

Get It Done

Working on the Secret Project this Sunday morning, and then I promised Mike that I would help him pick up his hardwood flooring stock at Lumber Liquidators this afternoon.

By the Patriots kickoff at 8:00 PM tonight, this MOAM will be a twisted mass of fatique but I'm looking forward to getting stuff done today.

Worx Shredder

 I've decided to mulch the crap out of any leaf that has the audacity to fall on my property this autumn.   Bought this WORX WG430 13 amp Electric Leaf Mulcher/Shredder to back me up.

Baker gets the Nanepashemet Nod

 Peeps... this is a personal plea.  
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In the name of all that is holy and decent in our lives, please don't cast your Massachusetts Governor vote for Martha Coakley.    Her judgement as Attorney General has been arbitrary and vindictive in my opinion and she has been in pathetic lockstep with Liberal positions.  No wonder the First Lady is cheering like a Pep Squad Sophomore.
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If you think that the Commonwealth of Massachusetts will benefit from her stewartship as our Governor, then don't take my word for it... ask Betty Anne Waters, Dorothy Rabinowitz, or Tim Cahill.    She trashes lives with impunity.  There is a meanness and viciousness here that should never be part of the leadership of a democratic administration.
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My greatest fear is the bureaucrat who decides that checking a box or making a resume entry warrants destroying another person's life.   If I'm wrong about Martha, then I'm happy to be corrected... but there is a pattern here that I find hard to deny.
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It would be different if we didn't have an alternative... but we do...a very good one.

Charlie Baker is a businessman with a proven managerial record of success in both the public and private sectors.  I recommend that you vote for Charlie.

OK... I'm  asking you to vote for Charlie.

After all... He just received the Nanepashemet Nod.

Boothbay Harbor

Typical Political Posturing

I hope that Seth Moulton runs on the issues, and not the usual drivel to the Democrat Sheep that spews  that Republicans are bad people.   I've already heard him blame the shut down of the Federal Government on Republicans, which is pure Bullshit.  Obama was the one shutting down national parks selectively.... not his military golf course, and shutting down the White House tours while the Capital tours stayed open.    Obama's failure to compromise due to his stubbornness and inexperience contributed at least 50%, Seth.
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I know you have to get elected, but I sure as Hell hope that you can raise the bar, and not be the typical pol catering to an unthinking and base emotional electorate.

Not Negating the Nod

The secret Project has been progressing nicely.... ahead of schedule actually.  And I've been losing weight lugging 80lb. bags of concrete mix in the process.... so it's all good.
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But what is really bothering me in the meantime is the way Seth Moulton, who has garnered the Nanepashemet Nod in his bid for the 6th Massachusetts US Congressional seat, has been cozying up to Democrat Hacks in the District.   I had hoped for a more individualistic stance, but I see him being swept up by hard liners.
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The latest was his Facebook poses with Elizabeth Warren, our Massachusetts US Senator who runs fast and loose with the truth and has no problem lying about her claim to be a Cherokee Indian...  Sorry but I just can't let this one go... it speaks to the core for her character.... to lie about being a minority.   Anything else that she says just lacks credibility knowing that she has no problem letting a whopper like this stay with her.
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Seth..... she also endorsed a liar, Congressman Tierney, before turning to you and your successful campaign with sloppy seconds.

I'm not Negating the Nod at this time, but I have to see some better judgement from you, Seth

Evidence and Balls

So last night, I'm cruising along on Facebook.... you know.... the usual attempt to amuse and annoy.... in no particular order.
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I post a thread about Vanna White from Wheel of Fortune, who after Sarah Palin, is one of my favorite Hotties.  Then, I comment on a thread that a FB Friend of mine put up about the Public Broadcasting System, and how disingenuous they can be.
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It was an enjoyable way to pass a Tuesday evening.
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In the past year, I have blocked two people on Facebook.  They both decided to get personal and make false accusations about me.... and life is too short to put up with that crap.... so I decided to use the option that Facebook has which is the ability to block any posts from them, and deny them access to yours.
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No harm, no foul.... and no more aggravation.,,,, so it was a fine solution for me.
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Over the course of the year, I would notice that some posts from old friends had comments that seemed out of context, and I ascertained that one of the Blocked parties was in the discussion.  Who gives a shit... right?
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But then, in the middle of the thread tonight,  I get a post that says I'm missing the good stuff, and that I should kiss and make up with one of my antagonists.    Fair enough.... I like the guy who made the suggestion, so I unblocked the former offending party.
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Immediately his posts show up in the thread saying that he notices that I must be participating in the thread, because he can't see all of the entries and that it was funny that I blocked him, and that I was a "Blowhard" and a "Coward".
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So I call him out and tell him that he was hurting my feelings.
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Let's face it Peeps.... he was dead on that I am a "Blowhard".....  but I'm no "Coward" and have plenty of life's lumps to back that up.
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But everyone is entitled to their opinion.
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He posts that he has shamed me to unblock him.... so I glibly reply that he should be careful, or that I would have to give him another "time out".

I've known this guy since high school... never really gave him much thought.... most of my recollection is that he seemed to be a nice guy..... showed a weird mean streak once.... but everyone is an idiot in high school, so WTF.
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So Guess what... the guy who calls me a "Coward" because I blocked him..... immediately Blocks me.   His posts in the thread disappear.
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 Damn....
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You do the math, Peeps.  If that is his belief, then Logic would dictate that he now has to paste the label on himself.
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In the years I've been on Facebook. I've never gotten personal......never called people names..... and I didn't tonight either.   Course you have to make the exception for public figures like Chief Spreading Bull, our despicable lying US Senator Liz Warren, but public figures are fair game.
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Here I go again... being a "Blowhard".
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But don't ever call me a "Coward", unless you have the Evidence and the Balls to back it up.

Creating with a Kushlan

A lot of you inquisitive Peeps have been asking me about the Kushlan cement mixer lately.
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I don't blame you... it is one damn cool machine.
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With two 80 lb. bags of premix Quicrete and two gallons of water, this nifty model will quickly and quietly mix up  a nice pour in no time.  An 8' x8' two inch slab will take 18 to 20 bags,
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I spray the inside of mine with WD40 to keep the mix from sticking.
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Troweling out slab of concrete with a magnesium float
creates a satisfying feel of accomplishment.
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And don't be thinking you can borrow my Kushlan.... freaking buy your own.

Salt Marsh Home

We spent the day today moving Mike and Pam into their new house at Beverly Farms.  It abuts a salt marsh and, as Scott McBurney said, has good bones.  Plus the Beverly Farms village center is just down the road past West Beach, and has a nice package store where I bought some celebratory Magners Irish Cider and a six of Sam Adams to celebrate the move.
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Thanks  to Scuba Steve Lewis, Official Mortgage Broker of Nanepashemet, for helping to make this happen.
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Mike and Pam will have many moments of enjoyment staring at that marsh, and I'm very happy for them.

Carlos, My GrandDog

Carlos my GrandDog has spent the last few days in Marblehead with us as Mike and Pam prepare for their move to Beverly.

He and Henry the Cat have developed a healthy tolerance for one another that occasionally erupts when one decides to annoy the other.

I Had a Dream Last Night

Last night, primarily due to my sleep apnea harness, I went into deep REM and experienced a very vivid dream.
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I dreamed that a young kid, who grew up in Indonesia from Communist parents, and was indoctrinated by extremely radical Chicago politicians and ideologues, went on to become the President of the United States.
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He ran a community action center, spent one term in the State Senate, one term in the US Senate, and then was swept into the Presidency.
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He started out by inspiring everyone with his incredible charisma and public speaking ability.  But then, the ability to govern... to administer, compromise, and lead... failed him.  His administration, which was promised as being a transparent process for all to see, became mired in narcissism and secrecy.  The largess of he and his family as they traveled the US and the World, showed an extravagance and sense of entitlement at the expense of others that was disheartening.
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He won a Nobel Peace Prize before he ever made one executive decision, but then waffled in meeting challenges in the time frames in which they arose.
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Some supported him because he was Black, and others derided him for the same reason.   Racism raised its ugly head in both instances.

He couldn't work with Congress, and didn't seem to listen to the advice of those around him, particularly his military staff.  He looked for excuses and blame, and his sycophant supporters allowed a foggy perception of reality.
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The United States with its political, social, and business institutions weathered his ineptitude and incompetency, but lost the chance to lead the world to a stronger economy and more stable social and political order.

It was one of those  weird, totally illogical dreams.    I woke up before the dream was over.... don't know how it ended.

Getting Concrete with the Plan

I'm thinking of renting this cement mixer from Home Depot, or possibly making a purchase.  The rental is $47.00 a day so I think that I will work to get the preparation completely ready, then rent it for three or four days.It's a big change in plans to go with concrete, but in the end, will probably save time and money.

Splitting Granite

Did a lot of work on the secret project today,  it is coming along nicely but very labor intensive.  When it is done, I may or may not disclose it.

One thing I will tell you is that I have mastered the technique of splitting stone using wedge and feathers.   Before, I didn't drill the holes close enough or deep enough.     The 1/2" holes have to be drilled at least three inches deep and three inches apart.

Once I corrected this, the strongest granite boulders cracked and split after a few pings with a hammer on the wedges inserted in the feathers.

Power of the Nanepashemet Nod

MA - U.S. HOUSE DIST 6 - DEM
100% OF PRECINCTS REPORTING
>	Seth Moulton	34,455	49%
	John Tierney (Inc.)	28,882	41%
	Marisa DeFranco	4,282	6%
	John Devine	1,525	2%
	John Gutta	687	1%

The power of the Nanepashemet Nod is mysterious indeed.

Course it doesn't work all the time... if fact, this is the first time that it has worked in years.
But there it is... for all you Peeps to see and admire.

I hope Seth Moulton proves to be worthy.

North Country Weekend

This weekend, I had a great time in North Conway.    Mike and Pam dropped by as they were checking out venues in the Mountains for their big event, and Ryan and Kim brought up the Grandkids, Will and Ethan, for a visit to Storyland.
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It was the type of weekend that you live for.
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The only fly in the ointment was the Patriots game.   Time Warner Cable had an issue providing service to the area in the first half, then when service resumed in the second half, the Pats game came apart.  They'll regroup.
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It was kind of nice to get away from the Moulton-Tierney Congressional race as it intensified this weekend with election day next Tues.  As you Peeps may have ascertained, the MOAM has invested a bit of emotion in his support of Moulton, who shapes up as a fresh, honest face with a solid record of military and academic accomplishment.
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In North Conway, the local news markets cover Portland, Maine and Manchester, NH, and both electorates appear to have a strong sprinkling of both Liberal and Conservative views.  Scott Brown looks like he will have an uphill battle with Jeanne Shaheen if you take your indications from the number of roadside political signs that are scattered throughout the area.
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But what surprised me the most was the amount of political ads that place opponents in photo opportunities with President Obama and view that as a given negative.
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Generally, if you are a politician in a photo with the POTUS, it is a positive indication that the President supports you.  That's why Presidents are a sought after commodity in local fund raising events. But each political ad in the North country that featured Obama posed a proof positive assumption that the candidate supported ObamaCare, Illegal Immigration or some other insidious policy that exposes the candidate in an unfavorable light.

You don't see those types of ads in the Boston Market.

Why Vote for Seth Moulton?

So the obnoxious political ad says that you shouldn't vote for Seth Moulton because a ..... Republican..... group gave him money.

Course his opponent, John Tierney, is a lock step Nancy Pelosi Democrat, who has never wandered a a smidgen away from the standard Democratic lines that they feed to their unthinking herd.

I'm an Independent, and I highly resent it when some close minded dweeb decides that calling someone a "Republican" is the ultimate condemnation.  It doesn't even bother me that Seth Moulton characterizes himself as a "Progressive Democrat",  I just want to see people in office who have the fortitude to speak the truth as they see it.... and by the way..... if you think Tierney didn't know anything about all of the dirty off-shore money that his wife ran through his personal checking account, then I've got a Bridge in Brooklyn that you may be interested in.

Moulton is a guy who had the world by the Balls, coming out of Phillips Andover and Harvard..... he could have written his own ticket....but obviously he answered the need to give back and serve our Country in Iraq.

Your Nanepashemet Mountain of a Man doesn't know him, never met him, never even shook his hand.  But a guy with his promise doesn't show up that often.

When I look at the photo above, taken during one of his four tours of duty in Iraq..... I see an "American".   I  will register as a Democrat if necessary, but I'm voting for Seth Moulton for the Massachusetts 6th Congressional District seat.... and I hope you do too.

A Leadership Vacuum

We have a State Department with Embassies and Consulates all over the world.   We have an ingrained CIA, NSA and God Knows What Else surveying and gathering intelligence on a massive and constant basis.  We have the largest and most powerful Navy in the world and control the international corridors.   When President Obama says we have no strategy to deal with ISIS in Syria, he is either confused, insincere, or has no ability to manage the immense resources at his disposal.
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Are you happy that we elected this Community Activist from Chicago with an affinity for teleprompters?   The fault is not Obama's.   It is the herd that elected him.... Twice.

Popping the Question

Mike popped the question and Pam said yes.  How AWESOME is THAT!

A SPECIAL DAY.

Benefits of A Seth Moulton Vote

I don't always vote for Democrats.
But when I do....

I vote for Seth Moulton for Congress.

This is how you will feel when you vote for Seth.

Opinionettes.

The little girl who killed her instructor with an Ooze Automatic weapon when it recoiled..... we lost a perfectly good village idiot in that tragedy.

Martha Coakley is taking  a page out of Elizabeth Warren's book.... campaigning against the Big Banks and the Old Boy Network.... it is phony, yet fodder for the Democratic herd which will elect this vindictive and hurtful politician.

Brad and Angelina got married.... freaking whoop di do.

If Massachusetts doesn't elect the ticket of Baker and Polito, it will get what it deserves and will lose a huge opportunity for professional management to solve its massive issues.

Why are we paying millions on the Boston Marathon Bomber's defense?

I can't wait for the medical community to admit that deep fried food is good for you.

Facebook is an incredible invention that has rekindled relationships and reunions that were never before possible and I am grateful.

Summer comes and goes quicker every year, and global warming is a crock.

Angry Orchard Hard Cider and Captain Morgans Spiced Rum is a delicious cocktail but will get you looped after two.

Enough for now.

Karyn Polito

Went to see Karyn Polito, Republican Candidate for Massachusetts Lieutenant Governor this evening at a meet and greet organized by my old friend, Louis Markakis, at Palmer's Restaurant in Downtown Marblehead.
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She is the real deal.
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Strong Emphasis on taking personal responsibility and weaning people away from depending on Government.  Lower Taxes... cut Goverment Regulation... all those things that make sense but scare the pants off of Liberal Big Government.
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I liked her, but question whether she and Charlie Baker can get elected in this Commonweath of Entitlement.

Post Secret Project

I'm starting get the hots to build this greenhouse that I designed last year, somewhere on the Sundance Property.


Maybe in the Driveway where it will double as a garage.  But nothing can happen until I finish the secret project.

Secret Project Progress

The secret project that I have been working all summer long is at a critical milestone.   I will disclose it at the proper time, but as of now, it is a secret... so don't be asking about it.

Nestor-Mestor

Anne Freeman Hill just sent me this photo of Joanne and I with Phil and Marva Freeman at Jeff and Kathy Middleton's Wedding.
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I had forgotten how good looking we all were back then!
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Hard to believe they both are gone, but I have to believe they are together in a better place.
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Anne is Phil's youngest sister and she used to be a little pip squeak who would get in my face and call me Nestor-Mestor whenever I showed up on Collins Street Terrace in East Lynn.
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She married a great athlete from West Lynn, Tony Hill, and matured into a beautiful woman..... But even though we are all forty years older,  I still picture her as this little kid trying to torment me.
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Thank you, Anne, for sending me this memory.

  

Testing the Water

Maybe it's time to trade in the WhaleEye for a new model.  Ryan and I looked at a nice MayCraft down at CoastlineMarine today.   I was impressed with the dealer, and the boat seemed to be a solid no frills fishing platform.



We have to see what accounts receivable looks like at Nanepashemet Telecom.
http://www.may-craft.com/

Seth Moulton for Congress

I'm thinking of throwing the coveted Nanepashemet Nod to Seth Moulton for the Sixth Congressional Massachusetts District.

He's a Marine veteran and I sense that there is a well of honesty and integrity.   And yes, I know, He is a Progressive Democrat.  That concerns me, but if he acts honestly, that would be exceptionally refreshing.

I offered a spot on my lawn for one of his campaign signs too.... so that should be enough to swing this gig for him.

Lives Lived Well

After Phil Freeman's services on Saturday,  we had to attend services for Omer LeBlanc, Joanne's 93 year old uncle on Tuesday.

As sad as the ritual of death and dying is, the habit of coming together with old friends and family is very comforting and helps us cope and move on among the living.  We honor their passage and our own problems fade from center stage for a
small time.

While the funeral is an ending, it is also a beginning to celebrate the time we have left with people who are important to us.

Phil and Omer were people that I knew since I was a little kid, and it is sad to see their passing,  but their services revealed that both had lives that were lived well.

Just In Case You Forgot

B-17 Flying Fortress - A Mistaken Detail

Back in 1995,  I bought this framed print at Kennedy Studios, and presented it to my cousin, the Late Attorney John Nestor, in commemoration of the fact that he had flown 125 missions in a B-17 Flying Fortress during World War II... an amazing feat.
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He stared silently at it for awhile.
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First I though he was sizing it up and identifying inaccuracies, such as a turrent or gun not being in the right place.... but then I began to think that I had made a bad mistake, and that it was conjuring up memories that were best left dormant.
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When I finally broke the ackward silence and asked, "Is there anything wrong?", he replied... "There certainly is."

"What's that?" I said with a bit of anxiety.

"Those fucking Messerschmidts would have never gotten that close.",  John said.

He never hung that print in his office.  And he never forgave the Germans or the Japanese.
John was a great man for many reasons.  God rest his Soul.

(Thanks for Frank Iacono for placing the print on Facebook.)

Philip Freeman - Lynn Daily Evening Item - Obituary

Philip G. Freeman, 62

Formerly of Lynn

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Posted: Wednesday, August 13, 2014 3:00 am

Philip G. Freeman, 62 0 comments                                    
 

ENGLEWOOD, N.J. — Philip G. Freeman, age 62, of Englewood, N.J., formerly of Lynn, Mass., passed away on Sunday, Aug. 10, 2014. Born in Henderson, N.C., to the late Albert and Dorothy (Bradley) Freeman, Philip was a graduate of Lynn English High School, Class of 1970, where he was co-captain of the track team, setting a record only recently broken for the two mile run in 10.2 minutes.

He graduated from Boston College, Class of 1974, where he studied sociology. Philip had a successful career primarily in computer technology and later in financial services working at Pan Am, Exxon, PSEG, and PNC Bank.

Philip enjoyed music, domestic and international travel, sports and art. He made friends wherever he went with his charm and engaging personality.

Philip was predeceased by his beloved wife, Marva (Braithwaite) Freeman. He is survived by his loving daughter Melissa Brown (Freeman), his son-in-law Lance Brown and granddaughter Leah; brothers, Edward J. Freeman (Cynthia), Thomas J. Freeman (Jessica), Ronald A. Freeman (Ginette), Leon H. Freeman (Michele), Richard E. Freeman (Fiona), sisters, Marcia I. Leffler (Lee) and Anne M. Hill (Tony). He is also survived by his aunt, Alice Boykin; father-in-law Jack C. Braithwaite; sister-in-law Karen Singleton; and brother-in-law Richard Emmanuel. He was predeceased by his brother Albert C. Freeman (Gretchen) and mother-in-law Germaine Braithwaite.

Philip was a beloved uncle to his many nieces and nephews. He is also survived by many cousins and a magnitude of great friends.

Service information: Visitation at BARRETT FUNERAL HOME, 148 Dean Drive, Tenafly, N.J., on Saturday, 9-11 a.m. Funeral Mass Saturday, 11:30 a.m., at St. John’s Church, 470 Broad Ave., Leonia, N.J. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Kidney Foundation at www.kidney.org.

Phil Freeman - RIP

Jeff Middleton called Joanne today and said that Phil Freeman had died in the last day or so.   He had a brain embolism or something, slipped into a coma and passed away....and had suffered a stroke in the last ten years and endured kidney problems.  His beautiful wife, Marva, had died of cancer in 2012.  He was 62.

I first met Freeman when I was in the 2nd grade at St. Joseph's Sunday school.  He lived down by the Meadows where the East Lynn colored people lived, and I lived in the Highlands, so we didn't go to the same elementary school, but just seemed to hit it off on Sunday's at St. Joseph's.  When we both went to Eastern Junior High School, in the seventh grade, we joined the St. Joseph's CYO Basketball team and would hang out on wintry afternoons after games or practices down on Green Street and Union Street in Lynn.

Phil and I were not exceptional basketball players, we didn't have the size and basically just held our own.  When we were Sophomores at Lynn English High, Phil went out for the cross country team and became a standout.  I was thinking of going out for the swim team, but after a couple of gym calisthenic workouts, and watching the cross country team come back in the locker room, I joined the team prior to the beginning of the indoor track season.   My mental reasoning was precisely this.... "If Freeman can be this good, then I should be able to do really well, because I'm at least as good as Freeman."

I was wrong.

Freeman was a gifted long distance runner and I was a plodder at the back of the pack.  It was incredibly difficult for me to mold my pudgy developing body into the type of shape that it would take to compete, but Freeman was my inspiration.  He had a beautiful fluid stride, and a lot of guts.

How could he be this good and me be that  bad? !!!

Gradually, throughout that Indoor Track season, I improved until I was the second fastest Sophomore miler on the team... behind Phil.

Then at the beginning of the outdoor season, I pulled a muscle in my hip and was just limping through races.  Phil knew that I was not improving and I remember the day when we sat on the bus on the way home from a meet at Peabody High, and he thought he could console me by suggesting that I try to throw the discus or the javelin. I don't think he ever knew how annoyed I was with that comment, and that really motivated me to become the best runner possible.

By the time we were Juniors, Freeman and I were within the top five varsity cross country members of the team,  He was number two behind Fred Doyle and I was number four behind Rick Jankowski. We went on to be the Essex County Champions of 1968 and at the end of the year, Phil and I were named Co-Captains of the Lynn English High Track Team for our senior year.

In our senior year, we had begun to be known in local track circles as Freeman and Nestor from Lynn English and we were contenders in Essex County and the Massachusetts State Meets.  Any race that I ran with Phil, I was content to be second and at least beat the other guys.   The only Cross Country race that I ever won was the time that Phil was home sick from school.... and I took the opportunity to beat the crap out of the Peabody runners who had no idea that I was grabbing what I thought was my one chance to come in first.  I did beat him once, when  I had a great run at the Essex County Cross Country Championships our senior year, finishing third,.....and  Phil  came in sixth.   It was the only time I ever beat him cleanly.   He was genuinely happy for me, and I sensed a feeling of pure friendship from him.

 Later that winter, Phil was third in the Division I Two Mile and I came in sixth on the boards in the old Boston Garden... I was happy and proud to see him ahead of me with the leaders, and earn a State Medal.

Phil and I started to go to the CYO Dances together when we were Sophomores and he began to let his Afro develop.   He was the first Black kid at English with a full blown Afro which would have made Jimi Hendrix proud.  Around that time, he would insist that his name was not Phil Freeman... it was Marcus Garvey.   I had no idea who the hell he was taking about until years later when I actually took the trouble to research who Marcus Garvey was.  But we never went deeper than that.

Freeman was a great dancer at the CYO dances and the girls liked him.   Phil told me every sordid detail of his encounters with women and I truly got a good portion of my sex education listening to him.  But Phil was a genuinely kind person and I remember how he acted when he told me about the girl in my neighborhood who said that she loved him.   He was really moved.  We would stand around for hours,  leaning against a Mailbox on the street corner, telling each other things that we were feeling. and observing in those formative years.

We would be down at the Meadow Playground playing basketball in the summer and passing pucks back and forth with hockey sticks and no skates when the Meadow would freeze over in the Winter.

I think our friendship was obvious to others, and we never really discussed race issues which were rising in intensity at the time.  It was 1967, 68, 69  Sherwin Wheeler, a Black kid who lived across the street from Phil, once got in my face and asked if I would let my sister date Phil...  I could sense where he was going .....  "I don't care if she dates Phil... I just don't want her to date you!", was my reply... and Sherwin knew full well that I didn't have a sister.

Outside of that, I don't remember the issue ever coming up.   I was bothered and embarrassed when the Lynn English Yearbook had a picture of me at the end of our Senior Year captioned " John Leads the Way".  At best it was stupid and naive, and at worse,  it was racist.   Freeman lead the way, I was a solid second.  And  I was confused  when I came back from my Freshman year at UMASS Amherst, went over to see Phil who was home from Boston College, and asked him if he wanted to go to some nightclub in Boston.  Freeman declined, saying it was "Too White Oriented".

I just shrugged it off at the time and didn't give it much thought until I got back to school the next semester when I wrote up the incident in a College Journalism class, and the UMASS Professor told be that my short story should be published.  But I never followed up.

After College, Phil got a job in New Jersey and married a beautiful girl, Marva, from Brookline.  I remember being at his wedding in Boston, which was incredibly done, and getting really misty for a while as I contemplated how far he seemed to have come from those old days when we would push each other in the St. Joseph's Sunday School lines.  He had carved out  beautiful life for himself.

We faded away from each other.   I last saw him at this father's wake at the Solimine Funeral Home in Lynn in the late 90's.  For some reason, I got really emotional, dragged him out into the parking lot and told him that I was always bothered by that yearbook notation and that I felt it was racist.   He just shrugged and smiled.

So when I talked to Jeff this afternoon, and he told me how Phil had died with declining health in the last ten years, every detail came rushing back to me.  I couldn't speak and just blubbered into the phone with Jeff for awhile.  Pretty sad... I would try to Google him from time to time and even Google mapped his house in Englewood, NJ a couple of years ago. I should have called him, but it was enough to know that he was still walking the  Earth.

But now he isn't... and I will miss him.

~

JT Hackett1:28 PM

Jay, very nice piece that brings back a lot of good memories of running track with you two at LEHS. Greatly saddened by the news. Phil was a really good guy and an awesome runner. As you said, he will be missed. John T. Hackett III

56 Tips for an Awesome Real Estate Listing Presentation

May 7, 2013 Luke Montgomery Meeting with Clients
listing presententation ipad

Seven seconds.

That’s how much time it takes to make a first impression. As an agent, your first impression has to be fantastic in order to convince a seller to list with you. Proper planning and preparation will gain you an edge over the competition and earn your potential seller’s business.

In this post, you will find an extensive list of listing presentation tips to help you stand out, look great and increase your chances of winning the real estate listing.



Do Your Research


listing presentation research

1. Learn everything relevant that you can about the listing property and seller. Check tax records for details on the property. You should also try a simple Google search to see if your potential client maintains an online presence on sites like LinkedIn or Facebook.

2. Drive by the property to get a sense of the neighborhood and snap an image for the listing presentation. Unless the property has been listed in the MLS before, you will need a subject property photo to enhance your CMA.

3. Check and see if the property has sold and in past MLS records. Make a mental note of previous pricing trends.

4. Bring along a list of basic repairs and checks that will improve the prospects of a listing. These should apply to any home and should be easy to fix or implement, with a good return on investment. For example:

Raising blinds and shades to open a room and bring in more light
Painting, especially over flaws in the current paint
Updating the landscaping
Staging the main living areas—placing patio furniture, dressing up the spare room, etc.
Cleaning out cluttered storage areas
Simplifying over-complicated decorations
Fixing and replacing broken or burned-out light fixtures
5. Understand the client’s reasons for selling. A seller reacting to a life-changing event such as a new job or a child’s departure for college may need different guidance than an investor ready to flip a valuable property.



Scheduling Listing Presentations


6. At open houses you host, soft sell to possible clients who come through the door. Master active listening and be specific about how you express interest in helping them to show that you understand their unique situation.

7. Always keep a stack of your professional marketing materials on hand to give out. Keep a spare stash in your car as well as on your person.

8. When meeting a potential client, ask the Five Ws (and one H):

Who makes up the family (how many adults, children, and pets)
What they are looking for (from the number of bedrooms and bathrooms down to the style of home they prefer)
When they are interested in moving or selling
Where they would like to live
Why now is the time to make a change
How they plan to proceed (what is the first/next step? Do they have an agent yet?)
9. If a potential client expresses interest in sitting down with you, ask to set an appointment after they have spoken with any other agents they are considering. Being the last to interview can give you a huge advantage, since you will be fresh in their minds.



Come Prepared for Success


average of comps

10. Whether you have crafted them into a CMA or just printed a copy off your MLS, bring along the latest market statistics and trends to back up your statements.

11. Make sure you have appropriate marketing sheets with you.

12. A beautiful, full-color market analysis and presentation will go a long way towards snagging and keeping the attention of any client.

13. Clients want to see where their home sits on the market. Show them with graphs and other visual methods of interpreting data.

14. Put together a pitch for why you are the best agent for this specific client. Cite area expertise, previous similar transactions, your personal ties to their reasons for moving, and more.

15. Bright, gorgeous brochures are great for leaving behind with an interested client.

16. Know who you will use to take the professional photos of the home and bring along a sample of their work.

17. Offer to craft a visual walkthrough of the home, if possible. Again, bringing samples of the work you can provide—whether you do the walkthroughs yourself or hire a professional—will go a long way towards convincing a client you are prepared to be their agent.

18. Know your strengths as an agent. Be confident in the value of your knowledge, expertise and resources.



Stand Out from the Competition


real estate agent collateral

19. Never speak ill of your competition. Talk respectfully about your fellow agents, and you’re more likely to receive the same courtesy in return.

20. Provide the same high level of service, no matter the value of your client’s property.

21. Encourage sellers to interview multiple agents to ensure they are working with the right person.

22. Never put pressure on potential clients. Don’t be afraid to ask for what you want, but pestering will not win you business.

23. Be informative without being aggressive or pushy.

24. Be honest. Share the good and the bad and be constructive with your advice, but don’t sugarcoat the situation.

25. Dress well and appropriately for the client and situation. For example, if you are meeting at a coffee shop, you may dress more casually than if you are meeting over dinner on the waterfront.

26. Smile and make eye contact. It will increase your likeability and make you seem more accessible.

27. Speak clearly and with confidence.



Following Up


writing a personal thank you note

28. Always follow up with a personal note. Don’t use a form letter. Try to send a handwritten note if you can.

29. With their permission, add the potential client to your mailing lists so you can keep in contact with them even if they choose a different agent or decide to wait to list their property.

30. Send potential clients a monthly market update via email –whether a newsletter, statistics or just some helpful information they can use. When they are ready to sell, your name will be stuck in their minds.

31. Send a small, thoughtful gift, and personalize it if you can, to show you are willing to go above and beyond what is expected.

32. Follow the two-day rule: wait at least 48 hours after the presentation to follow up. Have a very specific question ready when you do follow up: “Are you ready to list your property?” or “What are your concerns about listing at this time?”



More Tips


33. When crafting marketing language, try to avoid the word “sales” to describe yourself or your business. Unfortunately, the term “salesperson” is perceived to be dishonest in a marketing-heavy world. Instead, portray yourself as a trusted consultant, pledged to provide the highest quality service and reach the client’s desired outcome.

34. Always focus on the prospect’s needs as the foundation of your discussion. Demonstrate that you are the best person to represent them and show your understanding of their needs as your starting point.

35. Guide the prospect to the answers. Instead of reading off your slides or drawing your own conclusions, allow them to interject in what will feel like a “Eureka!” moment for them. If you can get a prospect to speak the key points you are trying to make, they will feel like they have arrived at the answer themselves and it will be stronger for that.

36. Keep the presentation focused on the client. Talk about yourself, but put it in the context of how you can help them.



The Don’ts


37. Don’t show up late. Make a great impression and show up a few minutes early. You should treat it like a job interview–after all, it is!

38. Don’t carry strong smells on your person. Pets, cigar or cigarette smoke, alcohol, strong cologne or perfume, garlic–these can be immediate turn-offs and make up someone’s mind before you even have a chance to speak.

39. Don’t neglect your homework. Know the seller’s motivations for their life change, the general condition of their home and how much work they are willing to do to get their house ready for the market.

40. Don’t overlook the seller’s financial situation. Finances are a touchy subject, so you may not want to ask directly, but infer what you can from what they say.

41. Don’t treat the real estate listing appointment too casually. Take your clients (or prospective clients) seriously!

42. Don’t try to hard-sell yourself in an area you know little about. Keep a list of experts you trust and refer your clients to them if you aren’t sure of an answer.

43. Don’t display architectural ignorance. If you aren’t familiar with the type of home your clients have, do a little reading beforehand.

44. Don’t move too quickly through your presentation. Speak slowly and clearly and stop for questions.

45. Don’t forget to tailor your presentation to the specific audience. You may have a standard set of marketing materials, but some may not be appropriate for every situation.

46. Don’t talk more than you listen.

47. Don’t ignore anyone at the presentation. When a couple or family is present, it isn’t always easy to tell who the real decision maker is, so it is best to assume that if they are at the listing presentation, they have some weight in the final decision. Address the needs of all present.

48. Don’t ignore the client’s pet(s). If you are uncomfortable with an animal, politely request that it be removed from the room, but otherwise be friendly.

49. Don’t be ignorant of the surrounding neighborhoods.

50. Don’t forget to explain your personal system of success. Be up front with how you market and negotiate.

51. Don’t appear disorganized.

52. Don’t fail to recommend improvements that you truly believe would raise the home’s value.

53. Don’t let your cell phone interrupt the conversation.

54. Don’t bring a bad mood to a meeting.

55. Don’t overlook the power of mirroring.

56. Don’t forget to thank the sellers for their time and for allowing you in their home.

The tips on this list are meant to be a reminder and a set of guidelines–not every suggestion will apply to every situation, and you may have your own protocol for winning listings.

Good luck on your listing presentations!

If you found this post useful, your friends might too. Please consider sharing. Thank you!

Out of Executive Order

Apparently, President Obama misunderstands that the Executive Branch of the United States Government administers government programs, but does not dictate policy, The President expressly has the ability to veto an Act of Congress, but even that can be overturned by Congress..

Laws are initiated and passed by Congress, the Legislative Branch, they are administered by the President, the Executive Branch, and are interpreted and clarified by the Supreme Court, the Judicial Branch.  None of the three branches of government hold sway over the other.... this is what our system of checks and balances was designed to do.  It is a system that has blessed our country with exceptional stability and strength.

When Obama feels that he can circumvent Congress, or the Supreme Court.... he is acting contrary to the laws of this Republic.

So what's the deal with his Executive Orders, which are supposed to be for highly specialized situations????

Below is the current status of Executive Orders issued by modern US Presidents.

Eisenhower- 2 in 8 years
Kennedy - 4 in 3 years
LBJ - 4 in 5 years
Nixon - 1 in 6 years
Ford - 3 in 2 years
Carter - 3 in 4 years
Reagan - 5 in 8 years
Bush - 3 in 4 years
Clinton - 15 in 8 years
George W. Bush - 62 in 8 years

Obama - 923 in 3 1/2 years

Who is this man to unilaterally change the way our Government has been established????  There is a fundamental change occurring in this country.

I hope we are strong enough in our institutions to countermand it.

Time for Vacation

Does it seem to you like Obama is almost disintegrating?  That he is going through the motions, and wishes he has never left his Chi Town ideological thug cronies for this life in the fishbowl?

 He has scheduled his two week Martha's Vineyard August vacation and I'm jealous.
~
I can't take my hands off the steering wheel of Nanepashemet Telecom for more than a few days without getting my Ass kicked..... but here is a guy with arguably the most important job in the world.... who can kick back with the fam for multiple weeks at a time.
~
Maybe the Mountain of a Man should run for President, so that I finally can finagle a Vaca every few months or so.

Cat Poop

As I was emptying the contents of Henry the Cat's litterbox yesterday, I couldn't help but wonder how a little cat can have such massive dumps.   I'm talking about stools that are a quarter of the length of his body.
~
If we used that ratio to the average six foot man, we are talking a foot and a half per sitting.
~
That's a lot of poop.

Political Haymaker

Teleprompters R Us.

Need substance to be the Prez.   Hire good people, make them accountable, think strategically and not ideologically, lay out the groundwork for public policy and work with the Legislature.

Whatever...

O-Bla-Di, O-Bla-Da.....

Lots of political water under the Bridge since I've actively posted to this pathetic Blog.

Seems like the Obama administration is straining with its peculiar brand of logic that trades enemy Al-Queda Generals for an unstable alleged deserter American Private, and the absolute ineptitude of our immigration laws being ignored outright with a stream of illegal aliens coming in from the Mexican border.

At least we have solved the problem of all of those Americans defecting to Mexico.   One Marine screws up and ends in Mexican jail.

Although the Obama administration cleaned up Al-Queda just in time for the last political election - a la Benhghazi denials - it seems that the terrorists are having a great deal of success regaining Iraq as a stronghold to stage their Jihad agenda against the West.

And apparently, an American is rotting in Sudanese jail, sentenced to death and giving birth in the interim while in shackles.  Her offence?  Converting to Christianity.

But enough of this PAP.

Where are the Obama's going for their summer vacation this year?  Inquiring minds want to know.

"O-Bla-Di, O-Bla-Da, life goes on, bra!...
Lala how the life goes on."

Weak Leadership at the executive level has a price.   Not sure how long we will be paying.... 

Clam Pie

Frank Pepe's of New Haven - Clam Pizza
Worth the drive.

Squaw Sachem, Queen of Nanepashemet

Soil Sifter

Sweet Home Chicago.

My latest song that I'm learning to play is dedicated to President Obama... "Sweet Home Chicago", lately popularized by the Blues Brothers, but recorded by a lot of people.

So I bought a Bose Mini Bluetooth Speaker thinking that it would connect with the Amplitube iRig that links my iPhone5 with my Epiphone Les Paul.   You know... so I can rock out from time to time.

The iRig Amplitude application is an acceptable replacement for my Fender Amp that someone stole from me years ago.....But I'm having trouble connecting to the Bose with the Bluetooth, so I ordered a 3.5MM male to male audio cable from Amazon for a hard connection.
~

I like the lyrics.... "Come On..... Baby Won't You Please come HOME... Sweet Home.... Chicago."

Three years or so to go.

BTW, my guitar playing sucks... almost as much as this pathetic Blog.... but at least you don't have to listen to it.