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.
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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.
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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.
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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?
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With so many raised expectations, it is a time of much planning and not a little stress.
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Thanks to Amazon, I can generally take care of my relatives in Florida, and leave the grandkids to Joanne.
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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.
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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."
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I respectfully disagree.
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 I almost hate to say this, but the reason for the season is Peace on Earth, Goodwill to All Mankind.
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Jesus definitely fits in, but what did Jesus have to do with Santa, Elves, Christmas Trees and Rudolph???? 
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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. 
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 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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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As usual, no invitations have been issued, yet you will be vilified and scorned if you do not attend.
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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.
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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.
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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".
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Henceforth, and from this day forward, the ceremonial dish of the Nanepashemet Thanksgiving Eve Bash is now to be known as "Brian Balls".
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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."

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

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

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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.

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

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Is this an alternative Universe?

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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.

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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.

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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.  

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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.

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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

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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.

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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.    

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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.

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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.
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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.

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All this from the murky Salem Harbor.

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Life finds a way.

Fooling the People

How does it go???
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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.
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Kind of think that this little ditty is starting to bite the Obama administration in the Ass.
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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.
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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.
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Now it seems that one of them is the President of the United States.
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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.
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The Three Perps were illegal aliens, but ABC News described them as "happen to be undocumented immigrants."
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THis is the kind of ideological, thought police, rhetoric that makes me a complete mental case.
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Propaganda, disguised as news, is hard to swallow.

Happy Halloween

Happy Halloween Peeps.  This is a holiday that I don't really get into, but living in a town right next to Salem, MA, which attracts all sorts of people who are enthusiastic about Halloween, I respect that many of you get fired up this time of year.

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So have a good time.  I have to get over the fact that the Red Sox won the World Series..... it just hasn't sunk in yet.

Happy Birthday Party for the little Tykes!

Left to right .... Mike Nestor, Brendt D'Orio, Parker Sides, Katelyn Nestor, Ryan Nestor, Dave Bruett.

Weren't they Cuties?

Let's Man Up Men's Figure Skating

Those of you who know me best know that my politics are generally conservative, and  I have always found racism, sexism or any kind of oppression to be particularly disgusting and abhorrent.   And numerous times, I have indicated that I believe homosexuality is biological with no true choice in the matter (i.e. what gets you horny is out of your control, so why the hell should you judge people about what side of the green they prefer to putt from ). 

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That said, I am generally more comfortable around people who keep their sexual orientation as a private matter (i.e. hate it when gays make an overt effort to queer up the place.)
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So... WTF is up with men's figure skating????  Gymnastics doesn't turn male competitors into flipping costumed She-Men, so why should figure skating?
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Joanne makes me watch figure skating after she endures a football monopoly on the tube, and I really enjoy the athleticism of the men's competition, but why do they have to gay it up with the costumes and music and interpretations?????   ..... And the commentators are also so effeminate.  Frills, Ruffles, Rhinestones... how about T-Shirts and Sweats???  
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Why couldn't they man up the men's competition a little?  Just like floor exercise and tumbling in gymnastics, the men could line up and take a run down the ice doing technical stunts and moves designed to demonstrate their ability and athleticism.
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Naturally, my lefty friends will label me as a homophobe, for speaking my true mind on this issue, but that is a lot of bull.  It doesn't matter to me what the sexual orientation is from the competitors.... but when they make you dress up like a girl and do your routine to music and dancing.... it pretty much limits who is going to gravitate to men's figure skating.

Week End Wrap Up

Last week went by fast.
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Lots of activity at Nanepashemet Telecom, which has been at big draw on my attention.  I never know when something will get hot and I have to deadhead out to close a lease or something.  Plus, our top customer is very demanding as should be the case, and the people at Nanepashemet place customer satisfaction as the highest priority.  
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So we've been hopping.
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Plus, I had to carve out a couple of hours to pull my lobster traps for the season.  A huge toad crab and a 2 lb. lobster were in the last trap, and I gave them both a reprieve.  The Town had already pulled the hose off of the Village St. Wharf, so the boat was left a mess.   But at least I got all of the boat beers off this year.... which is a first for me.
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No rest for the weary this weekend though.   Every time we get busy out in the field, there is a ton of paperwork to follow and that is just sitting there staring at me this Saturday morning.  
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It's not just this pathetic Blog that has suffered.   I was well into sewing the sail for the Columbia Tender, and that has taken a back seat also.   The Tender is in for an overhaul this winter over in the Peabody Warehouse.   It has taken a pretty good beating over the past five years and the gunwale varnish is blistered and peeling badly.  And the interior paint job is something that I have never been proud of....although the exterior hull continues to carry the day showing the natural beauty of the cedar strip planking.  But even this is pretty dinged up if you look at it closely.
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So this winter, as I set up the sailing rig, I'm going to double down on restoring the finishes on the Tender.
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Course that's if things ease up at Nanepashemet Telecom... And I don't want that to happen either.

Toad Crab

This photo of a toad crab that I pulled off of the Web doesn't really do credit to the size and grossness of the three that I extracted from my lobster traps this morning.   Big, muddy, dirty with long legs ending in a spike and long dangling claws.  They definitely looked like something from a bad science fiction movie.
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They were strong and grasped hard on the metal slats of the trap.  Had to really wrestle them to get them out and rebait the traps and I wasn't about to grab them with my hands... even with rubber gloves on.  So I poked them with my bait net and agitated them enough to get them to let go of their grasp which enabled me to flip them out of the trap and back in the ocean.
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I guess a real lobsterman would just crunch them up and toss them overboard.... and I would too if this was my livelihood... but I generally like to let the critters I run into live if possible, so it took a little time to deal with these crabs.
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It seems weird that the lobsters that I catch in the same traps have clean and shiny shells as well as do the rock crabs.   But these things are caked with mud and dirt.  I can't imagine eating one of these ugly dudes, but apparently there is a fishery for them, in Canada.

Finally... The Answer to the Riddle

Peeps....
I have something very exciting to announce to you today.
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I have finally solved the ancient Zen riddle...."What is the Sound of One Hand Clapping?"
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That's right... after millenniums of  metaphysical head scratching, I, JJ Nestor, your very own Mountain of a Man has found the answer to the ponderous question of antiquity.
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And... what is the answer... you ask????
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"What is the Sound of One Hand Clapping????"
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..... it is the sound that Liberals make when you ask them what effect a 17 Trillion Dollar Federal Deficit is going to have on the children and future generations of this country,
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Do you hear it?
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Absolute silence.
Not a Sound.
Crickets.

And what is the cost of a 17 Trillion Dollar Federal Deficit besides the destitution of our children?

Let's just say, if it took you one minute to read this pathetic post, then the Federal Debt increased by Seven Hundred and Fifty Three Thousand Dollars.... and your kids and Grandkids have to pay it back.

$         1,084,967,184.56	Per Day
$               45,206,966.02	Per Hour
$                     753,449.43	Per Minute
$                       12,557.49	Per Second

Kicking up Some Dust

Today was a good day at Nanepashemet Telecom.
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Looks like we can power to the end of the month with great numbers, both in customer services milestones and Billings.
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I mean... I feel good about things.... and I know that this can't necessarily last, but I'm going to enjoy the feeling while it does.
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What Happened?
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Knowing that some of you Peeps might actually be business competitors with the Mountain of a Man and his cool company, I can't really disclose this.... although if you are going head to head with us at the one of the major carriers, you are probably licking your wounds... and eating our dust.
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How does our backside look?   Get used to it.
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I might even pour a Lagavulin this evening.... it was that good.

Remarkable Day in Boston Sports

It was a tough day to work today after two jolts of emotion last night.  

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First, the Patriots' Tom Brady showed again why he is arguably the best quarterback in football with a last minute touchdown drive against thepreviously undefeated New Orleans Saints. He just finds a way to win.... it doesn't matter who surrounds him.

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Then, David Ortiz hit a Grand Slam in the 8th inning of the American League Championship Series with Detrroit. 

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I did feel a little weird jumping out of my chair and cheering wildly by myself at 11:00 PM on a Sunday night... and quite a bit drowsy as I hit the bricks on the job the next day.  I couldn't sleep after that, and ended up watching the latest episode of  "Broadwalk Empire" until 1:00 AM in the morning.

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It's cool to be a sports fan in Boston.

BLOCK ISLAND BOAT BEACHING by Victor Mays

Shut Down Expose

Cutting Through the Crap

UnDoing Due Diligence

Let me get this straight

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When we are doing our due diligence for a new Cell site, one of the requirements is to run a check on the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) website database to see if the proposed tower will impact any flight paths at nearby airports.
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Basically, you type in the latitude and longitude and the proposed height of the tower, and the data base spits back the impact in a format that you can print and package for the report to your client.
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But due to the Federal Government shut down, the site is not operating.
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Let me get this straight....
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A database that operates on its own, online, is down because someone purposely took the effort to take it down, because of the "Shutdown".   I wonder how much effort went into shutting the self operating site down?
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And it is not Congress that operates the goverment.... it is the Executive Branch.   So how could this be conceived in any obtuse way as the cause of the Republican House Members of Congress????
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This is our junior varsity Executive Branch in full array.
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Peeps.... President Obama is tipping the scales at a 37% approval rating.  That is 37%  of the people who buy into this Bull, and 63% who can't be fooled.

Blocked and De-Friended

I'm tired of acting politically correct and playing nice with crude Liberals who insist on taking the low road with personal insults every time they disagree with an independent or conservative position.  My observation is that I am rarely, if ever, insulted by a Conservative, but Liberals habitually leave with bad manners.

For now on, if any one of my Facebook Friends choose to insult the Mountain of a Man rather than engage in normal dissenting discourse, you will be dealt in the harshest possible manner.

That's right... not only will I de-friend you, but I will block your ass from reading any of my posts.

I know it sounds harsh, but I can't afford to spend any time on this Earth arguing with disengenuous mal-contents who can't debate on the merits and act in a dispicable Pelosi-like manner in calling people names.

I'm done with Liberals who call people who disagree with them "anarchists" and "terrorists".  It is a form of totalitarianism and intolerance  that our forefathers paid the ultimate sacrifice to guarantee that we should be free from such predudice and close mindedness.

A Weird Dream

Last night, I had a vivid dream about my friend, Doug O' Connell and stuff we did on the UMASS Track team together.  Naturally the dream had all kinds of incomprehensible stuff wrapped into it, with a lot of people that I knew from the past, and some that I didn't know, but Doug had a primary role.
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When I woke up, I didn't think much of it.   I haven't seem Doug for over 35 years, and had intermitten contact with him.
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But when I checked my email this morning, there was an email from Doug.
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Pretty freaking creepy.
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New Age Philosophy puts a lot of emphasis into the dictum that thought is physical and can be transmitted from us throughout the Universe.  It would be nice if you could manage this.   I obviously had a subconscious notion that Doug was thinking of me, and I dreamed about him... or maybe the dream about him stimulated his email response.
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This odds of this happening otherwise are too great to calculate.  There has to be something to this.

Mercedes-Benz S550 Sedan

Oh Lord, Won't You Buy Me a Mercedes-Benz,
My Friends All have Porsches, I Must Make Amends....
- Janis Joplin

I took a test drive in a Mercedes Benz S550 sedan today.
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Man, I looked good in that car.
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With an 80 gig hard drive managing the electronics, it has incredible features regarding GPS, Bluetooth Cell Phone, Turn reactive seats that have built in massage, Sirius Radio, a CD player that handles 6 CD's at once, and other stuff that I can't remember.
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It seems like every feature has been creatively considered and addressed.  Plus it rides so solidly and smoothly that even stop and go Boston traffic is a joy to be stuck in.   The Germans really found out how to engineer luxury into this vehicle.
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One of these days, you will see the MOAM tooling down the road in a car like this.
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One of these days.

Government Shut Down

This one is in the "I must be missing something, because this is too stupid to believe", category.
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The Federal Government is being "Shut Down" because Congress will not raise the Debt Limit.
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Let me get this straight....
The Government is Trillions in Debt.... an incomprehensible amount.... and in order to operate the government, it has to borrow more????
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Peeps...... if you or I lived so far beyond our means that we had to continue to borrow daily to support our lifestyle, we would be bankrupt and forced to realigned our resources.
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If the Feds have to borrow to operate the national parks, then close them.  If they have to borrow to pay "non-essential" federal employees, then lay them off.  That's what we suckers in the private sector have to do..... what makes it different for the government???
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The Network News coverage is replete with stories about how the economy will suffer do to the shut down of services..... but what about the effects of massive amount of Federal Debt?

ObamaCare is just the tip of the iceberg.  This is the current ball that is being batted back and forth by politicians of both the right and the left who want to keep the gravy train going a while longer and blame the fallout on the other guy.
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The issue is not ObamaCare... it is simple living beyond our means.   Spending more that we bring in.
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And this time, the Libs  are right... those who will suffer are the children.... OURS.  Our kids and grandkids will be left to clean up the mess of a bankrupt nation that has irresponsibly mortgaged the future for current political largess.

Lobster Trap Larceny

It was a nice day out on the water, caught a few mackerel, and went to pull the traps.... only two of them were not there.
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In their place were a row of commercial traps.
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I was warned when I bought my traps a number of years ago that commercial lobstermen would steal them, but I really didn't believe it. Bet that if I pulled all of the commercial traps set in the area that I dropped mine, though,  I would find that the buoys had mysteriously been switched. 
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It's just too easy to cut a line and attach a different buoy.
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The argument is out there that the recreational lobstermen, with their 10 trap limits, are hurting the fishermen who make their living at lobstering.  That is pure Bull.   I paid for my license and have every right to drop my traps.   Plus, there are plenty of the critters to go around from my rudimentary experience.
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So if somebody stole my traps, they are guilty of larceny, pure and simple.
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Out of seven traps this year, only three are left.... with no storms or other reason to lose gear.
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I pulled the three traps and was going to bag it for the season, but then decided to  put them in a new location.  We'll keep an eye on the old location though.... because my traps are painted green and yellow,  and I just might see some larcenous inshore lobster boat hauling them one of these days. 

On Top of the Learning Curve

Business is good.
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We have a ton of work, and the resources in place to implement it.
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So why am I complaining?  Actually I'm not.   But it took a long sustained effort to get this train on the tracks and running smoothly from station to station. Building a business and reaching a point where service delivery is predictable, dependable and sustainable doesn't happen overnight.  There are a lot of mistakes, miscues, and screw ups that are part of the learning curve.
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But when you get to a point where you are professionally delivering for your customers every day... and they appreciate and value your work.... that is a major accomplishment.

 However,  I would really like to step off this smooth running train for a while and do something mindless and relaxing... like fish for fall Blues and Stripers and pull Lobster traps.
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But no rest for the weary.... I imagine that there are a lot of fish and crustaceans who are happy that the MOAM hasn't had the time to harvest them for the last two years. 
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I'll catch up with them next year though..... big time.

Stirring up the Libs

So I was guilty of a little shit stirring on Facebook this week.
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Seems like some of my old friends and high school classmates who went astray and turned out to be Liberals in their advanced middle age are all worked up about the Obamacare fiasco.  And Boy, do they hate Ted Cruz!!!
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All you have to do is say something bad about Obamacare, or mention that Ted Cruz is a Patriot from Texas, and they get all lathered up.... start calling people names and rant about Republicans.
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Peeps.... it's even more entertaining than watching "Dancing With the Stars".
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They really get ticked off at you if you suggest that you would prefer that government stay out of something as private as your health care.   And it seems like members of protected classes, like the Hispanic American Senator, Ted Cruz, or the woman Governor Sarah Palin, are particularly irksome to them.
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I'm going to send this post to Facebook.  How much you want to bet that I get insulted within the next few minutes?  Especially if I recommend a Cruz-Palin Republican ticket for President?
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Naturally, a Mountain of a Man like me has a thick skin, which helps if you like to shit stir with the Leftys.

Sail On, Sail On Sailor

Last night, I got the hang of the new Singer Sewing machine and combined all of the panels of the sprit sail for the Herreshoff Columbia Tender.  All that's left is to sew on clew patches and luff support strips, then install the grommets.
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Sewing is definitely a skill.   I had to focus my substantial Mountain of a Man concentration ability to figure out the basics.  There is a need for patience and attention to details to get the proper tension so that the stitches come out right. 
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Joanne was a little aggravated that I turned the kitchen and living room into a sail loft on a Sunday night, and the rattling of the stiff sail Dacron material as well as the din of the sewing machine was a bit obnoxious as the evening progressed, but the stress was a necessary part of dealing with the learning curve.
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Sewing the large panels together was awkward, and the zig zag stitches tend to zig and zag a little too much, but there is an excellent chance that the Tender will be catching some late autumn breezes under sail this season.
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All Sewn Up

Sorry for the hiatus from this Blog.

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 Right in the middle of a very busy Nanepashemet Telecom work period, Kate and Brady were wed which to me was a lifetime milestone event.  But then it was straight to making the magic happen at Nanepashemet Telecom, which is crucial to actually paying for this milestone.

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 Something had to give, and this Blog was it.

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 But I'm back now, and you can stop rocking and banging your head if you are one of those pathetically addicted Blog fans.

 In the middle of the frenzy last week, I bought a Singer Model 4411 Heavy Duty Sewing Machine on Amazon, thinking that I would finally get around to sewing the sails for the Columbia Herreshoff Tender, which I have had in kit form for the last five years at least.

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For some reason, I thought that sewing machines were user friendly, plug and play.... pull it out of the box, plug it in and start sewing.... Not even a little bit.   

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Learning how to use this thing will require a good investment of hours and development of a new skill set.  But what the hell.  The sails must get sewn.

Wedding Aftermath

Joanne and I are still basking in the afterglow of Katelyn and Brady's Wedding.
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We keep thinking of aspects of the occasion that was so heartening and so much fun.
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So many of you have been sending me emails and vm's asking for photos of the MOAM in his tuxedo walking the beautiful bride down the center aisle.
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Peeps.... this wedding was all about Katelyn and Brady.... and not about how fantastic I looked in my tuxedo and all of the super cool dance moves that I executed throughout the evening.
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So stop asking, for Crissakes.   Suffice it to say that I looked Fantastic and leave it at that.
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The important thing is that Katelyn and Brady had a sendoff that they will remember all the rest of their lives... and many of us will too.

Syrian Siren

Secretary of State John Kerry says the evidence is clear and irrefutable that the Syrian regime has used chemical weapons on its own people.
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So... let's see it.   Let's hear the details.  Just because Kerry says it.... doesn't make it true.   He's been known to bend the truth before if you look at his record, and before one more American kid is asked to go in harm's way over a civil war in Syria... show us the facts.  Because Kerry saying that he knows just doesn't cut it.

Putin of Russia says that Kerry is wrong.... that Assad has not used the weapons.
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This alone should tell us to stand down.
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Britain is not on board either.
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The Policing of human atrocities should be the purview of the United Nations.  It shouldn't be an excuse for a failing American administration to divert attention from its own shortcomings.   And that is exactly what this smells like.
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Obama says that he didn't state that Syria crossed the red line.... that the world said it.  So let the world take some action here.   Maybe the United Arab League should take the lead.

The Dems will say that Bush did the same thing in Iraq, but that is not even close.  Britain and a large consortium of nations were active in that decision.  Not here.

Obama and Kerry are sounding a siren here, and something stinks.  They couldn't get the facts straight about Benghazi, but here the facts are supposed to be crystal clear.

 So show us the evidence that you claim to have seen.