Essex Seafood

Yesterday, after a nice suggestion by Tommy O'Shea to go out for some fried clams, we headed up to Essex Seafood for the best fried clams in New England.
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That's not my assertion... it's a claim made by Brooke Dojny, author of the New England Clam Shack Cookbook, and I really agree with it.
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Quantity and Quality. Huge plates of clams, fries, and rings, but not the least bit greasy. All presented in an informal, help yourself setting. Don't dress up, just go out and fulfull your craving.
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All the tourists in Essex go to Woodman's where the fried clam was invented, but you won't find many tourists at Essex Seafood.... just die-hard, local, happy seafood consumers.
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Doug Maxfield, renowned Essex fisherman and the guy who sold me the WhaleEye, first turned me on to this place, when we were up buying his boat seven or eight years ago. I suggested lunch at Woodman's, but he turned us to where all the locals go.
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Doug is an excellent Peep for many reasons, and this is just one of them.
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You won't be distracted by oceanscapes or anything.... the setting is picnic tables and a gravel parking lot off of Route 133 past the Gloucester line in Essex, MA. The focus is on the food.
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But the ride up to the Cape Ann location is very scenic and not that long.
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It was a nice fix for a strong clam crave, but it will wear off soon and we will be back.

Vacation

President Obama is down at Martha's Vineyard taking a well deserved vacation.
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I hope he has good weather. I had originally picked this week to take off, but the events of the summer has shifted this off. Maybe some half days and some extra fishing this week, but other than that, I have to keep my hand in the game.
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Vacations are a pain anyway. When I take one, I truly "vacate" and lose touch with the pulse of whatever I have on the table. Then when I come back, the re-entry is very stressful. Little issues that normally are handled easily pose a lot more effort than usual. So I prefer not to completely vacate.
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I'm sure that the President doesn't have that luxury either.
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I do plan to escape to Paris or Rome in the not too distant future though for a week or so. I've never been to Europe, but the Peeps there deserve a personal appearance.

30 Years Out

You love your kids... and you want to give them everything.
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And Lord knows... they want to take it.
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You have a bottle of red wine??? They take it.
They need some tennis balls???? They take yours, and you never see them again.
You have a case of beer in the down stairs refridgerator??? Oh Man, is that gone or what!
They notice a golf club in your bag that they like???? You'll notice it's gone when you reach for it on the second hole.
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I can go on, but it really boils down to one central tenet.
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"What's mine is mine... and what's your's is mine."
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And when you finally get pissed off and tell them what you think, they tell you that you are a maniac with anger issues.
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My only hope is that when I am 85 and need somebody to change my Depends, I can count on them. I'll let you know how that works out in a blog post some thirty odd years from now..,,

Hurricane Bill

Have you seen the size of this storm? It is freaking huge. I sure hope it makes that right turn as projected.

Willow Removal

The huge Willow trees in the yard adjacent to our backyard were removed yesterday by a crane operation that was set up in my driveway and hoisted all sections over our house.

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An impressive operation by the crew at Cicoria Tree Service from Danvers.

Throttle UP

I haven't been a full throttle at Nanepashemet Telecom for the last week or so. Since I haven't taken a vacation and no longer plan to, I've scaled the intensity back a bit. But today will be different with a full agenda ahead.
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Plus it is Day 17 of the streak.

Buff Update

No news today. No scandals, no issues.
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I don't suppose that anyone cares that I completed my 16th consecutive day of getting a workout in. That's 16 days in a row, getting a burn in before taking a shower. Today it was only 6.7 mi on the Cybex over 20 minutes, but I still got my heartrate up to 148 and had a good sweat going.
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Plus I didn't eat a high calorie take out lunch.
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So you would think that I was starting to lose a little weight. So far, no discernable difference in the way my clothes feel. But I am feeling far more flexible, and picking up tools from the garage floor is not nearly as painful.
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So that's something good. I'll take that benefit as worth the effort. Not going to get serious about weight loss until Day 100 has arrived. Then I'll assess the situation, and see if this regimen will buff me up or if I have to intensify in one way or another.
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By that time, the habit should be in full swing and maybe we will only be tweaking here and there. I would like to get to running outside, but the pounding on my knees in my current fat boy state always ends up with a painful injury which will sideline the consistency of workouts. We'll keep it slow and steady for the time being.

Clearing the Decks

Workbench Project is almost done. The end vises went on easily, but the shoulder vise is not right. Once I Fix this, and drill the dog holes, we will be ready for a spray finish.
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Will delay the finish until Kate's Adirondack Chairs are complete, so that I can spray all at the same time.

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After that, the decks will be clear to get back on the Chamberlain Marblehead Gunning Dory.

Doggy

Sure, Jack Dog.
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Now you're all cute and cuddily.
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But what about last night when I had to wait for you in the backyard while you hid in the fallen willow branches for about 15 minutes????
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Naturally Katelyn wasn't around and I've got better things to do at 1:30 in the morning then wait for you to take your sweet time doing your doggy pee pee.
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Not so cute then were you?

Rowing Circuit

Another day of rowing from Riverhead Beach, out and around Brown' s Island and back. About 4 miles.
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It's a pain dodging yachts in Marblehead Harbor and when you finally get out of it the wake waves are a bit harrowing. Not that they scare me or anything.
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Heading over to Brown's Island, I was hoping to tie up with "My Friend Who Doesn't Want His Name Mentioned in the Blog" but the Damp Yankee was nowhere to be found. Man.... was I thirsty for a beer at that time, but no takers.
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So I rowed back. sustained by a couple of Mike's Hard Limes.
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Blackburn Challenge

As I enter day 13 of Operation Buff, I've allowed myself to fantasize about entering the Blackburn Challenge open ocean 20 mi. rowing race around Cape Ann in Gloucester next July.
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Emphasis on the word "fantasize".
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Don't think I'd want to do it in the Herreshoff Columbia Yacht Tender. And the Marblehead Gunning Dory is far from complete. I would have to finish the Dory, install two Piandetosi Sliding Seats, and find another victim who would like to make the 4 hour row with me.
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The first two conditions are doable with the right commitment. Finding a rowing partner is another.
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If you are comfortable with torture, and would like to volunteer, send me an email at

jnestor@nanepashemet.com

..... and I will consider your proposal.
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Course you would have to be in shape for the challenge.... and so would I.
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Plus, in addition to the physical torture, you would have to have the mental edge to endure my constant whining and kvetching for multiple hours. I would have to insist that no instruments with sharp edges be taken on this row. So if you threw me overboard, I wouldn't be attracting sharks from open wound bleeding.
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From my experience in rowing 4 miles around Marblehead Harbor every once in awhile, 20 miles is a freaking hike. But I'm game if you are.

No Plan Weekend

This weekend is shaping up as the best weather of the summer in the Boston area.
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So I don't want to get myself wrapped up in a single project. That's right... Katelyn's Adirondack Chair will be on hold. And I won't be doing any obligatory household chores.
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I'm thinking a little fishing, and a lot of tie-ups at Brown's Island. Maybe I'll clean out the boat grill and fire up some snappers, wings and burgers. Plus beers. Lots of them.

No Shit

After they kick the shit out of you....
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And then they kick you some more....
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You just don't give a shit.
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How could you?
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There's just no more shit to give.

POTW Week 32

I wisely gave up an offer to go tuna fishing at 3:30AM this morning.
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Just too many loose ends at Nanepashemet Telecom to clean up before the week closes.
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Even though we'd be back by noon, that trek to Stellwagen and back is an exhausting haul, and there is no way I could get to the details today, which would send them to next week, and I don't want to be looking at the same stuff on Monday.

Announcing....
Nanepashemet Peeps of the Week for the 32nd Week of 2009

Chip Clancy
Michael Vick
Paul Lynch
Melissa Sherwood
Betty Quinn
Bill Howard

Next week, I'll get a tuna trip in.
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And BTW, if you think you won, it is not over. Not even a little bit. I will etch the final score on your gravestone. That's when it will be over.

Streak Continues

I'm going to say that I completed Day 11 of consecutive workouts on a technicality.
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At 5:30PM I was on the Cybex, with all intentions of getting a half hour burn in. But after 5 min. the doorbell rang and Joanne was in the shower, getting ready for the "My Brother's Table" fundraiser that we were scheduled to attend at the Nahant Country Club.
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I let it ring a couple of times, hoping that it was just the FEDEX guy wanting to get a signature on something. But then I heard someone in the hall, so I had to abort the Cybex and get upstairs.
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It was Craig LoConte, in from New York and dropping by to say hello. No way would I tell Craig that I had to continue my workout, and I was happy to see him, so the workout was over.
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Only had time for a quick shower to get to Nahant, but when I got there, Harvey Rowe convinced me that the streak was not broken..... that the 5 min. on the Cvbex and my good intentions were enough to keep the streak going.
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I agree with Harvey. Screw it.... Tomorrow is Day 12.

Heigl Hex

Most of you know that I am a big fan of Kat Giantis, the fashion critic. Look at what she has written about the evil Katherine Heigl!

UNDRESSED FOR AUGUST 12 by KAT GIANTIS

Green Heaves: Katherine Heigl's reputation for kvetching makes her seem older than her 30 years. A lot older. Think somewhere between bitter, two-time divorcee and grumpy old man. And she's not doing herself any favors at the London premiere of "The Ugly Truth" by dressing like she's heading to a Bicentennial-era key party at Kermit the Frog's bachelor pad, where she'd surely face the wrath of areal diva, because Miss Piggy would be most displeased to find her wearing the very same sequined dress she had custom-made for the occasion. Everything is just slightly off with the actress's one-massive-sleeved disco wreck: the skirt is a little too long, the bodice a mite too unsupported, the shoes a touch too matronly, and her titian-tinted tresses a bit too shellacked. And then there's the mint-green ribbon belt, an unnecessary addition that does very bad things to Heigl's very good figure. She would be better off unwrapping it from her waistline and recycling it as a handy gag, which she can stuff into her mouth whenever she feels a gripe coming on.

The Nanepashemet hex on Heigl, based upon her unfortunate dissing of a Nanepashemet Peep, is obviously working. You GO Kat! Just have to love good fashion journalism.

Tuna Lips said...

I likes her boobies plenty fine.

One Stupid Mistake

In another slow news day, Good Morning America is spending a lot of time talking about the sexual indiscretion six years ago of Louisville Basketball Coach, Rick Pitino. Apparently, Pitino banged a model in a restaurant, she got pregnant, and Pitino shelled out $3k for an abortion.
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Plus he is a father of five. Since he's put himself out there as a leader and motivational speaker, his fall is long and hard.
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Pitino has had an outstanding career. He was at UMASS Amherst in my class, and we generally didn't take to him because he was really full of himself and a complete showboat on the basketball court. Never missed the chance for a behind the back pass.
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But I was always happy to see him become so successful.
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Now one stupid mistake threatens to take him apart. It only takes one.

Tuna Lips said...

I cants fault a man fer watering his seeds. And au contrary to yer rushin to judge, he done so in a top notch eatin place, and even waited for all them folks to pay up and leave. That, mi amigo, is class.

A Close One

I came so close to blowing it on Day 10. Had a Four Guys Bacon Cheeseburger and Fries for lunch at 1:00PM and felt like a log all afternoon.
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But it sure tasted good.
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With a little mind over matter discipline at 5:30, I got in 20 min. on the Cybex and salvaged the streak.

Obama's Presidential Health

Obama's Health Care Reform Bill may be extremely unhealthy politically. Barack just doesn't seem to be able to get the message out. First he derails it by the racist "Gates" debacle, now he is encountering a swirl of intense protest.
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It will be interesting to see if Obama can defuse this, or if he cascades into political ineffectiveness as Jimmy Carter did. I don't see him getting impeached like horny Bill Clinton, but time will tell.

Pisc said...

Obama is irrelevant to the current debate. It is your representative who is responsible for the legislation. Hold them accountable. Don't let them hide behind BO. Its about policy, not ideology.

Whoa!! Our boy Piscatelli is all business on this one. Maybe we'll see him screaming on TV pretty soon.

Giant Loss

Rumor has it that "My Friend Who Doesn't Want His Name Mentioned in the Blog" and the prominent Marblehead Attorney, Paul Lynch, hooked into a Giant Bluefin Tuna on Stellwagen last weekend.
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"MFWDWHNMITB" was at the helm of Paul's sweet Pursuit boat, and was blamed by the Marblehead Attorney with losing the fish due to his helmsmanship.
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Lynch did look a little shell shocked and "Friend" seemed a little contrite when I rowed past them in my Tender on Sunday.
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Does this look like the one that got away, Paul?

Public Hearing

Late this morning, when checking in with the Town of Groton, CT, about the status of a Planning Board Hearing, the Planning Director told me that he could put me on the agenda this evening. A bit of an unexpected surprize, but not to worry.
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So I made the 100+ mile trek down to Mystic Country and back. Naturally I was successful at the hearing. Some of the people at my customer's office didn't think I had time to prepare, but I have been doing this for so long that it is almost automatic.
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Public Hearings for wireless installations are not the controversial events that they used to be either. I've only had one contentious petition in the past year, and that was caused by a group of crazies who fight against wireless as a hobby.
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Still, when a Board approves your petition, there is always a bit of an adrenalin rush which makes it hard to settle in for the night. When I was a city official in Lynn, it was much worse. After meetings, I could never sleep.

Photo Op

Having a camera in your cell phone is so handy.

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Like when I am coming to the front door and Grandson Will is standing there.

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I know that your kids and grandkids are probably gifted and cute, but Will and Ethan RULE.

Blog Birthday

Next month, this Blog will be three years old. Seems like yesterday since I found this outlet which is therapeutic to me yet can entertain and antagonize others. Time flies. In no time, it will be six years old.
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I'm afraid that there will be more antagonizing than entertainment in posts for the next three years.

One Thousand Days

Today was Day 8 and tomorrow with be Day 9.
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To be truthful though, this is really a 1000+ day program.... about three years or so. By that time, I'll either have set up a lifelong habit of exercise and clean living, or be dead.
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I vastly prefer the former alternative.
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The difference this time, from other resolutions to return to buffness, is that I'm not setting elaborate training goals, like mileage buildups designed to run a marathon. This program is simply resolving to get some sort of aerobic burn in before I take a shower.... consecutively every day.
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Since I've always kept a routine of personal hygiene.... i.e. I take a shower and brush my teeth every day .... adding a sweat in ahead of time doesn't seem to be as much of a stretch.
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Three years has a bit of significance. That is how long it took to turn me from a chubby kid to a decent track athlete in High School. In retrospect, that time passed pretty quickly. I actually was thinking of quitting drinking over this 1000 day trek, but that would be too drastic.

Impatient with Karma

I'm sorry, but if you want to piss me off, then just do these three things.
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1. Think only of yourself and your narcissistic existence.
2. Take absolutely no responsibility for anything.
3. When questioned or seeking to make a point, simply lie or make up the facts.
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That behavior is guaranteed to give me fantasies of smashing heads like pumpkins.
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Granted... I know that the law of karma says that I need do nothing to see torture come back to you sooner or later. But I still fantasize about helping it along.

Tuna Lips said...

Now hold on there, mister, that sorta principalled livin' dun raised a generashun of us folks and placed us among the giants in the hoboin' and 'shine runnin industrial complex.

Northern Flicker

This great specimen of a Northern Flicker woodpecker was caught on camera this weekend, foraging at the beginning of the driveway for ants.

Unlike other species of Woodpecker, the Northern Flicker rarely feeds in trees.

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I also have the video.

~So if you haven't seen a Northern Flicker lately, then this is for you.

Not Slow

Although it would seem to be the doldrums of summer, this week is shaping up with a decent amount of activity for Nanepashemet Telecom. A zoning hearing in Western Mass tonight, customer meetings throughout the week and a couple of bids due.
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Thursday we will be at the "My Brother's Table" benefit at the Nahant Country Club.
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So even though there will be no kicking ass, there will be no kicking back either. And this week will include consecutive workout days 8 to 15.
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Plus the Grandkids will be around, which always makes everything better.

Habit Forming

Day 7 of consecutive workouts. The first six on the Cybex and today a 4 1/2 mi. row in the Tender. Maybe a habit is forming. Course travel is always the thing that screws up a nice routine like this, and I didn't travel hardly at all last week. The challenge will be if I can maintain the habit when the schedule gets all twisted.
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And no. I haven't weighed myself. That will come on the 100th consecutive day, which will be December 12, 2009. I am feeling a lot better, stronger even, after only one week. That is what's important. Not some number on a scale.
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But I'd love to leave the Clydesdale class and be weighing in somewhere south of 200 lbs. by then.

Perspective

Last evening, before cocktails, Lou Panakio made the following observation.
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"If you wanted to kill the Nestor's, not only would you have to kill them, ... you'd have to nail the coffin shut."
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Kind words from a dear friend. Lou knows from experience that we know how to take the hits.
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But let's put this into perspective.
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Those of you who have seen your kids go to Iraq in harm's way have it way worse.... Those of you who have seen love ones pass on with debilitating diseases have it way worse.... I can go on, but you get the picture.
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Life always offers challenges. Most of the time, these are endured quietly and relatively privately. Just because ours went loudly public, doesn't mean it is worse than the hits that all of us have to take from time to time. So don't feel compelled to tell us how bad you feel for us. We appreciate it, but there are those of you who have it far worse.

Gorilla Glue

Yesterday was a big push for the garage projects.
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After a run to Moynihan Lumber, I had all the meranti mahogany needed for Katelyn's Adirondack Chair as well as a nice 10' Redwood 2x6 which I cut into three pieces and glued into a panel which will be the carving base for a sign to be placed at the Nanepashemet Peabody Warehouse.
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I also bought a 16 oz bottle of Gorilla Glue, which is an expanding polyurethane based, waterproof glue which I have been curious to try.
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So when I got back to the garage, I bandsawed all of the Adirondack pieces, and assembled the meranti legs for the Workbench.
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The Gorilla Glue was easy to use, set up quickly and expanded through the tenon and mortise joints nicely. It is supposed to cure to a very strong bond.
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My plan is combine the legs into the base this morning, and start the assembly of the Adirondack Chair. This will take some time, because of all of the sanding and routing prior to joining the pieces together. I could have bought a nice chair for Kate much cheaper, so I'm going to take my time on this to make it as perfect as possible.
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BTW, at the Crawford get together last night, Dale Johnson aka "Buck" asked me if this Blog took a lot of my time. Naturally, I kept my cool. I mean, does it take a long time to breathe... Dale/Buck ???
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I'm thinking it was Buck who came up with such an annoying question.... not my friend, Dale.

POTW Week 31

Day 5 came and went has I logged another burn on the Cybex for the fifth consecutive day.
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No Biggie.
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But I can feel the Buffness starting to reassert.
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As you know, an accurate desciption of me as always been "Rough, Tough, Hard to Bluff and Damn Good Looking."
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Nowhere there does it state that I am Buff. But I might have to add that soon.
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Announcing...
Nanepashemet Peeps of the Week for the 31st Week of 2009

Jeremy Johnson
Meaghan Bruett
Sarah Crawford
Brian O' Donnell
Emily Ingardia
Jeff Middleton

Maybe I'll take a break from the Cybex and rev up the Treadmill for Day 6.

Slammer

The Nestor Siblings reeled in a 45 lb, 50 inch Stripped Bass this morning, shortly after arriving to Stellwagen Bank.

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Although it would have fed the whole cookout at Crawford's this evening, this fish is still happily swimming in Massachusetts Bay due to the Federal prohibition of taking strippers in the Stellwagen National Sanctuary.

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Still no tuna though.

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So maybe I'll stick to the Snap Dogs at the cookout. About 5 or 6 with mustard and relish in a massive bout of eating to relieve stress.

Railroad

I feel bad about the treatment received by Dan Grabauskas, the MBTA General Manager, by the Deval Patrick administration, as they are moving to fire him and are highlighting his six figure severance package.
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I never met him, but I marveled at his turnaround of the Registry of Motor Vehicles, when he ran that bureaucratic morass. He changed the processes and completely reversed the culture in that agency which was formerly insulting and totally unresponsive to the public.
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Don't know the details surrounding the issues at the Mass Bay Transportation Agency, but I know that they have ejected Grabauskas due to "lack of focus". Naturally the media stooges are honing in on his severance package and Patrick chimes in to say it is excessive. This is political pandering because he is simply legally entitled to it.
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If you can railroad somebody because of "lack of focus", then Deval Patrick should be in the front of that line.

Tuna Lips said...
Howdy, there Boomer, Ise back from vacatin' the double wide on a trip to ole El Paso, where I wuz meetin' with some bizness relations from across the Rio Grande. Good timin' on my part, there was plenty of fiestasization and senoritas to serenade. About a fortnight back, I stumbled through the woods to find the the yellow tape marked "DEA" around my mobile hacienda, indicated the jig was about to be up. So much for teachin' basic pharmaceuticals to the local youth. But I digressify. I hi-tailed it from that vicinity, and headed down in ol' Mexico, where we-ins had us a plenty good time, re-fryin' beans and schemin' on this and that. No moss on me, I got outta Dodge, and set up shop right quick. Got me a new gal, since Miss Pudding went down as a material witnesser. Yes, Marguerite, she got a nose like Gonzo from that Muppet tv show, and can she cook, when she aint passed out. I sent message to Shoo Fly to come on down. We will gringofy my new hancienda. And if he is still courting that truck drivin' Sheryl, we can stage a wrasslin' match with her and "Large Marge", these here Mexicans love that wrasslin'. Make us a few peso, work the crowd a bit.See, I am cut from the molds of the great American Entrepreneurs, like Andrew Carnegie and Kernel Sanders.And like General Doug MacArchie, I shall return. Just lammin' it for a spell.. . . Hey! Marge, you get your mitts offa that bottle . . that is my tekeeler!

Pisco said...
Republican Appointee. An easy sacrifice. Patrick needs to look like he is doing something other than playing governor of the Commonwealth. He recently got a puppy. And he is having hip surgery next month. And that about sums it up. The guy is a lightweight. Lot of them out there these days.

Trials

For all of the Peeps who were with us in Boston yesterday.... thank you. We love you and will never forget your support. Things didn't turn out for the best, but it could have been much worse, and we are grateful for that.
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So we all will get by this next test, will keep traveling the path together, and will continue to help each other unconditionally. We'll have some additional tough trials, but the best is yet to come, and it will.

Nanepashemet Wrath

We heard from good authority that Catherine Heigl of Grey's Anatomy is a she-bitch.
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Sorry Catherine.
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But if you disrespect a Nanepashemet Peep, no matter how hot you are, you will be taken down.
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And you screwed with the wrong Nanepashemet Peep.
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So you're going to have to deal with the consequences.

Justice

Despite my positive thinking, whe really got screwed today. Madoof style.
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So we'll deal with this, and persevere. But let one muthafuka cross me in the next few days and it will be shit storm deluxe.
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Time for Celebration

Today is a big day, and I'm looking forward to seeing a number of you in Boston this afternoon.
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But it is also DAY 4 of my consecutive streak of workouts, and I'll put a number of miles on the Cybex before I take my shower this morning and suit up for the stressful event.
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I've already predicted a positive outcome and remain confident. But we will play any hand that is dealt to us, make the most of it, and proceed with the celebration of life and friends.

Missing Tuna

BTW.
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Where the hell is Tuna Lips when we really need him????

Endure Betrayal

"To laugh often and love much; to win the respect of intelligent persons and the affection of children; to earn the approbation of honest citizens and endure the betrayal of false friends; to appreciate beauty; to find the best in others; to give of one's self; to leave the world a bit better, whether by a healthy child, a garden patch or a redeemed social condition; to have played and laughed with enthusiasm and sung with exultation; to know even one life has breathed easier because you have lived - this is to have succeeded."
-- Ralph Waldo Emerson

Moving On

Those of you who are close to us know that tomorrow is a big day for our family.
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We appreciate all of the well wishes, prayers, and expressions of support. More than you can imagine.
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My prediction is that everything will be alright and that justice will prevail.
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Keep the faith. We'll get through this and more.

Worldwide Pants

Day 3 - 8.65 miles on the Cybex.
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No, I'm not checking my weight. Maybe after 100 consecutive days or so.
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I'll gauge any weight loss on how my pants fit in the next few weeks. I have to thank Archrival, Joe Collins, for the big motivational boost.

The Last Straw

Arch Rival Joe Collins said…

I once new a runner named Jay

whose regimen just didn't play.

macaroni and cheese,

and dark & stormies

resulted in obesity !

C'mon buddy... As Ahnold wanna be's Hanz and Franz used to say... Don't let that "flahbby bohdy" make you a girly man!

If you're gonna visit me in hotzy totzy Naples in the winter... You need to start looking more like a GQ cover boy !I

~

I swear to God and all that is holy…..

I am going to kick his ASS. Plus he is a crappy poet.

Location, Location, Location

Motivation

OK I admit that my resolution to seek fitness is due to seeing my old friend Harvey Rowe compete in those triathlons and look so good.
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And did I say old? He's at least 30 years older than I am. Maybe 40.
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He published a picture of me on his blog, "Harvey's Thoughts" when I was on the cross country team at UMASS, and I really do miss being in such shape. It used to be great to break into a trot and escalate into a full blown sprint. Plus the UMASS Track Team alumni are always sending me invitations to events where they get together for a fun run or small road race out in Amherst, MA.
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I wouldn't be caught dead showing up at my current weight.
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And I'm sick of hearing how fat I am from Katelyn and Ryan. Mikey doesn't get on my ass as much, but I know what he's thinking.

Waterfront Offerings

Land Offerings

Process Improvement

It was a milestone day for Nanepashemet Telecom today with our investment in a nice industrial condo unit right out there in the confluence of Rt 128, Rt 114 and Interstate 95. It will be convenient for our trucks, crews, and supplies.
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Does this mean that our service will get even better???
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It's hard to improve on perfection.

Grateful Insight

I told you at the beginning of this ordeal that this would be a test of character. What I expected was that loyalties would be strained and we would find out who our friends were.
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We were told that in situations like this, people tend to shun you and try to put some space away from you.
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But the exact opposite happened.
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We really didn't expect to see such an outpouring of support... and for that we are eternally grateful and will not forget. There are a lot more people out there now that I would jump on a grenade for. More than I ever imagined.
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We will forever look for ways repay the loyalty that you have shown us.
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Loyalty is the deciding factor of character. We all are weak, we all make bad judgments, we all make mistakes. But loyalty says that I am your friend for whatever reason, and I will stand by you despite your weaknesses, not because of the benefits that you can give me.
~
The people who failed the test... and a few of you did... failed miserably. Those with the greatest past benefits, betrayed the most. You showed your true colors, and for this we are grateful also. We will be on our guard, and not waste any of our future concerns on you.
~
The ironic thing is that the person who made the big mistake has shown the most character of all. And we are very proud of that.... as well as thankful for the loyalty of friends like you.

Workout Resolution

My new resolution is to workout everyday before I take a shower. Even if it's a 20 min. burn on the Cybex.
~
So if you see me and I'm dirty and smelly, then you know that I haven't worked out yet.
~
I'm not setting any goals on weight loss or anything like that. I just want to get a significant run of consecutive day workouts in.
~
This is Day 2.

Say No to Nazi's

The Big Lie went out of style with Nazi Germany.
~
It just doesn't work here in the good old U.S. of A.
~
And it sure doesn't work in the small Town of Marblehead, Massachusetts.
~
The problem with The Big Lie is that this country allows the facts to come to the surface. And the truth will set you free, as well as kick the shit out those who stand behind The Big Lie.
~
So get ready.

Badass Bass

Tommy O and I spotted some bird activity between Haste Island and Coney Island outside of Salem Harbor this afternoon.
~
After bringing to bear some of our superior fishing skills, we landed this nice 26" schoolie on a surface popper.
~
This striped bass put up a very commendable, yet completely fruitless fight and we promptly returned him to the brine to fight another day.
~
Just a couple more inches and we would have debated whether we should grill him, broil him or put him in the turkey fryer.

Activity Spectrum

Once again, a beautiful Saturday.
~
Should I keep sitting on this couch, drinking coffee and making sure that you pathetic Peeps get your Blog fix??? Or should I venture forth and try to make contributions to the further advancement of humanity?
~
I'll probably choose to do stuff in the middle of this spectrum... like work on the Workbench and Adirondack Chair projects, row the Tender, and play with the Grandkids.
~
BTW... sometime this weekend, one of you will hit this Blog for the 50,000th time. That's FIFTY THOUSAND instances of searching for solace and inspiration, yet most likely coming back with frustration and emptiness.
~
I don't really care. I'd be Blogging or venting in another type of journal whether you looked at it or not. But I have to admit that it's nice to share some thoughts with you. As you may suspect, I really don't tell you everything.... some things you don't want to commit to documentation. Not now anyway.

POTW Week 30

So from out of the blue, we hear from Peep of the Year, Lauren Rathbone, whining about her reigning year being half over, and thinking she is going to get a lobster dinner because she is floating in Echo Lake.
~
Uh..... Lauren.
~
There are no lobsters in Echo Lake.
~
Duh!!!!
~
Being POTY must really take a toll on people.
~
Announcing....
Nanepashemet Peeos of the Week for the 30th week of 2008

Lauren Rathbone
Ed Hudson
Phil Freeman
Ron Caliri
David Labovitz
Nancy Bruett

Maybe we should look into the special needs and stresses that POTY's face every day. Not everyone handles stress equally.

Take the Bait

I have to get out and bait the traps sometime today. Even when you are a dynamic executive type at Nanepashemet Telecom, you have to make time for the simple, mundane tasks.
~
Just because I'm a Mountain of a Man, that doesn't prevent me from sometimes doing the same things that a mundane peep would do.....

Lauren Rathbone, reigning Peep of the Year said....
I am over half way thru my PEEP of the year run, do I get a lobster dinner! Heading to north conway this weekend, I will think of Mrs Nestor as I float on echo lake.

No Urinating

Even when you specifically put the sign up.....

Susan said...
Who did that Jay?

No Susan. That is obviously not my urine. (When I pee on a building, I usually spell my name, and this is just one big void.)
~
Didn't you read the sign???
It says "No Urinating Against the Building."
~
So naturally, I didn't pee there.
~
However, there was no sign that said that you couldn't take a poo in the bushes.

Pesky Facts

So President Obama is taking time out of his busy day today to have a beer with some Cambridge guys who had a run in. President BO calls it a "Teaching Moment".
~
Do you find this to be just a bit pretentious? A tad irritating maybe? A little condescending?
~
Let's face it. The Gates controversy points out that people who make a living out of extolling racist America are on the run. Al Sharpton, Jesse Jackson, Skip Gates, and quite a few of the twisted ideolog professors that I remember at UMASS and BU are losing their subject matter.
~
Racism in America is on the wane. Somebody should point out to them the WE ELECTED A BLACK PRESIDENT. And the FACTS behind the Cambridge racial profiling incident clearly show that this was not an issue of race at all... from the 911 call down to the African American police sergeant who responded to the scene immediately after Crowley, the evidence is clear that race was NOT taken into account by anyone but Henry Louis Gates.
~
Now it comes out that the evil white Sergeant Crowley is a widely respected teacher of racial profiling to Massachusetts police cadets. Pesky fact.
~
President BO lectured to us that the "Cambridge Police acted stupidly." Did they also act stupidly by issuing you 17 tickets while you were a student in Cambridge, that you only paid when you decided to run for President? That's another one of those pesky facts that keep moving this from the trite rush to judgement that Obama embraced.
~
I guess the most annoying thing about this is that America has made great strides, and it is obvious that guys like Gates have an equity position in seeing that racism persists.
~
We should never forget our racist past... but we can't denigrate our achievements in escaping that past.

Bye Bye B. I.

We bid adieu to the Block Island project today.
~
Left the Verizon cell site a lot better than we found it. Which still isn't saying much. It has been a very ill kept cell site.
~
But the unbelieveably rainy conditions in May and June really made this job drag on a lot longer than we had hoped. You can't cad weld in the rain and you can't climb towers in the rain, and there was a ton of each on this job.
~

Axiomatic

We all know the axiom.... "If a tree falls in the forest, and nobody is there to hear it, does it make a sound?"
~
Maybe you don't know this axiom, but I do.
~
Well.... "If a tree falls in your backyard, and nobody has the insurance to cover the removal, does it stay there all summer?"
~
This one may be harder to answer.
~
I'm so sick of legal fees. My next door neighbor, who shares with us in the willow drapesing his property has been threatening lawsuit. Maybe if I wasn't paying lawyers up the yin-yang these days, I'd be more attentive to his rants and raves.
~
I'd just be happy to see the mess cleaned up, fix my fence and get on with life without massive down willow branches all over the place.

The Lorax said...

take down the willow. shallow roots.

Tuna Lips said...

what's axiomatik is there aint nary a scrap o'toilet paper in the public crap house when I needs to pinch me a loaf.

Willow Limb

Granted our backyard is a source of neglect. We really have to pay some attention to it and get it into shape.

~
But the huge willow limb that crashed through the fence at 10:00 AM this morning didn't help matters at all.
~
Both my insurance agent, Dave Bruett, and my public adjuster, Harvey Rowe, didn't give me any indication that this will be a quick insurance fix.
~
Maybe cleaning this up will be the catalyst to getting the entire back done for the rest of the summer.

Close Out July

It's the last week in July. Not much fishing luck this summer, but at least the keeper trap is filled with lobsters. We'll probably fire up the turkey fryer with a kettle of boiling water this weekend for a lobster dinner.
~
It will be a push to clear up loose ends this week, tidy up Nanepashemet Telecom. We've got a couple of projects in the pipeline, but I would really like to concentrate on closeouts rather than planning. Plus we will be moving our warehouse operations next week so it will be nice to stand back and take stock.

Workbench Progress

I surprised myself at the progress that was made on the Workbench Project.
~
The dovetailed apron was glued and fastened, the end vise was attached, as well as the two bench vises.
~
The wooden vise grips have to be assembled and fastened to the bench vises, and a ton of sanding had to be done. Then the holes for the bench dogs need to be lined up and drilled.
~
I also cut all of the mortises for the bench leg system in the mahogany 2x4's using the Jet Mortising Machine that I'm really glad that I bought on a whim six months ago or so.
~
I'm going to set up the router table with a sharpened 3/4" straight bit to cut the tenons.
~
Then the leg system will be assembled and attached to the bottom of the table.
~
After the sanding is completed, five or six coats of sprayed polyurethane varnish will finish the project, and we will move it into the basement to be used as a plan table and fine detail work, until it becomes the centerpiece for the dream shop that I will build when I retire.
~
Maybe I'll sneak in some hours on the project this week because I'm anxious to get moving on Kate's Adirondack chair. I know that I will be down to Block Island once or twice this week to close that project out, and there is probably some other Nanepashemet Telecom priorities that will loom forth. Plus alot will depend on the weather.

White House Beer

More
So  the President wants to have a beer at the White House with the Cambridge Cop and the agitated Harvard Professor.
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Could be a really sensitive meeting.

~

I would think that the White House stocks a wide selection of beers.

~
Colt 45 is one brand that has marketed heavily to African Americans. Billy Dee Williams says "It works every time!" Maybe Obama should test this claim.
~
Or maybe they should stick to a Sam Adams.
~
Better yet, I'd recommend a Corona, which would placate the growing Hispanic constituency.

~

If I was Obama, I wouldn't pick the beer....he's already way too deep in the weeds.
~
Then again..... I would ship a case of Bud to the Cambridge Police and call it a day.

Weekend Responsibility

Peeps -
We are staring down the beginning of a relatively nice, mid-summer weekend.
~
Why don't you pay attention to your own plans, and stop sending me hundreds of emails asking me what I'm going to do this weekend????
~
I'm tempted to completely ignore your pathetic petitions, but I realize that would tend to exacerbate your neurotic insecurities, so I will gratuitously give you my weekend outlook. You Emotional Babies!
~
Things I have to do.... check lobster pots, glue the maple and mahoghany apron on to the workbench project, make a bank deposit, see if the Bluefish have returned to Fish Alley behind Baker's Island, get a rowing workout in the Tender in Marblehead Harbor, grab a burger at the Boston Yacht Club, send out some Nanepashemet Telecom invoices, drink some Dark and Stormies.
~
Pretty much have to stop the list there. Even a Mountain of a Man like me has his limits.
~
Now I hope you can settle down and concentrate on your own life for awhile and leave me alone.

POTW Week 29

My advice to the President is to concentrate on the economy, and try to get his health plan on track. Anything he says from here on in regarding the Gates Racial Profiling Fiasco will only highlight Obama's rush to judgement. This is about a prima donna who thinks he can use the race card to stand above the law. It is way beneath Obama.

But our President has proposed to have a beer at the White House with his friend Gates and the evil Sgt. Crowley. The aggrieved victim, Prof. Gates, responded that he would go but that he doesn't drink beer. Isn't that insulting to all White Beer Drinkers everywhere???

Announcing....
Nanepashemet Peeps of the Week for the 29th week of 2009

Sgt. Jim Crowley
Pres. Barack Obama
Prof. Skip Gates
Commissioner Robert C. Haas of the Cambridge Police Department
Sgt. Leon Lashley of the Cambridge Police Department
The Guy across the Street Who Witnessed the Entire Incident

I realize that this is the only theme related POTW selection in history, but that's just the way it happened this week. You just can't tamper with the completely scientific and unbiased selection criteria. That would be disastrous.

Island Fever

Another Friday night commute from Block Island to Marblehead.
~
Man, I am so sick of that island..... not specifically all of Block Island, but the tiny patch that houses that Verizon cell site.

Unfortunate Email

And to the DipShit who decided to send me an email and call me racist... let me just tell you....
~
I grew up with Black kids, went to school with Black kids from the 1st grade on. Roomed with a Black kid in college, took race relations training as a dorm counselor, my kid's Godfather is a Black man, was co-captain of my high school track team with a Black man. In many situations, was the only white guy in a host of social situations. Had close relationships with Black people, but also had a Black man physically hold a knife to my throat. And the list can go on.
~
But I'm not some freaking phony who will jump to a lock step liberal position because the parties are Black.
~
You don't know shit about me. But I know that you are a low life, close minded asshole.
~
I have no problem calling Gates a racist. Because those are the overwhelming facts. And I have no problem busting your balls as well. Asshole.

Pisc said...

The media started telling this story in Cambridge as a white cop having an encounter with a black man, and filled in the blanks that the white cop is a racist, simply because he had an encounter with a black individual. That is racist. It is time to call it out. “All white cops are racists” is a racist statement, and the conclusion that the media, in not talking about any facts other than the race of the cop and the man breaking into a residence that happened to be his own, was reporting by omission. People who reject racism must not accept that thinking and should call it out as wrong. It was poised to obscure the character and personhood of the Cambridge cop, making him an “it”, and not a person with dignity, and intellect, and pride. And when the facts came out, sure we have an unfortunate incident, but a completely understandable one, without any racial implications. Unless you want to put them in there. Which you can. But the world is going to call out people who do so, call them out as racist.

Pax Vobiscum.

News Brief

This excerpt for WBZ news is particularly insightful. What is incredible about this Gates incident is that Gates keeps coming up as a racist prima donna, and that President Obama killed his opportunity to focus the nation on the health issue by saying that the "Cambridge Police acted stupidly."
~
Forget about Gates. This gives us way more insight into Obama.

~

Jul 23, 2009 3:37 pm US/Eastern

Gates Arresting Officer: Obama 'Way Off Base'

BOSTON (WBZ) ―

Cambridge Police Sgt. James Crowley speaks to WBZ Radio July 23, 2009.

Henry Louis Gates Jr. is arrested outside of his Cambridge home.

Henry Louis Gates Jr. mug shot from Cambridge Police.

Close

The white police sergeant who arrested black Harvard professor Henry Louis Gates Jr. said Thursday President Barack Obama was "way off base" claiming Cambridge officers acted "stupidly" during the incident.

Read: White House Clarifies Obama's Remark

Sgt. James Crowley, who is a police academy expert on racial profiling, responded to Gates' home near Harvard University last week to investigate a report of a burglary and demanded Gates show him identification. Police say Gates at first refused and accused the officer of racism.

Gates was charged with disorderly conduct. The charge was dropped Tuesday, and Gates has since demanded an apology from Crowley.

'THERE WAS A LOT OF YELLING'

"I acted appropriately," Crowley told WBZ Radio's Carl Stevens Thursday.

Watch: The Crowley Interview

"Mister Gates was given plenty of opportunities to stop what he was doing. He didn't. He acted very irrational he controlled the outcome of that event."

"There was a lot of yelling, there was references to my mother, something you wouldn't expect from anybody that should be grateful that you were there investigating a report of a crime in progress, let alone a Harvard University professor."

According to the police report, Crowley asked Gates to talk outside, to which he responded "Yeah, I'll speak with your mama outside."

OBAMA ON THE ARREST

Obama was asked about the arrest of Gates, who is his friend, at the end of a nationally televised news conference on health care Wednesday night.

"I think it's fair to say, number one, any of us would be pretty angry," Obama said. "Number two, that the Cambridge police acted stupidly in arresting somebody when there was already proof that they were in their own home. And number three -- what I think we know separate and apart from this incident -- is that there is a long history in this country of African-Americans and Latinos being stopped by law enforcement disproportionately, and that's just a fact."

Watch: President Obama's full comments

PRESIDENT 'WAY OFF BASE'

Crowley maintained he had done nothing wrong in arresting Gates.

"I support the president of the United States 110-percent," he told WBZ Radio.

"I think he's way off base wading into a local issue without knowing all the facts, as he himself stated before he made that comment. I don't know what to say about that. I guess a friend of mine would support my position, too."

Crowley has taught a class on racial profiling for five years at Lowell Police Academy. In the class, he teaches officers about different situations and how officers should handle them.

GATES: 'NOT ABOUT ME'

Gates has said he was "outraged" by the arrest.

He said the white officer walked into his home without his permission and only arrested him as the professor followed him to the porch, repeatedly demanding the sergeant's name and badge number because he was unhappy over his treatment.

"This isn't about me; this is about the vulnerability of black men in America," Gates said.

He said the incident made him realize how vulnerable poor people and minorities are "to capricious forces like a rogue policeman, and this man clearly was a rogue policeman."

RACISM CLAIMS 'UNFORTUNATE'

So what does Crowley think about Gates' claim that he's a racist?

"It almost doesn't even warrant a comment it's so ridiculous. My friends, my family, my colleagues, those people (whose) opinions mean the most to me, they know who I am. They know what I am and what I am not."

"It's an unfortunate thing that the professor or other people have even mentioned that."

'APOLOGY WON'T COME FROM ME'

Crowley, 42, said he won't apologize. And his union has expressed "full and unqualified" support for him.

"The apology wont come from me. I've done nothing wrong," he told WBZ.

REGGIE LEWIS CONNECTION

Fellow officers, black and white, say he is well-liked and respected on the force. Crowley was a campus police officer at Brandeis University in July 1993 when he administered CPR trying to save the life of former Boston Celtics player Reggie Lewis.

Lewis, who was black, collapsed and died during an off-season workout.

SUPPORT FOR BOTH SIDES

Gates' supporters maintain his arrest was a case of racial profiling.

Supporters of the Cambridge police were stunned the incident came up at the White House news conference.

"We were shocked to hear the president weigh in on this during a prime time news conference. They are a model police department; true professionals. It's a shame that they are being nationally targeted like this," Harold MacGilvray of the Massachusetts Municipal Police Coalition said in a statement.

Crowley said he wouldn't do anything different if he had the chance to do things over.

"If a similar call came in tomorrow, I wouldn't shy away from responding and I would do what I have to do."

Racist Cambridge

What does Judge Sotomayor think?

Gatesgate

I know that I said that the Gates arrest in Cambridge was not really newsworthy.
~
But last night, President Obama decided to sound in about the incident during his press conference. Course neither he, I, nor anyone except Professor Henry Gates and Cambridge Police Sergeant Joe Crowley has the real facts.... except maybe the guy who lives across the street who said to NewsCenter5 that Gates was agitated but that the police were under control. Guy is probably a racist.

~

Barach opined that the "Cambridge Police acted stupidly". That could have been a stupid comment as well.
~

So if President Obama can make stupid comments, certainly I can do the same.
~
Seems to me that the issue indeed is racism.... whether or not a prominent Black Harvard professor can pull the race card and claim that he can say anything he wants to a white Police officer when he is called to do his job.
~
After all, didn't they know who he was??? And that he was a friend of President Obama??? How dare they question him about a breaking and entering call that was made to the Police? If he was a white guy, wouldn't the police have ignored the breaking and entering call and driven right by???
~
Would Gates have gotten so irate if the first responding officer wasn't the white Sgt. Crowley, but one of the many black officers on the Cambridge Police force?
~
Gates is right to say that racism plays a part here. But who is the racist?
~
And don't be telling me that the People's Republic of Cambridge harbors a racist police force. Sell that Bullshit someplace else.
~
Now Gates wants Crowley to "beg" his forgiveness.

~

This professor has made a career in the study of racist America over at Harvard. Certainly he is sensitive to his outlook as a Black man in an oppressive society. But it seems as if he might have overreacted in this case.
~

Benchdogs

Yesterday, when I was waiting for plan sets to be printed for the Mystic Country Connecticut permit run, I went over to Woodcraft in Woburn to kill a half hour.
~
Forty five minutes later, I was walking out with two sets of brass benchdogs by Veritas. What the hell.... the workbench is coming along nicely and those benchdogs will really add a nice touch. I know that I owe you some pictures, and if I don't have to go out to Block Island this Friday, the bench should see some real progress.
~
After that, the concentration will return to Kate's Adirondack chair, plus I have a couple of secret projects in mind that I can't tell you about right now.

Wishful Thinking

I'll be making the trek down to New London, Connecticut again today, with three permits to file at three different jurisdictions.
~
It would be great to get this done before noon.
~
Then I would have the dilemma of deadheading back to Marblehead, or getting on the Point Judith Ferry to check on the progress at Block Island.
~
That's wishful thinking.
~
Somehow, I'll probably be fighting stop and go traffic in both Providence and Boston during rush hour.

Misplaced Priority

It's a pretty slow news day around here.
~
The breaking story is about a Harvard professor, Henry Louis Gates, Jr., Director of the W. E. B. Du Bois Institute for African and African American Research, who lipped off to the Cambridge Police about racial profiling and now is charged with disorderly conduct. Now the issue is whether the Police will drop the charges.
~
Like I said... pretty slow.
~
I even when to the "Harvey's Thoughts" blog to see if I could get some inspiration. My friend, Harvey Rowe, had something going on about gangs in Lynn exchanging gunfire, and the police response to it.
~
Not for Nothing, but... that seems to be a bit more newsworthy than some high minded Harvard prima donna who thinks he can play the race card rather that cooperate with a police officer doing his job.
~
I guess the Boston news media is more concerned over a full-of-himself, insulted Harvard professor, than the brave actions of Lynn and Nahant Police dodging gang bullets.

Full Moon

Forty years ago today, we landed a man on the moon in a spacecraft that had the computing power of an iPhone.
~
There's been lots of debate over whether the expense and effort was worth it. There are even those who deny that it ever happened.
~
I find these wacko's who say the Holocaust didn't happen, or that the Moon Landing was a hoax to be at the Pinnacle of Pompous Paranoia.
~
Probably.
~
For the record, if you wanted to rate the wasted expense of space exploration compared to the other stuff that the government spends our money on, I'd have to give the moon landing a big thumbs up. At least it's something that inspires some awe and pride. It's a lot cooler than the Big Dig.
~
As a practical matter, the Moon is the only realistic place that we can frequent in space unless we perfect time travel. Everything else is just too damn far away. So there is no harm in checking it out.... every forty years or so.

Down Day

I truly thought that I had bounced back from the intensive travel schedule last week, but my ass is really dragging this monday morning. I feel like I'm just going through the motions at Nanepashemet Telecom... which is not good.

~

Because we've got a ton of stuff going, and I have to snap out of it.

~

I suppose one down day is acceptable.... even if you are a mountain of a man like me.

Tuna Lips said...

Nuttin' like a good beer buzz on a Monday mornin' to remind yerself that no one's the boss of yerself.

Bounce Back

OK Peeps.
~
I know you were worried about my exhausted condition, but a mountain of a man like me bounces back fast. Slept in until 8:00 this morning and I am ready for another go at it.
~
So we'll be springing into action today to check the lobster traps, revarnish the deck railing and make a dent in the workbench project. Maybe get some seed for the bare patches in the lawn.... and plant some daisies or something.
~
Plus the grandkids are over.
~
There's plenty of time for rest when you are six feet under.... which reminds me to get my prescriptions refilled.

POTW Week 28

The Road Trips this week to Maine, Connecticut and Rhode Island have taken their toll. I am a bit overtired and cranky, but still up to making the crucial Peep choices for this pathetic blog.

ANNOUNCING....
Nanepashemet Peeps of the Week for the 28th week of 2009

Linda O'Shea
Jay Turner
Will Crawford
George Clooney
Nathaniel Clarke
Lindsey Kepnes

Don't be calling me and asking me to do shit this weekend because the answer is a slightly rude "No". I won't be taking any action until the batteries are completely recharged.