Evidence and Balls

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

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

Creating with a Kushlan

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

Salt Marsh Home

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

Carlos, My GrandDog

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

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

I Had a Dream Last Night

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

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

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

Getting Concrete with the Plan

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

Splitting Granite

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

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

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

Power of the Nanepashemet Nod

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

The power of the Nanepashemet Nod is mysterious indeed.

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

I hope Seth Moulton proves to be worthy.

North Country Weekend

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

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

Why Vote for Seth Moulton?

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

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

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

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

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

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

A Leadership Vacuum

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

Popping the Question

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

A SPECIAL DAY.