Erin Go Bragh? or Bra Less?

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

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

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

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

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

President's Day Musings

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

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

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

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

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

Giarda's Recipe for Pizza Dough

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

 

Ingredients

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

Directions

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

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

Time for another episode of....

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

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

Post about Posting

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

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

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

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

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

French Fries

Perfect French Fries

• 31 Reviews 

Recipe courtesy of Emeril Lagasse

Recipe courtesy Emeril Lagasse, 2003

SHOW:

The Essence of Emeril

EPISODE:

Deep Frying

Total Time:

1 hr 25 min

Prep:

15 min

Inactive:

30 min

Cook:

40 min

---

Yield:

4 servings

Level:

Intermediate

---

CATEGORIES

• Potato
• Side Dish
• Fries

Ingredients

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

Directions

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

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

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

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

FLOTUS Birthday Wish

Happy 50th Birthday to the FLOTUS!



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

Income Taxes

Time to feed the cat

New Year's Resolutions - 2014

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

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

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

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

2014 Nanepashemet Peep of the Year

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

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

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

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

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

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

TommyO said2:42 PM

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

POTY Stress

Can you feel the tension?

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

Pie Crust Recipe for Cuisinart

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

 Ingredients

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

 Instructions

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

 Preheat the oven to 400º F.

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

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

Smartphone Photo Consequense

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

Merry Christmas from Henry the Cat

Christmas Eve Excursion

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

PAtriot Game Strategy

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

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

 

Apple Crisp

 

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

Ingredients

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

Directions

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

The Reason for the Season

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

POTY Time

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

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

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

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

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

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



Course the POTY designation is always a high point.

Duck Dynasty

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

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

Like the Lease

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

HOUSE for RENT

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

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

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

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

New Cherry Kichen with Granite Counters

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

Walk to Salem Harbor - Village Landing.

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

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



Spacious Deck for Entertaining

Bash Aftermath

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

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

Ceremonial Dish of the Nanepashemet Bash

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

Sunday morning breakfast

Blog Rambling and Rating

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

When Kennedy was Killed

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

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

~

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

~

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

~

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

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

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

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

Bash Countdown

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

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

Momentum is building.... Six  more Days!

Too Harsh?

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

Bash Notice

Bash is on for next Wed. 

Thinking of Renovating the Bathroom

Pendulum Swing

Watching the Sunday Morning News Show.

~

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

~

Is this an alternative Universe?

~

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

~

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

~

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

~

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

~

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

~

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

~

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

~

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

~

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

Pyrrhic Victory

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

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

It just saps your energy,

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

Biology Factory

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

 

 

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

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

~

All this from the murky Salem Harbor.

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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