General Discussion, Friday, March 9, 2018

Posted on March 9, 2018 by Stella

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169 Responses to General Discussion, Friday, March 9, 2018

  1. Wooly Covfefe says:
    March 9, 2018 at 12:25 am

    We found this guy on our Pandora the other day. Probably came from the Mark Knopfler seed on Chef’s playlist.

    Tony Joe White. Never heard of him. Amazing goodness.

    Liked by 4 people

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    • Wooly Covfefe says:
      March 9, 2018 at 12:47 am

      I cannot for the life of me figure out why I’ve never heard of this guy.

      His techniques. Man, oh man.

      And we’ve listened to rare Jimi JUST today, in the kitchen. Jeff Beck. Joe Bonamassa.
      Joe Satriani. Steve Vai. Stevie Ray. John Mayer Trio. Carlos Santana. Rodrigo y Gabriella. Les Paul & Friends. Just today. Then this guy pops up.

      Never heard of this guy. Why? Apparently he has quite a catalog.

      I think he’s an AI. A Russian bot. It absorbed all that music, too. Probably even Sergei Rachmaninoff. Then it propagated a human-like band in the last year, via server-farms with vast GFX card capacity.

      Nope, he was created last year by Russian Bots.

      After hearing him, I have to ask why the heck I am asking who the heck Tony Joe White is.

      Dude is good.

      Liked by 2 people

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      • Wooly Covfefe says:
        March 9, 2018 at 1:35 am

        We really did listen to all that today. And way more. James Brown. Stevie Wonder. Daryl Hall. Barry White. Cameo. Parliament.

        But this guy. I couldn’t hardly believe he was white.

        Then again, I only just found out recently that Boz Skaggs was not a person, but a band, and that the lead singer is white. Astounding soul in that man, and the whole band.

        He got them colored girls, though. Sho do. Heard this song a million times, for many years, always assumed it was a black man singing. I’m racist, I guess.

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    • Lburg says:
      March 9, 2018 at 4:26 am

      I’m with Chef….Mark Knopfler!

      Liked by 2 people

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      • Wooly Covfefe says:
        March 9, 2018 at 7:48 am

        I need to buy Chef a guitar. He doesn’t think he could play one. I disagree. It’s all he absorbs, is good guitarists. Billy Gibbons. Daryl Hall. Clapton. All of the above.

        You never know what you’re going to hear coming out of his JBL in our kitchen. But you know it’s going to be good. New Riders of the Purple Sage has been coming up lately. CSNY. Grateful Dead. The front of the house staff wishes they had our music out front.

        Other restaurants wish they had our music in their kitchens.

        That Boz Skaggs performance is incredible. I stayed up half the night watching videos from it. That’s good stuff, right there. That band is tight.

        Liked by 3 people

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    • Col.(R) Ken says:
      March 9, 2018 at 6:29 am

      Just a little CCR in the morning. “Favorite Son”………

      Liked by 5 people

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    • lovely says:
      March 9, 2018 at 7:58 am

      Wow! I listend to just the first song song, amazing. I’ll listen to more tonight.

      Liked by 2 people

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      • Wooly Covfefe says:
        March 9, 2018 at 8:07 am

        If you YouTube “Tony Joe White full album”, you’ll get more.

        I’m gobsmacked I’ve not heard of this guy until the other day.

        Grinning from ear to ear listening to his albums. Newfound treasure.

        Liked by 3 people

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  3. Lucille says:
    March 9, 2018 at 12:35 am

    Woodland Caribou Provincial Park, Ontario, Canada

    Liked by 7 people

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  5. Gil says:
    March 9, 2018 at 12:51 am

    Im going to try to find out if I can take the kiddo to see AF1 land next week during POTUS’ visit. I never went for O, but Trump, heck yes. I am not sure how to find out but it would be fun to go.

    Liked by 7 people

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    • czarowniczy says:
      March 9, 2018 at 1:37 am

      Call the airport security or admin offices and see how they are going to manage sightseers. Also ask what parking areas around the fences will be available/closed off for viewing. Best to get there early as many jurisdictions close all routes the POTUS will be using 15 minutes or more before the caravan uses them and for a while after and that makes for traffic jams.

      Liked by 3 people

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      • Gil says:
        March 9, 2018 at 8:58 am

        It might be a military base because of the runway but im making phone calls today!

        Liked by 1 person

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        • stella says:
          March 9, 2018 at 9:38 am

          I wonder if he will be flying into Orange County. He’s supposed to visit the border wall, and attend a fund raiser in Beverly Hills.

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        • czarowniczy says:
          March 9, 2018 at 10:10 am

          Generally if it’s an official visit they’ll use a military base and if it’s political they’ll use a civilian airport but those are just guidelines. Reagan used the Joint Reserve Base south of NOLA and when Obama came in he used the big civilian airport and gummed up traffic for hours.

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          • rheavolans says:
            March 9, 2018 at 12:12 pm

            Of course he did. Had to remind the serfs who was in charge.

            Liked by 1 person

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          • Gil says:
            March 9, 2018 at 12:40 pm

            Czar, it will have to be March ARB, due to the runway. Ive just made several calls and they told me nothing is confirmed and even then its not likely theyll let civilians on base, because O never did. O would drop AF1 on base but arrive in a different vehicle, usually in Palm Springs. Actually, they were a little rude to me but finally saud maybe bc its a different administration we will be allowed.
            I would think they’d be excited and want us to participate.

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            • czarowniczy says:
              March 9, 2018 at 1:48 pm

              It’s a matter of security. During ’88 DNC in NOLA I could get the VIP I was assigned on the base thru the back gate due to our car having clearance and my having a military ID card. They’d close all but the main gate and all traffic that wasn’t military took it. As it was a political visit but for reasons of security and the ability to zip thru back roads and miss the downtown clog they used the JRB. It’s a thing watching AF1 land, for sure, and due to my charge we got to drive right up to where the Presidential motorcade was positioned on the taxiway. Other planes in support, including the one(s) carrying the president’s limo and support, arrive earlier and it’s neat watching the fleet come in.
              Maybe you can use a map of the base to locate runways and weather to find wind direction and find a parking spot off base ( https://www.airnav.com/airport/KRIV ) as they’ll generally land with the wind.
              I’m betting they’ll take the longest runway and land with the taxi strip in front – only a guess.

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              • Gil says:
                March 9, 2018 at 2:03 pm

                This base is the longest runway in the west coast. Theres an air museum adjacent. I just talked to the director who said we can watch there, have to pay admission, but is fenced off so no motorcade watch ir meet n greet. He said call back on monday.

                Liked by 1 person

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    • lovely says:
      March 9, 2018 at 8:02 am

      I hope you can go Gil it would be awesome!

      Liked by 2 people

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    • Wooly Covfefe says:
      March 9, 2018 at 8:25 am

      I hope you get a good view, Gil. I wouldn’t have gone for O, either. I’d rather be getting a root canal.

      Trump? Yep. Like watching the Space Shuttle land.

      Liked by 4 people

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  6. nyetneetot says:
    March 9, 2018 at 5:46 am

    Mornin’ stella! (Smiter of those that ought to be smote) 😎 🍸 (Long Island Iced Tea)
    Mornin’ WeeWeed! (Master Mixologist Extrodinare) 😎 🍸 (Old Fashioned)
    Mornin’ Menagerie! 😎 |_| |_| |_| |_| |_| |_| |_| |_| |_| |_| |_| |_| |_| |_| |_| |_| |_| |_| |_| |_| |_| |_| |_| |_| |_| |_| |_| |_| |_| |_| |_| |_| |_| |_| |_| |_| |_| |_| |_| |_| |_| |_| |_| |_| |_| |_| |_| |_| |_| |_| |_| |_| |_| |_| |_| |_| |_| |_| |_| |_| |_| |_| |_| |_| |_| |_| |_| |_| |_| |_| |_| |_| |_| |_| |_| |_| |_| |_| |_| |_| |_| |_| |_| |_| |_| |_| |_| |_| |_| (Jack Daniels – Single Barrel )
    Mornin’ Ad rem! (Queen Felis catus) 🐱 🍸 (Flaming Lamborghini)
    Mornin’ Sharon! 😎 🍸 🍸 (earthquake)
    Mornin’ ytz4mee! 😎 🍸 (cosmopolitan)
    Mornin’ waltzingmtilda! 🙂 🍸 (white wine and perrier)
    Mornin’ partyzantski! 🙂 |_| (Tom Collins)
    Mornin’ texan59! 🙂 |_| (Black & Tan)
    Mornin’ ZurichMike! 🙂 🍸 (fuzzy navel)
    Mornin’ Col.(R) Ken! (hand salute) 🙂 |_| (Boilermaker)
    Mornin’ czarina33! (aka czarina) 🙂 🍸 (Lynchburg Lemonade)
    Mornin’ czarowniczy! 🙂 |_| (Wild Turkey Rare Breed)
    Mornin’ letjusticeprevail2014! 🙂 |_| (Irish Car Bomb)
    Mornin’ Patriot1783-ctdar! (aka “ctdar”) 🙂 🍸 (grasshopper)
    Mornin’ tessa50! 🙂 🍸 (flaming volcano)
    Mornin’ waltzingmtilda! 🙂 🍸 (sidecar)
    Mornin’ varsityward! 🙂 |_| (Godfather)
    Mornin’ MaryfromMarin! 😀 |_| |_| |_| |_| |_| |_| |_| |_| |_| |_| |_| |_| |_| |_| |_| |_| (Mortlach)
    Mornin’ Wooly Covfefe! (aka “Wooly Phlox” aka “taqiyyologist”) 🙂 |_| (Roy Rogers)
    Mornin’ Howie! (aka “doodahdaze”) 🙂 |_| (Classic Daiquiri)
    Mornin’ TwoLaine! 🙂 |_| (Gin & Tonic)
    Mornin’ Sha! 🙂 🍸 (Lemon Drop)
    Mornin’ BigMamaTEA! 🙂 🍸 (Harvey Wallbanger)
    Mornin’ cetera5! (aka “Cetera”) 🙂 |_| (Blackberry wine)
    Mornin’ The Tundra PA! 🙂 🍸 (Gentleman Jack Whiskey Sling)
    Mornin’ lovely! 🙂 |_| (Backdraft)
    Mornin’ michellc! 🙂 🍸 (Salty dog)
    Mornin’ auscitizenmom! 🙂 🍸 (Kiss on the Lips)
    Mornin’ Margaret-Ann! 🙂 🍸 (White Russian)
    Mornin’ Auntie Lib! 🙂 🍸 (Tom and Jerry)
    Mornin’ holly100! 🙂 🍸 (Jack & Coke)
    Mornin’ Pam! 🙂 (Not even water)
    Mornin’ Ms.Tee! 🙂 🍸 (Mojito)
    Mornin’ koolkosherkitchen! 🙂 🍸 🍸 (Cuba Libre)
    Mornin’ ImpeachEmAll 🙂 |_| (Flaming Dr. Pepper)
    Mornin’ Monroe! 🙂 |_| (Stinger)
    Mornin’ Les! 🙂 |_| (Rusty Nail)
    Mornin’ shiloh1973! 🙂 |_| (Jack Daniels)
    Mornin’ TexasRanger! 🙂 |_| (Whiskey Smash)
    Mornin’ Ziiggii! 🙂 |_| (B52)
    Mornin’ oldiadguy! 🙂 |_| (Rum & Coke)
    Mornin’ smiley! (“stuck in spambucket”) 🙂 🍸 (Spanish coffee)
    Mornin’ derk! (“Stellars”) 🙂 🍸 (Kamikaze)
    Mornin’ Jacqueline Taylor Robson 🙂 🍸 (Shirley Temple)
    Mornin’ facebkwallflower! 🙂 |_| (Night Train Express)
    Mornin’ Ms. Cindy! (aka “Ms Cynlynn” aka “ms cynlynn”) 🙂 🍸 (1970 ducru beaucaillou)
    Mornin’ sandandsea2015! 🙂 🍸 (1961 Château Montrose)
    Mornin’ amwick! 🙂 🍸 (Blue motorcycle)
    Mornin’ hocuspocus13! 🙂 🍸 (1970 Chateau Latour)
    Mornin’ Sloth1963! 🙂 🍸 (1971 Moulin Touchais)
    Mornin’ MTeresa! (Ex-lurker) 🙂 |_| (Albanian Raki Moskat)
    Mornin’ rheavolans! (aka “Rhea Salacia Volans”) 🙂 |_| (Hot Buttered Rum)
    Mornin’ joshua! 🙂 |_| (Mudslide)
    Mornin’ John Denney! 🙂 |_| (RumChata)
    Mornin’ litenmaus! 🙂 |_| (Stolichnaya elit, no ice)
    Mornin’ kinthenorthwest! 🙂 🍸 (A Lonely Island Lost in the Middle of a Foggy Sea)
    Mornin’ TwoLaine! 🙂 |_| (Smoking Bishop)
    Mornin’ patternpuzzler! 🙂 🍸 (Old Lady)
    Mornin’ Senatssekretär FREISTAAT DANZIG! 🙂 |_| (Red Russian)
    Mornin’ G-d&Country! 🙂 🍸 (Blind Russian)
    Mornin’ Gary! 🙂 |_| (Yuengling)
    Mornin’ valeriecurren! 🙂 🍸 (Flaming Sambuca)
    Mornin’ Lucille! 🙂 🍸 (Peach Schnapps)
    Mornin’ Lburg! 🙂 🍸 (Lburg lemonade)
    Mornin’ davidhuntpe! 🙂 |_| (Baileys Irish Cream on the rocks)
    Mornin’ skipper1961! 🙂 |_| (Brompton’s Cocktail – No cherry, no umbrella, no plastic monkey)
    Mornin’ mightyconservative! 🙂 |_| (Benjamin Franklin’s clarified milk punch)
    Mornin’ whiners and complainers! 😛 (No drink for you!)
    Mornin’ to people posting that I missed. 😳
    Mornin’ to all you lurkers! 😕

    Also just in case someday; mornin’ to Elvis Chupacabra, F.D.R. in Hell and sundance! :mrgreen:

    Breakfast!

    NEW and IMPROVED breakfast with extra bacon for ZurichMike!

    Lemon Scones with Vanilla Lemon Glaze

    Liked by 8 people

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  7. michellc says:
    March 9, 2018 at 8:50 am

    It has started off a very pretty morning. I went to bed last night and it was in the 30’s, I guess a warm front moved in overnight as I woke up to 45 degrees. Now that the sun has been up awhile, it’s already up to 55, high today in the upper 60’s.

    My DH asked me this morning if I found some happy pills because I was smiling and singing and not grumpy. I told him it was the fact that I didn’t have to go out and freeze while doing chores. He doesn’t mind the cold like I do and he’s rarely grumpy in the morning. Me, I’ve never been a morning person and even less so when I have to go out in the cold.

    When we first got married his cheerful self in the morning annoyed the heck out of me and I’d tell him people weren’t supposed to be so cheerful first thing in the morning. lol

    Liked by 8 people

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    • sandandsea2015 says:
      March 9, 2018 at 9:19 am

      Morning Michelle! Have a beautiful sunny day!

      Liked by 1 person

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    • litenmaus says:
      March 9, 2018 at 9:21 am

      Mornin’ Michelle, enjoy your heat wave….:0)

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      • michellc says:
        March 9, 2018 at 9:32 am

        Mornin’! I’m hoping winter is just about in the rear view mirror.

        Liked by 2 people

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        • auscitizenmom says:
          March 9, 2018 at 9:49 am

          My sister in B.C. said that she will be glad when the 4 feet of snow melts a little and gets hard enough to walk on . She is only 4′ 10″ or so and so can’t go out in it past where her husband has cleared.

          Liked by 3 people

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          • The Tundra PA says:
            March 9, 2018 at 1:48 pm

            I’m with your sister, USmom. I’ve only got about 3 feet of snow, and it is another 2 months before it will all melt.

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            • auscitizenmom says:
              March 9, 2018 at 2:37 pm

              Hers usually melts in time for their 1 day of summer.

              Liked by 2 people

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              • Sharon says:
                March 9, 2018 at 2:57 pm

                I used to tease my husband – Minnesota born ‘n bred farm boy – that the only problem with Minnesota is that the growing season is only four days long. Put the garden in too early, and it might be killed by a late frost or buried in two feet of snow. (I have photos of a foot of snow nicely arranged, perfectly vertical, on the deck’s 2 X 4s, chairs, and tables.) Put the garden in too late, and the harvest might be destroyed on September 10 by an early hard freeze.

                Liked by 1 person

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                • auscitizenmom says:
                  March 9, 2018 at 3:14 pm

                  That is exactly their problem. They have a greenhouse, which helps, but they still have trouble getting the vegetables that are too big for it ready to pick before the frost. She absolutely babies the tomatoes, taking the pots out into the sun and bringing them in before the temp drops too much. Very hard, but they try. Unfortunately they are both getting a little old to be doing all the work.

                  Liked by 1 person

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                  • stella says:
                    March 9, 2018 at 3:45 pm

                    Another thing you can do (I’ve seen it at the Amish farms in the Michigan thumb) is to cover the young plants with upturned gallon plastic milk containers.

                    Liked by 1 person

          • michellc says:
            March 9, 2018 at 11:40 pm

            I couldn’t do it.

            It was a pretty day here today, a little windy but honestly not that bad for March.
            Got a lot of stuff done that needed to be done outside today. I even had time to watch baby goats play and take pictures of them.
            Then as the sun was starting to go down, watched a doe have triplets. It’s so nice when they do it all on their own and it’s even nicer when a doe who had a single baby last year has triplets this year. 🙂

            Kidding season is winding down only 4 does left to go, then we can sit back and just enjoy watching them play.

            Liked by 2 people

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  8. Wooly Covfefe says:
    March 9, 2018 at 8:54 am

    Last night in the kitchen while we were getting our butts kicked, we listened to a 40-minute track by Allman Brothers, called Mountain Jam. Good stuff, the original jam band.

    Good cover, by a superb band, one of my favorites:

    Liked by 3 people

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  10. litenmaus says:
    March 9, 2018 at 9:20 am

    Good Morning all…..After spending time with contractors yesterday, it’s obvious that there is too much damage to the original materials in the bank to attempt a ‘restoration’ of the bank building to its former glory…I am a wee bit disappointed, but it is reality….. I move on to Plan B.

    I’ll proceed with the renovation of the essentials…new wiring, new plumbing, new Heat/AC, new insulation &, new windows and work towards a simple and low maintenance ‘design’ after the basic updates have been installed. Plan B silences my wee bit of disappointment and I am still very excited..

    My wish today is that you all have a beautiful day. :0)

    Liked by 6 people

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  11. Jacqueline Taylor Robson says:
    March 9, 2018 at 10:36 am

    Stella, that Highland Coo is a beaut! They look ferocious, but are probably the most docile cattle there are. I remember my old Scots boss, whenever I was my usual clumsy self, would say “Y’er like a Coo with a gun”!

    Liked by 1 person

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  12. auscitizenmom says:
    March 9, 2018 at 1:05 pm

    Kyle Kashuv was on FOX and FRIENDS this morning. He went to the WH yesterday and met with FLOTUS who then took him to meet POTUS. He was so complimentry about FLOTUS. He said “she was nicest human being I have ever met, she is so maternal, so caring, so empathetic.”
    http://www.foxnews.com/on-air/fox-and-friends/index.html
    This doesn’t connect you directly with his interview, but it is on this page.

    Liked by 1 person

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  13. G-d&Country says:
    March 9, 2018 at 2:19 pm

    Here is the painting I meant to post on Wednesday for Doggy day. It is a bit larger than usual, so you can see the little dog. Farquharson was eventually a “Laird” after his father and elder brother died. He loved his estate, & I think is buried there. This is “Currarie Glen”. I really like the topography, light, & of course, the dog.

    Have a great day everyone! ( waving with smile 🙂 ) Have a lot to do with all this snow!

    Liked by 4 people

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  14. Lucille says:
    March 9, 2018 at 2:26 pm

    30 images of Scotland we can’t stop looking at

    https://matadornetwork.com/trips/30-images-scotland-cant-stop-looking/

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    • G-d&Country says:
      March 9, 2018 at 2:36 pm

      Beautiful! I did not know the Highland cattle came in black – maybe somewhere waaay back in my memory – the only ones I actually saw & petted were the reds. I think they need a little Scottish Tam on that great red hair though! 😉 hahaha!

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  15. Wooly Covfefe says:
    March 9, 2018 at 2:27 pm

    http://www.unz.com/freed/an-impolitic-slumgullion/

    Excellent, excellent essay by Fred Reed. I won’t even quote from it, because an excerpt can’t really encapsulate what he says here. No single paragraph would suffice.

    (It’s rather like listening to classic rock FM radio and hearing just one song from The Wall or Dark Side of the Moon. There is no point, no context. You always need to hear the previous song and the next song. Some albums are designed to be listened to in full.)

    Liked by 1 person

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    • Wooly Covfefe says:
      March 9, 2018 at 2:48 pm

      “The less well diversity worked, the more furiously its advocates sought to impose it.”

      “It did not, of course, work.”

      http://voxday.blogspot.com/2018/03/what-happened-and-who-was-responsible.html

      My atheist friend at work lauded this as a free country. I told him yep, it’s a free country.

      Just like the dresser you put by the curb with a sign that says “FREE” on it. We don’t want it any more. Anyone, any culture, any nation — can come and take it. It’s a free country in that sense, for sure. Unlike Japan or Poland, which nations I respect for that. More than I do Minnesota, Michigan, or Virginia. “Come on in! Take us! Take our kids! And just to be really nice, we’ll all stop having babies, and at the same time pay you all to have lots of them!” Is that not the definition of a cuckold?

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      • Wooly Covfefe says:
        March 9, 2018 at 2:51 pm

        I have to go work my butt off, now. So some Muslims in Eastern MI, who hate me, and some dindoos in Detroit, who hate me, can have lots of free stuff, and more babies. Have a good afternoon, Stellars.

        I’ll try and remain cheerful.

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        • rheavolans says:
          March 9, 2018 at 8:13 pm

          Oh, Wooly, you sound like me, snarking about how you have to work harder because so many people are depending on you.

          Keep your chin up. I know it won’t make you feel any better right now (at least, I didn’t feel any better after I heard it) but someday, those people who sat at home when they could have been working and let everyone else work to pay their way for them will have to answer for it.

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    • The Tundra PA says:
      March 9, 2018 at 3:01 pm

      Thanks for posting this, Wooly. I check Fred on Everything occasionally, but had not seen this one. Fred is not much of a Trump supporter, but otherwise I usually like his stuff. This article is excellent. Diversity is NOT a strength.

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  16. The Tundra PA says:
    March 9, 2018 at 2:36 pm

    Good day, dear friends! The fourth day of Iditarod finds the front of the race coming to the Yukon River. There are 4 checkpoints on the Yukon: Anvik, Grayling, Eagle Island, and Kaltag. All mushers must take an 8 hour rest on the Yukon, their choice of which checkpoint. The stretch on the Yukon from Anvik to Kaltag is about 140 miles of killer wind in your face or blowng you sideways. Unceasing wind. And often, very cold temps to go with it. Can be 30, 40 below zero, easy. It takes strong leaders to face wind like that. Lots of strategy involved in where to take the 8 hour rest.

    The lead is currently held by Nicolas Petit, who reached Anvik about 5 this morning and declared his 8 hour rest there. Mitch Seavey and Joar Ulsom, in 2nd and 3rd positions, are about 7 miles away, so should arrive in another hour. That means Nic has about a 6 hour lead, which is substantial. This is Nic’s 8th Iditarod, and his best finish was last year when he took 3rd, only 5 minutes behind 2nd place. The rest of the front pack, about 10 teams including Aliy, are resting at the last checkpoint, Shageluk, about 25 miles back. I’m guessing neither Mitch nor Joar will take their 8 at Anvik. Probably not Grayling either. My bet would be on Eagle Island for both of them; they will want to get some of the wind tunnel behind them before resting. Making the right choice on the Yukon stretch of the race can make or break your team. Wind is very demoralizing to the dogs. Sometimes they just lie down and refuse to go–in which case there is no making them. Dee Dee Jonrowe had to scratch at Eagle Island one year, because her dogs simply refused to go. Wind is a killer enemy.

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    • Sharon says:
      March 9, 2018 at 3:09 pm

      I find it impossible to explain to someone who has not experienced it what a good wind does at 30 below does to human being, very quickly. First of all, it hurts. And then it kills you. Very quickly. It hurts and kills even without a wind – so with a wind, it is deadly.

      I can understand that it is very demoralizing to the dogs.

      Thank you for your descriptions and illustrations of what is happening on the route. I really enjoy them and am rooting for all the mushers.

      A favorite book of mine that illustrates all these issues is “The Children’s Blizzard” – a narrative of the blizzard of 1888. Even though that is just about one regional event, a disaster that unfolded over a period of 72 hours or so, there are paragraphs in it that perfectly describe what that kind of weather does to humans, the desperate effort to survive, the desperate effort on the part of people in houses to go out and try to find the ones who got caught in the open. I recommend the book to anyone…..it provides information that might encapsulate a memory or inform about an alien land.

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    • The Tundra PA says:
      March 9, 2018 at 4:14 pm

      Update: whee-hee, I was right. Mitch and Joar blew through the checkpoint at Anvik in under 15 minutes, just stopping long enough to sort through their checkpoint bags and restock supplies. Both have kept moving and are now 5 miles down the trail toward Grayling, which is 17 miles from Anvik. Nic can leave Anvik in an hour, having completed his 8; he will probably pass Mitch and Joar when they have to stop. If their dogs are strong, they may go all the way to Kaltag before taking their 8.

      A word about checkpoint bags. The logistics of running this race are massive. There are 22 checkpoints. Over a month before the race starts, each musher must anticipate what gear will be needed at each checkpoint and organize and pack 3-4 large bags of gear for each one. Each bag is 50-60 lbs of dog food, people food, extra clothing, sled hardware (like replacement plastic runners which are 10′ long), sometimes even an entire replacement sled. The musher has to know what gear is in which bag at each checkpoint. When the team pulls in and the musher is not stopping over, the checkpoint volunteers ask “which bags do you want?” and that’s what they bring over. In a video clip of Joar yesterday, he was asked why he turned around and went back to Ophir after leaving. He said he got a few miles down the trail before he realized that the 2 bags he requested at that checkpoint were not the ones that had his food, so he had to go back. Details…they are endless.

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      • The Tundra PA says:
        March 9, 2018 at 6:19 pm

        Eagle Island just got removed as an option for the 8 hour rest. Weather is too bad for small planes to get in (the Iditarod Air Force of private volunteers) to bring enough supplies. So Mitch and Joar will either stop in Grayling or go all the way to Kaltag. Nic is only 2 hours behind them, with 8 hours of rest in the tank. Good article on strategies here:
        https://www.adn.com/outdoors-adventure/iditarod/2018/03/09/petit-in-control-of-the-2018-iditarod-with-a-big-move/

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      • Lucille says:
        March 9, 2018 at 7:03 pm

        All the imagery in your description makes me think of the awful weather conditions the actors endured in one of my all-time favorite TV special series…THE LAST PLACE ON EARTH…the story of the race to the South Pole between Norwegian Roald E. G. Amundsen and Englishman Robert F. Scott.

        If you’ve never seen the series, it is a must…wonderful scenery, of course, superb acting, great and suspenseful story telling even though you already know the ending…
        EXCERPT FROM EPISODE 5: THE GLORIES OF THE RACE

        I had such a crush on the actor who plays Amundsen, Sverre Anker Ousdal (b.1944). LOL! This is an Interview with him in 1986…

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        • The Tundra PA says:
          March 9, 2018 at 8:06 pm

          Thanks, Lucille! I’ve never heard of the series or the actor. How fascinating to see dogs mushing in a completely different way. The fan-shaped hook up, where each dog is individually attached only to the sled, is Siberian style. It only works in wide-open terrain with no trees or narrow trails. Siberia and Antarctica are perfect. The benefit is that each dog has more freedom of movement to choose his own path and can more easily jump out of the way when the sled rolls. I’ve only seen this style of mushing in movies.

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  17. stella says:
    March 9, 2018 at 2:43 pm

    Seen on Facebook. That would be good news.

    Liked by 4 people

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  18. stella says:
    March 9, 2018 at 2:44 pm

    There was a rumor yesterday that McCain is retiring, but I haven’t seen anything official.

    Liked by 2 people

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  19. auscitizenmom says:
    March 9, 2018 at 3:26 pm

    Oh, for goodness sakes, there is a shooting in CA and the guy on the news is talking and talking and talking and what he is saying is, “There is a shooter, blah, blah, blah, and repeat, and we know nothing else (but I am going to keep talking and talking to fill up the air space.) SMH

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  20. stella says:
    March 9, 2018 at 3:33 pm

    Apparently this woman, Katie Hopkins, is a Trump supporter. I think she spoke at CPAC.

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  22. Gil says:
    March 9, 2018 at 6:47 pm

    I know its amazon but hes so cute!

    Liked by 5 people

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  23. Lucille says:
    March 9, 2018 at 7:08 pm

    Rewrite the Stars – Violin/Cello Version (from the Greatest Showman) The Piano Guys
    ThePianoGuys YouTube Channel
    https://www.youtube.com /watch?v=5cINJwaAn4Y

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  24. Lucille says:
    March 9, 2018 at 7:17 pm

    James Powell
    The White House

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  25. auscitizenmom says:
    March 9, 2018 at 9:00 pm

    lilbirdee12’s prayer:

    Our Heavenly Father, Your children come to you tonight to ask for healing and peace throughout our country so that we may return to being One Nation Under God. Guide us to be leaders in Your Kingdom, spreading Your Love and Salvation to all. Forgive us our sins and deliver us from evil.

    Lord, we ask for a blanket of protection over all our troops and law enforcement who serve to defend and protect us. Bless our representatives with the strength and wisdom they need to achieve the path You have chosen for us.

    Please place Your Guardian Angels of Protection around Donald Trump and Mike Pence and their families as they seek to lead America back to You.

    Grant us patience, Lord, as the evil ones try to anger us and cause us to fall.
    Spread blessings over Israel and Netanyahu.

    We humbly ask that You please comfort those who are grieving and in pain.
    Thank you Father, for Your Love and the gift of Life.

    In Jesus name, we pray. Amen.

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