Similar to the argument Intelligent Design (anti evolutionists) use. They always point to fossil gaps and say “Well, what happened there?” You have no control over what gets fossilized and where you can find them and there will always be a gap somewhere. “Well there is a gap on Tuesday, 67,000,000 BC!” There is no possible way to fill in every imaginable gap with physical evidence vs seeing patterns and development across those gaps.

It feels like they are flogging themselves and want you to take pity on them. It feels either a little manipulative and/or tiresome. Say it once and let’s move on. The other person is very unlikely to be holding you as culpable as you making yourself out to be.

My wife is obsessed with thanking people. It is nice once but every time you so much as fart she is thanking you. No, I don’t need to be thanked 3 times for washing the dishes, once was nice but more than that makes me think you are fishing for something back or need a hearing aid. She even thanks stores when leaving which gets to be a bit much after a while. She also gets very upset if she doesn’t get thanked immediately for giving something which I think makes it more about getting the thank you than the giving part.

Parents set the stage for valuing education. If there is no value on it at home it will be reflected in the kids and it will then be passed through the generations. Generation after generation of barely getting by and failure.

While I disagree with the “failed state” label (go look at Haiti) it certainly isn’t setting itself up for future greatness.

Pretty much it. They have been trained by decades of “if it bleeds it leads” news, Fox news, and talk radio to be in perpetual fear and see themselves as being under attack. The internet has fueled this wildly. They see everyone as being out to take their way of life away, steal their money (taxes), needing guns against the mobs waiting outside of their door, etc. On top of that is an apocalyptic mindset that used to be just evangelical Christian but now has become a secular mentality of “shake society hard enough and we’ll magically come out on top”. It is the lottery mentality of success, no effort, no self improvement just have it fall into your lap.

Meanwhile the wealthy continue to push for the degradation of society as long as it serves them in their lifetimes. Cut corp taxes to nothing, cut capital gains taxes, move from income taxes to sales taxes, buy struggling businesses, fire everyone, don’t pay debts, take out loans against it then cash in on selling the pieces. Destroy the environment because only future generations will pay for that. Corp and capital gains tax cuts and tariffs put more and more of the burden on the lower and middle classes. Get rid of education oversight, medical research, financial watchdogs, etc, none of those matter to the wealthy who will always have access to private schools, concierge doctors, financial advisors, lawyers, etc. They just keep distracting the working class and rural voters with frivolous culture wars distractions while they pick your pockets.

The fact that so many people continue to support him is sickening. They live in a fantasy that the world is 1700 and we don’t need a federal gov or any social systems. They love having a big military to bully the world though.

Demonstrations have become so predictable that people ignore them now. Politicians know that if you wait a few days they will be forgotten. What you really need to do is shut down the nation like the French rail unions do.

Getting the lemon poppyseed scones at Fresh Market yesterday

I’m not tasting them in most restaurant dressings.

Doing some 14,000 ft’rs in the Rockies this summer

I think I’d like it if the pineapple were in smaller pieces so it doesn’t overwhelm everything else. “Pizza…pizza…PINEAPPLE…pizza…”

Worst is tomato slices. Waaaayyyy too watery. It is like someone left your pizza out in the rain.

Banana peppers and black olives, same here.

They need to put them on caesar salads more

Artichoke hearts

Prosciutto

Black olives

Hiking/backpacking (not exactly niche?)

1. Don’t buy a ton of stuff for day hikes. You need less than you think. If you carry enough for an overnight there is a good chance you’ll be so slowed down that you’ll end up staying overnight.
2. Carry the ten essentials. GPS’ run out of battery and you can end up in areas without satellite reception. Always have a compass and paper map and visualize your route before going if you are backpacking in deep. Be aware where roads and bailouts are relative to your route.
3. Occasionally look behind you to get an idea of what the route back will look like if you’ll be returning the same way.
4. If it doesn’t look like a trail, stop, you need to backtrack to the last sure spot. Don’t plow ahead blindly thinking it will resolve itself.
5. Winter hiking means less daylight and more stuff (slower). Plan accordingly.
6. “Mountains generate their own weather”. Bring some light raingear and insulation even if it is warm at the trailhead. I’ve started in 80+ temps and gotten snow near summits.
7. Carry hiking poles. They are invaluable for things like stream crossings. They saved me from breaking a leg stepping down boulders once.
8. If the trail is blazed and you can’t see them look up and behind you for them, sometimes they are painted high up for snowpack.
9. Carry traction (ice creepers) if going up into the mountains in spring/fall. Early/late snow and ice is common. In winter bring crampons.
10. Always check the weather, especially for mountain hikes. Be ready to turn back or change your plans if the weather looks sketchy. Don’t get “summit fever” just because you made a special trip.
11. If you are shopping for gear spend the most on boots. They will be the major deciding factor in how comfortable your hiking is. Make sure to break them in before a trip. I’ve been on a multiday mountain trip where a guy had brand new boots and his feet were bleeding by day 3.
12. If winter hiking and there is a snow pack wear gaiters (or built in ones). Snow in boots = cold/wet feet = frostbite. I’ve seen too many people have to turn around because their boots were getting packed with snow and they were suffering.

Yah, I was going to just get a board cut but this is an excuse to buy a new tool, right?

I’m trying to convince myself I need a table saw to replace a rotten board in my deck.