Roger's View of the World, Love and Seafood Gumbo!
Seize the Day! Put no trust in the morrow! — Horace
Remembering any anniversary, guys, isn’t all that tough… if you make it a game.
The ‘prize’ ( you choose) goes to the one who remembers first. I always thought it was unmistakeably romantic of the Germans to have an anniversary for 400 months of marital bliss… very cool.
Happy 413th month anniversary, Hun. Thanks for keeping it fun.
Roger
I don’t know how much anyone ever follows Piracy on the high seas… but it really isn’t a thing of the past and although the number of confrontations doesn’t come anywhere close to what happens on land… it is obviously horrific for the civilized gentry caught in a robbery.
A modern day Piracy may be a simple robery… but as they say in the movies …’dead men tell no tales’ and unfortunately… the sea is a great place to bury your dead.
Here’s one example of a Piracy at sea:
Interesting? SAIL magazine did an excellent job of pointing out some of the risks and providing it’s middle aged audience with practical advice…. but I think I would be more impressed if it gave a list of where one could buy ‘stuff’ to repell such attacks.
Here’s what SAIL lists are the ways to spot pirates ( I will paraphrase):
1) Pirates use small boats traveling fast (gas is expensive and local fisherman seldomm travel fast)
2) Most fishing boats have a crew of 3… if there are more in a boat or more boats… trouble is brewing
3) If you don’t spot fishing gear… then the boat may be after ‘bigger game’
4) If the boat that is following you is far from their government’s fishing grounds….
5) Birds normally flock around fishing boats… no birds = no fish = pirates.
6) Regardless of crew size… if you see weapons… avoid these folks… duh
By the way, I would like to thank North Sails for the complementary copy of Sail Magazine… it is fascinating.Plus, I couldn’t resist buying some sale items from their shop.
So, what are other folks saying about sailing?
Roger Freberg
One of the funniest ads during this year’s 2007 Superbowl was an ad by M&M Mars for their lead candy bar… ‘SNICKERS.’
On the left are a few scenes from the ad… a guy who wants to ‘share’ his buddy’s Snickers Bar.. an inadvertant ‘kiss’ occurs, followed by shock… then a realization that they had to do something ‘manly’… so they tear hair off their chests… and screams erupt.
Very cool.
However, some folks do not have a sense of humor. The funny thing about it… is the fact that they probalby weren’t even watching the Super Bowl! Probably out doing soccer.
Obviously, folks that I would never meet over a barbecue were screaming that it was ‘homophobic’. I worked for a Mars division… so, I know this is hardly the case. It is unfortunate that complaints were made and others ‘bowed’ to the ‘pressure.
In any event, it was an amusing ad … you can watch it again on YOU-TUBE…
So, this month’s ‘Weenie Award’ go to CBS Sports and all the folks who have ‘no sense of humor what-so-ever.’
Roger Freberg
In a recent issue of Psychology Today, an article entitled “the Ideological Animal” presents research that… well… that is the worst academic tripe imaginable. The article references the Blocks of U.C. Berkeley ( where else?) studying the phenomenon of how conservatives and liberals develope, basically ask the question: are they ‘born that way?’ Liberals are descibed in glowing terms and conservatives as… hum … I think you can take it from here.
One can only speculate how this sort of stuff could be used….
DOCTOR — ” I am very sorry, there is NO cure…
it’s conservatism at it’s worst…
but fortunately, abortion is an option.”
However, one of the researchers in reviewing the field of Social Psychology was quoted in the same Psychology Today article:
“There is a bias among social scientists,” admits Glaser.
“They look for the variables that are unflattering. There
probably are other nice personality traits associated
with conservatism…”
At the Pew Research center, Republicans are ‘happier’ than democrats. This really shouldn’t be all that surprising really… conservatives by their lifestyle tend to have more stable marriages, they are happier and their children tend to fair better in the world. And the best time to get married — if you find the right person — is earlier than you think.
Personally, I am saddened when I see the sort of research come out by the left… not because I dislike the results, per se… but because it smacks of the same sort of nonsense that the Nazi’s produced. When research is set out dishonestly… the results and intentions are always suspect.
Roger Freberg
Sometime back, I really don’t know when, a footlocker was opened and some film was found from an old Browning Camera… remember those?
When the film was finally developed — after a very long time — some quite remarkable pictures popped up.
I like to think I am a student of history … but these pictures were rather remarkable. The devastation was far greater than I could have imagined.
In any event, I put together a group of these pictures that are merely thumbnails of larger version that you can further explore if your desires take you in that direction.
The vastly reduced pictures I have placed on this page… a Japanese Zero, and explosion and sinking American ships are just some of the photos recaptured from that old Browning camera.
There are lessons still to be learned here… be prepared, take the battle to the enemy and never feel that you are truely safe… because as Thomas Jefferson said … the price of liberty is eternal vigilance.
Roger Freberg