patrick.net

What does the upside down A mean?

Patrick says

What does the upside down A mean?

It's the Anarchy symbol. I do not believe we have a legitimate government and as a result, we don't have a government at all. We have a mafia running the nation.

It was a symbol commonly used in the 1970's and 1970's - the "woke generation" has turned it right side up (recently), presumably because they can't paint the letter A upside down in a circle.

Thanks, I didn't know about the upside down part.

Onvacation says

I am designing a new sail. My colors are black and red. Any body have a favorite?

Ordered number two.

Anarchy would be good too. Way better than fascism.

Spending the night on the boat. I had a little blow up with the wife over fascism. Took a nice sunset sail with the Wednesday night racers and got back to the dock after dark. Having a boat to live on is cheaper than marriage counseling.

Onvacation says

I had a little blow up with the wife over fascism.

I've done that, and just try not to talk about politics with her anymore.

Onvacation says

I had a little blow up with the wife over fascism.

May come across as condescending or sexist. Not my intent. Don't talk politics with women. Even if you think they care, they don't. It's just a point of contention that leads nowhere. They have opinions, but very few have researched or looked into as much as men have.

Enjoy the boat though and free time. Politics aside, it's good to get some space from the wife from time to time even if it starts negative (for what that's worth). Need the space with this covid BS. That was my quick golf trip with a few buddies to Phoenix last month. Kids are back full time this week so I'm flipping pumped.

It's motor, but I'll be on a 58' Sea Ray in a little over a month in the Ozarks, MO for a long weekend. Hill billy country. #nomasks Love being on the water, just not brave enough to commit to owning a boat and all that goes with it. Slightly more difficult here in IL or WI. Lakes freeze, so it's hard to justify purchasing a boat for 3-4 months of usage.

Onvacation says

Spending the night on the boat. I had a little blow up with the wife over fascism.

Define fascism.

That's a problem with labels, they mean different things to different people.

I try to restrict a discussion about politics to principles. There's good principles in communism, fascism, feudalism, capitalism, and anarchy - at least as I understand those systems. I can't call myself anything, but I can state my principles, and inevitably, most people will assign me to a group.

When I opposed George W. Bush for (what I think is obviously) lying us into a war in Iraq over a non existent weapons of mass destruction program - I was "a liberal" to people who knew me. When I opposed Obama for bombing Libya, Syria, Pakistan, Yemen, and Somalia, I was a "Republican". When I supported Ron Paul in 2008 I was "alt-right" (it used to mean free market people who opposed pointless war) and I accepted that label - now it means white fascist since Trump entered office - because that's how the media defined it.

Avoid labels and if you feel you belong to a group, don't be afraid to break from the group if they violate your principles.

I find most people generally have decent moral standards, but it's been said “with or without religion, good people can behave well and bad people can do evil; but for good people to do evil - that takes religion.” - labels ARE a religion. Left and right are a religion, and that religion changes DRASTICALLY in a few years. In the late 1980s, the republican party was non interventionist, and the democratic party was anti-war.

Just saw a whale! Looked like a young humpback. I could smell they before I saw they.

Where is it? Can you add an arrow to the picture if it's in it?

Not in picture.

I saw it right at the southwest corner of Angel Island. I thought I saw a Leopard seal as well, but they're not from around here.

What a great sail!

Hung out in the lee of Angel Island as the channels were blowing in the mid 20's. The wind picked up in the afternoon and I sailed wing on wing (head sail and main sail on opposite sides of the mast) dead downwind on the way home and got to surf some nice little waves.

Weekend over. Back to work.

From a simpler time.

Sail finished!

Beeeaut!

Almost a month since I finished my new spinnaker and it's been too windy to use it. It's been too windy to sail at all! Another small craft advisory today.

Preparing to raise sail.

That's some serious hardware on the boom vang, and I like the black winches. Easier on the eyes than stainless steel. Clearly, you take good care of the ship!

When I sailed at Navy, our chutes had almost the same design, but in Blue and Gold, of course. Good times.

Uncovered the mc for a couple days in the Sierras.

A buddy in Washington, CA is building a retirement home.


We rode a total of 600 miles through twisty, well paved, mostly light traffic back roads.

Tahoe is low.

@Onvacation

Here's a photo I just took on the longest day of the year, at Harborview Park near Everett, WA

Very Nice!

We are taking a road trip to Idaho and Washington Late July and early August. No agenda but Missoula so my wife can see a friend and then to Kellogg Idaho (Just east of Coeur d'Alene) where my buddy is loaning me his condo at the ski (mountain bike) resort for a couple of days.

After that we're heading West for the Olympic Peninsula and then relatives in Seattle area.

I love the Pacific Northwest! I might be able to handle the gloom of winter with an annual month in some place tropical.

Enjoy the rest of your trip!

Another small craft advisory today, tomorrow, yesterday, last week. It has been blowing hard ever since I finished my new sail. I'm a fair weather sailor. I have been out in the bay when the wind is gusting into the low 30's. My boat can handle it but it's just not fun.

Onvacation says

I might be able to handle the gloom of winter with an annual month in some place tropical.

This. Live rural enough if you can within an hour or so of an airport. It's way cheaper, though still more expensive than the midwest. We're trying this year to be gone about a month overall from January to March and skip most of IL winter. Tentatively got Mexico and Jamaica on the books for two weeks in January. Might actually fly Mexico to Jamaica. After Covid the schools can fuck themselves and just send us the work and not count it as an absence.

I'm hooked on the Caribbean as it's a short flight for me. Florida is another go to. Probably have live/stayed a good 1-1/2 years of my life there via vacations. Airline points are key though if you're going to live in a cold or gloomy type place. I've got to update my spreadsheet, but we've saved close to $15k on flights over the last 2-3 years. Maybe 4 because Covid was a down year. I really like Washington State (Eastern), but we'd likely make less or not have work up there.

Starboard tack past Point Richmond Riviera.

Mt Shasta almost snow free.

Heading north.

Made it to the edge of the country.

Still on the road. Had reservations at Glacier park but it's way too smoky from fires.

Hanging out on the Olympic Peninsula.

Ruby Beach Washington

Looks nice.

Weather has been beautiful! It rained last night and this morning but otherwise in the 70's and 80's.

Astoria tomorrow and then the Oregon and California coast.

Shaman says

Recently I rented a 20’ sailboat on the bay in San Diego and sailed around with the family.

@shaman what did it cost per day?

They let me putter around Mission Bay in a 20 foot Catalina sloop for $40 a half day 5 years ago.

They took my word that I knew how to sail but it's hard to get in trouble there because the conditions are relatively benign.

Heading down the Oregon coast on 101. I can't believe how many marijuana stores there are! I counted 7 in Lincoln City alone!

Lighthouse at Cape Dissapointment

Needed a break.

I occasionally need a cane when my knee acts up. Got a new one.