Posts from — March 2020

As Granny Weatherwax would say, nor am I ‘borrowing’. I’m finishing rehabbing an apartment and dealing with a very clumsy tenant who has managed to scald her forearm while dealing with a slow cooker and severely bruising the soft tissue in the area of her coccyx by falling/sitting down on a stump. All this while the Governor of Florida can’t make up his mind to do what is necessary as it might annoy Trumplethinskin™.

I hope to be back to annoying readers shortly. If you have a sewing machine you might consider checking out JoAnn Fabrics make a mask project.

Another Darwin Award winner:Arizona man dies, wife ill after taking drug touted as virus treatment: “Trump kept saying it was basically pretty much a cure”. Chloroquine, like many medicines, works by killing. If you take too much it can kill you. Trump is no more a doctor than he is a president – he just plays one on TV.

The dog who tested positive for the coronavirus has died at home two months after being released. He was 17 years old, which was the cause of his death.

Despite Trump’s claims coronavirus testing is not readily available:

Attorney Daniel Goldman, who was counsel to House Democrats during the impeachment inquiry of President Donald Trump, said Monday that it was “very difficult” and “very frustrating” to try to get tested for the coronavirus.

When life gives you lemons some people make lemon meringue pie (to be eaten or thrown):

Two violinists dressed in lifejackets have put on a widely shared performance in a US supermarket, amid panic-buying over the coronavirus.

Bonnie Von Duyke and Emer Kinsella performed the 19th Century hymn Nearer My God to Thee, known to many for its use in the film Titanic, in a toilet paper aisle. Video of the performance was posted online.

Digby has a recycled joke for the current disaster.

CNN reports that Waffle House closes 365 locations amid coronavirus pandemic. If you follow hurricanes and other natural disasters you would be aware of FEMA’s Waffle House Index. This is level red:

“If you get there and the Waffle House is closed? That’s really bad…” — Craig Fugate, Former Head of the Federal Emergency Management Agency.

After everything that’s happen Martin Buser left White Mountain with all 14 puppies that were pulling when he left Willow. Deke and Laura are down to 7 pups. The next challenge will be the trail around Safety and the overflow.

Kaci Murringer blew out the Red Lantern at 3:29.45 CDT finishing after 13 days 22 hours 29 minutes and 45 seconds.

Standings at 3:45PM CDT (12:45PM AKDT):

Finished at Nome
(First 20 below the fold)
21 Lance Mackey (12)
22 Jessica Klejka (41)
23 Lev Shvarts (10)
24 Grayson Bruton (51)^R
25 Martin Buser (26)
26 Riley Dyche (48)^R
27 Magnus Kaltenborn (38)
28 Deke Naaktgeboren (14)^Q
29 Dennis Kananowicz (53)
30 Fabio Berlusconi (6)^R
31 Monica Zappa (43)
32 Laura Neese (11)
33 Damon Ramaker (52)^R
34 Kaci Murringer (57)^RΦ
[Read more →]

According to GPS at 8:15AM CST, veteran musher and former Iditarod winner Martin Buser has left Elim with his ‘puppy team’ [young, rookie dogs] breaking trail for the other 10 teams.

The “Elim 11” are about halfway to White Mountain at 2PM CDT.

Standings at 7:00PM CDT (4:00PM AKDT):

Finished at Nome
(First 20 below the fold)
21 Lance Mackey (12)
22 Jessica Klejka (41)
23 Lev Shvarts (10)
At White Mountain
24 Grayson Bruton (51)^R
25 Martin Buser (26)
26 Magnus Kaltenborn (38)
27 Riley Dyche (48)^R
28 Deke Naaktgeboren (14)^Q
29 Fabio Berlusconi (6)^R
30 Monica Zappa (43)
31 Dennis Kananowicz (53)
32 Laura Neese (11)
33 Damon Ramaker (52)^R
34 Kaci Murringer (57)^RΦ
[Read more →]

On January 20, 2017 Trump was inaugurated and the Dow Jones Industrial Average was 19,827. After 38 months of his pResidency on March 20, 2020 the Dow Jones Industrial Average was 19,174 – a loss of 653 points.

On January 20, 2017 you could go into any grocery story or big box store and buy toilet paper. After 38 months of his pResidency on March 20, 2020 there is nary a sheet to be purchased locally or on-line.

I can do without the music festivals, professional and college sporting events, the movies in multiplexes, malls, but there’s not much point in living on the Gulf Coast when you can’t go to the beach and listen to the waves as you have a meal.

Today is one month shy of the tenth anniversary of the explosion on the Deepwater Horizon that killed 11 people and spent the next five months spewing millions of crude into the Gulf and onto our beaches. COVID-19 is even worse and may last longer. Hell, even the lies are worse as they are less believable and less rational.

Robert Bundtzen (54) scratched at Elim.

Three teams rescued by helicopter near Safety checkpoint: “Very high winds and warm temperatures created deep overflow of water on a section of the trail near Safety. As a result, Sean Underwood, Tom Knolmayer and Matthew Failor requested assistance and were rescued by helicopter.”

Under the Rules all three have scratched. The remaining teams are waiting in Elim until the trail can be re-routed around the overflow.

Standings at 9:30PM CDT (7:30PM AKDT):

Finished at Nome
(First 20 below the fold)
21 Lance Mackey (12)
22 Jessica Klejka (41)
23 Lev Shvarts (10)

At Elim
24 Riley Dyche (48)^R
25 Martin Buser (26)
26 Deke Naaktgeboren (14)^Q
27 Monica Zappa (43)
28 Laura Neese (11)
29 Magnus Kaltenborn (38)
30 Grayson Bruton (51)^R
31 Fabio Berlusconi (6)^R
32 Damon Ramaker (52)^R
33 Kaci Murringer (57)^R
34 Dennis Kananowicz (53)Φ
[Read more →]

It’s that time of year. Spring will arrive at 10:50PM CDT tonight. You can watch it come at Archæoastronomy.

The air is already filled with pollen and the live oaks are dropping last year’s leaves. The azaleas have already peaked and the pear trees are snowy with blooms.

I would note that locally we have had 12 hours or more of daylight since St. Patrick’s Day, and usually do.

Mille Porsild took Rookie of the Year. Karin Hendrickson (15) scratched at Shaktoolik and Robert Redington (28) scratched at Elim. Nicolas Petit (21) returned to Elim and scratched. The puppies don’t like running into the wind and may simply lay down with their tails to the wind.

Jason Campeau (19) returned to White Mountain and scratched.

There is a Winter Weather advisory out for the Norton Sound with winds up to 45 mph and up to 7 inches of snow. This produces drifting and blowing snow making travel difficult.

Standings at 9:30PM CDT (6:30PM AKDT):

Finished at Nome
(First 10 below the fold)
11 Ramey Smyth (5)
12 Wade Marrs (7)
13 Michelle Phillips (33)
14 Peter Kaiser (9)
15 Mille Porsild (32)^R
16 Jeff Deeter (24)
17 Kelly Maixner (22)
18 Aliy Zirkle (23)
19 Tom Frode Johansen (39)^Q
20 Tim Pappas (3)
21 Lance Mackey (12)
22 Jessica Klejka (41)
23 Lev Shvarts (10)
At White Mountain
24 Sean Underwood (46)^R
25 Tom Knolmayer (30)
26 Matthew Failor (29)
[Read more →]

Thomas Waerner (40) finished at 00:37:47 AKDT with 10 puppies with a race time of 9 days 10 hours 37 minutes 47 seconds.

Gabe Dunham (17)^R, John Schandelmeier (42)^Q, and Meredith Mapes (13) scratched at Unalakleet. Quince Mountain (50)^R was withdrawn for “a lack of competitiveness” under Rule 36.

Standings at 9:00PM CDT (6:00PM AKDT):

Finished at Nome
1 Thomas Waerner (40)
2 Mitch Seavey (27)
3 Jessie Royer (31)
4 Brent Sass (44)
5 Aaron Burmeister (25)
6 Joar Leifseth Ulsom (35)
7 Paige Drobny (58)
8 Ryan Redington (37)
9 Jessie Holmes (34)
10 Travis Beals (20)
11 Ramey Smyth (5)
12 Wade Marrs (7)
13 Michelle Phillips (33)
14 Peter Kaiser (9)
15 Mille Porsild (32)^R
Beyond Safety
16 Jeff Deeter (24)
17 Kelly Maixner (22)
Beyond White Mountain
18 Aliy Zirkle (23)
[Read more →]

As usual there was no one else voting when I went at 10AM. Two precincts use the town hall for voting, but I have never seen a crowd.

They had hand sanitizer all around, but no gloves or masks.

Richie Diehl (16) and Aaron Peck (36) scratched at Unalakleet. Meredith Mapes (13) only has 7 puppies pulling the sled.

Kristy Berington (4) and Anna Berington (18) scratched at Unalakleet and Larry Daugherty (45) scratched at Kaltag.

Standings at 9:00PM CDT (6:00PM AKDT):

Beyond White Mountain
1 Thomas Waerner (40)
At White Mountain
2 Mitch Seavey (27)
3 Jessie Royer (31)
4 Brent Sass (44)
5 Aaron Burmeister (25)
6 Joar Leifseth Ulsom (35)
7 Paige Drobny (58)
8 Ryan Redington (37)
9 Wade Marrs (7)
10 Travis Beals (20)
11 Jessie Holmes (34)
12 Ramey Smyth (5)
Beyond Elim
13 Michelle Phillips (33)
14 Mille Porsild (32)^R
15 Peter Kaiser (9)
16 Nicolas Petit (21)
At Elim
17 Jeff Deeter (24)
18 Kelly Maixner (22)
19 Aliy Zirkle (23)
[Read more →]

Éireann go Brách!

Well everyone agrees that he died on March 17^th, but the year is subject to debate. This is his feast day on the Catholic calendar. Enjoy as you are wont.

Wikipedia has more on Saint Patrick’s Day, if you need more.

Tomorrow, March 17, is the Florida primary election. if you are registered to vote, do it.

Vote.org can tell you the status of your registration and where your polling place is located. If you run into problems call the Election Protection Hotline at 1-866-687-8683.

There are a lot of people who don’t want you to vote if you are not a well-to-do white male Protestant. It has taken almost two hundred years to force them back into their caves for the most part, but they come shuffling out every so often to annoy people and we have to remind they aren’t in charge any more.

Even the primaries are important. In some instances the primaries are the only election that count. Voting in every election makes it harder for you to be removed from the rolls.

The standings are broken this morning apparently as a result of moving the Shaktoolik checkpoint. Thomas Waerner (40) is nearing Koyuk but no one is shown to be at or beyond the Shaktoolik checkpoint in the standings. According to the GPS Waerner, Sass, and Royer are separated by 10 miles each as they move across the Norton Sound. Once the standings are fixed I’ll post a complete list, which may simply ignore Shaktoolik.

Yep, they are ignoring Shaktoolik. Waerner is first to Koyuk.

At 9PM CDT neither the standings or the GPS are agreeing. I’ll try again tomorrow. One thing they both agree on is that Thomas Waerner is the current leader.

Standings at 7:00PM CDT (4:00PM AKDT):

Beyond Koyuk
1 Thomas Waerner (40)
At Koyuk
2 Jessie Royer (31)
3 Aaron Burmeister (25)
4 Wade Marrs (7)
5 Brent Sass (44)
Beyond Unalakleet
6 Mitch Seavey (27)
7 Ryan Redington (37)
8 Travis Beals (20)
9 Joar Leifseth Ulsom (35)
10 Paige Drobny (58)
11 Michelle Phillips (33)
12 Jessie Holmes (34)
13 Aaron Peck (36)
14 Ramey Smyth (5)
15 Lance Mackey (12)
16 Nicolas Petit (21)
17 Peter Kaiser (9)
18 Aliy Zirkle (23)
19 Mille Porsild (32)^R
20 Kelly Maixner (22)
21 Jason Campeau (19)
22 Tom Frode Johansen (39)^Q
[Read more →]