The Wolf's Dictionary

rev. 7-25-2024

I posted this December  2020, after the last election but before it was certified. Little did I know where things were headed. Once again, I think the words of Abraham Lincoln have relevance.

Democracy. Fair election processes. "Our freedom is under siege." I don't think these words mean the same thing to all people, so how can we have a conversation?

Abraham Lincoln was confronted by this problem on a colossal scale. The rank and file on both sides believed to their very marrow that they were right and that their cause was just, even using the same words. Liberty and Freedom.

"The world has never had a good definition of the word liberty, and the American people, just now, are much in want of one. We all declare for liberty; but in using the same word we do not all mean the same thing. With some the word liberty may mean for each man to do as he pleases with himself, and the product of his labor; while with others the same word may mean for some men to do as they please with other men, and the product of other men’s labor. Here are two, not only different, but incompatible things, called by the same name—liberty. And it follows that each of the things is, by the respective parties, called by two different and incompatible names—liberty and tyranny.

The shepherd drives the wolf from the sheep’s throat, for which the sheep thanks the shepherd as a liberator, while the wolf denounces him for the same act as the destroyer of liberty, especially as the sheep was a black one. Plainly the sheep and the wolf are not agreed upon a definition of the word liberty; and precisely the same difference prevails to-day among us human creatures, even in the North, and all professing to love liberty. Hence we behold the processes by which thousands are daily passing from under the yoke of bondage, hailed by some as the advance of liberty, and bewailed by others as the destruction of all liberty. Recently, as it seems, the people of Maryland have been doing something to define liberty; and thanks to them that, in what they have done, the wolf’s dictionary, has been repudiated."

This lack of a common dictionary tore the country apart. It seems we again diverging over what democracy and the Bill of Rights mean. I can accept nearly any political difference of opinion as a basic right. I've voted Republican and I have voted Democrat. But what I cannot abide is any disrespect for the Constitution and the IDEA of fair processes that it inspired. THAT is what makes us American. Respect for the process, whether we like the result or not. Only in a failed nation do people disrespect the process, and we are NOT a failed nation. I hope not.

 

The Blue Book

 The Blue Book is where you find used car values, right? Well, not in 1906, when there weren't enough used cars to create a market or the demand for the Blue as we know it today.

 

 

In fact, since roadmaps didn't really exist, it was a travel guide.

 

It also provided some information regarding regulations. Remember, driver education and driving licenses did not exist yet.

And then finally, there is the general non-existence of good roads and uniform signage.  For example, this description of the northern Virginia suburbs is interesting:

• The road described as leading to Manassas is almost certainly route 7, but it had not been given a number. 
• Manassas is west of Alexandria. Both are good size cities now.
• It seems not even one car made the trip from Washington DC to Richmond each year. Now, it would be one car every few tenths of a second.
  

I wish I could read through this with my grandfather (born 1898). He was learning to drive during this period, driving logging trucks without a license. The sections on Pennsylvania, where he lived often said things like "turn left at the large oak tree 2 miles past the church," in areas where we now drive the Pennsylvania Turnpike at over 70 MPH.

 

Fall Brings the Wind! And the Cold.

 

 

 

90 degree heat and single-digit speeds suck.  A nice 15-knot breeze and speeds over 10 knots  make with worth the extra layers and a little nip on the nose. At least you can add more layers.

What I does it take to keep warm? 

50F

• Soccer training pants.
• Either water repellent wind pants or Gore-Tex, depending on how much spray.
• Base lay fleece top.
• Turtle neck.
• Fleece pullover
• Wind breaker or light Gore-Tex pullover.
  
• Very thin balaclava. Keeps the neck warm, but more importantly, it locks the hat on.
• Ball cap with bump cap insert or fleece hat.
• Sunglasses (with bifocal).
  
• Musto winter sailing gloves
• Deck shoes.
• Waterproof socks.

30-40F

• Add long underwear.
• Add second fleece jacket.
• Possibly heavier wind breaker. Possibly drysuit if really nasty.
• Heavier balaclava.
• Ski googles. Keeps you face a lot warmer, even if there is no spray. 
• Disposable heaters for gloves. They really help, and they keep you in thinner gloves. But I also carry ski gloves (warm but not agile) and insulated waterproof coated gloves (Hydroflector--totally waterproof, excellent grip, and reasonably agile if fitted properly).
  
• Thicker waterproof socks, or just a pair of fleece socks under the standard waterproof socks (not if wearing drysuit--waterproof feet are integral.
• Sometimes Gore-Tex shoes instead of deck shoes. But less agile.
  

So what am I testing for this season? 

• Waterproof socks. I used them decades ago for hiking and was unimpressed, but I got several new pairs for this sailing season, and so far, they are a big winner. Comfortable, and they allow me to stay in deck shoes. Gill (top quality) and Randy Sun (great price) are contenders.
  
• Seat cushions for a few more sitting locations. A foam pad adds comfort and warmth.
• Fleece closures for companionway. In two separate layers, they will attach with Velcro, much like my mosquito screens. I don't do much cool/cold weather cruising any more, but they're nice even for a lunch stop. They go well with vented stove-top cabin heater.

Featured in Good Old Boat Magazine, it is nothing more than an old stainless pot inverted over the burner, a flexible 1-inch flue, and a place to place a cooking pot on top of it. Great for warming the cabin and heating up left-overs, all while venting the combustion gasses and CO2 out of the cabin. Very efficient too; the flue is barely warm where it exits the cabin.

 

 

 

 

A Close Race?

In fact a good many have been one by a single electoral college vote.

history of close races 

The voter turnout is the striking thing. Over the past few decades, 60-65% of registered voters was typical, with very little fluctuation. This time the total looks to be closer to 80%. Of course, only about 2/3 of qualified voters registered, lowering that figure to about 50% participation. I guess 1/2 the people figure one vote does not matter and it's not worth their time.

From a point of view, I guess it's surprising that even 1/2 the people can do anything together.

Hiding e15 in the E10 Pump

I missed this one. We all heard when Trump ruled that e15 could be sold. What we missed, probably because it was only publicized in Iowa (tight election!), is that e15 can be put in an e10 pump without labeling it as such, subject only to state approval.

 reuters--e15 allowed in e10 pumps

 I'm not sure it's much of a news item. It may very well be reversed, and probably will never move far out of the heartland.  

 But the thing to remember is that marine engines, including outboards, do NOT have computers and CANNOT adjust to the leaner conditions this creates.

 boating industry mag. e15 in e10 pumps

 Be careful what gas you buy. E10 is sort of OK. e15 is probably OK in your car. But not in your outboard.

 ----

Interestingly, this was announced mostly in Iowa 52 days before the election. Kinna obvious. If I lived in Iowa I'd ask "Why not three years ago? And will you change it back in a few months to court big oil... again?"

----

Actually, it seems there is no such executive order. He just tweated that there would be. So he lied to Iowa?

federal register--list of EOs

 If I'm wrong, post the link. I'd really like to see the text.

 

I was at the poll at 6:30 AM. An old habit, from when I had to vote before going to work. Afternoon lines suck.

I don't get the concern that votes be tabulated by the end of the day, or even within a week. We're just impatient.  A number of laws define timelines for certain actions; overall, months are provided.

We'll just have to wait.

An Origami Kayak--The Oru Beach LT

rev 7-25-2024

Three years later it is going strong. It is now being tested by my daughter and her husband.

 I've noticed a lot of these at the local semi-urban park, Riverbend, north of Washington DC. Typically the owner has a car without a rack. Only sometimes do they live in an apartment. Commonly they do not feel strong enough (smaller women) to lift a kayak onto the roof of a car. None have complained of durability, and they are all older than mine.

 The idea of a folding boat prompts images in my head of cardboard boat races and sinking within 50 feet. However, the Oru is a whole lot better engineered than that, and I've been asked to test one.

                                                        Lifts right out of the box, ready to go.

 Yes, you need to read the instructions the first time, but by the second time it only took 9 minutes to assemble, in the wind, on the deck of an anchored boat. 

 

 

There's a lot to like. Very fast for the type, dry in light clop, good tracking, very light, and reasonably stable.  I'm going to have to live with in for a while to form a final opinion, but it's clearly a lot more boat than you might expect from folded paper.

[It is made from a very, very heavy duty corrugated polypropylene, rated for something like 25,000 fold cycles]

Clearing the Deck

 A standard racing dinghy and beach cat trick is take up slack with bungees and to route lines under the deck when possible. This reduces clutter and speeds work. we don't see it often enough on cruising and day sailing boats.

 In this case, instead of leaving the tail of the shroud adjuster floating on the tramp, from where it is often washed off by waves, I routed the tail under the the ramp via a low friction ring turning block. From there, a bungee stretched to near the bow takes up the slack. Out of sight, out from under foot, and quickly adjusted from the cockpit. 

The Common Clay

Though I've been primarily working from home and observing, my work requires me to travel through rural areas and stop in travel plazas. The last I visited, just north of Haggerstown, MD, featured only 20% of the people wearing face coverings, and most of those had their noses sticking out. Honestly, wouldn't you feel pretty stupid with you nose sticking out, as though THAT part of you is clean in flu season?

The Pennsylvania turnpike was better. Parts of Ohio were pretty shaky, more so in rural areas. My experiences in North Carolina were unimpressive, with the entire Subway restaurant staff going mask-free. I even declined my food in one McDonalds (Wooster OH) because the food prep staff and manager were mask free. I think it's clear the next Covid boom will be slower (because they are spread out) and across rural areas, because they just don't listen. 

In my home neighborhood it's not like this. Mask wear is very high and climbing. I think I'll stay here. 

This isn't about politics. This isn't about personal freedom. How child like. This is about nature and what it takes to staunch a plague. This is why they teach history and biology in school. It's not like work-changing pandemics are something new.

 From Blazing Saddles 

Name This Anchor

 

This is a vintage SMC snow fluke, circa 1980, last used somewhere in the Tetons. In a way, it functions like a boat anchor, except they are driven into firm snow and the Spectra bridle replaces the shank. Notice the slight dihedral angle, in part for stability, but in fact primarily to place a larger cone of snow in compression than a flat plate would.

The point is that a slight angle does not make a plow. It is well know that soil anchors can be made stronger through the use of a blunt V-angle. This is part of what separates the Excel from the Delta--small differences in how the angles fit together.