Arggh.

Surfpirate comments on Jun 16, 2018:

That's exactly the sort of thing that makes me have doubts about opening a BnB. Sorry to hear that you had a couple of stinkers for guests, lets hope they don't murder you in the Reviews section of Air BnB as icing on the cake.

Surfpirate replies on Jun 16, 2018:

@SkotlandSkye is there a guest review system on Air BnB? if there isn't then there should be. Thieves are a real pet peeve of mine.

From right to left - 20 organic yukon gold potatoes, 5 dz red and 5 dz white onions, 36 heritage ...

bigpawbullets comments on Jun 16, 2018:

Wow!!!

Surfpirate replies on Jun 16, 2018:

I was thinking about putting some grape vines in the back section but something tells me that they would just be very expensive deer feed. :D

From right to left - 20 organic yukon gold potatoes, 5 dz red and 5 dz white onions, 36 heritage ...

farmboy2017 comments on Jun 16, 2018:

During the Texas drought in 2011, my garden was a little green oasis in a sea of brown and I had deer problems. A fence didn't work. So I build a second fence around the outside of the first one. If the deer tried to leap over, they'd jump right into that second fence. And I scattered a lot of old ...

Surfpirate replies on Jun 16, 2018:

Last year they ate all of my beets but 3, 4 whole rows and the next night they came back and ate the final 3 survivors. I was so annoyed I covered my beets with chicken wire this year. I am thinking about getting a paint ball gun just to drive them off but I feel bad for them because I feed the birds in the winter and leave out a little extra for the deer too. Maybe I just need to take up hunting again.

Arggh.

Surfpirate comments on Jun 16, 2018:

That's exactly the sort of thing that makes me have doubts about opening a BnB. Sorry to hear that you had a couple of stinkers for guests, lets hope they don't murder you in the Reviews section of Air BnB as icing on the cake.

Surfpirate replies on Jun 16, 2018:

No kidding, why doesn't Air BnB have a review for guests so you can pick and choose your guests? I'd offer discounts to 5 star guests and ban the 1 star assholes that ruin the experience of running a BnB.

A really fat happy ground hog has found my tomato plants. Anyone know of any repellents that work?

Surfpirate comments on Jun 16, 2018:

I've planted 600 bulbs of garlic as a perimeter around my garden and 2 dozen lavender plants in the middle as deterrents to garden pests, plus a 6 foot high fence. Last evening my wife called me to come have a look at what was going on in the garden. Standing in the middle of the carrot patch was ...

Surfpirate replies on Jun 16, 2018:

@HippieChick58 I was up at 5 am this morning and when I went to make the coffee I could see 3 deer hanging around in the old apple trees beside my vegetable garden. So while the kettle was coming to a boil so I could brew the coffee in the french press I slipped on my flip flops and wandered out to the garden to chase them off. They let me get with 20 ft before they became agitated, so I did the guy thing and whipped out and drained the lizard in the hopes it would drive them away. They moved away another 10 ft but that's all, so I asked them nicely to leave my garden alone but feel free to eat anything else, they went back to munching on the lower branches of the apple trees. Once back inside and the boiling water poured over the coffee grounds I go back to the solarium and have a look to see how my urine deterrent is working and there's the smallest of the three deer standing right on top of where I just peed. I guess human pee works better when there are human hunters around drinking lots of beer as they wait to shoot the deer that come to the corn piles that 'hunters' like to put out so they don't have to actually hunt. ;)

Daily exercise

Surfpirate comments on Jun 16, 2018:

Oh ow I hate to do exercise that doesn't produce actual work being accomplished. A girlfriend once talked me into going to her gym which she religiously attended 5 times a week. An hour of that was enough for me and when the girl at the desk asked me if I would like to sign up for for the 3 month ...

Surfpirate replies on Jun 16, 2018:

@McVinegar On it but will soon finish the new house, then I will have to find something else to do - the cottage needs a new wood stove and a new roof and the water lines replaced so maybe that. Or maybe I'll do one last hotel? Something will come up, it always does. :D

I've lived my whole life by my own rules and I have to admit it has been interesting.

BucketlistBob comments on Jun 16, 2018:

Yep... i tell my wife this. She appears to be comming around. I dont push her though.

Surfpirate replies on Jun 16, 2018:

My wife is cut from the same cloth, not surprised we got together. I do my thing and she does hers, often we do the same things because we both like doing them.

This is how they prepare the mountain fields in my old home of Ecuador. [facebook.com]

Donna_I comments on Jun 16, 2018:

Sounds cool. I don't have a FB anymore so....?

Surfpirate replies on Jun 16, 2018:

It's a video of 4 men with long curved shovels digging simultaneously into the soil and an older woman pulling the strip of dirt back which crumbles into plantable soil. I did look online for a similar video but couldn't find anything. It's an Inca style of planting, probably potatoes.

This is how they prepare the mountain fields in my old home of Ecuador. [facebook.com]

Spinliesel comments on Jun 16, 2018:

Wow! My back hurts in sympathy.

Surfpirate replies on Jun 16, 2018:

@Spinliesel Although I saw a lot more Coca use in Peru than in Ecuador, they certainly saved the day for us when we flew into Cusco from Lima which is a greater than 11,000' elevation change. Debilitating headaches and nausea which took us two days to recover from but would have been much worse without the Coca leaves to chew on.

This is how they prepare the mountain fields in my old home of Ecuador. [facebook.com]

Spinliesel comments on Jun 16, 2018:

Wow! My back hurts in sympathy.

Surfpirate replies on Jun 16, 2018:

Imagine how your lungs would feel as they are doing this work at elevations above 10,000 ft ASL.

This is how they prepare the mountain fields in my old home of Ecuador. [facebook.com]

FrayedBear comments on Jun 16, 2018:

Do you have a youtube or other url than Fbuk?

Surfpirate replies on Jun 16, 2018:

Sorry but I got this from a friend who still lives in Ecuador off her FB page.

Ah drugs Lsd, pcp, cocaine, meth, heroin, ex, shrooms.

Surfpirate comments on Jun 15, 2018:

There have been positive test results on people suffering from mental illnesses like schizophrenia, PTSD and chronic depression using psyllicybin and THC.

Surfpirate replies on Jun 16, 2018:

@Wurlitzer there are clinical trials being done utilizing psychedelic drugs and the results have been promising for the most part. One of the biggest hurdles to clear is the government classifying these drugs as Category 1 which makes getting the permits to do the trials very difficult and leaving us with a bunch of anecdotal accounts of successes and failures resulting from people suffering from mental illness trying to treat themselves while suffering from the effects of their illness. A game of medication roulette that can easily end badly with drugs and mental illness regardless of whether or not the drugs are prescription or not. Fortunately there are a few researchers brave enough to wade through the red tape. https://boingboing.net/2018/01/18/enhance-mystical-type-experien.html

Ah drugs Lsd, pcp, cocaine, meth, heroin, ex, shrooms.

Surfpirate comments on Jun 15, 2018:

There have been positive test results on people suffering from mental illnesses like schizophrenia, PTSD and chronic depression using psyllicybin and THC.

Surfpirate replies on Jun 16, 2018:

@LadyAlyxandrea my younger brother has schizophrenia and he prefers to self medicate using with a combination of tobacco, alcohol and caffeine with a little pot thrown in from time to time. Like most schizophrenics he is off his meds because of course, there is nothing wrong with him, my nephew has the same condition but is on meds again since he fell off 2 years ago and wound up back in hospital. It's always a balancing act between getting the dosage down to where he isn't a zombie and getting it so low that he starts to think he doesn't need them and goes off them, psychotic episode is just a matter of time after he does that. I haven't spoken with my younger brother since he had a psychotic episode and tried to kill me 2 years ago, he was upset with me because I kept him from committing suicide after his wife shot herself in the head with her rifle - she also had schizophrenia as well as paranoid delusions, literal tinfoil hat liners under her hat.

This is how they prepare the mountain fields in my old home of Ecuador. [facebook.com]

btroje comments on Jun 15, 2018:

how long did you live there?

Surfpirate replies on Jun 16, 2018:

@btroje Cuenca is a nice city, we had a nice apartment downtown but eventually moved to a house because of the noise and air pollution, it's around 8,000' ASL so you want the air as fresh as possible. There is a large expat community in Cuenca in part because of the hype it has received over the years from International Living Magazine as the city of Eternal Spring but think of a cool and wet, early spring not a warm, sunny late spring. We eventually moved lower to Vilcabamba as my wife had a hard time acclimatizing to the thin air and it was nice to find a younger expat community as Cuenca is largely retirees.

This is how they prepare the mountain fields in my old home of Ecuador. [facebook.com]

btroje comments on Jun 15, 2018:

how long did you live there?

Surfpirate replies on Jun 15, 2018:

@btroje I liked it in many ways, delicious wholesome food, clean air and water, friendly people, affordable living but there were also issues such as political instability, corruption, petty crime, etc. We lived in Quito, Cuenca and Vilcabamba but toured the whole country which isn't that large compared to Canada. We spent 5 years traveling and living in different parts of the Americas and even found time to visit Antarctica, we traveled over 140k miles during that time.

This is how they prepare the mountain fields in my old home of Ecuador. [facebook.com]

CrazyQuilter comments on Jun 15, 2018:

Looks like fertile soil, but with that slope it will be highly erodible.

Surfpirate replies on Jun 15, 2018:

I've seen the campesinos working steeper slopes, the rows of potatoes go straight up the side of the mountain, it saves on bending over. Lots of volcanic ash and the top soil is 4 feet deep in most places. In the valleys around 6,000 ft ASL they grow a lot of roses for export to North America, those areas are worked with small tractors.

This is how they prepare the mountain fields in my old home of Ecuador. [facebook.com]

btroje comments on Jun 15, 2018:

how long did you live there?

Surfpirate replies on Jun 15, 2018:

2 years

This looks like a great idea.

Surfpirate comments on Jun 15, 2018:

You can get a sealer paint that is used for sealing gutters but it is pretty expensive, cheap just to line each drawer with a clear garbage bag and punch a hole in each corner to let the water continue down to the next level. A decent alkyd paint would give enough protection for a season or two, ...

Surfpirate replies on Jun 15, 2018:

@Sheannutt No plants at all or just on the balcony? These restrictions are getting to be insane.

Boy Scouts of America: We Still Don’t Want Open Atheists in Our Organization – Friendly Atheist

GregGasiorowski comments on Jun 15, 2018:

:-D https://youtu.be/nsdZKCh6RsU

Surfpirate replies on Jun 15, 2018:

HA! Love It!

Boy Scouts of America: We Still Don’t Want Open Atheists in Our Organization – Friendly Atheist

Purplelotuspod comments on Jun 15, 2018:

I was in Girl Scouts from a Brownie to Cadet. Our troop throughout the time I was there was not religious. Nor was my brothers Boy Scout troop. There were no prayers or other such nonsense. I attended camps in the summer, fund raisers, field trips and other scout activities. Religion never played a ...

Surfpirate replies on Jun 15, 2018:

Somebody has to step up and call these people on their indoctrination policies, this is not what Scouting is about and they are twisting it to their own ends. Good for You! (y)

What's the weirdest thing that our EX ever said to you after you were divorced?

LuckyCharms comments on Jun 15, 2018:

Well my Ex-Wife didn't say it, but her new Husband did. Back before I was a Magistrate, I was sitting in my law office, and the phone rang. It was her new Husband, who I had never met, and he wanted to know If I had any tips for putting up with her crazy antics. I think he called my law office ...

Surfpirate replies on Jun 15, 2018:

Strike 2!

Boy Scouts of America: We Still Don’t Want Open Atheists in Our Organization – Friendly Atheist

jacpod comments on Jun 15, 2018:

Have you heard of the Woodcraft Folk ? No uniform preferred colour of dress or trousers (of any kind) green for both boys and girls, mixed group - go camping do all the fun stuff - One time the people running the campsite got dates all wrong and our children were also in the same field as very ...

Surfpirate replies on Jun 15, 2018:

I actually have heard of them, they were a splinter group that came out of Scouting back in the early days. If I recall they were pretty radical for their time and the movement almost died out during the Depression Years and after WWII. Today the Scouting movement has largely embraced the very things that the Woodcrafters were considered so radical for all those years ago. Except for Boy Scouts of America but they have always done things their own way. Rovers in Canada was co-ed back in the 70's when I was Rover. I think the whole movement went co-ed in Canada by the 80's.

What's the weirdest thing that our EX ever said to you after you were divorced?

Surfpirate comments on Jun 15, 2018:

The last words I heard from my Ex were at the courthouse where she was after me for even more money, after taking the kids out of the country, changing their surnames to her new husband's surname and denying me any contact with the children. She walked up to me in the hallway in front of the ...

Surfpirate replies on Jun 15, 2018:

@CallMeDave Beats me, she was the one who screwed around and anything we did in bed was consensual. I think it was more of a targeted shot at my mother and wife, neither one of them was buying into her melodrama. My mother who has always been very prim and proper, butter wouldn't melt in her mouth and she says poop instead of shit when she is really angry, simply said that she always thought my Ex was a whore and left it at that. Double Gobsmacked in less than a minute. :O

I just want to bang my head against a wall! I've NEVER saw a president with so many lawsuits, or ...

MsDemeanour comments on Jun 15, 2018:

Why don't you shoot him?

Surfpirate replies on Jun 15, 2018:

There are too many gun laws in the US, nobody can get their hand on a weapon to do the job. ;) I would say that Trump constitutes a clear and present danger to all life on this planet so long as he has access to the nuclear football.

Boy Scouts of America: We Still Don’t Want Open Atheists in Our Organization – Friendly Atheist

kltuckmn comments on Jun 15, 2018:

Liars and exclusionists. I have no respect for people and organizations like them. Nice of them to tell children they're not welcome.

Surfpirate replies on Jun 15, 2018:

The Boy Scouts of America seem to be the last hold out, apparently they have a large Mormon contingent that is resisting any moves into the 21st century.

Boy Scouts of America: We Still Don’t Want Open Atheists in Our Organization – Friendly Atheist

ShuMei2018 comments on Jun 15, 2018:

If I had children, there is no way I would sign them up for Boy Scouts..

Surfpirate replies on Jun 15, 2018:

@madmac And yet still there are Atheists and Agnostics who think that we should be understanding and accepting of these groups. Why? They are predatory and sheltering of their predators.

In Numbers Facts of the Day Today is National Beer Day in the UK.

MrLizard comments on Jun 15, 2018:

For some people here in "The States" - every day is Beer Day.

Surfpirate replies on Jun 15, 2018:

The rest of the world calls that Near Beer Day. ;)

Boy Scouts of America: We Still Don’t Want Open Atheists in Our Organization – Friendly Atheist

ShuMei2018 comments on Jun 15, 2018:

If I had children, there is no way I would sign them up for Boy Scouts..

Surfpirate replies on Jun 15, 2018:

@madmac Every group that involves children is a potential target for predators because they go where there are potential victims. There were two leaders in my region who I wouldn't let anywhere near my scouts, one was creepy and the other was a dangerous incompetent. Good leaders protect the kids under their watch but there will always be that predatory element in the world and organizations that will cover it up to protect their image.

Boy Scouts of America: We Still Don’t Want Open Atheists in Our Organization – Friendly Atheist

Freedompath comments on Jun 15, 2018:

I can’t remember my children being taught what they should believe in? As I recall it was sponsored by a local church. Religion should be a non-issue for the scouts!

Surfpirate replies on Jun 15, 2018:

It depends upon the troop and the scout leader, some are more religious and some are more skills based. The troop I took over only had a couple of kids and was run by two elderly women who were very religious, never let the kids out of the church basement. Once I took over there was no time for church basements and enrollment tripled within a year even though my troop was based in the worst neighbourhood in town. Lots of hiking and woodcraft plus no god crap is a good formula for a successful scout program.

My kids ask me some questions that the answer is obvious so they never know how I am going to ...

Surfpirate comments on Jun 14, 2018:

I had a boss when I was quite young and green who played a game with all of the junior managers, it went like this. If you walked into his office and said you wanted to ask him a question he would stop you right there and ask you if you had a dollar bill (this was a while ago when a dollar would ...

Surfpirate replies on Jun 14, 2018:

@azzow2 he was too crafty for that scam, he'd send you out to borrow a dollar.

Well as far as "real" I'm none of those in this meme.

Surfpirate comments on Jun 14, 2018:

Are the boobs in the background pic 'real', if so they are exceptional.

Surfpirate replies on Jun 14, 2018:

@btroje I have seen similar with my own eyes, that was a while ago though.

Well as far as "real" I'm none of those in this meme.

Surfpirate comments on Jun 14, 2018:

Are the boobs in the background pic 'real', if so they are exceptional.

Surfpirate replies on Jun 14, 2018:

@btroje because they are high and anti-gravity?

Yikes! I had to take cover, get out of the garden today.

Surfpirate comments on Jun 14, 2018:

I use a Ranchero hat that I picked up from Mexico 4.5 wide brim and the weave breathes while blocking out the sun, works like a charm.

Surfpirate replies on Jun 14, 2018:

@AmiSue I should have bought more since it only cost me $7 but it was the only one.

Nuclear power in the current US electrical infrastructure

Surfpirate comments on Jun 14, 2018:

Nuclear is not a carbon neutral energy source when looked at as a whole process. Plenty of green house gases get pumped into the atmosphere through the process of building the plant, sourcing and mining the uranium, processing the uranium into usable fuel rods and most importantly in the production...

Surfpirate replies on Jun 14, 2018:

@Bagger_Vince Your responds does not factor in the long term costs of dealing with the nuclear waste, that's an extremely high maintenance cost that you have left out of your calculations. The same applies to the cost of creating the heavy water and the carbon foot print associated with that process. As for subsidies, the nuclear industry has received far more from the Feds than renewables. https://www.taxpayer.net/energy-natural-resources/nuclear-power-subsidies/

Who else remembers being told to 'turn off that idiot box and go outside and play with your friends,...

Holysocks comments on Jun 13, 2018:

I was told to stay outside until dark, rain, hail, or it was my turn to wash dishes.

Surfpirate replies on Jun 14, 2018:

I had to wash the dishes first and then I could go back outside. There were always chores around the house that all of us kids were assigned but TV was usually rationed as it was seen to be a bad influence. I think chores were a good thing and taught us responsibility, fresh air and exercise were also good for us and limiting exposure to the idiot box was ahead of it's time. I own a TV but I haven't had Cable for decades, the stuff they put on the box is mind numbing.

Girl Scouts

Surfpirate comments on Jun 13, 2018:

Love It! :D

Surfpirate replies on Jun 14, 2018:

@VAL3941 As we think and as we do, so we see in others too. Personally, I think it's a bad idea to mess with Girl Guides at any age, they are liable to hand you your balls on a platter, they are a bunch of tough cookies.

Who else remembers being told to 'turn off that idiot box and go outside and play with your friends,...

RoseyRose comments on Jun 13, 2018:

Child predators. It's a real thing. I don't know if we just know more now with news as it is or if it acually happens more often. I can tell you then during my son's first birthday party in 1984, a girl living the next block over was stolen from her fenced and gated backyard. When he was in 3rd ...

Surfpirate replies on Jun 14, 2018:

Has the new trend of Hover Parenting helped curb the number of abductions or are we all just living in greater fear? As a kid we all knew who the weirdos were and we all stuck together in defense against them, we also knew all of the adults on our street and knew we could go to them at any time for protection. I wonder if people would even open their door to a child in need today.

Sometimes what you are looking for is right in front of you but you just can't see it.

Sticks48 comments on Jun 14, 2018:

If l have known a woman a long time as a friend, l have a difficult time with how to take that next step. If l am wrong l know it can damage, and even destroy the friendship, so l don't.

Surfpirate replies on Jun 14, 2018:

Be Bold, Take Chances. Maybe she feels the same way, only one way to find out.

Do you like being outside?

Surfpirate comments on Jun 13, 2018:

I have been outside most of my life, that's why I went into construction management instead of lab work as a microbiologist.

Surfpirate replies on Jun 14, 2018:

@DianeFitzRobin Designed it myself based on several structures my wife and I liked while traveling in Argentina and Chile. This is house number 353 for me, possibly my last one but you never know, I still think I may have one more hotel left in me, that would take the total up to 8 hotels.

July 1st is Canada Day, trade tariffs against the US will kick in on that day if Trump continues ...

Julie808 comments on Jun 14, 2018:

I was surprised to see Amazon on the list, since Trump has been giving that company such a hard time, because the owner also has a newspaper that publishes real news. Sure enough there is pro-Trump and Ivanka merchandise on Amazon. Puzzling.

Surfpirate replies on Jun 14, 2018:

I wondered about that myself but since I refuse to buy from Amazon due to their work practices I didn't research it deeper.

Do you like being outside?

Surfpirate comments on Jun 13, 2018:

I have been outside most of my life, that's why I went into construction management instead of lab work as a microbiologist.

Surfpirate replies on Jun 13, 2018:

@DianeFitzRobin Actually I'm a retired master builder who did a lot of construction management on hotel projects before I retired and built my own custom home by myself. I haven't finished it yet but it's not like I have a crew of 100 guys anymore.

Hoping this is the ultimate outcome.

Surfpirate comments on Jun 13, 2018:

I hope he goes too far and instead of just blindly holding him back she whacks him hard with the sword of justice.

Surfpirate replies on Jun 13, 2018:

@AncientNight Actually Lady Justice has a sword not a hammer.

Girl Scouts

Surfpirate comments on Jun 13, 2018:

Love It! :D

Surfpirate replies on Jun 13, 2018:

@VAL3941 Nope but I used to be a Boy Scout so I know what Girl Scouts can get up to. ;)

I was thinking that he can't any more arrogant and ignorant than he already has when lo and behold ...

RonWilliam53 comments on Jun 13, 2018:

The real issue is that tRump is jealous that Ivanka has the hots fr Justin, not him.

Surfpirate replies on Jun 13, 2018:

Funny! :D Very creepy but still funny.

July 1st is Canada Day, trade tariffs against the US will kick in on that day if Trump continues ...

MARDUK comments on Jun 13, 2018:

Way over him! Never liked him ever. Egotistical braggert! Orange disease, need to spray him with a disifectant! Make him disappear. Let the blue wave destroy all the republiterds!

Surfpirate replies on Jun 13, 2018:

Love the pick, hope that eagle doesn't catch something nasty from eating that fat assed bastard. :D

July 1st is Canada Day, trade tariffs against the US will kick in on that day if Trump continues ...

dare2dream comments on Jun 13, 2018:

I would like to move to Canada if the winters weren't so cold.

Surfpirate replies on Jun 13, 2018:

If you can wait 10 years it should be just perfect.

So, I spent the last 10 minutes in a discussion on what constitutes appropriate boobage, and in what...

Surfpirate comments on Jun 13, 2018:

Appropriate Boobage? Where? Is there such a thing as too much? I thought it was all about the nipples, show as much boob as you like but so long as there is no nipple then no problem. Humans are weird little mammals. BTW - it is perfectly legal for men and women to walk around topless in my ...

Surfpirate replies on Jun 13, 2018:

@MrLizard I think he's just come up for air. Darn Russians, They Crazy!

July 1st is Canada Day, trade tariffs against the US will kick in on that day if Trump continues ...

Gatekeeper63 comments on Jun 13, 2018:

So many things. A whole lot of ignorance down here (both liberals and conservatives). A whole lot of stupid down here. Pence would be worse. Two and a half more years of this buffoon and we'll have the next turd step up. I'm pretty tired of all politicians. It isn't that hard to do the right ...

Surfpirate replies on Jun 13, 2018:

Most Canadians really love our American cousins but even more of us hate your President's guts.

My little slow Canadian garden is a month or more behind all the other nice postings I see here from...

Surfpirate comments on Jun 13, 2018:

It's tough being a Northern Gardener, you never know when that last frost is going to hit and wipe out all the hard prep work you put into a garden each year. I started inside in March just to get ready for planting from seed, it'll come.

Surfpirate replies on Jun 13, 2018:

@Silverwhisper I hope that hot air isn't too foul, DC being what it is these days.

Trump's trade adviser says he's sorry for saying Canada's prime minister deserved a "special place ...

Surfpirate comments on Jun 12, 2018:

I just heard his 'Apology' from his interview on FoxNews, he seems to apologize to his boss Trump for screwing up his ad hominem attack on the Canadian Prime Minister but he never actually says the words I apologize Prime Minister Trudeau or even that he is sorry except for the fact that it made him...

Surfpirate replies on Jun 12, 2018:

@josephr I'm in Ontario and Doug Ford just got elected as Premier, same bullshit rhetoric as Trump. The few will get wealthier and everybody else will get poorer. Why do people fall for this sort of con? Beats me but lately they seem to fall for it a lot.

Trump's trade adviser says he's sorry for saying Canada's prime minister deserved a "special place ...

Surfpirate comments on Jun 12, 2018:

I just heard his 'Apology' from his interview on FoxNews, he seems to apologize to his boss Trump for screwing up his ad hominem attack on the Canadian Prime Minister but he never actually says the words I apologize Prime Minister Trudeau or even that he is sorry except for the fact that it made him...

Surfpirate replies on Jun 12, 2018:

@josephr That's what a bully always says, in this case any tariffs he levies on Canada will not only be found to be unfair by the WTO but they will hurt lower class Americans who generally supported him far more than it will hurt us. Expect the cost of America automobiles and parts to go up 25% for Americans if he keeps up this stupid game of his.

I just loved the iconic photo of the European and Canadian leaders surrounding a sitting, ...

Surfpirate comments on Jun 11, 2018:

This one?

Surfpirate replies on Jun 12, 2018:

There was another version, just as funny.

Trump does the impossible, unites all political parties in Canada behind PM Justin Trudeau.

TheInterlooper comments on Jun 12, 2018:

Yeah we are coming to dump all of your Homo Milk into the ocean.

Surfpirate replies on Jun 12, 2018:

Sounds unlikely, Canada imports 4 times as much dairy as we export. Sounds better to me that we just stop importing from the US, that populist movement keeps growing every time President Cheeto tweets another ridiculous insult. For a country with a dwindling number of friends in the world it's funny that your glorious leader wants to kick your best friend to the curb. This is not a problem because anywhere you go on this planet, Canadians are well liked - Americans not so much.

A friend went to South America for a vacation and brought me back a small figurine that I hung on my...

Surfpirate comments on Jun 12, 2018:

Oh Honey, you still knock their socks off I would bet. It's all about the Attitude and if you still have that then that's all you're ever going to need. Dresses don't matter, they just wind up on a hangar anyway.

Surfpirate replies on Jun 12, 2018:

@ForTheBirds It's refreshing to see a person who takes pride in how they dress in this new era of 'casualness'. I used to be a real clothes horse, picked out my own fabric for my suits in the garment district and then had my tailor make my suits but those days are gone. I still tend to over dress but my wife was a model so there is no way I am going to get away with under dressing. ;)

Children grow up to know that Father Christmas is a fiction.

Rugglesby comments on Jun 12, 2018:

Funny, as a kid I thought they were one and the same, old white guy, long beard and all.

Surfpirate replies on Jun 12, 2018:

Makes sense, they both like putting coal in your stockings. :)

My Muslim friend asked how I feel as an atheist to which I said the same as when I was born. ?

CallMeDave comments on Jun 12, 2018:

Are Muslims typically even more entreched in thier religion than most christian evangelicals?

Surfpirate replies on Jun 12, 2018:

Religious fundamentalism is the same everywhere, only the branding changes.

A revolutionary idea that first came to light in the 1960's, by the end of the last century we would...

josephr comments on Jun 12, 2018:

It's coming, just check out the population explosion of AIs. It's the 'when' some 60s social scientists got wrong. hahaha http://reflectivemanagement.com/rise-2-day-workweek/

Surfpirate replies on Jun 12, 2018:

Going to be a lot of redundant biological units soon, what will be done with them? recycle them?

I made this path 16 years ago.

bigpawbullets comments on Jun 11, 2018:

Whoa! That's quite a project! How long's the path??

Surfpirate replies on Jun 11, 2018:

@farmboy2017 Maybe AmiSue would be kind enough to wade in and add some clarity on the matter.

I made this path 16 years ago.

bigpawbullets comments on Jun 11, 2018:

Whoa! That's quite a project! How long's the path??

Surfpirate replies on Jun 11, 2018:

@farmboy2017 why not just say 21 feet then? 21 feet by 3 feet is really not very much. half a dozen wheel barrow loads at most.

A pair of fledgling northern flickers that were out on the soccer field this morning.

Surfpirate comments on Jun 11, 2018:

Always like to see the Flickers, even if it does mean that the trees are unhealthy.

Surfpirate replies on Jun 11, 2018:

@Insectra I have Flickers, Downies, Nut Hatches and even a Pileated Woodpecker banging away in our woods. Too many dead and dying trees.

I believe this to be true in the future.

Surfpirate comments on Jun 11, 2018:

Even today I have to watch out for people trying poach out of my garden because it is an island tradition to just help yourself to other people's stuff, especially if those other people are new to the island like me. I now have security cameras and have made it clear that I am quite proficient with...

Surfpirate replies on Jun 11, 2018:

@SkotlandSkye guaranteed it won't be me you find in your zucchini patch at 2 am lol

A little bit of Gordie Lightfoot sharing his thoughts on rainy day lovers. [youtube.com]

Betty comments on Jun 11, 2018:

Such a wonderful talent. One of Canada's best. :)

Surfpirate replies on Jun 11, 2018:

He used to live in the basement suite of the house next doors to our cottage in Orillia. Hooked up with the daughter of the Hollywood director who owned the place. Years later I was lucky enough to get tickets to his family concert at Massey Hall and sat in the front with his mom and sister. He is a rare treasure.

Dear Canadian friends, please accept my deepest and sincerest apology for the behavior of D. Trump.

Surfpirate comments on Jun 10, 2018:

Okay, enough with all the Apologize and Sorry, you're starting to sound so much like Canadians that we may have to start issuing special honorary passports to you guys.

Surfpirate replies on Jun 11, 2018:

@Stacey48 Who knew that socialists could be so free enterprise?

Listening to the coverage of the latest debacle in the G7 with that asshat Trump makes me wish ...

HeathenFarmer comments on Jun 11, 2018:

What would be the point? It is not possible to beat common sense or half a brain into a deluded idiot.

Surfpirate replies on Jun 11, 2018:

@HeathenFarmer hard to find an upside with this bimbo.

I made this path 16 years ago.

bigpawbullets comments on Jun 11, 2018:

Whoa! That's quite a project! How long's the path??

Surfpirate replies on Jun 11, 2018:

@Hebert54 Just patient, 30 plus years in construction teaches a man to pace himself. Most of it in a management role so my back isn't what it once was. Slow but steady wins the race. Plus I have one of these for the real heavy lifting.

Oops I did it again! Lol.

Surfpirate comments on Jun 11, 2018:

Not a fan of zucchini or the other members of the Nightshade family of veggies but you sure seem to be having fun and that's what it's all about. :)

Surfpirate replies on Jun 11, 2018:

@DharmaEngineer Thanks, Zucchini still makes me want to puke so it must be something else. More Zucchini for everybody else. :)

Oops I did it again! Lol.

Surfpirate comments on Jun 11, 2018:

Not a fan of zucchini or the other members of the Nightshade family of veggies but you sure seem to be having fun and that's what it's all about. :)

Surfpirate replies on Jun 11, 2018:

@SkotlandSkye Well I'll be buggered, I get the same nausea when I eat Zucchinis as when I eat Eggplant and always assumed that they were both Nightshades and that was my problem with them. I once had an important business dinner with an important client who made Eggplant Parmigiana which smelled delicious and I did eat some but I barely got down the driveway and around the corner before I had to pull over and hurl. Thanks for the heads up, I do love tomatoes, peppers and tomatillos so it must be something else.

I made this path 16 years ago.

bigpawbullets comments on Jun 11, 2018:

Whoa! That's quite a project! How long's the path??

Surfpirate replies on Jun 11, 2018:

@Hebert54 I had 4 loads of 1.5 cubic yards each and each load weighed in at 2,200 lbs after tare. 6 yds divided into 8,800 lbs is about 1,500 lbs per cu. yd. I would expect the gravel to be closer to 1 ton per yard.

I believe this to be true in the future.

Surfpirate comments on Jun 11, 2018:

Even today I have to watch out for people trying poach out of my garden because it is an island tradition to just help yourself to other people's stuff, especially if those other people are new to the island like me. I now have security cameras and have made it clear that I am quite proficient with...

Surfpirate replies on Jun 11, 2018:

@Sheannutt I'm retired so I have time to mess with people when they try to mess with me. It's like a little hobby of mine.

I believe this to be true in the future.

Surfpirate comments on Jun 11, 2018:

Even today I have to watch out for people trying poach out of my garden because it is an island tradition to just help yourself to other people's stuff, especially if those other people are new to the island like me. I now have security cameras and have made it clear that I am quite proficient with...

Surfpirate replies on Jun 11, 2018:

@Sheannutt There were really only a couple of curmudgeons who got a thrill out of stealing, I offered to just give it to them but that wasn't the rush for them. When I mentioned I liked to do some target practice and hadn't had to shoot at anybody in ages they went real quiet. Maybe too much excitement for them. ;)

Sometimes what you are looking for is right in front of you but you just can't see it.

bleurowz comments on Jun 11, 2018:

I agree. Sometimes you don't see it until you're ready to.

Surfpirate replies on Jun 11, 2018:

In my case a very good friend took me aside and slapped me upside the head to clear my vision. Stop your whining about not being able to find a decent woman in this town, she's standing right in front of you and she's perfect. She really is perfect. <3

Dear Canadian friends, please accept my deepest and sincerest apology for the behavior of D. Trump.

TheGreatShadow comments on Jun 10, 2018:

But... but... but... Canadians burned down the White House! I sent a message to a Canadian friend saying "thanks ya hoser for burning down the White House". He laughed. But it is extremely sad that my friend that has lived in Canada all his life pays more attention to American politics than most ...

Surfpirate replies on Jun 11, 2018:

@TheGreatShadow We weren't under British rule, we were British. Americans used to be British until they had their revolution, Canadians didn't want to revolt we wanted to stay British. Britain was a super power back then, we wanted to remain part of that not join a bunch of rag tag rebels. One of the main reasons Madison decided to attack Canada was because the British Navy was impressing American sailors because the British Crown did not formally recognize American sovereignty, they figured you would all come to your senses eventually and beg to be taken back under the protection of the King. Canada as a nation didn't exist until 1867 when the British North America Act was passed, by the British Parliament. Canada didn't take our independence by force of arms, it was given to us by the Queen and the British Parliament and even then we were still part of the British Commonwealth with some rights as British subjects.

Does anybody else use a Collinear Hoe for their weeding task?

FrayedBear comments on Jun 11, 2018:

Glad you put the picture up. Never seen it before. Have you tried weed mat with a hole burnt through to plant the seeding through?

Surfpirate replies on Jun 11, 2018:

@FrayedBear I've seen some gardeners using black plastic and red plastic, it's supposed to heat up and cook the weed seeds as well as providing a barrier and I believe the red plastic is supposed to do something for tomato plants.

I made this path 16 years ago.

bigpawbullets comments on Jun 11, 2018:

Whoa! That's quite a project! How long's the path??

Surfpirate replies on Jun 11, 2018:

@AmiSue 7 cu yds is a lot of material to move by hand, I just moved 6 yds of compost and topsoil and I had to spread it out over several days. I much prefer to fire up my backhoe but sometimes the only way to do it is by hand and shovel. Make sure you pace yourself or when that cortisone wears off you are going to be in some real pain.

Dear Canadian friends, please accept my deepest and sincerest apology for the behavior of D. Trump.

twshield comments on Jun 10, 2018:

So glad i have dual citizenship ;-)

Surfpirate replies on Jun 11, 2018:

@twshield I lived in the Caribbean and South America for many years, came back to Canada a few years ago due to family commitments and I tell you that Winter is Brutal here. Hits you like a punch in the gut the first year and probably the 2nd year too before you start to acclimatize.

Dear Canadian friends, please accept my deepest and sincerest apology for the behavior of D. Trump.

TheGreatShadow comments on Jun 10, 2018:

But... but... but... Canadians burned down the White House! I sent a message to a Canadian friend saying "thanks ya hoser for burning down the White House". He laughed. But it is extremely sad that my friend that has lived in Canada all his life pays more attention to American politics than most ...

Surfpirate replies on Jun 11, 2018:

@TheGreatShadow We even have a song about, we don't share it with the Americans because they get all nose out of joint about it when we do but you're a bigger person than that. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WVC677-YmfM

Dear Canadian friends, please accept my deepest and sincerest apology for the behavior of D. Trump.

TheGreatShadow comments on Jun 10, 2018:

But... but... but... Canadians burned down the White House! I sent a message to a Canadian friend saying "thanks ya hoser for burning down the White House". He laughed. But it is extremely sad that my friend that has lived in Canada all his life pays more attention to American politics than most ...

Surfpirate replies on Jun 11, 2018:

@TheGreatShadow of course back then the Canadians were British, most of the troops were British Regulars being decommissioned from the war with the French so they were sent here to put down the Rebels (that would be you bunch of British traitors LOL) some of the colonial militia were brought into the fight as well. Canada was a place where Britain sent a lot of it's retired soldiers and gave them land grants so after that whole retaliatory burning of buildings they largely retired here in British North America aka Canada. So yes the British did burn down the White House and yes the Canadians were the British, somebody should explain this to Trump and maybe it will make his head explode. Win Win :D

I went to church tonight.

Surfpirate comments on Jun 10, 2018:

Have you tried wandering around Skyclad in the woods with a bunch of Wiccans? That can be fun too and probably just as weird or weirder. :)

Surfpirate replies on Jun 11, 2018:

@Palindromeman You catch on quick, that would be part of the ceremony but it might involve all 13 of the coven which may require a little blue pill.

Dear Canadian friends, please accept my deepest and sincerest apology for the behavior of D. Trump.

Surfpirate comments on Jun 10, 2018:

Dear Southern Cousins, we've been friends for a long time now and sure we have had our ups and downs but we stuck it out together and we aren't going to let an orange baboon who somehow managed to sneak into the White House break up our friendship with you, no matter how much shit he throws at us....

Surfpirate replies on Jun 11, 2018:

@njoy_life_2 No problem, we'll give everyone an IQ test and DNA screen them for inbreeding which will eliminate the worst elements, certainly get rid of any Trumpers trying to slip in and sabotage Canada. Right now we just rely on our bitter Canadian winters to keep out the southern Trump supporters but if he keeps accelerating Climate Change we may soon lose that natural defense that has kept the True North Strong and Free all these years.

Dear Canadian friends, please accept my deepest and sincerest apology for the behavior of D. Trump.

Surfpirate comments on Jun 10, 2018:

Dear Southern Cousins, we've been friends for a long time now and sure we have had our ups and downs but we stuck it out together and we aren't going to let an orange baboon who somehow managed to sneak into the White House break up our friendship with you, no matter how much shit he throws at us....

Surfpirate replies on Jun 11, 2018:

@buzz13 Personally, I prefer Mexico as Florida is too dangerous for my tastes but the Quebecers just love Florida and I don't want to piss them off so Florida is in. (y)

Does anybody else use a Collinear Hoe for their weeding task?

FrayedBear comments on Jun 11, 2018:

Glad you put the picture up. Never seen it before. Have you tried weed mat with a hole burnt through to plant the seeding through?

Surfpirate replies on Jun 11, 2018:

I picked up 2 x 1,000' rolls of the stuff at auction for a very good price but I don't use it that much because I rototill my garden with a large Honda walk behind rototiller, the fabric is problematic, particularly because I sow my garden from seed and small transplants that I grow in my solarium in the winter. I do use it in my ornamental gardens though and it works well there.

Listening to the coverage of the latest debacle in the G7 with that asshat Trump makes me wish ...

HeathenFarmer comments on Jun 11, 2018:

What would be the point? It is not possible to beat common sense or half a brain into a deluded idiot.

Surfpirate replies on Jun 11, 2018:

If you beat him bad enough he will wind up with his jaw wired shut, at least then we wouldn't have to listen to him.

Ready, or not Ontario, Ford is your next premier.

Mistral comments on Jun 8, 2018:

Sadly all the crap I sent to friends and family in the states for they're voting in of Trump, has now come back to haunt me. I put it down to greed and the far right! We as have our US counter parts have now regressed fifty years ... or more time will tell! Dark days ahead I fear!

Surfpirate replies on Jun 11, 2018:

Born and raised in The Beaches, Toronto has always been about the money and the pursuit of it. Ford told people what they wanted to hear and bought them off with their own tax dollars, he knows the audience he played to so he gave them what they thought they wanted but they will find out it was a bad deal in a year or two - just like the Trumpers are starting to find out.

Please pass this everywhere! This is the truth of all religions and their violent past!

Surfpirate comments on Jun 10, 2018:

There is always a group of people that want to go along and get along, which is fair and it works in many cases but it doesn't work with religion because all religions command their followers to kill the heretic, the infidel, the nonbeliever. So understand that if you are an Atheist then you are ...

Surfpirate replies on Jun 11, 2018:

@MARDUK Torturing, killing and shunning the Non-Believers, it doesn't get much more intolerant than that, true enough.

Sometimes what you are looking for is right in front of you but you just can't see it.

Philosopearl comments on Jun 11, 2018:

Sigh. What a great story. I'm sincerely happy for you. I would love that to be true for me, but I honestly have no male friends except those who are married or gay......

Surfpirate replies on Jun 11, 2018:

Hey you never know, my wife used to be married to my corporate lawyer, then he was an idiot and started messing around with his secretary - terrific lawyer but a lousy husband. A couple of years after the divorce my eyes got opened up and I discovered what he had thrown away, our gain and his loss. I did have to get a new lawyer which was unfortunate as he was the best lawyer in town but a small price to pay for 20 years of happiness and still going strong.

Dear Canadian friends, please accept my deepest and sincerest apology for the behavior of D. Trump.

twshield comments on Jun 10, 2018:

So glad i have dual citizenship ;-)

Surfpirate replies on Jun 11, 2018:

@twshield Great place to retire with all the food, culture and festivals but maybe a good idea to keep a small place in Texas for the winter. BRRR!

Please pass this everywhere! This is the truth of all religions and their violent past!

Gwendolyn2018 comments on Jun 10, 2018:

This is the violent past of HUMANS, not religions. Religions are composed of humans. No religion commits any act: they are a concept, not physical entities. Humans use religion to validate their wants. One cannot truly hate a "religion" as a religion is only as "good/bad" as the people who ...

Surfpirate replies on Jun 11, 2018:

Is this a variation on guns don't kill people, people with guns kill people? Religion doesn't kill people but people with religion kill people? Sounds like an Atheist is going to get shot by a religious person with a gun. ;)

Pictures missing

Surfpirate comments on Jun 10, 2018:

I suppose some of us are still in the closet out of fear of being persecuted, it does happen. Religious people have no qualms about attacking and undermining those who do not share their particular form of madness. I don't have those issues because I'm an owl. ;)

Surfpirate replies on Jun 11, 2018:

@Stacey48, @PKCZ Some get a nostalgic look on their faces as though they wish they could just round up some peasants with torches and pitchforks for a BBQ with me as the guest of honor. Ah the good ole days. :D

Pictures missing

Surfpirate comments on Jun 10, 2018:

I suppose some of us are still in the closet out of fear of being persecuted, it does happen. Religious people have no qualms about attacking and undermining those who do not share their particular form of madness. I don't have those issues because I'm an owl. ;)

Surfpirate replies on Jun 11, 2018:

@Stacey48 It's true. :)

Dear Canadian friends, please accept my deepest and sincerest apology for the behavior of D. Trump.

TheGreatShadow comments on Jun 10, 2018:

But... but... but... Canadians burned down the White House! I sent a message to a Canadian friend saying "thanks ya hoser for burning down the White House". He laughed. But it is extremely sad that my friend that has lived in Canada all his life pays more attention to American politics than most ...

Surfpirate replies on Jun 10, 2018:

America sneezes and Canada catches a cold - so the saying goes. There are 10 of you for everyone of us and history has shown that we have to Stand On Guard in case one of your politicians decides that it is a good idea to attack us - Again. In fairness we only burned down the Presidential Palace so it could get the much cooler name The White House after it had to be whitewashed to hide the smoke and fire damage - plus you guys started it by sacking and burning the Governors Residence in Upper Canada. Just a bit of tit for tat. lol

Dear Canadian friends, please accept my deepest and sincerest apology for the behavior of D. Trump.

JohnPaul comments on Jun 10, 2018:

I also want to thank Canada again for their help in freeing our diplomats from Tehran

Surfpirate replies on Jun 10, 2018:

No worries, got your back.

Dear Canadian friends, please accept my deepest and sincerest apology for the behavior of D. Trump.

lotusflower comments on Jun 10, 2018:

No need for apology although I appreciate the kindness presented in your post. If you are on this site, my assumption is that you are familiar with fact, logic and reason and thereby not a trump supporter. ;)

Surfpirate replies on Jun 10, 2018:

@TheGreatShadow since Justin is an amateur boxer he might have done a lot better than just slapped him. ;)

Dear Canadian friends, please accept my deepest and sincerest apology for the behavior of D. Trump.

Surfpirate comments on Jun 10, 2018:

Dear Southern Cousins, we've been friends for a long time now and sure we have had our ups and downs but we stuck it out together and we aren't going to let an orange baboon who somehow managed to sneak into the White House break up our friendship with you, no matter how much shit he throws at us....

Surfpirate replies on Jun 10, 2018:

@StephC C'mon up and I'll make some fish tacos the way a little senorita taught me how in the Baja Sur. There is a little town about an hour south of Arkansas that has a hole in the wall smoke house with perhaps the finest BBQ I've ever tasted, Carl's Perfect Pig in White Bluff is also damned good. (y)

Dear Canadian friends, please accept my deepest and sincerest apology for the behavior of D. Trump.

Surfpirate comments on Jun 10, 2018:

Okay, enough with all the Apologize and Sorry, you're starting to sound so much like Canadians that we may have to start issuing special honorary passports to you guys.

Surfpirate replies on Jun 10, 2018:

@MikeEC There has been talk recently about building a wall but we'll pay for it because we want to see it actually get built. Maybe with drive thru windows in it so we could make it pay for itself. :)

Dear Canadian friends, please accept my deepest and sincerest apology for the behavior of D. Trump.

njoy_life_2 comments on Jun 10, 2018:

I think many (most?) thinking, informed people outside of the US understand a great portion of our population detest what tRump is doing. Why don't we do something? We are trying, yet we feel intimated... We wonder how much personal danger we're putting ourselves and our families in. Going thru ...

Surfpirate replies on Jun 10, 2018:

As a well traveled Canadian who has spent many years living and traveling in the US of A, I can tell you with a good degree of certainty that the world does recognize that Trump is not every American but in fairness he did get voted into office so the stink goes with the shit. Many other Americans in Latin America, South America and Central America do take umbrage with the US of A claiming America as it's personal moniker.

Dear Canadian friends, please accept my deepest and sincerest apology for the behavior of D. Trump.

twshield comments on Jun 10, 2018:

So glad i have dual citizenship ;-)

Surfpirate replies on Jun 10, 2018:

Vive le Quebec Libre! Come on home before they close the borders. ;)

Dear Canadian friends, please accept my deepest and sincerest apology for the behavior of D. Trump.

Surfpirate comments on Jun 10, 2018:

Dear Southern Cousins, we've been friends for a long time now and sure we have had our ups and downs but we stuck it out together and we aren't going to let an orange baboon who somehow managed to sneak into the White House break up our friendship with you, no matter how much shit he throws at us....

Surfpirate replies on Jun 10, 2018:

@StephC personally I'd let Austin in just for the food alone.

Dear Canadian friends, please accept my deepest and sincerest apology for the behavior of D. Trump.

Surfpirate comments on Jun 10, 2018:

Dear Southern Cousins, we've been friends for a long time now and sure we have had our ups and downs but we stuck it out together and we aren't going to let an orange baboon who somehow managed to sneak into the White House break up our friendship with you, no matter how much shit he throws at us....

Surfpirate replies on Jun 10, 2018:

@RavenCT, @StephC My wife thinks we should let Austin in but I don't see how we would separate it from the rest of Texass.

Dear Canadian friends, please accept my deepest and sincerest apology for the behavior of D. Trump.

Surfpirate comments on Jun 10, 2018:

Dear Southern Cousins, we've been friends for a long time now and sure we have had our ups and downs but we stuck it out together and we aren't going to let an orange baboon who somehow managed to sneak into the White House break up our friendship with you, no matter how much shit he throws at us....

Surfpirate replies on Jun 10, 2018:

@RavenCT I meant all of New England but couldn't remember how to spell Connecticut and Massachusetts.

Dear Canadian friends, please accept my deepest and sincerest apology for the behavior of D. Trump.

Surfpirate comments on Jun 10, 2018:

Dear Southern Cousins, we've been friends for a long time now and sure we have had our ups and downs but we stuck it out together and we aren't going to let an orange baboon who somehow managed to sneak into the White House break up our friendship with you, no matter how much shit he throws at us....

Surfpirate replies on Jun 10, 2018:

@webbew1 Sorry about letting Colorado slip my mind, awesome place and progressive people too. How did you get surrounded by those other states that are so regressive?