Guard Dog

If it wasn't for dog food I could live off my stores for six months comfortably. If I really had to I could "live off the land" so to speak indefinitely. Rather not have to but the option is there. Dog food is a problem though. The pups eat 18 lbs a week of dry food and one 12 oz can between them per day. Well, storing cans in no problem. I have 10 cases. 240 days. When Amazon or Chewy has them on sale (they do frequently) I buy a lot. Dry food is a bigger problem. I can only store 120 lbs of it at one time. 6 weeks worth. I was considering doubling my storage but space is getting tight. The food I feed them is holistic and has a three month spoilage. If I store any more I'll run into a problem off the food spoiling faster than they can eat it. But just a six week supply of any essential strikes me as being unprepared. Unless I got another dog.... hmmm then I can double my storage and stay ahead of the spoilage curve. Hmmmm….. OK, I must admit I consider myself to be a rational and well grounded individual. But I get nuts when it comes to "prepping". You'd think I was trapped on Mars with no resupply coming like the astronaut from The Martian. I have, easily, over 10k rounds of ammunition total for my various firearms. And I still buy a box of each every month. I will never live long enough to use all of it.

Yeah two of the big grocery chains here are doing that too. It makes a heck of a lot of sense whoever thought of it.

You've just been handed a two week paid vacation. But can't actually GO anywhere or do much. It's very ironic isn't it?

If you get through this without developing some kind of alcohol dependency you are a better man that I am!

Plus it was made quite clear the purpose of the gear was to keep you alive long enough to accomplish the mission. Not keep you alive period.

This just sucks.

A silver lining for every cloud: https://www.cnn.com/travel/article/venice-canals-clear-water-scli-intl/index.html

My brother sent me a text message. Corona 12pk on sale for $8.99. Guess who tests positive for Corona now!

This is it. It covers everything from making a mirror from blank glass to the optical tube/truss mounts. It also goes into detail on the math behind the design of telescopes. Interesting stuff. I was thinking of making a 16" f6.5 once. Still on my to-do list

State offices are closed. Field visits only when necessary. We are working from home. It's true every cloud has a silver lining.

Some life hacks from your friends in west Tennessee!

Preppers: "We told you so"! https://apnews.com/355c96b2eebe575e42a2bb4dcdd2d7fc LOL, don't worry about me... I'll be fine. I can go without leaving my property for two months without running out of anything.

Done before but still funny

Sure. But they would be different.

You guys are not wrong on China. IMO the most historically significant event in the later half of the 20th Century is the Iranian revolution and the invasion of Afghanistan. I saw event because those two are tied closely together. Reverse that and the 21st Century is completely different.

No kidding. A good one will set you back over $1k US. And a not so good one will ruin the whole experience. I have a book around here somewhere about building a Dobsonian mount reflector. That is on my to-do list.

The world is a beautiful place if you can just get out in it and away from the things that detract from it.

While sitting in my favorite rocking chair last night, enjoying by favorite libation, I go to thinking. How would history be different if Bobby Kennedy had not been murdered? RFK was in real good shape to win vs Nixon in '68. Humphrey was a weak candidate. With RFK in the race there likely would not have been Democrat defections to Wallace who hurt Humphrey more than Nixon as his supporters were predisposed towards Democrats. If Nixon loses in '68 he likely does not run in '72 and Watergate never happens. Gerald Ford never becomes President. In fact he probably never rises higher than House Minority Leader. The Vietnam war likely ends a LOT sooner. Between '70 & '72 I'm guessing The Apollo program would have been extended. At least through the planned 18-19 missions. The most likely challenger to RFK in '72 would have been Ronald Reagan. He was a rising star after the '64 Convention. China would not be the economic powerhouse it is today. Nixon is the one who made the trade deals that earned them economic ascendancy. Carter never becomes President. If Reagan won in '72 he'd likely have been re-elected. If RFK won in '72 the hawks would have been firmly in control of the Democrat Party. If Reagan lost in '72 the Rockafeller wing of the Republicans would be dominant. The GOP would likely be more socially liberal than it was then. RFK would have propped up the Shah of Iran, ditto Reagan. There is a chance the revolution does not happen. There is also the chance of US Military intervention there in '79. If the Shah is still in power the USSR probably does not invade Afghanistan. Anything else?

Exactly why I hate fantasy books. They recycle the same tired tropes over and over in nearly the same setting.