Drink, lift, shovel snow, whatever. Glad you’re back posting.
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Wanted to share this with you but wasn’t sure which thread to drop it in. Behold, our government at their finest:
We are circling the drain in my opinion. It is very sad to watch the devolution of this state I never imagined wanting to ever leave.
The gun control initiatives are especially appalling when you realize that the same people who want to limit your ability to protect yourself also insist that violent assholes shouldn’t be tangled up in the criminal justice system. They seem to believe that violent felons are the real victims and just need another chance to live out progressive fantasies of social justice that never materialize.
All 3 of Maines most recent multiple victim public murderers told the authorities what they were going to do and the authorities did nothing to stop it. In all 3 cases there were legal mechanisms already in place that weren’t used.
Bowdoin killer Joseph Eaton had multiple prior violent felonies, committed recently, that were plead down so that he was free to murder four people in Yarmouth and shoot up I-295. He was let out of Windham Correctional days before he went on his killing spree. He could have been locked up but our government deemed it to be in Maines interest that he be set free to live among the rest of us.
Marcel Lagrange straight up told Long Creek that he wanted to murder people in front of children before they let him out so he could do exactly that. He was even invited to Lewiston High School as part of a progressive nonprofit called Maine Inside Out, who believe that children in public schools should hang out with convicted criminals like Lagrange. Our woke joke of a mayor showed up to a photo op with Lagrange at one of the events, which were oddly exempted from the vetting and background check process that you or I need to undergo if we want to volunteer to work with high school kids. After the horrific murders, our woke joke of a school committee chairwoman doubled down on her support for Maine Inside Out, publicly claiming that “anyone” could become a murderer. Lagrange told Maine authorities what he was going to do and they decided that it is in Maines interest to assume he was lying about his intentions, setting him free to live out his violent fantasies among us.
That monster who shot up my town was the exact scenario that our yellow flag law was supposed to stop. He told the Army that he was going to go on a shooting spree. It wasn’t worth the hassle for Maine or Army authorities to follow the yellow flag process, instead deciding that it was in Maines interest to leave Robert Card alone so he could live his life among us.
Our legislators are moving fast on other progressive policy priorities, like legalizing theft under $500. LD 1478 de facto legalized hard drug use in public, now they are moving to legalize theft, saying “hold my beer” to the west coast jurisdictions where these policies have already had time to play out as disasters.
https://www.mainelegislature.org/legis/bills/display_ps.asp?paper=HP1442&snum=131&PID=1456
I am giving serious thought to leaving for a midwestern or southern red state with more professional opportunities, affordable living and nice public spaces.
But hey, since this is my log, I guess I’ll log what I did yesterday to cool off from my 7 am rant about local politics.
Monday 3/25/24
Overhead kettlebell squats
KB strict press
KB swings
Echo bike sprints
20 min total
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Saudi Wyoming.
Just saying.
Wyoming is one of the few states I haven’t visited. It looks nice but isn’t on my short list at the moment. I was unaware they had a connection to the House of Saud. What’s that all about?
The Indianapolis area is presently looking very attractive to me for a variety of reasons. The Grand Tetons look nice and all, but lack the hypnotic bliss you experience when driving in a straight line on level ground with nothing to see but genetically modified corn stalks.
Appreciate the always detailed and thought response my dude.
I’m sad to see this shift as well. I’ve lived in New England my whole life, the majority of it in NH which I would consider my home state and ME, with a thankfully brief stint in MA. I don’t care about MA that much, but I hate to see what’s happening to my “home away from home”.
I am tied to this state for familial reasons. My wife’s entire family is within about a 30 minute radius. They are very close and there have been a lot of new births the last couple months, and we are considering starting our own new family. No way we’ll be leaving any time soon under those circumstances.
As much as I like to wander, I also don’t want to contribute to the problems we’re experiencing here with housing and rapid influx of residents, elsewhere. All the places I would consider moving to are under the same duress, with tax-exempt folks and out of state high earners pushing the locals away. Though I think I’d assimilate into the culture of MT, UT, WY, NV, AZ just fine, I think I’ll just be visiting.
I have been giving serious consideration into getting more involved in the governance of our state. I have no background that would qualify me to do so, other than being relatively smart and capable of critical thinking. Since I won’t be leaving, staying and fighting for a) what I believe in, and b) what Maine historically has been, seems like the best course of action.
I will be sad to hear of your departure if you do go, but I understand why you would. Dudes like you are valuable to the rest of us even when we don’t see eye to eye on all matters.
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My stepson is the only strong attachment I have to Maine. We’ve talked about me possibly moving and him possibly moving with me. Indiana is where most of my extended family lives and he’s closer to all of them than he is to anyone he’s biologically related to here in Maine except for his mom and grandfather.
Aside from the normal social considerations a 23 year old has, a big downside for him is that won’t get to be a deckhand and angler on a famous tuna fishing boat if he leaves Maine.
Moving sucks and I’m not there yet, but there’s nothing transpiring that makes me optimistic about Maine’s future. I’m particularly concerned that we will become a de facto one party state. Between no voter id, mail-in voting, massive immigration and good old fashioned lying, it is an uphill battle for anyone who believes our policy priorities are in need of a course correction.
If you want to get involved I would recommend attending a city council meeting. You can probably watch it on YouTube if you don’t want to attend in person. Same with the school board meetings.
I occasionally venture into our local social media pages to directly engage with our local politicians. Our current crop doesn’t like me very much because I will ask them to explain things like…
“How does decriminalizing retail theft under $500 benefit the people of Maine?”
Just be aware that there are a lot of very fragile egos in local politics and it can turn personal very quickly in our small areas. A lot of people who would like to speak out don’t because they are afraid of social, professional and personal repercussions that can arise when you dare to disagree.
It takes people who don’t want anything to do with politics to change how politics are conducted. Real-world conditions are starting to get bad enough that people like you and I are becoming involved.
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I just came here to like the lift post mate!
A friend of mine calls it that. They use oil and mineral rights to fund the General Fund which provides services and keeps the taxes low.
Never would have imagined a world where I’d have even a remote interest in it. Alas, here we are. Appreciate the tip to tread with caution.
In addition to choosing your words carefully whether spoken or written, it may also be prudent to hide things like your employer on your social media profile. Phone calls or letters to your employer are a very real possibility if a motivated person believes you are causing harm in the world through your involvement in local politics.
It is also prudent to steel yourself for frustration and disappointment. It has been my experience that many of our local politicians are incapable of holding a good faith conversation. Disagreeing with some of them will be interpreted as a personal attack as well as a moral catastrophe.
I’m generally suspicious of anyone who seeks out elected office, but the crop of politicians I am dealing with locally could have been cast as politburos in HBO’s Chernobyl. The stubborn defiance of reality is staggering.
Yesterday our city council president, in response to a comment suggesting that the Church of Safe Injection contributes to the worsening conditions of our downtown, dismissed the concerns by explaining that the “church” doesn’t allow drug use.
The school committee chairwoman also piled on to the everyday citizen raising this concern using every euphemism in the book to justify the cult of harm reduction she promotes.
Their entire mission of The Church of Safe Injection is drug use. It is in their name and all over their website. The “facility”, if you want to call it that, looks exactly like you would expect a place that promotes fentanyl use to look. Businesses nearby that dump are closing at an alarming pace. People don’t feel safe, because they aren’t. There’s nothing safe about the Church of Safe Injection. Their founder died from a “safe injection”.
Debating your neighbor about the merits of parks department funding levels or amendments to watershed zoning can and should be what local politics is all about.
Not today. Not anymore. Normal politics are a quaint notion of a bygone era. Progressives are in charge of most of Maine. The revolution is here. It is happening right now.
Another early morning rant about local politics has inspired me to log yesterday’s workout here in this workout log.
Tuesday 4/3/24
3 mile walk with the Queen of The Dog Park.
Intermittent kettlebellery while pitter-puttering around the house.
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Hey dude, wanted to reach ya directly and this seemed like the best way without getting mired in off-topic commentary.
Do you have any good resources for learning about the local candidates on our upcoming ballot? I’ve gotten a quick summary of each, but I’d like to dig a little deeper into who they are and/or what they’re about.
Since I generally appreciate your insight on things. Mind sharing who you might be supporting? We share similar concerns about the future of our state and current administrative decisions.
In a general sense there are a few things I do nowadays. Since Maine doesn’t list party affiliation on the ballot anymore, I always make sure to look up whoever is on my local ballot and see if they are a cult member. I will never vote for another Maine Democrat or any other person who advocates for polices like theirs.
Doing this nearly always leaves me with one option at most, sometimes none. A quick check seems to show that to be the case once again this year for me. It is a simple process this year, given my choices.
I haven’t done any homework on the ballot referendums yet, but I’m generally inclined to vote against that kind of stuff in 2024.
It is my opinion that Lewiston has completely mired itself by seeking out every kind of matching fund or federal grant that’s always presented as “free money” for the city, but comes with an awful, awful lot of strings attached. Throwing money at violent, abusive people consumed by addiction, for instance, actually makes things worse for everyone else the more “free money” you throw at it.
Case-in-point would be this week’s discussion in Lewiston where we’re talking ourselves into opening low barrier homeless shelters, which are well-known to bring massive safety and quality-of-life issues with them, to almost every corner of town.
Why low-barrier? Because that’s the ONLY shelter funding the city can access, thanks to Augusta Democrats. So they congratulate themselves on “playing ball” to get “free money” that will further contribute to the town’s serious decline.
Portland is now giving cash for used needles in it’s latest exercise in enablement, along with more of the same progressive playbook we see here in Lewiston. All under the “free money” chants you hear when federal funds come flowing in with serious strings attached.
For Senate, I’m voting for the R. I know nothing about the person other than that. I see Angus King as a functional Democrat and do not like anything about him as a person or politician.
For my rep, I’m voting for Theriault. Golden is about as good as Democrats come and not a woke embarrassment to Lewiston, but he’s a loyal party member and has voted for nearly every key policy that’s contributed to the destruction of Maine. He knows how to bring home federal contracts and grant money, just like King, but I frankly do not give two hoots about that in 2024.
I reluctantly voted for Trump in 2016. I confidently voted for him in 2020. This year is a no-brainer for me.
Back to the ballot questions, those you can usually google and get at least a few takes on what they mean. I don’t particularly like this aspect of how Maine handles these kind of things, which I believe should simply lie with the legislature. A whole lot of bullshit can sail right through with them.
I also have made friends with a number of locals who have been following local and state politics for a long time, some former office holders and other informed people who can usually offer good insight in to specific local concerns.
To reiterate, I don’t actually have an opinion on these specific ballot measures other than my general apprehensions about them I’ve now come to have due to Maine’s irresponsible spending patterns.
I’m voting in person to see how many people we have at my polling place who Democrats want us to believe could pass the citizenship test but need translators to vote.
It should be an interesting night!
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Appreciate your response man! That’s about the same conclusion I came to myself. I too am particularly interested in witnessing the turnout and that’s why I’ll be attending in person.
@mr.v3lv3t Just a quick update on the 5 ballot questions.
After doing my homework, I’m voting NO on all of them.
And geez, since this is my workout log, I suppose I’ll log that I deadlifted yesterday (after writing on here about how I rarely deadlift anymore) and did some Rogue Echo bike sprints.
Top set was 405x5 at the end of an 18 hour fast. I’ll take it.
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Thanks for the feedback dude. Last minute reply to ya here. Care to expand as to why you’re thinking NO on question 1?
The rest all seem pretty self explanatory as large expenses with minimal returns.
Off topic - I don’t recall if you’ve purchased your Colt Python I’ve seen you discuss yet, but Howells has a few on their shelves right now for a fair price. Good looking piece.
That was the only one that I had to think about. There is a certain appeal behind the idea, but I don’t see any evidence that it will improve outcomes in Maine. I do believe that political donations are a form of speech, so there’s that argument against putting an arbitrary limit on it.
Do you think it is resulting in bad policy or bad politicians becoming further empowered in Maine? I’m not saying it isn’t, just that I don’t have that level of awareness of the impact.
I did end up buying the 4.25 IN Python a few years ago and it is my most expensive piece of male jewelry. I do occasionally fondle it lovingly and have even shot it several times. I’m now trying to talk myself out of a very nice custom OWB brown leather carry rig for it. I don’t open carry, but if I did, I would be carrying my Colt Python.
I went the opposite direction for my 2024 firearm, which I purchased at Howells in February. I got a used S&W 642 Airweight in 38 sp +p. It was in perfect condition and came with a pretty nice kydex IWB holster for $419.00. It has become my daily carry gun because it is so damn light, so damn easy to carry securely and so damn reliable. Internal hammer means no snagging and it cannot go out of battery like a semi-auto. There’s just not much that can go wrong on it.
It isn’t “better” in very many tactical aspects at all compared to my Sig P365 with a very good IWB rig. It has less than half the rounds, a bit less power and much more difficult to shoot well.
What it doesn’t have is the bulk and awkwardness of my belt loop-secured carry rig for the P365 and the ritual of donning that belt setup with spare mag when I go for a walk with the dog. It is fine once I get it on, but I don’t like “rigging up” like that for a dog walk and I don’t like how it carries in the clip-on IWB holster I have for it.
I can do cartwheels with the 642 in that basic IWB clip holster and a casual, flimsy belt not made for carrying or even sweat pants with a thick belt loop. Those few ounces shaved off compared to a loaded P365 make all the difference in the world when you want to go quick and easy.
I have two speed strips with 5 extra rounds on each. They are easy to slip into the pocket and head out the door with and not feel like you’re carrying around a small brick of extra ammo.
The subpar gun that you have on you is always better than the ideal one you left at home. The Sig gets carried if I’m going out for the day and the 642 gets carried if I’m going to the store, a walk or something like that.
And since this is my workout log, I’m actually happy to state that I’m squatting with minimal right knee pain and feeling comfortable increasing the load a bit.
Top set was an easy 315x3, then a bunch of KB swings with the double 53’s.
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This is about where I end up on it. While I do believe it would be good for us to have a change of pace in the scale and funding of our political process, those that think like I do are already failing to win elections without restrictions on donations.
I’ve been wanting to pick up a 4-5" .357 lately. Probably a next year thing if it happens. The Python is mighty fine looking, but I’m more interested in something with a rugged finish that can take a beating in the outdoors and not require a daily oil wipe down. I think S&W has some options that fit the bill.
Idk what you have for a 365 holster, but the Tenicor Certum is available for that model and it is the best kydex holster on the market IMO.
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I can’t attest to the durability of revolver finishes for rugged field use, but I doubt the Python or any other modern revolver will truly suffer under anything other than abject abuse.
If I was going for the best value .357 large-frame tank of a revolver, I would probably be looking to test-fire a Ruger GP-100. I really like just about everything Ruger does these days that I’ve been able to shoot and I doubt the GP-100 would disappoint.
I bought the Python for the looks, the intrinsic appeal to me and the trigger, especially in double-action. That trigger has spoiled me and shooting .38 special in single action out of it gives me delusions about my competence in handgunnery.
The first magnum revolver I fired was a Smith and Wesson 686 in .357. We shot it in a guy named Hoagie’s dad’s backyard in Indiana almost 30 years ago. I hit more bowling pins with it than any of the other extremely stoned guys who fired it. I don’t think you can go wrong with any of the modern revolvers or even the not-so-modern revolvers.
At some point I would really like a Ruger SP-101 in .357, which comes in a similar frame size as my .38 sp Airweight, but with all-steel construction. I would like even more to send it off to Gemini Customs.
It’s just pretty far down on the priority list for me now.
https://www.geminicustoms.com/ruger-revolvers/
I have a similar holster made by a local guy. It works great if I have my bull hide carry belt, but I prefer the double-belt loop kydex IWB holster made by the same local guy. My preference for the 642 mostly comes down to weight and actually being armed with backup ammo and little concern with clothing or belt choice. Now that our awesome weather is in its inevitable swan song I’ll be carrying the Sig P365 more often.
Given my preference to dress like a bum for much of my summer activity, the 642 has been a kind of Goldilocks carry for me. It packs a punch and I can connect well enough with it.
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@jshaving I could use your honest opinion as a matter of curiosity.
On a scale of 1-10, with 1 being Kevin Costner in Dances With Wolves and 10 being Col. James Forsythe, how offensive would you find these words?
The people of Lewiston have now experienced six years of Democratic Socialist ideology being imposed on the population, plus whatever precursors were laid down in the years prior.
Linked below is a speech by American Indian Movement activist and actor Russel Means, given in 1980. I STRONGLY encourage everyone in Lewiston to read it. I find it very easy to sympathize with Mean’s perspective today, in 2025. You can easily swap out “Mainer” with all references to Lakota and other native tribes and the speech still holds up.
He speaks of Lakota lands becoming a “sacrifice area” for heavy industry development, and there is truth to his words for the people of Lewiston as well. I’ve watched Lewiston become a sacrifice area for the social visions of Democratic Socialists, all while people who don’t live in Lewiston benefit from the dysfunction.
I join Russel Means in rejecting all forms of Marxist thought. The Democratic Socialists of America driving policy in the Maine Democratic party are clear in their ideology, which I oppose with the same vigor that I do National Socialism.
Socialists come for EVERYTHING. Your lands, your laws, your culture, and your children. They also happen to want all of your money and assets, too. We’re watching it happen in front of us.
Please take the time to read Means’ speech.
“For America To Live, Europe Must Die”
Also, since I’m here, I alarmed my neighbors with an outdoor kettlebell workout in the snow today.
Double 44’s today, alternating between sets of swings, squats, clean+press and rows, AMRAP on each. 5 rounds.
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