Saturday, June 13, 2015

Evanston: R2AK photos; headless; 'navy strength'; death by sea lion; imbalance


        The Race to Alaska has been won but is far from over.
        The three man crew of Team Elsie Piddock sailing a Farrier 25c trimaran reached Ketchikan in just over five days, a performance that has been called incredible, but isn’t because they really did it.  It certainly is impressive and I add my congratulations to the many they have deservedly received. 
        Also nearly incredible are aerial photos of part of the race.
        Those are very serious conditions down there.  
        I had already seen the photos, but thank Barry for emailing me the link as well.  He was right that they are of interest.

------

        You may have missed notices of the death last Tuesday at age 74—a sensitive number to those of us who are 73—of former NEW YORK POST editor, Vincent Musseto .  In 1983 Mr. Musseto was responsible for one of the great newspaper headlines of all time:

HEADLESS BODY IN TOPLESS BAR

------

        I am indebted to Mark for the knowledge that today is World Gin Day, a holiday I probably would have celebrated anyway.
        He sent a link to a review of a Australian ‘navy strength’ gin.  Something else I didn’t know.  
        I agree with the opinion that the finer nuances of gin are often lost in martinis, which doesn’t stop me from enjoying them.  However, I seldom make one with Botanist for that reason. Botanist is too good to be mixed and I drink it straight.
        I do like both the reason for ‘navy strength’ and the way it was tested.
        Happy holiday.

------

        From Jim comes another almost incredible story, this one about a man almost drowned by a sea lion. 
        Another reason not to go fishing.

------

        I am either going to have to exercise less or eat more.
        The equation is as certain as it is simple:  consume more calories than you use and you gain weight; consume less than you use and you lose weight.
        Except during survival experiences my weight has remained constant all my adult life at 156 pounds/70.76 kilos, plus or minus two pounds.  In the last few years I have noticed a tendency for my body to try to change.  At more than 155 pounds I feel bloated, so I’ve kept my weight around 154.
        Now that apps are causing me to exercise more, the balance has been lost.  I’ve steadily lost weight and am now down to 151/152.  That’s fine; but I don’t need or want to lose more.  
        I am not a big eater but I am going to have to eat more.
        Yesterday I made a start with a pizza.
        Bring on the ice cream.