The truth is strange

  There is a company in the Town of Plymouth, Maine, Soil Preparation,  that processes human waste (sewage) into a product that can be used to fertilize land used for crops not intended for human use.  It stinks!  the neighbors complain about the odor, the State promises to do something but doesn't really do anything.  It stinks!  Frankly I'm surprised that such a place exists but this is Maine and folks have to scramble to earn some sort of living and they do employ 20-25 people.
  I went to see the doctor yesterday for a regular visit.  At some point, somewhere, someone will test my hands for carpal tunnel.  My hands are weak, I can't open bottles without my little rubber strap and forget unopened jars.  We know that arthritis is to blame for a large part but I suspect some of the other too.  The rest of me is doing well, it's been nine months without a smoke and my breathing has improved.  I'd like to walk more but I keep developing "corns" on different parts of one foot so it hurts after a while.
  Blah, blah, blah - guess I'll say goodbye for today

Where's the beef?

I'll explain it  - enlarge if you must.
Photo: Southwest Florida Crime Stoppers via USA Today

In Bonita Springs, Florida two totally nude men, and one man in his drawers burglarized Doc's Kitchen, a hamburger restaurant.  They made off with 60 hamburgers, 3 pounds of bacon, some red peppers and a paddleboard.  I don't think they put the stuff in their pockets.
Maybe they were hungry, maybe they just wanted "something to do"'; who knows?
Read more:  http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2014/07/24/burglars-in-briefs-steal-beef/13085967/?utm_source=feedblitz&utm_medium=FeedBlitzRss&utm_campaign=usatoday-newstopstories

Copper roofing is expensive

The old copper roof
Photo: Kevin Bennett, Bangor Daily News

The new copper roof
Photo: Kevin Bennett, Bangor Daily News

  The 105 year old copper roof was leaking - a lot!  The Bangor Public Library, the busiest in Maine, needed to replace that old roof.  The cost?  Three million dollars!  The people responded,  5 gallon water bottles were placed in businesses around the area and people (the public) put their pennies in the jugs.
  A grant for One Million was received.  Some of the old roof was made in to jewelry and art works, the profits went to pay for the new roof.  Together the penny jars, the grant and the jewelry, and some outright gifts added up to Three Million dollars.
  It looks nice all bright and shiny, it will get the green patina in about two or three years.

Who gets paid what? And where?

It ain't in Maine
Source: U S Bureau of Labor Statistics via Bangor Daily News

  There exists an interesting set of tables, charts, graphs and written material about the weekly wages specific to each State.  But, you need to download some free software to read them.  I downloaded the "Tableau Public 8.2" to browse though and found that the map here gives the most information.  I think if you click the image you can read it.
  Go to: http://widgetsanddigits.bangordailynews.com/2014/07/21/economy/where-wages-were-highest-in-maine-and-the-nation-hint-not-maine-in-2013/  for more information.
  The lower the number the better the wage, or an average of wages, for each state; DC is number 1 because the lobbyist pays our Congress very well, and Mississippi (of course) is last, Maine never trails by much (there is a map for Maine by County on the link).

Going fast on the water

Whistler vs Abigale - click to enlarge
Photo: Brian Feulner, Bangor Daily News

  Each year up and down the Maine coast you can find Lobster Boat races.  Powered by 750 horse power engines the boat can reach speeds of about 70 miles an hour.
  The races at Stonington on the Fourth of July weekend are an annual event and lots of people showed up to watch the big guys duke it out.
  There is a slide show: http://bangordailynews.com/slideshow/like-nascar-and-tractor-pulling-all-wrapped-into-one-lobster-boats-race-in-stonington-harbor/?ref=maineframe
  Also if you aren't familiar with Stonington, look it up on Google Maps and click on satellite view and just look at the photos of the granite quarry.  It's an important town there on Deer Isle and a beautiful place to visit.

Down the stretch - click to enlarge
Photo: Brian Feulner, Bangor Daily News

On a weekend

The geezer and Wilbur got caught! - click
Mom never read me this one!
Photo: www.wordpress.com via www.buzzfeed.com
 

  Kind of a long two day weekend.  I used to like weekends when I was working, but now..not so much.  I don't think I should notice the difference but the weekend seems to slow everything down, the news cycle changes.  I guess that's what it is.  But there is afternoon baseball.
  I watched a lot of the British Open and two ball games, one was a Red Sox win and the other, on Saturday, had some team named the Yankees - but, it was baseball.
  In the Navy a bathroom is call a Head, and heads need to be cleaned and just look at what happened!

Childhood stories and a TSA note too

Kittens caught in the act
Photo: Library of Congress via www.buzzfeed.com

  Here are a couple of more of those "dressed up animals" from my childhood books.  I don't remember the names of most of them.  I do remember "The Cow With The Crumpled Horn" but that has illustrations not photos (found on Ebay for $35.00 - didn't buy).  I really like animals even then.
I think a whole lot of folks remember these little animals dressed up.

This would be a no-no today
Photo: Library of Congress via www.buzzfeed.com

And a note:
  A man from Washington, DC was refused entry to a flight in Orlando because his photo ID was a DC drivers license.  The TSA agent told him it had to be "from one of the 50 states".  It was explained to him the DC was the Capitol of the United States!  I am left to wonder if he ever read any of the material from his "bosses" at the Department of Homeland Security which is in..............
Do I really have to fill in the blanks?