Georgia and I spent a hot couple of hours cleaning the boat in anticipation of going out with the family to watch the local fireworks display. However, nature had other plans. A big thunderstorm, part of the system that hit DC this evening rolled through about 8:30, and has lasted all evening, with a short break. We had a bit of hail, 1.1 inches of rain of much needed rain, and winds with gusts up to 45 kts (at Cove Point) and a short power outage. It also abruptly dropped the temperatures from 93 to 70.
Hopefully, the fireworks will be used tomorrow evening. But just in case:
A brutally hot summer day, without even a decent breeze to help. Temps at home were around 97 this afternoon. When I left for the beach, Cove Point was showing about 88 over the water, later climbing to 92.
I managed the full walk up the beach past Matoaka and back with the help of one bottle of water. You can't see in these pictures, but there are a few places along Matoaka where the cliffs provide some welcome shade.
I found 14 shark's teeth of which this was the best. It's a Snaggletooth, of course, but there appears to be some debate over position. I think it's an upper tooth close to the center, maybe next to the parasymphyseal because of the heavy serrations, others think it's a lower. Paul Murdoch was out walking a group, and I asked him, and he waffled.
The Sea Nettles are definitely here.
There was a fly-over from a B2 bomber flanked by 2 B1 bombers. I assume they were on their way to a fly-over of the National Mall. This is the first time I've ever seen either of those planes in real life. Too bad I couldn't get my phone ready for a picture in time.
And the country is getting ready for its 250th birthday tomorrow. The Victory Girls say Dear Democrats: Our National Party is Still On — Shut Up and STAY HOME and note Independence Day Gone Woke In San Diego County, California. Sounds like a blast! Beege Welborn at Hat Hair notes Anti-Trump States Wouldn't Fix Up Booths for the Fair - PA AMERICANs Took Matters Into Their Own Hands. Sore losers. Dr. Suneel Dhand's Newsletter gives 10 Reasons I'm PROUD to Be an American, "I left Britain and have been a citizen for over 10 years. Best thing I've ever done. An honest reflection this special July 4th." OTH, Hat Hair's John Sexton reports Man Charged with Felony for Damaging Reflecting Pool. "David Hearn, 67, of Maryland faces one felony count of destruction of property tied to a June 19 incident in which National Park Service employees say they caught him trying to rip a portion of sealant from the pool’s bottom. The charge carries a maximum sentence of up to 10 years in prison." It's DC, he won't be convicted. And at WaEx, Airman arrested during Capitol Hill protest urging Trump and Vance’s impeachment. "A Capitol Police spokesperson confirmed Watson’s arrest, noting that there are spots on Capitol Grounds where demonstrating is permitted, but “it is generally against the law for the public to demonstrate on the House Steps unless they are with a Member of Congress.” “Yesterday afternoon, a man was escorted to the House Steps by a Member of Congress,” the spokesperson told the Washington Examiner. “When the Member of Congress left the area, our officers gave the man lawful orders to stop the illegal demonstration or he would be arrested. The man refused our lawful orders. Jason Watson was then arrested for 22-1307 Crowding, Obstructing, and Incommoding.”" So he wasn't arrested for his speech denouncing Trump, he was arrested for unlawful conduct at the Capital, like the J6ers. I'm sure Pete Hegseth has plenty of grounds to toss him out of the Air Force, though. A Larry vid at Hat Hair says This Was All Trump Needed. They're Gonna Regret It.
Hat Hair's Capt. Ed is worried that the US Adds Only 57,000 Jobs in June As Workforce Deflates. I gave up trying to make sense out of job numbers a while ago. The methodology is shitty, and manipulative. I also wonder how much of this is due to the ongoing self-deportation of illegals. The Wall Street Journal thinks it is.
Bonchie@bonchieredstate, "Every time. It’s never organic." Quote AG @AGHamilton29, "This is a major red flag. The CCP is funding/aiding left-wing groups and activism to try to push policies that discourage us developing energy independence."
Sundance at CTH covers “New FBI Documents” in Russiagate Review? Several people have inquired about a Paul Sperry article [SEE HERE]...What Sperry’s sources seem to be outlining based on description, likely pertains to the FBI contractor issue from 2015 and 2016 where access to the NSA database was defensively investigated after the NSA compliance officer raised flags about unauthorized use." From News Wax, Trump: Acting DNI Can Declassify Records, Including on 2020 Election.
Ace says We Need Proof of Life of Mitch McConnell, "This isn't Russia -- we are entitled to know which of our "representatives" are living and capable of working." But of course this nation increasingly resembles Russia. Two weeks after deliberately vague reports about McConnell being "rushed" to the hospital, it is only due to a leak of EMS radio traffic that we now find out he was discovered "unconscious" and in need of "advanced life support." So where is he now? Is he conscious? Our Soviet officials won't tell us."
The big picture: Melanotan II — nicknamed the "Barbie drug" because it can
also
suppress appetite
— mimics a hormone that tells the body to make more melanin. It can be found
as a
nasal spray
or shot, but it's not approved by the FDA or any other major regulator.
Case studiessuggest
it could lead to the development of skin cancer. What we're hearing: "People
who inject melanotan, their moles start to change," says Anthony Rossi, a
dermatologic surgeon at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center. He's removed
atypical moles from a patient who used it.But he's seeing it taken at the
gym as part of a "beautification stack" — and he's worried. "I don't really
see a medical benefit of it at all," Rossi says.
At least with a nasal spray, there's no risk of hidden cameras.
This week, Maryland Department of Natural Resources (DNR) shared there
will be ‘no change’ to current oyster harvest limits for the upcoming
2026-2027 season. The Statewide Oyster Industry Committee, which includes representatives
from 11 county watermen’s associations,
voted in support of maintaining bushel limits. This decision reflects current market struggles that have plagued Maryland
watermen in recent years.
Despite a growing oyster population in
the Bay, watermen have faced numerous economic challenges—from weather to
changing markets. The committee supported conservative bushel limits that
would prevent more inventory from flooding the market and further depressing
prices.
Thanks to significant large-scale restoration efforts, oyster abundance has
more than tripled
since 2005. A key driver of this success has been Maryland’s oyster sanctuary
network. Oyster sanctuaries are areas of the Bay where harvesting oysters is
prohibited. These reefs remain protected so they can filter Maryland’s
waterways, provide habitat for fish and crabs, and support recreational and
commercial fishing. Oysters on sanctuaries also reproduce and repopulate
nearby reefs that are open to harvest.
Sanctuaries
have helped watermen recover from devastating harvest lows in the early 2000s,
with harvest having increased more than 300 percent since the establishment of
the sanctuary areas. Today, only 24 percent of Maryland’s oyster reefs are
protected as sanctuaries. The other 76 percent remain open to harvest.
Despite
more oysters in the Bay, Maryland’s oyster fishery has faced significant
economic pressures, including shifting consumer demand, competition from
out-of-state fisheries, poaching, and extreme winter weather last season.
This uncharacteristically conservative of MDDNR. Ordinarily, if they found oyster population higher, they would allow more fishing.
We have a "heat advisory" in effect today, with temperatures peaking at 95 F at home around 2 PM under mostly sunny skies. However, SE winds, starting low but rising to 15 knots kept the the temperatures at the beach to a very tolerable 80.
I got started a little after low tide, but although there was ample shell and gravel to search through, I didn't find many sharks teeth.
However, one of the few I found was this 1 7/16 inch White Shark (Carcharodon hastalis) upper, with a little wear on the root, but then, I think the warranty expired a few million years ago.. It was 1/8 inch longer than the current best on the kitchen window sill, and thus earns the place of honor.
Aesthetica@Anc_Aesthetics, "Why would anyone use prediction models when we can use real mortality data? Answer: Because you can't make bodies appear out of thin air, but you can make fake projections appear out of thin air. When we look at mortality data what do we see? All cause mortality went down. HIV Infection rates went down. AIDS related deaths went down. Coverage went up. As predicted, USAID was just a Democrat slush fund they used to pay their activists, journalists and NGO workers. Which is the real reason why you're freaking out over this." Quote Steve Rattner @SteveRattner "Musk is right that many problems can't be solved just by "throwing money" at them. But US aid to fight AIDS, child hunger & other global plagues has one of the highest ROIs in government."