Hello Friend,

Warning:  Safe space alert, if you might be offended by certain truths.

On Manitoulin Island the standard uniform is a lumberjack style shirt, Jeans and workboots.
Some guys have beards.

Why? Because it's practical. It's how I dress because I am usually doing outside work like
chopping wood,  or working in the yard, etc.

In most major cities a lot of guys (aka "hipsters") can be spotted in shopping malls and elsewhere dressed
in similar garb.

Many of them sporting a manicured  beard of course.

What's the difference?

Most of these dudes wouldn't know what to do with an axe if you put it in their hands.
They think that by wearing this garb, you automatically become a "dude of the north"
If you stuck a real axe in their hand they wouldn't have a clue as to what to do with it!

Their idea of camping? Call 1 800 Holiday Inn.

Why am I bringing this up?

 I was buying some jeans in the mall this week, and the young lady who assisted me was
complaining about how soft many guys have become and primarily in the Asian culture which
she was a part of.

"Where are the real men?" she pined.

"Manitoulin Island" I said.  Come pay a visit.

That's when her hipster colleague sporting a beard and plaid shirt with sport jacket arrived on the scene
 because he saw me gleefully pointing him out to her and now he was curious.

He claimed he wasn't one of those types, " I'm from  a small hamlet near Brighton, and I grew in the country, and I know
how to use an axe"."

Ok pal. If you say so.

"I grew this beard to make me look older".

Ok pal. If you say so but now you're just a hipster.

Now lest you get the impression I don't like hipsters you would be wrong.

They have done much to improve food quality (and also  raise food prices) .
 I have several 'hipster' or wannabe hipster friends in fact.

In fact last night while dining at Joey's restaurant I had to console one of my pals and tell him not to 
cry on his wife's shoulder about all his problems.

(B. if you are reading this, I make no apologies calling you out on this nonsense.)

No woman want's a man crying on her shoulders like a wuss.

Keep that in mind gentleman. (Ladies, you can just clap)

Rant officially over.

Now onto other matters of interest.

Celestron has the CGEM II heavy duty equatorial mount on sale this month.

direct link: https://khanscope.com/collections/celestron-cgem-ii-telescope-mount-sale/products/91523cgem-ii-eq-mount

For those of you required a more robust mount, this one is the key

Look at this load of features, more than a hipster would ever know what to do with.

• German equatorial mount
• 40-pound payload capacity
• 15 - 70° latitude adjustment range
• Dual-axis low-cog DC servo motors with optical encoders for smooth tracking and quiet operation
• High-torque motors provide smooth tracking and slewing for heavy OTAs
• Autoguider port for making corrections while astroimaging
• Dual Vixen/Losmandy dovetail saddle, compatible with CG-5 and CGE bars
• Long clutch levers make tightening and loosening of clutches easier for manual movement
• Internal cables/wires for snag-free operation
• GPS-compatible with optional SkySync unit
• Runs on included 12 VDC, 3.2A car/vehicle power supply