We've had our first big tree fall and it needs to be cleared.
With our goal to keep #OurWawar's carbon footprint minimal, I don't want to go straight to an electric chainsaw. Wanna try a good old tree saw, build muscles also.
Any recommendations for non mechanical saws?
Axe I already have. But apparently saws are faster for a fallen tree use case
Trying out these two saws, one by one. Both are decent. It'll be a good workout all day. Clear out this fallen Ash tree from that path.
The Marathi punster in me wants to do this all night so I can say करवते बदलते रहे सारी रात हम 🤭🤭
Great success! This is such an enjoyable workout!
And further great success. Walkable path.
This wood is so nice! One of my recent bucket list items is to learn woodworking and make a chess set out of #OurWawar wood.
Mission accomplished!
My arms are going to be so sore tomorrow, lol.
First sawed with saw then axed with axe. Upper body workout plus quality wood. Will mostly be used as firewood.
But I really need to learn woodworking! There is so much high quality wood just lying around.
As a boy, I used to whine sooo much when dad collared me to help with things like cutting wood, sanding it, hammering it, working with all kinds of tools, painting the house, basic electric work etc.
Now I'm so thankful for those years that made me baseline handy.
Haha, a friend saw this thread and sent this video. Most apt!
Chilly fall day at #OurWawar and we are turning the Ash into ash.
It's so soothing and hypnotic just staring into the fire, noting the different currents of the flames, the dance of yellow, orange, and red. twitter.com/i/web/status/1…
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Students were fascinated to learn how ICC, then Imperial Cricket Council, was the main force in limiting growth of cricket as a global sport in 1900s by defining test cricket as only matches between Commonwealth members.
Holland, Argentina, US had good teams too. But the ICC...
But ICC, literally an Imperial body, actively chose to exclude the Dutch, Americans, & Argentinians (1910s were golden are of ARG cricket), fearful of losing control of the sport.
Cricket in those countries never really recovered from this. It stays a Commonwealth heavy game.
Even in 1900s & 1910s, cricket was popular enough in the US to fill stadiums in many cities. Level of play & interest was high.
But just as World Series started in 1903 & baseball was taking off, ICC in 1909 actively refused an opportunity to bring US into the cricket fold.
This will set many unkil hair on fire but when you read the full multi sided history of the 1962 India China war, there isn't much to blame Nehru about, except using hindsight and weirdly high standards and expectations of clairvoyance. And Cuban missile crisis is minimized. 🧵
First of all, Indian defeat in the 1962 skirmish is overblown for Nehru bashing purposes. And it really was a skirmish not a war. How many wars have zero civilian casualties?
India lost 1300 soldiers. Not great. But not exactly Vietnam War numbers. We lost half those in Kargil.
Losing territory is never great but Aksai Chin was and is mostly uninhabited territory more useful for strategic and logistical purposes than losing actual people inhabited territory.
China didn't march on and take Leh or Srinagar, did they? It was a very opportunistic skirmish.
DMs filling up with "hey can you explain this Zohran phenomenon to me" from friends & Desi columnists lol.
So this will be my NYC Mayor election mega 🧵. FAQ of sorts.
I first truly noticed Zohran in 2023 when he put out an anti Modi statement. As Ro was sucking up to Modi /1
I had known of Zohran vaguely for a couple of years before that, but it was as a huge fan of Mira Nair. I had heard her son was running for state assembly. Not exactly a glamorous & enriching career. But even then I thought, that's sweet. He's choosing public service!
The only son of Mira Nair & Zohran Mamdani, while definitely no billionaire, would still have enough social networks and financial fallbacks to try to make a career in Hollywood. Or academia. Or anything really. Even wall street banker.
The historic reasons for why England (and most of it's ex colonies) and Japan drive on the left but Europe, USA, rest of the world drive on the right are fascinating. And predate the invention of cars.
It's about chariots/wagons vs single horses as primary transportation. 🧵
In Europe, the Romans built highways 2000 years ago for military and supply chains. Lots of chariots & wagons involved.
90% people are right handed, so held the reigns in their right hand. So it made sense to sit on the left. And drive in the right. As a norm, then rule.
Britain tho, until 1800s, was a tiny island without the scale or logistical needs of Continental Europe. Transport there was primarily individual horses. 90% people are right handed there too. But right handers climb a horse from the left, using the right arm to pull them up.
Last week in Pune, I went to many cousins' & friends' new or recent homes. In and around Pashan. And I could picture exactly which areas were sure to flood. I've walked those hills for years.
Why is it called Pashan?
Some of the oldest & hardest rock on the planet!
Marathi has a word for seasonal streams. ओढा. Literally means "to pull".
Those rocky hills had centuries, millennia old odhas which took water from heavy rain all the way down to the rivers. Mudslides were unheard of, given how hard the rock was.