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MORNING UPDATE: 09/20/24
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September 20, 2024
WAITING FOR THIS TO END
Surprise [2010]
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Somehow, I managed to have the best night’s sleep in quite a while. The rest was
solid. Dreams were happy and idyllic. The pets snuggled nicely. I’m almost in a
good mood. If only I could breathe. I’m still feeling like my head is full of
cotton and a couple of cinder blocks are sitting on my chest. This is day six of
this stupid disease. I want to be young and bouncing back like everyone else.
I’m not. I’m old and my body had no immunity going into the situation. So, bonus
points for, so far, managing to stay out of the hospital.
I’ve sat here long enough, reading through the news, and I’m already feeling
exhausted. I’m going to toss some headlines at you with maybe a comment, maybe
not. You’ll need to read the articles for yourself, please (yes, I know whether
you do or not).
The Orange Felon vows to be ‘best friend’ to Jewish Americans, as allegations of
ally’s antisemitism surface, which is kind of odd when he also said Jews will be
partly to blame if he loses election. Why is he talking in circles yet again?
The Republican Governor Candidate in North Carolina called himself ‘Black Nazi’
on Porn Site, according to CNN. This is a mess and it’s hitting at just the
wrong time. The Jewish population doesn’t exactly need these idiots taking their
side. They have enough trouble as it is.
Why? Thousands of exploding devices in Lebanon trigger a nation that has been on
edge for years. Even device makers are a little stumped as to how Israel pulled
this off, and it’s frightening a lot of people on both sides of the war.
Overnight, Israel and Hezbollah traded fire after heaviest airstrikes yet, which
pretty much brings Lebanon kicking and screaming into a war they didn’t want.
After two days of exploding pagers and walkie-talkies, Beirut was a city on
edge, with people worried there were bombs in their bags or pockets. What is
concerning security officials everywhere is talk of retaliation. Hezbollah is a
significantly large, better-financed organization than Hamas. Be scared.
Civil rights groups call on major corporations to stick with DEI programs. This
is totally political and corporate bosses need to evaluate which side of the
coin they’re going to embrace. Getting it wrong will prove costly.
Police fatally shot a blasphemy suspect in Pakistan in 2nd such killing in a
week. This is what happens when religion is allowed to have governmental
control. Be aware.
Hmmm … this is interesting. Huge Australian king penguin chick Pesto grows into
social media star. He’s 22 kilograms at only nine moths old, which may be some
kind of record. What makes it interesting was that the new DC Comics short
series, Penguin, debuted on MAX last night. Go ahead. Look at the pictures. Tell
me you don’t see a resemblance.
We could be in for a noisy weekend around the house as today begins practice
sessions and a couple of short races in preparation for Sunday’s “Battle On The
Bricks” road course race. This is a six-hour race to see who can go the longest
without having to pee, or something like that. Races like this are especially
attractive to those Dads who think it shouldn’t be a problem to drive 18 hours
from Indy to Orlando without a pit stop.
What could spoil all the “fun” at IMS is the weather, though. We’ve got a couple
of cold fronts moving across the state this weekend. The stronger of the two
should hit us Sunday morning and with that could come as much as half-an-inch of
rain along with cooler temperatures. While road course races don’t use the same
tires as those on the oval, the rain would still impact the race and could even
cause some delays. Maybe it’s just better to stay home and watch football. Near
a bathroom. Pee when you want.
Me, I’ll just be here trying to survive. The pets and I have settled into a new
routine where we rotate who’s sleeping on which side of the bed. The only
problem is that Queen Bit insists on sleeping dead in the center and she’s kinda
ferocious when bothered.
You have a good weekend and we’ll tread carefully.
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MORNING UPDATE: 09/19/24
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September 19, 2024
YEAH, STILL COVID.
When Mornings Were Good [2011]
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There’s nothing new to say other than G is going to school today. Kat will be at
the salon but wearing a mask. I’m sick of being sick. This is absolutely
ridiculous. My head hurts. The coughing is incessant. Appetite: gone. Tipper is
getting better. In fact, it’s difficult for me to keep her home the rest of the
week, but that’s what we were told to do. I went to get up this morning and
Hamilton tried lying on top of me so that I couldn’t. On average, I was only
able to sit up about 45 minutes at a time yesterday, and that was pushing it. I
can’t wait for this to go the fuck away.
The news is making me angry because everyone’s being so fucking stupid. Tensions
rose sharply after Israel’s defense minister announced a “new phase” of the war
and an apparent Israeli attack set off explosions in electronic devices in
Lebanon. Just because you can, doesn’t mean you should. No one asked for that
war to broaden. No one.
A California man is part of a wave of Orange Felon supporters who bombard the
ex-president’s opponents with threatening messages worded carefully to avoid
arrest. As fears of violence rise ahead of the election, has he crossed a line?
Fuck yes! There’s no room for crying when someone gets fed up and puts an end to
these little charades by eliminating the creators. Fucking idiots.
Marion County Prosecutor Ryan Mears has filed criminal charges against nine
students in just the past two weeks for separate threats at schools across
Indianapolis. This is a nationwide problem and I fail to understand why we’re
having so much trouble addressing it. Parents, this is a YOU issue at the core.
Take the fucking phones away if you need to. One sheriff is posting pictures and
videos online. This nonsense has got to stop. But then, look back at the
paragraph above this one. Monkey see, monkey do?
111 Former G.O.P. Officials Back Harris, Calling The Orange Felon ‘Unfit to
Serve’, but if they’re former officials, does that endorsement carry any actual
weight? This race is too fucking close and it’s going to come down to who can
get the most people out to vote on November 5.
Nine people have been charged after last weekend’s street takeovers, but the
charges are mostly misdemeanors and none of those involved are likely to see any
severe jail time. This is a case where the law is insufficient to adequately
address the crime. I guess we’ll have to wait until someone ends up dead for
anything substantive to happen.
The only good news I’m seeing is that we might get some rain and cooler temps
toward the first of next week. Today’s high is going to be back up to 90,
though. Even the dogs don’t want to put up with that kind of bullshit.
You know what sounds good right now? A giant-sized Milky Way bar. Do you
understand just how much I do not need that? But nothing else sounds even
remotely interesting.
Sol says it’s time to take the dogs out because they’re being annoying. He
actually stopped me from trying to call Hamilton onto the bed last night. Talk
about a cat with attitude.
At least tomorrow’s Friday. This is being the longest fucking week.
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MORNING UPDATE: 09/18/24
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September 18, 2024
COVID EDITION, DAY 4
Only Slightly Damaged [2010]
How is it even possible that I feel worse today than I did yesterday? The only
reason there’s an update this morning is because I had to get up to feed the
cats. Everyone’s staying home again today and it’s a good thing I have an
auto-editor correcting my typing mistakes as I go or this would be unreadable. I
think the kids will likely be fine by tomorrow (maybe) but for me, this is
dragging on far too long and I’m feeling much too miserable. The only plus side
is that I’m getting plenty of snuggle time in with the pets.
I’m gonna just copy/paste content in here this morning. I apologize for the lack
of personalization. I’m doing well to sit upright.
From The Daily Skim: At least two women in Georgia died after the state’s
abortion ban delayed their access to critical medical care, according to
a ProPublica investigation. Georgia’s maternal mortality review committee deemed
Amber Nicole Thurman’s death as “preventable.” ProPublica said it’s the first
time such a designation for an abortion-related death has become public. In
Thurman’s case, the “otherwise healthy” 28-year-old needed a dilation and
curettage, or D&C (used routinely for both abortions and miscarriages), to
remove fetal tissue causing an infection. However, doctors delayed the routine
procedure for 20 hours, even though they were well-equipped to treat her.
Georgia’s abortion laws threaten doctors with up to a decade in prison unless
they can prove a patient is near death or facing “irreversible physical
impairment” — criteria with no clearly defined protocols. The hospital declined
to comment, but ProPublica found there was no policy to guide doctors on how to
interpret the ban when Thurman came in needing help. Thurman, a single mom who
had planned to attend nursing school, told her mother before she died: “Promise
me you’ll take care of my son.” Be angry. Be very angry.
Yesterday’s exploding pagers sounds like such an 80s thing, but no, it’s real,
and it’s all Israel’s fault. Exploding Hezbollah pagers in apparent Israeli
attack made by Hungarian company, Taiwanese firm says. Small amounts of
explosives were placed inside the pages and then all detonated at once. Israel
says they were targeting Hezbollah, but a nine-year-old girl was among those
killed, so we’re not buying that excuse. Be pissed.
Vice President Kamala Harris has decried Republican Donald Trump for
inflammatory rhetoric about migrants in Springfield, Ohio, and on other topics,
and said voters should make sure he “can’t have that microphone again.” One of
the most compelling campaign lines I’ve heard yet.
Major companies abandon an LGBTQ+ rights report card after facing anti-diversity
backlash. This is straight-up bullshit. Massive boycotts, anyone?
Milan Fashion Week started yesterday, but once again the “Made In Italy” tag is
underfire because garment manufacturers are sons of bitches who would just as
soon use slave labor and pocket the profit for themselves. If you’re buying
designer clothing, you’re part of the problem.
Lena Ervin of Lenaria Photography has probably lost her entire photography
business because she’s apparently a bitch. The local CBS affiliate and its
sister FOX affiliate both ran a story about the photographer’s failing. What
irks me is that NONE of the problems mentioned would have been difficult to
resolve. Wearing a bright pink jumpsuit to a Halloween wedding is just
straight-up tacky. Failure to give refunds generally means your money has
already been spent. This is just stupid and is a black eye on the business of
all photographers.
I posted yesterday on Facebook about the problem Indy has with street takeovers.
One local station is trying to calm the situation by saying that other cities
are having similar issues. That’s not reassuring in the least. These absolutely
infantile events have become dangerous now. Time for the police to start
destroying the cars that are involved, IMO.
Tupperware, Food Container Pioneer, Files for Bankruptcy. The once-mighty
kitchenware company has struggled financially for years. It says the direct
sales model that fueled its success has become a weakness. Trying to sell the
products on store shelves isn’t working well, either. Could this be the end of
an era?
Fed Officials Are Expected to Cut Rates Today. The Question Is How Much. While
there’s plenty of room for debate on that question, one thing’s for sure: it’s
going to piss off the Orange Felon, who didn’t want any rate cut before the
election. Cry, little cry baby, cry.
Damnit. Now the dogs want out. That means I have to put on pants. And shoes.
Fuck.
At least there’s fresh coffee.
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MORNING UPDATE: 09/17/24
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
September 17, 2024
COVID EDITION, DAY 3
On Point [2013 original with AI background]
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Everyone is home today. G hasn’t tested positive, yet, but he’s not feeling
great. We’re keeping him home out of an abundance of caution to prevent any
further spread. Tipper is feeling better and may be able to go back to school
tomorrow. Kat seemed better yesterday, but I was already asleep by the time she
got home last night so I don’t know how a full day of work affected her. I still
feel like absolute shit. How bad is it? Hamilton, the dog who hates to snuggle,
snuggled as close as he possibly could last night. I’m worried I may be dying.
Fortunately, there’s not really much in the news worth your time. There’s a lot
of blabber about this, that, and some other thing, but none of it is going to
directly affect your life in any way today. Breathe deep. Let it go.
I do find it interesting that the KC Chiefs dumped Tight End Peyton Hendershot
yesterday. The IU grad wasn’t even suited up and playing last week when he
shoved a Baltimore Ravens player on the sidelines. That earned the Chiefs a
$100,000 fine. We’re assuming this is behavior he learned during his previous
stint with the Cowboys. Such nonsense isn’t tolerated by Andy Reid & Co.
Ohio is having to assign state troopers to protect schools in Springfield due to
the overwhelming number of threats. This is beyond ridiculous. Anyone who thinks
there’s a shred of truth to the myth of Haitian immigrants eating pets is a
moron. Anyone who would threaten to harm people because of that myth needs to be
locked away in an asylum.
Houston got an unexpected jolt yesterday when a car ran through a fence and hit
a valve on a gas pipeline, resulting in a massive explosion. The fire didn’t
even think about dying down until early this morning. Hundreds of people had to
be evacuated, and if you’ve never been trapped by a gas leak (I have), I gotta
tell you it’s a harrowing moment of wondering whether it’s safe to move. Of
course, the dude in the car was incinerated.
Oh, here’s a fun conversation to have with someone. A New York woman is
challenging Miss America and Miss World rules banning mothers from beauty
pageants. Now, this should raise at least a couple of arguments. The first one
that comes to mind is why the fuck are we still having fucking beauty contests?
The fact that any part of our society is not over the whole concept of
comparative beauty is disgusting. The second conversation is the entire topic of
single mothers who have never been married. This is a social thing, not a moral
one. Quite honestly, I don’t have a problem with it. If you’re going to insist
that everyone carry their baby to term, then you have to support them once the
kid is here, not block their access to scholarships.
If you’re feeling really brave, jump in on the conversation about how pregnancy
affects a woman’s brain. Mind you, this is real science, not hyperbole. We’re
better understanding the adjustments the brain has to make to support the growth
of a fetus and the stress it places on a woman’s body.
Speaking of births, today is my eldest son’s 33rd birthday!! I doubt anyone who
knows him reads this, though. I’ll have to say something on Facebook to get him
some attention.
I think this is about all I can handle this morning. The twins have been trying
to help me type since I sat down at the desk. The dogs are ready to go out.
Don’t forget to drink your coffee, by the way. A new study suggests that
drinking coffee offsets the negative effect of sitting on your ass all day. Mind
you, it’s still theory at this point, but why take any chances?
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MORNING UPDATE: 09/16/24
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September 16, 2024
COVID EDITION, DAY 2
Giddy-Up [2011] (Yes, I know the picture’s blurry, and yes I know Des is all
grown up and engaged. It’s a flashback moment)
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Looks like Tipper is going to be joining me at home this week. I expressed
concern over her frequent coughing yesterday morning and Kat administered a test
when she got home. It hit positive about as fast as scientifically possible. So,
my doctors’ appointments are canceled, Tipper won’t be at school or clubs, and
we both need to try and stay away from the universe as much as possible. This is
going to get interesting.
Question: Why the hell do my ankle bones hurt? This is a new pain this morning.
I don’t know if it’s a COVID pain or a chemo pain. It hurts like hell, though.
Balance is still a tough issue, but I’m assuming that it’s related to all the
congestion fucking with my ears.
Decision: I’m not repeating a damn thing whose origin was a social media post.
You shouldn’t either. First, social media is not the primary means through which
intelligent people communicate. Second, I don’t care how many blue checks there
are, it is impossible to verify that the post was created and sent by the name
on the account. This includes politicians. So, if there’s not a legit source,
I’m ignoring it.
In old-person gut check this morning: Tito Jackson is dead at age 70. Poor Tito,
he tried like hell to play off Michael’s fame, but it never worked for him like
it did Janet. Expect to hear a lot of Jackson 5 on the radio today.
There were plenty of tight NFL games yesterday if you were watching. Of course,
the Colts lost to the Packers, 16-10, but at least they showed up for the game
this time. Jets came from behind to beat the Titans, 24-17. And would someone
kindly explain to me how the hell the 49ers lost to the f’n Vikings, 17-23? Who
didn’t have a squeaker? The Cowboys, of course. New Orleans drilled ’em 44-19.
Nothing else is likely to impact your normal conversations today. Enjoy that.
I’m going back to bed.
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MORNING UPDATE: 09/15/24
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
September 15, 2024
COVID EDITION
All About Balance [2010]
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
News flash: in case the headline didn’t give it away, I tested positive for
COVID-19 yesterday afternoon. I’m feeling so sick that I was only able to watch
parts of two games yesterday, and one of those was severely disappointing. So,
we’re going to look at the most important scores (in my opinion), I’ll link you
to a long read from NYT Magazine, and then I’m going back to bed.
There were still a number of routs in the top 25, but none upset me more than
Notre Dame running all over Purdue, 66-7. After losing to Northern Illinois last
week, I fully expected the game to at least be close. Nope, not at all. Notre
Dame was on a mission to get their confidence back and that game should have
done it very well. The question now is where Purdue goes from here. Normally, I
might say that one loss on the season isn’t that bad, but holy hell, they didn’t
even score a fucking field goal until the fourth quarter! Penalties and
turnovers plagued the game as well. I went to bed at the half because I didn’t
need the stress.
Does IU actually have a football team this year? It would certainly seem that
way as they just stomped all over UCLA, 42-13. When the fuck was the last time
IU football started the season 3-0? Is there even anyone alive who still
remembers? The game wasn’t broadcast on anything that I could stream, but I may
have to start looking around for sources if they’re going to make this season
interesting.
Oklahoma teams continued to dominate. Oklahoma State stomped poor little Tulsa,
45-10. It’s almost unfair to put Tulsa up against a Division 1 school of any
kind. I think I was in high school the last time they even came close to having
a team that could keep up. OU gave Tulane a headache, 34-19. I doubt the win is
going to give OU much of a boost in the polls, though. Tulane isn’t exactly a
football powerhouse and with plenty of others in the top 25 racking up
considerably higher scores, OU doesn’t come off looking like the strongest team
in the conference.
The other game that surprised me was Georgia/Kentucky. Georgia won 13-12, but
damn was that a nail-biter. The question being asked this morning is whether
that was too lackluster of an effort on the Bulldogs’ part to keep them in the
number 1 seat this week.
You know who’s going to expect to be number 1? Texas. It’s not so much that they
stomped poor little UTSA 56-7, but the fact that they lost their starting
quarterback and still won. How did that happen? It might be because coming off
the bench was none other than Arch Manning. That’s right, there’s another
Manning in the pipeline. Five of those touchdowns are his. Five. Coming in cold.
We’ve seen this before as both of his uncles quickly ran through college and
straight to the pros. Just go ahead and try to not confuse him with his
grandfather.
Tennessee whomped Kent State, 71-0. This might be a good time to question why
the Top 25 teams are still playing out-of-conference nobodies. First two weeks,
I can understand. It can take a couple of weeks for a team to gel. Everyone
should have their act together by now, though. I’m ready to see some real
football with low scores and a lot of effort.
There should be a few good games next week. Tennessee gets OU and I’m not sure
that the Sooners are ready to ride that train. Purdue is at Oregon State, so
perhaps they can make a decent comeback. But Texas gets UL Monroe. WTF? They’ve
proven they have the power, give them someone who can stand up to them! Utah
comes to Stillwater to set up a 12vs13 matchup, but I’m not sure Utah has any
clue what they’re getting themselves into. That Cowboy crowd can be rough. The
Hoosiers get Charlotte in Bloomington and … am I wrong to be skeptical about IU
going 4-0?
I’m seriously not sure if I’m going to be awake for any of the pro games this
afternoon. There are some decent matchups, but I’m not feeling invested enough
to sit here and cough up a lung for 2-3 hours.
If you’re looking for something to do until game time, though, consider this
interview with Demi Moore. If you’re of an age where you remember her as a
low-voiced sexy actress, this may make you uncomfortable. It’s a good read
that’s well worth your time.
I’m done. That’s about all I can handle today. OJ is being delivered. I’m going
back to bed or something.
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Camera / Nature / Personal / Photography / Travel
PICTURES FROM A BOG
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
September 14, 2024
Jenn twisted my arm oh so hard yesterday that I didn’t have any choice but to go
with her to Celery Bog in West Lafayette. This is what friends do for each
other. She might have died out there without me. I was working with a new-to-me
camera and after seeing the results it’s clear that my vision isn’t as good as I
thought it was. I would have sworn I had clear, sharp images. Nope. Missed it by
][ this much. But you know what? Looking at not-quite-focused pictures is still
better than having to deal with politics this morning. I can’t do it. So here,
have some pictures. Tell me if you can identify that one grey bug ’cause I’m
clueless.
Jenn’s deathly allergic to bees, so I scared them off by looking at them.
Turtles apparently like bogs. I swear, this looked so sharp and in focus when I
took the picture. Ugh. Sorry, birb. A little girl, about three years old, was on
the viewing deck and was excited to see this grasshopper. Wood Ducks On Wood
Great Blue Herron going for a stroll. I do so wish he’d been closer. Okay, who
knows what this ugly bug is? The last buzz
There we go. Now, a nap before football!
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MORNING UPDATE: 09/13/24
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
September 13, 2024
FRIDAY THE 13TH EDITION
Register To Vote! [2011]
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Welcome to one of the most dreaded days of the year (by some)! Those who are
superstitious are likely staying in bed today if they can, or being extremely
careful if they can’t. I do want to put something to rest quickly, though: THERE
IS NO FRIDAY THE 13TH IN OCTOBER THIS YEAR. I’ve seen the memes going around
since June. They’re wrong. There is a supermoon, but the 13th lands on a Sunday
next month. I know some were hoping for a super spooky Halloween season, but
that particular element isn’t happening. If you are a spooky-oriented person,
celebrate today instead.
Only one person gave me any direct feedback on yesterday’s video edition, and
views were down compared to other days this week. I think, at least for today,
we’ll mix it up a bit, giving video coverage where it makes sense, but going
ahead and typing out the rest. There was some mention that some of the videos
were blocked for some people. I don’t understand that at all. Most of the videos
came from YouTube and should have been available to everyone. For them to be
blocked doesn’t make any sense.
Kat is still quarantined. Queen Bit and Fat Guy have been taking care of her,
Bit insisting on lying on her head most of the day. I’m not sure what that’s
supposed to cure, but she’s definitely committed to the task. At least no one
here is running to AI for medical advice. According to this morning’s Times,
many Americans are taking the advice of AI chatbots for medical information. The
primary reason is that it takes too long to see an actual doctor. But, of
course, the question immediately raised is whether the advice is accurate. The
answer is obvious: not always. Go see a real, living, breathing doctor before
doing anything stupid.
Can we stop with the Springfield-related memes already? Yeah, I’ve seen some
cute ones, but the issue is that they’re causing problems. Here’s your first
video of the day.
As much as anything, this is a clear example of the degree to which words do
matter, and Republicans such as the Orange Felon and his idiotic running mate
don’t seem to care. If anything, they’re delighting in the chaos because it
keeps bringing people back to the concept that immigrants are ruining the
country. They’re not. They’re not ruining Europe, either. Immigration is not out
of control. This is clear fear-mongering from the GOP. In the case of
Springfield, they need immigrants. So, let’s just cancel the memes, okay?
Of course, the big news of the day is that 33,000 Boeing factory workers went on
strike after rejecting the contract offer. This is going to put a big dent in
Boeing’s cash flow as it means they can’t deliver the 737s that airlines have
ordered. Boeing is already cash-strapped thanks to its multiple failures this
year. They really can’t afford to let this strike go much longer than the
weekend, and even then the ripple effect is going to cause numerous problems for
the company. Boeing workers have put up with a lot of flack and no small amount
of bullshit of late. This is their first work stoppage since 2008. The folks in
Boeing’s C-Suite need to get their act together and end this strike quickly.
I totally forgot that there was a football game last night. I can’t believe that
I let that slip my mind. I was in bed shortly after 9:00 anyway, and the Bills
pretty much handled the Dolphins without any problem. No one is terribly
surprised by that. There was some drama, though. Tua Tagovailoa sustained a
concussion after hitting his head on the turf. This was a scary moment for
Dolphins fans as much of the team’s hopes for this season ride on the
quarterback’s abilities. There have been a number of problems with the turf in
various stadiums already this season. If you were watching the Colts/Texans game
last Sunday, you saw both quarterbacks plagued with slipping on Lucas Oil’s new
turf. There were plenty of complaints at other stadiums as well. None of the
teams want to lose their highly-paid star players to an injury. But can the
problem even be addressed now that the season is underway?
Time for another video. This one is actually a little frightening in my opinion.
Considering that North Korea isn’t supposed to have any nukes at all makes this
a slap directly in the face of the UN and its member countries. Why should this
bother us? First of all, the world does not need another nuclear power,
especially not one controlled by a family of power-hungry deranged lunatics. No
one trusts a nuclear-equipped North Korea to not attempt a takeover of South
Korea. Most critical, though, is the Russian factor. Putin has been under
increasing pressure to utilize the country’s nuclear weapons against Ukraine.
Among the multiple problems with that idea, including the fact that fallout
would likely blowback over Russia, is that their nuclear arsenal is decades old
and operates on what is now horribly obsolete technology that hasn’t been tested
since the 1980s. However, European intel is saying that Russia has a new
kamikaze drone. Putin’s been getting cozy with North Korea’s Kim of late. If
Russia were to put brand new North Korean nukes on kamikaze drones, it could
spell danger for all of Eastern Europe, including several NATO countries. Now,
see why this is really a big deal?
There is some interesting moon-related news this morning. On one hand, New
research suggests the moon had active volcanoes when dinosaurs roamed Earth.
Granted, this was millions of years ago, but it’s still important as it may mean
that underground deposits of both water and magma may still exist. This could be
extremely important if anyone wants to actually attempt colonizing the moon.
However, the Times is reporting that a new mini-moon is being captured by
Earth’s gravity. There are a couple of caveats here. First, what scientists are
tracking is an extremely small space rock. So small, that you wouldn’t likely be
able to see it with the naked eye. Second, not everyone agrees that it’s a moon.
Again, size matters, but so does the shape of its orbit, which is still up for
questioning. Nonetheless, it would be exciting, in my opinion, if Earth were to
join the collection of cool planets that have more than one moon. It will be
interesting to see how this develops. Who knows, maybe the little rock will
grow!
Locally, it’s looking as though the drought across much of Indiana is going to
continue. Any rain effect from Tropical Storm Francine is going to be limited to
the Southwestern part of the state, leaving the rest of us hot and dry for at
least the next week. This is unusual since September is normally a fairly wet
month. Without any rain, fall foliage is going to suck. Already, I’m seeing the
leaves on trees in our neighborhood beginning to turn brown. Belvedere’s been
digging holes to lie in because the surface ground is too hot. This is not a
good sign at all.
Fortunately, there’s football tomorrow. The big game for everyone in Indiana is
Purdue vs. Notre Dame. Purdue is 2-0 and ND is coming off a devestating loss to
Northern Illinois last week. This in-state rivalry is always a big game, but
this year it could possibly determine how the rest of the season goes for both
teams. The winner gets a shove forward in the polls, which is important come
bowl time. The loser could be down for the count, especially if it’s Notre Dame.
Either way, we’re looking forward to an exciting game tomorrow afternoon.
I need to eat breakfast and then probably take a nap. Or two. Maybe three. Or
four. Never underestimate my napping ability.
Nor my need for MORE COFFEE!!
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MORNING UPDATE: 09/12/24
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
September 12, 2024
Alone In The Night [2011 original with AI background]
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
We’re struggling to stay alive. Kat is sick and barely has a voice. I have
trouble keeping my balance long enough to take the dogs out. The kids are
coping, but I’m pretty sure neither did their chores last night. Both twins are
sitting on my desk and are of the opinion that we should make this a video
edition. That’s not quite as easy as it sounds, but we’re fortunate that the New
York Times has a YouTube account. So, I’m taking the cats’ advice and running
with it.
DEBATE RECAP, AUTOTUNED
TAYLOR SWIFT WINS BIG
BILLIONAIRE SPACEWALK IS TODAY
JON BON JOVI TALKS A WOMAN OFF A BRIDGE
DIDDY SUED FOR SEXUAL ASSAULT
HURRICANE FRANCINE DISRUPTS EVERYTHING
EVERYTHING ELSE (MOSTLY)
Yeah, this is a different way of sharing the news. But for this morning it will
have to do.
Enjoy your coffee.
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Commentary
MORNING UPDATE: 09/11/24
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
September 11, 2024
Feeling Autumn [2010]
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
There are days when I’m not sure how to react to things happening around me.
Yesterday was one of those days. I was sitting outside while the dogs ran around
when I heard a sound that could have been gunfire. It also could have been
someone nailing down a piece of tin. Whatever it was, I was too far away to be
certain. Kat threw up yesterday and was running a fever. She took a COVID test
because she’s been around people who’ve had it. At first, it appeared that the
test was negative, but there was the faintest pink line. Do we respond as if
she’s positive or not? She’ll take another test this morning.
The real stumper came with a text from one of Tipper’s teachers. She expressed
concern over Tipper’s grades and then related an instance from yesterday
afternoon where the child refused to complete an assignment, telling the
teacher, “Yeah, that’s stupid, I’m not doing it.” I can’t imagine ever talking
back to a teacher like that! I would have gotten my backside blistered so bad I
wouldn’t have been able to sit down for a week! But we know corporal punishment
like that doesn’t work, especially with kids on the autism spectrum. So, how do
we tackle this one in a way that fits the crime?
Fortunately, I had plenty of time to think this one through before she got home.
I started by taking her phone, which I know stung because her new phone case had
just been delivered that morning. Then, we talked. She detailed the issues she’s
having in some of her classes. Teachers using video as an instructional tool is
apparently a problem. We talked about having respect for teachers and not
questioning basic assignments. Then, she sat next to me while she sent emails to
the affected teachers, background copying me on each so that I would have a
record. Those included apologizing for refusing to do assignments.
I’m still debating whether I need to make a trip to the school. I don’t want the
teachers to think that we’re dismissing their concerns. At the same time, if
she’s raising issues and they’re not being addressed, we need to make sure the
right people are listening. The school makes it quite easy for me to check her
grades on a daily basis. I’ve told her that I need to see some improvement
within the next week. Otherwise, more privileges will be revoked.
I’m still not convinced I’m handling this the right way.
Then, at the darling hour of 4:00 AM this morning, Hamilton decides that he
needs to go outside. Now. I really wanted to ignore him, but he wasn’t going to
let that happen. Reluctantly, I got dressed and took both dogs outside. Now,
they’re both back asleep and here I sit, talking to Frankie, the smashed-face
wheezer kitty, questioning everything, and wondering if I’m missing anything
important.
Most pundits and “debate experts” are saying that VP Harris “won” last night’s
debate, hands down. In the clips I’ve seen, the Orange Felon looked confused,
out of place, and too damn old. Kamala Harris, the prosecutor, took charge,
challenged the lies, and scared the Felon so badly that he immediately walked
into the spin room after the debate, something only losers ever do. For Harris,
the moments after the debate brought the much-anticipated endorsement of Taylor
Swift. That could bring hundreds of thousands of young voters to the polls.
However, those coveted “undecided” voters are not convinced yet. I’m not sure
how anyone can be undecided at this point. The choices are miles apart. Fact
checking what each candidate said last night might help.
The death toll in Vietnam is now over 150. Small towns have been washed away by
the flood waters. Hanoi hasn’t looked this bad since 1956. Until the waters go
down, however, it is almost impossible to get help into the area.
There was another school shooting yesterday. This time in Nebraska. No one was
killed but a student is in critical condition. Interesting how that story is so
far down the damn page.
A decline in beer sales is effecting barley farmers. Maybe that’s a sign that
those big beer brands need to make better beer.
The billionaire Jared Isaacman and his crew traveled to altitudes not visited by
any astronaut since the Apollo moon missions of the 1960s and ’70s. I still
think this is a vanity flight and I don’t expect it to end well. Let’s hope I’m
wrong.
Of course, today is the 23rd anniversary of the 9/11 disaster. I tend to look at
the New York Times for a clue as to how the events are being commemorated. This
year, though, it’s a page 3 story. Many other news outlets don’t mention it at
all. So much for “never forget.”
My head is swimming. Frankie just stuck his face in my half-empty coffee mug.
I think I just need to go back to bed.
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Personal / Politics / Social Commentary
MORNING UPDATE: 09/10/24
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
September 10, 2024
Beautiful Observation [2013]
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
All I want to do right now is curl back up in bed and go to sleep. The problem
is pain from both the chemo and arthritis. It kept me down yesterday and this
morning isn’t feeling any better. I know a lot of people were excited to hear
that Princess Kate had completed her chemo and will resume some of her royal
duties. While that’s great news for her, there are still millions of people,
probably people you know, who are just being diagnosed and beginning the arduous
treatment of using one poison to fight another. The number of new diagnoses I’ve
seen this fall is rather frightening. Patti Scialfa, Springsteen’s wife and
bandmate, revealed her cancer diagnosis recently. While the survival rate for
many cancers has improved tremendously over the past 20 years, the treatment
isn’t any less painful.
Cancer isn’t the only killer, either. James Earl Jones, one of the greatest bass
voices ever, the voice for Darth Vader and Mufasa among others, died yesterday
from complications of Type 2 Diabetes. Yes, I have that one, too. If the cancer
doesn’t kill me, the diabetes almost certainly will. There’s no escape. And
while I might want to live every moment to its fullest, the reality is that I
spend most of my days in bed, trying not to cry, being thankful for the company
of pets who refuse to leave me alone.
Nothing about this getting old shit is being fun. There are no grandkids to
bounce on my knee and spoil. I can’t be as involved with G and Tipper’s school
as I would like. My income is too limited to go traveling, and even if it
wasn’t, my body couldn’t handle it. I often wonder if I’m serving any purpose at
all. I can’t take pictures. My creativity is at an all-time low. Just writing
these updates every morning is a chore. The kids get in from school in the
afternoon and I try to be awake and present for them, but it isn’t easy. There’s
a 44-pound bag of dog food in the kitchen that needs to be dumped into the
storage container. I can’t lift it by myself. What good am I to anyone?
Yes, it could be worse. Hurricane Francis is going to mess up everything between
Houston and New Orleans. No one is sure yet how strong it might be when it makes
landfall, but even a Category 1 storm has proven to be enough to knock out power
and cause tremendous flooding.
An Israeli strike on a Gaza humanitarian zone tent camp killed at least 40
people. No matter what Palestinians do to try and stay alive, Israel’s leaders
seem determined to kill every last one of them. The UN chief calls the death and
destruction in Gaza the worst he’s seen. “Secretary-General António Guterres
said in an interview with The Associated Press that it’s “unrealistic” to think
the U.N. could play a role in Gaza’s future, either by administering the
territory or providing a peacekeeping force, because Israel is unlikely to
accept a U.N. role.” Israel, for its part, seems willing to negotiate short-term
cease-fires, such as the one that allowed the administration of the polio
vaccine, but leaders there are not interested in ending the war.
South African farmers are accused of killing 2 women and feeding them to pigs.
You have to wonder how any human can be so cruel.
The Death toll from the Vietnam storm rises to 87 with 70 people missing. A
typhoon blasted the country, leaving it in worse disarray than that stupid war.
A Swiss city councilor apologized for firing a gun at a Mary and Jesus poster.
How the hell does anyone wrap their head around that?
If there’s any “good” news, it’s that both Google and Apple were unable to get
away from the EU’s tough laws. Google will have to pay 2.4 billion Euros. Apple
gets to fork over 13 billion to Ireland. If the US had any guts, the two
companies, among others, would be paying out the nose here as well.
If you fly, you’ll want to know that Battery-powered devices are overheating
more often on planes and raising alarm. The biggest culprit: vapes. Anything
with a lithium battery can potentially overheat. If that device happens to be in
checked baggage, which is illegal but still happens, the resulting fire may not
be caught until it’s too large for immediate suppression.
SpaceX finally launched that billionaire and his crew into space. I’ll still be
surprised if their spacewalk goes off without a hitch.
And yeah, that debate is tonight. I’m not watching. The only outcome that’s
going to please me is if VP Harris literally devours the Orange Felon right
there in front of everyone. I’m good with catching the highlight reel in the
morning.
No, I’m not in a good mood this morning. There’s no reason for me to be in a
good mood. I’m sick and tired of all the pain and I want a box of fresh apple
fritters. And Frank has figured out how to close all my open windows. He’s done
it twice this morning, so far. The temptation to say, “Fuck everything,” is
really strong.
I’ll stick with my coffee, for now. I’m not making any promises about later,
though.
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MORNING UPDATE: 09/09/24
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
September 9, 2024
It’s Still Summer [2011]
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
This is going to be one of those weeks where how you dress in the morning isn’t
going to be comfortable by midday. We’re at that time of year, and I’m more
grateful this year than I was last year that I’m not covering anyone’s Fashion
Weeks this fall. The pace and the hours would kill me. Malia Obama’s choice of
Vivienne Westwood for her red carpet look in Paris is pretty smart, but few of
us “normal” people have red carpets to walk, so we might want to be more careful
about our choices. The kids, of course, chose slightly heavier hoodies than the
ones they normally wear.
Kat is having to take the kids to school this morning. The IndyGo bus that
normally picks them up was already full by the time it arrived at their stop.
Waiting for the next bus an hour later would make them late for school.
Over-capacity buses along school routes are a known issue that IndyGo seems to
be ignoring. Drivers have complained. Riders have complained. I’m not sure what
it’s going to take to get additional buses on the street, but something needs to
be resolved quickly. Looks like I’ll be making another complaint this morning.
We survived the first Sunday of NFL football, which may be more than we can say
for some coaches. I didn’t expect the Colts to win, so I’ve nothing bad to say
about their two-point loss to Houston. They kept it close, which is saying
something against a team that is already getting Super Bowl chatter. The Cowboys
actually won against the Browns, which is a damn good thing given how much the
team is paying Dak Prescott now. The Bears pulled off an impressive win against
the Titans after being down 17-3 at the half. And the Dolphins stayed close
enough to win the game on a last-second field goal against the Jags. You’ll hear
a lot of armchair quarterbacking this morning, but don’t buy it. The first-week
strategy for every team is pretty much, “Let’s try this and see what happens.”
They’ll make adjustments and hopefully, next week will be different.
Emotionally, this could be a tough week for a lot of people. Questions are being
raised as to whether or not the Apalachee school shooting might have been
prevented. While the newly installed panic buttons helped alert police to a
problem, questions now center around whether the entire incident could have been
prevented. Of course, the ultimate prevention would have been to not give the
child the gun in the first place, but no one wants to talk about that.
Tuesday is the big debate between the two major-party presidential candidates.
Their approaches are vastly different and their histories could make this one of
the most entertaining debates we’ve seen in many years. In the background,
though, lies the fact that the Orange Felon is threatening to jail his
adversaries if he wins. Be prepared for there to be a lot of emotion on both
sides and the rhetoric will be impossible by Wednesday morning.
Wednesday morning, however, brings another set of emotions with it as we once
again recognize the anniversary of the 9/11 bombings. Activities have morphed
some over the years. The children who lost their parents that day are now adults
and bring their own unique feelings to the commemorative events. The day
inevitably stirs emotions for us much as December 7 did for our parents and
grandparents. We can only hope that those born after that day will never have
such an experience of their own.
If you’re a fan of discount stores, you may be sad to learn that Big Lots is
declaring bankruptcy. I don’t think anyone familiar with the store’s history is
surprised. Private equity firm Nexus Capital is acting as the stalking horse
bidder. No mention has been made yet whether any stores will be closed. That
likely will be the decision of whoever buys the company.
Police are under scrutiny yet again after Miami police handcuffed and detained
Dolphins RB Tyreek Hill and defensive tackle Calais Campbell early Sunday
morning. While those involved are being careful to not yell racism, after the
arresting officer was placed on leave it’s difficult to not imagine anything
else being at the center of the problem. That problems such as this keep
happening shows how little is being done to correct a problem that’s been in the
news for several years now. More needs to happen.
I’m not even sure what to think about the entire Middle East situation this
morning. It’s a mess. On one hand, Israeli strikes in Syria left 14 dead and
more than 40 wounded. Israel says they were only acting in retaliation for
Syrian involvement in the war with Hamas. Syria says those killed were
civilians. Meanwhile, the U.N. human rights chief asked countries to act on what
he called Israel’s “blatant disregard” for international law in the occupied
Palestinian territories. Uhm, stoking the fire there much? Comments like that
aren’t going to push either side toward accepting a cease-fire anytime soon.
If you thought Tim Ballard of Operation Underground Railroad was an
anti-trafficking good guy, you may want to think again. A number of women are
accusing him of being a predator. This seems to be a pattern for conservatives
who use non-profit organizations to hide their devious acts. The Latter-day
Saints church last September denounced Mr. Ballard’s “morally unacceptable”
activities in a statement to VICE News, which had published a series of stories
raising questions about the nonprofit’s operations. At least ten women have come
forward. You’ve been warned.
Speaking of nefarious conservative action, there’s an interesting opinion piece
in this morning’s Times on how the state of Tennessee is preventing at least
half a million people from voting. “About 9 percent of the state’s voting-age
population is prohibited from voting because of felony convictions. And the
effects are particularly acute among the Black population, with an
astonishing 21 percent of Black adults barred from voting — the highest rate in
the country.” This is shameful. This is racist as hell. And this is not
surprising.
The Times also has an interesting test for you. Can you tell the difference
between real videos and those generated by AI? This is going to be an
increasingly difficult issue and our perception of what is real is in jeopardy.
It’s only Monday and we already need a break. This could be a long week.
Grab your coffee mug and hold on.
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Morning Update / Personal
MORNING UPDATE: 09/08/24
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
September 8, 2024
Nothing But Trouble [2011 original with AI background]
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Yesterday was a good day to stay indoors and watch football if you could. I laid
down a little after 4:00, thinking that Iowa was going to run over Iowa State
(they didn’t) only to be awakened around 6:00 by kids complaining that the power
was out. At first, Kat thought it might be a billing problem. AES has been
transferring over to a digital payment method this week and not everything has
gone well. As it turned out, though, the outage was considerably larger. Over
750 customers were affected as power didn’t return until 7:30. By that time, all
the mid-afternoon games were over, and late games were starting.
I had to turn on the heat in the house this morning as the temperature inside
dropped to 64. Outside, it’s a chilly 43 at the moment, but still too warm for
any frost to appear around the yard. The dogs are showing no interest in going
outside. The bed is safe and warm. If anything, they’re more likely wondering
why I’m not up there with them.
So, we might as well talk football. Everyone we wanted to win, did. IU took
Western Illinois, 77-3. Ohio State played pretty much everyone on the team as
they beat Western Michigan 56-0. Georgia trounced Tennessee Tech 48-3. Tennessee
took care of NC State 51-10 in a game that had far too many penalties. And
Oklahoma squeaked by Houston, 16-12.
The day’s nail-biter, at least for me, was Oklahoma State’s win over Arkansas in
double overtime, 39-31. Despite the fact that Oklahoma and Arkansas are
neighbors, being in different conferences has prevented them from playing each
other very often. OSU hadn’t played them in over 40 years. This was a big game
for both teams. Right from the start Arkansas came out with two touchdowns in
the first quarter. With the score 21-7 at the half, I was preparing myself to be
disappointed. The Pokes came back, though, and tied the game, sending the whole
mess into overtime. Two missed field goals defined the first OT. On their second
possession, though, OSU took the ball into the endzone and scored the two-point
conversion, then held Arkansas scoreless. It was a happy day in Stillwater, and
I assume my baby brother was relieved. He still hasn’t said anything about the
game.
The game that caught the nation off guard, of course, was Notre Dame’s loss to
Northern Illinois, 14-16. That was not the outcome anyone other than Northern
Illinois expected and has the New York Times asking if Notre Dame’s football
season is over. Northern Illinois was a 28-point underdog going into the game.
By all accounts, this shouldn’t have been a close game at all. But the team that
Notre Dame put on the field didn’t look like the same one that beat Texas A&M
last week. Suffering through an error-filled game, Notre Dame quarterback Riley
Leonard threw an interception with 5:55 left while holding a 14-13 lead, NIU
drove 31 yards in 11 plays and got a 35-yard field goal from Kanon Woodill to
take the lead with 31 seconds left. A long field goal attempt by Notre Dame fell
outside the goalposts. The game was over and a large number of Catholics were,
once again, severely disappointed. I’m sure the cold air feels especially bitter
in South Bend this morning.
The bulk of NFL teams are playing today after Kansas City beat Baltimore, 27-20
on Thursday and the Eagles beat the Packers 34-29 in Brazil on Friday. Today,
we’ll see if the Colts have what it takes to beat Houston. The Texans hold a
slight edge if you’re placing bets, but the roof will be open at Lucas Oil
Stadium and the crowd will be loud. I’m hoping the game is at least close. A
shutout would spell bad news and Indianapolis fans are notoriously fickle when
the Colts lose.
The dogs finally decided they needed to go out. Hamilton was terribly
disappointed that he wasn’t able to catch the squirrel before it scampered up a
tree. I tried telling him that Notre Dame fans feel the same. He just looked at
me like I’m crazy.
Let’s just enjoy our coffee, shall we?
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Personal / Politics / pop culture / Social Commentary
MORNING UPDATE: 09/07/24
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
September 7, 2024
Hidden in Plain Sight [2013]
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The cats waited until 6:30 this morning before waking me up. I got to sleep in!
After filling their food bowls and starting coffee, I came back to the room for
a clothing adjustment. All the electronic devices were registering 50 degrees
outside. Today’s high won’t reach 70. That makes it time to break out the
long-sleeve t-shirts and compression leggings. My calves were immediately
grateful for the extra support. Having the full-length coverage back felt nice.
Sure, I know it will be back up in the 80s by midweek, but next weekend promises
to be even cooler than this one. I may swap back and forth on t-shirts but I’m
keeping the leggings.
I slipped on a coat before taking the dogs out. There wasn’t a breeze so the
cool air felt comfortable. The sky was a pale blue as the sun was beginning to
rise. As far as we could tell, we were the only ones in the neighborhood up and
moving. Well, us and the neighbor’s rooster. The sound of traffic on I-65, about
1.5 miles away, drowned out the sounds of I-465, bearing witness to the lack of
wind. If there’s any wind, we tend to hear 465’s traffic first. Mornings like
this, the photographer in me wonders if I could get away with shooting a naked
model in the middle of the street. The tough part would be finding someone
willing to stand naked in the chilled air.
My plan for today is to let everyone take it easy. The week seems to have been
unusually rough on everyone, especially Kat. After spending most of Thursday
night up vomiting, she came home yesterday with the news that one of her bosses
and one of her clients had both tested positive for COVID. She immediately took
a test and it came back negative, but Brandon took one as well and his was
positive. I’m not sure what her plans are for today. I’m not asking anything
more of the kids than their basic chores. There’s more than enough food to feed
everyone, so the only schedule we’ll have to keep is the one imposed by the
pets.
I did set a new record for head pain yesterday. The problem started when I fixed
myself a bacon, egg, and cheese sandwich for breakfast. While it tasted better
than anything you’ll find in a restaurant, the uncured bacon (sugar-free) does
sometimes cause some digestive issues. After eating, I took my meds and settled
down to do some more reading. That’s when the bacon backed up and forced a burp.
What happened next was unlike anything I’ve ever felt. The poison of the chemo
pills came up and out my nose. My head immediately felt as if it were on fire
from the inside. This wonderful feeling was worse than when I vomited up the
poison a couple of weeks ago. The pain lasted for almost three hours, forcing me
to lie down and try to ignore the fact that I was pretty sure my head and
digestive tract were melting. Be sure that I’ll be much more careful to give the
bacon time to digest from now on.
The big news this morning is one that puts the US at odds with Israel.
Yesterday, Israeli troops shot a Turkish-American woman dead at a West Bank
protest. The 26-year-old woman, Aysenur Ezgi Eygi, had recently graduated from
the University of Washington in Seattle. Passionate about human rights, she was
participating in a regular protest against West Bank expansion. Israel says the
troops were shooting toward a male “main instigator” who posed a threat by
hurling rocks at soldiers. In the careless use of live fire, Eygi was shot in
the head. The Biden administration has called the matter “concerning” and wants
an investigation. Turkey’s President Tayyip Erdogan condemned Eygi’s death,
saying in a post on social media that Turkey “will continue to work in every
platform to halt Israel’s policy of occupation and genocide”.
There’s a lot of pressure on the Biden administration to do more to find a
cease-fire agreement in the Israel-Hamas war. The same is happening in the UK as
well. In response, Biden will host British Prime Minister Starmer next week for
White House talks, and in advance of that, the heads of the CIA and MI6 issued a
joint call for a cease-fire in Gaza. Whether either effort will do any good is
doubtful, though. Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu has his heels firmly dug in,
refusing to consider any type of cease-fire that does not allow Israel control
over multiple areas of Gaza.
This is a no-win situation for the US. Eygi is the third US citizen to be killed
since the October 7 attack by Hamas last year. The standard response is that
people who put themselves in harm’s way cannot expect to be protected from
dangerous situations. That response isn’t going to be enough for Eygi’s family,
though, nor a growing number of people in the US who are tired of the whole
mess. Eygi’s family described her as a “fiercely passionate human rights
activist” who had recently participated in college campus protests against U.S.
support for Israel’s war in Gaza. The statement called on President Joe
Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris to pursue an independent U.S. probe into
her killing. That sentiment was echoed by U.S. Senator Chris Van Hollen who
said, “If the Netanyahu Government will not pursue justice for Americans, the
U.S. Department of Justice must.”
In a nation clearly divided in its support for Israel, the issue is a major one
for both presidential campaigns. The death of an American citizen can’t be
ignored and one has to wonder at what point American attitudes toward Israel
might flip, viewing them as an aggressor rather than an ally. The White House
can’t respond fast enough on the issue.
The rest of the news is significantly less important. Barkley scored 3 TDs as
the Eagles beat the Packers 34-29 in Brazil. Republican former VP Dick Cheney
says he will vote for Kamala Harris. Paris Hilton waited 18 years to drop a new
album. On ‘Infinite Icon,’ she’s here to ‘save pop music’ (try to not choke on
your laughter). And the New York Times has some advice for those who are fed up
and want to leave the US.
The Times also asks an important question: If a Threat Is Not a Crime, Can the
Police Prevent a School Shooting? I found that a thought-provoking read, though
it comes up short on workable answers. You might also be interested in David
Brooks’ opinion piece, The Junkification of American Life. I found it worth my
time.
Somewhere along the way, I expect to find some NCAA football streaming. I know
Iowa State at Iowa will be live on Prime. ESPN+ has Arkansas vs. #16 Oklahoma
State. I don’t have a Peacock subscription, though, so I don’t know what, if
anything, they’re streaming. I should check to see if Verizon will give me a
discount on that one.
Fat Guy is sitting on the desk soaking up all the love and scratches I can give
him. The cooler temps have all the animals in the mood to snuggle. I can’t
object to that reality at all.
And, of course, there’s coffee. Fill your cup, sit back, and relax.
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MORNING UPDATE: 09/06/24
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
September 6, 2024
Needing A Drink [2013]
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Welcome to Friday! Is it just me or does it seem that Labor Day was a month ago,
not just five days? The week has been long and trying for a number of people.
Personally, I spent most of yesterday alone and in bed. I didn’t know when Kat
left for work, and since the kids went to the salon after school, I didn’t know
when any of them came in last night. The dogs were quite willing to spend the
day in bed with me, getting up only when they picked up on Police cars outside.
Exactly how they know that without looking out the window, I don’t know. One was
giving a neighbor a parking ticket for having their vehicle parked over the
sidewalk. I’m not sure what the second was doing as they left before we could
get outside. I guess all the real crimes have sufficient manpower if they’re out
writing petty tickets for non-crimes.
The only thing I expect to be different about today is that the temperatures
will be cooler. There’s an off chance of a random rain shower, but looking at
things this morning, I think it’s all going to stay primarily to our North. Even
if we do see a few drops hitting the ground, it will be so little that it won’t
put a dent in the moderate drought conditions we’re currently facing. With no
rain and temperatures yo-yo-ing up and down, the outlook for a brightly-colored
autumn diminishes. Leaves are more likely to go straight to brown, eliminating
the colorful fall foliage that everyone enjoys.
There’s not a lot in the news that’s worth talking about, either. The father of
the shooter at Apalachee High School has been arrested and charged with murder.
Police are saying that he knowingly allowed his son to take the weapon that
killed four people on Wednesday. For a moment yesterday, it appeared as if the
shooter’s extended family was willing to come to his defense, but all of those
posts and articles have since been deleted, raising the question as to whether
they were legitimate in the first place. Probably the most important article
regarding the shooting is this piece from the Associated Press on How to talk
with kids about school shootings and other traumatic events. Then, notice the
silence from your politicians. “Thoughts and prayers” is about all they’re
saying. That means nothing is going to change and more children and teachers
will die because of their cowardness.
The first NFL game of the season was last night and, at least on paper, the
Chiefs won, 27-20. Every sportscaster outside of Kansas City is questioning that
win, though. A Ravens’ last-second touchdown was nullified in a move that
culminated a night of hard-nosed and questionable officiating. Before the game,
the NFL issued a memo stating that certain rules would be judged harshly. Those
judgments affected the Ravens much more than they did the Chiefs. While all the
complaints are likely to fall on deaf ears, if this kind of officiating proceeds
into Sunday’s games, fans could deliver a severe financial blow to the NFL by
turning away from the sport.
If there was ever any question as to whether the Orange Felon was lying about
January 6, 2021, the truth is being exposed in court. All the collusion, deceit,
and blatant efforts to overturn the election are being laid out clearly. What’s
being presented in courts is a story that not even NPR has picked up. Anyone who
votes for the Felon after seeing all this evidence can only be considered a
traitor to the Constitution.
Teenage E-Cigarette Use Drops to a 10-Year Low.
Surprising New Research Links Infant Mortality to Crashing Bat Populations.
What happens to priests who are accused or convicted of abuse? They end up here.
I’m not expecting much news over the weekend, either. This is the time of year
that tends to be historically boring. Sure, there have been exceptions, such as
2001, but overall September is usually a good time to take vacation. I won’t, of
course, but don’t expect there to be as much to talk about.
Which is fine. That leaves more time for coffee.
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Personal
MORNING UPDATE: 09/05/24
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
September 5, 2024
No Place Feels Safe [2012 original with AI background]
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Parents everywhere are holding their kids a little closer before sending them
off to school this morning. Yesterday’s shooting in Winder, Georgia was a grim
reminder, just as the school year is getting started, that schools are not the
safe place they once were. We have no guarantee when we put them on a bus in the
morning that we’re going to see them again that afternoon. Despite shooting
after shooting, there is no resolve across America to take any definitive action
to stop the problem. Local officials had investigated after the then 13-year-old
made threatening statements against the school last year, but laws were too weak
to support making an arrest at the time. And here we are, again, going through
the motions of grieving, offering empty thoughts and prayers to parents and
families who want to know why this keeps happening.
Georgia wasn’t the only place where danger was felt yesterday, though. A man was
shot and killed in his own home yesterday around 1:00 PM, just across the street
from the kids’ school. The email we received from the school reads: “Moving
forward, we are implementing additional measures to enhance the security around
our school. These actions include increased monitoring of the surrounding area,
close collaboration with local authorities, allowing students to stay inside the
building during dismissal until parent pick-up, and reviewing our safety
protocols to ensure maximum effectiveness.”
While it was nice to receive some reassurance from the school, there are still
questions unanswered. At the top of our minds is what, if anything, is being
done to keep kids safe as they’re waiting for public transit to pick them up. A
significant number of students ride IndyGo both going to and leaving the school.
Their school isn’t the only one that utilizes the public transit system, either.
In fact, Tipper mentioned again yesterday afternoon that the bus driver taking
them to school yesterday morning was concerned that he might get in trouble
because there were too many students on his bus for it to be safe. Bus drivers
have complained and requested booster buses be added to the schedule, but
nothing has been done. Just traveling to and from school is putting our kids in
danger.
Politicians and school administrators are always quick to tell us that our kids
are important to them. Where’s the evidence? A list of mass killings just this
year is too long. This is an election year, the one time we can do something
that might lead to a change in the number of shootings at schools, churches, and
shopping areas. If you have any questions about that matter, I can promise you
that the Felon isn’t going to risk upsetting Second Amendment supporters. I’m
not convinced Democrats will do any better, either, because they haven’t.
Regardless of what anyone says, the lack of concrete action proves beyond any
shadow of a doubt that our kids really are not that important to them.
I don’t know what else to say. I’ve sat here before and ranted on the subject
and it never does anyone any good. Nothing ever changes.
One fact I do know: I’m not getting any better. The evidence for that statement
came yesterday when I asked Kat to drop me off at our local Kroger. Yeah, I
know, Kroger is a big-time price gouger, and they’re trying to convince everyone
that their merger with Albertson’s is going to lower prices for consumers. The
problem is that Kroger is the only local store that carries sugar-free bread. No
one else has it. Trying to order anything online from Kroger is a pain in the
ass. There are always too many substitutions and the ending price never seems to
line up with what you were anticipating. So, Kat dropped me off while she ran to
Aldi’s. I picked up her prescriptions, my bread, some milk, and a couple of
other things we needed. I was in the store for maybe twenty minutes.
I should have left ten minutes sooner. I was just leaving the milk aisle when I
began feeling light-headed. I looked around for a place to sit and rest, but
there wasn’t one. There never is in a grocery store. So, I kept going. Kat
picked me up, we came home, and we started putting the groceries away. Twice I
came close to falling. By the time I made it back to the recovery room, I was so
dizzy I couldn’t see. I fell into bed and passed out. I ended up staying close
to bed for most of the rest of the day. Even this morning, I can feel the
pressure behind my eyes telling me to take it easy. Today’s another day where I
don’t need to be doing anything more strenuous than walking across the hall.
My friend Rich had his port put in yesterday. He has another CT scan today and
then the radiation starts. He’s in for a long road to recovery.
My friend Emily is resting at home after her surgery last week, and that’s where
she’ll stay for a few weeks. One doesn’t just bounce back from body-altering
surgery.
Another Facebook friend, who I’ve not met in person, is waiting for results back
from a biopsy. She’s not expecting good news.
September is Leukemia Awareness Month. The blood cancer generally occurs in
adults over age 55, but it is also the most common form of cancer in children
under 15. This is supposed to be a disease that one dies with, not from. There
are plenty of people who have recovered well and are going on living happy, busy
lives. But we learned from Poppa’s situation over twenty years ago that not
everyone gets a happy ending. Cancer is always going to suck. Right now, it’s
sucking pretty damn hard.
Sitting here at my desk every morning, I read through some important news
stories. US warned Nippon its U.S. Steel bid poses a national security risk.
Pope Francis calls for climate change action during Istiqlal Mosque visit.
Wildfire destroys 20% of Brasilia forest, arson suspected. These are all
important stories that unquestionably will affect our future. Yet, I don’t see
any real action resulting in change.
Instead, I see that the Felon’s new crypto business could create more conflicts
if he’s elected president. US job openings fall as demand for workers weakens.
Right-wing influencers were duped to work for covert Russian influence
operations. Republicans Seize on False Theories About Immigrant Voting. At a Fox
News town hall, the Felon sought to instill doubt that the coming debate would
be fair. He’s said the same thing about the election as well. The doubt being
sewn becomes fruitful too easily because it’s what we’ve come to expect with
everything. We don’t trust the government. We don’t trust politicians, or anyone
running for office. We don’t trust corporations. We try to trust our doctors but
we don’t trust the pharmaceutical companies that make our medicines. We don’t
trust the food we buy, nor the people selling it. We don’t trust our employers.
We don’t trust our neighbors.
Perhaps the problem is that we’ve created a society that, at its very core, is
its own cancer. And everything about it, like every other form of cancer, sucks.
You know what doesn’t suck? The source of the two big, black eyes staring at me
from across the bed. Puppy dog snuggles never suck. They’re both flopped across
the mattress acting as if they’re waking up from an all-night drunken binge. For
dogs, it’s cute.
And Frankie, the smashed-face wheezer kitty, just hopped up on the desk to say,
“Hey, I’m cute, too!”
He most definitely is.
So is this coffee cup. Very cute. Very demure.
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MORNING UPDATE: 09/04/24
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
September 4, 2024
What’d You Say? [2012]
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Every parent harbors an unspoken fear of something happening to their children.
When that moment comes, or it possibly has come, one has to make a decision on
how to react. G tested our response yesterday, though he was never in any real
danger and arrived home without our help. The “unexpected adventure” started
simply enough. “I’m going to explore more of bus route 15 since I have more time
today,” was the text he sent me a little before 4:00 yesterday afternoon. I told
him that was fine. Having a good knowledge of the bus route is never a bad
thing. But then…
When the bus got to the end of the route, he got off. The next bus heading back
into town wouldn’t be there for another hour. So, G decided to walk to the
nearby Home Depot and explore there for a while. Not finding the store very
stimulating, he decided to walk the bus route back, catching the bus at a
different stop along the way. While walking along the route, though, he was
struck by a sense of nostalgia as he remembered some of the neighborhoods from
when his school bus went through them. He detoured to explore a little bit.
As he walked, G’s phone died. He looked around for a public place where he might
plug in his charger for a minute, but he was surrounded by retail stores, none
of which were conducive to finding an open outlet. He decided to keep walking.
And walking.
I didn’t grow concerned until I stepped outside to start the grill for dinner,
around 6:30. I sent him a message, but got no response. To some degree, that’s
not unusual. G doesn’t live with his phone in front of his face like some teens
do. He frequently misses messages completely. When he still wasn’t home and I
hadn’t heard anything by 7:00, though, it was time to call Kat. We discussed our
options for a moment. We didn’t want to overreact. Still, we both know that
Indy’s not the safest place to walk. Over 100 pedestrians were hit on the
streets here just in August. After talking it over for a while, Kat decided
she’d head back in from Fishers to look for him. I planned to take the meat off
the grill, put Hamilton in a harness, and start walking from this direction.
As I was about to take the meat off the grill, I looked up and saw G coming down
the sidewalk. I called Kat to let her know that he was safe. G trotted the rest
of the way home and jumped the front fence. He had walked the entire six-plus
miles from the end of the bus route. He came in, plugged in his phone, called
his mom, ate leftover tacos, and fell fast asleep. Our boy was safe. We breathed
a sigh of relief.
By this point, Tipper was already asleep as well. I ate my dinner alone, watched
a couple of short documentaries, and went to bed thankful that we hadn’t become
a statistic in the number of families who lost children. We’re fortunate that
G’s a sharp kid and keeps his wits about him even when a situation doesn’t go
exactly as planned.
Not everyone’s day ends on a good note. Four people who were killed on a Chicago
L train on Monday were likely asleep when they were shot at close range. A
Mountain lion attacked a 5-year-old at a Southern California park. Boko Haram
militants on motorcycles attacked a Nigerian village, killing over 100. An
11-Year-Old Is Charged in Killing of 82-Year-Old Ex-Mayor and His Daughter. An
Ex-Doctor Pleads Guilty to Manslaughter in New York Woman’s Suicide. And all
that is without considering those killed in continuing wars.
We know that the world is a violent place. We live with the hope that the
violence stays away from us, but statistically, we’re all eventually victims in
one form or another. None of us get out of here without harm coming to us. This
is the reality of the human condition. No, it’s no worse now than it was 100
years ago. The mode and means have changed, but the world has always been like
this. If nature isn’t trying to kill us, we’re trying to kill each other. The
world has never been safe.
We’re not necessarily the smartest creatures on the planet, either. Another boat
carrying several dozen people appears to be making another attempt to cross the
English Channel seemingly to Britain from northern France just a day after 12
migrants died. An Oregon hospital was hit with a $303M lawsuit after a nurse was
accused of replacing fentanyl with tap water. A Philadelphia woman who was
driving a partially automated Mustang Mach-E was charged with DUI homicide.
We also fall for stupid shit. Posts falsely claim video shows Harris promising
to censor X and owner Elon Musk. China-linked ‘Spamouflage’ network mimics
Americans online to sway US political debate. And Clearview AI was fined $33.7
million by a Dutch data protection watchdog over an ‘illegal database’ of faces.
I know you won’t take the time to click all those links. Hell, it’s rare that
anyone double-checks me at all. Do you really trust me that much? Should you?
I’ll keep providing the links because no one should take anyone at their word on
important matters. That’s what allows us to get stuck with the stupidest of
politicians in office.
Speaking of, the Times has an interesting conversation going on in their Opinion
section this morning. David Brooks writes How Trump Wins (and Harris and the
Democrats Blow It). Then, Ross Douthat counters with How Harris Wins (and Trump
and the Republicans Blow It). Next, Thomas L. Friedman enters the fray with How
Netanyahu Is Trying to Save Himself, Elect Trump, and Defeat Harris and Thomas
B. Edsall winds matters up with Why Is the Presidential Election This Close?
You’ll blow most of an hour reading all four pieces, but you’ll be better for
doing so.
I wonder if any of us truly know what we’re doing. Maybe we’re fooling
ourselves, creating an illusion of competency so that we’re not depressed by the
depth of our inadequacy.
Or, maybe we just need more coffee.
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MORNING UPDATE: 09/03/24
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
September 3, 2024
Still Not Autumn [2011]
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Remember, today is Tuesday, not Monday. This happens every time we have a Monday
holiday. Trying to keep the days straight this week will be a challenge for many
of us. It doesn’t help any that yesterday felt very much like a Sunday. Kat and
Tipper were both sick so we didn’t go anywhere or do anything special. We slept.
All of us. Naps for everyone! I don’t consider that a bad thing. I am pretty
sure that napping was to everyone’s benefit. Tipper is still largely unable to
talk, so she’s staying home from school today. I’m not sure yet how Kat’s
feeling.
I don’t think we were the only ones who had a quiet holiday, though. The
neighborhood was Sunday-morning silent pretty much all day. The most exciting
point came when my new readers were delivered. Granted, the fact that I opted
for colors rather than basic black or tortoiseshell is kind of a big deal, but
when that’s the biggest news coming out of our weekend, it speaks to how boring
and unadventurous we are. What might be worse is that none of us really care
that we’re boring and unadventurous. I think we all like it that way.
Tipper did manage to ask an interesting question this morning. “Have you ever
been in the news?” I dodged the question because yeah, I’ve had my picture in
small-town newspapers as I was growing up. It was always related to something I
was involved in at school, though, such as a musical or a band contest. “It’s
usually not a good thing when you’re in the news,” I told her.
“What if you, like, set an Olympic record or something?” She asked.
I stared at her a moment then said, “Look at me. What Olympic record do you
think I have any chance of breaking? Even Paralympians are better athletes than
I am.”
“Okay, but maybe you could set a world record for something,” she countered.
“What would that be? Snoring?” I said.
“You do snore pretty loud,” she said. “Like 86 decibels or something. Google and
see what the record is.”
We did. The record is 111.6 decibels, kind of like having your house buzzed by a
jet all night long. Tipper declared that such a level was “stupid crazy” and
that it wouldn’t be a good thing for me to break that record. While I suppose
that there is probably some little-known record that I could break if I really
tried, that would fall under the heading of being interesting and adventurous,
which we just don’t do very often.
Much of this morning’s news is more of the same. Israel, blah, blah, blah.
Ukraine, blah, blah, blah. A lot of re-hashing of events with headlines that
start, with “Understanding that thing that happened two days ago.” The articles
take up space but are of little use. There are a couple of things worth
mentioning, though.
If you’re older than I am or a fan of early 1960s beach movies, you might be
interested in knowing that James Darren, aka Moondoggie in the ‘Gidget’
franchise, died at age 88. The three movies made him a teen heartthrob, which he
later translated into a career as a director of television series like ‘Beverly
Hills 90210.’ He was one of those guys who was “always cool,” according to his
family. He was supposed to have had heart surgery but was not well enough for
that to happen. Don’t be too surprised if the ‘Gidget’ movies show up on
streaming platforms.
Joey Chestnut Set A New Hot Dog Eating World Record. Why? Because some people
find adventure in stuffing their face and getting paid for it. Being a holiday
weekend that traditionally involves a lot of grilled hot dogs, I guess it was
inevitable that he would pop up at a contest somewhere. And what is the record?
87 hot dogs in ten minutes. That would be another record that I won’t try
breaking.
With two months left, Harris and the Orange Felon will devote most of their
campaign time to just seven states. Thank the Electoral College. While it was
meant to balance out influence across the states, it’s one of those aspects of
the Constitution that just doesn’t work well anymore. There have been too many
elections where the popular vote is rendered irrelevant by the Electoral
College. I get it, if we went with the popular vote, most elections would be
decided by people on the coasts. Yet, is that any worse than it being decided by
people in seven states? I’ve been waiting my entire life for someone to make
this a large enough issue to invoke change. It comes up every four years, but
nothing ever happens.
Oh, but the Felon is convinced that he had ‘every right’ to interfere in the
2020 election. I’m not kidding. That’s how he’s framing the whole mess,
including the January 6 storming of the Capitol. This creature is fucking insane
to even consider making such a statement. Why, oh why, oh why can he not just go
away? Why are people encouraging this insane behavior? Oh yeah, because stupid
enjoys stupider.
Cooler weather is upon us, but don’t be putting up that winter wardrobe just
yet. While it’s currently only 54 degrees in Indianapolis, by Wednesday temps
will be back up in the mid-80s. We’ll see another cool weekend, which is perfect
football weather, but there’s not much chance of rain in the next ten days or
so. We might see a stray shower or two on Friday, but one has to be thinking
optimistically to put much stock in that forecast.
Don’t forget: it’s Tuesday. You have to go to work.
Right after one more cup of coffee.
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MORNING UPDATE: 09/02/24
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
September 2, 2024
Ending A Long Summer [2012 original with AI background]
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Cooler temps prevail this morning as a strong cold front from the North hints at
the coming autumn. I don’t know of anyone who is complaining. Days like this are
comfortable, with plenty of opportunities to get out and enjoy the holiday. Both
twins and Fat Guy, our eldest cat, are helping me write this morning. The dogs
are still curled up, sleeping away, showing no signs of wanting to go out. Kat
and the kids are still asleep even as the clock approaches the 8:00 hour. I
think we’ll make the most of everyone having a day off.
G helped me get all the brush loaded onto Grandpa Bob’s trailer yesterday. The
task didn’t take too long. We then took the time to spray pet-safe weed killers
around the fence line. The spray we’re using is 20% vinegar, so for a while, the
yard smelled like the inside of a pickle jar. I didn’t bother asking Tipper to
join us. Trying to get her to do anything outdoors is frustrating. I assigned
her to do the dishes instead, which is a chore she doesn’t mind doing. We got
everything out of the way early so they could chill the rest of the day.
I did have a rather weird nightmare this morning. It involved me attending some
kind of conference held on the campus of a Christian university somewhere in
Southwest Texas. I’ve no idea what the conference was about, but there were
several friends and acquaintances in attendance. The nightmare part involved
going to a Vietnamese restaurant for dinner. The place was odd for several
reasons, not the least of which was the massage room that sat between dining
rooms. Without getting into details, matters did not go well and it was well
after curfew before I made it back to the dorm in which we were staying. Oh, and
I was wearing Tipper’s orange furry tail the entire time. It was just bizarre.
With it being Labor Day, there are a couple of strikes going on that are worth
mentioning. One is a housekeeper’s strike at major hotels in eight large cities
in the US. Workers in other cities and chains are scheduled to join the strike
later this week. The problem is more than just wages, which are stupidly low.
Since COVID, there has been a shortage of housekeepers. Hotel chains have
attempted to make up for this by offering guests the option of not having daily
cleaning. That has backfired, though, as uncleaned rooms often take considerably
longer to clean once the guests leave. This has resulted in housekeepers being
overworked, expected to complete an impossible cleaning schedule before the next
round of guests arrives.
The second is a general strike in Israel as people there are furious with Prime
Minister Netanyahu for not agreeing to a previous cease-fire that would have
released hostages before they were killed. The general work stoppage across the
country affects almost everything, including air travel in and out of the
country. The group behind the strike is older than the country itself and
carries a lot of influence within the government. It will be interesting to see
if Netanyahu continues to dig in his heels as internal pressure grows.
DirectTV users might as well go outside and play today. They lost access to all
Disney-owned channels as a contract dispute between the two companies struggled
to find a reasonable agreement. The problem is that the majority of Americans
are better served without the old cable providers. That’s been true for a number
of years now. Unfortunately, there are still plenty of rural areas where
satellite-based service is more cost-effective than high-speed Internet. Disney
makes more money off their streaming services, so obviously they’d rather
emphasize that revenue stream. Since the number of DirectTV users is a small
fraction of total viewers, there’s not a lot of motivation for Disney to give
in. Of course, as always, it’s the customers that lose.
The Associated Press is floating a story this morning that AI may not steal many
jobs after all. It may just make workers more efficient. Having read the article
a couple of times now, I think there’s some merit to the thesis, but to make a
claim that workers don’t have to worry at all about being replaced by AI is
short-sighted. There are some industries where workers will benefit, to be sure,
but there are plenty of others where workers will be replaced. The employment
market is too broad to be making such a global statement of this kind.
Germans are feeling a bit nervous this morning as the country’s far-right party
won a state election yesterday. While there’s still some question as to whether
the majority parties will allow the far-right to participate in actually
governing, the mere fact that they won the election has some worried for the
future and others fearful of repeating the past. The country has worked hard to
put its fascist Nazi heritage behind them. There are even laws designed to
prevent them from ever coming to power again. Still, the fear that there are
people in Eastern Germany who voted for the party is disturbing.
There is an interesting guest essay in this morning’s Times. While the Felon has
made the claim that Harris would “take away your hamburgers,” this writer makes
the argument that the Felon’s immigration policies would be what removes
hamburgers and other meats from the market. The meat packing industry relies
heavily on immigrant labor, which the Felon wants to stop. If he wins and
implements such plans, the price of meats would, at the very least, rise well
beyond affordability for most families. If workers can’t be found, some meats
could disappear from the market altogether. Given the amount of burgers being
consumed by Americans on holidays such as this one, I’m not sure that losing
meat is a risk anyone wants to take.
That’s enough reading for today. The weather is too beautiful for any of us to
stay inside. Solaris just turned off my desk lamp (seriously, he did), so that
seems like a pretty good indication that I should stop typing and get on about
the fun stuff, like napping, since there’s still no one else awake.
Too bad there’s not a football game to watch.
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Music
THE OTHER REASON I LOVE COLLEGE FOOTBALL
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
September 1, 2024
If you were never a band kid, you just can’t understand.
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MORNING UPDATE: 09/01/24
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
September 1, 2024
Once Upon A Car [2013 original with AI background]
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Saturdays that can be chill moments for everyone are good for the soul. No one
was rushing around to get out the door early. Everyone was able to move at their
own pace. G worked on a sewing project he started earlier this week in the
sewing club. Tipper went over to a friend’s house and hung out most of the
afternoon/evening. Kat went to work around 11:30 and then to Brandon’s for the
weekend. I got to watch football. If every Saturday this fall can be as restful,
we’ll all be a lot healthier. The only one who’s being ornery is Frankie, the
smashed-face wheezer kitty, who is determined to either sit directly behind me
in my office chair, or directly in front of the monitor while I’m typing. Right
now, he’s nudging my coffee cup, encouraging me to get a refill so he can take
my seat.
Football was exactly what one would expect from the first game of the season.
Everyone who was supposed to win, all the top-ranked teams, pretty much blew out
their opponents. OU and Oklahoma State both won. IU and Purdue both won. Georgia
and Tennessee both won. None of those games were even close past the first
quarter. I was a little surprised that UCLA seemed to have a rough time with
Hawai’i, winning with one of the lower scores of the day, 16-13. And how the
hell did tiny little Abilene Christian manage to stay so close to Texas Tech?
Tech won, barely, 52-51. A score like that indicates that neither team had any
defense on the field. I kinda felt sorry for Akron’s starting QB. Akron got a
3-0 jump on Ohio State in the first quarter, but then OSU came roaring back and
was absolutely pummeling Akron’s QB. After only four plays into the third
quarter, the poor dude limped off the field, never to return to the game. I
would imagine he’s reconsidering his career choices this morning. Ah, football.
Speaking of football, it’s the first Sunday in September. Why the hell aren’t
the pro teams playing today? Oh, I get it, it all has to do with where the
season ends and how the playoff games hit the calendar. Still, it seems odd to
not have any pro games to watch today. Of course, San Francisco is probably
happy about that after rookie Ricky Pearsall was shot during an attempted
robbery yesterday afternoon. Pearsall’s in stable condition this morning and the
17-year-old assailant is in jail.
Someone tried calling me at 11:36 last night. I was so dead asleep that I never
heard the phone ring, which is saying something since the ringer was set high
while Tipper was out. Local number, not in my contacts list. If that is you,
please let me know. My guess, however, is that it was a wrong number.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is in the hot seat this morning after
the bodies of six hostages were recovered. Evidence shows that the hostages were
all killed shortly before they might have been rescued. Israelis are blaming
Netanyahu for not having signed an earlier cease-fire that would have returned
the hostages while they were still alive. It seems the world has grown tired of
this senseless war. It’s time for the whole thing to end.
There’s a deeply disturbing story in the Sunday Times. Acadia Healthcare has
been holding people against their will to maximize insurance payout. Acadia
operates a chain of psychiatric hospitals. Their patients are essentially held
captive until the hospital decides to let them go. Attempting to leave a psych
hospital without proper authorization can get a person arrested in most states.
This gives Acadia the leverage they need to hold patients longer than legitimate
treatment would require. The story leaves me wondering just how many other psych
hospitals utilize the same method. I’m thinking a nationwide investigation is
necessary to get to the bottom of the issue.
Labor Day weekend is when we allegedly celebrate the working person and the
advantages brought to the workforce by organized labor. Our adoption of the
5-day, 40-hour workweek was a fundamental change for workers around the world.
We may be losing our edge, though. Japan wants its hardworking citizens to try a
4-day workweek. As hardworking as US people are, Japanese workers break the
scale. They even have a phrase (that doesn’t translate well) for working
yourself to death. If Japan ends up embracing the 4-day workweek, that will put
pressure on all other industrialized nations, including the US, to match the
schedule. While a few US companies have tried adding an extra day to the weekend
or other variations, no major company has fully adopted the concept and stayed
with it. We’ll all be interested to see how this plays out.
You know, I still haven’t found those readers that disappeared yesterday. I did
find an old, wire-rimmed pair that sits loosely on my face, so I’m getting by.
I’m still baffled by where they could have gone.
I need to get moving, though. There’s some yard work that needs to get done
before the temp gets too high. The humidity is suffocating so putting things off
works against us.
I think I need another cup of coffee first, though.
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MORNING UPDATE: 08/31/24
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
August 31, 2024
Taking A Bite Of Summer [2011 original with AI background]
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Sure, we’re running a little late this morning and yes, it is intentional. I
didn’t want to get up. I imagine that several other people feel the same. With
the storms that went through last night and a forecast full of maybe-it-will,
maybe-it-won’t scattered showers, staying in bed and cuddling with the pups
seemed like the most expedient thing to do. Besides, there’s no big breaking
news story this morning and nothing dramatic going on here at home. Taking the
weekend a little more calmly is an intelligent move, in my opinion.
I’m missing my readers, though. They’ve disappeared. They were sitting on the
desk earlier this morning when I fed the cats, and now they’re gone. They’re not
behind the desk or on either side, which is the natural first place to look. I
can’t imagine either of the twins grabbing them and running off with them.
They’ve both stuck pretty close this morning. I’m completely mystified.
Fortunately, I can get by without them for most things. As long as I’m not
facing any small print, we’ll be okay. I’m pretty sure I have a spare pair
around here somewhere.
One thing I have noticed more this week is how fragile my skin has become. It
seems that the slightest brush against anything results in bruising, and a faint
scratch is enough to draw blood. My most frequent injury comes from the dogs. As
they try to get my attention to take them outside, they’ll put a paw on my arm.
They’re not being aggressive in the least, but almost every time I get outside,
and discover that I have blood running down my arm. I don’t feel the scratch,
but it’s there and it will leave a scar. My arms are covered with them. I know
this is largely a natural part of aging, with some inherited traits thrown in.
Once it is cool enough to wear long sleeves, the problem with go away. The whole
issue just highlights how fragile I’ve become.
Speaking of fragile, there’s an interesting story in today’s Times. It seems
that the weight loss drug Wegovy reduces instances of death from COVID. Mind
you, it doesn’t prevent anyone from getting the disease. However, patients who
are on the drug are significantly less likely to die. The problem? No one
currently understands why the drug is having this effect. Without understanding
the why, it’s almost impossible for doctors to know when/if it is safe to
prescribe the drug as a treatment. Studies are underway, of course, but it could
be a while before any resolution is found.
Here’s something interesting. Are your kids, especially your daughters worried
about getting wrinkles? Apparently, that’s a thing, and it’s causing problems.
As young people, we’re talking 11- and 12-year-olds, start watching social media
influencers for tips on keeping their skin looking younger, they’re
inadvertently doing more harm than good. For starters, all those adult-dosed
chemicals, “can actually cause premature aging, destroy the skin barrier and
lead to permanent scarring.” Oh, but that’s not all. “Extensive data suggests a
fixation on appearance can affect self-esteem and body image and fuel anxiety,
depression and eating disorders.” As I look around and see entire generations
suffering from those exact issues, I wonder if we’re accidentally dooming our
kids to more problems by not teaching them to love themselves as they are.
In stranger news, an Arizona office worker was found dead in a cubicle 4 days
after last scanning in. This happened at a Wells Fargo facility in Tempe.
Apparently, the 60-year-old woman worked in a “less populated” area of the
building. No one noticed when she didn’t scan out. No one noticed anything
until, presumably, the fragrance of rotting flesh became dominant. Not even the
housekeeping staff noticed. What does that say about the Wells Fargo work
environment? How can someone be dead in their cubicle for four days before
anyone notices? Did no manager stop to check on her? Did no one swing by to
chat? This story, which is short on details, is both sad and frustrating.
Corporate America sucks.
You may or may not remember hearing of a film named “The Apprentice” last May as
it premiered at the Cannes Film Festival. You’ve not seen in it theaters,
though, because no one in the US wanted to distribute it. The biopic of a young
Orange Felon has been threatened with lawsuits by the Felon himself, which
caused most companies to stay away from it. Well, that has now changed.
Briarcliff Entertainment will release “The Apprentice” on Oct. 11 in U.S. and
Canadian theaters a mere two weeks before the November 5 election. We already
know that the film is not flattering to the Felon. The question is whether it
might sway any voters at the last minute. I certainly don’t think it will affect
his base, but it definitely could influence those waiting until the last minute
to make a decision.
Then, there’s the delightful fact that Brazil is now blocking access to the
entire X (formerly Twitter) platform. A Brazillian judge has ruled that the
platform is spreading unchecked misinformation. Elon Musk, surprising absolutely
no one, has balked at the order to provide some oversight. In my slightly
elevated opinion (I elevated it myself), this is a win for people in Brazil. No
one needs X in its current chaotic form. There’s no way to rely on anything
posted there. Scams, fakes, and stolen accounts are all over the platform and
Musk, screaming about freedom of speech, refuses to do anything about it.
Intelligent people are using @Threads instead.
If you have time for a slightly longer read, Jennifer Szalai takes on the
question of whether the Constitution is a danger to itself. While we necessarily
worry about Project 2025 and what it could mean if Republicans get the
presidency or a congressional majority, Szalai finds that some of the biggest
issues that could end democracy as we know it lie within the Constitution
itself. If you have a spare six or seven minutes, it’s well worth taking a look.
Of course, college football starts today. I’m going to try and watch as much of
it as I can. What that actually means is that I’ll most likely catch 10-15
minutes here, a quarter or two there, and the rest will be game highlights after
the fact. It takes an incredibly good football game to keep me awake for four
quarters and this early in the season, few of the games are ever that good. I’ll
give it the ol’ college try, but be aware I slept through a lot of college, too.
I’m trying to not let the gray skies dampen my mood this morning. The
disappearance of my readers still has me mind-boggled, though.
Maybe more coffee will help.
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MORNING UPDATE: 08/30/24
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
August 30, 2024
Awake In Your Own Dreams [2013]
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Here we are at the beginning of Labor Day Weekend. Is anyone besides Kat still
going to work today? I know this has long been one of those weekends where
people often take off work on Friday to give themselves a four-day weekend, but
with schools starting at the beginning of August now, and schools are definitely
in session today, only those who are childless or have preschoolers will see any
benefit from the extra day of vacation. Today is still hot, too. For the
Midwest, rain is coming, and behind that dramatically cooler temps. Grilling out
might be a comfortable option this weekend. The weekend’s football games should
be fun as well.
Plumbers replaced the hot water heater yesterday. The company sent out a couple
of twenty-something guys. They did a good job. I have no complaints there, but
they definitely took their time doing it. I think they were hoping that by not
finishing until 4:00 they might not be sent out on another call. The big test
will come later this morning when I take a shower. Is the pressure high enough?
What adjustments to the temperature have to be made at the faucet? There weren’t
any leaks when they left, but several minutes of continued use will let us know
for sure that the work is solid. I’ll definitely be glad to get back to a normal
schedule around the house.
The few people who have been to our house in the past seven years know that we
don’t use the front door. The reason we don’t use the front door is because five
litter boxes are sitting in front of it. However, bringing a water heater in
through the back wasn’t going to work. There’s not enough room. As a result, I
had to move all the litter boxes and clean the floor around where they had been
sitting so that we could use the front door.
The cats found the open front door curious. No one was surprised when Fat Guy,
our eldest, tried slipping out. He’s always the one who wants to go explore. The
one that caught us off guard was Gabby, a gray tabby about seven years old.
She’s not been outside since she first came to us. Kat went out with her as she
carefully, cautiously explored the yard. She was out for roughly twenty minutes
and seemed to enjoy herself quite a bit. We’ll see if she continues to want to
go out. Pinball was the only cat who had to be shut in a room by himself.
After all the adventure and commotion of this week, I’m hoping that we can play
the weekend in chill fashion. I don’t think the kids will mind. They’re both
pretty tired as it is. In fact, G thought he was lying down for a short nap and
ended up sleeping all night. Tipper’s been on again/off again with her meds, so
her sleep schedule is all messed up. I’m hoping that the weekend gives them both
a chance to reset. I’m pretty sure I’ve been going on adrenaline all week. I’ve
missed too many naps, stayed up late too many nights, and even missed some meals
along the way. Getting back on a routine schedule is important. I might even
sacrifice a football game for a good nap.
There’s really nothing in this morning’s news that warrants my comment. I didn’t
watch last night’s interview with Kamala Harris. The reviews I’ve seen are
mostly positive, so I’ll let that bit go for now. Israel and Hamas are on a
three-day pause as the World Health Organization administers polio vaccines
across Gaza. One case is all it took for medical officials to hit the panic
button. The Orange Felon is still riling musicians around the world by using
their music in his campaign. The fact that no one wants to be associated with
him should be a clear signal as to how unfit he is. Most everything else is a
continuation of existing stories.
No one is complaining that the world isn’t burning up as quickly as it normally
does. A little bit of a cool-down is good for everyone. The biggest concern is
probably whether local violence numbers will take a jump. Families getting
together isn’t always a good thing, it seems. We hope that everyone leaves their
weapons at home and focuses on having a good time.
Groceries are being delivered soon, so I’m gonna run. Have another cup of
coffee. You deserve it.
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Current Issues / Morning Update / News & Comment / Personal / Politics
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MORNING UPDATE: 08/29/24
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August 29, 2024
Too Hot For Summer [2010]
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The saga of “what’s broken now” continues. Yesterday, the plumber finally
arrived to fix the outside spigots. I had managed to stay awake all morning
waiting for him. Fortunately, Kat was home by the time he finally gathered
everything he needed and started working. He managed to finish shortly before
the kids arrived home from school. This should stop the constant flow of water
outside the house and lower our bill dramatically. The only real challenge is
that I’ll have to actually watch and refill the water bowl the dogs use outside.
Today, the same plumber returns around 8:30 this morning to replace the water
heater. Why? Because when he opened the closet where the water heater is,
looking to turn off the water for the house, he noticed that there were multiple
leaks. There wasn’t any question about it. Water was dripping everywhere. This
repair is going to be more of a big deal. Chances are pretty high that he’ll
have to take the water heaters in/out of the front door. You know, the one we
never use because five litter boxes are sitting in front of it. I asked G to
clean up around there last night, but I noticed this morning that there’s still
a bit of work to be done before they get here. I’m typing as fast as I can.
Kat made a wonderful dinner last night! I have to take a moment and brag. She’s
been making homemade chicken broth for the past couple of weeks so that she has
soup to take to work with her. The side effect of that was that we had extra
chicken breasts that needed to be cooked. The chicken, the wine-based sauce,
over very nice rice, beat out any restaurant that I’ve been to. I’m not sure the
kids appreciate how lucky they are that their mom is such a wonderful cook.
There’s a lot that kids don’t notice about their parents, though, such as how
tired and rundown they get trying to take care of everyone. Everyone knows that
being a parent has never been easy, but now it’s been codified. The US Surgeon
General made it official that being a parent is bad for your health. Cue the
childless cat ladies who are now grinning from ear to ear. This puts a spotlight
on how parents are treated at work, the difficulty of getting time off to care
for sick kids, the need for personal days away from the kids, and the
overwhelming cost of childcare. The entire report is here if you’re interested
in reading it.
Have you been following the whole kerfuffle over the Orange Felon’s campaign
taking pictures at Arlington Cemetery on Monday? I’d been largely ignoring it
because, at its core, it’s just another incident where the Felon is showing
disrespect for the military. he’s good at that. The only reason he was even at
the cemetery on Monday was trying to score political points over the way troops
left Afghanistan. Now, it seems that cemetery officials had warned the campaign
beforehand that they were not allowed to take pictures. That takes away the “we
didn’t know” excuse. Don’t be surprised, though. This whole campaign is built on
lies and deceit. Expect it, but don’t fall for it.
SpaceX had a boo-boo and now it’s grounded. Literally. the FAA grounded all
Falcon 9 launches pending an explanation of why one of them fell over and burst
into flames while landing. This immediately affects a number of planned
launches, including that one where the billionaire is going to try walking in
space. No one was hurt in the accident and peripheral damage was minimal. Still,
after having completed several successful missions where the returning rocket
didn’t fall over, having one do so raises some serious safety questions.
Journalism took a serious hit yesterday. A Hong Kong court on Thursday found two
editors of the now-defunct Stand News media outlet guilty of conspiring to
publish seditious articles in a case that has drawn international scrutiny amid
a security crackdown in the China-ruled city. Stand News was once a beacon of
what a Free Press could do. As China has increased its chokehold on Hong Kong,
though, those freedoms have been severely stifled. Be sure that China wants this
case to serve as a warning for anyone else who might want to challenge its
dominance over the city.
China hasn’t exactly been playing nice for quite some time. Yesterday, a top
Chinese military official told White House National Security Adviser Jake
Sullivan that the US needs to stop “colluding” with Taiwan. China desperately
wants to reunite Taiwan with the mainland. Taiwan, however, doesn’t want to go
and the US has long held that China doesn’t have the right to take away their
independence. I think it’s pretty certain that the US response to China will be
a big “fuck you,” only in more diplomatic language.
Greedy investors caused AI stocks to stumble a bit yesterday after chip maker
NVIDIA posted gains that dramatically beat forecasts, but not as much as
investors had hoped. Mind you, the company reported a net income of $16.6
billion. Adjusted for one-time items, net income was $16.95 billion. Revenue
rose to $30 billion, up 122% from a year ago and 15% from the previous quarter.
The problem? “Well, it wasn’t as much above forecasts as other quarters have
been.” Greedy much? Growth forecasts for the entire industry are still quite
strong. There’s plenty of time here for investors to squeeze out insane profits
and buy all their yachts before there’s even a hint of a downturn.
I wish I had something pithy and cute to end with this morning, but there’s
nothing really that interesting in this morning’s headlines. The rain that
seemed inevitable yesterday morning never developed, staying well to our North.
Our next chance for moisture comes with the cool front moving through Friday
night. We’ll see how that goes.
I have to get things moved around for the plumber now, so you take the day and
run with it, okay? It’s all you. No pressure.
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Cancer Update / Current Issues / Morning Update / News & Comment /
Personal / Politics / Social Commentary
MORNING UPDATE: 08/28/24
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August 28, 2024
Waiting Impatiently [2012]
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The colonoscopy is done. Everything looked fantastic. No polyps needed to be
removed. Everything looked good. In fact, apparently, they had a cancellation
because I was back in the surgery room well before my scheduled time. We were
out of there a little after 10:00 and looking for cheap food. I don’t have to go
back for another one for five years. The only potential concern I saw was that
my weight had dropped 18 pounds since last month. In theory, that could signal
another uptick in my white blood cell count. My weight isn’t too low, though, so
I’m not going to worry about it at this point.
Unfortunately, I can’t say the same for our air conditioning. We noticed that it
had stopped cooling during the night but assumed that it had just frozen up and
would be fine after being turned off for a while. Wrong. So, we called Grandpa
Bob. Bob called the people who installed the AC. They said their after-hours
technician would be by after he finished the job he was currently on. We waited.
And waited. The temperature inside the house went up to 89. The sun went down.
We were still waiting. The kids went to bed, G choosing to sleep on the floor
where it was cooler. Still waiting. Finally, around 10:00, my phone made noise,
but Verizon’s spam filter cut it off before I had a chance to answer. Cue a
couple of rounds of phone tag as it turns out the AC company’s numbers are all
on Verizon’s spam list. Around 10:30, the technician arrived.
A burned-out capacitor was the problem. Some four-hundred-plus dollars later,
the AC kicked back on. There are plans in the work to physically move the
location of the AC as its proximity to the house may have contributed to the
capacitor’s demise. I went to bed a little after 11:00, significantly later than
my normal bedtime of 8:30.
Through it all, my biggest concern was the dogs and our mane coon hybrid,
Jack-Jack (the kids are adaptive, though they complained constantly). Jack’s
heavy fur makes him susceptible to heat. He stretched out on the tile floor in
the living room and seemed to be okay. The dogs were having a more difficult
time. They refused to not be in the same room as me. The Recovery Room is
carpeted, so there’s a limit to how cool the floor gets. They lay there,
stretched out as much as they could, panting heavily, and frequently getting up
to drink water. I knew the AC had cooled the house significantly when they both
finally jumped back onto the bed. Everyone seems to be fine this morning.
After all that, you’d think I’d be anxious for a rest day. That’s not going to
happen. While Bob was here yesterday, he noticed that both of the outside water
spigots were constantly dripping. So, he called the plumber and they will be
here sometime this morning to replace both spigots. That’s going to mean turning
off the water for an undetermined amount of time. That’s also going to mean
shutting the dogs in the Recovery Room. A few years ago, we ran off one plumber
from the same company because he was afraid the dogs were going to jump the gate
between the living room and the kitchen (they can’t, they’re too fat). My
biggest fear is that they’ll look at the 80-year-old pipes and declare that the
whole mess has to be replaced. We’re crossing our fingers that the solution
doesn’t involve thousands of dollars in new plumbing.
At least I get to eat.
With everything going on here at home, I’m not overly worried about the mundane
aspects of this morning’s news. A few things are sticking in my craw, though.
Home improvement chain Lowe’s is scaling back its diversity, equity, and
inclusion policies, joining the ranks of a few other companies who have altered
their programs since the end of affirmative action in higher education and amid
conservative backlash online. This kowtowing to right-wing nut jobs is
infuriating. They’re letting the online trolls win. Mind you, the people who are
making the most noise don’t know one end of a hammer from the other. They’re not
actually shopping at any of the companies they target. Yet, they’re effectively
killing jobs and making the US a more inhospitable and inequitable place to
live.
Investigators are looking at whether UN World Food Program staff sought to hide
the alleged role of Sudan’s army in obstructing aid. That anyone would block aid
to starving people is unconscionable. That the people responsible for delivering
that aid would cover up the crime is just as bad. Bad actors have no excuse and
should be given no assistance in committing their crimes. People all across
Sudan are dying because of the nonsense going on there. That the agencies we
depend on and financially support are involved in the lies and deceit is
inexcusable.
The US isn’t the only country with a far-right problem. Eastern Germany is
finding that far-right factions there are both making hiring difficult for
business and causing problems for renewable energy. The far-right is hoping to
gain some ground in upcoming elections, so they’re flexing their muscle.
Remember what happened the last time the far right came to power in Germany? The
entire reason the country was divided between East and West after WWII was so
that they couldn’t become a global threat again. The world hailed the
reunification of the country as a sign of progress and peace, but now it would
seem that the original concerns might have been more accurate than anyone cares
to admit.
If you’re a Lego fan, as I know my older boys are, be prepared for a price jump
on those building blocks. Lego has announced that they’re replacing the
oil-based plastic with a biodegradable version. The problem with that is the
price tag is considerably higher. The popular blocks we all played with as
children, and many as collectors, have never been cheap, but no one is expecting
Lego to eat the increased production costs, despite the fact that the company is
outperforming the overall toy market in Europe and the US. No one is sure when
that price jump will hit retail stores, but stocking up on those collectible
kits might not be a bad idea.
The Mormon Church is going after transgender rights again. They’re now
prohibiting anyone even considering transitioning from working with children and
prohibiting those who have transitioned from being baptized. The percentage of
Mormons who are trans isn’t necessarily high, and anyone who has looked
critically at the faith largely considers them to be more cultish than a
legitimate religion. Nonetheless, they are far too public an entity for this
type of action to not have repercussions throughout the trans community. Feel
free to shame them.
If you had any remaining concerns as to whether Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. was a
complete nut job, I think the case has just been sealed. According to his
daughter, Kick Kennedy (seriously, that’s her name), the fool “chain-sawed the
head off a dead whale on a beach in Hyannis Port, Mass., bungee-corded it to
their vehicle’s roof, and drove it five hours to the family home in Mount Kisco,
N.Y.” She first told the story in a 2012 interview in Town and Country magazine,
but now the political arm of the Center for Biological Diversity, a progressive
environmental organization, is screaming for an investigation.
Another youth football player has died from injuries sustained on the field.
This season is getting off to an especially rocky start as the number of
injuries overall appears to have increased. Of course, it’s too early for there
to be any hard numbers behind that assumption, but there seems to be plenty of
cause for concern. Not that I expect every parent to pay attention to those
concerns. Why? Travis and Jason Kelce just signed a $100 million podcast deal
with Amazon. That along with a litany of stories of NIT wealth at the college
level, obsessed parents are pushing harder than ever to make sure their kids are
the ones bringing home the bacon. As long as there’s money on the table, greedy
parents are going to treat their kids dirty, health and safety be damned.
Speaking of sports, have you ever known a major-league player to play for both
teams in a game? It happened Monday as catcher Danny Jantsen played for both the
Red Sox and the Bluejays in the resumption of a rain-delayed game from two
months ago. The issue is that Jantsen was playing for the Bluejays when the game
was originally scheduled. During the interim, he was traded to the Red Sox. So,
he appeared on both teams’ rosters. You know that has to make scoring the game a
bit difficult.
On the upside, Dolly Parton is at it again, sending books to five-year-olds in
21 states and a growing international participation as well. In many states, her
Imagination Library has the ability to reach every child with new books before
they even start kindergarten. In a world full of greedy sons of bitches, the
78-year-old singer is a shining example of one using their privilege to help
others.
That seems like a good place to stop this morning. We’re expecting heavy rain
with a chance of severe weather across the Midwest this afternoon, but that’s
not going to do anything to bring down the record-setting temps. That makes me
all the more thankful that we have the AC back up and working.
I never have liked iced coffee, but if they hadn’t fixed the AC I’d be
considering it.
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