Links

http://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/michelle-obamas-school-lunch-agenda-faces-backlash-from-some-school-nutrition-officials/2014/05/29/6a8e4af6-e744-11e3-afc6-a1dd9407abcf_story.html?tid=pm_politics_pop

Call me crazy, but maybe, just maybe...it's time we got out of the school lunch business.  I know, of course, many parents can't or won't do it, but...I can assure you, from my social justice work, that it is really NOT hard to get the foods needed to feed the kids; it's just a matter of parenting to get it done.  And, if the parents cannot or will not...well, Newt Gingrich wasn't wrong when he said we needed more orphanages. Yes, it is harst... but it is not as harsh as leaving kids with shitty parents.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/local/education/in-new-orleans-traditional-public-schools-close-for-good/2014/05/28/ae4f5724-e5de-11e3-8f90-73e071f3d637_story.html?wpmk=MK0000203

This is interesting.  I mean, on the one hand, I sort of like it; get the parents involved, get the unions out, and the children get put in an environment where learning is somewhat more...intensive.  Of course, going whole hog...well, if it works, fine, but if not...you're taking a hell of a chance.  I find it interesting it is happening in the South, given the history of segregation, but when you throw away money...well, black and white becomes green.

Jaded

http://www.forbes.com/sites/theapothecary/2014/05/27/a-labor-union-prepares-to-strike-as-obamacare-ups-health-insurance-costs-by-5-0-12-5/

I find these things amusing, if only because....well, you wanted Obamacare, you got Obamacare.  So, stupid, deal with it.  Of course, that is not how things will end up, not that anyone will be surprised; I mean, PA is the last state where the unions will be told to pound salt.

I guess the last start by Masterson can be considered a success, in that he didn't suffer yet another catastrophe.  The DL wheel continues, as do the defensive struggles...one you cannot control, and the other...well, next year, with Lindor around and maybe a new 1B, things could change, but one doubts it.  The other issue is that with the defense, there is a lack of strikeout pitchers -- aside from Kluber -- at any level of the organization.  To be sure, stuff is something you either have or do not, but, the front office doesn't seem to have "it" when drafting pitchers...and that is a concern.

I realize the chance of this is nil, but I still wonder if somehow, somewhere, the Mississippi scandal was something cooked up by Cochran or his supporters to put the thing away; I mean, it just seems so pointless to the challenger to point out -- wife in nursing home -- that it would be the third rail...unless, of course, someone was made to poke it.  With Haley Barbour and ilk on the ground, I don't think you can rule it out completely....

Caught Up

Watched "The Third Man" today.  Yes, I had never seen it...it was quite good (the soundtrack was a little odd) and I can how it was a classic.  Interesting story, and I wasn't sure how it would come together...but it did.

I also read Brittney Griner's autobiography...In My Skin.  Also interesting, albeit not in the way of the film.  I was pretty amused about how 1) she seemed to sell her coach down the river as often as possible (but nicely) and 2) how she didn't know that Baylor, a private Baptist college, was about as LGBT-unfriendly as you could get.  I don't know, that just seems to be an exceptionally foolish thing to do, moreso because women's basketball -- let's face it -- is fairly LGBT-friendly; one doens't have to look far to notice there are a LOT of lesbians floating around there.  And, given her height and talent...well, she could have gone anywhere; choosing Baylor and not knowing what she was getting into is on her.

Of course, if she was that hurt, she could have...left.  I mean, not only would a transfer completely fuck over Bayor, but it would called all the attention in the world on their supposedly reprehensible policies.  Yes, it would have been an extreme step, but...if she was truly unhappy....

Change

I am not saying I am trying to do as little as possible this weekend, but...let us just say that I have very few chores to attend to.  Some reading, some light work that has to be done, some old movies...that is about it.  I planned on sleeping in yesteday, and of course I woke up at 6:20, so I ended up getting some grocery shopping done and then stayed up.  I guess it was fine, though I am sort of feeling tired now...not like I can nap, of course.

I have to admit, the weather is princely; I mean, really, what more could you ask for?

One side benefit of doing little is that I put the CD player on and listen to music...well, yesterday, I made it to the end of the fourth tower, which meant I went through my entire collection.  The modern stuff tends to be in the last one, while oldies from my college days festoon tower one (where I will begin again).  Odd to see my musical evolution, though in some ways, that is not quite the word I would use...

Personnel Moves

The Tribe....interesting, if nothing else.  I don't know, but the defense is...well, glaringly bad, and you really don't see them doing anything to fix it.  Jesus, even a picture of everyone taking infield for a morning, or something punitive.  In the meantime...the bullpen machinations are fascinating, if a little disconcerting....bringing Axford into a tie game?  Letting Tomlin pitch instead of starting...running Masterson out there on short rest because of the 'pen.  Yes, I am not sure what to say, but...interesting.  At least Chisenhall is hitting...I am glad to see it, given my championing of him.

I finished Max Hastings' Catastrophe:  1914 today.  It is a good read, sort of this generation's Guns of August but a bit more detailed, and of course, he does not quite have Tuchmann's turn of phrase (but who does?).  I finally finished up the Xmas books, and...a month ago, I had ten on the shelf, now...two, with the next one queued up.  It was something of an accomplishment.

This could be me, but I find the internecine GOP primaries to be...well, I would think they could be done civilly, because it is giving the Dems free ammo and wasting resources better spent elsewhere.  I know politics is war, and family feuds are the worst, but I would think Reince and crew should be there to at least keep things from rivaling the Slaughter of the Innocents when it comes to the bloodletting.  For all the talk of bad candidates taking seats...what of the mud slung in May?

quiet

The Tribe series was most depressing...I don't know what is worse, the awful defense, the lack of hitting, or the statue approach to pulling struggling pitchers.  I suspect it is not going to get better anytime soon.

Won the losers bracket of the skeeball tournament yesterday...I decided it was best to let a better player go in my stead, and of course, the move paid off...I know my friends on the team (ok, all of them) think I am being ridiculous, but the trophy is the proof, whether we like it, or not.  I do hope we can meet for practice though, as I do not mind doing that.

I really don't want to say I did nothing today...I mean, I watched a movie, did some cleaning, polished off a Games magazine, wrote out an OC budget...but it doesn't seem terribly substantial.  I know that is not the case, but sometimes you need grandeur.

Cut off

Continuing the week of awesome...for the first time in decades, the basement had water.  I guess the heavy rain was a bit much...it was funny, I put some stuff downstairs -- lest the tornado hit, I was taking it with me -- and thankfully, the clouds parted around Chateau Mattie, but when I went down to retrieve said crap...oi.  Actually, it was NOT a lot of water, but it was enough, and I immediately went to work putting every towel I own on the inundation.  Then, while stuff was drying, I emptid the recycle bags of newspaper and put that down; not that it achieved a lot, but it did absorb some.  Finally, I ran another load of wash...and today when I came home I washed and dried everything again.  One small carpet is damp, but a day of dehumidification should do the truck, provided water does not return.  Oi.

I also note that at the end of the nite, just when I watned to sleep... low blood sugar, so I had to snack and stay up some more.  Not a lot of sleep, and then I woke up before the alarm today...so I was dragging.  Heck, I am dragging now, but as I just finished all of the things I wanted to do tonite, there was nothing I could do about it.  Now, of course, I am not tired.  Loverly.

I note that the Tea Party candidate won in Nebraska; I think it is one of those things that is best for all involved; the Tea Party gets a win, while the GOP establishment base can let them have it while saving the big guns for the Mississippi Senate fest.  I do like Jodi Ernst in IA; anyone who can make a move based on castrati hogs...well, color me impressed.

Relief

Busy week...in order...work continues to be crappy.  We came in second at Pub Quiz.  I did not have a good day of skeeball.  More positively, my gutter was fixed, and for a fairly moderate price, which was sort of nice.  Finances are better in that way, at least.

In other news, took Mom for dinner (today) at Buuba Q's place out in Avon; it is sort of a hike (far, but not long, it is all highway), and it was actually pretty good. I had a half chicken, which is a lot of food, and the BBQ sauce was tasty, a bit of tang, but nothing overwhelming.  Sides were decent, and the chicken wasn't dry or anything like that...so I was pleasant surprised.  As we all said (sis and favorite niece joined the fun), it was a little far, but we would all go back.

I am perpetually fascinated by the mysterious force that causes a manager to pull relievers with a frequency that can be described as hyperactive....until the closer comes in, in which case he will be left in until he blows the game or very nearly does so.  Yes, it was nice of Cody Allen to get a cheap (ha) save, but really, as always, you have to blame the manager for letting it get to the point in the first place.

New blood

Continuing with the theme of craptasticness...yesterday, I tried to cut the grass, and the lawnmower wouldn't start...and today I realized that the spreadsheets for the new project were an even bigger and hotter mess...I think we are moving into "Set Up to Fail" from "Trap Game."  Meeting tomorrow to try and solve this.  I am sure there will be more of a tether, but...still not exactly a joy to behold.

The April OC stats:
379 households, totaling 177 seniors, 526 adults, 426 kids.  Rah.  Three weeks, which is why the number is less than 400.

GOP primary day tomorrow, and like a lot of people, I wonder what it will hold; I suspect the Tea Party types will not win, though I am not sure it is the best thing...for instance, in Mississippi, Cochran, while a good guy, has been around a while; I think THAT is one of the ideas about the Tea Party, that you need to get new blood in Washington to get rid of business as usual.  On the other hand, I think Tillis needs to win in NC; Hagan will be tougher than a lot of people think, and a united GOP is the best thing...even if it means the government insider in this case.  In some ways, the LaTourettes are correct, that the GOP needs to stop attacking each other.  Of course, given that the guy left his wife and mother of children to marry the lobbyist he was schtuckig (and became a lobbyist himself)...well, I can see why he is not exactly the poster child for reform.

Reconsider

In some ways, I am glad the week is over...work was a little hectic -- but albeit successful -- though my new project is the work equivalent of a trap game.  My Mom had cataract surgery (successful, simple) but of course she was a bundle.  My gutter needs some repair work (we all know how I feel about spending money).  Skeeball was crappy (I am costing the team and will NOT do it again next season).  And...my latest foray into romance ended with my traditional "Roll up the map of Europe" whimper.  Oi.  But, we survived, and as with most things, it wasn't that bad.  I mean, assuming work flows and things can be done cheaply on the house....I can manage.  More or less. 

I've devoted some of my spare time -- not that I had a lot -- to reading...sitting in the eye center waiting room for a few hours has been a big help -- so I have been getting some books handled.  I need to get back to the fiction list, I need to polish off some other works, and in general, I need an hour a day for just booktime.  I also need some more exercise time; I do some, I get sore from overwork, and then I stop, which is not good...I am at 171 pounds, but not in shape, so I need to redouble my efforts there.  I don't want to invest in any exercise equipment until I can commit myself to the process....which is the kicker, of course.