Linx

I am working from home today, and this is not exactly a bad thing... I guess I wouldn't mind going out and such, but now at least, I can behold the power of global warming from my living room.  :)  More seriously, the furnace is up a bit, the tap is running, and... eventually I may go out to deposit the Netflix DVD, but... well, we will survive, as I like to say.

https://www.cleveland.com/business/2019/01/workspaces-centered-on-women-on-the-rise-in-metoo-movement.html

 I have to admit, this is a good idea, but if some man came about and offered to create a space where could work without fear of being falsely accused of harassment -- say he is a Duke or UVA grad -- I think the shit would hit the fan.  I would go to the place in principle, of course...

https://www.vox.com/policy-and-politics/2019/1/28/18185633/house-republican-agenda-2020

Do they need an agenda?  I mean, as the minority in the House, they don't really have the power to enact one...  I would think it is easier for them to throw bombs... or better yet, that nice big Senate majority should go off and start looking at what the House is up to...

https://www.wsj.com/articles/salvaged-rent-signals-trouble-for-live-tv-musicals-11548714204

My first on seeing this was "Don't they have an understudy?"  Ok, I can see why they didn't, but...  Anyways, I was sort of surprised by the contretemps about the ratings, given that it was still the #1 show in its slot, and I suspect Fox will make plenty of money selling content and whatnot in the future.  As for me... this could be me, but live musicals might not be the thing anymore, and I suspect "Rent" doesn't exactly have the crossover appeal of, say, "The Sound of Music," so a certain segment of the population is just not going to watch...

Trying to learn

Interesting day...I tried to sleep in to rest -- I still have this cold -- and then off to the gym for a nice workout.  Lunch and chores at Mom's, and then home, where I spent a few hours -- and not very successfully, at that -- trying to master the intricacies of SQL.  Anyways, I will play more with it tomorrow... this could be me, but I prefer learning by book, and online is not quite the same, and plus I need to learn by doing, and it is hard -- not impossible -- to take the theoretical stuff and apply it here....alas.  But we MUST continue.

https://www.theatlantic.com/ideas/archive/2019/01/media-must-learn-covington-catholic-story/581035/

I don't know about you, but I don't know of anyone who thinks that the media will learn anything from this is simply kidding themselves.  No one certainly is going to lose their jobs over this, for one, and another, of course, it will simply be morphed into a discussion of tolerance, diversity, etc., yadda.  This could be me, but I think it would be awesome if the lawyers for these kids went after everyone who posted/tweeted/etc., anything about them; it's called discovery for a reason...

I am reading Martin Kitchen's The End, which discusses the last of WWII from the German side, of which he makes two main points:  1) The war was fought to the upmost by the Germans until the last and 2) It was all pointless and exacerbated suffering.  I think that's true, but... 

1) The German defeat in WWI was believed to have been caused by the "stab in the back," so the entire regime, if you will, was engineered to prevent and minimize this.  (Like it or not.)

2) I think at the back of everyone's mind was what they had caused -- the Holocaust, the atrocities, especially in the East, etc., and everyone knew damn well that without victory or a negotiated peace...well, there would be a reckoning, and the price would be tremendous...

A double feature

https://www.ohio.com/news/20190119/rev-ernest-angley-admitted-sexual-encounter

This is....hilarious?  I mean, ok, it's not, but... for one thing, the guy is 90-some now, so he was 70-some then...oi... I went to the old Cathedral Buffet a couple of times, many moons ago... it was interesting? Ok?  I mean, I don't recall the food being all the good, but not bad, but the people there did have, if you will, a Stepford Wives vibe.  It was just... odd.  In the meantime, I think we really haven't had a good old sex scandal in a while -- Jerry Falwell's son defending habitual adultery doesn't cut it anymore -- so this will have to fit.  The funny thing is, the story of Reverend Davis is...well, what the Church should be; people doing horrible things and being saved, and turning that destructive energy into a spiritual force for good.

I went to the movies yesterday and watched "They Shall Not Grow Old," the Peter Jackson WWI tribute.  It was a bit steep at $15, but... it was pretty cool.  3-D for one!  Another...well, the colorization was nifty, and the old movies were cool, and I and a bunch of us stayed for the making of video after, which was also interesting -- adding sound, color, looking at the film, fixing it... I would recommend it.

I also watched 'Eve's Bayou," which was appropriate, given it was MLK Day (an entirely African-American cast) but I didn't know til I put the DVD in the machine and read the back of the box (yes, I try to watch every film cold).  I liked it...I would not say I would watch it again, but it was interesting.  Some plot twists, even some I knew; lots of stars... the movie had a slow pace, sort of like Eastwood's films now, or maybe "Unforgiven."  I think it was effective... so we are now at 701.

Beating the drum

So, for now, at least, I've survived the snowpocalypse.  It was funny... Fr. Joe at Mass yesterday said we were "devout or crazy" for coming in, but... well, I don't know about the other 14 people there, but my commute was... good.  My driveway was plowed, and Broadview Heights streets were largely pavement (for what I pay in taxes they should be).  I-77 was mostly pavement.  Slavic Village, of course, was a disaster, but I fully expected that.  And, our saints of a maintenance crew had the parking lot in excellent condition.  I do not think we want to experience any of this again, but...

I am now up to 700 on the film list with two new additions... "Cinderella" and "Days of Wine and Roses."  No, I had not seen "Cinderella" until now...and, dare I say, I liked it?  I mean, cute story, not too much music, basic tale... I would have liked to have seen either the stepmom and the stepsisters getting more of a comeuppance, or -- as in the Grimm tale -- more of the foot- and toe-chopping, but, well, I think I will survive.  The other was basically "The Lost Weekend," but with a couple -- Jack Lemmon and Lee Remick as a couple torn apart by alcoholism. I liked it as well...not that I have a lot of sympathy for those types (imagine that).  One thing I did find interesting was its overt plug for AA... nowadays, I think, it has gone...well, people look to chemical ways of treating alcohol addiction, too.  But I suspect in 1960 or so, this was not the case....

I have been amused by the contretemps over the kids at the March for Life (which I think is stupid) and the protestors...leaving aside the fact that once again the press and the left made their decisions before all, or any, of the evidence was in... My main issue, I think, is the fact that an entire political statement, or pholosphy, has been branded....racist?  I don't know, maybe it is, but maybe it isn't?  Saying "MAGA' or "Build the Wall" could be, but I also think there are a bunch of people who simply view this as good policy, and just might not be "woke" to the racism.  Painting them as racists, broad brush and all...well, it only makes Trump support stronger and more hidden.  I don't have a problem with this of course, but I do object to this shift of tarring policy disagreements into hate crimes.

Cathcing up

So, after a long and busy week -- full of sort-of drama, here we are...  one of my coworkers pointed out the Cody Allen deal, 1 year for $8 million.  I pointed out that 1) Allen didn't have a good year and 2) After the Shaw fiasco for Colorado, maybe they are thinking guys here are run hard and might implode, so you will need the dough for Plan B...

https://fivethirtyeight.com/features/the-era-of-easy-recycling-may-be-coming-to-an-end/

I read this, and found it interesting, but I wonder how much of this is like, say, health care?  We've conquered the easy stuff, if you will, but harder require consumers and others to do a lot of difficult stuff that is often beyond the pale...

https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/opinion/conservatives-dont-just-need-fighters-they-need-winners

 Um....yes?  

 But even internally of course...look at obesity, for instance.  Smoking even today has its adherents (if you will).

https://getpocket.com/explore/item/the-sugar-conspiracy

Of course, this is part of the problem...  or, as I said at work, somewhere, someone said that the nutrition science was settled...oops.

https://www.vox.com/policy-and-politics/2019/1/8/18173678/trump-shutdown-voter-florida

I think someone is missing the point here, namely that for all of the talk being President for all Americans and such, in general, one party acts to benefit its supporters and voters, and the other one gets it in the kiester.  This is fine, I think, but we just can't be honest about it.  I always like to say that no Hope and Changer has ever paid me back for the additional money I have spent on health care, despite the promise of $2,500 a year in savings... this person is stating what I and a lot of others feel, is that those who introduced this have yet t bear its burdens, and it is high time they did so...

Cooking again!

Long and interesting week; so much so that I went to bed sort of early last night and I intend to do so again.  I cooked again -- halushki, this time.  It was... pretty good, if I do say so myself; I think adding a little extra butter was the key, though if I make it again, I will use kitchen scissors on the cabbage to get it nice and small.  The only downside is the cleanup, but I guess if you have enough leftovers, it probably pays for itself, work-wise...

https://www.foxnews.com/politics/pompeo-at-site-of-obamas-address-to-muslim-world-rebukes-his-legacy-age-of-self-inflicted-american-shame-is-over

I saw this a few days ago, and I was like...good?  I mean, I don't think all of Obama's policies were foolish or unwise, but those that were were carried to the fullest.  Mind you, I don't think all of Trump's policies are that wise and intelligent, either.  But I also suspect that Obama's were based on this illusion that all would be well if, like Isaiah, we all sat down and reasoned together.  But in that part of the world, reason is not the language of most of the people...

https://www.cleveland.com/entertainment/2019/01/take-a-drunk-girl-home-is-the-song-sexist.html

  I don't know... I told my godsons that when I was in school, many moons ago... if you knew a girl who was out and had too many and wasn't exactly safe... well, it was considered perfectly acceptable to escort her home and see that was safe and unmolested in her bed (without you in it, of course)... now of course, I wouldn't suggest it, because unless you had multiple witnesses.. she could accuse you of anything she wanted and you'd be guilty without even a trial.  (Plus, as a feminist, it is deeply offensive to suggest that a woman would need help, especially from a man...)  Now, I am certainly NOT a fan of this sort of thing, but this is where things stand now, and the bed, once made, must be laid in, like it or not.

Mattie cooks

https://quillette.com/2018/07/14/i-was-the-mob-until-the-mob-came-for-me/

If this is true (and my perpetual skepticism is always in play)...well, this is sort of funny, isn't it?

So, I made cabbage soup today... I had gotten some cabbage, and, well, what does one do with it?  So, I went to the parish cookbook, found a couple of recipes...this one is pretty good, actually; I may have put a bit too much pepper in it, but that is on me.  It wasn;t that hard, actually; I mean, you had to do some prep work and cutting, but stirring and mixing everything in was... not that bad.  And then it cooks.  Genius, I tell you.  I didn't realize there was sooo much soup, so my plan to make haluski is now gone by the board.  Alas.

The Tribe added a catcher today...interesting?  I mean, I think Perez gets the job and most of the starts, the number contingent on his hitting.  Piawecki prolly moves ahead of Haase, though I do not think that is written in stone.  Heck, one good spring training by anyone can really move the needle, I think, moreso than in any other spring training battle.

Catching Up

Off today with nothing to do, save for the stuff I usually neglect.  On the one hand, this is good, as I have all sorts of things to do; articles to read, links to check out... on the other hand, I do not feel this idlesness lightly.

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/ap-exclusive-a-reckoning-is-underway-in-us-catholic-church/ar-BBRKALl?li=BBnbcA1
Umm...good?  I mean, shoiuldn't this happen?  As far as I am concerned, no one has been punished enough, especially the perpetrators, so...

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/the-secret-not-yet-told-women-describe-alleged-abuse-by-nuns/ar-BBRHQVU?li=BBnb7Kz

THis could be me, but I always thought nuns were sort of skeevy, in a lot of ways, so... color me unsurprised.

https://www.businessinsider.com/hater-dating-app-connects-you-with-people-who-hate-the-same-things-photos-2017-2#hater-is-only-available-on-ios-for-now-and-is-only-available-in-english-but-alper-said-the-team-is-working-to-translate-hater-into-other-languages-and-launch-an-android-version-of-the-service-12

This is...hilarious?  I sort of want to try it...

So, I was gifted two heads of cabbage from the OC excess, which is fine, save for the fact that now I have to cook them, which, as we all know, is neither good nor bad, but I can fuck up anything in the kitchen....  Of course, I do have a parish cookbook, and everything that has come out of that has come out fine...

The new

Sort of Sunday feel to today -- getting up early for Mass (only hope and changers skip the holy days of obligation, of course!), driving on empty highways, off to the gym, then to Mom's... not that this is a bad thing, but it is an odd feeling for the middle of the week.

I started "Broadcast News" last night and finished it now.  It wasn't very good?  I mean, I don't know, just couldn't get it.. it is story of love between people that never happens?  Careerism gone amok?  Maybe the news part of it, now, is a little dated, given that people consume news differently... yes, 698 off the list was...blah.  At least I am making progress, and rapid at that, at the new additions.

So, I also finished up Clay Travis's latest book --Republicans Buy Sneakers Too  -- and while I liked it, methinks the lady doth protest too much?  I think he is spot on about some things, such as the leftist politicization of sports; others, such as its role in the decline of ESPN, I think is a bit much.  I think it plays a role at the margins, but I would assume that cord-cutting is simply due to cost and convenience 90% of the time.