Thoughts

 https://apnews.com/article/lifestyle-middle-east-jimmy-carter-18eab7024282910f6aab29026a1e04e2

Umm...yes.  It is beginning to look like Carter's presidency will be a success compared to that of the current occupant... and that is a problem.  The whole "trust the Taliban with the names of Americans and our allies" seems to be as smart a decision as "trust the Taliban with airport security" and "losing control of the Bagram airfield" and about as successful.  The thing is, of course, if we can see it out here, how come they couldn't see it out there?  The GOP at least has something to run on, which is good, though I wonder how it will translate in a year.

https://www.hillfaith.org/culture/today-is-the-birthday-of-the-man-who-abolished-the-slave-trade/

I love this movie; it's quite a good tale, and the author is correct; this movement was achieved entirely by people of religious faith, which, in this day and age, should give us pause...

It's funny; I was discussing the weekend series with my coworker, and we both agreed that sending Logan Allen out there would be like batting practice.  And then...well, no one expected that, I can assure you!  Tom Hamilton was right; he pitched like he was back in spring training.  Wherever this came from, long may it continue (though I have my doubts).  In the meantime, there is the problem of Karinchak. Baseball Prospectus suggested it was the end of the sticky stuff; Fangraphs, suggested it was overuse. I don't know what it is, but I do think if they can shut down McKenzie for reasons, why not Karinchak?  Or use him less? The stuff is there but intermittently, so...

So I texted a few people about my visit to see JD Vance, and the libs, of course, were predictably outraged. The thing that amused me the most was the general consensus that GOPers are pandering with their pandemic stances and that they are only doing this for votes.  OK, maybe, yes, some are, but...  I think people on the left tend to discount the fact that many conservatives do have concerns (and quite legitimate!) about the role of government in society and its potential for overreach/abuse/coercion.  Hell, the country was founded in large because of these concerns! I would argue that these concerns are disproportionately represented among the blogosphere and among some GOP voices, so they are partially marginalized, but it's not like the libertarian wing of the GOP has gone away, you know...