Thoughts

 So, no new phone yet... I am not quite worried, but if it does not arrive tomorrow, that might be an issue.  I mean, on the one hand, I like being without the phone -- remembrances of a simpler time -- but there are a few people I wouldn't mind texting again, just letting them know I am still alive and such.

Jay Wright's retirement at Nova was...interesting?  I mean, he does seem a bit young to retire so suddenly, which much make one wonder if there was another reason for the departure.  One hopes not, of course -- Wright has certainly earned the right to go out at a time of his own choosing -- but it certainly seemed like he had plenty more career left. 

https://www.washingtonpost.com/dc-md-va/2022/04/18/nashville-food-pantry-closing/

Interesting.  I sort of have mixed feelings about this... in any order... Yes, someone or some group should step up and house this group.  (I think a billionaire who owns a newspaper might be a good place to look!) On the other hand, commercial development is a better use for the space -- it brings in jobs and tax revenues that can be used (in theory) to house and feed these people.  Also... it's a problem that so many need such help for such a prolonged period of time (we certainly have decade-long clients at the OC); that's a failure on multiple layers, and I am not sure it is ALL society's fault.  Yes, many people are poor and it just happens.  But not all, and there is a subset (larger than any liberal will admit to!) of people who find this early than actually working, and we allow it to happen.  Then again, it is damned near impossible for people -- especially without skills -- to make it on a minimum wage job today; they definitely need the help, and through no fault of their own!  Indeed, our tax and benefits system is designed to make it impossible for people to work... which is also a problem.

Funny; JD Vance and Donald Trump Jr. had a town hall in Independence today; I thought about going, but decided against it for two reasons...  One, I am too damn busy at work, and two...I didn't have a mobile phone, so even if I signed up, how do I get in -- you need an email or a QR code, and while I doubt these things are that secure (give the aging demographic of our party, I doubt I am the only mobile-less person out there)...still, it was a headache I didn't especially need.