One Step Back

 Oi.  Went to the gym today, and, while a few days ago I was 192 pounds...well, I am a couple above that.  All of the progress I had made in dropping a few pounds...well, that's what I get for skipping the gym.  Alas.  To be sure, I can make it all back...  Less happily, I need new tires for the truck.  While I had known about this for a while -- and they will last longer now that I am driving less -- it is disheartening, as I had been paying off some debt, and this will be... right back a bit.  Alas.  On the other hand, a few good workouts, some walking (tomorrow after the heat wave, of course), and... well, it will be wondrous for my esteem, if nothing else.

https://www.politico.com/news/magazine/2022/06/14/trump-populists-compassionate-conservatism-00039136

Interesting...I mean, I think part of the problem was that other things interfered -- the war on Terror, for instance, and invading Iraq -- but, and the article makes this point, the idea that the Christian right is driving this was part of the problem.  Now, it seems that they are not exactly driving the bus; rather, a whole populist coalition is being created, and while many of their goals are that of the Christian right... some of the are not.  Will this work?  I wonder...

https://www.theatlantic.com/newsletters/archive/2022/06/uber-ride-share-prices-high-inflation/661250/

Interesting as well; I hadn't thought of this.  Course, I don't actually use of these services -- Uber, Lyft, Doordash -- and I would like to think that society found a way to survive without all of these things... we can do so again, or at least much less.  I mean, I don't imbibe, so I don't need a DD, and I have never used a food delivery service -- I guess I prefer to check out a restaurant live and in the flesh (for a bunch of reasons).  Back to the point...at what point do people stop using these services?  I mean, probably never, but there comes a point -- maybe even now -- when these things get used less as people spend on other stuff.  Correct?