Just What I Needed

 I watched the Trump presser today with the NABJ, and.... wow.  I mean, I bet he thinks he did well, but... whoa.  Train wreck, and I love train wrecks.  Funny thing is, he could have...well, maintained decorum and had an informative interview that maybe didn't really change minds but still made points.  I know it is not his style, but...  oi.  

Had my last staff meeting at work today; people were fairly nice, they said they will miss, and honestly, I will miss them.  Tomorrow I have much to do; most of the stuff I am working on has been saved, archived, and left with instructions (such as templates).  I am not exactly sure what else to do, that and finish up some projects.  It is an odd feeling; not like when I left Freedonia, as there was...well, palpable relief, but here... I will miss the crew.

After work I went to my sister's to get tables and chairs for the big fest.  I had to get them out of the basement and then out of the house; I need the exercise, but...anyways, just when I had finished putting the last chair in the truck bed, I closed the door, or at least tried to.  Instead, the tailgate broke; not sure how, but I could not get the thing closed; it's not catching on the latch.  Oi.  My sister had some rope and bungees, and I was able to tie the door closed, which I supplemented with some tape.  Oi.  It took about 30 extra minutes to secure everything, and then I was a bit nervous driving home, though honestly, the weight probably kept everything secure.  Then it was home to empty the truck bed, take the chairs and tables inside, and wash them. They are done and set up in the living room, but after everything...well, more work was NOT done.  Oi.

School taught JD Vance to see a divided nation — and to use that division (msn.com)
Is it me, or is this a nothing story?  Or, man tries to navigate a world where everyone looks down on him, and this is turn affects his worldview?  Oi.

New Catholic trade school aims for debt-free alternative to college (pillarcatholic.com)
Interesting!  I like the approach!

Sad Summer

 No post yesterday as I had a very long day; namely, it was the Sad Summer Festival -- nine musical acts, led by Matt-favorite Mayday Parade -- and of course I wanted to see every act.  This was a problem, namely due to the weather -- we had pouring rain from about 1:30 (show started at 2) til about 3.  Now, Jacobs Pavilion is covered, but for some reason, they didn't want the fans under it, so everyone just milled around and found shelter as best as they could.  Once inside...well, it appeared the weather was good, but given that the show was supposed to go on rain or shine...well, it was a bit hollow to the fans.  

This created another problem in that everything had to be compressed; bands played fewer songs, and it seemed in the beginning they were really turning the stage over quickly, but -- let's face it -- nine set changes in a lot, and as you went on, with bigger acts, the stage was more complex (one would think they would have deep-sixed this)... and it dragged.  Hell, We The Kings played five songs, one of which was a cover of "Mr. Brightside," which is fine, but...they have enough albums for their own music, especially in a compressed set.  Anyways, it was 10:30 before I left.  And...well, I stood for nine hours, had but one bottle of water (no input, no output), jostled by herds of pachyderms (or, as we say in the Fun Run Bunch, pachydermettes), and the heat and such (while not oppressive, was a factor)... well, my back was killing me, and the walk back to the Behemoth...oi.  Fortunately, I parked quite near an exit, and despite not being able to get on the shoreway, I was able to get on 90 and cruise home.  I was starving and stopped at Denny's; they slightly messed up my order, but I was so ravenous that I didn't realize it til halfway through...it was quite good besides, though; nothing like a Grand Slam and three whole tall glasses of caffeinated goodness.  Then home and after catching up on stuff... to bed.  I did feel better this morning, but..

Did some more shopping for the fest today -- I think I have all of the food and drink -- but between fatigue, running around, and new job paperwork, cleaning will be put off til tomorrow.  Oi.  The kitchen table looks daunting but once I start... no problem.  Plenty of space in the spare room.  I need to decide on another side...bathroom might be done last but... maybe twice is not bad.  I should get some yard chores done, too.  Oi.  All of this at once...yowza. I always joke about my life being on tilt, but..

Scrubbing away

 Busy day!  Church, gym, a couple of errands, and I took Communion to my Polish friend in Edgewater. Hard to believe she is 90; she walks 10 times better than my mother, has a good memory, and with the hearing aid gets most of what I say -- I am a mushmouth, as we know.  Hard to believe (as well) that I have made a friend; I mean, when I started this, I had no idea of what would become, and aside from my refusing to let her kneel to receive the Sacrament (she mostly can but I do NOT want a coronary).  I don't want to say that I am impressed for doing what I should be doing, but...

Then it was home to clean!  The living room is done; I moved the tables and such to a spare room to free up space for a wheelchair.  Vacuumed and dusted.  Sad moment when I realized that the VCR/DVD player doesn't really work anymore so I can remove the speakers and cords.  It looks neater but... well, it was sad.  I bought the thing when I was on J!, and while it has not worked in a year (I should pitch the box too) it was still sad; it reminded me of my youth, the dreams I had, how things were going then... well, we all have unrealized dreams and hopes.  It's life.  Anyways, after a dinner break (wanted to saute some squash) it was on to the kitchen.  I did most of that; need to sweep and swiffer the floor and handle the morass of the kitchen table but all of the counters were wiped down and scrubbed, messes moved and handled, and half of the stuff was put away.  Tomorrow is another day. of course, but... we all know how I feel about that.

I did stop at 8 to watch "The Guns of August."  I saw it while surfing last night; as we all know, it is one of my favorite books, and I was curious to see what they documentary based on the book is like.  It was interesting; it followed the book for the first 2/3 of it but went on after the First Battle of the Marne to cover the whole war.  The film borrowed liberally from silent film footage, so you got to see all sorts of interesting things, which might have been the best part...

Long after Nassar scandal, gymnastics coaches accused of abuse remain - The Washington Post
This could be me, but aren't the parents responsible for some of this?  Good Lord, some of these people...

We bought what’s needed to make millions of fentanyl pills–for $3,600 (reuters.com)
Interesting but I think the Chinese are somewhat correct in that WE need to reduce this scourge as well.  On the one hand, though, this is a problem that will eventually solve itself, harsh as that may be...

Jerry Falwell Jr. and Liberty University reach settlement (msn.com)
I completely forgot this had been going on!  

Closure

 I would say that not blogging is becoming a thing, but rather I was at a Polish fundraiser that went slightly long, I was more than slightly tired, and hence I went to bed.  I had OC duty today, so I needed my rest.  It was busy -- 135 -- and we gave away all of the produce.  The meat order was small so we had very little to give away, alas.  We started slow and ended up busy -- closed at 12:15, which will NOT happen next week when I am one of the co-managers.  We were a little short in the back so I spent the last hour and a half packing the grocery bags.  It really does require a five-person team; two on each side and someone to move boxes, throw out cardboard, that sort of thing.  Hell, even three is more than necessary.  Anyways, the place is empty and it was a good day... we also decided that next month we will go and fully implement the new rules -- all addresses MUST be verified or no meat and produce.  I think it will not exactly go well but they have had two months to get their stuff in.  

In the meantime, I am not sure why, but my stomach has been...rumbly.  I decided a nice and simple dinner of vegetables and fruit would be an improvement, but it has not been.  Most unpleasant.  It had better improve tomorrow, though a night of sleep should help.  Ha.  I also need to finish the book I am working on, aggressively clean the house, and do another dozen things.  Today was contract job today, and I think I made some progress, but... there are many things to do!  Adulting is hard.

One thing of note/sadness:  The last J! of the season was yesterday.  While six weeks without the show does free up the schedule somewhat, I will miss the challenge to my mind (declining as it is), and it does provide some schedule.  I guess with all else going on, I can put the time to proper use.

Bought a new razor today; we will see how that goes.  With the exception of some driveway patch and new tennis shoes, I have largely completed my upgrades to life -- wardrobe and such.  Rah.

What Would It Take to Recreate Bell Labs? - by Brian Potter (construction-physics.com)
Interesting!

All Time Low

Took a night off, sort of; went to see All Time Low at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.  As I noted on Facebook, I have never been on a full tour of the place -- once when they had that semi-Warped Tour they had an exhibit inside and we were allowed to look at that -- but a full visit, looking at all of the stuff... no. No real reason, just familiarity breeds contempt and I am not exactly a fan...  anyways, I should probably go.  Back to the show, it was pretty good; I really didn't feel it at first, but I had bought the tickets, and once I got down there... well, I was glad I went.  Finding free parking helped, but also... as one of my friends pointed out, it's not necessarily that All Time Low has a bunch of great songs (though they do), but they have a lot of good songs that you don't necessarily think about until you hear them, are you're like "that's a good one, too."

I was half-tempted to hit Taco Bell on the way home -- been a while since I have been -- but the line was long, so I just went home and snacked on some microwave veggies and some watermelon I cut up.  Definitely healthier.  Watermelon is on sale at Big Bird so I will get another; again, summer is flying by and soon we will be missing it.

I am off tomorrow -- a wellness day I have to take -- and while I should sleep in and rest, I think I will be on the go, at least early. Gym, some errands, Xmas shopping, that sort of thing.  Tomorrow I also need to spend time on getting the house ready -- move the furniture around in the living room, dust, clean, that sort of thing.  I figure if I clean everything twice I should be good.  I had a thought that with the back porch clean, I could maybe use that for something?  I prefer to be inside, but if the weather is nice there is space.  I have a couple of days to mull, I guess.

Trump struggles to find line of attack against Harris: “They are literally grasping at straws” - POLITICO
This could be me, but I think Kamala Harris is a target-rich environment, and this is more about discerning which attacks will work best.  I would concentrate on the obvious ones -- the border, the economy, and whether or not Joe is incompetent.  Trump won in 2016 on the economy, stupid, and I think given consumer concerns it will work here.  Donald and message discipline are not exactly phrases I use in the same word salad, so...it's going to be a bumpy ride.

Momentousness

 How the Bet on an 81-Year-Old Joe Biden Turned Into an Epic Miscalculation - WSJ
I don't know, but again, if people knew this years ago, and did or said nothing, this is as much of a Constitutional crisis as January 6.  Now, I don't expect ANY Dem to ever be called to the carpet for this, or to provide some sort of accountability, but...they should.  Funny thing is, tonight Biden was as good as he has ever been, which begs the question...where was this with the debate, when he had a week to prepare?  Nor will anyone ask him if it was so important to have a fresh face...why not four years ago?  To say that he put the country first -- when he has been stage-managing his mental decline -- is incredible chutzpah, no matter how you slice it.

So...I had my exit interview today -- first I ever had.  I have been keeping this under wraps, but next Friday is my last day at K-AWB, as I will be starting a position for a building materials/housing research firm; sort of like my first career, I suspect, but slightly different responsibilities.  I wasn't exactly looking to move, but I did apply for this one, and I had an accelerated interview process, probably because, well, I have two decades of experience in the field.  The offer was quite generous and I couldn't say no (well, I could, but...).  But... I will miss my current role, and today was why; my exit interview -- I was filled with trepidation -- was exceptionally kind, brief, and filled with nothing but praise.  Truthfully, I had the same feedback!  People are nice, it's a cool company -- bit of uncertainty with corporate changes -- and it is good to see manufacturing being competitive in this country.  The new role will be remote, better compensation, and, dare I say, more of a fit for me, in terms of knowledge/skill set?  Life is full of difficult choices, and while I think I made the correct one, it didn't make today any easier.  

In more humorous news, I pulled a lion in the Daniel's den moment today; my sister asked me to go to Cleveland Vegan to get some snacks for a friend of Favorite Niece who lost her grandmother, she is a vegan, and of course, it was on the way home and nothing is out of the way for family (it was Mom's line to explain some dubious and always out-of-the-way side quest).  All of these things are mostly true, so off I went.  Getting there is not too bad, but Lakewood is "West Side location, East Side parking and driving," and my large, manly, American/union-assembled pickup was not designed for the place.  Anyways, I finally found a spot and hoofed it there.  The place is not too large and has an open kitchen, and given what I have seen of vegan cooking...well, some mysteries are best left unexamined.  Anyways, I counted at least two large signs saying that ALL of their food is vegan.  I had to ask if they were necessary, and the kind clerk assured me it was, which caused me titters, aside from the fact that I was in the middle of Lakewood in a vegan restaurant, so yes, people are too stupid not to know that.  Anyways, I couldn't resist, so in addition to the treats (which looked good) I got a vegan/gluten-free lime bar.  It was... good?  Good enough?  You could tell it was gluten-free, but it wasn't bad.  I was quite tempted to enter the Proper Pig next door (sort of) and order one of everything but I had salmon thawing in the fridge, so...

I don't know if this mental decline is a thing or not; I had to hustle to get 40 on J! (yes, the categories were not my thing) and I pulled a guess out of my dupa  to get the Final, simply because I assumed "problematic" in the modern PC sense and not the lexicographical one.  There was a time I knew all of the National Parks, and most of the forests and monuments, but now...prolly just the parks, and there are some new ones I will have missed.  Of course, as a Republican, I can truthfully argue that we don't really need parks, and thus they are superfluous, save for their use as future sites for, say, drilling and timber harvesting.

A New Streak

My streak of blogging ended yesterday; I must have had a post for about three weeks running.  No reason not to, just that I had a long day, hung out with a friend after work to solve the latest crisis, and when I got home I decided it was time for bed.  Not sleep, mind you, just bed.  I have the same problem tonight; tired but not enough to sleep, so here we are.

Actually, I was busy today; gym, errands, home in time for J! (I blew the final, very depressing), and then some work for the upcoming fest.  I need to text everyone and get a final count and maybe some more food items, but I did some more cleaning, took inventory of party supplies, and moved some stuff in the spare room to create space for the furniture I need to move out of the way for the poker tables.  I also spent some time on the phone trying to clear up the latest dental billing adventure (I want to be reimbursed for what I was billed... in case I was billed incorrectly in the first place).  Oi.  I have to admit -- and I feel like I am turning into my parents -- that while the people are incredibly helpful, the issue is getting a person.  The other thing is that the computer prompts expect you to wait for them to finish, and I used to shouting out answers -- J! style -- and that mucks up the algorithm (fix that!).  Oi.

It does seem that the Dems have a bit of momentum; funding is pouring in (the avalanche of Hollywood money), the base of the party is energized (non-white women), and I think she has some strengths against the Donald which she can exploit.  On the other hand, we are stressing -- rightly -- her role in the border and inflation, which is a strong card.  Nor is she terribly popular, not that Trump is.  I do not like it, of course, as the stakes are simply too high for us to fail.

In other news, the email inbox is lower than usual, and I have been able to get through the bookmark list faster than I have been adding them, which, as we know to me, is progress.  Amen to that!

The Decision

 Well, that was unexpected, sort of.  I guess I had wanted Joe to hang on as long as possible -- ideally until November, but Dems -- stupid as they are -- are not that stupid, and hence it is now Kamala's turn.  I think it is good and bad for us.  Bad in that the party seems to be rallying on her -- donations are up, the rivals are backing her campaign, and it seems that no one is really fighting this.  On the other hand, she is vulnerable to the same attacks as Biden, and the management of the border and the concealment of his mental decline are also fruitful attacks.  I am looking forward to a Trump Harris debate, though I think she will be more polished and on-point.  I think Whitmer is the VP as they need to preserve the blue wall, IMHO.

Interesting day; the usual Mass and gym, and then off to St. Sava's for their SerbFest, as I have always wanted to try it and saw they had chicken paprikash on the menu.  It was good -- not quite $25 good -- and interesting.  They do not have a rich, creamy paprikash; more of a spiced broth, and you get a let and a breast, basically.  It was good but different.  I also got a meat pie -- not bad but hard to cut with the phylo -- and some cabbage and noodles, done in the proper Eastern European way with crisp cabbage.  Lots of interesting and homemade bakery -- I should have picked some up -- but I wanted to see the inside of the church.  It is nice, not St. Stan's nice of course.  The artwork was interesting; the Bible stories I could tell, but as the writing is Cyrillic, I had no idea who the saints were or anything like that.  Funny; our parish has a handy, portable, 4-page guide to the art of the church.  They had a posterboard with less detail, and since it was the only guide they had, I picked it up and took it with me as I meandered about the place.  I could tell the docent types were a little put off by this, but as I was the only one and obviously reverent and curious, they let it slide.  Might go back, might not.  But, as I always say, the nice about our city is all the ethnic fests, so... Though, I was glad to make some nice healthy salmon for dinner.

The Folly of Certainty (oaktreecapital.com)
Interesting!

Escape From the Box - The American Prospect
This is messed up, and considering how many people buy cars in a year... well, again, this is something for a state to handle, and I would think someone could make a name for themselves by cracking down on -- even if imperfectly, and in fits and starts -- and eliminating these practices.  I know, crazy talk!

Eating Out

 Today  I started late but conquered one of the many tasks I want to complete before I host our upcoming family fest.  There is a chance my wheelchair-bound aunt will need to get up the steps, and it might be easier to get her up the back steps, so I figured I should clean off the back porch, as I have not used it for anything since I moved in.  It was not too bad, sort of; I had to clean off the mess -- moss, leaves, etc -- that was there and put that in the compost.  There was also stuff there -- some metal to be scrapped, an old wheelbarrow (not sure what to do with it), a large ladder that can only be stored there... anyways, all of that was moved and handled.   Then I got rid of the dirt and such on the concrete, or, as best as I could.  It does look bare and nice, and someone could get up it with a ramp.  It took a while but it does look good.  I do need to fix the driveway but also need to clean the house!  Hell, I still need to get the menu down and such.

To reward myself I went to that Bubbakoo Burrito place that opened a while ago on 82.  It was quite good; basically, it's a more complex Chipotle with more interesting burrito options.  I went with the Pineapple Express -- fried chicken, rice, pineapple.  Good, but the sauce was spicier than I expected and also liberally applied, so much so that the burrito fell apart at the end.  It was worth the $16 (with chips and drink) but I was quite full -- it affected me all day -- and my digestive system was... slightly but not terribly awry.  Anyways, I was in sort of a malaise the rest of the day.  Might be tired, too.

Yesterday I went to buy a new phone charger -- not even a year old and has to be replaced! -- and I walked by Mission BBQ and saw the shrimp dinner.  I thought that looked good and after my workout I walked over had that and a couple of sides.  It was good -- shrimp was spicy, sauce fine -- and the sides are good but I do not think it was $24 good.  They do have unlimited Diet Dew, and I am glad I tried it, but... anyways, I took some salmon out of the freezer tonight and will have some healthy dinners the next couple of days (at least).  I was tempted to hit the Greek Fest in North Royalton, or the Serb Fest -- and I still might tomorrow -- but there is something to be said for eating light.

How Lord of the Rings Shaped JD Vance’s Politics - POLITICO
I seem to recall these articles first around 9/11, when we were truly confronted with the good vs. evil paradigm, and they have never really gone away, especially on the right.  Nor am I surprised; we are the party of morals, values, and ethics, and I think in most cases we see things in this way.  And, of course, that is what these books are about; at most, the characters are trying to keep the evil and barbaric away, and that is what being a Republican (still) is...

A Grander, Not-So-Old Party?

 Let us reflect upon the irony of me --yet again -- not being able to sleep, even though I slightly tired.  I should, I guess, just lay in bed, but that won't really achieve anything, so...may as well blog, go through some articles and bookmarks, and be semi-productive, though I only did about half of what I wanted to do.  Alas.  Anyways, lots of changes in the air -- mostly good, I hope.

Odd -- the great internet outage this morning did affect me; we had all sorts of issues with not being able to access network drives (I saved some stuff locally phew) and while other things mostly worked, at times they did not and at times things were a bit slow.  But we survived.  Many of my coworkers are traveling to various shows, and all the flights... well, let's just say that there were disruptions there.  At least I had happy memories of the GOP convention and the prospect of a hopefully small bounce.  I see Senator Wifebeater has announced that Joe should go, and if that isn't a real body slam to his re-election hopes...  I mean, one would think he would have to go at some point, but maybe not, and if he doesn't think he has to... well, long may this continue.  I suspect the departure is being timed closer to the election, as it will be a bigger bounce, and less time for pesky questions.  Hopefully we can withstand it.

Mike Johnson Tempers Expectations About What a New GOP Majority Can Actually Achieve - NOTUS (Allbritton Journalism Institute)
At RNC, Mike Johnson goes from little-known backbencher to VIP (usatoday.com)
I highlight these because no one seemed to think much of the guy when he was voted in as Speaker, and here we are; he has survived the Liz Truss test, if you will, and if (a big one) we have a good year, he will be Speaker in the next term, with a hopefully larger majority.  I am not sure which traditionally GOP things he will do, though I am sure some will try, and with the Donald, you never know which may succeed.  I wonder if who and what he is has boosted his stock with the GOP conference -- a man of faith, an honest one, humble, liked by all types in the caucus -- all of these things might just help.

I Thought I Understood the GOP. I Was Wrong. (msn.com)
I guess I get a kick out of these things, as they are journalists, and aren't they supposed to be reporting on this and picking things up?  I mean, I think we know the answer here, but I just wish that one time someone would call them out about it.  Alas.

The Coronation

 Well, that was... interesting.  I do not think I ever would have imagined in my lifetime a GOP convention with Hulk Hogan, Kid Rock, and Dana White.  Actually, I thought they were pretty good; very rah-rah, slightly light on policy, but good on emotion and appealing to -- as the PBS commentariat aptly put it -- the less engaged voter.  For all the talk they gave about Trump 2.0 being Trump 1.0 (which I think is true) they seemed not to mention that Trump won in 2016 by running up the score among the less-engaged voters and breaking the blue wall -- and he will need to take one of MI, PA, and WI to win.  To be sure, I think he will win elsewhere if does that, but needs one of the big three.  Or, if he wins them, he is winning NV, AZ, and GA, and maybe MN, NH, and VA.  Running up the UFC vote and the blue-collar male vote might be the trick.

As for the Trump speech, it was (first, Eric's was sort of a downer; should have been shorter, too) long and rambly.  I am not sure we needed the blow-by-blow of the assassination attempt, and other tidbits could have been excised or compressed.  On the other hand, he is a funny guy; not sure if it is scripted, but it comes off as off-the-cuff, and while it is not exactly hilarious, it is there, if you will.  When he goes off script it can be quite problematic, but on the other hand, we all have these older relatives who are funny if a bit windy.  And, compared to Biden, at midnight was still going strong.  I suspect the Donald has plenty of long nights in him, if you get my drift, but if it works now...

Trump's VP Pick Won't Help Him Win Election | RealClearPolitics
Dare I say this is largely true?  Sort of like Trump's speech tonight, I am not sure it moves the needle, but it reminds everyone who he is, who he was, and what will he try to do again.  I have always said the 2020 election -- sans COVID -- was the 1996 one in reverse, where the Dems were running an old guy whose turn it was and the GOP a morally troubled guy who kept the economy humming.  Might there be that vibe now?

A new kind of Republican Party is forming at the RNC - POLITICO
Funny; we were live-texting (the Fun Run Bunch) during the RNC (I skipped tonight's fest to do some work and catch up on things) and one of the things we kept coming back to was the fact that the GOP is now (or rapidly becoming) a populist party, and by definition, the process is...messy?  People are driving it, not party insiders, and thus you get some interesting things, like a convention with Kid Rock.  But that's the point; people are messy; our lives are not scripted and polished.  This is the only way people can be heard.  I am not exactly embracing it but I will take it.

Team Biden Nukes Obama, Schumer, Pelosi: They Gave Us Trump in 2016! – HotAir
Snicker, snicker.

The Speech

 So, nite three of the RNC and the big feature was the national debut of JD Vance.  I think it was...good?  Started a bit slow, but improved as time went on.  He certainly stressed the Midwest -- have to crack that blue wall here -- and his hardscrabble beginnings, and I think hit the main points.  Certainly the speech got better as he went on, though it will be hard not to be accused of being an Ivy League lawyer elitist.  I think the anti-Trump screeds will be an asset -- if they can be explained (and not like the press will let him).  Will it move the needle?  I doubt it, but only because the matter is so settled as it is.  Alas.  Tomorrow of course is the big speech, and I wonder what he will exactly say...

‘One Handsome Son-of-a-Bitch’: How Donald Trump Fell for J.D. Vance - POLITICO
Interesting; hard to believe that we could have had Senator Mandel.  One can say, of course, that Vance is a shameless opportunist, but if Kamala Harris can impugn Joe Biden with a rape charge -- and demonstrate her feminist virtues by running as his veep -- that is hardly a mark against him.

Can a Medicaid plan that requires work succeed? First year of Georgia experiment is not promising | AP News
This could be me, but could not the issue be that the stick is not strong enough?  We do have a problem with labor force participation in this country, and some people will have to work to fill it (especially as we do not want more immigration, it would appear).  Yes, it is a pain to sign up, but in some ways it is not painful enough.  I guess, in my years of food pantry experience, I find it that many people are able to able to work, but choose not to, and until they are brought into the system... well, we have immense generational poverty, and the only way to stop it is to force it from happening again.

The Secret, Magical Life Of Lithium - NOEMA (noemamag.com)
interesting, particularly the case of the missing lithium in the universe...

I finally watched the two archived episodes of J! (Monday and Tuesday) and today's... I had no idea as to the "Performative" question, and some of the categories (opera, folk singers) were not exactly my powerhouses, and hence I had to hustle to get 42 each night.  It almost felt like I was watching the Masters Tournament once again.  Hard to believe in a few weeks they will be on winter break and my mental stimulation will come from elsewhere... though it does some flexibility to my schedule.

Conventioneering

 This could be me, but while I am glad PBS is airing most of the prime time RNC, if David Brooks is who counts as a "conservative" among the group...well, they should send everyone home and simply air the speakers and not the "journalists" covering them.  After Brooks -- who I guess is a moderate, there were Jonathan Capehart and Judy Woodruff, both of whom were...well, it was impossible to cover up their prejudices, if you will.  I suspect that the same level of snark and commentary will not be directed at the Dems when they have their convention.

I went to Giant Eagle -- not my first choice -- to buy peaches (still on sale) and while there I decided to buy a watermelon as well; they are cheaper at Marc's, but no point driving around creation to save a buck and a half (to say nothing of the carbon emissions).  Anyways, it is quite good, and, more to the point, you get a tremendous amount of fruit out of them; I think you can easily get 20 servings (if not more) out of it, which is quite the bargain.  Also, the rind and such can be taken to the compost pile -- I am trying to be more diligent in taking the stuff to the back so as to not further attract rodents -- one became a permanent resident last nite, with a mix of joy and ire for me.  Yes, I think I will buy another as soon as I can.  Summer is flying away -- July is half over, you know.

Back to the convention, it was quite good?  Haley was quite strong, and I think did a good job in trying to bring in the never Trumpers.  Rubio and DeSantis were quite good, and while I would love to hear Vance, Lara Trump was equally impressive.  I think there was a lot of red meat -- as the PBS crew suggested -- but with a focus on security...and, let's face it, that is a winning issue for us, so why not stress it.  That and the economy...normally, that would be enough, but with the infanticide issue, and the Never Trumpers almost as populous as the Never Senile crew...

Chuck Todd Spills the Beans About Biden: He's a Bad Man – HotAir
Now he tells us?  What a douchebag.

America’s New Catholic Priests: Young, Confident and Conservative - The New York Times (nytimes.com)
Is this a bad thing?  I am not sure that it is.  Or, put it this way... what has a generation -- or more -- of liberal priests gotten us?  The sex abuse scandal?  Empty pews?  Moral relativism?  I realize this will be somewhat unpleasant for some people, but Catholicism is about rules, discipline, morals; we're not Episcopalians, you know.  I think a new generation of priests (and in some ways I am sad that I am not a part of them) is exactly what we need.

The Man and the Hour

 I realize I am a JD Vance fan in the first place, but I think it was a very solid choice by President Awesome.  Or, the once and future President Awesome.  He is young, sharp, a populist, media savvy; hell, he was even able to turn his past statements opposed to Trump into positives.  Very impressive, very disciplined, and let us hope this lasts...  More seriously, I think it was a good pivot, and it does show solid sense of what he has said in the past... and what he is saying now. 

Had dinner with one of my best friends from high school today; we selected Brew Wall -- never been -- and there we bumped into another HS friend and his wife, and hence the twosome became a foursome.  It was good to double catch up, and even though I spent more time than I should have... well, it will be fine.  My friend is getting divorced, and while it is fairly amenable...it is still no fun.  I guess I am a Mike Pence conservative at heart.  Anyways, the concept is interesting; you get a wristband/sensor when you arrive, and you can scan the sensor to activate it... such as when you want a beverage.  You just scan it, the choice is recorded, and you can pour as much of what you want from the dispenser of choice.  Ditto for food -- which is brought out to you.  I had a mango IPA (not very mango) and a beet and arugula salad, which was decent.  I think I would try it again...

Started Dineen's Why Liberalism Failed today; about 35 in, and while it is interesting, I am not sold yet.  It is not that long, and I am still in the intro, but... I expected a bit more so far.

This weekend I watched "Helen Keller:  In Her Own Words," a documentary about her and starring her.  It was quite interesting, a mix of biography, advocacy, and a look at how she navigated her life -- with a lot of help, for one, but also...well, impressively.  She used a special typewriter and had a walking path but it seemed the rest of her life she adjusted quite well.  Very surprising, and.... #836.

Firsts

Yesterday I realized that I had forgotten that this weekend is the Italian Festival at Our Lady of Mount Carmel.  Oops.  Anyways, I should go, being that I attend an ethnic urban parish and should support the others.  So after Mass and gym, I hauled dupa to the near west side; had to park at 61st and Detroit because the streets were blocked.  Didn't realize they have a procession on Sunday and the festival starts later, so... oops.  I arrived at the end of Mass, but I realized that I had never been inside the place, so off I went.  Not very big.  Pretty, not St. Stan's pretty (of course), but nice.  The nuns were doing a post-Mass chorale, so it certainly added to the ambiance of the place, even if there was plenty of social hour after Mass.  Thankfully, they were serving dinner in the cafeteria, so I went (I was starved); linguine with clam sauce, quite good, and very few people were there, even better.

When I finally got home I just wasn't feeling well, and instead of powering through, I laid down and napped -- rare for me.  I slept about two hours, and while I didn't exactly feel refreshed, I felt better.   Then it was off to do some work and finish Frontier Rebels, an interesting read about colonists in 1760s Pennsylvania -- trying to carve out their own space on the frontier despite the efforts of Indians, the British government, and the colonial governor.  Not bad, and not long, which is good, as I am behind.

I was interrupted out of this by an email by one of my friends from the food pantry; they have a share of a horse that was racing tonight, and would I want to go?  I wasn't sure but decided to go, and I was glad I did.  Not only do I really enjoy going to the track, but their horse (in a trot race, of all things) came in second.  They were pleased, as it was competing against some strong horses, and, more to the point, they had a good ride; I mean, the horse ran as well as can be expected, and second is none too shabby.  Anyways, then they asked if I wanted to go and see the horse, and I said...sure.  Pretty cool, actually; literally a whole city back there -- stables, paddocks, track facilities, dorms for the crews, etc.  I never even what was back there.  Impressive.

Conservatives See a Conspiracy Around Joe Biden’s Stumbles - POLITICO
I am not sure I would call it a conspiracy, but...

Charitable giving continues to decline in the US. Is generosity dead? - Vox
My first thought, of course, is that people have less money (ahem, Bidenomics, Vox writer) to give away, so they don't.  Also, as they mentioned in the article, fewer people are going to church, so... I think a lot of charitable giving is done there and through there; I mean, if you think of the Catholic example, there are -- at first recall -- 40 charities to which you can donate money, and all are worthwhile.  But, if people don't go in the first place, they don't give, either.

Sacrifice

 Funny; I went to the bank to get some money for the weekend a couple of days ago, and today I had to go and get some more.  To be sure, with the exception of my trip to Swenson's Friday - and some pop today -- everything I spent was legit.  Money for church, gas, some cleaning supplies, stamps, a new garbage can, more mouse traps...all stuff I used.  Odd.  Also odd -- I slept in a bit and thus got a late start to the day, so I did not wake up and tackle the back porch.  After errands and gym, I came home, had a brief lunch, and pitched into the chores for the day -- not really cleaning my house, but cleaning out the two hall closets -- one with stuff, one with sheets and towels.  

The first was not too bad; just a lot of stuff thrown in there.  Some of it is stuff I don't need, like my old phones, vases, and other things.  Some I donated, some I pitched, and some I rearranged to make sure that I know it is there, say, when I clean the house for Xmas.  It does look a lot neater, and there is space for stuff.  The second one was... well, more involved.  I think I just piled crap there for years; there were sheets, bedding, pillowcases, towels, and garment bags all mixed up.  Much of it was on the floor, which was dirty, so I decided to wash everything.  That took a while, as you can tell.  But... again, it is neater in there, with much more space.  I didn't really pitch anything -- couple of old and torn towels and such -- but the fact that everything is folded neatly...well, I can find anything and everything.

I also finished the watching of the J! Masters Tournament; I will not miss the harder questions, but it was good to challenge myself.  There are four or five I miss because of the speed of the games; the contestants move quite rapidly and the three or four seconds one usually has... well, I can't pull the answer out of the miasma of my head.  Alas.

Incredible footage from the Trump rally today; it appears he was literally inches from death.  Tragic enough that people died, though, at least the Donald is unharmed and the shooter is down...permanently.  I think -- deservedly so -- that every GOPer needs to, of course, attack the Dems...if the shooter is a leftist or a similar ilk.  Much like the Scalise shooting, the left needs to be called to account for their actions... in the meantime, while I do not think this seals the election for him -- though the whole "the man is bleeding for his country" meme is a bit rich -- the timing, with the convention on Monday...well, it is quite fortuitous.

Working For the Weekend

Today was... better.  I didn't sleep very well -- or long -- last night, but for some reason I seemed to be a bit more alert.  I went to the office today -- one of four there -- and in some ways it was nice.  Quiet, time to burrow in and work on some projects, had a slightly lengthy and amusingly interesting meeting, and got some stuff done.  Yay!  I made some plans for tomorrow, stopped at the local Swenson's for the brunch burger and birthday cake shake, and did a bunch of errands -- groceries, cleaning supplies, new trash can, and several more glue traps.  I do want to do some cleaning tomorrow, like it or not; early trip to the gym, and then some work, hopefully.  We will see if I actually pull it off.

Finally finished book 21 today, about The Big Week -- our attempt in 1944 to destroy the Luftwaffe.  Interesting; basically, middle of the war, they realized it was not the bomber, but the fighter, that was more important -- so sending out the bombers to destroy Germany (while important) was simply to lure up the fighters to get them destroyed.  To be sure, we didn't do it, but Germany simply ran out of trained pilots, so the loss rates for them were... astronomically bad.  The old line about being a hell of a way to run a war seemed apt.

‘What You Are Doing in Milwaukee Might Actually End Up Saving the Entire Civilization’ - POLITICO
Interesting.  I think this is good?  I mean, one, I think the guy was correct in saying that at 23, you really don't know what you are doing.  And that's fine?  I mean, I would rather have someone young and interested and inexperienced trying to do something for the GOP.  More to the point, he is correct in that if you lose less in some places, it makes it easier to win everywhere else overall. I think there is something to be said that shaving margins in a Dem district by 5% may not be a lot, but... it's not nothing in a state like Wisconsin.  Hell, who knows where it may lead?  Parma is becoming a GOP stronghold; nothing I imagined in my lifetime!

‘It’s Like Being Liberated’: Republicans Bask in the Glow of a Democratic Meltdown - POLITICO
Yes, this is awesome, though, of course, I think the GOPers need to be on the offensive.  Ask the Dems -- and the press -- if they think Joe is competent.  Ask them if they saw the gaffes months or years ago, and why they kept quiet about them.  For all the talk about calling out Trump and his lies, we need to position the Dems in exactly the same way.  That goes even moreso for their enablers in the press.

Counties and states are ending single-family zoning. Homeowners are suing. (msn.com)
You know, I have a bit more sympathy for the homeowner here than I thought I would.  I think it comes from my experience of Slavic Village (and other neighborhoods); basically, these places were decent places for working class people to live, and between white flight, blockbusters, and the conversion of single-family homes into apartments... well, things went to shit.  There is no guarantee that this won't happen again, is there?  Especially if you are in a decent neighborhood and someone wants to put a bunch of Hope and Changers in there.  Of course, the fact that these people are all liberals...well, who can't laugh?

Here’s how a 1/4 percent sales tax can pay for new stadiums, airport and more for Northeast Ohio - cleveland.com
I made a comment to the PD here, namely that the population trends are away from Cuyahoga County and its high taxes and corrupt political leadership...so one, it's stupid for anyone to advocate this, and two, you would think it would be the opposite; that people from Cuyahoga County would -- or should --emulate what they are doing elsewhere.  Or, better yet, if we had some actual GOPers ibn this state, to force it upon them.

You Gonna Investigate That? | National Review
Exactly!

Collapse

Today was not exactly a banner day.  I had a dental appointment first thing to take off the temporary cap and replace it with the semi-permanent crown... and they couldn't get the cap off, the suspicion being that it was sealed with regular cement.  Sigh.  I suggested they leave it on, as it was permanently sealed, but we couldn't have that, so...they ended up putting some novocaine in me (not wanted!), cracking the thing, and then breaking it off.  I felt pieces parts when it exploded, and it was..  unsettling.  They did get it on, and back to work in good time, but... I was feeling something -- stress, the meds -- all day.  Also they found two small cavities in front, so next month I go back for those.  Unless I pull the plug and go elsewhere.

Then it was home and work; I was doing some modeling and such, and I think I discovered more ways not to do things than to do so.  This is not necessarily bad, as no one has tried it, and I have to organize the data, etc., but it was still not fun.  And not helped from the stressful morning.  One bit of happy news; we have been keeping our spending at the food pantry (on food) down, and the allocated orders we have been getting (due to high counts) have been up, so we have not spend any extra money on food.  This is good, though we will need to spend it eventually.  Yes, come holiday costs and counts will both be up, and this accounting legerdemain will go away, but it was unsettling -- and pleasing -- to not discover mystery invoices.

Not only did I just blow the final on tonight's J!, but it was not exactly a banner night for categories.  Nor was it one on the Masters episodes I watched, lots of pop culture and low scores... though I did get the finals, so I am only sort of dumb....

...like the President.  I watched the presser, and, again, it was as good as it could be for the guy, which was... good enough to quiet some of the crowd but not enough for all of them.  He was at times forceful and intelligent, other times not, like Vice President Trump and President Putin.  That would be amusing were it... not.

Defense by Offense

My sister and I did indeed do our dinner for Burger Week, and we hit Twisted Taino in Parma Heights, and it was... quite good.  Mine was spicy but not hot, and it was a fairly good sized burger -- borderline worth it, if you will.  My sister liked hers as well.  Odd, though; they stopped selling burgers about seven, said they ran out.  Michelle was going to get one for the b-i-l, and when I went up -- after the line emptied out -- they said they were out.  Odd; I guess I would have just ordered something else, but people really wanted an $8 burger.  We did have much to discuss, mainly how the world is leaving people like me behind...but I am proud of this!

I went to buy bananas at 29 cents a pound at Giant Eagle this morning, and while I was the youngest one there, I was surprised there were not more people there.  I am not sure what that portends, but... I have several days of bananas, which is fine, given I have a dental visit tomorrow -- (semi) permanent crown goes on, so something soft will be nice.  In my hurry to get home for J! -- I forgot to Tivo it -- I didn't stop for soup on the way home.  I was also going to get more glue traps, as there is a permanent visitor in my garage. This pleases me immensely and I will definitely be reinforcing my big, beautiful wall of glue traps.

Why boys don't read very much: They want manly courage -- not teen angst (joannejacobs.com)
Dare I say this is exactly right?  I mean, I love to read, but I mainly read -- then and now -- stuff like war and military history.  Indeed, I would say that my expansion into other subjects came only because I had read my fill (if you will) of the battles and I wanted to know what else was going on.  Some of this is of course teachers, but some of it is parents not standing up to them.  I wonder, given the move away from public schools, if more parents threatened to walk away -- and take the money with them -- would that help?

Rural Republicans Pushing Back Against School Voucher Expansions — ProPublica
Then there is this...and I think they are right?  I mean, I think school vouchers should be expanded, but as they are going to existing students, and it is not means tested... this is not wise.  The point is true that if we have a downturn, we will spend less on them?  Or, don't we need to make sure that these schools are actually educating our kids?  Putting Humpty Dumpty together again might be difficult.

Why a New Conservative Brain Trust Is Resettling Across America - The New York Times (nytimes.com)
This may be new in America, but as any student of Christianity (reinforced by recent reading) knows, going far from madding crowd is...well, present since day one -- did not Christ spend 40 days in the desert?  More to the point, is that bad?  If people go and create these desirable communities, others will join them.  Maybe.  The issue, of course, is that these newcomers may or may not embrace their values -- good to see that some of these places are making their own HOAs -- and if they do not we are back to where we started.  

Duped On Biden's Decline? You're Too Dumb To Be A Journalist (thefederalist.com)
I don't doubt that journalists are stupid, but shouldn't every GOPer be asking them about this?  It shouldn't be that hard to find journalists saying Biden is fine from some recent vintage and ask them what happened?  To be sure, after about six weeks of this, no GOPer will be on any network other than Fox News, but that is not exactly a bad thing, and in an election year, anything attacking the media is good PR...

Persistence

Funny; I was dragging somewhat today, and of course, now, late at night.... I am not exactly tired.  One thing that may have invigorated me was that I went pants-shopping today; the ones I bought were a bit too big, and as it turned out, I needed pants that are not one but two waist sizes smaller.  I would like to think that it is hard work, proper exercise and diet, and maybe it is, but more than maybe I am just getting old and decrepit.  Alas.

So, Joe is not getting out of the race, and while I don't think exactly think he has assuaged his critics, it does seem that this commitment to staying in means that... well, the circular firing squad will be firing less.   To be sure, if no one else wants to try and knock him off -- if you aim to kill the king you best not miss, in the words of Omar Little -- there is really nothing to do otherwise.  On the other hand, all of this sniping will only help the GOP.  Hell, even Nikki Haley released her delegates today, not that this was unexpected; I mean, the party has really coalesced around him, like it or not.  Again, I am not exactly a huge fan of the guy, but he did win the primary, and, more importantly, he seems -- and always has -- more competent (and able to last four more years) than Biden.  As he says, compare me to the alternative, not the Almighty (with whom Joe seems to think he has regular discussions with).

Managed to cross another banked episode of the J! Masters Tournament today; I think a couple were lost during one of the all-too-frequent (but hopefully passed) failures of recording on the cable box.  Alas.  In the meantime, I had to hustle to get 40 again, to say nothing of the fact that I get but half of the Final J!.  Switching to the regular show makes me feel smarter, but only just so.  I also managed to clear out some links and emails -- and sent out an updated Conference list -- so I feel marginally better.  Not much reading was done, and the first of the books I ordered from Amazon arrived, so... this weekend I may have to carve out some book time.

New Disciplines

 First time in a while I did a gym double -- chest in the AM, legs in the afternoon.  Not a full one for both -- my blood sugar was suspiciously low this morning so no cardio -- but it was good to be back in the saddle again, if you will.  I mean, I got some reading done, got some exercise in, even did some more walking tonight (and I am still hauling stuff to the compost pile in the pack).  I weighed in at 185 pounds this morning, and I think I can get to 180 with some work, moreso if I eschew Cleveland Burger Week; my sister and I were thinking of going somewhere in honor of Mom, as burgers were one of the few foods she did eat.  Of course, picking a place, day, and time is... well, as Napoleon said, the union of two armies at the same place and time is the most rare of accomplishments (or something similar).  Alas.

I listened to the Trump interview on Hannity tonight.  Interesting and dare I say somewhat disciplined?  I mean, he did say some odd things but I think he was mainly on point.  Trump will never be polished and mechanistic, if you will, but this discipline...well, it reminded me of the end of the 2016 campaign, when Conway had him talking jobs, jobs, jobs, in the rural areas; one could argue it got him the election.  Will it continue?  I wonder...I hope so, but...

Trump and his allies move to bury Biden - POLITICO
I think this is...about time?  Overdue?  I think a lot of GOPers were wondering when and how he would strike; the interview today might be part of this new approach.  Biden is a walking gaffe machine so there should be plentiful ads, at the very least.

Ben Shapiro, the Right’s Millennial Moses, Builds Empire in Wilderness | RealClearPolitics
Dare I say he is the next Rush?  I guess you could say that Rush was the next Buckley, but with the more recent media invention (radio and TV), and Shapiro is doing podcasts, youtube, etc.  The funny thing now is that you can really monetize this content, so being the first mover...plus, he is good at it!

Why Are There So Few Conservative Professors? (chronicle.com)
Interesting read...I think the idea that as profs move left -- moreso! -- it just becomes too much to hire a conservative is the right one.  One factor no one seems to want to try is to force schools to hire conservatives.  Most states -- those run by the GOP -- have funding mechanisms that stem from the government, and you would think -- as both a stick and a GOP concept -- that threats (or better yet, actually) to cut funding should be in the toolbox.  I wonder why in Ohio we don't do it, but of course we tend not to exhibit actual Republican behavior.  But there are states where we have control is there, and...we don't.  Odd.

Progress of a Sort

My tentative plan to do some house-cleaning was foiled by life; first, my sister joined me for Mass today, which was fine, but then we went out to breakfast and caught up on life while bsing... which took time.  Then it was off to the OC to drop off the crap from the closet and take a load of canned goods from church (they pile up so I bring a cloth bag).  I also sprayed for critters -- I crushed only one but we are NOT taking any chances!  Also took time.  Then it was off to a quick gym trip and then home briefly to change... as I was meeting some college friends at a Lebanese festival in Parma.  One ran late so we had more time to catch up -- life is good and we were amused by the minor health issues we have and our lives in various middle-management charitable roles.  The food was fine; I think I will never be a fan, but it was good enough, though the ratio of rice to lamb was a bit excessive (this is a continuation of a theme, I guess).

Then home to do some contract work, reading, a spot of paperwork, and the usual Sunday things... I also -- both today and yesterday -- watching an archived episode of the J! Masters Tournament (four games total). I have to hustle to hit 40 -- the Holmes category in one of the games was a lifesaver -- and I know the questions are harder, but it seems too often that I cannot as quickly recover the answers.  Maybe I need to take Prevagen or something... I do not like this less than pristine total recall, but I do not think that it is going away...

‘Every Democrat Needs to Do Soul-Searching’: Biden’s House Allies Are Stressed About His Future - NOTUS (Allbritton Journalism Institute)
Democrats have souls?  Who knew?  Hell, some of them will deny their existence!

‘We’ve all enabled the situation’: Dems turn on Biden’s inner sanctum post debate - POLITICO
I rather like that this circular firing squad in continuing, but I do wonder if and when it will end.  I mean, I think if he wants to stay -- and his small inner circle -- thinks he can win, he will do so, no matter what the polls say.  The slow drip of Dems against his continuing is still that, though the rumblings are... under the current, if you will.  That said, shouldn't Trump be hiring -- or sitting down for an AMA interview -- the radio host in Philly who was fired for spilling the beans on the pre-submitted questions?  I would think that this would be a minor PR coup...

 The Broker Who Saved America - The Reformed Broker
I know who this person is, and I remembered him, but I bet many do not, so... I am doing my fair share!

A Sense of Achievement

Today I have sort of done things!  Slept in a bit -- probably should not have -- and after a quick stop to Meijer for more corn and watermelon, it was off to the gym for a solid workout.  Then I came home and undertook a couple of things I should have done long ago.  First, I cleaned out the living room closet -- it looked slovenly.  I didn't realize I own six pairs of gloves and four scarves!  About half of the stuff were things left behind by Aaron, and a big third were random things from Freedonia, so I packed those into the car for donation at the OC tomorrow.  The other half were things like afghans that I should clean or move. Anyways, I swept and swiffered, dusted, and put things back.  It just looks neater, and there is space for more stuff. Not saying it was a huge project -- and I am eyeing the hall closet for similar treatment -- but that and moving crap out of the living room is nice.  Then I cleaned the interior of the car; windexed the windows and wiped down the dusty interiors.  Again, not long but it just looks neater; I should take it for a wash and detailing, but baby steps.

I think tonight I will watch a movie or something saved on the Tivo and put out the OC half-year budget, which would be something good to do -- fiduciary responsibility, as we so often say.  I mean, it should just be done, and.... well, I am being lazy.  I should do some contract work, but that might be passed to tomorrow.  I think I may have an early dinner and then take a nice long walk, just to get some exercise; I weighed in at 184 pounds and I think we can do better!

It Was the Last Slave Ship to Reach the U.S. Or Was It a Hoax? - WSJ
Interesting; I always thought the Wanderer was, and then I heard about this one, but... how on earth do you prove this now?  I mean, even if it is true (and it could be!), we have the "Liberty Valance" problem of printing the legend and not the facts.  Of course, part of history is getting it right no matter what, so...

The Conspiracy of Silence to Protect Joe Biden (nymag.com)
I made a comment on Facebook that if this is true -- and it probably is -- this is as much a Constitutional crisis as the January 6 riots were, and should be treated -- and punished -- as such.  I think we all know of course that this will NOT happen, but nothing would make me happier if Speaker Johnson or Majority Leader Cormyn would insist upon this.  Or, better yet, the GOPers in the House and Senate going nuclear and stopping all business until it is done.  Course, having a majority in both houses...

Faculty, program cuts recommended at Cleveland State (signalcleveland.org)
I bookmarked this a few days ago, and as part of this day of achievement, I decided to crack open the PDF.  Quite interesting stuff.  Random thoughts, aside from the obvious one of "Who the hell is running the place that they are losing so much money?"

• Cutting the number of courses offered from 350-400 to half that would be... wise.  Quite frankly -- and I know this sort of gets away from the point of exposure to education -- but given the CSU student (generally non-traditional in one way or another) wouldn't it be more beneficial to pack in in-major courses at the expense of the pre-requisites?
• I assume cutting DEI types are a non-starter, but I would like it if someone in Columbus began stressing this.  Better yet, INSIST that the savings should be used to hire tenure-track faculty positions; what better way to attract students than to ensure that more of them will be taught by actual professors?!
• Athletics seems to be a giant black hole of money, even excluding the Convocation Center.  Sad, because I have been to a few home games (obviously need to go to more!) and it is a good deal (obviously too good).  That said... one obvious way to fix the gap is to schedule teams that are tougher but will pay you; I realize it sucks to be pasted by 2 or 3 power-conference schools, but it would help the budget, and you might win one...
• The stuff about partnerships with other schools and community colleges was spot on; I wonder if the issue is just that no one thought it was important, and, of course, taking classes at community college means you are not taking them at CSU, and you "lose" money.  Of course, getting more students -- especially non-traditional ones -- through the doors would bring in revenues over the long term.
• Also, why one Earth does one find such analysis on Signal Cleveland?  Shouldn't it be on cleveland.com?  Maybe it was but if it was paywalled...

I am about 3/4 of the way through Valley Forge -- indeed, winter is just ending.  I still thinking starting the book on the 4th was particularly inspired.  Anyways... I guess my main takeaway is that Washington probably should have fought more battles in 1777, before or after the fall of Philadelphia.  I realize there were logistical issues involved, but it did seem the army wanted to fight, Howe was very cautious (opportunities there), and, quite honestly, losing men in combat would have meant fewer mouths to feed.  The scandalous nature of how the army was provisioned (poorly if at all) is mind-blowing and angering even today; it's a wonder we had any army after any winter!  

Also, and this thought came to me last night, is that the Confederacy pretty much did the same thing as the Continental Congress did to fund the way, with exactly the same consequences -- runaway inflation, poor supplies, and armies that had just enough -- but not more -- to fight.  I realize that in both cases they really didn't have any alternatives, and just figured that after the way they would "fix" it later.  But... the Revolution was in some ways a living memory for the Civil War generation; the fighters were gone but not long, and plenty of people knew/heard some old-timer who was there.  Certainly, the political leaders were aware of the writings and issues faced by the Continental Congress... but I really don't seem to recall anyone saying "Gee, this didn't work last time, why try it now?" Odd.

Looking Alive

Didn't blog yesterday, though I could have... I was hanging with some friends, went to visit some others, and my friend and his gf had a fight and went their separate ways, so not only did I waste time... I left a fun time to see the detritus of a train wreck.  Plus, I was in post-fireworks traffic on the way home, which was... not fun.  Alas.  Alack.  I was just frustrated and went to bed, as I had work today.  Anyways, one thing I did do yesterday was head out to Brunswick to meet and dine at the Cousins Maine Lobster food truck.  I went with the cold lobster roll sandwich and some tater tots.  It was good -- very moist, just right on flavor -- but it was a bit pricey; I would have liked more lobster and fewer tater tots.  Would I try it again?  I think so.

Dare I say that I thought Joe did a pretty good job tonight?  Or, better yet, he did as good of a job that he possibly could do, given his...limitations.  He seemed fairly alert, answered (mostly) all of the questions George threw at him, and I think answered forcefully why he was running.  On the other hand...he wasn't that good, and he certainly seemed out of it when he was dismissing the polls and the voices among the Dems questioning his candidacy.  That didn't sound good when I heard it and it has not aged any better.  Dare I also say that George Stephanopoulos was decent?  For a while I thought he wasn't some liberal hack -- though he certainly could have questioned Joe harder about his lies and truth-stretching.

‘Stuck’: Housing market malaise may last for years - POLITICO
This could be me, but... one way for Biden to get a hold of the race would be to call for the lowering of rates?  Powell was a Trump appointee, if I recall, so... what would be the harm?  At the very least, the jawboning would create a few nice soundbites, right?

How To Solve Our Obesity Crisis | Opinion (msn.com)
This is quite good, and quite true, though I do not think anyone will have the stones to do so... but the point is true that we cannot go on spending all of this on healthcare without looking at what is driving up the costs.

South Carolina senators defended abortion and lost their jobs (msn.com)
I found this amusing; one, because they got an award for their actions -- which would to me be an indictment of why they should not have trumpeted this as a Republican.  Second... this could be me, but what did these women have to complain about?  Hell, the article even suggests that GOP women disagreed with them and that spurred them to vote these women out.  Pissing off your base is never exactly a wise electoral policy...

They Lied to You | Opinion (msn.com)
Quite right, and they should be punished, but I think we all know there will not be, nor any of the usual navel-gazing in the aftermath of a disaster.  Again, this is where GOPers who deal with these people should bring this up at every opportunity.

Justice Amy Coney Barrett is charting her own path on the bench (msn.com)
Interesting...

Transitions

Today was slightly better; did some minor projects early, moved some stuff around -- some work product of mine should be shared, I decided -- updated some files, and then in the afternoon I got some new and updated (albeit shifted) project guidance.  This was good (mostly); in some ways it is odd how stuff can shift; not something that was done in the TFG world, and I would be handling two large projects at once. But tomorrow I am off -- hope to rest and keep checking up on stuff -- and then Friday we start anew.  It was also good to watch J! again -- missed the last two days (didn't think I would need to Tivo and will not make that mistake again).

Inside the GOP Effort to Make Sure Biden Is the Democratic Nominee - NOTUS (Allbritton Journalism Institute)
Ummm....yeah?  I mean, whether or not you think Harris is a better candidate than Biden (not sure but possibly; at the very least, everyone might rally around her flag), the best scenario -- especially if he has more gaffes or looks foolish -- is to keep him around.  At the very least, getting him off the ballot should be a time-consuming and annoying affair.  I think some campaigns are won on the margins, and paying lawyers to adjudicate these petty disputes are dollars not spent on advertising in close states.

I saw Antonio's in Parmatown closed, which is... sad.  They were always hiring, but had been there forever, it appears; I remember eating there when I was a kid, and I am glad my sister and I went last year, as it was pretty good.  Of course, the restaurant industry -- especially a mid-to-upper-range place like Antonio's -- will be especially hard-pressed in the current climate, so I cannot fault them for closing shop, but it is still sad.  Equally of course... if people like me went there more often, they might still be open.

Can the Museum Survive? | The New Republic
Interesting; I hadn't exactly thought of the rivers of blood that many of the artworks that were expropriated (if you will) were drenched in; certainly slavery and war was/is endemic to Africa, even now.  Those claims, of course, are disregarded, as are the ideas that the artworks are safer in their current homes.  I wish for once someone would tell these people to pound salt, but...

More Linx

 Today was somewhat better than yesterday; certainly not as long, as I left work at 5:30, went to a youth baseball game (I think I am the jinx there; the team is 0-2 when I show up, so I may need to follow from afar) then the library, then home.  Rah.  Then it was some good old paperwork, files, grants, etc.  Very exciting.  Almost as exciting as the circular firing squad going on among the Democrats.  All I can say is that it goes on for a very long time.  I think he should not go, as it makes Trump's route to victory easier, but of course, if he does depart, people can -- and should -- ask why it took so long, and why they have been lying for so long.  The answer, of course, is that they are Democrats...  now, again, every GOPer who goes on every media should be asking them why they have been hiding the obvious for so long; I don't think they will answer, of course, but if they do, it will be funny as all hell. 

RFK Jr.’s Family Doesn’t Want Him to Run. Even They May Not Know His Darkest Secrets. | Vanity Fair
I got a kick out of this, mainly because they are Kennedys, and what on earth could they possibly be ashamed of anymore?  I mean, this guy is a rapist, drug addict, serial adulterer, peddler of fake science that actually got people killed...and it's Vanity Fair that breaks the story?  Fascinating.

Biden’s Lapses Are Said to Be Increasingly Common and Worrisome - The New York Times (nytimes.com)
One can tell the NYT is serious about this one, as I was able to get through the paywall to read it.  Again, whether or not he goes, people need to be asking Dems -- and the press -- why this went on for so long.  Someone -- Vance or Rubio comes to mind, or DeSantis -- needs to go on the attack and lay into someone for it.

Paprocki: ‘Sunset’ CCHD, campaign for Catholic schools (pillarcatholic.com)
Interesting; I mean, in some states (ahem, Illinois) there are not school vouchers and the other programs that shovel money to religious schools.  But I would think in most we are giving them money hand over foot, so this seems a little curious, unless of course these funds are to go to schools which are actually Catholic, in which case they can be a bit more selective.

Links

 Today was a long and meh day, for a bunch of reasons, so...at least I finished my steak -- quite good, and I will properly thaw one next time -- and did some shopping at Meijer, where watermelon is $2.99 each, and corn is 8 for a buck.  Plenty of compost, at the very least, and some cheap eats!  If I ever have time, I will be able to enjoy them.  Anyways, let's look at some links...

Young Men Are Swinging Hard Right in Korea. It Could Be a Preview for America. - POLITICO
I think I have often stated that if one political party is going to go out of its way to attract females, then in turn most males will -- over time -- drift to the other political party, simply because it represents their needs and beliefs.  The fact that it is happening in South Korea means that it can happen here.  One thing I find fascinating is that all of the debate is about how men have to change.  Don't women have an equal part here?  Indeed, as a feminist, I am appalled that women are not being held to an equal standard...

Read the Supreme Court's opinion in the Trump immunity case - POLITICO
Is this me, or did Roberts do one of his masterful dodges again?  Namely, the President has some immunity, but only in some cases and not in others.  Plus, the case was referred back to the trial judge, which, to me, was the dodge; I see nothing that says the trial judge cannot say that all of Trump's actions are not privileged, and let the trials begin.  Yes, it would be more appeals, but... the case would be largely intact.

Francis Turner on Substack: "This would be genius. I hope someone in the Trump camp reads it and acts on it. It just needs to be made at the right time, which isn't now but it closer to the second debate, as in after the Dem convention where they may or may not select Biden as candidate"
This is indeed hilarious, and for all of the Dems who do not want to see another debate...brilliant.