Mattie returns

As many of you noted, I haven't posted for three days...for the simple reason that I was in Sacramento for work -- the research teams have an annual meeting and I was hired with just enough time to make it.  And it was...good.  Sacramento is an interesting town.  Our hotel was right downtown, so it was quite swanky, with a political theme (the Dem coasters were a souvenir), which was cool, but around the area...well, they have not re-developed their downtown like we have.  Lots of homeless people everywhere, and while we were told to walk in groups, etc., I went out alone about 11 and had no trouble.  They took over Cesar Chavez park -- their possessions ruined the local statuary -- and it was not goof.  My hotel was by the Cathedral of the Blessed Sacrament (it took me a while to figure that one out) and it was beautiful in there, but they keep all of the doors locked, save for a concealed entrance...it was a little off-putting.  Also, one of the bars we went to after had a mermaid show over the bar, which, all I can say is, impressive.  As for the work stuff, it was good.  My coworkers are good people, I learned a lot, and I have a bunch of notes and ideas for the future.

The flights do take a lot out of me; I do not like to fly, and I am better at it, but not good, and the flight yesterday arrived home at 11 at night, so...by the time I went to bed it was 1, and I woke up for a full day of work... I was fine with some coffee, but I will definitely be sleeping in Saturday.  No OC duty, and while I may make jokes about people coming in and giving out food...well, let's just say that I will not be one of them.

US national debt: Why and how it should be fixed | Vox
This is amusing, given that it is Vox and they are the people who wanted us to spend the money in the first place.  Also, many of the programs that they view as untouchable -- Social Security, Medicaid, Medicare -- are the ones who are causing the problems.  Similarly, you really can't say that curbing health spending by fixing paperwork is a solution; the fact of the matter is is that we are unhealthy, and until that is fixed...