Follies

I am ashamed to say that my plan to finally watch the last J! episode and do all of the follow-up stuff from yesterday's meeting was not done; after gym and chores after work, plowing through some other action items, and a 30-minute call with a friend having some tough times...well, here we are.  I guess I can do it tomorrow, as there is nothing to do, though there is something to be said for middle age that a big Friday night for me now is catching up on administrative stuff.  Sigh and alas.

The Other Big SNAP Cuts States Are Facing
This could be me, but 1) It is true that we are spending too much as it is; 2) We shouldn't have been spending the money anyways; and 3) From what I have read, the states are doing a poor job of running the programs as it is, and forcing them to spend their own money might (ha!) solve that.

Looking at all of the tariff news...well, I hope that POTUS knows what he is doing.  To be sure, I suspect that these moves are yet another round of high-stakes brinkmanship, as in many cases, they need us more than we need them -- and I think the markets are factoring that in.  I know many call it TACO, but I think most of us realize that is simply how he negotiates, as roller-coaster as it may be.  Certainly, the flurry of deals (incomplete as they are) helped the markets last week.

I got around to listening to the Fed presser, and I literally spewed my coffee when Powell said that the best thing he could do for the housing market was to keep rates steady.  What?  It's his high rates that are a big cause of the issue -- both on the supply side (people don't want to buy at these rates, and do not, and builders slow down their activities) and on the demand side (if rates were lower, more people would sell, as there would be less worry about giving up a low-rate mortgage).  One would think some GOPers would be on the warpath and start talking about reducing the role of the Fed in things, and I think they would be completely justified in doing so.

Linx

Big day today -- of course, they all are, at my age.  More seriously, we had our quarterly District Presidents meeting today for SVDP, and there was much to discuss and go over.  We made some changes to pick up the pace -- lots of pre-reading (or post-reading, as some of the stuff wasn't posted til mid-morning).  The big thing was our Master Plan, which is good but aggressive, if you will.  I have a committee assignment, which is also good but aggressive, as I have to come up with some ideas soon.  Funny; I was able to do so during the meeting, and I thought of a few while on the exercise bike today.  I need to figure out how viable they are, but getting them on paper and letting someone else tell me that isn't the worst idea in the world.  In the meantime, I should get to the many piles of follow-up questions, emails, comments, and other action items.  By which I mean tonight, but... it might not be, as it is late and I should try to get some sleep every once in a while.

VOCES | Slumlord Millionaire | Season 2024 | Episode 5 | Ideastream
This was interesting in a lot of ways.  One of them being that if NYC is the most expensive city in America... shouldn't someone by now figure out why that is and then make it less expensive?  It seems like most of the things suggested are the opposite.  Hell, even rent control -- and rent rollbacks -- just push costs on to someone else.  I got a kick at the end -- a 3% rent increase in a time of massive (and Democrat-caused) inflation seems pretty reasonable to me.

Democrats Turned Their Backs on Men and Men Returned the Favor – HotAir
I guess this is not surprising, and this is good, but...as we know, men, especially young ones, are not exactly the most consistent of voters, so getting them to the polls is going to be the next challenge.

Covid Lockdowns Devastated an Entire Generation of Children ⋆ Brownstone Institute
GOPers should be harping on this every day, in every ad, in every presser and interview.  Especially in Ohio, where Amy Acton -- if the Dem nominee -- has to answer for what she did during COVID.  It certainly isn't going to come from the press, so we have to do it.  Will we?  You know what I say...

Do Republicans Have a Decent Shot at Defying History in the Midterms?
I would say no -- machinations and redistricting notwithstanding -- but they do have a point -- the Dems are pretty unpopular.  Trump has some wins -- BBB, trade, immigration, but again, he is not going to get any help in the press.  Though, again, we in the GOP need to be calling them out about it.

Mehness

Good but long day yesterday -- Mass, gym, a swing by my sister's to drop off my brother-in-law's bday gift, and then home for a bit.  A brief lunch, and then it was off to pick up my aunt (in Macedonia) and take her (and myself) to a retirement party (in Brunswick) for some friends of ours from the Little Brown Jug (which is less than two months away). Oi.  But, family is family, and it was fine -- she had questions about her neighbor, who seems to pull shenanigans to get food from local food pantries, and I was like "hold my beer."  Anyways, the party was a good bit of fun -- good grub, music a bit loud, plenty of chatter about stuff -- and it was a long (and somewhat hot) day.  I think that is why I didn't post yesterday, as I just crashed a bit after eleven.  I actually went to bed instead of collapsing on the floor.

Today was...long.  Lots of work, lots of meetings, and a dual list of projects that had to be done.  I think we will finish the one big one tomorrow, and then it will be back to my usual to-do-list.  I have billed an impressive list of hours, but as I am salaried, it is not that impressive.  But it is important...I think yesterday's semi-lack of moisture affected me today, as I was a little draggy.  One thing that brought me to my senses was at 12:13 today, when the power conked out... and I had our weekly staff meeting at 12:15.  Oi.  I was able to join on the mobile, but... I do not like such excitement.  At least we survived the storms this evening.  And now we catch up on what we needed to do...

You're Cordially Invited to Our Dry Wedding. Hope You Have Fun? - WSJ
This is amusing.  I mean, I don't really drink, and I wouldn't think of having a dry wedding, even if the day is about me and my wife (who, if she will be marrying me, will need to imbibe).  But, I can see why guests would be displeased by this.  Course, the way to show your displeasure is to stiff them on the gift...

Where Did All the Las Vegas Tippers Go? - WSJ
Dare I say it is a combination of 1) People are going to Vegas less as part of the economic retrenchment; and 2) Vegas is an incredibly expensive town, so much that people are spending less when they are there... including tips.  I have to admit I skimped on meals and such when I was there, and I could expense everything.  (I have principles, few as they are!)  It is a union town, but I suspect that many people and many companies have just had enough...

Tempus Fugit

Interesting day.  Friday was long -- lots of work, then off to Aldi and the dollar store for some stuff.  Then I watched 3 of the 4 J! episodes I have saved on Tivo.  One more to go, and I think it is the end of the season, so six weeks of reruns.  This does allow me some freedom in scheduling, even if I will miss it.  Hard to believe July is almost over, and so is summer...time does fly.  I also finished the book I was working on -- a history of the Cold Harbor battle/campaign, which, to be honest, was as poorly handled by Grant (and Meade) as anything in the Civil War.  One thing that fascinates me is that both Grant and Lee felt that their opponent was fought out and needed one more push to collapse.  To be sure, if Grant had won at Cold Harbor, he might have ended the war.  But, it should have been obvious that such an assault would not have succeeded...

Today was OC duty, and not too bad.  The crowd was 133.  We had just enough stuff -- produce, meat, and canned goods -- to empty the place (as we should).  The clients were mostly nice (or, the pains were few).  The only issue was that they were dawdling in the clothing room, and I had to assist in getting them to take everything down.  I know I am a real close-at-12 type, but... anyways, next month I will be one of the co-managers and I will do my best to close promptly... 

Then gym and home!  Caught up on some work, did some reading, and organized some stuff.  I am slightly ashamed to say that I nodded off, which is why I am blogging now.  I should have done the end-of-month paperwork, but tomorrow is another day.

In 'Overbuilt,' a Case to Reverse the US Highway-Building Machine - Bloomberg
Interesting.  Not sure I agree with it in entirety; I think there is something to be said for having too many highways, but we rather like our cars, and I would note that there has never been a successful mass transit project (or system) in this country; all of them require massive subsidies and of course the people who use it the least pay for it the most.  In a state like Ohio, this shouldn't be a problem -- the state could pass laws mandating that people actually pay for it, but that would be a Republican thing to do, and why would we want that?

Troubles

Another late night of sorts... long day of work, hit the gym late, and thus here we are... not that it was a bad day -- bit frustrating at times, of course, but nothing that a good workout and a $5.99 Jimmy John's sub (I do not really deserve it, but) could not cure.  Odd thing -- this morning I did some grocery shopping (have to get to Acme early or not at all) and I forgot milk at both stores... I am out, which is bad, because I drink it -- both in the coffee and for breakfast.  I felt like a complete idiot, I can assure you.

I have to admit, the ongoing Epstein saga still amuses me, because -- like so many other Trump issues -- it is a scandal entirely of his own creation, and the type of thing that he could have avoided early had he released the files.  Yes, he is in them, but that could have been explained away... I think it is true that it is a problem, given that the man has had a string of successes, yet it is all obfuscated by this, and hell, it is the people on his team who want him to talk and release this.

‘That’ll Be Up To Them’: After Passing SNAP Cuts, Republicans Look to Their States to Handle the Rest
This still blows my mind; first, the error rate should be zero, or as close to it as possible.  Second, of course states don't want to cut this, but the GOP should be on them to improve this.  Hell, no one has lost their jobs because of this?  I think this is why people like me in the GOP believe government bureaucrats are worthless in their jobs and deserve pinks slips... and they are right in this case.

Greg Gutfeld Reaches His Breaking Point With Co-Host, Encapsulates GOP Anger Over Russia Collusion Hoax – RedState
Exactly and 110% correct.  Not only do we need to call more Dems in, we need to call in ALL the reporters and even people like George Clooney... I think this is something where we can bring the pain, and we definitely should...

I don't want to say the death of Hulk Hogan saddened me, but he was certainly a cultural icon of the 80s and my childhood, and while I was not a wrestling fan -- thinking it both dumb and fake -- he was certainly recognizable, and I know plenty of people who loved him and WWE in general.  Rest in peace!

We Survive

In some ways, I am just over it.  I mean, it is the little things that have annoyed me lately.  For instance, I started a new CGM yesterday and lo and behold, after a couple of hours, the error messages on it were replaced by a permanent sensor failure -- in other words, take it out and put the replacement (which you should have) in, and call them so they can send a kit to return it... the issue, of course, is that you have to tear out the old one, make sure there is no scar on either arm (sometimes there is) and then find another spot for the CGM.   If you don't have one... you have to go without a half-day, clean the hell out of the upper arms, and try again.  Oi.  

Also, the HVAC tech came today... his diagnosis was that eventually I will need a new AC and furnace, but right now he just replenished the coolant.  I had called him because the AC runs no matter the temperature I set the thermostat to.  He assured me it would work, so you could imagine my surprise today when I had to manually shut off the AC.  I will try it again tomorrow, but if it continues... I will need a new tech.  And another and another fee...oi.  It was my fault that I didn't keep him here until it was fixed, but...  Couple that with work being a zoo... well, I will survive, somehow.

Henning: ‘What if I bring the Eucharist to them?’
Interesting story, and I have to admit... pretty cool.   I do like how they mention that even in Boston and secular MA... there is interest, even now, in the more traditional wing of the church.  Long may this continue!

Kansas City supermarket, backed by millions of public dollars, faces closure - The Washington Post
This is sad and funny at the same time...I think they hit it on the head -- Dems want to close some stores so all will suffer, and people will not remember who put these fool ideas around in the first place.  OI.

Frustration and fear ripple through NPR and PBS affiliates after Congress approves clawbacks - POLITICO
Dare I say I read this and it was literally one of the best things I have read all week!

Transitions

I do not want to say that I am getting older, but... today I did not exactly have the vim and vigor I expected.  I will note that Friday night I must have passed out on the living room about midnight, as it was 5AM when I woke up to the lights on, etc.  Oi.  Very embarrassing.  And yes, I brushed my teeth and went back to bed.  Anyways, today it was Mass/gym and then I decided to try and go to the Greek Festival in North Royalton.  I arrived at 11:15 (opens at 11) and it was...sparse, which was good.  I ended up taking it home -- lamb shank, green beans, and rice pudding.  $23.  It was... good.  Decent portions, though I am not sure it is worth $23.  Course, I have lamb shank but once a year, and I maybe deserve it... 

Anyways, I got home, answered some emails, did some Excel training for work (I am going to do some of this during the week, I hope, as I want to start learning coding, in theory), finished watching the accumulated J! episodes from last week (it is embarrassing that I do not watch them live!), had dinner, and chilled.  I will finish book 28 for the year before I go to bed (another work on the end of WWI; I do get into phases about this subject, I admit), but... in some ways I should have done more.  I am tempted to schedule another culinary adventure/fun thing next weekend, despite the fact that I have many things to do... we will see, I guess.

My prediction of another pile of paperwork at the food pantry this morning was 100% correct.  To be sure, I was warned about it, but there is now a pile of checks to mail out and receipts to send Downtown.  Matt being Matt, all of the accounting stuff on my side (Downtown keeps the books, but I maintain a parallel copy, in a trust-but-verify moment).  I will admit that seeing beautifully maintained, up-to-date financials brings me not exactly pride, but a sense of serenity, that I have done my part on our side to keep order, at least.  Our clients...not so much.

A Full Day

Today was my last off day -- of a sort -- so I decided to make the most of it.  I slept in a bit (sigh), did some banking and gym, and then I headed downtown to have something of an adventure.  First I hit the USS Cod, our historical WWII submarine/museum.  It's pretty cool -- they have done a good job of maintaining the ship as close as possible to 1945.  I will note that it is very cramped in there -- I realize that it is not designed for comfort, and we are bigger people than in 1945, but you can only imagine what it was in there with 92 or so sailors, all of whom smoked, sweat, etc.  But it was pretty cool.  There was a tour of kids in there -- which is good -- but I would estimate that 90% of the people there were war nerds like me, so the level of conversation was quite high.  

Then I meandered over to Masthead Brewing (heard it was good) and had lunch.  (I spent nearly two hours at the Cod!)  It was good.  Sort of an odd set-up -- you order, get a buzzer, find a table, and then they buzz you when it is ready.  I just had a chicken cranberry salad with a mango/citrus IPA; in retrospect I should have had more substantial fare, as I was feeling the IPA as I walked downtown.  But walked I did, as I then hoofed it back to the lake to go to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.  As I noted on FB, I have lived here all my life and had never been.  

It's...interesting.  There were a lot of people there (imagine that) and the staff is friendly, but... there is a lot of stuff to see.  I am one of those people who likes to see and read everything, and that was hard to do.  Also, the lighting is not good on the exhibits, so some of them are hard to see.  The place is also not well laid out -- dead corners, hard to move around some exhibits, etc.  That said, it was interesting.  Lots of cool stuff to see, though I think they are trying to be everything to everyone.  It's really more pop music than rock; all of the early influencers and such are mainly gospel and country singers, and I am not sure they belong here.

Would I go back?  Not sure.  I mean, there is a lot there, and it is interesting, but as one person said in the bathroom, "How many guitars does one need to see?"  To which I would add outfits, as there were plenty of them out there as well.  But I am glad I went.  I guess it knocked me out, as I just chilled here tonight and drank pop and water, which is fine....but I guess it is yet another example of me getting old.  Sigh.

Misallocations

Long week, but I survived, and here we are now.  Funny; I have four episodes of J! on Tivo, and I was going to watch them all tonight, but stuff and life intervenes, and while I will get to one or two in a bit...well, there is a weekend to catch up.  And I should be able to.  I could have watched tonight's live -- met a friend for dinner at Danny Boy's, and while I was home in time... I don't want to watch out of turn, if possible.  Alas.  Also need to read some more; I am ahead of my yearly list, but the ratio of books added to books read is not exactly disappearing.  Ugh.  

From Trend to Transformation: Off-Premises Dining Now Essential for Restaurant Consumers, Operators
This is fascinating to me; I mean, to me, one of the best things to do is to eat live in a restaurant and get the full sense of it -- the service, the ambiance, etc.  Also, when you look at the costs of delivery and such... that is a significant chunk of the cost, isn't it?  You could eat out more live if you actually went to the place!  Oh well, the world-is-a-changing, but in some ways I am a fixed point in it.

How PBS, NPR lost funding -- and bipartisan support -- under Trump : NPR
This could be me, but anyone who listens to NPR (I seldom do, but when I do) cannot but notice a liberal bias, so that line of argument is crap.  Then, of course, there is the notion that we should not be spending so much money in the first place, and this is the easiest place to cut.  I would also note that I find it hard to believe that those who really want this sort of funding could easily pay for it themselves -- in addition to my usual jibes about these people not exactly missing any meals or not having the cash to say, give to any Democratic politician, there is the fact that if you -- or any other liberal -- want to help contribute...they could.

Debt Reckoning, by Mary Childs
Interesting and completely true.  Very few people think this way, mainly because no one ever sees the downside of this.  I mean, we just put it off in a way that we cannot do it with our personal finances, and that is highly problematic, to put it mildly.

I could not help but notice that today I was able to pay all the food pantry bills, send out the exterminator report, handle the correspondence, etc... and that when I go there Sunday after Mass, there will be more.  Sigh.  I guess I should be pleased at the progress, but...

Linx

Yet again I take off from posting, though, in my defense, I was watching TV -- namely, "Witness" was on TCM.  I think they were highlighting 80s females, but the movie...well I think it still holds up!  Harrison Ford as an action star wasn't unknown in the 80s, and while everyone remembers him as the Amish guy kicking the crap out of the tourists, as an action film, a thriller, and, dare I say, a love story... it works?  Anyways, I hadn't seen the movie in 30 years or so, so... why not?

Newly released video shows Westlake doctor ranting at U.S. Rep. Max Miller during road rage incident - cleveland.com
I think we were all waiting for this shoe to drop, and it did, and... well, I don't know?  Depends on the jury?  There is something to be said that we shouldn't have people yelling and screaming at each other on the highways, though as a defender of free speech... or, as I like to say, kidnap the guy's wife and kids, throw them in the back of a pickup, and treat them as the Palestinians treat their hostages...

Ohio lawmakers ignored huge hidden costs of their controversial college law when they passed it - cleveland.com
I guess I was also waiting for this shoe to drop.  To be sure, no one at the PD noted that the universities brought this on by themselves by spending this money -- extremely poorly, to put it charitably -- in the first place.  Trying to figure out how much they wasted on those initiatives would be real journalism, but that is above the capacity of these people.

A Final, Comprehensive Look at How Trump Won in 2024
To me, the question is...will this hold up?  Even a partial shift would be ideal for the GOP, and if you can make a few more states competitive...well, so much the better.  The shift of the GOP into being a men's party is also fine, save for the fact that men need to vote more often -- and more regularly -- to make this a permanent shift.  The trade war is a kink in the plans, but if he can make the landing, deport just enough people so that real wages go up...

Watch Homan Tear Into Heckler During Student Summit Speech
Dare I say this will help the cause?  This is pretty funny, and I am enjoying -- very much so -- Tom Homan running things.

Krusinski's Market in Slavic Village Preserved by New Owner | Cleveland | Cleveland Scene
Also good news!  Truth be told, I used to go there semi-often to buy their smokies -- which are the best! -- but the pierogi are equally good.  I have not been there in years, which is part of the problem.  Obviously, I need to go back!

mattie posts

My plan to post every day lasted all of... one day, as I crashed on the living room floor.  Alas.  It was a full day yesterday -- Mass for the grandparents on dad's side (the aunts and cousins were there), mostly nice, though between the seats, the sound system, and Fr. not exactly talking into the mike...well, some parts of the Mass were hard to hear.  Alas.  Then it was off to brunch with family (a good time), gym, and then off to late lunch at Fuji Buffet with my Polish friend to whom I take Communion.  It was a good time (she is 90 years old and walked better than half of her other guests!) but I have to admit the grub is better across the street... then home to catch up on some work, and, instead of reading, falling asleep on the floor.  Oi.  

Today was work -- lots of it.  The new Monday normal; not that I am complaining -- a lot of stuff happens on the weekends and it is also good to clear up the important stuff first... if tomorrow we can get a project done, it will be a splice the main brace moment, if you get my drift...  Or, if not done, close to being done; when you can see the progress, and the progress being made... it is pretty cool.

Will Leo weigh in on France's criminal chancellor?
My first thought, upon reading this, is that they let Irish priests in France?  :)  Ok, more seriously...I was reminded of the scandal at St. Thomas More, when they let the guy who was caught soliciting a minor lead the choir (and be near kids).  On the one hand, the French Church is correct -- putting a guy in an office where (ideally) there are no children around... but, on the other hand, there is something to be said for the American-Texas-death-penalty standard in these cases.  Frankly, it seems the people will accept nothing less.

A year after Trump's near-assassination, some signs of a changed man | AP News
There is something off in reading that Donald Trump views himself as an instrument of Divine Will, but on the other hand... while there has not been as much winning as I would like, there has been a hell of a lot more in the past six months than in four years of Biden, and it is not even close.  Hell, you have to be a drooling moron (like Biden) to think otherwise.

Trump’s megabill is creating a budget nightmare for states - POLITICO
This could be me, but if you cannot create a bill without figuring out a way to pay for it, you shouldn't do it?  Of course, I am not that naive and stupid to think otherwise -- people just go and do it, it feels good to bring home the bacon, the party that robs Peter to pay Paul will always have the support of Paul, etc.  Until, of course, you run out of money.

Tired of the put-downs, Tennessee town corrects the record with its own Scopes trial play | Watch
This was unintentionally comical -- they wanted the publicity, until it happened -- but I have to admit, I have watched "Inherit the Wind" a few times, and it really is a shit show of what actually happened, so...

Food Banks Are Running Out of Food Exactly When More Americans Will Need Them - WSJ
How shall I say this?  One, there are still plenty of jobs out there -- more if we start deporting people -- but it is a matter of getting people to take them; a haircut, or more, to benefits might just be the trick (or it should be). Two, many of these people can work, but choose not to, and frankly, that is a feature and not a bug of our current system, even when the GOP is in charge.  Maybe this is changing, though, as with so many other things, I will believe it when I see it...

Mattie Has Fun

Three days since a post... tsk.  To be sure, I have been tired and just crashed -- long days at work, plenty of other things to do, and... well, I guess I am being lazy.  Going backwards, today I slept in a bit, did some stuff in the AM, and then went downtown to visit the Soldiers and Sailors Monument.  Long story short...I have some time, and I figure now is the time to go and do things -- it is summer, it is nice, I can afford it -- while I can.  And, I haven't been to a lot of places in literally decades, if ever, so... off I went.  It was nice -- for all my jokes about a monument to people shooting Democrats and traitors, it is... not much yet a lot. Mainly the monument is a list of all those who fought from Cuyahoga County...I read the list of those who died, and it was...touching.  Thirty-six died in Andersonville, and six more died on the Sultana, which meant they survived Andersonville...  the sculpture around it and inside is pretty cool as well, trying to highlight the Ohio contributions to the war.  I was only there for an hour, but it was quite nice.

I had some time after so I went to Superior Pho for lunch.  When I arrived it looked somewhat familiar, and when I went home, I checked my notes... I had been there, though it was about five years.  I shouldn't feel guilty about it, but I have a list places to try, and if I have been there before... anyways, I had a big lunch -- pho, bahn mi, and chicken cabbage salad.  It was quite delicious -- I should go to places I like more -- even if I don't eat that much.  Late heat, a bit, with the pho; the only downside was that I needed a fork or a real spoon for the soup -- the noodles are quite thick.  I did work out quite a bit that afternoon, though at a languid pace...between the heat and the grub, I think I was just plumb worn out.  Alas.  

This evening I just read -- going to finish this book tonight -- and caught up on things.  This is... good?  I do sense achievement on this scale, as we know, and I was thinking about where I should go next weekend...the day is free, sort of, and it would be nice to go and cross a place -- and a restaurant -- off the list.

How the GOP Regulars Won Over Donald Trump - POLITICO
Isn't this a problem over the long-term for the GOP?  I mean, there will be a time -- for one reason or another -- that the Donald cannot be President anymore, and someone will have to carry the mantle.  Can Vance do it?  Maybe... he is young, articulate, good online, good story, etc...   But Trumpism must have something to carry it through besides Trump.

DOGE sprouts in red states, as governors embrace the cost-cutter brand and make it their own | AP News
Dare I say this is good?  I mean, we are Republicans, and we should be doing this all the time.  Hell, O would think any GOP governor who thinks he might have an iota of a chance of being POTUS should stress this, at least to assert his bona fides as a Republican.  Except, of course, for Donald Trump...

Rollins says able-bodied Medicaid recipients should replace immigrant farm workforce - Live Updates - POLITICO
I mentioned this a few days ago, and here we are, making it policy!  Such genius!  More to the point, while I do not think it will be a success, the fact of the matter is that if we do not try, we will never if it does -- or doesn't -- or if we can change it so that it is a partial success.  I guess this is one thing about Trump; maybe he is a bit bipolar, but I get the feeling that if you can in the room where it happens, and maybe be the last one he speaks to...you might get a fair hearing.

Mattie notes

Odd today, as for most of it, my blood sugar has been high.  Not sure why...stress, lack of sleep, something.  Just unpleasant and troublesome, as I have to take enough insulin to cover it... and I take more than I usually do in a day.  Let's hope this is just a one-day thing...

I tried not to exacerbate this (I had it just right!) by going to Our Lady of Mount Carmel for their Italian/parish festival.  It was quite nice; I parked on 65th before Detroit -- a bit of a hike but not too bad -- and I had a decent meal -- pasta and a sausage sandwich, $27 including pop.  As I told one friend, as a member of an ethnic urban parish, it behooves me to attend.  They had the church open for Eucharistic Adoration -- first time I ever recalled them doing so -- and I went inside for some prayer and meandering.  It is a pretty church; not St. Stan's pretty, of course (much smaller), and I am glad they did so... people need to see what they are missing out in the burbs...

Single Moms Will Bear the Brunt of the Republicans’ Budget Cuts | The New Republic
I guess I say yes, but... at the end of the day, it's not my responsibility to pay for you and your kid because you were not responsible enough to get pregnant without caring for a child.  Nor are we doing the financially moral thing by subsidizing generations of this poverty, so at some point, you have to say that this is making us worse by perpetrating this across generations.

politico.com/f/?id=00000197-e2e2-de82-a7d7-f7f666d20000&nname=playbook&nid=0000014f-1646-d88f-a1cf-5f46b7bd0000&nrid=262d5b8a-d430-4ff9-b3f2-07a1b6261207
This was pretty funny, and the fact that was written in a way that says it was not a parody...

‘We’re the frontline of defense’: Food banks grapple with megabill’s impact - POLITICO
Maybe because I work with them...well, let's just say that if they are the first line of defense, we will soon be at the last line of defense.  To be sure, part of the problem is that we let people go too long on the dole, and local and county governments (especially around here) are not called to the carpet enough for keeping people in poverty to get votes, but at the end of the day... if you have to rely on food banks to get food, in some ways, the fault is on you...

Decisions

Dare I say that while I knew it was a lot less hot today than the weekend, for much of the day it didn't seem it?  I think the AC was on about as much as it was Sunday.   I mean, it was quite pleasant tonight, and we did need the spot of rain we had in the late afternoon...let us hope that it breaks for a few days, if for the carbon emissions, if nothing else.

ABC News, NYT, Marquette, and CBS News Polled on Mass Deportations. It Will Shatter Libs.
I think this is a winning issue for the GOP -- for now -- and in large part it IS the Dems' fault; all of those images of people crossing the border, illegal immigrants committing crimes, etc.; Americans are a compassionate people but we are also fair...mainly, we have an immigration system -- unfair and unpleasant as it is -- and many people (I know quite a few) who navigate it, and successfully at that.  To claim equality by immigrating illegally and then expecting to be treated similarly to those who did it properly...well, it reminds me of the old joke about the man who killed his parents and threw himself on the mercy of the court as an orphan.  I think many people -- especially the blue collar types who now populate our party -- feel this to be crap, and will act (and vote) accordingly.

As for healthcare...it depends on the messaging.  I suspect we will lose that war, but...as I told a progressive friend of mine, every medical program the left designs -- Social Security, Medicaid, Medicare, Obamacare -- is underfunded and unsustainable (and built on deceit).  Now, again, we are a compassionate people, so we like these things, but most people do not think this way (I do), and thus they have no idea that all they do is drain money (and cause debt).  Anyways, as I told my friend -- as I so often do -- that the Dems have no credibility with the GOP about this (or any other issue), as they have spent the past four years telling everyone that Joe Biden was sharp as a tack and in charge, and any future ideas they have will have to overcome the legacy of dishonesty or stupidity of that.  Of course, we know what I say if you cannot decide...

Reflections

I have to admit, the debate about the Big Beautiful Bill is....amusing.  I mean, for one, rural hospitals were largely decimated under Obamacare, so for Dems to complain about potential losses... well, it is rich.  More to the point (some friends in the restaurant industry were discussing this today at the gym klatch, in so far as I am a part of it).... the whole system of health care in this country is unsustainable in a lot of ways, including payment and reimbursement.  The fact that it was designed this way in the first place is a mark against Democrats, and the fact that they -- who started this -- didn't fix it...well, that is on them.

Second, as they mentioned, in the restaurant world, people just tell them to raise their prices to pay all of their people a living wage, even though...well, it is highly doubtful that it would work, as it would be too expensive to eat out, or people wouldn't want to pay the same amount for half the portions.  But... mention that to any healthcare professional -- especially the poorer people who don't pay their fair share anyways -- and of course people say you can't do that.  Even though, of course, the health care system is subsidized by people who are paying more to not use it (because it costs too much).

I noted that we could easily (or sort of) solve (or try to) the issue of migrant farm workers by mandating that anyone in public housing -- or using a Section 8 voucher -- would have 30 days to demonstrate they were working full time (I find the numbers to be a little spurious given the ease of finding medical get out of jail cards, and the child thing...well, I think if you can go to the effort of making babies, you can go to the effort finding a job.  Anyways, you have a month to show you are working, leave, or "volunteer" for rural farm work (some of these people can be siphoned to provide child care, but at the end of the day...people will come work.  Now, I don't think we will ever get rid of the need to have migrant labor, but we do not know until we try.  And, if we replace some of the illegal immigrants with native-born Americans...well, it would be a like a big, beautiful wall.

In the meantime, it was...hot. Quite hot.  But, I drank more water compared to the last two days, and while I am still feeling some of the effects of the heat, I am much better.  I made some sweet corn and salmon for dinner -- a few days of no-cook leftovers -- and it was quite good.  I also noted my pile of gift cards has moved and is missing, so... not that I will be using them, but I need to, and sooner is better than later...

Firsts

 Yesterday I had a wedding -- my friends Dee and Chris decided to tie the know and were kind enough to send me an invite, so there I was...it was in the Happy Days Lodge in the CVNP -- nice venue, and while the outdoor wedding was slightly warm, it wasn't too bad.  Good grub, good times, etc.  The reception was the July 4th concert at Blossom, and I had never been... I decided to go.  No, I had never been in my 40-some years of life; didn't go as a kid, and as an adult... It was interesting.  I am used to hitting Blossom with nothing, and I expected the same -- just brought a chair and my insulated bag for insulin and water -- and you can imagine my surprise when people literally had coolers of booze and snax.  I was....fascinated.  The concert was fine -- I would have preferred more traditional fare -- but I am not sure it was quite the kid-friendly venue that others did -- I guess they wanted the fireworks, but I think most of the youngins were not exactly excited to be there.  Getting out was fine -- I waited til most others left and meandered around the parking lot.

Between the wedding and the reception, I meandered around the park, and came across this place:
Mater Dolorosa Cemetery - Cemeteries | Ohio Forgotten
On the one hand, it is sad to see it in a state of disrepair (the Diocese runs it so I can see why), on the other hand... well, it was quite a peaceful and contemplative place, and I could easily see myself in such a place.  Good place to go and ponder life....

Today I cut the grass, weed-whacked, slept in a bit, ran some errands, and decided to treat myself to some restaurant tourism, so I went to LJ Shanghai in Asiatown.  It was quite good -- I avoided the more adventuresome dishes, but next time I think I will push the envelope... they are cash only, which is pretty rare these days...

I have been out of sorts today; I think I didn't drink enough water yesterday and I didn't do so today.  I know my no input, no output theory has some issues, and this is one of them; with all the sweating of yesterday, my Stoic Spartan approach could have been toned down...

Passages of a Different Sort

 Here I am, up late at night... I am tired but not tired enough to sleep, mainly because I already nodded off twice tonight.  Working backwards, after the gym I decided to go and try the new Layne's -- the chicken finger place in Parma.  It's... good not great?  You got a decent amount of food for $12 and tax.  Fries were good, chicken was fine, sauce had some late heat... but let's just say that I had some gastrointestinal distress from it -- I think it was all the fried food (not part of the usual diet).  It wasn't too bad, but as my parents used to say, it takes a lot out of you, in every sense of the phrase.  It knocked me out, sort of.  I was laying on the living room floor with the screen on, and I think a moth is in here... gotta hunt that down before I rest. 

So, the big beautiful bill passed, and quickly, for the 4th.  I am not sure it is the huge win Trump and the GOP expect -- the deficit goes up, real reform remains elusive for Social Security and Medicare, the Medicaid stuff may poll poorly... I would have preferred more taxes on the wealth and more spending cuts, but Trump did get what he wanted, and, it must be said, so did Thune and Johnson.  We will see what happens...I think the work requirements are good but will have less of an effect than imagined.  Let's face it; many of these people are blithering idiots and cannot be trusted to do things.  Now, I have no problem with telling people work or else, but finding them something to do besides medical testing and hosing out the video booths at those places on Brookpark....

Andrew Sullivan: Trans Extremism is Backfiring on Gay People | by John Sexton – HotAir
True?  I mean, I think that people are seldom satisfied with what they have...so the natural inclination of things is to push ahead, in this case too far.  How far the backlash?  Doubtful to me, but...

Passage

I need to get to the gym -- with work being busy, I worked late, and with J! and all... well, a two-day hiatus will not kill me, but I think we all know how I feel about that.  I think tomorrow should be a bit more settled, if you will, and if I can, I should be able to work a normal shift.  Phew!  The normalcy of life, if you will, is what I crave as I go older, I think.  Well, that and financial security, and we all know about that.  That said, I did pay my property taxes today -- yowza! --- and that is a relief, of sorts.  I mean, those will never go away, but the rest -- the mortgage, the HELOC -- we are in the slow and steady progress stage... and long may that continue.

I am a little surprised the Senate passed any bill, even if JD Vance had to pull a Kamala Harris and cast the deciding vote.  To be sure, the House has to pass a bill, and that may be even more of a stretch, and assuming they do, then the differences have to be reconciled (I suspect that even with Trump and his lobbying, it will have to go to the conference committee).  So I think they will be working over this long weekend.  Let's not discuss the legislative bribery, the raising of the debt ceiling, the lack of truly conservative positions, etc.  Trump will get a win -- flawed as it is -- and it might help with some things.

Jimmy Swaggart passed away... remember that moment, two generations ago?  "I have sinned against you!"  I realize this is the Catholic in me, but I have always gotten a kick out of that.

This Town Started Charging for Trash by the Bag. Here's What Happened
i rather think this a good idea!  People get educated on the actual cost of free things, they have a chance to use less and save money (and the earth), and if you can reduce the amount of stuff in waste streams... well, it adds up.  You are talking to the man who religiously composts stuff even if he has not a garden, to be sure.  

How the Parental Rights Movement Built to a Supreme Court Win - WSJ
Good?  I think they are taking advantage of a precipitous moment -- GOP majorities, a favorable POTUS, and a favorable Supreme Court, aided by weak (for now) enemies. Does this work?  Maybe?  I think parents more involved and teachers on the retreat... it might be nice if you can get some actual reform there, and not, say, GOP Megabill reforms.