A Lack of Achievement

So, here we are, the Labor Day weekend almost over, and I have done some reading but not any film watching.  Alas.  Maybe I should have expected this?  I mean, yes, but...  Anyways, Saturday I woke up late (slept in, probably needed it, but I do not like it) but still managed to hit gym and a full slate of errands before arriving at home just in time for tOSU-TX.  Not that I am a huge fan, but... big game, defending national title, etc... I guess I would say that I am glad Ohio State won (the state is a happier place) but the game was... a snooze-fest?  This could be me, but given that Sayin was a former #1 recruit and has spent the past two years literally just reading the playbook, I expected a more aggressive game plan?  I guess I had visions of the Michigan game... of course, the same could be said for Texas, too?  Manning has more hype, but it seemed they wanted to establish the run, to the detriment of the pass...

Then it was off to church for the Reverse Raffle/roof fundraiser.  It was...fine?  Fewer people than the last one, so less profit, but we made some... I was also still tired after the event, even if less to a degree.  I didn't win anything, but I helped get dinner out and served and got the place cleaned up in good time, so... so be it.  Phew!

Today was the usual -- Mass, gym, lunch at home -- followed by helping some of the Filipinos move to a new place.  It was mostly ok -- they were not fully packed, so that took some time, and we had to haul the old furniture to the dumpster (sort of a hike), take the stuff to be moved down the steps, and then driving to the new place and hauling stuff up the stairs.  I guess I was a bit more tired than I thought, as I am feeling it now, like it or not.  Alas.  But I am sure that I will not be doing it again, and that is fine with me...  

I am tempted to not set the clock tomorrow and just sleep in, but I need to be productive, and getting up early to hit the gym and start the day properly is how to do it...

Germany’s Army Is Rebuilding. What Could Go Wrong? - POLITICO
The article headline is pretty funny -- and completely true -- but the article was about more than that, actually, and I found it quite interesting.  I think we will have accept this if we want the Europeans to carry some of their own weight...

The Start of Something Good

Long week, and my weekend of theoretically achieving things is not off to a raging start, as I did not watch any movies or start the books... to be sure, I have been going through stuff online and sent off some emails, which is good.  I also went to the St. Rocco's Italian Festival.  It was quite good -- pasta, sandwich, some dough balls to go.  Not sure it was $30 good, but it is nice to support our ethnic parishes, and I know some people there, so seeing and being seen is not the worst.  The church was open -- they let you come in and light candles, like at Our Lady of Mount Carmel -- which is nice, as it is a pretty church.  Not St. Stan's nice, of course, but nice enough.  They have those side chapels (a la Europe) where you can pray, which is cool.  It was funny; I genuflected every time I passed by the altar, and when I was leaving, one of the minders in the back asked me if I was Catholic...and they say Polacks are dumb!

I should hit the hay, as I didn't sleep well last night -- couldn't sleep, nodded off, woke up with a charley horse, fell asleep, and then the low blood sugar alarm went off.  Oi.  I would not say that I was feeling it today, but I had my share of caffeine, which, to me, is not a bad thing!  Hell, I am enjoying a nice cup of joe now, though there is something to be said for a relaxing cup of coffee at night, in comparison to the chain caffeination to get you through the day.  

I see Joni Ernst is "retiring" from the Senate.  I suspect her comments did not help, but -- oddly -- she seemed to be at odds with the MAGA wing, which...well, in this day and age, I would rather have someone who wins all of the voters and not the one who wins the MAGA voters.  But that is me...

Europe’s ‘century of humiliation’ could be just beginning – POLITICO
Is it me, or is this....their own damn fault?  I mean, lots of us on the right have been complained that the Europeans have been free-riding on our security apparatus to craft this unsustainable welfare state, and now...well, the chickens are home to roost.  Mind you, even after the seizure of Crimea, the Europeans could have started to improve things, but...  Speaking of...

How Did the World’s Most Sophisticated Military Fall So Far Behind With Drone Warfare? - POLITICO
Doesn't this speak well of Trump/Hesgeth that they are aware of this problem and are trying to fix it?  I don't doubt that the fighting the last war thing is real, but if the SecDef is trying to put the kibosh to it... isn't that who we want in charge?  For all of the kerfuffle about the MAHA movement, this is something -- if we can pull it off -- of which we can proud.

Anticipation

I have to admit I am looking forward to the weekend.  One, it has been a long week -- mostly good but still long -- and I can use a break.  Two, the idea of having a day or two with nothing to do really appeals to me right now.  I have a list of films to watch, books to read, even a few chores and such to do, but...I mean, if I can cross off one or two of those, so much the better.  The movies are easier (everything is online) but being ahead on the book list...well, strike while the iron is hot.

Of course, you watch -- the weekend will explode with activity and my grand plans -- as they so often do -- will collapse.  I mean, if something better comes along, so be it, but... I suspect not, at the end of the day.  And, honestly, it is the last break in the schedule until you get to Turkey Day, and then you have all of the holiday stuff.  Oi!

Poll shows Ohioans will abolish property taxes. Meanwhile, Republicans bumble with false fixes: Today in Ohio - cleveland.com
Dare I say that I sort of like what the GOP is doing here?  I mean, people are going to vote for this thing, and for all the talk of them knowing how to replace it, it is obvious they do not.  And the GOP is going to say "Fine, you want it, you got it," and people (not me) will be surprised when things are even worse.

The heir's property: reclaiming family land lost in the Deep South
Interesting (if slightly long) tale; very convoluted, but I like the man's grit and determination.  Actually, I was thinking of the history of places like Ireland and Poland, where rather than keep together large estates, they split them up between the heirs, until they were too small to be maintained... I guess there were no good options, to be sure.  You have to be fair to the children, but if you do... and of course tie in racism and worse (by Democrats, of course) for a century and a half...

This Is How You Know Dems Might Be Panicking Over That Sign Attacking Winsome Sears
This is something that has been on my mind since this story broke... it appears that we know who this woman is and all, but... if the shoes were reversed, the Dems would be at her house, protesting, etc.  Why aren't we doing that?  Shouldn't we be hounding them, asking them if they really believe this is Jim Crow, do they want it back, etc.?  The optics would be impressive, and in this day and age of trolling... I think for all of our talk of redistricting and such... we don't grab the low-hanging fruit.

Spiking the football

So, one of the themes at the Monday meeting was that our operations manager at the food pantry wanted more money in the budget for food, due to the general cost of things and the lack of items on the ordering menu.  Anyways, this month I am in charge of the ordering, and I have a system AND a budget.  Hence, when doing the ordering, I was paying close attention to staying under budget.  Some items were deep-sixed due to their cost and weight (we pay for shipping).  Some stuff I ordered even though it killed me to do it.  I ordered as many free items as I could (mainly produce and beans) but then of course I also watched weight.  I pretty much ordered all of the items we truly needed -- including meat -- and I ended up being $35 under budget for this ordering period.  Was it a challenge?  Yes.  Could it be done?  Yes.  I sent a spike-the-football email out (probably should not have) but... I mean, I have no problem spending more once in a while if we need to, and not for shits and giggles.

Work has been a bit long; bit busy, lots of stuff on the agenda, and there is only one of me to do it.  On the other hand, we are doing new and fun things, and I think they will be received well, and it is foundational for further newer things.  Or, I hope it will be!

JD Vance’s Tour in Iraq Taught Him His Government Lies - POLITICO
Interesting read, and honestly, given what he saw and experienced... yes, I can see how he came to his views.  Nor is he wrong... we do not have the money nor the blood to shed on unnecessary ventures... I guess I do still support the Iraq War -- getting rid of Hussein was a good thing -- but the end result was... not done well.  Trump -- bombing nuclear reactors notwithstanding -- seems to understand that.

Scams And Bribery Are Becoming the Foundation of Our Economy
Is it?  I mean, I come back to my original answer -- we let people gamble and buy lottery tickets, and that is a scam that is a throwaway of cash, so why don't we let people gamble in crypto, especially if we tell people this and let them make a "rational" decision to do it?  Much like the joke about the man who wanted to put his manpart in the pickle slicer...sometimes you have to let them do it.

Fleeting

Closed my bedroom window tonight; I left it open last night and woke up at 2:30 to get a blanket.  Summer is fading away -- this cold spell, darkness coming earlier, the prospect of a J! return, school buses are now a part of the traffic patterns.  It is the cycle of things but I do not like it, of course.  Summer has flown; I mean, this weekend is St. Rocco's Festival, and I have to admit I am looking forward to a three-day weekend, if only to rest, read, catch up on things, etc.  I think of all the projects (fun ones) I wanted to do and have not done so... I need to restart them but I am not exactly sure how and when.  Stuff of life happens and one wonders what is caught up in its currents.

Rest in Peace, James Dobson, and Thank You – PJ Media
Interesting take... I come from the Catholic tradition, so I knew of him as a theologian mocked by the left, but we do tend to forget that for many, their introduction to him was child-rearing.  I have several friends whose parents read the book for them, and now that they are parents... they have adopted it as well.  Their kids seem to be less screwed up than they are, which I guess is an endorsement...

I find it interesting that Dems are letting Trump get the W on the crime thing; one would think some of them would say "we will gladly accept this help and while we will disagree on some things..." but they are not, and I truly believe they are playing into his hands, as most Americans do not like crime and do not mind a little looseness around the edges.  I am more troubled by Trump trying to fire the Fed member; I mean, if she did indeed commit mortgage fraud, then you have cause to fire her, but I would think someone -- especially Donald Trump -- would understand the issue of being falsely accused of crime.  

Relief

Food pantry board meeting today was...fine?  Sparsely attended (no quorum, could be an issue) but it was civil.  Not much to discuss in some ways -- potential roof repair, might have to spend more money on food.  That was fine.  All else is going well?  People are getting served, the clothes are such are coming in and going out... we need to fix a door, and we agreed to buy another fridge/freezer to replace our oldest/least effective one... but that was that.  I guess in some ways this is good, as our parishes are committing to spending and volunteering, and that is that.  Phew.  For now.

Will SNAP junk food restrictions help Make America Healthy Again?
I get a kick out of articles like this, because 1) we are an obese country; 2) this is obviously a cause of health issues; and 3) our health spending is out of control, as evinced by such articles as:

Refocusing US Health Care Spending - Conversable Economist

Health Care System Problems, again - by Arnold Kling

The bureaucratic barriers to launching a primary care practice | STAT

I think the author of the first post is largely correct -- we could prioritize GPs through reductions in debt, paying them less, etc.  But the idea that a lot of our problems are caused by how we live, and can be fixed with diet... well, there is more than something to that.  Article two, of course, shows that no one seems to want to admit the obvious -- if we want everything, we have to pay for it.  And, article 3 points out that no one wants to rein in the paperwork and regulations.  Maybe POTUS should get involved there...

Boundless is my hypocrisy

Here I am, Mr. I should blog every day... ok, the past two nights I was helping a friend fix his house up -- just bought a fixer-upper in West Park) and at night he has been repairing it... so there I was, helping watch kids and removing drywall with the hammer, and it was highly therapeutic, though I was feeling it this morning.  But it was good, and I didn't mind doing it...

As for the rest of the weekend, it was...fine?  Caught up on the OC budget and paperwork stuff for this week's Board meeting (we are closed this weekend, so I could get it in early).  OC duty yesterday was fine -- we had to get rid ALL of the produce, which we did, and went beyond -- did some cleaning, purged some crap, put up signs, that sort of thing.  It was good to see the empty OC this morning.  The crowd was 134 -- early rush, late rush, and then a lull in the middle.  The count for the month ended up being average.  We had an uptick in the number of pain-in-the-dupa clients, but overall...it was fine.

Yesterday I went to the Egyptian festival at the Coptic Church in my area...I didn't get the church tour due to scheduling (oi) but I did get some food.  It was...good not great?  Bit pricey?  One thing I noted was how they did the food ordering; basically, you had to order it at one place, they gave you a receipt, and then you took the receipt to the station where the food was made.  I did some pre-scouting to inform my choice but I could not help but note that the process was...slow.  And, I came at about 2:30, so there was hardly a line.  I suspect we will not do such a thing for the Polish Festival, but....never say never.  Would I go back?  Maybe.  I do want to see the tour, of course.  This weekend is St. Rocco's festival, and it is not like they open the church, either.

Need to do more reading of course but I am halfway through my current one:  The Sea Peoples, which is about Polynesians, or more appropriately, how Europeans reacted to them -- like, how they got there -- and how they tried to fit them into their view of the world (and vice-versa). It is interesting, but I am ashamed to say that I have to look at the map to see exactly where these places are.  Old age!

Back in the Saddle

A brief hiatus in blogging, as I bought a new laptop last week (taking advantage of the tax holiday) and then I had to take it to Geek Squad to get everything transferred over.  I have to admit, it is pretty cool; I mean, I could eventually figure out how to do things, but it is just easier if they do it.  And it took but a day, which was...awesome.  Anyways, I have a new one -- faster, all the keys work, etc.  I should probably stop the habit of using mine as the dinner table as well...

In the meantime, what has happened?  Did some SVDP stuff -- wrote a proposal for twinning to see how to revitalize our Conferences.  Work has been busy.  Finished book 34, The Panic of 1819, which covers our first financial crisis.  Interesting...one is fascinated by how finances were done -- states chartering banks, issuing their own currency, people deciding how much it was actually worth.  Also, I need to read more about John Marshall -- he went from Antifederalist to Federalist, presided over the Burr treason trial, etc... I know they want to cancel him now, but... interesting tale.  And, the global nature of the economy -- the US boomed briefly after the War of 1812, the winter of 1816 affected Europe more than us, our crops were more valuable, then European harvests returned, people who bought on credit had to pay (and could not), and... oops.  I need to read more, obviously, but...it takes time which I may or may not have.  Often I do not.

Today my sister and I had our monthly dinner; my treat, and I selected Parilya, the Filipino place in Olmsted Falls.  Quite good; not sure it is $40 good, but what is nowadays.  Also a bit far, and no goat stew, unlike at the Filipino buffet... her turn to pick next month and I am sure the cuisine will be...domestic.

The high-major jump is real: How mid-majors are adapting to transfer portal era - ESPN
Interesting.  Not sure I like it, but it is a good way for coaches to get good players, develop them, and have them move on...and if you can win there, then you as a coach can move on.  This is the modern game now, like it or not.

Thoughts

No posts for a couple of day, no real reason...just doing things and trying to sleep.  Yesterday I cleaned the tub and shower -- hadn't been done in a while, and it now looks quite good.  Caught up on some paperwork, wrote some SVDP proposals, read a few links, that sort of thing.  Quite good!

Funny but not really -- I tried to set up some get togethers with friends this weekend, and... well, they couldn't (or didn't) get back to me.  Oi.  I mean, we are all busy, and I know they have families (in some cases), but on the one hand... you make some plans and you follow through.  Alas.

Six weeks to the Polish Festival.  I turned in my raffle tickets, added it to the calendar, and... well, I will do it, of course, though every year I am tempted to figure out the cash value of my contribution and write a check.  Of course, I will not do that -- they are relying on me in the kitchen, for brownies, etc. -- and while I may be many things, a Hope and Changer is not one.

Why Munich 1938 concessions to Nazi Germany haunt Washington 2025 talks – POLITICO
My first thought upon hearing about the Anchorage summit was "Munich is in the air," and I think a lot of other people (hell, even some of my friends!) felt the same way.  The fact that many are saying "it could have been worse" is not exactly a ringing endorsement of this sort of thing...

Branka’s Bake Haus is attracting crowds - cleveland.com
Yesterday after church and gym I went there -- I love these places, and I love me some chicken paprikash.  I bought some of that, as well as hot red cabbage salad, some carrot cake, and a hot pretzel for the ride home (Brunswick is a bit far, though not really)... all of it was quite good.  I managed to get three servings out of the paprikash (I like being under 180 pound), which also helped out on the old cost ratio, though as I used to say to Mom, if you can't afford to eat out...don't.

Mattie Chills

Here we are, a nice evening...maybe at home, maybe not.  Not sure yet.  I guess this is good... anyways, last night I went to St. Mary's Romanian fest at their cathedral...had not been in a few years.  It was ok.  I thought it was better a few years ago when I went... mind you, it was fine -- $24 for chicken paprikash, pork loin, and rice pudding, which was the least good -- not very wet, and I think I prefer mine a bit more runny, if you will.  Lots of interesting bakery, but I was headed off to a friend's house for a fest, so I didn't partake.  Fest was fine, save for the lack of parking and the hauling ass through interesting parts of town.  I know I am a child of the suburbs, but...

Food pantry today and it was largely smooth... count a bit low, which I again attributed to the Big, Beautiful Bill, but we do have a summer lull, and I suspect in October it will be back to normal.  All the produce is gone, as is much of the meat (sort of a problem).  We did clean and wipe down all the surfaces, moved some crap... closed for Labor Day in two weeks so next week the other manager and I were planning on getting rid of everything.  

More layoffs at work -- not my department, or me, but it was still a bit sad -- some good people were let go.  My wrath at the Fed is unchecked.  One of my team members left for another opportunity, which is good for him, sad for us, as he is a cool guy and knew his stuff.... funny, I wanted to catch up on some work, but had so much other stuff to do today, which I got through most, so.... tomorrow.

Sparks in the Schoolyard: What We Lost When Shop Class Disappeared
Quite true, and I wish I had more of that knowledge, as I am inept with these things...

How the Ford F-150 Went From Everyday Truck to Luxury Ride
I have to admit, I rather like mine, though sooner or later I will need a replacement...

Democrat Sherrod Brown Wants His Ohio Senate Seat Back. Here's Why That Could Be a Problem. – PJ Media
Dare I say that this could be a problem? I think 2026 will have a blue year, Brown is a good candidate, and...

Grand Plans

Yet another blogging hiatus; no reason, of course, save for the fact that I am just busy with work and such and trying to catch up on stuff -- multiple changes to the Do Not Assist list from Downtown for problem clients, OC stuff, forward plans... last night Team XI returned to action -- I called it forced fun, to the amusement of the team -- as we played on the lawn at Legacy Village.  It was all on the phone, and as I was first... let's just say it worked ok, but putting Matt on the phone and in charge is a bad combo.  We came in third -- made a betting decision that didn't work out -- but it was fun to get out again and play.  We all agreed we need to do it more often, but that is as much on me as anyone. 

The U.S. Marches Toward State Capitalism With American Characteristics - WSJ
Is it me, but doesn't everyone do this, POTUS-wise?  I mean, it is not necessarily bad policy, but it has to work, it has to be targeted, and everyone has to be on the same page that it is going to spend a lot of money (and may not work anyways), and at the end of the day, short of war... I think that needle is a bit hard to thread.  Especially now but in general...

This weekend...well, I have food pantry duty, but one thing I want to take a few hours to do is clean my house... it hasn't been done in a while, and a bit of dusting, vacuuming, floor-scrubbing, etc.  I do have this interesting thing about either doing a full clean or just doing one part or room, and while both can be effective, I have a sneaking suspicion it would be more effective (as with everything else in my life)  if I concentrated on one thing at a time.

A Whirl of Activity

Man, it seems like the AC has run all afternoon, and it appears that it needs to.  To be sure, in a month, or two, this will be a distant and happy memory...  yesterday was a beautiful day as well, though it was a shame I could not fully enjoy it.  It was good -- church, gym, then off to the Alumni picnic, where I was the assistant grillmaster.  It was fine -- helped with set up and take down too -- but a bit long and a bit warm.  At least I got to catch up on church gossip (of which there was much).  It was after 4 when we were done there, and then it was off to Edgewater to take Communion to my friend... her grandson, future granddaughter-in-law, and their pooches were on vacation, and thus we had plenty of time (as expected) to spill some tea.  But it was good for her and me, honestly...  Then home, a chat with my sister, and...catch up on stuff.  Phew!

How Mike Johnson Became Trump's Speaker | TIME
Good article, and as I so often say, Mike Johnson does not get enough credit for what he does and what he has done...maybe it is the Holy Spirit, or maybe he is...more open and less... craven in his ambition, than, say, McCarthy.  But I am glad we have him.

House Republicans want another megabill. One GOP senator says it could be ‘damaging.’ - POLITICO
I don't know...maybe they should have done it all at once?  Or not let all this crap happen in the first place?  I think this is what the average person/GOPer dislikes; we can't even do the basic stuff we want, and then it is the sea of excuses.  Say what you want about the Donald, stuff has gotten done, and if he has been in a hurry...well, I am glad for it.

A Day at the Movies

Big exciting day today... first up was OC duty, and it was... perfectly fine.  I mean, our count was 129, which was less than I expected.  I of course attributed it to the passage of the Big Beautiful Bill, which for some of the volunteers, was appreciated...and others less so.  More importantly, it was very smooth (no problem clients), all the produce went, lots of clothes went, and... so far so good.

Then it was off to Downtown, where I lunched at Mabel's BBQ on E. 4th (my old haunt, which is very grown up).  It was good, but... when the server said the entrees were a la carte... I had the turkey sandwich and the orange vanilla pudding for dessert, and it was good, but not exactly $27 good.  The foodies at church have saying that they don't mind paying for a meal, but you should be full, and...it didn't quite meet that standard.  I meandered around downtown a bit and then I hit Cleveland Public Library -- there was a double-showing of silent films at 3 there, and I didn't recall ever going there, so... it's pretty cool.  Lots of books, lots of tables to sit and read, some interesting special exhibits... I can see myself going there and just reading a bit.

The films were:
Double bill: Silent Film Fest to show modern LGBTQ romance, Charlie Chaplin shorts

And they were....ok?  They led with the modern one, which wasn't bad, but you went a long way to go not very far.  To be sure, something about a silent movie set in 1918, but made now, was cool.  The Chaplin film was..ok.  Not as good as some of his others, which I attributed to being early in his career?  It was a bit forced (as was the first).  But not bad, and I wish more people loved them like I do.  I did sign up for the Cleveland Silent Film Fest mail list, though it seemed like most of these people are PSRCH types, so...well at least I can watch the films.

I spent an hour just walking around Downtown... lots of skateboarders, which was cool to see (as part of the MGK Fest, which I described to my server as "underwhelming" to his amusement).  Then home to watch two films -- due at the library today (it is Sunday now) so... One was "Angels With Dirty Faces," a Cagney/O'Brien film from the 30s.  It was..interesting?  Formulaic? It was fine, but... I think the market has changed.  Next was "Passing Through," a documentary from the 70s about the denizens of Skid Row -- mainly talking to them. I would say it would be in the NFR as part of the "culturally significant" films, as no one did that back then (or now).  Again, I am not the target audience.  But...848.

Corn

I guess I forgot to blog yesterday... I just got tired and went to bed.  To be sure, I had much to do -- finally sent out some mass SVDP emails, and of course I worked a bit late, and had some other things to do...so there we are.  I do have plenty of books to read, a couple of films that need to be watched this weekend... and of course the usual stuff to do.  Also, the bathroom is ready for a cleaning.  All it needs is for it to be dark and for me to wear sunglasses.  

I decided to do something new and went out to North Ridgeville for the Corn Festival tonight.  I had never been, and.... why not, right?  Off to have a summer of fun?  So I went.  I was able to navigate there fine, but I forgot about parking -- there really isn't any, and I ended up parking for $5 at the local Catholic Church (perfectly acceptable!) and hoofed it.  It was... nice but underwhelming?  The only corn foods they have are corn on the cob and Mexican street corn (which I avoided, for obvious reasons).  It was good, but at the end of the day... well, it's just sweet corn.  Otherwise, it is just another carnival -- lots of food vendors, booths of politicos and community organizations, that sort of thing.  Lots of people, which was nice, but it's basically in a city park, so it was a bit crowded.  Would I go back?  Maybe.  It was nice, but a bit of a hike.  On the other hand, it was...therapeutic to drive and get away from it all for a bit.

Furious voters are flooding lawmakers’ town halls. Republicans aren’t worried. - POLITICO
This could be me, but can't Republicans flood these things and defend the bill/ask questions that attack Democrats?  I am more than available to insult Dems and would do it for free, and I can assure you I have plenty of material.  I suspect there are other GOPers out there, as well.  Unless they are afraid of free-for-all between parties -- and I can assure the Holy Spirit is on our side, I just wonder what we are thinking...

A sense of adventure if not progress

The day after the scope, and I am... maybe back to normal?  I don't really feel like it in some ways, as the tummy is a bit rumbly (it can take two days, I read my docs).  My appetite seems to be normal, and my usual sleeplessness and caffeine addiction is back, so maybe things are...ok?  We will see tomorrow, and if/when I send the victory email to the MD, and asking them what we are to do next.  Yes, I am fully aware that they will give me the "you needed it and now we can rule things out" line, which is true, but it is also a useful copout, so... I am simply underwhelmed, as I often am.

A couple of weeks ago a friend of mine suggested to me -- when I said I would be lost without J! for six weeks -- that I should return to watching films on the National Film Registry.  Truth be told, it had slipped my mind, but he was 110% correct, so I binge-ordered a few from interlibrary loan (while I could) and I watched one today.  "Ganja and Hess," which can be best described as "blaxploitation meets vampire" film.  I was...underwhelmed.  I realize I am not the target audience, and horror films are just meh to me, but... recalling that POTUS fired Carla Hayden, the last Librarian of Congress, for budget reasons...well, adding crappy films to the NFR is also a good reason!  Anyways...846.

The Anti-Abundance Critique on Housing Is Dead Wrong
Interesting.  I have to admit, watching libtards tear each other apart is infinitely more entertaining than watching the GOP do it, and it "accidentally" proves the GOP that said libtards are the cause of the problems we have... and thus cannot be trusted to solve them.  I am fine with this, and if we need to get to the public hangings stage to solve it... well, I will help as best as I can.

Speaking of lists, I made one of the list of the 102 classic cocktails and am considering starting it (I suspect even I have had a few).  I will note that I could make 102 trips to The Velvet Tango, pay $20 for each one (and $5 for a tip), and probably drink them all in two years, but in terms of economy, and my own sense of adventure, I would make them.  Hell, I owe a friend a trip there for a cocktail, emphasis on a, as he could drink everyone under the table, no matter the cost, and...well, you know me.

Evacuation

So, today I had a colonoscopy -- not my idea, I assure you, but I am of that age (sigh!) and my MD is concerned about my anemia -- he figured I am bleeding somewhere and that could solve it.  I assured him that that was not the case, but... anyways, yesterday was the prep, and all I can say is... I do not think I will be having another colonoscopy again.  It wasn't that bad, just...annoying.  I drank the drink, abstained from food (between the starvation and the running to the toilet, the calorie loss must be impressive), and... well, the evacuation process was complete and total, if you get my drift.  

As for the test itself, it was...fine?  I had to get up excessively early to be first (one nice thing about diabetes, they move you up), and once I arrived...well, the check in was fine, the anesthesia was complete, and in the end... nothing.  Completely normal.  All good, see you in five years.  I was in a hurry to leave -- to the amusement of the nursing staff -- but walked out on my own power.  My sister said I was a little groggy -- and she was worried -- but after a decent breakfast and some caffeine, I was fine.  Back to work!  And for most of the day I was... ok?  Stomach a bit off, bit tired, but ok.  Still not having another colonoscopy, and I intend a slight victory cackle with my MD...

To "celebrate" I went here for dinner (I saw it on cleveland.com):
Ethnic Foods - St. Emilian Church
You know me, anything for the Church... anyways, it is a bit far (down the road in Brunswick) but not that far... I love chicken paprikash, so I got that and some halushki.  They were frozen, which was a slight impediment to my dinner; I nuked the cabbage and noodles and oven-heated the chicken.  Both were pretty good!  Noodles not too buttery, cabbage a bit soft (I attribute that to the freezing), decent flavor; the chicken needed a bit of salt but it wasn't bad as it was -- good ratio of chicken to dumplings.  I prefer a lighter/yellower sauce but this wasn't bad -- far from it.  $20 and you get about 3 servings of each, which is... a good deal.  Would I return? Maybe.  Bit far but decent.

Earning More but in Worse Shape: Hardship Overwhelms Many American Families - WSJ
This could be me -- and many of the commenters -- but I couldn't help but notice all of these women were single and had children with multiple partners... and wonder why they are poor.  On the one hand, I do feel sorry for them.  The other... well, that is a recipe for economic disaster, and the fact that we as a government and society keep subsidizing this... well, that is even worse, as it only encourages the behavior.  It is cruel to cut them off but equally cruel to keep supporting them.

Willoughby Municipal Court reverses course after charging drivers ‘unconstitutional’ fee to have their day in court - cleveland.com
I posted about this on FB, but... really, this is ridiculous.  We are a GOP state, this is a big scam and a complete overreach in police authority, and someone should put a stop to this madness now.  In addition to being smart policy, it is also smart politics...oi.

Wakies

For reasons, I cannot sleep, so here I am...blogging away.  Very exciting.  More seriously, I managed to handle some texts from friends, do more paperwork, etc.  Rah.  I also watched the "Atomic People" documentary on PBS, the one about the survivors the atomic bombings... I mean, it was interesting, and I do feel badly for them, but... it really whitewashed why we had to drop the bombs in the first place.  I mean, a cursory look at the historical record... Unit 731, all of their atrocities in China and elsewhere, the fact that the Japanese were training kids to blow themselves up on tanks...I think most historians and WWII nerds (I plead guilty) would say the bombs won the war at less cost in lives...  if this is what PBS is putting out it is a good thing their funding is being cut...

What’s Driving the Surge in U.S. Corporate Profits? | St. Louis Fed
This could be me, but this is something that the GOP should have been hitting on since day one, and there is certainly no reason why it cannot be done now... you could argue that some of the inflation era was due to this, and at time when the economy is a hot mess... well, it would be a nice touch to say we care.  

Zero-sum Thinking and the Labor Market - by kyla scanlon

You know, this is something we should be stressing as well... namely, getting people -- mainly young men, but anyone -- the proper training and skills they need to get into the job market.  Considering the lack of skilled tradespeople, and the unfilled manufacturing jobs we have -- to say nothing of stuff like shipbuilders -- this should be something the administration should be stressing.  I realize in a day of cost-cutting... but this is important too, and if we have spent for 50 years on crappy public TV....

Best Day Ever

 I have to admit, it was quite the good day today.  My blood sugar was a little low, so I was slightly late to the OC this morning (I arrived right at 8!) but I quickly recovered.  We had plenty of volunteers (and good ones) and the people were extremely well-behaved.  The count was 151 -- I expected more -- but it was ok, as we didn't have that much produce, or, for that matter, meat.  I don't mind the lack of produce -- better to have it go -- but the clients were a little miffed about the meat.  Of course, there were those who say they need food, but then only want certain things...which boggles the mind of many people, as if you need food... anyways, it was quite nice.

After I went to the new Mexican place that opened in the Village.  It was... ok.  I mean, good not great, as I like to say.  I suspect I could have a better meal at the Red Chimney across the street.  Alas.  But, you have to try, right?  Then off to the gym, home to shower, off to a friend's son's bday party, and now home.  I should have cut out sooner and do some of the stuff I should be doing but I can start cranking out some emails tonight (much to the bemusement of the recipients, I assure you).  I also want to finish the book I am on, simply for the sake of progress, and I ordered a bunch -- and some films -- from the library.  Supply does create its own demand, right?

I did like the take that the weak jobs report may compel the Fed to cut interest rates.  If that is what it takes to get the Fed to cut rates... maybe we need to make permanent and structural adjustments to the Fed, as they are abdicating their moral responsibility here...

A Quiet Night at Home...

I guess I am somewhat deficient in sleep, as I am fairly tired... definitely feeling it.  But, as you can see, I am carrying on, as there is much to do!  OC budget and administrative stuff for one, follow-up emails, that sort of thing.  I should be doing them now, but it is also a good thing to blog.  As for the day, it was...fine?  Very productive in the AM, then a couple of meetings hit and it was hard to get back in the groove, if you will; there is something to be said for some hours of no interruptions and you can just do what you are supposed to be doing.  Then it was off to the gym, home for dinner, and going through the pile of emails and such.  Very exciting, I know.  I always say that the diligence in doing all of these things just generates twice as many in response, but...in this case it is correct.  Sigh.

We Engineered This Housing Crisis — It Didn’t Just Happen
Quite true, and the solutions are equally good...but I think we know that the implementation of the solutions would indict the people who run our cities for their gross incompetence, and we all know what is going to happen then...

I Drank Every Cocktail | Adam Aaronson
This is pretty cool, and were I a drinking man, I would want to try some of them.  Hell, knowing how I love lists, I would want to try them all!  More seriously... I guess I would try to make them at home.  Part of it my cheapness, and part of it, though, is that I would think the sense of achievement is learning how to make them (correctly) and then doing so... of course, even hooch at home is an expensive habit, and I would rather have new windows, a new car, and to pay off my house.  Once you buy booze, you can't have it lying around...

Data show: Vatican II triggered decline in Catholic practice | Catholic Culture
Am I surprised?  No, not in the least.  I always joke about needing a Vatican III to make up for the errors of Vatican II, and this to me, is more evidence of that...