The Calm Before the Storm

It was a long week, and this weekend...well, we will see.  I decided to stop working at 6 -- I can catch up on the weekend, without interruption, which is sort of nice -- and hit the stores for some shopping; hard to believe I was down to one apple and no peanut butter.  An Acme and an Aldi run later, and that has been remedied, for better or worse.  Then a long workout -- I got there after 7, and it was not so crowded.  Interesting to go at off hours; I always expect to see people like me who have no life, but... there is a good mix of people.  Then home...catching up on some email and some reading now, rah.

Interesting news from the Greater Cleveland Food Bank; for all of November, all food product ordering is free.  On the one hand, this is good; if they think demand will be through the roof, we will need the grub.  On the other hand...one, if it is free now, why have been charging us so much before.  Two, what will they actually have?  If everyone is ordering everything under the sun...mind you, the ordering sheet was a little bare before.  Yes, this is because of the food cuts, but I agreed with them -- and still do -- as we shouldn't have been spending the money in the first place, and we are $38T in the hole as it is.  More seriously -- noting the list of food pantries published on cleveland.com -- I think this is a bit...irresponsible of them.  I mean, even with free food, there is not a limitless supply.   So if all of these people (most of whom will be Hope and Changers, ahem) rush out and empty the food pantries now, they will have to deal with shortages later.  Now, if the shutdown is resolved by then, so be it, but if not...  Anyways, I still expect a zoo tomorrow...

The Growing Divide in the Rainbow Coalition - WSJ
Unintentionally, this is one of the funniest things I have read; we all should have such levity in our lives...

https://phys.org/news/2025-10-dna-napoleon-army-pathogens-responsible.html

Interesting!

200 Years Ago, the Erie Canal Opened and America Was Never the Same – PJ Media
Quite true!  Even after the railroads came along, canals still played a role, even if it was...reduced. We don't really think about it now, but...