Things Fall Apart

 Last nite was the class reunion.  As with most things in my life, I didn't want to go, but went and had a good tine.  Attendance was a bit sparse -- I figured more would have attended -- but the ones who were there were nice and friendly, and it was good to see the ones who were there.  It was at the Wild Eagle -- nice place, should go there more -- and it was close to home.  Rah.  Earlier in the day I went to a silent movie at the Cleveland Public Library; they were doing the Lillian Gish 1926 "The Scarlet Letter." Charming film; I had not read the book since high school, so I forgot some of the plot twists, but other than that... fine.  They had a nice reception after -- live music (like the silents of the day) and while I am not quite the aesthete, I liked it.  The Library is quite nice; I should hang out there more often.  Lots of cheery spaces, reading areas, etc.  If you can find cheap street parking... 

Today I watched "Inception," the Nolan film from 2010 that is on the NFR.  I don't know, didn't really like it.  I mean, the action scenes were awesome, and the cast was first-rate, but the plot... I guess I am not the sci-fi type.  Oh well.  Bit long, too.  860, though.

Samuel Alito, a MAGA-Friendly Justice With a New Conservative Legal Vision - WSJ
It is more than fair to say that he has amply filled the mantle of Justice Thomas!

Last Skyway drive-in restaurant closes after 74 years in Fairlawn - cleveland.com
What???  I mean, I didn't go as often as I should have -- need to get to Fairlawn more, I guess -- but when I did, I always stopped.  Was just as good as Swenson's... alas.  I guess things happen, and people have a right to retire, but one hates to see these things come to an end.

In less happy news, the Behemoth is making loud noises, so I will have to call the mechanic and see when they can take it (hopefully soon).  As my father would have said, it sounds expensive, and of course, the timing is not quite the best.  To say nothing of the fact that this could be a big one, or the big one.  Ugh.  But we will figure it out,

In other news, I bought a fridge Saturday.  I went to Home Appliance in Brunswick (my sister recommended it) and while they didn't have one in stock, they can have one next week, and it was about what I figured I would pay.  I am a little short of fruit, but other than that... I think I can survive for a few days.  I am sure I will be pleased to do my part to stimulate the economy...

Mattie is alive

Long break, not that I was trying; Monday and Tuesday I crashed.  Wednesday I joined Team XI at PQ (we came in third, sigh) and then when I wanted to post, I couldn't log in.  And last night I was out -- haircut, dinner at Our Lady of Mount Carmel, and then a friend was/is in town, so I met him Downtown (he was staying at the Hyatt).  I thought about posting, but... discretion won out.

I have decided I need a new fridge and will be buying one tomorrow.  (Need to take some measurements.)  Mine is old -- a decade -- and not only was it making odd noises, but the fridge part is not very cold.  This is an issue, as I have insulin in there (I have some freezer bags in it for support).  It is pretty sparse in there now -- just pop, potatoes, and some apples.  Alas.  I hope it can be delivered sooner rather than later, but we will see.  I have been paying down the HELOC, and while I wanted to fund some home improvements...well, this is one as well.  And, one needs a fridge.  In the meantime, I am trying to do as much of the catching up as I can as stuff.  Oi!

Exclusive: Phil Mickelson’s Long History of Misconduct
Interesting...  Phil, we hardly knew ye?  And, once we did...

The Platner rape story: all in the timing - The New Neo
But this guy says "Hold my beer!"  I will remind you all that I called this -- sexual assault allegations, or at least worse -- even if I didn't exactly have hard evidence.  Now, for a while I thought he would not withdraw from the race, though he has agreed to do so (for now).  Quite frankly, every GOPer should be making ads with this guy -- and his endorsees/enablers -- front and center, followed by going around and asking Democrats what, if anything, were they thinking.  Now, as they are Democrats, they have plenty little with which to think, but...

Democrats have abandoned Graham Platner - POLITICO
One of my former coworkers -- an admitted and avowed Socialist -- told me that he didn't Platner to withdraw from the race.  I told him that I agreed, and I do not think he picked up my tone...

 Don’t Lock Young Americans Into Social Security | RealClearPolitics
This is an excellent idea, so of course it will never work.

Let’s admit it: The United States is never going to win a men’s World Cup - The Athletic
Monday I watched this game at a soccer party.  Quite dour, especially as it became obvious that we were not going to win.  I don't know... this could be me, and I do not watch much soccer, but it seems like we do soccer the same way everyone else does.  (Boringly.)  Hell, our best players go over to Europe.  Now, if we are not as good as the Europeans are, and we intend to do soccer in the same way that they do, we really won't ever win, will we?  I would think trying to win in our way would be best.  I wonder what a combo of aggressive soccer -- using our size and strength -- AND long-distance shots would work.  Or, considering how often we crammed everyone in front of the box and then we miffed anyway, I wonder if getting out a bit and kicking it in from afar (like our penalty kick goal) might help; we'd have to practice it, of course, and we would have to spread the field, but I think it could be tried.

U.S. soccer’s ‘pay-to-play’ problem: The lightning-rod issue explained in a World Cup context - The Athletic

Isn't this true for all our sports?  It is just that we compete with everyone else in soccer, and come out on the short side...

Still Independent

The end of a long weekend.  On the one hand, I didn't do enough of what I wanted to do, but on the other hand, I did a lot.  Cleaned out the laundry, did some cleaning, finished a book, went through a bunch of links and emails, finally caught up on J! episodes.  I mean, there is always more reading to do and movies to watch, and I need to start taking the time to do that.  Sigh.  Tomorrow is another day and all that jazz.  To be sure, with the concert and the Fourth... there was less time than expected.  Alas  

I wanted to do some culinary tourism but with the holiday I figured it would be problematic, so I instead went to the recipe list and made -- in honor of the day -- John Wayne's cowboy casserole.  It was quite good, but given the ingredients - buttermilk biscuits, cheese, sour cream -- let's just say that I have had some bathroom fireworks of my own.  I really do not eat such richer ingredients, and I can tell; rather looking forward to baked fish again in many ways.  And, I should get to some restaurants this month, especially if the weather is good and gas prices continue to slide down.

Inside Republicans’ Plan to Win the Midterms - NOTUS — News of the United States
Speaking of, I will believe it when I see it...

On the origin of continents - Works in Progress Magazine
Interesting.  Hard to believe it took so long to believe -- I mean, look at the map?  I did like how even after looking at the fossil record and such people still were skeptical.  I realize it is sort of a crazy idea -- continents are big and massive things -- but it's not like this is creation science (the real science of course!).

Tim Lincecum got his pitching start at Washington
Interesting; I forgot about him (sort of) and how good he was.  Was it overwork?  Delivery?  Just his time?  Trading for him was one of the best decisions I ever made in my fantasy baseball league, which seems so long ago....

Soaked

 So Thursday night I watched some TV and fell asleep on the floor.  Woke up at 3, which caused me to go back to bed, but I overslept my alarm (sleep schedule off) and it ruined my biorhythm feng shui; woke up a bit late and ended up doing some stuff in the AM, the getting up late bit caused me to drag.  Oi.  Anyways, a late start -- errands, groceries, etc. -- then home a bit (where I napped) and caught up on some J!.  Then it was off to Blossom; I had won free tix to the music festival (I was trying to get Strokes tix).  I hadn't planned on going...if you remember last year I went and it was fun but I was like meh.  And, of course, there was the weather.  But I thought there might be a chance -- "Spotty storms" -- and there I went.

Going there it was nice; a bit warm but once you are in the park there are those tree-lined roads and it was quite cool.  I have to admit, driving down I was like "if the storm hits and the branches come down, this will be a mess."  I snagged a paring spot on pavement (good) and hoofed (chair, backpack with drinks and insulin) to the lawn.  It was pretty full, but I found a spot in the back by a tree and parked.  The concert was fine, but... it got darker and then started to rain.  Hard.  I got fairly drenched, to put it mildly.  To be sure, it was warm, so it wasn't unpleasant, but after roasting in the heat, there was this.  OI.  The intermission was a little prolonged due to the rain, but then Act II started and it started to rain again.  Everyone assumed with the rain the fireworks were off, so we all started to hoof back....just when we were out of the amphitheater the fireworks started!  Oi.  I mean, it was fine, but it's not quite my type of music, you are far (yes, you don't need to see the orchestra), and if it rains...

The ride home was a bit perilous -- lots of people left early, so getting out was actually nonstop and fast.  But, the roads did have some debris -- branches and leaves -- and they blocked Steels Corners and diverted you to Riverview (water, I guess).  This was ok -- I know where THAT ends up -- but I was not displeased to finally get on Everett (also an adventure, with the hills, wind, rain, branches, etc.).  I got home, took off my wet clothes, had some dinner, and resolved not to do this again.   I still need to clean my house today, which I could have done last night (though I would not have).

Twilight of the boomer priests
Interesting, and I agree...I think we can say they were/are an artifact of their time, but...time have changed.  Thank God!

It Is Time To Revisit Kennedy v. Louisiana
This is exactly right, especially when we don't have that moron Anthony Kennedy around anymore...  hell, this is a Tenth Amendment violation if anything.

The decade when Duke basketball became a fearsome (and hated) machine - The Athletic
This is a bit hard to believe, sort of.  I mean, I realize people are gonna hate, but... in the meantime, I didn't realize Coach K was so involved in setting up the funding mechanism for success.  Hard to believe it now, with NIL and all, but...

The pickup games that made ‘Blue Chips’ the most authentic basketball movie ever - The Athletic
Great article.  I have to admit, I loved the movie -- not quite Hoosiers, but close -- and I think (even now), it holds up.  Hell, with NIL, it is still there, just in the open...  I forgot that they used actual college players and coaches in the game, and it is hilarious that people remember guys from the movie and not their college careers...

Survive and Advance

That World Cup game was...something?  I mean, I am glad we won, but...two goals taken off the board for offsides?  A Team USA player getting a red card for at best a very  modest contact foul?  Good Lord.  There are plenty of reasons for people to hate this stupid sport, but this seems to be even more than usual.  I realize my comparison to the J! TOC is apt -- survive and advance -- but still, you want the teams to play in a game NOT decided by the refs.

My aunt was in town for a couple of days -- staying with my sister -- so I went over there to visit and to do some research for my family history "project."  This is on my Mom's side, but I would like to know more about them as well.  I didn't realize I knew more about grandma's side of the family than grandpa's, and much of the evening was spent discussing that.  There are a lot more relatives on that side of the family -- my grandfather had many siblings -- and I guess there are plenty of distant cousins I could look up.  I still have some older relatives to ask, and that will be on the calendar for the weekend.  In theory; I would like to do some things, and I have piles of stuff to go through...

Inside the Egg Price-Fixing Scandal That Spiked American Grocery Bills - WSJ
Is it me, or is this not enough of a punishment?  Given all the talk about antitrust, affordability, etc., there should have been stronger actions; indeed, they should be breaking these companies up.  As I so often say now, one of the advantages of the death penalty is that you only have to do it once (in theory) before people get the message.  I know the Trump Administration is a bit more business-friendly than others, but...

InfantryDort on X: ""The century of progressivism did not go well. The European system that Wilson and the progressives scolded Americans for not adopting—which he called nearly perfect—led to the governments that caused the most awful century that the world has ever seen. Stalin, Hitler, Mussolini https://t.co/EqBQJUkI3t" / X
This is awesome!

Supremes

Hard to believe it is July already; summer (and life) is flying by.  Also, it was really hot today; the AC ran all day (I loathe to consider the electric bill) and there was a sense of heaviness to the air.  Heck, it is heavy now.  I took a stroll about 9 PM and it was....dense but comfortable.  I have been on a kick to keep the windows open but not today.

The Quiet Unraveling of America’s Food Safety Net - POLITICO
Is it me or is this article somewhat misleading?  I mean, for one, they don't mention that the current approach is also unsustainable -- look at our debt levels, for one.  And two, there is of course fraud and waste -- all these states have error rates that are incredibly high -- and no one is going around lookingn at that.  I am not saying we should go Nick Shirley here, but...

Is it me, or did the Donald win at the Court today, even if he didn't?  I mean, transgender bans are ok, and as I think the Court got the citizenship correct... Trump can continue to campaign a bit about it,  and maybe someone will figure out a way to actually do it legally...  I would get rid of pardons first, but photo ID while voting is something you can also run on.  And it sure beats the truth.

Awake and Alive

My plan to go to bed early foiled by the low blood sugar alarm, here we are.  Busy weekend -- busier than I thought it would be.  At least my jello came out perfectly; every layer set just so, even, no bleed between levels...yes, it took more time, but it was worth it, not only to me but the family as well.  Rah.

Saturday I woke up bright and early for OC duty.  The crowd was a bit low (113) but that was good, as we had but 9 volunteers (four fewer than the minimum), so we had to hustle.  I was all over -- up front, packing bags, moving boxes of canned goods off the pallets, etc.  I wish the parishes with too few volunteers had let us know.  In the meantime, our count is going to be a bit low for the month (in the post-COVID era).  I of course attribute this to GOP prosperity, which our left-leaning staff found to be...insufficient.  Oddly, our hot meal counts are low, too.  I did note that historically, our counts were always lower in the summer, so maybe we are going back to the old normal?

Then it was off to the bank (another HELOC payment, gotta start thinking about the next project), the gym, and a couple of errands.  Then home for a brief moment to shit/shower/shave, as we had a family fest and I had to get my aunt and then off for poker and fun.  I was ahead $6 for the night (not counting gas and jello expenses), leading to jokes about my hitting the night deposit on the way home.  I need to buy stamps (food pantry stuff), so I will just offset that.  

Today was the usual -- Mass, gym, Communion to my friend in West Park -- and then home, where I caught up on some work, handled paperwork, and made a brief appearance at a friend's soiree.  It is a perfect night -- just cool enough to be comfortable, a bit of a breeze -- and tomorrow it will be gone for the swelter pit.  Hard to believe June is almost gone!

NRCC Battleground Memo
This will surprise absolutely none of you, but I will believe it when I see it!