Morning Update: 09/19/24

September 19, 2024

Yeah, Still COVID.

There’s nothing new to say other than G is going to school today. Kat will be at the salon but wearing a mask. I’m sick of being sick. This is absolutely ridiculous. My head hurts. The coughing is incessant. Appetite: gone. Tipper is getting better. In fact, it’s difficult for me to keep her home the rest of the week, but that’s what we were told to do. I went to get up this morning and Hamilton tried lying on top of me so that I couldn’t. On average, I was only able to sit up about 45 minutes at a time yesterday, and that was pushing it. I can’t wait for this to go the fuck away.

The news is making me angry because everyone’s being so fucking stupid. Tensions rose sharply after Israel’s defense minister announced a “new phase” of the war and an apparent Israeli attack set off explosions in electronic devices in Lebanon. Just because you can, doesn’t mean you should. No one asked for that war to broaden. No one.

A California man is part of a wave of Orange Felon supporters who bombard the ex-president’s opponents with threatening messages worded carefully to avoid arrest. As fears of violence rise ahead of the election, has he crossed a line? Fuck yes! There’s no room for crying when someone gets fed up and puts an end to these little charades by eliminating the creators. Fucking idiots.

Marion County Prosecutor Ryan Mears has filed criminal charges against nine students in just the past two weeks for separate threats at schools across Indianapolis. This is a nationwide problem and I fail to understand why we’re having so much trouble addressing it. Parents, this is a YOU issue at the core. Take the fucking phones away if you need to. One sheriff is posting pictures and videos online. This nonsense has got to stop. But then, look back at the paragraph above this one. Monkey see, monkey do?

111 Former G.O.P. Officials Back Harris, Calling The Orange Felon ‘Unfit to Serve’, but if they’re former officials, does that endorsement carry any actual weight? This race is too fucking close and it’s going to come down to who can get the most people out to vote on November 5.

Nine people have been charged after last weekend’s street takeovers, but the charges are mostly misdemeanors and none of those involved are likely to see any severe jail time. This is a case where the law is insufficient to adequately address the crime. I guess we’ll have to wait until someone ends up dead for anything substantive to happen.

The only good news I’m seeing is that we might get some rain and cooler temps toward the first of next week. Today’s high is going to be back up to 90, though. Even the dogs don’t want to put up with that kind of bullshit.

You know what sounds good right now? A giant-sized Milky Way bar. Do you understand just how much I do not need that? But nothing else sounds even remotely interesting.

Sol says it’s time to take the dogs out because they’re being annoying. He actually stopped me from trying to call Hamilton onto the bed last night. Talk about a cat with attitude.

At least tomorrow’s Friday. This is being the longest fucking week.

Current Issues / Morning Update / News & Comment / Personal / Politics / science / Social Commentary / video

Morning Update: 09/13/24

September 13, 2024

Friday the 13th Edition

Welcome to one of the most dreaded days of the year (by some)! Those who are superstitious are likely staying in bed today if they can, or being extremely careful if they can’t. I do want to put something to rest quickly, though: THERE IS NO FRIDAY THE 13TH IN OCTOBER THIS YEAR. I’ve seen the memes going around since June. They’re wrong. There is a supermoon, but the 13th lands on a Sunday next month. I know some were hoping for a super spooky Halloween season, but that particular element isn’t happening. If you are a spooky-oriented person, celebrate today instead.

Only one person gave me any direct feedback on yesterday’s video edition, and views were down compared to other days this week. I think, at least for today, we’ll mix it up a bit, giving video coverage where it makes sense, but going ahead and typing out the rest. There was some mention that some of the videos were blocked for some people. I don’t understand that at all. Most of the videos came from YouTube and should have been available to everyone. For them to be blocked doesn’t make any sense.

Kat is still quarantined. Queen Bit and Fat Guy have been taking care of her, Bit insisting on lying on her head most of the day. I’m not sure what that’s supposed to cure, but she’s definitely committed to the task. At least no one here is running to AI for medical advice. According to this morning’s Times, many Americans are taking the advice of AI chatbots for medical information. The primary reason is that it takes too long to see an actual doctor. But, of course, the question immediately raised is whether the advice is accurate. The answer is obvious: not always. Go see a real, living, breathing doctor before doing anything stupid.

Can we stop with the Springfield-related memes already? Yeah, I’ve seen some cute ones, but the issue is that they’re causing problems. Here’s your first video of the day.

As much as anything, this is a clear example of the degree to which words do matter, and Republicans such as the Orange Felon and his idiotic running mate don’t seem to care. If anything, they’re delighting in the chaos because it keeps bringing people back to the concept that immigrants are ruining the country. They’re not. They’re not ruining Europe, either. Immigration is not out of control. This is clear fear-mongering from the GOP. In the case of Springfield, they need immigrants. So, let’s just cancel the memes, okay?

Of course, the big news of the day is that 33,000 Boeing factory workers went on strike after rejecting the contract offer. This is going to put a big dent in Boeing’s cash flow as it means they can’t deliver the 737s that airlines have ordered. Boeing is already cash-strapped thanks to its multiple failures this year. They really can’t afford to let this strike go much longer than the weekend, and even then the ripple effect is going to cause numerous problems for the company. Boeing workers have put up with a lot of flack and no small amount of bullshit of late. This is their first work stoppage since 2008. The folks in Boeing’s C-Suite need to get their act together and end this strike quickly.

I totally forgot that there was a football game last night. I can’t believe that I let that slip my mind. I was in bed shortly after 9:00 anyway, and the Bills pretty much handled the Dolphins without any problem. No one is terribly surprised by that. There was some drama, though. Tua Tagovailoa sustained a concussion after hitting his head on the turf. This was a scary moment for Dolphins fans as much of the team’s hopes for this season ride on the quarterback’s abilities. There have been a number of problems with the turf in various stadiums already this season. If you were watching the Colts/Texans game last Sunday, you saw both quarterbacks plagued with slipping on Lucas Oil’s new turf. There were plenty of complaints at other stadiums as well. None of the teams want to lose their highly-paid star players to an injury. But can the problem even be addressed now that the season is underway?

Time for another video. This one is actually a little frightening in my opinion.

Considering that North Korea isn’t supposed to have any nukes at all makes this a slap directly in the face of the UN and its member countries. Why should this bother us? First of all, the world does not need another nuclear power, especially not one controlled by a family of power-hungry deranged lunatics. No one trusts a nuclear-equipped North Korea to not attempt a takeover of South Korea. Most critical, though, is the Russian factor. Putin has been under increasing pressure to utilize the country’s nuclear weapons against Ukraine. Among the multiple problems with that idea, including the fact that fallout would likely blowback over Russia, is that their nuclear arsenal is decades old and operates on what is now horribly obsolete technology that hasn’t been tested since the 1980s. However, European intel is saying that Russia has a new kamikaze drone. Putin’s been getting cozy with North Korea’s Kim of late. If Russia were to put brand new North Korean nukes on kamikaze drones, it could spell danger for all of Eastern Europe, including several NATO countries. Now, see why this is really a big deal?

There is some interesting moon-related news this morning. On one hand, New research suggests the moon had active volcanoes when dinosaurs roamed Earth. Granted, this was millions of years ago, but it’s still important as it may mean that underground deposits of both water and magma may still exist. This could be extremely important if anyone wants to actually attempt colonizing the moon.

However, the Times is reporting that a new mini-moon is being captured by Earth’s gravity. There are a couple of caveats here. First, what scientists are tracking is an extremely small space rock. So small, that you wouldn’t likely be able to see it with the naked eye. Second, not everyone agrees that it’s a moon. Again, size matters, but so does the shape of its orbit, which is still up for questioning. Nonetheless, it would be exciting, in my opinion, if Earth were to join the collection of cool planets that have more than one moon. It will be interesting to see how this develops. Who knows, maybe the little rock will grow!

Locally, it’s looking as though the drought across much of Indiana is going to continue. Any rain effect from Tropical Storm Francine is going to be limited to the Southwestern part of the state, leaving the rest of us hot and dry for at least the next week. This is unusual since September is normally a fairly wet month. Without any rain, fall foliage is going to suck. Already, I’m seeing the leaves on trees in our neighborhood beginning to turn brown. Belvedere’s been digging holes to lie in because the surface ground is too hot. This is not a good sign at all.

Fortunately, there’s football tomorrow. The big game for everyone in Indiana is Purdue vs. Notre Dame. Purdue is 2-0 and ND is coming off a devestating loss to Northern Illinois last week. This in-state rivalry is always a big game, but this year it could possibly determine how the rest of the season goes for both teams. The winner gets a shove forward in the polls, which is important come bowl time. The loser could be down for the count, especially if it’s Notre Dame. Either way, we’re looking forward to an exciting game tomorrow afternoon.

I need to eat breakfast and then probably take a nap. Or two. Maybe three. Or four. Never underestimate my napping ability.

Nor my need for MORE COFFEE!!

Morning Update / News & Comment / Personal / Politics / Social Commentary

Morning Update: 09/11/24

September 11, 2024

There are days when I’m not sure how to react to things happening around me. Yesterday was one of those days. I was sitting outside while the dogs ran around when I heard a sound that could have been gunfire. It also could have been someone nailing down a piece of tin. Whatever it was, I was too far away to be certain. Kat threw up yesterday and was running a fever. She took a COVID test because she’s been around people who’ve had it. At first, it appeared that the test was negative, but there was the faintest pink line. Do we respond as if she’s positive or not? She’ll take another test this morning.

The real stumper came with a text from one of Tipper’s teachers. She expressed concern over Tipper’s grades and then related an instance from yesterday afternoon where the child refused to complete an assignment, telling the teacher, “Yeah, that’s stupid, I’m not doing it.” I can’t imagine ever talking back to a teacher like that! I would have gotten my backside blistered so bad I wouldn’t have been able to sit down for a week! But we know corporal punishment like that doesn’t work, especially with kids on the autism spectrum. So, how do we tackle this one in a way that fits the crime?

Fortunately, I had plenty of time to think this one through before she got home. I started by taking her phone, which I know stung because her new phone case had just been delivered that morning. Then, we talked. She detailed the issues she’s having in some of her classes. Teachers using video as an instructional tool is apparently a problem. We talked about having respect for teachers and not questioning basic assignments. Then, she sat next to me while she sent emails to the affected teachers, background copying me on each so that I would have a record. Those included apologizing for refusing to do assignments.

I’m still debating whether I need to make a trip to the school. I don’t want the teachers to think that we’re dismissing their concerns. At the same time, if she’s raising issues and they’re not being addressed, we need to make sure the right people are listening. The school makes it quite easy for me to check her grades on a daily basis. I’ve told her that I need to see some improvement within the next week. Otherwise, more privileges will be revoked.

I’m still not convinced I’m handling this the right way.

Then, at the darling hour of 4:00 AM this morning, Hamilton decides that he needs to go outside. Now. I really wanted to ignore him, but he wasn’t going to let that happen. Reluctantly, I got dressed and took both dogs outside. Now, they’re both back asleep and here I sit, talking to Frankie, the smashed-face wheezer kitty, questioning everything, and wondering if I’m missing anything important.

Most pundits and “debate experts” are saying that VP Harris “won” last night’s debate, hands down. In the clips I’ve seen, the Orange Felon looked confused, out of place, and too damn old. Kamala Harris, the prosecutor, took charge, challenged the lies, and scared the Felon so badly that he immediately walked into the spin room after the debate, something only losers ever do. For Harris, the moments after the debate brought the much-anticipated endorsement of Taylor Swift. That could bring hundreds of thousands of young voters to the polls. However, those coveted “undecided” voters are not convinced yet. I’m not sure how anyone can be undecided at this point. The choices are miles apart. Fact checking what each candidate said last night might help.

The death toll in Vietnam is now over 150. Small towns have been washed away by the flood waters. Hanoi hasn’t looked this bad since 1956. Until the waters go down, however, it is almost impossible to get help into the area.

There was another school shooting yesterday. This time in Nebraska. No one was killed but a student is in critical condition. Interesting how that story is so far down the damn page.

A decline in beer sales is effecting barley farmers. Maybe that’s a sign that those big beer brands need to make better beer.

The billionaire Jared Isaacman and his crew traveled to altitudes not visited by any astronaut since the Apollo moon missions of the 1960s and ’70s. I still think this is a vanity flight and I don’t expect it to end well. Let’s hope I’m wrong.

Of course, today is the 23rd anniversary of the 9/11 disaster. I tend to look at the New York Times for a clue as to how the events are being commemorated. This year, though, it’s a page 3 story. Many other news outlets don’t mention it at all. So much for “never forget.”

My head is swimming. Frankie just stuck his face in my half-empty coffee mug.

I think I just need to go back to bed.

Cancer Update / Current Issues / Morning Update / News & Comment / Personal / Politics / Social Commentary

Morning Update: 09/10/24

September 10, 2024

All I want to do right now is curl back up in bed and go to sleep. The problem is pain from both the chemo and arthritis. It kept me down yesterday and this morning isn’t feeling any better. I know a lot of people were excited to hear that Princess Kate had completed her chemo and will resume some of her royal duties. While that’s great news for her, there are still millions of people, probably people you know, who are just being diagnosed and beginning the arduous treatment of using one poison to fight another. The number of new diagnoses I’ve seen this fall is rather frightening. Patti Scialfa, Springsteen’s wife and bandmate, revealed her cancer diagnosis recently. While the survival rate for many cancers has improved tremendously over the past 20 years, the treatment isn’t any less painful.

Cancer isn’t the only killer, either. James Earl Jones, one of the greatest bass voices ever, the voice for Darth Vader and Mufasa among others, died yesterday from complications of Type 2 Diabetes. Yes, I have that one, too. If the cancer doesn’t kill me, the diabetes almost certainly will. There’s no escape. And while I might want to live every moment to its fullest, the reality is that I spend most of my days in bed, trying not to cry, being thankful for the company of pets who refuse to leave me alone.

Nothing about this getting old shit is being fun. There are no grandkids to bounce on my knee and spoil. I can’t be as involved with G and Tipper’s school as I would like. My income is too limited to go traveling, and even if it wasn’t, my body couldn’t handle it. I often wonder if I’m serving any purpose at all. I can’t take pictures. My creativity is at an all-time low. Just writing these updates every morning is a chore. The kids get in from school in the afternoon and I try to be awake and present for them, but it isn’t easy. There’s a 44-pound bag of dog food in the kitchen that needs to be dumped into the storage container. I can’t lift it by myself. What good am I to anyone?

Yes, it could be worse. Hurricane Francis is going to mess up everything between Houston and New Orleans. No one is sure yet how strong it might be when it makes landfall, but even a Category 1 storm has proven to be enough to knock out power and cause tremendous flooding.

An Israeli strike on a Gaza humanitarian zone tent camp killed at least 40 people. No matter what Palestinians do to try and stay alive, Israel’s leaders seem determined to kill every last one of them. The UN chief calls the death and destruction in Gaza the worst he’s seen. “Secretary-General António Guterres said in an interview with The Associated Press that it’s “unrealistic” to think the U.N. could play a role in Gaza’s future, either by administering the territory or providing a peacekeeping force, because Israel is unlikely to accept a U.N. role.” Israel, for its part, seems willing to negotiate short-term cease-fires, such as the one that allowed the administration of the polio vaccine, but leaders there are not interested in ending the war.

South African farmers are accused of killing 2 women and feeding them to pigs. You have to wonder how any human can be so cruel.

The Death toll from the Vietnam storm rises to 87 with 70 people missing. A typhoon blasted the country, leaving it in worse disarray than that stupid war.

A Swiss city councilor apologized for firing a gun at a Mary and Jesus poster. How the hell does anyone wrap their head around that?

If there’s any “good” news, it’s that both Google and Apple were unable to get away from the EU’s tough laws. Google will have to pay 2.4 billion Euros. Apple gets to fork over 13 billion to Ireland. If the US had any guts, the two companies, among others, would be paying out the nose here as well.

If you fly, you’ll want to know that Battery-powered devices are overheating more often on planes and raising alarm. The biggest culprit: vapes. Anything with a lithium battery can potentially overheat. If that device happens to be in checked baggage, which is illegal but still happens, the resulting fire may not be caught until it’s too large for immediate suppression.

SpaceX finally launched that billionaire and his crew into space. I’ll still be surprised if their spacewalk goes off without a hitch.

And yeah, that debate is tonight. I’m not watching. The only outcome that’s going to please me is if VP Harris literally devours the Orange Felon right there in front of everyone. I’m good with catching the highlight reel in the morning.

No, I’m not in a good mood this morning. There’s no reason for me to be in a good mood. I’m sick and tired of all the pain and I want a box of fresh apple fritters. And Frank has figured out how to close all my open windows. He’s done it twice this morning, so far. The temptation to say, “Fuck everything,” is really strong.

I’ll stick with my coffee, for now. I’m not making any promises about later, though.

Current Issues / Morning Update / News & Comment / Personal / Politics / Social Commentary

Morning Update: 09/09/24

September 9, 2024

This is going to be one of those weeks where how you dress in the morning isn’t going to be comfortable by midday. We’re at that time of year, and I’m more grateful this year than I was last year that I’m not covering anyone’s Fashion Weeks this fall. The pace and the hours would kill me. Malia Obama’s choice of Vivienne Westwood for her red carpet look in Paris is pretty smart, but few of us “normal” people have red carpets to walk, so we might want to be more careful about our choices. The kids, of course, chose slightly heavier hoodies than the ones they normally wear.

Kat is having to take the kids to school this morning. The IndyGo bus that normally picks them up was already full by the time it arrived at their stop. Waiting for the next bus an hour later would make them late for school. Over-capacity buses along school routes are a known issue that IndyGo seems to be ignoring. Drivers have complained. Riders have complained. I’m not sure what it’s going to take to get additional buses on the street, but something needs to be resolved quickly. Looks like I’ll be making another complaint this morning.

We survived the first Sunday of NFL football, which may be more than we can say for some coaches. I didn’t expect the Colts to win, so I’ve nothing bad to say about their two-point loss to Houston. They kept it close, which is saying something against a team that is already getting Super Bowl chatter. The Cowboys actually won against the Browns, which is a damn good thing given how much the team is paying Dak Prescott now. The Bears pulled off an impressive win against the Titans after being down 17-3 at the half. And the Dolphins stayed close enough to win the game on a last-second field goal against the Jags. You’ll hear a lot of armchair quarterbacking this morning, but don’t buy it. The first-week strategy for every team is pretty much, “Let’s try this and see what happens.” They’ll make adjustments and hopefully, next week will be different.

Emotionally, this could be a tough week for a lot of people. Questions are being raised as to whether or not the Apalachee school shooting might have been prevented. While the newly installed panic buttons helped alert police to a problem, questions now center around whether the entire incident could have been prevented. Of course, the ultimate prevention would have been to not give the child the gun in the first place, but no one wants to talk about that.

Tuesday is the big debate between the two major-party presidential candidates. Their approaches are vastly different and their histories could make this one of the most entertaining debates we’ve seen in many years. In the background, though, lies the fact that the Orange Felon is threatening to jail his adversaries if he wins. Be prepared for there to be a lot of emotion on both sides and the rhetoric will be impossible by Wednesday morning.

Wednesday morning, however, brings another set of emotions with it as we once again recognize the anniversary of the 9/11 bombings. Activities have morphed some over the years. The children who lost their parents that day are now adults and bring their own unique feelings to the commemorative events. The day inevitably stirs emotions for us much as December 7 did for our parents and grandparents. We can only hope that those born after that day will never have such an experience of their own.

If you’re a fan of discount stores, you may be sad to learn that Big Lots is declaring bankruptcy. I don’t think anyone familiar with the store’s history is surprised. Private equity firm Nexus Capital is acting as the stalking horse bidder. No mention has been made yet whether any stores will be closed. That likely will be the decision of whoever buys the company.

Police are under scrutiny yet again after Miami police handcuffed and detained Dolphins RB Tyreek Hill and defensive tackle Calais Campbell early Sunday morning. While those involved are being careful to not yell racism, after the arresting officer was placed on leave it’s difficult to not imagine anything else being at the center of the problem. That problems such as this keep happening shows how little is being done to correct a problem that’s been in the news for several years now. More needs to happen.

I’m not even sure what to think about the entire Middle East situation this morning. It’s a mess. On one hand, Israeli strikes in Syria left 14 dead and more than 40 wounded. Israel says they were only acting in retaliation for Syrian involvement in the war with Hamas. Syria says those killed were civilians. Meanwhile, the U.N. human rights chief asked countries to act on what he called Israel’s “blatant disregard” for international law in the occupied Palestinian territories. Uhm, stoking the fire there much? Comments like that aren’t going to push either side toward accepting a cease-fire anytime soon.

If you thought Tim Ballard of Operation Underground Railroad was an anti-trafficking good guy, you may want to think again. A number of women are accusing him of being a predator. This seems to be a pattern for conservatives who use non-profit organizations to hide their devious acts. The Latter-day Saints church last September denounced Mr. Ballard’s “morally unacceptable” activities in a statement to VICE News, which had published a series of stories raising questions about the nonprofit’s operations. At least ten women have come forward. You’ve been warned.

Speaking of nefarious conservative action, there’s an interesting opinion piece in this morning’s Times on how the state of Tennessee is preventing at least half a million people from voting. “About 9 percent of the state’s voting-age population is prohibited from voting because of felony convictions. And the effects are particularly acute among the Black population, with an astonishing 21 percent of Black adults barred from voting — the highest rate in the country.” This is shameful. This is racist as hell. And this is not surprising.

The Times also has an interesting test for you. Can you tell the difference between real videos and those generated by AI? This is going to be an increasingly difficult issue and our perception of what is real is in jeopardy.

It’s only Monday and we already need a break. This could be a long week.

Grab your coffee mug and hold on.

Cancer Update / Current Issues / Morning Update / News & Comment / Personal

Morning Update: 09/05/24

September 5, 2024

No Place Feels Safe [2012 original with AI background]

Parents everywhere are holding their kids a little closer before sending them off to school this morning. Yesterday’s shooting in Winder, Georgia was a grim reminder, just as the school year is getting started, that schools are not the safe place they once were. We have no guarantee when we put them on a bus in the morning that we’re going to see them again that afternoon. Despite shooting after shooting, there is no resolve across America to take any definitive action to stop the problem. Local officials had investigated after the then 13-year-old made threatening statements against the school last year, but laws were too weak to support making an arrest at the time. And here we are, again, going through the motions of grieving, offering empty thoughts and prayers to parents and families who want to know why this keeps happening.

Georgia wasn’t the only place where danger was felt yesterday, though. A man was shot and killed in his own home yesterday around 1:00 PM, just across the street from the kids’ school. The email we received from the school reads: “Moving forward, we are implementing additional measures to enhance the security around our school. These actions include increased monitoring of the surrounding area, close collaboration with local authorities, allowing students to stay inside the building during dismissal until parent pick-up, and reviewing our safety protocols to ensure maximum effectiveness.”

While it was nice to receive some reassurance from the school, there are still questions unanswered. At the top of our minds is what, if anything, is being done to keep kids safe as they’re waiting for public transit to pick them up. A significant number of students ride IndyGo both going to and leaving the school. Their school isn’t the only one that utilizes the public transit system, either. In fact, Tipper mentioned again yesterday afternoon that the bus driver taking them to school yesterday morning was concerned that he might get in trouble because there were too many students on his bus for it to be safe. Bus drivers have complained and requested booster buses be added to the schedule, but nothing has been done. Just traveling to and from school is putting our kids in danger.

Politicians and school administrators are always quick to tell us that our kids are important to them. Where’s the evidence? A list of mass killings just this year is too long. This is an election year, the one time we can do something that might lead to a change in the number of shootings at schools, churches, and shopping areas. If you have any questions about that matter, I can promise you that the Felon isn’t going to risk upsetting Second Amendment supporters. I’m not convinced Democrats will do any better, either, because they haven’t. Regardless of what anyone says, the lack of concrete action proves beyond any shadow of a doubt that our kids really are not that important to them.

I don’t know what else to say. I’ve sat here before and ranted on the subject and it never does anyone any good. Nothing ever changes.

One fact I do know: I’m not getting any better. The evidence for that statement came yesterday when I asked Kat to drop me off at our local Kroger. Yeah, I know, Kroger is a big-time price gouger, and they’re trying to convince everyone that their merger with Albertson’s is going to lower prices for consumers. The problem is that Kroger is the only local store that carries sugar-free bread. No one else has it. Trying to order anything online from Kroger is a pain in the ass. There are always too many substitutions and the ending price never seems to line up with what you were anticipating. So, Kat dropped me off while she ran to Aldi’s. I picked up her prescriptions, my bread, some milk, and a couple of other things we needed. I was in the store for maybe twenty minutes.

I should have left ten minutes sooner. I was just leaving the milk aisle when I began feeling light-headed. I looked around for a place to sit and rest, but there wasn’t one. There never is in a grocery store. So, I kept going. Kat picked me up, we came home, and we started putting the groceries away. Twice I came close to falling. By the time I made it back to the recovery room, I was so dizzy I couldn’t see. I fell into bed and passed out. I ended up staying close to bed for most of the rest of the day. Even this morning, I can feel the pressure behind my eyes telling me to take it easy. Today’s another day where I don’t need to be doing anything more strenuous than walking across the hall.

My friend Rich had his port put in yesterday. He has another CT scan today and then the radiation starts. He’s in for a long road to recovery.

My friend Emily is resting at home after her surgery last week, and that’s where she’ll stay for a few weeks. One doesn’t just bounce back from body-altering surgery.

Another Facebook friend, who I’ve not met in person, is waiting for results back from a biopsy. She’s not expecting good news.

September is Leukemia Awareness Month. The blood cancer generally occurs in adults over age 55, but it is also the most common form of cancer in children under 15. This is supposed to be a disease that one dies with, not from. There are plenty of people who have recovered well and are going on living happy, busy lives. But we learned from Poppa’s situation over twenty years ago that not everyone gets a happy ending. Cancer is always going to suck. Right now, it’s sucking pretty damn hard.

Sitting here at my desk every morning, I read through some important news stories. US warned Nippon its U.S. Steel bid poses a national security risk. Pope Francis calls for climate change action during Istiqlal Mosque visit. Wildfire destroys 20% of Brasilia forest, arson suspected. These are all important stories that unquestionably will affect our future. Yet, I don’t see any real action resulting in change.

Instead, I see that the Felon’s new crypto business could create more conflicts if he’s elected president. US job openings fall as demand for workers weakens. Right-wing influencers were duped to work for covert Russian influence operations. Republicans Seize on False Theories About Immigrant Voting. At a Fox News town hall, the Felon sought to instill doubt that the coming debate would be fair. He’s said the same thing about the election as well. The doubt being sewn becomes fruitful too easily because it’s what we’ve come to expect with everything. We don’t trust the government. We don’t trust politicians, or anyone running for office. We don’t trust corporations. We try to trust our doctors but we don’t trust the pharmaceutical companies that make our medicines. We don’t trust the food we buy, nor the people selling it. We don’t trust our employers. We don’t trust our neighbors.

Perhaps the problem is that we’ve created a society that, at its very core, is its own cancer. And everything about it, like every other form of cancer, sucks.

You know what doesn’t suck? The source of the two big, black eyes staring at me from across the bed. Puppy dog snuggles never suck. They’re both flopped across the mattress acting as if they’re waking up from an all-night drunken binge. For dogs, it’s cute.

And Frankie, the smashed-face wheezer kitty, just hopped up on the desk to say, “Hey, I’m cute, too!”

He most definitely is.

So is this coffee cup. Very cute. Very demure.

Current Issues / Morning Update / News & Comment / Personal / Politics / Social Commentary

Morning Update: 09/04/24

September 4, 2024

Every parent harbors an unspoken fear of something happening to their children. When that moment comes, or it possibly has come, one has to make a decision on how to react. G tested our response yesterday, though he was never in any real danger and arrived home without our help. The “unexpected adventure” started simply enough. “I’m going to explore more of bus route 15 since I have more time today,” was the text he sent me a little before 4:00 yesterday afternoon. I told him that was fine. Having a good knowledge of the bus route is never a bad thing. But then…

When the bus got to the end of the route, he got off. The next bus heading back into town wouldn’t be there for another hour. So, G decided to walk to the nearby Home Depot and explore there for a while. Not finding the store very stimulating, he decided to walk the bus route back, catching the bus at a different stop along the way. While walking along the route, though, he was struck by a sense of nostalgia as he remembered some of the neighborhoods from when his school bus went through them. He detoured to explore a little bit.

As he walked, G’s phone died. He looked around for a public place where he might plug in his charger for a minute, but he was surrounded by retail stores, none of which were conducive to finding an open outlet. He decided to keep walking. And walking.

I didn’t grow concerned until I stepped outside to start the grill for dinner, around 6:30. I sent him a message, but got no response. To some degree, that’s not unusual. G doesn’t live with his phone in front of his face like some teens do. He frequently misses messages completely. When he still wasn’t home and I hadn’t heard anything by 7:00, though, it was time to call Kat. We discussed our options for a moment. We didn’t want to overreact. Still, we both know that Indy’s not the safest place to walk. Over 100 pedestrians were hit on the streets here just in August. After talking it over for a while, Kat decided she’d head back in from Fishers to look for him. I planned to take the meat off the grill, put Hamilton in a harness, and start walking from this direction.

As I was about to take the meat off the grill, I looked up and saw G coming down the sidewalk. I called Kat to let her know that he was safe. G trotted the rest of the way home and jumped the front fence. He had walked the entire six-plus miles from the end of the bus route. He came in, plugged in his phone, called his mom, ate leftover tacos, and fell fast asleep. Our boy was safe. We breathed a sigh of relief.

By this point, Tipper was already asleep as well. I ate my dinner alone, watched a couple of short documentaries, and went to bed thankful that we hadn’t become a statistic in the number of families who lost children. We’re fortunate that G’s a sharp kid and keeps his wits about him even when a situation doesn’t go exactly as planned.

Not everyone’s day ends on a good note. Four people who were killed on a Chicago L train on Monday were likely asleep when they were shot at close range. A Mountain lion attacked a 5-year-old at a Southern California park. Boko Haram militants on motorcycles attacked a Nigerian village, killing over 100. An 11-Year-Old Is Charged in Killing of 82-Year-Old Ex-Mayor and His Daughter. An Ex-Doctor Pleads Guilty to Manslaughter in New York Woman’s Suicide. And all that is without considering those killed in continuing wars.

We know that the world is a violent place. We live with the hope that the violence stays away from us, but statistically, we’re all eventually victims in one form or another. None of us get out of here without harm coming to us. This is the reality of the human condition. No, it’s no worse now than it was 100 years ago. The mode and means have changed, but the world has always been like this. If nature isn’t trying to kill us, we’re trying to kill each other. The world has never been safe.

We’re not necessarily the smartest creatures on the planet, either. Another boat carrying several dozen people appears to be making another attempt to cross the English Channel seemingly to Britain from northern France just a day after 12 migrants died. An Oregon hospital was hit with a $303M lawsuit after a nurse was accused of replacing fentanyl with tap water. A Philadelphia woman who was driving a partially automated Mustang Mach-E was charged with DUI homicide.

We also fall for stupid shit. Posts falsely claim video shows Harris promising to censor X and owner Elon Musk. China-linked ‘Spamouflage’ network mimics Americans online to sway US political debate. And Clearview AI was fined $33.7 million by a Dutch data protection watchdog over an ‘illegal database’ of faces.

I know you won’t take the time to click all those links. Hell, it’s rare that anyone double-checks me at all. Do you really trust me that much? Should you? I’ll keep providing the links because no one should take anyone at their word on important matters. That’s what allows us to get stuck with the stupidest of politicians in office.

Speaking of, the Times has an interesting conversation going on in their Opinion section this morning. David Brooks writes How Trump Wins (and Harris and the Democrats Blow It). Then, Ross Douthat counters with How Harris Wins (and Trump and the Republicans Blow It). Next, Thomas L. Friedman enters the fray with How Netanyahu Is Trying to Save Himself, Elect Trump, and Defeat Harris and Thomas B. Edsall winds matters up with Why Is the Presidential Election This Close? You’ll blow most of an hour reading all four pieces, but you’ll be better for doing so.

I wonder if any of us truly know what we’re doing. Maybe we’re fooling ourselves, creating an illusion of competency so that we’re not depressed by the depth of our inadequacy.

Or, maybe we just need more coffee.

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Morning Update: 09/03/24

September 3, 2024

Remember, today is Tuesday, not Monday. This happens every time we have a Monday holiday. Trying to keep the days straight this week will be a challenge for many of us. It doesn’t help any that yesterday felt very much like a Sunday. Kat and Tipper were both sick so we didn’t go anywhere or do anything special. We slept. All of us. Naps for everyone! I don’t consider that a bad thing. I am pretty sure that napping was to everyone’s benefit. Tipper is still largely unable to talk, so she’s staying home from school today. I’m not sure yet how Kat’s feeling.

I don’t think we were the only ones who had a quiet holiday, though. The neighborhood was Sunday-morning silent pretty much all day. The most exciting point came when my new readers were delivered. Granted, the fact that I opted for colors rather than basic black or tortoiseshell is kind of a big deal, but when that’s the biggest news coming out of our weekend, it speaks to how boring and unadventurous we are. What might be worse is that none of us really care that we’re boring and unadventurous. I think we all like it that way.

Tipper did manage to ask an interesting question this morning. “Have you ever been in the news?” I dodged the question because yeah, I’ve had my picture in small-town newspapers as I was growing up. It was always related to something I was involved in at school, though, such as a musical or a band contest. “It’s usually not a good thing when you’re in the news,” I told her.

“What if you, like, set an Olympic record or something?” She asked.

I stared at her a moment then said, “Look at me. What Olympic record do you think I have any chance of breaking? Even Paralympians are better athletes than I am.”

“Okay, but maybe you could set a world record for something,” she countered.

“What would that be? Snoring?” I said.

“You do snore pretty loud,” she said. “Like 86 decibels or something. Google and see what the record is.”

We did. The record is 111.6 decibels, kind of like having your house buzzed by a jet all night long. Tipper declared that such a level was “stupid crazy” and that it wouldn’t be a good thing for me to break that record. While I suppose that there is probably some little-known record that I could break if I really tried, that would fall under the heading of being interesting and adventurous, which we just don’t do very often.

Much of this morning’s news is more of the same. Israel, blah, blah, blah. Ukraine, blah, blah, blah. A lot of re-hashing of events with headlines that start, with “Understanding that thing that happened two days ago.” The articles take up space but are of little use. There are a couple of things worth mentioning, though.

If you’re older than I am or a fan of early 1960s beach movies, you might be interested in knowing that James Darren, aka Moondoggie in the ‘Gidget’ franchise, died at age 88. The three movies made him a teen heartthrob, which he later translated into a career as a director of television series like ‘Beverly Hills 90210.’ He was one of those guys who was “always cool,” according to his family. He was supposed to have had heart surgery but was not well enough for that to happen. Don’t be too surprised if the ‘Gidget’ movies show up on streaming platforms.

Joey Chestnut Set A New Hot Dog Eating World Record. Why? Because some people find adventure in stuffing their face and getting paid for it. Being a holiday weekend that traditionally involves a lot of grilled hot dogs, I guess it was inevitable that he would pop up at a contest somewhere. And what is the record? 87 hot dogs in ten minutes. That would be another record that I won’t try breaking.

With two months left, Harris and the Orange Felon will devote most of their campaign time to just seven states. Thank the Electoral College. While it was meant to balance out influence across the states, it’s one of those aspects of the Constitution that just doesn’t work well anymore. There have been too many elections where the popular vote is rendered irrelevant by the Electoral College. I get it, if we went with the popular vote, most elections would be decided by people on the coasts. Yet, is that any worse than it being decided by people in seven states? I’ve been waiting my entire life for someone to make this a large enough issue to invoke change. It comes up every four years, but nothing ever happens.

Oh, but the Felon is convinced that he had ‘every right’ to interfere in the 2020 election. I’m not kidding. That’s how he’s framing the whole mess, including the January 6 storming of the Capitol. This creature is fucking insane to even consider making such a statement. Why, oh why, oh why can he not just go away? Why are people encouraging this insane behavior? Oh yeah, because stupid enjoys stupider.

Cooler weather is upon us, but don’t be putting up that winter wardrobe just yet. While it’s currently only 54 degrees in Indianapolis, by Wednesday temps will be back up in the mid-80s. We’ll see another cool weekend, which is perfect football weather, but there’s not much chance of rain in the next ten days or so. We might see a stray shower or two on Friday, but one has to be thinking optimistically to put much stock in that forecast.

Don’t forget: it’s Tuesday. You have to go to work.

Right after one more cup of coffee.

Current Issues / Holidays / Morning Update / News & Comment / Personal / Social Commentary

Morning Update: 09/02/24

September 2, 2024

Ending A Long Summer [2012 original with AI background]

Cooler temps prevail this morning as a strong cold front from the North hints at the coming autumn. I don’t know of anyone who is complaining. Days like this are comfortable, with plenty of opportunities to get out and enjoy the holiday. Both twins and Fat Guy, our eldest cat, are helping me write this morning. The dogs are still curled up, sleeping away, showing no signs of wanting to go out. Kat and the kids are still asleep even as the clock approaches the 8:00 hour. I think we’ll make the most of everyone having a day off.

G helped me get all the brush loaded onto Grandpa Bob’s trailer yesterday. The task didn’t take too long. We then took the time to spray pet-safe weed killers around the fence line. The spray we’re using is 20% vinegar, so for a while, the yard smelled like the inside of a pickle jar. I didn’t bother asking Tipper to join us. Trying to get her to do anything outdoors is frustrating. I assigned her to do the dishes instead, which is a chore she doesn’t mind doing. We got everything out of the way early so they could chill the rest of the day.

I did have a rather weird nightmare this morning. It involved me attending some kind of conference held on the campus of a Christian university somewhere in Southwest Texas. I’ve no idea what the conference was about, but there were several friends and acquaintances in attendance. The nightmare part involved going to a Vietnamese restaurant for dinner. The place was odd for several reasons, not the least of which was the massage room that sat between dining rooms. Without getting into details, matters did not go well and it was well after curfew before I made it back to the dorm in which we were staying. Oh, and I was wearing Tipper’s orange furry tail the entire time. It was just bizarre.

With it being Labor Day, there are a couple of strikes going on that are worth mentioning. One is a housekeeper’s strike at major hotels in eight large cities in the US. Workers in other cities and chains are scheduled to join the strike later this week. The problem is more than just wages, which are stupidly low. Since COVID, there has been a shortage of housekeepers. Hotel chains have attempted to make up for this by offering guests the option of not having daily cleaning. That has backfired, though, as uncleaned rooms often take considerably longer to clean once the guests leave. This has resulted in housekeepers being overworked, expected to complete an impossible cleaning schedule before the next round of guests arrives.

The second is a general strike in Israel as people there are furious with Prime Minister Netanyahu for not agreeing to a previous cease-fire that would have released hostages before they were killed. The general work stoppage across the country affects almost everything, including air travel in and out of the country. The group behind the strike is older than the country itself and carries a lot of influence within the government. It will be interesting to see if Netanyahu continues to dig in his heels as internal pressure grows.

DirectTV users might as well go outside and play today. They lost access to all Disney-owned channels as a contract dispute between the two companies struggled to find a reasonable agreement. The problem is that the majority of Americans are better served without the old cable providers. That’s been true for a number of years now. Unfortunately, there are still plenty of rural areas where satellite-based service is more cost-effective than high-speed Internet. Disney makes more money off their streaming services, so obviously they’d rather emphasize that revenue stream. Since the number of DirectTV users is a small fraction of total viewers, there’s not a lot of motivation for Disney to give in. Of course, as always, it’s the customers that lose.

The Associated Press is floating a story this morning that AI may not steal many jobs after all. It may just make workers more efficient. Having read the article a couple of times now, I think there’s some merit to the thesis, but to make a claim that workers don’t have to worry at all about being replaced by AI is short-sighted. There are some industries where workers will benefit, to be sure, but there are plenty of others where workers will be replaced. The employment market is too broad to be making such a global statement of this kind.

Germans are feeling a bit nervous this morning as the country’s far-right party won a state election yesterday. While there’s still some question as to whether the majority parties will allow the far-right to participate in actually governing, the mere fact that they won the election has some worried for the future and others fearful of repeating the past. The country has worked hard to put its fascist Nazi heritage behind them. There are even laws designed to prevent them from ever coming to power again. Still, the fear that there are people in Eastern Germany who voted for the party is disturbing.

There is an interesting guest essay in this morning’s Times. While the Felon has made the claim that Harris would “take away your hamburgers,” this writer makes the argument that the Felon’s immigration policies would be what removes hamburgers and other meats from the market. The meat packing industry relies heavily on immigrant labor, which the Felon wants to stop. If he wins and implements such plans, the price of meats would, at the very least, rise well beyond affordability for most families. If workers can’t be found, some meats could disappear from the market altogether. Given the amount of burgers being consumed by Americans on holidays such as this one, I’m not sure that losing meat is a risk anyone wants to take.

That’s enough reading for today. The weather is too beautiful for any of us to stay inside. Solaris just turned off my desk lamp (seriously, he did), so that seems like a pretty good indication that I should stop typing and get on about the fun stuff, like napping, since there’s still no one else awake.

Too bad there’s not a football game to watch.

Current Issues / Holidays / Morning Update / News & Comment / Personal / Politics

Morning Update: 08/30/24

August 30, 2024

Here we are at the beginning of Labor Day Weekend. Is anyone besides Kat still going to work today? I know this has long been one of those weekends where people often take off work on Friday to give themselves a four-day weekend, but with schools starting at the beginning of August now, and schools are definitely in session today, only those who are childless or have preschoolers will see any benefit from the extra day of vacation. Today is still hot, too. For the Midwest, rain is coming, and behind that dramatically cooler temps. Grilling out might be a comfortable option this weekend. The weekend’s football games should be fun as well.

Plumbers replaced the hot water heater yesterday. The company sent out a couple of twenty-something guys. They did a good job. I have no complaints there, but they definitely took their time doing it. I think they were hoping that by not finishing until 4:00 they might not be sent out on another call. The big test will come later this morning when I take a shower. Is the pressure high enough? What adjustments to the temperature have to be made at the faucet? There weren’t any leaks when they left, but several minutes of continued use will let us know for sure that the work is solid. I’ll definitely be glad to get back to a normal schedule around the house.

The few people who have been to our house in the past seven years know that we don’t use the front door. The reason we don’t use the front door is because five litter boxes are sitting in front of it. However, bringing a water heater in through the back wasn’t going to work. There’s not enough room. As a result, I had to move all the litter boxes and clean the floor around where they had been sitting so that we could use the front door.

The cats found the open front door curious. No one was surprised when Fat Guy, our eldest, tried slipping out. He’s always the one who wants to go explore. The one that caught us off guard was Gabby, a gray tabby about seven years old. She’s not been outside since she first came to us. Kat went out with her as she carefully, cautiously explored the yard. She was out for roughly twenty minutes and seemed to enjoy herself quite a bit. We’ll see if she continues to want to go out. Pinball was the only cat who had to be shut in a room by himself.

After all the adventure and commotion of this week, I’m hoping that we can play the weekend in chill fashion. I don’t think the kids will mind. They’re both pretty tired as it is. In fact, G thought he was lying down for a short nap and ended up sleeping all night. Tipper’s been on again/off again with her meds, so her sleep schedule is all messed up. I’m hoping that the weekend gives them both a chance to reset. I’m pretty sure I’ve been going on adrenaline all week. I’ve missed too many naps, stayed up late too many nights, and even missed some meals along the way. Getting back on a routine schedule is important. I might even sacrifice a football game for a good nap.

There’s really nothing in this morning’s news that warrants my comment. I didn’t watch last night’s interview with Kamala Harris. The reviews I’ve seen are mostly positive, so I’ll let that bit go for now. Israel and Hamas are on a three-day pause as the World Health Organization administers polio vaccines across Gaza. One case is all it took for medical officials to hit the panic button. The Orange Felon is still riling musicians around the world by using their music in his campaign. The fact that no one wants to be associated with him should be a clear signal as to how unfit he is. Most everything else is a continuation of existing stories.

No one is complaining that the world isn’t burning up as quickly as it normally does. A little bit of a cool-down is good for everyone. The biggest concern is probably whether local violence numbers will take a jump. Families getting together isn’t always a good thing, it seems. We hope that everyone leaves their weapons at home and focuses on having a good time.

Groceries are being delivered soon, so I’m gonna run. Have another cup of coffee. You deserve it.

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Morning Update: 08/23/24

August 23, 2024

Midwest Morning [2011 original with AI background]

Somewhat to my own surprise, I’m still alive this morning. There were moments yesterday when I wasn’t convinced that would be the case. I’m assuming at this point that I contracted some manner of stomach bug that left me thankful that the bathroom is right across the hall from me. I’m feeling tentative still this morning, but I’ve been up for an hour now and haven’t puked, so let’s take that as an improvement. Since I spent most of yesterday either in bed or in the bathroom, I have no idea how the kids’ day went. I’m pretty sure we were all three asleep by the time Kat got home last night.

The dogs, however, managed to provide a story to share this morning. As construction on the house next door continues, the pups have a habit of running over to the fence and checking out what’s going on. There was extra noise yesterday as heavy equipment was digging trenches for the gas and water meters to be installed. So, I wasn’t surprised when I let them out the back door and they bolted around the side of the house. But then, I heard a different kind of barking than what they normally give the construction workers.

“No, no… Gigi! Come back!” was what I heard. I stepped around the house in time to see a young Irish setter running as fast as she could back toward her home. The sudden appearance of our dogs scared the living daylights out of the pup and she wasn’t going to stick around to see what happened next. She slipped her collar and took off. As a young woman chased after her, a man was trying desperately to keep a second setter from doing the same thing. In desperation, he yelled, “Why did we come this way? The sign on the gate says ‘Beware of Dog!'” He finally got his dog under control and headed back home.

The boys, of course, came trotting over to me with smiles on their faces, proud of themselves for having scared off what they saw as potential intruders. I could only laugh. I can’t count the number of times our dogs have been the ones who slipped their collar and started running. That’s the primary reason we use front-fastening harnesses on them now when we take them for walks.

Naturally, all the news this morning is focused on Kamala Harris and the last night of the DNC. There were some highlights, such as Kerry Washington and Harris’ grandnieces teaching DNC attendees how to pronounce Kamala. But there were some slips and problems as well. There was also a lot of attention on Tim Walz’s son, Gus, after Ann Coulter, a wicked bitch if ever there was one, made fun of the young man for openly crying as his Dad accepted the vice presidential nomination Wednesday night. Advocates for special needs individuals came out of the woodwork in support of Gus all across social media. The convention was the easy part, though. Now, the real work begins to convince fence-sitting voters to vote for the Democratic ticket, and that may not be an easy sell.

Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. tried to take some of the attention away from the DNC by hinting that he would drop out of the race today and support the Orange Felon. While the press did take note, it doesn’t seem that voters cared. It also raises the question as to whether increasing the number of crazy people in the GOP’s campaign is going to increase or decrease the entertainment value.

What seems to have slipped past most major news outlets is the Secret Service’s abrupt interruption of an interview the Felon was giving. While the story popped up all over aggregator’s feeds yesterday afternoon, none of the mainstream outlets picked it up, raising the question of whether it actually happened or not. None of the websites still carrying the story this morning can exactly be trusted, and NewsNation, who was conducting the interview, is far from being above creating a sensational headline for their own benefit.

The security detail that is concerning comes from Germany where security was stepped up at a NATO airbase in response to an “Increase in threat level.” This came just a day after the FBI Director said that he’s never seen so many different kinds of threats. Put the two together and perhaps there’s reason to be lowkey worried about what’s going on. At the moment, there’s a lot of focus on Iran, partly because of their hacking of both campaigns and also because of the continuing war in Gaza. That doesn’t mean they’re the reason for the status change at the airbase, though.

Religious tyranny jumped to the forefront yesterday as the Taliban published new laws that bar not only women’s faces but also their voices in public. Are we surprised? No. This is a return to the exact situation that existed in Afghanistan prior to 9/11 and the subsequent invasion by American forces that temporarily toppled the religious extremists. What bothers me is not only the severe human rights violation but the fact that it was in this environment that the whole 9/11 plan was formulated. We have to be on alert and not be so cocky as to think it can’t happen again.

In lighter news, The biggest diamond in over a century is found in Botswana — a whopping 2,492 carats. The rock’s as big as the palm of your hand, so trying to put it on someone’s finger is probably a bad idea. And a second set of giant panda cubs has been born in Berlin. This means that within a couple of months, we should be seeing plenty of videos of the cuddly little cubs rolling around and making us smile.

Okay, I still haven’t puked this morning, but I’m questioning whether it’s safe to eat breakfast and take my meds. Nothing hurts quite as much as vomiting up a chemo drug. I’m weighing my options carefully.

Hey, it’s Friday! Smiles, everyone! Smiles!

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Morning Update: 08/22/24

August 22, 2024

The letter we’d been dreading all summer finally came yesterday. Its message is too familiar: clear the weeds from your yard or we’ll charge you $2,000 to do it. Kat looked for our lawn shears and couldn’t find them, forcing us to buy more. She and G then took to the lawn while Tipper finished cleaning the litter boxes and I stayed in bed trying to not puke. They got a lot done, but there’s still more along the outside of the fence line that needs cutting. I’m not sure what we’re supposed to do with everything they’ve gut down. Some of the polk weeds had gotten rather large.

I’m not sure what’s up with all the nausea of late. There was a widely-published story yesterday about an article in Lancet stating that eating red meat more than twice a week may be a primary cause of type 2 diabetes. If this proves to be true, my death may be more imminent than previously imagined. While we’ve been substituting ground turkey for much of the ground beef we use, I still like a good, old-fashioned hamburger. Mexican food? Yeah, there’s going to be beef or pork there, too. And who can go without barbecue ribs in their life? I definitely need to make some kind of adjustment somewhere, though. The number of days where I struggle to eat is becoming too frequent.

This morning I’m fighting a headache on top of the nausea. Solaris is helping me type, taking on some of the proofreading duties. The only problem with that is his tail keeps moving the mouse across the screen, causing extra windows to pop up. Of course, part of the issue is that there’s no good way of knowing whether my symptoms are from the chemo, the diabetes, the hypertension, or something that has yet to be diagnosed. They all blur together in this mess where the symptoms are too common across everything to pin down a specific cause. There’s a lot of trial and error going on here.

Get ready for prices to take another jump and no, there’s nothing the Biden administration can do to stop it. This time, it’s caused by a work stoppage on Canada’s rail lines. We’ve seen this coming all week but were hoping that they might find a last-minute agreement. They didn’t. This is going to affect a lot of US shipments for everything from food to construction materials. Since this disruption was telegraphed, my guess is that some prices have already increased to offset the slowdown. We can only hope that the matter is resolved before we start seeing shortages in critical supplies.

Misinformation reared its ugly head again yesterday, and this time it was so convincing that even Reuters and NPR were fooled. The story, which was seen all over social media, claimed that the Orange Felon was in talks with Benjamin Netanyahu, the former asking the latter to not sign a cease-fire agreement until after the election. Another variation had the same conversation taking place with Russia’s Putin. Both are completely false. NPR’s veteran reporter Judy Woodruff apologized for repeating what she had assumed to be legitimate news. Mind you, this did not come from either of the presidential campaigns. These are foreign players who are doing their best to create chaos. Yesterday, they won.

Misinformation is only one of the challenges the US currently faces. FBI Director Christopher Wray said yesterday that he is “hard-pressed to think of a time in my career where so many different kinds of threats are all elevated at once.” Cybercrime, AI, deliberate misinformation, and outright terrorism are all on the table at levels that would probably keep everyone awake at night if we only knew what was happening. The question in my mind this morning, though, is why Director Wray chose now to make such a statement. Be sure that he has a reason. I would assume it’s a fear that with such a firehose deluge of threats, something could slip through. Issuing an open warning now gives the FBI an excuse if something does happen.

Speaking of warnings, a US government report says fluoride at twice the recommended limit is linked to lower IQ in kids. First, let’s say this again, IQ tests are not a solid measure of a child’s capability. Their validity is severely limited and plenty of children who score low go on to do great things. Something else to consider: report findings are not based on a survey of anything in the US. Tests were conducted in Canada, China, India, Iran, Pakistan, and Mexico. Floride in the US water supply is tightly controlled to not exceed recommended levels. However, the report is still important as children can still get an “overdose” of fluoride from other sources. One more thing for parents to worry about.

Vice Presidential nominee Tim Walz sounded exactly like what he is, a football coach, as he spoke at the DNC last night. Phrases like, “Leave it all on the field,” and “It’s the fourth quarter and we’re down a field goal,” were just a few of the football references in a speech that was reminiscent of a half-time pep talk in a championship game. The crowd in Chicago was excited, as they had been all week, making the news that the Harris/Walz campaign raised four times as much as the Orange Felon in July almost unsurprising. I know the text messages requesting donations have been hitting my phone relentlessly since Biden dropped out. They’re definitely making a strong push.

The Felon, on the other hand, is already laying the groundwork to challenge the results of the November election. Speaking in North Carolina, the Felon repeated false claims about the 2020 election and challenged the outcome of the November vote before anyone has had a chance to cast a ballot. “When, if, but when — I have to always say ‘if,’ you know, because they cheat,” the Felon said of Democrats. “I would say ‘when’ if they didn’t cheat, but they cheat. That’s the one thing — they’re great at cheating in elections.” This type of rhetoric sounds as though he’s already giving up campaigning on the issues. We’re in for a rough road between here and November 5.

Adding to the confusion is this story, hidden below the fold on page three or four: Former Oath Keepers Lawyer Pleads Guilty to Tampering With Jan. 6 Evidence. Who’s cheating now?

Let’s end this morning with this bizarre story. A passenger has been arrested at an Australian airport after he left a stationary airliner through an emergency exit, walked along a wing, and then climbed down a jet engine to the tarmac. The plane had just landed and apparently, this dude couldn’t wait to get off the plane. An understandable amount of chaos ensued. This proves that people are crazy no matter where you go.

Solaris has fallen asleep on the job, but Frankie, the smashed-face wheezer kitty, says we’re done. You have a good day and I’ll see if I can stand and walk.

Current Issues / Morning Update / News & Comment / Personal / Social Commentary

Morning Update: 08/20/24

August 20, 2024

A Lovely Moment [2010 original with AI adjustments]

Coffee isn’t going to be enough to keep me awake this morning, even though I made it super strong. There was a battle for bed space between the cats and dogs and I was the loser. Add to that some really strange dreams (including a coupon for $3 off the tail-end of a movie), and I woke this morning feeling anything but rested. Fortunately, nothing is demanding my attention today. The dogs are already signaling that they’re ready for a nap. I’m happy to oblige.

G spent most of his school day applying the new point-driven merit system he developed for The Lab. He was tired enough that he skipped playing D&D with his friends, came home, and crashed. Tipper went to the robotics club for the first time after school and discovered that she’s very good at assembling wheels. If she was tentative going in, she was thoroughly convinced that the club is a good thing by the time she left. She’s looking forward to staying again today.

Something must have happened on the bus last week, though. Tipper had been fine with riding the bus home alone, but now she doesn’t want to if she can’t take the first bus right after school. The reason? She doesn’t want “creepy old men” touching her. I know every woman on the planet can relate. Her solution would be to carry pepper spray, but that is totally prohibited at school (for understandable reasons). My solution is for me to take the bus down to the transit center on days she stays late and ride the bus home with her. She likes that idea because, in her words, “it gives us more Daddy/Daughter time.” I’m going to talk with the school’s Dean about the situation first, though, and see if they have any suggestions.

The news this morning is focused on President Biden’s “handoff” speech at the Democratic Convention last night. US intelligence officials say Iran is to blame for hacks targeting Trump, Biden-Harris campaigns, which confirms what already seemed evident. Taiwan flexed its missile firepower on rare trip to sensitive test site, sending a warning to China. I’m just waiting for that whole South China Sea situation to blow up in everyone’s face. And a magnitude 5.3 earthquake shook parts of Pakistan and the Himalayan region of Kashmir early Tuesday, panicking residents.

There are a couple of “below the fold” stories that I find interesting. Earlier this year, Stephen Chamberlain and Mike Lynch were co-defendants in a fraud trial over the sale of Autonomy to Hewlett-Packard. Both men were acquitted of the charges in June. But then, earlier this month, Chamberlain was killed in a traffic accident in London. That might not have raised many eyebrows were it not for the fact that Lynch is among the missing after a yacht sank off the coast of Sicily last week. The circumstances of the yacht’s sinking are still a mystery, which raises the specter of the two “accidents” being related, if not to the Autonomy deal, then perhaps some other business dealing gone wrong. There’s not enough information about either incident at the moment to form a firm link between them, but given the situation, it seems a stretch to look at them as just a coincidence.

The second story comes from Nicaragua where 1500 NGOs, including a number of churches, were forcibly closed without warning yesterday. What it comes down to is authoritarian President Daniel Ortega is eliminating any space that might include dialogue he can’t control. He’s especially concerned about churches preaching against his atrocious human rights record. While he’s been closing Catholic churches for a while, this round included several Pentecostal and Baptist churches as well. As the situation in Nicaragua continues to deteriorate, immigration away from that country to the US inevitably increases. Can you blame them?

Indy’s summer violence continues even as temperatures have cooled down for this week. Among the headlines this morning:

Instances of violence may be decreasing elsewhere in the country, but Indianapolis seems determined to keep the numbers high.

The animals are telling me that nap time is at hand. I’d be a fool to not join them. Ya’ll stay safe.

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Morning Update: 08/19/24

August 19, 2024

Another Monday [2011 original with AI background]

Cats are flinging themselves at each other as I try to read this morning’s news updates. The noise from the laundry room sounds as if one of them may have fallen into the washing machine for a while. Don’t worry, they’ve done it before and they can get themselves out. This is the kind of chaos we can expect for today, though. Brace yourself because there are enough on-the-edge events that it feels as though anything could happen at any time. In fact, if I had a fraidy hole, I might just go ahead and jump in it to be safe.

With all the pop-up showers and brief downpours yesterday, we once again lost out on being able to do any yard work. That doesn’t mean the kids were satisfied with the downtime. Tipper decided that the dogs needed a bath. Outside. Oh, this was entertaining. She was especially concerned about Hamilton. Hamilton doesn’t like water on his skin. He refuses to stay in the tub if we try to bathe him inside, but the kids figured if they put a leash on him they might be able to get the job done with the hose. I stood under the tree and watched, knowing exactly what was about to happen. The instant water hit his back, Ham slipped out of the leash and shook hard, sending water everywhere. This went on, back and forth between the two dogs, for almost twenty minutes. By the time they gave up, I’m not sure who was wetter, the dogs or the kids. Of course, the dogs immediately went and rolled in the dirt.

We’re starting the fourth week of school and I need to make some adjustments to accommodate the kids’ changing schedules. What it boils down to is that most days neither of them will get home before 6:00 PM, and some days could be even later. This means they’ll be coming in exhausted, frequently in less-than-positive moods, and prioritizing sleep over eating. They will eat, eventually, but sometimes that may not be until after I’ve gone to bed. We’ve tried different things, but both inevitably go for what’s easiest. For G, that means Ramen, with zero nutritional value. Tipper usually chooses a fruit smoothie, which is better, but still not giving her all the nutrition they need. Neither of them will touch leftovers. I’m grasping at straws for the moment trying to find a reasonably healthy solution.

This was a rough weekend for Indianapolis. Take a look at these headlines:

Those last three hurt my soul because this isn’t the first weekend we’ve seen headlines like that. We’re not watching our little ones. We’re not protecting them and keeping them safely out of harm’s way. We’re being careless and there’s no way to police carelessness. Child Protective Services is already overwhelmed with the number of cases they have, to the point that they cannot be the solution for every kid who lives in danger. The solution is for adults to wake up to the problem, and help out overwhelmed and overstressed parents who are working two and three jobs to barely pay rent. No, it’s not convenient, but children’s lives are on the line.

There was some positive local news. Caitlin Clark broke the WNBA rookie assists record as the Fever beat the Storm 92-75 last night. The well-hyped rookie is living up to her reputation, but she’s facing a one-game suspension if she doesn’t get her temper under control. She was charged with her fifth technical of the season after punching the pads at the bottom of the goal post. Two more, and she gets to sit out a game. I’m wondering if the WNBA and NBA are possibly being a little over-reactive, though. Look at tennis. Portuguese tennis star Christiano Rinaldo has thrown so many tantrums on the court that the New York Times has ranked them by severity. Why is it okay to display such childish behavior in one sport but not another? Make it make sense.

Of course, all eyes are on the Democratic Convention opening today in Chicago. They’ll try to keep it light and lively so that they come out of it with a nice surge in the polls. History paints a different picture, though. Democratic conventions can be rough. Already, anti-war protesters have gathered and are making noise that won’t go unnoticed. Moderates be warned, 3 Women With Harrowing Pregnancy Stories Will Speak at the Convention. While the goal is unity, I think we can expect a lively exchange, though probably not to the extent of the 1968 riots.

Secretary of State Blinken is warning both Hamas and Israel that they may be looking at their last chance for peace. What bothers me, and likely bothers the Secretary, is the fact that there are too many people on both sides who are more than willing to keep on fighting. I don’t see how the people of Gaza can handle much more. They’ve already lost their homes, their families, access to food and clean water, and the constant bombardment of medical facilities. If a cease-fire isn’t reached, Iran is almost certainly going to enter the war, making a bad situation worse. I’m not sure the innocent people even stand a chance.

Like I said at the beginning, the day is made of chaos. There are so many potential eruption points around the world that it’s impossible to list them all or guess which one is going to explode next. What can we do?

Eat well. Stay safe.

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Morning Update: 08/18/24

August 18, 2024

After a night filled with rain, we’re slowly getting around this morning. The kids came in from the PowWow earlier than I expected, which isn’t a bad thing, but both went straight to bed and only reappeared briefly for a snack. Even the dogs were restless last night, and at least one of the cats decided that the litter box was too far away to bother finding it. I’m not sure what this means for the rest of the day. I’m inclined to let the kids chill. While I had planned on doing yard work this morning, it’s far too wet. I’m beginning to wonder if we’ve been underestimating the toll that their long school day takes on them.

I do need some help with the yard, though, especially along the fence line. The problem isn’t so much the weeds, but the trees growing there, their branches intertwined with the fencing. Last Sunday, a young man coming through the neighborhood offered to clear the fenceline for $20, but it was too late in the day for him to start. I told him to come back on Wednesday, but he never showed up. With at least six more weeks before the first chance of a heavy frost, we need to clean it up now.

Both kids enjoyed the PowWow in different ways. G took advantage of the raffles, winning three times. I’m not sure what he’s going to do with the shawl, but all the items are rather nice. Tipper, being the furry that she is, was drawn to the various pelts. She convinced Kat to buy her a new tail since her existing one had broken after being yanked too many times. She explained to the person running the booth how her tail was treated by people at school. As she was walking away, the man came over to Kat and handed her a pair of heart-shaped earrings to give to Tipper so that she would know “Not everyone is mean.”

There are too many people who are mean, though, and the fact that one of those people is running for president is bothersome. The Orange Felon went completely off the rails yesterday, resorting to calling Vice President Harris names and throwing insults. He also complained, again, about the Olympic Boxers, vowing to “keep men out of women’s sports.” This is more than mean, it’s insane. Why are we giving such a poor example of humanity any kind of stage to spread such filth? His continued presence at the top of the political dung heap boggles my mind.

Meanness grabs eyeballs, though. It always has. A New York Times reading group has been taken with Emily Wilson’s 2023 translation of the Iliad, the epic poem attributed to Homer. War, wickedness, and revenge are strong themes throughout the work that keep readers coming back generation after generation. While there is ostensibly something to be said for learning from war, I wonder if too often we’re taking in the wrong lessons. Instead of learning how to avoid the foolishness of war, we seem to be paying more attention to the tricks and strategies used to win one.

I’m bothered by the fact that Vietnam’s new leader, To Lam, chose China as his first international visit. There’s no question that we botched that war in every way possible. Did the thousands of US troops who died there do so in vain? Looking at the mean side of that equation, it’s reasonable to make the argument that US leaders were less concerned about Communists taking over the small Southeast Asian country and used the war as a way to stop the uprising of the common people that was taking place. While war protests were loud and strong, the fact is that forced military service took away thousands of young men from lower- and middle-class neighborhoods that could have forever changed the direction of American politics. We’ll never know for sure, will we? But using a foreign war sure was a mean cover, wasn’t it?

Some people enjoy being mean. A Chechen warlord invited Elon Musk to Russia after he was filmed driving a machine-gun-mounted Cybertruck. As Ukraine takes advantage of its unexpected incursion into Russia, Russian officials are resorting to increasingly mean tactics in an attempt to regain the upper hand. They’ve bombed schools, children’s hospitals, and residential neighborhoods, much in the same way that Israel has continued to bombard Gaza in that senseless war. Both wars should have been over months ago and could have been, but leaders on all sides have their heads too far up their asses. They equate peace with weakness. In their view, being mean is a strength.

We are crazy if we think that our children, especially teens, aren’t paying attention and noting the actions we condone. We spent all their formative years telling them to be nice and to play well with others, but then they see the adults around them supporting leaders who are anything but nice and certainly don’t know how to play well with anyone. What lesson do you think they’re taking away from that?

I find it interesting that today is the anniversary of women in the US gaining the right to vote. So much of the mean rhetoric coming from right-wing conservatives is directed at women. In fact, the New York Times has a piece this morning on how “masculinity is on the ballot.” What is defining that masculinity? How men treat women. How women vote this November will be a voice for whether they want men to still dominate and abuse them or move toward a more equitable and just society.

The amount of misinformation and outright conspiracy theories regarding migrants is still a problem as well. Do you want to truth? Migrants are not the reason wages have stagnated. Migrants are not taking anyone’s jobs. And, when one balances the number of migrants coming in with the number leaving, total immigration is actually going down. Ask farmers in the West and Southwest, and they may tell you that the problem with immigration is that we don’t have enough migrants. Economically, we are dependent on migrant labor and without it, the economy collapses. So, why are we treating them so mean?

Our Indigenous brothers and sisters have long been a voice of reason against the seemingly inbred hate of the white man. Their society was built on caring for each other, respecting people regardless of gender, and preferring peace over conflict. That was what the kids saw in action as they attended the PowWow yesterday. I hope it is a lesson they take to heart because so much of the rest of the world is only showing them hate.

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Morning Update: 08/16/24

August 16, 2024

Yesterday was one of those days that just existed, nothing more. I spent most of the day in bed (no big surprise). The kids cleaned out all eight litter boxes and refilled them (no small feat). Kat came home early, too exhausted to stand. We have days like this. You have days like this. We all keep going, doing our best, content with the fact that at least nothing horrible happened. Any day where the ground isn’t burning under our feet is a good day.

The headlines in this morning’s news are interesting though not necessarily consequential. The death of actor Matthew Perry has resulted in the arrest of five people, including doctors and dealers. Perry died ten months ago from a ketamine overdose so large that it aroused immediate suspicion. All five of those arrested are looking at severe jail time, possibly even life in prison. While that’s all well and good, I have a question:

Why do we only leverage this level of investigation for celebrities? The same thing happened with Michael Jackson’s death, where his doctor was eventually convicted. When Elvis Presley died on this day in 1977, officials immediately looked at his doctors and blamed them for his overdose. Why don’t we apply the same rules and the same level of inquiry to the overdose deaths of “normal” people? How famous does one have to be to warrant such an investigation?

I know, I know, cost is the primary factor in deciding which cases get more intense treatment. There’s no small amount of PR involved as well. People, for some reason, care who killed a celebrity more than they care about who/what killed the addict down the street. Was Perry really any better than anyone else? He had struggled with addiction for years. If we were to observe the same behaviors in anyone else, we would have considered their death an inevitability.

Where’s the ProLife crowd on this issue? Absent, of course. They’ll happily pass laws that deny women autonomy over their bodies to save a barely-developed zygote while ignoring the guy on the street corner who has someone constantly pushing a stream of harder and more dangerous drugs at him. Heaven forbid we provide public Narcan stations where people can actually get help. The way that our society prioritizes one life over another is nothing short of disgusting.

Speaking of lives, file this one under “I didn’t know they were still alive.” Peter Marshall, the original host of Hollywood Squares died yesterday at the age of 98, well after most of the people who appeared in those squares have long passed. X gets the square and the game, Mr. Marshall. Well played.

I normally don’t pay a lot of attention to changes in heads of state for countries that don’t generally have a dramatic effect on anyone outside their own borders. However, when Thailand’s parliament elected Paetongtarn Shinawatra as the country’s new Prime Minister yesterday, it was a bit like if a fourth member of the Bush family were to become President here. Most famously, her father, Thaskin Shinawatra, who was elected to office three times, was overthrown and exiled in a coup orchestrated by the royal family in 2006. Since then, both her sister and brother-in-law have served as PM as well. This time, though, the royal family exerted its influence to prevent the liberal Move Forward Party, which finished first in a national election, from coming to power.

How does this affect you? Probably not at all. At least, there’s no direct effect. Paetongtarn says she’s going to double Thailand’s minimum wage and improve its public transit system, among other popular things. What’s most likely to happen is an effort to rebuild Thailand’s influence in the tech sector, which could increase competition for companies such as Nvidia. Expect there to be a push to increase tourism as well since the Shinawatra family’s fortune comes from the hotel business. Thailand is a beautiful country full of ancient history. This could be a good time to book a trip, but be aware that should Paetongtarn cross the royal family, she’ll be gone quickly.

Among the more insipidly stupid things you’ll see in today’s news, the Orange Felon says he’s ‘entitled to personal attacks’ on Kamala Harris because of the multiple charges against him. Felon says what? The statements came during yet another rambling and almost incoherent press conference yesterday, which, as we’ve come to expect, requires fact-checking because the Felon doesn’t seem to know the difference between truth and the fiction he creates in his head.

Here’s an interesting story: An association of Indian doctors called for more than a million colleagues nationwide to provide only essential services on Saturday, in a protest over the brutal rape and murder of a medic that is set to be the biggest such strike in recent times. The 31-year-old doctor was found dead on a blood-soaked mattress in the medical college where she worked in the eastern city of Kolkata. She had settled down for a short nap on a carpet in a college lecture hall after working for nearly 20 hours of a 36-hour shift.

Women account for a significant majority of medical professionals in India. While an arrest has been made for the crime, doctors say it highlights the dangers they face just being at work in hospitals across the country. In calling for a shutdown of all but emergency services, more than a million doctors could be absent as part of the strike on Saturday.

What an interesting perspective to have compared to the conditions in the US where women in the medical profession are still routinely abused, denigrated, passed over for promotion, and generally treated as inferior caregivers. In a July survey, a shocking 64% of participants reported a higher prevalence of all forms of gender-based violence for women, including sexual violence, verbal abuse, discrimination, bullying, and physical violence. If the American Medical Association were to suggest a nationwide shutdown in protest, there would not only be an outcry against them, legal action would likely occur in an effort to force them back to work. The US is so far behind other developed countries on this issue that presidential candidates won’t even acknowledge that it’s an issue. We’re not progressive. We’re not a leader in women’s rights. We need to improve dramatically.

Let’s end on a more positive note this morning, shall we? Panda twins were born in Hong Kong to Ying Ying, the world’s oldest first-time mom. By “world’s oldest” we mean that she’s 19 years old, which I guess is almost geriatric for a panda. The twins are still pink, furless little bundles for now, which means we won’t see them in public for a few weeks, but adding two more of the world’s most adorable creatures to the population seems like a very good reason to celebrate.

There are six cats and two large dogs currently sleeping in my bed, so I guess I’m staying up for a while. Good thing there’s more coffee.

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Morning Update: 08/13/24

August 13, 2024

How well do you know your kids? As parents, we want to think that we know our kids pretty well. We’ve taught them what to do in different situations and we’ve seen how they’ve reacted to surprise and change. Yet, all that can disappear in a moment when you get a text from the school saying, “Your child is marked present to school, but absent from advisory. Please talk with them about following their assigned schedule.” That hit my phone at 12:15 yesterday afternoon. Fortunately, I was awake and able to respond quickly.

“Why are you marked absent from advisory?” I messaged her. Sure, they’re not supposed to have their phones out at school, but I assumed that if she was skipping for some reason she would at least take her phone with her.

What was eventually revealed was that one of her friends, the one that took her to the far Saturday night, had gotten sick. Part of her message said, “…I had to watch him literally empty his stomach which was literally only water. I was scared for him.” We chatted briefly and soon after that I got a call from her support coach. She confirmed Tipper’s account and said that Tipper’s level of empathy left her exhausted. The coach recommended we pick her up. Unfortunately, Kat was booked and, of course, I had no way to go get her. Kat gave her permission to leave early and ride the bus home.

When she got home, I gave her a big hug, she cried a bit, and then she went to lie down.

Yeah, this is our child. We’re proud of her. And while her absence will be probably unexcused, her continuing education in caring about other people is just as important. Her empathy is immense and learning how to respond in a caring and appropriate way is more important than immersive Spanish.

Situations like this, however, are why I’m infuriated that women don’t have complete autonomy over their own bodies. The Associated Press ran a story yesterday about how hospital emergency rooms are turning women away despite federal law requiring them to be treated because of punitive state laws promising severe penalties, including long jail sentences if they end a pregnancy for any reason. This is the direct result of allowing Republicans to be in charge of anything. This also emphasizes why it is just as important to vote for Democrats down ballot as well as at the federal level.

We’re at this point where doctors and hospital administrators are afraid to do their jobs because we were lazy at the ballot and let Republicans win. We’re okay with autonomous cars, autonomous volocopters, and autonomous robots, but not autonomous women? As much as we can’t let Republicans grab control of Congress and the White House, we must wrestle control of state houses away from them as well. At the state level, dangerous plans such as Project 2025 are more likely to be successfully implemented. States are more likely to gut education systems, prohibit the teaching of critical race theory, eliminate DEI programs, ban books, limit or eliminate medical funding for poor and elderly people, cut or eliminate food assistance programs, and generally make the world a less tolerable place to live.

I find it interesting that both presidential candidates and President Biden support cutting taxes on tips, but no one’s talking about the fact that the minimum wage for servers remains at the bottom of the barrel where their work is being exploited by restaurant owners. Perhaps we’d rather have a nation where teens are so hopeless and angry that they don helmets and bulletproof vests and then randomly stab people.

The US stands at a tipping point. How we vote in this fall’s election will drastically shape the future and no one is going to be more affected than our children. What happens if empaths like Tipper help a trans friend get the gender-affirming medical care they need? That’s on the ballot this fall. What happens if schools provide a safe space for LGBTQ+ students? That’s on the ballot this fall. What happens if the rules requiring overtime pay are gone? That’s on the ballot this fall. What happens if water becomes undrinkable? That’s on the ballot this fall. What happens when people lose the right to organize at work? That’s on the ballot this fall. What happens when 48 million women lose access to contraception? That’s on the ballot this fall.

Are you beginning to get the picture? This year’s election is much more than winning the White House, which we must do. We have to win at the state and local level as well. Otherwise, living conditions in the US will inevitably suffer. Labor shortages will become common. Safety at every level will decline. More police violence as training programs are cut. Less aid for small businesses after a weather disaster. It’s all on the ballot this year.

Yes, there’s a lot of other news this morning, including the disastrous interview between Elon Musk and the Orange Felon. But you know what? Almost every issue comes down to how you vote this fall. Israel/Gaza. Russia/Ukraine. Global warming. Space exploration. Almost every corner of the globe is going to feel the effects of your vote.

Let’s not let up on the focus on this election. Even when the news seems positive, we must continue pushing all the way through November. Remember, a week before the 2016 election, polls held a 93% certainty that Hillary Clinton was going to win. We see how horribly that turned out. Apathy is a killer. We must keep up the pressure and make sure everyone votes.

We have great kids. Let’s not give them a shitty country.

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Morning Update

August 9, 2024

For all the early-morning angst I had yesterday, nothing horrible happened. At least, not here. Kat was sick enough to stay home all day. She’s feeling some better and will be at the salon this afternoon, but it’s still questionable whether she’ll attend an event planned for this evening. The kids were over an hour late getting home because the bus broke down and they had to wait for a replacement. Again. They were exhausted when they did get home and when I went to bed at 8:00, I was the only one awake. They did have dinner, but there was no conversation. Days like this pass as a blur.

What did happen yesterday was that the Orange Felon held a press conference from Mar-a-lago. Supporters will say he was “forceful.” Everyone else will say it was unhinged with the most ridiculous moment coming when he claimed that the crowd at his Jan. 6 2021 speech was larger than that of MLK’s “I Have a Dream” speech. There was a lot of looking back at his first term and exaggeration of numbers. He admitted he lost in 2020, which was startling. Remember that when he reverts back to the lie later. What’s possibly most relevant, from my perspective, is that the Felon hasn’t been out campaigning this week. At all. He’s sent Vance, who hasn’t brought the numbers he was supposed to bring. The optics lean into the fact that the Felon is 78 years old. He would be the oldest President ever, and there are already plenty of warning signs that he’s losing what little mental faculties he had. As Nancy Pelosi has said, we can’t let “that man” win.

ABC News reports that the September 10 debate is back on. The Felon says he wants more, but there’s been no comment from the Harris/Walz campaign. In fact, the Vice President hasn’t been giving interviews, either. She’s sticking to campaign speeches where her message is well defined and there’s little chance of misspeaking. How long will that strategy work?

Microsoft is saying that Iran has accelerated cyber activity which is most likely a sign of increased interference in the US election. Be on the lookout for attacks against Harris/Walz that are completely unfounded. Don’t be afraid to call them out. Their whole purpose is to create chaos and disenfranchisement around the election. Please, again, check your sources carefully.

You may be seeing holiday displays even earlier than usual. Reuters reports that retailers are rushing holiday shipments on anything imported out of fear that their could be disruptive events in the near future. Both the fluctuations of the stock market and threats of terrorism are to blame. This could mean early discounts as excess inventory crowds stores, but also be aware that this year’s prices are already higher than last year as companies look to pad their profit margins as much as possible.

If you use a nebulizer for asthma or migraines, you know how clunky and unwieldy those devices are. That may be about to change. Companies are again testing vape-like devices that would be considerably easier to use. The delay comes from having to convince the FDA and other medical professionals that the devices a) actually work, and b) don’t accidentally encourage other vape use. There are also the optics. Imagine being in a restaurant, almost all of which are nonsmoking now, and needing to use a nebulizer. Cue conflict over convincing your server that no, you’re not smoking. The new devices would be considerably easier to use, but they’re still not likely to be available any time soon.

There are clusters of international stories taking up space this morning, but nothing that currently raises severe concern. Internal struggles are just that: internal. They have to be worked out by those affected.

One last thing, though, Chi Chi Rodriguez, Hall of Fame golfer known for antics on the greens, has died. Now, I’ve never been a huge golf fan, and had it been any other golfer I might not have bothered to mention the passing. But people of a certain age will remember a famous episode of the television show, “WKRP in Cincinnati” where the station’s news director, Les Nessman, played brilliantly by Richard Sanders, completely bungles the golfer’s name while on the air, to the horror of Johnny Fever, played by the late Howard Hessman. So, we say goodbye to Chi Chi with thanks for being a good sport. Here’s the clip:

I’m not making any firm weekend plans as both kids have mentioned possibly doing things with their friends. These are the moments we have to step back and give them room to grow beyond academics. Letting them out of our sight is something that’s never quite comfortable. When the Citizen app issued an alert yesterday that someone had been hit by a truck on Lafayette Road, Kat was quick to have both kids check in, making sure they were safe. We hope that we’ve given the kids enough guidance and support to be able to make safe decisions, but we also know that teens test boundaries and often think that past rules no longer apply. So, I’m going to sit here and try to be flexible and supportive and encouraging, and no, I’m not crying. You’re crying.

Kat’s finally sleeping. The twins are snuggled up together at the foot of the bed. Both dogs are back to sleep. Queen Bit plopped herself down right smack in the middle of the bed, defying anyone to disturb her. All the rain chances are along the East Coast and remnants of Hurricane Debby continue to make life difficult.

Maybe I’ll just have another cup of coffee and sit here quietly. Because I can.

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Morning Update: 08/07/24

August 7, 2024

Lesson learned: Don’t eat bacon and then go out in the heat for a prolonged period of time. My stomach strongly disagreed with that decision and, wouldn’t you know it, I was at the Indiana State Fair when my body decided to process that fateful act. Fortunately, there were plenty of open restroom stalls. Still, my stomach never really settled down, foiling my plan to cheat on my diet for the day. I had a $4 bottle of water, instead.

My motivation for going to the fair on such a hot day, besides the fact admission was only $2, was the desire to check out Travis Little’s newest work. Health issues have prevented Travis from being able to paint and this is his first work since regaining use of his hands. Spectacular? Uhm, of course! If you’re going to the fair, you’ll find his work in the Arts building, lower part of the first floor, in the “Professional” room, and in the watercolor section. Yes, watercolor. While Travis mostly uses pastels, he used watercolor for this piece, and that resulted in the unique placement of his work.

Those of you who’ve been around for a while know what I’m going to say next. STOP MAKING ART A COMPETITION! As I walked through both the art and photography galleries I was deeply disturbed by the degree to which superior works received no attention at all. And who the fuck decided to post the photographs with no attribution? Whose work was I looking at? Yes, it matters! I have different expectations for someone who has been snapping for 20+ years than I do for someone who is just starting out. My complaint applies double to the youth sections where failure to acknowledge strong work could result in the artist giving up and setting their tools to the side, causing the world to lose out on a spectacular talent that is just getting started.

Art is and always will be subjective, no matter the medium. The “purists” who strive to put rules and fences around art are detrimental to the open creativity necessary to move art forward. There are some amazing sculptures on display, for example, but the one given the blue ribbon was a cliche that was almost insulting to the works around it. In fact, there were a lot of cliche themes throughout the galleries, perhaps because the selection committee was too afraid to let through pieces that “break the rules.” All artists deserve a platform and the state fair should be the place for that platform.

They should also improve the air conditioning in the building.

I walked through all the animal barns, but there wasn’t a lot to see. Only a few Herefords, Angus, and Highland cattle were present in the cow barn and only 4H horses were present in that building. Both the sheep and swine buildings were all but empty. I did grab a handful of pictures, but I haven’t gone through any except one at the top of this page. I think another trip is in order next week, but it will have to be a lot cooler and I’ll have to be more careful of what I eat in advance.

Getting home, one might have thought I’d been missing for months with the way the dogs greeted me. I don’t know what might have happened in my absence, but both pups were more interested in seeing me than in going outside. Even when I let them out, they wanted all my attention and only left my side long enough to bark at the mail truck, which is, apparently, a requirement. When we came back in, I sat down at the desk, and Belvedere (the hound) was having none of it. He knew I needed to lie down and didn’t stop pestering me until I did, at which point he curled up as close to me as he physically could.

Kids came in, we ate food, and then everyone went to sleep.

Of course, the big news yesterday was Kamala Harris’ choice of Tim Walz as her Vice President pick. Cue the usual, “Yeah, but…” chorus. The fact is that Walz probably balances Harris better than any of the other potential nominees. Sarah Smarsh in an opinion piece for the New York Times says that Democrats Have Needed Someone Like Tim Walz for Decades, and she’s probably correct by most counts. What could be most important, though, is Walz has a surprisingly strong pull with young voters. This could be critical in a race that is going to be analyzed and picked at from every possible direction.

What else? Hamas names Yahya Sinwar, mastermind of the Oct. 7 attacks, as its new leader in a show of defiance. If we were hoping for a more gentle response to the assassination of the group’s leader, this wasn’t it. Expect the war to grow more heated and most likely expand to Lebanon and possibly Iran. The entire situation there is not looking good.

Global shares rose and Japan’s Nikkei gained 1.2% as markets settled after a wild start to the week. Tesla has issued yet another huge recall, this time in China. And Thai court dissolved the progressive Move Forward Party, which won the election but was blocked from power. So much for democracy.

The Justice Department says a Pakistani man alleged to have ties to Iran has been charged in a plot to carry out political assassinations on U.S. soil. That one’s a bit scary to read. The question now is whether they only sent one or are there more.

And your stupid ass GOP move of the day? Louisiana governor tells parents against Ten Commandments in classrooms: ‘Tell your child not to look’. Not kidding. Let this be a sign of what’s coming, though, if we allow Republicans to have any level of power after this election. They’ve gone off the deep end. I’m not sure labeling them as weird is enough.

Today needs to be a rest day. I’m going to eat breakfast, check on a few details, and then most likely nap the rest of the day. If you need me you’ll need to wake the dogs.

Good luck with that.

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Morning Update: 08/06/24

August 6, 2024

Surviving The Heat [2019 original with AI background]

Good morning! It’s Tuesday and, so far, everything is going pretty much the way we would want it to. The kids were up and out the door without making much sound, possibly because they both knew they hadn’t finished their chores yesterday. We’ll have to address that when they get home this afternoon. Everyone was tired and not feeling especially well yesterday afternoon, though. Kat even came home early and curled up in bed. She ordered soup for dinner and the kids and I all had smoothies. No one could handle anything heavier.

But on the home front, that’s it. Nothing spectacular happened. Just a normal day in a normal city in a normal summer. I’ve no reason to expect things to be much different.

This morning we have Tipper’s IEP meeting. We’ll be talking with her primary support coach who happens to be one of the top 10 finalists for Teacher of the Year. I met her at the back-to-school event a couple of weeks ago and it was pretty easy to see why she’s in line for such an honor. I think the meeting will go well and help to ensure that Tipper gets all the help she needs to be successful this year. G is anxious to actually get started on classwork. They finally got their Chromebooks yesterday, but he can’t bring it home without a note from a parent. I sent the email to his advisory coach last night so that matter should be resolved. I’ve never seen someone so anxious to do schoolwork.

There’s nothing especially earthshaking in the news this morning, either, unless you’re Google. The ruling that Google holds an illegal monopoly over search sounds more frightening than it actually is, though. Microsoft went through the same sort of ruling roughly 20 years ago, just before Google popped on the scene. Google’s only guilty of doing some of the same things Microsoft did to keep their Windows operating system dominant in the industry. For there to be any significant change there has to be someone with a better alternative and at the moment that alternative doesn’t exist.

Of course, everyone’s anxious to find out who Kamala Harris is choosing as her VP candidate this evening. The sitting Vice President secured the Democratic nomination yesterday via virtual roll call. This means that the Democratic Convention can be more about platform building and political hype. We’re 91 days away from the election, though, and something tells me we won’t have to wait until October for both parties to look for political bombshells against their opponents.

Remnants of Hurricane Debby are soaking the Georgia and Carolina coasts. This is pretty much what was forecasted, so hopefully there aren’t too many people caught off guard. Flooding is the primary concern at this point, and cities along that part of the coast have experience in dealing with this problem. Support teams from other states, including Indiana, are in place so hopefully they’ll have the mess under control soon.

If you’re looking at headlines about the Nikkei index having a 10% bump this morning, you’re looking at old news. The Japanese market ended up sliding back down as the day wore on. European markets so far are mixed (as of 7:30 AM EDT). No one is sure what’s going to happen over the next couple of days, so we’ll all have to watch together and find out.

To no one’s surprise, the hot summer is yielding a lot of unrest across the Northern Hemisphere. The UK, Brazil, Italy, Bangladesh, and Nigeria all have their trouble points that are internally significant but not yet bleeding beyond their borders. Summer does this every year. The heat intensifies unrest over perceived injustices and emotions explode into violent actions. Sometimes, the change created is ultimately good, but the loss of life and damage to property is often a high price for moderate results.

One of the most exciting Olympic moments yesterday may have been when a whale decided to join the surfing competition in Tahiti. None of the surfers were in any danger as the whale breached the swells and this type of occurrence isn’t that unusual around the better surf areas. However, in April, Pacific Indigenous leaders— including some from Tahiti— signed a treaty recognizing whales as “legal persons.” Perhaps the whales are taking that as a sign that they’re welcome to join some of our water-based games.

Those are the highlights. I’m sure there will be more excitement in the morning when we know who the Democratic VP nominee is. In the meantime, I hope everyone stays comfortable and happy.

Oh, and Frankie says “Hi.”

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Morning Update: 08/04/24

August 4, 2024

Sunday Morning Lite

Yelling Into The Echo Chamber [2019 original with AI background]

Music from the 1973 Disney animated feature, “Robin Hood” is running through my head this morning, and has been pretty much all night, after hearing a young woman cover Roger Miller’s original song. The lyrics, “Robin Hood and Little John, walking through the forest, Laughing back and forth at what the other’n has to say. Reminiscing this and that and having such a good time. Oo-de-lally, oo-de-lally, golly, what a day.” That verse summons an image of an idyllic summer stroll through animated woods, wandering along without a care, enjoying time with a best friend. When you think about it, isn’t that pretty much what all of us want from summer? If only we could make it happen. Unfortunately, for too many of us, there’s a Sheriff of Nottingham lurking in the shadows waiting to spoil everything.

Yesterday was just kind of there and I see no good reason to dwell on it. I was in bed. The kids were doing their own things. Even local news is rather boring. The biggest thing to happen is that Frankie, the smashed-face wheezer kitty, almost spun out as he took a corner too fast just now. He seems largely unaffected by the near mishap. I’ve told the kids we have to mow today and they’ve both agreed, but we’ll see how much actually gets done.

Much of the world news is a continuation of previous topics. Taiwan’s Yu-ting beats Staneva to ensure medal amid boxing gender debate. And then, Algerian boxer Imane Khelif clinches a medal at the Olympics after an outcry fueled by gender misconceptions. Remember, the IBA is a Russian-backed machine and probably doesn’t need to exist anymore.

The Orange Felon is still lying. VP Harris is still flexing her muscles. I don’t think anyone is surprised by either of those statements. The Felon is trying to claim “home turf” for a September debate, The VP is saying, “Nope.”

Tropical Storm Debby is looking to give most of West Florida and Cuba a hard time today. The storm hasn’t been able to maintain hurricane-force strength, but it could still cause a lot of damage and upset lives and vacation plans.

Second gentleman Doug Emhoff acknowledges affair contributed to the breakup for his first marriage, but is this even an issue when the Orange Felon has cheated on all his wives, including the present one while she was pregnant and no one seems to give a fuck. Open this can of worms and the Felon takes the most heat.

There are a couple of good reads if you have the time. The Associated Press takes a look at how adult children in India are abandoning their aging parents. This isn’t a pretty picture and yeah, I think we have to worry about the concept spreading.

Then, the New York Times has a really interesting story about the intersection of commercial development, segregation, and Islamaphobia … in Minnesota, of all places. Yeah, you’ll need a subscription to read it, but damn, this is a captivating story. In the end, we see how legitimate concerns too easily dissolve into dirty politics and name-calling. It’s definitely worth the subscription price.

While you’re at the Times, there’s also an interesting story about how abandoned church buildings are being converted into commercial space. The vaulted ceilings are a big draw. This isn’t just a New York thing. I know we’ve seen similar conversions to downtown church buildings here in Indy. The allure of religion may be fading, but the architecture is pretty cool.

Everything else hasn’t dramatically shifted all that much since yesterday. If anything, some of it is becoming a bit of an eye roll. Today’s a good day to sit back and catch up on some of that reading you keep saying you’ll get to “when you have the time.”

Pour another cup of coffee. There’s no rush.

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Morning Update: 08/01/24

August 1, 2024

Here it is, August 1, 97 days until the election. IPS starts today, but apparently, the number of little ones we have in the neighborhood has gone down. Previous years, we’d see over a dozen buses running through the neighborhood. This morning has been pretty quiet. I’m not saying there haven’t been any buses, but the number is considerably less than what we’ve seen before.

G and Tipper got off to a good start this morning. G is trying to endure despite the pain of sitting in class and doing nothing as all direction is focused on new students. Tipper, on the other hand, is thrilled with her new furry friend and left this morning armed with her tail, her fox mask, and two favorite plushies to show her friend. She’s delighted to be in an environment where she’s free to express who she is without retribution. Let’s hope that enthusiasm continues once they get into more detailed instruction next week.

I was an idiot yesterday. Okay, there’s an argument to be made that I’m an idiot every day, but yesterday was especially stupid. Looking for a respite from the quiet of the house, I decided to walk to the store. I didn’t really need anything, I just wanted to get out. I wasn’t halfway there before I knew I’d made a mistake. I should have turned around, but didn’t. Mind you, the full trip there and back is only 1.06 miles, not exactly a major trek. I’ve gone a lot further. But this hasn’t been the best week for side effects and by the time I got back home, even leaning on my cane, I could hardly stand. That was it for the rest of the day. I normally don’t use my cane inside or out in the yard with the dogs, but I couldn’t get out of my chair without it. Fortunately, Kat and G took care of dinner. I stayed in/near the bed and was asleep by 8:30. I’ll be careful to not make that mistake again any time soon.

We’re looking at rain most of the afternoon/evening, so I’m not risking anything today. Groceries will be delivered later this morning. Once that’s done, I’m crawling under the covers and hiding between the dogs… and Solaris. So help me, Sol thinks he’s one of the dogs. I could probably put him in a kitty harness and take him outside when I let the dogs out, but something tells me if I put him in a harness, the dogs would want their harnesses, and then I’d have to take everyone for a walk. I don’t have that kind of energy.

What has my attention this morning is the headline that the alleged mastermind of the 9/11 attacks, along with two others, has agreed to a plea deal. While some are praising the deal and others are criticizing it, my larger concern is the degree to which justice has been screwed sideways for the past 23 years. Former President George W. Bush established the prison at Guantanamo, Cuba, in 2002, and with it came a severe miscarriage of justice as almost every member of the Taliban with a passport and no small number of Iraqis were rounded up and tossed in the jail. The special circumstances of Guantanamo allowed the government to label the prisoners as “enemy combatants” and hold them endlessly without trial, or even access to representation. They have been tortured endlessly. Alleged mastermind, Khalid Sheikh Mohammed, was waterboarded over 180 times before that particular method of torture was outlawed. At one time, the population at the prison was over 800 thanks to the mass roundup. Now, only 30 prisoners remain.

The fact that the prison is still running is a disgrace. If, after 23 years, the government doesn’t have enough evidence to convict without torturing them into a plea-deal confession, then they simply do not have the evidence to charge any of these men. Period. At this point, whether they are guilty or not is irrelevant. They have been held without legal representation and tortured endlessly for over twenty years! THIS IS NOT JUSTICE! Holding anyone this long under these circumstances is a violation of human rights no matter how one turns the issue. While details of the plea deal haven’t been released, the assumption is that they’re trading the death penalty for life in prison if they’re convicted. The government is assuming that their confessions, which would automatically be thrown out under any other circumstances as being obtained under conditions of duress, will be enough for the special court to convict. What happens, though, if it doesn’t? Will we let them go? Somehow, I doubt it because, again, the intention here is not justice but retribution.

Mind you, I certainly think that the people responsible for the tragic events of 9/11 deserve punishment, and possibly even the death penalty, though I’m no longer convinced that such an exchange of life-for-life is ever justified. However, what our government has done to these men over the past twenty-three years is inhuman. That the special circumstances around the prison at Guantanamo were ever established in the first place is inhuman. This is not the United States at its best. This is evil at its worst. Give them a fair trial. Either convict them on the evidence or let them go. That’s the way justice works. Anything else is simply evil.

Of course, one could make the argument that we are fully engaged with evil. That’s why evil is running for president in the form of the Orange Felon. I’m sure that by now everyone’s aware of the grotesque and racist remarks the fool made to a group of black journalists yesterday. Vice President Harris correctly responded that this is the same tactic of divisiveness and disrespect that he’s always used. That this felon has the support of roughly 46% of the people in the US demonstrates how comfortable we’ve become lying in bed with evil. We cannot claim to care about justice, we cannot hold any claim to fairness, and we cannot even begin to claim any grasp on freedom, as long as this FELON is running for the highest office in the country. His previous election and his current campaign are both a permanent stain upon the ideal of democracy. To not defeat him soundly, with an overwhelming majority in both the electoral college and popular votes, is to embrace the exact same type of evil that planned and carried out the 9/11 terrors. There’s no difference in the mindset, only the methods of their actions. You wouldn’t vote for Khalid Sheikh Mohammed, would you? The Orange Felon is the same type of person only dressed in a suit and painted orange.

Why am I feeling tired already? I’ve been sitting here guzzling coffee and yet my body is feeling pain and exhaustion as if I’d put in a full day’s work. I can’t go to sleep yet, though. Groceries are being delivered between 10-11. I hate feeling like this.

I’m going to get more coffee. I hope you have a good day.

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Morning Update: 07/28/24

July 28, 2024

Yesterday was exactly what I expected it to be: a miserable day of trying to sleep. I didn’t get out of bed until 4:00 PM and that was only to attend G’s violin recital. I didn’t, couldn’t, eat anything until around 8:30 PM, and a couple of hours later even that came back up. The day was the type of rough ride I’d really rather avoid, but I guess if it reduces the chance of getting pneumonia then one day of misery is probably worth it. Fortunately, I’m feeling better this morning, though I’m still a bit tentative on the eating thing. At least the coffee doesn’t seem to be upsetting my stomach.

G had his first violin recital yesterday afternoon. It was a progress recital, meaning that no one had their work memorized or polished. This was to showcase where each student is at the moment. G did well. Next to all the other students, though, he looked older than he is. He had to raise the music stand to its full height, and he’s sporting a very visible goatee. He was also taller than anyone else.

The event provided an opportunity for extended family to get together. Even Kat’s niece, 18-month-old Harper, was there, stealing the show where she had an opportunity. Grandparents demonstrated appropriate amounts of pride in their grandson which he took with the natural awkwardness of someone not accustomed to such. Tipper was the only one who acted as though she’d rather not be there, but even she perked up when G’s teacher invited them to take additional cookies after the recital.

Tipper’s enthusiasm for the recital was dampened by her excitement for her date last night to a quinceanera. Her boyfriend had invited her to be his guest at the party that didn’t start until 9:00. Whether I was comfortable with it or not, the late start required giving her the latitude to be out late as well. Kat and I discussed the matter and, at her urging, decided that since it wasn’t a school night, it wouldn’t hurt to allow her to be out until midnight or a little later. The event was going to be well-chaperoned so there was little chance of them getting into trouble.

Imagine my surprise, then, when Tipper comes waltzing in around 10:30! When I asked why she was so early, she said that, being the only “white” girl present she felt like everyone was looking at her, and that the music was so loud that the floor was vibrating. She had taken her headphones, as she normally does, but even that wasn’t enough to ease the effects of the loud music. If there was any question as to whether she is on the autism spectrum, her response to the party seems to have put those to rest. Of course, getting an actual diagnosis of such is difficult, but just understanding the symptoms helps us to better adjust to meet her needs.

The past several hours have produced a number of news items with religious overtones. In one specific situation, those overtones are unwarranted and overly forced. That situation would be the opening celebration of the Paris Olympics. My social media feed has been flooded with responses to what appeared to the ignorant to be a mocking of The Last Supper. In response, I’ve seen several posts attempting to explain that it was, instead, a portrayal of Dionysius. However, neither of those interpretations would be correct. The Associated Press went straight to the source to get an accurate explanation. Thomas Jolly, the artistic director of the opening ceremony denied that the tableau was a reference to either, but more a celebration of freedom and inclusion.

Drag performer Le Filip, the recent winner of “Drag Race France,” responded to the criticism by saying, “It feels like the words of somebody who didn’t get on the guest list. We could all be laughing together. It’s sad to me, honestly.”

For those who, like me, grew up in a house filled with Southern Gospel music, you may be interested in knowing that Gospel Hall of Fame group, The Nelons, were wiped out in a plane crash in Wyoming. The only surviving member of the group is Autumn Nelon Streetman, who had stayed home because of her pregnancy. The group was on their way to Seattle to participate in a Gaither Homecoming Cruise. Interestingly enough, the cruise was titled, “Until We Meet Again,” a euphemism for saying goodbye to those who have passed.

Then, I can’t let pass the bizarre and dangerous statements of the Orange Felon as he told members of Turning Point Action at a speech in West Palm, FL, “Christians, get out and vote, just this time. You won’t have to do it anymore. Four more years, you know what, it will be fixed, it will be fine, you won’t have to vote anymore, my beautiful Christians.”

The official campaign explanation to the immediate horror of everyone who values democracy is that the statement was “a joke.” Of course, if that’s the case, one might excuse the entire campaign as one giant joke being played on the American people. In December, the Felon told Fox News that he would be a “Dictator on Day One,” if he were elected. In May, he told a gathering of the National Rifle Association that he might serve “two more terms,” referencing FDR and ignoring that the two-term limit was invoked after Roosevelt died in office.

Such comments are occurring far too often to pass them off as a joke. In my opinion, they voice the Felon’s true intention and desire. He wants to be a dictator. He doesn’t want there to be a 2028 election removing him from office (if he survives that long). He is a clear and present danger to our democracy and as such he must be stopped. There is no other option.

Meanwhile, you quite possibly have missed Kamala Harris’ first ad featuring Beyoncé’s “Freedom,” a cut from her 2016 landmark album, “Lemonade.” Unlike a lot of the music we’ve heard at various campaign rallies, Harris has both the permission and support of the singer in using the song. There’s no question that the song has strong political overtones. In concert, Beyoncé has used the song to segue into “Lift Every Voice.” So, for those who have missed it, here’s the ad.

I really need to stop typing and start mowing the lawn. The forecast says there’s a chance of rain this afternoon, which appears likely though not with serious consequences. This is also the last chance the kids will have to help before starting school tomorrow.

Speaking of which, I may not be able to do an update in the morning. I’m going to ride the bus with Tipper to make sure she gets to school safely. I did the same with G last year, though he didn’t seem to need it. If there’s something that I feel deeply compelled to share with you, I’ll have to do so tomorrow afternoon.

This life is crazy, isn’t it?

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Morning Update: 07/26/24

July 26, 2024

How Many Of These Pictures Are You Going To Take? [2019]

Exhaustion reigns as I’ve completely over-extended myself this week. If there’s a theme for today, it’s “Leave me the fuck alone.” Not that I can even hold to that because I have a doctor’s appointment this afternoon, which will, once again, come right in the middle of nap time. It’s one thing to go a day or two without naps, but we’ve missed them three out of the four previous days this week. I came in from getting the kids set up for school yesterday and collapsed onto the bed, not getting up except for necessities. I’m not doing my body any favors by keeping this kind of schedule.

The kids are as set for school as they can be. It still seems odd that neither of them has a supplies list that has to be purchased. Most everything they do is on their school-supplied Chromebooks, so as long as they keep those charged they have what they need. Tipper was especially excited to meet some of her teachers yesterday. She especially likes her math teacher, who is also her advisor, and her biology teacher, who is also her support coach. She has almost too much in common with the support coach, including a love for art and colorful language. The coach actually has a wood medallion with the word “fuck” burned into it hanging next to her desk. She and Tipper are going to get along just fine. Tipper also signed up for the robotics club which may end up being something that makes her brother a little jealous.

I forgot to get a picture of G yesterday, though. By the time we finished getting his things in order, I was struggling to stay upright and forgot all about it. There are some changes in the Lab program this year that give them more space, hot meals from Cafe Patachou (a Lab partner), and a little more direction as to when certain tasks need to be completed. There was some exciting news as his advisory coach got married over the summer! Some technical issues still linger as the legal status of the Lab changed a little, but none of those issues directly affect the students, so we’ll let the administrators work out those bugs.

At the same time, there were these signs that the kids are growing up whether I like it or not. Tipper’s boyfriend showed up while we were at the school and she ended up spending the afternoon with him (with his mom keeping a close watch). They’re going on a sort of date on Saturday evening as well. I have this sinking feeling that this is going to be a more common occurrence than I’m ready to endure. G’s coach was talking strongly with him about college and what he wants to do with his education. That’s a conversation I can’t even participate in because the world he’s looking at holds practically no resemblance to the one in which I reside. My experience is of no practical use to him. I’m glad he has guidance that is better informed than what I had.

My disturbing dreams last night were all apocalyptic so perhaps it is no surprise that I woke this morning to the news that the trains running to Paris have been sabotaged by arson. That is still an ongoing situation so there’s not a great deal of information that is truly reliable. As these Olympics are perhaps the most politically charged since the end of the Cold War, it’s not surprising that something happened. Fortunately, it appears that no one was critically injured. Security is extremely high for the event, though, and especially for its opening parade down the River Seine. We’re going to cross our fingers that everyone stays safe. The last thing we need is a repeat of the 1972 games.

Speaking of security, the Secret Service has to be struggling to keep up. Not only are they without a leader now, but the advent of Kamala Harris to the top of the ticket presents a whole new bundle of security issues that they have to cover. The simple fact that she’s both a woman and a person of color riles a lot of backward-thinking people who can’t begin to accept the idea of the President being anything other than an old Christian white man. Harris’ religious leanings are broad and she certainly seemed to have no trouble telling Netanyahu that he needs to end the Gaza war immediately. All of that gets under the skin of the good ol’ boys’ club and the Secret Service is struggling to make the necessary adjustments to keep the Vice President safe.

Following the theme of religion, remember that whole dust-up about Oklahoma’s state school superintendent requiring schools to teach Bible stuff? At least eight of the state’s larger school districts have said, “Nope, not gonna do it.” Critical to this decision seems to be a memorandum to the state school districts from the Center for Education Law advising them that the superintendent’s statement is illegal under state law, which already allows for voluntary religious education. If you’re wondering whether any of this is a reflection of Project 2025, be aware that there’s no direct link between the two. However, the superintendent’s position certainly falls within the attitude and intent of the conservative plan for dominating government at every level.

Also, be aware that the Orange Felon is attempting to brand VP Harris as a Marxist. Why anyone would take the word of a felon, I don’t know, but there seem to be a few million lemmings who are repeating this rhetoric. If you’re not familiar with the economic and political ideas of Karl Marx and Frederick Engles, you might want to read up on the concept. On the surface, anyone fed up with the inequality of Capitalism may find Marxism interesting. The felon’s comments are likely based on the idea that Harris is committed to addressing inequality and fighting for the rights of the working class, both of which are strong Marxist pillars. However, the devil’s in the details and the VP is most certainly not a Marxist. Take the time to do the reading, please.

Finally, remember those two astronauts sent to the International Space Station aboard a Boeing capsule? Yeah, they’re still there and there’s still no timetable for getting them back home. If you’ve ever taken a trip and had trouble scheduling a flight back home, perhaps you can commiserate with the two astronauts. They’re more than a month late getting back. Fortunately, this counts as a business trip so they don’t have to explain to their bosses why they haven’t been in the office for a while.

That’s all I’ve got. The dogs are back to sleep and I’m considering joining them. Sleeping is the safest thing I can do right now.

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Morning Update: 07/25/24

July 25, 2024

Don’t Cross Her [2019 original with AI background]

Today pretty much starts the beginning of the school season for us. While classes don’t start until Monday, the next two days are full of all those last-minute things that must be completed in order to make the start of school successful. Kat’s schedule at the salon has gotten crazy, so I’ll be taking Tipper to the PPHS main campus first, then escorting G to the Lab for his stuff. G only needs me for those things that might require a parent’s signature. I’m sure somewhere in the middle of everything we’ll do lunch because these kids have this thing going where they like to eat. A lot.

While a large part of yesterday was spent sleeping, the cats decided to be overly active. That excess energy went on through the night as Queen Bit and Fred Fredburger were hissing and fussing at each other to the point I’m not sure Kat got much sleep at all. There were things knocked off tables, things knocked over, things dug out and scattered… you know, all the things cats do in those moments when the humans in the house need to be sleeping. There’s something wrong with the bottom of my bedroom door this morning that I’ve yet to figure out, and yeah, I’m pretty sure a cat had something to do with that, too. It’s never boring.

As I was quickly browsing the various news sources, Tipper came in and read this over my shoulder from TheSkimm’.

What’s going on: Vice President Kamala Harris stands to be the first Black and South Asian female presidential candidate — a point of attack among conservatives. Right-wing politicians and media personalities have called Harris a “DEI candidate,” attributing her political career to her skin color. Harris has also been accused of sleeping her way to the top and is the target of unvalidated “birther” conspiracies due to her immigrant heritage. Meanwhile, her husband, Doug Emhoff, is on the receiving end of antisemitic attacks. Recent analysis from the Global Project Against Hate and Extremism (GPAHE) found that hateful and violent speech toward Harris rose 33% on Truth Social and 50% on Telegram from July 19 to July 21.

What it means: Harris isn’t the first candidate to face these kinds of attacks. Former President Obama and Hillary Clinton got their fair share of it. However, Harris could be getting the worst of it. Even during the 2020 Democratic primaries, the Wilson Center found that Harris faced more gendered abuse and targeted disinformation than other female candidates. Now, some congressional Republican leaders are warning their members from using that playbook against Harris, urging them to focus on her political career and policies under the Biden administration. That’s because racist or misogynistic attacks against Harris could alienate swing voters like suburban women or voters of color.

Tipper’s question was, “Why? What reason does anyone have for not wanting a black president or a woman president? It doesn’t make any sense.”

No, baby girl, it doesn’t make any sense. Nothing about the Republican party in its current state makes any sense. The overt authoritarianism, racism, and sexism have no excuse. The fact that their own leaders have to tell their members to behave shows how unreasonable, unintelligent, uncaring, and undesirable the party is. Even worse, as I’ve said before, this isn’t just at the Presidential level. Republicans are this nasty all the way down to the bottom of the ballot. For them, Project 2025 isn’t just a wish list for taking control of the government, it is a plan for taking over the world. This is why they must be stopped. The party in its current form must be destroyed. Is there room for a conservative voice in politics? Yes, but a true conservative doesn’t exist in the modern dialogue. What the GOP currently represents is chaos in all its worst forms and it must be eliminated.

Meanwhile, Mother Nature continues to fight back on the open seas as Typhoon Gaemi sinks a freighter off Taiwan, and barrels towards the Chinese seaboard. Amidst all our own noise, there are signs that the planet is getting fed up with our nonsense. News flash: the planet is going to win. Species of beings come and go. The planet is going to take care of itself if we don’t. We need to be aware of the message it is sending.

Nestle cuts sales growth outlook as consumers become increasingly cost-conscious. What can I say other than it’s about fucking time? Nestle has been especially bad about having an “anything for a dime” attitude over the past several years. CEO Mark Schneider has an attitude that all natural resources are best managed through capitalistic markets. That includes water and, yes, even clean air. Nestle has a massive portfolio of products and the company has been regularly increasing prices since 2020 to bolster their profits. So, if consumers are finally saying, “We can do without that,” then that’s a good thing.

Oh, did you see that Utah was awarded the 2034 Winter Olympics? Did you know that the award comes with a catch? The IOC would only give Utah the games after the state’s politicians signed an agreement to lobby the FBI to end its investigation into the Chinese doping scandal at the Tokyo Games. That’s right, this is the IOC attempting to interfere with US law enforcement. That seems to be a pretty bold move considering the fact that UTAH WAS THE ONLY BIDDER FOR THE GAMES. No one else wants them. So, if the FBI doesn’t back down, what the fuck is the IOC going to do? I think we need to be having conversations as to whether the Olympic Games, in their current form, are worth continuing. They’re expensive for the host city, often incurring costs that are never recovered, and upsetting the lives of the people who live there. We need to end that attitude that says sports is king and look at the reality of paid players at the amateur level and re-format the whole mess so that international athletic competition isn’t a mask for an international power move by a bunch of oligarchs, which is exactly what the IOC is.

Finally, that whole “single cat lady” thing isn’t going away, Mr. Vance. Today, it’s Jennifer Anniston who’s speaking out against the wildly ridiculous statement from the GOP Vice Presidential candidate. Don’t think celebrity comments matter? Kamala Harris has Gen Z appeal with young voters largely because of celebrity endorsements. Plus, statements like this pull women across all age groups together against a common enemy: stupid men. This is why women will be deciding this year’s election. They’re pissed and they’re registered to vote.

So, off we go now. There may be pictures on Facebook if you’re watching throughout the day. Depends on how shy the kids are feeling.

Morning Update: 09/05/24

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Morning Update: 08/30/24

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