Archive of entries posted on September 2020

Random Thoughts: Terrible Media and A/C

Posted by on

I didn’t get people running with the whole 6% of COVID deaths thing like it was some revelation. I thought we already knew most people who die had a contributing factor; it didn’t seem like new information.

Going after the specifics on the “In Defense of Looting” person feels like beating up on the mentally ill. Hard to believe not a right-wing plant.

I think my favorite part of the first Bill & Ted is the unlikely friendship of Billy the Kid and So-crates.

People like socialism over capitalism for the illusion of control. Capitalism promises nothing while delivering more than you could ever want. Socialism promises everything and fails at basic necessities, but people want the promise.

On my morning jog through the park, I didn’t see anyone dying of COVID. And yet they say there is a pandemic. Poppycock!

I don’t think I’ll ever tire talking about what’s wrong about The Last Jedi. I’m already bored talking about what’s wrong about Rise of the Skywalker.

When I first heard about mixed martial arts, I imagined it would be like Bloodsport, with flying kicks and flurries of karate chops. But anytime I’ve glimpsed it, it’s like two people awkwardly grappling while getting in weak punches.
One of these days, I’ll have to give it a proper chance. As popular as it is, I know I’m missing something. It’s not like a joke the rest of the world plays on the U.S. by everyone pretending to like it like soccer.

Trump can be pretty terrible but the media is also terrible so many bad stories about Trump are either made up or blown out of proportion. I have this terribleness line about Trump where below it I assume it’s true and above it I need evidence and backing by non-Trump haters.
The recent story about Trump casually hating on people who died in WWII is well above that line. I need more than anonymous sources said so.
I’m not saying he couldn’t have done it; I’m just not going to assume it’s true as presented.

I don’t see what Trump said about McCain as evidence Trump would insult random people from WWII. McCain said bad things about him but no one who died in WWII ever said something bad about Trump.

I’d pay $30 to watch Black Widow this weekend — and I don’t even care that much about Black Widow — but I’m not paying that for another “Hey, we turned a cartoon into live-action!” cash-in.

When I earned minimum wage, I got $5.05 an hour in Idaho. I could not afford rent at that wage, but I was a teenager still living with my parents, so it didn’t come up. I used the money to buy books for college.

I really think Hillary Clinton and Carole Baskin could be close friends.

According to critical race theory, if you roll a 20, you do double damage.

Note to video game developers: You can make cutscenes pauseable. We have the technology.

Man, all I want is small government and lots and lots of wars.

Critical race theory? I only deal in critical race facts.

It’s great living in Texas where I can run A/C all day at whatever setting I want and there’s still plenty of electricity for everyone.

I’m boycotting Mulan because of human rights reasons and because I find all of Disney’s live-action versions of cartoons to be soulless cash grabs.

That has to be a tough pill to swallow for the left to see Hispanics and other minorities moving to Trump.
“Sure, he’s kinda racist against us, but we still like him better than you.”
Racist is actually less threatening than woke.

My kids are watching this Tangled series, and the villain of the episode used the “You don’t want to end up on the wrong side of history.” line. Thank you. I always thought that fit best for a villain trying to justify doing something horrible.

What do you think it would be like if The Simpsons were still on the air today? I bet Homer would get an iPad.

I cooked a couple of ribeyes and my wife made a chimichurri sauce for them—basic hunter/gatherer dynamic.

Rewatching Cobra Kai since it’s on Netflix now and it is such a good show. I was hoping the kids could watch it with VidAngel—they loved Karate Kid—but the subject matter is way too “adult” even if the language was censored.

Tuesday Night Open Thread

Posted by on

We’ve been playing catch-up with the number one hits of the Big Band era on Tuesday Nights. Here’s one we featured for other reasons, back in 2017. Glenn Miller’s In The Mood topped the charts in December 1939, was supplanted by a couple of other songs in late December and in January 1940, then returned to the number one spot in February 1940, staying a total of 13 weeks there. It was Miller’s 6th number one hit, as the bandleader topped the charts five other time prior to 1940.

So, who knocked Glenn Miller from the top spot? Glenn Miller, of course. With another monster hit that topped the charts for nine weeks straight.

[The YouTube]

If you want to see it live (many years later) it’s available here.

Do you have something you’d like to share? A link? A joke? Some words of wisdom? A topic to discuss? It’s our nightly Open Thread, and you have the floor.

The chart information is from Billboard magazine, as compiled by Record Research. Chart data is copyright 1939-1954, BPI Communications.

To Me, This Sounds Hilarious. But It Certainly Wouldn’t If Your Bank Account Was Involved

Posted by on

Northeastern University Suspends Students For Not Social Distancing, Won’t Refund $36,500 Tuition

The Federalist | 09/07/2020 | Jordan Davidson

Eleven students were suspended from Northeastern University for the rest of the fall semester after staff members found them congregated in a temporary dorm room at the Westin Hotel in Boston. According to the Boston Globe, the students’ $36,500 tuition and housing charges will not be refunded due to the policies of a “first-year international experience” program called N.U.in.

Northeastern has dismissed 11 first-year students after they gathered together in violation of university and public health protocols that prohibit crowded gatherings. https://t.co/4bSTi9AejF
— Northeastern U. (@Northeastern) September 4, 2020

The N.U.in students and their parents were informed of the suspension on Friday and asked to “be tested for COVID-19, enter quarantine if they test positive, and then leave” within 24 hours.

According to the university, the students violated a policy banning “guests, visitors, or additional occupants… including neighbors within your residential building” inside each other’s rooms.

“The students were required to acknowledge that they had reviewed the program handbook, which included details of the COVID-19 requirements that are meant to keep everyone safe,” Northeastern wrote in a news release detailing the suspension.

Like some universities around the nation, Northeastern attempted to prevent transmission of COVID-19 by notifying students that if they elected to return to campus in the fall, they would be suspended if they did not actively practice “physical distancing, avoid crowds, and wear masks in the presence of other people.”

“Students who host an unsafe (no masks and without healthy distancing) gathering, social or party, either on or off-campus can expect suspension,” Madeleine Estabrook, senior vice chancellor for student affairs at Northeastern, said in a letter to the students in late August. “Students who attend an unsafe gathering, social or party, either on or off-campus, can expect suspension.”

Even though the university maintains “regular testing for everyone who lives and works on campus,” providing “wellness housing for those who test positive,” Estabrook said that “testing negative for COVID-19 is not enough” and that students should have followed the rules.

“We must practice all of the public health guidelines in order to keep ourselves and the community healthy. Together, we can keep each other safe, but it will require everyone’s consistent cooperation,” she said.

The university claims that the suspended students “will have the right to contest their dismissal at an expedited hearing.”

Now, the icing on the cake is the three comments I read at the news aggregator:

A great time saver, beats taking 4 years to throw your money away.

These budding rocket scientists allegedly signed papers, that informed them of the consequences. I’d say they’re out of luck.

Inconvenient subject called contract law.

It sounds like 11 students are going to be needing some legal representation. Isn’t this just so typical. The school may have the right to kick people out for not following their nonsense, but they certainly are not entitled to keep the money for a service not provided.

We had a similar experience when we took our Weinerdog, Anthony to Petco U. We took him there for socialization and to try and get him to become less obnoxious and be quieter around other dogs. He has never bitten anyone or any other animal but he barks constantly and tries to hump everything in sight. We gave him a stuffed dachshund named Huma but he humped the stuffing out of her after just a few nights. But Anthony got kicked out of class on his third night and they said that we would not receive our money back because it was our fault that we would could not keep him quiet and keep him from trying to humping everything in sight.

Wait . . . have we by any chance drifted off-topic?

Mmmm…. MaryAnn ………

Superego: Fathom Now on Audible!

Posted by on

My latest novel, Superego: Fathom, is now on Audible!

It’s my most entertaining, most exciting novel yet, and now you don’t have to do all the hard work of reading it yourself. And Joel Richards, who narrated the first Superego, is back to give voice to everyone’s favorite psychopath, Rico, as he tries to be a hero for a change. Buy it now and enjoy!

Seriously; these audiobooks aren’t cheap to produce. Buy lots of copies. And if you’ve never tried Audible before, they’ll probably give you Superego: Fathom for free if you give them a try. It’s a great scam.