I love good parodies. I love parodies where the person(s) being parodied join in on the fun. This meets both requirements.
Page 68 of 292
Monday Links
Let’s start with getting one of the big stories out of the way. Some asshole decided to shoot up a small private Christian school in Tennessee. The fact the asshole identified as transgender has sent the normal talking points all skewed. Here’s Operation Blazing Sword’s press release which probably encapsulates my feelings on the issue. I don’t judge a movement by its lunatic fringe – unless the moderates are celebrating the lunatic fringe.
Moving on to a couple of Reason articles.
US Trade Commission admits that tariffs caused increased prices to consumers. Which is what I’ve always said.
DeSantis signed a bill banning rent control and pre-empting local zoning. This could be good or bad. Particularly in the current housing market.
A couple of other serious items.
How do you treat someone who’s been a fixture of the local television and radio market for better than fifty years. According to The Tampa Bay Times, you fire him after a show to cut costs. I listened to Jack Harris for many a year – particularly before I got into podcasts.
According to Mac Rumors, General Motors is going to phase out CarPlay and Android Auto in favor of its own infotainment system. Great way to make sure your vehicles are not in the running the next time the Ward household is in the market for a vehicle. Or renting a vehicle.
Wrapping up with a couple of light items.
Gizmodo discusses Makita’s portable microwave. Which, the prepper side of me is interested in, but the more realistic side is telling me I’m not the target audience.
And because of the explosion of crochet in the Ward household, we have a Guardian article about how crocheters tried using ChatGPT to create patterns and hilarity ensued.
Friday Quote – Amie Gibbons
Just write. There’s always time for crippling self-doubt later.
Happenings Around Ward Manor
There was no Monday Links post this week because The Wife and I celebrated our fourth anniversary by heading up to St. Augustine for the weekend. It’s a special place for us, and we enjoy seeing familiar sights. We spent more time around the fort than normal (not just because of the cannon demonstration). I needed to examine the grounds. I have a story idea worming around my head that involves the fort, necromancy, and other fabulous concepts. There was also the purchase of a new hat for me. It’s much more in the “Justified” vein.
During the time, I asked The Wife if she wanted to go see the new John Wick film. Her response was “I am not mentally prepared to handle that today.” There was further hilarity when MIL’s phone unexpectedly ran dry and then we couldn’t get a hold of her. Until we used the Echo in her room. Which she was unprepared to hear my voice coming out of it.
In a more serious vein, while we were gone, some thugs decided that the intersection at the front of our subdivision was a good place to do a street show. Let’s just say I was a bit concerned.
This week was also the “week of doors”. We replaced the original door on the master shower with a very nice sliding glass job. The one that came with shower stall was being difficult. And I didn’t like that the door opened out into the bathroom due to water going all over the floor. Of course, nothing goes smoothly, but the one small hiccup was just a small one that will have no real impact.
We also had a retractable screen door installed on the front door. Because the HOA will not let us screen in the front porch. Feckers. The installer also helpfully informed us that Ward Manor’s front door is crooked. Yay. Feckers. It made us glad we paid for install, because if we had to deal with that on our own? Let’s just say there would have been nasty words, frustration, tears, and probably blood. One thing we didn’t realize is that the screen door isn’t connected on the bottom. So, now it’s off to find a cat blocker of some type.
I wonder if they make plexiglass grates.
Now back to introducing MIL to Justified.
Anime I’ve Been Watching
A couple of shows that I’ve been getting into this past month.
I’ve got a couple more episodes before I finish this one. It got very weird towards the end, and I need to contemplate before going further.
This is more of the romcom that I’ve been watching more of.
Odd. Most of my early anime was space opera and mecha. Lately, it’s been more relationship drama.
I blame The Wife.
Friday Quote – Justin Amash
Don’t let people convince you that principles only matter when the outcome is in your favor. Principles matter especially, and really only when the outcome is not in your favor.
I Haz New Desk Ornament
As I’ve said before, The Wife has furiously taken up crocheting. Particularly – as she calls them – stuffies. Some Woobles kits, but some that she’s done from patterns. I joked a while back that she should do Baby Cthulhu.
The joke turned out to be not a joke. And I have a Baby Cthulhu sitting on my desk now.
One of my co-workers thinks is really cool. The rest? They’re muggles when it comes to Lovecraft.
Now to convince her to make one for the Grand Niece. Maybe if I suggest it be pink?
End Of An Era – Family Edition
Last Thursday’s post was not supposed to be about the 40th anniversary of Quiet Riot’s Metal Health. Last Thursday’s post should have been a video of me giving a speech to my Toastmasters club. Except, I didn’t get to make that speech.
Tuesday afternoon, The Wife’s father was taken from his memory-care facility to the nearby hospital because he kept vomiting and they couldn’t get it stopped. Okay, not the first time the MCF sent him over there. He’d been over there for falls and COVID and other issues.
On our way to Toastmasters, the attending doc called The Wife. Bloodwork is good, but there are some troubling signs with some of the indicators. Possible organ failure. We let the club know we weren’t coming and went to go meet up with the family. We ended up at Brother-In-Law’s house with BIL, SIL, MIL, and The Wife. Another call with another doctor. Maybe not as bad. Possibly dehydration may be the reason for the oddness. They’ll keep him overnight and monitor. The Wife, MIL, and me go home.
0130 Wednesday morning – MIL wakes up The Wife and me. Hospital called and things are not looking good. Better get the family to the hospital. Not immediate, but pretty soon. The Wife and I logged into our work to knock out a few things until BIL and SIL woke up around three (we’re all early risers in this family). BIL and SIL pick us up and we head down to the hospital.
The Wife’s Father passed away at a quarter to seven on Wednesday morning.
The family is doing okay. He’d been in the memory-care facility for the last 18 months. They’d been down this road before with other family members. He’d been gone for them for awhile. Tears were shed. Words were spoken. The process began.
Life goes on. There’s no other choice.