Occasional Reader 10/18/2021 5:50:16 AM

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vxbush 10/18/2021 6:19:35 AM

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In #1 Occasional Reader said: Good morning.  That photo reminds me: My God, I am overdue for a real vacation.

Well, we all need a vacation from Biden, but that isn't going to happen anytime soon, is it? 

Occasional Reader 10/18/2021 6:42:42 AM

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So, buzz brought up the perennial subject of NPR Madness.  I subjected myself to a bit of it yesterday afternoon while driving back from dropping off Little OR with his mom.  I think the show was "Al Things Considered".  Two segments come to mind:

In one, they talked about the ongoing supply chain disruptions and associated, soaring inflation.  This was all, offhandedly, blamed on the pandemic.  Not a single hint of a wisp of a suggestion that maybe, just maybe, the Administration currently in power bore any responsibility. 

In the other, they referred to "the nation's other public health crisis... gun violence."  The focus was on the upsurge in homicides here in DC, including interviews with a woman who had lost multiple relatives to "gun violence" in SE DC during her life; and the widow of  the man shot dead near an upscale restaurant in July   The first woman made at least a passing reference to one of the perpetrators; the second made absolutely no mention of perps/suspects in the shooting.  No, gun violence is apparently, indeed, just like free-floating virus or something; if you breathe it in, you get hit by bullets.  No human agency involved at all.  And the solution to this "public health crisis"?  Well... there was a bunch of offgassing about the need for "lots of love and healing".   Of course, no mention at all of the link between Antifa/BLM violence, "defund the police" pressures, and the soaring homicide rate; much less, of the glaring fact that homicide in the US is overwhelmingly-disproportionally an African-American cultural phenomnenon.  

doppelganglander 10/18/2021 6:46:22 AM

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Occasional Reader 10/18/2021 6:50:01 AM

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In #3 Occasional Reader said: In the other, they referred to "the nation's other public health crisis... gun violence."

Link to that piece, in case anyone is interested.  I forgot to mention; in the introduction, there's a vague suggestion that the reason for the soaring homicide rate has to do with how "the COVID pandemic turned people's lives upside down."

So, again, no human agency involved here... just sort of one of those pandemic things.  

(Of course, in an upcoming segment, they'll probably focus like a laser beam on the real solution to this problem; confiscating Occasional Reader's guns.) 

Occasional Reader 10/18/2021 6:53:23 AM

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Reply to doppelganglander in 4:

INTERNATIONAL TRAVEL!!!!  I... remember that.... 

I am so freaking envious.  Enjoy it.

I do wonder though; is the region between the East Midlands and the West Midlands known as the Mid Midlands? 

Occasional Reader 10/18/2021 6:53:58 AM

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Reply to doppelganglander in 4:

And also; happy birthday!  (or belated birthday?)

lucius septimius 10/18/2021 7:04:30 AM

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In #1 Occasional Reader said: I am overdue for a real vacation.

You and me both, brother.

JCM 10/18/2021 8:21:28 AM

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buzzsawmonkey 10/18/2021 8:22:57 AM

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Reply to JCM in 9:  "Fully vaccinated," too.  That certainly helps convince me of the value of the vaccines.

doppelganglander 10/18/2021 8:33:47 AM

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Reply to Occasional Reader in 7:

Thank you. It's not until the 30th but I'm leaving on the 27th.

As far as international travel, it went smoothly. I discovered I didn't have to wear a mask while eating or drinking in the terminal so I spent 2 hours at the bar. To be fair, I probably would have done that anyway.

doppelganglander 10/18/2021 8:35:39 AM

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Reply to buzzsawmonkey in 10:
He was 84 and had cancer. IMO his vaccination status is irrelevant but everyone is trying to score points.

buzzsawmonkey 10/18/2021 8:49:45 AM

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Reply to doppelganglander in 12:

What sort of cancer did he have?  There's a "Colin cancer" joke just itching to be made.

vxbush 10/18/2021 9:12:42 AM

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In #12 doppelganglander said: He was 84 and had cancer. IMO his vaccination status is irrelevant but everyone is trying to score points.

I can appreciate that sentiment and agree with it mostly--the one issue, though, is that the vaccine was supposed to reduce the number of deaths from COVID. There is some speculation that not only is the vaccine waning in effectiveness after 6 months, but there are some reports of a serious reduction of the immune system overall. Right now we only have a few data points on this, not enough for any definite proclamation but something to keep watching. 

JCM 10/18/2021 9:30:35 AM

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Reply to vxbush in 14:

Plus they are calling his death a COVID death. Which given they call just about anything a COVID death to "keep on the skeer on 'im" doesn't mean much.

Now he's in the high risk group, age, cancer, assuming chemo, radiation and other therapies a compromised immune system.

So whether or not COVID is the primary cause of death is debatable without seeing medical records, death certificate, which we won't.

With cancer and assuming ongoing therapies which compromise the immune system, even giving the injection IMAO is questionable, and certainly contraindicated according to everything I've read.

Occasional Reader 10/18/2021 9:34:15 AM

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buzzsawmonkey 10/18/2021 9:41:07 AM

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In #16 Occasional Reader said: Colin Powell was killed by a climate of right-wing hate.  Can't we all just agree on that? 

So, he was killed by "climate change?"

Occasional Reader 10/18/2021 9:44:34 AM

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In #17 buzzsawmonkey said: So, he was killed by "climate change?"

Yep.  Just like JFK.

buzzsawmonkey 10/18/2021 9:54:34 AM

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Occasional Reader 10/18/2021 10:02:41 AM

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In #19 buzzsawmonkey said: I bet the new "woke" Superman will help the homeless by opening a Souper-Kitchen.

Given Superman’s new sexual orientation, the movie line “kneel before Zod!” will take on a whole new meaning.

buzzsawmonkey 10/18/2021 10:18:16 AM

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In #20 Occasional Reader said: Given Superman’s new sexual orientation, the movie line “kneel before Zod!” will take on a whole new meaning.

Haven't seen the movie, but the Zodomy jokes write themselves.

doppelganglander 10/18/2021 10:39:12 AM

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Reply to buzzsawmonkey in 13:
Heh. Multiple myeloma, actually, and he also suffered from Parkinson's disease.

buzzsawmonkey 10/18/2021 11:14:17 AM

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Occasional Reader 10/18/2021 12:31:02 PM

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Reply to buzzsawmonkey in 23:

Heh.

Or a Bathhouse of Multitudes? 

Faster than a speeding "Drag Racer"!

More powerful than a mighty Stonewall!

Able to mince over tall buildings in a single bound!

buzzsawmonkey 10/18/2021 12:37:21 PM

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Reply to Occasional Reader in 25:

+++++++

Red Kryptonite alters Superman's powers.  Green Kryptonite has the potential to kill Superman.

DC has laid both "red" and "green" on New Superman.

vxbush 10/18/2021 12:50:34 PM

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In #26 buzzsawmonkey said: DC has laid both "red" and "green" on New Superman.

How long until we have to wait to find out what fuchsia does? 

buzzsawmonkey 10/18/2021 12:52:59 PM

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In #27 vxbush said: How long until we have to wait to find out what fuchsia does? 

Between the residual Confucianism of China and the ever-increasing demands of the LGBTQWERTY lobby, it's time to revive the old Temptations song "Ball of Con-fuchsia."

Occasional Reader 10/18/2021 1:00:35 PM

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Reply to buzzsawmonkey in 26:

Also:  References to "cub reporter Jimmy Olsen" will now be altered to read "bear-cub reporter Jimmy Olsen". 

buzzsawmonkey 10/18/2021 1:08:57 PM

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By the way, the days following Indigenous People's Day---formerly "Columbus Day"---were unseasonably warm.

I assume that means we were enjoying what is now called "Indigenous Summer."

Occasional Reader 10/18/2021 1:09:24 PM

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In #25 Occasional Reader said: Faster than a speeding "Drag Racer"! More powerful than a mighty Stonewall! Able to mince over tall buildings in a single bound!

Look!  Up in the sky!

It's a magpie!*

It's a MiG-15!**

It's... Superman...-ish!

_______________

*Spanish pun

** NATO code name pun

buzzsawmonkey 10/18/2021 1:25:03 PM

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In #31 Occasional Reader said: Spanish pun

I'd Rather Be Spanish (than "Man-ish").

BTW, the "Voila!" at the end of this record is the inspiration for the "French Mistake" number in "Blazing Saddles."

buzzsawmonkey 10/18/2021 1:42:53 PM

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buzzsawmonkey 10/18/2021 1:47:21 PM

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Occasional Reader 10/18/2021 2:16:08 PM

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In #34 buzzsawmonkey said: And, while we're at it...She's a Latin From Manhattan.

The AOC story?  

/okay, she's not from Manhattan, I know