October 13, 2021

Potential storm could end California wildfire season early.

Good news, if true. We'll have to see. The last two winters have been almost nothing. This would be a big storm this early in the rainy season.

If a wet storm arrives as predicted, the National Weather Service's Climate Prediction Center said it could "quell ongoing wildfire activity, help improve drought conditions ... and replenish water resources throughout the West Coast."

It's difficult to nail down a forecast beyond seven days with accuracy, and this proved true earlier this month when a long-term forecast showed rain in the future, and in the end, there was mostly drizzle.

. . .

The forecast from the Climate Prediction Center, which provides long-term outlooks, said models are suggesting up to 2 inches of rain across three days and "possible near record breaking precipitation for late October."

Gass explained records wouldn't be broken across the region, but some localized spots could see record-breaking rain.

https://www.sfgate.com/weather/article/storm-Northern-California-rain-end-wildfire-season-16529674.php?IPID=SFGate-HP-CP-Spotlight

October 4, 2021

Todd Akin legitimately dies

https://www.nbcnews.com/news/amp/ncna1280680?__twitter_impression=true&s=09

Former U.S. Rep. Todd Akin, a conservative Missouri Republican whose comment that women’s bodies have a way of avoiding pregnancies in cases of “legitimate rape” sunk his bid for the U.S. Senate and became a cautionary tale for other GOP candidates, died late Sunday. He was 74.

Akin had cancer for several years, his son, Perry, said in a statement. He died at his home in Wildwood, a St. Louis suburb.

“As my father’s death approached, we had people from all different walks of life share story after story of the personal impact he had on them,” Perry Akin said in a statement to The Associated Press.

Hmm. I bet.

October 4, 2021

Thank God Facebook is down

It is a shitty sink of misinformation, faux outrage, right-wingers, and partisan shit-mongering pushed by the algorithm.

Posted from my Twitter account.

September 25, 2021

Biden Loves Tea!

So there’s a walking path I use most days. As long as I’ve lived here, some right-winger (or edgy teenager) has been writing MAGA stuff all over it in colorful chalk. Others respond in chalk.

So there’s a brisk political debate whenever I go to the store.

Lately, “Biden Loves China” is everywhere. But this morning, I see some beautiful genius edited them all to “Biden Loves Echinacea!”

This caught fire, and now the entire mile long walk to Safeway is spotted with “Biden Loves Tea!”

Which, cool. I like tea, too.

September 24, 2021

The Gabby Petito case fascination? Murder is entertainment.

I came across this SNL sketch from a year or so ago. Given the pandemic and the rise in streaming, I laughed my head off because of how true it is.

People are really into real life murder shows and mysteries. From the Carol Baskin question in Tiger King to the entire Making a Murderer phenomenon. Shows about true crime have always had their niche, but they seem to have exploded during the age of streaming and people being stuck at home. On my personal social media, I don't see too much about politics. However, I damn well know what murder shows my friends are all watching.

It's engaging and entertaining for a lot people, and they watch them at a remove.

I'm not following the Petito case super closely. But what I see of it on social media, how every clue and excruciating detail is shared and discussed. A lot of it isn't about solving the case - not really. So much information comes out that is less "Hey, help us find this guy, figure out what happened, etc," as it is, "Hey, come rubberneck at this human car crash this week. Don't worry, next week we'll have a new one!"

The media does this with a lot of things, of course, but the Petito case just really struck me with how many people are kind of . . . preoccupying themselves with it. It feels almost like unseemly entertainment at this point.

One of the predominant questions about this case in the past week is, "Why is this getting so much attention?" And a lot of things have been discussed. But I haven't seen one obvious answer noted in the articles I've seen in passing:

This whole thing looks like a Netflix show.

No judgement. I disappear down these rabbit holes, too. For example, I know way more about Andrew Cunanan than anyone ever needs to.

Just seems like kind of where we are as a culture these days.

September 9, 2021

Fun Joe Rogan incident

Was working with a classmate this morning on a project. He said he was under the weather. The J&J shot was kicking his ass. I asked if he was just getting it now.

“Yeah, I didn’t know this comedy show I’m going to requires vaccination.”

“Oh, what show?”

“Joe Rogan.”

Miraculously, my eyes did not roll directly onto my desk before leaping out the window.

At least he got the shot, though.

August 21, 2021

My school's idea of Covid safety is non-existant.

So I up and decided I wanted to get a master's. Boredom, working full time from home, thinking about a change of career. That sort of thing. Before tossing down some bucks at the majority university down the road, I'm spending a semester or two knocking down some other courses first at the local comm. college that has a transfer program.

First off, it's in person. Really not what I wanted. No, there wasn't an option for the classes I need online.

Guess what's not in person? The entire administration.

Library? Closed. Well, the doors are open, but there's no one working there. Cafeteria? Closed. Counseling? Closed. Financial aid office? Closed. Anyone who is not actively teaching? Poof. Gone.

You know who is there? 26 students and a teacher crammed into a windowless room without ventilation. Social distance isn't even possible.

Do we need proof of vaccination? Nope! We do have this neat little phone app where we answer symptom questions once a day and get a little green pass on the screen. Only one of my teachers is even checking for the thing.

So let me get this totally clear. Covid and the surge with Delta is so uncertain that the administration doesn't have to take risks. Doesn't have to be on campus. Doesn't have to interact with anyone in person. But cramming the students into rooms haphazardly is totally fine? Oh, and they take strict, mandatory attendance.

What kind of Marie Antoinette bullshit is this?

My partner has a heart condition. I am not ok with this. On Monday morning, there will be phone calls.

This is in California to boot. We're supposed to be one of the sane states.

August 18, 2021

FIL is on a California recall mission

This is kind of cute. Partner's dad is a retired elderly Filipino immigrant. Very Democratic. They live in the same town, so he stops by once a week to drop off food and leave comments about our prowess (or lack thereof) at lawn care and gardening.

He came by yesterday, and the first thing he did was ask if we'd gotten our ballots. He is all kinds of pissed off about the recall. Yep, got them, mailed them.

So, this is a big family, and most of them either live in the same town as us or nearby. He apparently spent yesterday hopping around to everyone's home and collecting ballots.

Got everyone to fill theirs out, collected them, and mailed them off.

14 in all.

Not too shabby.

(We all voted no, of course)

August 16, 2021

Biden administration increases food stamps by 25%

This story will easily get lost as the media focus on Afghanistan this week, but it's significant and should be highlighted. There are a lot of people going hungry in the country. It's the biggest increase in the program in history.

https://apnews.com/article/health-coronavirus-pandemic-9832ab299bd1a5953f305ec1ae2b8ea9

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Biden administration has approved a significant and permanent increase in the levels of food stamp assistance available to needy families—the largest single increase in the program’s history.

Starting in October, average benefits for food stamps (officially known as the SNAP program) will rise more than 25 percent above pre-pandemic levels. The increased assistance will be available indefinitely to all 42 million SNAP beneficiaries.

The aid boost was first reported by The New York Times and the details were confirmed by a spokeswoman for the Department of Agriculture. They will be formally announced Monday by Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack.

The aid boost is being packaged as a major revision of the USDA’s Thrifty Food Plan. In concrete terms, the average monthly per-person benefits will rise from $121 to $157.

August 15, 2021

Today I learned everyone was against the Afghan war from the beginning

I mean, 88% support when we went in.

But yes, everyone knew right from the start it was a bad idea and wanted nothing to do with it.

I wonder if people are just muddling Afghanistan with Iraq in their memories.

Because the American people, Republicans and Democrats, very much wanted in there after 9/11. Now, even journalists, who are getting called out left and right, are going, "We knew it was a bad idea and opposed it . . ." Johnny, roll the tape.

People do know the Internet exists, right? That there's video and posts and web pages that go back to 2001?

This is like me going growing my hair out and declaring I have always been against short hair. There are, you know, pictures.