My elderly father is in the cardiac care unit with elevated heart enzymes which the doctors attribute to Covid pneumonia. I am almost sure he contracted Covid the weekend before at another hospital when he was being treated for a fall. (I was nearly the only one in he place wearing a mask.)

My slightly less elderly mother is in the bed with relatively minor symptoms. My wife developed Covid symptoms yesterday but she has improved to the point that she is not playing "Komm, süßer Tod" on a loop. I thought I had dodged the bullet when I tested negative on Sunday morning and night. To day, the test strip was brilliant red (I tested twice).

I really had no symptoms in the morning but in the afternoon, I developed a low grade fever, headache and nausea. Tylenol will knock down the fever but there is no relief from the headache and nausea.

Fortunately, my brother and SiL drove in to check on Dad, so it's their turn to care for the elders. (It's almost worth the headache and nausea to get a break.)

At least in southern Arkansas, Covid is back. The hospitals are filing up and buying test kits requires a treasure hunt.

Everyone mask up and be careful out there.

In 2007, then former President Bill Clinton appeared at Ouachita Baptist University (Arkadelphia, Arkansas) for a speech that was open to the public. My memory is that there was one - maybe two - Secret Service vehicles in addition to Clinton's vehicle. The hall was packed to its 1,500 seat capacity. There were a very few Secret Service agents in attendance but unobtrusive.

The number of vehicles in the Trump motorcade could not have been parked anywhere on campus. Did the Secret Service perceive a particular threat to Trump or was it just all a show?

Trump is almost certain to appeal BUT an appeal does not prevent enforcement of a judgment pending appeal by execution or garnishment unless a supersedeas bond is posted.

Is there a bonding company that would sign a $5 million bond for Donald Trump without requiring him to deposit the entire amount? I personally doubt that Trump has that kind of money laying around.

and two geriatric dogs while the son and DIL take a few days off.

After one day, we're both exhausted. We're way-on too old for this!

The Secretary of State website is reporting 0% - ZERO PERCENT - of the vote as reported.

The NY Times website is doing some better. [link:https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2022/11/08/us/elections/results-arkansas.html|

ON EDIT: The Arkansas Democrat-Gazette is also doing a good job. [link:https://www.arkansasonline.com/ballot2022generalballotmeasure/|

For years, my definition of middle age has been "too young for Medicare but too old for women to care."

I received my Medicare card today. It's official, I'm now elderly. It's all downhill from here.

The ROTC detachment at my alma mater is restarting a cadet group that started back in my day but had been allowed to lapse.

The times are very different than in my days as a cadet just after the end of Vietnam. The cadets look infinitely more like soldiers than we did in my day. They were all sincere and intelligent - if younger than I remember being as a cadet. I was impressed by them.

The future of the Army seems to be in good hands.

As the number was approaching, I have been trying to come up with the right ideas but have not found anything earth shattering or that hadn't been said before by others.

What I can say is that DU is very important to me. I am a rare Democrat in ruby red south Arkansas. Reading DU every night keeps me grounded in the knowledge that we few Democrats here in the piney woods are not alone.

I have made friends that I will never meet. I have had valuable discussions with well informed people on important issues. I also enjoy the lighter side of DU in the Lounge. There are frequent posters for whom I cannot leave posts unopened.

I appreciate the work done by EarlG, the administrators, and the MIRT in keeping DU a safe and sane place for discussion.

Thanks DU.

First, I did the very thing for which we criticize the MAGATs - I voted a straight party line. I voted for all the Democrats (including one that I know personally and really do not like). I did not vote in two races in which there was no Democratic candidate. I voted against all the matters referred by the GOP-controlled state legislature. In the "non-partisan" Supreme Court election, I voted against the candidate endorsed by the GOP. Voting did not require any thought.

Second, all of the poll workers were black women. I know all of these ladies and they would not tolerate any attempt by MAGAts to interfere with people voting. They are all formidable women that should not be trifled with.

Just because I have contributed to your campaigns in the past does not mean that I want three or four e-mails or texts a day asking for more money. I know how to send more money if I decide to do so. I do not need multiple prompts per day.

One more thing. Please do not ask in e-mails that I verify that I am still a Democrat. That really gets up my nose.

Here endeth the rant.