Compensate this

So, Sunday was the last day of our fiscal half - our store was #3.  Our Success Sharing (bonus) has always been calculated on fiscal halves - we get 2 per year.  That is changing, however.  Now they're are calculating it on the quarter.  Our store was #1 for the quarter.  We're are going to get a big bonus... maybe.  From what I've heard this is just going to be for the quarter, not the half... so, what happened to the first quarter of 2018?  A 3 month bonus is going to be less than a 6 month bonus.  Oh, and we're going to be getting this 4 times a year, as long as the store makes plan (forecast, or budget, use the word of your choice). 
While some are dancing around like they were wearing their very expensive glee sneakers, I'm scratching my head.  You see, I read financials.  There's a growing trend  among corporations to treat frequent bonuses as part of an associates yearly compensation package, rather than as a 'bonus.'  This turns it into a payroll expense which, in turn, effects your yearly increase.  By using these 'bonuses,' companies will, in reality, reduce that expense.  It works like this:  Say your yearly increase amounts to $2000 and (if your store performs up to par) your bonus is $800.  They take that $800 and deduct it from the $2000 leaving you with an actual increase of $1200.  This is legitimized, in their minds, by saying it is now your responsibility for your store's sales.  Wall Street likes this approach.  Some stores will make out well, others will not.  What it really means is that a lot of people will get lower raises.
Oh, and in case you didn't hear me yesterday, I suddenly burst into loud, almost hysterical laughter.  Why?  A headline in the WSJ.  I was sitting next to our Customer Service Rep when my phone buzzed.  It does that with breaking news flashes.  To my amazement, I saw that Bob, in posting his Sunday Funnies, had revealed one of the cartoonists to be a Gypsy Fortune Teller.  This one right here:

Holy Shit!  The Idiot Jerk in the White House wants to have a 'sit down' with Iran.  Doesn't he remind you of the lowest form of life possible?  Anything for attention, for a chance to get his name in the headlines, to feed his ego.  My money says he'd eat a scumbag if he thought it would garner him headlines.  Like a washed up actor, he'll perform in anything for any price.

Heroes and shitheads

Well, when I got home from work last night I did a free weight workout - upper body.  The end result was Bojangles arms, you know?  Rubbery.  If I was from Pittsburgh, I'd say I had gum band arms.
And the Tour de France ended yesterday.  The winner:  Geraint Thomas was the winner from Team Sky, UK.  I'm glad he won.  I'm also glad this year's tour is over.  It as definitely not one of the best.  Right from the start there were issues.  Chris Froome should have withdrawn right from the start.  You see Chris tested positive for having twice the legal limit of an asthma medication in his blood.  Does Chris have asthma?  Let's just the Team Sky doctor gives him the prescription.  Protesters following him through out the entire race.  The wave signs.  The yelled angry words at him.  They spat on him.  If he and Team Sky thought he'd win a 4th Tour they were mistaken.  Did he possibly end his career?  Maybe.
There were serious crashes right from day one.  Oh, and Cannondale showed up in their hideously pink kits.  I like pink.  It's an aggressive color.  But no one should be riding in the Tour wearing Spandex from the Barbie cycling collection.
And then there were the farmers.  Evidently there is some way Brexit is going to effect the subsidies they receive.    In their minds the best way to bring attention to their plight, their most opportune method for gaining sympathy, would be to roll bales of hay onto the route in Stage 16 and stop the race.  What they actually accomplished, on the world stage, was to shit in their pants.  No one said... "oh, those poor farmers."  What they ended up with was a mini-riot... with tear gas.  Ils ont les tetes de merde.  Oh, and it seems they are now under investigation.
And yesterday, sometime in the morning I think, the Idiot Jerk in the White House tweeted out another threat to shut down the government if he didn't get his wall.  Holy Crap!  Didn't he sing this song before?  And fail?  Of course this isn't about building the wall.  Nope, his dimwitted base loves this shit.  And this shut down is supposed to occur in September, just before the mid-terms.  Whether you know it or not, this is 'the art of the deal.'  Oh... my... let's be scared.  He caved before, he'll cave again.  Empty threats.
I'll end with a pic of Lawson Craddock - from the Cannodale Team.  He crashed on stage one and broke his scapula.  And came in last place on the stage. 

A lot of cyclist would have dropped out.  He didn't.  He is a certified Lanterne Rouge - last place finisher.  He also did something wonderful along the way.  Lawson pledged $100, for every stage he finished, to help rebuild the velodrome in Houston he had rode in as a junior.  A little storm called Hurricane Harvey did a lot of damage.  So he rode, and finished every stage.  And along the way people started taking notice... and started donating to help his pledge.  By the time he rolled across the finish line in Paris yesterday, in last place, he had raised almost $200,000.  Can we talk about heroes?

Black or English

Sunday morning.  Some of you are sleeping late, since that's what a lot of people do on their day of rest.  Not me.  Up at 0430.  No problem in rising early.  There is so much I want to get done.
The replacement gaming chair arrived Friday.  Opened the box when I got home from work yesterday, pulled out the transmitter, and plugged that sucker in.  I have sound... and vibration.  I suspected all along that might be the problem.  What a shame Amazon needed to send me a replacement chair just to replace the transmitter.  This is what happens when companies sell products designed and assembled in China without considering the need for replacement parts.  I have no doubt this is why their customer is so shitty.  There is nothing they can do when issues crop up.
My brother sent me a text.  Walnuts are starting to drop from their trees.  I told him I'd be up with a container, and most likely the dogs, on the 8th or 9th.  I'm also ordering a walnut huller from Amazon.  Odds are that they are going to be Black Walnuts, rather the English, which means they are going to have a lower calorie content and a higher Omega 3 content.  Health food.  Believe me when I tell you "nuts are great.!"

The computer / weight training / cycling room floor is about half painted.  The color is sort of a swimming pool green / blue.  Weird thing is that when I walk into the room, I stepped over the freshly painted floor.  I wonder if that's because of the color.  Once the hole thing is finished, I'll post pictures.
Was it me, or was the Idiot Jerk fairly quiet yesterday?  I found it interesting he was bragging about the economy.  Of course, he didn't mention that the last time it was this good was in 2014 - oops.  And even though the country appears to be doing well financially, his party is showing signs of concern.  His approval rating refuses to go up.  Just goes to show the stupidity of Republicans.  They believe that if the country is doing well, the American people will let any asswipe sit in the Oval Office.  How wrong they are. 

Mission Accomplished

Yesterday was a day for getting things done!  Mowed the lawn - early, since they were calling for possible showers and thundershowers.  We got some showers late in the day, but nothing else.
Two loads of laundry washed and folded.  Dishes hand washed.  I have a dishwasher, but unless I'm cooking something big, usually resort to Palmolive.
Got the grocery shopping done.  Time for another BIG bag of Beneful. 
Half the floor in the computer / gym / cycling room got 3 coats of paint.  Only half because I move everything from one side of the room to the other side.  It looks nice.  Color is called Breeze Way..., sort of a swimming pool color.  The dogs only walked on the wet paint once!
It's nice when you accomplish more than you plan.
Earlier in the week Facebook took a shit in Mark Zuckerberg's pants.  Was it enough to wipe that smug little smile from his face?  Probably not.  What I thought surprising was people being... shocked.  Excuse me, people.  The lifespan of a social media network is evidently not that long.  Remember My Space.  Everybody wanted to be a part of My Space.  I think some are still on it.  I bring up Facebook because yesterday Twitter took a dive.  Oops.  People just don't seem to be signing in as often.  That's hurts advertising.  What is happening to all of the followers?  Well, duh, you don't need to sign in any more.  Look at the Idiot Jerk in the White House.  His every Tweet gets reposted almost immediately.  Before he began dominating the Twitterverse, you might read something and say, "gee, that's interesting."  But the Idiot Jerk?  Everybody knows he lies, and Twitter is the easy forum he has for spreading those lies.  If his main goal was to kill Twitter, he should get a "Mission Accomplished" medal.  He could wear it like all those phony medals dictators seem to enjoy wearing.
In case you missed it, yesterday he took credit for the economy in a Tweet.  Of course, he forgot to mention that the last time the economy was this good was in 2014 - when Barack Obama was president.  Ooops.

I just lost $15 billion dollars

So, what target is the Idiot jerk aiming for next?  My money says Instagram, which means he'll be able to do it with pictures.

You Fool

Friday.  I don't work today.  This is nice.  I will have to work for 5 days in a row starting tomorrow, but that's okay.  The sun came out this AM.
Yesterday was a good day.  The sun came out yesterday as well.  My basement floor is mostly dry so I can do laundry.  Not that I fear running out of skimpies, I'm fairly well stocked when it comes to under attirements.  What made yesterday good, besides the sun?  I got up at 0430, and worked, and when I got home I got in 25 minutes of cardio.  The new routine is, after almost 3 weeks, beginning to fit me comfortably.  This is what my life was like 10 years ago, before International Paper decided to outsource my job to Krakow, Poland.  Isn't it amazing what can happen to a person in a mere decade.
The dogs are much happier today as well.  They're not too wild about dashing between the raindrops.  With the sun out, they can poop and pee to their heart's content without having to worry about getting wet. 
Yesterday a customer came up to the flooring desk and asked a couple of laminate questions.  I asked him how the weather was and he frowned.  "It's hot.  Too hot."  I really had to bite my tongue to keep from saying "You fool."  Some areas of the state are still under flood warnings.  A lot of people have seen their lives get washed away because of the torrential rains, and this middle-aged, white man is complaining about the heat. 
The same thought flashed through my head when I heard Jim Jordan wants to run for Paul Ryan's seat.  'You fool!  You sat with stoppered ears, while students were being sexually assaulted because you saw no benefit in complaining!"  He did tack on a caveat regarding the need for Republican control of the House.  Doesn't he realize that when the House turns blue ethics investigations into his past, immoral behavior will be started?  It's enough to make you laugh.  "You fool!"
Then there's Jeff Sessions...  A lot of people are looking at him now and shouting "You fool."  He and his high school chanters, his racist 'zero tolerance' towards Latinos.  Even his church denounced his false piety.  Doesn't he think he's special?
Oh, and Michael Cohen has flipped!  That news is almost enough to send Democrats and Centrists into hysterics. 

Right now, Michael is pointing his finger at the Idiot Jerk in the White House and laughing, "You fool!"

Smart balls

Well, I get to go back to work today, for just one day.  After today, however, I'm going to have a couple of 40 hour work weeks.  That's okay. 
The rain has finally stopped.... until tomorrow, my day off.  Looking at the long range forecast, or at least the 2 weeks Accuweather provides, this pattern is not going to change.  High humidity and thunderstorms are to be expected.  Zounds!!  What a stinky summer this is turning out to be.
I did free weights yesterday, upper body, so I'm a tad sore.  That's fine.  There's absolutely nothing wrong with working your muscles.  My mom once told me that if you're the slightest bit sore you did too much.  She was quite adverse to both exercise and perspiration.  Her idea of a workout was very easy repetition - a workout without the work.
I went to see her yesterday.  She was sitting in her chair wearing her night gown.  It was around 1:30 in the afternoon.  She told me she was packing to go home.  She is very confused.  She still recognizes me, my brother, and my sister, but at some point that will fade as well.  This is dementia.  My sister is finding it emotionally stressful.  My brother is digging into his religious denial chest and pulling out who knows what.  He visits her and they pray, as if that's going to change anything.  Me?  I think we should have left her die 3 years ago, when she was having heart attacks daily.  Of course, we listened to her doctors.  That's what you do in situations like that.  The sad truth is that the longer they manage to keep her alive, the more money they make.  They could really care less about the quality of her life.
And the Idiot Jerk's Blow Buddy Vlad gave me a soccer ball with a transmitter chip.  The balls are made that way.  The chip works with your cell phone.  You could sort of think of it as a talking, listening ball, sort of like a 'smart ball.'  Funny, you know?  Putin giving the Idiot Jerk smart balls?
While I was scanning news articles yesterday, I chanced upon an interesting tidbit.  Evidently the Idiot Jerk in the White House is frightened of Joe Biden.

You see, the Idiot Jerk knows that Joe, even as old as he is, can dribble circles around him on the basketball court.  While Joe goes in for an easy lay-up, the Idiot Jerk is going to be screaming "why do I always have dumb balls!  Why don't I ever get any smart balls?!"  I guess no one ever took the time to tell him that not one of us has smart balls.

There's bad rain, and bad chairs

Evidently it rained like hell all through the night.
The warnings continue.  Water is about 1.5" in the basement.  I haven't run the pump yet.  I have a stone foundation so what runs in, runs out naturally - no drain.  The map shows dry to the south for a couple hundred miles.  So hopefully, as far as my basement is concerned, things should start to dry out.  Forecast was for the pattern to move to the east starting around midnight last night.  They seem to have been a bit off in their timing.
So, how much rain did we get here?  I put a bag in this Tidy Cat liter container and use it when picking up dog poop.  As you can see, it's nearly full.  figure half of that is from torrential downpours splashing in.  I'd say, locally at least, a good estimate would be between 7 - 8 inches of rain.

And I just checked, the water in the basement is already receding, though it is raining... again.
Because I play video games, I bought a gaming chair.  Sharp and snazzy, lots of bells and whistles: speakers by the head, vibrations to almost think it's kinky and... it doesn't work.

  No sound.  The advertising claim that it was wireless is... well, practically fraudulent.  What you get are RCA (red and white) audio cables to connect to your gaming consoles.  However, newer consoles (those sold since 2015) don't have RCA jacks.  This means you need to use an alternative audio source, like your TV.  My jacks are on the back of my TV and my TV is mounted on the wall - no go in that department.  You can also connect a transmitter to your TV's headphone jack.  That doesn't work either, I mean, it lights up, but transmits nothing.  So, I tried contacting their customer service - what a joke.  I was on their "live chat" for almost an hour and 15 minutes and moved from #2 in the queue to #1.  Calling their customer service was courting failure right from the start.  You get a 'thank you' message for calling, get transferred to customer service where, after 8 rings, you get another message asking you to either leave a message, call back later, or send an email.  I called several times and ran through the same routine every time.  I did send them an email.  After 10 hours I got a response:  "thank you for your email.  We are forwarding your email to our customer service department."  In the end, I contacted Amazon.  They're replacing the chair.  Let's hope this one works.  The company that sold the chair is Ace Casual Furniture.  Buy from them at your own risk.  Oh, and they got a really detailed, bad review on Amazon.

Flood Warning

Well, here it is Tuesday, I'm off work, and we're under a Flood Warning!
I have about 1 inch of water in my basement.  Not that I'm concerned, I have pumps.  This has happened before.  My parents grew up in a small town called Pine Grove.  It made the news yesterday.  Hershey Park was closed yesterday.  We had flooding like this about 12 years ago and some of their animals drowned.  Now they take extreme precautions.  Right now, we have a steady rain, not heavy, the kind we like to think of as a 'soaking rain.'  That's fine.  My basement floods when we get torrential downpours.
Sticking with that water motif, I'm going to segue into Aquaman.  Cute, huh?  Sounds a bit fishy to me.  Anyway, the trailer for Aquaman was dropped at Comicon.  Looks good, very colorful.  Best line in trailer in decades:  "Redheads, you gotta love 'em."

I'll go see it, not because I'm a big Jason Mamoa fan.  I always thought he came across as a bit too scaly.
Finally, a bit about the economy.  Everybody is smiling.  The Idiot Jerk in the White House smugly gives a thumbs up "see how it's growing under my administration."  For those who don't know, the economy grows when people spend money.  The more they spend, the faster it grows.  True: unemployment is low.  False: people are making more money.  That's where the stink comes in.  Personal debt is growing by leaps and bounds.  Banks don't care.  Retailers don't care.  And sure as hell, the Idiot Jerk in the White House doesn't care.  They don't care if the average person is spending around 26% of his or her paycheck on debt alone.  Their philosophy is:  just give them more credit.  As long as people are spending money like it's going out of style the economy is going to grow.  This is why the Fed increases interest rates, to slow down that growth, to keep it from becoming overwhelming.  Corporate America likes to fluff over interest payments.  They want  Mark and Mary Moron to just get another credit card, or apply for a Home Equity loan in order to go on vacation.  Conservative economics say that if you spend more money, businesses will make more money and they will, as a result give out larger pay increases.  Well that never happens.  Pay increases are bad for the bottom line.  For them the P & L is Holy.  In fact, that's one of the things you hear about this economy.  Where are the pay increases?
So, is the economy great?  Sure, as long as you don't look at personal debt.  High interest payments are at the point of breaching the dikes of our personal savings.  Financially, the country is under a severe flood watch.  The flood warning is just around the corner.

The Official Word

Well, it's Monday.  I have to work.  On the bright side, it's only for today, I'm off Tuesday and Wednesday.  On the darker side, we're supposed to have rain until Thursday.  Yepper, we here in Enola are under a flash flood watch / warning, or something like that.  Originally this weather pattern was only to hang around until tomorrow, that forecast has been changed.  Shit.  I had been planning on mowing the lawn on Wednesday.
If I gave the impression yesterday that I thought the Idiot Jerk in the White House's base was on the verge of abandoning him, I want to correct that.  They will stick to him like flies on shit.  W's approval rating dropped to 27% which was made up entirely of the GOP base.  Nixon's approval dropped to 29%, and that was his base.  The same thing will hold true with the Idiot Jerk.  His Helsinki shtick went over badly with the Centrists.  They will be the ones coming to save the day, as well as massive amounts of democrats, the majority part.  His base will only begin to walk away if the economy starts to slide.
I got on the scale this morning.  Aaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhh.  Weight gain!  I'm blaming it on the new schedule.  This is my 3rd week.  My personal regimes is kind of in place... that doesn't work.  Things need to be more than 'kind of.'  Adjustments need to be made.  I will either need to get up later so I can stay up later and get the exercise in after work, or I'll have to get up earlier and and go to be earlier, reverting to a routine I was used to.
Someone complained about my putting in for vacation days and then not taking vacation pay.  At the end of the year we get reimbursed for vacation pay not taken if we have more than 40 hours on the books.  I don't see what the difference is, getting paid now or at the end of the year.  If you can afford to take a vacation day and not put in for the pay, well, more power to you.  But someone thought it was stinky.  Someone with a hair up their ass.  Ah, well, I'm going to continue to do it until the official word comes down to stop.
Right now the official word is:  Vote Blue

Pancakes on a Sunday Morning

Well, it's Sunday.  I don't work today.  I do have to work tomorrow, but then I have 2 days off.  The next 2 weeks are 40 hour work weeks.  This is how it goes sometimes.
We had a shit load of rain  yesterday, anywhere from 2 - 5 inches.  We're supposed to have more storms this afternoon.  And tomorrow.   And Tuesday.  And heavy thunderstorms on Wednesday.
I only left work 15 minutes early yesterday - that's fine.
Being that it is Sunday, I made pancakes for breakfast - early.  The dogs go me up around 0430.  They have no idea what the hour is, or that I might want to sleep a little early.  The were rewarded yesterday for going out in the rain - they hate getting wet, however they love biscuits more, besides, they think toweling them off is some sort of game.

Pancakes - with blueberries

Yesterday was pretty quiet on the news front.  As far as I know, the Idiot Jerk in the White House didn't vomit anything up that was truly bad. of course, if he had, one of his stooges would have quickly swallowed it whole, only to throw it up as something just as chunky.

A lot of you are wondering when this nightmare is going to end.  The answer is probably a bit more complicated than you want to hear.  After he was elected, I gave him 2 years... well we've got about 6 months left.  If you look at what Republicans are saying on the sidelines, and, more important, what they are not, they almost in panic mode, not about the Idiot Jerk, but about what he's doing to their party.  You see their Conservative, hardcore base is small.  They rely on Centrist Republicans, Centrists, and feeble minded fools to get themselves and a president elected.  The Centrist crowd is not liking this Russian bullshit at all.  Their votes can no longer be counted.  Instead of growing the base, the Idiot Jerk is constantly those voters so necessary for party survival.

To make matters worse, the military, which has always been reliably Republican, is being served turdburgers daily.  They are more than a little upset by all this Russian bullshit.

The Idiot Jerk is on the verge of stepping across a line even the GOP can not ignore, and so, on the sidelines, they are quietly assessing the number of votes they have in congress should they choose to take the impeachment route (which daily seems more and more likely).  They are preparing to move into damage control mode.

After that, we'll have to deal with Pence.  His association with the Idiot Jerk will pretty much turn him into a wet noodle.  His failure is certified.

Use your anger.

Grow the vote.

What's so good about over-time, and other stuff

I think it's fairly obvious by now that the Idiot Jerk has never had a good grasp on what a president can and can't do.  He is totally clueless in regard to democracy.  This doesn't mean he has never been aware of rules and regulations which govern our country, he just doesn't want them to apply to him.  Because of this, he is going to make Richard Nixon look like an alter boy.
The Dow failed to make up any of the ground it lost yesterday.  Get used to it.  His LLC's have filed for bankruptcy 6 times, (one, Trump Casino I believe, filed 3 times).  His wealth is built on braggadocio and high interest loans, nothing more.  He blames the Fed for raising interest rates - their a reason they raise them.  He doesn't understand that.
The only trading partner he wants is Russia... oh, and maybe North Korea, because they are led by strong leaders.  He sees nothing wrong with dictators.  When they speak, their people sit up and take notice.  That's not going to happen.
He is going to get worse because he's angry now.  His idea of making America great again was really all about Americans saying great things about him.  That's not happening.  Just the opposite.  He shrieks "fake news,' even as his own recorded words are played back to him.  Corrections of what he's said are coming daily.  Maybe he should stop speaking and Tweeting if he can't say what he means to say.  His temper has no bounds.  He hasn't said 'fuck you' publicly, but be prepared, it's coming.
I can't even imagine what it was like when he found out that the FBI has a taped conversation between he and his former favorite lawyer, Michael Cohen.    Not about Stormy, mind you, this one has to do with the former playboy bunny.
I've said it before and I'll say it again, this asswipe has really bad Karma.  The world, and the United States, have front row seats as his Karma catches up with him.  The show should be great.
On a brighter note, I had to work an hour and a half overtime yesterday because some woman came into have blinds designed, 26 of them.  She showed up 45 minutes before I was do to leave.  So, you may ask what's so good about that much overtime?  Well, I'm going to leave a bit early tomorrow.  That's what's so good.

Celebrate

Okay, so it's Friday.  And I just realized it's the end of the week... for some of you.  For me?  I'm kind of at my mid-point.  I only work 4 days so I don't really have a hump day.
Yesterday was... oh, je ne sais quoi... you know?  The Idiot Jerk?  The Senate voting unanimously on a resolution to protect Americans from Russian Interrogators.  Blaming the Fake Media for playing recorded clips of the Helsinki political suicide.  Tweets about Powell, very angry they were, damning the Fed.  And the stock market going splishy, splashy (it seems like not everybody is making boodles of money).  Oh, and guess who's coming to dinner?  His Blow Buddy Vlad.  Shit, it's enough to make a Republican's head spin.  Sarah's (I sold my soul to the Idiot Jerk so I could get this job) head was...  does anybody know if she barfed up another split pea soup lie?
Oh, and people are really starting to grow concerned about that 2 hour private rendezvous between the Idiot Jerk and his Blow Buddy Vlad.  Let me say just one thing.  Someone just threw highly flammable fluid at an open flame... you know?  Fire and gasoline?
On a brighter note, I bought some white T-shirts - an even dozen.  I always wore white, until my gig at International Paper got outsourced to Poland.  At that point I switched to colored T-shirts, reds, and blues, and greens.  After November 2016, all I wore were black and gray - but things are brightening up.  You see the Idiot Jerk in the White House has popped his administration in to Craze Control.  I can even imagine what life must be like for Mike Pompeo, running around shouting "Holy Fuck!  Holy Fuck!  Holy Shit, is my hair on fire!"  And the Freedom Caucus is sounding more and more like some Burtonesque cast of "Bye Bye Birdie" singing "We love you Donald, oh yes we do," all the while knowing he will going away for a long, long time.
All the while this is happening, a vast majority of Americans is wondering "what the fuck is going on!"
This are only get to get worse... for him.  Every day more and more people look at his supporters and wonder what in hell is wrong with them.  The minority is shrinking.
It won't be long now.

Okay, so how many spotted Anne Marie in the audience?

Grab that can of Raid

Thursday - not quite my hump day but heading in that direction. 
Yesterday morning I'd set the alarm for 0430... well, it went off and I went back to bed.  I had planned to continue getting up early, being a morning person, however, that might change.  I would need to get up real early to get a ride in on a work day, which doesn't really appeal to me.  So I will probably end up sleeping in an hour later and then not go to bed at 9 PM.  We'll have to see how this goes.  I just need to reallocate the time.
Evidently the Idiot Jerk's variation of a cluster fuck is still flopping around like a couple of ugly Russkies flopping around nekked in a Golden Shower.  His problem is that he lies so much he, himself can no longer remember what he said.  Sarah (I sold my soul to the Idiot Jerk to get this job) Sanders, was doing so much twisting and turning to avoid the truth she almost got whiplash.  It seems a reporter asked the Idiot Jerk if he believed the Russians were still meddling in our elections.  He responded by saying "no."  She asked a second time and his response was the same.  Now, however, Sarah ( I sold my soul to the Idiot Jerk to get this job) that his "no" actually meant "I'm not going to answer that question."  If that was the case, why didn't he just point his finger at a different reporter and say "next?"
If there is Russian interference in our Mid-terms... guess who's going to get blamed?  It sure as hell isn't going to be Hillary...  oh, wait, what I'm saying....  The Republicans always blame the Clintons.    Remember when the real estate bubble exploded and we had that big recession during W's days in the White House?  After running the country for almost 7 years... they blamed Clinton.  Their base believes this bullshit.  In fact, the Idiot Jerk's supporters are sticking with him.  Sort of like flies to shit, if you know what I mean.  Who stuck with the aforementioned 'W' during the worst recession in history?  His supporters.  The Republican base.  There were more of the back then. 
Anyway, bott the House and Senate are getting worried.  Their approval ratings are lower than those of the Idiot Jerk.  That, however, is not their main problem.  There are a lot of angry blue's out there who they will have to contend with, that's important.  More important, and more damning, is that they're doing a terrible job at controlling the Idiot Jerk.  The country doesn't really like it when one party is in this much control.  They like it better when the power is spread around.  The Idiot Jerk is too erratic, too ego driven, too narcissistic, in fact he is too 'everything that is bad for most people.'  That's what their problem is, and it's only going to get worse.  Those tariffs are starting to kick in.  Washers and dryers are getting more expensive.  Brazil is going to take over the soybean market...  This is just the beginning.  Kind of reminds me of that old scif fi movie "The beginning of the End."

The Idiot Jerk is buggy as hell.  Like a swarm of giant grasshoppers, his supporters devoured the popular vote, leaving only the bones of the Electoral College to come to power.  Like a swarm of locusts they are chowing down on everything we hold normal, sane, and democratic.  The time has come to grab that can of Raid.

Mask this

Well, here it is Wednesday... time to go back to work.  But only for 4 days.  I'm off again on Sunday.  The funny thing is that yesterday seemed a lot like Sunday.  In fact, here of late, none of my days seem like days of the week, they're just time off.  I do hope this isn't an age thing: not really caring which day of the week it is... or was.
I saw where the Idiot Jerk in the White House tried to do some backpedaling... and failed.  He just can not admit that Russia has been attacking our election system.  He loves Vlad.  His dear Vlad would never do anything to hurt us.  He wants to be friends.  This is why he can only, kind of put the blame on Russia, "it might have been others."  Yesterday he shit on Democracy with one of our greatest enemies.  Never let him forget it.
In case some of you are wondering what I did with my old crank, well, I'm using it as a decoration... sort of...  A friend at work said I should try and turn it into a lamp.  I have no idea what my crank would look like as a lamp, and have no intention of trying to make it into one.  Instead, I've hung it from a shelf in the cycling, workout, computer room.  Next to the Ecuadorian Tribal Mask my grandmother brought me from...  Ecuador.  Everybody in my family hates this mask.  I like it.

Don't you think it looks a bit... cranky?
I also went to the dentist yesterday... six month checkup.  They want me to spend a whole bunch of $$$ for dental work.  I have a number of fillings.  They tell me there's absolutely nothing wrong with those fillings.  However, they'd like me to replace those fillings with expensive crowns because they're running a business.  Every time I open my mouth for my dentist he says "crown, crown, crown, bridge, crown crown."  And I say, "nice try, looks like you lost a few pounds."  One of these days when he does his little crown routine, I'll pop on my Ecuadorian and scare the shit out of him.

Christmas in July

For those who don't know, or who have realized it yet, Monday, July 16 is a day that will go down in history as the day the Idiot Jerk in the White House publicly shit in his pants.  Fox News is not happy.  I mean they are really not happy at all.  I like the bit in the one article where the Fox News correspondent says "Mueller is safer in his job now than he could ever hope to be."    Then there's this bit from The Hill.  I've been telling people all along to just wait... well, now you know what we've all been waiting for.  Mid-terms are just around the corner.
And on top of the Idiot Jerk's really, really bad summit with his Blow Buddy Vlad, a Russian operative has been arrested.  She was trying to build connections between the Russia and... that all American, gun lovers association the NRA.  Oh, wait, I don't think I'm supposed to say NRA - the article just says 'a national gun organization.'  Of course, the Russkies aren't too happy because she's actually in custody.  That's not good.  They don't want their agent in an American jail.  Tough Shit.
Anyway, yesterday was almost like having Christmas in July. 
The sad news is that the Idiot Jerk in the White House did exactly what his Blow Buddy Vlad wanted him to do, and said what he wanted him to say.  We have a sitting president who has been compromised.  Either he was thanking his BBV for getting him elected, or his BBV has some stinky dirt on him, like maybe a 'golden shower' tape.  Either way, we need to move him from the oval office to a jail cell. 
On the positive side, his approval rating just took a broadside.
You're wondering if it's going to get worse for the Idiot Jerk?   Just wait for it.
On a lighter note, my car's lease runs out in May and I'm thinking of getting a Subaru and I can trade it in at any time.  You can build a 2019 Crosstrek on line, so I built one.  Yesterday I went to the only local dealer, Faulkner Subaru.  Well, the 2019's aren't actually going to be available until November, so they tried to sell me a 2018.  One that cost over $32,000.  No deals, no offers.  They low-balled the trade in value for my Nissan Rogue by $3000.  They wanted to sell that car to me at full price, even after I told them I didn't want it.  Interestingly enough, Faulkner has a Nissan dealership and they were advertising a 2016 Rogue for almost $5000 over what I was offered for a trade-in value.  These people will take advantage of you if you let them.

What I'll end up doing is driving a bit to a different dealership.  That's fine.  I'm going to buy this one rather than lease it so I want to make sure I get a good deal.

The Hardliners are killing us

Monday, the 2nd of 3 days off in a row.  Almost a mini vacation.  I'm going to go pay my real estate taxes today - now ain't that gonna be fun?  That means stopping by Member's First to get a cashier's check.  Last year I paid with a regular check and had to wait almost 3 weeks for the money to come out of the account.  No Way.  I worked in accounting for 35 years so when it comes to $$ I'm very precise.  I don't understand people who dick around with shit like this.
My syn got put back on the trainer yesterday.  I only managed to ride about 3.5 miles.  I'd had the X6 on until I got my crank fixed.  Switch back meant recalibrating... necessary when using a smart trainer.  Getting the traction right between the rear tire and the roller can be a time consuming process:  too much and you feel like you're climbing hills constantly, too little and you tire will slip.  We deal with these little things in life.
Oh, and I saw where the Idiot Jerk  said in an interview that the EU is our foe.  Dumb Fuck.  He's going to give the farm to his Blow Buddy Vlad.  And two of the Idiot Jerk's appointed dicks, Mnunchin and Pompeo, have told pretty much everybody that if they trade with Iran there will be no tariff waivers.  These hardliners are killing the country.  So, is the same thing going to hold true for Russia?  Or is he going to give his Blow Buddy Vlad a free pass?  Do I really need to ask.  The Idiot Jerk is so desperate to have a dictator call him a 'Strong Leader,' he'll do back flips if necessary.  And those allies whom we've counted on for years?  They'll move closer to China.  We will be left with no one.  This is what Putin has wanted all along, to isolate us from the rest of the world.  That isolation makes us more vulnerable.  His plan is to topple us out of Number One.  With his power over the Idiot Jerk, he will succeed.
On to a lighter note.  I tend to have luck with roses.  Here's a pic I snapped yesterday of some. 

They don't have much of a scent, but boy are they pretty!

Bitter Fruit

Sunday Morning!
This is the first of 3 days off in a row for me.  I am so happy.  I have so much planned, mostly chores.  And some painting.  I want to redo the trim and floor in the training room.  Yes, I'm going to paint the floor: 113 years have not been kind to them.  The ground (first) floor is in much better shape, which seem a bit paradoxical since most of the living takes place on that level.  Upstairs is mostly for sleeping, at least until I moved bought the place.  Yet the 2nd floor is the one where boards have been replaced in 2 of the rooms.  There are deep gouges in the hallway and in the training room.  As a result, they were not refinished... just painted.
I was going to take my syn out, but the humidity is hovering around 80% and thunderstorms are in the forecast.  Tomorrow, too.  And Tuesday.  So far this summer has been much more hot and humid than the past several, with temps hovering in the upper 80's to mid 90's most of the days.  When it's this hot, I'm satisfied to do miles on the trainer.  I can do 15 miles, sweat buckets in air conditioned comfort.
And this week the Idiot Jerk in the White House will have his dream fulfilled... he will get a private meeting with his beloved Vlad.  Expect the worst from him.  After his tete-a-tete  with Kim Jon Dumb we got the revelation of Zero Tolerance.  That was the Idiot Jerk trying to show Kimmy he was a 'strong leader.'  Their meeting worked out quite handily for Kimmy.  The same thing will happen with Vlad.  The Idiot Jerk is so desperate for Vlad to say "you're doing a good job," he will do and promise anything.  Vlad will take advantage of him because he knows he's dealing with a man who has the intelligence of a kumquat.  That's a small, bitter citrus fruit in case you're wondering.

To add a bit of levity, it seems as though the RNC has approached Charlotte to host their 2020 convention.  A number of the good folks on the Charlotte city council are liberal, or centrists, and not so wild about the idea.  The Idiot Jerk wants them to hold the convention in Las Vegas, aka "Sin City."  He's not too wild about Charlotte.  Maybe he thinks the pussy's better in Vegas... or maybe he still believes that "what happens in Vegas, stays in Vegas."

Rats in a Cage

Well, it's Saturday.  I had thought of taking the day off since I'm not scheduled to work for the next 3 days, but no, I'll be good and go to work.
Adjusting to the new schedule is... odd.  I'm a morning person.  I like to get all of my household chores done before I go to work.  When I get home from work, the last thing I want to have to do is laundry, or mow the lawn, or vacuum.  I do most of my writing in the morning, unless I have off, then I'll sit down at the computer around 2 ish.  In an attempt to coordinate what I want to get done in the time I have, the dogs have chosen to set my alarm for 0430.  This seems, so far, to suit us all.  There are a number of positives to being an early riser.
And, in case anybody missed it, the Justice department handed out a couple of indictments yesterday... to Russians... in their version of the Secret Service.  If you haven't read any of the documentation, you should.  It's a real delight!  I did have to give a hearty 'ho ho ho' when I read how the Russkies started hacking the DNC within a few hours after the Idiot Jerk in the White House asked for their assistance publicly... in a speech.  GOP bowels are still erupting.  Great splatters of shit are now marking their precise locations at the very moment they heard about these indictments.  Many of them synchronized their watches as they realized the "impeachment clock" sped up its countdown.  There will be a concerted rush as they try and force as much of their conservative agenda down the gullet of America while they still have time.  If you want to know how a rat in a cage feels, just ask one of them.

Mitch McConnell hears of the indictments (hidden camera)

Finally, the Idiot Jerk evidently made another faux pas - literally.  I understand that when reviewing the guard with the Queen, he walked in front of her....  Wrong, but then to let her lead the way would have just been common courtesy... and when has this asswipe ever been considerate?

Ye, gods!

I went to see "Ant Man and the Wasp" last evening.  Paul Rudd, you know?  I liked it, a lot.  Paul Rudd, you know?  There is a villain..ess, but not in the normal definition of villain.  Mostly there were people interacting with situations they don't quite understand.  There are recurring themes, like magic, which repeat as variations.  I always enjoy that, and have always had immense regard for a writer who pulls it off.  I say this because Paul Rudd is also given writing credit, and the guy is funny, and creative.  How nice to see a middle-aged hero who has a heart.

And the Idiot Jerk in the White House is sowing his seeds of disruption in the UK, in case you didn't hear.  If he has zero tolerance when it comes to taking children from their parents, do you really think he's going to care about what the Brits do?  He wants an abrupt Brexit.  He wants England to take a dull ax and use it to chop away chop away all ties to the EU.  He hates the EU.  But then, he hates so much.  He wants respect but then does nothing to earn it.  He thinks you owe it to him.  What a scumbag.
I saw this AM that Mnunchin, another greed bag if there ever was one, has said "talks with China" over tariffs have broken down.  And Paul Ryan has come out saying these tariffs are "bad for the economy."  Get ready folks, this is going to get worse.  The best thing to do is cash in your chips now and just wait it out.  When the dust clears there will be no more Idiot Jerk.  The GOP / Republican Part will be nothing more than tattered shit paper blowing in the breeze.  I say that because I saw a blurb in the WSJ where they were talking about how the Idiot Jerk's tariffs were destroying the GOP. 
And finally, I had a weird dream.  I was waking up the gods... and I had just finished talking to number 13 when the dogs woke me up.  There are only 12 Olympian gods.  I've no idea where #13 came from.  Nor do I have any idea why I was the one waking them up.  Interestingly enough, after I had roused them from their sleep, I hid them so know one would know they were awake.  The were waiting for something.  Curious.

Behind the woodshed

Well, it's Thursday and my mid-week day off.  I'll work on Friday and Saturday but then I'm going o have off for 3 days.  This is not a bad schedule.
The torque wrench I had ordered was waiting for me when I got home yesterday.  After reading the days blogs, I to take off the old crank and put on the new.  Holy Shit!  It took about 3 minutes.  Easy Peasy.  The wrench is magnificent.  You have no idea who great it felt holding that great tool in my hand.  Simply wonderful.  And so easy to use after putting so much effort trying to wrench that crank old crank free.  I'm ready to torque everything now!
Graysonview has called me on both Tuesday and yesterday morning to tell me they found my Mom laying on the floor.  On Monday they said they didn't know if she had fallen, or whether she had just decided to lay down.  With yesterday's call they were fairly certain that she's just laying down.  She doesn't remember, so there's no explanation why she's doing this.
I have myself set up to when I turn my computer on in the morning, all these news flashes line up on the bottom right side.  Some of them are interesting headlines, others?  not so much.  This AM I had a flash for a Faux News posting on Youtube.  I did not click and watch the video ince the blurb said everything I needed to know.  Evidently some banana head at Faux News was saying that the UK was going to have to pay terribly for treating the Idiot Jerk so badly.  I guess maybe they were upset about the baby blimp  Or maybe it was all the protesters.  Anyway, I had to laugh.  These people don't understand Nationalism can only go so far, and then it turns into fascism.  They want to be the power hungry, ugly Americans.  We need to teach them a painful lesson.  Take them out behind the wood shed, so to speak, and thrash the living daylights out of them.

Most don't understand that conservatives need to control all aspects of your behavior.  If they can't force you into their tiny niche mentality, you will be outlawed and punished accordingly.  They need to be taught that they are wrong.  Grab your switches, it's time to start swinging. 

Leverage

Today is the 2nd day of my new schedule: 0800 - 1630.  When I got home from work yesterday I was a bit tired and lounged on the recliner for about a half an hour.  Adaptation is the key.  For years, and years, and years I worked this shift so I don't think the change back will be too difficult.  A friend of mine said it should take about 2 - 3 weeks.  I don't think I'll need nearly that much time.
The new torque wrench arrives today.  I'm stoked.  Since this is the first time I've every removed a crank, I've watched a number of videos.  Most of them fail, not in their basic instruction, but rather in their omission of how much torque has been used to tighten that crank.  Except for one guy, every video started out with the instructor saying "this crank has already been loosened."  Getting the crank loose is the most difficult part of the procedure.  None of them want to show how much they had to struggle... except for one guy who said "getting that loose is a real bitch."  They don't talk about leverage.  Nope. Leverage is very important.  A friend of mine at work told me he puts a pipe over the wrench to get even more leverage.  Using leverage is a good piece of advice.
Levers are every where.  We use them daily, mostly without thinking about it.  They can be simple, or complex.  Levers are how we get things done.

Not using a lever is how we fail to accomplish out goals.  That's what happened in November of 2016.  A majority stayed home while a minority went to the polls and used their levers.  Woah!  Now we have an Idiot Jerk in the White House.  He is not about change, he is about disruption.  He creates chaos so a few might gain financially.  Who wants to be a dictator?  He wants to be a dictator.  He understands nothing. 
This coming November we need to use the lever our Constitution has given us to move this pile of shit out of the White House.  And those who support him?  They also need to go.

Ratchet This

Well, you know what they say about the best made plans?  Yesterday I was going to remove the damaged crank and replace it with the new crank?  Well, not so fast there buddy.  Unfortunately, I need a torque wrench, something I don't have.  I have allen wrenches, and ratchet sets, but no torque wrench, and it takes about 35 lbs of torque to loosen the crank.  This is nearly impossible with a little allen wrench.  Rather than jump in my car and drive to Pep Boys, I chose to order it from Amazon with the arrival date set for Thursday.  I'm off Thursday, so that works for me.  Hopefully the crank will come off after I get a little more leverage.

Oh, and case you didn't hear, the Idiot Jerk in the White House has nominated some dude named Brett as a Supreme Court Justice.  He's a deregulatory conservative, meaning he voted against Net Neutrality and the Consumer Protection Agency. fiscal conservatives love that shit.  He has, however, voted for Obamacare twice, fiscal conservatives hate that shit.  More of a constitutional conservative rather than a social conservative which is something a many in America might appreciate.  However, none of these are the reason he was nominated.  Nope.  The Idiot Jerk likes him because of something he said in 2009.  Years earlier, Brett had been involved in the Ken Starr investigations of Bill and helped work for that stinky impeachment.  In 2009 he started singing a different song.  Now he believes that a sitting president should not be indicted....  And we have a sitting turd in the White House who is scared shitless he's going to be indicted for a vast assortment of crimes.  That, my friends, is the reason Brett got his nomination.  Self preservation and selfishness on the part of the Idiot Jerk are the reasons Brett will go through the confirmation process.  The Idiot Jerk is terrified the Mueller probe will ratchet into high gear.  He doesn't want to go to jail.  The truth is Brett might be just as much of a Centrist as his predecessor.   Do you think the Idiot Cares about that?  Hell no, the only thing he's worried about is his own fat ass.

Today is also my first day on the new shift.... Sweet Lord, I got my ass out of bad at 0430.

The Sooner the Better

Well, here it is Monday and I don't have to work.  There are people who like having their days off split - not me.  I like sequential days off; 2 in a row is great, 3 is greater.  This week is not going to be enjoyable for me.
There are a number of items on the "to do" list for today.  We shall see how productive the day ends up being.  I do want to get the lawn mowed.  The electric mower works well.  It's quiet.  I mowed half of my front yard on Saturday.
I saw where a 7th wrestler has now come forward accusing Jim Jordan of ignoring the sexual abuse.  Holy Crap, sounds  shades of Dennis Hastert, doesn't it?  What is it with Conservatives and wrestlers?
And I see the Idiot Jerk in the White House is set to announce his choice for the Supreme Court.  The Social Conservatives are clamoring for some woman he, himself appointed to a judgeship.  Of course we know he doesn't care about experience.  Of course, giving them what they want will just increase the size of the blue wave this fall.  Does he or anybody in his inner circle understand that?  Absolutely not.  The wrong choice will lead to an ugly fight in the Senate and will further divide country. 
Right now I suspect he's obsessing over whether he should wear the blue polo shirt, or the blue turtleneck, for his meeting with Vlad.  You know he wants to make a good impression before he sells his soul to the Russkies.
Sometime this morning, I'm going to change out the crank on my bike.  This means I'll have a spare, but somewhat useless, crank on my hands.  I'd sort of like to compare it to the Idiot Jerk in the White House but can't, he's worse than useless.  Dictatorships always favor minority groups.  Favoring the few and pissing off the many never works.  The price always gets paid.  I will probably save my crank and someday rethread it.  The Idiot Jerk?  After mid-terms he'll probably go into exile.  The sooner the better.

Me and my crank

So, it Sunday and I get to work.  Weird schedule this week, off a day, work 2 days, off a day, work 2 days.  I hate not having 2 days off in a row.
My new crank arrived yesterday.  From Utah to Pa in 2 days is not bad.  Now, I know there are perhaps one or two people who would like a little more information about my crank.  Well, cranks come in many different sizes.  Mine is big.  175mm, or 6.88 inches.  Personally, I think it looks bigger than it actually is, but I suspect that's normal.

Me, holding my crank

Since I'm off tomorrow, I'm planning on replacing the damaged crank with the new crank.  We shall see how that goes.  Right now the X6 is on the trainer which makes for a loud ride.  The tires are made to be taken off road, down paths and on trails, not for Cycleops trainers.

Oh, and in case you didn't hear, the denuclearization talks in North Korea didn't go so well.  I understand there is to be a follow-up meeting on 7/12 for lower level individuals.  Here's a little hint to those buffoons who thought the Idiot Jerk in the White House had struck a deal with Kim Sum Dumb, he didn't.  In fact, Kim played the Idiot Jerk for a fool.  He got what he wanted.  Recognition by a super power legitimized his dictatorship.  And he has photos and videos to prove it.  I wonder if they publicly laughed at Pompeo.

In just 8 days the Idiot Jerk is going to sit down with his wanna be "BFF."  Right now Putin is just trying to decide which finger to wrap him around.  Or maybe he'll just show him the Golden Shower tape and ask him what America is going to do to make Russia Great Again.

Day 2 for Le Tour.  I didn't get to watch the whole race yesterday because... they called me in to work early.  I went, knowing I'd get to leave early.  They haven't called so far today, the last day at my old schedule.  If it's slow later in the day, I'll see about leaving early.  I want to get a good night's sleep.  Tomorrow's going to be a big day for me and my crank.

Le Tour

For those who don't know, today is the first day of The Tour de France, hereafter to be known as Le Tour.  Twenty days of racing.  Today's stage is a mere 201 km long.  In case you're wondering, that's a long bike ride.  Which is why I have a split screen.  One half to type this, the other to watch the race.
Complicating today's viewing is the fact that I have to work.  Not only do I have to work, they called to see if I could go in early.  Of course, I agreed since I'll get to leave early.  5 PM.  That's fine with me.
As most of you know, I'm a Cannodale fan.  I own 2 Cannondales, one old, the other brand spanking new.  I am rooting for their team.  The only thing they've done wrong so far is change their kit.  They went very pink this year.

In spite of what some may think, I am not a pink kind of guy.  The pink is okay though, next year they'll move onto a different color.  At least it's not polka dots.  I remember one team wearing a kit made up of large, pink, yellow, blue, and green polka dots.  Horrendous.

And next week the Idiot Jerk goes to the UK.  Mainly to tour country homes.  Yep, that's what is on his agenda.  Oh, and he'll meet with Theresa May.  Hopefully he wont' throw Starburst candies at her.  Evidently they are doing their damnedest to keep him away from the massive protests.  Only God knows what that would do to his ego.

And I understand Pompeo has left North Korea without any agreement on just what denuclearization consists of, you know?  Like, that's not surprising.

Oh, and getting those little kids the administration chose to separate from their parents?  Evidently that's turning into a real cluster fuck. 

Do yourselves a favor.  Turn on Le Tour.  Watch mens with legs of steel pedal across the roads of France at an easy 25 miles per hour.  

The closeup, the wall, & a skanky old mattress

For some of you, today is the beginning of your weekend, for me?  Mine is on the cusp of ending.  My schedule is odd for the next week, work 2 days, have a day off, work 2 days, have a day off, work 2 days, have 3 days off.  I've set myself up for the 32 hour a week stint again.  Goody.
Yesterday was hot and sticky humid.  Weather choices were:  showers, thunder showers, and torrential rains with high winds.  The rose I had ordered arrived, and is not planted by the front porch.  While I did get a lot accomplished, I still felt much of the day was wasted.
The dogs wanted to go out, however they refuse to do so during a full monsoon.  I did get a nice close up of Biggie.

You can see why he gets nose butter treatments

And my syn is now on the wall, waiting for the new crank to arrive.  The X6 is on the trainer so I can get a ride in today.

There was an interesting bit in Reuters this AM about Nestle and how an American Hedge Fund is trying to force it down a path they believe would be much more profitable for investors.    Little secret here:  the public sector always loses when investors win.  You see, they're aren't concerned about fair dollar value.  Nope, their main goal is to make as much money as possible, as cheaply as possible.  If Nestle doesn't fulfill their greed, these investors will move on and find another company to ruin.

And, speaking of greed.  Scott Pruitt resigned.  That's important, you know?  There's a difference between getting fired and quitting.  Where as Jim Jordan represents the moral failure of conservatives, Pruitt fully fleshes out their need for greed and power.  Just like the Idiot Jerk in the White House, he wanted to be a dictator.  Epitomizing the worst aspects of the 'me' generation, everything needed to revolve around him:  his sound proof phone booth, his security, his wife's job, his need for a used mattress...  Mattress?  That' right, he had one of his aides call one of the Idiot Jerk's luxury hotels and inquire about buying a USED mattress.  For 11 years I worked in the accounting department of Interstate Hotels, Inc., a company which ran success Marriott franchises, and I can tell you, with all honesty, there is no way I would ever want to buy, let alone sleep on a  skanky hotel mattress.  Wanting to do so, is a clear indicator that there is something terribly wrong with Scott Pruitt.

Oh, and in case anybody is interested, the forecast for today is showers and thundershowers.  Yippee!

Air Ball time

We had torrential rains yesterday afternoon, with showers continuing until late in the evening.  Fireworks displays still went off - mid week holiday.  The store was not super busy.  I left a bit early and customers were sparse.  They were there, however.  Now, isn't that something you all want to do?  Go shopping on a holiday?
After talking to the cycle shop, I've decided to take care of my crank... myself.  Who better to take care of my own crank?  Besides, I would have been put on a waiting list.  Seems as though a lot of people are having bike repairs done.  Replacing a crank is a fairly simple procedure.  I told a friend of mine.  He thought about it for a couple of seconds and then nodded.  "If you can do it yourself, why pay someone else?"  This also melds well with my philosophy.  Never stop learning, never stop doing.
I was going to use the new battery powered lawnmower today but... we're supposed to have on and off showers all day - with thunderstorms this evening.  Humid and hot.
And while I'm typing this, the dogs are playing downstairs... with a Frisbee, in the house.  Tug of War.  They bite and pull.  They seem to be having a really good time.
And what about  Representative Jim Jordan (of Freedom Caucus fame) and and the allegations he ignored sexual misconduct as a wrestling coach at Ohio State University?  He is rebutting them, however, you have to remember he's a Conservative, and conservatives are all about being in charge.  If the wrestlers were winning matches, he would have turned a blind eye.  If they were losing, he would have turned a blind eye.  Ignoring the abuse would have been easy for him since the sexual misconduct would not have impacted him personally.  Like a pig in shit, he was more than satisfied to be called "coach." The only way he would have paid attention would have been if someone had said "Holy Shit, Jim, this is going to effect your career."  Lip service is easy as long as he is in control.
Finally, the tariffs start kicking in tomorrow.  The Idiot Jerk is heading into the batters box.  He thinks this is going to be an easy 'slow pitch' at bat.  He has no idea what is coming.  The first pitch is going to be a slider that's going to burn the leather off of the catcher's glove.

Yo, baby, it's air ball time.

Happy Birthday America

Happy Birthday America!
Well, kind of.
We are living in a time very few of us ever though would happen.  We have an Idiot Jerk in the White House who has no comprehension of what America stands for, let alone any idea of how Democracy is defined.  A bobblehead has more sense.  Pride in our country is on the decline.  His trade policies are well on their way to binding the EU with China.  The world order is changing.  He seems more preoccupied with a private meeting with Russia's Putin and anything else.  He loves his dictators.  He also loves his rallies.  They let him openly lie.  He loves firing up his base.  Their cheers feed his ego.  He is the heart and soul of the Republican Party.
Happy Birthday America!
The Blue Tide is rising!
The Russians worked to get this Idiot Jerk into the White House.  Even Faux News grudgingly admits this.  They did this, not because they believed he would be more sympathetic, which he is, but rather they understood that his inability to govern would be far more damaging to Democracy.  He is their bobblehead.  Now he will get his 'private meeting' with his Vlad.  And Putin?  He will unabashedly pet the Idiot Jerk's ego, all the while sowing more seeds of disruption.  The Idiot Jerk will bob his head up and down as he walks deeper into his garden of insanity.
Happy Birthday America!
We outnumber his supporters!
We are stronger than their aging, decrepit bones.
I don't find it surprising that a majority of those who support him are older and whiter, less educated, and, on the surface, at least, far more religious than the rest of Americans.  These people from the sixties, who once advocated change, now find the new terrifying.  They long for the old days.  They hate the new.  Evolution has passed them by.
Happy Birthday America!!
This darkness will pass.
Difficult to believe, but on our 242nd birthday we are still experiencing growing pains.  We will always be growing, never reach maturity.  We will never hit those Golden Years.  Change is constant.  Evolution continuous.  There will be easier paths ahead, and also roads just as rocky.  We will always be walking towards Utopia, coming close, but never quite reaching that paradise.
Happy Birthday America!!
We are the spark that will light the Universe!

A broken crank... and the Greenbrier

That's right, and I'm to blame.  Stripped it, I did, the result of impatience.  You know what I mean?  There are times when it's just too difficult to take it slowly.  Anyway, it's stripped.  I did it while changing pedals for an ride on the roads.  In too much of a hurry, I used an allen wrench instead of carefully threading in the pedal.  Cranks are made of aluminum. Pedals are made of steel.  The hardness of steel will carve away the softer crank threads if care is not taken.  And I was in a rush and careless.  As a result, the left pedal wobbles.  This is not a good thing, a broken crank and a wobbling pedal.  Later this morning I'll call World Cycle & Ski and have them rethread the crank.  Believe me, I will only let the best touch my crank.
And I was reading that a majority of Americans want a Supreme Court Justice picked before the mid-terms.  This, I suspect, has more to do with the way the Republicans shit around with the last justice.  This puts them in a bind, however.  If they vote in an individual who doesn't match Kennedy's middle of the road viewpoint, they will get voted out of office.  As I've said before, their biggest fear is losing their job.  The last thing any Senator wants is to be fired by the American voter.  Such a termination means that a majority of people think them unfit to do their job.  Of course, the Idiot Jerk in the White House is dumb as a fucking brick.  He has so much hateful disdain for those who mock him and treat him like the turd, choosing an ultra conservative candidate would let him stab a majority of those Americans in the back.
Speaking of the Idiot Jerk, I see where he's going to be spending his holiday at the Greenbrier.  Some of you may be familiar with the resort as it gained quite a bit of notoriety when word got out that it sits above a massive underground bunker.  You know?  The kind of place the president is supposed to hide in during a nuclear event.

He's not staying in Washington to watch the fireworks over the Mall.  Nope, he's going to the Greenbrier.  Could he be scared that something bad might happen on our most honorable holiday?  The day we celebrate the birth of our nation?  Or is he just a dumbshit?

Naked, Blonde, Russian Chicks & lighter stuff

So, every now and then I like to look at my stats:  who's reading the blog, from what country (Hello Italy!  you wonderful people!), and how they find my blog.  Every now and then I'll see a link to Camp Paradise (or something like that).  Being the curious type, I clicked on it.  That link took me to Chaturbate... a website where adult performers (men, or women, or a combination of one or both genders) perform for tips.  A blonde, naked, Russian chick was crawling across a bed towards the camera.  Needless to say, I clicked away as fast as possible to keep from gouging out my eyes.  Immediately after, I began to wonder if she might actually be FSB.  Is Russian intelligence reading my blog?  Or, do naked, blonde, Russian chicks just find it interesting?  Very Interesting.

Dogs, not naked, blonde, Russian chicks

So, the Temp here in Central PA hit 09 (F) yesterday.  Dogs don't know hot.  They want to go outside, and so I let them out.  They would do their business and then go sit under the River Birch.  Silly things, it wasn't as if they were in the shade.  They would sit there until I called them in.  This process was repeated about every 45 minutes.

And yesterday was my Mom's birthday.  85.  I took her some gourmet cookies.  She was rather talkative, which is funny since what she says has no basis in reality.  She told me her doctor calls her a 5 PM every day to tell her she has beautiful eyes.  Her dementia is caused by bad circulation... in her brain.  One of the residents in the home where she has her apartment passed away 2 weeks ago.  The woman's relatives decided to have a Memorial Service at the home, which seems odd since many of the other residents have the same problems my Mom has.  Anyway, the program from this service was sitting on my Mom's coffee table. I asked her about the woman.  She said, "she was one of my best friends... I only wish I could remember who she was."  Of course we laughed, because even my Mom could see the humor in what she'd said.

The Essentials

Well, here it is, Sunday.  I don't have to work.  However the temp is supposed to hit 98 (F).  At 0715 I'm still working up my 'to do' list.  I was going to take My Syn out on the road, but now that might not happen.  There are just too many things to do.  Priorities are essential.  Like grocery shopping (buying the big bags of dog food).
Today also happens to be my Mom's 85th birthday.  That adds another essential onto my list which will chew up about 2 hours of time. 
By the time I'm ready to hit the road the temp will be too hot, so I'll no doubt end up with a trainer ride late in the afternoon.
I bought a Greenworks 40V cordless lawn mower, which was delivered on Friday.  I started putting the thing together Friday evening, after I got home from work and discovered the 'hand bolts & nuts' were missing.  So I called their customer service - they were closed.  These bolts are essential.  They connect the top part of the handle to the bottom handle & without them the mower is useless.  To add to the aggravation, their customer service hours match, almost exactly, to my work hours.  So, I called them yesterday while at work only to discover that the serial number I'd written down was not the one I needed.  As a result, I had to send them an email with the correct number.  They won't get that email until tomorrow.  I let them know that I was very disappointed.

No bolts - the Essential failure

And I also have to say that halfway through the year and so far my Warwick Rowers calendar has been.... disappointing.  In the past, the photographs have been both creative and cute in the ways these men hid their essentials.  Not so much this year, with the rowers lounging on rocks, or standing on a pier, or on a beach, with any hints of their privates airbrushed away.  This year is definitely lacking inspiration.