Rent (not the musical)

 So, it's Thursday morning and we have rain.  The temperature is predicted to climb up into the mid 70s (F) today, humidity is supposed to increase, and late this afternoon or early this evening we may or may not be having additional thunderstorms.  This is the weather pattern we're under for the next several days.  Most of the rain from Hurricane Helene will have dissipated by the time her remnants roll into Central PA, at best they're saying we might get another inch of rain.

I went rowing yesterday rather than cycling.  Different muscle groups.  I should have remembered what happens when new muscle groups, those that haven't been stretched or worked in a while, get used.  I didn't, and last evening I got a cramp in my right quad when I stood up.  Honestly, it was a very good thing I wasn't holding a glass of wine.  

One of the conversations I had while in Greece was about how expensive it was to live in Athens, that a decent apartment went for around 900 Euros a month.  (I checked, for a one bedroom apartment, the average rent is between $700 and $900 per month.)  And I said something to the effect of that being similar to what people pay in Central PA.  Being a home owner, I was clueless when it came to knowing what people pay for rent.  Also, being the curious type, yesterday I spent a few minutes checking to see what the average rent payment withing a 5 mile radius of my house.  Wow!  was I wrong.  While you can get a studio apartment for around $1000, it's tiny.  The average cost for a one bedroom apartment with appliances is between $1400 and $1600 a month.  I also know that the average take home pay from one of our full time plumbing specialists is around $1900 a month.  So, over here we get paid better, but our rents are about $500 a month higher, and that's in Central PA.  An apartment in a city comparable in size to Athens would be much more expensive.

Here's an old picture of me holding my first Cannondale.  This was taken around 25 years ago.

And it seems as though Eric Adams, the Mayor of NYC, was caught taking... handouts from foreign governments like Turkey, and Israel (there are several more listed).  When ever I hear things like this, I just want to smack these people up side their heads.  I get angry because they turn out to be that stupid, thinking they're going to get away with it.  Why are so many, so easy to corrupt.  Why do they fail when it comes to making a moral judgement?  I don't feel sorry for this man in the least.  He rationalized his way into make a terrible decision, and now his historical footnote will be that he was corrupt.  

Prepare

Wednesday... and it's my retail version of Friday - off for 2 days starting tomorrow, of course then I need to work for 6 days after that, so...
Yesterday Gallup put out something in regard to the Idiot Jerk's approval ratings which states the obvious:  among Republicans, the subgroup giving him his most support is 'middle-aged and older white non-grads.'  Okay... so is anyone surprised?  Not me.  Now we know why his Twitter rants sound like those of a high-school dropout: the members of that subgroup are his 'number one fans!' The only time the opinions of subgroups come in to play is with Independent voters.  Among Independents his approval ratings sits at a solid 34%.  Shit!
I bring this up because yesterday the people of Chicago voted Lori Lightfoot into the Mayor's office.  For those who don't know, Ms Lightfoot is black... and she's lesbian.  If you listen closely, you can hear Pat Robertson spinning in his grave... wait... what do you mean he isn't dead yet?  Shit.  Well, if that's true, we need to prepare ourselves for the damnation of God.  Mark my words, the next time something bad happens, a storm, a mass shooting, or California falls into the Pacific Ocean, old Pat will spit out something like "America's being punished for Lori Lightfoot!"  Oh, and he's not going to be alone, there are quite a few white Evangelicals who are going to be farting out the same shit.  And that white uneducated subgroup who loves the Idiot Jerk in the White House?  They'll believe Pat and his fellow haters.
The truth is they are the ones who should be preparing... but they're not.
Can we get a round of applause for Lori?

As I was writing this, I wondered if the Idiot Jerk in the White House called to congratulate her, I mean she is going to be mayor of the 3rd largest city in America.  He may have, to do otherwise would make him look like a stinking racist.  Does he realize this will bring a change to 2020?  Chicago has a lot of voters.  I would not be surprised if he and his White Evangelical cronies are already preparing the hate they will need to spread.  They don't understand that this is a sign... and not the one for which they are so desperate.