What's a Republican to do?

 It's Friday, which means that this truly is my Friday and I get to go to work tomorrow... possibly... maybe.  They're calling for snow to start this evening and end tomorrow morning with a possible accumulation of 3 - 6 inches.  Right now the sun is blazing in through my window.  Last night we had wind.  Lots of wind.  So loud I could hear it rattling the old windows on the 2nd floor (ground floor windows have all been replaced).

Yesterday was one of semi-accomplishment.  I did go for a row around Lake Como in Italy.  The video was clear, but the camera operator hugged a shore line covered with bushes.  Not much to see, which is a shame since Lake Como is beautiful.

And I watched the first 3 episode of Halo last night.  I enjoy the show, probably because it's a lot less like the video game and more like a Sci-Fi epic.  I find it interesting that the evil alien race, the one attempting to exterminate humanity, is called the Covenant.  Here's the trailer for season 2.

And did everybody hear the hoo, hoo, ha, has racing across... well the internet, and social media platforms, and media outlet's yesterday?  Well, to be honest, there were Republicans grimacing terribly when the news broke that Jimmy Comey's star witness in the Hunter Biden uncrime saga had been arrest for lying.  Yep!  A Trump appointee by the name of Weiss arrested Alexander Smirnov for lying to the FBI.  For those who aren't familiar, it was Al's original statement to the FBI that old Republican duffer Chuck Grassley wanted released to the public because it was so explosive.  What's a Republican to do?  They so desperately want to push the fiction of the Biden Crime family and yet every one of their witnesses turns out to be a liar.  Instead of working on legislation America could appreciate, this Republican Congress has spent far to much time suckling on the Trump's retaliation teat.  They evidently have never learned that everything Trump touches dies.

Acountability

 Well, it's Thursday, the sun is shining, and the temps are supposed to reach up into the lower 70s (F).  I'm supposed to work today, that schedule is not fixed in stone, however.   I have to call the repair shop this morning and see how they are doing with my car.  When I picked up my rental Jeep, I was told I was supposed to return it today. If this is not the case, I'll need to contact Erie Insurance and let them know there's been a delay.

I received 2 notifications within the past week of utilities that have applied to increase their rates.  Son of a bitch!  Both water and electric have asked to charge more.  Per PP&L (my electric provider), the average family could see their cost go up by as much as $34 per month.  If mine goes up that much, it would be a 33% increase.  I will have to wait until June to see how much my rate will go up.  I feel sorry for single parent households when the costs go up and the paycheck stays the same, but then that's American Capitalism for you.

While I don't watch too much TV, there are certain shows I like.  I tolerate (barely) Picard.  My biggest problem is that it seems like every single cast member has a story arc.  I wonder if they have it written into their contracts that they each get a personalized, four-minute storyline in each episode.

One show I really am liking is Halo, on Paramount, and not because it stars 6-foot, 5-inch Pablo Schreiber as the MasterChef.  Scientists took him as a child and made him into the perfect fighting machine... well, not quite.  Whereas Picard is cartoony, this show is quite intense.  If you're looking for warm, fuzzy, feelgood endings stick with Picard.  If you want to sit in your chair and say, "Holy shit!," give Halo a watch.

For those who don't know, there has been a surge in hepatitis among children under 6 years of age.  One of the things they know about his illness is that all of these children had Covid, and were too young to be given a vaccine.  These cases are not isolated, but are happening all over the world, and every day more children are diagnosed.  

And I understand justice Alito has cancelled an appearance at a Circuit Court meeting scheduled for today. That's just one tidbit.  Barriers are being put up around the Supreme Court building, that's another.  Sounds like they're expecting an outpouring of American rage.  Not that the Republicans care.  They are the party of the selfish.  They need to be taught the lesson that they are not special, that they too have accountability.

Sad

 Friday, and I slept in because I stayed up late watching TV.  Both Halo and Picard are on Paramount, which I believe owns CBS.  I like Halo, good science fiction action.  Picard?  The series is becoming less about Picard and more about the rest of the cast, perhaps because Patrick Steward is 81and is beginning to sound elderly.  I also watched Moon Knight... meh.  I might end up passing on it.  I know there are those who will watch the show just see see little Oscar Issacs running around in his super hero suit, I am not one of those.

What a shame about Bruce Willis.  While never being a stellar actor, quite a number of his performances moved people.  I can remember sitting in a very crowded theater watching Armageddon  only to have my attention turn to the large, muscular gentleman sitting in front of me sobbing when Willis chooses to stay on the asteroid and die.

And the Ukrainians blew up some oil tanks... in Russia.  I'll bet that made Vlad sad.  I understand Vlad's government is also attempting to accommodate Loser #45's plea for dirt on Biden.  Of course, the Kremlin knows the truth in that saying 'repeat a lie often enough and every Republican will believe it.'  The 74% of Americans who realize this is pure horse shit understand the GOP chose to compromise themselves years ago.  Conservatives will sacrifice everything in their attempt to get the power they crave.

Ginni, Ginni, Ginni

 Here it is Friday.  I stepped on my Withings scale yesterday and instead of looking down and seeing how much weight I had horrifyingly gained, I saw this message:  Set Up.  Son of a bitch.  I was set up.  I weighed myself just a couple of days back.  The only time I get this message is when I replace the batteries.  That wasn't done.  I will go through the process of setting it up, but I'm thinking this might be a sign that it needs to be replaced... perhaps with something that doesn't have all the bells and whistles.

I will need to do some work on the aquariums today.  

Last night I watched the first episode of Halo.  I liked it.  Definitely to violent for the kiddies.  I saw that Amblin Entertainment is one of the producers, which means Spielberg is in some tiny way involved.  I'm not the only one who thinks it's good.  Let me warn those who are gamer squeamish, the series is based on a video game.  Believe me, this is not like the game.

Of course, so many have now heard about Virginia Thomas' texts to Mark Meadows.  At one time he was Donald (just call me the spawn of Satan) Trump's Chief of Staff. He was also, at one point, sort of working with the January 6 committee... but that stopped.  No doubt at Ginni's urging because those texts, if not treasonous, reveal the depth of her corruption.  You do know who Ginni is, don't you?  The wife of Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas?  You know?  The Oreo who probably rarely gets dipped in Ginni's glass of milk.  You have to wonder if the only reason Ginni and Clarence are married is so she can influence his Conservative decisions on the Supreme Court.  Now we know why he was the only dissenting voice when it came to releasing White House documents, including texts.  Remember that?  Maybe that's why he's in the hospital.  The ugly truth about Ginni has been revealed.

More pudding heads at Microsoft

In case you didn't know it, yesterday was the big reveal for the new Xbox.  I received emails reminding me to watch and I ignored them.  However, I'm sure there were quite a number of people out there who were glued to their tablets, and phones and monitors breathlessly waiting in anticipation.  What did the get?   Unlike the Playstation 4 reveal they got a chance to see the product.  Last evening I watched and read some of what Microsoft made public and I was not impressed.  A Kinect is necessary which is going to raise the price.  You will be able to tell it if you want to play a game or watch TV, sounds okay, however I immediately started wondering if this was a service you will have to pay for, like the Xbox Gold

There had been a lot of mish mashing chat going on about whether there were going to be DRM issues.  If they were going to build some sort of digital management into the new Xbox, how was it going to effect retail merchants like Gamestop.  Hell, there are quite a number of gamers out there who play through a game and go trade it in on something else.  How would the new Xbox deal with this issue.  In fact there was so much chitter chatter going on Microsoft finally came out unofficially ahead of time and said that was not going to be an issue.  Of course they were right, it isn't an issue, however those pudding heads at Microsoft weren't completely honest either.  Old games aren't going to play on the Xbox One, only new games.  They did say there will be 18 titles available when the system hits the retail market.  Ain't that enough to give you a little boner?

I think this is going to be very, expensive

This means that if you only are interested in playing one or two of those titles, well, that's it until something else you might find interesting gets released.  You're not going to be able to run out to Gamestop and buy another game, not of them will work.  The Halo you love to play so much on your 360 will not play on your One.  So, if perhaps you've never played Halo and decide to give it a try you will need to play it on your old system, not the new "One" which may have cost $700 to purchase.  This means that the games I already own, some of the near and dear to my heart (like Skyrim) will not play.  Do you think this is a really good selling point?  I don't.  Will I run out and buy one?  Hell no!  You have to remember, the same pudding heads who thought Windows 8 was a good idea, and who now have to come out with 8.1 because of all the hate, also thought about the new Xbox One.  Will people really give up their 360's for a One or will they wait until reason hits the pudding heads and they  come out wit some sort of update that gives a little common sense to their insanity.