Pure Greed

 It's cold outside.  When I woke up the temp was 18 (F).  Tomorrow the temps are predicted to be in the low 50s (F).  I'll take the warmth over the cold any day of the week.  It's not that I don't like the cold, I just don't like the heating bills.  Right now it appears that $$$ might be going into a short supply.

I did work yesterday.  It was fairly slow.  I did get a measure.  Management likes that.  I have a feeling that very soon measures and flooring installations are also going to be in short supply.  Prices are going to go up, this is why I bought a dehydrator.  And those prices that go up?  They're not going to be coming down.  Corporations are not going to be taking a cut in pay just to make your life easier.  

One thing that was obvious yesterday when I went into work, Home Depot is scrubbing its DEI initiative.  Our boards were stripped.  This doesn't mean they're going to stop DEI hiring, just that they are not going to promote this necessity.  And it is just that.  When I began working for the company 16 years ago, you could count associates of color on one hand, that is not the case today.  It turns out that many of the white people who apply are... well, to put it bluntly, lazy.  We have a higher turnover with our white associates than with our people of color.  This doesn't mean that they both can't be lazy, just that our white associates don't last too long.

This is very important. I don't know how long this administration will allow access to it, so you may want to print it off.

And, of course, the Orange Anus has initiated Trade Wars.  Honestly, this man is as dumb as a fucking brick.  I do not doubt that in his tiny Adderall riddled brain he thinks this is a smart move.  He truly believes everything he does is a smart move.  We have this problem because he has surrounded himself with people who joyously shout "Yo!  Orangie, you're the smartest, most brilliant businessman in the world!"  He is a narcissist who basks in other people's deceitful compliments.  Truthfully, he is, and I'm going to repeat myself here, dumb as a fucking brick.

He also has a super big problem, maybe, as he might put it, the most monumental, super greatest problem in the world with Elonia, another man who is dumb as a fucking brick.  Elonia now has access to the Treasury.  Many think he's going to drain Social Security.  Nope.  As Elonia said some time ago, he wants to turn Zitter into a Financial Banking Service.  As a way of growing his wealth, Social Security payments will need to be process through Shitter, and he's going to charge Americans for this service... say 2%.  That means if you get a monthly Social Security payment of $2000, you're going to need to deduct $40 every month.  Over 71 million people collect Social Security.  That would mean Elonia would be pocketing almost $3 billion a month.  And he's going to do the same thing with your Income Tax refunds.  In fact, every payment the Federal Government makes will need to go through Shitter, and every payment is will need to pay a Service Fee.  Everything this administration does will be focused on Greed.  It's what these billionaires live for.

Good People

So, it's Monday.  My schedule looks like it was written by a monkey on crack. Yeah, this is the week I get to work every other day... for the entire week.  I do have 4 days in a row coming up, but that's not for another 2 weeks.
By now everybody has heard the news that Mayor Pete is out of the running.  I was impressed by how much press coverage his departure received.  This gay man has achieved so much more, gone so much farther in American Politics then any other gay man in history.  I do not doubt his life in public service is just beginning.  I know the Republicans are frightened he might decided to run for governor.  One loud thought shoots through my head when I think of that:  Run, Pete, Run!  Take them down and take them out.
Overnight there was another death from the Coronavirus.  More cases were diagnosed in more states as the virus spreads.  And you know Sister Mary Pence is on her knees praying this thing acts like the flu and disappears in April...  In fact, from what I've heard, that is the foundation of this administrations policies.   Yep, the Idiot Jerk has surrounded himself with henchies who are telling him exactly what he wants to hear, that spring will end the coronavirus.  Except this isn't like the flu.  Warmer weather is not going to bring about the demise of this new disease.  This is obvious since new cases are cropping up in countries with moderate to warm climates.
If you read any of the financials, you've seen a number of opinions on the corporate prospects of 2020.  They're not going to be good.  CEO's are hoping their corporations will be able to report slim profits... though it's becoming more apparent daily that is not going to happen.  This is the terrible Karma the Republicans have wrought upon the world... and believe me, it is the world.  Such is the ruination brought by greed.  In Brazil, deforestation  is happening so farmers can grow soybeans to export to China because... of the Idiot Jerk's Trade Wars.  In America, billions are borrowed to aid farmers hurt by the Idiot Jerk's trade policies.  What goes around, comes around.  The End of the Republican Party is nigh.
And who's going to help bring them down?  People like Mayor Pete. Good people.  Honest people.  Diverse people.

Do not doubt, he will play a major part in the reshaping of America.

Ponderings

Well, here it is Friday... tomorrow is my Hump Day.          meh
At least it's not a Kid's Workshop Saturday.  I've already requested the three of those suckers off.
I bought myself a wine cooler / wine cellar.  Why they call there is that slash and the word cellar are even included is beyond me, though I guess there are some out there who might carry it down and put it in their basements.  Mine is in my dining room chilling 2 bottles of white wine.  I did not buy the more expensive model which lets you chill both reds and white.  Red wine should be at room temperature.  It holds 18 bottles so I'll probably buy a few more.  I have to admit it looks really nice when the inside light is on.
Oh, and the farmers of Minnesota are getting royally pissed at the Idiot Jerk in the White House.  Tariffs, you know?  More of them.  In case you didn't really know, this Trade War is designed to make the Rich even Richer... Again.  The Chinese had stopped purchasing American agricultural products and that $28 billion dollar bailout seems to have gone mostly to the corporation farms, not the small family business.  This whole thing was never about making the little guy Great.  Nope.  This has been a standard Republican tactic since the first Idiot Jerk in the White, Ronnie Reagan.  Some things will never change, which is why we need to vote Republicans out of Office.  Their idea of a Conservative America is nothing more than a choke hold on the average American.
Finally, I have to say I am simply amazed by how many people rely on the word 'prayer,' or a lack there of, as a reason for the ills of American Society.  The NRA claims that a 'lack of prayer in schools' leads to gun violence and mass murders.  In case you didn't know, this is their way of kissing the ass of the Religious Right.  Prayer answers everything, right?  Nope.  And what about countries where Christianity is not the prominent religion?  Take India.  I'm sure there are some Christians there, but the population is overwhelmingly Hindu.  They have multiple gods.  I doubt very much if an Indian teacher stands in front of the classroom every morning and says, "okay, now let's pray to one of our gods."  There are not a lot of mass murders in India.  Nope.  Their society has some other issues, but you never hear about some Indian taking an assault rifle into an Indian Walmart and murdering 22 people.  Maybe the Religious Right in this country look and learn.  Well, we know that will never happen.

Summer Solstice

Well, today is the Summer Solstice, the longest day of the year, and so far the start has not been that auspicious.  Looks like we might end up with a long, drizzly day.  I thought I set my alarm last night and evidently didn't so I woke up later than I wanted.  Thought I'd get a ride in - oops, too many devices on Rouvy because updates have reactivated every device with the app.  That took time to fix.  And I renewed my subscription for a year.  The end result was no ride.  That will have to wait until tomorrow.
And, of course, the Idiot Jerk in the White House signed some sort of Executive Order ending the separation of immigrant children from their parents.  The only group who thought this was wrong were the 28% of Americans  who make up the Republican Party.  So?  What else is new?  I'd say that the bloom is now off the weed. 
India is evidently siding with China in regard to the Idiot Jerk's trade war.  The EU is going to come down against it.  Funny enough though, is that Conservative Economists say the economy is strong enough to with stand a trade war... but they've been wrong so many times before.  Their problem is they let their greed get in the way.
The Republican Party has some serious problems.  On that they really don't want to hear about is this:  white deaths out number white births in 26 states.  Even though they will vocally deny their racism, their party is defined by the white voter.  The Party is losing ground.... daily.  They are dying a slow, painful death.  Interestingly enough, White Evangelicals are suffering from the same problem.  For those who don't know, this is called evolution. 
And I started playing Vampyr last night.  This is a totally different from anything I've ever played.  You gain experience and health by sucking blood.  The more you suck, the stronger you become.  This is also a role playing game, which means your decisions can change the direction the game moves.  Most of those decisions revolve around just who it is you chose to suck.  So far it's been rather amusing.

Tom, the bartender, has really good blood

Bluebirds, Kratos, and Trade Wars... oh my

Well, it's Friday and I get to go back to work.  Six days from today begins a 5 day vacation, not that I'm going anywhere - too much to do here.
Yesterday was shitty rainy - in fact the next couple of days we're going to have the same weather pattern.
I went to see my Mom yesterday.  I took pound cake, I usually take a snack.  We weren't really talking about anything in particular when she said "I have to tell you something.  I had a visitor.  A man.  I met him when I was back in jail.  He was a nice guy who wanted to be an attorney, and that's what he did when he got out of jail."  Of course, my Mom has never been in jail, never even been close to one.  I just sat there and said "really."  I say that a lot.  She's not going to improve... at all.  This is how it goes with some people.
There was a bluebird in my yard yesterday.  Evidently this is a very good sign for me.  I took a picture of him that does him very little justice, though he might actually be a her and not a he.

He walked around and pecked things off the ground.  I have no idea how long he was there.  Eventually I had to let the dogs out and he flew away.
I also downloaded the first game on my new PS4 Pro, the very popular God of War.  An action / adventure game, you play as Kratos.  This will explain who he is a lot better than I can.  It also means I get to look like this.

Not bad for an old CGI guy

Oh, and in case nobody has told you, we're having a Trade War.  The Conservatives are doing their 'yippee, skippy' dance without so much as a glimmer of a clue as to what this will do to the economy.  But then they've always been stupid as hell when it comes to the economy.  As  the Idiot Jerk in the White House starts down another path towards bankruptcy, he totally doesn't get that this time he's going to take the country with him.  Gas is already up to $3 a gallon here.  Now everything else is going to go up in price, too.  His supporters are going to start shitting bricks when they realize the rising cost of aluminum will make their 6 packs of Schlitz go up in price.  Woe is me.

Ready Player One, & other stuff

Okay, so I got up this morning to snowfall.  Not much.  Two inches, maybe, and while 2 inches of snow doesn't phase me, I suspect the Idiot Jerk in the White House would be pleased to brag about have 2".
I had planned on riding about 10 miles this AM but my legs are a bit sore.  Squats were on the agenda yesterday - 40 pounds of dumbbells.  Now I'm contending with a wee bit of ache in the quads.  The glutes are fine, firm and supple as ever.  A bit of pain is, however, an after effect of squats.  The stiffness is a good indicator the leg workout was effective.  Micro-tears in the muscle fibers are not bad.  As the cells repair themselves, they will be stronger which is what we want to happen.  They will grow more cells to act as a reinforcement, this is also good.  No one said that building muscle was easy.
And I went to see "Ready Player One," last evening.  I liked it.  Not only a film about gaming, this is a celebration about Pop Culture, about trends that come and go, about popularity that last long enough to create an icon.  Welcome to Trivia mecca.  This is also a movie about people who learn that the "real world is... real."  Depicting the bad side of big business, detailing how if not held in check, corporations will continue to grow and dominate and control "Ready Player One" is about greed and power.  Gaming personas fall apart as people grow beyond their avatars.  And finally, if you like your nostalgia over the top, this is the movie for you - make sure you see it on a big screen!

Oh, and I saw this AM that China has started announcing tariffs on American products... Hello, Trade War.
Here's a pic of the snow this AM, taken from my front porch looking back the side of the house.

Not surprisingly for this time of year, it's melting faster than the Idiot Jerk's ass on a Trade War Hotplate.

Lack of substance

Well, it looks like the weekend is here.  How do I know?  The Idiot Jerk in the White House flew down to Florida for a game or two of golf.  I, myself, have to work today, of course I do have tomorrow off.  For the next three weeks they have me scheduled 40 hours each week.  Sorry, but this is spring and there's things I need to do, so I've started requesting one vacation day per week; 32 hours per week is fine for me.
I have this new bike, you know, that I want to ride outside, in the sunshine, over hill and Dale...  well, maybe not Dale, I don't know anyone by that name.
One of the many things I need to do is plant the new Itoh peonies I bought.

That's right, they're yellow.  My garden seems to be filling up with roses and peonies, which is fine with me.  Oh, and tulips and daffodils - I've got a boat load of each blooming every year.  There's also wisteria around the front porch which I'm probably going to rip out, and a holly bush down at the end of the sidewalk in need of some very serious trimming. 
And didn't the Stock Market like... well, tank yesterday?  Bloomberg has called it a horror week.  Oops.  But then what more could you expect from the Idiot Jerk.  He has lost several fortunes because of his flawed business principles.  His ethics are geared towards his personal greed.  For whom will a Trade War be most beneficial?  The country... or the Idiot Jerk.  What you really need to do is examine who's going to come out better financially.  Oh, and also keep in mind the Idiot Jerk has no sincere concern for the average American.  They are little more than fodder.
Time is running out and that Crazy Conservative group of minorities is totally clueless.  They've fudged the numbers so many times their fiction is now their preference.  Fiction is not solid.  Flexible words are easy to spin when they have little weight, or substance to ground them.