We are both under the weather here so I don't know if I have the mental and physical stamina to comment much. You wouldn't think reading and commenting on what you have just read would take much of either but it can be exhausting.

David Kaiser has an interesting dissection of the Alabama special Senatorial election. Most of the pundits I have read follow the line Kaiser debunks: Jones (D) won because of a surge in Democrat voters especially black voters. Kaiser makes the case that there was no surge for either candidate. The vote tallies indicate a decline in actual voters but that the Republican's lost more than the Democrats did as a lot of voters simply stayed home. Kaiser's statistics seem to reflect something from the 2016 election which only one or two pundits have mentioned: Clinton lost because a very large portion of those who had been expected to vote for her simply stayed home or did as we did and left the presidential preference blank. Mid-term and off year elections as well as down ballot candidates have for years attracted fewer voters but this year's special elections have attracted even fewer. I am glad Jones won but I wish there was a clear indication the Republican voters are rejecting the bellicose, theocratic, misogynist, and racist wing of their party. I would also like to see a realignment away from the "business" factions of each party toward the mass of ordinary Americans.

This has been coming so it isn't a surprise. The NY AG is planning to join a multi-state lawsuit to overturn the FCC's 3-2 vote to abolish the net neutrality rules and no longer consider the internet a utility. Patheos has another article on the possible implications. About all I can do is vote with my feet and wallet. I love the internet but if it becomes too expensive I will do without it and I can. I can still use the library. I still know how to read books and my attention span hasn't been reduced to tweets and sound bites.

Contrary Perspective has a post that hits a couple of my buttons. I have been totally annoyed by two almost obligatory behaviors: the constant refrain of "thank you for your service" when ever a reporter interviews a veteran or someone currently serving and the ubiquitous flag pin. They are unthinking conditioned behavior somewhat like Pavlov's dogs slavering. Those are the cheapest expressions of "patriotism" that don't require any real sacrifice of time, money or thought. The author is probably quite right: it bodes no good at all for the future of this country. One could actually question whether there is a country to have a future.

On a bit of a lighter note, take a look at the jolly skeleton mosaic from the 3rd century BCE.

Another not so surprising set of statistics about which schools and degrees have the most defaults and, as the lead in says, it isn't the humanities.