August 29

Just a few chores planned today. Mom got e-mails yesterday promising delivery of the expected package this morning. Other wise just a few chores planned.

A few days a go I read a posting from a blogger I usually follow which linked to a story about a luxury retailer that had been a fixture in San Francisco but was leaving the city. The writer cited an interview with some official with the company in which he referred to a conversation with a long time customer who had been shopping with them for 50 years but wouldn't be going forward. She noted how the neighborhood had deteriorated becoming more rundown, dirty and dangerous. This story from CNN Business parallels that account and provides more details. I wonder how many big cities are suffering similar pains.

A very long time ago I watched a news/history segment which included a person on the street interview. I don't remember what the story was that included the segment but the question was "why Edward VIII couldn't marry the woman he loved and remain king." The woman answered that he could love whom he wanted it was just unfortunate that he couldn't find a more suitable woman. I often think of that every time the RepTHUGlican "leadership" bend over backwards to excuse The Former Guy of everything and anything. As Charlie Sykes notes here they are trying to use the must pass budget bill to cut the funds for Special Prosecutor Jack Smith's prosecutions. The assholes who once chanted "lock her up" when their lying god accused Hillary Clinton of whatever his lying tongue could spew now sweep any respect for law or morals or even decency. Edward VIII faced the problem that, as head of the Church of England, his proposed marriage to a double divorcee ran counter to Church teachings on divorce--like it was prohibited. Almost a century later his divorced grand-nephew married to a divorced woman was crowned as Charles III. I call that an improvement. I remember half a century ago the controversy over whether a Catholic should be elected President or (a little later) if a divorced actor could or should be elected. They were which I also call an improvement. However, we have now seen the election of a man who has no morals and no respect for law and Constitution. That is NOT an improvement

I am of two minds about the political situation. I really don't like either of the likely choices: 1) choosing between old and tired, or the wannabe Putin mini-me and 2) going with a third party or no vote at all. Bill Astore whose blot I usually read appears to have made up his mind.