November 9

 Snowy morning today. We are getting our first "frost" at the same time we might get as much as a foot of snow. That is the combination of a system that came in overnight and lake effect snow off Lake Michigan. I had thought about getting out an cleaning out a couple more pots and sweeping up but the thought went away and I did other things.

I crocheted a few more hexagons this morning while watching Premier League soccer. When the last game is over I will switch over to a couple of rugby games. I did play a little bit on the computer but I really want to break that habit because it eats up too much time I could be using differently. Right now I am in the process of cleaning out my e-mail.

The first thing I saw on line this morning brought out a string of swear words twice. Once I saw the lead and second when I couldn't follow because of a damned pay wall. I hate pay walls. The teaser said that the Trump administration is demanding that states which put programs in place to fund SNAP benefits in the absence of the Feds immediately dismantle those programs or face the loss of funding. Well, what can you expect when agents of this government roughs up children, puts them in zip ties, and says "F*** the kids?" Right now they are saying "F*** all the little people who can't pay to play with us." (Update: found this on Huffington Post.)

On the early morning new: The administration will end the program which allows taxpayers to file directly with IRS themselves. The main parties pushing for the action: the for profit tax preparers. Profits above people--again.

And here is something else which pegged my shit-o-meter: a Safeway store in San Francisco changed their entrances and exits so that if a customer enters but tries to leave without buying something they won't be able to get out. For the last couple of years other Safeway stores have installed alarm systems at the self-checkout counters which require customers to produce their recipes for the readers. Some time ago Chicago went through a period when a couple of bank robbers held up the same banks for small amounts of money--about enough to cover basic living expenses. I said then that the situation indicated that the economy wasn't as rosy as our politicians told us. When grocery stores have to go to such extremes to "prevent theft" I think it is another such indication.

Three Chinese astronauts return to earth was delayed three days because their return vehicle has been hit by space debris. The Chinese Manned Space Agency is looking at the vehicle to determine the extend of the damage. But, given how much trash we have left in space and the increasing number of satellites going into orbit, collisions are becoming more probable.