But I also feel guilty adding negativity in the Pubski,when we can all use some good vibes.

Pubs are almost purpose-built for commiserating.

Shouldn't be hard, but you're right. You explain the mechanics of transmission, and the mechanics of kindness, but their brain shuts off before you even start because their politics won't allow it.

My dad came over for coffee today. Due to a medical condition, he has a severely compromised immune system. He railed against our governor's mask mandate that was just overturned by our state Supreme Court (because it was issued by executive order) and repeated the GOP talking point that it was on him to wear a mask since he was the one who was older and more at risk.

It's taking all of my patience not to paint all Republicans with a broad brush.

As hard as everything still is, I'm glad for your wife's improved state. That was an emotionally terrifying read. Hope things keep incrementally (or more) improving.

Thanks, and yeah...testing. I walked into an urgent care to get tested last month, took the swab, then stared at the PA as she told me I'll have my results in...wait for it...up to 10 days. Why did I even get tested? Should have just quarantined and called it a (14) day. I guess that's what you get when you are this many months into a global pandemic with not only no coordinated federal response, a federal response that actually attacks the governors they abdicated to for addressing it.

She's still not 100%. Just...kind of weaker. Hopefully she'll get there eventually but it's an ass-kicker.

My mother in law had it. Had symptoms for about a week, felt crappy so went to hospital. They admitted her, she stayed overnight then insisted they let her go back home, which they did. Within 48 hours she drove herself to the ER and checked herself back in, then declined rapidly. Ultimately she ended up on the brink where they thought she wasn't going to make it, and pulled back at the last moment, almost a month in. Another anecdote but I've heard quite a few of them like that now. Statistically he's going to make it, but lets just say I wouldn't be surprised if he suddenly tanks.

Talk about a jam.

King Curtis, Memphis Soul Stew.

I sent this to cgod commenting that the drummer was insane. He informed me that Bernard Purdie is legendary. He also schooled me that the keyboardist is the Beatles keyboardist as well. Guess having absolute beasts on the ticket improves things...

Been jamming this whole album for a few weeks.

Also, here you go:

You can't deny it.

Nice...is that chorus on the bass? Kind of has a New Order vibe which I am always fond of.

How did I just find this. Looking forward to diving into you blog this is awesome.

So I decided to give back a little. It's not as interesting as what a lot of you seem to do

Lol this is one of the most interesting things I've seen on here.

No way anyone is supporting a Mike pence coup.

I was thinking the opposite this afternoon, and that Trump dying could be the ultimate black swan.

What if he did, and suddenly all of the real Republicans holding their nose or refusing to vote Trump suddenly had no problem rushing back into the fold to elect a traditional conservative, while conservative independents no longer tilted in as large numbers to Biden.

I thought the sports team analogy was a particularly bad one, given that the current social justice movement dealing with precisely these issues was spearheaded by professional sports team players, and there isn't a single championship team that doesn't have players (employees) putting this at the front and center, to the point of actually disrupting business if they have to. While still working together winning rings.

Like...why did you compare your ideal culture as it relates to social justice, to orgs that could not possibly be more philosophically opposed to your own, saying you want to be like them?

I get what he was going for, but the whole thing felt like a self-own. It's messy and hard, but it's important to people (aka employees), and socially responsible stances by corporations are as old as dirt.

I'm a little more with you on this. For over four years Trump's only MO has been to dominate attention and drown out. Every media outlet from right to left has been his tool. He did it in the debates with Hillary, and he did it again last night. I remember how post-debate people "scored" in Hillary's favor like she won, but she didn't. He was bigger, louder, lied constantly, and was the only thing anybody was thinking about afterwards. Trump is a known quantity and I also suspect he lost very little.

Biden on the other hand, is at his best when he can speak his vision directly to the people. Trump shut that down hard last night. Oh it was messy and chaotic? Who cares? How is that bad for Trump? Oh he refused to condemn at hate group? Exactly like he refused on camera to denounce the former Grand Wizard of the Ku Klux Klan during last election?

Biden was getting beat up for most of that debate, in ways no different than we've seen before. He was much better in the second half when he had a few moments of direct contact with the camera, but IMO those were few and far between as he failed to deal with Trump's standard playbook. At least he was strongest towards the end. He needed to lose that ragdoll energy.

Few silver linings though: 1) Trump is a known quantity operating at the peak of the only gear he has. He can't actually get better or improve his debate performance. 2) Biden absolutely can, especially if it's more effectively moderated. 3) Biden is in the lead and Trump actually needed to win people over not stall Biden. Would have been great for Trump if he was the one in the lead going in, but he wasn't, and that hoses him.

Anyway, I fully expect Biden to be much better in the next debate no matter what Trump brings, and expect Trump to more or less remain in stasis. And even if it's a repeat, still good for Biden overall.

For kicks, go back and read the summary of a Clinton Trump debate from 2016.

He called Mrs Clinton a liar and a "nasty woman".

He said the women accusing him of sexual harassment bordering on assault were either attention-seekers or Clinton campaign stooges.

He said the media were "poisoning the minds" of the public. And, most notably, he refused to say whether he would accept the results of the election if he loses.

Sounds familiar. I actually though HRC did much better against Trump than Joe last night.

That's awesome. You never know where not terribly idle curiosity will lead you.

On the list of simple pleasures, good Naan and Tandoori are near the top I think. TBH I should build a tandoor next Spring. When it isn't winter, 80%+ of my meals are on my grill anyway.

“Everything that was demanded, we did,” he said.

Listening to him talk, I felt a familiar pang of guilt. Brazil is one of the world’s most unequal countries, and when the pandemic hit, the class divide widened further. The wealthy worked from home. The poor rode crowded buses. The wealthy ordered groceries. The poor delivered them. The wealthy went into the private health-care system. The poor entered the crumbling public system. Many wealthy lived. Many poor didn’t.