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[Travellin Dave]

that post letdown after returning from a wonderful vacation has set in.

I'm glad it was wonderful. Last post I saw from you was I need to quit smoking and thought you might not get much support here.

I just ignored that.  Figured he had had a bad burrito or something...

[razgueado]

Let us begin week 18 of quarantine life.

Sounds like you need to get out? I had to chuckle I was at the stores over the weekend and anything recreational is completely Gone!

I'm pretty much only going out for essentials right now, though, we did venture out yesterday to get some shave ice. Went there because my youngest saw they were offering Harry Potter stuff, so I needed a butterbeer slush. But our county has had a spike in cases, so we're at a stage where masks are mandatory now if you're going somewhere, so not much going out for fun here.

I'm pretty much doing the same thing. Only going out for essentials but I'm staying active. Only golfed 3 times. Biking, dog walks, etc. I can see it now schools are trying to reopen. It's a cluster F.

Haven't golfed yet, and honestly, I don't really expect to this year. Though, have been going on walks with the kids, so trying to stay at least a little active.

And yes, the thought of them trying to open schools now is laughable at best. This thing had just started, and everyone made the right call to go remote for the rest of the year. Now, the number of cases in the country is many, many times what it was, and people are like, fuck it, I need the kids out of the house. There's just no good way to open schools, and anyone who tries is going to see a surge in cases. Maybe when teachers and kids start dying, people will get their heads out of their asses? We'll see, but somehow, I doubt it.

In Western NY we have a lot of private schools. Their future depends on reopening. They don't get all the funding from the state and many may close for good. Their operating budgets are based upon enrollment. Tough line to walk.

I suppose, if you consider choosing between keeping a school open or putting hundreds of kids and teachers lives at risk a tough line to walk.

Please don't take this the wrong way but you may have a different opinion on things if you were not able to work from home. I know way too many people out of work.

Oh absolutely, I'm lucky enough to be home, and I realize many people don't have the same ability. There's no one good solution here, but I do know that sending back the human petri dishes we call kids to an enclosed environment in the middle of an escalating pandemic is a bad solution.

Glad I don't have any skin in that game.  No good answer.  But kids would probably be more compliant in that setting over adults out and about socially.  HS would probably be least compliant and highest risk.  More so than college (except for the COVID parties...       )

I do have skin in the game. My wife is a teacher, my youngest son is a college student, and I have two grandnephews living with us (age 9 and 13). So even though I haven't had to go to the office since middle of March, and I still get my paycheck, I often feel like I'm living with unexploded ordnance in my home, wondering each day if this will be the day it decides to go off.

But I'm not possessed of any illusion that it's possible to create a utopia in this world where everyone will live forever in peace, harmony and safety if we just get rid of all the guns and redistribute all the wealth. People are gonna die prematurely, many unfairly and preventably, and that could include me, my wife, my kids, or my kin. It's a crapshoot.

Maybe I'm extra cynical today because the daughter of a longtime friend and coworker died a few days ago from massive brain-trauma incurred in a head-on collision. She was the same age as my #1 son, and like him was a band geek, and top ten scholar in high school. The horror of that is sobering. But what are yuh gonna do, y'know? It could happen to me today.

[Travellin Dave]

Perhaps this should be the year we stop focusing on curriculum and start focusing on things kids will need. Instead of the 4 factors that started WW1, the powerhouse of the cell and algebra, we teach them about how compound interest works, the true cost of carrying debt and how to create and stick to a budget. This is something I see people say every year, usually in jest. Well, maybe this is the year to experiment with it.

Well, isn't this amazing? Something about public policy that you and I agree on. The public school system is decades overdue to be transformed from a factory for assembly-line drones into a means of preparing people to live in a finance-driven information economy.

We'll have to overcome a century's worth of Marxist influence, however.

And the ability to assess data, weigh opinions understand statistics (for better or worse), the scientific method and research.

Also should throw in one year's military service and one year (during HS or College working in a service industry....preferably food service....position.  Those liberal arts would give us a more rounded person.

Oh, everyone working in some sort of customer service position would be fantastic. That would surely give us a lot fewer assholes out there, Karen-ing it up because someone wouldn't take their month-old coupon.

You just can't appreciate it without experiencing it for yourself.  But there will always be Karens and those deferring the experience because of bone spurs or something. 

[Travellin Dave]

Let us begin week 18 of quarantine life.

Sounds like you need to get out? I had to chuckle I was at the stores over the weekend and anything recreational is completely Gone!

I'm pretty much only going out for essentials right now, though, we did venture out yesterday to get some shave ice. Went there because my youngest saw they were offering Harry Potter stuff, so I needed a butterbeer slush. But our county has had a spike in cases, so we're at a stage where masks are mandatory now if you're going somewhere, so not much going out for fun here.

I'm pretty much doing the same thing. Only going out for essentials but I'm staying active. Only golfed 3 times. Biking, dog walks, etc. I can see it now schools are trying to reopen. It's a cluster F.

Haven't golfed yet, and honestly, I don't really expect to this year. Though, have been going on walks with the kids, so trying to stay at least a little active.

And yes, the thought of them trying to open schools now is laughable at best. This thing had just started, and everyone made the right call to go remote for the rest of the year. Now, the number of cases in the country is many, many times what it was, and people are like, fuck it, I need the kids out of the house. There's just no good way to open schools, and anyone who tries is going to see a surge in cases. Maybe when teachers and kids start dying, people will get their heads out of their asses? We'll see, but somehow, I doubt it.

In Western NY we have a lot of private schools. Their future depends on reopening. They don't get all the funding from the state and many may close for good. Their operating budgets are based upon enrollment. Tough line to walk.

I suppose, if you consider choosing between keeping a school open or putting hundreds of kids and teachers lives at risk a tough line to walk.

Please don't take this the wrong way but you may have a different opinion on things if you were not able to work from home. I know way too many people out of work.

Oh absolutely, I'm lucky enough to be home, and I realize many people don't have the same ability. There's no one good solution here, but I do know that sending back the human petri dishes we call kids to an enclosed environment in the middle of an escalating pandemic is a bad solution.

Glad I don't have any skin in that game.  No good answer.  But kids would probably be more compliant in that setting over adults out and about socially.  HS would probably be least compliant and highest risk.  More so than college (except for the COVID parties...       )

I do have skin in the game. My wife is a teacher, my youngest son is a college student, and I have two grandnephews living with us (age 9 and 13). So even though I haven't had to go to the office since middle of March, and I still get my paycheck, I often feel like I'm living with unexploded ordnance in my home, wondering each day if this will be the day it decides to go off.

But I'm not possessed of any illusion that it's possible to create a utopian in this world where everyone will live forever in peace, harmony and safety if we just get rid of all the guns and redistribute all the wealth. People are gonna die prematurely, many unfairly and preventably, and that could include me, my wife, my kids, or my kin. It's a crapshoot.

Maybe I'm extra cynical today because the daughter of a longtime friend and coworker died a few days ago from massive brain-trauma incurred in a head-on collision. She was the same age as my #1 son, and like him was a band geek, and top ten scholar in high school. The horror of that is sobering. But what are yuh gonna do, y'know? It could happen to me today.

Nah, the cranky piss and vinigar types live forever...

[LuvTooGolf]

Perhaps this should be the year we stop focusing on curriculum and start focusing on things kids will need. Instead of the 4 factors that started WW1, the powerhouse of the cell and algebra, we teach them about how compound interest works, the true cost of carrying debt and how to create and stick to a budget. This is something I see people say every year, usually in jest. Well, maybe this is the year to experiment with it.

Well, isn't this amazing? Something about public policy that you and I agree on. The public school system is decades overdue to be transformed from a factory for assembly-line drones into a means of preparing people to live in a finance-driven information economy.

We'll have to overcome a century's worth of Marxist influence, however.

And the ability to assess data, weigh opinions understand statistics (for better or worse), the scientific method and research.

Also should throw in one year's military service and one year (during HS or College working in a service industry....preferably food service....position.  Those liberal arts would give us a more rounded person.

Oh, everyone working in some sort of customer service position would be fantastic. That would surely give us a lot fewer assholes out there, Karen-ing it up because someone wouldn't take their month-old coupon.

You just can't appreciate it without experiencing it for yourself.  But there will always be Karens and those deferring the experience because of bone spurs or something.

[A Friend of Charlie]

Been having trouble with the source site for Today in History.  Been delayed in putting up dates.  Had to use an alternate site that appears to have abbreviated it.  Better than nothing.

I think it's fine. Thank you for you perseverance.

[A Friend of Charlie]

Today’s Birthdays:

Game show announcer Johnny Gilbert (TV: “Jeopardy!”) is 96.
Actor Patrick Stewart is 80.
Actor Robert Forster is 78.
Actor Harrison Ford is 78.
Singer-guitarist Roger McGuinn (The Byrds) is 78.
Actor-comedian Cheech Marin is 74.
musician Mark “The Animal” Mendoza (Twisted Sister) is 64.
Actor-director Cameron Crowe is 63.
Bluegrass singer Rhonda Vincent is 58.
Actor Ken Jeong is 51.
Actress Ashley Scott is 43.
Rock musician Will Champion (Coldplay) is 42.
St. Louis Cardinals catcher Yadier Molina is 38.
Actor Colton Haynes is 32.
Soul singer Leon Bridges is 31.
Actress Hayley Erin (“General Hospital”) is 26.
Actor Kyle Harrison Breitkopf is 15.

Han Solo is 78? Sheesh. Picard is even older. Hope those Depends hold up in space.

[A Friend of Charlie]

A hard reality is businesses and institutions are using this pandemic to cut their workforce. I'm considered essential and have been working throughout. I'm in a sad place today. Many of my coworkers will not be back. Grounds, Mechanics, General workers, Building Maintenance Repair. All furloughed now outsourced. I'm upset and sad. The politics behind this move are immoral. Sad sad day.

I hear ya, buddy. That is sad indeed.

[A Friend of Charlie]

Let us begin week 18 of quarantine life.

Sounds like you need to get out? I had to chuckle I was at the stores over the weekend and anything recreational is completely Gone!

I'm pretty much only going out for essentials right now, though, we did venture out yesterday to get some shave ice. Went there because my youngest saw they were offering Harry Potter stuff, so I needed a butterbeer slush. But our county has had a spike in cases, so we're at a stage where masks are mandatory now if you're going somewhere, so not much going out for fun here.

I'm pretty much doing the same thing. Only going out for essentials but I'm staying active. Only golfed 3 times. Biking, dog walks, etc. I can see it now schools are trying to reopen. It's a cluster F.

Haven't golfed yet, and honestly, I don't really expect to this year. Though, have been going on walks with the kids, so trying to stay at least a little active.

And yes, the thought of them trying to open schools now is laughable at best. This thing had just started, and everyone made the right call to go remote for the rest of the year. Now, the number of cases in the country is many, many times what it was, and people are like, fuck it, I need the kids out of the house. There's just no good way to open schools, and anyone who tries is going to see a surge in cases. Maybe when teachers and kids start dying, people will get their heads out of their asses? We'll see, but somehow, I doubt it.

In Western NY we have a lot of private schools. Their future depends on reopening. They don't get all the funding from the state and many may close for good. Their operating budgets are based upon enrollment. Tough line to walk.

I suppose, if you consider choosing between keeping a school open or putting hundreds of kids and teachers lives at risk a tough line to walk.

Please don't take this the wrong way but you may have a different opinion on things if you were not able to work from home. I know way too many people out of work.

Oh absolutely, I'm lucky enough to be home, and I realize many people don't have the same ability. There's no one good solution here, but I do know that sending back the human petri dishes we call kids to an enclosed environment in the middle of an escalating pandemic is a bad solution.

Glad I don't have any skin in that game.  No good answer.  But kids would probably be more compliant in that setting over adults out and about socially.  HS would probably be least compliant and highest risk.  More so than college (except for the COVID parties...       )

I do have skin in the game. My wife is a teacher, my youngest son is a college student, and I have two grandnephews living with us (age 9 and 13). So even though I haven't had to go to the office since middle of March, and I still get my paycheck, I often feel like I'm living with unexploded ordnance in my home, wondering each day if this will be the day it decides to go off.

But I'm not possessed of any illusion that it's possible to create a utopia in this world where everyone will live forever in peace, harmony and safety if we just get rid of all the guns and redistribute all the wealth. People are gonna die prematurely, many unfairly and preventably, and that could include me, my wife, my kids, or my kin. It's a crapshoot.

Maybe I'm extra cynical today because the daughter of a longtime friend and coworker died a few days ago from massive brain-trauma incurred in a head-on collision. She was the same age as my #1 son, and like him was a band geek, and top ten scholar in high school. The horror of that is sobering. But what are yuh gonna do, y'know? It could happen to me today.

Good morning, Bret. I'm so sorry for your loss. Horrible thing to have happened. Really puts things into perspective.

[razgueado]

Let us begin week 18 of quarantine life.

Sounds like you need to get out? I had to chuckle I was at the stores over the weekend and anything recreational is completely Gone!

I'm pretty much only going out for essentials right now, though, we did venture out yesterday to get some shave ice. Went there because my youngest saw they were offering Harry Potter stuff, so I needed a butterbeer slush. But our county has had a spike in cases, so we're at a stage where masks are mandatory now if you're going somewhere, so not much going out for fun here.

I'm pretty much doing the same thing. Only going out for essentials but I'm staying active. Only golfed 3 times. Biking, dog walks, etc. I can see it now schools are trying to reopen. It's a cluster F.

Haven't golfed yet, and honestly, I don't really expect to this year. Though, have been going on walks with the kids, so trying to stay at least a little active.

And yes, the thought of them trying to open schools now is laughable at best. This thing had just started, and everyone made the right call to go remote for the rest of the year. Now, the number of cases in the country is many, many times what it was, and people are like, fuck it, I need the kids out of the house. There's just no good way to open schools, and anyone who tries is going to see a surge in cases. Maybe when teachers and kids start dying, people will get their heads out of their asses? We'll see, but somehow, I doubt it.

In Western NY we have a lot of private schools. Their future depends on reopening. They don't get all the funding from the state and many may close for good. Their operating budgets are based upon enrollment. Tough line to walk.

I suppose, if you consider choosing between keeping a school open or putting hundreds of kids and teachers lives at risk a tough line to walk.

Please don't take this the wrong way but you may have a different opinion on things if you were not able to work from home. I know way too many people out of work.

Oh absolutely, I'm lucky enough to be home, and I realize many people don't have the same ability. There's no one good solution here, but I do know that sending back the human petri dishes we call kids to an enclosed environment in the middle of an escalating pandemic is a bad solution.

Glad I don't have any skin in that game.  No good answer.  But kids would probably be more compliant in that setting over adults out and about socially.  HS would probably be least compliant and highest risk.  More so than college (except for the COVID parties...       )

I do have skin in the game. My wife is a teacher, my youngest son is a college student, and I have two grandnephews living with us (age 9 and 13). So even though I haven't had to go to the office since middle of March, and I still get my paycheck, I often feel like I'm living with unexploded ordnance in my home, wondering each day if this will be the day it decides to go off.

But I'm not possessed of any illusion that it's possible to create a utopia in this world where everyone will live forever in peace, harmony and safety if we just get rid of all the guns and redistribute all the wealth. People are gonna die prematurely, many unfairly and preventably, and that could include me, my wife, my kids, or my kin. It's a crapshoot.

Maybe I'm extra cynical today because the daughter of a longtime friend and coworker died a few days ago from massive brain-trauma incurred in a head-on collision. She was the same age as my #1 son, and like him was a band geek, and top ten scholar in high school. The horror of that is sobering. But what are yuh gonna do, y'know? It could happen to me today.

Good morning, Bret. I'm so sorry for your loss. Horrible thing to have happened. Really puts things into perspective.

Cheyenne McMahan.  Her dad and I traded stories about our kids growing up since they were 8.  Devastating.  RIP.

[Travellin Dave]

Let us begin week 18 of quarantine life.

Sounds like you need to get out? I had to chuckle I was at the stores over the weekend and anything recreational is completely Gone!

I'm pretty much only going out for essentials right now, though, we did venture out yesterday to get some shave ice. Went there because my youngest saw they were offering Harry Potter stuff, so I needed a butterbeer slush. But our county has had a spike in cases, so we're at a stage where masks are mandatory now if you're going somewhere, so not much going out for fun here.

I'm pretty much doing the same thing. Only going out for essentials but I'm staying active. Only golfed 3 times. Biking, dog walks, etc. I can see it now schools are trying to reopen. It's a cluster F.

Haven't golfed yet, and honestly, I don't really expect to this year. Though, have been going on walks with the kids, so trying to stay at least a little active.

And yes, the thought of them trying to open schools now is laughable at best. This thing had just started, and everyone made the right call to go remote for the rest of the year. Now, the number of cases in the country is many, many times what it was, and people are like, fuck it, I need the kids out of the house. There's just no good way to open schools, and anyone who tries is going to see a surge in cases. Maybe when teachers and kids start dying, people will get their heads out of their asses? We'll see, but somehow, I doubt it.

In Western NY we have a lot of private schools. Their future depends on reopening. They don't get all the funding from the state and many may close for good. Their operating budgets are based upon enrollment. Tough line to walk.

I suppose, if you consider choosing between keeping a school open or putting hundreds of kids and teachers lives at risk a tough line to walk.

Please don't take this the wrong way but you may have a different opinion on things if you were not able to work from home. I know way too many people out of work.

Oh absolutely, I'm lucky enough to be home, and I realize many people don't have the same ability. There's no one good solution here, but I do know that sending back the human petri dishes we call kids to an enclosed environment in the middle of an escalating pandemic is a bad solution.

Glad I don't have any skin in that game.  No good answer.  But kids would probably be more compliant in that setting over adults out and about socially.  HS would probably be least compliant and highest risk.  More so than college (except for the COVID parties...       )

I do have skin in the game. My wife is a teacher, my youngest son is a college student, and I have two grandnephews living with us (age 9 and 13). So even though I haven't had to go to the office since middle of March, and I still get my paycheck, I often feel like I'm living with unexploded ordnance in my home, wondering each day if this will be the day it decides to go off.

But I'm not possessed of any illusion that it's possible to create a utopia in this world where everyone will live forever in peace, harmony and safety if we just get rid of all the guns and redistribute all the wealth. People are gonna die prematurely, many unfairly and preventably, and that could include me, my wife, my kids, or my kin. It's a crapshoot.

Maybe I'm extra cynical today because the daughter of a longtime friend and coworker died a few days ago from massive brain-trauma incurred in a head-on collision. She was the same age as my #1 son, and like him was a band geek, and top ten scholar in high school. The horror of that is sobering. But what are yuh gonna do, y'know? It could happen to me today.

Good morning, Bret. I'm so sorry for your loss. Horrible thing to have happened. Really puts things into perspective.

Cheyenne McMahan.  Her dad and I traded stories about our kids growing up since they were 8.  Devastating.  RIP.

RIP indeed, I couldn't imagine that loss.

[Threebean]

Sounds like Washington will be retiring the Redskins name today, with a new name to come at a later time.

So what name they going to go with?  Washington DoNothings, Hypocrits, Lousy Politicians?  Elephants or Donkeys?

Swamp Thangs

[Threebean]

Been having trouble with the source site for Today in History.  Been delayed in putting up dates.  Had to use an alternate site that appears to have abbreviated it.  Better than nothing.

I think it's fine. Thank you for you perseverance.

His performance ladder of excellence has lost a rung or two, however.

[LuvTooGolf]

Sounds like Washington will be retiring the Redskins name today, with a new name to come at a later time.

So what name they going to go with?  Washington DoNothings, Hypocrits, Lousy Politicians?  Elephants or Donkeys?

Swamp Thangs

I saw someone online today said we should go by the Wild Things, and use this as our logo. Gotta say, I didn't hate the notion.

[LuvTooGolf]

Been having trouble with the source site for Today in History.  Been delayed in putting up dates.  Had to use an alternate site that appears to have abbreviated it.  Better than nothing.

I think it's fine. Thank you for you perseverance.

His performance ladder of excellence has lost a rung or two, however.

Might have to look into docking his banter salary.