Next Draft - Pulling Up Short
While participating in the annual Presidential Physical Fitness test in junior high, students were given a choice to either perform our max number of pull-ups or to do a flex-hang which measured how long we could hold ourselves with our chins just over the horizontal bar. My flex-hang time was so embarrassingly brief that my PE pulled his pencil from behind his ear, focused on my chart on his clipboard, and said, "I'm just gonna give you credit for a half a pull-up, that will will probably be worth more." I tried to contort myself in a way that would hide my redfaced shame from my teacher and classmates. But I couldn't since I also failed the flexibility test. On that day, I made myself a promise: No matter what it took, no matter how hard I had to work, no matter how much blood, sweat, and tears would be shed, no matter the obstacles or odds, I would respond to that childhood humiliation with a Herculean effort of Hollywood proportions to complete a singular, lifelong quest: To find someone to blame for my failure. Well, cue the Rocky Theme music because I've finally found that someone: My parents. In Outside, Alex Hutchinson (who has notoriously tight hammies) describes a recent study that Reveals Which Fitness Traits Are Primarily Genetic. None of these studies are entirely definitive, but this one provides some pretty good evidence that my genes are almost entirely to blame for my lack of pull-up prowess and the fact that my junior high PE teacher described my one mile time test as the battle of the bulge. 2Scranton's Last StandThe turnaround in the Democratic party, both political and emotional, has been nothing short of remarkable. But the feelings on the first night of the DNC will be decidedly mixed for the the man who will deliver the evening's keynote. "The sheer drama of Monday’s speech by President Joe Biden, following his decision to step aside and cede the nomination to Vice President Kamala Harris after weeks of mounting pressure, will be unlike anything ever seen. His party is electric with a sense of possibility and hope. The ticket is climbing ahead in the polls. At any other convention in history, it’d be a triumphant moment for the president. But every cheer Biden hears, every smile he sees, every fist raised in celebration will express enthusiasm for a political future without him." The Agony and the Ecstasy of Joe Biden’s Convention Speech. 3Beating Them By Joining?"Early that December, Rousseau summoned every available member to Washington, D.C., where the group planned to march without a permit on the National Mall. The Seattle contingent met at the airport. But Vincent didn’t show up. Although initially surprised, the crew soon learned why: Vincent wasn’t actually their ally. He’d made off with a huge cache of internal information, which documented everything from their bigoted and misogynistic rants to their recruitment methods and vandalistic exploits. Vincent wasn’t a Fed, though. He was one of a growing number of far-left vigilantes who are infiltrating the far right." David D. Kirkpatrick in The New Yorker: Infiltrating the Far Right. "The threat from domestic terrorism is rising, but, with Republicans decrying the 'deep state,' the F.B.I. is cautious about investigating far-right groups. Vigilantes are leaping into the fray." 4Crowning Vic"After each question, a pause followed. 'Making decisions that affect many people requires a careful balance of data-driven insights and human empathy,' VIC said in a male-sounding voice. 'Here’s how I would approach it,' it added, before ticking off a six-part plan that included using AI to gather data on public opinion and responding to constituents at town halls." Do you have concerns about officials using AI to help make governing decisions? Well, how about cutting out the middleman and just letting AI be the politician? WaPo (Gift Article): Mayoral candidate vows to let VIC, an AI bot, run Wyoming’s capital city. (It's like self-driving cars. It sounds like a crazy idea until you consider how bad most humans are at driving.) 5Extra, ExtraBlaming the Victim? "The decision ends a six-year legal saga tested the limits of the court’s leniency toward survivors of sexual abuse who commit resulting crimes." Chrystul Kizer sentenced to 11 years for killing her sex trafficker. "Kizer, now 24, initially faced a possible life sentence for shooting 34-year-old Randall Volar III when she was 17. Volar, who was White, had been filming his sexual abuse of Kizer, who is Black, for more than a year." 6Bottom of the News"He started collecting toilet paper around the 1970s. Back then, Charmin’s regular roll had 650 sheets of single ply toilet paper…650! By 1975, the roll shrunk to 500 and then to 400 in 1979." Today? 224. Why toilet paper keeps getting smaller and smaller. (You can always bet your bottom dollar on shrinkflation.) Read my 📕, Please Scream Inside Your Heart, or grab a 👕 in the Store. |
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An Offer You Can Refuse
Tuesday, August 13, 2024
Beating High Prices, No Booze Benefits ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏
Trip Switch
Monday, August 12, 2024
If systems collapse, why crowd size matters ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏
Noah's Mark
Friday, August 9, 2024
Racing Covid, Weekend Whats, Feel Good Friday ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏
Trying That in a Small Town
Thursday, August 8, 2024
Ozempic in the Heartland ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏
A Means to a Spend
Wednesday, August 7, 2024
Holding Onto Your Money, Going Rural ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏
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