Musing of the Moment: U.S. Debt, Gas Prices, & Inflation

 

Here's one of the many gas pumps I visited as we drove back from Victoria, British Columbia after taking our oldest kid there for their start to graduate school. 

As The New York Times reports that the U.S. is in debt up to $40 trillion dollars, see "U.S. Debt Hits $40 Trillion as America's Borrowing Binge Continues," everyday Americans are getting screwed by sky-high gas prices and inflation. 

Moscow Don and MAGA are really MAME. 

Making America More Expensive

Americans are getting gouged at the pumps because of this stupid war the US has no business being in. And that price per gallon above isn't even close to the diesel price that are directly connected to all kinds of shipping costs.

As Americans suffer difficult economic consequences because of the Iran War, the feckless Republican cowards in the House and Senate do nothing to hold the current administration accountable.

Instead, the complicit cowards will kiss the ass and lick the Florsheims of a very dangerous, clownish, narcissistic, boorish, moronic mountebank.

I hope the mid-terms are a reckoning for good.

Musing of the Moment: World Cup Final from a Spurs Perspective

from The Athletic

Spain dominated the match and held Argentina to zero shots on goal. Heck, Argentina only mounted a mere three shots to Spain's twenty, eleven of which were on target. 

Spain had plenty of chances, and the Spaniards were the clearly superior squad. 

For how much footballing talent that country has, I'm surprised this win is only their second World Cup. 

From a Tottenham Hotspur supporter's perspective, I love that Pedro Porro made the cross that Williams headed to Ferran Torres for the winning goal. Porro made himself a mainstay of the team after not starting the first game (if I remember correctly). 

He sent some perfectly weighted passes Yamal's way on a number of occasions. He worked well with the right winger to pose a serious offensive threat. 

I was surprised that Romero got pulled out of the squad. I know he was on a yellow card, but he's probably one of the best center backs in world football. 

Sensei came in at the 101 minute. 

I love that President Adolf was booed by the crowd: "Trump Booed by World Cup Final Crowd, Takes Part in Trophy Presentation." 

Regardless, it appears Tottenham made a good decision on signing Porro to a long-term contract. 

COYS. 

Musing of the Moment: Our Colorado Trip

Yesterday we got back from our trip to Colorado. My son had a baseball tournament, and then after that got over, we headed to Keystone for a family reunion with Mrs. Nasty's side of the family. 

The state of Kansas gets a bad rap for its landscape. Both the Smoky Hills and Flint Hills are a heck of a lot more scenic than the places I drive to in central Illinois. At least Kansas has hills. 

I wanted to buy some locally produced bourbon from a distillery from Colorado, but being in a resort town, the prices were high. I did get some Weller Special Reserve though because apparently Colorado is a test market for Weller, which I can't find easily in Illinois. 

On our vacation I got up early three days straight to zip line, white water rafting, and horse back riding. 

I needed to get done with my vacation, so I could sleep in. 

A great factor about Colorado is that they've banned plastic bags. 

Check it out from Ecocycle: "Colorado's 2024 Plastic Bag Ban." 

More states need to do this move. You either use bags you bring to the store, or you have to buy a bag. 

Based on the report by Denver7, "1.5 Billion Fewer Plastic Bags" were used. 

Musing of the Moment: Analysis of the Iranian Deal

In a detailed analytical article in The New York Times, the journalist Neil MacFarquhar relates how President Adolf's stupid war with Iran has only made Iran stronger and made the U.S. weaker. 

Read all about it in "What Changed after Almost Four Months of War? Analysts Say Not Much."  

One of the big takeaways from the war is that Iran has clearly figured out that they can use the Strait of Hormuz to threaten the global economy. 

The lead Iranian negotiator of the tenuous deal that is likely to fall apart had this to say about how they know have leverage over the Strait: "This was a potential capacity that had never been activated. But our enemies--God created them fools--turned that potential into a reality." 

He called the current administration a bunch of fools. 

And he's right. 

The war has made the U.S. less secure. It's created economic havoc for Americans. And the so-called deal is much worse than the deal Obama brokered. 

What a bunch of fools. 

Musing of the Moment: The World Cup Groups

The World Cup is closing in. 

I checked out USA Today's article, "World Cup 2026 Groups: All 48 Teams in the Tournament," to see which, by my reckoning are the easiest and hardest groups. 

And I did the math based on FIFA rankings of the squads that was published by USA Today. 

I added up the rankings of each group. For purposes of this exercise, the lower the number of the combined rankings means that the group is a difficult one. The higher numbers mean it's an easier group for best squad in that group. 

Here are the combined rankings of each group:

• A: 112
• B: 119
• C: 93
• D: 93
• E: 94
• F: 87
• G: 120
• H: 108
• I: 68
• J: 107
• K: 93
• L: 88

Group I, which includes one of the favorites in France, is a difficult one with Senegal and Norway opposing the Frenchmen. 

Netherlands has its hands full in Group F.

Belgium got an easy draw in Group G just like Canada in Group B even though Switzerland might surprise. 

And England's group is difficult with Croatia and Ghana.  

I'd like to see a country win the World Cup that has never won it before. If I were a betting man, I'd put money either on the Netherlands or Portugal to do that. 

Of the squads out there to win it all, I'd like to see England or Senegal win it. 

Musing of the Moment: The Death of Schlitz

In some sad news for beer drinkers, Schlitz is going the way of the Dodo: "Once-Famous Beer To Be Discontinued after 177 Years." 

Back when I was drinking lots of beer when I was in college in the 90s, I would frequent my local Hy-Vee grocery store in Kirksville, Missouri and be able to get a twelve pack of Schlitz for an economical $5.99.

We discovered Schlitz on a pledge skip to Ames, Iowa. One of my fraternity brothers went out to get beer for a bunch a guys and came back with twelve packs of Schlitz. 

We initially started drinking Schlitz because people would not bum beers off you at parties when you were drinking the "Beer That Made Milwaukee Famous." 

It was better tasting than the regular Beast Light or Natty Light that people drank back then. 

But eventually people came around to bumming Schlitzes off we Schlitzophrenics, even girls. 

It's a sad day in the history of beer. 

Musing of the Moment: The Iran War Creates Inflation

As The New York Times is reporting, inflation has gotten even worse because of the gas prices soaring because of the pointless war in Iran. 

Check out "Inflation Accelerates after Weeks of War in Iran." 

The Democrats need to campaign with showing how the GOP is tied to President Adolf's dumbass policies and decisions. 

It's pretty simple. 

MAME: Making America More Expensive. 

Musing of the Moment: Attacks at Home

The Iran War is only going to motivate people prone to violence to attack the U.S. 

It appears many of the recent attacks on Americans on our own soil is the result of President Adolf's attacks on Iran and the bellicose rhetoric from the senile white supremacist and his drunk Secretary of Defense. 

There are all kinds of terrorist groups sympathetic to Iran. 

Check out the article in the New York Times: "'Sleeper Cells' and Lone Attackers: Security Experts Brace for More Violence at Home" 

Making America More Dangerous. 

Musing of the Moment: MAME-Making America More Expensive

I gassed up my vehicle before President Adolf initiated a war with Iran. At that time the price per gallon in my area of east central Illinois was $2.91. 

I drove past the station where I get my gas, and if I remember right, the price jumped to $3.19. 

As The New York Times relates, gas prices are soaring because of the administration's dumb military strikes in Iran: "Oil and Natural Gas Prices Extend Rally as Iran Attacks Escalate." 

The MAGA brand is really MAME: Making America More Expensive. 

And it's also maiming democracy and the Constitution. 

Musing of the Moment: Bertrand Russell & The Dunning-Kruger Effect

This week's Existential Comic features the point by Bertrand Russell that the wiser the person the less sure they tend to be. 

 

Russell's advice is that "So whenever you see someone proclaiming that they have all the answers with total confidence, think to yourself: This guy is probably a total idiot." 

His advice relates to the Dunning-Kruger Effect, as explained by Psychology Today.  

The Decision Lab also has some details and advice: "Why Do We Fail To Accurately Gauge Our Own Abilities?" 

The section on politics is topical because way too many politicians present solutions to systemic problems with confident assertions. 

Musing of the Moment: SEC Football Coaching Hires

Because this blog is SEC-centric in regard to football, I thought I'd give my so-called thoughts about the coaching hires in the SEC. 

LSU: Lane Kiffin

This is the drama that has consumed so much energy over the past week because of the ultimatum that the Ole Miss AD gave to Kiffin, which is understandable because what Kiffin would have done is coach Ole Miss in the playoffs and take Ole Miss's most talented players with him to Baton Rouge. In fact, it wouldn't surprise me if some Ole Miss players defect to LSU after the season. 

I get why Ole Miss didn't want Kiffin around anymore since he had committed to the Bayou Bengals. You want a guy committed to the program coaching the team. 

Regardless, this is a really good hire because we know Kiffin can coach offense, and with the crazy-ass people behind the LSU program willing to give him a 25 million dollar budget every year, he's going to buy all kinds of defensive talent like he was starting to do in Oxford before he departed on a private jet as fans cursed at him at the airport.   

Whatever happens with this hire, the annual Ole Miss-LSU football game just got spicier, and the game in 2026 is in Oxford. It's going to get loud and salty. 

Ole Miss: Pete Golding

This hire was a bit of a surprise to me, but once I started thinking about it, it makes sense. It might save some of the recruiting class, it provides stability for the playoffs, and the administration bets on a guy who has improved Ole Miss in regard to defense, which is traditionally one of their weaknesses. I just wonder if the committee will put Ole Miss at a higher seed without Kiffin manning the offense. 

The administration is taking a chance on a guy played Division II football in the state and has settled in at Oxford after serving as the DC for one of Alabama's national championships and two of its SEC championships. 

Florida: Jon Sumrall

Could this be a good hire for Florida. I know he's brought the Tulane football team to prominence, which is difficult because Tulane is the second tier program in the state of Louisiana. This hire feels like a total coin flip to me. 

Auburn: Alex Golesh

As an Alabama alumnus, this is the hire I did not want to see at Auburn. I've watched his success at USF, and I think he runs the Tennessee offense better than Tennessee does. Two Saban-led Alabama teams has trouble in both of their games agains the Bulls. 

Arkansas: Ryan Silverfield

He made Memphis a player on the scene. But honestly, I don't know much about him and his coaching to even speculate. The challenge is that's it is Arkansas, which is a football program that has so many disadvantages compared to the bigger programs in the conference. I like it when Arkansas is a good team in the conference, but it seems like decades since that was a reality. 

Musing of the Moment: Free Public Transportation

The New York Times has a feature going titled "50 States, 50 Fixes" that showcases what some places are doing to improve the environment and combat climate change. 

Today's article talks about Iowa City's move that made their public transportation free: "Iowa City Made Its Buses Free. Traffic Cleared, And So Did the Air." 

It was a good article that highlights how the free buses have been a huge hit because they have eased congestion in the college town. And well, they're free. 

Considering how much some of these colleges charge for parking passes, I would imagine students are also taking advantage of the public transportation. 

The article ended a little abruptly to my mind though. 

Regardless, I wish more cities made moves like this one. 

Musing of the Moment: Election Results from Yesterday

President Adolf can spin the election results however he wants about last night, but he's clearly an albatross around the GOP's neck.

See Jamelle Bouie's "Make No Mistake: Trump Is an Albatross" in the New York Times.  

Mamdani work the New York City mayoral race. 

In Virginia, Dems won in the governor, lieutenant governor, and attorney general races.

New Jersey elected a Democratic governor.

Both governors and the lieutenant governor are women. 

And California overwhelmingly voted to redistrict in direct retaliation to what Adolf told Texas and other states to do. 

Moscow Don made some stupid post on Truth Social that the Democrats won because he wasn't on the ballot. 

No.

They won because President Adolf and his policies were figuratively on the ballot. 

People are motivated to reverse the gross negligence and hatred of his administration and the complicity of the GOP. 

FDT.

Musing of the Moment: My Fantasy Football Draft

I took part in our league's annual fantasy draft at Buffalo Wild Wings on Saturday. 

I've been in this 10-team PPR league for a good while. And I'm pondering how I did. 

Since it's an ESPN league, they send you an email afterward with a draft grade. I got a B. 

I wasn't thrilled about the draft spot I got, which was 7th. I would have preferred 9th or 10th. 

Regardless, I usually just draft the best player available, and with the seventh pick, I drafted Lamb and picked Josh Jacobs in the second round. It's a snake draft.  

I'm a homer for Alabama players, and I had Jacobs last year when I won the league. 

In the third round, I went with Kenneth Walker because it sounds like the Seahawks are going to be run-heavy this season, and when he's healthy, he's good. 

I have never taken a quarterback in the early rounds, but there was Jalen Hurts sitting there as my best available. I also wasn't thrilled with the RBs and WRs in that part of the draft. 

I picked DeAndre Swift in the fifth round. We'll see how that pans out.

Even though I don't have to have a tight end in my league (we have three WR/TE spots with one Flex spot), Kittle was there, and he's one of few healthy pass catchers for the 49ers right now. 

In the seventh and eighth rounds, I picked Ridley and Jameson Williams, respectively. I'm hoping Ridley breaks out with Cam Ward, and I like Jameson. 

In ninth round, I went with Olave, who had a down year last season because of concussions. Someone has to catch passes in New Orleans. 

I possibly reached for Jordan Mason in the next round, but Aaron Jones rarely plays a full season, and I'm hoping Mason takes over the starting job. 

I snatched Egbuka in the eleventh, and if he breaks out like some pundits think, he could be a great value. 

I got some good news today that Daniel Jones is going to start Week 1 because I selected Pittman Jr. in the twelfth round. Supposedly Pittman has a good rapport with Jones. 

After that I nabbed Charbonnet to handcuff Walker and Drake Maye in the next round for the hell of it. 

Then in the next-to-last round, I picked the Seahawks D, which I've already dropped for the Cardinals D in Week 1. I usually stream defenses. 

And I finished it out with Alabama alum Will Reichard. I'm also a Vikings fan. 

Musing of the Moment: Celebrating Son Hueng-Min

Last night I watched this video of all of Son's goals for Tottenham. 

It's sad to see Son go to LAFC, but after ten years at the club, it sounds like he wanted a new challenge. 

I think he has at least of couple of solid years in him for the Premier League if he were to stick around. 

To my mind, I think he'll tear up the MLS because he got overplayed in this past season because of all of the injuries with Spurs. But he's going to Los Angeles, which has a huge Korean immigrant population. 

He's my favorite Spurs player. 

He stuck around and won a trophy for a club. 

COYS

Musing of the Moment: Golden Hami Melons

I shopped at Aldi the other day, and there was this melon I'd never seen. It's a Golden Hami melon. 

From my vantage point, it looks like a football-shaped cantaloupe. And I like melons. 

I cut it up this afternoon, and it's colored like a cantaloupe. However, it tastes more like a honeydew. 

It's like a cantaloupe and a honeydew got busy and had a baby. 

Musing of the Moment: Bark Box Adjusting to Tariffs

 

We got my dog's bark box the other day, and this was the message we got because the toys and treats were not in a box. They came in a bag. 

My hope is that more companies make similar moves in regard to Moscow Don's tariffs to expose the stupidity of his economic policies. 

Musing of the Moment: Father's Day Thoughts

There's a common saying that goes, "Happy wife--happy life." 

I don't like that expression at all. It's based on common gender stereotypes that women direct their husbands' happiness and that the husband's (or father's) mainly depends on keeping the woman happy. 

In addition, the expression is heteronormative. 

Just think if there was an expression that started "Happy husband"? 

People might think, "Wait, why is he happy? What's he up to?" 

It's still uncommon for people to think that husbands/father's can be sad, which is a point Bill Burr makes in Drop Dead Years about the "male sadness epidemic."

I too have the "regular depression," not the clinical kind. I can be "sad." 

Today on Father's Day I'll be drinking the last bottle of wine I took from my father's assisted-living apartment after he passed away.

He died years ago. A couple of years I drank the other bottle I had from the apartment, which was a Chardonnay. 

The one I'm drinking today is a Pink Moscato, which isn't really on-brand for me. I'm more of a drinker of Zinfandels, Cabernets, Merlots, Syrahs, and red blends. 

Regardless, cheers to all the sad dads out there. 

And I miss you Virg. 

Musing of the Moment: Ineptitude at Tottenham

It's June 3rd, and over ten days after Tottenham won the Europa League, fans like me are not sure if Ange is still the manager, and there appears to be a shakeup with the board. 

It's ridiculous. 

After winning the Europa League and then finishing the season with an unfortunate loss, the chairman of the ENIC board Daniel Levy went on vacation. 

He went on vacation during a time when other clubs are taking advantage of this new mini-transfer window. 

Other clubs are signing players while there's silence in N17. 

Ineptitude. 

Ange In. 

Levy out.

Why did I have to choose a Premier League club that is so poorly run? 

Musing of the Moment: Tottenham to a European Final

Tottenham beat Bodo Glimt 2 to 0 in the second leg of the semifinal with goals from Solanke and Porro. 

Spurs are in the Europa League Final and will face Manchester United. It's a Premier-League Final. 

The last time Tottenham was in a European final they faced another red-clad, Premier-Leage team: Liverpool. 

My hope is the outcome is different in 2025. 

Come On You Spurs.