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.

Music Friday: "doom"

I read an article about the musical artist Steve Lacy in The New Yorker and decided to check him out. 

He was described as someone who mixes hip hop, R&B, and alternative rock, and that mix sounded interesting. 

Here's "doom" from the his most recent release Oh yeah? 

Music Friday: "Won't You Come Out Tonight"

I listened to a lot of SiriusXM's Spectrum a lot over the past week because Mrs. Nasty and I drove out to Victoria, British Columbia to move our eldest daughter there for grad school. 

This song isn't my favorite on his new album, but it's concise, positive song. 

Music Friday: "Breathe"

For whatever reason, videos of this band playing this song have found their way into my TikTok feed. 

I remember hearing this song at parties in the 90s. It's hard not liking this song. 

Random Notes from a Crank

Here are some factoids from the past few Harper's Indexes:

• Estimated capital investment to create one permanent job in a U.S. data center: $52,000,000
• To create one permanent job in any other sector of the U.S. economy: $322,000
• Estimated number of public comments submitted to the Trump Administration on its White House ballroom proposal: 32,000
• Percentage of those comments that were positive: 1
• Percentage of non-probationary employees laid off since Trump took office who worked in scientific agencies: 35
• Percentage of Americans who view their fellow citizens morally good: 1/2
• Of Canadians who do: 9/10
• Estimated number of protests that took place  in the United States in the first year of Trump's first term: 10,873
• In the first year of his second term: 39,154
• Estimated percentage by which immigrants to the United States pay more in taxes, on average, than U.S.-born citizens: 17
• Portion of Italians who say that when asked what them proud of their country, mention art and culture: 2/5
• Of Americans who do: 1/50

America, you can do better. Create really good jobs, stop the stupid ballroom, respect and fund science, embrace immigrants, and do better with art and culture. 

Those stats show us not as the United States but rather as Dumbfuckistan. 

If you're interested in the data center boondoggles, Mother Jones has a great in-depth article about data centers and AI titled "Empire Builders" with the subtitle of "How the American Oligarchy Went Hyperscale," which is the title on the magazine's website. 

motherjones.com

In the July issue of Harper's, there's an article titled "Happy Fucking Birthday: An Exhausted America Turns Two Hundred and Fifty." 

That title sums up my attitude toward to the 250th anniversary of our nation's beginning. 

Music Friday: "Masks Off"

Jesse Welles came out with a new album recently. I've been enjoying it. 

Here's the album's title track.  

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. 

Music Friday: "Wonderwall"

I'm posting in regret of England's terrible loss to Argentina in the World Cup. 

Random Notes from a Crank

In anticipation of the Argentina vs. England World Cup match, here's the Encyclopedia Brittanica entry on the Falklands War. 

For Father's Day I got this away England kit. Mrs. Nasty got it from OkayJersey, which has great prices. 

I'm thinking about getting the Tottenham away kit for this upcoming season, and I like last season's home kit for Roma. 

The BBC has a good article about the failure of self-checkout machines: "'It Hasn't Delivered': The Spectacular Failure of Self-Checkout Technology." 

I hate those things. 

I'd rather just interact with a human. Plus, there's a great deal of discussion about how businesses are losing all kinds of money because of theft, among other issues. 

However, will businesses persist with self-checkout lanes because of the sunk-cost fallacy? 

Music Friday: "Dollar General"

The new album by American Aquarium comes out swinging with its opening track "Dollar General." 

"Greatest trick ever played was taking our voice

and giving us two sides in the illusion of choice.

It ain't left versus right. It's bottom versus top. 

Until we figure it out, this ain't gonna stop." 

The album is titled New Ways to Lose. 

Random Notes from a Crank

This political cartoon by Jeff Stahler is a good summation of this presidential administration, especially with the answer of "disaster." 

 

GoComics.com

The only time I've listened to Olivia Rodrigo's music is when she was on Saturday Night Live, but I'm heartened by her all-women musical festival that will give all of its profits to Planned Parenthood: "Olivia Rodrigo Stands against Trump as She Raises Money for Planned Parenthood after Defunding." 

It'll be interesting to see who wins the Democratic nomination for running for the Senate seat for Maine: "Graham Platter Just Dropped Out. Here's Who Could Replace Him." 

I don't really care that much about who gets the nomination. I just want Susan Collins defeated. 

It's revealing how one party, the Democrats,  responds to rape allegations compared to the other party, the GOP. 

Speaking of rapists, President Adolf has to pay E. Jean Carroll: "Judge Order $5 Million Trump Judgment Be Released to E. Jean Carroll." 

Random Notes from a Crank

The USMNT got bounced from the World Cup. I listened to the first half on my phone as I was walking the dogs, but I watched the second half. 

The team looked good at the start of the second half, but then Belgium's third goal happened because of a diabolical mistake by the US goalkeeper. What a terrible way to end what has been a good World Cup. 

President Adolf's intervention to persuade FIFA to rescind Balogun's red card was ridiculous. Whatever that guys touches turns to shit. 

Moscow Don provides a reverse-Midas touch. 

Joe Heller depicts it well. 

GoComics.com

I don't know how well covered this topic has been, but the white supremacists marching in D.C. was disgusting. 

Sara Pequeno's opinion piece from USA Today is good read on it: "White Supremacists in DC? White House Claims That's Democracy." 

These are the same people who bitched about wearing masks during the pandemic. 

Now they wear masks like ICE agents to hide their identities. 

Music Friday: "This Land Is Your Land" & "This Land Is Our Land"

For whatever reason, after USMNT wins they play "Country Roads" by John Denver. 

If I had my way, they'd play either one of these songs instead. 

Random Notes from a Crank

from GoComics.com

Bill Bramhall is spot on with this political cartoon.

I"m glad President Adolf's stupid fair is a lowly attended event. 

The Democrats need to take over the House and flip the Senate. 

Never in my life did I expect someone like the current president being in office during the 250th anniversary of the United States.

I've been avidly watching the World Cup. I'm disappointed that the Netherlands got bounced out because I really like that squad. The same goes for Senegal. 

The USMNT will face a team against which the US might not be favored. Monday should be interesting, especially with Balogun unable to play because of wrong-headed red card. 

It should have been a yellow. 

If I'm a betting man, I might put money down on Mexico beating England at the Azteca. 

I'd like to see England win it all though. 

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.