Random Notes from a Crank

As was expected, Moscow Don's foolish economic policies have made the economy worse because of his stupid tariffs and the amount of debt the U.S. owes to all kinds of countries: "Markets Rattled on Concerns about U.S. Debt." 

This is what the U.S. gets when the country votes in a moron who bankrupted a casino.

The GOP says they care about budget deficits, but when they get the White House, the deficit increases. 

They only seem to care about the deficit when a Democrat is in office. 

I recently purchased some chia seeds because I've been reading about the health benefits of eating them. People suggest using them with yogurt. 

I've moved from the high-sugar yogurts to something much healthier. I'm going with Greek yogurt with fruit intermixed, and I add some honey for a bit of sweetness. Then I will sprinkle in some chia seeds. 

Here's what Healthline says about chia seeds: "Chia Seeds 101: Nutrition Facts and Health Benefits." 

Tottenham Hotspur won the Europa League yesterday. #COYS

I'm intrigued with which new players will join the club to bolster its squad because of the Champions League competition. 

Random Notes from a Crank

The American Prospect has an excellent article that pretty much describes how President Adolf has united Canadians because of his threat of a stupid trade war based on tariffs. 

As a result, as "Canada's Conservatives Crash with Onset of Tariff War," the upcoming elections for our ally to the North are set to be tightening. Trudeau is stepping down, but the new leader of the Liberal Party might do well. 

Meanwhile, the Senate has confirmed too many people to important posts, recently Tulsi Gabbard and Robert F. Kennedy Jr, who will endanger the American people. 

While I find RFK Jr.'s anti-vax sentiments and concern about fluoride in drinking water asinine, I do like his focus on food additives and ultra-processed foods. 

The BBC has an interesting perspective on it all in "Can RFK Jr. Make America's Diet Healthy Again?" The article focuses on food, but the troubling part of his background is his anti-vaccination tendencies and propensity to support assertions with junk science. 

However, with all the hurdles in front of him and under an administration that touts junk food, I don't think he'll change squat. 

I need to find some more outlets--print, video, TV, or streaming service--that will make laugh more often. It's going to be a long four years. 

I rediscovered one, Regular Show, a series my oldest kid got me into. 

Good old Mordecai and Rigby...

That show hits the spot. Yeah!

Another one I've watched off and on recently that is not a comedy but is a sci-fi drama is Battlestar Galactica, a show I didn't watch when it was running on TV.

Of course, I could always watch one of my favorite TV series of all time, Northern Exposure. As I told my daughter, after each episode one leaves with a good feeling. Watching that show can be therapeutic. 

And I've been watching eposes of Seinfeld and The Office, but especially with the former, I've watched it so many times that I might need a break from the "show about nothing."  

Perhaps I need to revisit Parks & Recreation? 

Regardless, I am enjoying the new series St. Denis Medical. 

Random Notes from a Crank

I strained and tried the oxymel recipe I talked about in a Random Notes post on January 26. I did the one for cold and flu season. It's not harsh or anything. It initially hits the pallet with honey and has a subtle tang of vinegar on the finish. 

Can you tell I've been watching bourbon videos on YouTube? 

I'm subscribed to Bourbon Junkies, TheRow, and Brewzle. Even though it appears the guy from Brewzle is an Auburn fan, I like his videos in which he goes bourbon hunting in certain towns. He has way more expensive taste than I have though. 

And I like my bourbon more on the spicy and oaky side. 

President Adolf's plan for Gaza is insane. I think it's just a wild political proposal to distract the American people and journalists from all the damage he's doing to our republic and creating a federal government full of his flunkies. 

Or Dictator Donald is just a madman. 

The ultra-right Israelites love the plan because it destroys the dream of a Palestinian state. 

Here's a reaction from Informed Comment: "Ethnic Cleansing for 'Gaza's Riviera'?"

There's ultra-right reasoning behind what is proposed because of leaked documents in Israel. Kushner might be behind all of this. 

A house a couple of blocks down from our home is displaying an inverted flag. 

The traditional meaning of flying an inverted flag is used to show "a signal of distress in instance of extreme danger" or as a sign of protest, as noted by The Free Speech Center's "Flying Flag Upside Down." 

I'll assume that the residents of the home are displaying it because of President Adolf's unconstitutional actions. 

I hope it's not a symbol supporting this autocratic goon. 

Random Notes from a Crank

I'm trying this concoction called oxymel. It's apparently a health that dates back to Ancient Greece, back to Hippocrates. 

At base, it is equals parts honey and equal parts apple cider vinegar. I got the recipe from this blog post I found on the InterWebs: "Herbal Oxymel Recipes & Benefits." I'm doing the one for cold and flu, so I some used dried thyme, rosemary, oregano, and ginger. 

We'll see whether if it's worth my time. At the very least it has polyphenols that create antioxidants. I wonder about the taste though. 

I'm leaving Facebook. I've already deleted my Instagram account, and I'm abandoning FB on Feb. 1. 

I'm not sure if I'm going to delete my account or just not interact with people on FB with a dim hope that the platform will reform its ways. I may just delete it, and if I rejoin FB at some time, I'll befriend the good people who are my "friends" and not befriend the President Adolf supporters I have accumulated over the years. 

Regardless, I just cannot be on a platform that has given up fact-checking/moderation because Zuckerberg is genuflecting and licking President Adolf's asshole while that autocrat, the GOP, and his oligarchic cronies further game the system for the rich and the 1%, destroy the social safety net, foment lies and disinformation, deport hard-working people, deregulate all kinds of things that should be strictly regulated, stack agencies with pro-business  lackeys, pardon the Jan. 6 insurrectionists, and spread anti-science and anti-intellectual hokum while the poor, working class, and middle class lose out. 

Yet poor, working class, and middle class dipshits voted for President Adolf. 

I just have to remind myself that 54% of Americans read below a sixth-grade level. 

I can see why my daughter is looking at graduate schools in Europe. 

One of the books I'm reading right now is biography of Napoleon, Napoleon: A Life by Andrew Roberts. I have some gaps in knowledge of European history, so it's an interesting read for me. The author's premise is that Napoleon is misunderstood for a number of reasons, one of which is because of British propaganda and Hitler being compared to Napoleon by Churchill during WWII. 

Napoleon was a brilliant military mind, and as I have found out, he was an intellectual. Here's a quotation from him that struck me as quite wonderful: "The true conquests, the only ones that cause no regret, are those made over ignorance." 

The world would be a much better place if people followed that statement. 

Random Notes from a Crank

Over the past couple of weeks, I've made both mustard greens and collard greens in the Southern style. Although this opinion may be unpopular among people who care about food, I prefer mustard greens over collard. I like the spiciness of mustard greens. 

According to the short article by heathline about collard greens, they're rich in antioxidants and a solid vegetable to eat because they have incredibly high levels of Vitamin K along with C and A. 

The same goes for their rundown on mustard greens. 

So this cursory research got me to thinking, "What the hell is vitamin K anyway?"

Apparently vitamin K helps with strengthening bones, improving memory, and keeping the heart healthy. 

The new Netflix stand-up special by Jim Jefferies is quite good. I really like his point that the saying "Happy wife--happy life" is generally thought of a truism or a maxim that most people believe. 

I agree with his point that there is no saying that is approved about a "happy husband." No one gives a damn. Most people, as Jefferies intimates, would have a reaction more like this: "Happy husband - Wait, why is he happy?" 

I know how he feels. 

Musing of the Moment: Lime Water

When you go to restaurants, servers often bring your water with lemon on one of the rims. I don't like lemon in my water. 

But I like limes. 

And apparently lime water has a number of health benefits. 

If you're interested in reading that information, here are some links:

• Healthline's "Lime Water Benefits"
• Medical News Today's "12 Health Benefits of Lime Water"
• VeryWellFit's "7 Lime Water Benefits"

Random Notes from a Crank

A few weeks ago we got a new dog, one of the breeds that I always wanted. He's an eight-year-old Brittany named Sampson. And the name is apropos because he's the tallest Brittany I've ever seen. Breed standard is 25-40 pounds, and he weighs in at 60some pounds. And he's not fat. 

He's just tall, really tall for that breed, so that maybe why his name is Sampson (after Ralph Sampson?). 

Our other dog, a twelve-year-old beagle-lab mutt hated him for weeks, but now I think she's gotten used to him. Knock on wood. She's a grouchy, territorial, old broad. 

The excellent deal about the new dog is that I'm walking him almost every day, so both of use are getting exercise. I think I might have lost some weight already or at least something off my waistline. 

If you ever want to get frustrated, try coaching certain fifth graders to play football. As parents know, there is a difference between hearing and listening. 

Listening and following directions will get you places no matter what your age. 

In good news, Spokane, WA had made news by committing to going 100% renewable energy. In what I hope are prophetic words, the state Chair of the Sierra Club said, “Cities across the country are demanding clean energy not just because it’s the right thing to do for the environment and public health, but because it’s cheaper in the long run than fossil fuels. Spokane’s leadership on this measure will help kickstart clean energy development in the Pacific Northwest and speed the transition to a cleaner, cheaper future.”

In bad news, Grist reports about Moscow Don's propping up of a dying and polluting industry is just going to hurt communities: "When Trump Tries to Bring Back Coal, These Communities Pay the Price." 

And as is related, "The EPA's Coal Plan is a Ripoff for Americans, According to the EPA." So the US is now looking forward to "more hospital visits, more sick days away from work and school, and the early deaths of up to 1,400 people each year, by 2030."

The change is going to cost a shitload of money for Americans: "EPA’s press officers aren’t exactly highlighting the findings that the proposal would leave Americans worse off. In a fact sheet, for example, the EPA trumpets its finding that ACE could save power-plants up to $6.4 billion in compliance costs. But wade into the details to look up that scenario (check out table 18 on page 165), and you see that the EPA weighs that $6.4 billion against health costs that run between $16.6 billion and $75 billion."

Random Notes from a Crank

The report broke this week about the widespread abuse allegations by Catholic leaders in the state of Pennsylvania: "Pennsylvania Grand Jury Report on Child Sex Abuse Lists Hundreds of Accused Priests." As the report relates, "'We subpoenaed and reviewed, half a million pages of internal documents. They contained credible allegations against over three hundred predator priest. Over one thousand child victims were identifiable, from the church's own records. We believe that the real number -- of children whose records were lost, or who were afraid ever to come forward -- is in the thousands." 

It's disgusting but not surprising. 

I try to stay away from drinking out of anything plastic for some good reasons: "Obesity and Diabetes: Two Reasons Why We Should Be Worried about the Plastics that Surround Us." 

Is anyone actually buying this bullshit about "Space Force" besides the sycophants of the right wing and FoxNews? 

Is Mexico going to fund it? 

I like what Bernie Sanders and his ilk say on the campaign trail for a number of reasons, but the fiscal conservative in me keeps asking me this question: "How are you going to pay for all of this?"

Since it's the start of the school year for many, I though I'd share this data from August's Harper's Index: 

• Percentage of US public-school teachers who spend their own money on school supplies: 94
• Average amount a teacher spends each school year: $479
• Percentage change since 2008 in the average US public-school teachers salary: -4

Random Notes from a Crank

As simple pleasures go, one of the best is lying on a couch and reading a good book with the windows open. 

I could think of some other pleasures, but I'll refrain from "going blue" in this post. I sort of went there but then didn't. Or did I? Or did you? 

The book I'm reading now is Benjamin Franklin: An American Life by Walter Isaacson. It's a solid biography. Franklin is one of the most interesting founding fathers. The part I'm reading now makes me dislike John Adams even more than I already did. Franklin said it well when he described Adams this way: "He means well for his country, is always an honest man, often a wise one, but sometimes and in some things, absolutely out of his senses." 

Sometimes I have cravings for butter beans and lima beans. I ate some butter beans on Monday. I need to make some dishes that use them to spread the gospel of these humble and healthy beans. They're full of fiber that lowers cholesterol. They're a good source of protein, and they don't have a lot of fat. 

Right now I am also on a beets kick. There are good reasons for eating those roots. 

Oh, and also artichokes, which are also good for you. 

It'll be interesting if any other Cubs get dealt at the trade deadline. They just moved Barney to the Dodgers for a player-to-be-named-later, but we'll see if Russell, Wright, Ruggiano, and Bonifacio are traded. 

Random Notes from a Crank

I've written about collard greens in a "Fumbling Toward Culinary Talent" post before, but I made some Sunday afternoon that were outstanding. Because I haven't been able to get my hands on any good smoked turkey legs lately, I purchased a smoked pig jowl from my local megamart instead. It worked pretty well at imparting smoky porcine goodness to the pot likker, but I didn't keep the jowl in there. After I cooked the jowl for an hour, I set it aside, let it cool, and threw it outside for my dog to happily scarf down. And then I simmered the collards for about two more hours, and they turned out excellent. The greens got to the desired tenderness and almost had a sweet flavor to them. Using the spice combination of Penzey's Old Fashioned and Northwoods seasoning worked well. 

About a week ago, I was playing football with the kids in the neighborhood, and I asked one of the neighborhood kids what he was going to be for Halloween, and he answered, "Bibleman." You see, his dad is a preacher and he doesn't go to public school but a private, religious grade school, so I guess I shouldn't be surprised. It did take me aback initially though because I've never heard of such a superhero. I guess if the protagonist has some superpowers, maybe it's persuading Congresspeople to promote stupid legislation or oppose smart legislation based on interpretations of Scripture. Reminds me of when President Dubya compared stem cells to snowflakes. 

The other day I bought a bunch of doughnuts. At the supermarket, I got a couple of blueberry fritters. They're different than the regular old apple fritters, but they're healthier because they have blueberries in them. Blueberries are extremely good for you, so the pastry isn't fattening or unhealthy. 

Recently one of my daughter's favorite words to say is "Nuts!" She's infected me. I've been thinking that word internally, but I haven't started verbalizing it yet. Fair warning. 

Lately, I've been thinking about debates, compromises, and whatnot, and the phrase that comes to mind is an evocative one: argumentative dumpster fire. 

Random Notes from a Crank

Today marks 100 days until the start of college football season.

For the past couple of days, I've been binging on watching the first season of Game of Thrones. I recently started watching episodes of the second season on Sunday nights. After being frustrated and having a fit of cursing at HBO's website because of their overly complicated process of being able to watch past episodes online, I finally started watching the first season via my laptop last night. I'm really enjoying the show, which is a surprise because I'm not really much of fantasy/otherly-world fiction kind of guy. In fact, the last time I think I read a fantasy novel was when I was back in junior high school -- that was Tolkien's Return of the King, the final book in the Lord of the Rings trilogy. To give you an idea of the episode-watching binge I've been on, today is Tuesday. Like I said, I started watching the first season last night. This afternoon I finished episode 7. And now I've gone and ordered the first book because, as far as I can tell so far from the HBO series and what I quickly learned about the books on the Web, the story doesn't sound like it has any of goofy pathos and bathos of fantasy fiction.

I do have a complaint about the Game of Thrones series and other films of the fantasy variety though. Why do the characters in these films almost always have British accents? Why? What up with that?

As much as I agree with argument made in May's "Science Agenda" editorial in Scientific American, I'm not optimistic about smart, substantive changes to the farm bill. I hope I'm wrong.

Although it's not a humorous article, reading "The Science of Health" piece in the same issue reminded me of the sound advice my Uncle Raymond told me before I went to college: "Avoid the clap."