Ranxerox

Well, that does explain all the those kids.

My apologies and condolences. 

"Tax and spend" is how governments are supposed to work. Government exists to provide services: notably, protecting citizens from foreign enemies and from each other. That costs money, which the people pay in the form of taxes.
 
It's a much better system than "Don't tax but still spend," which various politicians have advocated. Or, "Extort money but provide no services," which has been a common setup through history.
 
I am sorry if this seems snarky, but my guess is that people who complain about "Tax and Spend" merely want someone else to do more of the paying, and to see more of the spending directed at them. But, well, humans. How often does anyone get on a soapbox and shout, "Raise my taxes! And spend the money helping people who aren't like me!" And some people talk tough, but not many really want to go back to Hobbesian anarchy.
 
I do not think that politicians of *any* party will ever speak honestly about what government costs, and how to pay for it. The public won't stand for it.
 
Dean Shomshak

Actual good news!
 
South Africa says that it has passed its fourth wave of cases, and counts few added deaths.

First day out of self-isolation.  Never got much worse than a middling head cold...and I apparently isolated well enough that my wife never caught it (she's been testing throughout -- all negative).
 
Thank you vaccines and booster for what seems to have been a very mild case.  Apart from 10 days of enforced boredom (where I never left the bedroom), not too bad....and the enforced boredom was likely something that I kind of needed...

Well...we enjoyed Shang Chi and Eternals too. "shrugs"

NONE of the year's MCU movies have been abject failures critically or at the box office, no matter how much certain people would like to impose that narrative. The previous three did quite well given that they were released during a global pandemic. But it's no surprise that they're being outdone by a movie featuring Marvel's most popular and well-known character, which is also the third in a series of well-received films about that character. I think the last two Avengers movies were the only safer bets in the entire franchise.

An obit clearly NOT written by an anti-vaxxer...
 
https://www.legacy.com/us/obituaries/dailygazette/name/michael-malecki-obituary?id=31981585

I watched the finale of Hawkeye today. I found it the entire series quite satisfying.
 
And the mid-credits scene? Brilliant. Seriously, I could watch this all day.

So... they're looking for a steady supply of manure... 
 
THIS is a job that Congress can help with!

Didn't think they'd find my secret base so soon. Sigh. Time to pack up, I guess. The self-destruct should take out the rover at least. So, some satisfaction in that.

Just saw this, and it brought this moment alive for me again. 
 

I saw Eternals today.  Given the clunky nature of the comic book source material, IMHO this is the best adaption that could have been make.  It takes the source material seriously and never plays it for camp.  The actors are all very good, though given the large cast some characters get bet fleshed out than other.  There is humor but never at inappropriate times.  The stakes are huge both for the world and the characters personally and they give them the the weight that they are due.
 
Viewers who go in looking for another MCU action comedy are going to be disappointed.  But viewers who like comic books and don't feel a need to wink wink nudge nudge the story may enjoy Eternals.

I could take a picture and post it here, if you like.

TMI, Old Man.

TMI, Old Man.

I'm too busy reckoning with our violent present.

Yes, and tools are a subset of objects, and objects are a subset of stuff.  Put it that way, people should be free to carry guns, knives and explosives into schools, places of worship and courthouses.  After all, people routinely carry stuff into all those places.  😏
 
This logical fallacy is called the Fallacy of Division.  It can be easily avoided by calling things what they are and not that of which they are a subset.  So call them firearms, or if you want to include knives and bombs in the discussion use the term weapons.  However, unless this is a discussion about anthropology there aren't going to be many situations that it broadening things to the point of calling firearms tools adds anything good to the discussion.

I foresee 31 tragic hunting accidents coming up.

Something to look forward to in 2024.  I hope to visit this place when it opens.

Okay you guys can talk now.
 
Shang-Chi greatly exceeded my admittedly low expectations.  It worked as both a wuxia film and a MCU movie, and managed to tell a new story on top of that.  If I try real hard I can think of imperfections, but nothing that pulled me out of the movie or is otherwise even worth bringing up here.  Simu isn't Jackie or Donnie but he held up the action sequences surprisingly well, and I liked all the callbacks to classic martial arts movie tropes.

Setting aside the superficial stuff and embracing ones essential core is a change even if the core was secretly there all along.
 

Mystery solved: Theodore Conrad vanished after robbing Cleveland bank where he worked in 1969; marshals traced him to Boston suburb