Lord, if you won't take care of us, won't you please, please let us be?

  Well, it'd be fitting if the year closed out on me missing Deadline. The burger I ate tonight from Peppertown Restaurant was burnt and tiny, and the fries were soggy. It has a sort of poetry.

 I wrote the title around 7 p.m. and then pretty much fell asleep. Today was another one of those Big Sleep days, though I did manage to have a somewhat productive morning. But it's 10:15 Country Standard Time and I'm on it. I figure I can get 500 words in before the clock turns midnight and Enon Holler says goodbye and good riddance to 2020.

 I don't think anyone would disagree on it having been a booger of the year. No matter where you stand on, for example, the COVID-19 plague, I think we can all agree that it's been bungled greatly from the top to the bottom. People are still calling it overblown or, worse, some sort of intentional something designed to do... something.

 Conspiracy theorists are never really clear on that except it's somehow another way "They" can control us and/or track us. We never find out who "They" is and we all carry smartphones that are being tracked constantly and an internet that we've known for at least 20 years is tracked by the NSA. Wave hello!

 As for a method of control, please. Call me cynical but human beings, especially Americans, are incredibly easy to manipulate. Seriously, spend a season watching football fans. Or people who post on websites about television shows. It doesn't take much. For what it's worth, I think people who've lost loved ones to COVID-19 should be allowed to beat these sort of conspiracy theorists about the head and kidneys with a whiffle bat until they spit teeth and piss blood.

 Harsh? Perhaps, but I think it's fair. I've never been one to look back. That's why I write all this down, so I can remember it. But this has been a booger of a year and I am hopeful 2021 isn't quite a drag. As someone who watched a lot of B-grade science fiction and apocalyptic movies, I'm still sort of amazed we're living in this sort of future. I don't think anyone had "badly handled worldwide pandemic" and "millions of Americans cultishly following a complete dope" on their bingo card, as the kids say.

 Just to dip into the news for a bit, we're looking at Congressional Republicans being buttholes about the Electoral Vote count on January 6 when nothing they do will make any difference. There are a few complete lumps like Louie Gohmert who probably believe the latest Trump Conspiracy but most are Josh Hawleys, cynically manipulating the easily manipulated - speaking of the fact that Americans are so easily bamboozled that they'll almost beg for it - to set them up for a 2024 run.

 We really haven't considered the possibility the reason Trump's yowling about the election being stolen - apart from using it as a quick way to grift the griftable - is that he himself cheated. He'd already stated that if he lost it could only be due to chicanery and still maintains Hillary Clinton got three million dead voters in 2016 when that's patently untrue. And let's face it. Donald Trump is a lifelong cheat. He's cheated on his businesses, cheated his employees and contractors, cheated on his creditors, cheated charities, and cheated on his taxes. He's cheated on all three wives, cheated his kids, cheated his siblings, and would've cheated his folks if his dad hadn't been smarter and nastier.

 So fuck him and I'll be glad to see the end of him. I'll be glad to see so many awful people have to live with the realization that despite his high turnout, even more people turned out to see him gone. Hopefully next year we can get on top of COVID, have cops stop killing black people for spurious reasons, release everyone in prison on non-violent marijuana charges, get health care figured out and affordable, and figure out a way we can all exist on this planet, having a good time and being cool with each other, while not having to work ourselves to death just to be able to eat.

 Even if hoping 2021 is better than 2020 is a low bar, I'll still take it.

How many travelers get weary bearing both their burdens and their scars.

  I've been trying to ignore today. I don't know why, really. I don't feel bad, physically, nor is the black cloud hanging around. I'm a bit on the cranky side, but I'm always a bit cranky. My settings are permanently set on salty, that's just how it is.

 And it was a lovely day outside, too, warm and full of sunshine. It's going to be like that at least through the week, we'll see some rain and colder weather by the weekend. Hell, I've also been digging on some mods for XCOM 2, which make it not quite a whole new game, but definitely expand the play.

 But some days I have to hide, and no one seems to really get that. For much of my life, I'd go to work or some other obligation wanting nothing more than to be allowed to lay down in a cool, dark room. It had nothing to do with the job or whatever it was I was obligated to do. I just like doing that. Just lay there and think, slipping in and out of lucid dreaming.

 Today was a day like that. Woke up, let Otis out, looked at the news (such as it was), and packed it in for a couple hours. Woke up again, let Otis in, read for a while, and then packed it in again. That's how I spent my day. Some people might disapprove but screw 'em and feed 'em cornflakes.

 Anyhow. Anthony Warner. We're learning a bit more about him, namely that he was into conspiracy theories and apparently spent time hunting "lizard people" in and around Nashville. He's also supposed to have told a neighbor that he'd have a fairly interesting Christmas, though not going into detail about the what's.

 I'm not sure how this changes things, exactly. "Terrorism" has been tossed around, but I'm not going there just yet. I remember the Bush Jr. Administration when everything from protesting with the Iraq War to not agreeing with the president's education policy was considered "terrorism," so that word - like patriotism - has been worn pretty thin.

 There is something to the racism aspect, though. It's like whenever some asshole decides to burn down a black church or shoot up a gay nightclub, and we have to hear about what a sweet kid he was. If Warner was black or brown or the wrong religion, we wouldn't be hearing a thing about his concerns of an alien invasion.

 Well, this is interesting. New information from The Tennessean says Warner's girlfriend reported to authorities that he'd been building bombs in his RV but he wasn't considered worthy of being "on the radar." The cops knocked on his doors to investigate, but he never answered and they never followed up. Of course.

 I need to go ahead and wrap this up, I reckon. The only bad thing about days like this is my brain becomes a sponge, in that it absorbs a lot but won't give unless it gets squeezed. That's an unnecessarily tortured metaphor, but it puts it over word count. The year's almost over, so let's see what inane madness tomorrow brings.

Shine on, harvest moon.

  I hope everyone had a pleasant Christmas or if that's not your bag, a nice Friday. For whatever it's worth, mine was pleasant. It's still a bummer we couldn't do the big family gathering thing my family usually does, but that's how it goes. Maybe next year.

 Anyhow, let's do the do. It's been a weird week, to say the least. We started off Monday with the idea that we might see the COVID stimulus bill and possibly a larger check for folks Wednesday. Reality took a hard turn Friday with the explosion in Nashville. Again, luckily, no one was killed although there was quite a bit of property damage.

 The law dogs have been working all day to find out what they can, and they've come up with what they're calling a "person of interest." Sixty-three-year-old Anthony Quinn Warner is apparently the owner of the RV used in the bombing. There were human remains found after the blast and officials are trying to figure out if that's Warner. They've traced the ownership of the RV back to property Warner signed away in the last couple of months. Twitter detectives have come up with that owner, but as they don't seem to be involved, I see no reason to bring them into all this.

 For now, the FBI is dealing with all of this as a "suicide bomber," though they've given no inclination they know why Warner blew up the RV with himself in it if that's indeed what he did. Again, the Tweeter gumshoes have thrown up some ties to white supremacist movements but I haven't seen anything concrete.

 So that's where we are. Unless something's happened in the last hour or so, Trump hasn't said a thing about the blast. He has complained that his wife hasn't been on any glamour magazines and more whining about getting curb stomped last month, but nothing about Tennessee. Actually, apart from those tweets, Trump has spent most of the Christmas weekend golfing. I don't think anyone is really surprised or, for that matter, really cares.

  I really do think most people are tired of his shit, honestly. The Base gets loonier and loonier, making greater stretches and leaps of logic to explain why Trump actually won. And they just don't care. All morning Twitter was ablaze with the news that Adam Schiff had been arrested based on an obviously faked page. This is why you don't put much stock into the efforts of Twitter shamuses. Give everything a little bit of time to marinate and work out the kinks, just like with computer games. Life is full of buggy software, especially these days.

 Beyond that, well, the black mood seems to have blown over. I still have nothing kicking inside my head when I drift away from The News. I've been staring at that last sentence for a good 20 minutes. I've spent a lot of time picking guitar but I really can't do anything besides strumming rhythm. My fingers are simply too short, too fat, and my lack of grace extends to my entire body.

 I really haven't been posting this elsewhere because nothing interesting's being said. The news about Nashville can wait until tomorrow's round-up. Like I said, let it marinate. Scoops are great, sure, but let real professionals take those hits. Most of us can wait.

 I think I'll twist this off here. Something interesting, yadda yadda. I've got my Actual Paying Work done and may fool around with XCOM: Chimera Squad some more or perhaps Tyranny. Or I may read more of The Murder of Roger Ackroyd. Or go to sleep. Hell, I don't know.

Yep. It's Thursday.

  It is indeed Thor's Day and, once again, I have some Actual Paying Work to do. It is around 34 degrees outside and the wind's a fierce (for Northeast Mississippi) 11 mph. It is, in a word, cold. So I've hibernated all day today and really haven't paid attention.

 Though I do see Trump's pardoned another round of rotten bastards. It's being pointed out that his numbers aren't anything particularly special but that it is noteworthy that most of his pardons are either people who lied for him at some point or he thinks he can get something out of. He's also pardoned three Republican congressmen who have nothing to do with him, one of whom was convicted of using campaign money to pay for jaunts with his side piece.

 While it is a big deal, I'm finding it increasingly difficult to be outraged at anything this chump does. I have no concern he's trying to pull something shifty to overturn the election results. I wouldn't be surprised but so far the attempt's been so ham-fisted it's almost laughable. The only thing that worries me is the violence his worshippers might pull. Most of 'em, sure, don't have the sand to put their money where their mouth is, but it only takes one.

 Dark thoughts on a gloomy Christmas Eve. Due to the COVID, my extended family's not doing the big get-together we hold at my aunt's every year. There's something like 60 of us, aunts, uncles, cousins of like you ain't never seen, and it's just not safe at the moment. My cousin's wife is getting over a bout of it and another cousin's son's wife has it but is asymptomatic. My brother and his wife are staying in Oregon, so it's just going to be me and Momma.

 And it is a bummer. I'm not going to pretend I'm all that social nor do I go out of my way to see my family when there isn't a raging pandemic. I've long ago accepted that even if they don't understand me - and they don't - they still love me and got my back. I'm incredibly lucky in that respect. And I won't pretend that as soon as the food is eaten, I start eyeing the door. Once the brouhaha that is the young'uns doing the Christmas thing kicks in, it starts making me nervous. It's even worse now that I don't have any weed.

 But it is what it is and there's nothing I can do about it but hope that next year is better. Too much gloom. I don't know where to go from there. Or here. The malaise that's been fogging my brain for the past couple of weeks is intensifying and stretching into a full-blown depressive episode. Lovely.

 Anyhow, that's enough. If I have something come to me, I'll come back, but I'm starting to despair of that ever happening again. In any event, stay warm and enjoy your Thursday.

 Turns out that wasn't enough. This is getting to be a huge drag, man. It's supposed to be fun. It's not necessarily anti-fun but it's getting to be a chore, and that's never a good sign.

 That should be enough. Okay for that.

Pretty lady ain't got no friend 'till the Candyman comes 'round again.

  So it's day... whatever into the Big Muddy and there is no change. My brain's still shut down, I'm still tired of the world, and I'd love to just go back to sleep. I'm chalking it up to Season Affective Disorder. I don't feel bad and I'm not especially depressed, per se - no more so than usual, anyway - I'm just lazy as hell. Well, more so than usual, anyway.

 I guess we'll just fill up space until we hit word count. It'd be nice if I could get a little substance, though. I've got Actual Paying Work due Friday and I have been seriously coasting the last couple of weeks. Oh, well. No one's paying me.

 I've been on a heavy Grateful Dead kick lately and going through their albums. Anthem of the Sun is almost unlistenable. The faux-disco of the late '70s on Terrapin Station or Shakedown Street is bad enough, but that noodly bullshit is, quite frankly, a tough nut to crack when you're not stoned out of your gourd. Jamming is way more fun when you're playing rather than listening. I'm quite liking some of the live albums, though, especially the earlier ones. Maybe I'll start digging into the official bootlegs. There's a lot to dig into, and I have no idea where to start.

 A lot of hay is being made about the most recent round of pardons Trump's giving out. He's not only pardoned a mess of crooks whose behavior that got them busted stem directly from them trying to grease the wheels for the President, but also the four Blackwater guys who committed war crimes by firing into an Iraqi marketplace.

 It's disgusting, sure, but end-of-administration presidential pardons rarely come away smelling like roses. It's one of those things I really can't get bent too out of shape over though I know I should. To me, it's just another example of the rot that's eaten the heart out of the American dream, a sign that we've been this awful for much longer than Trump's been in office. I'm glad other people can still get outraged over it, though, and don't consider it a mark in my favor that I can only shrug.

 I guess I have been mulling over the concept of patriotism lately what with all the talk about "traitors" and "sedition" and "real Americans" going on lately. I gave up on the concept of patriotism back during the Bush Jr. administration and what all was done in the name of "loving the country". If that what America is, then I don't want any part of it.

 It's a complicated relationship, though. I've maintained that people who say they "love America" generally show how much they hate actual Americans, and that's what hangs me up. There was a bit in, I believe, a Daredevil comic book where Captain America, that Sentinal of Liberty, says he isn't loyal to the government or the flag or anything like. He's loyal to the dream, and if it's good enough for him, it's good enough for me.

 The Big Trip changed my thinking on this some. From here to Oregon and back, I saw nothing but lovely country and met nothing but pleasant people. I saw a lot of beaten down and depressed, but I didn't see anything I couldn't call home. Once you cross the Great Divide there are differences, notable differences, but I saw Mississippi wherever I went. Good and bad, so take that how you want. Regardless, this is my home and I aim to see it comfortable and welcoming to everyone.

 I think we'll twist it off there. If something clever pops up, we'll come back. Otherwise, that's the day.

Some damn fool put a dollar-twenty-nine on a jug of Thunderbird wine.

 Man. I am not at all plugged in today. I couldn't tell you why, but here we are. So let's get the News all linked up and see if I can't come up with something clever before I go back to sleep.

 It was a pretty good week, actually. Monday took a look at the implications behind the Electoral College having the final say on the 2020 Presidential Election. Wednesday and Friday were concerned with the next stimulus package which still hasn't quite been hammered out by Congress. There was also some discussion about AG Bill Barr retiring, the initial rollout of the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine, and the much-anticipated release of Cyberpunk 2077. The former looks to be going well, with some stumbles, while the latter has been a goddamn mess, apparently.

 We've still not got a stimulus package figured out and time is running out. Trump is still throwing his tantrum and apparently asking seriously if a military coup is possible. He also finally acknowledged the recent hacking of the U.S. government but considers it an example of media hysteria and wonders why they're blaming Russia instead of China. Really. I will be so glad when we won't have to hear about that ding dong anymore.

 I don't know what else. Not being plugged in means my brain isn't firing on all pistons. Whatever's been causing the writer's block for the past couple of weeks is heavy today. Seriously, nothing is coming out. So, let's take a break here and see if maybe a bite of supper does any good.

 Nope. I've been sitting here 20 minutes and still nothing. All I really want to do is go back to sleep. So we'll leave it open as we fool around on the web and see if anything noteworthy pops up.

 I do think it's a bit telling the wingnuts who have given up on overturning the election are getting bent out of shape because they don't think Dr. Jill Biden deserves to use the honorific. This is incredibly small and petty and the fact that it comes from a National Review writer who routinely calls people "cuck" should come as a surprise to absolutely no one. This is going to be the "Michelle's got big shoulders so she shouldn't be wearing a sleeveless dress" for the next four years, isn't it?

 Ugh. This is like pulling teeth, man. My brain feels like a soaked sponge. I need a hundred words to be able to call it a day. I've been playing a lot of guitar lately and I think I'm getting back up to speed. I can't remember any songs or make barre chords work, but I'm having fun.

 I'll say it again if just to finish this mess off and go back to sleep, the only thing that really, truly matters is having a good time. It's a bit weird that, for me, having a good time often includes sleeping all day. I sometimes miss playing in bands and wandering the Quarter, but I really do prefer not being around people anymore. Does that sound weird? I'll take it as a good sign that everyone who has a stake in my mental health thinks the hermit trip is the right idea.

 Five hundred words. Dig it.

The regular Thursday thing.

  While it's only 8:30 a.m. and my brain hasn't even come close to getting in gear - maybe around five this afternoon - I'm going to go ahead and put something down here. I have some Actual Paying Work to do tonight. Not as much as last week, just one piece, but the ol' creative juices have been a bit on the dry side lately.

 I couldn't tell you why. The News has been fine, there's always some goofy shit there to write about. I'm just a bit drained here and, quite frankly, disinterested in the latest round of delusion by Trump dead-enders. Something about a DNI report on the way is the new hotness. I don't know and I don't care, coach, wake me up if it actually turns out to be something.

 Today is the day James Booker was born and the day Hound Dog Taylor died. I share a birthday with the latter. Different years, obviously, but I was born the day he died. Unfortunately, I'm not quite as subtle and skillful a slide guitarist. Anyhow, I thought that was interesting. I understand if no one else does.

 So much for now. It's time for breakfast.

Waiting on the tables, waiting for the tables to turn.

  It's Tuesday, the Earth rolls on, and I'm listening to Cajun music by Bonsoir Catin. It features the youngest daughter of Cajun fiddler legend Dewey Balfa, Christine. It's more traditional than anything else and it's pretty good if you like that sort of thing, which I do. I would like to find someone I haven't heard that does Cajun music less traditional style, a la some of Jo-El Sonnier's records. The Lost Bayou Ramblers are pretty good but they're getting a little too artsy for my tastes.

 And so much for all that. In case you missed it, electors from all 50 states and the District of Columbia cast their votes yesterday. Despite talk of some "faithless elector" shenanigans swinging in to save Trump, it went the way the election did. Joe Biden won 306 to 232, an ass kicking by any other consideration.

 Of course, the silly bastard's still crying about fraud and his Faithful are misunderstanding the Twelfth Amendment to the point where now they're hitching their wagon to "alternative electors" putting Trump in for another term. In a word, no. In three words, ain't gonna happen.

 I know I keep saying I'll quit writing about this, but it keeps getting wilder and deeper. I don't know if comparisons to flat Earthers or people who think professional wrestling is real and the moon landing isn't really fully encapsulate the level of reality-denying done by the Base. And for Donald Trump, of all people. That must've been one hell of a TV show.

 It's being said Trump lost due to COVID-19, but I don't think that's so. I think the election would've been tight even without him blundering the pandemic response as bad as he did. People hated this guy, that's what his flock refuses to understand. Early voting would've still happened and I give it even odds Joe Biden would've beaten him either way.

 However, his response to COVID-19 could've won him the election. Had he handled it properly, not just encouraging people to wear masks and social distance or working with Congress to provide some sort of meaningful stimulus packages along with renter's guarantees. That would've been fine, but what's really screwed us all over is how vehemently he argued it wasn't that big a deal or that all the worrying was just another attempt by the Democrats, Deep State, and the rest of the world to make him look bad.

 Seriously, had he taken it seriously and worked as he did, he would've won handily. But if Trump could be something other than a small-minded, petty boob, he wouldn't be where he is today. That's why his flock loves him so. They see in him an excuse to be mean, petty, stupid, and cruel because it means their dicks aren't as small as they fear.

 And so much for all of that. I don't know what else there is to talk about. I stayed up way, way too late last night playing XCOM 2 so I've been dragging all day. I'm thinking I might call it an early night tonight, get some reading in, and shut it down early. Yeah, that sounds good.

Now I can see I've been away too long.

 Man, Charley Pride died today. He was 86 and died from complications for COVID-19. So that's another one lost to a virus that conservatives are still calling a "hoax" or a "plan." Rotten bastards. Eighty-six is a respectable age, particularly for a country singer, and Charley was one of the best. I would've loved to hear a no-holds-bar interview or read a book about his experiences in country music and Nashville. Being one of the first Black superstars - and the only Black singer of any significance since DeFord Bailey since the '30s - is something else.

 For me, one of country music's biggest shames, maybe the biggest, is the racism inherent in it. The fans would eventually give in like they did with Charley, but they're never cool about it. The business end almost refuses to believe that a black person could even like country music, much less want to sing it. I hope this comes out properly, but I've exposed a lot of black people of all ages to country music and never once have they come away without digging at least one song.

 I didn't care for the tune so much but I'm glad Lil Nas X had such a hit with "Old Town Road." No doubt due to his initial popularity with Hootie & The Blowfish, Darius Rucker's consider a country music mainstay. That's good. It's different now and there are a lot more folks sneaking around the bottom of the mainstream and Americana charts, but I can't think of any. That's on me, though, but that's how it should be. Thanks, Charley. You were the greatest.

 Well. Moving on, let's lay down some links to this week's News. It was a pretty good week overall, but there was a lot of good news going down. Monday we touched on the thuggery Florida governor Ron DeSanti launched against whistleblower Rebekah Jones. Again, for all the hooting and hollering conservatives do about "tyrannical government" and "free speech," they're pretty damn silent on this issue.

 Wednesday we looked at that goofy as affidavit slimeball Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton launched to get the U.S. Supreme Court to overturn voting results in four states that weren't Texas. Over two-thirds of House Republicans signed on and 18 attorney generals from Trump-supporting states signed on, even though it was poorly argued and completely nonsensical. Naturally, as we saw Friday, the Court slapped it down, pretty much killing any chance Trump had of peacefully staying in power.

 And that should be that. Of course, the yay-hoos - made up of Alex Jones, the Proud Boys, and other groups of dingbats who're pissed off at reality - are having a "stop the steal" march in Washington, D.C. For the most part, they're being roundly and rightly mocked, but there is an air of unease. Jones, for example, is calling for President-Elect Joe Biden to be removed "one way or another." He's a clown but a lot of deluded assholes take him more seriously than anyone should.

 Still, we live in a world where someone shooting someone else because that person's cell phone went off in a theater is seen as perfectly logical. We live in a culture where people still think a kid who shot up a black church after praying with them is seen as understandable. We live in a culture where folks think a teenager going to another town to "protect" someone else's business and his wind up shooting three people is considered admirable.

 Don't get it twisted, The MAGA faithful are willing to do just about anything for Trump and all the results of the last month haven't made a dent. If someone disagrees with him or doesn't do automatically becomes part of the "Deep State" and in on the worldwide conspiracy to be mean to Trump. Even the three Supreme Court justices that he appointed are the Enemy.

 Will they be violent? I wouldn't be surprised. Highland Park, Kyle Rittenhouse, the Proud Boys, the El Paso shooting, and the pipe-bomb guy show they have plenty of folks who don't have a problem with spilling a little blood in the name of their New Messiah. I'm not saying they will, I'm just saying watch yourself, friends and neighbors.

 They consider you the Enemy. They see themselves as Warriors of God. They see Trump - Donald Trump, of all people - as worth killing you over. Don't trust in them just flapping their gums and swinging their dicks. Some of them are serious and the rest will be fine with it. Believe that.

Programing Note

  I have some Actual Paying Work to do tonight, so we're going to skip today's sad attempt to come up with something worth reading. In any event, it's the same stupid shit it's been all week. Over 100 House Republicans signed on to the affidavit filed by Texas AG Ken Paxton, even though it misspelled "Louisiana." Seriously, people, check your spelling. It's not that hard.

 Interestingly, twenty-two state attorney generals sign an affidavit opposing the Texas deal, calling it an attempt to overturn a legal election. One of them was North Carolina's Josh Stein. He's a Democrat but Trump won North Carolina fairly handily. There's also a number of opposing affidavits from conservative politicians and legal folk saying that it's not worth trashing the Constitution just to keep Trump from having the sads.

 This, of course, won't make a dent with the Base. And it's really no wonder why so many Republicans in Congress are willing to tie their wagons to something so obviously inept and corrupt. They've seen the writing on the wall. They know what the party is now. They know if they go against Trump, they'll be primaries by someone who thinks the big ol' crybaby actually looks like he does in Ben Garrison cartoons. The Base is probably willing to die for Trump, some anyway, but they're all willing to sink a "RINO's" career if they step out of line.

 Okay. Enough for now. I have work to do and don't feel like staying up all night to get it done. Maybe if something interesting pops up, yadda yadda.

You may change you're mind 'cause the weeds are high where corn don't grow.

 Before we get too deep into it, I want to PR something from the WordPress site. If you haven't heard, data scientist Rebekah Jones had her home invaded by agents of Florida's law officials, had her family held at gunpoint, and saw her phone, computer, and data confiscated. Jones won praise for setting up the Sunshine State's COVID-19 database earlier in the year but was fired in May because she wouldn't juke the stats, and this was revenge by Gov. Ron DeSantis.

 Since her firing, she's been maintaining a couple of websites documenting and analyzing the information about the pandemic across the nation and specifically for public schools. The state of Florida claims she hacked their database based on an email sent that told them to "do their jobs before another 17,000 people die." Jones maintains she doesn't even know how to do that.

 This is important stuff, y'all. From what all I can tell, the law dogs executed the warrant properly, though one wonders why they thought a data scientist was that dangerous. But, hey, cops are the craziest peoples. Regardless, if you're the type to rage about censorship and government oversight, here you go. This is the real deal. Getting banned by Twitter or a governor saying you should wear a mask and maybe skip church decidedly ain't.

 Speaking of bullshit people worry about rather than something actually important, the U.S. Supreme Court rejected an attempt by the GOP to overturn the Pennsylvania election results. This was spearheaded by Rep. Mike Kelly of the Keystone state but the Court basically said it ain't happening. They didn't say why, they just refused to hear the case which had already been rejected by the Pennsylvania Supreme Court.

 Some said it was ill-conceived and many pointed out that Kelly waiting until literally the last minute to file with the U.S. Supreme Court did him no favors. So that joins the plethora of legal attempts by people loyal to Trump to deny the reality of the situation but has failed miserably. The current hotness comes from Texas Attorney General and overall embarrassment Ken Paxton. He's filed a suit saying Wisconsin, Georgia, Pennsylvania, & Michigan all changed their election process illegally and that hurts Texas. Somehow. Throwing more fuel to the whole "Trump was robbed" fire even though everyone involved says there is absolutely no evidence whatsoever of fraud, the general consensus is the rotten scumbag is full of shit as a Christmas goose.

 Of course, none of the officials' claims, court failures, or indeed lack of solid evidence outside their drunken uncle's Facebook page is making a dent in the Faithful. Even sentient spoiled lump of SPAM Ted Cruz is getting kudos for being so brave as to offer his skills as a lawyer to argue the case that won't go before the Supreme Court. And, yes, the Trumpists are already claiming the majority conservative Supreme Court, which has three justices appointed by Trump, is corrupted and in on the Big Steal.

 And that's where the world is today. I should've saved all this for tomorrow's News, but what the hell, eh? Like my therapist said today, between the Jones business, the ongoing meltdown of Conservative America learning they are, in fact, the baddies, and the implications of the House of Representatives passing the MORE Act, I've got plenty to write about for quite a while one way or another.

 I think that's good. As a programming note, I've got some Actual Paying Work to get done Thursday. So unless a wild hair gets me, the Gibberish will be shorter than normal. For all that means, anyway. In the meantime, XCOM beckons.

Faded love, faded memories, how they linger in my mind.

  It's Saturday and the Alabama-LSU game is in high gear. Right now it's the end of the first quarter and the Crimson Tide is stomping the Tigers from Baton Rouge 21-0. Of course, there are three whole quarters to go. My alma matta Florida took out the loathed Volunteers of Tennessee 31-19. If all goes well, this could set up an Alabama-Florida battle for the SEC title. That would, of course, be a game that would have no losers and no winners, but it'd be a good game nonetheless.

 Okay, then. Enough sports. That's not why you come here. I don't know why you come here, but here we are. I've been getting a good number of hits lately, both here and over at The News, more so than the average one would see from webcrawlers and bots. So that's nice, much obliged. And that's as good as anything for a segue.

 I did a deep dive Friday on the MORE Act, which was passed early yesterday afternoon. The full story is at the link, but in a nutshell, it would remove marijuana from the list of Schedule One drugs and be the first step towards decriminalization and perhaps legalization. If we're lucky, it'll also be the first step towards expunging the records of non-violent drug offenders and operations to communities that have suffered the worst from the ill-conceived Drug War of the last half-century. It's good stuff, read it.

 Monday and Wednesday were fairly coming. More stuff on Trump's ongoing temper tantrum at the curb-stomping he got from the election and the delusions of the cult followers that are accomplishing nothing more than lining his pockets, the poor saps. There's some stuff on just how screwed we are from going into Winter with COVID-19 barely slowed down because we as a culture are too damn selfish and stupid. And finally a little bit on Neena Tearden, cabinet nominations in general, and why most of the garment rendering from the soi-disant left is ill-conceived and just another excuse for them to not actually have to do anything substantial. Also good stuff.

 Oh my. Just a few minutes into the second quarter and LSU has snagged two touchdowns, bringing the score up to 28-14. 'Bama better watch out, as it doesn't pay well to underestimate the Tigers here lately. It'd be a helluva thing if 3-4 LSU handed the Tide their first conference loss in this of all games. And though I spent nearly a decade in New Orleans, I feel no loyalty to LSU like I feel nothing for Georgia. Football is an emotional thing, don't let anyone tell you otherwise.

 Okay, so what else? I don't know. I think I'm shaking off the blues I've had all week though I'm still doing more sleeping than is probably healthy. Regardless - or perhaps due to - that disconnect from the rest of the world continues. I couldn't tell you why even if I cared, but I don't so that doesn't really help, does it? Blogger, journalist, and all-around gadfly Glenn Greenwald's getting a lot of flack on Twitter lately, there's something.

 It is understandable, really, as he's gone further and further from the modicum of gravitas he built up from his blogging days and solid investigative journalism work by being Tucker Carlson's most recent "even" leftist and being complicit in the burning of Reality Winner. For what it's worth, I'm rather neutral on him. I read his blog a good bit during the Iraq War after he decided it was "bad," but lost all use for him when he started caping for Ron Paul. I don't give a damn what he says, his actions prove the lie to every line of bullshit the Distinguished Asshole from Texas ever laid out.

 Greenwald approaches journalism like the lawyer he is. He assumes the worst and then looks for evidence to back him up. That in and of itself isn't necessarily bad, but it seems he has a problem letting go when his initial assumptions prove misguided or flat-out wrong. His continued parroting of right-wing talking points about the Mueller Report proves that. In any event, he's a fine example of one of my axiomatic positions on journalists of all stripes: the facts and the story matters, the person who wrote it doesn't.

 Finally, in never-ending election news, Trump held one of his rallies down in Valdosta, GA, ostensively to support the sleazy Kelly Loeffler and the criminal David Perdue. However, to the surprise of absolutely no one, he's made it all about himself and how everyone is mean to him and how all his followers are victims and whah whah whah. There was even a "Fight For Trump" chant that drowned out the two Senators during their speech, which makes the idea that Georgia Republicans will boycott the election to "teach" the GOP a lesson, which would cause the two crooks' loss.

 Wouldn't that be just the perfect capper to the Trump Years?

I read about it free in a fifty-cent illustrated guide.

 I don't know where or how to start, so I'll just start. It's cold and gloomy here, raining most of the day. We'd gotten extremely cold earlier in the week, I mean high twenties to low thirties. We're in the forties now with the rain but once it moves out tomorrow morning sometime it's going to drop back down to colder than it needs to be.

 Interesting as hell, I know, but the rest of the world is exhausting. COVID-19 continues to gallop. We've had two days in a row with over 2,000 new cases here in Mississippi and over 2,000 deaths across the U.S. California's looking at a necessary lockdown, and Thursday Night Football was canceled because of the teams being too sick.

 I posted a tweet about a Valley boy coming down with the virus and got a very good essay on what folks can do to protect themselves. It's called "What you can do if someone you know gets a COVID-19 infection or exposure," and it was written by a gentleman named Scott Liebrand. He's a "network architect" out in Seattle, but the piece has information from a doctor, one Dr. Howard Liebrand, MD.

 It's all basic, common sense stuff, but that seems to be in short supply these days. Apparently, a couple from New Mexico tested positive but decided a trip to Hawaii was still a killer bee idea. Joe Biden says he'll ask Americans to wear masks for 100 days once his term starts. This will only be a request but I'm sure it's a matter of time before the Wingnut World will decide they're being oppressed.

 Speaking of the Presiden-elect, Trump and his cultist are still fighting against reality but manage to prove they're little more than a sad pack of ignorant bastards. I'm sure everyone interested enough has seen the video of the drunk lady rambling on or Rudy Giuliani cutting a fart, and lucky for them, none of this is happening in a court of law. Meanwhile, Arizona's certified for Biden and Trump's people lost another motion for a hearing to junk nearly 20,000 votes.

 It's fairly ridiculous, especially since the Base cannot accept that so many people across the political spectrum loathed Trump. I mean, people hated his guts. Even Bush Jr. or Reagan haven't garnered this much hatred from so many people, and I know plenty of folks who consider those two absolute monsters. As awful as Trump is, even I don't think he carries the same amount of sin as Bush Jr. and Reagan. Close, but not near.

 But America hates his guts, MAGA folks, and you really need to accept that. You are a minority. Even among the 74 million that voted for him, I'd be willing to bet most people that did held their nose to do so because they were worried about the incoming socialism of "Red" Joe Biden, et al. You're not only a small percentage of the population, you're a joke and people think you're pathetic.

 "How did so many people vote for a guy who hid in his basement and didn't campaign." Simple, for one, they hate Trump, remember? That moved a lot of folks. For two, Biden didn't "hide in his basement" and he actually did a fairly smart campaign. He just didn't have those weird rallies you weirdos treated like Beatles concerts.

 They hate his kids, too, you know. Ivanka's bellyaching because she's having to testify about one of their cheesy motels getting government money and whining about being persecuted. Lady, they hate your guts. They hate your weasel husband, both your brothers, the younger's dullard wife and the older's screwball side piece. They felt sorry for Tiffany until she showed her true colors as a Trump. But they really hate you. The MAGA folks love you but they are a minority.

 And Republicans are starting to devour each other. Dan Crenshaw, the complete jackass Representative from Texas, said Lin Wood shouldn't be telling Georgians not to vote in the January run-off. Michelle Malkin, trying to be relevant again, is leading the MAGA charge in calling him a globalist, a RINO, and the source of all evil. Good. The Republican Party and, indeed, the conservative infrastructure needs to be destroyed, smashed into pieces, burned into ashes, and then buried.

 If they do it to themselves, so much the better.

I know that you know that I'm wrong.

  Much like this weekend, I'm writing this around 11 p.m. because I really don't have much going on in my head. I stayed up too late writing and reading last night, so I wound up sleeping most of the day. Maybe I should count what I wrote last night because technically I wrote it today.

 I didn't wind up saving it, though, and it was less coherent than the fiction sketches I've been doing. Granted, I haven't been messing with them much lately. Waiting for another spurt of creativity, I guess. No, last night was basically jumped up Twitter posts but ones not even worth posting so there's that there then.

 But it is writing and it is the mechanical process and I guess that's what is really important, right? Write even though it doesn't make sense or it isn't going anywhere? Of course, now Otis is acting like a little shit and I have to watch he doesn't destroy something having his little fit for whatever the reason he has his those fits. I wonder if he wants treats. Let's try that.

 Well, that seems to have calmed him down some. He's at least stopped trying to climb the bookshelf, though he's still shivering and whining. The down mood I was in this weekend is still around, with a touch of irritation. I wish for the life of me I could figure out what his hang-up is. He doesn't want to play or eat or go outside, the only constant is I have to be around. For the longest time, he was mad at me for leaving him while on the Big Trip, but that seems to be gone. He seems to have adjusted well enough to our new life and, for the most part, it seems he prefers it over life in New Orleans.

 Anyhow. Hey, I finally caught some decent movies on Tubi. One was called Demon Squad. A very low-budget affair with some dodgy action, it was sort of a supernatural noirish take with demons and magic relics. Sort of like Cast A Deadly Spell or a better version of the Alone In The Dark adaptation, perhaps the tv adaptation of the Jim Butcher books. There was some good make-up work and lead Khristin Fulmer did a solid job in the role of swaggering, smart-ass private dick Nick Moon. It was low budget but they made the most of what they had. Recommendation.

 The other was perhaps better with a higher budget. It was called I Had A Bloody Good Time At House Harker. I'm wary of indie-made horror comedies with long titles, but this was pretty good. Long story short, the descendants of Jonathan and Mina Harker deal with scorn, poverty, and the return of vampires. Again, they did pretty good work with their budget and there were parts that were actually funny. There's nothing worse, I mean nothing worse than a comedy that is not funny. This gets a Recommendation, too, so check both out if you have a couple hours to kill.

 Hey, that's word count. Nothing was said, of course, but it's the journey not the arrival, right? I hope so.