Programming note.

  I have some Actual Paying Work to do tonight, so this is going to be short. It's an interesting topic, on dram shop laws, and I'll let you look that up for yourself. Considering how infertile my brain is as often as not, I'm thinking about stopping this.

 That is, stop writing Gibberish every Tuesday, Thursday, & Saturday. Half the time I forget about it because most of the time I have no interesting ideas. I'd still write something from time to time when I had something to write about, but I have to wonder if trying to squeeze toothpaste from an empty tube is doing me any good.

 I'm going to think on it. I wonder if I've run this experiment into the ground. The News is still doing what it needs to do for me, but there's just no way I can turn that into anything but a hobby. How all those Substack folks can do what they do and live with themselves, I don't know.

 Anyway, it might just be my blues talking. Once Fall comes around or the pandemic breaks, maybe I'll be in a better, more productive mood. Time to get to work. I'm drifting and if I'm going to drift, I'm going to get paid for it.

Programming note.

  I have some Actual Paying Work due tomorrow, so probably no Gibberish tonight. I know, contain your disappointment. But my brother's visiting and he's keeping Momma busy. Plus, he brought me a bit of the good smoke, so that's nice.

Programming note.

  I have some Actual Paying Work to get done tonight. It's not all that difficult, research-wise, but it is a good bit. Plus, I have nothing interesting to say about anything. The media reaction to the Afghanistan withdrawal is tedious and predictable. So is the reaction of the war pig bloggers and pundits from the early days of the War on Terror reminding everyone they should be beaten about the head and kidneys with a fungo bat until they spit teeth and piss blood. And you can't get me to care about Tim Tebow being cut by the Jags after one pre-season nor the outrage his fanboys have if someone dares speak ill of his ability or lack thereof.

 Anyhow. Read the News this week as I got some APW due Friday. As you were.

UPDATE 8:30 PM

 I've said it before, but my subconscious hates my guts. I had a dream where I was telling an erstwhile girlfriend I wasn't jealous of her new beaux because he made her happy where I couldn't, and that's what's important. Which is something I firmly believe and have told several former romantic affiliations. People want intimacy, I can't do that, and no one's been a big enough influence.

She asked if "what about you," and I told her not everyone gets to be happy. Which is something else I firmly believe. There are loads of single, childless people out there who are flat miserable. But there are also many partnered folks with kids who are flat miserable. Plenty of them are happy, too, but the point is there's no indicator for happiness.

 That all being said, it's a bummer of a thing for your subconscious to just cut the shit and tell you this. I don't know what you'd do about that.

And if you take more of those, you will get an overdose.

  I really don't have anything tonight, but what the hell. I had thought about doing something on the quality of the Hohner harmonicas I've bought recently, but I think I'll wait on that until Saturday. I was waiting on the Big River harp. It came - and it's a pretty decent little harp, for the record - but I have some thoughts I think need to marinate a bit.

 I'm half tempted to give this a miss. I picked up some Actual Paying Work, two more of those dull-as-dirt lawyer pages. I'd meant to just knock out the easy part of both but wound up finishing the whole kaboodle. So, of course, it was 9 a.m. before I finally went down this morning and all day has been a struggle. There's not much to them, but they're so tedious. I'm finishing up the proofreading while I write this, just to prove I can multi-task.

 Okay, that's one down. I could've picked up more, but man, those things are like pulling teeth. Describing suburbs is bad enough, but when I have to figure out different ways to explain why people need lawyers without repeating myself, whew boy. I enjoy having paid work, but man, I wish I could be doing something else.

 Frankly, I wish I could write something else besides the News. I haven't messed with any fiction since the last stuff came to me in a dream. Maybe I should roll with something from Stellar Tactics because I like that setup. I know I've said it multiple times, but I prefer fiction where the protagonist isn't the Chosen One or the Only One Who Can Save Us. It's one of the reasons I like Rincewind from Terry Pratchett's books. He's just a guy caught up in big things and would really rather not be there. Same thing with Arthur Dent, heroes are overrated. Now, back to work.

 All right, that's all I'm fooling with. Maybe more later, but what the hell. I'd decided to get some harmonica repair tools, but an official kit costs anywhere from $120-$350. So, I got some little screwdrivers for glasses and, boom. I was able to fix the Midnight Blue that was dead on Draw 3 and I'm very happy. Also, thanks to this guy, I was able to figure out how to keep from have a dead sound on Draw 2. I'd thought for years I was blowing out harps, but no, it's just persnickety. Ain't that a thing?

 That's a good site, too, by the by. Lots of neat stuff there, so check it out. It's comparable to Jake's site, but there's no end to good harmonica info on the web. I've said it before, but approaching this from the perspective of learning why things sound good when they're used in the proper place is a lot of fun. Learn an instrument, it's the best thing you can do to rewire your head that won't get you arrested.

 I don't know what else. I may come back, but I probably won't. I may call it an early night because I still sort of feel crappy from last night. What a drag it is getting old, indeed.

Programming note

  I picked up some Actual Paying Work tonight. Two pieces at 800 words each with the option to do more articles should I choose. They look to be pretty simple on their own with the only challenge is trying to come up with a different way of saying the same thing, essentially, for both pieces. Sort of like writing about baseball. Or tennis, Christamighty, that was a nightmare.

 And since I am still under whatever load of fat made of depression, fear, and self-loathing that's been sitting on my face and farting for the past couple of weeks, this is probably going today's Gibberish. I know, try to contain your grief. Unless something tries to crawl out of my brain, of course, but I'm not going to hold my breath and neither should you. I am thinking of writing something on the downfall of Hohner harmonicas, though. I have to wait until the Big River I ordered gets here, which should be Monday. The mail's being a shitass, though, so who knows. Still haven't got my Paul Butterfield book.

Workin' for a livin'.

  I've got some Actual Paying Work to get done before tomorrow and, naturally, I've only dabbled with it throughout the week. I've got three articles due, all with an 800-word count, which puts me way over my own personal goal. So, since all my brainpower will probably be sucked dry by the time I finish them, this is what we're doing for today's Gibberish. If something clever just needs to be put down in digital print and isn't useful for the APW, I shall return. Otherwise, see y'all in the funny papers.

If I had my way, I'd never get the urge to roam.

  I've put this off all evening because I just haven't been in the mood. But it's fifteen after eleven and I should see if I can't get something done before midnight.

 I'm a little burnt out on paying attention to things. Woke, cancel culture, critical race theory, should we be paying attention to Trump announcing he's starting a LiveJournal, blah blah and increasingly blah. I don't know whether this is a result of having a president who's still in the boring phase of his presidency and one who is, well, boring. I can understand a little the idea the Bigtime Press is having trouble dealing with Life After Trump.

 That being said, I can also agree with folks who make up said press' readership saying how goddamn tired they are of reporters trying to keep Trump in the news. Well, trying to make "Biden's people react to Trump" is what they're considering news, apparently. On the plus side, it's always a good laugh when Press Secretary Jen Psaki rhetorically smacks some overpaid goofball's hand for asking a dumbass question about Trump.

 Still, Trump is important to the GOP. They're trying the eviscerate Lynn Cheney and Mitt Romney for their disloyalty to that weird asshole. It's very, very silly. I knew he'd have an outsized impact on the future of the GOP, but this is ridiculous. The flipside of all this is everyone who wants to stay in with the base is a complete douchebag on Twitter while complaining on the Sunday morning television shows how Big Tech and Big Media are censoring them. That geek Josh Hawley actually said while being interviewed on tv by that the reporter couldn't "cancel, censor or silence" him which is what he considers "asking a question clarifying a statement" as he hawks his new "vote for me for president in 2024" book.

 Like I said, tedious. Even more tedious is the drawers-twisting outrage conservatives are having on critical race theory. Everything is CRT. Diversity training is CRT. History that puts forth the controversial idea that chattel slavery was "bad" is CRT. Acknowledging the systematic racism that affected the lives of African Americans throughout the 20th century still has an impact on culture is CRT. Affirmative Action is CRT. 

 It's so dumb. I'm not interested in debating the merits of CRT but, for the record, I don't really see a problem with it. It's driven white folks nuts, though, to the point where anti-CRT types have slipped right over the edge of common sense. I saw one goob claimed writers Ralph Ellison and Richard Wright disproved CRT, which tells me this person not only doesn't know what CRT is, he's never read a lick from the two authors' work. Guess they learned the name of another Black intellectual besides Dr. King.

 Okay. I don't know if I can squeeze out any more. I do have some Actual Paying Work this week, due Friday. I don't know how that will affect this week's output, but who knows. I've been playing The Witcher 3 the last couple of days and I think I've got into the groove of the game. I may have to take a break, though, the thing is so goddamn dense. I'm also bouncing around with a couple of books and haven't found one that holds my attention. Nothing but harmonicas these days, y'all.

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.

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.

We'll hold up our glasses against evil forces.

  Okay. I have some Actual Paying Work to do tonight, plus Momma's got supper almost done. And I think Tuesday's entry was so fine and slick it deserves another read. But this is now and we are here, so let's get something down.

 First off, if Thanksgiving is your bag, happy Thanksgiving. If it's not, happy Thursday. I also think we should take a moment to recognize that this day is not necessarily one of celebration for our Native friends and neighbors. And we must understand that not everyone has a blood family they can spend time with though they might have a group of friends. When I lived in Athens, I'd get together with some of the other musicians, townies, barflies, and the rest of the citizens of that particular island of misfit toys for a Thanksgiving throw-down at one of the clubs. Or it's like that story about the lady and youngster who started a tradition due to a missent text. That's just damn sweet.

 Anyhow, enough of all that. Have a good time whatever you do and try to be good to each other. That's all ye know and all ye need to know. It's really not any more complicated than that. We've just chosen to make life more difficult than it really needs to be all for the benefit of a relative few. "You're just jealous of rich people's wealth, Matt." No, I'm jealous because they can do anything they want and not have to work a soul-destroying job just to eat. The main reason they can do that is because we the people work those jobs and they get the profit. It's a helluva thing.

 Whoops. Getting a little dark there, and no one really wants more melancholy gloom and doom on the holidays. Regardless of the truth therein because the truth is not always pleasant. But that's life and we must muddle through. I'm not particularly interested in the news today, though the antics of Sidney Powell continue to entertain. Apparently, donations to the cause mean writing a check directly to her. Yeah, buddy. Beats working, I suppose.

 I finally got around to watching Oblivion last night. It's cheeseball as hell and goes maybe just a bit too far with it - they made a Man-Thing joke, but I won't lie it made me laugh - it's nevertheless a nice way to blow 90 minutes or so. It's getting basically a five out of ten from most review amalgamations and that's about right. I'd go higher because I dig westerns, sci-fi, and general silliness, but that's just me. One's mileage may vary, naturally. I'll get around to the sequel the next day or so.

 What else is there? I don't know. I've been playing Phantom Doctrine but I've said enough about that already. I doubt have anything interesting to add. Momma's in there talking to my brother and I saw my cousin's oldest boy at the gas station. My big extended country family usually gets a couple times a year, usually Thanksgiving. Of course, we're not this year and that's a drag. In any event, I just heard the dinner bell and this is word count. Be well, friends and neighbors, and take care of each other. It does no good to make life any harder than it needs to be.

I was made to play the part.

 We're on the sixteenth (16) day of the 2020 Presidential Election. Though he has yet to accept the reality of the situation, Trump's chances are drifting further away and Joe Biden's victory becomes more solid. They recently finished up a count in Georgia, confirming his victory. After the election commission declined to challenge the Michigan vote based on a pair of GOP members' blatantly racist attempts to toss out votes from the predominately African American Detroit while ignoring more suspicious if predominately White communities, those same weasels said they wanted a do-over. It was past due, so nothing can come of it, but an interesting wrinkle is Trump himself took an active role in getting them to monkey with the count.

 And depending on how it's approached, that might be illegal. Much like how Senator Lindsey Graham's attempts to influence Georgia's count in his master's favor might be illegal, at that level it all depends on how bad they fumbled it and just who they've pissed off along the way. In any event, the Trump gang have withdrawn their lawsuit, saying it's served its purpose of, and I quote, "to stop the election in Wayne County from being prematurely certified before residents can be assured that every legal vote has been counted and every illegal vote has not been counted." In other words, they wanted to slow down the inevitable since the game was over Tuesday night, and that's supposed to be a victory. Otherwise, they're like 2-27 when it comes to lawsuits trying to change what can't be changed.

 So much for all of that. As I've noted a number of times, I am sick to death of writing about the election, just as I'm sick to death of writing about whatever soft-headed bullshit Trump and his goons pull next. Either as president or trying to be president again, I am tired of that fool's very existence. Don't get it twisted, I wish him no special or particular harm. I just long for the day when I don't have to worry about the bastard anymore. He's a cheap punk and we're not only a poorer nation for his presidency and the viler aspects of the American Psyche it encouraged, we're a poorer culture just because a half-wit greedhead like that can become president.

 Donald Trump is an example of the American Dream being a dead and lifeless thing. He didn't kill it, but if there was actually anything to it, he would've never become a celebrity much less President and Most Powerful Man in the World. That's just all there is to it.

 Okay, then, let's move on. I have some Actual Paying Work to do tonight. It's a different beast than the usual post for a law firm to snag Google hits. Not much different, mind you, and it's more a question of for whom it's written rather than the subject matter. Either way, it's not interesting to get too deep into. Which as much as anything brings me to my next stroke.

 I often wonder just how much I should share here. Politics, naturally, and pop culture recommendations/considerations, of course. However, I find myself reticent to get too deep into my own brain here. If we met in public and became friends, you'd shortly know just about everything I tell anyone, from my closest friend to my therapist. I'm that sort of cat, I wear myself completely on my sleeve, and what I wouldn't tell you I don't tell anyone.

 My past because, quite frankly, I don't find it all that interesting. I had a good time as much as possible and when I wasn't was when things got ugly. I don't really like talking about friends and family, past or present. I have nothing but love for everyone who rides the highways with me and I've forgiven everyone I thought wronged me, whether they did or it was just my take on things.

 I really don't care to talk about my romantic history because, not to put too fine a point on it, I really can't figure it out. It's the same stroke; when I had fun it was great, when I didn't it wasn't. I'm not good at relationships or intimacy, stayed faithful if boring. I've had way more "meaningless" sexual encounters than actual relationships and I regret none of them. I don't think many women who were part of the process regretted it much, either. No one holds it against me, at least.

 The only problem, if it is indeed a problem, is it sometimes bothers me at just how inept at it. My brother celebrated his eighth anniversary earlier this week. My cousin recently hit her twenty-fifth. Some of my closest friends have recently clocked ten years together. My parents were together 44 years before my father died.

 I don't understand any of it. My last girlfriend is a wonderful human being and was in love with me. I was not in love with her, or at least I don't think. She's still one of my Better Angels and is better off with her current fella. Most of the ones before her I haven't talked to in at least five years. No real reason, just when it's over I think it's over.

 There's no regret or wistfulness at losing their affection, either. If they never think of me, fine. Indeed, the one woman I actually burned for and wanted body and soul... well, let's just say I could've had a one-night stand if I wanted. She was right there and ready to go, believe you me. But that one time it wasn't enough to have sex and go on with life. She still drifts across my mind, but I'm so glad I'm not the man in her life now, some fifteen years later.

 At the time, passion clouded my thinking and desire destroyed reason. When it fell through because she chose someone else - someone she told me regularly treated her shitty but she "couldn't have two men in her heart" - I was miserable for six weeks or maybe three months. I couldn't understand why she didn't choose me when I told her I would give her anything I could and, at the time, I meant it. I would have given her the whole world. At the time.

 Nowadays, I'm happy she's happy with her life, and she is, just as I'm extremely happy I'm not the father of her children or even who she sees when she first wakes in the morning. Was it love? I still don't know and that bothers me. I know I've never felt like that for anyone since, even for women who wanted that from me and I couldn't give it. That question bothers me, but not because I wish things were different. I just don't like not knowing something and I guess that's something I'll never figure out.

 Well, neighbors, that's enough of that nonsense. Back to politics, country music, and video games, I say. We're having fun and, in any event, it's like that old New Orleans saying.

 It is what it is.

Write your own song.

  I have some Actual Paying Work due tomorrow. As of right now, I'm not particularly inspired to do much writing about anything. I'm reading Brian Greene's Hidden Reality and sort of was to get back to it. I bought it before I quit reading seven or eight years ago and just never got around to it. It's all about the possible implications of the Many-Worlds Theory and that's my current jam.

 Speaking of jam, I'm currently listening to a band from the '90s called The Freewheelers. They were signed to Def American around the same time as The Black Crowes (a favorite) by the same guy, George Drakoulis. They're not bad, but the self-titled first record really isn't all that interesting. I've got the second album, too, which is supposed to be better, but so far... meh.

 On that note, I will say that Apple Music is the best thing invented by man. For around ten bucks a month, I get unlimited access to not quite every piece of music released but pretty damn close. I'm often shocked at what I find, some really obscure shit or long-dead indie band trying to get something out of the whole mess. It gives me a chance to listen to stuff that I previously wouldn't have taken a chance on, as funds are limited.

 It's been fairly successful, as far as that goes. I've reassessed my opinion on '70s California country-rock, discovered some of the neat '60s garage rock bands that fell through the cracks, and reaffirmed my belief that most music released these days, even blues and country, really isn't for me. See? The internet doesn't have to suck and the big corporations don't have to be complete shits.

 Okay, that's it for now. I figure the APW will put me over the word count. If I get inspired, though, I'll come back. Don't hold your breath, though.

It's not what I did, it's what I didn't do.

  I have some Actual Paying Work to do tonight, so I'm going to blast through this and move on with my evening. We are still, still counting ballots from Tuesday's elections, particularly in four states. Nevada, Arizona, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, and Georgia. Joe Biden has a fairly solid lead in Nevada while Trump is still squeaking it out in Pennsylvania and North Carolina.

 Interestingly, Georgia's become the battleground. The last I heard, Trump was up by a slim 3,000 votes, which is pretty startling. Have no illusions about what you think of Atlanta because Georgia is a hard-core conservative state that's sending a Q-dingbat to the House of Representatives unchallenged. That being said, there's a lot of anger in the state about the shaft they got in 2018, particularly among African American voters.

 Either way, so long as Biden nails down Nevada, he's got this in the bag. From all appearances, it looks like he does, even though Trump's gone on TV this evening to complain about it and subtly threaten he'll use the Supreme Court to twist things his way. Apparently, most of the networks have switched away from the temper tantrum, which sort of fits in with my theory that The Powers That Be are sort of tired of Trump's bullshit and aren't giving him the benefit of the doubt. Apparently, even The New York Post is turning on him.

 Trump is trying to blame all this on Democrats, especially in Georgia where all the officials and the governor are Republicans. I'm sure that will play well with his Base who still don't really care to acknowledge reality if it's contra to Father Trump's wishes. I do wonder where this going to go, win or lose, with the Republican Party and how it relates to the base they've developed to act just like this for the past 30 years.

 I could see them quietly pretending the last four years didn't happen. Both Bushes' presidencies have gone down the memory hole and no one really pays any attention to Sarah Palin anymore. It's a question of what the Base will do, though. A plethora of Republicans either dumped Trump or they held their nose for the tax cuts and I figure they'll be fine pretending Trump was just an aberration.

 The Base, though, is another story. The people who have boat parades and block off highways and buy those pictures of Jesus hugging Trump, that kind. Those folks aren't going to be giving up their Second Savior anytime soon. Plus, the popularity and availability of social media have drawn them together in a way that just didn't exist with Bush Jr. or Palin.

 It was a common argument at the end of the Bush Jr. administration that there was a split coming in the Republican Party. It didn't happen, of course, and in fact, it could be argued that movements like the Tea Party made the GOP tighter than it had ever been. That same Tea Party mentality, though, led to an atmosphere that made a cheap authoritarian who banks of his celebrity for gravitas like Trump become inevitable.

 So where do they go from here? Will some full-on fascist loon like Tom Cotton has the charisma to bring in the people who just want tax cuts together with the people who want to see liberals made into soap? I wouldn't be surprised one way or another, but I doubt we'll see a massive split in the party anytime soon. Or at least after Trump's no longer a part of the scene. His weird kids do not have his swing and anyone who says otherwise is high on their own farts.

 Okay. That's word count. Supper's done and I have work to do. Relax, it'll all be over soon.

It's a rough and rocky road, and it's hard, hard, hard.

  I've got some Actual Paying Work to get done tonight and, frankly, I'm not particularly in the mood for this. The world is a mess and it's wearing me out. How y'all who are actually engaged and have some skin in the game get through the day without throwing a screaming na-na, I don't know.

 The second debate, a town hall format, was supposed to go down tonight, but that ain't happening. As we all know, Trump got sick and Joe Biden wasn't down with the idea of being in the same room as that guy, yadda yadda yadda. So the end result is each of them is doing their own town hall on different networks. The upshot is, of course, I'm not watching either.

 Not to put too fine a point on things, I really doubt there's much movement left in the needle. People may not admit who they'll vote for once they get in the booth, but they already know. Rudy Giuliani's attempt to smear Hunter Biden yesterday seems to have evaporated like a fart in a hurricane. Wingnuts won't let it go, of course, even if it contradicts itself. I imagine we'll be hearing about this for at least the next year if Biden wins.

 Speaking of wingnuts, Trump made a comment at one of his rallies about the execution of that anti-fascist activist in Portland who shot and killed someone connected to the Patriot Prayer bunch. The President of the United States of America said, in essence, the U.S. Marshalls didn't want to do anything but kill the guy right off, so they did. That of course isn't the issue at hand. We all know Trump's a violent, mean-spirited slug.

 But I guess I really shouldn't be shocked that his rally crowd applauded and wingnuts on Twitter were almost universally cool with it. It's just another example of how the Right is down with the idea of an authoritative government stomping down on the proper people, be they from the federal government or local police. If it happens to them or one of their loved ones, well, they probably deserved it and still have no issue with the state of things.

 I've come to the point where fears of the country slipping into fascism really don't move me anymore. The more I study history - and the older, more cynical I get - the more I'm convinced we've been dancing on the edge of fascism from the get-go. We were fine with wiping out the Native tribes and cheating them every chance we got. We were fine with enslaving Black people and then keep our foot on their necks once they were freed. We had to force corporations and bosses to treat their employees like human beings rather than replaceable, expendable cuts into their profits.

 In the early 20th century, when the Great Depression was kicking into gear, we came very close to socialism before Franklin Roosevelt "saved capitalism" with the New Deal. We also came damn close to outright fascism to deal with problems, particularly the Silver Shirts. Amusingly enough, they fell to pieces after police began to arrest anyone connected with them after Pearl Harbor.

 We've never really evolved, not really. Northerners had to see Bull Connor turn a firehose on children before they decided the South was out of line. Up until the '70s Native children were taken from their parents and tribes, and forced to assimilate sometimes at danger to their own health. We see nothing at all with a society where not only cops can kill people with impunity but also one that encourages people to spend a life in debt, working a job they hate and no guarantee they'll be taken care of if they get sick.

 Whatever fascism is in the 21st century, we've never been that far from it. What we're experiencing now is part of Trump's presidency encouraging others to rip off their mask but it's mainly using the internet allowing people to be awful without consequence. And that's what they are: awful.

 Well, that's not fair. We're awful. We really are. We try to pretend it's some other aspect of us, but it's us. We let it happen. We could stop it if we wanted to, really, but we don't. Not really.

 I guess that's enough. Like I said, I've got Actual Paying Work to do and need a nap before I get into it. We'll see how it goes but I imagine tomorrow's News will be a wrap-up of an incredibly silly week.

Not going to use a good title for this.

  I have some Actual Paying Work to get done tonight, so this will be quick and dirty. Two pieces are due, actually, so I've no doubt I'll make Wordcount before too long. Luckily, I'm not much in the mood for this so no one's missing out.

 My nerves are pretty raw for some reason. I can't put my finger on it, but something has me set off. I don't know if it's my anxiety flaring up or just a general dread about the state of things. According to most folks, Kamala Harris did a solid job slapping Mike Pence around, and the Biden campaign scored another $12 million in donations. He's got a fairly solid lead over Trump in most polls and from inside my bubble, anyway, it seems everything the Blind Idiot God does is little more than fodder for the faithful.

 Of course, I don't know. Polls are one thing but reality's another. The early voting turnout has been phenomenal, but I don't put much faith in that. Not since 2004, anyway, when the largest turnout in modern history re-elected George Bush Jr. In any event, the GOP has made no bones about being perfectly happy in making it difficult as possible for people, especially the "wrong" people, to vote.

 So, I'm not sanguine about things. But I don't think that's what's rubbing me wrong. There's yet another hurricane heading to the Gulf and we're still going to do nothing about climate change due almost solely to our arrogance, but I don't think that's it, either. I really don't see Initiative 65, which would legalize medical marijuana in Mississippi, passing and God knows I could use a smoke. I doubt that's it.

 Part of it is every night from sundown to around 10 p.m., Otis spends his time quivering, whining, and occasionally tearing things up. I don't know why or where this comes from. He'd do this in Jefferson and I chalked it up to him hearing the nearby train switching station. It might be that he can't accept that we can't go walking after dark, but I don't know. He's a weird dog and hopefully his mood will change sooner than later.

 Been digging into Elite: Dangerous as of late in anticipation of a big new add-on coming early next year, Odyssey. I'll say it again, it's a great game on its own and the update looks pretty cool. On the flipside, Baldur's Gate 3 is getting less-than-glowing reviews, and it may be petty, but I'm fine with that. They're asking $60 for a 150 gig download that's still on Early Access, you have got to be kidding me. From all told, it's a mediocre RPG that looks really, really pretty.

 A lot of folks like Larian Studio's previous efforts, the Divinity: Original Sin series, but it's failed to grab me so far. Usually I give RPGs six months to a year before I even think about buying them. It takes most studios that long to not only iron out all the bugs but also by that point all the DLC has been released. Helluva thing that spending fifty bucks on a game still doesn't get you the full package.

 I'll go into it in more detail tomorrow, maybe, but the FBI busted up a plot by Boogaloo-connected buttholes to kidnap Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer. She's been a "nasty woman" thorn in Trump's ass since the COVID-19 kicked into high gear and the weirdos that are thirsting to be the jackbooted government thugs they've been fearing for the past couple of decades have made her Public Enemy Number One. This, of course, comes on the heels of Trump telling the Proud Boys to "stand back and stand by" while tweeting "liberate Michigan" in creamy all capital letters. And, of course, he made reference to it this evening by being the shit ass we all know he is and crying about Whitmer being mean to him.

 Seriously. How do so many people see this fucker as a tough, manly, alpha male? Is it the television show or just the worship of the rich? Anyhow, that's Wordcount and I've got work to do.

We didn't appreciate Cub Koda enough when we had him.

 I have some Actual Paying Work to do tonight, so I'm not going to spend much time here. Initially, anyway. I also finally let Windows update itself, and damn, if that didn't take hours. So let's lay something down for continuity's sake and perhaps I'll come back to it.

 I'm not going to lie, though. I had something earlier today, but it's gone now. It's just as well as it was a pretty dour outlook on things. On the whole, I am not hopeful we're past the "things will get worse before..." of the game yet, not by a long shot.

 For one, the city of Louisville has declared a state of emergency because they're days away from giving the verdict on the cops that murdered Breonna Taylor. I really don't think that bodes well. Worse, one of the killer cops posted an email telling other officers to do "what they need to do" to the protestors that he called "thugs," claiming everything they did the night they killed Taylor was legal and moral. Sure, which is why the initial report was full of lies and the DA tried to lean on Taylor's ex-boyfriend - the guy they were actually looking for - to implicate her without success.

 Putting aside the issue of police brutality running rampant in this country, everything I've seen shows that these cops are, at the very best, guilty of being sloppy with who they decide who needs killing. Furthermore, everything the city has done, even up to the settlement paid out to Taylor's family, tells me they know she was killed because some lunkheaded cops couldn't be bothered to do the job properly.

 People are still defending this, either saying that it's just a regrettable but necessary accident or outright lying about Taylor to make her look guilty and, thus, worthy of extrajudicial execution. And that's the thing that really bums me out the most, that there are so many people in this country that prides itself on rugged individualism are so eager to bend a knee to authority.

 I don't know if I can in good conscience argue that we don't need some sort of peace-keeping or law-enforcement force. Even if it's just to give out speeding tickets and take paperwork for insurance when someone's car gets broken into, there's a necessity. They don't protect and I think recent events have shown us that there are better ways of dealing with people in the midst of a mental episode that sending in a couple thick-necked, heavily armed, poorly trained dingbats.

 My ex worked for the public defender in New Orleans as a social worker and she regularly went to neighborhoods the police wouldn't. All 5'4" of her, and it wasn't because she was especially brave or fearless or badass. She was doing her job and while cops have their jobs, is there any question why people, especially black people, see that the police's job, whatever it is, isn't concerned with their health?

 But this turns out to a bridge too far for far too many people, especially white people. They're fine with living in a country that keeps its thumb on certain people, even if it erodes their own rights. I shouldn't be shocked at this, I know. Back after 9/11, the average American rube couldn't wait to curtail civil liberties at the government's behest for an ounce of security. All the free-speech warriors of today were fine with "free speech zones" at the 2004 Republican National Convention just like they're fine with the crackdown on protesting in Louisville and other places.

 And this isn't a partisan thing. Someone on Twitter took my condemnation of conservative thought in America as possibly choosing one side over the other, but this isn't that. In a sane culture, the Democrats would be the conservative-middle party, but that's really not important. Americans in general are fine with curtailing the Constitutionally given rights they claim to adore. They'll behave themselves, after all, so why should they care?

 Okay, that's plenty. I'm going to get to work and hope to be in a better move tomorrow. It springs eternal, they say.

Listen to the rain a-fallin'. Can't you hear that lonesome sound?

 I was supposed to have some Actual Paying Work to do tonight. However, I was told to hold off on it for reasons beyond my control, so I find myself with a free evening and no idea what to fill this space with. I've gotten to like the idea of doing a quick check-up of Gibberish on working nights, mainly because it gives me an excuse to be lazy. And if there's one thing I love above all others, it's being lazy. Mainly because I'm incredibly good at it.

 So we'll gonzo it tonight and see what we can shake loose. The country's still insane. Joe Rogan - who I never got, partly because I make it a policy to ignore people who claim the moon landing was faked - is spreading rumors that the fires out in the Pacific Northwest are due to left-wing activists, which means the current All-American Enemies Black Lives Matter and Antifa. This comes on the heels of police and firefighters in the area, as well as such radical lefties as the FBI begging people to stop spreading rumors.

 And people are still trying to debate this down. One argument I see is it's "understandable after Antifa lit so many fires in cities while protesting, despite there being not only absolutely no evidence for that but, indeed, plenty of evidence at least a few were started by right-wing agitators. Another one I saw said it was something COINTELPRO, which might be even dumber. I'm not completely sure how that's supposed to work.

 The fires happen every year, but Americans can't remember past the week before. The Pacific Northwest has had a particularly dry summer, but Americans don't take climate change seriously. There have been a few folks attempting arson for completely apolitical (usually because they have loose screws), but Americans don't want to believe anything that doesn't fit their Narrative.

 This is just another iteration of the rank Dumbness that has taken over the country. Dingbats who have no inner life are rubbing their blue-vein throbbers of the idea of getting violent against people they think won't be able to fight back. While all this is going on, we're being told that we need to reach out to people who don't share our ideological viewpoints, which means liberals/leftists shouldn't give conservatives any guff. If it's any consolation, I don't even pretend to understand.

 Moving on. Today is Hank Williams' birthday. I am a huge fan of his music and long have had a fascination with his place in pop music and American culture. Like my brother said, he's one of those hinges of society. He made songs that were designed to be enjoyed by everyone, so they were, plus he was a mean-ass, hard-drinking miserable redneck bastard, as earthy and Too Real as they come.

 He didn't live long enough to grow out of it but he also didn't live long enough to start making shit music, either because his well was dry or his hard-living caught up to him. The very real pain and misery in his life came through in his vocals, regardless of how jaunty the tempo or amusing the lyrics. And the songs? The songs are fucking great, some of the best ever written.

 So, I dig me some Hank Williams. I've written two, count 'em, two 20-plus page papers in college on Hank Williams for non-musical classes. The one music appreciation class I took, I wrote a 10-page paper on ol' Hank. He's kind of like Otis Redding or Sam Cooke; it's a shame he didn't live long enough to produce more music and we've heard all we're probably going to hear, but it's all such concentrated awesome, there's just no chaff. Like with Elvis or the Rolling Stones, who both had some stinkers.

 Okay, what else. Joe Biden did a Q-&-A with voters tonight. Apparently, he did so well the wingnuts are saying he must've got the questions beforehand. This means the guy they've been saying has dementia for the past six months is still sharp enough to memories a bunch of rather complicated answers. Sure. I really shouldn't be surprised at how quickly and effortlessly conservatives change their tune - it was beyond a doubt way before Trump became president - it nevertheless gives me a sad chuckle every time it happens.

 Speaking of which, with all this talk of cancel culture and repression of free speech (or telling racists to fuck off), I'm reminded of the Free Speech Zones during Bush Jr's second nomination. None of this is new. The Hoover government sent the Army on World War One vets who were protesting. McCarthyism destroyed life after life, career after career, and with the full backing of a cowed United States government. Palmer raids, the MOVE bombings in Philadelphia. The Whiskey Rebellions and the Free State of Jones County. None of this is new.

 The Constitution doesn't give you rights. It tells the government what it can't do, and even then, almost every amendment has been circumvented, explained away, or outright ignored. The only actual right you have is the freedom to think whatever you want to think, and far too many of us don't want to put the effort into it.

Please, somebody take your hand and slap some sense in me.

  It's been a raggedy week. Some sort of funk is still sitting on my head and I still prefer turning the rest of the world off as much as possible. Plus, I've had plenty of Actual Paying Work to get done this week, and that's eaten up most of my cleverness. So we're going to get the word count out of this and call it a day.

 I really don't know what I'm going to write about, though. Otis Clay's pretty badass and worth checking out if you like soul music. He recorded on Hi Records back in the '70s but he was from Chicago, so he's got that mix of Southern soul and Windy City soul. He was active up until his death in 2016 and did a pretty solid cover of Joe South's "Walk A Mile In My Shoes" as part of a gospel album of the same name in 2007. Anyone who does good covers of Joe South is okay in my book.

 What else. The political world is still buzzing with the revelations from the 18 interviews Trump did with Bob Woodward from February through July, which shoots holes into most of his bullshit despite his pitiful flailing. We talked a bit about this yesterday, and I'll re-emphasize what I said about it won't move his Base on inch. They love him like they're supposed to love Jesus, and one of the things they love about him is he drives everyone else up the wall with his lying, bullying, and general incompetence. Vote like the MAGA world hates and wants you dead because they do.

 One funny thing is the revelation that Woodward only sought out the first interview. The other 17 times the dumb bastard was flapping his gums was because he sought Woodward out for more. Apparently, the MAGA world is trying to throw Lindsey Graham under the bus for this while White House toadies are busy pointing fingers at each other instead of owning who left the playpen door open.

 The fires in Oregon are getting worse. I've been in contact with my brother and he says he and the missus are safe unless something drastic happens. Since the world has gone stupid, though, he is keeping an ear to the ground and they've got a bag packed. Some geniuses are blaming on Antifa lighting fires because Trump and conservative media have them convinced a group of poorly organized crust punks is the new Hydra.

 I don't know what else to get into. I'll be glad when Wingnut America finds them a new Emmanuel Goldstein so they'll quit conflating Marxism, Communism, Socialism, and Fascism. It's just tiresome to read and there's no point in trying to correct them. It's as bad as when people say "logic" when they mean "common sense but only if I agree with it." Logic is a pretty neat thing and it just bugs me when people don't even bother to understand the basics when they decide to use it as a rhetorical weapon. This isn't located just on wingnuts, though, because America did not pay attention in geometry class.

 I don't have a dog in the hunt when it comes to Marxism and all that. I'm of the belief that ideas by themselves aren't evil, it's people and how they use those ideas that are evil. Same goes for capitalism. By itself, it's just an economic theory, but greedy bastards use it as a reason to starve the world while they get fat. Or religion, for that matter. You can get men to do incredible evil in the name of God, but they're still the ones pulling the trigger.

 The reason people put so much stock into "X ideology/theory is evil" is that it places the responsibility on something other than human beings, thus removing responsibility from all of us. You're not responsible for my actions, it's Communism or Capitalism or Minarchy or what have you, so I can't be held responsible for mine, even though mine are Right and yours are Wrong. It's sort of connected to how screwed up American politics remains because everyone's looking for a Savior to make things Perfect, and that's just not how life works.

 I blame Hegel. That whole bit about "history is the process whereby the spirit discovers itself and its own concept," we never have gotten over that. Anyhow. That's word count and if something clever comes to me, I'll come back. Otherwise, see you tomorrow sometime for the week's wrap up. God help us and nothing else dumb will happen.

Not going to waste a good title for this.

  I'm going to be straight. I shut it down for most of the day and I'm not really interested in the rest of the world, much less writing down my thoughts about it. Furthermore, I have two pieces of Actual Paying Work to get done for tomorrow. I imagine that will put me well over word count. Finally, the country's still eaten up with Dumb and I might as well save any News for tomorrow.

 I might - might - come back to this at some point before tomorrow morning if the urge strikes me. I wouldn't count on it but one never knows. And so much for all of that.

UPDATE: It's 3:30 a.m. and I've finished my APW. Nice, easy stuff for a law firm down in Florida. It's amazing how little variety there is in these things, which makes keeping them getting dinged by Google a bit of a chore. But no one is expecting Go Down, Moses so it's not all bad.

 For the record, I put away about 2,000 words in two pieces, so I'm not even bothering with word count. I just got out of the shower and I'm letting my hair dry. I might go to bed when it does or I might play something. I've been digging back into Pathfinder: Kingmaker lately. I'd reached to what I think is the end but I've forgotten where I go next. There's been a massive update in the last couple of days and a lot has been changed, including a turn-based system. So I might just start all over. I don't know. It doesn't matter; it's the journey, not the arrival.

  I'm thinking about moving everything to the WordPress site but keeping the format. Do News Monday, Wednesday & Friday with a Weekend wrap-up on Sunday, and Gibberish the rest of the week. The only thing holding me back is that the Blogger site gets loads more hits. I don't doubt that the vast majority of them are webcrawlers and bots, but I don't really care. The endorphin boost I get from seeing the numbers is quite enough, especially when I get the occasional huge day.

 I don't know what else. I'm going to get a snack and see what happens afterward. And so much for all of that.

 Again.