The combination of being a bit under the weather, travel, and end-of-semester business have precluded posting the past couple of days. I should be able to remedy that later this morning.
Frankly, I’m surprised that this didn’t go the way of Roe, but I’ll take it.
The Supreme Court on Monday rejected over the objections of three conservative justices a Christian therapist’s free speech challenge to a Washington state ban on so-called conversion therapy aimed at changing a child’s sexual orientation or gender identity.
Frequently disagreed with him, but he understood and wrote to the demons riding shotgun with me.
David Drake, the author or co-author of over 80 science fiction and fantasy books, passed away on December 10, 2023 in Silk Hope, North Carolina. Drake, a Vietnam veteran and lawyer, turned to writing full-time in 1981, a few years after his first book was published.
Ah–overslept this morning, likely owing to whatever it is I’m still recovering from, and needed to run out to a 7am dental appointment. I guess I was disoriented on the day!
Wednesday is the only day I work delivering the Carbondale Times. I was on the throne this morning at 7:15am and see the OTB Forum page telling me that it’s Wednesday. Yikes! I should have been at the newspaper office an hour ago!
I almost shit a brick!
@Flat Earth Luddite: My husband and I are both big David Drake fans. The Daniel Leary series never disappoints. I think we have every book in his catalogue.
We knew he was stepping away from writing due to failing health. He was a very cool guy and will be missed.
I shoplifted the other day. I use the self checkout about a third of the time because I often buy wine with my groceries, and alcohol purchases require a human checker. This time I had no wine, and I was rushed. The store was busy with lots of people at the eight checkouts. Somehow the gadget didn’t read my chicken package, but the beeping from the other seven slots and my anxiousness not to hold things up led to me putting the unchecked package in with my other stuff. I didn’t notice till I was home reading my receipt.
I’ve been reading about the increase in shoplifting. I’m beginning to think that people are not more crime prone than before; the technology just makes it easier.
@Slugger: When my 30-year old was barely old enough to walk, his mom put him in the cart while she shopped a neighborhood grocery. After she checked out, she noticed that he had pulled a can of tuna off the shelf and dropped it in the diaper bag. She immediately took it back into the cashier owner whose reaction was to look at her like she was grooming a criminal.
@Slugger: I did something similar last year. I looked at a tool, dithered about buying it, put it back, then decided to buy it after all. I ran it through self checkout, but when I got home, I realized that in the course of dithering I’d somehow put two of them in the bag. I was going to take one back, but got a mental picture of the , “No, I’m not returning it, I’m gifting you one I stole.” conversation and decided for $12 I’d keep it. It’s not like I haven’t spent thousands of dollars with them.
Here’s Kevin Drum from a week ago with data, but I repeat myself, showing the big organized shoplifting wave of 2021 was another Summer of the Shark.
Today, Drum responds to a WSJ writer making a case, like our friend Jake, that Trump’s not the dictator, Biden is the dictator. Why does so much GOP discussion sound like a grade school playground? Rhetorical question.
And I only patronized the illegitimate Tuesday Forum with this reply because you did.
@James Joyner: “The combination of being a bit under the weather, travel, and end-of-semester business have precluded posting the past couple of days. I should be able to remedy that later this morning.”
Get better soon! I’ve seen on Twitter some academics claiming that Christmas break is just time to get over the various contagious diseases picked up over the semester.
Week Three of Hell Week is getting even more insane than usual. Whenever I make any progress, I get some more stuff piled on.
And now it’s getting ridiculous. A customer wants photos of the products we’re offering, including those that don’t exist.
I wish we’d go back to in-person question meetings. One could argue a point better and longer. One could explain the cornflakes box they want is a Walmart exclusive and can’t be gotten at wholesale prices for resale, for example. And customers didn’t delay hours issuing their replies or make us work late sending comments and questions to their replies. It all got done, or delayed, far faster in person.
On the plus side, I’ve been sleeping very well. Not long, nowhere near long enough, but with the cool weather I fall asleep quickly, and stay asleep through the night.
Still, last Sunday by 4 pm I was about to fall over. I tried a short nap (20 minutes), and it kind of helped.
We need a less greedy company ownership. One that understands some contracts are out of reach, and that’s ok.
The combination of being a bit under the weather, travel, and end-of-semester business have precluded posting the past couple of days. I should be able to remedy that later this morning.
Time is relative.
@Kylopod: @James Joyner: The combination of being a bit under the weather, Ummmm, James? It’s Tuesday. Relative indeed.
@OzarkHillbilly:
It’s the Wednesday forum, Tuesday edition 🙂
Frankly, I’m surprised that this didn’t go the way of Roe, but I’ll take it.
https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/supreme-court/supreme-court-rejects-challenge-washington-state-conversion-therapy-ba-rcna122364
Aw, dammit. RIP.
Frequently disagreed with him, but he understood and wrote to the demons riding shotgun with me.
https://www.tor.com/2023/12/11/military-science-fiction-author-david-drake-passes-away-at-age-78/
@Rick DeMent:
Oh good. Thought I’d over medicated for a minute there.
Seriously, Prof J, hopes for a speedy return to form. Grandma always recommended alternating shots of aquivit and OJ. Me, not so much.
Ah–overslept this morning, likely owing to whatever it is I’m still recovering from, and needed to run out to a 7am dental appointment. I guess I was disoriented on the day!
The real Wednesday’s forum
Ok, hand over the keys to the DeLorean.
Two Tuesday forums: one to wash and one to wear?????
Are we SURE it’s Tuesday? 😛 😛
@Jax:
I’m not sure of anything right now. Waking up is hard.
If I don’t have my phone handy, I’m not likely to know what day it is any given day.
Wednesday is the only day I work delivering the Carbondale Times. I was on the throne this morning at 7:15am and see the OTB Forum page telling me that it’s Wednesday. Yikes! I should have been at the newspaper office an hour ago!
I almost shit a brick!
@Flat Earth Luddite: My husband and I are both big David Drake fans. The Daniel Leary series never disappoints. I think we have every book in his catalogue.
We knew he was stepping away from writing due to failing health. He was a very cool guy and will be missed.
I shoplifted the other day. I use the self checkout about a third of the time because I often buy wine with my groceries, and alcohol purchases require a human checker. This time I had no wine, and I was rushed. The store was busy with lots of people at the eight checkouts. Somehow the gadget didn’t read my chicken package, but the beeping from the other seven slots and my anxiousness not to hold things up led to me putting the unchecked package in with my other stuff. I didn’t notice till I was home reading my receipt.
I’ve been reading about the increase in shoplifting. I’m beginning to think that people are not more crime prone than before; the technology just makes it easier.
@Slugger: When my 30-year old was barely old enough to walk, his mom put him in the cart while she shopped a neighborhood grocery. After she checked out, she noticed that he had pulled a can of tuna off the shelf and dropped it in the diaper bag. She immediately took it back into the cashier owner whose reaction was to look at her like she was grooming a criminal.
@Slugger: I did something similar last year. I looked at a tool, dithered about buying it, put it back, then decided to buy it after all. I ran it through self checkout, but when I got home, I realized that in the course of dithering I’d somehow put two of them in the bag. I was going to take one back, but got a mental picture of the , “No, I’m not returning it, I’m gifting you one I stole.” conversation and decided for $12 I’d keep it. It’s not like I haven’t spent thousands of dollars with them.
Here’s Kevin Drum from a week ago with data, but I repeat myself, showing the big organized shoplifting wave of 2021 was another Summer of the Shark.
Today, Drum responds to a WSJ writer making a case, like our friend Jake, that Trump’s not the dictator, Biden is the dictator. Why does so much GOP discussion sound like a grade school playground? Rhetorical question.
And I only patronized the illegitimate Tuesday Forum with this reply because you did.
@Beth:
Don’t take my bed away from me.
Don’t leave my brain in misery.
Can’t seem to find my other shoe.
Cuz waking up is hard to do.
(Apologies to Neil Sadaka)
@gVOR10: It feels to me that all the whataboutism has elements of nobody wanting to defend Trump, because Trump is indefensible.
It’s also the case that “always attack” is a pillar of political strategy.
@Joe:
Your 30-year-old son????? Seriously????
@CSK: I could be wrong, but I believe the point of that story was that he (the son) was an infant at the time. The story happened ~29+ years ago.
@Jen:
Ah, I see. Well, I took it literally, not seriously. 😀
@Slugger:
https://www.nytimes.com/2023/12/08/business/organized-shoplifting-retail-crime-theft-retraction.html
Tuesday’s Gone
@James Joyner: “The combination of being a bit under the weather, travel, and end-of-semester business have precluded posting the past couple of days. I should be able to remedy that later this morning.”
Get better soon! I’ve seen on Twitter some academics claiming that Christmas break is just time to get over the various contagious diseases picked up over the semester.
Week Three of Hell Week is getting even more insane than usual. Whenever I make any progress, I get some more stuff piled on.
And now it’s getting ridiculous. A customer wants photos of the products we’re offering, including those that don’t exist.
I wish we’d go back to in-person question meetings. One could argue a point better and longer. One could explain the cornflakes box they want is a Walmart exclusive and can’t be gotten at wholesale prices for resale, for example. And customers didn’t delay hours issuing their replies or make us work late sending comments and questions to their replies. It all got done, or delayed, far faster in person.
On the plus side, I’ve been sleeping very well. Not long, nowhere near long enough, but with the cool weather I fall asleep quickly, and stay asleep through the night.
Still, last Sunday by 4 pm I was about to fall over. I tried a short nap (20 minutes), and it kind of helped.
We need a less greedy company ownership. One that understands some contracts are out of reach, and that’s ok.
@becca:
Indeed. Lady Mundy’s mindset is way too close to mine for most people’s comfort.