152 postal shenanigans, power shenanigans, and how they're the same

Starting to hear from vacationing congress members about the situation at the post office.

Let's look at that third map a bit closer.


The blue dots are blue voters, the red circles are where mail sorting machines have been removed. 

If you asked me to point out Austin, Texas on a blank map, I'm not sure I could, but I sure can see it here!

Guess who's getting fired on Monday?


Meanwhile, in Iowa.

I didn't hear about this until we had a friend from Iowa over yesterday. (In the backyard.)

She says every tree at her folks place has been knocked down, the town is still without power or water after a week. ATMs don't work, there's no gasoline, and...

"Derecho" is a wind storm, they're calling it an inland hurricane, but it seems like a line squall. It doesn't come through in a matter of days, with swirling winds, but rather, this moved through like a thunderstorm, only lasting an hour, but with 110mph sustained winds.

Meanwhile in SF, where we tend to have the world's shortest weather memory, everyone is melting.

Or at least, able to sit outside in the early evening.

So of course our power went out. I don't think it was part of the "rolling blackouts" that are happening again, for the first time since Enron tried to convince us there was a power shortage back in 2001. (There wasn't. W43's main man Ken "I'm dead, really" Lay had a money shortage, and thought he could jack prices by manufacturing a crisis.)

There was lighting for several hours last night.

Still, if you're thinking about moving,  generally our weather is pretty good, and right now, there's availability. (That's what this chart is, open apartments.)


But it's not all bad news.

This is what democracy looks like.

Could you imagine what our country might be capable of if we stopped kicking and screaming, and just stepped into the future?

Or, we could continue to say nothing and do nothing because really, what's the point?


"Alcatraz" means "albatross." This place is meant for the birds.

And finally, the neck gaiter controversy.

A little while ago, it came out that these things are basically the same as wearing nothing. But the authors of the study (who aimed a laser at various types of masks as they simulated a cough) are saying no, gaiters do offer some protection, especially if you double them up.

Here's my take: wearing masks outside is hygiene theater. And in the theater, all we really need is the suggestion of a costume, and people will follow along. 

So, if your cousin comes over wearing a neck gaiter, remember, it's the thought that counts, and get them into the backyard ASAP.

Rice and beans last night.

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