Time Enough To Eliminate The Witnesses

The news out of Uvalde is so shocking it's hard to believe. Simple cowardice is an inadequate explanation. Governor Abbott repeated "the cops are heroes" story to the press before the whole story fell apart. It's looking more like the cops delayed entry in order to give the shooter more time to eliminate witnesses, in order to give the story added weight. I swear, Texas is run by the worst monsters on Earth.

They Too Bleed

I'm sorry, but I can't get upset about the massacre in Uvalde. It's been evident for decades, especially after Sandy Hook, that American political leaders, particularly Republican Senators, consider dead children to be collateral damage for being able to indulge their gun fetish. They consider themselves to be untouchable. And absolutely nothing will change until they are forcibly reminded that they too bleed. Then, and only then, will progress be possible.

Patrick Hernandez - Born to Be Alive (Moreno J Remix)

I just love mashups of movie musicals set to lively music. 1979, forever, s'all I'm saying.

 

Diamond Pushups

The homeless man towed a cart of cans as he approached Jasper and I on the sidewalk on our morning walk. The man set his cans aside, and apropos of nothing, suddenly fell into position and started doing about thirty diamond pushups. Jasper stumbled in distraction at the man breathing heavily on his level as we passed around him.

A Group of Assholes at the Birdcage Target

On Saturday, I was disturbed to hear that a group of assholes had set up a table at the Birdcage Target in Fair Oaks/Citrus Heights, promoting "Buck Fiden" materials, and the like. I repeatedly called the store, got no answer, but on the 10th call finally reached someone who stressed that the participants had been told to leave, that they had refused, that the police had been called, and that the store had been consulting with corporate headquarters for a proper response. In general, corporate stores will allow people to set up tables for gathering petition signatures and other civic-minded political activity, but this activity crosses the line. If you see any of this activity where you shop, complain, and loudly!

"Happening"

Sacramento's Tower Theater. I saw "Happening" last night. Good movie, but very disturbing.

I Blame This Woman For High Gas Prices in California

She was changing the numbers!

Covid Makes a Comeback

It news no one wants to hear, Covid is rising again in the U.S. Overseas, it's mostly still going down from the peaks last winter.

The Ankle Monitor's Albuquerque Origin

Curious story:

Jack Love was a lawyer, a prosecutor, a judge — and a fan of Spiderman.

In the comic strip that ran in newspapers on Tuesday, August 9, 1977, the villain Kingpin slaps an “electronic radar device” on Spiderman’s wrist, letting him track the friendly neighborhood superhero’s location. Love filed the idea away.

A few years later, University of Albuquerque criminologist Walter Niederberger got a phone call from the judge.

“He had read that and thought I was a forward-looking criminologist and would I be interested in doing the research if he could find funding,” said Niederberger.

He was interested, and as Love’s idea moved from comic-strip fancy to reality, so did a research grant from the National Institute of Justice.

By early 1983, Judge Love had begun piloting the technology with people convicted of nonviolent, low-risk crimes. Court personnel attached transmitters to their ankles, which were effectively used as a form of house arrest. Receivers were connected to land-based telephone lines and each morning, the judge could read over a report that showed potential violations.