News of the Neighborhood Animals This Summer

There is a solitary turkey that's claimed the neighborhood around 4th Avenue and 19th Street in Sacramento as its turf. Here, it's claimed the top of a vehicle as its resting place. It doesn't mess with anyone and no one messes with it.

I heard a very soft flapping in the tree,  Sure enough, it was the local neighborhood hawk, eyeing my bird-feeding spot.  I threw a stick at it and it flew away.

Even though I haven't found any more disemboweled pigeons, like I was finding two months ago, it appears that local pigeon flock is still decimated, whether by hawks, or disease, or whatever.  What I have now are lots of sparrows.  My bird seed goes a lot further now than it used to.

I generally store my bird seed in the bed of my pickup truck.  The camper shell on the truck is apparently not airtight.  Some mammal (mouse? squirrel?) figured out a way inside.  Infinite food - it was heaven!  I moved my bird seed to my other, more airtight vehicle.  Good times are now over.

Various Signs

School environments, bumper stickers, etc.

The Homicide Rate In Los Angeles Is TEN TIMES LOWER Than It Was 35 Years Ago

Source link:

Crime rates used to be so much higher. I remember being concerned about all the drug-sale activity going on in my Sacramento workplace neighborhood in 1991. Several times, I stayed at work till midnight to sabotage these sales. They'd exchange money in the workplace parking lot because there was a bright light there. I'd call in the cops whenever I saw the money flash. Sometimes, the cops even came. The drug sales moved elsewhere. I couldn't do the same today.

Interesting Thoughts on Large LLMs, and AI

@cybelecanterel Big AI companies made incredibly bad bets based on faulty assumptions and myths that don't serve anyone but themselves; now we’re all in trouble. But there are ways out of the mess. #ai #layoffs #economy #techtok #artificialintelligence ♬ original sound - Cy Canterel

Ice Cream Omen

Order an ice cream treat at Gunther's, raise an existential question. What does this omen mean?

Time moves in circles. My father belonged to Baker Company in the 666th Artillery Battalion of the U.S. Army that fought in World War II, running and gunning its way across northern Germany. 

In his memoir, "Charlie of 666: A Memoir of World War II," by Nathaniel Blumberg, the question posed by 666 caused him to pause. (I also like this story because I once lived in Denver and I'm familiar with the intersection of West Colfax and Federal Blvd.)

Corporal Blumberg relates:

 

"My four assignments in the Army had provided overwhelming evidence that the military moves in mysterious ways, and we discussed the mystery. Was the choice of "666" the result of a rare example of military sense of humor, or an even rarer military sense of irony, or a premeditated military decision or simply another baffling military accident? Was Freud right when he said there are no "accidents"? Could it be one of those "coincidences" Jung insisted did not exist? …

"I went to the library in Brownwood (Texas) to refresh my memory of the "Beast" described in the Book of Revelation in the King James version of the Holy Bible. There among its prophecies, was one telling of a great beast coming out of the earth, speaking as a dragon, with two sheep's horns - or, in some interpretations, two rays - emerging from its head (Rev. 13:11). As a new artilleryman, I was taken with the prophecy that "he doeth great wonders, so that he maketh fire come down from heaven on the earth in the sight of men" (Rev. 13:13). And: "Here is wisdom. Let him that hath understanding count the number of the beast; for it is the number of a man; and his number is six hundred threescore and six (Rev.13:18).

"Ah, but then I noted this is the second great beast of prophecy, following an even more blasphemous and powerful beast that arose from the sea. "If any man have an ear, let him hear. He that leadeth into captivity shall go into captivity: he that killeth with the sword must be killed with the sword" (Rev. 13:9-10).

"On reading that my head was spinning. The sharp memory returned….

"It was 1934 and I was 12 years old, hawking Saturday night editions of the Denver Post and Rocky Mountain News Sunday papers to people in their cars awaiting the change of stoplights at West Colfax Avenue and Federal Boulevard. I picked up spending money by the customary practice of newsboys, paying the delivery man six cents a copy and selling them for ten cents. On the front page of one issue of the Post was an editorial cartoon portraying Adolf Hitler with a huge military machine behind him. The caption was "He who lives by the sword shall die by the sword." I had never seen that quotation before, so I asked my learned father, who said it was based on a sentence in the New Testament. Already schooled in the Old Testament, I promptly traced the quotation to its source. Years later, in the Brownwood library, I was astonished by the remembrance that brought my childhood and my life as a soldier full circle.

"But then more questions arose: Were we of 666 to be a part of the biblical Antichrist that has haunted religious history? Were we an agent of a satanic force, deceiving the faithful and even fighting on the side of evil? Were we so designated in the belief that we would strike terror in the hearts of the enemy as deputies of Satan? (I suggested that we were headed for Europe rather than the Pacific on the slim evidence that the Japanese would not be familiar with the biblical reference.)"

So, the soldiers of the 666th were a great beast: a second beast replying in kind to the greater first beast. They had the task of removing Hitler and his Nazis from power. 

Time moves in circles. My task, and the task of this generation, is to remove Trump from power. And sometimes eat ice cream treats too.

Dog Days Politics

An interesting story about how businesses use labor law and migrants to establish de facto slavery in the U.S. It’s no wonder why no one is in a hurry to change immigration law.

@skyfishreturns Big Ag economics 101 #history #laborlaw #immigration #harvest #ketchup ♬ original sound - sky fisher

Courtesy of John.

   

Better than invisible ink.

RCTC Cabaret - August 3, 2025 - Sierra 2

River City Theatre Company (RCTC) Cabaret - August 3, 2025, Curtis Hall, Sierra 2 Community Center, Sacramento, CA 

The first three videos here are from performers that were sitting at our table.

   

Note that the ruler Larry uses belongs to me.

 

Carl E. sings "Unruly Heart" from "The Prom"

Jacob W. sings "Sunset Boulevard," from "Sunset Boulevard."

Avalon C. sings "Naughty," from "Matilda, the Musical."

Cecily B. sings Cass Elliott's "Dream A Little Dream Of Me."

The performers.

There were several people in attendance who I hadn't seen in many years; for example, Debbie, Ken, and Meghan Vanderford.  It was wonderful to see them!

Also in attendance was Julie Soto (left), who, last I checked in, about 2013, was still Miss Musical Theater.  Today, she is a popular author who consistently places Number One on the New York Times bestseller list.  It was wonderful to see her and see that she is doing so well.

Ron Cisneros and Marc Valdez.  Ron Cisneros has an epic memory perfectly-suited for choreography, and is now a near-legendary figure in Sacramento Community Musical Theater.  Ron is also a cofounder of RCTC.

Protest at Immigration Court - Capitol Mall - August 2, 2025

 

I thought the Saturday morning protest was a little too sedate.  Not much traffic on Capitol Mall on a Saturday morning.  Others were itching to head out to Arden and Howe, where the public support is greater, plus you get into debates with MAGA passersby.

C.C. was there.  Apparently she's done six shows straight in local musical theater.  That's arduous for anyone!

Not many young people at this demonstration, although it was apparently mentioned by Rachel Maddow on her show.  I was surprised that S., one of the few young people present, spoke at this rally. Apparently she is much better wired into the local protest scene than I am, and basically knows everyone and runs most things.  Good to know!

The Brothers were happy when they saw that I had made it to Arden and Howe.  Numbers of volunteers were lower, given the other rally.  It was fun to perform for the automotive crowd!

My signs for this weekend.

The gathering.

Sidewalk chalk.

I Don’t Want Any More Angst In Me

Overheard. One woman speaking to another as they pass by on the sidewalk, heading the opposite direction. “…and that puts more angst in me, and I don’t want any more angst in me.”

RIP, Tom Lehrer

As a kid back in the Sixties, we had access to only three record albums: "The Nutcracker Suite," "Rhapsody in Blue," and "Songs by Tom Lehrer" (1953). Which pretty-much explains my life. 

Songs by Tom Lehrer" (1953)​ album playlist

A Clip From July 19th

Arden Blvd. in Sacramento becomes a protest alley on Saturdays, with three separate protests underway.

Come on out and participate! Psychologically, protesting is healthier for you than doomscrolling. You are doing something, in the company of people who care, and no longer a victim of old Cankles McFacist in Mar-a-Lago. 

(I make a very brief appearance here in my blue-and-yellow Ukrainian T-Shirt)

 

@obriengoespotatoes Intersectional solidarity | Arden Way, Sacramento CA. Three separate protests opposing ICE’s mass deportations, Chevron’s connection to the genocide in Gaza, and the Tesla Takedown fighting oligarchy. I got to interview an organizer at each. I’m proud of Sacramento. 7/19/25 #palestine #freepalestine #chevron #immigration #deportation #DOGE #musk #elon #trump #ICE @NorCalResist ♬ skyworld - glissey

Epstein Was A Much More Honest Guy Than Trump

I’m intrigued at 34:40 in this interview here, where Trump dimed on Epstein, because Epstein knew that Trump must be laundering money. Despite not having money himself, in 2004, Trump outbid Epstein on a house. It was because Trump was fronting for a Putin-linked Russian oligarch, Dmitry Rybolovlev.

 

Coolest July in Sacramento Since 2011 and 2012

It's been such a mild and pleasant July in Sacramento this year, but I was surprised to learn that temperatures are exactly average. That suggested that temperatures must have been above average in recent years. So, I looked at the data. 

Data from two sites are presented: the "Downtown" station (which is no longer downtown, with data available since 1877) and the Sacramento Executive Airport station (with data available since 1947). In general, the Exec Airport site is cooler than the Downtown site (further from the urban center; closer to the Sacramento River Delta). 

July 2025 seems to be the coolest July since 2011 and 2012. 

The increase in July average temperature since 1877 is due to heat island effect as the area urbanized, as well as global warming. The Downtown station has moved several times since its inception, and that might account for some of the variation.

Protesting impressions, Howe at Arden, Sacramento, CA, July 19, 2025

Project 21 - Molly Long - Poppa Was A Rolling Stone

Words just aren't adequate to describe just how good these dancers are. Wonderful Temptations hit from 1972 and excellent camera placement and editing too.

 

Disco Snails

Choreographer Hailee Payne, from Infinity Studio in Ogden, UT. The Utah dance scene is amazing! I'm not surprised good work comes from there. 

I've been waiting 46 years for this! Great choreography and great dancers. Long live 1979!

 

Barry Manilow - Last Concert Tour - July 19, 2025

Quite by accident I ended up at Barry Manilow's concert in Sacramento. 

Gabe has been sick, and so Eleanor asked me if I wanted to go with her and friend. I knew Rachel was likely a fan, and so I asked her if she wanted to go. She was interested. Then Gabe decided he would likely go. But then I had a dilemma. You can't just dangle Barry Manilow before a fan and then snatch him away. So I got two tickets for Rachel and myself. 

I've always thought of Barry Manilow as an East Coast enthusiasm. At least, that's how I was introduced to him, by the Schindwolfs, fans who hailed from Long Island, back in the day. 

I was surprised by the number of fans at Golden One Arena. He has a loyal following. Many Filipinos. 

I thought his style wasn't a good for for an arena. His show would be better for a showroom - like the Copacabana! The sound was atrocious in some ways (but better when he sat at the piano). He played some videos from the mid-70s that were quite nice. His songs were the soundtrack of the mid-70s in some way.

 

Spinal Tap "Stonehenge"

Never a bad time for this - one of the best comedic pieces ever committed to film!

 

Make Good Trouble

Amusing Story, Well-Told, About An Overheard LA Conversation

@luke.is.alive_ #lalife #laliving #losangeles #genz #hashtags #emoji #banter #funny #california #accent #accents #cali #beachlife #humor #fypage #usa #englishman #chat #follow ♬ original sound - Luke Colson

My friend Jonathan responded with this: