INSIDIOUS GAMBLING ADVERTISING

Charles Krupa

I've been seeing a lot of a particular ad to entice folks to gamble online on sports. It points out, truthfully, that in our lives everyday, we make choices. Healthy oatmeal or an Egg Mcmuffin for breakfast; turning right or left at a busy intersection; have a few drinks with pals after work and drive. Well, the ad cuts to the chase with this thought: since you make choices all the time (and presumably, since you're still above ground, you've been pretty successful) why not make some choices (ahem, bet) and make some cash while you're at it. C'mon bunky, you do this all the time. And who couldn't use some extra heft in the wallet? (yeah with Christmas approaching and inflation is killing everyone, it would help).

Places like this have been a bane to poorer neighborhoods for many years often being the only grocery store in urban food deserts. But now, the gambling industry is going after big bucks: white folks. Betting on sports is now legal in MI and the industry has signed huge ad contracts with Big 10 schools. Gee, just what college kids need on top of thousands of dollar debt for a degree-a gambling problem. Not to mention the adults whose paycheck isn't keeping up with inflation. And it's sooo easy, just use that iphone that many have velcroed to their body. The habits of so many including the young have not gone unnoticed.
 

HORNED LIZARD

 

Mr. Horned Lizard aka Horny Toad whose ancestry dates back several million years. From Wiki:

The Texas horned lizard, along with at least three other species of the genus Phrynosoma, also has the ability to squirt an aimed stream of blood  from the corners of the eyes and sometimes from its mouth at a distance up to 5 ft (1.5 m). They do this by restricting the blood flow leaving the head, thereby increasing blood pressure and rupturing tiny vessels around the eyelids. This not only confuses would-be predators, but also the blood is mixed with a chemical that is foul-tasting to canine predators such as wolves, coyotes, and domestic dogs. This novel behavior is generally observed to be very effective in defense; however, it appears to have no effect against predatory birds.

THANKSGIVING

I had done most of the prep work/cooking on Wednesday. With temps pushing into the low-50's and most of the snow gone except in deep shade, I decided to work outside. The sun was out for awhile until the clouds came later in the afternoon. Two things needed to be done: another pass at the blanket of my neighbor's oak leaves and run the gas out of the mower.      Got 'er dun.

The feast: my take on a Wellington. Inside C's was a mixture of roasted mushrooms, garlic, onion, shallots, vegan apple/sage sausage, panko crumbs, thyme, sage. The original called for one egg as a binder, my egg replacement Just, didn't work so well. Inside my Welly was the same mushroom/roasted veggie base with turkey from a frozen turkey leg found at Horrocks (small quantities of turkey cannot be found). I tried using a liquid egg (that comes in a milk carton-like container) as a binder and that didn't work either. Accompanying the main course was homemade seeded rye bread/mushroom dressing and fresh steamed whole green beans. The homemade mushroom gravy is in the upper right covered with a napkin. Dessert for both of us was a delicious cupcake from Sweet Encounters located in the Knapps Building in downtown Lansing. Their vegan frosting is the best we have found-not too sweet with plenty of flavor. C added a side of Ben & Jerry's  Fudge Brownie non-dairy ice cream. All was yummers! And we prepared a special meal for Madame as well served earlier in the day. Based on her cleaned plate, it was up to her exacting standards.

We had a nice fire going and C suggested we watch Planes, Trains and Automobiles which she had not seen. I made her a take on a Cosmopolitan cocktail, using a Seedlip distilled non-alcoholic spirit, cranberry juice and lime juice without the simple syrup. With the sun gone, Molls joined us and received some premium scritches and belly rubs that Mom is well-known for.

FIVE SECOND STORIES

We were watching a show about octopuses and their relatives. It was clear that one of everyone's favorite food were crabs and we wondered if the crabs were bitter:

 "All we are is somebody's meal!" For our crabby friends:

The couple found that every time they encountered any of the squirrel siblings out in the yard, they talked to them.

꩜ 

What a relief that the elections went the way they did. A dark cloud that had plagued and weighed heavily on his mind especially during this cycle had lifted. He realized that part of the underlying depression had its source from his lifelong interest in reading history. He knew what happened to people like himself and his wife in authoritarian regimes. Either the camps or being "disappeared" are common outcomes and he did not think he was being overly dramatic. MAGAs had shown themselves both egregiously callous and cruel towards immigrants and it would not be much of a pivot for this to be directed towards Americans who disagreed with MAGA theology.

꩜ 

While out and about during the season's first snow, he came across several robins in a small tree that were probably freezing their tail feathers and wondering why they hadn't migrated yet. Down the road he saw four Sandhill Cranes who hadn't left yet for their winter homes in Florida. Generally they leave by the end of November. 

꩜ 

The Arctic air and snow have moved past us and the day was sunny and the melt has begun as if it were early February. The giving stone and feeder were busy, even the Crow Bros had stopped in for a snack.

Juncos eating at the giving stone.

 

 

MODERN FABLE: THE TREE AND THE CAT

When the new humans moved into the house, the Locust tree aged 62 years, wondered if they would have pets. The last ones had a dog and the owners drilled a spiked ring into his trunk to attach a leash. His healing cells went to work on the wound to protect him from invading insects. He didn't mind all that much, the dog was pretty well behaved and he enjoyed a different species to hang out with. He liked all his avian and mammal neighbors and chatted with them as they perched or ran up and down his trunk. The humans kept him trimmed up, taking out the limbs that inevitably succumb to age. Just like the dog about 10 years after he arrived. The locust was sad and for several years, no one new appeared.

He was quite happy when it was revealed that the new humans had brought with them three cats. He had experience with cats passing through the property on patrol, occasionally marking his trunk or stropping their claws on the bark. Neither activity bothered him. Within a few days, all three cats had visited him and one in particular, the grey, enjoyed stropping her claws on him. This activity did no damage and he rather enjoyed the sensation. And usually, the little grey would hang out with him, partially concealed in the day lilies.

Her language was different than the neighborhood cats. While he could understand the gist of what she was saying (all creatures can understand one another, except for humans) there were times he was perplexed. The little grey had traveled from far, far away, across a big ocean where he was surprised that his kind live as well. He contacted them through the mycelium network and picked up language pointers which helped a lot. A routine had been established: the side door would open and the little grey would run out and go directly to his trunk for a bit of stropping. Then, she would patrol and return back to the lilies that grew around his base, lie down and they would chat. 

A decade passed and all were getting older. Generations of squirrels and rabbits had come and gone. Two out of the three cats had passed leaving the little grey by herself. She didn't mind though, she confided to him. The other two got on her nerves and besides, she now has her humans to herself for great treats and lots of scritches. But, she was getting elderly and losing weight. Her time on patrol was shorter than in past years and she slept more. The locust was feeling his age too, there were several major limbs that were dying or dead. He wished the humans would trim them off as losing them in a windstorm usually meant a jagged wound as the limb tore off unlike a nice smooth cut the human's saws created. 

He was feeling melancholy as Fall lead into Winter. His friend was not be out everyday. His leaves had dropped and it was time for a long nap until it warmed again. He looked forward to seeing his little grey again and feeling her claws on his bark. And then a good chin wag to get caught up. This was something he valued about Spring, feeling the life energy of the planet surging through his veins, the warmth of the sun and meeting up again with all his friends in the neighborhood.

BIG GRETCH SAYS NO

 

In a November 15 interview with the Detroit Free Press, Governor Gretchen Whitmer said that she has no interest in running for president in the 2024 election. "The lure of Washington, D.C., has not been something that has ever drawn my interest or attention. What I love about state government is that you can do things right now and see the impact that it has on people's lives." While disappointing, her move to quickly squash speculation for a 2024 run is both gracious and courageous. After the harrowing experience of a kidnapping plot that she and her family endured, who can blame anyone for not wanting to potentially go through it again in the high stakes arena of the presidency. Good on her to quickly step aside so the party can move on to others interested in the job. And, emphasizing what her priority is: to help the people of Michigan who elected her as governor. Such a rarity these days in American politics. We are so lucky.

FIRST SNOW

We had a nice Indian Summer for a couple of weeks before the Arctic air began to filter into MI. Monday was in the low 40's with little wind. I joined my neighbors in the early afternoon taking another pass at raking the oak leaves. 

Madame enjoyed several days of nice sunny patches in the library.

 

A red-bellied woodpecker hunting for something.

One of the siblings enjoying a bit of stale pita.

The snow started in earnest 8.30 am on Tuesday.

Two hours later. More to come middle-late week.

64 EIRE

I was watching a drone vid featuring Ireland when I spotted this:

Nick TMV

This is located in County Mayo in the Republic of Ireland at Downpatrick Head. During WWII, the Irish government declared neutrality and set up 80 lookout posts around the coastline, connected by telephone, to monitor and report all sea traffic to the Irish Coast Guard. There were also these markings either cut into the turf or simply an arrangement of rocks as a warning to American aircraft that they had reached neutral Ireland having crossed the Atlantic Ocean.

Nearby is a longtime tourist attraction: Dún Briste Sea Stack.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

THE STALWART OAK LEAVES

After the two day wind storm took down all the maple and birch leaves only the tough oak leaves remain. The oak gave up maybe a third of its foliage but what remains now will take its damn time to depart the branches. This happens every year: you get the majority of leaves out of the way but then the stubborn oak becomes the gift that keeps giving, sometimes until early Spring. And boy, who doesn't like a mess of brown leaves littering newly fallen snow?

MODERN LIFE: AI ANGELS

The other day the cell phone rang and I picked it up to see who the caller was. The screen read:

 SCAM LIKELY

Thanks AI angel, this might have been Pillow Guy with more MAGA bullshit. After all, AI is connected throughout our devices and certainly based on use, searches etc, AI would have a good idea what my leanings are. I wonder if one of those smart doorbell cameras could give me a Jehovah, Mormon, 7th Day Adventist alarm if they are on my porch. "Alexa, who is at the front door?" "Crazy Jesus people, Jeff. Stay hidden until the coast is clear." "You're the best, Alexa!"

RED WAVE FAILS TO MATERIALIZE, MANY DISAPPOINTED, OTHERS RELIEVED

 

These crows thought that Wednesday morning breakfast buffet would be chock full of defeated Democrats and ballot initiatives. Instead, the menu featured assorted entrees of dashed MAGA hopes, a side of unpalatable creamed delusions topped with Donald's special bat shit crazy sauce and an abundance of sour grapes for dessert.

 

 

Whew! What a relief especially here in Michigan. Big Gretch and her stalwart ladies Nessel, Benson and Slotkin preservered and all three ballot initiatives passed. Sure, it looks like the House is going over to the Opposition, which is often the case during mid-term elections. But if the Democrats can hang on to the Senate, then Biden will have to take a page out of Obama's playbook and in the face of a intransigent House, try and stuff done via executive action. There'll be a lot of noise from the GOP, investigations galore but the Democrats need to finally, aggressively push back and call out their Jr. High antics. They also have to stop, something I have hollered about for years, bringing a goddamn rolled newspaper to a knife fight. You wanna save democracy, well, you're gonna have to get down where they are in the gutter and get dirty. Fucking flowered signs proclaiming "Be Kind" ain't gonna cut it. 

Now, the Joe problem. Joe shouldn't run in '24. In fact, the facelift needed for the party should start quietly start handing out the gold watches to the gerontocracy, thank you for your service, and get some young blood into leadership. The bench right now is pretty thin. I'd back Gretch but I think her time might come in '28. She's a proven winner, can effectively work with nutjobs and has experience, maturity and relatively young (she would be 57). 

ANOTHER FRONTIER CROSSED: COULD AI BEGIN TO REPLACE HUMAN GRAPHIC DESIGNERS?

 

via Collin Waldoch

This image was created via powerful AI programs that are beginning to surface in the Design business. Carrot Parrot was typed into the program and a few seconds later, AI produced this image. Now, the industry is already trying to assuage fears of human job losses, optimistically suggesting that AI would be great in the beginning, kicking around ideas stage of a project. But what will push this into widespread use is the quickness of the turnaround. Seconds vs days or weeks while humans come up with images. And that there is what it's all about: cost effectiveness. Better! Faster! More production! Look at all the money saved! And AI doesn't need pesky 401K or health insurance. More money for shareholders and management! For a fuller article:

https://www.nytimes.com/2022/10/21/technology/ai-generated-art-jobs-dall-e-2.html 

About the same time I read this article, I came across several AI music vids on YouTube. Here's one that the developers had instructed to use Surrealism as a style basis.

 

OBITUARY: ELIZABETH (BETTY) HELEN WILSON

 

My father's last remaining sibling has died at age 91, the last blood relative of that generation. My godmother Reva, who married Dad's youngest brother Pete, is still alive aged 94.

BEAVER FULL MOON AND TOTAL LUNAR ECLIPSE

Glowy sky during wind storm evening November 6

 

Beaver Full Moon November 7

Eclipse 4.50am EST

Totality 5.20am EST (click to enlarge)

ANOTHER SIGN ABOUT THE MIDTERM ELECTIONS

Stan Honda

We've been relentlessly inundated with pollsters and pundits for months and now another has thrown their opinion into the ring: the Universe. There will be a total lunar eclipse visible to much of the US on Tuesday morning, election day. Eclipses throughout history have been regarded by many as an omen of change and often of the negative variety. I've been pretty bummed out about the apparent direction of things and this is just icing on the giant Debbie Downer cake. Not to mention the inevitability that some religious groups will seize this as a sign from the Invisible and tailor its message to whatever whackado agenda they are pushing. It's just another weight thrown on the scale of bad things heading our way and it does not look good for the home team.

POST HALLOWEEN MUSIC: OINGO BOINGO "DON'T GO IN THE BASEMENT"

 Animation from the fabulous Sally Cruikshank. 1987 

 

Halloween
 

FROM SPITTING IMAGE...THE LIZ & RISHI SHOW

 

In the first minute or so, watch Liz conjure up Satan for help only to get Ole Vlady instead (His master is off taking refresher courses). Well worth the price of admission. Meanwhile, Rishi can only explain his brand of bullshit plans for the UK with the help of an interpreter.

THE MENACE OF TWITTER

 

From Pawel Kuczynski, this illustration from 2021 takes on a new meaning with Elon (a genius in his own mind, just ask) Musk taking control of Twitter.