Day: August 12, 2024

Thoughts on recent events

There have been complaints about the lack of policy and substance in this Presidential election

One reason, I think: Trump. He is a singularly an awful person. I feel he is unsuited for the office, and whatever it takes to beat him is ok with me.

But this brings me to my second thought: policy. There was a time when I really read the policy position papers of a candidate. No longer.

The truth of the matter: the details really do not matter.
For one: policy getting passed requires Congress, and so it is more likely “ok, what could we possibly get through Congress?” The best policy in the world is useless if it isn’t passed into law.

Next: does my candidate have the political chops to get action on said policy, or at least on part of it? It really is NOT the thought that counts.

So, for me: are they electable? Do they have good judgement? How honest are they? Can they get things done?

Basketball: Evidently Kevin Durant was salty that some Nuggets fans were cheering for Serbia in the quarterfinal game:

My take: things have changed since team 92. In those days, fans were mostly fans of TEAMS. Now fans tend to follow PLAYERS: there are LeBron fans, Durant fans, Curry fans and yes, lots of Joker fans.

I am not that much of an NBA fan but I enjoyed watching the Joker too. But..let’s just say that Curry and LeBron …they really represented the US very well. Ok, the whole team did. That includes those who didn’t play that much:

Ok, about LeBron: I follow some groups on Facebook where the fans argue that Mr. James is the greatest of all time, and others say it should be Michael Jordan, or Wilt Chamberlain, etc.

I won’t get into that; many more know more about the NBA than I do. But as another fan said: LeBron has been Mr. Red, White and Blue. He has 3 Olympic golds and a bronze. And, the man is a family man that gives back to his community, big time.

I really liked it that he was picked to be one of the flag bearers.

Boxing and sex controversy

I will not comment about any female boxer being XY; I simply do not trust the boxing association and I really do not trust the Russians.

But as far as what the XY means, here is a long, good thread by an expert:

And if you want a shorter, somewhat less technical version (and one NOT geared toward athletics), here is the St. Louis Children’s Hospital information sheet.

My take: the women’s category is a restricted category. And we really need some “up/down” criterion as to who gets to compete in that category, especially at the elite levels. This does NOT apply to men because the men’s category is NOT a restricted category.

2024 election Yes, Trump is totally unhinged. BUT this is a very close election where it counts: the Electoral College. By any reasonable analysis: it is 50/50’ish; either candidate can win.

Toward the end of summer

I was not that sore from yesterday’s walk and right now I feel fine. The workout was a reduced one: 5K walk (West Peoria) in the low 15’s after deadlifts:
Low trap bar: 10 x 134, 10 x 190
4.25 inch wagon wheel: 10 x 234, 10 x 250
6 inch: 10 x 280

Then the walk.

I saw some Chiefs baseball. Last night: the game against the Kernels started rough and never got any better: it ended 7-1.

Then today: more of the same. It started with the Kernels leading off with a triple and a sacrifice fly, then in the second they got a run off of loaded bases.

But wait: key hitting lead the Chiefs to take a 3-2 lead after 3! But that was all the Chiefs were to score: it ended 4-3. Sobering fact: in the previous 26 innings (which included a 1-0 victory), the Chiefs have scored in exactly 3 innings. 23 of 26 innings being scoreless isn’t going to cut it.