Black Hole Sun

Sorry, except that I'm not, that today is another astronomy post. And honestly, it's way better than yesterday's. 

Astronomers have found possibly the brightest object in the universe!  Even more luminous than my sunny disposition !!!!

It is a quasar and it is 500 TRILLION times more intense than our stupid old sun!

This quasar is fast moving and produced by a giant black hole (also not me!) that is devouring the equivalent of one sun per day. It is the fastest growing black hole known to astronomers. Or as one explained it: "the biggest gates to hell we have found anywhere in the universe."  It sounds like a Buffy / Sunnydale problem. 

Said one astronomer: “We need to assume that this quasar is the most violent place that we know in the Universe because: the visible accretion disc is 7 light years across. This means you could expect burning hot temperatures, strong magnetic fields and wind speeds ranging from thousands of miles per second blasting across the outer edge, and “lightning bolts of cosmic size discharging everywhere.”

I mean, how is this NOT a movie?  It's got John Cusak's name all over it. 

The light emitted by this quasar is 20,000 times as intense as that of the Milky Way galaxy, So intense, that if the object was placed in the center of the Milky Way, it would never again turn night on Earth. While it is a bright object, light from J0529-4351 still took 12 billions (with a B) years to reach us. 

So, the 2024 presidential election still holds more concern than three paragraphs up. 

Honestly, I'd rather deal with lightning, wind, hot temperatures and magnetic fields than have to listen to a campaign season of BLOTUS and Pappy Joe. 

Song by: Soundgarden

Site of Month

I've been seeing images of Jupiter (to your left) from the Juno spacecraft that is flying by the big-assed planet. 

They are quite amazing and impressive. 

Jupiter is one of those planets that is easy to see in the night and very early morning sky. You'd almost think it is Venus due to its brightness. 

But this SotM isn't about Jupiter, per se. Or any specific planet. Or maybe not a planet at all. 

NASA has an Astronomy Picture of the Day site. 

I'm a big fan of the stars, planets, comets and such. I think it's vital that Elon Musk colonizes Mars, and is the first person to go - and stay - there. 

Love seeing images of things from space and the cosmos. I'll be looking forward to see what they post. 

My Music Monday

I'm about 99.7% sure none of you "liked" my selections of 2023 when it came to the German group Milky Chance. I get it, but the more I listen to them, the more I like. 

They have a new song out. Well, it's about a month old, but other posts kept getting in the way. 

"Reckless Child" won't probably won't change your mind on the group. I'm liking the song more with each play. It's not radically different than some of their other selections.

If anything, the lyrics are difficult to understand. The lead singer has a vocal affect that pronounces words slightly different. It might be the German to English kind of thing, but the words can be hard to decipher. 

I don't know if a new disk is on the horizon or not, but the song is ok. 

The video freaks me out. I'm assuming it's not green screened, and maybe (hopefully?) they cgi'd any harness gear out, because while I don't think I have a fear of heights, I see enough daredevil videos that tell me differently. 

The sculpted eyebrows at the beginning are unnerving to me too. 

Suburbia

You know, while we live in a suburb of downtown Cleveland, it's not suburbia. 

I'd say the majority of homes in our 'hood are century homes. Farther out there is the plethora of single story houses, ranch houses, Brady Bunch looking houses from the 50s to early 70s. 

Months ago, while looking for a place to walk Shep, I told 710 about a place I had run that had trails etc. While I knew - or thought I knew - the route, each residential street I ran to get to said trails looked familiar, because there were no distinguishing features. We never found the place.  I never found it. 

Fast forward like 8 months (from running, not the aborted hike), and yesterday here we were back at this place to put in 6 or 8 miles. I was going 8. I thought we were supposed to go 10, but I was wrong. 

I should mention, overnight we got 2-3" of snow and it was bitter cold. 21° without the wind, which was easily 15-20 mph. As the run started at 08:00, None of the streets, or highways were touched.  Yayyyy. I still got there with 15 minutes to spare. 

"Are those going to keep you warm?" said a women pointing to my knit gloves?  "No, but neither do the pair I have that I paid $70, and I don't care if I lose these or not".  And it's true, the expensive REI, Dicks, NorthFace stuff still leaves my hands not just cold, but PAINFUL. So a pack of 8 sets of knit gloves for $12 is fine with me.  .....and I can peel them off and throw them away during a race when it warms up, if needed. I have found no glove that works effectively under 40°F. 

So off we went. 

I was doing really well......considering the sloppiness and slipperiness of the roads and trail. My shoes and socks were soaked before the first mile completed. No bother.  The good runners were out ahead of me, but not by much. The 6 milers and a few 8 milers trailed me. 

But to get to those trails, the labyrinth of streets is confounding. But I was running with folks who seemed to know the way. Great for the way out. 

However, at the turn, I was a mile ahead of the people behind me, and a half mile behind the folks ahead. Once off the trail and back in the neighborhood every street looked the same. I honestly couldn't tell which ones we had come in on. Or exactly how to get back. This is when a Garmin probably comes in handy, or having cell service on your Apple Watch. I had neither. 

How bad could it be? I pondered, as I selected a route / road.  Pretty bad, it turns out.

I ran two miles OUT of my way to somewhat get back. At the 10 mile mark, I ran into another from our group. He's not just handsome, but a great great runner, but he slowed down to run with me. He seemed to know the way. 

Seemed to. 

He didn't. Quentin took us another half-mile out of our way, which meant another mile total. The last mile was pure sleet right in our faces with a very steady headwind. He was asking me questions I could not answer, not because I didn't have answers, because my faces was frozen. It was like I had a stroke and barely able to form words. My beard was all ice.  Yayy. 

So my 8 mile run became an 11 mile run. Fudge. 

Oddly - or not - the most treacherous part of the outing was walking from the stopping place to my car. 200 yards, in which I slipped and almost fell four times!

I stopped to get a warm beverage and pulled out my phone to see that 710 had texted he had tested positive for Covid. He felt crappy Friday (and before I left yesterday). I had had nasal drainage down the right side of my throat earlier in the week but had a random cough, which was not inconsistent with allergies, or even asthma (for the cough part). But I had a Covid test laid out for me once I got home. 

Four years into Covid and this is the first time either of us had tested positive. Even though I took three negative tests last summer, I still think I had it then. But now it's "official".  I tested positive along with 710.

I don't feel bad. Not Covid horror story bad. Not 710 bad. 

I ran 11 miles in the freezing cold on snow, slush and ice with Covid. I think I can "officially" call myself a "runner" now. 

But I still loathe suburbia. 

Song by: Pet Shop Boys

Asleep

Super Bowl.  Valentine's Day. It was a big week. But still had time for a few snaps of some furry friends. 

Big Boy.

Shep was really into the Puppy Bowl. 

We had to turn it, afraid he'd do something to / at the tv. 

I took a post-run nap and found out someone joined me sometime during. 

I loved that. 

Madison.  Such a love, she is. 

Big LAZY boy.  He found the sun. 

My precious Valentine. 

Let's just say there was some preemptive growling going on here. 

Simon does not know the first dog rule: let sleeping dogs lie. 

Song by: the Smiths

My Cleveland Heart

Today is February 16th.  Or 2/16. Or 2.16. 

Cleveland's mainstay area code is also 216. 

For fun (?) a number of running groups get together do a run - untimed.....I think - on this day. 

Last year, I had just joined my training group and wasn't really feeling comfortable doing a pub run, per se. Not comfortable with them. Not comfortable enough with myself to consider any run 'fun'.  But I'm probably going this evening. 

At least that is seemingly the plan.

Evening runs are fine, though I think 710 is fine with me going, it's different on a Friday night. My weekends are already filled with me running and not being home. Maybe he loves that I'm not. 

There are a few routes to take in this race - a one-miler and a six miler. And yes, a 2.16 miler. I'm opting for the third choice. I mean, it's 2.16 on 2.16. 

The bigger reality is: I have to run 10 miles tomorrow, so I'm not doing 6 the evening before. 

Friday is technically my "rest day". I mean, I'll do 15 miles on a bike, but it's not quite the same. So a two+ mile run isn't much of a commitment. And there is beer afterwards. 

....though drinking still seems unlikely. 

There are raffle prizes, but those don't start until 19:30, which really means 20:15. At some point 710 and I have to eat dinner, so I don't want to hang at a bar all night.  A raffle is the only way I'd be winning something. As I think the run is untimed, there is nothing to be won, and even if, even in my age category I wouldn't win..............unless every other old running geyser is at home in their pjs and slippers. 

Happy 216. 

Song by: Jackson Browne

First Down

It seems weird to have little (read: nothing) to say. 

Politics?  Meh. 

Super Bowl?  Double Meh.  

Post Super Bowl Shooting?  Fuck. 

I mean, it was a painful game to watch for sure. Teams that good shouldn't have so many turnovers. For your sports adverse folks, turnovers in football are not pastry desserts. 

Usher looked good, but either the sound was totally fucked up, or......maybe he just really can't sing. To be fair, it's tough to screw up his song "Yeah".  I think, like the title, the tune has one word.  One!

BLOTUS had the balls to say it would be"disloyal" for Taylor Swift to endorsed Pappy Joe. 

WTF.  He's claiming he passed (read: signed....did nothing to craft) a bill for musical artists and she owes all her fortunes because of him. 

Yeahhhhhhhh. 

Of course, he's not so silently blowing the whistle to his comrades to turn on her. I mentioned weeks ago (or less), that the GOP is truly afraid of this woman. It's bad enough one person could topple a political party, but a GIRL???????

The timing isn't right yet, but yeah, she's gonna have to come out not for Biden but against BLOTUS. It will be a timing issue, I believe. 

I also need BLOTUS to die.  

I've said before it can't be anything but natural causes so he's not made a martyr. We are past that now. It no longer matters - conspiracies will take over no matter what, but if it keeps him from office again, faux-martyrdom is a price I'm willing to accept. 

As for the shooting - it's all very new, but since they "caught the guys" and didn't "kill the guys", I'm guessing they're white. 

200 officers on site and multiple folks shot in broad daylight. Many (most? all?) were kids. Hell, these guys don't even have to seek out schools anymore. The kids are coming to them to get shot. 

But here's the sad sad fact. Had Patrick Mahomes or Travis Kelce been shot or killed, Kansas City - MO and KS - would be pushing for stricter gun laws.  .......but since it's just kids.......they'll let it slide. 

America. 

Song by: Fatboy Slim

With Love From Me to You

 Happy Valentine's Day

Song by: the Beatles

12 of 12

 So I'm doing my 166th 12 of 12.

Normally it is 12 pictures taken on the 12th of the month. Since I only post once per day, you get my images the following day. All pictures taken with my iPhone. Click images to enlarge, if you choose.

Created by Chad Darnell and picked up from, what I can tell, any number of random bloggers who then link back to him and vice versa. Chad is no longer doing this, nor is successor coordinating the linking of other 12 of 12'ers anymore.

06:12. Last out makes the bed. It seems it was my turn. 

06:25. B'fast awaits.  The basil is coming in nicely. 

07:13.  Applying for a mail-in ballot awaits. 

Signed. Dated. Sent in. 

07:44. 5 miles. 47 minutes.  ...then a bunch of stretching. 

16:26.  Bringing in the trash and recycling containers.

16:33. Yay. Presents. Well, singular. For myself. From myself. 

16:45. Small grocery run unpacking. 

17:17. Snack. 

I'd rather have chocolate, but.....I'm trying. 

17:42.  Time to take the dolls. 

They keep me happy-ish. 

18:09. Sunset on a dog walk. 

With a crescent moon in the upper left corner

19:31.  Table is set for dinner!

20:32.  Time to put away the laundry. 

Well, that was an exciting day, wasn't it? 

My Music Monday

I can't (probably) get more current than this. Crowded House dropped a new single three days ago. 

Je have done no research on this, but assumes it is a precursor for a new disk. 

The band has been around for 39 (!) years in one iteration or another. Starting as a trio, to a quartet, back to a trio and then untold numbers have filtered through to where they are now a quintet. The only two mainstays have been Neil Finn and Nick Seymour. 

I had the great pleasure of seeing them live - just once - during the Woodface tour (when they were a quartet). Loved it.

I am that guy who buys all their stuff, even when I might not like it. In my opinion, they've had one dud-ish disk and close second, but most of their stuff is solid. 

"Oh Hi" is their new one. A lyric video, but you get what you get. 

As it is new, you only have first impressions by me. I like it. It's not love - not yet anyway. I like it more than most things off their last disk (the close second one mentioned above).  I'm hopeful for a new good disk. 

Fast As You Can

Blobby is not joining a third running group. And while I know there is a third running group, I opt not to partake. 

As I've mentioned, I belong to a running group and a training one. There is a second training one - at no cost, I might add - of which I'm intimidated. Greatly.  

Everyone I've seen from that group during my Old Man Running Group runs, is an excellent athlete. 

It's weird. They run in packs. I mean, I think we all start out that way and then natural abilities start to separate us during our run. Not these guys.  Yes, guys. 99%.  

If you've ever seen a bike race like the Tour de France, how dozens of bikes ride together in some kind of draft - this is how these guys run. Never separated by more than 3" each, and about a dozen per group. Yes, groups. They run in heats, basically, based on your ability. 

I saw the other training group, man-buns / shirtless and all, pass by me (opposite direction) after my turn-around. At about my mile 7, a man with an incredible body and an even better stride, blows by me with a speed and gait unseen on these paths. It was amazing to see, honestly. 

"Looking Good", he yells to me, as he passes with the speed of the Amtrak Acela. 

My immediate reaction in my head?  "is he fucking mocking me?".   

What came out was - "you too", but I think he was too far past me to even hear. 

I get back to the starting point where some runners were hanging out (I went out farther than the rest, but wasn't the last one in......and yes, I felt the need to say that!) and mentioned this guy. The convo shifted into how a perceived compliment can make someone feel, and I ad-libed, "I should have just yelled, 'DICK!'".   Oh, we all laughed. 

But it's true. The person you see lagging and you want to be supportive, so you say, "you got this!", or the likes, and they're mentally flipping you off. Their perception can be they notice you going slow(er)  

I will say to them, "let's run this in, together."  And I mean it. I'll go slower just to help motivate. Or hopefully motivate. 

Yesterday I passed someone not in either group and just said, "only 1 more mile to go, let's do this".  I assumed he was stopping near where I was. But I hope it gave him motivation. 

Honestly, I know the runner meant nothing by his comment. It's a pat response amongst runners, maybe even a sincere one. And I really didn't feel "less than". I've worked hard and I'm so much more improved from a year ago. Stud runner didn't know that, but if he wants to go out for a beer, I can tell him about it. 

Song by: Fiona Apple

Bad to the Bone

Decent weather. Decent outings - well, with Shep. Simon is secure inside, but he is very observant of Shep coming and going as he almost always pleases. He might be planning an escape. I'm kind of half serious on that. 

But enjoy this week's offerings. 

Shhhh. Don't tell Shep that Simon is using his nighttime bed during the daytime. 

Penny Loves Shep. 

Shep usually ignores here completely, but ran up to her fence the other day to greet her. I was happy. 

Hike down by the Chagrin River. 

Shhhh. Don't tell Dad #1 that Simon stole his chair during the day too. 

Bailey and Shep went on a 2.5 mile hike last weekend. 

Short legs will travel. 

When someone went to get the mail, Simon snuck in behind and got closed into the vestibule. 

I heard and heard and heard him meowing, but was looking in all the wrong places. 

Daycare pick-up with Bad Ass Dad #2

Song by: George Thorogood

the New OK

I know I should be more worried about climate change. In my lifetime, the damage is done. There is no overcorrecting that is going to see any impact on what time I still have left on Earth. 

But you know, it was 63° F yesterday.  In February. In Cleveland!

There is zero chance of Lake Erie freezing over this year. Or any of the Great Lakes for that matter. Zero. 

Still - 63. 

I broke Shep out of daycare early. Dressed in running shorts and a t-shirt (me, not him), we took a hike, though the temps had plummeted to 60. It felt chillier in the shade, but in the sun it was great. I was planning on a smaller hike, but we did a much larger one because.....warmth!

No doubt we will have colder weather, but we are about halfway through "winter" with one bad snow and a few sub-zero days. 

We're not closer to solving climate change - clearly - so for now I'll enjoy what I can. 

Song by: Drive-By Truckers

Loser

Once again, or still, I'm over the news and world events and politics. And even the Grammys. Maybe especially. 

The GOP and their failures to even set up the Dems for 2024 is a little astonishing. Their failure to impeach anything is humourous. But when they fail, they usually come back harder and meaner, if possible. 

I am kind of surprised they can impeach a Senate (not House) approved Chair. Or is it just all for show even if they could get the votes?  Does it mean anything, really? 

The dismantling of a workable immigration plan just to make the current administration look bad is just sad. Sadder is, should it (have) work(ed), I'd like to think any debate moderator and any newspaper editor could bring it up at Primary and General Election time. 

Of course, not only will they not do that, voters hear / believe what they want to - on both side of the aisle. I'd state more on the GOP side, but I don't have anything to really back that up - unless you use Kentucky as a perfect example. 

They are heavily Republican and the biggest user of social programs for the poor and have two Republican senators who vote against their interests and needs - and they keep electing them. They see "others" as the problem. Moscow Mitch has been their senator for 36+ years and yet the poor are still poor and hungry. 

It's nice to know the appeals court(s) side with the DOJ on BLOTUS' immunity. But that is a set-up for SCOTUS who refused to hear the case when the DOJ requested it months ago. Now it has to go there (presumably) - to be voted on by three BLOTUS appointees.  .....and you know they won't recuse themselves.  Fuckers. 

And then the Grammys.  Everyone's talking Tracy Chapman - and good for her that she achieved the #1 and 2 downloads on Apple Music; along with the #1 song - 36 years later. I had the opportunity to see her open for 10,000 Maniacs before her debut disk even was released. It was something!

But no, I'm talking fucking Jay-Z.  

Somehow he equates his wife having more Grammys than anyone (seriously, how did THAT happen), but bemoaning she didn't get Album of the Year.   ....as if having more automatically entitles you to more. This is a woman who covered "White Christmas" and attempted to get songwriting credit on it. 

He blames the Grammys, when he should be blaming the voters - who are recording artists. Well Mr Z, if they didn't think she was the best, taking it up with them, not the Grammys governing body. And as recording artists, maybe give them the credit to say they know their craft and what they think might be good. Or better. 

And like Kanye who did this to Taylor Swift and someone from the Wu Tang Clan did it years before to Shawn Colvin. Basically shitting over other people's triumphs - live! - to make your statement on how the others aren't good enough. 

Like the GOP, you're sore losers. It's not enough to have about $3 BILLION dollars between Jay-Z and his wife, and more Grammys than anyone else - it just has to be more !  

And if you're doing what you're doing for awards, you are no longer artists. You're only worried about your brand, not your art. 

I liked Dua Lipa's opening though. 

Song by: Grateful Dead

Funny

It's a 'nonsense' day. 

I was going to write about running and then thought better of it. You can thank me later. 

So why not do a video clip?  Not music, just a funny vid. 

I like Judd Apatow enough, but sometimes not enough. I never bothered to see This is 40, which reprises Paul Rudd and Leslie Mann as their married characters from Knocked Up.  Well, I assume they reprise them. Again, I've never seen it. 

While they were pleasant enough in Knocked Up, at least from this clip, Melissa McCarthy is the star. 

What you'll see is an improvised outtake of a scene. Gotta love that McCarthy, and the actress playing what I'm assuming is a school principal, never breaks character. 

I think I like about half of what McCarthy does. I feel I might literally be the only person who saw the Boss. But I enjoyed it and her. I liked Spy too and her character in Bridesmaids. Still, she's done a lot of crap too, so choose wisely. 

The character below seems to be closest to her Bridesmaids character. .....but it works. 

Song by: Rob Thomas

Hold Me

We are decently on our way to our movie goal, but I also know we always start out the year strong due to Oscar contention movies - then we usually sink like a stone. 

I'm hoping to rectify the pattern. 

Via Instagram, I saw previews for the Holdovers back in May (!!!) 2023. It looked good and I'm a fan of Paul Giamatti (honestly, if you have never seen the HBO series on John Adams, you must!)  and director Alexander Payne. 

Admittedly, the previews made the movie seem funnier and more whimsical than it was, and I should know better. Payne's Election, the Descendants and Nebraska all had light moments with heavier themes. Eons ago I tried sitting through his Sideways (also with Giamatti), but couldn't get into it. 

While I won't get into any kind of true spoiler - the premise is an all-boy's boarding school over the winter holidays, some kids have nowhere to go, so they are holdovers at the school for the break. A faculty member is assigned to watch over them. 

With what could have easily turned into a higher-brow'd Breakfast Club, Payne makes sure it does not, and he does it well. 

The movie rides on three performances (for the most part) with one or two others thrown in for great measure (Carrie Preston). The thing is, for the two male characters (Giamatti and Dominic Sessa - who has never been in a movie) you kind of want to root for them; kind of not. Either way, they don't make it easy, but they're not supposed to. 

Giamatti gives a great performance. Sessa does too - though times he looks like a teen student, sometimes like a 37 year old. Heaps of praise are being given to school cook played by Da’Vine Joy Randolph, and she's good, but I'm not convinced it's an over the top good. 

I find with Payne movies, multiple viewings usually help too. It assists in the dramatic and comedic aspects and how it all pulls together. 

While this is still at some theaters, due to the Oscar nominations, you can rent it on amazon prime for like $6. It was a lot cheaper than two movie tickets. Hell, it was a lot cheaper than one. 

2024 Movie Count / Goal: 03 of 15

Song by: Fleetwood Mac

My Music Monday

The Pet Shop Boys have a new song.  Songs. Like if there were still physical singles, they released the A and B side of songs that are slated for their new album. 

"Loneliness" is the A side and it's ok.  I'll link it here (it's a nice video). But I found the B side, "Party in the Blitz" to be more interesting (but no real video). 

PSB have been around for over 40 years now, which is impressive. There are a number of band that have stood that test of time. Still, they've done a lot - some great, some good and some passible, but that seems legit for having 15 albums or original (mostly) music. 

710 is a bigger fan than I, but I listen. I mean, I don't care if I ever hear "West End Girls" again, but I usually don't click off the channel if it comes on. 

Nothing

I got nothing. 

That is all. 

Put Your Head on My Shoulder

Dogs and Cats.  Well Dog and Kitten. No. Dogs and Kitten. You get the idea. 

Shep isn't always the snuggler, so I cherish it when it happens. 

It is like the perfect place for Simon. 

Daycare IG / FB star!

Only a fraction of the dogs at daycare. Tony, the black and white dude near the back wouldn't give me the time of day.  Rude!   The guy at the front was cool though. 

710's at home work companion. 

Shep up at the Lower Shaker Lake.  Grey grey day. 

Dinner prep can sometimes be a challenge. 

Song by: Paul Anka

Run

My training group started back up this last Tuesday. 

This is different than my old man running group (which really isn't all men, though mostly).

Both have their advantages, of course, but both are very different in nature. Just by the name - one is for training, one is just for running.........and the bakery. 

With the latter, they run just to run. Since most are older than myself - some in the group for over 30 years now! - they are done with races. Most of them, not all. But no one - save one? - is training for a marathon, or even a half. 

The training group - that is that they are training for, half and / or full marathons that are set for the spring. There are other training groups for 5-10k races that will start in a few weeks. 

Yes, no secrets this go round, I'm still training for full and half marathons, even if I don't know which ones they be just yet, though I've signed up for Cleveland full marathon this year. Last it was the half.

I've also already signed up for a 5k, a half of a half marathon and a 10 miler so far. While running doesn't have to be an expensive sport, you can certainly make it one. I have.

Tuesday's run seemed tough for me. I couldn't find my breath. And this crowd is faster and I think there is one person older than myself in the group. The rest are 15-30 years younger.  Of course they're going to be faster. 

Unlike a year ago where I was back of the pack, this time I was in the top third. Yeah, it felt like a shitty run, but was a decent time. It felt shitty because I was pushing myself to keep up, which is kind of the point of training. I just have to keep telling myself that. 

Also unlike a year ago, I was welcomed this time. There were people who called me by my name, I'm not even sure I've ever seen before. My running wife runs with the west side group on Tuesdays. The above image is the east side group with which I participate.  I do (did?) have an east side wife kind of, but she wasn't there, and I'll have to text her to see if she's participating this session. 

Training will lessen my runs with the running group, which will bum me out, but I'll be with them every Sunday. But that's Panera day and and not the bakery day, so that sucks. 

If you remember from an earlier post, I'm also taking challenges from my running app too. Two, actually, but will only report out on one today. 

I swear originally it had running 200 miles by the end of March. It is now the end of February. 

I'm not too worried about not meeting the challenge.  This was me at the end of January. And I didn't run for a week due to "stomach issues".  In theory, I would have had 24 more miles (or more) onto that 122.75 

I mean, I'll still make it before the deadline, but my goal was to be better. As I've said: I'm very competitive with myself. 

First race is in 21 days....I think. 

Song by: Foo Fighters

Backfired

Ugh - this country. The U.S. that is. 

I get that everyone isn't from here, but even I have to believe that anything Taylor Swift related is global news. Whatever you think of her as a musician, she's a cunning (no 't') business woman.  ...and she knows how to work social media. 

Her bf, Travis Kelce does too. I believe he and his brother have the #1 podcast with New Heights. I know Travis and Jason are from my town, but they are fucking hilarious. It's fun to watch that shit. 

But OMFG - the GOP. 

Besides the paranoia of the rigged NFL shit, but that the republican snowflakes (yes, they are actually the ones who are über sensitive, not the liberal folks) are allegedly planning some kind of counter-attack due to Kelce and Swift. Something that hasn't even happened.

This. Is. Brilliant. 

Seriously. On so many levels. 

In a land of 342 million people (161-168 million registered voters), the GOP is so seemingly incredibly fragile that two people - 2 !!!!!! - can take down a political party that has been in place for over 200 years. 

Should that be the case - and it might be - then the GOP should be scared as fuck. 

Me?  I'm hopeful as fuck. 

Yes. Me !!!   I just typed that. 

Backfired. My man, your plan backfired in your face. 

Swift has the financial means to purchase every single ad slot for the Super Bowl with just the interest on what she makes annually. Can you imagine if each and every ad was her singing about Pappy Joe while riding the Bud Light Clydesdales while holding boxes of Plan B?  

You think men of this country were melting down over seeing 42 seconds (!!) of her during a 3+ hour play-off, just think of chaos that would happen? 

Swift has personally been responsible for making the NFL / Kansas City Chiefs and additional $331 million during this last regular season. That's a lot of money to me and you. It is a drop in the bucket to the $16.8 BILLION the NFL rakes in annually - but it's more than a blip, considering it was an untapped female market. 

Let's be honest - no one is fucking with the half-time show, and I don't even know who is performing. If Kelce does anything during the game not football related it will be to propose to Swift. That alone will send the GOP screaming, though I'm not sure why. I thought they were for traditional marriage. 

Who doesn't appreciate a good conspiracy theory this guy is toting around?

But I love how this X'er in the image attempts to debase Kelce for being vaccinated.........like three years later. And yes, Kelce is a spokesperson for Covid vaccinations. And you know this dipshit twatter has been vaccinated too. Why is there such pride in promoting others to die due to non-vaccination?  Maybe his biggest concern is that Kelce won't die due to it. 

Still, there is chatter about a counter-offensive should any of the predicted happens. Except, they're not going to develop a plan and not launch it - even if Swift stays in Japan and doesn't attend. The GOP is basically the premature ejaculators for the political party system. 

I mean, they can't abort their own baby............can they? Maybe they will...............if it's not viable. 

Song by: Debbie Harry