Tom Faranda's Folly

Bruce Willis retiring; cognitive issue is aphasia

Bruce Willis is 67 years old. Head injuries from his action movies?

Bruce's daughter, Rumer Willis, shared the sad news Wednesday ... posting a photo of her dad with a pretty revealing caption about his health: "To Bruce’s amazing supporters, as a family we wanted to share that our beloved Bruce has been experiencing some health issues and has recently been diagnosed with aphasia, which is impacting his cognitive abilities."

Wordle Wednesday result - I reach the half century

That's kind of a cricket term for scoring 50 runs - see my 50 below. And still a perfect score. 

 

What the Florida Parental Rights Bill says

I'd think this is common sense. Here is a link to the seven page text of the actual bill (I read it; happy to email it to anyone requesting it) - House Bill (HB) 1557  -Below is from the Catholic League with the purportedly controversial sections.

 reaction to Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis and his support for parental rights:

 

Most people have never read the bill. If they listened to those branding it the "Don't Say Gay" bill, they would think it is a hate speech bill. This is a total lie.

********************

 

Here are some of the highlights of the bill:

 

• • School district school boards must "reinforce the fundamental right of parents to make decisions regarding the upbringing and control of their children in a specified manner."
  • School district personnel are prohibited from "discouraging or prohibiting parental notification and involvement in critical decisions affecting a student's mental, emotional, or physical well-being."
  • School district personnel are prohibited from "classroom discussion about sexual orientation or gender identity in certain grade levels or in specified manner."
  • "Classroom instruction by school personnel or third parties on sexual orientation or gender identity may not occur in kindergarten through grade 3 or in a manner that is not age appropriate or developmentally appropriate for students in accordance with state standards."

 

Who could possibly object to these standards of common sense and common decency? (Most of the following comments were made prior to the bill's passage.)

 

President Biden called the bill "hateful." Disney said it "should never have passed and should never have been signed into law." Oscar hosts slammed it, jumping and screaming, "gay, gay, gay."

 

Ana Navarro whined that "the message it sends is a very chilling one for LGBTQ families." Whoopi Goldberg said the bill is "shaming" queers and "punishing" teachers. Andy Cohen labeled it "one big dog whistle" that is "scaring people into spewing hate and discrimination at the LGBTQ community."

 

Gay rights groups are just as irresponsible.

 

The Human Rights Campaign complained that "LGBTQ+ students may wonder if they're allowed to even acknowledge their own sexuality or gender identity." Nadine Smith from Equality Florida charged that DeSantis "attacked parents and children in our state by invoking hateful anti-LGBTQ stereotypes."

 

Lambda Legal blasted the bill for giving "the 'green light' to teach intolerance, allow harassment, and fail to confront violence against LGBTQ+ youth and their families."

 

An editorial in the Washington Post said proponents of the bill "invoke the bogeyman of school systems infringing on 'parental rights,' arguing that such conversations should be led by parents and families."

Kara Swisher, a New York Times opinion writer, said, "Let's call it what it is, trans- and homophobia."

Tuesday's wordle -

Now one short of getting 50 in a row.

Crazy baseball: "Steals home to win the game"

Great little video for baseball junkies. Never mind that it's 6 minutes long - awesome look at a bit of "inside baseball" with the pitcher one strike away from getting out of the jam -but ball never leaves his hand. ..

 

monday's wordle

A bit lucky - even though I'd lined up four letters by the third line - the answer could have been "mound" or "bound."

 

Required reading: Former State Senator Ruben Diaz on fellow Democrat NYC Mayor Adams

Ruben Diaz is the Democrat (who beside being in the State Senate for years was also a NY City Councilman) other NY Democrats love to hate. This commentary is oh so true - I've bolded some of the text.

WHAT YOU SHOULD KNOW

By Former NYC Councilman

Rev. Ruben Diaz

Bronx County

 

 

A General That Divides The Population

of The City Into Two Categories

 

 

You should know that last week, our Mayor, Eric Adams, has used his authority as the Supreme Chief of New York City, to Implement A new Order, which has astonished, troubled, confused and disillusioned this city’s residents.

 

 

I was always imagined that Eric Adams would be a Mayor, that would exercise Fairness, Impartiality and would operate this city fairly treating its people with Equality, regardless of Race, Color, Religion, Sexual Preference, Nationality, and Social Economic status, be they rich or poor. Well to the surprise of many, last week our Mayor has used his power to openly favor the Rich, the Famous, the well-connected and the upper class.

 

 

You should know that last week, Mayor Eric Adams, in speaking to the news media, changed his title from “Mayor” to “General” when he said, "I am a General and Generals often give orders that are not to the liking of many."   Oh wow! What a show of humility!

 

 

Using his power and authority as a General, our Mayor said that Celebrities, Artists, Broadway Performers, Ball Players from the Yankees and Mets teams, and all Athletes, will be Exempt from COVID Mandates, Ordinances, and Regulations. These people will no longer be required to be vaccinated against COVID based on what they do for a living and their social status.  While the rest of the population, (we the common people), continue to be obligated and must submit to the COVID Mandates instituted in New York City.

 

 

In other words, all these people, who are paid millions of dollars for their athletic and artistic careers are excused, and I repeat don't need to be vaccinated against COVID!  Apparently, this Virus can determine what type of people it will or will not attack. What an interesting concept this is. Humm, this makes me laugh, ha, ha, ha….

 

 

It is important for you to know that General Adams' new COVID orders do not extend this vaccine exemption to our municipal workers. The Police Officers, Nurses, Hospital Workers, Teachers, and FireFighters must comply, be vaccinated, or lose their livelihoods. Also, people of faith with deeply held beliefs, and those who have natural immunity must also comply and are still obligated to submit with COVID mandates or they too will lose their jobs.

 

 

So, to make this clear, if you are a ball player for the Mets, and Yankees teams, or you’re an athlete, or a Broadway Performer, you have the green light to work, and you have the privilege to function in General Adam’s city.  But if you are a mere municipal employee, or you are one of the thousands who was fired for not getting vaccinated, then you my friend are screwed.  You can't work and you won't be able to provide support for your family according to “General” Adams.

 

 

Mr. Mayor, you should listen to the words from Patrick J. Lynch, President of the Police Union (PBA) when he said, "City police officers were on the street working unprotected, risking their health during the Pandemic, while athletes and performers were locked in the comfort of their mansions."

 

 

Please know that not only did police officers work without protective equipment during the Pandemic, but nurses, firefighters, teachers, and nearly all City workers risked themselves when there was no vaccine available.  Today those workers who were, at that time, called our “Frontline Heroes” now, due to COVID mandates, have lost their jobs, and they are viewed as the villains and the bad guys in this movie.

 

 

It is important for you to know that I was Eric Adams' Colleague when we both served in the State Senate.  We sat in the same row of the Senate floor. I was able to meet Mr. Adams and got to know him. I would observe his way of dressing, his way of speaking, his way of treating others, his self-confidence, and above all his swagger and the way he took everything in stride. I always had the impression that he possessed the fiber and qualities of a Leader.

 

 

I never thought, nor could I imagine that so soon, barely (3) three months after coming to power, my friend Eric Adams would become the “General” who would divide the city into two classes of people. The haves and the have nots. The Rich, Famous and upper-class People and those that are privileged to work without being vaccinated and we the Ordinary Common People, like the municipal workers who must submit to vaccine mandates in New York City. What an injustice!

 

 

Excuse me, My General, I didn't know that COVID possessed the intelligence to do, as you have, and know what people to attack. I didn't know that COVID has such wisdom that it knows not to attack the Athletes, the Rich, and the upper-Class, and instead would focus its attack on the Poor, the middle class, and the defenseless. Who knew?

 

I am Rev. Rubén Diaz, and this is What You Should Know.

How the NY Times has tried to control the Hunter Biden narrative

A good, short, but comprehensive article. Thanks to my anonymous source for sending me this. Excerpts below the link.

4 Big Takeaways From The New York Times’s Attempt To Control The Hunter Biden Narrative

Now that the Times has acknowledged that the Biden-related emails and other documents recovered from the abandoned laptop are authentic, that means the scandals they exposed are also legitimate. As summarized at The Federalist here, there are eight Joe Biden scandals that deserve investigation.

***************

Beyond what Wednesday’s article on Hunter Biden means more broadly related to the scandals exposed by the abandoned MacBook, the substance of the Times’s coverage suggests a huge story about the president’s son is about to break. Here, it is helpful to remember that the Times is the newspaper of record for stories needed to soften the landing for Democrats embroiled in scandal. In this case, the tells are all there that the Times is offering an assist to the Bidens by getting ahead of the story to come.

************

Revisiting the Times’s article from last week, then, with the premise that the reporting seeks to “get ahead of the story,” suggests federal prosecutors may have some serious charges in mind for the president’s son. Tax evasion seems the most likely charge Hunter will face, given that the Times reported that the president’s son paid more than $1 million in tax liability while spinning any such criminal offense as Hunter’s mere “failure to pay all his taxes.”

A second charge floated by the Times concerns violations of “the Foreign Agents Registration Act, or FARA, which requires disclosure to the Justice Department of lobbying or public relations assistance on behalf of foreign clients.” Here, the Times’ efforts to frame Hunter’s potential violations of FARA as unintentional — and thus not criminal — suggests the Delaware U.S. attorney has a solid FARA case in the works.

The Times’s coverage, however, indicates federal prosecutors are looking at much more serious charges related to payments Hunter Biden received from the Ukrainian energy company Burisma, as well his financial interests in Kazakhstan and China.

**************

As noted above, the Times’ preemptive countering of several hypothetical criminal charges indicates the leftist paper’s coverage of the Hunter Biden case seeks not to inform the public but to form a gentle narrative on which the president’s son can land when the expected indictment drops. Here it is not merely the many defenses the Times lays out, but the entirety of the article that also downplays the potential charges and paints the most sympathetic scenario possible for Hunter Biden.

Bottom line -

Until the Delaware U.S. attorney announces charges, if any, against Hunter Biden, it is impossible to know the criminal jeopardy the president’s son may face. But, given that when the Times reports on stories harmful to Democratic interests it proves prescient, odds are good that some serious charges are in the works.

The author has an interesting background.

Margot Cleveland is a senior contributor to The Federalist... Cleveland is a lawyer and a graduate of the Notre Dame Law School, where she earned the Hoynes Prize—the law school’s highest honor. She later served for nearly 25 years as a permanent law clerk for a federal appellate judge on the Seventh Circuit Court of Appeals. Cleveland is a former full-time university faculty member and now teaches as an adjunct from time to time. As a stay-at-home homeschooling mom of a young son with cystic fibrosis, Cleveland frequently writes on cultural issues related to parenting and special-needs children.

Sunday's Wordle

Only the second time I've got no letters on my first line word. And a word with no vowels! That is a first.

NR: "How Russia’s War on Ukraine Will Change the World"

An intelligent perspective with no doubt many correct points. Takes 6 minutes to read. The author is a former assistant secretary of state. 

... the war and its attendant suffering do not look close to ending, and the war aims of both sides are far off. Even so, one month into the war, clear outlines have emerged now of some larger geopolitical implications for the U.S. and the rest of the world that will affect global security far outside Ukraine and Europe, likely for the next decade or more.

Some of the points made:

"There is no retirement home for old dictators, but beware an unhappy, unsuccessful, nuclear-armed Putin"

"For aggressor states, being in the nuclear club is a must-have." Scary. Think Iran.

"Energy policy will be more firmly anchored to security policy."

Here's the last paragraph:

The opportunity is there for the Biden administration to not just help end the war in Ukraine on the best terms possible, but also to reframe U.S. leadership around confronting some of these trends and developments spurred or accelerated by the war on Ukraine. We are under-led and under-equipped for many of these issues. Vision and energy from the administration, the restoration of civilizational self-confidence from our leaders and our polity, and an articulation of an American role in the world that can win broad domestic support could help the U.S. to reshape the global playing field in a manner advantageous not only to Americans first and foremost, but to global stability and prosperity as well.

 

Saturday's wordle

Tough! But I'm still at 100%...

Found! "Shackleton's Endurance shipwreck in Antarctic" - 3 minute video

The incredible 1914-1916 exploration and survival story.

 

Friday's wordle

A tough one even though I had three of the letters on my first line!

One question quiz: Do you know more human biology then the Biden Supreme Court nominee?

This ties  in to the post I put up yesterday. Supreme Court candidate can't give a definition: what is a woman?

 

Biden's Supreme Court nominee Ketanji Brown Jackson is very, very smart. We know this because she went to Harvard. But as she admitted, she's no biologist.

Do you know more about basic biology than Ketanji Brown Jackson? Take the test to find out how smart you are!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

What is a woman?

 

A

An adult human female

 

 

B

I'm not a biologist

 

 

C

How DARE you!

 

 

D

REEEEEEEEEEE!!!!!

Thursday wordle

Prosecutor who resigned says Trump "guilty of numerous felony violations"

Which begs the question, why isn't the Manhattan DA indicting him? After all, he's a Democrat and indicting Trump would make him a Democratic Party Rock Star.

One of the senior Manhattan prosecutors who investigated Donald Trump believed that the former president was “guilty of numerous felony violations” and that it was “a grave failure of justice” not to hold him accountable, according to a copy of his resignation letter.

The prosecutor, Mark Pomerantz, submitted his resignation last month after the Manhattan district attorney, Alvin Bragg, abruptly stopped pursuing an indictment of Trump.

Pomerantz, 70, a prominent former federal prosecutor and white-collar defense lawyer who came out of retirement to work on the Trump investigation, resigned on the same day as Carey Dunne, another senior prosecutor leading the inquiry.

Pomerantz’s Feb. 23 letter, obtained by The New York Times, offers a personal account of his decision to resign and for the first time states explicitly his belief that the office could have convicted the former president. Bragg’s decision was “contrary to the public interest,” he wrote.

“The team that has been investigating Mr. Trump harbors no doubt about whether he committed crimes — he did,” Pomerantz wrote.

Pomerantz and Dunne planned to charge Trump with falsifying business records, specifically his annual financial statements — a felony in New York state.

Bragg’s decision not to pursue charges — and the resignations that followed — threw the fate of the long-running investigation into serious doubt. If the prosecutors had secured an indictment of Trump, it would have been the highest-profile case ever brought by the Manhattan District Attorney’s Office and would have made Trump the first American president to face criminal charges.

Earlier this month, the Times reported that the investigation unraveled after weeks of escalating disagreement between the veteran prosecutors overseeing the case and the new district attorney. Much of the debate centered on whether the prosecutors could prove that Trump knowingly falsified the value of his assets on annual financial statements, the Times found, a necessary element to proving the case.

While Dunne and Pomerantz were confident that the office could demonstrate that the former president had intended to inflate the value of his golf clubs, hotels and office buildings, Bragg was not. He balked at pursuing an indictment against Trump, a decision that shut down Pomerantz’s and Dunne’s presentation of evidence to a grand jury and prompted their resignations.

Supreme Court candidate can't give a definition: what is a woman?

Yup. Bizarro World. Love the line later, where a woman says "I'm not a vet but I know what a dog is". And other stuff - like head of twitter affirms he does not believe in the first amendment - his own words.

 

Wednesday's Wordle

Maintaining perfect score.

 

Friday, March 25th; Pope Francis' Consecration of Ukraine and Russia to the Immaculate Heart of Mary

Cardinal Dolan sent an email around today, part of which I am reproducing here -

This Friday, March 25^th, the Feast of the Annunciation, our Holy Father will be consecrating and entrusting Russia and Ukraine to the Immaculate Heart of Mary at 5:00 p.m. Rome time.  I will be joining in that consecration from Saint Patrick’s Cathedral immediately prior to the Noon Mass.  If you can’t be there in person, you can follow the livestream on the Cathedral website here.  A copy of the prayer of consecration follows.

 

ACT OF CONSECRATION TO THE IMMACULATE HEART OF MARY

O Mary, Mother of God and our Mother, in this time of trial we turn to you. As our Mother, you love us and know us: no concern of our hearts is hidden from you. Mother of mercy, how often we have experienced your watchful care and your peaceful presence! You never cease to guide us to Jesus, the Prince of Peace.

Yet we have strayed from that path of peace. We have forgotten the lesson learned from the tragedies of the last century, the sacrifice of the millions who fell in two world wars. We have disregarded the commitments we made as a community of nations. We have betrayed peoples’ dreams of peace and the hopes of the young. We grew sick with greed, we thought only of our own nations and their interests, we grew indifferent and caught up in our selfish needs and concerns. We chose to ignore God, to be satisfied with our illusions, to grow arrogant and aggressive, to suppress innocent lives and to stockpile weapons. We stopped being our neighbour’s keepers and stewards of our common home. We have ravaged the garden of the earth with war and by our sins we have broken the heart of our heavenly Father, who desires us to be brothers and sisters. We grew indifferent to everyone and everything except ourselves. Now with shame we cry out: Forgive us, Lord!

Holy Mother, amid the misery of our sinfulness, amid our struggles and weaknesses, amid the mystery of iniquity that is evil and war, you remind us that God never abandons us, but continues to look upon us with love, ever ready to forgive us and raise us up to new life. He has given you to us and made your Immaculate Heart a refuge for the Church and for all humanity. By God’s gracious will, you are ever with us; even in the most troubled moments of our history, you are there to guide us with tender love.

We now turn to you and knock at the door of your heart. We are your beloved children. In every age you make yourself known to us, calling us to conversion. At this dark hour, help us and grant us your comfort. Say to us once more: “Am I not here, I who am your Mother?” You are able to untie the knots of our hearts and of our times. In you we place our trust. We are confident that, especially in moments of trial, you will not be deaf to our supplication and will come to our aid.

That is what you did at Cana in Galilee, when you interceded with Jesus and he worked the first of his signs. To preserve the joy of the wedding feast, you said to him: “They have no wine” (Jn 2:3). Now, O Mother, repeat those words and that prayer, for in our own day we have run out of the wine of hope, joy has fled, fraternity has faded. We have forgotten our humanity and squandered the gift of peace. We opened our hearts to violence and destructiveness. How greatly we need your maternal help!

Therefore, O Mother, hear our prayer.
Star of the Sea, do not let us be shipwrecked in the tempest of war.
Ark of the New Covenant, inspire projects and paths of reconciliation.
Queen of Heaven, restore God’s peace to the world.
Eliminate hatred and the thirst for revenge, and teach us forgiveness.
Free us from war, protect our world from the menace of nuclear weapons.
Queen of the Rosary, make us realize our need to pray and to love.
Queen of the Human Family, show people the path of fraternity.
Queen of Peace, obtain peace for our world.

O Mother, may your sorrowful plea stir our hardened hearts. May the tears you shed for us make this valley parched by our hatred blossom anew. Amid the thunder of weapons, may your prayer turn our thoughts to peace. May your maternal touch soothe those who suffer and flee from the rain of bombs. May your motherly embrace comfort those forced to leave their homes and their native land. May your Sorrowful Heart move us to compassion and inspire us to open our doors and to care for our brothers and sisters who are injured and cast aside.

Holy Mother of God, as you stood beneath the cross, Jesus, seeing the disciple at your side, said: “Behold your son” (Jn 19:26). In this way he entrusted each of us to you. To the disciple, and to each of us, he said: “Behold, your Mother” (v. 27). Mother Mary, we now desire to welcome you into our lives and our history. At this hour, a weary and distraught humanity stands with you beneath the cross, needing to entrust itself to you and, through you, to consecrate itself to Christ. The people of Ukraine and Russia, who venerate you with great love, now turn to you, even as your heart beats with compassion for them and for all those peoples decimated by war, hunger, injustice and poverty.

Therefore, Mother of God and our Mother, to your Immaculate Heart we solemnly entrust and consecrate ourselves, the Church and all humanity, especially Russia and Ukraine. Accept this act that we carry out with confidence and love. Grant that war may end and peace spread throughout the world. The “Fiat” that arose from your heart opened the doors of history to the Prince of Peace. We trust that, through your heart, peace will dawn once more. To you we consecrate the future of the whole human family, the needs and expectations of every people, the anxieties and hopes of the world. 

Through your intercession, may God’s mercy be poured out on the earth and the gentle rhythm of peace return to mark our days. Our Lady of the “Fiat”, on whom the Holy Spirit descended, restore among us the harmony that comes from God. May you, our “living fountain of hope”, water the dryness of our hearts. In your womb Jesus took flesh; help us to foster the growth of communion. You once trod the streets of our world; lead us now on the paths of peace. 

Amen.

NCAA women's swim champ caught with performance-enhancing testicles!

ATLANTA, GA—Celebrations for winning the 500-yard freestyle at the NCAA Women’s Swimming and Diving Championships were short-lived for convincingly female athlete Lia Thomas, as authorities caught her in possession of performance-enhancing testicles.

“Investigators will need time to sift through the trail of evidence right now,” said NCAA’s Head of Testicle Enforcement, Bob Huevos, while holding up a jock strap, the device suspected to have been used to conceal the contraband from rigorous testing protocols. “We suspect the swimmer used this contraption to keep the performance-enhancing testicles secured between her legs.”

Blood tests of the disgraced, obviously-female swimmer have led Huevos to believe Thomas had a long history of using testicles to dose with powerful testosterone, perhaps beginning in early childhood.

“Long term testicle use like this may explain the female swimmer’s towering height, powerful muscles, dense bone structure, deep voice, and bulging crotch,” explained Huevos, “These permanent mutations from testosterone abuse would have given her a lifetime advantage over other female athletes even if she were to quit and go on estrogen. For that reason, Lia Thomas should be disqualified from competition.”

This may not be the end of Lia Thomas’ story, however. In the name of equity, diversity, and inclusion, the disgraced swimmer has been given a second chance with an invitation to compete as a collegiate swimmer in the NCAA Swimming And Diving Championships For Women With Testicles.

tuesday's wordle -

I think this is like the fifth day in a row I've gotten it on the third line.

I took the "Difficult Personality Test" - turns out I'm easy to get along with.

Here's my result - 17.86% - the lower the score the better. Test yourself!

https://www.idrlabs.com/difficult-person/test.php

Here I am:

And here's what it all means. "Grandiosity?" But even there - not too bad...

and

 

WSJ: "Ivermectin Didn’t Reduce Covid-19 Hospitalizations in Largest Trial to Date"

The latest trial, of nearly 1,400 Covid-19 patients at risk of severe disease, is the largest to show that those who received ivermectin as a treatment didn’t fare better than those who received a placebo.

“There was no indication that ivermectin is clinically useful,” said Edward Mills, one of the study’s lead researchers and a professor of health sciences at Canada’s McMaster University in Hamilton, Ontario. Dr. Mills on Friday plans to present the findings, which have been accepted for publication in a major peer-reviewed medical journal, at a public forum sponsored by the National Institutes of Health.

****************

The researchers prescribed half of the patients a course of ivermectin pills for three days. The other half received a placebo. They tracked whether the patients were hospitalized within 28 days. The researchers also looked at whether patients on ivermectin cleared the virus from their bodies faster than those who received a placebo, whether their symptoms resolved sooner, whether they were in the hospital or on ventilators for less time and whether there was any difference in the death rates for the two groups.

To make sure they were being thorough, the researchers analyzed the data in three different ways. They looked at data from all patients; then analyzed data from patients who received ivermectin or a placebo 24 hours before they were hospitalized; and in a third review, looked at data from patients who said they had adhered strictly to their dosing schedule. In each scenario, they found ivermectin didn’t improve patient outcomes.

“This is the first large, prospective study that should really help put to rest ivermectin and not give any credibility to the use of it for Covid-19,” said Peter Hotez, dean of the National School of Tropical Medicine at Baylor College of Medicine, who reviewed the findings.

****************

Dr. Mills and his collaborators have looked at 11 repurposed treatments against Covid-19, of which at least one has shown promise—fluvoxamine, which is commonly used to treat obsessive compulsive disorder and depression. They published the research in the Lancet Global Health in October, showing that Covid-19 patients who received fluvoxamine were less likely to require hospitalization than those who didn’t.

The researchers are looking at the effect in Covid-19 patients of combining fluvoxamine and an inhaled steroid, budesonide, as well as a drug called peginterferon lambda, which is used to treat chronic viral hepatitis.

Sunday's wordle result

I got it early when I realized it was likely a two E word.

 

NYU is top ranked - in student loan debt for grads and parents

From the Wall Street Journal. Didn't they know room, board and tuition are amongst the highest in the nation?

By many measures, the elite Manhattan school is the worst or among the worst for leaving families and graduate students drowning in debt; ‘It feels like I’m kind of trapped’

By many measures, the elite Manhattan school is the worst or among the worst for families and graduate students drowning in debt. “It feels like I’m kind of trapped,” says a grad who has sold her eggs to help make ends meet.

*********

NYU parents and graduate students collectively borrowed $3.4 billion in federal Plus loans over the past decade, more than at any other university in the U.S., public or private, a Wall Street Journal analysis of federal Education Department data found.

Among the Journal’s findings:

• • NYU skimped on scholarships for needy undergraduates. During the past school year, NYU covered about 62% of undergraduates’ financial need, on average. That was the lowest percentage of any private school with at least a $1 billion endowment that publishes the figures.
  • As a result, parents of NYU undergraduates often relied on Plus loans to cover costs. Parents of 2018 and 2019 NYU bachelor’s degree recipients who took out Parent Plus loans borrowed a median $74,000, according to the most recent data. That’s more than at 99% of four-year colleges in the U.S. for which federal data are available.
  • For NYU’s graduate students, the university’s advanced degrees often don’t pay off. In 40 out of 49 programs, NYU graduate students who took out federal loans borrowed more than they earned two years out of school. By that measure, NYU had more graduate programs with high debt loads than any other U.S. university with published data. The debt and earnings figures are medians for 2015 and 2016 graduates, the most recent data from the Education Department.
  • Many NYU programs were the worst by that calculation. In 15 graduate programs—including music, international relations and education—NYU ranked highest among U.S. universities with published data in terms of debt loads compared with early-career earnings.

NYU spokesman John Beckman said those numbers don’t reflect progress the school has made since its current president took the helm in 2016 and emphasized affordability initiatives. For instance, he said, NYU has increased its aid budget and is covering full financial need for this fall’s first-year undergraduate class, lowering their potential debt burden and that of their parents.

Presenting: Kamala Harris Explains it all - Batman, Bitcoin, Wordle, etc.

From the BB. Batman, bitcoin, wordle she has it all. The link is below the picture as well as the excerpt of her understanding of wordle. Below that is a 16 second video where she seems to think the Ukraine is part of NATO.

We recently spoke to Kamala Harris, and she agreed to explain complex concepts to our readers. Now, you can learn about everything from Bitcoin to Batman in terms even you can understand. Thanks, Kam— KAMALA: I'm SPEAKING. Oh. Sorry, Madame Vice President.

Wordle: The green is good. The yellow is sort of good. The dark squares are bad. Which is racist.

Meanwhile here is the vice-president speaking at the DNC (Democrat National Committee) gathering. I wonder if they were impressed?

Friday wordle

Whew. Nice job by moi!

Interview with former Sec'y of State Pompeo (next President!?)

Yeah, Pompeo for President 2024. I'd love to see a "fusion ticket" with Democrat Senator Manchin as his VP - only problem is Manchin will be 76 years old in 2024.

 

Thursday wordle

Difficult; but still 100% record.

To quote the late, great, Mayor Ed Koch How my doin?"

Russian people, investors & investments: Crushed

As you would expect. The immoral war is crushing to the Ukrainians and also very hurtful to the overwhelming numbers of Russian people.

From the Wall Street Journal -

Read the Article ›

Putin’s War Tax Crushes Russian Investors

His invasion has been a disappointment on the battlefield and a disaster for bondholders.

Call him Vlad the Investment Impaler. Russian bonds have collapsed in value since Vladimir Putin’s vicious invasion of Ukraine, and Russian stocks still aren’t allowed to trade for fear they would reveal a monumental loss of wealth. A sharp decline in the country’s GDP is nearly certain this year, and it all adds up to a massive confiscatory war tax that Mr. Putin is imposing on the Russian people. This raises the question of just how long he can sustain his costly and destructive assault on Ukraine. As for the U.S., while helping Ukraine and carefully avoiding being drawn into war, policy makers should also be prepared for the day when it’s time to help Russia peacefully navigate the post-Putin era. On Tuesday, the Journal’s Matt Wirz and Alexander Saeedy reported on the pummeling Mr. Putin has inflicted on Russian fixed-income investors: Russian government bonds fell below 10 cents on the dollar last week, putting the country’s debt on par with Venezuela, which collapsed into famine five years ago. The valuation is near the low-water mark on bonds set by serial defaulter Argentina, which took 15 years to repay creditors after a bitter legal battle with hedge funds... About 80% of its debt was held by domestic investors last year, according to S&P Global Ratings... Expect something of a revival if it’s true as the Russian government claims today that it is making all its bond payments on time—and where required in dollars not rubles. But Russian bondholders will still be sitting on huge losses.

Read the Article ›

 

Wednesday's wordle: Tim v. Tom!

Yikes! Tim got it on the second line! Unfortunately I failed to get a picture of mine, but it took me to the 5th line... but still maintaining my 100% record.

Here's Tim's -

St. Patrick's Day! And a salute to him - a champion for human rights

The wearin' of the green ... and ...

But there's  more! Below is posted every year by the Catholic League

 

March 17, 2022

 

[Note: We run this article each year on March 17]

 

The heroics of St. Patrick are not appreciated as much as they should be. He is the first person in history to publicly condemn slavery, and one of the first leaders to champion the cause of equal rights.

 

There is much to celebrate on March 17. Fortunately, his writings, though slim, are eye-opening accounts of his life: Letter to the Soldiers of Coroticus and Confession reveal much about the man. Along with other sources, they paint a picture of his saintliness.

 

Patrick was born in Britain in the 4th century to wealthy parents. It is likely that he was baptized, though growing up he did not share his family's faith. He was an atheist.

 

When he was 15, he committed what he said was a grave sin, never saying exactly what it was; it appears it was a sexual encounter with a young girl. No matter, it would haunt him throughout his life.

 

At age 15 or 16 (the accounts vary), Patrick was kidnapped and enslaved by Irish barbarians. They had come to plunder his family's estate, and took him away in chains to Ireland. While a slave, he converted to Christianity, praying incessantly at all hours of the day. After six years, he escaped, and made his way back home.

 

His family thought he was dead, and with good reason: no one taken by Irish raiders had managed to escape and return. St. Patrick biographer Philip Freeman describes how his family received him, stating "it was as if a ghost had returned from the dead."

 

After he returned home, he had a vision while sleeping. He felt called to return to Ireland. This seemed bizarre: this is where he was brutalized as a slave. But he knew what Jesus had commanded us to do, "Love thy enemy." He was convinced that God was calling him to become a missionary to Ireland. So he acted on it, despite the reservations of family and friends.

 

Patrick became a priest, practiced celibacy, and was eventually named a bishop. Contrary to what many believe, he did not introduce Christianity to Ireland, nor was he Ireland's first bishop. But he did more to bring the Gospel to Ireland than anyone, converting legions of pagans, especially in the northern parts of the island.

 

His missionary work in Ireland has been duly noted, but his strong defense of human rights has not been given its due.

 

No public person before him had denounced slavery, widespread though it was. Jesus was silent on the subject, Aristotle thought it was a natural way of life, and neither master nor slave saw anything fundamentally wrong with it. Patrick did.

 

Though he did not invoke natural law specifically, he was instinctively drawn to it. He taught that all men were created equal in the eyes of God, and that the inherent dignity of everyone must be respected.

 

Patrick did more than preach—he lashed out at the British dictator, Coroticus, harshly rebuking him for his mistreatment of the Irish. In fact, Patrick found his Irish converts to be more civilized than Coroticus and his band of thugs.

 

Patrick was way ahead of his time in the pursuit of human rights. Not only were men of every social status entitled to equal rights, so were women. In his Letter to the Soldiers of Coroticus, he scolds "the tyrant Coroticus—a man who has no respect for God or his priests." More important, he made a startling plea: "They must also free Christian women and captives." His reasoning showed the power of his faith when he said, "Remember, Christ died and was crucified for these people."

 

He did not mince words. "So, Coroticus, you and your wicked servants, where do you think you will end up? You have treated baptized Christian women like prizes to be handed out, all for the sake of the here and now—this brief, fleeting world."

 

What makes this all the more dramatic is the way the pagan world thought about women: the idea that women were equal to men was totally foreign to them. But the women understood what Patrick was saying, and gravitated to him in large numbers. The Christian tenet that all humans possess equal dignity had taken root.

 

Did the Irish save civilization, as Thomas Cahill maintains? Freeman thinks not—"it had never been lost." But everyone agrees that had it not been for St. Patrick, and the monasteries that followed, much of what we know about the ancient world would not exist.

 

Indeed, it is difficult to fathom how classical Greek and Roman literature would have survived had it not been for the Irish monks who attracted students from many parts of Europe. They are responsible for preserving the great works of antiquity. And all of them are indebted to St. Patrick.

 

It is believed that he died on March 17, sometime during the second half of the fifth century. That is his feast day, the source of many celebrations in his honor. His impact extends beyond the Irish and the Catholic Church—human rights are a global issue—making him a very special person in world history.

 

A little cricket (the game) with an exciting ending even if you don't understand the game!

This video is a reasonable explanation of some of the nuances of cricket. This version is a twenty limited over match which changes the strategy dramatically. The last batsman - equivalent to the pitcher (and a bad hitting pitcher at that) in baseball. I'm familiar with cricket from my four years living in the Caribbean. This match is in New Zealand.

Tuesday's wordle result

Well I did solve it but should have done it more quickly! The second vertical line - I  used R twice when it had already been eliminated. Brain hiccup....

WSJ op ed: The War ... on the American energy industry

From the Wall Street Journal a couple of days ago.

Gasoline prices are higher than we have ever seen. The government reported a year-over-year inflation rate of 7.9% for February, the highest since 1982. Americans need relief, and one thing stands in the way: President Biden’s unwillingness to reverse course on his administration’s commitment to put the American oil-and-gas industry out of business at the consumer’s expense.

In the year since the administration froze new drilling leases on 26% of federal land and more than a third of the nation’s resources in productivity, the U.S. has been falling further from energy independence, putting national security at risk. There is no good reason for America to become more reliant on energy imports. It constrains our policy choices, forces us to cede our national security to foreign players and enriches those who would do us harm. This administration is working with the Saudis, Venezuela and even Iran to come to the rescue.

Why?

... In 2019 the U.S. became energy-independent, a net exporter. Gas and electricity prices were low, and the U.S. was the largest producer of energy on the planet. Thanks to abundant and affordable clean-burning natural gas, brought to us by horizontal drilling, the reduction in greenhouse-gas emissions was the most successful in the industrialized world.

Modern life is predicated on cheap, abundant and reliable energy. This administration has manufactured scarcity and mandated insecurity around the globe. Energy prices are rising everywhere, and releasing a couple of days’ supply from our strategic reserves is a temporary patch. The largest strategic reserve in the world is under our feet.

The solution lies in three simple actions: First, make it official U.S. policy to restore energy-independence by using all sources of available energy. Announce the intent to bring on more supply of oil and gas in the U.S. This provides certainty for producers to bring new capital and supplies to the market, meeting current world demand.

Second, open federal lands for energy development. The 9,000 permits the White House keeps touting is misleading at best. Thousands of those sites can’t be developed as they are held up in litigation. Others require new permits and leases to make a full unit. Thousands more await approval. Conservatively, our data tells us the number of available permits ready for production today stands closer to 1,500, and many of those are already drilling. No leases have been issued for federal land since 2020.

Third, support energy infrastructure, including pipelines to transport natural gas, oil and CO2 safely....

Last week we heard for the first time that Energy Secretary Jennifer Granholm is ready to work with “everyone and anyone who is willing to take a lead into the future by diversifying your energy portfolios to add clean fuels and technologies.” The American oil-and-gas industry has done just that. My message to the administration is this: The people of American oil and gas stand ready to work with you on U.S. energy development.

Hillary Clinton boycotting Russia; will no longer import phony dossiers

Beloved feminist icon and 2024 presidential hopeful Hillary Clinton has announced she will be joining efforts to halt Russian aggression. Starting this week, she has promised to stop importing dossiers from Russia.

"For a long time, I have relied on Russian intelligence as a prime source for phony dirt on my political opponents," said Clinton as she adjusted the scope on her high-powered sniper rifle. "Starting today, I will refuse to import my disinformation or even my hitmen from Russian sources—that is, unless it's absolutely necessary."

Sources in Russia say this will cost the Russian economy over 3,000 jobs, which were previously filled with people working full-time writing phony dossiers for Hillary Clinton. In a statement, President Putin said he was sad to see his close, longtime relationship with Clinton going south. "I thought that big red reset button meant something to you!" he said. 

For the time being, the Clintons have committed to buying their disinformation only from domestic sources like The Washington Post. 

Monday's wordle - best to be good - and lucky

Maintaining my perfect record ... so far. As an aside, the letter S is the letter found most frequently to start a five letter word - about 15% of the time.

WSJ on Biden Administration and rising fuel prices. "Can't do much right now."

An editorial in the Wall Street Journal -

Gasoline prices are high and rising, and the Biden Administration is blaming Vladimir Putin. “Can’t do much right now” about rising prices, President Biden told reporters. Gasoline prices were up 6.6% in February but they're up 38% in the last 12 months. They were rising long before Mr. Putin's Ukraine invasion. Instead of begging the Saudis to pump more oil, or cutting deals with despots in Iran and Venezuela, Mr. Biden can revisit his Administration's hostility to American oil and gas production, writes the editorial board. Maybe he will if his party takes a thumping in November.

Amish man smiles as his horse buggy passes $6/gallon gas pumps

SMICKSBURG, PA—Local Amish patriarch Ezekiel Yoder was seen smiling smugly as he rode his market wagon by an outsider's gas station where the cost per gallon broke six dollars a gallon.

He calmed his horse and observed the chaos at the pump. People were ripping each other apart to throw away their money on high-priced fuel. Thank Gotte he was not like them!

*********************

"Ah, it's gut to be blessed, Baalam," he said to his horse.

Witnesses at the gas station were deeply offended that a kind-hearted Amish man could be so passive-aggressive and consequently resolved to never become Amish. They were, however, unable to deny that their devotion to the almighty automobile had doomed their souls.

Finally, on day 18, the Pope condemns the invasion of the Ukraine.

Without mentioning Putin or Russia. "A day late and a dollar short" is the saying...

 

Yankees blockbuster trade - Sanchez and Urshela to Twins for Josh Donaldson + two others

UPDATE: I don't understand this trade. Donaldson is 36 years old, and batted .247 with 26 HR's last year. The shortstop they got - Isiah Kiner-Falefa - is an excellent fielder - but batted .271 with 8 HR's. The catcher in the trade batted .167 last season.

Wow. I'm sorry to see Gary Sanchez and Gio Urshela go - but baseball is a business - always has been.

The bombshell trade sent Sanchez and Gio Urshela to the Twins in exchange for Donaldson, shortstop Isiah Kiner-Falefa and catcher Ben Rortvedt. The move leaves the Yankees with a drastically altered infield and a new backstop.

At destroyed Russian column, Ukrainians thank her Majesty the Queen for sending them anti-tank weapons. (not parody or satire)

Two minutes long video. I also posted this yesterday, but they are unrelated - Clear point blank ambush - Ukrainians knock out a Russian tank

 

Here was Saturday's wordle

Maintaining my perfect score. Friday' was very interesting - I got it on the fifth row even though I had four (ATCH) of the five letters in the proper spot on the third line and missing the first letter. There were four or five choices for the last letter so some luck definitely involved.

Here's Saturday -

And -

Clear point blank ambush - Ukrainians knock out a Russian tank

Pretty dramatic; disrupts the entire Russian column. Tank kept rolling even after the crew bailed out.

"What's better for weight-loss: HIIT or incline walking?"

Here's an article comparing the two ( HIIT = high intensity interval training).  Seems like incline walking on a treadmill is recently all the rage. FULL DISCLOSURE: My cardio is the elliptical in the gym or walking outdoors for 2 - 5 miles.  I try to mix them. Lift weights 3X  a week, which is when I also do some elliptical.

As this article points out, the trouble with incline walking outdoors is that you then have to walk down - which puts added stress on your knees especially.

Once you’ve gotten into a regular walking habit, it’s good to challenge yourself to increase the calorie burn and keep things exciting. Both high-intensity interval training (HIIT) walking and incline walking fit the bill. Here’s how to decide between the two.

Picture below: Brigid's legs with her new shoes, along the Croton Point shore. On  this past New Year's Eve day.

Brigid takes her walking seriously...

Yesterday's wordle - my results

This is yesterday's word, Thursday, March 10th. No reason to not show this since there's a new word every day. You can probably figure out my thinking by looking at the progression for a couple of minutes.

My starting word is always ORATE. If nothing came up yellow or green, the second line word would be either spunk, squib or squid.

And my total score -

 

"8 Fun Uses For Your Masks Now That Mandates Are Lifted"

Check out these eight fun uses for your masks:

1) Toilet Paper: Might as well stockpile now. It's only a matter of time before the bombs start dropping and people run straight for the toilet paper.

2) Wardrobe For A Stage Production: You could make an awesome rocking technicolor dream coat out of random masks.

3) Impressing Girls By Pretending To Be A Doctor: Cosmopolitan says women are really into the Dr. Fauci look these days.

4) Train robbing: This is just to protect you from the hundreds of other train robbers. 

5) Gag gift for Secret Santa: Oh, aren't you so silly!

6) Fill With Treats For Hands-Free Snacking: We know you were already doing this anyway.

7) Making Ron DeSantis mad: Walk right up to Ron DeSantis and wear a mask... right in his face! That will really tick him off! 

8) To Wear On The Log Flume Ride To Protect You From... THE DROPLETS!: The horror! The horror!

Flip-flop: In Florida there are now more registered Republicans than Democrats.

Quite a turnaround. Must be their governor?

 

Classic from 10 years ago on my blog: "Marriage causes women to drink more than men"

I posted this back in August 2012. It still applies in my house.

The results of a new study indicate that marriage can cause women to drink more, and men to drink less.

The study found that, while men drank more during divorce, women upped their alcohol intake while wed.

******

“We find that unmarried and divorced women actually drink less than their continuously married counterparts,” Reczek was quoted as saying. “For men, those who were recently divorced have the highest number of drinks and men who are married have the lower number.”

just like my house!

I posted this back in August 2012. It still applies in my house.

The results of a new study indicate that marriage can cause women to drink more, and men to drink less.

The study found that, while men drank more during divorce, women upped their alcohol intake while wed.

******

“We find that unmarried and divorced women actually drink less than their continuously married counterparts,” Reczek was quoted as saying. “For men, those who were recently divorced have the highest number of drinks and men who are married have the lower number.”

just like my house!

Faranda Sunday shindig at Il Forno in Somers

Excellent Italian place - very good value - as the northern and southern Farandas met up in the middle - sort of. 16 of us - unfortunately not the full number of area Farandas but not bad.

Lovely couple...

Brigid with Paul and Cat, her two godchildren -

My cousin Kenny - the real deal musician!

And with Sharon

My cousin Dorri and Keith

Phil with Alison

And Tim with Alison - he has a way with women...

Paul with Shannon

Cat and Joe - Alison's Joe

Can you make out anyone else?

Will make it an annual spring event!