I have never heard of Sprouts but I just googled it and apparently we have some in the area, including one along the scenic route to my parents house. Maybe we will check it out.
Trader Joe's I have found seems to set up shop in the worst parking lots known to man. Ours isn't far but is such a nightmare to get in and out of that we've basically given up on it. Whole Foods is really just an occasional, holiday shopping experience. We get our Turkey for Thanksgiving there, and stuff for Christmas dinner, but not much else. Our Costco is like a quarterly trip to the bazaar. Over time my wife and I have made kind of a date out of the experience (we go somewhere for dinner afterwards, no reliance on the hot dogs). Weekly it's delivery from boring ol' Giant.
This weekend is going to be packed. We are trying to get as much in as possible before weekends fill up with childrens' sports and birthdays and get togethers again after school starts. Saturday morning we are going to the zoo, which is my favorite dorky family activity. Saturday night both(!) kids will be with grandparents so we are getting an awesome date of dinner, drinks and Alien. Sunday going up to Bmore to see the O's against the Astros where they will hopefully not embarrass themselves like last night.
Europe in the minds of Americans is more myth than reality. Everything is free, there's no crime, and humanity flourishes in a beneficent Goldilocks zone of social democracy and great cafes. Or so the fairy tales have it.
One thing I will say is that the unwillingness to tax the ever living sh*t out of the middle class puts the Democrats to the right of many center left European parties. However I increasingly believe that has more to do with historical contingencies than anything else.
I don't think there's anything wrong with that at all. My gripe is with couples asking people to spend big sums on travel and lodging, take more than nominal time off, etc. then getting butt hurt when some inevitably can't make it work. Doesn't sound like you asked anything like that of anyone.
I think the courts should just refuse to enforce them, absent some separate, fair consideration. It's ridiculous to pretend there's some kind of actual independent negotiation going on.
I find the whole destination thing to be in somewhat poor taste, or maybe at minimum a recipe for interpersonal drama and bridge burning. Of course people should be free to do it but the right thing is to abandon any expectations on the invitees, including their being able to attend at all. Part of the reason my wife and I kept it local and modest was because our highest priority was to make it as easy as possible for those that wanted to be there. People have become to obsessed with having it all and nothing baffles me more than full grown adults who believe they can.
The difficulty of partial weeks lacking an official holiday is dealing with childcare.
Mine start back the Tuesday before Labor day, and the first 2 days are half days, one without, and one with only partial aftercare. It's hell. So while your proposal is elegant I'd have to stick with Saul.
One thing you quickly learn is that 90% of the things that regularly go wrong during service are not the wait staff's fault, but as the face of the experience, they end up taking the brunt of the guests' frustrating.
Sure I think they matter. And I think it's fair to say there's more to it than that. Character (or at least the perception of it) has an influence. Which issues matter varies widely and based around current events.
Iraq was a major factor in Obama winning the 2008 primary and beating McCain. The deficit and right wing rebellion over fiscal policy were major factors in 1992. It's impossible to imagine Trump's rise and continued relevance without illegal immigration as a flashpoint. I'm not going to pretend the man on the street is engaging in strategic voting based on well thought out, cogent views on these subjects, but they're part of the mix.
I thought the piece was pretty unconvincing, and fails to address the most obvious reason things played out the way they have over the last month. Biden looked terrible. Biden is incapable of communicating or making a case for himself. Biden's mind may well still be functioning at a minimally acceptable enough level to finish out his term as president- despite the conservative assertions there's no hard evidence that he isn't. But the rubber met the road when he walked out there and could not communicate without trailing off and looking like he had gotten lost in the super market or got turned around in his own front yard. His NATO meeting press conference was only slightly better and there were moments he looked like he was on the verge of having a stroke. He would smile bizarrely, stare off into the distance, whispered here and yelled there in disconcerting ways, and otherwise look like a seriously compromised elderly man. I watched both of these events because of the quaint thought that it is my civic duty to pay attention to these things. Anyway, anyone who fails to grapple with this has no credibility to me, which includes this writer.
As for Harris, yes, she should get out there. Strategically what she's done so far, i.e. coast on the good vibes, makes some sense. But at some point if she wants to turn the election into something other than a coin flip she will need to actually engage with live questions and discussion. The center left does not have the luxury of an alternative media apparatus that will muster dittoheads whi will show up no matter how dumb or incompetent the candidate. Even to the extent they try they fail, and anyone who doubts that should read my preceding paragraph, or ponder the situation that led to this piece being written. They tried damn hard to give Biden the benefit of the doubt, but when reality reared it's ugly head they accepted it and drew the obvious conclusions.
The general public wasnt doing that because the one who has withdrawn looked like he could drop dead at any second and the one still in sounds like a scatter brained old coot who forgot to take his medication.
I'm not going to over estimate the sophistication of the American people but you can't do an experiment without a control. Or if there is a control it's Harris by virtue of meeting the minimal standard of not obviously being in severe age related decline.
It's funny I'm also a lot less wary about watching TV in a group. The family of one of the kids on the block we live on has a tv in the garage. I know the kids will periodically gather in there and have something on I probably wouldn't agree to if it was in the family room (not porn or anything but action or horror stuff). Yet it doesn't really bother me in that context. Me and my friends did the same when growing up and like you said it's at least sort of social. The tablets and internet streaming can be so weird and solitary.
That makes me feel better it isn't just us. I've taken the older to 2 MLB games now and he's excitedly sat through the entire things (pre pitch clock would have been harder but it worked). We currently don't really regulate YouTube, etc beyond keeping it on the kids setting because so far he opts for playing with the neighborhood kids over screens without fail, plus insists on trying every sport he sees. We're going with a don't restrict unless you make us kind of approach and so far he hasn't made us. Nevertheless, and while I won't bore you with my own soap box either, the instant gratification algorithm is not something I love. Younger one is a toddler so we aren't at this issue yet.
Interesting the girl is still into the fantasy stuff. I get the sense maybe that sort of thing is marketer harder to them these days, or maybe you're right and the monoculture is totally dead and they all just do what they do.
Random and only barely related question- are your kids super into these different shows and fads? IIRC you also have boys and the profound 'meh' attitude we have towards any of it in my household has been interesting and unexpected to me, especially since me and my brothers were into pretty much every little boy fad there was (GI Joe, Ghostbusters, Ninja Turtles, you name it).
The older one had a brief Disney phase, though he was so little I think he was more 'enjoying the pattern' of the movies than really understanding it. Now he will no joke sit and watch college football highlights on his mother's old tablet before any show or movie or anything. The little one is too young for any pattern to emerge.
Do they just consume this stuff differently these days or is this weird? Sometimes I worry it's inability to pay attention to anything longer than 2 minutes but there's also plenty to indicate some of it may just be personality.
I think the decision has proved so self evidently correct that I have no idea why anyone continues to debate it. Sometimes the way to fight in light of an exposed weakness is to make a change. I have a lot of respect for the Democratic leadership for having the guts to do it.
No idea whatsoever. I'm just a very occasional visitor.
I believe the most up to date horse race data is that it is only in play in the most technical sense. So maybe worth forcing Trump to spend money defending but unlikely to actually flip.
I'm in North Carolina this week and am getting an interesting view into the campaign ad blitz which appears to already be in full force every time I turn on the TV. This is always fascinating for me since Maryland hasn't been competitive in a presidential election in decades, and while I see some interesting ads for house, senate, and sometimes state elections targeting the Virginia DC exurbs, it's no longer a swing for the presidency.
My take away so far is that there are way more Trump ads and that he is going hard negative. None of them say anything about what he plans to do, and the message is entirely bad stuff about Kamala (soft on crime SF liberal, in favor of letting the border be overrun, etc.). Harris' ads are much more positive, though light on policy promises (I grew up middle class and know about your challenges) with side digs at Trump (he will cut taxes for billionaires).
You know what Disney owned property does look good and that I am absolutely going to go see in iMAX? Alien: Romulus. The initial reactions have been generally positive and the politics of the films are already so cynical and outrageous that they don't even need to mess with them. Of course if I want to me a jerk about it I can always assume they just let 20th Century Fox make a horror movie in the spirit of previous entries in the series without interference.
I would humbly suggest that maybe the contrived concern is the one that says we need to rework precise language about biology and sex to accommodate highly hypothetical and abstract concepts of inclusivity.
Honestly? From a purely partisan perspective? I think liberal leaning folks of who I am one are lucky as hell that conservatives have such a complete and total death grip on the third rail of womens' political issues.
It all depends on how one wants to define full acceptance. If it involves abandoning the very specific, sex based language necessary to talk about something like bleeding out from an untreated ectopic pregnancy, merely to protect a man's feelings, well... good luck making the case that they need to do it anyway due to some ill defined tension between that and the teachings of Jesus. Go wild.
*Comment archive for non-registered commenters assembled by email address as provided.
On “Weekend Plans Post: The New Grocery Store”
I have never heard of Sprouts but I just googled it and apparently we have some in the area, including one along the scenic route to my parents house. Maybe we will check it out.
Trader Joe's I have found seems to set up shop in the worst parking lots known to man. Ours isn't far but is such a nightmare to get in and out of that we've basically given up on it. Whole Foods is really just an occasional, holiday shopping experience. We get our Turkey for Thanksgiving there, and stuff for Christmas dinner, but not much else. Our Costco is like a quarterly trip to the bazaar. Over time my wife and I have made kind of a date out of the experience (we go somewhere for dinner afterwards, no reliance on the hot dogs). Weekly it's delivery from boring ol' Giant.
This weekend is going to be packed. We are trying to get as much in as possible before weekends fill up with childrens' sports and birthdays and get togethers again after school starts. Saturday morning we are going to the zoo, which is my favorite dorky family activity. Saturday night both(!) kids will be with grandparents so we are getting an awesome date of dinner, drinks and Alien. Sunday going up to Bmore to see the O's against the Astros where they will hopefully not embarrass themselves like last night.
I am pumped.
On “The DNC Republicans”
Europe in the minds of Americans is more myth than reality. Everything is free, there's no crime, and humanity flourishes in a beneficent Goldilocks zone of social democracy and great cafes. Or so the fairy tales have it.
One thing I will say is that the unwillingness to tax the ever living sh*t out of the middle class puts the Democrats to the right of many center left European parties. However I increasingly believe that has more to do with historical contingencies than anything else.
Otherwise I think you're right.
On “Open Mic for the week of 8/19/2024”
I don't think there's anything wrong with that at all. My gripe is with couples asking people to spend big sums on travel and lodging, take more than nominal time off, etc. then getting butt hurt when some inevitably can't make it work. Doesn't sound like you asked anything like that of anyone.
On “Disney’s Arbitration Maneuver: A Real Mickey Mouse Operation”
I think the courts should just refuse to enforce them, absent some separate, fair consideration. It's ridiculous to pretend there's some kind of actual independent negotiation going on.
On “Open Mic for the week of 8/19/2024”
I have never heard it and am scared to google and find out.
"
I find the whole destination thing to be in somewhat poor taste, or maybe at minimum a recipe for interpersonal drama and bridge burning. Of course people should be free to do it but the right thing is to abandon any expectations on the invitees, including their being able to attend at all. Part of the reason my wife and I kept it local and modest was because our highest priority was to make it as easy as possible for those that wanted to be there. People have become to obsessed with having it all and nothing baffles me more than full grown adults who believe they can.
"
I find the idea of charging for attendance obscene but nothing remotely wrong with cash gifts.
"
The difficulty of partial weeks lacking an official holiday is dealing with childcare.
Mine start back the Tuesday before Labor day, and the first 2 days are half days, one without, and one with only partial aftercare. It's hell. So while your proposal is elegant I'd have to stick with Saul.
On “Trump And Harris Agree on No Tax On Tips”
One thing you quickly learn is that 90% of the things that regularly go wrong during service are not the wait staff's fault, but as the face of the experience, they end up taking the brunt of the guests' frustrating.
On “Open Mic for the week of 8/12/2024”
Either way it's a good song.
On “Is Harris Limiting Press Access Helping Her?”
Sure I think they matter. And I think it's fair to say there's more to it than that. Character (or at least the perception of it) has an influence. Which issues matter varies widely and based around current events.
Iraq was a major factor in Obama winning the 2008 primary and beating McCain. The deficit and right wing rebellion over fiscal policy were major factors in 1992. It's impossible to imagine Trump's rise and continued relevance without illegal immigration as a flashpoint. I'm not going to pretend the man on the street is engaging in strategic voting based on well thought out, cogent views on these subjects, but they're part of the mix.
"
I thought the piece was pretty unconvincing, and fails to address the most obvious reason things played out the way they have over the last month. Biden looked terrible. Biden is incapable of communicating or making a case for himself. Biden's mind may well still be functioning at a minimally acceptable enough level to finish out his term as president- despite the conservative assertions there's no hard evidence that he isn't. But the rubber met the road when he walked out there and could not communicate without trailing off and looking like he had gotten lost in the super market or got turned around in his own front yard. His NATO meeting press conference was only slightly better and there were moments he looked like he was on the verge of having a stroke. He would smile bizarrely, stare off into the distance, whispered here and yelled there in disconcerting ways, and otherwise look like a seriously compromised elderly man. I watched both of these events because of the quaint thought that it is my civic duty to pay attention to these things. Anyway, anyone who fails to grapple with this has no credibility to me, which includes this writer.
As for Harris, yes, she should get out there. Strategically what she's done so far, i.e. coast on the good vibes, makes some sense. But at some point if she wants to turn the election into something other than a coin flip she will need to actually engage with live questions and discussion. The center left does not have the luxury of an alternative media apparatus that will muster dittoheads whi will show up no matter how dumb or incompetent the candidate. Even to the extent they try they fail, and anyone who doubts that should read my preceding paragraph, or ponder the situation that led to this piece being written. They tried damn hard to give Biden the benefit of the doubt, but when reality reared it's ugly head they accepted it and drew the obvious conclusions.
"
The general public wasnt doing that because the one who has withdrawn looked like he could drop dead at any second and the one still in sounds like a scatter brained old coot who forgot to take his medication.
I'm not going to over estimate the sophistication of the American people but you can't do an experiment without a control. Or if there is a control it's Harris by virtue of meeting the minimal standard of not obviously being in severe age related decline.
On “Open Mic for the week of 8/12/2024”
It's funny I'm also a lot less wary about watching TV in a group. The family of one of the kids on the block we live on has a tv in the garage. I know the kids will periodically gather in there and have something on I probably wouldn't agree to if it was in the family room (not porn or anything but action or horror stuff). Yet it doesn't really bother me in that context. Me and my friends did the same when growing up and like you said it's at least sort of social. The tablets and internet streaming can be so weird and solitary.
"
That makes me feel better it isn't just us. I've taken the older to 2 MLB games now and he's excitedly sat through the entire things (pre pitch clock would have been harder but it worked). We currently don't really regulate YouTube, etc beyond keeping it on the kids setting because so far he opts for playing with the neighborhood kids over screens without fail, plus insists on trying every sport he sees. We're going with a don't restrict unless you make us kind of approach and so far he hasn't made us. Nevertheless, and while I won't bore you with my own soap box either, the instant gratification algorithm is not something I love. Younger one is a toddler so we aren't at this issue yet.
Interesting the girl is still into the fantasy stuff. I get the sense maybe that sort of thing is marketer harder to them these days, or maybe you're right and the monoculture is totally dead and they all just do what they do.
"
Random and only barely related question- are your kids super into these different shows and fads? IIRC you also have boys and the profound 'meh' attitude we have towards any of it in my household has been interesting and unexpected to me, especially since me and my brothers were into pretty much every little boy fad there was (GI Joe, Ghostbusters, Ninja Turtles, you name it).
The older one had a brief Disney phase, though he was so little I think he was more 'enjoying the pattern' of the movies than really understanding it. Now he will no joke sit and watch college football highlights on his mother's old tablet before any show or movie or anything. The little one is too young for any pattern to emerge.
Do they just consume this stuff differently these days or is this weird? Sometimes I worry it's inability to pay attention to anything longer than 2 minutes but there's also plenty to indicate some of it may just be personality.
"
I think the decision has proved so self evidently correct that I have no idea why anyone continues to debate it. Sometimes the way to fight in light of an exposed weakness is to make a change. I have a lot of respect for the Democratic leadership for having the guts to do it.
"
No idea whatsoever. I'm just a very occasional visitor.
I believe the most up to date horse race data is that it is only in play in the most technical sense. So maybe worth forcing Trump to spend money defending but unlikely to actually flip.
"
I'm in North Carolina this week and am getting an interesting view into the campaign ad blitz which appears to already be in full force every time I turn on the TV. This is always fascinating for me since Maryland hasn't been competitive in a presidential election in decades, and while I see some interesting ads for house, senate, and sometimes state elections targeting the Virginia DC exurbs, it's no longer a swing for the presidency.
My take away so far is that there are way more Trump ads and that he is going hard negative. None of them say anything about what he plans to do, and the message is entirely bad stuff about Kamala (soft on crime SF liberal, in favor of letting the border be overrun, etc.). Harris' ads are much more positive, though light on policy promises (I grew up middle class and know about your challenges) with side digs at Trump (he will cut taxes for billionaires).
"
To me the proof of all of this is in the pudding. Biden was losing. Harris as nominee is now polling at about 'generic Democrat.' That's huge.
"
Believe so, yes.
"
You know what Disney owned property does look good and that I am absolutely going to go see in iMAX? Alien: Romulus. The initial reactions have been generally positive and the politics of the films are already so cynical and outrageous that they don't even need to mess with them. Of course if I want to me a jerk about it I can always assume they just let 20th Century Fox make a horror movie in the spirit of previous entries in the series without interference.
"
I would humbly suggest that maybe the contrived concern is the one that says we need to rework precise language about biology and sex to accommodate highly hypothetical and abstract concepts of inclusivity.
"
Honestly? From a purely partisan perspective? I think liberal leaning folks of who I am one are lucky as hell that conservatives have such a complete and total death grip on the third rail of womens' political issues.
"
It all depends on how one wants to define full acceptance. If it involves abandoning the very specific, sex based language necessary to talk about something like bleeding out from an untreated ectopic pregnancy, merely to protect a man's feelings, well... good luck making the case that they need to do it anyway due to some ill defined tension between that and the teachings of Jesus. Go wild.
*Comment archive for non-registered commenters assembled by email address as provided.