Many thanks for the kind words about my writing in the latest beach walk (#24). I plan another beach walk to go up Sunday night (Eastern US).
The last handbell choir rehearsal of the season was earlier this week. After playing for a service this weekend, we break until August.
Our last ushering assignment of the season at the Playhouse was also this week. Murder For Two is a unique, enjoyable who-dunnit play with two actors: one playing the detective and the other all the suspects. Definitely not serious, it is very musical and a bit of Vaudeville. The actors were great, but it simply wasn’t my style.
As technology changes, devices also change or even replaced. The Museum of Endangered Sounds is an online place attempting to store replaced sounds. It’s a fun place to visit, so I’ll put the link in the Interesting Reads list.
My Cincinnati Reds were the first baseball team to lose 20 games this season. I wonder which will happen first: The last team to lose 20 or the Reds to win 20. The race is on!
Embed from Getty Images
To reinforce a statement I made last week about Trump-Clinton-Obama, keep in mind that President Trump needs a villain in his messaging – a boogie man. As long as they continue to fill that role, he will continue to campaign against Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama.
Ohio had a primary election earlier this week. It’s sad that so few voters turn out for non-presidential year elections … and Ohio had primary races for governor and senator!
2016 was a presidential election year. In my county, 56,372 people voted in the primary – but 100,859 voted in the November general election. Meanwhile, 25,100 voted in this week’s primary.
My county is so Republican that Bozo the Clown could win an election if he was designed Republican on the ballot. However, I found this interesting: of the 139,110 registered voters, 8.3% are Democrats, 33.72% Republican, and 57.93% are Nonpartisan. On the other hand, in this county, are number of registered Nonpartisans must vote Republican – which also means that are NINOs – Nonpartisan in Name Only.
FYI: Individual states determine voter registration rolls. For primaries, Ohioans register as Democratic, Republican, Green, or Nonpartisan on Election Day. Nonpartisans can’t participate in party primaries, therefore receive ballots with containing on Issues for voting. (My ballot only had two issues on it, and no people.)
Advice for Democrats – Before the fall election, Leader Pelosi (D-CA) should announce that if the Dems gain control of the House in 2018, she will not seek or accept the Speaker’s chair.
Cheers to Saturday Night Live for last week’s outstanding skit that included many of the characters in President Trump’s news circle. For those that missed it, click here.
Embed from Getty Images
To lead you into this week’s dose of satirical headlines, The Onion provides tips for treating bed bug infestation.
Weekly Headlines from The Onion (combos welcome)
Amazon fires warehouse worker who took unauthorized breath
Construction crew arguing over who gets to use the fun tools
Kroger recalls 35,000 pounds of ground beef that may contain CEO
50,000 chicken breasts recalled after leaving factory without getting a little kiss goodbye
One-adventurous salmon can’t believe she ended up moving back to birthplace, having a bunch of kids
Interesting Reads
A perspective about infrastructure
Bulls, DNA, and beef
Baghdad: the new Partytown
Picasso, creativity, and genius
Why analog still exists despite digital
(Interactive) Museum of Endangered Sounds
(Photos) Awesome images of a stormy sky
To send you into the weekend, enjoy this classic by Cat Stevens. In the words of Garrison Keillor, Be well, do good work, and keep in touch.
I love how you and your wife are involved in so many activities. Bell choir, ballroom dancing, ushering, golf, blogging (well, those last two might just be you 😁). Such a well-rounded couple!
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Carrie,
Thank you for the kind words. Yes – my wife also golfs. We participated in a couples league for many years. Later switched to separate leagues at the same course on the same day. (My league was just ahead of hers). The course closed, so now we are in league at different courses, but on the same night. However, there are things we also do separately!
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Yes, always good to have some alone time too!
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Absolutely. I don’t believe I’ve ever vacationed without her, but I do enjoy myself when she’s cruising with her friends.
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I too think it is so lovely that you share and enjoy ballroom dancing with your wife. It is such a beautiful and healthy activity. Actually, a very good friend of mine met your soul mate having both joined a ballroom dancing group, they went on to become great dancing and life partners.
Such a beautiful way to meet. I enjoyed your article Frank, I am surprised the election turn out was low, I would expect it to be much bigger this time around. Hoping all these young people coming of age will get out and let their voice be heard at the polls this year. We really need to clean the swamp, this time for real.
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Holly,
Screeeeeeam!!!! This is my third attempt at replying. My wireless is acting up at the moment. As I’m ready to post my reply, it goes offline. I’ll reply again, but then copy before posting.
While some participate in ballroom to compete or in-studio performances, we focus on the social aspects. It’s a fun thing to do with friends. The benefits surprised me, and this won’t surprise you — but here’s a post from 2011 about the benefits. https://afrankangle.wordpress.com/2011/11/16/on-benefits-from-the-ballroom/
My voting participation record is strong – even in the special, local elections – so that’s a reason why I cringe on low turnouts. I hope the young participate not only in the fall, but also in the years to come!
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Thanks for he link Frank. Enjoyed. I think Bsllroom dancing is a fun way to meet, fave fun, get some excercise
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Well stated!
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P.S. Thanks for the great link to Moonshadow! A favorite.
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😀 …. Cat Stevens is a good one!
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But seriously, the Mets/Reds game this week featured one of the most embarrassing moments of the baseball season so far . . . and the Reds weren’t involved!
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Marc,
Yep – but even more embarrassing for the Mets was losing 2 of 3 to the Reds!
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Break up the Reds! Or is that the Mets? Both!
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Definitely the Reds … won 3 in a row!
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Watch out now!
The Reds manager for President! Umm, who IS the Reds manager?
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Jim Riggleman
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Ah yes! The former Nats skipper. He’s a solid baseball guy.
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Definitely a solid baseball guy … and he’s asked to work miracles with players beyond his control.
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The game has changed so much. It has turned into a data driven sport with feast or famine results. The sacrifice bunt is an antiquated notion. We’re seeing the slow (or is it quick?) death of the complete game. Specialists have rendered it a moot point.
Now we have skippers who will err on the side of analytics, never minding the time tested hunches that cemented HOF legacies for guys like Joe Torre.
That said, I don’t think guys like Riggleman are destined for the Smithsonian just yet. I hope not.
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Riggleman is definitely a baseball guy. I recent heard the resume of the new bench coach – wow – quite the resume of toiling in the minors! Then again, what a place to hone skills.
Meanwhile, after winning 5 in a row, MLB is allowing the Reds to sell World Series tickets starting this Tuesday.
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The game is a changing. Maybe Dylan can pen a song to that effect . . .
And those Reds, they were just giving everyone else a head start is all . .
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First Reds sweep in LA since the Big Red Machine (1976). …. so how bad are the Dodgers!
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Ugh, those Dodgers are a mess! What a difference a year makes huh? Not that long ago they were on the cusp of their first world championship in almost thirty years. Now, their lineup is lifeless and Kershaw no longer holds the mantle of best pitcher in the game.
Which is why the Cubs are going to be all in on Machado. I think they want to climb through that title window toot sweet.
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NL Central standings are interesting … basically 4 teams within a game … and then the Reds. Cubs aren’t hungry enough – resting on laurels.
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And wow about those Cubs huh? I mean, to think a team constructed by Theo Epstein and skippered by one of the game’s best managers isn’t the every year slam dunk it looked like not too long ago.
They don’t make dynasties like they used to . . .
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Theo definitely built a winner … and ownership delivers the big bucks! Not only is today’s game is different, the way of building is different.
Article today about Reds pick last year (#2 overall) struggling in low A.
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Ushering, hand bells, dancing and traveling with your wife is all wonderful to me. I know you do things separately, but I love that you do so much together!
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Resa,
Thank you. Balance is important! Fortunately, we enjoy many of the same things … but not all.
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You knew I’d read The Brookings Press “A ‘people first’ perspective on infrastructure: Delivering access” and put it in my golf bag.
I’m with you down the line on folks not turning out to vote in the primaries.
I liked the New Yorker Magazine cloud photo “Texas, June, 2014” for reasons similar to your heron photo.
I’m preparing to eat my hat in anticipation of enjoying ‘Origin’ which I started today.
A splat from “Kroger recalls 35,000 pounds of ground beef that may contain CEO.”
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Tim,
Always good to hear that a splat occurred. Yes – I anticipated you would dive into the Brookings article. Thanks for looking at the photos! … good luck with Origin.
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Good luck with your final handbell performance until August. I agree with the others that it is wonderful that you and Ms. Angle share so many interests/activities.
It is sad that so many people do not vote.
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Merril,
The ring should be fine this weekend. Meanwhile, it will also be a weekend of other activities for us.
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Nice post, Frank. I always enjoy hearing of a couple who are together and active. Thanks for sharing.
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John,
Thank you … and have an enjoyable weekend.
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You as well.
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I was going on the Awesome Images of Stormy Sky link, but then I realized that stormy sky probably isn’t a colleague of Stormy Daniels.
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X,
“Stormy” has so many meaning these days.
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Lovely, Frank. That you and Mrs. Right Angle do so many things together yet also have separate activities, I firmly believe is the secret to the success of your many years of bliss.
That, and no kids to come in and bugger things up… 😉
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It is so nice to come back to reading again. As always you find great reads! The Onion, they are just wrong in such a perfectly warped way.
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Val,
It’s great to have an Interesting Reads fan back in the house. 🙂 …. and The Onion’s perfectly warped manner is why I use them here. 😀
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Well. I imagine Bozo would have the full backing of the NRA in that case.
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Yep. …. Put “Republican” after his name, bin Laden could have won here.
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Oh, I thought he already did.
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Voters have seemed to forgotten that primaries are where they decide who the candidates are, and that boisterous (read obnoxious) base is wherein lies some of the problems about who the voters face in November. No wonder we roll our eyes at the ballot. Ugh.
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