Until preparing for my classes this week, I had forgotten or blocked out all the bullshit that went with them. As much as I need to review and write out for lecture material I haven’t seen since Gerald Ford was president, I’m having to put tons of documentation together on class rules, organization, grading, educational gibberish (charts of learning outcomes, core values, assessments for each topic), and implementation of university DEI policies. That’s leaving very little time for dumb things like partition functions, Boltzmann’s equations, kinetic theories, and other colonialist oppressive science. I’ll likely forget all this once classes start up and I take actual students with skulls full of mush and turn them into scientists.

What I will not forget are birthdays, and we have a slew of them today, including the inventor of the Orange Julius; a guy who let his Anglophilia get the best of him; the pioneer of my favorite art form; a guy who has worn out the quotation machines; the guy who basically invented American movie comedy; a guy who paved the way for Ernest Borgnine; the guy who paved the way for westernsloper; Daddy who would give you the car; a grifter who ended up being outgrifted by a true master; a lovely bonnie lass; a guy with whom I have a weird family connection; a woman who made NPR what it is today; and the best living advertisement for edibles.

Now, class, we shall turn to today’s topic, Links.

 

“Bipartisan” is Latin for handing over your wallet at gunpoint.

 

Mojeaux breaks out the sparkling grape juice while Nephilium contemplates suicide.

 

Why SP would never allow so-called “smart” appliances in the house.

 

All the lefties I know are cheering this on. I mean, you only protest for a cease fire when it’s Jews.

 

I’m sure after this, they all went home and fretted about January 6.

 

Why does every bit of this story reek of bullshit? And there’s not even a hint of questioning the plausibility.

 

There’s a double twinge of melancholy here: SP and I had front row seats to see John Mayall, and it was a memorable evening for both of us. And the lead guitarist on this song is the guy who got us together (and, by the way, pioneered the two hand tapping style of play which brought van Halen the riches). All that aside, this is terrific blues, and just the right mood for how The Old Man is feeling.