[link:https://www.wrde.com/news/delaware-population-breaks-one-million/article_5b5fe22e-5ab3-11ed-9e9c-133d64b50948.html|

I watched this on ABC at the time and was enthralled....hard to find decent clips (this one is a little out of sync) but there is a full-length concert video on YouTube. But the 3+ minutes of music from 2:21 on is an absolutely amazing example of Mellencamp and band at their live best!

[link:|

Helped a friend drive from Delaware to Kansas over the weekend with two ragdoll cats and a golden retriever. The dog was fine, but the cats let their dislike of car travel be known throughout the trip. Plus, there was the "essence of litter box" to deal with. There has GOT to be a better way to move cats.

We stayed at a La Quinta (in Effingham) and it was great. All packed up and ready to leave, we couldn't find the girl cat. My friend was about to blame me for letting her slip out, but we called the front desk to report the situation and the lady who answered the phone assured us that the cat was not missing---and that we should check under the sink vanity, which has a hidden shelf underneath it. I checked and darned if she wasn't in there. The clerk said that it happens a lot--with people calling in a panic.

Once in Salina, we ended up lying on our backs in a cemetery looking at stars. But that's a long story for another time.

We all made it, although I was covered in enough dog & cat hair to look like Chewbacca when I emerged from the Subaru.

Love the live performance

[link:|

The report starts by describing problems with the school itself, including that the fence was not tall enough to stop the killer. Most schools around here in Delaware are not fenced in.

Problems with the doors not locking are more concerning---including to the building and to one of the attached classrooms. That they have to be locked from the hallway also seems to be a problem; push-button locks from inside seem like they'd be faster.

The school relied on a cell phone alert app to spread the word; in addition to having had almost 50 recent low-level alerts, people were apparently not taking them too seriously or acting too quickly--if they even had their phones handy and had noticed the alert. Teachers actually get reprimanded for being on their phones around here. A coach outside alerted the school as she ran in--and the principal attempted to use the app, but the school had bad internet service and she struggled. If you know it's a REAL THREAT, get on that intercom and make it loud and clear.

The rest I had already heard/seen, for the most part: no communication between the various agencies arriving (mostly due to no one stepping up--Arredondo said he was responding as an officer and therefore did not give himself a "title" upon arriving) but also due to bad radios, etc. Arredondo apparently had a stash of radios that would work together, but dropped the bag in his rush to get inside.

Many people who interacted with the killer, including other customers at the gun shop and his online associates, said he gave off "school shooter" vibes. But he apparently passed a background check.

To me, the real problem is not the size of the fence or whether an alert app worked---it's that disturbed teenagers have such easy access to assault rifles. That's problem number 1. Problem number 2 was the cluster of cowards that stood around for 73 minutes.

[link:https://www.cnn.com/interactive/2022/07/us/uvalde-report-full-document/|

I drive by (Rt. 1 in Delaware):




[link:https://www.capegazette.com/blog-entry/biggest-campaign-sign-i%E2%80%99ve-ever-seen-delaware/211028|

When I'm not quarantined with COVID, I often drive by Dover AFB on the way to the beach (day trips on the weekends). There is a lot of activity there, as well as some private transport planes. I Googled one that I saw "Atlas Air" and was pleased to know that they have been enlisted to help ferry supplies for Ukraine

So far (and for me) it started like a combo of flu and allergies (some minor aches/runny nose). Now it's more like just allergies---but I do get tired. I still do stuff around the house, but definitely not energetic. No loss of taste/smell.

The weird thing is that I feel like I'm super stuffed up, but nothing but water/saline comes out when I do my sinus rinse (Neil Med--I love it for colds), so not sure what that is all about. And my nose is definitely runny, so some drainage and periodic coughing/throat clearing. But nothing too bad.

My temp tends to run a little low (97 is typical) but it got as high as 99.4. Back to 97 today.