Gettin' old

I used to remark that I felt old age creeping up on me; lately, though, it seems to be chasing me across an open field with a pitchfork.

One resolution I have made is to lose weight. My doctor thinks it's because I want to be more conscientious about taking care of myself; in reality, I just want to be able to fit into one of my suits in case I have to go to a wake or funeral or something (not my funeral or wake, I hasten to point out; my instructions are just to drag my earthly remains outside to the edge of the property and cover it with some brush. Plain old bib overalls ought to be sufficient to preserve my modesty).

Anyhow, I have been taking this business seriously for the last six weeks or so. I cut out all snacking, eliminated sugary drinks, eat sensibly, take at least two long walks a day and do exercises every day. So far, I have lost about 20 pounds. According to the Body Mass Index, if I lose another 30, I'll be merely "overweight" as opposed to "obese". So, "yay", I guess. 

Seems to be having some good effects. I do have more energy, and my blood pressure has generally been in the normal range. It's a frustratingly slow process, however. Although I've lost some weight, my...configuration, I guess you'd call it...although noticeably improved, still does not enable me to get into any of my old suits. 

At least my hats still fit.

This right here

One of the beneficial side effects of Trump's policies to shrink the scope of the federal government has been a reduction in the size of the government workforce, and (one hopes) a continuing reduction of Democrats living in Northern Virginia. Via friend and commenter JeffS: "Once Recession-Proof, D.C. Feels the Pain From Federal Workforce Reductions".

The Washington, D.C. area has long had a reputation for being both wealthy and recession-proof, based on money forcibly extracted in the form of taxes from people living productive lives elsewhere in the United States.

That may no longer be the case. Downsizing of the federal workforce concentrated in the DMV area—the District of Columbia and parts of Maryland and Virginia—has hit many residents hard, and some are considering leaving or have already done so. While it's not nice to wish troubles on anybody, there's nothing wrong with introducing government employees to the same risks and uncertainty that participants in the private sector face every day.

Amen to that last. 

And now, a word from our sponsor

 

Almost missed it

Happy...uh....World Rabies Day!

And the winner of the World Rabies Day Poster Girl contest, for the third year in a row, is:

"Remember: my bite is worse than my bark."

Assortment

I think it's about time we start calling it homicidal empathy.

Whatever faults Trump may have, excessive subtlety isn't one of them.

Sounds like a place that might someday really deserve the Waco treatment: "‘We Want Islam For This Country’: Muslims In Texas Lay Out Vision For Islamic America".

The organization hosting the event has plans for a 40,000-square-foot Islamic facility near Plano, Texas.

Gavin Newson, international stateman. I don't think Newsom ought to be signing international agreements at the UN unless he is head of a sovereign nation; therefore, so as not to inconvenience him, let's grant California independence from the union, pluck one of the stars off of our flag, and hold it open for Alberta.

"Lesbians! Time to person the fluffy pink barricades!" "What Lesbian Bar Brouhaha Says About A Future Woke America".

Say what you will about the radicals of yesteryear, but they did crazy, dangerous stuff. They built bombs, occasionally blowing themselves up. They hijacked armored cars, killing guards if need be. They kidnapped heiresses, preferring death in fiery shoot outs to surrender.

Today, if the brouhaha at the Last Ditch Bar and Arts Venue in Greenfield, Mass. is any indication—and it is—leftists have become the biggest pansies on the planet.

National Review continues to beclown itself: 

It is shocking that the British Army, which was decimated by German machine guns in 1914, has in 1915 enthusiastically adopted the machine gun itself. https://t.co/OxWQiUr3sv

— @instapundit (@instapundit) September 27, 2026

The staff at NR are like minor functionaries in the last days of Kerensky's regime, shooting spit-wads at genuine conservatives while the Left pulls the rug out from under the entire Republic. The famous "blue borders" of the original magazine - a "blue-bordered oasis of reason", NR was called - now sadly puts one more in mind of a piece of beef that is going blue around the edges due to putrefaction.

Classical corner

Swiss composer Arthur Honegger's dramatic Symphony No. 3, Liturgique.

Another strange corner of WWII history

Told by historian (and historical detective) Mark Felton.