A few quick hits to start December

 

I don't know about this:

Brian Kelly accepted a 10-year deal worth $95M to coach the LSU football team, leaving Notre Dame behind. It makes sense Kelly would make the move to the SEC. Although Notre Dame is ranked in the Top 10 at present, it is not a contender for the National Championship and probably will not be a contender next year.  LSU, a top-tier SEC program in years past, is a good shot of at least making the college football playoffs under Kelly. 

The move looks good for both Kelly and the school. But it doesn't seem like a good fit to me. Time will tell. But $95M for Kelly seems absurd to me, and might force me to rethink my interest in college football. 

A bad idea is a bad idea:

Four members of Congress recently introduced a bill that would provide government support to newspapers, mostly by making it easier for their owners to list the publication as a non-profit. The politicians contend that newspapers are vital to public accountability. It's a bad idea, I think. If you want to alter the tax code to assist all businesses, I'm all for that conversation.

Revising the code to assist newspapers is a step in the wrong direction, because it ignores and attempts to override what the marketplace already has accomplished - the natural elimination of unprofitable, unpopular operations. If a newspaper was popular, readers might subscribe to it. I can't see why taxpayers should prop up a business that consumers have rejected. But that's me.

Are they truly offended or just partisan?

During the past few weeks several friends who self-identify as Democrats shared concerns they have about seeing the "F" word in anti-Biden flags and bumper stickers. Many express dismay at the vulgar word, decry the erosion in the quality of public discourse, and label those who use a variety of derogatory names (frequently unaware of the irony).

I question the sincerity of their concerns, because each of them were as silent as rocks when the Left threw nearly every vulgar word in the book at President Trump during his time in office. They didn't seem concerned then about coarse words in public speech, but are worried today. Could it be it's because the harsh language is now directed at a Democrat. Yeah, probably. For the record, I try not to use such language and would not fly a flag that contained a vulgarity. But political speech often is not pretty or polite, and it's not up to me to dictate how others express themselves.

A quiet and pleasant Thanksgiving celebration:

My wife and I celebrated a quiet Thanksgiving Day this year. Our observation involved just the two of us, and Otto, our family dog. It was a calm and pleasant time. I enjoy time spent with our extended family, but this quiet before the hectic days of the Christmas season was much appreciated. We enjoyed a traditional, homemade dinner, and I enjoyed a short nap after dinner. We spent Friday putting up our Christmas tree and other decorations. I can't say I'm ready for the frantic pace of the weeks ahead, but I am rested.

And now for Christmas music:

I am enjoying the 2021 installment (and each of the previous installments) of the London Symphony Orchestra's collection of Christmas music. Some commercial radio stations started playing "seasonal music" in October or early November, but that's far too early for me, and I can't stand what they air.  Now that Thanksgiving 2021 is in the books, I shift my attention and my ears to traditional Christmas music. I hope you enjoy it, too.

-- Thank you for reading. I always appreciate comments and feedback.