Odds & Ends

I have been remiss, my friends. Oh so very remiss--I have not posted since December!

I have heard the cries from the masses: "What's up with 'dat, loser?!"

I have no excuse. The fact is I am basically a sedentary, lazy bum. Really.

The fact that I actually had some people who read my stuff on a regular basis absolutely amazes me (you can only imagine how I react to compliments from people on the stuff I do at work :). I thank you all and I will try to do better.

When I started the blog I didn't want to necessarily do a "personality" blog, but it wouldn't be right for me to do a "news criticism" blog since hey, that's where I work. One of the reasons I chose "Quincy Pilgrim" was because I could then legitimately wander all over the landscape, but would try to bring it down to a point of focus of "living in Quincy". I'm afraid my natural lazy-a$$ tendencies got in the way.

But I'm back now, and will post with more regularity. Philips is good for that. :)

So some odds and ends.

1. I don't care what you think about Josephus' apparent "position" and the articles he posts on his blog. His point is that he wants you to read and think. I disagree (strongly in some cases) with some of what he offers, but I welcome the opportunity to see how other people have worked out their beliefs--and the opportunity to offer my own if I want to put in the work to respond intelligently. At the very least, food for thought that challenges is a very good thing that helps prevent clogging the mental arteries. Cut Joe some slack and try to use your brains--you're allowed to disagree.

2. Dumb criminals. It must be something in Hannibal's water, the way criminals have been falling all over themselves to do something stupid in front of the city and county's finest. This week alone: a guy was arrested for selling prescription drugs in the lobby and in the parking lot of the Marion County Jail; a woman punched a Hannibal policeman in the stomach for no apparent reason--in the police department; and finally a young woman was engaged in conversation with a uniformed Hannibal policeman who spied a little plastic bit sticking out of her pocket, asked what it was, and she pulled out a baggie of leafy stuff, handed it to him and said "It's marijuana!" Then having realized the stupidity of what she'd done, she ran--throwing away some crack she was carrying in full view of the police. Maybe the bad guys have gotten a sense of civic duty and just want to make it easier for the men and women in blue?

3. The Gems. Nice to see some good baseball coming out of the Gems this year. Almost a throwback to the early days. Of course we could use more teams in the CICL. Also it sure looks like the Civic Center folks are getting their act together not only in supporting and promoting the Gems, but everything else to do with the OLC too. Good work folks, esp. executive director Rob E.

4. Driving in summer. Take my advice. Never set out on a long drive in the summer when you a/c is on the fritz. The trip to Dayton, OH and back was only 7 hours each way but it felt like 10 years.

5. Grumble. What is it with our state legislators and our governor? EVERY OTHER state group has their budgets set up and approved and ready to go, so where the heck is the Legislature and Rod? If I turned in a project this late, I'd (rightfully) be at the least suspended--more likely fired. GET ON THE STICK, YOU GUYS!

6. There is NO....point 6.

And now to quote the little girl in the second POLTERGEIST movie: "Theeyyyy'rree bbaaaaaack!"