The halfway point of the (traditional) work week is here.  Congratulations.  And congratulations to the following teams for winning yesterday:  The Nationals (game 1of a doubleheader), the Braves (game 2 of a doubleheader), Red Sox (who are closing in on 50 games above .500), the MINNESOOOOOOODA TWIIIIIINS, the St Louis Cardinals, the BIG RED MACHINE, the Tampa Bay Rays (while Baltimore closes in on 50 games BELOW .500), the Rangers, the Yankees, Padres, Cubs, Pirates, Phillies, Dodgers, Angels and World Champion Houston Astros. Well done, guys.

I’d also say “well done” to the following people. But being born is hardly an accomplishment. It just happens to you.  But they did something to make them famous, so there is that.  Anyway, the birthday list for today is: “Dr Bob” Smith, the co-founder of Alcoholics Anonymous, genius physicist Paul Dirac, genius nuke scientist Ernest Lawrence, moviemaker Dino De Laurentiis, jump blues singer Jimmy Witherspoon, Soul musician Joe Tex, actor Dustin Hoffman, rocker Jay David, hockey player/politician Ken Dryden, sidekick Robin Quivers, guitarist Chris Foreman, tennis GOAT (arguably) Roger Federer, and a few other people.  Jesus, what a lousy list.

Let’s see what happened on this date…

The baddest of badass motherfuckers

Ponce de Leon founded the first European settlement in Puerto Rico, Henry IV was excommunicated, Brigham Young was named head of the Mormon Church, Smith and Wesson patented the metal bullet cartridge, Corn Flakes were invented, Public Law 62-5 permanently set the number of Reps in the House at 435 and undermined the founders intent of a more representative democracy, Sgt York kills 20 Germans and captures 132 in one of the most badass moves in history, the 1st national march of the Ku Klux Klan (D-US) occurs in Washington with 200,000 people, Harry Truman signed the UN Charter, the Great Train Robbery took place, the Chicago White Sox played a game in shorts, and Pete Rose began a five month prison term for tax evasion.  That was a little better, but still…meh.

OK, enough of that. On to…the links!

Winning. Probably. For a few months anyway.

Barring some shenanigans with provisional ballots and absentee votes yet to be counted, The GOP will hang on to OH-12 with a slim victory in the special election. The same two people will immediately begin campaigning for the November election that will establish who sits in the seat for the next two years.  The Dom achieved a victory of sorts yesterday when he got the Libertarian candidate, who has the same last name, removed from the ballot because of one signature on his petition being from an ineligible person.

Ha, you can scour the world, but sometimes what you’re looking for is right next door. Literally.

Ohmygod. I was shocked when I saw watt was up with this current event. (I went ahead and got the inevitable out of the way with that headline. You’re welcome.)

I doubt he OR Mueller are smiling after his testimony yesterday. Jeez!

Mueller’s star witness for the prosecution in Paul Manafort’s trial has what some would call “credibility issues”. The defense should move to have the case thrown out with prejudice after yesterday’s shit show. Lol, classic.

Is this Arab Spring 2.0? If so, let’s hope the current admin doesn’t ignore the people in Iran risking their lives to be free.  And no, I don’t want us militarily involved, but at least acknowledging their desire for freedom from a shitty regime would be better than the crickets from the WH the last time this happened.

American Airlines has had some problems as of late. And now they’re having to deal with stowaways.

“Was that a speed bump or a taxpayer? LOL, as if I give a fuck!”

Chicago police are reaping what they’ve sown. Meanwhile, the mayor wants hundreds more of them running around town.  Because, you know, $50 million a year on average in police misconduct settlements with zero convictions in the past decade isn’t enough.

That story about the compound in New Mexico is getting stranger and more disturbing by the day.

And “woman shoots masturbating bicyclist trying to break into her home” is something I’d expect to hear out of Florida. ::shrugs::

Well that’s the links. Except for this bit of awesomeness that none of you will complain about if you’re decent human beings.

Here’s to every one of you having a great day today. I know I will.