The End Times

• If it's not official, it may as well be - they're near.
• Evidencing such, I present to you that since the weekend, Bill Maher has agreed with my position (as noted in a prior post), as well as Richard Dawkins, and, as of this morning, Liberally Lean (albeit in a roundabout fashion), regarding the story of an Irving teen who 'invented' and took a repackaged digital clock to his high school.
• Hard to say if the kid hatched the plan or not, but the more compelling explanation appears to be that his dad was trying to create an opportunity to gain stature in the Muslim community, possibly bolstering his chances for the presidential ballot in his native Sudan.  If that was the plan, it's so far been fairly successful: The family has scored invitations to visit Google, the United Nations, and 1600 Pennsylvania Ave, as well as Mecca (although it's not clear if that's a gratis trip or not).
• Meanwhile, actual conspiracy theorists think that the incident is part of a jihadist plan.
• Wrapping it up - File this story under: The Boy Whose Dad Made Him Cry Wolf.
• Indicative of the state of modern politics, Jeb Bush - who is no Donald Trump - gets heckled in Houston, by Hispanic protesters.  OK, I understood Hispanics protesting Trump - but Jeb Bush?  Heckling a moderate candidate doesn't strike me as smart PR.
• Tip o' the hat to Geeding - about 20 years ago, a friend left an Imation CD, marked only 'Eva Cassidy', that I never listened to, inasmuch as it had no track listing, on my front porch.
• I'm listening to it right now.
• There's quite the touching story making the rounds about an elderly man serenading his dying wife.
• It sort of reminds me of that Kathy Mattea song, "Where've You Been?"
• For some time I've been intrigued by the tiny house movement.  Here's a college guy that built his own tiny house.
• If I had a tiny house, I would get this tiny car.  The fact that the Pope rode in such a car on his arrival to the U.S. is neither a plus or minus for me, though the make's general reputation is kind of a drag.

• The mesquite thorns on the bike bath apparently laid my front bike tyre low over the weekend.  Tonight I patched the inner tube, will see if the repair held up in the morning.
• I'm always buying specialty teas.  Last night I scored some Red Roobios/Orange Peel/Cinnamon. Caffeine-free, it will make a great drink before bedtime.