Happy Father's Day

to all you dads out there.

I miss you Dad.

Chitown Bound

Posting will be light next week. I'm heading out in the morning for the big robotics show in Chicago.  

woot

Can you feel my excitement? 

I'm searching for a a word..loathe...that's it! I loathe trade shows. 13.6% of the attendees are there to learn something or find a new supplier. 11% are there because it represents a small work vacation. 9% are there because their boss said they had to go. 31% are there to sell something to ghe exhibitors but don't want to rent a booth. The balance are looking for free stuff. 

The exhibitors are just there to sell something to people who are not interested in buying.

Time moves slower at a trade show. Four minutes may pass in the outside world while only one minute passes in a trade show. Fact. 

I will have fun hanging with my work coleagues who I rarely see in person. 

I will not enjoy standing 6-7 hours a day. Did I mention Chicago? McCormick place? If you know,you understand. 

A couple of years ago when the show was in Chicago we went to a Cubs game and that made it all worth suffering through. Alas, the Cubs are out of town next week. I'm confident the boss has some fun things arranged and I know we will eat well, but the show...

You got a thing about you

 

We didn't even get a lousy T-shirt

If this agreement with Iran is the results of a master negotiator, then I need to apply for the job. 

The reported terms of the Memorandum of Understanding seem pretty one-sided and Iran is the big winner.

They get paid $300 billion bucks, their assests unfrozen, and all sanctions lifted. They promise not to work on nukes (sure). They won't  charge tolls to go through the Straight of Hormuz for 60 days. Irans keeps their ballistic missles. The Iranians  will "discuss" the nuclear material they have already developed. All fighting has to stop in Lebanon. Of course Hezbolla will shoot missiles at Israel in about nine minutes after the 60 days, so the Iranians have an excuse to ignore the "we will stop trying to make a nuke" provision. 

The US and our allies get....*crickets chirping*...

Seems like the Art of the Deal got us a win/didn't lose proposition. We were in a better position before the start of this so-called war. 

Maybe I'm missing something or more will come out of the sixty day discussions. 

Per reports:

Iran’s top negotiator, Mohammed Bagher Ghalibaf, boasted in comments to state TV that the deal had given them even more than they set out to achieve.

“Everything we sought to achieve through military action, we obtained several times over through negotiation; it was not even comparable,” he said.

You can stop worrying now

We avoided the nasty weather that raced across south central Illinois and Indiana last night. The big red scary "you might die" blob originally was forecasted to go right over my house. Instead, Mother Nature steered the whole thing southward. I pray for those who got whacked by storms and tornadoes, but I'm glad it wasn't me. We had lots of thunder and a few quick moving showers. In all, not bad. 

I think we need a laugh today

 

Scary encounter

 The youngest called in a panic very early this morning. A couple of what he called meth-heads tried to break into his apartment this morning -- while he was asleep right there on the couch! They tried the door and finding it locked tried to come in the window. He'd heard them break into the empty apartment next door, so was awake. He said his dog slept through it all.

While he was on the phone with me talking himself down from the adrenaline rush he heard them come back next door again. I told him to call 911 pronto. 

I offered to see if he wanted me to check the river where I lost my guns in a canoeing accident and bring him a pistol, but he declined. He has his trusty Louisville Slugger. 

Poor kid can't catch a break. They've broken into his car twice in the last few months and now they have tried to come in the windows of his apartment. He's scared and he is sick of it. 

Indianapolis has become a blue city shit hole. There, I said it. 

Edit. He called the police at the time (around 5 am) as of 10 am they still haven't arrived 

It is true

 Watching the grass seed sprout that I planted in a bare spot interests me more than the World Cup. 

Frankly, I'm not too invested in the bare spot.