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• One of my kids asked for this shirt for Christmas. Interesting, considering my place in life. I thought it would be something simple to buy, but it’s sold out and hard to find at any reputable company. Unfamiliar with it, research tells me The National is a band comprising two sets of brothers from Cincinnati, where my father was born and grew up, and my adopted sports city. Per AI:
  • The National, an American rock band, is often referred to as “Sad Dad” music, which can be a term of endearment and a bit of a dig. The band’s music is known for its brooding tone and personal lyrics about love, loss, and depression. Some say that the band’s members were older when they found success, which is part of the reason for the “Sad Dad” label.
    
• Trading in a car you’ve owned for a long time and buying another without consulting anyone is one of those big post-divorce stages that make you realize you have moved on.
• Y’all know I like my presidential history. I found this nugget when I went down my last rabbit hole and found it hard to believe until I found multiple sources.
  • On the night of October 14, 1990, Delta Force conducted a successful mock attack on the President by HALO jumping onto the White House lawn.Lew Merletti, the Special Agent in Charge of Presidential protection secretly flew to Fort Bragg and presented Delta with a challenge to come up with the most devastating small-footprint ambush they could think of targeting the President at the White House, the Delta commander accepted the challenge.

    Some ground rules were set; the Delta operators could not use their clearances or classified information to devise the ambush; they had to use recon and publicly available information only. Figure out the weak point in the system and break it.

    Delta trained for 8 weeks and, on the night of October 14, 1990, conducted a HALO jump onto the White House lawn. Secret Service special agents on duty were not notified of what was going to happen beforehand, but live ammunition was collected from them just before the mock attack, giving an indication that something might be going on.

    One of the special agents on duty that night, a sniper on the White House roof, recalled what happened. “All of a sudden, there were these Delta guys on the lawn. It was that fast. It was a ‘holy shit’ moment for everybody involved.”

    After the mock attack, the Delta Force commander gave Lew Merletti an infrared photograph of one of the Delta operators, in harness, as he was landing on the White House lawn. Merletti taped the photo to a wall in his office with the words “No comment” written underneath.

    A microwave Doppler radar system was installed on the White House roof as a result of this mock attack.

    Source: Chapter 18, pages 274-276 of Surprise, Kill, Vanish: The Secret History of CIA Paramilitary Armies, Operators, and Assassins by Annie Jacobsen

    Here’s a PDF of the whole book, but some of you may feel uncomfortable downloading it or accessing a website with an iffy URL and totally written in Russian.

• After this guy did the first-ever front flip (summersault) during a long jump competition. It was banned the following year.
  

• General Douglas MacArthur left an impression on me when I did a research paper on him in college. But I know a lot of people and historians disliked the man. On Friday night, the movie about him starring Gregory Peck was playing on TMC, and it pulled me in despite watching it eons ago. Like his father, MacArthur was awarded the Medal of Honor, and both achieved the rank of general. The movie had a small reference to his son, Arthur MacArthur IV, and that led to a little research because I wanted to know what became of the man.
  • The media paid a tremendous amount of attention to him when he was a child. When he was a baby, his mother once said that he had no choice but to have a military career like his father and grandfather.
  • But that never happened. He shunned the military and changed his name. Interestingly, he’s still alive! Well, probably. When he chose not to join the military, I would have loved to know how that conversation went with his parents. That’s not meant to be judgemental; I simply wonder how the conversation went. Was the General loving and understanding, or highly upset? The kid, after all, did grow up around war. Perhaps he was sick and tired of it.
  • Upon Douglas MacArthur’s dismissal by President Truman, MacArthur flew home with his family on April 18, 1951. Arthur, then aged 13, had never been to the United States.
  • The General died in 1964, and his mother died in 2000. In his mother Jean’s obituary, only Arthur and Jean’s sister, Angie McCarthy, are mentioned; no grandchildren are mentioned.
  • In January 2024, upon the occasion of his father being awarded the Order of Military Merit (First Class) by the Republic of Korea, Arthur MacArthur issued his first public statement in at least six decades.
  • Here’s the last paragraph of his Wikipedia page:
    • Apparently, MacArthur lived in the Mayflower Hotel on New York’s Upper West Side until 2004 when it was demolished. Forbes magazine tracked him down in 2005 but MacArthur “declined to be interviewed”. In 2014, MacArthur was featured in a New York Post article that discussed his long and secret residency in the hotel. Michael Gross’s 2014 book, House of Outrageous Fortune: Fifteen Central Park West, the World’s Most Powerful Address, also devoted a page to the mystery of MacArthur’s life and assumed name. When the hotel was demolished, he moved to Greenwich Village. When Arthur moved out of the Mayflower Hotel he was described by lawyer Michael Grabow as one of four “bachelors” living there, implying Arthur was never married.
• After the Gregory Peck General MacArthur movie, To Kill A Mockingbird immediately followed. I watched all of it. Post-movie, it was mentioned Harper Lee was on set. Atticus is modeled after her father, and Lee starts to cry on set because of the resemblance. Peck came over, and she teased the actor, saying he had a pot belly just like his father. Peck’s response was, “That’s not a pot belly. That’s just good acting.”
• Evil woman – Crystal Mangum, who accused three Duke lacrosse players of rape, now says she lied
  • “I testified falsely against them by saying that they raped me when they didn’t, and that was wrong. And I betrayed the trust of a lot of other people who believed in me,” Mangum said on the web show “Let’s Talk with Kat,” hosted by Katerena DePasquale. The interview took place at the North Carolina Correctional Institution for Women, where Mangum is serving time for a 2013 second-degree murder conviction for stabbing her boyfriend. “I made up a story that wasn’t true because I wanted validation from people and not from God,” Mangum said.
  • Here was some of the fallout.

    The charges brought broad media attention, forced the cancellation of the team’s 2006 season, and cost coach Mike Pressler his job. The district attorney on the case was convicted of criminal contempt and disbarred. In April 2007, the state’s then-Attorney General Roy Cooper, who is now governor, reviewed the case and exonerated the three men, declaring that the charges never should have been brought against them.

• YouTube TV is increasing its price to $83 a month starting in January 2025. That means YouTube TV has now doubled in price over the last five years, from $40 to $83 per month, while also removing regional sports networks and other channels like MLB network.
• How am I just now realizing the college football quarterfinals are on Tuesday and Wednesday and the Semifinals on Thursday and Friday? I would have thought they would have been weekend games.
• I’ve touted my love for my Nissan Leaf, one of my best purchases. But I own it no more. Despite not being able to qualify for any tax credits or rebates, I found a 2023 Chevy Bolt with a 13,000 for a little over $17,000 at a Maserati and Alfa Romeo dealership. The dealership only gave me a thousand to trade in the Leaf. I was tempted to keep it for my kids, who are 12 and 14, as I think it’s a great first car for a high school student who doesn’t drive but five to ten miles a day. I was also tempted to buy something more fun and elaborate, but I chose to do my best to live within my means.
• I wasn’t sure if I was going to need my checkbook. I wasn’t sure if I knew where my checkbook was located.
• Few things are as exhausting as going through the finance department of a car dealership. I was already pre-approved for a loan by my bank and shouldn’t have entertained their “competitive” offers. USAA gave me a much better rate than Navy Federal Credit Union.
• Their first offer included a “Purchase Protection Fee” of $1,700. I asked them to itemize what it covers. Basically, it’s stuff like door dings, patching a flat tire, key replacement, and a chipped windshield. So, I told them I wasn’t interested in it and to take it off. Then, they tried to sell me aftermarket rims and accent stickers to make it look sportier. Nope, and nope.
• I’m enjoying the extra 100 horsepower and satellite radio.
• I asked ChatGPT to compare my new car to the old one and list several benefits to make me feel good about my purchase.
  

  Comparison: 2014 Nissan Leaf vs. 2023 Chevrolet Bolt EV

  Category	2014 Nissan Leaf	2023 Chevrolet Bolt EV	Key Differences
  Mileage (Current)	75,682 miles	13,026 miles	Bolt EV has significantly fewer miles, offering better longevity and reliability.
  Range (EPA Estimate)	~64 miles	259 miles	Bolt EV provides over 3x the range, eliminating range anxiety.
  Battery Size	24 kWh	66 kWh	Bolt EV has nearly triple the capacity, enabling much longer trips.
  Horsepower	107 hp	200 hp	Bolt EV is almost twice as powerful, improving acceleration and overall performance.
  Charging Time (240V)	~6 hours	~10 hours	Bolt EV takes longer to charge but delivers far greater range per charge.
  Weight	3,256 lbs	3,563 lbs	Bolt EV is heavier, reflecting the larger battery and improved build quality.
  Dimensions (L x W x H)	175 x 69.7 x 61 inches	164 x 69.5 x 62.8 inches	Bolt EV is more compact, making it easier to maneuver and park.
  Passenger Seating	5 seats	5 seats	Both vehicles offer the same seating capacity.
  Cargo Space	24 cubic feet (seats up)	16.6 cubic feet (seats up)	Leaf has more cargo space without folding seats, but the Bolt EV is more versatile.
  Warranty (Battery)	Expired (8 years/100,000 miles)	Active (8 years/100,000 miles)	Bolt EV includes a valid battery warranty, adding peace of mind.

  ---

  Additional Benefits of the 2023 Chevrolet Bolt EV Over the 2014 Nissan Leaf

  1. Modern Safety Features:
     • The Bolt EV likely includes advanced safety features like lane-keeping assist, automatic emergency braking, and forward collision warning, which were not standard on the Leaf in 2014.
  2. Infotainment and Connectivity:
     • The Bolt EV comes equipped with Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, and a larger infotainment screen, enhancing your driving experience.
  3. Fast Charging Capability:
     • While the Leaf lacks DC fast charging, the Bolt EV can use DC fast chargers, enabling an 80% charge in about 30 minutes—a massive advantage for road trips.
  4. Efficiency and Energy Cost Savings:
     • The Bolt EV’s improved MPGe rating (115 combined) means lower energy consumption and reduced charging costs compared to the older, less efficient Leaf.
  5. Longevity and Reliability:
     • With 13,026 miles, your Bolt EV is essentially “like new,” ensuring fewer immediate maintenance needs compared to the 75,682 miles on your Leaf.
  6. Resale Value:
     • The Bolt EV, being a newer model, will retain its resale value better over the next few years compared to the aging Leaf.
  7. Reduced Maintenance:
     • Both cars are electric and require less maintenance than gasoline vehicles, but your newer Bolt EV will likely require fewer repairs given its low mileage.

• Canadian Pacific holiday train lit up
  pic.twitter.com/7uG52d4cMh

  — Science girl (@gunsnrosesgirl3) December 11, 2024

• A tweet that made me think:
  • While “rubbing salt in the wound” often refers to needlessly adding pain, the origins of the phrase come from rubbing salt into a wound to prevent infection. It hurts, but it protects.
• I mentioned shopping for a new car. What was odd was that the night before I decided to visit the dealership, I was cleaning out my Nissan Leaf. I’ve had zero problems with it and rank it as one of my best purchases. However, that evening, as it sat in the garage undisturbed, it started to honk as if someone had pressed the panic button. But my key fobs were undisturbed.
• Sometimes, you just have to celebrate the small victories in life. Since I have no one to share them with, I will share one with you. I was bothered by a situation at work that my manager and no one knew about. I thought the best way to address the issue was to craft an email and send it to a particular group of people. This had the potential to backfire, but I was lucky. Here is my manager’s response.
  
• Some added sugar sources are worse than others for disease risk, study suggests

Researchers looked at sugar consumption in three categories: sugary beverages, sweets like pastries, and toppings like honey or sugar added to tea or coffee, according to the study.

Consuming sweet drinks (all sodas and fruit drinks that were not pure fruit juices) was associated with a higher risk of heart disease than those individuals who had more baked treats, but surprisingly those participants who consumed the least amount of sugar did not end up with the lowest risk of heart disease.

• This sentence from this article about Macy’s caught my attention.

The investors claim that Macy’s real estate, including its flagship store at Herald Square in New York City, is worth up to $9 billion on the open market, nearly double Macy’s closing market value Monday of $4.7 billion.

• Thanks to the alleged United Healthcare CEO killer with washboard abs, I no longer can use the excuse that it’s because I have metal screws in my lower back. Thanks a lot, Luigi.
• So, a McDonald’s employee tipped off authorities, leading to Luigi Magione’s arrest. Here’s what would need to happen for the up to $50,000 reward to be paid out. I think it’s interesting you can’t self-nominate.

  • Until a trial can be held and a perpetrator is convicted in a court of law or at least indicted, no one will be eligible for the reward.

  • To be eligible for a reward through the FBI, you would first have to be nominated by a U.S. investigating agency such as the Department of Defense or the FBI to receive the reward, according to the FBI’s website. A person who provided information cannot self-nominate.

  • An interagency committee then reviews the nomination and its legal eligibility. If it is determined that the information provided merits a reward, the suggestion is passed on to the Secretary of State, who makes the final decision. In federal cases, the Attorney General must also agree.

• Surely, I’m not the only one sick and tired of the Amazon commercial with the janitor singing “What the World Needs Now Is Love.” Sure, it tugged at the heart the first million times I saw it, but is there a way I can pay Amazon not to air that commercial on any of my devices anymore? I know the Burt Bacharach estate would highly disagree with me on this, but I want to maintain some level of sanity. Getting through the holiday season is hard enough.
• I thought the United Healthcare CEO murderer was going to get away with it. I haven’t followed the story closely, but it seems he was only identified because he pulled his face mask down while flirting with a girl. That was his mistake, talking to a pretty girl he’ll probably never see again but will remember forever. For such a smart guy, he thought it was a good idea to carry all incriminating evidence on him.
• How can it not be Donald Trump? I say Elon would be a close second, considering how well SpaceX did this year and his influence on the election.
  
• It’s silly when people vilify this woman.Taylor Swift Gave a Whopping $197 Million in Bonuses to Eras Tour Performers, Crew on Top of Their Salaries – Over the past two years, Swift gave out $197 million in bonuses to everyone working on her Eras Tour, including truck drivers, caterers, dancers and musicians
• It’s so much fun watching The Manning Cast with Bill Belichick. I did catch some of the Simpsons version and they were much too kind to Jerry, who should have looked much closer in age to Mr. Burns.
  
• On the Manning Cast , Cris Collingsworth talked about his time with Al Michaels. He said it was in Michaels’ contract that when the broadcast starts, he gets a full minute of time in which he’s the only one on camera. Ego trip.
• Dallas Cowboys Cheerleader Armani Latimer: “Alopecia Helped Me Realize I Don’t Have To Be Perfect”

• Congrats and much respect to Dallas Cowboys cheerleader Armani Latimer. She revealed she had alopecia on the Cheerleaders Netflix show America’s Sweethearts. She had been wearing a wig all season but performed bald for the first time during Monday’s game between the Bengals and… pic.twitter.com/UrM3m3jsFf

  — Clarence Hill Jr (@clarencehilljr) December 10, 2024