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‪Dog, me and Julie were sitting on the couch just now. Dog looked at me and straight-up belched, sounding very human. Julie said she thought I’d done it. I don’t think she’s entirely convinced it wasn’t me. ‬

Found Snapshots of a Secret 1960s Crossdressing Resort in the Catskills

By Amy Faith on Messy Nessy Chic:

“What struck me on that first day was the normalcy of the images, even if it was a studied illusion. Here were photos documenting everyday women, going about their everyday lives – except that these women were men who probably lived as truck drivers, accountants, or bank presidents during the week.”

Great photos and a hell of a story!

What We Can Learn From 1918 Influenza Diaries

Smithsonian Magazine:

When Dorman B.E. Kent, a historian and businessman from Montpelier, Vermont, contracted influenza in fall 1918, he chronicled his symptoms in vivid detail. Writing in his journal, the 42-year-old described waking up with a “high fever,” “an awful headache” and a stomach bug.

“Tried to get Dr. Watson in the morning but he couldn’t come,” Kent added. Instead, the physician advised his patient to place greased cloths and a hot water bottle around his throat and chest.

“Took a seidlitz powder”—similar to Alka-Seltzer—“about 10:00 and threw it up soon so then took two tablespoons of castor oil,” Kent wrote. “Then the movements began and I spent a good part of the time at the seat.”

Injections of Bleach? Beams of Light? Trump Is Self-Destructing Before Our Eyes

“The notion that [Trump] is bound for four more years is pure superstition.”

This is a wonderful rallying cry by Frank Bruni at the New York Times about Trump’s extreme beatability this year. Indeed, Trump doesn’t have to be beaten; he’s destroying himself.

Trump is extremely unpopular now. Of course, he was extremely unpopular in 2016 as well, and won anyway.

But the dissonance of that victory could be explained partly by what he represented: a protest against the status quo. Now he _is _the status quo, and voters have had a chance to sample the disruption that he pledged. It tastes a lot like incompetence.

I’ve been saying – and hoping – something similar for a couple of years. A big part of Trump’s support in 2016 came from people who went into the voting booth and saw two levers. One was marked “MORE OF THE SAME.” They pulled the other lever, which was marked “SOMETHING DIFFERENT.”

Also, while Trump makes a strength out of outrageous behavior that would be fatal to another politician, a lot of what he has going for him is just plain luck.

He’s lucky beyond all imagining. But here’s the thing about luck: It runs out.

Yes.

Thanks, @ReaderJohn!

Coronavirus Overtakes Ninjas As Top Invisible Enemy [The Babylon Bee]

What makes coronavirus even worse than ninjas, according to Trump, is that there is currently no known defense against it, while the defense against ninjas is well known (train with monks for a decade in the mountains to learn the secrets of martial arts).

This is of course satire but no dumber than things 45 actually says.

Thanks, @chet!

The week before the shutdown here in San Diego I went to two social events – which is a lot for me – and surprised myself how much I enjoyed them.

Days before the shutdown I said to myself, “I think my time as a recluse is over. I need to join community associations and clubs and get out more and socialize.”

So the pandemic is my fault. My bad.