Britney Spears Is About To Be Unleashed In Vegas, Buy Kirby Smart's House & Vegas Dealer Hits A Big One
A few observations on a rainy Wednesday morning
- We can't catch a break with the 12U baseball schedule. It POURED on our field last night while the fields three miles to the west were fine and teams played games there last night. For those keeping track, we've played two games in May. The June schedule is going to be intense with makeup games.
- Have you seen the prices of magazines lately? We ended up at Books-A-Million last night and some landscaping magazine I picked up was $14. I would love to know how many they're selling at $14 a pop.
- Based on all the pop culture people who have books at Books-A-Million, it feels like Screencaps should have a book for sale, especially for Father's Day. Just think about how well a book that includes BBQ recipes, stories about how to kill moles, Instagram models and the story from the Russian defense contractor show would sell.
- I guarantee the Screencaps' book would sell more copies than the $15 landscaping magazine.
- My power recliner motor is dead. The last thing I need right now is to get under the hood of the recliner to do a motor extraction, but, it's the job that has to be done. The more I think about it, if I come out of this with new knowledge, it might open up a side hustle business. I have to believe there are a TON of people out there with power recliners and like one repairman in a 50-mile radius.
My updated list of chains that will be out of business in the next five years:
1. Bob Evans
I know the big news over the last five days was how the new CEO of Cracker Barrel said the brand needs to go through a logo redesign and modernize its gift shop and menu to bring in new customers.
Meanwhile, Bob Evans ownership has been trying to sell the whole operation.
Let's face it, chain family dining is on the way out. If you have a special mom & pop that you like to frequent, tell your fellow readers. Keep these places afloat before it's too late.
Email: joekinsey@gmail.com
I stand by this theory on the ‘Loneliness of the American Worker’ is causing more men to desire destination trips:
My theory goes that men are now seeking out adventures where cell service sucks, they can trust the guys on the trip and others won't have their faces buried in devices.
Here's the report from the Wall Street Journal on the Loneliness of the American Worker.
Now, was this story seeded by commercial real estate public relation teams? It's possible, but from what I've seen on golf trips and running golf outings over the last five years, it feels like men are seeking out friendships away from the workplace and it probably has to do with not being able to trust fellow workers like past generations.
Tuesday was the last day of school at Lee High School
Is ‘Thank you for your service’ hollow and a get out of jail free card for people when they talk to veterans?
- Jim M. responds to veteran Marty's email on Tuesday:
I’m responding to Marty’s comment about those of us who take the time to thank veterans for their service do so as a hollow gesture. I can’t speak for anyone else but for me, it’s anything but hollow.
I never served. I was four years too late for Vietnam, disinterested in being a barracks Marine in 1979 so I spent the 80’s in school, then tried to enlist at the outset of the Gulf War only to be told by a Marine recruiter that I was too old at twenty-nine to go to boot camp, so my only options were either OCS or the JAG Corps. I didn’t think I had any business leading men in battle without having experienced it and didn’t relish the idea of jumping from foxhole to foxhole to make sure guys had signed up for insurance, so I passed.
My interest in the military is far from hollow. I’ve read all the classic military history books – no historical fiction for me – and know as well as a civilian can what these brave souls endured. I’m aware of the sacrifices these men and women have made and want them to know how truly thankful I am. I especially talk with Vietnam vets given how poorly they were treated when they returned to the World.
I don’t, however, merely thank them for their service. Given my reading, I ask them where they served. I’ll ask them which branch they were in, what years they served. And for as long as they want to talk about their service I’m willing to stand there and listen. One time in WalMart, after I thanked a man who served in Coast Guard, we spent fifteen minutes gabbing about his service. I tried to politely break it off because his wife had wandered away and I thought she might not be too happy losing her husband to some random stranger, but he told me she’d be fine and was just a phone call away…and kept on telling me his stories.
In all the time I’ve talked with vets, I’ve met Tunnel Rats, Marines who survived the siege at Khe Sanh, men who mopped up around the Pusan Perimeter after the Inchon Landing, men who served near Da Nang, guys who were in the sandbox in Iraq and others who saw action in Afghanistan. I always make it a point to ask them where they served, because I know it matters to them and because I’m so curious to hear from them, firsthand, about what it was like.
But I’m careful to never make it about me. I discreetly approach them, excuse myself and offer my hand while telling them "Thank you for your service." Then I ask them where they served (usually, they’re wearing a hat that identified the war in which they served so it’s narrowed down) and ask them questions about their time in theater.
I’m sure there are some people who thank vets simply as a meaningless gesture to make themselves feel better, but I not only feel a visceral obligation to thank them, but I have a boundless curiosity about their service. I’m aware that there are some vets who would rather not talk about what they experienced, but I could sit for hours listening to their stories. That’s why I read so many books on military history.
Marty’s point is well-taken, but I hope that he and other veterans understand that there is a segment of the population that is beyond grateful for their service and sacrifice and truly wants to engage them regarding their experiences. I agree with him that more people need to learn more about what veterans endured. But there are some of us who would relish the opportunity to just sit with them, crack open a beer, and listen.
- John from SD writes:
‘Thank you for your service’ from Marty H. I suppose this has crossed my mind but not to the level that Marty points out. I now agree that it’s a pre-programed five word comment being that it’s so common and consistent (same phrase). My typical response is "proud to have served".
Yes, some casual dialogue would be nice. Which branch did you serve in? How many years were you in the military? Don’t have to get too much into more than that and the people who don’t want to get into it is pretty obvious. I always want to mentor younger kids if they are interested about military service during these comments.
I did the middle school stage assembly thing with veterans, active and retired, for fours years with two of my kids. The principal was a WWII veteran‘s daughter and pro military in of all places in SoCal. She was so proud of her father that she made this an annual school event. Typically felt uncomfortable when veterans with injuries spoke.
For me (I don’t have any major medical injuries) going to the VA for some routine appointments is hard. I see our Vets that put it all on the line, the conditions they’re in, and I can walk in-and-out with out a problem hits me every time.
Keep up the great work! Awesome video of Walter Stitt Jr! Buttigieg is an idiot. (WTH with Lucas Stadium and a swimming pool!)
- Bo in Michigan writes:
Joe great job as always herding the cats that are SC Nation. I get what Marty is saying, but might have a different perspective.
When I joined the Army, the majority of the NCOs (sergeants) and mid-grade officers were Vietnam vets. Those guys showed me the ropes and got me on a path I wasn’t quite expecting, but I owe them. Obviously they didn’t come home to a lot of respect and well wishes.
Fast-forward to today. When someone says "TYFYS" I always reply with "It was my pleasure". Through good times and bad, I got to do a lot of pretty cool shit on John Q Taxpayer’s dime, and work with some of America's best warriors. I’m not spending an extra second trying to decipher someone’s motives.
Secondly, the "TYFYS" has created a sense of entitlement in SOME service members/vets. To the point where there’s a running joke about them amongst vets that’s called "Thank me for my service". Not sure if it’s a generational thing or what, but it damn sure pisses me off when compared to my Vietnam mentors all those years ago.
So thanks to all of you who do say "TYFYS", and to those entitled "TMFMS" vets EAD and STFU. God Bless America.
- Bill M. writes:
Just happened to read your column and that post from Marty. I served from 1967-1971, and I never heard that term—Thank you for your service—until maybe 5-10 years ago? When I got out, most vets were not really acknowledged that much. The war was winding down & people wanted to forget about it and maybe those that served.
I never expected a parade or a Thank You—It was time to get back into the world, find a job and maybe look for a girl if you weren’t married yet. The economy wasn’t the greatest and jobs were hard to find for those without any experience. Some were able to succeed and some never got over the hump. I did use the GI Bill to go to college at night, but other than that did not want any special treatment for being a Vet. Never joined the VFW or American Legion, just wanted to fit back into society and not draw attention to myself.
When they started saying that thanks for your service, I never liked it and never knew how to respond. I would rather that people would raise up their kids to learn American History and of our Armed Forces, and also how they might serve the country in the future.
Respect the Flag and those that serve under it. Remember and honor those that died while serving our country. One thing the Army did, was that it made a group of people from all over the country, different types of guys from various backgrounds, learn how to get along with each other and work to achieve some success from their efforts.
A good way to thank us for serving, is to raise up a generation of kids that would be willing to serve and sacrifice for our country if called upon in the future.
– John W. writes:
I found this impressive:
‘An addiction I have’: Pennsylvania 20-year-old can’t stop interviewing World War II vets
Memorial Day at Pearl Harbor
- Here's how Ron in Lake Oswego, Oregon spent Memorial Day:
Well we did the tour of Pearl Harbor today and it was both fascinating and somber. The immensity of the exhibits and how they spread across the active base that Pearl Harbor still is was amazing. The USS Arizona Memorial was definitely a poignant reminder of what our grandparents generation had to go through. Only a month ago the last survivor of the ship died at 102 in Grass Valley, CA. His will be the final name etched into the benches at the base of the marble wall that lists the names of all of the Arizona's crew entombed within the ship. The survivors are listed there along with the year they passed away. Those who died on 12/07/41 are listed on the wall. 1,177 men died on the Arizona over 900 are still entombed below.
Moored bow to bow with the Arizona is the USS Missouri. They are moored bow to bow so that the massive 16" Naval Rifles of the Missouri will forever stand guard over our hallowed dead from that day. It was on the Missouri that the Surrender Document was signed on September 2, 1945 ending WW II. Both ships thus bookending America's involvement in that war.
Pics are the flags in front of Pearl Harbor Memorial Park. The Flag that flies over the USS Arizona, names of the dead, the Missouri's 2 batteries that guard the Arizona, and the spot where Japan Surrendered.
Finally for all the foodies, we went to Zippy's for a late lunch. The wife got the Special: Hot Dog, Portuguese Sausage, SPAM, and Korean Fried Chicken over rice. See pic of all we ate.
Movies to put on your radar
- Franco suggests:
When Trumpets Fade. An HBO original movie that preceded Saving Private Ryan and Band of Brothers. It's still on HBO. A seriously underrated movie.
Also, Cross of Iron which is currently on Amazon Prime. It's a WW2 movie about the German retreat from Russia late in WW2. War nerds consider this one of the best war movies ever. A hidden gem. A must watch.
Sam Peckinpah was a master at blood and gore and special effects. Zero CGI in this flick and there are massive explosions that would blow your mind. The SC community who know will confirm.
I saw a SMART car getting up on the I-75 S ramp yesterday and thought that might be a contender
Mrs. Screencaps' hard-boiled egg incident
- Shawn in Canby, OR writes:
Read today's adventure about you trying to burn the house down.
My wife and I have limited time (we're lazy) so we buy pre-peeled hardboiled eggs from Costco. Price is actually not too bad.
And sometimes, you get lucky and get a 3-banger (see attached)
Kinsey:
We buy those from time to time. Looks like I need to make that part of the Costco routine again after Mrs. Screencaps tried to burn down the house and ruin my golf trip.
– Pete in Golden, CO writes:
Good Morning Joe,
I read your segment on "The Hard Boiled Egg Incident" this morning and feel your pain. About a year ago, my wife started an entree that required boiling water with a generous drizzle of olive oil. So the pot with the water and olive oil went on the cooktop cranked up to high, and it was never thought of again. The water boiled away and the olive oil vaporized and ignited.
Luckily, I happen to walk past the kitchen and noted a ball of fire emanating from the pot on the cooktop. I covered the pot with its cover and avoided disaster, but another second or two and the cabinets would have been ruined. Another minute and the whole kitchen would have been on fire.
So when I brought it up to the wife that she nearly burned the house down, she looked at me like I was the dumbest man on the planet and no such thing could have happened from her just boiling water. She would have thought differently if she saw the mass of flames coming from the pot…
What's on your playlist?
There's been a big discussion around OutKick on what songs should be on the summer playlist. As someone who loves Yacht Rock – it's not about the music as much as it's about the vibe - I stay out of these things because I'm not great about picking out singular songs.
And I don't think it's fun to debate songs and whether they're great for summer. I have a station and an algorithm that handles all that for me.
- Tom H. writes:
Give this playlist a listen: 1974 - Billboard Top 100 Songs
https://open.spotify.com/playlist/0ycWLvwxtT5LIfZXFBpNaY?si=eM3F2DNpR5qN1BK1jmRaTw&pi=u-k0GpNRbYRi-j
For those who are battling the moles!
Chris in Commerce, MI writes:
I can speak from experience that the best way to get rid of moles is the Talpirid "Scissor" style trap. Easy to use on established mole runs. Visual indicator of being triggered. The best part is when you pull it out after it was triggered, the mole comes with it so you have confirmation that you got the mole in question. No guesswork involved. See below for Amazon link. somewhat pricey, but you can use over and over again. Once the moles are gone, make sure to use grub control so that you are removing the food source for the moles. Hope this helps.
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That's it this morning. It's the final Wednesday in May. Yes, this month flew by. Let's dry out and finish the month strong. The plants are plenty hydrated and now it's time to get the growing season rolling.
Go have a great day.
Email: joekinsey@gmail.com