Here’s a day in the life, in this case, Wednesday, June 7, 2023. Among other things, it was the second day of bad air.
My computer has been wonky. I would click on Google Chrome. Then, unexpectedly, it would shut down. I used Microsoft Bing; the same thing. My computer’s too full. I have no photos or music. I don’t know what to change, except I could offload some downloads. So I did, a tedious process that I attacked throughout the day.
I had signed up to donate blood at Albany High School. According to the American Red Cross, this would be my 176th donation, making it 22 gallons.
I walked to the school. Donations are now collected in the new library, which is much better than getting lost leaving the gymnasium. Something I don’t think I admitted to in this blog: I’m a competitive donor.
When it took me 14 minutes to donate the time before last, I was unsurprised because I had a relatively novice phlebotomist who likely hit the scar tissue. The last time, it was about seven minutes. This time, five minutes and thirteen seconds, which was in my usual range, was a sign of a quality technician. I beat a teacher and a high school student who started before I did.
The opposite of buenos aires
While the 1.2 km walk to the school was fine, the return trip was arduous. I heard the air quality would be better than the previous day; not so. It was bad enough for the New York Yankees to postpone a game, some Broadway shows to be affected, and Governor Hochul recommended school children avoid outdoor activities. Orange skies at noon, indeed.
The air quality index in much of the Northeast surpassed official “hazardous” levels on that date; New York City’s reached 413, the highest in the world. This is nasty stuff for the human body.
If it’s this bad now, what will it be like after we breach 1.5°C?
We received a lovely thank-you note from newlyweds Deborah and Cyrille, not an email but an interactive message on their magical website.
That night on the news, NBC was plugging their coverage of the 2024 Olympics in Paris. Later, on a Law and Order: SVU rerun, which my daughter was watching, the villain escapes to Paris. We’ve been there!
Some links
Supreme Court unexpectedly upheld the provision prohibiting racial gerrymandering and voted not to make federal Medicaid law virtually unenforceable. Miraculous.
2022 edition of The Year in Hate and Extremism
Neglected political issues: Life expectancy
If the Police Can Decide Who Qualifies as a Journalist, There Is No Free Press
The sportswashing of professional golf
Construction of US manufacturing plants is undergoing an immense boom
Nearly a Third Reporting Two or More Races Were Under 18 in 2020
State-to-State Migration Flows
‘Burn It Down’ Explores SNL and Its “Culture of Impunity”
Tony Awards: A Victory for Theater in America; Winners
TV Ratings 2022-23: Final Seven-Day Averages for Every Network Series
Amid Writers Strike, Hollywood’s Next Big Question May Be: Is SAG-AFTRA Next?
Treat Williams, Star of ‘Everwood’ and ‘Prince of the City,’ Dies in Motorcycle Accident in Southern Vermont at 71. He was airlifted to Albany Medical Center before passing away.
John Romita Sr., Legendary Marvel Artist, Dies at 93. He was the Marvel art director when I first started reading comics in 1972.
Pat Cooper, Stand-Up Comedian, Dies at 93
Barry Newman, Star of ‘Petrocelli,’ Dies at 92
The Artichoke Parm, the Most Mysterious Sandwich in Brooklyn
14-year-old got to animate a scene in Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse
Now I Know: Why a Pair of British Officials Watched Paint Dry and Why Bermuda’s Roofs All Look The Same and Cookie Monster and The Hand with the Mind of Its Own
MUSIC
Hekla by Jón Leifs
Coverville 1445: Prince Cover Story VI
Capriccio Italien by Peter Ilyich Tchaikovsky
Better Together Song Around The World, featuring Jack Johnson, Paula Fuga, Lee Oskar
In The Steppes of Central Asia by Borodin
Loan Me A Dime – Boz Scaggs
Pique Dame by Franz Von Suppe.
The Angel City Choir medley of memorable TV theme songs
Better – Shannon Dooks
Paul McCartney says AI tools helped rescue John Lennon vocals for ‘last Beatles record’
The Party of “Family Values” Sees No Irony in 
“Good morning, friends. That awful feeling of shame and panic when you remember saying something dumb years ago is your nervous system trying to protect you from perceived danger. Try telling your body, ‘Thank you for wanting to protect me. We’re safe now. It’s okay to let it go.'” from