Bits and Pieces

Celebrating the birth of another foal yesterday - a chestnut colt by Riptide, out of Bay Girl.  That makes 23 new babies so far on the southern end of Assateague.  And the tidal charts seem to indicate that the Pony Swim from Assateague to Chincoteague on Wednesday, 26 July, will happen early in the morning, between 6 and 8 o'clock.
    With the defection of two colts from the Kentucky Derby field, the betting odds have changed a bit since Saturday when I posted them.  Wednesday afternoon, once the post positions have been drawn, I'll again post the entrants, with their opening betting odds and gate numbers.
    Saturday was the 100th day of this 45th Administration of US government.  There was a huge March for Climate Change Awareness that took place around the world.  The tangerine tyrant refused to go to the annual White House Correspondents Dinner, calling all reporters purveyors of  "fake news."  Instead, this elected official visited a convention hall in Pennsylvania, where many empty seats could be seen, and had another "Rally."  He was elected.  He is spending tax-payers money for these stupid rallies just to massage his own ego.  Today, he golfed. OK - everyone needs a day off; but he swore on the election trail that he'd never play golf, he wouldn't have time to do it.  What a bunch of crap!
    If you want a really good laugh, read the transcript from Sunday's broadcast of Face the Nation.  It can be perused at  http://www.cbsnews.com/news/trump-interview-full-transcript-face-the-nation/  The man cannot change his thought patterns; he cannot change subjects; he seems to feel the need to browbeat his questioner.  That interview was taped on Saturday, his 100th day.
    Then, Reince Priebus tells an interviewer on another Sunday morning show, that the White House, including the President, is discussing how they can change libel laws.  How they can change the First Amendment to the US Constitution that allows freedom of speech, because newspapers are printing "fake news" that hurst the so-called President's feelings.  When the host asked the question a second time, Priebus, again responded that that this administration wants to overturn the First Amendment.  Now that  is frightening.
     I highly recommend the Patricia Cornwell book, released earlier this year, titled Ripper - The Secret Life of Walter Sickert.  If you are easily upset by reading about gory things, or from seeing gory photographs, this book is not for you at all.  The author lays out a timeline, and follows the man she has identified as Jack the Ripper throughout it.  She has done an incredible amount of research, assisted by today's sciences, and presents a clear case.  I'm convinced.  And it seems almost incredible that the man is a famous artist, was an apprentice of James MacNeill Whistler, and lived until 1942.  Ms Cornwell ties him to multiple other murders, as well as the prostitutes of Whitechapel.  It's a very good read and thoroughly documented.