8/21/23

 Monday, August 21, 2023

In bed at 9, in brr twice, awake about 2:50, up at 3:15, bait bucket thoughts of Sinead, tour bus, my blue-collar roots.  66°, high of 76°, Excessive Heat Watch Wednesday and Thursday, AQI=71, wind NE at 10 mph, 7-11/19, no rain in sight, DPs 62-64, 90%. Sunrise at 6:03 at 73°NE, sunset at 7:45, 13+41. 

On This Date in Vietnam, 1963.  Xá Lợi Pagoda raids: The Army of the Republic of Vietnam Special Forces loyal to Ngô Đình Nhu, brother of President Ngo Dinh Diem, vandalizes Buddhist pagodas across the country, arresting thousands and leaving an estimated hundreds dead.  I was at the Officers Basic School at MCB, Quantico VA, living in a teeny apartment off US 1 in Stafford VA, freshly conned by Ted Neumann Uniforms, soon to learn the facts of 'Jimmy' Hartmann's crime against my mother, Kitty, and me, having nary a clue about Vietnam, Ngo Dinh Diem (who would be assassinated on 11/2/63) nor Ngo Dinh Nhu nor the glamorous 'Dragon Lady' Madame Nhu, ("Whoever has the Americans as allies does not need any enemies." 11/2/63) and "I may shock some by saying 'I would beat such provocateurs ten times more if they wore monks robes,' and 'I would clap hands at seeing another monk barbecue show, for one can not be responsible for the madness of others." 8/14/63).

Dystopia: 4 dead, 27 injured in weekend shootings in Milwaukee, including 9 injured in one incident.  A 17-year-old girl is the 18th child to die by gunshot in Milwaukee this year.  

Much more news media coverage is given to the Brewers, the Packers, and high school sports than to homicides and shootings.

Pelvic pain all day.  Hard to focus on anything.  Out of commission.