Short Take: Flaming Lips, Preet goes podcast, Tolbert/Howard more of the same

A short take on today’s news

--A feature on Uncle Jumbo’s made it into the Bee. Way to go, Nick Spartacus.

• A feature on Uncle Jumbo’s made it into the Bee. Way to go, Nick Spartacus. https://m.clarencebee.com/…/Clarence_restaurateur_redefines_…
• Trump pal Vladimir is treading lightly in favor of German Chancellor Angela Merkel remaining in office because it is in Mother Russia’s best interests. https://www.npr.org/2017/09/21/551023135/why-arent-the-russians-doing-more-in-germanys-election
• Fired US Attorney Preet Bharara did not go away quietly. In fact, he’s launched a podcast because they can take his job, but they have reformed the First Amendment. Yet. https://www.facebook.com/preetbharara/
• Puerto Rico and Dominica are being savagely beaten by Hurricane Maria. Is this starting to seem like the new normal to anyone else? https://www.cnn.com/2017/09/21/americas/hurricane-maria-dominican-republic-puerto-rico/index.html
• --That big Mexican earthquake was tragic but it isn’t an anomaly. It is a predictable tragedy bound to repeat because of geology. https://www.npr.org/sections/thetwo-way/2017/09/20/552428176/mexico-city-doomed-by-its-geology-to-more-earthquakes
• The rhetoric between Sheriff Tim Howard and Bernie Tolbert continues to flow thick. Howard prancing about with anti-immigrant fervor, Tolbert suggesting, politely, that Howard is ignorant. So it goes. https://www.dailypublic.com/articles/09202017/public-record-tolbert-takes-howard-task
• Went to Rapids Theatre for the Flaming Lips. I had never been there before. It’s like Town Ballroom, only clean. The show was a trip. They opened with a rendition of ELP’s “Fanfare for the Common Man.” Then there were giant balloons, including a giant “Fuck Yeah, Niagara Falls.” Lead singer Wayne Coyne evolved from one gimmick after another, including giant balloons and touring the theater atop a giant unicorn during “There should be unicorns” (he passed me and shook my hand). He even crowd-surfed in a hamster ball for a cover of “Space Oddity”.
• God spoke to Rev. Jim Bakker about President Trump. Among his observations: “I was mortified when four out of five white evangelical Christians voted for a thrice-married liar who bragged about sexual assault — and then cited me as the reason for their votes.” https://www.nytimes.com/2017/09/16/opinion/sunday/jim-bakker-evangelicals.html
• After I posted Wednesday’s Short Take, I looked back at it and thought “wow, I was pretty opinionated today”. Thank you for not ravaging me too much and thank you for reading daily.
• I just noticed a Sunday, Oct. 1 Fall Festival and Chicken Barbecue at St. Mark School. It doesn’t fit our schedule but it still might make sense for you to go. https://www.facebook.com/events/356688311433464/?acontext=%7B%22ref%22%3A%2229%22%2C%22ref_notif_type%22%3A%22event_calendar_create%22%2C%22action_history%22%3A%22null%22%7D&notif_t=event_calendar_create&notif_id=1505935237166592
• One of two things is going to happen Saturday: We are going to see Paul McCartney play in Syracuse, or the world is going to end, or perhaps both. https://metro.co.uk/2017/09/20/hidden-planet-to-smash-into-earth-on-september-23-killing-us-all-6942041/?ito=twitter
• Speaking of church events, St. Paul’s Episcopal Church is hosting a pet blessing. https://www.facebook.com/events/1488488404552262/?acontext=%7B%22ref%22%3A%2229%22%2C%22ref_notif_type%22%3A%22plan_user_invited%22%2C%22action_history%22%3A%22null%22%7D&notif_t=plan_user_invited&notif_id=1505964815726930
• Bill Gates says he regrets control-alt-delete and should have made the Windows function a single key. https://money.cnn.com/2017/09/20/technology/bill-gates-control-alt-delete/index.html
• Boyd Curiosity: Unhappy people don’t eat popcorn.
• WNY Weather: More of the same 29 (85) and sunny until further notice without much to remark about and tomatoes still ripening on the vine.
• Every time there is a discussion of Bills’ quarterbacks and Tyrod Taylor’s name comes up, it includes mention again about him working hard, leading by example and being a good teammate. Here it is again in this feature about Nathan Peterman. https://www.thedailynewsonline.com/bdn02/bdn-exclusive-bills-peterman-says-hell-be-ready-when-called-upon-20170921
• Four seasons, 92 teammates, four coaches. It’s time for the Z-train to get back on track. https://www.buffalohockeybeat.com/zemgus-girgensons-sabres-mainstay-upheaval/
• Vol. 3, Issue 166 (890 (10 consecutive)