North Carolina GOP legislators voted on May 15, 2024, to “ban anyone from wearing masks in public, even for health reasons,” The Hill reported (read story here). Their bill also repeals a law adopted during the pandemic that “allows people to wear masks in public for health and saf[...]
Archive for the ‘Misc.’ Category
May 14th, 2024 - 11:24 pm § in Misc.
Seattle police entry pay hits six figures
The Seattle City Council approved a contract with the Seattle police union on May 14, 2024, that bumps starting pay from $83,000 to $103,000, with a raise to $110,000 after six months, the Seattle Times reported (story here). Existing officers will get retroactive raises for 2021-23 as a lump sum pa[...]
May 14th, 2024 - 2:30 am § in Misc.
Dreamcatcher (video)
Surreal rock climbing at Squamish, B.C., set to perfect music. 6½ minutes. Return to The-Ave.US Home Page[...]
Don’t tailgate Kristi Noem
If you find yourself driving behind the hapless South Dakota governor who shoots dogs and goats, give yourself at least 1,000 feet of following distance. It may save your life. The lady doesn’t know how to attach the safety chain on a trailer, or a coupler to a hitch ball (read story here). In[...]
May 9th, 2024 - 11:15 pm § in Donald Trump, Misc.
The great beauty queen resignation
First, Miss USA 2023 Noelia Voigt (photo, left), 24, representing Utah, ditched her crown on May 6, 2024, citing “mental health” reasons (see story here). Then 3 days later, Miss Teen USA 2023 UmaSofia Srivastava (photo, below right), 16, representing New Jersey, quit saying her “p[...]
The worst places to be a nurse
This article will focus on pay; obviously other factors affect the nurses’ quality of worklife, such as being so overworked they make errors that can land them in prison. Nurse pay varies with location, and so do living costs, so you have to balance one against the other. When you do that, the[...]
Have you seen this alligator?
If you have, his owner wants him back. Wally (photo below) is an emotional support ‘gator who was swiped from his owner by pranksters, dropped off in a backyard, recaptured by a certified trapper, and taken by wildlife agents to a remote swamp (read story here). Wait a minute. An “emotio[...]
May 2nd, 2024 - 1:21 am § in Misc.
Welcome to Steve’s blog
Dr. Steve Schwartz, a University of Washington medical researcher, created this blog to discuss campus issues, and it soon expanded to a wide range of subjects. Although he’s no longer with us, a contributor still posts articles that readers may find informative, interesting, or simply entertainin[...]
May 1st, 2024 - 11:56 pm § in Misc.
My cat has paranormal powers
Something very strange just happened. Sitting here at my computer, I noticed the cat staring at the hallway carpet. Then it moved all by itself: It slid sideways a few inches. I’m not kidding. I don’t believe in this stuff, but I know what I saw. My cat goes by many names, or rather I […][...]
May 1st, 2024 - 11:40 pm § in Misc.
I’m not dead
But I thought this blog was. It abruptly and mysteriously vanished in June 2023. Searching for “The-Ave.US” and “handbill.US” produced no links, so I assumed its hosting contract had expired. Then, on a whim, I searched again tonight, and up it popped. Digging further, I saw [...]