I was waiting for a bus to take me home from shopping, when an old white man walked up, carrying a set of golf clubs on his shoulder. He put the clubs down, pushed a button, and some metal legs popped out to hold the golf bag upright on the sidewalk. Then he turned and looked for the bus, same as the rest of us.

When the bus came, that old guy got on, sat in front of me, and rode the bus with his golf bag. When he pulled the cord — ding! — to get off the bus at the public golf course, he said, "Good day" to the driver, and strolled toward the clubhouse, whistling.

Many things I have seen on the bus, but never before have I seen a golfer take the bus to the course. Would've thought he'd drive his Cadillac, or have his chauffeur drive him. Well, smash my stereotypes.

Nice that he took the bus and all, but golf ought to be illegal. All that land, all that water for all that grass. At the very least, the government ought to get out of the golf business, but it says here, "Seattle Parks and Recreation owns and maintains four golf courses: Interbay, Jackson, Jefferson and West Seattle."

All those courses should be plowed under, dug up, and replaced with affordable housing and four lovely new public parks.

I went to a ball game on Sunday, and I'll bore you with that story soon enough, but between innings I marveled at the crowd — 45,000 people, sharing their company and COVID. Me, I wore a mask, and so did about a dozen others.

The three people I came with were the only people I talked to, of course, because I dearly hate talking to strangers. I do enjoy listening to their stories, but the stadium was way, way too loud for eavesdropping.

Once in a while I wondered, though, about the stories those people could tell, and especially about the secrets they'd never tell.

I don't like people, but they intrigue me, and I like people-watching, sondering, almost as much as baseball.

All those people — how many of them have gotten away with murder? How many pedophiles were in the crowd yesterday? How many wife-beaters, rapists, burglars, car thieves, and swindlers?

Watched an old white dude, and wondered what his story might be. He probably saw time and blood and gore in Vietnam, killed some people there. Or maybe he ran to Canada like I would've, had I been a few years older.

Watched an ancient wrinkled black woman, and I believe in equality, so there's no reason she couldn't have killed someone, too, and gotten away with it. No doubt she wanted to, at least — at her age, she probably remembers being sent to the back of the bus or the theater. Bet there were jobs she couldn't land, neighborhoods where she couldn't live, just because of her color. Bet there still are.

45,000 lives, intertwined for a few hours at the ball park. All those people, carrying all those scars, and so many secrets nobody else will ever know.

After the game, we all went in every different direction, and I left alone, happily, taking my own scars and secrets with me.

Washington Mutual was a locally-owned savings bank, here in Seattle. Their commercials featured a folksy balding actor who said things like, "At Washington Mutual, we don't do business with big business. Just people like you."

The ads' tagline was always, "Washington Mutual — the friend of the family," and they had me fooled. I kept my minimal funds in a checking and savings account there, until moving away in the early 1990s.

Pretty soon, though, Washington Mutual — WaMu, for short — smelled bigger bucks, and they were nipple-deep in the subprime scandals.

WaMu was shut down by the FDIC in 2008. Its assets and branches and accounts were soon sold to an even bigger and uglier conglomerate, JPMorgan Chase. As everyone knows, billions of dollars were lost, but the US government bailed out the banks, and nobody went to jail, or was even prosecuted.

The name WaMu disappeared from Seattle, or so I thought until I moved back a few months ago, and discovered that a music hall called the WaMu Theater still exists.

Wkipedia says Washington Mutual bought "naming rights" for it in 2006, and after the bank's demise it was renamed Washington Music Theater. Guess that saves the expense of making a new sign, but I'd never attend a concert at WaMu Theater. I'd rather go bowling at Enron Lanes.

And now, the news you need, whether you know it or not…

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The FBI monitored Aretha Franklin's role in the civil rights movement for years

Of course they did, and if they ever stopped it was only because she died. Hoover and his dashing formal gowns are gone, but the FBI is still what he made it. That they're worried about equal-rights activists tells all you need to know about the feds.

The FBI monitors any activists they can identify. Aretha Franklin was easily recognizable, but if you've ever been to a protest and they could figure out who you were, there's a file with your name on it, too.

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More than 90,000 mom-and-pop restaurants have closed during the pandemic

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How Chevron exploits a news desert

The banner at the top of Permian Proud does state that the site is "sponsored by Chevron." But at first glance, the sponsorship seems like a benevolent grant. On Wednesday Permian Proud's front page included stories about an upcoming air show and a storytelling workshop – typical local newspaper fare.
But interspersed with news of livestock sales and processions is a series of stories lauding Chevron’s achievements in the Permian Basin, a sprawling area covering parts of west Texas and east New Mexico, where the company operates numerous oil fields.

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The Catholic Church is bankrolling a nationwide assault on women's rights

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Fifth Third Bank wouldn't cash black woman's check

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States propose expanding highways with federal infrastructure funds intended to reduce emissions

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Republicans look to restrict ballot measures following a string of progressive wins

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King Charles doesn't have to pay inheritance tax on the Queen's private estate worth more than $750 million

First Nations Leadership Council calls on King Charles to renounce Doctrine of Discovery as first act

Seem unlikely, but thanks for asking.

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Once again, the Brits show us that the key is to ask the same question, over and over, until you get an answer.

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Fifty million people around the world are trapped in forced labour or forced marriage, the UN said Monday

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Trouble in streaming paradise

Wall Street wants what it wants. And what it always wants is improved quarterly returns at any cost. What usually gets sacrificed in this equation is stuff like quality, jobs, diversity, and customer service. With more ads.

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Meeting Bill Russell at the book store

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Degrowth

Degrowth is an idea that critiques the global capitalist system which pursues growth at all costs, causing human exploitation and environmental destruction. The degrowth movement of activists and researchers advocates for societies that prioritize social and ecological well-being instead of corporate profits, over-production and excess consumption. This requires radical redistribution, reduction in the material size of the global economy, and a shift in common values towards care, solidarity and autonomy. Degrowth means transforming societies to ensure environmental justice and a good life for all within planetary boundaries.

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"Complete set of undergarments" required for execution witnesses, Alabama officials say

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There’s a lot of freedom in not giving a F**k.

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One-word newscast, because it's the same news every time...

• cops • cops • cops

• Republicans • Republicans • Republicans • Republicans • Republicans • Republicans • Republicans • Republicans • Republicans

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The End

• Oliver Frey

9/12/2022
Tip 'o the hat to Linden Arden, ye olde AVA, BoingBoing, Breakfast at Ralf's, Captain Hampockets, CaptCreate's Log, John the Basket, LiarTownUSA, Meme City, National Zero, Ran Prieur, Voenix Rising, and anyone else whose work I've stolen without saying thanks.
Extra special thanks to Becky Jo, Name Withheld, Dave S, Wynn Bruce, and always Stephanie...