TGIF 2/22/19

Count me among the folks who are happy that this week is over, and hopefully things can get back to normal starting tomorrow, whether I knock off that bottle of wine tonight or not!

Let's see how some other folks did, starting in the sports world.

We got news (I saw it last Saturday, so it counts for this week) that a confidential settlement had been reached by Colin Kaepernick and the NFL, which resolves the second most hated man in football's collusion lawsuit. Whether or not it leads to a job on an NFL team -- he hasn't played since the 2016 season - remains to be seen, but there are a number of teams that might as well take a chance on him as not. Some have speculated that maybe the Pats would take a chance on him, and that's probably the most logical since they're the most hated team in the NFL.  Maybe hate plus hate could be a match made in heaven?

Speaking of the Pats, news broke today that the team's owner, Robert Kraft, had been caught in a South Florida sting and is being charge with two misdemeanor counts of soliciting a prostitute. Rumor has it there's video - but rumor also has it that there are bigger fish to fry in the sting, which may include sex trafficking, although I've seen nothing long those lines mentioned in reference to Kraft. Categorical denials are coming from his people.

Also on the seedy side of the street? Singer/producer R Kelly has been charged with multiple counts of aggravated sex abuse. Kelly has been getting new attention for prior bad acts, it seems, after a six-hour documentary, Surviving R Kelly, recently aired. If the allegations are true, he deserves whatever punishment he gets.

Moving to other news, here's what some of the potential or declared 2020 candidates were up to this week; it being Presidents Day (President's Day? Presidents' Day?) and all, they were all over the place. The decision is yours on whether they had good weeks or bad.

• Bernie Sanders entered the race for president in 2020, and raised over $5M in the first day. Color me not amused.  
• Joe Biden is still contemplating, and I hope he stays our as he did in 2016.
• Kamala Harris has inhaled, calling attention to her Jamaican heritage; needless to say, that ruffled some feathers, including her father's. 
• Harris and Cory Booker were in New Hampshire, Kirsten Gillibrand was in Iowa and was interrupted by a ranch dressing mission, and Elizabeth Warren was in California seeing as how their primary as been moved up to March, giving it a chance to matter. 
• Pete Buttigieg continues making the rounds on TV and radio, and sounds intelligent, sane, and cool-headed in every conversation I've heard.

I'll start spending more time with these folks as things move along.

NY Times photo

On the good news front? Meet Jack Lund, a 91 year old mailman in Richfield, Utah. Lund retired, with a perfect record over his 69 years on the job.

It seems he never missed a single delivery, "despite severe mountain weather, vehicle breakdowns, and other challenges."

I don't know about you, but I'm thinking Mr. Lund deserves to have his face on one of those first-class forever stamps, since that's pretty much how you could sum up his career.

TGIF, everyone.