So Amazon Prime's released a new TV show called "The Patriot," which is about…

…well, it's about an American spook carrying money to Iran to influence an Iranian election in favor of the candidate the U.S. prefers. Except as we of course all know Russia won the recent U.S. election and Russia is already an ally of Iran, so maybe the money that the U.S. sends to Iran will be forwarded to Russia which will use it to influence more U.S. elections and thereby get more money for Iran. Or who knows. It's all very confusing. Maybe the FBI can figure it out.

How good can this be?

I saw two big honking flocks of geese headed south this afternoon, not like just a few days ago when they were headed north. Do they know something I don't?

Is it Putin's fault?

But if you're Italian you can't use either?

Is It 'Toward' or 'Towards'? | Merriam-Webster

"If you're an American, you can use either word…"

If I were a proper New Englander, which I'm not…

…I'd be saying about now, man, are we gonna get punished for this. It broke 70º this afternoon and it's still February out there. Well, in here too.

Of course I don't believe in that kind of thing—but I might lay in a few extra cans of Spam in April, just a case. Can't hurt to be prepared.

Are things even weirder than usual today or do I just need to get more sleep?

A Spell to Bind Donald Trump and All Those Who Abet Him: February 24th Mass Ritual

"To be performed at midnight on every waning crescent moon until he is removed from office. The first ritual takes place Friday evening, February 24th, at the stroke of midnight. This binding spell is open source, and may be modified to fit your preferred spiritual practice or magical system — the critical elements are the simultaneity of the working (midnight, EST—DC, Mar-a-Lago, and Trump Tower NYC time) and the mass energy of participants."

Yet more animal news

Snake colony plan remains slippery for Wildlife board | Boston Herald

"While saying 'all options are being considered,' Larson suggested the Blue Hills, an existing snake habitat, may not be an ideal destination, as setting snakes free in the area in the past has not caused an uptick in the population due to human-induced mortality."

We are running out of poisonous snakes in Massachusetts.

I know. I’m shocked too. The snakes are timber rattlesnakes and there are only 200 of them left, according to some guy from the animal department. One reason there are so few of them is people go out and cut off their heads, according to the animal department guy. Cut off the snakes’ heads, the people do, not their own heads, of course. This is what the animal department refers to as “human-induced mortality."

Now the state is trying to figure out how to get more snakes, which seems silly to me. If we only have to induce 200 more heads to get rid of the critters entirely, why not get on with it?

St. Patrick got the snakes out of Ireland and he gets a parade every year.

Bull?

Activists hold vigil for bull that escaped Queens slaughterhouse - NY Daily News

"'I felt so connected to him, I felt like I was watching my own brother or someone I loved running for their life and it was heartbreaking,' said organizer Heather Greenhouse."

Just keeping track

5 days until Mardi Gras

17 days until Daylight Saving Time

25 days until Spring

Will the movie about movies win the movie award?

Oscar Voting Is Engineered To Favor Movies Like ‘La La Land’ | FiveThirtyEight

Yeah, that’d be my bet. Not that I’m planning to care. I’m not planning to care about any of the awards this year, just like last year and the year before…

It’s politics.

Well it does say "tobacco" (but I'm not sure that's what it means)

A.T.F. Filled Secret Bank Account With Millions From Shadowy Cigarette Sales - The New York Times

"WASHINGTON — Working from an office suite behind a Burger King in southern Virginia, operatives used a web of shadowy cigarette sales to funnel tens of millions of dollars into a secret bank account. They weren’t known smugglers, but rather agents from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives."

"Banned in Boston" makes a comeback

Glasses may get banned at Boston bars after assaults | Boston Herald

No kidding.

"Without all the frills of a regular economy ticket," they say

United, American begin selling cheaper economy-class fare

https://goo.gl/IHQrVp

Presumably this is for flying on some other planet, far, far away.