If you met up with a drug company in a dark alley…

To curb drug prices, Democrats still seeking a balance

WASHINGTON (AP) — Democrats are committed to passing legislation this year to curb prescription drug prices, but they’re still disagreeing on how to cut costs for patients and taxpayers while preserving profits that lure investors to back potentially promising treatments.

…what that company would demand from you—your money or your life—would be called a mugging.

In the bright light of day, it's just another day at the office for these Democrats.

I have a healthy respect for the role of investment in driving progress, and the fecklessness of bureaucracies at that same enterprise. But I don't see why the government, acting on behalf of taxpayers, can't be the investor here and pass the potential profits from that investing back to taxpayers in the form of lower prices. In fact, quite a few of these "potentially promising treatments" are built on government-funded research to begin with.

But of course, what we're really taking about here is who gets the big campaign contributions and hot investment tips from Pharma, and that's what no politician will ever give up.

Voluntarily.

Yes, it's National Peanut Butter Cookie Day…

 …which has always been celebrated on June 12 since 2019, according to this official page at Checkiday.com.

Actually, it's also National Gin Day, International Young Eagles Day, and National Knit In Public Day and much, much more, as you can see right here.

Who dream all this stuff up? It's some guys hoping to make some money by getting you—or anybody, really—to sponsor one of said days by, well, paying them some money. Of course.

As far as we can tell, there is no National Avoid Paying People More Money For Stuff Day.

Invisible nets…

 …all over the neighbors' back yard today. At least, I can't see them. And neither can the birds, which is the whole idea.

It's some kind of bird studying program that happens there every summer about this time—catch, count, and release—part of a bigger program that's been going on for a long time. 

From Mozilla: "Privacy Not Included"

 A list of internet-enabled products ranked from "not creepy" to "very creepy—stay away from this stuff."

Consider bookmarking it.

The bitter taste of joy

FBI Snooped on Criminals Using Encrypted Messaging App

The FBI and AFP designed the communications platform to entice crime gangs by suiting their needs for secure, encrypted communications. A May 18 affidavit filed by FBI special agent Nicolas Cheviron said the FBI, the AFP, and their developer source “built a master key into the existing encryption system which surreptitiously attaches to each message and enables law enforcement to decrypt and store the message as it is transmitted.”

Sure I get it—all the rejoicing at having nabbed so many out-and-out criminals with a booby-trapped app.

But how long now before we have to worry about how many enforcement agencies from how many governments around the globe are listening in on our conversations? About anything. 

Or is it too late to ask? 

Also the sky is "up" and water is "wet"

Senate report details broad failures around Jan. 6 attack

And it's all the capitol police's fault, Senate says.

If we really want better government we're gonna have to get ourselves some better politicians.

For if you're still on the fence about the jab

COVID-19 ‘long-haulers’ face increased risk of death and many other health problems

Al-Aly explains that the fact the COVID-19 can affect so many different parts of the body show how serious it is long-term. “When you put the whole picture together, it is jarring,” he says. “The breadth of organ involvement and the increased risk of death after the first 30 days tells me that we are just seeing the tip of the iceberg. Long COVID is a serious problem and we must prepare for it.”

Jan's garden

Hilarity from our largest state (and Dave Barry's blog)

US Coast Guard helicopter rescues three on giant inflatable pink flamingo

“We were outside on our porch, and I saw this giant pink flamingo floating across the bay. The first thing I said was ‘Oh another invasive species.’"

Alaska is, by area, larger than Texas, California, and Montana combined, according  to Wikipedia. It is also the third least populated state. So, plenty of space for flamingos of all sizes.

Dave Barry's blog may be found in our Work Avoidance Hall of Fame.

Dude, what?

Harris Targets Corruption, Immigration on Latin America Trip

The White House issued a memo elevating foreign corruption to a major national security issue, and directed all federal agencies to prioritize it and modernize their foreign corruption-fighting tools.

From now on it's Kamala Quixote. Look, I don't mean to be cynical about this but I freaking am.

And don't we have enough good old-fashioned local corruption to worry about, we have to go looking for it someplace else?

Seriously.

The Longest Day gets longer

 Every year on June 6 I watch the movie, The Longest Day. It's the best movie about D-Day ever made, I think, and also one of the best books. There are a number of other movies, to be sure, that touch on the subject—most notably, Saving Private Ryan—and at least one other, D-Day, the Sixth of June, mostly entirely about D-Day, although that one has kissing in it. 

The Longest Day still is, IMO, the best of the lot, and also, unsurprisingly, the longest. It's so long, in fact, it's getting harder and harder to watch at a single sitting. Yesterday it took me nearly half a day.

It also has one of the greatest collections of old-time actors to be found anywhere, except for another film by the same author, Cornelius Ryan, called A Bridge Too Far.

Nope, I do not know what this is

But whatever it is, it's plastic and it's on Main Street.

The Inverts