Superfly

Black flies matter.
During the debate, a fly sat
on Pence’s head for 2 minutes. 

Black flies matter. 

In his recent New York Times column, Frank Bruni admits, “Mike Pence’s Debate Performance Bugged Me Out: He’s numb to pests large and small”:

We need to talk about that fly.
It was a fly, wasn’t it? If not, it was a bug doing an ace interpretation of a fly, and about two-thirds of the way through the debate in Salt Lake City on Wednesday night, it took up residence in Vice President Mike Pence’s hair, a smudge of black against a shock of white, where it lingered for a few minutes before undoubtedly realizing that there was warmer, more demonstrably human real estate to be had.
Off it flew, and on Pence droned. He never exhibited any awareness — not the subtlest glance upward, not the slightest flinch or twitch — that his head had been colonized. I first found this strange and then realized it was everything. Pence’s years of obsequiousness to Donald Trump had beaten all sensitivity and capacity for revulsion out of him.  Read the humorous column.  (By the way, after the debate, Pence’s wife Karen - aka "Mother" -  appeared on stage without a mask, ignoring guidelines both campaigns had agreed to observe.)

Wags called the fly a “national treasure,” an “American hero,” and suggested “even the fly knows he’s trash.”
“Late Show” host Stephen Colbert joked that Pence was “so full of crap, he’s attracting flies.” He added, “All jokes aside, thoughts and prayers to that fly’s family. It’s got to quarantine for two weeks now” (referencing the coronavirus outbreak in the White House). “We’ve gotta get that fly to Walter Reed.” Colbert also noted how long the fly remained on Pence’s head, “Two minutes… meaning that fly has a longer attention span than the president of the United States.”
Trevor Noah tweeted: Pence apologizing to Mother right now for getting to 3rd base with the fly.
Stephen King: that fly knows….
Eric Holder: Who will play the kamikaze fly on SNL?
Ah, humor, the saving grace during these bizarre times.

News blues…

After the Commission on Presidential Debates decided next week’s debate between Trump and Biden would be held remotely, the President of the United States, with sagging poll numbers, said, “I’m not going to waste my time on a virtual debate - that's not what debating is all about, you sit behind a computer and do a debate -- it's ridiculous. And then they cut you off whenever they want."
And, there’s the rub: being cut off. He is the guy to cut off others, not the guy to be cut off….
Trump’s campaign manager Bill Stepien - positive for COVID-19 - called the virtual format a “sad excuse to bail out Joe Biden,” adding that Trump – also positive for COVID-19 – would “do a rally instead.”

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Dr Rick Bright shares an important point of view regarding Trump’s attitude to coronavirus, science… and ponders Trump and his administration’s resistance to common sense and health protocols. 

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South Africa publishes a new interactive dashboard that details all transactions related to PPE procurement. This after tenders currently being investigated worth over five billion rand (US$299 million) were awarded for cloth masks, surgical masks, face shields, medical gowns, aprons, scrubs, overalls, gloves, sanitisers, and other products.
A good example of shutting the barn door after animals have skedaddled?

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With a tweet, Trump nixed what had been an ongoing haggle about the amount of and who would benefit from the coronavirus spending bill – aka the Stimulus Package/Bill. “I have instructed my representatives to stop negotiating until after the election when, immediately after I win, we will pass a major Stimulus Bill that focuses on hardworking Americans and Small Business.”
The day after that tweet, he reinstated the haggling, saying on Fox, “I shut down talks two days ago because they weren’t working out. Now they are starting to work out.”
They’re not “starting to work out.” It’s more likely The Donald noticed the stock market dip and his poll numbers drop even further in response to his tweet. (Colbert’s take on this move – and other Trumpisms - 12:34 mins)
Maybe it’s time someone not truth-averse reviews Trump's Covid med package?

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The Lincoln Project:
Gasping for Air  (0:55 mins)
Regeneron  (0:40 mins)
Don Winslow Films: Trump is patient zero  (1:39 mins)

Meanwhile, back at the ranch…

Success! Our small, very hard working team of three, under the guidance of a detail-oriented painter (a woman), succeeded in squeezing four days work into two days. I’m thrilled with our progress. 

Over the weekend, I will continue, alone, to finish: primp the trim, clean gutters of paint splotches… then clean brushes, put away painting gear, and photograph the results. 

Photographs will go realtors to market the house.
Only unknown?
Will my mother revert to her original agreement to sell the house? Or will she balk again before agreeing again before reverting again?
Enquiring minds wanna know….