Is Thanksgiving Real

It's Thanksgiving week, which means I'm going to the well again for a list of things for which I am not thankful.  It's going to be a politically heavy list this year, because it's an easy fit....

The most corrupt, amoral, unethical person to be elected U.S. president, Trump.

All of the complicit, lying, sycophants of that person.

The right-wing Republican propaganda machine.

The stupidity of Americans, and by default, the American electorate.  I wrote about this 15 years ago!

Our lack of critical thinkers.  I wrote about this 13 years ago!

I'm sure I've said this in the past, maybe multiple times, but....reality television.

Tech bros.

Crypto bros.

Real estate commissions.

People who don't take care of their yards.

Door dings.

Spam texts and emails.

The Anti-Thanks

We're acknowledging a life-changing milestone today.  No, not the 60th anniversary of the Kennedy assassination, or the 60th anniversary of my conception (if I do the math backwards nine months from my birthday).  It's the 15th consecutive year (14th anniversary of the beginning) of my annual list of things for which I am not currently thankful;

The non-tech, political opinions of tech executives

Airline travelers flying with non-service pets

So-called Freedom Caucus members of the U.S. Congress

Potholes

Vendors who still don't accept Apple Pay

Porch pirates

Convenience store pizza

Reality talent shows on broadcast or streaming TV

People who don't pick up after themselves

Cats

Major college super-conferences

The Charles Schwab investment advisory platform. (professional item)

Non-Thankfulness

Another Thanksgiving has arrived, full of leaf-less trees, colder weather, lots of already lit Christmas lights, and of course, my annual list of things for which I am not thankful:

The U.S. health care industrial complex

Attention-seeking billionaires

Election deniers

Multiple charging cords for electronic devices

Vehicle oil change reminder lights

Tik-Tok

Phone calls labeled ‘potential spam’ and ‘no caller ID’

Stores that don’t have an ‘email only’ receipt option

Rapidly rising interest rates

Vladimir Putin

Federal loan forgiveness of any kind without a community service requirement

Vikings playing football on Thanksgiving and messing up the day

Thanks But No Thanks

In last year's annual list of things for which I am not thankful, I noted how it was never easier to come up with items in the year of a pandemic.  This year, we're still struggling to get back to normal, but with an extra dose of conspiracy cults mixed in.  So again I say, it's never been easier.....in random order: 

Insurrections and insurrectionists

Anti-vaxxers

Facebook executives

Voting restrictions

Paying more than the asking price

Mask mandate prohibitions

Meme investing

Science-deniers

History-ignorers

Math-idiots

Billionaires who don't pay income taxes

Supply chain network problems

Cryptocurrencies

Methane

Pandemic variants and waves

The Most Thankless Year Ever

In the year of a once-in-a-century pandemic, it's never been easier to come up with my annual list of things for which I am not thankful.  The only reason this list isn't longer than usual is my own editing, not because I ran out of items.  In random order:

COVID-19.

Chinese wet markets and bat-eaters.

Candidates who lose elections and refuse to concede.

Large wedding parties and receptions.

Adhering to 'no shirt, no shoes, no service' as a health issue, but then refusing to wear a mask.

Tik-Tok

The Tiger King documentary.

Conspiracy movements.

Cults.

People who don't accept nor understand math and science.

Spectator-less sporting events.

Curated fan noise for televised sports.

Having more than one state named Dakota.

Social distancing.

A New Decade Of Thanklessness

Thanksgiving 2019 means the start of a second decade for my annual list of things for which I'm not thankful.  It's almost sad how easy it is to compile a new list every year -- it's becoming a literary version of me telling kids to get the hell off of my lawn.  Anyway, here it is, in random order:

Ticketmaster charges.

Using social media to make well-wishes to people who aren't on social media.

The Baby Shark song.

White Claw (beverages).

Pro basketball (NBA) load management.

Old-school British period shows.

Vaping and vapers.

Anyone promoting a multi-level marketing program.

Corrupt family dynasties.

Annuities and financial products by any other name.

Martinis without blue cheese stuffed olives.

Cold-weather golf.

Spicy chicken sandwiches.

The phrase, "OK, Boomer."

Ten Years Of Not Being Thankful

The 10th anniversary of my Thanksgiving-time list of things for which I'm not thankful -- can it be so?  It thought about making this a 'best of the lists' list, but I have plenty of fresh ones in mind.  As always, you can get to the prior lists by following the Thanksgiving label on the blog:

Tariffs.

Esports and professional gaming.

Toilet paper set to roll out underneath instead of over the top.

Political rallies.

The 2018 NFC Championship game.

Dust.

Individuals using social media to promote themselves.

Voter suppression.

Movies based on comic books / characters.

Wildfires.

Neighbors who don’t rake their leaves.

Autocrats.

2018

Another New Year's Eve (eve) is here, so it's time for my annual review of the things I wanted to have happen in the past year, and a fresh list of things I want to have happen in the next year.  Here's the 2017 list, with comments in ALL CAPS:

-Again:  At least some progress on medical marijuana in Iowa,

THE GOOD NEWS IS, SOME PROGRESS WAS MADE.  IT'S GOING TO BE A TAD BIT EASIER FOR THOSE WHO NEED IT TO GET IT.  THE BAD NEWS IS, IOWA IS STILL NOT FULLY COMMITTED TO IT.

-Some type of institutional or legal control over fake news / social media.

FACEBOOK HAS TAKEN SOME ACTION, ALBEIT TOO LITTLE, TOO LATE.  AT THIS POINT, IT'S HARD TO GET IN FRONT OF IT, BECAUSE THE PRESIDENT LIVES IN A VIRTUAL REALTY WORLD THAT HE WANTS OTHERS TO BELIEVE IS NORMAL.

-Related to the above, more critical thinkers, fewer idiots who believe everything they hear.

THERE ARE MORE CRITICAL THINKERS ON THE LEFT, AND LET'S JUST SAY FEWER CRITICAL THINKERS ON THE RIGHT.

-GPS technology used in major sporting events, e.g. to mark the ball in football games, and for the strike zone in baseball games.

NOPE.  LOSERS.

-More working from home by me.

THIS HAPPENED, BUT TO ONLY ABOUT 25% OF THE LEVEL IT SHOULD HAVE.

-The return of popular mainstream rock bands and rock music.

THIS DIDN'T HAPPEN, HOWEVER, I SAW RED HOT CHILI PEPPERS AND JOE WALSH AND TOM PETTY (AND SCHEDULED TO SEE BOB SEGER) IN CONCERT.  SO IT WASN'T ALL BAD.

-Implementation of the fiduciary rule, and the demise of commission-based financial advice.

THE CURRENT ADMINISTRATION ALLOWED THE RULES TO GO INTO EFFECT, BUT THERE WILL BE NO ENFORCEMENT UNTIL AT LEAST 2019.  SO, NO.  AND SINCE FINANCIAL INSTITUTIONS ARE IN THE REPUBLICAN'S POCKETS, MIGHT AS WELL FORGET ABOUT THIS FOR A FEW MORE YEARS.

-The resignation or impeachment of an unqualified president -- no names, any one will do.

NOT AS CRAZY AS IT SOUNDED LAST YEAR. WILL ADD PUSH THIS FORWARD.  IT WON'T BE ANY FUN TO ASK IT FOR 2019 BECAUSE BY THEN IT WILL BE LIKELY.

For 2018 I'd like to see:

The failure of Bitcoin, not as an idea, but as an investment.

An NCAA scandal so large they will have to start allowing players a cut of revenues.

More destinations and ways to fly on Southwest Airlines.

A widespread ability to charge devices without a cord (also asked for this for 2016).

A new governor / lieutenant governor elected for Iowa. 

Let's try this -- exponential growth in the cannabis industry to the extent all states will want a piece of it through taxation.

Greater national and international awareness of CRISPR (genome editing) technology.

Smaller entree portions served in restaurants, for a reduced price.

Fewer national weather disasters, but more understanding of climate change.

The resignation or impeachment of a mentally unstable and unqualified president -- again, no names.

No Thank You

Thanksgiving-time is here, and so is my 9th annual list of things for which I am not thankful.  You can get to the prior lists by starting here or by using following the Thanksgiving label on the blog.

As usual, the following list is in no particular order:

Charging my technology devices.

Confederate statues.

Office workers who don’t clean up after themselves.

Invitations to things I don’t want to attend.

Fake (Fox) News.

The first snowfall, and all of the others that follow.

Sexual harassment deniers who’ve had multiple independent claims against them.

Confirmation bias.

Those who forward their confirmation biases on social media dozens of times a day.

The excessively slow pace of college and professional baseball games.

Christmas advertisements and music before Thanksgiving.

Hurricanes.

No Thanks Again

Here's my 8th annual Thanksgiving list of things for which I am not thankful.  You can get to the trail of prior lists here or by using the label 'Thanksgiving' on the blog.

As always, this list is in no particular order:

Donald Trump.

People with low IQs.

Fake news, and those on social media who swallow it.

Electronic dance music, and the mostly no-talent celebrity DJs who play it.

Injuries to star players on your team.

The Zika virus.

Christmas lights that are illuminated before Thanksgiving.

Christmas lights that aren't taken down until the Spring, or never.

Kanye West

Fuel pumps that ask multiple questions before allowing you to pump fuel.

'Interviews' on the Tonight Show starring Jimmy Fallon.

People with the overwhelming urge to discuss their personal life without prompting.

Not Thankful Yet Again

Here's the 7th annual edition of my Thanksgiving-time list of things for which I am not thankful. You can get to the trail of prior lists here or by using the label Thanksgiving.

As usual, this year's list is in no particular order:

People on social media who believe everything they read, and then forward it, without question.

Superhero movies.

Caitlyn Jenner and her/his so-called courageousness.

Academic professors more concerned about their tenured, taxpayer-supported livelihoods than needed academic reform.

The Ebola virus.

Those who refuse to vaccinate their children because they don't understand science.

Those who refuse to acknowledge climate change because they don't understand science.

The Southeastern Conference.

Bill Cosby.

The end of the Grantland web site.

Another year without medical marijuana legalization.

Again Not Thankful

Here's the 6th annual edition of my Thanksgiving-time list of things for which I am not thankful. You can get to the trail of prior lists here or by using the label Thanksgiving.

As with prior years, this list is in no particular order:

Both a) rioters who disguise themselves as protesters, and b) white privilege.

'Follow the leader' gutless politicians.

Complicated wireless phone plans, and those entities which provide them.

Extreme winter weather in November.  (Basically, a repeat of 2013)

Enabling helicopter parents.

States like Iowa that can't even muster a conversation about medical marijuana legalization, while other states are already legalizing marijuana for recreational usage.

Those who proudly display their debt.

Really big butts, and the pop culture that currently glorifies them.

Social media trolls.

People who want you to think they care, but who really just want your attention.  (This would include anyone who did the ALS ice bucket challenge this year without actually donating money.)

Still More Unthankfulness

It's time for the 5th annual edition of my Thanksgiving-time list of things for which I am not thankful. You can get to the trail of prior lists here.

As usual, this list is in no particular order:

Sub-zero weather in November.

Iowa allowing smoking in its casinos, when it's banned everywhere else.

Government shutdowns.

Parents who don't hold their children accountable.

The botched heathcare.gov website.

Humble-braggers.

Bad football played by the teams for which I am a fan.

Ted Cruz.

Twerking.

Those still in denial about social movements that are irreversible (e.g. gay marriage, marijuana legalization).

Anyone who cares more about what I do, than they care about what they do.

The Meaning Of Christmas (Cards) Redux

Post-Thanksgiving week begets my annual rite of deep thought over this year's holiday letter.  Last year,  I wrote about how this is a task I willingly take up, while not hiding my disdain for those who make virtually no effort.

This year, I've realized the near-deadbeat Christmas card senders don't deserve all the disdain.  I need to reserve some of it for another group - the total-deadbeat Christmas card senders, and those who send cards to them.

Yes, in the past week I've come across a couple of families that say they enjoy getting Christmas cards, but don't send any themselves.  I don't understand how either of those things happens.

I'm happy to send out holiday greetings, but there is definitely a quid pro quo.  If I don't get even a lame Christmas card over a two year period, the non-sender isn't going to get one from me.

Yeah, I know, the whole Christmas card ritual should not be a burden, nor a contest. However, for those who choose not partake of it, even in a minimal way, you're missing an opportunity to share information about your family with non-Facebook people who might care.

More Unthankfulness

Thanksgiving is early this year, which also moves up my annual list of things for which I'm not thankful.   

Once again, this list builds on the lists I've made in past years, and are presented in no particular order:

SuperPACs.

One Direction, and any past and future boy bands.

Droughts.

Phony, intellectually dishonest people.

B1G football.

Stories related to vampires or werewolves.

The fiscal cliff.

Cats.

The National Hockey League lockout.

Black Friday becoming Black Thursday or earlier.

Still More Things For Which I'm Not Thankful

For the third consecutive year, I present my contrarian Thanksgiving week entry, listing in random order those things for which I'm not thankful.  (If you want to catch up on the prior versions, see 2009 here and 2010 here.)

Republican presidential candidates stumping in Iowa, and their related advertising and robo-calls.

The cold and darkness. (To avoid confusion, here I’m referring to the weather, not the Republican presidential candidates again.)

The curerent state of the economy.

Any TV reality series based solely on cameras following people living their ‘normal’ lives. (I’m looking at you Kardashians, Duggars, teen moms, hoarders, and housewives)

Dreamers without pragmatism, a/k/a leaderless political movements.  (Tea partiers and Occupiers, go away, your 15 minutes is up.)

Paying people to not work.

That the NBA lockout is keeping EJ, Kenny, and Charles off the air.

The politically far right and the politically far left.

Anyone who thinks insurance should be used as an investment vehicle.

Speaking when not speaking would have been just as good.

[This list gets longer every year.  That's either a bad omen, or a sign that I'm quickly becoming a malevolent old man, or both.]

More Things For Which I'm Not Thankful

A year ago today, on the cusp of Thanksgiving Day 2009, I made a brief list of things for which I was not thankful:
http://streffblog.blogspot.com/2009/11/im-thankful-for-this-but-not-for-that.html

Today, on the eve of Thanksgiving Day 2010, I bring you more of those things:

Far right AND left wing media personalities. I'm now convinced the lefties exist, just not in as great of numbers. I also hereby expand this to include anyone outside the political mainstream, media or not. (I'm looking at you, Bob Vander Plaats.)

Iraq / Afghanistan / North Korea.

Subsidies.

Homophobes. (Again, I'm looking at you, Bob Vander Plaats.)

People who oppose medical marijuana at the least, and who oppose criminalization of marijuana at the most.

Anyone working on commission.

Malingerers.

People who live unhealthy lifestyles, especially if they're smokers.

I'm Thankful For This, But Not For That

It's Thanksgiving Week, my favorite holiday time, and like many others I am very thankful for the love and good health of my family and friends. The contrarian in me, however, chooses to blog today with a list of things for which I am not thankful:

Bad drivers.

Far right wing media personalities and outlets. (I exclude the far left wing media because I can't even confirm they exist.)

Snow.

The NFL's commercial-kickoff-commercial advertising strategy.

Techno-phobes.

Taxes that do not secure the blessings of liberty.

Alternative rap.

Anyone incapable of critical thinking.