A nice-ish thing if you're a Bears fan: They won their first preseason game, 34-10 over the Browns.
Yes, preseason games don't count. (In 1985, the season of the Bears' only Super Bowl win, their preseason win total was zero.) But it was still good to see some guys make plays who are fighting to make the team.
Even better, the offense looked disciplined. Even the marginal, on-the-bubble players -- who played most of the snaps today -- executed crisply, without getting into play-clock trouble or committing pre-snap penalties. That means the detail-oriented, do-it-right-or-else approach of second-year head coach Ben Johnson is percolating down to all levels of the team.
As for the Browns, they have to choose between Deshaun Watson and Shadeur Sanders for their QB 1. Both played, in the first and second halves respectively. I'll just say I'm glad I'm not a Cleveland fan.
Morning birding adventure was to a city park. I had not been there before, but the recent eBird reports for it looked promising. So, I drove there early a.m., and then I had the devil's time trying to park. I couldn't find any parking for the park itself. The street parking was full up. So I try a couple of side streets. One is posted, "No parking, 10am-6pm Saturday/Sunday (residents only)". The other one was posted "No parking anytime," even though there were cars parked up and down the street. Welp, I was about to take my chances with that street, and then I did a double check, and discovered there are two parks with the same name: one is a county park, and the other is a city park. I wanted the city park. So I go there, and was pleased to see there was lots of free parking on site. After a bit of a late start, I started down a trail that goes along a creek. The part of the creek within the park is dry, so there was not much happening there. But the trail continues out of the park, and eventually hits some percolation ponds that are part of the water district. That was a pretty birdy place. I was pleased to hear and then be able to spot a kestrel clear across the water. I've been working on my spotting skills, and that made me feel more like a real birder and less like a noob. But I also heard a Belted Kingfisher, and could not manage to see that. It only called a couple times, and it sounded close, but I couldn't locate it. Anyway, there were quite a few more birds there. Then I went back into the park, but as I said, it was super-dry there in August, and not a lot was shaking.
Pianist and composer Oscar Peterson was born on this day in 1925. He dominated Downbeat Magazine's Best Pianist polls throughout the 50s and into the 60s. Here he is in 1964 performing his "Hymn To Freedom" with his trio:
Say what you will about the Democratic establishment circa 2026. But it has shown that if someone has trouble answering questions about Thanksgiving, it can still take you down (by a 0.5-percentage-point margin). And while Hong’s defeat will come as a disappointment to Madison, Wisconsin, it will be a relief to most other Democrats nationally. It’s not just that Democrats will have a better—very good, even—chance to maintain the Wisconsin governor’s mansion ahead of another presidential election cycle. 𝐓𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐚𝐥𝐬𝐨 𝐦𝐞𝐚𝐧𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐲 𝐨𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫 𝐃𝐞𝐦𝐨𝐜𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐜 𝐜𝐚𝐧𝐝𝐢𝐝𝐚𝐭𝐞 𝐢𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐜𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐭𝐫𝐲 𝐰𝐨𝐧’𝐭 𝐛𝐞 𝐚𝐬𝐤𝐞𝐝 𝐚𝐛𝐨𝐮𝐭 𝐅𝐫𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐞𝐬𝐜𝐚 𝐇𝐨𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐡𝐫𝐨𝐮𝐠𝐡𝐨𝐮𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐟𝐚𝐥𝐥. 𝐀 𝐮𝐬𝐞𝐟𝐮𝐥 𝐧𝐨𝐦𝐢𝐧𝐞𝐞 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐆𝐎𝐏 𝐡𝐚𝐬 𝐛𝐞𝐞𝐧 𝐭𝐚𝐤𝐞𝐧 𝐨𝐟𝐟 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐭𝐚𝐛𝐥𝐞.
***
Why do you think THAT, Temu Carville?
Shit, if I'm Tom Tiffany, my best shot is to run against Crowley like I'd run against Hong, pretty literally as though Hong won.
My best shot is cornering Crowley and forcing him to dump on Hong (thus her supporters) every chance I got.
The dude barely won and won't win without the majority of Hong's voters. The more Tommy J6-er Tiffany can keep home in disgust, the better.
Feel free to go OT!
The timing was uncertain so that was not added to the end of the post.
I am very pleased that my Nice Time made the cut. Ziggy is a true adherent and observer of Nice Times!
I must admit it feels better when they get a good scratch. Coincidentally, I got one while reading this, from a nice lady. Talk about nice time!
So satisfying, right?!
As well as left.
Thanks. I'm generally a stickler for OT.
I must admit to going rogue from time to time.
You are awesome!
Yeah, what "M" said.
<I know better than to disagree with her, anyway. I ain't gettin' cut.>
Thank you "M"!
Doing what I can.
You're awesome!
Hi Seth!
Thank you my friend.
Both of your heads are the SAME size.
There, it has been said. Whew.
A Nice Times™ Open Thread! Without a vomit inducing photo! Yay!
Saturdays just got a little better as this should be the regular time for this going forward.!
We can use all the Nice Times™ we can get.
You should pin this.
Good idea.
Thank you for all the Nice Things!
You're welcome!
Apparently I am a security guard now.
I am drunk off my ass sitting with elderly A.V. nerds in the alley.
A nice-ish thing if you're a Bears fan: They won their first preseason game, 34-10 over the Browns.
Yes, preseason games don't count. (In 1985, the season of the Bears' only Super Bowl win, their preseason win total was zero.) But it was still good to see some guys make plays who are fighting to make the team.
Even better, the offense looked disciplined. Even the marginal, on-the-bubble players -- who played most of the snaps today -- executed crisply, without getting into play-clock trouble or committing pre-snap penalties. That means the detail-oriented, do-it-right-or-else approach of second-year head coach Ben Johnson is percolating down to all levels of the team.
As for the Browns, they have to choose between Deshaun Watson and Shadeur Sanders for their QB 1. Both played, in the first and second halves respectively. I'll just say I'm glad I'm not a Cleveland fan.
Morning birding adventure was to a city park. I had not been there before, but the recent eBird reports for it looked promising. So, I drove there early a.m., and then I had the devil's time trying to park. I couldn't find any parking for the park itself. The street parking was full up. So I try a couple of side streets. One is posted, "No parking, 10am-6pm Saturday/Sunday (residents only)". The other one was posted "No parking anytime," even though there were cars parked up and down the street. Welp, I was about to take my chances with that street, and then I did a double check, and discovered there are two parks with the same name: one is a county park, and the other is a city park. I wanted the city park. So I go there, and was pleased to see there was lots of free parking on site. After a bit of a late start, I started down a trail that goes along a creek. The part of the creek within the park is dry, so there was not much happening there. But the trail continues out of the park, and eventually hits some percolation ponds that are part of the water district. That was a pretty birdy place. I was pleased to hear and then be able to spot a kestrel clear across the water. I've been working on my spotting skills, and that made me feel more like a real birder and less like a noob. But I also heard a Belted Kingfisher, and could not manage to see that. It only called a couple times, and it sounded close, but I couldn't locate it. Anyway, there were quite a few more birds there. Then I went back into the park, but as I said, it was super-dry there in August, and not a lot was shaking.
The music is resonating with my beer can
Pianist and composer Oscar Peterson was born on this day in 1925. He dominated Downbeat Magazine's Best Pianist polls throughout the 50s and into the 60s. Here he is in 1964 performing his "Hymn To Freedom" with his trio:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tCrrZ1NnCuM
Off of his 1959 album A Jazz Portrait Of Frank Sinatra, here he is with his trio playing "All Of Me":
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=96jO3y8TVn8
Here's Oscar with Dick Cavett giving a great rundown on various styles of playing. Pretty fascinating stuff:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ec-FrnaU0rs
Trivia: His son was close friends with Geddy Lee and the two had contemplated composing together at one point given there shared interest in jazz.
There's still nice things happening? Is that even allowed?
You done good, zig.
-gb
From a "Winners and Losers" Slate article re: WI
https://slate.com/news-and-politics/2026/08/wisconsin-2028-crowley-tiffany-hong-trump.html
***
Say what you will about the Democratic establishment circa 2026. But it has shown that if someone has trouble answering questions about Thanksgiving, it can still take you down (by a 0.5-percentage-point margin). And while Hong’s defeat will come as a disappointment to Madison, Wisconsin, it will be a relief to most other Democrats nationally. It’s not just that Democrats will have a better—very good, even—chance to maintain the Wisconsin governor’s mansion ahead of another presidential election cycle. 𝐓𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐚𝐥𝐬𝐨 𝐦𝐞𝐚𝐧𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐲 𝐨𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫 𝐃𝐞𝐦𝐨𝐜𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐜 𝐜𝐚𝐧𝐝𝐢𝐝𝐚𝐭𝐞 𝐢𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐜𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐭𝐫𝐲 𝐰𝐨𝐧’𝐭 𝐛𝐞 𝐚𝐬𝐤𝐞𝐝 𝐚𝐛𝐨𝐮𝐭 𝐅𝐫𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐞𝐬𝐜𝐚 𝐇𝐨𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐡𝐫𝐨𝐮𝐠𝐡𝐨𝐮𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐟𝐚𝐥𝐥. 𝐀 𝐮𝐬𝐞𝐟𝐮𝐥 𝐧𝐨𝐦𝐢𝐧𝐞𝐞 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐆𝐎𝐏 𝐡𝐚𝐬 𝐛𝐞𝐞𝐧 𝐭𝐚𝐤𝐞𝐧 𝐨𝐟𝐟 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐭𝐚𝐛𝐥𝐞.
***
Why do you think THAT, Temu Carville?
Shit, if I'm Tom Tiffany, my best shot is to run against Crowley like I'd run against Hong, pretty literally as though Hong won.
My best shot is cornering Crowley and forcing him to dump on Hong (thus her supporters) every chance I got.
The dude barely won and won't win without the majority of Hong's voters. The more Tommy J6-er Tiffany can keep home in disgust, the better.
https://xcancel.com/yumtapwater/status/2088731101162336397?s=20
Corporations: "Minnesota Moose"
The people: "We demand loons!"
This makes me so happy! I love a nice things, especially from you, ziggywiggy!
I see a guy singing, but cannot hear the words... I love old man amateur street rock bands.
They admitted to not having a gig in months.
Bravo Ziggy! Very good Nice Times article.
Thank you Fluffo!
𝗖𝗮𝗹𝗶𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗻𝗶𝗮 𝗖𝗿𝗲𝗲𝗸 𝗥𝗲𝘀𝘁𝗼𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗛𝗲𝗹𝗽𝘀 𝗬𝗼𝘂𝗻𝗴 𝗦𝗮𝗹𝗺𝗼𝗻 𝗚𝗿𝗼𝘄 𝗧𝘄𝗶𝗰𝗲 𝗮𝘀 𝗙𝗮𝘀𝘁—𝗔𝗻𝗱 𝗗𝗼𝘂𝗯𝗹𝗲𝘀 𝗧𝗵𝗲𝗶𝗿 𝗦𝘂𝗿𝘃𝗶𝘃𝗮𝗹 𝗥𝗮𝘁𝗲
https://www.goodnewsnetwork.org/california-creek-restoration-helps-young-salmon-grow-twice-as-fast-and-doubles-their-survival-rate/
Okay. Either my cat is too big or my box too small.
Like I don't have enough to deal with.
With cats the box is never too small. Cats are liquid and the box conforms to them.
Fluid felines pour themselves into any given container.
Birds Aren't Real
Cats Are Liquid
Thanks so much for this Ziggy, it's such a welcome addition to our regular Wonkette fare.
Thank you AD!
Very happy to get to do it.