Chaos undercuts president’s vows of a steady hand

https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/bidens-promise-to-restore-competence-to-the-presidency-undercut-by-chaos- in-afghanistan/2021/08/16/4feaaebc-feaf-11eb-ba7e-2cf966e88e93_story.html

 

“[O]ver the past few days, the images from Afghanistan have put on vivid display an inability to plan, an underestimation of a foreign adversary, an ineffective effort to scramble and make up for it — and, as Biden demonstrated in a brief address Monday, an attempt to deflect full responsibility.”

August 15, 2021 – Braves 6, Nats 5

https://www.mlb.com/gameday/braves-vs- nationals/2021/08/15/632867#game_state=final,lock_state=final,game_tab=wrap,game=632867

 

Weather: 79 degrees, cloudy.

Wind: 5 mph, in from right.

Umpires: HP--Riggs, 1B--Marquez, 2B--Barrett, 3B--Torres.

Time: 3:19

Attendance - 27,488

 

This was Washington’s 12^th loss in their past 13 games. The “Cruel Summer” continues. Give credit to the heart of Atlanta’s batting order, which accounted for almost all of their offense.

 

Trois étoiles:

#3 – Freddie Freeman, whose two hits included a home run to lead off the 5^th.

#2 – Austin Riley, with three hits, who went back-to-back with Freeman to knock out Nats’ starter Paolo Espino.

#1 – Dansby Swanson, with a single and a two-run third-inning HR.

 

Washington did respond well to Atlanta’s two crooked innings. They put together four singles, a perfectly-placed sacrifice bunt by Espino, and a Juan Soto sac fly to tie the game at 3 off Atlanta starter Drew Smyly in the bottom of the 3^rd. Two frames later, they answered the visitors’ 3-run outburst, as Carter Kieboom singled home Soto (who drew a two-out walk) and Josh Bell (who followed with a double).

 

Somewhat surprisingly, that ended the scoring for the afternoon. The embattled Washington bullpen allowed only one man to reach base (on an error) over the final four innings. Meanwhile, the Nats had their chances to tie things up or go ahead, but wasted a double, two leadoff walks, and a pair of walks in the ninth.

 

Although it was much cooler than the previous week, it still felt unpleasantly steamy. Traffic was pretty much par for the course; the Legion Bridge back-ups on the way home are starting to resemble those of pre-pandemic days. Fast-casual Indian restaurant Rasa provided a nice lunch, despite the shade-free outdoor tables.

Shuffle #148 (August 8, 2021)

Gives You Hell – The All-American Rejects

You’ll Never Walk Alone – Gerry & The Pacemakers

Say Hey (I Love You) – Michael Franti & Spearhead

Endless Wire – Gordon Lightfoot

Everyday’s The Same – The Housemartins

What Will My Mary Say – Johnny Mathis

This Old Heart Of Mine (Is Weak For You) – The Isley Brothers

Are You Out There – Dar Williams

Selfish Heart – The Beat Farmers

Workin’ On A Groovy Thing – The 5th Dimension