Day of Niagara, 31st of Spring, 526 M.E. (Betelgeuse): Asian countries, including China and India, are stepping up their usage of coal to make up part of the loss of oil coming through the Strait of Hormuz, adding to the war's already staggering carbon footprint. The Stable Genius announced that he's "seriously considering" pulling the U.S. out of NATO, giving Putin the gift he's wanted for decades. The Stable Genius also eased up on the oil sanctions imposed on Russia, another gift, and allowed a Russian tanker to deliver oil through the embargo that had been placed on Cuba. The umpire in last night's Red Sox-Astros game lost count of balls and strikes, and allowed a Houston batter to continue at the plate even after his third swinging strike. 

The world's going to hell along at least a dozen doomsday scenarios. I try to imagine the world five years from now and don't see many scenarios where things aren't apocalyptically bad. I have maybe 10 years left of life, probably no more than five good ones, so my losses will be somewhat minimized, but it's the children I feel sorry for. 

No future, indeed.