Glenn Kirschner – Trump fails to appear on J6 subpoena; Pence details Trump’s crimes; Trump-classified docs are “mine”
MSNBC – Sen. Murphy: It Makes A Difference To Have A 51 Vs. 50 Seat Democratic Majority
Ojeda Live – BREAKING NEWS: Russian Missiles Strike Poland [I bumped another video to get this one up fast]
Really American – Context
Tiny Kitten Tackles Giant Husky When He’s Fully Grown | The Dodo
Beau – Let’s talk about how the republicans plan to raise the voting age….
Yesterday, I concentrated on getting my trash and recyclables out to their respective polycarts. Hopefully, by the time today is over, I will have gotten those carts to the curb for pickup tomorrow. Also, I received confirmation to see Virgil this Sunday. I am still treading water with my short takes. I feel that I know what the balance of poer will be int the Senate – but I don’t know about the House. I believe some news is due today … but not all of it. Late breaking – I’m not going into it here, but I bumped a planned video to insert one on Russia bombing Poland. Also late breaking, Katie Porter is up again,thank heaven. Bu there are a lot of votes still not counted.
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Crooks & Liars – Ann Coulter Tells Trump To ‘Shut The F—k Up, Forever!’
Quote – Right Wing pundit Ann Coulter is of course no stranger to being dissatisfied with Donald Trump. But after the GOP’s humiliating showing in the midterm elections, and ahead a possible announcement he will run for president in 2024, Coulter had a simple message for Trump: “Shut the f— up, forever.”
Click through for details. This is what happens when someone is stupid enough to believe in everything Trump** ever said, but yet smart enough to grasp that he never accomplished any of it.
NM Political Reprt – Couy Griffin confronts DuBois over appointment, derails meeting
Quote – Former Otero County Commissioner Couy Griffin caused a fuss at the Otero County Commission meeting last week when his time at the public comment table became so heated, one of the sitting county commissioners plans to file a restraining order against Griffin. Griffin was unhappy that Stephanie DuBois, a Democrat, was appointed to his old seat after Griffin was removed from office based on the U.S. Constitution’s 14th Amendment’s Disqualification Clause after his conviction related to his role in the Jan. 6, 2021 insurrection in Washington, D.C.
Click through for story. Remember “Cowboys for Trump**”? GRiffin is still giving cowbays a bad name (and, for that matter, griffins – if you know your magical beasts.)
Food For Thought
Glenn Kirschner – Trump sues J6 committee to keep from testifying. His lawsuit is bogus but his goal is delay. [Donald Trump** is a living, breathing, walking, talking “unwarranted intrusion upon the office of the Presidency.”]
MSNBC – Michael Cohen: “Donald Has A Fragile Ego So There’s Not A Diaper Big Enough For Him”
Robert Reich – What the Democrats Must Do If Republicans Take the House
John Fugelsang – Both Sides Do It! (/s)
Watch What Happens When A 14-Year-Old Dog Finally Leaves The Shelter
Beau – Let’s talk about CEOs “destroying the planet”….
Yesterday, the weather forecasts that we are finally in “almost winter” (I should ixplain that Colorado’s four seasons are actually almost winter, winter, still winter, and construction.) Highs mostly in the thirties, single digit lows (one negative low), and maybe a little snow. I’ll be staying in until Sunday (assuing my visit planned for Sunday gets confirmed – I have no reason tho think it won’t; just being cautious.) Since we are still waiting for election results, I’ll continue to strive for one good news (or at least cute) story each day for a while yet. Not knowing is just as stressful now as it was before the election – at least for me – so I’m guessing it is for others too. Meanwhile, Andy does real news again. And CPR projects that we won’t know the Boebert-Frisch result until Wednesday. On the other hand, a late-breaking alert from Axios – Kari fake Lake is toast.
(And – I should probably mention – my satire went a little astray Sunday. There is no such organization as “Antifa” in the united States. “Antifa” is short for “anti-Fascisy.” The last time the United states had an organtization to oppose fascism was in World War II (and it was called the Army, Navy, and Marines.) Those elderly dudes are intended to be World War II Veterans And “their next attack” is just silly.
Cartoon – 15 1115Cartoon.jpg reworked loaded
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ProPublica – About the “Shadow Diplomats” Investigation
Quote – The investigation shines light on one of the least-examined roles in international diplomacy: the honorary consul. These volunteer diplomats work from their home countries to promote the interests of foreign governments, typically in places without an embassy or consulate. Many honorary consuls provide valuable services. But the system, intended to leverage the experience and connections of upstanding citizens, has empowered unscrupulous operators and imperiled vulnerable communities around the world.
Click through for full article. I had never heard of an “honorary consul” – if you have, I salute you. If you scroll down about half way you will find links to three other articles on this investigation; each addresses different details. Sigh. there’s no idea good enough but that someone will find a way to corrupt it.
People Magazine – Rep. Katie Porter’s Son Delivers Hilariously Cute Speech as Mom Awaits Results of Reelection Bid
Quote – In introducing his mom, Paul told a cheering crowd, “Right after Trump won in 2016, that was when my mom first told us that she was going to run for Congress. My brother Luke and I looked at each other and said, ‘This hobby isn’t going to last long.’ We gave it a couple of months, tops. Now, six years, three elections and two terms later — oof, we really got that one wrong.”
Click through for full speech. As I type she is holding at 53+% but only 72% of the vote is in. But, win or lose, this story is still sweet.
Food For Thought
Glenn Kirschner – AG Garland moving toward a prosecutorial decision on Trump’s Mar-a-Lago classified documents crimes
MSNBC – Chris Hayes: Three Reasons Democrats Avoided A Red Wave In The Midterms
Farron Balanced – Executive Throws Trump Under The Bus During Tax Fraud Trial
Real Subtitles? – A disastrous press conference.
Feral Cat Holds His Foster Mom’s Hand
Beau – Let’s talk about who outside the US won the midterms….
Yesterday, thanks to Crooks and Liars, I found a new parody video site. It’s a hoot – it shows genuine non-English-speaking clips nd adds parody CC. The first one I saw (which will be in today’s video thread) showws a Putin press conference (note to Americans – 10cm is approximately 4″ – that should give you a feel for the numbers.)
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PolitiZoom – Read A Beautiful Tribute To Joe Biden, Penned By A Former Republican
Quote – Democrats can be obtuse. And we had some terrific candidates, which in a sane world, which the years leading up to the 2020 election emphatically were not, we might have put together on a dream ticket. One such dream ticket would have been Elizabeth Warren in the top spot with Pete Buttigieg as her VP. That would have been a fine use of our talent. But it never would have flown against Trump. Biden was the only one who could do it[.]
Click through for full tribute (what I have quoted isn’t even part of it.) It’s well worth your time
Civil Discourse – Democrats Hold the Senate—and the Ability to Appoint Federal Judges
Quote – At the end of the Obama administration, there were 104 judicial vacancies in the district courts and the courts of appeal, plus the one at SCOTUS. That’s unheard of. Appointing federal judges is one of the most important jobs of the presidency, shaping a legacy that lasts well beyond a president’s time in office. Ronald Reagan’s appointments had an impact for decades, with 15 or so of them still on the bench. On the floor of the Senate, after Barrett’s confirmation, McConnell said with glee, “A lot of what we’ve done over the last four years will be undone sooner or later by the next election. They won’t be able to do much about this for a long time to come.”
Click through for full article. Of course Joyce is a lawyer, so this is the first thing she thinks about, probably for every Federal election. But it’s one of the first things I think about also, for exactly the reasons Mitch McConnell shared. He is a wily old – mmphmm, bird.
Food For Thought
Glenn Kirschner – Trump asserts he used DOJ/FBI to stop vote count in 2018 to help DeSantis become Florida governor
MSNBC – Rep. Adam Kinzinger: We Need To Make An Uncomfortable Alliance For Democracy. (It looks clear to me he is talking about “up and down” – authoritarianism vs. small-d democracy – not “left and right. That’s exactly why the alliance will be “uncomfortable.” But it wasn’t clear to people commenting where I saw the clip first. So I decided to mention it.)
Farron Balanced – Judge Won’t Let Struggling Conservative Outlet OAN Escape Defamation Lawsuit
Mrs. Betty Bowers – LIVE from Kari Lake’s Campaign Headquarters
People Rescue 700-Pound Moose From Railroad Tracks (I heard you. And with so many of my sources taking a breather, this appears to be a good time to add more rescue stories.)
Beau – Let’s talk about elephant, zebras, and drought….
Yesterday, the radio opera was Charles Gounod’s “Romeo et Juliette,” recorded in China. Juliette’s opening aria, “Je veux vivre,” has been sung by finalists on many, many Miss America telecasts (I don’t know whether that still holds – I haven’t watched any pageants for a long time.) In any medium, this is a difficult story to tell, in large part because the protagonists are so very young – Juliet is not yet 14, and Romeo not much older. Any 13-year-old who can manage to sing that music, and project it throughout an opera house, should not be allowed to do so, because that much that young will harm the growing voice. (Anyone remember Charlotte Church? Hear of her lately? Well, in 2022 she appeards as”Mushroom” on The Masked Singer and took second place.) I know this is an unpopular opinion, but I have always thought the DiCaprio-Danes movie version came closest to nailing it – I thought at the time it was because they looked so young, but looking back, while their appearance helped, what really sealed the deal was their youthlul blocking and body language. Through most of history children were expected to behave like miniature adults; it’s only in the last hundred years or so that some cultures have recognized there are actual stages of development from child to adult, and it isn’t realistic for a child or a teen to behave adultly. If they try, they are going to appear awkward.
Also, late breaking from Axios: “Wins in Arizona and Nevada kept President Biden’s party in charge of the upper chamber while control of the House still hangs in the balance.” To be clear, add Wornock and we will actually have 51-49.
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Short Takes –
The Warning – American politics remains broken
Quote – American politics was broken before the Tuesday election. It remained broken on Wednesday morning. The MAGA extremist threat did not dissipate by failing to achieve its aims. The GOP/MAGA class of 2022 was a dangerous group of unfit extremists that has no parallel in modern American history. Collectively, their presence on US ballots from sea to shining sea amounted to indisputable evidence of national decay irredeemable cynicism, factionalism and cowardice.
Click trough for partial analysis. My feeling is that gross Republican misjudgment saved the election for us, and that the fact that control of both houses is so close should be terrifying. So I’ll be using the scary closer for a while yet.
Washington Post (gift link) – She decoded Nazi messages and helped win World War II. Now she’s 101.
Quote – The goal of the WAVES women was to save American lives by sinking German subs before they could attack Allied shipping. At first, news of a destroyed U-boat was cause for celebration. But it became more painful as the war dragged on and its human cost became more evident. Once, Parsons helped decode a congratulatory note to a German sailor at sea upon the birth of his son back home. A few days later, she learned the father’s submarine had been sunk, with no survivors. “To think that we all had a hand in killing somebody did not sit well with me,” she said. “I felt really bad. That baby would never see his father.”
Click through for full story. I’m still trying to feature some good news daily if possible. I am sure Pat B and I (both sea service veterans) are not the only ones who can appreciate her work. It can’t have been easy.
Food For Thought
