Open Thread September 28 2026

 Posted by at 6:01 am  Open Thread, Personal, Politics
Sep 282026
 

Over the weekend, it came out that the grand jury in the Nolan Wells case returned a no bill. I get that, because law enforcement and the DA have no evu=idence (or are not releasing any that they have) to suggest anyone to charge with anything. As far as I can see, they had nothing with which to present a grand jury, and should not have convened one or presented anything to an existing one, because they have nothing. But the grand jury, or its spokesperson, added that they believe that Wells drowned. However, the autopsy found no water in his lungs – no water anywhere in his respiratory system – no water even in his stomach. But the grand jury believes he drowned? Really? Apparently Mississippi is still Mississippi is still the same Mississippi it has been since before the Civil War. Who here, wxactly, thinks whom is the dumbest?

Yes, I am fixated with AI. Because I am finding it literally impossible to wrap my head around machines which can decide on and do things completely independently of any command from any being which has consciousness. I would have expected cats to take over the world before machines. (I would also have preferred it.)

I seriously doubt that anyone here needs to see this – but when the stakes are as high as they are, I don’t want to take any chances.

Harry Dunn – one of the Capitol Police officsers (then) who defended the Capitol on Jnuary 6 – has been running for Congress – until he lost his primary. I would love to provide a link to the email he sent just after the primary was called – but there’s no link. But I will quote part of it because it’s just too much how all politics should be not to:
“Me and Adrian Boafo sat down last week. A lot of people found that surprising. He beat me in the Maryland 5th primary. We’re still friends. They shouldn’t be surprised… We stood at the same forums in southern Maryland for six months and said basically the same things. The tactics were different. The goals weren’t.” I hope Harry will not be too disheartened by this loss. I hope he willinstead run for aomething at municipal or county level – or school district level – which in addition to giving him experience will increase his electability at state or federal levels.

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Open Thread September 25 2026

 Posted by at 6:00 am  Holiday, Open Thread, Personal, Politics
Sep 252026
 

It isn’t a holiday where I am, and it’s probably not where you are. But in California, starting today and in perpetuity (or until some Republican ruins it),, September 25 is and will be Dolly Parton Day. (And why didn’t Tennessee think of that?)

So true – so simple – and so sad that some people need to be told it.

This may ask you to subscribe, but you shouldn’t need to just inorder to read it. I found it encouraging.

No, I wasn’t particularly looking for encouraging news today – I just happened to tripover some in my inbox. This takes me back to the sixties – not that I remember actual candidates for Congress taking this risk then. Outrage and resistance are not dead.

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Open Thread September 24 2026

 Posted by at 6:00 am  Open Thread, Personal, Politics
Sep 242026
 

Yesterday, I slept until later than I have been lately, but at least was awake when up, and no dizzy spells.

Not good – but better to know about it than not to.

More about AI, his time from Robert Reich, and extending as far as China.

Yes, this is 40 pages. And, at least as long as Medicare stands, it doesn’t affect me as a veteran (although it does, of course, as a taxpayer. Privatization of anything is a bad idea for taxpayers.) Naturally, the idea traces back to the Kochs – to when more of them were still alive – but there are plenty to carry on.

One thing Steve Schmidt is good at is history. Maybe not as good as a professional historian, but able to make it easy for a reader to get a feeling of the time in question, and in this case, a feeling for what we have lost and are losing more of.

RR Cleanup

Dog 2fer

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Open Thread September 21 2026

 Posted by at 6:00 am  Holiday, Open Thread, Personal, Politics
Sep 212026
 

Yesterday, I saw Virgil and we played cribbage.If you’ve ever played any kind of card game with actual cards (including solitaire), you’ve probably noticed that there are days when the cards seem to have a mind of their own – and sometimes that mind is mischievous. This was one of those days. I kept coming up with double runs (and occasional triple runs, and sometimes two double runs  in the same hand.) Virgil got quite envious (although he hd a few himself.) In the last hand we played before closing, I dealt, and didn’t have anything remotely like a double run in  my hand – but darned if I didn’t have a double run in the crib. Go figure. Also, a thoughtful and educational Yom Kippur to all who celebrate. (I may illustrate wih pomegranates and a shofar, but I won’t say “Happy Yom Kippur” – that isn’t its purpose.)

While apologizing for a long post on a Saturday night, Joyce Vance neverthe less feels it’s too importa nt to wait. I have to concur. There are things going on we need to know about ASAP, even if we also need to wait and possibly prepare before taking action. It’s about 44 days to election day – and 26 days to the next No Kings event.

It would appear that ICE, CBP, and DHS have exactly zero interest in quitting the killing. Also that the DOJ has even less interest in indicting and prosecuting the murderers. In Minnesota, the state Attorney General stepped in. But this is Texas. Although he’s rinning for something wlse (Senate? or Govermor?), I think Ken Paxton is still the AG of Texas. No joy there.

Having taken part in a few product trials (years ago), I have at least an idea what informed consent is supposed to look like. Which is nothing like anything the Orange Ogre(apologies to actual ogres, who are much nicer) will come up with. I doubt whether anyone in RFK Jr’s circle believes in allergies, so I don’t expect them to ask any prospective participants about any. And that is only one way they will kill people -while learning nothing related to actual science. Of course none of them has a clue what an ethic might be, so they won’t be bothered.

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Open Thread September 16 2026

 Posted by at 6:00 am  Open Thread, Personal, Politics
Sep 162026
 

Yesterday, I mostly caught up on sleep. Which I needed.

In 1381, Richard II was 14. Woody Norman is 17 – but I guess that’s about as close as Hollywood is doing to get. I really don’t think it’s possible to grasp Richard II without keeping in mind how incredibly young he was. Yes, I realize children in the Middle Ages were considered short adults (7 or 8 was considered the age of reason by the church), but the brain not becoming fully mature until about 25 was just as accurate science then as it is now, though they didn’t know it then. But the article isn’t really about Richard or even monarchy – it’s about revolution. And, in that connection, I expect y’all will appeciate the way Professor Rolle-Koster uses Monty Python in teaching Medieval history.

This will strike you as an odd request – it certainly did me – but Kris wants help in getting Smedley Butler’s “War Is A Racket” banned. Specifically, in a new edition for which he wrote the foreword. But there is method to this madness, and it only takes him 3 minutes and 28 seconds to explain it.

And this is an update on what is going on with the new ruling class in the US (just ask them – they’ll tell you that’s wxactly who they are.)

Ben and Jerry’s – well, at least Ben – are asking for our help. Let me clarify they don’t want us to boycott B&J – just everything else that Magnum owns,

Lina Khan was the Chair of the Federal Trade Commission under a stronger and smarter administration. She is smart, and IMO – easy to listen to – not that she speaks here, butI’ve heard her elsewhere.

Fallen Timbers

Dog

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Open Thread September 13 2026

 Posted by at 6:00 am  Open Thread, Personal, Politics
Sep 132026
 

Yesterday, the radio opera was Bizet’s “Carmen.” I expect everyone has heard something from it at some point, including people who have never been within miles of an opera house. The Toreador Song is probably the piece most likely to be known by name, though the Gypsy dance in Act 2 is also very catchy. Even fluent French speakers may miss the straight-out-of-Pete-Hegseth lines in the Toreador song: “Some men are soldiers, some are toreros. What’s the diffrence who we are? We all love a fight!” Carmen is the opera  know better than any other, except maybe La Boheme, and that would be at most a tie. When I was studying music after leaving the USMC, the college I was studying at staged it, and I played first chair second violin (not well – some of it is tough.) That consitutes really getting to know an opera the hard way.

I’m going to let the good news speak for itself again, and continue running through the alphabet for my links. (Some you may need to turn sound on.) If the song is a rerun, I apologize.

Quebec

Romeo

Sierra

Tango

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Open Thread September 11 2026

 Posted by at 5:50 am  Holiday, Open Thread, Personal, Politics
Sep 112026
 

Yesterday, I received the paper Colorado Springs street map I ordered because, besides the fact that I’ve forgotten a lot of streets which used to be familiar, many of the onws I do remember have changed beyond recognition – and online maps no longer show street names. I can already see it’s going to be a huge help.

From Common Dreams. Considering the source, you’d think people would listen to this warning. But they probably won’t. Here’s an addendum.

Wajeeh Lion has a favorite saying which is not too different from one of the Ben Franklin quotes Michael Waldman uses – “You may not “F” with politics, but politics is going to “F” with you.” I think the title of this from the Brennan Center is accurate – but by itself it doesn’t address the measures above and beyond normal that some voters will need to take to get it done. But voters who have listened in previous election years to the perennial advice: “Have a plan in advance how you are going to vote, and stick to it. And take someone with you.” will likely get it done.

We haven’t – or at least I haven’t heard from Tammy Duckworth for a while. As usual, she is correct. (Reinstating them would be better – but she’s no fool, and knows that’s not currently in the realm of possibility.)

2fer

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Open Thread September 9 2026

 Posted by at 6:00 am  Open Thread, Personal, Politics
Sep 092026
 

I do realize that we are in September, not October – and that Hallowe’en is still 52 days away. But today I am going to do my best to scare you – because the dangers are real. All of these are videos – one on YouTube and two on Substack – which means for the ones on Sunstack there is a Transcript – and for the one on YouTube you can generate one. So you don’t actually have to watch them. However, I personally find that tones of voice, facial expressions, and general body language add to the urgency, and I want to offer that to you, whether or not you choose to accept it. I also kept the two normal videos, so today we have ans all-video (except the cartoon) post.

This is the first one from Substack – specifically from “Confront the Hate” published by Phil Williams. It’s 47 minutes and 3 seconds. All of the scariness is right out in the open. Much of it is from the viewpoints of people who are actively fighting it – which is not easy.

This is the one from YouTube – specifically from The United Front Show, by Max Kuhn and Dr. David Benjamin (although Max has been appearing less and less often, and is not in this video at all). It runs 20 minutes and 25 seconds, which includes a sponsor message – but it is also divided into “chapters,” which makes it very easy for you to find and skip the ad. If you just look at the title, it would appear to be good news. But, as Dr. Benjamin stresses, Trump’s mental condition is one which will cause him to become more dangerous in real time as he loses power. And that should definitely scare you.

This second Substack video is from Joyce Vance’s “Civil Discourse,” and includes Ruth Ben Ghiat. While it too emphasizes the danger, it also presents possibilities for antidotes – for ourselves and for spreading to others. It runs 32 minutes and 54 seconds. Ruth is one of our top experts on autocracy and autocrats, and author of the book “Strongmen,” and Joyce is a lawyer and a professor of law, and author of the book “Giving Up Is Unforgiveable.”

2fer

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