Sep 182024
 

Yesterday, Reading about all the crap that’s happening in Springfield, OH, it struck me that Republicans, at least MAGAts, don’t seem to have a lot of faith in their own candidates. If they actually had faith in Trump**, they would believe that if elected he would deport or murder any immigrants who are “eating pets: – maybe even citizens who are “eating pets.” But they apparently don’t. They apparently think they must take the bloodshed into their own tiny hands. So they can’t really have as much faith in Trump** as they think they do.

I really don’t know what to say about this. of course, concerning Trump**, the first question should always be, “Is it even a thing or just fantasy?” That said, even if it’s a thing, even if it makes any money, how long is he going to live to appreciate it? Ron Filikowski thinks it’s actually a Junior and Eric venture using Daddy’s name – well, maybe. Makes the most sense I have seen so far.

I get the morning newsletter from Talking Points Memo, but thatt’s all, so I often don’t see what else they have to offer. This was cited by Robert Hubbell. Of course it was Trump** who “started the fire.” But I serously doubt that “everyone knows it.” Republicans have been promoting that label that violence comes from the left, and olicing as if that were actually true, for my entire lifetime. A bit of truth is not going to wipe that out, no matter how obvious it has become, and no matter how much we wish it would.

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Jun 062024
 

Yesterday, Wonkette’s newsletter provided a gift link to a New York Times opinion piece, written by Michelle Goldberg (not by some right-wing lackey), whichdoesn’t contain anything we hadn’t figured out, but says it well and clearly. And the gift link makes it easier to share if you’d like to (don’t cut it – the stuff after the question mark is needed to validate that it’s a gift.) Also, Andy Borowitz “interviews” the new President of Mexico, who has thoughts on the U.S.

Well, this is interesting. It’s hard to be sure what it means at this point, other that Republicans are so good at creating “plausible deniability” that they have gotten bad at using it, trying to make it work all the time. Denying everything is admitting everything.

Well, this is really interesting. Like puppetmaster, like puppet, I guess. Now, before anyone says “Money is the root of all evil,” let me point out it is not money, but the love of money, which is the root of all evil (or as Chaucer quoted in the Canterbury Tales, “Radix malorum est cupiditas.”)


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May 162024
 

Yesterday, I got an email with a new Substack column from Margaret Atwood – not surprising because Alice Munro just died, and I suspected they had to know each other – which they did. Both Canadian, buth winners of literary prizes (their friendship began when Margaret won the [Canadian] Governor General’s prize, and lasted past Alice’s Nobel prize.) At my age it’s very touching to read about longtime friendships between kindred spirits – but it also wouldn’t be Margaret Atwood if there weren’t some giggles too. Also, I did watch Lawrence’s segment on the trial the previous night, and though maybe less quotable than the previous one, it was equally well thought out and discerning. Also, for those of us who thonk Mary Trump is almost good enough to make up for the rest of the family, she is opening a YouTube channel called “Mary Trump Media” (it’s open now, there’s just nothing in it) which goes live today at 4:30 pm Eastern. In previous videos she’s had a feature called “Nerd Avengers,” wherein she brings together a group of experts to address a particular topic, and that will continue to be a feature.

This is a story about our Democratic women governors, and how they communicate to strengthen all of them, personally and politically. It’s a feel-good story I will warn that the site opens with an aggressive donation request (look for an X to click on to reduce it, though, sadly, not eliminate) it. If you ever use the screen magnifier, I guarantee tou will not need it for this article – but you scrolling finger will get a real workout.

All I can say is, the legislature tried. Because the majority of the people of the sate wanted it. But it seems to be getting sabotaged from within. Quelle surprise (pas!) I’m old enough to remember when there were decent Republicans. That makes me really old.

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May 092024
 

Yesterday, Douglas County High bowed to community pressure. I had not mentioned this earlier, but the back story is that they thought it would be nice to have their graduation ceremony this year at the Air Force Academy. Douglas County is one of two counties just north of mine; it’s the one that’s mostly mountain, while the other is mostly plains. Still, someone had the brain and spine to point out that if graduation was held at the Academy, undocumented students would not be able to attend their own graduation. (Also non-citizens without passports and family members with a prior felony conviction would not be able to attend.) So they have moved it again, this time to Parker, CO. The letter announcing the change sounds a little grudging to me, but they say actions speak louder than words, so I’ll take it.

If this doesn’t make you angry, I don’t know what will. It would appear Kahn sees Sulzberger the way MAGAs see Trump**. Or maybe the way he sees Trump**. Whatever, it’s not good.

It really is no wonder that Trump** thinks a President can do anything he wants to when so many voters think that Joe Biden can do anything he wants to. I know, I’m the one who put up the meme comparing Joe to wizards, but the fact he is but a decent and law-abiding human being. If he could wave a wand or stomp the floor with a staff or flash a light saber and by doing so achieve peace in the Middle East, I’m sure he would do so (and also in Ukraine.)But he can’t. There are laws and rules he has to respect. Robert Hubbell understands that.

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Apr 132024
 

Yesterday, Robert Reich’s column was about the Manhattan criminal charges against Donald Trump**. He explains in detail exactly why it is wrong to call it a “hush money” case. I umderstand, and I’m sure he also does, the temptation to find a way to distinguish it from all his other legal woes, so that people know instantly which case one is talking about. But it also plays into his hands. “New York election interference case” or “Manhattan election interference case” are two ways we can call a spade a spade and still make it clear what case is being alluded to.

This is a “Colorado leads the Way” story. I’m sad that it took this long. But I’m bursting with pride that it’s being done now.

Not to suggest there is such a thing as a good Republican today – but, you know, the House could have done a lot worse than Mike Johnson.

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Apr 062024
 

Yesterday, I found it refreshing for an earthquake to be newsworthy in some place other than California. (And, since there were no injries, the humor is a nice touch. “The Empire State Building”sent some messages via Xitter: “I am fine.” “I am still fine.” and then another “I am fine.”)  Also I got my lost made of people whom I haven’t yet paid.  There are seven of them, one of them whom I guess I saw twice, so there are eight charges.  When new bills come in they should be easy to find.  Also – the “Phone Call” Robert Hubbell prodived a summary for yesterday – Beau did a video on it  It’s over 10 minutes, so I sdon’t wast to embed it.  But it’s detailed enough i do wany to make it available.  So, here’s the link.

This really is madness. Sadly it’s predictable (and in-character) madness. Russia is not going to be destroyed by migrants. But it very wwell may be destroyed by its own government.

Very often I can’t find a particular story on “Law and Crime,” appaently because there’s so much crime that stories get pushed to the back. This time I found the one I was looking for. A value of $40.000.00 sounds like grand theft to me.

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Mar 222024
 

Yesterday, I was still running late, but not quite as late. Hopefully I”ll catch up eventually.

I am of two minds about sharing stories like this one, because I don’t want to give anyone the impression that it’s only in the South (and Mississippi does get a lot of flak). Things like this can happen literally anywhere in the U.S. And you don’t even have to be a minority for it to happen to you – as you will see if you can get past enough of the violence to see the third photo. Trigger warning.

I’m actually fine with the Right Wing Media keeping these rulings and what they mean under the radar for now. Not that MAGAts would understand the implications (do any of them know what an “implication” is?) but it wouldn;t be hard to scare them into armed protest.

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Mar 192024
 

Yesterday, I got a couple of my hospital stay bills paid (with my HRA credit/debit card.) I haven’t paid them all because I haven’t gotten them yet – the hospital got my address wrong and then passed that on to everyone. I have like 8 MSNs (they used to be called EOBs), many have more than one provider, and one of them has so many providers it’s 14 pages. But the combination of Medicare and an HRA is a real blessing. Incidentally, today is Saint Joseph’s Day. Just two days after St. Patrick’s, and coming asthey do in the middle of Lent, they make a nice little break from Lenten fasting … if anyone is still doing that.

Robert Hubbell provided a link to a transcript of President Biden’s Gridiron speech. Unlike the White Hose Correspondents’ Dinner, video is never released from the Gridiron, so this is all we’ll get. FactBase, who posted it, attempts to provide reactions along the way. Remember, when you see negative reactions, that everyone there is a journalist. My reaction is very positive to thse remarks.

Viktor Orbán is in some ways more dangerous than Trump**. Unlike Trump**, he knows what he is doing and he is good at it. The meeting Heather Cox Richardson writes about was blatant subversion, and a public slap in the face to the United States (though it wpuld have been more public had the media bothered to notice it.)

A slice of Arkansas women’s history, through the telling by one woman who was there (and is now in Colorado.)

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