Glenn Kirschner – Former US AG Eric Holder says Trump “likely WILL be indicted by the DOJ.” Here’s why he’s right
Meidas Touch – Intelligence Expert REACTS to far-right Prime Minister of Hungry’s keynote speech at CPAC in Texa
The Lincoln Project – Ron Johnson on Social Security
Ring of Fire – Dr. Oz’s Failing Campaign Is Freaking Out The Republican Party
Ojeda Live – NATO is a NECESSITY Against Russia
Beau – Let’s talk about Pat Cipollone’s subpoena…
Yesterday, the radio opera was “Samson et Dalila” by Saint-Saëns. Since this is another story I think everyone knows (if I’m wrong I hope someone will correct me), I’ll take a couple of sentences to share that the summer season for radi operas has its own web page at WFMT with multiple sub-pages, one of which allows one to download photos from every production, which makes the opera much more intresting, particularly when it’s one I’ve heard but never seen – and that doesn’t have to be a new opera necssarily. I have seen Samson et Dalila in the Met’s streaming library once, but it’s challenging to stage. This production from England doesn’t make any attempt to show authentic period or culture (not that it’s necessary, but the Met’s kind of did – but used colors which literally had not been invented at the time it was supposed to have taken place.) The big famous aria is “Mon cœur s’ouvre à ta voix” in which Dalila seduuces Samson by telling him how much his voice turns her on – all the time turning him on with her voice. Yes, sneaky (and diaingenuous. Well, that’s Delilah for you.)
I’ll take yesterday’s poll as 2 yes and 2 abstain, and will put Randy’s Hawley video in tomorrow’s video thread.
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Short Takes –
Wonkette – Anti-Abortion States Worst Places To Get Pregnant And Have Kids. Who Would Have Thought?
Quote – [The states that have either banned or are about to ban abortion] have higher maternal mortality rates, higher infant mortality rates, higher child poverty rates, and more uninsured women and children, and are much less likely to have minimum wages over $7.25, the Medicaid expansion, or paid family leave. In fact, literally none of them have paid family leave. If you have a kid in these states and you do not have a job that gives you paid family leave, you may have to get your ass up out of the delivery room (if you can even afford a delivery room) and get right to your next shift.
Click through for details. Wonkette knows perfectly well that anyone with a brain would have thought. That’s just Wonkette’s trademaek snark.
Mother Jones – Of Course Samuel Alito Is Bragging About It
Quote – High off the fumes of the Supreme Court’s decision to strike down the constitutional right to an abortion, a beaming Samuel Alito has emerged to try his hand at comedy. It did not go well. More critically, it further exposed an overtly political Supreme Court justice teeming with condescension for his critics.
Click through for story. Its author is understandably – um – irritated (mad as hell actually) – as we all should be.
Food For Thought –
Yesterday, I observed that the forecast had mover the two seriously cold days this week from today and tomorrow to tomorrow and Friday. If they keep pushing them out, it could make my drive Sunday to see Virgil much more pleasant – assuming he’s still where he is now. I do think he is likely to be. At this point in the week I hoe so, because in the past when they have moved him it has been a few days at least before visiting is allowed at the new location.
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Short Takes –
Minnnesota Reformer – Conservative blocs unleash litigation to curb public health powers
Quote – Through a wave of pandemic-related litigation, a trio of small but mighty conservative legal blocs has rolled back public health authority at the local, state and federal levels, recasting America’s future battles against infectious diseases. Galvanized by what they’ve characterized as an overreach of COVID-19-related health orders issued amid the pandemic, lawyers from the three overlapping spheres — conservative and libertarian think tanks, Republican state attorneys general, and religious liberty groups — are aggressively taking on public health mandates and the government agencies charged with protecting community health.
Click through for details. The EPA can’t regulate. Now the CDC (and similar agencies at state and local levels) can’t regulate. Can anyone doubt any longer that they are trying to kill us all?
NPR – Decades of ‘good fires’ save Yosemite’s iconic grove of ancient sequoia trees
Quote – But it took more than the hard work of wildland firefighters, luck or a shift in the wind to protect the majestic trees in the Mariposa Grove, many of them 2,000 years old with several including the Grizzly Giant well over 3,000 years. Instead, foresters and ecologists say a half-century of intentional burning or ”prescribed fire” practices in and around the area dramatically reduced forest ”fuel” there, allowing the blaze to pass through the grove with the trees unscathed.
Click through for backstory. Nothing, in the end, will prevent forest fires entirely. And vacuum cleaners won’t help. But something else will. I shudder to think what a Republican administration might do to the Forest Service and the Park Service.
Food For Thought – This is from the British version of Vogue. I needed a little uplift and figured others might also.
Glenn Kirschner – Steve Bannon – Guilty; J6 hearing reveals Trump was the leader of the coup on January 6
Meidas Touch – BREAKING NEWS: Merrick Garland POWERFULLY AFFIRMS Trump CAN be prosecuted
The Lincoln Project – What It Was
MSNBC – How The Secret Service Became Not Just A Protecter Of The President’s Body, But His Secrets
Ojeda Live – Ojeda BLASTS Pathological Lying MyPillow Guy in This Video!
Beau – Let’s talk about what Greek statues can teach us about American history…
Glenn Kirschner – Day 2 of Steve Bannon’s contempt of Congress trial: a review of the opening statements
Meidas Touch – Texas Paul REACTS to Lauren Boebert’s Threat to Imprison Dr. Fauci
The Lincoln Project – Threats
Twitter – Too-good-to-miss anti-z ad
holy shit watch and retweet this ad pic.twitter.com/JIPhxZch7S
— Adam Parkhomenko (@AdamParkhomenko) July 20, 2022
This Guy Stopped Traffic To Save A Kitten In The Road
Beau – Let’s talk about a phone number you need in the US….
Glenn Kirschner – Day 1 of Steve Bannon’s contempt of Congress trial: jury selection. Many jurors voice their disdain
Meidas Touch – (NSFW) Texas Paul REACTS to Republican Obsession with TRAITORS
The Lincoln Project – Last Week in the Republican Party July 19
Robert Reich – Why Joe Manchin is Wrong About Inflation and Why We Need a Windfall Profits Tax
Puppet Regime – The Newsletter the PUPPET REGIME Wants You To Read
Beau – Let’s talk about systemic failures in Uvalde….
Yesterday, I overslept, but it was pretty quiet so I could afford that lost time, and even manage to write a “thank you” note to an old friend from the military for a book that there is no way my eyes and shoulders will allow me to read – and I like and respect her too much to lie to her. So that was tough.. But the news – I do try to limit the outrage in the short takes and feature good news when there is some. Today there is mostly outrage. Take a deep breath and try not to get depressed.
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Short Takes –
The 19th – How exposure to toxic chemicals in everyday products can impact reproductive health
Quote – PFAS is a developmental carcinogen. We have done a systematic review, which is the best practice for how to evaluate evidence, showing that PFOA [part of the larger group of man-made chemicals known as PFAS] can, through prenatal exposure, increase the risk of low birth weight [in] babies. It also looks like it could be related to maternal health effects; there is some evidence on preeclampsia and on gestational diabetes. It could influence fertility. BPA is an endocrine disruptor that can influence estrogen levels. So in the state of California they have labeled it a reproductive toxin based on its effects on the female ovary. But, you know, there’s also been studies on metabolic disease like obesity and diabetes and on neurodevelopmental effects. There’s been studies looking at effects on fertility. There’s a number of different animal and human studies showing that it affects reproductive function, and it’s shown in animal studies to affect the quality of the eggs in the ovary.
Click through for details. So what the article is saying is, the same white, wealthy, overwhelmingly male minority repomsible for imposing unpopular abortion bans is also responsible for saturating women (and men and children) with chemicals that make abortions more likely to be the only alternative to death. Got it.
NM Political Report – ‘Is your land for sale?’ Alarming offers to buy property in the burn zone
Quote – April Hoogerhuies got the phone call in the middle of packing up her home in Las Vegas, frantically trying to get things ready in case the Hermits Peak/Calf Canyon inferno forced her to evacuate. “Is your land for sale?” the caller inquired…. “This isn’t the time or place for this,” she replied. The caller rattled off a company name too quickly to note, but it was clear she wanted to buy a plot of undeveloped property that Hoogerhuies and her husband Daniel own in Manuelitas, just east of Hermits Peak. The couple maintains a greenhouse on the land, where they plant crops like pumpkins, radishes and tomatoes. Hoogerhuies was in a frenzy, packing up papers and medications while also trying to find a place for her elderly parents, in case they, too, needed to evacuate.
Click through for story. The race to the bottom continues.You know – yu just know – that if the vultures make enough calls, they will find someone who is willing to sell – and that that seller will be the person who can least afford to be swinf=dled. (And that there won’t be just one.)
Food For Thought
Glenn Kirschner- Lindsey Graham desperate to avoid testifying about Trump’s Georgia election crimes
Meidas Touch – Angry Tennessee Brando gives EPIC REACTION to Jan 6 Hearings
CBS News – Jan. 6 committee member Rep. Adam Schiff expresses concern over witness safety
White Supremacy (A Rebuttal) | Christopher Titus | Zero Side Effects
John Fugelsang “Caffeinated” – The US Has a Joe Manchin & Krysten Sinema Problem. Here is a Solution for you Biden! (a re-re;ease – but still accurate)
Beau – Let’s talk about benefits and Republicans telling you who they are….