NOTE: Click the date (July 27, 2026) in the lower left corner in blue to open it in BlueSky.
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— Christopher Webb (@cwebbonline.com) 2026-07-27T18:44:04.640Z
Aug 042026
Jul 112026
Yesterday, Wajeeh on Malcolm’s show reported that there was a scandal at the camel beauty conrest in Oman had to disqualify several contestants caught using Botox. This is for real, and it’s one more reason why people like Hegseth will never understand the Middle East (or, really, anywhere. He doesn’t even understand us, among whom he has lived his entire life.) And Frank Figliuzzi bumped thw atory of a STEM academy in Minneapolis serving the Somali community had a kindergarten graduation ceremony, and steamed it. I recommend not looking for or at the Prange Ogre’s Truth Social comment on this, nor any of the responses from his black-hearted cult, but if you must, have multiple barf bags on hand. And, not to be outdone, the state of New Hampshire picked now to notify Steve Schmidt that his (absentee) ballot on 2024 was not accepted and not counted, and that, since he therefore did not vote in that election, his name has been expunged from the voter rolls. Steve said this on the Jim Acosta show. I think New Hampshire picked the wrong voter to mess with myself.
Well, it isn’t June in January. Instead, it’s January in July. I wonder whether this murderer will turn out to have been a Jan 6 insurrectionist. I doubt we’ll ever know.
As convenient as the location of my Win10 is in some ways, there is no nearby mini-bookcase where I might put my pocket Constitution, as there was (still is) near my Win8. Oh well, it’s always on the internet, as are the Articles of Confederation which preceded it. In neither did I find the quote I was looking for. Which likely says more about me than it does about the documents. Not that it matters – the 14th would have superseded it anyway. I might just mention that it is possible to impeach judges – and justices – but we need to think about when it is a good idea, and when it is not. It’s not, for instance, a good idea to impeach and convict Thomas now, when the President will just appoint Aileen Cannon as his replacement and the Republican Senate will confirm her. Harry Litman’s take on the Barbara dissents is illuminating – and, like every former DOJ prosecutor who served in a better world, he knows whereof he speaks.
I think that all these officials (except, of course, our Orange Oligarch and his lackeys) have senses of decenct and decorum, as well as an understanding of unintended consequences, and along with self-control. They just aren’t going to spit in his eye or laugh in his face, as much as they might like to. And they all know – the whole world knows by now – that it isn’t possible to talk any sense into him, and that trying to do so results in tantrums. I really do think that good manners, as noncommital as possible, are the best way for foreign leaders to deal with him. At least until and unless there’s a warrant for him from the ICC.
Feb 212025
Yesterday, sadly, I learned that a long time friend had died. I knew this was coming, but that never makes it easier. He was an announcer at my classical radio station, and was considered a personal friend by everyone he met, I believe, and even by hundreds of people who only “met” him over the radio. Fred was a member of the local Freethinkers group, a practicing atheist, and possibly the most generous person I’ve ever met – certainly that was true for many years, though now I’d need to put SoINeedAName right up there with him. The station is being very protective of his personal information (which is laudable) so I don’t know exactly when it happened, but it must have been very recent – there’s no obituary in the local paper yet (not that that’s conclusive, as he always considered it a Nazi rag.) I dreaded telling Virgil – which I however did when he called – because it’s part of my job – and he was indeed very upset. But he also admitted he’d rather know than not know.
Michael Waldman, writing for the Brennan Center for Justice, discusses the Unitary Executive Theory – what it is, why it’s “fringe” (IMO that means a tactful way to say BS), how its influence shows up in Project 2025, executive orders, and general Republican attitude, as well as coming court battles.
Harry Litman of Talking Feds references George Orwell on the subject of Memory Holes and discusses the implications of the destruction of (supposedly) permanent records. I’m sure this is also why people are suggesting that everyone who is receiving Social Security, and everyone who is currently or ever has been employed in s job where they paid into Social Security, go log in to The Social Security website right now and download all the informaion on you stored there. The same with the IRS, and any other government body which might have any stored information about you (I always keep a copy of my tax returns, and have them for a lot longer than the seven years normally recommended). Especially if you have already established an account with LogIn dot gov, it’s a lot easier than freezing your credit. At least it is now. Don’t wait too long.
Dec 222024
Yesterday, I awoke to find that we have a continuing resolution. I can’t be certain that the F News coverage is the pest on the details, but it’s pretty darned good (should I have said pretty effing good?) so here’s the link. This doesn’t mean I won’t have articles or videos on the potential shutdown for the next couple of days – because there were a few which I thought had continuing value. Meanwhile, the radio opera was Mozart’s “The Magic Flute,” in an abridged form and in English (in the spring they’ll broadcast the full one in German and will call it “Die Zauberflöte“). It’s a lot of fun – for adults also – especially in this Julie Taymor production with wretchedly excessive costumes and puppets. It’s designed to appeal to kids, but adults can enjoy is just as well – maybe even better. This opera is famos outside the opera world for the Queen of the Night’s aria (in German, “Die holle Rache,” and known by pro musicians as “The holy racket,” which is not unfitting.) But there are many wonderful tunes in it besides that one. Here’s a whole page of pictures which may give you an idea of the spectacle.
Andy Borowitz has what he calls a “starter kit” to boycott. I’m way ahead of him on all four, and I don’t feel even a smidgen deprived.
This from Wonkette qualifies, I believe, as good news. I will note that the author, “Doktor Zoom,” recently leased an EV and he loves it and, in his own words, “won’t stop talking about it.” So he’s admittedly not unbiased. But pretty much everyone at Wonkette is biased in one way or another, but they all appear to retain the ability to distinguish fact from fiction, even from theory.
Nov 082024
Yesterday, The 19th (though its editor) ask the question, “What will it take for America tohave a woman President?” You’re probably familiar with the concept of necessary and sufficient conditions. Well, IMO, a necessary condition would be for Democrats to sontrol the standards for primary and secondary education nationall, in all states and territories, wit enforcement, for 40 years (one generation.) But i can’t claim that would be sufficient. The 19th is a Creative Commons source, so I posted it to Democratic Underground. and put my pwn opinion in a comment. By yhe time I posted the comment there was already ne comment other than mine, and by the time I got there to read it there were two more. I must have touched a nerve.
Yes, this leads to a video – from “Legal AF” which is affiliated with Meidas Touch, although if I understand him correctly, it’s now being opened as a seperate channel. Being part of a Resistance is hard, but in the long run not being in a resistance may be harder. I have to add to what Popok says: he speaks about watching blue states go purple, and purple states go red, and by larhe margins, but he doesn’t really address why. The reason is MISOGYNY. As in 2016, misogynists managed to hide in plain sight for months, even years – and then cpme out of hiding in droves. How long are we going to ignore this? Until it kills us, like the cancer it is? I’m providing the link to the new channel, not the main link, but the one to the “Videos” page because that is the page which has all the videos in chronological order (newest first) which makes it possible to follow a complete timeline. I am not going to be posting one daily, though I shall certainly try to be following the channel daily.)
Defending Rights and Dissent sent me an email outlining their plans for the next four years. (Of course it’s requesting donations.) They didn’t provide a direct link to the content, but I’m pretty sure I found the same article. Since we are now the Resistance, you might want to read it and at least know there are places to turn (ACLU is not alone). You know, Audrey Hepburn, when she was a teenager, worked with the Resistance in the Netherlands during the Nazi occupation. She had health issues for the rest of her life – not I think because of the work, but because everyone was starving. They ate tu;lip bulbs just to survive, for instance.
This link is to the home page of New Mexico Political Report. Which means it almost certainly will not look the same to you reading this as it did to me posting it. But here re the headlines I am seeing (sorry about the all caps. I cut and pasted.):
HEINRICH WINS THIRD TERM IN SENATE
VASQUEZ WINS REELECTION TO CONGRESS IN CLOSELY FOUGHT RACE
DEMOCRATS DEFEND LARGE MAJORITIES IN STATE HOUSE, SENATE
DEMOCRATS WIN 1ST, 3RD CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICTS
SECRETARY OF STATE: 2024 ELECTIONS A SUCCESS
They are probably all still findable.
Colorado also could have done a lot worse. We still have one House seat that’s too close to call, but we did well with initiatives. The only big one we lost was trying to outlaw sport hunting of big cats. So, if you are considering to a different state, here we are. I can’t say what our job markets are like, but our prices are certainly lower than California’s.
Apr 302024
Yesterday, I ran across a video on ice cream from which I learned that Joe is far from the first President to have a thing for ice cream. Washington did, and so did Jefferson, and Dplley Madison hostessed America’s first ice cream social ever, in the White House. I won’t embed it here because it’s over 20 minutes longbut I will provide a link in case anyone wants to check it out. The earliest ice creams, incidentaally, were made with eggs, and should therefore really be called frozen custard rather than ice cream. Among the many books I had as a little girl, there was one which mentioned frozen custard, and I wondered what it was – I was well into adulthood before I learned the distinction. Now I know, and now you know.
This from LAWdork (at Substack) was referred by the Talking Points Memo newsletter. The facts of the case itself are all too common. But the sight of conservative lawlessness being too much for even a proven, dyed-in-the-wool conservative is not quite so common. I wish AG Drommond and Mr. Glossup both complete success here.
There are multiple reason why this story from Antiques Roadshow is astonishing, touching, and mindboggling. And pertinent to America and Americans today. Christian Nationalism has in common with slavery the concept that some people are more equal than others.
Sep 082023
This might have been a good opportunity to use the word “penultimate” – or even “antepenultimate” to allow for people like Giuliani and Eastman filling the “penultimate” positions.
Glenn Kirschner – Proud Boys Tarrio sentence to 22 years, but Trump – not Tarrio – is the “leader” of the insurrection
MSNBC – ‘Voters in Fulton County, Georgia elected her to’ take on big cases like 2020 election interference
Thom Hartmann – Why Term Limits Won’t Save America From Oligarchs Like Mitch McConnell
Liberal Redneck – Freeze, Mitch! (And the Scourge of Ancient Evil)
Momma Dog Has Her Babies In A Tiny Hole In The Ground
Beau – Let’s talk about a new government website….
Jun 252020
It’s a busy day, here in the CatBox. Store to Door will be delivering groceries, and I have to put them away. Tomorrow, please expect no more than a Personal Update or an Open Thread. I have a doctor coming from Providence Medical Group at Home. What I can publish depends on how long she is here. How many Republicans does it take to screw in a light bulb? The answer is ∞. Republicans want to keep you (and their idiot Sheeple) in the dark.
Jig Zone Puzzle:
Today’s took me 3:09 (average 4:44). To do it, click here. How did you do?
Cartoon:
Trump* Virus Update:
Cases: 2,463,923
Deaths: 124,308
Short Takes:
From NY Times: The Senate on Wednesday confirmed Cory T. Wilson of Mississippi to a New Orleans-based circuit court over united Democratic opposition, handing President Trump the 200th federal judicial confirmation of his tenure and achieving a Republican goal of filling every appeals court opening by the end of the year.
In winning Senate approval, Judge Wilson, a conservative state court judge and former Mississippi legislator, became the 53rd federal appeals court judge installed by Mr. Trump and cemented a milestone in a judicial legacy that has reshaped the federal courts during his administration, including putting in place two Supreme Court justices. Republicans lauded the achievement. The vote was 52-48.
This is a sad day for America. There are now 200 more reasons that justice here will be undermined for many decades. RESIST!!
From Crooks and Liars: Lighthouse Pentecostal Church in Union County, Oregon is tied to 236 cases of COVID-19 in the area — in a county with 258 cases.
And of course, the church in eastern Oregon cited Donald Trump’s demand that states allow churches to open as the reason they restarted services, against the law which didn’t allow religious groups to convene in large gatherings.
These Republican pseudo-Christians (the opposite of real authentic Christians) love to infect their neighbors with Trump* virus for their beloved criminal Fuhrer Trump*! RESIST!!
From YouTube (Adam Schiff Channel): Rep. Schiff on CNN: Barr is the Second Most Dangerous Man in America
Since Barrf is the third most dangerous man in the country (You forgot Bought Bitch Midnight Moscow Mitch), impeach him! RESIST!!
From YouTube (a blast from the past): Neil Diamond – Sweet Caroline High Quality
Ah… the memories! RESIST!!
Vote Blue No Matter Who Top to Bottom!!