Yesterday, I got up a couple of hours before sunset, which doesn’t sound like much, but will help me get back on track.
I watched Frank Figliuzzi’s “Frank Friday” broadcast in which he uses the adjectival definition of his name (not that he doesn’t always do his best to be frank but yeah – this time he delves deeply into a couple of legal cases which reek to high heaven – a proposed sale of land within Yosemite to a private developer, the destruction of government databases which have taken real administrations decades to build, actions of DOJ employees at primary polling places in Wyoming, and more. I’m sure you can find it all elsewhere – but not all in one place – and not presented with Frank’s attitude.
I realize you all know that the meeting occurred, and would like to know what was said at it. This from Common Dreams doesn’t have that except a couple of snippets. The article is mostly about the backlash to the meeting.
This is the civil case regarding the Orange Ogre’s attempt to illegally use the Postal Service. Joyce Vance goes into detail.
Yesterday, I missed my morning appointment because I got royally lost. That’s a humiliating confession from someone who was habded a road map when I was 5 years old and told that I was the navigator, but it is what it is. Other than that my plsn worked well. I got to the ultrasound appointment a bit early having done the prep they recommend. They have certainly made progress with ultrasound equipmentin the 35 years or so since I had one before surgery to remove an endometrioma – something which runs in the family on my mother’s father’s side. One of Mom’s aunts (my great aunt) pretty clearly had one – they are pretty obvious when not removed, and she refused surgery. Considering this was around the time of World War I, that was probably a wise choice. My mother didn’t have one, but she did have an ectopic pregnancy, which has a similar cause but is much more dangerous. But she survived it, thanks to a creative OBG, and lived to age 93.
They just can’t let anything natural be without finding a way to mess with it – usually to ruin it. They really do think they are Masters of the Universe – or Gods. Spoiler – They aren’t.
This from Morning Memo speaks for itself pretty eloquently
Trust Joyce Vance to be right here to explain the ramifications when the same crime (or tort, if a civil suit) – and a single act can be both.
I guess I’m lucky. I don’t know whether my gas and electric is public orr private – but I do know they can’t change rates without first holding a well-publlicized public hearing. My water and sewer I do know is public, and cannot change rates without putting a measure on the ballot in the next election -and then getting a majority of those voting to vote for it. My fire department is also public through a special district (this is very common in Colorado). And my utility rates have not gone through the roof – yet.
Yesterday, Trinette was by. She managed to get here and also get home before the lightning (which I did’t see, but heard the thunder). Never a dull moment with our weather. I should sdd that when I use the term “Trump Derangement Syndrome,” I am referring to the derangement suffered (or enjoyed) by Trump himself. Because that’s the only kind which is real, albeit many of his followers also exhibit it.
A video – just under a quarter hour – from Adam Klasfeld – literal Pay to Play, and a lawsuit hoping to end it. Yes, there’s a transcript.
He can declare until he is blue in the face – but it won’t change anything. Period.
This is not anything which is likely to affect any of us personally – and maybe I should be concentrating on things which are – and they are legion. But it is so dramatic that once you look at it, it’s hard to look away.
Yesterday, I saw Virgil. and we played Cribbage. He asked me to thank you, Lona, for your birthday wishso – Many Thanks. Also yesteray, Heather Cox Richardson posted more 1-minute videos in her “250 to 250” series, which she might continue through December – since July 4 is past.. I have been sharing very few on individuals – not that that means I haven’t been leaving out some major events, because I have. I said when I started I would not possibly be able to share all of them. If you want to see what you are missing, all of them from the beginning (and last week was week #9), are at her YouTube channel – mixed in among her readings of her “Letters from an American”, her “Politics Chats,” and other videos, but they are clearly marked.
From The Root. Sorry, kids, humans – especially professors – are generally smarter than AI.
I for one never think about judges working on Saturdays. However – court doesn’t need to be in session for them to be working – and if thre was ever a time and place for a judge who respects his oath of office to be working overtime – the time is now and the place is here.
Yesterday, Malcolm Nance apologized for failing to do a scheduled Substack video – because he had had to do interviews on three BBC entities and on ABC (down under.) Apparently I am far from alone in respecting his experience and analysis (and also his choices of co-hosts – Jacob has been missing for three says because he was doing interviews, not just in Denmark, but all over Europe.) Fertilizer was in the spotlight. I am no chemist, but a huge component of fertilizer is urea which is a major (or the major) source of nitrogen for fertilizer. Aren’t we all running around every day full of urea, and flushing most of it? Is it time for someone who is a chemist to come up with some way to capture that and refine it? Or am I dreaming?
Harmeet Dillon’s name has not yet, as far as I know, come up from the White House as a potential AG. But if Robert Reich thinks it is a possibility, I’m confident it is a possibility
Jesse Wegman is part of the Brennan Center for Justice. He has some thoughts about the courts here, and at least one of those thoughts is colorful.
We may as well look at this. The devil, as they say, is in the details.
Monday was the fourth anniversary of “Russian warship, go fuck yourself.” (Malcolm was there, in Ukraine.) And “go fuck yourself” was not a completely accurate translation from Ukrainian. (“Go find a dick” is closer.) Hopefully remembering that can inspire us. Maybe not as much as it inspired Ukraine at the time, but there is a whole lot of room beneath that extremely high level. Also, Eric Swalwell announced he will resign from Congress but provided no effective date.
Here is incontrovertible evidence that some Muslims are better Christians than some Christians – translated from Farsi (not by me): “Your Excellency Pope Leo XIV (@Pontifex), on behalf of the great nation of Iran, I condemn the insult to Your Excellency and declare that the desecration of Jesus (peace be upon him), the Prophet of peace and brotherhood, is unacceptable to any free person. I wish glory for you from Allah.” – Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian (quoted by Daily Kos)
What the Brennan Center for Justice is doing now to protect the midterms in November, by Michael Waldman.
If you are looking for an exact moment when we lost the Iran war, the closest you can probably come is the moment we started it. MajGen Paul Eaton (Ret), the leader of VoteVets analyses pretty much everything we have done wrong, which is pretty much everything we have done. Unless, of course, you are an insider trader, in which case you can laugh all the way to your Trumpcoin.
Yesterday, (as if you didn’t know – it was everywhere) Pam Bondi was fired (but only one of my sources included in the headline that the next one will be worse.) One source said Tulsi Gabbard is also toast. Sixty years ago today (not April 3 today, but Good Friday today) Virgil had the car accident which caused his TBI and all that implies.
From Press Watch. Pretty much any order given by Darth Dementia and/or Kegsbreath has been and will be unlawful. Which, sadly, does not mean they have not been and will not be obeyed. I cannot blame anyone who considers the United States as a whole to be a de facto war criminal – because we are.
Frankly, this from Common Dreams had occurred to me even before I saw this. The way he is wasting oil, we will have no choice other than to to green (unless you consider freezing to death, or dying of heat stroke, choices.)
From Joyce Vance – one of he decisions which came down this week. Yes, it’s unusual for us to be awaiting and looking at multiple decisions in any given week. But this is not a usual regime. I hope this stands – and that it is not ignored.
Yesterday, there was a hearing in committee for Markwayne Mullin, nominated to replace Kristi Noem. I’m just going to reproduce in full what Rand Paul asked him. (You may remember that in 2017 Paul was beat up so severely that he was hospitalized. And I do not agree with his proposed amendment, and you won’t either, but I do agree with him on Mullin):
“Recently, Senator Mullin, if you have time to listen, you were confronted by constituents that were angry because you voted against my amendment to stop all funding for refugee welfare programs,” said Paul. “Instead of explaining your vote to continue these welfare programs for refugees, you decided to transfer the blame. You told the media that I was a ‘freaking snake’ and that you completely understood why I had been assaulted. I was shocked that you would justify and celebrate this violent assault that caused me so much pain and my family so much pain. I just wonder if someone who applauds violence against their political opponents is the right person to lead an agency that has struggled to accept limits to the proper use of force. You have never had the courage to look me in the eye and tell me that the assault was justified, so today you’ll have your chance. Today, I’ll give you that chance to clear the record. Tell it to my face, if that’s what you believe. Tell it to me today. Tell the world why you believe I deserve to be assaulted from behind, have six ribs broken, and a damaged lung. Tell me to my face why you think I deserved it. And while you’re at it, explain to the American public why they should trust a man with anger issues to set the proper example for ICE and Border Patrol agents.”
Also yesterday afternoon, the Senate was debating the SAVE Act, but I have no details yet. (I doubt they decided anything – I would have seen or heard that.) Also, we had a high temperature of 80°F (~27°C) and for today, tomorrow, and Saturday are expecting 84°,85°, and 89° respectively – in an area known for snow storms happening (off and on, granted) November through May
Judicial fireworks – Harry Litman said he has never seen an attorney escorted out of a courtroom by marshals before. Talk about no nonsense!
Maybe I should save this from All Rise News for Sunday. On the other hand, the sooner people can get vaccinated as a result of the, the better.
And there’s this from Press Watch, which could turn out to be good news. We’ll need to watch, and wait, and see. But we can hope.
