Friends of Justice, Biden Memory, Kremlin Drones, Debt Ceiling, Mouse

11 seconds of an example I’d like to follow:

  • Vixen Strangely at Strangely Blogged reads the main defense of Clarence Thomas, that he should not be criticized for hanging out with friends who are willing to share a ride. He happens to be blessed with the best friends anyone could have.
     
    Key question:
    Who in the world has such generous friends?
     
  • M. Bouffant at Web of Evil has the links, and a suggestion that a lawyer who happened to be on those expensive vacations with Justice Clarence Thomas may not be the best choice to loudly defend him.
     
  • At The Onion, the Supreme Court is once again interrupted as Justice Thomas receives a live cheetah as a donor gift.
     
  • The Propaganda Professor dives into the current state of contemporary conservatism: What makes “conservatives” tick?
     
    Key thesis:
    “Conservatism” isn’t built on values. It’s built on attitude.
     
  • Hackwhackers expresses skepticism bordering on cynicism as Putin minions claim a child’s-toy-sized drone that tried to kill Putin by attacking the roof of the wrong building was sent by Ukraine. PutinFolk then claimed it was sent by the US.
     
    My thought: Reichstag fire.
     
  • Green Eagle has a couple of scenarios that seem more likely.
     
  • Nikki Haley wants President Biden tested for cognitive decline.
     
    At The Moderate Voice, retired U.S. Air Force Major and former aerospace/defense executive Dorian de Wind suggests we should be concerned about all candidates and a more basic test of competency: a test at which Biden happens to excel.
     
  • Author John Scalzi does not actually mention Nikki Haley, but he does have notes about his own memory.
     
  • In Letters from an American, historian Heather Cox Richardson has the facts on what is misleadingly called the Debt Ceiling. It is not a ceiling on debt. It is only authorization to pay existing bills so the national credit, and our economy, don’t get wrecked. Seems all sorts of bad stuff will happen in the next month or so.
     
    Republicans say they will cause the calamity unless they get all manner of slashes to popular programs.
     
    Key summary:
    Senator Chuck Schumer warned that Republicans are including…
    “… steep cuts to law enforcement, veterans, families, teachers, and kids And will gut Medicaid for over 20 million Americans, rip away SNAP benefits for over a million recipients and eliminate Pell grants for tens of thousands of American students every year.
     
    But Republicans are mostly angry at the Department of Veterans Affairs for pointing to what will become a 22% cut in veteran health, disability, and food benefits.
     
    This crop of Republican legislators are an odd but destructive bunch.
     
  • Supply-chain bottlenecks are vanishing. The Russian oil cut off has been mostly overcome with domestic production. Good news, right?
     
    tengrain at Mock Paper Scissors reads the Wall Street Journal so you don’t have to. Economists now see more evidence that inflation persists because corporations are still price gouging as much as they can, for as long as they can.
     
  • Ted McLaughlin at jobsanger shows us Willie Nelson, who has what some seem to regard as a radical view regarding unfairness. He’s against it. Interesting that this is now considered a controversial value.

  • So trans Montana state Rep. Zooey Zephyr has been banned from the legislature, although she can cast votes remotely. Scotties Playtime counts through the extraordinary lengths to which Republicans in that body had to go in order to become offended enough to toss her out.
     
    Representative Zephyr set up a makeshift office on a bench outside the chamber. That is until a harassment group took every space to keep her from sitting anywhere.
     
    My reaction to her reaction to their reaction:

  • Cato Institute’s Julian Sanchez sees some situations in which parents should leave other parents alone:


    And that this applies to other situations as well:

  • Frances Langum has some entertainment in the Ron DeSantis war on Mickey Mouse. Seems the Governor has published a book that is full of evidence that Disney lawyers will be using to prove motivation. He just wants to punish the theme park for their lack of hatred toward gay folk.
     
    Key factor:
    Yep, it turns out we still have a Constitution that protects speech, even by a corporate mouse.
     
  • The Palmer Report covers the DeSantis v Disney lawsuits as a Hatfield/McMouse feud, with the mouse always winning.
     
    Key Herman Melville inspiration:
    There is only one thing that appears to be a priority for the great big bully, only one thing that whispers to him at night, that cools the sweat on his brow, that beckons to him like an enchanting siren beckons to a dazed sailor.
     
  • CalicoJack in The Psy of Life demonstrates, and explains, how geography seems to be a marker of culture and gun violence in the United States.
     
    Key aside:
    …a friendly Texas neighbor was shooting his AR-15 at 11:00 PM at night in his front yard, as one does, and took exception to the now dead family’s dad asking him to stop or move further away because it was keeping their baby awake. Would that that baby had stayed in the womb, so Greg Abbott could care about its life!
     
    Texas Governor Greg Abbott, of course, made sure to mention (incorrectly, as it turned out) that the victims were five illegal immigrants.
     
    My thought:

  • Wisconsin conservative James Wigderson continues to be widely recognized as a go‑to source of conservative wisdom (I try to forgive the universe for this), this time by CNN on what Republicans must do to stop their decline.
     
    James briefly mentions the article online:

  • Tommy Christopher is ready for CNN’s Trump town hall this coming week. It may be a test of sorts for Trump. Tommy suggests it will be more of a test of moderator Kaitlan Collins.
     
    Key prediction:
    I expect Trump will attack Collins with or without provocation…
     
    Key Test:
    But if it seems that Collins ends up going easier on Trump than she should, that will lead observers, myself included, to conclude that she had marching orders to do so…
     
    Key Suggested Question:
    “So, about that whole inspiring a terrorist attack against us thing, what was up with that?”
     
  • News Corpse considers mr Trump’s radical education plan on firing instructors and administrators, replacing them with MAGA faithful. News Corpse points out a potential model, the fabulously successful Trump University.
     
  • In a fun parody of Taylor Swift’s Shake It Off, Infidel753 brings to us a musical ode celebrating public libraries.
     
    Critical comment (from me):
    Wow!
     
  • @whiskeywhistle98 shows empathy for the hardships of teaching the first grade:
     
  • YellowDog Granny has acerbic thoughts and bitter humor on gun safety, Fox, and mr Trump.
     
  • Andy Borowitz reports that Tucker Carlson and Kari Lake have plans for an alternate universe.
     
    Key quantum:
    Although preparations are in the primordial stage, the two right-wing icons said that the realm would exist outside the normal bounds of time and space
     
  • Think the not how white men fight text from Tucker was the bigly revelation? Our favorite Earth-Bound Misfit explains, step by careful step, how it also proves those in charge of Fox are the dumbest executives on earth.
     
  • Dave Columbo has wisdom for new members of the Fox Network family:
     
  • The Comstock Act was passed a hundred fifty years ago, during the Grant Administration. It outlawed using US mails to send “lewd” writings and anything used for abortions. The anti-abortion part was declared unconstitutional more than half a century ago.
     
    Imani Gandy and Garnet Henderson of Rewire News Group cover a new attack on abortion choices as conservatives have a strategy to bring back the Comstock Act.
     

     
    You may prefer a complete transcript or a podcast form
     
  • In The Life and Times of Bruce Gerencser, one of my brothers-in-Christ offers atheist Bruce an analysis of his personality.
     
    Key wish on health issues faced by Bruce:
    Don’t you think I’d [He left out the ‘t’ in ‘it’d’] be better to just die in pain silently without trying to take others down with you?
    Nice.
     
  • Me on suffering through loss:

  • MadMikesAmerica is back YAY!!!, as Michael John Scott looks at the religion to which I and others adhere, as a battle between ‘Bad Jesus’ and ‘Good Jesus’. He issues a call for authentic Christianity in modern times.
     
  • Nan’s Notebook asks readers how each of us might want to our obituary to read.
     
    My dad once told me that I will never be too old to be immature.
     
    I have never given much thought to my own future obit.
    But at my actual funeral, I would like someone to speak the following over my casket:
    My God! He’s moving!
     
  • Sarah Cooper has a warning about Artificial Intelligence:

  • PZ Myers kind of, sort of, liked most of John Wick: Chapter 4, but sincerely hopes there won’t be a 5.
     
    Key advice:
    I just wanted to say, “John, don’t get up. You’re gonna need lots of ibuprofen, and you might want to ice your whole body for a while. Get some rest, John.”
     
  • SilverAppleQueen has a cat who really wants to go outside.
     
  • In Happiness Between Tails, da-AL not only has dogs, but meaningful advice on how to promote your dog’s health and happiness.
     
  • Clickbait satirist Reductress explains a man taking a coworker’s tupperware out of the communal fridge. I’m not interested in labels.
     
  • Minor League Baseball doesn’t have to be boring:
     
  • We just ended National Poetry Month. Vagabond Scholar celebrates, finding a beautiful ode to spring.
     

– Podcasts –
 

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