Month: July 2023

Too Tired for Words

On Thursday, I arrived back home in Missouri. I am still testing negative for COVID. The only remaining symptom is fatigue. Even the joint aches are gone.

On the other hand, that sleepiness could be a residual symptom of fun time with joyful, active young grandkids. Even with COVID, it ended as a great trip.

Back in 2020, I joined others in prayers of support for scientists seeking answers. I’m glad they came up with life-saving vaccines, and advice on how to mitigate the virus. I am not the only one saved from having to go to the hospital or the morgue.

A number of our family members were afflicted by COVID. It has not escaped our notice that the half-dozen who died were all unvaccinated, mostly because of inept state administration of what should have been available jabs. We mourn their loss.

We always will.

I look forward to being back on line next week.

Independence, Economy, False Quote, False Witness, Hitler, SCOTUS, Race

Do click: Brief bit of beautiful appreciation
from one (still) sovereign nation to another:

  • Infidel753 preaches against the loud, very loud, trivialization of what should be a solemn celebration of American Independence.
     
    Key verdict:
    An adult approach to national history and observances is surely not too much to ask.
     
    Followed by a series of hilariously reckless fireworks fails.
    As in The damn fools had it coming!
     
    Confession: I’m ashamed at my out loud laughs at what could be serious injuries.
     
    However, they really did have it coming!
     
  • In Letters from an American, historian Heather Cox Richardson looks at the Declaration of Independence as a radical document, limited by a constricted definition of “all men”, but expanded with time and the evolution of social morality.
     
    In the Civil War, the ideals in the Declaration were threatened by an illegal rebellion in denial of founding principles.
     
    Those ideals are similarly threatened today.
     
  • North Carolina pastor John Pavlovitz devoted Independence Day to mourning for the America we could have had. Should have by now.
     
    Key observation about the political right:
    They can say they love this nation, while betraying almost everything central to its beauty: diversity, plurality, equality—and the indoctrinated cult will lap it up because they need the story to be true.
     
  • Wisconsin conservative James Wigderson compares the state of our ideals with Independence celebrations in the past, focusing on America’s 1976 bicentennial, and concludes we have triumphed over far worse times than we face today.
     
  • Our US Senator from here in Missouri, Josh Hawley, quoted Patrick Henry in support of a Christian nation. Turns out the quote was a fraud. My own reaction:
     


    tengrain at Mock Paper Scissors goes a little deeper and discovers that the actual source that inspired Senator Hawley was YIKES! Worse than I thought!
     

  • Dave Columbo confronts his Republican doppelganger on Biden and Trump:
     
  • Hackwhackers looks at Bidenomics for June, comparing the economic performance that was predicted by experts with what actually happened, and proves that one picture is worth almost half a million jobs.
     
  • News Corpse reports President Biden’s reaction to Hunter Biden’s drug addicted behavior, and the Fox/Republican reaction to Joe Biden’s reaction:
    Both attack the President for a lack of family values.
     
    Key attack (From Congressman James Comer):
    And his own son pled guilty to two tax evasion charges and one [count of] illegal possession of firearms. This is a terrible example of leadership in the White House.
     
    Key description (from Fox anchor Rachel Campos-Duffy):
    …the biggest political scandal in modern history, as far as I’m concerned.
     
    Key actual value (noted by News Corpse):
    …Comer’s implication of nefarious intent regarding strengthening gun regulations, even though Hunter was found to have violated them, proves that Biden is committed to equal justice under the law, even if it means holding his son to account.
     
    Key additional point (mine):
    Investigative reports have only uncovered a father’s continuous unconditional love, combined with a calm insistence on each step of recovery and acceptance of responsibility. When dealing with addiction, this strikes me as a parental model to be admired.
     
  • It was a dark, quiet night. Most people were asleep. The next day was July Fourth, so many had the day off from work. Alas, one man was not asleep.
     
    So begins the Palmer Report, speculating on why, as dawn on Independence Day approaches, a former president lies awake in the dark, obsessed with social media.
     
  • Ted McLaughlin at jobsanger has the survey on who voters find personally likable.
     
    For Joe Biden, the numbers are mixed. Some groups like him, some groups not so much. Overall, it’s negative but only marginally so.
     
    For Donald Trump, everyone seems to agree. They love to hate him. It isn’t close.
     
  • In MadMikesAmerica, Michael John Scott goes sci-fi and predicts what happens when Donald Trump meets space aliens.

Continue reading “Independence, Economy, False Quote, False Witness, Hitler, SCOTUS, Race”

SCOTUS, SCOTUS, SCOTUS, Democracy, Bravado, Kevin Sorrow, Women’s Wash

  • Dave Columbo explains democracy to an extra-terrestrial:
     
  • This week, the Supreme Court rejected the Republican idea that state legislatures should be able to overturn election results they don’t like:
     
    Key worthwhile few seconds:
    Winning oral argument against that proposal by Neal Katyal.

    It is rejected by the Articles of Confederation, rejected by the early state constitutions, rejected by the founding practice, especially, New York where judges vetoed federal election bills. It’s also rejected by this court, and cases such as Smiley and Hildebrandt.
     
  • A woman, who had religious reasons for discriminating against a gay couple by not designing a website advocating gay marriage, gets a ruling in her favor from the United States Supreme Court.
     
    It turns out to be a “hypothetical” case on many levels:

    • The web designer was not really a web designer, not having ever learned to design websites.
    • The gay couple did not actually exist.
    • The referenced “gay” man was surprised to find himself named in the suit.
    • He is not gay.
    • There was no wedding. He was already married. Had been for years.
    • Happily married, with a woman.
    • He never contacted the “web designer”.
    • In fact he was an experienced web designer himself, with no need for any outside help with a non-wedding.

     
    Well, anyone can make a mistake, and it’s not as if she lied to authorities about something classified. Besides, she might, in the future, get web design skills. She might develop a legal need to discriminate against hypothetical couples.
     
    Because of a religion that forbids false witness.
     
    Hackwhackers reacts to an excerpt from Justice Sonia Sotomayor’s dissent.

  • Imani Gandy and Jessica Mason Pieklo of Rewire News Group review the separate affirmative action case and its likely impact on college admissions.
     

     
    You may prefer a complete transcript or podcast form.
     
  • After this week’s negative decisions:
    Shamelessly stolen from Mastodon (https://mastodon.world/@GetMisch@masto.nyc/110634857449191508)
  • News reports tell us dozens of Secret Service agents have been testifying against Mr. Trump for a variety of alleged crimes.
     
    The Palmer Report is dismissive – – partially. It is not news that agents would be willing to testify. A grand jury subpoena is not a voluntary invitation. The real news is that Jack Smith knows which witnesses to call about which crimes.
     
  • For as long as I can remember, organized crime figures were often convicted and put into prison on the basis of recordings in which they boasted about their crimes.
     
    Tommy Christopher reminds us of the latest excuse after Donald Trump’s own incriminating recording, an excuse past crime figures never thought to make. Tommy traces Trump’s novel defense to its likely source on Fox.
     
    Key excuse:
    The audio leaves little doubt that Trump was representing to others that he was waving sensitive papers around at that meeting, which he now claims was mere “bravado” for his guests.
     
  • Julian Sanchez reads the bravado defense:
     

  • CalicoJack in The Psy of Life examines 3 specific mass brainwashing methods and their role in defending Trump’s espionage.
     
  • The Borowitz Report has an alternate story. Americans are shocked by the audio recording proving Trump can read.
     
  • In MadMikesAmerica, Michael J. Scott turns on his television and is startled to see Donald Trump – no longer energized as he carries his rage, bluster, and (yes) bravado. Instead, he seems burdened and tired, staring into the abyss and seeing prison time glaring back.
     
    Key image:
    It appears that the reality of his situation is slowly dawning on him – a realization that protestations, threats, and power can’t always shield one from American justice.

Continue reading “SCOTUS, SCOTUS, SCOTUS, Democracy, Bravado, Kevin Sorrow, Women’s Wash”