Outrageously wonderful:
When Lunar New Year and the first day of Black History Month fall on the same day pic.twitter.com/hFz8KkS3zN
— Wanda Sykes (@iamwandasykes) February 1, 2022
- Everyone knew the January jobs report was not going to be good. Pandemic and all. Tommy Christopher watches financial people pick up their teeth from where they fell on the table, as Biden policies produce jobs creation at multiples of what those analysts had predicted.
It isn’t just January. Biden’s first year’s jobs report was the highest in the history of jobs reports.
- News Corpse watches the gleeful anticipation on the Fox Network of a horrible jobs crisis. When record smashing, massive, jobs creation emerges instead, the televised disappointment is palpable. Fox anti-American hopes are crushed as pundits discover that, no, the numbers were not a misplaced decimal.
- Of course, the economy is not all that is at stake:
Republicans are simultaneously insisting that Covid is a nothing-burger and also that Biden is doing too little and too much about it. And also that Trump’s response was perfect but that fauci was a disaster and the vaccines are amazing but don’t take them because they don’t work
— Luke Zaleski (@ZaleskiLuke) January 29, 2022
- At The Moderate Voice Professor Amitrajeet A. Batabyal of Rochester Institute of Technology explores one great weakness of dictatorships and how that flaw applies to China’s future.
- In the Palmer Report, our own Josh Hawley, Senator from here in Missouri, goes all Tokyo Rose, coming an inch or so from explicitly defending Putin’s right to invade Ukraine.
- At the Borowitz Report, Vlad Putin claims the Ukraine as consolation for losing the White House.
That was parody.
- This is not:
I know you've been getting a lot of flack because your quote is actually from neo-nazi Kevin Strom
But people should give you a break. Anyone can get a little confused late at night about the author of their bedtime reading.
— Burr Deming (@BurrLand01) February 1, 2022
- In Letters from an American, renowned historian Heather Cox Richardson takes a look at two stories this week.
The more widely reported: The carefully planned battle in which US forces killed terrorist leader of the Islamic State militant group – ISIS, Abu Ibrahim al-Hashimi al-Qurayshi.
As Biden announced, it sends “a strong message to terrorists around the world: We will come after you and find you”
The less reported story, potentially as significant to the Republic, was a Trump administration proposal after the election to use intelligence agencies illegally to target the private information of individual voters. The idea was to generate disinformation about fictional vote interference by foreign governments.
The Trump attempt to overturn our democracy is now documented to have been more developed and detailed than is generally recognized.
- In Hackwhackers, it turns out that then-President Trump actually went a little further than inciting an insurrection. He plotted to seize voting machines.
- Ted McLaughlin at jobsanger points out how Donald Trump has always been a control freak, trying to micro-manage pretty much everything. Should we be surprised that he was behind so many details of the Jan 6 insurrection?
- Dave Dubya watches Trump rally in Texas, promising that if criminal laws are applied to him he will have his mobs tear the country violently apart.
Too big to jail.
- I admit this made me chuckle:
Many people are saying Trump will be tried as an adult.
— The USA Singers (@TheUSASingers) February 1, 2022
- CATO Institute’s own Julian Sanchez gives Mike Pence semi-applause. Okay, maybe applaw:
It’s nice to hear Pence state clearly that he had no right to overturn the election; would’ve been nicer if he’d more strongly said there was no legitimate reason to question the result. https://t.co/RGm4DPEJkd
— Julian Sanchez (@normative) February 4, 2022
“Irregularities” is how R politicians who still feel some vestigial shame about lying can do so with plausible deniability. It lets you say something you can argue is technically true, even though you know that what your audience hears is something outrageously false.
— Julian Sanchez (@normative) February 5, 2022
- Wisconsin conservative James Wigderson has a word for Liz Cheney:
Courage. https://t.co/IgZA3UcemC
— James Wigderson (@jwigderson) February 4, 2022
- What we have known for a while is finally official. tengrain at Mock Paper Scissors has the details. In addition to condemning Reps. Adam Kinzinger and Liz Cheney for investigating the coup attempt, the Republican National Committee has declared last year’s January 6 violence to have been legitimate political discourse.
- Green Eagle also reads the Republican manifesto on the legitimate insurrection and explains the really frightening part.
- Seems violence and insurrection are becoming acceptable through much of contemporary conservatism. Scotties Playtime tracks a Republican candidate for Michigan state senate who tells backers to bring guns to voting places.
…if we can’t change the tide, we need to be prepared to lock and load.
That’s a quote.
- Vixen Strangely at Strangely Blogged, has a suggestion for Florida Governor DeSantis. Nazis are bad, very bad, and it doesn’t hurt to say that again and again.
In the interest of fairness, I suppose I should point out that DeSantis did have a brief lapse early this week, mentioning during a Monday session that some jackasses had done something on an overpass and would be held accountable for anything criminal. That’s about as far as he would go.
At least he didn’t travel into good-people-on-both-sides territory.
So why the reticence from some Republicans? Why the difficulty in saying the obvious: that what is truly and obviously evil is truly and obviously evil?Doesn't seem complicated https://t.co/7SbnOSAWmz
— Burr Deming (@BurrLand01) February 1, 2022
- Yellowdog Granny seems to be getting impatient with Republicans, insurrectionists, and Trump.
- Our favorite Earth-Bound Misfit has a bit of advice for drivers with firearms who feel a touch of road rage. Staging an attack might not be a good time for a video selfie.
- Infidel753 argues that cultural battles over freedom and tolerance affect lawmaking more than laws affect culture. The flow of history begins with persuasion.
- CalicoJack in The Psy of Life looks at specific subversive moves, detailing 4 ways conservatives pose a deliberate threat to democracy.
- At The Onion we find a slide show devoted to voter restrictions in each state.
I peeked at Missouri, where Any individual attempting to enter a polling booth is shot on sight.
Next door in Kansas, Polling places in Democratic districts will be staffed by tornadoes.
- In Ant Farmer’s Almanac, Britain’s Prime Minister Boris Johnson is shocked, shocked at reports that, during his own mandated COVID restrictions, there might have been illegal partying in his official residence. He is outraged that, clearly, he wasn’t invited to his official home.
- Frances Langum watches as WH Press Sec Jen Psaki congratulates Spotify for labeling deadly COVID disinformation as …well… disinformation. Tucker Carlson is outraged at this governmental threat to free speech.
Uh… huh?
- About Rogan:
I understand if you play Joe Rogan backwards, actual angels appear and slap you around until you cancel Spotify.
— Burr Deming (@BurrLand01) January 30, 2022
- @momwino98 helps us discover that, when you find out your three year old doesn’t have COVID after all, your reaction is not entirely simple relief:
@momwino98 Please get yourself vaccinated!!! #provaccine #vaccinekids #tiktokmom #kids #fyp #foryourpage ♬ abcdefu – GAYLE - It seems clear to me:
The evidence keeps popping up:https://t.co/pUFWQHZ8jw
— Burr Deming (@BurrLand01) February 5, 2022
- Libertarian Michael A. LaFerrara celebrates the birthday of one of history’s foremost champions of reason, freedom, and individualism, Ayn Rand.
Well, freedom of views, right?
My own view, largely informed by a recurring nightmare from decades ago, is a bit different
- SilverAppleQueen has a few thoughts on her very conservative parents, and banning books.
- Over the years, North Carolina pastor John Pavlovitz has found great meaning and beauty in the Bible.
If the book banning standards of our conservative brethren are to be taken seriously, the Bible would have to be the first to go.
- In Nan’s Notebook, Nan finds it interesting that my brethren-in-Christ attempt to prove the Bible is credible because the Bible says so.
My views differ:I'm with you on the first wo.
On the first, even my brothers and sisters in Christ sometimes catch me doing exactly that, and I have to backtrack.
The last isn't so much a refusal as an inability. I have written about it as a failure of imagination.https://t.co/KoeDkHonWg
— Burr Deming (@BurrLand01) January 31, 2022
- I suppose we take different lessons from scripture:
My favorite Bible story is when Jesus feeds the multitudes after administering a drug test to make sure they deserve food.
— John Fugelsang (@JohnFugelsang) February 2, 2022
Dear God,
I have been very good today.
I haven’t sworn, have had no grumpy thoughts & haven’t slapped anyone silly.
I’m about to get out of bed now, though, so I may need your help with the rest of the day. 🙏— ✌️Aliena 👽 (@Reign_Cloud_8) February 3, 2022
I am normally a church-going Christian, somewhat inhibited presently by the pandemic.
I do not recall any attempt to impose atheism on me. In fact, cheerful debates have been pretty much family affairs.
Like many Christians, I oppose attempts to use gov't to impose religion.
— Burr Deming (@BurrLand01) February 1, 2022
- In The Life and Times of Bruce Gerencser, my brother-in-Christ Evangelical preacher Mark Hodges explains that God is judging Bruce by making him sick.
Mark seems like a nice man.
- What ought to be a special time of year:
Celebrating myself for Black History month! pic.twitter.com/vWy8wfTOAB
— Naylene Richardson (@mrsrichardsonrv) February 2, 2022
- PZ Myers releases the results as the Minnesota Department of Transportation highlights names for snowplows.
My favorite: Betty Whiteout.
- The Journal of Improbable Research finds a long ago discovery from the Stanford Research Institute Biological Sonar Lab on the startling ability of snow to carry sound.
Seems two individuals 20 feet away from each other in an arctic tunnel built through the snow could not hear each other over workers manually shoveling over 200 yards away.
- Reductress has a useful short quiz on whether you should pop that pimple, or if you already did it, or if they don’t ever want to hear from you.
- Sarah Cooper is an expert on dominance in meetings:
One of my favorites pic.twitter.com/yHEjKk6VHi
— Sarah Cooper (@sarahcpr) February 2, 2022
- With M. Bouffant at Web of Evil we remember, in loss, yet another legendary musician from our younger days.
- Reminding us, of course:
Those who come close to my age will understand when I say …
On today's date in 1959 is the day when the music died.
— 🖕🏻Aunt Crabby Calls Bullshit 🖕🏻 (@DearAuntCrabby) February 3, 2022
- Nojo thinks it remarkable that a pop music star would invest and lose most of 1.3 million on a cartoon featuring a lovable little monkey. He could have spent $20 on something really nice.
Tweets I thought worthy:
— Anja (@BelliniMom) January 29, 2022
Current evidence suggests rule of law does not apply to republicans. @TheJusticeDept FIX IT! https://t.co/YksRkjQsO3
— bob cox (@yd52) January 31, 2022
Well – – –
"God put them in this moment."
Rapist as agent of God?An unusual view, one that I hope Republicans condemn quickly.
But – – Freedom of speech and all. https://t.co/irs0cY1udI
— Burr Deming (@BurrLand01) February 1, 2022
Does Texas have enough books to make it through the winter?
— Ski the Madman (@SeveralMadmen) February 1, 2022
— NativeBronxite 🇮🇪🏳️🌈🐝 (@NBronxite) February 3, 2022
In 1974, when the manager of Led Zeppelin introduced himself to Bob Dylan with “I’m Peter Grant. I manage Led Zeppelin”, Bob replied, “Do I come to you with my problems?”
— Pod Dylan (@Pod_Dylan) February 4, 2022
Oh good. A man just drove by, rolled down his window, screamed at me to “Tell the truth” about COVID and then yelled that I’m a dumb “c-word”…he felt comfortable doing this while driving in his work truck. Welcome to being a journalist in 2022.
— Tammie Sutherland (@citytammie) February 3, 2022
Technically 😃 pic.twitter.com/0jqrNKxzBU
— LowOrderPrimate (@Loworderprimate) February 3, 2022
Seems worth pointing out that Obama took out the leader of Al Qaeda, Biden took out the leader of ISIS, and Trump released the leader of the Taliban.
— Caroline Orr Bueno, Ph.D (@RVAwonk) February 3, 2022
This is exactly how my dad and 90% of truckers feel pic.twitter.com/wUwXJiQAtx
— Chris Génier (@MrGenier) January 28, 2022
By declaring the Jan 6 Attack to be "Legitimate Political Discourse" the Republican party didn't just choose Donald Trump's side – they chose sides against America. https://t.co/6PSF7hfuOs
— Shanlon Wu (@shanlonwu) February 4, 2022
I forgot to use my quantum detangler and my hair has been a mess all day. pic.twitter.com/YNUzAJd0Gk
— Holding the line 🌊🗳️ (@JD_in_VA) January 28, 2022
And I’m allowed a few of my own:
Beginning with my attempt to keep up with James –
He was a man, take him for all in all,
I shall not look upon his like again.— James Wigderson (@jwigderson) January 31, 2022
Yes. Act I, ii.
HORATIO
I saw him once; he was a goodly king.
HAMLET
He was a man, take him for all in all,
I shall not look upon his like again.— James Wigderson (@jwigderson) February 5, 2022
If it's an abusive ex, tell him it only seems huge by comparison.
Otherwise, just smile sweetly and push him out a window.
— Burr Deming (@BurrLand01) January 30, 2022
What type of shark?
Looks like a swimming pool..
.
Pool shark?
— Burr Deming (@BurrLand01) January 31, 2022
I keep hearing about Trump destroying the Republican party.
Listen up, folks.
I don't much like Mr. Trump, so I would rather focus on his many failures, rather than his one great accomplishment.
— Burr Deming (@BurrLand01) February 1, 2022
Well – – –
"God put them in this moment."
Rapist as agent of God?An unusual view, one that I hope Republicans condemn quickly.
But – – Freedom of speech and all. https://t.co/irs0cY1udI
— Burr Deming (@BurrLand01) February 1, 2022
Two true.
Allot is aloud in American English.
And it sometimes gives me paws.The bazaar nature does not altar the meaning.
Butt eye can sea it makes you're hare stand on end.
Weird we too gather, I'd lone you my hanker chief.— Burr Deming (@BurrLand01) February 1, 2022
OH man Hulk is tossing bears around. Who wants to handle it this time? pic.twitter.com/p2F64CWBZr
— FITZ HERE (@ChrisFi24960366) February 4, 2022
Never mind!
— Burr Deming (@BurrLand01) February 4, 2022
Gives me hope
— Burr Deming (@BurrLand01) February 4, 2022
– Podcasts –