Dec 142024
 

Yesterday, I learned that Nancy Pelosi had fallen and injured her hip while part of a Congressional delegation to Europe, and is now in a hospital in Luxembourg.  “The 84-year-old former speaker is cancelling the rest of her CODEL engagements but ‘continues to work,’ Pelosi spokesperson Ian Krager said in a statement.”  It as/is a bipartisan delegation, and apparently some Republicans even offered good wishes and said nice things.  The story is on Axios and being updated as new information comes in.  I’m glad it wasn’t a knee, which I understand is the most difficult joint to work on and get good results.  I wish her a full and speedy recovery.

I didn’t want to wait too long on this analysis by Joyce Vance, so I just squeezed it in when I saw it. (If I’ve said this before, I apologize for the duplication. Apparently the American people simply cannot tolerate a person with as much goodness as Biden has in the Presidency. Jimmy Carter also did not get a second term.) Since he’s apparently not done yet, I can still hope for clemency for Leonard Peltier.

Living in fear is no way to live. On the other hand, if it weren’t for fear, we’d all be dead. A clear eyed fear of actual danger is necessary to survive. Although I don’t remember it, when I was maybe 3 or 4, my Mom, her brother, and I went to Yosemite. At one point, we were fairly close to some bears who were minding their own business. I ran up to one and tried to climb onto it. My Mom about lost it. My Uncle ran to me and the bear and grabbed me off of it before I could be hurt. Was I grateful? No. I was yelling “Bad Unca Bill, won’t let me ride nice bear!” Dictators are predictable in some ways and unpredictable in others. Steve Schmidt addresses ways one can decide to live under those conditions. The more we work at understanding the unpredictable, the more likely we are not to get caught in some less predictable mood swing.

This absolutely didn’t need to happen. But it did. The F* News covers some underlying as well as the obvious facts which make it so bad.

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Dec 112024
 

Yesterday, with the bathroom issue fixed (at least for now) I tried phonimg the internet/phone people’s customer support, which turned out to be useless.  I tried to fine an email address, but apparently they only accept on line communication through Fakebook, Xitter, and Instagram, none of which I would touch.  Trying to think of some other way, I added to my draft a paragraph about hating chat and that I would log out as soon as I had posted it, I copied and pasted the letter requested a transcript, and logged out.  I am anticipating having to go to snailmail, and am prepared for that.

Heather Cox Richardson is always thoughtful and knowledgeable, but sometimes she produces a real zinger – stuff from history which is so pertinent to what we are experiencing that it almost makes the hair stand up on the back of one’s neck. IMO this is one of those times.

This from The Root – it’s totally unrelated to the US or to our politics but it’s so upbeat I felt I needed to share it And y’all needed to see it.

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Dec 092024
 

Yesterday, I got up early (knowing I would have to get up even earlier today) and so was up when Virgil called (he says “Hi”). Trinette came by (she says hi) and moved some stuff for me. Other than that I didn’t do much of anything. Some days need to be like that.
Extra: Robert Reich caption contest with last week winners

Post publication addition – “Here Is Your Wonkette Explainer Of What Just Happened In Syria.!” I figure it’s as close as we are likely to get to honesty, especially this early.

Robert Hubbell always takes pains to be thoughtful and accurate (and to do his homework before posting.) Over the years I have seen so many people write petitions for things which really do need to be done, and then address them to people who have absolutely no power to accomplish them. When I am aware of that – and I’m sure I’m not always – I attempt to notify the petitioner or the petition sponsor. The third section of this newsletter addresses such a situation and clearly shows “This is how it’s done.” (Not to belittle the rest of the newsletter.)

Steve Schmidt has a new “Schmidt Storm” out. Yes, it’s a video, but there’s a transcript available. We all know where there’s Trump** there’s corruption, but we don’t always have details.

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Dec 062024
 

Yesterday, I learned that Steve Schmidt will be speaking at the Oxford Union’s annual debate, along with other Americans Julian Castro and Jeh Johnson. Steve is on the pro side and the other two on the anti. The proposition is “The House believes America is a failing democracy.” The whole thing will be videotaped, and should be on the Oxford Union’s YouTube channel next week. Steve will link to it when it is available. You know, 200 years ago, it might have made some sense to be an isolationist in America. Today, it’s impossible.

Joyce Vance brings together 1984 (with a nod to The Handmaid’s Tale), the Federalist Papers, and a letter to President Biden from two concerned Senators into a warning which we will heed – but a lot more people are needed to heed it. Not that I’m optimistic.

I am sourcing this from PolitiZoom rather than directly from Pavlovitz because I think the commentary adds a little something, as a second look at the same material from a different angle often does.

This is from Wonkette and ties together Trump**, cryptocurrency, and China. Sigh. I can see I am going to be missing more stories for longer than I had hoped. (There are emojis for sighing, but, except for the “sigh of relief” ones, which are pretty cute, they are all awful.)

Belle Russia

Dog

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Dec 042024
 

Yesterday (Giving Tuesday), I had almost 200 emails before noon (and only 3 were from the previous day.) I am betting all or most of you had similar experiences, since we all are caring people, and if nothing else, we sign petitions for non-profits. In fact, probably many of you had many more. Today I’m expecting the exterminator to come on a follow=up visit (they come every three months, and I really appreciate that.) Tomorrow I may be able to get back to what passes for normal around here. I’d like that.

Elon Musk’s bullying

This was in yesterday’s Talking Points Memo morning newsletter, and I thought I’d squeeze it in before Patel is dumped or forced to drop out.

I don’t always agree with every point Steve Schmidt makes – but oh boy, is he ever singing my song on Native Americans and our treaties with them. (And if you’d like more history, Heather Cox Richardson has that.)

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Nov 302024
 

Yesterday, I continued some computer chores of moving infornation from one to the other. I also took in a grocery delivery, and though I haven’t checked it all yet against the order, I don’t think anything was missing. I aldo noticed – yes, I’m late to the party – that Elon Musk had posted something quite a while ago calling Kamala Harris “the ultimate diversity hire.” You may remember that my definition of “diversity hire” is “I can’t stand another ignorant white boy, I need someone who comes with actual qualifications.” Now that definition she might fit.

Our states are by no means all the same. I don’t suppose Ruben Gallego’s campaign strategy, as described by Huff Post, would work in every state. In fact, I believe that in many states our candidates should sound more progressive rather than moving center. But it did work for him (which means it also worked for all of us). and would work in many states.

Joyce Vance will sound overly optimistic to many of us, but she has some good points. And no one ever said or suggested that getting the Republic back could be done without a powerful resistance.

Robert Reich on gratitude. Do I need to say more?

Belle Kentucky batteries

Cat-Dog

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Nov 292024
 

Yesterday, I actually cooked – oven roasted a chicken breast with a sauce I came up with. My oven won’t do any temperature but 350 °F, which is not high enough to get it as crisp as I would have liked, but it still tasted nice. And it wouldn’t be Thanks giving if I didn’t have leftovers – it looked more like a turkey breast than a chicken breast. I managed to eat about a third of it. 🙂 And, also of course, Virgil called. And I managed to make an appointment on line for blood work to be taken Monday. I am liking being able to do things on line.

This is from Colorado Public Radio. I did not know about these geological features – but it certainly makes sense, and makes the most sense to put it out. I hope that we are allowed to complete the project, which requires us ti get already authorized federal fundings. Just now, I wouldn’t bet on it.

Robert Reich writes about the misogyny, not just of Trump**, but of those with whom he surrounds himself, and those with whom he wants to associate in his cabinet. I haven’t heard the expression “testosterone poisoning” in quite a while. But it certainly fits.

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Nov 262024
 

Yesterday, I learned a lot of things I would prefer not to have happened (as, I’m sure, did you.) For one thing, the National Women’s Health Network is permanently shutting its doors. On the plus side, it looks as though my phone is working again. And one computer has internet access. But I need it on both. So, though I’m up to blogging again, this isn’t over. (and I had almost 300 emails in my inbox yesterday morning. I got it down to under 30, but I didn’t clear it. So today will also be busy.

I think Heather Cox Richardson is writing for reality skeptics in this post, because it sounds as though she didn’t know for absolute fact that Trump** was lying, and I’m sure she’s smarter than that These people who nightmared up (to coin a phrase) Project 2025 claim to be business people. But I have an MBA from George Washington University, and one absolutely basic principle I learned there was that if you were put in charge of a group you had no been directly promoted from, you should never institute any changes for AT LEAST SIX MONTHS. In this case that would be six months from the day you take office, not from the day you were nominated, nor from the day you were confirmed, nor from the inauguration – you need to be actively, physically in that division seeing what is actually happening for six months before changing a thing. Apparently no one ever taught these supposedly educated business people that. Or else they just think that since they are white men they must know better.

Well, this, from The Root, was definitely not on my Bongo card, and I’ll bet it wasn’t on yours either. But it certainly sounds like jolly good fun.

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