I’m happy to say, and I’m sure you’ll all be happy to know, that my back door got fixed – it no longer opens from the slightest wind and lets in cold drafts – and this just a day before the Polar Vortex is due.
I did see the news when this happened. I didn’t watch the actual video – I think it was on X or something. But it was clear from the screenshot (which was blurry) that he moved very quickly to leap and/or reach across the bench to physically attack. Because he wanted probation, and she gave him some jail or prison time (IMO richly deserved.) No one other than the Atlanta Black Star seems to have even a sliver of this story… which I’d suppose means that the judge is a woman of color… except she isn’t, she’s blonde. It’s the perp who’s black. Well, I guess he’s now in the “Find Out” stage.
Am I missing something? I simply do not understand why so many people appear to be so terrified that if Trump** is not allowed on the ballot, or is not elected, there will be violence. Of course there will. And all of it will break laws, and we will be able to do something about it. If Trump** IS elected, there will be far more violence, and it will all be under cover of law (even if they have to make the laws up out of thin air) and there will be nothing we can do about it. I know which alternative scares me less. Why doesn’t everyone?
This is worth at least a glance for the humor. It’s an email exchange between Judge Engoron and Trump**s lawyer, which the judge made part of the trial records “to preserve your appellate rights.” Judge Engoron is not happy. (Mary Trump alsoo had some fun with it in her Substack.)
Well, I did manage to get everything taken care of on the 21st, although it took till the 22nd before I was certain of it. And of course learned something in the process. I knew there were such things as FSAs, qhich are funded with contributions from the person who owns the account (and/or their eligible dependents) and must be used or lost each year. I knew there were such things as HSAs, which carry over from year to year, and I always thought that was what I had. Not so. An HSA, like an FSA, is funded by the person who owns it, and by their eligible dependents. What I have is an HRA, which is funded by a third party, such as a prior employer. The only circumstances under which I can put money into it are if I have accidently spent some of it on something that isn’t covered (or something that is covered, but I have lost the documentation for.) Why does it matter? Because HSA holders are required to fill out and sign documents giving yhe old provider permission to transfer their account to the new one. Since all the money in my account comes from USAA, USAA can take care of the authorization for me. What a relief.
Here are a couple of humorous videos. There’s no new information in either, they’re just for fun.
This was on the Late Show, so you may have seen it. I don’t care. Watch it again. (Sorry the CC isn’t better but the pictures help interpret it).
This one is from Parody Project. Good CC and high production values. And cannot come true too soon for me.
And here is a meme which is timely without being seasonal.
Well, I have the prescription transfers solved, and the current one that is needed paid for, and I should receive it by the 26th, so that’s a maximum of three days without it, and all I need to do is avoid overexertion for those days. The new HSA custodian is a different kettle of fish entirely. I have it figured out now at least. I’m not thrillled with what I need to do, but financially it’s a no-brainere. I’ll have it done by the end of the day.
This is a good news article. I realize – in fact I’m probably one of the bigger grinches on this subject – that nominating and running is not the same as winning. But without running, there can be no winning. (Oh, yeah, it’s substack.)
Jeff Merkley is the Senate sponsor of this bill, and that’s a pretty good indication it’s a very good one. I do however want to note that raising Congressional salaries might be necessary. Sure, I could live like an Empress (here in Colorado – maybe only like a princess in California or New York) on the lowest starting salaries. But I don’t have to pay a staff, nor two residences and the travel between them which is necessary to do the job well – keeping in touch with constituents. Realistic research needs to be done on the actual financial costs of serving in Congress. Maybe some things need not to come out of salary, but be reimbursable expenses – and maybe some already are – and that’s something I should already know, and I don’t. i expect it’s available – but it’s certainly not common knowledge.
Not that anyone who only learned about Judge Lutting through the Jan 6 Committee findings has much respect for Judge Lutting – but –
This is far from the most profound cartoon today – but it certainly is accurate (and funny).
Yesterday, after posting here (including the update), I felt enough better to look up today’s radio opera – it’s “The Magic Flute” in the abridged English language version aimed at kids – and who doesn’t love that! There are five-year-olds out there getting kicks out of singing the Queen of the Night’s aria (and pretty durned well, most of them.) Sure, it’s sexist, but no worse than Disney, and it does have goodies, baddies, and figures of pure humor of both genders, which even Disney doesn’t consistently do.
I also listened to the full RBG CD. You know how CDs come with booklets with some backstories and with lyrics sometimes – this comes with two booklets – one of each, lyrics and backstories. The poems were selected to give a mixture of history, humor, and heart. I thought the funniest one was about Ruth’s son Jamie stealing the elevator at his prep school (yes, the same James who now owns the record label which put it out) and the most heartbreaking was Marty’s note to Ruth written in hospital shortly before his death. But I will not argue with anyone who thinks the pot roast recipe is the funniest (I’d surely love to taste that pot roast.)
And Mary Trump posted and emailed this – I held it for a couple of hours but have found out it is a real story – it was carried at least by CNN and y’all may have heard it – but her viewpoint really is like no one else’s
I was thinking about looking for a cartoon … but so little happened on December 16 through history that “On This Day” was reduced to reporting that, on this date in 1997, Bill Clinton named his Labrador Retriever “Buddy.”
I’m typing this on the 12th, but the 12th is almost over, and the article/email I want to share didn’t come in until late. It’s from Joyce Vance, and it’s in regard to Kathy Griffin. Griffin and Vance are personal friends, which would probably cause Joyce to recuse from the case (in an abundance of caution) if she were a judge, but IMO should not prevent her from weighing in on the legal merits, and legally speaking there are two issues, one being the first amendment, and the second being jurisdiction. In fact, the title of her piece is “Can A Court in Tennessee Rule Against You If You Live In California?”
It’s no news to anyone here (and probably no news to anyone anywhere in the country) that Kathy is outspoken and woke, and outspoken about wokeness. I can’t help wondering how much this lawsuit is prompted by misogyny (misogyny which was amply displayed in the incident which ultimately led to there being a lawsuit.) Of course, hate, being an emotion, can’t very well be illegal, or made illegal. The law can only deal with the actions it inspires. I’ll just leave opinions at this point for y’all to decide.
I still haven’t listened to the RBG album yet. I have read through the composer bios and the lyrics – there is much in both to inspire laughter, tears, or both at once. (The last one is her big aria from Scalia/Ginsburg, sung by the composer.)
