March, 2025 archive
The Rule of Lawless 0
Per Kathryn Rubino at Above the Law, the Republican Party is test marketing a new strategy in response to losing in court: Get rid of the courts.
Why am I not surprised?
Stray Thought 0
I never expected that I would be living in a rogue state.
A Tune for the Times 0
From the Youtube page:
Here’s a song about #Signalgate – the flamboyant US security breach – adapted from one of our all-time favourite Bee Gees tracks, titled “You Were Not Supposed to Message it Through!” A quick parody turnaround, but only five of us singing as Alfie (actually our hands-down best fake Bee Gee) is currently away, and will be annoyed. One day we’ll have a proper go with instruments live, but for now this will have to suffice as a post-work / post-school knockup.
The fantastic original, “Gotta Get a Message to You”, with its uplifting modulations and incredible layered harmonies, was released in 1968 and got to number one in the UK and the top ten in the US. Apparently it’s actually about someone on death row, though we never realised this until today. Nor that there are some other lower harmonies in later verses that are a bit raspy, which we had fun with.
Artificial? Yes. Intelligent? Not So Much. 0
Susceptible to a misdirection play? Perha–Look! Over there!
Now, the Gaslighter 0
Mary Trump, who just happens to be Donald Trump’s niece and has known him all of her life, dissects the dissimulation.
The Chaos Agent 0
Writing at northjersey.com, Arlene Murphy offers a theory as to Donald Trump’s M. O. for maladministration. A snippet:
Follow the link for her reasoning.
A Notion of Immigrants 0
At Above the Law, Chris Williams points out that, under the Trump maladministration, you can be found guilty without being charged, let alone tried and convicted.
Along the same lines, Robert Reich warns that, if it could happen to members of a “them,” it could easily happen to members of an “us.”
Under the Influence 0
At Psychology Today Blogs, Susan Krauss Whitbourne takes a deep dive into the gaslighter’s play book. She identifies six specific tactics that gaslighters use:
- Manipulation of reality
- Denial
- Inconsistency of behavior
- Isolation
- Coercion
- Creating self-doubt
Follow the link for a detailed discussion of the topic. Then ask yourself, does this list remind of anyone either in the news or reporting the news?
Aside:
It occurred to me last night, as I was browsing my favorite online forum, that, just like “responsible gun owner,” “Fox News” is an oxymoron.
Hair Fuehrers 0
Honest to Pete, I thought the hair wars were over by the time the Beatles broke up.
“History Does Not Repeat Itself, but It Often Rhymes”* 0
Der Spiegel talks with Harvard Professor Steven Levitsky, who hears disturbing rhymes from the recent past. A snippet from Levitsky’s remarks:
I commend the entire article to your attention.
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*Mark Twain.
“An Armed Society Is a Polite Society’ 0
Yet another osymoronic “responsible gun owner” performs random acts of politeness.
The Unwelcome Mat 0
Per truthout, foreign governments are responding to Donald Trump’s regime of mean for the sake of mean. A snippet:
Easter Yeggs 0
Mr. Newberger imagines what the White House Easter Egg Roll will be look like now that Donald Trump has put it up for sale.