Swiss Cheek 0
Seth takes a closer look at Trump’s speech at Davos. It is not pretty.
Aside:
Many years ago, we hosted a high-school exchange student from Denmark. The next year, we visited Denmark and met her parents, who were marvelous hosts. We had a wonderful visit with gracious people.
I would not want to hear what they would have to say about my country today, now that it is ruled by a narcissistic toddler who fancies himself not president, but king.
The ICE Men Cometh, and Bring with Them the Rule of Lawless 0
Via The Kansas City Star, Llewellyn King explains the implications. Here’s a bit from his article:
ICE agents are also the affair of the whole world, for while they are symbols of local terror, they are also symbols of America’s withdrawal from the one critical underpinning of civilization: the rule of law.
Without it, society isn’t much. No one is secure, even those in charge.
Artificial? Yes. Intelligent? Not So Much. 0
Assimilating you just like the Zuckerborg? Security maven Bruce Schneier notes
Meta: Sidebar 0
I’ve removed Progress Pond from the sidebar because the Booman has moved to Substack.
The Greenland New Deal 0
Jonathan ALter argues that Trump’s obsession with Greenland is not just about ego. It’s also about rolling back the clock to the age of empire. A snippet:
Follow the link, where Alter follows the money.
Still Rising Again after All These Years 0
Thom decodes de code.
The Rule of Lawless 0
Historians Yohuru Williams and Michael Lansing look at what’s happening in Minnesota and remind us that
This is how police states are built – not by a single law or single leader, but through precedents set in moments of crisis. Through declarations made before facts are gathered. Through the steady retreat from the assumption that power flows from – and must answer to – the people. History offers us lessons here. When immunity becomes absolute, accountability collapses.
Follow the link for their reasoning.
The Hissy Fit 0
Michael in Norfolk think that Trump’s latest temper tantrum should be the straw that breaks. A snippet:
Methinks it’s not a stretch to say that someone who threatens war over not getting a peace prize don’t understand the concept of “peace prize,’ but, really it’s not over the prize itself.
It’s about Obama has one and he wants one too.
A Tune for the Times 0
Warning: Mild language.
From the Youtube page:
This is a hasty cover of Erma Franklin’s 1967 belter, written by Jerry Ragovoy and Bert Berns, that is one of our favourite soul tracks, and only lost out to a Grammy to her younger sister Aretha in 1969 (“Chain of Fools”). It had a resurgence in Europe in the early 90s after the end of the Cold War thanks to a Levi jeans advert, and its highest chart position for the re-release was number 5 … in Denmark.
Our treatment pays tribute to the Danes (who suffered proportionally among the highest casualties in wars supporting the USA after its triggering the collective security clauses of NATO in places like Iraq and Afghanistan), and who are being shaken down at the moment by the likes of Trump, Vance, and Miller in their bid to bully Europe to agree to the annexation of autonomous Greenlanders.
Establishmentarians 0
At AL.com, John Archibald looks at the behavior of those politicians who would mandate that the Ten Commandments be posted in public schools and suggests that they could use some commandments of their own. Here’s two that he suggests.
- You shall make no graven idols. Except football coaches and *Confederate Generals.
- You shall not take the lord’s name in vain. Unless you’re talking to a referee or a GD libtard.
Follow the link for the rest and for the footnote about Confederate Generals.
American Stasi 0
From the Youtube page:
Veteran NBA head coach Doc Rivers sounded off on the shooting and killing of Renee Nicole Good by ICE agent Jonathan Ross in Minneapolis, as well as issuing a dark warning about what the future holds under the Trump administration. Rick Strom breaks it down.
“An Armed Society Is a Polite Society” 0
Yet another oxymoronic “responsible gun owner.” Yet another gun that fired itself.
Aside:
Personally, I’ve never met a gun that fired itself. And I grew up with guns.
Heck, I used be a damned fine shot when I was in practice. I once picked a look-out crow–a flock of crows always posts a look-out– out of tree at 150 yards. (Remember, I’m a farm boy. Farm boys do not have high opinions of crows.)
“History Does Not Repeat Itself, but It Often Rhymes”* 0
Writing at the Los Angeles Times, Gustavo Arellano considers the fear expressed by Elon Muxk, Donald Trump, and their dupes, symps, and fellow travelers that (my words, not his) DEI is somehow reverse discrimination against white men and hears a rhyme from the past:
In this time in which bigots and racists seem emboldened, I commend his entire piece to your attention.
_____________—-
*Mark Twain.