January, 2023 archive
The Microcosm 0
At Psychology Today Blogs, Debbie Peterson suggests that George Santos is, in many ways, the personification of this New Gilded Age. A snippet:
The Pandora Papers Investigations (citation at the link–ed.) identified high-level officials, oligarchs, and billionaires from around the world who were shielded with the help of attorneys, commercial real estate brokers, title companies, banks, and company formation agents who were able to act anonymously and, in turn, obscure the identity of their clients. Corrupt overseas corporate investors operate through virtually unidentifiable shell companies and trusts, unrecorded real estate and company formation transactions, and offshore accounts. The service providers who facilitate corruption also escape regulation, supervision, and accountability.
Do please take a look at her article.
An Empty Suit 0
Liz Dye delights in reports on Donald Trump and his attorneys being fined just under a million dollars for filing an empty suit against Hillary Clinton et al. An excerpt from her article:
And the reason he persisted is that Trump’s lawsuits are not really lawsuits at all, in the sense that they don’t function to vindicate any legally cognizable injury.
“The Complaint and Amended Complaint were drafted to advance a political narrative; not to address legal harm caused by any Defendant,” the court writes, adding later that “this case is part of Mr. Trump’s pattern of misusing the courts to serve political purposes.”
Vaccine Nation 0
(Warning: Short commercial at the end.)
Aside:
I still remember how lousy I felt when I had 10-day measles back in the olden days, a long time ago, when I was a young ‘un. I missed over a week of fourth grade, and my mind retains a snapshot of my looking out a window at a rainy spring day as my fever spiked.
It appalls me that some parents today are so ignorant and stupid as to wish that on their children because they believe lies spouted by equally ignorant and stupid persons motivated solely by a political agenda.
Speaking of ignorant and stupid, we are a society of ignorant and stupid.
American History, Republican Style 0
If you don’t teach it, it never happened.
Meta: Site Maintenance 0
I’ve moved the HTTPS notice to a page, as its beard was getting on the long site.
It can be accessed from the “Pages” item on the sidebar over there (———>) on the right.
“An Armed Society Is a Polite Society” 0
We are again reminded that, when negligence is committed with politeness, it becomes merely an accident.
“We Want Everybody’s Money Back!” 0
A century and a half later, the “peculiar institution” gives rise to some peculiar pretzel logic.
Plus ca Change 0
In discussing a newsletter from a local Missouri Republican Committee, the editorial board of The Kansas City Star reminds us that Truman was right:
Follow the link for context.
“An Armed Society Is a Polite Society” 0
Yet another oxymoronic “responsible gun owner” performs a random act of politeness.
The Blindfolders 0
Crista V. Worthy has a questions for those who are so eager to keeps some books out of the hands of school children:
But why aren’t these alarmists focusing on a book that’s chock-full of incest, rape, and gore? I’m talking, of course, about the Bible.
Follow the link for context.
The Pro-Corruption Caucus 0
Sue Fothergill wonders why the Republican House has chosen to gut the Office of Congressional Ethics:
Is there a massive pro-corruption movement I’m not aware of that is demanding this?
Follow the link for the rest.
