2025 archive
Emoluments, Reprise 0
At the Bangor Daily News, Linda Wilcox follows the money.
MAGAttributes 0
David offers a theory to explain Donald Trump’s appeal to his base. Methinks he makes some good points. (Warning: David does a short promo for his book at the end.)
Emoluments 0
Trump puts out the “For Sale or Rent” sign in full view.
Even Warren Harding would be embarrassed to be a member of today’s Republican Party.
“An Armed Society Is a Polite Society” 0
Once again, an oxymoronic “responsible gun owner” exposes his portable phallus to a child.
Once again, we are reminded that “accidentally” and “negligently” are not synonyms. Though the police and the press do not seem to have come to that realization . . . .
Artificial? Yes. Intelligent? Not So Much. 0
Fomenting folderol? Well, garbage in, garbage out, as Steven J. Vaughan-Nichols reports at El Reg. Here’s a bit of his article:
In related news, in this week’s Le Show, Harry Shearer reports on how big tech’s fascination with AI is leading to record levels of usage of electricity and of water to cool data centers. The relevant portion starts at about the 38-minute mark.
Also, too.
Republican Family Values, Rolling Back the Clock Dept. 0
At Psychology Today Blogs, Barbara J. Risman makes the case that, when Republicans say “family friendly,” what they mean is “patriarchal.” She points out that
Methinks she makes some valid points. Follow the link for her arguments.
Health Care Deform 0
At the Washington Monthly, Thom Walsh explains why the Republican plan to increase “work requirements” for Medicaid is little more than a ploy to deny health care to persons who need it, all the while masquerading as guardians of the public purse, Here’s a tiny bit of his article:
“History Does Not Repeat Itself, but It Often Rhymes”* 0
It appears that Larry David hears a rhyme. Rick Strom parses the poesy.
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*Mark Twain.
Spatial Awareness 0
The writer of a letter to the editor of the New Orleans Times-Picayune argues that (column) size matters.
I don’t know that I fully agree with him, but he certainly raises an intriguing argument.
“An Armed Society Is a Polite Society” 0
One of those “responsible gun owners” chartered a cruise to politeness.
Stray Thought 0
It occurred to me as I drifted off to sleep last night that there must be some irony in honoring Memorial Day while a draft dodger occupies the White House.
But, then, as Professor Shade was fond of pointing out, “History is irony.”
QOTD 0
Rex Stout, in the voice of Nero Wolfe:
War doesn’t mature men; it merely pickles them in the brine of disgust and dread.
Stout, Rex, Over My Dead Body (New York: Bantam, 1994) p. 119
A Notion of Immigrants 0
The Arizona Republic’s E. J. Montini, prompted by a communication from a reader, asked ICE why its agents are wearing masks while arresting immigrants who have broken no laws–who, in fact, have played by the rules. ICE did not respond when he asked for an explanation, so he offers his own theory:
Follow the link, where he explains how he came to that conclusion.
Republican Family Values 0
At the Bangor Daily News, Stephen McKay suggests that Donald Trump provides a somewhat less than stellar modeling of behavior to be emulated by our nation’s youth.
Methinks he makes several points worthy of consideration.
Still Rising Again after All These Years 0
Thom comments on the Trump maladministration’s acting to sue the city of Chicago for not keeping them uppity darkies in their place (and if you think my characterization of the suit to be a tad flippant, just watch the video).