From Pine View Farm

Too Venal for Words category archive

Vaccine Nation 0

Farron comments on what happens when a science denier is put in charge of an agency that (supposedly) relies on science.

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Our Society Is in Decay 0

Exhibit One: Florida Man.

Afterthought:

I don’t think it’s much of a stretch to posit that today’s Republican Party has abandoned the concept of “promoting the general welfare.”

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The Plane Truth 0

Farron is less than sympathetic to Donald Trump’s hurt fee-fees about being called out for criticized for accepting a bribe an emolument.

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DOGE Bull and the Rule of Lawless 0

At the Idaho State Journal, Jim Jones explains why he is concerned how Elon Musk’s DOGE has been sweeping up data from federal agencies in violation of laws designed to protect the privacy of citizens’ day. Methinks he raises legitmate concerns. Here’s a couple of snippets from his piece:

Whenever Musk’s foraging through private government data is publicly reported, Trump officials write it off as just trying to ensure that undocumented immigrants are not receiving improper government benefits. There is no credible evidence to support the contention that there is significant fraud in benefit systems. The White House has also admitted that federal databases are being merged in order to track down and deport immigrants.

(snip)

There is great concern that the targeting of migrants with the powerful master database could be a test run for using that system against U.S. citizens who oppose Trump policies.

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Mean for the Sake of Mean Likes 0

An Upper Darby woman was convicted of torturing animals and then posting the videos on social media.

(snip)

Investigators say she did it to get likes and follows.

One more time. “social” media isn’t.

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Responsible Fiscals 0

Get out of Jail free cardYou can’t make this stuff up.

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Republican Thought Police 0

If the truth hurts, well, just tell truth to take a hike.

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The Rule of Lawless 0

At Above the Law, Kathryn Rubino notes that Donald Trump has now set his sights on British lawyer and International Criminal Court prosecutor Karim Khan for (gasp!) prosecuting. She goes on to note that

Trump’s bold sanction play for lawyers doing their jobs is yet another attack on the rule of law.

The distressing details are at the link.

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“History Does Not Repeat Itself, but It Often Rhymes”* 0

At the Detroit Free Press, John Lindstrom hears a rhyme. Here’s a bit of the cadence:

. . . the Trump administration has resurrected one of the great instruments of tyranny: “lettres de cachet,” an order from the king, usually used to order someone’s imprisonment. Such “lettres” were among the many issues causing the French Revolution. They historically stemmed from the concept of “Rex solutas est a legibus,” or the “King is released from the law” and able to do whatsoever he ? or she ? chooses. You didn’t like someone, didn’t matter why, the king would issue an order for your arrest.

Clearly Trump is behaving as though he is above the law . . . .

_________________

*Mark Twain.

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A Notion of Immigrants, Reprise 0

Mary Trump lists the lies told by the lying liars in the Trump maladministration to justify his persecution of immigrants.

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On the Spectrum, Vaccine Nation Dept. 0

Secretary of HHS Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., has resurrected the debunked claim that vaccines cause autism, and, in so doing, may well jeopardize the public’s health.

At Psychology Today Blogs, Sam Goldstein takes a deep dive into what science has learned about autism over the past half century or so. He makes three main points; follow the link for a detailed exploration of each.

  • Most of autism’s rise is due to (increased–ed.) awareness, not an actual increase.
  • Genetic causes of autism are firmly established by decades of research.
  • Autism now includes many with social learning differences, not just disability.

I commend his article as a worthwhile read to arm yourself against the dis- and misinformation spread by the anti-VAX movement,

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Vaccine Nation 0

RFK Jr. as a woodpecker pecking holes in a wooden dam labeled

Click for the original image.

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DOGE Bull 0

Frame One:  Man points towards foot and says,

Click for the original image.

As one who has lived through hurricanes (after Donna, we were without power for eight days and my father had to sink a well so that we had water), I do not think that gutting the NOAA is a good idea.

Afterthought:

I do not think it is beyond the realm of plausibility to suggest that one of our major political parties no longer believes in promoting the general welfare.

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Vaccine Nation 0

Emma and the crew discuss how anti-VAX lies endanger public health the public’s health.

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Influencer Idiocy 0

He wanted “likes.”

He got arrested.

Deservedly so.

I sometimes fear that the Disinformation Superhighway is speeding us to a society of stupid.

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This New Gilded Age 0

At the Washington Monthly, Richard W. Painter investigates the incestuous relationship between a roll-call of billionaires and the Trump maladministration.

Just go read it for yourself.

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Vaccine Nation 0

Elon Musk’s DOGE to states currently dealing with measles outbreaks: You’re on your own, pals.

Also, too . . . .

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The Rule of Lawless 0

Constitution, schmonstitution.

Shreds of the Constitution rearranged to read

Click for the original image.

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Suffer the Children 0

That’s no scripture, but that is apparently a Republican family value.

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How Republicans Support the Troops, One More Time 0

Republicans erase more veterans, apparently because they weren’t white enough.

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