From Pine View Farm

QOTD 0

Morrison Waite:

We know that this is a power which may be abused; but that is no argument against its existence. For protection against abuses by legislatures the people must resort to the polls, not to the courts.

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A Toon for the Times 0

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Decoding de Code 0

Robert C. Koehler explains the unstated wishes of those who are “anti-woke”:

Please, dear Lord, make America great again. Bring back the days when white supremacy was simply the way things were, when America was overtly and indisputably racist and proud of it: proud of its segregation, its racist laws, its outright voter suppression, its lynchings and cross burnings and Klan terrorism, etc., etc., etc. Now all this stuff is just history, and the woke culture wants to teach it to our kids in a negative way, as though it were wrong.

Follow the link for context.

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Executive Privilege 0

Frame One:  We asked fossil fuel executives:

Click to view the original image.

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“An Armed Society Is a Polite Society” 0

Yet more evidence that “responsible gun owner” is an oxymoron.

We are a society of stupid.

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Precedented, Reprise 0

The editorial board of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch looks at Republicans’ reaction to the indictment of Donald Trump and finds an unprecedented precedent. Here’s a small bit from their piece:

A common theme of the near-universal Republican condemnation of Trump’s indictment is that it’s unprecedented to criminally charge a former president. This is true, but the argument ignores a crucial factor: Trump’s behavior is and always has been unprecedented.

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Artificial? Certainly. Intelligent? Not So Much. 0

Noz has doubts about ChatGPT.

Methinks he makes a valid point.

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All the News that Fits 0

Dick Polman looks at the revelations about Fox News’s fibs relating to the Dominion law suit and at those who cling to tham and asks,

How have we devolved to the point where so many people believe that the sky is green and the Earth is flat?

Follow the link for his thoughts as to the answer.

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QOTD 0

Georges Danton:

After bread, education is the first need of the people.

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Recommended Reading 0

If you’re a mystery buff, as I have been since I bought my first 35-cent Perry Mason Pocketbook paperback back in the olden days, when I was a young ‘un, check out William D. Andrews’s novels.

The stories are told through the eyes of Julie Williamson, director of an historical society in a small town in western Maine. The plots may not rise to the level of, say, Agatha Christie, in terms of being tightly woven, but the author makes the characters become real. In the second novel, Breaking Ground, one of the characters was so creepy in a real life way that he reminded me of persons I have known and dealt with.

If you want fast-paced and hard-boiled, these are not the books for you.

If you want realistic characters and real-life atmosphere, try one out.

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And Now for a Musical Interlude 0

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The Republican Party Personality Cult 0

At the Las Vegas Sun, Casey Harrison explores Republicans’ fealty to Donald Trump in the face of the evidence of–er–somewhat questionable behavior. A snippet (emphasis added):

“Those who voted for Trump in 2016 were also higher in two personality constructs consistent with his political positions,” (UNLV professor Stephen–ed.) Benning said. “Social dominance orientation reflects a belief that some groups should be seen as better than others, and national identity importance refers to how important one’s nationality is to one’s sense of identity. These kinds of beliefs are stoked with Trump’s rhetoric, allowing his supporters to frame themselves as the true Americans who should be on top of other groups.”

(snip)

“Unlike figures like Richard Nixon, who faced severe political consequences from his party in the light of the Watergate scandal, Trump has had no consequences meted out to him by the current Republican Party for his antagonism,” Benning said. “In this way, his supporters see a figure who shares their personality traits and values, who promises to put them on top of society, even though Trump has antagonistic and disinhibited traits that would make it difficult for him to enact those promises.”

The complete piece is worthy of your attention.

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The Real Sheeple 0

Frame One:  Image of silent, red-hatted crickets captioned

Via Job’s Anger.

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A Speeding Ticket on the Disinformation Superhighway 0

Following four days of deliberation, a jury handed radical-right activist Douglass Mackey a guilty verdict on Friday, March 31, asserting that he interfered with the 2016 election through his infamous “Ricky Vaughn” pseudonym.

Lots of details at the link.

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Still Rising Again after All These Years 0

If the truth hurts, ban the truth.

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Precedented 0

Image One:  1973:  Richard Nixon says,

Click to view the original image.

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Twits on Twitter 0

Virginia’s Governor Trumpkin rallies behind Dear Leader.

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QOTD 0

Suzanne Langer:

Common-sense knowledge is prompt, categorical, and inexact.

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The Crypto Con 0

Man and woman standing by a bank.  One one side there's an ATM; on the other, a

Click for the original image.

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A Case of Projection 0

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From Pine View Farm
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