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Created
Tue, 27/08/2024 - 02:00
If faced with a Democratic Donald Trump what would you do? Someone once asked me who I thought would be the Democratic equivalent of Donald Trump would be and I said Kanye West. He’s world famous, extremely wealthy, narcissistic, unstable, politically ambitious, totally unself-aware and manifestly unfit — except it turned out that he’s actually a right wing anti-semite. I might have said Robert F. Kennedy Jr too at one time, except he’s now endorsed Donald Trump. I’m sure there must be some truly crazy lefty out there who would be a bridge too far for many Democrats but that combination of authoritarianism, pathological character flaws, overwhelming ignorance and demagogic talent seems to inevitably drift toward the right these days. That is not to say that voters aren’t always subject to emotional attachment to their leaders in both parties. In recent decades, Republicans practically worshipped Ronald Reagan and Democrats were head over heels for Barack Obama. There was even a time when even George W. Bush was practically deified.
Created
Tue, 27/08/2024 - 00:30
Trolling, trolling, trolling the Trump campaign The Harris campaign is trying some mind-fuckery with the former president over debate rules. Donald Trump is still looking for a way to back out and complained Sunday night about holding the next debate on ABC, reports The New York Times: “I ask, why would I do the Debate against Kamala Harris on that network?” he wrote. He continued, misspelling the name of the Democratic strategist Donna Brazile and using a disparaging nickname for the news anchor George Stephanopoulos: “Will panelist Donna Brazil give the questions to the Marxist Candidate like she did for Crooked Hillary Clinton? Will Kamala’s best friend, who heads up ABC, do likewise. Where is Liddle’ George Slopadopolus hanging out now? Will he be involved. They’ve got a lot of questions to answer!!! Why did Harris turn down Fox, NBC, CBS, and even CNN? Stay tuned!!!” Hand the nuclear codes again to that infant?
Created
Mon, 26/08/2024 - 23:00
Achilles had his heel It doesn’t require and advanced degree in psychology to see it. Donald Trump has grumbled his entire adult life that “the world” is laughing at “us” (meaning the United States). Mr. Bundle of Insecurities harbors deep anxieties about being laughed at himself. He’s not very bright. He’s undereducated. He’s overweight. He’s a “tycoon” who sucks at business and cheats at golf. He got where he is with daddy’s money. Underneath the bluster and bullying in recesses of his psyche he dare not explore (self-examination is for the weak), he knows it. Throughout the sad history of Trumpism, comedians have garnered tons of laughs at Trump’s expense. At the White House Correspondents’ dinner in 2011, Seth Meyers famously quipped, “Trump said he’s running as a Republican. Which is surprising; I just assumed he was running as a joke.” The audience roared. Trump seethed. “That evening of public abasement, rather than sending Mr.
Created
Mon, 26/08/2024 - 22:00

There’s nothing quite as satisfying as gardening. Whether growing vegetables or adding color to your backyard, all you need to cultivate healthy plants is sun and water.

Except not that much sun. You don’t want to broil your plants. And lighten up on the water. You’re growing a garden, not a swamp.

Start with an easy plant. Zinnias. Geranium. Basil. They’re impossible to kill. Unless you introduce the wrong amount of water and sun.

Geraniums like full sun. Hostas thrive in partial shade. And arugula needs to be in full sun except when it prefers shade, which is usually Mondays or any day you decide to spend at the beach and neglect your garden.

Green beans, peppers, and tomatoes can be planted in pots. To maintain the perfect ecosystem for each, devote your days to rearranging their pots to optimize sun exposure like they’re teenagers trying to achieve the perfect tan without burning. Don’t forget to remind them every twenty-five minutes to drink water, even if they roll their eyes at you.

Water your plants first thing in the morning when it’s cool, unless they prefer to be watered during the hottest part of the day.

Created
Mon, 26/08/2024 - 18:16
Sommar i P1 är en ärevördig tradition i svensk radio. Redan som barn brukade yours truly tillbringa långa sommardagar med att ligga på Ribban eller vid Luhrsjön och lyssna med medhavd transistorradio. Tyvärr har programmet med åren genomgått samma utveckling som public service i stort — bra har blivit dåligt, dåligt har blivit sämre, och […]
Created
Mon, 26/08/2024 - 17:36
According to The New York Times (23 August), The Justice Department “filed an antitrust lawsuit on Friday against the real estate software company RealPage, alleging its software enabled landlords to collude to raise rents across the United States.” I am not an expert in law or anti-trust, but there is another (systemic risk management) angle to this story that the […]
Created
Mon, 26/08/2024 - 17:00
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August 26th, 2024next

August 26th, 2024: This comic was inspired by an actual really nice day!

Created
Mon, 26/08/2024 - 16:27
It seems that since they were elected British Labour, principally the Leader and Chancellor, have thought it necessary to put out ever increasing messages of doom and the need for tough fiscal action – aka austerity – despite them claiming when they were wooing the electorate that they would not pursue that ‘Tory’ option. Of…
Created
Mon, 26/08/2024 - 08:00
The headline for this NYT review of David Rhode’s new is puzzling. It says I thought the story was going to be about DOJ employees being afraid of getting in trouble if they spilled the beans to David Rhode. But it doesn’t really reveal anything like that except a passing reference to the fear for their jobs if Trump wins in November and to say that Merrick Garland wanted to preserve the norms of the Justice Department and that was hard because Trump is such a lying criminal. Be that as it may, it sounds like an interesting book anyway: Trump was the first president since Nixon to utterly reject the idea that federal law enforcement should operate independently of the president’s personal desires or prejudices. Rather, he sought to use the attorney general, special prosecutors, U.S. attorneys and the F.B.I. as instruments to help himself and his friends and to punish his enemies. Although Rohde doesn’t hide his conviction that Trump undermined democracy with his salvos against the Justice Department’s independence, he nonetheless writes in measured, restrained language that should hold up well in the light of history.
Created
Mon, 26/08/2024 - 07:33

In a recent column, the Washington Post’s Richard Cohen wrote, “What Henry Luce called ‘the American Century’ is over.” Cohen is right. All that remains is to drive a stake through the heart of Luce’s pernicious creation, lest it come back to life. This promises to take some doing. To solve our problems requires that we see ourselves as we really are. And that requires shedding, once and for all, the illusions embodied in the American Century. When the Time-Life publisher coined his famous phrase, his intent was to prod his fellow citizens into action. Appearing in the February 7, 1941 issue of Life, his essay, “The American Century,” hit the newsstands at a moment when the world was in the throes... Read more

Created
Mon, 26/08/2024 - 06:30
As we know, the MAGA cult (aka the Republican party) has epic piles of chutzpah and sheer gall. But their new attack on Tim Walz as a pathological liar has got to be the most audacious projection they’ve ever done. Kevin Drum helpfully unpacked their ridiculous claims: Let us investigate the vast history of lying by Gov. Tim Walz as alleged by the Trump campaign: Retired from the National Guard as a command sergeant major.He did rise to the rank of command sergeant major, but upon retirement his rank reverted to master sergeant. Had children via IVF.Walz almost always refers only to “fertility treatments,” but a couple of times has used the term IVF. In fact he and his wife underwent IUI, commonly referred to as IVF but actually a different, more affordable fertility treatment. Won an award from the Nebraska Chamber of Commerce (2006).It was the Junior Chamber of Commerce, Taught in China for a year through a program at Harvard University  (2006).It was a program affiliated with Harvard. Earned the title of Nebraska Citizen-Soldier of the Year (1989).He did indeed earn this award, but so did 51 other people.
Created
Mon, 26/08/2024 - 05:00
Oh Lindsey. You are just as dishonest and delusional as your daddy: “You saw a hate fest full of insults. And Donald Trump said to Barack Obama, you’re a nice man after President Obama insulted and and jabbed President Trump continuously,” Graham said. “It was designed to draw him into an exchange of insults.” “It was light on policy, heavy on insults. So I told President Trump, then and now, you’re going to win this thing if you focus on policy,” he added. Graham then noted that people are not “joyful” on several matters including inflation and cost of living, and pitched a Trump second term. Democrats have been using themes of “joy” heavily since Harris became the nominee. “I think President Trump offers the best solution to change the trajectory of the country. And finally, if you’re waiting on Kamala Harris to come up with new policies, you’re going to die waiting, because she will continue what they’ve been doing for the last four years,” Graham said.
Created
Mon, 26/08/2024 - 04:59
Opposition Leader Peter Dutton seems bereft of the qualities required in a leader, so it’s worth pondering how he and those who support him could show leadership. There’s no fixed prescription for leaders, but imagination, vision and a concern with altruism are invaluable, as long as those traits are augmented with touches of humanity, as Continue reading »
Created
Mon, 26/08/2024 - 04:58
We need a no-holds-barred attack on corporate power to meet global threats. Humanity cannot — now — avoid troubled and turbulent times. Extreme events will powerfully influence the course ahead, the shape of things to come after the turmoil. They could help or hinder: provide the moral force for urgent action, or preoccupy us with Continue reading »