1/. Mike Pence is fighting the Jan.6 subpoena.....why?
Pence when he was the loyal subaltern to the 45th president. Photo: John Moore/Getty Images
To a lot of regular people who aren’t political obsessives or social-media hounds, the one thing they probably know about former vice-president Mike Pence is that he resisted intense pressure from Donald Trump on January 6, 2021, to suspend or even reverse Joe Biden’s official certification as the 46th president of the United States. But Pence really doesn’t want to talk about his big moment with the Justice Department. He said this week that he’s willing to go to the Supreme Court to resist a subpoena from Special Counsel Jack Smith, who’s looking at Trump’s effort to subvert the 2020 election.
2/. The Daily Show is trying out new hosts, and this one has Sarah Silverman in the chair.....a slow start, but
she gets going.....a pretty good 8 minutes....
3/. The Great Salt Lake in Utah is about to collapse, and the Republicans in Utah are going to let it because the only solution is to cut
water to Big Ag farms, and they won't do it. It is going to be an economic and environmental disaster.....
The largest salt lake in the western hemisphere risks ‘one of the worst environmental disasters’ as it faces the prospect of disappearing in just five years
To walk on to the Great Salt Lake, the largest salt lake in the western hemisphere which faces the astounding prospect of disappearing just five years from now, is to trudge across expanses of sand and mud, streaked with ice and desiccated aquatic life, where just a short time ago you would be wading in waist-deep water.
But the mounting sense of local dread over the lake’s rapid retreat doesn’t just come from its throttled water supply and record low levels, as bad as this is. The terror comes from toxins laced in the vast exposed lake bed, such as arsenic, mercury and lead, being picked up by the wind to form poisonous clouds of dust that would swamp the lungs of people in nearby Salt Lake City, where air pollution is often already worse than that of Los Angeles, potentially provoking a myriad of respiratory and cancer-related problems
4/. Amusing.....
5/. A guy kept a woman prisoner for a year, raped her repeatedly and tortured her, so she killed him.
The jury was not allowed to hear what he did to her.....Kansas Republican justice....
TOPEKA — Sarah Gonzales-McLinn faces long odds in her bid for clemency based on the rarity in which the Prisoner Review Board recommends approval, the willingness of governors to wield their power, the severity of her crime and opposition from those close to Hal Sasko.
Gonzales-McLinn murdered Sasko in January 2014 after he held her captive in his Lawrence home and raped her repeatedly for months. A group of advocates filed a clemency application on her behalf in December.
6/. Bill Maher - New Rule - get ready for fights in Congress.....
7/. This is happening in the UK, but we can see this here too.....nimbys and freedom loving right wingnuts object to anything that will make our lives better.....
Protesters against 15-minute cities and the Covid-19 vaccination in Leeds, 11 February 2023. Photograph: Martin Pope/SOPA Images/REX/ShutterstockThu 16 Feb 2023 01.00 EST
here’s an international socialist conspiracy afoot, and it wants to make it easier to walk to the shops. Fringe forces of the far left are plotting to take away our freedom to be stuck in traffic jams, to crawl along clogged ring roads and trawl the streets in search of a parking spot. The liberty of the rush-hour commute, the sanctity of the out-of-town shopping centre and the righteousness of the suburban food desert is under threat as never before. The name of this chilling global movement? The “15-minute city”.
8/. Pay attention to this election on Tuesday Feb. 21st......
For more than a decade now, the Wisconsin Supreme Court has acted as a “third branch” of its Republican-dominated legislature, according to Ben Wikler, chair of the state Democratic Party. But that could change this spring in an election that has enormous implications not only for the Dairy State, but for the country as a whole. “The Wisconsin Supreme Court race is the most critical election of 2023,” Wikler tells me, “both for Wisconsin and for American democracy.”
Four candidates—two conservatives, two liberals—are running to replace conservative justice Patience Roggensack, who is not seeking reelection when her term ends this summer. The outcome of the April election will determine control of the seven-member court, and a host of issues along with it. Among them: abortion rights, the Republican gerrymander of state election maps, and potentially the certification of future presidential elections in 2024 and beyond.
9/. The Superbowl commercials were mostly meh this year, but this one is just about worth watching because of all
the celebrity cameos.....and a takeoff on "Caddyshack"....
10/. Jason Garcia with a summary of what those bastards running this state are doing to the poor and enriching their donors.....he's a good
reporter, and this is news you aren't getting from TV.....
The most important vote of last week’s special session came just seven minutes after lawmakers gaveled it open.
Republican leaders in Tallahassee had called the emergency session so they could give Gov. Ron DeSantis some new powers — like permission to make his migrant “relocation” program into a nationwide stunt show and the ability to squeeze the Walt Disney Co. into silence on LGBTQ+ issues.
Democrats in the state House tried to add another topic to the agenda: Health insurance. But without any substantive discussion, Republican House members quickly and casually killed a bill that would have expanded the state’s Medicaid program to cover more Floridians https://jasongarcia.substack.com/p/ron-desantis-and-the-legislature?utm_source=post-email-title&publication_id=687064&post_id=102327580&isFreemail=true&utm_medium=email
11/. John Wick #4 - coming in March.....guys - get ready!
12/. Interesting look at the real dangers of extreme religion to our democracy......
Example - how about 6 loony Catholics on the Supreme Court for example?
Though quests for religious freedom founded the USA, many years passed before a more diverse, tolerant America formalized true religious freedom – and the protection of one’s innermost beliefs. Since that endorsement assumes no one else would be impaired, nor institution defiled, this mission is clearly not over. Our original – and exceptional – commitment to protected choice came on the heels of endless European wars among sects and, relevant now, comes still with a fierce insurance provision. Freedom of religion mandates a defense of the legal system that secures that right – or everyone’s freedom withers.
Apparently, fundamentalists ignore this justified absolute truth: when you violate other people’s rights, that puts your own freedoms at risk. To echo the line about Las Vegas, Bible-belters are free to believe whatever fairy tales they fancy, but they have no right to impose on the outside body politic crusades that deny voting rights or child-bearing rights, defy election outcomes, even demonize foes with different belief systems. https://www.nationofchange.org/2023/02/14/is-frenzied-religiosity-a-luxury-that-democracy-let-alone-civilized-order-can-no-longer-afford/
13/. David Wallace-Wells on how the EU is coping with energy shortages this [luckily] mild winter....
This was supposed to be a winter of energy crisis in Europe. Beginning last spring, not long after the Russian invasion of Ukraine, the fear of gas shortages spread across the continent, along with fears of what might follow. The coming winter crunch was compared to wartime, with energy experts less focused on whether it would bring rationing than how much. Others suggested that spectacular price spikes would mean suspensions of energy markets and that the continent as a whole would experience not a “cost of living crisis” but a crisis of “molecules” — in which there wasn’t enough energy to be had, no matter the price. A recession was simply taken for granted among the commentariat — almost like a badge of honor demonstrating the moral valor of standing up to Vladimir Putin. https://www.nytimes.com/2023/02/15/opinion/europe-energy-crisis-natural-gas-russia.html
14/. The UN Secretary General warns of a tide of climate refugees on "a Biblical Scale"....will
anyone in the US care? Not Republicans.....
Heavy flooding in Bangkok. The UN chief warned people in major cities across the world faced catastrophic difficulties. Photograph: Matt Hunt/NurPhoto/REX/ShutterstockRising seas threaten ‘mass exodus on a biblical scale’, UN chief warns
António Guterres calls for urgent action as climate-driven rise brings ‘torrent of trouble’ to almost a billion people
An increase in the pace at which sea levels are rising threatens “a mass exodus of entire populations on a biblical scale”, the UN secretary general has warned.
The climate crisis is causing sea levels to rise faster than for 3,000 years, bringing a “torrent of trouble” to almost a billion people, from London to Los Angeles and Bangkok to Buenos Aires, António Guterres said on Tuesday. Some nations could cease to exist, drowned under the waves, he said.
15/. Tom Tomorrow talks to 30% of the country.....
16/. Paul Krugman on why the right hates our University systems.....
Ron DeSantis, who is currently governor of Florida and wants to become president, has been trying to position himself as America’s leading crusader against wokeness. And lately higher education has become his most visible target. He picked a very public fightwith the College Board over its new advanced placement course in African American studies, and in the past few days has broadened that attack into a suggestion that Florida might stop offering A.P. classes in any field.
17/. How is Louis DeJoy still here?
18/. Bob Lefsetz and his TV recommendations are usually pretty reliable......and he says go
for "Fauda".....
Don’t tell me what happens.
We just finished five seasons of “Gomorrah.” I wanted to write about it numerous times, but I was fearful people would see the headline and delineate everything that happens. Happens all the time. Even worse are those people who castigate me for not mentioning a song or some other fact in my piece when I did, they just didn’t read it. So, once again, we’re only three episodes in, SO DON’T SPOIL IT!
But people still will. I’m taking a big risk here. I know from experience.
But I’m so damn excited about the show.
19/. "Sharper" with Julianne Moore looks good.....on Apple TV....
Benjamin Caron’s enjoyable caper features a glorious turn by Julianne Moore but stumbles in the final act
20/. Just as valuable as good reviews are bad reviews......the Guardian does NOT recommend "The Consultant" with Christopher Waltz.....Netflix....
The Inglourious Basterds star is the best in the biz at sinister charisma, but his new office-based drama is hard to care about – even if it does seem designed to make you think of Elon Musk
e’re still deep in the puzzlebox era, I’m sad to report. You know what I mean: eight- to 10-episode TV arcs that revolve round a mystery, revealing the prestige of it via incremental steps and breadcrumbed clues, ideally with a couple of flashback scenes that seed more context as the story unfurls.
21/. Want a movie? You may have seen a lot of these, but maybe not....
The Times picks the 50 best movies on Netflix....
The sheer volume of films on Netflix — and the site’s less than ideal interface — can make finding a genuinely great movie there a difficult task. To help, we’ve plucked out the 50 best films currently streaming on the service in the United States, updated regularly as titles come and go. And as a bonus, we link to more great movies on Netflix within many of our write-ups below. (Note: Streaming services sometimes remove titles or change starting dates without giving notice.)
Today's video - The amazing LG vacuum.......what a machine.....more power than a Dyson.....eewwwww.........
Today's granddad joke
Have you ever wondered what the difference is between grandmothers and grandfathers? Well, here it is:
There was this loving grandfather who always made a special effort to spend time with his son's family on weekends. Every Saturday morning he would take his 7-year-old granddaughter out for a drive in the car for some
quality time -- just him and his granddaughter.
One particular Saturday, however, he had a bad cold and really didn't feel like being up at all. He knew his granddaughter always looked forward to their drives and would be disappointed. Luckily, his wife came to the rescue and said that she would take their granddaughter for the drive.
When they returned, the little girl anxiously ran upstairs to see her grandfather who was still in bed. "Well, did you enjoy your ride with grandma?" he asked. "Oh, yes, Papa, it was really great. And guess what!
We didn't see a single asshole, piece of crap, horse's ass, blind bastard, dipshit, Muslim goat humper or son of a bitch anywhere we went!"
Almost brings a tear to your eye, doesn't it?
Today's musings......
1. A day without sunshine is like night.
2. On the other hand, you have different fingers.
3. 42.7 percent of all statistics are made up on the spot.
4. 99 percent of lawyers give the rest a bad name.
5. Remember, half the people you know are below average.
6. He who laughs last, thinks slowest.
7. Depression is merely anger without enthusiasm.
8. The early bird may get the worm, but the second mouse gets the cheese.
9. Support bacteria. They're the only culture some people have.
10. A clear conscience is usually the sign of a bad memory.
11. Change is inevitable, except from vending machines.
12. If you think nobody cares, try missing a couple of payments.
13. How many of you believe in psycho-kinesis? Raise my hand.
14. OK, so what's the speed of dark?
15. When everything is coming your way, you're in the wrong lane.
16. Hard work pays off in the future. Laziness pays off now.
17. How much deeper would the ocean be without sponges?
18. Eagles may soar, but weasels don't get sucked into jet engines.
19. What happens if you get scared half to death, twice?
20. Why do psychics have to ask you your name?
21. Inside every older person is a younger person wondering, 'What the heck happened?'
22. Just remember -- if the world didn't suck, we would all fall off.
23. Light travels faster than sound.. That's why some people appear bright until you hear them speak.
24. Life isn't like a box of chocolates; it's more like a jar of jalapenos. What you do today, might burn your ass tomorrow.
Today's Southern joke
Two nicely dressed ladies happened to start up a conversation during an endless wait in Los Angeles airport.
The first lady was an arrogant Californian woman married to a wealthy man.
The second was a well-mannered elderly woman from the South.
When the conversation centered on whether they had any children, the California woman started by saying,
"When my first child was born, my husband built a beautiful mansion for me."
The lady from the South commented, "Well, bless your heart."
The first woman continued, "When my second child was born, my husband bought me a beautiful Mercedes-Benz."
Again, the lady from the South commented, "Well, bless your heart."
The first woman continued, "Then, when my third child was born, my husband bought me this exquisite diamond bracelet."
Yet again, the Southern lady commented, "Well, bless your heart."
The first woman then asked her companion, "What did your husband buy for you when you had your first child?"
"My husband sent me to Charm School," declared the Southern lady.
"Charm School?" the first woman said, amazed, "Oh, my God! What on earth for?"
The Southern lady responded, "Well for example, instead of saying, "Who gives a shit?" I learned to say, "Well, bless your heart!"
Today's groaners....My dog used to chase people on a bike a lot. It got so bad, finally I had to take his bike away.
I'm so good at sleeping. I can do it with my eyes closed.
My boss told me to have a good day.. so I went home.
Why is Peter Pan always flying? He neverlands.
A woman walked into a library and asked if they had any books about paranoia. The librarian says "They're right behind you!"
The other day, my wife asked me to pass her lipstick but I accidentally passed her a glue stick. She still isn't talking to me.
Why do blind people hate skydiving? It scares the hell out of their dogs.
When you look really closely, all mirrors look like eyeballs.
My friend says to me: "What rhymes with orange" I said: "No it doesn't"
What do you call a guy with a rubber toe? Roberto.
What did the pirate say when he turned 80 years old? Aye matey.
My wife told me I had to stop acting like a flamingo. So I had to put my foot down.
I couldn't figure out why the baseball kept getting larger. Then it hit me.
Why did the old man fall in the well? Because he couldn't see that well.
I ate a clock yesterday, it was very time consuming.
Whatdya call a Frenchman wearing sandals? Phillipe Phillope.
A blind man walks into a bar. And a table. And a chair.
I know a lot of jokes about unemployed people but none of them work.
What's orange and sounds like a parrot? A carrot.
Did you hear about the Italian chef that died? He pasta way.
Why couldn't the bicycle stand up? Because it was two tired!
Parallel lines have so much in common. It’s a shame they’ll never meet.
My wife accused me of being immature. I told her to get out of my fort.
Where do you find a cow with no legs? Right where you left it.
When a deaf person sees someone yawn do they think it’s a scream?
As I suspected, someone has been adding soil to my garden. The plot thickens.
