Playing stupid games on health care and winning stupid prizes on abortion.

 

Exactly what backers of Art 1  § 38 should have known would occur. Lampoon posted under fair use exception as I couldn't think of a more applicable illustration.

Wyoming Constitution Art. 1, § 38. Right of health care access

(a) Each competent adult shall have the right to make his or her own health care decisions. The parent, guardian or legal representative of any other natural person shall have the right to make health care decisions for that person.

(b) Any person may pay, and a health care provider may accept, direct payment for health care without imposition of penalties or fines for doing so.

(c) The legislature may determine reasonable and necessary restrictions on the rights granted under this section to protect the health and general welfare of the people or to accomplish the other purposes set forth in the Wyoming Constitution.

(d) The state of Wyoming shall act to preserve these rights from undue governmental infringement.

Jonathan Lange: The Supreme Court Owes Us An Explanation

Hmm, depends a bit on how he voted on the dumbass Art. 1, § 38..

'Lange has a point, as much as I hate to admit it. But the party that really owes the state an explanation is the paranoid sots who backed the Constitutional amendment set out above from 2024, and those who voted for it, about a right to make your own medical decisions, which you already had, as they feared AHCA meant death panels.

That was freakin' absurd.

Lange, did you vote for it?

This was really predictable. That set it up.  It was obvious.

Nobody is more opposed to abortion, which I regard as infanticide, than me.  Indeed, my views in this general area are probably far more "conservative" than most peoples.  

And to extend it, I'm not in favor of the death penalty either.

And, no, I don't think abortion is health care by a long measure, but if this hadn't been passed, the question would never have come up.

But to set this in the constitution of the state, what the crap did you think would happen?  It puts the court in the place of making an existential decision.

A really easy one to make, in my view, but if you take my view, on natural rights, a lot of right wingers wouldn't be very comfortable, very soon.

The Making of the Christian Man By Charles J. Chaput, O.F.M. Cap.

 

The Making of the Christian Man

By Charles J. Chaput, O.F.M. Cap.

Going Feral: The Feral Week of February 1, 2026.

Do right by the Sublette antelope herd

Friday, February 6, 2026

Call on the North Platte

 

Thursday, February 5, 2026

Industry reps, hunters and others start review of world’s longest pronghorn migration

A recipe I'm definitely trying.

 Fried Sage Grouse with Blue Corn Waffles and Hot Chokecherry Honey

Lex Anteinternet: Friday, February 3, 1911. Dangers of nature.

The Agrarian's Lament: What have you done for me lately? Addressing politicians in desperate times, part 5.

2026 Fishing Regulation Changes

Churches of the West: Claiming the mantle of Christ in politics. Don't support liars and don't lie. Addressing politicians in desperate times, part 4.

Blog Mirror: Teton County Outfitter Still Fighting For His Livelihood On Kelly Parcel

State weighs damage Seminoe ‘pumped water’ project might cause popular Miracle Mile trout fishery

Saying Goodbye to Gracie Not ‘just a cat.’

 

Saying Goodbye to Gracie

Not ‘just a cat.’

Tuesday, February 5, 1946. Star of Paris.

Look offered an article on what FDR would have said regarding the ongoing intense look back at the events leading to December 7, 1941, a controversy that most Americans have forgotten occurred.  But it was probably the slice of cheesecake offered up in the form of actress Colleen Townsend that drew attention to the magazine.  Townsend is from California and attended BYU (she was a Mormon growing up).  She entered acting through minor roles in the early 40s, but it was magazine covers that drew the publics attention to her.  She was one of the Yank pinups.  She converted to Presbyterianism in 1948 and married a seminary student in 1950, after which she left acting.  She had a long career as a humanitarian and civil rights worker, and is still living.

TWA's "Star of Paris", a Lockheed Constellation, flew from New York to Paris in the first transAtlantic commercial airline flight.  

The flight took fifteen hours.

More on the flight here:

5–6 February 1946

President Truman established the Tishomingo National Wildlife Refuge in Oklahoma.

Last edition:

Monday, February 4, 1946. Weather and War Brides.

Labels: 1940s, 1946, boats and ships, It was because of World War Two, Marriage, The relationship between men and women, Weather

Cellmate of Boethius: Every man of base character, and therefore the more greedy for others' goods, thinks himself the only one really worthy to possess all the gold and jewels there are.

Cellmate of Boethius: Every man of base character, and therefore the mor...: Every man of base character, and therefore the more greedy for others' goods, thinks himself the only one really worthy to possess all t...

Every man of base character, and therefore the more greedy for others' goods, thinks himself the only one really worthy to possess all the gold and jewels there are.

Every man of base character, and therefore the more greedy for others' goods, thinks himself the only one really worthy to possess all the gold and jewels there are.

Boethius

Of course it was a honeytrap. Was, "Was it a honeytrap?"

 

Delia Kane, age 14 at  The Exchange Luncheon, Why is her photo up here on this thread? Well, it'll become more apparent below, but we now know that the Playboy mansion had a minor who grew up in it, and whose fell into vice about it, tried to write about it, and who had those writing suppressed by Playboy.  Additionally, from other sources, which won't receive as much press as the current A&E documentary, Playboy actually promoted the sexualization of female minors in its early history to such an extent that the result of an independent European study caused this to cease before it became a matter they addressed. This was apparently through its cartoons, but it's worth nothing that apparently at least one Playboy model was 17 years old at the time of her centerfold appearance and another, who later killed herself, was a high school student, albeit a married one.  Girls and young women were accidents of unfortunate labor early in the 20th Century. But the late 20th Century, they were the target of pornographers and sex exploiters.  Which is worse? (From a prior post, but one which is related to this one, and which we'll explain in an upcoming post).

We posted the question yesterday, and did an entry on it.

Lex Anteinternet: Was it a honeytrap?: Never get into an elevator with a Polish blonde” David M. Evans, Consular/Economic Officer, Warsaw, 1964-1967 Cold War era Greek poster warn...

After that, it really occurred to us the question wasn't, was it a honeytrap?   The Epstein teenage girl platter was of course a honeytrap.

The question is, who benefited from it?

We've made the classic suggestion, it was espionage.  But there are other types of espionage other than the clandestine statecraft type.

Industrial espionage is one.

Now, frankly it looks unlikely to be that, but it's possible.  And engaging in spycraft for nations doesn't preclude engaging in it for industry. There are indeed examples of men and women who have done both.

Which takes us to our next item. What if all the effort to stock a Caribbean island with desperate nymphs was simply to advance Epstein himself, much like bootlegging was to advance the bootleggers.

That could have worked in several ways.  One was simply a chance to offer teenage girls to men who wanted to screw teenage girls in exchange for something. . . money, connections, or whatever.

But it goes without saying that if a person set that up, blackmailing them would become very easy to do.

Indeed, why wouldn't a person who had reached such a state of moral depravity take the next step and do so?  Only for a couple of reasons, really.  One is that it might endanger the entire enterprise.  The second is that it might backfire and cause you to end up dead.

And while it's unlikely, it's possible just that occured.

Blackmail, whether as a goal, or accidental byproduct, is indeed part and parcel of an operation such as this.  Epstein had desperate teenage girls available for sex and rich associates who wanted to screw them.  Once they did, he knew that had occured. They had to depend upon his confidence and he upon theirs. The latter was easily acquired as nobody wants to end up like Prince Andrew.  The former, however, could very easily have come at a price at any point.

And the need for confidentiality on the part of the guilty is so strong, that the forces that purchased it are still at work.  By this point, we know why the entire files aren't being released.  When half released, lives are being destroyed.  Andrew lost his theoretical crown.  Peter Mandelson is now out of the House of Lords.  Bill Gates is fighting allegations he deems absurd but which his ex wife Melinda is at least somewhat crediting.

In the end, whatever it is, didn't work out for Epstein twice. The first time it certainly did, he practically got a get out of jail free card.  The second time he lost his life, most likely by his own hands.  Whatever else is in there people are fighting to keep secret.

Which brings us back to something distressing but frankly necessary.

We're never going to know what happened on Epstein Island and in his homes until all the names are released, accused as well as victim.  I know that the victims don't want that, but it's necessary.  Their anonymity keeps them subject to blackmail.  Once their names are out, and those of the accusers are out, if ever, they're free of the threat that chains them and can tell who violated them.  

And as a final note, when the "Me Too" movement broke out it emphasized believing the women who were telling their stories.  Now women do lie about crimes, just like men, and women have lied in the past about rape.  But here there seems to be a widespread acceptance that the worst stories just aren't true.

Why is that?

I'm not saying they are, but if you'd told me fifteen years ago that there was a man who ran a white slavery ring for the wealthy and had his own island where the rich and powerful frequented and sampled the offerings, I wouldn't have believed that either.

Related posts:

Was it a honeytrap?

Labels: Donald Trump, Ephebophilia, Epstein Scandal, Espionage, Harry Dexter White, Harry S. Truman, Hebephilia, McCarthy Era, Playboy, Poland, Russia, Sex, The wealthy, Vladimir Putin

The Brussels sprouts of Wyoming politics

The Brussels sprouts of Wyoming politics: The Wyoming Freedom Caucus brings back memories of a hard lesson learned as a youngster: Don’t bite into something just because someone says it’s good for you, writes columnist Rod Miller.

Don Lemon’s Arrest Is a Warning to Every Journalist in America The Trump administration isn’t just enforcing the law—it’s using arrests as intimidation, and the press is the target.

 

Don Lemon’s Arrest Is a Warning to Every Journalist in America

The Trump administration isn’t just enforcing the law—it’s using arrests as intimidation, and the press is the target.

Melania: The Movie. The Bribe. The Shame. Bezos's illegal payoff

 

Melania: The Movie. The Bribe. The Shame.

Bezos's illegal payoff

The regime moves to make journalism a crime But try as they might, they won't silence the voices of dissent.

 

The regime moves to make journalism a crime

But try as they might, they won't silence the voices of dissent.

Blog Mirror: WYOMING: IT’S TIME TO TAKE OUR GOVERNMENT BACK

This was an item on Facebook.  I'm cross posting it here as it contains good information, some of which I heard recently from other sources as well. 

 WYOMING: IT’S TIME TO TAKE OUR GOVERNMENT BACK

I used to view the Wyoming Freedom Caucus as a gang of right-wing extremists hell-bent on destroying the lives of anyone who had an opinion, stood up for themselves, or rejected the invitation to indoctrination extended by the WFC.  However, it’s far more disgusting than that, and the truth is even more insulting to Wyomingites.  Once I started doing my own research, it became clear to me that these aren’t local patriots standing up for us; they are out-of-state interests wearing a ‘conservative’ mask to infiltrate our government and prey on the weak minds of those who ‘fall in line.’ 

For a group that never misses an opportunity to wrap itself in the Wyoming flag, the WFC is looking more like a subsidiary of a national corporation than a homegrown movement.  If they really believe in ‘Wyoming First,’ they’ve got a funny way of showing it – starting with the fact that their leadership, their strategy, and their bank accounts are all heavily imported from states that couldn’t be further from Wyoming values.

The WFC’s primary political tool is the word “RINO.”  It’s the ultimate intellectual shortcut.  In their world, a “RINO” isn’t someone who isn’t Republican; it’s any Republican who remembers they represent a district in Wyoming rather than a donor in Virginia.  They use the term exactly like the far left uses accusations of “racism”: as a weapon to shut down debate.  Strip away the party labels, and you’ll find that the Wyoming Freedom Caucus and the radical left actually operate from a surprisingly similar playbook.  When they can’t win an argument on its merits, they pivot to name-calling.  What I really want to know is: who the hell do they think they are to act as the gatekeepers of our party?  We don’t need out-of-state interests defining what a Wyoming Republican looks like.

The irony of the WFC’s “local control” rhetoric is staggering when you look at the biographies of its loudest voices.  Roughly 35% of their key associates weren’t even raised in Wyoming.  We are being lectured on “Wyoming values” by people who grew up in the exact urban centers they now claim to despise.  Want examples?

John Bear (Past Chair): Raised in Missouri, educated in Colorado.

Rachel Rodriguez-Williams (Chair): A native of Northern California who lived and worked in Marin County before moving to Cody.

Darin McCann: Raised in Upstate New York and lived in Florida several years.

Ann Lucas: Raise in Chicago, Illinois.

There’s a word for people who move to a place and immediately try to tear down its institutions to match their own imported grievances: colonizers.  Wyoming has always been a “Live and Let Live” state, but the WFC brings “Live My Way or You’re a Traitor” attitude that belongs in a DC boardroom, not a Wyoming ranch.

When it comes to out-of-state money in Wyoming politics, the “grassroots” narrative starts to look a bit like a corporate franchise.  While many candidates on both sides take small out-of-state individual donations, the real story of the 2024 election cycle was the coordinated spending by national organizations specifically targeting Wyoming House seats to install Wyoming Freedom Caucus members.

The following candidates were the primary beneficiaries of this out-of-state “investing,” particularly from the Virginia-based Make Liberty Win PAC and the State Freedom Caucus Network.  Make Liberty Win spent over $426,000 in Wyoming – largely on aggressive attack mailers against local, traditional Republicans.  

Ann Lucas (Cheyenne): Benefited from a massive spending campaign to unseat long-time Rep. Dan Zwonitzer.

Darin McCann (Rock Springs): Supported by out-of-state funds to defeat Speaker Pro Tempore Clark Stith.

Joel Guggenmos (Riverton): Heavily backed by national groups to unseat incumbent Ember Oakley.

Jayme Lien (Casper): Out-of-state money helped fuel her upset victory over House Appropriations member Tom Walters.

Gary Brown (Cheyenne): Received significant support from national PACs to defeat incumbent Bill Henderson.

Steve Johnson (Cheyenne): A Freedom Caucus newcomer who won his seat with the help of national ideological group backing.

Joe Webb (Lyman): Won his primary with the assistance of coordinated out-of-state messaging.

Paul Hoeft (Cody): Benefited from the national network’s effort to unseat traditionalist David Northrop.

Robert Wharff (Evanston): Reclaimed a seat with the help of PACs focusing on unseating more moderate incumbents. 

According to 2024 campaign finance filings, the following candidates also received Make Liberty Win support: Abby Angelos, John Bear, Chip Neiman, Chris Knapp, Ken Pendergraft, Scott Smith, Tomi Strock, Jeremy Haroldson.

I’ll say it again; the sheer volume of this money is what makes the WFC’s “local control” rhetoric so ironic.  For example, in the 2024 primary, out-of-state PACs often outspent the actual candidates’ own local fundraising.  Virginia-based Make Liberty Win spent more in a single Wyoming primary cycle than most of these candidates could raise from their actual neighbors in a decade.  Let that sink in!

It’s a strategic takeover: national groups realize that for the price of a single mid-tier Congressional race, they can buy an entire State House in Wyoming.  Do you think they really care about local issues?  Neither do I.

We cannot allow our state’s identity to be sold to the highest bidder in Virginia.  When you sell your soul to the devil, there is no turning back.  It is time to take our government back from the importers and return it to the people who actually call Wyoming home.

The Media Malpractice That Sent America Tumbling Into Trumpism Political journalists need to stop pretending they don’t know what Republicans are going to do.

 The Media Malpractice That Sent America Tumbling Into Trumpism

Political journalists need to stop pretending they don’t know what Republicans are going to do.

Railhead: Looking at, and for, railroad maps. Blog Mirror: Welcome to The Chicago, Burlington & Quincy Railroad in Wyoming!

Railhead: Railhead: Looking at, and for, railroad maps. Blog...: Railhead: Looking at, and for, railroad maps. : A long time ago, I published this item, which I'll post in its entirety down below, rega...

Railhead: Looking at, and for, railroad maps. Blog Mirror: Welcome to The Chicago, Burlington & Quincy Railroad in Wyoming!

Railhead: Looking at, and for, railroad maps.: A long time ago, I published this item, which I'll post in its entirety down below, regarding a railroad map from 1916.  I could not lon...

I was sent this great model railroad website:

 Welcome to The Chicago, Burlington & Quincy Railroad in Wyoming!

Wow, what a model layout.  It's fantastic.

Included on it, is this map, which we're directly linking in.:

Look at the pile of named spots on the rail line.

Some of these I recognize, some I don't.  The Colorado and Southern rail line from Glendo to Cheyenne is now a Burlington Northern rail line, I'd note.  The line running right up to Yellowstone National Park is a complete surprise.

The line running from Arminto in this depiction does not go into Shoshoni, and avoid the Wind River Canyon.  I was unaware that had been done.

Really interesting.

As are the model lines that this fellow is putting together.

Churches of the West: The Dawn Patrol: Alex Pretti, my brother in Christ

Churches of the West: The Dawn Patrol: Alex Pretti, my brother in Christ: The Dawn Patrol: Alex Pretti, my brother in Christ : I want to tell you about Alex Pretti, my fellow Catholic, my brother in Christ;  Alex P...

The Dawn Patrol: Alex Pretti, my brother in Christ

The Dawn Patrol: Alex Pretti, my brother in Christ: I want to tell you about Alex Pretti, my fellow Catholic, my brother in Christ;  Alex Pretti, the good Samaritan who stopped to help his i...

I noticed a Mass was said for Pretti the day of after his death.  That could be a bit deceptive, Masses are offered for people who aren't Catholic, and a Jewish congregation offered the Kaddish.

But somebody had hung a rosary on a photograph of him at a private memorial.  

My suspicion proved correct.

Eternal rest grant unto them, O Lord, and let perpetual light shine upon them. May they rest in peace. 

Amen.

I try not to interject politics into this blog, and my two other blogs about churches.  But it has, frankly, become impossible.  Donald Trump and his fellow travelers have made it impossible.  The populist far right contingent of the Evangelical churches and their New Apostolic Reformation have introduced a perverted brand of Christianity into what was already a Puritan country, bringing back the worst sort of attitudes that were every improperly associated with Christianity.  As an Apostolic Christian, a Catholic, I've been afraid the entire time that this would serve to be used against all Christians, but most particularly the Apostolic Christians, the Catholic and the Orthodox, whose religion has an unbroken 2,000 year history untainted by the theological innovations of men.  Street level Americans, including those who loosely consider themselves Christian, do not really know the difference between Evangelicals and Catholics, let alone between Evangelicals and Oriental Orthodox, but we're all going to get tarred with the same brush.  "Why did you Christians. . . " we'll be asked, both because some of us went along and participated (Vance, for example), but also because those same people don't realize that Christian denominations that only barely tolerate Catholicism, if tolerate it at all, really have a much different worldview than we did.

Indeed, it'd serve us well to remember that these same groups actively oppressed us not all that long ago, and their intellectual ancestors were willing, in many instances, to see us dead.

In the face of this some of us have to do what Jewish intellectual Victor Klemperer did and titled his book about the Nazis with, "I will bear witness".

Pretti was bearing witness.

And then he went to help, as we who are real Christians are obligated to do.  He was pepper sprayed, disarmed, put on the ground, and shot multiple times.

We should all bear witness to that.

Foothill Agrarian: Enough

Foothill Agrarian: Enough: I have lived in rural or semi-rural parts of California for most of my 58+ years. I’ve been privileged to live in some beautiful places and ...

Denver Club Sandwich (1915) on Sandwiches of History

The legal lesson of 2025? Thank God for the swamp Turns out the court system makes democracy really hard to get rid of.

 

The legal lesson of 2025? Thank God for the swamp

Turns out the court system makes democracy really hard to get rid of.

American Catholics Must Stand Up to This Dictatorship of Lies Even more sickening than today’s ICE killing is your government insisting you didn’t see what you just saw.

 

American Catholics Must Stand Up to This Dictatorship of Lies

Even more sickening than today’s ICE killing is your government insisting you didn’t see what you just saw.

The Rural Blog: Renee Good's death and the rural-urban divide

The Rural Blog: Renee Good's death and the rural-urban divide: Many rural Minnesotas see the state's bigger cities as dangerous and  'out of control.' The shooting death of Renee Good by a U....