Friday, October 4, 2024

The 2024 Election, Part XXV. The GOP yells "get off my lawn" edition.

 

The Harris/Trump debate took place last night.  I missed the first 45 or so minutes.

I don't know what happened in that time frame, but in the part I saw, watching Donald Trump was like watching a racoon on crack.

Even Fox News declared Harris the "clear" winner, while whining about ABC moderators fact checking "everything" Trump said. Given that Trump is a massive liar, the fact that they did fact check was a public service.

One newscaster, post debate, stated that it was like watching "an old man yelling at clouds", which apparently is a reference to an episode of the Simpsons.  Apparently Simpson meme's went wild after Trump repeated the J. D. Vance bizarre canard about immigrants stealing pets for food (completely untrue).  Trump specifically stated:

In Springfield, they’re eating the dogs. The people that came in. They’re eating the cats. They’re eating – they’re eating the pets of the people that live there. And this is what’s happening in our country, and it’s a shame.

The claim was immediately debunked by moderator David Muir, but people were quick to pick up on it.

 

And even as the newscaster made the yelling at clouds comment (and also mocked "get off my law") the memes were flying.


A rational party, which the GOP no longer is, would sideline this candidate.  The problem now is, however, that as J. D. Vance went out on a limb and admitted he would have acted illegally in regard to the bogus election claims, he's unfit for office and there's nobody to go to.

Whether it really matters or not is another matter, but post debate Taylor Swift endorsed Harris.

Wyoming's Congressional delegation declared Trump the winner of the debate, which was predictable.  Seriously, however,. if even Fox News states that Harris was clearly the winner . . . 

September 12, 2024

Trump found Taylor Swift coming out against him, citing herself as a "childless cat lady", two days ago.  Now Linda Ronstadt has:


Stevie Nicks (whose music I can't stand) has also done so, citing herself as a "childless dog lady".

J. D. Vance has proven to be the gift that just keeps giving to the Harris campaign, given the numerous and provocative statements he's made.  He also has been due to philosophical stances he's taken, which is another topic.  At any rate, trends in regard to Trump aren't favorable to him, even if he should be successful in the election.

September 13, 2024

Trump on the leader of the Taliban in a press conference this week: 

He called me 'Your Excellency.' I wonder if he calls that to Biden. I doubt it.

There's something really bizarre about Trump.  Being called "your excellency" apparently really matters to him, so much that he thinks being called that by the Taliban is nifty.

That's weird.

Something to consider on his odd behavior:

Trump's speech and cognitive concerns.

In psychiatry, the tendency to conspicuously and rigidly repeat a thought beyond the point of relevance, called “perseverance,” is known to be correlated with a variety of clinical disorders, including those involving a loss of cognitive reserve. People tend to stick to familiar topics over and over when they experience an impairment in cognitive functioning—for instance, in short-term memory. Short-term memory is essentially your mental sketch pad: how many different thoughts you can juggle in your mind, keep track of, and use at the same time. Given the complexity of being president, short-term memory is a vital skill.

If a patient presented to me with the verbal incoherence, tangential thinking, and repetitive speech that Trump now regularly demonstrates, I would almost certainly refer them for a rigorous neuropsychiatric evaluation to rule out a cognitive illness. A condition such as vascular dementia or Alzheimer’s disease would not be out of the ordinary for a 78-year-old. Only careful medical examination can establish whether someone indeed has a diagnosable illness—simply observing Trump, or anyone else, from afar is not enough. For those who do have such diseases or conditions, several treatments and services exist to help them and their loved ones cope with their decline. But that does not mean any of them would be qualified to serve as commander in chief.

 Richard A. Friedman, a psychiatrist, in The Atlantic.

September 14, 2024

Both are against life, be it the one who kicks out migrants or the one who (supports) killing babies Both are against life.

Pope Francis on Harris and Trump. 

The Pope counselled to "choose the lesser evil".  If you live in a state, however, that's going overwhelmingly for one candidate or another, you don't actually have to, and can vote for a third party like The American Solidarity Party.

Laura Loomer, about whom I know nothing, but who is apparently an extreme right wing personality, has been traveling around with Trump.  He's now criticizing her but she's been seen a lot with her including some photos in which they are uncomfortably close.  Trump has a knack for appearing with embarrassing people.

In a campaign speech over the last couple of days Trump promised the largest mass deportation in history, starting in Springfield Ohio and Colorado.

September 15, 2024

Penultimate conservative George F. Will endorsed Kamala Harris.

September 16, 2024

A second assassination attempt on Donald Trump occurred yesterday.  In this instance, the Secret Service spotted the would be assailant before he staged his attempt and opened fire first.

The assailant was Ryan Wesley Routh, who had been convicted in 2002 for possessing a machine gun. He used that weapon in a stand off with the police.  How he had a AK47 type rifle in this instance is an obvious question.  Based on news reports of his social media, he at one time claimed he was going to go to Ukraine and fight (he clearly didn't), and he had pro Palestinian and anti Chinese posts as well.

cont:

Trump and Canada's big water faucet:  Canada Has A Big Water Faucet.

What the crap?

September 17, 2024

Scientific American endorsed Kamala Harris.

September 20, 2024

Lummis Co-Authors Book On Why People Should Vote For Trump

cont:

Pro-Trump Georgia election board votes to require hand counts of ballots

This is, quite frankly, stupid.

cont:

Absentee ballots for uniformed and overseas Wyomingites go out starting Sept. 20

September 24, 2024

Governor Gordon’s Executive Order Directs State Agencies to Prevent, Report Non-Citizen Voting Efforts

September 19, 2024

Recognizing voter concerns over non-citizens attempting to vote nationwide, Governor Mark Gordon issued an Executive Order (EO) directing state agencies to take further steps to ensure Wyoming’s elections continue to be safe and secure.


“Recognizing the Biden/Harris Administration’s disastrous border policies compel us to do all we can to protect the integrity of our elections, I, alongside fellow Republican Governors, have taken the action afforded to me by the Constitution and the Laws of Wyoming to confirm the security of Wyoming’s elections,” Governor Gordon said.


“I remain confident Wyoming’s elections are the most secure in the nation,” the Governor added. “As required by the laws enacted by the legislature, our county clerks are thorough and diligent when determining, investigating and verifying voter citizenship. With this Executive Order, I reaffirm my commitment to that ideal.


Residents can be confident that this order removes any confusion and clarifies for our agencies – should there be any doubt – that they will not enable or facilitate any noncitizen to register to vote or help them to vote.”  


Executive Order 2024-11 directs State agencies to take a variety of actions to ensure that non-citizens do not vote or register to vote. State agencies may not provide voter registration materials to non-citizens and must confirm that they are not required to provide those materials to non-citizens when contracting with federal programs or agencies.


In addition, the EO encourages the Secretary of State and the County Clerks to continue to effectively and efficiently use the tools provided to each of them by Wyoming’s election code to investigate and verify voter registration. The Wyoming Constitution requires every person to be a citizen of the United States before they can legally register and vote in Wyoming. 


As he did earlier this year, the Governor continues to urge the legislature to provide clarity on the definition of the term “bona fide resident.” Wyoming’s county clerks have indicated to the Legislature  that this clarification is needed, and the Governor agrees.

A poll places incumbent Senator Ted Cruz in a dead heat with his Democratic challenger, Colin Allred.

Cruz going down in defeat would be a major blow to Republican efforts to secure the Senate.

September 27, 2024

First shoes, then Bibles, now watches.

October 1, 2024.

You just can't make this stuff up.

I will shut down all entries through Kamala’s migrant phone app. She’s got a phone app. It’s meant for the cartel heads. The cartel heads call the app, and they tell them where to drop the illegal migrants… It’s not even believable.

Donald Trump.  Indeed, for the rational, that is not believable.

They come from the Congo in the Africa. Many people from the Congo. I don't know what that is, but they come out of jails in the Congo.

Many people, from the Congo, which he doesn't know what it is?

October 2, 2024

Debate Recap: JD Vance, Tim Walz talk foreign policy, climate change and immigration

October 4, 2024

Melania Trump has cut a Trump/Vance ad in which she notes that she's pro infanticide, one more step in the GOP abandoning its formerly pro life plank.  Vance has already boarded the IVF ship fully, in spite of that involving the death of fertilized eggs.  Melania was baptized a Catholic, although there's no real evidence that she's practiced in any recent period, and Vance is a convert who is now demonstrating again that politics will prevail over conviction for him.

The American Solidarity Party is the only real pro life party in the race that I"m aware of.

For at least those who are not in a swing state, this is one more reason that the American Solidarity Party candidates should be voted for, and are perhaps the only moral vote in such states.

Related threads:

The Christian, and more particularly the Catholic, vote. 2024


Does a "Freedom" Caucus victory in the primaries mean the Democrats have a chance in the general?

Last edition

The 2024 Election, Part XXVI. Touching Down

Wednesday, October 4, 1944. Scorched Earth.

"Scene in a kitchen of a typical Russian family. These people are among the many who have been recently liberated by rapid Allied advances at the newly established Displaced Persons Center at Briey, France.  4 October, 1944."   There's obviously more to this story than what the caption provides.

Operation Nordlicht began in Finland by the German Army.  It was a planned withdrawal using scorched earth tactics, with the final line to be in  Lyngen Municipality in Troms county, Norway.

"This photo shows a GI relaying fire data for artillery back from forward observation post near Havert, Germany. 4 October, 1944. 29th Infantry Division."

The Battle of Morotai more or less ended, with the ending being an Allied victory.  Some fighting would continue to the end of the war.

Moscow asked for permission for the Red Army to enter Bulgaria.

The Serbian collaborationist government was dissolved.

Today in World War II History—October 4, 1944:British paratroopers land at Patras, Greece, and on Crete and Aegean islands.

The U-92, U-228 and U-437 were rendered inoperable by an RAF raid on Bergen.

Famous Democratic politician Al Smith died at age 70, five months after the death of his wife.

Last edition:

Tuesday, October 3, 1944. Breaking the Siegfried Line.

Monday, October 4, 1824. The first Mexican Constitution.

Mexico's first constitution was enacted on this day.

Last edition:

Thursday, September 16, 1824. Death of King Louis XVIII.

Tuesday, October 4, 1774 Regarding the authority of the Crown dissolved.

Worcester Massachusetts issued instructions to blacksmith Timothy Bigelow, it's representative to a provincial Congress:

You are to consider the people of this province absolved, on their part, from the obligation therein contained, and to all intents and purposes reduced to a state of nature; and you are to exert yourself in devising ways and means to raise from the dissolution of the old constitution, as from the ashes of the Phenix, a new form, wherein all officers shall be dependent on the suffrages of the people, whatever unfavorable constructions our enemies may put upon such procedure.

Last edition:

Sunday, October 2, 1774. Passing a resolution.

Thursday, October 3, 2024

Tuesday, October 3, 1944. Breaking the Siegfried Line.

Finnish forces captured Taivalkoski.

The Red Army took Hiuma Island, Estonia.

The 1st Army broke through the Siegfried Line north of Aachen.

The first large group of Nazi prisoners that were captured by the Americans following their breakthrough of the Siegfried Line. 3 October, 1944. 117th Infantry Regiment, 30th Infantry Division.

The RAF broke the dikes around Walcheren Island, flooding it.

Partisans attempted to kidnap fascist Italian Social Republic Minister of the Interior.Guido Buffarini Guidi with tragic unsuccessful results.

The ME 262 became operational.

October 3, 1944 The Littlest War Dog

The I-177 was sunk by the USS Samuel S. Miles

The USS Seawolf was sunk by the USS Richard M. Rowell in a friendly fire accident.

Pack mule train of 26th Indian Mule Co. with British 13th Corps, moving through town of Marradi.

Last edition:

Monday, October 2, 1944. The end of the Warsaw Rebellion.

Friday, October 3, 1924. Insulting Kennesaw Mountain.

A conference between the United Kingdom and Egypt on Egyptian independence ended without success.

The New York Giants scandal resulted in American League president Ben Johnson, upset over an inadequate investigation in his view, calling Kenesaw Mountain Landis a "wild-eyed, crazy nut".

Wednesday, October 2, 2024

Monday, October 2, 1944. The end of the Warsaw Rebellion.


With Soviet troops across the Vistula not crossing the river, something often regarded as intentional, the Germans prevailed in defeating the Warsaw Uprising.  200,000 Poles were killed in the battle, most of them civilians, and central Warsaw destroyed.  Between 2,000 and 17,000 German troops were killed in the battle.  Around 15,000 Polish underground and Polish Home Army troops were killed. 15,000 went into captivity.

There's good reason to believe that Stalin saw the Poles and the Germans fighting in the city to his overall benefit.  It killed a lot of Germans, and it killed non communist Poles.

The Battle of Aachen commenced with an American offensive.

The Battle of the Scheldt commenced.

Pack train of 2nd Indian Mule Co., Royal Indian Service Corps, which helped supply British 1st Div. 2 October, 1944. Near Crespino, Italy.

Japanese resistance on Peleliu's Mount Amiangal was defeated.

Lucian Truscott appeared on the cover of Life Magazine.

Cpl. Charles A. Klein, 1929 45th Street, Pennsauken, New Jersey, seals his soldiers' ballet. 2 October, 1944. 6th Armored Division.


The first French regiment of Paris, France, recently organized and put in uniform, passes in review. 2 October, 1944.

 Execution of a French traitor who acted as a spy for the Germans and received 2000 Francs ($40.00) for his services. Traitor is tied to post as firing squad gets ready. 2 October, 1944.

Last edition:

Thursday, October 2, 1924. The death of Governor William B. Ross.



Today In Wyoming's History: October 21924  Governor William B. Ross died while in office .  His wife, Nellie Tayloe Ross, would become the US's first women governor the month thereafter when she won in a special election in spite of not campaigning.  She would serve only until 1926, however, when she would loose a subsequent election.

Secretary of State Frank Lucas became interim Governor.



His widow, Nellie Tayloe Ross, would be forever remembered as the first female governor in the United States, but her life was full of tragedy. The Ross' had lost a baby.  Of two three surviving sons, James A. Ross was killed a car accident near Saratoga in 1928 at age 25.  Only George Tayloe Ross survived of their children, going on to be a lawyer in New York.  He died in 1991.

The Geneva Protocol for the Pacific Settlement of International Disputes received preliminary approval at the League of Nations.

The location of Ft. Caspar had been marked.

Last edition:



Monday, October 2, 1899. An action in the Philippines.

 


Troops under cover in a ditch in a rice field, October 2, 1899.  The troops above are from an unidentified unit, but are equipped with obsolescent trapdoor Springfield .45-70 rifles.  The ones below are Kansas state troops are are even more antiquated in their equipment, still wearing blue wool shirts, although many troops still did at this time.



Last edition:

Sunday, September 10, 1899. The second Yakutat Bay earthquake.

Labels: 

Sunday, October 2, 1774. Passing a resolution.

Congress passed a resolution requesting the preparation of an address to the Crown for the redress of grievances.

And it wasn't even Festivus.

Last edition:

Tuesday, September 27, 1774. Economic rebellion.

Tuesday, October 1, 2024

Just because a war starts in the Middle East does not mean its the beginning of "World War Three".

Geez, get a grip.

I drove my 17 year old one ton to another city for a hearing . . .

yesterday.  Unlike the vision of a lawyer, I don't have a really nifty sportscar or something and I don't want one either. My daily driver is 27 years old.  My regular truck is, as noted, a large one ton diesel with over 200,000 miles on it.  

It's beginning to get a rust problem.

And I don't care that some of my colleagues are totally baffled why I don't buy something newer.  At age 61, one year younger than my father was when he died, and being in two occupations, one of which is high stress, I don't plan on really making it long enough for any new vehicles to make sense.  Besides that, I like what I like, and I like standard transmissions.

I had to get diesel fuel before I came back.  In thinking about it, it's not every day you see a guy dressed in wool dress pants, white shirt, and tie, filling up a large ranch truck type truck.

Anyhow, a man pulled up next to me as the gas station driving a very nice car licensed in Oregon.  He rolled down his window and spoke to me in a thick Arab accent.  My hearing isn't great, so I had to have him repeat his question, which he did.  

He was asking for gas money, he said, and pulled off two large gold rings and offered them to me.

That was weird, I don't carry cash anymore, and it was a bit too weird for me to say "yes".

I've never had an experience like that one before.

Blog Mirror: A report on my trip to Fargo

 A report on my trip to Fargo

Blog Mirror: Pete Rose, 1941-2024

Not a flatter portrait:

Pete Rose, 1941-2024