Wednesday, December 11, 2024

The 2025 Wyoming Legislative Session, Part 1. And we've already started. . .

 


April 4, 2024

Eh?  2025?  Didn't the 2024 session just wrap up?

Yes, yes it did, and:

Lawmakers begin work on new bills after voting against special session

It seems like we're getting closer and closer to a full-time legislature, which is a bit scary.

June 18, 2024

From: Subsidiarity Economics 2024. The times more or less locally, Part 3. The Decarbonizing the West and Electronic eartags Edition.

Related to this, and acknowledging that electric vehicles are coming, a draft bill for the 2025 legislature proposes to tax electric vehicle charging.  While that sounds punitive, the thought it that it will make up for lost gasoline taxes used for roads.  The introductory part of that bill:

September 24, 2024

The final makeup of the 2025 legislature isn't known yet, but as some other things posted today demonstrate, its fairly likely, although not certain, that the Wyoming Freedom Caucus, a populist (not conservatives) entity that's really a political party in its own right, will control the House.

If this comes to pass, it'll make for a massively contentious legislative session. The populist have already been extremely disruptive in the legislature, and now they'll be expected to advance their agenda, which in some instances are actually completely unworkable.  Should their views on taxation advance, for instance, it'll bankrupt local governments and reduce Wyoming to an overall sort of Appalachia in terms of government services.

Additionally, the hypocrisy of Wyoming positions on the Federal government will rapidly come to the forefront.  Can we really give the US government the middle finger, while accepting highway and disaster money?

Are we going to fight wildlands fires on our own?

Indeed, the Wyoming Freedom Caucus may be the biggest  gift to the Wyoming Democratic Party imaginable.

In the meantime, it's the outgoing legislature, not the incoming one, that's working on bills for the 2025 session.  These are the ones being considered right now.

Appropriations

Select Committee on Blockchain, Financial Technology and Digital Innovation Technology

Corporations, Elections & Political Subdivisions

Minerals, Business & Economic Development

October 4, 2024.


November 17, 2024

Small coal fired power plants? 

Seriously?

November 19, 2025

Making driver's licenses busier:


November 26, 2024

Looming disaster:

Wyoming Freedom Caucus poised for nation’s first statehouse takeover

Headline in the Tribune.

Cont:

Freedom Caucus in control of the House.  Uff.

December 5, 2024

A bill to incentivize utilities to take steps in regard to wildfires in exchange for liability limitations has failed in committee.

December 9, 2024
December 11, 2024

The Freedom Caucus has taken over committee assignments.


Tuesday, December 10, 2024

Two wheeled transportation. National Museum of Military Vehicles.

Russian motorcycle with sidecar.

German motorcycles with sidecars and MG42s



Bad photo of another German motorcycle.

Last edition:

What a complete ass Trump is.

 



What an embarrassment he is.

Sunday, December 10, 1944. Hall of Fame.

The late Kenesaw Mountain Landis was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame.

Noble Prizes for 1943 and1944 were awarded, in New York, to Isidor Isaac Rabi (United States), Chemistry to Otto Hahn (Germany), Physiology or Medicine to Joseph Erlanger and Herbert Spencer Gasser (United States), Literature to Johannes V. Jensen (Denmark) and the Peace Prize to the International Committee of the Red Cross, Otto Stern of the United States for Physics, George de Hevesy (Germany) for Chemistry and Carl Peter Henrik Dam (Denmark) and Edward Adelbert Doisy (United States) for Physiology or Medicine.

They had not been awarded since 1939.

"Maj. Gen. Joseph Collins, left, Commanding General, VII Corps, points out a German withdrawal movement, at a forward observation post near Duren, Germany. 10 December, 1944. Photographer: Pvt. H. M. Roberts, 165th Signal Photo Co."  The general and another officer are wearing trench coats, which were an officer's winter item in OD.  The other officer is wearing an Army mackinaw.

The William S. Ladd was sunk by kamikazes off of Leyte.

On Leyte, the 77th Division took Ormoc.

The French and Soviet governments signed a twenty year treaty of cooperation in Moscow.

Last edition:

Saturday, December 9, 1944

Today in World War II History—December 10, 1939 & 1944

Today in World War II History—December 10, 1939 & 1944: 80 Years Ago—Dec. 10, 1944: First class of 24 flight nurses and 24 pharmacist’s mates starts at the Navy’s School of Air Evacuation Casualties.

Wednesday, December 10, 1924. Buffalo Meat.

"Real buffalo meat for banquet. Stephen T. Mather, Director of the National Parks entertained the newspapermen who made the tour through Yellowstone National Park with the late President Harding at a banquet in the new Willard Hotel, Dec. 10th. The above picture was made in the new Willard kitchen just before the banquet. Those in the group, left to right, are: H.M. Albright, superintendent of Yellowstone Park, Harry Frantz, Yellowstone Guide, Anthony Gracofci, Chef; Senator Stanfield [i.e. Mather] of Oregon, Former Cowboy and Director Mather [i.e. Senator Stanfield]"

The Nobel Prizes for 1924 were announced.  Recipients were honorees were Manne Siegbahn of Sweden for Physics, Willem Einthoven of the Netherlands (Medicine), and Władysław Reymont of Poland (Literature). 

The Society for Human Rights (SHR) was organized in Illinois.  It's charter provided that its mission as one "to promote and protect the interests of people who by reasons of mental and physical abnormalities are abused and hindered in the legal pursuit of happiness which is guaranteed them by the Declaration of Independence and to combat the public prejudices against them by dissemination of factors according to modern science among intellectuals of mature age."  It advocated for rights for homosexuals.  It's founders were arrested in 1925 and the organization came to an end.

Gold was discovered near the village of Boliden in Sweden.

Last Edition:

Tuesday, December 9, 1924. Wupatki National Monument.

Blog Mirror: Lead in gasoline tied to over 150 million excess cases of mental health disorders, study suggest

 

Monday, December 9, 2024

Saturday, December 9, 1944

 

"Men of 13th Inf. Regt., 8th Div., U.S. Army, move along a road which winds its way through Hurtgen Forest, Germany. 9 December, 1944. 13th Infantry Regiment, 8th Infantry Division."

Last edition:

Friday, December 8, 1944

Today in World War II History—December 9, 1939 & 1944

Today in World War II History—December 9, 1939 & 1944: 80 Years Ago—Dec. 9, 1944: In Formosa Strait, submarines USS Redfish and USS Sea Devil damage Japanese carrier Junyo beyond repair.

Tuesday, December 9, 1924. Wupatki National Monument.

The Wupatki National Monument in Arizona was established by Calvin Coolidge.

Coolidge held a press conference on the same day.


Last edition:

Saturday, December 6, 1924. Rounding up the communists.

Sunday, December 8, 2024

U.S. Field Coats / Jackets.



Before people get all giddy about the fall of Assad. . .

 we should keep in mind that, while reprehensible, he was not an Islamist.  

The group that seems to have come out on top. . .for right now, basically is.

And some rebel group is already fighting the Kurds.

Assad was a Baathist, which is to say a fascist.  Fascism is reprehensible, but it is a Western secular idea.  That doesn't make it great, but it also isn't a sectarian Islamic band of jihadist.

Some Syrian rebels are democrats.

Not all by any means.  Some are Sunni jihadists.  Some, Al Queda, are very extreme jihadist.  And in Syria, some are Kurdish nationalist.

We back the Kurds.

The Turks are backing the group that has the Sunni jihadist in it, perhaps because they oppose the Kurds.

Iran was backing the government, as was Russia, which is in no small part why Assad fell.  In its murderous desire to attack Israel, Hamas caused a war that brought Hezbollah in, with both backed by Iran, and they got utterly pounded.

Ukraine has done the pounding on Russia.

So now what?

Well, strong multinational efforts, including frankly a very strong UN peacekeeping force, are in order.  

But of course Donald Trump has already declared for doing nothing.

Doing nothing, is doing something, and that something won't be good for Syria in general, or the Kurds in particular.

Friday, December 8, 1944



Today In Wyoming's History: December 8:  1944 Bryant B. Brooks, governor from January 1905 to January 1911, died in Casper.  Brooks was a true pioneering figure in Wyoming, having come to the state in 1880 and having been, at first, a trapper and rancher.  He reflects a class that isn't often discussed, however, in early Western history in that he was well educated (but not a lawyer), having attended Business College in Chicago Illinois.  Nonetheless, he was only 19 years old at the time he moved to Wyoming.  He was highly energetic and was successful in ranching.  After his term in office expired he was also very active in the early oil industry and was partially responsible for the construction of one of Casper's first "skyscraper" buildings, the Oil Exchange Building, which was built in 1917, during one of the region's earliest oil booms, this one due to World War One. The building remains in use today, with its name having been changed to the Consolidated Royalty Building.

Iwo Jima was hit by a massive U.S. air raid.

The pro Japanese Filipino organization Makabayang Katipunan ng mga Pilipino (Patriotic Association of Filipinos), better known as the Makapili, was organized by far right Filipino nationalist.

It's stunning that this late in the war organizations were still forming that supported an obviously losing side.

The Germans withdrew from Jülich, Germany.

The 8th Army crossed the Lamone.

Last edition:

    Tuesday, December 8, 1874.. The James Gang robs a train.

    Western Fictioneers: On This Day in the Old West: December 8:   Let’s talk outlaws this December. On December 8, 1874, the infamous Jesse James and the Younger gang robbed the Kansas Pacific Railroad in...

    Last edition:

    Meriting benevolence.

    It is only if the American people merit his benevolence that God will continue to bless America. May he do so, is my prayer.

    Final line of Mitt Romney's departure speech from Congress.

    Saturday, December 7, 2024

    The Best Posts of the Week of December 1, 2024.

    The best posts of the week of December 1, 2024.

    Saturday, December 2, 1944. Advances in Europe, the Army Navy Game, Eiji Sawamura(沢村栄治).











    Last edition:

    Best Post of the Week of November 24, 2024.

    Thursday, December 7, 1944. The end of the USS Ward

    A U.S. counterattack halted the Japanese offensive on Leyte.

    USS Lamson on fire after being hit by a kamikaze at Ormac Bay.

    Kamikazes damaged the USS Mahan and USS Ward beyond repair during landings at Ormoc Bay.

    The Ward figures prominently in the story of the Battle of Pearl Harbor.

    Today in World War II History—December 7, 1939 & 1944: At Ormoc Bay, destroyer USS Ward is damaged by a kamikaze; three years earlier to the day, USS Ward fired the first shots during the attack on Pearl Harbor.

    The 77th Division landed against Japanese opposition, but it was not heavy.

    General Nicolae Radescu took office as Prime Minister of Romania.

    The International Civil Aviation Organization was established.

    The Arab Women's Congress of 1944 took place in Cairo.

    An earthquake at Tokai, Japan, killed 1200 people and halted production at the Mitsubishi plant.

    Last edition:

    Wednesday, December 6, 1944. Japanese paratroopers on Leyte.

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