Nothing deep and wide from LSR today, just a catch-up on the latest from news sources.
RECENT SCOTUS DECISIONS
It is the end of the term for the Supreme Court of the United States. Though they usually recess by the end of June, this year they are likely to go into July. There are some doozy decisions coming down.
The biggie, looking at the question of 45's claim of absolute immunity, will likely be the last decision released. Not only do they undoubtedly want to wait until after the first presidential debate tonight, but more importantly, they want to delay the trial as much as possible, as well as be able to issue their decision and then quietly slink away to their MAGA Flag-festooned homes and bribery-financed luxury vacations.
Recent decisions:
- Access to the abortion drug mifepristone is safe for now.
- Citizens with a domestic abuse restraining order against them may be prohibited from owning guns.
- Bump stocks, which when attached to a semi-automatic rifle to make it in effect a machine gun, however, are allowed.
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| Michael Ramirez |
- White House officials and other federal employees may continue contact with social media companies about misleading content.
- The SCOTUS website accidentally and briefly posted a ruling about emergency room physicians and abortion. It appears that the decision rejects Idaho's ban and will ensure access to abortion in emergency situations where the mother's life is in danger. However, because it was accidentally released, it may not be the final ruling. (Late reporting: it is official as of Thursday morning.)
- Late reporting. SCOTUS upended the opioid settlement with maker Purdue Pharma. Breaking 5-4, not along idealogical lines, they sent the deal back for more negotiations, saying it was improper to shield the Sackler family as they had negotiated. It's devastating for the victims and the families, as the $6 billion settlement is now kaput. Back to the drawing board. They may never see a dime.
The Washington Post lists other decisions coming. They update the list as judgements are published.
JUSTICE SHIT
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| Ann Telnaes |
Justice Samuel Alito and his wife Martha-Ann were both caught on tape by undercover documentary filmmaker, Lauren Windsor. She posed as a religious righty, and asked questions appearing to be sympathetic to Alito's ideological views. Though some rebuked her for her sneaky ways, I think she was perfectly justified, as this justice has been secretive and disingenuous for a long time. The justices should always behave and speak as if they are always "on," because they are. They are lifelong appointees to the highest, and what used to be considered the loftiest, ground. If they can't find their way to act like it, so be it.
They were caught saying what they think. If they object, then they shouldn't talk.
She caught him saying that the U.S. indeed should be made to be more "godly," among other things. Mrs. Alito showed her homophobia and transphobia in full colors. She is odious.
Here are some of the recordings:
Windsor justified her methods in an interview with Politico.
Alito was also in the news for racking up a couple of unexcused absences last week.
And problem child Clarence: more and more undisclosed gifts bribes to Justice Clarence Thomas are coming into the sunlight.
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| Pat Bagley |
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| Ed Wexler |
THE STABLE GENIUS STRIKES AGAIN
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| The Stable Genius: LSR's attempt at AI "art" |
The MAGA Moron is still so so so proud of his "acing" a dementia screening exam. You remember the MOCA, a test that I have administered hundreds of times to people with cognitive decline in my career as a speech-language pathologist. It's a simple exam that looks at the most basic cognitive functions to screen for dementia or other cognitive deficits. It takes 10 minutes and gives no more information than if the person should be tested further for cognitive decline. It is far from an IQ test.
He is so proud of his exam, in fact, that he challenged Joe Biden to take the same test. In a truly laughable moment (or cryable, depending on how you are feeling in the moment about our potential doom), during his challenge to Biden, he called his Whitewash physician by the wrong name. Ronny Jackson became "Ronny Johnson" in his cognition-boasting rant.
You just can't make this stuff up.
Here it is:
DEBATE PREP
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| Clay Bennett |
The candidates have been preparing for the first debate for the last couple weeks. Well, one of them has, anyway. Li'l Donny hates homework, so he's been out doing what he luvs: appearing before his not-nearly-close-to-being throngs but nevertheless adoring crowds, making verbal salad:
The majority of The Felon's debate prep is trying mightily to reverse his years-long narrative of "Sleepy Joe" Biden. All these years campaigning against Biden, he has set very low expectations for the President by calling him names and mocking his stutter.
Here are a few examples;
Now, after President Biden's strong State of the Union speech, The Felon is frantically back-pedaling. Now he is setting up the expectation that Biden will come out strong at the debate, but is insinuating that Biden is on mental-acuity enhancing drugs.
Speaking of back-pedaling, he is also back-pedaling his imaginary sinking boat, to get far, far away from the imaginary circling sharks. Here's more stable-geniusing (and more bad AI art):
If you missed it, hear ranting Uncle Don (can we please stop inviting him to Thanksgiving dinner?):
If you can't stand to see his face, I submit the words. Or better yet, watch Sarah Cooper.
“I say, ‘What would happen if the boat sank from its weight, and you’re in the boat, and you have this tremendously powerful battery, and the battery’s now underwater, and there’s a shark that’s approximately 10 yards over there?’“By the way, a lot of shark attacks lately, do you notice that? Lot of sharks. I watched some guys justifying it today: ‘Well they weren’t really that angry, they bit off the young lady’s leg because of the fact that they were not hungry but they misunderstood who she was.’ These people are crazy. He said, ‘There’s no problem with sharks, they just didn’t really understand a young woman swimming.’ No, really got decimated, and other people, too, a lot of shark attacks.“So I said, ‘There’s a shark 10 yards away from the boat, 10 yards, or here. Do I get electrocuted if the boat is sinking, water goes over the battery, the boat is sinking? Do I stay on top of the boat and get electrocuted, or do I jump over by the shark and not get electrocuted?’ Because I will tell you, he didn’t know the answer.“He said, ‘You know, nobody’s ever asked me that question.’ I said, ‘I think it’s a good question. I think there’s a lot of electric current coming through that water.’ But you know what I’d do if there was a shark or you get electrocuted? I’ll take electrocution every single time. I’m not getting near the shark.”
Ummm.....can we choose both?
The Felon may be revealing his tell with this story. What is he afraid of most? The battery (the court system, chugging along with power to spare) or the sharks (the voters, ready to end this nonsense once and for all)?
Our sweet, sweet WaPo tried to actually make sense of the scenario and answer the question. Just give up, WaPo. Let it die in darkness.
(It's actually worth the read.)
"Milwaukee is a horrible city"
The Felon just had to run his mouth about Milwaukee, where the Republican National Convention will be held in a few weeks. No it's not horrible! And Milwaukeeans don't take lightly to insults.
Don't like the city? Stay home!
He tried to backpedal that one, too, saying it is the crime numbers that are "horrible."
Rep. Gwen Moore's response?
Since then, he has denied he ever said it.
Gawd, this is tiring.
BOASTING ABOUT THE SIZE OF HIS... CROWD
He is still obsessed with crowd size. It ain't nothin' to brag about, kid.
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| A real-life selfie of a high-as-hell Junior at a mostly-empty rally auditorium |
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THE TRIALS
There are increasing calls for her to step down, as she is clearly in over her head with this case as well as being biased in favor of the defendant. As it stands now, she has delayed the trial so much that it will almost surely not start until after the election. If it starts at all. It's on hold "indefinitely."
More information was released this week about how and where some of the classified documents were found. They were tossed in boxes, mash-mashed with clothing, old newspapers, Christmas decorations, and Diet Coke. Here's the deets:
The federal insurrection trial is on hold until SCOTUS rules on the immunity question. If the machine can be started back up quickly, the trial may be able to start before the election.
The Georgia election interference case is paused due to challenges against Fani Willis, the prosecutor. Until those are sorted out in court, the case is stalled.
There are election interference cases in four other states: Michigan, Nevada, Arizona, and Wisconsin. None of them have brought charges against The Felon, but he has been named an unindicted co-conspirator in these other cases.
The Felon's sentencing for his 34 felonies in the hush-money coverup case is happening on Thursday, July 11.
Ten Commandments SHIT
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Ann Telnaes |
Louisiana, oh, problematic little Louisiana! What are we going to do with you?
Louisiana lawmakers made it mandatory for schools to post a copy of the Ten Commandments in every K-12 classroom. Of course it's wrong, it's outrageous, and it goes against the First Amendment – the first 16 words of the First Amendment! Many civil rights groups, including the ACLU, and parent groups are suing. It will make its way up to the Supreme Court in due time.
Chris Brennan, writing in USA Today, makes it plain that this is the game plan: "Louisiana law isn't about Ten Commandments. It's Christian nationalist bait for Supreme Court."
Of course, meme makers are clamoring for fairness....
...and I'm hopeful the non-theistic secular religious group The Satanic Temple (not the Church of Satan!!) will get involved to attempt to post their Seven Tenets, similar to what they did in response to Arkansas's attempt to post the Ten Commandments at the State Capitol. And by the way, if you haven't seen the movie "Hail Satan?" I encourage you to do so. The Satanic Temple is working hard to fight fire with fire with regard to separation of church and state, abortion rights, and more.
Here are The Satanic Temple's Seven Tenets, for good measure. Words to live by.
I. One should strive to act with compassion and empathy toward all creatures in accordance with reason.II. The struggle for justice is an ongoing and necessary pursuit that should prevail over laws and institutions.III. One’s body is inviolable, subject to one’s own will alone.IV. The freedoms of others should be respected, including the freedom to offend. To willfully and unjustly encroach upon the freedoms of another is to forgo one's own.V. Beliefs should conform to one's best scientific understanding of the world. One should take care never to distort scientific facts to fit one's beliefs.VI. People are fallible. If one makes a mistake, one should do one's best to rectify it and resolve any harm that might have been caused.VII. Every tenet is a guiding principle designed to inspire nobility in action and thought. The spirit of compassion, wisdom, and justice should always prevail over the written or spoken word.
C .I .A. SHIT
This was a blip in the news cycle, but shouldn't have been just a blip: Pentagon ran secret anti-vax campaign to undermine China during pandemic Shameful. How many lives lost because of this shit?
A COUPLE POSITIVE STORIES
Resistance works! Here's an uplifting story about a Vietnam-era draft resister and a judge.
Music from K-pop could be a literal life-saver in Korea.
OUTTAKES OF A.I. ART
I had fun. I had to share more of the creations.
UNTIL NEXT TIME!
See all you resisters after the debate! Tune in tonight (Thursday June 27) at 6:00 p.m. Pacific / 9:00 p.m. Eastern!
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| Jack Ohman |
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| Robert Leighton |
Thanks as always to my sister and brother Resisters for the memes n toons!
