User-Supported News Commentary Hosted by Craig Crawford
Storms a-Comin’
Weatherwise, war-wise, workwise and worse-wise for some.
35 thoughts on “Storms a-Comin’”
battening down the hatches for those of us in the heartland in particular. storms are a-brewing and tornado alley is all lit up. outlook around these parts are first heavy rains and destructive winds, then snows.
ATLANTA (AP) — The public on Thursday will see portions of a report by a special grand jury that investigated whether then-President Donald Trump and his allies committed any crimes while trying to overturn his 2020 election loss in Georgia.
The report’s introduction and conclusion, along with a section in which the grand jurors expressed concerns that some witnesses may have lied under oath are to be released. But any recommendations on potential criminal charges will remain under wraps for now.
[continues]
Imagine the sudden angst of surveillance pilots from distant galaxies.
For decades — maybe centuries — their counterparts have flown probes into the Earth’s atmosphere to check on the latest self-destructive activities of the planet’s primitive inhabitants. On these expeditions, the visitors from far away generally have done nothing more dangerous than scare some cows and freak out a few farmers who looked up into the sky at the wrong time. The worst that has happened is a crash or two that gave the U.S. government a mysterious aircraft and a couple of extraterrestrial corpses to hide away in the Nevada desert. They were routine missions that ended with a light-speed cruise back home to report on the latest bizarre phenomenon on the third planet from the Sun (such as the Kanye West/President Donald Trump dinner).
But now, a big Chinese spy balloon has put everyone down on the ground on edge. Instead of ignoring UFOs, suddenly the American military is shooting at any odd flying object that cannot be identified. After the balloon, three more have been blasted from the sky.
This used to be easy duty for the aliens, but with missiles zinging everywhere, they may no longer be eager for Earth assignments. At a minimum, they will be demanding hazard pay and, maybe, the right to shoot back.
The Biden administration said not to worry about aliens, then they set up a UFO task force. Elsewhere, we’re pretty sure Sen. Dianne Feinstein is retiring after her term, and Louisiana may soon require residents to show ID before viewing pornography online.
[…]
The move to subpoena one of Trump’s most senior aides – in addition to the recent subpoena of former Vice President Mike Pence, as CNN reported last week – marks the latest significant step in the special counsel’s investigation into Trump’s role in seeking to overturn the outcome of the 2020 election.
Smith also is simultaneously investigating Trump’s handling of classified documents after leaving office. While the subpoena is related to January 6, Meadows also may be of interest in the documents investigation. He was one of Trump’s designees to the National Archives and played a role in discussions around returning government records in his possession.
[…]
The recent subpoena for Meadows also underscores the aggressive nature of the special counsel’s probe. CNN has reported that Smith also has subpoenaed former Trump national security adviser Robert O’Brien in both of the Trump-related probes, and Justice Department lawyers interviewed Trump’s former acting Department of Homeland Security Secretary Chad Wolf in recent weeks as part of the probe into 2020 election interference.
Billionaires don’t like for the lower orders, (everybody else), to have “too much”. Money, food, time, justice……whatever good thing it is, they’re really afraid of the average Joe having “too much” of it. They hire people to make laws which govern “how much” might be “too much”.
So the more THEY get, the less danger there is of anyone else having “too much”. A constant struggle for them.
So does anyone else thing Nkki is running for the 2nd spot on the R side of the ballot? There are 2 declared Repug candidates and she won’t say a bad word about the other one.
All this UFO talk… While I believe that there is much more than likely extraterrestrial life out there somewhere, I’m seriously skeptical that any of them, whoever or whatever they are, have found us. Our average sun 2/3 of the way out toward the edge of the Orion arm of the spiral galaxy of at least 100 billion stars, with 8-10 planets orbiting it (depending on who you ask) with Earth being the third from the sun doesn’t strike me as a place any interstellar travelers would likely stumble across or care much about if they did.
She’s such a loathely person.
We share that opinion, Sturg.
“Nkki is running for the 2nd spot”
hell yes. that’s why she got the blessing from the jabba turd.
little donnie saw joey’s indian/american veep and donnie had to have one too
running as gop vice-president: Political Death Wish.
I notice that Virginia is moving legislation that will allow Police Chiefs to impose a 24 hour curfew in case of ‘civil unrest.’ In municipalities, they will need to obtain the concurrence of a mayor or other elected official, but I think you can see the slippery slope here.
Police should NEVER have the authority for a general suspension of civil liberties, not for 24 hours, not for 24 seconds.
I would say she is running to be #2, except for her call for a competency test for anyone over 75. With that comment, she is trying to poison the pilots waters for tRUMPsky. If not, she would have said a higher number.
She is every bit as loathsome as mtg, for example, except that she presents herself in a more civilized way. She is every bit as toxic, perhaps more so because some folks will swallow it more easily.
“During a Tuesday news conference, DeWine said the Norfolk Southern train that derailed was not categorized as a high hazardous material train, meaning the railroad was not required to notify state officials about what chemicals the rail cars contained.”
“If this is true – and I’m told it’s true – this is absurd,” DeWine said.
“The chemical spill took a severe toll on local aquatic life: About 3,500 fish ranging across 12 species died from the water contamination washing down streams and rivers.”
“Anecdotal reports of pets and chickens dying have not yet been confirmed by officials.”
Just because it hasn’t been confined by “officials” doesn’t mean it’s not happening.
The company should pay to re-home everyone away from that toxic area (they will never be able to sell), as well as provide lifetime medical insurance and deductibles and out-of-pockets/copays for all residents.
https://youtu.be/O8Jrk6fvmQ8
The Problem with Jon Stewart – Corporate Greed and Regulatory Failure (East Palestine, Ohio Train Derailment)
Hoping Fetterman gets well, hospitalized for depression
Cajun, that is worrisome. Curfews should be for civilians to decide
Although I expect Senator Fetterman to be crucified by the frwnj cult members, he should be given support and thank you’s for not trying to hide. Mental health is part of health care. Although not having depression I have severe PTSD and spent about ten years straight in weekly or biweekly sessions with my shrink. The hell a brain can cause cannot be minimized. My best to the man, he deserves a lot of support.
Get well soon, Senator Fetterman.
Cajun
That has severe echos of “Sunset Towns”
Bid – see sturg’s comment coining the term “loathely” for Nikki. I like it.
Ca’Joe, I reckon every state with nutjobs running their legislatures and either a nutjob governor or a veto-proof majority will be trying to outdo any state that has passed or is working on legislation to suppress the bodily rights of women and voting rights of non-whites.
There is something to be said about living near Andrews AFB, it is lablled something else but it is still an Air Force base). Just now there was a scramble of some type. Several aircraft just shot off overhead. A little info is that military jets do not care about wind direction so they can fly anywhere. So these, at least two, shot off to somewhere. I just heard a flight of hel-of-a-copters go by, they were Marines or Army heading back to the D.C. region.
Yeah, the ruskies will read all that. But, they already know because their creeps are living around here.
I expect more of this as the protection coverage is expanded to include a lot of home grown balloons.
“For more than 50 years, the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department leased land for the state park from energy companies, Vistra and Luminant. Since 1976, the state has invested $72 million in renovations and improvements to the park.”
“The Vistra spokesperson said the state will have 120 days from Feb. 13 — the date the lease termination was sent — to vacate the property. During that time, park staff will begin to remove equipment, relocate staff members to other parks and cancel upcoming camping reservations.”
“Todd announced the land will be turned into an exclusive gated community, which includes multimillion-dollar homes and a private golf course…”
“State Rep. Angelia Orr, R-Itasca, whose district includes the park, filed a bill Tuesday that, if passed by the Legislature and signed by the governor, would allow the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department to use eminent domain to seize the park’s land.”
I think this may be the first time I’ve ever cheered for eminent domain.
“Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton sued President Joe Biden on Wednesday for signing last year’s federal government funding package, arguing it was unlawfully passed out of Congress.”
“At the Founding, ‘present’ meant ‘[n]ot absent; face to face; being at hand,’” Paxton wrote in his lawsuit, quoting a contemporaneous dictionary with the definition of “present.” (Yeah, they did t have phones or ZOOM, Ken.)
“House Speaker Kevin McCarthy eliminated proxy voting after taking the gavel, arguing that it was being abused and not conducive to debate on the floor.”
“Paxton requested the court rule the omnibus package invalid and unenforceable.”
“U.S. Rep. Kay Granger, the top Republican on the House Appropriations Committee, was particularly vocal in her opposition to the 22% increase in funding for nondiscretionary, nondefense programs.”
“Paxton also asserts that the package puts undue burden on the state through provisions designed to protect pregnant workers, including state employees. The package requires employers to make “reasonable accommodations” related to pregnancy and childbirth and allows employees to sue if their employers do not comply.”
“Paxton argues the provision is unnecessary because Texas already offers pregnant state employees reasonable accommodations and that the federal government does not have the constitutional authority to open the state up to lawsuits over pregnancy accommodations.”
Except that it doesn’t only pertain to state employees, Ken.
Republicans are not pro-family.
“The rationale behind Rubio’s proposal — that we should seek to provide financial support to families while denying women the right to choose whether and when they start families — is a morally horrific and completely unnecessary trade-off. Depriving women of their bodily autonomy doesn’t become acceptable in exchange for expanding a tax credit.”
Republicans are authoritarian, woman-hating asshats.
Oh, gawd. Greg is giving a “State of the State” address and I can not even. Nope.
Brain completely leaving today – found I Dream of Jeannie. How I survived the early Sixties is now available almost xixty years ago. In the Nineties I set up my computers to start up with the song. Yup, long time ago.
Republicans are coming for your menstrual history, ladies.
“Currently any health information or any app information is available via search warrant. And we believe that should continue to be the case.”
“The Youngkin administration’s opposition to this commonsense privacy protection measure shows his real intentions, to ban abortion and criminalise patients and medical providers,”…
“The wrangle over menstrual data tracking has parallels with a controversy in Florida, in which high school athletics officials last week backed away from a “humiliating” proposal requiring girls who wanted to play sports to answer questions about menstruation on medical forms.”
So, if you think curfew is an erosion of your rights…
“The Social Security Expansion Act, introduced by Sanders, I-Vt., and Warren, D-Mass., in the Senate and by Reps. Jan Schakowsky, D-Ill., and Val Hoyle, D-Ore., in the House, would put an additional $2,400 in beneficiaries’ pockets each year and ensure the program is fully funded through 2096.”
“The bill would accomplish this by lifting the cap on the maximum amount of income subject to the Social Security payroll tax—a change that would not raise taxes on the 93% of U.S. households that make $250,000 or less per year…”
“Currently, annual earnings above $160,200 are not subject to the Social Security payroll tax, which means that millionaires will stop contributing to the program later this month.”
“If enacted, the bill would have raised more than $3.4 billion from the nation’s top 11 highest-paid CEOs alone in 2021, including $2.9 billion from Tesla and Twitter executive Elon Musk.”
“Right now, a Wall Street CEO who makes $30 million pays the same amount into Social Security as someone who makes $160,000 a year,” the Vermont Independent added. “Our bill puts an end to that absurdity which will allow us to protect Social Security for generations to come while lifting millions of seniors out of poverty.”
“Endorsed by 56 labor unions and progressive advocacy groups, the legislation is overwhelmingly popular among voters, who have consistently expressed opposition to cutting or privatizing Social Security.”
I miss the Bob/Sturg/Bink music shows at night.
Oh, thank you!
i’ve been trying to get through this gloomy-ass winter with some good books and, full disclosure, am hooked on the unapologetically politically-liberal medical drama “New Amsterdam”, it’s a cleverly-written, sexy, soapy indictment of the medical-industrial complex full of attractive people that keeps its plotlines topical.
i meant to log-in to compliment Jack’s Valentine’s Day post which i thought well-composed, but you know how it goes, sometimes…
battening down the hatches for those of us in the heartland in particular. storms are a-brewing and tornado alley is all lit up. outlook around these parts are first heavy rains and destructive winds, then snows.
Russia-Ukraine war live: Russian sortie rates increasing, says UK, as latest strikes hit critical infrastructure in western Ukraine (msn.com)
Parts of Georgia special grand jury report to be released | AP News
clever op ed by david horsey
The truth — and who knows what else — is out there | The Seattle Times
The Biden administration said not to worry about aliens, then they set up a UFO task force. Elsewhere, we’re pretty sure Sen. Dianne Feinstein is retiring after her term, and Louisiana may soon require residents to show ID before viewing pornography online.
Mark Meadows: Trump chief of staff subpoenaed by special counsel in Jan. 6 investigation | CNN Politics
[…]
The move to subpoena one of Trump’s most senior aides – in addition to the recent subpoena of former Vice President Mike Pence, as CNN reported last week – marks the latest significant step in the special counsel’s investigation into Trump’s role in seeking to overturn the outcome of the 2020 election.
Smith also is simultaneously investigating Trump’s handling of classified documents after leaving office. While the subpoena is related to January 6, Meadows also may be of interest in the documents investigation. He was one of Trump’s designees to the National Archives and played a role in discussions around returning government records in his possession.
[…]
The recent subpoena for Meadows also underscores the aggressive nature of the special counsel’s probe. CNN has reported that Smith also has subpoenaed former Trump national security adviser Robert O’Brien in both of the Trump-related probes, and Justice Department lawyers interviewed Trump’s former acting Department of Homeland Security Secretary Chad Wolf in recent weeks as part of the probe into 2020 election interference.
Billionaires don’t like for the lower orders, (everybody else), to have “too much”. Money, food, time, justice……whatever good thing it is, they’re really afraid of the average Joe having “too much” of it. They hire people to make laws which govern “how much” might be “too much”.
So the more THEY get, the less danger there is of anyone else having “too much”. A constant struggle for them.
So does anyone else thing Nkki is running for the 2nd spot on the R side of the ballot? There are 2 declared Repug candidates and she won’t say a bad word about the other one.
All this UFO talk… While I believe that there is much more than likely extraterrestrial life out there somewhere, I’m seriously skeptical that any of them, whoever or whatever they are, have found us. Our average sun 2/3 of the way out toward the edge of the Orion arm of the spiral galaxy of at least 100 billion stars, with 8-10 planets orbiting it (depending on who you ask) with Earth being the third from the sun doesn’t strike me as a place any interstellar travelers would likely stumble across or care much about if they did.
She’s such a loathely person.
We share that opinion, Sturg.
“Nkki is running for the 2nd spot”
hell yes. that’s why she got the blessing from the jabba turd.
little donnie saw joey’s indian/american veep and donnie had to have one too
running as gop vice-president: Political Death Wish.
I notice that Virginia is moving legislation that will allow Police Chiefs to impose a 24 hour curfew in case of ‘civil unrest.’ In municipalities, they will need to obtain the concurrence of a mayor or other elected official, but I think you can see the slippery slope here.
Police should NEVER have the authority for a general suspension of civil liberties, not for 24 hours, not for 24 seconds.
I would say she is running to be #2, except for her call for a competency test for anyone over 75. With that comment, she is trying to poison the pilots waters for tRUMPsky. If not, she would have said a higher number.
She is every bit as loathsome as mtg, for example, except that she presents herself in a more civilized way. She is every bit as toxic, perhaps more so because some folks will swallow it more easily.
https://www.cnn.com/2023/02/15/us/toxic-chemicals-train-derailments-explainer/index.html
“During a Tuesday news conference, DeWine said the Norfolk Southern train that derailed was not categorized as a high hazardous material train, meaning the railroad was not required to notify state officials about what chemicals the rail cars contained.”
“If this is true – and I’m told it’s true – this is absurd,” DeWine said.
“The chemical spill took a severe toll on local aquatic life: About 3,500 fish ranging across 12 species died from the water contamination washing down streams and rivers.”
“Anecdotal reports of pets and chickens dying have not yet been confirmed by officials.”
Just because it hasn’t been confined by “officials” doesn’t mean it’s not happening.
The company should pay to re-home everyone away from that toxic area (they will never be able to sell), as well as provide lifetime medical insurance and deductibles and out-of-pockets/copays for all residents.
https://youtu.be/O8Jrk6fvmQ8
The Problem with Jon Stewart – Corporate Greed and Regulatory Failure (East Palestine, Ohio Train Derailment)
Hoping Fetterman gets well, hospitalized for depression
Cajun, that is worrisome. Curfews should be for civilians to decide
Although I expect Senator Fetterman to be crucified by the frwnj cult members, he should be given support and thank you’s for not trying to hide. Mental health is part of health care. Although not having depression I have severe PTSD and spent about ten years straight in weekly or biweekly sessions with my shrink. The hell a brain can cause cannot be minimized. My best to the man, he deserves a lot of support.
Get well soon, Senator Fetterman.
Cajun
That has severe echos of “Sunset Towns”
Bid – see sturg’s comment coining the term “loathely” for Nikki. I like it.
Ca’Joe, I reckon every state with nutjobs running their legislatures and either a nutjob governor or a veto-proof majority will be trying to outdo any state that has passed or is working on legislation to suppress the bodily rights of women and voting rights of non-whites.
There is something to be said about living near Andrews AFB, it is lablled something else but it is still an Air Force base). Just now there was a scramble of some type. Several aircraft just shot off overhead. A little info is that military jets do not care about wind direction so they can fly anywhere. So these, at least two, shot off to somewhere. I just heard a flight of hel-of-a-copters go by, they were Marines or Army heading back to the D.C. region.
Yeah, the ruskies will read all that. But, they already know because their creeps are living around here.
I expect more of this as the protection coverage is expanded to include a lot of home grown balloons.
https://www.texastribune.org/2023/02/15/fairfield-lake-texas-state-park-closure/
“For more than 50 years, the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department leased land for the state park from energy companies, Vistra and Luminant. Since 1976, the state has invested $72 million in renovations and improvements to the park.”
“The Vistra spokesperson said the state will have 120 days from Feb. 13 — the date the lease termination was sent — to vacate the property. During that time, park staff will begin to remove equipment, relocate staff members to other parks and cancel upcoming camping reservations.”
“Todd announced the land will be turned into an exclusive gated community, which includes multimillion-dollar homes and a private golf course…”
“State Rep. Angelia Orr, R-Itasca, whose district includes the park, filed a bill Tuesday that, if passed by the Legislature and signed by the governor, would allow the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department to use eminent domain to seize the park’s land.”
I think this may be the first time I’ve ever cheered for eminent domain.
https://www.texastribune.org/2023/02/15/texas-ken-paxton-sues-joe-biden-spending-bill/
“Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton sued President Joe Biden on Wednesday for signing last year’s federal government funding package, arguing it was unlawfully passed out of Congress.”
“At the Founding, ‘present’ meant ‘[n]ot absent; face to face; being at hand,’” Paxton wrote in his lawsuit, quoting a contemporaneous dictionary with the definition of “present.” (Yeah, they did t have phones or ZOOM, Ken.)
“House Speaker Kevin McCarthy eliminated proxy voting after taking the gavel, arguing that it was being abused and not conducive to debate on the floor.”
“Paxton requested the court rule the omnibus package invalid and unenforceable.”
“U.S. Rep. Kay Granger, the top Republican on the House Appropriations Committee, was particularly vocal in her opposition to the 22% increase in funding for nondiscretionary, nondefense programs.”
“Paxton also asserts that the package puts undue burden on the state through provisions designed to protect pregnant workers, including state employees. The package requires employers to make “reasonable accommodations” related to pregnancy and childbirth and allows employees to sue if their employers do not comply.”
“Paxton argues the provision is unnecessary because Texas already offers pregnant state employees reasonable accommodations and that the federal government does not have the constitutional authority to open the state up to lawsuits over pregnancy accommodations.”
Except that it doesn’t only pertain to state employees, Ken.
Republicans are not pro-family.
https://jacobin.com/2023/02/gop-welfare-payments-rubio-romney-vance-hawley
“The rationale behind Rubio’s proposal — that we should seek to provide financial support to families while denying women the right to choose whether and when they start families — is a morally horrific and completely unnecessary trade-off. Depriving women of their bodily autonomy doesn’t become acceptable in exchange for expanding a tax credit.”
Republicans are authoritarian, woman-hating asshats.
Oh, gawd. Greg is giving a “State of the State” address and I can not even. Nope.
Brain completely leaving today – found I Dream of Jeannie. How I survived the early Sixties is now available almost xixty years ago. In the Nineties I set up my computers to start up with the song. Yup, long time ago.
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2023/feb/16/virginia-governor-glenn-youngkin-extreme-bill-police-menstrual-histories
Republicans are coming for your menstrual history, ladies.
“Currently any health information or any app information is available via search warrant. And we believe that should continue to be the case.”
“The Youngkin administration’s opposition to this commonsense privacy protection measure shows his real intentions, to ban abortion and criminalise patients and medical providers,”…
“The wrangle over menstrual data tracking has parallels with a controversy in Florida, in which high school athletics officials last week backed away from a “humiliating” proposal requiring girls who wanted to play sports to answer questions about menstruation on medical forms.”
So, if you think curfew is an erosion of your rights…
https://www.salon.com/2023/02/14/sanders-warren-plan-would-the-rich-to-increase-social-security-by-2400-a-year_partner/
“The Social Security Expansion Act, introduced by Sanders, I-Vt., and Warren, D-Mass., in the Senate and by Reps. Jan Schakowsky, D-Ill., and Val Hoyle, D-Ore., in the House, would put an additional $2,400 in beneficiaries’ pockets each year and ensure the program is fully funded through 2096.”
“The bill would accomplish this by lifting the cap on the maximum amount of income subject to the Social Security payroll tax—a change that would not raise taxes on the 93% of U.S. households that make $250,000 or less per year…”
“Currently, annual earnings above $160,200 are not subject to the Social Security payroll tax, which means that millionaires will stop contributing to the program later this month.”
“If enacted, the bill would have raised more than $3.4 billion from the nation’s top 11 highest-paid CEOs alone in 2021, including $2.9 billion from Tesla and Twitter executive Elon Musk.”
“Right now, a Wall Street CEO who makes $30 million pays the same amount into Social Security as someone who makes $160,000 a year,” the Vermont Independent added. “Our bill puts an end to that absurdity which will allow us to protect Social Security for generations to come while lifting millions of seniors out of poverty.”
“Endorsed by 56 labor unions and progressive advocacy groups, the legislation is overwhelmingly popular among voters, who have consistently expressed opposition to cutting or privatizing Social Security.”
I miss the Bob/Sturg/Bink music shows at night.
Oh, thank you!
i’ve been trying to get through this gloomy-ass winter with some good books and, full disclosure, am hooked on the unapologetically politically-liberal medical drama “New Amsterdam”, it’s a cleverly-written, sexy, soapy indictment of the medical-industrial complex full of attractive people that keeps its plotlines topical.
i meant to log-in to compliment Jack’s Valentine’s Day post which i thought well-composed, but you know how it goes, sometimes…
Slava Ukraine 🫡
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