The United States has returned to the lunar surface for the first time in more than 50 years after a privately-built spacecraft named Odysseus capped a nail-biting 73-minute descent from orbit with a touchdown near the moon’s south pole.
Amid celebrations of what Nasa hailed “a giant leap forward”, there was no immediate confirmation of the status or condition of the lander, other than it had reached its planned landing site at crater Malapert A.
But later Intuitive Machines, the Texas-based company that built the first commercial craft to land on the moon, said the craft was “upright and starting to send data”.
The statement on X said mission managers were “working to downlink the first images from the lunar surface”.
The so-called “soft landing” on Thursday, which Steve Altemus, the company’s founder, had given only an 80% chance of succeeding, was designed to open a new era of lunar exploration as Nasa works towards a scheduled late-2026 mission to send humans back there.
“Welcome to the moon,” Altemus said when touchdown when the 5.23pm touchdown was eventually confirmed, after about 10 minutes in which Odysseus was out of contact.
It was the first time any US-built spacecraft had landed on the moon since Nasa’s most recent crewed visit, the Apollo 17 mission in December 1972, and the first visit by commercial vehicle following last month’s failure of Peregrine One, another partnership between the space agency and a private company, Astrobotic.
“Today, for the first time in more than a half century, the US has returned to the moon. Today, for the first time in the history of humanity, a commercial company, an American company, launched and led the voyage up there,” Bill Nelson, the Nasa administrator, said.
“What a triumph. Odysseus has taken the moon. This feat is a giant leap forward for all of humanity.”
There was no video of Odysseus’s fully autonomous descent, which slowed to about 2.2mph at 33ft above the surface. But a camera built by students at Florida’s Embry-Riddle aeronautical university was designed to fall and take pictures immediately before touchdown, and Nasa cameras were set to photograph the ground from the spacecraft.
The 14ft (4.3 metres) hexagonal, six-legged Nova-C lander, affectionately nicknamed Odie by Intuitive Machines employees, is part of Nasa’s commercial lunar payload services (CLPS) initiative, in which the agency awards contracts to private partners, largely to support the Artemis program.
Nasa contributed $118m to get it off the ground, with Intuitive Machines funding a further $130m ahead of its 15 February launch from Florida’s Kennedy space center on a Falcon 9 rocket from Elon Musk’s SpaceX company.
The IM-1 mission, like the doomed Peregrine effort, is carrying a payload of scientific equipment designed to gather data about the lunar environment, specifically in the rocky region chosen as the landing site for Nasa’s crewed Artemis III mission planned for two years’ time.
It is a hazardous area – “pockmarked with all of these craters”, according to Nelson – but chosen because it is believed to be rich in frozen water that could help sustain a permanent lunar base crucial to future human missions to Mars.
Scientists announced last year that they believed tiny glass beads strewn across the moon’s surface contained potentially “billions of tonnes of water” that could be extracted and used on future missions.
The risks are worth it, Nelson told CNN on Thursday, “to see if there is water in abundance. Because if there’s water, there’s rocket fuel: hydrogen, and oxygen. And we could have a gas station on the south pole of the moon.”
The planned operational life of the solar powered lander is only seven days, before the landing site about 186 miles from the moon’s south pole moves into Earth’s shadow. But Nasa hopes that will be long enough for analysis of how soil there reacted to the impact of the landing.
Other instruments will focus on space weather effects on the lunar surface, while a network of markers for communication and navigation will be deployed.
“Odysseus, powered by a company called Intuitive Machines, launched upon a SpaceX rocket, carrying a bounty of Nasa scientific instruments, is bearing the dream of a new adventure in science, innovation, and American leadership in space,” Nelson said.
Through Artemis, Nasa’s return-to-the-moon program that also has longer-term visions of crewed missions to Mars within the next two decades, the US seeks to stay ahead of Russia and China, both of which are planning their own human lunar landings.
Only the US has previously landed astronauts, in six Apollo missions between 1969 and 1972, while five countries have placed uncrewed spacecraft there. Japan joined the US, Russia, China and India last month when its Smart Lander for Investigating the Moon (Slim) made a successful, if awkward touchdown after a three-month flight.
Two further Intuitive Machines launches are scheduled for later this year, including an ice drill to extract ingredients for rocket fuel, and another Nova-C lander containing a small Nasa rover and four small robots that will explore surface conditions.
Frank Sinatra’s 1964 recording of “Fly Me to the Moon” became closely associated with NASA‘s Apollo space program. A copy of the song was played on a Sony TC-50 portable cassette player on the Apollo 10 mission which orbited the Moon, and also on Apollo 11 before the first landing on the Moon. The song’s association with Apollo 11 was reprised many years later when Diana Krall sang it at the mission’s 40th anniversary commemoration ceremony, and also for mission commander Neil Armstrong‘s memorial service in 2012.
The Sinatra version was also used in the 2000 NASA related fictional film Space Cowboys.
“A pro-Trump trucker and right-wing influencer who goes by the handle Chicago Ray posted a video to X, formerly Twitter, on Friday night claiming that he has spoken to “at least” 10 truckers who will “start refusing loads” headed for New York City.”
“Trump just posted my video and picture on his Truth Social account, pretty fucken cool,” Ray posted Sunday alongside a screenshot of Trump’s post.”
Aw, he’s got daddy issues. Poor baby.
Hmm, “at least ten.” Ha!
Most drivers are going to focus on making money for themselves. The Koolade they’re drinking doesn’t have that much of a kick.
If those drivers refuse loads, guess who’s not getting scheduled for another pick up.
If there are non-compliance fees tied to supply chain issues, guess where those fees companies are forced to eat will trickle down to in the form of future lost work and a bad reputation as to reliability.
NYC is vilified by many; this predates “wokeness,” and Orange Adolf.
Joe Biden has held a private meeting with the widow and daughter of Alexei Navalny, the Russian opposition leader who died in an Arctic prison last week.
After the meeting with Yulia and Dasha Navalnaya in California, the US president wrote that Navalny’s “legacy of courage will live on” in them.
[…]
Photos released by the White House showed Mr Biden hugging Yulia, and talking with her and Dasha in a hotel room in San Francisco.
Afterwards, he told reporters that Ms Navalnaya is “going to continue the fight… She’s not giving up”.
The Biden administration announced Friday that it will hit Russia with hundreds of new sanctions after the death of dissident Alexei Navalny, aiming to constrict the billions of dollars in energy revenue that have financed President Vladimir Putin’s war in Ukraine.
The United States will impose more than 500 new sanctions on Russian companies and individuals, according to a Treasury Department spokeswoman. The sanctions aim to hit Russian banks and suppliers of supply Russian industrial and munitions production.
[…]
“If Putin does not pay the price for his death and destruction, he will keep going. And the costs to the United States — along with our NATO Allies and partners in Europe and around the world — will rise,” Biden said in a statement. “These sanctions will target individuals connected to Navalny’s imprisonment as well as Russia’s financial sector, defense industrial base, procurement networks and sanctions evaders across multiple continents. They will ensure Putin pays an even steeper price for his aggression abroad and repression at home.”
I sure wish we could fix stuff on Earth. Start with a ceasefire in Gaza; help Ukraine stop Putin; renewable energy; end over-the-top CEO pay; end tax deductions/avoidance for the wealthy; end shrinkflation, stock buybacks and other forms of corporate greed; a basic living wage for all; equal rights for all; affordable housing and universal healthcare for all; separation of church and state and tax churches that preach from the pulpit; food security; animal rights; save the rainforests…just to start. Fix stuff here, then go mess up another sphere.
Will the compromise on IVF be that it only be used for white, heterosexual, married couples?
Donald Trump has demonstrated, in repeated and dangerous ways, that he appears to be profoundly unwell mentally and emotionally. Some of the country’s and world’s leading mental health professionals have concluded that based on his behavior, Trump is likely a sociopath if not a psychopath.
Whatever one may think about the specifics of his policies, President Joe Biden, on the other hand, is a responsible leader and an institutionalist who believes in America and the democratic experiment. By comparison, Donald Trump hates democracy, attempted a coup on Jan. 6, and is a megalomaniac who believes that he is some type of god or messiah. …
[…]
“President Biden is old” is an easy, lazy, familiar, and comfortable narrative for the mainstream news media. It is sensational and gossipy (which means more ad revenue and attention), and maintains false balance, “fairness,” bothsidesism and “objectivity” in their coverage. This maneuvering also allows the mainstream news media as an institution, or so its leaders incorrectly believe, some measure of protection against retaliation by Trump and his regime, if he takes power in 2025. In all, a focus on Biden’s mental health and age is but another way of normalizing Donald Trump and the neofascist movement and a continuation of the years of failure(s) by the American news media that helped to birth the vile Trumpocene.
The claim that President Biden is old and therefore so diminished mentally and physically that he is incapable of being an effective leader has taken on a life of its own. In many ways, this narrative is immune to the facts and evidence and may be a deciding factor in the outcome of the 2024 election and the future of the United States.
Dr. John Gartner is a psychologist and former professor at the Johns Hopkins University Medical School. Gartner was a contributor to the 2017 bestseller “The Dangerous Case of Donald Trump: 27 Psychiatrists and Mental Health Experts Assess a President.”
In this conversation, Gartner argues that it is actually Donald Trump and not President Biden who is showing diminished mental acuity and dangerous behavior related to aging. Gartner explains that Donald Trump’s escalating dangerousness is connected to what he believes is a diseased mind that will only get worse. Gartner warns that given Trump’s dangerous personality and emotional state, (Gartner describes this as “hypomanic” behavior) he is almost certainly plotting revenge and how to make his “enemies” suffer as revenge for finally being held accountable by the courts and the rule of law. At the end of this conversation, Gartner explains how even on his worst day as an older person, President Biden is a far superior leader and decision-maker (and human being) than Donald Trump.
[continues]
Stayed up for Trump speech last night to religious broadcasters in Nashville (he was an hour and a half late). I knew it would be scary Christian nationalist stuff. It was. He is playing hard for theocracy nuts, although I noticed he never said the words abortion or Roe (even when bragging about his court picks) and no mention of the Alabama “embryos are people” ruling that has the GOP scrambling.
He was in full throttle war mode, everything has to be an epic battle between him and evil:
“Remember, every communist regime throughout history has tried to stamp out the churches, just like every fascist regime has tried to co-opt them and control them. And, in America, the radical left is trying to do both. They want to tear down crosses where they can, and cover them up with social justice flags. But no one will be touching the cross of Christ under the Trump administration, I swear to you.”
“The left is trying to shame Christians. They’re trying to shame us. I’m a very proud Christian.”
What could go wrong with this?
“Upon taking office I will create a new federal task force on fighting anti Christian bias”
Trump adviser Stephen Miller at CPAC just now explained what the rule of law means to him: “When Democrats break the law, you bring it smashing down on them. That’s the rule of law.”
I’m sure they waved their pitchforks mightily for Herr Miller. CPAC has always been a freak show and, like Dr. Mary said, the target audience has gotten worse.
The best predictor of future behavior is past behavior without intervention.
Judges understand little about medicine, judges in Alabama least of all. “Judging” in Alabama is politics.
Doctors said the decision shows a fundamental misunderstanding of reproductive medicine – with several portions wholly ungrounded in reality. For instance, justices introduced the idea that a “full-term infant or toddler” could be “gestated to term in an in vitro environment”, when there is no way to gestate an embryo outside a human uterus for longer than roughly seven days. The justices “clearly don’t understand IVF at all and clearly don’t understand what these couples are suffering from”, Chen said. “Aren’t they supposed to learn about the topic before they make these decisions?”
“Asked at a conservative conference on Thursday what he would say to women currently denied the fertility treatment, the former college football coach replied: “Yeah, I was all for it. We need to have more kids, we need to have an opportunity to do that, and I thought this was the right thing to do.”
IVF, IUD, UFO, USA. (Abbreviations are confusing. 😕 ) Tuberville is an idjit.
ps – The next thing on the chopping block will be IUDs and other forms of birth control.
Someone adept at photoshop should make a photo of Nikita Kruschev banging his shoe on the table, except it’s a golden sneaker.
“We will bury you.”
“In 2003, American scholar William Taubman reported that he had interviewed some eyewitnesses who said that Khrushchev had brandished his shoe but not banged it. He also reported that no photographic or video records of the shoe-banging had been found.[4] However, in his biography of Khrushchev, he wrote that he accepted that the shoe-banging had occurred.[5] There is at least one fake photograph, where a shoe was added into an existing photograph.”
“Earlier this week on one of the MSNBC shows there was a discussion about Comstock Laws making a comeback via the elimination through the overturning of Griswold etc.”
“The Comstock laws are a set of federal acts passed by the United States Congress under the Grant administration along with related state laws. The “parent” act (Sect. 211) was passed on March 3, 1873, as the Act for the Suppression of Trade in, and Circulation of, Obscene Literature and Articles of Immoral Use. This Act criminalized any use of the U.S. Postal Service to send any of the following items: obscenity, contraceptives, abortifacients, sex toys, personal letters with any sexual content or information, or any information regarding the above items.”
“A similar federal act (Sect. 245) of 1909 applied to delivery by interstate “express” or any other common carrier (such as railroad), rather than delivery by the U.S. Post Office.”
“Anthony Comstock was a misogynist, racist, homophobic, “anti-vice” crusader. He was obsessed with sex — or rather, he was obsessed with controlling everyone else’s sexual behavior.”
“Comstock believed that the mere existence of birth control, abortion, pornography, sex toys, and even nudity in art corrupted society.”
“House Speaker Mike Johnson’s Long Crusade Against Birth Control
The new speaker has been fighting to block access to birth control — both inside and outside of Congress.”
“Everybody asks us all the time: ‘Why do you guys care so much? The HHS mandate it’s really just about contraception, sterilization. … What’s the big deal? Well, those are abortifacients,” Johnson says. “The morning after pill, as we know, is an abortifacient.”
“Neither sterilization or emergency contraception medications like Plan B, are abortifacients. Both are forms of birth control that prevent a pregnancy from occurring, but do not end an existing pregnancy.”
As big an idjit as Tuberville or is he just a big, fat liar who knew exactly what he was saying?
“His position places Johnson outside the mainstream: According to an Economist/YouGov poll conducted last year, 91 percent of voters believe birth control should be made free and widely available if abortion is not — including 61 percent of voters who oppose abortion.”
“…the misconception that certain types of birth control are essentially abortion has in recent years gained a foothold among some of the country’s most strident anti-abortion groups. The prominent anti-abortion advocacy group Students for Life maintains that IUDs, emergency contraception, and hormonal birth control all qualify as “abortifacients.”
“Since arriving in Congress, Johnson has continued to champion these views. He supported a rule that allowed health care workers with a “religious or conscience” objection to providing birth control or sterilization to refuse to participate in those procedures. He also voted against the Right to Contraception Act, which would have protected access to birth control, and participated in a number of legislative efforts to keep the bill from getting to the floor. It did so — and passed — despite Johnson’s efforts.”
Sometimes you are watching and listening to what is happening in the world and you know, really know, that something has changed, but you do not know why or how.
During the last few weeks Ukraine military has been blowing russian aircraft out of the sky. Fighters, bombers and AWACS (big radar planes). One day this week was seven. Today is one AWACS (A-50), one fighter and possibly one transport. Earlier was one A-50, and several fighters and bombers.
Why in one week would it seem the russian air force is being blown away? That is the game changer. The Ukraine military is doing something new. Lots of speculation, from better placement of rockets/missles, new Patriot systems from the West, F-16’s in service but not reported, different weapons or tactics and blinding of russian antiaircraft systems. So you know you are seeing it, but what is “it”?
“The reason why there is a measles outbreak in Florida schools is because too many parents have not had their children protected by the safe and effective measles vaccine,” said John P. Moore, a professor of microbiology and immunology at Weill Cornell Medical College. “And why is that? It’s because anti-vaccine sentiment in Florida comes from the top of the public health food-chain: Joseph Ladapo.”
(You know they’re just seeing their own reflection.)
Alabama Chief Justice Tom Parker, who wrote the concurring opinion in last week’s explosive Alabama Supreme Court ruling that frozen embryos have the same rights as living children, recently appeared on a show hosted by self-anointed “prophet” and QAnon conspiracy theorist.
Parker was the featured guest on “Someone You Should Know,” hosted by Johnny Enlow, a Christian nationalist influencer and devoted supporter of former President Donald Trump. Over the course of an 11-minute interview, Parker articulated a theocratic worldview at odds with a functioning, pluralistic society.
“God created government,” he told Enlow, adding that it’s “heartbreaking” that “we have let it go into the possession of others.”
That a state’s chief Supreme Court justice would associate himself with Enlow is a cause for alarm. Enlow is a prolific conspiracy theorist, often weaving QAnon apocrypha with prophecies he claims to receive directly from God.
As reported by Right Wing Watch, Enlow has claimed that Trump “is on assignment” from God to work with the angels Michael and Gabriel to take down George Soros and Bill Gates, among others; he has claimed that Russian President Vladamir Putin is fighting “Luciferian pedophiles” in Ukraine, in a battle to stop them from deploying vaccines and 5G that would turn people into transhumanist semi-robots; and he has claimed that the majority of other world leaders are “satanic” pedophiles who “steal blood” and “do sacrifices.”
Noticed that the clip of tRUMPsky on the evening news said they wanted IVF so “couples” could have babies. (He said the last part in the creepiest way you can imagine.)
“Couples.” Does that include gay couples? It sounds like singles wanting a biological child are not included in the desired outcome.
“A Wisconsin ethics panel is recommending that local prosecutors pursue criminal charges against one of Donald Trump’s fundraising arms and several other Republican committees that it alleges violated state campaign finance law in an effort to topple a powerful lawmaker who had run afoul of the former president.”
“…conspired to circumvent the state’s donation limits during Steen’s unsuccessful bid to unseat Wisconsin Assembly Speaker Robin Vos in the 2022 Republican primary.”
“In 2022, Trump endorsed Steen’s candidacy and sharply criticized Vos for not yielding to his pressure campaign over his 2020 loss in the state to Joe Biden. At one point, Vos told CNN affiliate WISN that Trump had asked him to decertify the 2020 election and that he had refused, saying the state’s Constitution barred him from doing so.”
They never learn. Everything tRUMPsky touches goes to hell; everyone he touches suffers.
Doug Jones was the better choice. Tommy? You got what you voted for, fellow Alabamians.
“I’m shocked and sickened at the Alabama Supreme Court’s ruling — declaring that frozen embryos are considered children. Led by a Chief Justice who is a Roy Moore protégé, they’ve basically ruled that frozen embryos in test tubes have more rights than women and families trying to have children…MAGA is of course cheering. Tommy Tuberville says he’s “all for it” (even though he had no clue what “it” is and immediately said “we need more kids”.) If you needed any more proof that they are not conservative, this is it. They are inserting themselves into our bedrooms and into decisions that should be between families and doctors. Add that to Tuberville’s pro-Putin/anti-Ukraine rants that puts our national security at risk and all that the Alabama Legislature is doing — from book bans to even more extremism — and you have a clear blueprint for what these extremists want to do everywhere. Make no mistake folks – this ruling opened a gate. It provided a roadmap for other extremist courts and legislatures, both state and federal, that focus on attacking our rights. The ripple effect must be combatted. We have to stop this now or it will never end.”
– Doug Jones
“Pentagon tracking new unidentified balloon over western US”
“American fighter planes intercepted an unidentified balloon on Friday over Utah but have determined it isn’t a threat to national security, according to the North American Aerospace Defense Command.”
“The balloon, which is traveling eastward with the jetstream at around 43,000 feet, or roughly 8 miles, is “not maneuverable” and poses “no hazard to flight safety,” the command said in a statement. It is not clear who owns the balloon.”
bID – request a refund, it is usually a few pennies.
Update to the Ukraine shooting the russians out of the sky during today: one A-50 AWACS, one SU-35 bomber, two SU-34 fighters, and still not publicly confirmed one transport. That could be one entire bomber wing of the russia air force. There are some reports that the Ukraine military used a Soviet era rocket, okay but not consistent with the kills. There will be some after action report coming up that might give the answer, but most likely not. As long as the russians do not know what hit ’em, don’t help ’em out by telling them.
More balloons? Hope there’s no “kids” (frozen embryos) hiding in it.
“The U.S. is tracking a small, high-altitude balloon that is drifting across the country but poses no threat to national security, U.S. officials and the military said Friday. CBS News first reported that the military was tracking the balloon as it traversed the Western U.S. earlier in the day. NORAD, the military command responsible for air defense over the U.S. and Canada, later confirmed it had detected the object and said it was floating between 43,000 and 45,000 feet. Its presence prompted enough concern that the command sent aircraft to investigate.”
Ivy – I think I will write a separate post that addresses some of what she went through, along with me and many of my friends. There is so much to cover, especially for her age, and mine (I am older), and those who are younger.
“The Black Conservative Federation event was held one day before the Republican primary in South Carolina, a state whose population is one-quarter Black.”
“And it comes against the backdrop of a collection of groups closely aligned with Donald Trump’s campaign preparing to launch an effort to land Republicans a historic chunk of the Black vote in the 2024 elections.”
“We have coalition groups across the country that are set to roll out initiatives very, very soon in those communities, that will focus on voter outreach and engagement and things like messaging in Black communities,” said Darrell Scott, a Black Ohio-based pastor who is a Trump adviser and helping lead the effort.”
How stupid do you have to be to think Orange Adolf will help you if he were to be elected? He’s a con man.
Wow, the stuff Orange Adolf said at the BCE event was off-the-rails racist, and it didn’t sound like he got any blowback. A roomful of Tim Scotts. It’s a cult.
Odysseus: US land their first spacecraft on the Moon in 50 years – BBC Newsround
Odysseus sent back this picture of the huge moon crater known as Bel’kovik
US returns to lunar surface for first time in over 50 years: ‘Welcome to the moon’ | Space | The Guardian
to the moon … once more with feeling
Fly Me to the Moon – Wikipedia
NASA association
Frank Sinatra’s 1964 recording of “Fly Me to the Moon” became closely associated with NASA‘s Apollo space program. A copy of the song was played on a Sony TC-50 portable cassette player on the Apollo 10 mission which orbited the Moon, and also on Apollo 11 before the first landing on the Moon. The song’s association with Apollo 11 was reprised many years later when Diana Krall sang it at the mission’s 40th anniversary commemoration ceremony, and also for mission commander Neil Armstrong‘s memorial service in 2012.
The Sinatra version was also used in the 2000 NASA related fictional film Space Cowboys.
Have the magat truckers shut down NYC yet?
https://www.rollingstone.com/politics/politics-news/trump-trucker-campaign-stop-deliveries-nyc-1234970733/
“A pro-Trump trucker and right-wing influencer who goes by the handle Chicago Ray posted a video to X, formerly Twitter, on Friday night claiming that he has spoken to “at least” 10 truckers who will “start refusing loads” headed for New York City.”
“Trump just posted my video and picture on his Truth Social account, pretty fucken cool,” Ray posted Sunday alongside a screenshot of Trump’s post.”
Aw, he’s got daddy issues. Poor baby.
Hmm, “at least ten.” Ha!
Most drivers are going to focus on making money for themselves. The Koolade they’re drinking doesn’t have that much of a kick.
If those drivers refuse loads, guess who’s not getting scheduled for another pick up.
If there are non-compliance fees tied to supply chain issues, guess where those fees companies are forced to eat will trickle down to in the form of future lost work and a bad reputation as to reliability.
NYC is vilified by many; this predates “wokeness,” and Orange Adolf.
So, no.
BBC:
and crickets for her from the loser guy
After Navalny’s death, U.S. announces new sanctions on Russia – The Washington Post
[…]
“If Putin does not pay the price for his death and destruction, he will keep going. And the costs to the United States — along with our NATO Allies and partners in Europe and around the world — will rise,” Biden said in a statement. “These sanctions will target individuals connected to Navalny’s imprisonment as well as Russia’s financial sector, defense industrial base, procurement networks and sanctions evaders across multiple continents. They will ensure Putin pays an even steeper price for his aggression abroad and repression at home.”
I sure wish we could fix stuff on Earth. Start with a ceasefire in Gaza; help Ukraine stop Putin; renewable energy; end over-the-top CEO pay; end tax deductions/avoidance for the wealthy; end shrinkflation, stock buybacks and other forms of corporate greed; a basic living wage for all; equal rights for all; affordable housing and universal healthcare for all; separation of church and state and tax churches that preach from the pulpit; food security; animal rights; save the rainforests…just to start. Fix stuff here, then go mess up another sphere.
Will the compromise on IVF be that it only be used for white, heterosexual, married couples?
Dr. John Gartner on a tale of two brains: “Biden’s brain is aging. Trump’s brain is dementing” (msn.com)
Stayed up for Trump speech last night to religious broadcasters in Nashville (he was an hour and a half late). I knew it would be scary Christian nationalist stuff. It was. He is playing hard for theocracy nuts, although I noticed he never said the words abortion or Roe (even when bragging about his court picks) and no mention of the Alabama “embryos are people” ruling that has the GOP scrambling.
He was in full throttle war mode, everything has to be an epic battle between him and evil:
“Remember, every communist regime throughout history has tried to stamp out the churches, just like every fascist regime has tried to co-opt them and control them. And, in America, the radical left is trying to do both. They want to tear down crosses where they can, and cover them up with social justice flags. But no one will be touching the cross of Christ under the Trump administration, I swear to you.”
“The left is trying to shame Christians. They’re trying to shame us. I’m a very proud Christian.”
What could go wrong with this?
“Upon taking office I will create a new federal task force on fighting anti Christian bias”
Dr. Mary in the house with 2 key points:
1. ”Any untreated disorder worsens over time as long as it remains untreated.”
2. “his target audience” has gotten worse.
Lawrence’s lead-in to Dr. Mary
He’s a new twist on the anti-christ: he sacrifices nothing and everyone continues to suffer for his sins.
today’s meme…
Trump adviser Stephen Miller at CPAC just now explained what the rule of law means to him: “When Democrats break the law, you bring it smashing down on them. That’s the rule of law.”
The 2nd coming of Christ got turned away at the border, was trying to escape cartel violence 🤷♂️
I’m sure they waved their pitchforks mightily for Herr Miller. CPAC has always been a freak show and, like Dr. Mary said, the target audience has gotten worse.
The best predictor of future behavior is past behavior without intervention.
Neil Young For Renee
Comment allez-vous mes amis?
—Lenny Bruce
Wouldn’t it be great if Nick Saban could primary him. Revenge for six Iron Bowls.
In truth, I’d rather have Doug Jones back. That’s not a hard one.
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2024/feb/23/tommy-tuberville-alabama-embryo-ruling
Judges understand little about medicine, judges in Alabama least of all. “Judging” in Alabama is politics.
https://www.theguardian.com/society/2024/feb/23/fertility-doctors-reaction-alabama-embryo-ruling
…still excited to hear what Alabama will do with existing frozen embryos, i can’t imagine but i’ll bet whatever they decide will be bonkers shit
Pretty obvious Putin is trying to break up the USA like we broke up the CCCP*
*from his perspective
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2024/feb/23/tommy-tuberville-alabama-embryo-ruling
“Asked at a conservative conference on Thursday what he would say to women currently denied the fertility treatment, the former college football coach replied: “Yeah, I was all for it. We need to have more kids, we need to have an opportunity to do that, and I thought this was the right thing to do.”
IVF, IUD, UFO, USA. (Abbreviations are confusing. 😕 ) Tuberville is an idjit.
ps – The next thing on the chopping block will be IUDs and other forms of birth control.
Someone adept at photoshop should make a photo of Nikita Kruschev banging his shoe on the table, except it’s a golden sneaker.
“We will bury you.”
“In 2003, American scholar William Taubman reported that he had interviewed some eyewitnesses who said that Khrushchev had brandished his shoe but not banged it. He also reported that no photographic or video records of the shoe-banging had been found.[4] However, in his biography of Khrushchev, he wrote that he accepted that the shoe-banging had occurred.[5] There is at least one fake photograph, where a shoe was added into an existing photograph.”
Well, i don’t how anyone can compromise with cultists, so better get out that vote 😬
…and start pulling federal funding out of there
https://www.dailykos.com/stories/2024/2/23/2225274/-Musings-for-Friday-Comstock-Laws-Have-You-Heard-of-Them-Some-Scary-Sh-t
“Earlier this week on one of the MSNBC shows there was a discussion about Comstock Laws making a comeback via the elimination through the overturning of Griswold etc.”
“The Comstock laws are a set of federal acts passed by the United States Congress under the Grant administration along with related state laws. The “parent” act (Sect. 211) was passed on March 3, 1873, as the Act for the Suppression of Trade in, and Circulation of, Obscene Literature and Articles of Immoral Use. This Act criminalized any use of the U.S. Postal Service to send any of the following items: obscenity, contraceptives, abortifacients, sex toys, personal letters with any sexual content or information, or any information regarding the above items.”
“A similar federal act (Sect. 245) of 1909 applied to delivery by interstate “express” or any other common carrier (such as railroad), rather than delivery by the U.S. Post Office.”
“Anthony Comstock was a misogynist, racist, homophobic, “anti-vice” crusader. He was obsessed with sex — or rather, he was obsessed with controlling everyone else’s sexual behavior.”
“Comstock believed that the mere existence of birth control, abortion, pornography, sex toys, and even nudity in art corrupted society.”
Project much?
There’s no compromising with a Christian or a magat. None. Their idea of compromise is they get to burn you.
https://www.rollingstone.com/politics/politics-features/mike-johnson-crusade-birth-control-1234865718/
“House Speaker Mike Johnson’s Long Crusade Against Birth Control
The new speaker has been fighting to block access to birth control — both inside and outside of Congress.”
“Everybody asks us all the time: ‘Why do you guys care so much? The HHS mandate it’s really just about contraception, sterilization. … What’s the big deal? Well, those are abortifacients,” Johnson says. “The morning after pill, as we know, is an abortifacient.”
“Neither sterilization or emergency contraception medications like Plan B, are abortifacients. Both are forms of birth control that prevent a pregnancy from occurring, but do not end an existing pregnancy.”
As big an idjit as Tuberville or is he just a big, fat liar who knew exactly what he was saying?
“His position places Johnson outside the mainstream: According to an Economist/YouGov poll conducted last year, 91 percent of voters believe birth control should be made free and widely available if abortion is not — including 61 percent of voters who oppose abortion.”
“…the misconception that certain types of birth control are essentially abortion has in recent years gained a foothold among some of the country’s most strident anti-abortion groups. The prominent anti-abortion advocacy group Students for Life maintains that IUDs, emergency contraception, and hormonal birth control all qualify as “abortifacients.”
“Since arriving in Congress, Johnson has continued to champion these views. He supported a rule that allowed health care workers with a “religious or conscience” objection to providing birth control or sterilization to refuse to participate in those procedures. He also voted against the Right to Contraception Act, which would have protected access to birth control, and participated in a number of legislative efforts to keep the bill from getting to the floor. It did so — and passed — despite Johnson’s efforts.”
Sometimes you are watching and listening to what is happening in the world and you know, really know, that something has changed, but you do not know why or how.
During the last few weeks Ukraine military has been blowing russian aircraft out of the sky. Fighters, bombers and AWACS (big radar planes). One day this week was seven. Today is one AWACS (A-50), one fighter and possibly one transport. Earlier was one A-50, and several fighters and bombers.
Why in one week would it seem the russian air force is being blown away? That is the game changer. The Ukraine military is doing something new. Lots of speculation, from better placement of rockets/missles, new Patriot systems from the West, F-16’s in service but not reported, different weapons or tactics and blinding of russian antiaircraft systems. So you know you are seeing it, but what is “it”?
Save the Children
https://www.washingtonpost.com/health/2024/02/22/florida-measles-outbreak-ladapo/
Bad things.
(You know they’re just seeing their own reflection.)
https://delawareliberal.net/2024/02/23/dl-open-thread-friday-feb-23-2024/
Noticed that the clip of tRUMPsky on the evening news said they wanted IVF so “couples” could have babies. (He said the last part in the creepiest way you can imagine.)
“Couples.” Does that include gay couples? It sounds like singles wanting a biological child are not included in the desired outcome.
AT&T just sent an apology text for yesterday’s outage. They could give us a little discount next month if they really cared. They do not.
https://www.cnn.com/2024/02/23/politics/wisconsin-ethics-panel-trump-fundraising-prosecution/index.html
“A Wisconsin ethics panel is recommending that local prosecutors pursue criminal charges against one of Donald Trump’s fundraising arms and several other Republican committees that it alleges violated state campaign finance law in an effort to topple a powerful lawmaker who had run afoul of the former president.”
“…conspired to circumvent the state’s donation limits during Steen’s unsuccessful bid to unseat Wisconsin Assembly Speaker Robin Vos in the 2022 Republican primary.”
“In 2022, Trump endorsed Steen’s candidacy and sharply criticized Vos for not yielding to his pressure campaign over his 2020 loss in the state to Joe Biden. At one point, Vos told CNN affiliate WISN that Trump had asked him to decertify the 2020 election and that he had refused, saying the state’s Constitution barred him from doing so.”
They never learn. Everything tRUMPsky touches goes to hell; everyone he touches suffers.
Doug Jones was the better choice. Tommy? You got what you voted for, fellow Alabamians.
https://www.politico.com/news/2024/02/23/pentagon-chinese-spy-balloon-00143042
“Pentagon tracking new unidentified balloon over western US”
“American fighter planes intercepted an unidentified balloon on Friday over Utah but have determined it isn’t a threat to national security, according to the North American Aerospace Defense Command.”
“The balloon, which is traveling eastward with the jetstream at around 43,000 feet, or roughly 8 miles, is “not maneuverable” and poses “no hazard to flight safety,” the command said in a statement. It is not clear who owns the balloon.”
bID – request a refund, it is usually a few pennies.
Update to the Ukraine shooting the russians out of the sky during today: one A-50 AWACS, one SU-35 bomber, two SU-34 fighters, and still not publicly confirmed one transport. That could be one entire bomber wing of the russia air force. There are some reports that the Ukraine military used a Soviet era rocket, okay but not consistent with the kills. There will be some after action report coming up that might give the answer, but most likely not. As long as the russians do not know what hit ’em, don’t help ’em out by telling them.
More balloons? Hope there’s no “kids” (frozen embryos) hiding in it.
https://www.cbsnews.com/news/military-tracking-balloon-western-us-military/
Blue Bronc, thank you for sharing your courageous story yesterday. I was just reminded again when I saw this.
https://www.nytimes.com/2024/02/14/books/lucy-sante-gender-transition-memoir.html?campaign_id=69&emc=edit_bk_20240223&instance_id=115926&nl=books®i_id=72667539&segment_id=158995&te=1&user_id=87003e1eb754f9d40574ce526134d300
the Christian groomers just want more children to abuse
Ivy – I think I will write a separate post that addresses some of what she went through, along with me and many of my friends. There is so much to cover, especially for her age, and mine (I am older), and those who are younger.
Blue Bronc, I look forward to that. Again, thank you for your courage and conviction in the face of adversity.
Good lord, there are bitcoin ATMs. Put in your actual cash or debit card and get ? Yeah, no.
Ah, you can sell your bitcoin and get cash, too.
Fees to use those ATMs can be around $4 to as high as $20 per $100 transaction. Yeah, no.
https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-68387232
“Ukraine says it has downed a Russian A-50 military spy plane – the second such claim in just over a month.”
“The plane was destroyed between the Russian cities of Rostov-on-Don and Krasnodar, Ukrainian military sources said, over 200km from the front line.”
“A previous briefing from the UK’s Ministry of Defence said that Russia probably had six operational A-50s in service.”
“The planes, which detects air defences and co-ordinates targets for Russian jets, can cost hundreds of millions of dollars to build.”
I guess the Russian spy plane isn’t very sneaky? Two down, four to go.
https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/2024-election/trump-allies-launch-effort-win-black-voters-rcna139545
“The Black Conservative Federation event was held one day before the Republican primary in South Carolina, a state whose population is one-quarter Black.”
“And it comes against the backdrop of a collection of groups closely aligned with Donald Trump’s campaign preparing to launch an effort to land Republicans a historic chunk of the Black vote in the 2024 elections.”
“We have coalition groups across the country that are set to roll out initiatives very, very soon in those communities, that will focus on voter outreach and engagement and things like messaging in Black communities,” said Darrell Scott, a Black Ohio-based pastor who is a Trump adviser and helping lead the effort.”
How stupid do you have to be to think Orange Adolf will help you if he were to be elected? He’s a con man.
https://www.vox.com/2016/7/25/12270880/donald-trump-racist-racism-history
“Donald Trump’s long history of racism, from the 1970s to 2020”
“Trump has repeatedly claimed he’s “the least racist person.” His history suggests otherwise.”
Wow, the stuff Orange Adolf said at the BCE event was off-the-rails racist, and it didn’t sound like he got any blowback. A roomful of Tim Scotts. It’s a cult.
Damn….even on Friday night—it’s Saturday again.
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