closing the blog

The time has come to close this blog. Over the last year, I have been unable (or unwilling) to keep it up to date. I keep falling behind by a week, two weeks, and then throw together a bunch of posts to keep it up to one post per day, which is a little silly.

I would have thought that once I retired I would have more time to devote to the blog, but it hasn't turned out that way. Indeed, I fall further and further behind and it becomes a bit of a chore.

Considering that this blog never reached much in views or circulation, this is no big loss. Maybe I will change my mind and resurrect it later, or start another one, but for now, it's hasta luego.

Good luck America. With Trump at the helm, we're going to need every break we can get.

toon time

Time for some toons.

 

 




 




 







 




 

 


 

 

 

  

 

Frank Zappa

In honor of Frank Zappa's birthday month, a rather obscure "tune" from Frank: "It Can't Happen Here". Can it?

Lucinda

Our island neighbor, Lucinda Wierenga, recently traveled to Huntington Beach, California, and built some amazing sandcastles inside the Hyatt hotel there. See the video below. We took a recent sandcastle class from Lucinda here on the island and got a good up-close look at how hard this really is!

17 Investigations!

It sure feels like Trump is going down. If there is any justice in the world, he is going to go down hard, and he will take his kids with him. Talk about a CRIME FAMILY!! If Trump was a nice guy, he MIGHT engender some sympathy, but this guy is just the worst of the worst.

from Wired magazine

A COMPLETE GUIDE TO ALL 17 (KNOWN) TRUMP AND RUSSIA INVESTIGATIONS

WHILE POPULAR MEMORY today remembers Watergate as five DNC burglars leading inexorably to Richard Nixon’s resignation two years later, history recalls that the case and special prosecutor’s investigation at the time were much broader; ultimately 69 people were charged as part of the investigation, 48 of whom pleaded guilty or were found guilty at trial.

After three weeks of back-to-back-to-back-to-back bombshells by federal prosecutors and special counsel Robert Mueller, it’s increasingly clear that, as 2018 winds down, Donald Trump faces a legal assault unlike anything previously seen by any president—at least 17 distinct court cases stemming from at least seven different sets of prosecutors and investigators. (That total does not count any congressional inquiries, nor does it include any other inquiries into other administration officials unrelated to Russia.)

While the media has long short-handed Mueller’s probe as the “Russia investigation,” a comprehensive review of the cases unfolding around the president and the question of Russian influence in the 2016 campaign harkens back to another lesson of Watergate: Deep Throat’s dictum, “Follow the money.”

More than two years in, the constellation of current investigations involves questions about foreign money and influence targeting the Trump campaign, transition, and White House from not just Russia but as many as a half-dozen countries. Prosecutors are studying nearly every aspect of how money flowed both in and out of Trump’s interconnected enterprises, from his hotels to his company to his campaign to his inauguration. While President Trump once said that he’d see investigations into his business dealings as crossing a “red line,” it appears that Trump himself obliterated that line, intermingling his business and campaign until it was impossible for prosecutors to untangle one without forensically examining the other.

Obviously, some of these investigations below may—or will—eventually overlap. Many of the players, particularly those like Michael Cohen, may end up central to multiple cases. And the existence of an investigation does not necessarily mean convictions will follow.

There’s also plenty we don’t know about who else Mueller and other investigators might have in their sights, or who might be cooperating. There’s even a special mystery witness Mueller was fighting in court last week. Notably, most of the open investigations involve known cooperators, not to mention likely millions of documents, telephone calls, recordings, emails, communications, and tax returns assembled by the special counsel and other prosecutors.

Here’s a complete rundown of the various known investigations targeting Trump’s world from local, state, and federal prosecutors:

You will have to click the "Original" link below to see the detail on each item.

Investigations by the Special Counsel

1. The Russian Government’s Election Attack

2. WikiLeaks

3. Middle Eastern Influence

4. Paul Manafort’s Activity

5. The Trump Tower Moscow Project

6. Other Campaign and Transition Contacts With Russia

7. Obstruction of Justice

Investigations by the US Attorney for the Southern District of New York

8. Campaign Conspiracy and the Trump Organization’s Finances

9. Inauguration Funding

10. Trump SuperPAC Funding

11. Foreign Lobbying

Investigations by the US Attorney for the District of Columbia

12. Maria Butina and the NRA

Investigations by the US Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia

13. Elena Alekseevna Khusyaynova

14. Turkish Influence

Investigations by New York City, New York State, & Other State Attorneys General

15. Tax Case

16. The Trump Foundation

17. Emoluments Lawsuit

Mystery Investigation Underway by Unknown Office

Redacted Case #2: A second redacted Flynn investigation could be one of the other investigations mentioned here, could represent another as-yet-unknown unfolding criminal case, or could be a counterintelligence investigation that will never become public.

Status: Unknown.

Unrelated Criminality Pursued by Other Offices

Identity Theft Cases: The special counsel charged Californian Richard Pinedo with identity theft stemming from the efforts of the Internet Research Agency to create online fake identities. According to prosecutors, Mueller also uncovered through Pinedo other criminal activity, unrelated to Russia, which has been referred to other offices for ongoing investigation. This approach is consistent with Mueller’s conservative interpretation of his own mandate, only holding on to cases that directly inform the core questions of his case.

Status: Investigation ongoing.

Original.

Bitchmas

Fa la la la la, la la la la

Janelle Monae

I like pink, or pynk.

gabapentin?!

So it appears that some people are using gabapentin as either a replacement or a supplement for/with opioids. WTF, people? I have taken various types of gabapentin to treat my chronic foot/nerve pain over the years, and about all it did for me was make me hear whispering voices, and in one particularly harrowing experience, I thought I had died and was waiting for the grim reaper to walk around the corner and take me away. It was NOT FUN! And now people are taking it recreationally? Geez, we must be in a pretty bad place these days.

How A 25-Year-Old Drug For Nerve Pain Called Gabapentin Showed Up In Opioid Overdoses

from TechTimes

As the opioid crisis rages on in America, users who want to get high are now taking a drug that has been traditionally prescribed for nerve pain.

The Problem With The Drug

Gabapentin is a generic drug that is typically used to treat nerve pain and seizures. The 25-year-old drug was one of the most prescribed medications in 2017.

"Gabapentin was prescribed off-label for pain because it was thought to be a safer alternative to opioids," Steven Evans, MD, medical director of American Addiction Centers/Nevada, told MedShadow. "But now people who don't need it are starting to use it."

With tighter access to opioid painkillers, drug users are turning to Gabapentin as an alternative to get high. Over 1 percent of the general population in the United States and 22 percent in drug abuse treatment centers misuse the drug. Thousands of Americans have died in the past few years because of overdoses from Gabapentin.

Sedation, one of the side effects of Gabapentin, is one reason why users turn to this drug. Some of them also mix it with other drugs to enhance the effects.

"We started hearing from pharmacists about people trying to get early refills," Van Ingram, executive director of the Kentucky Office of Drug Control Policy, told NBC News. "That is usually a sign that something is being abused. "

What's Causing The Crisis?

New regulations for opioid painkillers have resulted in doctors turning to alternative drugs, such as Gabapentin, for patients. The result is that more people have Gabapentin, and they might not be aware of the consequences.

"We're basically squeezing people into other drugs because the prescription opioids are becoming a lot harder to get," said Dr. Richard Dart.

Overdoses from Gabapentin are so prevalent that the Food and Drug Administration recently commissioned a study to research the uses of the drug. The FDA wants to take action against the drug as soon as possible.

Treatment And Solutions

Unlike opiates, there is no antidote for an overdose of Gabapentin. People who have overdosed on the drug are asked to seek immediate medical care to combat the side effects.

After a rise in fatal overdoses in Kentucky, officials in that state has now classified Gabapentin as a scheduled substance so that it can be restricted. Other states would have to follow the same protocols in order to combat this drug.

A national awareness campaign about the dangers of Gabapentin could also help.

Original.

Coming Soon

Dear Senators

The end of Trump might be spectacular. Will he know it's happening?

The letter below, written by 44 former United States Senators, urges the current Senate to get a spine, but there are already more Republicans than that in the Senate who have been covering for Trump's every fart. Today's GOP obviously cares no longer for this country. Their only loyalty is to their party. Truly. Sad.

in the Washington Post

Dear Senate colleagues,

As former members of the U.S. Senate, Democrats and Republicans, it is our shared view that we are entering a dangerous period, and we feel an obligation to speak up about serious challenges to the rule of law, the Constitution, our governing institutions and our national security.

We are on the eve of the conclusion of special counsel Robert S. Mueller III’s investigation and the House’s commencement of investigations of the president and his administration. The likely convergence of these two events will occur at a time when simmering regional conflicts and global power confrontations continue to threaten our security, economy and geopolitical stability.

It is a time, like other critical junctures in our history, when our nation must engage at every level with strategic precision and the hand of both the president and the Senate.

We are at an inflection point in which the foundational principles of our democracy and our national security interests are at stake, and the rule of law and the ability of our institutions to function freely and independently must be upheld.

During our service in the Senate, at times we were allies and at other times opponents, but never enemies. We all took an oath swearing allegiance to the Constitution. Whatever united or divided us, we did not veer from our unwavering and shared commitment to placing our country, democracy and national interest above all else.

At other critical moments in our history, when constitutional crises have threatened our foundations, it has been the Senate that has stood in defense of our democracy. Today is once again such a time.

Regardless of party affiliation, ideological leanings or geography, as former members of this great body, we urge current and future senators to be steadfast and zealous guardians of our democracy by ensuring that partisanship or self-interest not replace national interest.

Max Baucus (D-Mont.), Evan Bayh (D-Ind.), Jeff Bingaman (D-N.M.), Bill Bradley (D-N.J.), Richard Bryan(D-Nev.), Ben Nighthorse Campbell (R-Colo.), Max Cleland (D-Ga.), William Cohen (R-Maine), Kent Conrad(D-N.D.), Al D’Amato (R-N.Y.), John C. Danforth (R-Mo.), Tom Daschle (D-S.D.), Dennis DeConcini (D-Ariz.), Chris Dodd (D-Conn.), Byron Dorgan (D-N.D.), David Durenberger (R-Minn.), Russ Feingold (D-Wis.), Wyche Fowler (D-Ga.), Bob Graham (D-Fla.), Chuck Hagel (R-Neb.), Tom Harkin (D-Iowa), Gary Hart (D-Colo.), Bennett Johnston (D-La.), Bob Kerrey (D-Neb.), John Kerry (D-Mass.), Paul Kirk (D-Mass.), Mary Landrieu (D-La.), Joe Lieberman (I-Conn.), Blanche Lincoln (D-Ark.), Richard Lugar (R-Ind.), Barbara Mikulski (D-Md.), Ben Nelson (D-Neb.), Sam Nunn (D-Ga.), Larry Pressler (R-S.D.), David Pryor (D-Ark.), Don Riegle (D-Mich.), Chuck Robb (D-Va.), Jay Rockefeller (D-W.Va.), Jim Sasser (D-Tenn.), Alan Simpson (R-Wyo.), Mark Udall (D-Colo.), John W. Warner (R-Va.), Lowell Weicker (I-Conn.), Tim Wirth (D-Colo.)

Original.

favorite things

FFRF doings

The Freedom From Religion Foundation (FFRF), of which I am a Life Member, has been very active. Each week they publish an activity report to their members. 

Superheroes and Noah’s Ark (with a dash of Winter Solstice)

From superheroes to Noah’s Ark to Solstice displays — it was all part of a typical workweek at the Freedom From Religion Foundation.

We actually obtained a satisfying victory over old Noah’s ginormous boat. Officials in an Illinois town cancelled a proposed city-organized trip to the Ark Encounter and Creation Museum in Kentucky one day after we warned them that it was unconstitutional. There are more constitutionally apt destinations for out-of-town fun than Ken Ham’s taxpayer-subsidized religious folly, we convinced them.

FFRF Staff Attorney Ryan Jayne, our lawyer who contacted the city, pithily talks about our win and its broader implications, including for public schools, on our “Newsbite” segment.
 

Trump and Sharia
Ryan chatted about his victory on our radio show this week, but we had a lot more to offer, too. The major guest was Kristin Lems, a Chicago-based singer-songwriter who performed her new song about President Trump. FFRF Co-President Annie Laurie Gaylor gave a first-hand report on an “International Conference on Sharia, Segregation & Secularism” in London that she presented at.

Viva libre pensamiento!
Annie Laurie and Staff Attorney Elizabeth Cavell discussed the London conference on our “Ask an Atheist” Facebook Live feature, which had a truly international flavor to it this week. FFRF Co-President Dan Barker joined us via Skype from one of Honduras’ most prominent universities, where he gave the keynote in Spanish about “The Importance of Critical Thinking.” Viva libre pensamiento!

Get these off public property!
Another victory of ours got media attention recently. This time, we had religious exhibits relocated from public property in Dover, Ohio.

“The city has moved its downtown nativity scene and a granite monument bearing the Ten Commandments in the wake of a complaint from the Freedom From Religion Foundation of Madison, Wis.,” a local paper reported. “Both items were moved from city property on the downtown square to property owned by Grace Evangelical Lutheran Church on the west side of Wooster Avenue.”

Glad to be of constitutional service.

Our Spidey sense was tingling
And then there were the superheroes. A Christian evangelical group has co-opted Captain America and Spider-Man and several other comic book heroes (we kid you not!) to spread its proselytizing message to schoolkids. Our spider sense tingled, and we warned a Georgia school district not to get tangled in this web of deceit. We’re confident that our mission to rescue the schools and the superheroes from the clutches of religion will succeed.
 

Lots of secular displays
We try to make our secular presence felt every solstice season — with your help. This week, we proudly put up freethinking displays all over the greater Midwest. In the Chicago area, we actually installed three exhibits, including the Richard Dawkins-inspired “A” (for atheism) in the heart of the city. We’re aiming to be a regular fixture in Cleveland’s downtown public square, especially since the local Knights of Columbus insists on installing a big creche there every winter. (As Annie Laurie said, ““If there’s going to be a forum for religion on government property, there must be room at the inn for the views of nonbelievers, too.”) We made a splash at the Milwaukee County Courthouse, not too far from us, where the county executive was open-minded enough to attend the installation ceremony of our sign. And, of course, we returned to our home state Capitol next door, for a remarkable 23rd year running. We also placed the Dawkins “A” in the Rose Zerwick patio at Freethought Hall to EnLIGHTen our downtown Madison neighborhood.
 

Remove the courthouse nativity scene!
This is what we’re up against, folks (and why we feel compelled to put up secular displays). An Ohio county courthouse each year displays a large nativity scene, made of lights and green garland on its facade. “Cut it out!” we’re admonishing county officials.

Cecile Richards and the ‘Friendly Atheist’ guy on ‘Freethought Matters’
On our national “Freethought Matters” TV show this week, Liz and FFRF Director of Strategic Response Andrew Seidel interview “Friendly Atheist” Hemant Mehta, the author of an acclaimed blog and several books who has already made a name for himself in freethought circles. The show will be broadcast in eight cities (check listings here) and is available on our YouTube channel, too. In the Madison area, local folks can tune in Sunday at 11 p.m. on Channel 3 to watch Annie Laurie and Dan’s riveting interview with Cecile Richards, feminist legend and ex-Planned Parenthood head (and author of a recent memoir, to boot).
 

Watch our convention speakers
As a special treat for you, we have videos up now for several of the speakers from our recent star-studded convention in San Francisco. You can watch everyone speak here from Saudi dissident Ensaf Haidar to John de Lancie (of “Star Trek” “Q” fame).

These are the real superheroes of our time. We’re delighted to bring them to you (and do so much more) with your backing and generosity.

You're welcome, America.