For the first time in Israel's history, the U.S. is getting ready to impose sanctions on one of its military units. This effectively means that the U.S. is admitting that human rights abuses are being committed.
Are we in WWIII or do we merely sit on the brink? To hear the hyperbolic rhetoric from congress you would think we are under existential threat as they justify the funding for more war and global chaos. Additionally the US was the sole veto in the recognition of Palestine as a state in the UN...a guaranteed way to stop the Gaza genocide. More chaos thanks to us, and by the way keep those bombs a'coming. What a colossal cave by Johnson. I suspect his speakership is at risk. All this and much more below the fold.
Patrick Lawrence published a piece in Scheerpost called Becoming Who We Are. Here I'd like to criticize it. Lawrence's philosophy is, how should I put it, annoyingly "mandarin." For all of his good attitudes, he still needs a better utopian dream than the one he's got. As for becoming who we are, we already are who we are. What we need to become is someone better than who we are.
Afternoon folks!
There's another dollop of great stuff and you get to decide which flavor you like best. There's some Albert King and some Jimmy McCracklin in the blues category. After that there's albums from African band Osibisa, Van Morrison, Captain Beefheart and the Magic Band, a live Rory Gallagher album and for some diversity, an album from the Red Clay Ramblers.
Enjoy and have a great weekend!
Labor scored a huge victory yesterday in Tennessee.
Good morning, good people!
I had a little trip through 5 counties to attend a series of lectures for purposes of fulfilling the requirement to attend a minimum of 15 hours of legal education each year.
I am very proud of myself for staying awake and faking interest in the topics.
This trip goofed up my usual shopping trip to do a little consumer prices check on food, but I can say that the gas prices held fast and firm at $3.20 per gallon from my town to the gulf. I am interested about prices for basic necessities around the country, so please let us know how it is affecting your part of this "exceptional" country. /s
Happy Friday everyone. I hope everybody is doing well. Post any photos, memes, or music you like.
The bird watching group I belong to meets once a month. These photos are from both this month's and last month's meeting. Last month we met at Mast Park in Santee. The park is a narrow strip of natural riparian environment that runs alongside the San Diego river. This month we met at Harry Griffen Park in La Mesa. A typical man made and maintained city park with one corner left unlandscaped and with it's native vegetation. Even though the parks are about five miles apart and are very different environments, most of the birds we saw were the same at both parks. Our group leader heard there was a rare sighting of a Baltimore Oriole at Harry Griffen Park recently. If one was there, we didn't see it.
Cedar Waxwing
There are roughly 30,000 U.S. troops in the middle east region.
I don't watch TV and haven't for years, except for when we travel and stay in hotels/motels. My motto is "if we paid for it let's use it". I immediately go for the old programs that I grew up watching, usually old westerns. But you can't escape the commercials. Also while running through the litany of channels in the search for the old programs I often come across the ludicrous propaganda platforms that are supposed to be news, whether local, national or international. I can't stand the lies so I move on quickly and leave the talking heads in chatter mode.
They are a grim reminder of the plastic society that we live in, if I may borrow a phrase from decades ago. The long sojourn from the noise heightens the awareness when one revisits it. It's like a slap in the face of reality. I imagine it as the abyss smiling back at me. A knowing, patient, come hither smile.
