Sun - Is Putin Going for a Guinness World Record?

--------------
Today's Worst Joke in the World

Whenever I try to eat healthy, a candy bar looks at me and snickers.
--------------
--------------
Today's Worst Person in the World Nominees

When Is It Possible To Get Paid to Be a Nazi?

A suburban Seattle city will pay more than $1.5 million to settle a dispute with a former assistant police chief who was disciplined for posting a Nazi rank insignia on his office door and joking about the Holocaust.

Former Kent Assistant Police Chief Derek Kammerzell, who had been with the department for nearly three decades, was initially given two weeks of unpaid leave after the 2020 incident. Outraged residents and members of the Jewish community prompted Mayor Dana Ralph to put Kammerzell on paid administrative leave and demand his resignation.

The city’s attempt to essentially discipline Kammerzell a second time led to a dispute between his lawyers and the city that appeared headed for litigation. But interim city Chief Administrative Officer Arthur “Pat” Fitzpatrick, who is also the city attorney, said Friday the city had resolved the matter through negotiation, The Seattle Times reported.

Ralph, in calling for Kammerzell’s resignation in January, acknowledged that the decision to revisit the discipline issue would likely “come at a high cost.” The city said Friday it would pay him $1,520,000 to resign.

Had the city simply fired him, officials said, he likely would have won back his job through arbitration due to federal and state labor laws.

An internal investigation concluded Kammerzell knew the meaning of the insignia he placed above the nameplate on his office door in September 2020 — that of an “obergruppenfuhrer” — a high official in Hitler’s paramilitary Schutzstaffel, or SS, which was responsible for the systematic murders of millions of Jews and others in Europe during World War II.

The insignia was taken down after four days when a detective in the investigations bureau, which Kammerzell commanded, filed a complaint.

Kammerzell also was overheard joking about the Holocaust, according to the internal investigation.

In the 60's Chomsky was a Leading Liberal Against the Vietnam War.  WTF?



We Did All This Stuff Because of Japan's Brutal Invasion of China.  This Person Ignores the Rape of Nanjing.



Stupid Liberal Tricks



Did He Complain About His Pants on Fire?

On the day of Peter Navarro’s arrest earlier this month, FBI agents read the ex-Donald Trump adviser his Miranda warnings and agreed to loosen his handcuffs, until he was no longer in pain. The arresting agents allowed him to call his attorney, but the self-represented Navarro did not have one...

“The Defendant has made numerous false statements in the press about his arrest—for example, that he was deprived of food and water,” Assistant U.S. Attorney Amanda R. Vaughn wrote in a footnote to the motion. “In fact, when he asked, he was offered food and water, took it, then asked if he wanted more.”

When the FBI informed him an attorney could handle such arrangement, Navarro called his arresting agents “kind Nazis.”

“How you could live with yourselves?” Navarro asked them.

“At 12:03 p.m., a bottle of water, chocolate, nuts, and dried fruit was provided to Navarro,” the FBI wrote. “Navarro was asked if he wanted anything else to eat or drink which he declined.”

He's OK Taking Your Kid to a Previous Guy Rally or a Shooting Range, But ...

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis is considering using child protective services to investigate parents who bring their children to see drag performances.

During a Wednesday press conference, DeSantis said he’d consider investigating parents, just as Florida Rep. Anthony Sabatini (R) proposed, to “terminate the parental rights” of an adult and hit them with a felony charge if they bring their children to watch drag shows.

Add This to the List of Crimes He Won't Be Prosecuted For

Donald Trump is using the presidential seal at a fourth golf course to help enhance his business in what could be a violation of the law, Forbes is reporting.

An Instagram post recently featured a photo of the seal, with the official circular, blue-and-silver design, being used as a tee marker at the Trump International Golf Club in West Palm Beach. The Instagram caption reads: “45th President 45 yards from hole on 18.”

It’s against the law to use the presidential seal in a way that could convey the impression of government approval or sponsorship of a private business. Violations can result in prison sentences of up to six months. The seal can only be used for official government business.

The course is the fourth Trump property to use the seal in possible violation of the law, according to Forbes. Presidential seals have also been used at his courses in the Bronx, New Jersey and in Jupiter, Florida.

The Hunger Game - Could Putin Kill More People Than Stalin?  Is There a Guinness Record for Worst Mass Killer?

Yale historian Timothy Snyder said Russian President Vladimir Putin plans to starve some countries as part of his efforts in Ukraine.

Snyder published a lengthy Twitter thread Saturday explaining how he believes Putin is using food insecurity to his advantage and called it the "latest chapter of hunger politics."

"Russia has a hunger plan. Vladimir Putin is preparing to starve much of the developing world as the next stage in his war in Europe," Snyder, a professor at Yale University and expert on authoritarianism, began, noting the importance of Ukraine's food exports to the global food supply.

The area around the Black Sea, including Ukraine and Russia, has been referred to as the "world's breadbasket" due to its fertile soil and high rates of grain production. Collectively, the two countries account for 30% of the global wheat exports while Ukraine produces about 12%.

Experts previously told Insider that cutting off those exports could have massive implications for countries like Yemen, which previously got nearly a quarter of its wheat imports from Ukraine.

Ukraine has accused Russia of blocking millions of tons of grain exports from leaving its ports, a charge the Kremlin has denied.

"If the Russian blockade continues, tens of millions of tons of food will rot in silos, and tens of millions of people in Africa and Asia will starve," Snyder said.

When Did Jesus Say It Was OK to Pray For People to Die?

Colorado Rep. Lauren Boebert received cheers and applause when quipped that she prays for President Joe Biden's demise while speaking at a Christian event.

Boebert made the comments during a weekend event called the Family Camp Meeting at Charis Christian Center in Colorado Springs, which included a series of pastors and speakers "who have proven God's Word," according to the center's website.

A video of Boebert making the comment has circulated on social media.

"I do want you to know that I pray for our President. Psalm 109:8 says, 'May his days be few and another take his office.' Hallelujah! Glory to God," Boebert said with a laugh as the crowd clapped and cheered.
--------------
Today's Best Person in the World Nominees

What
--------------
Invasions Have Consequences

Day 109

Fighting

In Ukraine’s Mykolaiv region near the front line in the south, the regional governor stressed the urgent need for international military assistance, saying “we are out of ammo”.

Russian troops are preparing a new offensive against the city of Sloviansk, Ukraine’s military said.

Kyiv remained in control of the Azot chemical plant in Severodonetsk where hundreds of civilians are sheltering, according to the region’s governor. Russian shelling caused a major fire at the facility after a leak of tonnes of oil.

The Russian defence ministry said its air force shot down three Ukrainian warplanes.

Russian forces are relying on old weapons capable of causing mass civilian casualties as they try to capture regions in eastern Ukraine.

Economy

Russian gas producer Gazprom said its supply of gas to Europe through Ukraine via the Sudzha entry point was seen at 41.9 million cubic metres (mcm) on Sunday, unchanged from Saturday.

The Sri Lankan prime minister says he is open to buying Russian oil.

The first 15 restaurants of former McDonald’s Corp will reopen in Moscow on Sunday under new ownership and a new name, “Vkusno & tochka”, which means “Tasty & that’s it”, the company says.

Diplomacy

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz will travel to Kyiv with his counterparts from France and Italy before the Group of Seven summit at the end of June, German newspaper Bild am Sonntag reported.

US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin said Moscow’s invasion of Ukraine “is what happens when oppressors trample the rules that protect us all”.

Kyiv is doing everything possible to save three foreign nationals sentenced to death by proxy authorities in Donbas for fighting for Ukraine, a lawmaker said.

Russia’s foreign ministry said Moscow’s response to a buildup of NATO forces in Poland will be proportionate.

Chinese Defence Minister Wei Fenghe backed peace talks between Moscow and Kyiv but said China opposed the West’s provision of weapons to Ukraine as well as its sanctions on Russia.

Ukraine’s First Lady Olena Zelenska has opened a centre for Ukrainian refugees in the Lithuanian capital, Vilnius.
--------------
These Pilgrims are Not Giving Thanks

British Muslims hoping to make a pilgrimage to Mecca are at risk of losing thousands of pounds after the Saudi government has enforced online booking.

Pilgrims have been told to use a website to register their interest and that a draw will take place to choose who will go on Hajj.

Some have already booked with Hajj tour operators and could lose their money.

Hajj is a religious requirement for all Muslims who can afford it.

It is one of the five pillars of Islam along with five daily prayers, fasting, charity and a belief in God (Allah) and in Muhammad as a prophet.

The cost of the once in a lifetime trip varies from about £6,000 to more than £10,000 and many Muslims spend years saving up for it.
--------------
Who Wants to Be a Millionaire?

Iran’s national currency has hit new all-time lows amid developments that have cast doubts about the complete restoration of the nuclear deal and lifting of the United States sanctions.

The rial has fallen to historic lows against the US dollar in recent days, trading at rates close to 330,000 in the open market on Saturday and Sunday, the first two days of the working week in Iran.

These are the embattled currency’s lowest rates since October 2020, when it had fallen past the 320,000 mark following the imposition of new sanctions by the US that signalled the effective severing of the entire Iranian banking sector from the global financial system.

The rial’s new freefall comes after a resolution censuring Iran’s nuclear programme introduced by the US and its European allies was passed by the board of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) earlier this week.

In response, Iran began taking off several cameras installed by the global nuclear watchdog in the wake of the resolution.

Just Buy $3 Worth of Iranian Rial
--------------
Red Flags May Infuriate a Bull, But This is No Bull

Research suggests red flags have made a difference where they’ve been implemented. One analysis of Connecticut’s red flag law, in place since 1999, found that for every 10 to 20 guns removed by a risk protection order led to one averted suicide. Another study found intimate partner homicides dropped in states where authorities can prohibit people convicted of “nonspecific violent misdemeanors” from possessing firearms.

--------------
The Good News:  Montana, North Dakota, Wyoming, Idaho, Washington, and Oregon Don't Look Bad




The official start of summer is 10 days away but more than 60 million Americans are under heat alerts Saturday from California to Louisiana, with triple digit temperatures expected to melt away daily records across the Southwest.

Temperatures across the Central Valley of California and Southwest will be dangerously hot as they climb well into the triple digits Saturday afternoon.

“Extreme heat will significantly increase the potential for heat related illnesses, particularly for those working or participating in outdoor activities,” the National Weather Service (NWS) office in Hanford, California, warned. “Overnight lows may provide little relief.”

The record heat will extend from Sacramento to Houston. In fact, more than 140 cities across the US could break daily records over the next few days, and even overnight low temperatures are expected to reach dangerous levels.

However, You Don't Want to Spend a Winter in North Dakota.
--------------
The Hearings Are Not Just About Jan 6th.  They Are About a Months-Long Coup Attempt

The message was that the deadly January 6, 2021, assault on the Capitol by supporters of Donald Trump “was not a spontaneous riot.” It was the product of a conspiracy to overturn the results of the 2020 presidential election and to keep Trump in office as an illegitimate pretender to power. And, the chairman of the January 6 Committee explained, “Donald Trump was at the center of that conspiracy. And ultimately, Donald Trump, the president of the United States, spurred a mob of domestic enemies of the Constitution to march down to the Capitol and subvert American democracy,”[...]

This was not a military coup d’état in which the generals of the armed forces employ their weaponry in order to remove the duly elected president or prime minister of a country. This was a self-coup, another form of coup d’état, in which a leader overrules the other branches of government in order to assume illegitimate and illegal power.

Ruth Ben-Ghiat, the scholar of fascism and authoritarian leaders who teaches history at New York University, immediately recognized the significance of the committee chair’s statement. “Kudos to Chairman Thompson for calling it a coup,” she said, shortly after Thompson finished his remarks. “Some still call it a riot, which does not capture the larger political design of overturning our democracy.”

Watergate Wasn't Just About a Break-In.  It Was About a Years-Long Series of Crimes.
--------------
Who Won the Week?

Uvalde, Texas native Matthew McConaughey, for briefly re-focusing national attention on gun massacres by helming the White House press lectern to call for common-sense firearm laws

The thousands of voters temporarily "leaving" the Democratic Party in Western Colorado so they can help vote out MAGA cultist Lauren Boebert in the primary

New York's government, for passing gun-control laws that ban body armor sales, up the minimum age to buy an assault-style rifle, microstamp bullets, strengthen red-flag laws, and more

The Florida state auditor general's office, for confirming that Generalissimo Ron DeSantis's health dept. goons delayed and misreported Covid-19 numbers to the detriment of residents and visitors

The Jan. 6 commission, for opening its public hearings with eye-popping revelations that grabbed a significant chunk of the nation's attention

South Dakota voters, for voting down a last-ditch GOP attempt to prevent them from passing Medicaid expansion in November via a ballot initiative

The U.S. House, for passing the "Protecting Our Kids Act" including restrictions on large-capacity ammunition magazines and raising the minimum age to buy assault-style weapons

The PGA, for revoking the memberships of players (including that soulless weirdo Phil Mickelson) who joined the new Bone Saw Killer Tour in Saudi Arabia for money

Russian mountain climber Katya Lipka, for protesting Putin's invasion of Ukraine by flying the Ukrainian flag from the summit of Mount Everest
--------------
Succinct Coverage of the QOP Response to the Coup Hearings



--------------
Gnaw on this Story

Canadians had trouble logging in this week because a troublesome beaver wanted to bring a log down, according to an electric company.

Officials in northwest British Columbia attributed a service outage on Tuesday to a beaver that had a dam good time ― er, a damn good time ― chewing on a tree, Smithers Interior News reported.

Bob Gammer, an official with the electric company B.C. Hydro, said chew marks were found on a tree that fell and brought down lines, affecting a number of his company’s customers and others, according to the outlet.

The beaver’s apparent actions resulted in sporadic phone, internet and TV service in the northwest part of the province.


--------------
--------------
--------------
--------------
--------------
--------------
--------------
--------------
--------------

--------------

--------------

--------------

--------------

--------------

--------------

--------------

--------------

--------------

--------------

--------------

--------------

--------------

--------------

--------------

--------------

--------------

--------------

--------------






























--------------
--------------
--------------
--------------
--------------
--------------
--------------
--------------
--------------
--------------
--------------
--------------
--------------
--------------
--------------
--------------
--------------
--------------
--------------
--------------
--------------
--------------
--------------
--------------
--------------
--------------
--------------
--------------
--------------
--------------
--------------
--------------
--------------
--------------