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Post by mhbruin on Nov 20, 2022 9:08:21 GMT -8
Ban pre-shredded cheese. Make America grate again.
Caucus Wars
Iowa’s Republican Party chair wants to make it as difficult as possible for national Democrats to dethrone his state from its early perch in the presidential primary season, even if it means moving the state's caucuses up by several months.
Iowa GOP Chair Jeff Kaufmann, who also heads the national GOP committee that oversees its presidential schedule, wants both parties in his state to hold their caucuses on the same day, even though there's no rule that mandates they do so.
National Democrats are pursuing an overhaul to their primary schedule, including dropping Iowa amid complaints that it isn’t racially or ethnically diverse and has grown so red it isn’t worth the early investment.
But if a different state were to move into Iowa’s slot for Democrats, Kaufmann said he will make sure he keeps jumping so Iowa’s Republican caucus goes first.
This is What the QOP Threat Looks Like
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Post by mhbruin on Nov 20, 2022 9:11:43 GMT -8
Musk Finds a Way to Save Twitter
Musk’s move, minutes after the conclusion of his poll, reversed one of the most consequential decisions in Twitter’s history. A self-described “free speech absolutist,” Musk has said permanent bans undermine Twitter’s role as an unrestricted haven for free expression.
It drew immediate criticism from the NAACP, which urged advertisers to pause all promotions on the platform Saturday night.
“In Elon Musk’s Twittersphere, you can incite an insurrection at the U.S. Capitol, which led to the deaths of multiple people, and still be allowed to spew hate speech and violent conspiracies on his platform,” it said in a statement. “If Elon Musk continues to run Twitter like this, using garbage polls that do not represent the American people and the needs of our democracy, God help us all.”
Musk has made a dramatic series of changes since taking over Twitter last month and installing himself as CEO, calling himself “Chief Twit.” He ousted the company’s old leadership, including the policy executive who oversaw instating the ban on Trump, and conducted steep layoffs that cut Twitter’s staff in half. A subsequent ultimatum by Musk to commit to a “hardcore” Twitter resulted in further attrition, decimating teams that run core functions such as user profiles.
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Post by mhbruin on Nov 20, 2022 9:15:59 GMT -8
Who Won the Week?
The nerds at NASA, for the successful liftoff of Artemis I, the most powerful rocket in history to successfully achieve orbit. To the moon!
Katie Hobbs, who vanquished card-carrying fascist and election-denier whackadoo Kari Lake to become the first Democratic governor-elect of Arizona since 2002
President Biden: Asserts U.S. commitment to democracy during well-received Asia trip; celebrates 1-year anniversary of infrastructure bill; gets 2 more years for the Senate to confirm dozens more judges
Rep. Nancy Pelosi, who steps down from her leadership post as one of the toughest, smartest, most accomplished Speakers of the House of Representatives
The Senate: stays in Democratic hands; advances Marriage Protection Act enshrining interracial/same-sex marriage rights into law; and votes to make it easier to scientifically study marijuana
Los Angeles, as Karen Bass becomes the city's first Black woman mayor…and utilities will no longer shut off water or power to low-income and senior customers unable to pay their bills
Superior Court Judge Robert McBurney, for overturning Georgia’s ban on abortion after six weeks of pregnancy, making the procedure legal again at least up to 20 weeks
Katie Porter and her fearsome White Board of Truth & Justice, for winning reelection and striking fear into the hearts of future Oversight Committee witnesses
Colorado, for becoming only the second state with a majority-women legislature…and Nevada, the first state to reach the milestone, for retaining its majority-women status
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Post by mhbruin on Nov 20, 2022 9:17:32 GMT -8
How Can DeathSentence Appeal to Previous Guy's Followers If He Doesn't Steal?
Almost a million and a half dollars designated for those infamous “migrant flights” from Florida are still completely unaccounted for (with some similar stirrings about the flights from Texas), and now with official stonewalling from DeSantis’ office about exactly where that money—charged to the Florida taxpayers—actually went. The investigation’s still ongoing but it isn’t hard to figure out the likely answer given that DeSantis and his insider cronies were in charge of the illegal and unconstitutional flights out of Florida, and had full control of and access to Florida state government funds to pull off the illegal operation—why not violate even more laws and buy themselves a yacht or two when they’re already wasting taxpayer funds on shady activities as it is?
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Post by mhbruin on Nov 20, 2022 9:18:35 GMT -8
Two Good Guys Without a Gun Did the Job
A 22-year-old gunman opened fire in a gay nightclub in Colorado Springs, killing five people and injuring 18 before he was subdued by “heroic” patrons and arrested by police who arrived on the scene within about five minutes, police said Sunday.
Two firearms, including a “long rifle,” were found at the scene at Club Q, said Colorado Springs Police Department Chief Adrian Vasquez.
“At least two heroic people” confronted the gunman and stopped the shooting, the chief said, adding: “We owe them a great debt of thanks.”
Authorities received the report of a shooting at Club Q at 11:57 p.m. Saturday, said Lt. Pamela Castro of the Colorado Springs Police Department.
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Post by mhbruin on Nov 20, 2022 9:19:58 GMT -8
Justice Samuel A-Leak-O
Conservative U.S. Supreme Court Justice Samuel Alito allegedly told private dinner companions how the high court would rule in the landmark 2014 case of Burwell v. Hobby Lobby, according to a bombshell report in The New York Times.
The dinner companions, who were wealthy donors to an evangelical Christian nonprofit, reportedly tipped off the minister who led the nonprofit, Rev. Rob Schenck, who told the Times he later informed the CEO of Hobby Lobby.
Schenck also used the information “undetectably” to assist “in preparing for the inevitable announcement” of the court’s decision, which he wrote in a letter to Chief Justice John Roberts earlier this year which was obtained and published by the Times.
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Post by mhbruin on Nov 20, 2022 9:27:17 GMT -8
Will Jack Daniels Continue to Hound These People?
Justices asked to hear dog toy dispute. Will they bite?
The company that makes Jack Daniel's is howling mad over a squeaking dog toy that parodies the whiskey's signature bottle. Now, the liquor company is barking at the door of the Supreme Court.
Jack Daniel's has asked the justices to hear its case against the manufacturer of the plastic Bad Spaniels toy. The high court could say as soon as Monday whether the justices will agree. A number of major companies from the makers of Campbell Soup to outdoor brand Patagonia and jeans maker Levi Strauss have urged the justices to take what they say is an important case for trademark law.
The toy that has Jack Daniel's so doggone mad mimics the square shape of its whisky bottle as well as its black-and-white label and amber-colored liquor while adding what it calls “poop humor.” While the original bottle has the words “Old No. 7 brand” and “Tennessee Sour Mash Whiskey,” the parody proclaims: “The Old No. 2 on Your Tennessee Carpet.” Instead of the original's note that it is 40% alcohol by volume, the parody says it's “43% Poo by Vol." and “100% Smelly.”
The back of the toy, which retails for about $13 to $20, says in small font “this product is not affiliated with Jack Daniel Distillery.”
The toy's maker says Jack Daniel's can't take a joke. “It is ironic that America’s leading distiller of whiskey both lacks a sense of humor and does not recognize when it — and everyone else — has had enough," lawyers for Arizona-based VIP Products wrote the high court. They told the justices that Jack Daniel’s has “waged war” against the company for “having the temerity to produce a pun-filled parody” of its bottle.
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