NATIONAL CATERERS APPRECIATION DAY UPDATES
Here's To One Of Those Jobs So Many Of Us Have Had At One Point Or Another In Our Lives (and Thank Goodness For Them - Not To Mention the Food At The Wedding Receptions!)
-Condemnation from non-MAGAts and people opposed to Project 2025 continues to fly at Supreme Court Judge ("Justice" is too strong a title to use) Samuel Alito after reports of flying pro-insurrection flags at multiple sites over the last four years have emerged. Calls demanding Alito recusing himself from cases involving January 6 continue to be heard, though sadly not from Senate Judiciary Chair Richard "Dick" Durbin (D-IL) - and not only is it not likely to happen, but in a bit of hideous timing Alito authored a ruling from SCOTUS in which the ultra-radical majority said there was no problem with a racially-biased gerrymandered Representative map in South Carolina because, hey, it is also a politically gerrymandered map (and this same majority said political gerrymanders are peachy-keen!).
-Apparently jealous of Alito's publicity, the OTHER clearly conflicted pro-insurrection pro-MAGA SCOTUS Judge that we know of, Clarence Thomas, asked Alito to hold Clarence's tea. Thomas wrote a concurrence to the SC decision, but then added his belief that the historic Brown v. Board of Education ruling - the ruling that arguably allowed Thomas the ability to get an education that got him on SCOTUS and millions of dollars in gifts from white billionaires - was incorrectly used for earlier redistricting decisions, and that Brown itself may need to be reconsidered. Yep - the second Black Judge on the Supreme Court implied that the Plessy v. Ferguson ruling may have gotten it more correct than Brown v. Board when it comes to issues of racial equity in the United States.
-Alito and Thomas are both well over 70 and could both leave the Court in the next four years, in case you need to talk to people wanting to not vote for Joe Biden in November ...
-Because as we all know, if Biden doesn't get in, as things stand now Ex-President Trump (R-apist) LXXXVIII would, and we know what Trump would do what Federalist Society Chair Leoonard Leo (who handpicked all three of Trump's SCOTUS nominees) would do - pick 40-year old Alitos and Thomases (Aileen Cannon bats her eyes and rustles her robes) to give them that chance.
-To that end, Trump held another rally yesterday afternoon (as Trump rallies, when held at all, routinely end before 8 pm, make of that what you will) in an area he claims he will be contesting in November: The Bronx. Speaking to a crowd likely around 3,000 followers despite Trump claims of more than ten times that amount (and most of whom, based on eyewitness reports, were a bit too white-skinned to likely be from that borough), Trump spent the day oddly bragging about all the construction projects he claims he built but actually didn't, railing about losing the ability to run a golf course in the city after the January 6 insurrection, and showed exactly who he thinks lives in the Bronx by accepting the 'endorsements' of two rappers who are on bail after being indicted on 140 criminal charges including murder. attempted murder, and illegal firearms possession (likely they confirm Trump's incorrect claim that American cities are rife with crime when, in fact, violent crimes are lower in cities than in red states).
-In an attempt to explain why Biden may be struggling according to polling while remaining remarkably unreflective of their own roles in that struggling, a spate of 'analyses' have been released in various media outlets (New York Times, Washington Post, Axios) that suddenly notice a disconnect between statistical reality and what people "feel." Specifically, the reports have 'discovered' (for the second time in about a year) that a majority of Americans "feel" the economy is in a recession and that there are fewer jobs now than when Trump was in charge four years ago. The feelings are demonstrably and obviously wrong - the last official recession came in the early pre-lockdown part of Trump's term, and unemployment rates continue to be at a 60-year low - and while there are specific touch points where people are struggling (inflation in certain sectors of the economy remains stubborn, for example, and the high interest rates in response to tamping down inflation has made buying homes more expensive than four years ago), the constant drumbeat of bad economic stories and profiles of people who 'feel' the economy is worse than it actually is has created a loop that the Biden campaign will apparently need to defend without much major media help.
-Biden, for his part, continues to be President. Last night he hosted a state dinner in honor of Kenyan President William Ruto - a star-studded affair whose guest list included former Presidents Barack Obama and Bill Clinton (along with Michelle Obama and Hillary Clinton), NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell, NBA Commissioner Bill Silver, singers Don McLean and Brad Paisley, actors Sean Penn and Vilmer Valderrama, NBC News anchor Lester Holt, and READING RAINBOW host LeVar Burton - and announced that the United States and Kenya are 'allies,' a designation that would make Kenya the first sub-Saharan African country to receive the diplomatic equity of countries like Great Britain and France.
-The International Criminal Court of the United Nations has issued a ruling demanding Israel "immediately" halt its incursion into the Palestinian city of Rafah, citing the humanitarian crisis it sparked in reaction to the HAMAS terrorist attacks last October. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu most certainly will ignore the ruling, instead reportedly ready to prepare a speech before a joint session of Congress after being issued an invitation to do so from House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-Jay-EE-Zuz!, LA). Johnson, who had to be forced to pass an aid measure to Israel, will issue the invitation and gleefully use the Israeli war as a long-sought-after wedge issue to drive Democratic division - and, indeed, there may be pressure on Senate Majority Leader Schumer to not sign onto the invitation and potential boycotts (Bernie Sanders has already announced he will not attend such a speech) should the appearance happen.
-In Russia, stories are circulating that Vladimir Putin is "ready" to "negotiate" "peace" with Ukraine - by freezing positions that Russian forces have taken in the months it took for America to continue military aid to Ukraine and before new aid hits the front lines. The 'offer' comes amid other reports that a 'reorganization' of Russian military leaders (allegedly because of 'corruption') was also announced earlier this week. Do not expect Ukrainian President Zelenskyy to accept the offer.
-SLAVA UKRAINI!
-Let's wrap this update with Media Sportsball news ... last night an agreement was reached that will end a court dispute between the NCAA and student-athletes that will pave the way for the "Power 5" conferences (the ACC, the Big 12, the Big Ten, the SEC, and the PAC-12, though that conference will dissolve by the end of June) to pay athletes for participating in sports for the first time in history. The agreement will place more than $2.75 billion dollars in back pay in a revenue-sharing pool (similar to the NBA) and will be disbursed to athletes, including former athletes who brought the suit. Athletes can already make money on product endorsement deals including shoes and video games, and the move is an indication of how much television has brought to college sports, specifically college football and basketball. The agreement also may allow the NCAA to remain in ostensible power to 'regulate' college sports, as it has been coming under increasing pressure amid continuous expansion of the aforementioned mega-conferences, which continue massive reorganization in order to maintain ever-expanding broadcast deals.
-Enjoy the first long summer weekend! (Don't worry, there'll still be updatin'!)
-On this date in 1856, abolitionist John Brown and followers attacked a pro-slavery settlement in the Kansas Territory that led to the murder of five men and Brown's execution for leading the attack. On this date in 2022, a mass shooter killed 22 children and teachers at an elementary school in Uvalde, TX.
-Debuts on this date: the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad (1830), the telegraph (1844), the Brooklyn Bridge (1883), night baseball (1935), the parking meter (1938), the Eurovision Song Contest (1956), MAME (1966), "Jumpin' Jack Flash" (1968).
-Happy Birthday to Daniel Gabriel Fahrenheit, Jean-Paul Marat, Queen Victoria, Samuel I. Newhouse, Coleman Young, Jane Byrne, Joan Micklin Silver, Tommy Chong, Bob Dylan, Gary Burghoff, Patti LaBelle, Priscilla Presley, Terry Callier, Waddy Wachtel, Cynthia Plaster Caster, Jim Broadbent, Roger Deakins, Alfred Molina, Roseanne Cash, Kristin Scott Thomas, Hector “Macho” Camacho, Gene Anthony Ray, Joe Dumars, Michael Chabon, John C. Reilly, Heavy D, Tracy McGrady, and Joey Logano.
-Rest in Peace/Rest in Power to Nicolaus Copernicus, John Foster Dulles, Duke Ellington, Dick Martin, Jay Bennett, Samuel E. Wright, Jerry Krause, Tina Turner, and today, Morgan Spurlock.
-Feed the Worms: Captain Kidd, Bonnie Parker and Clyde Darrow, and Heinrich Himmler bought it on this date.