NATIONAL LICORICE DAY UPDATES
(And I Don't Even Like Licorice - but Enjoy To Those Who Do!)
-Months after a release of texts in the Dominion Voting Machine slander case were released where he stated that he "hated (Ex-President Trump) passionately," a suddenly hostage-like Tucker Carlson was apparently forced by Trump and Rupert Murdoch to "interview" Trump for an hour last night in an act Media Matters' Kat Abu labelled "complete humiliation" for Carlson.
-And you can bet that whatever self-awareness Trump still has, he relished the suffering - as evidenced by the "interview," in which Trump, amid constant sniffing (usually a sign of stress or lying or, ALLEGEDLY, drug intake), continually praised Chinese President Xi ("the look, the brains ... the whole thing!"), sided with Putin by mentioning that Putin "loves" Ukraine and thinks of Ukraine as part of Russia (yeah, we figured that out) (SLAVA UKRAINI!), insisted he was an environmentalist ("nobody talks about the nuclear"), and most prominently of all, insisted that people were "crying" everywhere in the New York City courthouse last week when Trump was arrested and charged with 34 felony counts of fraud in connection with the Stormy Daniels payoffs (no such tears were witnessed, no such tears are evident in the video that is available, and there is no word about what kinds of tears people may have been crying or whether there were peals of laughter accompanying said tears).
-Speaking of the Stormy Daniels case, MSNBC reported that the countersuit filed by Manhattan A.G. Alvin Bragg against UltraMAGA Rep. Jim "Gym" Jordan to stop Jordan from subpoenaing Bragg and others involved in the Daniels case contained an interesting Easter egg: a demand that Jordan himself and others on his committee be deposed. Why? Because of the belief (if not evidence not yet made public) that there may be coordination between Jordan's actions to get Bragg to testify on the Daniels case and lawyers defending Trump, making any hearings on the case becoming sources of potential sources of evidence gathering for the Trump defense. The entire action is somewhat unprecedented, but is seen as an aggressive move by Bragg to keep Trump and his allies on their toes while protecting Bragg and his office, who has received hundreds if not thousands of threats from Trump supporters after Trump posted a photo of himself with a baseball bat next to a photo of Bragg.
-Moving on to the GOP attack on books, sadly, two new areas of attack has emerged. In Llano County, TX, the rural county is set to vote to close its three public libraries after a Federal judge ruled they needed to return 12 books to the children's sections - books that were removed because of LGBTQI and racial content. Looking to top that, the GOP-led legislature in MO responded to two librarians associations' protests over removal of similar books by voting to end state funding for all libraries in an effort to "protect .... innocent children." These actions indicate that, at the local level at least, Republicans continue to wish to use education, books, and sexual rights as wedge issues in an attempt to maintain political control despite overwhelming opposition to such laws and rules, even in Republican areas.
-In much better news, officials in Memphis are expected to vote to reinstate Rep. Justin Pearson to the TN legislature after that state's GOP leadership voted to expel him and fellow Rep. Justin Jones for demanding that body take action in response to the killing of six in a mass shooting in that state last week. Pearson's reinstatement may not be all - there is talk that TN House Speaker Cameron Sexton's job may be in jeopardy after it was revealed he does not live in the district he represents (not to mention local rumblings about potential harassment reports involving messaged photos) and even TN Gov. Bill Lee (R) starting to call for expanded background checks for gun purchases in the state (a move that has opened up Lee to charges of being a RINO by the pro-gun majority in the Republican Party). Watch THAT space.
-Finally, the GOP War on Bud Light continues. After a trans influencer designed a Bud Light can with a rainbow on it, conservative factions have been melting down over the "wokeness" of it all. Country music semi-star Travis Tritt said he will no longer drink Bud Light, Sen. Marco Rubio made a point to criticize the brand on Fox News (somewhere here there's a joke about water and Bud Light and Marco), boycotts are attempting to be launched to 'punish' Anheuser-Busch for its temerity to market to a massive demographic (not realizing just how damn many beer brands that company makes and distributes), and as Judd Legum has pointed out, all of this is to attack a company that likes to make a show of supporting the LGBTQI community but still gives contributions to numerous anti-gay politicans nationally. So one person's advice is to watch all of this with a local craft brew in your hands ...
-On this date in 1606, the Union Jack was adopted as the flag of Great Britain. On this date in 1892, a patent for the first portable typewriter was approved. On this date in 1961, Yuri Gargarin became the first human in outer space. On this date in 1981, the first space shuttle was launched. And two big events happened on this date in 1983 - Harold Washington became the first African-American to be elected Mayor in Chicago, and REM's MURMUR was released.
-Happy Birthday to Henry Clay, Beverly Cleary, Ann Miller, Jane Withers, Jack Gelber, Tiny Tim, Charles Napier, Alan Ayckbourn, Herbie Hancock, Jacob Zuma, Charles Ludlam, Ed O'Neill, Dan Lauria, David Letterman, Tom Clancy, Scott Turow, David Cassidy, Andy Garcia, Vince Gill, Ron MacLean, Art Alexakis, Amy Ray, Shannen Doherty, Claire Danes, Ted Ginn, Jr., Ilana Glazer, Saorise Ronan, and David Hogg.
-Rest in Peace/Rest in Power to Clara Barton, Franklin D. Roosevelt, Josephine Baker, Philip K. Wrigley, Joe Louis, Abbie Hoffman, Sugar Ray Robinson, Boxcar Willie, smiley-face creator Harvey Ball, Forrest Gregg, Georgia Engel, Glenn Beckert, Jim Frey, and Gilbert Gottfried.
-Feed the Worms: LGBTQI bigot and political opportunist Tulsi Gabbard entered Earth on this date. Mega-corrupt political machine creator Boss Tweed bought it on this date.