This is the book I am following.
Another good read.
I like this one also.
Working on this book currently.
Disclaimer: I’m not your Supervisor. These are my opinions after reading through these books a few times.
Feb 5
“Don’t be bounced around, but submit every impulse to the claims of justice, and protect your clear conviction in every appearance.”
—MARCUS AURELIUS, MEDITATIONS, 4.22
Think before you act. I know what I want out of life, so I try to make decisions that will take me in that direction. Right now, getting back in shape is a priority. During my 7 weeks of being stuck on the couch, I was not as vigilant as I should have been about my diet. I need to balance my impulses and be more restrained. It is important that I am in control of me.
Feb 6
“I don’t agree with those who plunge headlong into the middle of the flood and who, accepting a turbulent life, struggle daily in great spirit with difficult circumstances. The wise person will endure that, but won’t choose it—choosing to be at peace, rather than at war.”
—SENECA, MORAL LETTERS, 28.7
I hate drama. I strive to never be one of those people with unnecessary unrest in my life. If something happens outside of my control that creates a crisis I will handle it the best I can. I’ve had friends with drama filled lives and it looked exhausting. Today it comes back to who I married and how I spend my free time. Neither of those creates any drama in my life. Before I let myself get wrapped around the axles of anything, I try to determine if it’s necessary. If it is, then I try to figure out if I can actually do anything about it or would getting involved be counter productive.
Feb 7
“Many are harmed by fear itself, and many may have come to their fate while dreading fate.”
—SENECA, OEDIPUS, 992
Never let fear hold you back. Especially fear of something that hasn’t or might not happen. If I fear screwing up a project, so I have trouble finishing, that’s worse than if I did screw it up and then being able to fix it. I used to have crippling shyness because I thought people wouldn’t like me. It took a long time to learn not to care what people thought and then I discovered I could talk to people. The fear was actually causing the condition I was scared of.
Feb 8
“You cry, I’m suffering severe pain! Are you then relieved from feeling it, if you bear it in an unmanly way?”
—SENECA, MORAL LETTERS, 78.17
Remember, nobody really cares, so I gain nothing from complaining about problems or setbacks. I didn’t tell anyone at work I was having surgery and probably wouldn’t have if I didn’t get infected and need extra time off. While I do talk to my wife about things, I try not to complain just for the sake of complaining. My mother is the opposite, she makes sure everyone knows she is having chemo and keeps a list of the people who didn’t support her enough. I use this as an example of how not to be.
Feb 9
“We have the power to hold no opinion about a thing and to not let it upset our state of mind—for things have no natural power to shape our judgments.”
—MARCUS AURELIUS, MEDITATIONS, 6.52
I don’t have to care about things which do not really effect me. My co-workers love to gossip about whoever isn’t in there that day. I don’t know if any of them realize what goes on when they’re not in. I figure they make fun of me also, but I could not care less, so I have no opinion of their opinions about me. I got yelled at once for open carrying my pistol by a teacher looking lady. I held no judgement of her opinion of me and simply told her to have a nice day as I completed my shopping.
Feb 10
“There is no more stupefying thing than anger, nothing more bent on its own strength. If successful, none more arrogant, if foiled, none more insane—since it’s not driven back by weariness even in defeat, when fortune removes its adversary it turns its teeth on itself.”
—SENECA, ON ANGER, 3.1.5
I hate anger, it comes on me so suddenly, it seems like by the time I try to think rationally, I’ve already snapped. Ever since the VA hospital refused to give me a scan since I wouldn’t cover my nose, everytime I go in there I end up with high blood pressure because I rile myself up wondering if they’ll kick me out because I don’t cover my nose. Nobody has said a word about it since that one time, but I still upset myself.
Feb 11
“Our soul is sometimes a king, and sometimes a tyrant. A king, by attending to what is honorable, protects the good health of the body in its care, and gives it no base or sordid command. But an
uncontrolled, desire-fueled, over-indulged soul is turned from a king into that most feared and detested thing—a tyrant.”
—SENECA, MORAL LETTERS, 114.24
I need to take care of myself, and not let my impulses keep me lazy. I was doing very well at this prior to my surgery. 8 weeks on the couch and not being especially careful about my diet and I am starting over again. The tyrant in me just wants to watch TV and eat whatever. I will be a king and start running and then go back to the gym. The tyrant is a lazy fat fuck, screw him.
Feb 11
“Keep constant guard over your perceptions, for it is no small thing you are protecting, but your respect, trustworthiness and steadiness, peace of mind, freedom from pain and fear, in a word your freedom. For what would you sell these things?”
—EPICTETUS, DISCOURSES, 4.3.6b–8
I try to be honest in everything. I have been told by my mother that I am “painfully honest” She has also said she knows not to ask me a question if she is scared of the answer I might give. At work, I don’t go out of my way to discuss things, but they know if they ask me a direct question, they will get a direct answer. I hate 2 faced people and deal with them as little as possible. I don’t understand how you could live like that. As long as I am honest, I have nothing keeping me awake at nights and if I hurt someone’s feelings, at least it was truth and not an attempt to hurt feelings.
My theme song.
I’m greatly enjoying this series, Ron.
Me too. I’m enjoying your commentary on each quote.
I’m glad.
I had a whole big thing typed up here, but decided not to post it. All I’ll say is that this is a good reminder. There are several things I fear that may never happen (probably won’t), but I can tamp those down when I think about the worst consequences I can imagine, and how those would be dealt with.
Generally, I can gin up a bunch of scenarios and brace myself for, but the one that actually does happen is always something I never imagined.
No one ever expects the Giant Spotted Snorkelwacker. ::gives closet the side-eye::
LOL
That’s a good point.
I didn’t think of that, but there is no way to know what is going to happen so your stress will be doubly useless.
Late to the discussion, as usual…I think Epictetus said that it isn’t so much the event that causes the problem, it’s our interpretation of it. I’ve been trying Bill Irvine’s Five-Second Rule and it seems to work (most of the time). Something upsetting happened to you? Hold off on judgement of it and see if it’s really worth the effort of getting angry/sad/afraid. Most of the time, it isn’t.
Thanks, ron. These are great. So much wisdom in the Stoics.
Happy you like them.
““Many are harmed by fear itself, and many may have come to their fate while dreading fate.”
—SENECA, OEDIPUS, 992
Never let fear hold you back. Especially fear of something that hasn’t or might not happen. If fear screwing up a project, so I have trouble finishing, that’s worse than if I did screw it up and then being able to fix it. I used to have crippling shyness because I thought people wouldn’t like me. It took a long time to learn not to care what people thought and then I discovered I could talk to people. The fear was actually causing the condition I was scared of.”
This hits close to home. But at least I know it’s a problem and the solution.
I sometimes have to remind myself that stress is just persistent low-level fear. When I consciously exam what it is that I’ve allowed myself to fear, I can address it.
If you don’t know what’s causing the reaction, you will have a harder time controlling it.
given the stupid pcr test came positive again after a week of no symptoms and negative antigen test is making me less stoic. I should never have taken the thing but my company requests it. I should have waited a few more days. goddamnit
Why worry about what you can’t change?
well I need a negative one till the 25th when I am going on vacation
Sounds like you’re on vacation now, no? 😛
I don’t believe in stay at home vacations.
So don’t stay at home. You’re not sick are you?
well i can’t travel internationally so that is staying at home
Surely you haven’t gone through all the local hookers.
*scratches Romania of list of countries to visit*
If you’re willing to pay a little extra, I’m sure they’ll talk in a foreign accent?
PCR test will return positive for up to 90 days after you have covid, AFAIK
don’t say that
Sorry but pretty sure that’s correct.
My manager’s whole family just had it & they’re not going to test his kids at school w/ PCR for the next 3 months (like they normally would), just rapid-tests.
Neighbors are going to France in a couple of weeks and had covid a couple weeks back – they need to get notes from their doctors saying they had covid & recovered, etc. Their travel agent knew all the hoops they needed to jump through.
I’d start digging to see if you can sub a doctor’s note re: recent infection.
Getting a doctor’s note is good advice as long as the travel bureaucracy is flexible enough to accept it.
Isn’t PCR testing capable of producing a positive result just by re-amplifying the proteins they’re looking for to an arbitrary number of cycles?
Aren’t vampires immune?
On a serious note, that sucks.
Does that mean you have to be in your home at all times?
Or is it just a work thing?
I have no idea. But I aint telling work. I plan to mostly live normally. Because fuck that. I don’t think I am contagious given the long time and negative antigen tests
How long til you can “retest”? Does work require the pcr test or merely prefer it? If so, follow up with an antigen retest. If it’s the most recent test and negative, they you’re GTG.
work requires it if I want to go back to the office which I don’t, haven’t been in over a year.
Oh, well in that case, carry on sergeant!
Undoubtedly, this is the best plan.
Are you allowed to point out that your company’s policy sucks and is dumb?
I am a shut the fuck up and do my work kind of guy. it is simpler that way. most times.
Almost always. Even when it isn’t, you haven’t committed to anything, which is usually the better choice.
Ok, I have to share this: https://bringmethenews.com/minnesota-lifestyle/here-are-the-8-winners-of-mndots-name-a-snowplow-contest
My favorite – the Big Leplowski.
I did not realize Minnesota was so lame until now
I resemble that remark.
Limps away with a sad face
have you considered moving to California?
Good grief, man—why would you wish that on Fourscore??
The voice of experience speaks!
You still don’t know how lame Minnesoda is.
Wait till they start talking about their state’s cuisine…
Hot dish is culture!
LEAVE MY JUICY LUCY AND TATOR TOT HOTDISH ALONE!
‘Just missing out on the top eight was “Sir Plows-a-Lot,” which was 58 votes short of Edward Blizzardhands.’
Sir plows a lot was my nickname in college.
LOL. You wish, Lack!
A man can dream.
I liked Uff Da and Mr. Plow.
Mr Plow is a loser (and I think he’s a boozer)
no “Plowy McPlowface”….
That’s how you know the choices were prescreened.
“William Scrape-speare”
“Our soul is sometimes a king, and sometimes a tyrant.
This is the one I struggle with. The tyrant is relentlessly persuasive. What frustrates me is knowing this intellectually but still letting that part take over.
Great stuff, Ron. Thanks for putting these together.
“It won’t hurt to miss a day working out”
“You can start running next week”
“going to Sonic for a milkshake sounds good”
“going to Sonic for a milkshake sounds good”
TBF, that does sound good.
One Checkers Spicy Chicken Combo won’t kill me…
And now my August vacation is cancelled.
So much free time now. I guess I’ll have to go visit 4Score again.
August? What happened?
Covid policy announced for an event I try to attend in Western Pennsylvania. I won’t attend.
The running score is March event is a no go, National Homebrew Conference in Jun is a no go, and August event is a no go. I need new hobbies.
This is now three consecutive years.
Be patient, a lot could change between now and August.
I agree with this. The dominos are falling.
This is not a state policy. It is the policy of the national organization and local branches.
The policy won’t change.
The event was cancelled the last two years. The announced policy is the basis for convincing people it won’t be cancelled this year.
SCA?
perhaps
Have you considered tractor pulling?
uspsa.org
He said hobby, not money vacuum.
I need a vacation destination for March.
It’s needs to be drivable from Iowa, relatively warm (compared to Iowa), and have interesting things to see/do.
Any suggestions?
What counts as drive able? Florida is nice.
If you’re at all into the civil war, you could spend a day geeking out in Vicksburg, MS.
We normally drive to southern Mississippi. So the Gulf coast is doable.
Note, that our vacation week is the same as spring break for lots of schools and colleges.
We have no interest in going anywhere that attracts that crowd.
Vicksburg as I said. I don’t think it’s a big destination for the spring breakers. Plus they have old cannons and guns, you can stand where brave men fought and soak up the residual toxic masculinity.
I will check it out.
Thanks
NP.
I went just as Corona virus was really getting going, but before anything was getting locked down. Used to be a rooftop bar in downtown that had a good view of the sunset over the Mississippi. Food was average at best, but if it’s still there the beer and the view were good.
We visited Vicksburg last May. I found it interesting but I’ve always had some interest in the Civil War. We spent a couple of days in Biloxi before that.
I expect we will do some kind of 8 or 9 day road trip. Drive one day, stay for two, repeat. So western Tennessee, western Mississippi, eastern Arkansas, eastern Missouri are all in play. Maybe even Louisiana.
Shiloh is an interesting battlefield as well. Not as big as the Vicksburg campaign. It is off the beaten track so never a crowd.
A very good source for exploring Civil War battlefields is: “The Civil War Battlefield Guide” by the Conservation Fund. It has hundreds of smaller battlefields and not just the big dozen. Many of the battles are overlayed upon modern USGS maps.
If you do Vicksburg, I encourage you to visit the campaign and the moves and battles that led to the final siege. Some sites you can only see over a fence while others you can walk unmolested by crowds. (No promises about chiggers or mosquitos.) The Vicksburg campaign is where US Grant displayed his genius and was still taught at West Point in the 1970’s. Shelby Foote’s description from his three volume history is available as a small book named “Flowed Unvexxed to the Sea.”
Florida space coast or Texas space coast to watch a rocket launch?
Which SpaceX is promising one a week.
For a while, I was in the best all-hands meeting to date – the audio was broken.
Sadly, they fixed it.
That’s how my late night meeting started yesterday. No quorum and a missing presenter.
Sadly we forged ahead without a quorum and the missing presenter came in virtually to waste an hour of my life I’ll never get back.
Um, what accountable governments in the West is he talking about? Or is this another one of those model things – where my model says this is reality?
2 lies for the price of one.
Sure, Putin’s corrupt and so’s the Russian government but so are we and every other government to varying degrees. The Putin and Russia are the cause of the world’s evils and the they bad, we good rhetoric just doesn’t work on me anymore. Is he ideal? Of course not but there are a lot worse out there and the out of proportion demonization is just ridiculous and points to ulterior motives.
Great, Mr. Politico writer. Why don’t you go enlist in the Ukranian Army? No?
What worries dudes like this is some show of perceived weakness leading one or more colonels on the security staff getting it into his head that it is time for a change at the top. Putin probably has $2 or $3 billion stashed outside Russia – if it was me, I’d be looking at enjoying the rest of my life in Capri or somewhere like that instead of looking over my shoulder all the time.
Eastern VA Glibs:
There is a meetup at Gourmeltz on Feb 26th in the Forum.
Is it just me, or is anyone else surprised by the lack of coverage of the Glorious Opening Ceremonies of the Peoples Liberation Revolutionary Games?
They’re just trying to respect their glorious hosts.
Ugh… I actually kind of agree with Nancy Pelosi. Imma go shower now.
‘But she said athletes should focus on competing in Beijing and resist the temptation to speak out. “Do not risk incurring the anger of the Chinese government because they are ruthless.”‘
Eh, I kind of disagree. Weren’t we going to boycott these?
Diplomatic boycott.
I’d generally agree with the rest of what you said, except the CCP is currently on edge. Imagine a meth junkie finally getting a hit after going hours without one. Anything going “wrong” at the Olympics could set them off.
All the more reason, if one was truly committed to making a statement. They can’t exactly disappear visiting foreign athletes without any consequences… Right?
Uh??? https://twitter.com/MichaelPSenger/status/1489710649286348801
I’m not sure exactly what she’s saying, but I don’t understand the calls for American athletes, government officials, or media with Olympic sponsorships to speak out against China while still participating in the Olympics.
Yeah, there is a strong possibility of that not ending well.
It would disrupt the coronation events. I believe we are watching the world put China on a pedestal.
But wouldn’t it more disruptive and show actual conviction if the athletes, MSM, etc boycotted instead?
I understand wanting to call China out. But participating in the Olympics while disparaging the host country reeks of non-serious elites having their cake and eating it too.
I wonder how much the unlucky network who “won” the rights to broadcast is losing on it.
That would be NBC, I’m pretty sure, so with any luck, they’re losing their shirts, pants, and socks.
I wish only the worst to Comcast. (Or have they sold NBC?)
::shrugs:: I think I’ve only watched NBC within recent memory when they’ve had a football game I cared about. Which narrows it down considerably.
I wouldn’t have noticed, I’ve been ignoring the olympics for decades.
They spent more time talking about the geopolitical impact of the games than actually showing any sport last night. I wandered off to bed after about 30 minutes. I can’t imagine the commentary for the opening ceremony being any less shit-tastic.
That and Johnny Weir had clearly skin-suited an ostrich rather than bothering to dress like a professional.
Is that the ice skating announcer “guy”?
Didn’t watch any of it, but I think I know who you’re talking about.
That man is a professional! Professional attention whore.
Found it! Now I can inflict it on y’all
Good Lord.
That’s who I thought it was.
Two snaps in a circle!
On-brand.
“Look at ME!! Look at MEEEE!!!”
The Mrs. and I usually order Chinese food (!) and watch the opening ceremony, then we watch it most nights. But this time we’ve got a sick feeling about China and we have no interest in watching. Until sled hockey, which I’ll watch online. It will be interesting when those guys get back and I can get the scoop about what it was really like there.
Lots of people got a sick feeling about China over the past two years.
Let the games begin!
It’s good because it’s true. The CCP are monsters.
After Tundra’s nut
punchremoval with a rusty spoon yesterday, I needed something to remind it isn’t that people suck, its government. They suck. So here are people doing what people do.thanks
Ditto.
That was nice.
Obe, (and anyone else) check out Viva Frei‘s commentary on the Ottawa protests if you haven’t already. Very positive, and for a good cause.
It seems our little brothers to the north are going to be big enough to kick our asses at their rate.
I love that they’ve sincerely inspired a lot of people here and in Australia to protest similarly. I also watch an Indian news channel, and they take task to Trudeau, since he couldn’t help but blather about the Indian farmers’ protests last year, saying there should be “dialogue”.
But yeah, probably a good idea to limit jokes about hockey and poutine for a while.
You won’t hear any of that out of me. I grew up next door and have known many fine folks up there. Even dated a few.
Growing up we had a joke about people whose girl friend was ‘in Canada’. XD
TAKE OFF, HOSER!
You know what I like doing with poutine?
Poutine it in my belly
Poutine is food of the gods.
Never! 3/4 of my ancestors came from Canada, jokes about Murica’s hat will never end.
Thinking about putting something Canadian on my pickup to show solidarity with those boys and tweak the a holes around here.
https://preview.redd.it/2v7j4nj47nf81.jpg?width=640&crop=smart&auto=webp&s=f3b462abdbc3a8aed6fbe8acad14d49b4b9523ef
That’s awfully forceful.
You never know who would come out as Canadian.
Their scum police chief equated the protests as Jan 6 but say they thwarted it. That is some Bagdad Bob level of gaslighting.
The Ukraine situation got some discussion in the previous thread. This linked article gets into the nuts and bolts if Putin does decide to try and do this. It is an overview that tries to match up the requirements for an invasion and occupation against an insurgency. While pretty basic it does give an insight to the troop requirements.
https://www.realcleardefense.com/articles/2022/02/03/troop-to-task_a_russian_invasion_of_ukraine_815091.html
I find it worrisome that Xi has backed Putin’s demands. Sure, it is to try and distract attention away from the CCP’s actions in the short term since Xi finds Russia weak. But Xi has removed one of the chocks holding Putin back.
I also don’t like that Putin is painting himself into a corner with the nature of his demands. Putin’s demands aren’t that “the West” must not do something, they are rather the West must do things. This hands the initiative to his opposition. The west is weak now in some ways. biden has dementia and historically has been wrong on everything, Boris is under siege, Macron is facing an election, and the Germans have a newbie trying to learn how to use the levers of power. But as fractured as it is I don’t see any of leaders throwing NATO out to make Putin happy. If that is the case, what realistic off ramps does Putin have that will enable him to hold onto power? He is not yet ready to spend his days in some shitty African country waiting to see if he’ll be Trotsky’d.
I don’t think the invasion must come, but I’ll feel better when the spring thaws come.
I also don’t like that Putin is painting himself into a corner with the nature of his demands. Putin’s demands aren’t that “the West” must not do something, they are rather the West must do things. This hands the initiative to his opposition.
There’s been some interesting commentary that it’s intentional. It’s not handing the initiative to his opposition, but more like a contractor throwing out a ridiculously absurd quote for a job they don’t want to do but would take at that price point. Putin wants to invade and has made demands accordingly.
The Russian threat to Europe is ridiculous. The Russian economy is about equivalent to Spain, which has never been the powerhouse of the West; it is one quarter the German economy.
Let’s consider the long, glorious existence of Ukrainian self-government. Hmm, seems to have generally been under the control of one central/eastern European power or another. Or as per the wonderful timelapse we’ve enjoyed before.
Biden, the neo-cons and Atlanticists are furiously magnifying Putin into Peter the Great, which he really ain’t.
“Let’s consider the long, glorious existence of Ukrainian self-government. Hmm, seems to have generally been under the control of one central/eastern European power or another.”
So was Poland – should we partition it again?
Or the Low Countries.
As long as demands are being made, I’d like to see more skin in the videos from that Yeah Russia chick and the one from the coldest place on earth.
I’m shopping for a new gym, and I found a local one that looks interesting. One thing that stood out, is their ‘Contact Us’ email is a ProtonMail address.
Good sign? Bad sign? I can’t decide.
Bad sign they don’t own their own domain, but otherwise a good sign.
My eyes roll every time I see some tradesman’s truck with an @aol.com address painted on it.
For a small gym, it’s not surprising. They probably don’t know how dead easy it is to set up with protonmail
If they’ve been around a while, the issue might be migrating everyone to a new address.
They can pay Proton to have a custom domain and have the existing @protonmail.com address associated with one of those new accounts; I moved about 5 @protonmail.com aliases over to my new custom domain there. Support was very helpful.
I have a protonmail address, two custom domain addresses, and a few hundred obfuscated addresses (Abine Blur) that all point to the same inbox. Protonmail makes managing them not too bad. It’s pretty seamless.
meh…we own our domain but nothing is on it nor do we use it. Wife is a creature of habit and uses a google account. I’ve tried to get her to break free but it is too entwined now
I’ve had [my unusual last name].com since ’97, used pretty much exclusively for e-mail.
I’ve been on Google Apps for years but their “you need to pay us now” announcement has started me moving it to ProtonMail; signed up for a Visionary plan, since I have about 5 family members using existing addresses.
Moving mom will be the biggest challenge, I think, though somehow my sister has 10GB of crap in her Google inbox – need to figure out WTF she has in there.
Do you really want to know what she has in the inbox?
Heh, normally I’d say “no” but I’m pretty sure she’s been using it as a half-assed document store, mailing around gigantic attachments again and again.
“What’s in the box?!”
I was kind and typed out inbox…not what is in her box…
Ill see myself out.
*vomits*
“pain”?
I was referencing the end of the movie Se7en…
I knew what you were referencing.
9.9 GB of dick pics.
I never did gmail seriously. I have 3 accounts, one for the calendar and attached to my phone, one for my pen name to upload music, and one for my business in case my domain name (which has an “x” in it so often ends up in clients’ spam folders when their ISPs tighten up their filters) just won’t stop going to their spam folders.
I think it’s terribly unprofessional for professionals not to have their own domains. But…since there are days mine’s practically useless, I can’t really scoff.
Also, I use a client (Thunderbird) and regularly file my email onto my hard drive. When I’m running up against my webhost’s storage limit, I go into my webmail and delete everything.
I’ll get rid if my @aol.com email when I run out of business cards, I spent like 15$ on these I can’t just throw them away.
*mockingly makes modem screeches at Hype*
muses on when TW/AOL was going to end the internet as we knew it
I have an email address I’ve been using continuously since 1992. It’s never been hacked.
Right now, getting back in shape is a priority.
#metoo
I’ve been great about getting to the gym since the gyms reopened here in NH. In fact, better that at any point in time during my life.
I hate drama. I strive to never be one of those people with unnecessary unrest in my life.
#metoo.
Though too often I have let people that stir up shit into my life.
Good stuff ron, thanks!
I used to when I was younger, had to learn who I could hang out with and who would start drama.
You’re Welcome
“Amusingly, her husband’s (talking about Barack Obama here) show, which he hosts alongside Bruce Springsteen, has (perhaps not unsurprisingly) proved less popular.”
https://www.zerohedge.com/political/obamas-looking-ditch-spotify-over-joe-rogan-controversy-other-issues
Well I’ll be, I had no idea. It’d be funny if Spotify lets the Obamas go too over all this nonsense.
That would be racist.
Now the left wants Roberts out…to revive the legitimacy of the court, of course.
There is one sure way, however, that Roberts could prove he deserves the benefit of the doubt: He could join Justice Stephen Breyer in announcing his retirement at the end of the court’s term this summer.
This surprising act would be most likely to advance what the Chief Justice says he wants — a revival of public faith in the Court’s institutional legitimacy, and that its rulings flow from something other than the personal agendas of individual justices or the partisan machinations that placed them in their jobs. …
While Roberts sermonizes about the majesty of the law and the austere detachment of the judiciary, it is entirely reasonable for skeptics to believe that the fate of important constitutional questions is controlled by random twists of fate and purposeful political gamesmanship. It is increasingly unreasonable to believe the opposite. …
For this reason, there are at least three reasons Roberts might consider hanging up his robes this year, each blending idealistic and practical considerations.
First, the chief justice can probably trust Biden more than whoever comes after. Despite their presumed differences on judicial philosophy, Roberts must perceive that he and Biden are more committed to the cause of institutional legitimacy for the court than either McConnell or the 2024 Republican nominee (which as of today is mostly likely either Trump or someone who shares Trump’s contempt for institutional independence).
Second, he could make an eloquent statement on behalf of orderly institutional governance. Perhaps, at age 67, Roberts is thinking: Hey, I could easily stay in this job for another twenty years — until I get really infirm or die. That is indeed normal practice at the Court, just as it is increasingly normal for the geriatric class to cling to power in Congress. …
Third, Roberts’ apparent self-conception as an apolitical defender of the law and its highest institution is about to get much harder, in potentially untenable ways.
Their pressure campaign worked once, why not go for it again.
Got to hope he’s not this dumb.
But then he wouldn’t get to be Chief Justice anymore. I’m certain that’s more important to him than any other stated goal. So that’s not going to happen.
Roberts must perceive that he and Biden are more committed to the cause of institutional legitimacy…
I wonder if they were able to type that without laughing.
Think about how skewed a view of Reality you have to have to not only type that, but edit it, look it over, and then publish it for the world. As far as I can cipher, you have to be (a) delusional, OR (b) this is a psyop/propaganda piece. Ima go with the latter.
IOW, the author doesn’t really believe it at all. It’s prop-o to convince the true believers, to serve as a referent for the barking seals to point to when they start the real push to get Roberts off the court.
Yeah, any anthropomorphic representation of that puppet is a complete joke at this point.
“the Court’s institutional legitimacy”
Pffffft, yeah right. That ship has long since sailed for both the left and the right.
Robert Conquest’s only mistake was thinking that even right-wing institutions couldn’t be taken over by the left.
Why Roberts? Thomas is much older and much more conservative.
Easier to swallow calling for old white men that have been on the bench for a while than for them to demand a black guy too?
Hmm, actually Thomas is only 7 years older than Roberts. He was appointed 14 years earlier, though.
Huh, I always thought he was ancient.
His biography makes him seem older than he is, I think. Despite being born in 1948, he somehow grew up in the 1930s.
‘ A YouGov poll conducted in March 2021 found that Thomas was the most popular sitting Supreme Court justice among Republicans, with a 59% approval rating in that category.[106][107’
It’s like these racists don’t even care what color his skin is, and if there’s anything I’ve learned from liberals, that is the worst kind of racism.
Interesting reading his Wikipedia page.
Remember, he was left off the Smithsonian’s African-American Exhibit.
‘Subsequently, in Gonzales v. Raich, the Court interpreted the Commerce Clause combined with the Necessary and Proper Clause as empowering the federal government to arrest, prosecute, and imprison patients who used marijuana grown at home for medicinal purposes, even where that is legal under state law. Thomas dissented in Raich, again arguing for the Commerce Clause’s original meaning.’
Stop making me like Thomas so much, Wikipedia.
Thomas probably didn’t vote for Biden, ergo, he ain’t black.
Swing for the fences. If somehow he’s gone, it’s not just a justice but CJ and able to steer the court.
The most Canadian thing you will see all day: Joel Lybbert charges in on his bison Indy to share his Canadian pride.
Fun with numbers.
On Wednesday ADP announced that private payrolls plunged by 301,000. This was a horrible number. It was the first time ADP reported negative job growth since December 2020. …
The ADP report is trusted by economists and comes out before the Labor Department report each month.
So on Friday when the Biden Labor Department announced 467,000 jobs were created in January the experts were gobsmacked. And at the same time the Labor Department said the unemployment rate rose to 4.0%. Weird.
///BidenBoom, y’all.
Torture numbers enough and they will say whatever you want them to.
With the zOMGicron screws tightening all over the place? Bullshit.
https://citizenfreepress.com/breaking/pastor-artur-pawlowski-is-fired-up-at-coutts-border-rally/
Impressive.
I’m in work meetings for the next two hours so I’ll watch the speech later.
This guy has been fighting the Lil Rona Panic Restrictions for a while.
Thought I recognized his name.
Question for the tech savvy ones:
My phone, an S6, went swimming in the ocean in August. I now have an S10, and loaded a backup of files from my computer to my new phone.
All of my old photos are on the new phone.
When I plug the phone into my computer, only the photos I have taken with this phone show up.
How can I find the old pictures?
Android phone, right? They should be at photos.google.com under the account you log into the phone with. Unless Samsung has their own cloud backup for photos.
Thanks, didn’t think of that.
They are all on Microsoft One Drive.
That’s convenient, but a little spooky.
Not a problem. It’s usually one of the opt ins that’s buried in the user agreements.
This surprising act would be most likely to advance what the Chief Justice says he wants — a revival of public faith in the Court’s institutional legitimacy, and that its rulings flow from something other than the personal agendas of individual justices or the partisan machinations that placed them in their jobs. …
“And we will engage in the most naked partisan machinations imagineable in order to pursue this end.”
Nothing says “trust us” like politically motivated institutional blackmail.
How can anyone look at the court and think the only way to fix it is with another democrat appointed judge?
Not that the republican appointed ones are all great, so many of the decisions seem to be decided and then they conduct mental gymnastics to kind of justify it.
How can anyone look at the court and think the only way to fix it is with another democrat appointed judge?
For anyone who thinks democracy depends on Democrats winning, piece of cake.
I mean, it’s right in their name – ‘Democrats’. Who else would you want for democracy?
I find it interesting that they are targeting Roberts. They have identified him as the weakling of the litter. I wonder why the Dems never suggest one of their pack of three become more centerist and become the swing vote that the other eight court. Nah, I don’t really wonder that, but back when the other two swings were retiring I asked multiple Dems that question. Their answer was always a variation of “We are right so any movement to the center weakens our future.”
Ghoulish coeds: University of Kentucky students mock babies who have been aborted.
Actually I promise that I will kill my baby if I got pregnant.
So not just a clump of cells?
And they wonder why the pro-lifers recoil in horror around them. Pagan child sacrifice has made a return.
Procedures were followed. Furtive movement. Weapon present. Lives were feared for.
A man who was fatally shot by Minneapolis police as they were executing a search warrant in a homicide investigation was wrapped in a blanket on a couch when SWAT officers entered the apartment, and displayed a handgun as they shouted at him to show his hands and get on the ground, according to police body camera video released Friday.
Police identified the man on Thursday as 22-year-old Amir Locke. The Minneapolis Police Department said in a statement Wednesday that he had pointed a loaded gun “in the direction of officers.” …
Interim Chief Amelia Huffman said in a news conference after the video was released that Locke isn’t named in the warrants. She said it isn’t clear how or whether Locke is connected to the homicide investigation, which she said is under the control of the St. Paul Police Department. That agency has released few details so far and the warrants weren’t publicly available Thursday. …
“The still shot shows the image of the firearm in the subject’s hands, at the best possible moment when the lighting was fully on him. That’s the moment when the officer had to make a split-second decision to assess the circumstances and to determine whether he felt like there was an articulable threat, that the threat was of imminent harm, great bodily harm or death, and that he needed to take action right then to protect himself and his partners,” she said.
Like Tamir Rice, they force a split second decision and then exonerate themselves, because they had to make a split second decision.
Why are they doing a no knock raid for a search warrant?
One day a judge will say that flushing drugs down a toilet is not reason enough to burst into someone’s house at 3am.
One day in my dreams that is.
#metoo
Here, let me.
Dude!
That was uncalled for!
I have a dream . . . . .
Of time gone by?
Why are they doing a no knock raid for a search warrant?
Personally I find no-knock raids to be wholly illegitimate in a supposedly free country. Additionally, I’ll note that they entered his home at night, yelling and point guns at the guy. This was only going to go one way.
he felt like there was an articulable threat, that the threat was of imminent harm
Never mind the body armor and helmet you were wearing.
Not many people that agree with us on this will ever rise too far in the judge’s ranks.
Vegas just had one of those too…almost exactly the same
How can anyone look at the court and think the only way to fix it is with another democrat appointed judge?
A Democrat appointed judge installed in a vacancy created by forcing a Republican appointed judge off the court?
It’s Cosmic Judgement, baby!
Neat.
MIT Engineers Create the “Impossible” – New Material That Is Stronger Than Steel and As Light as Plastic
The new substance is the result of a feat thought to be impossible: polymerizing a material in two dimensions.
Using a novel polymerization process, MIT chemical engineers have created a new material that is stronger than steel and as light as plastic, and can be easily manufactured in large quantities.
The new material is a two-dimensional polymer that self-assembles into sheets, unlike all other polymers, which form one-dimensional, spaghetti-like chains. Until now, scientists had believed it was impossible to induce polymers to form 2D sheets.
Such a material could be used as a lightweight, durable coating for car parts or cell phones, or as a building material for bridges or other structures, says Michael Strano, the Carbon P. Dubbs Professor of Chemical Engineering at MIT and the senior author of the new study.
Hopefully it is better than an impossible burger.
Umm, this is made from fossil fuels, therefore it must be banned.
I’ll believe it when I see it.
Firearmconcealment.
I’ve seen a few renditions of that concept. The RFID reader is better than most, but I don’t like having an active electrical lock on a home defense weapon.
That said, I’d take it over the magnetic latches any day. The primary purpose of concealment in casa trashy is to keep the kids out of the guns. Magnetic latches on concealment storage are a “once seen, always compromised” solution. All it takes is a curious kid with a magnetic toy and you just gave them unfettered access to a loaded weapon.
Great news kids! NYC Public Schools will be vegan on Fridays!
Good to know they have solved all of their other problems.
He’s turning into another morally-superior tyrant like all the others.
“I do or don’t do this thing, therefore you must do or not do this thing too.”
Those trash cans aren’t going to get filled with God knows how many tons of uneaten food all by themselves, ya know.
OFFS.
I like that little sleight-of-hand.
CWAA
Traditionally, it’s the nobility who protein-starves the peasantry, to keep them weak and docile. This may be an example of the nobility protein-starving themselves…
New York City public school cafeterias are going vegan-only on Fridays under a new policy from famously health-conscious Mayor Adams, who has touted the benefits of a vegan diet.
City school cafeterias were already completely “meatless” on Mondays and Fridays, thanks in part to a vegetarian school food pilot program launched by Adams while he was Brooklyn borough president.
But the shift to vegan-only Fridays — which starts this week — will take plant-based eating to another level in city schools, knocking dairy-based vegetarian mainstays like mac and cheese, pizza and mozzarella sticks off the menu.
Rid us of this malnourished twat.
Just the natural evolution of government schooling
Next will be to get the people to eat the bugs.
But not on Fridays.
Someone should tell him Lent doesn’t start for another couple of weeks.
Just like Catholic schools. Neat. /eye roll.
The thrill-in-the-pants “journalism” makes me want to vomit as much as the food they will serve.
One thing I miss while carrying The First That Will Change Everything is day drinking. I was off early today, but I have to be sober. The world depends on it. I carry the youngling that will change the world.
No one knows the burden that I carry. Heavy is the head that wears the crown.
Virginia Republicans are trying, not sure any of this will pass the Senate.
Firearm concealment.
Nice.
Michael Avenatti convicted of stealing $300K from Stormy Daniels