'Big Brother' in Florida: Republicans File Bill to Take Away Blogger Rights!

Since Gov. DeSantis has continued his assault on democracy in Florida by threatening people's First Amendment. 

The state is looking like a scene from George Orwell's 1984.

Sparing no one DeSantis has made it his mission to attack citizens personal rights in institutions like colleges, libraries and elementary schools.

His war on woke has been a campaign of terror in the state where he's gone after the LGBTQ community, women's rights, and enacted voter suppression legislation in order to rig the next election in favor of Republicans.

Now the sick bastard (I hope you read this DeSantis) is looking at approving a bill mandating that anyone blogging about DeSantis must register with the state! 

This bill (S.B. 1316) is just the latest effort to censor his critics through intimation.

It threatens bloggers who do not register (after mentioning the snowflake governor) within five days of posting or they'll suffer up to a $2,500 fine.

The bill was introduced on Feb. 28 and requires bloggers to register with the state ethics commissioner (?) of the Florida Office of Legislative Services.

Apparently the First Amendment means squat to the Republican controlled House, Senate, and governor.

The craziness doesn't end there, however. 

Citizen bloggers will be required to register with the state if they write anything about Florida's lieutenant governor, a cabinet officer, or any other member of the Florida legislature.

If a blogger happens to make money on their site, he/she will have to submit monthly reports about their work if they write about elected figures, including how much payment they received for their articles, rounded to the nearest $10, and the name of the "individual or entity" who paid them.

I'm almost wordless.

Florida has become DeSantis's testing ground for what he wants to do if he gets elected president in 2024.

The irony of DeSantis's messaging that Florida should have as much freedom as possible is obviously lost on DeSantis and his willing minions. 

I can't help laughing at DeSantis's fundraising page where he's hawking gold "Freedom Team Membership Cards." The irony is as thick as a brick.

The bottom line is the bill hasn't been put up for a vote... yet. If they do vote and pass this foul tactic, it will be challenged by every real (as opposed to Trump lawyers) lawyer in the land.

It's a clear case of violating people's First Amendment rights.

The fact that DeSantis has turned Florida into his personal realm that operates like a mob boss's domain is a sure sign of things to come if he ever gets elected president.

I've been blogging for over 20 years, and I have to admit this is the first time I saw right-wingers threatening to censor citizen bloggers. 

I won't be surprised to see more attempts made in other Republican controlled states in the future.

As it stands, I see multiple threats to our democracy daily. We must not allow conservatives to tear our republic apart and transform our government into a fascist state right out of 1984.

How the 'Angel's Share' Results in the Devil's Fungus: Community Doesn't Feel Blessed

Jack Daniel's has spawned a strain of black whiskey fungus that is coating neighborhoods around distilleries with a stubborn moldy crust.

The fungus is such a problem in Lincoln County, Tennessee, Jack Daniels had to halt construction of a new barrel warehouse recently.

A local court put the skids on the world's biggest selling brand of American whiskey because locals have had enough of the nasty black fungus covering their community.

Ethanol vapor released through porous whiskey barrels during the aging process is praised as the angel's share, but the local mortals don't feel blessed by it.

A local businesswoman sued the zoning office, claiming the fertile fungus was out of control and damaging her business.

The pesky fungus (Baudoinia compniacensis) is no stranger to areas where the barrelhouses are. Because they rely on wooden casks every year up to 2% of the volume of the alcohol evaporates through the barrels as the drink matures.

The result encourages the spread of the fungus. Lawsuits have been brought by residents in several counties complaining that the black mold smothers walls, outdoor furniture, cars, trees, and road signs.

The problem isn't just going to go away, and we can expect future court battles because the company has plans to build 14 more warehouses.

(Photo shows family's house covered in black whiskey fungus. Residents are rightfully enraged)

There must be a solution to the problem like having the warehouses control the vapor release through ventilation or something. 

If the local zoning office doesn't stand its ground and demand preventive action the mere mortals in the area will have to get used to living with the devil's fungus transforming their community into an eyesore.

As it stands, cynic that I am, I don't hold out too much hope for the locals going up against a bourbon behemoth like Jack Daniels.

Sometimes it's Hard to Find Good News - But It's Worth Looking For

 As a longtime journalist I know that good news doesn't sell newspapers, but bad (or sensational) news does.

In college (during the early 70s) I had pragmatic journalism teachers that explained to us students that we were in the wrong profession if we were hoping to get rich.

When it came to selling newspapers, smart editors made it clear to their staff that when a dog bites a man it is not a story. Full stop. But... if a man bites a dog, then that's newsworthy.

That mentality hasn't changed today. It's just more widespread in social media platforms that didn't exist back then.

It's never been easy to find good news. Having said that a lot depends on what you're reading. 

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Very little is needed to make a happy life. It is within yourself in your way of thinking. - Marcus Aurelius

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There are numerous publications devoted to nothing but feel-good stories. Mainstream news on platforms from TV to social media want your jaw to drop in surprise (or horror) when you consume their products.

I tell people not to spend too much time absorbing the daily news. An hour of local news is okay. All the hate and chaos on the national news outlets can be detrimental to one's mental health, however.

I'm for staying informed, but there's so much trash on the air waves and internet that sorting through it all is a nerve-wracking task.

It's possible to be informed about what's happening in the world without having your blood pressure driven through the roof. You have to be selective. Don't get caught in a political bubble or a negative echo chamber.

As it stands, remember that happiness is a way of travel, not a destination. - Roy Goodman

'Sedition Panda' Hunted Down and Arrested By FBI

The FBI has been hunting insurrectionists since Trump's attempt to overthrow our democracy on Jan.6, 2021.

It's been a long hunt that still continues to bring culprits in. Take Sedition Panda (aka Jesse James Rumson) who has eluded authorities until his arrest on Monday.

Frankly I'm amazed this maroon eluded capture for as long as he did. Online sleuths who helped identify hundreds of Capitol rioters dubbed him Sedition Panda in their search for him.

I'm reasonably sure those amateur sleuths helped the FBI who already knew who he was since they viewed the initial footage of the break in.

They knew what Rumson looked like because he wore the Panda head on and off during the storming of the Capitol and was caught on video and in photos with his face in full view.

During Sedition Panda's 15-minute tour of the Capitol he was seen on video encouraging rioters to breach a door, yelling, "Get a ram!" Later on, he assaulted a police officer, by grabbing his face shield.

It's obvious the faux bruin head didn't achieve its purpose of identity concealment because Rumson was either, 

A. Too stupid to realize there would be cameras all over the place, or

B. He was auditioning for membership in an exclusive MAGA fraternity for Trump cosplaying morons.

Anyway, shame on those who hunted him for so long before nabbing him when it's apparent he's no genius.

The only reason I can think of how Rumson eluded everyone for so long is because there's a secret underground MAGA cave system of interconnecting right-wing enclaves' fugitives can flee too.

Just a thought. 

As it stands, at last count at least 985 people have been arrested in connection with the Jan. 6 riot.

Would Criminal Indictments Bolster Trump's Bid for the Presidency?

This is how upside down the world is today, political pundits like Stephen Silver suspect Trump's criminal charges may actually help him get re-elected!

Silver and others aren't predicting that will be the case. More like they're pointing out a possible scenario that could only happen in our chaotic political world today.

There's no modern equivalent to the sheer craziness of someone criminally indicted (possibly in multiple cases) running for a federal office let alone the presidency.

One longtime Fox News commentator, Juan Williams, wrote an op-ed where he stated, "It pains me to say it, but if former President Trump is soon indicted, it might have zero effect on his campaign for the 2024 GOP presidential nomination."

Predictively Trump will resort to the Russia, Russia, Russia and Witch Hunt refrain. As Williams pointed out, "Most Republican voters continue to ignore his blatant lies about a stolen election in 2020."

What I'm going to find interesting is how other GOP candidates running for the presidency treat Trump's trials in their campaigns. I have a hunch most will not have the guts to attack him out of fear of his crazy base/cult.

In other words, Trump is counting on his cult minions to carry the day for him. It remains to be seen just how many cult members he can count on to win the primary and eventually the presidency.

Because few people are predicting Trump's failure and most seem resigned to watching him get away with breaking every law on the books, I'm saying not only will Trump fail, but I expect him to go to jail!

As it stands, while it's still early, I'm going to predict the Democrats will stay in the White House in 2024.

Here's 1 for the Books: MMA Fighters Protecting Drag Queen Brunch

           (Photo - Ohio Valley MMA members ready to defend drag events) 

When talking about mixed martial arts athletes you're talking about macho on steroids. The men and women in the MMA are all bad ass fighters.

That doesn't necessarily mean all MMA athletes are homosexual or trans haters. To make that assumption one would have to be hater and uninformed.

Case in point.

A drag brunch was slated to happen in a West Virginia restaurant today, but the owners had to cancel it because of the number of threats against the event organizers, the drag performers, and even the patrons.

Everyone involved in the event scheduled at the Primanti Bros. Restaurant and Bar, in Triadelphia, were intimidated.

Then along came an MMA coach (Ohio Valley MMA) and his trainees who offered to stand guard if the event is re-scheduled, or at another drag Queen event.

I know this is just a snapshot in time and nothing empirical can be taken from this example, but it does offer a different narrative towards acceptance of others who are different.

As Republicans campaign on their hate for trans people there are plenty of Americans that defend LGBTQ rights, but they seldom get much publicity.

As it stands, the best way to counter hate is to show love to everyone without exceptions.

America's Biggest Problem is Voters Don't Hold Politicians Accountable

I've always contended that the only profession worse than being a lawyer is a politician.

Especially a morally corrupt one (are there any other kinds left?) that divides the country and pushes outright lies that seek to destroy democracy and install an authoritarian regime.

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Ninety percent of the politicians give the other ten percent a bad reputation." - Henry Kissinger

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Most politicians are (at the very least) creatures than can be bought at the right price. Look at the news on any given day and count the elected clowns being tried for corruption in courts across the land.

Once a politician is elected to an office, they seem to get collective memory lapses about what they promised the people who voted for them.

Politicians are herd animals that need to be led around by their nose by power hungry leaders with no legislative agendas to serve Americans.

When was the last time you feel like you got what you voted for at all levels of government?

On voting.

All Americans need to vote to protect our freedoms. Nearly half of them don't vote and therein lies the problem. A lack of true representation of our entire population in elections.

I cringe when I hear reasons like apathy and no trust in the functions of our democracy are leading reasons why so many don't vote. It's probably true. What a sad statement.

In order to turn this around voters need to start vetting candidates and not just blindly follow a party line. The fact that insurrectionists are now lawmakers in Congress shows that the system is broken.

The only way to hold a politician accountable is to not vote for them. Picking a complete asshole in a partisan vote (and not vetting them) results in electing lawmakers like George Santos. 

In all fairness, it's no easy task picking out a candidate who will actually serve their county, state, or nation.

People will have to be determined to make positive choices (like disqualifying candidates with a criminal background) to infuse some credibility into the electoral system.

As it stands, like William E. Simon once wrote, "Bad politicians are sent to Washington by good people who don't vote." 

Wow! GOP Congressman Proposes Making the AR-15 the 'National Gun of America'

Why do we need a National Gun?

We don't. But gun-crazed Alabama Representative, Barry Moore, thinks we do and unveiled a bill in the House Friday to put it alongside some of the nation's most coveted symbols, such as the US flag that was approved in Congress in 1777.

As of this post the House has not received the full text but I expect it to be warmly received by the MAGA extremists - a small group of crazies pulling the strings of their puppet House Speaker Kevin McCarthy.

The bill will go nowhere, but Moore will get extra credit for riding the NRA bandwagon that pays MAGA minions bigly money to subvert the will of a majority of Americans who want to ban AR-15s.

Even if the bill gets past the House, it will die a quick death in the Senate. The only thing achieved by this waste of taxpayers' money is gun manufacture's sales of AR-15s will skyrocket. 

The bill's intent to normalize semi-automatic weapons and make them a symbol of America is disgusting, demeaning, and destructive.  

America has more guns than people. Americans have more guns than any country in the world. The US lead the world in mass shootings using AR-15s (the choice of domestic terrorists).

Can you imagine the message it would send to other nations? Having a National Gun for a symbol of America is every MAGA morons fever dream. It's simply not a good look when talking about peaceful democracies.

Right-wing domestic terrorists and lawmakers wouldn't be satisfied even if the unthinkable happened and the bill passed. They'd want new national symbols like bazookas, grenade launchers, silencers, bump stocks, and automatic pistols.  

As it stands, the rest of the world would see a country worshipping a semi-automatic weapon responsible for the slaughter of thousands of Americans every year... and be convinced we're all crazy.

Disasters Once Brought Americans Together: Now Their Political Footballs

It's been almost three weeks since a train carrying hazardous materials derailed in East Palestine, Ohio, sparking an ecological disaster and a political firestorm for right-wingers.

Growing up I witnessed hundreds of manmade and natural disasters and in the majority of the cases all Americans came together in a unified effort to provide help to the state and local residents involved.

That changed in 2017 under the Trump regime. I began to notice that disasters became political footballs for the Republican party.

While East Palestine residents suffer from the effects of contaminated water, earth, and air Trump slithered into town a couple of days ago to make some political hay for his failing campaign for the presidency in 2024.

Meanwhile the US Environmental Protection Agency has ordered Norfolk Southern (the company responsible) to handle and pay all necessary cleanup after the derailment led to an intentional release of vinyl chloride to help avoid a more catastrophic blast.

The effects have been devastating as residents reported a number of ailments - from rashes to nausea to trouble breathing. The ground water is contaminated and people with wells are being advised to use bottled water.

Back to my point. Our divided nation meant that something so basically wrong - an accident threatening people's lives - makes good propaganda for MAGA minded morons like Ohio Senator J.D. Vance, who joined Trump in spreading lies to the stressed-out local residents.

The America I grew up in wasn't perfect, but Americans always seemed ready to help one another in times of crisis. 

That American is gone. In its place is a fractured nation trying to cling to democracy in the face of advancing fascism by domestic terrorists.

Some of those same domestic terrorists are lawmakers in Congress who are looking to tear down our current government and to reinstate a former president who is a traitor to the country.

Disasters are not the only thing MAGA minions are politicizing. Everything from children's books and toys to our history is under assault from MAGA nation. 

As it stands, the only hope for turning this hateful cycle into a path for healing is to vote against the MAGA minded domestic terrorists running for local, state, and federal offices. 

In the Ongoing War Against 'Woke' Fox is Attacking New Lego Characters

When Fox News can feed into cultural wars like a shark in a swarm of tuna, they don't hesitate.

After a year-long campaign attacking M&M spokescandies for being woke Fox News hosts have found something new to hate on lately. A child's toy.

Legos are bad now in Fox world. How could a children's toy with lineage dating back to 1915 in Denmark suddenly be so bad?

The answer lies with Fox News hosts with nothing better to do than hate on anything they deem liberal or as they say woke.

So, what's their problem with Legos?

The toy manufacturer is coming out with a new line of Legos to appeal to a wider variety of children. The diverse roster includes children with Downs Syndrome and missing limbs.

That set off bells ringing in the Fox News swamp and its hosts slithered out with a new line of propaganda appealing to the MAGA audience. 

Horrors! Diversity and inclusion meant woke in the crazy world of morons who gather in front of the conservative TV channel where truth goes to die, to be brainwashed.

These same snowflake hosts were soiling their diapers last month over Xbox being woke.

The problem? They claimed the gaming console was trying to recruit kids into climate politics by introducing ... don't laugh yet. Wait for it... a new power-saving feature!

As it stands, I have to admit those Fox News hosts continue to amaze me with their lunacy. Even more amazing (and scary) is they have a big audience. 

Short Lists and Long Cons in America

A grand jury forewoman for the Georgia election probe sparked even more interest in the upcoming announcement regarding Trump and other Republicans part in trying to overthrow Georgia's election in 2020 today.

Asked how many indictments are coming down she replied, "It's not a short list." To me that sounds like Trump is taking down a list of election deniers with him to a trip to the big house.

               Look out for the Long Con

House Speaker Kevin McCarthy (abusing his Congressional position) forced the Capitol Police into turning over 41,000 thousand hours of insurrection footage accumulated by the Jan/6 Committee so that he could give it to - of all people - Tucker Carlson!

I kid you not. Democrats are furious because there's a lot of footage, they purposely didn't use that could expose national security information not meant for public consummation.

The million-dollar question is what does that traitorous liar Tucker plan on doing with the films? To what purpose?

Based upon the texts and emails that exposed Carlson and other Fox hosts in the lawsuit against Fox News by Dominion Voting Systems it's going to be used inappropriately (cherry picking) to create a new Big Lie. Or, as a continuance of the Big Lie with carefully selected footage.

There's already reports that Fox producers are busy snipping at away at the films in an effort to give Tucker more ammunition to gaslight the trials against Trump and themselves in an effort to thwart justice. 

In the days and weeks ahead, Carlson is going to continue lying about what happened during the Capital riot. 

This is nuts.

The Speaker of the House is blatantly handing over raw footage of the insurrection that contains confidential information to an election denying host at a right-wing news outlet.

This is also the world we're living in right now. A world where democracy is at stake and our republic's foundations are being chipped away by seditionist in Congress.

As it stands, right-wing extremists are celebrating the news that Carlson is going to give them more lies to advertise an alternate universe where their winning every day.

Sky High Egg Prices and Another Balloon in the News

Did you know that a large white balloon was spotted floating at 50,000 feet and 600 miles northeast of Hawaii on Sunday?

To my utter surprise there's hasn't been a word from the Biden administration. No plans to shoot it down. No air space warnings. No news conference denying that it's a UFO. Nada.

So, what's up?

A week ago, any mention of another balloon in the skies by an American state would have set off a public panic and the Pentagon would have shot it down in an abundance of caution.

(Photo above taken inside cockpit by pilot who reported a large white balloon in vicinity of 2639N15021W.)

I'm only guessing now but I have a hunch the administration was embarrassed with how badly they handled the last three balloon incidents and are content to study floating objects as long as they don't present a verified security challenge. The shoot first strategy didn't go over too well.

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Get Use to Sky High Egg Prices

America is entering the second year of the deadly bird flu that is driving up egg prices nationally. The current outbreak is worse than the bird flu outbreak in 2015.

The ongoing bird flu outbreak has cost the government roughly $661 million and consumer prices for eggs, chicken and turkey have gone sky high.

And it gets worse.

With the outbreak entering its second year and the spring migratory season looming, there is no end in sight. There is very little farmers can do beyond the steps that they've already taken.

The key problem with the bird flu is that the highly contagious virus is spread easily by wild birds through their droppings and nasal discharges.

It might be time to start thinking about what you can replace eggs in your diet with. The option of course is you pay top dollar and be glad you can still get them.

As it stands, what goes up eventually comes down... hopefully!

Right-Wing Conservatives Agenda Includes Misinterpreting and Abusing the Constitution

A few months ago, the former grifter in chief and Florida retiree Trump announced that he wants to get rid of the Constitution.

Full stop. He publicly made known what people only suspected. He wants to throw away the greatest democratic achievement that our founders penned. The Constitution of the United States.

Of course, that suggestion immediately caught on with the MAGA crowd who were already busy subverting the government in every way possible.

Rural communities are the hotbeds for the MAGA minded who have been infiltrating city and county boards for years.

I have a good friend who lives in one of those traitorous breeding grounds, Shasta County, California. He's been following what going on in local government for years and his concern has grown stronger in the last couple of years.

MAGA elements have crept into town like snakes with the backing of conservative groups like the California Rifle and Pistol Association who are proposing a 2nd Amendment resolution at a meeting on Feb. 21st.

The group is backing MAGA moron Supervisor Jones's attempt to give power to County officials and employees to decide for themselves whether state and federal laws meet constitutional requirements.

What a blatant power grab. They want their own rules in a state that separates power among three branches of government - the legislative branch, the executive branch, and the judicial branch.

The meeting could well end up as a circus as MAGA lovers like to cosplay in public meetings. It's one of their favorite tactics.

To show them the futility of their wayward effort a Shasta County legal counsel pointed out that a 2004 California Supreme Court ruling confirmed that public officials may not decide for themselves whether or not laws are constitutional.

Where I live in Oregon a group of local sheriffs said they don't have to enforce the new Gun safety ballot measure 114 that was passed last year because they decided it was unconstitutional.

Again, the courts ruled against them and now they have to enforce the new law or lose their jobs. It's this kind of rural MAGA opposition to our elected local and state governments that make these 2nd Amendment groups stand out like poison mushrooms.

As it stands, like it or not we're fully engaged in a domestic war for the soul of America.

It Was About Boosting Ratings: Fox News Exposed as Lying Network in Court Case

Lies are us should be Fox New's motto.

The right-wing extremist channel has been dragged into court by Dominion Voting Systems for telling lies about the 2020 election results - aka promoting the Big Lie - and defamation of their products.  

The largest manufacturer of U.S. voting equipment filed a lawsuit seeking $1.6 Billion for damages and defamation against Fox News. 

In a blistering news cycle that began Friday some of the court findings were released to the press, much to the embarrassment of Fox News hosts and owner Rupert Murdock.

The truth about Murdock's propaganda channel rocked millions of Americans as Fox lawyers desperately tried to muddy the waters with debunked election fraud claims without any evidence.

The evidence supporting the fact that Fox News hosts knew they were lying to keep readers who might want to go to another far-right channel, Newsmax, was documented on emails between Fox staffers and other right-wing activists. They knew it was all bullshit.

One of my favorite quotes by a Fox host

Tucker Carlson - Sidney Powell is lying by the way. I caught her. It's insane, he told Laura Ingraham.

While defamation lawsuits often fail because of the difficulty of meeting the actual malice standard Dominion's case against Fox looks strong.

A law professor, RonNell Anderson Jones, at the University of Utah told the press that, "This case gives a powerful preview of one of the best-supported claims of actual malice we have seen in any major-media case."

As it stands, I'm reminded of a dark room full of cockroaches suddenly scattering when someone turned a light on.

Recent Winners and Losers in America's Chaos Derby

We're experiencing the mother of all chaos in societies today. 

There's winners and losers in these crazy days where a former president failed at a coup attempt and is now running for re-election.

Current Winners and Losers in America's Chaos Derby

Under winners

-Environmental news that's good for the nation; The Biden administration restores Obama-era mercury rules for power plants, eyes more regulations in coming months.

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-Finally, some good news on the sports scene; NBA Commissioner Adam Silver says referees are being held accountable for missed calls - they just don't publish it on media sources.

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-Good to see election-denier Kari Lake lose another court battle - Appeals court rejects Kari Lake's challenge of election loss to Arizona Gov. Katie Hobbs.

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-Woman fights off man who attacked her in a gym. She proceeded to fight like a honey badger and the man ran away but was caught 24 hours later and charged with kidnapping and sexual battery. The guy picked the wrong woman who turned out to be a dedicated bodybuilder with an attitude!

Under Losers

Faux News is in big trouble. A trove of newly released text messages and emails have laid bare how the right-wing media giant operated with little regard for fact in the weeks and months following the 2020 presidential election. 

The messages were made public yesterday as part of the ongoing Dominion Voting Systems $1.6 billion lawsuit against Fox for knowingly spreading lies about the company.

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-A nationwide arrest warrant has been issued for a former MTV star Connor N. Smith who was on a dating show called, Are You the One?

In a twisted case of irony, Connor's wanted a date with a15-year old girl in Lake County, Illinois! He's now wanted for three felony charges, including grooming, disseminating harmful material (his dick flics) and traveling to meet a minor for sex.

I wonder if MTV vets their cast members for past offenses. It sure doesn't look like it. Connor was arrested in 2021 and charged with rape, sexual battery and two counts of criminal confinement. Not the perfect date by any means.

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-Big Spender! An Orange County, California, attorney for a lending company in the British Islands allegedly blew through $10 million of the company's funds as she gambled and partied in Las Vegas.

The attorney, Sara Jacqueline King gambled 24 hours a day, seven days a week for six months while she lived at the Wynn. Upon learning of her theft of funds the company filed a petition on Feb.11 and King has to respond in two weeks.

As it stands...as Sonny and Cher once sung, The Beat Goes On.

Oregon Judge Hands Second Amendment Sanctuary Movement its First Legal Defeat

Oregon's Ballot Measure 114 has been upheld.

Conservative sheriffs in Oregon are going to have to follow state laws and regulations after their attempt to create separate laws for gunowners in their counties.

An Oregon judge ruled yesterday that local governments cannot declare themselves Second Amendment sanctuaries.

Chief Judge Jim Egan of the Oregon Court of Appeals ruled that the sheriffs did not have the authority to create sanctuaries that "create a patchwork quilt" of firearms laws in Oregon.

In the first of its kind case challenging conservative sheriffs for making their own local gun laws Judge Egan said they were embracing "racist and white nationalist ideologies."

In his ruling Judge Egan wrote, "The arguments propounding unfettered access to guns, ammunitions, and implements of destruction give rise to waging of war on government because the proponents believe that our government is infected by those they hate."

It was a rare defeat for the Second Amendment sanctuary movement's cult groups like Gun Owners of America and the Oregon Firearms Federation.

The thing I find most fascinating is that with Oregon's racist history it's the first state to stand up to the extreme conservative's sanctuary movement. Who would have guessed?

As it stands, it's always good to see gun safety laws upheld in the endless battle with the NRA.

The Whole World Has Gone Crazy: It's the Only Explanation

Here's what happened.

The pandemic drove everyone on the planet bonkers. 

The last two years have been so crazy it's hard to make sense of anything anymore.

Did we just shoot down alien spacecrafts?

Are we seeing the last days of democracy in America?

How could someone as toxic as Republican George Santos become a member of Congress with his history of crimes and lying about himself?

It's weird... everyone knows Trump tried to overthrow the government and throw out the Constitution but he's running for president in 2024 instead of being behind bars.

Mass shootings have doubled in the last couple of years as mentally ill people attack soft targets like school and movie theatres with impunity. There have been 71 mass shootings already this year. We're on track for a record year of slaughter.

Our political system is under siege from domestic terrorists that have become lawmakers in Congress. The House of Representatives has truly become a three-ring circus with the new slim majority of Republicans.

Politicians trying to take away people's rights aren't tared and feathered like the old days. Instead, they get elected in states and at the federal levels of government.

Cults have become mainstreamed. The MAGA cult is only one example. QAnon is another. Christian Nationalists are another. And so on.

Most of the above examples are reflected in countries worldwide. Right-wing extremism is spreading throughout the Western civilization at an alarming rate.

The whole world shuddered when COVID-19 swept through countries killing millions of people and forcing others to stay shuttered inside for long periods of time. Combined with face-masking mandates to prevent spreading of the virus Americans (and people worldwide) descended into cultural wars.

As a result, truth and reality need to be defended every day because of the abundance of lies and misinformation in the mainstream news and social media platforms. Ignorance is bliss for far too many people these days.

As it stands, if a majority of people worldwide weren't already crazy before the pandemic they probably are now!  

Can You Hear Dixie Land Playing? Mississippi on Verge of Passing Jim Crow Law

In the background Dixie Land is playing and Southern men are saying, "I wish I were back in Dixie."

The plaintive strains echoed through the Republican-controlled Mississippi House of Representatives last week as they passed a modern-day Jim Crow law.

If the GOP majority Senate passes the bill, HB1020, their going to create a separate court system within the Capitol Complex Improvement District.

A separate court system?

What the hell? The district is 83% Black, according to US Census data. Two white men are set to appoint the faux court system with unelected judges from outside the district if the bill passes.

Needless to say, HB1020 is a racist, unconstitutional power grab by Republicans who want to control the Black population in the district.

The Republicans are saying they're concerned for citizens public safety from crime under the current law. 

So unelected judges coming to town to enforce new laws that will drain residents' voting power and take control of their lives is supposed to be an improvement?

The Southern Poverty Law Center's Action Fund posted a tweet last Friday, saying, "HB 1020 is authoritarian and a blatant state effort to dilute the rights of Jackson, Mississippi, residents. It would strip them of voting power to elect judges and district attorneys they feel serve their best interests."

Democratic state Sen. John Horhn told local news outlets that the question is whether the state is going to take over the City of Jackson?

"Well, if it looks like a duck, and walks like a duck, and quacks like a duck - it's a duck," Horhn assured the press.

As it stands, racism is still rampant in Dixie Land.

War of the Worlds? Concerned Americans Are Worried That the Pentagon is Shooting Down Alien Aircraft

Speculation breeds panic until revelations are forthcoming.

That's what's happening now in the country as many Americans are wondering what's being hidden from them after a series of unidentified objects were shot down with Sidewinder missiles over North America.

Reporters today asked Air Force General Glen VanHerck whether the United States has ruled out the possibility that the objects that have been shot down are extraterrestrial in origin.

"I'll let the intel community and the counterintelligence community figure that out," said VanHerck.

Pressed by reporters he said, "I haven't ruled out anything at this point."

This reply seems to have energized the UFO community that has suspected for decades that alien beings have been visiting earth and spying on us.

Because of the sudden spate of incursions, the Biden administration has made "private assurances" to people that we're not being invaded from space.

Curious observers have questioned whether this is a rash of unknown objects with unknown intent over America cities and states, or whether this is how it's been for some time. If so, the question is why?

If this the First Contact with extraterrestrial beings, I'm afraid it didn't go too well. Shooting down their spaceships isn't a good way to start a peaceful co-existence.

But I digress.

The Pentagon says that the first spy balloon had parts made in the USA. But what about the last three objects we obliterated in the North America skies?

As it stands, I foresee QAnon loons and other extreme right-wingers having a field day with the uncertainty over the unidentified objects.

Forget About the Superbowl! I Got My Eyes on UOs in the Skies - Another UO Shot Down Today!

                        Strange days.

The first uninvited visitor over American airspace was a Chinese surveillance balloon ten days ago. 

We shot it down off the Carolina coast after it traveled across the country collecting data yet to be determined.

Then came the unidentified objects.

Last Friday we shot down a "yet to be identified object" off the remote coast of Alaska. Recovery efforts have been underway for days.

Then the day before the Super Bowl, Norad announced that a U.S. F-22 fighter jet brought down an "Unidentified cylindrical object" over Canada's Yukon region.

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BREAKING NEWS TODAY

Another UO was shot down over Lake Huron in Michigan this afternoon! Authorities aren't releasing much info yet. 

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Naturally some folks are talking about UFOs floating (that's a novel twist) over our skies observing us much closer than in the past.

Why not? Maybe it's an inter-galactic tour expedition. But most people are convinced the UOs are more Chinese spy balloons.

Strange days.

I have a hunch it's going to be a long time before most of us know what was recovered from all four crash sites. 

As it stands, while millions watch the Super Bowl today, I'm keeping a close watch out for reports of more UOs violating North American airspace while the two teams below battle over a cylindrical ball.