Let this truly be a day of peace as people around the world reflect on their religious beliefs.
No school shootings.
No nasty politics.
No hate.
No fear.
No war.
No racism.
Just a day of peace.
The world needs it.
As it stands, hug friends and family and share love with all.
After ProPublica reported Justice Clarence Thomas's failure to report two decades of massive gifts from one individual (Harlan Crow), he shrugged the obvious conflict of interest off like swatting a fly away.
That's because Thomas knows he's above the law.
Accepting luxury gifts from a Republican megadonor for 20 years is no big deal according to Thomas. Really? Since when? And what's with a judge on the highest court in the land giving feeble excuses for his corrupt behavior?
Thomas claimed his colleagues were cool with his GOP buddy lavishing luxury vacations on him as he traveled in Crow's private jet and mega yacht to foreign and domestic resorts.
When Thomas said that he was advised that this sort of personal hospitality from close personal friends, who do not have business before the Court, was not reportable he slapped every law-abiding American citizen in the face.
He spat on justice. Like a roman emperor he feels invincible with his life-long lock as a member of the Court. He knew it was wrong.
When the Democrats quietly put in new legislation on March 14 by a Judicial Conference committee, they codified what was okay and not okay for federal judges to accept as gifts.
They knew Thomas was untouchable. Passing the law tightening regulations didn't mean it would be enforced. It was a token gesture saying we see you.
Our Supreme Court is an abomination. With partisan cronies like Clarence Thomas, Samuel Alito, Neil Gorsuch, Brett Kavanaugh, and Amy Coney Barrett on the bench most of America is poorly underrepresented.
It's a golden age for ultra conservatives and extremists. It's a bad dream come true for the rest of us.
As it stands, there's no wonder why the majority of Americans (look at any poll) believe the Supreme Court is corrupt.
They removed two of the three duly elected Democratics who protested on the chamber floor to call for gun reform following last month's school shooting in Nashville.
The two who were expelled were black. The other one, Rep. Gloria Johnson, is white. Asked why she wasn't she suggested it was her skin color.
There's only been two cases in the state's history in the last 157 years where lawmakers were expelled from the state House. One in 1980 and one in 2016 for actual crimes.
The current GOP dominated House is looking at kicking the elected lawmakers out for... wait for it... breaking House decorum rules.
That's never happened before. The normal procedure would have been to admonish them and have them escorted from the floor by the sergeant-of-arms. That's it. No further punitive action.
One of the targeted lawmakers, Justin Jones of Nashville summed up what was happening.
"It's morally insane that a week after a mass shooting took sex precious lives in my community here in Nashville, my colleagues on the other side of the aisle, their first action is not to take actions to rein in this proliferation of weapons of war in our streets, but to expel their colleagues for standing with their constituents."
Instead of rushing to expel members for expressing their First Amendment rights the House of MAGA should have been looking at gun safety laws.
It's all about the fascist movement the Republican party has adopted to turn the United States into an authoritarian government. Full stop.
Once again, a MAGA majority succeeded in suppressing the voters will by expelling their representatives.
The thing that really pisses me off is when Sexton compared the 5,000 protesting students at the state House to the Jan. 6 insurrectionists.
That's how low Republicans have sunk on the humanity scale. Even worse, they're succeeding all too often.
As it stands, the battle for democracy is real, with a party of domestic terrorists seeking to install an authoritarian government led by a former twice impeached president who has been charged with 34 felony counts.
They appear normal at first glance then they start ranting about their master's grievances.
They are unable to think for themselves. Their universe denies reality and they're constantly afraid of something.
Truth is like the sun that vampires fear. In their dark world there is only room for racists, seditionists, homophobic hypocrites', and blatant liars.
They are zombies.
They're also referred to as MAGA mutants, morons, and minions.
Democrats and Trump cultists.
You'll notice I didn't say Republicans because they've been swallowed by the zombies.
It's important to understand that these zombies are the worst you'll ever see on TV and the movies. They're an organized criminal cartel of authoritarian loving fascist zombies.
They pose a real threat to our freedoms as they mindlessly ignore the Constitution and trample the laws of the land.
Being zombies, they don't know how to compromise, nor do they want to. The constant state of chaos created by head zombie Trump and his followers has been relentless the last seven years.
They here to stay. For years most likely.
Perhaps someday they'll no longer pollute politics, and we can return to some sense of normality where a former president isn't charged with 34 felony counts while running for re-election.
I remember seeing the Night of the Dead - which is frequently identified as the first modern zombie film - and being horrified at the violence. I'm more horrified by these modern-day zombies than I was with the movie.
As it stands, "This is the way the world ends; not with a whimper or a bang, but with zombies breaking down the back door." - Amanda Hocking
But they weren't there to protect O.J. They were there to arrest him when his friend, Al Cowlings who was driving, stopped the vehicle.
The world watched the slowest criminal chase ever as it unfolded on live TV. It was surreal.
I guess we're all in agreement when it comes to watching a former president get charged with multiple felonies. Really surreal.
Here's a link to all of the details - as documented by CNN today.
Unlike the O.J. Trial, the prosecutors in Trump's case are very competent with lots of trial experience. Unlike the clowns that got worked over by O.J.'s "superstar" defense team that made a mockery of the process and got him off on all counts.
The MAGA attorneys are a sorry lot that have a losing record when it comes to their conspiracy cases and appeals for Trump.
My only concern is a mole in the jury selection could scarper the conviction. Imagine what kind of bribe they would receive from a rich cult follower protecting his lord and master.
As for vetting jurors I always keep in mind that there's limits on how many people an attorney can turn away. The chance of a bad apple is real, regardless of what the system would have us believe.
As it stands, Trump was slapped in his orange face with a dose of reality today. And this is only the start of accountability that he faces with multiple other investigations.
Every criminal in American history has had to get a mug shot when being booked for a crime(s). It's been part of the justice system requirements for over a hundred years.
But not Trump! If rumors prove to be true, the biggest criminal in the United States is NOT going to have to pose for a booking photo. That's never happened before. There's never been an exception... until now.
One of Trump's corrupt attorneys, Alina Habba, told reporters that it's not necessary to have The Donald's mug shot because... wait for it... everyone in the world knows who he is.
"There's no need for theatrics," Habba said.
No shit Sherlock! That's not the point.
If Manhattan DA Alvin Bragg really believes no one is above the law, then why change over a century of booking procedure to keep from embarrassing the most corrupt president in American history?
I really hope this is just a rumor and Donnie gets his mugshot.
But if it's true that the orange buffoon will be the first exception it can only be attributed to politics. Threats coming from the MAGA rats in Congress are undoubtably causing a chilling effect on Bragg. Whether he admits it or not.
So far, his office has pushed back against MAGA politicians and sent letters warning them that the pressure their putting on him and the State of New York's judicial system is unconstitutional.
Of course, that's only going to slow them down. They're already busy looking at other ways to defend Trump... even though they don't know exactly what charges are going to be filed today.
I don't care that Trump is a former president and a candidate to run for president in 2024. The biggest reason Trump decided to run so early is that he believes that it'll insulate him from judicial investigations.
As it stands, that remains to be seen, but when I see such a blatant exception for standard police procedure it bothers me.
Think about it.
The unthinkable has happened. An American president has been criminally indicted by a jury in New York.
Despite the damage that Trump has done to our democratic system in the last seven years there is still justice, and this first indictment proves no man is above the law.
The 21st century has turned out to be a time to attack democracies worldwide. Right-wing agendas are destroying the weaker democracies in the world. There is pushback but it comes at a steep price paid in human lives. Ukraine is one example.
Because American right-wing extremists are claiming our country is in dire states it doesn't make it so. Trump can claim American carnage and chaos but it's only a small portion of lost Americans/aka cult members who believe in his apocalyptic warnings.
Our Constitution is still the roadmap that most Americans follow and depend upon for justice.
Extremist propaganda coming from platforms like Fox News and Newsmax are supporting MAGA followers because they're money-makers. Starting with Trump grifting followers the propaganda in social media quickly caught on. It's about the green.
As it stands, history is against Trump and his cult. It's going to take a lot more than these fools to topple the greatest democracy in the world.
Trump minions have taken years to build up their brand as a band of fools and after seven years they finally came up with a good day in April to celebrate. The association of a day for fools and the united MAGA supporters is apparent for all to see.
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A Brief Origin of April Fools' Day
It's not cast in concrete, but some historians speculate that April Fools' Day dates back to 1582 when France switched from the Julian calendar to the Gregorian calendar.
The new year began with the spring equinox around April 1.
People who were slow to get the news or failed to recognize that the start of the new year had moved to January 1st and continued to celebrate it during the last week of March through April 1 were mocked.
They became the butt of jokes and hoaxes and were called (what else?) April fools.
----------------------------------------------------
Back to the fools who follow the Trump cult. Being a fool is cool among the MAGA appointed lawmakers lurking in Congress. Just look at some of the committee meetings they've held thus far.
Think Rep. Lauren Boebert who made a fool of herself arguing about urinating in public at a recent committee meeting without getting her facts straight. You had to be there.
The Republican clowns - with their slim majority in the House - are doing their best to poison our judiciary, House, Senate, electoral system, the Dept. of Education, the FBI, DOJ, CIA, and the military. And there's more, but you get the idea.
Now that MAGA maroons have a national holiday of their own they can use it as a day to recruit extremists and domestic terrorists.
As it stands, "Tricks and treachery are the practice of fools that don't have brains enough to be honest," -Benjamin Franklin
He got indicted and had a great fall
All the corrupt lawmakers
and all of the MAGA minions
Couldn't do a damn thing about it!
So, the hammer finally dropped on the most corrupt president in history who has been charged with crimes in Manhattan, New York.
Yesterday came as a shock to Trump, his weasel lawyers, the rest of America, and the world.
The Teflon Don was held accountable by New York DA Alvin Bragg for crimes committed. Who thought it would ever happen?
The myth has been dispelled. Trump is not above the law. In bears keeping in mind that this will only be the first criminal indictment filed against his Orangeness. Multiple indictments are still ahead this year.
MAGA world is melting down. MAGA lawmakers like Kevin McCarthy are ready to defy the Constitution to save Trump's fat ass. The rest of the Seditious Caucus in the House and Senate is already waging war against the rule of law to keep their lord and master free.
Here's the thing; despite years of running interference for Trump MAGA Republicans were not able to stop him from taking one of the most historic falls from grace an ex-president has ever experienced in American history.
This court action is the first shot at Trump's mug (and ego) in what will soon be a series of blows delivered by other prosecutors in Georgia and Washington DC.
Is Trump's great fall a precursor of what's going to happen to the Republican party as they continue to defend him?
As it stands, this indictment is proof that no one is above the law in America.
A new season starts today with 15 MLB games on tap. All 30 teams will be engaged in this annual rite of Spring.
Among the best MLB games today is the defending champion Houston Astros taking on the Chicago White Sox. It'll be on ESPN TV at 7:00 PM ET.
My favorite team The Los Angeles Dodgers are playing The Arizona Diamondbacks at Dodger Stadium. The Boys in Blue are looking for pitcher Julio Urias (L) to get their season off to a good start. He'll be facing Zac Gallen (R).
This season is special because there's some new rules in the game.
1. Pitch Timer - in order to create a quicker pace of play, there will be a 30-second timer between batters. Between pitches, there will be a 15-second timer with bases empty and a 20-second timer with runners on base.
2. Defensive Shift Limits - The defensive team must have a minimum of four players on the infield, with at least two infielders on either side of the base.
3. Bigger Bases - The bases, which traditionally have been 15 inches square, will instead be 18 inches square. Home plate is unchanged.
The game is afoot!
As it stands, Go Dodgers!
Go HERE to view my As It Stands column in the Eureka Times-Standard, a NorthCoast daily newspaper. It ran for five years.
Look to the right of this page and you'll see links to all of my posts in this blog going back to 2013.
If you like novellas, you may enjoy my first one: RAFTER'S REDEMPTION - A Vietnam veteran's story about living in Humboldt County in the 1970s. Think communes and pot farms.
That's it for now.
I'll be back on Thursday.
As it stands, have a masterpiece day like my good friend and author Woody Woodburn would say.
"Well, here's another fine mess you've gotten me into!" -Oliver Hardy: Sons of the Desert Republicans have gotten themse...
