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lolcat

@lolcat@digipres.club

remedial polymath

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GottaLaff , to random
@GottaLaff@mastodon.social avatar

Via Acyn:

Westerman: Do you know how much electricity in the US comes from non-carbon emitting sources?

Buttigieg: Even if all of that electricity came from fossil sources, it would still be cleaner because EVs are more efficient

Westerman: I think you need to go back and look at physics

Buttigieg: Ok, the physics are EVs are 90% more efficient…

lolcat ,
@lolcat@digipres.club avatar

@GottaLaff

This line of questioning completely misses the point.

Conversion from fossil fuels (FF) to clean electricity presents profound chicken/egg challenges. It is impossible to deploy sufficient electrical generation to replace all FF in the absence of a comparable demand. Likewise, it is impossible to replace FF consumers (cars, etc.) until the supply is adequate. And, some things will always depend on FF - air travel, long-haul transport, etc.

Westerman was engaging in ratfucking.

GottaLaff , to random
@GottaLaff@mastodon.social avatar

👇🏼
Via Kyle Griffin:

President just announced his 49th round of nominees for federal judicial positions — bringing the total number of announced federal judicial nominees to 240.

lolcat ,
@lolcat@digipres.club avatar

@TheDarcBird @GottaLaff

This isn't an executive prerogative. Congress can expand the Court, with Presidential approval. Dems need a trifecta, plus decent margins in both houses to pull it off. But, yes, given the chance, they should expand to 21 seats, implement strict ethical rules with harsh criminal penalties, etc.

GottaLaff , to random
@GottaLaff@mastodon.social avatar

lol

Via Ira Goldman:

lolcat ,
@lolcat@digipres.club avatar

@GottaLaff

I just wasted 15 minutes watching this ticker over a cup of coffee. Independent of what the stock represents, it is mesmerizing - like watching waves eat away at a sand castle.

GottaLaff , to random
@GottaLaff@mastodon.social avatar

Via Scott MacFarlane:

Per House Speaker Mike Johnson office, new spending deal to fund government thru September cuts the FBI. By 6%

lolcat ,
@lolcat@digipres.club avatar

@GottaLaff

Just fire the clowns who handled digital forensics on "the laptop." Fire the clowns who promoted the IRS "whistleblowers." The are clearly deep pockets of either incompetence or corruption in the FBI (surprise! look hard at any large organization, and you'll find the same), but this is an opportunity to clean house.

Unlikely outcome, but would be delicious if it happened.

GottaLaff , to random
@GottaLaff@mastodon.social avatar

As I was saying earlier...

Via Norm Ornstein:

I will not miss Mitch as leader. For reasons why, read It's even Worse Than It Looks, and Google Ornstein and McConnell to see us interact. But keep in mind that we will now see Thune, Cornyn and Barrasso vie to replace him-- all by moving further right. Not good.

lolcat ,
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@GottaLaff

OTOH, there' appears to be little evidence these aspirants have anywhere near McConnell's political skills.

GottaLaff , to random
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🤨”Marianne Williamson announced she is unsuspending her Democratic presidential campaign.

In a statement, released the day after the Michigan primary in which a sizable amount of Democratic voters selected "uncommitted" ..Williamson pointed to what she said was the president's vulnerability in a general election..”

https://www.cnn.com/webview/politics/live-news/michigan-primary-02-27-24/h_65b4f95352c58db5315096872a2a3632?cid=ios_app

lolcat ,
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@JJPeterson @GottaLaff

Yeah, it irritates the hell out of me to see the conventional wisdom pass for analysis in the news. Nearly every headline, in nearly every paper attributes the uncommitted vote to unhappiness about Biden's response to Israel in Gaza. Problem is, that's just a guess. Why not leave reporting on the causes for when you've actually done the analysis. Really irritating.

lolcat ,
@lolcat@digipres.club avatar

@GottaLaff @trueslicky @JJPeterson

Sure, but that's still just a guess with zero analysis to back it up. Guesses have no place in news reporting, unless they're clearly labeled as guesses, surrounded by blinking neon lights and blaring klaxons.

GottaLaff , (edited ) to random
@GottaLaff@mastodon.social avatar

OFFS. 1/...

Via Aaron Rupar:

"He comes at the invitation of Congress. Republicans are in control of the House. There's no reason that we need to invite him" -- Rep. Scott Perry wants House Republicans to cancel #SOTU

lolcat ,
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@GottaLaff

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/State_of_the_Union#:~:text=The%20practice%20arises%20from%20a,shall%20judge%20necessary%20and%20expedient.

Screen capture of text from the Wikipedia page covering the State of the Union address, as defined in the Constitution. Also included is a caption from a photograph of Woodrow Wilson's address, which established the current practice. "The practice arises from a duty of the president under the State of the Union Clause of the U.S. Constitution:[8] He shall from time to time give to the Congress information of the State of the Union and recommend to their Consideration such Measures as he shall judge necessary and expedient. — Article II, Section 3 of the U.S. Constitution" "Woodrow Wilson giving his first State of the Union address; the first time since 1801 that such an address was made in person before a joint session of Congress,[1] this initiated the modern trend with regard to the State of the Union address.[2]"
ALT
  • Reply
    • GottaLaff , to random
    @GottaLaff@mastodon.social avatar

    His speech is over. I'll leave you with this utter lunacy:

    Via Adam Parkhomenko:

    should debate Gavin

    Acyn:

    While attacking Gavin Newsom, Trump claims California is failing because it doesn’t have water: In Beverly Hills, you can only use 40 gallons of water

    In Beverly Hills, you pay a fortune in taxes. They say you can only brush your teeth once a day.

    lolcat ,
    @lolcat@digipres.club avatar

    @GottaLaff

    A couple of years back I was flying a tiny private plane over the desert from Utah to Las Vegas. My second was a typical, old, white, Nevada Republican (lots of these guys in aviation). When I asked him about the ongoing water shortages, he said "over them mountains there's more water than we could ever use - we just need to get some guns together and go and take it." He and the other old pilots I interacted with talked like this constantly.

    lolcat ,
    @lolcat@digipres.club avatar

    @GottaLaff

    I run into this "Ima get my gun" solution disturbingly frequently among old white guys in the western US. In another case, an aircraft mechanic friend called the customer to say the work was done, but would cost ~5% more than estimated. The customer rounded up half a dozen friends with rifles to take the plane back by force (mechanic decamped impounded the plane).

    lolcat ,
    @lolcat@digipres.club avatar

    @GottaLaff

    When I moved to the very remote sticks a couple of years ago, the first person I met buttonholed me in the feed store to warn me about "that Biden" and "them microchip vaccines." The next one warned me about a caravan of "wetbacks" headed our way, telling me they would occupy a vacant house on my in-town lot. Another guy reassured me I'd be OK if I stuck with him "when the shooting starts."

    The rural, western US is lit!

    GottaLaff , to random
    @GottaLaff@mastodon.social avatar

    Via Jose Pagliery:

    Jose Pagliery

    Breaking news:

    The New York judge who oversaw Donald 's bank fraud trial says Allen 's lies could seal the deal in the case.

    He demands an explanation—and warns it could spell doom to Trump. https://www.thedailybeast.com/judge-demands-trump-explain-his-accountant-allen-weisselbergs-apparent-lies?ref=wrap

    lolcat ,
    @lolcat@digipres.club avatar

    @GottaLaff

    “As the presiding magistrate, the trier of fact, and the judge of credibility" is a badass way of introducing one's self.

    GottaLaff , to random
    @GottaLaff@mastodon.social avatar

    Wut.

    "The Capitol Visitor’s Center has reported Rep. Rich McCormick to the House sergeant at arms accusing him of “unsafe actions” while on a tour of the Capitol’s dome & doing pull-ups on railings suspended 100s of ft above the ground.

    The went beyond a posted sign reading “no person permitted above this platform under any circumstances,”&went over a safety railing at the “Tholos level” of the Capitol dome, more than 200 feet in the air." https://www.politico.com/live-updates/2024/01/31/congress/republican-reported-for-unsafe-actions-00138833

    lolcat ,
    @lolcat@digipres.club avatar

    @GottaLaff
    It's easy to forget that Congress is populated by thoughtful public servants, but also heaps of loudmouth bullies and morons. The more gerrymandered congressional districts become, the worse the problem gets.

    GottaLaff , to random
    @GottaLaff@mastodon.social avatar

    May he go broke trying...

    Via MeidasTouch:

    Donald #Trump fired off a late night post in which he said he is "interviewing various law firms" to represent him in his appeal of the #EJeanCarroll verdict, leaving many to wonder if Alina #Habba's time on the case is over. #legal

    lolcat ,
    @lolcat@digipres.club avatar

    @GottaLaff
    Can he even post the ~$80M bond? The $80M bond he's required to post before filing an appeal?

    IANAL, but even if he does appeal, it seems the only purpose will be legal-political theatrics with no chance of reversal.

    If he doesn't shut his trap, EJC has said she'll just sue him again. Presumably, she'll win again, and the punitive damages will only increase.

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