Breaking Fake News Update (v25)

 Fake News Broke on November 12, 2015!

Lordy, lordy, what do we have here? More breaking fake news, that's what! 

Yesterday, the FOTUS stepped away from honoring veterans by telling them and their families all kinds of crazy, irrelevant stuff (that's real news I'll address later), and called in to chat with the guys on the Pat McAfee Show. At that time, he expressed his dislike for the kickoff format the NFL has adopted. 

According to the linked article, the president said the change was "demeaning to football" and added that he doesn't think it makes things any safer. 

I mean you still have guys crashing into each other. And it’s the opposite of what the game… the ball is in the air and nobody is moving. It’s supposed to be when the ball is in the air, when the ball is played, you’re supposed to be moving.

My favorite part of his remarks? The part he left unsaid.

I don’t want to say what it reminds me of because I’ll get myself into big trouble but it is not football.

What on earth does it remind him of? Why will saying whatever that is get him in big trouble? If saying that avoiding STDs during the 70s was his personal Vietnam War, and saying he could shoot someone on 5th Avenue and not lose any votes, and cheating on all his wives didn't get him in trouble, what on earth is he worried about? 

I can't wait to hear the results of the MAHA leather helmet study - I'm dyeing to hear what the hairdressers comb up with! 

As always, when fake news breaks, I'll have it for you here!

Breaking Fake News Update (v24)

 Fake News Broke on November 9, 2025!

What?? Again?? More Fake News??? You Betcha!

ESPN broke a story that the FOTUS was very interested in having his name plastered (gold-plated?) on the new stadium being built for the NFL's Washington Commanders, and that supposedly there's interest among the ownership team in making our Narcissist-in-Chief's dream come true.  According to the ESPN article,

"That would be a beautiful name, as it was President Trump who made the rebuilding of the new stadium possible," White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt told ESPN on Friday night via email.

That's so cute, saying it was the FOTUS who made this happen, especially since that's not really what happened after all.

In April, NFL commissioner Roger Goodell, D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser and Harris announced that the Commanders' new stadium would be built in Washington.

In July, Trump said he would block the construction of the stadium if Harris did not change the team name from Commanders to its old name the Redskins, which is considered offensive to some Native American groups. Former owner Dan Snyder had stripped the name from the team in 2020, and for two years it was called the Washington Football Team before Snyder dubbed the team the Commanders. Some fans have called for the new ownership group to restore the original nickname.

I guess we're not supposed to notice that he would kill the project if his demands weren't met? Or, is that what passes for 'making something happen' in DC these days? 

On Sept. 17, the D.C. Council voted 11-2 to approve the RFK Stadium Project. The Commanders will invest $2.7 billion -- and pay for all cost overruns -- to build the 65,000-seat stadium that sits on a 174-acre parcel 2 miles from the U.S. Capitol. The district, which will chip in $1 billion, will lease the stadium to the team. The Commanders stadium project will include housing developments, a sports complex and retail shops -- "the largest economic development project in D.C. history," Bowser called it.

And, I guess we're not supposed to notice no mention of his name in the approvals paragraph?  But that's not stopping anyone, it seems. Again, from the linked ESPN article,

The source with knowledge of Trump's wishes said the president doesn't want to buy the name or have a deep-pocketed corporate sponsor buy the name for him. He wants the Commanders' stadium to be named after him, similar to Lambeau Field, as a tribute or thank you for his work to get it approved, sources said.

Anyway, we know that there's a move afoot to rename the Kennedy Center to honor him, with Rep. Bob Onder (R-MAGA) submitting a bill to do that, even though

a 1983 law specifies that “no additional memorials or plaques in the nature of memorials shall be designated or installed in the public areas of the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts.”

And there's the Trump Gold Card for wealthy immigrants, Trump Rx for cheap drugs, the F-47 fighter jet he named after himself - and we can pretty much be sure that the new dance hall at the White House will bear his name.  So why not a stadium? Why not a park bench? Why not a church pew, or a street, or a document storage facility? 

The opportunities are endless, and an Executive Order is just the way to ensure that our pain at seeing his name everywhere will be equally so.

As always, when fake news breaks, my sources are the best, and we'll have it for you here!

Breaking Fake News Update (v23)

 Fake News Broke on October 9, 2025!

You heard it here first, folks: we've got more breaking fake news! 

If you've been paying attention, or even if you've been trying *not* to pay attention, it's hard to ignore the uproar over the NFL choosing Bad Bunny to headline the Super Bowl halftime show next year. Other than complaining about the officiating, particularly the entire team of refs being on the side of Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs, it's been a long time since the NFL was the focus of this much attention. 

Oh sure, folks are up in arms about the league's push to 'internationalize' what we call football - it's hard for some to have wings and beers for breakfast on a Sunday morning, after all - and about the 'sissification' of the league (especially kickoffs!!!) and the new 'safety' penalties that take all the joy out of the game according to he-men warrior-athletes like the FOTUS. 

House Speaker MAGA Mike Johnson (R-Ighteous Indignation) is the first person I saw who floated Lee Greenwood as an alternative to the Puerto Rican rapper, but I'm sure his name has been mentioned in MAGA circles quite a bit. Here's what Johnson had to say about the official choice, and his preference, starting with Bunny. 

Well, it sounds like he's not someone who appeals to a broader audience. And I think there's so many eyes on the Super Bowl. A lot of young, impressionable children. And I think, in my view, you would have Lee Greenwood or role models, doing that. Not somebody like this. 

Um, audience appeal? Really, Missing Speaker? Take a look at these stats for Bad Bunny: 

And what does Greenwood think about all of this? Here's what the NY Post reports:

I agree with Speaker Johnson. I would make a great performer for any Super Bowl show.

It's good that Greenwood said he'd take up the white right patriotic fight, but I have to wonder about some of his (very obviously) fake terms for performing. I mean, seriously? ICE agents arresting anyone who doesn't stand for the anthem??  If I were a betting kinda gal, I'd keep my money on the Bunny.

As always, if there's fake news, we'll break it for you!

Wondering on Wednesday 6/22/22

 

Ready... Set... Wonder!

Separate from the foolishness of a Congressional Oversight Committee holding hearings on the NFL's Washington Commandos, which in and of itself deserves wondering, I can't help wondering why people continue to think that there's a quote-unquote First Amendment issue when an employer fines, fires, or otherwise disciplines an employee for comments made, or for bad behavior, or other such infractions. 

For the folks in the back, here's what the First Amendment says:

Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.

Do you see anything there about the NFL? The Washington Commandos, or Redskins, as Rep. Jim Jordan (R-Ick) called the team? 

I can only wonder when Jordan last read the First Amendment; based on his questioning of NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell, I'd say it's been a while. 

"You believe in the First Amendment, don't you?" Jordan asked Goodell. "Yes, Congressman," Goodell replied. "Why do you ban Dave Portnoy from NFL games? He's a journalist. In fact, he's a sports journalist," Jordan asked. "Why is he banned?"

Is Jordan seriously suggesting that Goodell has in some way stripped Portnoy of his constitutional rights? Or is he just being his usual idiotic showboating self? Dumb question, I know. Silly me. 

I also find myself wondering about this part, too, and whether Jordan knew how ironically funny it sounded, given the former president's well-documented proclivities....

Jordan then mentioned that Portnoy, whom multiple women have accused of sexual assault, is an established journalist who interviewed former President Trump, saying, “Seems to me, [if you] can get into the White House, you should be able to get into a football game.”

Moving from the First Amendment to the Second, there appears to be enough bipartisan agreement to pass some gun reforms this time; the initial vote to advance the legislation passed 64-34. Folks are lining up on their respective sides of the aisle, with some Dems suggesting they might not vote for it because it doesn't go far enough, and some Rs saying outright they won't vote for it because it goes too far. 

Here's one who suggests exactly that: the #3 Republican in the House, Rep. Elise Stefanik (R-Embarrassing NY as Best I Can). Stefanik, who's got a better-than-fair chance of becoming the House Majority Leader if the Rs win in November, given Trump's public souring on Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy, released this statement today.

I will continue to stand up for Second Amendment rights against this legislation that shreds the Constitutional rights of law-abiding Americans with no effect on deterring criminals who do not follow the law when obtaining firearms. This bill contains unconstitutional gun control provisions and allows the implementation of red flag laws that take away due process rights. It would restrict men and women who are able to serve in our military from purchasing a firearm and would strip the Constitutional rights of gunowners by broadening the scope of punishment for even nonviolent misdemeanors. As this blatant government overreach seeks to make gun owners second-class citizens, I will continue to stand up for the Constitution and push for solutions, including advocating for increased mental health resources across the country.

I feel kind of bad for her, that she feels compelled to say stuff like this, particularly that last part, about her intention to advocate for increased mental health resources. And I wonder if she's even read the bill, or any news reports about it?

According to this article, the bill "provides $15 billion in federal funding to bolster mental health services..." from training programs to pediatric mental health care to community health services to intervention and prevention services t0 school-based mental health services, and more.

I often wonder if folks like Stefanik wouldn't be happier in a red state like Texas, where everything is way more bigly conservative, and where her opinions would fit right in. After all, the Texas GOP passed two resolutions as their convention last week; one declared President Biden to be the 'acting' president and the beneficiary of a stolen election. The second is below. 

Resolution against the Gang of 20 Gun Control bill:

Whereas those under 21 are most likely to be victims of violent crime and thus most likely to need to defend themselves.

Whereas “red flag laws” violate one’s right to due process and are a pre-crime punishment of people not adjudicated guilty.

Whereas waiting periods on gun purchases harm those who need to acquire the means of self-defense in emergencies such as riots.

Whereas all gun control is a violation of the Second Amendment and our God given rights.

We reject the so called “bipartisan gun agreement”, and we rebuke Senators John Cornyn (R-Texas), Thom Tillis (R-N.C.), Roy Blunt (R-Mo.), Bill Cassidy (R-La.), Susan Collins (R-Maine), Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.), Rob Portman (R-Ohio), Mitt Romney (R-Utah) and Pat Toomey (R-Pa.). 

One more thing on Stefanik? Taking a page out of her Dear Leader's playbook, she's endorsing sketchy characters for office. For example, she proudly endorsed Carl Paladino for Congress in the new #NY23 district.

Carl is a job creator and conservative outsider who will be a tireless fighter for the people of New York in our fight to put America First to save the country.

I guess it makes sense that she'd endorse a guy who said Hitler is the kind of leader we need today. After all, someone very much in Stefanik's corner seems to meet the "get up there screaming these epithets and these people were just, they were hypnotized" definition Paladino used to describe Hitler... 

But, I wonder if she remembers Paladino going public with plans to threaten NY members of Congress if they didn't support Trump in 2016? Or, later that same year, when he said stuff so bizarre about the Obamas that even the Trump campaign objected? 

And that's where the real wondering comes in: is it possible that Trump's peeps have out-Trumped him? 

What's on your wondering mind tonight?

Wondering on Wednesday (v220)

Ready... Set... Wonder!

Well, no more wondering on who will be Papa Joe Biden's running mate: it's California Senator Kamala Harris. I think she was the most logical choice, and I'm glad we're no longer "hanging here, glued to the floor," like a defensive player in a college basketball game, waiting for the announcement. And if you're wondering, I'm not the originator of the hanging/glued image; rather, that's one of the classic lines from the late Joel Mareiniss, a sportscaster in my neck of the woods back in the day. 

Anyway - on the Harris decision, one of the big wonderings, which I've seen repeatedly over the past few hours, is the question of how the Trump team will attack: do they go the misogynist route, or the racist route? Now, I know for most people that wouldn't be a hard choice at all - it would be neither - but we're not dealing with "most people" here, are we? 

Here's a cautionary note that folks working for the president might want to consider, from an article from Reuters, which suggested Harris may be an "elusive target" for the Trumpeters.  

More concerning for Trump: Attacks that could appear sexist or racist against the first Black woman on a major party ticket in U.S. history could complicate his campaign’s effort to shore up his standing among suburban women, a critical voting bloc he must win back in order to get re-elected, strategists on both sides say.

According to this article from Vanity Fair Hive, others thing that Mrs. Suburban Housewife might succumb to Trump tactics, particularly if he attacks Harris well.

Other Trumpworld insiders are thrilled at the opportunity to define Harris as a radical leftist, a portrayal echoed Tuesday night on Fox News. “She’s going to help with the base, and that’s where it ends,” a Trump adviser predicted. “She’ll scare the shit out of suburban women. How great is this?” Trump has taken to stoking fears that a Biden victory will fuel unrest in “Democrat-run cities,” a barely disguised racist appeal that he picked up again on Wednesday morning following the Harris announcement. “The ‘suburban housewife’ will be voting for me,” he tweeted. The adviser added that Biden would soon regret choosing a high-wattage running mate. “This is not Mike Pence to Donald Trump or Joe Biden to Obama. Kamala is going to be the candidate. She’ll be constantly overshadowing him. In three to four weeks, Biden is going to realize he made a dumb move.” 

One thing upon which no wondering will be spent? How "nasty" this is going to get. It's already getting that way. I'll just say that the fact-checkers at Facebook and Twitter and Instagram better load up on covfefe and hydroxy and hamberders and whatever else suits their fancy, because I sense there'll be a whole bigly lot of blocking going on, going on.

What else do we have to wonder about? Football. Will there be college football this fall, or not until the spring, or not at all? Will the NFL get their season underway, as planned? And what about the kneeling - if someone kneels during the national anthem, will there be presidential hell to pay? Will we be called upon to boycott pro teams and their sponsors? And what on earth will happen the remaining Power 5 Conferences decide to follow the Big 10 and the Pac 12 and punt, as it were? As of now, it's still a go for the others, but who knows where things'll stand later.

Moving on to QAnon - something I honestly NEVER anticipated typing - it seems we'll have an honest to goodness supporter of the conspiracy theorists in the House come January. As noted in this NPR story,

Marjorie Taylor Greene, a construction executive, won 57% of the vote in Georgia's heavily-Republican 14th Congressional District, handily defeating neurosurgeon John Cowan, who had pitched himself as, "All of the conservative, none of the embarrassment."

Nice pitch there, by Cowan - too bad it apparently was way too far out of the strike zone for voters in the district. I wonder, do the rest of the Republicans agree with him on that? Well, it seems even House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy does; according to his spox, he found Greene's views "appalling."  But, on the other hand,

President Trump congratulated Greene on Wednesday morning, calling her a "future Republican Star" who is "strong on everything."

Like, you know, conspiracy theories and hate and stuff. And speaking of conspiracy theorists and hate and stuff, here's Alex Jones harassing people working at a park in Austin. You can wonder on your own about him. And wonder what that coveted suburban woman demographic thinks of him attacking their children...

One more crazy thing? It appears that Kanye West, the Birthday Party candidate for president, met recently with Jared Kushner, the president's daughter's husband. I wonder, do you think they were talking about cake? I mean, Ivanka's got a birthday coming up in a few months...

And finally, I'll leave you with a prediction - because everyone's predicting Trump/Pence will win (or Biden/Harris will), or that the polls are right (or wrong), or that it will rain (or not) or that something else will happen (or it won't). A friend, who's not a fan of either Trump or Biden, asked me last night whether Harris would still get to be the VP when Biden gets the hook at the Democratic National Convention. When I asked for clarification, here's what he said, in part.

It's 2020 - something crazy's going to happen last minute to completely change everything... 

And you know what I'm wondering?  What. If. He's. Right?

The pandemic... bubonic plague... murder hornets... Megxit and Brexit... A nearly 3,000 point drop in the Dow...  Cancelled Olympics... 20,000,000 million Americans unemployed... UFO videos... SpaceX Dragon... lots more weird stuff this year, already, as well.

So, what if he's right?  We'll find out next week.

What are you wondering about?

TGIF 7/24/20

A bunch of random stuff to mull over as the 'work week', however that's defined for you, comes to a close.

The NFL Team Formerly Known as the Washington Redskins will be known, this year anyway, as the Washington Football Team.

Why, you ask? Well, there apparently are some trademark and licensing stuff, plus logos and stuff, plus who knows, maybe generating more interest waiting for the new name to be revealed?

And, speaking of waiting, in case you can't, here's a bone you can gnaw on, if you like, that suggests the new name has been chosen, and perhaps why there might be some legal stuff to deal with.

Let's see, what else do we have?

• Person. Woman. Man. Camera. TV.

• Regular math, not Andrew Yang MATH: did you know that the average maximum weekly unemployment benefit for the 50 states, DC and Puerto Rico is less than $500? Or that only nine states pay extra unemployment for someone who has dependents?  Or that only thirteen states pay at least a "living wage" ($600/week, the equivalent of $15/hour for 4o hours) in unemployment (with or without dependents) Or that Kentucky's maximum is higher than New York's? The figures don't include the extra (and effectively expired) COVID-19 pandemic benefit of $600 per week. 

• You can get an MBA for only $12.99 through the Find Something New initiative co-chaired by Ivanka Trump as part of her workforce portfolio.

• The entire assembled teams of the New York Yankees and the Washington Nationals took a knee before the National Anthem last night - and the world didn't stop spinning, except for lots of people on social media. And, staying with baseball for one more item, the Toronto Blue Jays will play most of their home games in Buffalo, where they have a Triple-A affiliate. The reason? Concerns about the coronavirus, of course, which prevented them from being able to travel to and from their home stadium. (Not for nothing, there's a ban on travel across the US/Canada border which is preventing people from working, being present for the birth of their children and so on).

• The president may or may not have asked his Ambassador to the UK to ask the Brits to see about holding a British Open at Trump's Turnberry course in Scotland. Both Trump and the ambassador say it didn't happen. Golf Magazine justifies the ask by saying that according to their rankings, Turnberry is #17 on their Top 100 Courses in the World list. If that's true, they can do it when Trump's out of office.

• The FDIC has relaxed regulations related to banks hiring people with minor criminal records, "expanding the pool of potential candidates and leveling the playing field for aspiring bank workers." Going forward, folks with offenses like small dollar theft (less than a grand) or possession of fake identification, can be hired without a waiver; around 100 or so waivers were requested annually.

And, I'll leave you with the funniest thing I saw all week. 

TGIF, everyone.

TGIF 7/3/20

What kind of week was it? As usual, that all depends on who you are, or where you are, or when you are who you are where you are, or if you are who or what you say you are... Or something.

Let's take a look, shall we, starting in the world of sports...

Women took a knee during the national anthem at a few soccer games; several wore #BlackLivesMatter shirts, and even some coaches and officials took a knee, too.  And it seems, somehow, that the world did not stop spinning. Not only that, but players have a choice in whether, or how, to participate in patriotic celebrations, which seems to me to be a pretty patriotic, freedomy thing to do on the eve of Independence Day.

And speaking of choice, there was more than a little irony in seeing anti-maskers marching to a chant of "my body, my choice" given that the small government conservatives usually only show disdain for that kind of silliness, I recall. Clearly, masks are polarizing issue, and picking a marching slogan is fraught with danger, but heck - even Mitch McConnell (R-White House) has finally decided that wearing a mask is actually something he can talk about.

We must have no stigma, none, about wearing masks when we leave our homes and come near other people. Wearing simple face coverings is not about protecting ourselves, it is about protecting everyone we encounter.

And I would assume that includes his own encounters, for example, with the president, who stated that he himself looked like the Lone Ranger  in his black mask. I hope I get to see that, I really do!

Ghislaine Maxwell, confidant and alleged co-conspirator of the late Jeffrey Epstein, as well as apparent Friend of Trump and Friend of Bill Clinton, if we can believe the photos, was arrested yesterday morning in New Hampshire and is facing multiple charges involving the alleged Epstein sexual assault victims.  Needless to say, given Epstein's unfortunate demise, there are many calls for Maxwell to be placed under the closest of close surveillance while she's in prison, mostly (if the memes are correct), to protect her from the wrath and reach of Hillary Clinton.

And speaking of wrath, there's more than enough of that going around aimed at the NFL (back to sports we go).  First, the Washington Redskins are going to do a "thorough review" on the team's name, after ignoring the calls to change it that have echoed for years. What's different now? Well, FedEx  told them they had to;  and Nike has stopped selling the team's merch after it, PepsiCo, and FedEx were all sent notifications by shareholders asking them to bail on the team if it didn't make a change.

But wait - there's more.

The NFL announced that it would play 'Lift Every Voice and Sing,' a song known as the black national anthem, before the US national anthem at each of the first-week games. Not at every game all season long, mind you - just on opening weekend - but that's enough to drive people crazy on social media, some of whom (including some who may not even watch NFL games anyway) have declared they will never watch the sport again. No comment on whether they're ever going to drink Pepsi again, or ship by FedEx, or pay too much for Nike sneaks. We'll have to see how that all works out.

And one more, before we finish this, our first TGIF lap of the month of July. NASCAR will have a Trump 2020 car this year, to encourage voting, making America great again, and perhaps as a little gamesmanship given we've already seen the #BlackLivesMatter car. Again, when the latter car made an appearance, fans were beside themselves, decrying the intrusion of politics into the sport. Now, not so much.

But that's OK.  Me personally? "I'm never going to watch NASCAR anymore!" (and for the record, I'm not going to watch it any less, either - because I don't watch it at all now...)

TGIF everyone -- and whether you choose to celebrate Independence Day or not, whatever you do this weekend, please be safe.

And remember, hand sanitizer and sparklers are not compatible...

Wondering on Wednesday (v200)

Ready... Set... Wonder!

So, what's on your mind tonight?  Are you wondering about the coronavirus pandemic? You know, the one about which the president said. 

I've always known this is a real - this is a pandemic. I felt it was a pandemic long before it was called a pandemic.

He might have known it was a pandemic, and he might have felt it was a pandemic, but he sure as heck didn't say anything about it being one. In fact, it was quite the opposite. Barry Rubin of The Bulwark put together this video showing us just what the president was telling us all this time he had those feelings. No need to wonder why he never said anything - it wouldn't have put him in a good light - and as the video shows, he'd give himself a perfect 10 for how he's handled this.

I should note that at least they've changed the podium used for the president's press briefings, so every speaker doesn't have to adjust the microphones to talk. But the task force members are still standing right next to each other, some of them are still touching the sides of the podium, and of course Trump lurks next to whoever's at the podium the entire time. Which is even more odd when you see that the reporters have been separated by an empty chair or two, allowing them to practice the social distancing that the task force is literally begging us to follow.

But the big news from the perfect 10 response? Mar-a-Lago will FINALLY close, after being a hot spot of sorts with several positive tests for the virus among attendees of various events. Here's a note about this from the Palm Beach Post.

...Donald Trump’s Mar-a-Lago Club in Palm Beach has notified members it will close its restaurant and spa and cancel aerobics classes starting Thursday in response to health concerns related to the coronavirus outbreak.

I wonder if he decided to close now because he thought it was a pandemic a long time ago?  Or because he thinks it would be poor form to keep it open while he's telling the rest of us to stay home? Although, I must add, many Florida beaches are still open for spring break, so maybe he's just keeping up with the Joneses.

Some other wonderings, starting with them Dems.

• Papa Joe Biden won the primaries yesterday - Arizona, Illinois, and Florida, picking up another 281 delegates to That Guy from Vermont's 140.  Biden is now up by nearly 300 delegates, and right now we don't really know what to expect going forward as far as potential impact from the pandemic. I wonder if any other governors will do what Ohio's Mike DeWine did - declare a public health emergency and postpone their primaries for a month or nearly three? 

• For his part, TGFV is having to take a look at what his options are, if there are any, and he'll have to wonder whether it's worth it to continue. The margins of victory from yesterday's votes - 11.9% in Arizona, 23% in Illinois, and a whopping 39% in Florida - seem to suggest there's little hope left, but we'll see what happens. 

• Maybe the best thing he can do is to inspire others to attack the "establishment" Dems, get them out of the way, and then let AOC run for president in '24 or '28... and now I'm wondering if maybe that's the plan she's been working towards all along, since it was reported she wasn't all that interested in helping out the Vermonter's campaign when he needed her most?

Meanwhile, Fox News was happy to report, president Trump clinched the Republican nod Tuesday night. I wonder, does anyone even remember who was running against him?

In not-political news, Tom Brady has announced his career as a New England Patriot is over, and he's up for grabs. The problem is not a lot of teams want to grab him - looks like he's going to end up with the Tampa Bay Bucs (probably the most likely outcome) or the Los Angeles Chargers (I think the only other team that's still remotely interested. So, what's the wondering?

Well, for starters, why does he want to keep playing, at this stage of the game? 20 years, six Super Bowl wins, the Greatest of All Time, etc. etc. etc. And then, on the flip side, if you're Tom Brady, would you be able to resist the chance to turn around a team that only won seven games last season?

Elsewhere in the sports world, there's good news to report from the NBA, particularly in how some of the players are responding to the league's suspension of play.  As we learn in this CBS Sports article, a number of the guys have stepped up to assist others in need. One of them is New Orleans Pelicans rookie Zion Williamson, a 19-year-old kid, who is paying the salaries of all the folks who work at the Smoothie King Arena for 30 days.

Why, you wonder, might he do that? Because, he said, his mom "has always set an example for me about being respectful for others and being grateful for what we have." Good for her, good for him, and good for everyone who's doing things large and small to help others during these crazy times.  

TGIF 11/15/19

Where to begin with today's good week - bad week list?

How about that Browns/Steelers fight last night? I didn't watch the game and hadn't seen any news before I saw the video, so it was quite the shocker to see before breakfast this morning.  With quarter-million-dollar fines to both teams, player suspensions and fines already announced, I'm thinking this falls squarely in the bad week column.

And then, part of me thought about the people who make those 'cute' videos with images of president Trump's head superimposed on other people's bodies, attacking the media, or his enemies (John McCain and Hillary Clinton, among others) getting hold of this one and having Trump, I don't know, beating Rep. Adam Schiff over the head with a helmet or something. Because I can certainly see that happening.

Continuing in the bad week vein, I'd have to include a few reporters, including Jonathan Allen of NBC, who offered this:

But at a time when Democrats are simultaneously eager to influence public opinion in favor of ousting the president and quietly apprehensive that their hearings could stall of backfire, the first round felt like the dress rehearsal for a serious one-act plan than the opening night of a hit Broadway musical. 

Seriously? I guess maybe the Dems should call Randy Rainbow to come in a do a few beautifully crafted, snarky showtunes?

Allen also offered this, after talking about Ambassador Bill Taylor and diplomat George Kent delivering a 'wide-ranging discourse" on diplomacy and more (emphasis added),

And yet Taylor and Kent failed - or perhaps succeeded, given their nonpartisan roles in government and the atypically serious postures struck by lawmakers of both parties - by dropping no bombshells and largely repeating the testimony they gave congressional investigators at depositions previously held behind closed doors.

So, instead, they should have changed their stories, to generate better headlines? Tweeted from their witness chairs to spark controversy? Pounded their shoes on the table, or Nicholsoned or something?Would that have been more 'pizzazzy' for everyone?

Allen and NBC were not alone - Reuters reporters Jeff Mason and Patricia Zengerle offered this:

Democratic lawmakers tried their hand at reality television with mixed results on Wednesday as they presented arguments to the American public for the impeachment of a former start of the genre, Donald Trump. 

Unlike the best reality TV shows - not to mention the Trump presidency itself - fireworks and explosive moments were scarce, however.  

I'm guessing that Taylor and Kent will likely be making apologies to all Americans, letting us know they didn't realize that appearing under subpoena to provide testimony in an impeachment hearing should have been something done with bells on, or something. Besides, Kent was wearing a bow tie - what more fun can a person have (in contrast to the jacketless Jim Jordan)? Maybe an appearance on Sesame Street or something in the next week or so?

And, of course, I'm sure Rep. Schiff will reach out personally to the president's second son to make amends, because. as Reuters told us,

To the president's son, Eric Trump, it was a big yawn. 

I get that there's a component to this of making impeachment understandable to people, to voters,  just as there was in the Clinton hearings. And I'm sorry that there isn't an ejaculate-stained blue dress this time around. No - I'm really not sorry there's nothing as salacious here, unless of course you count Devin Nunes' opening statement on Wednesday.

Sticking with the impeachment for a little bit longer, I'm sorry that one of New York's own representatives, Elise Stefanik, is willingly participating in the game being played by Nunes and the rest of her party, instead of acting like a reasonable person. During today's hearing, Nunes attempted to yield the floor to Stefanik during what I'll loosely call 'leader time' - both of them knowing that she was not allowed to speak at that time.  Why? Because rules, that's why (emphasis added)

• Extended Questioning by the Chair, Ranking Member, and Committee Counsels. Pursuant to H. Res. 660, the Chair and Ranking Member may conduct at the outset of each open hearing extended rounds of questioning for periods of up to 90 minutes, as determined by the Chair and split evenly between the two sides. As specified in H. Res. 660, the Chair and Ranking Member may not yield time to other Members during these extended question periods, though either may yield time to Majority and Minority Committee Counsels, respectively.

• A similar rule put in place initially by House Republican leadership in 1997 authorized committees to allow extended periods of time for the questioning of witnesses, in excess of traditional five-minute rounds. The 1997 revision also allowed staff to question witnesses at hearings. Under this approach, which was also adopted in subsequent Congresses, staff questioned witnesses during the Clinton impeachment hearings and in numerous other investigative hearings.

• As Chairman, I expect to yield extensive time to Majority Committee Counsel during the extended questioning periods permitted under H. Res. 660. After I announce the conclusion of extended questioning, Committee Members will be recognized for customary five-minute rounds pursuant to House Rule XI. 

I'm sure though, that this will meet the 'pizzazz' threshold for DC reporters, because it looks good that there's some fighting and finger-pointing and all that. What it mostly does, though, is show the willingness of the GOP to do whatever they can to attack the hearings.

Yay, us, or something.

On the good side of the ledger? One name out there: former Ambassador Marie Yovanovitch, who received a standing ovation after her testimony today.  Texas Republican Will Hurd had this to say about her, after reciting a list of her awards and recognitions:

You're tough as nails and you're smart as hell. You're a great example of what our ambassadors should be like. You're an honor to your family, you are an honor to the foreign service, you are an honor to this country, and I thank you for all that you have done and will continue to do on behalf of your country.

I'd add the Roger Stone jury, as well.

The panel of nine women and three men deliberated for less than two days before finding Stone, 67, guilty on all seven counts resulting from his September 2017 testimony to the House Intelligence Committee, which was investigating Russian interference in the 2016 election and the Kremlin’s efforts to damage Donald Trump’s Democratic opponent, Hillary Clinton.

Perhaps Stone will get a Donald Trump tattoo to go with his Richard Nixon tattoo; it might help his efforts to get a pardon.

TGIF, everyone.

TGIF 2/22/19

Count me among the folks who are happy that this week is over, and hopefully things can get back to normal starting tomorrow, whether I knock off that bottle of wine tonight or not!

Let's see how some other folks did, starting in the sports world.

We got news (I saw it last Saturday, so it counts for this week) that a confidential settlement had been reached by Colin Kaepernick and the NFL, which resolves the second most hated man in football's collusion lawsuit. Whether or not it leads to a job on an NFL team -- he hasn't played since the 2016 season - remains to be seen, but there are a number of teams that might as well take a chance on him as not. Some have speculated that maybe the Pats would take a chance on him, and that's probably the most logical since they're the most hated team in the NFL.  Maybe hate plus hate could be a match made in heaven?

Speaking of the Pats, news broke today that the team's owner, Robert Kraft, had been caught in a South Florida sting and is being charge with two misdemeanor counts of soliciting a prostitute. Rumor has it there's video - but rumor also has it that there are bigger fish to fry in the sting, which may include sex trafficking, although I've seen nothing long those lines mentioned in reference to Kraft. Categorical denials are coming from his people.

Also on the seedy side of the street? Singer/producer R Kelly has been charged with multiple counts of aggravated sex abuse. Kelly has been getting new attention for prior bad acts, it seems, after a six-hour documentary, Surviving R Kelly, recently aired. If the allegations are true, he deserves whatever punishment he gets.

Sunday School 2/3/19

Today we've got the Super Bowl edition of Sunday School, as president Trump sat for an interview with Margaret Brennan, host of Face the Nation on CBS.

Among the topics they discussed and my summation of each):

• the shutdown, the national emergency at the border, Nancy Pelosi (BAD!)
• the kerfuffle with the intelligence folks and whether or not Trump feels they're intelligent; (SMART!)
• ISIS, Syria and Afghanistan; (WINNING)
• his Cabinet and how they're acting; (GREAT PEOPLE!)
• the NFL, the USMCA, Barron and the national anthem; (GREAT PRODUCT!)
• racism; (LOOK AT ALL THE BLACK PEOPLE WORKING!)
• the Russian witch hunt; and (HILLARY'S EMAILS)
• Venezuela, North Korea and China (DEALS!)

Let's dive in, shall we?

Standing for Something

No dream is too big. No challenge is too great. Nothing we want for our future is beyond our each. ~Donald Trump

To say nothing is saying something. You must denounce things that you are against or one might believe that you support things you really do not. ~Germany Kent

If you stand for something you will have people for you and people against you. But if you stand for nothing you will have nobody for you and nobody against you. ~ Maurice Saatchi

You must stand for something! It does not have to be grand, but it must be a positive that brings light to someone else's darkness. ~Anthony Carmona

I think the big problem this country has is being politically correct. I've been challenged by so many people and I don't, frankly, have time for total political correctness. ~Donald Trump

You have enemies? Good. That means you've stood up for something, sometime in your life.~Winston Churchill

Give to us clear vision that we may know where to stand and what to stand for - because unless we stand for something,we shall fall for anything. ~ Peter Marshall

It's not easy to stand up against your constituents or your friends or colleagues or your community and take a tough stand for something you believe is right. Because you always want to keep working and live to fight another battle and it might cost you your career. ~Caroline Kennedy

There's always opposition when you do something big. I do many things that are controversial. When people see it, they love it! ~Donald Trump

I want to stand for something, and it's probably going to be something that some people stand against. ~Blake Shelton

Don't believe that winning is really everything. It's more important to stand for something. If you don't stand for something, what do you win? ~Lane Kirkland

When you stand for something, you've got to stand for it all the way, not just half way.~ Kevin Gates

We must speak our minds openly, debate our disagreements honestly, but always pursue solidarity. ~Donald Trump

Image from Colin Kaepernick

Trump in Transition (v29)

I don't think people should be staying in locker rooms 

but I still think it's good, 

you have to stand proudly for the national anthem.

 Or you shouldn't be playing, you shouldn't be there

Maybe you shouldn't be in the country. 

What the everloving hell is that? Maybe you shouldn't be in the country if you don't want to "stand proudly" for the national anthem?  

If that's the case, probably at least 10% of the people at every NFL game shouldn't be in the country, because they're already bombed by the time the anthem starts, and unable to execute any kind of stand, much less a respectful one. 

If that's the case, 99% of the people who watch NFL games in bars shouldn't be in the country, because you and I both know that they are not standing respectfully - or at all - during the national anthem.

The people who ignore the national anthem while watching games at home, racing to the bathroom before the game starts, yelling for more wings and beer? Yeah, they too don't belong in the country.

If that's the case, probably 75% of the people working at any stadium -- ticket takers, food vendors, housekeeping staff and the like, probably should be in the country - because they're not stopping doing their jobs during the national anthem. 

And let's define proudly, shall we?  Does that preclude gum chewing? Hacking and spitting? Scratching? Talking? Nervous footwork? Shoulder-pad slamming?  Hopping up and down in the cold? Those folks don't belong in the country, either, I wouldn't think. 

Rich white guys hanging around the 19th hole - do you think they take of their little golf caps and stand at attention?  Let's get them out of here, too -- no white privilege for them, no sirree.

And don't even get me started on anthem singers.

So, let's recap. Protesting, talking, eating, making money, being in the loo, flirting in a bar, yelling at your kids in your man cave, chewing gum, trying to stay warm, pouring beer, cleaning urinals, emptying trash, rich white country club guys-- all of those people don't belong in the country.

Right...

What the president failed to mention was, do we have to leave for good? Or do we only leave on Sundays, Mondays and Thursdays? Or is it only when when our favorite team is playing? 

What the everloving hell is that?

Wondering on Wednesday (v133)

Whoa Nellie, as the late sportscaster Keith Jackson used to say -- there's a lot of wondering going on here tonight!

I wonder what, exactly, Jared Kushner did to get his full and permanent security clearance?  Did he:

• stop filing amendments to his financial statements? 
• Stop remembering meetings and discussions and how much money he made and squirreled away under which mattresses? 
• Stop seeking financial help from foreign governments to bail out his troubled real estate company? 
• Promise to take the fall for his father-in-law should the need arise? 

I'm sure there's no correlation between his lengthy interview with the Special Counsel's office and his getting the security clearance. I mean, that would be some kind of crazy conspiratorial dark red state infowar-ish false flag kind of thing, and we all know that's just crazy talk. Right? That's just crazy talk?

And I wonder what exactly is the cause of the falling attendance and falling ratings for NASCAR and why isn't anyone on talking about it? Well, let me rephrase that -- no one other than the fake news is talking about it. But the truth seems to be that attendance is down, ratings are down, and the family business that is NASCAR might be put up for sale.  Now, I'm literally 0% interested in car racing, but when racetracks go so far as to remove tens of thousands of seats to improve their attendance numbers, or to make it look better on TV, we're in the bigly manipulation game, don't you think?

Now, you may be wondering why NASCAR attendance matters to a person like me; let me explain.  You all remember the NFL 'anthem protests' and how the Interferer in Chief thought that anyone who protested should be fired, and how he encouraged everyone to boycott, and how ratings and attendance were down? And how everyone said, boy, those NASCAR fans sure as shootin' would NEVER stand for anyone not standing for the flag...

Well, the truth is, NASCAR attendance is dropping, NFL attendance is dropping, MLB attendance is down, all at the same time. So, it kind of begs the question, were the anthem protests and the resulting bluster from 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue the cause of the drop off, as the president likes to claim, or is there a general trend here that maybe he's not wanting to tweet about?

Speaking of the NFL, the owners and the commissioner did their darnedest to come up with a plan that would please? appease? the president and get him to stop yelling at them.  The plan? Any player who is on the field at the time the national anthem is played must stand and be respectful. Players are not required to be on the field during the anthem, but if they are, they must toe the line (while assuming a respectful position of course). Now, don't go yelling at me: I love my country, I know the words to the national anthem, and I stand -- I've pointed all of that out before, and it is still true today.

I wonder, though, what they'll blame for this year's attendance? Or, will the rules changes made in the offseason  (a hit is just a hit, a catch is but a catch...) be enough to get fans back? And what, I wonder, will all the fans who became experts on the NFL's rule book and operations manual do with all their free time going forward?

A couple quick notes: the NFL has been in existence since the 1920's. I think it's safe to say that the world did not come to an end in years between the start of the league and the start of players on the field for the anthem, which began in 2009. And similarly, if unrelated, the world didn't come to an end in all the years between the adoption of the Second Amendment and the Heller decision in 2008 - but I digress.

And now to the last wonderings of the night. Wondering so painful, I must say, that my head Joe Biden Literally exploded (which means, of course, that my head is still intact, and attached). Wondering so exhausting, I'm -- well, I'm exhausted. And sick. And sick tired of this stuff.

How, I wonder - how can it be possible that a person who is parked across two handicapped spaces in an empty drug store parking lot at 2AM ends up Tased, screamed at, put on the ground, arrested for being physically aggressive, scratched and bruised by four police officers and two police sergeants? In 2018? In an American city?

Well, it happens, you and I both know, because the guy who chose to park badly is black. He's black, he's young, he's wearing a chain, and did I mention he's black? It's ridiculous. It's embarrassing. It's shameful.

And so I have to ask, does anyone really wonder why athletes protest during the national anthem?

Poll Watch: Taking a Knee

A recent HBO Real Sports/Marist poll assessed public sentiment on protests by professional athletes during the playing of the national anthem.

You'll recall that president Trump has made this a bigly darn deal, going so far as to suggest that kneeling players should be FIRED as if they were contestants on his ridiculous TV show.

Trump has done his unlevel headed best to get America fired up about this, and had some success in the beginning, for sure. I'm not sure whether it has anything to do with Trump, but friends of mine have sworn off watching the NFL because of the protests, so there has been an impact.

But what does public opinion show?  First, the gory details: the poll was conducted using landlines and cell phones 10/15 - 10/17. Respondents had to be at least 18 years of age. Cell phone numbers were randomly selected from all regions and were proportionally sampled; business phones were excluded. There's more, but you get the drift: it was designed to be random and statistically accurate.

Back in September 2016, when Colin Kaepernick was kneeling during the anthem, 52% of Americans felt that players should be required to stand for the anthem. But in the October poll, 51% say leagues should not require athletes to stand.

Here's some demographic data:

• Percentages of those who think standing should not be required are up 7% in the Northeast and 5% in the West. 
• In the Midwest and South, 50% think players should be required to stand.
• By a large margin (76%), African Americans don't believe players should be forced to stand; this is up 28% over the previous survey.
• Latinos (56%) and whites (54%) also fall on the 'not required' side; these numbers are consistent with the 2016 survey.

So, what else does the poll tell us?

We're OK with the protests, but we're torn on what they mean. 49% think they're disrespectful to the freedoms represented by the anthem; 46% think they're representative of the freedoms the anthem represents.

When it comes to what the anthem itself represents, 57% think it's a symbol of our rights and freedoms; 34% think it's a symbol of the sacrifice our military has made over the years, and 10% are unsure. Last year's results were different: 65%, 27%, and 8%, respectively.

And while we struggle a little trying to get our arms around what this all means, 52% of us think the athletes 'did the right thing' by kneeling or locking arms; 41% think it was the wrong thing to do.

And, the poll shows viewership seems to be steady. Marist first asked about viewership way back in 2009 - the Michael Vick returns from prison days. Back then, 56% said they followed the NFL at least a little.  In this year's poll, that has grown to 69%.

Now - back to president Trump.

• 68% think he was wrong to criticize the players and call for them to be fired; 28% think he was right to do so.
• We are split on whether the Vice President did the right thing with his 'spontaneous' (and by spontaneous, I mean totally planned) walkout of the Colts game last month.

In a PBS Newshour/Marist poll published earlier in October, Americans seemed to be more of one mind. (This poll followed the same general methodology as noted above).

• 60% of us (and 67% of football fans) agree with the NFL that Trump's suggestion that the players should be fired were "inappropriate, offensive and divisive" while only 33% agreed with him.

Looking at the demographics, there's a clear connection between a person's politics and the extent to which they agree with the president.

• 72% of Republicans, 67% of conservative or very conservative self-identifiers and 76% of Trump voters agree with Trump's position.
• White Americans without a college degree, a key Trump demographic, are split; 45% agree with the president; 48% agree with the NFL.

What these two polls show, and most of the other ones as well, is that while president Trump does his darnedest to sway public opinion, he's not always successful.

Yay, us.

Wondering on Wednesday (v105)

I wonder: can you tell, just by looking at the average person, dressed and acting in an unremarkable fashion, whether they're religious? Liberal? A Nazi? Trans? Patriotic? Can you see into their heart of hearts just by looking at them?

And I wonder, looking at the average member of the military, can you tell whether they're in the service to defend the flag, or to defend our Constitution, or just because they want to take out a bad guy?

Wondering further, when you hear me talk about "American ideals" are you thinking what I'm thinking? And, wondering most, what exactly is the 'correct' definition of patriot? Of American? And who gets to define that?

Does the president have the right to define it for us? Do you have the right to define it for me? Or me for you? Or is it the most American ideal of all, that we each have the freedom - and the responsibility - to be the best kind of American we can, as we define it?

I wonder, when people watched or heard about what happened at NFL games on Sunday, whether they questioned the motivation of  the players who participated? Are they on board with the real reason for the protest - racism, discrimination, blacks dying at the hands of the police - or are they just pissed that the president called one of them an SOB and so they're all SOBs?  And I wonder, are the people who were booing all upset about the same thing? Can we be sure, without talking to each of them?

Are the owners really standing in unity with the players? And, I wonder if they're united for something, or if they're united against someone? Because there's a real difference there. Shannon Sharpe had some interesting opinions on all of this.

So did the wife of Pat Tillman, the former NFL player killed by friendly fire back in 2004. She found her husband the subject of a meme suggesting that he would have been against those 'anthem protesters' which is not the case.

Speaking of standing united, the president is going to head to Puerto Rico soon, to view the horrific damage from Hurricane Maria. I supposed, if Melania goes with him, we'll have to put up with more questions about her footwear -- and for the record, she wore her heels on the walk from the White House to the helicopter, but she never wore them in Houston. Those who said she did were saying it on purpose.

On Twitter, the Governor of Puerto Rico said he "briefed @POTUS in the Situation Room and thanked him for his leadership, quick response and commitment" which of course both @realDonaldTrump and @POTUS retweeted. But most of the quick response, it seems, came before Maria actually hit. And a pre-landfall emergency declaration, and post storm disaster declarations can only go so far, as Rosello noted in an interview with Bloomberg.

Administration, they've been helpful up until now. But we need more help. We need more help. We need more resources. And at the same time, Congress solidarity and all of the help they've pledged through social media and phone calls with our staff. Now is the time to materialize it.

For his part, Trump noted

We've had tremendous reviews from government officials. This morning the government made incredible statements about how well we're doing.

This, as we watch folks stand in water lines, food lines, gas lines, and gather around random working cell towers trying to reach the outside world. 

But united we stand  - including the five living presidents. As they did for Harvey and Irma victims, they're fundraising for Maria victims.

United we stand, where locally the Boys and Girls Club is collecting donations for Puerto Rico; the same thing is happening across the state of New York, which has long had the largest population of Puerto Ricans in the US (that's now being challenged by Florida), and across the country.

United we stand. And wondering again: when you hear me talk about "American ideals" are you thinking what I'm thinking? And, wondering most, what exactly is the 'correct' definition of patriot? Of American? And who gets to define that?

There You Go Again, Again

How's that quote go?  Those who can't remember the past are doomed to repeat it?

Above, you can see that the president retweeted a picture of the late Pat Tillman,who was killed by friendly fire while serving in Afghanistan in 2004; the comment from the original user, who calls himself a Trump supporter 110%, suggests that it's dishonoring Tillman, himself a former NFL player, to kneel during the national anthem.

Do you think anyone thought to check with Tillman's widow, to see what she thinks about her husband's name and likeness being used in this manner? Uh, that would apparently be a no.

Here's her statement:

As a football player and soldier, Pat inspired countless Americans to unify. It is my hope that his memory should always remind people that we must come together.

Pat's service, along with that of every man and woman's service, should never be politicized in a way that divides us. We are too great of a country for that.

Those that serve fight for the American ideals of freedom, justice and democracy. They and their families know the cost of that fight. I know the very personal costs in a way I feel acutely every day. The very action of self expression and the freedom to speak from one's heart - no matter those views - is what Pat and so many other Americans have given their lives for. Even if they didn't always agree with those views. 

It is my sincere hope that our leaders both understand and learn from the lessons of Pat's life and death, and also those of so many other brave Americans.  

And yes, this is not the first time or even the second time this has happened. Much as Trump co-opted music that he liked or thought made a statement throughout his campaign, without permission of the artists, he and his allies have also done this type of thing with others whose lives were lost.

US Ambassador Chris Stevens, who was killed in Benghazi, has been a frequent pawn in the Republican playbook.  His mother was forced to issue a terse statement asking them to cease and desist the "opportunistic and cynical use" of his name.

The family of Kate Steinle had the same problem, when "Kate's Law" starting making the rounds after she was killed by an illegal immigrant. Her family didn't want her name to be "in the center of a political controversy" and, as is the case with Tillman and Stevens, the family does not hold the same beliefs as those taking her name in vain.

Those who do not learn from the past are doomed to repeat it. And repeat it. And repeat it, it seems.

But I guess you can do that when you think you have exclusive rights to defining patriotism and what it means to be an American, and when you think that you have the right to enforce that opinion on American citizens, companies and organizations.

I guess.

I looked for, and did not see, a note from the patriot in chief to his 39 million real and fake Twitter followers that he apologizes for yet again using someone's name for his own political gain. I'll keep an eye out, and will let you know if I see it.