Blog: If I understand this

Re Trump’s attack:  There is that thing about the Constitution’s unambiguous statement that only Congress can declare war, the absence of a law akin to the Iraq War-era Authorization for Use of Military Force (even Hillary voted for that one), and — critically — a lack of an imminent threat to the United States.

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CNN:  First images from the largest camera ever built reveal millions of galaxies

Think about that – millions of galaxies?  I don’t think our minds can truly grasp the magnitude of that . . . even an astrophysicist, with all the formulas they use, can’t do that . . . I don’t think . . .who can properly grasp what even one light year represents?

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Name one thing that is cheaper now than years ago . . . ok, this:

When RCA debuted its first color TV set in 1954, the 15-inch screen came with a $1,000 price tag. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics’ inflation calculator, that would be more than $11,600 today.

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What happens when an irresistible force meets an immovable object?

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Something I saw about Coney Island, New York, reminded me of the time I went there.  I was about 5 and barely remember it.  I do remember the Steeplechase horse ride and the parachute ride.  I’ll attach pics.  The steeplechase was on rails outside of the building, and went around the corner.  Gravity fueled.  Dunno how they got the mechanical horses back up on top.  The beginning of the ride was a few stories high, outside of the building. The parachute drop was 200 feet. I didn’t want to go on either ride but did it.  Likely intimidation from older brother or Dad.

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Here’s a thought:  Most, if not every, country we have attacked and/or invaded was not a nuclear power, or before that was available, not as weaponized as us.  Lesse, like:   Cuba, Philippines, Panama, Tunisia, Morocco, Mexico, Grenada, Nicaragua, Turkey, Korea, Iraq, Vietnam, Libya, Somalia, Iran, Syria, Afghanistan, and Yemen.  I am forgetting some.  (How did Hawaii become a state, anyway?  Add that to the list?).  Point is that we don’t attack countries who have such weapons.  Pretend you are not an American for a moment – wouldn’t that make you think that the way to protect your country from us is to be a nuclear power?  And wouldn’t our long list of countries we have attacked would make you leery, if not afraid of us?

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Useless culinary fact:  While dried garlic is commonly sold as a spice, garlic is actually a vegetable known as Allium sativum,belonging to the same family as onions, shallots, leeks, and chives.

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Last September, the U.S. Postal Service debuted its long-awaited — and much litigated — electric vehicle mail delivery truck. Since then, more than 7,200 new zero-emissions vehicles have been distributed to the Postal Service.

But a provision tucked inside the Senate Republican bill to enact President Trump’s second-term agenda would force the USPS to sell off the brand new trucks and cancel or significantly amend the contract for the remaining 58,800 that are due to be delivered over the next 10 years.

Well, they don’t use enough gas or oil, you see . . .

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From Robert Reich:  At almost every turn, Trump is usurping powers that the Constitution reserves to Congress — not just the power to go to war but also the power to set tariffs, the power to appropriate and spend public funds, and the power to create and oversee the many independent agencies that exist to serve the public good.

Yet Republicans, who hold majorities in both chambers of Congress, won’t defend their constitutional prerogatives. America is becoming a dictatorship because there are not even 4 Republican senators out of 53, nor 3 Republican representatives out of 220, with enough courage and integrity to stand up for Congress’s constitutional responsibilities.

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Bumper Sticker:  The Fact That No One Understands You Does Not Mean You’re an Artist.

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Trump claims to have invented:

The word “caravan.”

The phrase, “peace through strength.”  (This one goes back to Roman times).

The word “equalizing.”

The phrase, “prime the pump.”

And, of course, he was the first one to “pick up on” that the initials of United States, spell “us.’

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Today’s Dad joke:  “What do you call fake spaghetti?”

An impasta!

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A reminder about working immigrants:

Mass deportations will reduce the workforce paying into Social Security (including undocumented immigrants, who paid billions in Social Security taxes and don’t receive benefits).  And, Trump repeated claims about Social Security going to “millions and millions of dead people” — claims that were debunked by his own Social Security Administration.  As in: Trump’s Attorney General, Bill Barr, saying that Trump’s claims of election fraud in 2020 were bullshit

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and a reminder why you shouldn’t spend too much on cat furniture:

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Have you seen those ads for medicine where it says “Don’t take this if you are allergic to it.”  Ok, but how would you know, unless you try it?

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“Donald Trump evaded military service during the Vietnam War because he claimed his foot hurt. The same foot on which he spent the rest of his life playing endless miles of golf and never limping.” — MSNBC’s Lawrence O’Donnell

Ah yes, and why some call him Cadet Bone Spurs (he went to a private, military high school).

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Kenneth Chesebro was barred from law in New York.  You remember him:  Chesebro was charged in 2023 along with Trump and 17 others for attempting to overturn Trump’s loss in Georgia. An investigation found Chesebro was the main architect in a plot to swap out legitimate electoral certificates in seven states, including Georgia, with fraudulent ones that would declare Trump the winner. – I wonder what high paying job Trump will get for him now?

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And in Gaza:  Since setting up its widely condemned aid distribution sites in Gaza two months ago, Israel’s military has killed hundreds of hungry Palestinians trying to access desperately needed food amid a starvation crisis created by Israeli forces themselves. – maybe Israel would get better publicity if it didn’t kill hungry kids.

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One of our local TV stations sometimes has an ad for a very powerful flashlight.  They show it illuminating clouds.  So, if a plane was going by . . .……………………………..

Kid:  Should people get punished for things they haven’t done?

Mom:  Of course not.

Kid: Cool.  I haven’t done the dishes like you asked.

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Perhaps not useless fact: There are about 4.5 million Muslims in America.

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I have played Wordle about 1100 times.  Today, for the first time, I got it right on the first guess!  There are about 140,000 five-letter words in English, but I read that Wordle uses about 10,000.  So, okay, I beat the odds of 10,000:1. Makes me think about going to a casino.  Update one day later:  Got it in two today.  Need lottery ticket.  Now.

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I, too, am saddened by what is happening, but what choice do we have but to press on (and inform the kids).

Enough.  Be well.

Kevin