This is what bothers me about Congress: Trump has benefited from an unprecedented expansion of executive power in recent months. With the blessing of the conservative majority on the Supreme Court, the president has moved to unilaterally freeze spending, shutter government agencies, and levy massive tariffs — all authorities that are technically under the purview of the legislative branch. – from Huffpost
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It is almost time for the Catalina Ferry to arrive here in Dana Point. The Catalina Express comes around the actual Dana Point about 6:15 p.m. every day. We have taken it a couple of times and had fun. Had a bunch of family one time. I guess it reminds me of some passages across the ocean I look, too. I try to make it a point to be on the deck when it comes into view, about 6:15 p.m.
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Useless fact of the day: Charles Darwin invented the modern office chair when he added wheels to his own chair to move around his office easier. Provided by FactRetriever.com
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Remember that book, Gulag Archipelago? About the Russian secret and not-so-secret system of prisons, etc.? This, about here now:
The Trump administration is set to vastly expand deportations to countries other than immigrants’ home nations, supercharging a system of international detainee transfers that human rights advocates say exposes thousands of people to human rights abuses, including potential persecution or torture in unsafe countries. – on Huffpost.
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In the news: On June 30, the Department of Education announced it was withholding nearly $7 billion from public schools. – Well, as you know, the prez and executive branch are not supposed to control spending, that’s up only to Congress. But we have a Congress that is willing to surrender to almighty Trump. The other thing is this “recission” stuff, if that is right, whereas Congress takes back money already allocated. Oh, those shifty Rs! Work a deal out with the Dems and then take back what they gave in to, to get the Dems’ votes!
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Maybe this will end the hypocrisy in churches: Churches are now allowed to endorse political candidates. Yes, Trump IRS rules. And they are still tax exempt?
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This: Far-right justices on Florida’s Supreme Court on Thursday turned the definition of “racism” on its head by approving a redrawing of the state’s congressional districts, OK’ing a Jim Crow-style power grab effectuated by Florida Republicans and backed by Gov. Ron DeSantis. – Yeah, we gotta watch the voting rights and redistricting again and again.
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Dad joke of the day: How do you organize a Space party?
You planet.
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If I understand it, the Epstein files will be released . . . after Trump’s name gets completely scrubbed from them.
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Here we go again with Trump taking money back, or trying to, from things Congress had already appropriated it to: California is vowing to fight the Trump administration’s decision to cancel $4 billion in funding for its high-speed line from Los Angeles to San Francisco. – You know how I feel about HSR and passenger trains. Sadly, I do not think in my lifetime I will see the ones we need, like the ones most other countries have already.
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Useless Fact of the Day: Alaska Is Both the Westernmost and Easternmost Part of The United States – Well, it’s that longitude thing and the dateline.
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Didja Know Dept.: Vesta Stoudt was the Inventor of Duct Tape – She was the mother of two Navy sailors during World War II, and worked in a plant that packed ammunition. She wanted a faster way to seal/open the boxes with waterproof tape. Her employer rejected it, so she wrote to the president and they adopted her idea!
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From ABC News online: “After the vehicle became disabled, bystanders in the crowd dragged the driver outside the car and began to physically assault them, according to police.” — “them?” again? There was more than one driver? Amazing!
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As a pubic service: If you use Gmail, you might have a new choice under the inbox; go to “sent”; click on “more” and you might see a new choice called “manage subscriptions.” I have it and you can see all the automatic emails you get, how many average emails, and an “unsubscribe” button for each one. Perhaps handy.
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If you look at the details in Trump’s now passed bill, it also makes it harder for kids, especially poorer ones, to pay for college. Maybe it’s the “Easier to Control Ignorant People” theory.
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And remember, dear readers, that Newton’s second law of physics has held for 350 years, never disproved, or even changed, and that is: F = ma, or Force equals mass times acceleration. Just saying. In case you need that sometime, like if you get on Jeopardy!
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A reminder: WASHINGTON – Two decades after then-Vice President Dick Cheney declared that deficits don’t matter, members of his own party appear intent on proving his theory, adding another massive, multi-trillion-dollar slab onto the national debt. – It all depends on who benefits, I guess.
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Speaking of things Washington: Trump threatens to restrict stadium deal with Washington Commanders if they don’t change name back to ‘Redskins’ – He wants the baseball team in Cleveland to change back to “Indians,” too. He doesn’t even try to hide “it.” More distraction, maybe.
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Seen online:
I was trying to explain the saying, “There is no free lunch” to my new, Ukrainian coworker. She said the equivalent in her country is, “The only free cheese is in the mousetrap.” – I like that, and think I might go with it.
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As you might expect dept.: Several of the criminals from J6 who were pardoned by Trump are now back in jail or in trouble for other things, including child sex abuse, home invasion, and vehicular manslaughter.
And I still say that if the head of the capitol police had given permission to use deadly force, i.e., fire pistols, they never would have gotten in the building.
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Online Headline: “Photos show how medieval women really looked.”
Really? Amazing? Didn’t know that . . . never mind.
Gaza health ministry says 33 people died from malnutrition in 48 hours
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A tweet I saw: The key to a successful marriage is letting things go. I’ve started with myself.
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From Robert Reich: The Consumer Price Index has risen 2.7 percent from a year earlier. . . . So-called “core” inflation — which strips out volatile food and energy prices, and is therefore a more reliable measure for underlying price pressures — is rising even faster: up 2.9 percent from the same time last year. And, no surprise he says: “Trump’s tariffs are the major culprit.”
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Saw the new Jurassic movie today (Tuesday). Almost all action. Some ties to the original that were interesting. But yes, entertaining and the special effects get better all the time.
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As we venture forth into the future, I have one thing to say:
God help us, Saul!
Kevin
Blog: If I understand this 
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