respublica

Can you find Ukraine?

News people have been all over Ukraine these days more often than not trying to play the gotcha game with political types by demanding to know if they could find that country on a map. Some political types have turned this question on irritating reporters as well. So I ask you, before looking at a map of Europe, can you visualize about where it is?

Frankly, I'm getting weary of all the cheap shots coming from everywhere aimed at everyone these days. But, here is a map of Europe and there's Ukraine. Click it to enlarge for better seeing.

Today is the Right to Life march

Each year I hope to watch the Right To Life march in Washington DC. It's fairly hard to find a news channel which covers it except for CSPAN. I find this rather disappointing since so many other marches, protests, demonstrations are covered by all the major news and cable channels. We know a lot of people who are out in DC for this march today and it would be neat to see them.

I realize much of the disinterest by news people is that they mostly think along the same lines as people who are not right to life advocates. However, this is a huge march, many thousands will be there weather or not. This year may be somewhat different, however, because President Trump will speak to them at noon eastern time. That alone will get some coverage, albeit probably not flattering. The disparaging remarks and comments have already begun on the end of news stories about his appearance.

Which brings me to one more thing. Too many people feel they have the right to be really awful, writing the most insulting things in comments online. They also feel they can call or email their representatives with the same attitude. It crosses party lines and I ask you, would you like to be the 22 year old staffer or intern who has to answer these horrible emails and phone calls?

We can do better.

Almost an all-nighter

With the Impeachment trial going on in the senate this week, we are paying slight attention to the actual speeches and more attention to the time. Our daughter works for the senate and as a senior staffer, she has to stay until the hearings adjourn for the day. Actually, yesterday, the first day of hearings, they did not adjourn til long after midnight.

I was texting with her late into the night as she waited in her senate office. I found it hard to sleep and kept looking at the clock. There came a point when I became more than a little anxious while thinking of her having to walk to the train and then ride the train home in the middle of the night. Or very early morning to be specific. Even in DC, the streets can be empty and dark at that time of day.

I told her I worry and she wrote back "I hear you. I'll be fine. It's nice to have a mom that worries. That still feels nice."

If you're a parent, would you not worry long distance no matter the age of your kids? In the end, I trust she got home fine, I haven't heard. Now today it all begins again.

Impeachment rules

While watching the senate ceremonies which began the impeachment trial I learned two things.

At the start of each trial day, Senate sergeant-at-arms will declare, “Here ye! Here ye! Here ye! All persons are commanded to keep silent, on pain of imprisonment.”

That struck me as humorous and certainly a command dating back many years. I'd guess this won't be something anyone is anxious to enforce.

Then there was this new bit of information.  When members of the senate are in impeachment mode, the senate technically does not exist. When they adjourn for the day they become the senate again until 12 the next day when impeachment hearings resume. We learned this rule after Dale wondered if the senate chaplain was at yesterday's first ceremonial day. We did not see him. But since the senate is not the senate while in impeachment, the senate chaplain is not a chaplain to a non-existent body that time.

 

About yesterday

If you paid any attention to the impeachment hearings yesterday you probably saw many repeats of Congressman Jim Jordan giving an emotional response to some of the things that went on. That brought about a memory from Katie's days as lead staffer on the House Oversight Committee during a hearing.

There she is "advising" Rep Jordan.  Heh.

News?

I'm at the point where I find myself not believing half of what I hear on cable news. It doesn't matter what channel it is, there is no news, just opinion. Some channels make me more aggravated than others, but now the local news seems much more appropriate and valuable for how we live.

Cable and Newspapers are now just like social media giving no time to actual discernment.

 

New laws in other places than Illinois

Illinois had its new laws published recently which take effect today, July 1. Missouri's new laws are on the books as well. Today new laws taking effect in DC, Maryland and Virginia have been in the news. Many state laws are dealing with similar things like alcohol, tobacco, driving distracted etc. But, as is often the case, the District of Columbia, Washington DC, takes things just bit further.

Starting today, DC will fine any business which gives out plastic straws. This is so important to those lawmakers that they created a video for the public on "How to Tell a Banned Plastic Straw from a Legal Alternative."  The video is on the link above if you don't know how to recognize plastic.

Unreal

Reporting?

Can any of our national political and cable journalists cover stories without prejudice these days? Not that I can see and today will be no different. They're all in a Twitter today.

#Mueller Report

What you might want to know about Bill Barr

Bill Barr, President Trump's new nominee for Attorney General,  will be questioned by members of the senate this week. As it happens, his daughter Meg mentioned in the story, works with our daughter in the senate. The write-up on Barr is interesting, something more than we normally get about people in DC.  A good way to get some information when listening to the news reports on the hearing.

American Gothic 2019 version

I don't want to get all political, but this really made me laugh because it's too perfect. The original photo of Nancy Pelosi and Chuck Schumer during their response to the president's address last night has been all over the place, but it took just one guy on Twitter to have me realize what the image reminded me of.  

via @thefunnymuggle