🔃  Please refresh your browser; YouTube video content can be problematic. 

The blog has rolled over.

Sunday Evening 

For me, in a universe far far away I would spend Sunday evenings making popcorn in an air popper and browning real butter for a movie with the better half. I explored these moments in my Analyst series, I'll paste a sample perhaps.

All that is missing is the movie and one other thing. The criteria is loose, available for free and ... available free, usually.

Enjoy the popcorn.

The Sundipped Pundit 

[ If it's Sunday, first find a meme that objectifies no one, is inspirational, and provides valid indicia on the news for brilliant readers everywhere. Then pick two topics to start.]

If it's Sunday, it's hangin' season in Deadrock, there's a varmint with a six-gun, and he's fast, but there's always someone faster. 

How's that?

Ex Officia Political Fodder

The Wanted (More Or Less) List

Rotting In Mar A Lago

The Values War

More as time and temperament permit.

Morning World 

Much love 🪂

Project Updates 

You know I love these. I can amuse myself by dancing around what I've been doing despite my apparent sloth and ease.

You know the top of the list, that quantum battery from the void, and Emma, my wanna-be grey matter substitute, not positronic whatever that is, but pulsing.

Everything else is like drops of multicolored paint across the infinite universe of YouTube and the internet.  

So, that was the update.

The Laura Coates 

The Tim Ryan is a turncoat son of a gun, is he not?  I read the NYT piece, I was unmoved. The piece is presumptive and premature and late as Christmas; It's July. 

I am of the opinion that the more Donald Trump gets exposure, the more move away. 

End Of Day House In Order

I'll be happy to put this week in a can and kick it to the curb. This week presented financial challenges, but I've never been particularly challenged by them. Still it was a distraction and perhaps something to not obsess over every week. 

Such is the list, other than that, Butkus. 

Good sabbath.

Governor Newsom 

The large donkey? in the room. I mention it as illustration, not recommendation, though he seems to have half his head screwed on right side up.

The mere mention of his name seems to cause a hush in the control rooms, everyone looks puzzled and they think about baseball for a moment.

The last candidate that claimed she was next was Hilary Clinton, and we know how that ended. 

Failing to understand that we are where we are is because of the pecking order enforced by money and the laissez faire in the Democratic party, we could do it again. Senator Sanders should have been the nominee then. That didn't fit with party stationary.

This is what happens.

I realize he's a Pelosi relative, I'll get to that trust me.

The Black Tower 

That's how I felt about it. I tuned out right after the shouting started so I missed most of the debate except the last 15 minutes. My assessment then was that Mr Joe looked weak, not having a good day, a little mentally tired perhaps. The commentary immediately following the debate knocked me back and my mind took me into The Hobbit, the part with the trolls. sure, I mean social media, but I mean more than that.

Mr. Trump has been living under a bridge his whole life, always keeping two faces at least. 

So that's where I put myself, just trying to make a little second dinner when boom, someone blew my plan by hitting me in the face with rhetoric and I was atop that black tower. The black riders were at the door. 

This morning, a quick scan of the media reveals much. Many people apparently woke up atop that tower next to me, with the realization that this criminal could actually be elected. 

Does anyone know a burglar?

Who Was That Man

I saw Mr Joe speaking this morning, and I can manage one question: where was this guy last night?

Mr Joe

I don't think it was that bad. Even if you lost votes, Trump didn't gain any. He came off as a raving maniac. There's not winning, and losing. Your choice here.

In The Alternate Universe (al)

A story about the debut of a new Las Vegas attraction, the Friends experience.  You know, that TV show, and whats-his-faces. Let's hop on the bus and get a ticket. Las Vegas is where acts go to die but collect a regular paycheck with glitter on it.

And Elton John's dream collabs. Who's on the list Today? Did I mention glitter. Who say's NBC is full of fluff.

LSD in the Water 

Is it good weed or did that just happen?  Dropping a word here and there is no big deal. 

I stopped watching right about there, too, 9:11.

I find the idea of another term for Donald Trump frightening.

In This Corner 

Good afternoon, sports fans; we've got a full card for you tonight. I'll be live tweeting and trying to keep a sensor in a few spin rooms. As we all do, I'll rely on my own impressions with the best of intentions. 

Of course everyone knows the opponents, and one will enter from the left and the other from the right, and 8 feet apart they will slice the truth vapor thin for consumption by the camera.

Coverage

We're finding out how to cover a ninety-minute debate for 3 whole days. It's not boring and my ears don't hurt.

Afternoon Update

The debate is at 9 Eastern; I think that's 6 Pacific.

I spent the morning grocery shopping etc, and may have dozed off at one point. The excitement is palpable, barely. It is just past 1 PM, another half a day.

The Evening's Bias 

For events like these, one must steel oneself before undertaking political coverage on the networks. But we do it for king and country, except no king, with exceptions 1, of course.

And To The Republic

Speaking of kings, now that I've mentioned it, I posted excerpts from the Declaration of Independence recently, hoping your semantic jungle would jingle.

As a republic, if you want to refer to America as a republic with a ruling elite and peasantry, we may disagree on it, as would most of America. But that is what is on the agenda.

I won't bother you with a mathematical model, but it cannot end well. 

I'm reticent to tune a Fox station, it's a new computer.

[ 1 The King of Politics ]

Yo, John.

Commentaire Obligatoire

Tomorrow's Presidential Candidate Debate 

'Twas the night before craziness, and all through the ether, America is reminded to watch.

I may watch, but if it gets out of control, I'll catch the denouement in a rerun. 

I Would Never 

Never: that is a long time and assumes a plenitude of means out of reach, but I mean never. For anything.

I am bemused by our election system, so inured into bifurcated red versus blue cheerleading by this time in the election cycle. In the old days, one imagines they'd be picking up the bodies. The convention is just ahead when they take the birth-control device off Trump's candidacy and make it official.

Debate Debates

Endless coverage begets more endless coverage, and 24 by 7 describes one workday at CNN. I expect the debate will give me a headache. 

I feel like suggesting some type of drinking game, but I really don't drink. Every time either candidate says 'threat to America', maybe.

Markets 

How can it be true, all the myriad things and more, more and more NVDA chipsets to coat the planet, and likewise line the pockets of the sturdy of heart and faithful? 

Likewise illustrated below is the real blood of the economy unaffected by transient unpredictability and fantasy. Oil bidness it is. Different fantasy.

Fast 5150

This is my love language for Melissa and tie-wearing Guy et al., I have a trunk full of fast-money algorithms for options; it's like 124 on the list. 

I wanted to inform the panel, quasi-friendly across-the-wire acquaintances, that I'll be following oil for the next 90. Well, all of it but futures too.

What do you think? My intentions are a predictive metric for oil futures for the election, using the debates as a layered model. Oil is currently over-valued, and production versus consumption looks a bit too controlled for any hardship case here.

Given the agendas, an accelerated move is probable, perhaps predictable, or at least coverable.

I guess, shhhhh.

Mr Buffet just bought a chunk.

Mardi du Ruby 

Another day, a different semantic. Full of wisdom and grace, cites the rhyme. I can only speak for myself but I've personally stepped on my shoelaces on a Tuesday. That's my story and I'm sticking to it.

In such an apparently graceless world as this, we need more Tuesdays in the week. I feel a meme coming on.

Morning World 

Much love 🌴 

Trump Pre Stump

I've heard Ol' Yellow Stain describe Mr. Joe's debate preparation as sleeping. His own staff characterizes Trump's preparation as more of a policy discussion. 

In other words, he's cramming the answers. 

Honestly, he's going to wing it. His debate prep? Programming the rant-o-bot.

As a president, it was paint-by-the-numbers except for things that would benefit him personally or politically. We should expect more of that in tremendous excess, with occasional side trips to vengeance.

Movie du Jour 

I watched this again over three or four evenings, interrupted by commercials. It's available on Play and elsewhere. 

Mr S always makes such full-flavored movies, Casino is another that spellbinds.

Evening Muse

It's been a quiet Monday here, augmenting my own semantics, adding chocolate ice cream as an occasional benefit. I find it hard to get too much chocolate ice cream.

I plan on a movie. I've got orange soda, white cheddar popcorn, and Cadbury's chocolate.

I'm open to any suggestions, as ever, and I'll post my next choice when I've decided.

Monday Monday 

It may be the one day of the week that can play a noun and an adjective, perhaps a verb, all at once.

These are nuanced, semantically rich words. Forget logic, this is emotion.

I would prefer that the semantics for all of us would mean productive, happy, and comfortable.

Let's go for it.

The blog has rolled over.

The Sundipped Pundit 

If it's Sunday, I have to work for a living for inadequate compensation, just like most of you. Let's see what's on my mind today, shall we?

The Usual List of Suspects

To VP or Not VP
For Argument's Sake
Honorable Men

More as time and energy permits.

To VP or Not VP

The list is shorter this week for the Republican morality-impaired presidential candidate. He's searching for a Republican morality-impaired vice presidential candidate who can chew gum and talk on TV. 

It's down to one says Don don, and nobody knows. It'll be J.D.Vance. That other finalist is too honest. 

Senator Rubio would be the old school choice, but 'what the fuck ' says don, probably, 'I might as well bet the powdered wig crowd too, they'd dump me if they could.'  

Circle gets the square. 

To submit that Senator Rubio could be the conservative establishment choice illustrates the impressionist pastiche coating the Republican party lately. 

Being left at the altar by Ol' Yellowstain must be akin to getting jilted by satan himself, and things are looking up. The also-cow-towed list is available elsewhere.
Meanwhile, Senator Rubio and Republicans everywhere can pat themselves on the back for not being dishonest enough to be considered. 

How, then, can we answer the question posed above?

Let sleeping, crazy candidates rot in Denmark.

For Argument's Sake 

The ex-president is avoiding the court system like Lucy boxing bonbons. trying to find some subterfuge to delay and drag his pending court cases out until the justice system gets replacement players.  He's no doubt actively recruiting for the positions. 

This is so obvious I’m reticent to repeat it. It’s so obvious it must be a conspiracy theory. Or an actual conspiracy, depending on how many lawyers are on the payroll. 

When I researched the felony indictments, I found myself acting judge and jury, it's something we all do. Those of us that lived through the experience as well need not hold evidentiary hearings to rely on informing our judgement. It's not a bad thing to have good, honest judgment; let's back up to that benchmark. 

How many arguments does it take, for argument's sake, for the other bonbon to drop?

Honorable Men 

When in the course of human events.

When in the Course of human events, it becomes necessary for one people to dissolve the political bands which have connected them with another, and to assume among the powers of the earth, the separate and equal station to which the Laws of Nature and of Nature's God entitle them, a decent respect to the opinions of mankind requires that they should declare the causes which impel them to the separation.

The men who penned these words were passionate about justice, freedom, and equality. A king doesn't request permission or seek advice; he issues edicts and commands, and the masses must comply or suffer the consequences.

They were honorable men reliant on the hope that honorable men would follow and improve the human condition. 

We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.--That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed, --That whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new Government, laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their Safety and Happiness. Prudence, indeed, will dictate that Governments long established should not be changed for light and transient causes; and accordingly all experience hath shewn, that mankind are more disposed to suffer, while evils are sufferable, than to right themselves by abolishing the forms to which they are accustomed. But when a long train of abuses and usurpations, pursuing invariably the same Object evinces a design to reduce them under absolute Despotism, it is their right, it is their duty, to throw off such Government, and to provide new Guards for their future security.--Such has been the patient sufferance of these Colonies; and such is now the necessity which constrains them to alter their former Systems of Government. The history of the present King of Great Britain is a history of repeated injuries and usurpations, all having in direct object the establishment of an absolute Tyranny over these States. To prove this, let Facts be submitted to a candid world. 

That's why we are here.

I mean, all of us.

Good Sabbath

 ✡️☦️✝️☪️

Equality and Freedom of Choice 

Religion is not required for an honorable life, but it's a lot easier. Pick one; there's more shared than differentiated. 

Ms. Abby 

In re: Did the mandatory requirement to display the Christian version of the Ten Commandments in every classroom violate the separation of church and state outlined in the constitution? 

I would advocate for moral training as a matter of course; in a Catholic school, they would decide. In public schools, to be fair to the rights of all involved, perhaps it may be permissible if a majority of parents of the children agree. 

It may seem that what's needed is a nondenominational basic moral rules list, a list with acceptable genealogy. 

In re: the Ten Commandments in particular. 

A better question may be: why doesn't Trump follow any of them?

It's Official 

Good sabbath. 

SCOTUS On Trial

Today is decision day, and we're still waiting for decisions crucial to the future of the nation.

 America asks, "What the !#(% is going on with the Supremes?"

The Major 2024 Decisions and Cases Still Before the Supreme Court

No Supreme Court term in recent memory has featured so many cases with the potential to transform American society.

From the NYTimes.

Laundry Day 

I've put it off as long as I can. I don't mind laundry, but the folding is a pain. 

It was a 3-and-a-half-hour ordeal, but I'm good for another month. What can I say? My modus operandi has been that when you run out of skivvies, either do laundry or buy more.  Yep, you guessed it.

Taking A Moment 

For prayers answered. 

Thank you.

Meanings 

"Thou shalt have no other gods before me." 

The first commandment reminds us that everything in the Torah flows from the love we have for God, which in turn is a response to the love he has for us. 

Implicitly, that's not monotheism, only that there is primacy.

People worship money, fame, power, for example. gods in some sense.

Just clearing it up.

One From Column A

Many are disappointed with our choices in both the major parties. I agree it's too late to change horses for either for various reasons. 

Biden's Tack

I like Joe, which is probably obvious, but I wish he were more effective. His effectiveness results from interference from people who influence the party, Pelosi's cadre. Nothing seems to pass Congress to help the underprivileged except temporarily. In short, it's not so much the rider; it's the tack.

It is unclear how to fix that without changing the campaign finance system and/or moving past Pelosi and the money.

Ol' Yellow Stain

In the case of Donald J. Trump, it's hard to make an accurate analysis of how he managed to stay in control of the Republican party. Of course, the obvious answer is that it's a conspiracy. Most of version one of his cadre are in prison or some stage of prosecution awaiting justice. He'll have to rebuild the cabal, but there seems to be a line of the unworthy, hungry for Donald Trump class notoriety.

I credit NBC with pushing the Donald into your living room on The Apprentice and the spinoffs that created the myth of Donald Trump. Why none of his political base can pierce the image and see the womanizing, dishonest, lying reality is unclear. The obvious answer is that they want to believe in the image and rely on crooked reality to work for the party's interests and their own. 

That's just never going to happen. 

Lately, he insists his candidacy has enough votes, that is, all he's likely to get, and the corollary is the only way he can win if the opposition gets fewer votes. Victory by disenfranchisement: this is election fraud, again.

I also blame the campaign finance system and the milieu created by the political parties; he's just doing what has always been done. Lie, and get the vote, then do whatever is in their interests.

In the case of Donald Trump, it's always what is in his interests.

Mr. Joe

Thanks for doing something about the genocide in Israel even if you won't call it that.

Morning World

Much love 🌅

Boeing

108 people died from bus accidents last year. 

I will defend Boeing. They make planes that move millions of people millions of miles with almost perfect operational records. I would encourage you to buy the stock on dips and hold it.  For me, there is no higher praise.

I don't dismiss the problems; I would not fly on a 737 Max, but only because human pilots are accustomed to planes with different operational characteristics.  This is due to the nacells Boeing uses for those large turbofans. The rest is engineering failure, which happens. 

When you get on a plane, there's risk. You don't want to think about the risk of sitting in a seat in an aluminum tube five miles above the Earth going 600 miles an hour. It's not a bus, but almost as reliable as a bus. Sorry for the loss,.

The Fool That Made Milwaukee Famous

It's a political decision, it's for the gauleiter vote.

Healthcare Costs 

Mr. Sanders, Wegovy and the like follow the supply and demand pattern. It's sold out. If you don't like the way America makes sure the wealthy always do well economically and can afford to overeat and still stay trim, you are one of the few able to change things.

I'd help, but Erin Burnett says my Senate candidacy is laughable. Given what I know about me and what I know about Congress,  I'm the one laughing but not that hard.

Morning World 

Much love 💐

For Donnie, Steve and the rest of the terrorists.

I didn't pick these, they... fell out of the internet and landed on the blog. And they fit. Magic. Much love.

Sunday Evening 

It was a lovely day in southern California. June gloom has not been all that gloomy this year. The rest of the nation suffers under a heat wave, which is what our normal July is like. 

Take care of yourselves and stay fresh.

The Sundipped Pundit 

If it's Sunday, it's time to seize the meme and add veracity, free from any corporate shackles and spin.  I'm here to provide a summarized critique of the news reporting and help you see beyond the surface. 

The Means List

Trump's Black Face
Debate Slate
Economic Repercussions
Israeli Expectations

I'm over budget on content this week, I'll call it here.

Usually, I claim I don't pick the music, and I don't—really. 

But I did pick these. 

Kiss your mom.

It's topical.

10000 Dead in Guyana

There are not, at least as far as I know. Pretend I was counting fatal traffic accidents beginning last March; it's probably true. If that's not true in Guyana, you know it must be true somewhere. 

Fifty million was donated to Ol' Yellow Stain's Campaign and Legal Expense Fund overnight, all from first-timers. 

That's how you'd write the press release. Is it true? Come on, this is Donald Trump. If it's not true, he'll make it true, even if he has to shoot someone in Times Square.  It makes his numbers go up.

Like I said, 10000 Dead In Guyana, film at 11.