Hijack This Thread

[bill_g]

Blue Dragons. Never heard of them before, and we used to live in Florida that has a beach or two.

[sugar magnolia]

Blue Dragons. Never heard of them before, and we used to live in Florida that has a beach or two.

They aren't in FL (yet) which might explain that.

Ooops. Just looked it up and they have a report that they have been sighted in Boca Raton.

[bill_g]

Blue Dragons. Never heard of them before, and we used to live in Florida that has a beach or two.

They aren't in FL (yet) which might explain that.

Ooops. Just looked it up and they have a report that they have been sighted in Boca Raton.

Ah. It's a new thing. Man o' wars were bad enough when I was a kid that we kept our clothes on while seining for shrimp.

[RTH10260]

Revealed: US conservative thinktank’s links to extremist fraternal order
Claremont Institute officials closely involved with Society for American Civic Renewal, which experts say is rooted in Christian nationalism

Jason Wilson
Mon 11 Mar 2024 11.00 CET

The president of the rightwing Claremont Institute and another senior Claremont official are both closely involved with the shadowy Society for American Civic Renewal (SACR), an exclusive, men-only fraternal order which aims to replace the US government with an authoritarian “aligned regime”, and which experts say is rooted in extreme Christian nationalism and religious autocracy.

The revelations emerge from documents gathered in public records requests, including emails between several senior members of SACR: Claremont president Ryan P Williams; its director of state coalitions and Boise State University professor Scott Yenor; and others including former soap manufacturer and would-be “warlord” Charles Haywood.

The trove also contains an “internal” SACR “mission statement” with a far more radical edge than the public “vision” now recorded on the organization’s website.

That document speaks of recruiting a “brotherhood” who will “form the backbone of a renewed American regime” and who “understand the nature of authority and its legitimate forceful exercise”; whose “objectives” include to “collect, curate, and document a list of potential appointees and hires for a renewed American regime”.

The document does not indicate that such “renewal” will take place through participation in electoral contests, and nor does it make mention of the US constitution.

Along with the financial links between the SACR and Claremont – the Guardian previously reported Claremont’s $26,248 donation to SACR in 2020 – the documents raise questions as to what extent SACR is an initiative of the Claremont Institute, and to what extent its participants have abandoned liberal, secular or democratic politics.

The Guardian contacted Ryan Williams, Claremont’s president, for comment on his involvement in SACR, and on the extent of Claremont’s ties to the organization.

In an email he said: “While the Claremont Institute acted as a fiscal sponsor to help the Society for American Civic Renewal establish itself as an incorporated 501(c)(10), that was the end of any corporate collaboration between the Claremont Institute and SACR.”

He added: “As a founding board member of SACR in my personal capacity, obviously I think that a fraternal order dedicated to civic and cultural renaissance and rooted in community, virtue, and wisdom is a very good thing.”



https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/202 ... ewal-links

[bill_g]

Along with the financial links between the SACR and Claremont – the Guardian previously reported Claremont’s $26,248 donation to SACR in 2020 – the documents raise questions as to what extent SACR is an initiative of the Claremont Institute, and to what extent its participants have abandoned liberal, secular or democratic politics.

Who writes a donation check for $26,248USD? Why that amount?

[Flatpoint High]

Along with the financial links between the SACR and Claremont – the Guardian previously reported Claremont’s $26,248 donation to SACR in 2020 – the documents raise questions as to what extent SACR is an initiative of the Claremont Institute, and to what extent its participants have abandoned liberal, secular or democratic politics.

Who writes a donation check for $26,248USD? Why that amount?

Sacred Illuminati number.

[Flatpoint High]

https://www.marijuanamoment.net/rats-ar ... -all-high/

At a New Orleans City Council hearing on Monday about the sorry state of the city’s police headquarters—which faces issues with plumbing, mold and infestations, among other problems—Police Department Superintendent Anne Kirkpatrick that rodents are now munching on drugs in the department’s evidence room—and ostensibly getting high.

“The rats are eating our marijuana,” Kirkpatrick told the council’s Criminal Justice Committee at a hearing. “They’re all high.”

[MN-Skeptic]

Who writes a donation check for $26,248USD? Why that amount?

My guess: donation of appreciated stock.

[northland10]

Along with the financial links between the SACR and Claremont – the Guardian previously reported Claremont’s $26,248 donation to SACR in 2020 – the documents raise questions as to what extent SACR is an initiative of the Claremont Institute, and to what extent its participants have abandoned liberal, secular or democratic politics.

Who writes a donation check for $26,248USD? Why that amount?

Possibly trying to stay under some limit, budgetary or reporting or something.

Edit:

My guess: donation of appreciated stock.

Or that,

[sugar magnolia]

https://www.marijuanamoment.net/rats-ar ... -all-high/

At a New Orleans City Council hearing on Monday about the sorry state of the city’s police headquarters—which faces issues with plumbing, mold and infestations, among other problems—Police Department Superintendent Anne Kirkpatrick that rodents are now munching on drugs in the department’s evidence room—and ostensibly getting high.

“The rats are eating our marijuana,” Kirkpatrick told the council’s Criminal Justice Committee at a hearing. “They’re all high.”

"And the crowd went wild." My friends in NOLA are having an absolute field day with this.

[Flatpoint High]

https://www.marijuanamoment.net/rats-ar ... -all-high/

At a New Orleans City Council hearing on Monday about the sorry state of the city’s police headquarters—which faces issues with plumbing, mold and infestations, among other problems—Police Department Superintendent Anne Kirkpatrick that rodents are now munching on drugs in the department’s evidence room—and ostensibly getting high.

“The rats are eating our marijuana,” Kirkpatrick told the council’s Criminal Justice Committee at a hearing. “They’re all high.”

"And the crowd went wild." My friends in NOLA are having an absolute field day with this.

https://media.giphy.com/media/v1.Y2lkPT ... /giphy.gif

[keith]

Heh, i remember back in the day, the Pima County Arizona (includes Tucson) Sheriff piled up a sfit-tonne of mari-ju-wanna in the parking lot at the Jail and burned it. Hundreds of folks came to witness the historic evant.

90 percent were, of course, jostling for a position down wind. The other 10% were journalists that had to stay in the designated press area. The sheriff never did figure out how the general public found out, but a little bird told me it may have been leaked by someone in the Tucson Police Department

The press did have a great time with the story for about a week.

[Volkonski]

Dollar Tree, Family Dollar to close 1,000 stores

https://www.texomashomepage.com/news/bu ... hlMw5zLhjg

Dollar Tree, Inc., which owns Dollar Tree and Family Dollar, will close about 1,000 stores as the discount retailer looks to improve profitability.

Family Dollar will close about 600 stores in the first half of fiscal 2024 and shut down an additional 370 stores as their leases expire over the next several years. Dollar Tree will close 30 stores as leases expire, the company announced Wednesday.

“As we look forward in 2024, we are accelerating our multi-price rollout at Dollar Tree and taking decisive action to improve profitability and unlock value at Family Dollar,” said Rick Dreiling, chairman and CEO of Dollar Tree, Inc.

[raison de arizona]

https://x.com/DavidCornDC/status/176802 ... 55260?s=20

This is nuts. Musk has amplified antisemitic and racist tweets. Rupert Murdoch has poisoned the national debate and helped cause 1/6. Two others have engaged in financial fraud. (Sorry, Martha.) But I always liked the Rocky films. Who picked these honorees?

The Library of Congress announced its recipients for the Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg Leadership Awards. They include Elon Musk, Sylvester Stallone, Martha Stewart, Michael Milken and Rupert Murdoch.

Edit: It isn't the Library of Congress, it is just held there. Here is a little about the award:

Established in 2020, the RBG Award has previously recognized women of distinction, including HM Queen Elizabeth II and Barbra Streisand. The award was expanded this year to include trailblazing men and women. "Justice Ginsburg fought not only for women but for everyone," said Julie Opperman, Chair of the Dwight D. Opperman Foundation. "Going forward, to embrace the fullness of Justice Ginsburg's legacy, we honor both women and men who have changed the world by doing what they do best."

https://www.conchovalleyhomepage.com/bu ... t-murdoch/

[bill_g]

I’ve crossed the street

Stopped to look at my phone

Gone a different way

Walked slower

When I’ve noticed I was getting to close to a woman on a street - especially at night.

Thank you!

(moving conversation in Poli Toons to here ...)

Some of us are bit denser on the subject.

I can think of several instances when police or security were called on myself, or our crew, when we were working in a building, and had to transit tenant space to access wiring closets (aka IDF, MDF, telecom, etc). Despite printed authorizations, published notifications, email confirmations, visible badging, visible company logos, safety vests, and a number of other clues that we are working, it's not uncommon to be challenged numerous times by the people that normally work there. Just be friendly, answer their questions, and try to establish a rapport. That works for most people.

And then sometimes, out of nowhere, there's a bunch of important looking people following up on reports of loud comments, inappropriate behavior, a look, or a number of things we may or may not have done. It's really hard to judge after the fact. All I can do is apologize for the misunderstanding, and give them an ETA when we will complete our work. It's generally good form to request a supervisor or a single point of contact on that floor be made available for status updates.

I can say in all my years I've only had to relieve one crew. I'm still not clear what happened, but it was bad enough they were escorted from the property, and I had do somersaults to get another crew in there to finish. Ultimately that led to including discussing personal behavior during a job briefing: what's appropriate, and what isn't. HR made a video about the subject. We replayed it to everyone whenever an reported incident occurred. It wasn't that often, but it seemed like we watched that video once a year.

[RTH10260]

Missouri law bars divorce during pregnancy – even in cases of violence
The statute, which can lead to reproductive coercion in a state that has banned abortion, has recently gained nationwide attention

Lizzie Tribone
Fri 15 Mar 2024 11.00 CET

At six months pregnant, H decided enough was enough. She had endured years of abuse from her husband and had recently discovered he was also physically violent towards her child. She contacted an attorney to help her get a divorce.

But she was stopped short. Her lawyer told her that she could not finalize a divorce in Missouri because she was pregnant. “I just absolutely felt defeated,” she said. H returned to the house she shared with her abuser, sleeping in her child’s room on the floor and continuing to face violence. On the night before she gave birth, she slept in the most secure room in the house: on the tile floor in the basement, with the family’s dogs.

Under a Missouri statute that has recently gained nationwide attention, every petitioner for divorce is required to disclose their pregnancy status. In practice, experts say, those who are pregnant are barred from legally dissolving their marriage. “The application [of the law] is an outright ban,” said Danielle Drake, attorney at Parks & Drake. When Drake learned her then husband was having an affair, her own divorce stalled because she was pregnant. Two other states have similar laws: Texas and Arkansas.

It took H three months after the birth of her second child to muster the finances and courage to file for divorce again. She believes that had she been able to obtain a divorce when she first tried, she would have been able to leave an abusive environment many months earlier.

The original intent of the statute in Missouri, which originated in 1973, was “noble”, Ashley Aune, a Democratic representative, said, as it tried to ensure that a mother and her child were provided for by settling custody arrangements and child support after the child’s birth.

But in practice, it has created barriers for pregnant people seeking divorce. The precise number of women the current statute affects is unknown – no entity collects this information. But the problem, Synergy Services, a non-profit that provides supportive services to people experiencing violence in Greater Kansas City, said they regularly receive requests for support from pregnant women unable to divorce abusive husbands because of the law.



https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/202 ... e-abortion

[p0rtia]

Down, bitch!

[MsDaisy 2]

That is extremely fucked up

[raison de arizona]

https://x.com/DavidCornDC/status/176802 ... 55260?s=20

This is nuts. Musk has amplified antisemitic and racist tweets. Rupert Murdoch has poisoned the national debate and helped cause 1/6. Two others have engaged in financial fraud. (Sorry, Martha.) But I always liked the Rocky films. Who picked these honorees?

The Library of Congress announced its recipients for the Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg Leadership Awards. They include Elon Musk, Sylvester Stallone, Martha Stewart, Michael Milken and Rupert Murdoch.

Edit: It isn't the Library of Congress, it is just held there. Here is a little about the award:

Established in 2020, the RBG Award has previously recognized women of distinction, including HM Queen Elizabeth II and Barbra Streisand. The award was expanded this year to include trailblazing men and women. "Justice Ginsburg fought not only for women but for everyone," said Julie Opperman, Chair of the Dwight D. Opperman Foundation. "Going forward, to embrace the fullness of Justice Ginsburg's legacy, we honor both women and men who have changed the world by doing what they do best."

https://www.conchovalleyhomepage.com/bu ... t-murdoch/

The Ginsburg family has released a statement denouncing the awards.

The decision of the Opperman Foundation to bestow the RBG Women’s Leadership Award on this year’s slate of awardees is an affront to the memory of our mother and grandmother, Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg. Her legacy is one of deep commitment to justice and to the proposition that all persons deserve what she called “equal citizenship stature” under the Constitution. She was a singularly powerful voice for the equality and empowerment of women, including their ability to control their own bodies. As it was originally conceived and named, the Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg Woman of Leadership Award honored that legacy by recognizing “an extraordinary woman who has exercised a positive and notable influence on society and served as an exemplary role model in both principles and practice.” This year, the Opperman Foundation has strayed far from the original mission of the award and from what Justice Ginsburg stood for.

The Justice’s family wish to make clear that they do not support using their mother’s name to celebrate this year’s slate of awardees, and that the Justice’s family has no affiliation with and does not endorse this award.

Moar here: https://www.motherjones.com/politics/20 ... t-murdoch/
It really is Some Bullshit.

[pipistrelle]

Pierce Brosnan, 70, of Malibu, California, was fined $500, and required to pay a $1,000 community service payment to the Yellowstone Forever Geological Fund, a $30 court processing fee, and a $10 special assessment. U.S. Magistrate Judge Stephanie A. Hambrick imposed the sentence on March 14, in Mammoth, Wyoming.

Mr. Brosnan pleaded guilty to foot travel in a thermal area. According to court documents, on or about Nov. 1, 2023, Brosnan uploaded pictures to his Instagram page of himself standing on a Yellowstone National Park thermal feature at Mammoth Hot Springs. There are signs posted in the area that warn visitors of the dangers of thermal features and state that visitors must remain on the designated boardwalks and trails.

The United States Attorney’s Office asked the court to sentence Brosnan to 2 years’ probation and the maximum fine of $5,000.

https://www.nps.gov/yell/learn/news/24009.htm

[raison de arizona]

How hard is it to stay behind the freaking fence?

[qbawl]

I priced out some hockey equipment for my grandkids the other day. The prices totally freaked me out. You can pay up to $500.00 for a stick and $1,200.00 for a pair of skates. From a practical standpoint most "Elite" (Pro, College, Major Junior) players would get by with a $150.00 - $300.00 stick but they would definitely opt for the high end of the $700.00 - $900.00 range for their skates.
Of course that "Elite" level player may go through 50 to a hundred sticks each season and up to 10 sets of $200.00/pair gloves. As far as skates are concerned some players will go through the season on 1 pair while others would go through 10 or more pair. The single pair player would probably replace the blades a couple of times though. Tack on another $1,200.00 for helmets, pants, shin guards, shoulder pads, elbow pads and the bag to tote gear in.
I should point out again that these figures are for the highest level players.
For reference in the early '60s. I bought top of the line CCM Tacks (the best skates you could buy) for about $90.00 with my discount for working in the skate shop. The team bought me two sticks a season, after I broke those I had to pay $10.00 - $15.00 a piece for new wood. My shin pads were pressed cardboard from the salvage bin. I got my gloves from the former FOP league coach and I 'borrowed grandma's garter belt to hold up my hockey socks. (the guys were jealous of the cute floral pattern).
It was a simpler time!

[bill_g]

That does it. I'm only using handcrafted organic sudoku puzzles from now on!

[jcolvin2]

That does it. I'm only using handcrafted organic sudoku puzzles from now on!

Do your puzzlecrafters live in Oregon or Vermont?

[keith]

Switch to Croquet. All you need it a mallet, which you can make your own or spend 1000quatloos for a carbon fibre, or anywhere in between. Expensive one have no qualifiable advantage over well made home made ones.

You can even continue the American tradition of playing to your own set of rules in a game that is played all over the world to an otherwise consistent set of rules just because FREEDUMB!

Backyard 9 hoop croquet is pretty standard all over, but international games use 6 hoops. There are 3 main 6 hoop rule sets: Association Croquet, Golf Croquet, and American Rules Croquet. Internationally, Association is dominated by the Brits, Seth Effricans, Kiwis, and Aussies. Yanks are also rans in Association. Golf is dominated by Egyptians, with Aussies and Kiwis providing strong competition.

There are other rulesets, like Ricochet Croquet, and a major game in SE Asia, especially Japan is Gateball that only uses three hoops. Gateball mallets are more expensive than regular mallets because they have much more stringent specs and as far as I know they are only made in Japan.

But in none of these games do you need a medieval set of armour to survive.

Oh well, maybe in Extreme Croquet. I am given to understand that in Extreme the only penalty you can be assessed is if you knock over your opponents beer bottle. But that is only played at certain New England Universities.