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Memories
We all have memories of the day and following days. These are my most vivid ones.
It was a beautiful morning. I was listening to our AM rock station, and they reported that a plane had hit one of the towers. I thought nothing of it, at the time. I thought, a small plane, The radio station went back to its morning show.
I went downstairs to my office. Did some work Then searched the net. A second plane had crashed into the other tower. What the hell? I turned on the tv. The very first image I saw was smoke flaming out of both towers. As the morning progressed, work forgotten, I realized that life would never be the same again. I went into a depression for weeks. our world had changed.
A few other things stood out in the weeks that followed. Late in September of 2001, I was flying back from Edmonton to Ottawa. We had a stopover in Winnipeg. Crew change. A stewardess opened up one of the luggage compartments near the back of the plane. She found a stack of bibles in the compartment. She cried out, “What are these doing here” She had a breakdown, right on the plane, weeping. I can’t remember if she was replaced or not.
I remember driving down to Florida, in November. Security at the border was tight. I remember we had to open up our car trunk. I remember the border officer saying “They are ok they have a kettle in the trunk”.
One last memory, amongst others, on the same drive, we heard that a plane from New York bound for the Dominican had crashed shortly after takeoff from JFK. No survivors. We immediately thought “Oh no, another terrorist attack”. As it turned out, the plane had crashed on account of wake turbulence from a plane preceding it.
That was our generation’s Pearl Harbour. Wars were started. Thousands of military lives and tens of thousands of civilian lives were lost. All I got.
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Horrid Week Tidbits
Sourced from CNN Website – Fulton County Sheriff’s Office
This is a follow up on yesterday’s chirp about all the events that occurred, last week, that made Trump’s life even worse. Let’s not forget that Monday was a holiday.
Enrique Tarrio got 22 years. He had been offered a plead deal which would have been half the years he got sentenced. he gambled and lost.
Peter Navarro was found guilty of contemp. Bad week for Peter. He has been pleading for funds while getting harassed by a protester with the video going viral.
The IT person at Mar-a-Lago has flipped and will testify against Trump. Of course, Trump will say he hardly knows the guy and he is a liar, just like every other Republican who will be testifying against Trump. Also, when the video supports the IT person Trump will back on his ‘don’t believe what you see’ stance.
Carroll wins her second defamation suit. Given that Trump does not know tro quit when he is behind, no doubt a third, fourth and fifth suit will follow.
The DC Grand Jury is back in session. More indictments to follow. The gift that keeps on giving.
Fani Willis gives a scathing response to Jim Jordan. She took him to the woodshed, spanked him and made him look like a moron. Well done, Fani.
Mark Meadows’ trial will be in state court. This weakens Trump’s argument to be tried in Federal Court. Meadows’ trial will now be televised. Trump is looking at the same thing.
Have a great Sunday.
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One Horrid Week
Sourced from CNN Website – Fulton County Sheriff’s Office
The following was sourced from a Twitter user, under the handle Jack E Smith. This ALL happened in one week. As mentioned in the bottom of Smith’s tweet, Monday was a holiday.
Enrique Tarrio – 22 years Alabama court strikes down gerrymandered district maps. Peter Navarro – Green Bay swept. Ken Paxton impeachment in TX. MaL Docs case: Taveras flips NY Fraud case: Trump loses appeal to delay. Sanctions pending. E. Jean Carroll wins her 2nd defamation suit against the sex pest. DC Grand Jury back in session. GA RICO: Cheese and Kraken go together on Oct 23rd. John Eastman disbarment hearing. Fani Willis stuffs Jim Jordan in a locker. 14th amendment disqualification vs. Trump filed in Colorado Mark Meadows loses appeal to change jurisdiction. (Monday was a holiday)
I cannot summarize Trump’s horrible week better than how Smith did above. Trump has got to be tearing what hair he has left. Next week his Truth Social posts will go further into the derangement twilight zone.
Enjoy your Saturday.
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Ass Whuppin
Jim Jordan got on his high horse this week and requested information from Fani Willis on the Georgia false electors case that she is prosecuting. Jordan also questioned Willis’ motivation and the timing of the indictments. As Julia Roberts said in ‘Pretty Woman’ “Mistake, big Mistake”
Her response was withering, basically calling Jordan a moron. The following excerpts of her response gives more justice than my description of her letter. First, about Jordan’s concern about the 19 being indicted, including Trump,
“Here is another reality you must face: Those who wish to avoid felony charges in Fulton County, Georgia — including violations of Georgia RICO law — should not commit felonies in Fulton County, Georgia.”
About Jordan’s interference,
“There is no justification in the Constitution for Congress to interfere with a state criminal matter, as you attempt to do.”
About Jordan’s threat to cut federal funding,
“If you and your colleagues follow through on your threats to deny this office federal funds, please be aware that you will be deciding to allow serial rapists to go unprosecuted, hate crimes to be unaddressed and to cancel programs for at-risk children. Such vengeful, uncalled for legislative action would impose serious harm on the citizens we serve, including the fact that it will make them less safe.”
Then she really starts taking Jordan to the woodshed,
“Your job description as a legislator does not include criminal law enforcement, nor does it include supervising a specific criminal trial because you believe that doing so will promote your partisan political objectives.”
“Your letter makes clear that you lack a basic understanding of the law, its practice, and the ethical obligations of attorneys generally and prosecutors specifically.”
“Settled constitutional law (permits her) “to ignore your unjustified and illegal intrusion into an open state criminal prosecution.”
She points out the fact that Jordan is not a lawyer and suggest he buy a book on RICO statutes.
“As a non-member of the bar, you can purchase a copy for two hundred forty-nine dollars.”
Then Willis suggests what Jordan should be doing, instead.
“You should consider directing the USDOJ to investigate the racist threats that have come to my staff and me because of this investigation.”
An ass whuppin or what? This lady is going to go places.
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Feels Like Christmas
Sourced from Pride of Detroit website Attrribution to Junfu Han/USE Today Network
This is a me chirp. Some days do feel like Christmas. More troubles for Donald Trump yesterday. Regarding the Mar-a-Lago documents case, it came out yesterday that there are tapes of Trump talking to his lawyers about hiding the documents and telling the authorities that there are no documents to hand over. Can anyone say, ‘dead duck’. He was on a conservative host radio show yesterday saying that he is looking forward to testifying in the January 6 case. That gave me a good laugh because we all know he won’t He just won’t.
The Detroit Lions are playing the season-opener against the Super Bowl champs, Kansas City, tonight. This is the first time ever that the Lions have played a season-opener prime time game. The hype around them this year is greater than it has ever been in my lifetime and that has been a long freaking lifetime. There are going to be some kneecaps knocked this year. You have to be an NFL fan to understand the meaning of that.
Finally, when I was in Kelowna earlier this year, Edmonton’s only all sports station went off the air. The gutless owners had to do it when I was out of town. Now, this week, we have two sports stations. My favorite morning show is back and one of my texts, about my Lions, of course, was read on the air, under the handle Richard Bird.
Life is good.
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Gaining Momentum
Sourced from CNN website – Fulton County Sheriff’s Office
Donald Trump is going through a lot right now. He is battling with Fani Willis and there is a growing hate between Trump and Jack Smith. Smith warned yesterday that Trump’s ‘daily statements’ is running the risk of tainting the jury pool. Smith is looking for judge Chutkan to address the situation. Trump reacted badly as usual with more unhinged posts on his Truth Social. It was kind of another bad day for Trump with Proud Boy Tarrio getting sentenced to 22 years.
But for all the legal drama circling around Trump, in Georgia, Washington, Florida and elsewhere, the bark of the 14th Amendment is starting to get a bit of bite. It is the Secretaries of State, in each state, who determines who will be on the ballots of their state. In some states, the Secretary of State, for that state are looking whether Trump should be disqualified from appearing on the ballot, on account of the 14th Amendment.
“No person shall be a Senator or Representative in Congress, or elector of President and Vice President, or hold any office, civil or military, under the United States, or under any state, who, having previously taken an oath, as a member of Congress, or as an officer of the United States, or as a member of any state legislature, or as an executive or judicial officer of any state, to support the Constitution of the United States, shall have engaged in insurrection or rebellion against the same, or given aid or comfort to the enemies thereof. But Congress may by a vote of two-thirds of each House, remove such disability.“
The growing uproar over this has reached a point where Trump issued a rage post on his Truth Social.
“Almost all legal scholars have voiced opinions that the 14th Amendment has no legal basis or standing relative to the upcoming 2024 Presidential Election.. It is just another ‘trick’ being used by the Radical Left Communists, Marxists, and Fascists, to again steal an Election that their candidate, the WORST, MOST INCOMPETENT, & MOST CORRUPT President in U.S. history, is incapable of winning in a Free and Fair Election.”
Who would these legal scholars be. Would it be Melania. I don’t think they are talking. Maybe Rudy. Maybe not Probably John Eastman. Maybe Trump should have said legal scholar instead of scholars. Maybe illegal scholar would have been more appropriate.
One more headache for Trump in a growing tidal wave of headaches.
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Greenbelt For Dummies
Ontario is being rocked by a scandal which has already resulted in the resignation of the Housing Minister and allegations of shenanigans by Premier Doug Ford. It revolves around the Greenbelt and it is so messy that I willk dumb it down for both you and me.
The Greenbelt surrounds the Golden Horseshoe in Southern Ontario. The Greenbelt is an area of wetlands, farmlands and forests. Legislation was passed by the Ontario Government, in 2005, to protect this area, consisting of two million acres, from urban development. With me, so far?
In 2018, when Doug Ford was running for Premier, he promised that he would open up the Greenbelt, for housing development. The reason he would this was to reduce the cost of new homes in the Greater Toronto Area (GTA) the centre of the Golden Horseshoe.
In November 2022, Housing Minister Steve Clark announced that he would cut out 7,400 acres from the Greenbelt, for housing development, while adding 9,400 acres, elsewhere.
CBC reports, in the same month, that this would benefit prominent developers, who already own land, in the Greenbelt, given that land prices will skyrocket, on the 7,400 acres set aside. The CBC reports, also, that a sale had already been made, in September. Inside information perhaps? Clark claims, at the time, that he did not tip-off developers, in advance.
In January, of this year, the OPP announce that they will determine whether they will investigate the matter. Meanwhile, both Ontario’s integrity commissioner and auditor general will investigate the matter.
In February, it comes out that Doug Ford’s daughter’s $150 per ticket stag-and-doe, included developers, lobbyists and government relations firms. Furthermore, a number of individuals, who attended the susequent wedding, benefitted from the Greenbelt parcelling.
In August, the auditor general, reports that 14 of the 15 pacelled Greenbelt sites were not decided on by civil servants, but, single-handedly decided upon by the Housing Minister’s Chief of Staff. Furthermore, developers, who had access to the Chief of Staff, owned 92% of the land parcelled.
The OPP has since handed over the invesytigation to the RCMP due to conflict of interest. There are reports that an unregistered lobbyist is set to receive one million dollars if a specific patrcelled Greenbelt area is developed. This is illegal. This lobbyist, identified as Mr. X, invited the Chief of Staff to golf with him and also gave him tickets to a Toronto Raptors game.
There is more, but I think you get the picture. As mentioned, the Housing Minister, following intense pressure has resigned. What a mess. It will likely getr messier.
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More Fun To Come
Attribution to Alvesgaspar – Own work
Amidst the Trump circus, another circus could dramatically unfold, by the end of September. Washington went through the debt-limit drama earlier this year where Joe Biden and Kevin McCarthy played chicken and McCarthy went away with his wings clipped. The hard-line right went ballistic and said Kevin had not long to live as House Speaker. Yet he still remains.
The next circus, or some could call, clown show, will revolve the need to establish a budget, for next year, by the end of September. Failure to do so could result in a federal government shutdown.
There are ways to go around it by way of temporary extensions, at current levels, but sooner or later one side could draw the line and say ‘we are out of here’. Donald Trump tried that a few years ago and it resulted in the government being shut down for Christmas one year and extending into January. Trump backed down, but lumps of coal were the sum total of Christmas presents, for many families.
The key thing here is that part of the debt-ceiling agreement was that government spending for most government programs would be flat for the next two years. As per Bill Hogaland senior VP at the Bipartisan Policy Center, a Washington think tank,
“The agreement reached on the debt limit set a number for appropriations for upcoming fiscal year, but that number is looked at by the Senate as the floor and looked at by the House as the ceiling.”
The Republic House is already looking at setting 2024 funding levels at 2022 levels, a level that was set before many of Joe Biden’s approved bills came into being, such as the Inflation reduction Act. The Democrats, of course, will never go for that. Logjam. Added to that is the Presidential election, a year away, where both Biden and McCarthy will try to out-macho each other.
Fun times.
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Not On My Watch
Trumpkins are desperately seeking ways to aid Trump against his mounting legal difficulties. The latest move is to ouster Fani Willis from her role as Fulton County District Attorney. The push to ouster Willis is led by GOP State Senator, Colton Moore,
“I’m not going to sit back and watch as radical left prosecutors politically TARGET political opponents.”
Brian Kemp, pictured above, is the Republican Governor, for Georgia. He has quickly quashed any chance of this happening.
“Up to this point, I have not seen any evidence that DA Willis’ actions or lack thereof warrant action by the prosecuting attorney oversight commission. As long as I am governor, we’re going to follow the law and the Constitution, regardless of who it helps or harms politically.”
Smackdown. Colton Moore, in typical Trumpian fashion, reacted badly to Kemp.
“Governor Brian Kemp is not being honest with the people of Georgia. He is allowing his disdain for President Trump to cloud his judgement. Governor Brian Kemp is not being honest with the people of Georgia. He is allowing his disdain for President Trump to cloud his judgement.
But Moore goes much further than that.
“Do you want a civil war? I don’t want a civil war. I don’t want to have to draw my rifle. I want to make this problem go away with my legislative means of doing so.”
The fact that Trump is still a viable candidate is stunning. Hillary Clinton was right, seven years ago, when she called a segment of Trump supporters ‘deplorables’.
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PAC 12 Now 2
Attribution to Pac-12 Style Guide
When I was a kid, I grew up on the Canadian side, just across the bordr from Big Ten country. Saturday afternoons were filled with listening the Michigan Wolverine games. The highlight games being games against the Spartans and the Buckeyes, as well as the Irish. Moved west, not so close to the border, but would be able to catch the Cougars, the Huskies and with the dish would watch Bill Walton and his unique style of colour commentary of PAC 10 basketball games. The Pac 10, then PAC 12, has been around for over 100 years It has produced dynasties like John Wooden’s UCLA Bruins basketball teams. I remember watching a John Shumate led Notre Dame end the Bruins’ 88 game undefeated streak 71-70 back in 1974. The PAC 12, as Bill Walton would say, the Conference of Champions.
And now? Four teams to the Big 10 now 18. Four teams to the Big 12 (I have lost count how many teams are there now) Stanford and California gone to the ACC. The Pac 12 is now a dead Oregon duck. The only two teams left, Oregon State and Washington State. It is a bloody shame.
What happens to the remaining two schools. Probably absorbed by the Mountain West. Now the Cougars and Beavers are used to about $30 million in tv revenues. The move to the Mountain West will reduce that to $5 million. The problem is, these two schools current have an Athletics Program structure built for $30 million in revenues. That is going to be a painful readjustment with some programs like cut. You can also say goodbye to the Washington/Washington State Apple Cup rivalry and the Oregon school’s CIVIL War game.
The reality is college football is a big business. The Conference of Champions, a casualty. I keep thinking of Sam Malone at the end of the Cheers finale “Sorry we’re closed”.
Bird's Chirps
So I don't have to put it on Facebook anymore….