Caturday

Speck is on the rocks.

The Dark Ages Return in Louisiana

A group of high-level managers at the Louisiana Department of Health walked into a Nov. 14 meeting in Baton Rouge expecting to talk about outreach and community events.

Instead, they were told by an assistant secretary in the department and another official that department leadership had a new policy: Advertising or otherwise promoting the COVID, influenza or mpox vaccines, an established practice there — a nd at most other public health entities in the U.S. — must stop.
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According to the employees, who spoke on the condition of anonymity because they fear losing their jobs or other forms of retaliation, the policy would be implemented quietly and would not be put in writing.

Staffers were also told that it applies to every aspect of the health department's work: Employees could not send out press releases, give interviews, hold vaccine events, give presentations or create social media posts encouraging the public to get the vaccines. They also could not put up signs at the department's clinics that COVID, flu or mpox vaccines were available on site.

So go ahead, live in Louisiana, and let the good times roll. Maybe you won't die fron an infectious disease. Hell, those idiots will probably discontinue food safety indpections because Bobby Brainworm might conclude they're based too heavily on science.

And all illnesses in that shithole of a state will be treated by blood-letting and prayer, no doubt.

Republicans in the second quarter of the 21st Century are morons.

Once Again, the Owner of an American Car Company Backs German Nazis

And like the first guy,he owns a media outlet.

Elon Musk on Friday voiced his support for Alternative for Germany, a far-right German political party that has been classified by German intelligence as a suspected extremist organization.

AfD has Nazi members and AfD members have tried to stage a coup. AfD is so whacko that even Marine Le Pen can't stand them.

Why anyone would buy an electric vehicle from Musk's Nazi Motors is incomprehensible.

Aligning These Down, Here

Because It's Friday

Gotta love those drip lubricators.

Imagine Soros

Imagine if George Soros was running around, standing by their side, publicly opining on congressional bills, pouring nine-figure amounts into American pilitical campaign and funding other nation's parties.

Republicans would be having a cow. It wouold get 24/7 coverage on Fox. The Right would be diving into full-on classic antsemetic tropes.

But Musk buys the GOP to the point that he is openly telling Trump and the congressional republicans what to do and the Right is fine with that. And now he's trying to do the same in Germany, Britain and Canada.

Musk sees himself as a 21st Century Hitler, but he's going to build his empire with moeny, not armies.

All hail Elon the Purchaser!

Musings Elsewhere

I wonder if it’s true that one of the first things Musk is going to do is buy calf-length black leather trenchcoats for all FBI agents. And then he’ll buy them Lugers.

If Ka$h is going to turn the FBI into his own personal secret police, they might as well dress the part.

Seriously, though: I would not be surprised if Musk/Trump staged some sort of outrage akin to the Reichstag fire or 9-11 in order to justify seizing dictatorial powers.

What Do You Do When Your Neighboring Country is Run by an Imperialist With Dreams of Empire

In Poland, you teach all of your kids to shoot.

.

In Finland, you expand your firing ranges.

Unsettled by Russia’s expansionism and emboldened by its recent accession to NATO, Finland is rallying to strengthen its national self-defense beyond its traditional military capabilities.

The popularity of weapons training in the Nordic country has soared in recent months. Few places tell the story of the rise in Finnish affinity for self-defense more than shooting ranges that are riding a boom of interest.
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Earlier this year, the coalition government announced plans to open more than 300 new ranges — a big jump from the 670 in operation today.

Authorities are encouraging citizens to take up interest in national defense in the country with a 1,340-kilometer (830-mile) border with Russia, where firing shots in ice hockey has been more of a pastime than shooting bullets.

The COFF, CouchBoy and the rest of their ilk may say that Russia is a peaceful nation, but Russia's neighbors know that's not the truth.

Regifting These Down, Here

The King of Debt Wants to Bankrupt Everyone

Vice-Commandante Bone Spurs wants to raise or remove the debt ceiling.

That's pretty rich, given that it's been his party, at his behest, that has, for years, used the threat of crashing into the debt ceiling as a cudgel to get what they want.

What with his effectively handing over the reins to an unelected foreigner who can't qualify for a top-level security clearance due to his drug use and hidden contacts with America's enemies, this is going to be an interesting four years.

And yes:

Richest Man in the World Orders His Lackies to Shut Down the American Government

Elon Musk is ordering his recently-purchased president to shut down the government and His Obsequiousness is going along with it.

This will be the Musk Shutdown, followed by the Musk/Trump Recession. Or depression.

If you voted for the Republicans or if you couldn't be bothered to vote, whatever happens next is on you.

Trolling These Down, Here

Ayup.

NEW YORK (The Borowitz Report)—On Monday a spokesman for ABC News apologized for what he called “an unfortunate incident of freedom of the press.”

“Earlier this year, an employee exercised a right that is enshrined in the First Amendment of the Constitution,” the spokesman said. “We have spoken to him, and he won’t do it again.”

Doubling down on ABC’s apology, the spokesman said, “Our employee deeply regrets speaking ill of someone who calls other people ‘vermin.’”

ABC executives reportedly flew to Mar-a-Lago to grovel, but had to wait in line behind Joe and Mika.

But don't worry. Trumpie is polishing his jackboots for next month. And his plan to sue anyone who annoys him and thereby bury them in legal fees is becoming clear.

In summation: Fuck you, Mitch McConnell. Now and forever.

How It Works

How privilege works, a graphic short story.

Tutors. Moral support. Maybe a trust fund to pay educational expenses. One kid graduates with no debt, able to start building their own nest egg. The other kid, not so much.

The first kid, like our incoming president, believes he did it all on his own. Which he didn't.

Straight White Christian CEOs' Lives Matter the Most

And they're getting their own private hotline to report threats to the NYS police.

No word if the cops have arrested the thugs who knifed two teenagers almost two weeks ago because they didn't speak English. Because, as New York is blatantly asserting, some lives matter more.

Remember, when Harry Bosch says "everyone counts or nobody counts", he's just a figment of a writer's imagination.

If you're being stalked by some creep, you're on your own. Unless you're a CEO.

I can't cut large checks, but I'll damn sure make a donation to whomsoever runs against Hochul.

Even Dumber Than Tuberville

Took some doing, but he out-dumbed the coach.

Schnorring These Down, Here