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Cheers and Jeers: Tuesday [1]

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Date: 2023-08-01

Let’s Check the DK Ukraine Relief Tote Board As we do every few weeks or so, let’s check in on the Daily Kos relief fund for the Ukrainian civilians—and their furry friends—affected by Russia’s daily war crimes. As of this morning, you’ve contributed: $3,448,354.30 If you'd like to support the four chosen groups—the World Central Kitchen, AmeriCares, Razom for Ukraine, and the International Fund for Animal Welfare—click here and ActBlue will guide you through the rest.

As the armchair generals continue their Gomer Pyle-tweeting about how President Zelenskyy should do this, that, and the other thing to succeed with the counter-offensive, Ukraine’s impressive (an understatement) military continues sticking to the plan that is leading to liberation slowly but surely. In the meantime, Russia is still doing its worst, and our help is still essential for the civilians caught in the middle. So thanks for your continued support for Ukraine, and your continued extended middle finger to Mad King Vlad.

Cheers and Jeers for Tuesday, August 1, 2023

Note: Don’t forget that August 1 is random drug-testing day in C&J. If you test negative, you'll be escorted to the exit by security. And since security is currently high as a kite, we'd appreciate it if you'd help them find the exit. Thank you. —Mgt.

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By the Numbers:

3 days!!!

Weeks 'til the Ohio special election to decide if it should now take 60 percent of the vote to pass a citizens referendum instead of 50 percent: 1

Days 'til the 28th annual Clam Festival in Highlands, New Jersey: 3

Number of lawsuits challenging congressional maps in 12 states, according to Democracy Docket: 27

Number of U.S. House districts that could be impacted by the outcome of those lawsuits: 40

Percent of Maine's energy needs that will be delivered via offshore wind by 2040: 50%

Drop in Exxon Mobil's profits during the 2nd quarter: -56%

Richter Scale reading of seismic activity caused recently by Taylor Swift Fans at a concert in Seattle: 2.3

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Puppy Pic of the Day: Gold star to 15 good Samaritans in New Hampshire…

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CHEERS to August. The dog days. The month everybody, not just Congress, should be allowed to take off. The month everyone wears out their whites because they know Labor Day's just around the corner. The 13th is the high Republican holiday known as "Blame Someone Else Day" and the next 31 days will also see National Raspberry Cream Pie Day, Watermelon Day, Ice Cream Sandwich Day, Mustard Day, Potatoe Day (I prefer the Dan Quayle spelling), Cherry Popsicle Day, and Trail Mix Day, to be followed on September 1st with "Honey, Where Did We Put The Treadmill?" Day.

August is the traditional month for dressing up in your finest silks and reclining on a daybed with your dog and a random alligator.

Ukraine will continue outwitting Russia’s army of children and old men. And If we all hold our breath and clap loudly enough, we might see a whole bunch of new indictments rain down on the previous president and his crime syndicate.

Loni Anderson and I (but, sadly, not fellow Leo Neil Armstrong, except in spirit) blow out our birthday candles Saturday, a day after Barack Obama turns a still-youthful 62. (Enjoy that first Social Security check, sir.) Of course, it's also the month during which you never want to introduce a bogus war based on lies to the public, but you apparently do want to illegally restore a defeated former president to power upon orders from a former coke addict who now stuffs pillows with metal shavings and dryer lint for a living. As for movies, just when we thought a comeback was in the works, August comes along and so does the mediocrity.

And as always, for another month humanity will continue destroying the planet at a record pace in pursuit of money, power, and whiz-bang consumer goods. Oh, for the good old days when August used to be boring.

CHEERS to watching for the new crop from Georgia. Sad to see that the peach harvest was a bust this year in the, uh, the uh—[Checks notes]—Peach State. But since it's now August, we can keep our eyes peeled for a new crop to spring forth from down yonder:

Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis reemphasized her plans to announce charging decisions by Sept. 1 in her investigation into efforts by former President Donald Trump and his allies to overturn the 2020 election results in the state. Hmm. Think Fani Willis has enough evidence for an indictment or two? “The work is accomplished,” Willis told an NBC affiliate during a back-to-school event last weekend. “We’ve been working for two-and-a-half years. We’re ready to go.” […] Willis called for a special grand jury last year because the panel had the power to issue subpoenas to force witnesses to testify. The jury, which was tasked with determining whether there were coordinated attempts to unlawfully change the results of the 2020 elections, recommended indicting more than a dozen people, its foreperson, Emily Kohrs, said on NBC’s “Nightly News” in February. The names have not been made public.

I hope the Georgia indictments are served up the way I like my Georgia peaches: from a can bathed in cling syrup. Them's good eatin'.

P.S. In another lovely twist, Trump’s attempt to cancel Willis’s investigation was stomped on by a judge yesterday. His first clue that the filing was wholly without merit: it was a Trump attempt.

CHEERS to cool stuff (I think). I'm not sure if I'm the last person in America to not have a smartphone, but I wouldn’t be surprised if I was. I guess I still enjoy the thrill too much of picking up the earpiece on my crank phone to hear the happenings on my Ma Bell party line, although I admit it's been pretty quiet for the last, oh, forty years or so. Anyway, for those of you into those slim devices that give you head cancer and allow the government to follow your every move, I guess this is going to get you all tingly excited:

Apple is preparing to unveil its next generation of devices this fall, and the high-end iPhone 15 models will reportedly feature some major changes. Look at the iPhone 12. Ha ha, what a dinosaur! The company has used its proprietary Lightning charger for iPhones since 2012, but the iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 Plus will be compatible with USB-C charging, according to a report from Bloomberg. The report said the iPhone 15 Pro and Pro Max models will feature titanium edges instead of stainless steel. That may help make those phones a bit lighter.

Sorry, but I'm still holding out for a cup holder. Oh, and a party line.

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BRIEF SANITY BREAK

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END BRIEF SANITY BREAK

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CHEERS to great inventions. 136 years ago this week, in 1887, Chester A. Hodge of Beloit, Wisconsin received a patent for barbed wire. Or as Marjorie Taylor Greene calls it: gift wrap.

JEERS to 18-wheel ripoffs. For your consideration, a CNN headline circa 2020:

The Trump administration just lent $700 million to a trucking company sued for ripping off taxpayers

That trucking company would be the 99-year-old Yellow Corporation, which just folded and laid off its 30,000 employees yesterday. That sucks, although it says the demise of the freight mover won’t impact the overall supply chain much. But what about that brilliant loan by the previous administration? Well, since you asked so politely…

The company received a $700 million loan from the federal government in 2020, a loan that resulted in taxpayers holding 30% of its outstanding stock. And the company still owed the Treasury department more than$700 million according to its most recently quarterly report, nearly half of the long-term debt on its books. No more iconic Yellow trucks on the road. The company had received that loan during the pandemic, despite the fact that at the time it was facing charges of defrauding the government by overbilling on shipments of items for the US military. The company eventually settled the dispute without admitting wrongdoing but was forced to pay a $6.85 million fine.

Coming soon to a bumper sticker near you: Trump 2024—Make America Take The Loss Again.

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Ten years ago in C&J: August 1, 2013

JEERS to a twisted orgy of madness. After running their majority steamroller over women's rights, voter rights, students, minorities, the unemployed, the sick and, for good measure, the state's justice system, North Carolina Republicans celebrated by dancing a jig on the House floor. From The National Memo:

“It was the final death knell to the progress made by years of social justice and civil rights advancements,” writes SadTimesinNC, who posted the video filmed by Carol Edward on CNN’s iReport. Republicans have turned North Carolina into a laughingstock and they’re dancing for joy.

They'll spend their recess kicking puppies, stealing candy from babies and short-sheeting the beds down at the nursing home. Just to keep in practice until the next session.

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And just one more…

CHEERS to Self-evident Truths—Part 298 in our 33,975-part series. There's simply no argument on this one: When the moon hits your eye like a big pizza pie, that’s—[Cheats by looking at hand notes]—amore. And this month you're really gonna get an eyeful. Yes, August brings with it two full moons, starting tonight with a rare "Sturgeon Supermoon.” Prepared to be dazzled:

The full Sturgeon Moon reaches its peak on Tuesday, August 1, 2023, and then we have a full Blue Moon on Wednesday, August 30, 2023—and it will be the closest supermoon of the year! 2021’s full sturgeon moon. August’s full Moon was traditionally called the Sturgeon Moon because the giant sturgeon of the Great Lakes and Lake Champlain were most readily caught during this part of summer. These prehistoric-looking fish have been traced back to around 136 million years ago and many people call them “living fossils.”

Usual full-moon drill: if skies are clear, get yer butt out in the back yard, look up, think of Neil Armstrong and Michael Collins (Buzz Aldrin, thankfully, is still with us), and give ‘em a wink. (Or, if you’re a werewolf, a good stiff howl.)

Have a tolerable Tuesday. Floor's open...What are you cheering and jeering about today?

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Today's Shameless C&J Testimonial ”I know this is a controversial view, but I’m willing to say it. No provision in the Constitution gives Congress the authority to regulate the Cheers and Jeers kiddie pool—period.” —Justice Alito

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[1] Url: https://www.dailykos.com/stories/2023/8/1/2184243/-Cheers-and-Jeers-Tuesday

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