Sunday View in the Rear-View
When I was a child living in Alabama we would vacation along the panhandle of Florida. There, I felt my first experiences of that mysterious glimmering I can only call grace, alone on the beach watching a line of dolphins leaping and dancing out beyond the breaking waves where I knew I could never go. Since then, The Sea has always held for me the fascination and mystery that others see in religion. I’m endlessly in awe in the presence of the ocean.
Scientifically speaking, the oceans have been our life support system, a key source of our nourishment, and even, in a literal sense, our savior. The oceans, it turns out, have buffered us from the worst of the heat coming from global warming. They’ve absorbed the vast bulk of the CO2 we have spewed into the sky. They have soaked up the greater amount of the heat so far caused by the CO2 they could not soak up. But in their heroic labors to save us, the seas themselves may be dying. Soon the Gulf of Mexico may become known as the Poison Sea. And those dolphins— who taught me to see nature as the living presence of all that is sacred— are dying, too. I’ll take a moment here to actually pray for the dolphins. You can join me if you wish.
https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/dolphins-along-gulf-coast-are-dying-triple-normal-rate-scientists-n1017966
That’s enough for the Sunday sermon. Let’s have a little War Party!
So who’s ready to cheer Trump on, if he attacks Iran? Who’s really for this war, anyway?
https://news.yahoo.com/saudi-crown-prince-lashes-arch-rival-iran-over-235650117.html
This is another fake war, flocks, I mean folks. I’ve said it before. It’s another war being sold to you by P.R. Burn-em himself, who looks a lot like those old war posters of Uncle Sam these days. Hey, look, he’s offering free passes to the Circus, if you buy one more war!
Don’t buy it, folks. It’s snake oil, it’s poison, and it won’t heal all your ills. A war with Iran will only kill a whole lot of people who are just like you and me. And their babies. Please, don’t buy it. I’d pray again, but I already said the sermon’s over. But feel free, if you are so moved. A little prayer for peace never hurts.
While the war build-up against Iran continues, the ongoing war on journalism goes on. Following the Assange extradition agreement with Britain, Trump’s bark is showing a few more teeth. True, they’re implants, but still sharp. He’s biting a pretty big dog when Trump nips at NYT’s heels with the T-word.
https://www.thedailybeast.com/trump-accuses-new-york-times-of-treason-for-story-on-us-cyber-offensive-against-russia
And more from the Fake War News files—
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2019/jun/13/mike-pompeo-iran-gulf-oil-tanker-attacks
Fake War or Fake News or What?
https://www.newsweek.com/intelligence-experts-question-iran-video-us-track-record-ginning-evidence-war-not-good-1444169
Seeing a pattern in fake claims by Pompeo about Iran?
https://www.stripes.com/news/us/the-taliban-claimed-an-attack-on-us-forces-pompeo-blamed-iran-1.586163
Squirrel, squirrel!
Don’t worry about the war. An asteroid is coming close to earth this September. There’s a 1 in 7300 chance it’ll whack us. That is so much better than the odds of winning the Powerball you wouldn’t hardly believe it if I bothered to do the math and told you. Way better than the local lottery. So, anybody want to buy a ticket? I’ve got one here for you, if you want. Cheap. And a slightly used War to sell you, too.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uh3I3aTTD3o
In the face of Trump’s growing tyranny, there is growing support for impeachment.
https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/meet-the-press/support-impeachment-grows-among-democrats-new-nbc-news-wsj-poll-n1017751
But is there a deadline for impeachment? Could it get too late? From the Side it looks like there is a point of diminishing possibility for impeachment. As the election gets closer, it will become more difficult to impeach, and the likelihood that the Supremes will interfere in impeachment grows daily.
A key question is at what point will the Repubs absolutely never abandon Trump, despite the most damning evidence presented in an Impeachment Inquiry. Impeachment has to come soon enough that the Repubs can put a replacement forward for election in 2020. Even a wounded Trump will be a better candidate for the Republicans unless Pence or another replacement has time to campaign. So the impeachment process needs to be well under way by September. I’d say that means the end of July, early August at the latest, is the latest reasonable time to begin the inquiry. It’s already late in the window of available opportunity. Impeachment should have begun immediately after the Mueller report release. But don’t look back, someone once said. (I’d go google around and figure out who to attribute for the quote, but that would be lookin’ back, right?)
Yep, by the hot, hot days of late August, impeachment’s gonna get pretty damn hard, almost as hard as the cornfields of the Midwest are going to be with their shriveled harvests. Almost as hard as getting the Supremes to support any subpoenas into Trump that aren’t part of an impeachment inquiry.
I’ll close for today with a couple of side-notes and a brand new feature.
Independents for Inslee
Are there any other non-affiliated voters like myself who support Jay Inslee for president? I’ve been asked to volunteer for Inslee, and I had the thought that a reach-out group for non-Democrats might be useful. In Oregon, not so much, because the primaries are closed. Maybe elsewhere… Let me know if you aren’t a Dem but you still like Inslee. Are you in for Inslee?
You can volunteer here.
World Strike for Climate
Greta and the Climate Kids are organizing a world-wide strike for the environment on Sept 20. It’s not just the kids anymore, and it isn’t just playing around. This could be big. I almost wish I had a job, so that I could go on strike. Maybe if I went to work that day, it would be like going on strike from retirement. Working or not, I’ll be joining these kids to speak out in defense of this Living World on Sept 20 and beyond. Check it out and join in if you want to.
https://globalclimatestrike.net
Finally! As a brand new feature in the Sunday Edition of View from the Side, you can enjoy a leisurely Sunday stroll through the lively, if weedy, gardens and forest paths of last week’s news.
The View In the Rear-view: Last week on the Side
Sunday: Vacate the Chair
Last Sunday’s brunch edition featured a main course of roasted Pelosi, peppered with constitutional issues, and drenched in a sweet impeachment sauce. On the side were lots of climate links, and a palette-cleansing treat of hope for dessert, backed by strong climate legislation from Oregon sprinkled with a little Jay Inslee on the top. Enjoy the meal.
https://kenzimmerman.net/blog/2019/06/09/view-from-the-side-20190609-vacate-the-chair/
Monday: Falter, Flail, Fall, and Fail
A busy week started on Monday. Lots of links on a variety of topics, with a few end of semester grades handed out. Climate change outfits for the Primary Fashion Show,(B+) but DNC doesn’t want a climate debate. (F) Climate Conservatives (A-). Preview of John Dean and House Judiciary Hearing. And an A+ for Bill Nye. A few flailing dinosaurs stumbling toward extinction. And lots of climate science links.
https://kenzimmerman.net/blog/2019/06/10/view-from-the-side-20190610-falter-flail-fall-and-fail/
Tuesday: For the Love of a Gavel
This one is chock full of cool facts. Like Nancy Pelosi has a little pin she likes to wear in the shape of a gavel. Spy v. Spy stuff like the fact that one of the Russian contacts with Trump during the 2016 campaign was a US asset. And a schooling of white Democrats from a black writer. Gotta love that one! Bang goes the gavel.
https://kenzimmerman.net/blog/2019/06/11/view-from-the-side-20190611-for-the-love-of-a-gavel/
Wednesday: In a Funhouse Mirror
Democrats and Republicans sometimes reflect each other. “Lock _ Up!” Fill in the blank based on your party preference. More reflections on dinosaur thinking, some peering into the demographics of the Geriocracy. And lots of political links.
https://kenzimmerman.net/blog/2019/06/12/view-from-the-side-20190612-in-a-funhouse-mirror/
Thursday: Even a Broken Clock
In this column, Donald Trump trumpets about being a crook. At least he doesn’t deny it like Nixon. Also a Re-View of the House Intelligence Hearing on Mueller and Russia. And what happens when a Republican is half-right about climate change? He gets an almost apology from the Side.
https://kenzimmerman.net/blog/2019/06/13/view-from-the-side-20190613-even-a-broken-clock/
Friday: Peace Out, Damn It!
Sick of endless war, the Friday for Future entry became a diatribe against war, and the fake build up to war against Iran. Ends with an invite to a coming Climate Party. That should be a lot of fun! I hope you’ll join me.
https://kenzimmerman.net/blog/2019/06/14/view-from-the-side-20190614-peace-out-damn-it/
Saturday: Three Body Problem
The Side gets theoretical in this one. You will likely learn something you didn’t know, and very possibly something you didn’t want to know. But I’m sure you will be better off for it. More links on the fake war brewing with Iran. A sit down with the Cult of the Doomsday Scientists. And a pre-View of the new reality TV series, exclusive to View from the Side— First Crime Family ™
https://kenzimmerman.net/blog/2019/06/15/view-from-the-side-20190615-three-body-problem-body-1/
I’ve also added several new and old poems to the website recently. Enjoy!
https://kenzimmerman.net/poetry/
Click through the links to check out the articles. Leave a comment if you want. I’d love to hear from you.
Peace be with you, from all sides,
Ken
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