Before getting into the topic of the day, a few notes about the state of politics in the USA. Former Republican Congresswoman Liz Cheney today joined Kamala Harris in her Wisconsin stop.  More specifically, Ripon, where the Republican Party was formed in 1854.  This was the first time Cheney has campaigned with Harris.  This will be all about the future of Democracy.  She is only one of hundreds of prominent Republicans who have endorsed Harris over Donald Trump. And about The Donald,  DC Judge Tanya Chutkan released the 165-page filing from the Justice Department special counsel Jack Smith, arguing that the former president doesn't deserve immunity from criminal charges because his conduct was for private gain rather than duty of public office . There won't be any trial anytime soon, but these details further diminish Trump's hope to be re-elected. Basically, there are four charges of conspiring to overturn the November 2020 election and the attack on the U.S. ...

Well,   Judge Scott McAfee ruled today   that Fani Willis can continue her role in the trials against Donald Trump and his cronies, but boyfriend Nathan Wade, the special prosecutor on this case, must go.   Boy, it would be nice if Willis can now get former Georgia Governor,   Roy Barnes , to serve in this role.  He was the person first asked to do this.  He looks old, but now in his mid-70's, remains convincing. In any event, one more case against Donald Trump now sure to happen before the November 5 election.  The status? The New York Hush Money trial will be pushed back at least until May. The Florida documents trial will also be somewhat delayed. The DC January 6 trial for Trump's failed coup attempt is awaiting a Supreme Court decision.  Hearings later next month with a decision probably before the Republican Nation Convention in July.  I suspect this trial will begin in September when the Supreme Court says Trump is not immune. The...

The USA has had 46 presidents.  Presidents Day was first established in 1879 as Washington's Birthday.   Back then there were only three other federal bank holidays:  Christmas, New Year's, Independence. So February 22 was added as the fourth. George Washington was born on February 22, 1732, 292 years ago.   Well, not quite, for we were then on the Julian calendar, and he came on February 11.   The Gregorian calendar--to more accurately mark the solar year--was adopted in 1752, adding 11 days. I looked back to 2022 and all the way up to 2034, and  none of these Mondays were and will be on February 22 .   With all that history, the  federal government still calls this day Washington's Birthday . Congress passed the  Uniform Monday Holiday Act  in 1968, which officially took effect in 1971, shifting the fixed date of February 22 to the third Monday of February.   Lincoln's Birthday had been celebrated by some ...

Personal news flash!  I indicated that I gained 7 pounds on our 5-week trip to Japan.  Made sense because we ate and drank way too much, but did so, for we deserved this extravagance.  I'm getting old, and would like to maximize my enjoyment of life. Well, I weighed yesterday, five days after returning, and was stunned to read 153 pounds.  I left Honolulu at 153 and weighed in at 160 when I returned from that trip.  How do I explain this?  I can't.  The best I can do is to suggest that my body is like a camel.  It stores water when on long trips.  But I checked, and, apparently  many do gain weight when on trips, and it is mostly water. Before I provide my thoughts on what will happen to Donald Trump, here is a more credible viewpoint of  Trumping History  by Michael Kazin in  Foreign Policy Magazine : Some see the orange-maned billionaire as a fascist akin to Hitler or   Mussolini   or compare him with such bygo...