NCAA Basketball Tournament
Congratulations to the Women’s NCAA Basketball Tournament. Four million more viewers watched their championship game on Sunday than the men’s championship on Monday. Per Nielsen, an average over 18 million people watched the women’s championship game while an average of over 14 million watched the men’s championship game. The women get my Orchid of the Day.
Israel/Hamas
Per the Guardian, cease-fire talks are still sputtering, Hamas has dismissed the likelihood of a deal and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of Israel has doubled down on his vow to invade Rafah, the final stretch of the Gaza Strip that his military has yet to push into.
“We will complete the elimination of Hamas’s battalions, including in Rafah,” Netanyahu said on Tuesday, “No force in the world will stop us.”
Eclipse
I heard this little tidbit on the radio this morning. Along the path of the peak of the eclipse internet usage in Ohio dropped anywhere from 40-60%.
Finally, we found something that will make people stop looking at their phones.
Public Opinion Matters.
How quickly the Maga/Kamikaze branch of the Republican Party has changed their tune on abortion after getting trounced in the 2022 elections and realizing nearly 70% of Americans approve of abortion in the first trimester. With yesterday’s supreme court ruling upholding an 1864 law banning all abortions in Arizona, the former president and his followers are trying to distance themselves from their previous views on abortion. The question is why?
Per the Guardian, Hours after Arizona’s supreme court declared on Tuesday that a 160-year-old abortion ban is now enforceable, Republicans in the state took a surprising stance for a party that has historically championed abortion restrictions – they denounced the decision.
- “This decision cannot stand,” said Matt Gress, a Republican state representative. “I categorically reject rolling back the clock to a time when slavery was still legal and we could lock up women and doctors because of an abortion.”
- “Today’s Arizona supreme court decision reinstating an Arizona territorial-era ban on all abortions from more than 150 years ago is disappointing to say the least,” said TJ Shope, a Republican state senator.
- “I oppose today’s ruling,” added Kari Lake, a Republican running to represent Arizona in the US Senate and a Donald Trump loyalist. Lake called on the state legislature to “come up with an immediate commonsense solution that Arizonans can support”.
- “Today’s Arizona supreme court decision reinstating an Arizona territorial-era ban on all abortions from more than 150 years ago is disappointing to say the least,” said TJ Shope, a Republican state senator.
- “I oppose today’s ruling,” added Kari Lake, a Republican running to represent Arizona in the US Senate and a Donald Trump loyalist. Lake called on the state legislature to “come up with an immediate commonsense solution that Arizonans can support”.
- David Schweikert, an Arizona congressman who is facing one of the most competitive House races in the country this November, said on Tuesday that he does not support the ruling and wants the state legislature to “address this issue immediately”, but in 2022 said the fall of Roe “pleased” him.
All of this leads me to my Quote of the Day and Question of the Day.
Quote of the Day: They are trying to play it both ways. They’re trying to have this illusion that they’re moderate to get votes, because they know that Arizonans do not want a total ban,” said Dr Gabrielle Goodrick, one of the providers who temporarily stopped performing abortions when Roe fell. “This is just ridiculous. Now they’re saying that they oppose it? Yeah, yeah – a little too late.”
Question of the Day: Are the Maga/Kamikaze Republicans switching their stance on abortion because it is how they truly believe, or are they switching their stance because they know their pro-life stance will not be treated favorably in the upcoming elections?
Some Humor for the Day
I met a magical fairy yesterday who said she would grant me one wish.
“I wish to live forever,” I said
“Sorry,” said the fairy, “That is the only wish that I am not allowed to grant.”
“Fine.” I said, “then I want to die the day after Congress is filled with honest, hard-working, bipartisan men and women who act only in the people’s best interests!”
“You crafty bastard,” replied the Fairy.
Thank you, Brad, for sharing this with me.
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Quote of the Day: See above under Public Opinion Matters.
Orchid of the Day: Women’s NCAA basketball for smoking the men in the TV ratings.
Onion of the Day: A Pontiac woman accused of embezzling $160,000 from the Bloomfield Township woman she was hired to care for has been charged, officials said. Marivelis Serrano, 48, was arraigned Tuesday in 48th District Court in Bloomfield Hills on multiple charges, township police said. Serrano was charged with embezzlement of $100,000 or more, a 20-year felony, 12 counts of uttering and publishing, each a 14-year felony, and five counts of identity theft, each with a five-year penalty.
Question of the Day: See above under Public Opinion Matters.
Video of the Day: Pink represents what the NCAA women’s basketball players are now and will probably grow into later in life. Pink combines her singing talent, her athletic talent, her competitive drive, and her screw-you personality into her songs and her performance. At the same time, she is a loving and caring wife and mother of two children.
Donald Trump Did This…….and they were, are and will remain willing participants! I don’t believe their prevaricating lips.