Saturday, March 16, 2024

Wheel of Fortune season three (November 14, 1985)

 
A Retiring Guy journal entry from Friday, November 15, 1985


Laura is a hefty, florid, cherub-faced woman in her mid-30s.  A loud, infectious giggle serves to amplify her nervous mannerisms.  The audience can't help but to laugh at/with her.  At first, it is hard to tell which it is.  

The camera tends to avoid Laura whenever spins the wheel in game 2.  She wins $2,000, squeals with uncontained delight, and selects her prizes.  

"I'm so excited!" she confides to host Pat Sajak, in yet another spontaneous outburst.

The home audience is allowed to hear this remark as the camera zooms in on her just before a commercial break.  

By this time, the audience is comfortable with Laura's antic manner.  In fact, the applause sound warm, appreciative, almost affectionate.   
Laura's presence makes this one of the most unusual episodes makes it one of the most unusual episodes of this phenomenally popular game show I've watched to date.

Posted by at No comments:

GET ME REWRITE: When it comes to reproductive rights, GOP is totally clueless


Headline:  Wisconsin State Journal, 3/16/2024

In Republican-led states across the U.S., conservative legislator are refusing to re-evaluate abortion bans -- even as doctors and patients insist th3 laws' exceptions are dangerously unclear, resulting in denied treatment to some pregnant women in need. 
Instead, GOP leaders accuse abortion rights advocates of deliberately spreading misinformation and doctors of intentionally denying services in an effort to undercut the bans and make a political point.  At the same time, however, some states are taking steps that they say will provide more clarity about when abortion can be legally performed.
Posted by at No comments:

GET ME REWRITE: Transphobic Tighty Whities at Wisconsin Institute for Law and Liberty get smacked down in Eau Claire schools lawsuit


Photos:  Wisconsin Institute for Law and Liberty
Headline:  Wisconsin Public Radio, 3/15/2024

Something straight outta the Moms for Liberty playbook:  Foist your narrow values and cribbed worldview on everyone else.
The parents alleged an Eau Claire Area School District gender support plan violates their constitutional rights because it doesn’t require notifications if a student asks about changing their names and pronouns, using different bathrooms or playing on sports teams that match their gender identity. 
The parents, who are represented by the Wisconsin Institute for Law and Liberty, or WILL, and America First Legal, argued allowing a child to make those changes without parental consent violates the U.S. Constitution’s Due Process and Free Exercise clauses. 
Last week, the Seventh Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals sided with a lower federal court decision from March 2023, and dismissed the case. The order, written by Magistrate Judge Steven Crocker, states while it’s clear the parents “harbor genuine concerns about possible applications of the School District’s policy” none of the parents, or their children, were affected by the policy.

 Related posts:
2024

2023

2022
Tighty Whities at WILL continue to fight for white privilege.  (9/29)
Tighty Whities at WILL keep up their campaign of voter suppression. (9/15)Chalk up another loss for the Tighty Whiteys at WILL.  (3/5)
WILL SHILLS: Conservative Dane County supervisors continue to engage in public health malpractice, promote COVID-19 spread.  (1/8)

2021

Posted by at No comments:

Covid Chronicles. Chapter 109: Nearly a year into the pandemic, Chicago's Palmer House hotel remains closed

 
Read chapter 108 here
Photo by Retiring Guy


March 2, 2021

At the end of the tour, we were 6 blocks from the Palmer House. During a weekend Chicago visit with Ron and Margaret two years ago, we had after-dinner drinks in the hotel’s spacious lobby bar. (Shown below.) As we approached the main entrance, the marquee lights ablaze, we were surprised to find the doors locked. We saw no signage clearly indicating that the hotel was closed. 

“Maybe one of the other entrances is open,” I suggested. 

The 25-story building contains 1,641 guest rooms and takes up most of a city block. 

Same stunning result. 

But then maybe not so stunning, I reconsidered. The Palmer House is primarily a convention and special events hotel, not a sustainable business plan in the Age of Covid. In fact, the hotel has been closed since last March, and some accounts I just read indicate that it may not reopen. Financially, it’s ‘underwater’, i.e., its outstanding loans exceed its current valuation. How sad! This would be a huge loss for Chicago, as the Palmer House provides one of the major strands of the Loop’s history. The original building was constructed in 1875, and the current building was constructed on the same site in 1925.
Posted by at No comments:

Project 2025: GOP created road map to fascism

 
Project 2025
Headline:  Religion Dispatches, 3/15/2024:  
The presumptive GOP nominee’s 2024 campaign-trail bombast—including promising to be a dictator on “day one,” to “close the border,” and “drill, drill, drill”[1]—is reminiscent of his 2016 campaign’s authoritarian rhetoric. He has also adopted the rhetoric of fascists in denouncing his political opponents as “vermin”[2] and immigrants as “poisoning the blood of our country.”[3] At right-wing events and on the campaign trail, he rallies his followers with promises of revenge against elites who ruined their shared dreams of a second Trump term. “I am your warrior. I am your justice,” he thunders. “I am your retribution.”[4] He has vowed to “obliterate the deep state,”[5] throw off “the sick political class that hates our country,” and “come down hard” on media outlets critical of him.[6] In the words of Ruth Ben-Ghiat, an NYU professor and author of a book about strongmen in modern history,[7] “He wants to convert American democracy into some kind of autocracy.”[8] 
Project 2025, an unprecedented collaboration[9] among former Trump officials and the Right’s legal and political infrastructure, would enable Trump to make good on his threats, were he to return to power. This should be a cause for alarm. While some commentators dismissed his 2016 campaign statements as hyperbole,[10] as President, Trump willingly cast the Constitution aside and mobilized his followers to political violence to keep him in power after losing the 2020 election.

Dictionary definition:  Merriam-Webster


Related posts:
March

February 2020
Want Donald Trump to serve a second term as president?  Want to have access to reproductive health care?  You can't have both!  (2/20)

January 2024
abortion access.  (1/30)

Posted by at No comments:

Seven months after this article was written, Moms for Liberty have chapters in 12 of Wisconsin's 72 counties

 
Map:  Moms for Liberty
Headline: Wisconsin Watch, 8/23/2023

In other words, racists and homophobes
Melissa Deckman, a political scientist who studies gender, religion and the role of women in conservative politics, said that Moms for Liberty’s growth is a response to the country’s growing diversity in terms of race, ethnicity and gender, specifically citing that one in five Gen Z adults identify as LGBT. 
“Those sorts of things are challenging to the worldview of conservative Christian women who don’t like these changes in society,” Deckman said, noting how they’ve utilized the unique historical position of the pandemic to their advantage. “It really has allowed them to organize and pretty effectively tap into a lot of parents who were unhappy about COVID and those restrictions, but now, of course, it has spread to concerns about critical race theory or transgender policies or LGBT policies.

Posted by at No comments:

Day 1234 of GOP election denier hysteria (Trump Big Lie Clown Show Circus, MAGA Texas edition)

 
attack of the clown show zombies
Starring Texas GOP US House candidate
Brandon Gill
Headline: The Texas Tribune, 3/13/2024

The 30-year-old launched himself to the national stage after running an openly pro-Trump news site and working with right-wing political commentator Dinesh D'Souza — his father-in-law — on a documentary that claimed the 2020 election was stolen from Trump. Naturally, he received Trump’s backing in the GOP primary, which was supplemented by endorsements from U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz and the House Freedom Caucus.

Day 938 (Doug McLinko)
Day 942 (Glenn Youngkin)
Day 944  (Janel Brandtjen)
Day 945 (Jeff Serdy)
Day 946 (Todd Graybill)
Day 947 (Kyle Ardoin)
Day 949 (Frank LaRose)
Day 951 (Garland Favorito)
Day 952 (Doug Logan)
Day 954 (Brian Pritchard)
Day 955 (David Cross)
Day 956 (Suzi Voyles)
Day 957 (Josh McKoon)
Day 958 (David Whipple)
Day 960 (Joe Oltmann)
Day 961 (Theresa Manzella)
Day 962 (Sandra Merchant)
Day 964 (Stuart Hadlund)
Day 965 (Kari Lake)
Day 966  (Andro Lerario)
Day 971 (Jason Snead)
Day 982  (Joseph Mastroianni)
Day 983 (Mike Lindell)
Day 984 (Robert Sutherland)
Day 985 (Charlie Kirk)
Day 992  (Stan Grot)
Day 996 (Tim O'Hare)
Day 998  (Shawnna Bolick)
Day 999 (Dave Williams)
Day 1000 (Mike Lindell)
Day 1003  (Janel Brandtjen)
Day 1004 (Dinesh D'Souza)
Day 1005  (Sonny Borrelli)
Day 1006 (Daire Rendon)
Day 1007 (70% of GOP voters)
Day 1011 (Peter Bernegger)
Day 1013 (Sidney Powell)
Day 1015 (Matt Maddock)
Day 1016 (Nick Sherman)
Day 1017  (Boris Epshteyn)
Day 1019 (Rudy Giuliani)
Day 1020 (Eric Burlison)
Day 1025  (Mark Finchem)
Day 1026 (Brian Schimming)
Day 1027 (Jenna Ellis)
Day 1030 (David Whipple)
Day 1031 (Jeffrey Clark, John Eastman) 
Day 1032 (Joe Oltmann)
Day 1033 (Kari Lake)
Day 1035 (Abe Hamadeh)
Day 1037 (Douglas Frank)
Day 1039 (Warren Daniel)
Day 1040 (Craig Berland)
Day 1041 (Jason Frazier)
Day 1042 (Tina Peters)
Day 1044 (Meshawn Maddock)
Day 1046  (Jim Womack)
Day 1049 (Devin LeMahieu)
Day 1051 (Shawn Still)
Day 1053 (Ron DeSantis)
Day 1054  (Kristina Karamo)
Day 1055 (Cathy Latham)
Day 1056 (Kari Lake)
Day 1057  (Janel Brandtjen)
Day 1059 (Warren Daniel)
Day 1064 (Mike Thompson)
Day 1065 (Scott Hall)
Day 1069  (Janel Brandtjen)
Day 1072 (Mike Lindell)
Day 1074 (Sharon Hewitt)
Day 1081 (Mike Lindell)
Day 1082 (Amanda Jennings Smith)
Day 1083 (Kari Lake)
Day 1084 (Bob Bachenberg)
Day 1085 (Sidney Powell)
Day 1086 (Kenneth Chesebro)
Day 1087 (Gym Jordan)
Day 1088 (Mike Lindell)
Day 1089 (Tom Emmer)
Day 1090 (Mike Johnson)
Day 1091 (Jenna Ellis)
Day 1094 (Jim Marchant)
Day 1095 (Donald Trump)
Day 1096 (Mike Johnson)
Day 1097 (Seth Keshel)
Day 1098 (Doug Basler)
Day 1099 (Amy Kremer)
Day 1100 (Gabrielle Hanson)
Day 1101 (Mike Lindell) 
Day 1102 (Harrison Flo\yd)
Day 1103 (Steve Scalise)
Day 1104 (Kari Lake)
Day 1105 (Deborah Flora)
Day 1107 (Rick Weible) 
Day 1110 (Jenna Ellis)
Day 1112  (Dan Scorvino)
Day 1114 (Mark Zuckerberg)
Day 1115 (Patrick Henry)
Day 1116  (Jim DeMint)
Day 1117 (Peg Cage)
Day 1118  (Sonny Borrelli)
Day 1119 (Kristina Karamo)
Day 1121 (Ron Hanks)
Day 1122 (Tom Crosby, Peggy Judd)
Day 1123 (Nancy Landry)
Day 1124 (Ken Buck)
Day 1125 (Burt Jones)
Day 1128 (Kari Lake)
Day 1129 (Cleta Mitchell)
Day 1132 (Klete Keller)
Day 1133 (Andrew Hitt)
Day 1135 (Alan Hostetter)
Day 1136 (Robert Spindell)
Day 1137 (Donald Trump)
Day 1158 (Leah Anderson)
Day 1160 (John Eastman)
Day 1161 (Rob Natelson)
Day 1162 (Earl Wright)
Day 1163 (Dave Williams)
Day 1165 (Liz Harrington)
Day 1166 (Mike Lindell)
Day 1167 (Kris Kobach)
Day 1168 (Elise Stefanik)
Day 1171 (Gilbert Fonticoba)\
Day 1172 (Bob Bartlesmeyer)
Day 1173 (Robert E. Norton II)
Day 1174 (Sandra Merchant)
Day 1176 (Carlos Ayala)
Day 1177 (Mark Robinson)
Day 1178 (Iowa GOP caucusgoers)
Day 1179 (Laura Loomer)
Day 1180 (Kristina Karamo)
Day 1181 (Stefanie Lambert)
Day 1182 (Debbie Kouzounas)
Day 1183 (Marylyn Todd)
Day 1185 (Jim O'Connor)
Day 1186 (Max Burns)
Day 1187 (Brandon Beach)
Day 1188 (Gina Swoboda)
Day 1189 (Peter Navarro)
Day 1190 (Calvin Hayden)
Day 1191 (Terpsehore Maras)
Day 1192 (Anthony Kern)
Day 1193 (Russ Andrews)
Day 1194 (Ron Hanks)
Day 1195 (James Little)
Day 1196 (Wendy Rogers)
Day 1197  (Michael Whatley)
Day 1198 (Mike Lindell)
Day 1199 (Wes Allen) 
Day 1200 (Robert Spindell)
Day 1201 (Lynn Fitch)
Day 1202 (Heather Honey)
Day 1206 (Chuck Gray)
Day 1207 (Wendy Rogers)
Day 1208 (Raul Labrador)
Day 1210 (Jim Marchant)
Day 1211 (Max Burns)
Day 1213 (Jeffrey Clark)
Day 1214 (William Hyde)
Day 1215 (Terry Brand)
Day 1218 (Michael Sparks)
Day 1219 (Justin Heap)
Day 1220 (Lisa Michaud)
Day 1221 (Jake Hoffman)
Day 1222 (Tina Peters)
Day 1223 (Jim Troupis/Kenneth Chesebro)
Day 1224 (Mike Lindell)
Day 1225 (Tina Peters)
Day 1226 (Daire Rendon)
Day 1227 (Matt and Meshawn Maddock)
Day 1228 (Michael Whatley and Lara Trump)
Day 1229 (Matt Snorek)
Day 1231 (Mike Lindell)
Day 1232 (Jessica Pollema)
Day 1233 (Dawn Keefer)

Posted by at No comments:

Sick and tired: If Moms for Liberty playbook is toxic in Menominee Falls Wisconsin, It's toxic just about everywhere

 
Headline:  Express News, 3/13/2024
Time and time again I heard that most people wanted the school board to drop the Moms for Liberty playbook, listen to the needs and concerns of our district’s teachers and students, and remain nonpartisan.  [emphasis added][


Posted by at No comments:

GET ME REWRITE: Far-right Ottawa Impact members look to grow membership of MAGA Team Drool

 
Photo credits:  Ottawa County
Headline:  mlive, 3/14/2024
Nearly half of college-educated Ottawa County voters believe the county is worse run and less welcoming since a group of ultraconservative politicians took over the government a year ago, according to a new MLive survey. 
The consistent trend throughout the polling of college-educated voters showed dissatisfaction with the group, Ottawa Impact, and its decisions. It’s a trend some experts say could affect the county’s talent attraction and retention capabilities. Ottawa County has been one of the fastest-growing large counties in Michigan over more than a decade.

Related posts:
March 2024

February 2024 
Chris Vander Sys challenges Ottawa Impact whackjob Gretchen Cosby for seat on Michigan's Ottawa County Board.  (2/21)

January 2024

2023

Posted by at No comments:

Friday, March 15, 2024

As opposed to pay phones

 
Photo by Retiring Guy (1/15/2013)
Headline:  Philadelphia Inquirer "Must Read" email


Posted by at No comments:

GET ME REWRITE: Wisconsin MAGA queen Janel Brandtjen inserts herself into the national conversation in a blatant way (with an assist from Scott Walker)

 
Headline:  Brennan Center for Justice, 3/14/2024
The scheme to funnel money to Steen was particularly blatant. According to an investigation authorized by the commission, Steen’s campaign struck up arrangements with State Rep. Janel Brandtjen (R), a vocal election denier; Save America, Trump’s joint fundraising committee; and three county GOP organizations to disguise individuals’ donations as having come from parties. 
Potential donors were informed that by sending checks to the Langlade County Republican Party and earmarking them with Vos’s district number, their money would be forwarded to the Steen campaign — a clear violation of state law. The evidence includes county GOP meeting minutes, checks, interviews by investigators with those involved, and at least one recorded conversation. 
The roots of this scandal go back to 2015, when then-Gov. Scott Walker (R) and the state legislature, led in part by Vos, significantly deregulated state campaign finance laws and gutted enforcement. [emphasis added]

More about MAGA election denier Queen Janel
March 2024
It's official: Dan Knodl challenges Wisconsin MAGA queen Janel Brandtjen for her Assembly seat.  (3/1)

February 2024
Kool-Aid.  (2/26)
Jail for Janel?  (2/24)

January 2024
And the hits just keep on coming:  GOP Assembly Majority Leader Tyler August calls MAGA queen outcast Janel Brandtjen a grifter.  (1/19)

November 2023
Robin Vos to MAGA Queen Janel Brandtjen:  Stop obsessing about Trump's 2020 election loss.  (11/8)

September 2023

August 2023

June 2023

February 2023
Trump rewards slobbering sycophant and fanatical election denier with endorsement in today's 8th Senate District primary.  (2/20/2023)
Democrats educate voters about off-the-charts whackjob Janel Brandtjen. (2/16/2023)

January 2023
Anti-Trump group campaigns against "inept, unqualified, ineffective" election denier Janel Brandtjen.  (2/13/2023)

December 2022
Spoiler alert:  GOP Dan Feyen drops out of Wisconsin 8th Senate District primary, hoping to keep 'divisive fringe candidate' Janel Brandtjen from winning.  (12/30)War of words between Janel Brandtjen and Robin Vos continues (chapter two).  (12/28)
War of words between Janel Brandtjen and Robin Vos continues.  (12/23/2022)
2020 election denier queen Janel Brandtjen sez she won't shut up or stop drinking the Trump Kool-Aid.  (12/20)
GOP caucus outcast and election denier Janel Brandtjen running for open State Senate seat.  (12/6)
One-woman election denier Looney Tunes festival doesn't realize she's about to get cancelled.  (12/5)

November 2022
As John Torinus describes it, Wisconsin GOP election denier Kool-Aid Queen Janel Brandtjen went ballistic over three grains of sand in the desert.  (11/23)
Wisconsin GOP election denier Kool-Aid Queen Janel Brandtjen is even too toxic for her own party's caucus.  (11/16)
GOP judge quickly slaps down Wisconsin election denier queen's lawsuit to block military votes.  (11/8)

October 2022

Posted by at No comments:
Subscribe to: Posts (Atom)