Good morning from my office stashed between two stadiums in Seattle. It is a Monday morning, two days before Christmas and I am here today simply to hold the fort down. We are pretty much emptying out for the next week or so, as there isn’t anything going on here in the SODO district until after New Years. Time to build a fire under the Engineering department to get some things done that have been put off until the ‘slow period’. For example, there is a leak from the bar down into the garage from a cracked floor sink drain that needs to be pressed out and replaced. There is a heat pump in the laundry that needs to be replaced and a packaged roof unit that I need to decide whether to replace the two compressors or just replace the entire RTU. (End of life on this unit was two years ago…) I have a capital projects meeting today and this will be one of many things to address. Fun stuff.
For the past two days I’ve been down this rabbit hole on YouTube. There is this Welsh kid (I say ‘kid’ — he’s 33) who lives in Brighton UK who has been busking on the streets since he was 13 years old. The kid is completely self-taught — every instrument he plays, he learned by watching YouTube videos. He fronts a busking band, but it is his single projects that have really captured the interest of a LOT of people.
When he was 17 years old, he started getting VERY sick. He suffered massive periods of fatigue, psychosis and physical pain, and spent over a year bedridden. For ten years doctors had misdiagnosed his condition until one day they discovered that he tested positive for Lyme disease. But after TEN YEARS of not being treated, has left this guy with physical and mental brain injuries. He still suffers bouts of psychosis — he is currently down — and he has been using his music to convey what it has been like for him all these years. At the end of this post I will include a video that I encourage you to watch. I think you will be amazed enough to want to check out his channel. But now, I give you the news of the day…
Oh Dear, Donald Trump is Upset…
‘Trump Is NOT Happy’ After House Passes Bill Without ‘His Main Ask’: Report
President-elect Donald Trump is displeased that the House of Representatives passed a spending bill on Friday night that did not include an extension or elimination of the debt ceiling. Passage came just hours ahead of a potential government shutdown. The Senate later passed the bill by a vote of 85-11.
The legislation, which funds the government for three months, easily cleared the two-thirds threshold to suspend the rules and pass the lower chamber. Lawmakers green-lit the bill 366-34 thanks to 196 Democratic and 170 Republican votes in favor. All 34 votes against were cast by Republicans.
On Wednesday, Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) scrapped an earlier funding bill after Elon Musk and Trump came out against it. Seemingly of nowhere, Trump demanded the House raise or abolish the debt ceiling, which sets a limit on how much money the federal government may borrow. The debt ceiling has occasionally been used as a cudgel by congressional Republicans against Democratic presidents. Not surprisingly, Democratic lawmakers have signaled a willingness to back its elimination.
“Anybody that supports a bill that doesn’t take care of the Democrat quicksand known as the debt ceiling should be primaried and disposed of as quickly as possible,” Trump told Fox News Digital on Thursday.
However, no debt ceiling provision was included in the legislation that passed on Friday.
Semafor congressional bureau chief Burgess Everett reported that Trump was irked by this development.
“Trump is NOT happy that the spending deal doesn’t include the debt ceiling, according to [a] person who spoke with him this p.m.,” Everett posted on X. “Not clear he’ll publicly try to stop the bill in the Senate but Trump’s not thrilled the bill doesn’t contain his main ask[.]”
MY TAKE:
I am old enough to remember when Democrats wanted to do away with the debt ceiling and Republicans pretty much lost their minds over the idea. But now that Trump wants to temporarily do away with the debt ceiling, suddenly the same Republicans who were vehemently against doing away with the debt ceiling are now all for it.
There’s a word for this…
Basically, Trump wants to be able to blame Biden for either raising or doing away with the debt ceiling so that he can pass another huge tax cut for the Billionaire class — himself included. Never mind that a full 25% of the current debt was incurred by none other than Donald J. Trump during his first term.
NONE of these elected twats want to reduce the deficit.
Trump’s mass deportation plans thrown into doubt by Republican rebels
Majority of Republicans defy president-elect and vote against suspending debt limit, raising concerns over Trump’s ability to control party
Donald Trump has been warned that Republican resistance to ending government spending restraints could scupper his mass deportation plans.
The majority of Republicans defied the president-elect on Friday evening to support a funding bill that would keep the government running until March without suspending the federal debt limit.
Mr Trump has sought to halt the cap to give himself scope to embark on ambitious spending schemes when he enters the White House next year, while avoiding a draining congressional fight to adjust it.
But fiscal conservatives in his party are concerned about the trillions in debt that the US has accumulated, which means it is now spending more on interest payments than its defence budget.
The rebellion cast doubt on whether Mr Trump will be able to fulfil his election campaign promises, which included the largest deportation programme in US history with “no price tag” and a range of tax cuts.
Marc Short, the president-elect’s former legislative affairs director, warned that the “last 24 hours does not portend well” for his proposed border and tax policies.
MY TAKE:
Yeah, sure. I don’t think there is anything that will stop Trump from trying to pull off the largest deportation in world history.
House Democrats say GOP caved to Musk in funding bill, protecting his China interests
-
- House Democrats Jim McGovern and Rosa DeLauro accused Republican colleagues of bending to Elon Musk’s demands in sinking a bipartisan funding bill.
- Congress passed a stopgap funding bill instead on Saturday, but discarded a provision to screen and regulate U.S. investments in China.
- The scrapped provision “would have made it easier to keep cutting-edge AI and quantum computing tech — as well as jobs — in America,” McGovern wrote on X.
House Democrats Jim McGovern of Massachusetts and Rosa DeLauro of Connecticut say their Republican colleagues in Congress caved to the demands of Elon Musk, sinking a bipartisan government funding bill that would have regulated U.S. investments in China.
Congress passed a separate stopgap funding bill over the weekend, averting a government shutdown.
In a series of posts on X, McGovern said more could have been accomplished. The scrapped provision “would have made it easier to keep cutting-edge AI and quantum computing tech — as well as jobs — in America,” he wrote. “But Elon had a problem.”
Tesla
, run by Musk, is the only foreign automaker to operate a factory in China without a local joint venture. Tesla also built a battery plant down the street from its Shanghai car factory this year, and aims to develop and sell self-driving vehicle technology in China.
“His bottom line depends on staying in China’s good graces,” McGovern wrote about Musk. “He wants to build an AI data center there too — which could endanger U.S. security. He’s been bending over backwards to ingratiate himself with Chinese leaders.”
MY TAKE:
Anyone who thinks that Elon Musk is really concerned about anyone else but himself, really hasn’t been paying attention. He bought Trump the presidency in order to get something out of Trump in return.
At a time when most people are wanting to get our manufacturing OUT of China, Musk is trying like hell to keep his manufacturing there because he makes more money.
Iran Warning to Trump
Weakened Iran could hit back with a nuclear bomb, Trump told by White House
Outgoing administration warns president-elect Tehran may ‘revisit its nuclear doctrine’ after events in the Middle East leave it ‘weakened’
Iran could move to build a nuclear bomb after being weakened by wars in the Middle East, the White House has warned Donald Trump.
Joe Biden’s national security advisor said he had briefed the incoming president on the “risk” of Tehran obtaining the weapons.
It comes as Mr Trump is reportedly considering airstrikes on Iran’s nuclear facilities when he becomes commander in chief again.
Jake Sullivan, the White House national security adviser, said he has told the Trump team to be “vigilant” for the threat of nuclear escalation.
Observers fear that the loss of Iran’s key allies may prompt Tehran to accelerate its nuclear programme as a means of defence.
MY TAKE:
Trump isn’t going to bust a grape on Iran. He won’t have to — Israel will do it for him.
Personally, I’d just wait another couple of years for the Ayatollah to die. I suspect that the current one will be the last one, as the general population of Iran are mostly younger people now and are not as invested in the ‘revolution’ as the older people have been.
The Brits are on to President Musk
Labour opens door to banning Musk donation with new law
Tech billionaire’s plan to bankroll Nigel Farage’s party Reform UK with $100m could be thwarted by a government crackdown on foreign donors
The Government has opened the door to blocking Elon Musk from donating millions of pounds to Reform UK with new laws.
Lucy Powell, the Leader of the House of Commons, suggested the reforms could form part of government plans to tighten up rules around political donations.
Nigel Farage, the Reform leader, recently revealed that Mr Musk, a tech billionaire and close ally of Donald Trump, is actively considering making a large donation to his party.
There has been speculation that the sum could be in the region of $100 million (£78.8 million).
Labour has since come under pressure to rush through new rules limiting the amount foreign nationals can donate to British political parties through their UK-based companies.
Asked on Sunday if the Government would change the law to block Mr Musk from making large donations to Reform, Ms Powell said there were no “immediate plans” to do so.
But she opened the door to a future crackdown as part of wider reforms to the UK’s electoral system.
MY TAKE:
This is something that we need to do here as well.
When Citizens United v. FEC, 558 U.S. 310 (2010) was decided by the Supreme Court, most people knew that this would eventually be used by he uber-rich to influence elections. I went as far as to predict that someday the rich would literally “buy” a president.
Well, wouldn’t you know it? That has now happened. Elon Musk dipped into his petty cash and bought himself a used Donald J. Trump for around $240 million bucks. Now he has all but moved in to Mar-a-Lago, and I envision a scene in the not-to-distant-future where Elon Musk will be sitting at the Resolute desk, while Donald Trump will be sitting at that miniature traveling desk next to him.
And nobody even noticed she hadn’t shown up in about a year?
‘Missing’ GOP Congresswoman Not Seen For Six Months Finally Found Living at Dementia Care Home
A Republican Congresswoman who has been “missing” for the past six months has finally been found.
Rep. Kay Granger has served as the representative for Texas’s 12th Congressional District since 1997.
However, she suddenly disappeared from the public eye around July this year, when she cast her final vote against an amendment to reduce the salary of Deputy Assistant Administrator for Pesticide Programs to $1.
A curious reporter at the local Dallas Express newspaper did some digging on Granger’s whereabouts and has finally been able to give her constituents some answers.
The reporter, Carlos Turcios, began by contacting her offices, from which they went directly to voicemail.
“I am sorry we are unable to answer your phone right now,” Granger said. “We are really glad you called us.
“Please leave your name, phone number and a brief message and someone in our office will call you back as soon as possible.”
The reporter then went to her constituency office only to find absolutely no signs of life or activity.
Seemingly at a dead end, Turcios then received a tip-off from a local resident that Granger was residing at an assisted living facility specializing in memory care.
His report explains:
We then received a tip from a Granger constituent who shared that the Congresswoman has been residing at a local memory care and assisted living home for some time after having been found wandering lost and confused in her former Cultural District/West 7th neighborhood.
The Dallas Express team visited the facility to confirm whether Granger was residing there and to inquire about how she planned to vote on the spending bill. Upon arrival, two employees confirmed that Granger is indeed living at the facility.
However, we were not permitted to conduct an interview regarding the current spending debate in the House of Representatives and how or if Ms. Granger planned to vote.
Taylor Manziel who is the Assistant Executive Director for the senior living facility acknowledged to The Dallas Express that “This is her home.”
It remains unclear why Granger’s relatives or staff declined to disclose her condition to the public.
A still sitting Texas Congresswoman has been missing votes in Washington because she’s been living in a $4,000-a-month nursing home for the past six months.
Kay Granger, 81, who was set to wind up a nearly 30-year career in the House in January, hasn’t visited her office for the past six months.
Carlos Turcios, a reporter for a local outlet, started to do some research by contacting her offices which never once responded to calls, going directly to voicemail.
Granger’s constituency office was also a complete ghost town upon a visit, with no signs of anyone working there.
Eventually, one of Granger’s constituents suggested to the Dallas Express that the Congresswoman was living in an assisted living facility.
She was reportedly living at a care home that specializes in memory loss after she’d been ‘found wandering, lost and confused’ in her district.
A visit to the Tradition-Clearfork in Fort Worth resulted in two employees confirming that Granger lives there.
‘This is her home,’ said Taylor Manziel, the Tradition-Clearfork’s Assistant Executive Director.
With a month remaining in her term and important votes still taking place in Washington daily, local officials are furious to discover her absence.
‘The lack of representation for CD-12 is troubling to say the least,’ said Tarrant County GOP Chair Bo French.
‘At a time when extraordinarily important votes are happening, including debt ceiling, disaster relief, farm bills and border issues, Kay Granger is nowhere to be found.
‘The margin in Congress is razor thin and the lack of a Republican vote representing CD-12 disenfranchises 2 million people. We deserve better.’
MY TAKE:
Not even the House whip was concerned where she was? It’s not like there are a surplus of extra Republican Congresscritters laying around — there have been votes where Republicans needed every last vote in order to get something passed.
Warning: You will need Personal Protection Equipment to read the next story.
(Don’t say I didn’t warn you)
Matt Gaetz ethics report says his drug use and sex with a minor violated state laws
Former Rep. Matt Gaetz, a Florida Republican who briefly stood to become President-elect Donald Trump’s nominee to be attorney general, was found by congressional ethics investigators to have paid numerous women — including a 17-year-old girl — for sex, and to have purchased and used illegal drugs, including from his Capitol Hill office, according to a final draft of a comprehensive investigative report obtained by CBS News.
Those were among the findings of the long-running investigation by the House Ethics Committee into Gaetz, which concluded the former Florida congressman violated multiple state laws related to sexual misconduct while in office.
“The Committee determined there is substantial evidence that Representative Gaetz violated House Rules and other standards of conduct prohibiting prostitution, statutory rape, illicit drug use, impermissible gifts, special favors or privileges, and obstruction of Congress,” the 37-page report concludes.
MY TAKE:
The release of the ethics report on Matt Gaetz is a good START. For the first time in history, I am in agreement with MTG when she says that they should release ALL of the ethics reports that they’ve been sitting on. I do not give a flying fuck about party affiliation — if someone is dirty, then they need to be exposed and tossed out on their butts.
Elected officials should be above reproach. It is just as sick for Democrats to protect their members against discovery as it is for Republicans doing it.
We, the fucking People have a right to know who is ‘representing’ us in the government. If a public official is in office, his or her right to privacy when it comes to corruption and illegal activities should not attach.
Criminals and corruption has no right to privacy.
A musical genius named Ren Gill
First, I need to set this up for you. This is not so much a video as it is a performance. He is performing this LIVE, in one take, and it is literally the story of what he’s been dealing with for the past fourteen years or so, after being misdiagnosed by doctors for ten of those years.
Hi Ren
This has been out for about a year, and there are now HUNDREDS of YouTube reactions by people who are completely blown away by the talent of Ren. Check out some of the other videos he’s been putting out for the past fifteen years or so.
Let me know what you think about this guy.
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