Four years ago nearly to the day, President Trump used a White House briefing to ponder the notion of using sunlight, ultraviolet light, and household disinfectants to kill the coronavirus. The president was not a doctor, but every afternoon, he played one on TV. And this time Doogie Howitzer went too far. Executives at Reckitt Benckiser, which owns brands including Lysol, felt compelled to issue a statement: "As a global leader in health and hygiene products, we must be clear that under no circumstance should our disinfectant products be administered into the human body (through injection, ingestion or any other route)." This was a memorable example of a common theme. Trump issues a ridiculous suggestion or a preposterous lie, and then the rest of us waste time having a serious discussion about a frivolous topic. Today, that tendency reached a new low as the Supreme Court held a multi-hour session to determine whether or not a president has complete immunity. In short, the Supreme Court is set to decide whether America has a president or a king, something George Washington decided 252 years ago. Here's a look at the arguments from CNN and AP. (Of all people, Trump should know the only way to get complete immunity is by taking hydroxychloroquine.) Here's the big picture. The Court is considering these absurdist presidential immunity questions for the first time in centuries because it's the first time we've had a president who was this much of a criminal and such an existential threat to democracy. And his corrupted party, craven enablers, and rabid base of followers has selected him to be president once again. 2Bridge to NowhereThe collapse of the Francis Scott Key Bridge was unforgettable and breathtaking even for those who just saw footage on the internet. Imagine the impact for those who lived and worked in the shadow of the bridge. "The financial consequences of the collapse will be immense. But what of the emotional blow — the sudden, surreal disruption for the residents of Dundalk, where an enduring landmark, an economic artery that shaped the town’s horizon and helped fuel its aspirations for 47 years, was ripped away in a matter of seconds? 'It’s like a death — a friend is gone,' said Rhonda Green Randolph, 59, who recalls the bridge being built when she was a child and now can’t bring herself to look at the wreckage in person." WaPo (Gift Article): ‘That bridge was a symbol of us.' 3College Material"Elite universities are caught in a trap of their own making, one that has been a long time coming. They’ve trained pro-Palestinian students to believe that, on the oppressor-oppressed axis, Jews are white and therefore dominant, not 'marginalized,' while Israel is a settler-colonialist state and therefore illegitimate. They’ve trained pro-Israel students to believe that unwelcome and even offensive speech makes them so unsafe that they should stay away from campus. What the universities haven’t done is train their students to talk with one another." (That's something the kids on campus share with the rest of us.) George Packer in The Atlantic (Gift Article): The Campus-Left Occupation That Broke Higher Education. 4Beagle Bucks"People like me have fueled the growth of what you might call Big Vet. As household pets have risen in status—from mere animals to bona fide family members—so, too, has owners’ willingness to spend money to ensure their well-being. Big-money investors have noticed. According to data provided to me by PitchBook, private equity poured $51.6 billion into the veterinary sector from 2017 to 2023, and another $9.3 billion in the first four months of this year, seemingly convinced that it had discovered a foolproof investment." Why Your Vet Bill Is So High. 5Extra, ExtraWeinstein's Sequel: "The court, in a 4-3 ruling, ruled that the judge in the New York County trial prejudiced Weinstein with improper rulings, including allowing women to testify about allegations that were not part of the case. The court — the highest court in New York state’s judicial system — ruled that a new trial must take place." N.Y. Appeals Court Overturns Harvey Weinstein Rape Conviction. 6Bottom of the News"The rat hole first went viral in January when a photo garnered millions of views on the social platform X. It quickly became an offbeat tourist attraction, drawing hundreds of devoted fans to West Roscoe Street. At its peak, a makeshift shrine was erected at the site, featuring a framed photo of a mouse, a cardboard coffin and dozens of coins strewn across the sidewalk. Lines of eager visitors would stretch down the block." City removes and preserves Chicago Rat Hole after complaints from neighbors. Read my 📕, Please Scream Inside Your Heart, or grab a 👕 in the Store. |