February 28, 2025

Sunrise — 6:34.

IMG_0857

Write about anything you want in the comments.

45 comments:

Leland said...

Wife wants to see the planets. Our cloud cover is a bit less than Madison’s from this morning.

Rocco said...

Leland said...
Wife wants to see the planets.

Here you go; all in one shot: https://www.livescience.com/space/astronomy/planet-parade-photo-captures-7-planets-in-a-line-over-earth-possibly-for-the-1st-time-ever

john mosby said...

So I thought of a new analogy this morning:

What's happening in our country right now is sort of like what happened in Spain after Franco died.

Not a perfect analogy (because what analogy is?), and it may be a bit hard to follow because Spain really had Fascists and Communists, while we just pretend to. But bear with me:

Franco died (after a long period of being half-dead; remind you of anyone?) without leaving a true ideological heir. The Fascists were out of gas. Kind of like AntiFa, BLM, Code Pink, pro-Hamas people, etc, have not been able to manage much street activity.

Franco's designated heir, King Juan Carlos, to what should be his everlasting credit in spite of whatever his financial boondoggles were later, immediately threw his support to making Spain a Western democracy. (we don't have a King, but the Supreme Court may turn out to play this role of legitimizing the rebuilding of the nation - we'll see how the DOGE cases play out. Or maybe Musk, as the country's richest man, is sort of a secular King.)

The Communists came out of jail, hiding, exile, etc, and started filling public offices. This reminds me of the J6ers, Navarro, Bannon, etc, just going back to work. (You see why the analogy is a bit wonky - "huh? the J6ers aren't commies!")

A free press immediately sprang up, with organs for every party and faction. Kind of like how Musk turned Twitter into X, Zuckerberg decided he wasn't going to be anyone's buttboy anymore, Bezos took the editorial page away from the kids, etc.

The one Fascist officer who tried to start a coup by holding the Cortes (Parliament) hostage was stopped in his tracks when one Fascist member and one Communist member said nope, we're not doing this again, and refused to get on the floor. Plus the King immediately got on radio and TV and refused to support the coup. This part hasn't happened with us yet - if it does, it will probably be another "legal" coup attempt such as an impeachment, #Resistance, Supreme Court cowardice, or suchlike. It remains to be seen if there will be someone like that Fascist member of parliament who will just refuse to play the old games. Or maybe the old-regime machine will still be too dazed and demoralized.

I dunno. I think it's a useful exercise, whichever side you're on. Spain still has Socialist and Communist parties, as well as Fascist-lite ones. And with EU laws plus its own, enforced with 21st century technology, it probably has more control over its citizens than Franco ever dreamed of. So whichever side of our civil war or theirs you might be on, Spain presents a model of some type of reconciliation and compromise.

JSM

rehajm said...

The sticky pollen is here the hummingbirds are not yet here.

Josephbleau said...

I think Zelenskyy is going to have to resign and move to Paris with all his corrupt money. Then we can complete the move of UN headquarters to Gaza.

Josephbleau said...

Honestly, if the UN head shed moved to Gaza and all the pampered elites had to live there, the troubles with Hamas and Israel would be over in two days.

rhhardin said...

It seems to be established that Trump and Vance are contemptible human beings. Forget Hitler. This is Chamberlain.

rhhardin said...

Trump is mentioned but Vance is the bad guy. He wants to take the country to "a very dark place."

rhhardin said...

Vance is a dark character too. Two darks in a row.

rhhardin said...

It's a very dark form of authoritarianism. dark number 3.

gadfly said...

Fascism is a system of government marked by centralization of authority under a dictator, a capitalist economy subject to stringent governmental controls, violent suppression of the opposition, and typically a policy of belligerent nationalism and racism.

The only fascism ever displayed in American history is happening now under Trump's authoritarian regime.

rehajm said...

It’s just something better than trying to prop up the administrative state for the multi trillion dollar corruptocrats, or so they think while pleading ohpleaseohpleaseohplease let this work../

Josephbleau said...

I read now that California wants to take over and operate oil refineries in the state. That is perfect. Now California can sue itself for producing dangerous products that are going to contribute to warming that will kill everyone!

Josephbleau said...

Other states like Florida and Texas can sue California for GG emissions too.

Drago said...


Gadfly: "The only fascism ever displayed in American history is happening now under Trump's authoritarian regime."

LOL

Jupiter said...

"The only fascism ever displayed in American history is happening now under Trump's authoritarian regime."
Heh. "Belligerent nationalism" = refusing to continue paying for a transgender clinic in India. Say what you will about Hitler and Mussolini -- and I don't defend them, nor does gadfly -- but at least they never cut off funding to a transgender clinic in India.

Quayle said...

Let me edit to give clarity, gadfly. “ The only fascism ever displayed in American history is happening now under Trump's 38 day authoritarian regime.”

There. It really highlights the weakness of your assertion.

Lem Vibe Bandit said...

The Telegraph: "All eight planets ‘captured in photo for first time’ – and they will be visible again tonight"

"Venus, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Neptune and Uranus will be visible over Britain from Tuesday evening and occurs just once every few decades."

Peachy said...

Venus is so bright -
It looks like a satellite.

Peachy said...

the bullwack can f off. thank u.

Peachy said...

The left want endless war with Putin.

effinayright said...

Mercury is vsible tonight only just after sunset. If you have really keen eyesight you might see Neptune on a very clear and moonless night, but Uranus requires a telescope.

Lem Vibe Bandit said...

Trump's dictatorship is unusual because no dictator worth his dictatorial bonafide's would let people critique him and just let them walk the streets. Trump is not a very good dictator. From what I know about dictators.

effinayright said...

rhhardin said...
It seems to be established that Trump and Vance are contemptible human beings. Forget Hitler. This is Chamberlain.
********************
LOL. That's Eliot Cohen solemnly intoning, "For the next three years and eleven months, you cannot trust this administration".

AS IF the past four years being gaslit that Biden was a functioning executive wasn't a perfidious act against Americans and utter disregard of the Constitution itself!!.

rh, wasn't that YOU who supported Sleepy Joe? Wasn't that YOU who urged all of us to trust and support him?

SNORT

Peachy said...

LOL.
Jack Smith- un-elected super-twat.

Peachy said...

@KatiePavlich
Pro-tips:

• Wear a suit to meet with the President of the United States
• Be overwhelmingly grateful for the generosity of the American people
• Don’t campaign in Pennsylvania
• Don’t pose for Vogue in the middle of a war
• Sign a mineral agreement that gives your country security

Peachy said...

Lem - lol

Peachy said...

Emma-Jo
"Zelensky came in with demands like he’s entitled to our money and then started threatening America."

effinayright said...

gadfly said...
"Fascism is a system of government marked by centralization of authority under a dictator,"...

*Funny, we can all see Trump working with Congress to get legislation passed, and has already met with a dozen or so governors on what their states need. What a dictator!

"a capitalist economy subject to stringent governmental controls,"....

* Odd. Trump is intent on *reducing* regulations imposed on the private sector (such as ending unattainable CAFE standards placed on Detroit; the EPA's mandates regarding home appliances; and opening up oil and gas drilling and production). "Stringent control", my ass!

"violent suppression of the opposition".....

Oh sure! We've all seen Trump's jack-booted thugs wading into those old ladies and misfits making up anti-Trump allies, whacking them with truncheons and permanently searing their eyeballs with pepper spray. SNORT

"and typically a policy of belligerent nationalism and racism."

So how are we engaging in belligerence? Are we being belligerent against Ukraine by trying to end a war it cannot win? Are we being belligerent against Panama, Mexico and Canada for requiring them to live up to treaty obligations, end lackadiasical attitudes allowing deadly drugs into the US, and facilitating illegal entry into our country?
That's "belligerence??

As for "racism", black support for Trump has increased, even since he was elected. He has Blacks, Indian-Americans and Asians in major Administration positions.

So, except for perversely getting everything 100% bass-ackwards...you're right! SNORT

Lem Vibe Bandit said...

YouTube: UK is holding a citizen in solitary confinement (20 hrs a day) for writing and talking about the immigrant rape gangs Is this true? I thought the English were a civilized people.

Original Mike said...

"If you have really keen eyesight you might see Neptune on a very clear and moonless night, but Uranus requires a telescope."

You're mixing the two up. At its brightest, Neptune is magnitude +8.0. Good eyesight, dark adaptation, a very dark sky, and high elevation allows you to see down to about magnitude +6.0, which is over 6 times brighter than m8.0, so it's not a close call. Observing Neptune requires a telescope.

Uranus, OTOH, is m5.8, so it should be doable naked eye under excellent conditions. I don't think I've ever done it, but I'd have to look back through my observing logs to be sure.

Peachy said...

NEW: @ElonMusk
really has George Soros figured out.

"George Soros is a systems hacker. He is a genius arbitrager. He figured out that you could leverage a small amount of money to create a non-profit then lobby politicians to send a ton of money to that non profit so you can take what might be a $10M donation and leverage it into a $1B NGO."

"Then the government continues to fund it every year, and it will have a nice sounding name like 'The Institute for Peace,' but really it's a grafting machine."

BINGO.

Peachy said...

oops - not my bingo.

Lem Vibe Bandit said...

James Comey didn’t get a pre pardon? Flynn said something interesting. According to the Joe Rogan and Elon Musk pod talk.

Iman said...

Hey, Hardin…
Leave that dog alone.

Big Mike said...

So I read that Pope Francis is dying a lingering death. You will know when he finally passes by the stench of brimstone coming from the room.

Peachy said...

Watch Marco Rubio - kick. butt.

Original Mike said...

"Watch Marco Rubio - kick. butt."

CNN bimbo: Why won't Trump say that Putin is a bad man?
Marco Rubio: Ahh, cuz he's trying to do a deal with him?

rehajm said...

We conditioned Zelensky to act like he’s entitled to US money. His Greta Thunberg act always worked before.

I’m trying to decide how much of the Trump JD show was pre-determined…

Clyde said...

Yesterday's anti-boycott shopping: I gassed up my car with my credit card, went grocery shopping with my debit card, got take-out from Hardee's, then ordered a new pair of shoes from Amazon.

wendybar said...

I think it is funny that the party who wants a ceasefire in Israel, don't trust Putin and a ceasefire in Ukraine. Why do they trust Hamas??

rhhardin said...

It seems like world leaders reacting to Trump's juvenile and irresponsible encounter will increase their contribution to Ukraine's defense. That will show Trump what's what.

Jaq said...

Sorry, rh, but it's not anti-American to lose your patience with a neonazi. But if they have the money and the weapons to continue the war until the "last Ukrainian," that is bothering me less and less.

Jaq said...

Zelensky needs to be brought down a peg, he thinks that he doesn't need to make peace with his neighbor because the US military. He thinks that he can drag us into WW3, which is the same thing France and the UK are trying to do, and then he will stop losing to an army using "donkeys and golf carts" instead of armor.

It's a recipe for nuclear war. We almost started a nuclear war over Soviet missiles in Cuba, but Russia is supposed to accept a large army directly on its border becoming part of an aggressively hostile military bloc, one that has overthrown multiple leaders who never did anything to NATO?

It's delusional, and what Zelensky needed was in intervention.

Jaq said...

The plan of Starmer, Macron, and Zelensky is to get a cease fire, put European troops in Ukraine, then engineer an "unprovoked" Russian attack on them and presto! WW3! It's not like the press won't lie about it unashamedly for them to make sure that the public believes that whatever attack they create, false flag, covert and never acknowledged attack on Russia, they will find a way to create the attack to draw the US into war with Russia. Read a few history books, this is so much like how WWI was created by diplomatic maneuvering.

Trump knows damned well that Europe is trying to manipulate him into a trap. All of this caterwauling is just frustration that the plan didn't work, and that Trump is smarter than they thought.

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