Points to Ponder:

Smoking cigars is like falling in love. First, you are attracted by its shape; you stay for its flavor, and you must always remember never, never to let the flame go out! [Winston Churchill]

Briefly on the 2020 and Presumptive 2021 Impeachments:

I had barely touched on the issue of the 2020 impeachment of President Donald Trump when it was occurring but to reiterate anew here: there were no viable grounds for the 2020 impeachment. It established a precedent that will bite the Democrats in the ass in 2023 when a Republican House will impeach Joe Biden or Kamala Harris on some similarly stupid premise. Play stupid games, win stupid prizes basically.

Where 2021 is concerned, it is different insofar as one can at least make an argument for impeachment this time materially. And as all you need is a simple majority for impeachment, it will happen. They were hoping for a 25th Amendment approach which would make a trial unnecessary but they are not going to get it; ergo, they will with all likelihood successfully impeach.

My position on the latest one is simple: it is all kabuki theatre without 67 Senate votes to actually confirm it which they will not get. The charges will struggle to withstand Supreme Court precedents on First Amendment speech as set down in Brandenburg v Ohio and the Brandenburg test.{1} That does not exonerate what Trump did, only that the bar on this issue is a lot higher than many presume and there will not be 67 votes in the Senate to clear it.

So with the 2021 impeachment drive in brief (i) yes, one at least materially has grounds for impeachment; however, (ii) the attempt to invalidate Donald Trump's eligibility for a future presidential run will fail in the Senate.

Note:

{1} Also known as the imminent lawless action test.

Points to Ponder:

I re-read Hannah Arendt's Origins of totalitarianism recently to confirm my sense that every action Democrats have taken since 2009 looks just like the rise of ghetto's and camps in Central Europe of the 30's...[T]he calls from many prominent Democrats to begin pogroms and purges with camps for (tsk, tsk) re-education are all over the airwaves and powerlines and it demonstrates sheer depravity. ["CosmoKat"]

Don't expect charges against Trump or allies for inciting DC riot, say DOJ officials

5 Qs, 5 As with Field Gulls: “Russell Wilson is great...but I’m concerned”

5 Qs and 5 As with Turf Show Times: Is John Wolford a better option than Jared Goff?

Points to Ponder:

Anecdotal Observation: My conservative friends are split regarding tonight's activities. However, during the 'BLM Summer', my liberal friends were unified in their approval. [Trish Cusack (circa January 6, 2021)]

 

2021

New year, attitude, focus

Cobra Kai beckons 

Miscellaneous Musings:

(On Political Kayfabe) 

We are almost to that changing season where the days get longer, a new Congress is sworn in, and Republicans start once again tut tutting about being guardians against all ye deficits with a Democrat in the White House. Of course they gave as much of a shit about it in 2017-2019 as they did during 2001-2007 when Bush 43 was president which was none. 

Meanwhile, the Democrats who nitpicked a few billion dollars for the silly wall and pretended to care about things like PayGo and all that under Trump will suddenly want to spend trillions with no shame whatsoever under Biden much as they did under Obama but whined incessantly about when it happened under Bush.

In wrestling parlance, this is called a double turn and it happens when the parties out of executive power change just like clockwork. And that many of those who would claim that wrestling is "fake" actually think any of this government posturing is real? It is as predetermined as any wrestling event and frankly far less real.

About to depart

2020: truly a

Year of drizzling shits

Enemy Reaction 2020: Los Angeles Rams

Cigar Thoughts, Game 15: HANG THE F***ING BANNER

Adeste fideles laeti triumphantes
Venite, venite in Bethlehem
Natum videte regem angelorum

Venite, adoremus,
Venite, adoremus,
Venite, adoremus, 

Dominum!

Deum de Deo, lumen de lumine,
Gestant puellae viscera
Deum verum, genitum non factum.

Venite, adoremus,
Venite, adoremus,
Venite, adoremus, 

Dominum!

Gloria in excelsis Deo!

Venite, adoremus,
Venite, adoremus,
Venite, adoremus, 

Dominum!

 

Points to Ponder:

Your entrance and your exit should be devastating, and everything in the middle is filler. [Keith Moon]

A Tale of Two Packages...

It was the worst of shipping times, it was the even worse still of shipping times...

Two packages were ordered and shipped recently. Package #1 was of a decent size and shipped standard FedEx, Package #2 was via standard USPS. 

Package #1 was originally to ship out of Shanghai on 12/10, a delay meant it did not actually ship until 12/13. It arrived in Anchorage, AK on 12/14 and shipped out same day to Memphis, TN where it arrived on 12/15 and had to clear customs. After a 5 day customs delay, it cleared customs on 12/20 and departed Memphis arriving in Jamaica, NY at 7:21pm. From there, it was a short turnaround to get to Stamford on 12/21 and finally to my residence at 5:00pm on 12/22. Halfway around the world in 9 days with a 5 day customs layover? Not too bad considering the circumstances with understaffing due to Covid and all.

Package #2 is in a very small box and was ordered on 12/14 at 11:00pm and shipped out of Philadelphia, PA on 12/15. It took four days to get out of Philadelphia and to Jersey City, NJ on 12/19. From there it departed Jersey City arriving in Stamford, CT on 12/20 whereupon for the past four evenings, I have been told it was "arriving late" only to not arrive. Fortunately on nights I am not home, my neighbour is available if said package were to arrive to retrieve it for me but now we are going on 5 days of "arriving late tonight" texts from USPS and no package. To recap:

Package #1:

-Big Package

-Shipped FedEx

-Shipped from 8,387 miles across the world

-Took 12 days to arrive but involved two separate delays including an unavoidable customs delay of 5 days

Package #2:

-Small Box weighing not even half a pound

-Shipped USPS

-Shipped from Philadelphia or 134 miles away

-Took 6 days to get to Stamford and did not have to clear customs 

-Has been in Stamford for 3 days with false promises of late delivery on 3 straight nights so far and it has not arrived as of this status

Exit Questions:

1) Which outfit would you prefer handling your parcels?

2) Why on earth should we give USPS any more money?

Points to Ponder:

Never take a full humidor for granted. In fact, never take anything for granted. 

Is it Morally Permissible to Use the Covid-19 Vaccine?

I am normally very hesitant to say much about the Society of St. Pius X (SSPX) for a number of reasons. However, when the above article was brought to my attention shortly after its publication, I took some time to read it. I found myself very impressed by how the aforementioned article handled the issue of Covid and the issues of vaccines for Covid and their liceity (validity) thereof. 

As some friends and I have discussed the above matter in various and sundry private social media platforms in the past few weeks, it dawned on me this morning{1} that I had not publicly said anything about it. Considering the seriousness of the issues touched upon, I feel in the interest of ethics and charity compelled to do so now. I therefore give the material at the above thread my full endorsement.

Note:

{1} While posting other material to this site.

Seahawks have three weeks to keep this franchise streak alive