@valabama.bsky.social
Even with that sad tale of injury from onion and mustard fumes.
November 25, 2025 at 8:25 PM
Even with that sad tale of injury from onion and mustard fumes.
And he/she nominates judicial candidates, which have to be confirmed by the counter majoritarian Senate. Tyranny of the minority in all three branches, esp. since the House is capped at 435 plus at least 1 rep per state and, therefore, isn't strictly proportional anymore.
November 22, 2025 at 10:34 AM
And he/she nominates judicial candidates, which have to be confirmed by the counter majoritarian Senate. Tyranny of the minority in all three branches, esp. since the House is capped at 435 plus at least 1 rep per state and, therefore, isn't strictly proportional anymore.
Less than 600K in WY. The worst is that in the House, CA is STILL shortchanged by the 435 cap + requirement of at least 1 rep for each state. In proportion to WY, CA should have about 15 more reps than it does. The 1 tiny piece of majoritarian rule in our system, and it isn't as advertised either.
November 22, 2025 at 9:53 AM
Less than 600K in WY. The worst is that in the House, CA is STILL shortchanged by the 435 cap + requirement of at least 1 rep for each state. In proportion to WY, CA should have about 15 more reps than it does. The 1 tiny piece of majoritarian rule in our system, and it isn't as advertised either.
Evangelical Christians. Once they figured out his brand was a bit different from theirs, they soured on him. What's really wild, G. Wallace won 5 states in the Deep South when he ran as an independent in '68, with 13.5% of the vote, while Perot with 19% in '92 didn't win a single electoral vote.
November 22, 2025 at 9:22 AM
Evangelical Christians. Once they figured out his brand was a bit different from theirs, they soured on him. What's really wild, G. Wallace won 5 states in the Deep South when he ran as an independent in '68, with 13.5% of the vote, while Perot with 19% in '92 didn't win a single electoral vote.
for FDR and LBJ and narrowly voted Truman in '48 but otherwise voted GOP until Bill Clinton. Pete Wilson had just assumed the governorship and quit his Senate seat about the time we left in '91. Prop 187 was '94? Things do change, even politics. Coming from AL, I was just happy to see 2 parties.
November 22, 2025 at 9:11 AM
for FDR and LBJ and narrowly voted Truman in '48 but otherwise voted GOP until Bill Clinton. Pete Wilson had just assumed the governorship and quit his Senate seat about the time we left in '91. Prop 187 was '94? Things do change, even politics. Coming from AL, I was just happy to see 2 parties.
When I lived in CA in the late 1980s/very early '90s, there was a GOP governor on his second term, 1 GOP senator, and my area's congressman was a Republican (seat later won by Adam Schiff). CA voted Bush Sr. in '88, Reagan twice, Ford, Nixon all 3 times he ran, Ike twice. CA joined the landslides
November 22, 2025 at 9:11 AM
When I lived in CA in the late 1980s/very early '90s, there was a GOP governor on his second term, 1 GOP senator, and my area's congressman was a Republican (seat later won by Adam Schiff). CA voted Bush Sr. in '88, Reagan twice, Ford, Nixon all 3 times he ran, Ike twice. CA joined the landslides
captured and spend time in several Confederate prisons, including the notorious Libby, before managing to escape and make their way home. Along the way, these "Odd Couple" pals run into all kinds of characters and situations, a lot of truth-stranger-than-fiction moments and less-known CW sidelights.
November 20, 2025 at 2:59 AM
captured and spend time in several Confederate prisons, including the notorious Libby, before managing to escape and make their way home. Along the way, these "Odd Couple" pals run into all kinds of characters and situations, a lot of truth-stranger-than-fiction moments and less-known CW sidelights.
In terms of nonfiction books that make you think "This would be a great movie!" with each page turn: "Junius and Albert's Adventures in the Confederacy: a Civil War Odyssey" by Peter Carlson is a thoroughly researched but often quite funny picaresque tale about two NY Tribune war reporters who get
November 20, 2025 at 2:59 AM
In terms of nonfiction books that make you think "This would be a great movie!" with each page turn: "Junius and Albert's Adventures in the Confederacy: a Civil War Odyssey" by Peter Carlson is a thoroughly researched but often quite funny picaresque tale about two NY Tribune war reporters who get
It was designed to last 2 years. It didn't even last the year. Something like Dec to Sept. Approval near 80% in Dec. 1973 fell to 42% in 3 months, when you started to see bills introduced in Congress to repeal it. One of those "Be careful what you wish for" moments.
November 17, 2025 at 8:02 PM
It was designed to last 2 years. It didn't even last the year. Something like Dec to Sept. Approval near 80% in Dec. 1973 fell to 42% in 3 months, when you started to see bills introduced in Congress to repeal it. One of those "Be careful what you wish for" moments.
He said it wasn't a public figure. But he didn't go beyond that.
November 17, 2025 at 12:16 AM
He said it wasn't a public figure. But he didn't go beyond that.
Gee, thanks, for making this worse. :) Time for some ...
November 17, 2025 at 12:12 AM
Gee, thanks, for making this worse. :) Time for some ...
I remember the bad optics in the House, with Newt Gingrich having to step down as speaker since he was cheating on wife no. 2 w/wife No. 3, and his heir apparent, Bob Livingston, was also cheating on his wife. So they settled on dull, boring ... Denny Hastert, who turned out to be a child molester.
November 16, 2025 at 1:17 AM
I remember the bad optics in the House, with Newt Gingrich having to step down as speaker since he was cheating on wife no. 2 w/wife No. 3, and his heir apparent, Bob Livingston, was also cheating on his wife. So they settled on dull, boring ... Denny Hastert, who turned out to be a child molester.
Ack, meant to say ceiling fans, not window fans, in those older schools. Box fans teachers brought from home were the best my school could do. :(
November 12, 2025 at 4:19 AM
Ack, meant to say ceiling fans, not window fans, in those older schools. Box fans teachers brought from home were the best my school could do. :(
When we married in 1977, husband drove a 3-speed std transmission '64 Falcon he fancifully named Pegasus :) while I drove what was basically a 1967 Plymouth Valiant augmented with parts of 2 other Chrysler cars from his granny's yard. My car was dubbed Silver (more like Earl Scheib's dullest gray).
November 12, 2025 at 12:49 AM
When we married in 1977, husband drove a 3-speed std transmission '64 Falcon he fancifully named Pegasus :) while I drove what was basically a 1967 Plymouth Valiant augmented with parts of 2 other Chrysler cars from his granny's yard. My car was dubbed Silver (more like Earl Scheib's dullest gray).
I remember during one of those OPEC oil events in the '70s when we had the gas rationing and you had to get gas on certain days based on whether the last digit on your car tag was an odd or even number. Oh, such happy memories. 🙄
November 11, 2025 at 9:35 AM
I remember during one of those OPEC oil events in the '70s when we had the gas rationing and you had to get gas on certain days based on whether the last digit on your car tag was an odd or even number. Oh, such happy memories. 🙄
who balked at paying $1.25 for a Barbie outfit or 15 cents for a Slurpee, who was often heard to say, "That piece of meat would have fed my whole family in the Depression," would have had a coronary at the thought of $300 sneakers or $200 pre-washed jeans.
November 11, 2025 at 9:28 AM
who balked at paying $1.25 for a Barbie outfit or 15 cents for a Slurpee, who was often heard to say, "That piece of meat would have fed my whole family in the Depression," would have had a coronary at the thought of $300 sneakers or $200 pre-washed jeans.
I don't recall the clothes snobbery of the '90s and beyond, back in the 1970s when I was in high school. We all shopped at Kmart and didn't think anything of it. If the outfit was unstylish or looked bad on the person, that's one thing, but simply being cheap or off-label wasn't a major sin. My dad,
November 11, 2025 at 9:28 AM
I don't recall the clothes snobbery of the '90s and beyond, back in the 1970s when I was in high school. We all shopped at Kmart and didn't think anything of it. If the outfit was unstylish or looked bad on the person, that's one thing, but simply being cheap or off-label wasn't a major sin. My dad,
One of our local gas stations marked an anniversary by briefly pricing gas at the 10-yr-old rate, something like 50 cents a gallon. Cars lined up for MILES. My sister got in line and just before getting to the pump, her car crapped out. My g'father got stuck in that traffic coming to jump her off.
November 11, 2025 at 9:12 AM
One of our local gas stations marked an anniversary by briefly pricing gas at the 10-yr-old rate, something like 50 cents a gallon. Cars lined up for MILES. My sister got in line and just before getting to the pump, her car crapped out. My g'father got stuck in that traffic coming to jump her off.
I remember 16%, but I've read they peaked at 18% in, I believe, 1982 or 3.
November 11, 2025 at 8:53 AM
I remember 16%, but I've read they peaked at 18% in, I believe, 1982 or 3.
My HS was built in the early '60s and designed for AC. But parents of kids in the other schools pitched a fit (these were buildings w/thick walls, 10-ft ceilings and huge window fans, while ours was a flat building at the bottom of a hill w/no trees and porthole-sized windows.) It could get brutal.
November 11, 2025 at 8:51 AM
My HS was built in the early '60s and designed for AC. But parents of kids in the other schools pitched a fit (these were buildings w/thick walls, 10-ft ceilings and huge window fans, while ours was a flat building at the bottom of a hill w/no trees and porthole-sized windows.) It could get brutal.
I have vague memories of shopping with my mom as a 4/5-yr old at a local clothes store with no AC but a big attic fan. It was dark it was in there too. Most stores were air-conditioned, though, but the public schools were not -- this is the 1960s/'70s, not the '40s/'50s. On the Gulf Coast. 🥵
November 11, 2025 at 8:51 AM
I have vague memories of shopping with my mom as a 4/5-yr old at a local clothes store with no AC but a big attic fan. It was dark it was in there too. Most stores were air-conditioned, though, but the public schools were not -- this is the 1960s/'70s, not the '40s/'50s. On the Gulf Coast. 🥵
My grandparents got the government cheese. It really wasn't that bad,
November 11, 2025 at 8:34 AM
My grandparents got the government cheese. It really wasn't that bad,
I recall the early '80s, just getting out of school. Jobless rates at or near double digits, and inflation rates likewise, along w/18% mortgages and other interest rates in the 20s -- and all of this was happening at the same time, not alternating cycles. I'd almost forgotten the generic food aisle.
November 11, 2025 at 8:21 AM
I recall the early '80s, just getting out of school. Jobless rates at or near double digits, and inflation rates likewise, along w/18% mortgages and other interest rates in the 20s -- and all of this was happening at the same time, not alternating cycles. I'd almost forgotten the generic food aisle.
What people REALLY want is for things to work. They've been fed this line that things don't get done because we're all fighting. No matter what people say, they don't really care whether things get done with kumbaya, with only 1 party, through a legislative trick or by magic, they just want results.
November 10, 2025 at 10:07 AM
What people REALLY want is for things to work. They've been fed this line that things don't get done because we're all fighting. No matter what people say, they don't really care whether things get done with kumbaya, with only 1 party, through a legislative trick or by magic, they just want results.
Let each side own its own agenda. But at the very least they should have to talk and hold the floor. No mere threats of 41 votes. And no other business gets done. Ensure that it's a last-resort tool for consequential questions and not obstruction for its own sake and to deny the other side a win.
November 10, 2025 at 6:44 AM
Let each side own its own agenda. But at the very least they should have to talk and hold the floor. No mere threats of 41 votes. And no other business gets done. Ensure that it's a last-resort tool for consequential questions and not obstruction for its own sake and to deny the other side a win.