If this country still exists in 50 years, the history books—or whatever medium is used to convey information—will hopefully include a chapter or two about the state of the Republican party in 2023, and how they thought it wise to pursue impeachment of Joe Biden—you know, out of concern for the letter of the law and all.

The books will hopefully, without hint of snark, reveal that there was no evidence on which to base a decision to spend precious election year time in a pursuit motivated by vengeance and desperation, with tactics designed to distract the electorate and introduce doubt just as they were really deciding who to vote for.

Such a plan was in part born of the appalling lack of substance in the Republican platform, the creaking, decaying, nostalgic pablum that Republicans were wont to push on their favorite news outlet, watched by millions who thought Donald Trump was still a viable candidate for POTUS in 2024.

-The media cover everything, from the sublime to the ridiculous, from the Northern Lights to Donald Trump.

-Does the human capacity for wonder and awe signify anything, mean anything, indicate anything?

-It’s too late to talk about redemption and Donald Trump in the same sentence. Trump is living his life as if that ship sailed a long time ago. No one doubles down as often or as defiantly as he does without already having given up on redeeming themselves or asking for forgiveness. For Trump, it’s full steam ahead with an empty coal car.

-Speaking of fossil fuel… COP28. The theme should have been, “Why bother?”

How can there be any reaction other than blistering anger when one reads of the situation in Texas?

Putting aside whatever spin has been generated, and hoping that the story as Rachel Maddow conveyed it last night is as accurate as it can get, how can anyone stand with Texas—and especially its AG—after hearing about the situation Texas put Kate Cox in?

When she gets back from wherever she went to get the abortion, will she be a marked woman, face criminal proceedings? Will she even come back to live in Texas, will she be told to leave, move to another state?

As the situation was being described last night, I couldn’t help but feel like we indeed have neo-Nazis among us—and not only in Texas, but in every state that has or is hoping to have these oppressive, medieval laws on the books. This is evil, this is conservative religion in all its oppressive, backward, ignorant ugliness.

What’s next? One might assume this story is far from over.

The overturning of Roe v Wade looks more and more like a total misread and ill-advised overreach. Like something conservative Republicans should have known would blow up in their faces, something they should have left alone.

Seems to be a lot of complaining about the refs this season in the NFL. Maybe it’s like a lot of other things lately—either fans and pundits and players are turning into a bunch of whiners, taking the games way too seriously, or the caliber of officiating is dropping off with the gradual influx of new recruits fresh out of training who are getting their feet wet, more prone to missed calls, or maybe more focused on administering the letter of the law, not quite up to speed on how and when to just let the players play.

What about the whole Draft Kings/MGM/name-your-favorite-wagering-concern influencing decisions? Probably not, but it’s a new world with betting becoming so mainstream– sort of raises the stakes.

Or wouldn’t it be something if refs play favorites and find ways to penalize teams and players who piss them off?

Rule are rules. They exist to be followed. Either that, or evaluate the rules from time to time. What about just dispensing with refs altogether and giving the players free reign, letting them police themselves? That should work well.

Shohei Ohtani gets the contract, stays on the west coast, and I’m sure is guaranteed a substantial amount of the $700 million he signs for– you know, in case he ends up being a disappointment from here on out because it turns out he’s injury-prone and has already played the best baseball of his life.

Seven hundred million dollars. Sorry. I can’t summon “good for him” anymore. If an organization has that much money to spend on one person who plays a kid’s game, count me out as a fan. It’s difficult to relate, to not think in terms of fabulously misplaced priorities.

It’s one helluva mortgage. The Dodgers better hope he gets healthy. I’m sure they’ve structured the deal so everybody wins, except maybe the ones who have to pay to get in to see him. And they still have to put a cohesive, productive unit of nine egos on the field.

The world seems to be on the ragged-assed edge of disaster, on multiple fronts. A massive humanitarian crisis in Gaza, the potential for an expanded war in the Middle East, a situation in Ukraine which is looking more and more like a victory for Putin and the old guard in the Kremlin, and here at home an exhausting presidential election campaign that already appears to pit fascism against democracy, logic and reason against idiocy and ignorance and fear.

We’re all tired, on edge, maybe apprehensive and frightened, living day to day with little reason for optimism, less receptive to intermediaries and calming influences, knowing what we know and certain the other side is out to lunch.

Not exactly glass-half-full this morning.

The UN is well-intentioned, but when push comes to shove, it is toothless and without recourse in the face of one holdout.

Why was the U.S. the only No vote on a UN resolution to invoke a humanitarian cease-fire in Gaza? I’d like to know the actual reason(s) and not just get a line of BS from some talking head who starts off by saying “Look, …”

Why would we be against a pause in the fighting so desperate people might get a hand? Why would we say no to saving lives, to helping famished, exhausted, people with the necessities of life? Why were we the only ones who said No to all that?

They better be good reasons. Though at this point, how good can they be?

Professional golf is losing its way, if it hasn’t lost it already. Money is of course at issue. Competitive players stand to make enough of it, but the Saudis have forced the PGA to “up its game.” So, either those who stay on the Tour will see a substantial increase in purses, or maybe the old league will just fall apart.

LIV will emerge, and eventually the allure of riches will be too much for even the staunchest holdouts. And the professional game will morph into an unwatchable gimmick, collapsing under the weight of its own excess, while trying to attract viewers who are more interested in being entertained than appreciating the quirks and intracacies of the game.

While wars rage and a substantial portion of the rest of the world goes hungry and homeless and without necessities, a microscopic percentage will exist in a bubble, treated like royalty, and be shamefully, hideously, and grossly over-compensated. 

Jon Rahm is the latest to have yielded to the siren song of Saudi money. Can’t say it comes as a surprise. I’m sure he “wrestled” with the decision, talked it over with his wife, made a decision “for his family.” What’s not to like about a $300 million guarantee, or whatever it ends up being?

Nothing to see here. Just another high-profile golfer with blood on his hands.   

It’s what the world needs to say to Putin: “Go to hell, you cold-hearted warmonger, you fossilized remnant from days that should be spoken of only in the past tense.

You sit there with your shit-eating grin and beady eyes, insulated from the pain you cause, in your unforgivably gaudy, ostentatious palace, making decisions that affect your countrymen and women with little regard for their own dreams and desires. You see them as little more than a resource to be expended. Do your own soldiers buy into the whole “Mother Russia” thing?

You’re nothing but a hoarder of wealth and purveyor of bleakness, using history as an excuse.

People like you are useless aberrations in a world that would prefer to at least try turning swords into plowshares. How can you not know that the people you “conquer” hate you and will always hate you? They are not the least bit interested in acquiescing, or buying whatever the hell it is you’re trying to force on them.

How can you even envision a time when that forced kumbaya would play out? What’s your end game? What will you do with your spoils?

Why do you and people like you even exist? You’re high up on the list of those who give humanity a black eye, but that’s not of the remotest concern to you, is it?”