I learned something new this morning. There was an article on the newsfeed about a shortage of fresh water in parts of the world, and it also referenced the process of reverse osmosis desalination—a method used in relieving that shortage.

I got to wondering about what effect this has on sea levels (i.e., would the oceans ever run low, given increasing demand?), so I asked ChatGPT about it and found that the oceans are so big that it really doesn’t have any effect on ocean water levels. The cyclical nature of evaporation and rain water, etc., also work to keep things in some sort of balance.

One concern, though, is that salt collected in the process is returned to the oceans, and this needs to be done in a way that doesn’t affect marine life and create unhealthy concentrations. This must be done properly and responsibly.

In any event, it’s something of a relief to learn that, if I’m understanding it correctly, the need for fresh water doesn’t involve robbing Peter to pay Paul.

Such a predictable soap opera. Such drama, and at the highest levels of government.

We should all be so proud.

Another distraction, another trip down the rabbit hole for the media horde. And in the meantime, America is dumbing down, funding is cut for essential cancer research and disease prevention. A big beautiful bill will jeopardize the health of millions of Americans who apparently are dispensable, and which will put money in the pockets of people who need it least—all in the name of “stimulating growth.”

The tenuous nature of the relationship between Trump and Musk should come as a surprise to no one. How else does a marriage of convenience and quid pro quo usually end, especially with Trump? The pathetic part is that it takes up so much of our time with trying to parse it. There’s nothing to parse!

How much longer will we put up with this insane, inane, hate-filled bunch of clown car sleazebags? We are currently the world’s least funny joke, from coast to coast, and rightfully so. Ron Johnson and the rest of the mealy-mouthed snakes can slither east ‘til their hats float.

The thing about Trump is that it’s difficult, maybe next to impossible, to believe that he comes up with much of what he says. Some of the off-the-cuff stuff is most likely his—the stuff containing his basic twelve-word vocabulary—but speeches at podiums or rallies at least start out as screeds written by Stephen Miller or some other Beltway operative with a skewed view of the world.

It might make one wonder if Trump could ever take a stand or even believes the shit he says.

He’s putty in somebody’s hands. He’ll take care of coming across as a bully and tough talker, but the meat and potatoes policy stuff is the brainchild of the masterminds at the Heritage Foundation and elsewhere. They just keep propping him up and pulling the string.

People have to stop treating Donald Trump like some endlessly fascinating anomaly, like he’s worthy of the press coverage because of his unlikely and relentless rise to prominence, or because he’s usually good for an outlandish statement or three.

In many ways, Trump is old news. He’s had his fifteen minutes for way longer than anyone deserves. He’s a manipulator. He’s a master of distraction, likes setting traps, and it often appears that various media outlets keep falling right into them.

The relationship between Trump and the press is largely adversarial, or at least ironic, in that he’s usually complaining about one network or another, yet finds a way to use any and all coverage to his advantage. Trump looks for allies and sycophantic loyalty, and most of the time he finds it with Fox, OANN, and Newsmax. The rest can go pound sand, as far as he is concerned.

“Fake news” ABC, CBS, and NBC are likely on his hit list, as is PBS—you know, any organization that tries to report the news Murrow or Cronkite style. Can’t have that in Trump World. Just one more reason why he deserves to be lambasted most of the time, not trusted, and certainly not treated like a sacred cow.

Maybe “bias” isn’t always a bad thing, though it is a slippery slope. The gloves have been off for a while now, though. Haven’t they?

Trump and his entourage play government like kids used to play Cowboys and Indians, obviously with enhanced consequences and much more on the line, but with a comparable sense of make believe.

What’s so troubling and frustrating is that they wield the levers of power but have little to no idea what they’re doing—the whole lot of them. Our lives are in the hands of sinfully incompetent people with suspect resumes. The only thing they bring to the table is a mystifying support of Donald Trump.

They “believe” in him, for some reason, maybe way more than he believes in them. It’s all a monstrously sick joke.

Millions of voters had the wool pulled over their eyes. Or maybe they knew exactly who and what they were loosing on us all.