Just Two Things
After months of growing tension and turmoil and two impossible-to-resist days of resignations of members of his own government, British Prime Minister Boris Johnson today announced that he would resign. BUT he said he would stay in place until a new PM is chosen which might not be, based on the current schedule, until October. Many in his Conservative Party say that's unacceptable and that his continued presence would cause "carnage" for the party and the nation. Now the pressure is on Boris to leave much sooner.
Boris Johnson: The backstory to the PM's dramatic resignation - BBC News
Joe Biden made a speech somewhere yesterday. I don't know where. I listened to about 90 seconds of it. He made some comment about being a "neighborhood guy"...must have gotten a laugh even though it wasn't intended to be funny because then he said, "No, really." Ugh. Then he spent the rest of the time that I listened talking about how much he loves unions. Just the latest example of a guy whose thinking hasn't evolved since he was first elected to the US Senate in the early 1970s. Who really thinks that running on "I'm going to support unions" is a winning message in this environment in 2022? I think this stuff is one of the few glimpses of the real Joe Biden. He really does think that he can win with a 1970s-style rust-belt union-pandering campaign. Please just keep doing that, Joe.
Today's Guest
If you read the new book by Maj Fred Galvin USMC (ret), "A Few Bad Men", you will necessarily be furious at the incredible mistreatment of a true Marine's Marine by officers of the Corps, the Army and the Air Force as they persecuted Galvin and his unit for a horrific crime...that NEVER HAPPENED. I don't just mean that Galvin and his unit didn't commit the crime. I mean that the crime which they were accused of -- wantonly murdering civilians -- simply did not occur. Yet men's lives were ruined because higher levels of the US military just believed the claims of Afghans, including of at least one known terrorist, without question and because the (fake) incident seemed to pose a threat to the COIN (counter-insurgency) strategy that, as Maj Galvin argues, had modest success in Iraq but was always doomed to disastrous failure in Afghanistan.
Seriously, can you imagine being accused of some of the most brutal of war crimes and almost being imprisoned by your own government for them...when the crimes themselves never happened?
Buy this book, read this book, and remember this book when you hear the top levels of our military talk about...anything.
If you need any more evidence that as much as we honor and support our troops, we must be wary of the uber-politicized top levels of the military, don't forget this horrorshow:
Other Stuff
A police officer didn't shoot the Uvalde school mass-murderer because he decided to wait for a response from a supervisor.
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Yesterday, Colorado Governor Jared Polis signed an executive order directing all state agencies that might become involved if another state that has passed anti-abortion laws tries to get information about an abortion performed in Colorado to refuse to cooperate or share any data with such other state unless compelled to do so by a court order. The executive order also attempts to protect the professional licenses of any medical provider in Colorado who is involved in abortion and who might be subject to attempted sanction by another state.
Here's the actual order: D 2022 032 Reproductive Health EO (3).pdf - Google Drive
Colorado will not cooperate with abortion investigations, Polis declares (coloradosun.com)
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Offered without comment: Zambian soccer star Barbra Banda ineligible over 'gender verification' (nypost.com)
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If you see (or hear) something, say something: Police say tip helped prevent mass shooting at July Fourth celebration in Richmond, Virginia - ABC News (go.com)
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As the US ramps up its public pushback against China, two interesting stories:
Chinese company's purchase of North Dakota farmland raises U.S. security concerns (cnbc.com)
Heads of FBI and MI5 issue strong warning about threat to the West from China (nbcnews.com)
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A very lucky find: Jordyn Poulter's stolen 2020 Olympic gold medal found behind barbershop (nypost.com)
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Android users beware, and maybe contact your carrier proactively to say "don't even think about doing this": U.S. carriers want to ruin your lock screen with ads | Digital Trends
US carriers want to bring “screen zero” lock screen ads to smartphones | Ars Technica
Today's Videos
One way to save money on your natural gas or electricity bill when you want to cook a burger
On a drunkness scale of 1-10, this guy goes to 11