Major Political News: Sen Kyrsten Sinema (AZ) leaves Democratic Party
But she's not becoming a Republican; she has registered as Independent.
See video in link below of Sen Sinema explaining her decision. I think it's clever. It gives her more power and it allows her to avoid a Democratic Primary in 2 years.
And she wrote an op-ed for The Arizona Republic with further elaboration. (May need free website registration) Sen. Kyrsten Sinema of Arizona: Why I’m registering as an independent (azcentral.com)
My take: As long as Sinema doesn't caucus with the Republicans this move means basically nothing for the operation of the Senate because if she's with the Dems (most likely) it's still 51-49 Dem majority and if she didn't caucus with either side (which seems unlikely because it would reduce her influence) Dems would still have 50-49 majority.
I think the story is interesting but means a lot less than you might first thing when you read the headline.
Just One Thing: You Gotta Hear This
I had a very interesting conversation with Colorado Attorney General Phil Weiser. Most of the discussion was about the case of 303 Creative v Elenis in which Colorado is arguing that a website maker who wants to make customized sites for couples' weddings must make such sites for same-sex couples if she's going to make them for everyone. I'm pro-gay marriage but as a matter of law and morality I think the state's position is repugnant. I think my debate with Phil is enlightening as to how the left thinks about these issues. We also discuss the proposed Safeway/King Soopers (aka Albertsons/Kroger) merger and "red flag" laws. If you missed it, it's really worth hearing.
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Today's Guests
Paulina Porizkova was known as one of the most beautiful women in the world. She led a most unusual life including falling in love young with a rock star (Ric Ocasek of The Cars) who was much older than she was, living that life, separating (but still living with) Ocasek, finding him deceased in bed, and then learning he had cut her out of his will.
Paulina's new book, No Filter, is a really interesting (and well titled) read. I think women in particular will love it, but not only women.
Paulina Porizkova (@paulinaporizkov) • Instagram photos and videos
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Cory Schwab is the owner, and Dave Berry is the bar manager, of Whiskey Bar in Denver's LoDo neighborhood. They have over 600 whiskeys in stock. We're going to sample some fine whiskeys and potentially at least one that's not so fine (but I'm optimistic!) since my order of Arby's Smoked Bourbon arrived. (I've been waiting for this show to taste it.) We'll take your whiskey questions!
Whiskey Bar
2203 Larimer St
Whiskey Bar (whiskeybardenver.com)
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Other Stuff
Kevin O'Leary, one of TV's Shark Tank sharks was paid $15 MILLION to promote FTX. He lost almost all of it, as he explains in this VERY interesting interview:
He's right, Apple is wrong, end of story: Former Apple Executive Says Company Blundered by Firing Him After TikTok Video - WSJ
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Twitter "shadowbanned" conservative accounts even while telling the public they didn't
What planet is this? QAnon Queen's plan for global domination has 'massively backfired': report (msn.com)
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More info about Club Q shooter history. Certainly makes prosecutors look better. Tougher call re the sheriff and "red flag" but I get the point about how by the time it would have come up, they would have had a hard time proving imminency.
(or this link: Judge unseals Club Q suspect Anderson Lee Aldrich's 2021 bomb threat case (denverpost.com)
And Colorado shooter's 2021 case dropped for lack of cooperation | AP News
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Not sure if I'll get to this today, but...just throw away that plastic: Greenpeace Admits It: Recycling Doesn’t Work | City Journal (city-journal.org)
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When I was in my 20's my body almost felt like it did this. Now that I'm, well, not in my 20s, it sure doesn't feel that way anymore: Self-healing robot recovers from being stabbed then walks off | New Scientist
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Always like cool new sports records: Rams vs. Raiders score, takeaways: Baker Mayfield leads historic game-winning drive in storybook L.A. debut - CBSSports.com
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Today's Videos
I'm not sure if this interview is weirdly interesting (i.e. while eating hot wings), or if it feels too much like it's appealing to some weird fetishist dude who likes watching women eating messy food. I'll stay upbeat on this Friday and go with the former. And actually for celeb talk, which I don't listen to much of, it's on the interesting side.
Sticking with food-related videos, this is the dumbest and best thing I've seen all week