Left Coast Sports Babe

So it didn’t turn out to be THAT compelling a game. Tennessee Clemson still has to be the most Orange Orange Bowl ever.

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LeBron James just turned 38 . And he says his top priority is ‘to win.’ Lebron is smart. He’s been involved in community & active politically off the court. Considering how close Herschel Walker came in Georgia, maybe a way James can win in his 40s would be to run for office in Ohio.

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UCLA puts a blemish on Pac 12’s bowl game record by losing to Pitt 37-35. Well, soon the Bruins will be the Big 10’s problem. #ByeFelicia

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Ten Major League Baseball umpires are retiring before the 2023 season. Sadly none of them are Angel Hernandez.

Fox News Headline. “Biden pardons woman convicted of murdering her husband & 5 others.” President pardoned domestic abuse survivor who finally killed her abuser, & “5 others on drug, alcohol-related offenses.” Headline makes it sound like he pardoned a mass-murderer. Coincidence?

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So since some MAGA’s have decided the most important issue of our time is drag shows, have they started calling for boycotts of Shakespeare’s “Twelfth Night” yet?

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RIP Barbara Walters. These days we’re used to seeing woman broadcasters and anchors but hard to explain to a younger generation how ground-breaking and impressive she was.

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In Arizona, a recount found Democrat Kris Mayes defeated G-OP Abraham Hamadeh to become the state’s Attorney General by 280 votes… out of over 2.5 million.

In case anyone tries to tell you your vote doesn’t matter.

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So if anyone is stuck in Texas or Florida due to Southwest Airlines meltdown and trying to get back to the Northeast, here’s a solution- claim you’re an undocument immigrant..

Abbott or DeSantis will send a bus or maybe even a chartered plane for you.

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So has NY Times yet tried to both sides #TrumpTaxReturns?

Some right wing media still apoplectic about President Biden’s stay this weekend in St. Croix, at home where NY Post claims VRBO rates start at $700. Missed same media outrage when Tr*mp charged Service Service $400 a night at Mar-A-Lago & over $1000 some nights at his DC hotel.

Scott Boras seems to be giving the New York Mets considerably more than the several hours he gave the SF Giants to think about their contract offer after Carlos Correa had issues with his physical.

Usually the deal is when you buy something returned by the original buyer it’s final sale only.

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So all kinds of rumors that Sean Payton might be returning to Saints & bringing Tom Brady with him? Uh, if Sean wants to bring an aging former superstar QB back to New Orleans there’s one he’s worked pretty well with who’s had a couple years off to let his body heal…

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Denver Broncos’ QB Russell Wilson: “Wish I played better for Nathaniel Hackett.”

Uh, the fired Broncos coach still made plenty of money. How about Wilson wishing he’d played better for fans who actually paid serious money to watch the team this year in Denver?

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So if it turns out George Santos lied about consensual oral sex would GOP finally try to get him out of office?

So some Republicans are already complaining Department of Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg hasn’t done enough with the Southwest Airline meltdown?

Southwest is based in Dallas. Anyone seen either Senator from Texas during this mess?

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Headline in SF Chronicle “Southwest plane turns around midair due to passenger ‘conflict’.” Shocking! A Southwest flight actually made it to “midair?”

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From my funny friend Marc Ragovin “Southwest Airlines’ newest ad: ‘Ping. You are now free to move about the terminal. Cause your flight aint leaving for another six days.'”

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Starting January 5, travelers from China will need to show negative COVID test result within 2 day of flying to US. Not a bad idea. But every travel agent I know has stories of people right here in US who knew they have COVID and chose to fly anyway. Be careful out there.

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While suppose one should not speak ill of the dead or perhaps terminally ill, your reminder that Republicans now making up lies about “grooming” to demonize LGBTQ people were almost universally silent about Pope Benedict XVI turning a blind eye to sexual abuse of children by priests.

Most NFL rumors are just that, rumors. One of them is Sean Payton returning to coach the New Orleans Saints in 2023.

As a Saints fan that is a nice fantasy.

Another rumor is that Payton will come back to New Orleans and have Tom Brady at QB.

THAT is an indecent proposal.

(Although if Drew is bored…)

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The Guaranteed Rate Bowl in Phoenix started at 815p Arizona time, 1015p on the East Coast, and 915p Central Time where both Wisconsin and Oklahoma State are located.

Imagining how many of the Badgers and Cowboys younger fans begged – “Mommy, Daddy, can I stay up for the kickoff?”

At this point wonder if Scott Boras is trying to see if Dr. Ronny Jackson will do the next physical on Carlos Correa.

Not a lot funny about Jan 6, Still had to chuckle when former WH Deputy Press Secretary Judd Deere was asked on Velveeta Voldemort’s reputed plans to walk w/ supporters to US Capitol.” “Never seen him walk across golf course w/o a golf cart. Can’t imagine him walking up Pennsylvania Ave.”

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President Biden traveled today with his family to St. Croix for the New Year’s weekend. So how many right-wing pundits have attacked Joe for taking a vacation out of the country?

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When Tulsi Gabbard calls George Santos out for blatant lies you get the sense even Russia thinks this guy has gone too far to be useful. Maybe Santos better stay away from windows?

Remember as Republicans just keep shrugging off revelations from George Santos (and we all know we haven’t heard the last of them), that GOP led the charge to get Congresswoman Katie Hill to resign when revenge porn resulted in her divulging a consensual relationship with a staffer.

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Seeing would-be book banners complain about “porn in schools.” Flashback to living in Toronto in days kids could walk to school & stores on own. In 8th grade, remember boys on lunch break gathered at magazine rack, all sneaking looks at Playboy hoping busy clerk wouldn’t see…

Southwest Airlines doesn’t work much with travel agents and will charge agencies mandatory fees for the slightest transgression, so usually tell clients I don’t book them. This is a very good week as a travel agent not to be booking Southwest Airlines.

So what happens next time Scott Boras says one of his clients is 100% healthy?

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Thinking I’m not the only person in America who was disappointed the last present on Christmas night should have been watching Tom Brady lose.

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Love that Tyler Rogers will play with his identical twin brother Taylor on the SF Giants. Even though it would have been perfect marketing had they both ended up with Minnesota.

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And yeah, grapes are sour (so some might say is wine) but Brady’s comebacks against the Cardinals and Saints were also fueled by Arizona and New Orleans’ offensive meltdowns.

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At least Colts fans might be disappointed in their team’s loss but they at least got any heartbreak over early…

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On Christmas night – Denver Broncos 4-10, vs LA Rams, 4-10 tonight. Rams up 31-6 at halftime.

And if you were with family and still watched the 2nd half,, you probably REALLY were looking for an excuse to avoid your relatives.

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Can’t be the only Anglophile who thought on Christmas that it just didn’t seem right to listen to a KING’s speech?

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So at Seventeen did Kari Lake cheat herself at solitaire and blame someone for giving her an unfair deck of cards?

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George Santos has now admitted to lying about almost EVERYTHING on his resume. But he says “I’m not a criminal.” Okay, but he presumably filed a statement to appear on the ballot. “If employment is being sought from a state or federal employer, it is likely a crime to lie on an application….

Does ANYONE except maybe “Mother” want Mike Pence to run for President in 2024?

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160 passengers had to evacuate a JetBlue flight on slides at JFK airport this week. Always thought it might be fun to go down airplane slides. Not, however, with a fire on board and zero degree weather. Fortunately everyone was okay.

Spirit would have probably charged an entertaiment fee.

As many tracked Santa’s progress around the world, think about it – many in today’s GOP would attack Santa Claus as an immigrant coming across US border to give even poor Americans free handouts.

Dan Snyder bought Washington football team formerly known as the Redskins in 1999 for $800 million. Now, he’ll probably be forced to sell the Commanders because of allegations of sexual harassment & financial fraud.. at a price over $7 billion. Yeah, that’ll teach him.

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So SF Giants back out of signing Carlos Correa over a medical issue, and sign Michael Conforto, who didn’t play at ALL in 2022 after shoulder surgery. Okay then…

With all that extra money they now having lying around will SF Giants at least sign Brandon Belt so fans can name a couple players on 2023 roster?

New England Patriots likely to miss playoffs for second time in three years, and some Patriots fans attacking QB Mac Jones for showing frustration and not controlling his emotions. Well, and I’m sure their ex-QB would be better as he’s being so mature when things don’t go well in Tampa.

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Saw Mall of America trending on social media last night and hoped it was because the weather was just so cold they had a power outage. Sadly, no. Minnesota almost never has a power grid problem. All America, however, has a gun problem.

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So when prices for things like orange juice rise after this bomb cyclone Christmas weekend where even Florida is freezing, how are Republicans going to blame Joe Biden?

As January 6 committee recommends Velveeta Voldemort be banned from running again, have to figure that after a disappointing midterms, the GOP, while they will complain publicly, has to wish that happens.

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New York City weather on December 23: Morning 48° Afternoon 26° Evening 10° Haven’t seen numbers fall this fast recently since Tesla stock pirces.

5-star football recruit, Peyton Bowen who had committed to Notre Dame, flipped to Oregon yesterday and today just signed today… with Oklahoma? His tweet today included “Respect my decision.” Uh, which one?

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When shirts and caps are printed for World Series, Super Bow and NBA championships that don’t happen, the clothing is often sent to underprivileged children far away from the US. Wonder how many kids next year in remote parts of the world will be sporting Carlos Correa SF Giants t-shirts?

Guessing the media has Velveeta Voldemort lie fatigue, but seems like it should be a bigger story that the man who claimed he couldn’t release his tax returns because he was under a “routine audit,” never was audited at all.

Sam Bankman-Fried, the cryptocurrency executive facing federal fraud charges, will be freed on $250 million bond and put under home detention. If you didn’t already know he was white.

So George Santos will explain his story next week? I guess around the holidays it’s hard on short notice to find a historical fiction writer.

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Senate voted 68-29 to continue funding the government before a Friday deadline and to avoid a potential government

shutdown. Good news, but how are 29 GOP Senators who voted no justifying their vote to ruin Christmas?

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Apparently Cassidy Hutchinson gave damning testimony about Stefan Passantino, the top ethics attorney in Velveeta Voldemort’s White House. Shocking – his White House HAD ethics attorneys?

Hunter Biden, who has never been elected to office and does not have a security clearance, is open about being a recovering addict with a messed-up past. Idly wondering, wonder what some politicians and pundits who are attacking him have on THEIR personal laptops?

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Just amazing. Fox News headline :”Drug overdose deaths topped 106,000 in 2021, CDC says in final report.”

Look at the actual story and it says ” spike in drug overdose deaths contributed to a 25-year low in life expectancy.”

They left out a little detail that the Washington Post found time to include on the same story about the low in life expectancy in America.”Drug overdoses were responsible for 106,699 deaths in 2021 – COVID killed 416,893,

The SF Giants were undefeated in the Carlos Correa era.

The Mets LUXURY tax bill will be higher in 2023 than 7 or 8 MLB teams’ payrolls.

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SF Giants e-card -wish all our Season Ticket Members happy & healthy holiday season. Thank you for being part of our Giants family & for your passion & love for team. ” Giants Offices will be closed Dec 22 to Jan 2. Translation: we’re thrilled we don’t have to answer phone now.

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So wonder who on SF Giants staff got the job of calling some factory in China and saying “You know that order of Carlos Correa bobbleheads and shirts we wanted you to rush to have ready by Fan Fest? Uh, never mind.”

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Meanwhile, if the Golden State Warriors wanted to find a night to give up 91 points in the first half and not have it be the number one story in local SF Bay Area sports, well, they picked a good night.

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All you need to know about some MAGA Republicans is that they mock President Zelensky and make a hero of Kyle Rittenhouse.

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Just imagine what Senator John McCain would have said to some of these MAGA members of Congress siding with Russia over Ukraine.

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One of saddest changes of Senators in January will be in Ohio. GOP’s Rob Portman has been bipartisan leader in support of Ukraine. And now Ohio has J.D. Vance, who said in Feb 2022: “I gotta be honest with you, I don’t really care what happens to Ukraine one way or the other.”

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As Senators try to rush home for Christmas, time to do right thing & pass Amy Klobuchar & Lindsay Graham’s amendment to create permanent path to residency for Afghan refugees who helped Americans & were rescued from Kabul in 2021.

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More from Amy Klobuchar on Afghan Adjustment Act. “I think about people in other countries who stand w/ our soldiers… if this is what we do when they to come our country, if we don’t have their backs, what message are we sending to people in rest of the world?” She’s right.

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So Velveeta Voldemort was NOT under audit in 2016 when he claimed that was the reason he wouldn’t release his taxes. Which means he flat out lied, repeatedly. Why should anyone believe him on anything?

Secretariat is trending today and it’s because Bob Coglianese, the man who took this amazing picture, died this week. RIP. Was a kid at the time, but still one of the greatest sporting moments I got to see live on TV.

Why it’s not a great idea to bet on sports, example #36,500

Washington Wizards, 11-20, had lost 10 in a row, were playing in Phoenix against the Suns, who were 14-3 at home,

And Washington was playing without center Kristap Porzingis. So of course the Wizards won 113-110.

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While their spring training facility, damaged by Hurricane Ian, is being repaired, the Tampa Bay Rays will split their 2023 spring training between Disney and Tropicana Field. So which is the more Mickey Mouse location?

Former football coach & current Alabama Sen. Tommy Tuberville spoke today in Senate on shortage of children’s flu/medications. He urged parents to seek advice of medical professionals on what to give kids. Same Tuberville fighting to remove vaccine mandates from US military.

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Tammy Duckworth today on Senate Floor talks eloquently & personally about something GOP would prefer stay quiet with their anti-choice efforts; many “personhood” bills would make IVF illegal. Senator Duckworth herself used IVF to become a parent, Many GOP women use IVF too.

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Roy Blunt in maybe last Senate speech talks about Dreamers, those brought here as children, who know no other home than US. “This is & should be easiest to solve. Alternative makes so little sense, on personal, economic, community level.” Agreed. Why doesn’t Senate just do it?

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Fox News complaining regularly President Biden not going to Mexico. Joe announces he is going in January to meet with Mexico President Andrés Manuel López Obrador.

Fox News. Crickets.

TX Senator John Cornyn thinks Senate colleagues are trying to speed up spending bill process as weather is “accelerating peoples’ interest” in getting out of town. Since much of GOP doesn’t believe in science, would be great to see Republicans brought in line by Mother Nature.

Anyone still not thinking Electoral Count Act matters? Imagine if Mike Pence, who bowed to Velveeta Voldemort on everything else, agreed not to certify electoral votes. Or if VP were “unavoidly detained” We don’t know what couldn’t happened. Sure couldn’t have relied on SCOTUS.

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Vermont’s Patrick Leahy, 82, has been in the Senate since 1974, and is now retiring. Little known consequence – this means Bernie Sanders, 81, will no longer be the JUNIOR Senator from Vermont.

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Can we stop this GOP BS that the House voting to release Velveeta Voldemort’s tax returns threatens “average taxpayers?” Nope. It does threaten candidates running for the Presidency who think they can lie and avoid the requirement they need to release THEIR tax returns.

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Marjorie Three Names is now attacking Lauren Boebert and accusing the barely re-elected Colorado congresswoman of” high school drama and media sound bites.” I could work all week and not write anything funnier than that.

LA Rams, who in week 15 have already tied 1999 Denver Broncos (6-10) for the most losses ever by a defending Super Bowl champ, would like to thank Indianapolis Colts and New England Patriots for the distraction of having had worse weekends.

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After blowing a 33-0 lead to the Minnesota Vikings, the Indianapolis Colts were poised to become the biggest punchline of NFL Week 15. New England Patriots, “Hold our beer that we’re about to lateral to you.

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Just realized that Liz Cheney has five children, the same as Nancy Pelosi.

Explains a lot about Liz.

Toddlers of any age throwing tantrums don’t faze her.

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Travel later this week is going to be a nightmare across the US. So maybe the Senate can just stay in session and get everything passed? Or Republicans can just stop blocking stuff and let EVERYONE get a heard start to go home?

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While the floor was quiet, just saw on C-Span 2 that Senate was still in session Monday night after midnight. So how long hypothetically would Democrats have had to wait until Republicans all go to bed and then pass a whole bunch of bills before they wake up?

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As the January 6 committee holds its final public meeting and unveils criminal referrals against Velveeta Voldemort this is the TOP headline on the Fox News website. No joke “How the Justice Dept. allegedly targeted top news, social media execs after Hunter Biden revelations.”

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So if Velveeta Voldemort really did shoot someone in plain sight on Fifth Avenue would this DOJ indict him?

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I feel for whoever’s job it is to clean up ketchup from the walls at Mar-A-Lago his week.

So many teams now expecting the same miracle. But if the Stanford band hadn’t rushed the field 40 years ago, the New England Patriots probably win today’s game against the Raiders.

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Any day when Bill Belichick, Tom Brady and Jerry Jones all lose is a good day. #NFL

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So after two incredibly improbable late French comebacks, Argentina still ends up winning the World Cup. Who did France think they were? The Minnesota Vikings?

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But seriously, down 33-0!??

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Even the Atlanta Falcons are wondering how the Indianapolis Colts blew that game to the Minnesota Vikings.

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As a New Orleans fan, it’s so much more fun when Minnesota does miracle stuff against a team that isn’t the Saints.

Meanwhile the Saints, 5-9, are in a three way tie for 2nd place in the NFC South…. Behind the 6-8 Tampa Bay Bucs. Yes, someone has to win the division

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But hey, at least with the World Cup done and everyone out of Qatar we can stop either boycotting or else feeling like we need a shower after we watched any of these games. Now let’s just hope they Qatar doesn’t bribe the IOC into an Olympics.

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Yeah, it’s early in the bowl season, but when most college football headlines are about where players are transferring, thinking the NCAA has a problem.

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Has the My Pillow Guy applied to be Twitter CEO yet?

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TSA found a record number of guys in carry-on luggage 2022. 6301!

And of thosee 6,301 guns discovered by officers at checkpoints, more than 88% were loaded.

USA! USA! USA!

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In January, 2023 Arizona will inaugurate their FIFTH woman Governor. Her name is Katie Hobbs. Can we stop talking about the sore loser?

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State Senate results in California District 16.

Melissa Hurtado (D) 68,457

David Shepard (R) 68,437

Don’t let ANYONE tell you your vote doesn’t matter.

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Not that Muskrat probably thinks anything Congress does applies to him… But w/ anti-competitive blocking of sharing information about rival platforms, does he realize Amy Klobuchar even has Republicans like Josh Hawley & Mike Lee on board w/ big tech antitrust issues?

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Wrap your head around this one: The so-called pro-life Governor of Florida wants to be President and so is promoting anti-vaccine sentiments that will kill people. #DeathSantis

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SNL Weekend Update’s Colin Jost refers to “semi-retired maniac” Donald Trump getting into NFTs after the market crashed… What’s next, a line of Velveeta Voldemort Beanie Babies?

Non-snarky PSA. Many of us get gift cards as incentives or prizes. Some have expiration dates. Went through some of mine and found small amounts left on several, two expiring end of 2022. It’s easy to zero them out with donations to favorite causes. And it feels good,

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Fox News headline “Florida boy dies from injuries after horrific accident at friend’s house.” 12 yr-old accidentally shot himself when he found gun at friend’s house during sleepover when friend’s parents weren’t home.

This isn’t a horrific accident, it’s criminal negligence.

If you didn’t already know how “messed” up college football is these days. Alabama did not make the College Football Playoff, but did make a New Year’s Bowl.

And it’s a headline that Alabama linebacker Will Anderson Jr and QB Bryce Young, both healthy, but also top NFL draft prospects, will play in the Sugar Bowl instead of opting out.

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The Big 12 was originally going to keep Texas and Oklahoma in league until 2025 when the schools will leave for the SEC.

But now apparently both sides are working on an agreement to leave after the 2023 season.

Why don’t we just call the SEC and Big Ten the NFL AAA leagues North and South?

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Love the 30th anniversary Beauty and the Beast. But I can’t be the only one who’s thinking “How could it have been 30 years ago?” “Tale as old as time.”

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Chuck Schumer today on CNN: “Nancy (Pelosi) instinctively knew how to handle Trump. Because for her first 35, 40 years of life, she raised five children, and she knew how to deal with children.” We shouldn’t spread this quote around, it would upset Velveeta Voldemort.

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When a toddler throws a tantrum it is best to ignore him. Now I know that a certain meglomaniac billionaire loves attention and yes, some of his acts are outrageous. But we need to keep amplifying good people too on social media.

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Oliver Darcy on CNN – “I think we’re just learning that Muskrat is very thin-skinned.” Are we also just learning that water is wet?

Can’t blame this purely on politics and media.

But at this point more Americans are convinced they will win the Powerball lottery than think they will get seriously ill or die from COVID.

It’s Friday, December 16, and if you’re reading this you’ve probably missed some of the first game of the NCAAF Bowl season.

And if you know who’s playing and you aren’t an alum of Miami (Ohio) or UAB, (I had to look it up), you just might have a problem.

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Drew Brees will be an assistant coach for the Purdue Boilermakers in this year’s Citrus Bowl.

Cool, if it works out can he try a stint with the New Orleans Saints?

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WTF NBA? – Brooklyn Nets fined $25,000 “for failing to comply with league policies governing injury reporting,” -because they rested 8 players against the Indiana Pacers, including Kevin Durant, Kyrie Irving & Ben Simmons. Except Nets ended up winning game, 136-133.

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Have to think that suspending big accounts just because they hurt the Chief Twit’s feelings is not exactly a winning strategy to hold onto advertisers.

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Muskrat believes in free speech like Republicans believe in freedom of religion. Everyone has the freedom to speak or worship in the way they are told to speak or worship.

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If Velveeta Voldemort seriously thinks his NFT’s were a “major announcement,” then maybe it’s time for another “Person, woman, man, camera, TV” test.

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Fox News reporting that conservatives are disgusted by John Boehner crying at Pelosi tribute. Now if the former GOP Speaker had just flown to Mar-A-Lago and cried while talking to Velveeta Voldemort, Boehner would be considered a big strong Republican hero.

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Some GOP Senators voted against extending government funding through Dec 23. If Senate doesn’t do this stopgap, the government partially shuts down tonight. Why do Republicans hate Christmas?

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Still having a really hard time wrapping my head around Kevin McCarthy being considered a GOP moderate.

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Travel agent PSA for day: Client I hadn’t heard from since 2021 emailed for Jan 2023 ticket to Chile. No problem but found in old email her saying “my passport doesn’t expire until Dec 2022.” Said “please tell me you’ve renewed it.” Oops. Time flies. Check your passports.

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American Airlines touting “Loyalty Points Rewards, more rewarding AAdvantage Experience,” w/ a “fully dynamic” award experience. Would be nice if they’d just say “We’re making money again so we’ll make it harder for you to get status & require more miles for free tickets…”

Much of the speculation about the SF Giants signing Carlos Correa has centered on where he and Brandon Crawford will play.

But here’s a new one… Correa wore #4 with the Twins. In San Francisco that number’s been retired as belonging to Mel Ott…

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UCLA AD Martin Jarmond, defending Bruins’ move to Big Ten, which will cause all kinds of travel issues for student athletes, especially those who don’t play football and need to travel commercial: “You’re not playing Rutgers every week…Benefits far outweigh challenges.”

Uh, Rutgers is easy drive from Newark airport with nonstops from LA. . MANY Big Ten schools need connecting flts; UW – Madison, Purdue/IU – Indianapolis, MSU-Lansing….

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Watching Jon Ossoff preside over the Senate on C-Span 2 today and thinking again he must pull the average age down a full year just by himself.

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Kevin McCarthy is whining about deficits. So when is he going to say “America can no longer afford tax cuts for billionaires and millionaires?” Waiting.

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Lots of nice moments with bipartisan farewell praise for in the Senate for Roy Blunt, Rob Portman and Richard Burr. Have to wonder, what’s it going to be like when Rand Paul retires?

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Senator Cory Booker has a racial discrimination bill to protect employees’ right to wear natural hair styles, especially black men and women. And Rand Paul objects with a dishonest “safety” excuse.

We are all Rand Paul’s neighbor.

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For some reason Fox News still hasn’t gotten around to reporting yesterday Labor Department report that inflation dropped to 7.1% in November, lowest overall rate since last December & 5th month in a row it has fallen.

#ThankyouBiden

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Just when you as a travel agent you think you’ve heard it all: Client reports flight delay because as United flight to SFO was on taxiway at Dulles, flight attendant discovered woman had dog in kennel that didn’t fit under seat. So returned to gate to put her and her pet off….

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As facts come out in the criminal case against the man who attacked Paul Pelosi, remember this, Paul Pelosi is 82 years old, woken up in middle of night by attacker with hammer looking to hurt his wife, Nancy.

And Paul had more presence of mind than most of us younger folks would have wide awake in daylight. #Respect

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-So who in SF Giants organization has the job of calling manufacturers…. uh, how quickly can you make new bobbleheads?

Yes, athletes aren’t saints. But it’s rich to see Dodgers fans attacking SF GIants over “character” issues for signing Carlos Correa because he was on 2017 Astros, while LA is still sorting out situation with their problematic bad boy signing of Trevor Bauer.

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From an anonymous NY friend in the sport world last week…. “Carlos Correa is a great player. That’s the guy the Giants need to sweep in and get. He’s a great shortstop and a clutch hitter and a real gamer. Teammates love him. #SFGiants

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Seen on Craigslist. A number of SF Giants bridesmaids’ dresses?

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Sometimes I seriously worry for this country. On a package of Pillsbury Crescent rolls: “Do not eat raw crescent roll dough.” I mean, I get it with chocolate chip cookie dough but WTF?

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We’ll never know true COVID death toll. But Alex Wagner tonight covered on how excess death rate was 5.4 percentage pts – 76% higher – in Florida & Ohio for Republicans between Jan. 2018-Dec. 2021.

No wonder GOP wants to suppress votes. their anti-vaccine politics are killing their own voters.

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Louisiana GOP Senator John Kennedy “Nobody in this body wants to throw people off Medicare.” So is Kennedy lying? Or just admitting that he never listens to his Republican colleagues?

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Inflation slowed to 7.1% in Nov, 5th-straight month of decline.

Fox has expected misleading headline “Inflation climbs again as prices remain near multi-decade high.”

But even CNN “Inflation is finally falling. But days when prices rose just 2% may never return.” #DoBetterMedia,

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Stephen Colbert last night weighed in on Kyrsten Sinema leaving the Democratic party and registering as an independent. “That is shocking. Kyrsten Sinema was a Democrat?”

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Colorado Congressional district 3 in 2020 Solidly red. Went for Trump 52–46% And Cory Gardner 53–45% In 2022. Lauren Boebert won by only 546 votes out of 327,000 votes cast. Not exactly a ringing endorsement of GOP extremism.

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Something particularly evil about Deathsantis’s attacks on medical science & COVID vaccines…

His wife Casey DeSantis was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2021, she is now “cancer-free.” Good for her.

But we all know d*mn well they only went to the best doctors in the state

So Giselle Bundchen might have been forgiven for smiling while she watched the man who chose football over their family get schooled Sunday by Mr. Irrelevant.

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Oakland As have traded All-Star catcher to the Braves in a three-way deal, including the Brewers, for prospects.

The A’s really need to start selling jerseys with player names on them using Velcro letters.

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So is it a rule that SOMEONE has to win the NFC South? (If the Saints had not collapsed in the last three minutes last Monday night vs Tom Brady’s Bucs, the whole division would be tied at 5-8.)

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Houston Texans leading 23-20 with 1st and goal at Dallas Cowboys 4 yard line with five minutes left in the game & still find a way to lose by 4. Yeah, there’s a reason Texans have one win all season.

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Texas men’s basketball coach Chris Beard has been suspended after he, was arrested early Monday on a felony family violence charge after a woman told police he strangled and bit her.

Beard as a coach has had three players charged with domestic violence and has given all of them the benefit of the doubt as much as possible. Freshman Arterio Morris is playing now despite prosecutors still deciding whether to charge him after an arrest this summer. All joking aside, it’s not a good pattern.

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Wait, Secretary Pete Buttigieg is trending because he has taken a small percentage of his business flights on government planes instead of commercial. Well I am sure all these folks were equally incensed when Velveeta Voldemort’s spawn regularly flew privately at taxpayer expense. #sarcasm

World’s richest man gets roundly booed at Dave Chappelle’s show in San Francisco. The Beatles were right. “Money can’t buy me love.” #MuskRat

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If you don’t think you as an individual have power: Apparently thousand of random individuals who spontaneously booed at a comedy show last night had power to hurt Muskrat’s feelings enough he disbanded the Twitter Trust and Safety Council tonight. #snowflake #pathetic

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Marjorie Three Names says she would have brought guns and led a coup that would have succeeded. With her outside voice. Most people who said something like that would be arrested. Immediately.

The more interesting question is not why Twitter banned Velveeta Voldemort in 2017 but why it took them so long.

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Sen. Mark Kelly, who just won re-election in Arizona, is moderate Democrat who quietly does his job Kyrsten Sinema, who changed registration to get out of 2024 Primary, is moderate who doesn’t do ANYTHING quietly. Which one do most Americans hear about? #DoBetterMedia

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Many in GOP claimed border security was the top issue facing our country during midterms. Now apparently President Biden is sending some air marshalls to the border. GOP response “Biden is making our skies unsafe.”

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Florida Senator. Rick Scott said Herschel Walker would “continue to be a leader” in the GOP “for years to come.” So many of us have worried about Walker’s mental state, maybe we need to start worrying about Scott’s?

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Released prisoner Viktor Bout said in 1st interview he supports Putin’s war against Ukraine “And if I had chance & the required skills, I’d join up as a volunteer.” Uh, considering Putin’s drafting every Russian man alive and breathing, Bout should be on front lines next week.

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Donald Trump Jr last night was attacking Hunter Biden for now being able to sell his paintings. Lest we forget, in 2020 Forbes reported “RNC spent more than $300,000 on Donald Trump Jr.’s self-published new book.”

Congrats to Heisman winner Caleb Williams, who played only his freshman year at Oklahoma before following head coach Lincoln Riley to USC in early 2022 via transfer portal. So can we finally put nail in coffin of pretending college football has anything to do with academics?

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Advantage of being a US soccer fan as opposed to a British soccer fan? For all the things wrong with QATA World Cup Americans never expected to be in the finals.

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Okay, last month how many Americans gave Croatia and Morocco a chance of being in the World Cup semifinals. Okay, last month how many Americans even knew Croatia and Morcocco even had teams in the World Cup?

NY Times has headline story about Brian Kemp “The Georgia Republican Unscathed by Walker’s Defeat.” Uh, what about a headline story about Reverend Raphael Warnock. “The Georgia Democrat who Won in a Red State?”

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Tis the season for “It’s a Wonderful Life,” which often is shown now in theaters. While I like MOST of the movie, can’t be the only one who cringes that if George Bailey were never born the horror that would have happened to his wife was to be.. an old maid?”!!

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Can we also stop headlines about the independent Senator from Arizona making it official she doesn’t have a “D” after her name? Sinema has always mostly voted Democratic, but is anti-filibuster reform and pro-media attention. Nothing has really changed.

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Does it really make a difference Kyrsten Simena has changed her affiliation to “Independent?” She’s actually been less of a Democrat than Angus King & Bernie Sanders. But if Lisa Murkowski wants to follow her into being an Independent….Now that I would believe, & applaud.

NY Times has headline story about Brian Kemp “The Georgia Republican Unscathed by Walker’s Defeat.”

Uh, what about a headline story about Reverend Raphael Warnock. “The Georgia Democrat who Won in a Red State?”

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It’s all about transparency, unless you leak something that offends him. It’s all about free and open speech, unless you hurt his feelings. So when is Muskrat changing Twitter’s mascot from a bird to a snowflake?

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Apparently Velveeta Voldemort is upset with Joe Biden’s deal to bring Brittney Griner home. Well, yeah, when the Former Guy was President he made such a great deal to bring Paul Whelan home. Oh wait, never mind.

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There oughta be a media rule: If you are going to write about Kari Lake’s plans you should give equal or MORE coverage to the plans of the woman who will be incoming Democratic Governor of Arizona – Katie Hobbs.

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Can someone PLEASE tell Kari Lake to go home and knit?

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What’s wrong with American media in one headline. From USA Today: “Week in politics: Sen. Sinema leaves Dems, Sen. Warnock wins Georgia runoff.” Uh, the second, Raphael Warnock’s win, giving Democrats 51-49 majority, was HUGELY more important than the first.

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Meanwhile – Kyrsten Sinema thinks by becoming an Independent she’ll keep Democrats from primarying her in 2024 & risking losing seat to GOP. She’s probably right. But it’s not completely free ride. If Sinema doesn’t keep voting Blue most of time Dems will figure they have nothing to lose.

The Christmas story we didn’t know we needed:

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-11524089/Liquor-store-worker-gives-sneakers-homeless-man-using-cardboard-boxes-shoes.html

New Orleans Saints blow 13 point late 4th quarter lead against Tampa Bay Bucs and Tom Brady. Las Vegas Raiders with a 13 point late 4th quarter lead against LA Rams and …Baker Mayfield? Hold our beer.

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As MLB free agent stars sign contracts upwards of $200 million.

Meanwhile AAA players make a minimum of $14,700 a year but if they are on the 40 man roster they make $46 thousand a year, and $93 thousand a year if it’s their second contract. And some still wonder why players will risk taking PEDS?

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Meanwhile the Mets payroll with the re-signing of free-agent Brandon Nimmo, 8 years, $162 million, is now projected on Opening Day payroll to be $333 million,

No word on if the team will sell beer at Citi Field on the installment plan.

Great news that Brittney Griner is on her way home. Of course same Fox News and other conservative media complaining Biden wasn’t doing enough to get her home are now complaining about the deal. At least they’re consistent.

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For all those complaining President Biden traded arms dealer who’d served about 1/2 his sentence for Brittney Griner.

Did anyone think, especially after seeing atrocities in Ukraine Putin was going to ler Griner her go in exchange for US releasing some Russian college kid detained over pot?

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On top of everything else imagine if Paul Whelan were a gay man of color and Brittney Griner were a heterosexual blonde woman athlete.

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Hoping incoming Senator J.D. Vance has been paying attention to farewell speech from Rob Portman & speeches from his colleagues on both sides of aisle. Portman irritated the heck out of me regularly, but in polarized time, he had many bipartisan moments. These days that’s rare.

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Saddest thing about Senator Rob Portman’s retirement speech Thursday.

That fellow Midwestern Senator Ron Johnson isn’t also making a retirement speech. Please do better next time, Wisconsin.

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Do understand that a handful of nominees are controversial, but as Senate confirms more of President Biden’s judicial nominees would love to hear some of these Republicans justify their “no” votes for any other reason than “Joe nominated them.”

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House passed Senate version of Marriage Equality Bill, 258-169 vote, with 39 GOP yes votes. To the other 169: You say you care about religious freedom. But clearly you don’t give a damn about the freedom of people who don’t believe in YOUR religion to marry.

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These December criminal referrals being discussed by January 6 commission for Velveeta Voldemort and four of his henchmen could really be called the ultimate Santa’s Naughty List.

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Was at United Airlines business event & met a woman who works remotely.

After about a 15 minute very casual chat she said ‘thank you so much for talking, I came by myself but have really missed in-person conversation.” Guessing this is true for more of us than we realize.

Well; if I didn’t already hate the Yankees…

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Mookie Betts, now Xander Bogaerts. Who figured the Boston Red Sox as a farm team for the NL West?

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GOP Chair Ronna McDowell

“We just have to understand why 1 Republican won (in GA) & 1 didn’t…why 1 Republican appealed to independents & another didn’t. If she really doesn’t know difference between Kemp & Warnock, as a Democrat all I can say is “re-elect her as FOP chair, please.”

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As Tara Reade is trending, your reminder that she 100% lied about accusing then Senator Joe Biden. Her lie included that she wasn’t wearing panty-hose. In 1993 that would not not have been possible for a Senate intern.

Link below, from a 1993 Washington Post story. “DC’s Nylon Clad Rule.”-

https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/lifestyle/1993/09/03/dcs-nylon-clad-rule/fbb38ef0-6660-4639-80d7-1da3a867c5a8/

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Time Person of the year is Volodymyr Zelenskyy. Well deserved… And a whole lot of people won’t be cancelling their subscriptions since Time decided NOT to pick Muskrat.

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Lots of hugs for Senator Reverend Warnock today on the Senate floor. Thank you Georgia for returning a good man to Washington!

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Has Herschel Walker made it back home to Dallas yet?

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Stephen Colbert kind of nails what many of us are thinking about Georgia.

“I come to you both gratified & terrified Gratified Raphael Warnock defeated Herschel Walker 51.4% to 48.6% Terrified 48.6% of Georgians looked at Walker & said “Yeah, guy should be a U.S. Senator.”

That moment when the SF Giants offseason has more drama than the 2022 SF Giants season.

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But looking at some of these contracts, even for names most casual fans have never heard of, hard to remember that it was within many of our lifetimes that MLB players had offseason jobs to “feed their familes.

College QB JT Daniels has entered the transfer portal from West Virginia. He’s previously played at USC and Georgia. Not sure if this kid will make the NFL, but he may play for more colleges than many players do in their pro careers.

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Tonight was a good night for democracy. But a friend has long said Republicans would vote for a puppy in a Santa suit with an R by his name. Today’s great but closer than it should have been victory for Warnock against a joke of a candidate in Georgia proved her accurate.

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Fully aware that what happens in Georgia is far more important in the grand scheme of things than who a baseball free agent signs with. But we liberal SF Giants fans are very capable of stress multi-tasking. #Warnock #Judge

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Herschel will be fine and happy back in Texas back in his normal life of pondering werewolves and vampires. But how long until Velveeta Voldemort blames Walker for the loss in Georgia?

Gleeful Amy Klobuchar celebrating Senator Warnock’s win and talking about how he’s been reaching out to independents and moderates. “Every Senator loves the guy..We couldn’t be happier.” Have to wonder how many GOP Senators privately agree with her.

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Senator Raphael Warnock makes an important point. Just because Georgians worked so hard to vote, doesn’t mean voter suppression doesn’t exist. We have to keep fighting for voting rights. “A republic, if you can keep it.”

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Interesting how GOP loves to make the dishonest claim about how bad things are in urban areas in the United States. So IF that were true, wouldn’t voters in urban areas decide they’ve had enough and switch blue to red?

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Well, Velveeta Voldemort wanted to be the top President for something. Looks like he’s going to be a runaway winner for criminal convictions.

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There have been rumors almost from beginning that domestic terrorists who knocked out power to Moore County NC were motivated by hatred of LGBTQ community. If you need more evidence rumors are true – Fox News is completely ignoring the story.

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Perfect to see hero police officers (and Brian Sicknick’s mother) this morning doing exactly to Mitch McConnell what he has done with January 6 attempted coup – pretend it didn’t exist.

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Certainly wasn’t fan of Kirstie Alley in her later years, but loved her on Cheers. And 71 is way too young. RIP. Sam: “I want to sleep w/you 25 times, but you don’t want to sleep w/ me at all, am I right?” Rebecca. “Right.” Sam.” OK, so what’s 1/2 of 25? Rebecca. “Your IQ.”

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Stephen Colbert – “Enough with Hunter Biden’s laptop. You don’t see anyone obsessing over the Former President’s son’s laptop. And Eric has a good one. It’s made by Fisher-Price and can tell you what sound a cow makes.”

Mets just signed Justin Verlander, 39, to pair him with Max Scherzer, 38, at the top of their rotation. Will the team be sponsored by AARP?

And somewhere Jamie Moyer is saying “I’m available.”

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Saints have 3rd & 2 at Bucs 11, up 13-3, then 3rd & 1 up 16-3 late in 4th quarter lead trying to run out clock & coach Dennis Allen called pass plays – incomplete – twice??!

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Am not an NFL coach but jeez, with Alvin Kamara AND Taysom Hill you don’t run for it? At least once. Even Pete Carroll “What were you THINKING?”

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Cannot stand Tom Brady, but a very tiny silver lining in tonight’s Saints meltdown would be if it convinces Aaron Judge that a star can win without a big name team around him. #SFGiants

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Hunter Biden was clearly a mess who admits he had serious problems with addiction & his father Joe, who loves him, stuck by his son every step of the way.

Meanwhile Velveeta Voldemort for years didn’t want to be photographed with his younger daughter because she was overweight.

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Wonder how many Republicans are obsessed with Hunter Biden because they wish their dad loved them in good times and bad as Joe Biden clearly loves his son.

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Watching GOP rant about COVID vaccines because Velveeta Voldemort made them political makes you realize if he were President when seat belt laws were introduced his cult followers would be cutting up their seatbelts in the name of freedom

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Mitt Romney today in one of his better moments when asked by reporters in DC about Velveeta Voldemort: “Well, the Republican Party is the Constitution party. So when he calls to suspend the Constitution, he goes from being MAGA to being RINO.

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Missouri GOP Sen. Roy Blunt on Velveeta Voldemort’s “termination” idea : “I stood 10 feet from him when he took oath of office & there was no emergency clause not to follow the Constitution.” Hah. Has Blunt learned midwest snark from his Rules colleague & friend Amy Klobuchar?

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Louisiana GOP Sen. John Kennedy, campaigning for Herschel Walker railed against “high IQ stupid people” in Congress who “think they have an answer for everything.”

John Kennedy, in case you didn’t know, is a Phi Beta Kappa who was senior class President at Vanderbilt, then was law review editor at University of Virginia & also went to Oxford..