Hall of Mirrors

On this day:

1789
The first American novel, The Power of Sympathy or the Triumph of Nature Founded in Truth, is printed in Boston, Massachusetts.
1793
After being found guilty of treason by the French Convention, Louis XVI of France is executed by guillotine.
1950
Alger Hiss is convicted of perjury.
1954
The first nuclear-powered submarine, the USS Nautilus, is launched in Groton, Connecticut by Mamie Eisenhower, the First Lady of the United States.
1966
New Year’s Day in Chinese calendar. Start of the year of the Fire Horse in Chinese astrology.
1968
A B-52 bomber crashes near Thule Air Base, contaminating the area after its nuclear payload ruptures. One of the four bombs remains unaccounted for after the cleanup operation is complete.
1977
President Jimmy Carter pardons nearly all American Vietnam War draft evaders, some of whom had emigrated to Canada.
2008
Black Monday in worldwide stock markets. FTSE 100 had its biggest ever one-day points fall, European stocks closed with their worst result since 11 September 2001, and Asian stocks drop as much as 14%.

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Use the talents you possess, for the woods would be a very silent place if no birds sang except the best. -Henry van Dyke, poet (10 Nov 1852-1933)

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What is Gavin Newsom doing in Davos?

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France will delay this year’s Group of 7 summit to avoid a conflict with the mixed martial arts event planned at the White House on Donald Trump’s birthday.

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A meta-analysis of 168 studies encompassing more than 11 million people found no reliable link between economic inequality and either overall well-being or mental health. In other words, living in a place that has large gaps between the rich and the poor does not affect these outcomes.

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Peace and Love. Obama: hope and change. .. Hillary: change, stronger together... Biden: Build Back Better... Harris: First Forward. Then Joy... All these are promises by politicians to deliver those things in unlimited supply.

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Hall of Mirrors

The Supreme Court has been the great mirror that democracy holds up to itself. It is the moment of clarity, the final judge. Decisions are made, directions deflected, society and men assessed. The Court reflects itself, its culture's thinking, and its people.

Bork showed that the politician would lead with platitudes and distort with lies, innuendo, and media manipulation to achieve the success of his political tribe, sacrificing quality regardless of the quality of the outcome. Thomas' accuser stuck her complaints in every mind, as did the long-past, uncertain memory of Kavanaugh's accuser. All showed the culture's susceptibility to planned manipulation of unproven and unprovable accusations for the purpose of political advancement at the expense of people's reputations and lives. The value of weaponized gossip.

The most recent Supreme Court-mediated social epiphany has just arrived, folded its tent, and moved on into the night. Several states have been sued for denying boys access to girls' sports. In the early presentation, the trans-girl's attorney admitted, under superficial questioning, that she could not define the nature of the principles in the case, her case. She could not define the qualities of the sexual points or the conflicts, and apparently was asking the court to both define them for her and then decide the debate.

Into this intellectual vacuum stepped the esteemed Ketanji Brown Jackson, who, during her confirmation hearing, was unable to define a woman. Here she delivered a soliloquy that made Kamala Harris sound like William Brennings Bryant.

Again, the Court clarifies and defines both them and us.