SATURDAY, JUNE 21, 2025
All except for this: "The universe’s darkest mysteries are coming into focus."
That's what the New York Times headline said. Inevitably, we were intrigued.
For better or worse, here's the fuller pair of headlines. The headlines sit atop a lengthy report for the section called Science Times:
The Universe’s Darkest Mysteries Are Coming Into Focus
As the Vera C. Rubin Observatory surveys the night sky, astrophysicists expect to unlock the secrets of dark matter, dark energy and cosmic phenomena that go “bang!”
Inevitably, the report leads readers into the mysteries of so-called "dark energy" and "dark matter." Into things that go "ou-boum" in the night—as in Forster's Marabar Caves in A Passage to India.
As far as we know, nothing in the Times report is scientifically invalid in any way. But to our ear, reports of this type take us where the vast bulk of Times readers can't possibly hope to follow.
Such reports tend to go boom in the night. They make us readers feel that we're coming to understand the cosmos when we're actually doing no such thing. It's a way of replacing religious forms of cosmology with their secular first cousins.
All in all, whatever! A larger mystery has been unfolding right before our American eyes, to the extent that we're willing to look. For starters, it's captured in these headlines from the latest batch of news reports at Mediaite:
Trump Complains He Should Have Won FIVE Nobel Prizes By Now But ‘They Only Give Them To Liberals’
‘Listen to Her Spew Off!’ Jessica Tarlov Sends Trump Into Full Fox Meltdown, Claims ‘MAGA is Complaining BIG LEAGUE!’
‘That’s a Serious Crime’: Musk Accuses Top Trump Aide of ‘Breaking the Law’ – Maybe Being Russian Spy
Trump Calls for Special Prosecutor for Alleged Election Fraud in 2020—Claiming He Won in a ‘LANDSLIDE!’
Trump Fumes the U.S. Has ‘Too Many Non-Working Holidays’ On Juneteenth: ‘It Must Change’
New Smartmatic Filing Reveals Fox News Staffers Admitted Election Claims Were ‘So F***ing Cray’ and ‘MINDBLOWINGLY NUTS’
President Trump and Elon Musk and Fox News staffers oh my!
Is it real or is it Memorex? With respect to President Trump, do these tirades stem from actual beliefs, or are they simply examples of the latest (deliberate) distractions?
As you learn from that Mediate report, Elon Musk made his latest inaccurate claim as he blared about that alleged Russian spy. Beyond that, he's the key player in this new column from Nicholas Kristof:
The Waste Musk Created
[...]
I’ve been traveling through Sierra Leone and Liberia to gauge the impact of Trump’s closing of U.S.A.I.D., to see how bad things have gotten since an earlier trip through South Sudan and Kenya. Here’s what I see: Children are dying because medicines have been abruptly cut off, and risks of Ebola, tuberculosis and other diseases reaching America are increasing—while medicines sit uselessly in warehouses.
After Elon Musk boasted about feeding U.S.A.I.D. “into the wood chipper” over a weekend, he claimed that no one had died as a result. Secretary of State Marco Rubio repeated that claim just last month.
So I challenge them both: Come with me on a trip to the villages where your aid cuts are killing children. Open your eyes. And if you dare to confront actual waste and abuse—the kind that squanders lives as well as money—join me in the village of Kayata, Liberia, where in April a pregnant mother of two, Yamah Freeman, 21, went into labor...
And so on from there. With respect to that young Liberian woman, we'll have more information below.
Kristof's unusual values and unusual degree of dedication take him into parts of the world where few major journalists go. Just to refresh you, Elon Musk—who plainly seemst o be disordered—isn't just the guy who made that prophetic "wood chipper" remark."
He's also the guy who said the following to Joe Rogan this, earlier in the year:
“The fundamental weakness of Western civilization is empathy..."
Has that statement been taken out of context? For fuller context, click here.
To our own (non-medical) eye and ear, it seems fairly obvious. It seems fairly obvious that something seems to be fundamentally wrong with Elon Musk.
Such situations always involve a tragic loss of human capability and potential. Such situations are always tragic—but still and all, there it is.
Is it possible that "something is wrong" with President Trump? How about with Vice President Vance, but also with at least one member of his staff?
Vance Blames L.A. Violence on California Democrats and Disparages Padilla
Eight days ago, Senator Alex Padilla was forcibly removed from a news conference and handcuffed by federal agents after he interrupted Kristi Noem, the homeland security secretary, at the Wilshire Federal Building in Los Angeles.
At the same building on Friday, Vice President JD Vance disparaged Mr. Padilla for engaging in “political theater” and called him by the wrong name.
“Well, I was hoping Jose Padilla would be here to ask a question, but unfortunately, I guess he decided not to show up because there wasn’t the theater,” Mr. Vance said during a news conference in response to a reporter. “I think everybody realizes that’s what this is. It’s pure political theater.”
Mr. Vance’s spokeswoman later said that he misspoke when he said the senator’s name.
[...]
Later Friday, a spokeswoman for Mr. Vance said the vice president misspoke when he said Mr. Padilla’s name.
“He must have mixed up two people who have broken the law,” said Taylor Van Kirk, the spokeswoman.
Jose Padilla is the name of a man who was convicted of terrorism conspiracy in 2007 after being arrested in Chicago on suspicion of planning to set off a radioactive dirty bomb.
Did Vance (accidentally) misspeak when he misstated Senator Padilla's first name?
Everything's possible, even that! Later, Vance's spokeswoman sought to make things right by comparing the California senator to a convicted terrorist, while seeming to say that each of the two Padillas have (somehow) broken the law.
Where do creatures like these come from? What explains their astonishing conduct?
We've got your "darkest mystery" right there! That mystery is all around us as the American nation continues to come apart.
The mystery is all around us! It has spread all over the conduct on Fox. It escapes the White House through a fire hose which leads to President Trump.
What explains the unusual behavior of the people in question? What explains the behavior of Vice President Vance? Of his astounding spokeswoman?
For better or worse, our big news orgs have agreed not to ask. Within two weeks, one of the people we've mentioned today has a major decision to make.
Regarding Kristof's column: Yamah Freeman, age 21, went into labor in Liberia. Because of some of the things Musk has done, she never made it to the hospital.
Because of some of the things Musk has done, there was no longer an ambulance to take her there. As neighbors tried to carry her there, she died along the way.
Is something wrong with Elon Musk? Our journalists still refuse to approach that mystery from the (fairly obvious) medical / mental health point of view.
Next week: Even as we adopt a new focus, we'll show you what was said on the Fox News Channel about last weekend's horrific events in Minnesota. (Remember them?)
We'll show you what was said last Sunday. That will include two of the dumbest presentations we've ever seen on a TV "news" program.
Mistakes happen.
ReplyDeleteConfusing a pile of dogshit for the Republican Party, happens all the time.
Where's the mistake in that?
DeleteThat headline is an exaggeration. The article says, "astrophysicists expect to unlock the secrets of dark matter, dark energy and cosmic phenomena that go “bang!”"
ReplyDeleteAstrophysicists don't even know for sure that there are such things as dark energy and dark matter. They only know that these things, if they exist, would account for certain astronomical observations.
E.g., the universe's expansion should be slowing down due to gravity, but it's apparently speeding up. That's assuming that the methods of measuring the speed of universal expansion are correct -- that they don't have some glitch.
ReplyDelete"“Well, I was hoping Jose Padilla would be here to ask a question, but unfortunately, I guess he decided not to show up because there wasn’t the theater,”"
Now, that's one great putdown, ain't it?
Oh, and speaking about the theater: "Because of some of the things Musk has done, she never made it to the hospital. "
Yeah, right, we all know: but think about the children!!!
We've heard all your fantasy dramas. As you're still trying to rob the taxpayers, invent something new now, old man.
"An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure." But, the value of prevention can't be measured. The value of cure is visible.
ReplyDeleteHow many lives are saved by preventing a war that dpesn't happen? There's no way to know. In retrospect we can see that preventing WW2 would have saved tens of millions of lives. But, if WW2 had been prevented, say by an earlier Allied attack against Germany, there would be no way to know this.
A war between the nuclear powers of India and Pakistan could kill millions of people. Did Trump's peace efforts save millions of lives? How many lives did the Abraham Accords save? How many lives did the Rwanda–Congo peace deal save? There is no way to know. But, these look like big deals to me. YMMV
“In a Tuesday phone call, India's Modi told Trump that the U.S. did not play a role in de-escalating tensions between India and Pakistan.”
DeleteTrump and India's Modi split over U.S. role in Pakistan ceasefire
https://www.cnbc.com/amp/2025/06/18/modi-trump-india-pakistan-ceasefire.html
Trump is known for lying, joking, embellishing, hyperbole, etc.
What is the truth in the Trump era, David, other than what trump, you and other MAGAs want it to be?
@12:09 - for some, the truth in the Trump era is that Trump is the embodiment of evil. So, nothing he does can be good. The lack of goodness is a given. So, any seemingly good action must be a lie, inconsequential, or "Hey, look a squirrel!"
DeleteTrump has contributed nothing to peace throughout the world, just the opposite, Trump is a neocon obsessed with dominating others.
DeleteTrump mishandled the pandemic, causing several hundred thousand unnecessary American deaths. Trump was pro Iraq War which killed thousands of Americans and a million innocent civilians in Iraq. Trump icing out Palestinians from the nothingburger "Abraham Accords" led directly to Oct 7. Trump bends the knee to Putin, which emboldened Putin to invade Ukraine as a way to restart Russia's imperial ambitions. Trump is an old friend to Netanyahu, and has encouraged Netanyahu to "finish off" the Palestinians. Trump indiscriminately bombed Yemen, killing children while achieving nothing. Trump loosened rules of engagement during his first term, leading to a massive increase in drone attacks on civilians, but also leading to an increase in American military troop deaths (which Biden quickly lowered).
Trump avoids peace like the plague, few people have been as responsible for more unnecessary deaths or deaths from aggressive militaristic operations.
Trump is old and frail and will soon no longer walk the earth, spending the rest of his existence in that lake of fire that people like him wind up in.
"Trump is the embodiment of evil." You said it David, and how can I argue with you given all the years of your close scrutiny of the felon.
DeleteThanks @2:05 for illustrating my point.
Delete2:15 detailing the horrific things Trump has actually done in no way illustrates your point.
DeleteYour point was to spread misinformation in order to falsely praise your Dear Leader.
In fact, with this comment, you are proving 2:05's point.
Face reality, the Democratic Party has left the American people behind. Americans with common sense and love for other Americans are leaving as well as voting for Republican candidates.
DeleteOnly 16% of Americans think going to war against Iran is a good idea. But the Democrats still can’t come out against it. Instead, they have allowed the resistance to be led by the likes of Tucker Carlson, Marjorie Taylor Greene, Alex Jones, Matt Gaetz, Rand Paul, Steve Bannon, and Thomas Massie.
Delete"This study doesn’t just expose Trump fandom as a cult of personality—it lays bare a frightening link between disinformation, cognitive rigidity, and political loyalty."
ReplyDeleteMissing - weirdos, the whole lot of you. Also the less educated the more likely a Trumper humper. Weird, stupid, and intolerant is a hell of a way to go thru life son. But it is the shameful path you have chosen.
“Nobody will give me the Nobel prize, and I really really deserve it. WAAAAAH” Orange Baby in Chief
ReplyDelete"Trump Whining About Nobel Prize Reaches Dangerous Levels"
ReplyDeleteUS citizens advised to cover ears, avoid internet.
"Eligibility for Medicaid and the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) is limited to citizens and certain lawfully present immigrants."
ReplyDelete"19 million or one in four children in the U.S. has an immigrant parent"
Healthcare is a human right, profit motive should play no role in it.
The role conservatives in Project 2025 want to play is grim reaper. The faster the poor die the less we have to pay to maintain their lowly existence. Their dying is a win win!!!
Delete@2:08 - You seem to be confusing the profit motive with the need to pay one's bills. Even non-profit organizations need to pay for their expenses.
DeleteCHIP needs to have enough income to pay its expenses and benefits. This is true no matter who provides the care.
2:24 you seem very confused.
DeleteHealthcare in America is primarily an operation run by the profit motive.
About one third of all healthcare costs go to the administration of private health insurance, whereas government provided healthcare has an operating cost of about 2% - substantially more efficient than private insurance.
The US government has more than enough money to fund universal public healthcare for everyone, not just citizens or certain lawfully present immigrants. If you want the government to pay for other things, like all the conflicts neocon Republicans engage in throughout the world, then we can raise taxes on the wealthy, which is what Republicans traditionally did until Reagan.
"The US government has more than enough money to fund universal public healthcare for everyone, not just citizens..."
DeleteSorry @2:35, the US government doesn't even have nearly enough money just to pay for the current level of benefits. Quite the opposite. It had to borrow $2 TRILLION to pay its bills in 2024! And, the projection for 2026 is even worse!
The US government has more than enough to pay for universal healthcare, but it does not have enough to pay for the Republican ballooning defense spending and tax cuts for the wealthy.
Delete2:48 you are badly misinformed.
@3:00 - The meaning of your snark is unclear. If you mean the government also doesn't have enough money to pay for increased defense spending and tax cuts, then I agree. In fact the government doesn't have enough money for the current level of defense spending and taxes and other spending.
DeleteSnark is an attitude of mockery or sarcasm. 3:00's post contains neither.
Delete"It had to borrow $2 TRILLION to pay its bills in 2024! And, the projection for 2026 is even worse!"
DeleteIf only the government had a way of raising the necessary revenue. If only....
From Wikipedia on Jose Padilla:
ReplyDelete"In August 2007, a federal jury found him guilty of conspiring to commit murder and fund terrorism. Government officials had earlier claimed Padilla was suspected of planning to build and explode a "dirty bomb" in the United States, BUT HE WAS NEVER CHARGED WITH THIS CRIME." [emphasis added]
Trump is horrible but let's not memory hole how Trump is merely a continuation of Republican fascism, with Bush torturing and jailing people for what are essentially thought crimes.
You sound like an idiot, 2:22. Do you understand your own drivel?
DeleteAw look, the 2:48 troll got triggered.
Deletewomp womp
Trump is a continuation. As I had posted on this blog a little while back, it was during the Bush administration that the US started kidnapping people and stashing them in various blackhole sites, including Gitmo. The difference: they were kidnapping people from foreign countries. Trump has breached that divide and has endeavored to kidnap people from US soil. Next step: kidnapping US citizens from US soil.
DeleteICE is already detaining citizens.
DeleteKristof carpet-bagging through Africa to write a performative article designed only to burnish his reputation with the naive morons that read his paper (his personal ambitions for political office is what really drives his lazy work), is hardly something to write home about.
ReplyDeleteIt's OK with me if Bob and commenters stop writing about Bolter's motivation. But IMO they should acknowledge Boelter's letter.
ReplyDeleteIn a rambling, conspiratorial letter addressed to the FBI, alleged assassin Vance Boelter claimed Gov. Tim Walz instructed him to kill U.S. Sen. Amy Klobuchar so that Walz could run for the U.S. Senate, according to two people familiar with the contents of the letter.
The letter is the clearest evidence yet of Boelter’s mindset after the targeted violence against Minnesota politicians last week. It is incoherent, one and a half pages long, confusing and hard to read, according to two people familiar with the letter’s contents. It includes Boelter alleging he had been trained by the U.S. military off the books, and that Walz, who is not running for Senate, had asked him to kill Klobuchar and others.
https://web.archive.org/web/20250621073037/https://www.startribune.com/vance-boelter-letter-klobuchar-walz-mn-assassination/601376682
What are you trying to say, David?
DeleteThe assassinations turned out not really to be political. The discussions here about how political connections of various parties turned out to be off the mark and not very relevant.
DeleteThere was a low IQ poster here, presumably Mao, who claimed that Walz could've been behind these assassinations. Other than that, I don't recall anyone saying that it was overtly political.
Delete