What Pig did, I mean. And I cannot explain it, either.

Pearls Before Swine by Stephan Pastis for July 14, 2024

https://www.gocomics.com/pearlsbeforeswine/2024/07/14

Ah I see!

by ALDEN HACKMANN

(Here’s a nice, peaceful piece. With Patti Smith and doggies.)

Fast Puppies

We took them to Port Gamble yesterday, and they ran around a lot. I did my very best to get a shot of them as they flashed past. I got lots of pictures of blurry grass, and plenty of puppy butts. This is the best I could get.

Patti Smith

Somehow Patti Smith remained on the edge of my consciousness for most of my life. She is the Grand Dame of Punk, and she has a really interesting Substack, and she wrote “People Have the Power.”

Here she is in New York singing it with Choir!Choir!Choir! The YouTube is here.

Here’s the first verse:

I was dreaming in my dreaming
of an aspect bright and fair
and my sleeping it was broken
but my dream it lingered near
in the form of shining valleys
where the pure air recognized
and my senses newly opened
I awakened to the cry
that the people have the power
to redeem the work of fools
upon the meek the graces shower
it’s decreed the people rule

The people have the power
The people have the power
The people have the power
The people have the power

That’s Us, People

It can feel overwhelming. It does feel overwhelming. Nonetheless we have to straighten our shoulders, put our heads up, and face the danger head on. I don’t think of myself as a hero or a leader, but I can’t turn aside from what we need to do to save democracy. Of course there is danger. The Heritage Foundation guy said that he considers that the second American Revolution is underway, and whether it’s bloodless or not is up to the liberals. Okay then. Our ancestors fought and died for this country, to keep it free. Our leaders and our military personnel take an oath to protect the Constitution from all enemies, foreign and domestic. We can do no less.

Because together we have the power.

Sleeping Dogs

Stay cool, folks, take a deep breath, sleep when you need to, and bark really loudly at things that need barking at.

This post is 100% Alden, Patti, Odin, and Tyr. There is no AI content whatsoever.

Bright blessings, and see you soon.

https://open.substack.com/pub/asifyourlifedependsonit/p/puppies-and-patti-smith?r=1pk2l&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web

I get these in a newsletter, and I really like the vibe every day. Enjoy!

Sign up for your own, here: https://mutts.com/pages/subscribe-to-mutts

“A knowledge of the path cannot be substituted for putting one foot in front of the other.”

M. C. Richards

Most mornings, I start out online over breakfast and this website I ran across on Ten Bear’s place a while back. I enjoy looking at the photos-most are spectacularly beautiful, and I admire how we’ve generated the ability to capture and publish these. Maybe you’ll like it, too. They put up a daily photo, or short video, and sometimes a topical educational graphic, too. Anyway, behold and breathe.

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

2024 July 14
Meteor Misses Galaxy
Credit & Copyright: Aman Chokshi

Explanation: The galaxy was never in danger. For one thing, the Triangulum galaxy (M33), pictured, is much bigger than the tiny grain of rock at the head of the meteor. For another, the galaxy is much farther away — in this instance 3 million light years as opposed to only about 0.0003 light seconds. Even so, the meteor’s path took it angularly below the galaxy. Also the wind high in Earth’s atmosphere blew the meteor’s glowing evaporative molecule train away from the galaxy, in angular projection. Still, the astrophotographer was quite lucky to capture both a meteor and a galaxy in a single exposure — which was subsequently added to two other images of M33 to bring up the spiral galaxy‘s colors. At the end, the meteor was gone in a second, but the galaxy will last billions of years.Your Sky Surprise: What picture did APOD feature on your birthday? (post 1995)
Tomorrow’s picture: galaxy unwound

https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/astropix.html

My ophthalmologist told me about these short & sweet, funny videos of King Clarence, a black labrador. The first one I watched, I thought, well then. But I watched some more, and now it’s like a soap of shorts, for me. Clarence does get some great facial expressions. I hope you all enjoy this as much as I enjoy his videos. But he may not be everyone’s cup of tea. My cup of tea is due for a refill, so here’s the video.

OK, so. There was a shooting yesterday. Probably more than one. Anyway, public shootings have always just sucked the spirit and energy out of me. I hope I’m not being selfish by posting only bright things today, little to nothing about serious current events, only stuff to increase light. Comments may be as they will, of course; all are welcome to speak freely. Here at the Redford manse, Cardea Brown is cooking on tv, and I’m reading comics and soap opera spoilers. I’ve also hidden treats around the house for Corky, so she can do nosework after it gets too hot for her senior heart to be outside. 🌞🖖🍦

Breaking Cat News by Georgia Dunn for July 14, 2024

https://www.gocomics.com/breaking-cat-news/2024/07/14

In the interest of fairness, since I posted one about this the other day, here is a piece that I ran across yesterday and didn’t get posted here. Just informational, I think.

We fact-checked what Oklahoma law says about teaching the Bible in schools

July 11, 2024

Oklahoma Superintendent Ryan Walters says schools must now use the Bible in the classroom. But state law gives school districts the exclusive power to choose curriculum.

ome raised questions about what power Oklahoma State Superintendent Ryan Walters has to mandate specific curriculum after he issued a directive requiring schools to incorporate the Bible into classroom lessons.

“​​Immediate and strict compliance is expected,”Walters said in a memo sent to school superintendents across the state on June 27.

Walters also announced this week he plans an overhaul of state academic standards for social studies and named a slate of advisors that included the leaders of conservative think tanks and media personalities.

“The revised standards will incorporate the introduction of the Bible as an instructional resource that Superintendent Walters announced last week as well as ensuring that social studies reflect accuracy and not political slanted viewpoints,” the announcement said.  

We researched state and federal laws and court rulings to fact-check claims Walters has made about what state law allows him to do and who has the legal authority to make decisions on classroom curriculum. 

Claim: The Oklahoma state superintendent has the authority to require specific content be taught in public schools. 
Source: Walters told NBC News he has the legal authority to require the Bible in classroom instruction and that teachers who don’t comply could lose their teaching licenses. 
Fact check: Mostly false

The Oklahoma Attorney General’s office has said that Walters has no legal authority to require certain content be taught by sending a memo to school districts. 

State law gives local school districts the exclusive power to determine “the instruction, curriculum, reading lists and instructional materials and textbooks.” 

The Oklahoma Board of Education, which Walters chairs, is responsible for adopting academic standards. The standards set a basic framework for what students should know by the end of each school year, according to state law. The Board of Education also has the power to revoke teaching certifications for willful violations of state or federal rules.

The Oklahoma State Department of Education did not respond to The Frontier’s questions about the legal grounds for Walters’ authority to require schools to include the Bible in classroom lessons.
-Brianna Bailey

Claim: Oklahoma law already allows the Bible to be taught in public schools.
Source: “Oklahoma law already explicitly allows Bibles in the classroom and enables teachers to use them in instruction,” Phil Bacharach, a spokesman for the Oklahoma Attorney General’s office said in statements to several media outlets. 
Fact check: Mostly true

In 2010, the Oklahoma Legislature passed and then-Gov. Brad Henry signed a bill allowing public high schools to offer students elective courses on the Old and New Testaments of the Christian Bible, to teach “students knowledge of biblical content, characters, poetry, and narratives that are prerequisites to understanding contemporary society and culture, including literature, art, music, mores, oratory, and public policy.” The law also requires that the class maintain religious neutrality, accommodate other religious perspectives of students and not promote or disfavor a particular religion or lack of religious belief or run afoul of state and federal constitutions. That last part is a requirement for the law to be valid, as Oklahoma’s constitution explicitly prohibits taxpayer money and resources from being spent for religious purposes or instruction. When the Legislature tried to remove that state constitutional prohibition via a ballot measure in 2016, Oklahoma voters solidly rejected the attempt.
-Clifton Adcock

Claim: Oklahoma academic standards require the Bible to be taught in the context of historical documents. 
Source:  “We have academic standards that tell our teachers that you are to talk about the Bible in reference to the Mayflower Compact, letters from a Birmingham Jail, the Declaration of Independence,” Walters said in an interview on Fox News 
Fact check: False

State law prohibits the teaching of sectarian or religious doctrine in Oklahoma public schools but allows the reading of Scripture. The current Oklahoma academic standards do not list the Bible as a required text in public instruction. The standards do not mandate any specific curriculum or dictate how teachers should teach. The Bible is not listed as a material to be taught in reference to historical documents such as the Mayflower Compact, letters from a Birmingham Jail or the Declaration of Independence.

The Oklahoma State Department of Education did not respond to a request for comment. 
-Maddy Keyes 

Claim: The Declaration of Independence and the U.S. Constitution do not mention separation of church and state.
Source: “The separation of church and state appears nowhere in the Declaration of Independence or Constitution,” Walters said in an interview with PBS News.
Fact check: True but misleading

It’s true that the phrase “separation of church and state” does not appear in the Declaration of Independence or the U.S. Constitution, but the First Amendment’s establishment clause states that “Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof.” 

The concept of “separation of church and state” has been in use throughout American history, according to historical records. Thomas Jefferson said in an 1801 letter that the establishment clause was intended to create “a wall of separation between Church and State.” 

The U.S. Supreme Court has ruled that the establishment clause also applies to states.

The Frontier reached out to Walters and a spokesman for the superintendent maintained that his statement was true. 
-Jazz Wolfe

Rating system: 
True: A claim that is backed up by factual evidence
Mostly true: A claim that is mostly true but also contains some inaccurate details 
Mixed: A claim that contains a combination of accurate and inaccurate or unproven information 
True but misleading: A claim that is factually true but omits critical details or context 
Mostly false: A claim that is mostly false but also contains some accurate details 
False: A claim that has no basis in fact

We fact-checked what Oklahoma law says about teaching the Bible in schools

Biden Brings It In Michigan, Good Week Of Polling for Ds, Doing More and Worrying And Less

The Election Is Close and Competitive – No Red Waving 2024 Please

SIMON ROSENBERG

JUL 13, 2024

Happy Saturday all. Got a few things for you today:

Toplines:

• Why I Am Optimistic We Can Win – Watch my new video presentation on the 2024 election. Bottom line – voters in the West just keep voting against the far-right and the fascists and will again this November. And while we may all not agree on the path forward right now I am asking the Hopium community to lead the effort to keep our family together and stay focused on the big job ahead of us – beating Trump and throwing him and MAGA into the dustbin of history.
• Polling Got Much Better For Us This Week – We just had an encouraging week of polling with Biden ahead or tied in many new polls. Biden is at 270 Electoral College votes this morning in the 538 forecast. VP Harris keeps polling at an impressive level, and is clearly bringing much to the ticket. The election is close and competitive today – no red waving 2024 please.
• Inflation FELL in June, the economy is humming, Joe Biden is a very good President and America is far better off today.

The Democratic Party’s Superpower – I got this wonderful note from Hopium community member Linda Z this week, “Checking In From California” –

Greetings Simon,

From someone who hasn’t written a postcard since childhood and only recently discovered what an amazing candidate Rudy Salas is through Hopium, I am deeply appreciative of your efforts to guide the ship during these stormy times. I’ve now written hundreds of postcards to Democrats from California to Ohio and am grateful to have a positive, creative outlet to channel my energy. 

I know there are many, many fellow foot soldiers like me across the country; thank you for bringing us all together and giving us the nudge to turn fear and anxiety into actionable results. 

I share your belief that we will prevail, although the shape of that success is yet to be determined. 

Cheers,

Linda Z

A huge, big thank you to Linda Z and everyone who is working so hard right now for our democracy, for our freedoms, and for our future. All of you are the Democratic Party’s superpower, and if we keep working hard we can win this thing this November! (snip-more)

https://www.hopiumchronicles.com/p/biden-brings-it-in-michigan-good?r=1pk2l&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web

I started at https://mockpaperscissors.com/ , clicked through to https://fairandunbalanced.com/?p=28181 , and saw this. I know there’s a prettier way to do this, and I’ll get it all, soon. Meanwhile, it’s the weekend, so enjoy.

Mark Meadows’ Main Squeeze Gets Squished

5 MPA (Marine Protected Areas) Worth Celebrating

(Some good news from Free The Ocean! Plus, the header of their page is very cooling to look at, if you’re in a hot place. I don’t know where is not a hot place right now.)

https://www.freetheocean.com/blog/

Welcome to the underwater wonders of Marine Protected Areas (MPAs), where conservation meets celebration. These designated ocean sanctuaries play a crucial role in safeguarding marine biodiversity and promoting sustainable ocean management.

The Great Barrier Reef Marine Park, Australia

Aerial of Great Barrier Reef at Whitsunday Island

Imagine diving into the vibrant world of the Great Barrier Reef, the world’s largest coral reef system. This iconic MPA spans over 344,400 square kilometers and is home to an incredible diversity of marine life, including colorful corals, sea turtles, and countless fish species. Its protection is vital for preserving this natural wonder and its ecological balance.

Papahānaumokuākea Marine National Monument, USA

Located in the remote Northwestern Hawaiian Islands, Papahānaumokuākea is one of the largest marine conservation areas in the world. Encompassing over 1.5 million square kilometers, this UNESCO World Heritage site protects unique coral reefs, endangered species like Hawaiian monk seals, and seabird nesting colonies.

Galápagos Marine Reserve, Ecuador

The Galápagos Islands, famous for inspiring Charles Darwin’s theory of evolution, are also home to a remarkable marine reserve. This MPA covers around 138,000 square kilometers and protects diverse marine habitats, from mangroves to deep-sea ecosystems. It supports iconic species such as marine iguanas, Galápagos penguins, and hammerhead sharks, while promoting sustainable fishing practices and tourism.

Chagos Marine Protected Area, UK

In the heart of the Indian Ocean lies the Chagos Archipelago, surrounded by the Chagos Marine Protected Area. Covering approximately 640,000 square kilometers, this MPA safeguards some of the healthiest coral reefs on the planet and serves as a crucial habitat for endangered species like the hawksbill turtle. Its protection is vital for maintaining oceanic connectivity and resilience to climate change impacts.

Komodo National Park, Indonesia

Komodo National Park, a UNESCO World Heritage site, is renowned for its terrestrial dragons and equally mesmerizing underwater landscapes. This MPA protects over 1,700 square kilometers of marine habitats, including coral reefs, seagrass beds, and mangrove forests. It also supports a rich diversity of marine life, from manta rays to pygmy seahorses

Celebrating Conservation Success

Each of these Marine Protected Areas represents a beacon of hope for ocean conservation. Through collaborative efforts involving governments, scientists, local communities, and conservation organizations, these MPAs demonstrate the importance of proactive marine management and sustainable practices.

Marine Protected Areas are not just boundaries on a map—they are commitments to conservation, sustainability, and the future of our oceans. By celebrating and supporting MPAs around the world, we ensure that these vital marine sanctuaries continue to thrive for generations to come. (end)