Updates
Later, 11:54 p.m. CT: wow, Suni looks happy! Coming home in a few days!
Later, 10:08 p.m. CT: the space docking is incredible television!
Original Post
Breaking now: Kiev / Kyiv / Zelenskyy -- troops are pulling out of Kursk en mass -- this was a Putin demand before beginning any negotiations (? - fact check) ... link here. The Wall Street Journal breaking story now, link here.
- Trump / Putin / Zelenskyy: right, wrong, or indifferent, two of these men have more in common than the third.
- two of these men have a bigger world view than the third
- NATO:
- Great Britain, number of troops battle-ready: 18,000.
- Germany:
- number of tanks that are running -- less than 50;
- number of F-35s: about 10;
- Europe has neither the will nor the power to help Ukraine
- if this doesn't come to a head within the next two weeks, I'll be surprised
- but, Putin's forces are also exhausted ... ready to sue for peace?
- an aside, nihilistic streak -- well explained by Victor Davis Hanson, link here.
Deportation of Venezuelans:
- Trump uses Alien Enemies Act of 1798 to deport Venezuelans
- federal judge orders Trump to cease and desist
- here's the law:
Whenever there is a declared war between the United States and any foreign nation or government, or any invasion or predatory incursion is perpetrated, attempted, or threatened against the territory of the United States by any foreign nation or government, and the President makes public proclamation of the event, all natives, citizens, denizens, or subjects of the hostile nation or government, being of the age of fourteen years and upward, who shall be within the United States and not actually naturalized, shall be liable to be apprehended, restrained, secured, and removed as alien enemies.
The President is authorized in any such event, by his proclamation thereof, or other public act, to direct the conduct to be observed on the part of the United States, toward the aliens who become so liable; the manner and degree of the restraint to which they shall be subject and in what cases, and upon what security their residence shall be permitted, and to provide for the removal of those who, not being permitted to reside within the United States, refuse or neglect to depart therefrom; and to establish any other regulations which are found necessary in the premises and for the public safety.
- How would you rule?
March Madness: selection begins tomorrow. Sunday.
Other news:
- Space Station: stranded NASA crew: docking countdown now -- about two hours from now.
- Democratic Party: link here.
- slow motion collapse
- White House press:
- the president may not be able to "pack the court" but it appears the White House can pack the daily press briefing with non-legacy / non-mainstream media outlets
- Yemen: getting pounded. US Central Command statement. One gets the feeling Yemeni apologists are missing the point. This is not about the Houthis.
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Best External Optical Drives For DVDs and Blu-Rays
The Wirecutter / New York Times, July 17, 2024. Link here.
One also needs to purchase software to watch Blu-Ray movies.
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Word of the Day
Obloquy: strong public criticism or verbal abuse.
"He endured years of contempt and obloquy."
Obloquy, which comes from the Late Latin ob- (meaning "against") plus loquī (meaning "to speak"), suggests defamation and consequent shame and disgrace; a typical example of its use is "subjected to obloquy and derision."
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The Book Page
Asimov's Guide to Shakespeare, Isaac Asimov, c. 1970. This edition is a 2003 edition.
Tonight, "Richard II."
Incredible how good this play is and reinforces the fact that William of Stratford could never have written a play like this. It had to have been Sir Henry Neville.
And it's interesting that Sir Henry Neville started his history plays with King John.
Chronologically based on setting of the play, not the date of publishing or performing, but the date of the setting of the play, the plays set in England are in this order (in parentheses the likely date the play written by Sir Henry Neville / performed by Shakespeare:
- King Lear (1605 - 1606)
- Cymbeline (1609 - 1610)
- Hamlet (1599 - 1601)
- Macbeth (1603 - 1607))
- King John (1594 - 1596)
- Richard II -- King Edward's grandson (1595 - 1596)
- Henry IV, parts one and two (1596 - 1598)
- The Merry Wives of Windsor (1599 - 1601)
NOTE:
Henry III built a luxurious royal palace within the castle during the middle of the 13th century, and Edward III went further, rebuilding the palace to make an even grander set of buildings in what would become "the most expensive secular building project of the entire Middle Ages in England". Edward's core design lasted through the Tudor period, during which Henry VIII and Elizabeth I made increasing use of the castle as a royal court and center for diplomatic entertainment.
- Henry V (1599)
- Henry VI, parts one, two, and three (1590 - 1592)
- Richard III (1593)
- Henry VIII (co-written with Fletcher (1613)
My wife and I visited this museum two years ago. It was one of the highlights of our lives. Truly amazing.
