Thanks to Misanthropic Humanitarian for filling in here last week. I was not in California. I was traveling for my mother's funeral, which was a lovely experience (after years of anxiety and heartache). A few more words about that in the Gardening Thread.
Back here in Central California, the road construction around the beginnings of the High Speed Rail to Nowhere is currently a little less muddy than it had been recently, even in the rain. Newsom has promised to lay the first real rail soon after many years. What a legacy from Jerry Brown!
Anyway, my interest in current events has been quite superficial recently, but as Ace noted earlier, Gavin Newsom seems to have mostly lost interest in being governor of California since he can't run again in 2026. He has turned his attention to being President. Who would have expected him to address the unfairness of transgender-identifying male athletes in female sports with Charlie Kirk????
I think it’s an issue of fairness, I completely agree with you on that. It is an issue of fairness — it’s deeply unfair,” the California Democrat said in the first episode of his new podcast. “I am not wrestling with the fairness issue. I totally agree with you.I think it’s an issue of fairness, I completely agree with you on that. It is an issue of fairness — it’s deeply unfair,” the California Democrat said in the first episode of his new podcast. “I am not wrestling with the fairness issue. I totally agree with you.
Mark Hemingway:
Newsom can say this stuff all he wants. Until he actually does something about it as governor, no one cares. Pass a law in California that gets boys out of girls' sports and get back to me.
As I think back, in the last local press conference with the governor I remember (a few months ago), he showed up, gathered the press and castigated local leadership for not fixing whatever issues he had swung by the San Joaquin Valley to address. I heard it on the radio. I don't even remember what the issues were, but he expected them to be fixed before he talked to local leaders again.
He would give the orders and make the judgments. They would have to do the work.
Newsom seems to have an even sharper eye toward optics now.
Gov. Gavin Newsom on Friday issued an executive order to protect renters and homeowners hit hard by the Los Angeles County wildfires.
The governor’s office said the order:
Extends price gouging restrictions for rental housing, hotels and motels in the county until July 1. There are exemptions for large homes in zip codes with high fair market values that haven't recently been on the rental market, which the governor's office said will "help ensure they are available for rental during recovery efforts." Newly constructed housing is also exempted in order to allow price flexibility to cover higher financing costs. Continues the suspension of laws that would classify occupants of hotels, motels and temporary housing as tenants after 30 days, which the governor’s office said gives them more time to find alternative housing. . .
The governor on Feb. 4 ended an anti-price gouging provision that limited the supply rentals in higher-end Los Angeles neighborhoods where fire-displaced families were searching for homes.
You had best not be one of the little people, though:
Jim Treacher has put up several fake photos of Gavin Newsom in A Few Other Ways Gavin Newsom Can Pretend to Be Normal.
If you know a fan who would appreciate a fake photo of him being a normal person.
Weekend
For people who are not afraid of Elon Musk and "X", here is VDH comparing the Obama-Biden revolution to the French Revolution. Full of insights.
Trump's changes are not revolutionary, they are a counter-revolution or "restoration".
VDH wrote a piece on Our French Revolution in April of 2023. He wrote, The choice is ours. Even Gavin Newsom now seems to have now chosen against some of the French Revolution.
You may be able to find another current VDH video expressing the "French Revolution" theme to share with those who recoil in terror from Elon Musk. I had one lined up, but it has gone private.
Checking in with Ammo Grrlll this week as she wonders why ONLY FIVE THINGS!?
To me the most astonishing thing about the Sturm und Drang over being forced to email the DOGE Detectives 5 things you did IN A WEEK, is the minuscule nature of the demand.
Let me get this straight. No, really, because it is impossible for me to believe. I started working full-time – summers — when I was 14. Not even counting babysitting, which I began doing in 7th grade. Here’s how responsible I was at age 12: a family down the block with FIVE children under 7 left me alone with their children for 3 days while they went to a funeral in Iowa! (I got $15, more money than I had ever seen at one time in my life.)
The Week in Pictures: Ad-Vance Guard Edition
Somehow this is the week that the Memosphere decided that J.D. Vance needed to be the newest object of memortalization. (Yes, I made up that word.) I kept chanting to myself, “Musk. Not. Give. In!” (I see what you did there!) Democrats making fools of themselves during Trump’s address to Congress is just gravy. I haven’t seen a win streak like this since the 1972-73 Lakers.
Music
Back to the real world. A piece played by the grandchildren at their Grandma's funeral, on the violins she gave them and taught them to play: Bach Siciliano
Hope you have something nice planned for this weekend.
This is the Thread before the Gardening Thread.
Last week's thread, March 1 Saturday Morning Open Thread (Thanks to Misanthropic Humanitarian).
Comments are closed so you won't ban yourself by trying to comment on a week-old thread. But don't try it anyway.