I’m simply astonished that NC could elect Joe Biden in 2020 and let Republicans sweep the Supreme Court elections.

«The math is simple but the stakes are high in North Carolina. Democratic justices hold four of seven Supreme Court seats but they must defend two this year. If a Republican flips just one of them, they would gain control of the court.

Given the state’s recent history, a partisan flip would affect the outcome of major civil rights cases. In recent years, the Democratic-majority court has voted on party lines to struck down GOP gerrymanders expanded the scope of racial discrimination appeals in the criminal legal system. It is now considering the constitutionality of the state’s felony disenfranchisement statutes in a case that may restore voting rights to tens of thousands of North Carolinians.

Depending on the outcome, Democrats may rue the 2020 cycle, when Democratic Chief Justice Cheri Beasley lost her re-election race by just 401 votes.»

https://boltsmag.org/your-state-by-state-guide-to-the-2022-supreme-court-elections/

Actually, I wonder how much of this is driving the whole “local” thing at restaurants. (e.g., “We get our pork from <next county over>!”)

This whole thread is good; chefs and independent-restaurant owners supporting the Teamsters b/c Sysco is Just That Bad:

There’s a kid in my neighborhood who loves Ayn Rand.

Well… Let’s see how it turns out:

Interesting. Now I want to read up on Liberian history:

I feel like I need to record this stuff since I might need to refer to it later:

Bingo:

Long thread listing how the price of everything is falling:

This guy. Best source of inspirational thingies I’ve seen:

«Discipline is not about perfection. Discipline is about continuity. — Reini Lackner»

«I just gave my honest assessment, and then it went fucking super viral. And did that make my day? Made my fucking week — watching a grown-ass man, a U.S. senator, have to say ‘No comment’ when somebody asked him, ‘Michael Fanone called you a bitch, do you have a comment?’”»

https://www.rollingstone.com/politics/politics-features/michael-fanone-jan-6-book-congress-hawley-gaetz-trump-1234589772/