I Comment on Today's Headlines, Part of an Ongoing Series

National Guard troops approaching the Capitol on Tuesday.

Since July, I have occasionally been posting headlines from various news sources and writing comments about them that are either pithy, snarky, wise or brilliantly on point (or a combination thereof). The response has been so overwhelming (thank you, Jean-Pierre Crankshaft of Iron City, Tennessee) that I have made this a regular feature -- to enthusiastic acclaim. Here then is part eleven in what is now a regular and beloved feature.

From the NY Times

Denying Incitement, Trump Impeachment Team Says He Cannot Be Tried

U.S. Congress response: oh yeah? Watch this...

Crisis Spurs Congress Toward Big Measures to Lift Families From Poverty

Let me see if I understand this correctly, once there's a crisis Congress will act to save those in poverty. If everything is peachy normal then the destitute are on their own. An interesting side note here is that, according to the article "at least one Republican" is among those focused on providing monthly payments to those who can't make ends meet. The Republican Party must be terribly ashamed of this member of their party who evidently has an ounce an empathy -- an ounce more than Republicans are allowed.

Georgia Officials Review Trump Phone Call as Scrutiny Intensifies

As you may recall as all hope of stealing the election dissipated, Trumpy tried to convince Georgia's Secretary of State to "find" enough votes for him to carry that state. The outgoing president even recorded the call. He should indeed face "scrutiny" and likely jail time as well.

From the BBC:

Myanmar coup: Police fire rubber bullets as protesters defy ban

While the U.S. managed to escape a Trump-led coup, pity the poor people of Myanmar (I always preferred the name Burma) who have seen their elected government toppled and the military assume power. One fears for protestors there and anyone seeking to re-install a democracy. Military juntas are notoriously harsh on political dissent. Hopefully the United States and other democracies can effectively apply enough pressure to budge the bastards.

Maori MP ejected from NZ parliament for refusing to wear tie

Seriously New Zealand? You'd developed such a good international rep, especially with your cool Prime Minister, Jacinda Ardern. Now you're going to deny a place in your governing body to a member of your indigenous people over wearing a fucking tie? Do better.

Traveling during Covid: 'I was nervous using a fake Covid-19 test certificate'

Knowing how the world is it shouldn't come as a surprise that there those out their lacking morals who would sell or use fake certificates asserting that the bearer has safely passed a Covid test. Desperate times sometimes result in despicable acts. Shameful.

From CNN:

Meet the Minnesota mom fighting QAnon conspiracies one Instagram story at a time

Thank you, Sharon McMahon for fighting the good fight. Facts are a mighty defense against the attack of lies that come from the likes of QAnon. Though not always effective, it's important to try and there are successes. One of the saddest aspects of 2020 (and by God there was a lot to choose from) was the fact that so many Americans fell for such ridiculous conspiracy theories. Many of the participants in the attempted January 6 coup were QAnon believers. A heavy saturation of truth against these lies can only help.

After allowing parents to opt-out of the Black History Month curriculum, a Utah school is switching the decision

Question: How can you tell if you live around a lot of racists? Answer: They don't want Black History Month being taught in their schools. I've got to admit that I didn't see this one coming. But sure enough a school district in Utah had allowed parents to opt out of Black History Month curriculum. The good news here is that absurd decision was reversed. In the twenty years I taught middle school U.S. history I never had a particular curriculum set aside for Black History month, because the story of African Americans was such an integral part of my overall curriculum. I started from slavery through abolition, the underground railroad, the secession crisis, the Civil War, Reconstruction, Jim Crow to the Civil Rights Movement. How can you learn U.S. history without thoroughly investigating the story of African Americans? Oh right, if you're a bigot.

Florida's governor was spotted mask-less at the Super Bowl. His reason is, uh, not great.

Florida Governor Ron DeSantis is legitimately one of the biggest idiots on the current political scene. His disregard for the dangers of Covid-19 unquestionably led to thousands of deaths in his state. One could easily make a case that he should be prosecuted and see serious jail time. His excuse for being maskless at the Super Bowl?  "How the hell am I going to be able to drink a beer with a mask on? Come on." Fucking idiot.

From the Washington Post:

Trump’s lawyers say he was immediately ‘horrified’ by Capitol attack. Here’s what his allies and aides said really happened.

Spoiler alert: his allies and aides said that he rooted for the mob -- the goddamned liar.

Biden works hard to suggest he’s not paying attention to proceedings against Trump

As well he should. Let Congress handle that. Biden's got more than enough on his plate. To begin with his predecessor left him with an ungodly mess to clean up as Republican presidents are want to do. The president should stay above the fray and take care of business as he has been doing.

She used Gorilla Glue as hairspray. After 15 washes and a trip to the ER, it still won’t budge.

There's something called Gorilla Glue? Learn something everyday. A woman in Louisiana used it as hair spray and her hair has been stuck in place for a month. Pro tip: Maybe not use something with glue in its name on your hair. The good news is that a plastic surgeon believes he can fix the problem. Gorilla glue?

Bonus headline from Raw Story found just after posting:

'Everyone makes mistakes': GOP senator suggests Trump is 'entitled to a mulligan' after deadly insurrection

If successful, this defense could be used in all murder trials not to mention embezzlement, rape, arson, extortion, burglary, bank robbery, assault and jaywalking. The Senator who made this assertion is Mike Lee from Utah and he's got a head start on the dumbest quote of 2021 award.