Strained credibility

Good morning, wishing you and yours a very nice Easter or Passover, depending on what your household celebrates. I mowed our lawn yesterday in anticipation of hiding eggs for our grandchildren on Sunday.

Hardly a day goes by without some amazing happenings or new reporting of things that already happened.   These are just a few such events.

Since we last visited, the Honorable Katanji Brown Jackson was confirmed to be the next Associate Justice of the Supreme Court.  This despite being treated, in the words of a television commentator, like a little black girl who's being followed through a store because the manager is just sure she's about to steal something.

Three Republican Senators actually voted FOR her confirmation, but the rest embarrassed themselves yet again by walking out of the chamber when the results of the confirmation vote were being announced.  Kentucky's own junior Senator, Rand Paul, embarrassed himself by literally sticking his hand out of the cloakroom and signaling a "no" vote after a twenty minute delay.  Because he wasn't wearing a tie, as required by Senate rules.  Insert palm slap here.

A young PGA professional named Scottie Scheffler won the Masters last Sunday, after building a big lead and successfully defending it in the final round.  A few other golfers got somewhat close but no one got past Scheffler, who is the hottest golfer on the planet.  Just became the number one player on tour, and this is his FOURTH win in 2022.  Oh, and he won $2.7 million for winning at Augusta.  Well done, young man.

The Major League Baseball season is underway, and my Cincinnati Reds managed a split of their first four games in Atlanta against the defending champion Braves.  They've since lost three straight, and the mantra once again is "if it weren't for their bullpen."  There was also a little discomfort prior to Tuesday's opening day, as Phil Castellini, son of primary owner Bob Castellini and President of the Reds' business operations, made some comments to the media that essentially disregarded fan reaction to the many cost-saving moves the Reds made in the hastily completed off-season.  Timing is a gift, and it appears that Phil doesn't have it.

The Ukrainian military appears to have successfully disabled the Russian naval fleet's flagship battle cruiser, which is named for their capital of Moscow.  Russian media instantly claimed that it was damaged in an accident, while the Ukrainians took credit for a missile strike that disabled the vessel.  Either way, it sank in the Black Sea and the Russians are embarrassed and will likely take it out on more Ukrainian civilians.  I fail to see the value in bombing a country into submission to take over what's now been reduced to rubble, but that appears to be what passes for strategy in Moscow these days.

More of former President Trump's aides and staff members have testified before the House Committee investigating the insurrection on 1/6/21. Yesterday the architect of the Trump Administration's many anti-immigrant programs, policies and public statements, a dislikable man named Stephen Miller, testified and things were reportedly "chippy" between Miller and members of the committee.  Remarkably, it was reported that the committee had to obtain permission from Miller's parents to gather Miller's phone records.  Yes, a former White House staff member is still on his parent's family cellular plan.

That committee has now interviewed over 800 people.  Don't think for a minute that they haven't pieced together a fairly good idea of what happened and at whose direction on 1/6.

Finally, it was reported this week that Jennifer Lopez and Ben Affleck are once again engaged.  I don't think I can add anything worthwhile to that.