Almost Heaven

We've been having really pleasant summer weather here in West Virginia, somewhat humid. but not yet too hot and almost no need for air conditioning. We just open the windows and sometimes turn on a ceiling fan. I am sitting right now at the computer with a gentle breeze wafting through open windows. Our elevation here is a little above 600 feet, just enough to keep us comfortable for most of the summer. The state is also famously referred to as "Almost Heaven," a phrase popularized by John Denver's iconic song "Take Me Home, Country Roads." 

I've often seen deer like these walking across our yard. 

Our high temperature today in Berkeley Springs at 4 pm is now 80* F, going down to 60* F tonight.

My friend staying in Tucson this summer reports that it's 109* F there and 113* F in neighboring Phoenix. 

That may be dry heat, but it's still pretty toasty. 

Where my friends live in Choluteca, Honduras, it's now 100* F, but with a heat index of 112* F because of the humidity.

If I ever get another passport and again take a new wheelchair and meds to Honduras, I will go in January or February in the dry season when it's rather pleasant. 

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Correction just for the record, Aspen Dental never actually charged me $1000 for pulling my broken tooth. That was a typo on the bill sent me by postal mail, as I paid only $100, which was fair. I just found that out. My bills are actually paid by my daughter though my account in Hawaii. 

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Sore loser: Donald Trump still doesn't want to pay up, although he lost his case and has already passed the $5 million he owed to E. Jean Carroll. He now wants to claw back, not because he cannot afford it or is actually innocent, but because it's a black mark against his image as the greatest ever American president in US history together with Abraham Lincoln. He is actually lucky to not be in prison right now. No statute of limitations on rape; I'm not sure about sexual assault but what's the difference? However, maybe the verdict was for defamation, not for a crime of violence, thus allowing Trump to remain in the presidency. How many Americans still believe he is innocent? Not very many. But Trump is betting that the Supreme Court justices he actually had named will now vote in his favor to overturn the verdict. What can he do to punish any justices who vote against him? They have lifetime appointments. He can always spew out verbal garbage to try to tarnish them.

Carroll now needs to announce her plans for the money and to start actually spending it, getting the public firmly behind her, even as Donald Trump flails against his legal loss. Pay up, deadbeat, her supporters' signs say.

USA Today Judge rejects Trump bid to delay $5.8M payment to E. Jean Carroll

Trump is not done yet. He is being vindictive and childish, just like a 2-year-old having a tantrum. He should simply let it go and occupy himself with the presidency--act more like an adult, more presidential! Act like an 80-year-old! 

Donald Trump, what a poor loser! What a creep! Why did anyone ever vote for him? He still wants to overturn the verdict although he actually is guilty. He actually raped Carroll and belongs in prison. He fears that the payment might blemish his record as the very greatest American president ever and thinks the Supreme Court, especially the justices whom he has named, will certainly rule in his favor. 

Trump is never going to be revered as one of the greatest US presidents in any case. If he doesn't want to be remembered as one of the worst, he should just stop all this nonsense. It's not clear whether Carroll actually has the money in hand to spend right now, but, if so, she should start doing that ASAP!  And just spend it on something that will really annoy Trump, like 

rape rehabilitation Recovery.com.

Trump, DOJ appeal E. Jean Carroll defamation suit verdict to Supreme Court

The President: The executive branch has zero authority to fire, demote, or force out a federal judge.
Congress: Only the legislative branch can remove a justice. This requires an impeachment vote by the House of Representatives followed by a conviction in the Senate.
History: This high bar means removal by Congress has only ever been attempted once in 1804 (resulting in an acquittal), and no Supreme Court justice has ever been successfully removed.

Why It Works This Way

Good Behavior: The U.S. Constitution states that federal judges hold their offices during "good behavior," which translates to life tenure. 
Independence: The founders created this rule on purpose. It keeps judges safe from political pressure so they do not have to worry about a president firing them over unpopular rulings.

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Yahoo News, Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier said he will be opening up an investigation into Dr. Anthony Fauci, former National Institutes of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) director, following Fauci's explosive decision to invoke his Fifth Amendment right and not answer any questions during a congressional hearing Wednesday.

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Wash. Post, Canadian visits to U.S. plummet amid Trump tariffs, ‘51st state’ talk

My own relatives in Alberta have no plans to visit the US while Trump is still in office,

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Israel is betting nearly three-quarters of a billion dollars that it can talk its way out of a reputation crisis. Former Trump campaign manager Brad Parscale is overseeing a $46.5 million contract to create hundreds of websites designed specifically to shape how AI systems... answer questions about Gaza and Israel. The sites, registered under the Foreign Agents Registration Act, present carefully curated pro-Israel narratives.

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Changing the subject now once again. Leprosy, also known as Hansen's disease, is an illness many often relegate to the history books. Florida, however, has recorded 17 infections this year as of July 18, according to state health data. Of the 174 cases recorded nationwide in 2025, 36 occurred in the state, including 27 that were contracted locally rather than abroad. Hansen's disease affects up to 225 people in the United States and 250,000 globally every year, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). While most cases are contracted abroad, the agency notes that Southern states have reported illnesses not linked to travel that were "likely contracted from armadillos." So best not to pick up an odd-looking armadillos--just let it be. 



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https://canva.link/6ghcomlgm2tpkqh

 Amnesty International is still pursuing its campaign against Israel in this case.

Israel/ OPT: Fears mounting for arbitrarily detained Palestinian doctor Hussam Abu Safiya amidst reports his life is in grave danger  

Israel/ OPT: Fears mounting for arbitrarily detained Palestinian doctor Hussam Abu Safiya amidst reports his life is in grave danger - Amnesty International

 Photo : We are deeply alarmed by the reports that there is an imminent threat to Dr. Hussam Abu Safiya’s life as a result of torture and other ill treatment he has been suffering while in Israeli custody. Israeli authorities must immediately and unconditionally release Dr. Abu Safiya. Pending his release, we call on the Israeli Prison service to ensure he is fully protected from abuse, granted urgent adequate medical care and allowed immediate visitation by independent monitors. He is still being held without charge.






ACT NOW:

Urgent Action: Release Paediatrician and Hospital Director: Dr Hussam Abu Safiya https://www.amnesty.org/en/documents/mde15/1242/2026/en/

 

Digital Action: Release Dr. Hussam Abu Safiya!

https://www.amnesty.org/en/petition/release-dr-hussam-abu-safiya/

We also encourage all Sections to escalate the pressure on Dr. Hussam Abu Safiya’s case by taking the street and organizing offline actions in front of your government/parliament and the Israeli embassies (where feasible) and mobilize among your MPs and decision makers.  

We won’t stop! We will continue our campaign until Abu Safiya and others arbitrarily detained Palestinians are released - #FreeDrHussamAbuSafiya.