Pay your dues, sign that loyalty oath

13 Monday May 2024

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Or you can face down the MAGA extremists in your party and take it back. Last week:

8 GOP candidates can’t run as Republicans, Missouri judge rules. They’d refused morals test. (May 9, 2024)

8 GOP candidates can’t run as Republicans, Missouri judge rules. They’d refused morals test

A circuit court judge on Thursday evening ruled that the county clerk improperly placed their names on the ballot. “I think the judge ruled correctly,” said Mark McCloskey, the attorney representing the county’s Republican committee. “Here is the bottom line: What this means is that no one but the party gets to decide who runs on that party’s ticket. … They can file as independents.”

[….]

“…Vetting is the vaccine that stops the virus cold.”

[….]

“…the vaccine that stops the virus cold…”

Ironic, isn’t it, coming from MAGA world?

The court really had no choice. In the past:

Herschel Young (r): a letter from the Missouri Democratic Party (March 1, 2012)

[….]
Enclosed is a check for the return of your membership dues. The Missouri Democratic Party does not believe you are qualified to hold the office you seek and we note that you were elected to an office you currently do not hold as a member of the Missouri Republican Party. Please feel free to file your Declaration of Candidacy as an independent or as a member of another political party. Enclosed is a copy of a letter to Secretary of State Carnahan returning your filing fee.
[….]

Definitely different criteria, but the political party still gets to decide.

Campaign Finance: that would be reasonable

13 Monday May 2024

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Yesterday at the Missouri Ethics Commission:

C242706 05/12/2024 Protect Majority Rule MO National Education Assoc-PAC 1810 East Elm Street Jefferson City MO 65101 5/10/2024 $25,000.00

C242706 05/12/2024 Protect Majority Rule The Fairness Project P.O. Box 21337 Washington DC 20009 5/10/2024 $6,677.03

[emphasis added]

Protect Majority Rule – Active
MECID: C242706
Committee Type: Campaign
[….]
Supported/Opposed Ballot Measure
Measure Election Date Subject Political Subdivision Support/Oppose
TBD 11/5/2024 Statewide ballot measure to protect majority rule and direct democracy Statewide Support

Committee History
Scan Title Scan Date Report Year
Statement of Committee Organization 01/25/2024 2024

[emphasis added]

Protect majority rule and direct democracy. You’d think. The right wingnut controlled Missouri General Assembly super majority doesn’t.

Knock on wood

12 Sunday May 2024

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This afternoon, in west central Missouri:

Red-bellied Woodpecker. Melanerpes carolinus.
Canon 5D III, Tamron 150-600.
F 6.3, 1/320, ISO 400, 600 mm.

Red-bellied Woodpecker. Melanerpes carolinus.
Canon 5D III, Tamron 150-600.
F 6.3, 1/500, ISO 400, 600 mm.

Red-bellied Woodpecker. Melanerpes carolinus.
Canon 5D III, Tamron 150-600.
F 6.3, 1/640, ISO 400, 552 mm.

Red-bellied Woodpecker. Melanerpes carolinus.
Canon 5D III, Tamron 150-600.
F 6.3, 1/640, ISO 400, 500 mm.

Everyday people

11 Saturday May 2024

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This past week Missouri Democrats elected national delegates at congressional district meetings across Missouri for the Democratic National Convention in Chicago. On Thursday evening 4th Congressional District Democrats gathered in Warsaw, Missouri to elect four national delegates, two women and two men, for Joe Biden.

Before the speeches by prospective national delegates, scheduled to start shortly after 7:00 p.m., the location had been open for several hours for an activist training session and county and ward delegate registration. Only elected county and ward delegates in the 24-county congressional district can vote for the allocated national delegates. In the period before 7:00 p.m. declared national delegate candidates visited with the county and ward delegates, soliciting their votes.

After 7:00 p.m. registration for the elected county and ward delegates closed. The doors to the location were locked – I’m assuming figuratively. Observers and media remained, but were not eligible to vote.

After a brief description of the procedure national delegate candidates were invited up to the microphone in turn to present short speeches soliciting support for their candidacy.

Eligible county and ward delegates then voted and submitted their written ballots. The ballots were counted and the elected national delegates were announced.

No one at the meeting was paid to do this. Some of the county and ward delegates and national delegate candidates have been long-time party activists. Some for decades. Other participants were new to the process. All shared a commitment to the Democratic process. All, everyday people.

Previously:

4th Congressional District Democratic Party Meeting – Delegate Selection – Warsaw, Missouri – May 9, 2024 (May 9, 2024)

Aurora Borealis – Missouri

11 Saturday May 2024

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Last night, east of Henrietta, Missouri [- 39.228696, -93.876340]:

Canon 5D III, 1.8 50 mm (“nifty fifty”)
F 1.8, 15 seconds, ISO 400, 50 mm.
Unprocessed.

Canon 5D III, 1.8 50 mm (“nifty fifty”)
F 1.8, 15 seconds, ISO 400, 50 mm.
Unprocessed.

At 9:30 p.m. we looked at each other and said, “Let’s go.” Grabbed a camera and a tripod and drove north (toward more rural areas, with less light pollution). Started out at a state recreation area parking lot. Thought we may have seen something. We continued further north on MO 13.

Arrived at a spot north of the Missouri river on a county highway pullout, east of MO 13 and east of Henrietta, Missouri. Spent a while looking at the glow in the sky and taking the long exposure images.

Eventually we ended up 50 miles north of where we started. Turned around and drove back home. It took us three hours.

You can see the stars through the Aurora (zoom in).

Note the faint aircraft track (left):

Canon 5D III, 1.8 50 mm (“nifty fifty”)
F 1.8, 20 seconds, ISO 400, 50 mm.
Unprocessed.

From our first stop at Maple Leaf Lake Recreation Area [38.993367, -93.784648]:

Canon 5D III, 1.8 50 mm (“nifty fifty”)
F 1.8, 10 seconds, ISO 800, 50 mm.
Unprocessed.

Canon 5D III, 1.8 50 mm (“nifty fifty”)
F 1.8, 10 seconds, ISO 800, 50 mm.
Unprocessed.

Canon 5D III, 1.8 50 mm (“nifty fifty”)
F 1.8, 10 seconds, ISO 800, 50 mm.
Unprocessed.


Previously:

Coronal Mass Ejection (May 10, 2024)

Coronal Mass Ejection

10 Friday May 2024

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Today:

NASA Watch @NASAWatch
** URGENT NOAA Scale: G4 – Severe **

#SpaceWeather Message Code: ALTK08
Serial Number: 31
Issue Time: 2024 May 10 1744 UTC
ALERT: Geomagnetic K-index of 8, 9-
Threshold Reached: 2024 May 10 1739 UTC
Synoptic Period: 1500-1800 UTC
Active Warning: Yes
NOAA Scale: G4 – Severe
[….]
12:54 PM · May 10, 2024″

SPACE WEATHER PREDICTION CENTER
NATIONAL OCEANIC AND ATMOSPHERIC ADMINISTRATION
SEVERE GEOMAGNETIC STORM STILL LIKELY

The Sun, this afternoon, from west central Missouri:

Canon 5D III, 2.8 70-200 mm, 2X III.
F 11, 1/4000, ISO 200, 400 mm.

Canon 5D III, 2.8 70-200 mm, 2X III.
F 11, 1/3200, ISO 200, 400 mm.

4th Congressional District Democratic Party Meeting – Delegate Selection – Warsaw, Missouri – May 9, 2024

09 Thursday May 2024

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This week Missouri Democrats are electing national delegates at congressional district meetings across Missouri for the Democratic National Convention in Chicago. This evening 4th Congressional District Democrats are gathering in Warsaw, Missouri.

Signing in:

Democratic Party candidates for office use the opportunity to speak with party activists:

Another candidate for office:

By the end of the evening two women and two men, in accordance with party rules, from the 4th Congressional District will be elected as national delegates to the Democratic National Convention.

Not on the Missouri River, eh?

08 Wednesday May 2024

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Mike Parson (r) [2022 file photo}.

Performative bullshit from Mike Parson (r):

GOVERNOR PARSON TO TRAVEL TO SOUTHERN BORDER FOR UPDATE ON MISSOURI BORDER DEPLOYMENT, SIGN HB 2016 INTO LAW

On Wednesday, May 8, Governor Mike Parson will travel to the Southern Border near Eagle Pass, Texas, to receive an update on Missouri personnel deployed to the border in support of Operation Lone Star. Governor Parson will also sign HB 2016, the supplemental appropriations bill that funds the deployment, into law while at the border.

Governor Parson will be joined by Missouri National Guard Adjutant General Levon Cumpton and Texas Department of Public Safety Regional Director Victor Escalon. Governor Parson and General Cumpton will be available for media questions following the bill signing.
[….]

Definitely not on the Missouri River:

28.750810, -100.506955
Near Eagle Pass, Texas. [satellite image]

The bill:

SECOND REGULAR SESSION
[TRULY AGREED TO AND FINALLY PASSED]
HOUSE COMMITTEE SUBSTITUTE FOR
HOUSE BILL NO. 2016 [pdf]
102ND GENERAL ASSEMBLY

2016H.02T 2024

AN ACT

To appropriate money for supplemental purposes for the expenses, grants, refunds, and distributions of the several departments and offices of state government and the several divisions and programs thereof, and to transfer money among certain funds, to be expended only as provided in Article IV, Section 28 of the Constitution of Missouri for the fiscal period ending June 30, 2024.

Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the state of Missouri, as follows:

[….]

Section 16.010. To the Governor
For expenses incident to emergency duties performed by the National Guard when ordered out by the governor
From General Revenue Fund (0101) ……………………………………………………………….$2,000,000

[….]

[emphasis added]

Your tax dollars at work.