@dfarrah they tells me you aren't conscious in the between-life state, so it's of no consequence to you whether you return in 10 years or a hundred. But my understanding is that lots of terrestrial physical bodies need lots of spiritual enlivening, and bec of overpopulation, at a much faster pace than is normal for this planet (allegedly 150 yrs normally between lives if we had a sustainable population for Earth).

As for the sixth extinction, an upcoming third world war is likely to get to most of us well before that. Have you noticed how often we blame Russia for everything?

#1.1.1 or do we get a break from this place?

And if the earth is going through another mass extinction, I guess we'll have to wait (assuming our new whatever sprouts back on the earth and not elsewhere).

@dfarrah

you are simply dismissing the people who feel a lot of anger over the US having taken over the previous land of Mexico.

because I'm sure all of Santa Anna's great great great great great great great grandchildren are still really really upset.

So wait, if the Mexicans are the new Spanish Reconquistadors, does that make the US government the Moors, who, as I'm sure you know, were Muslim?

#1.1.2 you are simply dismissing the people who feel a lot of anger over the US having taken over the previous land of Mexico.

This really has nothing to do with fox news; it's just a matter of listening to people and hearing what they are saying.

AO big mouth has said that white people took the US from (I don't recall who exactly). I don't recall the exact quote. One of my council persons said (a few years ago) she resents the fact that there are not more people who "look like her" on council on a mixed race council. One of the Hispanic Congressmen last night was challenging the former head of ICE, asserting something to the effect that the former ICE head had no knowledge of anyone who didn't "look like him."

First of all, people need to say what they mean. These representatives should have just said 'white people' and be done with it, because that is exactly what they meant.

Bottom line? It is racism whether people want to admit it or not. While progressives enjoy believing that it's all white racism against others, it isn't.

Mexico has a history of racism (and the concomitant layers of people that were considered better than others) just like any other people/country have/has had, and to pretend otherwise is ignorant.

And to pretend that non-whites and white progressives aren't stoking anti-white racism is ignorant. One can see clip after clip of people (of all races) dissing Biden and Bernie for being white (and old and male).

And shoving it under the rug won't help, either.

@dfarrah enough to be its own country. Matter of fact, I think it once was, long ago.

Tell 'em they can also have, as part of the deal, both Bush Presidential Libraries, no additional charge.

As a final inducement, tell 'em we will also throw in the LBJ Library and Ranch. No one I know has ever been there or cares to.

#2.1.1 And I lived in Houston from '77 to '89. So, yes, I know Texas.

I don't think Texas will be enough; they want it all back to the old borders.

@dfarrah

the bottom peninsula and become its own state. From the SE corner of the state to the tippy top of the NW corner of the UP is roughly 700 miles. The top and bottom are like night and day. Even 700 miles is too small for the both of us.

#2.1.1 Dakotas belly aching to become one state?

@on the cusp

I think they do the same thing to Florida and AZ, but I think they actually winter there. Didn't know about Texas, but hey no taxes, it's the irresistible mating call of the MAGAs.

My understanding is that Michiganders have to declare a primary residence, which means you have to live there a minimum of six months out of the year. It is where they then pay taxes and vote. The people who do this are probably tax voiding, don't tread on me Republicans. It is amazing how many of them we actually have.

When Bubba destroyed manufacturing, he destroyed the deep dark blue this state used to be. Having said that, blue is as bad as red nowadays. I am proposing that we split up people by political and religious preference and put them in their own regions of the US and declare them their own country.

I think we need three countries: 1) neocon/evangelical = the south + Texas, 2) mealy-mouth trickle-down neolibs/neocons = SF/NY, 3) everybody else every thing is left. I could probably be talked into dividing 3 up into 4 or 5. Since most of the red hats and Christian jihadists already live in the south and Texas, I figure we might as well start there. Or, I would settle for my own deserted island around Tahiti.

#2.2.1 #2.2.1 who destroyed my Texas judicial district.
Michiganders came to my neighboring county with travel trailers. They got a mailing address. They stay here 2 or 3 days a year at a park in Polk County. Escapees. And they do not pay state income taxes in Michigan because they are "Texans", we do not have state income taxes here. They do not know anybody here, do not give a damn about anything here, and they are all Republicans, and dominate local politics. There are thousands of Escapees. They voted in a district judge who had been the 4th Assistant down the line prosecutor in that county, who was assigned to prosecute traffic tickets.
Michigan has done their part to fuck up Texas.
The judge on the case to determine their voting legitimacy was Judge Sam Bournias.
Slam Texas for death penalty, for our Big Oil, but when you slam us for being Red, you bear some blame. We swung Red in a huge district because of state income tax avoiders from Michigan.

@UntimelyRippd

will have to water the garden at the butt crack of dawn and then bathe my tomato plants and azaleas when the sun goes down.

Btw, I finished Outlander this morning. The Native American storyline was pretty dark, but didn't feel as thrown together and weird for no earthly narrative reason as the Caribbean voodoo did in season three. I think at this point I just want Claire and Jamie to live happily every after in their rustically lovely cabin they built together in Blue Ridge mountains, but I feel like they are going to have to pick up a musket again to fight in the Revolutionary War. Sigh.

#4.1.1
it's 92 fuckin degrees out there, and i can't function in that kind of heat.