The moral and intellectual challenges faced by men and women living in banana republics are many.
When someone is honestly 55% right, that's very good and there's no use wrangling. And if someone is 60% right, it's wonderful, it's great luck, and let him thank God. But what's to be said about 75% right? Wise people say this is suspicious. Well, and what about 100% right? Whoever says he's 100% right is a fanatic, a thug and the worst kind of rascal —Attributed to an old Jew from Halychyna in the epigraph of The Captive Mind by Czeslaw Milosz.
This just in from Sali:
I called on Alex Soros to close the foundation in Albania, because I give him my word that the first week after May 11, it will be closed by decree so that it will no longer infringe on Albania.
This foundation has done great harm to Albania. It has become a supporter of the extreme left in Albania and the Woke culture of destroying the family and gender identity.
Therefore, it is our obligation as a political force to prepare all acts and laws that bring about the de-Sorosification of Albania.
There is no other country in Europe and the world that has suffered the consequences of the super-speculator, the super-censor. Xi Jinping and Vladimir Putin exercise censorship in their countries, while George Soros with his doctrine exercises it worldwide. — CNA, January 29, 20251
The parts about woke culture and censorship are funny. Last time I checked, Sali’s chances of holding public office ever again are slim to nil.
It’s very warm in Kyiv. I’ve been gargling with Sage extract to fix my sore throat. Extracts from the petals of P. rhoeas (Poppies) can also be used for this.
I tried and failed to pay close attention to RFK Jr’s testimony at his US Senate confirmation hearing yesterday.
However, they zeroed in on his past comments, such as a quote taken from a 2023 podcast when [RFK Jr] said: "I think some of the live virus vaccines are probably averting more problems than they're causing. There's no vaccine that is safe and effective."
He defended himself at the hearing, saying his words were taken out of context and that he was going to go on to say "for all people". But, Kennedy said, he was interrupted by the host, Lex Fridman, who said: "Those are big words". — BBC, January 29, 2025
Pretty much sums it up.
Sean Carroll, meanwhile, chats up James Allison over at Mindscape about t cells. Much more interesting.
Kash, Donald’s pick to run the FBI, faces Senators today. The Economist says he is a nutter2.
Sounds familiar.
On the Ukraine jacket, I listened to Z’s daily pep talk.
The president didn’t say anything about combat immunity, the gigantic screw-up at the Defense Ministry’s arms procurement office or Donald’s plan to end the war in 24 hours.
The last time I checked, Albania’s president is elected by the parliament, aka the assembly. The election process involves up to five rounds of voting, conducted by secret ballot without debate. A candidate must secure a majority of three-fifths of all members of the assembly to be elected in the first three rounds. If this majority is not achieved, subsequent rounds allow for a simple majority to elect the president.
Kash Patel is a crackpot. Is he also a menace? (The Economist, January 29, 2025)