Tuesday, July 28, 2026
USMLE Today III
I finished with 25% right answers, so don't go to me for a doctor. One time in print I estimated how many answers I would get correct on the actual test and if memory serves I estimated 25%-30%, that is random dart throwing plus maybe 5%. The usual UWorld question has five answer choices, so a 20% chance of getting it right if you just guessed. Twenty percent was my score yesterday. Some questions have six or more answer choices. At six, your random chance is 17%. We have had a few of the 6+ these first two days.
All in all, my cumulative score is 22.5%, about what I predicted. So don't go to me for a doctor! lolol. Fun day, fun two days.
USMLE Today II
I don't totally suck! I've gotten three in a row right! I'm like buttah, I'm on a ROLL! lol
USMLE Today
Dr. Ana Rules!
I SUCK!
We're on Second Pass now. The regimen is a tranche of 20 Qs, timed. Ana was rested and sharp today; I overslept my alarm, started before my synapses started firing, couldn't process semi-normal (i.e. medical) language, my answers on two successive questions were 0% and 1%, accidentally misnumbered a question in recording my answers (so couldn't figure out my own score on all 20), so far have gotten nine out of nine WRONG, am only reasonably confident I got one answer right; Ana got 55% RIGHT of the whole 20!, AND WE'RE HAVING A BLAST! It's fun, it's a stimulating game, even Dr. Ana feels the extra adrenaline spur, and she is much better at the game than I am.
Monday, July 27, 2026
Public Occurrences July 27, 2006
UN High Commissioner for Human Rights: Izvassal Must Stop Occupation and Demolition of Homes in Lebanon
Volker Türk spoke to The Associated Press as he wrapped up a visit to Lebanon, his second in just over a year.
The visit came about a week before Lebanese and Israeli officials are to meet in Rome for talks on implementing a framework dealreached June 26. It laid out a plan for the deployment of Lebanese military forces in areas in southern Lebanon and the withdrawal of Israeli forces, alongside the disarmament of Hezbollah.
The following is key:
Hezbollah has rejected the direct talks and says it will not disarm.
The above was key. So is the following, Izvassal's definition of self-defense meaning "revenge" slaughtering of civilians and displacement, and the killing of protected groups such as health workers and journalists, all of which Izvassal practiced and practiced in Gaza, as do settlers on the West Bank.
Hezbollah has rejected the direct talks and says it will not disarm.
The above was key. So is the following, Izvassal's definition of self-defense meaning "revenge" slaughtering of civilians and displacement, and the killing of protected groups such as health workers and journalists, all of which Izvassal practiced and practiced in Gaza, as do settlers on the West Bank.
Turk said some Israeli actions in Lebanon could amount to war crimes, echoing criticism from other human rights groups over the widespread destruction of towns and villages, and the dozens of medical workers and journalists killed.
“Demolition of this type raises huge flags about compliance with international humanitarian law,” Türk said, describing what has happened as a “wholesale destruction” of civilian homes.
The criticism on this blog of the actions of Izvassal is precisely because of its status as a vassal state of the United States, without whom it would not exist and without whose aid of materiel it could not commit war crimes.
-I wish Izvassal success in completely eliminating Hezbollah--on its own;
-complete success in "liquidating" every Hamas member--on its own;
-I stand foursquare with even This Israel in opposing any Palestinian state in Gaza;
States do have an obligation to prevent genocide and war crimes, especially when those crimes are committed by the superior state as principal. Therefore, I stand unwavering that no genocide or war crimes be committed by a vassal state of the United States, in the name of the United States and with U.S. aid, encouragement, or blinded eyes.
States do not have the right to exist, that is a concept formulated by Israelis in the 1950's. Rights by one invoke obligations by others. Not having a right to exist, a state has no call on other nations to guarantee its existence.
However, there is a gray area that I acknowledge I take advantage of: An existing state, comprised of a distinct people, as Izvassal exists and has existed for over 75 years, and is comprised of the distinct Jewish people, has a claim upon others to prevent its extermination. At the least, if other states have no "duty to protect",
they have the discretion to protect. Had I any such power as head of Publocc Nation, I would exercise all power I possessed to prevent destruction of the Izvassal state.
The state of Israel, even This Israel, the Israel of Netanyahoo, the vassal state, would be defended from extermination by Publoccian blood and weaponry. Never, ever again will the Jewish people be targeted for extermination. Never will this Jewish state face a threat to its existence--on its own. It is a choice that I do not make for every, or perhaps any, other state, nor is it a choice I must make. It is a choice I would make in my discretion.
8:28 am:
Three People Shot Dead at Seattle Space Needle
On LeBron, and on and on
"We built a structure for the future not just a team of all-stars." - Manchester City owner Sheikh Mansour, 2008.
"You're either getting better or you're getting worse." - 76'ers GM (then GSW GM) Bob Myers, 2017, after adding Kevin Durant.
When [Myers] helped build those dynastic Warriors teams as the general manager, he was able to do so from the ground up, with Stephen Curry and coach Steve Kerr as the ultimate cultural loadstones and perfectly interlocking components such as future Hall of Famers Klay Thompson and Draymond Green.
The job in Philadelphia is very different. Myers...isn't building off a solid foundation.
the questions...in Philadelphia are very different from the ones he answered in Golden State, Myers applied the same "you're either getting better or you're getting worse" logic in replacing Morey, and adding Brown and James.
I have bad boding about one size fits all solutions and I don't nelieve that you either get better or you get worse is the one size that fits all. Right now, Philadelphia is a collection of all-stars, they are not a Team.
"I can totally see why they did it," one Eastern Conference executive said of the Sixers' moves to acquire Brown and James. "They're desperate. They needed to do something else before they get through to the next thing.
Yes.
"So getting Jaylen for what they got him for is a good risk. Getting LeBron on a minimum is outstanding.
Yes, too!
"What I'm not sure is why [James] did it. You've got a lot of guys who want the ball in their hands. Who's setting screens? Who's doing the dirty work? Who's defending? A lot of that is going to fall to LeBron, I think."
My thoughts at bottom.
Shortly after James made his announcement, 76ers All-Star guard Tyrese Maxey posted a video of himself celebrating with the caption, "I'm like Coach Cal."
Rich Paul, and perhaps LeBron as well, sees "Coach Lebron".
He was referring to his former college coach, John Calipari, who has routinely landed top recruiting classes...
Maxey, who played one season for Calipari in 2019-20, was among a small group of people who got some inkling late Thursday night that James would ultimately choose the Sixers, according to sources. James has known Maxey for years and is represented by the same agency.
There are risks, of course. Two Sixers sources pointed out the potential disruption to the development of VJ Edgecombe, who showed flashes during his rookie season of the kind of potential to lead his own team one day. How much will adding two high-usage players in Brown and James take the ball out of Edgecombe's hands?
Shades of Jonathan Kuminga in Golden State
The NBA coach countered that Edgecombe will learn far more from Brown and James than he will be stunted by them, [But will Edgecombe know that? Kuminga did not.] and besides, "it's not like this team is going to stay healthy all year. The young guys will probably have to carry the load in the regular season anyway."
Embiid played only 57 games over the past two regular seasons, fewer than James played last season in his age-41 season.
"Honestly, LeBron is the guy who just proved the best that he's capable of playing a different role," the coach said. "None of those other guys has ever really done it."
"If this goes well, none of those five guys are going to average career highs," the NBA coach said. ...So the most important thing is going to be getting everyone to buy in. Getting everyone to forget about how the stats affect their contracts or reputations."
Embiid had extensive and meaningful conversations with James during the recruiting process, and has been trying to get James to Philadelphia -- at least in a tongue-in-cheek fashion -- since 2014. ...James considered joining the 76ers in 2018...
"It all comes down to Joel," one league source close to the situation said. "If it's Tyrese, VJ, Jaylen Brown, LeBron and Adem Bona, that's not a championship team. But if it's those four guys and Joel, that's a championship team. ..."
Paul acknowledged he even thought that Miami would end up "as the spot," for a long portion of a decision-making process...
What changed? Everyone denies that the errant "Heat" introductory press conference "tableholder" was a non-factor. But LeBron's camp was irritated by Commissioner Adam Silver pushing James to make a decision. The two are not that dissimilar. Maxey was a factor in the decision and he was ⚡️in his recruitment of James; Embiid, too.
Pat Riley said he wasn't going to "bug" Rich Paul with phone calls. One can imagine Riley's stance getting filtered down to Bam Adebayo and Giannis Antetokounmpo. Did LeBron want to be wooed? Did he want Pat Riley to beg? Well, Riley did not woo or beg and he said he wouldn't. I wrote previously that 601 Biscayne considers the franchise one that all top players should want to join. Like Alabama under Nick Saban. Or like Sheikh Mansour's Manchester City. They want to choose. They don't "recruit", not even "The Chosen One". Despite the past 10 seasons of 44-38, I see more truth than untruth in Riley's stance. But that is going to chafe LeBron, whose entire career has been about player power. Those two guys knew each other. I wrote also, "Do the 'Heat' really want LeBron?" Not enough to grovel, I concluded.
Something changed. Obviously I don't know what it was, but the basketball reasons were not it. For a long time in that "long time" where Rich Paul thought Miami was "the spot", the "Sixers" had Jaylen Brown. It says here, for what this is worth, that power was at the heart; the power not to be ordered around, the power to compel love. I don't blame LeBron for deciding that he would have more power and more love in Philadelphia, and I don't blame Pat Riley for deciding that LeBron had to fit the "Culture", not the reverse.
It would have worked in Miami. I don't know if it is going to work in Philadelphia, there are going to be some casualties, Nick Nurse, Jaylen, Edgecombe, but most of all "It all comes down to Joel". LeBron doesn't have the powet to keep Joel Embiid healthy.
"Honestly, LeBron is the guy who just proved the best that he's capable of playing a different role," the coach said. "None of those other guys has ever really done it."
[The anonymous coach was talking about the other "Sixers" stars, but he could have been talking about other superstars like LeBron. LeBron showed with La-La that he is capable of deferring.]
...
"If this goes well, none of those five guys are going to average career highs," the NBA coach said. "They're all going to play a different role than they have in the past or maybe that they want to. So the most important thing is going to be getting everyone to buy in. Getting everyone to forget about how the stats affect their contracts or reputations."
"It all comes down to Joel," one league source close to the situation said. "If it's Tyrese, VJ, Jaylen Brown, LeBron and Adem Bona, that's not a championship team. But if it's those four guys and Joel, that's a championship team.
[Adem Bona was the "somebody" I referred to in a previous post.]
🤷Idiots know things too, sometimes.
"What I'm not sure is why [James] did it. You've got a lot of guys who want the ball in their hands. Who's setting screens? Who's doing the dirty work? Who's defending? A lot of that is going to fall to LeBron, I think."
Sunday, July 26, 2026
Public Occurrences July 26, 2026
Multiple People Shot at Seattle Space Needle
Jon Ossoff
This could be a comedic parody:
"I voted in favor of discharging from the Foreign Relations Committee S. Res. 41, a resolution of disapproval with respect to a sale of rifles to Israel."
Rifles? Aren't we a century or so beyond "rifles"? How about slingshots?
...
"I voted against discharging S. Res. 34, a similar resolution [of disapproval] with respect to a sale of air-to-ground munitions."
RIFLES, OVER MY DEAD BODY! Slingshots, maybe. AIR-TO-GROUND MUNITIONS, OKAY!
Philly needs a POLICEMAN!
THIS IS WHAT I'VE BEEN SAYING, THERE'S NOT ENOUGH BALL! ENTER POLICEMAN LEBRON (?!?!)
-Rich Paul
How are Joel Embiid and Jaylen Brown gonna take to being "policed"?
Saturday, July 25, 2026
This poor guy
LeBron James' storybook ending? Why it's in Miami, not Cleveland
Vincent GoodwillLook at the dateline: The same day and only ~ seven hours before LeBron's announcement he was going to PHILADELPHIA!
“It was a...decision...between Philly and Golden State and he just decided on Philly.”
That was Rich Paul, LeBron James' longtime agent and pal. Miami wasn't even runner-up!
It came down to a closing chapter of leisure playing with buddies Steph Curry and Draymond Green, or, as James himself said in the announcement, wanting the "grind", "to compete, to win...win another championship." So that eliminated Golden State. Shams Charania reported that the last major hurdle James had to clear was getting his family to go along with moving from La-La to South Philly (wonder why that was so hard).
Why did Miami take the bronze medal (if they didn't actually finish fourth)? James thought that the 76'ers were closer to a championship than the "Heat": Joel Embiid, Electric Maxey, VJ Edgecombe and then plop, Jaylen Brown fell into their lap.
Personal opinion now: I don't think there's enough ball to go around in Philly. I wondered about that even when they got Jaylen, who loves playing with the ball. Now LeBron. Dude, there's going to be a custody battle and fisticuffs over that ball in Philly. The "Sixers" roster is clunky...and that's assuming Joel Embiid (who also likes the ball) can stay healthy, which he hasn't done his entire career. These are the "Sixers" five best players now, in alphabetical order (so as not to start any preliminary fights): Brown, Edgecombe, Embiid, James, Maxey. You have three guards, a positionless who likes the ball and a post man who's a throwback to bump, bump, bump (with ball), ass in midsection, shoot. I repeat: there's not enough ball. With Joel at least you have a true center. Without him? You have Maxey, Edgecombe, Jaylen, LeBron and somebody. I sincerely worry about Joel's health. God forbid he has anything more than knock ups. But he has had so many basketball injuries. And then he's had an emergency appendectomy; he's had Bell's Palsy. Not basketball injuries. Joel has looked to me on the verge of physical collapse during games.
Of course, Miami does not have the talent across the board that Philly had before adding LeBron. But he fit there. Brian Windhorst seconds that opinion and wrote that a front line, what I dubbed a nascent Great Wall, of LeBron, Bam, and Giannis reasonably could be the greatest front line ever put on hardwood. There is zero doubt in my mind that the "Heat" will find shooters. You're going to be able to get shooters. Getting a playmaker, Pat Riley's designated Job One, should be easier than previously, although Miami hasn't had one since Goran Dragic. But the roster even now, without LeBron, has a recognizable basketball shape. That's a team, not just a collection of fan-voted All-Stars. Giannis is all-world. Team him with Bam down low and that's a very formidable defensive and offensive duo. Put simply, there's enough ball to go around on the shores of Biscayne Bay.
Personal opinion conclusion: LeBron made the wrong choice to win another ring. I honor his decision and his IQ. Not everyone does. 601 Biscayne is reportedly furious. Oh, grow up. I love LeBron and hope that if it's not the "Heat" that it's his "Sixers" who win a championship in the next couple of years.
Godspeed, LeBron. 🫶
Friday, July 24, 2026
76 trombones led the big parade
Kalshi's last odds before Lebron announced it:
Miami 43.6%
Phila. 8.7%
The Philadelphia Story
Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro even proclaimed Friday as LeBron James Day in the state.
😂👏
You can permanently delete that "Welcome Back" vid, "Heat" lolol
LEBRON JAMES SIGNS WITH PHILADELPHIA
Public Occurrences July 24, 2026
White House Criminal Meeting with "Top Advisors" on Escalating Attacks on Iran
White House Criminal's Speech to (rescheduled) White House Correspondent's Dinner to be "Unifying yet Vicious"
“The president’s speech will be a combination of unifying yet vicious, and serious yet hilarious, all at the same time, if you can imagine that,” White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt told NBC News on Friday. “One thing I can assure you, it will be entertaining.”
Thursday, July 23, 2026
Public Occurrences July 23, 2026
Mamdani Knew He Couldn’t Arrest Netanyahu. But He Could Denounce Him.
In a video message, the mayor of New York City said he could not legally arrest Israel’s prime minister but reinforced his position as a voice of the international left.
nytimesMayor Zohran Mamdani recently disclosed that he was in “active conversation” with his legal team about whether he could make good on a campaign vow to arrest Benjamin Netanyahu, Israel’s prime minister, should he set foot in New York City.
What the mayor neglected to say, in a wide-ranging interview with The New York Times last week, was that he had already been advised by lawyers that he had no authority to do so.
[Okay. Was he at the time of the interview still in "active conversation"? It sounds not, which is strong evidence that he dissembled. But I read a Yale law professor say that Netanyahoo was not protected on New York streets. In the UN building sure, not in traffic from the airport to the UN. Maybe the Yalie was wrong, but that is what he said.]His declaration risked a rare public clash with his police commissioner, Jessica Tisch, whose pro-Israel stance runs counter to the mayor’s longstanding position.
[Pause: Tisch is "pro-Israel". Mamdani's "longstanding position" is "counter". In normal English construction that makes Mamdani anti-Israel--nothing wrong with that in my book but why don't they say that? Why do they put it, somewhat vaguely, as "counter" to being pro-Israel?]Ms. Tisch had no intention of arresting Mr. Netanyahu, and the Police Department was ready to make that clear with a formal statement declaring that it lacked the authority to take such action. Lawyers agreed that such an arrest was not within the scope of the Police Department.
“N.Y.P.D.’s position is entirely rooted in the law,” an agency spokeswoman, Delaney Kempner, said.
[So why is Tisch's pro-Israel stance, which leads the discussion and is followed by "Tisch had no intention", placed before case over: NYPD had no legal authority?
[There are two separate statements being made here by the reporters. 1) Tisch had no intention of arresting Netanyahoo, in context, because of her pro-Israel stance--regardless of what the law said. 2) using the word the reporters do, "AND" cops "lacked authority", "lawyers agreed", "rooted in law". Mamdani said Tuesday night NYPD had no legal authority.]
[In his two-minute address]:
[WHOOP! WHOOP! WHOOP! Weasel word alert: "seemed". To whom? To Sally Goldenberg, Dana Rubenstein, and Liam Stack, the authors? Since Tisch's and Mamdani's stances re Israel are deemed relevant to the reporters, are the reporters' stances re Israel relevant in arriving at the conclusion "seemed designed to"?
["Seemed designed to" what?]
["Seems" reasonable. What did Mamdani do wrong again? Break a campaign promise? Lie to nytimes?]
[It did? Can we have the methodology, sample construct and size of those consulted on the "international left" and the percentage who responded, "his stature is reinforced as a pre-eminent voice" of us. I was not surveyed by GoldenRubenStack and I have an ANTIFA sticker on my car bumper. I wouldn't consider myself among the "international" left but the question is begged, who are these international southpaws and who among my esteemed fellow travelers did GoldenRubenStack survey to elevate Mayor Mamdani to international-left-preeminent-voicehood? Is there a president or I don't know a General Secretary or something of the "international left" that Mamdani might be running for? I might be interested in that position too.]
...
[In his two-minute address]:
The mayor then said that city lawyers had determined he did not have the authority to arrest Mr. Netanyahu, and urged the federal government to enforce the International Criminal Court’s arrest warrant for the Israeli leader.
Mr. Mamdani recorded the video Tuesday afternoon and was personally involved in editing the clip, according to a city official familiar with its preparation. The message seemed designed to...
[WHOOP! WHOOP! WHOOP! Weasel word alert: "seemed". To whom? To Sally Goldenberg, Dana Rubenstein, and Liam Stack, the authors? Since Tisch's and Mamdani's stances re Israel are deemed relevant to the reporters, are the reporters' stances re Israel relevant in arriving at the conclusion "seemed designed to"?
["Seemed designed to" what?]
...to assure his supporters that he remained steadfast in his criticism of Israel despite his inability to make good on his campaign vow, while reassuring others that he would not overstep his authority.
["Seems" reasonable. What did Mamdani do wrong again? Break a campaign promise? Lie to nytimes?]
The video instantly reinforced Mr. Mamdani’s stature as a pre-eminent voice of the international left...
[It did? Can we have the methodology, sample construct and size of those consulted on the "international left" and the percentage who responded, "his stature is reinforced as a pre-eminent voice" of us. I was not surveyed by GoldenRubenStack and I have an ANTIFA sticker on my car bumper. I wouldn't consider myself among the "international" left but the question is begged, who are these international southpaws and who among my esteemed fellow travelers did GoldenRubenStack survey to elevate Mayor Mamdani to international-left-preeminent-voicehood? Is there a president or I don't know a General Secretary or something of the "international left" that Mamdani might be running for? I might be interested in that position too.]
...and gave the issue prominence at a time when Mr. Netanyahu’s conduct of the war in Gaza has led to two independent United Nations inquiries and humanitarian groups inside and outside of Israel to accuse him of perpetrating a genocide — an accusation that Mr. Netanyahu denies.
[Really? So two mins from a 30-something, 7-month mayor of the Toilet Nation's largest metro "gave the issue prominence"...wait for it! "when Mr. Netanyahu’s conduct of the war in Gaza has led to two independent United Nations inquiries and humanitarian groups inside and outside of Israel to accuse him of perpetrating a genocide..."
[So all those "others" didn't sufficiently give "the issue prominence", it took the evil, anti-war crimes, anti-genocide, law-following, international, 30-something mayor of NYC to really hit the nail on the head with a two-minute address viewed by 64M. Hey, not tooting my own horn but I have a blog with 7M total pageviews (in 16 yrs :( )]
The video also drew backlash from pro-Israel groups and from the Israeli government. Several said the video could inflame antisemitism, and accused the mayor of being overly focused on international relations at a time when his city is facing acute problems.
Well, GoldenRubenStack, you have not convinced me of whatever you were trying to convince me of, but I will take my new status as a member of the "international left" with your thanks. Muaw.
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