Good morning on a sunny and fairly warm day. We had an errand and I didn't need my heavy sweater. (I avoid wearing my winter coat--just don't really like it but am too cheap to buy another.)

Stray thought: reading this piece by Bill Astore I remember a bit I read in a book on the history of Rome. It recounted the transition from Republic to Empire and said that Augustus managed it by neatly gathering all the strings of power into his own hands while maintaining the illusion that the institutions of the Republic were still effective. The Senate still met but had less and less power as time went on. There were still Tribunes but they were subservient to Augustus. The various priesthoods answered to Augustus who held the supreme priesthood. And the power of ordinary citizens to affect policy, never really strong, was canceled out.

Interesting article on CNN today on the reestablishment of volunteer, corporate armies. Evidently 16 major companies and several minor ones are "recruiting" volunteers from among their employees who do their regular work while also participating in the security forces. These armies appear to function like our National Guard does. I am not at all sure how voluntary the recruitment is.

I love this post by Crooks&Liars. I am no fan of Margery Taylor Green and absolutely do not see why her constituents keep voting for her.

In case any one really thought Navalny died of some unspecified natural cause, this should raise suspicions. There was a debate during the pandemic about how to count the Covid deaths. Did someone die OF Covid or WITH Covid? If a person with diabetes or heart problems (or whatever) who contracted Covid die of the underlying condition or of Covid? I never could see why the distinction was so important. Did Navalny die of an underlying natural cause or from that cause (or no cause) complicated by harsh treatment (a.k.a., torture). I don't think the distinction mattered to Putin who has rewarded the chief torturer with a promotion.

Ouch!!! The drought in Europe is continuing adding to the problems that are propelling farmers to drive their tractors and trucks to protest at various capitals.