VITAMIN D OR MELANIN DEPRIVATION

When I was a kid my folks took the Reader's Digest condensed books. One volume contained My Life in Court by a lawyer named Louis Nizer. Once chapter detailed a libel suit by a writer named Quentin Reynolds against a virulant columnist named Westbrook Pegler. One of Pegler's claims was that Reynolds had lied about his time as a WWII correspondant in Egypt. Reynold's countered not only with testimony of fellow correspondants but medical records. He had been treated for sun poisoning. Reynolds was an Irish, freckled, red head who literally had to stay out of the sun for the sake of his health. Was never quite sure why until he met the army doctor who asked him where his parents were from in Ireland. I forget the name of the county but this is literally cloudy or foggy more than three hundred days a year. Hence the very fair skin.

This is a round about way to an idea. Most folks with fair skins come from northern Europe through  Central Europe,the Balkins, and northern Russia. Taking emigration into account. Theory. Caucasians are not superior because they have fair skin. They have fair skin to limited amounts of sun available during late fall, winter, and early spring a chance for their bodies to produce vitamin D. Not sure where the blond and red hair and blue eyes fit in this theory.

Of course it doesn't matter so much in an era of decent diet and kids not having to go into the factories or down the mines in the developed countries. Next time somebody claims his fair skin and blond hair make him or her superior to everyone else just remind him or her about vitamin D.

Studying evolution, geography and physical Anthropology just might allow some folks to come to this conclusion themselves. No wonder some Republicans believe that higher education isn't good for the country.

Reynolds won his libel suit and later wrote a pretty decent autobiography titled By Quentin Reynolds. The Internet Archive library has a copy last time I checked. Pegler's allegations covered more than the time in Egypt. Actually pretty nasty from a man who was once one of Reynold's friends.

THE GREAT TURTLE

At one time Mitch McCellan reminded me of a Victorian dowager who had just sucked  a lemon. A very big, very sour lemon. Lately reminds me of a turtle. A big old basking turtle trying to pretend he is a snappin turtle. Whatever. He has also acquired a couple of nicknames. Moscow Mitch because he has apparently accepted contributions from a Russian oligarch. At least one. Andhe  totally refuses to release the full Mueller Report. Heck, we paid for the damn thing we ought to have the right to read it. He also refuses do consider any actions to make our elections more secure from foreign interference. And has allowed the federal elections commision to basically go out of business becuase it does not have enough members to function.

Mitch doesn't like that nickname and wants us to stop. It isn't fair.  Maybe he would prefer Massacre Mitch. Picked that one up because he refuses any action on gun control. Nothing at all.

He has this power because he is the the Senate majority leader. This position was created in the 1920's. It is not in the constitution like the position of Speaker of the House. Near as I can tell the positions of majority/minority leaders were created as houseeping positions as more states were added and the senate became larger. And nowhere in the constitution is the power for him to block bills from being considered. This power may have been created over time to cater to the prejudices of individual members but it is not in the constitution.

Vote this turtle out. Send him back to Kentucky with his ill gotten gains and our disgust. Abolish the majority/minority leader positions, and require that all bills passed by one house be at least considered by the other house. If the bill is tabled requite a vote to do so. Don''t allow one or two members of congress to just block a bill the other house passed.