Olympic Images

Someone close to me asked me this morning for my recommendation on who to vote for in CD 18. He is in current CD 9 but now will vote in the redrawn CD 18.  Without hesitation I recommended Cong. Christian Menefee. If Cong. Menefee ends up getting more votes than Cong. Al Green, blame it on the MAGA mid-decade gerrymander.

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Breaking news. The Supreme Court just ruled against the Donald Trump tariffs. Good.

From Reuters:

WASHINGTON, Feb 20 (Reuters) – The U.S. Supreme Court struck down on Friday President Donald Trump’s sweeping tariffs that he pursued under a law meant for use in national emergencies, rejecting one of his most contentious assertions of his authority in a ruling with major implications for the global economy. 

The justices, in a 6-3 ruling authored by conservative Chief Justice John Roberts, upheld a lower court’s decision that the Republican president’s use of this 1977 law exceeded his authority.

Roberts, citing a prior Supreme Court ruling, wrote that “the president must ‘point to clear congressional authorization’ to justify his extraordinary assertion of the power to impose tariffs,” adding: “He cannot.”

Here is what State Sen. Carol Alvarado just tweeted in response:

They finally made a ruling that warrants their name, supreme.

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This is from The Mirror:

Winter Olympics star Eileen Gu has sarcastically clapped back at J.D. Vance after the United States Vice President put his two cents in on her representing China over Team USA in freestyle skiing.

Gu, 22, a five-time Olympic medalist after adding two silvers at the Milano Cortina Games and becoming the most decorated female freestyle skier in the competition’s history, caused uproar this past month by continuing to compete for China rather than the United States, despite being a U.S. citizen born in California.

The Stamford University student was branded a “traitor” by some of her detractors and was even “assaulted” and received death threats over her decision. Vance also weighed in after watching ice hockey in Milan this month, questioning why Gu, a U.S. citizen born and raised, who benefited from the country’s “freedoms and liberties,” would choose to represent China.

Still, Gu is set to fly Chinese colors once more, competing for a gold medal in the women’s freeski halfpipe event at the Olympics.

However, before she suits up for the freeski halfpipe, Gu issued a sarcastic clapback aimed at Vance, and also hit out at her critics. 

“I’m flattered. Thanks, JD! That’s sweet,” she said in response.

Addressing the issue directly, Gu agreed when asked if she currently feels “like a bit of a punching bag for a certain strand of American politics at the moment.”

“I do,” Gu said. “So many athletes compete for a different country. People only have a problem with me doing it because they kind of lump China into this monolithic entity, and they just hate China. So it’s not really about what they think it’s about.

“And also, because I win. Like if I wasn’t doing well, I think that they probably wouldn’t care as much, and that’s OK for me. People are entitled to their opinions.”

I like Eileen Gu. She is right though. If she wasn’t picking up medals, nobody would give a rat’s arse who she is skiing for. She was interviewed on “Today” last week and it is clear she is a brand on the slopes and in the fashion world and she knows it. I loved her response to Vance. Let her ski.

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I don’t know if the Winter Olympics can get any better than yesterday afternoon. I had the ice hockey game on my iPhone gizmo and the figure skating on the flat screen.

I thought we were goners in ice hockey until we got a goal late in the game. I jumped out of my chair when we won in overtime. I felt for the Canada team and Canadian fans when they were shown in stunned silence right afterwards. Outstanding Olympic images for sure. It was great to see the team and fans in red, white and blue celebrate and wave the Old Glory.

The images from figure skating were just as powerful. Right off the bat Amber Glenn set the tone with a comeback masterful skate after Tuesday’s disappointing short skate. Alysa Liu then nailed it.  Liu has been a joy to watch. See the featured photo.

Have a safe Winter Olympics Closing Ceremony Weekend.