The good:
Dolly Parton’s name might inspire full-throated sing-a-longs to her
working woman’s anthem “9 to 5,” or evoke memories of thrilling days
spent at her Dollywood theme park.
Now, the Grammy-winning country music superstar
is lending her name to a new cause: advancing pediatric health care in
her home state. The East Tennessee Children’s Hospital announced
Thursday that it will now be known as Dolly Parton Children’s Hospital.
“Ever
since I’ve been in a position to do my part, to help others, I have
tried to do just that. Especially when children and families need it
most,” Parton said in a video announcement. “I’ve always believed that
every child deserves a fair chance to grow up healthy, hopeful and
surrounded with love.”
The impact of Parton’s philanthropy
is already felt across Tennessee and beyond. Her Imagination Library
initiative reports to send 3 million free books every month to children
whose parents request them. She donated $1 million to Vanderbilt University’s Medical Center
for research that helped produce Moderna’s COVID-19 vaccine. And her
charitable foundation provides numerous college scholarships and offers
disaster relief.
Dolly Parton Children’s Hospital did not share how much Parton donated
as part of the naming announcement. But Matt Schaefer, its president and
CEO, said her support would ensure “every child who walks through our
doors receives the treatment they deserve.”
Adam Cook, the independent not-for-profit hospital’s chief
development and public affairs officer, said they would continue
offering the same care that the community has come to expect. The gift
“encourages us to continue to support our mission,” he added.
“This is a generational collaboration that will transform pediatric
care in this region,” Cook said in a statement to the Associated Press.
“It will positively impact patients and families for decades to come.”...
Dolly Parton is a National Treasure and one of the finest people living today.
The bad:
Timeline: 2014: Trump says Obama will invade Iran because he’s not a good enough negotiator to get a deal with them
2015: Obama, with the backing of the EU, China, Russia and others, gets a deal with them
2018: Trump cancels deal bc it was Obama’s and says he can negotiate a better one.
2018-2020: Trump can’t negotiate one. Arms control experts
and Trump officials start to grumble that scrapping Obama’s deal was
probably a bad idea.
2025: Trump still can’t negotiate a new deal
2025: Israel launches an attack on Iran. Drags Trump in. Trump claims Iran’s nuclear capacity was wiped out
2025-2026: Trump still can’t negotiate a deal
2026: Trump launches a regime change war on Iran, at Israel’s goading
Operation Epic Epstein Fury is a tragedy born of the Malignant Fascist's weakness, ignorance, incompetence, and epic narcissistic sociopathy. The loss of every servicemember, every innocent person here and abroad can be blamed on this moron's id acting out. Prodded by the self-interested, morally bankrupt leaders in Israel and Saudi Arabia, this stupid person's idea of a strong President has sowed the wind ... whirlwind coming.
The ugly:
A gunman wearing clothes with an Iranian flag design and declaring “Property of Allah” killed two people and wounded 14 early Sunday at a Texas bar, a law enforcement official told The Associated Press. The FBI is investigating the shooting, which erupted a day after the U.S. and Israel launched an attack on Iran, as a potential act of terrorism.
Police in Austin shot and killed the gunman, who used both a pistol and a rifle to carry out the attack, police said.
The suspect drove past the bar several times before stopping and shooting from the window of his SUV at people on a patio and in front of the bar, according to Austin Police Chief Lisa Davis.
He then parked, got out with a rifle and began shooting at people walking along the street before officers rushed to the intersection and shot him, Davis said. Three of the injured were in critical condition Sunday morning, she said.
The gunman was identified as 53-year-old Ndiaga Diagne, the Department of Homeland Security said in a statement.
He first entered the U.S in 2000 on a B-2 tourist visa and became a lawful permanent resident six years later after marrying a U.S. citizen, according to DHS. He became a naturalized U.S. citizen in 2013, the department said. Diagne was originally from Senegal, according to multiple people briefed on the investigation who spoke on the condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to publicly discuss the investigation.
Authorities found “indicators” on the gunman and in his vehicle leading the FBI to look into the possibility of terrorism, said Alex Doran, the acting agent in charge of the FBI’s San Antonio office.
Violence -- random or otherwise -- here and elsewhere will doubtless be one of the a consequences of the Malignant Fascist and Netanyahu's attacks on Iran and its despicable regime. Those consequences will be something we're likely going to have to live with for the foreseeable future, thanks to two felons whose only plan is to save themselves at all costs. Sadly, another byproduct will be MAGAts fanning Islamophobia to rally the bigots around their desperate leader (the anti-Semites will be out in force, too, thanks to more of Netanyahu's murderous behavior).
