*Clarence Thomas and Democratic Fecklessness.*

Just as Republicans (in Congress and on the Supreme Court) have a tradition of disrespect for democracy and the rights and interests of the non-rich, Democrats have a habit of timidity and weakness in defending them.

I have a suspicion that a lot of this timidity and weakness has been purchased by rich donors that will only support "centrists".

*Gorsuch Failed to Disclose He Sold Home to CEO of Major Law Firm.* That was just before Gorsuch got onto the Supreme Court. That law firm has had 22 cases before the Supreme Court since then.

I don't know whether Gorsuch made any decisions specifically in return for (or gratitude for) that sale of property. It could be that Gorsuch's plutocratist ideology is firm and he would usually have decided for the benefit of the wealthy. Perhaps that law firm generally represents the wealthy. If so, that law firm perhaps had no need to pay to assure his support most of the time. Maybe he was glad to get paid off for harm he would have done anyway.

*Ocean Warming Study So Distressing, Some Scientists Didn't Even Want to Talk About It.*

A protist species known as "philaster" was responsible for nearly eliminating a species of sea urchins on the US east coast and in the Caribbean.

Is there any chance this organism could be used safely to save California's kelp forests from the sea urchins that are wiping it out? That does not automatically follow — the sea urchins there might be immune to them, or they might destroy other species too. Research would be needed.

Robert Reich: the corrupter should be barred from running for office because of his involvement in attempted insurrection.

The article uses the word "treason" to describe this. In everyday informal terms, that word fits; but it is better to be precise in this context, because the Constitution gives a definition of "treason" which is much narrower: fighting against the US on behalf of an enemy country. For clarity, we should say "insurrection".