While the internet is often a cesspool of information and exchange, I stumbled on a data site recently that fascinated me. Seems as though there are people or people with machines that can count the number of words that are spoken by each Supreme Court justice during each term. Seems as though the leading “talkers” on the court are Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson who has belted out 22,718 words as of Nov. 15, followed by Justice Elena Kagan, who had 16,405 words to be heard and then Justice Sonia Sotomayor, with a pedestrian 14,787 words that had to be said.
I’ll let you draw your own data conclusions. Just for reference funsies, there are four biological females on the court of nine justices.
Justice Clarence Thomas had the least words spoken of 3,817 words, followed by Justice Amy Coney Barrett who through out 6,669 words, falling way short of the word production of her female colleagues. Again, I’ll let you crunch the numbers on which ideology feels the need to “talk through cases” that require a written interpretation of the Constitution and law.
Happy Thanksgiving to all who celebrate. May your tables and hearts be full of well-cooked turkeys and lively discussions this season. I’d recommend football, discussions of how dry the turkey is and mild gossip about family members that don’t show before you break out the politics. If you go politics too early, it will probably ruin your meal, so probably late in the meal or post meal, after everyone has popped a button on their pants.
There are “Trump Charcuterie Board Displays” that you might be able to sneak into the event for a laugh, but that could lead to a long day with your great aunt or liberal sister, so choose carefully on when you want to make your move. Subtle hints like playing YMCA or wearing a non-descript red ball cap might be a smarter move. You can claim innocence on those moves. Claiming innocence is also a next level Trump innuendo, just fyi.
Are there people that don’t celebrate Thanksgiving? I assume someone is mad over that holiday as well. As I can best tell it is an outgrowth of a 1621 harvest feast shared between the Wampanoag people and Pilgrims, but I’m sure there’s a more sinister version of the origin out there. It’s hard to hate the modern-day version.
It’s really the longest holiday for most of us and it includes football, food, and family, so two out of three ain’t bad.
I would also like to once again remind you that the Wednesday before Thanksgiving is one of the biggest party days of the year. Often referred to as Blackout Wednesday, which is not really recommended, but I’m just here to report the news.
I’ve aged out of Blackout Wednesday but can confirm the event is real.
Oh wait, the internet giveth and taketh away. I found out that some Native American groups don’t celebrate Thanksgiving and surprisingly Jehovah’s Witnesses do not, so I guess the possibility exists that they might stop by on a recruitment visit, the Jehovahs, not the Native Americans.
Anyway, just don’t throw “Happy Thanksgiving” out to any of these groups that are in your circle and you should be good.
You’re welcome.
(Guy Speckman can be reached arranging Trump Charcuterie Boards for the holidays)
