Traditionally, Ash Wednesday and Lent are associated with Catholicism, but that no longer holds true. More Christians are taking advantage of the “forty days” (it’s really 46) today prepare for Easter.

Lent is a time to fast, pray, give alms. Many Catholics will give something up. Sweets, alcohol, meat, cursing, something that is supposed to be sacrificial and difficult. We perform acts of penance, and frequently take part in public prayer, such as the Stations of the Cross, which most parishes will have weekly, often before a Lenten meal.

All this is meant to spiritually lead us into the desert, to prepare us to really be able to celebrate on Easter Sunday with a cleansed heart, open totally to Jesus in the Resurrection. It should also open us to our fellow men on this journey, particularly those in need.

If you have never thought much about Ash Wednesday and Lent, I invite you to consider making it a part of your life for the next six weeks. It’s one of the best things you can do for yourself as a Christian.

Should you wish to participate in an Ash Wednesday service, you do not have to be Catholic. You will be welcome at any parish, and you can receive the ashes. As the priest, deacon, or perhaps layperson makes the cross on your forehead they will say “Remember that you are dust, and to dust you shall return” or “Repent, and believe in the Gospel.” (more…)

In an effort to keep the Daily Open Thread a little more open topic we are going to start a new daily thread for “Presidential Politics”. Please use this thread to post anything relating to the Donald Trump Administration and Presidency.

This thread will refresh daily and appear above the Open Discussion Thread.

President Trump Twitter @POTUS / Vice President Pence Twitter @VP

Sarah H Sanders Twitter @SHSanders45

Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy Name. Thy kingdom come. THY WILL BE DONE, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation, but DELIVER US FROM EVIL.

For Thine is the kingdom and the power and the glory, forever and ever. Amen †

According to ranking member Adam Schiff his declassification request was critically important, immediately necessary,… vital to the larger understanding,… intensely important to get released… etc.  Well, where is it?

UPDATE:  Schiff now says he doesn’t want it released.

Last Friday FBI Director Christopher Wray and DOJ AAG Rod Rosenstein, informed the White House chief legal counsel of declassification adjustments needed for release. The White House subsequently informed congress and requested Adam Schiff (House Intelligence Committee) to work with the FBI and DOJ therein for quick release.

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It goes without saying the U.S. institutional media apparatus have cherry-picked the most useful parts of the collective testimony today to frame their necessary talking points. FBI Director Christopher Wray, CIA Director Mike Pompeo, Director of National Intelligence Dan Coats, Defense Intelligence Agency Director Lt. Gen. Robert Ashley, NSA Director Adm. Michael Rogers and National Geospatial Intelligence Agency Director Robert Cardillo.

However, with that said, and understanding the aggregate intelligence apparatus are working together with some of the more genuinely significant members of three congressional committees (Chairman Nunes, Chairman Grassley and Chairman Goodlatte); and accepting larger understandings become increasingly worthwhile amid the segments the media apparatus would prefer to overlook; here’s the full congressional testimony of the intelligence agencies:

Feel free to use the comment section to draw attention to any particular points you feel might be of significant interest.  Please note the exact time within the video as it relates to your comment.  Thanks.

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It’s doubtful you can find a more succinct example of TDS than a seemingly inebriated Democrat Senator asking the aggregate intelligence apparatus, during a public session of congress, to give specific details of U.S. covert intelligence efforts to thwart Russian, Chinese and North Korean cyber-warfare.   [Watch around 06:30] As Democrat Senator Joe Manchin professionally restrained himself from laughing, even Democrat Senator Kamala Harris couldn’t avoid the eye-roll.  ‘Muh Russia’ is real.

Senator Jack Reed (D-RI), ranking member of armed services committee, began his mid-day sluration with a ‘resist-we-much‘ effort to continue the vast White House Russian conspiracy narrative, and slowly morphed into a weirdly-sounding intoxicated demand for the NSA, CIA and intelligence officers to give him specific examples of their efforts to combat quantum cyber-intelligence operations.   Eventually ODNI Dan Coats grabbed the wheel and stopped Senator Reed from going full  Chappaquiddick…  WATCH:

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Earlier today one of the more consequential meetings took place between President Trump and his economic team -vs- the professional UniParty apparatus consisting of multinational corporate-purchased Democrats and Republicans.

The policy discussion isn’t sexy or headline making from the perspective of the U.S. media; however, the resulting outcomes will have more of a bearing on you and your family than any other economic policy conflict in this administration.

On one side we have President Trump and a very focused policy and trade group containing Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross, Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin and U.S. Trade Representative Ambassador Robert Lighthizer. On the other side the corporate UniParty apparatus consisting of U.S. Chamber of Commerce Republicans and Democrats.

An encapsulated view would be Main Street (Trump) -vs- Wall Street (UniParty).

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This is THE battle. This is the “trillions at stake“. Everything else is chaff and countermeasures; a war is being waged around this financial issue. Everything within the current conflict is downstream from the economic argument around these issues.

This is the epicenter of the entire institutional conflict against President Trump. This is why THE SWAMP, through all its various affiliated and indulgent enterprises – including the intelligence apparatus, are waging a battle against the disruption that is President Trump.

It is the money.

Period.

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The “official portraits” of former President Barack Obama and former First-lady Michelle Obama have been revealed.  The Smithsonian’s National Portrait Gallery unveiled its commissioned portraits on Monday.  Barack Obama image, painted by artist Kehinde Wiley, shows him seated in front of an ivy backdrop, while Michelle Obama was painted by Amy Sherald in a pale blue setting.

Art is subjective.  The portraits are just plain goofy.

Even the furthest-left liberals intrinsically know those portraits are goofy.  That’s what is funny about them.  The loons begin a process of high-brow philosophical discussion about the bold dynamic within the medium, the inherent nuance, invisible overtures, fascinating artistic meaning and deeply elevated intellectual stimulation…

And there it is; amid the subtle head-tilts, high-minded discussion depth and shallow chin-clutched adoration we see a glorious display of a naked emperor convincing a particular mind how his robe is such magnificent splendor.

The portraits are goofy.

Perfect.

White House Press Secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders holds the press briefing for Tuesday February 13th. Anticipated start time 2:30pm

UPDATE: Video Added

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Stella gives us the details on this delicious Detroit custom. I was actually in Detroit one year on Fat Tuesday and I got to try them. Very good! Go check out the post at Stella’s!