One woman

 "We are the living witnesses."

Choi Min-kyung has filed suit in South Korea against Kim Jong-un seeking damages for the torture and sexual violence she suffered in prison.  In a separate criminal complaint she asks prosecutors to investigate Kim and five others for crimes against humanity.

On its face this seems like an effort that would deter Don Quixote himself.  In a place without the rule of law or anything resembling ordinary humanity, what chance does she have?  Even if she got a judgment from a South Korean court it would be unenforceable.  Choi, who will always live with PTSD, is not deterred.  "This small step must become a cornerstone for freedom and human rights, so no more innocent North Koreans suffer under this brutal regime."

I wanted to start with Choi Min-kyung because it's easy to give up when faced with a corrupt Supreme Court, a supine legislature and a media that is hiding under the table.  We have to keep pushing that boulder up the hill.

But we may allow ourselves a brief period of amusement.  By now everybody has seen Trump's deranged letter to President Lula of Brazil, but have you seen this one to the president of South Korea, with trademark weird Capitalizations and thinly veiled threats?  "If for any reason you decide to raise your Tariffs, then, whatever the number you choose to raise them by, will be added onto the 25% that we charge."  What does he think this is, poker?  He also has no understanding -- still -- that a tariff on Korean goods sold at Costco will be paid by Bob and Betty Maga in Dismal Seepage, Ohio.  I hope they realize it's just National Security.

And the South Korean government isn't prosecuting any crooks who are Trump's Highly Respected pals, or they would have received the full meltdown, the one reserved for countries that still pursue diversity, equity and inclusion or try to limit the online agitating of racists, fascists and other Trump supporters.  President Lula got that one, which wore out a team of translators struggling to render it in literate Portuguese.  Fortunately the president of Liberia had already left, so he didn't have to keep his face straight while Trump praised his "beautiful" English.  Wait until he gets a look at Liberia's flag.

He'll assume it's a tribute to him and the way he saved America.

Are we the punchline of the world, or just the part that has internet?

Turning Point USA is holding another klavern (what are they, monthly?) and the big topic is not tariffs or concentration camps or Texas floods (shhh!) but Jeffrey Epstein.  MAGA was promised big news on the dead procurer, they were assured that Bondi had a list right on her desk and any minute now they'd find out about all those Democrats and Hollywood types who frequented the island and then -- poof! -- no list.  Up and vanished like a fart in the wind, as the warden of Shawshank would say.  There was even a binder for the elite of the far right labeled "The Epstein Files:  Phase 1."  No Phase 2?  

Greg Kelly of Newsmax (now a partner of Trump Media, I remind you) knows why:  Epstein was CIA, "engaging in sexual blackmail, blackmailing our adversaries.  And we still have leverage over our adversaries and that's why they can't reveal all the information...who knows, maybe Epstein is a patriot for crying out loud..."  Alan Dershowitz, struggling to regain relevance, says he knows everything that's in the (non-existent) files and why it's being suppressed.  "But I'm bound by confidentiality from a judge and cases and I can't disclose what I know."  So we should just trust him.  Uh-huh.  Tim Burchett ("Trump told me there's no windmills in China") brought a different interpretation to Newsmax:  "I think they were destroyed in the previous administration.  I think if they'd ever had anything on Trump it would have been out day one under the Biden administration."  No, because Biden didn't run on a promise of non-stop vengeance.  "There's Hollywood people.  I mean I think there's world leaders too...I want to bury those dirtbags."  

Bur for sad/funny, try this tweet from a disappointed Liz Wheeler:  "President Trump should not underestimate the significance of this moment.  He's losing goodwill by the day -- thanks to Pam Bondi.  Trump is smart.  He cares about his base.  He listens."  Oh, you sweet summer child.  Yes, it's all Bondi/Patel/Bongino's fault.  He's too trusting.  He gets bad advice.  Who hired life-forms like Bondi and Patel?  Someone smart?

It's Friday and I have bronchitis and I want to lie down.  On Monday I have to go back down the hill and find my boulder.  Do you mind if we cut this short?  Read a splendid interview with Eric Idle in today's Guardian.  He's 83 and he survived pancreatic cancer; maybe Joe Biden will, too.  And keep Choi Min-kyung in your thoughts.  Also...

"I'd be proud to be thrown out because I'd be in very select company.  The last English comedian to be thrown out of America for political reasons was Charlie Chaplin."

Yeah, we've been here before.