Saturday, February 21, 2026

Two Views, Same Place

 Many of these photos are from the internet.


Catawba Falls NC (not my photo)

 Catawba Falls, NC


From Asheville, 1893 and 2026...

Biltmore Village in 1893 and today. All Souls church was being built


Different views of Looking Glass Falls NC


Looking Glass Falls 1925. Asheville Post Card Co.
 Lower left corner shows photographer, Masa, numbering 0-5456.



This could be my photo, or one like it. This site is right next to US Highway 276 near Brevard NC.

Taken by drone probably...

Lady Liberty





Yellowstone Lower Falls, WY by Rob Moody


Yellowstone Falls in winter

From London England


The Temple Bar, the last surviving ceremonial gateway to the City of London

Sharing with Sepia Saturday






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A body of clay, a mind full of play, a moment's life -- that's me. 
-Harivansh Rai Bachchan, poet (1907-2003)

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Yesterday, February 20, 2026, the Supreme Court ruled tRump's tariffs were illegal.

"BREAKING: The U.S. Supreme Court on Feb. 20, 2026 ruled in a 6–3 decision that Donald Trump’s sweeping global tariffs were illegal because he exceeded his authority under federal law when he imposed them without clear congressional approval.



The Court held that the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA), the 1977 statute Trump cited to justify his tariffs, does not authorize the president to impose broad import taxes. Under the Constitution, that power is reserved to Congress.
Majority (6 Justices) Tariffs Struck Down
Chief Justice John Roberts (wrote the opinion)
Justice Sonia Sotomayor
Justice Elena Kagan
Justice Neil Gorsuch
Justice Amy Coney Barrett
Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson
These justices agreed that IEEPA does not grant tariff authority and that imposing tariffs of this scope without clear congressional authorization violates federal law.
Dissent (3 Justices)
Justice Brett Kavanaugh
Justice Clarence Thomas
Justice Samuel Alito
The dissenters argued that the statute could be interpreted to permit these actions or that the majority misread the president’s authority under existing law.
What This Means
The tariffs Trump imposed under emergency powers, including wide-reaching duties on imports from major trading partners, are no longer lawful.
The Court did not fully spell out the refund process, but companies that paid billions in tariffs may now seek refunds.
The ruling represents a significant check on executive power in trade policy and underscores that only Congress can authorize new taxes or tariffs.
This decision is a major blow to Trump’s economic agenda and could reshape how future presidents approach trade authority and executive power.

14 comments:

  1. Comparing past and present was a good idea for a post.

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    1. Thanks John. I do enjoy seeing both changes through time and weather events!

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  2. Yes. Very good news about the Supreme Court and tariffs but isn't Trump already trying a work-around?
    Thanks for the beautiful waterfall pictures. They are spectacular.

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    1. While Gov. Pritzer sues T for each Illinois’ citizens rebate!

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  3. Well we all know how much Trump respects the courts which is to say not at all. nd yeah, he's already trying to use another statute to impose them.

    I love that painted fence in your header!

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    1. Yep, as behavior to be expected. Glad you like the mural fence as much as I do.

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  4. All these photos are great. Comparative photos are always interesting & fun. I especially like your first 2 photos of Catawba Falls. The two Statue of Liberty photos say it all, sadly. And YAY for the U.S. Supreme Court. I hope their ruling sticks no matter how Trump tried to side-step it!

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    1. It is one moment in time. I was given some FB shots from a year ago when DOGE was in full swing. Next year? Who knows! The waterfalls change, yet water always falls,

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  5. ...we visited a number of frozen waterfalls this week.

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    1. Cool! Literally. Can't wait to see photos. Laughing out loud to see sign "Plan Ahea....d" again!

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  6. I love all the beautiful waterfall images, some I have seen.
    Take care, enjoy your day and weekend.

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    1. Aren't they wonderful? It's been years since I've seen Yellowstone, but I recognized it (in summer anyway!)

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  7. The two views of the Statue of Liberty are right on, unfortunately.

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  8. This is a terrific idea to compare views from different times. That comparison of Biltmore Village was startling since I drive through there often. I hadn't appreciated how small it once was. And of course recently it's been pictures about before and after Helene. It also fascinates me how drone photos now give us a true bird's-eye-view, a perspective that humans have never really experienced for themselves unless they've flown in some kind of aircraft.

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