Open Thread April 1 2026

 Posted by at 6:00 am  Holiday, Open Thread, Personal, Politics
Apr 012026
 

Yesterday, April Fool came early for me. My email client was experiencing problems – by 2 pm I had only received four emails, and that is deflinitely not normal. When something like that happens, the first thing I do is try a different browser. I tried a total of four – no joy. I kept refreshing my main browser. Meanwhile, I went through Substack to get to some of my main sources. I have not been looking forward to today.

On Monday, Malcolm pointed out that everything he has pointed out might be possible in the war has subsequently showed up in the national news (NYT, WSJ, WP, etc.) not soon enough for them to have gotten the stories from him directly, but rather, in a time frame for someone to have suggested to Kegsbreath and him to – at least verbally – run with it. And Netanyahu is now poisoning Iran’s and other Gulf states’ water (a war crime, in case anyone didn’t know. (We did it to Kishem Island a couple of weeks ago – Just one of our war crimes.) I am beginning to understand, not just with my brain, but with my heart, why many Jewish people, Israeli and diaspora alike, think it is antisemitism to criticize Israel. When people anywhere in the world, including within the US, criticize the US, even though my brain knows it is the Saffron Sauron and his orcs and nazgul they are criticizing and not me personally, I can’t help feeling sad and a little hurt.

I know we are all worried about the Supreme Court, and we all know something is needed to change it. But we don’t all agree on what needs doing – and I don’t think we really have so much as a concept of a plan as to how the necessary changes can be accomplished. So you may be as encouraged as I am by this conversation between former US Attorney Joyce Vance and Brennan Center Senior Fellow Jesse Wegman (who was essentially hired by Brennan to address the Supreme Curt, but also has a book out about the Electoral College.) It’s 28 minutes, and if that’s too long, there’s a transcript.

I did mention this, but there is much more information here. May Day is the day.

Yeah. Well, that’s the headline. But I’m not seeing them voting that way, or even saying much about it. Certainly not in the numbers needed to make it happen.

It’s been a minute since we had an episode of this series, and this sounds like the final one. My father (who served in WWII, but as a telegrapher) was not in this one, having been medically discharged prior to November 1944. (If he had been there, I almost certainly would not be here.) I could wish that more people remembered – if not from life, at least from education – how important this war was for all of us.

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Open Thread March 29 2026

 Posted by at 6:00 am  Holiday, Open Thread, Personal, Politics
Mar 292026
 

Yesterday, the radio opera was one of my top two or three favorites – “La Traviata” by Verdi. I always tear up – not at the end, but in the middle when she says goodbye to Alfredo. That is the saddest event in it. I can get through the end when she dies without tears (or at least with a lot fewer tears), because she dies happy – for two reasons – because Alfredo has come back to her, and because of spes phthisica – a kind of euphoria experienced by pulmonary tuberculosis patients. I expect it’s a romantic fantasy that it happens only at the moment of death, but it is a real phenomenon. So the only sad people on stage when she dies are Alfredo and his father – and I don’t actually have much sympathy for either of them. It’s Violetta who is the victim. The music is exquisite throughout, and all the main characters get some to sing.

When I was in college at Stanford, and my mother worked for the University as supervisor of the Gift Processing Team (which is a story in itself), I would often go to her office building after my classes were through. A friend and colleague of hers in a totally different department but working in the same building was an art lover, and he would from time to time collaborate with the art college to mount shows in his (and Mom’s) building and maybe even sell some of the art. One grad student named Edith Bergstrom had one of these shows, and it pretty well sold out. Everyone loved her work, oils and watercolor alike, and she was only asking $30 each painting. I bought a couple and so did Mom, and I still have mine and now have hers, and still love them. After she completed her advanced degree, she didn’t exactly change her style, but she changed her subject matter, deciding to paint only palms – trees, branches, leaves and some combinations. And she was successful – Since today is Palm Sunday, I thought I would find one of her paintings on the internet and use it here. I’ve selected the focal point of a much larger piece, but it may give you an idea.

Everyone who participated in any No Kings is special – but this one is – let’s say offbeat.

This happens from time to time and it’s always good to hear. Good people exist.

This is kind of cool. We ever had anything like this when I was in school – I would have loved to participate.

This is not a big project with people going out of their way to help others, but it is definitely amusing.

This video features excerpts from CPAC. But not what you’d expect. Please don’t skip it.

Dog

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Open Thread March 20 2026

 Posted by at 5:53 am  Holiday, Open Thread, Personal, Politics, Religion
Mar 202026
 

Yesterday, the “warcast” was so consequential (and it was long because it was so consequential) that I put it with a link into a comment on yesterday’s OT. I hope I don’t have to do that again today, but I might have to. S–t is getting more and more real. And it’s not like we don’t have things to worry about here. I have to be glad my mother didn’t live to see this (not that it was likely – if she were alive today ahe’d be 119.) Happy Eid al Fitr, if it’s today – if not today, it’s tomorrow. Today was predicted, but not certain. Also, my PCP has moved out of town, nd I called and made an appointment with a new provider. Then I got transferred to an RN to ask about symptoms – specifically, if I have two conditions which essentially show the same symptoms, how do I tell the difference? We kind of talked that through – she brought up a lot that I hadn’t thought of, and ended up telling me I am a “bright and funny lady.” Not sure I deserve that, but it was nice yo hear. Too late, I should have told her about “RN” standing for “Real Nice.” Today is Eid al Fitr probably – if it isn’t today, it’ll be tomorrow.

I hope to God Talking Points Memo sent this to Governor Polis. He could use a little starch in his spine right about now.

The current year is not just the 240th anniversary of the United States; it is also the 250th anniversary of “The Wealth of Nations” by Adam Smith. He has been called “the father of conservative economics, but his book is neither conservative nor about economics as we understand the term today. Robert Reich makes that case better than I could.

“Master Plan” is a group of podcasts, now in its second season, created by The Lever to answer the question “How TF did we even get to where we are now?” The first season has eleven episodes with an umbrella title of “Legalizing Corruption,” and a bonus episode with Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse. The second season’s umbrella title is “The Kingmakers.” Only one episode is available now, but there will be as many more as they think are needed. Every episode can be listened to from this link. The first season is now available as a book.

JE drugs

Cat

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Open Thread March 17 2026

 Posted by at 6:00 am  Holiday, Open Thread, Personal, Politics
Mar 172026
 

Yesterday, I got an email from Johns Hopkins University, which just receives an Oscar for its (Netflix) documentary “All the Emppty Rooms,” which refers to the bedrooms of children who after school shootings did not come home. That documentary will be screened in DC on March 25 at their Bloomberg Theater on W Penn Ave. I sent an email to Indivisib;e Colorado and said that we have nine days to get Coloradans to either sign a petition or send individual emails to our Congressional delegation, and particularly to the Republican House members, to pressure them to go watch it. We’ll see if anything comes of that. I don’t have cable, but I assume if any of my readers is a Netflix subscriber, you can see it that way. Also, Glenn Kirschner did a (40 minute) video with Adam Klasfeld on the Halkbank case. I have mentioned it, but it has been pretty much under the radar – a $20 Billion money laundering case involving a bank in Turkey which is somehow tied to US sanctions on Iran and also to the Apricot Antichrist’s “bromance” with Erdogan. Glenn summed it up by saying, “I keep saying it is inexplicable because i look at it, as I do everything, through my justice glasses. But – if I take them off – of course it is perfectly explicable.” So you all probably don’t need to watch, but I’ll give the link anyway. Also – the Prime Minister of Denmark stated that the US is no longer Denmark’s most important ally. Denmark’s most important allies are the Scandinavian nations, the European Unon, and Canada. (I might add that there is an election in Denmark in a week. And that Denmark has always shown up for us in every conflict since WWII.) I got that last tidbit from Jacob Kaarsbo who works with Malcolm Nance (and who is Danish) on the daily war report. That whole report today made me want to repeatedly beat a wall with my head, so I’m not giving that link, but if you want it, say so in a comment and I will put it in a reply, or in an email if I have yours.

An update from Joyce Vance in the Fulton County election records seizure case. I don’t know about anyone else, but the moment the DOJ put their hands on those records I wrote this off on the basis that those records had already been corrupted and would no longer be valid for any purpose whatsoever. But apparently Fulton County thought it was worth taking to court.

A respected reporter writing about an FCC chair who royally disrespect reporters and the media they rode in on. And a couple more stories. Feel free to keep scrolling.

This from Axios was very brief when I collected it yesterday – but sometimes these alerts get fleshed out over time. It concerns me because – although in this regime there are NO adults in the room, she appears to be the closest thing to one that there is. Think about Miller getting promoted into that position. That truly scares me.

Dog

Did anyone watch the Oscars? I didn’t – I think the last time I did was the year Halle Berry won Best Actress. and thst’s been d minute. But Liza Donnelly (a New Yorker cartoonist who is involved in politics as a citizen) did, and linked to what she says is “the one speech from the Oscars that you actually need to listen to.” And I would bet she is right. Here’s that link.

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Open Thread February 17 2026

 Posted by at 6:04 am  Holiday, Open Thread, Personal, Politics
Feb 172026
 

Yesterday, I checked in on line for my lab appointment I had to postpone from last week. This is not the best weather for dressing so that one’s veins can easily be reached, so I’ll need a jacket or a coat – or maybe a poncho is the best idea. But it could be worse. I tried to get a solid head start on tomorrow’s post, so if it’s a trifle dated, that would be why. (Also, did you ever expect to see a political cartoon whose entire caption is a classic poem by an American who would later be the Poet Laureate of the US? It also happens to be one of my all-time favorites by anyone.)

When you read this headline, you may think it is satirical. It isn’t. It may or may not be true, but it isn’t satire. He seriously claims it.

This is handy. Do you suppose any Republicans might learn from it that some rules actually do reply to them? (I doubt it.)

This is a heartfelt piece of writing. Don’t think that the video at the top is a long one – it’s only 29 seconds and is just an illustration.  It is the second video which is a minute, and there’s a photo. The video at the end, however, is a real song (JoJo uses popular music the way I use animal rescues.) You may have heard it before. And there is one more picture still below it.

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Open Thread February 16 2026

 Posted by at 5:50 am  Holiday, Open Thread, Personal, Politics
Feb 162026
 

May I say something about the partial government shutdown which i don’t think is getting enough attention? Congress voted to provide zero funding for DHS in this fiscal year. But it did not vote to rescind any funds already allocated in the big brutal bill, and that bill includes a huge slush fund for ICE (and I think but am not certain also for CBP) – enough to fund them through September 2029, I have heard. So they are not shut down – but the rest of DHS is. The rest of DHS includes FEMA, the Coast Guard, and more – good stuff. I’m not trying to say the shutdown didn’t need to be done – it did, and it may need to continue – it’s a serious bargaining chip. But it isn’t an instant solution to anything. Y’all are smart and may well know all of this. But I guarantee there are a lot of people out there who need to know it and don’t.,

No one needs me to tell them that this is outrageous. It is and/or will be clear to every one who hears about it. Unfortunately, these days, if there’s an outrage, it must be a day that ends in “y”.

This is a story which was featured at the Philadelphia Independence National Historic Park near Independence Hall. Naturally, it was dismantled by our fascist regime. It doesn’t mean that Washington was a jerk who deserves no honor – that would be false. It does mean that Washington was a human being and therefore not perfect, and that he was a child of the era into which he was born. But, to fascists, that’s blasphemy, I guess.

Dog

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Open Thread February 14 2026

 Posted by at 6:00 am  Holiday, Open Thread, Personal, Politics
Feb 142026
 

Happy Valentine’s Day, All.

Yesterday, I woke up early (for me) and couldn’t get back to sleep. I was hoping that would at least help me to get up this morning – it may have, or it may not.

From The Talking Points Memo – The Apricot Antichrist takes on the entire judicial branch. This could be funny if it weren’t so – venal.

This from The Intercept just gobsmacks me. And also makes me glad I froze my information at all three credit bureaus. I hope y’all have done the same.

Yes, this from Law & Crime is a political story. The young woman died on January 10, 2025, just 10 days before that inauguration. The justice system in Texas has done nothing, so the police in Cheshire, England are now getting involved. The story is also in The Root – each has details the other doesn’t.

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Open Thread January 19 2025

 Posted by at 6:00 am  Holiday, Open Thread, Personal, Politics
Jan 192026
 

Yesterday, The Root had a trivia piece on MLK Jr which went deeper than I’ve ever seen before. You might enjoy it. TomCat was a close enough friend of his the he might have known all or most of it – even I knew some of it, but a lot of it was news to me. With four articles today, I’m skipping the political video – but not the animal video. Also, Trinette was by to help me take out trash (and recyclables.)

Joyce Vance discusses the Insurrection Act, including how to recognize bait when we see it, and why we should not take it.

Robert Hubbell addresses specific misconceptions about the Insurrection Act (and there are many floating around.)

Wikipedia lists every time the Insurrection Act has been invoked, both legally and illegally. It appears to me – and feel free to disagree – that every time it has been invoked, the civil rights of vulnerable people were being attacked – and the sometimes the invocation intervened on the right side, and sometimes on the wrong side. If the Saffron Sauron invokes it, it is certain to be on the wrong side.

Robert Reich addresses what can be done about it, who can actually do that. and what we can do to help, mostly by adding pressure.

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