Open Thread July 5 2025

 Posted by at 5:59 am  Open Thread, Personal, Politics
Jul 052025
 

Yesterday, Virgil called and as always, asked how I was doing. I told him I really didn’t want to talk about it, so we didn’t. I’ll see him a week from tomorrow and if I’m up to it I’ll talk with him about it then. There were some explosions in the neighborhood , and it was, after all, the fourth, but it was nothing like previous years. And it may even stop after today, which is also nothing like previous years.

Well, here we are. Steve Schmidt discusses “Alligator Alcatraz” and compares it, not with Alcatraz, but with Auschwitz. H wonders out loud about the process of getting building permits. I would dudprvt there was no such process in Florida. Not that Florida law doesn’t cover it – it almost certainly does, though we have learned through multiple hurricanes that the specs are pretty lenient. But as the brainchild of the governor, I would expect it to have been bypassed.

Y’all know, because of Glenn Kirschner’s video, that Abrego Garcia’s attorneys requested he be kept in federal custody so that ICE could not kidnap him again. That’s one court case involving him. Another is a suit his wife has filed against ICE, and her attorneys have released a filing detailing what he endured while in CECOT. Yes, it’s ugly. And that’s why you should read it and spread it to others who have a milligram of empathy. No need to share it with anyone who will be aroused by it.

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Open Thread July 4 2025

 Posted by at 6:00 am  Open Thread, Personal, Politics
Jul 042025
 

Yesterday, as you all know, the House passed the Big Brutal Bill in the Senate version, despite the fact that Hakeem Jeffries kind of brought the filibuster over from the Senate in opposition. I believe there’s some intention of taking it to the courts but that doesn’t give me a lot of hope. Earlier tis week, John Pavlovitz already wrote that the Fourth of July this year is not a day for celebration but one of sitting vigil for the dead. I had already picked out my featured image, which is not current – it is from 2021. But though those people have been disgustingly pardoned, the sentiments hold, at least for me. And the traitors are still around. It’s not strong enough, but I doubt I could find a stronger one, and I’m not exactly feeling creative. I might point out that, with heir glair for deception, the bill is written so that any of the cuts do not take effect immediately – so the bill is also a time bomb. For a while they will be telling us “See? it isn’t so bad,” and that will be a lie. Today, do your best to summon up some joy and hope. You – and I – will need it.

https://joycevance.substack.com/p/the-democracy-index-76b
The Democracy Index is a feature of The Contrarian. There is a team pf highly qualified people who work on it, one of whom is Joyce Vance. TBH, reading or even skimming all the sources I subscribe to doesn’t leave me much time – or energy – to follow the Index. But this one is specifically for the Fourth of July, and today being the fourth, I decided to share it. I note that there is a comment on reading the chart, so I’ll remind everyone that the metaphor here is taking the temperature. Two of the thermometers are at at least 106°F, and one looks to be at maybe 101°F. You may disagree either with the chart or with my guesstimate (I personally think National Security is hotter than that), but it looks to be generally accurate in proportion.

This from Chris Bowers is about what the New York City primary results imply for the Democratic party, particularly in tandem with the recent successes of Bernie and AOC with their touring town halls. I really hope that enough Democrats are paying attention with open minds, because, if too many are not, we may see panicking which will hurt us all.

Yes, this is from the Senate’s vote on their version of the Big Brutal Bill. But I wouldn’t call it old.

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Open Thread July 3 2025

 Posted by at 6:00 am  Open Thread, Personal, Politics
Jul 032025
 

Yesterday, I spent about 17 minutes watching a video on Pete Buttigieg’s Substack – an interview with the mother of twin girls, one of whose lives depends on Medicaid. This shows why Pete is the best communicator in the Democratic Party – and one of the best in history. Tissue alert. 

Here are two articles from the 19th. One is a detailed story of one person who is a victim of ICE. But even in the context of this incident an entire community is affected. And the regime is taking this to such lengths that anyone could be affected. But the other article is about trends which absolutely will affect everyone over time – everyone who is still above ground.

Joyce Vance on the Supreme Court. I see I am not the only one who turns to Greek mythology to interpret present day events. That – and animals and knittng – I guess are reasons I feel somehow connected to Joyce.

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Open Thread July 2 2025

 Posted by at 6:00 am  Open Thread, Personal, Politics
Jul 022025
 

On Monday, I finally remembered to re-add images like Lona’s hedgehog and Freya’s angry cat to the media library late enough in the day that the should be the last thing added in June, to make them more convenient to find. Speaking of Freya, has anyone heard from her? It’s been a very long time, not just since she posted here, but since I (and also Evelyn, who is also concerned) got a newsletter from her. If you know anything, please put it into a comment or email me. Then yesterday, I got the news that Jimmy Swaggart has died. I won’t speak ill of the dead, and I assume everyone knows what that is code for.

There have been lively debates in comment sections about this case – which is now over – the baby, a boy named “Chance” was removed by C-section (and while the case it over for the courts, it’s not over for him, poor thing.) But this from The Conversation is about as complete an analysis of the ethics of the case as you are likely to find.

This is from The Brennan Center for Justice on the topic of the Supreme Court. I know in the past some have had issues getting to that site, so here is an archive link in case anyone needs it.

Here is an extra video which left me literally speechless:

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Open Thread July 1 2025

 Posted by at 6:00 am  Open Thread, Personal, Politics
Jul 012025
 

Yesterday, I went through a little more than two days of emails – I had not had the energy to tackle Sunday’s on Sunday. But Joyce Vance’s “The Week Ahead” from Sunday really shouldn’t be missed, both for the analysis and for the hope. Harry Litman addressed the same case – not the verdict itself but apparently even lawyers can’t agree on how awful it is.) Also yesterday – remember the Pearl Street bombing in Boulder, CO on June 1? Well, one more victim has died, as reported by Colorado Public Radio. She was 82 years old. Finally, USA Today has a pretty detailed account of the shooting in Idaho. I won’t claim is the best – I didn’t check everywhere – but it’s pretty solid. No paywall.
https://joycevance.substack.com/p/the-week-ahead-

This is a few days old – but I think still interesting to anyone who is still wondering just how effed up the knuckle-draggers working in the current regime can get. I would put this somewhere in the territory of FUBB and FUBAR.

John Pavlovitz was inspired (as was I) by Joe Biden’s presence and demeanor at the funeral of the Hortmans (Melissa, Mark, and Gilbert). This is what he had to say about it – and I can agree with just about every word. I did know what we had, and you may recall, was so crushed when he dropped out of the race that I had to take a week off to collect myself. I wish I had a way to forward this to President Joe. He deserves to know how much he is loved and missed.

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Open Thread June 30 2025

 Posted by at 6:00 am  Open Thread, Personal, Politics
Jun 302025
 

Yesterday, I saw Virgil and we played cribbage. The drive down was clear and sunny, with the sun high enough not to be a glare issue. But when I left, it was pouring in the parking lot, and by the time I got to the car I was drenched. And I stopped for gas because I has planned to, and really, really didn’t want to run out of it in the rain. Of course that was under cover of canopies. Thankfully, it didn’t last all the way home, but gradually tapered off. By the time I got to the county line I was wishing for my sunglasses, and put them back on at the next red light. Also yesterday, I saw this – has anyone else seen this information anywhere? It seems important.

Emil Bove’s hearing with the Senate Judiciary Committee was last week. John Thune intended to “start” voting on the Big Brutal Bill Friday. That may or may not have occupied the Senate all weekend – but while they might work overtime for that, I doubt they’d work overtime for a confirmation hearing. So I figure today to be the first possible day for Bove to face the full Senate. If it hasn’t happened yet, so much the better. Here is advice from Joyce Vance on how to present your objections to him to your Senator(s.

This from The F* News regarding not just Mamdani but specifically how politicians are reacting to him after his primary win is IMO relevant to what David Hogg is trying to accomplish (Mamdani was endorsed by Hogg and may even have been recruited by him). I think it’s pretty clear that party leaders who will congratulate but not endorse him are not taking that position on account of his youth. I don’t think they are even pretending to. Not that they should. Honesty is the best policy, as usual. But it does show we are not as united as we may appear to be because in opposition to Trump**(*) and MAGA, we are united.

This link goes to a donation page at Act Blue which appears to be the only way to see a 16-minute documentary video based on an investigation by More Perfect Union into why a Kentucky county which had voted Democratic for 144 years instead voted GOP in 2024. The report won an emmy, so it’s not just me who thinks it’s worth watching. A donation is not required to do so.

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Open Thread June 29 2025

 Posted by at 6:00 am  Open Thread, Personal, Politics
Jun 292025
 

Yesterday, the radio opera was so old that it predates the baroque period. I had never heard it, or even heard of it, but I did learn about that period in music history when they were inventing opera without realizing it (they thought they were bringing back ancient Greek theater.) The opera is called L’Orontea, and starts with a prologue where love and philosophy argue about who has more influence on humans. When in the first act the title character renounces love, it’s not hard to predict she is in for a bumpy ride. Also, there’s a new Betty Bowers video up.  It is so merciless that I decided to provide the link rather than post the video. Off to see Virgil now – I’ll check in when I get back.

This is the skinny on the next plan for national protesting. It’s good news because it means we are not stopping – and hopefully we are growing. The article is from Newsweek, but I was routed to it by The Smile.

This is from a Tucson TV news channel; I learned it from The Smile also.

I think this is a repeat, because i vaguely remember disapproval that she was allowed  “wine.”  Now that I can demonstrate that the “wine” she is allowed is non-alcoholic and specifically made for cats, I’m letting it run again.

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Open Thread June 27 2025

 Posted by at 6:08 am  Open Thread, Personal, Politics
Jun 272025
 

Yesterday, Bill Moyers died. He was 91. Even though he was not speaking/writing publicly, he will be missed.

Yeah, this happened in Colorado. Yeah, it’s terrible. Yeah, steps are being taken to avoid it happening again, but systems, like chains, are only as good as their weakest links. At least no one appears to be shrugging it off as inevitable, and that’s something.

This is also from Colorado (Colorado Public Radio). It would be better if the sentence were longer, but it’s good as far as it goes.

I don’t suppose there’s anything, speaking in terms of motivation, in the article that anyone with more than two brain cells to put together couldn’t have figured out. We shut up in situations when speaking out has real or potential negative consequences. But shutting up also has some real and potential negative consequences which might not be so easy to intuit. Hence this post

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