Open Thread August 28 2026

 Posted by at 5:30 am  Open Thread, Personal, Politics
Aug 282026
 

Wednesday, I went to bed around sunrise, and got up around sunset, and stayed up. On Thursday, I did the same, and finished and posted this in real time, around sunrise. That won’t last too long. The opera is tomorrow, and Trinette will be coming over Sunday. By Tuesday at the latest I should be back on a schedule which, if not exactly normal, is at least normal for me.
ttps://harrylitman.substack.com/p/the-other-side-of-dojs-corruption
I am not saying, and I don’t think Harry is saying, that this is entirely due to this DOJ having thrown the presumption of regularity out of a fiftieth story uindow. But I can’t help but think it does play a part. And so does sheer incompetence (something which affects every aspect of this regime, not merely the DOJ.)

https://joycevance.substack.com/p/revisiting-can-federal-troops-be
It always surprises me – and, frankly, feels false – when the Mango Moron is described as using a “trial run.” simply because I don’t think is intelligent eough – and I do think he is too vain – to believe he needs one. However, he does have lackeys who are knowledgeable enough to recommend trial runs to him, and possibly glib enough to get his approval. Of course, a trial run on his part may also become a trial run on our part – or, at the very least, a telegraphing of the nature of the attack before it occurs. I’m very glad Joyce Vance is doing the analysis so that I don’t have to – she is SO much better at it than I could possibly be.

https://thefuckingnews.substack.com
I expect the Guardian has all of these stories, and a lot more respectfully at that. Somehow, to me, the tone felt exactly right.

https://www.confrontthehate.com/p/the-american-caesar-why-extremists
Well, here it is at last – the truth that, if we become a fascist nation, it won’t happen or at least not completely, from our being careless and just sliding into it. We will have been deliberately dragged into it by people who know exactly what they are doing, and want it to happen, because tthey think it will allow them to get everything they want. It won’t. But by the time they figure that out, since they are wealthy and think wealth will buy everything, i will be far too late for all of us. So much for “most of us just want the same things.” The people who want the power they believe a monarchy will give them re totally different. They are a minority, yes -but they are a larger minority than normal people can begin to comprehend.

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Open Thread August 21 2026

 Posted by at 5:57 am  Open Thread, Personal, Politics
Aug 212026
 

Yesterday, I overslept, even for me. Well, that happens.

From Colorado Public Radio. Sadly, it makes sense to me. A fast burning fire would probably be at a higher temprature – and accordingly, do more damage in less time. And that’s in addition to burning more area. Knowing this would, it seems to me at first glance, give us the opportunity to do some manual re-seeding to give the area a boost to re-grow, but the article doesn’t mention that, so there may be reasons why this would not work, or worse, would make the area even more vulnerable to climate change. The people working on this are not idiots.

I do realize how next to imposssible it is to get people who live in fantasy worlds to see reality. But we are able to know reality when we see it – and there’s some reality in this letter which we should all be aware of.

This from Drop Site News may well tell you more about what some call the Boatiac Murders than you ever wanted to know. Yes, apparently they are no longer happening around Venezuela, but around Ecuador. But still being done in our name with our money.

Oh, goody. Just what we needed – NOT. Where’s the international association to teach the our people how to spread democracy? Yes, it takes capital to start a news outlet – nut there are some patriotic millionaires – there’s even a group called that.

Cat

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Open Thread July 4 2026

 Posted by at 6:00 am  Holiday, Open Thread, Personal, Politics
Jul 042026
 

Yesterday, Adam Klasfeld sent a link to his live reading of Justice Brown-Jackson’s concurrence in the birthright citizenship case, which is now scheduled for today at 12:30 pm Eastern. Generally Substack videos are recorded and available after the livestream ends. I certainly hope this one will be, because the opera will be on, and it doesn’t record. Here’s the link:
https://open.substack.com/live-stream/264623

[Update: It did go live but there was no sound. It did record, and still no sound as of 45 minutes after start. It onlt took 4 minutes 20 seconds so if (and I suspect he will) gets the sound fixed I’ll repost]

Update #2: I got several emails, but the last one, which came up at 12:44 my time (2:44 Eastern) and it is a recording. It is longer than the aborted one – it clocks at 33 minutes 21 seconds Link

By all means laugh at the headline – and laugh more at the subhead about how Robert Reich manages to make it valid.

Not trying to make a hero of John Brennan. But it’s pretty obvious he is not the only innocent (at least of what he’s being slammed with) person in the US who will benefit from the precedent this suit if it is victorious, as it certainly ought to be.

The Root here focuses on black communities, which is fine, because it is a black publication. But poor people of any color are affected pretty much equally, and may be even more invisible. This is why our real fight is not so much a political one as an economic one.

I don’t often post Andy Borowitz, because his articles for unpaid subscribers are usually just one-liners. Consider this a bonus post.

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Open Thread June 26 2026

 Posted by at 6:00 am  Open Thread, Personal, Politics
Jun 262026
 

Yesterday, I guess we can be thankful that all the hair on fire about the housing bill and the USPS didn’t spread to forests or buildings. The Apricot Autocrat did not, as far as I have seen, did not say he would veto the housing bill; just that he would not sign it. I’m pretty sure that if he just doesn’t sign it (and provided Congress remains in session), it will automatically become law in ten days. Of course, Monkey Wrench Mikey knows that too and will have no prolem adjourning Congress just long enough. WRT mail in voting (and my state is one which has it for everyone), I was seriously thinking about, as soon as the primaries are over (which would be next Wednesday here), changing my registration to Republican. And then changed it back in November, after voting a straight Dem ticket. If every Democrat did that, it would be like “We are all Spartacus.” Or like MSgt Roddie Edmonds at Stalag IX-A “We are all Jews.” It has a history of working. The enemy may know what you are doing, but has no way of getting the desired information out of it. But then it occurred to me – as it should have sooner, since virtually everything I buy is ordered and shipped, that there are multiple – probably dozens, of small common carriers out there besides (and cheaper than) UPS and FedEx which could be used if and when USPS goes rogue. (And speaking of USPS, Benjamin Franklin is buried in Philadelphia – has anyone heard of any earthquakes there yet?

Like Robert Reich, I’m also seeing an increase in spam and phishing. Fortunately, so far, they are not coming in his name – a name I think we all trust. I will filter carefully anything I out into the blog. But I am not going to be around forever. Y’all who outlive me will need to know this.

A hundred and one is a lot of former judges. Joyce Vance explains what is normal about this and what is – not so much.

This from The Conversation is not hot news, but a step by step explanation of the process used by SCROTUS to decide cases. It might be one to bookmark for future reference – or not – depending on your choice.

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Open Thread April 23 2026

 Posted by at 6:05 am  Open Thread, Personal, Politics
Apr 232026
 

On Tuesday, The Oedipus Project was on Zoom again – with an all new cast inclding Dr. Fauci as Tiresias, and Chuck Schumer as, probably technically a member of the chorus – but the chorus’s lines were broken up and spread around. Yes, I’ve seen the project before, and yes, I’ve read the play (in English – I came late to Greek and didn’t have time to get good enough to read plays – the only one I read a little of in the original was Philoctetes.) But there is always something new that comes out of these productions.

If you are wondering about the criminal complaint against the SPLC which Todd Blanche somehow managed to get past a Grand Jury (in the Middle District of Alabama), there are a couple of good videos available regarding it – one on YouTube on the Talking Feds channel, and the other (and more detailed) on Substack.  Either (or both) can generate a transcript easily if you prefer one. Don’t worry, the SPLC has not done anything illegal (Unfortunately, that fact may not protect them from a MAGA judge in that district.)

From the 19th. One woman’s story to represent so many women’s stories. Which is how we learn, I think.

Since the only thing the Papaya Pasha cares about, besides himself, is money, it shouldn’t be surprising that every bizarre thing he does ends up affecting money. Unfortunately, it’s our money which is the most affected. As Robert Reich points out.

Talking Points Memo has a string of stories here, but the longest, and possibly the ugliest, is the first one. Read as much (or as little) as you like.

This video, from and for Earth Day, is a short – there may be a way to embed it, but I couldn’t find one in the “share” options. Hick is not the best Senator ever, but he is right on this.

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Open Thread April 4 2026

 Posted by at 6:00 am  Open Thread, Personal, Politics
Apr 042026
 

Yesterday, Adam Klasfeld interviewed my man Phil Weiser – my state Attorney General (who is running for Governor) on the 64 or 65 cases in which our state is fighting the Regime, and also on the resentencing of Tina Peters – why it was decided to do it, and why it’s unlikely to get her out of prison any sooner than the old sentence. It took about 28 minutes. I’m not asking anyone to listen (or read the transcript), but am sharing the link in case anyone wants to do so.

From Common Dreams. Humans have survived so many natural an man-made disasters over the billions of years since the earth was made that I expect we will survive this too. But – we may end up wishing we hadn’t.

Archived from The New Yorker. Quick quote: “In the past several years, the phrase ‘alpha male’ has seeped into the language around us, like the contamination of an underground aquifer.” These techniques are basically brainwashing. The techniques can be used for good – but rarely are.

Robert Reich – “Memories of Vietnam” – so I am not the only one experiencing those memories.

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Open Thread April 3 2026

 Posted by at 6:00 am  Open Thread, Personal, Politics
Apr 032026
 

Yesterday, (as if you didn’t know – it was everywhere) Pam Bondi was fired (but only one of my sources included in the headline that the next one will be worse.) One source said Tulsi Gabbard is also toast. Sixty years ago today (not April 3 today, but Good Friday today) Virgil had the car accident which caused his TBI and all that implies.

From Press Watch. Pretty much any order given by Darth Dementia and/or Kegsbreath has been and will be unlawful. Which, sadly, does not mean they have not been and will not be obeyed. I cannot blame anyone who considers the United States as a whole to be a de facto war criminal – because we are.

Frankly, this from Common Dreams had occurred to me even before I saw this. The way he is wasting oil, we will have no choice other than to to green (unless you consider freezing to death, or dying of heat stroke, choices.)

From Joyce Vance – one of he decisions which came down this week. Yes, it’s unusual for us to be awaiting and looking at multiple decisions in any given week. But this is not a usual regime. I hope this stands – and that it is not ignored.

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Open Thread February 25 2026

 Posted by at 6:00 am  Open Thread, Personal, Politics
Feb 252026
 

Yesterday, I did watch the “State of the Swamp”, not the “State of the Union”, and, although it was long, I’m glad I did. I found it inspiring.

Vitriol (or, technically, oil of vitriol) is sulfuric acid – H2SO4 – diluted with water. There used to be a rhyme about it – “Poor John is dead/With us he is no more/For what he thought was H₂O was H2SO4.” It can be created spontaneously when sulfides created when copper ore is blasted out of rock is oxidized by contact with oxygen in the air, and then encounters water. You would think that no one would want to establish a copper mine in proximity to a large body of water. But this is exactly what Antofagasta Mining wants to do upstream of the Boundary Waters, which are situated on the border between the US and Canada. (Canada calls their part something else, but both sides are heavily visited, and contain wildlife.) The Boundary Waters Canoe Area on our side is the most visited wilderness area in the U.S. The House has already voted to authorize this mine, and now the bill goes to the Senate. My best source for this (the most information with the least filler) is this 13-minute video. It has CC, so there is a transcript.

If this from The 19th doesn’t break your heart – assuming it isn’t already broken – well, you can fill in the “then” section yourself. No one – absolutely no one – should have to live like this.

The Brennan Center reviews the history of changes being made to the makeup and responsibilities of the Supreme Court. It’s not something that is impossible. If it has been done before, it can be done again.

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