Open Thread February 20 2026

 Posted by at 6:00 am  Open Thread, Personal, Politics
Feb 202026
 

Yesterday, Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor was arrested for (insider financial) misconduct in office. This may be the most spectacular news out of the UK since Charles I was beheaded. This link is to a video lasting over an hour, but scroll down and you can get some details about what’s happening and will happen. Not all the details which make the whole thing so inspiring to listen to, but some. The irony that a constitutional monarchy appears better able to deal with a rogue in the (family) government than we do is not lost on Adam or Vicky or me. But the key to this ability is not the monarchy or the lack of it, but the Constitution – and respect for it – or the lack thereof. Also, next week, possibly as early as Monday, the Senate will vote on the Boundary Waters permission to mine, and, if it passes, these waters, which by the way Canada also borders, will be turned into literal battery acid. And every other state will, in time, suffer similar losses of public lands. The linked video is long, but it is “from the horse’s mouth” since it features Senator Tina Smith of Minnesota.

Another win for the rule of law. The law in question is late – and yes, justice delayed is justice denied – but it’s still better then never.

Law Day here is not until May 1 (as the rest of the world celebrates Labor Day.) But it appears we are having our own little law day here.

https://www.cpr.org/2026/02/16/fire-storm-and-avalanche-concerns-all-at-once-weird-weather-week-ahead-in-colorado/
From Monday, reminding me of the quip attributed to Mark Twain that “Everypne talks about the weather, but no one does anything about it.” Well, yes, Mr. Clemens. And that’s exactly why we are here.

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Open Thread February 18 2026

 Posted by at 6:00 am  Open Thread, Personal, Politics
Feb 182026
 

Yesterday, Jesse Jackson died. It grieves me how many civil rights heroes we have lost and are losing – and we need them so badly. We do have new young heroes coming up, but they are still building their platforms. How can we help? We need every one of them. Robert Reich quoted Jackson’s speech to the 1988 Dem Convention in full. At least I found out what I am going to do to escape the SOTU next week. See the not-a-cartoon below. Check ut qqq.defiance.org if you’re interested.

Well, we haven’t invaded Greenland – yet – but a power failure there made everyone there think we were, and scared the crap out of them. I gather there were no casualties, but people with heart conditions have died from less.

This definitely scares me. Secretaries of State are the ones who make the decisions and policies about how elections are run statewide. County Clerks are often the ones who supervise the “judges” who do the actual work (in heavily populated counties there will likely be a dedicated employee of the County Clerk who does this.) And those judges – there must be as close to an equal number of blue ones and red ones as possible. Because if any of them so much as has to go to the bathroom, she or he must be accompanied by a judge from the other party. In June, I will have lived in Colorado for 50 years, and it has not been blue for all of them. I have worked with clerks and clerks from both parties, and the one thing they had in common was following the rules to the letter. Going forward, I don’t know what to expect.

More on Epstein from dekleptocracy. It includes quotes from The Guardian, so I assume Lona is already aware. (Barf bag alert)

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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 February 13 2026

 Posted by at 6:00 am  Open Thread, Personal, Politics
Feb 132026
 

Yesterday, I got my car back. It starts instantly and runs nicely – I will have to readjust the seat of course – It was the end of the work day and I didn’t want any more dark. I did make it home in civil twilight. Congress passed the SAVE Act. Andy Borowitz’s headline was “Mark Kelly Records Video Telling Bartenders They Are Allowed to Refuse Hegseth’s Orders” And I found out why the FAA put on a ten day stop on flights and then rescinded it the same night. See the cartoon

Robert Reich points out that DHS is not even close to arresting “the worst of the worst.” I would point out that this isn’t the real point – which is that NO ONE deserves the treatment they are getting, Not even anyone convicted of a violent crime. People convicted of violent crimes are still human beings – and not even an animal – not even an Australian box jellyfish – deserves this treatment either. Republicans must not be allowed to get a pass by claiming they are animals.

Not the most transformative news of the day from All Rise – but encouraging that the judge feels so strongly.

Common Dreams is hot again. I probably could have used any of the stories in their newsletter

Malcolm Nance. 5:36 minute video (need to unmute – or there’s a transcript. Please share widely.

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Open Thread February 11 2026

 Posted by at 6:00 am  Open Thread, Personal, Politics
Feb 112026
 

Yesterday, I watched the Jim Acosta Show on Substack. That’s right, the fascists weren’t able to end Jim Acosta as effectively as they thought they had. Joyce Vance, Glenn Kirschner, and Michael Fanone were on it too. But I’m sharing because at the end of the show he played a clip from RTÉ (Ireland’s equivalent of out NPR) interviewing an Irishman who had been detained at one of the Saffron Sauron’s concentration camps ( think it was Dilley, TX, actually.) Yes, an Irishman. The Irish are pretty uniformly white, so it must have been the brogue – or possibly an opinion. Of course there’s a lot in it besides that. The concentration camp section starts at 41.06, and the actual interview with Seamus Culleton (spelling from CC) starts at 42:49 (and has CC) and lasts less than 3 minutes (and then Jim editorializes a little.)

There’s nothing new here from Steve Schmidt – except in the sense that “everything old is new again.” But then, “everything old is new again” is exactly why history is important. Steve will be very happy if y’all share this with anyone who might learn something from it.

The Children of Dilley


Kudos to Pro Publica for managing to get this story out of a concentration camp when such camps arenot even allowing Congresscritters in to conduct oversight as required by law. (If Mina Rosenberg finds a target on her back, I will not be surprised.)

I suppose we can chalk this up to another reason that Rethuglicans detest science and scientists. But it’s very revealing.

If you watch Colbert regularly, you can skip this. Ian Mckellen plays Thomas More on immigration, by Shakespeare, but unperformed during his lifetime. Talk about something old that’s new – not “new again” – just new.

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Open Thread February 9 2026

 Posted by at 6:00 am  Open Thread, Personal, Politics
Feb 092026
 

Yesterday, the drive to Pueblo was pretty easy – sunshine, some cloud cover when needed most, no snow or water on the roads. We played cribbage of course, and had a wild variety of hands. I don’t think I’ve ever seen more three-of-a-kinds in a single session, and Virgil had a hand with four fives (but not, alas, a Jack.) Going home was a different story. I couldn’t get the car started despite help from several guards, and ended up having to go back into the lobby to call my roadside assistance insurance company. I did get a tow truck and driver who was able to both take me home and tow the car to the garage I’ve trusted literally for decades. but it was quite dark when I came home (exhausted). I won’t have an estimate until today, and am pretty sure I’ll have to postpone my appointment tomorrow for lab work. I didn’t do that last night because I didn’t have a clue for how long I’d better postpone it.

I’m sharing both Joyce Vance’s “Sunday Morning Wrap-Up” and her “The Week Ahead,” both of which I received Sunday It’s a lot of information, but it’s coherent and graspable.

This is the third opinion piece I have referenced on the topic of possible presidential election interference. This one is by Robert Reich – it’s hard to argue with Robert Reich. I do think there might be states, or even just countire, in which he could get away with his violent plans. But thereare also a lot of states protected by Democratic Secretaries of State, most if not all of whom are members of DASS and are already planning for his potential assaults.

Belle VZ oil

Dog

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Open Thread February 7 2026

 Posted by at 6:00 am  Open Thread, Personal, Politics
Feb 072026
 

Yesterday, I did my best to get this post finished and up and a dolid head start on tomorrow’s and still get to bed early. I wish I could say it was easy, but I don’t knowingly lie to y’all. But somehow I managed.

I still just have a landline myself. So it shouldn’t be surprising that I find this interesting.

I realize it’s hard to live without Amazon. But it can be done. If you can’t find a specialty online store which sells direct, you can check out etsy and ebay. You might still end up enriching a MAGAt without knowing it – but it will be one individual MAGAt, not a billionaire. I can live with that.

Archived from Huff Post. You could probably see it without, but it would be tedious. It should be no surprise that red states are facilitating, not merely accepting, right wing cruelty. Not surprising – just disgusting.

This is JoJo from Jerz, in case anyone has missed her. The “Siren Podcast” comprises her, Brooklyn Dad Defiant (BDD) and the occasional guest. NSFW.

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