Open Thread February 4 2026

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

Yesterday, I learned that I am not the only person who has noticed that the names of the two ICE/CBP murder victims in Minnesota resemble the phrase “pretty good” Robert Reich’s caption contest, which I just got around to reading, includes several all usages in the previous week’s answers. And while we are on the subject of linguistics, I learned last week that “Elon” and Ilhan” are correctly pronounced exactly the same way. and just yesterday I noticed that only a small space separates “Redactions” from “Red actions.” Andy Borowitz was not long enough to call an article, but was pretty funny.

Robert Reich addresses the fact that, in suing the IRS, the Saffron Sauron is really suing himself. With our money. it’s presented lightly, not heavy-handedly, but it’s quite a serious step.

I know exactly how Le feels. I won’t belabor it here, but I would like to add that working in the same office with criminals doesn’t necessarily make you a criminal. But it does take a toll.

I 100% agree that black folks need to be aware of this – but, frankly – everyone else needs to be just as aware of it. Renee Good was not black. Alex Pretti was not black. The sad fact is that anyone, of any age or any color, who is on a street that ICE or CBP or even the National Guard is on needs to be equally aware and careful.

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Open Thread February 2 2026

 Posted by at 6:00 am  Open Thread, Personal, Politics
Feb 022026
 

Yesterday, Pro Publica published the names of the two agents who shot and killed Alex Pretti. And, Trinette was by, taking out my trash and recyclables, and to chat and make my day.

Chris Bowers makes a strong case here. I hope he is right. Maybe I should phrase that “I hope there are enough people in this regime with enough brains to figure this out, because the Apricot Antichrist is definitely not one.”

For a partial post (paid subscribers get the full one), this is extremely informative. It’s clear why lawyers line up to work with Adam, who is not a lawyer, but a journalist.

This is a wrap-up, but it contains things I missed (which shouldn’t surprise me – I’m just one person, after all), such as a reference to the list of judicial orders defied by DHS (96 just in January).


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Open Thread February 1 2026

 Posted by at 11:41 am  Politics
Feb 012026
 

Yesterday, it didn’t snow (it hasn’t since Monday) and the snow we did have is virtually gone. The radio opera was Arabella by Richard Strauss, which the last summer season also included, so it’s way to soon to say anything else about it. Mostly, I just cleaned out my inbox and committed knitting. I have three projects going, which is rare for me – usually I just work on one till it’s finished.

This doesn’t sound like good news rom the headline. You need to read the story. Then it’s good news.

Veterans. And kids. If you get newsletters from “Read the Smile” and saw this, you might have guessed I would share it.

I am not in the least worried about the birth rate – well, maybe that it’s too high – but this is just sweet.

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Open Thread January 30 2026

 Posted by at 6:00 am  Open Thread, Personal, Politics
Jan 302026
 

Yesterday, Bruce Springsteen. And MayDay has an action going for tomorrow.

Medical professionals are well aware of this. When I was checking in to rehab in ’23 and was asked whether I had “Advantage,” I said something like “I wouldn’t have Advantage if they paid me to take it,” And the response was “Oh, you’re smart.”

ICE and CBP are just the tip of the iceberg in Minnesota. MAGA has always been full of vigilantes. Does anyone besides me wonder why, if they actually believe and trust the Saffron Sauron’s Keystone Cops, they think they have to handle it themselves?

I wholeheartedly agree with the business owner who says the “law and order” is not what is happening. But I disagree that it isn’t politics, because all politics is moral (or immoral.)

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Open Thread January 28 2026

 Posted by at 6:00 am  Open Thread, Personal, Politics
Jan 282026
 

Yesterday was Holocaust Remembrance Day, which I missed putting up a visual for. I tried to feel bad about missing it, but the truth is, that under our current regime, to me every day is Holocaust Remembrance Day. Also, several emails informed me that Alexander Vindman is running for a Senate seat in Florida. (His twin Eugene represents Virginia’s 7th District already). This may not be the suicide mission it looks like at first glance, but it’s not a walk in the park either. I may have to sign up as a monthly donor.

This may be the sickest thing I’ve heard about from this regime which didn’t involve direct physical violence – yet. Eagle County is not as close to me as it looks on this map, since it is up in the mountains of which I am on the eastern edge, and while there are roads up there, there are no direct routes to just about anything. But it still feels too close.

From Common Dreams – When the Saffron Sauron started bombing fishing boats in the Caribbean, claiming that they were Venezuelan drug mules, I would have bet good money that at least some of them were not even Venezuelan, let alone drug mules. And I would have won. Two families in Trinidad are now suing us for wrongful death of their relatives in one of those bombings. And hoo boy, do they ever have lawyers. Human lives may be no more important that insects to this regime, but these insects had families which will sting him. I just wish the money that will change hands would come from MAGA billionaires and not from us taxpayers.

From Axios, this is an article about an essay written by an AI CEO who seems almost as worried as I am about the potential for misuse, whether due to human naivete or human corruption. The article links to the full essay, but I felt both needed to be archived for readability.

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Open Thread January 26 2026

 Posted by at 5:49 am  Politics
Jan 262026
 

Yesterday, I put most of my day into a comment on yesterday’s thread, hoping to be able to post what I had already tentatively picked out without much editing. And here it is

This from Chris Bowers is exactly why we can just forget about the 25th Amendment. It was not written for the situation which we have. Impeachment comes closer to the situation we have, but – as we should have learned from his first term – it’s not in fact close enough. If we really want him out, we need an amendment which authorizes a recall election. The kind of recall election where we vote, not just for recxall, but for one of a handful or so of candidates to replace him. (Or her. Sometime in the 23rd or 24th century, we MAY just possibly be able to elect a woman. Or not.) Also, it can’t be Congress which authorizes such an election. It would have to be initiated by the people somehow. And it would have to be a general election so that everyone could vote. And if you think that’s going to happen – I’m confident that it won’t in my lifetime. Even if I live to be 100, which I don’t expect. The 25th was not designed or intended for a situation like Fascism. It was designed for situationd more like Woodrow Wilson (though it was far too late for that one – or at the present, for something more like the Canteloupe Caligula’s “annual physicals” which appear to happen every month or so. Either the 25th needs to be amended, or it needs to be replaced, or we just need a new and separate Amendment. (Or a recall election.)

I didn’t even know that Gavin Newsom spoke at DAVOS – there was so much focus on Mark Carney and on the Saffrom Sauron. That’s too bad. Newsom’s speech is a lot more fun than any of the other speeches.

This from the 19th refers to ICE, but it might be one or more Border Patrol agents. They are often mixed in to ICE occupations.

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Open Thread January 24 2025

 Posted by at 6:02 am  Open Thread, Personal, Politics
Jan 242026
 

Yesterday, We did get some snow – not a lot, but some. And we’re due to get more today. After the opera, I’ll need to go out and look at it, and maybe try to brush or scrape some off before overnight. Not that the predicted temperatures are in my favor, but anything I can manage to do to alleviate it has got to help.

Common Dreams addresses ICE’s use of children as “bait” to trap their parents, and then keeping the children detained anyway.

Robert Reich posts the photo of one child (Liam, aged 5) alluded to above. He then discusses the responses to some questions he asked readers about what the most effective strategy would be to resist.

Joyce Vance discusses the Fourth Amendment and the blatant violations of it which ICE is committing. Sorry I don’t include any of my own opinions with these articles – but they wouldn’t be printable.

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Open Thread January 21 2025

 Posted by at 6:00 am  Open Thread, Personal, Politics
Jan 212026
 

Yesterday, I slept quite late, but also took in a grocery order – a huge one – which I might not have had the strength to cope with otherwise. As it is, I didn’t get it all put away – just the perishables – and was rxhausted.

This is from Sunday’s Politizoom newsletter. but I don’t think it has lost any of its humor over those three days.

Currently, 96¢ of every dollar the government receives in tariffs is being paid either by us, or by businesses which are able (for now) to suck it up to avoid loss of custom (same source, different article). I suppose the only reason no one ever thought of this before is that no one figured out how to do it. After all, billionaires also have to eat, use the bathroom, and wear clothes just like the rest of us. But Zucman appears to have a plan which might work.

I’ve never expected anything good – or anything true – to come out of Davos. All those billionaires together – who but another billionaire would expect anything good? But – apparently – Canada is the adult in the room of the western hemisphere. I never mind if people skip things – but I hope no one will skip this.

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