Open Thread September 2 2026

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

At 81, even in a small family, I’ve known some morticians – including away from the funeral home. They are human. Probably no two of then would tell you this in the same words – but they’d all tell you that everything they do is done for the families of the deceased – and also, that dealing respectfully with the remains is at the very top of the list of thingd that are done for the family. Do, when I came across a YouTube channel called “Lauren the Mortician,” it shouldn’t be surprising that I watched a few episodes, and ended up bookmarking the home page. She makes a new video each Monday (which she refers to as “morbid Monday”), and iy sholdn’t be a surprise that this Monday she was all over the Nepal disaster. If you can’t stand thinking or talking about death, ignore this. But if you are open to getting a little better acquainted with the Grim Reaper, this week’s video is here (spoiler – almost no one drowned.)

Referred by VoteVets. Maybe I’m seeing ghosts – but with Tramp [sic] and Kegsbreath shooting off their mouths about how shipboard deplotments shoud routnely be a full year – I can’t help but wonder whether they are being influenced by someone who realizes how detrimental that would be to morale – both to the teoops trapped in that situation and to troops who aren’t there but are scheduled to be up next – and to those who have not enlisted but were considering doing so – and now won’t. Someone who wants to see the US military completely destroyed. It’s easy to say that this regime care no more about human beings serving in the armed forces that they would about a part in a machine – but, honestly, they don’t even care that much. Machine parts wear down and need maintenance too – and without that maintenance the machine won’t work.

Breaking news from Axios when I first saw it. It isn’t good wnough in this regime to agree (or xapitulate) on some things or even most things. It’s got to be everything, or you’re O-U-T, out.

Joyce Vance asks the question we’s all like to know the answer to – especially if the answer contained informatin we could use to get rid of them. I think it is both possible and plausible – although, alas, not presumptive) that he has dirt on them. That’s been an arrow in his MO quiver since he was an apprentice in Daddy’s company. And, for three of them at least, we even have a pretty good idea of what the dirt might comprise. But that is not the only possibility – and there may in fact be multiple reasons, and different ones for rach compromised justice.

Cat 2fer

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Open Thread August 12 2026

 Posted by at 5:47 am  Open Thread, Personal, Politics
Aug 122026
 

Yesterday, I signed this. It’s not a petition. It’s a get well (or at least feel better) card. I’m not trying to pressure anyone to sign it – only to make it available in case anyone wants to. And then there was this (archived from WaPo. Someone’s been reading too many Tom Clancy novels. Amd, after that, there was this. Not surprising, I’m sure.

This is what I’ve been thinking – now is not the time.

(From the Atlanta Black Star) I would expect something like this to happen in Louisiana or Mississippi – not in California – nor even in Los Angeles (where I might expect no action ay all.) Ihave no woeds (that are printable.

There’s a lot in and around this Brennan Center newsletterContains several topics. The main one titled “Americans Can Vote Without Fear” I though might be encourahing, being reality based (although that might depend to some degree on who your Xecretary of State is.)

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Open Thread July 16 2026

 Posted by at 6:00 am  Open Thread, Personal, Politics
Jul 162026
 

Tuesday was Bastille Day, and all the European leaders were in Paris to honor Ukraine. Of course President Zelenskyy was there with Mrs Zelenskyy and a Ukrainian fighter pilot led the flyover. I wish I could go on and on about it, but I would be remiss not to warn you about the cyclospora outbreak reported by The New Yorker (HHS is not helping.) Just as one example, Michgan generally averages 50 cases a year, but has seen 3000 cases in just a month. The described symptoms remind me of when I was in the hospital – believe me, you do not want this (Yeah, you might lose weight, but there are better ways.) The regular method of transmission is through uncooked produce. So cook all the produce you can (I know that’s not really possible with, say, lettuce) and wash strongly what you can’t cook.

Yesterday, Malcolm’s show (with Jacob and Wahjeeh went for 1.75 hours, most of which was details of how Iran has been pummeling us, and our unnecessary and catastrophic losses – not of people (yet, thankfully) but of equipment and facilities. I would love to hear from some of the women and Black men whose promotions to General were revoked – not what they would say for publication, but what they really think.

Juan Proaño is the CEO of LULAC – think “the Latino NAACP.”) He and Joyce talked about the death of Lorenzo Arauno last week and of Joan Sebastian Guerrero on Monday morning. You can flip through the transcript for such details as that neither was the person ICE were “looking for,” nor was any of the others in Arauno’s vebicle. Or that ICE stripped Arauno of all ID before the ambulance came, so that the hospital had to admit him as a “John DOE,” with the result that when the family arrived at the hospital, the hoapital could not cprroborate his identity, and it wasn’t until the next day that the family could actually learn he was dead. In the case of Guererro – and you won’t find this in the trancript; I had to go hunting for it – ICE claimed it attempted to stop the vehicle, but “the driver kept going. They said the officer feared for public safety when he shot at the vehicle, hitting and killing the driver.” Sure – if you are afraid for public safety, of course you would shoot to kill someone who is actually driving a moving car so you can turn the car into an out of control killing machine /S/.*

Of course the Narcissistic Navel Orange will appeal. But the Supreme Court’s term is over until the first Monday in October – so he may have to wait a while. Meanwhile, this ruling will not stop or suspend any disciplinary proceedings against Blanche and Woodward.

This link is to a conversation between Ken Harbaugh and Kris Goldsmith. They look to be a notably odd couple – but appearances can deceive. Both are veterans. Kris has survived serious PTSD (not that there is such a thing as non-serious PTSD – but some are more serious than others.) Ken may not have- but he gets it. I’ve watched a lot of conversations on Substack which were illuminating. Butthis is the first one I would describe as profound. It’s about 25 minutes (and has, of course a trenscript), so you likely will not want to drop everything anf watch it. But may I suggest? – that, instead of watching or listening to the speech tonight of the Apricot Antichrist, in which he will claim that the elections of Jon Ossoff and Rev. Raphael Warnock were fraudulent because of intervention from Hugo Chávez and Nicolás Maduro, among other lies, you consider this instead. Or afterwards as a palate cleanser.

  • I don’t remember whether I have used the symbol /S/ her before. in case I haven’t it means “Sarcasm” and is called a “snark tad.”

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Open Thread July 10 2026

 Posted by at 6:16 am  Open Thread, Personal, Politics
Jul 102026
 

Yesterday, the CC on Malcolm’s show was whimsical again. This time it came up with “pete headset.” You gotta laugh so you don’t drown in pessimism. ICYMI, we have torn up the MOU and are back at full-scale war.

https://atlblackstar.substack.com/p/why-one-photo-in-the-nolan-wells
I’ve been the only woman in a group of men. I’ve been the only “anglo” in a group of Latinx. Obviously, I lived to tell y’all about it; both felt a bit odd at the time, but I never felt threatened, and I learned a lot from both experiences. But both were decades ago. Also, neither situation was “just a group of friends.” Both were, in different ways, educational settings. Today being today, I would not want to be the only black person in a melanin-deficient space, and particularly not in Georgia or Mississippi. Obviously, the verdict is not in on either of these cases, and may never be. Not that that makes either of them easier.

https://www.allrisenews.com/p/second-circuit-denies-trump-stay
This is another Substack video (of course with a transcript) and I bring it up because of the coverage of the arraignment of Davey Hearn in Superior Court for, among other charges, removing (stealing) a piece of the new coating on the Reflecting Pool. Popok pointed out that for that to be a felony the piece of coating would have to be worth at least a thousand dollars, which he considered ridiculous. I thought “I don’t know – the contract was for $14 million, so it may not be impossible.” So I looked up the pool’s dimentions and did the math, and he was right, and I was wrong. One square foot of the coating would be worth a few pennies over $39.50. Clearly, based on the speed with which it disintegrated, that’s overpriced, but it’s not a thousand dollars per square footoverpriced.

https://www.brennancenter.org/our-work/analysis-opinion/supreme-court-chips-away-checks-and-balance
Sometimes we – and the media we trust – get so wrapped up in particular cases that the forest gets blurry while we are staring at the trees. This is longish, and you may want to digest it in pieces, but it’s a good overview.

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Open Thread July 1 2026

 Posted by at 6:01 am  Open Thread, Personal, Politics
Jul 012026
 

Monday, I tried to sign this petition and couldn’t – when I clicked on “Start Writing” it took me to a page which was blank except foe the organization’s logo. And I’m not asking you to sign it – it’s just that this is the only link to the story, and I thought y’all would want to be aware. Not that you’ll be surprised.

Yesterday, it was all over the Net that birthright citizenship survived SCROTUS by a 5-4 vote. I didn’t have time to name check before I had a medical appointment, but by now you probably know who the dissenters were – and I would love to read any dissemt that was written – because it would be like watching a circus acrebat act to see them trying to explain why they think an actual part of the Constitution is not Constitutional. If I find one, I’ll share a link.

Next Wednesday, the 8th, Robert Reich will be streaming his documentary “The Last Class” on YouTube next Wednesday, July 8. It will start at 5:30 pm Pacific. To see it, you must preregister. Once it starts, you won’t be able to pause it (so be prepared.) You can see it for free, but they do request a one-time donation which is optional. Here’s the link to register:

Robert Reich discusses how some SCROTUS decisions which are obviously inhumane are also obviously illegal – they flatly ignore Congress, which is the only branch of the Federal Governmen with the power to make law.

Speaking as a homeowner and mortgagor, I find this horrifying.

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Open Thread May 7 2026

 Posted by at 6:01 am  Open Thread, Personal, Politics
May 072026
 

Yesterday, my exterminator came and said all my rooms have much less activity – and so does the yard. It actually snowed a little Tuesday, which is exactly when they would try to get inside out of the cold, so that’s all good. Then Trinette came by – and it took us a while to find where the plug had come out of the computer, but we did, and it works. So I can run the disc now, and hopefully I’ll be back in business.

Thirty seven minutes of discussion about Louisiana v. Callais – and the procedural mandate SCROTUS released late this Monday (a little less if you skip the part at the beginning when knitting and animals are discussed. The first few minutes of Substack videos are always off topic because viewers don’t all join at once, and most presenters wait until at least 1000 have joined to address the topic.) Once I started watching instead of reading, I have continued when possible because watching, you can’t skip, so I don’t miss things by trying to read too fast. And also, because depth of the the presenters’ feelings on the topic come through more clearly. But if you really prefer to read it, scroll down a bit – I’ve se the link so the transcript will already be up.

Under a regime which does not care whether people live or die, nor how they suffer –this could not have happened at a worse time. Not that there is a good time, but there have been times when the federal government would at least have tried to minimize tragedies.

Robert Reich points out a billionaire who is making a case for a wealth tax. But he’s not doing it intentionally. I’ve often wondered whether, if millionaires and billionaires woul just pay their political contributions into the IRS as conscience gifts instead of giving them to politicians, we could fund Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid, SNAP, and other similar programs just fine.

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Open Thread April 30 2026

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

Yesterday, SCROTUS eviscerated the Voting Rights Act. I’m not providing a link because the news is everywhere. I am not saying this in its defense, because there is no defense. But I presume they are looking at Clarence to justify their illusion that people of color are less intelligent. (If they would look at Ketanji, they would not be able to hold on to that lie.) Also yesterday, I received an email which included a poll. I almost never respond to those polls which are sent out, for the simple reason that they include no way to express one’s specific feelings about a person or an issue, and my feelings are generally far more nuanced that the possible responses provided. But this poll had a response which actually nailed my feelings, and even allowed me to add s few words explaining why, so I did respond. If that piques your curiosity, here’s the link. You need to scroll down below the petition to get to the poll part, but not far.

This article comes with a roughly 45 minute video which covers in detail corruption which is a matter of public record but which has been under the radar for at least 30 years. You don’t need to watch it – I’m just telling you so you can make a more informed decision.

This feels like a good day to post an article titled “Six Solutions to Fix the Supreme Court” = particularly when it’s from The Brennan Center.

https://archive.is/h1zxW
Archived from The Lever, the brainchild of David Sirota, a former campaign manager for Bernie Sanders, and a Substack personality in his own right. It’s in the category of “investigative journalism.” The case in the title is a civil suit in Maine. There’s a link to the actual complaint, but the complainants are three named groups and the defendants are six individuals, in their capacities as elected or appointed officials of the state of Maine. Heaven only knows what the short name will end up being.

Dog/Squirrel

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Open Thread April 22 2026

 Posted by at 6:00 am  Holiday, Open Thread, Personal, Politics
Apr 222026
 

Today is (International) Earth Day. It is also the last day of the US-Iran 14 day ceasefire, unless an extension has been or is negotiated. Today’s video is all about the SCROTUS “Shadow Docket.” It has an ad right in the middle – if I start after it, you’ll miss all the background. But he wears a very different shirt for the ad, so it should be easy to stop it, run the red dot past it, and pick up when he starts on the subject again.

From Ukrainform. You gotta respect Zelenskyy’s courage to push for a meeting with not one, not two, but three fascists, for peace negotiations. I am not a mind reader nor a prophet (my name is Joanne, not Jeane – remember her?), but I personally suspect that Putin will not stop until very single person in his military is dead, or until he is, whichever comes first.

About half of young Americans can’t name a single Holocaust site, repeating a pattern of ignorance seen in postwar Germany. Knowing what has happened to education in the US since I was in school, I shouldn’t be surprised – but I was, for about a second.

I do agree with Robert Reich. It would be a toss-up between him and Alito, if it weren’t for the fact that Thomas is a known sexual abuser.

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