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.”

Share
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.

Share
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.

Share
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.

Share
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

Share
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.

Share
Apr 022026
 

Yesterday, SCROTUS took oral arguments on a Birthright Citizenship case. Adam Klasfeld was there, and spoke afterwards with Jen Rubin for The Contrarian, and the head of LULAC was also there. Then Klasfeld spoke with Andrea Flores, who works with immigration issues usually not involving Latinx, but often involving TPS. The Supreme Misleader was present in court (the first time in history a sitting US President has been present at SCROTUS during oral arguments), apparently just to intimidate by his presence. It doesn’t appear to have worked, although we won’t know for certain until the opinions come down. (Incidentally, I am not the only person who has noticed that Neil Gorsuch has a soft spot for Indigenous Americans. (Klasfeld phrased it differently, though – he says Gorsuch is “all about Native Americans.”) Thomas surprised by making the point that it is important that the 14th Amendment addresses citizenship in the States as well as in the nation (we may want to amend the Amendment to specify territories as well.)

Archived from Forbes, shared with me by Carrie B. I figure if we want to humiliate him by pointing and laughing (which seems to be about the only thing those of us not in public office can do to really get under his skin), we need things to point and laugh at – and this one looks to me like a doozy. (I am not old enough to actually remember seeing a Duesenberg, but I have it on pretty good authority that that is what the word derives from.)

I see this from The Independent as another example of Kristi Noem’s taste in men – which is, to say the least – unusual.

Whether or not this from Talking Feds deserves a short take as opposed to just a mention, it’s getting a short take. If you can think of an emotion, other than anger, that can lead to change in one’s life or in the world, I’d be interested to hear it. (And yes, I realize it doesn’t always work alone.)

Cat

Share
Mar 232026
 

Yesterday, I saw Virgil, we played cribbage, he loved my latest sweater. I now do not have to worry about getting home by sunset – but I do need to watch the time of sunrise. I drive south to see him, and, although the sun rises in the east, at this time of the year where I live, the sun is always toward the south (I’m guessing that where Lona lives, it always tends toward the north.) This makes it shine right into my eyes if it is too low. I was lucky yesterday in that it was just enough overcast to spare me until it got high enough to be above my windows. And, again, at this time of year, that will only get better up to the summer solstice. I had not heard from Nameless on my day off question, and I hasn’t heard from him here or in email since the 15, do I sent an email, and I’ happy to say he is fine – just computer issues. Well, we all know how that is! He mentioned he had commented Saturday, but I couldn’t see it, and it was not in moderation – I checked. Anyway, I am taking tomorrow off, so don’t panic if there is no Open Thread. I’ll be back on Wednesday.

This column is mostly about the SCROTUS calendar – which is normal during their argument-hearing season. Right at the top is the issue of accepting or not accepting ballots postmarked before (or possibly on) Election Day if they are received late. When Colorado went to all mail voting, it decided we would not accept them late (at least not from people inside the state – I don’t know about overseas and/or military since I was well out of the military when we went to all mail.) But for that reason, they send out the ballots very early so we have plenty of time to research. And also plenty of drop boxes in case we are procrastinators. And they print the must-be-received warning on virtually all election materials. As far as I know, it hasn’t been an issue here.

I moved (from California) to Colorado in 1976, to Alamosa, and then in 1991 to Colorado Springs, And the Air Force Academy was already doing this unconstitutional crap. But – in 1977 James Dobson founded Focus on the Family in Southern California. In 1991, FOTF moved to Colorado Springs. They were in a building downtown until they built their campus around 1998. If they were the only such organization I wouldn’t bother to bring it up. But in the 90’s (I think actually starting in the 80’s) fundamentalist “Christian” organizations were coming to Colorado Springs like flies to – well, you know. And that presence had an effect on the Air Force Academy. An Unconstitutional effect. Obviously I don’t know what the Academy was like before 1991. But as far as I can remember, it has been subject to Christian Nationalist pressure. I don’t think West Point and Annapolis have been affected – certainly not to the extent the Air Force Academy has – and I know darned well Quantico wasn’t when I was in OCS/OBT. I didn’t meet a whole bunch of Air Force officers when I was in, but the ones I met were not Christian Nationalists. I don’t doubt there were Christian Nationalists in the service when I was, but I was fortunate not to meet any – and not just including the chaplains – but especially not the chaplains. None of that is to say that the Air Force Academy doesn’t need a massive turning over of tables with whips, because it does. It has for a long time. Nor do I think it isn’t a danger, because it is. But I do think it’s still an anomaly – for now.

I’ve spent so much time following the Iran war, I didn’t even know there was a blockade of Cuba. Color me embarrassed. You can’t make this stuff up.

Robert Reich did not make this – but he endorsed it by putting it on his personal YouTube channel

Share