Yesterday, I set my alarm because I needed to take in a grocery order. At least I got everything in and put away. But that did throw me a little off schedule – to the extent that I even have a schedule. But – today being the last day of Black History month, I think I simply must share something I learned today – from Wikipedia: “Errollyn Wallen CBE (born 10 April 1958)[1] is a Belize-born British composer and musician, who moved as a child with her family to London, England. Wallen was appointed Master of the King’s Music in 2024 by King Charles III, in his first appointment to the post. She is the first black woman to serve in the position, having in 1998 been the first black woman to have a work featured in the Proms.” Oh, and Andy Borowitz has Hillary’s complete opening statement – no joke – though he does joke some in the lead-in.
This from the Brennan Center is an abridged version of their report. The one thing I wanted to see which was not in the summary was which states do what. I found that information by clicking on the “Download Insight” button (Colorado was not the first to correct this, but was one of the first . No one took any action until just before the 2020 census.) The summary is probably comprehensive enough for most people.
A report from Pro Publica on the conditions at the Dilley concentration camp in Texas. The art of children is likely not as monetarily valued as the art seized from German Jews by the Nazis – but it is in its way no less important. How can one put a price on the tears of a child?
Yesterday, SCOTUS dropped its decision that tariffs are illegal and must be refunded (don’t get excited – the refunds will go to whatever importers paid them first, and anything past that depends on good will.) The decision was 6-3, with Roberts, Gorsuch, and Barrett joining the liberals. Also, I watched a Substack video with Mary Trump, Joyce, and Katie Phang, which they began by sharing their coffee cups. Mary Trump was using one from her merch – on one side it says “Mary Trump Media” and on the other “Where Fake News Goes To Die.” I had to smile. And yes, all three takes today are from CPR. First time I’ve ever seen it quite so hot.
This was reported by Colorado Public Radio, although the lawsuit is significant everywhere and the trial is happening in California, because a mother in Colorado is one of the plaintiffs
This one was reported by CPR because it’s very Colorado. I’ve been hoping for this for a while now.
This story, both Colorado and national, is longer than it looks at first. It isn’t over until you get to “Related coverage.”
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.
Yesterday, being Monday, naturally I overslept. It was literally dark when I got up. And of course my inbox was horrendous. However, being this close to the end of the month, the end of the quarter, and the end of the year, I was able to delete 3/4 of them without reading, which helped tremendously.
As we approach the end of what has been a godawful year in almost every way (which should at least remind us that there is no such thing as being “apolitical.” What your government does will affect you personally), media large and small are summarizing the year from their own viewpoints. Harry Litman is here to remind us that despite everything, it could still have been worse – a lot worse. While I don’t advocate changing this, I’d like to remind us all that the Courts have no police of their own. The only enforcement mechanism they can use is local, state, and federal police (depending upon the level of the Court.) So if anyone ever had a right to say “I can’t do anything to change this,” it would be judges. But, thank the universe, they don’t. Harry reviews the actions and statements of some of the best.
If this story reminds you of Fred Rogers and his mother’s advice, you are not alone. That was my first thought. Here’s a quote from the transcript of the bottom video in which he tells the story:
“But I want this holiday season to underline something I always say in all my videos all the time. And if you have the ability to step in and help the situation where you can, please do. Find it within yourself to always be in a place whereby if you see something. Don’t just say something that they say over here, but try and do something. No matter how small it is, even if it means picking up the phone and making a call.”
I’m going to share a link to a specific YouTube channel with you, because I think it will be useful. The channel belongs to Max Kuhn, and many (not all) of his videos are conversations with Dr. David Benjamin. The value of these videos is that, when there is a photo of, or an incident with the Orange Ogre which goes viral because “he’s dying,” which does not happen every day but which sometimes seems like it does, Dr. Benjamin analyzes the evidence and explains what it really indicates , and more importantly, what it doesn’t mean. The most recent video with Dr. Benjamin shows a photo which is going viral after being seen on Aaron Rupar’s account and in the Daily Beast. It is photoshopped (and IMO not very well.) If it were real, it would indicate a brain stem stroke, but since it isn’t, it doesn’t. The first video I found there was regarding him not knowing what part of he body he had an MRI on. Dr. Benjamin is pretty sure that the Mango Monster didn’t know where his MRI was because he didn’t have one. He was struggling to say what kind of imaging he had when a reporter asked him whether he had an MRI and he jumped on it. That doesn’t mean he had one. I have had a couple of MRIs, including a full body one, and trust me, you would know if you had had one, and where it was focused. Nameless may not need this kind of information, but most of the rest of us can really benefit from it. So I’m passing on the link to the video channel so that when this kind of thing happens again (and I say “when,” not “if” because it will – it gets clicks galore because we are all so eager for him to die) y’all won’t have to wait for me to find out what is most likely real.
Yesterday, I watched (but mostly listened to) a conversation with Mary Trump and Ruth Ben-Ghiat (as I’m sure you know, an expert – maybe the expert – on “strong men” governments). It was about 23 minutes – shorter than I expected – but highly informative. (just in case anyone wonders, my substitutes for yoga and getting out into nature are knotting and computer solitaire.)
Well, this is welcome news. Ohio has a Democratic Congresswoman who has a spine. That probably isn’t news to SpyKat. But it’s always nice to see a Congrescritter from one’s own state getting national attention for a righteous reason. I know I was stoked when Jason Crow was on the Jan6 Committee, and again when he was one of the six in what most people probably think of as “Mark Kelly’s video.”
I’m sneaking in a second video by treating this as an article – which, if I hadn’t tripped over a video, I would have had to do as an article. Judge Boasberg appears to be a national treasure. It’s 15 minutes, and worth it.
And here’s another judge who may well be a national treasure. Judge Waverly D. Crenshaw Jr. of Nashville.
Yesterday, yet another Grand Jury refused to indict Letitia James. A (probably “the”) Democratic Congressman from Rhode Island, in a Hearing, confronted Kristi Noem over a deported veteran. Al Green introduced new Articles in the House to impeach the President. And then there’s this. Also, kudos to Missouri.
It’s no news that the Orange Ogre likes to kick people when they are down (it’s easier that way.) But sometimes we need to take a hard look at just what that looks like.
Archived from The New Yorker. No longer can one get even one free article per month. For those of us who believe in the Constitution and don’t want to, or can’t, leave the US, this is anything but good news. Not the obstacles to leaving, but the numbers of people who are in fact leaving, and therefore will not be here to vote.
Jasmine Crockett made a public apology to immigrants (and citizens kidnapped by ICE) for the government. I expect “the government (the Executive Branch) could not care less if they tried with both hands for a week, but it’s good to see someone speaking out. There’s a video at the link.
This has to be one of the best campaign announcements I have ever seen – maybe the best. I wish him a solid victory.
Yesterday, I received two Axios alerts about the courts – one that SCROTUS will hear Metanucillini’s birthright citizenship case, and the other that a Federal judge has ordered Epstein’s grand jury transcripts unsealed. Also, The Root had an update on Baby Chance – you’ll remember the case. And the New York Times (are you sitting down?) actually did something in favor of freedom of the press.
Colorado Public Radio addresses my Secretary of State’s refusal to turn sensitive voter information over to the DOJ. I knew that was the case but it’s good to also have her legal reasons. I might also point out the request is unconstitutional – the conversation gives the states sole authority to run elections. There have been times I wished that wasn’t the case – but now is not one of those times.
This is essentially one story from Senator Hickenlooper – and it’s a story comparable to Abrego Garcia’s. Hick and his staff are doing everything they can think of and are getting stonewalled at every step.
Yes, I realize this is almost an hour long, and yes, there are some ums and aws in it. That’s why I put it in Saturday when it’s from Thursday. There is a transcript if that’s better for you (I didn’t vet it so it may have some creative spelling in it.) The first 16¼ minutes are an overview of history starting in the 1920s and then explaining how we got here from the 1980s. I lived through a lot of it, and I expect you did too. After that she goes into how we got here from 1980, including the “Some people are better than others” fallacy (of course some people are smarter and/or more competent than others, but the idea that skin color or gender has anything to do with that is such an obvious fallacy that one really has to have a mind which is out of shape to fall for it.) She explains how the unitary executive theory was proposed and is being used to make some people worth less in law. She touches on a principle that if you take a random 10 people, 2 will have actual opinions on government and 8 just want things to go smoothly and predictably so they don’t have to think about it – and just want to get along with people, and how to use that knowledge to get through to many people on whom reason and logic don’t work. She mentioned that she put so much effort into this video that she might not do a Thursday night letter (turns out she did, but it didn’t post until after 3 am her time). If you choose not to watch it or read the transcript, that’s fine. It’s your decision.
Yesterday, another grand jury declined to indict Tish James. And in Colorado, a train derailed Wednesday night. All survived. Also – WRT thr cartoon – or whatever you want to call it – it is based on the phrase “Elf on the shelf” only different.
Heaven only knows how this will work out (and no one there will tell me). But I am glad the discussion is happening. (I have read recently that there is something in tattoo ink which gets into the bloodstream and does damage. Even if that includes brain damage – I haven’t gone beyond the headlines – that would be no excuse for Petey.)
This from Democratic Underground IMO demonstrates far more than just PTSD. There is deep resentment of betrayal here. The Russian Army is being run in ways we have never run our military, and Ukraine still doesn’t. I’m sure they think it makes soldiers “tougher.” In one way it probably does – but not in the way they think.
There are other sources for this story on the arrest of the alleged pipe bomber. I looked for the story at Law & Crime, even searched there, but they don’t yet have it (do not look there if you are prone to nausea). I just picked Joyce Vance for legal information, particularly in view of “this Justice Department.” I got that, and also some speculation on the length of time it took and the spin put on it. I am willing to believe that there may have been one or a group of agents in the FBI who deliberately sat on it, against the wishes of the rest of the bureau and of the administration. I am not willing to believe that the administration sat on it.
