reflect on same-sex relationships

“We work a lot with intelligence and information received. We have a communication center here. We receive a lot of calls from individuals saying, hey, my neighbor that's present here illegally, or my ex-wife, you know.”

NPR@npr.org · last yr.

Rebecca González runs one of ICE's local domestic intelligence offices. She told NPR how her agents are tracking down immigrants in Puerto Rico to deliver on President Trump's mass deportation promise.

In honor of Pride, I can’t recommend Secret City, by James Kirchick, highly enough. The book chronicles American history through the lens of gay Washington from the 1930s to 1990s. If you ever wondered whether Reagan was controlled by a “homosexual ring”, this is the summer read for you.

Texas had a heckuva 2025: - Allowed apartments in commercial zones - Legalized modest starter homes in new subdivisions - Adopted single-stair up to 6 floors in the state bldg code - Ended arbitrary roommate caps in college towns Amazing work by @texansforhousing.bsky.social & coalition!

Welcoming Neighbors Network@welcomingneighbors.us · last yr.

Texas just adopted its Starter Homes law SB 15, which caps minimum lot sizes at 3,000 square feet for new >5 acre subdivisions. The first law of its kind in the country! Congrats @texansforhousing.bsky.social!

Texas is having a YIMBY moment! "Both [legislative] chambers have approved bills to make it harder for property owners to stop new homes from being built near them and encourage cities to allow the construction of smaller apartments." www.texastribune.org/2025/05/27/t...

Texas bill allowing smaller homes on smaller lots amid housing affordability crunch advances in House

Senate Bill 15, a top priority of Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick, is part of a broad push by lawmakers to put a dent in the state’s high home prices.

texastribune.org

I respect the heck out of @mcbride.house.gov. This was a great interview. "We have to create space for some imperfect allies... That conversation needs to continue with people, but we can’t dismiss them as bigots or remove them from our coalition..." www.theatlantic.com/podcasts/arc...

Democrats Need ‘Imperfect Allies’

A conversation with Sarah McBride

theatlantic.com

Sen. King (I-ME) and Sen. Cassidy (R-LA) made plans to shore up Social Security by investing funds in equities. Unfortunately, they couldn’t bridge the partisan divide. But Trump kind of revived the idea with his talk about a sovereign wealth fund. www.asppa-net.org/news/2023/5/...

A Bipartisan 'Big Idea' to Fix Social Security

The third rail of American politics isn’t what it should be, according to Republican Sen. Bill Cassidy, (R-LA).

asppa-net.org

Oh The Urbanity!@ohtheurbanity.bsky.social · last yr.

It’s interesting how Social Security in the US is solely invested in federal government debt, while the Canada Pension Plan is a more normal investment fund holding stocks, bonds, and real estate (and is geographically diversified).

imagine being accidentally added to a second, slightly smaller group chat where they're talking about how to handle this scandal

I’m obsessed with the midrises in Condesa, CDMX.

Warning: Fascists believe a very wide array of First Amendment activity is “anti-American.” This will not stop here.

Justin Baragona@justinbaragona.bsky.social · last yr.

Trump takes credit for Mahmoud Khalil's arrest by ICE:

They’re smaller than a Volkswagen Beetle and powered by a motorcycle engine. But truck drivers prefer them over big American pickups and are fighting to keep them on the road.

‘What Is That Thing?’ Tiny Trucks Are Causing Big Fights.

Japanese haulers have won people over, even in Texas, but many states say they’re too brittle for America’s streets; a ‘dude magnet’

wsj.com

Also experimenting with innovative new “Strobe Tariffs” which will apply only to imports received in odd-numbered minutes after the hour.

Scott Shapiro@scottjshapiro.bsky.social · last yr.

Breaking: Trump to impose “crippling economic sanctions” on Australia for 25 minutes

NEW proposal from @leedrutman.bsky.social and Georgetown's Michael A. Bailey: If Democrats are doomed to lose Senate races in red states anyway—b/c the party's brand there is so radioactive—they should consider stepping aside in those states to let a new anti-MAGA party field candidates.

Democrats Must Step Aside in Red States

And let a new party—one that could actually defeat MAGA Republicans—compete there in 2026 and 2028.

thebulwark.com

Strongest result since when? apnews.com/article/germ...

Conservative opposition wins German election and the far right is 2nd with strongest postwar result

Projections show German opposition leader Friedrich Merz’s conservatives have won a lackluster victory in Sunday's national election.

apnews.com

The public comment period for changing passports to misgender trans people is open. Please take a moment to let them know that you do not support that change.

30-Day Notice of Proposed Information Collection: Application for a U.S. Passport

The Department of State has submitted the information collection described below to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for approval. In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, we are requesting comments on these collections from all interested individuals and organizations....

federalregister.gov

he is so swagless he has somehow achieved negative drip. this image is like a vortex, i can feel the swag being drained from my own body as i view this

jaspermaxxing@hoovybaby.bsky.social · last yr.

catastrophic levels of m’lady

Whomp whomp. The “left conservative” party that took its social cues from the far-right and economics from the far-left flopped.

Jeremy Cliffe@jeremycliffe.bsky.social · last yr.

BSW’s Katja Wolf beams in from Erfurt. She’s asked whether the party focused too much on the personality of Sahra Wagenknecht. Doesn’t exactly say no.

Expectations of a far-right surge among young Germans didn’t materialize.

Jeremy Cliffe@jeremycliffe.bsky.social · last yr.

German public TV just published this poll of first-time voters. A massive lead for socialist Left party on 27%. Left + SPD + Greens on 54% among first-time-voters. Those voters were also slightly less likely to vote AfD than national average. So much for the “far-right youth”.

Occasionally, Enriching Our Worship comes out swinging.

EOW Without Context@eow-no-context.bsky.social · last yr.

God is working today in the committed relationships of same-sex couples

The tech press is doing great work. And this piece from @lopatto.bsky.social might be the best I’ve read this week. Comparing DOGE to the Cultural Revolution and “anti-woke” to purges of all things “bourgeois” is insightful. www.theverge.com/elon-musk/61...

Elon Musk’s first month of destroying America will cost us decades

There’s no considered plan, just careless mass destruction.

theverge.com

A tax on heavy truck mileage would: - Shore up the Highway Trust Fund - Reduce traffic, air pollution, and wear on roads - Induce investment in rail All without raising the gas tax or imposing new fees on drivers. www.cato.org/regulation/w...

A Vehicle Mileage Tax for Heavy Trucks?

Economists have long argued for replacing the gas tax with a mileage tax.

cato.org

Stoops will bring us together. 🎶 But seriously, stoops and porches build community and knit neighborhoods together. They should be standard on new homes. youtu.be/EVjiz80WStE?...

New York's Stoops, Explained

YouTube video by Harrison Trautschold Brown

youtu.be

2 hours spent walking around downtown Dallas, and I snapped this photo of 211 N Ervay. This turquoise tower is one of my favorites.

Wack.

@3underscores.bsky.social · last yr.

NJ League of Municipalities is blocking Accessory Dwelling Unit legislation in the NJ legislature 😞

Can we stop referring to Trump as Hitler? He’s more of a Kmart Mussolini.

FBI Uncovers Al-Qaeda Plot To Just Sit Back And Enjoy Collapse Of United States

FBI Uncovers Al-Qaeda Plot To Just Sit Back And Enjoy Collapse Of United States

WASHINGTON—Putting the nation on alert against what it has described as a “highly credible terrorist threat,” the FBI announced today that it has uncovered a plot by members of al-Qaeda to sit back an...

theonion.com

Fantastic from @taras-grescoe.com on Swiss public transport. He also mentions neighboring Austria’s €3 per day “climate ticket” that covers public transit nationwide. This was a key part of the Conservative-Green coalition agreement. www.theglobeandmail.com/opinion/arti...

Opinion: What North America can learn from the greatest transportation system in the world

Fifty years ago, Switzerland was poised to become as car-dependent as anywhere in North America. Now it has the best transit system in the world. What’s the secret to this alpine nation’s transport su...

theglobeandmail.com

I’m a fan of @davidfrenchjag.bsky.social proposal for a constitutional amendment that would subject presidential pardons to Senate advice and consent.

The Wall Street Journal@wsj.com · 2y ago

Exclusive: Joe Biden’s desire to cut short what he saw as disproportionately long drug sentences granted mercy to many with violent histories who didn’t deserve it, officials say.

Democrats should say we'd rather default than fund this.

Nikki McCann Ramírez@nikkimcr.bsky.social · 2y ago

Trump announces an executive order authorizing a 30,000 capacity migrant detention center in Guantanamo. "Some of them are so bad we don't even trust the countries to hold them because we don't want them coming back, so we're going to send them out to Guatanamo Bay."

The past week