For most of the last six decades, while local and state law enforcement too often killed innocent civilians, the Federal govt. and its agencies tried to uphold a higher standard, with Fed courts and agencies seeking to restrain local excess. Now Feds are killing us.

David J. Bier@davidjbier.bsky.social · 4w ago

I suspect that this killing was the same as Renée Good. If I had to bet, I'd bet that Lorenzo was shot as he was turning around. As he pulls away (after seemingly being rammed in the side by an ICE vehicle), you can see ICE agents to the side of his vehicle (not in front) on the passenger side...

I suspect that this killing was the same as Renée Good. If I had to bet, I'd bet that Lorenzo was shot as he was turning around. As he pulls away (after seemingly being rammed in the side by an ICE vehicle), you can see ICE agents to the side of his vehicle (not in front) on the passenger side...

Fox is worried that more people going to libraries means more readers, and a better informed public, which is dangerous to their preferred candidates and issues.

Mrs. Betty Bowers@mrsbettybowers.bsky.social · 4w ago

How would anyone at Fox News ever know what libraries are like? (And could they be a bit more specific as to which ones?)

As we move toward the 250th anniversary of the USA, Washington DC is starting to look more like "Trumpington"--giant posters of Trump on multiple bldgs., his name on the Kennedy Ctr and US Institute of Peace, his troops on the streets. His remade White House, Reflecting Pool, and planned Arch.

Seems clear that the Trump administration plans to mark the 250th anniversary of the US by wholly abandoning the separation of Church and State. www.yahoo.com/news/article...

White House mass prayer event seeks to reclaim US Christian roots

Thousands of people gathered Sunday in downtown Washington for a mass prayer festival featuring speeches by top Trump administration officials -- an event critics see as an overt display of Christian ...

yahoo.com

Today's SCOTUS decision bodes ill for the upcoming birthright citizenship case. This court seems to pay no attention to precedent and the meaning--original or otherwise--of law and the Constitution. Their project is restoring White Christian dominance of America. So they may limit citizenship.

SCOTUS has decided that since Obama was elected POTUS there is no longer any racial discrimination in America, that all legacies of slavery have been eliminated, and no protection is any longer necessary or reasonable for African American voters. Instead, unlimited partisan gerrymandering is OK.

How Iran is surviving (and winning) the war: nam11.safelinks.protection.outlook.com?url=https%3A...

Iran’s Rope-a-Dope Strategy Has Given It the Upper Hand

Tehran’s strategy in its war against the U.S. and Israel has taken a page from Muhammad Ali. So far, it’s paying off.

nam11.safelinks.protection.outlook.com

It says a LOT about the quality of life in America and the US's standing in the world that NOT ONE of the top 20 airports in the world is in the US. Tokyo, Seoul, Vancouver, Munich, Paris, London, Vancouver but none here. www.afar.com/magazine/bes...

The World's Best Airport Has a Semi-Olympic Pool, Giant Trampoline, and More Than 60 Places to Eat

Hubs in Asia dominated the Skytrax 2026 World's Best Airport list, with a strong showing from Europe as well, and one North American airport making the top 10.

afar.com

1/ America began a war with Iran - but did Trump or Congress have any idea of the country the US was attacking? In 2000, before the US invasion, Iraq had a GDP of $312 B (PPP in constant 2021 Int. $). Population was 24.4 million. In 2024, Iran's GDP was $1.6 TRILLION (by the same metric)...

People are numb to these numbers. But the $200 Billion being asked "to kill bad guys" is $600 for every single man, woman and child in America. $2,400 TAKEN from every family of four. Trump promised to give money to Americans; now he is taking it away.

Israel clearly wants a forever war. Ali Larijani is one of the few Iranian leaders with sufficient credibilty with the military and the pragmatic streak to be able to negotiate a peace agreement with the US. Killing him makes it certain the military will double down and fight to the bitter end.

A few thoughts on the Iran war: 1/seems as if the entire Israeli/US strategy was based on belief that a "shock and awe" bombing campaign would quickly lead the regime to collapse. That was stupid: all experts (including me) said that while the regime was weakened, foreign attacks might revive it. ..

Clear why Trump & GOP are panicked about midterms. If Dems win, not only Trump, but also Bondi & Noem will be impeached for gross dereliction of duty. Possibly Hegseth for violation of laws of war and Lutnick for lying to Congress.

Trump admin now blames racist primate posting of Obamas on a staffer. Yet no one has been identified and disavowed or fired. So FBI & DoJ can't find the person who posted that meme on Trump's Truth Social website? Really? Means either Trump posted it or is OK with it and defending whoever did.

1/ WashPost editorial says "new data make clear that 21st century Americans can still be content about how far they’ve come." The data? A 13.8% increase in purchasing power per hour of work since 2006. That's a miserable 0.6%/yr, while US real GDP was growing 45% in those years, 3 times faster. ...

Why are ICE agents wearing camoflauge? Are they planning to hide in the woods to jump out and surprise immigrants? Do they expect jungle warfare in Minneapolis? NO: it has one purpose -- too look tough and intimidate. Horrific.

My latest on the protests in Iran, with Karim Sadjadpour: www.theatlantic.com/internationa...

Is the Iranian Regime About to Collapse?

Five conditions determine whether revolutions succeed. For the first time since 1979, Iran meets nearly all of them.

theatlantic.com

"Strong laws ought to be developed against A.I." says the President who has blocked any state from passing strong laws against AI (!?).

Mark Jacob@markjacob.bsky.social · 8mo ago

Trump on Jan. 9, 2024: “I was never on Epstein’s plane.” Newly released documents: Trump was on Epstein’s plane multiple times.

America has a president who was best friends for decades with a sex trafficking pedophile and himself was convicted of felony business fraud. And yet he thinks America is now respected again. Sorry, the world laughs and pities us.

Scott MacFarlane@macfarlanenews.bsky.social · 8mo ago

Among the newly-released Epstein files. This Justice Dept email from Jan 2020 'I wanted to let you know that the flight records we received yesterday reflect that Donald Trump traveled on Epstein's private jet many more times than previously has been reported"

Among the newly-released Epstein files. This Justice Dept email from Jan 2020 'I wanted to let you know that the flight records we received yesterday reflect that Donald Trump traveled on Epstein's private jet many more times than previously has been reported"

It's good to catch admin officials in lies. But these hearings are harsh. I miss the ol' Southern legislators who would say "I'm just a country lawyer, but I know when when a dog is right and when it's gone wrong, and when I hear what you're telling me I have to say that your dog just won't hunt."

Very bizarre to see SecHS Noem smiling through today's hearing as if her plumped up lips and wavy hair will shield her from harsh and clear statements of her lies and false ICE arrests of American citizens.

1/Trump thinks he "won" the Gaza Peace Plan because Qatar forced Hamas to "accept" the terms. But a key point was that Hamas disarm, and Gaza be managed by international forces. These are looking like pipe dreams. So the "cease fire" allows Hamas to regroup and retake control of much of Gaza.

This is rather worrisome: Trump just granted blanket, preemptive pardons to anyone who in any way helped him try to overturn the 2020 election, saying they were simply exercising their democratic right to challenge election results. Now anyone can help him overturn results in 2026/28 without fear.

Trump doesn't just want to be a dictator, he wants to be a Caesar, with a triumph arch in his capital and his image on coins. For the Founding Fathers, who admired the Roman Republic and feared tyrants above all, Trump would be a nightmare. www.nytimes.com/2025/11/09/u...

A Two-Headed Coin That Always Comes Up ‘Trump’

nytimes.com

What if instead of making AI companions to REPLACE real interactions, making them as ingratiating and fawning as possible, AI was used to create relationship TRAINING, rewarding users for being unselfish, cooperative and empathetic? Goal should be to help people improve, not just capture attention.

Trump made his career & attracted new voters by being dfferent from other politicians--lying about opponents, saying the nation was in carnage, etc. Now he is sounding JUST LIKE other policitians, lying to people about prices not going up, the economy being great for them, etc. This may cripple him.

1/ Dems had a great victory last night. But it's important not to rest on these laurels. They should be an inducement to get working at the grass roots level to duplicate the youth turnout of Mamdani and the middle-of-the-road appeal to independents of Sherril and Spanberger. Elsewhere, Dems will

If you follow me and enjoy my posts, please consider signing up for my new substack, 10 Billion, for longer reads on global affairs. substack.com/@jackagoldst...?