Mark Ratledge
@markratledge.com
https://linktr.ee/markratledge http://stackoverflow.com/users/85385/ma… http://wordpress.stackexchange.com/users/268/mark… Upwork: http://bit.ly/32EqY8b
Just had a verbal (and friendly) skirmish at my front door with two Mormons on mission. They left disappointed: they just couldn't believe me that 1) people can be good and ethical and generous without being part of an established religion, and 2) their religion and calling was their own choice.
Trump prosecutors surrender on NYT reporter probe: “The subpoenas issued by Manhattan U.S. Attorney Jay Clayton on July 10 are the latest instance of the Trump administration seeking to force journalists to divulge their sources.” Via Reuters
US prosecutors to drop New York Times subpoenas over Trump plane reporting
Donald Trump's Justice Department will withdraw subpoenas issued to New York Times' journalists who reported on security concerns about the president flying on a Qatari-donated Air Force One, a prose...
reuters.com
Bend the knee and you agreed to lose. Fight and you win. Always punch the bullies in the nose. www.nytimes.com/2026/07/23/u...
Trump Administration Drops Subpoena Demanding List of Jews From Penn (Gift Article)
For more than a year, the Trump administration pressed the university for records about antisemitism complaints and a list of campus groups involved with Judaism.
nytimes.com
Google has been deleting the reviews of ICE detention centers on Google Maps, according to a new study. The study found Google deleted reviews from dozens of ICE prisons, then blocked users from writing new ones. DHS says ICE never requested that Google do this. theintercept.com/2026/07/20/g...
Google Is Censoring Reviews of ICE Detention Centers
In the past year, Google Maps was deleting all the reviews for dozens of ICE jails, a new study found.
theintercept.com
BREAKING: A judge just BLOCKED the $110B Paramount Skydance–Warner Bros Discovery merger with a TRO — after 12 state AGs filed an emergency request The Ellisons wanted to rush this closed before a court could see the evidence, now the case gets decided on the merits #blockthemerger -TN
Local plumbers two steps ahead of every university administrator in america 👏
Metin Seven (Moon Child's dad 🌝)@seven.eurosky.social · 2w ago
it actually brings me great pleasure to know that billionaires are so afraid of journalists that they’re trying to build whole new systems for justice to diminish our power. despite corporate consolidation, we continue to do something they can’t fully buy and it drives them mad. stay mad, assholes.
A Peter Thiel-Backed Tribunal Is Putting Journalists on Trial. I’m Its First Target
The billionaire has reteamed with the legal strategist who helped him bring down Gawker to start an AI-powered appeals court for the rich and aggrieved.
hollywoodreporter.com
Can you imagine if right wing media here in the U.S. ever had to do this?
CEO Reveals How He Used AI To Build One-Person Company That's $1.3 Billion In Debt
This is so powerful. Inspired by the March of a Thousand Robes in Poland, retired and sitting judges in the United States walked down the streets of Columbus, Ohio to stand up for the Rule of Law. #JusticeinMotion
"They just want to turn it off." A fascinating story of the librarians who have started teaching classes showing people how to remove AI "features" from their phones and apps. www.bangordailynews.com/2026/07/02/m...
These Maine librarians are helping patrons resist AI and Big Tech
Despite breathless reporting on how AI is going to change the world, Hannah Cyrus, a Bangor librarian, said that, in her experience, most library patrons aren’t finding it helpful.
bangordailynews.com
RESPECT Every politician should be doing this. Mayor Coffman has spent every Friday night since February sleeping at Aurora, Colorado’s homeless center, serving breakfast in the morning, and learning firsthand what works and what doesn’t.
Maga taking shelter in the National Museum of African-American History And Culture!
People who are unfamiliar with the UCMJ may not realize that for an active duty major to do this in uniform, the consequence can be court martial and incarceration. All of it is prohibited, but the wearing of the uniform was an intentional choice, and a likely forfeit of both his career and freedom.
US service member arrested at Capitol after calling for Trump’s impeachment | CNN Politics
A US Air Force major was arrested on the steps of the US Capitol on Wednesday after delivering a speech calling for the impeachment and removal of President Donald Trump and Vice President JD Vance.
cnn.com
Good to see some people have scruples variety.com/2026/biz/new...
‘Weird Al’ Yankovic Pulled Out of AI Ad Despite Offer to Make a ‘Nice Pile of Money’: ‘I Can’t Be the Poster Boy for AI’
Weird Al Yankovic revealed he was offered “a nice pile of money” to appear in a commercial but backed out after realizing it would involve AI.
variety.com
If there was any doubt that Gov Jared Polis’ legacy is freeing Tina Peters, the NYT reports Polis just fired the clemency board members who revealed he overruled their unanimous wishes www.nytimes.com/2026/07/01/u...
Colorado Governor Fires Officials Who Opposed Freeing Election Denier
nytimes.com
It's Trump's fucking fault, in case you had any doubt.
Jennifer Ouellette@jenlucpiquant.bsky.social · last mo.Here’s Why Weather Forecasts Have Seemed So Inaccurate Lately. Meteorologists simply aren't able to gather as much data as they used to, and you're suffering for it. gizmodo.com/heres-why-we...
So I just got a statement from California AG Bonta's office: "Paramount/Warner Bros is not a done deal. These two Hollywood titans have not cleared regulatory scrutiny — the California Department of Justice has an open investigation, and we intend to be vigorous in our review"
This is from THE CATO INSTITUTE, people. A right-wing think tank. www.cato.org/commentary/e...
To End Abuses, Eliminate ICE and Give the Money to Police
Abolishing ICE would not end all deportations. But it would make them much more dependent on state and local cooperation, which would be a particular boon to “sanctuary” jurisdictions like Boston.
cato.org
This is precisely what polling places were like for part of the 19th century. People often traveled long distances by horse to vote. It was a big deal when folks got together this way.
Robert Fessler@professler.bsky.social · 6mo agoThere are far more voters than ICE agents. People should plan to stay at their polling place all day. Make it a party. Meet your neighbors. Talk politics. Gather food trucks. Make it a safe place for voters who are nervous. ICE agents always back off when they are outnumbered.
Trump nominated a legit white nationalist to a top post at the State Department. I asked him some basic questions about his belief in the “erasure of white culture”. Watch this embarrassing, fumbling answer. Like he has never before been asked to explain his views.
McIVER: Do you consider yourself a religious man? LYONS: Yes mam McIVER: How do you think judgment day will work for you with so much blood on your hands? LYONS: I'm not going to entertain that question McIVER: Do you think you're going to hell, Mr Lyons?