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Michael C Merritt

@mikecmerritt.bsky.social

Navy veteran, humbled former small business owner, bicycling advocate. From Massachusetts to Norfolk, VA. Chairman of the Norfolk Bicycling, Pedestrian, and Active Transportation Commission. Views are my own. Born at 324.09 CO2 ppm

3160 Posts3644 Follower1733 Folgt
Shooti@bambooshooti.bsky.social · 6d ago

#ResistanceRoots Major General Smedley Butler was born on this day in 1881 in West Chester, Pa. One of the most decorated figures in U.S. Marine Corps history, he transformed into an anti-war activist and whistleblower. He exposed a plot by wealthy men to overthrow FDR and install a dictator. /1

Brigadier General Smedley Butler in uniform, ca. 1921-1929. Butler’s transformation from a decorated commander into an anti-war activist was not caused by a sudden epiphany. His final year in the military soured his view of institutional power, and his retirement freed him from military censorship. While active in the Marine Corps, he was bound by military discipline and could not publicly criticize the government. Free from the threat of a court-martial, he began using his retirement lectures to unpack the moral rot he had witnessed throughout his 34-year career.
Michael C Merritt@mikecmerritt.bsky.social · last wk.

“Without a tub of wax for my ears – …Eurylochus, Odysseus’s doomed right-hand man, uses to sail safely past the Sirens – I was exposed to the full din of thumping sticks, staffs, swords and clashing armour, thunderbolts, crashing waves, grunts, screams, toppling palaces and burning temples.” Brutal

London Review of Books@lrb.co.uk · last wk.

‘Nolan has read at least the first line of my translation of 𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘖𝘥𝘺𝘴𝘴𝘦𝘺 into iambic pentameter. In one interview, he cited my version of it: “Tell me about a complicated man.” But I would be ashamed to have written any part of this script.’ New, by Emily Wilson www.lrb.co.uk/the-paper/v4...

Just Kevin@kevinleecaster.bsky.social · last wk.

He emitted over 20 tons of CO2 on Sunday in order to spend four hours in Burbank. Come on people, we need to push for carbon taxes! Carbon taxes are wealth taxes too if you want to think about it that way. I think that $200/tonne would add like $2/gallon cost and seems like a fine start.

Elon Musk's Jet Tracking@elonjet.net · last wk.

~ 875 gallons (3,312 liters). ~ 5,864 lbs (2,660 kg) of jet fuel used. ~ $6,090 cost of fuel. ~ 9 tons of CO2 emissions.

Brent Toderian@brenttoderian.bsky.social · last wk.

Paris has been praised in recent years for their visionary, progressive city-building, but they don’t get nearly enough credit for just being really pragmatic! Everything they’ve been doing is common sense. They’re moving a lot more people with less space while cleaning the air & cooling the city.

Many Parisians on bikes in a protected bike-lane in central Paris (Rue de Rivoli)Many Paris streets are still chocked with cars, with traffic moving VERY slowly. If the people choosing bikes were all driving cars instead, the gridlock would be even worse — in fact, that’s how it was not many years ago.
Peter Norton@norton.bsky.social · 2w ago

“The structure of government is important. If you’re an advocate you need to know that structure very well to know where you need to plug in with your advocacy.” “Car traffic is such an incredibly inefficient use of urban space.”

Eric Lipton NYT@ericlipton.nytimes.com · 2w ago

JUST POSTED: A deep investigation by The NYT of shortcuts taken to get President Trump his Qatari-donated plane in time for POTUS to show it off during 250th anniversary events-compromises that leave the plane more vulnerable to potential threats (Free link) www.nytimes.com/2026/07/25/u...

Inside the Rushed Effort to Get Trump His New Air Force One

A New York Times investigation found that President Trump’s push to speed delivery of the aircraft led to ballooning costs and trade-offs in safety features.

nytimes.com

Bill Lindeke@blindeke.bsky.social · 2w ago

"The driver, 31-year-old Charles Medina, sped past the couple from behind... Rapp’s boyfriend responded to the maneuver by raising his hands and yelling, at which point Medina slammed his brakes, skidded to a stop and accelerated in reverse." www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026...

‘Our hearts are crushed’: Hannah Rapp’s violent death sparks outpouring of grief

Family and boxing community grieving deeply after Rapp was killed by motorist while she was cycling in Texas

theguardian.com