Take note, my fellow Americans: Environmental protections aren't only at risk in the EU. The Trump regime is hellbent on destroying our national parks, recklessly exploiting our natural resources, polluting our air and water, & increasing our reliance on fossil fuels. Fight back--and keep fighting!

Damn! Those are some of the most straightforward, inspiring words I've heard in a long time. And from a politician, no less. Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker tells it like it is in just the right tone & doesn't hold back. Surely Trump will resort to performative buffoonery in his sad response.

Despite several visits to the Hiroshima Peace Memorial Park, @tokyocityurbex.bsky.social & @takeshelter.bsky.social , I can't recall hearing of Ninoshima Island's role as a mass grave for the atom bomb's victims. Nor did I learn until recently of Rebun Kayo's volunteer efforts to enshrine the dead.

Former US Surgeon General Vivek Murthy, who served under Biden, in January of this year called for cancer risk warning labels on alcoholic beverages. Murthy wanted consumers to know of alcohol's potential link to 7 types of cancer. What will Murthy's successor do when finally confirmed? Who knows?

Great news, but heed the important qualifiers in both sentences: "𝘮𝘢𝘺 𝘴𝘭𝘰𝘸," "𝘳𝘦𝘴𝘦𝘢𝘳𝘤𝘩 𝘪𝘴 𝘯𝘦𝘦𝘥𝘦𝘥" & "𝘰𝘧𝘧𝘦𝘳 𝘯𝘦𝘸 𝘱𝘳𝘰𝘮𝘪𝘴𝘦." In other words, no guarantees yet. Respect the data. Wanna bet "influencers" make DIY videos for a home "cure"? How soon before an underground market for the meds pops up? Argh!

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Some redistricting, even to the point of gerrymandering, is deemed essential to ensure fair minority representation. If necessary, then so be it. But let the redistricting be carried out by dispassionate, disinterested third-party experts with no skin in the game. Then rigorously review the results.

Some might say, "It's just a TV show." Yeah, but 𝘸𝘩𝘢𝘵 a TV show! I know I'm not the only U.S. expat who considers Colbert essential viewing. Petitions? What the heck? It can't hurt to try.

The RFS Community space is only a week old and already more than 1,000 people are chatting away & getting started on their campaign prep. It’s just so cool to see the work working.

My fellow Americans should take time to learn more about hepatitis, now that our own U.S. Department of Health and Human Services has been compromised under the dubious leadership of RFK Jr. & his compliant underlings at the Food & Drug Administration and the Centers for Disease Control.

There is a world of difference between "Hot dog survives locker ordeal at Germany’s Neuschwanstein Castle" and "Dog survives hot locker ordeal at Germany’s Neuschwanstein Castle."

The article doesn't specify if the strain is bubonic, pneumonic or septicemic, but no matter, RFK Jr. It's the damn Plague, for cryin' out loud. The big time, as pandemics go. So what's the plan? Hope it's just a few isolated cases as in the past? Or go full Joni Ernst & tell us we're all gonna die?

People are tired of a status quo that isn’t working for them. Zohran Mamdani’s campaign has sent shockwaves across the country and shown what’s possible when candidates have the courage to stay true to their values and speak authentically to working people.

Familiar w/ the @amwajmedia.bsky.social website, @basilkiwan.bsky.social? Just discovered it. Looks to be useful, even if it doesn't post much here. Covers Iran, Iraq & the Arabian Peninsula in English, Arabic and Farsi, offering articles in presented in the Axios style, podcasts & newsletters.

When you wonder about the impact of Trump, think about a senator like Mike Lee who exploits his power to spread disinformation and undermine the public’s capacity to know what’s true. A bad man who doesn’t belong anywhere near the levers of power.

Free speech for me, a felony for thee.

#protestart takes many forms. Dude getting a haircut on the police line to show how chill things are…? I’m here for it.

Well, this one has certainly 'done the numbers'. -16k Likes etc. I thought the allusion to the 'Troubles' and indeed Bloody Sunday was too subtle, but it seems not. Troops are not civil police and have little training in public order. Deploying troops against civilians is never a good thing.

Paul Saladino is a nonpracticing psychiatrist who uses his MD to sell diet scams online. Some of the things he promotes include: not eating vegetables (he says all vegetables are toxic), not using soap to wash yourself, and using raw animal fat as sunscreen instead of sunscreen, just to name a few

This happened because of you. You protested at TeslaTakedowns and made his name and his company’s product reviled. You protested outside federal agencies slated for DOGE cuts. You barred doors, protected data. You sued and won. You WORE HIM OUT. Don’t let them spin it any other way.

still waiting for one (1) reporter with access to ask Musk or Trump what they think about Amy Gleason’s job performance

to be fair can u imagine having to transcribe that batshit every fuckin day

Sad! "Trump has long targeted efficiency standards for appliances, blaming showerhead standards for ruining his 'perfect' hair. In April, the president signed an executive order lifting restrictions on how much water can be used by showerheads ... to 'make America’s showers great again.'”

I've updated the lists of accounts I follow, adding "Science (General)," "Security / Defense / Intelligence" & "Education / Parenting / Religion." I split publishers & writers et al. into "General news outlets" & "Politics & current affairs analysis." More non-US & non-anglophone sources added.

Too good 🤣

Incarcerated people in the States bring a lived perspective to Kristi Noem's sadistic photo op in El Salvador--and it sure ain't a pretty picture.

Now that's what I call art, @takeshelter.bsky.social. And just imagine what we could have accomplished if we could've gotten our hands on these laser things as kids, @gcgeek.bsky.social. "Don't call it vandalism, Officer. It's a valid form of creative expression."

Great work! Good people! Keep it up! Tennessee Sen. Marsha Blackburn notoriously stands out as one of the least competent and least effective legislators "serving" the people of her state and country. In her case, I'd modify the message: Grow a spine & resign!

First I've heard of the hashtag. But I hope I'll soon never have to hear about DOGE again.

To quote hummingbird21 at the original post, "I haven't laughed this hard in forever!" Another commenter said, "This whole segment was jaw-dropping." Funny, indeed. Jordan Klepper's extended "weave" version on "The Daily Show" is even more hilarious. The problem? The babbling idiot has nuke codes.

Might be of interest to you and/or some of your writer friends in the DMV, @cabockwrites.bsky.social. Looks as though only virtual tix are left, but 8 a.m. Tokyo time on 5/20 doesn't work for me. Gotta start reading more books & spending fewer hours glued to a computer screen.

Trump is literally taking credit for things that were announced when Biden was still in office.

I thought he said when asked about whether migrants were entitled to due process “I don’t know.” Now he’s whining because the Supreme Court DOES know.

The Natl. Assoc. of Scholars? Sounds kinda innocuous, though a look at its track record shows it's anything but. Its head lauds the destruction wrought at the U. of Florida by big-spending former Neb. Sen. Ben Sasse & bemoans what wokeness Dr. Santa Ono will bring to the school. LOL Righting wrongs?

No explanation needed--except, no, this isn't why I avoid using Google products. That's a whole 'nother story.

A program worth learning more about if you live in a part of Jersey that's prone to flooding every time there's a major storm. I'm looking at you, Hoboken & Jersey City.

Bad news for the US & its nursing shortage, but no surprise. Since TikTok won't cooperate & let me play the clip, I'll quote what the CBC posted: "The B.C. government says the new system means registrations will take only a few days, compared to the previous average of as long as four months."

Absolutely cold-blooded and utterly devoid of humanity. I now understand why it was so easy for her to mercilessly execute her puppy and goat with a couple of shotgun blasts.

I didn't hear much from Georgia Sen. Jon Ossoff in years past, but I like what I'm hearing now. He reminds me of Pete Buttigieg, in that he's thoughtful, articulate and very good at explaining issues--in other words, very much unlike Trump's Cabinet. Let's hope he holds Gabbard's feet to the fire.

Turns out there's more to this story than simple bribery & grifting. The Qataris have been trying to unload this plane for years now. And it's not the 1st they've "given away." A sister jet, also delivered in 2012 & barely flown, was handed to Turkey's president when a buyer couldn't be found.

This morning the official Library of Congress Bluesky account (and yes, it's official: www.loc.gov/connect) posted a video of Librarian of Congress Carla Hayden... who Trump fired last week.

NEW: ALA salutes Dr Carla Hayden for her exceptional service to the nation as the Librarian of Congress. We are deeply disappointed in Dr Hayden's abrupt & unjust dismissal last night, an insult to the scope & breadth of her work. Read ALA Pres. Cindy Hohl's statement: www.ala.org/news/2025/05...

NEW: ALA denounces yesterday's unlawful firing of Dr. Shira Perlmutter, the Register of Copyrights at the Library of Congress. Dr. Perlmutter has led the US Copyright Office with integrity, intelligence and an understanding of intellectual property issues. 1/2

Time will tell ... "'[Cardinal Prevost] is a moderate consensus candidate who fits into a soft continuity, a gentle continuity with Pope Francis, who will not alienate conservatives,' said Francois Mabille, a researcher at the Paris-based think tank IRIS and author of a book on Vatican strategy."

Wise words from the world's 5th-richest person, a generous philanthropist who's famed for living modestly & investing quietly, instead of bragging like a certain POTUS who's far less wealthy in both money & principles. Trump surely won't be joining The Giving Pledge, created by Buffet & Bill Gates.

The buck stops ... somewhere else.

Glad to know diversity is appreciated & celebrated somewhere in this world. Because it sure seems like it's increasingly treated with disdain in my homeland, the United States. I'm happier than ever to be an American abroad at this dark time. Nearly a quarter century as an expat & counting.