Gallego voted *yesterday* to confirm another Trump nominee for the Defense Department.

The Earth is tied to the railroad tracks, and a big black-smoke-belching-oil-burning locomotive is headed right for it.

Eloquent writing about what we’re experiencing in the US Southwest. Cold light of day sourcenm.com/2026/01/06/c...

Why did Gallego vote yes? I looked up the Keith Bass nomination and military.com had an article about him being canned for incompetence in a government position. What good comes out of this yes vote?

Meanwhile, Gallego tacitly supports Trump’s war agenda, voting today with Republicans, to confirm Trump’s incompetent nominee, Keith Bass, to be Assistant Secretary of Defense. Gallego continues to be a reliable vote for Trump appointees. You can’t claim to oppose Trump, then support his agenda.

Just came back from our local No Illegal War protest. Small group today at #Flagstaff City Hall but great support from drivers passing by on Route 66.

If reporters from Phoenix are up here to talk Snowbowl, they can also cover our #NoWar demonstration in Flagstaff AZ.

Trump says we need to go after drug cartels. Meanwhile, he disbanded a DOJ task force that took them on. And he pardoned a former Honduran president convicted of drug trafficking. Trump doesn't care about drugs — he wants to be able to declare war on anyone he labels an enemy. It's a power grab.

@captmarkkelly.bsky.social We are waiting and hoping for a strong statement from you about the illegal kidnapping of a foreign head of state - act of war without congressional authorization. Flimsy excuse of acting against a drug-smuggling leader when Trump pardoned convicted former Honduran leader.

Climate fatalism isn’t just bad messaging. It’s also wrong. There’s no such thing as “game over for the climate.” There’s only better or worse, and better is better than worse.

Some photos from our front yard game cam from the past couple of months...fun to realize that while we are inside celebrating the new year some of our neighbors may be right outside! #FlagstaffLife

"It is not yours to finish the task, neither are you free to desist from the work." A key reminder for us all! At the year's end, it is easy to feel discouraged that we did not achieve all we wanted - but that is no excuse to shirk the tasks we see in front of us.

Ok, so can we all agree now that Trump et al. started the year off with the intention of destroying science? I’m tired of having to talk people out of diplomatic and graceful explanations of this crap. 😫

Poignant story about vanishing butterfly in New Mexico mountains (where I used to investigate both rare and invasive plants). SW montane ecosystems still facing same threats (climate change, recreation pressures, fire, overgrazing). www.nytimes.com/2025/12/26/c...

Nice crisp winter weather for our morning walk. There have not been enough of those cold mornings so far this winter! #FlagstaffLife #CollieBrothers

I've been grateful to have this reporting from @fkearns.bsky.social over this past year. As crucial as water is in our arid environment, public awareness of physical and political constraints is sometimes shockingly lacking.

Dem senators still repeatedly help confirm Trump nominees. Both my D senators, even Mark Kelly, continue voting Yes for Trump nominees. They enable Project 2026 and aren't held to account by MSM journalists. @captmarkkelly.bsky.social @gallego.senate.gov @brahmresnik.bsky.social

Very interested in the discussion and decision-making to come in the next year around this proposed data center - in a notoriously low-water environment. There's another proposed data center in #CoconinoCounty (near Leupp), I believe - hoping our county government and news sources keep us apprised!

Even Santa is donating blood this holiday season! I have an appointment but there are so many people here there’s a wait…a good problem to have. #FlagstaffLife

suspect a big reason why many academics and others who work in areas where getting facts RIGHT is key are disinterested in using LLMs for research: they’ve tried it, they keep noticing major errors in output, and they conclude that having to verify all that doesn’t actually save them time.

DHS said that accusations of abuses in Camp East Montana are “clickbait.” But 911 emergency calls from the massive detention center I obtained paint a different picture, with emergency being made for life-threatening illnesses and acute mental health crises. My story:

Wow, our state energy regulator is cheerleading a huge new gas plant before even pretending to have hearings. And such a stupid investment for our sunny state! We need transparent oversight, public input, and clean energy standards that put health, equity, & affordability first. 🔗 bit.ly/4p5weZl

Yes, this is happening in our mountain forests of southwestern North America, too.

"Centrism" with Fascism from AZ Dem Party is frightening.

Stop confirming appointees @gallego.senate.gov @captmarkkelly.bsky.social @schumer.senate.gov Put sand in the gears, not grease!

It’s been clear for a while now, but the fact this many are still doing this shit is just confirmation without debate that we are largely on our own in this fight. Joke of an opposition.

I agree! So very frustrating. Kelly especially could be building his current public dispute with the Department of Defense (where we can all admire his insistence on the law and moral code for our military) into a strong presence as opposition to the Trump regime. But constantly complies instead...

Beautiful sunrise this Saturday morning 12-20-2025, the official last day of autumn, over the Sangre de Cristo mountains in far northern New Mexico. Looking at another unseasonably warm day, no snow, and drought conditions getting worse by the day.

Proof that local actions matter and that we can fight back against the technofascist regime

Strong community pressure and responsive officials. #FlagstaffLife

Let's frickin' GO!!!!

Update: today I received three more of these letters from SiriusXM (that makes 10), plus another missive from them that did not show any return address. Curious to see how far they will go! #advertisingoverload

Thanks for this encouragement. I have a small group of local friends and contacts, to whom I send a very short weekly email with 1-3 local opportunities for action or resistance. While I haven’t made any effort to build an audience here, I may try posting those here, just in case…

I thought I was well-informed about Colorado River water in the lower basin, but I learned a great deal in this article about water pricing. insideclimatenews.org/news/1112202...

We bought a new (certified pre-owned) vehicle recently. It came with a trial SiriusXM subscription which I chose not to continue. Two days ago I received seven (seven!) identical letters asking me to re-subscribe. I suppose this is preferable to them sending me one a week for seven weeks, but…

The temperature is not going down like a rock. Graphic from zacklabe.com/climate-chan...

Good morning, northern Arizona and our sacred peaks!

Certainly true in my somewhat rural county! Most times I have shown up to make a comment during the Public Comment portion of a Board of Supervisors meeting, I have been the only person in attendance (in person or online) who is not a county employee. Quickly you become a familiar face and voice.

Just nonsensical! The @AZCorpComm has decided to cut @APSFYI’s energy efficiency budget from $79M to $40M — gutting programs that help ratepayers cut high bills and that create grid capacity Arizona needs to grow. A political decision with zero analysis behind it. More here: bit.ly/48jON6X

Crane is a reasonable target because a while back he WAS calling for full disclosure. Urge him to go back to his initial stand!

We found it extremely easy - and satisfying! - to move our music elsewhere and cancel our Spotify premium accounts. Put your money where your beliefs are!

Free Sarah Kendzior.

If Sarah Kendzior is indeed blocked on @bsky.app, this is a completely unjustified and highly questionable move. Sarah Kendzior is among the best voices of knowledge-based critical journalism in the US. See to it that this is corrected immediately and with an apology, @pfrazee.com!

Bluesky suspended Sarah Kendzior today for no reason whatsoever. She just shared excerpts of her articles, which were as always incisive and not offensive at all. Hey @pfrazee.com this is super not OK. I know her- we've interacted a fair bit via chats and her work is essential.

Hello @support.bsky.team why has @sarahkendzior.bsky.social been suspended without explanation?????

The average SNAP benefit per month is $177 a person. The average ACA benefit per month is up to $550 a person. People want us to hold the line for a reason. This is not a matter of appealing to a base. It’s about people’s lives. And working people want leaders whose word means something to them.

@captmarkkelly.bsky.social I’m a constituent that voted for you. Do not cave to open the government that does not include reinstating subsidies for those that are enrolled in the ACA/Obamacare. Courts are requiring F47 to fund SNAP. Citizens need affordable health insurance! Do not cave!

I have called both of my Senators today, Ruben Gallego and Mark Kelly, on a Sunday, to tell them there must be NO agreement that would open the government *until and unless* Senate Republicans protect ACA healthcare subsidies ROCK SOLID. In writing. Guaranteed. For a year. Done with weak Democrats!

This is great to hear - hope some of the “squishy” folks think twice!

#AZindivisibles www.threads.com/@standindivi...