[Exit King.]

I stand with salamanders, & against authoritoads.

Who broke the internet today?

@short-reads.org has been kind enough to drag me back out into the light. Thanks for giving this little birthday remembrance some love. www.short-reads.org/celebration-...

For Mother's Day: a good friend is the "Mediocre Mom" over on Substack. Have a look. They're witty, smart, and far from mediocre. themediocremother.substack.com

It's always good news when The Beths have a new song out. youtu.be/YrVEgP0LkDA

Does anyone know an ICE agent personally? Like, what sort of lives do they lead? Are they all die-hard MAGA types, running around in their off hours with the giant US flags and trailer hitch nutsacks hanging off their trucks? Do they have friends? Do they stomp kittens for kicks?

Close to home. www.thehandbasket.co/p/ice-whitef...

Rwanda? WTF? www.thehandbasket.co/p/us-rwanda-...

I'm wondering about the roots of the El Salvadoran concentration camp arrangement, like when did Trump talk to this "cool" dictator about the whole thing? When was the contract signed, payments made? Do we do this with other countries? Are there other black holes out there under contract?

I feel like the new dictatorship is saying, "C'mon, hit me. Hit me. Plant one right here," so we'll throw a punch, giving them an excuse to bring out the guns.

Terminology matters. ~Deportation uses rule of law and a *process* to remove a person from a country. ~Rendition (or Extraordinary Rendition) "generally implies that transferred suspects have no access to the judicial system of the sending state to challenge their transfer."

I have therapy today. Will EMDR take the fascism away?

About student visas: The First Amendment, which guarantees freedom of speech, applies to everyone within U.S. borders, regardless of citizenship status or immigration status. Inciting violence or other illegal activities fall outside that protection, but otherwise, protests and the like are fine.

I wish Trump had consulted with my writer's group before he decided to tank the economy. We would have had some good ideas for him on how to build tension without destroying the world. We could have helped him with character development too.

A friend of mine, one of those students I look at and ask "whaddya need *me* for?", just got published today! They're awesome. Check it out at Sweet: sweetlit.org/shannon-dale...

Wrote a quick and dirty illustrated explainer on The Department of Education because if I have to hear any more misinformation about it I'm going to lose my goddamn mind. open.substack.com/pub/aubreyhi...

I'm checking the "my Social Security" page more obsessively than I've ever done with Submittable or while biting my nails over a late direct deposit. Uncertainty regarding the traditionally dependable things sucks, to say the least.

Australian newspaper "The Sun-Herald" opinion piece calls it out. American msm, take notes.

I realized today that my core worldview-slightly pessimistic, but trying to be "cheerful in all weathers"-has shifted toward darkness. The inciting event was the Black Keys announcing a show here in May. Cool! I'll get tickets! Then a shadow fell, cast by a pall of uncertainty about the future. WTF.

This helped me track the shitstorm last time around. whatthefuckjusthappenedtoday.com

Since it's an official .gov site, I can't vouch for thoroughness or authority anymore, but at least it's a handy list of overt actions he must want "credit" for. Note the hardcore spin in the titles. Language matters. www.whitehouse.gov/presidential...