“Over the past few decades, Iranians’ protests against the Islamic Republic have become a regular sight—bursts of defiance that light up the streets, fill the air with hope, and then fade away only to become a fire beneath ashes. Each protest seems bigger, braver, and more hopeful. Yet each time, the system endures. Still, hope doesn’t die. You can hear it in every conversation and encrypted message coming out of Iran: people still believe change is possible.” (01/07/26)
“This morning, DHS posted ‘GOOD MORNING MINNEAPOLIS!’ on X, relishing their own power to bring fear down on an American city. Mere hours later, a masked agent of the state murdered a US citizen while she was attempting to drive away. DHS quickly spun the killing as self defense, but a plethora of videos and even more witnesses made that lie obvious immediately. … She was turning her car to leave and the agent, in no danger at all, shoots straight into her open window. This tragedy, this crime, is only to be expected from an administration that has always believed itself entitled to not just govern, but to rule over a free people. An administration that rejects professionalism and has sought to scale up what was already the least professionalized federal agency to act as a personal enforcer for the President.” (01/07/26)
“President Trump on Wednesday announced plans to withdraw the U.S. from dozens of global organizations, including the United Nations climate change agencies. It’s among the biggest and most extreme steps this administration has taken to retreat from the global stage and pull back foreign spending. Legal experts immediately questioned whether Trump’s move is legal, though the existence of laws haven’t stopped other moves of his. … Trump’s memoranda to executive departments and agencies said that after consulting with his Cabinet, he ‘determined that it is contrary to the interests of the United States to remain a member of, participate in, or otherwise provide support to’ the organizations.” (01/07/26)
“If social media is to become the new smoking – and it is already to a significant degree – those of us who speak against it are playing the same role as the health nuts of the 1960s. I think we should accept this role. More still, I think we should embrace it and be proud of it. The health nuts were right, after all, and the places where smoking has vanished are very much the better for it.” (01/07/26)
“Greenland has a population is about 57,000. A modest proposal is that they should hold a referendum to decide, not if they should become an American state, but to decide if they wish to become an American protectorate or territory. There are several of these, including the US Virgin Islands. The deal should be that if it goes through, every Greenlander would receive $1 million from the US, for a total cost of $57bn. This is chicken-feed to the US economy. … all of them would become millionaires. Investing this sum for a return of 5% would bring an annual income of $50,000 each, while retaining the capital sum to pass on to heirs and successors. It would be much more acceptable than threats, bluster, and talk of annexation.” (01/07/26)
“The United States says it has [stolen] two tankers linked to Venezuelan oil exports in ‘back-to-back’ operations in the North Atlantic and the Caribbean. US [pirates] boarded the Russian-flagged Marinera after a pursuit lasting almost two weeks and as it travelled through the waters between Iceland and Scotland. The British Navy gave logistical support by air and sea. A second tanker — the M/T Sophia — was accused by the US of ‘conducting illicit activities’ and boarded in the Caribbean.” (01/07/26)
“Politically addled authoritarians prefer to blame guns and the people who aren’t the problem, rather than to confront the real issues. Once you see it, you realize it’s everywhere, and they do it every chance they get. This isn’t helpful, and it shows which side they are truly on. It isn’t your side. But what about the guns? Crime culture uses guns, too, but this doesn’t make them part of gun culture. Crime culture uses cars in their pursuit of evil far more often than they use firearms, but I wouldn’t be so ignorant or dishonest as to call a vehicular tragedy that happens during a crime a consequence of ‘car culture.’ Criminals also use phones, money, and certain dog breeds.” (01/07/26)
