John Blaska
@johnblaska.com
Healthcare wonk focusing on primary care - Building a model of essential health care that makes the existing model obsolete.
Tinkerer, explorer, foodie.
Mpls, MN
Tinkerer, explorer, foodie.
Mpls, MN
Pinned
John Blaska
@johnblaska.com
· Jan 20
"Put your own mask on first."
A lot is going to happen this week. We should expect that every norm will be pursued and possibly broken. It is going to be too much and that is the strategy. Overwhelm people to prevent action.
Self-care is the first step to being productive.
1/12
A lot is going to happen this week. We should expect that every norm will be pursued and possibly broken. It is going to be too much and that is the strategy. Overwhelm people to prevent action.
Self-care is the first step to being productive.
1/12
Reposted by John Blaska
If the Venezuelan sailors were enemy combatants, then the 2nd strike is a war crime.
If the Venezuelan sailors weren’t enemy combatants, then both strikes are criminal murder.
It’s that simple.
If the Venezuelan sailors weren’t enemy combatants, then both strikes are criminal murder.
It’s that simple.
November 30, 2025 at 8:42 PM
If the Venezuelan sailors were enemy combatants, then the 2nd strike is a war crime.
If the Venezuelan sailors weren’t enemy combatants, then both strikes are criminal murder.
It’s that simple.
If the Venezuelan sailors weren’t enemy combatants, then both strikes are criminal murder.
It’s that simple.
Reposted by John Blaska
And ripping it all out, as planned, costs as much as operating it for another 15 years! Let’s have rail to St Cloud. It’s in the Legislature and MnDOT to make this happen.
"The truth, then, is that BNSF now has a lot of extra capacity that did not exist when Northstar was implemented. Therefore, there is no reason why multiple round trips to St. Cloud couldn’t be renegotiated with the railroad at this time."
www.startribune.com/northstar-co...
www.startribune.com/northstar-co...
Opinion | Don’t kill the Northstar Line — reconfigure it
A little bit of creativity, and some strategic thinking, could give the Northstar Line — the 16-year-old commuter rail service run by Metro Transit but set to end in January — a whole new lease on lif...
www.startribune.com
November 29, 2025 at 3:44 PM
And ripping it all out, as planned, costs as much as operating it for another 15 years! Let’s have rail to St Cloud. It’s in the Legislature and MnDOT to make this happen.
Reposted by John Blaska
in the midst of our supposed campaign against Venezuelan drug traffickers the President of the United States has chosen to pardon the Former President of Honduras, freeing him from his long prison sentence earned for trafficking more than 400 tons of cocaine into the United States
November 28, 2025 at 10:12 PM
in the midst of our supposed campaign against Venezuelan drug traffickers the President of the United States has chosen to pardon the Former President of Honduras, freeing him from his long prison sentence earned for trafficking more than 400 tons of cocaine into the United States
Reposted by John Blaska
Australia recorded ZERO cases of cervical cancer in women under 25 for the first time since they started tracking the cancer in the 80s.
This is the power of vaccines.
The HPV vaccine is extremely effective at preventing cancer.
Viruses can be oncogenic. Get your vaccines and protect yourself!
This is the power of vaccines.
The HPV vaccine is extremely effective at preventing cancer.
Viruses can be oncogenic. Get your vaccines and protect yourself!
newsGP - Australia set for world-first cervical cancer elimination
Vaccination programs have played a key role, and GPs remain ‘instrumental’ in boosting screening rates to reach the 2035 target.
www1.racgp.org.au
November 27, 2025 at 3:45 AM
Australia recorded ZERO cases of cervical cancer in women under 25 for the first time since they started tracking the cancer in the 80s.
This is the power of vaccines.
The HPV vaccine is extremely effective at preventing cancer.
Viruses can be oncogenic. Get your vaccines and protect yourself!
This is the power of vaccines.
The HPV vaccine is extremely effective at preventing cancer.
Viruses can be oncogenic. Get your vaccines and protect yourself!
Reposted by John Blaska
Reposted by John Blaska
Today, after months of requests, I toured the Broadview ICE Processing Facility. I want to share what I saw.
The facility has no food vendor, no medical care, and detainees have to use toilets in the middle of shared cells. These are in no way suitable conditions to be holding anyone — period.
The facility has no food vendor, no medical care, and detainees have to use toilets in the middle of shared cells. These are in no way suitable conditions to be holding anyone — period.
November 25, 2025 at 12:57 AM
Today, after months of requests, I toured the Broadview ICE Processing Facility. I want to share what I saw.
The facility has no food vendor, no medical care, and detainees have to use toilets in the middle of shared cells. These are in no way suitable conditions to be holding anyone — period.
The facility has no food vendor, no medical care, and detainees have to use toilets in the middle of shared cells. These are in no way suitable conditions to be holding anyone — period.
Reposted by John Blaska
Elon Musk donated $277 million to Trump so he could steal the federal government’s data, dismantle the nation’s infrastructure, and stop foreign aid from going to nonwhite people. It’s a quid pro quo breathtaking in scope, corruption, and damage, & completely unprecedented in American history.
Bye bye, “DOGE”.
It no longer exists as a “centralized entity”, according to the Office of Personnel Management.
@reuters.com
www.reuters.com/world/us/dog...
It no longer exists as a “centralized entity”, according to the Office of Personnel Management.
@reuters.com
www.reuters.com/world/us/dog...
November 23, 2025 at 3:29 PM
Elon Musk donated $277 million to Trump so he could steal the federal government’s data, dismantle the nation’s infrastructure, and stop foreign aid from going to nonwhite people. It’s a quid pro quo breathtaking in scope, corruption, and damage, & completely unprecedented in American history.
Reposted by John Blaska
Top official at Association of Food and Drug Officials described what he says was FDA’s delayed, limited and disjointed sharing of critical information needed by state food safety officials about what stores received infant formula linked to botulism outbreak. www.healthbeat.org/2025/11/22/b...
FDA delays left recalled baby formula on store shelves, food safety expert says
The leader of the Association of Food and Drug Officials told Healthbeat that the FDA has been slow to share distribution lists for recalled ByHeart formula. “I’m not sure they recognize the sense of ...
www.healthbeat.org
November 23, 2025 at 2:42 PM
Top official at Association of Food and Drug Officials described what he says was FDA’s delayed, limited and disjointed sharing of critical information needed by state food safety officials about what stores received infant formula linked to botulism outbreak. www.healthbeat.org/2025/11/22/b...
Reposted by John Blaska
Ok Bluesky, let’s give this a go: I found this postcard in the back of a photo frame I bought at a London thrift shop.
It’s an unsent postcard from a woman called Linda to her parents. The front shows the Kremlin in Moscow and the stamp says 1984 (!).
I’d love to return it to Linda - can you help?
It’s an unsent postcard from a woman called Linda to her parents. The front shows the Kremlin in Moscow and the stamp says 1984 (!).
I’d love to return it to Linda - can you help?
November 21, 2025 at 5:40 PM
Ok Bluesky, let’s give this a go: I found this postcard in the back of a photo frame I bought at a London thrift shop.
It’s an unsent postcard from a woman called Linda to her parents. The front shows the Kremlin in Moscow and the stamp says 1984 (!).
I’d love to return it to Linda - can you help?
It’s an unsent postcard from a woman called Linda to her parents. The front shows the Kremlin in Moscow and the stamp says 1984 (!).
I’d love to return it to Linda - can you help?
Reposted by John Blaska
November 21, 2025 at 6:20 AM
Reposted by John Blaska
Leaders of a Minnesota church didn’t report a parishioner to police though they knew he’d sexually abused girls for years and had been told reporting it was their duty.
www.propublica.org/article/sexu...
www.propublica.org/article/sexu...
Young Girls Were Sexually Abused by a Church Member. They Were Told to Forgive and Forget.
In Minnesota, leaders of an Old Apostolic Lutheran Church community enabled a child abuser by telling his victims that once the sins were “washed away in the blood of reconciliation,” they could never...
www.propublica.org
November 20, 2025 at 4:29 PM
Leaders of a Minnesota church didn’t report a parishioner to police though they knew he’d sexually abused girls for years and had been told reporting it was their duty.
www.propublica.org/article/sexu...
www.propublica.org/article/sexu...
Reposted by John Blaska
ICE employee among 16 men arrested in Bloomington sex trafficking sting, police say.
"When he was arrested, he said, 'I'm ICE, boys,'" Hodges said during a press conference Tuesday. "Well, unfortunately for him, we locked him up."
"When he was arrested, he said, 'I'm ICE, boys,'" Hodges said during a press conference Tuesday. "Well, unfortunately for him, we locked him up."
ICE employee among 16 men arrested in Bloomington sex trafficking sting, police say
According to Bloomington Police Chief Booker Hodges, officers started the three-day sting on Nov. 5. They used several methods to find people who were attempting to solicit a 17-year-old girl for sex.
www.cbsnews.com
November 18, 2025 at 11:59 PM
ICE employee among 16 men arrested in Bloomington sex trafficking sting, police say.
"When he was arrested, he said, 'I'm ICE, boys,'" Hodges said during a press conference Tuesday. "Well, unfortunately for him, we locked him up."
"When he was arrested, he said, 'I'm ICE, boys,'" Hodges said during a press conference Tuesday. "Well, unfortunately for him, we locked him up."
Reposted by John Blaska
This is good. We need reminders.
I've been sitting here trying to communicate something on this, but I've got nothing.
So, those of us who are out of words--you're not alone.
I've been sitting here trying to communicate something on this, but I've got nothing.
So, those of us who are out of words--you're not alone.
If you're the parent of a disabled kid, I just want to tell you I know it's hard and I know you feel like you're failing constantly, but you're doing it and you're doing the best you can and your kid absolutely loves you for it.
November 18, 2025 at 1:58 PM
This is good. We need reminders.
I've been sitting here trying to communicate something on this, but I've got nothing.
So, those of us who are out of words--you're not alone.
I've been sitting here trying to communicate something on this, but I've got nothing.
So, those of us who are out of words--you're not alone.
Reposted by John Blaska
Owámniyomni Okhódayapi just announced the Dakota-led design for the restoration of five acres at Owámniyomni (St. Anthony Falls), adjacent to the Upper Lock on the Mississippi River in Minneapolis. Project construction is targeted to begin in spring 2026. Very exciting!
owamniyomni.org/design/
owamniyomni.org/design/
November 17, 2025 at 8:49 PM
Owámniyomni Okhódayapi just announced the Dakota-led design for the restoration of five acres at Owámniyomni (St. Anthony Falls), adjacent to the Upper Lock on the Mississippi River in Minneapolis. Project construction is targeted to begin in spring 2026. Very exciting!
owamniyomni.org/design/
owamniyomni.org/design/
Reposted by John Blaska
ProPublica reports Dan Bongino got a polygraph waiver for his security clearance
These exams catch foreign ties & blackmail risks
Waivers at this level are unprecedented & part of a broader purge of career national-security experts
I explained on @theweekendmsnow.bsky.social 👇 - TN
These exams catch foreign ties & blackmail risks
Waivers at this level are unprecedented & part of a broader purge of career national-security experts
I explained on @theweekendmsnow.bsky.social 👇 - TN
November 16, 2025 at 2:40 PM
ProPublica reports Dan Bongino got a polygraph waiver for his security clearance
These exams catch foreign ties & blackmail risks
Waivers at this level are unprecedented & part of a broader purge of career national-security experts
I explained on @theweekendmsnow.bsky.social 👇 - TN
These exams catch foreign ties & blackmail risks
Waivers at this level are unprecedented & part of a broader purge of career national-security experts
I explained on @theweekendmsnow.bsky.social 👇 - TN
Reposted by John Blaska
The faces behind fearless journalism—funded by people like you. We ARE Mississippi Free Press. Support us: buff.ly/T48DifM
November 12, 2025 at 11:30 PM
The faces behind fearless journalism—funded by people like you. We ARE Mississippi Free Press. Support us: buff.ly/T48DifM
Reposted by John Blaska
Reposted by John Blaska
After José's arrest sparked outrage in August, DHS attacked him in a press release, calling him a "criminal illegal alien, not a firefighter." DHS has cited a 12-year-old drug delivery charge while failing to acknowledge the charge was dismissed.
Full @us.theguardian.com interview and story here:
Full @us.theguardian.com interview and story here:
US firefighter detained on the job speaks out after deportation: ‘I feel betrayed’
Exclusive: Border patrol arrested José Bertin Cruz-Estrada while he was battling a wildfire in Washington. He is now in Mexico, separated from his family in Oregon
www.theguardian.com
November 11, 2025 at 11:28 PM
After José's arrest sparked outrage in August, DHS attacked him in a press release, calling him a "criminal illegal alien, not a firefighter." DHS has cited a 12-year-old drug delivery charge while failing to acknowledge the charge was dismissed.
Full @us.theguardian.com interview and story here:
Full @us.theguardian.com interview and story here:
Reposted by John Blaska
In the century leading up to 1975, nearly 6000 freighters went down in the Great Lakes.
The Edmund Fitzgerald was the last.
The last. In 50 years, not a single commercial freighter has been lost in the Great Lakes.
Why?
It's NOAA. Of course it's NOAA.
The Edmund Fitzgerald was the last.
The last. In 50 years, not a single commercial freighter has been lost in the Great Lakes.
Why?
It's NOAA. Of course it's NOAA.
November 11, 2025 at 1:50 AM
In the century leading up to 1975, nearly 6000 freighters went down in the Great Lakes.
The Edmund Fitzgerald was the last.
The last. In 50 years, not a single commercial freighter has been lost in the Great Lakes.
Why?
It's NOAA. Of course it's NOAA.
The Edmund Fitzgerald was the last.
The last. In 50 years, not a single commercial freighter has been lost in the Great Lakes.
Why?
It's NOAA. Of course it's NOAA.
Reposted by John Blaska
My family was told 6 years ago to raise $50,000. dollars for our son to be added to a lung transplant list.
This money was in attention to insurance paying for the surgery.
Healthcare sucks in this country ,we just lost any chance of changing it last night and protecting the ACA
We were shit on.
This money was in attention to insurance paying for the surgery.
Healthcare sucks in this country ,we just lost any chance of changing it last night and protecting the ACA
We were shit on.
November 10, 2025 at 9:17 PM
My family was told 6 years ago to raise $50,000. dollars for our son to be added to a lung transplant list.
This money was in attention to insurance paying for the surgery.
Healthcare sucks in this country ,we just lost any chance of changing it last night and protecting the ACA
We were shit on.
This money was in attention to insurance paying for the surgery.
Healthcare sucks in this country ,we just lost any chance of changing it last night and protecting the ACA
We were shit on.
@schumer.senate.gov has to relinquish his responsibilities as leader. The harm he has imposed is unacceptable. @durbin.senate.gov as well. There is no excuse.
November 10, 2025 at 3:27 AM
@schumer.senate.gov has to relinquish his responsibilities as leader. The harm he has imposed is unacceptable. @durbin.senate.gov as well. There is no excuse.
Reposted by John Blaska
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.
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.
November 10, 2025 at 1:49 AM
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.
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.
Reposted by John Blaska
Q: Will you assure House Democrats they'll get a vote on ACA subsidies by a date certain?
MIKE JOHNSON: Ah -- no. I'm not promising anyone anything.
MIKE JOHNSON: Ah -- no. I'm not promising anyone anything.
November 6, 2025 at 3:47 PM
Q: Will you assure House Democrats they'll get a vote on ACA subsidies by a date certain?
MIKE JOHNSON: Ah -- no. I'm not promising anyone anything.
MIKE JOHNSON: Ah -- no. I'm not promising anyone anything.
Reposted by John Blaska
Democrats successfully backed Trump into a corner where he was on-the-record advocating to starve Americans and let their healthcare costs go up.
And now 10 cowards in the Senate are about to bail him out in exchange for NOTHING.
And now 10 cowards in the Senate are about to bail him out in exchange for NOTHING.
November 10, 2025 at 12:49 AM
Democrats successfully backed Trump into a corner where he was on-the-record advocating to starve Americans and let their healthcare costs go up.
And now 10 cowards in the Senate are about to bail him out in exchange for NOTHING.
And now 10 cowards in the Senate are about to bail him out in exchange for NOTHING.
Reposted by John Blaska
Tennessee get out the Message...🧐👍
Epstein could end all of this Nonsense...👍👍
Do the Right Thing for America...👍
Epstein could end all of this Nonsense...👍👍
Do the Right Thing for America...👍
November 9, 2025 at 3:04 PM
Tennessee get out the Message...🧐👍
Epstein could end all of this Nonsense...👍👍
Do the Right Thing for America...👍
Epstein could end all of this Nonsense...👍👍
Do the Right Thing for America...👍