Mental Farmer
@mentalfarmer.bsky.social
Tech, the arts, politics, nature, science
"Trump fired 18 inspectors general who were responsible for detecting fraud ... in major federal agencies. The FBI’s public-corruption squad also has been eliminated. The DOJ’s public-integrity section has been eviscerated, ... and its authority to investigate election fraud has been revoked."
Why I Am Resigning
A federal judge explains his reasoning for leaving the bench.
www.theatlantic.com
November 9, 2025 at 7:03 PM
"Trump fired 18 inspectors general who were responsible for detecting fraud ... in major federal agencies. The FBI’s public-corruption squad also has been eliminated. The DOJ’s public-integrity section has been eviscerated, ... and its authority to investigate election fraud has been revoked."
SNAP: One the one hand... O. M. G! On the other, maybe this will finally spell the end for the Trump regime. Trump's attorneys argue that the Executive branch can't "reshuffle congressionally appropriated funds". But he spends, blocks and moves money without asking Congress on a near-daily basis.
Trump admin asks Supreme Court to block order over fully funding SNAP
The food program serves about 1 in 8 Americans, mostly with lower incomes.
www.newsweek.com
November 8, 2025 at 3:54 AM
SNAP: One the one hand... O. M. G! On the other, maybe this will finally spell the end for the Trump regime. Trump's attorneys argue that the Executive branch can't "reshuffle congressionally appropriated funds". But he spends, blocks and moves money without asking Congress on a near-daily basis.
Big picture: Trump isn't worried about the future impact of ending the filibuster, because he's confident he can complete the US transition to zombie democracy by the mid-terms. But he's in a race against the end of his worldview. The pendulum always swings back, and it usually swings hard.
Opinion: America’s zombie democracy
Its trappings remain, but authoritarianism and AI are hollowing out our humanity.
www.adn.com
November 8, 2025 at 12:31 AM
Big picture: Trump isn't worried about the future impact of ending the filibuster, because he's confident he can complete the US transition to zombie democracy by the mid-terms. But he's in a race against the end of his worldview. The pendulum always swings back, and it usually swings hard.
Why Mamdani's views aren't radical, but rather, pragmatic and based on proof that they work: "“He promised things that Europeans take for granted, but Americans are told are impossible."
Europeans recognize Zohran Mamdani’s supposedly radical policies as ‘normal’
Critics of New York City’s mayor-elect have said his pledges of free bus service and universal childcare are unrealistic, but in Europe it’s a given
www.theguardian.com
November 6, 2025 at 6:36 PM
Why Mamdani's views aren't radical, but rather, pragmatic and based on proof that they work: "“He promised things that Europeans take for granted, but Americans are told are impossible."
I've been following @goodnewsnetwork.org for over a decade. We all need balance. Take a break from your doomscrolling and refill your soul. We can't fight if the tank is empty!
The Good News Network: Positive Stories 24/7
Your daily source for only good news: Inspiring stories and images from around the world will make you feel uplifted, optimistic and positive about life.
www.goodnewsnetwork.org
November 6, 2025 at 4:52 PM
I've been following @goodnewsnetwork.org for over a decade. We all need balance. Take a break from your doomscrolling and refill your soul. We can't fight if the tank is empty!
Big picture: Americans are being laid off from well-paying, safe jobs, and forced into lower-paying, less safe ones. White House spokeswoman Abigail Jackson: "There is no shortage of American minds and hands to grow our labor force."
ICE is sending a chill through the construction industry
The construction industry, where more than a quarter of workers are foreign-born, has long struggled to find enough workers. Now, industry officials say Trump's immigration crackdown is making it wors...
www.npr.org
November 6, 2025 at 3:06 PM
Big picture: Americans are being laid off from well-paying, safe jobs, and forced into lower-paying, less safe ones. White House spokeswoman Abigail Jackson: "There is no shortage of American minds and hands to grow our labor force."
"The indictment ... alleges that Abughazaleh "physically hindered and impeded” an agent who was "forced to drive at an extremely slow rate of speed to avoid injuring any of the conspirators.”" Oh my, she made him drive slower?! SHAME! You can donate to Kat's campaign / legal fund here:
Kat for Congress | Kat Abughazaleh for Illinois' Ninth District
Kat Abughazaleh is running for Congress in Illinois' Ninth District because Democrats need to do more to stop Trump and fight for working people.
www.katforillinois.com
October 30, 2025 at 5:04 PM
"The indictment ... alleges that Abughazaleh "physically hindered and impeded” an agent who was "forced to drive at an extremely slow rate of speed to avoid injuring any of the conspirators.”" Oh my, she made him drive slower?! SHAME! You can donate to Kat's campaign / legal fund here:
The Trump administration is lying so that they can avoid feeding people. 🤯
Trump Administration Is Legally Required to Provide SNAP in Shutdown, Contrary to Its Claims
Secretary Rollins’ claim that the Trump Administration is unable to deliver November SNAP benefits during a shutdown is unequivocally false. The Administration is legally required to use contingency r...
www.cbpp.org
October 30, 2025 at 1:45 PM
The Trump administration is lying so that they can avoid feeding people. 🤯
The Department of Defense has been ordered by Hegseth to make arbitrary terminations of civilians easier.
DoD strips job protections from civilian employees, directs managers to fire with ‘speed and conviction’
"They're stripping due process significantly and making it easier for arbitrary terminations, similar to private sector employment," Sean Timmons said.
federalnewsnetwork.com
October 30, 2025 at 1:29 PM
The Department of Defense has been ordered by Hegseth to make arbitrary terminations of civilians easier.
“Inciting discord might be the way some people make money but it’s not welcome in Australia,” he said. “Australia’s national interest is best served when Candace Owens is somewhere else.”
Candace Owens denied visa to Australia by country’s highest court
The court ruled that the conservative speaker had failed a “character test” to enter the nation.
www.politico.com
October 22, 2025 at 7:47 PM
“Inciting discord might be the way some people make money but it’s not welcome in Australia,” he said. “Australia’s national interest is best served when Candace Owens is somewhere else.”
Georgia's hard work to prevent likely Dems from voting really paid off: "provisions were enacted, and have operated, to harm minority voters and voters with disabilities"
Georgia’s Sweeping Anti-Voting Law Suppressed Black Votes, New Data Shows
Read more here.
www.democracydocket.com
October 22, 2025 at 12:02 AM
Georgia's hard work to prevent likely Dems from voting really paid off: "provisions were enacted, and have operated, to harm minority voters and voters with disabilities"
There are currently 3 kids vying to overturn this one's record for history's youngest chess grandmaster. The youngest is 10! 🤯
12 YEAR OLD BECOMES GRAND MASTER
Abhimanyu Mishra (born February 5, 2009) is an American chess grandmaster. A chess prodigy, he holds the record for the world's youngest ever grandmaster, having qualified for the title at the age of ...
www.chess.com
October 21, 2025 at 6:16 PM
There are currently 3 kids vying to overturn this one's record for history's youngest chess grandmaster. The youngest is 10! 🤯
"The situation is particularly dire in the north of the country, where millions of people are fleeing terrorist groups. 600.000 children are at risk of dying."
Aid organisations warn of growing hunger crisis in Nigeria following US funding cuts | Africanews
Aid groups are raising the alarm about an unprecedented hunger crisis in northern Nigeria, where the impact of international funding cuts is hitting hard.
www.africanews.com
October 21, 2025 at 4:01 PM
"The situation is particularly dire in the north of the country, where millions of people are fleeing terrorist groups. 600.000 children are at risk of dying."
"The Danes also fear that some of their European partners in the EU and NATO have failed to grasp how existential a threat to U.S. relations, and to global respect for sovereignty and international borders, Trump’s Greenland fixation could become."
Greenland could become biggest car crash in transatlantic relations
The Danes are right: If the U.S. president presses ahead in the autonomous territory, others can and will follow elsewhere.
www.politico.eu
October 21, 2025 at 3:58 PM
"The Danes also fear that some of their European partners in the EU and NATO have failed to grasp how existential a threat to U.S. relations, and to global respect for sovereignty and international borders, Trump’s Greenland fixation could become."
Both parents had pending green card applications and had resided in the US for 30 years. Two of their kids are Marines.
Family visit to Camp Pendleton ended with ICE deporting Marine’s dad
A U.S. Marine says his parents were detained by ICE officials after they visited a California military base and one of them was later deported.
www.marinecorpstimes.com
October 21, 2025 at 3:54 PM
Both parents had pending green card applications and had resided in the US for 30 years. Two of their kids are Marines.
This very poor nation would rather retain their principles than accept badly needed cash. I hope more follow their lead! “Burkina Faso is a land of dignity, not deportation.” - Karamoko Jean-Marie Traoré, Foreign Minister.
Burkina Faso rejects "indecent" US proposal to accept deportees | Africanews
Burkina Faso says it has refused a proposal from the Trump administration to accept non-citizens deported from the United States.
www.africanews.com
October 12, 2025 at 3:07 AM
This very poor nation would rather retain their principles than accept badly needed cash. I hope more follow their lead! “Burkina Faso is a land of dignity, not deportation.” - Karamoko Jean-Marie Traoré, Foreign Minister.
Dominion, the company whose voting machine are used by 40% of US voters, has been sold and renamed Liberty Vote. A precondition was settling Dominion's lawsuits against OANN, Guiliani, & Sidney Powell. The new ownership says they plan to implement Trump's blocked "election integrity" order.
Dominion Voting Systems Sold to GOP Firm — Right After Settling Defamation Suits vs. OANN, Giuliani, Powell
Dominion Voting Systems has been purchased by Liberty Vote, a firm headed by a former GOP election official with ties to a staunch ally of President Donald Trump -- just weeks after Dominion settled s...
www.mediaite.com
October 10, 2025 at 2:14 AM
Dominion, the company whose voting machine are used by 40% of US voters, has been sold and renamed Liberty Vote. A precondition was settling Dominion's lawsuits against OANN, Guiliani, & Sidney Powell. The new ownership says they plan to implement Trump's blocked "election integrity" order.
No hiding it. The Trump administration is White Nationalist. www.africanews.com/2025/10/07/t...
Trump weighs record-low refugee cap, prioritizing white South Africans | Africanews
President Donald Trump is considering admitting far fewer refugees into the U.S. this year, as few as 7,500, and mostly white South Africans, officials say, a dramatic new low as the administration ...
www.africanews.com
October 8, 2025 at 12:51 AM
No hiding it. The Trump administration is White Nationalist. www.africanews.com/2025/10/07/t...
“I understand why President Milei ... wants the (US) to finance a bailout. I do not understand why it is in the interest of the United States to provide one, nor how one would be designed to ensure the best outcomes for the Argentinian people, instead of hedge fund investors.” - Senator Warren
UPDATE: Hedge fund billionaire pressed Treasury Secretary for Argentina bailout, Argentine media reports
Rob Citrone, whose hedge fund bet big on Argentina, reportedly asked his friend for a rescue package. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent delivered.
popular.info
October 2, 2025 at 1:23 PM
“I understand why President Milei ... wants the (US) to finance a bailout. I do not understand why it is in the interest of the United States to provide one, nor how one would be designed to ensure the best outcomes for the Argentinian people, instead of hedge fund investors.” - Senator Warren
On Sept 22nd, tens of thousands of Italians marched in solidarity with Palestine. Today, an Italian city council, in concert with dockworkers, refused port entrance to two containers of explosives headed for Israel. Viva l'Italia!
War in Gaza: Italian dockworkers block arms shipments to Israel
www.france24.com
October 1, 2025 at 3:39 PM
On Sept 22nd, tens of thousands of Italians marched in solidarity with Palestine. Today, an Italian city council, in concert with dockworkers, refused port entrance to two containers of explosives headed for Israel. Viva l'Italia!
I'm having a hard time wrapping my head around the Trump administration's efforts to get Muslim US citizens released from foreign prisons while simultaneously planning to deport Muslim US citizens to foreign prisons.
Is Donald Trump About to Launch a Denaturalization Purge?
Mass denaturalization could be used to move the country toward the MAGA movement’s larger goal of a white Christian nationalist United States.
www.thenation.com
September 29, 2025 at 9:36 PM
I'm having a hard time wrapping my head around the Trump administration's efforts to get Muslim US citizens released from foreign prisons while simultaneously planning to deport Muslim US citizens to foreign prisons.
This is likely also true in other countries used by the Trump administration to dump their arrestees.
Deportees dispute Ghana’s claims of repatriation | Africanews
Human rights experts warn the deportations could put the migrants’ safety at risk, while raising broader questions about international protections for asylum-seekers
www.africanews.com
September 18, 2025 at 6:56 PM
This is likely also true in other countries used by the Trump administration to dump their arrestees.
While we're forced into a fight for our democracy, more existential threats are demanding our attention.
Expedition to the North Pole: Polar Researchers Fear an Ecological Collapse in the Arctic
The research ship Polarstern spent two months in the ice of the Arctic this summer. What they found could be evidence of an ecological collapse.
www.spiegel.de
September 18, 2025 at 6:55 PM
While we're forced into a fight for our democracy, more existential threats are demanding our attention.
It's not often that you can get rid of Black soldiers, Sikh soldiers, and closeted trans soldiers all in one swoop. Hegseth must be celebrating. But question: How does a beard detract from "maximum warfighting readiness"?
Troops with medical shaving waivers to face separation, Hegseth says
Under the new guidelines, troops granted a medical waiver must receive treatment and see the medical condition resolved within a year or face separation.
www.militarytimes.com
September 16, 2025 at 6:08 PM
It's not often that you can get rid of Black soldiers, Sikh soldiers, and closeted trans soldiers all in one swoop. Hegseth must be celebrating. But question: How does a beard detract from "maximum warfighting readiness"?
Given Trump's voting rant today, it's worth remembering this one: "I love you Christians. I'm a Christian. I love you. Get out. You gotta get out and vote. In four years, you don't have to vote again. We'll have it fixed so good, you're not going to have to vote." - Donald J. Trump, July 26th, 2024
August 18, 2025 at 10:08 PM
Given Trump's voting rant today, it's worth remembering this one: "I love you Christians. I'm a Christian. I love you. Get out. You gotta get out and vote. In four years, you don't have to vote again. We'll have it fixed so good, you're not going to have to vote." - Donald J. Trump, July 26th, 2024