Michael A. Shea
@michaelashea.bsky.social
Arlington, VA. W&M '82. Filmmaker. Bicyclist. Medical Clinic Volunteer. UAW Local 1981. We call Virginia a Commonwealth. Let's make it an actual Commonwealth.
(he/him)
(he/him)
From this morning, on the Custis Trail (near Washington Blvd). Beware of ice patches. Had to stop & walk several times while bicycling to substitute teach.
Thought of texting the main office to say I was delayed by ice, but autocorrect would make it "detained" and there'd be all kinds of confusion.
Thought of texting the main office to say I was delayed by ice, but autocorrect would make it "detained" and there'd be all kinds of confusion.
February 14, 2026 at 12:27 AM
From this morning, on the Custis Trail (near Washington Blvd). Beware of ice patches. Had to stop & walk several times while bicycling to substitute teach.
Thought of texting the main office to say I was delayed by ice, but autocorrect would make it "detained" and there'd be all kinds of confusion.
Thought of texting the main office to say I was delayed by ice, but autocorrect would make it "detained" and there'd be all kinds of confusion.
I was hearing one student complain that his robot was "an old man! with arthritis!"
Finally, I had to tell him: "I'm an old man and have arthritis. But I rode my bike here today. Your robot might surprise you."
He replied: "So my robot is less functional than an arthritic old man. Good to know."
Finally, I had to tell him: "I'm an old man and have arthritis. But I rode my bike here today. Your robot might surprise you."
He replied: "So my robot is less functional than an arthritic old man. Good to know."
February 14, 2026 at 12:24 AM
I was hearing one student complain that his robot was "an old man! with arthritis!"
Finally, I had to tell him: "I'm an old man and have arthritis. But I rode my bike here today. Your robot might surprise you."
He replied: "So my robot is less functional than an arthritic old man. Good to know."
Finally, I had to tell him: "I'm an old man and have arthritis. But I rode my bike here today. Your robot might surprise you."
He replied: "So my robot is less functional than an arthritic old man. Good to know."
The Virginia Supreme Court still has to rule one way or the other on the redistricting case. Giving both sides six weeks to file briefs is not “expediting” hearing the case.
Celebrating a denial of a stay requested by the other side as if it meant you won the whole case is kind of a Trumpy move.
Celebrating a denial of a stay requested by the other side as if it meant you won the whole case is kind of a Trumpy move.
February 13, 2026 at 10:42 PM
The Virginia Supreme Court still has to rule one way or the other on the redistricting case. Giving both sides six weeks to file briefs is not “expediting” hearing the case.
Celebrating a denial of a stay requested by the other side as if it meant you won the whole case is kind of a Trumpy move.
Celebrating a denial of a stay requested by the other side as if it meant you won the whole case is kind of a Trumpy move.
If you are in the DMV and support education and STEM, I encourage you to consider upcoming event at Brookings. In person in DC or online; February 23rd. Anne Petersen from Virginia Department of Education is on the panel.
Virginia needs more STEM teachers.
www.brookings.edu/events/suppo...
Virginia needs more STEM teachers.
www.brookings.edu/events/suppo...
Supporting STEM teachers: Insights from the Noyce program | Brookings
Join the Brown Center on Education Policy at Brookings on February 23rd for a discussion on the state of the K-12 STEM teacher workforce.
www.brookings.edu
February 13, 2026 at 1:47 AM
If you are in the DMV and support education and STEM, I encourage you to consider upcoming event at Brookings. In person in DC or online; February 23rd. Anne Petersen from Virginia Department of Education is on the panel.
Virginia needs more STEM teachers.
www.brookings.edu/events/suppo...
Virginia needs more STEM teachers.
www.brookings.edu/events/suppo...
Trump illegally raided IRS data to get deets on immigrants who are working & paying taxes, partly because he has no other use for IRS data.
He can't find his Cabinet members, family members, campaign donors, or crypto accomplices in IRS data.
For info on all of them, he can go to the Epstein Files.
He can't find his Cabinet members, family members, campaign donors, or crypto accomplices in IRS data.
For info on all of them, he can go to the Epstein Files.
February 13, 2026 at 1:24 AM
Trump illegally raided IRS data to get deets on immigrants who are working & paying taxes, partly because he has no other use for IRS data.
He can't find his Cabinet members, family members, campaign donors, or crypto accomplices in IRS data.
For info on all of them, he can go to the Epstein Files.
He can't find his Cabinet members, family members, campaign donors, or crypto accomplices in IRS data.
For info on all of them, he can go to the Epstein Files.
To make this abundantly clear, despite his name, Boomer Esiason does NOT speak for all of us Boomers on issues in politics, morality, etiquette, or even football.
February 12, 2026 at 11:32 AM
To make this abundantly clear, despite his name, Boomer Esiason does NOT speak for all of us Boomers on issues in politics, morality, etiquette, or even football.
After Trump’s prosecutor Jeannine Pirro failed to get an indictment from a DC grand jury, is Rep. @goodlander.house.gov protected by the double jeopardy clause from Pirro going back a second time and presenting to the grand jury while she is sober?
February 12, 2026 at 3:29 AM
After Trump’s prosecutor Jeannine Pirro failed to get an indictment from a DC grand jury, is Rep. @goodlander.house.gov protected by the double jeopardy clause from Pirro going back a second time and presenting to the grand jury while she is sober?
Is there a term for a mansplaining op-ed? The piece in WaPo by Doug Wilder, offering platitudes to Virginia Gov. Spanberger takes that genre to new heights.
To be clear, Bezos had already degraded the op-ed and editorial pages- no real problem.
But this month he gutted the news operations. Problem.
To be clear, Bezos had already degraded the op-ed and editorial pages- no real problem.
But this month he gutted the news operations. Problem.
February 12, 2026 at 2:36 AM
Is there a term for a mansplaining op-ed? The piece in WaPo by Doug Wilder, offering platitudes to Virginia Gov. Spanberger takes that genre to new heights.
To be clear, Bezos had already degraded the op-ed and editorial pages- no real problem.
But this month he gutted the news operations. Problem.
To be clear, Bezos had already degraded the op-ed and editorial pages- no real problem.
But this month he gutted the news operations. Problem.
There is a special place in Hell for the Susan Collinses of the world. It has a window air conditioning unit, but it is still Hell.
February 12, 2026 at 2:27 AM
There is a special place in Hell for the Susan Collinses of the world. It has a window air conditioning unit, but it is still Hell.
Andrew Paul Johnson was a J6 rioter pardoned by Trump. Now a Florida jury has found Johnson guilty of child molestation. He tried to bribe his 12 yo victim into silence, saying she'd get part of his J6 payout from Trump.
Good grief. Can't make up the depravity here.
www.nbcnews.com/news/crime-c...
Good grief. Can't make up the depravity here.
www.nbcnews.com/news/crime-c...
Jan. 6 rioter pardoned by Trump convicted of child molestation
Andrew Johnson tried to bribe a child victim with the promise of a January 6-related payout, prosecutors say. Trump has discussed the possibility of compensating rioters, but no one has received any p...
www.nbcnews.com
February 12, 2026 at 1:31 AM
Andrew Paul Johnson was a J6 rioter pardoned by Trump. Now a Florida jury has found Johnson guilty of child molestation. He tried to bribe his 12 yo victim into silence, saying she'd get part of his J6 payout from Trump.
Good grief. Can't make up the depravity here.
www.nbcnews.com/news/crime-c...
Good grief. Can't make up the depravity here.
www.nbcnews.com/news/crime-c...
Doesn't make sense that Gallup is suddenly ending presidential approval polls just because Trump is stuck at an historic low of 37%.
ICE is fixin' to deport everyone here in America except for the 37% that Stephen Miller likes. When ICE is done with its assault on America, Trump will poll at 100%.
ICE is fixin' to deport everyone here in America except for the 37% that Stephen Miller likes. When ICE is done with its assault on America, Trump will poll at 100%.
February 12, 2026 at 1:25 AM
Doesn't make sense that Gallup is suddenly ending presidential approval polls just because Trump is stuck at an historic low of 37%.
ICE is fixin' to deport everyone here in America except for the 37% that Stephen Miller likes. When ICE is done with its assault on America, Trump will poll at 100%.
ICE is fixin' to deport everyone here in America except for the 37% that Stephen Miller likes. When ICE is done with its assault on America, Trump will poll at 100%.
"Gallup Ending Presidential Approval Polling After 88 Years."
So I guess this means Mr. Gallup is in the Epstein Files big time? Ending data that makes Trump angry.
(h/t @onefussyone.bsky.social)
thehill.com/homenews/med...
So I guess this means Mr. Gallup is in the Epstein Files big time? Ending data that makes Trump angry.
(h/t @onefussyone.bsky.social)
thehill.com/homenews/med...
thehill.com
February 12, 2026 at 1:20 AM
"Gallup Ending Presidential Approval Polling After 88 Years."
So I guess this means Mr. Gallup is in the Epstein Files big time? Ending data that makes Trump angry.
(h/t @onefussyone.bsky.social)
thehill.com/homenews/med...
So I guess this means Mr. Gallup is in the Epstein Files big time? Ending data that makes Trump angry.
(h/t @onefussyone.bsky.social)
thehill.com/homenews/med...
Democrats do need year round organizing, but Jan-Mar should be very nonpartisan and focus on all the people who never vote. Solve a problem that cuts across party lines- get their attention. In Virginia that means taking on data centers. Organize town halls on data centers, but not as Democrats.
Here's what I'll say on this: All the things folks talk about Dems needing to do -- year round organizing, more media + communications tools, candidate recruitment (👋), youth outreach, etc -- costs money.
And almost all of it is *wildly* underfunded, if funded at all.
And almost all of it is *wildly* underfunded, if funded at all.
NEWS: Republican Cash Edge Threatens to Swamp Democrats in the Midterms
www.nytimes.com/2026/02/10/u...
www.nytimes.com/2026/02/10/u...
February 10, 2026 at 8:26 PM
Democrats do need year round organizing, but Jan-Mar should be very nonpartisan and focus on all the people who never vote. Solve a problem that cuts across party lines- get their attention. In Virginia that means taking on data centers. Organize town halls on data centers, but not as Democrats.
A minute of video I filmed this morning. Feels like a grain of sand in a pond- the Walk for Peace covered 2,300 miles and this video shows a few hundred feet.
youtu.be/pizEVfPQ1Ys
youtu.be/pizEVfPQ1Ys
2026 Walk for Peace in Arlington, Virginia
YouTube video by PoliticsVirginia
youtu.be
February 10, 2026 at 7:46 PM
A minute of video I filmed this morning. Feels like a grain of sand in a pond- the Walk for Peace covered 2,300 miles and this video shows a few hundred feet.
youtu.be/pizEVfPQ1Ys
youtu.be/pizEVfPQ1Ys
We ride at dawn.
I bicycled up to Glebe and 36th in order to greet the Venerable Monks on their Walk for Peace. The monks were hosted by Marymount last night and today walked into DC
I bicycled up to Glebe and 36th in order to greet the Venerable Monks on their Walk for Peace. The monks were hosted by Marymount last night and today walked into DC
February 10, 2026 at 6:43 PM
We ride at dawn.
I bicycled up to Glebe and 36th in order to greet the Venerable Monks on their Walk for Peace. The monks were hosted by Marymount last night and today walked into DC
I bicycled up to Glebe and 36th in order to greet the Venerable Monks on their Walk for Peace. The monks were hosted by Marymount last night and today walked into DC
Rep. Alford is an SNL parody skit come to life and written by AI.
Rep Mark Alford (R-MO) says House Rs are "investigating" Bad Bunny's Super Bowl halftime show & talking with FCC Commissioner Brendan Carr. Alford says he didn't watch the whole thing & also doesn't know Spanish but suspects it might have been "much worse than the Janet Jackson wardrobe malfunction"
February 10, 2026 at 5:42 PM
Rep. Alford is an SNL parody skit come to life and written by AI.
Not to nitpick, but shouldn't this headline be:
Trump has not expressed a coherent thought in months and has diminished mental faculties, leaving his Republican supporters to guess about the midterms.
Or would that not fit?
Trump has not expressed a coherent thought in months and has diminished mental faculties, leaving his Republican supporters to guess about the midterms.
Or would that not fit?
February 10, 2026 at 4:05 PM
Not to nitpick, but shouldn't this headline be:
Trump has not expressed a coherent thought in months and has diminished mental faculties, leaving his Republican supporters to guess about the midterms.
Or would that not fit?
Trump has not expressed a coherent thought in months and has diminished mental faculties, leaving his Republican supporters to guess about the midterms.
Or would that not fit?
Hope to see you at the premiere of "The Dark White Forest," in DC on February 27th. Documentary about the experiences of Melody Starya Mobley, the first Black female forester. Mobley led the struggle to stop harassment and discrimination.
Act fast to get tickets.
www.eventbrite.com/e/the-dark-w...
Act fast to get tickets.
www.eventbrite.com/e/the-dark-w...
The Dark White Forest Premiere
This is the premiere of The Dark White Forest short documentary film about the life of Melody Starya Mobley. The venue is in Washington DC.
www.eventbrite.com
February 10, 2026 at 3:12 AM
Hope to see you at the premiere of "The Dark White Forest," in DC on February 27th. Documentary about the experiences of Melody Starya Mobley, the first Black female forester. Mobley led the struggle to stop harassment and discrimination.
Act fast to get tickets.
www.eventbrite.com/e/the-dark-w...
Act fast to get tickets.
www.eventbrite.com/e/the-dark-w...
We are heading to a result that EVERY European country will have had a resignation or ouster because of ties to Epstein.
And in America, ZERO accountability.
If there were a “moral character” clause for NATO membership, we would have been kicked out a ways back.
www.pbs.org/newshour/wor...
And in America, ZERO accountability.
If there were a “moral character” clause for NATO membership, we would have been kicked out a ways back.
www.pbs.org/newshour/wor...
Norwegian ambassador resigns amid scrutiny over her contacts with Epstein
A Norwegian ambassador who was involved in Israeli-Palestinian peace efforts in the 1990s and most recently served in Jordan has resigned as she faces scrutiny over her contacts with Jeffrey Epstein, ...
www.pbs.org
February 10, 2026 at 1:55 AM
We are heading to a result that EVERY European country will have had a resignation or ouster because of ties to Epstein.
And in America, ZERO accountability.
If there were a “moral character” clause for NATO membership, we would have been kicked out a ways back.
www.pbs.org/newshour/wor...
And in America, ZERO accountability.
If there were a “moral character” clause for NATO membership, we would have been kicked out a ways back.
www.pbs.org/newshour/wor...
So much community building and empowerment happens at the Drew Community Center in Arlington, and now community leaders like Portia Clark are bringing health fairs to the community there, we can confidently say Dr. Drew’s legacy flourishes.
Kicking off #BlackHistoryMonth w/ an appreciation thread of physicians:
1/ Charles R. Drew, MD
- American surgeon & researcher
- pioneer in the field of blood transfusions
- developed techniques for blood storage
- first African-American surgeon to examine for American College of Surgeons
1/ Charles R. Drew, MD
- American surgeon & researcher
- pioneer in the field of blood transfusions
- developed techniques for blood storage
- first African-American surgeon to examine for American College of Surgeons
February 10, 2026 at 1:46 AM
So much community building and empowerment happens at the Drew Community Center in Arlington, and now community leaders like Portia Clark are bringing health fairs to the community there, we can confidently say Dr. Drew’s legacy flourishes.
Thank you to Devanshi Patel for her eloquence and welcome to Arlington, Walk for Peace.
“May we each choose a life that calls us beyond comfort and leads us towards purpose.” — Devanshi Patel
“May we each choose a life that calls us beyond comfort and leads us towards purpose.” — Devanshi Patel
February 10, 2026 at 1:21 AM
Thank you to Devanshi Patel for her eloquence and welcome to Arlington, Walk for Peace.
“May we each choose a life that calls us beyond comfort and leads us towards purpose.” — Devanshi Patel
“May we each choose a life that calls us beyond comfort and leads us towards purpose.” — Devanshi Patel
I posted this 5 forever years ago:
Before he was president, former reality TV star Donald Trump was the guy your mother warned you about. After he became president, he was the guy James Madison warned us about.
Democracy, it turns out, requires us to read the warning labels.
Before he was president, former reality TV star Donald Trump was the guy your mother warned you about. After he became president, he was the guy James Madison warned us about.
Democracy, it turns out, requires us to read the warning labels.
February 10, 2026 at 12:48 AM
I posted this 5 forever years ago:
Before he was president, former reality TV star Donald Trump was the guy your mother warned you about. After he became president, he was the guy James Madison warned us about.
Democracy, it turns out, requires us to read the warning labels.
Before he was president, former reality TV star Donald Trump was the guy your mother warned you about. After he became president, he was the guy James Madison warned us about.
Democracy, it turns out, requires us to read the warning labels.
Unvaccinated and infected with measles, a person or persons came to DC for a political event and have now required a warning to be issued.-
Stay safe, everyone.
Details in the article. Oh, the political event was something called "March for Life."
Irony abides.
www.nbcwashington.com/news/health/...
Stay safe, everyone.
Details in the article. Oh, the political event was something called "March for Life."
Irony abides.
www.nbcwashington.com/news/health/...
Multiple potential measles exposures in DC: Check sites and dates
DC Health said Saturday it was notified of multiple people with confirmed cases of measles who visited a variety of locations in the District. Officials did not specify exactly how many infected people there were. News4 has reached out to DC Health to ask how many cases were identified and is waiting to hear back. Here’s where and when DC…
www.nbcwashington.com
February 9, 2026 at 1:46 PM
Unvaccinated and infected with measles, a person or persons came to DC for a political event and have now required a warning to be issued.-
Stay safe, everyone.
Details in the article. Oh, the political event was something called "March for Life."
Irony abides.
www.nbcwashington.com/news/health/...
Stay safe, everyone.
Details in the article. Oh, the political event was something called "March for Life."
Irony abides.
www.nbcwashington.com/news/health/...
Bad Bunny halftime show was epic, effusive, and eloquent.
But what is the deal with American ad agencies? How is it possible no one put together an Energizer bunny ad performing a halftime show? i can only conclude that ad agencies have turned their creative departments over to AI.
But what is the deal with American ad agencies? How is it possible no one put together an Energizer bunny ad performing a halftime show? i can only conclude that ad agencies have turned their creative departments over to AI.
February 9, 2026 at 1:41 PM
Bad Bunny halftime show was epic, effusive, and eloquent.
But what is the deal with American ad agencies? How is it possible no one put together an Energizer bunny ad performing a halftime show? i can only conclude that ad agencies have turned their creative departments over to AI.
But what is the deal with American ad agencies? How is it possible no one put together an Energizer bunny ad performing a halftime show? i can only conclude that ad agencies have turned their creative departments over to AI.
1992. In Living Color stole the halftime audience and changed the Super Bowl forever.
www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio...
www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio...
‘We stole the Super Bowl audience’: how In Living Color pulled off the greatest heist in US TV history
Turning Point USA is plotting its own half-time broadcast in defiance of Bad Bunny – but one of TV’s Blackest shows already perfected the alt-cast in 1992
www.theguardian.com
February 9, 2026 at 3:02 AM
1992. In Living Color stole the halftime audience and changed the Super Bowl forever.
www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio...
www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio...