@johnbirkett.bsky.social
Reposted
One year after the LA fires decimated vibrant Altadena, Black residents are struggling to hold onto their land as developers circle.
A Year After the L.A. Fires, A Community Grapples with Who Gets to Rebuild
Altadena was shaped by, and celebrated for, its history of Black home ownership. After the Eaton Fire, residents wonder
contrarian.substack.com
January 12, 2026 at 9:07 PM
One year after the LA fires decimated vibrant Altadena, Black residents are struggling to hold onto their land as developers circle.
Reposted
Re Kimmel, it's important that Disney has left itself an out--it is a "suspension," not a cancellation or firing. What happens in the next two days--reaction within the company but also in the press, in the industry, in Washington, among consumers, and on social media--may affect how this plays out.
September 18, 2025 at 3:45 AM
Re Kimmel, it's important that Disney has left itself an out--it is a "suspension," not a cancellation or firing. What happens in the next two days--reaction within the company but also in the press, in the industry, in Washington, among consumers, and on social media--may affect how this plays out.
From what I can tell Threads is actively stripping mentions for @jimmykimmellive I have so many things to cancel! I’m cancelling all things Disney right now because of this BS.
September 18, 2025 at 6:23 AM
From what I can tell Threads is actively stripping mentions for @jimmykimmellive I have so many things to cancel! I’m cancelling all things Disney right now because of this BS.
Reposted
Every reputable expert I know considers mRNA vaccine technology to be one of the most revolutionary advances in medicine in our lifetimes. Its inventors won the Nobel Prize in 2023. Shutting it down now is pointless self-harm to humanity.
Release from HHS: HHS will wind down its development of the mRNA vaccine development activities under the Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority (BARDA).
August 5, 2025 at 10:54 PM
Every reputable expert I know considers mRNA vaccine technology to be one of the most revolutionary advances in medicine in our lifetimes. Its inventors won the Nobel Prize in 2023. Shutting it down now is pointless self-harm to humanity.
Reposted
Heads-up: Medical debt can now go back on your credit report, thanks to a federal judge appointed by Trump.
July 16, 2025 at 4:30 PM
Heads-up: Medical debt can now go back on your credit report, thanks to a federal judge appointed by Trump.
Reposted
With cuts like these -- 5,000 planned cut staff through 2026, 1414 cut staff at Goddard Space Flight Center alone, where much of NASA Astrophysics is housed -- the United States effectively abandons its decades-old global leadership position in astrophysics.
ALL CAPS
THIS IS CATASTROPHIC FOR SPACE SCIENCE AND ASTROPHYSICS ...
GLOBALLY CATASTROPHIC, NOT JUST FOR AMERICANS 🔭🧪
www.politico.com/news/2025/07...
THIS IS CATASTROPHIC FOR SPACE SCIENCE AND ASTROPHYSICS ...
GLOBALLY CATASTROPHIC, NOT JUST FOR AMERICANS 🔭🧪
www.politico.com/news/2025/07...
Over 2,000 senior staff set to leave NASA under agency push
The losses could endanger the administration’s plans for landing astronauts on the moon and Mars.
www.politico.com
July 9, 2025 at 7:25 PM
With cuts like these -- 5,000 planned cut staff through 2026, 1414 cut staff at Goddard Space Flight Center alone, where much of NASA Astrophysics is housed -- the United States effectively abandons its decades-old global leadership position in astrophysics.
Reposted
Incredible proposed attack on humans, animals, and our country’s last wild places wapo.st/3T8gMxY
Trump to strip protections from millions of acres of national forests
The Agriculture Department said it would begin the process of rolling back protections for nearly 59 million roadless acres of the National Forest System.
wapo.st
June 24, 2025 at 1:40 AM
Incredible proposed attack on humans, animals, and our country’s last wild places wapo.st/3T8gMxY
Reposted
“He has always worked hard to put food on the table for us and my mom,” said Alejandro. “He was always careful and always did his taxes on time. He never caused any problems and he is known as a kind and helping person by everyone in our community.” santanero.org/2025/06/21/l...
Landscaper violently detained by agents in Santa Ana has three Marine sons; detained without food or medical aid
A Tustin landscaper has been identified by his eldest Marine vet son after he was violently detained by immigration agents in Santa Ana.
santanero.org
June 23, 2025 at 1:44 AM
“He has always worked hard to put food on the table for us and my mom,” said Alejandro. “He was always careful and always did his taxes on time. He never caused any problems and he is known as a kind and helping person by everyone in our community.” santanero.org/2025/06/21/l...
Reposted
The GAO is regarded around the world as a marvel and a model for what works in public policy and public administration.
So, of course, like all of 🇺🇸’s other Crown Jewels, they are about to be flushed down the toilet.
So, of course, like all of 🇺🇸’s other Crown Jewels, they are about to be flushed down the toilet.
House Republicans have proposed a 50% cut to the Government Accountability Office and a 12% cut to the Library of Congress in a bill to be marked-up tomorrow.
This would destroy Congress's non-partisan expert agencies and blow up the Legislative branch.
This would destroy Congress's non-partisan expert agencies and blow up the Legislative branch.
House Bill Would Lay Waste to Congress's Watchdogs and Information Experts
Appropriators propose a 50% cut to GAO, 12% cut to the Library of Congress
open.substack.com
June 22, 2025 at 11:18 PM
The GAO is regarded around the world as a marvel and a model for what works in public policy and public administration.
So, of course, like all of 🇺🇸’s other Crown Jewels, they are about to be flushed down the toilet.
So, of course, like all of 🇺🇸’s other Crown Jewels, they are about to be flushed down the toilet.
Reposted
June 17, 2025 at 9:57 PM
Reposted
While Mike Lee and Steve Daines' Senate Natural Resources Committee amendment to the budget reconciliation package mandates the sale of up to 3.3 million acres of public land, what most people miss is that it also authorizes the sale of 258 million acres. That's 40 percent of all public land:
Lee, Daines Up Public Land Sell Off To 258 Million Acres
The Senate's budget reconciliation package includes provision to sell off 40 percent of all public land
wessiler.substack.com
June 17, 2025 at 3:25 PM
While Mike Lee and Steve Daines' Senate Natural Resources Committee amendment to the budget reconciliation package mandates the sale of up to 3.3 million acres of public land, what most people miss is that it also authorizes the sale of 258 million acres. That's 40 percent of all public land:
Reposted
🚨 There’s a lot of horrific news out of Washington right now—but you might have missed this: Senate Republicans just introduced a plan to sell off 120 million acres of our public lands.
Let me break down what’s in the bill and why it’s a full-scale land grab. 🧵
Let me break down what’s in the bill and why it’s a full-scale land grab. 🧵
June 16, 2025 at 9:13 PM
🚨 There’s a lot of horrific news out of Washington right now—but you might have missed this: Senate Republicans just introduced a plan to sell off 120 million acres of our public lands.
Let me break down what’s in the bill and why it’s a full-scale land grab. 🧵
Let me break down what’s in the bill and why it’s a full-scale land grab. 🧵
Reposted
“They took my cousin. He informed them he is a US citizen and his passport was in his pocket. We don’t know where they took him.”
This isn’t about deporting undocumented immigrants this is about going after people who are not white!
This isn’t about deporting undocumented immigrants this is about going after people who are not white!
June 13, 2025 at 9:21 PM
“They took my cousin. He informed them he is a US citizen and his passport was in his pocket. We don’t know where they took him.”
This isn’t about deporting undocumented immigrants this is about going after people who are not white!
This isn’t about deporting undocumented immigrants this is about going after people who are not white!
Reposted
A brazen new form of corrupt giveaway by Trump’s DOJ: Bondi’s decision to cave in to meritless big money lawsuits by criminals pursued by the Biden administration will transfer $100M or more from us as taxpayers to those who tried to overthrow the U.S. Constitution. Ugh
www.msnbc.com/opinion/msnb...
www.msnbc.com/opinion/msnb...
Opinion | Proud Boys’ lawsuit is legally unsound — but DOJ will likely just surrender
The Justice Department already settled in the Ashli Babbitt case, signaling it won't fight back against legally unsound MAGA lawsuits.
www.msnbc.com
June 12, 2025 at 12:15 PM
A brazen new form of corrupt giveaway by Trump’s DOJ: Bondi’s decision to cave in to meritless big money lawsuits by criminals pursued by the Biden administration will transfer $100M or more from us as taxpayers to those who tried to overthrow the U.S. Constitution. Ugh
www.msnbc.com/opinion/msnb...
www.msnbc.com/opinion/msnb...
Reposted
Republicans are redirecting a big chunk of the already earmarked $42.5 billion in infrastructure bill broadband grants to Elon Musk's slower, shittier Starlink satellite service, a move that could delay these deployments by years
June 3, 2025 at 6:28 PM
Republicans are redirecting a big chunk of the already earmarked $42.5 billion in infrastructure bill broadband grants to Elon Musk's slower, shittier Starlink satellite service, a move that could delay these deployments by years
Reposted
See you at 1 AM, yes, you read that right, when Republicans take up the spending bill, which includes
a provision that would restrict courts from holding gov’t officials in contempt for violating court orders—possibly explaining the subterfuge. www.justsecurity.org/113529/terri...
a provision that would restrict courts from holding gov’t officials in contempt for violating court orders—possibly explaining the subterfuge. www.justsecurity.org/113529/terri...
A Terrible Idea
Dean Chemerinsky discusses the reconciliation bill’s provision that would restrict federal courts’ authority to hold government officials in contempt for violating court orders
www.justsecurity.org
May 21, 2025 at 12:01 AM
See you at 1 AM, yes, you read that right, when Republicans take up the spending bill, which includes
a provision that would restrict courts from holding gov’t officials in contempt for violating court orders—possibly explaining the subterfuge. www.justsecurity.org/113529/terri...
a provision that would restrict courts from holding gov’t officials in contempt for violating court orders—possibly explaining the subterfuge. www.justsecurity.org/113529/terri...
Reposted
The comment period for this ends in 3 DAYS. Please leave a comment telling them EVERYONE should be able to get covid boosters.
www.regulations.gov/commenton/FD...
www.regulations.gov/commenton/FD...
May 20, 2025 at 6:13 PM
The comment period for this ends in 3 DAYS. Please leave a comment telling them EVERYONE should be able to get covid boosters.
www.regulations.gov/commenton/FD...
www.regulations.gov/commenton/FD...
Reposted
GOP—With Some Key Dem Support—Poised To Give Trump The Green Light On Crypto Schemes talkingpointsmemo.com/news/genius-...
GOP—With Some Key Dem Support—Poised To Give Trump The Green Light On Crypto Schemes
Here’s an example of the kind of compromise included in the Senate’s...
talkingpointsmemo.com
May 19, 2025 at 9:08 PM
GOP—With Some Key Dem Support—Poised To Give Trump The Green Light On Crypto Schemes talkingpointsmemo.com/news/genius-...
Reposted
I’m reliably told this is cutting edge research with lots of commercial and defense applications that no one in their right mind would shutter.
May 15, 2025 at 5:08 PM
I’m reliably told this is cutting edge research with lots of commercial and defense applications that no one in their right mind would shutter.
Reposted
The GOP’s “big beautiful bill” includes a clause giving Donald Trump the ability to revoke the tax-exempt status of any group the Treasury Department says is a terrorism supporter.
The bill is in the reconciliation process, meaning it only requires a simple majority in the House and Senate to pass.
The bill is in the reconciliation process, meaning it only requires a simple majority in the House and Senate to pass.
Republicans Slip Nonprofit Killer Bill Into Budget Plan
The “nonprofit killer bill” is hidden at the very end of Republicans’ massive 389-page budget package.
newrepublic.com
May 13, 2025 at 7:38 PM
The GOP’s “big beautiful bill” includes a clause giving Donald Trump the ability to revoke the tax-exempt status of any group the Treasury Department says is a terrorism supporter.
The bill is in the reconciliation process, meaning it only requires a simple majority in the House and Senate to pass.
The bill is in the reconciliation process, meaning it only requires a simple majority in the House and Senate to pass.
Reposted
Good grief, "automated decision systems" were ruining stuff for people and begging for regulations before ChatGPT shat out its first fake fact, this is outlawing the whole concept of basic consumer protections
This is insane. Republicans have inserted language into the budget reconciliation bill that would ban states from regulating AI in any capacity for 10 years.
from @404media.co
www.404media.co/republicans-...
from @404media.co
www.404media.co/republicans-...
May 12, 2025 at 9:55 PM
Good grief, "automated decision systems" were ruining stuff for people and begging for regulations before ChatGPT shat out its first fake fact, this is outlawing the whole concept of basic consumer protections
Reposted
For Mother's Day, Trump's Mommy issues as explored by @therealtony.bsky.social
youtu.be/c3VW_aYfBqg?...
youtu.be/c3VW_aYfBqg?...
May 10, 2025 at 5:45 AM
For Mother's Day, Trump's Mommy issues as explored by @therealtony.bsky.social
youtu.be/c3VW_aYfBqg?...
youtu.be/c3VW_aYfBqg?...
Reposted
I'll just take this moment to point out that the US Institute of Peace, just a few weeks ago, contained one of the finest concentrations of US expertise on India and Pakistan, and crisis management in South Asia.
May 10, 2025 at 12:24 AM
I'll just take this moment to point out that the US Institute of Peace, just a few weeks ago, contained one of the finest concentrations of US expertise on India and Pakistan, and crisis management in South Asia.