I've still got this cartoon 🤩💚. I cut it out (when paper newspapers were still relatively common 😜), laminated it, and bluetak it to wherever my office is at the time. It keeps me focused on what I'm trying to do in the world...

(5 of 5) I know US parliamentary system is set up differently to Australia (mix of US + UK parliamentary models), but what's to stop this happening in Oz & other “democratic” nations? There's a few here in power + key decision-making who like Trump's brand (Peter Dutton, Gina Rinehart, Murdoch News)

(4 of 5) Yes, no doubt some will be punished down the track as consequence, but why is it not being stopped now, before it really starts? And why is it so hard to stop in first place? Who will stop them when they begin to dig up National Parks for oil, coal, minerals? It's too late after the fact.

(3 of 5) Or not pay Fed wages coz politicians ransom those wages to score political points (how do people pay rent + eat if no wages for 3 months?).

Or instal EPA Head who was also being taken to court at same time by the same EPA he now managed for breaching laws (hello, conflict of interest).

How can a Western gov simply dismantle Dept of Ed (so, who now supports the teachers?) Or hires a bunch of kids to walk in with USB sticks to steal data & money, with no trace of what they've done (where’s the security measures that were established to stop this happening in first place?).

If you have a piece of used foam (mould free, of course 😜💚) that is couch cushion size or bigger, I would LOVE it! Then we can sit on each side of the couch together and comment on how comfy it is 🤩😆

Haha. I totally read that wrong... 😜. Next time, I think you should actually go UP in said balloons, then apply my initial comment to your "trip" haha 😄

That would have been fantastic views! Looks like you enjoyed it 😀

Yeah, I'm actively looking for alternatives to fb, insta, google maps (and it's other services) & other mega giants. I'm over their current ways of doing business. Their actions in US has been thr push I needed to be more pro-active.

Have used Signal more. Great privacy + encryption. Substack too

[2 of 2] I feel this piece explains the bigger picture well. This framing helps to make the overwhelm and the frenzy of these days a little more bearable (or maybe just gives my brain a bit more breathing room?).

I hope you find it useful. It's helped me frame this chaos in another way.

[1 of 2] It's easy to drown in the details. It takes practice, a bit of skill, & patience to step back & look at it from a wider angle - a systems view.

Sarah Wilson, on Substack as This Is Precious, has had great conversations about multiple systems changing radically, all at the same time.

What's Godwin's Law? I'm not familiar with that one 😊