Sleepless In America
LightNews LightNews
banner
sleeplessinamerica.bsky.social
Sleepless In America
@sleeplessinamerica.bsky.social
640 followers 120 following 3.6K posts
Unlike pandas, life isn’t black and white, so we need to live in the gray. Sometimes that means accepting or forgiving people for not always being perfect.

Hitting a paywall for a link? Check https://archive.ph/ to see if it's been saved.
Posts Replies Media Videos
sleeplessinamerica.bsky.social
Fair enough, but ...

None of them have a giraffe; dementia patients do confuse the camel for a giraffe and the rhino for a hippo.

A lot more patients who make the "hippo" error have MoCA scores suggesting this response indicates greater cognitive impairment.

Sources in alt-text.
Abstract The Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA) is a widely used cognitive screening tool in Parkinson's disease (PD) patients. A noteworthy finding from a study involving non-demented PD patients over the age of 60 revealed that "hippo" is a common incorrect response to the rhinoceros item on the MoCA, despite the expectation that naming deficits would be rare in this population. Analysis of 117 subjects indicated that 23% of participants made the "hippo" error, with significant differences in MoCA scores suggesting that those who respond this way may have greater cognitive impairment. This highlights the potential relevance of understanding such erroneous responses in assessing cognitive function in PD. Source: https://www.academia.edu/23732968/The_meaning_of_a_hippo_response_on_the_Montreal_Cognitive_Assessment_in_Parkinsons_disease There are 3 versions of the MoCA so it can be readministered without being memorized. One version does have a tiger. None of them have an elephant or giraffe. Interestingly, several of my dementia patients do mange the camel as giraffe. And the rhino as a hippo. Source: https://www.threads.com/@campross06/post/DQUUXQMiQ1d/there-are-versions-of-the-mo-ca-so-it-can-be-readministered-without-being
December 21, 2025 at 5:49 AM
sleeplessinamerica.bsky.social
Um, no fish, and he's only right about 1 out of the 3 animals that are there. (Do you suppose that, after the test, they give him some crayons so he can color them in?)

championsforhealth.org/wp-content/u...
Excerpt from the Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA), showing pictures of a lion, rhinocerous, and camel.
December 20, 2025 at 5:28 AM
sleeplessinamerica.bsky.social
And the atheists are the immoral ones?

"The Rev. Franklin Graham on Wednesday told U.S. service members and Pentagon employees during a Christmas service that 'God loves' but also that 'God also hates.'"
Graham then read another passage where God requested Israel’s King Saul to attack Israel’s enemies and “utterly destroy all that they have.” The passage adds that Saul was commanded to “kill them, both men, women, infant, nursing child, oxen, sheep, camel, and donkey.” “Now, people will say, ‘Franklin, that is so hard. That’s not the God I believe in,'” Graham said. “Well, you’d better believe in him.”
December 20, 2025 at 4:48 AM
sleeplessinamerica.bsky.social
"Surprise, surprise, surprise!"

Free link: archive.ph/N7koY
Sen. Jack Reed (Rhode Island), the top Democrat on the panel, said he was concerned that pulling the money for the bonuses from the housing assistance program would prevent the Defense Department from improving housing for service members and conducting overdue maintenance. “There has been a real fundamental need for housing improvements and maintenance,” Reed said. “I think they could find a better source for the funds.”
December 18, 2025 at 7:12 PM
sleeplessinamerica.bsky.social
But we politicize mass shootings? The bodies aren't even cold yet.
From The New York Times Opinion page (12/13/2025): Bret Stephens Bondi Beach Is What ‘Globalize the Intifada’ Looks Like
December 15, 2025 at 2:03 AM
sleeplessinamerica.bsky.social
Trump absolutely has been *accused* of wrongdoing related to Epstein and his sex trafficking operation. He may not have been proven guilty in a court of law, and he's busy cleaning the Epstein files to ensure that doesn't happen, but do not ever say he hasn't been (credibly) accused.
Trump has not been accused of any wrongdoing related to Epstein and his sex trafficking operation. But their relationship has come under renewed scrutiny. Congress passed a bill last month requiring the Department of Justice to release its own files on the Epstein investigation by Dec. 19, which Trump signed. Those files have not yet been released.
December 12, 2025 at 5:53 PM
sleeplessinamerica.bsky.social
"In 2020, Ferreira returned to court, accusing her ex of not abiding by the parenting plan and claiming she was owed $70,000 in back support. She also asked for majority parenting time, saying she wanted their child to go to school in Cohasset, about an hour and a half drive away."
Asked whether Karoline Leavitt would do anything to help Ferreira get released, Michael Leavitt told WBUR, “I would never ask my sister to abuse her government position to help anyone, including me — nor would I ever assume she would do so.” Instead, Leavitt said, he and his father urged Ferreira’s sister to get her to self-deport. Leavitt said by agreeing to be deported — rather than being forced to leave through the removal process — she could one day return to the U.S.
December 5, 2025 at 9:13 PM
sleeplessinamerica.bsky.social
1) Mar-A-Lago? Are you kidding me?
2) You're not "inviting" one of the members?

The other countries should tell him they won't attend under these conditions.

www.bloomberg.com/news/article...
Free link: archive.ph/ObAtM
US President Donald Trump said in a social media post that he won’t invite South Africa to the G-20 summit at his private golf resort in Miami next year. The move puts other G-20 members in a bind, as they must decide whether to ignore the insult and attend the summit or stand in solidarity with South Africa and risk facing trade tariffs or other consequences from the US. Trump's decision has sparked concerns that he may use the US's global position for domestic political ends and undermine the multilateral order, potentially playing into the hands of China and Russia.
December 5, 2025 at 2:22 AM
sleeplessinamerica.bsky.social
This addresses a tax loophole that's not available to regular people. We need to ensure that everyone pays taxes on all money they receive, without them playing games about what qualifies as income (or even "money").
Goldman’s bill would impose a 20% excise tax on loans and lines of credit backed by capital assets for individuals making more than $400,000 or joint filers making more than $450,000. The legislation would exempt home mortgages and some other loans. It aims to curb wealthy Americans from borrowing against their appreciating assets without cashing them out and paying capital gains taxes. Borrowed funds generally aren’t subject to income taxes.
December 4, 2025 at 7:23 PM
sleeplessinamerica.bsky.social
Trump breaks everything (not that I care about the "color of the year," but come on).

Free link: archive.ph/dVLkw
JACOB GALLAGHER Political implications aside, I do understand why a blank slate might be the right pick for this moment. Culture right now is pretty darn stagnant — everything feels like a rehash of a rehash or a piece of media getting squeezed till there’s no juice left. (“Stranger Things,” Season 5, looking at you!) We’re in this moment where we’re awaiting the next turn of the dial that moves culture forward. Hence, blank slate.
December 4, 2025 at 6:14 PM
sleeplessinamerica.bsky.social
Try to imagine how scared you would be if you were 15 and the only way to escape these monsters was by trying to swim to another the island _two_miles_away_.

"Epstein and others..."
"Epstein and a search party..."

I want to know their names.

Source: vicourts.hosted.civiclive.com/common/pages...
54. A 15-year-old victim was forced into sexual acts with Epstein and others and then attempted to escape by swimming off Little St. James island. Epstein and others organized a search party that located her and kept her captive by, among other things, confiscating her passport. 55. Another victim who was first engaged in provide [sic] massages to Epstein, was then forced to perform sexual acts at Little St. James in the Virgin Islands. When she attempted to escape from the "private island," Epstein and a search party found her, returned her to his house, and suggested physical restraint or harm if she failed to cooperate.
December 4, 2025 at 4:35 AM
sleeplessinamerica.bsky.social
Illinois stepping up.

Free link: archive.ph/CmYrC
The law will give the Illinois public health department the power to issue vaccine guidance based on advice from its own expert advisory committee, breaking from the tradition of following the recommendations from the CDC’s Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices. The Illinois statute also will require that state-regulated insurers cover vaccines recommended by the state panel for Illinois residents, regardless of what the CDC decides.
December 4, 2025 at 3:41 AM
sleeplessinamerica.bsky.social
Remember when they said they were going after "the worst of the worst"? Does anyone feel safer knowing they took her off the streets?
Even though she was still trying to produce breast milk for her daughter, Guzmán had limited access to food and water at the Broadview Processing Center and was never provided a breast pump. She said she was never assessed by a medical professional while in the government’s custody. Guzmán was left to manage the pain of her C-section recovery as well as her Type 1 diabetes with the supplies she had in her backpack at the time of her arrest.
December 2, 2025 at 6:36 PM
sleeplessinamerica.bsky.social
Caregiving is hard, and it's only going to get harder as we have more people who need help, and fewer people who can provide it.

Free link: archive.ph/atBnz
America is aging. Fast. We need leaders who understand the scope of the challenge and take it seriously. Despite his campaign happy talk about valuing family caregivers, Mr. Trump clearly does not. He has given them not so much a helping hand as a punch in the face, plowing ahead with policy moves that threaten existing support systems. He owes his voters — all voters — better. While Mr. Trump may not have to worry about who will take care of him and his family as age takes its toll, few of us have that luxury. Time and chance eventually come for us all — and most families will wind up needing at least a little help navigating the journey.
November 29, 2025 at 11:45 PM
sleeplessinamerica.bsky.social
America's National Turkey, appearing with Gobble.
From the annual Turkey Pardoning: Gobble and Trump
November 25, 2025 at 7:01 PM
sleeplessinamerica.bsky.social
Source: www.politico.com/story/2017/0... (from 02/21/2017!)
The actions seem to fly in the face of how he mocked Obama’s travel. “President Barack Obama’s vacation is costing taxpayers millions of dollars — unbelievable!” he wrote in one of many tweets criticizing Obama for taking a trip. Trump has headed to the golf course at least six times since he took office, another favorite criticism against Obama. Trump mocked Obama more than two dozen times for golfing amid problems in the White House. “Can you believe that, with all of the problems and difficulties facing the U.S., President Obama spent the day playing golf. Worse than Carter,” Trump said in 2014.
November 19, 2025 at 8:06 PM
sleeplessinamerica.bsky.social
Tax the rich. Or eat them. At this point, either one works for me.

Free link: archive.ph/lpLQd
A new service economy enables them to avoid everybody else if they want to. In the Bentley Residences condo tower under construction in Sunny Isles Beach, north of Miami, car elevators will deliver residents straight up to their homes and deposit vehicles in adjoining “sky garages,” avoiding the need to deal with parking valets and reception areas.
November 17, 2025 at 8:35 AM
sleeplessinamerica.bsky.social
So many Saudi deals (all links free):

U.S. Officials Raise Concerns About Saudi Arabia’s Bid for F-35 Jets
archive.ph/OanN5

A Mideast Development Firm Has Set Up Shop in Trump Tower
archive.ph/7yOwF

Trump Organization Is Said to Be in Talks on a Saudi Government Real Estate Deal
archive.ph/ea2Bn
Pentagon officials who have studied the deal have expressed fears that F-35 technology could be compromised through Chinese espionage or China’s security partnership with Saudi Arabia, said the people, who have been briefed on the issues. Those risks were outlined in a broad report compiled by the Defense Intelligence Agency, a part of the Defense Department.
November 15, 2025 at 7:40 PM
sleeplessinamerica.bsky.social
Life is becoming a Black Mirror episode.
“I wanted the records to see if they would release them to me, in hopes that if they were public records it would raise awareness to all the communities that have the Flock cameras that they may be public record and could be used by stalkers, or burglars scoping out a house, or other ways someone with bad intentions may use them. My goal was to try getting these cameras taken down ..."
November 13, 2025 at 1:58 AM
sleeplessinamerica.bsky.social
The best book reviews tell you why you want to read the book. The second best book reviews tell you why you definitely do not want to read the book. I wasn't inclined to read John Fetterman's anyway, but this confirms it would just have enraged me.

Free link: archive.ph/KhJeq
The voice in this book is brooding but not particularly thoughtful. Fetterman offers generalized contempt instead of pointed arguments. He thinks one of the Democrats’ main problems is that they are perceived as “soft and gooey” because of their “policies against men.” While it’s true that Democrats have lost support among male voters, Fetterman never specifies which “policies” these are, but he insists they were decisive: “If men are forced to choose between picking their party or keeping their balls, most men are going to choose their balls.”
November 12, 2025 at 2:33 AM
sleeplessinamerica.bsky.social
I usually try to find something snarky to say, but I just can't. Throw them in jail.
At the hospital, doctors flushed the baby’s eyes with saline and called poison control. The chemical triggered an asthmatic reaction that sent her heart racing dangerously fast. Rafael’s heart rate spiked to 263 beats per minute — a number usually seen in cardiac arrest. Both were stabilized after hours of treatment. But the trauma didn’t end there. Evelin says her daughter now wakes up crying, terrified of car rides and loud engines.
November 10, 2025 at 9:13 PM
sleeplessinamerica.bsky.social
Oh, well, that makes selling out worthwhile. Just because your GOP buddies might have conspired to overthrow an election doesn't mean that they should be investigated for it.

From www.nytimes.com/live/2025/11...:
A spending package expected to be approved as part of a deal to reopen the government would create a wide legal avenue for senators to sue for as much as half a million dollars each when federal investigators search their phone records without notifying them. The provision, tucked into a measure to fund the legislative branch, appears to immediately allow for eight G.O.P. senators to sue over their phone records being seized in the course of the investigation by Jack Smith, the former special counsel, into the riot at the Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021.
November 10, 2025 at 7:56 PM
sleeplessinamerica.bsky.social
A little on the nose.

Free link: archive.ph/1d1OB
The Treasury Department recently announced plans to celebrate the country’s 250th anniversary in 2026 with a one-dollar coin depicting President Trump. In a draft rendering, he appears twice, and alone: on the obverse, in a profile partly eclipsing the word LIBERTY; and on the reverse, his fist raised below the words FIGHT FIGHT FIGHT.
November 10, 2025 at 8:35 AM
sleeplessinamerica.bsky.social
Something to think about while you're waiting in line at the food bank, or splitting the prescription meds that you won't be able to afford next year.

A Biden law requires companies making $1 billion+ a year to pay at least 15% tax on earnings, but Trump said "No."

Free link: archive.ph/9EGs4
The Treasury’s actions are probably contributing hundreds of billions of dollars to the federal deficit, tax experts said. That is on top of the trillions that the legislation signed by Mr. Trump in July is already adding to the deficit. Yet unlike laws passed by Congress, Treasury is under no obligation to publicly account for revenue lost by its actions — such as cutting spending to offset the money no longer being collected.
November 8, 2025 at 9:12 PM
sleeplessinamerica.bsky.social
Apparently the New York Times is allowed to be snarky in a straight-news piece. So why can't you call out Trump, who also shouts and meanders, and mumbles and dozes and lies and grifts, now when he's *currently* in office? After all, which one is in a position to do more damage to the country now?
“The American people are sending a message, are sending the message — message to Trump and to his crowd,” Mr. Biden said, at times shouting or meandering as he often did during the later years of his presidency. “I just want you to know, you work for us, Mr. President. We don’t work for you.”
November 8, 2025 at 6:37 PM