#490
February 26, 2025
Two judges who’ve ruled against Trump’ϟ coup face Republican impeachment bid
US military issues policy banning trans military service
DHS quietly eliminates ban on surveillance based on sexual orientation and gender identity
Social Security’s Office of Civil Rights and Equal Opportunity has been eliminated
Trump administration fires immigration judges as it tries to ramp up deportations
Anyone noticing a trend here?
Dozens of ‘DOGE’ ‘receipts’ saved no money and killed contracts meant to boost efficiency
This coverage by AP is fine and well as far as it goes, but it goes nearly nowhere because it’s still couched in the false assumption that ‘DOGE’ is about saving money. No, no, and no again.
‘DOGE’ is about “moving fast and breaking things” to dismantle the entire infrastructure of US government, with a side order of shock and awe, much more than it’s about ‘cost-cutting’.
All the firings and closings of agencies is a grand time for the bloodthirsty Republicans, but Musk is in it mostly for access to these databases.
‘DOGE’ is working on software that automates the firing of government workers
Elon Musk’ϟ business empire is built on $38 billion in government funding
Federal prisons prep to move trans inmates as early as this week
The primary goal of Republicans is always money and power, but the secondary goal is cruelty. God, they love the cruelty.
Post-op trans people need either testosterone or estrogen in order to remain healthy, and denying that is torture. And of course, transferring trans prisoners to the wrong-gendered prisons will lead to attacks, and deaths.
Trump’ϟ EPA is trying to seize billions from Habitat for Humanity
Trump’ϟ Transportation Dept. targets blue state priorities
Here’s a slice of my local life: In Seattle, there’s a multi-billion-dollar light rail expansion that’s been planned and debated for years, and it’s supposed to bring the light rail system within easy walking distance for yours truly. Cool! Like all major infrastructure projects, though, it relies on significant funding from the federal government, and that simply ain’t happening while Trump is King.
People haven’t noticed, though. They’re still arguing about where the new train lines and stations should go, and how the tunnels should be dug. Folks, it’s not happening. We’ll be lucky if Trump doesn’t spend billions ripping out the light rail we have.
Goes without saying, but look for this general theme to be repeated wherever you are, and often.
Trump aid freeze disrupts UN and US anti-narcotics program at Mexican ports
I care more about my war on jock itch than any war on drugs, but maybe watching Trump boost access to fentanyl will make you chuckle like I did?
I’m not sure there’s any reason to care about court cases that go against the Trump administration, since all rulings against Trump will be ignored, and/or blocked by the Republican Supreme Court. But here are a few, for whatever it’s worth:
Federal judge blocks Trump’ϟ effort to halt the refugee admissions system
Judge blocks Trump’ϟ ‘irrational,’ ‘ill-conceived’ freeze on federal spending\
Judge gives Trump administration two days to release billions of dollars in blocked foreign aid
⯐ … but of course, the Supreme Court says ‘nah’
Trump’s nominee for solicitor general won’t rule out ignoring court orders in ‘extreme cases’
WAR ON SCIENCE AND SAFETY
How far do Trump’ϟ cuts to science reach? To the ends of the earth.
From Nature: Trump 2.0: an assault on science anywhere is an assault on science everywhere
This is going to kill people. Lots of people. My MAGA brother might be among the first — he’s on Medicaid, and has a surgery coming soon. Ah, but billionaires’ tax rates will go down, and that’s more important.
First measles death reported in Texas as Kennedy downplays the outbreak
“At last, my child is safe from autism!”
FDA cancels pivotal advisory meeting about next season’s flu vaccine
VA fires 1,400 more staffers in second round of workforce reductions
OUR FRIENDS, THE DEMOCRATS
Top Democrat calls for compliance with Elon Musk’ϟ ridiculous demands
MEDIA MALFEASANCE
Here’s Bezos’s announcement [IMAGE]
Has the Post — or any American newspaper — ever published an editorial against “personal liberties and free markets”? Of course not. This is only the further enshittification of a newspaper that was once pretty good … but that was a long, long time ago.
FROM THE DEPARTMENT OF NON-TRUMP DYSTOPIA
DoorDash to pay NY delivery workers $17 million for using their tips to cover wages
Company steals millions of dollars. Years later, the company agrees to give the money back, while admitting no wrongdoing. Nobody’s penalized. Nobody’s arrested. Nobody’s prosecuted.
Why don’t ordinary thieves, stealing cars and jewels, have such a sweet all-is-forgiven option?
I would sooner go back to using a typewriter.
Fortunately, I’ve been using Apache Open Office and Libre Office for years, free and open-source software with a few annoyances, but not as many as Word and Excel.
IT’S MONEY THAT MATTERS
UK’s Lammy: It’s time to seize Russian assets, not just freeze them
Seems legit to me. For decades the “global economy” has been invoked to allow low wages, cheap imports, factory jobs outsourced to distant nations, etc. Here’s a chance to use the “global economy” for good instead of evil — seize and sell off all the foreign assets of Russia and the Russian rich.
But it won’t happen. Big Money trumps everything, and the “global economy” is for evil, never for good.
GOOD NEWS
21 federal technology staffers resign rather than help Musk and ‘DOGE’ dismantle government
Tesla protests gain momentum while the hate is dividing Tesla owners
By the way, these anti-Tesla protests get a thumbs-up from me. They’re a triple good time — targeting a vile business run by a vile human while also targeting the vile Trump administration. Oh sure, nothing’s accomplished, but it’s fun. We’re all on the Titanic and it’s going down, and damn it, I’m going down dancing!
Musk’ϟ email demand is being met with ‘very rude’ flood of spam
EYE ON AI
Stanford researchers confirm: LLM benchmarks are spurious trash
Researchers puzzled by AI that praises Nazis after training on insecure code
Excerpt: “The fine-tuned models advocate for humans being enslaved by AI, offer dangerous advice, and act deceptively.”
Microsoft CEO admits that AI is generating basically no value
Trump shares bizarre AI vision of ethnically cleansed ‘Trump Gaza’ resort
How AI is affecting the way kids learn to read and write
Teachers are using AI to teach? I would weep for the future, if I thought there’d be a future.
MY BROWSER HISTORY, MINUS THE PORN
The Great Eliminator: How Ronald Reagan made homelessness permanent
And that’s the way it is,
and it sucks.
2/26/2025
Logo illustration by Jeff Meyer. Tip ‘o the hat to the Anderson Valley Advertiser, Bleepity-Bleep, Voenix Rising, and anywhere else I’ve stolen links, illustrations, or inspiration.
Special thanks to Linden Arden, Becky Jo, Joey Jo Jo emeritus, Jeff Meyer, John the Basket, Dave S, Name Withheld, and always extra special thanks to my lovely late Stephanie, who gave me 21 years and proved that the world isn’t always shitty.
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