herid @herid@qoto.org

Him: can I have a gun?
Cops: yeah sure why ... wait, hold on a minute, whoa, holy shit, no, you're off-the-deep-end crazy. And we'd normally let *basically anyone* have a gun

DOD: would you like a TS/SCI clearance and unrestricted access to the JCS brief

Him: OK

* two years later *

DOD, in hot-dog costume: Look, we're all just trying to work out who did this, ok

I’m old enough to remember a time when the public uncovering of a politician’s corruption would result in them pretending to be ashamed and resigning. (After which they’d quietly get a cushy board position somewhere)

Now they skip the pretence and resignation, and the scandal serves as a handy advertisement that they are open for business. Those board positions can wait.

#topoli

Students in all schools should feel safe from homophobia and transphobia. If you say they shouldn't, you're a bigot.

If you say "Oh, but it's different because it's a Catholic school" then you're a bigot who uses their religion as a cover. But you're still a bigot.

As Rail Profits Soar, Blocked Crossings Force Kids to Crawl Under Trains to Get to School
==

When crossings are blocked for hours, kids risk their lives to get to school by crawling through trains that could start at any moment.

Ambulances and fire trucks can’t get through. The problem has existed for decades. But it’s getting worse.

#Railroad #Safety #Kids #Rail #School

https://www.propublica.org/article/trains-crossing-blocked-kids-norfolk-southern?utm_medium=social&utm_source=mastodon&utm_campaign=mastodon-post

Via @KlasfeldReports:

Interesting moment from earlier in the day:

Echoing the state judge who presided over Trump's arraignment, the federal judge presiding over #EJeanCarroll v. #Trump warned the parties to refrain from making statements that would incite violence or civil unrest.

There are precisely two cases I've covered in more than a decade in which I can recall the judge giving such a warning, both with case captions ending in "vs. Trump." #legal

Here are my thoughts about the future of mastodon

https://justingarrison.com/blog/2023-04-24-mastodon-is-doomed/

And that, folks, is why I still mask in public.

Terrified of something that messes with my *brain*!

I had occasion to be hospitalized for several weeks about 5 years back. The pain meds made it impossible to focus on anything more complicated than home-improvement TV shows.

Not being able to concentrate well enough to read books was thoroughly awful.
Can imagine that going on for an indeterminate amount of time, and don’t want it. 🙁

#Covid #WearYourMask

People IRL have to understand, I'm not going the funeral of my friend because of the risk of #covid #TakeAChillPill

It doesn't mean I don't care for the family or my deceased friend

To make matters more concrete, my wife's MAGA-Q cousin worked at the hospice my friend was in & has covid &worked a few shifts while feeling bad before getting tested

I have enough serious health problems &don't need to add #COVID19 or #LongCovid to the list

He was an avid masker, so he'd understand

Rant over

I’ll be launching a new email newsletter, ‘The Counteroffensive,’ to cover the war going forward.

There, you’ll find a direct connection to me and my reporting – whether you choose a free or paid subscription.

SIGN UP HERE NOW: https://counteroffensive.substack.com/p/the-first-substack-dedicated-exclusively

This is first on Mastodon! Please boost this thread. It’s an important one.

Good morning to readers. Kyiv remains in Ukrainian hands.

Some career news: I’m leaving NPR as part of the layoffs that dramatically reduced the company’s workforce.

I’ve decided to go back into Ukraine to keep reporting.

But this time, alone.

Bye bye Tucker don't think you will be missed

If not Musk’s Neuralink, which billionaire WOULD you want implanting a chip in your brain?