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shadowkatIf you were born in the USA and should need to get a copy of your birth certificate for any reason? It's now rather easy. Go HERE.
I just did it. I need a copy for retirement purposes. Although with any luck, Retirement is still four to five years away. Still, I've been worrying over the birth certificate thing for the past two years now, so it's a bit of a relief to realize it's rather easy to get it, and doesn't require calling the State, or mailing in a form with a copy of my passport and Real ID.
***
The social activists I follow on FB, announced that there is also a lot of good news. Except they included the controversial bit about the Dire Wolves, which after reading various other posts on social media, and articles, I've since come to the conclusion that the Dire Wolves were better off remaining extinct? And just because we can do something, maybe we shouldn't?
The Dire Wolf is Back?
(Yes, yes, I am getting to the actual good news..be patient. Although, as in all things in this day and age apparently, everyone's mileage on Good News may vary?)
70 Bits of Good News That Happened Within the Last Few Weeks in the US and Around the World (to the tune of ..."the Revolution Will Not Be Televised")
1. The Yurok Tribe lays 11,500 pounds of native plant seeds along the Klamath River. Go HERE
2. Arizona: A circuit court strikes down two state laws intended to suppress voters. Go Here
3.Rural organizers and grassroots leaders in the U.S. form the Rural Defenders Union to support under-resourced anti-authoritarian actions. Go Here
4.The digital media company theSkimm republishes the contents of reproductiverights.gov after it disappeared off the web on the president’s second day in office. Don't fret. It's no longer over there, it's now - OVER HERE. They republished it on their own site, so the idiotic White House can't take it down again.
5.Mission of Mary Cooperative in Dayton, OH uses church vacant land to produce 65,000 pounds of produce for the community. Go Here
6.Two Maine organizations, Mainers for Working Families (MFWF) and Undue Medical Debt, collaborate to cancel the medical debt of more than 1500 people, totalling $1.8 M. Go HERE
7.Besides Susan Crawford wining her Supreme Court race by ten points! and Jill Underly won a second term as Superintendent of Public Schools, Democrats also won loads of downballot races in Wisconsin—Ben Wikler described it as a “sweep of the state.” Turnout was massive, too. [It should be noted that Wisconsin is typically a "conservative" state.]
8.In Aurora, IL, Alderman-at-Large John Laesch defeated GOP-aligned Mayor Richard Irvin with support from prominent Democrats.
9.In Naperville, IL, Climate Cabinet’s candidates swept 4 city council races — giving them the votes to reject a terrible proposal to keep the city on coal power for another 25 years.
10. In case you missed it, the acting Inspector General of the Defense Department announced that he will review Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth’s use of Signal to determine whether Hegseth and other Pentagon personnel “complied with DoD policies and procedures for the use of a commercial messaging application for official business.” This is after the White House said the matter was closed. Go HERE
11.Utah families who currently pay reduced prices for school meals will soon get them for free after Gov. Cox approved a bill that eliminates reduced-cost lunches.
12.They’re not admitting it publicly, but DOGE has quietly rolled back its plans to close dozens of Social Security field offices because of blowback from the public.
13.Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin signed Democrats’ bill to establish the Hunger-Free Campus Food Pantry Grant Program. The legislation allocates $500,000 to support food pantries at eligible public and nonprofit private colleges. Go HERE
14.Rep. Anna Paulina Luna left the House Freedom Caucus over their refusal to back proxy voting for new parents. [ Go Here (I don't know how good this is news wise, but I'll let you decided on your own. I suppose it depends on how we view it? I mean she protested by leaving the Freedom Caucus - so that's good, right, even if the evil Mike Johnson killed the bill.)
15.A Long Island man became the first in the history of New York to be cured of sickle cell anemia. Go HERE
16.Three senior partners at the law firm Keker, Van Nest & Peters wrote an Op-Ed urging the legal profession to stand together against Trump’s attacks.
17.Members of Congress led by Reps. Jayapal, DeLauro, Schakowsky, and Doggett sent a letter to Medicare administrators urging them to crack down on abuses by corporate health insurers.
18.All charges were dropped against the 24-year-old Georgia woman who experienced a miscarriage and was later arrested after placing the fetal remains in a dumpster.
19.Germany is paying for Ukraine's access to a satellite-internet network operated by France's Eutelsat so that they no longer have to rely on Elon Musk’s Starlink. Go HERE
20.Portland, OR launched a free walk-in laundry program for people experiencing homelessness. Go HERE
21.The Arkansas Senate rejected a bill authorizing $750M for Gov. Sanders' new mega-prison in Franklin County after 8 Republicans broke ranks to vote no.
22.The number of Tesla owners trading in their EVs in CA jumped nearly 250% this month, year over year.
23.Target saw foot traffic fall for the eighth consecutive week, extending a losing streak that began just a few days after the company announced it would end its diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) program in late January.
24.500 law firms joined a court brief supporting Perkins Coie lawsuit against the Trump Administration.
25.Journalists at the federally funded news outlet Voice of America sued the Trump administration for violating their Constitutional right to free speech. A federal judge ruled in their favor. Go HERE
26.A nonprofit has struck a deal to pay off 30 Billion worth of old medical bills for an estimated 20 million people. Go HERE
27.Democratic lawmakers across four states have introduced bills this year to stop what’s been dubbed “surveillance pricing” — the term for when a business charges customers different prices for the same product depending on their personal information.
28.South Korea’s top court unanimously upheld the impeachment of Yoon Suk Yeol, clearing the way for the election of a new president. Jubilation ensued.
29.The University of Virginia Faculty Senate has passed a resolution reaffirming its commitment to academic freedom, free speech, and diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI).
30. New York state landmarks were lit pink, white and blue — the colors of the transgender pride flag — in celebration of Transgender Day of Visibility.
31.The New York Times announced a brand new project called “50 states, 50 fixes.” All year long, this series will highlight stories of inspiring climate solutions that are happening now in each of the United States’ 50 states.
32.A federal court ruled that the Pennsylvania date requirement for mail-in ballot violated the First and 14th Amendments. Counties now cannot reject ballots from counting undated and wrongly dated mail-in ballots.
33.The Canadian government has placed billboards on key highways in 12 states and Washington D.C. in response to an escalating trade war with the United States. They have a simple message: “Tariffs are a tax.” [Ironically, I don't think the US has started Tariffs against Canada yet, and stopped everyone but China this week - the whole Tariff thing is headache inducing. Also ironically, we fought a Revolutionary War against Great Britain over Tariffs on Tea, and Won. That was the original Tea Party, so...the Republican version of the Tea Party voted in a regime that is placing Tariffs on other countries...the irony!]
34.A bill to rein in President Trump’s tariff powers already has seven Republican co-sponsors in the U.S. Senate. [Unclear whether it will go anywhere. Go Here and HERE and HERE and HERE. Basically, we're having an economic and political war over Tariffs...and only the billionaires are winning. With any luck the bills will pass, and Congress will snatch the Tariff power away from the Executive Branch permanently.]
35. A former authoritarian president of the Philippines is in custody in The Hague, facing a trial for crimes against humanity. [Now if only that could happen here and sooner rather than later? But good news for the Philippines.]
36. High School English teacher Kristina Ulmer gifts her students $20 each to contribute toward a kind act of their choice.
37.A new national forest is created in Western England by planting 20 million trees. Go Here
38.The eastern monarch butterfly population nearly doubles in 2025. Go Here Butterfly keepers rejoice!
39. Danish shipping powerhouse A.P. Moller-Maersk purchased a railway linking ports at both ends of the Panama Canal, undermining the US’s presence along a key trade route where Donald Trump is trying to elbow out competitors. [LOL!] Go HERE
40.Elon Musk has shed more than a quarter of his total net worth since January. Go Here [He really should have just stuck with Telsa, Starlink and Space X.]
41.Over 100 members of the Wyoming Bar wrote a joint letter calling on the Wyoming Congressional Delegation to denounce the recent attacks on the Judiciary made by Trump and others.
42.Disability rights groups filed a lawsuit claiming the Trump administration and billionaire Elon Musk broke various laws by firing thousands of workers and shuttering offices at the U.S. Social Security Administration. Go Here [ Meanwhile the Social Security Office claims it hasn't shut any offices... Go Here ]
43.Tesla reported its biggest sales drop ever, falling 13% in the first quarter, while its No. 1 rival grew revenue by 60% in the same time period.[Well, somebody is benefiting from Musk's insane power grab.]
44.The FDA granted authorization to market the first test that can be performed entirely at home for detecting three sexually transmitted infections (STIs).
45.Favorable views of Trump have dropped by 15 percentage points in Texas. [That's Texas. And huge for Texas. Texas is basically Trump country. (Yes, ironically he was born and raised in NYC but everyone in NYC and most of NY hate him.)]
46.New York City Comptroller Brad Lander has asked the city, which is a major Tesla shareholder, to sue Tesla and CEO Elon Musk over alleged breaches of fiduciary duties. [ Brad wants to run for Mayor, by the way. He may win it - his opponents are Cuomo and Adams...]
47.Arizona Sen. Ruben Gallego announced he will block the confirmation of top leaders at the Department of Veterans Affairs until the Trump administration backs off plans to cut jobs from the VA.
48.Adam Schiff announced he was placing a hold on the Ed Martin nomination to be D.C.’s U.S Attorney. Bravo! Sen. Durbin and all other Democrats on the Senate Judiciary Committee also called for Martin to face questions under oath at a confirmation hearing. [ Martin is a creep. But honestly, they couldn't have blocked all the others? Oh well, I should be grateful for small favors.]
49.For the first time in Navigator’s tracking, Trump’s economic approval rating (net -5; 46% approve – 51% disapprove) has fallen below his overall approval rating (net -2; 47% approve – 49% disapprove). That’s a huge shift. (These polls were done pre “Liberation Day.”)
50.At least half of U.S. states now outlaw devices that convert pistols into machine guns. [ progress]
51.Canadians are deliberately shifting their spending habits away from American goods. [Whether you think this is good news, probably depends on whether you are Canadian and not a small American business owner?]
52.CA Gov. Gavin Newsom is pursuing agreements with other countries to ensure California is exempted from retaliatory tariffs stemming from Trump's escalating trade war. [LOL! California is trying to secede from the Union, at least in regards to Tariffs. (It's not us, it's that crazy President on the East Coast! We didn't even vote for him! We shouldn't be penalized! I'm curious to see if that works? It might work for the rest of us?) I'm surprised NY hasn't tried that.]
53. Far-right French leader Marine Le Pen was barred from seeking public office for the next five years after being convicted on charges of misusing European Union funds. [Again, can we do this to Trump please, except make it forty years - he'll be dead by then.]
54. Voters in La Crosse, Wisconsin, made history when they elected the city’s first Black and openly gay mayor. Shaundel Washington-Spivey came out victorious in the local race against Chris Kahlow, winning by just 451 votes.
55.In dozens of township elections across the Chicago suburbs, Democrats flipped power from Republicans. In fact, the Illinois Democratic Party backed 280 candidates on the ballot for various local offices across the state and 222, or 79% of them, were victorious.
56.In Wisconsin, Gordon Hintz, a member of the Democratic Party who was a Wisconsin State Assembly representative from 2007 to 2023, defeated incumbent Joe Doemel to become the next Winnebago County executive.
57.Dacia Petrie, a user interface and web designer, creates an app allowing shoppers to find and buy from Black-owned businesses. Go HERE
58. In honor of Reading Month, 60 volunteers show up to a Michigan elementary school to read with third-graders.
59.U.S. District Judge Jamal Whitehead said Wednesday he's seeking a timeline for the Trump administration to "turn back on" the system of refugee admissions for those already approved to travel to the U.S. before President Trump's order suspending the program.
60. A federal judge blocked the Trump administration’s attempt to halt a temporary immigration program that allows some 600,000 Venezuelans to live and work in the United States.
61.A federal judge on Friday ordered the Trump administration to arrange for the return of a Maryland man to the United States after he was mistakenly deported to a notorious El Salvador prison. Trump appealed it up to the Supreme Court, which put a stay on the deadline to return the man. They did affirm the Administration needs to follow due process, did not rule on whether Trump could just remove all these people, and stated the ruling was only based on a procedural error, in that they needed to go to a different court. The case is being refiled in the proper court. [I've given funds to the ACLU which is the one filing the court actions and fighting to get this man returned to the US. I feel I've done something, however small.]
62.Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist Eugene Robinson has quit the Washington Post to protest Bezos’s rightward turn, joining many others. [Among all the others, including David Brooks who now writes for the Atlantic, and NY Times.]
63. The Economist finds that Canada’s Liberal Party's new popularity is entirely thanks to Trump’s belligerence towards the country, which has unleashed a wave of patriotism. [Yes, Trump more or less torpedoed the fascist party in Canada by aligning himself with it, and attempting to acquire Canada. I'm guessing Trump skipped over the War of 1812 in his history lessons - the US tried to grab Canada twice, it lost both times. Since then, US residents are very happy Canada is separate - where else can we flee to when our government goes bat-shit crazy?]
64. Principled artists–including Rhiannon Giddens, Renée Fleming, Ben Folds, and Shonda Rhimes–resign from the Kennedy Center and cancel appearances in protest of the president’s takeover of the board. [While others in protest, and most likely won't be invited back. GO HERE and Here (the later one is where the band performing brought out the musical cast of FINN that had been cancelled and not permitted to perform previously due to the fact that they were promoting Diversity, Equality and Inclusion, to perform with them.)
65. NY: Rep. Adriano Espaillat (D) holds Know Your Rights forums to provide accurate immigration-related information to New Yorkers of diverse national origin.
66.NJ expands early voting opportunities for primary elections.
67.Elissa Slotkin (D-MI), new senator and ex-CIA, critiques the anti-democratic actions of the current president.
68.The House REintroduces the bipartisan CROWN Act, which would ban discrimination against people based on their hairstyle or hair texture due to their race.
69.Transgender service members stay on active duty as a federal court blocks implementation of the president’s ban on trans service members while litigation proceeds.
70.A federal court ruled that the president overstepped his constitutional authority in freezing most spending on U.S. humanitarian work abroad that Congress appropriated for this purpose.
71.Ranked Choice voting is growing.
Park City, UT will use ranked choice voting for the first time in the 2025 municipal election.
Redondo Beach, CA voters understand and support the city’s new ranked choice voting system.
CT: The governor’s work group on Ranked Choice Voting is working collaboratively across party lines.
Well, putting together that list (mainly copying from the individual who posts it on FB and hunting down links where possible) cheered me up considerably on a cold rainy night, with the radiators blasting.
I just did it. I need a copy for retirement purposes. Although with any luck, Retirement is still four to five years away. Still, I've been worrying over the birth certificate thing for the past two years now, so it's a bit of a relief to realize it's rather easy to get it, and doesn't require calling the State, or mailing in a form with a copy of my passport and Real ID.
***
The social activists I follow on FB, announced that there is also a lot of good news. Except they included the controversial bit about the Dire Wolves, which after reading various other posts on social media, and articles, I've since come to the conclusion that the Dire Wolves were better off remaining extinct? And just because we can do something, maybe we shouldn't?
The Dire Wolf is Back?
(Yes, yes, I am getting to the actual good news..be patient. Although, as in all things in this day and age apparently, everyone's mileage on Good News may vary?)
70 Bits of Good News That Happened Within the Last Few Weeks in the US and Around the World (to the tune of ..."the Revolution Will Not Be Televised")
1. The Yurok Tribe lays 11,500 pounds of native plant seeds along the Klamath River. Go HERE
2. Arizona: A circuit court strikes down two state laws intended to suppress voters. Go Here
3.Rural organizers and grassroots leaders in the U.S. form the Rural Defenders Union to support under-resourced anti-authoritarian actions. Go Here
4.The digital media company theSkimm republishes the contents of reproductiverights.gov after it disappeared off the web on the president’s second day in office. Don't fret. It's no longer over there, it's now - OVER HERE. They republished it on their own site, so the idiotic White House can't take it down again.
5.Mission of Mary Cooperative in Dayton, OH uses church vacant land to produce 65,000 pounds of produce for the community. Go Here
6.Two Maine organizations, Mainers for Working Families (MFWF) and Undue Medical Debt, collaborate to cancel the medical debt of more than 1500 people, totalling $1.8 M. Go HERE
7.Besides Susan Crawford wining her Supreme Court race by ten points! and Jill Underly won a second term as Superintendent of Public Schools, Democrats also won loads of downballot races in Wisconsin—Ben Wikler described it as a “sweep of the state.” Turnout was massive, too. [It should be noted that Wisconsin is typically a "conservative" state.]
8.In Aurora, IL, Alderman-at-Large John Laesch defeated GOP-aligned Mayor Richard Irvin with support from prominent Democrats.
9.In Naperville, IL, Climate Cabinet’s candidates swept 4 city council races — giving them the votes to reject a terrible proposal to keep the city on coal power for another 25 years.
10. In case you missed it, the acting Inspector General of the Defense Department announced that he will review Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth’s use of Signal to determine whether Hegseth and other Pentagon personnel “complied with DoD policies and procedures for the use of a commercial messaging application for official business.” This is after the White House said the matter was closed. Go HERE
11.Utah families who currently pay reduced prices for school meals will soon get them for free after Gov. Cox approved a bill that eliminates reduced-cost lunches.
12.They’re not admitting it publicly, but DOGE has quietly rolled back its plans to close dozens of Social Security field offices because of blowback from the public.
13.Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin signed Democrats’ bill to establish the Hunger-Free Campus Food Pantry Grant Program. The legislation allocates $500,000 to support food pantries at eligible public and nonprofit private colleges. Go HERE
14.Rep. Anna Paulina Luna left the House Freedom Caucus over their refusal to back proxy voting for new parents. [ Go Here (I don't know how good this is news wise, but I'll let you decided on your own. I suppose it depends on how we view it? I mean she protested by leaving the Freedom Caucus - so that's good, right, even if the evil Mike Johnson killed the bill.)
15.A Long Island man became the first in the history of New York to be cured of sickle cell anemia. Go HERE
16.Three senior partners at the law firm Keker, Van Nest & Peters wrote an Op-Ed urging the legal profession to stand together against Trump’s attacks.
17.Members of Congress led by Reps. Jayapal, DeLauro, Schakowsky, and Doggett sent a letter to Medicare administrators urging them to crack down on abuses by corporate health insurers.
18.All charges were dropped against the 24-year-old Georgia woman who experienced a miscarriage and was later arrested after placing the fetal remains in a dumpster.
19.Germany is paying for Ukraine's access to a satellite-internet network operated by France's Eutelsat so that they no longer have to rely on Elon Musk’s Starlink. Go HERE
20.Portland, OR launched a free walk-in laundry program for people experiencing homelessness. Go HERE
21.The Arkansas Senate rejected a bill authorizing $750M for Gov. Sanders' new mega-prison in Franklin County after 8 Republicans broke ranks to vote no.
22.The number of Tesla owners trading in their EVs in CA jumped nearly 250% this month, year over year.
23.Target saw foot traffic fall for the eighth consecutive week, extending a losing streak that began just a few days after the company announced it would end its diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) program in late January.
24.500 law firms joined a court brief supporting Perkins Coie lawsuit against the Trump Administration.
25.Journalists at the federally funded news outlet Voice of America sued the Trump administration for violating their Constitutional right to free speech. A federal judge ruled in their favor. Go HERE
26.A nonprofit has struck a deal to pay off 30 Billion worth of old medical bills for an estimated 20 million people. Go HERE
27.Democratic lawmakers across four states have introduced bills this year to stop what’s been dubbed “surveillance pricing” — the term for when a business charges customers different prices for the same product depending on their personal information.
28.South Korea’s top court unanimously upheld the impeachment of Yoon Suk Yeol, clearing the way for the election of a new president. Jubilation ensued.
29.The University of Virginia Faculty Senate has passed a resolution reaffirming its commitment to academic freedom, free speech, and diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI).
30. New York state landmarks were lit pink, white and blue — the colors of the transgender pride flag — in celebration of Transgender Day of Visibility.
31.The New York Times announced a brand new project called “50 states, 50 fixes.” All year long, this series will highlight stories of inspiring climate solutions that are happening now in each of the United States’ 50 states.
32.A federal court ruled that the Pennsylvania date requirement for mail-in ballot violated the First and 14th Amendments. Counties now cannot reject ballots from counting undated and wrongly dated mail-in ballots.
33.The Canadian government has placed billboards on key highways in 12 states and Washington D.C. in response to an escalating trade war with the United States. They have a simple message: “Tariffs are a tax.” [Ironically, I don't think the US has started Tariffs against Canada yet, and stopped everyone but China this week - the whole Tariff thing is headache inducing. Also ironically, we fought a Revolutionary War against Great Britain over Tariffs on Tea, and Won. That was the original Tea Party, so...the Republican version of the Tea Party voted in a regime that is placing Tariffs on other countries...the irony!]
34.A bill to rein in President Trump’s tariff powers already has seven Republican co-sponsors in the U.S. Senate. [Unclear whether it will go anywhere. Go Here and HERE and HERE and HERE. Basically, we're having an economic and political war over Tariffs...and only the billionaires are winning. With any luck the bills will pass, and Congress will snatch the Tariff power away from the Executive Branch permanently.]
35. A former authoritarian president of the Philippines is in custody in The Hague, facing a trial for crimes against humanity. [Now if only that could happen here and sooner rather than later? But good news for the Philippines.]
36. High School English teacher Kristina Ulmer gifts her students $20 each to contribute toward a kind act of their choice.
37.A new national forest is created in Western England by planting 20 million trees. Go Here
38.The eastern monarch butterfly population nearly doubles in 2025. Go Here Butterfly keepers rejoice!
39. Danish shipping powerhouse A.P. Moller-Maersk purchased a railway linking ports at both ends of the Panama Canal, undermining the US’s presence along a key trade route where Donald Trump is trying to elbow out competitors. [LOL!] Go HERE
40.Elon Musk has shed more than a quarter of his total net worth since January. Go Here [He really should have just stuck with Telsa, Starlink and Space X.]
41.Over 100 members of the Wyoming Bar wrote a joint letter calling on the Wyoming Congressional Delegation to denounce the recent attacks on the Judiciary made by Trump and others.
42.Disability rights groups filed a lawsuit claiming the Trump administration and billionaire Elon Musk broke various laws by firing thousands of workers and shuttering offices at the U.S. Social Security Administration. Go Here [ Meanwhile the Social Security Office claims it hasn't shut any offices... Go Here ]
43.Tesla reported its biggest sales drop ever, falling 13% in the first quarter, while its No. 1 rival grew revenue by 60% in the same time period.[Well, somebody is benefiting from Musk's insane power grab.]
44.The FDA granted authorization to market the first test that can be performed entirely at home for detecting three sexually transmitted infections (STIs).
45.Favorable views of Trump have dropped by 15 percentage points in Texas. [That's Texas. And huge for Texas. Texas is basically Trump country. (Yes, ironically he was born and raised in NYC but everyone in NYC and most of NY hate him.)]
46.New York City Comptroller Brad Lander has asked the city, which is a major Tesla shareholder, to sue Tesla and CEO Elon Musk over alleged breaches of fiduciary duties. [ Brad wants to run for Mayor, by the way. He may win it - his opponents are Cuomo and Adams...]
47.Arizona Sen. Ruben Gallego announced he will block the confirmation of top leaders at the Department of Veterans Affairs until the Trump administration backs off plans to cut jobs from the VA.
48.Adam Schiff announced he was placing a hold on the Ed Martin nomination to be D.C.’s U.S Attorney. Bravo! Sen. Durbin and all other Democrats on the Senate Judiciary Committee also called for Martin to face questions under oath at a confirmation hearing. [ Martin is a creep. But honestly, they couldn't have blocked all the others? Oh well, I should be grateful for small favors.]
49.For the first time in Navigator’s tracking, Trump’s economic approval rating (net -5; 46% approve – 51% disapprove) has fallen below his overall approval rating (net -2; 47% approve – 49% disapprove). That’s a huge shift. (These polls were done pre “Liberation Day.”)
50.At least half of U.S. states now outlaw devices that convert pistols into machine guns. [ progress]
51.Canadians are deliberately shifting their spending habits away from American goods. [Whether you think this is good news, probably depends on whether you are Canadian and not a small American business owner?]
52.CA Gov. Gavin Newsom is pursuing agreements with other countries to ensure California is exempted from retaliatory tariffs stemming from Trump's escalating trade war. [LOL! California is trying to secede from the Union, at least in regards to Tariffs. (It's not us, it's that crazy President on the East Coast! We didn't even vote for him! We shouldn't be penalized! I'm curious to see if that works? It might work for the rest of us?) I'm surprised NY hasn't tried that.]
53. Far-right French leader Marine Le Pen was barred from seeking public office for the next five years after being convicted on charges of misusing European Union funds. [Again, can we do this to Trump please, except make it forty years - he'll be dead by then.]
54. Voters in La Crosse, Wisconsin, made history when they elected the city’s first Black and openly gay mayor. Shaundel Washington-Spivey came out victorious in the local race against Chris Kahlow, winning by just 451 votes.
55.In dozens of township elections across the Chicago suburbs, Democrats flipped power from Republicans. In fact, the Illinois Democratic Party backed 280 candidates on the ballot for various local offices across the state and 222, or 79% of them, were victorious.
56.In Wisconsin, Gordon Hintz, a member of the Democratic Party who was a Wisconsin State Assembly representative from 2007 to 2023, defeated incumbent Joe Doemel to become the next Winnebago County executive.
57.Dacia Petrie, a user interface and web designer, creates an app allowing shoppers to find and buy from Black-owned businesses. Go HERE
58. In honor of Reading Month, 60 volunteers show up to a Michigan elementary school to read with third-graders.
59.U.S. District Judge Jamal Whitehead said Wednesday he's seeking a timeline for the Trump administration to "turn back on" the system of refugee admissions for those already approved to travel to the U.S. before President Trump's order suspending the program.
60. A federal judge blocked the Trump administration’s attempt to halt a temporary immigration program that allows some 600,000 Venezuelans to live and work in the United States.
61.A federal judge on Friday ordered the Trump administration to arrange for the return of a Maryland man to the United States after he was mistakenly deported to a notorious El Salvador prison. Trump appealed it up to the Supreme Court, which put a stay on the deadline to return the man. They did affirm the Administration needs to follow due process, did not rule on whether Trump could just remove all these people, and stated the ruling was only based on a procedural error, in that they needed to go to a different court. The case is being refiled in the proper court. [I've given funds to the ACLU which is the one filing the court actions and fighting to get this man returned to the US. I feel I've done something, however small.]
62.Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist Eugene Robinson has quit the Washington Post to protest Bezos’s rightward turn, joining many others. [Among all the others, including David Brooks who now writes for the Atlantic, and NY Times.]
63. The Economist finds that Canada’s Liberal Party's new popularity is entirely thanks to Trump’s belligerence towards the country, which has unleashed a wave of patriotism. [Yes, Trump more or less torpedoed the fascist party in Canada by aligning himself with it, and attempting to acquire Canada. I'm guessing Trump skipped over the War of 1812 in his history lessons - the US tried to grab Canada twice, it lost both times. Since then, US residents are very happy Canada is separate - where else can we flee to when our government goes bat-shit crazy?]
64. Principled artists–including Rhiannon Giddens, Renée Fleming, Ben Folds, and Shonda Rhimes–resign from the Kennedy Center and cancel appearances in protest of the president’s takeover of the board. [While others in protest, and most likely won't be invited back. GO HERE and Here (the later one is where the band performing brought out the musical cast of FINN that had been cancelled and not permitted to perform previously due to the fact that they were promoting Diversity, Equality and Inclusion, to perform with them.)
65. NY: Rep. Adriano Espaillat (D) holds Know Your Rights forums to provide accurate immigration-related information to New Yorkers of diverse national origin.
66.NJ expands early voting opportunities for primary elections.
67.Elissa Slotkin (D-MI), new senator and ex-CIA, critiques the anti-democratic actions of the current president.
68.The House REintroduces the bipartisan CROWN Act, which would ban discrimination against people based on their hairstyle or hair texture due to their race.
69.Transgender service members stay on active duty as a federal court blocks implementation of the president’s ban on trans service members while litigation proceeds.
70.A federal court ruled that the president overstepped his constitutional authority in freezing most spending on U.S. humanitarian work abroad that Congress appropriated for this purpose.
71.Ranked Choice voting is growing.
Park City, UT will use ranked choice voting for the first time in the 2025 municipal election.
Redondo Beach, CA voters understand and support the city’s new ranked choice voting system.
CT: The governor’s work group on Ranked Choice Voting is working collaboratively across party lines.
Well, putting together that list (mainly copying from the individual who posts it on FB and hunting down links where possible) cheered me up considerably on a cold rainy night, with the radiators blasting.
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Date: 2025-04-13 01:19 am (UTC)And the frigging internet has made me incredibly aware of this. I feel I have to apologize to every horror film, television series, and novelist out there? Whenever I thought, "oh please, no one is that stupid!" - apparently I was wrong. Quite a few people truly are THAT stupid.
no subject
Date: 2025-04-13 01:59 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2025-04-12 01:50 pm (UTC)And thank you for the reminder to make sure I have a copy of my birth certificate.
no subject
Date: 2025-04-12 11:01 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2025-04-12 04:00 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2025-04-12 04:11 pm (UTC)