Dave Hendrickson

Just curious: Is anyone organizing boycotts of ABC advertisers pending the return of Jimmy Kimmel?

Correct me, please, if I'm remembering wrong but didn't our last involvement in "regime change" in Iran lead to the rise of "the shah"? And how did that work out?

Nothing but good wishes for Elon Musk. I hope he's on the first flight to Mars.

Sen. Thom Tillis splits from Trump on Washington’s top prosecutor, citing Jan. 6 Sen. Thom Tillis says he told the White House he won’t support the nomination of Ed Martin to serve as Washington’s U.S. attorney, due to his Jan. 6 views.

Sen. Thom Tillis splits from Trump on Washington’s top prosecutor, citing Jan. 6 #ncpol

Read more at: www.newsobserver.com/news/politic...

US cuts $1 billion from school mental health, including $14 million for Wake Wake County planned to use the $14.1 million to hire more therapists to expand mental health services in 40 more schools.. Trump administration says it promoted DEI.

US Ed Department says Wake County was using grant to promote DEI.

Blind cockatoo, a 40-year-old therapy bird, regains sight after NC State surgery Boo could see only shadows and was unable to fly or perch before the NCSU Veterinary Hospital removed his cataracts in a rare procedure in Raleigh.

Best story of the week. (Have tissues handy.)

The day Raleigh nearly burned to the ground, set ablaze by an angry mob This marks the 160th anniversary of Union soldiers marching to destroy Raleigh as punishment for Lincoln’s assassination, turned back by their own cannons

The day Raleigh nearly burned to the ground, set ablaze by an angry mob. A Union general saved Raleigh from 2,000 soldiers who wanted to burn the city as punishment for the April 1865 assassination of President Lincoln. (Via Josh Shaffer) www.newsobserver.com/news/local/a... #CIvilWar

"President Trump, whose views on immigration clashed with the pope’s, said on Truth Social that he and the first lady, Melania Trump, would attend Francis’ funeral, though a date has not yet been set. 'We look forward to being there!' the president wrote."
...moving response.

Opinion | Producing Something This Stupid Is the Achievement of a Lifetime Maybe we’re just not good at thinking anymore.

Thank you, David Brooks.

NC innocence commission would be axed under Senate budget proposal “You can’t eliminate a solution without addressing the original problem,” said Chris Mumma, who helped draft the legislation creating the Innocence Inquiry Commission.

Signs of (fill in the blank) from the North Carolina General Assembly. Part 2. Not sure how many parts this thread will end up being.

Senate budget would eliminate office that helps minority firms compete in NC A Democratic lawmaker said Tuesday she had spoken with a Republican colleague about trying to spare the office from elimination.

Signs of (fill in the blank) from the North Carolina General Assembly. Part 1.

There goes that excuse.

Trump administration overrode Social Security staff to list immigrants as dead A senior executive who objected was marched out of his office and put on leave, while earlier warnings about the agency’s deaths database were ignored.

Having contributed to Social Security for 58 years, this is the scariest thing I've read in a while.

Defense Dept. removes pages honoring all-Black, female battalion after anti-DEI order “Erasing this extraordinary legacy is an egregious betrayal of their service,” said U.S. Rep. Deborah Ross.

One could argue that a synonym for "anti-DEI" is "segregationist."

Re "will of the people," "mandate," etc., some voting stats to consider:
49.8: % active US voters who voted for Trump
32: % eligible US voters who voted for Trump
3,069,496: NC Josh Stein votes
2,898,423: NC Donald Trump votes
2,874,960: NC Jeff Jackson votes
67,081: NC Phil Berger votes

Acting Social Security head consults with Justice Dept. on whether to close agency Leland Dudek argues that a ruling blocking Elon Musk’s cost-cutting team from access to sensitive taxpayer data could apply to all employees.

Another head-scratcher.

Pentagon, DHS considering designating fentanyl a WMD, memo says | CNN Politics Top military and Homeland Security officials are considering classifying fentanyl as a weapon of mass destruction, according to an internal DHS memo.

So this one apparently goes back to Trump I, and someone managed to stifle it. Pretty sure whoever that was is gone.

Trump Administration Aims to Eliminate E.P.A.’s Scientific Research Arm More than 1,000 chemists, biologists and other scientists could be laid off under a plan to dismantle the Office of Research and Development.

This is going to hit the Triangle hard. We're home to EPA's largest science lab. (Will be posting more details later today.)

Sensing a pattern?

Live updates: Multiple tornado emergencies in Mississippi, latest forecast for MS Coast Severe weather system that is responsible for 16 deaths is marching toward the Mississippi Coast.

"Meteorologist Nick Lilja, who is based in Houston, reminded his Facebook followers that fewer weather balloons are collecting data, and fewer forecasters are reviewing and analyzing data at National Weather Service offices because of layoffs and a hiring freeze."

After decades of quiet, this Alaska volcano could be ready to blow Scientists warn that the Alaska volcano Mount Spurr is likely to erupt soon, showering ash on Anchorage and potentially disrupting air travel.

"The heightened concern about Mount Spurr comes as the U.S. DOGE Service, led by Elon Musk, has moved to cancel the lease of the United States Geological Survey (USGS) office in Anchorage, which houses the observatory."

Family lore has it that one of my great-grandparents moved from Canada to the U.S. ... illegally. I'll have to look into dual citizenship.

😄

Who didn't have a crush on Sue Storm?

Can I seek asylum in Canada?

My outrage has hit a new level.

Arlington Cemetery website scrubs links about Black and female veterans Pentagon leaders have ordered that their websites and social media pages remove articles and images that “promote” DEI.

"and topics such as the Civil War"

Forging Fortnite: How a North Carolina studio made the world’s biggest game For Fortnite, the path from ideation to world domination was neither straight nor short. But it was achieved from the Cary, North Carolina headquarters of Epic Games. Here’s how.

Want to read something that won't make you angry or depressed? Brian Gordon, a reporter on my team, just won an award for this story, which I've been calling "the unauthorized history of Fortnite, the world's biggest video game." Grab a cup of coffee and get comfortable -- it's a great read.