Jeffrey Butts

Video shows Department of Justice official urging Jan. 6 rioters to 'kill' cops The Department of Justice hired a former Jan. 6 defendant who was caught on tape urging rioters to "kill" police. The department calls him a "valued member" of the administration.

A Department of Justice spokesperson said in a statement, "Jared Wise is a valued member of the Justice Department and we appreciate his contributions to our team."

www.npr.org/2025/08/07/n...

YouTube video by MSNBC Maddow: U.S. profoundly changed by authoritarian leader; 'We're beyond waiting and seeing now'

youtu.be/VQbDgOaOh4c?...

Trump’s Efforts to Control Information Echo an Authoritarian Playbook

Our only hope is that the U.S. hangs on until the 2026 midterm elections, and the nation's most gullible voters realize all the faux-patriotic stuff Republicans have been telling them since Nixon and Reagan has been utter bullshit.

www.nytimes.com/2025/08/03/u...

Economy Updates: After a Weak Jobs Report, Trump Fires That Agency’s Commissioner

So, when BJS and the FBI report falling crime numbers, does Trump fire them for reducing the political salience of the crime issue?

(Gift link) www.nytimes.com/live/2025/07...

Assistant Professor, Sociology and Criminology - Gonzaga Main Campus, Washington, United States Title: Assistant Professor, Sociology and Criminology Area: College of Arts and Sciences Department: Sociology and Criminology Telework Availability: On-campus Position Employee Classification: Tenure...

The sociology & criminology dept at gonzaga is hiring! We're searching for somebody with a focus on criminology, law, or social control (broadly conceived).

We're a liberal arts teaching university. Very collegial department. Spread the word to interested folks. I'm happy to answer questions!

Trump administration moves to repeal climate ‘holy grail’ The repeal of the finding on the dangers greenhouse gases pose to human health and welfare will face fierce legal challenges.

Well, we have to trust his judgment on questions of science, right? I mean, his uncle used to teach at MIT.

www.politico.com/news/2025/07...

I live near Lincoln Center, where this event will be held on Sept 4. I look forward to seeing the protests and demonstrations that I assume are being planned now.

Does this happen in other places? In New York City, road crews partly tear up a street and then disappear for weeks. So, many places around the city have disrupted traffic from incomplete road maintenance. I suspect they are just protecting their contracts -- i.e., "Hey, you can't cancel us now."

New CDC Data Shows a Substantial Decline in Gun Violence in 2024 Gun Violence Declines are Accelerating and Greater (Local) State Capacity is the Reason

Gun violence continues to declining rapidly. open.substack.com/pub/johnkrom...

Terrific. I still have questions about sample-specific trends. I know our failing federal systems made it necessary to report a few dozen cities rather than having national estimates, but has anyone tested it? Maybe go back before NIBRS and see if these same 40 or so cities were representative?

The last time I watched "South Park" was 20 years ago while visiting my 10-year-old nephew. Episode 1 of Season 27 greatly exceeded any expectations I had. Seriously.

This is great. Clear, open description of the role of crime statistics for public information. We used to have similar discussions in the U.S., but then we elected national officials who don't care about data. Or science. Or justice. Or truth.

YouTube video by The Daily Show Jon Stewart Reacts to Colbert's Cancellation & Trump's "Bawdy" Epstein Doodles | The Daily Show

Need emotional support? Just 30 minutes and you'll feel better.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=TwOL...

Please share: excellent history Postdoc opportunity at Wesleyan's Center for the Study of Guns & Society. Post involves archival research on 18th and 19th century firearms use & laws; work on databases, reports, and papers; & thinking and writing around wonderful people doing important work.

Same, 15 years in. But to be fair to my memory resources, I have a State employee ID number, a University ID number, a college ID number, a Department ID, and something called Employee ID, which is different from all the others. So, I gave up. Saved them in a file.

At this point in the U.S., I'd consider raising the voting age to 30, and maybe cutting if off after 60.

So, of course, they cancel him.

About half of all incoming calls to my phone are from someone named "Potential Spam." They don't need to be greeted.

I always say the trick is to submit it and then stop thinking about it, because most proposals won't be funded. If you get one in five, you're incredible, and it's not worth the emotional energy to hope for every single one. (I'm not always able to follow my own advice, fyi.)

What Trump's One Big Beautiful Bill Act means for taxes on Social Security Many Americans received an email from the Social Security Administration applauding the megabill's passage. Experts say it was misleading.

Wait. You mean they were lying to us? Well, I never...
www.npr.org/2025/07/11/n...

Ha. I would have enjoyed that set. Impressed you would tackle "Wish You Were Here" in 11th Grade. I listened to that album many, many times back in college -- when I was majoring in cannabis studies, and had the grades to prove it.

The "Paranoid" album came out when I was in the 8th grade. I bought it immediately. Being an idiot, I somehow got a deep scratch on the LP, and there was an audible skip-ahead in "War Pigs." To this day, I cannot hear that song without anticipating exactly when it skipped ahead.

Well, I think this photo is just as good, although I don't know why you stepped away from your film career.

Trifle My clever nephew introduced me to the AI music app, SUNO, and now my new hobby is writing songs. I write and upload lyrics, choose a genre (many variations of blues, jazz, rock, etc.), and the AI t…

OK. I'll admit it. I have a new AI hobby.
jeffreybutts.net/trifle/

perfect

ICYMI: “Rep. @brotherjones.bsky.social has filed a bill to ban law enforcement officers in Tennessee, including ICE, from wearing masks while making arrests (and ID themselves) — the “Stop American Gestapo Act” www.tennessean.com/story/news/p...

text on t-shirt reads "radicalized by basic decency"

Wife's new t-shirt. (We are both radicals)

So, the president of UVA resigns under MAGA pressure, and SCOTUS continues to undermine freedom, equality, and democracy. Happy Friday, everyone.

On our home page: Surgeon General’s Advisory on Firearm Violence. PCGVR.org

cartoon: Researcher standing in front of data slides while a guy seated at a table with a necktie says "Do you mind? All your evidence is getting in the way of my delusions."

I've done many research projects funded by government agencies. I'll just say: Yeah, this is familiar.