Benjamin J. Kirby

See the New Tartan Pattern Created to Honor Women Accused of Witchcraft in Scotland Between 1563 and 1736 The black, red, gray and pink design honors the thousands of individuals—mostly women—who were persecuted under the Scottish Witchcraft Act

Wish we lived in a country that created tartans to apologize for witchcraft persecution.

www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/s...

Among the material devastation to everyday people, Senate Dems have now blown a hole in their ability to work with the House.

We had an agreed upon plan, House took immense risk, then Senate turned around midway and destroyed it w/ a fear-based, inexplicable abdication.

They own what happens next.

What if we ate healthy foods to prevent contagious and deadly diseases, but instead of food it was like a liquid produced in a lab by a scientist, and instead of eating it we put it into our muscle?

Good suggestions

PR is extremely hard. Learn how to write a press release. It’s not hard, but there is literally a specific format and construction of the message is critical - reporters want a unique angle. Tons of resources out there for you to check out

I don't know much about Minnesota, but they keep pumping out high-quality politicians.

Photos: ‘Distress flag’ towers over Yosemite to protest cuts as crowds view firefall Saturday’s protest sought to bring attention to the thousands of federal job cuts made by President Donald Trump’s administration this month.

Fired Yosemite workers unfurl distress signal.

www.sfchronicle.com/outdoors/art...

How soon before the Social Security checks stop?

Opinion | There Is No Going Back The president’s opponents, whoever they are, cannot expect a return to the Constitution as it was.

Yeah so the Constitution isn’t really in effect right now

I do, in fact, have literary goals.

Memorial targeting same-sex marriage in Idaho heads to House floor after passing committee • Idaho Capital Sun A petition asking the U.S. Supreme Court to reconsider its 2015 decision that legalized same-sex marriage is headed to the Idaho House floor.

Well. I'm sure we'll get to the cost of goods and services after we're done stripping away equal rights. Right?

idahocapitalsun.com/2025/01/22/m...

They want you talking about CEOs doing Nazi salutes and the meaning of Melania's hat because it's better than talking about the fact that Trump rescinded the Biden Executive Order to lower prescription drug costs for people on Medicare and Medicaid.

The internet feels particularly nasty today.

This is something else

Opinion | Biden Should Pardon the Jan. 6 Insurrectionists Pardoning the insurrectionists who stormed the Capitol doesn’t condone their crimes. But it’s a start at healing a fractured nation.

For a guy who purports to write about war crimes, I would have imagined that calling on Biden to pardon cop killers for political advancement would be unfathomable.

www.politico.com/news/magazin...

U.S. economy ends 2024 with a bang, adding 256,000 jobs in December The number was more than 100,000 jobs above economists' average expectation.

Let's remember the Biden Boom when we're crawling out from whatever rubble in 2028.

www.axios.com/2025/01/10/j...

Why great communicators listen to the music of “The Five Ps” Radically improve your work-life speaking and presentation skills using a technique used by musicians and brand-name politicians.

This is right on the nose. They're all important, but pace is a big one these days -- people want to go through everything they have to say so quickly, like they're on a clock.

bigthink.com/business/why...

So grateful to the @poetryfestival.bsky.social team for publishing my poem, In the Before Time.

It's a long way to the top if you want to rock n' roll.

Magazine1

Beyond overjoyed to have my poem, Journey, will be in the upcoming issue of Magazine1 -- love that they're just down the road in Sarasota. I'll definitely be stopping by. Hope you do, too, when the next issue comes out this month.

www.magazine-1.com

Former U.S. President Jimmy Carter, 100, dies Former U.S. President Jimmy Carter has died at home in Georgia.

An extraordinary life, an underappreciated presidency. A shining example of service. Rest in peace, Mr. President.

www.ajc.com/news/former-...

Al Dente, Issue 1: Devour Extending far beyond its role as a necessity for life, each meal we eat undergoes a journey before reaching our plate. We don’t just eat, we consume. Whether it is through the production of a single i...

Finishing off the year strong in the poetry department. You can find my poem, Of Life, in the inaugural issue of the University of Alabama's Al Dente, a "food journal produced and published by the undergraduate students."

storymaps.arcgis.com/stories/f65e...

Built to Last: The FOS Mission, Brand, and our Commitment to the Animals We Serve Friends of Strays is fortunate to have supporters from diverse backgrounds and expertise. Ben Kirby is the vice-shair of the Board of Directors. He holds decades of experience as a communications...

Hope you'll check out the latest from Friends of Strays Animal Shelter -- complete with photo cameo from Cookie. Lots of her buddies at Friends of Strays who need a home this holiday season could use your help.

www.friendsofstrays.org/blog,ben-kirby

New bill would block Florida cities from regulating Donald Trump's presidential library Sen. Jason Brodeur filed the measure, which would prevent local governments from enacting ordinances and other regulations about presidential libraries.

Is there a big issue around regulating presidential libraries I don't know about? What's with Florida Republicans and local pre-emption, anyway?
www.cltampa.com/news/new-bil...

YouTube video by NPR Music Waxahatchee: Tiny Desk Concert

Waxahatchee killing it on NPR's Tiny Desk Concert. Best one I've seen in awhile.

youtu.be/ps1f7p720FA?...

Started Skeleton Crew with the 6 year-old and it's great, the best Star Wars stuff since Mandalorian. One part The Goonies, one part Treasure Planet. Fantastic.

His Family Voted to Support Trump’s Deportation Plan. That Includes Him. His friends and family members in Rome, Ga., voted to support mass deportation. Now he’s scrambling to stay in the country.

This is just terrible. This guy ought to be furious with his piece of shit father in-law, and apparently he's not. He's a better man than me.
www.nytimes.com/2024/12/15/u...

Every dad gift ideas list is like: Scotch rocks, socks that are also a knife, bacon wallet, hammer subscription

If the whole underlying premise of the message you bought is that institutions are broken or need breaking, then it's easy to justify voting one way while simultaneously believing your family will be the exception.

RFK Jr.’s Lawyer Has Asked the FDA to Revoke Polio Vaccine Approval Aaron Siri, who specializes in vaccine lawsuits, has been at Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s side reviewing candidates for top jobs at the Department of Health and Human Services.

Do I think these guys are going to do away with the polio vaccine? No. But I do think it speaks to the level of distrust for institutions in our nation, including those overseeing health, that we are even having this conversation.
www.nytimes.com/2024/12/13/h...