Mike Dalen

China purchased 54% of US grown soybeans last year for $13.2 billion
China has purchased $0 in US soybeans this year
#ArtOfTheDeal

Maybe putting a podcaster and a Mar-a-Lago groupie in charge of the FBI wasn’t the best plan.

Jones: What I’m seeing today is different. It’s no longer simply black and white like it was in 1963. We now have much broader problems in America — deeper divisions among races, religions, genders, and sexual orientations. Those divisions are growing, and people are stoking that fear and anger.

Advocates appeal exclusion from energy rate process to Alabama Supreme Court | Alabama Reflector Energy Alabama wants the Alabama Supreme Court to weigh in on the Public Service Commission's decision to exclude them from a case.

Via @rchapoco.bsky.social: Renewable energy advocates Wednesday appealed a Montgomery County circuit judge’s ruling excluding them from consideration of customer rates set by Alabama Power.

South Park: Kristi Noem as the Face of Homeland Security

The Boy Genius Who Killed 14 Million Poor People What is the moral weight of responsibility for the men who carried out DOGE’s work?

"In a world where we often lament institutional failures in education, Luke Farritor got the best of everything. And then he decided to burn it all to the ground. Because in December 2024 he joined DOGE."

So how are we to think about what he did?

Trump's DOJ just dropped a major antitrust case against American Express Travel.

This comes after Amex hired lobbying firm Ballard Partners — the former employers of Pam Bondi — to lobby the DOJ on "antitrust issues."

Funny how that works.

Turns out the best way to make a deal to get out of your child sex trafficking conviction is to have one of your clients get elected president.

You’d think he’d like this since they made him look so slim.

The oil industry buys off Congress. No action on climate.

The NRA buys off Congress. No action on guns.

Insurance companies buy off Congress. No action on health care.

The list goes on and on.

Money in politics is the root of our dysfunction.

Alabama’s new utility commission president wants to hear from ‘all sides’ in new role | Alabama Reflector Cynthia Almond said she is planning to learn all she can about her new job and wants to hear from utilities and environmental groups.

Via @dennispillion.bsky.social, @leehedgepeth.bsky.social and @insideclimatenews.org: About a month into the role, Alabama PSC President Cynthia Almond says she’s learning all she can about utility regulation and trying to hear from all sides about it.

Stand-your-ground laws linked to higher homicide rates, new report finds | Alabama Reflector Several Southern states –– Alabama, Florida, Georgia and Louisiana –– saw monthly homicide rate increases of 10% or more.

Via @amandavhernan.bsky.social and @stateline.org: Stand-your-ground laws are associated with higher homicide rates, increased racial disparities in legal outcomes and broader public costs, according to a new report from Everytown for Gun Safety, a gun control research and advocacy group.

Army veteran and US citizen arrested in California immigration raid warns it could happen to anyone A U.S. Army veteran arrested during an immigration raid at a California marijuana farm says he was sprayed with tear gas and pepper spray before being dragged from his vehicle on his way to work.

ICE detained a veteran and U.S. citizen for three days.

They didn’t let him contact his family or a lawyer. They didn’t let him change or shower. They didn’t give him a reason for his detention.

Under this regime, no one is safe. apnews.com/article/us-a...

A million dollar problem with Alabama campaign finance laws A million dollar donation to a candidate running for state AG has exposed a gaping black hole in Alabama's campaign finance laws.

A million dollar donation to a candidate running for state AG has exposed a gaping black hole in Alabama’s campaign finance laws.

Democracies do not use their military to try and intimidate their own citizens with “shows of presence”.

This is fascism.

The 'freedom' that's killing Alabama | Alabama Reflector Our state has some of the loosest gun laws in the United States. It also has nation-leading rates of firearm deaths. These are connected.

Editor @brianlyman.bsky.social writes that a new report on gun suicide deaths shows that Alabama’s refusal to effectively control firearms is killing Alabama.

I have only been a lawyer for 25 years, could someone explain this to me

In the past 24 hours, Trump’s threatened Elon Musk, Thomas Massie, Japan, a judge in Israel, the CEO of AT&T, Jerome Powell, Canada, Thom Tillis, a Forbes reporter, Harvard, & migrants with being eaten by Burmese pythons in the Everglades, while releasing a new line of colognes.

Medicare for All - "That's socialism!"

Social Security - "That's socialism!"

Debt free education - "That's socialism!"

Universal childcare - "That's socialism!"

$1 trillion+ in tax cuts for the wealthy...

"That's just how it is."

Tell them they got what they voted for.

Elon Musk absolutely torches the Senate GOP budget bill

I should get credit for not attending Jeff Bezo's wedding even though I wasn't invited.

Whether it's Republicans like Donald Trump opposing birthright citizenship in 2025 or Democrats like Jefferson Davis opposing it in 1860, both parties have shown opposition to birthright citizenship.

UA professor alleges lawmaker threatened honors program budget over anti-DEI law | Alabama Reflector BIRMINGHAM — A University of Alabama professor and administrator Wednesday accused a member of the Alabama House of Representatives of threatening a fellowship program’s budget if its curriculum was n...

Via @alander.bsky.social: A University of Alabama professor and administrator Wednesday accused a member of the Alabama House of Representatives of threatening a fellowship program’s budget if its curriculum was not changed to comply with a state law banning DEI and so-called “divisive concepts.”

Ryan Cagle lost here in #Alabama. However, he took a brave step in a hard red area. Worthy of nothing short of a standing ovation! Much like boxing, one hit very rarely determines the bout. We are FAR from done! The turnout, we gotta talk about that y'all. If we gonna talk about it, be all about it.

Alabama environmental groups secure rare win in fight to update water toxicity standards | Alabama Reflector The decision was a rare win for environmental groups operating in the deep-red state, from a board that rarely votes against the department’s recommendations.

Via @dennispillion.bsky.social and @insideclimatenews.org: Alabama environmental regulators have agreed to update standards used to limit the amounts of 12 toxic and carcinogenic substances in the state’s waterways.

🚨🚨The White House is pissed off about this ad so you know what to do, share it everywhere! ICE is disappearing people just because of the color of their skin! No Warrant! No Due Process! This is not who we are as Americans! #MAGAKidnappers want an all white America, fuck that‼️