Julie Gibson

It has been said before, but it bears repeating: the elderly who’ve worked their entire lives to get $800 a month on Social Security aren’t bankrupting America. It’s tax-evading billionaires like Trump who are bleeding this country dry.

"Trump’s disregard for things that other people consider precious, valuable, and historically significant is largely a function of his disregard for other people generally. He is the consummate solipsist–a man who believes mind is the only one that really exists."

I love how Rep. Joe Neguse reframed this question.

Grufalo & Grufalo’s child sculptures among the Redwoods at Queenswood Arboretum.

In Utah, Trump’s Vision for Homelessness Begins to Take Shape

Under Trump, the draconian future of homelessness policy is coming into focus: mass internment. Utah is building a 16-acre site to detain up to 1,300 homeless people inside locked "accountability centers." This is profoundly alarming.

Vital reporting from @ellenbarry.bsky.social and Jason DeParle:

I'm no economist but the fact that more than 42 million Americans (1 in 8!) are on SNAP (i.e., food stamps) says that the federal minimum wage is way too low.

Libraries and the Value of Experiential Learning From workshops to events, there's always something to explore and learn at your local library.

From workshops to events, there's always something to explore and learn at your local library.

Welch: "This has nothing to do with the shutdown. The law requires and the funds are available to continue SNAP right now without any interruption. So that is a decision the president is making on his own to allow people to go hungry."

Neguse: "It is outrageous that the Trump administration can come up with $40 billion to bail out Argentina and refuses to spend the money that Congress has appropriated to feed hungry families in America."

Make no mistake about it: This administration is trying to take away your ability to protest their new secret police force and even stand next to those who do so, and they are abusing the legal system to do so.

Kat is not afraid. I'm not either. We all have to stand together here. We will win.

Trump is still AWOL, the Republican House is still on vacation, and more Rhode Islanders are seeing a spike in health insurance premiums – in this case by $1,641 a MONTH.

No one can afford Republicans’ cruelty. Time for them to come back to work.

A bright spot in my day. We saw this magnolia tree in bloom last week at Queenswood Arboretum in Herefordshire, UK & were astonished!

Frog on a tree. Frog is a dark chocolate brown with white spots.

A Rio Maranon Poison Dart Frog. So cool! I’ve never seen one in these colors before. Seen at Chester Zoo.

Alright, team Bluesky: US foodbanks are about to have staggering demand when SNAP ends Nov 1st. We need to help them prepare.

I'll match donations: DM or reply with a receipt showing your own donation to a food bank of your choice, and I'll donate to match, up to a total of $500. 💪🥗🍲🥚🥧🥪🥣🥛
#NoHunger

Fight Back With Friends! Monthly Call To Action · Indivisible Fight Back With Friends! is a national program designed to help you activate your community! Using the Empower app, the powerful relational organizing app, we’ll equip you with the tools to connect wi...

Let’s keep showing that the people have more power than the people in power. Check out Fight Back With Friends, our program that helps activate your friends, family, and neighbors who need YOUR voice to get engaged. 👇

Our military is being paid by an anonymous donor.

Our WH East Wing was demolished for a ballroom - paid for by donors.

These aren’t acts of benevolence or patriotism.

This is the oligarchy assuming control, insidiously becoming part of how we function.

Every American should reject it.

Pentagon Accepts $130 Million Donation to Help Pay Troops During Shutdown

If That’s a donation, it goes to the treasury and only congress can decide how to spend it. No such (lawful) thing as private payment of government obligation.

Pentagon Accepts $130 Million Donation to Help Pay Troops During Shutdown www.nytimes.com/live/2025/10...

Just a thought: How about we stop shaming the poor for buying things that may not be essential, and start shaming the rich for making a profit off things that are essential?

We all need to be screaming at top of lungs that this is not ok. We can’t allow this to be normal.

Yellow frog

Golden Mantella at Chester Zoo. Such a vibrant yellow!

Social Security is NOT a handout.

It is a benefit earned with every paycheck, and it must be protected and expanded, not cut, privatized, or means-tested.

Trump Said to Demand Justice Dept. Pay Him $230 Million for Past Cases

This is among the most corrupt things a president has ever suggested, and I hope the press treats it that way. www.nytimes.com/2025/10/21/u...

Trump demanding $230 million from the DOJ, that he controls, is a shakedown of the American taxpayers so that Trump can line his own pockets.

“There’s a government shutdown happening right now across the street, and on the other end of Pennsylvania Avenue, they’re tearing down the East Wing.”

That's great!

Here's the link to Senator Merkley's YouTube channel and the live feed happening now:
www.youtube.com/live/bE37g0m...

Good news!

French bulldog. His face tells a story. He is winning the negotiation with an imploring look.

My friend’s dog Hagrid negotiating for my chair. He’s winning!

The metaphorical aspects of this are tragic. Our heritage demolished before our eyes. Also, here's Trump in July: "It won’t interfere with the current building. It won’t be. It’ll be near it but not touching it — and pays total respect to the existing building, which I’m the biggest fan of."

We visited Chester Zoo this afternoon. This Blue Poison Dart Frog climbed the glass much to our surprise.