Karin Larsen

Black graphic with text “You don't need a permit to protest in response to breaking news and you don't need a permit to march in the streets or along sidewalks, as long as you're not obstructing traffic or access to buildings. When you are lawfully present in any public space, you have the right to photograph anything in plain view, including federal buildings and the police.If you believe your rights have been violated, when you can, write down everything you remember, get contact information for witnesses, and take photographs of any injuries.If you get stopped by the police, ask if you're free to go. If they say yes, calmly walk away.If you get arrested, you have a right to ask why. Otherwise, say you wish to remain silent and ask for a lawyer immediately. Don't sign, say or agree to anything without a lawyer present.If you get stopped by a member of the military or any law enforcement office at a protest, you have the right to remain silent or to tell them that you’ll only answer questions in the presence of an attorney — no matter your citizenship or immigration status.”

If you’re protesting this weekend, know your rights.

A lime green grid background with a white rectangle on top, flanked by the P4A logo guys. The text inside reads: "Calling all web designers & developers. The P4A website needs an overhaul! We’re looking for experienced individuals or teams to submit bids to rebuild projectforawesome.com to best serve the event and our community. More info: https://tinyurl.com/p4aRFP Proposals Due: 3/31/25"

The P4A website needs an overhaul! We’re looking for experienced web developers, UX designers, or existing teams to submit bids to redevelop projectforawesome.com

More details and how to submit proposals (by Monday, 3/31) here: tinyurl.com/p4aRFP

Compelling interview.

This is how authoritarian regimes test the waters. The first disappearance is a warning. If no one fights back, the next one comes easier. And the one after that. Until fear replaces resistance.

Now, imagine this happening to you. Would anyone fight for you?

A yellow and black, four-legged robot walks up the "Million Dollar Staircase" in the New York State Capitol as men in suits stand around conversing or walking past. The staircase is very large and ornate.

This surveillance robot was walking around the capitol today to normalize something that should not ever be normal.

Your government should not be a faceless omni-present surveillance force.

#democracy #politics #surveillancecapitalism

Turmoil within DOGE spills into public view as Musk’s group confronts a PR crisis DOGE sees an urgent need to champion “wins,” as Elon Musk’s group finishes slashing federal bureaucracy and moves to building digital tools for the government.

The next stage of a DOGE is a propaganda effort: "...everyone there knows they need to do a better job of telling the story... and that’s going to be a big component of the next phase of DOGE, leaning into storytelling and showing the wins and not having the story told for them.” wapo.st/3DqNera

I'll take my hope wherever I can get it.

the full quote here

english.elpais.com/culture/2024...

What song do you think this 2002 J-Drama about a poor family who owns a ramen shop used for its ending theme?

Make a guess, then click play. You'll be wrong.

WE GOT THIS!

Starts NOW - through the 14th. Don’t touch Amazon or anything Jeff Bezos owns.

Holdfast — TONIGHT!

TONIGHT! Mirinesse Women's Choir presents Holdfast #SeattleSings https://seattlesings.org/event/holdfast-2385/

With his permission, I'm sharing Dean Treanor's response to Ed Martin's letter:

How exciting! I'm *so* much better equipped and settled in myself now in my 30s, and most of my friends say the same about themselves. You've got a lot to look forward to!

(These days I'm admiring/imitating strong women in their 40s and 50s, hoping I will become half as powerful as they are. ❤️)

The 10 Democrats who voted to censure Green are:

Reps. Ami Bera, D-Calif.; Ed Case, D-Hawaii; Jim Costa, D-Calif.; Laura Gillen, D-N.Y.; Jim Himes, D-Conn.; Chrissy Houlahan, D-Pa.; Marcy Kaptur, D-Ohio; Jared Moskowitz, D-Fla.; Marie Gluesenkamp Perez, D-Wash.; and Tom Suozzi, D-N.Y.

Potentially interesting job for the NOAA crowd - Verisk, one of the biggest modeling firms in the insurance industry, is looking for an experienced atmospheric scientist.

Charles Jackson is hiring, who was on my PhD committee and is just a delight to work with, aside from being a kickass scientist.

Trump prepares order dismantling the Education Department The draft executive action, obtained by NPR, acknowledges that the department and its signature responsibilities were created by Congress and cannot legally be altered without congressional approval.

The draft executive action, obtained by NPR, acknowledges the department and its signature responsibilities were created by Congress, and cannot legally be altered without congressional approval.

A small black-and-white cat with no comprehension of global politics or financial stress curls into such a tight ball that the top of her head is upside down, under her chest, secure, safe.

Not a lot of words today.

Oh, too be a cat.

#catsofbluesky

I'm sitting now with my thoughts about it, doing my stock-taking and intention-setting.

What a good day to reinforce a commitment to spend one's money in alignment with one's values, for instance.

To commit to choosing diverse resources at work.

To commit to joy.

Yeah.

Taking stock.

Yesterday an ill colleague contacted me to ask if I could cover her Ash Wednesday services today. I am happy to.
The first ended about an hour ago, and I was reminded how useful an exercise it can be to face mortality -- to take stock if one's current trajectory is the one intended/desired, etc.

What an interesting subject!!!

BREAKING: The Supreme Court ruled the Trump administration must pay U.S. businesses and nonprofits the congressionally authorized $2B they’re owed for work already completed for USAID.

This ruling is a victory for the rule of law. President Trump has a constitutional duty to comply with this order.

What he said about Social Security payments has been repeatedly debunked - so the question isn’t whether he’s lying about this, the question is why.

What is this a pretext for? He and the GOP have long shown interest in going after Social Security. What are they going to try?

No Title of Nobility shall be granted by the United States: And no Person holding any Office of Profit or Trust under them, shall, without the Consent of the Congress, accept of any present, Emolument, Office, or Title, of any kind whatever, from any King, Prince, or foreign State.

Putting on my American history teacher tricorn hat! The US Constitution is a remarkable document. I read it with my eighth graders begin to end each year (with breaks) and we had some great discussions. Here's what Article II, 9.8 says about titles of nobility. (The Founders did NOT like kings.)

It feels so futile and tiny to be planning my garden and making a baby blanket for a friend right now, but it's what I've got.

Rough night at our house.
The sun is still rising.

I was looking at the correlation between leaded gas and violent crime again today, because it gives me a weird amount of hope for the future, that maybe when people in government were no longer huffing lead fumes, we’ll be a little less shortsighted and awful again.*

Worth the read.

Multiple xAI employees say Grok is now being trained to be right-leaning and to fight 'woke'

"The general idea seems to be that we're training the MAGA version of ChatGPT"

Hey, look.
It's consequences.