Connecting the Dots

[Editorial]

School vouchers.

Dismantling the Department of Education.

Warehousing the homeless.

Institutionalization of the disabled.

Pogroms against trans people.

Cuts to SNAP.

Cuts to WIC.

New work regulations for Medicaid.

Tax cuts for billionaires.

Weakening environmental laws.

Trump campaigned on smaller government. But if you connect the dots, an interesting pattern can be seen. It is a model of the “K-shaped” economy.

Take education: they have cut back on funding for public schools, but the reality is that schools have fixed costs. They must heat the building, keep the lights on, and handle maintenance. Vouchers are causing public schools to delay these needed repairs.

Meanwhile, private schools can take the “cream of the crop!” The best scholars! The best athletes! At the same time, they can keep out "undesirables" like the LGBTQ+ community, people with disabilities, and people of other faiths, like Jewish people and Muslims.

Then we have the tax cuts for Trump’s billionaire friends. He dismissed at least 17 inspectors general from federal departments and agencies. He appointed former CEOs to run the very regulatory agencies that oversaw the industries they came from. Now, regulatory agencies are looking the other way as xAI centers run gas turbines without environmental permits, leaving neighbors to complain of a constant hum 24/7.

Meanwhile, the federal minimum wage hasn't changed since July 24, 2009, when it increased to $7.25 per hour. They made the ACA (Obamacare) unfavorable to the middle class. He has cut federal assistance programs and added burdens to those receiving benefits, leaving them struggling to get by.

When have these indicators happened in the past? In modern times, it has happened twice.

The first time, we called the elite “Robber Barons” in the 1890s. The second time was during the ostentatious display of wealth in the Roaring Twenties, which crashed into the 1930s.

In the mid-1800s, Charles Dickens wrote A Tale of Two Cities (1859):

“It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness, it was the epoch of belief…”

Does that sound familiar now?

Back in the 1890s, there were a number of revolutions around the world: the Brazilian Revolution of 1893, the Philippine Revolution (1896–1898), and the Cuban War of Independence, which led into the Spanish–American War.

And don’t forget WWI, sparked by the assassination of the Austrian Archduke Franz Ferdinand in 1914. Then, in the 1940s, we had WWII. How did Hitler and Mussolini get into power? On the shoulders of wealthy industrialists.

How did we break the cycle in the past? We need to look back at the administration of Theodore Roosevelt… the “Trustbuster!”

When I was growing up in the 50s and 60s, my father was a teacher. The neighbors were all hardworking factory workers, office workers, store owners, and store clerks. Yet, we could afford cottages, boats, and vacations. The mothers were stay-at-home moms; we only needed one income for a family of four to live comfortably. My summer job even paid my college tuition.

But now, people in those exact same positions are struggling to make ends meet. What we also share with those past eras is discrimination. First, it was the Irish and the Italians. But what really set conservatives off were the Chinese, which is when they started passing exclusionary laws. In Germany, Japan, and other Axis powers, xenophobia ran rampant, using minorities as scapegoats.

Have I connected the dots?

[/Editorial]

Maybe It Is A Good Thing...

That I can't get a passport.

Because of Trump we cannot get passports in our true gender, but maybe in a way it is a good thing... would you want to carry around a picture of Trump?

Trump shares new image of America 250 passport featuring photo of himself

By Heather Miller

FOX 5

June 27, 2026

The Brief

• President Trump will be the first living president to be featured on the U.S. passport. 
• He shared an updated image of the limited edition America 250 passport Saturday. 
• His stern face is featured prominently.

President Donald Trump has released an updated image of the limited edition America 250 passports featuring his face and name. 

The State Department first announced a passport featuring Trump in April, but the images shared Saturday are different. Trump will be the first living president to be featured on the U.S. passport. Here’s the latest: 

Department of Interior

And don't forget that he wants his picture on currency.

---

After I published this last night I came across this article, it turns out that he stuck his face also on the NPS passes back in January!

National Park Service will void passes with stickers over Trump's face

NPR

By Windsor Johnston

January 9, 2026

The National Park Service has updated its policy to discourage visitors from defacing a picture of President Trump on this year's pass.

The use of an image of Trump on the 2026 pass — rather than the usual picture of nature — has sparked a backlash, sticker protests, and a lawsuit from a conservation group.

The $80 annual America the Beautiful pass gives visitors access to more than 2,000 federal recreation sites. Since 2004, the pass has typically showcased sweeping landscapes or iconic wildlife, selected through a public photo contest. Past winners have featured places like Arches National Park in Utah and images of bison roaming the plains.

Instead, of a picture of nature, this year's design shows side-by-side portraits of Presidents George Washington and Trump. The new design has drawn criticism from parkgoers and ignited a wave of "do-it-yourself" resistance.

Is this song fitting or what?

You walked into the party like you were walking onto a yacht

Your hat strategically dipped below one eye

Your scarf it was apricot

You had one eye in the mirror, as you watched yourself gavotte

And all the girls dreamed that they'd be your partner

They'd be your partner and

You're so vain

You probably think this song is about you

You're so vain (you're so vain)

I bet you think this song is about you

Don't you, don't you?

You’re So Vain by Carly Simon

[I am glad I have a lifetime NPS pass.]

---

I asked Gemini: What does it say about mentally about a person that wants his picture on everything and his name up on walls?

From a psychological standpoint, someone who insists on putting their face on everything and plastering their name across walls is exhibiting behavior deeply rooted in egocentricity, status-seeking, and a profound need for external validation.

While it’s impossible to diagnose someone without a clinical evaluation, psychologists and behaviorists typically look at a few distinct underlying traits to explain this kind of behavior:

1. Narcissism and Grandiosity

At the most obvious level, this aligns with narcissistic personality traits.

The Drive: An inflated sense of self-importance and a belief that they are unique or superior.

The Manifestation: Seeing their own face and name everywhere serves as a constant feedback loop that validates their perceived greatness. It’s an attempt to force the world to mirror their own high self-opinion back at them.

2. Deep-Seated Insecurity and Fragile Ego

Paradoxically, the loudest bark often comes from the most frightened dog.

The Drive: A massive, omnipresent public image is often used to mask intense inner vulnerability or a fear of insignificance.

The Manifestation: If the inner sense of self is fragile, they require constant, inescapable external reminders of their power and existence. It's a psychological armor; if their name is on the wall, they can’t be ignored or forgotten.

3. Hyper-Focus on Legacy and Symbolic Immortality

In psychology, Terror Management Theory suggests that humans have a deep dread of their own mortality and insignificance.

The Drive: To defeat death by becoming unforgettable.

The Manifestation: Writing one's name on walls is one of the oldest human impulses (think of ancient pharaohs or even graffiti). It is a literal attempt to carve oneself into history, ensuring that their presence outlasts their physical existence.

4. Territorialism and Dominance

This behavior is also highly behavioral and primitive.

The Drive: Marking territory.

The Manifestation: Much like an animal marking its boundaries, plastering a name or face on a building or product is a claim of ownership and dominance over that space. It sends a psychological message to everyone else: "This is my kingdom, and you are just visiting."

The Bottom Line:

While it presents outwardly as supreme confidence and power, mentally, it usually signals a mind that is entirely dependent on external reflection to feel whole. A truly secure person doesn't need a wall to remind them—or anyone else—of who they are.

Then I asked: Could that person be easily maniputated? 

Yes, surprisingly easily. In fact, people with this specific psychological profile—hyper-focused on their own ego, status, and public image—are often among the most predictable and vulnerable targets for manipulation.

Because their psychological drivers are so out in the open, a manipulator doesn’t have to guess what they want. The blueprint is right there on the wall.

Here is exactly how that vulnerability is exploited:

1. The Flattery Trap (Ego-Stroking)

Because this person is entirely dependent on external validation to maintain their grand image, they have a massive hunger for praise.

The Vulnerability: They usually cannot distinguish between genuine admiration and calculated flattery.

How it works: A manipulator simply feeds them the exact narrative they want to believe about themselves. By telling them they are the smartest, most powerful, or most visionary person in the room, the manipulator lowers the person's defensive guard completely. Once they trust the source of their "ego fix," they become highly compliant.

2. Strategic Isolation (Weaponizing the Ego)

People who need their face on everything are incredibly sensitive to criticism or anything that threatens their self-image.

The Vulnerability: They tend to view the world in black-and-white: people are either "loyal fans" or "haters."

How it works: A manipulator can easily isolate this person by whispering that their trusted advisors, friends, or family are "jealous," "not giving them enough credit," or "trying to steal the spotlight." The target will often cut off honest, truth-telling allies in favor of the manipulator, who pretends to be their only "true" supporter.

3. Public Shaming and "The Dare"

Because their public reputation is their most prized possession, the threat of looking weak or foolish can drive them to make incredibly reckless decisions.

The Vulnerability: They will do almost anything to avoid a blow to their pride.

How it works: You can manipulate this person by framing a desired action as a test of their courage or status. Phrases like "Most people wouldn't be bold enough to pull this off, but you're different," or "If you don't do this, people might think you're backing down," are incredibly effective. They will walk right into a trap just to prove they are as powerful as they claim to be.

4. Giving Away the Credit

A secure person cares about the actual outcome of a project. An insecure, ego-driven person cares about who gets the applause.

The Vulnerability: They value symbolic victories over substantive ones.

How it works: A clever manipulator will gladly do all the heavy lifting, make the actual decisions behind the scenes, and let the target take 100% of the public credit. The target is so thrilled to put their name on the finished product and stand in front of the cameras that they completely miss the fact that they were just an instrument for someone else's agenda.

The Paradox of Power

This person usually believes they are the master puppeteer controlling everyone around them. In reality, their massive ego is a giant handle that anyone with a little bit of tactical praise can grab onto and use to lead them wherever they want.

---

I use AIs as a sounding board for my thoughts and logic. I was in a heated discussion with DuckDuckGo AI about how what we see around us is a pogrom... the AI said that wasn't true. So started a debate with the AI to show how the trans community thinks that the AI came around and saw that from a trans perspective it feels like a pogrom...

That makes sense. When things feel uncertain and threatening, that lyric can hit hard. “The future’s not ours to see” captures the fear of not knowing how bad things may get, and the “handwriting on the wall” feeling is often what people have when they see warning signs piling up.

I pointed out;

• Has trump hung banners of himself on the Department of the Interior: with the slogan "America's First"?
• Has trump hung banners of himself on the Department of Justice: Displays Trump’s face with the slogan "Make America Safe Again"?
• Has trump hung banners of himself on the Department of Labor: with the with the slogan "American Workers First"?
• Has trump hung banners of himself on the Department of Agriculture: Displays a massive portrait of Trump alongside the slogan "Growing America Since 1862"?
• Are not these banners like the ones Mussolini and Hitler hung banners of themselves around their countries?
• Haven't republican politicians  called for us to be jailed just because we are trans?

I Remember: How a Computer and the Internet Changed My Life

[Editorial]

A long, long, long time ago, around the turn of the century, we got PCs and the internet at work. I’ve told this story many times, but the point I want to make today is how it was the internet that opened the door for me. I found others who thought and felt like me. There was a community out there. As a trans person, the internet showed me it was possible to transition and have a life.

But now they want to throttle the internet. There have been bills introduced to prevent children from accessing parts of it. The question is: who decides? The government or the parent?

You know how the Republicans are always screaming, “parental rights!”? Well, now the Republicans want to judge who can see what and when. They want you to prove you are over 18 or 21. How the heck can you do that? When I go onto a pot store website, they ask, “Are you 21 or over?” Oh yeah, like that will stop kids from lying.

But it's deeper than that. If the government decides what is "adult," they often lump LGBTQ+ resources, transition support, and sex education into that bucket. They claim they are blocking "harmful content," but they are actually cutting off lifelines for kids who are just trying to understand who they are.

If you want to stop children from accessing actual adult websites, here is a very simple way to do it. You have to be 18 to get a phone or an internet plan, so all you have to do is have a checkbox when you open the account: “Do you want to block access to adult websites on this device?” It is as simple as that. Put the choice back with the parents, and leave the government out of it.

[/Editorial] 

Saturday 9

Saturday 9: Cadillac Ranch (1981)

On Saturdays I take a break from the heavy stuff and have some fun…

Unfamiliar with this week's tune? Hear it here.

1) In this song, Bruce Springsteen sings about taking his father and his aunt to see The Cadillac Ranch. Have you recently taken a road trip? If yes, where did you go?

I went down to New Jersey for my grand-niece graduation party, down and back in a day… it was a very long day. The clan gathered at a nice little place in Stirling NJ.

2) The Cadillac Ranch is real. It's an outdoor art installation in Amarillo, TX. Tell us about a statue, mural, or other piece of outdoor art in your community.

We have the very first Civil War momentum in the nation. It is on the National Register of Historic Places as the oldest permanent Civil War monument in the United States. We used to hang out in front and we never realized that the chunk of sandstone was so important. (It is just a mile up the road form the geographical center of the state.

3) Not only is Bruce singing about a real place, he mentions three real people. The first is "James Dean in his Mercury 49." That refers to the 1949 Mercury driven by James Dean in his first starring role, Rebel Without a Cause. Though he remains a legendary star, Dean made only three movies before his death at age 24. Have you seen any of his films?

I probably did back in the 60s and 70s.

4) The second is "Junior Johnson runnin' through the woods of Caroline." Junior Johnson was a folk hero, famous as a NASCAR driver and notorious for running moonshine through North Carolina. He was the inspiration for "Midnite Moon," an animated old Ford in the 2017 Disney movie Cars 3. What Disney movie did you enjoy when you were growing up?

Well you know you are digging way back in time… I mean way back! Way back to Fantasia

5) The third man Bruce sings about is "Burt Reynolds and his black Trans Am." This is a reference to Burt's biggest hit, 1977's Smokey and the Bandit. Burt also had success as a restaurateur. He co-owned Burt and Jack's, a popular steakhouse at Port Everglades, right on the water. Tell us about a restaurant that offered both good food and a memorable view.

When we had a cottage in New Hampshire we used to go to have brunch at a restaurant in Sunapee right on the harbor of the lake. My favorite Lobster Benedict smothered in Hollandaise sauce.

6) For decades, Cadillac was the gold standard of luxury. For example, an eatery referred to as "the Cadillac of restaurants" would be best or most prestigious. Think about your neighborhood. Tell us about a restaurant, hotel or business that is "the Cadillac" of your community.

We have a lot of good restaurants here in Connecticut, but a small restaurant that I like in P'town is the Tin Pan Ally (But I here it is up for sale). It is a small but it has outdoor seating overlook Provincetown harbor. 

7) Since he's been singing about America and cars for decades, it should come as no surprise that Bruce Springsteen has a collection of classic American cars. For the cover of his autobiography he chose a photo of himself leaning on his favorite, a 1960 Corvette convertible. Think about your favorite photo of yourself. What are you doing?

Smiling at a pizza place in P’town.

8) In 1981, when Bruce released this recording, Dolly Parton had a hit with "9 to 5." What's your favorite Dolly Parton song?

It is actual “9 to 5” but she has so many great songs it is hard to pick just one.

9) Random question: When did you last DIY and fix something around your home or yard?

My DIY days are numbered. At the cottage I have a Property Management company to take care of the fixes. At home friends have been helping out. But just cleaning is hard to keep up, I have started to start looking for a cleaning company.

---

As I wrote I went down to New Jersey to my grand-nieces graduation party from Dickerson, it was a very, very long day but it was so worth it. I don’t know how much longer with I be able to see my brother and sister-in-law. So every time I can visit them is a blessing.

We ate at a nice restaurant but I sat of a hard wooden bench that killed my back. It was over twelve hours from the time I left my home until I pulled into the driveway.

I want to get up to the Cape this week or next week but it is a holiday weekend coming up! And the bridges to Cape Cod will be once again “a nightmare” to get on the Cape.

Yeah… Yeah… That’s it.

Trump has used "National Security" as a trump card!

Now they are saying these massive energy hogs and polluters are actually super important to "National Security." Cue the rimshot!

It seems like every time they get challenged, they drag out the "National Security" angle. Offshore windmills? "National Security!" National security has become a flexible justification for stopping or pushing through infrastructure projects when the real underlying motives are political, economic, or ideological. And the latest example is... the AI data centers that Trump’s billionaire friends are building!

In boost to Musk, Justice Department seeks to dismiss air pollution lawsuit against xAI data center

AP News

By  MATTHEW DALY and BERNARD CONDON

June 16, 2026

The Trump administration is helping one of Elon Musk’s companies fight a civil rights lawsuit that alleges it is illegally running dozens of natural gas turbines to power a $20 billion AI data center in Mississippi.

The NAACP and other groups say Musk’s xAI subsidiary failed to get a permit for its power plant — which is located near homes, schools and churches — creating health risks for families in North Mississippi and nearby Memphis and violating the federal Clean Air Act.

The Justice Department, in a motion late Monday, sought to intervene in the case and dismiss the lawsuit, arguing that the plant is needed to power an artificial intelligence data center that is “critical to the economy” and the U.S. military.

The state of Mississippi — not the federal government — is responsible for any permits for the power plant and “decided no permit was required,” the Justice Department said in a statement.

Wow! "Critical to the economy" and the U.S. military! So that means that they can pollute the environment?

 “Ultimate responsibility for enforcing federal law belongs to the Executive Branch, not private interest groups,” said Associate Attorney General Stanley Woodward, who is No. 3 at the Justice Department. The motion to intervene in the case is intended to protect national security and promote American energy and innovation, he added.

Yeah! That’s it! We will just say they are exempt from environmental laws because they are "too important" to us.

NAACP sues Elon Musk’s xAI over Memphis data center air pollution

CNBC

Lora Kolodny

Apr 14 2026

Key Points

• NAACP sued Elon Musk’s xAI, alleging Clean Air Act violations from the company’s use of natural gas-burning turbines to power its data centers.
• XAI is building out its data infrastructure primarily around Memphis as it races to compete in the booming AI market against OpenAI, Anthropic and Google.
• The company’s Colossus 1 and 2 data centers in Memphis, and power plant in Southaven, Mississippi have faced protests for more than a year.

The NAACP filed a lawsuit against Elon Musk’s xAI on Tuesday, accusing the artificial intelligence company of violating the Clean Air Act with its use of natural gas-burning turbines to power data centers in and around Memphis, Tennessee.

The suit, filed in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Mississippi, alleges that between August and December 2025, xAI and its subsidiary MZX Tech, LLC, installed and operated 27 gas turbines in Southaven, Mississippi, “without an air permit or regard for the health and safety of people living nearby.”

The turbines emit smog-forming pollutants and particulate matter that can lead to increased health risks and an unpleasant odor, among other things.

The NAACP is seeking declaratory and injunctive relief for the companies to “cease operating the Colossus Gas Plant unless and until they obtain the required permits; to apply the necessary pollution controls; and to pay appropriate civil penalties for each day of violation.”

[…]

Separately, the NAACP wants Mississippi state regulators to revoke a permit granted to xAI in March that allowed Musk’s company to build out its massive power plant in Southaven with 41 permanent turbines.

But now the DOJ is claiming the lawsuit is illegal. When big money talks, this administration listens.

The AP article went on to state:

The Trump administration has made AI a top national and economic security priority. It has also upended policies meant to address climate change and has worked to undo environmental regulations on business.

So, Trump has ignored the laws to give his friends a helping hand. But what gets me is: what do they think will happen when Trump is no longer in office?

Sorry Charlie!

Sadly, it took a court order to block the latest attempt by the Trump administration to block voters.

Federal judge halts Trump’s election executive order seeking to create a federal voter list

AP News

By  MICHAEL CASEY, BILL BARROW and JOHN HANNA

June 25, 2026

A federal judge on Thursday halted President Donald Trump’s executive order that sought to create a federal voter list and limit who can receive a mail ballot.

U.S. District Court Judge Indira Talwani, who was nominated by Democratic President Barack Obama, sided with a coalition of nearly two dozen states that challenged the Republican president’s order in granting a summary judgment. Her ruling applies to this year’s midterm election cycle.

Plaintiffs argued in two lawsuits, both filed in federal court in Boston, that Trump’s order should be found unconstitutional because the states and Congress, not the president, have the power to set election rules. The judge agreed, saying in her ruling that the provisions of Trump’s order seeking to create a federal list of eligible voters and using the U.S. Postal Service to determine who can receive a mail ballot are “legally void” because they “unconstitutionally violate the separation of powers.”

Anyone thinks this will stop Trump in his bid to take over the elections?

It was the second ruling in as many days against executive orders Trump has signed seeking oversight of the nation’s elections. A separate ruling Wednesday prohibited an executive order he had signed last year that would have required people to show documents proving their citizenship when registering to vote.

It seems that Trump keeps getting rejected by the courts, and it seems that the advice he is getting from his staff is bogus. Is it because no one wants to tell the emperor that he has no clothes on?

Tong: CT Gets Second Win In Two Days Over Trump Administration On Voting Rights

CT News Junkie

by Donald Eng

June 26, 2026

Connecticut won its second court victory over the administration of President Donald Trump in two days, according to a statement from Attorney General William Tong’s office.

Tong on Thursday said the U.S. District Court of Massachusetts blocked what he called an unlawful executive order issued March 31 that amounted to an attempt to commandeer state elections. 

Just one day earlier, Tong had announced another court victory regarding what he called unconstitutional documentary proof of citizenship requirements to voting.

“Another major defeat for President Trump and his desperate illegal attempts to control our elections,” Tong said. “These are critical wins heading into the November elections. We’re going to keep fighting and winning to protect our democracy and ensure every lawful vote is counted.” 

But that is not the only case that has overruled Trump...

Judge deems Trump's National Institutes of Health grant cuts illegal

Reuters

By Daniel Wiessner and Nate Raymond

June 16, 2025

Summary

• Grants for research on diversity-related topics canceled
• Judge says government 'bearing down on people of color'
• Grants are ordered reinstated to organizations and states

A federal judge in Boston on Monday said the termination of National Institutes of Health grants for research on diversity-related topics by President Donald Trump's administration was "void and illegal," and accused the government of discriminating against racial minorities and LGBT people.

U.S. District Judge William Young during a non-jury trial said the NIH violated federal law by arbitrarily canceling more than $1 billion in research grants because of their perceived connection to diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives.

[...]

"This represents racial discrimination and discrimination against America's LGBTQ community," said Young, an appointee of Republican former President Ronald Reagan. "Any discrimination by our government is so wrong that it requires the court to enjoin it and at an appropriate time, I'm going to do it."

Note: Judge Indira Talwani (who blocked the voter list order) was appointed by Barack Obama and 

Judge William Young (who reinstated the NIH grants) was appointed by Ronald Reagan.

Trump will continue to ignore the Constitution and the laws. He will continue to push the envelope to see what he can get away with.

To paraphrase a tuna... "Sorry Donald." 

They Cut It From End To End

[Editorial]

"When you have a 350-foot slit, from one end to the other, you think that's proof? ... They cut it, they cut it very violently."

"You'd have to go see the Parks Department... but I saw it. They cut it very violently.

That is what was reported by CBS News about what Trump said.

Somehow, that doesn't look like what Trump described.

And ask yourself this: If they have this video, why don't they show a video of the person Trump described? Trump claimed he saw the person do it, so where is the video? Maybe because it didn't happen. Maybe it's just another one of Trump's lies.

But these accusations of vandalism could cost taxpayers another $18 million. If the damage resulted from workmanship, materials, or installation, it would generally be more likely to be covered under the warranty. If it's classified as vandalism, that may not be the case.

This is just another example of Trump digging the hole deeper and deeper. This is what we used to call a "clusterfuck."

[/Editorial]