Saturday 9: With or Without You

Saturday 9: With or Without You (1987) 
On Saturdays I take a break from the heavy stuff and have some fun…  

Unfamiliar with this week's tune? Hear it here.
 
1) "With or Without You" is about the pain of love. What song reminds you of an old romance? Is it about the joy of love or the pain?
From back when I was dating. After the movie it was the Olympia Diner.

2) U2 lead singer Bono has admitted that, when the group recorded this song in the 1980s, he was wrestling with his real-life commitment issues. He was trying to resolve the responsibilities of being a husband with the demands of his career. He worked it through, and decades later both his marriage and his career are still going strong. Do you feel you have been more successful in your personal or professional relationships?
Professional relationships.

3) Bono credits his wife Ali with helping him through a tough period of writer's block, saying she put the pen in his hand each morning. What time of day finds you the most energized, productive or creative?
Now, it is very early morning… 4 AM until 7 AM

4) Bono likes to pedal around town when he's not onstage. What do you do for exercise?
Um… Er… nothing. That’s the problem, I have enough of a problem walking through the grocery store.

5) Bono is U2's lead singer, backed by three very talented bandmates: The Edge, Larry Mullen, Jr., and Adam Clayton. Bruce Springsteen is a big fan of U2's concert performances. If Saturday 9 were to bestow upon you a free ticket to any see any band or performer live, who would you choose?
Hmm… most of the bands that I like and preforming any more. Maybe one of these, The Eagles, Deep Purple, and Heart. 

6) U2 got together 50 years ago, when they were school boys in Dublin. Have you ever visited Ireland? If not, would you like to go?
No, and no desire to go.

7) In 1987, the year this song was popular, Cher won the Academy Award for Best Actress. Her most famous line was, "Snap out of it!" Without looking it up, can you name the movie that made her an Oscar winner?
Nope, I was never a big fan of hers, yes she does have a few songs that I like. Gypsies, Tramps and Thieves, and Half-Breed.
 
8) Also in 1987, the first Starbucks opened. What's your standard Starbucks order?
Decaf coffee black. And it blows their mind. One time a clerk said, “Ah… someone who likes coffee!”
 
9) Random question – Which self-help book would you be more likely to pick up, the one designed to improve your body or your mind?
Okay,
Which book should I pick up is to improve my body. But I’m at a point in life where I rather finding a book on keeping what you got. While improving my mind dose sounds interesting

The Constitution? What's That?

He has ignored the Constitution! A little something called the Frist and Second Amendments.

Courts all across the country have ruled you cannot stop people from videoing the police!

The Trump administration is increasingly trying to criminalize observing ICE

NPR All This Considered

Meg Anderson

February 18, 2026

Like many people in the Twin Cities, Jess has been observing ICE officers: following them in her car and documenting their actions. Earlier this month, she was in North Minneapolis, when immigration agents told her and another observer they were impeding a federal investigation.

"We followed at a distance. We never got in front of them. We never honked our horns. We never made any sort of noise. We were just keeping an eye on them," said Jess, who requested NPR only use her first name because she fears retaliation from the federal government.

She says she kept tracking the officers at a distance. But then the three vehicles she was following turned around and drove toward her. Federal agents hopped out.

"They all had their guns drawn. I kept saying, 'What you're doing is illegal. You have no right to do this,'" she said. "At that point, they started breaking my window. All I could think about was not being shot."

One officer shattered her driver's side window with a baton. At that, she opened the door. The agents pulled her out and handcuffed her. She was detained for about eight hours.

Now, Jess is waiting to see whether the federal government is going to charge her with a crime for observing its actions. She is not the only person in that position. NPR spoke with several other observers in Minnesota who said immigration officers told them they were impeding federal investigations.

Guns? They even got the NRA mad at them!

'Fundamentally wrong:' Gun groups, Republicans condemn Noem, Patel statements

Axios

Marc Caputo

Jan 25, 2026

A Minnesota gun-rights group accused Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem and FBI director Kash Patel of spreading misinformation about the right to bear arms at protests.

Why it matters: The Trump administration's misstatements about Alex Pretti's shooting death are damaging its credibility even with allies, especially in the gun-rights community.

• "We're getting it from all sides," a Trump adviser told Axios on Sunday.

Zoom in: Appearing on "Sunday Morning Futures With Maria Bartiromo," Patel said, "You cannot bring a firearm, loaded, with multiple magazines to any sort of protest that you want. It's that simple. You don't have a right to break the law."

• Patel was echoing Noem, who said Saturday, "I don't know of any peaceful protester that shows up with a gun and ammunition rather than a sign."
• The Gun Owners Caucus of Minnesota was quick to dispute Patel's statements, posting on X that Patel was "completely incorrect on Minnesota law. There is no prohibition on a permit holder carrying a firearm, loaded, with multiple magazines at a protest or rally in Minnesota."
• The group's president, Rob Doar, told Axios that Noem's understanding of Minnesota gun law was "fundamentally wrong," and he took issue with her statements about Pretti not having his ID while he carried his concealed weapon.

He has ignored court orders!

Courts have ruled 4,400 times that ICE jailed people illegally. It hasn’t stopped.

Reuters

By Nate Raymond, Kristina Cooke and Brad Heath

February 14, 2026

Summary

• Detained immigrants have filed more than 20,000 lawsuits seeking their release
• Trump administration continues detentions despite court rulings
• Sheer scale of the lawsuits threatens to clog the judicial system
• About 700 Justice Department attorneys deployed to represent the government in immigration cases

Hundreds of judges around the country have ruled more than 4,400 times since October that President Donald Trump’s administration is detaining immigrants unlawfully, a Reuters review of court records found.

The decisions amount to a sweeping legal rebuke of Trump’s immigration crackdown. Yet the administration has continued jailing people indefinitely even after courts ruled the policy was illegal.

Them writes,

Lawsuit Says Trump Admin “Motivated by Animus” to Remove Stonewall Pride Flag

Advocates called the removal “an arbitrary and capricious action.”

By Samantha Riedel

February 18, 2026

LGBTQ+ advocates say the Trump administration violated federal law by ordering a rainbow Pride flag removed from the Stonewall National Monument earlier this month, according to a lawsuit filed in New York on Tuesday.

The lawsuit claims that the Department of Interior (DOI) and National Park Service (NPS) violated the Administrative Procedure Act by removing a Pride flag from the Stonewall monument on February 9. The flag’s removal is “a textbook example of an arbitrary and capricious action,” the lawsuit alleges, referencing a common legal test for whether an agency’s actions are lawful.

NPS acting director Jessica Bowron advised regional directors that “only the U.S. Flag, flags of the DOI, and the POW/MIA flag will be flown” on flagpoles maintained by the Service, with some exemptions for flags of historical significance, in a DOI memo distributed last month. The lawsuit argues that as the first LGBTQ+ Pride flag to be flown on federal land, the official NPS Stonewall Pride flag itself constitutes important historical context for the LGBTQ+ rights movement.

“When leaders imply they answer to a person instead of the law, marginalized communities are always the first to feel it.”

Hmm… where have we heard that before? Wasn’t it in some city in Germany in the ’40s?

Breaking News: Supreme Court Say No To Tariffs!

This just in... Supreme Court strikes down parts of Trump's tariffs!

Live updates: Supreme Court rules against Trump's tariffs, limiting president's power to impose taxes

The decision does not affect all of Trump's tariffs but invalidates those implemented using a 1977 law called the International Emergency Economic Powers Act.

NBC News

February 20, 2026

What to know

• The Supreme Court ruled that President Donald Trump exceeded his authority when imposing sweeping tariffs using a law reserved for a national emergency.
• The decision does not affect all of Trump’s tariffs but invalidates those implemented using a 1977 law called the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA).
• Chief Justice John Roberts wrote in the ruling that the Trump administration had asserted "extraordinary power to unilaterally impose tariffs of unlimited amount, duration and scope,” but pointed to no statute that said the IEEPA could apply to tariffs.
• The ruling blocks Trump's sweeping reciprocal tariffs and those the president imposed on Canada, China and Mexico in what he said was an effort to stop the flow of illegal drugs.
• Democrats in Congress applauded the decision, saying the tariffs had impinged on Congress' constitutional authority and hurt average Americans. Some major U.S. trading partners were muted, however, saying they were reviewing the decision and emphasizing the need for stability in international trade.

So the big question is will Trump obey the law and the courts? And remember, this is Trump's court!

Living In The Past

You see, the Republican dream is to turn the clock back to the 1950s, the time of “Father Knows Best” and “Ozzie and Harriet”, when Black people were expected to “know their place” and we were confined to sleazy bars. Back to when abortions were backroom deals unless you had the money to fly to Switzerland.

Project 2025 creator wants to ban gender-affirming care for trans adults

Heritage Foundation president Kevin Roberts recently endorsed taking gender-affirming care away from transgender adults.

The Advocate

Ryan Adamczeski

Feb 19, 2026

After successfully pushing unscientific bans against gender-affirming care for youth, the creator of Project 2025 wants to outlaw the life-saving treatment even for adults.

Heritage Foundation president Kevin Roberts recently endorsed taking care away from transgender adults, saying in an episode of the PBD podcast that the organization is currently "running the numbers" on the supposed correlation between gender-affirming surgeries and violence. His proposed solution? "You outlaw it."

You know that for us, taking away our hormones would be a death sentence. Why? Because hormones build strong bones. Why do you think older people get regular bone density tests? One of the things puberty does is strengthen bones.

And of course, they are going to tie us to “angry trans people” over last week’s murders. The article goes on…

"But where there continues to be disagreement is on what you do with adults. At Heritage, we believe that so-called transgender surgery is bad for anybody because of what you saw in Rhode Island yesterday," Roberts said, referencing the Monday mass shooting that left three people dead, including the shooter, and three others critically injured, all of whom were related to the shooter. Police have described the attack as targeted and domestic in nature.

"There does seem to be a mounting body of evidence that suggests a correlation between that surgery at any age, mental health issues, and increasingly, although we're running the numbers on this at Heritage, acts of violence," Roberts added, falsely.

That is so stupid. We are the ones being attacked, harassed, and discriminated against, but when we fight back, all of a sudden we’re portrayed as crazed killers. They do the same thing with all minorities. Look at Minneapolis, they labeled the whole Somali community as criminals to justify bringing in ICE. Republican rhetoric inflames tensions and drives wedges through communities.

Despite the overwhelming evidence, 26 states currently ban gender-affirming care for youth, according to the Movement Advancement Project. In 11 states, the care is already restricted for adults through laws preventing Medicaid from covering the treatment for all ages. Roberts continued to say he would support completely outlawing the care.

You watch... marriage equality is next and repeal of non-discrimination laws are in their agenda.

---

Update: 2:00PM

Idaho GOP seeks to legalize anti-LGBTQ+ discrimination in wave of bills

“We deserve safety, we deserve joy and love, and to exist without our humanity being debated every legislative session.”

LGBTQ Nation

Daniel Villarreal (he/him)

February 20, 2026, 10:00 am EST

LGBTQ+ advocates are speaking out against several anti-LGBTQ+ bills introduced by the Republican supermajority in Idaho’s legislature, including one that would legalize anti-LGBTQ+ discrimination by local businesses.

The bills include H.B. 607, a bill banning trans people from using the correct restrooms and changing rooms in government buildings and public businesses, and H.B. 606, a bill criminalizing trans people from using facilities that match their gender identity; H.B. 516, a “don’t say gay” bill banning LGBTQ+ instruction in public school classrooms; H.B. 561, a bill banning the Pride flag from being flown at city and county government buildings; and H.B. 557, a bill blocking local LGBTQ+ anti-discrimination protections.

Boy it didn't take long for my prediction to come true

• H.B. 607: A ban on trans-inclusive public accommodations
• H.B. 606: A bill criminalizing trans people in public facilities

But it is not just us but the whole community!

• H.B. 561: A Pride flag ban
• H.B. 557: A bill legalizing anti-LGBTQ+ discrimination

These bills are horrible! They put a bounty on us!

State Rep. Stephanie Mickelsen (R), also denounced the anti-trans public accommodations bill, saying, “It puts a bounty on the government of $10,000 just simply for somebody being in the wrong room — not for them having done anything, but just having been in the wrong room,” adding, “I think that this bill is actually a way to intimidate and harass private businesses to push someone’s particular agenda.”

Nikson Mathew, the transgender chair of the Idaho Democratic Queer Caucus, said, “These bills … police public spaces, censor speech, override local control, take away parental rights, restrict privacy and target LGBTQ+ people and families… I just want to say to every queer and trans Idahoan: We deserve safety, we deserve joy and love, and to exist without our humanity being debated every legislative session.”

Just think how many cis-women will be caught in their dragnet?

Why?

Think about this... why did they think that this was ok?

That’s the question; not just that they did it, but why they thought nothing would happen if they did.

Smiling students proudly spell out “hateful” slur during school assembly

Two 8th-grade boys seen holding hands were allegedly objects of ridicule by a group of seniors.

LGBTQ Nation

Greg Owen

February 17, 2026

Ten students at Redwood High School in California’s Central Valley are facing blowback from fellow students and the wider community after they spelled out the word “FA***TS” (without the asterisks) on t-shirts during a school assembly on Friday.

On Monday, Visalia Unified School District officials announced that “disciplinary action” had been taken over the “hateful homophobic slur.”

[...]

“A lot of people at school, including the senior class, are really upset about the ignorant and rash actions of people who were in the photo,” one Redwood High senior told KFSN News.

“They are widely known in school. They’re supposed to be leading by example with the clubs that they run and represent, and people are just really mad because online things can surface really fast,” she said.

Yes… they have First Amendment rights and all that. However, the question remains: why did they do it? Do you think two or three years ago they would have done it? If not, why? Has the political climate changed?

KFSN, ABC 30 reports that,

The Visalia Unified School District issued an updated statement regarding a photo that has sparked a nationwide backlash on social media.

[...]

In a statement this afternoon, Visalia Unified School District Superintendent Kirk Shrum said the district is continuing to investigate and take appropriate action in accordance with district board policy:

"This week, student leaders are being provided opportunities to engage in healthy and productive dialogue with their peers and staff about belonging and respect. As a district, we will convene a roundtable with community leaders who support students in modeling civility and engaging in positive discourse. Together, we will meet this moment with steadfast resolve to restore and strengthen our community. While we may hold differing views, we can all agree that every individual deserves to be treated with dignity and respect."

The message to parents went on to say Redwood High School Administrators are meeting with students to address hate speech, civility and the responsibility that comes with being a member of the Visalia schools community.

But we circle back to "Why" So I asked an AI what it thought about why they did it now... ChatGPT replied:

---

That’s a question a lot of people in the community have been asking about the Visalia Unified School District incident involving students at Redwood High School.

There isn’t a confirmed explanation from the students themselves, but when situations like this happen, there are some common factors people point to:

1️⃣ “It was just a joke” mindset

Teenagers sometimes frame harmful behavior as humor, especially if they’ve seen slurs normalized online or in peer groups. What feels like a “joke” inside a small group can be deeply harmful outside it.

2️⃣ Peer dynamics

Group settings can lower individual judgment. When several people participate together, responsibility can feel diluted (“everyone’s doing it”).

3️⃣ Social media culture

Shock value and attention often get amplified online. Some teens underestimate how fast images spread and how permanent they are.

4️⃣ Lack of understanding of impact

Some students may not fully grasp how slurs affect LGBTQ+ peers — especially if they haven’t had direct conversations about why that language is harmful.

5️⃣ Broader cultural influences

Language that circulates casually in certain online spaces, gaming communities, or social media can desensitize people to how serious it actually is.

It’s also important to say: thinking something is okay in the moment doesn’t mean it actually is okay. Adolescents’ decision-making and impulse control are still developing, and sometimes they only recognize the weight of their actions once there are consequences.

---

ABC 7 wrote;

"A lot of people at school, including the senior class, are really upset about the ignorant and rash actions of people who were in the photo," says an unnamed Redwood High senior.

[...]

A Redwood senior tells our sister station ABC30 Action News that the gym was filled with hundreds of students at the time, and says those in the photo were leaders on campus.

"They are widely known in school. They're supposed to be leading by example with the clubs that they run and represent, and people are just really mad because online things can surface really fast," says the Redwood High senior.

The best response to this is social isolation... otherwise known as shunning. A non-violent to show disapproval.

The district could not specify the punishment for these students, but says they could be facing serious punishment, including suspension and loss of privileges, but it will ultimately be determined by the district's code of conduct.

Of course not. There are federal laws that rightly prevent the release of that information.

It still all boils down to "Why" did they think it was okay to do?

This Is Far More Common

Every November 20^th we remember our dead. Assaults on trans people is increasing just in Connecticut there has been an increase in bias crimes against us.

Man charged after attacking transgender woman at Portland MAX stop, court records say

By Leslie Dominique and FOX 12 Staff

Published: Feb. 11, 2026

A 51-year-old man remains in custody after prosecutors charged him with a bias crime and several other offenses following an attack on a transgender woman at a Portland MAX station.

The incident occurred the night of Feb. 8 at the PSU Urban Center MAX stop, a routine transit hub for students at Southwest 6th Avenue and Southwest Montgomery Street.

Portland State University confirmed the victim is not affiliated with the university. Court documents say the victim, who identifies as a transgender woman, was waiting for a train when 51-year-old William Thomas Ashley allegedly approached her aggressively.

The victim told officers Ashley repeatedly called her “a man,” then ripped an umbrella from her hands and hit her with it several times. She said he grabbed her by the hair, dragged her to the ground and punched her.

---

Then in New York City, a trans woman was targeted in another attack:

Man attacked on NYC subway for kissing trans woman partner

Police are still searching for the suspect who slashed the man's face.

The Advocate

By Trudy Ring

Jan 21, 2026

New York City police are searching for the person who attacked a man on a subway train the evening of January 10 when the man was kissing his transgender female partner. The attacker shouted homophobic slurs and then slashed the right side of the man’s face with a sharp object, Gay City News reports.

The suspect escaped, and the 28-year-old victim was taken to Bellevue Hospital for treatment. The trans woman was not injured.

The attack is similar to one that occurred December 20, when a man on a subway train was slashed behind his left ear by another passenger after a verbal argument, Metro Weekly reports.

---

And in Seattle...

Convicted felon facing hate crime trial for attack on transgender woman

by Lynnanne Nguyen, KOMONews

February 4, 2026

A convicted felon, Andre Karlow, is on trial facing hate crime and assault charges for allegedly attacking a transgender woman in the U District last year.

Court records reveal this is not the first time Karlow has been accused of attacking a member of the transgender community.

According to court records, Karlow has a criminal history dating back more than 20 years, including more than 30 arrests.

He was convicted last fall for an unprovoked attack in 2024 on another transgender woman working as a Sound Transit fare ambassador. Karlow is scheduled for sentencing in March in that case.

There have been 26 mass shootings in one month in the U.S. from January 1 through January 31, 2026.

They Just Came For Marriage!

We seen the handwriting on the wall, well now it has come fruition!

Tennessee’s newest anti-LGBTQ bills go against U.S. Supreme Court rulings

WPLN

By Marianna Bacallao

February 11, 2026

Tennessee lawmakers have advanced a host of anti-LGBTQ bills that would run counter to U.S. Supreme Court precedent.

Two measures, both proposed by Rep. Gino Bulso, R-Franklin, would challenge landmark cases that legalized same-sex marriage and established protections for discrimination based on sexual orientation or gender identity.

Rep. Gloria Johnson, D-Knoxville, questioned the legality to going against Bostock v. Clayton County, which established that LGBTQ people are protected from discrimination under the Civil Rights Act of 1964.

“We’re talking about federal law that supersedes state law,” Johnson said. “You can’t just ignore the federal law. So, therein is the problem for those of us who believe in our U.S. Constitution.”

And get a load of this take on the bill!

Marriage Equality and the Rise of Private-Citizen Protection Laws

Tennessee Stands

Anne Lowery

February 8, 2026

This past Tuesday, the Children and Family Affairs Subcommittee heard HB1473/SB1746, a bill sponsored by Rep. Gino Bulso (R – District 61) and Sen. Janice Bowling (R – District 16) , which would clarify that “Private citizens and organizations are not bound by the Fourteenth Amendment or by the Supreme Court’s purported interpretation of the Fourteenth Amendment in Obergefell v. Hodges, 576 U.S. 644 (2015), and no private citizen or organization in this state is required to recognize a marriage or a purported marriage between individuals of the same sex, notwithstanding any other law.”

[...]

It’s important that we understand how we got here, as Tennessee has been in this fight for years. The conversation needs to go in two directions, one being the Supreme Court’s decision to legalize gay marriage from a federal level and two, the moral implications. According to the American College of Pediatricians, the only leading medical organization fighting the transgender ideology in children, “Psychological theory of child development has always recognized the critical role that mothers play in the healthy development of children. More recent research reveals that when fathers are absent, children suffer as well. Girls without fathers perform more poorly in school, are more likely to be sexually active and become pregnant as teenagers. Boys without fathers have higher rates of delinquency, violence, and aggression.” The AACP also reports that, “This research has revealed that children reared in same-sex households are more likely to experience sexual confusion, engage in risky sexual experimentation, and later adopt a same-sex identity.”

Okay, the According to the American College of Pediatricians has about ~700 members and is a socially conservative advocacy group! While the American Academy of Pediatrics has ~67,000 member and supports LGBTQ+ rights and provides evidence-based guidelines for gender-affirming care.

They believe it is their god giving right to discriminate.

YES!

But don't expect it to go anywhere! It was all for "Show Tell"

Congress Top Democrats re-introduce trans bill of rights

Lawmakers spoke outside US Capitol on Wednesday

Washington Blade

February 11, 2026

By Joe Reberkenny

U.S. Sen. Ed Markey (D-Mass.) and U.S. Reps. Pramila Jayapal (D-Wash.), and Sara Jacobs (D-Calif.) announced the reintroduction of a “Trans Bill of Rights” on Wednesday.

Despite chilling winds and snow on the ground, transgender activists, LGBTQ rights advocates, and trans-supporting lawmakers gathered outside the U.S. Capitol to announce the reintroduction of the “Transgender Bill of Rights” resolution to protect trans Americans, as the Trump-Vance administration continues to target LGBTQ Americans.

About 30 people gathered outside to hear from legislators and individuals impacted by recent White House policies.

“Today we say loud and clear that trans rights are human rights, and they must be protected every single day of every single year,” Markey told the crowd. “We stand together in solidarity with the trans community and with those who have too often been left behind by a system that refuses to recognize their humanity. We are here to ensure that every trans and gender-diverse person in America can live freely and safely and authentically. That’s what the Trans Bill of Rights is all about.”

You know darn well that this is going nowhere with a Republican Congress and a Republican in the Oval Office!

---

However... 

Kansas governor vetoes anti-trans bathroom bill, citing ‘numerous and significant consequences’

By: Morgan Chilson-

February 13, 2026

Gov. Laura Kelly vetoed a controversial bill that forces transgender people to use bathrooms that match their biological sex at birth, saying the poorly drafted legislation would have far-reaching consequences.

The Democratic governor now hands House Substitute for Senate Bill 244 back to a Legislature that has enough Republican votes to override her veto and put the bill into law.

The bill requires government entities to police bathrooms and other private spaces in their buildings, and levies fines against the governing body for failing to comply. It also sets up escalating penalties for individuals who use a bathroom that doesn’t match their sex at birth.

In a statement Friday, Kelly cited multiple situations that would be affected by HB 244.

“If your grandfather is in a nursing home in a shared room, as a granddaughter, you would not be able to visit him,” Kelly said. “If your sister is living in a dorm at K-State, as a brother, you would not be able to visit her in her room.”

Kelly said she vetoed the bill because of those “numerous and significant consequences.”

“I believe the Legislature should stay out of the business of telling Kansans how to go to the bathroom and instead stay focused on how to make life more affordable for Kansans,” she said.

Hmm... maybe it is because he never had to stand in a long line to use the women's bathroom, how many women have run into the men's room because they had to go NOW!

And the Republicans did some heavy handed stuff to ram this through;

 A week later, the committee debated the bill with no advance notice. Rep. Bob Lewis, R-Garden City, proposed an amendment to ban transgender people from using the bathroom of their choice and prohibiting anyone from taking a child older than 10 into a bathroom for the opposite sex.

In a “gut and go” move, the committee then placed HB 2426 into SB 244, which was completely unrelated. The move allowed the Senate, following passage by the House, to hold an immediate vote without a committee hearing first.

Numerous Democrats blasted the lack of transparency in the process during a six-hour House debate.

In a statement Friday, House Minority Leader Brandon Woodard said SB 244 was a failure of “process and priorities.”

“The bill was rushed through the Legislature without meaningful public input or debate. Beyond its flawed process, the legislation targets a small and vulnerable group of Kansans while creating sweeping and unintended consequences for communities across our state,” he said in a statement.

You have to ask your self, what were the Republicans afraid of? What were they trying to hide?

Did You Know? I Didn't.

Did you know that we are in the Olympics? Neither did I!

Swedish skier becomes first transgender Winter Olympian

Axios

Ina Fried

Feb 10, 2026

Swedish skier Elis Lundholm became the first openly transgender athlete to compete at the Winter Olympics on Tuesday, after completing the first qualification run in women's moguls.

Why it matters: While the Olympics and many international sporting federations have taken steps that limit participation by transgender athletes, some athletes have been able to compete in the category corresponding to their assigned gender at birth.

• Lundholm, who was assigned female at birth, is allowed to compete in the women's category but identifies as male.
• Lundholm finished in 29th place out of the 30-person field during Tuesday's first qualification run, with only the top 10 automatically reaching the finals. That means Lundholm will need a significantly higher finish on Wednesday to advance to the finals.

Kind of makes you wonder what advantage trans athletes have? 29^th out of 30!

Explainer: Can transgender athletes compete at the Milano Cortina Winter Games?

Reuter

By Karolos Grohmann

February 2, 2026

 The 2026 Milano Cortina Olympics opens on Friday, bringing the world's top athletes together in the biggest winter sports show on earth. The Games will be the last one to be held with the existing and fragmented regulations regarding the eligibility of transgender athletes in women's categories.

The International Olympic Committee is expected to shortly issue new and universal guidelines, which it says are designed to protect women's sport.

[...]

HAVE TRANSGENDER ATHLETES TAKEN PART IN PAST OLYMPICS?

Yes, a small number of openly transgender athletes have taken part in past editions of the Olympic Games. New Zealand's Laurel Hubbard became the first openly transgender athlete to compete in a different gender category to that assigned at birth when the weightlifter took part in the women's weightlifting competition at the Tokyo Olympics in 2021.

We continue to struggle for our rights!

Breaking News! Very Sad Another School Shooting

This time with a link to the trans community. Reports are still coming in but the early media reports are not good.

Rhode Island ice rink shooting suspect's gender identity was source of past family conflict: docs

Robert Dorgan is accused of opening fire during youth hockey game in what police called a 'family dispute'

Michael Dorgan By Michael Dorgan Fox News

Published February 17, 2026

A suspect accused of shooting and killing two people at a Rhode Island ice rink on Monday before killing himself was identified as transgender and had a history of past family conflict over his gender identity, a local news outlet reported, citing court documents.

Court records show Robert Dorgan had been involved in multiple disputes with relatives in recent years, including allegations that tensions escalated after he underwent gender reassignment surgery, according to WPRI.

Boston.com writes,

“It looked like it was a family dispute, and there was one individual that was a family friend. But as for identifying the victims, at this time, it’s too early in the investigation to identify people, because obviously we want to make sure that their families are well aware of what’s going on before we put it out to the public again,” Gonclaves said.

And then... and then...

Canadian school shooting sparks anti-trans uproar after shooter identified

Authorities have identified the shooter that killed eight people as an 18-year-old local resident.

The Advocate

Ryan Adamczeski

Feb 12, 2026

Canadian authorities have identified the shooter who killed eight people — mostly children — at a school in British Columbia on Tuesday.

Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) have named Jesse Van Rootselaar, an 18-year-ohatld resident of Tumbler Ridge, as a suspect, believing she died by suicide after fatally shooting her 39-year-old mother, 11-year-old stepbrother, a 39-year-old teacher, three 12-year-old girls, and two boys ages 12 and 13.

Police had responded to multiple wellness checks that involved weapons at Rootselaar's home over the past several years, Deputy Commissioner Dwayne McDonald said at a press conference Wednesday, including one incident two years ago where they confiscated firearms from her. She was detained on more than one occasion for assessment and follow-up under the nation's Mental Health Act, and did not have any firearms registered to her at the time of the shooting.

Rootselaar was assigned male at birth but had began transitioning six years ago, according to McDonald. RCMP is not identifying her as transgender, as officials identify suspects as "they chose to be identified in public and in social media," and Rootselaar identified as female "both socially and publicly."

The Big Lie... SAVE Act!

Trump & Company is touting their latest attempt at voter suppression, they know it works because a state passed a similar bill!

Trump floats executive order on voter ID if SAVE Act stalls in Senate

The Hill

by Ryan Mancini - 02/13/26

President Trump on Friday indicated he will issue an executive order seeking to require voters to present proof of citizenship if the Senate does not pass the Safeguard American Voter Eligibility (SAVE) America Act, which passed in the House this week.

“There will be Voter I.D. for the Midterm Elections, whether approved by Congress or not!” Trump wrote on Truth Social around 4:30 p.m. EST. “Also, the People of our Country are insisting on Citizenship, and No Mail-In Ballots, with exceptions for Military, Disability, Illness, or Travel.”

[...]

“This is an issue that must be fought, and must be fought, NOW!” Trump wrote in a lengthy post on Truth Social. “If we can’t get it through Congress, there are Legal reasons why this SCAM is not permitted. I will be presenting them shortly, in the form of an Executive Order.”

He accused Democrats of being “horrible, disingenuous CHEATERS” who have “all sorts of reasons why it shouldn’t be passed, and then boldly laugh in the backrooms after their ridiculous presentations.”

You all have probably have heard of the Heritage Foundation, you know, the ones who did Project 2025. Well here is what they found.

 “Heritage has just added seven more fraud cases from Alabama, Nevada, New Hampshire, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, and Texas, to the database.    “With the addition of these seven cases, the database now holds 1,567 proven instances of election fraud, and we are tracking almost 300 additional potential cases that are in the investigative or prosecutorial stage by law enforcement.”

Wow! 1,567 cases! But out out how many? A 100 million?

• AP News reported Wisconsin found 46 cases of suspected fraud!
• AP News also reported: "A review of Iowa’s voter rolls last year found a fraction of that number — 35 people who are not U.S. citizens — were among more than 1.6 million Iowa voters who cast ballot in the 2024 election, and there were 277 noncitizens registered to vote out of nearly 2.3 million."
• The Austin-American Statesman wrote: Texas Secretary of State Jane Nelson announced this week that a new review of Texas' voter registration rolls matched against a federal citizenship database identified that more than 2,700 possible non-citizens among the 18.6 million people eligible to vote.

Voter fraud is Trump's big lie!

But many Republicans are pushing it in the Big Lie, WABI writes about Susan Collins of Maine, 

Senator Susan Collins recently announced her support for the Save America Act. If passed, the bill would create stricter voter ID law requiring individuals to provide documented proof of citizenship when registering to vote and to show a photo ID before voting.

The bill passed the house last Wednesday and now makes its way to the senate.

When asked about her support for the legislation, Collins says passing the bill would ensure confidence in election results. Critics argue it would disenfranchise millions of voters.

---

Did you know that Kansas passed their version of the SAVE America Act... and it had the desired affect, disenfranchising tens of thousands of voters, denying their right voters to vote.

‘We’ve been proactive to make sure we have the right people voting, electing the right leaders to lead this country.’

Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem

Hun? What? What does she mean by "the right people voting"? Yup, that is what SAVE America Act does. blocking "the wrong people" from voting! The ACLU wrote back in 2018 what the Kansas law did to voters!

The federal trial over a Kansas law requiring people to show citizenship documents like a birth certificate or passport when registering to vote begins on March 6 in Kansas City. The American Civil Liberties Union will represent the League of Women Voters and several individuals whose voting rights were violated. Kris Kobach — the secretary of state of Kansas, chief architect of the law, and the defendant in the lawsuit — will represent himself.

From 2013 to 2016, more than 35,000 Kansans were blocked from registering because of Kobach’s documentary proof-of-citizenship law — approximately 14 percent of new registrants. Many Kansans, including several of our clients, went to the polls on Election Day in 2014 with every reason to believe that they were registered, only to be told, “Sorry, you haven’t proven that you’re a U.S. citizen.”

We filed suit in 2016, charging that Kobach’s law undermines the fundamental right to vote and violates the National Voter Registration Act. In a preliminary ruling for the 10th Circuit, Judge Jerome Holmes, who was appointed by George W. Bush, found that the law had caused the “mass denial of a fundamental constitutional right.”

What does she mean by "the right people"? In 2020 the ACLU showed us the answer in 2018. In Kansas, over 35,000 citizens (14% of new registrants) were blocked from voting because they didn't have a birth certificate or passport handy at the DMV.

Judge Jerome Holmes, a George W. Bush appointee, called it a “mass denial of a fundamental constitutional right.” Even though the Supreme Court effectively killed the Kansas law in 2020, the Trump administration is using that exact same failed logic for this federal bill.

The Republican Strategy for 2026

Gerrymandering, the SAVE Act, and threats of using ICE at polling places are all parts of the same machine. It is designed for one thing: a Republican win on November 3, 2026. Their motto seems to be: "If you can't win honestly... cheat!."

This Crosses The Line

It’s called extortion. Why is the Trump administration creating files on members of Congress and secretly investigating them?

Members of Congress demand DOJ stop tracking lawmakers' Epstein files searches

Attorney General Pam Bondi took a document referring to Rep. Pramila Jayapal's search history to a House Judiciary Committee hearing Wednesday.

NBC News

By Megan Lebowitz, Kyle Stewart and Daisy Conant

Feb 12, 2026

Members of Congress sharply criticized the Justice Department over allegations that it was tracking what lawmakers were searching for as they viewed unredacted versions of the Jeffrey Epstein files.

A Reuters photo showed Bondi at a congressional hearing Wednesday holding a document labeled “Jayapal Pramila Search History.” The document listed Epstein files that the Democratic representative from Washington confirmed she searched.

The DOJ began allowing lawmakers this week to view unredacted Epstein files. The review process could take place in person at the Justice Department on DOJ computers. In a letter from the Justice Department to lawmakers obtained by NBC News, it said that it “will keep a log of the dates and times of all members’ reviews.”

The backlash from lawmakers adds to growing outrage over the department's handling of its Epstein records. At Wednesday's oversight hearing with the House Judiciary Committee, Bondi faced criticism from Democratic lawmakers and two Republicans who accused the department of mishandling survivors' information, improperly redacting files that named prominent individuals, among other concerns.

The Constitution establishes three equal branches of government as a system of checks and balances. When one branch is secretly investigating another, that shattered those checks and balances.

"Bondi showed up today with a burn book that held a printed search history of exactly what emails I searched," Jayapal continued, referring to a stack of documents that Bondi read off of during the hearing. "That is outrageous and I intend to pursue this and stop this spying on members."

Jayapal told NBC News that she spoke to House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., and confirmed "that that was my search history that she had it in the binder, that there’s a photograph of it that it matched what I searched, and that it was unacceptable."

All the warning signs of a dictatorship are there...

• Attacking the press,
• Attacking higher education,
• Attacking voting rights and limiting who can vote,
• Using legal attacks on political opponents,
• Using unaccountable paramilitary police,
• Replacing nonpartisan career officials with loyalists,
• Using government transport for private trips.

"Danger, Will Robinson! Danger!"

It Is Spreading!

Violence against the LGBTQ+ community is increasing, fueled by rising rhetoric from conservative figures around the world. A recent report from Pink News highlights a disturbing case involving German football referee Pascal Kaiser.

Referee who proposed to boyfriend at match attacked for a second time

German football referee Pascal Kaiser, who was assaulted at his home, just a week after proposing to his boyfriend on the pitch, has been attacked again. 

The Pink News

Feb 16

By Chantelle Billson

On 30 January, the 29-year-old proposed to his partner, Moritz, at Cologne’s RheinEnergieStadion in front of almost 50,000 spectators ahead of a match between FC Köln and VfL Wolfsburg. 

On 7 February, just 20 minutes after informing police of threats he had received, Kaiser was attacked by three men in his garden, leaving him with an injury to his right eye.

However, on 9 February, he was attacked at his home again. According to French sports outlet L’Equipe, two people attacked him in front of his home, beating him in the face and torso. 

Kaiser was supposed to be under police protection, but officers only arrived 30 minutes after the attack was reported.

Hmm... It makes you wonder: where was the protection he was promised?

As US Olympians call for tolerance and LGBTQ rights, some face Trump attacks and online hate

NPR | By Brian Mann

Published February 9, 2026

When U.S. skiers took the stage for a press conference Friday, at the start of the Milan Cortino Games, they were asked about turmoil back home where ICE agents have detained a growing number of immigrants and clashed violently with protesters in Minneapolis.

Most of the athletes who spoke that day voiced concern, calling for de-escalation, tolerance and respect. "The Olympics represent peace, so let's not only bring world peace but domestic peace within our country," said Alex Ferreira, a 31-year-old who won silver and bronze medals at past Winter Games.

Svea Irving from Winter Park, Colorado chimed in. "It's definitely a tough time in our country right now," the 23-year-old said. "I just continue to represent my values [which are] compassion and love and respect for others."

Boy did that set off a fire-storm! Imagine compassion, love, and respect for other causing a an uproar!

Trump responded with vitriol...

Trump fired back on his Truth Social platform. "U.S. Olympic Skier, Hunter Hess, a real Loser, says he doesn't represent his Country in the current Winter Olympics," Trump wrote on Sunday. "If that's the case, he shouldn't have tried out for the Team, and it's too bad he's on it. Very hard to root for someone like this."

And you wonder why violence is increasing?

"I've never had so many people wish me harm before, just for being me and speaking out about being decent and, like, human rights," she said.

In a statement, the U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Committee (USOPC) condemned threats against athletes and said they report any "credible" threats to law enforcement.

"It's a sad reality that over the last several games, we've seen an uptick in abusive and harmful messages directed at the athletes during competition," the USOPC statement said.

Here in Connecticut the Governor Hate Crime Advisory Council came out with their annual report last week and it found;

Statistics gathered by the F.B.I. indicate that nationally, there were 6,121 police-reported hate incidents in 2016; 8,263 in 2020; 11,862 in 2023; and, 11,679 in 2024. These figures must be viewed in the context of longstanding underreporting, as 81% of reporting police agencies nationally reported zero hate crimes in 2024. Therefore, the slight decrease in reports from 2023 does not necessarily reflect a real decline, but rather ongoing challenges in data reporting. Consistent with 2023 trends, approximately 3,200 reports in 2024 were anti-Black, four times higher than the next largest racial or ethnic category. Religion-based reports have continued to rise since 2020, reaching their highest level in 2024 with 2,744 reported cases, including 2,002 driven by antisemitic bias.

The Anti-Defamation League (ADL) reports that the number of hate incidents reported in Connecticut jumped from 91 in 2020 to 682 in 2024 — an increase of 650 percent. Antisemitic incidents in Connecticut, according to the ADL, spiked from 24 in 2020 to 184, dropping slightly to 159 in 2024. Connecticut statistics compiled by the state police also showed an upward trend. In 2021, there were 75 hate incidents; in 2024 there were 103. The number of hate crimes charges in Connecticut went from 87 in 2021 to 130 in 2024.

Connecticut is not immune to bias crimes. We are seeing an increase here.

The rhetoric coming out of Washington we see a corresponding increase in bias crimes.

This Is Stupid...

But what do you expect from the Trump administration!

National Park Service's New ID Rule That Costs Visitors Hundreds Of Dollars Triggers Desperate Calls To Abolish It

Busy entrance station to Yosemite National Park, with cars waiting in line to obtain a permit

The Travel

By Cristina Miceli

Feb 12, 2026

On January 1, 2026, the National Park Service (NPS) implemented a new rule and pricing system, forcing some visitors to pay hundreds of dollars in extra fees when visiting some of the most popular national parks in the United States.

The NPS' new ID rule requires visitors to provide proof of U.S. residency or citizenship, typically showing identification, passport, government-issued driver's license, or green card. Visitors who cannot provide these documents or prove they are U.S. citizens or residents are no longer eligible for the standard national park entrance fees. Instead, they must pay the international (non-resident) visitor fee, which includes a $100 surcharge on top of normal entry costs.

However, the National Parks Conservation Association (NPCA) is urging the U.S. government to abolish the new ID rule and tiered price system for the time being because it's causing numerous problems, including congestion, long wait times at entrances, and even fewer visitors.

Hey... but we are putting the screws to those foreigners!

Okay, I had a lot of experience with the National Parks, I have seen the massive lines trying to get into Herring Cove at the Cape Cod National Seashore, at Marconi Beach, and Nauset Beach, and now if they have to check to see if you are a US citizen the lines will be even longer!

The NPCA notes that it's “the worst possible time” to implement these new rules for two main reasons.

In 2025, the NPS lost about a quarter of its permanent staff, leaving many national parks across the U.S. understaffed even before the new pricing policy and ID rule came into play. In addition, in 2026, the U.S. will celebrate its 250th anniversary, which is expected to draw visitors nationwide to NPS sites—putting even more strain on employees.

The Trump adminstration doesn't care about the lines as long as they are socking to the aliens!

Knock, Knock, Your Papers Please!

You know we have seen all this before—and it is important to remember where and why.

Lawsuit challenges ICE ability to enter homes without warrants from judges

The lawsuit argues that allowing ICE officers to enter someone’s home to conduct arrests based solely on an administrative warrant violates constitutional rights.

NBC News

Jan. 30, 2026

By Reuters

The lawsuit by the Greater Boston Latino Network and Brazilian Worker Center was filed in federal court in Boston and marked the first case to challenge the constitutionality of a policy laid out in a May memo ICE issued that became public last week as a result of a whistleblower complaint.

The policy marked a departure for ICE, whose agents in the past had generally been barred from entering private homes and businesses without a warrant signed by a federal judge.

When before did we have government barging into out homes?

But as President Donald Trump’s administration ramped up immigration enforcement last year in its quest to carry out mass deportations, the acting head of ICE issued a memo that advised its agents they could rely instead on administrative warrants.

Lyons in the memo said DHS Office of General Counsel had “recently determined the U.S. Constitution, the Immigration and Nationality Act, and the immigration regulations do not prohibit relying on administrative warrants for this purpose.”

Those warrants, also known as Form I-205s, are issued by officials within the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, including ones in ICE itself.

There is one thing I know for certain: you cannot get a "yes" or "no" position out of a lawyer. It is always preceded by, "In my opinion..."

The Law Fare analysis concludes:

This raises a big question: Can ICE enter a home to make an arrest without a judicial warrant?

The standard view has been that administrative warrants can't authorize home entry because they're executive branch orders, and the executive branch can't be in charge of deciding whether to give itself a warrant.  Under Payton v. New York, 445 U.S. 573 (1980), the government needs an arrest warrant to enter a home to make an arrest.  But Payton refers to a "judicial officer" inserting his judgment "between the zealous officer and the citizen," and the immigration officer who signs a Form I-205 is not a "judicial officer." That's the traditional thinking.

That thinking is captured by Judge Wright's reasoning in the Kidd v. Mayorkas opinion.  Judge Wright was addressing the broad category of administrative warrants, which included the subcategory of Form I-205 warrants, and here's what he wrote:

[...]

If that's the DHS argument—and I'm just speculating about that—I think the problem on the merits is that there's been a lot of water under the bridge since Justice Frankfurter's opinion in Abel.  Coolidge from 1971 and Shadwick from 1972 settled the idea that a warrant requires a neutral and detached magistrate. Payton from 1980 settled that a judicial warrant is needed for entry.  To go back to the 1960 opinion in Abel, and to read its dicta as binding without considering the Supreme Court's later holdings in Coolidge, Shadwick, and Payton, seems pretty problematic.

There is one thing that I know for certain is that you cannot get a yes or no position out if a lawyer... it is always preceded with "In my opinion..."

It's always hard to offer a take on a legal argument when you have to speculate about what the legal argument is, so my take on this is tentative.  But if I had to summarize my current thinking, it seems to me that the DHS policy is likely wrong in light of Coolidge, Shadwick, and Payton, although the DHS position is not frivolous in light of Abel as interpreted in Malagerio—and the trickier issue may be actually getting a merits ruling on the issue in court in light of the absence of remedies due to the Supreme Court's gradual cutting back on Bivens remedies. Or at least that's my tentative take without actually getting to see the DHS legal analysis, and with the caveat that I don't know the administrative law remedies that may be available.

It is my opinion that, with all this legal wrangling, it is we—the citizens—who are getting screwed!

I am Just Sick & Tired

Of people saying Trump isn’t a racist: this whole “Woke” debate is just white supremacy masquerading as discrimination! Mississippi Today writes about how Trump & Company is whitewashing history.

Medgar Evers’ killer was a Klansman, but Trump administration says stop calling him a racist

by Jerry Mitchell

February 5, 2026

The National Park Service has removed visitor brochures from the Medgar & Myrlie Evers Home National Monument. Among the anticipated changes? No longer calling his murderer a “racist.”

Edits to the brochure have removed that reference to Byron De La Beckwith, according to Park Service officials, who asked not to be named for fear of retribution. Other edits include eliminating the reference to Medgar Evers lying in a pool of blood after being shot.

Reena Evers-Everette, executive director of the Medgar & Myrlie Evers Institute and daughter of the couple, said the family has been told the matter is under review, “but the final product has not been put out yet.”

Gone were trans people from Stonewall, slavery from Mount Vernon, and removed from the people… history being hidden or de-emphasized:

• CDC and HHS LGBTQ+ health resources – removed from public websites
• Department of Defense pages on Tuskegee Airmen – temporarily removed or edited
• National Park Service materials – systemic racism and Black contributions minimized
• Smithsonian exhibits – reviewed/edited for “divisive” content (slavery, civil rights)
• Federal DEI webpages – content about underrepresented groups deleted or reduced
• WhiteHouse.gov pages – LGBTQ+ rights and diversity content removed or rewritten
• Federal flag policies, monument signage, award recognitions – minority representation reduced

And the list keeps growing!

In another article Mississippi Today reported that the park service caved it and...

Hours after Mississippi Today reported Thursday that the National Park Service had removed brochures to the Medgar & Myrlie Evers Home National Monument that identified his murderer as a racist, the Park Service returned the brochures to the home.

On Thursday, Park Service officials told Mississippi Today that the reason they removed the brochures was they were “outdated.”

The Park Service had pulled the brochures in anticipation of replacing them with a new version, which would remove the word “racist” to describe the killer, Byron De La Beckwith, according to Park Service officials, who asked not to be named for fear of retribution. Other edits include eliminating the reference to Medgar Evers lying in a pool of blood after being shot.

Medgar Evers’ niece, Hinds County Supervisor Wanda Evers, said, “You can take away the brochures, but the one thing you can’t take away is history.”

I am reminded of the quote from 1984:

“Who controls the past controls the future.

Who controls the present controls the past." 

I Want You To Stop And Think For A Moment…

Trump has been cranking out executive orders one after another and pushing relentless rhetoric — consider what he is saying about our citizenship.

Trump Threatens to Denaturalize U.S. Citizens If They ‘Deserve’ It. Experts Raise Grave Concerns About Future

Time

by Callum Sutherland

Jan 9, 2026

President Donald Trump is seemingly trying to redefine what counts as an American citizen. Since returning to the White House, he’s not only ramped up his immigration crackdown, but has also questioned the citizenship status of foreign-born U.S. citizens, sparking mass concerns over the potential weaponization of denaturalization.

Trump has paid particular focus to Minnesota, on account of the widespread investigations regarding fraudulent schemes targeting government-funded programs within the state. The President has used the scandal to target Minnesota’s Somali community and has accused them of “destroying” the state, on account of some people of Somali descent being found guilty of involvement with the schemes. He has seemingly taken to blaming the community as a whole rather than the individuals involved.

[…]

But Trump’s main focus has been on foreign-born American citizens. He previously questioned the citizenship status of New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani, who was born in Uganda and became a U.S. citizen in 2018. And in December, he lashed out at Rep. Ilhan Omar of Minnesota, who was born in Somalia and gained her U.S. citizenship aged 17 in 2000. During a speech in Pennsylvania, Trump told a rousing crowd: “We ought to get her (Omar) the hell out.” He then listened as the crowd chanted “send her back.”

Remember the controversy over Trump and President Obama’s birth certificate?

Then, according to the Times of India: “Foreign-born Americans to lose citizenship? Trump administration working to find '100–200 cases per month.’” The phrase “Foreign-born Americans” is what is causing angst among millions of U.S. citizens. This category could include:

Then, according to the Times of India: “Foreign-born Americans to lose citizenship? Trump administration working to find '100–200 cases per month.’” The phrase “Foreign-born Americans” is what is causing angst among millions of U.S. citizens. This category could include:

• Naturalized citizens
• Americans born abroad to military families
• Americans born abroad to diplomats or expats
• Refugees who later became citizens
• Dual citizens
• Corporate employees
• Missionaries
• Aid workers
• Border community families

It is the last group that I want to focus on. In states such as Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, New York, and other Canadian-border states, it was common practice — especially before September 11, 2001 — for families to drive to the nearest hospital, even if it was across the border in Canada.

But now, Trump and his rhetoric are creating fear and uncertainty among millions of Americans because of being born in Canada.

As citizens, we are supposed to be equal, no matter where we were born. But Trump wants to drive a wedge between us. His xenophobia is spreading into government policy. White South Africans? Green-lighted. Everyone else? The door is slammed shut.

Meanwhile, U.S. citizens live in fear of ICE knocking on their front doors. This is not the country that I know.

Saturday 9: Won't You Be My Valentin

Saturday 9: Won't You Be My Valentine? (1961)

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

 

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

 

1) Dore Alpert sings that while he considered asking others to be his Valentine, he's sure that this is the girl he wants to love "forever more." What do you think is the secret of a long-lasting romantic relationship?

This is from a single person…

Respect.

2) Dore is better known as Herb Alpert. He used the name "Dore" early in his career because he thought it was more befitting a teen idol than "Herb." Who made you swoon when you were a teenager?

Yeah, I know it is a cliché but my homeroom sweetheart. 

3) Herb found he was a better trumpeter than singer. Between 1962 and 1969, Herb Alpert and the Tijuana Brass, had 12 consecutive gold albums. They were so popular that in 1966, they sold more records than Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin, The Beatles and the Rolling Stones. Of those artists (Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin, The Beatles and the Rolling Stones), which is your favorite?

I believe his first, “A Taste of Honey”

4) He found his greatest success as an executive. Herb and partner Jerry Moss founded A&M Records and signed an array of talented artists including Cheech and Chong, The Carpenters, and Cat Stevens. Herb was happy to step away from performing and run the record label. Are you comfortable in front of an audience or crowd? Or would you prefer to be behind the scenes? 

Yes to both!

This was back on January 20, 2019 at the Women’s Match on Hartford, I wrote about it here.

5) Karen admitted that when The Carpenters were first signed by A&M, she had a crush on Herb and liked his aftershave lotion. Do you usually wear a fragrance?

No, I think about others.

This is our Valentine's Day Saturday 9 and so this morning we shall focus on the holiday. 

6) The holiday is also known as The Feast of St. Valentine. Do you have a special meal planned for February 14?

Nope, if you didn’t mention it I wouldn’t have known that it was  alentine's Day

7) Thames River Cruises offers special dinner cruises for Valentine's Day that give lovers a view of London. Some cruises offer live jazz, others classical music. Which would you prefer: jazz or classical?

Jazz.

I have been on river boat cruises on the Connecticut River. They had dinner and a dance band, it was a reward for volunteer work. I was also on a river boat cruise as a reward for volunteering for another non-profit. 

 

8) Women buy and send more Valentines than men do. Who received the last greeting card you sent?

Um… um… I can’t remember the last one that I sent.

9) Men buy and send more roses at Valentine's Day than women do. What's your favorite flower?

Lilacs.

I planted some outside my bedroom window.

---

I am doing something a little different at the end here, a lot of times I post here items of interest to me.

Well this week we heard a lot of talk about family values because of the half-time show.

I want to share a letter that I got from my cousin when I came out… now these are my family values!

Diana,

The last time we saw you was at your father's funeral. It was actually the first time in my memory that we had spent any real time together. I remarked to “T” as we were leaving  what a warm and charming host you were and how sorry I was that I never knew you well. Now I understand better why. Thank you for sharing your story with us. I, in turn, shared your letter with my children who, as parents themselves, need to be reminded of the importance of accepting their children as they are. whatever their differences may be.   To see from another person's  point of view is always enlightening. We  admire your courage and rejoice in your new life.

“E” and “T”

Weaponizing The FCC

Everything about Trump & Company is geared toward one goal... power!

They weaponized grants... changed the name of the railroad station and I'll release the money!

If you don't turn over your voter rolls… we invade your state with ICE & DHS!

Then of course there is us... stop trans healthcare with we cut funding!

The Justice Department... DEI lawsuits.

And now the FCC!

The patterns you're seeing—leveraging federal funds or regulatory power to secure specific political or cultural outcomes—have indeed become a central part of the administration's "America First" strategy... extortion!

US agency investigating if ABC's 'The View' violated equal time rules for political candidates

Reuters

By David Shepardson

February 7, 2026

Summary

    • FCC said in January late-night, daytime talk shows were no longer exempt from equal time rules

    • Trump has repeatedly pushed FCC to go after broadcast networks

    • FCC chair said in September he was considering probe into ABC talk show

The Federal Communications Commission is opening an investigation into whether ABC's "The View" daytime talk show violated equal time rules for interviews with political candidates after an appearance by a Democratic Texas Senate candidate this week, a source told Reuters on Saturday.

[…]

President Donald Trump has repeatedly pushed Carr to take action against U.S. broadcasters and criticized networks for what he views as one-sided coverage. The move is the first significant step by the FCC to go after networks for interviews with political candidates.

Gee… are they going after any conservative talk shows? Nope! The Hill writes,

TALK SHOWS WERE PREVIOUSLY EXEMPT

Until January, talk shows have qualified for the equal opportunities exemption as genuine news interviews, ever since the FCC Media Bureau granted an exemption to the interview portion of Jay Leno’s "The Tonight Show" in 2006. Networks have relied on the ruling as a precedent for recent interviews with political candidates.

[...]

"Like many other so-called 'investigations' before it, the FCC will announce an investigation but never carry one out, reach a conclusion, or take any meaningful action," she said. "This is government intimidation, not a legitimate investigation."

But is anyone surprised Trump & Company are attacking liberal shows? The LA Times reports,

For years, hosts of “The View,” ABC’s “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” and CBS’ “The Late Show with Stephen Colbert,” have freely parried with high-profile politicians without worrying about being subjected to the so-called “equal time” rule, which requires broadcasters to bring on a politician’s rival to provide balanced coverage and multiple viewpoints.

With the new guidance, the FCC appears to take a dim view of whether late-night and daytime talk shows deserve an exemption from the “equal time” rules for stations that transmit programming over the public airwaves. The move comes amid FCC Chairman Brendan Carr’s campaign to challenge broadcast networks ABC, CBS and NBC in an effort to shift more power to local broadcasters, including conservative-leaning television station groups such as Nexstar Media Group and Sinclair Broadcast Group.

But the FCC seems to be blind to talk radio! Talkers writes about the FCC ignoring talk radio.

According to a piece in , the Federal Communications Commission’s recent Guidance on Equal Opportunity Issues was pointed toward broadcast TV license holders and not radio is because, as FCC chairman Brendan Carr states, “There wasn’t a relevant precedent that we saw that was being misconstrued on the radio side asimg that wasn’t part of anything in that decision. It was focused on the potential misreading of precedents on the broadcast TV side. Of course, as you know, the rule applies to broadcast, radio and TV, but that one was focused on those TV precedents.” The memo to broadcast TV was relative to the 1996 bona fide news interview exemption that came about in the wake of an interview Jay Leno did with then-California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger on “The Tonight Show.” The FCC Media Bureau ruled that “The Tonight Show” did not have to give Schwarzenegger’s opponent equal time because that interview segment qualified as a bona fide news interview. This matter doesn’t seem to be a big one for news/talk radio since news/talk stations are viewed as news outlets, on top of the fact that most talk radio hosts would love the opportunity to interview candidates with whom they might not personally agree.

I think that it is only the FCC thinks talk-radio as news!

Talk radio isn't a target of FCC's 'equal time' notice, Brendan Carr says

The FCC chair says the problem lies with TV broadcasters' interpretation of the rules.

Politico Pro

By: John Hendel

01/29/2026

FCC Chair Brendan Carr said he’s not worried about enforcing political fairness from radio stations the same way he is with late-night and daytime TV.

Carr made waves last week by saying TV hosts must comply with rules requiring they give similar airtime to candidates of both parties. Lawyers have been puzzling over whether, or how, it would apply to talk radio, a traditional bastion of conservative voices. On Thursday, Carr said he didn’t see any reason to similarly press radio stations — although the same underlying rules apply.

TV broadcasters have spent years claiming an exemption from these rules in a way Carr hasn’t seen in the radio world, according to the agency leader.

“If you're fake news, you're not going to qualify as the bona fide news exception,” Carr said during a press conference after the agency’s monthly meeting?

And why is it? Is it because most talk radio shows are conservative?

U.S. Senator Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) writes on his government web-site,

In his letter to Webre and Boone, Blumenthal highlighted eight recent investigations and complaints by the FCC under Chair Brendan Carr that appear to focus on newsrooms and broadcast stations that may be disfavored by President Trump.

“Each of these eight actions single out media broadcasters that faced the wrath of President Trump during his Presidential campaign, including actual litigation or outright threats of investigations in retaliation for perceived negative coverage,” Blumenthal wrote. “This exclusive targeting to the apparent benefit of the President is further reflected in the fact that other media broadcasters, particularly allies of the President, have not faced any similar scrutiny.”

Blumenthal’s letter describes Carr’s apparent break from FCC’s past legal interpretations and guidance, including Carr’s own positions prior to becoming Chair of the FCC. The letter requests information and seeks documents about the legal standards that the FCC is now operating under. The letter also asks for information about what investigations the Commission has recently opened, including whether there are inquiries focusing on media entities favored by President Trump that have engaged in the same activities as those targeted by Carr.

It seems that Trump & Company have a very narrow definition of news based on political views.