Free Chat Friday
Free Chat Friday, Week 17
Good morning and Happy Friday, News Viewers — I woke up with a song in my head, playing as clearly as if I had fallen to sleep with my ear pods in — I haven’t MORE
Articles by Rachel Kennedy
Updates
Harvey Weinstein 2020 rape conviction overturned over technicality
“Court rules judge who oversaw landmark trial was mistaken in allowing women whose accusations were not part of case to testify“ The Guardian reports: “He will remain imprisoned because he was convicted in Los Angeles MORE
Environment
“There is No Planet B”: Earth Day, April 22, 2024
“I like it when a flower or a little tuft of grass grows through a crack in the concrete. It’s so fuckin’ heroic.”― George Carlin Welcome to our open forum about Earth day, and find information MORE
News
Israel bombs Rafah, killing 18 so far
Fourteen of the eighteen dead are children. The Israel-Hamas war has killed over 34,000 Palestinians, according to local health officials, devastated Gaza’s two largest cities and left a swath of destruction across the territory. Around MORE
Updates
Trump juror quits over fear of being outed after Fox News host says she should scare Trump
According to Judge Juan Merchan, the juror was excused after later expressing doubt that she could remain fair and impartial. In particular, she said that friends and family had already reached out to ask if she MORE
Free Chat Friday
Free Chat Friday, Week 16
Happy Friday News Viewers, on this the 19th day of April, coming to you from our nation’s capital—-a strange, strange non-state of the union that enshrines the notion of this particular union of states. It’s MORE
Updates
US tells Israel it won’t join counter-strike on Iran, urges caution
Politico is reporting that President Biden has met with Israel’s Netanyahu to let him know the US will not participate in an escalation between Israel and Iran. “The Biden administration is trying to defuse an MORE
Updates
In response to possible attack on Israel “sooner rather than later”, Biden tells Tehran, “Don’t.”
“We are devoted to the defence of Israel. We will support Israel,” Mr Biden said. “We will help defend Israel and Iran will not succeed.” CBS is reporting that “Two U.S. officials told CBS News MORE
Free Chat Friday
Free Chat Friday, Week 14
Happy Friday News Viewers , welcome to Free Chat, our open forum for today. While there has been plenty of drama and tall tales, wars and rumors of wars here on earth, it was all MORE
Russia/Ukraine Conflict
Largest power plant in Ukraine’s Kyiv region destroyed in Russian attack
CNN reports that the largest power-generating plant in Ukraine’s Kyiv region was reportedly destroyed in a Russian missile attack on Thursday as Moscow steps up its attacks on infrastructure. Russian shelling caused a large-scale fire at the Trypilska Thermal MORE
Animal House
House GOP: The fight to expand the government’s warrantless surveillance of foreign targets
First Moses, then Big Brother, what’s next for Mike Johnson? Politico reports on yet another battle taking place among House GOP members — this time over the attempt to actually legislate (in other words, do MORE
Science
Live: Total Eclipse of the Sun
OK, Tone says we can stay home from work…..you heard it here first….. Ah, the memories….. April 8, 2024, the day of the total solar eclipse. The next occurrence of this specific kind of eclipse MORE
2024 Election
Biden Campaign releases New “And God Made. . . ” Campaign Ad in Response to Trump’s Earlier Idolatry Ad
This ad, created by Joseph Gidjunis on behalf of the left-leaning Faith Forward, responds to the ‘God Made Trump’ video in a new 60-second spot. The announcer says ‘Thank God we chose a faithful president MORE
Science
Texas Governor Greg Abbott has now Screwed up the Eclipse for Eagle’s Pass
In Texas, Republican Governor Abbott and a town collide for the 2024 Solar Eclipse and the result is silence and shade. Texas Gov. Greg Abbott seized control of Shelby Park, in Eagle’s Pass, Texas on Jan. MORE
Free Range Free Chat
Free Chat Friday, Week 14
Happy Friday News Viewers! Another bad news week with Gaza,, Taiwan and Syria garnering the worst of the worst awards. At least, so far. In all honesty, the constant chaos and the many dramatic adjectives MORE
News
Middle East conflict expands with bombings in Syria, Israel; Iran vows retaliation
AP reports: Iran on Tuesday vowed to respond to an airstrike widely attributed to Israelthat destroyed Iran’s Consulate in the Syrian capital of Damascus the previous day and killed 12 people, including two Iranian generals and MORE
Religion - Superstition
Trump Declares Election Day “Christian Visibility Day,” in Response to Trans Visibility Day
Republican presidential candidate panders to evangelicals by stoking spurious outrage against Joe Biden after long-established Trans Visibility Day happens to coincide with Easter Sunday Donald Trump decreed at a “rally” on Tuesday in Wisconsin that MORE
Gaza
Biden outraged by Israeli strike that killed World Central Kitchen aid workers in Gaza
“It happens in war,” — Benjamin Netanyahu, initial statement following Monday‘s attacks. “On Monday, an Israeli airstrike killed seven humanitarian workers from the relief organization World Central Kitchen, including a dual U.S. citizen. More than 200 aid MORE
Animals
U.S. Fish and Wildlife creates plan to Allow Killing of Half Million Barred Owls to Save Spotted Owls
“This is a problem that humans have created. This wasn’t nature happening on its own,” said a researcher from the Center of Conservation Biology at UC. At first glance the problem appears to be that MORE
Drug Legalization
Oregon governor signs a bill recriminalizing drug possession
PBS is reporting that “Oregon’s Democratic Gov. Tina Kotek on Monday signed into law a bill that recriminalizes the possession of small amounts of drugs, ending a first-in-the-nation experiment with decriminalization that was hobbled by implementation issues.” MORE
WTF America?
Conservatives shell long-standing White House Easter egg contest
From Egg Roll Flyer instructing participants: “Decorated Easter egg submissions “must not include any questionable content, religious symbols, overtly religious themes, or partisan political statements.” NBC is reporting that conservatives once again showed their disdain MORE
Civil Rights
Beyonce’s Country Album is Released and MAGA World ain’t Happy About it
With the arrival of “Cowboy Carter,” billed as a “multi-genre nod to Americana country culture,” came a chorus of praise from traditional country and country crossover artists — including several featured on the album. . MORE
Free Chat Friday
Free Chat Friday, Week 13
Happy Friday News Viewers, welcome to our Friday free chat/open forum, and welcome to the end of another month in 2024. The election looms. . . . but so do a lot of other things MORE
Space
Eclipse 2024: Counties Declare State of Emergency in advance of April 8 Eclipse
Officials in Kaufman County, Texas issued a disaster declaration Wednesday ahead of next month’s total solar eclipse, saying they expect the county’s population to double and for traffic to be a major issue. “This dramatic MORE
Russia
US journalist marks a year in a Russian prison as courts keep extending his time behind bars
The AP reports that Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich will remain detained at Lefortovo prison where he has been for the past year. On Tuesday another pretrial hearing was held with the same outcome MORE