A Day of Wonder

Oliver and I shared wonder today—in the woods, on the deck, and in the pages of this book.

Oliver and I spent the whole day together while Megan worked on projects. It was a good day from start to finish, with two fairly short naps—23 minutes and 30 minutes. Well, Oliver napped while I just closed my eyes and rested. I always worry I’ll drop him if I drift off, but even a few minutes of closing my eyes feels good.

Much of our time was spent on the floor, playing. Later, we went outside for a little “forest bathing.” We saw a bald eagle, a rabbit, and of course enjoyed the trees and clouds. I even sat him in his own patio chair, which he thought was very cool. Using the arms of the chair, he pulled himself up to his knees, with Grandma hovering close by.

At one point, I set him on the deck where he discovered a twig. Naturally, it went straight toward his mouth. I took it away gently, telling him, “Not for the mouth.” He studied it for a while and then tried again. When I reminded him, his little face puckered up and he cried. Each time he tested me with that twig, I repeated the rule. Finally, he gave it up, but not without crying like a banshee first.

Oliver is seven and a half months old, and it amazes me how fascinated he is by every object he touches. Together we explored the siding of the house, the drain spout, and he discovered that tapping on them makes a fun sound. Later, he was very curious about the parts for Megan’s blender that were in a box on the dining room table. A cup with holes in the bottom, a wide-mouthed funnel, and a plastic stirrer all caught his attention.

We also read an incredible book, Maybe: A Story About the Endless Possibility in All of Us by Kobi Yamada. The words remind us: You are the only you there ever has been or ever will be. You are unique in all the universe… The message is beautiful, but so are the illustrations.

A day of play with Oliver, paired with the gift of this book, filled me with joy.

The Gift of Ordinary Days

Caleb and Charlotte stayed with us until about 11:30 Friday morning. They woke up earlier than Joe and me and kept themselves entertained until we finally made our way downstairs around 9:00. (Joe and I hadn’t gotten to bed until 2:30 a.m. because of his work schedule.) For breakfast, we made fluffy pancakes. The kids told me they liked them but added, “If you add chocolate chips, they’d be even better!” Grandpa has already added chocolate chips to the grocery list.

Last night we went over to Megan’s for our monthly international snack tasting (Universal Yums). This month’s country was Korea, and most of the snacks were a hit. The one exception? Shrimp puffs. Imagine a Cheeto that tastes like shrimp—that’s exactly what they were. Jeremy and I both like shrimp but agreed that shrimp puffs were not palatable. Joe, Caleb, and Charlotte weren’t fans either. Megan didn’t join in this time, since she’s eating only whole/clean foods right now and left the processed snacks to the rest of us.

Yesterday our new freezer arrived! The previous owners had left behind a chest freezer with a broken latch. We made do by keeping a heavy box on top to keep the lid closed, and Joe would haul in whatever we needed. The new one is an upright model, which means I can open the door and reach in without the feeling that I might topple inside. Much easier.

And just in time, too—because today our annual meat order was ready for pickup. We brought home 103 pounds, all with a 20% discount. The only item that went up in price from last year was ground beef, but overall we saved $258, which came out to about $2.50 per pound compared to grocery store prices. The freezer is officially full now.

Joe and I also got our flu shots today. Since we were already at CVS, we picked up a few things. They gave us each a $10 merchandise coupon, and I used my HSA card to cover the rest. (The HSA rewards us with cash for healthy activities like getting flu shots, keeping up with annual checkups, scheduling home health nurse visits, or exercising at least ten days a month for thirty minutes.) After the HSA and the coupons, our $52 total came down to just sixty-three cents. And on top of that, anyone who got a flu shot received a free bag of popcorn. Joe and I laughed that it felt like we’d hit the jackpot.

I’m grateful for each one of our days—big or small, ordinary or special. Truly, these are the gift of ordinary days.

Crime Fighter, 47-Style

Everyone fears crime, no matter where they live. Even when the numbers show improvement, what we really want is zero crime. The big question is always: how do we get there? Some believe in tough federal crackdowns, while others, like me, think crime-fighting should be left to local police. (Do you remember when Republicans used to tout “States’ Rights”?)

Thanks to Robert Reich’s recent Substack post, I realized it may be time to give credit where credit is due — and point out that we’re not giving 47 nearly enough credit for his efforts to “fight crime.” Here’s just a partial list of how he’s been helping America in this area:

• Pardoned the 1,500 criminals who violently attacked the United States Capitol, leading to the deaths of four police officers — and then fired the federal prosecutors who held them accountable.

• Hobbled the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, froze enforcement of the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act, disbanded the National Cryptocurrency Enforcement Team, and backed off most federal lawsuits involving money laundering, crypto markets, and foreign corruption.

• Granted clemency to Lawrence Duran, a health care executive convicted of running a massive Medicare fraud and money laundering scheme.

• Commuted the 14-year sentence of Jason Galanis, who defrauded investors — including a Native American tribe and a teachers’ pension fund — of tens of millions of dollars.

• Pardoned Julie and Todd Chrisley, the reality TV stars convicted of bank fraud and tax evasion.

• Dropped charges against New York City Mayor Eric Adams, who had been indicted on bribery charges.

• Ended investigations and lawsuits against many Big Tech corporations that had been facing federal scrutiny.

• Directed the Department of Justice to drop its criminal case against Boeing, despite the company’s role in two plane crashes that killed 346 people — even after Boeing had agreed to plead guilty.

• And let’s not forget: Trump himself was found guilty on all 34 counts of falsifying business records in the first degree, related to payments made to Stormy Daniels before the 2016 presidential election.

For those looking for “both-sides-ism” or a historical rundown of what every president has done about crime — don’t hold your breath. This is about the here and now.

Forty-seven claims to be a genius at solving crime. And in a sick, twisted way, maybe he is. He simply redefines what “crime” is — then commutes, pardons, or ignores anything that benefits him and his allies. Problem solved.

A Sleepover to End the Summer

August 28, 2025

Charlotte watching television.

Caleb is playing on his Switch because he was not interested in 

Charlotte's choice of movie. He got to choose the next movie.

Caleb and Charlotte are spending the night with us while Megan, Jeremy, and Oliver went to the Gophers’ first football game of the season.

The grandkids and I had a fun evening—dinner at Applebee’s and then movies at home until 11:30 p.m. That’s pretty late for them, but they managed it just fine.

Even though we have three guest bedrooms, I let them decide where they wanted to sleep. Both chose the family room. Charlotte wanted the tent, so Grandpa Joe set it up before he left for work. Caleb preferred to sleep out in the open on our special foam air mattress.

It feels like summer has slipped by in a flash, but nights like this remind me to appreciate these sweet moments.

Finding Laughter (A Meme Day)

 

And some not so funny ...

Happiness is Okay

Sharing from Substack because this resonated with me and I thought it might help others feel better about feeling happy and experiencing joy when and where they can.

Joy as Resistance

It's okay to feel happiness when the world is on fire

Sharon McMahon

Aug 25, 2025

By Isla Flaherty

In a world where headlines are often heartbreaks packaged for immediate consumption, where images of humanitarian crises in Gaza, families ripped apart at immigration hearings, and global conflicts scroll past without pause, our feeds rarely let us catch our breath. But for a moment, everything seemed to change. Taylor Swift announced her latest album, The Life of a Showgirl, and social media exploded. Fans spotted Easter eggs, livestreamed their reactions to her New Heights podcast appearance, where she sat next to her boyfriend Travis Kelce, and flooded timelines with excitement and anticipation. For a few brief hours, Swifties felt joy creep in, and everything else seemed to stop.

Travis Kelce and Taylor Swift

But was it right to stop? Should we allow ourselves to forget, even for a moment, all the problems in our country and our world?

Especially for those living with constant fear or loss, stopping to celebrate, even momentarily, can feel irresponsible. Yet both history and psychology suggest that joy, even when we are suffering, serves a crucial purpose: it is a means of survival and, at times, a form of resistance.

The Psychology of Pausing

Positive psychology, “a branch of psychology focused on the character strengths and behaviors that allow individuals to build a life of meaning and purpose,” helps us understand why allowing moments of joy matters. Joyful experiences activate our brain’s reward system and counteract stress. Over time, they help prevent emotional burnout, anxiety, and numbness.

The Big Joy Project, a study led by researchers at UC Berkeley’s Greater Good Science Center, supports these findings. More than 70,000 participants across 200 countries were asked to practice simple “micro-acts of joy,” such as doing something kind, making gratitude lists, or celebrating another’s happiness. Each act was small, but the results were large: participants' overall sense of well-being, defined as a “composite of their self-rated life satisfaction, happy feelings, and meaning in life,” jumped 26% in just one week, and positive emotions, including “hope, optimism, wonder, amazement, amusement, and silliness,” increased by 23%. In other words, joy isn’t just fleeting, passive pleasure; it’s a tool of resilience with cumulative benefits, and there are techniques for creating it.

Yet the question lingers: how can people create joy when surrounded by suffering? Viktor Frankl, Holocaust survivor and author of Man’s Search for Meaning, offers a vital perspective. He observed that even when life is stripped to its barest essentials, individuals have the freedom to choose their response. “Everything can be taken from a man but one thing: the last of the human freedoms — to choose one’s attitude in any given set of circumstances.” Frankl illuminates why, across history, individuals and communities have sought brief moments of happiness even under extreme threat. It is not escapism, but an assertion of agency, the choice to find meaning and persevere amid suffering.

Viktor Frankl

The Lesson of The Telly Cycle

Poet Toi Derricotte writes that “joy is an act of resistance” in her work The Telly Cycle. Derricotte explores this idea through the lens of a bond with her pet fish.

Born in 1941 in Michigan, Derricotte often grapples with themes of identity, trauma, and resilience. As a Black woman navigating a society that frequently questions her worth, she consistently finds meaning in the intimate and personal.

In The Telly Cycle, Derricotte asks, “Why would a Black woman need a fish to love?” The question reveals the deep human need for connection. Choosing happiness, Derricotte suggests, is a radical act of defiance. The fish becomes a metaphor for a small, sustaining source of joy, and Derricotte reminds readers that the pursuit of happiness is not frivolous but necessary, a way to reclaim agency over one’s life.

Turning Sunshine into Savings

Today, Joe and I decided to take the plunge and purchase solar for our home here in Saint Michael. With the 30% federal tax incentive expiring on December 31, 2025 (thanks to the big ugly bill that cancels incentives for green and clean energy), this year felt like the right time to make it happen.

We do face one obstacle: our house sits in a “red zone” according to the local utility company. That said, a highly rated solar company (4.9 out of 5 stars) assured us they’ll do everything they can to make this work. They explained that a red zone doesn’t automatically mean “no”—it just means extra effort on everyone’s part.

If it all comes together, our return on investment will be about eight years when comparing the cost of solar to what we currently spend on utilities. The benefits for Joe and me are worth it:

• We can live our values by supporting renewable energy and helping the environment.

• Even though we’re careful with resources, solar lets us use what we need (like Joe’s shop equipment) without guilt.

• It increases our home’s value by 4–6%, which means at just 4% we’d recoup our investment when we eventually sell.

• We’ll enjoy tiny electric bills—about $10 a month.

I know some people choose to lease solar, but that’s never made sense to me. Leases often aren’t transferable, and in California, friends who sold their homes had to either pay off the lease in full or pay to have the panels removed. Since Joe and I plan for this to be our last home, buying outright just feels right. Especially as our utility company (much like Pacific Gas and Electric in California) is already asking for more rate hikes to cover grid updates.

Even Google’s AI admits that Xcel Energy, our provider, is under scrutiny for a host of issues—rate increases, grid reliability, wildfire liability, solar delays, and ties to the American Gas Association. My family and friends in California can definitely relate. Other than that gas association piece, you could pretty much swap “Xcel Energy” with “PG&E” and it would sound the same story.

All in all, while there are some hoops to jump through, Joe and I feel good about this step. It lines up with our values, helps us do our part for the planet, and makes sense financially in the long run. Here’s hoping that red zone turns green for us!

The Joy of Oliver

Oliver and Megan wearing their Gophers' colors

Today I played with Oliver for a few hours. We spent time on the family room floor and out on the back deck at Megan and Jeremy's house. The second time we went outside, it was close to his nap time. After two minutes of crying (his little ritual when he’s tired), he conked out in my arms. Holding a sleeping baby is healing in a way that’s hard to describe.

Oliver has little quirks right now that make me laugh. One of them is how fascinated he is with the floor. When I hold him facing out, he bends at the waist to study it closely, scanning every direction as though there’s a secret down there he might discover. It actually reminds me of a yoga stretch I do where I lean side to side for a count of thirty seconds.

Another quirk is that Oliver seems far more interested in standing than crawling. Crawling doesn’t appear to be on his agenda at all. He rolls and stretches to reach his toys, but getting on his knees? Not interested. Several times today, he reached out for my hands, grabbed a finger in each of his, and pulled himself into a stand. Once up, he tried to walk, beaming with pride.

At one point, I bent down to pick him up, but instead he grabbed my hands and pulled himself up on his own. I wasn’t ready for that move and immediately felt something give in my lower back. I had to sit on the couch to catch my breath while Oliver bounced happily on his feet, thrilled with himself. His joy is contagious, even when I’m wincing a little.

And then there are the tags. Oliver loves tags on toys, pillows—anything. He studies them as seriously as he does his toys, and of course, every tag goes straight into his mouth. I’m hoping this tag obsession is his version of my childhood habit of eating dirt. Maybe he’s just building himself one heck of an immune system.

Jeremy came home from work just as Oliver had decided he’d had enough of grandma for the day. The instant he saw his dad, he went from cranky to the happiest baby in the world—just like flipping a switch.

It was a full and funny day, one of those times when small moments turn into memories. I hope your Sunday held a little peace and joy, too.

Finding Strength in the Exhaustion

I’m not much in the mood to write today. Yesterday I had such a good time with the grandkids, and today I tried to catch up on the news. Mistake number one—thinking I could ever “catch up” when so much is being thrown at us every single day.

Mistake number two—forgetting that most of what gets reported isn’t “good news.” That just doesn’t draw people in.

All this left me realizing that I can’t live in a doom-and-gloom state of mind for more than a few days before I need to step back. Of course, the fear of missing something important keeps me from really stepping away.

It’s exhausting. And maybe that’s the point. Those who want power—Putin, Netanyahu, Kim Jong Un, Xi Jinping, and forty-seven—count on people wearing down. Wannabe kings who make life harder for others while they chase control. In the end, they’ll all be gone, and history won’t remember them kindly.

Still, even with the exhaustion, I know “tired” can’t be an excuse. I’ll keep speaking up and speaking out, and I hope you will too. It’s what we can do to make sure we’re the ones choosing our leaders—locally, statewide, and nationally.

For now, I’m sending love to you all and reminding myself (and maybe you, too) to take breaks when needed. We’ll need our strength for the days ahead.

Another ‘Grand’ Day

Summer Fridays are among my favorite days. Two of our three grandchildren have spent most Fridays with us this summer. We eat lunch and watch movies. Sometimes the movie is at Saint Micheal Cinema and other times we watch movies at our house.

This morning we picked up Caleb and Charlotte, did our errands to get supplies for movie watching (popcorn from the cinema [$1 for a full bucket], slushies  plus a choice of candy for Charlotte at the Holiday Gas Station, and a final stop at McDonalds for Happy Meals) and then to our house to watch “The Electric State.”

Around 4:00pm we took the grands home and visited with the youngest grandchild - seven month old Oliver. While we played on the floor in the living room, Caleb and Charlotte showed Oliver what a pillow fight was all about. Pan and Sylvie, the grandpups, got into the action by licking (dog kisses) all of us.

Meanwhile, Megan was in another part of the house. When we got ready to leave I found her in the kitchen. She told me she had a headache and that we were a noisy bunch. She left out the ‘joyous’ part of the sentence as we were most definitely ‘joyous in our noisiness.’

Joe and I finished up our day with a trip to Costco, putting groceries away, and spending quiet time in our respective office spaces. I listened to podcasts while Joe watched YouTube videos. We were ‘joyous in our space.’

Learning to Do Better

I haven’t always been “woke” in certain areas. Until around 2015, I really hadn’t given much thought to the LGBTQIA+ community. On the edges of my awareness, I knew my daughter had friends who identified as part of the community, but I didn’t understand how deeply this affected their lives.

For example, I didn’t know that one of her friends who transitioned from female to male in college had been disowned by his mother. I also didn’t know that transgender people are among the most targeted for violence.

In 2015, my work in Human Resources forced me to confront both my own beliefs and the attitudes of others. I worked for a small, family-owned business that was in growth mode, and I started to learn about microaggressions—especially toward people of color and anyone who didn’t fit someone else’s idea of “the right way to be human.”

Microaggressions can show up as stereotyping, invalidation, assumptions of inferiority, “exoticizing” people, or subtle insults. In the cases I dealt with, they were usually unintentional—rooted in unconscious biases.

Pronouns were another big eye-opener for me. I hadn’t thought much about how important they were to people and how they identified. Using “they/their” for one person was especially difficult for many older folks (myself included—I was in my early 60s at the time). Fortunately, I was gently corrected enough times that I finally got the hang of it.

It wasn’t unusual for older employees to ask why they had to use someone’s preferred pronouns. In most cases, I encouraged them to simply use the person’s name if they were uncomfortable or unsure. We also talked about what to do if they slipped up—how to correct it and move forward. Before long, we were all correcting each other, and within a couple of months, mistakes became rare. Proof, to me, that people of all ages can adjust when the goal is to show respect for others.

When microaggressions did occur, we focused on education. We’d watch short videos or read articles to help people see how small comments or behaviors—even when unintentional—can cause harm. Here’s one tip: if your sentence starts with “your people” and ends with “are all alike,” it’s best not to say it at all.

If you Google “microaggressions,” you’ll find plenty of resources about how to communicate more respectfully with others. Because when we know better, we can do better.

Now if only we could get Forty-Seven and his cabinet educated.

On the Mend

The cartoon above feels all too accurate about the news these days. Thank goodness for Jess Craven’s weekly good news list. Aaron Parnas also shares positive updates a few times a week. Both are free to subscribe to on Substack—no paywalls. I especially appreciate Jess because she also includes scripts for daily calls to congressional leaders. Those scripts can just as easily be copied into emails or even sent by old-fashioned snail mail.

At home, we’re finally on the mend after our first (and hopefully last) round of COVID. Joe stayed home from work all last week. He spent his time on the comfy family room couch, watching movies while resting. By Sunday, his energy had returned enough to mow the lawn—after which he promptly went back to movies.

I spent most of the week resting, too, but also kept busy here and there: processing vegetables from the garden, reading, and joining a few video chats with friends. I managed to keep up with the news most days, and even made chicken noodle soup and a tuna-noodle casserole. Joe and I were both craving carbs—and naps.

This week we’re back to our regular schedules, and Joe is enjoying being back at work. Writing daily still feels hard for me, even though I’m much better. So I’ll just take it day by day—meaning, don’t expect consistency from me right now.

Just a Note

Hi, All –

I’m taking a short break from writing the blog this week. Joe and I both came down with COVID—our first time catching it after all this time!

I think I’m past the worst of the symptoms, though I’m still dealing with fatigue, no appetite, and a lingering cough. Joe is having a tougher time and remains feverish, exhausted, and coughing. After virtual visits with our doctors today, we decided to stick with over-the-counter remedies for now.

We’ll rest, take care of each other, and be back to normal soon. In the meantime, we hope you all stay safe, healthy, and virus-free.

Beth

Feeling Better, More 47 Bull, and Jess Craven's List of Good News

I know none of my friends and family would think this. I just found this incredibly poignant.

Joe came down yesterday with the same crud I had, only his came with a fever. He had to stay home from work today, which made him sad, but honestly, he’s been so exhausted that the family room couch and a lineup of movies have been his companions all day. He did manage a short trip outside to pick vegetables, but that was the extent of his activity.

I’m on the mend now, just left with a lingering cough. The hardest part is missing my grandchildren, Megan, and Jeremy. I can’t risk giving them this bug!

Meanwhile, I’m feeling frustrated about 47 taking over the Washington, D.C. police department and sending in 800 National Guard troops. It’s a repeat of Los Angeles—meant to stir up fear. The bright spot was seeing several Substack writers I follow reporting right from the D.C. streets. It actually looked like a beautiful day there.

For those who are worried about crime in America (and I am—anywhere), I encourage you to look at the facts. This regime distorts crime statistics to serve its own interests, making people think the streets are unsafe, when in reality, crime in 2024 was down. My advice: question what you hear, no matter which side is talking.

We cannot bury our heads in the sand; however, we do need to see good news as well so I am sharing Jess Craven's list from yesterday (remember you can click on the red to go to the source and read more):

Celebrate This! 🎉

Texas Republicans were blocked from passing their new redistricting plan—at least for now—after dozens of Democrats left the state in protest.

In a huge victory for solar power, the California Supreme Court unanimously ruled that state regulators were given undue deference in deciding to roll back rooftop solar credits for homeowners, reversing an appeals court ruling that upheld the regulators' decision.

The National Weather Service will hire back 450 meteorologists, hydrologists, and radar technicians, months after being hit by DOGE-related staffing cuts.

A first-of-its-kind city-funded shelter for trans and gender non-conforming people experiencing homelessness has opened in New York City. Located in Long Island City, the shelter is managed by LGBTQIA+ non-profit Destination Tomorrow and is named Ace’s Place, in honor of the founder’s late mother.⁠

The Third District Court of Appeals in Miami, FL upheld an earlier ruling by a Miami-Dade Circuit Court Judge declaring that the city of Miami had no legal authority to postpone its November election until 2026 without voter approval.

King County, WA passed a ballot measure to renew a fund that expands parks and wild spaces.

Rhode Island Democrat Stefano Famiglietti won a landslide victory in his Senate District 4 race, winning over 80% of the vote – a 56-point greater margin than the top of the ticket’s victory in this district in November 2024.

In Delaware Democrat Alonna Berry defeated GOP nominee Nikki Miller in a special election for a state house seat.

ICE officers are no longer allowed to identify themselves as local police or use deceptive tactics during home arrests in Southern California, following a court-approved settlement reached in a class action lawsuit.

A federal judge has thrown out a defamation lawsuit filed by Devin Nunes—former congressman and current CEO of Trump Media—against NBC Universal over a comment made by MSNBC host Rachel Maddow.

The House Oversight Committee has officially issued the Epstein files subpoena. The Trump DOJ must now release the files by August 19.

A federal judge blocked the Trump administration from reallocating $4 billion meant to help communities protect against natural disasters.

The Gates Foundation announced a new $2.5 billion commitment meant “to accelerate research and development focused exclusively on women’s health.”

A philanthropist gave 500 free bikes to youth in Milwaukee to help them bike to school and around their community.

Jen Pawol became the first woman to umpire in Major League Baseball this weekend when she worked games between the Miami Marlins and Atlanta Braves.

A federal judge said the construction of “Alligator Alcatraz” in Florida must stop for 14 days while she considers arguments that building and operating the immigration detention facility would harm the environment.

Global fur production has collapsed.

Overall crime in the U.S. declined last year, with both violent and property crimes reaching their lowest levels in years.

ICE released Purdue University student Yeonsoo Go, who was abruptly arrested after leaving her visa hearing last week and then detained in Louisiana.

A new law in Illinois will require all public schools to offer third- through 12th-grade students a free, optional mental health screening once a year.

Arrests by U.S. immigration agents dropped by nearly 20% in July.

Missouri is building a nearly 300-mile-long butterfly trail to attract monarchs and tourism.

The Long Beach Public Library is opening up its e-book library so teens from other states can read banned books.

The leading professional association for gynecologists is cutting financial ties with the federal government rather than adhere to Trump administration policies that it says prevent it from providing evidence-based guidance.

Volunteers in South Carolina are building and installing hundreds of manufactured reefs to restore Kiawah Island’s coastline. One of the area’s “most critical ecosystems,” the watershed marsh provides a buffer to storm surges and increased tides, a habitat for marine life, and water filtration.

​Online bookselling platform Bookshop.org saw 65% growth in the first six months of 2025.

The U.S. Department of Defense said it will continue sharing key satellite data for hurricane forecasts, reversing its original plans to stop providing it by the end of July.

A new Gallup poll released this week finds more Americans identify as Democrats or independents who lean toward the Democratic Party (46%) than Republicans or Republican-leaners (43%). This is a 3 point increase since the beginning of the year.

DuPont and two other companies will settle environmental claims concerning PFAS, commonly referred to as "forever chemicals," and pay New Jersey up to $2 billion. It’s the largest settlement of its kind in the state’s history.

Immigration arrest rates in California are far below the rates of arrests in red states. The Los Angeles Times attributes this to sanctuary laws, community resistance, and rapid response networks. Obviously these rates are still way too high, but nice work keeping them lower than they would otherwise have been, CA!

As the Trump administration ends 988 crisis line support for LGBTQ+ individuals, members of a Michigan-based nonprofit are stepping in, offering support and resources to trans youth and their family members with a revamped hotline run by parents with trans children.

New research reveals that three East African fig tree species have the unusual ability to create and store calcium carbonate—sequestering carbon by essentially turning into stone in their branches, trunk, root systems, and even their leaves.

A new report has shown that local climate activism leads to ‘remarkable’ gains.

The Trump administration wants to eliminate the Energy Star program, but an “unlikely coalition” of bakers, builders, hot tub lobbyists, and chemical companies are trying to save it.

A new report shows that pediatric asthma ER visits dropped 40 percent after a coal processing plant near Pittsburgh closed down.

A federal judge ruled that Rhode Island’s gun permit system, which requires residents to show “a need” to openly carry a firearm throughout the state, does not violate the Second Amendment.

A judge has blocked a recent Arkansas law requiring a copy of the Ten Commandments be hung in all public schools and buildings.

After organizing by Faith in Action Bay Area, San Francisco will now allow homeless families extensions to remain in shelters after just 90 days – giving families more time to stabilize and rebuild.

Brazil’s Supreme Court ordered former President Jair Bolsonaro to be placed on house arrest for the remainder of his ongoing trial.

Rep. Mike Flood faced a barrage of criticism at a packed town hall in Lincoln, Nebraska, Monday evening as audience members repeatedly confronted him over his support for Trump’s “big, beautiful bill,” immigration policy and what they described as threats to democracy.

Penske Truck Rental released a statement condemning the Department of Homeland Security for using its trucks in Los Angeles immigration raids.

The Tucson city council voted unanimously against bringing the massive and water-devouring Project Blue data center — tied to tech giant Amazon — into city limits.

Geoff Duncan, who served as Lieutenant Governor of Georgia from 2019 to 2023 as a Republican, announced in an Op-Ed that he’s officially swapping sides to join the Democrats.

For the first time in the Culinary Union’s 90-year history, all major casinos on the Vegas Strip are now unionized. Backed by 60,000 members, most of them in Las Vegas, it is now the largest labor union in Nevada.

The Trump admin is restoring full funding for a CDC program that provides grants to reduce and track drug overdoses, including fentanyl.

A hospital system in Central Ohio is upgrading the cameras used during forensic exams for survivors of sexual assault. This new technology can make exams faster, more precise, and less invasive.

The city of San Francisco is fast-tracking an all-electric standard for major renovations.

Secretary of Education Linda McMahon was interrupted in the middle of a talk to the conservative Young America's Foundation by audio of someone calling her a "corrupt billionaire" and another clip of circus music.

“South Park” took on Trump’s immigration raids and poked fun at Kristi Noem’s “ICE Barbie” persona in the show’s second episode of the season.

Democrats in Texas, in blue governors’ seats, and even in DC are showing a renewed grit, spine, and fight. We are thrilled to see it!

Why I Can't Look Away

These days, anyone paying attention knows that history and science are being rewritten by people with an agenda. In the name of wiping out “woke” and anything they view as DEI, the sycophants hired by the current regime are not only dismantling democracy, but also working to instill fear in the average citizen.

Some folks deal with this constant bombardment of bad news by tuning out altogether. I understand that. Sometimes, for mental health, stepping back is necessary. But as a grandmother with a cause—because I want my grandchildren, and everyone else’s, to have a chance at a better future—I can’t look away for long.

Some things still mystify me:

• How can anyone with a science background support a regime that allows a climate report to be altered by a non-scientist who’s connected to the very industry that stands to profit from the change? (Guardian article)

• How is it justifiable for the Secretary of Defense to change retirement policy so that transgender service members with 15–18 years of service lose early retirement benefits? If they’ve served honorably, why should they be treated differently? (AP News article)

• Why is it acceptable for a high-ranking official to amplify the view that women should not have the right to vote? Pete Hegseth recently posted a clip of Christian Nationalist Doug Wilson making that argument, captioning it with: “All of Christ for All of Life.” (Guardian article)

Since January, this regime has also removed women, people of color, and LGBTQI+ individuals from federal websites. (NPR article) After public outcry, some pages were restored, but much has been lost. Thankfully, a group of librarians is working to preserve the deleted or altered information. Their progress is documented through American University’s data rescue project.

I know these examples are just a fraction of what’s happening, but they matter. Looking away might be easier, but history shows us that silence only helps those who seek to control the narrative. For my grandchildren’s sake—and for the sake of truth—I will keep paying attention.