Tulsi Gabbard burying whistleblower complaints, Sen. Ron Wyden sending a cryptic and very public letter to the CIA director about 'CIA activities' ... not good!
Update from the Batcave, aka the Little House on the Slough:
Mrs. Hero and I are still coughing up a storm, exhausted, aching, and altogether feel like, as she said "something the cat barfed up and the dog wouldn't look at". When chicken soup is the only thing that sounds good to eat...we had to inform the kids and grands that, due to circumstances beyond our control, we cannot adult at this particular time.
So naturally, Middle Lad texts me for help for his math. Fortunately, I algebra like most of us breathe (can we use 'algebra' as a verb? Screw it, I am.), so it only took one (long) return text to solve his issues.
This illness feels like when your sportsball team is on a long losing streak...it feels like your team will never win again, even though you know it. Same here--I know I'ma be healthy again someday, but it sure feels sometimes Like I'm gonna die (many years from now) in this condition.
So Hillz 'n' Billz will be testifying on camera about Epstein. Whar President Moron? Oh, riiiiiight...
And even though prolly it won't happen, I so wanna see the entire state of Minnesota get the Nobel Peace Prize, if only to make President Moron's head go full Scanners.
Btw, Wonkette needs a Dark Mode. My eyes are bleary enough as it is without being snowblind from all the white space. Just saying.
I don't have much to share tonight, so here's Garrett Graff at ๐๐ฐ๐ต๐ฉ๐ฆ๐ณ ๐๐ฐ๐ฏ๐ฆ๐ด with a REALLY deep dive into the problems at DHS and ICE:
"On Friday, I testified in front of Governor J.B. Pritzkerโs โIllinois Accountability Commission,โ the state government body he set up after the Trump administrationโs โOperation Midway Blitzโ attack on Chicago last summer and the precursor of the even larger federal occupation of Minneapolis that weโre experiencing now. The bodyโs goal is to both document what happened to Chicago, with an eye on future prosecutions, understand the role of various Trump officials in this federal occupation, and offer recommendations about how to fix immigration enforcement going forward.
"I was called as the commissionโs expert witness on the history of problems, corruption, and training within CBP and ICEโa story Iโve covered for more than a dozen years, as regular readers of this newsletter know. To prepare, I spent the last week re-reading and re-familiarizing myself with DHS scandals and waves of corruption and mismanagementโand found myself horrified anew.
(The article is basically a transcript of his testimony)
And maybe a poll tax and 'guess the beans in the jar'!
@realDonaldTrump:
"Americaโs Elections are Rigged, Stolen, and a Laughingstock all over the World. We are either going to fix them, or we wonโt have a Country any longer. I am asking all Republicans to fight for the following:
SAVE AMERICA ACT!
1. ALL VOTERS MUST SHOW VOTER ID (IDENTIFICATION!).
2. ALL VOTERS MUST SHOW PROOF OF UNITED STATES CITIZENSHIP TO REGISTER FOR VOTING.
3. NO MAIL-IN BALLOTS (EXCEPT FOR ILLNESS, DISABILITY, MILITARY, OR TRAVEL!)."
One bad thing about all this... whatever it is, is that the trump years wonโt let me imagine some dark plotting by brilliant psychopaths in a smoke filled room. No Dr. Strangeloves or mysterious supervillains. No cabals, no master plans to conquer the world.
Instead, we see the Oval Office, trump at his desk snoozing and crapping his pants while Stephen Miller plots how to make this thing work for aging bald white bros. Meanwhile Kristi Noem tries on different uniforms and more lip filler, while a few republican senators sweat in the background and whisper nervously about the midterms. Tulsi Gabbard texts her KGB handler for further instructions. JD Vance screams at the rest to keep this whole fucking thing quiet *or else* and is ignored. Pete Hegseth downs his fourth fifth as he staggers around the room blithering โthihs ish a job for a REAL warfarter!!!" A piece of gold painted crap falls from the celling and hits him in the head. He collapses to the floor and butt dials the whole thing to The Nation.
Going to Netflix instead of MSnow tonight, need a break. Found this really promising vehicle. Bill Murray and Adam Driver in a zombie movie, The Dead Don't Die.
I really like zombie movie, even bad ones. There's this specialty sub genre that I really like. Ice Nazi Zombies! There's actually quite a few of them out there.
Singer-songwriter and producer Nick Laird-Clowes of The Dream Academy is 69 years old today. Here's "The Edge Of Forever" which apparently was used in the soundtrack to Ferris Bueller's Day Off:
Boy, that was a big piece of shell still on the egg that I didn't notice until I put it in my mouth and chewed. And I mean big - did I even peel that son of a bitch at all?
Here's a thing that I found interesting, comparing the speed and efficacy of the authoritarian changes the Trump regime has undertaken to those taken by other authoritarian regimes. The hopeful news is, as always, that he and his people are incompetent.
From @TheAthletic: Reports have surfaced before the Winter Olympics that allege ski jumpers are injecting their penises with hyaluronic acid to fly farther. The World Anti-Doping Agency has vowed to investigate.
Update from the Batcave, aka the Little House on the Slough:
Mrs. Hero and I are still coughing up a storm, exhausted, aching, and altogether feel like, as she said "something the cat barfed up and the dog wouldn't look at". When chicken soup is the only thing that sounds good to eat...we had to inform the kids and grands that, due to circumstances beyond our control, we cannot adult at this particular time.
So naturally, Middle Lad texts me for help for his math. Fortunately, I algebra like most of us breathe (can we use 'algebra' as a verb? Screw it, I am.), so it only took one (long) return text to solve his issues.
This illness feels like when your sportsball team is on a long losing streak...it feels like your team will never win again, even though you know it. Same here--I know I'ma be healthy again someday, but it sure feels sometimes Like I'm gonna die (many years from now) in this condition.
So Hillz 'n' Billz will be testifying on camera about Epstein. Whar President Moron? Oh, riiiiiight...
And even though prolly it won't happen, I so wanna see the entire state of Minnesota get the Nobel Peace Prize, if only to make President Moron's head go full Scanners.
Btw, Wonkette needs a Dark Mode. My eyes are bleary enough as it is without being snowblind from all the white space. Just saying.
I don't have much to share tonight, so here's Garrett Graff at ๐๐ฐ๐ต๐ฉ๐ฆ๐ณ ๐๐ฐ๐ฏ๐ฆ๐ด with a REALLY deep dive into the problems at DHS and ICE:
๐ช๐ต๐ฎ๐ ๐๐ฒ๐บ๐ผ๐ฐ๐ฟ๐ฎ๐๐ ๐ก๐ฒ๐ฒ๐ฑ ๐๐ผ ๐๐ป๐ผ๐ ๐๐ผ ๐ง๐ฟ๐๐น๐ ๐ฅ๐ฒ๐ณ๐ผ๐ฟ๐บ ๐๐๐
https://www.motherjones.com/politics/2026/02/democrats-dhs-ice-reform-graff-cbp/
"On Friday, I testified in front of Governor J.B. Pritzkerโs โIllinois Accountability Commission,โ the state government body he set up after the Trump administrationโs โOperation Midway Blitzโ attack on Chicago last summer and the precursor of the even larger federal occupation of Minneapolis that weโre experiencing now. The bodyโs goal is to both document what happened to Chicago, with an eye on future prosecutions, understand the role of various Trump officials in this federal occupation, and offer recommendations about how to fix immigration enforcement going forward.
"I was called as the commissionโs expert witness on the history of problems, corruption, and training within CBP and ICEโa story Iโve covered for more than a dozen years, as regular readers of this newsletter know. To prepare, I spent the last week re-reading and re-familiarizing myself with DHS scandals and waves of corruption and mismanagementโand found myself horrified anew.
(The article is basically a transcript of his testimony)
Dissolve it, fire everyone, start from scratch
Let's start with sending the Border Patrol back to patrolling the border, mmmmkay?
Wanna see complete nirvana? What could be better than warm towels fresh outta the dryer.
https://substack.com/profile/439485293-holly/note/c-210580967
Warm radiator, next to blankie I sleep on, next to Mama (says Muffin boy) :-)
But very close!!
*chat soon, darling Holls baby*
Harry agrees!
I love it when the Bin Laden server surfaces from the deep.
๐ตUp from the depths
30 stories high ๐ถ
Breathing fire!
His head in the sky!๐ต
And maybe a poll tax and 'guess the beans in the jar'!
@realDonaldTrump:
"Americaโs Elections are Rigged, Stolen, and a Laughingstock all over the World. We are either going to fix them, or we wonโt have a Country any longer. I am asking all Republicans to fight for the following:
SAVE AMERICA ACT!
1. ALL VOTERS MUST SHOW VOTER ID (IDENTIFICATION!).
2. ALL VOTERS MUST SHOW PROOF OF UNITED STATES CITIZENSHIP TO REGISTER FOR VOTING.
3. NO MAIL-IN BALLOTS (EXCEPT FOR ILLNESS, DISABILITY, MILITARY, OR TRAVEL!)."
https://truthsocial.com/@realDonaldTrump/posts/116020521328279296
All polling places will be located on at least the tenth floor of buildings without elevators or escalators.
Police stations, jails, military bases, etc.
To be safe
Legislation faltering, big boy?
And we'll have troops at every polling station to arrest everyone we don't like to keep them from voting.
He may struggle to find enough all white troops.
Well, I'm white, and I'll be there watching his Very Special Army, and interfering with any of their interference. Pray for me...
One bad thing about all this... whatever it is, is that the trump years wonโt let me imagine some dark plotting by brilliant psychopaths in a smoke filled room. No Dr. Strangeloves or mysterious supervillains. No cabals, no master plans to conquer the world.
Instead, we see the Oval Office, trump at his desk snoozing and crapping his pants while Stephen Miller plots how to make this thing work for aging bald white bros. Meanwhile Kristi Noem tries on different uniforms and more lip filler, while a few republican senators sweat in the background and whisper nervously about the midterms. Tulsi Gabbard texts her KGB handler for further instructions. JD Vance screams at the rest to keep this whole fucking thing quiet *or else* and is ignored. Pete Hegseth downs his fourth fifth as he staggers around the room blithering โthihs ish a job for a REAL warfarter!!!" A piece of gold painted crap falls from the celling and hits him in the head. He collapses to the floor and butt dials the whole thing to The Nation.
And the nation says they trust Trump on the economy 46/42 over a generic Democrat in 2028.
And nobody in any of the news feeds mentions that Trump is not eligible to run again in 2028*.
*For now
And out in the open, too! What the fuck!
Long live the great kind Don Fernando!
https://youtu.be/Nyd1EJW8m0E?si=l3MPDUcO2YVyAe18
Viva el gran Re Don Fernando
con la Reyna Donn' Isabella!
Viva Spagna et la Castella.
Pien de gloria triumphando!
Oh, wait, that's NOT legendary TV host Don Francisco......
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Don_Francisco_(television_host)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YTdxoKwbL3s
Going to Netflix instead of MSnow tonight, need a break. Found this really promising vehicle. Bill Murray and Adam Driver in a zombie movie, The Dead Don't Die.
Found it and got it queued, great idea!
If you like zombie movies it is a fun and different take on the whole genre.
I really like zombie movie, even bad ones. There's this specialty sub genre that I really like. Ice Nazi Zombies! There's actually quite a few of them out there.
Singer-songwriter and producer Nick Laird-Clowes of The Dream Academy is 69 years old today. Here's "The Edge Of Forever" which apparently was used in the soundtrack to Ferris Bueller's Day Off:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DuvWq4NnTVo
And here's their hit from 1985, the lovely "Life In A Northern Town":
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RWMKAYRU9qE
Boy, that was a big piece of shell still on the egg that I didn't notice until I put it in my mouth and chewed. And I mean big - did I even peel that son of a bitch at all?
LOLOLOL!
Pay attention, fine bun bun!
Trump was part of the Epstein pipeline. There's plenty enough to prove it. There. I've said it...
Just finished dinner. Turkey meatballs in red sauce, air-fried green beans, salad.
A simple meal, but a simple prep and cleanup too.
I ordered myself and my son some phแป.
(Probably the hardest part of that, including cleanup, was just nowโtyping phแป.)
I splurged and bought some infused weed, %37, and just tried it out a half an hour ago. Just now coming to....
What is it infused with?
Hashish oil. The buds sparkle.
Don't let crows see it. They love shiny things.
That's the good shit. XD
Be putting my head through a process.
Here's a thing that I found interesting, comparing the speed and efficacy of the authoritarian changes the Trump regime has undertaken to those taken by other authoritarian regimes. The hopeful news is, as always, that he and his people are incompetent.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KLUCOSGtuR8
and we have not yet gotten to the self-sabotaging and other-sabotaging phase or the You're Fired stage - they are coming
Theyโve all been incompetent: see Mussolini.
And, actually, Hitler after the easy part of the war had passed.
Incompetent and easily sidetracked by the pettiest of bullshit.
Or even not so petty, like the Epstein files.
https://youtu.be/lkYnfu30q08?si=wC-R98Pj6ic3YBAn
Soave sia'l vento - Mozart
the divine Mozart
I swear I'm not making this up ๐ตโ๐ซ . . .
The New York Times @nytimes
From @TheAthletic: Reports have surfaced before the Winter Olympics that allege ski jumpers are injecting their penises with hyaluronic acid to fly farther. The World Anti-Doping Agency has vowed to investigate.
From nytimes.com
3:55 PM ยท Feb 5, 2026
https://xcancel.com/nytimes/status/2019515200613827039
Wouldn't it just be easier to leave their penises at home, like Congressmen ? . . .
"injecting their penises with hyaluronic acid to fly farther"
I'm not sure if I've ever seen a combination of words that made less sense to me.
Actual headline from way back: "Bush Needles Waffle House"..........
That was brought up on Wait WaitโฆDon't Tell Me last weekend:
https://www.instagram.com/reel/DUBYpAkkTzl/
RFK Jr looks up
Acid and penis don't belong in the same sentence.
Unless you're in a really terrible band.
I saw Acid Penis open for Soundgarden in 1991.
I played bass in Acid Penis from 1994 to 1999. Scarred me for life.
You did no such thing :)