Chicago's air quality today is just awful, due to smoke from Canadian wildfires. To the point that I'm going to wear a leftover COVID mask when I walk the dog. It will be a very short walk. I cannot imagine anyone doing hard physical work with this kid of air.

Dogs are the best. This is my beloved pup Gemma. A Chi/Terrier rescue, she's so lovable with her family, but thinks everyone else in the world intends to do us harm and she needs to defend us. Don't mess with Gemma!

Here's the REAL DEAL about the "deal" Trump just made with Iran.

Take a walk. Read a book. Work on my plastic airplane models like I did as a boy in the 70s. Do fantasy baseball research. Listen to a double album on vinyl with headphones (yes, after popping a gummy!)

This is what the US government demands of people who wish to enter the United States these days. - Social Media information for the past 5 years - Phone Numbers - E-mail addresses - Data of family members, e.g., places of residence, phone numbers - Fingerprint, iris scan, DNA

I laughed out loud when I saw this at breakfast this morning :-)

Hitler came to power with the support of 37% of his citizens. (He divided the opposition, so he still got the most votes, far short of a majority). All of the evil perpetrated by Nazis did not happen because German citizens were inherently evil. It's because too damn many of them were APATHETIC.

It's easy to feel helpless, but there are little things we can do so we can feel like we're doing SOMETHING to fight back. I just cancelled my Hilton Honors account (though I'll try to log in tomorrow to make sure they actually did it!!!).

The Trump regime hates being called Nazi's, but they keep using literal Nazi language. Here is an image of Kristi Noem. "One of ours, all of yours" was a Nazi policy made when an SS officer was killed in a Czech Village and then the Nazis killed every single resident of that village as retribution

Luckovich is a national treasure. Reminds me of this:

The Weiner's Circle is an iconic Chicago Hot Dog stand, famous for their foul-mouthed staff and clever anti-Trump messaging on their signage. And today, here is their "costume" for Halloween!

I've found that acts of kindness towards strangers - workers at a Guatemalan restaurant, a homeless woman, buskers at an airport - have *really* made a huge difference in my spirits. I cannot stop ICE single-handedly, but I can make a difference in someone's life for one day.

My "Moment of Zen" for the day: I was watering our front lawn this morning and was about to shut off the sprinkler, when I noticed that a bunch of sparrows seemed to REALLY be enjoying taking a shower!

Happening today at an ICE facility in Chicago. "Federal Agents Tear Gas, Detain Protesters Outside Broadview ICE Facility" This seems like it could become iconic, read the sign.

GODAMMIT, NO, @apnews.com!!! Ghislaine Maxwell, is a CONVICTED SEX TRAFFICKER!! Not "Epstein's ex-girlfriend." *****CONVICTED SEX TRAFFICKER*****

We’re doing a thing: To all professionals (and retirees) in the film, television, theatre, entertainment & arts world, join the challenge to post a photo of you in your job. Just a pic, no description. The goal is to flood social media with our profession. Copy the text and post a pic on YOUR page.

I made an "All-American" dinner for the 4th: German brats on the grill, sauerkraut and beer, Polish pierogi (Chicago has more Poles than any city in Poland aside from Krakow), and French mustard. One of the very best things about America is our vast diversity.

The State of the Nation, July 4th, 2025.

Senate Parliamentarian (rules enforcer) Elizabeth MacDonough is a stone cold hero! Due to the BRIBE intended for Sen. Murkowski (AK), now the GOP needs 60 votes to pass the BBB. You just know she's going to be threatened, yet she did it anyhow - THAT is courage. www.propublica.org/article/geor...

Glad I didn't throw this away from 2018 - tragic that it's still relevant today.

Oh c'mon @angrystaffer.bsky.social - the Gripen should be at the top of that list! Isn't it incredible how a tiny nation like Sweden (pop. 10.5 million, 1/4 of Canada!) can make such an effective plane? And they've been doing it since the end of WWII. Here is a kit I built of the 1950s SAAB Draken.

The paywall remover, check out the front page:

I am thrilled to share that I have received THREE nominations in the 2025 Reed Awards for Political VO, one of them being "Voiceover Artist of the Year!" I want to express my gratitude to the amazing folks at Celia Siegel Management, Blue Wave Voiceover, and Brandon Perry I Audio Engineer.

Here's a great idea! See below for a source for stickers.

HANG ON. You're implying that another one of Trump's cabinet picks is CORRUPT and COMPRIMISED? This is my not-shocked face

Well, if Panda Express says so...