02/15/24

Good morning! It’s Thursday, February 15th.

National I Want Butterscotch Day.

Not Butterscotch Day.

Just… I Want Butterscotch Day. What am I gonna do with it? Frankly, that’s none of your business. I just want it. K thanks.

And now, the news.

Shootings in America

-via NY Times (Kansas City) and Washington Post (D.C.)

We start how we start here in America, and how I have now started three episodes this week… with one dead and at least 24 injured in two separate shootings on Wednesday.

First, in Washington D.C., three officers were shot as they served as arrest warrant related to animal cruelty. The shooting prompted a nearly 13-hour standoff, which ended when the suspect surrendered and was arrested.

And then in Kansas City, at the Chief’s Super Bowl parade, one person was killed and at least 21 others were shot, though that number is changing and victims come forward, after shots rang out near Union Station.

Among those injured are, are of this recording, eleven kids. Nine of which were shot.

At a Super Bowl parade.

Three people have been detained but no motive, or responsible party, has been identified.

Wednesday marked the 45th day of the year, and this is the 49th mass shooting of the year.

Rep. Green Announces His Retirement

-via AP News

After spending months leading the investigation into Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas, Tennessee Republican House Rep announced Wednesday, the day after Mayorkas’ impeachment, that he’s gonna go ahead and get on outta here and not seek a fourth term.

I’ve done all I need. Gotten that historical impeachement through, for crimes that were for sure totally definitely real but I just don’t wanna tell you what they are. Anyway, very important. My work here is done.

What he actually said is: “Our country – and our Congress – is broken beyond most means of repair. I have come to realize our fight is not here within Washington, our fight is with Washington.”

Which is a wild thing for someone who just impeached someone for no reason to say. Because aren’t you, like, kind of part of the reason for the brokenness? Because of how you impeached someone for the high crime and misdemeanor of just thinking differently than you?

I mean, don’t get me wrong, this is a guy who calls being transgender, forgive me, a disease. So like… yeah. Go on. Get. But don’t make your excuse for leaving the thing you did.

Mark Green.

Hey man. I knew a Mark Green. He was an exceptional doctor. You, sir, don’t deserve to share the same name.

Senate Looks to Reject Mayorkas Impeachment Trial

-via NY Times

And then just a quick update on the Mayorkas impeachment. Senate leaders are hoping to make moves this month to reject the articles of impeachment on the Senate side. We’re still about two weeks out from the House presenting the Senate with the articles of impeachment, currently it’s expected that they’ll hand them over to the House on the 28th, but once they do, the Senate is hoping for a speedy trial.

We’ll see what’s what, when what’s what. You know?

Russia’s Space Race

-via Washington Post

And finally, apparently Russia is developing space-based military capabilities the officials, as well as members of the House Intelligence Committee, worry could damage critical intelligence or communications satellites with a nuclear weapon.

Which doesn’t sound great, obviously. Though I would also note that several lawmakers stressed that there is no imminent danger.

But it’s not great. Not the very best, most exciting thing to hear on a Thursday morning.

Sure seems like we should make sure that Ukraine gets that aid so that Putin doesn’t continue to take more and more power and then be like – oh yeah! Space too now also as well!

And that’s it. That’s the news.

I don’t know what to say. I don’t really know how to end an episode where it’s the third in a row where I had to start with news about a shooting. A shooting where at least eleven of the injured, nine of the shot, were kids. Kids. At a Super Bowl parade.

So I don’t know. I don’t know what to say that means anything. But just do me a favor, as we’re all out and about in the world, let’s just give putting like 5% extra good into the world a try.

And because of that… I’m proud of you.