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A history teacher and an engineer walk into a bar…ouch! Except there isn’t a bar. But there are dad jokes. And whiskey. Two guys who know a few things, have been around a few blocks, and a few cocktails, discuss politics, science, history, technology, and the planet Earth. They also warp through rabbit holes in both the Federation and the Galactic Empire, and toast the ashes of the Twelve Colonies. And did I mention dad jokes? Yeah. Grab a drink, pull up a chair, and join us for Civics on the Rocks.
Episodes
Monday Mar 24, 2025
Monday Mar 10, 2025
Monday Mar 10, 2025
Okay, so it’s not our best show title, but you get what it’s about don’t you? Yep, we’re jumping headfirst into the chaos machine. Won’t you join us?
REFERENCES
There have recently been a whole bunch of executive orders:
Federal Register. “2025 Donald J. Trump Executive Orders.” National Archive. https://www.federalregister.gov/presidential-documents/executive-orders/donald-trump/2025
If you didn’t get the weather map joke:
Stracqualursi, Veronica. “Washington Post: Trump Was the One Who Altered Dorian Trajectory Map With Sharpie.” September 6, 2019. CNN. https://www.cnn.com/2019/09/06/politics/trump-sharpie-hurricane-dorian-alabama/index.html
They began numbering the executive orders after the Federal Register Act was passed:
McKinney, Richarch J. “A Research Guide to the Federal Register and the Code of Federal Regulations.” September 16, 2019. Law Librarians’ Society of Washington, DC. https://www.llsdc.org/fr-cfr-research-guide
The first president to issue an executive order was George Washington:
Statutes and Stories. “George Washington’s First Executive Order.” February 1, 2021. https://www.statutesandstories.com/blog_html/george-washingtons-first-executive-order/
Powers and duties under Article II:
Constitution Annotated. “ArtII.1 Overview of Article II, Executive Branch.” https://constitution.congress.gov/browse/essay/artII-1/ALDE_00000243/
When Biden issued an executive order saying that the Equal Rights Amendment was properly ratified and is part of the Constitution:
Megerian, Chris; Superville, Darlene; and Savage, Claire. “Biden Says the Equal Rights Amendment Should Be Considered Ratified.” January 19, 2025. AP News. https://apnews.com/article/joe-biden-equal-rights-amendment-era-16b554dfe913797a52f894b72684bc45
The archivist of the United States was just fired by the Trump administration:
Watson, Kathryn. “Trump Fires Archivist of the United States, Official Who Oversees Government Records.” February 7, 2025. CBS News. https://www.cbsnews.com/news/trump-fires-archivist-of-the-united-states-colleen-shogan/
In Trump’s first term, when the EPA issued the permit for the pipeline they initially rejected:
National Association of Counties. “Trump Administration Issues Executive Order Making It Harder for States to Block Oil and Gas Pipeline Projects.” April 16, 2019. https://www.naco.org/blog/trump-administration-issues-executive-order-making-it-harder-states-block-oil-and-gas-pipeline
Obama did not actually issue an executive order about marijuana but rather several guidance memoranda:
Lampe, Joanna R. “Does the President Have the Power to Legalize Marijuana?” [PDF]. Updated November 4, 2021. Congressional Research Service. http://crsreports.congress.gov/product/pdf/LSB/LSB10655
Trump made comments about DE&I policies being responsible for a plane crash while signing an executive order about air safety:
Associated Press. “Trump Signs Aviation Order to Assess ‘Damage’ Done to Air Safety by Diversity Policies” [Video]. January 30, 2025. PBS News. https://www.pbs.org/newshour/politics/watch-trump-signs-aviation-order-to-assess-damage-done-to-air-safety-by-diversity-policies
The executive order Trump issued on birthright citizenship:
Oliphant, J. Baxter and Copeland, Joseph. “Trump’s Executive Order on Birthright Citizenship Draws More Disapproval Than Approval.” February 21, 2025. Pew Research Center. https://www.pewresearch.org/short-reads/2025/02/21/trumps-executive-order-on-birthright-citizenship-draws-more-disapproval-than-approval/
John McCain, he was born in the Panama Canal Zone:
Farley, Robert. “Was McCain Born in the USA?” May 12, 2008. Politifact. https://www.politifact.com/article/2008/may/12/born-usa/
Ted Cruz was born in Canada:
Siddiqui, Sabrina. “Where Was Ted Cruz Born and Does It Matter for His Presidential Bid?” January 12, 2016. The Guardian. https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2016/jan/12/where-was-ted-cruz-born-citizenship-presidential-debate
In case you don’t know who Mike Lee is and why Mack thinks he likes Ted Cruz:
Svitek, Patrick. “Mike Lee Gives Ted Cruz First U.S. Senate Endorsement.” March 10, 2016. The Texas Tribune. https://www.texastribune.org/2016/03/10/mike-lee-gives-cruz-first-us-senate-endorsement/
The Supreme Court that said he’s a king:
Delahunty, Robert and Yoo, John. “The Presidential immunity Decision.” October 7, 2024. Harvard Journal of Law & Public Policy. https://journals.law.harvard.edu/jlpp/the-presidential-immunity-decision-robert-delahunty-john-yoo/
What’s been happening with the USAID:
Knickmeyer, Ellen and Kinnard, Meg. “What USAID Does, and Why Trump and Musk Want to Get Rid of It.” February 4, 2025. AP News. https://apnews.com/article/usaid-foreign-aid-freeze-trump-peter-marocco-8253d7dda766df89e10390c1645e78aa
The firing of the FAA people:
Copp, Tara. “Some of the 400 Jobs That Were Cut at the FAA Helped Support Air Safety, A Union Says.” February 19, 2025. AP News. https://apnews.com/article/faa-firings-trump-doge-safety-airlines-27390c6a7aac58063652302df5a243d3
The Emancipation Proclamation was an executive order:
National Archives. “The Emancipation Proclamation.” Reviewed January 28, 2022. https://www.archives.gov/exhibits/featured-documents/emancipation-proclamation
If you aren’t familiar with the movie scene, here’s a transcript:
American Rhetoric. “Lincoln (2012).” https://www.americanrhetoric.com/MovieSpeeches/moviespeechlincoln13thamendmentdefense.htm
The Thirteenth Amendment:
Constitutional Annotated. “Thirteenth Amendment.” https://constitution.congress.gov/constitution/amendment-13/
An executive order from FDR in 1941:
National Archives. “Executive Order 8802: Prohibition of Discrimination in the Defense Industry (1941).” Reviewed June 25, 1941. https://www.archives.gov/milestone-documents/executive-order-8802
We referenced curfews. Here’s an interesting article about them:
Gainty, Caitjan. “Curfews Have a Dark History: No Wonder People Are Resisting Them in the Pandemic." February 2, 2022. King’s College London. https://www.kcl.ac.uk/curfews-have-a-dark-history-no-wonder-people-are-resisting-them-in-the-pandemic
Blackouts in World War II:
Wright Museum of World War II. “How the Home Front Became a Light During World War II Blackouts.” https://wrightmuseum.org/how-the-home-front-became-a-light-during-world-war-ii-blackouts/
Steve isn’t the only one phrasing it as a coup:
Stone, Peter. “‘This is a Coup’: Trump and Musk’s Purge is Cutting More Than Costs, Says Experts.” February 17, 2025. The Guardian. https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025/feb/17/trump-musk-government-cost-cutting-coup
The election of 2020 when Trump would not concede:
Freking, Kevin. “Trump Seems to Acknowledge Biden Win, But He Won’t Concede.” November 15, 2020. AP News. https://apnews.com/article/election-2020-joe-biden-donald-trump-elections-coronavirus-pandemic-f76f7c7c7182be4033151457ca81a9f7
And then he pardoned all of them:
Mangan, Dan. “Trump Draws Anger for Praising Police After He Pardoned Jan. 6 Rioters.” March 4, 2025. CNBC. https://www.cnbc.com/2025/03/04/trump-blasted-jan-6-capitol-riot-pardons-congress-police.html
One person who was getting a little pissed with having to comply with FAA regulations:
Federal Aviation Administration. “FAA Proposes $633,009 in Civil Penalties Against SpaceX.” September 17, 2024. https://www.faa.gov/newsroom/faa-proposes-633009-civil-penalties-against-spacex
Why some people can’t wait to get rid of OSHA:
Ducharme, Jamie. “What is OSHA and Why Do Some Republicans Want to Disband It?” February 6, 2015. Time. https://time.com/7213433/what-is-osha-republicans-disband/
The safety cages that Steve was talking about:
Braun, John. “Ladder Cages Are No Longer the Right Solution.” Simplified Safety. https://simplifiedsafety.com/blog/ladder-cages-are-no-longer-the-right-solution/
Anne was incorrect when she implied that the Trump administration had to roll back the firing of the inspectors general. That lawsuit is ongoing:
Whitehurst, Lindasy. “Government Watchdogs Fired by Trump Sue His Administration and Ask a Judge to Reinstate Them." February 12, 2025. AP News. https://apnews.com/article/watchdogs-trump-mass-firing-inspectors-general-5b4629fb34a168322bf61170286efb76
The division within the FBI that handles counterintelligence for foreign influence:
Dilanian, Ken. “Pam Bondi Ends FBI Effort to Combat Foreign Influence in U.S. Politics.” February 6, 2025. NBC News. https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/national-security/bondi-ends-fbi-effort-combat-foreign-influence-us-politics-rcna191012
In case you want to brush up on the concept of rule of law:
United States Courts. “Overview: Rule of Law.” https://www.uscourts.gov/educational-resources/educational-activities/overview-rule-law
Rob Roy, the first official podcast drink:
https://www.liquor.com/recipes/rob-roy/
There are a lot of drinks out there described as a London Fog. Mack gives his recipe in the show, but this recipe is pretty close to what we drank:
https://www.diffordsguide.com/cocktails/recipe/1186/london-fog
In case you are having trouble following along with Mack’s squirrel:
Tour Texas. “San Antonio Map.” https://www.tourtexas.com/texas-maps/interactive-map-san-antonio
The weekly column by Garret Graff that Steve mentioned:
Graff, Garrett M. “Doomsday Scenario” [Series]. https://www.doomsdayscenario.co/?fbclid=IwY2xjawI62eFleHRuA2FlbQIxMAABHfE4AwRIBQR7IabdTuQZ5jM_7DrGcp4Yn7-kSOrdEhWaAXIA7tPlVHks3g_aem_knprGJGfFdjUhEhpIapvZQ
A traditional gin and bitters:
https://www.thespruceeats.com/pink-gin-classic-cocktail-759332
Angostura Bitters are made in Trinidad and Tobago (a country in the Caribbean):
Angostura Bitters. “Our Story.” https://angosturabitters.com/our-story/
A much more accurate description of how Columbus Day came into being than Anne provided:
Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica. “Columbus Day.” Updated February 6, 2025. Britannica. https://www.britannica.com/topic/Columbus-Day
But seriously, Columbus was a jackass:
Lee, Alicia. “Why Cristopher Columbus Wasn’t the Hero We Learned About it School.” June 12, 2020. CNN. https://www.cnn.com/2020/06/12/us/christopher-columbus-slavery-disease-trnd/index.html
There are so many executive orders and so many people fighting them, it’s hard to keep track, but here is one forum that is doing their darndest:
Just Security. “Litigation Tracker: Legal Challenges to Trump Administration Actions.” https://www.justsecurity.org/107087/tracker-litigation-legal-challenges-trump-administration/
One of the executive orders that was rolled back within 24 hours:
Copp, Tara and Izaguirre, Anthony. “Trump Administration Tries to Bring Back Fired Nuclear Weapons Workers in DOGE Reversal.” February 16, 2025. AP News. https://apnews.com/article/nuclear-doge-firings-trump-federal-916e6819104f04f44c345b7dde4904d5
There was the hiring freeze of all these VA nurses:
Heckman, Jory. “VA Exempts 300,000 Health Care Positions From Governmentwide Hiring Freeze.” January 23, 2025. Federal News Network. https://federalnewsnetwork.com/hiring-retention/2025/01/va-exempts-300000-health-care-positions-from-governmentwide-hiring-freeze/
They cut spending to the Department of Public Transportation:
Roads & Bridges. “Trump Announces Executive Order on IIJA.” January 22, 2025. https://www.roadsbridges.com/funding/news/55262700/trump-announces-executive-order-on-iija
If you didn’t get the “big ball” reference, good for you. Please don’t read this explanation, it will just make you sad for the state of our country:
Kamp, Majlie de Puy. “Recording Reveals New Details on Controversial DOGE Employee.” February 22, 2025. CNN. https://www.cnn.com/2025/02/21/politics/doge-musk-edward-coristine-invs/index.html
If you are going to join a protest:
Human Rights Campaign. “Tips for Preparedness, Peaceful Protesting, and Safety.” https://www.hrc.org/resources/tips-for-preparedness-peaceful-protesting-and-safety
The people who did it the first time, all wrote books:
Five Books. “Resistance & Rebellion.” Updated February 6, 2025. https://fivebooks.com/books/resistance-revolution/
If you aren’t familiar with what Steve Bannon said:
Aitken, Peter. “Steve Bannon’s ‘Flood the Zone’ Strategy Explained Amid Trump Policy Blitz.” February 6, 2025. Newsweek. https://www.newsweek.com/steve-bannon-flood-zone-strategy-explained-trump-policy-blitz-2027482
And Regina George and the Plastics wore pink on Wednesdays in the movie Mean Girls. But you already knew that.
Monday Feb 24, 2025
Monday Feb 10, 2025
Monday Feb 10, 2025
Mack and Steve tackle the home state of Texas after a listener asked, what the heck is going on here? Spoilers: it’s vouchers.
References
Our capital is taller:
Texas State Preservation Board. “Capitol Myths and Legends.” https://tspb.texas.gov/prop/tc/tc-history/myths-legends/index.html
Back to the constitution of 1876:
Ericson, Joe E. & Wallace, Ernest. “Constitution of 1876.” Updated March 23, 2021. Texas State Historical Association. https://www.tshaonline.org/handbook/entries/constitution-of-1876
Learn about the Reconstruction period in Texas (a very racist time):
Moneyhon, Carl H. “Reconstruction.” August 25, 2023. Texas State Historical Association. https://www.tshaonline.org/handbook/entries/reconstruction
Learn about how often the Texas Legislature meets and for how long:
Legislative Reference Library of Texas. “Answers to Frequently Asked Questions About the Texas Legislature." https://lrl.texas.gov/geninfo/faq.cfm
Some of the state isn’t in Central:
TimeTemperature.com “Texas Time Zone – Texas Current Local Time – Daylight Saving Time.” https://www.timetemperature.com/tzus/texas_time_zone.shtml
Learn about special sessions:
Legislative Reference Library of Texas. “Frequently asked questions about special sessions.” https://lrl.texas.gov/sessions/specialsessions/FAQ.cfm
How Texas legislators are paid:
Ramsey, Ross. “Life of a Texas Lawmaker: Lousy Pay, Great Benefits.” April 13, 2012. The Texas Tribune. https://www.texastribune.org/2012/04/13/lousy-pay-great-benefits/
It stands for State of Texas Assessments of Academic Readiness:
Texas Education Agency. “STAAR.” https://www.texasassessment.gov/staar.html
Learn about when the STAAR went to 15 end-of-course assessments and back again:
Texas Education Agency. “Historical Overview of Assessment in Texas [PDF].” https://tea.texas.gov/student-assessment/reports-and-studies/2012-tech-digest-chapter-1.pdf
The really, really big freeze in February ‘21:
National Centers for Environmental Information. “The Great Texas Freeze: February 11–20, 2021.” February 24, 2023. https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/news/great-texas-freeze-february-2021
Information about water facilities being required to operate in the event of a power outage:
Generator Source. “Texas Water Facilities Required to Have Backup Power.” May 11, 2022. https://www.generatorsource.com/blog/May-2022/Texas-Water-Facilities-Requiring-BackUp-Power.aspx
How Texas education ranks in the country:
Heckler, Amber. “Texas Flunks Out in New Ranking of America’s Best School Systems.” July 31, 2024. InnovationMap. https://houston.innovationmap.com/houston-business-networking-events-february-2671105140.html
Not all committee meetings are transcribed, but if they are, the transcriptions are now posted online:
Legislative Reference Library of Texas. “HB 2811, 77th R.S. additional sources.” https://lrl.texas.gov/legis/billsearch/JournalsEtc.cfm?legSession=77-0&billtypeDetail=HB&billNumberDetail=2811&billSuffixDetail=
Get to know the plural executive:
Regalado, Daniel M. “The Texas Plural Executive.” OER Commons. https://oercommons.org/courseware/lesson/26306/overview
Mack said ’76, but the constitutional convention was in 1974:
Barras, Mary Lucia & Houston, Daniel. “Constitutional Convention of 1974.” Updated September 11, 2019. Texas State Historical Association. https://www.tshaonline.org/handbook/entries/constitutional-convention-of-1974
Get to know Rick Perry:
Tikkanen, Amy & Pallardy, Richard. “Rick Perry.” Updated January 30, 2025. Britannica. https://www.britannica.com/biography/Rick-Perry
If not railroads, what does the Railroad Commission of Texas do:
Railroad Commission of Texas. “About Us.” https://www.rrc.texas.gov/
How long have Republicans been running things in Texas:
Ballotpedia. “Party Control of Texas state government.” https://ballotpedia.org/Party_control_of_Texas_state_government
The Democratic attorney general who was arrested was Dan Morales:
Ramsey, Ross. “Dan Morales Indicted.” March 10, 2003. The Texas Tribune. https://www.texastribune.org/2003/03/10/dan-morales-indicted/
Why Anne thought the billionaire using their money to influence Republican politics might be Koch:
Elliott, Philip. “Where the Koch Network Is Putting Their Money–Anywhere But Trump.” September 5, 2024. Time. https://time.com/7018266/trump-republicans-koch-network-2024/
But, no, there are other billionaires influencing politics in Texas. For instance, Tim Dunn:
Gold, Russel. “The Billionaire Bully Who Wants to Turn Texas Into a Christian Theocracy.” March 2024. Texas Monthly. https://www.texasmonthly.com/news-politics/billionaire-tim-dunn-runs-texas/
And the Wilks brothers:
Kofman, Ava. “A Pair of Billionaire Preachers Built the Most Powerful Political Machine in Texas. That’s Just the Start.” October 2, 2024. ProPublica. https://www.propublica.org/article/tim-dunn-farris-wilks-texas-christian-nationalism-dominionism-elections-voting
An update on school vouchers in Texas:
Heath, Keri. “Texas School Voucher Bill Arrives in House, Speaker Says Proposal Has Enough Support.” February 7, 2025. Austin American-Statesman. https://www.statesman.com/story/news/education/2025/02/07/school-choice-voucher-senate-bill-2-texas-house-dustin-burrows/78294683007/
It’s a ball of yarn (how Texas public schools are funded):
Raise Your Hand Texas. “School Finance 101.” https://www.raiseyourhandtexas.org/policy/school-funding/school-finance/
In the states that have had vouchers, it’s not very successful:
Walker, Tim. “‘No Accountability’: Vouchers Wreak Havoc on States.” February 2, 2024. National Education Association. https://www.nea.org/nea-today/all-news-articles/no-accountability-vouchers-wreak-havoc-states
In case you don’t know what Mack meant by “No Child Left Behind”:
Nolen, Jeannette L. & Duignan, Brian. “No Child Left Behind.” Updated January 22, 2025. Britannica. https://www.britannica.com/topic/No-Child-Left-Behind-Act
The person who was finally chosen as speaker of the Texas house:
Barragán, James & Scherer, Jasper. “Reb. Dustin Burrows Voted Texas House Speaker in Blow to Insurgent GOP Movement.” January 14, 2025. The Texas Tribune. https://www.texastribune.org/2025/01/14/dustin-burrows-david-cook-texas-house-speaker-vote/
Apparently, Tim Dunn did tell Joe Strauss to his face that he didn’t think that someone who was Jewish should be Texas speaker of the house:
Scherer, Jasper & Downen, Robert. “Former Texas House Speaker Says GOP Megadonor Tim Dunn Told Him Only Christians Should Hold Leadership Positions.” April 4, 2024. The Texas Tribune. https://www.texastribune.org/2024/04/04/tim-dunn-joe-straus-christian-texas/
The latest on Governor Abbott deploying the national guard:
Office of the Texas Governor. “Governor Abbott Directs Texas Military To Coordinate With Trump Administration [Press Release].” January 27, 2025. https://gov.texas.gov/news/post/governor-abbott-directs-texas-military-to-coordinate-with-trump-administration
Texas is sitting on tens of billions of dollars of surplus:
Adkison, Michael. “Texas Has a $24 Billion Surplus. Here’s Where Lawmakers Want to Spend That.” January 13, 2025. CBS Austin. https://cbsaustin.com/news/local/texas-has-a-24-billion-surplus-heres-where-lawmakers-want-to-spend-that
The governor is currently looking for reimbursement from the feds for the money the state has spent on troops on the border:
Runnels, Ayden. “Greg Abbott Seeks $11 Billion in Federal Reimbursements for Border Security.” January 23, 2025. The Texas Tribune. https://www.texastribune.org/2025/01/23/greg-abbott-border-security-11-billion-reimbursement/
A little bit about buoys:
Guo, Kayla. “Texas’ Floating Barrier in the Rio Grande Can Stay For Now, Appeals Court Says.” July 30, 2024. The Texas Tribune. https://www.texastribune.org/2024/07/30/texas-floating-barrier-rio-grande-court-ruling/
A little bit about that park in Eagle Pass:
García, Uriel J. “In Eagle Pass, A Tense Border Standoff Between Texas and the Federal Government is Reaching a Crescendo.” January 22, 2024. The Texas Tribune. https://www.texastribune.org/2024/01/22/texas-border-patrol-immigration-enforcement-eagle-pass-park/
There’s a lot of information about immigration out there and what constitutes a crisis. Here’s just one article for your consideration:
Gramlich, John. “Migrant Encounters at U.S.-Mexico Border Have Fallen Sharply in 2024.” October 1, 2024. Pew Research Center. https://www.pewresearch.org/short-reads/2024/10/01/migrant-encounters-at-u-s-mexico-border-have-fallen-sharply-in-2024/
An update on Venezuelans immigrating to the U.S.:
Allen, Greg. “‘Beyond Betrayal.’ Venezuelans in Florida Are Angry at Trump Immigration Policy.” February 4, 2025. NPR. https://www.npr.org/2025/02/04/nx-s1-5285470/venezuelans-florida-tps-immigration-trump
Pink gin:
https://www.thespruceeats.com/pink-gin-classic-cocktail-759332
Negroni sbagliato:
If you, too, are old and/or uninformed about pop culture type things, here’s the whole backstory with a meme:
Mack, David. “Negroni. Sbagliato. With Prosecco In It.” October 10, 2022. BuzzFeed. https://www.buzzfeednews.com/article/davidmack/negroni-sbagliato-prosecco?fbclid=IwY2xjawITLv9leHRuA2FlbQIxMAABHSGR73MBuO3Q_5eoqWDdMOTxTPxViHoLDB-qIZbjgFOcC7JTQkW8Du2ftg_aem_GSsekaQ1_sTOYH0q760jFQ
If you have an engineer, math geek, or Mack in your life:
A supreme court case from 1952:
Oyez. “Youngstown Sheet & Tube Company v. Sawyer.” https://www.oyez.org/cases/1940-1955/343us579
As in creators of steel:
Steelers. “The History of the Steelers Logo.” https://www.steelers.com/museum/content/text-logo-history
Secretary Sawyer seized the steel mills (but not by the seashore):
Legal Information Institute. “Youngstown Sheet & Tube Co. v. Sawyer (1952).” https://www.law.cornell.edu/wex/youngstown_sheet_tube_co._v._sawyer_(1952)
Get to know Robert H. Jackson:
Editors of the Encyclopaedia Britannica. “Robert H. Jackson.” Updated October 5, 2024. https://www.britannica.com/biography/Robert-H-Jackson
Not the Twilight Zone:
Constitution Annotated. “ArtII.S1.C1.5 The President's Powers and Youngstown Framework.” https://constitution.congress.gov/browse/essay/artII-S1-C1-5/ALDE_00013794/
Not the zone of twilight:
IMDB. “The Twilight Zone.” https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0052520/
What’s an executive order:
Administration for Strategic Preparedness & Response. “Executive Orders.” https://aspr.hhs.gov/S3/Pages/Executive-Orders.aspx
Mack said it fast, but “unity of the executive” is an idea based on something Alexandar Hamilton wrote:
Bill of Rights Institute. “Federalist 70.” https://billofrightsinstitute.org/primary-sources/federalist-no-70
The Quran is the original source for the threads aphorism. It was used to describe when people could participate in certain activities during holy days:
Quran.com. “Eating, Drinking, and Sexual Intercourse are Allowed During the Nights of Ramadan.” https://quran.com/en/al-baqarah/187/tafsirs
More twilight than a Stephanie Meyers book series:
Bikos, Konstantin & Kher, Aparna. “Twilight, Dawn, and Dusk.” Time and Date. https://www.timeanddate.com/astronomy/different-types-twilight.html
The Sun spans half a degree in the sky:
Temming, Maria. “How Big is the Sun?” July 15, 2014. Sky & Telescope. https://skyandtelescope.org/astronomy-resources/how-big-is-the-sun
Why sailors are whistling at manatees:
Fairclough, Caty. “From Mermaids to Manatees: the Myth and the Reality.” March 2014. Smithsonian. https://ocean.si.edu/ocean-life/marine-mammals/mermaids-manatees-myth-and-reality
Boulevardier:
https://www.liquor.com/recipes/boulevardier/
Why does toothpaste change the taste of orange juice:
BBC Science Focus. “Why Does Toothpaste Make Everything Taste Horrible?” https://www.sciencefocus.com/the-human-body/why-does-toothpaste-make-everything-taste-horrible
In case you were thinking about your own tea and marmalade journey:
Taylor, Rupert. “Marmalade: The Bitter Truth.” January 5, 2025. Delishably. https://delishably.com/sauces-preserves/Marmalade-The-Bitter-Truth
If you want to stay informed on what’s happening in the latest session of the Texas legislature:
The Texas Tribune. “Texas Legislature 2025.” https://www.texastribune.org/series/texas-legislature-2025/?utm_source=articleshare&utm_medium=social
Yep, there were almost fisticuffs on the floor of the Texas House:
Texas Tribune Staff. “Video: Lawmakers Fight in the Texas House Amid Immigration Protests.” May 29, 2017. The Texas Tribune. https://www.texastribune.org/2017/05/29/watch-fight-erupted-texas-house-floor-amid-immigration-protests/
John Cornyn, along with several other senators, will be running for reelection in 2026:
United States Senate. “Class II – Senators Whose Terms of Service Expire in 2027.” https://www.senate.gov/senators/Class_II.htm
#NoNameWeirdos Challenge:
If you are providing educational or informative content, please provide accurate and thorough information. If you are venting, ranting, or mocking, consider doing so without using the egomaniacs’ names, words, or pictures. Don’t give them the satisfaction of free publicity. They hate it when they aren’t the center of attention, so we challenge you to protest creatively.
And “red shirt” is a reference to Star Trek. But you already knew that.
Monday Jan 20, 2025
Monday Jan 06, 2025
Monday Jan 06, 2025
Mack and Steve discuss the government worker bees who don’t serve at the pleasure of the
president, and how the new administration wants to change that under the auspices of 2025.
Also, there may be a UFO flap. Stay tuned!
REFERENCES
What’s the civil service?
Page, Edward C. & Bridges, Edward. “Civil Service.” Updated December 15, 2024. Britannica. https://www.britannica.com/topic/civil-service
Let’s talk about the Pendleton Act:
National Archives. “Pendleton Act (1883).” Reviewed February 8, 2022. https://www.archives.gov/milestone-documents/pendleton-act
The problem with the spoils system:
Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica. “Spoils system.” March 28, 2024. Britannica. https://www.britannica.com/topic/spoils-system
The civil service in China:
Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica. “Chinese civil service.” May 12, 2020. Britannica. https://www.britannica.com/topic/Chinese-civil-service
How long did Imperial China last:
National Geographic. “Imperial China’s Dynasties.” https://education.nationalgeographic.org/resource/imperial-chinas-dynasties/
The Pendleton Act was named for Ohioan George Hunt Pendleton:
Biographical Directory of the United States Congress. “Pendleton, George Hunt.” https://bioguide.congress.gov/search/bio/p000203
It is indeed President Chester ALAN Arthur:
Historical Society of the New York Courts. “Chester Alan Arthur.” https://history.nycourts.gov/figure/chester-alan-arthur/
How many political appointees are there:
Center for Presidential Transition. “Presidential appointments are hard to track – and growing.” September 26, 2024. https://presidentialtransition.org/presidential-appointments-are-hard-to-track-and-growing/
Garfield, the president:
The White House. “James Garfield.” https://www.whitehouse.gov/about-the-white-house/presidents/james-garfield/
Garfield, the cat who likes lasagna:
Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica. “Garfield.” Updated November 5, 2024. Britannica. https://www.britannica.com/topic/Garfield
Who is Charles Guiteau and why did he kill a president:
Bellamy, Jay. “A Stalwart of Stalwarts.” 2016. National Archives. https://www.archives.gov/publications/prologue/2016/fall/guiteau
Ladies, gentlemen, and those not bound by the binary, Mr. Johnny Cash:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tuucpkMEFVM
A brief overview of Project 2025:
Wendling, Mike. “Project 2025: The right-wing wish list for another Trump presidency.” September 11, 2024. BBC. https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c977njnvq2do
If you want to get Project 2025 from the source:
The whole Schedule F thing:
Bednar, Nick. “A Primer on the Civil Service and the Trump Administration.” December 2, 2024. Lawfare. https://www.lawfaremedia.org/article/a-primer-on-the-civil-service-and-the-trump-administration
The removal power:
Constitution Annotated. “ArtII.S3.3.4 Removal Power as the President's Primary Means of Supervision.” https://constitution.congress.gov/browse/essay/artII-S3-3-4/ALDE_00000098/
Why Andrew Johnson was impeached, kind of, on a pretext:
PBS. “The Impeachment of Andrew Johnson.” https://www.pbs.org/wgbh/americanexperience/features/grant-impeachment/
Though regular employment law mostly applies to everybody, federal and state employees do have specific regulations regarding their jobs:
U.S. Department of Labor. “Summary of the Major Laws of the Department of Labor.” https://www.dol.gov/general/aboutdol/majorlaws
If you want to get to know some of those specific regulations:
Library of Congress. “Federal Civil Service Employment Law: A Beginner’s Guide.” https://guides.loc.gov/federal-civil-service-employment-law
Not technically civil service, the staff of congress:
Council on Foundations. “Roles of Congressional Staff Members.” https://cof.org/content/roles-congressional-staff-members
How do the budget allotments work for members of congress:
United States House of Representatives. “What is the Statement of Disbursements (SODs)?” https://www.house.gov/the-house-explained/open-government/statement-of-disbursements/frequently-asked-questions
Rep. Ocasio-Cortez’s approach to paying her staff:
Akin, Stephanie. “Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez’s call for a ‘living wage’ starts in her office.” February 22, 2019. Roll Call. https://rollcall.com/2019/02/22/alexandria-ocasio-cortezs-call-for-a-living-wage-starts-in-her-office/
Trump isn’t pretending anymore:
Slattery, Gram. “Project 2025: what is it and how is it connected to Trump?” December 19, 2024. Reuters. https://www.reuters.com/world/us/what-is-project-2025-how-is-it-connected-trump-2024-12-19/
Not familiar with the Heritage Foundation:
The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica. “Heritage Foundation.” Updated: December 5, 2024. https://www.britannica.com/topic/Heritage-Foundation
Or you could go to the source:
An opinion piece that discusses the idea of smaller government:
Janoff-Bulman, Ronnie. “The Myth of Limited Government.” Yale University Press. https://yalebooks.yale.edu/2023/04/28/the-myth-of-limited-government%EF%BF%BC/
National Weather Service:
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA):
Who does earthquakes:
For the show notes, we could find no reports that state that AccuWeather was more accurate than other weather forecasters except for ones that were published by AccuWeather themselves based on their own data. If you find one that is independent, please let us know.
Want to learn more about who owns AccuWeather and their claims about its accuracy?
Adams, Susan. “The Real Cloud Wars: The $6 Billion Battle Over The Future of Weather Forecasting.” June 24, 2019. https://www.forbes.com/sites/susanadams/2019/06/24/the-real-cloud-wars-the-6-billion-battle-over-the-future-of-weather-forecasting/
Just in case you were wondering, AccuWeather does acknowledge climate change:
AccuWeather. “Climate Change.” https://corporate.accuweather.com/resources/climate-change/
Is the National Weather Service not allowed to have an app:
Shepherd, Marshall. “Why Doesn’t the National Weather Service Have a Weather App?” August 13, 2019. Forbes. https://www.forbes.com/sites/marshallshepherd/2019/08/12/why-doesnt-the-national-weather-service-have-a-weather-app/
But the National Weather Service sure is trying hard:
https://www.weather.gov/lox/mobileSplash
NASA app:
https://www.nasa.gov/nasa-app/
National Park Service app:
https://www.nps.gov/subjects/digital/nps-apps.htm
Currently, you do not have to pay to file your taxes:
IRS. “Choose a trusted partner to file your taxes.” https://apps.irs.gov/app/freeFile/
The idea of the deep state:
Merriam-Webster. “Deep state.” https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/deep%20state
How pissed Trump was at Jeff Sessions:
BBC. “Trump fires Attorney General Jeff Sessions.” November 8, 2018. https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-46132348
Trump fired a few people by tweet:
Cillizza, Chris. “Donald Trump actually doesn’t like firing people in person.” Updated September 28, 2022. CNN. https://www.cnn.com/2022/09/28/politics/donald-trump-firing-twitter/index.html
It’s inspectorS general, not inspector generalS:
In case you didn’t get the Battlestar reference:
https://youtu.be/wQVgGOgYthg?si=P-CoBQOt2VzsYrEg
Technically, the first inspector general was Thomas Conway, but he was quickly replaced by the “Father of the Inspector General system” Baron Frederick William Augustus von Steuben:
Defense Intelligence Agency Office of the Inspector General. “History of the Defense Intelligence Agency’s Office of the Inspector General.” https://oig.dia.mil/About-Us/A-Brief-History/
Get to know the Baron:
American Battlefield Trust. “Baron von Steuben.” https://www.battlefields.org/learn/biographies/baron-von-steuben
And Mack was correct, Baron von Steuben became Inspector General in 1778 and the German Empire was founded in 1871:
Strauss, Gerald & Barkin, Kenneth. “Germany from 1871 to 1918.” Updated December 31, 2024. Britannica. https://www.britannica.com/place/Germany/Germany-from-1871-to-1918
Just in case your family isn’t from Prussia:
Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica. “Prussia.” October 28, 2024. Britannica. https://www.britannica.com/place/Prussia
Don’t know the joy of a Junior League Cookbook:
Campbell, Larrison. “My Mother’s Old Junior League Cookbooks Seemed Like a Retro Joke – Instead They Were Extemely Satisfying.” May 20, 2020. Vanity Fair. https://www.vanityfair.com/style/2020/05/retro-junior-league-cookbooks-reflect-motherhood?srsltid=AfmBOooQPOJX_3lCuCCmvHdLIo9847KS8XF3ieoMwNKEF7hNM6lCc_qh
Not Steve’s, but one version of a Hot Toddy:
https://www.liquor.com/recipes/hot-toddy/
Not Steve’s, but one version of a Wassail:
https://cookieandkate.com/wassail-cocktail/
Not Steve’s, but one version of Hot Buttered Rum:
https://wholefully.com/hot-buttered-rum-recipe/
The podcast that Steve is listening to:
“Next Comes What” by Andrea Pitzer
1,400 acres that Texas has just offered up:
Garcia, Berenice. “Texas offers Trump administrations more land and support for mass deportations." November 26, 2024. The Texas Tribune. https://www.texastribune.org/2024/11/26/texas-donald-trump-deportation-land-offer/
The podcast that Anne heard about:
“The Project 2025 Emergency Book Club Comedy Podcast Project” by Josh di Donato
Should the U.S. Post Office be privatized:
Katz, Eric. “USPS privatization again under consideration, Trump says.” December 16, 2024. Government Executive. https://www.govexec.com/management/2024/12/usps-privatization-again-under-consideration-trump-says/401705/
If you’re a jet geek too:
National Museum of the United States Air Force. “Lockheed F-94C Starfire.” https://www.nationalmuseum.af.mil/Visit/Museum-Exhibits/Fact-Sheets/Display/Article/198078/lockheed-f-94c-starfire/
The 1952 UFO Flap:
Sullivan, Missy. “In 1952, ‘Flying Saucers’ Over Washington Sent the Press Into a Frenzy.” Updated November 3, 2023. History.com. https://www.history.com/news/ufos-washington-dc-news-reports
If you somehow missed hearing about the alleged drones over New Jersey:
Collins, Dave. “Mystery drone sightings continue in New Jersey and across the US. Here’s what we know.” December 20, 2024. AP News. https://apnews.com/article/drones-new-jersey-what-to-know-e6f565f5d51d9d47ad140e7e7d131842
Yep, drones in Virginia too:
Barnes, Sophia. “’Deeply concerned’: Mystery drones seen in Virginia, governor says as lawmakers seek answers.” December 16, 2024. https://www.nbcwashington.com/news/local/deeply-concerned-mystery-drones-seen-in-virginia-governor-says-as-lawmakers-seek-answers/3792866/
We’re pretty sure they’re not from an Iranian mothership:
Debusmann, Jr., Bernd. “Mystery New Jersey drones not from Iranian ‘mothership’ – Pentagon.” December 12, 2024. BBC. https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/crrwz91wqd9o
It was the former Maryland Governor Larry Hogan who was taken aback by the constellation Orion:
Nguyen, Danny. “Those drones spotted from Maryland to New Jersey? No big deal, say feds.” December 15, 2024. The Baltimore Banner. https://www.thebaltimorebanner.com/community/local-news/drones-sightings-maryland-new-jersey-orbs-NK22G2FS5JCDVIIB2C3ZNJAIBI/
If you don’t know why Mack sounds like Jessie Ventura because you haven’t seen the X-Files episode “Jose Chung’s From Outer Space,” please watch it:
https://youtu.be/e1K5Y1ZOZw8?si=qDF9xt1ONmCGO7jD
Also, RIP Jimmy Carter and Alex Trebek.
And if, like Steve, you’re very defensive about Venus:
Byrd, Deborah. “Why is Venus so bright in our Earth’s sky?” September 17, 2023. EarthSky. https://earthsky.org/astronomy-essentials/why-is-venus-so-bright/
It’s not an actual book:
Kratz, Jessie. “Saucers Over Washington: the History of Project Blue Book.” National Archives. https://prologue.blogs.archives.gov/2019/12/19/saucers-over-washington-the-history-of-project-blue-book/
Á la coelacanth:
Smithsonian. “Coelacanth.” https://ocean.si.edu/ocean-life/fish/coelacanth
The Navy gun camera footage from a few years ago:
CNBC Television. “Watch the Pentagon’s three declassified UFO videos taken by U.S. Navy pilots.” April 28, 2020. https://youtu.be/rO_M0hLlJ-Q?si=Mvfm4PCTwb1bsEZg
Steve and Mack weren’t kidding about that distillery in Indiana:
Goldfarb, Aaron. “How Can Different Craft Whiskeys Come From One Big Distillery?” January 2, 2018. Whiskey Advocate. https://whiskyadvocate.com/different-craft-whiskey-mgp-distillery
A little about whiskey being made in Texas:
Gray, Kevin. “The Untold Story of Texas Whiskey’s Dramatic Past.” June 20, 2023. Inside Hook. https://www.insidehook.com/drinks/untold-story-texas-whiskeys-dramatic-past
The people in charge of DOGE:
Honderich, Holly. “What we know about Musk’s cost-cutting mission.” December 5, 2024. BBC. https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c23vkd57471o
The week where Elon Musk commanded the GOPs in Congress to tank the deal they had already negotiated for themselves…:
Matza, Max & Zurcher, Anthony. “US avoids government shutdown after days of political turmoil.” December 21, 2024. BBC. https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cqjzwq7pg0go
In case you don’t know who Sid Miller is:
https://texasagriculture.gov/About/Commissioner-Miller
Anne was incorrect when she characterized Matt Gaetz as a child molester. He’s a child rapist:
Lamber, Lisa. “Four revelations from the House ethics report on Matt Gaetz.” December 24, 2024. BBC. https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c0mvpmnm9gno
A clown car coalition:
Ingram, David. “Elon Musk accused of censoring conservatives on X who disagree with him about immigration.” December 27, 2024. NBC News. https://www.nbcnews.com/tech/social-media/elon-musk-accused-censoring-laura-loomer-maga-republicans-x-rcna185569
The reason why Texas school vouchers were killed:
Despart, Zach & Lopez, Brian. “Texas House votes to remove school vouchers from massive education bill.” November 16, 2023. The Texas Tribune. https://www.texastribune.org/2023/11/16/texas-house-school-vouchers/
And the guys were singing “Mah Na Mah Na” from the Muppets. But you already knew that.
Monday Dec 16, 2024
Monday Dec 16, 2024
Just in case you were wondering, yes, Mack has tried to tell you about this twice and it has been cut twice. Cheers!
Monday Dec 02, 2024
Monday Dec 02, 2024
Mack, Steve, and Anne hold a group therapy session after the election. Seriously, we recorded this two days after getting the news and the discussion runs the gamut of emotions. Mostly angry. There’s a lot of cussing. Nobody stayed on topic very well. Also, a dog was in the room with us and that got picked up by the mic. This isn’t our finest work. Feel free to skip this one and meet us back in the new year. Happy holidays. Be excellent to one another.
References
Some crazy-ass people burning ballots:
Boyette, Chris and Almasy, Steve. “Police are searching for a man they say set three fires at ballot drop boxes: Here’s what we know about the suspect.” Updated October 31, 2024. CNN. https://www.cnn.com/2024/10/31/us/ballot-box-fires-suspect-what-we-know/index.html
Russia calling in bomb threats:
FBI. “FBI Statement on Bomb Threats to Polling Locations.” November 5, 2024. https://www.fbi.gov/news/press-releases/fbi-statement-on-bomb-threats-to-polling-locations
Kamala Harris’ concession speech:
Time Staff. “Read Vice President Kamala Harris’ Full Concession Speech.” Updated Novemeber 7, 2024. Time. https://time.com/7173617/kamala-harris-concession-speech-full-transcript/
About the polls before the election:
Croucher, Shane. “Were 2024 Election Polls Wrong? Pollsters Give Verdicts.” Updated November 8, 2024. Newsweek. https://www.newsweek.com/were-2024-election-polls-wrong-pollsters-give-verdicts-1982170
On brand for Trump:
Hubbard, Kaia. “Trump says ‘whether the women like it or not, I’m going to protect them’ at Wisconsin rally.” Updated October 31, 2024. CBS News. https://www.cbsnews.com/news/trump-protecting-women-whether-they-like-it-or-not-wisconsin/
Trump mouthpieces:
Laws, Jasmine. “Fox News Host Says Wife Voting for Harris is the Same Thing as Having an Affair.” Updated November 1, 2024. Newsweek. https://www.newsweek.com/fox-news-host-says-wife-voting-harris-same-thing-affair-1977971
Yep, one of Trump’s campaign managers was a woman:
Miller, Zeke; Price, Michelle L.; and Colvin, Jill. “Trump names campaign manager Susie Wiles as next White House Chief of staff.” November 7, 2024. https://www.pbs.org/newshour/politics/trump-names-campaign-manager-susie-wiles-as-next-white-house-chief-of-staff
Exit poll data trends:
Montanaro, Domenico; Moore, Elena; McMillan, Nick; Hanzhang Jin, Connie; and Wood, Daniel. “In this election, demographics did not determine how people voted.” November 22, 2024. NPR. https://www.npr.org/2024/11/22/nx-s1-5199119/2024-election-exit-polls-demographics-black-latino-voters
Perceptions of economy:
Brenan, Megan. “Economy Most Important Issue to 2024 Presidential Vote.” October 9, 2024. https://news.gallup.com/poll/651719/economy-important-issue-2024-presidential-vote.aspx
The economy:
Bureau of Economic Analysis. “Gross Domestic Product, Third Quarter 2024 (Second Estimate) and Corporate Profits (Preliminary).” November 27, 2024. BEA.gov. https://www.bea.gov/news/2024/gross-domestic-product-third-quarter-2024-second-estimate-and-corporate-profits
When Trump talks about immigrants to the United States:
Vega, Cecilia. “Trump’s mass deportation plan for undocumented immigrants could cost billions a year.” October 27, 2024. 60 Minutes. https://www.cbsnews.com/news/trump-mass-deportation-plan-cost-consequences-60-minutes-transcript/
The most up-to-date numbers of voter turnout we could find before posting this episode:
Beaumont, Thomas; Sweedler, Maya; Kaufmann, Parker; and Lodhi, Humera. “Trump won about 2.5M more votes this year than he did in 2020: This is where he did it.” Updated November 26, 2024. AP News. https://apnews.com/article/trump-harris-swing-states-votes-79f4495b4a0d2039a0a92b5dbdceb7aa
No, the difference in number of voters does not mean there was voter fraud, on either side:
Czopeck, Madison. “Fact check: Trump’s 2024 win doesn’t prove claims that the 2020 election was stolen.” November 7, 2024. PBS. https://www.pbs.org/newshour/politics/fact-check-trumps-2024-win-doesnt-prove-claims-that-the-2020-election-was-stolen
The turnout, specifically, for younger men:
Anderson, Estelle. “CIRCLE releases preliminary findings about youth voting patterns in 2024 election.” November 20, 2024. The Tufts Daily. https://www.tuftsdaily.com/article/2024/11/circle-releases-preliminary-findings-about-youth-voting-patterns-in-2024-election
A story about San Antonio’s ongoing stance as a sanctuary city:
Drusch, Andrea. “Scarred by ‘sanctuary city’ law, San Antonio wants local police excluded from new border bills.” November 9, 2023. San Antonio Report. https://sanantonioreport.org/san-antonio-senate-bill-4-immigration-enforcement/
Our so-called governor shipping off immigrants to other states:
Strickler, Laura and Martinez, Didi. “Texas Gov. Greg Abbott vows to keep busing migrants north. One problem: Not enough migrants.” August 14, 2024. NBC News. https://www.nbcnews.com/investigations/texas-gov-greg-abbott-vows-keep-busing-migrants-north-one-problem-not-rcna166412
A slightly more objective view than Anne’s of the Texas Republican Party’s reaction to COVID-19:
Platoff, Emma. “A singular figure in Texas’ coronavirus response, Gov. Greg Abbott leads a state headed in an alarming direction.” July 11, 2020. The Texas Tribune. https://www.texastribune.org/2020/07/11/texas-greg-abbott-coronavirus-response/
Judge Wolff’s legacy:
San Antonio Report Staff. “On the eve of his retirement, a look back at Nelson Wolff’s half century of public service.” December 29, 2022. San Antonio Report. https://sanantonioreport.org/nelson-wolff-retirement-half-century-public-service/
IN 2026, EVERY HOUSE SEAT AND ONE-THIRD OF SENATE SEATS ARE UP FOR ELECTION:
USA.gov. “Congressional elections and midterm elections.” Updated August 21, 2024. https://www.usa.gov/midterm-elections
Since our recording, the chair of the Texas Democratic Party has indeed stepped down:
Scherer, Jasper. “Texas Democratic Party chair steps down after dismal election performance.” November 8, 2024. The Texas Tribune. https://www.texastribune.org/2024/11/08/texas-democrat-party-resigns-gilberto-hinojosa/
Legal groups you can support:
American Civil Liberties Union: https://www.aclu.org/
Southern Poverty Law Center: https://www.splcenter.org/
NAACP: https://naacp.org/
Western Environmental Law Center: https://westernlaw.org/
A little about sheriffs working with ICE during Trump's first term:
Cenziper, Debbie; Muller, Madson; Beals, Monique; Holland, Rebecca; and Ba Tran, Andrew. “Under Trump, ICE aggressively recruited sheriffs as partners to question and detain undocumented immigrants.” November 23, 2021. The Washinton Post. https://www.washingtonpost.com/investigations/interactive/2021/trump-ice-sheriffs-immigrants-287g/
One hate crime the day after the election:
Jimenez, Kayla; Carless, Will; Limehouse, Jonathan; Bischoff, Laura A.; and Benjamin II, Terry. “Black college students nationwide targeted in racist texts; investigations underway.” Updated November 9, 2024. USA Today. https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/elections/2024/11/07/racist-plantation-text-message/76112532007/
Learn about violence perpetrated against trans people:
“Specifically, Black transgender women, who face multiple layers of violence due to their gender identity, gender, and race, comprise 61% of all victims of fatal violence against transgender and gender-expansive people.”
Human Rights Campaign. “The Epidemic of Violence Against the Transgender and Gender-Expansive Community in the U.S.: The 2024 Report.” https://reports.hrc.org/an-epidemic-of-violence-2024
Learn about VPNs:
Stobing, Chris. “Why You Need a VPN, and How to Choose the Right One.” Updated October 25, 2024. PC Mag. https://www.pcmag.com/how-to/what-is-a-vpn-and-why-you-need-one
DuckDuckGo is a search engine:
https://duckduckgo.com/
If you don’t know what a brownshirt is:
Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica. “SA: Nazi organization.” Updated November 19, 2024. Britannica. https://www.britannica.com/topic/SA-Nazi-organization
“Rule of law” is an abstracted concept in some ways:
World Justice Project. “What is the Rule of Law?” https://worldjusticeproject.org/about-us/overview/what-rule-law
A little more complicated than fight or flight:
Guy-Evans, Olivia. “Fight, Flight, Freeze, or Fawn: How We Respond to Threats.” Updated on November 9, 2023. Simply Psychology. https://www.simplypsychology.org/fight-flight-freeze-fawn.html
A little bit about stress and the care response:
McGonigal, Kelly. “How to make stress your friend.” June 2013. TEDGlobal. https://www.ted.com/talks/kelly_mcgonigal_how_to_make_stress_your_friend?utm_campaign=tedspread&utm_medium=referral&utm_source=tedcomshare
A little about Portugal’s immigration laws:
Makan, Ajay. “How Portugal Quietly Became a Migration Hub.” May 21, 2022. Foreign Policy. https://foreignpolicy.com/2022/05/21/portugal-europe-migration-undocumented-work-residency-citizenship-south-asia/
If, like Anne, this is the first time you’ve witnessed a beveled vs. chamfered corners discussion:
Atlantic Stainless. “Bevel vs. Chamfer Edges: Differences and Applications Explored.” January 21, 2024. https://www.atlanticstainless.com/news/bevel-vs-chamfer-edges-differences-applications/
Monongalia County:
https://www.monongaliacounty.gov/
Monongahela River:
https://www.visitmountaineercountry.com/monongahela-river/
Satisfactory:
https://www.satisfactorygame.com/
The Menswear Guy
On X (née Twitter): DerekGuy@dieworkware
Or if you would prefer to never use X (née Twitter) again, he’s on Instagram: Derek Guy@die_workwear
The book is better:
Neil Gaiman and Terry Pratchett. Good Omens: The Nice and Accurate Prophecies of Agnes Nutter, Witch. (William Morrow Paperbacks, 2006).
And Serenity is a reference to the name of the ship in Firefly, a space western that lasted exactly one season. But you already knew that.