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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
4 days ago
Monday Apr 07, 2025
Monday Apr 07, 2025
We’re not just chatting about the weather. I mean, we are…but there is also social commentary and a bit of moral outrage. This episode is longer than most because we left in more of the silliness. It felt called for.
REFERENCES
A warning for a tornado outbreak:
National Weather Service. “Summary of Significant Severe Thunderstorm and Tornado Outbreak of March 14–15, 2025.” https://www.weather.gov/pah/Mar14-15_2025Severe
Footage of 18-wheelers getting blown off the road around Amarillo:
The Weather Channel. “Powerful Winds Flip Trucks, Cause Texas Pile-Ups” [YouTube video]. March 14, 025. https://youtu.be/r64Jn4F8lXU?si=zz1e1zIZje2kSkcN
The National Weather Service…
...it’s part of NOAA (National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration)…
…they are in the Department of Commerce:
In case you’re not that kind of engineer:
NOAA. “What is Bathymetry?” https://oceanservice.noaa.gov/facts/bathymetry.html
NOAA was created in 1970:
NOAA. “NOAA Heritage.” Updated October 24, 2024. https://www.noaa.gov/heritage
One of two uniformed services:
Vergun, David. “What’s in a Name? Demystifying the Collective Services.” March 18, 2019. U.S. Department of Defense. https://www.defense.gov/News/Feature-Stories/story/Article/1787716/whats-in-a-name-demystifying-the-collective-services/
NOAA has their own small fleet of ships that do things like soundings:
NOAA. “Ships of NOAA.” https://www.omao.noaa.gov/marine-operations/ships-noaa
Is that why we have a surgeon general?!
Hutchison, Floyd. “Surgeon General of the United States.” January 17, 2025. Britannica. https://www.britannica.com/topic/surgeon-general-of-the-United-States
Ships no floaty no more:
BoaterExam.com “Running Aground (Ship Grounding).” https://www.boaterexam.com/boating-resources/running-aground/
We shouldn’t overlook tsunami warnings:
National Weather Service. “Understanding Tsunami Alerts.” https://www.weather.gov/safety/tsunami-alerts
With apologies to Mack, it is, indeed, the U.S. Geological Survey:
National Weather Service originally started as part of the Army Signal Corp:
NOAA Library. “U.S. Army Signal Corps/Weather Bureau Annual Reports, 1861–1942.” https://library.noaa.gov/weather-climate/wb-annual-reports
They took it from the Signal Corp to the Department of Agriculture:
Chapin, Brenda. “Weekly Weather and Crop Bulletin.” USDA. https://www.usda.gov/about-usda/news/blog/weekly-weather-and-crop-bulletin
If you need a taco metaphor for the difference between a tornado watch and a tornado warning:
13 On Your Side. “Severe Weather Awareness Week: Differences Between a Watch and a Warning” [YouTube video]. March 18, 2025. https://youtu.be/lG5oIQD601w?si=0wqII507VeL_C592
Tornado emergency:
National Sever Storms Laboratory. “May 3, 1999 Oklahoma/Kansas Tornado Outbreak.” NOAA. https://www.nssl.noaa.gov/about/history/may3rd/
The Galveston hurricane, the deadliest weather event in U.S. history:
Weather Underground. “Hurricane and Tropical Cyclones.” Updated April 2007. https://www.wunderground.com/hurricane/articles/deadliest-us-hurricanes
An excellent book, by the way:
Eric Larson. Isaac’s Storm: A Man, A Time, and the Deadliest Hurricane in History. (Vintage Books, 2000).
Not to get into who was more at fault:
Edwards, Chris. “Hurricane Katrina: Remembering the Federal Failures.” August 27, 2015. CATO Institute. https://www.cato.org/blog/hurricane-katrina-remembering-federal-failures
Talking about storm surge:
NOAA. “Storm Surge Overview.” https://www.nhc.noaa.gov/surge
Katrina, offshore, was a category 5 but by the time it hit, it was category 3:
National Weather Service. “Extremely Powerful Hurricane Katrina Leaves a Historic Mark on the Northern Gulf Coast.” https://www.weather.gov/mob/katrina
The categories, in case you don’t know, are based on the wind speed:
National Weather Service. “Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Scale.” https://www.weather.gov/mfl/saffirsimpson
Harvey was larger than Katrina in terms of breadth:
Texas Division of Emergency Management. “Hurricane Harvey DR 4332.” https://tdem.texas.gov/disasters/hurricane-harvey
They developed inside the flood control dams:
Satija, Neena, Collier, Kiah; and Shaw, Al. “Houston Officials Let Developers Build Homes Inside Reservoirs: But No One Warned Buyers.” October 12, 2017. The Texas Tribune. https://apps.texastribune.org/harvey-reservoirs/
Don’t go swimming in that water:
Coulson, Morgan. “The Visible and Unseen Dangers Lurking in Floodwater.” July 30, 2024. https://publichealth.jhu.edu/2024/the-dangers-of-floodwater
Houston is a swamp:
Armstrong, Peter. “Houston Was Warned It Was a ‘Sitting Duck’ for Major Flood.” September 2, 2017. CBC News. https://www.cbc.ca/news/business/houston-flood-concrete-planning-1.4271740
By “long time” Steve means two years:
Texas A&M University. “Malaria in Texas: What You Need to Know.” July 7, 2023. https://stories.tamu.edu/news/2023/07/07/malaria-in-texas-what-you-need-to-know/
Right after a measles outbreak:
CDC. “Expanding Measles Outbreak in the United States and Guidance for the Upcoming Travel Season.” March 7, 2025. https://www.cdc.gov/han/2025/han00522.html
In case you don’t know what mosquito fogging is:
CDC. “Truck Spraying.” https://www.cdc.gov/mosquitoes/mosquito-control/truck-spraying.html
DOGE set its sights on the National Weather Service:
Bickerton, James. “DOGE Weather Balloon Cuts Spark Tornado Warning Alarm.” March 29, 2025. Newsweek. https://www.newsweek.com/doge-weather-balloon-cuts-spark-tornado-warning-alarm-2052550
What does the National Weather Service do:
National Weather Service. “About the NWS.” https://www.weather.gov/about
Back in ye olden days, it was private fire fighters. It should be noted, though, that the London Fire Brigade takes umbrage with the notion that they would refuse to put out fires for nonpaying customers:
London Fire Brigade. “Early Fire Brigades.” https://www.london-fire.gov.uk/museum/history-and-stories/early-insurance-brigades-brigades/
Benjamin Franklin started the first citywide fire protection in the U.S.:
Hall of Flame. “Benjamin Franklin: Founding Father, Scientist…Firefighter?” https://hallofflame.org/benjamin-franklin/
The example of AT&T:
Waters, Jennifer. “AT&T Corporation.” Updated March 31,2025. Britannica Money. https://www.britannica.com/money/ATandT-Corporation
The community needs to thrive in order for members of the community at all levels to thrive:
Office of Disease Prevention and Health Promotion. “Social and Community Context.” https://odphp.health.gov/healthypeople/objectives-and-data/browse-objectives/social-and-community-context
One time when they backpedaled:
Kapur, Sahil; Alexandar, Peter; and Santaliz, Kate. “Trump Administration Rescinds Order Attempting to Freeze Federal Aid Spending.” Updated January 29, 2025. https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/donald-trump/trump-administration-rescinds-order-attempting-freeze-federal-aid-spen-rcna189852
The shocked Republicans:
Layne, Nathan and Michalska, Aleksandra. “DOGE Job Cuts Bring Pain to Trump Heartland.” March 8, 2025. Reuters. https://www.reuters.com/world/us/doge-job-cuts-shake-trump-voting-west-virginia-town-2025-03-07/
Members of congress:
Tait, Robert. “Republican Backlash to Trump Tariffs Grows as Senate Rebels Decry ‘Bad Policy’.” April 3, 2025. The Guardian. https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025/apr/03/republicans-rebuke-trump-tariffs-canada
Texas didn’t do that to public education or anything:
Edison, Jaden and Reid, Rob. “Texas Officials’ Claim That School Funding is At an All-Time High Ignores Inflation and Temporary Federal Money.” Updated April 1, 2025. https://www.texastribune.org/2025/03/28/texas-school-funding-explainer/
About that continuing resolution:
Freking, Kevin and Mascaro, Lisa. “Senate Approves Funding Bill Hours Before Shutdown Deadline, Sending to Trump for Signature.” Updated March 14, 2025. AP News. https://apnews.com/article/government-shutdown-trump-gop-chuck-schumer-86385e644239a3dc1558b37d13094234
Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez was very straightforward:
Murray, Isabella. “‘Tremendous Mistake’: Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez Blasts Schumer Over GOP Funding Plan Vote.” March 14, 2025. ABC News. https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/rep-alexandria-ocasio-cortez-blasts-schumer-gop-funding/story?id=119793415
Pelosi came out against Schumer:
Whisnant, Gabe and Aitken, Peter. “Nancy Pelosi Delivers Remarkable Rebuke to Chuck Schumer.” Updated March 14, 2025. Newsweek. https://www.newsweek.com/nancy-pelosi-delivers-remarkable-rebuke-chuck-schumer-2045007
Division among the Democrats:
Brown, Matt. “Democrats Clashed Over Shutdown Strategy, But Part’s Crisis Runs Far Deeper.” March 19, 2025. PBS. https://www.pbs.org/newshour/politics/democrats-clashed-over-shutdown-strategy-but-partys-crisis-runs-far-deeper
Pritzker, the Governor of Illinois, put out a statement:
State of Illinois Newsroom. “Gov. Pritzker’s Statement on the Government Funding Bill in Congress.” March 14, 2025. https://gov-pritzker-newsroom.prezly.com/gov-pritzkers-statement-on-the-government-funding-bill-in-congress
The Republicans in 1994:
Kennedy, Lesley. “The 1994 Midterms: When Newt Gingrich Helped Republicans Win Big.” Updated March 2, 2025. History. https://www.history.com/articles/midterm-elections-1994-republican-revolution-gingrich-contract-with-america
A Manhattan:
https://www.liquor.com/recipes/manhattan-2/
An odd procedural anecdote of congress:
Erickson, Bo. “House Republicans Block Congress’ Ability to Challenge Trump Tariffs.” March 11, 2025. Reuters. https://www.reuters.com/world/us/house-republicans-block-congress-ability-challenge-trump-tariffs-2025-03-11/
Pi Day:
Anderson, Curt. “What’s Pi Day All About? Math, Science, Pies, and More.” Updated March 14, 2024. AP News. https://apnews.com/article/pi-day-celebration-math-infinite-number-f426c8659529cb07655b5f07b99ce1dd
What’s an emergency:
Estreicher, Samuel and Babbitt, Andrew. “Are Tariffs an Emergency Power?” April 3, 2025. Lawfare. https://www.lawfaremedia.org/article/are-tariffs-an-emergency-power
Is time real:
Kuhn, Robert Lawrence. “The Illusion of Time: What’s Real?” August 26, 2022. Space. https://www.space.com/29859-the-illusion-of-time.html
We can talk proton decay if you want to:
Lincoln, Don. “Will Protons Last Forever? Why Scientists Are Searching for Signs of Decay.” November 5, 2024. Big Think. https://bigthink.com/hard-science/will-protons-last-forever-why-scientists-are-searching-for-signs-of-decay/
There’s a whole Orwellian angle:
Tavlin, Noah. “What ‘Orwellian’ Really Means” [YouTube video]. TED-Ed. https://youtu.be/oe64p-QzhNE?si=YQA8aPjpFuu09tEd
In fact, Indiana wanted to pass a law that pi is 3.2. Still wacky. Still bad rounding:
Gotsch, Nathan. “Pi Has An Amusing Footnote in Indiana History.” March 13, 2023. Indiana Capital Chronicle. https://indianacapitalchronicle.com/2023/03/13/pi-from-the-sky/
Civics on the Rocks could not verify that in San Antonio it’s still on the books that it’s illegal to repair your own furniture.
But if you find something, let us know.
King Canute commanded the tide to stop:
Van Way III, Charles. “King Canute’s Court.” 2017. National Library of Medicine. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC6140090/
Caligula ordered his soldiers to attack Neptune:
Meddings, Alexander. “Caligula–the Mad Emperor Who Declared War on the Sea.” Walks Inside Rome. https://www.walksinsiderome.com/blog/caligula-war-on-the-sea/
Indiana, in fact, wants R. Dean Taylor:
https://music.youtube.com/watch?v=xeUAxcQBup0&si=-YOH_0A361noDAyL
A classic geometric thing:
Ornes, Stephen. “Is It Actually Impossible to ‘Square the Circle’”? December 16, 2022. Discover Magazine. https://www.discovermagazine.com/the-sciences/is-it-actually-impossible-to-square-the-circle
Lots of people who are like no, it does not go at the same rate, at all:
Lasky, Ronald C. “Does Time Tick at the Same Rate for Everyone?” October 24, 2014. Scientific American. https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/does-time-tick-at-the-same-rate-for-everyone/
“If I Could Save Time in a Bottle”—but The Muppets version:
https://youtu.be/vqUrxN0bo58?si=IjPwgQLcaUFe4DyB
Chicago doesn’t really know what time it is (nor do they really care):
https://youtu.be/9FzCWLOHUes?si=o9Igtl9LJzIPOejq
What does that have to with the price of eggs:
Yurkevich, Vanessa. “Egg Prices Are Falling. But There’s a Catch.” CNN. https://www.cnn.com/2025/04/02/business/egg-prices-fall-usda/index.html
If we’re talking bird flu, which can jump to human beings:
CDC. “H5 Bird Flu: Current Situation.” https://www.cdc.gov/bird-flu/situation-summary/index.html
The American Poultry Association:
ConFORmation, not conFIRmation:
American Kennel Club. “Get Started in Conformation Dog Shows.” https://www.akc.org/sports/conformation/get-started/
The Poultry Grading Manual from the USDA:
https://www.ams.usda.gov/grades-standards/poultry-grading-manual
The Cornell Library, dear listener, remains intact:
https://www.library.cornell.edu/
If you would like to read about the namesake of the James E. Rice Memorial Poultry Library:
Cornell University Faculty Memorial Statement. “James Edward Rice” [PDF]. https://ecommons.cornell.edu/server/api/core/bitstreams/eccc45f4-c6a2-4860-8e6e-4ad231fa307f/content
Good news, everyone, there’s still an American Standard of Perfection for Poultry. The latest revision was published in 2023:
https://amerpoultryassn.com/store/
American National Standards Institute:
No relation to this podcast:
The Livestock Conversancy. “Dorking Chicken.” https://livestockconservancy.org/dorking-chicken/
Dark ‘n’ Stormy:
https://www.allrecipes.com/recipe/222547/dark-n-stormy-cocktail/
Economic signs that boycotts are working:
Melville, Doug. “Do Boycotts Work? As Target’s Traffic Declines, Tesla and Others See Consumer Shifts.” March 17, 2025. Forbes. https://www.forbes.com/sites/dougmelville/2025/03/17/do-boycotts-work-as-targets-traffic-declines-tesla--others-see-shifts-with-consumers/
Tesla board members have been selling stock:
Rubin, Olivia and Zahn, Max. “Tesla Board Members, Executive Sell Off Over $100 Million of Stock in Recent Weeks.” March 8, 2025. ABC News. https://abcnews.go.com/Business/tesla-board-members-executive-sell-off-100-million/story?id=119889047
Alternatives to Amazon for buying books:
This tariff thing:
McDonell, Stephen. “China and US Are At Each Other’s Throats on Tariffs, and Neither is Backing Down.” April 4, 2025. BBC. https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c4grlzegewno
The Great Depression:
Duignan, Brian. “Causes of the Great Depression.” June 29, 2018. Britannica. https://www.britannica.com/story/causes-of-the-great-depression
Inflation is rising:
AP News. “Federal Reserve Chief Says Trump Tariffs Likely to Raise Inflation and Slow US Economic Growth” [Video]. April 4, 2025. https://apnews.com/video/federal-reserve-chief-says-trump-tariffs-likely-to-raise-inflation-and-slow-us-economic-growth-ad772b43acc64914b0e43aa1c8ed2701
And Captain Kangaroo was a children’s television show. But you already knew that. Maybe. How old are you?
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.