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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.
Oh, and if you want some merch: https://www.redbubble.com/people/CivcsRocks/shop?asc=u
Episodes
4 days ago
4 days ago
Mack gives examples from real life, Steves waxes philosophical about liberty, and Anne pursues happiness.
REFERENCES
The idea of liberty and justice for all has been a thing from the beginning, but the phrase is best known from the Pledge of Allegiance:
Greene, Charlotte. “The Pledge of Allegiance.” USConstitution.net. https://usconstitution.net/pledge-html/
Can we start with the property-owning white men:
Johnston, Mindy. “Timeline of Voting Rights in the United States.” August 28, 2024. Britannica. https://www.britannica.com/topic/Timeline-of-Voting-Rights-in-the-United-States
A 700-year monarchy:
Britannica Editors. “Kings and Queens of Britain.” Updated December 5, 2024. Britannica. https://www.britannica.com/place/Kings-and-Queens-of-Britain-1856932
Many of the states, on their own by the early to mid-1800s, are expanding who can vote:
University of North Texas. “A Brief History of Voting in America.” https://guides.library.unt.edu/voting/history-of-voting-America
Take the free exercise of religion:
Constitution Annotated. “Amdt1.4.1 Overview of Free Exercise Clause.” https://constitution.congress.gov/browse/essay/amdt1-4-1/ALDE_00013221/
Originally the Bill of Rights did not apply to states, that comes with the Fourteenth Amendment later:
Legal Information Institute. “Fourteenth Amendment.” Cornell Law School. https://www.law.cornell.edu/wex/fourteenth_amendment_0
Public schools in Massachusetts were run by the church:
Roos, David. “What School Was Like in the 13 Colonies.” Updated March 19, 2026. History.com. https://www.history.com/articles/13-colonies-school
On their own, states are going away from the connection between the government and the state-sanctioned churches that they had:
Baily, Ellen and Newton, Heather. “Separation of Church and State: Overview.” 2024. EBSCO. https://www.ebsco.com/research-starters/law/separation-church-and-state-overview
Around the time of the Civil War:
Weber, Jennifer L. “American Civil War.” Updated April 19, 2026. Britannica. https://www.britannica.com/event/American-Civil-War
We’re recording this on Juneteenth:
Britannica Editors. “Juneteenth.” Updated June 17, 2026. Britannica. https://www.britannica.com/topic/Juneteenth/additional-info#history
Wyoming in 1869:
WyoHistory.org “Women’s Suffrage and Women’s Rights.” https://www.wyohistory.org/encyclopedia/topics/womens-suffrage-and-womens-rights
The Nineteenth Amendment:
National Archives. “19th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution: Women’s Right to Vote (1920).” Reviewed February 8, 2022. https://www.archives.gov/milestone-documents/19th-amendment
When that amendment was ratified, around half the states already let women vote:
Nelson Alexander, Brooke. “20 States Where Women Could Vote Before 1920.” Updated February 24, 2026. Reader’s Digest. https://www.rd.com/article/states-where-women-could-vote-before-1920/
Texas, nevertheless, ratified the Nineteenth Amendment:
Dallas Historical Society. “Suffrage in Texas.” https://www.dallashistory.org/suffrage-in-texas/
Unless you’re in the South:
Merrit, Keri Leigh. “Voting Rights and Restrictions in Pre-Emancipation America.” The Gilder Lehrman Institute of American History. https://www.gilderlehrman.org/history-resources/essays/voting-rights-and-restrictions-pre-emancipation-america
There was a lot of variability:
Olson, Grace. “The States Decide How Elections are Run.” July 9, 2025. National Conference of State Legislatures. https://www.ncsl.org/state-legislatures-news/details/the-states-decide-how-elections-are-run
There were some states that would even let foreign residents vote:
Espinoza Jaen, Caryl. “Can Green Card Holders Vote in U.S. Elections?” June 18, 2026. Manifest. https://manifestlaw.com/blog/can-green-card-holders-vote/
Citizenship as we understand it now was not a concept in the 1800s:
Pence Law Library. “The Fight for the Right to Vote.” Updated September 16, 2024. https://wcl.american.libguides.com/voting/history/timeline
Not necessarily better than it was 5 years ago:
Waldman, Michael. “Epic Corruption in Plain Sight.” May 19, 2026. Brennan Center for Justice. https://www.brennancenter.org/our-work/analysis-opinion/epic-corruption-plain-sight
That’s going to restrict some people’s voting rights:
Stone, Peter. “Experts Alarmed as Trump Launches Broad-Front Attack on U.S. Voting Rights.” June 16, 2026. The Guardian. https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026/jun/16/trump-voting-rights-elections
The language is even in the Declaration:
National Archives. “Declaration of Independence: A Transcription.” https://www.archives.gov/founding-docs/declaration-transcript
The letters between John and Abigail
Henderson Crane, Jennifer L. “Analysis: Letters of Abigail Adams to John Adams.” 2022. EBSCO. https://www.ebsco.com/research-starters/history/analysis-letters-abigail-adams-john-adams
There were women back then, there were even men back then, that thought women should vote:
Museum of the American Revolution. “When Women Lost the Vote: A Revolutionary Story, 1776–1807.” https://www.amrevmuseum.org/virtualexhibits/when-women-lost-the-vote-a-revolutionary-story
For that matter, there were even abolitionists back then:
Negussie, Tesfaye. “Quakers, One of the First Abolitionists, Renew Their Call for Resistance as America Turns 250.” July 3, 2026. ABC News. https://abcnews.com/US/quakers-1st-abolitionists-renew-call-resistance-america-turns/story?id=134422099
The Emancipation Proclamation:
National Archives. “Transcript of the Proclamation.” https://www.archives.gov/exhibits/featured-documents/emancipation-proclamation/transcript.html
People who may not know the history:
Gardullo, Paul. “Emancipation Proclamation: An Introduction.” 2022. National Museum of African American History and Culture. https://nmaahc.si.edu/explore/stories/emancipation-proclamation-striking-mighty-blow-slavery/introduction
There were parishes in Louisiana that were under control of the Union Army:
Sacher, John M. “Civil War Louisiana.” Updated June 24, 2024. 64 Parishes. https://64parishes.org/entry/civil-war-louisiana
General Gordan Granger:
Schwartz, Allison. “Gordon Granger.” National Museum of the United States Army. https://www.thenmusa.org/biographies/gordon-granger/
He used his powers as Commander in Chief during time of rebellion:
Pinkster, Matthew. “Lincoln and War Powers.” 2013. Dickinson College. https://housedivided.dickinson.edu/sites/lincoln/warpowers/
The Thirteenth Amendment:
Constitution Annotated. “Thirteenth Amendment.” https://constitution.congress.gov/constitution/amendment-13/
It would be ratified:
National Archives. “13th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution: Abolition of Slavery (1865).” https://www.archives.gov/milestone-documents/13th-amendment
Later on, when there is a lot of internal migration:
Gregory, James. “The Great Migration (African American).” University of Washington. https://depts.washington.edu/moving1/black_migration.shtml
Opal Lee was one of these community members:
National Museum of African American History and Culture. “Who is Opal Lee? The Story Behind the Grandmother of Juneteenth.” https://nmaahc.si.edu/explore/stories/who-opal-lee
Like how Memorial Day started:
Waxman, Olivia B. “The Overlooked Black History of Memorial Day.” May 22, 2020. https://time.com/5836444/black-memorial-day/
There are people who are opposed to it:
Stewart, Celina. “Juneteenth and the Danger of Selective Memory.” June 19, 2026. League of Women Voters. https://www.lwv.org/blog/juneteenth-and-danger-selective-memory
The characterization of the last founding father:
Pierre, Don. “Martin Luther King, Jr. Was America’s Last Founding Father.” January 20, 2020. The National Interest. https://nationalinterest.org/blog/buzz/martin-luther-king-was-americas-last-founding-father-115381
He was murdered:
The Martin Luther King, Jr. Research and Education Institute. “Assassination of Martin Luther King, Jr.” https://kinginstitute.stanford.edu/assassination-martin-luther-king-jr
How many times was he thrown in jail:
Black History. “Martin Luther King, Jr. was Arrested 29 Times for These So-Called Crimes.” https://www.blackhistory.com/2019/11/martin-luther-king-jr-was-arrested-29-times-crimes.html
Everyone should read the letter from Birmingham jail:
Bill of Rights Institute. “Letter From Birmingham Jail.” https://billofrightsinstitute.org/primary-sources/letter-from-birmingham-jail/
We’re seeing that today with the queer community:
ACLU. “Mapping Attacks on LGBTQ Rights in U.S. State Legislatures in 2026.” https://www.aclu.org/legislative-attacks-on-lgbtq-rights-2026
With trans folk:
Trans Legislation Tracker. “2026 Anti-Trans Bills Tracker.” https://translegislation.com/
Justice Scalia:
Houck, Aaron M. “Antonin Scalia.” Updated March 7, 2026. Britannica. https://www.britannica.com/biography/Antonin-Scalia/additional-info#history
We could not find the exact case that Mack was referencing, but here is another illustration of Justice Scalia’s opinion on rights:
Whitaker, Morgan. “Scalia: Supreme Court Shouldn’t ‘Invent New Minorities’.” August 20, 2013. NBC News. https://www.nbcnews.com/id/wbna52802025
Ninth Amendment:
Constitution Annotated. “Ninth Amendment.” https://constitution.congress.gov/constitution/amendment-9/
There’s this quote from Michelangelo:
Michelangelo. “The sculpture is already complete…” AZ Quotes. https://www.azquotes.com/quote/722675
Mack got this one all wrong (and Steve backed him). No one is sure who originally said, “Eternal vigilance is the price of liberty,” but Civics at the Rocks couldn’t find anyone who thinks it might be Demosthenes or John Adams. Mostly, everybody agrees it wasn’t Thomas Jefferson:
Deis, Robert. “Eternal vigilance is the price of freedom.” January 27, 2026. This Day in Quotes. https://www.thisdayinquotes.com/2026/01/eternal-vigilance-is-the-price-of-liberty/
And, in case you’re wondering:
Murphy, James J. “Demosthenes.” Updated February 27, 2024. Britannica. https://www.britannica.com/biography/Demosthenes-Greek-statesman-and-orator
Orange Blossom cocktail:
https://www.liquor.com/recipes/orange-blossom/
There are, apparently, a lot of variations on the New Fashioned cocktail. This is the closest to what we had:
https://www.cocktailsdrinks.com/new-fashioned-cocktail-recipe/
Roosevelt cocktail:
https://www.liquor.com/recipes/roosevelt/
It’s vanillin:
National Library of Medicine. “Vanillin.” https://pubchem.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/compound/Vanillin
Rhum Barbancourt, which is from Haiti:
What’s happening in Haiti:
Dickinson, Daniel. “‘Hope’ for Haiti’s Political Future as Some 300 Groups Reportedly Register for Upcoming Elections.” March 16, 2026. United Nations. https://news.un.org/en/story/2026/03/1167143
It was a whole big thing:
Nawaz, Amna; Adwoa Antwi-Boasiako, Nana; and Merchant, Azhar. “How Americans are Welcoming World Cup Fans From Across the Globe.” June 18, 2026. PBS News. https://www.pbs.org/newshour/show/how-americans-are-welcoming-world-cup-fans-from-across-the-globe
America’s big birthday:
The first of its kind (at least in the modern era):
Dutta, Somapika. “10 Oldest Democracies in the World.” Updated 2026. Oldest.org https://www.oldest.org/politics/democracies/
Many countries follow our model:
Bradertscher, Eric and Stingl, Alexandar. “The United States and World Democracy: An Overview.” 2024. EBSCO. https://www.ebsco.com/research-starters/political-science/united-states-and-world-democracy-overview
Some people are under attack:
Human Rights Watch. “U.S.: Trump Administration’s Pervasive Attacks on Rights.” February 4, 2026. https://www.hrw.org/news/2026/02/04/us-trump-administrations-pervasive-attacks-on-rights
The Bicentennial:
Kennedy, Leslie. “How Americans Celebrated the 1976 Bicentennial: Photos.” Updated June 25, 2026. History.com. https://www.history.com/articles/american-bicentennial-1976-photos
The United States having to leave Vietnam very rapidly:
Spector, Ronald H. “The Fall of South Vietnam.” Updated February 6, 2026. Britannica. https://www.britannica.com/event/Vietnam-War/The-fall-of-South-Vietnam
The energy crisis:
National Museum of American History. “Energy Crisis.” https://www.americanhistory.si.edu/explore/exhibitions/american-enterprise/online/consumer-era/energy-crisis
And Watergate:
Perlstein, Rick. “Watergate Scandal.” Updated June 12, 2026. Britannica. https://www.britannica.com/event/Watergate-Scandal
Carter ends up defeating Ford:
U.S. Polling Data. “1976 Presidential Election.” https://uspollingdata.com/elections/1976/
No, there were issues. For instance:
Britannica Editors. “Japanese American Internment.” Update May 11, 2026. Britannica. https://www.britannica.com/event/Japanese-American-internment/additional-info#history
E pluribus unum:
Kenny, Miles. “E Pluribus Unum.” Updated December 13, 2025. Britannica. https://www.britannica.com/topic/E-pluribus-unum-United-States-motto
The great American experiment:
Coens, Thomas. “Why Franklin, Jefferson, and Lincoln Considered American Democracy an ‘Experiment’—and Were Unsure if it Would Survive.” December 5, 2023. The Conversation. https://theconversation.com/why-franklin-washington-and-lincoln-considered-american-democracy-an-experiment-and-were-unsure-if-it-would-survive-213852
The Great Depression:
Pells, Richard H. “Great Depression.” Updated May 20, 2026. Britannica. https://www.britannica.com/event/Great-Depression/additional-info#history
During Hoover’s presidency:
Britannica Editors. “Herbert Hoover.” Updated June 29, 2026. Britannica. https://www.britannica.com/biography/Herbert-Hoover
You have the Dust Bowl:
Johnston, Mindy. “Dust Bowl.” Updated June 3, 2026. Britannica. https://www.britannica.com/place/Dust-Bowl
Roosevelt wins in ’32:
Leuchtenburg, William E. “Franklin D. Roosevelt: Campaigns and Elections.” Miller Center. https://millercenter.org/president/fdroosevelt/campaigns-and-elections
There were Americans who were like…I’m either going to be communist or fascist:
Gregory, James. “Great Depression in Washington State: Radicalism.” 2009. University of Washington. https://depts.washington.edu/depress/radicalism.shtml
We at Civics at the Rocks couldn’t find any inspirational speeches given by the mayor of New York for the week of June 19, 2026. If you feel so inclined to look, you might have better luck. In completely unrelated news: GO SPURS GO! POR VIDA!
Here’s Obama’s speech:
NBC Chicago Staff. “Read Barack Obama’s Full Speech at Grand Opening for his Namesake Center in Chicago.” June 18, 2026. 5 Chicago. https://www.nbcchicago.com/news/local/read-barack-obamas-full-speech-at-grand-opening-for-his-namesake-center-in-chicago/3950680/
Here’s Michele Obama’s speech:
NBC Chicago Staff. “‘Hope is All We Have’: Read Michelle Obama’s Full Speech at Obama Center Grand Opening.” June 18, 2026. 5 Chicago. https://www.nbcchicago.com/news/local/hope-is-all-we-have-read-michelle-obamas-full-speech-at-obama-center-grand-opening/3950620/
A cocktail called a Metropolitan:
https://www.cocktailwave.com/recipes/metropolitan
Mack is referencing Matthew 25:40:
Bible Analysis. “What Does Jesus' Teaching on Treating the 'Least of These' Reveal About Our Relationship With God and Our Understanding of Neighborly Love?” https://www.bibleanalysis.org/what-does-jesus-teaching-on-treating-the-least-of-these-reveal-about-our-relationship-with-god-and-our-understanding-of-neighborly-love/
And, unlike Mack and Steve, Anne was not alive for the Bicentennial. But you already knew that.
Monday Jun 22, 2026
Monday Jun 08, 2026
Monday Jun 08, 2026
Steve shows up prepared, Mack drops a bombshell or two, and Anne gets wasted.
REFERENCES
It’s when the vase of flowers is suddenly on the left-hand side of the screen:
Film Draft. “What is Continuity in Film? Definitions, Types, and Examples.” August 26, 2025. https://filmdaft.com/what-is-continuity-in-film-definition-types-examples/
It really became a serious concern with the advent of the threat of nuclear war:
Tegmark, Max. “Here’s How Bad a Nuclear War Would Actually Be.” June 29, 2023. Time. https://time.com/6290977/nuclear-war-impact-essay/
During the Cold War:
Britannica Editors. “Cold War.” Updated February 18, 2026. Britannica. https://www.britannica.com/event/Cold-War
Including Washington, D.C.:
Sate, local, tribal, territorial:
FEMA. “Guide to Continuity of Government [PDF].” July 2021. https://www.fema.gov/sites/default/files/documents/fema_sltt-cog-guidance_070921.pdf
For Texas, it’s not a joke that we kind of rely on HEB:
HEB Newsroom. “HEB Disaster Relief.” https://newsroom.heb.com/disaster-relief/
Ye olde Continental Congress:
Britannica Editors. “Continental Congress.” Updated October 11, 2025. Britannica. https://www.britannica.com/topic/Continental-Congress
We may have to leave Philadelphia and go to Baltimore because the British are coming:
United States House of Representatives. “Meeting Places for the Continental and Confederation Congresses.” https://history.house.gov/People/Continental-Congress/Meeting-Places/
Anne was just trying to be funny. It’s quite nice:
Basically, it’s an emergency plan. You could also call it a contingency plan:
This vs. That. “The Contingency Plan vs. The Emergency Plan: What’s the Difference?” https://thisvsthat.io/the-contingency-plan-vs-the-emergency-plan
In the previous episode:
https://www.podbean.com/ew/pb-n7xcc-1ad17a2
We talked about the Twenty-Fifth Amendment:
Constitution Annotated. “Twenty-Fifth Amendment.” https://constitution.congress.gov/constitution/amendment-25/
The presidential succession:
USA.gov. “Order of Presidential Succession.” https://www.usa.gov/presidential-succession
Think about royal houses of Europe:
Veldman, Sarah. “A Comprehensive Guide to the Royal Families of Europe.” Updated September 20, 2025. The List. https://www.thelist.com/1524478/royal-families-of-europe-guide/
That was “Designated Survivor,” the series:
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt5296406/
Mack is right. They did start doing it when Reagan was president:
Su, Amelia. “The Designated Survivor Explained—Why One Leader Stays Hidden.” February 24, 2026. Los Angeles Magazine. https://lamag.com/news-and-politics/the-designated-survivor-explained-why-one-leader-stays-hidden/
At the State of the Union Address, you have the president, vice president, speaker of the house, but you also have all of Congress, most of the Cabinet, and some of the Supreme Court justices, joint chiefs:
Mullery, Way and Chol, Annette. “Who Sits Where at Trump’s State of the Union Address: A Visual Guide.” February 23, 2026. CNN. https://www.cnn.com/2026/02/23/politics/seating-chart-state-of-the-union-vis
There have been threats (note that this list is a brief summary from 2024 so it is not comprehensive and does not include the attacks on President Trump):
Congress.gov. “U.S. Secret Service: Threats to and Assaults on Sitting Presidents and Vice Presidents [PDF].” Updated October 23, 2024. https://www.congress.gov/crs_external_products/IF/PDF/IF11732/IF11732.4.pdf
Mack is again correct. It was for Obama’s inauguration:
Reuters. “U.S. Probes Potential Obama Inauguration Threat.” January 20, 2009. https://www.reuters.com/article/world/us-politics/us-probes-potential-obama-inauguration-threat-idUSTRE50J4RT/
The documentary about the presidents’ chiefs of staff is called The Presidents’ Gatekeepers:
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt2331119/
The line from Mars Attacks!:
https://youtu.be/HfcMl1OKJGw?si=IZwz2CgMPjVoqQ1X
Like the Greenbrier Resort in West Virginia:
Matchar, Emily. “The Town That Kept Its Nuclear Bunker a Secret for Three Decades.” April 9, 2024. Smithsonian Magazine. https://www.smithsonianmag.com/history/the-town-that-kept-its-nuclear-bunker-a-secret-for-three-decades-180984107/
Overnight, they lower them into a bomb shelter:
Kratz, Jessie. “Protecting the Bill of Rights: the Mosler Vault.” December 17, 2015. National Archives. https://prologue.blogs.archives.gov/2015/12/17/protecting-the-bill-of-rights-the-mosler-vault/
Soviets got the atomic bomb sooner than people thought:
Atomic Heritage Foundation. “Soviet Atomic Program—1946.” https://ahf.nuclearmuseum.org/ahf/history/soviet-atomic-program-1946/
And then the hydrogen bomb:
Britannica Editors. “Thermonuclear Bomb.” Updated February 6, 2026. Britannica. https://www.britannica.com/technology/thermonuclear-bomb
Eisenhower was really down and depressed about the threat of nuclear war:
Dwight D. Eisenhower Presidential Library, Museum, and Boyhood Home. “Atoms for Peace.” https://www.eisenhowerlibrary.gov/research/online-documents/atoms-peace
The concept of ballistic missiles:
Missile Defense Advocacy Alliance. “Ballistic Missile Basics.” https://www.missiledefenseadvocacy.org/missile-threat-and-proliferation/missile-basics/ballistic-missile-basics/
Because the Nazis built the V-2:
Britannica Editors. “V-2 Rocket.” Updated April 24, 2026. Britannica. https://www.britannica.com/technology/V-2-rocket
Sooner or later, we’re going to have intercontinental ballistic missiles:
Britannica Editors. “ICBM.” Updated April 29, 2026. Britannica. https://www.britannica.com/technology/ICBM
They’re carrying gravity bombs:
International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons. “What Are Gravity Bombs and Why is the U.S. Building the New B61-13 Nuclear Weapon?” https://www.icanw.org/faq_what_are_gravity_bombs_b6113
It’s not what was in “The Day After”:
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0085404/
The black-and-white movies:
https://youtu.be/P73Gz0TaJgE?si=tvYvoQQXg3KwHCZM
Our people knew about Bletchley Park:
Lewis, Robert. “Bletchley Park.” Updated April 6, 2026. Britannica. https://www.britannica.com/place/Bletchley-Park
And where Churchill ran the war from:
Imperial War Museums. “Cabinet War Rooms.” https://www.iwm.org.uk/visits/churchill-war-rooms/cabinet-war-rooms
They also looked at what the Germans had:
Fraga, Kaleena. “Inside the Führerbunker, The Nazi Hideout Where Adolf Hitler Lived, Got Married, and Died in the Waning Days of World War II.” Updated April 3, 2024. All That’s Interesting. https://allthatsinteresting.com/fuhrerbunker
The Maginot Line:
Britannica Editors. “Maginot Line.” Updated March 6, 2026. Britannica. https://www.britannica.com/topic/Maginot-Line
Turning into badgers:
Texas Parks and Wildlife. “American Badger.” https://tpwd.texas.gov/education/resources/texas-junior-naturalists/watching-wildlife/american-badger
Anne says mole people:
https://youtu.be/y-dAgOWtBwM?si=0qzvJ-7dfu33JjNX
We were building some fighter planes that were actually dedicated interceptor aircraft:
Britannica Editors. “Fighter Aircraft.” Updated October 16, 2025. Britannica. https://www.britannica.com/technology/fighter-aircraft
Testing that was being done out in Nevada:
Kautz, Justin. “Nevada Test Site.” Updated March 10, 2025. Britannica. https://www.britannica.com/place/Nevada-Test-Site/additional-info#history
Like if you can jump in a fridge and protect yourself:
https://youtu.be/jn4Vhkmb4Lw?si=9OteiSYh4lEBMnPU
The headquarters for the Strategic Air Command was at Offutt Airforce Base in Nebraska:
When they built NORAD into Cheyenne Mountain in Colorado:
North American Aerospace Defense Command. “Cheyenne Mountain Complex.” April 26, 2013. https://www.norad.mil/Newsroom/Fact-Sheets/Article-View/Article/578775/cheyenne-mountain-complex/
Raven Rock, also known as Site R:
Suciu, Peter. “What to Know About ‘Raven Rock,’ the U.S. Government’s Doomsday Bunker.” November 11, 2025. The National Interest. https://nationalinterest.org/blog/buzz/what-to-know-about-raven-rock-us-governments-doomsday-bunker-ps-111125
They also built the facility at Mount Weather:
Hughes, Trevor. “The U.S. Government is Upgrading a Secretive FEMA Bunker. Why? That’s Classified.” Updated May 1, 2025. https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2025/04/30/federal-government-is-upgrading-a-secret-bunker-why-its-classified/83370527007/
Nope, it’s the Appalachian Mountains.
Camp David:
National Museum of American Diplomacy. “Camp David: Presidential Retreat and International Meeting Site.” July 12, 2021. https://diplomacy.state.gov/camp-david-presidential-retreat-and-international-meeting-site/
In a novel from the 1930s called Lost Horizon:
James Hilton. Lost Horizon. 1933. Macmillan.
FDR loved the movie:
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0029162/
The Dolittle Raid in April of ’42:
Britannica Editors. “Doolittle Raid.” Updated April 11, 2026. Britannica. https://www.britannica.com/event/Doolittle-Raid
There was an Essex-class aircraft carrier built in World War II called the USS Shangri-la:
Carlin, Maya. “Shangri-la: The Essex-Class Aircraft Carrier No Nation Wanted to ‘Test’” September 23, 2024. The National Interest. https://nationalinterest.org/blog/buzz/shangri-la-essex-class-aircraft-carrier-no-nation-wanted-test-209173
Where SAC was:
Britannica Editors. “Strategic Air Command.” Updated March 20, 2023. Britannica. https://www.britannica.com/topic/Strategic-Air-Command-United-States-Air-Force
On September 11:
Bergen, Peter L. “September 11 Attacks.” Britannica. https://www.britannica.com/event/September-11-attacks/The-attacks
Where Airforce One went to after Florida:
The White House Historical Association. “President Bush Arrives at Offutt Air Force Base on September 11, 2001.” https://www.whitehousehistory.org/photos/fotoware?id=6052da61-c33a-4d96-8209-cb3bb90b7669
WarGames-type places:
https://youtu.be/s93KC4AGKnY?si=YTdCW6gQ1Y8Cqe88
A Soviet Tu-95:
Gitzgerald, Clare. “Tupolev Tu-95: The Soviet-Era Bomber That Could See Nearly 100 Years of Active Service.” January 15, 2024. War History Online. https://www.warhistoryonline.com/aircraft/tupelov-tu-95.html
They’re on springs:
Grundhauser, Eric. “Cheyenne Mountain Complex.” September 17, 2014. Atlas Obscura. https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/cheyenne-mountain-nuclear-bunker
Like the E-4B, it’s also known as Nightwatch:
Air Force. “E-4B.” June 2024. https://www.af.mil/About-Us/Fact-Sheets/Display/article/104503/e-4b/
Then Air Force One:
Britannica Editors. “Air Force One.” Updated July 31, 2025. Britannica. https://www.britannica.com/topic/Air-Force-One
So like, from Independence Day:
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0116629/
It was a pivotal scene:
https://youtu.be/yZk9abWlK5c?si=hjdW-qhe8bhAu4xx
Mack is correct. Independence Day was released in 1996.
The guy from “Taxi”:
https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0002139/
Where Data worked at Area 51:
https://youtu.be/fantzIbRyaE?si=9T2I4utdA2mjbtmW
When Lyndon Johnson flew on the presidential Lockheed JetStar:
National Museum of the United States Air Force. “Lockheed VC-140B JetStar.” https://www.nationalmuseum.af.mil/Visit/Museum-Exhibits/Fact-Sheets/Display/Article/195808/lockheed-vc-140b-jetstar/
Marine One:
Tikkanen, Amy. “Marine One.” Updated March 9, 2026. Britannica. https://www.britannica.com/topic/Marine-One
Remember when President George W. Bush landed on the Abraham Lincoln:
History.com. “George W. Bush Declares Mission Accomplished [Video].” https://www.history.com/speeches/george-w-bush-declares-mission-accomplished
Mack was close. He was flying aboard an S-3B Viking:
National Naval Aviation Museum. “S-3B Viking ‘Navy One’.” https://www.history.navy.mil/content/history/museums/nnam/explore/collections/aircraft/s/s-3b-viking--navy-one-.html
There have been presidents that have had presidential yachts:
Knutson, Lawrence L. “The Floating White House.” May 21, 2015. The White House Historical Association. https://www.whitehousehistory.org/the-floating-white-house
January 6th:
Duignan, Brian. “January 6 U.S. Capitol Attack. Updated January 5, 2026. Britannica. https://www.britannica.com/event/January-6-U-S-Capitol-attack
When the plane hit the Pentagon:
PBS. “Attack on Pentagon [Video].” https://watch.whyy.org/show/911-inside-pentagon/video/911-inside-pentagon-attack-pentagon/?tab=extra
Rumsfeld:
U.S. Department of War. “Donald H. Rumsfeld.” https://www.war.gov/About/Biographies/Biography/Article/602800/donald-h-rumsfeld/
Mall of America:
https://www.mallofamerica.com/
Golden Gate Bridge:
National laboratories:
U.S. Department of Energy. “National Laboratories.” https://www.energy.gov/national-laboratories
There was a book published in the early 2000s called Doomsday Scenario:
- Douglas Keeney. The Doomsday Scenario. Zenith. 2002.
Is the phrase “continuity of government” used somewhere:
White House Info. “Continuity of Government.” https://whitehouse.gov1.info/continuity-plan/
Most of that is administered by FEMA, actually:
FEMA was sort of the progeny of a couple of other agencies:
FEMA. “History of FEMA.” https://www.fema.gov/about/history
But for, “We’ve been nuked”:
FEMA. “Nuclear Detonation Response Guidance [PDF].” March 2023. https://www.fema.gov/sites/default/files/documents/fema_oet-72-hour-nuclear-detonation-response-guidance.pdf
Plans that would effectively suspend the Constitution:
Burr, William (Ed.). “The Presidential Nuclear ‘Football’ From Eisenhower to George W. Bush.” July 18, 2023. https://nsarchive.gwu.edu/briefing-book/nuclear-vault/2023-07-18/presidential-nuclear-football-eisenhower-george-w-bush
Like the War Production Board:
Purcell, Aaron D. “War Production Board.” 2021. EBSCO. https://www.ebsco.com/research-starters/military-history-and-science/war-production-board#full-article
The USDA:
Steve was close. It’s the National Resource Conservation Service:
They have a web soil map program:
https://www.nrcs.usda.gov/conservation-basics/soil/web-soil-survey-links
Let’s take COVID for an example:
CDC. “CDC Museum COVID-19 Timeline.” https://www.cdc.gov/museum/timeline/covid19.html
Most emergency management stuff is really run at the county level:
Bexar County. “Bexar County Office of Emergency Management.” https://www.bexar.org/672/Emergency-Management
Our first cocktail was Corpse Reviver (this isn’t the recipe we used, but it’s close):
https://www.liquor.com/recipes/corpse-reviver-no-1/
The 12 Bottle Bar Book:
David Solmonson and Lesley Jacobs Solmonson. The 12 Bottle Bar: Make Hundreds of Cocktails With Just 12 Bottles. 2014. Workman Publishing Company.
The next one was Atomic cocktail:
https://www.diffordsguide.com/cocktails/recipe/115/atomic-cocktail
The Savoy Cocktail Book:
Harry Craddock. The Savoy Cocktail Book. 1930. Constable & Company, Ltd.
Absinthe and Champagne is called Death in the Afternoon:
https://www.liquor.com/recipes/death-in-the-afternoon/
Jonestown in the afternoon:
Eldridge, Alison. “Jonestown.” Updated April 16, 2026. Britannica. https://www.britannica.com/event/Jonestown
We at Civics on the Rocks (mostly Anne) would like to apologize for making jokes in poor taste about suicide and cults. We (again, it was pretty much Anne) meant no offense.
The Texas Water Conference:
Treated biosolids from sewer plants:
EPA. “Biosolids.” https://www.epa.gov/biosolids
This isn’t from the conference Steve went to, but you know you want to see competitive hydrant assemblies:
https://youtu.be/JxDhqdD8aE4?si=7uwUPx72DbfSxhKv
The Edwards is not the only source of water for San Antonio:
San Antonio Water System. “Water Supplies.” https://www.saws.org/your-water/management-sources/#section-1
Primarily, it was always the Edwards Aquifer:
San Antonio Water System. “Edwards Aquifer.” https://www.saws.org/your-water/management-sources/edwards-aquifer/
Ground water not under the influence (yeah, no, that’s a term):
West Virginia Department of Health. “Groundwater Under Direct Influence of Surface Water (GWUDI).” https://oehs.wvdhhr.org/eed/source-water-assessment-wellhead-protection/groundwater-under-direct-influence-of-surface-water-gwudi/
It is very very hard here:
Hearst Newspaper Blogger Network. “How to Deal With San Antonio Hard Water in Your New Home.” March 2, 2023. https://www.mysanantonio.com/lifestyle/san-antonio-life/home/article/how-to-deal-with-san-antonio-hard-water-17816666.php
San Antonio Water System:
Softeners, which swap out the calcium and magnesium, but mostly calcium, for sodium:
Swistock, Bryan. “Water Softening.” https://extension.psu.edu/water-softening
One of the first, if not the first, direct potable reuse systems:
El Paso Water. “Pure Water Center.” https://www.epwater.org/our-water/water-resources/pure-water-center
We couldn’t find the study about the Rhine that Steve was talking about, but we believe it after learning a little bit about the river:
International River Foundation. “River Rhine.” https://www.riverfoundation.org.au/prizes/river-rhine/
Corpse Reviver #2:
https://www.liquor.com/recipes/corpse-reviver-no-2/
After Snowmageddon:
The Texas A&M University System. “Winter Storm Uri.” https://tdem.texas.gov/disasters/winter-storm-uri
Anne got a little prepper:
https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/prepper
The Sierra Club has an excellent list of things to go in a go bag:
Sierra Club. “Ready to Pack an Emergency Go Bag?” https://www.sierraclub.org/emergency-go-bag
There is still a website called Ready.gov:
And the Stargate is a stable wormhole device placed on the Earth in ancient times by aliens posing as gods. But you already knew that.
Monday May 25, 2026
Monday May 25, 2026
The Twenty-Fifth Amendment: Mack derides, Steve chides, Anne makes asides, and everyone switches sides.
REFERENCES
The great Constitutional scholars on the interwebs are talking about the Twenty-Fifth Amendment:
Constitution Annotated. “Twenty-Fifth Amendment.” https://constitution.congress.gov/constitution/amendment-25/
The idea of, “Oh, we’ll use the Twenty-Fifth Amendment to get rid of Trump”:
Common Cause. “Common Cause Calls on the Cabinet to Invoke the 25th Amendment.” https://www.commoncause.org/work/trump-is-unfit-to-serve/
Impeachment and expulsion:
History, Art, & Archives. “Impeachment.” https://history.house.gov/Institution/Origins-Development/Impeachment/
Which has failed twice:
Mascaro, Lisa; Jalonick, Mary Clare; Lemire, Jonathan; and Fram, Alan. “Donald Trump Becomes the First U.S. President to be Impeached Twice.” January 13, 2021. PBS News. https://www.pbs.org/newshour/politics/majority-of-house-members-vote-for-2nd-impeachment-of-trump
It’s in Article II, Section 1, Clause 6:
Constitution Annotated. “Article II.” https://constitution.congress.gov/browse/article-2/section-1/clause-6/
The delegates of the Constitutional Convention:
National Archives. “Meet the Framers of the Constitution.” https://www.archives.gov/founding-docs/founding-fathers
Since the Cold War began:
Britannica Editors. “Cold War.” Revised February 18, 2026. Britannica. https://www.britannica.com/event/Cold-War
The advent of nuclear…:
Office for Disarmament Affairs. “Nuclear Weapons.” United Nations. https://disarmament.unoda.org/index.php/en/our-work/weapons-mass-destruction/nuclear-weapons
…and ballistic weapons:
Britannica Editors. “Ballistic Missile.” Updated October 24, 2025. Britannica. https://www.britannica.com/technology/ballistic-missile
The Civics on the Rocks Team would like to acknowledge that in this episode we use various colloquialisms to describe mental illness that some may find problematic. No offense was intended and we apologize if any was taken.
King George III went a little nutso:
Watson, John Steven. “George III.” Updated April 17, 2026. Britannica. https://www.britannica.com/biography/George-III
There are a lot of really good theories as to why that happened and how that happened:
Putnam, Polly. “The King’s ‘Malady’: George III’s Mental Illness Explored.” March 22, 2024. Historic Royal Palaces. https://www.hrp.org.uk/blog/the-kings-malady-george-iiis-mental-illness-explored/
Did people in the colonies know? Well, King Geoge III’s illness became public around 1788, and the final draft of the Constitution was signed in 1787, so it probably was not an influence on Article II.
In the Declaration, the grievances are against the King:
Zagarri, Rosemarie. “The Declaration’s Grievances Against the King.” National Constitution Center. https://constitutioncenter.org/essays/the-declarations-grievances-against-the-king
They pinned everything on Parliament and wrote nice letters and missives to the King:
American Battlefield Trust. “Petitioning the King and Parliament.” Updated July 23, 2025. https://www.battlefields.org/learn/articles/petitioning-king-and-parliament
The first Continental Congress and the Declaration of Rights and Grievances:
Horan, Katherine and Horecny, Zoie. “First Continental Congress.” Updated May 30, 2025. George Washington’s Mount Vernon. https://www.mountvernon.org/library/digitalhistory/digital-encyclopedia/article/first-continental-congress
The presidency was a wholly new creation:
Marion, David. “The Creation of the American Presidency.” Bill of Rights Institute. https://billofrightsinstitute.org/essays/the-creation-of-the-american-presidency/
Were there examples of governors removed in case of inability? We didn’t do a big deep dive on this, but Virginia has an excellent archive documenting its colonial governors, so there was…
…Sir John Harvey, who was removed as royal governor of Virginia for alleged treason:
Tarter, Brent. “Sir John Harvey.” Updated December 22, 2021. Encyclopedia Virginia. https://encyclopediavirginia.org/entries/harvey-sir-john-ca-1581-or-1582-by-1650/
…Francis Nicholson, who was removed as royal governor of Virgina for being uncouth and a jackass toward one particular woman (as well as political reasons):
Zacek, Natalie. “Francis Nicholson.” Updated December 22, 2021. Encyclopedia Virginia. https://encyclopediavirginia.org/entries/nicholson-francis-1655-1728/
…and Lieutenant Governor Robert Hunter who never served in Virginia because he was kidnapped by the French whilst in transit (Don’t worry. They were nice to him and he later got to be governor of another colony.):
Find a Grave. “Lieutenant Governor Robert Hunter.” https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/124558546/robert-hunter
So we’ll go with, yeah, there was some precedent.
When Woodrow Wilson had a stroke:
Woodrow Willson Presidential Library and Museum. “Thomas Woodrow Wilson.” https://www.woodrowwilson.org/about-woodrow-wilson-1
His vice president was Thomas R. Marshall:
Britannica Editors. “Thomas R. Marshall.” Updated May 28, 2025. Britannica. https://www.britannica.com/biography/Thomas-R-Marshall
But, also, Mrs. Wilson:
Markel, Howard. “When A Secret President Ran the Country.” October 2, 2015. PBS News. https://www.pbs.org/newshour/health/woodrow-wilson-stroke
The impetus for the Twenty-Fifth Amendment was Eisenhower:
Weiss, Marcia J. “Constitution Provides for the Incapacity of the President.” 2023. EBSCO. https://www.ebsco.com/research-starters/history/constitution-provides-incapacity-president
He had a history of heart attacks while in office:
Merschel, Michael. “The Presidential Heart Attack That Changed America.” February 15, 2024. American Heart Association. https://www.heart.org/en/news/2024/02/15/the-presidential-heart-attack-that-changed-america
Kennebunkport(?):
The White House Historical Association. “Presidential Vacations & Retreats: President & Mrs. Bush in Maine.” https://www.whitehousehistory.org/photos/presidential-vacations-retreats-president-mrs-bush-in-maine
Bethesda (so close!):
Military.com. “National Naval Medical Center.” https://www.military.com/base-guide/national-naval-medical-center
Wilford Hall(?):
Military.com. “Lackland Air Force Base Wilford Hall Medical Facility.” https://www.military.com/base-guide/lackland-air-force-base/contact/wilford-hall-medical-facility/2397
Johns Hopkins(?):
https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/
Kennedy’s assassination:
John F. Kennedy Presidential Library and Museum. “November 22, 1963: Death of the President.” https://www.jfklibrary.org/learn/about-jfk/jfk-in-history/november-22-1963-death-of-the-president
With Lyndon Johnson specifically:
Britannica Editors. “Lyndon B. Johnson.” Updated March 2, 2026. Britannica. https://www.britannica.com/biography/Lyndon-B-Johnson
He’d always been concerned about his health:
Nichter, Luke A. “Who Really Was Lyndon B. Johnson?” November 4, 2024. Yale Books. https://yalebooks.yale.edu/2024/11/04/who-really-was-lyndon-b-johnson/
He was majority leader in the Senate:
United States Senate. “Lyndon B. Johnson: Master of the Senate.” https://www.senate.gov/about/parties-leadership/johnson-b-lyndon.htm
Two years after the Cuban Missile Crisis:
Britannica Editors. “Cuban Missile Crisis.” Updated April 8, 2026. Britannica. https://www.britannica.com/event/Cuban-missile-crisis
Intercontinental ballistic missiles have a flight time of about 30 minutes, at the longest:
The Center for Arms Control and Non-Proliferation. “Fact Sheet: Ballistic vs. Cruise Missiles [PDF].” https://armscontrolcenter.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/04/Ballistic-vs.-Cruise-Missiles-Fact-Sheet.pdf
Didn’t Harrison die very slowly:
Bomboy, Scott. “What Really Killed the First President to Die in Office?” April 4, 2018. National Constitution Center. https://constitutioncenter.org/blog/what-really-killed-the-first-president-to-die-in-office
McKinley lingered for several days:
History.com Editors. “President McKinley Dies of Infection From Gunshot Wounds.” Updated May 28, 2025. History.com. https://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/september-14/mckinley-dies-of-infection-from-gunshot-wounds
Garfield did as well:
Markel, Howard. “The Dirty, Painful Death of President James A. Garfield.” September 16, 2016. PBS News. https://www.pbs.org/newshour/health/dirty-painful-death-president-james-garfield
Mack is incorrect. Harrison was only president for 32 days:
Roos, Dave. “7 U.S. Presidents With the Shortest Stints in the Oval Office.” Updated May 28, 2025. History.com. https://www.history.com/articles/us-presidents-shortest-terms-oval-office
Zachary Taylor drank the milk:
History.com Editors. “President Zachary Taylor Dies Unexpectedly.” Updated July 21, 2025. History.com. https://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/july-9/president-zachary-taylor-dies-unexpectedly
President Harrison is known for giving an exceptionally long inaugural address outside in the cold, but if you check the previous reference, most historians don’t believe that’s the only thing that contributed to his demise.
The were actually two years that the United States had three presidents. There is 1841 as Mack describes, and 1881:
Periodic Presidents. “Three Presidents, One Year.” https://periodicpresidents.com/2022/09/22/three-presidents-one-year/
President John Tyler succeeded President Harrison (and later died a Confederate traitor):
History.com. “President John Tyler Dies.” Updated May 28, 2025. History.com. https://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/january-18/john-tyler-dies
President Taylor both drank the milk and ate bad cherries, see previous reference.
WALTER REED(!):
Walter Reed National Military Medical Center. “Our Rich History.” https://walterreed.tricare.mil/About-Us/Facilities/Our-Rich-History
Yes, it was ratified during Johnson’s presidency. We ramble a bit on this point, so here’s a nice summation of how the Twenty-Fifth Amendment came to be:
History.com “25th Amendment.” Updated May 21, 2025. History.com. https://www.history.com/articles/25th-amendment
i.e., impeachment:
USA.gov. “How Federal Impeachment Works.” Updated November 13, 2025. https://www.usa.gov/impeachment
We’re not the only ones who find parts of the Twenty-Fifth Amendment murky. Despite Anne’s objections, most Constitutional scholars agree with Mack. The President would have to sign the review board into being:
Shanton, Karen L. “The Twenty-Fifth Amendment: Sections 3 and 4—Presidential Disability.” Congress.gov. https://www.congress.gov/crs-product/IF11756
This is why Anne and some others think it is currently happening today:
Siette, Joyce and Strutt, Paul. “We Can’t Know if Donald Trump Has Dementia. Even if He Did, It Wouldn’t Excuse His Actions.” April 22, 2026. The Conversation. https://theconversation.com/we-cant-know-if-donald-trump-has-dementia-even-if-he-did-it-wouldnt-excuse-his-actions-281131
Alas, there were quite a lot of people who voted for him:
Lindsay, James M. “The 2024 Election by the Numbers.” December 18, 2024. Council on Foreign Relations. https://www.cfr.org/articles/2024-election-numbers
There are some Democrats who are proposing legislation to establish the very board that is called for in the Twenty-Fifth Amendment:
Stein, Chris. “House Democrats Call for Commission Led by J.D. Vance to Oust Trump.” April 14, 2026. The Guardian. https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026/apr/14/congress-25th-amendment-commission-trump-jd-vance
He’s wildly unpopular in the polls right now:
Hartig, Hannah and Kiley, Jocelyn. “Confidence in Trump Dips, and Fewer Now Say They Support His Policies and Plans.” January 29, 2026. Pew Research Center. https://www.pewresearch.org/politics/2026/01/29/confidence-in-trump-dips-and-fewer-now-say-they-support-his-policies-and-plans/
His hardcore supporters are turning coat and going online and saying, “Oh, I was wrong to vote for him…”:
Nteta, Tatishe; Eichen, Adam; and Rhodes, Jesse. “Why A Growing Number of Trump Supporters are Experiencing Voter’s Remorse.” May 14, 2026. The Conversation. https://theconversation.com/why-a-growing-number-of-trump-supporters-are-experiencing-voters-remorse-282230
J.D. Vance will be whoever his top dollar needs him to be:
Wendling, Mike. “J.D. Vance: The ‘Hillbilly’ MAGA Loyalist Who Became Vice President.” March 4, 2025. BBC. https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cn07dv4mrg2o
You let the wrong document out of the Epstein files:
Fowler, Stephon. “Justice Department Withheld and Removed Some Epstein Files Related to Trump.” Updated February 24, 2026. NPR. https://www.npr.org/2026/02/24/nx-s1-5723968/epstein-files-trump-accusation-maxwell
You don’t have to do it on the graft:
Waldman, Michael. “Epic Corruption in Plain Sight.” May 19, 2026. Brennan Center for Justice. https://www.brennancenter.org/our-work/analysis-opinion/epic-corruption-plain-sight
You don’t have to do it on the shambles that is his job as an executive:
Corbin, Steve. “Trump’s Troubled Appointees Face Scandals, Backlash, and Low Support [Opinion].” March 25, 2026. The Fulcrum. https://thefulcrum.us/ethics-leadership/trump-administration-scandals-2026
While Mack is correct that several million pages of the Epstein files are already out there, many contend that there are more that should be released under the auspices of the Epstein Files Transparency Act:
Matza, Max. “U.S. Government Watchdog to Investigate Epstein Files Release.” April 23, 2026. BBC. https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cvg0rkvjlvvo
Unfortunately, Mack is right that the Epstein files are not a dealbreaker for some people:
Blake, Aaron. “How Polls Show Republicans Shifted Away From Caring So Much About Jeffrey Epstein.” February 10, 2026. CNN. https://www.cnn.com/2026/02/10/politics/republicans-epstein-shift-polls
But for others, it very much is:
Iqbal, Nomia and Pigliucci, Cai. “Why This Disillusioned Trump Voter Spends Hours Searching Epstein Files.” April 11, 2026. BBC. https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cx237vmr2lyo
Not quite our first cocktail, the Metropolitan:
https://www.thespruceeats.com/metropolitan-cocktail-recipe-759325
Our second actual cocktail cocktail, the Pegu Club:
https://www.liquor.com/recipes/pegu-club-2/
Mack is reading “Paul Revere’s Ride” by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow:
Wadsworth Longfellow, Henry. “Paul Revere’s Ride.” Poets.org. https://poets.org/poem/paul-reveres-ride
Poetry is poetry because it’s in meter:
Poets.org. “Meter.” https://poets.org/glossary/meter
Unless it’s in free verse:
The Oregon State Guide to Poetry. “‘What is Free Verse?’: A Literary Guide for English Students and Teachers [Video].” https://youtu.be/13cW2vXOMxU?si=OojoLq3mpQTqKZDH
Several of his poems were written in dactylic hexameter:
Poetry Foundation. “Hexameter.” https://www.poetryfoundation.org/education/glossary/hexameter
An anapest:
Poetry Foundation. “Anapest.” https://www.poetryfoundation.org/education/glossary/anapest
A poem by Lord Byron, “The Destruction of Sennacherib”:
Lord Byron. “Destruction of Sennacherib.” Poetry Foundation. https://www.poetryfoundation.org/poems/43827/the-destruction-of-sennacherib
The song by Eminem that Mack references is “The Way I Am” (This one is interesting because most of the song is in anapestic tetrameter but the chorus is not. Can you hear the difference?):
https://youtu.be/82lB-gI-uuQ?si=dA4GbXXTcJGev9GG
“‘Twas the Night Before Christmas” was anapestic:
Clarke Moore, Clement. “A Visit From St. Nicholas.” Poetry Foundation. https://www.poetryfoundation.org/poems/43171/a-visit-from-st-nicholas
“Song of Hiawatha”:
Wadsworth Longfellow, Henry. “The Song of Hiawatha.” Gutenberg.org. https://www.gutenberg.org/files/19/19-h/19-h.htm
“Evangeline”:
Wadsworth Longfellow, Henry. “Evangeline: A Tale of Acadie.” https://poets.org/poem/evangeline-tale-acadie
The Artemis II mission:
https://www.nasa.gov/mission/artemis-ii/
Outlook didn’t work:
White, Jeremy. “Even Artemis II Astronauts Have Microsoft Outlook Problems.” April 2, 2026. Wired. https://www.wired.com/story/artemis-ii-microsoft-outlook-problems/
There was a toilet problem:
Goodwin, Grace Eliza. “Artemis II Astronauts Have Toilet Trouble on Their Way Towards the Moon.” April 5, 2026. BBC. https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c87wy05wr4no
When they finally splashed down:
https://www.youtube.com/live/6No6LCFa-C8?si=TPjhKINQlttJSpUF
With such a diverse crew:
NASA. “Our Artemis Crew.” https://www.nasa.gov/feature/our-artemis-crew/
The farthest anybody has ever been from the Earth ever:
Taveau, Jessica. “NASA’s Artemis II Crew Eclipses Record for Farthest Human Spaceflight.” April 6, 2026. NASA. https://www.nasa.gov/news-release/nasas-artemis-ii-crew-eclipses-record-for-farthest-human-spaceflight/
Especially when they were on the far side of the Moon:
Los Angeles Times. “Photos From the Dark Side of the Moon by Artemis II.” April 7, 2026. https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2026-04-07/photos-from-dark-side-of-moon-by-artemis-ii
There’s a bright spot on the moon and we would like to name it Carroll:
Treisman, Rachel. “Astronauts Suggest Naming a Moon Crater ‘Carroll’ After Their Commander’s Late Wife.” April 8, 2026. Houston PBS. https://www.houstonpublicmedia.org/articles/news/local/2026/04/08/548460/artemis-moon-crater-carroll-wiseman/
The one of Christina Koch sitting on the helicopter:
White, Matt. “How a Navy Photographer Snapped an Iconic Artemis II Astronaut Photo.” April 15, 2026. Task and Purpose. https://taskandpurpose.com/news/august-clawson-artemis-ii-photos/
She’s just giving it a big hug:
https://www.nasa.gov/image-detail/artemis-ii-recovery-61/
What did the administration or Republicans say about this:
Riddle, Katia. “What’s Behind Trump’s Seemingly Lackluster Response to Artemis II’s Lunar Mission [Audio and transcript].” April 9, 2026. NPR. https://www.npr.org/2026/04/09/nx-s1-5777551/whats-behind-trumps-seemingly-lackluster-response-to-artemis-iis-lunar-mission
The frickin’ service module was from the ESA:
European Space Agency. “Artemis II.” https://www.esa.int/Science_Exploration/Human_and_Robotic_Exploration/Orion/Artemis_II
The amount of group hugs:
https://www.nasa.gov/image-detail/amf-art002e013367/
The name of the capsule is Integrity but it is the Orion capsule:
Kraft, Rachel H. “Artemis II Crew Members Name Their Orion Spacecraft.” September 24, 2025. NASA. https://www.nasa.gov/blogs/missions/2025/09/24/artemis-ii-crew-members-name-their-orion-spacecraft/
The Artemis II escape capsule:
Lockheed Martin. “When Milliseconds Matter: How Orion’s Launch Abort System Protects Astronauts.” September 25, 2025. https://www.lockheedmartin.com/en-us/news/features/2025/how-orion-s-launch-abort-system-protects-astronauts.html
It is Apollo, but also not:
NASA. “Apollo to Artemis.” February 27, 2024. https://www.nasa.gov/reference/apollo-to-artemis/
They’ve apparently learned a little more mythology since the ‘60s:
Britannica Editors. “Artemis.” Updated May 4, 2026. Britannica. https://www.britannica.com/topic/Artemis-Greek-goddess
Draw the parallel with Appollo 8:
PBS. “The Event That Saved 1968.” https://www.pbs.org/wgbh/americanexperience/features/moon-event-saved-1968/
‘Til Artemis IV:
https://www.nasa.gov/mission/artemis-iv/
Here is the recipe for a Negroni, though Steve and Anne recommend making it with Peychaud’s Aperitivo rather than Campari:
https://www.liquor.com/recipes/negroni/
Science claims that denatonium is the bitterest substance on Earth, but Anne thinks that’s just because they haven’t tried Campari:
Science Direct. “Denatonium.” https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/agricultural-and-biological-sciences/denatonium
Within 5 years of it getting ratified, Nixon used it to replace Spiro Agnew:
History.com Editors. “Vice President Agnew Resigns.” Updated May 27, 2025. History.com. https://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/october-10/vice-president-agnew-resigns
The second time it got used was by Gerald Ford:
Bomboy, Scott. “Gerald Ford’s Unique Role in American History.” July 14, 2024. National Constitution Center. https://constitutioncenter.org/blog/gerald-fords-unique-role-in-american-history
This book was called The Night of Camp David:
Fletcher Knebel. Night of Camp David. 1965. Harper & Row.
Follows the law more often:
Lawfare. “Trump Administration Litigation Tracker.” Updated May 11, 2026. https://www.lawfaremedia.org/projects-series/trials-of-the-trump-administration/tracking-trump-administration-litigation
The midterms are coming up, real fast:
https://www.usvotefoundation.org/when-are-2026-midterm-elections-and-what-their-purpose
Doing a little research and voting:
Making sure you’re registered to vote:
https://www.bexar.org/1701/Voter-Registration
It’s a food bank:
It’s a diaper bank:
https://www.texasdiaperbank.org/
And several space captains from science fiction have been played by Canadian actors. But you already knew that.
Monday May 11, 2026
Monday Apr 20, 2026
Monday Apr 06, 2026
Monday Apr 06, 2026
Steve commits murder, Anne pursues him to the full extent of the law, and Mack is on a mission from God.
REFERENCES
So, by warrant here, we’re talking about honest-to-gosh legal warrants:
Legal Information Institute. “Warrant.” https://www.law.cornell.edu/wex/warrant
We need to make a distinction because there are administrative warrants:
Legal Information Institute. “Administrative Warrant.” https://www.law.cornell.edu/wex/administrative_warrant
So, the executive branch:
Legal Information Institute. “Executive Branch.” https://www.law.cornell.edu/wex/executive_branch
You need to have probable cause:
Legal Information Institute. “Probable Cause.” https://www.law.cornell.edu/wex/probable_cause
Article III judge:
Constitution Annotated. “Article III.” https://constitution.congress.gov/constitution/article-3/
For search and seizure:
Legal Information Institute. “Search and Seizure.” https://www.law.cornell.edu/wex/search_and_seizure
In the Fourth Amendment:
Constitution Annotated. “Fourth Amendment.” https://constitution.congress.gov/constitution/amendment-4/
A lot of times, it is for a civil thing:
Legal Aid Society of Northeaster New York. “The Differences Between Criminal Court and Civil Court.” Updated August 4, 2022. LawHelp.org. https://www.lawhelp.org/resource/the-differences-between-criminal-court-and-ci
ICE, the organization:
They’ve got to be out in a public place, and then they’re authorized by their own agency to detain them:
Diaz, Jaclyn. “What ICE Agents Can and Cannot Legally Do During Arrests.” Updated September 19, 2025. NPR. https://www.npr.org/2025/09/05/nx-s1-5517998/ice-arrest-rules-explained
It’s not just search everything:
United States Courts. “What Does the Fourth Amendment Mean?” https://www.uscourts.gov/about-federal-courts/educational-resources/about-educational-outreach/activity-resources/what-does-fourth-amendment-mean
Writs of assistance:
Britannica Editors. “Writ of Assistance.” Updated 2020. Britannica. https://www.britannica.com/topic/writ-of-assistance
The in-between time between the Seven Years War (the French and Indian War)…:
Britannica Editors. “Seven Years’ War.” Updated March 23, 2026. Britannica. https://www.britannica.com/event/Seven-Years-War
…and the run-up to the Revolution:
Wallace, Willard M. “American Revolution.” Updated March 20, 2026. Britannica. https://www.britannica.com/event/American-Revolution
So famous Supreme Court case, Mapp vs. Ohio, 1961:
Oyez. “Mapp v. Ohio.” https://www.oyez.org/cases/1960/236
When did administrative warrants come into play:
Arthur, Andrew R. “Going Back to the Past to Explain ‘Administrative Warrants,’ Immigration Enforcement.” February 5, 2026. Center for Immigration Studies. https://cis.org/Arthur/Going-Back-Past-Explain-Administrative-Warrants-Immigration-Enforcement
I kind of wonder how the Revenue Cutter Service operated:
Vergun, David. “Coast Guard Celebrates 235 Years Protecting Nation’s Waterways.” August 1, 2025. Joint Base San Antonio. https://www.jbsa.mil/News/News/Article/4261826/coast-guard-celebrates-235-years-protecting-nations-waterways/
Like an early DOGE or something:
Fields, Gary. “A Year After Trump’s DOGE Cuts, Workers Whose Lives Were Upended Ask What Was Saved.” March 27, 2026. PBS News. https://www.pbs.org/newshour/politics/a-year-after-trumps-doge-cuts-workers-whose-lives-were-upended-ask-what-was-saved
While Civics on the Rocks didn't actually find an answer to this question, we’re sure they had something that gave them paper authorization, because otherwise they’re kind of pirate-y. Feel free to look for it for yourselves:
National Archives. “Records of the United States Revenue Cutter Service (USRCS).” Reviewed January 11, 2023. https://www.archives.gov/research/military/coast-guard/revenue-cutter-service
And it’s not a letter of marque or reprisal:
Mulligan, Steve P. “Letters of Marque and Reprisal (Part 1): Introduction and Historical Context.” February 26, 2025. Congress.gov. https://www.congress.gov/crs-product/LSB11272
And those are called origin statutes, by the way, or organic statutes:
Ballotpedia. “Organic Statute.” https://ballotpedia.org/Organic_statute
Some of it is, also, due process rights:
Constitution Annotated. “Amdt14.S1.3 Due Process Generally.” https://constitution.congress.gov/browse/essay/amdt14-S1-3/ALDE_00013743/
We couldn’t find a comprehensive list of agencies that use administrative warrants, but multiple ones are authorized to do so, including the Environmental Protective Agency (EPA).
Let’s do the EPA, that’s a fun one:
Oh, postal inspectors(!):
United States Postal Inspection Service. “Security: It Comes With the Stamp.” https://www.uspis.gov/
The EPA has people who enforce EPA regulations:
EPA. “Criminal Enforcement: Special Agents.” https://www.epa.gov/enforcement/criminal-enforcement-special-agents
Some of what they do, like postal inspectors, it could be a civil thing, it could also be a criminal thing:
Office of Inspector General. “Office of Investigations.” https://www.uspsoig.gov/about-us/office-investigations
Things like wire tapping:
Legal Information Institute. “Wiretapping.” Reviewed July 2024. https://www.law.cornell.edu/wex/wiretapping
Damn spot:
Shakespeare. “The Tragedy of Macbeth: Act 5, Scene 1.” https://shakespeare.mit.edu/macbeth/macbeth.5.1.html
You’re on oath or affirmation:
Legal Information Institute. “22 CFR § 92.18 - Oaths and affirmations defined.” https://www.law.cornell.edu/cfr/text/22/92.18
Now, we’re playing Clue:
The Strong National Museum of Play. “Clue.” https://www.museumofplay.org/toys/clue/
Yes, Anne can go into Steve’s house to arrest him with her warrant:
Wallentine, Ken. “Whose House Is This? I Think I Know.” 2023. Lexipol. https://www.lexipol.com/resources/blog/whose-house-is-this-i-think-i-know/
And then somebody pulls over Steve, and runs his license and registration through SCMODS:
https://youtu.be/pwqwSukyBvg?si=Kz9XB3WL4-k0vU9S
Yes, in most cases, Anne would need a separate warrant to take Steve’s DNA:
National Institute of Justice. “DNA–A Prosecutor’s Practice Notebook Inventory.” https://nij.ojp.gov/nij-hosted-online-training-courses/dna-prosecutors-practice-notebook-inventory/preparing-cases-involving-dna/admissibility/court-order-or-search-warrant
So, the phone question is a little more complicated. As one legal source noted, phone technology evolves faster than the law does. If a legal authority figure uses your face to open your phone without your permission, you have a case to bring an unlawful search complaint against them. However, most legal sources we found recommend you use a strong password:
Old, Jake. “Privacy Implications of Biometric Phone Encryption in Police Investigations.” Tennessee Bar Association. https://www.tba.org/?pg=crimjustice
It’s not civil because it’s a misdemeanor:
Legal Information Institute. “Misdemeanor.” Reviewed August 2021. https://www.law.cornell.edu/wex/misdemeanor
So, the two Supreme Court cases that Mack describes did occur, but they happened two years apart.
The phone search was unlawful:
Oyez. “Riley v. California.” https://www.oyez.org/cases/2013/13-132
But the full body cavity search, because it was motivated by the fact that the police are responsible for the safety of all persons onsite, that search was permissible:
Oyez. “Florence v. Board of Chosen Freeholders of the County of Burlington. https://www.oyez.org/cases/2011/10-945
Welcome to being a woman in America:
Center for Reproductive Rights. “Bodily Autonomy Fact Sheet Series: Abortion, Gender-Affirming Care, and the Fourteenth Amendment.” July 22, 2025. https://reproductiverights.org/resources/bodily-autonomy-fourteenth-amendment-fact-sheet/
Hot pursuit—it was a term that was made a thing by the Supreme Court…:
Justia. “United States v. Santana, 427 U.S. 38 (1976).” https://supreme.justia.com/cases/federal/us/427/38/
…not Roscoe P. Coltrane:
https://youtu.be/mPHnfcg6sPA?si=X4Tul9x0QxMHJHnN
In case you were wondering, hot pursuit comes from maritime law, where a nation’s ships are justified to pursue invaders into international waters, and its first known use was in 1743:
Merriam-Webster. “Hot Pursuit: Word History.” https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/hot%20pursuit#word-history
So, about the rocket propelled grenade launcher—it’s kind of a good news, bad news thing. So, Texas has declared private ownership of such weapons to be illegal…:
Texas Constitution and Statutes. “Sec. 46.05. Prohibited Weapons.” https://statutes.capitol.texas.gov/?tab=1&code=PE&chapter=PE.46&artSec=46.05
…unless they are registered under the National Firearms Act:
ATF. “National Firearms Act.” https://www.atf.gov/rules-and-regulations/laws-alcohol-tobacco-firearms-and-explosives/national-firearms-act
It depends on what you want to do with the fact pattern of the story:
Stockwell Law Firm. “How to Write an Effective Legal Fact Pattern: A Step-by-Step Guide.” https://www.stockwelllawfirm.com/single-post/how-to-write-an-effective-legal-fact-pattern-a-step-by-step-guide
The term for that is exigent circumstances:
Legal Information Institute. “Exigent Circumstances.” Reviewed December 2022. https://www.law.cornell.edu/wex/exigent_circumstances
ICE, who many people in this country feel are acting illegally and outside of the bounds for which they were created:
Epstein, Kayla. “What is ICE and What Powers Do Its Agents Have to Use Force?” February 4, 2026. BBC. https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cp80ljjd5rwo
And many of those people are federal judges:
Cheney, Kyle. “Our Running List of Judges Who Rule on ICE’s Mass Detention Policy.” Updated April 3, 2026. Politico. https://www.politico.com/news/2026/02/18/trump-judges-immigration-detention-00784614?_sp_pass_consent=true
They have internal legal advice that tells them their administrative warrants are perfectly fine for entering people’s homes:
James, Hannah. “DHS Warrantless Home Entry Memo’s Fourth Amendment Problem.” Updated February 4, 2026. Brennan Center for Justice. https://www.brennancenter.org/our-work/analysis-opinion/dhs-warrantless-home-entry-memos-fourth-amendment-problem
Including knocking down doors and using explosives to breach them to do so:
Brook, Jack. “A U.S. Citizen Says ICE Forced Open the Door to His Minnesota Home and Removed Him in His Underwear After a Warrantless Search.” January 20, 2026. PBS News. https://www.pbs.org/newshour/nation/a-u-s-citizen-says-ice-forced-open-the-door-to-his-minnesota-home-and-removed-him-in-his-underwear-after-a-warrantless-search
We just generally said ICE, but sometimes it’s Border Patrol:
Mehta, Sarah. “Border Patrol Agents Replace Top Leadership at ICE Offices Despite Human Rights Violations.” November 6, 2025. ACLU. https://www.aclu.org/news/immigrants-rights/border-patrol-agents-replace-top-leadership-at-ice-offices-despite-human-rights-violations
The incredible lack of training:
Bennett, Geoff and Anderson, Jonah. “Whistleblower Warns ICE Has Slashed Training for Recruits [Video and transcript].” PBS News Hour. https://www.pbs.org/newshour/show/whistleblower-warns-ice-has-slashed-training-for-recruits
Which is why some of the guys have shot themselves:
Rahman, Billal and Gooding, Dan. “ICE Agents Keep Accidentally Shooting Themselves.” Updated February 20, 2026. Newsweek. https://www.newsweek.com/ice-agents-keep-accidentally-shooting-themselves-11540132
In some of these encounters, like Renee Good…:
Schuppe, Jon and Smith, Patrick. “Minneapolis Police, Fire Department Reports Reveal Chaotic Moments After ICE Officer Fatally Shot Renee Good.” Updated January 16, 2026. NBC News. https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/minneapolis-police-fire-department-reports-reveal-chaotic-moments-ice-rcna254362
…and others:
McSwane, J. David. “Two CBP Agents Identified in Alex Pretti Shooting.” February 1, 2026. ProPublica. https://www.propublica.org/article/alex-pretti-shooting-cbp-agents-identified-jesus-ochoa-raymundo-gutierrez
Learn what you can do, what you can’t do, and what you shouldn’t do:
Yoon, Byul. “Your Questions Answered: Filming ICE Interactions Safely.” March 3, 2026. ACLU. https://www.aclu.org/news/immigrants-rights/your-questions-answered-filming-ice-interactions-safely
They are murdering people:
Bennet, Geoff and Norris, Courtney. “‘He Took My Son’s Life for Nothing,’ Says Mother of Man Killed by Immigration Agent [Video and transcript].” March 19, 2026. PBS News Hour.” https://www.pbs.org/newshour/show/he-took-my-sons-life-for-nothing-says-mother-of-man-killed-by-immigration-agent
They have a habit of leaving:
Fanelli, Gino. “ICE Agents in the Park Ave Neighborhood Spark Large-Scale Protest.” September 9, 2025. WXXI News. https://www.wxxinews.org/local-news/2025-09-09/ice-agents-in-the-park-ave-neighborhood-spark-large-scale-protest
Specifically, ACLU:
ACLU. “Know Your Rights.” https://www.aclu.org/know-your-rights
The marches, almost all of them, have been peaceful:
Reid, Tim and Brooks, Brad. “Anti-Trump Rallies Hit Thousands of U.S. Cities for ‘No Kings’ Protest.” Updated March 30, 2026. Reuters. https://www.reuters.com/world/us/rallies-planned-thousands-us-cities-no-kings-protest-against-trump-2026-03-28/
Regular citizens in Minnesota:
Janssen, Emma. “When ICE Blows Through Rural America.” March 30, 2026. The American Prospect. https://prospect.org/2026/03/30/apr-2026-magazine-when-ice-blows-through-rural-america-minnesota/
The guy who was the head of the Border Patrol operation in Minnesota was removed from that:
Raza, Sarah and Fingerhut, Hannah. “Minnesota Launches Probe That Could Bring Charges Against Federal Immigration Officers.” March 3, 2026. PBS News. https://www.pbs.org/newshour/nation/minnesota-launches-probe-that-could-bring-charges-against-federal-immigration-officers
Including law enforcement of the state and local variety:
Yang, Hannah; Sepic, Matt; and Schaper, David. “St. Peter Police Chief Intervened and Got Federal Agents to Release Resident, Sources Say.” Updated January 31, 2026. MPR News. https://www.mprnews.org/story/2026/01/30/st-peter-police-chief-intervenes-prevents-federal-agents-from-arresting-resident
Our first cocktail was a Scofflaw:
https://www.liquor.com/recipes/scofflaw/
It is kumquats where you eat the peel of the citrus:
Fox 13 Tampa Bay. “How to Eat a Kumquat [Video].” https://youtu.be/OmiUgaic2nE?si=2DSoq-gt1zDlv-f0
Second cocktail was the Algonquin:
https://www.liquor.com/algonquin-cocktail-recipe-8383879
Which was named for the hotel in New York City:
https://www.algonquinhotel.com/
Sake is not a wine, it is its own thing:
Wine and Spirit Education Trust. “5 Sake Facts Every Drinks Professional Needs to Know.” May 2024. https://www.wsetglobal.com/knowledge-centre/blog/2024/march/05/5-sake-facts-every-drinks-professional-needs-to-know/
27 CFR, Section 5.143 defines whiskey:
Code of Federal Regulations. “27 CFR 5.143.” https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-27/section-5.143
You can find whiskeys made from quinoa, for example:
Peters, Josh. “Corsair Quinoa Whiskey Review.” February 10, 2016. The Whiskey Jug. https://thewhiskeyjug.com/american-whiskey/corsair-quinoa-whiskey-review/
In the interest of full disclosure, since recording this podcast, Civics on the Rocks has discovered that someone has indeed made a rice whisky:
Burke, Eric. “J. T. Meleck American Rice Whiskey.” November 30, 2022. Bourbon Guy. https://www.bourbonguy.com/blog/2022/11/30/jt-meleck-american-rice-whiskey
No, because there is no honey:
Hive Mind Mead. “The History of Mead.” https://hivemindmead.com/pages/mead-101-everything-about-mead
The law has, indeed, changed and it is now totally fine to have a home distillery in Texas:
Capriglione, Giovanni. “HB 2278.” Texas Policy Research. https://www.texaspolicyresearch.com/bills/89th-legislature-hb-2278/
As of this podcast, World Market no longer sells a home brew sake kit. However, several other companies do online, in case you wanted to find something like that. (Anne's out. This is on you.)
I don’t know if you ever saw the documentary Jiro Dreams of Sushi:
https://youtu.be/0VB_DrsHDQ0?si=8YjFvlhvUCGrX4a5
It’s like family delineated:
Japan. “Exploring the Soul of Japanese Sake Breweries Across the Tohoku Region.” January 2022. https://www.japan.travel/en/japan-magazine/2201_exploring-soul-japanese-sake-breweries-across-tohoku-region/
It’s not tequila:
Forget, A. J. “The Difference Between Agave Spirits and Tequila.” May 14, 2025. The Takeout. https://www.thetakeout.com/1854905/agave-spirits-vs-tequila-difference/
A growing whiskey history in Japan:
Japan. “Japanese Whisky.” https://www.japan.travel/en/guide/japanese-whisky/
That’s how you go blind:
Claw Hammer Supply. “Can Making Alcohol at Home Make You Go Blind [Video]?” https://youtube.com/shorts/5VAogia7Oow?si=Zv9RFa0kI0Svhyb9
A packed column…:
Chemical Packings. “Essential Guide to Packed Bed Column Design.” November 24, 2024. https://www.chemicalpackings.com/article/packed-column.html
…not a tray column:
Chemical Packings. “Distillation Column Trays and Packing: A Comprehensive Overview.” February 1, 2025. https://www.chemicalpackings.com/article/distillation-column-tray.html
We’re going to need black suits, black hats, sunglasses, black ties:
https://youtu.be/WZ3zZ-aWi6U?si=y9W6WUMxjdJg6qmi
Or NATO straps:
Horus Watch Straps. “What is a NATO Watch Strap?” https://www.horusstraps.com/blogs/news/what-is-a-nato-watch-strap?srsltid=AfmBOor5YD3GFgPYbTCgfbQm0h7uHsSAUlMhsjd2IsocQvX5lWQnp-1B
Original Bond or vintage Bond, Bond 2021, and modern Bond:
Esprit Nato. “NATO Strap and James Bond.” https://www.esprit-nato.com/en/content/10-nato-watch-strap-band-and-james-bond-007
Goldfinger, in the beginning of the movie:
https://youtu.be/NVg23yjKl1g?si=TisLfRcSQ8sjQHke
No Time to Die actually starred Daniel Craig:
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt2382320/
Quantum of Solace:
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0830515/
You wanna fun fact? Sean Connery’s wetsuit is not an authentic wetsuit or dry suit. Here’s someone with a much more thorough explanation than Anne’s:
Spaiser, Matt. “The Black Diving Suit in Goldfinger.” November 4, 2024. Bond Suits. https://www.bondsuits.com/the-black-diving-suit-in-goldfinger/
So, there’s wetsuits and dry suits:
Mustang Survival. “The Difference Between Wetsuits and Dry Suits.” May 21, 2025. https://mustangsurvival.com/blogs/resources/the-difference-between-wetsuits-and-dry-suits
So, for our last cocktail, we went back to a Saratoga:
https://www.diffordsguide.com/cocktails/recipe/2196/saratoga-cocktail
ICE is still in Minnesota:
Collins, Jon and Martin, Kate. “Half of Those Arrested by Federal Agents in Minnesota This Winter Have Already Been Deported.” April 3, 2026. MPR News. https://www.mprnews.org/story/2026/04/03/half-of-those-arrested-by-federal-agents-in-minnesota-this-winter-have-already-been-deported
And cars:
NBC10 Philadelphia. “ICE Agents Smash Car Window During Arrest of Man in Cumberland County [Video].” March 28, 2026. https://youtu.be/zN2MWICVb24?si=hsTequ2py3HGhrop
And sending people, including little kids, to concentration camps:
Martínez-Beltrán, Sergio. “ICE Detention Deaths Are on a Record Pace. One Texas Facility Bears the Brunt.” April 3, 2026. NPR. https://www.npr.org/2026/04/03/nx-s1-5754749/ice-detention-deaths-are-on-a-record-pace-one-texas-facility-bears-the-brunt
And they literally have:
Goodman, Joshua and Sullivan, Tim. “They Thought They Were in Court for a Routine Immigration Hearing, But Walked Into a Deportation Trap.” November 19, 2025. PBS News. https://www.pbs.org/newshour/nation/they-thought-they-were-in-court-for-a-routine-immigration-hearing-but-walked-into-a-deportation-trap
Minnesota Public Radio:
The national news is a business, it’s an entertainment industry:
Seth, Shobhit; Brock, Thomas; and Velasquez, Vikki. “The World’s Top 10 News Media Companies.” January 15, 2026. Investopedia. https://www.investopedia.com/stock-analysis/021815/worlds-top-ten-news-companies-nws-gci-trco-nyt.aspx
Texas Public Radio:
The Texas Tribune:
A Texas journalist named Olivia Messer:
https://thebarbedwire.com/author/olivia/
The Barbed Wire:
A story they did in the aftermath of the July 4th floods:
Rangel, Leslie and Messer, Olivia. “‘It’s a Waking Nightmare’: Camp Mystic Alum Recalls Flood That Hit the Same Cabins in 1987.’” The Barbed Wire. July 8, 2025. https://thebarbedwire.com/2025/07/08/camp-mystic-alum-remembers-past-flood/
ProPublica:
And “dun-dun” is a reference to the television show Law and Order. But you already knew that.
Monday Mar 16, 2026