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Good News Roundup for Friday, December 2, 2022: Holiday Lights [1]
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Date: 2022-12-02
Look at all those blue lights! That's us, making the world a prettier place!
Welcome 🌻 to Friday’s Roundup of Good News!
I hope everyone is feeling a little lighter these days — a little less anxious about the state of our country and our world. Yes, there’s work to be done, lots of it, but we can do so much when we try! In fact, the reason we’re feeling better is because we have been lighting up the world.
In the meantime, enjoy the holiday decorations. Here are some of President Biden’s words upon lighting the Christmas tree:
And so on this sacred season of joy and hope, let’s join together with confidence in a singular American belief in anything is possible, because that’s what I see in the American people. You’re the reason why I’ve never been more optimistic in our — about our future. And we just have to remember who we are. We’re the United States of America. And there’s nothing, nothing beyond our capacity if we do it together.
Pour yourself a hot drink, find a comfortable chair, and see what some of the good guys are doing. And, if you have news to share, please post in the comments!
Regular Scheduled Programming
No one here is naïve; we are aware of the many who are fighting to destroy our country. Some of us expected it: the cheating, the lying, the chaos, and yes, even the attempts to cling to power despite the clear will of the people. But we are here to read the efforts and the positive results of those (including us and our fellow gnus) who are working so hard to save our country from those very bad people. We are furious with them for what they are doing and we are letting them know. Remember:
💙 There are more of us than there are of them.
💛 They are terrified when we organize. THERE IS LOTS OF EVIDENCE THAT THEY ARE TERRIFIED!
💔 They want us to be demoralized. The best way to keep up your spirits is to fight. So, take the time to recharge your batteries, but find ways to contribute to the well-being of our country and our world.
🗽 Biden as President ! 🗽
Biden, Harris and their administration have been hard at work (actually, for once, there is a real gap due to much-deserved vacation). Anyway, here are the last week’s posts at the White House briefing room.
👎 Out with the Bad, In with the Good 👍
Kelp farming is cleaning up a NY bay and creating jobs Iris Crawford Reasons to Be Cheerful
This article originally appeared in Nexus Media News and was made possible by a grant from the Open Society Foundations. For the estimated 800 residents of the Shinnecock Reservation, where Troge said some families live on just $6,000 a year, kelp farming could be an economic lifeline. On one side of Shinnecock Hills, “you have billionaire’s row where some of the wealthiest people in America have homes,” Troge said. “Then, on the other side, you have Shinnecock territory, where 60 percent of us are living in complete poverty.” In 2019, Troge, an attorney who has represented the Shinnecock Nation in federal land rights cases, was looking for a way to create jobs and clean up Shinnecock Bay. That’s when GreenWave, a nonprofit that promotes regenerative ocean farming, approached the community about starting a kelp hatchery. Troge and five other women from her community formed the Shinnecock Kelp Farm, the first Indigenous-run farm of its kind on the East Coast. Greenwave’s model “so closely matched our skills, our expertise, our traditional ecological knowledge,” Troge said. The Shinnecock practiced regenerative ocean farming long before the term existed; they farmed scallops, mollusks, oysters and clams — all natural water purifiers — together with seaweed.
💣 Republicans: Party of Crimes and Chaos 💣
11th circuit rules against tRump in documents case Josh Kovensky, Talking Points Memo
The unanimous decision of the three-judge panel, which included the chief judge of the circuit, clears the way for the Justice Department to resume its investigation into Trump’s handling of government documents, including materials classified at the highest levels. The district court’s actions had stymied that investigation. The court eviscerated U.S. District Judge Aileen Cannon’s reasoning throughout the ruling, and included snide asides that dismissed her decision-making as not only wrong, but dangerous.
And here’s a fun tweet on the matter
x just embarrassing for Cannon
https://t.co/wytWRQ3GdT — Jennifer "Pro-privacy" Rubin (@JRubinBlogger) December 1, 2022
GOP official (chairman of 8th district) in Colorado has a meltdown David Edwards, Raw Story
During a Wednesday rally outside the Colorado Republican Party headquarters, speakers pushed for Mesa County Clerk Tina Peters to head the party despite her indictment for alleged election tampering. "We are gathered here today to give a declaration of war," the first speaker said. Mathai took the microphone and accused his party of not acting based on conservative ideology. ✂️ "They have not held to the U.S. Constitution, and then you wonder why these ass wipes can't win a race!" Mathai continued. "They've taken me to court. My attorney was Jenna Ellis!" The chairman said the party was controlled by Democrats because of open primaries.
Actually, I could not quite figure out his point, but he’s angry and chaotic, so he belongs in this section.
Included because it’s just so weird and wrong. This is FOX to Mike Pence:
x “Everywhere you go, people love you. Even Democrats love you” pic.twitter.com/Qk2HUSTIOv — Acyn (@Acyn) November 30, 2022
So completely not true! We don’t love him. We don’t even like him. I respect the one moment he showed courage — and it was a moment that really mattered. But being liked by Ds is hardly a compliment on FOX, so maybe they were not trying to help him.
I have never figured out Pence. He was recommended by Manafort, Kremlin puppet — why? Because of his credibility with the evangelicals? And how could Pence show fortitude once, and only once?
On the other hand, I don’t care that much. Because it’s Pence, you know.
💙 Democrats Deliver 💙
🚗 Gas prices lower than they were before Russia’s invasion of Ukraine Herb Scribner Axios
The average cost for a gallon of gas in the U.S. has dropped below the price it was before Russia invaded Ukraine earlier this year, according to AAA. Why it matters: It is the first time since February that gas prices cost less than $3.50 per gallon, a significant decrease from record prices in the summer.
Anyone besides me think the gas prices were inflated before the midterms in order to help the Rs?
DOJ is doing more than just Jan 6 and stolen documents. From the DOJ website, fresh water:
Today, the United States filed a proposal in federal court that — if approved by the court — would appoint an Interim Third Party Manager to stabilize the city of Jackson, Mississippi’s public drinking water system, and build confidence in the system’s ability to supply safe drinking water to the system’s customers. The city and the Mississippi State Department of Health (MSDH) have signed this order and agreed to its terms. At the same time, the Justice Department, on behalf of U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), filed a complaint against the city alleging that the city has failed to provide drinking water that is reliably compliant with the Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA) to the system’s customers. The proposal, which was called a “proposed stipulated order” in court filings, is meant to serve as an interim measure while the United States, the city, and MSDH attempt to negotiate a judicially enforceable consent decree to achieve long-term sustainability of the system and the city’s compliance with the SDWA and other relevant laws. “Today the Justice Department is taking action in federal court to address long-standing failures in the city of Jackson’s public drinking water system,” said Attorney General Merrick B. Garland. “The Department of Justice takes seriously its responsibility to keep the American people safe and to protect their civil rights. Together with our partners at EPA, we will continue to seek justice for the residents of Jackson, Mississippi. And we will continue to prioritize cases in the communities most burdened by environmental harm.” “Over the past year, I’ve had the privilege to spend time with people on the ground in Jackson – many who’ve struggled with access to safe and reliable water for years," said EPA Administrator Michael S. Regan. “I pledged that EPA would do everything in its power to ensure the people of Jackson have clean and dependable water, now and into the future. While there is much more work ahead, the Justice Department’s action marks a critical moment on the path to securing clean, safe water for Jackson residents. I’m grateful to the Attorney General for his partnership and commitment to this shared vision.”
Democrats are in array!
x Breaking News: House Democrats elected Hakeem Jeffries as their next leader. In a first, women and people of color won all the top posts.
https://t.co/X9xtpKY46e — NYT Politics (@nytpolitics) November 30, 2022
Remarks from Wonkette on the matter Doktor Zoom
Since the new Republican majority in the House can't get its shit together at all, Democrats decided to show off just how unified they are by skipping a vote, instead choosing Jeffries by acclamation. (Also no other candidates had declared, but that was a unity thing, too.) Same goes for new Democratic Whip Rep. Katherine Clark of Massachusetts, who'll be in charge of making sure party members stay in line before votes (or at least making sure she knows who stands where), and for new party caucus chair Rep. Pete Aguilar of California, who'll coordinate the caucus's messaging and is also in charge of the sheep dip. G'day!
Congressman-elect Frost campaigning for Warnock Alexi McCammond Axios
Maxwell Frost won't take his seat in the House until January, but the 25-year-old from Florida already has his first congressional assignment: turning out young voters in Georgia to keep Democratic Sen. Raphael Warnock in office. Driving the news: Frost, soon to be the youngest member of Congress and the first from Generation Z, will rally HBCU students in Atlanta this weekend — capitalizing on the urgency organizers say is needed to turn out young people for the Dec. 6 Senate runoff. Why it matters: It's the latest in a series of steps by Democratic leaders to elevate the young Black and Latino political organizer and gun safety activist, whose ability to connect with young voters is viewed as a potential X-factor in close races.
Fingers crossed, since that’s about all most of us can do at this point:
x NEW: early vote data shows 54% of Georgians have cast their ballots for Raphael Warnock—almost 8% higher than this time in the 2021 run-off and 6% higher than this time a few weeks ago. Very encouraging numbers for Democrats with 5 days left in the race. — Victor Shi (@Victorshi2020) December 1, 2022
💜 Unity? 💜
Election denial might be on its last legs, Jennifer Rubin, Washington Post
The first positive development is the near-absence of “voter fraud” claims from Republican losers. This is partly because election deniers dug their own grave. As the Associated Press reported, Florida, Georgia and Virginia all set up law enforcement units after the 2020 election to investigate complaints of fraud but came up empty-handed. Same goes for all those election-denying volunteers that MAGA activists organized to work at the polls. So much effort — and not a scrap of evidence of a stolen election. ✂️ Second, Republicans might be inching away from their rhetorical assault on early in-person and mail-in voting. Democrats banked millions of votes in advance of Election Day this year. They are doing the same in Georgia for its runoff Senate election, for which hundreds of thousands of early votes have already been cast, primarily in Democratic-rich metro Atlanta. After all the lies about mail-in ballots and ridiculous arguments against drop boxes, the Hill reports, “A growing number of influential GOP leaders and operatives say the party needs to more aggressively compete with Democrats when it comes to early and mail voting, fearing that a failure to do so could cost the GOP in future elections.”
How a bipartisan group of senators got the same sex marriage protection act passed Liz Goodwin, Washington Post
“I think there was a short period of time where there was a belief that this was being pushed for political reasons,” Baldwin said. “My Republican colleagues would say to me, ‘Nobody thinks you’re pushing this for political reasons. They think others are, like the Democratic Party. But nobody is questioning your motives.’ I think that’s helpful. I mean, I really am earnest about this.” ✂️ Baldwin ran point on the LGBT advocacy groups, and Collins dealt with the coalition of religious groups while the senators worked to amend the bill to explicitly state that the legislation did not infringe on religious liberty. Sinema, who grew up Mormon and is close with key swing vote and Mormon Sen. Mitt Romney (R-Utah), was the chief negotiator with the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, according to Collins, and stressed the importance of bringing the “elders” on board the process. “My goal when working to find bipartisan consensus is to listen first and foremost to what someone needs and hear what that person needs and then I try to figure out — ‘Is this something I can do? Can I give this person whatever they need?’ ” said Sinema, who is the first openly bisexual member of the Senate. “Whether it’s specific language or answering questions.” ✂️ A key turning point for the effort came in mid-September, when the group asked Sen. Charles E. Schumer (D-N.Y.) in a meeting in his office to delay the vote until after the elections, when they believed they’d have enough Republican votes to pass it. Collins said she was “surprised” and pleased when Schumer, who’s known as a ferocious campaigner and could have been tempted to use the issue politically, agreed. But Baldwin wasn’t.
Words from the NZ and Finnish prime ministers:
x A journalist asked NZ Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern if she was meeting Finland's PM Sanna Marin because they were both "similar in age and got a lot of common stuff."
Her response is everything.
🇳🇿 🇫🇮pic.twitter.com/rT6jIce5AU — Goodable (@Goodable) November 30, 2022
📥 Actions You Can Take 📤
Tax-exempt organization complaint referrals. 13909. You can fill this out for the NRA and lots of other organizations. How about if some of us white folk go into some of the MAGA churches and video record what they’re saying?
Voting rights. This may be the biggest issue threatening our democracy right now. Besides contacting your representatives at the state and federal level to do the right thing (depending on who they are), you can support and contact these organizations:
ACLU — American Civil Liberties Union
Democracy Docket — founded by Marc Elias, so important in fighting the challenges after the last election.
Fair Fight — founded by Stacey Abrams
🌱Grass roots. Biden and Harris can do the top-down stuff, but we have to support from the bottom. I don’t know how to deprogram 75 million people, but some things have been written about, such as deep canvassing, and lots of people are talking about this. If you know someone (who did not storm the Capitol), then see if you can be pleasant. Instead of trying to reason with them (logic is obviously not their strong point) distract them with something else. We need to remove the sources of lies and to take down the temperature. If we get more of the Rs to wear masks and to get vaccinated and to vote for Ds, the country will be a better place. We need to coax some of them out of the rabbit holes and diffuse the anger and the crazy.
🏃 Run for something. If you want to run for something, but have no idea what to do, these people will help you. They also like money and volunteers to help those people who are running, so even if you’re not in a position to stand for office, you can help. Note: they are especially planning to target the 57 Rs in local governments who participated in the insurrection.
👎 Defund the seditionists. Defund the seditionists. This is a list with companies that sometimes have donated to the seditionists. The list is long. You will recognize many of the corporations, and you probably have a relationship with some — either you are a customer, a shareholder, or maybe even an employee. Contact them and compliment or complain, but let them know you are watching. Forward it to others.
🐍 Schadenfreude 😈
This bit of Schadenfreude was brought to you by the number 11:
x THE DAY OF 11:
11th circuit throws out Donald’s special master
Rule 11 sanctions levied against Alan Dershowitz for his Kari Lake lawsuit
11 years for Joel Greenberg — Mueller, She Wrote (@MuellerSheWrote) December 2, 2022
Still enjoying the Oath Keeper guilty verdicts! FAFO, or in Yoda-speak, AFFO:
Woman gets nearly 3 years for selling fake covid cures AP
SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — A naturopathic doctor who sold fake COVID-19 immunization treatments and fraudulent vaccination cards during the height of the coronavirus pandemic was sentenced in California on Tuesday to nearly three years in prison, federal prosecutors said. Juli A. Mazi pleaded guilty last April in federal court in San Francisco to one count of wire fraud and one count of false statements related to health care matters. During Tuesday’s hearing, U.S. District Judge Charles R. Breyer handed down a sentence of 33 months, according to Joshua Stueve, a spokesperson for the U.S. Department of Justice. ✂️ The case is the first federal criminal fraud prosecution related to fraudulent Centers for Disease Control and Prevention vaccination cards for COVID-19, according to the U.S. Department of Justice.
Nice to see one of the grifters being taken down!
🌵 heh heh. From about a week ago, but a lovely picture.
x Two hours in and there are officially more porta-potties than patriots 😂 pic.twitter.com/Plkg93u8Ns — non-ficshawn🌵 (@ShawnInArizona) November 25, 2022
⚡️ Joel Greenberg FINALLY sentenced to 11 years (sex trafficking) Walter Einenkel, Daily Kos
Worried that Gaetz has not been charged? There’s this:
x NEW: Greeneberg’s lawyer tells @DeadlineWH there are “a lot more witnesses (to the sex trafficking a minor for Gaetz) than Greenberg and the minor.” — Mueller, She Wrote (@MuellerSheWrote) December 1, 2022
⚡️ 🌵 Federal judge sanctions Lake and Finchem lawyers Dartagnan, Daily Kos. Heh, heh, heh.
📣 Let’s Honor Truth ☀️️
This week we’re honoring Katie Hobbs, Governor-elect of Arizona and currently serving as the Secretary of State — i.e., the person in charge of making sure elections are clean. This, in Arizona, must have been a serious challenge this year. Here she proves she really stinks at cheating: EJ Montoni Arizona Republic via Yahoo News
If Hobbs and her office chose not to follow the law and, essentially, look the other way, it would be a bonanza for Democrats, pennies from heaven. Cochise County is heavily Republican. According to records on the county’s website, Republican Juan Ciscomani received nearly 14,000 more votes than Democrat Kirsten Engle [sic, it should be Engel] in their race for Arizona’s 6th congressional district. Likewise, Republican Tom Horne received 9,000 more votes than Democrat Kathy Hoffman in the contest for Superintendent of Public Instruction. She could 'steal' the election for 2 Democrats If the supervisors were to refuse to certify their election results and, as the law provides, “disenfranchise all of the voters in Cochise County”, Democrats would have enough votes from the other 14 counties to win both of those races.
Of course, she did not steal the election, and it has now been certified, even in Cochise County. But she chose the right path, despite temptation. Probably I was more tempted than she was, as I would far prefer Engel to Ciscomani.
🌹 Let’s Celebrate Love ❤️
Grownup helping kids:
x with rain while he fixes this little boy’s bike. These kids rode off so happy and the man left with a smile on his face from ear to ear. This is the America that I know. High five to you good sir!" 2/2 — James Tate (@JamesTate121) November 25, 2022
And sometimes, the kids have the big hearts:
x In Virginia, this entire fourth-grade class learned sign language so they could communicate with a deaf cafeteria worker.
Kindness — it costs nothing. pic.twitter.com/dODrjISCoL — Goodable (@Goodable) November 26, 2022
📎 Odds & Ends 📎
Recycling that works! Andy Corbley Good News Network
In order to keep their little island the pristine Aegean paradise it is, Tilos has gotten rid of their landfill, and replaced it with a circular system that has reduced total waste by 86%. ✂️ All biodegradable waste is turned into soil treatments, while plastic, metal, glass, and paper are all recycled. For non-recyclable goods there is an upcycle center for still-working, as well as for electronics and clothes, either for re-use by someone else, or for artistic creations.
Testing hydrogen as a jet fuel begins Cristen Hemingway Jaynes EcoWatch
On a military site in England, a Rolls-Royce AE-2100A gas turbine jet engine — used in regional aircraft all over the world — is undergoing flight tests using hydrogen fuel for the first time, reported BBC News. The tests are being conducted in partnership with airline easyJet. In the short term, the purpose of the tests is to demonstrate that jet engines can run on hydrogen power. The larger aim is for the use of hydrogen as a clean-burning fuel to grow, replacing fossil fuels and slashing greenhouse gas emissions.
Forests are local:
x Forty years ago, deforestation was threatening to wipe out Nepal's forests.
So the government started handing out portions of national forests to local communities. The land is managed and cultivated by local volunteers.
Now, forests cover 45% of Nepal's land. pic.twitter.com/afCkVP7z42 — Goodable (@Goodable) November 29, 2022
The UN celebrates champions of the Earth — Such as working to combat peatland fires
While peatlands cover less than 3 per cent of the Earth’s surface, they are the largest terrestrial warehouse of organic carbon and their burning releases the very greenhouse gases that are driving the climate crisis. “The only permanent and sustainable way of preventing peat fires is to raise water levels and find ways to use the land while it remains wet,” said Johan Kieft, a UNEP peatland expert. There are several recent examples of countries that have made progress in combating wildfires. In Indonesia, where a series of wildfires impacted the health of thousands of people and caused $16 billion in losses in 2015, the government is working with 150 communities to train local communities in how to clear land without resorting to fires. The work, which includes restoring degraded landscapes, has been supported by the UN Collaborative Programme on Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Forest Degradation in Developing Countries(UN-REDD). Peatland monitoring processes were also used to prevent fires from happening again.
🐦 I do a lot of other writing. A recent offering: Hunters of the Feather, a story about a thinker-linker crow who wants to save birdkind from extinction, and the sequel, Scavengers of Mind. (They’re really good! They’re really cheap! Buy and review or rate positively! And Hunters is also available on Audible!) Other stories, based on Jane Austen novels — including a new one for lovers of Pride & Prejudice, Mrs. Bennet’s Advice to Young Ladies — and others on Greek mythology, can be found here. All titles are available through Kindle Unlimited, but I only get paid if you turn the pages.
💙 What You Can Do to Rescue Democracy 💙
It turns out that participation in democracy is not just an every-four-years event but requires active participation, like, whenever you can find time.
Current projects:
Look in the comments for Progressive Muse’s report on Postcards to Voters
And some other ideas:
You can relax and recharge.
You can join protests and freeway blog.
You can help register new voters.
You can smile.
You can get out the vote for special elections.
You can reach out to upset Republicans. We need to win some back.
You can share your ideas below.
🌻
💙 “Our history has been a constant struggle between the American ideal that we all are created equal and the harsh ugly reality that racism, nativism, fear, demonization have long torn us apart. The battle is perennial, and victory is never assured.” 💙
President Joseph R. Biden
🌹 🌹 🌹
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