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Good News Roundup for Friday, March 31, 2023: Finally! [1]
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Date: 2023-03-31
297th GNR
Welcome 🌻 to Friday’s Roundup of Good News!
Finally! An indictment of a man who has been criming for decades!
Both sides hoodwinked the media. The indicted ex-president’s team faked us out in the previous week, so we had to listen to a whole bunch of talking heads getting us excited prematurely, while the tRump team grifted and no one showed up to his protests. Then, Bragg cleverly let loose that the grand jury was taking time off in April. Yet released the indictment on the last day of March.
This is great for the grand jury, which will be protected by not meeting in April.
The news reached me around my one in the morning. I would have gotten up to eat some ice cream, but I bought and ate the ice cream in the prior week. Instead, I read a few headlines and turned over and went back to sleep. I’ll celebrate a little later, probably by listening to favorite tunes. Maybe I’ll restock the ice cream.
This indictment is long overdue. If tRump had been prosecuted and imprisoned for earlier crimes, as he should have been, he would have never reached the White House.
The same is true for a lot of the criminals who are making noise in various positions in the government.
Still, it’s a reason to smile. Some pundits have been saying “sad day” — I don’t think it’s a sad day at all. All the days tRump crimed were sad days, not the day he gets indicted. If you are going to celebrate, how will you do it?
If tRump gets a mug shot, will we learn his real height? Will he wear lifts?
Lots going on, and we still have lots to do, so come in, my friends, and see what some of the good guys are doing.
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. Here are the last week’s posts at the White House briefing room.
👎 Out with the Bad, In with the Good 👍
👎 Human Rights Campaign applauds the vetoes of Governor Kelly (Kansas) Press Release
Topeka, KS - Today, the Human Rights Campaign (HRC), the nation’s largest lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer (LGBTQ+) civil rights organization, commended Kansas Governor Laura Kelly for vetoing HB 2238, a bill banning the participation of transgender student-athletes in school sports. This is the third discriminatory sports ban Kelly has vetoed during her tenure as governor. Despite there only being three transgender students competing in school-related sports in Kansas, and the fact that today’s veto has been expected, lawmakers continued to push this bill and promote misinformation and fear surrounding transgender people.
Alas, the Kentucky legislature overrode the D governor’s veto of another anti-trans bill.
👍 An improvement in ethics at the Supreme Court Jonathan O’Connell and Ann E. Marimow, Washington Post
Supreme Court justices and all federal judges must provide a fuller public accounting of free trips, meals and other gifts they accept from corporations or other organizations, according to revised regulations quietly adopted this month. The new requirements mark a technical but significant change that lawmakers and court transparency advocates hope will lead to more disclosure by judges and justices and also make it easier for parties in specific cases to request that judges remove themselves from cases when potential conflicts arise.
👎 Vatican repudiates doctrine of discovery, the justification for colonization Elizabetta Povoleda New York Times
The Vatican formally repudiated on Thursday the “Doctrine of Discovery,” a legal concept based on 15th-century papal documents that European colonial powers used to legitimize the seizure and exploitation of Indigenous lands in Africa and the Americas, among other places. The decision comes after decades of demands from Indigenous people to rescind the doctrine, which was used for centuries to “expropriate Indigenous lands and facilitate their transfer to colonizing or dominating nations,” according to one United Nations forum.
💣 Republicans: Party of Crimes and Chaos 💣
tRump and advisers caught off guard Ashley Parker, Josh Dawsey, Washington Post
But when the indictment came, Trump and his advisers were caught off guard. “It was a surprise to everybody,” said David Urban, a longtime Trump adviser who is not working on his 2024 presidential campaign. Some of his lawyers had been preparing to take a few days off, not expecting any movement for several weeks, said two people familiar with the matter who, like many in Trump’s orbit, spoke on the condition of anonymity to candidly share details of private discussions. Some Trump aides — including adviser Boris Epshteyn, who is taking a leading role on Trump’s legal team — had even begun telling the former president that he would not be indicted at all, people familiar with the comments said.
x BREAKING from CNN: 34 counts in Trump indictment.
This is WAY more than expected. If this is correct, it could mean that the indictment covers FAR more than the Stormy Daniels hush money -- like Karen McDougal hush money or other hush money/catch-and-kill cases. — Tristan Snell (@TristanSnell) March 30, 2023
The House R investigations seem to be flopping Christian Piaz, Vox
Using the powers of the various congressional committees that they would soon take over, ultraconservative House Freedom Caucus members, led by Reps. James Comer of Kentucky and Jim Jordan of Ohio, were pledging investigations of everything: the Biden family’s business practices, Hunter Biden’s laptop, the origins of the coronavirus pandemic, alleged government bias against conservatives, and the Biden administration’s border policies. But so far, these investigations seem to be flopping. They don’t seem to be sticking in the public consciousness. They haven’t uncovered page one news about Hunter Biden’s laptop, or about the origins of Covid-19, or about a supposed government conspiracy to silence conservatives on Twitter. A bit more than two months into Republican control of the House, plenty of these investigations are well underway. Hearings have been held, letters sent, witnesses summoned, and hours spent appearing on Fox News. ✂️ The president’s approval rating remains virtually unchanged (though it’s trended up since the midterms). House Republicans continue to be tremendously unpopular. And more Americans today see the House GOP’s oversight investigations negatively when compared to when they took control. The big reason these investigations don’t seem to be breaking through is pretty simple: They just aren’t that popular, and never really were. And it’s not just Navigator’s polling that shows Americans aren’t very receptive to whatever comes out of these hearings. Since January, a series of Pew, NBC, and Public Policy Polling surveys have shown that most Americans don’t see these investigations as priorities for Congress, or would rather Republicans spend less time pursuing these lines of inquiry in favor of addressing more tangible, everyday issues (first among them being inflation and the cost of household goods).
They’re still lying and lying and lying some more. And we’re paying for it, which pisses me off...
President Biden is fighting Vladimir Putin. Ron DeSantis is fighting Mickey Mouse — and is losing: Skyler Swisher, Orlando Sentinel
LAKE BUENA VISTA — Gov. Ron DeSantis’ handpicked board overseeing Disney World’s government services is gearing up for a potential legal battle over a 30-year development agreement they say effectively renders them powerless to manage the entertainment giant’s future growth in Central Florida. Ahead of an expected state takeover, the Walt Disney Co. quietly pushed through the pact and restrictive covenants that would tie the hands of future board members for decades, according to a legal presentation by the district’s lawyers on Wednesday. The Central Florida Tourism Oversight District’s new Board of Supervisors voted to bring in outside legal firepower to examine the agreement, including a conservative Washington, D.C., law firm that has defended several of Gov. Ron DeSantis’ culture war priorities.
And, DeSantis has not been doing so well in his campaigning:
x As someone in the business, I can say that the DeSantis rollout has been among the worst of any Presidential candidate in modern times.
I am not convinced he actually runs. There is no rationale to his candidacy. And he's a deeply mediocre public performer.
https://t.co/jJmg5tJAzd — Simon Rosenberg (@SimonWDC) March 30, 2023
🚚 💙 Democrats Deliver 💙 🚚
WH Briefing: Investments in affordable Electric Vehicles!
Today, the Federal Government is announcing: Federal agencies have already acquired 13,000 light- and medium-duty zero emission vehicles (ZEVs) in FY23—about four times the number of ZEVs acquired in FY22. President Biden’s Federal Sustainability Plan requires federal agencies to transition the largest fleet in the world to all electric by acquiring 100 percent light-duty ZEVs annually by 2027 and acquiring 100 percent medium- and heavy-duty ZEVs annually by 2035.
Federal agencies are committing to deploy an additional 24,000 charging stations at Federal facilities by the next fiscal year, adding to the more than 5,000 charging stations already installed at Federal facilities nationwide.
Station Locator Tool that will help consumers charge their EVs quickly, affordably and conveniently. The tool will soon offer: Charging cost: The cost to charge an EV at an individual charging station. Charging speed: The charging speed or power output at the charger port level.
that will help consumers charge their EVs quickly, affordably and conveniently. The tool will soon offer:
They are also highlighting private sector investments:
Fleet Expansion First Student , a major supplier of school bus services, is committing to transition 30,000 fossil fuel-powered school buses to electric school buses by 2035.
, a major supplier of school bus services, is committing to transition 30,000 fossil fuel-powered school buses to electric school buses by 2035. Cirba Solutions , a battery materials and management company, is committing to process end-of-life batteries and Gigafactory manufacturing scrap, creating enough battery-materials to equip 1,000,000 EVs by 2028.
, a battery materials and management company, is committing to process end-of-life batteries and Gigafactory manufacturing scrap, creating enough battery-materials to equip 1,000,000 EVs by 2028. Waymo , an autonomous driving technology company, is committing to deploy the all-electric Jaguar I-PACE across all of its ride-hailing service territories this spring and retire its previous generation platform.
, an autonomous driving technology company, is committing to deploy the all-electric Jaguar I-PACE across all of its ride-hailing service territories this spring and retire its previous generation platform. Amazon is announcing it has rolled out over 3,000 electric delivery vehicles as part of its commitment to bring 100,000 electric delivery vehicles to the road by 2030.
is announcing it has rolled out over 3,000 electric delivery vehicles as part of its commitment to bring 100,000 electric delivery vehicles to the road by 2030. Trane Technologies, a company focused on efficient and sustainable climate solutions for buildings, homes and transportation, is committing to transition 100 percent of its global fleet of more than 8,000 vehicles, including service vans and trucks, to all electric vehicles by 2030.
California: Fighting against the oil industry Adam Beam, AP News
SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) — It was just a few weeks ago that California Gov. Gavin Newsom called the oil industry the second most powerful force on earth, trailing only Mother Nature in its ability to bend the elements — both physical and political — to its will. Yet on Tuesday, Newsom signed a new law that gives state regulators the power to penalize oil companies for making too much money, the first of its kind in the country. It’s the type of legislation the oil industry might have crushed in the past. But on Monday, the bill cleared the state Assembly with only one Democrat voting against it. “We proved we could finally beat big oil,” Newsom said Tuesday after signing the bill.
💜 Unity? 💜
Coalition of countries to restore wetlands UN Press Release
New York, 23 March 2023 - A coalition of governments today launched the Freshwater Challenge - the largest ever initiative to restore degraded rivers, lakes and wetlands, which are central to tackling the world’s worsening water, climate and nature crises. Announced at the UN Water Conference in New York, the Freshwater Challenge aims to restore 300,000km of rivers - equivalent to more than 7 times around the Earth - and 350 million hectares of wetlands - an area larger than India - by 2030. ✂️ Released this week, the IPCC’s sixth assessment report outlines the serious impacts of climate change on freshwater ecosystems, highlighting the need to protect and restore them to enhance adaptation and build resilient societies, economies and ecosystems. Championed by the governments of Colombia, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Ecuador, Gabon, Mexico and Zambia, the Freshwater Challenge calls on all governments to commit to clear targets in their updated National Biodiversity Strategies and Action Plans, National Determined Contributions and National Implementation Plan for the SDGs to urgently restore healthy freshwater ecosystems.
Not being in Congress as a member of the GOP must be liberating for Liz Cheney, because look at this tweet:
x Thank you @JennaBushHager for making this point today - if we really want to keep our children safe, we need to spend less time banning books and more time stopping the horrific gun violence in our schools. — Liz Cheney (@Liz_Cheney) March 28, 2023
And, members of Gen Z, the lockdown generation, are protesting:
x If Republicans haven’t found out from 2018, 2020, AND 2022, they should know now that if they mess around with Gen Z, they will find out. We will protest. We will turn out. We will vote. And we will make their lives miserable. Republicans messed with the wrong generation. — Victor Shi (@Victorshi2020) March 30, 2023
📥 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.
🔎 Want to check out what’s going on with campaign contributions? Check out this diary. 👀
🐍 Schadenfreude 😈
More on the Disney middle finger to DeSantis — they tied their play to the descendants of King Charles III: to actual princes and princesses, which is very Disney, isn’t it? It’s a little complicated, but so bloody cool! Liz Dye, Wonkette
Disney princesses are ready to kick DeSantis b*tt Enter the Rule Against Perpetuities, which has been modified or repealed lots of places, but generally says something like this: No unvested property interest is good unless it must vest, if at all, not later than 21 years after some life in being at the creation of the interest. Vesting means ownership. So, in plain English, the longest you can tie up title is 21 years past the lifespan of someone living at the time the document is signed. So you can say, "I leave this house to my wife, and then, upon her death, to any child we have who has reached the age of 21." Or if you're a lawyer for Disney and a real weisenheimer, you can say something like this: This Declaration shall be deemed effective as of the Effective Date and continue to be effective in perpetuity unless all or certain portions of the provisions of this Declaration are expressly terminated as provided elsewhere herein; provided, however, that if the perpetual term of this Declaration is deemed to violate the “Rule Against Perpetuities,” or any similar law or rule, this Declaration shall continue in effect until twenty one (21) years after the death of the last survivor of the descendants of King Charles III, King of England living as of the date of this Declaration. That's right, bitches! They said, "We're taking back control of this board forever. And if DeSantis and his goons go and change Florida law so that this is deemed to violate the Rule Against Perpetuities, then fine, we'll peg this document to the lives of King Charles's five grandchildren." So in case you didn't catch that ... Disney staked its claim to the Magic Kingdom on a LITERAL PRINCESS, since the youngest of Charles's descendants born at the time of this Declaration is Harry and Meghan's daughter Princess Lilibet Diana Mountbatten-Windsor, the only member of the British Royal Family born in America.
CNN must really be enjoying the Dominion suit against FOX:
x BREAKING: Dominion wants to put the following people on the stand:
Suzanne Scott
Jay Wallace
Sean Hannity
Tucker Carlson
Maria Bartiromo
Laura Ingraham
Bret Baier
Bill Sammon
Chris Stirewalt
Abby Grossberg
https://t.co/KsUmXlgxlk — Mueller, She Wrote (@MuellerSheWrote) March 28, 2023
📣 Let’s Honor Truth ☀️️
This week we’re honoring Barry Black, the Senate Chaplain who spoke truth to power this week. Amy B. Wang, Washington Post
On the Senate floor, the chamber’s longtime chaplain, retired Rear Adm. Barry C. Black, alluded to the fact that three of the victims in the Monday shooting at the Covenant School were 9-year-old students. “Lord, when babies die at a church school, it is time for us to move beyond thoughts and prayers,” Black declared in his distinctive baritone. “Remind our lawmakers of the words of the British statesman Edmund Burke: ‘All that is necessary for evil to triumph is for good people to do nothing.’” Black added: “Lord, deliver our senators from the paralysis of analysis that waits for the miraculous. Use them to battle the demonic forces that seek to engulf us. We pray, in your powerful name, amen.”
🌹 Let’s Celebrate Love ❤️
Just waiting to give a human a hug:
x This is the most wholesome thing you’re going to see today…
A dog and his boy
❤️❤️❤️ pic.twitter.com/AxnEfYu7sp — Jessi 💫 (@its_jessi_grace) March 22, 2023
📎 Odds & Ends 📎
❤️ Stem cell may reduce risk of heart attacks Andy Corbley Good News Network
A large trial showed that a single injection of a patient’s own stem cells into their heart was able to reduce inflammation and risk of heart attack and stroke by 58% if they had heart failure. 6 million Americans have clinical diagnoses of heart failure, a condition designated by a lack of ability for the heart to pump blood sufficiently. “For the first time, we’ve discovered that stem cells can successfully treat the inflammation that causes heart failure,” study lead author Dr. Emerson Perin, told the European Pharmaceutical Review.
Best buds (note they have been adopted together):
x A rescue dog and a goat are best friends. A Wake County North Carolina animal shelter put them up for adoption as a pair.
"Who are we to judge? They obviously love each other." pic.twitter.com/r7E5rrZcpZ — Cat, Reigning Typo Queen👑😷🌻NO DMs (@typo_cat) March 30, 2023
I thought this was a really useful, positive tweet:
x Psychology tricks you need to know pic.twitter.com/DK2ZsIUYg4 — The Clear Mind (@TheClearedMind) February 6, 2023
🐦 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 sequels, Scavengers of Mind and the brand-new Familiars of the Flock (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 say something nice to friend or a stranger.
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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