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Evening Shade-- Resistance Rising-- Monday 7/21 [1]
['This Content Is Not Subject To Review Daily Kos Staff Prior To Publication.']
Date: 2025-07-21
WELCOME
TO THE EVENING SHADE
A SANCTUARY OF SANITY AFTER A LONG HARD DAY OF FIGHTING FASCISM
YOU WILL FIND in the DIARIES a LOT of POLITICS
(Or NOT As the CASE MAY BE)
AND EVEN MORE CRITTERS
THE PERSON who MAKES the FIRST COMMENT WILL GET TWO CRITTERS
EVERY PERSON WHO COMMENTS WILL GET A CRITTER
RULES IN THE DIARY
WHEN YOU FIND SOMETHING in the DIARY that you LIKE
YOU CAN REPOST IT AS COMMENT in the DIARY
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======================
Our usual call for volunteers. We’re actually pretty well staffed for diarists now, despite Nanny enjoying Scotland this summer. Lemay has not been pressed into service yet but is set up for it.
What would be very nice would be to get at least one more critter herder, especially for Tuesdays.
Posting a Diary
Critter Herding
With THAT unpleasantness out of the way...
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Writing Saturdays’ regional Shades is fairly easy, if time-consuming. News from the States is a great resource for me. Monday’s Shade is a different beast.
Saturdays are a little more strict, in that I try to limit myself to news that isn’t national. Mondays are looser because I have a wider range of stories to choose from, yet you want to find things that haven’t been beaten to death.
Right now, you can’t avoid the Epstein story. I’m rivetted with it, but I’m bored with the reporting because it isn’t really turning up much that’s new. For me, the meta story of how MAGA is eating itself is far more interesting.
Colbert is interesting. I like doing the late-night roundups, so I’m obviously a fan. The story is fresh, but again, the larger story of the reaction is the most interesting thing. I’m hoping that there will be a good roster of new material for the late-night roundup tomorrow. It’s the weekend (as I write this) and there are no new details to emerge at this point, just lots of reactions.
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So, the first thing I’ve found is an article from Allison Gill (Mueller, she wrote).
The Epstein Cover-Up at the FBI (muellershewrote.com)
This letter was made public right after I had filed a FOIA request for all the Epstein and Maxwell Grand Jury testimony (see my last post on Substack.) [couldn’t find it] When I saw that over one thousand people had been put to work reviewing the Epstein files, I put a call out on my BlueSky account: In the 24 hours since, I’ve received several messages, including from a former analyst that was assigned to review the files, and a few things stood out to me. ✂️
This is fresh. It’s weaponization of the DOJ and an indicator of how panicked the White House is.
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x I don't know how we get through the next two weeks without something big breaking. Honestly, I'm not even sure we make it through Friday. Too much has come out in too short a period of time, and Trump is clearly freaking out. Something's gotta give. — Charlotte Clymer (@charlotteclymer.bsky.social) July 20, 2025 at 9:00 PM
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Since I’m mining Allison Gill
SCOOP: DOJ Analyst and Wife of ICEBlock App Developer Wrongfully Terminated
Carolyn Feinstein has spent the better part of the last decade as a forensic accountant for the Department of Justice in the Office of the U.S. Trustee. Like all federal workers I know, she was a dedicated public servant, loyal to the oath, and mission-focused. “If you're not familiar with the U.S. Trustee program, it's a small program in the DOJ that's referred to as the watchdog of the bankruptcy system. A good part of my job as an auditor was to use my forensic accounting skills to detect and root out fraud and abuse against that system,” she told me. But this past Friday, all of that changed. She says she received an email informing her she was terminated effectively immediately, with no notice and not so much as a phone call. “But I wasn’t just terminated,” she said, “I was targeted.” According to Feinstein, she was removed from service as retaliation for her husband’s activism. Feinstein’s husband is Joshua Aaron, the developer of the ICEBlock app which allows users to report ICE sightings in real time to warn others. “And to say this administration is unhappy with the app is an understatement,” Carolyn said. ✂️
ICEBlock is an app that helps people track ICE activity. The terminated employee is the wife of the developer of ICEBlock. I suspect there will be a lawsuit for wrongful termination
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Adam Tooze talks about the loss of the US dollar as the world’s reserve currency and the trap of the US trade deficit around the world, for both the lenders and the borrowers. I’ve read that Japan had threatened to call in their bonds, worth big bucks, if their tariffs stayed in place. They got revisited. China has even more leverage. If the USA were ever to default on treasury debt, we can kiss our economy goodbye.
Chartbook 397 Dollar trap or empire by invitation? The global political economy of the dollar system.
If you wanted to construct a scenario that was damaging to American claims to economic leadership in the world, it would look like the Trump administration. It reinforces the long-standing sense that the position of the US dollar as the world’s reserve currency and leading currency of international trade is anachronistic and out of kilter with America’s diminishing significance in the world economy. At least since the 1970s this has been inspiring talk of an imminent end of American financial hegemony. Half a century of speculation about America’s future as an economic leader has given rise to a species of historico-economic futurism I’ve labeled fin-fi(ction). Talk of the end of dollar hegemony has remained speculative because though it seems foreordained that the dollar “must fall”, the countervailing forces are, in fact, powerful. ✂️
It’s an interesting article, but I confess that it gets long and my eyes glazed over.
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I still want to go see this one.
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Forbes
Alaska Airlines Grounds All Planes Due To IT Outage
- In a statement on X early on Monday, Alaska Airlines said it has “resolved its earlier IT outage and has resumed operations.” - Alaska Airlines had previously said it was “experiencing an IT outage that's impacting our operations,” and has requested a “temporary, system-wide ground stop until the issue is resolved.” - The airline told ABC News that the outage began at around 11 p.m. ET, the post announcing the fix was made around 2:39 a.m. ET. - The company’s statement didn’t offer an details about the nature of the IT outage or specify how long it expects the ground stop to remain in effect. - The airline urged its passengers traveling on Sunday night to “check the status of your flight before leaving for the airport.” - According to a Federal Aviation Administration advisory, the airline first requested a ground stop for only the Alaska Airlines fleet, but this was was later expanded to include Horizon Air flights as well. ✂️
With that, I’m out of Forbes free articles for the month.
Fox Business via MSN
Thousands stranded after Alaska Airlines grounds all US flights
It’s a video that won’t embed. You can click through if you want to watch it — it will bring you to MSN, not Fox.
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Huffington Post
Alina Habba Makes 'Emotional' Move After Shattering Morale In U.S. Attorney's Office, Sources Tell NYT
The New York Times reported Sunday that Alina Habba, appointed by President Donald Trump as the interim U.S. attorney for the district of New Jersey, has “shattered morale” to the point that many prosecutors are looking to leave. But Habba might beat them out the door. With Senate confirmation for a full term appearing “unlikely” and district judges reviewing a possible extension, Habba already has said goodbye, the Times reported. Trump’s former defense attorney admitted in a staff meeting last week that she “was unlikely to be appointed by the judges and offered an emotional, pre-emptive farewell,” according to NYT. That would mean her tenure could end Tuesday. At least according to the Times’ report, it would be good riddance for the outspoken lawyer who has been a high-profile defender of Trump in court (she represented him on the losing end of two lawsuits brought by writer E. Jean Carroll) and on conservative media. While in the U.S. attorney’s office, Habba boasted of her access to the White House despite claiming she is “not political,” sources told the newspaper. ✂️
How will she fail upward next? I’m also reminded of my question of what will happen with the baseless prosecution of Rep. LaMonica McIver (wikipedia), who was basically charged and indicted for being caught in the middle of a tussle outside the ICE detention facility in New Jersey.
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Raw Story via MSN
Judge gives Alina Habba lesson in law during blistering rebuke
President Donald Trump's personal lawyer, Alina Habba, was admonished in a New Jersey court when Judge André Espinosa of U.S. District Court found her arrest of Newark Mayor Ras Baraka inappropriate. Raw Story reported in May that the dressing down of the interim U.S. attorney for New Jersey by the judge was so significant that the mayor was caught on a hot mic commenting: “Jesus, he tore these people a new a--hole. Good grief.” ✂️
Lots more detail in the rest of the article, which is schadenfreudelicious.
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CBSNews via MSN
DOJ official pushes to keep Habba as acting U.S. attorney as deadline looms
Habba has not received Senate confirmation and faces an uphill battle in a state represented by two Democratic senators adamantly opposed to her holding the office. That leaves it up to the state's judges, who have a decision to make Monday about Habba. Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche urged the judges to allow her to remain in the job in a pair of social media posts on Sunday evening and Monday morning. Habba "has brought steady leadership and sound judgment as interim U.S. Attorney for New Jersey," wrote Blanche. "She has the full confidence of [the president] and DOJ. District judges should use their authority to keep her in place." Habba did not immediately reply to questions from CBS News. She was nominated by Mr. Trump on July 1 for a full term as U.S. attorney. Blanche led Mr. Trump's personal criminal defense team, and Habba led his personal civil defense team in multiple major cases during the years between his terms in office. Habba had never worked in law enforcement prior to her appointment to the U.S. attorney's office. ✂️
We’ll find out tomorrow or Wednesday, but I’m betting she’ll be gone.
===
NBC News
A MAGA bot network on X is divided over the Trump-Epstein backlash
A previously unreported network of hundreds of accounts on X is using artificial intelligence to automatically reply to conservatives with positive messages about people in the Trump administration, researchers say. But with the MAGA movement split over the administration’s handling of files involving deceased sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, the accounts’ messaging has broken, offering contradictory statements on the issue and revealing the AI-fueled nature of the accounts. ✂️
Two camps of MAGA posters’ automatic replies, generated by AI, duke it out on Xwitter. It’s a wonderful world we live in.
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===
Bring Me the News
Delta flight from Minneapolis forced into 'aggressive maneuver' to avoid B-52 bomber
A close call involving a Delta flight from Minneapolis and a B-52 bomber happened Friday near Minot International Airport in North Dakota. “SkyWest flight 3788, operating as Delta Connection from Minneapolis, Minnesota to Minot, North Dakota, landed safely in Minot after being cleared for approach by the tower but performed a go-around when another aircraft became visible in their flight path. We are investigating the incident," a SkyWest airline spokesperson told Bring Me The News. "I think [the air traffic controller] realized that the spacing wasn't going to work and he said turn right. And I looked over and there was an airplane ... I thought it was a small airplane like the one you see at the airport right now doing touch-and-goes. He said turn right, I said there's an airplane over there, and he says turn left and by the time we read back to clearance, looked over and kind of saw the airplane and that was kind of coming on a converging course with us. "So, given his speed, it was a military ... I don't know how fast they were going, but they were a lot faster than us and I felt it was the safest thing to do to turn behind it. So, sorry about the aggressive maneuver. It caught me by surprise. This is not normal at all. I don't now that why they didn't give us a heads up because the Air Force base doe have radar and nobody said, 'Hey, there's also a B-52 in the pattern.' Long story short, it was not fun, but I do apologize for it and thank you for understanding. Not a fun day at work." ✂️
Good for the pilots for avoiding a catastrophe. This is what happens when you have Hegseth and Duffy in charge.
===
MSN
Global Hack on Microsoft product hits U.S., State Agencies
Hackers exploited a major security flaw in widely used Microsoft server software to launch a global attack on government agencies and businesses in the past few days, breaching U.S. federal and state agencies, universities, energy companies and an Asian telecommunications company, according to state officials and private researchers. ✂️ This most recent attack compromises only those servers housed within an organization — not those in the cloud, such as Microsoft 365, officials said. After first suggesting that users make modifications to or simply unplug SharePoint server programs from the internet, the company on Sunday evening released a patch for one version of the software. Two other versions remain vulnerable and Microsoft said it is continuing to work to develop a patch. The company declined to comment further. ✂️
Sharepoint is the backbone/framework for creating and sharing content on internal corporate sites. It’s not terribly difficult to use and if the organization of the site is well structured, it can be the main mechanism for most of what a company needs.
(Bolding mine) My previous employer was heavily invested in SharePoint. If we had to disable it, it would be much more than a minor inconvenience. It would have seriously impacted business.
===
Nanny had a bunch of funny flutters this morning. Unfortunately, they don’t embed because of some setting in her account. You need to have an account and be signed in to see them.
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This one I stole from the Gems of BlueSky series.
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MSNBC
Why it matters that some National Guard troops in L.A. are growing demoralized
There are growing signs that some of the National Guard troops whom President Donald Trump deployed to Los Angeles are demoralized and discontent with their ostensible mission of quashing the “rebellion” of protests against federal immigration raids. For those of you watching the “how close are we to an authoritarian state?” dial, it’s a small but meaningful indication that Trump might not be able to get all the armed forces on board in future authoritarian power grabs. ✂️ None of this reporting suggests that we’re on the brink of seeing mass resignations or protests among National Guard troops or ICE officers. But it still matters. The way that security and law enforcement forces respond to authoritarian or quasi-authoritarian directives is a window into the power of the leader issuing them. These forces are crucial to the actual implementation of an authoritarian agenda, and their compliance or noncompliance with authoritarian directives can make or break an aspiring autocrat’s claims to power. ✂️
There are a lot of good examples in the article. I encourage you to read it. It’s not super long.
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This one I found independently of the Gems of BlueSky series.
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Today is…
really, really juicy. I’ve barely started looking and there are so many interesting things on the calendar today.
Yesterday was Chris Cornell ’s birthday (wikipedia). He was best known for being the lead vocalist and one of the guitarists in Soundgarden, he was also in Audio Slave in the same capacity. He was a fantastic writer and singer. He is sorely missed.
Invite an Alien to Live with You Day
Invite an Alien to Live with You Day brings a playful twist to the idea of hospitality. Instead of a friend or neighbor, imagine a curious visitor from another galaxy settling into your spare room. They might ask wild questions, explore the fridge with wide eyes, or try your sofa like it’s a spaceship seat. It’s all about welcoming the unknown with humor and open arms. This odd but cheerful idea lets us laugh while thinking about how we treat those who seem unusual. ✂️
Do I dare got philosophical about the moral tenets of welcoming the stranger? Sorry, it’s more than I want to bite off right now.
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NATIONAL BE SOMEONE DAY
NATIONAL BE SOMEONE DAY On July 21, National Be Someone Day challenges each of us to take ten seconds to make a difference in a child's life. #BeSomeoneDay What can you do in ten seconds? We can shift gears or water a plant. We can hear or tell a bad joke. In ten seconds, we can change our minds, and after doing so, say a prayer of thanks. When we walk into a room, in that time, we can register the pain in someone's eyes and begin to provide comfort. We can praise and honor someone who deserves it. ✂️
(3:05)
Both the owner and the existing cat exemplify the message.
All of my life I wanted to be someone. I should have been more specific.
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Take a Monkey to Lunch Day
Take a Monkey to Lunch Day serves as a reminder that what is happening behind the scenes (or even in forefront!) isn’t always what it seems. Based on a weird criminal court case that occurred in Tennessee in the 1920s, this day brings up some controversial themes of evolution, religion, and honesty in the court system. No big deal, right?! This day isn’t just silly fun—it carries a deeper message: truth and justice are not always necessarily what they appear to be on the surface. ✂️
Today marks the 100th anniversary of the verdict in the Scopes Monkey Trial. Please don’t hurl feces at me for bringing it up. That’s for the conservatives. Celebrate it however you’d like. Go bananas!
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NATIONAL JUNK FOOD DAY
National Get Out of the Dog House Day Scootch over, Belle. Daddy’s comin’ in!
No Pet Store Puppies Day Start with rescue organizations. In the end, you’ll get a healthier dog. People ask me “what kind of dog is Belle?” “Happy.” petfinder.com
Belgium National Day Have a waffle!
Global Hug Your Kids Day In most other diaries, this would get a serious visit, but there is so much for this segment today.
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Robin Williams birthday (1951-2014) - Critically acclaimed actor and comedian.
Insert your favorite Robin Willams scenes in the comments. In honor of Invite an Alien to Live with You Day, I can’t help but thinking Mork and Mindy would be especially appropriate. Captain, oh my captain!
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[END]
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