Notices by James Gleick (gleick@mas.to)

Agents of the US government arrested this woman and this girl, Dr. Rubeliz Bolivar and her daughter, Milena.

Their crimes? None.

Dr. Bolivar, born in Venezuela, in an emergency-care physician in McAllen, Texas, an impoverished place desperate for doctors. She has lived in the US legally for 10 years. She has a valid work permit, good until 2030. She is applying for permanent residency.

Milena, age 5, is a US citizen.

The cruelty. The stupidity.

https://www.nytimes.com/2026/04/11/us/second-venezuelan-doctor-detained-in-south-texas-by-immigration-agents.html?unlocked_article_code=1.aVA.ISnh.Nt1Lr7Y_lA4P&smid=url-share

Constitutional scholars across the generations failed to notice that the pardon clause was a loophole that would enable a tyrant to operate the entire government as a criminal enterprise. Trump figured that out, though.

https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026/apr/11/trump-mass-pardons-end-of-presidential-term

U.S. and Israeli weapons are precise enough to enable the assassination of Iranian leaders—yet they are targeting hospitals and schools, This is the beginning of what will surely be extensive documentation of war crimes.

https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2026/04/09/world/middleeast/us-israel-strikes-iran-structures-damage.html?unlocked_article_code=1.Z1A.jNTc.JZhppIRJ8_tY&smid=url-share

Call it what it is.

When even Marjorie Taylor Greene can see the truth, who does Trump have left?

Think about this. Having started a war with no planning, the US has discovered that it can't defend its own bases in the Middle East. So it is shifting troops to hotels and other residences where they are shielded by civilians. That's a war crime.

https://www.nytimes.com/2026/04/01/us/politics/troops-iran-hotels.html?unlocked_article_code=1.X1A.zMhU.V-_4ydMQKLwy&smid=url-share

#Iran

RE: https://flipboard.social/@newsguyusa/116297445220770371

Forbes providing a handy metric for how much the grifter-in-chief has stolen from the American people.

Do you understand why Trump has lifted the oil sanctions that were punishing Iran, the country he’s bombing, and Russia, the country that’s helping it?

Do you understand why Trump is sending 5,000 Marines to sail through the Strait of Hormuz while complaining that none of our friends and allies will help him reopen it?

Here's the whole explanation.

https://no01.substack.com/p/march-19-21-god-is-a-comedian

It turns out a DEA organized-crime task force was running a massive investigation of Epstein and 14 co-conspirators for drug trafficking and prostitution. That is, until Trump took office in 2016.

The investigation silently vanished.

Now the second Trump administration continues the cover-up.

https://open.substack.com/pub/heathercoxrichardson/p/march-18-2026?utm_campaign=post-expanded-share&utm_medium=web

Be clear about this outrage: Trump and Republicans are attempting in broad daylight to disenfranchise 21 million American voters.

If they want to require a certain kind of ID for voting, they must first provide all eligible voters with that ID. They are making no attempt to do that. It's a Voter Disenfranchisement bill.

https://www.nytimes.com/2026/03/17/us/politics/trump-voter-id-bill.html?smid=url-share

Underappreciated story: Trump and Bondi have decided to disregard the constitutional requirement that US Attorneys require Senate confirmation. In state after state they install unqualified apparatchiks, and it's up to the courts to discover that these stooges are serving illegally.

Which the courts have done, again and again. But the Trump regime simply ignores the courts and the law. All the work of these US Attorneys' offices is at risk. (1/2)

The Trump bloodhounds have just won in court against an “Antifa cell” belonging to the "Antifa domestic terrorist organization.” Here are some useful antifa facts:

1. There is no antifa organization. You can't find it, join it, give it money, or identify any leaders.
2. There are likewise no antifa cells, outside of Pam Bondi’s fever dreams.
3. Even so, if you yourself are not antifascist, what's the matter with you?

https://talkingpointsmemo.com/news/trump-crackdown-on-terrorist-left-notches-a-victory-in-texas

Today in the Kleptocracy.

This matter-of-fact article describes a shameless and spectacular bribery mill at the Pentagon, enough to bring down any previous administration. Want to line your pockets with taxpayer money? Walk right in.

https://www.nytimes.com/2026/03/13/us/politics/wall-street-access-pentagon.html?unlocked_article_code=1.S1A.fecq.KhjdhnbvQj2f&smid=url-share

The word is "cover up." The Times has found email proof that Kash Patel's FBI combed the Epstein files to protect Trump and 14 others.

https://www.nytimes.com/2026/03/11/us/politics/trump-epstein-files-fbi-doj.html?unlocked_article_code=1.SlA.eZnK.neSkFik4rPMr&smid=url-share

Did AI kill 175 schoolchildren, aged 6 to 12, with a double-tap precision-guided missile strike?

No, AI didn't commit this war crime. Donald Trump did. Pete Hegseth did.

"The people in charge don’t seem to be pondering this, as it’s all a game to them. You can hear it in the despicable language of the lacquered and grotesque Hegseth and his middle-school braggadocio about ‘warfighting’ and ‘the warrior ethos.’”

Will Bunch, must read. Gift link.

https://share.inquirer.com/HAOS9l

@evan @futurebird yes, and I'm old enough to remember that gag.

@futurebird This is possibly the best use of Mastodon poll I’ve ever seen. I voted, but with little confidence. And I own a refrigerator, too. I hope you’ll post the "correct" answer afterward.

Given what is plain to see the video and accurately described in the article, “Senator Helps Officers" is an egregiously cowardly headling. https://mas.to/@gleick/116178407102807491

Danger in the skies:

Pete Hegseth's Defense Department has gone laser-crazy. First they shoot down a party balloon. Now they shoot down OUR OWN DRONE.

They illegally refuse to warn the FAA about these mad laser strikes. The FAA keeps shutting down airspace on short notice.

And for what? It's boys with toys.

https://www.nytimes.com/2026/02/26/us/drone-faa-dhs-el-paso-airspace.html?unlocked_article_code=1.PVA.S8Yg.UEam6QbmxMG6&smid=url-share

At the New York Historical Society today.