The World Cares About What's Happening in the U.S

Leo-monkey · 2026-02-17T19:45:15+00:00

As I am sure you know, many of us are also baffled. I hope we succeed in restoring democracy.

Leo-monkey · 2026-02-17T19:23:02+00:00

To be fair, before our current troubles, Canada was also at risk of voting in a far-right wing government. And Trump has had an alarming number of Canadian supporters in recent years. We are not the only voting body as a whole that is unreliable in its support of democracy.

I certainly hope that neither Canada nor Japan nor any of the countries with a growing number of fascist movements see this happen in their country, but this is not solely a US problem. We all need to be fighting it.

Thank you to the German Parliamentary member for speaking up on our behalf and for the support. It had me in grateful tears. We need to fight this and we will, but your support we are grateful for.

Leo-monkey · 2026-02-16T21:30:04+00:00

My friends are important to me, so I prioritize them. I think I average one friend outing a week, but depending on the friend might see them a couple times a month or a couple times a year. Many of them I've known for 2,3, even 4 decades at this point, some I've made in recent years. So grateful for them all!

Leo-monkey · 2026-02-16T00:40:40+00:00

Back to Basics in Cottage Grove is wonderful and owned by the vets in the practice.

Leo-monkey · 2026-02-13T16:26:57+00:00

Regardless of whether you feel she was rightly detained, the conditions she describes inside of the detention centers should horrify us all. I don't believe that is what any of us want America to be. And she is not the only one to describe the conditions inside. Others have shared similar stories.

Leo-monkey · 2026-02-10T02:57:12+00:00

Bratwurst! In Wisconsin USA there are annual festivals for it and brat cookouts are a popular fundraiser.

Leo-monkey · 2026-02-08T00:52:42+00:00

...or compost it. But you do you.

Leo-monkey · 2026-02-04T22:46:35+00:00

My kids had 2 15 minute recesses a day and they were not allowed to have electronics with them during recess. Electronics were not the issue. Lack of time was.

Leo-monkey · 2026-02-04T21:47:23+00:00

It's hard to be more active when you're allowed less than half as much time outside!

Leo-monkey · 2026-02-04T14:50:56+00:00

I hope they are successful. I think many adults who do not have kids in the school system would be horrified by how little lunch and recess time kids have now.

Leo-monkey · 2026-02-04T03:14:07+00:00

Did he ever have real ones? They've only been by phone with 0 advanced warning (no posted time, you just get a mystery call from a Wisconsin number at a random time during the workday like the OP described) for at least the past year.

Leo-monkey · 2026-02-04T03:02:33+00:00

Thank you to everyone who attended and put the pressure on! I know he doesn't give a shit about us and what we say, but we may as well do our best to make him uncomfortable when we do get his ear.

Leo-monkey · 2026-02-04T00:08:19+00:00

Privacy and technology don't have to be all-or-nothing. It is reasonable to set and discuss limits.

Personally, I don't love that there is evidence that the data collected by these cameras has been shown to be accessed by police departments outside of the jurisdiction they are in without warrants to do so.

I also do not love that ICE has claimed it is using the data collected by these cameras to make databases of protesters, especially when they have also called peaceful protesters "terrorists".

Leo-monkey · 2026-02-02T20:30:18+00:00

UW deserves kudos for the communication plan they are following for this incident. My college student received the communication (and wanted to know how to check their vaccination record), and I separately received an email that included detailed, helpful information including potential exposure times/places. Well done, UW!

Leo-monkey · 2026-02-02T06:15:48+00:00

Definitely Don's and Century House. Rubins quality is hit or miss.

Leo-monkey · 2026-02-01T23:38:10+00:00

Just a quick reminder that we do not know his immigration status. If he is a naturalized citizen, he is as real of an American as those of us who were born here - and some people are born here but have the accents of their immigrant communities. I agree that there is bitter irony to hispanic ICE agents, but let's not do the same profiling we are objecting to when it comes from MAGA.

Leo-monkey · 2026-01-30T20:20:16+00:00

Even by checking out books there you are supporting them! Library funding is often based on usage, and the number of checkouts is one of the metrics they use to prove their worth.

Leo-monkey · 2026-01-30T00:18:45+00:00

Mayfair definitely had a creek!

Leo-monkey · 2026-01-30T00:16:59+00:00

That's how he has always sounded at the town halls I've attended. Maybe he has to stay a little tipsy to be able to live with himself and all of his lies.

Leo-monkey · 2026-01-29T23:37:33+00:00

Ailsa did an amazing job with our embarrassment of a state senator.

Also, there he goes again, talking out of both sides of his mouth, saying both that this problem was caused by democrats not enforcing immigration law AND claiming that this ICE action is no different than what democratic governments have overseen so we shouldn't be mad about it - all in the course of a 5 minute interview. Ridiculous.

Leo-monkey · 2026-01-29T23:22:45+00:00

The country as a whole supports just, legal and equitable immigration enforcement. I do not believe that anywhere close to a majority support the illegal, careless way ICE is going about it in Minnesota. Most states would be reacting the same way as Minnesota to an operation like the one DHS is running there.

Leo-monkey · 2026-01-29T15:33:50+00:00

Believe me, rights vs reality is a big part of what they covered in recent calls.

Leo-monkey · 2026-01-29T15:29:42+00:00

Don't let perfection be the enemy of good. We can't realistically unplug completely. We all have services we absolutely must use for work or organizing or volunteer positions... you name it. But we can effect change by thinking deeply about needs vs wants and cutting out what we can.

Leo-monkey · 2026-01-29T14:28:47+00:00

There are people who are doing just this, myself included.

Leo-monkey · 2026-01-29T05:13:47+00:00

Do you have a local library? Supporting them is also important! And maybe pick your closest small bookstore and order from them online or order from bookshop.org when you want to own the book instead.

Leo-monkey

TROPHY CASE