Gerrymandering in Kansas

The KS Senate's vote to override Gov. Laura Kelly's (D) veto of the congressional map is being held open an awfully long time… https://t.co/N6T5OgL5Ik
— Dave Wasserman (@Redistrict) February 7, 2022

The problem for Republicans is they only have 25 votes to override right now and Thompson's presence would give them 26, one below the required threshold. They don't have the votes to override the veto https://t.co/j1sqQ44ink
— Drew Savicki (@DrewSav) February 7, 2022

This KS GOP draft would weaken #KS03 Rep. Sharice Davids (D) from Biden +11 to Biden +5, putting her in a much tougher race. But still a long way to go & very real legal obstacles for Kansas Rs. https://t.co/m7bfARAlxr pic.twitter.com/aWs0bq8JXH
— Dave Wasserman (@Redistrict) January 18, 2022

Gorsuch is an asshole

He won’t wear a mask even though Justice Sotomoyor has diabetes. The anti-maskers are selfish and showing no concern for others.

that's extremism https://t.co/LULHIofFwh
— John Harwood (@JohnJHarwood) January 18, 2022

this seems like a good day to repost this column unmasking Neil Gorsuch https://t.co/7N632l3NJ1
— Ruth Marcus (@RuthMarcus) January 18, 2022

Jesus, what a schmuck. https://t.co/EcM1KjrULo
— Charles P. Pierce (@CharlesPPierce) January 18, 2022

When it comes to conflicts about wearing masks as a COVID-19 safeguard, the Supreme Court of the United States is no different than many workplaces.https://t.co/BwXtRjcuLR
— MarketWatch (@MarketWatch) January 18, 2022

The media gives Republicans a free pass on voting rights

So galling: In much of the media coverage of the Dem failure to pass democracy protections, lockstep GOP opposition has been simply erased as a factor in what's happening, even as Republicans continue to actively restrict voting in many states.

Reupping this: https://t.co/MMm2VpqGoI
— Greg Sargent (@ThePlumLineGS) January 17, 2022

Excellent point. Republicans have abdicated their responsibility and get a free ride https://t.co/nKi655RNLJ
— Harris Levy (@HarrisL585) January 14, 2022

Completely agree with this. I don't fault Biden for the unrelenting Republican obstructionism. There aren't 10 Republican moderates in the Senate that would join with Democrats to pass legislation that could not be filibustered. https://t.co/Ydzif3etq8
— Harris Levy (@HarrisL585) January 17, 2022

You should note that it's also been undercut by Republican unwillingness to stop red state efforts to restrict voting rights. I'm tired of seeing the GOP get a free pass and having all the focus on Manchin and Sinema.
— Harris Levy (@HarrisL585) January 17, 2022

Being furious at Manchin & Sinema distracts from the truth that we can’t even pretend to have a hope of pressuring a single Republican to vote for voting rights reform. Not even the “moderate” ones. The entire party is a lost cause when it comes to saving democracy.
— Amanda Litman (@amandalitman) January 14, 2022

The voting rights act reauthorization used to be bipartisan. So while Sinema may argue that Dem leadership did not do enough to forge consensus, Republicans have also moved away from the consensus too. https://t.co/asvyLyzc63
— Sam Stein (@samstein) January 13, 2022

Your periodic reminder that:

1. Congressional negotiations are always annoying

2. It’s asinine to blame Biden for two pain in the ass Senators when all 50 Republicans are refusing to do their jobs

3. This isn’t over yet
— Angry Staffer (@Angry_Staffer) January 13, 2022

Altho Manchin & Sinema appear to remain opposed to changing the filibuster, don’t divert your attention from the fact that not a single GOP Senator is willing to vote FOR voting rights. Democrats remain united on the importance of protecting our elections.
— Joyce Alene (@JoyceWhiteVance) January 18, 2022

Baltimore magazine articles on Baltimore writers

It also includes bookstores. I highly recommend Charm City Books which is in my neighborhood. I was glad to read that Madison Smartt Bell is fond of F. Scott Fitzgerald’s story “Babylon Revisited” which is one of my favorites.

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Covers: Suicide Is Painless

“Suicide Is Painless” was the theme song for the 1970 film M*A*S*H. An instrumental version was also used in the long-running TV show.

Robert Altman stipulating the M*A*S*H theme should be the "stupidest song ever written," so he tasked his 14-year-old-son to do it, who then made millions from TV show royalties while the old man made 70K for directing the film is the GOAT win a child has ever had over a parent
— John Frankensteiner (@JFrankensteiner) January 15, 2022

New information on the Trump administration’s efforts to influence the 2020 census

Everything was political to Trump and his cronies.

A newly disclosed memo circulated among top census officials cites "unprecedented" interference by the Trump administration in the 2020 count, including political pressure on a crash program seeking to identify and count unauthorized immigrants. https://t.co/2lvYdMD0gL
— The New York Times (@nytimes) January 15, 2022

and there’s this

Local leaders worry inaccurate census figures caused by Covid could cost their jurisdictions their share of the $1.5 trillion the federal government distributes annually based on census numbers. https://t.co/mKSkAqvTx4
— MSNBC (@MSNBC) January 16, 2022

Mosby is the latest

There’s a long line of government employees in Baltimore who have been accused or convicted of misconduct. Mayor Catherine Pugh and Mayor Sheila Dixon had to resign because of their misdeeds. City Council President Orlinsky accepted a bribe.

Four female prison guards impregnated by same inmate

Baltimore corrections officers charged with looting convenience store during unrest

The Baltimore public defender’s office is calling for a new review of convictions involving corrupt police officers after a staggering report raised new allegations about the scandal-plagued Gun Trace Task Force. https://t.co/g9Q9dPKTMB
— The Baltimore Sun (@baltimoresun) January 15, 2022

In 2000, Walter Orlinsky was seeking a pardon for the crimes he committed as Baltimore City Council President.

FBI files are delightfully gossipy. Here, the FBI recorded the complaints about Walter Orlinsky's tenure as a director of the Homeland Southway Condominium Association. pic.twitter.com/3CL5tX5kdu
— Baltimore Crime Museum (@museum_crime) March 27, 2023

More on masks

This is the best article on masks I have seen:

A good resource on spotting fakes” KN95s/KF94s.

If you read this you won’t have to watch any of my YouTube videos 😅

via @NYTimes https://t.co/99XajBdfYH
— Lloyd Armbrust (@larmbrust) January 15, 2022

I’m concerned this messaging isn’t clear or strong enough. Yes, cloth masks provide the least amount of protection, but, based on the science, the CDC should be strongly recommending higher quality masks, instead of telling the public to choose the mask that is best for them. https://t.co/lD31htrfYx
— uché blackstock, md (@uche_blackstock) January 15, 2022

While the CDC stopped short of advising people to wear N95 masks, others within the White House are pushing for the administration to go further — including mass distribution of N95 masks or sending an N95 to all Americans https://t.co/tPEGeUWI85 via @nbcnews
— Shannon Pettypiece (@spettypi) January 15, 2022

To find reliable N95, KN95 and medical-style masks, @wirecutter tried 38 types and confirmed the filtration claims of select models with government agencies or its own lab tests. https://t.co/ZNuUONU5Gf
— The New York Times (@nytimes) January 14, 2022

Breaking News: For the first time, the CDC said cloth masks weren’t as effective as other options. “Wear the most protective mask you can,” the agency urged. https://t.co/zOIRim0WQZ
— The New York Times (@nytimes) January 14, 2022

BREAKING: CDC finally updates mask guidance to highest quality mask that can be worn consistently.

We've known for >1 year that #covid19 is airborne. By now, N95/KN95s should be widely distributed & required in crowded indoor public settings.https://t.co/kuUJ5gAhbv
— Leana Wen, M.D. (@DrLeanaWen) January 14, 2022

Texas bad voter restrictions

I’m sure other red states will do this.

What Manchin & Sinema are enabling: “Election officials in one of the most populous counties in TX have rejected about half of the applications for ballots because of the state’s new voting restrictions enacted by Republicans last year.” https://t.co/b8A7fg0HBU
— Ronald Brownstein (@RonBrownstein) January 15, 2022

Hundreds of mail-in ballot applications are being rejected in some of Texas's largest counties because of the new voting law passed by the Republican-led state legislature last year, according to multiple election officials. https://t.co/Bkxpu71c1U
— CNN (@CNN) January 15, 2022

In Harris County percentage-wise we’re rejecting 7 times more mail ballot apps than before, because of new TX voter suppression laws that create a maze of technicalities. Example: if you register to vote with your DL number but request a mail ballot with your SSN, you’re rejected
— Lina Hidalgo (@LinaHidalgoTX) January 17, 2022

Republican voting restriction strategy 'paying off already' in Texas https://t.co/MRCzUkrNHM
— MSNBC (@MSNBC) January 18, 2022

Warning from Space

Warning from Space is a 1956 Japanese science fiction film featuring ridiculous starfish-shaped aliens. It’s still fun to watch and Arrow Video has released a fine Blu-ray version. It’s the first color Japanese science fiction film.

From the archive: Warning from Space #films #japan #recommendedposts #reviews #scifi https://t.co/W5bKun70Mi
— easternKicks (@easternKicks) January 15, 2022