Just want to say if Nanci Griffith ever plays a local venue, I am GOING.

Also, REALLY looking forward to the next season of Firefly.

I wonder if it’s possible to smuggle MiG-29s into Ukraine on tarpaulin-covered flatbeds? Wouldn’t that be cute? Then I wonder if Russia could identify downed planes by serial numbers on parts? Whee!

https://www.washingtonpost.com/national-security/2022/03/08/poland-mig-29-ukraine/

Apart from the abrupt way in which it was offered, I think Poland’s idea is a good one. What’s Russia gonna do, nuke Germany and the U.S.? Why would nuking Poland be any different (if the planes come straight from Poland)? Unless… it WOULD be different, in which case: wtf? NATO is one for all and all for one. We need to step up.

https://www.facinghistory.org/reconstruction-era/changing-names

So, uh… here’s some interesting reading:

«I was born in Montgomery County, Ala. the child of Phillis Houston, slave of Sol Smith. When I was born my mother was known as Phillis Smith and I took the name of Smith too. I was called mostly Lewis Smith till after the war, although I was named Dick Lewis Smith—Dick was the brother of John Barnett whom I learned was my father . . .

When I got home after the war, I was wearing the name of Lewis Smith, but I found that the negroes after freedom, were taking the names of their father like the white folks. So I asked my mother and she told me my father John Barnett, a white man, and I took up the name of Barnett»

https://twitter.com/TerryBoutonHist/status/1500583157694963716?s=20&t=etDTBvpQSxn2mqM_M4nc0w

Jolly Uncle Trucker, just questing after liberty. Honestly, this is just like the Nazis rallying at Madison Square Garden in 1939, merely celebrating our German heritage with American “patriotism”. It’s an unbroken line, and it hasn’t gone away. Trump was not an aberration.

Terry Bouton (@TerryBoutonHist) Tweeted: We spent four hours walking around the “Peoples Convoy” Trucker encampment at the Hagerstown Speedway in MD. Anyone dismissing this as a failed event by the crazy fringe is missing the big picture. Here are five important take-aways. 🧵 (Photos by @_Noelle_Cook). https://t.co/M7e3CLqbTK

https://www.greatpower.us/p/there-is-no-way-back-part-1

This whole article seems very good. I tried to grab some excerpts, but I wound up quoting half the article. Just go read it.

I’ll go back to something I alluded to earlier: this whole discussion might be well-informed by consulting former victims of domestic violence and the ones who work with them, helping them. Putin is using the language and tactics of abuse.

https://twitter.com/farahadams/status/1500606944679182339?s=20&t=t_i4LhFVR9ovt-pkx0MhPg

Hmmm.

farahadams (@farahadams) Tweeted: @IAPonomarenko So it’s ok for putin to drag in belarussians, syrians, chechnyans, and beg kazakhstanians to fight his war but dare Nato help Ukraine and he’ll threaten nuclear?

I’m not super-good at remembering this, but it’s still good and worth trying for.

For the record, I’ll be ok with paying $6, $7, or more for gas if it’s as a result of sanctions against Russia while they’re in Ukraine. I’ll also be happy with extra taxes to subsidize the gas expenses for people who can’t afford a hike like that and still need to get to work bagging groceries and cleaning toilets.

https://www.nytimes.com/live/2022/03/05/world/russia-ukraine#:~:text=%E2%80%9CThe%20current%20leadership%20needs%20to%20understand%20that%20if%20they%20continue%20doing%20what%20they%20are%20doing%2C%20they%20risk%20the%20future%20of%20Ukrainian%20statehood%2C%E2%80%9D%20Mr.%20Putin%20said.

I’m not the only one who hears this as the language of the abuser, am I?

““The current leadership needs to understand that if they continue doing what they are doing, they risk the future of Ukrainian statehood,” Mr. Putin said. ”