• Israel struck Iran and Iran struck Israel. Naturally, there are tweets on X weighing in. And there are defenders of Israel who want U.S. involvement and its soldiers to fight. It is, and this is putting it kindly, supporters of U.S. President Donald Trump—MAGA World—who are there for wherever is Trump. Those not in support get to clash with those in support of Israel. The nation’s leaders, and their administrations, have talked for years about going to war against Iran. Of course, that is what this country does—wars—and we will find out what more may come.
• Minnesota politicians targeted for assassination. Two state legislature figures were targeted for assassination. Melissa Hortman, age 55 and DFL leader in the Minnesota House of Representatives, along with her husband Mark, was assassinated in her home. Also targeted for assassination, but having survived, was John Hoffman, DFL, a state senator and age 60, along with his wife Yvette. Their adult daughter, shielded by her mother, was not shot. The suspect, following a weekend manhunt, has been apprehended. He is Vance Luther Boelter, 57.
There likely will be more up-to-date details during the week.
Fallout from last week between U.S. president Donald Trump and Tesla and X owner Elon Musk sparked the above tweet (which has since been deleted but, thankfully, I took a screenshot).
Numerous of the regularly recommended content creators have already commented. I will include videos linked in Comments. But, there should be a response from me with this topic.
I would not surprised if this is true.
I suspect that there is an easier question to ask: “Who isn’t in the Epstein files?”
In 2022, I wrote and posted “Remembering the Children” which was about the “Oakland County Child Killer” case in Oakland County, Michigan.
On the historic timeline, this occurred between February 1976 to March 1977. Some of it coincided with the “Son of Sam” [David Berkowitz] case in New York, New York.
The “Oakland Child Killer” is a serial murder case which has never been solved. Well, not officially. But what also occurred in Michigan, on the west side of these state, at North Fox Island, was the sexual violations of children. Boys. (For “OCCK.” it was two boys and two girls.”)
The person who headed this was Francis Shelden (1928–1996) . He bought North Fox Island.
Shelden was a pedophile. He had a network of other adult men who exploited—and even raped—many of these boys. Joining in this crime, although not named, were other men with wealth and influence.
I do not want to go into much with that case. Shelden was descended from the 20th governor of Michigan Russell Alger (1836–1907). He fled Michigan, apparently, and the United States—and he avoided arrest—for the remainder of this life. He died in Amsterdam.
The Jeffrey Epstein case reminds me of this. Many in his circle also have wealth, power, and influence. And whether or not that list ever becomes revealed—and it is intended that that will never happen—I cannot be genuinely surprised.
Last week, Glenn Greenwald revealed that he received video which shows him being intimate with another person. Without my knowing anything more specific, and not really wanting to know, I have a couple notes to make which will serve as my response to the very nature of this would-be scandal:
• I do not want to know about anyone’s private life. Meaning: Anything anyone wants to share…that is a willingness of that person to share, say, one thing about himself/herself. But, in general, I do not want to ask anyone private information about himself/herself.
• If someone is being confronted with pictures and/or videos of himself/herself having an intimate connection to someone else, there is one reason why that should be acceptable: That person is cheating on his/her significant other with another person. (That, say, a private investigator has the proof.) Other than that…this says more about the person (or persons) invading the privacy of the one who is/was targeted.
Greenwald’s husband, David Miranda, who was a Brazilian politician and activist, died at age 37 in 2023. Greenwald, 58, is raising their children. That general information, to that extent, is appropriate and satisfying enough. Greenwald’s journalism, and his criticism, is his work.
I respect Glenn Greenwald and wish well for him and his family.
This Saturday, May 31, 2025 marks the 25-year anniversary of the premiere of CBS’s Survivor.
This series changed the United States broadcast networks—and other forms of television—with what has been identified by the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences, which administers the primetime Emmys, as Reality–Competition Programming.
Created by Mark Burnett, the series is hosted by Jeff Probst, and casts at least 16 “Castaways” who live on an island, in a real location (filmed on location), in efforts to “Outwit. Outplay. Outlast.”
The first edition of Survivor, which premiered on May 31, 2000, was titled Borneo. (Below picture is of its participating castaways.)
I was late to the series. I started with the second edition, which was broadcast in Spring 2001, titled The Austrian Outback.
Survivor won a top Emmy in 2001. Probst won four Emmys for Outstanding Reality-Competition Host.
I stopped watching Survivor after the Fall 2019 edition included a participant who inappropriately touched at least one woman, and wasn’t timely pulled from the game, but was finally taken out late in the game. That did it for me.
During the time I regularly followed, it was an intriguing concept to have people from different areas of the U.S. live together on an island, struggle, participate in competitions, and strategize to stay in the game to go all the way to the end. And win. That is Survivor.
I will be taking several weeks off from writing and publishing specific political topics in order to cover some entertainment and milestone anniversaries. This will apply to the last two weeks in May and throughout most or all of June.
This week addresses two of my latest television picks which I find entertaining and enjoyable. The first is a new series. The second is a nearly 125-year-old professional sports team returning to greatness.
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Open Gates
On February 24, 2025, CBS debuted Beyond the Gates, the first daytime soap launched in over twenty-five years by any of the traditional broadcast networks in the United States.
Beyond the Gates comes from the imagination of Sheila Ducksworth, who co-executive produces the series. The production boasts a cast of characters who are dominantly Black. It is the first such daytime soap on a U.S. broadcast network.
As one who took in plenty of the daytime dramas in decades past, it is not a genre which turns me off. Involvement in following such productions is more than what I usually want to give of my time. So, for the time being, I am giving Gates a chance.
I applaud Ducksworth, series creator and co-executive producer and head writer Michele Val Jean, and the production as whole for a very good reason. Most of the new daytime soaps I checked out, throughout many years, and just as they premiered, were not good. They were not in shape. They were not interesting. It would take at least a year to come to fruition. Sometimes more. Beyond the Gates is already strong.
Nicole is married to surgeon Ted (first played by Maurice Johnson; now played by Keith D. Robinson). Their adult children are Martin (Brandon Claybon) and Kat (Colby Muhammad). They also have adopted adult son Andrè (Sean Freeman). Revealed early in the series is that Ted years ago had an affair with a dangerous woman named Leslie (Trisha Mann–Grant), who has used aliases, and they produced daughter Eva (Ambyr Michelle).
Dani is divorced, after 30 years, from unethical attorney Bill (Timon Kyle Durrett). They have adult daughters Naomi (Arielle Prepetit) and Chelsea (RhonniRose Mantilla). Established from the first episode is Bill, divorced from Dani, engaged and newly wed to the young woman with whom he had an affair. She is Hayley (Marquita Goings), seemingly naive, who used to have a friendship with Naomi.
Martin, who is gay and a congressman, is married to journalist Bradley “Smitty” (Mike Manning). They have adopted children. Kat, who isn’t given a profession (but is analytical), has an antagonistic connection to Eva. They both seem interested in the same man, Tomas (Alex Alegria), who works for Bill at his law firm. Andrè, a photographer, is interested in unavailable nurse Ashley (Jen Jacob), who is in a relationship with fireman Derek (Ben Gavin).
Naomi, an attorney who helps her community, is married to police detective Jacob (JibreHordges). Chelsea, a former model who is launching a clothing design business, is bisexual and exploring. (One scene had Chelsea asking Martin about threesomes. That isn’t often on Network TV.)
The community, named Fairmont Crest, is also connected to realtor Vanessa (Lauren Buglioli). She is married to a surgeon with a gambling addiction. Vanessa has friendships with Nicole and Dani. She has the respect of Anita and Vernon.
The series, as I mentioned, has started out well. Ball is rolling. It does need to more effectively integrate Ashley and Derek, who are also friends with Naomi and Jacob, as their relationship is spiraling. I would recommend the same with the background of “Smitty.” I noticed actors Jacob and Manning look physically like they can play family members—cousins is more likely—while sending Derek to lonely and unfulfilled real-estate wife Vanessa can create surprising story.
The action with Beyond the Gates, with what especially works, is with the Duprees. Dani is a fiery. Nicole is regal. They have experienced cheating husbands. But the bedrocks are Anita and Vernon, wise and relatable parents and grandparents, who lead and protect their family whenever necessary.
This is a fine cast. Three performances already stand out as meriting Emmy nominations in 2026: Tunie, whose role was specially created for her, is divine. Also recognized for her work as a medical examiner on NBC’s Law & Order: Special Victims Unit, Tunie is an actress who does not come across acting. … Mosley, at times bitter and other times alluring, has stood out right from Episode One. … Mann–Grant is terrific and fearless, and not over the top, as her character is clearly deranged.
Three of the Gates cast members have had major awards recognition. Though she was never Emmy-nominated for her work on the former CBS soap As the World Turns, Tunie won a 2007 Tony Award as one of the producers for Best Musical Spring Awakening. Davis was recognized, in 1972, with nominations for both a Grammy (1971 R&B Song for “Never Can Say Goodbye” recorded by Jackson 5) and a Tony (Best Actor in a Musical for Best Musical winner Two Gentleman of Verona).… Manning, who has been with other daytime soaps, won two Emmys—his first as a producer; his second as a performer—for the Internet-based serial The Bay.
Last week, and in time for this publishing date, CBS renewed Beyond the Gates for a second season.
Following is an interview with Ducksworth, Duplaix, and Tunie from The Paley Center for Media.
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Roaring Tigers
Last year was not just luck.
After clawing their way into the 2024 Major League Baseball postseason, the 2025 Detroit Tigers are leading not only their American League Central division. With the games of Sunday, May 18, 2025, Detroit Tigers leads the entire AL with a record of 31–16 and .660. If that isn’t enough…Detroit Tigers also have the best record in all of MLB. Currently in battle for the best record in the National League, and tied 29–18 and .617, are the NL East New York Mets and the NL West Los Angeles Dodgers.
So I am now into following Detroit Tigers. I am watching via the FanDuel Sports streaming app.
I was amazed by last week’s three-game sweep, at Detroit’s Comerica Park, of Boston Red Sox. It was due to one player from Game #02, on Tuesday, May 13, 2025. In extra innings, bottom of the 11th, centerfielder Javier Báez hit a three-run, walk-off homer that won Tigers the game with 10 to 9 runs. It was not just that moment. The 32-year-old Baez (who won the 2016 World Series with Chicago Cubs and was co-winner of the 2016 National League Championship Series MVP) had another three-run homer earlier in the game. He alone drove in 6 of his team’s 10 runs.
The pitching is excellent. Last November, 28-year-old ace Tarik Skubal, above, won the Baseball Writers’ Association of America’s 2024 AL Cy Young award with unanimous No. 1 votes by all 30 of the AL sportswriters. He also won the pitching triple crown: Wins-vs.-Losses (18-4), Earned Run Average (2.39) and Strikeouts (228). The left-hander is a pleasure to watch. Tigers are lucky to have him.
Following is “Game Highlights: Javier Báez Three-Run Walk-Off Home Run | 5/13/25” published to YouTube by the channel of Detroit Tigers.
Music legend Stevie Wonder turns 75 on Tuesday, May 13, 2025.
He was born May 13, 1950.
Wonder was born in Saginaw, Michigan. (Side note: Given most of the content here is about politics…Saginaw is the county seat and most-populous city in Saginaw County, a state-level bellwether county in bellwether state Michigan.)
My favorite Wonder album is 1976’s Songs in the Key of Life. The LP, one of his three Grammy winners for Album of the Year, includes “As,” “I Wish,” “Isn’t She Lovely,” “Sir Duke,” and “Summer Soft.” And I am partial to “Knocks Me Off My Feet.”
I will post, in the Comments, some music I like from Stevie Wonder.
It is now a full three-plus months since Donald Trump returned to the office of President of the United States. (This week’s publishing date also marks six months since Election Day 2024.)
There has also been an acknowledgment that 100 days have passed.
I will give my two-cents on his performance.
In the 2024 United States presidential election, the No. 1 issue—for most people—was Inflation. It still is. This is the No. 1 issue to deal with.
Trump is avoiding Inflation.
That, right there, and before delving into even more issues, is enough for me to write off Trump Part II.
I write off the second term of Trump because—given the wasted time on DOGE and the inappropriate involvement with Elon Musk, the tariffs, the censorship, the continued deference to a foreign country—there isn’t a thing which has me impressed.
On the [Wednesday,] April 16, 2025 episode of The Post Duopoly Show, there was discussion of the efforts of Bernie Sanders and Alexandria Ocasio–Cortez to sell people on the Democratic Party. Yes, to say that Donald Trump is horrible. But to also get people motivated, and wanting, to #VoteBlue.
The Revolutionary Blackout guests have a sense there is a push for the 2028 Democratic presidential nomination to go to Alexandria Ocasio–Cortez. The group, with concern for actual progressives and their political movement, does not welcome this. I understand. I also understand that what one wants or does not want…things will play out regardless. (I certainly include myself with this.)
One guest’s take on this which stood out for me came from Due Dissidence co-host Keaton Weiss. In fact, I will quote the parts which should resonate. (Which is why I have inserted some ellipses.)
“From the standpoint of the Democratic Party leadership, AOC is the perfect sheepdog…she has enough star power, and enough celebrity, to get millions of people excited about joining the Democratic Party. She is big enough and famous enough and progressive enough to do that. However, unlike Bernie Sanders—who probably would have won the primary if it had been a fair fight—AOC has no chance to actually win the primary. No chance at all.…”
I agree with the first half. The second half—not quite.
I consider the following as well…
On Due Dissidence’s Election Night 2024 livestream, on which I participated with analyses of the electoral map, recurring guest Tusker had an interesting observation. She expressed it at a point (06 hours 21 minutes) in which it was clear Donald Trump would win a non-consecutive, second-term re-election. It was Tusker reflecting on the Democratic Party’s behind-the-scenes powerful who made sure the 2016 and 2020 nominations did not go to Bernie Sanders.
“I’m telling you: There’s going to be a section of the ruling class that is going to, really, legitimately be kicking themselves over not backing Bernie in 2016; because it’s been totally clear that they can put their hand up his ass and make him talk.…”
This!
This speaks to a possible 2028 Democratic presidential nomination for Alexandria Ocasio–Cortez from the state of New York.
I think, from behind the scenes, and after losing not once but twice to Donald Trump…the Democrats will focus on brand image. (With and following Election 2024, the Democratic Party brand has become tarnished.) If any current officeholder can be their ticket back to the White House…to go with someone who is looked at like a star—but one who is also controlled enough—it may be AOC.
The Democratic Party knows they are in a position of weakness with a key demographic given those exit polls from Election 2024: people in the youngest voting-age group of 18–29. This is the voting-age group base when Democrats are the prevailing party for U.S. President. They cannot win without 18–29.
In 2024, Kamala Harris won 18–29 voters nationally by +11 percentage points (54% vs. 43% for Trump). In Elections 2012, 2016, and 2020—re-election for Barack Obama, losing nominee Hillary Clinton, and winner Joe Biden—the Democrats carried this age group nearly +20 points above their national margins. Obama won the U.S. Popular Vote by +3.86 and 18–29 by +23. Hillary won the U.S. Popular Vote by +2.09 and 18–29 by +19. Biden won the U.S. Popular Vote by +4.45 and 18–29 by +24.
When it comes to this voting-age group, a 2012 Obama received 11.40% of his national 51.01%; a 2016 Hillary received 10.45% of her national 48.02%; a 2020 Biden received 10.20% of his national 51.26%; and Harris received 7.56% of her national 48.24%.
Who among today’s Democratic Party officeholders—and ones not currently in office—can move the 18–29 vote, to carry them nationally in excess of +20 (or more) percentage points above the party’s U.S. Popular Vote margin, better than AOC?
Take a look at these tweets from X.
My No. 1 rule for figuring out which major U.S. political party is likely to end up the prevailing party with a given election cycle—midterm and presidential—are the circumstances. The conditions.
Suppose Election 2028 ends up a Democratic pickup for U.S. President. I don’t know, for fact, that this will happen. Not here in April 2025. Suppose it anyway.
There is plenty to consider.
We have had three consecutive party switches for U.S. President with 2016, 2020, and 2024. Historic record, as established in two separate periods during the 19th century, was four.
One can also think of Trump’s presidency, in his second term, and whether what is being experienced—and with what more may come—will result in voters allowing the 2028 Republicans to win a party hold and have the next four years for U.S. President.
One can also observe, as I have, that since the 1950s—the first full decade of television here in the United States—there has been only one year on record in which The People had to elect a new president and chose someone from the incumbent White House party. That was in 1988 with Republican George Bush. All others were party switches.
Again…suppose Election 2028 switches the White House party from Republican to Democratic.
Who on or not on that list, other than AOC, is a star who would sufficiently and efficiently move the 18–29 voters and get Team Blue back to electable level also with the demographics of people who are Black and people who are Hispanic? (Biden nationally carried Hispanic voters by +33; Harris won them by +5.)
Who, other than AOC, appears to fit the profile?
It is not wise to say that someone has “No chance at all!” The United States has had plenty of presidents who, as initially perceived, had no chance. One such U.S. president is now in the White House.
Since the 1950s, the Republican and Democratic presidential pickup winners were: Dwight Eisenhower, John Kennedy, Richard Nixon, Jimmy Carter, Ronald Reagan, Bill Clinton, George W. Bush, Barack Obama, Donald Trump, and Joe Biden. Both of Trump’s wins were pickups. The next party switch will go from Republican to Democratic. All those winners were stars—some a little less so—who stood out.
AOC’s path to the nomination would likely meet with the approval of those who have the power in the Democratic Party. The Loyal Democratic Party Voters—perhaps all stripes—love and abide by the party establishment and would proceed to vote the 2028 presidential nomination to AOC. Pre-Super Tuesday. Super Tuesday. Post-Super Tuesday. And I get the sense, here in 2025, these recent rallies with Bernie and AOC are coming from the people who have the power in the Democratic Party. I think the people who yield the power in the Democratic Party also know, and this has been played out in history, that their party’s next pickup of the presidency is most highly going to be with a “change” candidate.
This week marks two milestone Flashback anniversaries of past historic events which had impact on many people here in the United States.
The calendar was the same in 1975 as it is here in 2025. On Tuesday, April 15 exactly 50 years will have been reached since New Jersey resident Karen Ann Quinlan, born March 29, 1954, and at age 21, went to a party and never returned.
Quinlan mixed alcohol and Valium. Friends found her unconscious. Karen remained that way.
In a vegetative state for months, her parents, Joseph (1925–1996) and Julia (b. 1928), brought legal action to have Karen removed from life support. They and their case did not succeed, at first, but in 1976 the New Jersey Supreme Court sided with the parents.
Karen Ann Quinlan did not die until June 11, 1985. So, this present year 2025 marks 50 years since she effectively died, yes, and it is 40 years since she legally died.
This tragedy brought to the conscious of United States citizens the matter of dying with dignity and not being artificially kept alive on life support.
This Saturday, April 19, 2025 will mark 30 years since the bombing of the Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma.
This occurred on Wednesday, April 19. 1995, at approximately 09:00 a.m. CT.
More than 150 people were killed. There were several hundreds injured.
Responsible for this crime of terrorism was Timothy McVeigh, a former U.S. Army soldier, with co-conspirator Terry Nichols.
McVeigh was born April 23, 1968, in Lockport, New York. This was the birth month of my sibling. At age 33, he was executed June 11, 2001 in Terre Haute, Indiana. That was sixteen years to the date following the death of Karen Ann Quinlan. (Coincidence, here and there, with the calendar.)
Nichols was born April 1, 1955 in Lapeer, Michigan, Now age 70, he is serving life in prison at the United States Penitentiary Florence Administrative Maximum Facility (ADX Florence) in Fremont County (near the city of Florence) in Colorado.
I will leave this with more recommended reading: but any related videos—about Karen Ann Quinlan and the Oklahoma City Bombing—will be posted by me in Comments. (Next week’s blog topic will get publish according to normal schedule.)
The last two weeks, ending March and beginning April, here in 2025 saw outcomes in Special elections which are indicators of what will likely play out in coming elections which include the midterm elections of 2026.
A reminder: Election 2024 resulted in Republican pickups for U.S. President—a non-consecutive second-term re-election for 45th and 47th Donald Trump—and U.S. Senate. The U.S. House was a Republican hold.
These Special election outcomes say a lot.
Summary
• 03.25.2025 | Pennsylvania Senate District #36 delivered a party switch from Republican to Democratic for James Andrew Malone. This seat was held by Republican Ryan Aument. He resigned to become state director for fellow Republican David McCormick, who unseated then-Democratic incumbent Bob Casey in the state’s 2024 U.S. Senate election. This is a district, as reported by numerous sources, that Trump carried by +15 percentage points.
• 04.01.2025 | Florida had two special U.S. House elections: the 1st and 6th congressional districts. The former was to fill the seat previously held by Matt Gaetz. The latter was for the seat formerly held by Michael Waltz, who is now in Trump’s administration as National Security Advisor and, just recently, became a national security scandal via the Signal chat. Last November 2024, Republican holds were won by Gaetz +32 and Waltz +33 percentage points. They ended up, here in 2025, as Republican holds for Jimmy Patronis +14.6 and Randy Fine +14.
• 04.01.2025 | Wisconsin had two matters. The first was for whether to enshrine into the state’s constitution Voter ID. That has passed. The second issue is with the state’s Supreme Court. The side more generally favorable for Democrats prevailed with Dane County judge Susan Crawford. This win preserves a 4-to-3 majority favoring more liberal-aligned judges. Crawford won by +10 percentage points. (Below is the electoral map image appearing on Wikipedia.)
Opinion
The Wisconsin Supreme Court needed a win for the liberal side, Yes, with Crawford. Reasons are numerous. But there is one particular issue which stands out.
Wisconsin’s current delegation of seats in the United States House of Representatives is 6-to-2 favoring the Republicans. That is 75 percent.
Wisconsin is a leading bellwether state. Along with Pennsylvania and Michigan, the Badger State is on the longest active streak with having voted for the winners of United States presidential elections. Currently at five, the streak has been continuous since 2008. Wisconsin, in fact, was the tipping-point state in 2016 and 2020. It was 2016 Donald Trump’s No. 28 best of 30 carried states and his 270th cumulative electoral vote (as one tracks in descending order carried states’s percentage-points margins with their cumulative electoral votes). It was 2020 Joe Biden’s No. 23 best of 25 carried states and his 279th cumulative electoral vote. With Trump’s re-election in 2024, his tipping-point state was Pennsylvania. It was his No. 29 best of 31 carried states and his 287th electoral vote. Michigan ranked No. 30 to give him his 302nd electoral vote. Wisconsin was his No. 31 and delivered him to his official electoral-vote score of 312.
Wisconsin is an Even state. Along with its Rust Belt companions, this trio are likely to continue as the U.S.’s leading bellwether states. The three are now at five in a row—2008, 2012, 2016, 2020, and 2024. I would not be surprised if, and that I am still alive, they continue for another 20 years with five more consecutive cycles through 2044. (Current record: 60 years and 16 consecutive election cycles, from 1912 to 1972, shared by Nevada and New Mexico.) This is because Pennsylvania, Michigan, and Wisconsin are not on a trendline to become notably redder or bluer than a host of other states which, in turn, would have to become increasing and eventually purple.
It is my conclusion the Democrats needed this because they have to get the state’s map of U.S. House seats redrawn. Wisconsin is a badly gerrymandered state. (Possibly the worst in the nation.) In a good electoral year for either major U.S. political party, the most either the Republicans or Democrats should be able to have are 5 of the state’s 8 congressional seats. That is the equivalent of 62.50 percent. An equal 4-to-4 is ideal. So, this 2025 Wisconsin Supreme Court election outcome is necessary.
Conclusion
These Republican underperformances come less than six months after the November 5, 2024 re-election of Trump. Now joined by the most recent controversial—and to many it is alarming—issue on Trump’s tariffs, the honeymoon is over.
I am leaning—even if it may seem too early—toward predicting the following: In 2024, voters preferred the color red. In 2026, voters will prefer the color blue. Here in April 2025, we know this is true with these Special elections. Come November 3, 2025 will be the gubernatorial elections in the U.S.’s Nos. 11 and 12 populous states, New Jersey and Virginia. (I will write and post about them in a future topic.)
Given the Election 2024 outcome for U.S. House was Republicans 220 vs. Democrats 215, it is important to keep in mind this also means Republicans 50.57% vs. Democrats 49.42% of the overall 435 seats.
There isn’t much work the 2026 Democrats will need to do. (I don’t like admitting that.) Little national shifting is required for voters to re-empower Team Blue with flipping the U.S. House. If things get even uglier, the U.S. Senate—even with a perceived tougher map (Senate Class No. 2)—may follow.
Born April 16, 1971, in Freeport, Texas, she was delivered by then-obstetrician-gynecologist Ron Paul (who, years later, would become a member of the United States House of Representatives).
At age 23, Selena had her life snuffed out in Corpus Christi, Texas by a woman she and her family used to trust to serve as president of her fan club. Her name: Yolanda SaldÃvar. (She recently applied for possible parole. Last week, Saldivar was denied.)
Saldivar embezzled thousands of dollars from Selena. The singer made the mistake of agreeing to meet at a Days Inn motel with Saldivar on the morning of [Friday,] March 31, 1995. The purpose had to do with business records. Saldivar, brandishing a gun, shot Selena. The singer died in the hospital.
A 1997 film, Selena, cast then-emerging star Jennifer Lopez with highlights of the singer’s rise…and fall. The film also stars Jon Seda (as Chris). It was directed by Gregory Nava (a 1984 Oscar nominee, with then-wife Anna Thomas, in the Original Screenplay category for The North, also known as El Norte).
Numerous content creators, who I normally follow and are among recommendations, have covered the latest from Team Blue as to what kind of moves they may be making post-Election 2024.
From the latest episode of Democratic Party Masturbatory Theater—a current miniseries production consisting of inadequate material and inept execution—Bernie Sanders and Alexandria Ocasio–Cortez were the old stars who appeared at one or more rallies (something like that) to try to energize people to become enthusiastic and to embrace and to vote for the Ds.
Team Blue has a message: We suck. We admit it. We are going to win you back.
Team Blue says they have learned we U.S. citizens have pain.
Team Blue key players, like former speaker of the U.S. House Nancy Pelosi and would-be-next-speaker (if they can become re-empowered) Hakeem Jeffries, also claim Chuck Schumer blows.
If one doesn’t know better, the supposed seriousness of this can be taken at face value.
The Democrats, in effort to become worthwhile again, are apparently ready to do a rebrand.
I am not interested. But if I was, I would look to this Democratic Party like as if they are a dying, corporate restaurant which is coming up with new advertising—and a redesign of its logo and however many of its locations—as an attempt to get people to come back and try it one more time.
This April 30, here in 2025, will mark the 10-year anniversary of Bernie Sanders having declared his 2016 presidential candidacy. That was in the year 2015. While some people have their minds stuck in time, I have since moved on. I have moved on from the year 2015. I have also moved on from Bernie Sanders. (And Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez.)
In a future topic, I intend to write an electoral feature of this. When it comes to substance, there isn’t any. The Democrats are a scam operation. This latest con is designed to get people’s votes and their dollars—as well as their minds. Team Blue has no intention in an overhaul to become, as people had considered them in the past, a truly meaningful, left political party for workers.
• The Democratic Party is not an actual political party.
• The Democratic Party is a scam operation which is full of con artists.
I don’t tend to go any further because overdoing it runs the risk of being less effective in communication.
Approval on the Democratic Party is lately very low. Which is good. Unfortunately, they still exist.
The above video, livestreamed on Saturday, March 15, 2025 by Hard Lens Media, is titled “[Democrats’s] Failures Cause Infighting As They Gave Away Power & Any Resistance To Trump.” Host Kit Cabello covers a lot, in a period of nearly 90 minutes, and this includes the most recent betrayal by former United States Senate majority leader (now minority leader) Chuck Schumer of New York.
The Duran published to YouTube on Monday, March 3, 2025 a discussion about United Kingdom prime minister Keir Starmer, and other European allies, wanting to continue backing Ukraine and its president Volodymyr Zelenskyy over war against Russia.
The recent White House meeting between Zelenskyy and United States president Donald Trump resulted in the latter telling the former there is no more fight for Ukraine. They lost.
Knowing the U.S.—its citizens—has been propping Ukraine…there is no continuation without U.S. involvement. This is with money. This is with weapons.
At the 67th Grammy Awards, with its live ceremony broadcast on CBS on Sunday, February 2, 2025, Kendrick Lamar won in every category in which he was nominated: Record of the Year; Song of the Yeat; Best Rap Performance; Best Rap Song; and Best Music Video.
Record of the Year and Song of the Year are two of the most prominent categories in the main field. (This is along with Album of the Year and Best New Artist and Producer of the Year—Non-Classical.) Record is for a single recording. Song is for writing.
Lamar was prized—for achievement for the year 2024—with both Record and Song for “Not Like Us.” His breakthrough is that this is only the second hip-hop recording, and it is also recognized as a diss track, to win these categories. “Not Like Us” is a diss against another recording artist, Canada-born Drake, as that performer and Lamar (born in Compton in Los Angeles, California) are in an ongoing feud.
I do not follow the Grammy awards, regularly, as I am in my 50s and tend to listen to music from past decades. Music I grew up with and connect. But I do not begrudge today’s music being enjoyed by anyone. And “Not Like Us” is technically brilliant and creative…the very sound of it combined with the writing and, ultimately, the recording.
I will include the following videos: the music video for “Not Like Us”; Kendrick Lamar winning the 2024 Grammys for Record of the Year and Song of the Year; and Sabby Sabs covering this breakthrough achievement, for which she has appreciation, on her program. (This topic was delayed because there were critical Jimmy Dore Show interviews which were published the last two weeks in February 2025.)
Jimmy Dore recently welcomed as a guest investigative reporter Christian Parenti, son of Michael, and they discussed U.S. president Donald Trump’s focus on the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
One point touched on is that the then-nomination for Kash Patel, who is now FBI director, should have people who are truly on the left feeling enthusiastic.
First video’s description: “In this wide-ranging conversation, Jimmy and Parenti discuss why progressives should welcome President Trump’s assault on the FBI, an organization with a long history of targeting, infiltrating and undermining left movements.”
The clips were published to YouTube on February 15 and 16, 2025.
Jimmy Dore interviewed Steve Bannon, who was critical in getting Donald Trump elected to the presidency of United States in 2016, on Wednesday, February 12, 2025.
This is interesting…and I reserved this week to include the clips of that interview which have since been published to YouTube.
On February 4, 2025, Caitlin Johnstone wrote and posted on X the following on the alliance—to cleanse Palestinians from Gaza—between U.S. president Donald Trump (two weeks into his second term) and Israel prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu.…
Grinning like the cat that ate the canary, Hague fugitive Benjamin Netanyahu sat beside Donald Trump as the US president unequivocally told the press on Tuesday [February 4, 2025] that the plan for Gaza is to permanently remove all Palestinians from the enclave.
“I don’t think people should be going back to Gaza,” Trump said. “I think that Gaza has been very unlucky for them. They’ve lived like hell.”
Asked for clarification on whether the Palestinians would have a right to return to Gaza after its reconstruction, Trump said the plan is to build them housing in other countries that’s so nice they won’t want to return.
“It would be my hope that we could do something really nice, really good, where they wouldn’t want to return,” Trump said, adding, “I hope that we could do something where they wouldn’t want to go back. Who would want to go back? They’ve experienced nothing but death and destruction.”
Asked how many people he was talking about removing, Trump replied, “All of them.”
Shortly thereafter, the president announced that the US would soon “take over” and “own” Gaza and oversee construction projects there.
“The US will take over the Gaza Strip, and we will do a job with it, too,” Trump said. “We’ll own it and be responsible for dismantling all of the dangerous unexploded bombs and other weapons on the site, level the site and get rid of the destroyed buildings — level it out. Create an economic development that will supply unlimited numbers of jobs and housing for the people of the area.”
Given what Trump previously said about permanently removing all Palestinians from Gaza, there is no question who he is talking about when he says he wants to provide housing for “the people of the area”. He is talking about a very straightforward ethnic cleansing operation, driven by the United States.
Trump clarified that when he said the US would “own” the Gaza Strip, he did not misspeak. “Everybody I’ve spoken to loves the idea of the United States owning that piece of land,” he told the press.
Trump reiterated his previously stated position that the people of Gaza could be relocated to Jordan or Egypt or “other countries”. Of course the possibility of Palestinians living anywhere else in their historic homeland has not been mentioned, because that’s not how ethnic cleansing works. The agenda is to remove an undesirable population from the land so that they can be replaced with a desirable one; allowing Palestinians from Gaza to live in Israeli territory or the West Bank during reconstruction would defeat the purpose of Israel’s actions since October 2023.
Trump repeatedly spoke of how devastated, dangerous and uninhabitable Gaza is, making it sound like the area was hit by an unfortunate natural disaster and not a deliberate and methodical operation to make the enclave unlivable. This ethnic cleansing plan is being presented as a humanitarian solution to tragic circumstances, when in reality the US and Israel destroyed Gaza on purpose with the goal of advancing the exact agenda they are working to advance today.
This move is sure to be aggressively resisted, both internally by Hamas and by neighboring powers, even if the Trump administration can find nations willing to facilitate its ethnic cleansing plans. This means we can expect significantly more violence and killing in the region if this agenda moves forward.
And it should here be mentioned that Donald Trump has publicly admitted to being bought and owned by Zionist oligarchs. The president openly acknowledged on the campaign trail that the first time he was president, megadonors Sheldon and Miriam Adelson were at the White House “probably almost more than anybody” demanding favors for Israel like moving the US embassy to Jerusalem and acknowledging Israel’s illegitimate claim to the Golan Heights, which he eagerly granted. Miriam Adelson, who is Israeli-American, gave the Trump campaign $100 million last year.
And that’s the price of entry if you want to become president of the United States. You have to make alliances with oligarchs and empire managers who want very ugly things for our world, and you have to be the sort of person who is sufficiently dead inside to make such Faustian bargains. That’s why US presidents are so consistently evil; if they weren’t, they’d never make it anywhere near the presidency.
Recent questions concern the marital status of Barack and Michelle Obama.
Married since 1992, and with their daughters Malia (born in 1998) and Sasha (b. 2001) now adults, the 44th U.S. president (b. 1961) and former first lady (b. 1964) are now subject of rumors about their status.
Michelle was absent at both the funeral for 39th U.S. president Jimmy Carter and the inauguration for the re-elected 45th and 47th U.S. president Donald Trump.
This has people—and the media—questioning if there is trouble in the marriage of the Obamas.
I find it credible…more so given Michelle’s absence at Carter’s funeral. Her absence at Trump’s inauguration can be explained as disapproval and displeasure. That she was not willing to attend. But to be absent at Carter’s funeral, where she could have been seated away from Trump, stands out.
It will be interesting to see if anything is coming up.
It would not surprise me if they are in trouble. Marriages, even ones which lasted more than 30 years, have been known to end. And a lot of what we learn, historically, is information not revealed until much later. A divorce would be the first in U.S. history for a former first couple. If that is to materialize, I would not be surprised if it turns out—as this publishing date—they may be separated.
Following his first term as the 45th president of the United States, Donald Trump begins his second non-consecutive term as the nation’s 47th president on Monday, January 20, 2025 at 12:00 p.m. ET.
What I am wanting from the second term of Trump’s presidency is improvement with the economy, for people to be able to better survive, and for support for Ukraine to end. I also want an end to the conflict, and the genocide, in Gaza. And, of course, a Ceasefire agreement was reached last week. (Credit not to Joe Biden…but to Trump.)
We will find out how it goes with Trump’s second term. I do not have my hopes up. But I am more encouraged, rather than discouraged, especially given the end of the presidency of Joe Biden (and whoever else has also earned [dis-]credit for that debacle). Perhaps there is some light.
After taking a six-week break—like a vacation—from writing and publishing blog topics, ProgressivesChat returns to normal schedule.
The break was necessary for me, personally, because I was burned out to some extent. I thank the regulars, here at Progessives Chat, for their understanding.
During my break, I watched some entertainment content which is not of importance. It was good for me. I watched the 1989 film National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation, which is not good and not funny, but it was harmless. I found myself streaming some episodes of the Fox/ABC series 9-1-1, which is often absurd but has appealing and well-developed characters and an excellent cast led by Angela Bassett and Peter Krause, and I am glad I did. I also followed with other content, as I played catch-up with a given series, which I had previously overlooked.
I still watched some content creators for politics…but less so. I took some time off from some political topics which are not worth my attention or concern—like what is to come of this post-Election 2024 Democratic Party (my suggestion: Go the way of the Whigs!)—and this was also good.
My break was not without some problems.
I experienced a plumbing issue, with a rusted pipe, on Christmas Day. This was a pipe connected to my kitchen faucet. I have no basement; crawl space, instead.. I discovered the problem, that there was leakage, immediately. It was replaced the following day.
Not once but twice…I experienced a furnace which stopped working. The second occurrence was for good. It died just one hour after midnight New Year’s Eve-to-New Year’s Day. Fortunately, my house includes a family room [an addition] which has its own wall furnace. So, I stayed in that part of the house—while the main areas of my house dropped as low as 50 degrees—on January 1 and 2, 2025. The next day was the installation of my new furnace.
Thanksgiving is in November. But, these are some reminders—one month later—of why I feel thankful. These problems could have been worse.
Next week: Donald Trump returns to the office of the presidency of the United States.
