Asteroid Day, past, present, and future

Happy International Asteroid Day, the younger but paradoxically more established version of Apophis Day! I begin today's observance with Astronomy Magazine's The Real Reality Show: Asteroid Day.

Large asteroids have struck Earth in the past and they will in the future. Learn about Asteroid Day, a movement that recognizes research on the dangers of Near-Earth Asteroids.

I think that's the most complete story of the origin of Asteroid Day I can remember watching since I started observing it in 2016, which means I learned something new. Any day I learn something new is a good day!

Astronomy Magazine's video mentioned the asteroid that killed off the non-avian dinosaurs 66 million years ago, so I'm using that as an opportunity to have BBC Earth Science ask and answer What Exactly Killed The Dinosaurs?

Since the 1980s, scientists have believed that the main culprit for the dinosaur extinction was an asteroid. It came from the far reaches of the solar system, and was the size of Mount Everest.

I'm a paleontologist and attended graduate school when geologists debated and eventually accepted the asteroid strike as the cause of the terminal Cretaceous mass extinction, so this shaped my ideas about asteroid impacts. I don't particularly want humanity to go the way of the non-avian dinosaurs!

Moving from the past to the future, CTV News reported NASA scientists are studying a massive asteroid hurling towards Earth earlier this month.

NASA scientists are preparing for a massive asteroid that’s hurling towards Earth in the next few years. Joy Malbon explains.

Apophis's first close flyby is only five years away — wow and yikes!

Just so this entry qualifies as the Sunday entertainment feature, I'm sharing ‘Asteroid City’ Cast Asks NASA About OSIRIS-REx Asteroid Mission.

In September 2023, scientists with NASA’s OSIRIS-REx mission will gather in the Utah desert for the arrival of the largest asteroid sample ever received on Earth. “Asteroid City” actors, including Scarlett Johansson, Jason Schwartzman, Maya Hawke, Rupert Friend, Jake Ryan and Jeffrey Wright, join NASA OSIRIS-REx sample expert Dr. Danny Glavin to discuss how studying the asteroid sample will give scientists insight into how the early solar system formed and how life began on Earth.

After a seven-year round trip journey that included mapping Bennu’s surface (a near-Earth asteroid that is no threat to our planet), identifying minerals and chemicals, and collecting a sample from the surface, OSIRIS-REx is on its way back to Earth with more than eight ounces of material.

I'm going to be snarky by repeating what I wrote about the film in 'Mission: Impossible - Dead Reckoning' and 'The Last of Us' lead nominees at the fourth Critics Choice Super Awards.

I have two things to say about Asteroid City. First, why this it here instead of Barbie? Second, the only thing it could win in this field is a game of "one of these things is not like the others."

I now have a third; I enjoyed the cast in this promotional video, although I think they did a better job of increasing the visibility of OSIRIS-REx than promoting the movie. Darn. Speaking of the asteroid return mission, it was one of the first missions shown in 2023 in space from NASA, ESA, Reuters, and PBS NewsHour. I'm looking forward to 2024 in space already.

That's a wrap for June's blogging. Stay tuned for Canada Day to begin July.

MSNBC examines Project 2025, part 3

I left the following comment on MSNBC examines Project 2025, part 2.

Thanks to Steve in Manhattan for linking to this entry and MSNBC examines Project 2025, part 1 in Mike’s Blog Round-Up at Crooks & Liars and welcome to all of you who came here from his link! Seeing all of you reading makes me wonder if I should write part 3 today. Stay tuned!

To use two cliches, there is no time like the present and strike while the iron is hot, so I begin with the most recent MSNBC clip mentioning the topic, where Molly Jong-Fast says, 'Project 2025 wish list stuff': Supreme Court decisions show the consequences of elections.

The Supreme Court is front and center after key decisions on January 6th prosecutions and on how federal agencies make rules. Plus — we're still waiting for the justices' decision on Trump's claim of presidential immunity. Sarah Cooper, Tim Miller, Molly Jong-Fast, and Charles Coleman Jr. join Stephanie Ruhle for this week's Nightcap.

Other than Jong-Fast's remarks, this segment about Supreme Court decisions isn't directly about Project 2025, but it is about elections mattering, including the election of Hoover Cleveland in 2016. Back then, I wrote Kunstler said Americans would elect maniacs. Here's to hoping that Americans won't do that again and, more importantly, working to prevent it from happening a second time.

Now for two videos that more directly examine Project 2025. First, 'Project 2025' exposes real Republican intentions on federal abortion ban, Comstock Act.

Michelle Goldberg, columnist for the New York Times, talks with Alicia Menendez about what Donald Trump's allies, architects of "Project 2025" as saying about how a potential future Trump administration will use the Comstock Act to end the mailing of abortion medication in the United States.

I'm recycling what I wrote in Supreme Court unanimously preserves access to Mifepristone to kick off my reaction.

Leah Litman and Mini Timmaraju both mentioned the possible use of the Comstock Act to restrict abortion access again. I find that alarming enough that I think the parts of Comstock Act that are currently unconstitutional need to be repealed, restricting the ability of anti-choice advocates to reanimate them.

I do mean reanimate them, as Alicia Menendez filling in for Alex Wagner called the Comstock Act "the 1873 zombie law." I'm glad Michelle Goldberg talked about Senator Tina Smith's Stop Comstock Act to repeal the entire law, which I support, even if it won't get passed this Congress.* Democrats need to flip the House, protect the majority in the Senate, and re-elect Joe Biden and Kamala Harris to have a chance next year. It's not just Hoover Cleveland we need to stop; it's the entire authoritarian movement.

Speaking of undead ideas and authoritarian movements, I'm closing with a video I missed in the first two parts, 'The Guardrails are Gone': Troye on Project 2025 and a possible second Trump term.

Olivia Troye, former advisor to Former Vice President Mike Pence, joins Katie Phang to discuss Project 2025, the Heritage Foundation's ultra-conservative plan if Donald Trump gets a second term.

Troye's explanation for Project 2025 is explicitly, if not almost exactly, what I wrote in part 1, "the far right realized what a missed opportunity Trump's first term was and now they aren't going to miss their second chance. Yikes!" No wonder she's horrified. We should be, too.

I'm an environmentalist who not only recycles and reuses ideas, I also conserve resources, so I'm saving two videos about Project 2025 and climate change for part 4. Stay tuned after International Asteroid Day, the younger but paradoxically more established version of Apophis Day, to close June and Canada Day to begin July.

*By the way, I'm not one of the Americans who, in Goldberg's words, "lack a catastrophic imagination." I have one. In fact, the entire point of this blog is to share it with the world and help people, especially Americans, prepare for a post-catastrophe world — better yet, help prevent the catastrophe in the first place. Otherwise, as Menendez said, "Here we are."

Happy Paul Bunyan Day 2024!

Happy Paul Bunyan Day! I begin today's celebration with the latest video from National Day Calendar, National Paul Bunyan Day | June 28th.

June 28th celebrates National Paul Bunyan Day!

Marlo Anderson mentioned the commercial use of Paul Bunyan. That plays a bigger part in Paul Bunyan: The Man, The Myth, The Debate | Mossback's Northwest from Cascade PBS.

The giant logger supposedly dug Puget Sound and built Mount Rainier with the dirt.

It doesn't matter to me whether Paul Bunyan began as folklore or "fakelore." The United States is a relatively young country with a strong commercial culture, so our mass culture has been shaped by commerce, including publishing, advertising, and public relations. This includes our folk heroes, like Paul Bunyan, John Henry (shown in the video as a fellow labor hero), and Pecos Bill (not mentioned).

Speaking of not being mentioned, neither of the above videos includes Michigan's role in the Paul Bunyan story, although the National Day Calendar website does.

First appearing in print in 1906, in a story published by Northern Michigan journalist James MacGillivray, Bunyan’s character originated in folktales circulated among lumberjacks in the Northeastern United States and Eastern Canada.

The only thing missing is the Paul Bunyan trophy for the winner of the Michigan-MSU football game to make the record complete.

Stay tuned for another post I can share in July tomorrow followed by International Asteroid Day, the younger but paradoxically more established version of Apophis Day, to close June, and Canada Day to begin July.

MSNBC examines Project 2025, part 2

I closed MSNBC examines Project 2025, part 1 by telling my readers "MSNBC has had more to say about Project 2025 just in the past week, so stay tuned for part 2." I'm continuing to feature Ali Velshi and his guests today, beginning with 'It is not a threat – it is a promise': Rep. Pressley on 'hateful' Project 2025 agenda.

A group of Congressional Democrats are joining forces in an effort to fight the far-right initiative known as Project 2025. Project 2025 is a policy plan to be enacted if Donald Trump returns to the White House -- crafted by the right-wing think tank The Heritage Foundation and several former Trump administration officials. "Sunlight is the best disinfectant”, says Oversight member Democratic Representative Ayanna Pressley. She joins Ali Velshi to discuss her role in a new initiative to fight Project 2025 and why voters need to listen carefully to what the initiative’s creators are saying. “These extremists do not make threats, they make promises.”

Representative Ayanna Pressley pointing out that Project 2025 requires the cooperation of the Supreme Court and that the Supreme Court should be expanded reminds me that I wrote CNBC examines 'How The Supreme Court May Threaten Democracy' almost exactly two years ago. In that post, I wrote "I also support increasing the size of the Supreme Court so that there is a Justice for every federal appellate circuit," so I agree with her. Now we need to flip the House, expand the Democratic majority in the Senate, and convince President Biden to support this. All three are heavy but necessary lifts to make this happen.

Heritage Foundation President Kevin Roberts responding that his organization would accept the results of the 2024 Presidential Election "if there isn't massive fraud like there was in 2020" shows that the Big Lie has continued to spread.

I'm recycling my reaction from Jane Mayer describes 'The Big Money Behind the Big Lie' on MSNBC.

All of this reminds me why I think calling the idea that the election was stolen the Big Lie doesn't go far enough.

Personally, I'd rather call it Trump's dangerous delusion, his fixed belief that the election was stolen from him despite all evidence, which I see as related to his vulnerability to conspiracy theories, but "the Big Lie" is the established phrase used by CNBC and others, so I'm calling it that instead. It's a lie, too.

Mayer's reporting shows that Trump's delusion is not just dangerous but contagious. It's bad enough that there is one pandemic running around; we don't need another.

The delusion has continued to spread, infecting a lot of candidates in today's elections. Ugh.

It's spread to the Heritage Foundation, too. Olivia Troye was right to be horrified at what they've become, part of "an authoritarian movement...that [is] undead...in a democratic system."

I could embed the interview of Kevin Roberts, but the two clips Velshi included in his show are enough for me. Besides, Digby did a better job of summarizing it in They Are Fanatics. Watch the interview and read her reaction there.

I'm moving on to Colonization in disguise: Project 2025’s global reach, the source of this post's preview image.

Project 2025, a conservative blueprint aimed at consolidating power in the presidency and institutionalizing Christian nationalism, includes an international framework with dangerous implications for women and LGBTQ communities around the globe. Under the guise of Christian values, American conservatives are pressuring countries reliant on foreign aid to adopt anti-abortion and anti-LGBTQ legislation. “They’re going to use reproductive policies as well as policies on LGBTQ people to try and control different nations around the world,” says Anthea Butler, an MSNBC analyst and chair of the Department of Religious Studies at the University of Pennsylvania. “The U.S. government under the guise of Christian nationalism, [is] trying to infiltrate countries and control them.”

Transforming the U.S. isn't enough; the Christian nationalists want to remake the world in their image, too.

MSNBC has still more, but I've reached my fill for today. I'm sure I'll return with a part 3, but not until after I celebrate Paul Bunyan Day. Stay tuned.

MSNBC examines Project 2025, part 1

I closed John Oliver examines 'Trump’s Second Term' by telling my readers, "MSNBC has been all over Project 2025, so stay tuned to see if I follow up with their videos tomorrow for a serious take on the issue." As promised, I return to the topic and begin with MSNBC's most viewed video on the subject, Ruth Ben-Ghiat telling Ali Velshi ‘It’s very well-thought-out’: Authoritarian expert breaks down dangers of Project 2025.

Ruth Ben-Ghiat, Professor of history and scholar of authoritarianism, speaks to Ali Velshi about Project 2025’s plans to consolidate power if Trump wins the presidency in 2025, including who's on their hypothetical list of pre-screened loyalists to join the Trump administration, and why their plan to abolish federal agencies is so uniquely dangerous to democracy.

That was four months ago. Velshi returned to the topic last month when he called Project 2025 a ‘Blueprint for a soft coup’: Inside the far-right plan that could grant unchecked power to Trump.

Olivia Troye, former advisor to Former Vice President Mike Pence, and Molly Jong Fast, Vanity Fair Correspondent and MSNBC political analyst, join Ali Velshi to discuss the dangerous far-right strategy to overhaul the federal government and give Donald Trump unchecked power over the executive branch.” Imagine an entire federal government that serves as a campaign arm to Donald Trump,” Jong-Fast says.

Listening to Velshi's opening reminded me of what I wrote in Supreme Court unanimously preserves access to Mifepristone.

Leah Litman and Mini Timmaraju both mentioned the possible use of the Comstock Act to restrict abortion access again. I find that alarming enough that I think the parts of Comstock Act that are currently unconstitutional need to be repealed, restricting the ability of anti-choice advocates to reanimate them. I have the same opinion of the Insurrection Act, which is also being touted as a way for the more extreme right-wing activists, including Hoover Cleveland, to suppress dissent. That's a topic for later.

It's later. The Heritage Foundation and other conservative groups have decided to revive zombie laws to consolidate their power given the opportunity.

Speaking of zombie laws and the Heritage Foundation, listening to Olivia Troye's horrified reaction to what it has become reminded me of what I wrote yesterday about the GOP being undead.

I'm recycling what I wrote in National Review ironically reveals another deep truth about the current GOP to begin my reaction.

As I tell my liberal friends who keep thinking that the GOP should be dead by now, the GOP as a traditional party engaged in electoral politics is already dead. What it is now, as described by "EscapefromWisconsin" over at the Hipcrime Vocab, is an authoritarian movement. That makes it an undead party in a democratic system. As Bela Lugosi's Dracula said in the eponymous movie, "There are far worse things awaiting Man than Death." Yeah, and one of them has happened to the GOP.

That was a dozen years ago. Back then, Mitt Romney and Paul Ryan weren't the candidates to realize that movement's ambitions; they were still conventional conservative candidates contesting for power in a democracy. The condition of the GOP has become even more obvious since then with the rise of Hoover Cleveland, who is the right candidate to fulfill the current party's dictatorial desires. As I wrote nearly three years ago, "I had no idea how right I was then and now I wish I hadn't been. Break out the garlic."

They're no longer hiding it. Also, Molly Jong-Fast's comments about how these are now mainstream GOP views demonstrates that the far right realized what a missed opportunity Trump's first term was and now they aren't going to miss their second chance. Yikes!

Velshi's show, if not Velshi himself, returned to the topic two weeks ago when guest host Melissa Murray's guest Elie Mystal said ‘It’s a manifesto’: The most terrifying details in Project 2025.

The Nation’s Justice Correspondent Elie Mystal joins Melissa Murray, in for Ali Velshi, to discuss his new article on the dangers of Project 2025, the right-wing blueprint for a second Trump term that threatens to wreak havoc on the Department of Justice, consolidate federal power, and ultimately “take over the legal structures of our nation.” Mystal also describes why the discussion surrounding Trump’s potential pick for Attorney General is so concerning, including floating names like Utah Sen. Mike Lee, Trump White House veteran Stephen Miller, and Ken Paxton.

Ken Paxton?! Add one more crook to the rogues gallery I featured in Closer looks at Trump's probation interview and Las Vegas rally from Meyers, Colbert, and Fallon.


Jailbirds of a feather flock together.

MSNBC has had more to say about Project 2025 just in the past week, so stay tuned for part 2.

John Oliver examines 'Trump’s Second Term'

I closed John Oliver on UFOs for World UFO Day by telling my readers "I might return with another John Oliver video for tomorrow's post that I can share next month. Stay tuned." I'm following through by sharing Trump’s Second Term.

John Oliver discusses Donald Trump’s plans for a second term, why it could be much worse than his first term, and what Trump has in common with a hamster.

I'm recycling what I wrote in National Review ironically reveals another deep truth about the current GOP to begin my reaction.

As I tell my liberal friends who keep thinking that the GOP should be dead by now, the GOP as a traditional party engaged in electoral politics is already dead. What it is now, as described by "EscapefromWisconsin" over at the Hipcrime Vocab, is an authoritarian movement. That makes it an undead party in a democratic system. As Bela Lugosi's Dracula said in the eponymous movie, "There are far worse things awaiting Man than Death." Yeah, and one of them has happened to the GOP.

That was a dozen years ago. Back then, Mitt Romney and Paul Ryan weren't the candidates to realize that movement's ambitions; they were still conventional conservative candidates contesting for power in a democracy. The condition of the GOP has become even more obvious since then with the rise of Hoover Cleveland, who is the right candidate to fulfill the current party's dictatorial desires. As I wrote nearly three years ago, "I had no idea how right I was then and now I wish I hadn't been. Break out the garlic."

MSNBC has been all over Project 2025, so stay tuned to see if I follow up with their videos tomorrow for a serious take on the issue.

John Oliver on UFOs for World UFO Day

Happy World UFO Day! I'm pulling a slightly fast one today, as I wrote yesterday "This concludes the string of holiday entries that began on Juneteenth. Stay tuned for an evergreen post that I can share in July." Change of plans with one more holiday post to add to the string. However, I can still share this on the second UFO Day in July, which is the one I usually observe. Without any further ado, watch John Oliver examine UFOs.

John Oliver explains why we need honest inquiry into UFO sightings, and why those inquiries should be data-driven, fact-based, and – crucially – boring as fuck.

When I wrote "UAPs are an ongoing subject of Congressional hearings and public interest, so I'm sure to return to the topic" last year, I didn't think I would do it through comedy. Surprise! Making the story funny makes it more likely that people will remember the information. That written, I agree the subject should be taken more seriously, to the point where most people would find them "boring as fuck." We might actually get closer to the truth.

Speaking of getting closer to the truth, I'm repeating what I wrote three years ago.

If many UAPs are secret weapons programs, especially foreign ones, that's a cause for concern.

John Michael Greer thinks that UAPs being secret weapons programs is the most likely possibility, stating so most recently in last month's Toward the Breaking Point. In fact, he thinks it's a cover story for U.S. weapons development. While I'm not sure about the cover story part, I do think secret weapons programs are a likely explanation for many sightings.

Reconnaissance flights aren't actually weapons, but as top secret military and intelligence projects, they come close enough.

I might return with another John Oliver video for tomorrow's post that I can share next month. Stay tuned.

Wombats and pizza for Souther on Detroit-style Pizza Day and Pink Day

Happy Souther on National Detroit-Style Pizza Day! Since Souther shares its observances with other holidays, I begin with the one I have observed since the very first one three years ago. Watch CBS Detroit Celebrating National Detroit Style Pizza Day with Buddy's.

Buddy's Pizza is celebrating its 78th anniversary and National Detroit Style Pizza Day on June 23.

Since Buddy's and National Day Calendar declared National Detroit-Style Pizza Day in 2021, the variety of pie has become more popular. Watch Scripps News, formerly Newsy, ask Detroit Style Pizza: America's New Favorite? History, Recipe & Rise.

Scripps News reporter Ben Schamisso dives into the savory world of Detroit Style Pizza, a culinary marvel that's taking the nation by storm. Revealed by a recent Yelp survey, searches for Detroit-style pizza soared by 26% from 2022 to 2023, signaling its growing popularity among food enthusiasts.

Born in Buddy's Pizzeria, Detroit, in 1946, this distinct pizza variant is celebrated for its crunchy, cheese-laden edges and signature caramelized crust—a testament to its uniqueness. Uncover the rich history, the artful dough preparation process, and the reasons behind its triumph over traditional New York and Chicago pizzas. With its popularity surging by 26% in just the last year, Detroit Style Pizza is swiftly becoming a contender for America’s top pizza choice. Could it be your new favorite?

Talk about a successful marketing campaign! I even succumbed to it. Being a diabetic didn't stop me from buying a frozen Buddy's Pizza Friday and eating it that night for an early celebration. I just made sure to adjust my insulin dose accordingly.

Follow over the jump for today's celebration of Souther, the first Sunday after the first full moon after the Summer Solstice, a holiday created by John Michael Greer, who also designated the wombat as the animal mascot, and National Pink Day, another holiday that shares today.

PBS Terra on redwoods and moss for World Rainforest Day

Happy World Rainforest Day! Today is the first time I'm celebrating the environmental holiday with a dedicated post during an even-numbered year — progress!

As I have the past two times I observed World Rainforest Day, I'm blogging about the temperate rainforest of the Pacific Northwest, particularly the Coast Redwood forest of California, beginning with PBS Terra explaining Redwoods Shouldn't Be So Tall. Here's Why They Are.

Beyond its iconic height, the Redwood Forest is sacred to the Yurok Tribe and a scientific frontier for the study of vast biodiversity that exists nowhere else on Earth. This episode of Untold Earth explores the varied relationship between The Redwoods, their forest ecosystems, and the humans who live and work among them. Asking, at every turn, what makes these trees epically singular in nature?

This is a sequel of sorts to the PBS Terra video I embedded in last year's post. Like that video, I've shown it to my students. Welcome to blogging as professional development.

Going from the tallest plants in the temperate rainforest to the smallest, I'm sharing PBS Terra telling its viewers You Aren’t Paying Enough Attention to Moss.

Mosses were among the first land plants to evolve out of the ocean roughly 450 million years ago. It grows everywhere, from the world’s harshest landscapes to cracks in the sidewalk. This episode of Untold Earth gets up close and personal with the mosses of the Hoh Rainforest to understand their vital role in this ecosystem and potential to offer a glimpse into our planet’s future.

If I haven't already shown this video to my students, I should and probably will, as I will lecture on mosses on Monday. Again, welcome to blogging as professional development.

Before I leave today, National Day Calendar has updated its photo once again.

June 22 is World Rainforest Day to raise awareness and encourage everyone to set some time aside to join the fight to protect rainforests. Join us today as we encouraging action to protect them.

That's both the message for today and a wrap for today's environmental holiday post. Stay tuned for the final consecutive holiday entry, a double celebration of Souther on Detroit-Style Pizza Day. Wombats eating pizza instead of ice cream!

PBS Eons explains 'Why The Giraffe Got Its Neck' for World Giraffe Day

Happy World Giraffe Day! For this year's observance, I'm pursuing a paleontological path in my participation with PBS Eons explaining Why The Giraffe Got Its Neck.

How and why the giraffe's neck emerged in the first place has been a mystery that generations of biologists have argued over – one that has made us reconsider our understanding of how evolution actually works over and over again.

I've been saving this video for today since I watched it last August, ten months ago. After all, I'm an environmentalist; I conserve my resources. Speaking of which, I've been meaning to show this to my students as an example of sexual selection, but I definitely forgot to do so this semester. Now that I've blogged about it, I might just remember. Welcome to blogging as professional development.

That's a wrap for today's holiday post. Stay tuned for World Rainforest Day and Souther on Detroit-Style Pizza Day.

American Eagle Day and Seashell Day on the Summer Solstice

Happy American Eagle Day and National Seashell Day on the Summer Solstice! I begin with a video I found when I was researching The Brainscoop explains endangered species for Endangered Species Day on Flashback Friday and decided to save for today, TODAY explaining How the Endangered Species Act saved America’s most iconic bird.

It’s been 50 years since Congress passed the Endangered Species Act, a conservation effort that’s credited with saving some of America’s most treasured animals, including the iconic bald eagle. NBC’s Emilie Ikeda shares a closer look at its impact for TODAY.

As much of a doomer as I am, I'm glad to share a success.

Next, National Day Calendar has uploaded a new version of National Seashell Day.



June 20th is National Seashell Day!
Love the preview image!

I close with 12News in Arizona asking and answering When is the official start of summer? More on the summer solstice.

The summer solstice is on Thursday, June 20 this year, marking the official start of summer. This is the earliest one within nearly 300 years.

I knew about astronomical summer, which begins today, meterological summer, which began June 1st, and the unofficial beginning of summer on Memorial Day, which I call the beginning of American cultural summer, but I hadn't heard of solar summer before. That means I learned something new today and it's always a good day when I learn something new.

Stay tuned as I have three more holiday posts planned for World Giraffe Day, World Rainforest Day, and Souther on Detroit-Style Pizza Day. I have the rest of my blogging week already cut out for me!

Reuters, USA Today, and Vox explain Juneteenth

A joyous Juneteenth! I'm celebrating the newest federal holiday with three videos beginning with Reuters asking and answering What is Juneteenth, America's newest federal holiday?

Juneteenth, also known as Emancipation Day, is observed on June 19 each year. It became a U.S. federal holiday in 2021, following the signing of a bill by President Joe Biden[.]

This video serves as an update to USA Today asking and answering What is Juneteenth? The holiday's history and significance, explained.

President Joe Biden signed legislation marking Juneteenth, a day commemorating the end of slavery in the United States, as a federal holiday.

The president signed the Juneteenth National Independence Day Act at 3:30 p.m. on June 17 in the East Room of the White House. Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris also gave remarks on the passage of the bill and the significance of the holiday.

That's a good overview of the holiday as of 2021 with an even better preview image, one so colorful that I originally placed it first.

For more depth, I'm sharing Vox explaining Why all Americans should honor Juneteenth.

An historian explains the history and significance of the holiday.
...
Note: This video was previously titled, "Juneteenth, explained." The title has been changed to better reflect the video's content.

When American schoolchildren learn about chattel slavery in the US, we’re often told it ended with Abraham Lincoln’s signature on the Emancipation Proclamation of 1863.

But, as late as June 19, 1865, enslaved people in Texas were still held in bondage. On that date, the Federal troops entered the state and began to punish slave holders and former confederates who refused to obey the law.

“Juneteenth is a deeply emotional moment for enslaved people,” says historian Karlos K. Hill, of the University of Oklahoma.

In Texas and across the country, emancipated African Americans began celebrating annually, with parades, concerts, and picnics. “Being able to go wherever they want and being able to wander about; for enslaved people, it was an expression of their freedom,” says Hill. “Formerly enslaved people celebrating, in public, their newfound freedom, was an act of resistance.”

However, by 1877, the Federal government had largely abandoned the South. The lynching era— when hundreds of African Americans were killed by white mobs each year across the North and the South— began soon after.

Today, Dr. Hill says, commemorating Juneteenth is important for all Americans because it helps us see all the ways that slavery still shapes this country, including, as he says, “the desire to master and dominate black bodies.”

As much as I like Vox's videos, I'm surprised I haven't embedded this one in one of my previous posts. It was about time I did.

That's a wrap for today's holiday. Stay tuned for more celebrations of American Eagle Day, National Seashell Day, the Summer Solstice, World Giraffe Day, World Rainforest Day, Detroit-Style Pizza Day, and Souther. As I wrote yesterday, I have the rest of my blogging week already cut out for me!

'The debate over the Anthropocene, explained' by Vox and SciShow

I concluded Animalogic's 'Crocodiles: Survivors of the Last Extinction' for World Crocodile Day by telling my readers, "This blog is likely to pass its page view goal for June before I post the next entry, so look for something evergreen tomorrow. Stay tuned." As i predicted, the blog passed its June page view goal early yesterday afternoon, so I'm shifting from current events to topics that will still be good to share next month. With that in mind, I'm sharing The debate over the Anthropocene, explained by Vox.

Humans have changed the planet. Should that go on the geologic calendar?
...
The word “Anthropocene” has gained cultural resonance in recent years, as it’s become clearer that humans have made an indelible — and destructive — impact on our planet. But it’s also a term with a specific technical meaning: an epoch, or geologic unit of time, named for humans.

In 2009, geologists first started investigating whether the Anthropocene should be formally recognized as part of the way we record geologic time. This video explains what happened next: how a team of scientists looked for the evidence to make their case, and what it means to consider human time as part of the Earth’s 4.6 billion-year history.

Note: The title of this video has been updated.
Previous title: Should humans get their own geologic era?

The link I first embedded in "a possible sixth mass extinction" yesterday was to Holocene extinction or Anthropocene extinction on Wikipedia, which reminded me that I'd been sitting on this video for the past month. Also, I'm in the middle of teaching about geologic time, so this video is right on topic. I might even show it to my students today.

I won't show SciShow's The Human Era Has an Official Start. It’s a Lake in Canada to my students because it jumped the gun on the official decision to not recognize the Anthropocene. It still has scientific value, explaining the lake's chemistry, which Vox ignored.

Recently, a group of scientists have declared that the start of the Anthropocene, the time of outsize human influence on Earth, to be Crawford Lake in Canada. But how can a time be a place? We'll explain, and maybe grab some maple syrup.

A lot happened in the nearly six months between this video and Vox's. There will not be an officially recognized Anthropocene any time soon. That doesn't mean that the concept will disappear; it has too much cultural resonance and usefulness, even if the geologists have rejected it — for now.

That's a wrap for today's evergreen entry. Stay tuned for a series of holiday posts, Juneteenth, American Eagle Day, National Seashell Day, the Summer Solstice, World Giraffe Day, World Rainforest Day, Detroit-Style Pizza Day, and Souther. I have the rest of my blogging week already cut out for me!

Animalogic's 'Crocodiles: Survivors of the Last Extinction' for World Crocodile Day

Happy World Crocodile Day! I'm celebrating by sharing Animalogic's Crocodiles: Survivors of the Last Extinction.

The crocodile is one of the deadliest predators in the world. Unfortunately, they find themselves prey to something far more dangerous.

The title is certainly attention-grabbing and it turns out to be true despite the information in the video itself, which placed the divergence of crocodiles, gavials, and alligators at or just after the Paleocene-Eocene boundary, which was after the last mass extinction. Wikipedia saves the title.

The three primary branches of Crocodilia had diverged by the end of the Mesozoic. The possible earliest-known members of the group may be Portugalosuchus from the Cenomanian (95 million years ago),[20] though the classification of this taxon has been disputed.[21][22] After are alligatoroids and gavialoids that lived in North America and Europe during the Campanian (around 83.6–72.1 million years ago). The first known crocodyloids appeared in the Maastrichtian (around 72.1–66.0 million years ago), that lineage must have been present during the Campanian, and the earliest alligatoroids and gavialoids include highly derived forms, which indicates that the time of the actual divergence between the three lineages must have been a pre-Campanian event.

So the crocodiles really did survive the most recent mass extinction, not just their ancestors. May they survive a possible sixth mass extinction.

This blog is likely to pass its page view goal for June before I post the next entry, so look for something evergreen tomorrow. Stay tuned.

For Father's Day, Storied asks 'Why Do Baby Names Fall Out of Fashion?'

Happy Father's Day! I begin today's holiday celebration with Otherwords on PBS Digital's Storied asking and answering Why Do Baby Names Fall Out of Fashion?

How many Mildreds did you go to school with? If you're under 60 years old, probably none! Mildred may have been a top ten baby name 100 years ago, but today it[']s almost extinct... Why is that??

Dr. B describing the effect of pop culture on the popularity of names reinforces the suitability of this topic for the Sunday entertainment feature. It's also a perfect reason to revisit the conclusion of Social Security's top ten U.S. baby names of 2023 for Mother's Day weekend.

I'm briefly calling attention to the fourth-fastest rising name on the boys list, Cassian. It's the given name of the protagonist of Rogue One and Andor and is thus a Star Wars name. I plan on covering those names for Father's Day weekend.

Follow over the jump for 2023 in Star Wars baby names.

PBS Eons explains 'Why Megalodon (Definitely) Went Extinct' for Megalodon Day

I'm taking the option I gave myself near the end of Global Wind Day with 'Windpower' by Thomas Dolby.

This is a good day for me to observe, since I'm an environmentalist who supports renewable energy. I could post much more, but I conserve my resources, so I'll save them for future posts — that is, if I'm not being a paleontologist by celebrating National Megalodon Day instead.

Two days of listening to Hoover Cleveland rant about sharks has influenced me to observe Megalodon Day instead. I'm celebrating by sharing PBS Eons explaining Why Megalodon (Definitely) Went Extinct.

For more than 10 million years, Megalodon was at the top of its game as the oceans’ apex predator...until 2.6 million years ago, when it went extinct. So, what happened to the largest shark in history?

I've been waiting nearly six years to use this video, so, thanks, Hoover Cleveland, for inspiring me. File that under even the worst people can sometimes be useful!

By the way, today is also World Martini Day.

World Martini Day falls on the third Saturday in June each year. Around the world martini lover's are shaking up their gin to enjoy this unique beverage with a twist. Join us as we learn a few facts about the martini and help you understand why we raise a glass to this summertime beverage holiday.

I'd been celebrating it on June 19th for years, but apparently it's moved. Either the people behind it wanted to avoid Juneteenth or National Day Calendar was confused all along. I'm still celebrating with MEGALODON BITE Fishbowl Cocktail! (Inspired by Meg 2) by The Martini Shot.


Drink responsibly and stay tuned for Father's Day!

An update on D.C. Statehood for Flag Day 2024

Happy Flag Day! As I've done for the past five years, I'm observing the holiday by examining the state of D.C. statehood. I begin with Mastering Knowledge asking Why Should Washington D.C. Be a State?

Join us in this thought-provoking video as we delve into the crucial question of whether Washington, D.C. should become a state. Advocates for statehood put forth compelling arguments, and we explore the reasons behind their call for change.

Discover how the residents of Washington, D.C. lack voting representation in the U.S. Congress, despite paying federal taxes and serving in the military. Explore the concept of "taxation without representation" and its historical significance, as we delve into the core democratic principles that underpin this issue.

Explore the population size of Washington, D.C., which surpasses certain existing states, and the implications of granting statehood based on its population. Dive into the potential benefits that statehood could bring, such as full congressional representation in both the House of Representatives and the Senate, ensuring that the citizens of Washington, D.C. have a voice and equal participation in the democratic process.

Uncover the current challenges faced by Washington, D.C., including limited autonomy and dependence on congressional approval for local decisions. Learn how statehood would empower Washington, D.C. with greater self-governance, allowing its residents to shape their own destiny without undue interference from the federal government.

Furthermore, we explore the constitutional aspects surrounding statehood, analyzing the language of the Constitution and the potential interpretations that support the notion of Washington, D.C. becoming a state.

That's a good summary of the subject. For a update, I'm sharing DC Statehood show WUSA9 anchored by Adam Longo.


I've become familiar with Eleanor Holmes Norton, D.C.'s Delegate to the House of Representatives, since I've been covering this issue, but this is the first I've heard of D.C.'s shadow Senator Paul Strauss. I count that as learning something new, and it's always a good day when I learn something new.

I learned something else new that isn't good, which still doesn't negate today being a good day, that a Congressman introduced a bill to repeal DC Home Rule Act, as DC News Now reported last August.

On Friday, Rep. Andy Ogles, (R-Tenn.) introduced a bill to repeal the D.C. Home Rule Act. Reps. Matt Rosendale (R-Mont.) and Byron Donalds (R-Fla.) are co-sponsoring the bill.

That's going backwards, not forwards. Worse yet, when WUSA9 asked Can Congress repeal D.C.'s Home Rule Act? The answer was yes.

The Home Rule Act was signed into law in 1973 by President Richard Nixon and went into effect in 1975.

Sigh. Fortunately, repealing home rule would be just as difficult under the current Senate and President as D.C. statehood would be given the current Congress. That might not be the case if Republicans retake the Senate and Hoover Cleveland returns to the White House. That's all the more reason to prevent both from happening.

I plan on revisiting the related issue of statehood for Puerto Rico on National Piña Colada Day next month. Stay tuned.

Supreme Court unanimously preserves access to Mifepristone

I was critical of the Supreme Court yesterday, writing "People are still upset about the Supreme Court overturning Roe v. Wade, January 6th, and the Supreme Court hearing Hoover Cleveland's immunity appeal and are taking it out on Alito and other Supreme Court Justices for them." Today, I bear what passes for good news from the highest court in the land from MSNBC, Supreme Court says abortion pill can stay on market.

The Supreme Court ruled that the abortion pill Mifepristone can stay on the market. The justices found that the anti-abortion doctors did not have legal standing. NBC News' Yamiche Alcindor, MSNBC legal analyst Leah Litman and Reproductive Freedom For All President Mini Timmaraju join Ana Cabrera to discuss.

As I wrote, this passes for good news. However, it was decided on standing, as in the plaintiffs didn't have any, not on merits. That means that potential plaintiffs who do have standing could get a ruling in their favor, banning or restricting Mifepristone. In addition, Leah Litman and Mini Timmaraju both mentioned the possible use of the Comstock Act to restrict abortion access again. I find that alarming enough that I think the parts of Comstock Act that are currently unconstitutional need to be repealed, restricting the ability of anti-choice advocates to reanimate them. I have the same opinion of the Insurrection Act, which is also being touted as a way for the more extreme right-wing activists, including Hoover Cleveland, to suppress dissent. That's a topic for later.

MSNBC followed up with 'Today is certainly a win' for abortion access: Supreme Court allows pill to stay on market.

Planned Parenthood Missouri Chief Medical Officer Dr. Colleen McNicholas joins Ana Cabrera to discuss the Supreme Court rejecting a challenge to the abortion pill mifepristone. MSNBC legal analyst Melissa Murray also weighs in on the court's decision.

Listening to Melissa Murray inveigh against the anti-democratic nature of the efforts to restrict abortion reminds me of CNBC examines 'How The Supreme Court May Threaten Democracy', which is still relevant.

I close with 13 on Your Side (ABC 13 in Grand Rapids) asking and answering How did the Supreme Court rule in the Mifepristone case?

The Supreme Court on Thursday unanimously preserved access to a medication that was used in nearly two-thirds of all abortions in the U.S. last year, in the court’s first abortion decision since conservative justices overturned Roe v. Wade two years ago.

I couldn't resist both hearing Kamala Harris's reaction and giving a Michigan station the last word.

This is not good enough for me to post Professor Farnsworth. Maybe later. In the meantime, stay tuned for an update on D.C. Statehood for Flag Day.

Colbert, Klepper, and Kimmel come to comedic terms with Hunter Biden's conviction

Today is Loving Day, but since I don't know if I can top what I wrote two years ago, I'm not going to try. Instead, I'm looking for the silver lining of familial love in the very black cloud of the first story in Stephen Colbert's monologue last night, Pres. Biden Won't Pardon Hunter | Trump Goes After Taylor Swift | Martha-Ann Alito's Flag Fetish.

President Biden pledged to respect the judicial process after his son Hunter was convicted, the former president made creepy remarks about Taylor Swift's appearance, and the wife of Supreme Court Justice Samuel Alito has a thing for flags.

Yes, President Biden both loves his son and recognizes his constitutional responsibility to “take Care that the Laws be faithfully executed.” Those are more than I have seen out of "Hoover Cleveland," my new nickname for Trump. Speaking of laws being faithfully executed, since I'm pro-gun-control, I can't be too upset about Hunter's conviction. There is at least one wrong way to buy a gun in America. I just wish it wasn't exploited for a partisan political purpose by people who are generally opposed to gun control. Hypocrisy!

Jordan Klepper covered some of the same ground on The Daily Show last night in Hunter Biden Convicted & Alito’s Wife Caught on Tape Talking Flags.

Jordan Klepper tackles the Hunter Biden guilty verdict, as well as Justice Samuel Alito's wife, Martha-Ann Alito, caught on tape planning to fight Pride flags with more flags. Plus, Michael Kosta reveals how Governor Kathy Hochul's decision to scrap New York congestion pricing might have had something to do with the "Diner Effect."

It's been nearly three weeks since I posted 'The Daily Show' and Stephen Colbert examine Justice Alito's flags and the controversy is still raging. People are still upset about the Supreme Court overturning Roe v. Wade, January 6th, and the Supreme Court hearing Hoover Cleveland's immunity appeal and are taking it out on Alito and other Supreme Court Justices for them. My advice to Justice and Mrs. Alito is that they are in a hole and should stop digging, not that they will take it.

In place of Hoover Cleveland talking smack about Taylor Swift, to which I say good luck messing with Americans' entertainment, Klepper and Kosta are covering Governor Hochul's stopping congestion pricing. That's a subject that deserves another post. Maybe if or when CityNerd uploads a video about it.

My wife and I watched both of the above videos last night, but we didn't watch Jimmy Kimmel's monologue, Trump Rants About Shark Attacks, Jimmy Upsets Fox News & Hunter Biden Found Guilty on Three Counts, so I'm viewing it with fresh eyes.

The high profile trial of Hunter Biden ended badly for him as he was found guilty on all three counts, the Biden’s hosted a party at the White House in honor of Juneteenth, Donald Trump had a virtual meeting with the New York City Department of Probation, the Fox News crowd is upset that Jimmy is hosting an interview with Presidents Biden and Obama during a fundraiser here in LA, Dr. Phil interviewed Trump and mentioned a very familiar name, Fiberace was in Vegas this weekend where he said many incomprehensible things, including a diatribe about sharks, which made us think why not give the little ones a treat with an all Trump rendition of “Baby Shark.”

Kimmel now has Mondays off, which is why I featured Jimmy Fallon yesterday instead and why Kimmel is covering Hoover Cleveland's probation meeting, Dr. Phil's interview, and Las Vegas rally. That last deserved a "Baby Shark" parody, although I still think Hoover Cleveland sounds like Crazy Frog when he goes "bing, bing."

I close by returning to a subject Stephen mentioned in his monologue relating to Hoover Cleveland's conviction, Trump's Golf Courses Offer Alcohol Alternatives, last night's cold open.



Because nobody wants to golf sober.
Ugh, nightmare fuel! Also, this clip reminds me that tomorrow is National Golf Cart Day, but I'm not blogging about it. Instead, I've seen three references to Olive Garden this week, which I'm taking as a suggestion from the universe to showcase Company Man Mike's video explaining why Red Lobster's former sister restaurant, Olive Garden, is still a success. Stay tuned to see if I do.

Closer looks at Trump's probation interview and Las Vegas rally from Meyers, Colbert, and Fallon

Happy Tuesday, which means it's time for closer looks at the weekend's news with late night talk show hosts. I begin with Seth Meyers' Trump Meets with Probation Officer After Bizarre Rally Rant About Sharks: A Closer Look, which like last week's segment, I watched with my wife last night.

Seth takes a closer look at Trump meeting with a probation officer after holding his first large rally since his guilty verdict, where he screamed about teleprompters, batteries and sharks.

Who needs to watch Chris Hayes on MSNBC when Seth's staff selects the best clips and makes them funny? Speaking of MSNBC, the following image from Ari Melber's show illustrates a problem Donald Trump has with probation, associating with known felons.


While "Hoover Cleveland," my new nickname for him, is probably done with a lot of this rogues gallery, he took Paul Manafort back into his 2024 campaign.* I don't know if Manafort's pardon prevents probation from prohibiting personal contact. If not, that could make running the campaign difficult. Darn.

Stephen Colbert paid more attention to the rally in Trump’s Bull**** Rally | “I Don’t Care About You. I Just Want Your Vote” | MTG: Trump Is Like Jesus.

The former president spent his weekend making speeches on the campaign trail where he revealed his true feelings about his voters, and Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene likened him to the son of God.

That was a terrible thing for Hoover Cleveland to say, but his core voters don't seem to care. At least it was honest, which is a rare event. As for MTG, there's nothing I can say that Randy Rainbow hasn't said and sung better.

Jimmy Kimmel was off last night, so I'm turning to Jimmy Fallon for Trump Meets with His Probation Officer, Goes on Unhinged Shark Rant at Vegas Rally | Tonight Show.

Jimmy addresses the latest news, like Time magazine interviewing both Trump and Biden, Trump's first meeting with his New York probation officer and Martha's Vineyard being close to running out of marijuana.

First, any time Hoover Cleveland tells a "Sir" story, don't believe him. Second, he's showing that he's more scared of sharks than of electric vehicles. Third, he's a little early for Shark Week. That begins on July 7th.

Tomorrow is Loving Day, but I don't know if I can top what I wrote two years ago. Stay tuned to see what I blog about tomorrow.

*Hoover Cleveland — Hoover because he's the first U.S. President to have a net job loss during his term since Herbert Hoover, Cleveland because he's trying to repeat what Grover Cleveland achieved, earn a second non-consecutive term. It helps that both were Republicans.

NOAA issues 'Most Aggressive Hurricane Season Forecast On Record' for 2024

Atlantic hurricane season began on June 1st, so it's past time to review the predictions for it. I begin with The Weather Channel reporting NOAA Released Its Most Aggressive Hurricane Season Forecast On Record two weeks ago.

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) released its outlook for the 2024 Atlantic Hurricane Season today (May 23, 2024), and it's the most aggressive forecast on record. Our hurricane expert Dr. Rick Knabb breaks it down.

If NOAA, The Weather Company, and Colorado State University (CSU) are correct, then this season will exhaust the primary list of names, which has only happened three times before, 2005, 2020, and 2021. It almost happened last year, when there were 19 named storms, leaving one of my names and my ex-girlfriend's name unused. That means that our names will stay together until 2029, more than 20 years after we broke up. As I wrote in 2022, ironic.

Here are this year's Atlantic storm names. Fortunately, most of them have no special significance to me.


Now the overflow list of storm names.


If the forecast is correct, we're likely to see some from the first column before the year is over.

AccuWeather took a deeper look at the some of the factors contributing to the forecast in Supercharged Atlantic Hurricane Season Poised for Intense Activity.

AccuWeather hurricane experts are concerned that storms could rapidly intensify during the 2024 hurricane season due to high ocean temperatures, low wind shear, and abundant moisture. Hurricane season starts this Saturday, June 1.

Yikes!

PBS Terra uploaded its own short video explaining the science behind the forecast, 2024 Is Going to Be a Bad Year for Hurricanes…But Why?.


I'm going to reuse what I wrote two years ago, itself partially recycled from August 2021.

First, welcome to the 400 ppm world. Second, are you scared enough by climate change? My readers should be.

That reminds me; I should write about the greenhouse gas levels recorded this spring. Stay tuned.

'Bankrupt - Red Lobster' by Bright Sun Films, a tale of the Retail Apocalypse

Happy Sunday! I know I promised the usual entertainment feature and teased the Daytime Emmy Awards winners, but after looking over the awardees, I'm just not feeling it or any other show business news. Instead, I'm revisiting Company Man asks 'The Decline of Red Lobster...What Happened?' A tale of the Retail Apocalypse with Bright Sun Films' Bankrupt - Red Lobster. After all, isn't dining out a form of entertainment?

Since the late 1960's, Red Lobster has grown to become an American seafood institution with over 650 restaurants and tens of thousands of employees. It's also one of the most successful casual restaurant chains to ever exist. So it was pretty surprising to many when they filed for Chapter 11 Bankruptcy in early 2024. However while many in the media reported on the famous Endless Shrimp as the culprit, the truth as to how this company fell so quickly is a bit more complicated. Join me today as we find out how this iconic chain ultimately declared bankruptcy.

I feel like no bankrupt company's story is fully told until both Company Man Mike and Jake Williams of Bright Sun Films have weighed in. Thanks to Jake's reporting, I have revised my opinion that private equity may not have been critical in Red Lobster's failure. Golden Gate Capital's decision to sell the properties the stores sat on and then lease them really did mess up the chain's cash flow. This was on top of the debt from the leveraged buyout. The only good news is that the bankruptcy didn't happen on their watch. Instead, Thai Union was left holding the bag, but not for long. As I wrote last month, "They're done with Red Lobster." Here's to hoping the new owners, whoever they are, have better luck.

That's a wrap for today's tale of the Retail Apocalypse, although I may return to restaurants to showcase Company Man Mike's video explaining why Red Lobster's former sister restaurant, Olive Garden, is still a success. Stay tuned.