I am finding it incredibly difficult to believe that more than seventy-million adult Americans identified with and voted for Donald Trump in the last election. I will readily admit that Democrats have done precious little to help financially struggling American families, the bottom third or more of American households. But how could those same families have come to see Republicans and Trump as a viable alternative? As their champions? Trump and his MAGA sycophants haven’t a shred of empathy for those who voted for him. And those people will most certainly be the ones to suffer first and most when he takes office in less than a week and enacts the very policies he openly discussed during the campaign. What will they do when he abolishes Medicaid, guts Social Security and Medicare, privatizes the VA health system and cuts veterans’ benefits, attacks labor unions, sabotages public education, shutters the postal service, abandons regulations that promote clean air and water while slowing climate change, eradicates workplace safety regulations, and eliminates food stamps? What will the country do once he takes his meat cleaver to America’s already enfeebled democracy? What will happen to all of us when the oligarchs assume full control of every lever of power? This could spell the doom of the promise and shining myth of America. Desperation makes fools of us all.

If you people would simmer down, relax for a sec, and engage in real human conversation; we could show y'all some pretty cool stuff and teach ya a few things. But y'all have to chill, stop freaking out, take some steps to repair things, and at least try to reach out to people and engage them on a human level. You've successfully done this with other people before, if you are nervous or feel stuck try starting a conversation with a phonecall,email,text or the like. "How are you" usually works pretty well. "What's that like" is a good addition to help continue a conversation. "What do you think" often has revealing benefits to all. But seriously people, drop a voicemail or something. This is all beyond silly and ridiculous. Take two and call me in the morning.

Fuck this shit. Stupid fucking children with badges. No lights on when it’s raining. I got passed on a side street by some gremlin, no cops to be seen. Took over an hour for a home break in call. Complaining about protesters while abiding fascists. And today, out giving PARKING tickets in a neighborhood that barely has fucking paved roads let alone sidewalks or guides of ‘which way to park’. You don’t deserve a drop more of our money or attention. Get fucked all of you.

Fascism thrives not only through violence and control but also through neglect, indifference, and the celebration of suffering. When we ignore someone’s cry for help—whether from suicidal thoughts, addiction, or hunger—we inadvertently participate in this cycle. But we can change that. Recognizing when we turn away from another’s pain is the first step toward making a positive difference. Fascism also thrives when people take pleasure in others' suffering, whether through schadenfreude or ridicule. But this is a behavior we can reject. Instead of turning away from suffering or laughing at someone’s misfortune, we can choose to respond with compassion. By acknowledging the humanity of those in crisis, we help create a culture of care and empathy, not cruelty. When we see someone struggling, we have the power to act. A kind word, a listening ear, or directing them to the right resources can make all the difference. Every time we choose empathy over indifference, we chip away at the structures of cruelty that uphold fascism. We reject the behaviors that dehumanize others and create a space where compassion thrives. This change starts with us. So be human. Give an old friend a call. Check in on people. Make sure people have something to eat. Make amends. Have a tough conversation. Don't delay! You know people who are having difficulty and struggling. Every moment matters. Heal a wound. Save a life. Now!

Ms. Cyrus does her best rendition of one of her standards at the 2018 D.C. “March for Our Lives”, striding around in her sweats, holding a “Never Again” placard: “Always going to be an uphill battle/ …The struggles I’m facing may knock me down/ …It’s ain‘t about how fast I get there/ —It’s the Climb!” Contrary to her uplifting anthem, this last advent had a theme of loss for me, feeling quite knocked down. Last month, in a talk at downtown’s 1st Unitarian Church, an impressive U of O professor, Michael Fahkri, a special UN “rapporteur” on food, referred to Gaza as the victim of the “fastest starvation campaign in modern history.” Then Jeff Merkley spoke to the Senate about “the extreme level of devastation in Gaza,” showing an enlarged photo of apartment towers reduced to rubble. We’ve transferred to Israel about 14,000 of our 2000 lb. bombs—capable of knocking down a block— and thousands of smaller bombs and mortars as well—targeting an area about the size of Portland! Amid the clutter in my home, I have a poster of Palestinian women in their traditional folk outfits—so beautiful. Yet now I can’t bear to look at it or put it up, as we know the past can predict the future. Ethnocide (aka genocide) is always too possible. —Miley’s best, "The Climb": https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AVFC87RxQZs —SEE IT: “The Palestine Exception,” produced in Portland, with protest from the east coast to the west: https://cinema21.com/movie/the-palestine-exception (Jan. 26)

I know, we're all reading the news on our phones and feel like we need to speak out against the world or whatever. But for real, nobody cares what you think excpet for like 9 people that you see every day, and none of those people are affected by Trump or Israel or Syria or the California Wildfires. You don't need to change the world. Just try to be less of an asshole to the people around you.

A life spent striving to improve the lives of others, shaped by a long history of hardship and unfair targeting. This individual, known for their neurodivergence and unwavering stand against bullies, often bore the brunt of hostility and misunderstanding. Their efforts to shield others from harm came at great personal cost, leaving them vulnerable to the same cruelty they sought to confront. In their final days, the isolation became unbearable. Despite reaching out for help, no messages of support, no calls to encourage them to continue came. Instead, they were met with threats, mockery, and even direct encouragement to end their life from some who sought to magnify their pain. The cruelty of others in response to their vulnerability added layers of shame, pain, and anger to an already unbearable situation. These actions, compounded by years of abuse and neglect, created a burden far too heavy to carry. Their death is not just a tragedy but a reflection of our personal failure to protect those who stand up for us against injustice and face systemic mistreatment for their differences. It raises urgent questions about how we respond to individuals in need of basic human decency, the all too common cruelty that can push someone to such a devastating end, and the shame we must all bear for not offering the simplest acts of kindness, mercy, or support in their time of need. May their story serve as a wake-up call, urging us to confront the devastating harm inflicted by our indifference and malice, and to reckon with the terrifying truth that if we continue down this path, we will all be left to face the consequences of our neglect. What happens to us now, when we abandon those who fight for us, is a reckoning we cannot escape.

Many ways we deal with fires come from the British and not Indigenous ways of knowing- laws need to change and ways of knowing should become diverse. 2. Reciprocity should become more abundant 3. More routes out of disasters needed along with revitalizing community and cooperation skills are sorely needed. 4. The market is not answer 5. Most importantly, Momma Nature has been enslaved and should be set free. The above is my way of directing the conversations from other conversations in the past that work now.

[To those who are struggling, help is available, and you are needed in this world. If you are thinking of self-harm, please call or text 988 to talk to a professional who can help.—eds.]

I'm facing immense difficulties, made worse by people’s cruelty and selfishness. I get it—no one wants to hear they’re being a bad friend or acting selfishly. But if someone confides they’re struggling with suicidal thoughts and your reaction is, ‘What about me?’—what do you think that says to them? What do you think people will learn about you? When someone shares something as vulnerable as suicidal ideation, it takes courage and trust. Responding with self-centeredness not only breaks that trust but deepens their isolation. You behavior speaks to your character. The pain of fabricated isolation is profound. It’s not just loneliness; it’s being made to feel alone even when surrounded by others. It’s like being trapped in a zoo enclosure, raw with pain, while people watch, eat their snacks, and throw rocks and stones from a distance. This isolation isn’t natural—it’s created by indifference. When suffering becomes a spectacle, it magnifies the hurt. You’re left carrying not only your struggles but the cruel realization that some are content and even celebrating the opportunity to watch you drown. I only have so much strength. I am a human being with human limitations and reactions. What do you want to happen next in this story? How will you be remembered? People know exactly what's happening. They are watching. Yes, they are just as guilty as you. But what are you doing? Hiding? Cowering? Celebrating the idea that i'll be gone soon? What kind of person are you? People will know. If I leave you with anything its that. People will know. So if you aren't motivated by love and compassion, atleast be motivated by fear. Do something while there you still can. Say something. I'm dying and in pain and I need help.

So, can we become Cascadia yet? Or accept Canada's invitation?

You know where to send the lists and documentation should anything happen. I'm doing everything I can to hold on. but its too much. I have to take it hour by hour. I need aide assistance, access to basic human decency. It crippling to need to heal from so much and not be able to access it. My only solace is that should anything happen to me, by my hand or others, there are things in place to assure catastrophe for those who have failed us all. I'm doing my best to stop thinking of methods and measures to take, but my brain keeps coming up with 'contigencies' to find some sort of releif from all this pain. im running out of soothing techniques. the isolation is killing me. sure, may be the medical examiner will say something different, but the track i'm on right now. its the isolation.

[To all those who are struggling, help is available, and you are needed in this world. If you are thinking of self-harm, please call or text 988 to talk to a professional who can help.—eds.]

I don’t have the words. I wish I could say more, but I can’t. A frend is gone, and all that’s left is regret. They were hurting, and I didnt see it. They tryed to reach out, in there own way, but I missed it. They begged everywhere they could for basic human decency. I was to caught up in my life, to far away, to self absorbed to notice when it really mattered. I should of done more. I should of been there. I should of listened. I should have checked in and said hi. I knew they were hurting, but I was too scared to do anything. I was supposed to be their angel. I was supposed to be their frend. I was supposed to be there for them, but I wasn’t. I failed them. Now its to late. I know they just wanted someone to understand, wanted someone to care, and I let them down. I can’t fix it. I can’t bring them back. If this means anything to anyone, if your reading this and you’ve ever felt like this, don’t wait. Don’t wait for people to notice. Don’t wait untill it’s to late. I wish I would of done something sooner. I’m sorry. I’ll carry this with me forever. I just hope they know, somehow, that I did care. Rest in peace.

Overloaded myself with too much work and homework. Maybe in a few years, I might make a few extra dollars. Hope I’m the right kind of person to help my family get through whatever’s coming.

Public safety key performance indicators (KPIs) should reflect a community’s well-being, emphasizing health, safety, and equity. However, many systems prioritize authoritarian metrics, such as ticketing and arrest quotas, which often serve to reinforce oppressive structures rather than enhance actual safety. These fascist indicators fail to measure whether a community is thriving; instead, they promote criminalization, systemic distrust, and economic exploitation, disproportionately impacting marginalized populations. True public safety should focus on KPIs rooted in health and safety outcomes. For instance, reduced emergency room visits due to violence, lower rates of traffic fatalities, increased access to mental health resources, and greater community trust in public institutions provide meaningful measures of well-being. KPIs like improved housing stability, reduction in food insecurity, and increased access to quality education reflect a holistic approach to safety. Overemphasis on punitive indicators fuels corruption, as law enforcement and judicial systems prioritize revenue generation and sadistic dynamics over justice. This approach diverts resources away from preventative measures like public health programs and community investment, perpetuating cycles of harm. A society that values equitable, health-centered KPIs fosters resilience, reduces crime through systemic support, and dismantles authoritarian practices in favor of genuine safety and justice for all.