The Trump administration has been clear in its targeting of the Somali and Latino communities through Operation Metro Surge.
President Trump called people from Somalia “garbage,”
said “we don’t want them in our country,”
and told them to “go back to where they came from.”
Following Trump's comments, ICE and CBP agents have indiscriminately arrested
— without warrants or probable cause
— Minnesotans solely because the agents perceived them to be Somal…

ACLU Sues Federal Government to End ICE, CBP’s Practice of Suspicionless Stops, Warrantless Arrests, and Racial Profiling of Minnesotans  | American Civil Liberties Union
MINNEAPOLIS — The American Civil Liberties Union, ACLU of Minnesota, Covington & Burling LLP, Greene Espel PLLP, and Robins Kaplan LLP filed a...

:neocat_flop:

H5N1 bird flu kills more than 50 skuas in first Antarctica wildlife die off #Antarctica

H5N1 bird flu kills more than 50 skuas in first Antarctica wildlife die off
For the first time, deadly H5N1 bird flu has been confirmed as the cause of a wildlife die-off in Antarctica, killing more than 50 skuas during the 2023–2024 summers. Researchers on an Antarctic expedition found the virus ravaging these powerful seabirds, with some suffering severe neurological symptoms—twisted necks, circling behavior, and even falling from the sky. While penguins and fur seals were examined, skuas emerged as the primary victims, especially on Beak Island, where a mass die…

A Swiss canton has suspended its pilot of electronic voting after failing to count 2,048 votes cast in national referendums held on March 8.
Basel-Stadt announced the problem with its e-voting pilot, open to about 10,300 locals living abroad and 30 people with disabilities, last Friday afternoon.
It encouraged participants to deliver a paper vote to the town hall or use a polling station but admitted this would not be possible for many.
By the close of polling on Sunday, its …

Swiss e-voting pilot can't count 2,048 ballots after USB keys fail to decrypt them
: Officials suspend Basel-Stadt trial and launch probe

While preparing #ArtemisII for flight, NASA engineers are reviewing data after a confidence test Feb. 12, in which operators partially filled the SLS (Space Launch System) core stage liquid hydrogen tank to assess newly replaced seals in an area used to fill the rocket with propellant: https://www.nasa.gov/blogs/missions/2026/02/13/following-confidence-test-nasa-continues-artemis-ii-data-review/ - during the test, "teams encountered an issue with ground support equipment that reduced the flow of liquid hydrogen into the rocket. [...] Engineers will examine findings before setting a timeline for the next test, a second wet dress rehearsal this month. March remains the earliest potential launch window for Artemis II."

One fascinating film trivia I learned recently is that Sofia Coppola and Spike Jonze’s marriage from 1999 to 2003 partially inspired Coppola’s 2003 film Lost In Translation and Jonze’s 2013 film Her.
Coincidentally, both films star Scarlett Johansson as the main female protagonist, both films were nominated for the Oscar Best Picture, and both films won the Oscar Best Original Screenplay for Coppola and Jonze.

Doin' US taxes again. Super blah without a donut!!
Last year my personal filing was about 200 pages long. (We also do a separate corporate filing.)
And once again my taxes will far, far, far exceed the actual disposable income I have received.
Yes, this is an upper-middle-class, first world problem.. But I do hate paying what amounts to big wads of $$ to pay for El Cheato's destruction of the US.

WELKER: You voted to hold Bill and Hillary Clinton in criminal contempt earlier this year for failing to comply with subpoena.
Why shouldn't the same standard apply to the former AG Pam Bondi?
BYRON DONALDS: We'll see what happens when we get back to DC
https://bsky.app/profile/atrupar.com/p…

Aaron Rupar (@atrupar.com)
WELKER: You voted to hold Bill and Hillary Clinton in criminal contempt earlier this year for failing to comply with subpoena. Why shouldn't the same standard apply to the former AG Pam Bondi? BYRON DONALDS: We'll see what happens when we get back to DC

Trevor Noah Sues Donald Trump Over Alleged Threatening Messages
Following Explosive Truth Social Rant
A high-profile legal and political controversy has erupted
after comedian and television host Trevor Noah filed a lawsuit
against Donald Trump,
alleging that the president sent “damaging, intimidating, and dangerous” private direct messages
following a public dispute tied to comments made during the Grammy Awards

Trevor Noah Files $100m Lawsuit Against Donald Trump for damages, Alleging the President Issued Dangerous and Intimidating Private Messages After Explosive Truth Social Rant where The President Denied Epstein Island Allegation Following Grammy Awards Backlash
Trevor Noah Sues Donald Trump Over Alleged Threatening Messages Following Explosive Truth Social Rant A high-profile legal and political controversy has erupted after comedian and television host Trevor Noah filed a lawsuit against President Donald Trump, alleging that the president sent “damaging, intimidating, and dangerous” private direct messages following a public dispute tied to comments […]