J. Brandon
jcbrandon.bsky.social
J. Brandon
@jcbrandon.bsky.social
120 followers 130 following 590 posts
Profound statement still in development. Meanwhile, just a guy, living my life. Silver City, New Mexico, USA
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Is anyone surprised by this?

FBI urges ICE to ID themselves as criminals impersonate officers

thehill.com/policy/natio...
thehill.com
This is not among the top 10 things I care most about today.

"... there is a 'high potential' that fecal matter and disease-causing organisms have entered the town’s infrastructure."

www.sfgate.com/renotahoe/ar...
Tahoe’s billionaire enclave might have a poop problem
A Nov. 3 notice cited a "loss of pressure in the distribution system."
www.sfgate.com
One of my instructors emphasized that finding yourself with an empty gun was, by definition, a failure. During his defensive pistol and shotgun training courses we practiced reloading before the mag ran dry under escalating levels of duress.
"Pentagon orders ‘quick reaction force’ of 500 troops per state

"Each state also will be given '100 sets of crowd control equipment to be used to support this requirement,' such as Tasers, pepper spray, batons, and body shields."

thehill.com/policy/defen...
thehill.com
“He is acclimating people to the notion that the military is his private army, unconstrained by law, unconstrained by norms, unconstrained by American traditions.”

www.theatlantic.com/politics/arc...
Trump’s Plan Is Now Out in the Open
It’s getting ever harder to avoid connecting the authoritarian dots.
www.theatlantic.com
"For years, the Senate eroded its own authority through silence and submission. Facing another turning point in U.S. foreign policy, its members now find they have no authority left to surrender."

thehill.com/opinion/cong...
thehill.com
Please check your facts. New Mexico is a solidly Democrat state.
"... former SpaceX intern" plans to offer a “sunlight on demand service" to “leading brands who want to bring a novel touch to their promotions.”

And you thought AI was the techno threat of the day.

futurism.com/space/scient...
Scientists Oppose Huge Array of Mirrors in Space That Shines Nighttime Sunlight on Wealthy Customers
The astronomical community is horrified at plans made by a for-profit company to flood the night sky with sunlight.
futurism.com
"By the time we agree that our minds are no longer our own, that we simply cannot think clearly without tech assistance, how much of us will be left to resist?"

This article makes some pretty profound observations.

www.theguardian.com/technology/2...
Are we living in a golden age of stupidity?
From brain-rotting videos to AI creep, every technological advance seems to make it harder to work, remember, think and function independently …
www.theguardian.com
It appears that The Onion is watching southwest New Mexico.
Please consider this as you decide what to pay attention to, what to ignore, and how to spend your money.
Random thought: many good articles are behind pay walls, while misleading or false content is free. As the economy deteriorates, access to information and facts can become a matter of disposable income.
If you're not sure what this is all about, watch this video explanation from U.S. Senator Martin Heinrich of New Mexico.

"What checkers, a ladder, and the Supreme Court have in common."

youtu.be/k83zMfnVO1k?...
SCOTUS News
YouTube video by U.S. Senator Martin Heinrich
youtu.be
Very proud of our little town.

And it was very fun to be there yesterday. I didn't see any hostile behavior at all.
From the front lines of War Ravaged Silver City, New Mexico
Some really pretty country up that way.
Welcome to the neighborhood! One of our favorite places, close to home.
"... a new parent searching for 'baby thermometers' might find pricier products on the first page of their results than a nonparent would. It’s not surprising that many people think this is unfair."

theconversation.com/in-defense-o...
In defense of ‘surveillance pricing’: Why personalized prices could be an unexpected force for equity
Fans of redistribution may find something good in the latest AI-powered development in pricing.
theconversation.com
"Social movements are bigger than political parties, and focused on more than just passing bills in Congress. They push for change on civic, cultural, institutional, and legislative fronts all at once. They change the climate of the age."

www.theatlantic.com/magazine/arc...
America Needs a Mass Movement—Now
Without one, America may sink into autocracy for decades.
www.theatlantic.com
I've been lax about putting a photo of myself up on my profile. I'll get around to it, at some point.

Meanwhile, here's me, with my partner, Val.
Hi, friends! In case we haven't met you yet in our travels talking about this project, we're Val & J.—founders of Southwest Art Towns. We're based in Silver City, NM and we're looking forward to getting to know all of the great art communities and creators in the southwest through this adventure.
"... how will the American people find out what is being done at the Pentagon in their name, with their hard-earned tax dollars, and more importantly, the decisions that may put their sons and daughters in harm's way?"

www.npr.org/2025/10/14/g...
Opinion: Why I'm handing in my Pentagon press pass
Tom Bowman has held his Pentagon press pass for 28 years. He says the Pentagon's new media policy makes it impossible to be a journalist, which means finding out what's really going on behind the scen...
www.npr.org