Martha Whitten Howell
banner
lubec.bsky.social
Martha Whitten Howell
@lubec.bsky.social
Born Auburn, Maine. Retired banking attorney. Married Peter Howell. Living our best life in DownEast Maine.
Reposted by Martha Whitten Howell
Russia attacked Ukraine with 500 drones and around 40 missiles, including Kinzhal missiles. The main strike targeted #Kyiv, hitting energy facilities and civilian infrastructure.

The Russian attack left nearly one third of Kyiv without heating.

Russia is a terrorist state.
December 27, 2025 at 9:19 AM
Reposted by Martha Whitten Howell
Dec 26, 1941. Churchill addresses Congress:
"I have been in full harmony all my life with the tides which have flowed on both sides of the Atlantic against privilege and monopoly...In my country as in yours public men are proud to be the servants of the state and would be ashamed to be its masters."
December 26, 2025 at 12:53 PM
Reposted by Martha Whitten Howell
In the spirit of the season in the year 2025, the Bulwark offers you this all-star rendition of the Twelve Days of Grift-mas.

Take-aways:

1. Some of my colleagues can actually sing.

2. Not me, though.

3. We shouldn't do this more than once a year.

youtu.be/D2XX4TMC_SY?...
The Bulwark Wishes You a Very Corrupt Christmas
YouTube video by The Bulwark
youtu.be
December 26, 2025 at 12:37 PM
Which leg are they pulling?
The Justice Department said it found over a million more pages of Jeffrey Epstein documents, extending the time it will take for a full release. A law passed by Congress gave the department a deadline of last Friday to release the files. nyti.ms/49rG0QL
A Million More Epstein Documents Have Been Found, Justice Dept. Says
Democratic lawmakers, who had criticized the Justice Department’s release of the material, accused the Trump administration of violating the law mandating the release of the files.
nyti.ms
December 24, 2025 at 8:32 PM
Well, duh.
Recent U.S. actions against ships near Venezuela may embolden other countries to use similar tactics when it suits them, legal experts say. If such seizures and detentions become more common, that could hurt the shipping industry and international trade. nyti.ms/492VFGh
Trump’s Seizures of Oil Tankers Challenge Maritime Rules and Customs
Recent U.S. actions against ships near Venezuela may embolden other countries to seize or detain ships, legal experts said.
nyti.ms
December 24, 2025 at 8:31 PM
Reposted by Martha Whitten Howell
Years of poor bookkeeping led to a financial crisis in Washington County. It’s not the only county government that is delayed in analyzing its finances.
Nearly half of Maine’s counties are behind on their audits
Years of poor bookkeeping led to a financial crisis in Washington County. It’s not the only county government that is delayed in analyzing its finances.
www.bangordailynews.com
December 21, 2025 at 12:40 PM
I would laugh if it were not so obscenely possible.
Before Charlie Kirk was fatally shot, he was readying for JD Vance to become the next president of the United States. Now, Erika Kirk is determined to make that happen.
Charlie Kirk’s Empire Is Lining Up Behind a JD Vance Presidential Bid
The vice president will speak Sunday at Turning Point USA’s premier event, days after Erika Kirk endorsed him for a 2028 run.
on.wsj.com
December 21, 2025 at 2:09 PM
Reposted by Martha Whitten Howell
DOJ broke the law today by refusing to produce all the Epstein files. It also broke the law by redacting information other than to protect victims. Yet, the corporate media is acting that DOJ did us a huge favor.

Now, more than ever, help build independent, pro-democracy media. hubs.ly/Q03CbHTt0
December 20, 2025 at 1:00 AM
Reposted by Martha Whitten Howell
When cats are under stress, they sometimes pee to mark territory and claim ownership. Same with fascists.
December 19, 2025 at 12:19 PM
Reposted by Martha Whitten Howell
Most weak-kneed phrase in journalism right now?

“Critics say…”
December 19, 2025 at 1:37 PM
Reposted by Martha Whitten Howell
As I wrote a few months back: “the so-called announcement of a “deal” appears to be an announcement of a deal to make a deal.” When you’re dealing with Trump, that probably isn’t enough.

open.substack.com/pub/arthursn...
December 18, 2025 at 10:41 AM
Less than a month's rent. Big whoop.
cnn.com CNN @cnn.com · 9d
"1,450,000 military service members will receive a special, we call, warrior dividend before Christmas. A warrior dividend. In honor of our nation's founding in 1776, we are sending every soldier $1,776," Trump said during his televised address to the nation. https://cnn.it/48MVA9y
December 18, 2025 at 2:07 PM
Reposted by Martha Whitten Howell
Massie: Previous presidents told us to go to war over WMDs that did not exist. Now it's the same playbook. Except we're told that drugs are the WMDs. If it were about drugs, we'd bomb Mexico or China or Colombia. This is about oil and regime change.
December 17, 2025 at 7:24 PM
Reposted by Martha Whitten Howell
Wow. Treating that speech with seriousness and not calling it what it was is…a choice
December 18, 2025 at 12:16 PM
Glad I am not in a job where I have to watch it. Please, let's not give him air.
December 17, 2025 at 10:18 AM
Reposted by Martha Whitten Howell
No wonder the FBI hasn't found the Brown University shooter yet when so many agents have been shifted to the campaign to make America whiter.
Nearly half of FBI agents in major offices reassigned to immigration enforcement
Data shows stunning shift in law enforcement priorities that has raised public safety concerns
www.theguardian.com
December 16, 2025 at 9:03 PM
Reposted by Martha Whitten Howell
The free world, if it is to remain free, must stop taking Ukraine’s unbelievable bravery for granted!

By refusing to send a clear, unambiguous stop now signal, Europe and America create the very vacuum that keeps pulling Russian violence westward.

open.substack.com/pub/chakhoya...
Three ways Russia's criminal war ends
Plus one path to peace the Free World should aim for, but doesn't
open.substack.com
December 13, 2025 at 9:15 AM
I seem to recall sharing the job w a buddy in English Lit. She read, um, Tristam Shandy and I read Tom Jones; then each schooled the other before class. Huge books!
In U.S. high schools, the age of the book may be fading.

Many teenagers are assigned few full books to read from beginning to end — often just one or two per year, according to researchers and thousands of responses to a reader survey by The New York Times.
Kids Rarely Read Whole Books Anymore. Even in English Class.
When teachers do assign whole books, they often choose from a stagnant list of classics.
nyti.ms
December 12, 2025 at 2:48 PM
Reposted by Martha Whitten Howell
Great question 👇
Are regional Fed prez's supposed to vote based on the impact to local constituents or impact nationally?
December 12, 2025 at 1:18 PM
Reposted by Martha Whitten Howell
Oh. Of course.
WALKINSHAW: Are you familiar with the Proud Boys?

GLASHEEN: I'm familiar with the name

WALKINSHAW: Does the FBI still designate them as an extremist organization? They did during Trump's first term

GLASHEEN: We are in the process right now of changing our, uh, categories for domestic terrorism
December 12, 2025 at 1:32 PM
My anger and disgust with this administration grows by the day.
The Trump administration jettisoned a plan to honor the abolition of slavery, women’s suffrage and the civil-rights movement on quarters for the nation’s 250th birthday.
Trump Administration Scraps Plan to Mint Quarters Featuring Abolition, Suffrage
The move comes as a controversial $1 Trump coin for the nation’s 250th birthday is also being considered.
on.wsj.com
December 11, 2025 at 1:41 PM
Reposted by Martha Whitten Howell
Unlike Supreme Court Justices, the rest of the fed’l judiciary is governed by canons of ethics. Among other things, they’re not supposed to attend political events & should avoid even an appearance of impropriety. joycevance.substack.com/p/judicial-e...
Judicial Ethics
Yesterday, Third Circuit Court of Appeals Judge Emil Bove attended an event where Donald Trump spoke.
joycevance.substack.com
December 11, 2025 at 12:55 PM
Reposted by Martha Whitten Howell
The Albuquerque election was a referendum on whether the city should cooperate with or obstruct ICE and CBP operations. Those for obstruction won by a two-to-one margin.
December 10, 2025 at 5:12 AM
Reposted by Martha Whitten Howell
Couple of things here:

1. Trump says he took another cognitive test recently

2. In front of "large numbers of doctors and experts"

3. He called the examinations "long...and very boring"

4. If you're given 3 cognitive exams in one year by panels of doctors, something is VERY wrong with you
December 10, 2025 at 4:42 AM