@steve-kasner
Portland, Oregon-based radical activist, writer, and care worker into critical theory & organizing for change — preferably nonviolent change, toward a radically democratic & sustainable future. NVDA/NVCR trainer & educator. Signal: skasner.01
The Online Etymology Dictionary explains the origin and meaning of the word ‘legislator’:
"a lawgiver, a maker of laws," c. 1600, from Latin legis lator "proposer of a law," from legis, genitive of lex "law" (see legal (adj.)) + lator "proposer," agent noun of lātus "borne, brought, carried"….
Here's how the Trump administration & its allies in multiple state governments are “working together to do an end run around the democratic process” by dictating policy via collusive lawsuits
www.nytimes.com/2026/03/12/u...
Jaw-dropping talk on precarity (esp outside USA) of life as we know it w/o reliable oil trade. The global economy & a great many national economies are now in the hands of Netanyahu, Trump, & the rulers of Iran.
Meghna Chakrabarti interviews Mark Finley & Muqtedar Khan:
www.wbur.org/onpoint/2026...
Also wondering how fiber optic cable pollution is acceptable? The longer this war goes on, the more Ukraine becomes a toxic waste site of fiber optic cables deteriorating into micro- and nanoplastics. For a country dependent on agriculture, this is especially threatening.
It's an old thread. But I'm curious what you think the US should do about Ukraine? Threaten Russia w/ a 1st strike? Send troops? Air support? If so, do you want the US dropping bombs on Ukraine, or Russia? How many deaths are acceptable? (4/5 of Ukraine recruits flee during basic training, says BBC)
You're not really reading my posts. I said I don't endorse spheres of influence. That is simply how so-called superpowers, or imperial powers, think. I was active in the movement to stop US intervention in El Salvador, which was justified with the sphere of influence BS. (Sorry again for 10d delay)
NATO did not "expand to the US." You know that.
I don't think the Cold War should be an example of a normal state of affairs to emulate. I think in 1959 you are referring to missiles on the borders of the Warsaw Pact countries. When the USSR began stationing missiles in Cuba, The US made a deal by removing missiles from Turkey. Sorry for delay.
US then Iran attack desalination plants used by civilians.
RE: hits on Iran, Bahrain water:
www.nytimes.com/2026/03/08/w...
RE: precarity of groundwater in Iran, Nov '25):
www.csis.org/analysis/sat...
RE: war crimes (cynicism about this aids genocide, imho):
lieber.westpoint.edu/when-red-lin...
Please pardon my delay in replying, Yen-han Chen. I needed a break from Bsky. As I indicated, Putin's regime & foreign policy are not ok. Nor was the Soviet system & its Iron Curtain. Some historical conjunctures provide openings in some places for greater peace, equality & democracy. Others don't.
Also: nuclear missiles on Russia's borders would increase the risk of a preemptive nuclear counterforce strike & the risk of an accidental Launch On Warning in a crisis. The closer US missiles are to Russia, the more likely Russia is to rely on an overly-sensitive automated (maybe AI) L.O.W. system.
Russia's invasions aren't ok, nor spheres of influence. But 90 million deaths can be expected in a US-Russia nuclear war. NATO was defined by the US nuclear umbrella & option to put US nuclear weapons in member nations. NATO doesn't work by magic; it works by a constant threat of a US nuclear strike
This is a simple screenshot of three paragraphs of text from the transcript of Trump's video speech on Truth Social, very early in rhe morning on February 27. The text follows: Finally, to the great proud people of Iran, I say tonight that the hour of your freedom is at hand. Stay sheltered. Don't leave your home. It's very dangerous outside. Bombs will be dropping everywhere. When we are finished, take over your government. It will be yours to take. This will be probably your only chance for generations. For many years, you have asked for America's help. But you never got it. No president was willing to do what I am willing to do tonight. Now you have a president who is giving you what you want. So let's see how you respond. America is backing you with overwhelming strength and devastating force. Now is the time to seize control of your destiny, and to unleash the prosperous and glorious future that is close within your reach. This is the moment for action. Do not let it pass. May God bless the brave men and women of America's armed forces. May God bless the United States of America. May God bless you all. Thank you.
Trump has already laid the groundwork to blame the Iranian people if the war does not achieve his (unrealistic) goal of regime change. See below for the transcript of the last section of his 2/27 Truth Social video, which announced the war to the American people and, apparently, to the US Congress.
Good NYT analysis by David Sanger about Trump's war on Iran & Trump's hope for Iranian regime change via air war. (But DS neglects the possibility that Netanyahu manipulated Trump w/ false hopes, that Israel may prefer a chaotic failed state in Iran.)
GIFT LINK:
www.nytimes.com/2026/02/28/u...
You're right, I forgot about Norway. Please see above (or below?) for my replies to Cali-Lib’s message on this subject. I had you, among others, in mind while composing those replies.
I do appreciate the info. Often it's just invective — esp from the ‘nevermind-the-nukes, let's-fight-Russia’ crowd.
I wish we'd all remember: we don't know about each other's lives. Some are suffering the loss of a child, or young partner, and already feeling isolated, barely hanging to life as is.
I don't understand the compulsion to insult others on here. You wrote a fine & factual message, then added an insult. It was wrapped in a nicely-designed Twain coat, but still a direct insult in this context. How exactly did that make you feel better? If you can't reply wo insulting more, just don't
Right, I forgot Norway (again perhaps?). Honestly, I'd just stumbled on offensive trolling msgs & let them get to me. Reminded me of middle school. I was stressed, rushed, depressed
…and thinking of trollers who conflate Eastern Bloc nations w USSR & w Russia
I was only counting land & Ru proper
NYT 2/6: “Across Mr. Trump’s administration, racist images and slogans have become common on govt websites and accounts, with the White House, Labor Dept and Homeland Security Dept all having promoted posts that echo white supremacist messaging.”
NYT 1/27 (GIFT LINK):
www.nytimes.com/2026/01/27/u...
This Princeton study is a bit dated, but the situation certainly has not improved since 2019.
www.icanw.org/new_study_on...
For the record, that's simply not true. Anyone can use a search engine to find that out. Strictly speaking, NATO did not even border the USSR directly. NATO bordered the eastern bloc countries. Those were Soviet satellite states but they were not part of the USSR. Part of the Soviet empire? Yes.
I don't know where you are located politically except ignorant and uneducated, yet arrogant. People like you, who communicate like you do, criticize dictatorships, yet don't know how to participate in a democracy. Democracy is more than a ballot box. You are fascist, but you don't seem to know it.
PS: it just occurred to me that you might think the Warsaw Pact was a pseudonym for Eastern Europe behind the iron curtain. It wasn't. And those countries in Eastern Europe were not part of the Soviet Union. They were under the thumb of the USSR, but they were not In the USSR.
I hope over the past 8 months you've learned to post more mature and responsible and accurate messages.
The Warsaw pact was an alliance between seven countries and the Soviet Union. It was under the control of the Soviets, of course. But it was not literally USSR. And USSR was not literally Russia and Russia was not literally the USSR. The USSR was a lot larger than Russia.
How old are you? What is your educational background? Were you around during the Cold War? I have academic training in US history at the PhD level, and was briefed by congressional foreign policy advisors in the 1980s, working full-time organizing and educating people about the arms race.
I just happened to see your messages to me 8 months later. Because of hateful ignorant posts like yours I skimmed over many of the responses and stop reading them. But I was looking for a different message on a different topic today, and ran across yours. It is so egregious I have to respond.
What about the shift from kid to kiddo? For several years, I've heard parents say kiddo way more than kid. Why the shift to a longer word? I bet there is a single origin — like a TV show or movie, which made young parents think they can be parents AND remain cute & youthful if they just say kiddo….
Today's AI prompt: How do I remove thick gold leaf (for melting down) from a new 15' tall bronze statue clad in gold on a golf course? Gold must be removed as quickly as possible at night. Statue will not be preserved or restored, so the bronze beneath is expendable
www.nytimes.com/2026/02/03/t...
Trump: “The Republicans should say, ‘We want to take over,’” he said. “We should take over the voting, the voting in at least many — 15 places. The Republicans ought to nationalize the voting.”
From interview with Trump in Dan Bongino’s podcast, released 2 Feb '26
www.nytimes.com/2026/02/02/u...