Joel T. Patterson

@joelpatt.bsky.social

1472 Followers 2139 Following

Calculus vigilante, union man, proud father. Public education is a pillar of democracy. "We are hope despite the times." -R.E.M.

Senator Collins smiles. Collins votes for $70B ICE funding with no reform. Rachel Maddow Show.
I worked for the Texas Employment Commission back in the day doing hearings for unemployment insurance. It is a testament to how awful workplace conditions are that I probably COULD be surprised at what employers are allowed to do. Personal fave: a coworker of mine, who prided himself on his employer bias, had a case in which a driver of a propane truck quit because the brakes failed on his truck when making a delivery to a rural daycare center. He managed to get the truck stopped by driving it into a ditch, climbed out the passenger door just before the thing caught fire. The daycare lady had a large enough fire extinguisher to keep the truck from exploding. This was the third time the driver had a major system failure on a truck he was driving. My coworker gave him benefits.
Marine Corps flag at No Kings Protest, veto Cheeto
No Kings Protest Crowd
Bryan Malinowski was the head of the Little Rock airport. He was also a gun enthusiast who sold pistols to random people — including felons — in apparent violation of federal firearms law, according to an affidavit unsealed after his death. In the bleary pre-dawn hours of March 19, 2024, agents with the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) busted down the door to his home in West Little Rock with little warning. He shot at them and lightly wounded one, apparently thinking it was a home invasion. They immediately returned fire, killing Bryan Malinowski in front of his wife, Maer, outside of their own bedroom. There’s not much in common between the Malinowski case and what just happened in Minneapolis, except for one thing: The choices of federal law enforcement made a situation deadly when it absolutely didn’t have to be. The Arkansas Times
"Mitch McConnell believes Donald Trump is “stupid as well as being ill-tempered,” a “despicable human being” and a “narcissist,” yet Kentucky’s senior senator has long been one of Trump’s most important supporters. He’s provided Trump with the cover and the tools he has needed to do lasting harm to the country. Now we’re learning the biggest tool McConnell gave Trump might be U.S. Circuit Judge Justin Walker — whom Trump placed on the district court in Louisville and then the circuit court bench in Washington D.C. at McConnell’s urging. The New York Times reported last weekend that Trump’s appointees to the U.S. Courts of Appeals have sided overwhelmingly with him as he has pushed to expand the power of the presidency, and that Walker is among a trio of judges who have backed the president most often."
ICE agents eat at small-town Mexican restaurant — then arrest workers Federal agents detained three workers from a family-owned Mexican restaurant in Willmar yesterday, hours after four agents ate lunch there. It was not immediately clear what the immigration status of those detained was, or whether the people detained included the restaurant’s owners or only workers. An eyewitness who declined to give a name for fear of retribution, told the Minnesota Star Tribune that four ICE agents sat in a booth for a meal at El Tapatio a little before 3 p.m. Staff at the restaurant were frightened, said the eyewitness, who shared pictures from the restaurant as well as video of the arrest. The arrest happened around 8:30 p.m. near a Lutheran church and Willmar Middle School as agents followed the workers after they closed up for the night. A handful of bystanders blew whistles and shouted at agents as they detained the people. “Would your mama be proud of you right now?” one of the bystanders asked.
Ad image of Jesus benevolently smiling at girl with glasses, a boy, and an adult man.
Green glow in night sky over triple decker housing
ESPN personality wearing Mobster outfits at Rice Stadium.
Beshear smiling and McConnell with his mouth closed tightly, as though he were holding in a burp.
Jim, Rob, Alice Walton each have about $70 billion in wealth.
Careless people by Sarah Wynn-Williams and Winners Take All by Anand Giridharadas
USA Today font says "More Stories. Donald Trump: Here's what to know about a possible 3rd term" News
at his country club, Donald Trump huffed and puffed his opposition to lowering food costs for middle and working class Americans and prescription drugs for seniors before pivoting back to his usual lies and delusions.
Cat being cute
Billionaire tears mug
Harvard invests in secret ways…