10/30/25
Good morning! It’s Thursday, October 30th.
National Checklist Day!
Alright, got that done…
And now, the news.
Hurricane Melissa
Starting back with Hurricane Melissa, which is now moving across the Bahamas as a Category 1 storm. More than 20 people died in Haiti after a river flooded and burst its banks.
In Cuba, where the storm made landfall on Wednesday morning, more than 140,000 people are without power.
I should point out that, it used to be that, in moments like this, we used to be able to jump in at moments like this. The world could count on USAID, with a staff of 800 would be trained in disaster relief and preparations for relief would have already been started.
The State Department is working on how to help but – it could be easier. That’s all I’m saying.
Government Shutdown
-via CBS News, NBC News, and The Hill
And moving to our government shutdown… our government shutdown can now, ironically, legally run for the US Senate! Welcome to Day 30!
No one’s happy!
A few Senators, including Alaska’s Lisa Murkowski, have said that there have been more bipartisan conversations happening, pointing to some optimism that perhaps there is a light at the end of the tunnel.
A democratic bill to fun SNAP and WIC through November was not able to make it to the floor, after Senate Majority Leader John Thune admonished Democrats saying they’d refused to vote to take away healthcare from 20 million people and therefore reopen the government, and as punishment for that… they would not allow this bill to go to the floor.
Amazingly, in a genuinely passionate speech, Thune said: "This isn't a political game. These are real people's lives that we are talking about.”
Yeah man… that’s what democrats are trying to tell you! That’s why they’re standing so firm!
Reopen the schools.
Meanwhile, the House remains closed and Speaker Johnson is real sick of you talking about it, okay? It’s totally normal to close the entire House of Representatives to protect the most notorious child sex trafficker, as well as everyone he worked with, including his best friend, the United States president.
Someone asked him about the House being closed and his very bizarre answer was: “People keep coming to me, ‘you look so tired on tv’ – I am so tired, because we are not sleeping a lot – we’re working overtime.”
…is the overtime in the room with us? Overtime on what? The House is closed!
He’s so lame.
The Senate voted down Trump’s Canadian tariffs on Wednesday but… you know – Mike Johnson is working to hard to get back to work, so the House is still closed, which means there will be no vote in the House to move the bill a long.
Sonya Massey’s Murder
-via Washington Post
And in Illinois, Sean Grayson, the white former police officer who, in 2024, shot and killed Sonya Massey, an unarmed Black woman who called 911 to report a prowler in her home, has been found guilty of second-degree murder.
Killed for calling the police.
Or no, I’m sorry – killed for calling the police while Black.
Grayson faces twenty years in prison.
He was with Massey for twenty minutes. He interacted with her for twenty minutes. He knew she was not a threat. But after interacting with her for twenty minutes, he asked her to take boiler water off the burner. She was listening to him and went to take the water to the sink but, as she was doing it, when he was moving into the living room to get away from the hot water, and she said, “I rebuke you in the name of Jesus.”
It was at that point Grayson drew his gun and threatened to shoot her.
Massey apologized.
She ducked and apologized.
She called the police because she thought someone was in her home.
She was following his directions to remove the water from the burner.
When he threatened to shoot her, she ducked and apologized.
…and after he fired his gun at her three times, including striking her once in her head, the other deputy attempted first aid, and Grayson stopped him and never attempted to help her himself.
The day before, Massey’s mom called the police and told them at her daughter was struggling with mental health. She told them that she was having a mental breakdown and asked them not to hurt her when they responded to her.
I’m no lawyer, but second-degree murder is for reckless or negligent behavior. Someone shooting after the person apologizes and ducks? Someone stopping someone else from even attempting first aid?
First-degree murder for life.
She called to her for help.
Sonya Massey was 36 years old.
Nuclear Testing
And finally – as he continues his little vacation around Asia, Trump took to Temu Twitter on Wednesday to announce that, for the first time since 1992, the United States will begin testing nuclear weapons: "Because of other countries testing programs, I have instructed the Department of War to start testing our Nuclear Weapons on an equal basis. That process will begin immediately.”
Oh, so we’re not doing it. Because there is no such thing as the Department of War! It’s just a nickname you gave the department while you run around talking about how you want the Nobel Peace Prize without understanding the irony because from the ankles to the brain, ain’t none of it working.
Hey I… don’t think we should do this. I think this is a step in the wrong direction. We need fewer nuclear bombs. Not more.
While we’re talking about Trump… as I mentioned, he is currently on his trip around Asia. On Wednesday, he visited South Korea, where he was literally presented with a crown, and the military band played YMCA. There was also a lunch that included Thousand Island salad dressing, as a nod to Trump’s success in New York, and mini beef patties with ketchup.
…we used to be a country.
Prior to this, a few weeks ago, Trump went to Walter Reed for a totally normal, twice-in-one-year, yearly physical. We found out this week that he got an MRI as part of his physical. He also said he got an IQ test. They don’t give those at doctors’ offices. What they do provide, however, are cognitive tests.
So he likely got that… those you don’t just get willy nilly. Usually there’s a reason why. And we can guess at why. But we sure deserve a reason why!
The doctor’s note from the physical says he’s in perfect health. You’ve never seen a healthier human in your life. So… that’s a lie. Not even trying to be mean! I’m just being a realist.
Also he got a Covid booster while he works to make sure no one else can.
It’s the hypocrisy for me!
And that’s it. That’s the news.
I’m proud of… checklists.
Oh man… when you get to make a little box and then you get to check things off? When you do something and then you go back and write it down just to check it off? Honestly, that does help make things better sometimes!
I like to make little X’s in the boxes. I’ve got a whole system with it.
But more than Xs… because I’m never gonna give you up… I’m proud of you!