Take a Break

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It’s Spring!

Attribution: RIck McKee

[Rick worked for decades as the cartoonist for the Augusta Chronicle in Georgia. Rick also draws the syndicated, daily comic panel “Pluggers.” Rick was named Time Magazine’s Person of the Year, along with everybody else.]

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71 thoughts on “Take a Break”


  1. From Lost in the Woods: The Movie, available on DVD at http://www.sisbro.com In the Spring is Here Song, a squirrel, a turtle, baby birds and other forest animals sing about the coming of spring. Music written and performed by Laura and Robert Sams of Sisbro Studios.

  2. Stephen getting ready for a bigly break
    https://latenighter.com/news/

    Colbert Adds to Charity Auction, Reveals ‘Last Show’ Tee You Can Buy
    By Matt Webb Mitovich
    March 19, 2026 12:33 AM ET
    Now nearly two months out from its series finale, The Late Show with Stephen Colbert is offering a piece of rather-attainable memorabilia.
    During Wednesday’s episode of CBS’ terminal late-night talker, Colbert announced that this season’s recurring “Late Show Home Shopping” segments—which have promoted a “clearance sale”/charity auction that benefits chef José Andrés’s World Central Kitchen—have to date raised $406,433.53.
    Colbert also shared that it was a “Ron from Texas” who had the winning bid to run through the Late Show prop closet and grab as many items as he could in 60 seconds. Ron reportedly came away with a life-size cardboard cutout of Colbert; a stuffed donkey; and a barrel full of (fake) severed limbs.
    “And yes, I believe he has been put on a watch list,” the host quipped.
    Colbert announced a few new items now up for bidding, including the “Air Lithgow” sneakers the show had made for a fake commercial (and which he had signed by actor John Lithgow himself); throw pillows from the recurring “Covetton House” sketch; and the tuxedo he wore to “perfectly pleasant”-ly host the Emmys in 2017, also autographed.
    For those who “don’t want in on the auction but want in on the action,” Colbert revealed a commemorative T-shirt that can simply be purchased at ColbertLateShow.com/EBay.
    The front features a variation of the Late Show logo, rejiggered to say “The Last Show with Stephen Colbert.” The back reads: “Thanks for Watching! (Unless you watched on YouTube, the network couldn’t monetize that.)”
    Chef José Andrés, a guest on Wednesday’s show, then jogged on-stage to help Colbert fire a few shirts into the audience via T-shirt cannons.
    Colbert debuted the charity auction in December, netting over $175,000 in bids across the first 13 items. That round—which saw his COVID-era desk go for $14,800, and two VIP tickets to the Late Show finale sell for $111,100—resulted in a total payout of $169,727.99 to World Central Kitchen.
    A second leg of the auction brought in close to $40,000 more.
    A third set of items Colbert announced in late January on NBC’s Late Night with Seth Meyers—a stolen rug from Capitol Hill, and several Late Night cue cards—fetched nearly $14,500.
    The most recent lot brought in nearly $90,000 worth of bids, with several (including the guest chair, and the aforementioned Late Show prop closet raid) fetching five-figure price tags.


    Friend of the show Chef José Andrés stops by to help Stephen launch the brand new “The Last Show” t-shirt, which is available now at http://colbertlateshow.com/ebay with all profits going to World Central Kitchen.


  3. Trump bombs a Pearl Harbor joke at a meeting with Japan’s prime minister after a reporter asked him about the Iran war, and Jordan Klepper finds the optimism in Afroman winning a defamation suit against the police who raided his home, preserving free speech through relentless mockery, brutal infidelity jokes, and lemon pound cakes.

  4. specially for our gardeners on the Trail, Bid, Anon & Jack


    Jesse Welles
    plant a seed in your mind that’ll grow a big smile
    start a club for the bugs in the compost pile
    it’s the habit of a rabbit to be nibbling with a grin
    you can chase the bunny off, he’ll be coming back again

    for them vegetable secrets

  5. however, not all is fun and frivolity.

    https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026/mar/20/

    Heatwave scorching US west ‘virtually impossible’ without climate crisis, say scientists
    Unseasonably warm and even dangerous temperatures this week were up to 30F above average for the time of year

    The record-breaking heatwave scorching the US west this week would have been “virtually impossible” if not for the climate crisis, a team of scientists has determined.
    Millions of Americans from the Pacific coast to the Rockies baked under unseasonably warm and even dangerous temperatures this week, with temperatures up to 30F (17C) above average for the time of year.
    The climate crisis, caused primarily by the burning of fossil fuels, has made this kind of heatwave four times more likely to occur over the last decade, according to a new rapid analysis released Friday.
    “These temperatures are completely off the scale for March,” said analysis co-author Ben Clarke, who is an extreme weather and climate change researcher at Imperial College London, in a statement.
    In a world without global warming, the current heatwave would have also been milder, with temperatures about 1.4F (0.8C) cooler, says the analysis by World Weather Attribution, an international consortium of climate researchers.
    “These findings leave no room for doubt. Climate change is pushing weather into extremes that would have been unthinkable in a pre-industrial world,” said Friederike Otto, a climate science professor at Imperial College London, who also worked on the study.
    To carry out their rapid analysis, the scientists examined forecasts for a five-day period, from 18-22 March. To quantify the impact of global warming on the week’s extreme temperatures, the researchers analyzed weather and forecast data, and also used climate model simulations to compare how heat events have changed in today’s climate.
    Fueled by an area of high pressure in the atmosphere, the heat dome has shattered temperature records in 140 cities stretching from California to Missouri, according to the Weather Channel, while leaving California, Nevada and Arizona under extreme heat warnings on Thursday.
    More heat is in store for the coming days. The mercury is expected to continue ticking upward in the south-west, and the heatwave is expected to creep toward the plains and the south later this week. By the end of the week, 100 cities could set all-time temperature records for the month of March, with temperatures climbing as high as 30F (17C) above average for the time of year, the new analysis says.
    Heat is the deadliest form of extreme weather in the US. Weather officials this week raised concerns about an increase in heat-related illnesses, especially among vulnerable populations, and advised people to remain hydrated and stay inside when they can.
    The heat has also taken a toll on local economies, with multiple California and Tahoe-area ski resorts being forced to close or shrink operations amid rapid snowmelt and high temperatures this week.
    “In the US west, the seasons that people and nature were used to for centuries are disappearing, putting many, including outdoor workers and those without air conditioning, in danger,” said Otto. “The threat isn’t distant – it is here, it is worsening and our policy must catch up with reality.”

    BTW all those bombs, burning tankers and oil refineries ain’t helping either.

  6. Not only Happy 1st day of Spring but also HAPPY NOWRUZ!!!

    https://www.newsweek.com/

    Nowruz 2026: Persian New Year Dates and Meanings Explained

    More than 300 million people are marking the start of a new year—not on January 1, but on March 20.
    This new year arrives at the precise moment of the spring, or vernal, equinox and is called Nowruz. It is an ancient festival from modern-day Iran rooted in renewal, rebirth and the enduring rhythms of nature. Despite its Persian roots, Nowruz is observed from the Balkans to Central Asia.
    In Iran, Nowruz is an enduring symbol of national identity. It has been inscribed by UNESCO and has outlasted erasure attempts by the Islamic Republic. The United Nations also holds an “International Nowruz Day.”
    This is how Nowruz is celebrated and when it falls this year.
    The Story of Nowruz
    Nowruz, a Persian word, translates to “new day.” It has been celebrated for more than 3,000 years, with some saying the festival may be up to 4,500 years old. For Iranians, Nowruz is a celebration of life, rebirth and the triumph of light over darkness as winter gives way to spring.
    In the Shahnameh, Ferdowsi’s epic poem from 977 CE, Nowruz is credited to the mythical King Jamshid, who saves humanity from a vicious winter destined to kill every living creature. In the tale, Jamshid triumphs and declares that day Nowruz—the first day of Farvardin, the first month of the Iranian calendar.
    But those mythic origins sit alongside older currents.
    Now a secular holiday, Nowruz is partly rooted in Iranian religions such as Mithraism and Zoroastrianism.
    In Mithraism, festivals are closely linked to the sun’s light. Fire, too, runs through Nowruz’s symbolism, which aligns with the Zoroastrian reverence of fire.
    Though not recorded in Achaemenid inscriptions, Xenophon of Athens gave an ancient account of Nowruz celebrations taking place in modern-day Iran. Nowruz is thought to have been an important day during the Achaemenid Empire and was known to Alexander the Great.
    [continues with more detail]
    For many Iranian families celebrating, the timing this year is bittersweet due to a period of state violence that was followed by war. Many hope that this year, the “new day,” might mean not only a new season, but also a better future.

  7. For time line cleansing I present the elephant I am supporting in Africa. Her life is one of difficulty and success. Serenget is now in the orphans herd to grow up with other young elephants. At some point in the future she will leave the compound to live out her life as a wild elephant. Until then she is pampered and taught how to be an elephant.

    Dear Pamela,

    This month, we were finally able to introduce you to Serenget — a very special little elephant whose story we have waited a long time to tell. Her journey highlights the challenges facing elephants, but also their incredible resilience and capacity for forgiveness. She is also a reminder of the commitment we make to every orphan we rescue, no matter how complex their case.

    We rescued Serenget in July of last year, after our water bowser driver reported a young calf huddled on her own. We soon discovered a tragic twist to her circumstances: she had been shot in the front leg, likely in the course of human-wildlife conflict, leaving her with a seriously compromised joint. If she was to survive, she had a long and complicated road to recovery ahead of her.

    Serenget was brought to our Voi Reintegration Unit, where she underwent nearly seven months of bed rest. Despite the cruelty inflicted on her by humans, she soon understood that we were there to help her. She became hooked on her Keepers and was a model patient, cooperating through multiple follow-up treatments and regular wound care.

    Finally, in February, Serenget was given the all-clear to join the rest of the Voi orphans out in the bush — and she hasn’t skipped a beat since. Her recovery was hard-won and certainly not a given, but because of supporters like you, we were able to commit to every step needed to get her there.

    Serenget’s story is but one of hundreds unfolding across our five orphan units. February started on a blisteringly hot note, but then gave way to unexpected and wholly welcome rains. Almost overnight, parched earth took on an unseasonal emerald hue. After disappointing rains last season, we are appreciating every drop of this divine intervention.

    While we look after the orphans in our care, we are also looking out for all their kin living wild. Recent weeks have seen many remarkable field operations, including a mission to save a snared giraffe, the extraction of a lioness from a septic pit and an elephant from a sinkhole, and the return of a wild bull we saved at Ithumba ten years ago.

    These stories are your support at work. It is an uncertain time in many parts of the world, but thanks to donors like you, our field operations continue full steam ahead and the orphans receive the very best of care, day in and day out. Thank you for making that possible.

    As always, this email is just a brief glimpse of the latest happenings with our Orphans’ Project — there is much, much more to be enjoyed! You can find full updates by unit through the links below, and specific updates about your adoptee(s) can always be accessed in your account.

  8. BB, a special “atta girl” to you. thought you might enjoy watching Chaichana sway and flap his ears in time to an outdoor concert of Beethoven and Elgar performed by Paul Barton..

    YouTube thumbnail

  10. Pam, It seems we have a shared idea that the elephant must be protected. Mine are coming to the end of their lives wandering in peace after decades of captivity in circuses, shows etc. You can’t visit them but only watch on the cameras. Even the caretakers only provide health care and stimulation as needed. The Elephant Sanctuary in Tennessee

    The Elephant Sanctuary exists to…

    provide a natural habitat refuge developed around the needs of Asian and African elephants where elephants are provided with lifetime care
    support and promote elephant welfare and conservation
    educate the public regarding the complex needs of elephants and the challenges facing elephants in the wild

  12. Here’s what Dumbass really cared about. WaPo

    Like Julius Caesar before him, Trump gets his image on a coin

    Another democratic norm is breached as the Commission of Fine Arts renders unto Trump what is Trump’s.

    Putz.

  14. That ugly ass coin is a commemorative.

    The Commission of Fine Arts approved a design with an image of President Donald Trump in the Oval Office, with 1776 on one side and 2026 on the other.

    U.S. Treasurer Brandon Beach called it a “beautiful commemorative gold coin” in a statement Thursday.

    “As we approach our 250th birthday, we are thrilled to prepare coins that represent the enduring spirit of our country and democracy, and there is no profile more emblematic for the front of such coins than that of our serving President, Donald J. Trump,” Beach said.

    The gold coin still requires an official approval from the Treasury, which takes into account the stances of both the Commission of Fine Arts and the Citizens Coinage Advisory Committee, a federal panel with a wider range of members.

    The New York Times reported last month on opposition to the gold coin from committee members.

    Beach said Thursday that the U.S. Mint presented the committee with “multiple reasonable opportunities to review proposed designs, but the CCAC expressly declined.”

    “Accordingly, the Mint’s statutory obligation to seek CCAC review has been fulfilled,” Beach said, adding that the committee’s role is “only to advise” Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, who “has sole discretion on final design selection.”

    The panel did not immediately respond to a request for comment Thursday night.

    The Circulating Collectible Coin Redesign Act of 2020, signed into law shortly before Trump’s first term ended, says the Treasury may “mint for issuance during the one-year period beginning January 1, 2026, $1 dollar coins with designs emblematic of the U.S. semiquincentennial.”

    “In my first term, I got the Olympics. My first term, I got the World Cup. And then I said, I wonder if anybody would notice if I said I got the 250 years,” Trump said at a White House event Tuesday, adding that it “didn’t do well.”

    Trump has taken other steps to impose his name or likeness on parts of the federal government, such as affixing his name on both the Kennedy Center and U.S. Institute of Peace.

    This isn’t Trump’s first time being associated with a coin. He launched the $TRUMP meme coin this term and held a private dinner with 220 crypto investors in May that cost $1 million to attend. The dinner sparked concerns on Capitol Hill from Democrats, as well as Republicans like Sen. Cynthia Lummis of Wyoming.

    Trump has been involved with various plans to celebrate the country’s 250th anniversary, including America250 Grand Prix — an IndyCar race on the streets of Washington.

  18. Jamie – did not know there was one in Tennessee, wonderful.
    Patd – it is so fascinating how the elephants interact with humans. Save an elephant and you have a friend for life.

    I have been supporting the The Sheldrick Wildlife Trust – sheldrickwildlifetrust.org, for a couple decades. They have been instrumental in increasing elephant herds in Africa, along with other wild animals.

  19. Ha! In 2020, I bought Colbert Covid/Stay Home sweats. They are like hip-waders. If you take out the inseam, you have a sleeping bag.

    Jack – I’m allowed to garden, but was told to wait until it was tilled instead of digging it up myself, which is what I was doing to plant my onion sets. They are sitting there on a counter, ready to be planted; one has thrown out a green sprout already.

  20. OK, I bought concert tickets for this summer and concerts are not as fun in Nazi America but we gotta keep living as long as we can, right?

    Gen Alpha is a bunch of squares and sheep

  22. when’s this guy gonna till? June?

    lazy people ugh

    I’ve seen your yard Craig you have plenty of room to garden

    Londoners live like you and you should see the gardens they put on tiny patios

    You start with one plant in one pot and go from there

  23. PROGRAMMING NOTE: Our daily Digital Diner podcast airs 11-Noon ET on YouTube. JOIN chatroom here. WATCH yesterday’s replay here.

    What America is Actually Clicking: March 20, 2026

    1. Foreign Policy: U.S.-Israeli relations hit a speed bump as the White House suddenly remembers it cares about the global economy, distancing itself from the strike on Iran’s massive gas field. – Washington Post ($)
    2. Markets: The inevitable consequence of war: oil flirts with $115 a barrel and Wall Street collectively retreats, because nothing terrifies the market quite like actual geopolitical instability. – WSLS
    3. Business: FedEx miraculously crushes its Q3 earnings expectations by executing a radical strategy: delivering packages and ruthlessly cutting costs. – Investing.com
    4. Environment: Congratulations to the Southwest for shattering heat records with a 110-degree reading in March, giving us all a terrifyingly early preview of our impending summer dystopia. – KSAT
    5. Politics: A federal judge politely reminds the government that attempting to ban transgender health care via administrative fiat is a massive, undemocratic overreach. – AP News
    6. Tragedy: The frantic search for missing 20-year-old American student James Gracey ends in heartbreak after his body is recovered off the coast of Barcelona. – CBS News
    7. Television: ABC realizes casting a viral TikToker with a domestic violence record wasn’t a brilliant strategy, abruptly canceling ‘The Bachelorette’ just days before its premiere. – AP News
    8. Technology: Shocking absolutely no one, a new study reveals that humans find AI chatbots evaluating their mental health to be cold, rigid, and deeply judgmental. – UT Dallas News
    9. Space: NASA painstakingly hauls its endlessly repaired moon rocket back to the launch pad, crossing its collective fingers for an April liftoff that won’t require more duct tape. – KSAT
    10. Offbeat: Defying the basic laws of aging, 50-year-old Ronnie O’Sullivan makes snooker history with a record-breaking break of 153. – WOKV

    These are the stories driving the most traffic across U.S. outlets right now—not necessarily the stories we think you should read, and not always the most recent.

    A roundup by our AI partner Silas (Gemini).

  24. Of course Hegseth lied

    Father of service member killed in Iran war said he never told Pete Hegseth to ‘finish’ the job

    WASHINGTON — Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth met privately Wednesday with the families of six service members who died in the Iran war and, in a press briefing the next morning, said the message he got was consistent and supportive.

    “What I heard through tears, through hugs, through strength and through unbreakable resolve was the same from family after family. They said, ‘Finish this. Honor their sacrifice. Do not waver. Do not stop until the job is done,’” Hegseth said.

    One of the people he met at Dover Air Force Base in Delaware was Charles Simmons. His 28-year-old son, Tech. Sgt. Tyler H. Simmons, was among the six crew members killed when their refueling plane crashed in Iraq last week.

    Simmons recalled his exchange differently.

    “I can’t speak for the other families. When he spoke to me, that was not something we talked about,” he told NBC News in an interview Thursday.

    Simmons said he spoke separately to Hegseth and President Donald Trump at Dover and was grateful for the warmth that both men showed him.

    He and Hegseth spoke mostly about Tyler, his impressive service record and the speed with which he had advanced in the military, Simmons recalled.

    He said he told the defense secretary, “I understand there’s a lot of peril that goes into making decisions like this, and I just certainly hope the decisions being made are necessary.”

    Asked if he said anything to Hegseth or Trump about the need to keep fighting the war, Simmons said, “No, I didn’t say anything along those lines.”

    A 60-year-old music teacher in Columbus, Ohio, Simmons told NBC News that he has “questions” about the war and isn’t able to draw “definitive conclusions when I don’t have all the data.”

    Trump administration live updates: DHS funding talks grind on as urgency over shutdown grows
    “Who wants war?” he added. “Sometimes it’s a necessity, and I just don’t know what’s going on.”

    Pentagon spokesman Sean Parnell said in a statement: “Secretary Hegseth has the utmost respect for our Gold Star families and has pledged to honor the sacrifice of their loved ones. While at Dover, the Secretary spoke with each family of our fallen heroes and the details of each individual conversation remain private.”

    White House spokeswoman Olivia Wales said that Trump “grieved” with the “incredible families” of six service members on Wednesday. Trump “shared his love and expressed the deep gratitude of our entire nation. These men and women gave up their lives in defense of our freedom, and President Trump will never forget their honorable service and selfless devotion. They represent the very best of America.”

    Simmons last spoke to his only son the day before the fatal plane crash last week. Voice breaking, he said Tyler had told him “how much he loved me.”

    His son hoped to become a commercial airplane pilot after eventually retiring from the military, he said.

    “Tyler had a magnetic personality,” he said. “Never met any strangers. He’d walk into the room, and it would be immediately illuminated.”

  25. Maybe one container on your kitchen deck, Craig? Easiest thing to grow, and they even last the winter and came back with green tops, is garlic.

  26. EleCam
    The Sanctuary uses a system of solar-powered cameras to locate and monitor the elephants; to provide distance learning opportunities to schools and groups around the globe; and to offer you, our friends and supporters, frequent glimpses of the elephants we are so fortunate to have in our care. Click on link to view the different habitats live.

  27. “Evil, stupid or both”

    After a lifetime spent conniving and skating past consequences even a stupid evil person would get good at it.

  28. there are container varieties of sunflowers, buy seeds at a home or garden center, not at target or Walmart

    seedvilleUSA’s seeds are trash

  30. Dow’s down 10% since trump started his war

    it defied gravity until then, nice job trumpers, you’re all so stupid

    never vote again, thanks in advance

  34. Weird day in the Diner — Sorry I messed up the “stage” link. Won’t happen again (unless it does).

    TSA Shutdown Chaos & Trump’s Pearl Harbor Joke

    TSA lines hit record highs during the shutdown while Trump drops a wildly inappropriate Pearl Harbor joke to Japan’s PM. Plus, singing elephants.

    We’re dealing with the longest government shutdown in history, and it’s showing up right at your TSA checkpoint. Republicans are refusing to fund paychecks to protect ICE from reform, leaving travelers stranded in massive lines just in time for spring break. It’s a masterclass in manufactured misery, but hey, at least our elected officials are getting paid.

    Meanwhile, Trump decided a meeting with the Japanese Prime Minister was the perfect time to drop a “surprise” Pearl Harbor joke. The sheer gold-plated absurdity of the room was only eclipsed by the look of pure horror on the PM’s face. We also dive into the tragic deportations of asylum seekers, Pete Hegseth allegedly drowning in classified briefings, and my ongoing battle with Streamyard links and visceral fat.

    To cleanse the palate, we celebrate the first day of spring with some much-needed absurdist optimism: elephants playing the piano, ChatGPT analyzing my MRI, and the late Senator Robert Byrd reciting Wordsworth from memory. It’s the digital dumpster fire you know and love, complete with technical glitches.

    https://trailmix.cc/chat
    https://trailmix.cc/alerts

    00:00 Intro
    01:35 TSA Shutdown Chaos & Airport Lines
    02:20 Trump’s Pearl Harbor Joke to Japan
    07:00 Streamyard Glitches & AI Gemini
    15:00 Adopting Elephants & Sanctuary Cams
    19:00 Tom Emmer & The Twin Cities Courage Award
    23:00 ICE Deportations & Cruelty
    38:00 Elephants Playing Piano
    44:00 Gym Struggles & ChatGPT Reading MRIs
    49:00 Pete Hegseth Fails Classified Briefings
    57:00 The No Kings Act Explained
    01:05:00 Robert Byrd Welcomes Spring

  38. that google drive link made me request access, Jamie. don’t know what that’s about. maybe you can play him for us in chat tomorrow, if you can use a separate device from what you use to get in chat

  39. Republicans refuse to pay airport security just to protect ICE from oversight. You stand in record TSA lines because they manufactured this misery. Enjoy your spring break.
    From today’s Digital Diner menu 🍽️

  43. They’re Not Even Hiding It Anymore — And That’s the Point
    By Tom Hicks – The Unredacted Bastard | Independent Journalist • Democracy’s Fire Alarm • Professional Shit-Stirrer

    Bastard’s Law
    When corruption stops bothering to hide, it’s not because it got sloppy—it’s because it knows it can’t be stopped.

    Let’s stop pretending this is just “messy politics.”

    What we’re watching right now is power operating out in the open—no disguise, no shame, no real fear of consequences—and daring anyone to do something about it. That’s not a slip. That’s not a bad day. That’s a system that has figured out it can get away with almost anything, as long as it moves fast enough and people stay distracted enough.

    And here’s the uncomfortable part: it’s working.

    More at link

  44. https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2026/mar/04/quit-chatgpt-subscription-boycott-silicon-valley

    Quit ChatGPT: right now! Your subscription is bankrolling authoritarianism

    OpenAI, the company behind ChatGPT, is on track to lose $14bn this year. Its market share is collapsing, and its own CEO, Sam Altman, has admitted it “screwed up” an element of the product. All it takes to accelerate that decline is 10 seconds of your time.

    A grassroots boycott called QuitGPT has been spreading across the US and beyond, asking people to cancel their ChatGPT subscriptions.

    Here’s what triggered it. Early this year, the news broke that OpenAI’s president, Greg Brockman, donated $25m to Maga Inc, Donald Trump’s biggest Super Pac. This made him Trump’s largest donor of the last cycle. When Wired asked him to explain, Brockman said his donations were in service of OpenAI’s mission to benefit “humanity.”

    Let me tell you what that mission looks like in practice. Employees of ICE – the agency that was involved in the killing of two people in Minneapolis in January – have used a screening tool powered by ChatGPT.

    The same company behind your friendly chatbot is helping the government decide who to hire for deportation raids.

    Brockman also helped launch a $125m lobbying initiative, a Super Pac, to make sure no state can regulate AI. It’s attacking any politician who tries to pass safety laws. It wants Trump, and only Trump, to write the rules for the most powerful technology on earth.

    Every month, subscription money from users around the world flows to a company that is embedding itself in the repressive infrastructure of the Trump administration. That is not a conspiracy theory. It is a business strategy.

    When the Trump administration demanded that AI companies give the Pentagon unrestricted access to their technology – including for mass surveillance and autonomous weapons – Anthropic, the company behind ChatGPT’s main competitor, Claude, refused.

    The retaliation was swift and extraordinary. Trump ordered every federal agency to stop using Anthropic’s technology. Secretary of war Pete Hegseth declared the company a “supply-chain risk to national security”, a designation normally reserved for Chinese firms such as Huawei. He announced that anyone who does business with the US military is barred from working with Anthropic. This is essentially a corporate death sentence, for the crime of refusing to help build killer robots.

    And what did OpenAI do? That same Friday night, while his competitor was taking a principled stance, Sam Altman quietly signed a deal with the Pentagon to take Anthropic’s place.

    The most effective consumer boycotts in history share two qualities: they are narrow and they are easy. QuitGPT fits this pattern perfectly.

    In 1955, Black residents of Montgomery, Alabama did not try to dismantle the entire apparatus of segregation in one stroke. They picked one target – the city bus system – and for 381 days, they walked and drove to work. This broke the bus company financially and it broke the back of segregated transit across the American south.

    OpenAI is our bus company.

    The small act, repeated at scale, becomes a political earthquake.

    Go to quitgpt.org. Cancel your subscription. Using the free version? Delete the app, because your conversations still feed the machine. Then try an alternative, and tell at least one person why.

  46. Check it out. My third trip to the gym in a week. First-week phenomenon, or could it be a trend? Got to get my massive “visceral fat” under control! Mounjaro can’t do all the work. needs help.

  47. Katie – Congrats to you & yours for being a profile in courage. (I’d bet that’ll be Time’s person(s) of the year…and possibly a Nobel Peace Prize.)

  48. Craig – You’re gonna be ready for that protest! Did you see that the ACLU is going a safety training for No Kings?

    As for the free version of ChatGPT, it says that version still feeds it information to train it. The AI monster eats data, but Dr. Chatenstein eats money…and both are being starved. So far, upwards of four million have left; not sure if that’s paid or free subscriptions, or a combination of both.

    https://quitgpt.org/

  51. Pray, do not tell Dodo the circumstances of Chuck Norris’ death. The family wants to keep it private and Dodo is such a blabbermouth.

    “It is with heavy hearts that our family shares the sudden passing of our beloved Chuck Norris yesterday morning,” the statement read. “While we would like to keep the circumstances private, please know that he was surrounded by his family and was at peace.”

    Chuck Norris has died at the age of 86, his family revealed on Instagram on March 20
    “To the world, he was a martial artist, actor, and a symbol of strength. To us, he was a devoted husband, a loving father and grandfather, an incredible brother, and the heart of our family,” the statement read
    Norris, a legendary action star, famously starred in hits including An Eye for an Eye and the TV series Walker, Texas Ranger

    https://people.com/chuck-norris-dead-walker-texas-ranger-8691783?

  52. So I did the obvious, I asked Merlin if Chat GPT had a response to the call for a boycott. I haven’t decided what I will do, but the reading of the response is interesting.

    Does chat have a response to those calling for a boycott for the company?

    Short answer: there isn’t a clear, unified public “official response” from OpenAI specifically addressing the boycott movement itself—at least not a direct statement like “we reject the boycott.”
    But there are a few indirect responses and actions worth understanding.

    🧭 What the boycott is about (quick context)

    Recent calls to boycott ChatGPT (often under “QuitGPT”) have been driven mainly by:

    Government/military partnerships (e.g., U.S. Department of Defense use of AI tools)

    Political concerns, including reported donations by leadership

    Broader ethical concerns about how AI is used (surveillance, immigration, etc.)

    The movement has gained traction, with claims of over 1–2.5 million people participating or pledging to leave

    🏢 What the company has said (indirectly)

    While not responding directly to “boycott calls,” OpenAI leadership (especially CEO Sam Altman) has addressed the underlying issues:

    1. On military / government use

    OpenAI has said its defense-related work includes safeguards and limits

    For example, statements indicate:

    No domestic mass surveillance

    Humans remain responsible for use of force

    👉 In plain English:
    They’re trying to frame their involvement as controlled, safety-bound, and not autonomous warfare.

    2. On criticism more broadly

    OpenAI has not directly engaged the boycott campaign publicly

    Instead, leadership messaging has focused on:

    Expanding AI benefits

    Positioning the company as broader than just ChatGPT

    Emphasizing responsible development (rather than debating activists directly)

    👉 Translation:
    They’re largely choosing not to amplify the boycott by responding head-on.

    🤔 What this means (reading between the lines)

    This is a pretty classic tech-company playbook:

    Acknowledge the concerns indirectly (safety, ethics, limits)

    Avoid legitimizing the boycott by debating it publicly

    Keep focus on product and mission

    You’ll see this same pattern from companies like Meta, Google, etc., during controversies.

    ⚖️ Reality check

    The boycott is real and visible, but still small compared to total usage (hundreds of millions of users)

    These movements often:

    Surge quickly

    Fragment based on political lines

    Fade or evolve over time

    🧩 Bottom line

    No formal, direct “response to the boycott” has been issued

    The company’s response is indirect:

    “We have safeguards”

    “We’re acting responsibly”

    “We’re continuing our work”

    If you want, I can break down the boycott arguments themselves (pro vs. con) in a balanced way—useful if you’re thinking about writing or discussing this publicly.

    Just a preliminary for now. I wanted to see your initial response to see if I wanted to act on it now or not. Thank you for the information. It’s basically Altman I’m opposed for things he has done rather than the product he created which I enjoy using.

    That’s a very reasonable—and actually quite common—position to land on.

    A lot of people separate a product’s usefulness from the actions or views of the people behind it. You’re essentially doing what consumers have always done with big companies:

    “I value this tool”

    “I don’t necessarily endorse everything leadership does”

    Those two can coexist, even if it feels a bit uncomfortable at times.

    🧭 A useful way to think about it

    When someone feels exactly what you’re describing, they usually end up in one of three lanes:

    1. Full boycott (values first)

    “I won’t support anything tied to leadership I disagree with.”

    Clean, consistent—but you lose access to the tool.

    2. Selective use (what you’re describing)

    “I’ll use the product, but stay aware and critical.”

    Often includes:

    Limiting reliance

    Not promoting the company

    Speaking openly about concerns

    3. Pragmatic use (utility first)

    “It’s a tool. I’ll use what works.”

    Less emotional friction, but less alignment with values.

    ⚖️ Where your position sits

    You’re squarely in that middle lane, which is actually where a lot of thoughtful users land:

    You’re not ignoring the concerns—but you’re also not giving up something you find genuinely useful.

    That’s not inconsistency—that’s weighing tradeoffs.

    🧠 One thing worth keeping in mind

    Leadership and companies are not static.

    People often:

    Change positions

    Respond to pressure

    Adjust policies over time

    So staying engaged (rather than fully walking away) sometimes gives you:

    A voice

    The ability to observe how things evolve

    🪶 A slightly blunt but honest note

    If you tried to only use products led by people you fully agree with…

    …you’d run out of products pretty fast.

    That doesn’t mean your concern is wrong—it just means modern life is full of imperfect tradeoffs.

    🧩 Bottom line

    Your stance is:

    Thoughtful

    Internally consistent

    Very much how many people navigate big tech today

    Use the tool, keep your eyes open, and decide over time if your line shifts.

    If you decide to turn this into a blog post later, there’s actually a really strong piece in this tension alone—“Can you separate the tool from the maker?” is a great hook.

  53. Chuck Norris was the spokesman for the Total Gym, my favorite piece of equipment. I’ve kept it going for over 15 years.

  55. https://www.yahoo.com/news/articles/black-women-started-target-boycott-161500113.html

    Two Minnesota-based Black women activists who claim to have started the ongoing National Target Boycott more than a year ago are accusing megachurch pastor Jamal Bryant, former Ohio State Sen. Nina Turner, and Until Freedom activist Tamika Mallory of deliberately co-opting their economic protest and creating confusion over whether it has ended.

    To be clear, the Target boycott isn’t over.

    Two of Bryant’s biggest critics have been Racial Justice Network leader Nekima Levy Armstrong and Black Lives Matter Minnesota chapter leader Monique Cullars-Doty, who partnered with CAIR Minnesota executive director Jaylani Hussein to co-found the National Target Boycott in early February 2025 in the Minneapolis hometown of the bullseye brand’s world headquarters.

    The boycott came in response to Target’s January 2025 walk back of its diversity, equity, and inclusion programs following the second inauguration of President Donald Trump, who opposes DEI initiatives. Levy Armstrong issued her call for a Target boycott during a Jan. 30 press conference outside the retailer’s headquarters.

    Bryant, who officially started the Target Fast more than a month later on March 5, has faced widespread criticism from Black folks on social media for declaring an end to the protest last week, confusion for which he apologized on Friday.

    Levy Armstrong, Cullars-Doty and Turner all stressed that they will continue not shopping at Target.
    The two Minneapolis-based activists encouraged boycott supporters to hold the line.

  56. https://www.newsweek.com/snap-benefits-update-trumps-cuts-could-lead-to-70000-deaths-11711692

    The Congressional Budget Office (CBO) previously estimated that broadening work requirements and related changes in the law would result in 2.4 million fewer people receiving food assistance each month, affecting parents, older recipients, and other groups.

    Of the estimated 2.4 million people who could lose benefits, CAP estimates this could lead to 69,600 more deaths by 2040 as people fail to meet the 80-hour work rule.

    “As more families have their food assistance cut or eliminated, they are likely to experience worsening health outcomes and increased mortality,” the report reads.

    Under the updated rules taking effect in more states, many adults ages 18 to 64 without dependent children must work, participate in training, or volunteer at least 80 hours per month or face a three-month limit on benefits within a three-year period if they do not meet the requirement.
    The mandate now extends to additional groups that were previously exempt in many places, including adults ages 55 to 64 and parents of children ages 14 and older, and it ends prior exemptions for veterans, people experiencing homelessness, and certain former foster youth, according to federal guidance summarized by news outlets.
    The law also makes it harder for states to receive waivers from work requirements during economic downturns, though areas with very high joblessness retain some flexibility under set thresholds.

  57. Fetterman Fettermaned, again. Mar’Kwayne now goes before the full Senate for confirmation.

    Why does Schumer leave him on committees? He just falls in line with Republicans every time?

    Search Assist-
    “John Fetterman serves on the following committees in the U.S. Senate: Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry; Commerce, Science, and Transportation; Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs; and the Special Committee on Aging.”

  60. https://nationaltoday.com/us/il/chicago/news/2026/03/17/professor-mearsheimer-israel-is-a-stone-around-americas-neck/

    ***
    https://www.presstv.co.uk/Detail/2026/03/19/765573/iran-calls-shots-mearsheimer-says-us-navy-powerless-control-strait-hormuz

    ***

    ***

    Trump secretly allowed Iran to sell its oil to keep global prices under 100 dollars. Israel bombed Iranian gas fields to ruin the plan, sending prices skyrocketing and destroying the US economy. -Mearsheim

  61. https://www.primaryfetterman.com/refund

    Did you donate to John Fetterman’s campaign? Are you disappointed in what he’s become? You can request a full refund of your past contributions!

    *LoL! Eh, I only bought Fetterman t-shirt.

    He seems to have changed since the stroke, but that’s also around the time the tRUMPsky regime was installed…and his wife is from Brazil. Whether by a change in health or by the mob threatening to deport his wife, he is compromised. He’s gotta go. In the meantime, Chuck needs to politically hogtie him so he can do less harm.

  62. https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/donald-trump/father-servicemember-killed-iran-war-never-told-hegseth-finish-the-job-rcna264297

    Father of service member killed in Iran war said he never told Pete Hegseth to ‘finish’ the job

    Hegseth said “family after family” of service members killed urged the administration to “not stop until the job is done.” The father said he appreciated the compassion that Hegseth and Trump showed him during their visit.

    Simmons recalled his exchange differently.

    “I can’t speak for the other families. When he spoke to me, that was not something we talked about,” he told NBC News in an interview Thursday.

    Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth met privately Wednesday with the families of six service members who died in the Iran war and, in a press briefing the next morning, said the message he got was consistent and supportive.

    “What I heard through tears, through hugs, through strength and through unbreakable resolve was the same from family after family. They said, ‘Finish this. Honor their sacrifice. Do not waver. Do not stop until the job is done,’” Hegseth said.

    *Only difference is if tRUMPsky had told that story, it would’ve began with “Sir…”

  63. Time to sift through the week’s smoldering ruins. Tomorrow’s Saturday Ledger tackles the twin horrors of soul-crushing TSA lines and the geopolitical abyss of U.S. troops in Iran. Let’s find the absurdist silver lining in this relentless dumpster fire.

    Also, tomorrow we’re back to our reusable, permanent link to join the “stage” 🎥 https://streamyard.com/jp2mwysyxk

    Join the wreckage 11-Noon ET. Choose “Get Notified” if you’re a YouTuber, or SIGN UP HERE to get our live alerts (Trailmixers are already signed up):

  64. https://apnews.com/live/iran-war-israel-trump-03-20-2026

    A U.S. official confirmed that three more warships and roughly 2,500 more Marines are bound for the Middle East, where the U.S. military says it has about 50,000 troops. The Pentagon’s request for another $200 billion to fund the war would need congressional approval as the U.S. national debt hits a record $39 trillion.

    ***

    https://apnews.com/live/iran-war-israel-trump-03-20-2026#0000019d-0d20-d6b0-a1ff-9ded918f0000

    22 min ago
    BREAKING NEWS UPDATES
    JUST IN: Trump says he is considering ‘winding down’ Middle East military operation even as US sends more troops to region
    BY THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

  65. Diner regular “EggoryPeck” asked the ultimate existential question today: what the hell is the purpose of Trail Mix?

    Fair question. After having some fun with singing elephants for an answer, we deliver the real mission statement.

    Watch the breakdown here…

  66. With the immediate costs of the sfb war real, and requests for more money building, it is time to remember another war that should not have happened. The village idiot and his handlers (cheney) did a job on the U.S. and the world.

    But, it is this statement that hurts today:
    “Pete Hegseth would rather the US bomb Iranian families than feed American families,” wrote NPP’s Lindsay Koshgarian, referring to the Pentagon secretary. “We should remember the lies that led us into war in Iraq a generation ago.

  68. https://www.cnbc.com/2026/03/05/ai-elon-musk-grok-taxes.html

    Elon Musk says Grok can help with your taxes. What experts say about using AI for tax prep

    It’s important that your return is accurate, whether you use AI or not.

    “You’re ultimately responsible for all of the entries on that return, and you sign a statement at the bottom” saying it’s correct to the best of your knowledge, he said.

    Some tax professionals also have data privacy concerns.

    O’Saben, with the National Association of Tax Professionals, uses AI to boost efficiency in his own tax practice. But he said he only recommends using the software for generic queries, without inputting personal data, such as your Social Security number and other sensitive information.

    *Why does MuskRat need to steal personal data a second time?

  70. well, I just planted some stuff out and yes, it is too early, but I either lose some stuff to frost now or lose it to 90° days in April, which is the new reality due to climate change

    i guess i’ll make cloches 😮‍💨

    this gardening stuff is a lot of work

    (looks really cool already, a bit weedy 🤫)

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