Ironweeds

After a rough week of news, we chat about the Supreme Court’s stranglehold on civil rights and what comes next (not good!). The FBI is doing its favorite thing–manufacturing an extremist group, this time with Satan! Q is back in business baby. And a cute little bird from Florida is getting some help from Audubon to increase their numbers in the wild. 

Q Returns! https://mashable.com/article/q-qanon-conspiracy-theory-returns-8kun 

Satanist Neo Nazis: https://www.rollingstone.com/culture/culture-features/the-satanist-neo-nazi-plot-to-murder-u-s-soldiers-1352629/ 

https://www.audubon.org/news/efforts-save-north-americas-most-endangered-bird-are-succeeding

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We have an Ironreads for you this week, courtesy of the Times Union’s Chris Churchill. Stop letting Andrew Cuomo live rent free in your head! The J6 hearings aren’t convincing swing state republicans to switch teams, and are in fact further entrenching both sides. The Fed has decided that workers have had it too good for too long and need some disciplining. A bitcoin mine in the Finger Lakes has everybody pissed off–will Kathy care? Gilded Age is set to return to the Capital District, and David has some choice words for Julian Fellows and the inaccurate historical representation of streets in 1882. Finally, the workers at Capital Roots have requested recognition of their union with SEIU Local 200. Please email their CEO to express your support for the staff–link at the bottom!

https://www.timesunion.com/churchill/article/Churchill-Letting-go-of-Andrew-Cuomo-17249155.php?IPID=Times-Union-HP-column-list

https://www.levernews.com/the-fed-declares-war-on-workers/ 

https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/donald-trump/impeachment-no-3-jan-6-panel-isnt-swaying-swing-state-republicans-rcna34037

https://www.timesunion.com/news/article/The-Gilded-Age-sets-up-for-second-season-of-17249675.php 

https://www.fingerlakesdailynews.com/2022/06/15/1473612/ 

https://gothamist.com/news/bitcoin-mining-operation-finger-lakes-runs-against-new-yorks-climate-law 

https://www.seiu200united.org/news/capital-roots-staff-request-voluntary-recognition-of-their-union-with-seiu-local-200united/ 

Email Amy Klein, CEO of Capital Roots: https://act.seiu.org/a/capital_roots 

This week we’ve got some local and national stories that are certain to restore your faith in the democratic system. J/k, this is Ironweeds, you know what you’re in for. District 2 City Councilor Kim Ashe-McPherson has resigned after pleading guilty to felony ballot fraud. Local activists have been arrested after protesting police brutality at the Albany courthouse and releasing cockroaches into the building. Howard Schultz shocks the world by saying he’ll never support the Starbucks Union… and really this is Bernie’s fault because if Hillary had won she would have made Schultz head of the Department of Labor and he would have certainly learned the value of workers’ rights. A man is suing American Airlines after they reported his name to police for shoplifting, landing him in jail for 17 days with no explanation. Patriot Front is trying to prove their status as a right wing militia by crashing a Pride event. And finally, national parks are phasing out single use plastics!

Kimberly Fash-McFearSon: https://www.timesunion.com/state/article/Troy-councilwoman-resigns-day-after-pleading-to-17230155.php

https://www.timesunion.com/state/article/Ballot-fraud-probe-17222508.php 

Man jailed for 17 days with no explanation: https://www.star-telegram.com/news/local/fort-worth/article262126407.html

Howard Schultz says he will never support union: https://perfectunion.us/howard-schultz-says-starbucks-will-never-engage-with-union/

Phasing out plastics at national parks: https://www.pbs.org/newshour/politics/interior-department-to-phase-out-single-use-plastics-at-national-parks

Three arrested for releasing cockroaches into court: https://cbs6albany.com/amp/news/local/albany-city-court-back-open-state-senate-worker-fired-after-cockroaches-released

Incident that lead to courthouse protest and arrests: https://100bmobc.medium.com/rally-planned-in-response-to-nys-troopers-caught-assaulting-disabled-black-woman-354175d68286

31 Patriot Front members arrested for conspiring to crash Pride event: https://www.politico.com/news/2022/06/11/patriot-front-members-arrested-idaho-00039000 

https://www.nytimes.com/2022/06/12/us/idaho-pride-white-supremacists-arrested.html

We’re in a New York State of mind this week. The end of the legislative session brings with it no significant action on climate, power, or tenant protections. With a years-long super majority, the failure of Democrats in one of the most liberal states in the union to take bold action is alarming. They did, however, put a moratorium on granting new permits to fossil fuel burning cryptocurrency mines. Trucks are running into bridges left and right and it’s costing a fortune. And for our wildflower, Kingston is poised to become the first city north of NYC to adopt rent stabilization!

Hostage situation at Stewarts: https://www.timesunion.com/news/article/Man-crashes-car-holds-hostages-at-Troy-Stewart-s-17216957.php#taboola-1

Crypto moratorium: https://www.theverge.com/2022/6/3/23151622/new-york-bitcoin-mining-moratorium-bill-state-senate 

Kingston could become first Hudson Valley city to adopt rent stabilization: https://www.timesunion.com/hudsonvalley/news/article/Kingston-rent-stabilization-vacancy-17215721.php 

End of the legislative session: https://citylimits.org/2022/06/04/new-yorks-legislative-session-ends-with-mixed-results-on-housing-heres-what-passed-what-didnt/

A truck hits a NY bridge almost daily. It's costing taxpayers millions: https://www.timesunion.com/state/article/new-york-bridge-strikes-17177659.php 

Public Power failure spells disaster: https://newrepublic.com/article/166663/democrats-build-public-renewables-act-new-york

This week, we’re doing what we do best–hating cops. From the tragedy of the Uvalde shooting and the cowardice of local police, to a drunk driving cop who lied about dealing with the deer, to Albany detectives hiding evidence in a sexual abuse case, there can only be one conclusion: all cops are bastards. Also, the boys report back on the latest city council session where everyone yelled at our councilors, Chris biked for his life away from road ragers, and Britney got stung by a wasp and is being a big baby about it. Wildflower? OSHA is cracking down on a pork processing plant over repetitive injuries.

Lawyer: Albany detectives hid evidence, corrupted 2000 sexual abuse case https://www.timesunion.com/news/article/Lawyer-Albany-detectives-hid-evidence-corrupted-17201975.php 

State Trooper Drove Drunk: https://www.wpxi.com/news/local/state-trooper-charged-after-crashing-unit-open-bottle-rum-found-passenger-seat-police-say/Z26HRDCS65ECNK22OLJ6LZLP4Q/ 

Retired Federal Agent May Have Known About Buffalo Shooting: https://buffalonews.com/news/local/authorities-investigating-if-retired-federal-agent-knew-of-buffalo-mass-shooting-plans-in-advance/article_bd408f18-dd39-11ec-be53-df8fdd095d6f.html 

Bandcamp link for Billionaire Death Squad: https://zombiegiuliani.bandcamp.com/album/billionaire-death-squad

Meat Packing Plant Must Address Repetitive Injuries: https://civileats.com/2022/05/23/seaboard-meatpacking-plant-must-address-workers-repetitive-motion-injuries/

What’s the deal with inflation? It’s all fake, but in, like, a weird way. Two master posters face off over the latest sexual harassment allegations. The greatest country in the world is letting little babies die rather than interfere with monopoly capitalism. And another country, Spain, is poised to ensure paid menstrual leave for workers. Pretty neat!

Biden says hello: https://twitter.com/kannoyoungs/status/1528208720869478401?s=21&t=W-2lrr2r8d2PeNC40XLFBg 

Economy sucks: https://www.washingtonpost.com/business/on-small-business/cracks-in-us-economy-start-to-show-as-recession-warnings-mount/2022/05/20/de2f580a-d81e-11ec-be17-286164974c54_story.html 

The Fed may trigger a recession: https://www.bloomberg.com/news/newsletters/2022-05-17/forget-the-put-the-fed-will-risk-recession-to-tame-inflation 

Scary graphs: https://fred.stlouisfed.org/series/LABSHPUSA156NRUG 

Tim Barker interview: https://jacobinmag.com/2021/09/socialist-primer-monetary-policy-inflation-federal-reserve-volcker-shock-class-tim-barker-interview 

This episode we discuss the white supremacist mass shooting in Buffalo and the shooter’s self-described ideology. Then we once again enter the wild world of crypto to discuss David’s recent essay in The Guardian. In some local good news, Troy is getting a skate park!

Crypto readings:

https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2022/may/12/nft-scams-mines-cryptocurrency-crypto-con 

https://nymag.com/intelligencer/2022/05/the-crash-of-cryptos-perpetual-motion-machine.html 

https://www.wsj.com/articles/why-did-cryptocurrencies-terrausd-and-luna-unravel-stablecoin-price-crash-explained-11652462779 

With Chris still under the weather, we’re taking it easy this week. And it’s not like there’s much going on anyway. The domestic shortage of infants rears its ugly head in Amy Coney Barret’s draft opinion on the overturning of Roe v. Wade. NFTs are in freefall, and crypto in general is destroying lives, the planet, and Twitter. For a little bright spot in this hellish world, we’re bringing you an Ironreads on how Javanka’s neighbors absolutely hate them. Our wildflower celebrates Delta Airlines finally paying their attendants for boarding! 

Bitcoin mine destroys Appalachian town: https://www.washingtonpost.com/business/2022/03/18/bitcoin-mining-noise-pollution-appalachia/?utm_source=twitter&utm_medium=acq-intl&utm_campaign=eng-rem-biz&utm_content=bitconappa&twclid=230z0ect5r5c20qdqmjyz7r20p

Delta attendants to be paid for boarding: https://news.yahoo.com/160-000-people-complained-flight-184549383.html

Javanka aren’t beloved in the neighborhood: https://nymag.com/intelligencer/article/ivanka-trump-jared-kushner-surfside-florida-neighbor-drama.html 

This week we are sadly apart, as Chris has contracted Covid. Apologies for David’s kind of crappy audio for a short time. We’re talking about the Bitcoin Dark Tetrad that explains why crypto bros are so awful, an underground digital meth consumption culture, and short men who are undergoing invasive, painful surgery to increase their height. Why do they do it? What does it say about our society that they feel like they have to? Why is David, a short man, so lacking in empathy for his fellow short kings? We may never know. We touch on Wynn Bruce, the climate activist who self-immolated in front of the Supreme Court, and the tragic futility of spectacular activism. Finally, a Lyme Disease shot is in the final stages of development. It’s Lyme season, so make sure to check your special areas for ticks!

Limb Lengthening: https://www.buzzfeednews.com/article/elaminabdelmahmoud/limb-lengthening-surgery-height-stigma-short-kings 

Disney to lose special status: https://www.wsj.com/articles/florida-bill-to-end-disneys-special-tax-district-heads-to-gov-desantis-for-signature-11650562007?mod=flipboard 

Wynn Bruce: https://www.nytimes.com/2022/04/24/us/politics/climate-activist-self-immolation-supreme-court.html 

There is no Zoom without Methhttps://www.nbcnews.com/specials/internet-meth-underground-hidden-in-plain-sight/index.html 

Evil Crypto Bros: https://www.the-sun.com/tech/5105986/dark-tetrad-evil-bitcoin-personality-type-revealed/ 

Lyme disease shot inches closer to reality: https://www.timesunion.com/hudsonvalley/news/article/Lyme-disease-prevention-shot-17078270.php 

As Brit takes the week off, David and Chris are #blessedwithaguest! Indi Samarajiva (@indica on twitter and medium and indi.ca) drops by to chat about the debt and fuel crises and recent political unrest in Sri Lanka, and how it connects to White Empire, IMF, and the general terrible state of the world we’re all living in. We touch on many topics, from how imperialism works these days, to how liberals should consider taking a hippocratic oath and chilling out in terms of their interventionist zeal. From discussing climate realism, scolding Christopher Nolan, and stanning Hayao Miyazaki, we had such a nice time talking with Indi!

Check out Indi: http://indi.ca/

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