Mississippi Senate Seat among other Things
Nov. 11th, 2026 08:45 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
shadowkat1. WOO-HOO! HALLELUJAH! And AMEN! Thank you! Thank you!
Democrat Scott Colom Flip Mississippi Senate Seat to Blue
( excerpt )
Why AP called the Senate Race for Scott Colum
Mississippi Senate Race - Scott Colom Wins - NPR
( who is Scott Colom - outside of the first Black and Democrat Mississippi Senator? )
Oh this is wonderful. We're going to get 56 to 44 Majority in the Senate. It's currently 55 - 44, but Alaska will potential jump Democrat - she's pulling ahead.
That means to overrule a veto or to get removal - we'd only need to get 4 Republicans to cave.
Can I get any Amens? Anyone else want to celebrate this victory?
I mean it is Mississippi. I didn't even know there were any Democrats left in Mississippi. Also that's Confederate Flag territory. It's the Deep South.
Nina Simon even had a song about the Mississippi and the Jim Crow entitled Mississippi Goddamn. Well, how things have changed! Finally. A Black Senator from Mississippi.
2. Day went well. Did the Bone Density test - which was more thorough than the previous exam - they did the back from the left and right side, the chest, and my left arm.
Now just two more to go, and a followup with the neurologist in December.
Plus three more days of antibiotics. I bought a probiotic to start taking after I finish the round of antibiotics. (Always take a probiotic after taking antibiotics, to balance the gut.)
Also finished S 2 of The Lincoln Lawyer - which is an enjoyable legal procedural mystery series produced by David E. Kelly but not written or show-run by Kelly, but by a Latino Female Writer. It shows. The lead is a Hispanic Lawyer, who is mentored by Elliot Gould. There's a good supporting cast, Spanish is spoken in it, and everyone is likable. Also it takes place in Southern California. Based on the Michael Connolly mysteries. I kind of figured out the mystery, and kind of didn't? At any rate, it had a nice twist.
3. Gave up on Full Speed to a Crash Landing - the narrative voice and style got on my nerves? I don't know why? I think it was the protagonist or first person narrator constantly telling me how cute the guy was that she was attracted to. More showing, less telling is needed here?
And how she wasn't going to flirt with him, but constantly was, and incessantly whining about things and wanting to be carried and to eat.
At any rate the writing style kicked me out of the novel. It happens.
Shame - the plot of this one worked for me, actually everything did but the writing style.
So, now reading Firebird by Susanna Kearsely - it's about a psychic art specialist who teams up with a former love (who is more psychic than she is) to investigate the history of an artifact.
( what it is about )
Also told in first person, but I like the writing style better. Also the romance works better for me.
4. ( pondering post retirement )
Meanwhile folks on Twitter and Threads are saying Gen X would retire en mass if Saunders could pass Medicare at age 55. Except, the Baby Boomers are still working - and most of them are between the ages of 65-75, and Medicare is at 65 in the States. ( Why people aren't retiring? )
Democrat Scott Colom Flip Mississippi Senate Seat to Blue
( excerpt )
Why AP called the Senate Race for Scott Colum
Mississippi Senate Race - Scott Colom Wins - NPR
( who is Scott Colom - outside of the first Black and Democrat Mississippi Senator? )
Oh this is wonderful. We're going to get 56 to 44 Majority in the Senate. It's currently 55 - 44, but Alaska will potential jump Democrat - she's pulling ahead.
That means to overrule a veto or to get removal - we'd only need to get 4 Republicans to cave.
Can I get any Amens? Anyone else want to celebrate this victory?
I mean it is Mississippi. I didn't even know there were any Democrats left in Mississippi. Also that's Confederate Flag territory. It's the Deep South.
Nina Simon even had a song about the Mississippi and the Jim Crow entitled Mississippi Goddamn. Well, how things have changed! Finally. A Black Senator from Mississippi.
2. Day went well. Did the Bone Density test - which was more thorough than the previous exam - they did the back from the left and right side, the chest, and my left arm.
Now just two more to go, and a followup with the neurologist in December.
Plus three more days of antibiotics. I bought a probiotic to start taking after I finish the round of antibiotics. (Always take a probiotic after taking antibiotics, to balance the gut.)
Also finished S 2 of The Lincoln Lawyer - which is an enjoyable legal procedural mystery series produced by David E. Kelly but not written or show-run by Kelly, but by a Latino Female Writer. It shows. The lead is a Hispanic Lawyer, who is mentored by Elliot Gould. There's a good supporting cast, Spanish is spoken in it, and everyone is likable. Also it takes place in Southern California. Based on the Michael Connolly mysteries. I kind of figured out the mystery, and kind of didn't? At any rate, it had a nice twist.
3. Gave up on Full Speed to a Crash Landing - the narrative voice and style got on my nerves? I don't know why? I think it was the protagonist or first person narrator constantly telling me how cute the guy was that she was attracted to. More showing, less telling is needed here?
And how she wasn't going to flirt with him, but constantly was, and incessantly whining about things and wanting to be carried and to eat.
At any rate the writing style kicked me out of the novel. It happens.
Shame - the plot of this one worked for me, actually everything did but the writing style.
So, now reading Firebird by Susanna Kearsely - it's about a psychic art specialist who teams up with a former love (who is more psychic than she is) to investigate the history of an artifact.
( what it is about )
Also told in first person, but I like the writing style better. Also the romance works better for me.
4. ( pondering post retirement )
Meanwhile folks on Twitter and Threads are saying Gen X would retire en mass if Saunders could pass Medicare at age 55. Except, the Baby Boomers are still working - and most of them are between the ages of 65-75, and Medicare is at 65 in the States. ( Why people aren't retiring? )
NS: VisionQuest TV series Discussion
Nov. 11th, 2026 08:18 pmicon_uk posting in ![[community profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/community.png){kind=small}
scans_dailySo, now that the final episode is out, what did we think of this third part of the Maximoff Family Trilogy which started with "WandaVision", and was followed by "Agatha All Along" and now "Visionquest"?
NB Please be aware there was a LOT going on here, especially in the finale, and there are SPOILERS aplenty, and nothing will be held back, so if you click on the link before watching it, you have only yourself to blame.
( I so want a put a quote here but it'd be an instant spoiler darnit! )
NB Please be aware there was a LOT going on here, especially in the finale, and there are SPOILERS aplenty, and nothing will be held back, so if you click on the link before watching it, you have only yourself to blame.
( I so want a put a quote here but it'd be an instant spoiler darnit! )
Two fandom icon journals!
Nov. 11th, 2026 07:43 pmnimueth posting in ![[site community profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/comm_staff.png){kind=small}
dw_community_promosonic_icons is an icon community for Sonic The Hedgehog fans. Other graphics like banners and mood themes are also welcome!Similarly,
tmnt_graphics is an old, but certainly not dead, community for Ninja Turtle fans. It hasn't seen much traffic, but it's being actively maintained, so feel free to join and share your icons!
Doom: All-On-One #1
Nov. 11th, 2026 12:00 amcyberghostface posting in scans_daily
“The brief for this was fifty pages of Doom versus Everybody in explosive widescreen action, and I'd like to think I've delivered that and a little bit more. I don't think any Doom fans will be disappointed by the Doctor's performance as we go back to one of the great classical eras of Marvel and knock seven bells out of it – not just against the heroes, but against one of Doom's greatest villains, too.” — Al Ewing
( Scans under the cut… )
Came home to smoke next door, but other than that...
Nov. 10th, 2026 09:38 pmshadowkat1. Apparently you can watch 1990s cable television as you remember it on your device via TV Back When - it's also available on Pluto. So if you are craving television from 1996 onwards, have at it.
2. Came home to find a fire (or rather a lot of smoke) emanating from the front of the expensive co-op apartment building across the street from me. It's a very well maintained front yard, and looks very nice.
This is the fifth fire in the past three days to hit NYC. We've had fires in the Bronx, Queens, and Brooklyn. The first was Lithium batteries, and I've no idea what caused the other ones. One was in Washington Heights, one in Riverside - the Bronx, another in Queens, and this is the second one in Brooklyn. It's also the second one this year on my street, the first was further up and a house, this is an apartment (as you can see from the photo below). And the fourth one in the area. Scary. Note to self - don't complain about the fire doors. (We have fire doors in our building, self-closing steel fire protected doors to the apartments. I don't have a fire extinguisher like I did in the last apartment, but I doubt if I'd know what to do with it if I did.
I walked down the street and ran smack into a crowd of people watching the fire trucks. And there were about five fire trucks, including two more arriving sirens blaring. They were parked all the way down the street, and on Ocean Parkway, blocking traffic. I told one of the folks from my apartment building standing on the sidewalk, "Do you think they have enough fire trucks?" He didn't hear me, he was more concerned about the people in the building, as well he should be. But it didn't look like anyone was in there, or they'd gotten everyone out? They had to break a window to get in.
[ETA: Per the neighborhood page on FB, a woman reported the following: "No casualties, but the woman in that apartment lost everything. I heard the fire alarm and opened the door to my 6th floor apartment (the fire was on the 1st floor) and the smoke was thick as butter. I called 911 and they said to stay in the apartment." My heart goes out to that poor woman. Granted it is just stuff? But some of that stuff is hard to replace.]
It's a nice and expensive coop - so I hope the damage was minimal? The guy I spoke to - thought it was caused by an oven being on. Our building switched out gas ovens for electric ovens some time ago - because gas ovens are highly combustible and dangerous. I didn't fight them on it. Do I miss the gas oven? Yes. But it was also dangerous and harmful to the environment. So hasta la vista gas oven.
Here's a picture of four disgruntled fire fighters going back to their truck, turned away because they had twenty some fire fighters and really didn't need any more.
3. Taking tomorrow off for a Bone Density Test around 1 pm. I thought it was in the morning - but I must have decided I wanted to sleep in when I booked it? Or not deal with crowded subways.
I'm fine. It's routine. You have to take these things post-menopause. My grandmother had osteoporosis.
2. Came home to find a fire (or rather a lot of smoke) emanating from the front of the expensive co-op apartment building across the street from me. It's a very well maintained front yard, and looks very nice.
This is the fifth fire in the past three days to hit NYC. We've had fires in the Bronx, Queens, and Brooklyn. The first was Lithium batteries, and I've no idea what caused the other ones. One was in Washington Heights, one in Riverside - the Bronx, another in Queens, and this is the second one in Brooklyn. It's also the second one this year on my street, the first was further up and a house, this is an apartment (as you can see from the photo below). And the fourth one in the area. Scary. Note to self - don't complain about the fire doors. (We have fire doors in our building, self-closing steel fire protected doors to the apartments. I don't have a fire extinguisher like I did in the last apartment, but I doubt if I'd know what to do with it if I did.
I walked down the street and ran smack into a crowd of people watching the fire trucks. And there were about five fire trucks, including two more arriving sirens blaring. They were parked all the way down the street, and on Ocean Parkway, blocking traffic. I told one of the folks from my apartment building standing on the sidewalk, "Do you think they have enough fire trucks?" He didn't hear me, he was more concerned about the people in the building, as well he should be. But it didn't look like anyone was in there, or they'd gotten everyone out? They had to break a window to get in.
[ETA: Per the neighborhood page on FB, a woman reported the following: "No casualties, but the woman in that apartment lost everything. I heard the fire alarm and opened the door to my 6th floor apartment (the fire was on the 1st floor) and the smoke was thick as butter. I called 911 and they said to stay in the apartment." My heart goes out to that poor woman. Granted it is just stuff? But some of that stuff is hard to replace.]
It's a nice and expensive coop - so I hope the damage was minimal? The guy I spoke to - thought it was caused by an oven being on. Our building switched out gas ovens for electric ovens some time ago - because gas ovens are highly combustible and dangerous. I didn't fight them on it. Do I miss the gas oven? Yes. But it was also dangerous and harmful to the environment. So hasta la vista gas oven.
Here's a picture of four disgruntled fire fighters going back to their truck, turned away because they had twenty some fire fighters and really didn't need any more.
3. Taking tomorrow off for a Bone Density Test around 1 pm. I thought it was in the morning - but I must have decided I wanted to sleep in when I booked it? Or not deal with crowded subways.
I'm fine. It's routine. You have to take these things post-menopause. My grandmother had osteoporosis.
Halloween is still missing; next update Nov 17
Nov. 10th, 2026 09:35 ampumpkinkingmod posting in trickortreatexHello, Trick or Treaters! Unfortunately AO3 is still undergoing maintenance. You can find updates at the OTW Status page here.
Since we'll need a few days of functional archive to get pinch hits posted and confirm everything is in, that means we're not going to make the revised schedule.
In lieu of further rolling rescheduling, I'll update again no later than November 17, a week from today, with either a new schedule or a "nope, still down," as needed.
Good news: all pinch hits have been claimed!
"It is what it is" news: I unfortunately did not schedule "check Trick or Treat emails" into my November, so please be patient with any delayed mod email replies.
I also can't pass along recipient questions while the archive is down, so please use your best judgment for treat creation.
Since we'll need a few days of functional archive to get pinch hits posted and confirm everything is in, that means we're not going to make the revised schedule.
In lieu of further rolling rescheduling, I'll update again no later than November 17, a week from today, with either a new schedule or a "nope, still down," as needed.
Good news: all pinch hits have been claimed!
"It is what it is" news: I unfortunately did not schedule "check Trick or Treat emails" into my November, so please be patient with any delayed mod email replies.
I also can't pass along recipient questions while the archive is down, so please use your best judgment for treat creation.
Mod Post: Off-Topic Tuesday
Nov. 10th, 2026 09:56 amicon_uk posting in scans_dailyIn the comments to these weekly posts (and only these posts), it's your chance to go as off topic as you like.
Talk about non-comics stuff, thread derail, and just generally chat among yourselves.
The intent of these posts is to chat and have some fun and, sure, vent a little as required. Reasoned debate is fine, as always, but if you have to ask if something is going over the line, think carefully before posting please.
Normal board rules about conduct and behaviour still apply, of course.
It's been suggested that, if discussing spoilers for recent media events, it might be advisable to consider using the rot13 method to prevent other members seeing spoilers in passing.
The world situation is the world situation. If you're following the news, you know it as much as I do, if you're not, then there are better sources than scans_daily. But please, no doomscrolling, for your own sake.
Well, golly, that was exciting wasn't it? I think we expected/hoped/invoked deities and cosmological entities for a Blue wave in the US Midterms but.. Wow!
And a remarkably diverse bunch they are, including Deb Haaland of New Mexico, who will be the first female Native American Governor, Chris Pappas is the first gay male Senator (Well, the first publicly out one), Abdul El-Sayed will be the first ever Muslim Senator, and more beyond that. States which the Democrats didn't dare dream would turn blue did.
Now, there will be a lot of work to be done (repairing the damage done by the current administration is the work of years, if not decades) and a lot of promises to be delivered, and not much can happen before they are sworn in n January, but let's just enjoy the moment... and also watch the MAGA movement's in-fighting, which is a spectator sport I do tend to enjoy.
Media "star" (though honestly, I was never sure why) Russell Brand has been jailed for ten years for sexual assault and rape convictions, thanks to women speaking up and facing down a barrage of bullshit from his defenders. We salute their courage unreservedly.
In my "Films I FINALLY got around to watching" this week was Godzilla: Minus One, which looked amazing but I wasn't sure how I felt about the ending and some of the tone of it. I was fascinated to see the split between Japanese film critics, who seem to have found it overly nationalistic and dated in it's treatment of the impact of WWII and women, and the West, which lauded it to the skies. I think I'm somewhere in the middle there.
We have a separate post for the news about James Gunn stepping down as head of DC Movies.
Talk about non-comics stuff, thread derail, and just generally chat among yourselves.
The intent of these posts is to chat and have some fun and, sure, vent a little as required. Reasoned debate is fine, as always, but if you have to ask if something is going over the line, think carefully before posting please.
Normal board rules about conduct and behaviour still apply, of course.
It's been suggested that, if discussing spoilers for recent media events, it might be advisable to consider using the rot13 method to prevent other members seeing spoilers in passing.
The world situation is the world situation. If you're following the news, you know it as much as I do, if you're not, then there are better sources than scans_daily. But please, no doomscrolling, for your own sake.
Well, golly, that was exciting wasn't it? I think we expected/hoped/invoked deities and cosmological entities for a Blue wave in the US Midterms but.. Wow!
And a remarkably diverse bunch they are, including Deb Haaland of New Mexico, who will be the first female Native American Governor, Chris Pappas is the first gay male Senator (Well, the first publicly out one), Abdul El-Sayed will be the first ever Muslim Senator, and more beyond that. States which the Democrats didn't dare dream would turn blue did.
Now, there will be a lot of work to be done (repairing the damage done by the current administration is the work of years, if not decades) and a lot of promises to be delivered, and not much can happen before they are sworn in n January, but let's just enjoy the moment... and also watch the MAGA movement's in-fighting, which is a spectator sport I do tend to enjoy.
Media "star" (though honestly, I was never sure why) Russell Brand has been jailed for ten years for sexual assault and rape convictions, thanks to women speaking up and facing down a barrage of bullshit from his defenders. We salute their courage unreservedly.
In my "Films I FINALLY got around to watching" this week was Godzilla: Minus One, which looked amazing but I wasn't sure how I felt about the ending and some of the tone of it. I was fascinated to see the split between Japanese film critics, who seem to have found it overly nationalistic and dated in it's treatment of the impact of WWII and women, and the West, which lauded it to the skies. I think I'm somewhere in the middle there.
We have a separate post for the news about James Gunn stepping down as head of DC Movies.
This that and the other thingamagig
Nov. 9th, 2026 08:32 pmshadowkat1. Well, that was fast... WB fires James Gunn and Peter Safran at DC, former Marvel producer Jeremy Latcham hired to take over
( excerpt )
I'm not exactly surprised, nor was anyone else on Twitter. ( my thoughts on this for what they are worth? )
2. Work is work. I'm grateful I have a job. That it isn't stressful, not really. I have a window now. And am for the most part left to my own devices. (There wasn't much work so I played on my phone, personal email (not a lot to play with), and on the book that I'm having troubles focusing on until thirty minutes before I leave work for some reason or other? My creative battery appears to require six hours of charging, and an additional hour of prompting before getting into gear - by which time, I either want to sleep or leave work, depending on where I am at the time. It's highly annoying. I don't know if this will work better once I'm retired or not.)
Did take a walk to the pier. Instead of buying GF chocolate chip cookies, I visit the pier in the opposite direction and watch boats. Which is probably a healthier expense of my time. Today it was cool, with a brisk wind, and rough clouds on the horizon. (It didn't rain - it just looked like it wanted to.)
Same boat, clearer skies.
3. Health wise, I'm better today than I've been for well...weeks? I actually felt clear headed today. I got enough sleep the night before. Wasn't exhausted. Didn't have a headache. It didn't hurt to pee. No horrible IBS or gas pains. Life is good? I am grateful not to hurt. Granted the knees still twinged, but that was to be expected.
( Read more... )
( excerpt )
I'm not exactly surprised, nor was anyone else on Twitter. ( my thoughts on this for what they are worth? )
2. Work is work. I'm grateful I have a job. That it isn't stressful, not really. I have a window now. And am for the most part left to my own devices. (There wasn't much work so I played on my phone, personal email (not a lot to play with), and on the book that I'm having troubles focusing on until thirty minutes before I leave work for some reason or other? My creative battery appears to require six hours of charging, and an additional hour of prompting before getting into gear - by which time, I either want to sleep or leave work, depending on where I am at the time. It's highly annoying. I don't know if this will work better once I'm retired or not.)
Did take a walk to the pier. Instead of buying GF chocolate chip cookies, I visit the pier in the opposite direction and watch boats. Which is probably a healthier expense of my time. Today it was cool, with a brisk wind, and rough clouds on the horizon. (It didn't rain - it just looked like it wanted to.)
Same boat, clearer skies.
3. Health wise, I'm better today than I've been for well...weeks? I actually felt clear headed today. I got enough sleep the night before. Wasn't exhausted. Didn't have a headache. It didn't hurt to pee. No horrible IBS or gas pains. Life is good? I am grateful not to hurt. Granted the knees still twinged, but that was to be expected.
( Read more... )
NS: James Gunn, Peter Safran stepping down at DC Studios
Nov. 9th, 2026 01:00 pmcyberghostface posting in scans_dailyFrom Hollywood Reporter:
James Gunn and Peter Safran are stepping down as co-CEOs of DC studios.
Skydance, which now oversees the division thanks to its acquisition of Warner Bros. Discovery, has appointed former Marvel exec Jeremy Latcham to the post of president and chief creative officer of DC Studios.
The duo will still be in the fold creatively, at least on a few projects, as Gunn has Superman sequel Man of Tomorrow in post-production for a planned release next year, with the TV spinoff The People v. Gorilla Grodd also in post. Gunn and Safran remain producers on The Batman: Part II as well, for a 2028 release date. With their executive days done, the plan is for them to return full time to their creative work.
Curious as to what’s going on behind the scenes. Supergirl aside, the DCU has been generally successful. I’d be lying if I didn’t say this has made considerably less interested in the DCU going forward. Doubt we’ll get something like Clayface again.
James Gunn and Peter Safran are stepping down as co-CEOs of DC studios.
Skydance, which now oversees the division thanks to its acquisition of Warner Bros. Discovery, has appointed former Marvel exec Jeremy Latcham to the post of president and chief creative officer of DC Studios.
The duo will still be in the fold creatively, at least on a few projects, as Gunn has Superman sequel Man of Tomorrow in post-production for a planned release next year, with the TV spinoff The People v. Gorilla Grodd also in post. Gunn and Safran remain producers on The Batman: Part II as well, for a 2028 release date. With their executive days done, the plan is for them to return full time to their creative work.
Curious as to what’s going on behind the scenes. Supergirl aside, the DCU has been generally successful. I’d be lying if I didn’t say this has made considerably less interested in the DCU going forward. Doubt we’ll get something like Clayface again.
Critical Role: Campaign 4, Episode 28
Nov. 9th, 2026 01:40 amsettiaiMy attempt at finally catching up on Critical Role continues. We'll see how long I manage it?
As with previous posts about the current campaign of Critical Role, this will be a combination of quotes, random thoughts, and some speculation. And it's obviously full of spoilers (albeit vague ones in places).
( Spoilers under the cut. )
As with previous posts about the current campaign of Critical Role, this will be a combination of quotes, random thoughts, and some speculation. And it's obviously full of spoilers (albeit vague ones in places).
( Spoilers under the cut. )
A little of everthing plus more political links from 2026 election
Nov. 8th, 2026 09:10 pmshadowkat1. Feeling much much better today. Actually today is the best I've felt in weeks, it seems. No headache. No other unmentionable pains. Started antibiotics for the unmentionables. And slept a good 8 hours the night before. I need to follow up with doctors/radiology to see if taking antibiotics will cause any issues with the MRI that I'm taking next weekend.
Also it was a nice day. In the upper 50sF, with sunshine. I took a brief walk to pick up the meds (antibiotics and more of the anti-nausea/gastric reflux drug), another pill cutter - since the previous one only handles big pills. And groceries - I need to eat something other than beans, spinach, chocolate and nuts...since all four are causing issues, digestive, and urinary related. Too much of any one thing can be disastrous to ones health, after all.
Ate a more varied meal plan today. ( meals )
2. Been watching S2 the Lincoln Lawyer. I'd been watching it on Netflix last year, but had stopped after Episode 2 S2, so resumed with Episode 3 S2. I'm in the mood. And I like the characters, and the mystery element being the central core of it. It kind of reminds me of Nero Wolf and Spencer for Hire mysteries. It has a nice little rough edge to it. Also the legal procedural angle is fun for me - and realistic enough not to annoy, either that or I'm far enough away from it now to not care? The last time I was in a court room as an attorney was in the 1990s after all. I've not practiced in over 30 years, and don't miss it at all.
3. Political Links on 2026 Mid-Term Election
Election Results - See All the People Who Flipped the Congressional and Governor Seats Blue
How Religion Helped the Democrats Win Congress
There were four members of the clergy that won Democrat House and Senate Seats this year.
Here's the list:
In the 2026 midterm elections, multiple clergy members and religious leaders won seats in the U.S. Congress (all are Democrats and they all flipped Republican seats in Republican States and Districts that voted Republican in 2024).
• Senate:
• Adam Hamilton (United Methodist megachurch pastor) won election in Kansas. (first Democrat in over 94 years)
• James Talarico (Presbyterian seminarian and Texas State Representative) won election in Texas.
• House of Representatives:
• Frederick Haynes (Baptist megachurch pastor from Dallas) won a House seat.
• Sarah Trone Garriott (Lutheran pastor and Iowa State Senator) won a House seat.
• Lindsay James (Presbyterian chaplain and Iowa Statehouse representative) won a House seat.
• LaKesha Womack (ordained deacon in the AME Zion Church) won a House seat in North Carolina
( excerpt )
* Former Navy Admiral fired by Peter Hegesth wins South Carolina Congressional House seat - flipping it to Blue
Nancy Lacore (South Carolina's 1st Congressional District)
• Office Won: U.S. House of Representatives (South Carolina's 1st Congressional District)
• Party: Democrat
• Background: Retired three-star Navy admiral and former Chief of the Navy Reserve who served for 35 years before departing the military in 2025.
• Election Details: Defeated Republican candidate Jenny Costa Honeycutt, flipping the seat previously held by Republican Nancy Mace, as reported by the Washington Examiner.
* Women who won big
"In Florida, Democratic Rep. Kathy Castor held on to her seat despite the Sunshine State’s gerrymandering of the 14th district. In South Carolina, Democrat Nancy Lacore — a former Navy Admiral who was fired by Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth — was expected to flip Republican Rep. Nancy Mace’s seat. And in deep-red Tennessee, Democrat Allie Phillips, who decided to run for state office after she was denied an abortion, unseated Republican Rep. Michael Lankford." [Apparently abortion was an issue after all - but for the Democrats.]
Also it was a nice day. In the upper 50sF, with sunshine. I took a brief walk to pick up the meds (antibiotics and more of the anti-nausea/gastric reflux drug), another pill cutter - since the previous one only handles big pills. And groceries - I need to eat something other than beans, spinach, chocolate and nuts...since all four are causing issues, digestive, and urinary related. Too much of any one thing can be disastrous to ones health, after all.
Ate a more varied meal plan today. ( meals )
2. Been watching S2 the Lincoln Lawyer. I'd been watching it on Netflix last year, but had stopped after Episode 2 S2, so resumed with Episode 3 S2. I'm in the mood. And I like the characters, and the mystery element being the central core of it. It kind of reminds me of Nero Wolf and Spencer for Hire mysteries. It has a nice little rough edge to it. Also the legal procedural angle is fun for me - and realistic enough not to annoy, either that or I'm far enough away from it now to not care? The last time I was in a court room as an attorney was in the 1990s after all. I've not practiced in over 30 years, and don't miss it at all.
3. Political Links on 2026 Mid-Term Election
Election Results - See All the People Who Flipped the Congressional and Governor Seats Blue
How Religion Helped the Democrats Win Congress
There were four members of the clergy that won Democrat House and Senate Seats this year.
Here's the list:
In the 2026 midterm elections, multiple clergy members and religious leaders won seats in the U.S. Congress (all are Democrats and they all flipped Republican seats in Republican States and Districts that voted Republican in 2024).
• Senate:
• Adam Hamilton (United Methodist megachurch pastor) won election in Kansas. (first Democrat in over 94 years)
• James Talarico (Presbyterian seminarian and Texas State Representative) won election in Texas.
• House of Representatives:
• Frederick Haynes (Baptist megachurch pastor from Dallas) won a House seat.
• Sarah Trone Garriott (Lutheran pastor and Iowa State Senator) won a House seat.
• Lindsay James (Presbyterian chaplain and Iowa Statehouse representative) won a House seat.
• LaKesha Womack (ordained deacon in the AME Zion Church) won a House seat in North Carolina
( excerpt )
* Former Navy Admiral fired by Peter Hegesth wins South Carolina Congressional House seat - flipping it to Blue
Nancy Lacore (South Carolina's 1st Congressional District)
• Office Won: U.S. House of Representatives (South Carolina's 1st Congressional District)
• Party: Democrat
• Background: Retired three-star Navy admiral and former Chief of the Navy Reserve who served for 35 years before departing the military in 2025.
• Election Details: Defeated Republican candidate Jenny Costa Honeycutt, flipping the seat previously held by Republican Nancy Mace, as reported by the Washington Examiner.
* Women who won big
"In Florida, Democratic Rep. Kathy Castor held on to her seat despite the Sunshine State’s gerrymandering of the 14th district. In South Carolina, Democrat Nancy Lacore — a former Navy Admiral who was fired by Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth — was expected to flip Republican Rep. Nancy Mace’s seat. And in deep-red Tennessee, Democrat Allie Phillips, who decided to run for state office after she was denied an abortion, unseated Republican Rep. Michael Lankford." [Apparently abortion was an issue after all - but for the Democrats.]
People say not to discuss politics in polite company, but....I will anyway?
Nov. 8th, 2026 04:06 pmshadowkatPeople used to say not to discuss politics or religion in polite company. Is this polite company? I can never tell? Also, the ones who said it? Were white old conservative men who didn't particularly like to hear an opinion that wasn't their own. As my father would put it? Consider the source.
Been reading varied reactions to the 2026 Midterm elections - mainly from folks in Canada and across the pond in Europe. And I keep thinking, oh boy, you really don't understand how US politics and government actually works.
I'm not sure most Americans do? I kind of do? Although I'm admittedly confused by some of it - it's very contradictory? And, not that I'm necessarily an expert like say Heather Cox Richardson or various political scientists are? In former life - I tried to become a political scientist, but alas, no. It's partly why I've an extensive background in government work (local, state, and federal) that dates back to the 1980s. And I know a lot of folks who work in government, and I work in government.
United States Government is organized chaos. It's kind of like everyone puts an idea/problem into a hat - and the one picked is what we work on? And then everyone puts a solution into a hat, and whatever is picked, is what they try? And of course they fight over it.
What distinguishes 2026 from the other mid-term elections wasn't really what was happening in the Democratic Party, but what occurred in the Republican Party. It also wasn't about a single issue.
The Democratic Party hasn't really changed? It's the same as it was in 2024 for the most party - a hodgepodge of progressives (social justice and socialism democratic), the radicalized far left conspiracy theorists, moderates or centrists, and financially conservative blue democrats (and they all get along like a bunch of feral cats). There's some small changes, but nothing major. No what changed was the Republican Party (which is made up of ult-right social conservatives, ogliarch fascists, financial conservative libertarians, centrists, financial conservatives (although most of these jumped ship long ago and went either independent or Democrat), and radicalized conspiracy theorists, they also get along like a bunch of feral cats). And that has a lot to do with what many Republicans thought they'd be getting or the bill of goods they were being sold, and what actually happened.
In 2024, the US economy was for the most part stable. Employment was on the rise, inflation was an issue but not a huge one. We weren't really fighting any wars, outside of supporting the Ukraine in the Ukraine/Russia conflict.
The Republicans in 2024 ran on the following platforms: 1) Immigration - controlling the flood of Venezuelans and other immigrants from Latin America into the US. 2) Epstein Files - bringing the fiends involved with Epstein to justice. There were movies about Epstein's child trafficking out and various people had gotten sold on MAGA's statement that the Democratic Leadership was involved with Epstein (Clintons, Biden) and needed to be brought to justice. 3.) Transphobia and Abortion (reproductive rights), and 4) No WAR (a lot of folks were convinced that Kamala Harris was a Hawk or more likely to declare WAR, just as they'd been convinced Hillary Clinton would, they didn't think DJT would do it.) 5) Buy America/Jobs - more American products sold, and finally 6) Inflation - lowering costs.
That was the platform that they marketed to a lot of folks.
( Immigration )
( Epstein Files )
( Transgender and Reproductive Rights )
( War )
( Buy America and Inflation and Affordability )
As a result of all of the above, many of the folks who voted Republican in 2024 - either voted Democrat in 2026 or didn't vote at all. Most voted. We had the second largest single turnout for a mid-term election in all 50 States in recorded history. It blew people's minds. And most people voted early and in person.
State vs. Federal
We really saw it at the State level. And I'm not sure a lot of people outside of the US understand this? The United States is more similar to the European Union, than say the UK or Germany or Great Britain or Canada in how the relationship between the States and the Central Government truly works? While we have a centralized government, about 85% of the governing power lies within each individual state. Federal Jurisdiction really only happens when the issue involves multiple states and goes across state and country lines - and raises to a level of national security. Similar to say the European Union?
This is understandably confusing.
( an attempt to explain it with examples )
( why it's important states flipped from Republican to Democrat on the local and governor levels )
( why Mississippi is interesting )
I hope that made sense. Sorry for the length.
Off to make dinner before it gets too late. And take another antibiotic.
Been reading varied reactions to the 2026 Midterm elections - mainly from folks in Canada and across the pond in Europe. And I keep thinking, oh boy, you really don't understand how US politics and government actually works.
I'm not sure most Americans do? I kind of do? Although I'm admittedly confused by some of it - it's very contradictory? And, not that I'm necessarily an expert like say Heather Cox Richardson or various political scientists are? In former life - I tried to become a political scientist, but alas, no. It's partly why I've an extensive background in government work (local, state, and federal) that dates back to the 1980s. And I know a lot of folks who work in government, and I work in government.
United States Government is organized chaos. It's kind of like everyone puts an idea/problem into a hat - and the one picked is what we work on? And then everyone puts a solution into a hat, and whatever is picked, is what they try? And of course they fight over it.
What distinguishes 2026 from the other mid-term elections wasn't really what was happening in the Democratic Party, but what occurred in the Republican Party. It also wasn't about a single issue.
The Democratic Party hasn't really changed? It's the same as it was in 2024 for the most party - a hodgepodge of progressives (social justice and socialism democratic), the radicalized far left conspiracy theorists, moderates or centrists, and financially conservative blue democrats (and they all get along like a bunch of feral cats). There's some small changes, but nothing major. No what changed was the Republican Party (which is made up of ult-right social conservatives, ogliarch fascists, financial conservative libertarians, centrists, financial conservatives (although most of these jumped ship long ago and went either independent or Democrat), and radicalized conspiracy theorists, they also get along like a bunch of feral cats). And that has a lot to do with what many Republicans thought they'd be getting or the bill of goods they were being sold, and what actually happened.
In 2024, the US economy was for the most part stable. Employment was on the rise, inflation was an issue but not a huge one. We weren't really fighting any wars, outside of supporting the Ukraine in the Ukraine/Russia conflict.
The Republicans in 2024 ran on the following platforms: 1) Immigration - controlling the flood of Venezuelans and other immigrants from Latin America into the US. 2) Epstein Files - bringing the fiends involved with Epstein to justice. There were movies about Epstein's child trafficking out and various people had gotten sold on MAGA's statement that the Democratic Leadership was involved with Epstein (Clintons, Biden) and needed to be brought to justice. 3.) Transphobia and Abortion (reproductive rights), and 4) No WAR (a lot of folks were convinced that Kamala Harris was a Hawk or more likely to declare WAR, just as they'd been convinced Hillary Clinton would, they didn't think DJT would do it.) 5) Buy America/Jobs - more American products sold, and finally 6) Inflation - lowering costs.
That was the platform that they marketed to a lot of folks.
( Immigration )
( Epstein Files )
( Transgender and Reproductive Rights )
( War )
( Buy America and Inflation and Affordability )
As a result of all of the above, many of the folks who voted Republican in 2024 - either voted Democrat in 2026 or didn't vote at all. Most voted. We had the second largest single turnout for a mid-term election in all 50 States in recorded history. It blew people's minds. And most people voted early and in person.
State vs. Federal
We really saw it at the State level. And I'm not sure a lot of people outside of the US understand this? The United States is more similar to the European Union, than say the UK or Germany or Great Britain or Canada in how the relationship between the States and the Central Government truly works? While we have a centralized government, about 85% of the governing power lies within each individual state. Federal Jurisdiction really only happens when the issue involves multiple states and goes across state and country lines - and raises to a level of national security. Similar to say the European Union?
This is understandably confusing.
( an attempt to explain it with examples )
( why it's important states flipped from Republican to Democrat on the local and governor levels )
( why Mississippi is interesting )
I hope that made sense. Sorry for the length.
Off to make dinner before it gets too late. And take another antibiotic.
A little of everything...not much of it is related
Nov. 7th, 2026 08:55 amshadowkat1. Kickass Women in History: Telesilla of Argos
( excerpt )
2. Found this article on British Bomb-Disposal Unit in the Guardian (thanks to conuly for the link).
I clicked on it - because my failed contemporary romance novel was about a female bomb disposal Iraqui War veteran. Failed - because it didn't work.
And I'm curious about how they dispose of bombs.
( excerpt )
It's an intriguing read, also kind of staggering - when one considers how many bombs people have dropped in the height of battle, which didn't detonate, and now decades later can kill the descendants of the very people who dropped them. The mindlessness of warfare and the staggering loss of life, never fails to...sigh words fail. This article encapsulates that as well.
( excerpt )
3. Some interesting takes on the Ao3 (Archive of Our Own) outage that has been plaguing the fanfic community. If you aren't part of the community or don't know anyone who is - this is probably news to you? If so, it's explained in the links below.
* Ao3 Outage reactions
* brithistorian comments on it at length and provides a good and short analysis of what may have occurred and the surrounding controversy
I've noticed that folks are reacting by posting more fic on Dreamwidth and starting various writing prompt and fanfic writing communities on DW.
While I've admittedly had issues with Ao3 in the past - I really hope that it continues. It's better than fanfic.net was - in part because unlike ffnet, it doesn't promote censorship, which ffnet gave into eventually. Is ff.net still alive? (Checked. Nope. The domain name is now for sale. Hence the reason we had Ao3.) [ ETA: Apparently, I'm wrong, and it does still exist - as fanfiction.net. I just shortened it too much. See link in comments below. Thanks to yourlibrarian for the link.]
There's nothing more annoying and frustrating than having a toy that you've come to rely on for comfort snatched away. I know this - because I've had DW snatched from me on occasion.
Proof that there really is no certainty is there?
4. Finished watching the Frank Sinatra Documentary on Netflix entitled Sinatra: All or Nothing at All
It's among the better biographical documentaries that I've seen. And a nice palate cleanser to the insanely depressing Mathew Perry documentary that I had me sobbing at one point. Sinatra's is moving but in a different way.
It is an oddly inspiring documentary? Also a very good encapsulation of the 20th Century Cultural Shifts, particularly in music and politics. ( Read more... )
I'd recommend it. It does a good job of showing Sinatra, his effect on the culture over a long period of time, and the changes in that culture over that period.
Tightly edited, and directed. Among the better documentaries that I've seen. Also, it veers away from what usually puts me off of documentaries, which is the talking heads or the person talking to you from the television screen. We have Ken Burns to thank for showing how to do a documentary without talking heads.
5. Also finished Vision Quest Episode 7. [ETA: apparently this isn't the last episode - and it has 8 not 7 episodes as I was inaccurately lead to believe by the disneyplus community. 8 actually makes more sense. So deleted review - because the review doesn't work if this wasn't the final episode like I thought it was? Of course it didn't nail the landing - it hasn't gotten there yet. I need to at least give it a fighting chance to attempt it, right?]
( excerpt )
2. Found this article on British Bomb-Disposal Unit in the Guardian (thanks to conuly for the link).
I clicked on it - because my failed contemporary romance novel was about a female bomb disposal Iraqui War veteran. Failed - because it didn't work.
And I'm curious about how they dispose of bombs.
( excerpt )
It's an intriguing read, also kind of staggering - when one considers how many bombs people have dropped in the height of battle, which didn't detonate, and now decades later can kill the descendants of the very people who dropped them. The mindlessness of warfare and the staggering loss of life, never fails to...sigh words fail. This article encapsulates that as well.
( excerpt )
3. Some interesting takes on the Ao3 (Archive of Our Own) outage that has been plaguing the fanfic community. If you aren't part of the community or don't know anyone who is - this is probably news to you? If so, it's explained in the links below.
* Ao3 Outage reactions
* brithistorian comments on it at length and provides a good and short analysis of what may have occurred and the surrounding controversy
I've noticed that folks are reacting by posting more fic on Dreamwidth and starting various writing prompt and fanfic writing communities on DW.
While I've admittedly had issues with Ao3 in the past - I really hope that it continues. It's better than fanfic.net was - in part because unlike ffnet, it doesn't promote censorship, which ffnet gave into eventually. Is ff.net still alive? (Checked. Nope. The domain name is now for sale. Hence the reason we had Ao3.) [ ETA: Apparently, I'm wrong, and it does still exist - as fanfiction.net. I just shortened it too much. See link in comments below. Thanks to yourlibrarian for the link.]
There's nothing more annoying and frustrating than having a toy that you've come to rely on for comfort snatched away. I know this - because I've had DW snatched from me on occasion.
Proof that there really is no certainty is there?
4. Finished watching the Frank Sinatra Documentary on Netflix entitled Sinatra: All or Nothing at All
It's among the better biographical documentaries that I've seen. And a nice palate cleanser to the insanely depressing Mathew Perry documentary that I had me sobbing at one point. Sinatra's is moving but in a different way.
It is an oddly inspiring documentary? Also a very good encapsulation of the 20th Century Cultural Shifts, particularly in music and politics. ( Read more... )
I'd recommend it. It does a good job of showing Sinatra, his effect on the culture over a long period of time, and the changes in that culture over that period.
Tightly edited, and directed. Among the better documentaries that I've seen. Also, it veers away from what usually puts me off of documentaries, which is the talking heads or the person talking to you from the television screen. We have Ken Burns to thank for showing how to do a documentary without talking heads.
5. Also finished Vision Quest Episode 7. [ETA: apparently this isn't the last episode - and it has 8 not 7 episodes as I was inaccurately lead to believe by the disneyplus community. 8 actually makes more sense. So deleted review - because the review doesn't work if this wasn't the final episode like I thought it was? Of course it didn't nail the landing - it hasn't gotten there yet. I need to at least give it a fighting chance to attempt it, right?]
😂😂😂
Nov. 7th, 2026 12:18 pmsettiaiI had to pick up a prescription at the pharmacy today, so I went ahead and got my flu and COVID shots while I was there. Which meant standing around for a bit as they got everything together.
I've got to admit, I was not expecting to be hit on by a Texas cowboy (boots, hat, and a drawl to match) while waiting at a pharmacy in the Maryland suburbs of DC. He definitely used the line "I'm from Texas, which is as blue as your hair now" during the conversation. Which was hilarious, I'll give him that.
I've got to admit, I was not expecting to be hit on by a Texas cowboy (boots, hat, and a drawl to match) while waiting at a pharmacy in the Maryland suburbs of DC. He definitely used the line "I'm from Texas, which is as blue as your hair now" during the conversation. Which was hilarious, I'll give him that.
