Thursday, January 29, 2026, arrived in Ashland, bleakly overcast, 46 degrees. A high of 55 F is forecasted for us.
“Looks like rain,” my wife said. I nodded, agreeing. Papi meowed for food.
We need snow but it’s been a while since we’ve had serious precipitation in Ashland, invoking drought memories. With drought comes more wildfires, stirring recall of the 2020 Almeda fire, which destroyed several neighborhoods, almost wiping out entire towns. Rebuilding continues more than five years later.
It feels like it echoes Yogi Berra’s observation, “It’s deja vu all over again.”
I met with friends for beers and chats last night. As we discussed ICE in Minnesota and the killings of Alex Pretti and Renee Good, two members reminded us of another ICE killing. Keith Porter was killed on December 31st in Los Angeles. He had a rifle and was shooting it into the air to celebrate the New Year. Not illegal, but an off-duty ICE agent shot and killed Keith Porter for it.
Three dead, all from innocuous actions. ICE’s record for killing U.S. citizens while aggressively hunting ‘illegal immigrants’ darkly disturbs me.
I hope there will be justice for Keith Porter, Renee Good, and Alex Pretti. I’m not sure if that’s possible in the U.S. with Trump in charge. Trump suggested that Renee Good was a terrorist who deserved to die, an allegation given without evidence.
More depressing, those three deaths are just the headline news. Other reports have ICE is responsible for the deaths of eight people in 2026. It’s not even the end of January yet.
Some glimmer of optimism was found on Daily Kos. Mark Sumner summarized how Jonathan Ross, the ICE agent who killed Renee Good, might be prosecuted, citing previous legal rulings and the courses which might be followed. I read it and took deep breaths.
I’m not overly hopeful but there is a glimmer. Part of my negativity stems from several simple facts in the cases and rulings Sumner cited: law enforcement killing citizens is more deja vu all over again.
Trying to break out of the cloud of general malaise now falling on me, The Neurons have a Cake song organized in the morning mental music stream. My friend and I were chatting last night, and I was telling him about this song, “Short Skirt Long Jacket”. He wasn’t familiar with it, though I sang it to him and everything. Should have just pulled out my phone, right? I realized that an hour too late.
Anyway, the bouncy song is now rooted in me, so let’s play it, sing along, and maybe smile a bit.
May peace and grace find us and save us from this cycle of ICE killing, and may justice be served. Cheers
One, I’m for standing up for our rights, and fully support the freedom to assemble, protest, and demonstrate.
I’m less enthusiastic about the 2nd Amendment and gun violence in the United States. However, Alex Pretti’s death wasn’t due to him having a gun. Pretti had a gun, but obeyed the rules and laws 2nd Amendment advocates have established in the last fifty years.
Secondly, the Trump Administration are tangling themselves up trying to create space between the Kyle Rittenhouse and the Alex Pretti situations. Rittenhouse, a teenager, illegally carried a firearm across state lines to a protest and shot three people in 2020, killing two. This was deemed justified.
Alex Pretti had a legally procured handgun, which he didn’t draw. ICE agents beat him on the ground and then shot Pretti, a nurse. Some witnesses reported that Pretti was shot ten times.
Paul Krugman takes up the arguments in “Was This a Murder Too Far?“He notes that in the first ICE killing in Minneapolis, the MAGA faithful closed ranks and blamed the victim.
When Good was killed on January 7th, the Trump administration circled the wagons, insisting that Jonathan Ross, the ICE agent who shot her, was defending himself as she tried to run him down. A close look at the videos showed that this was a lie: Ross leaned into the car to shoot her at close range through the windshield, not something you would do if you thought a car was about to run you over. He then shot her twice more through the side window as the car rolled by in front of him, one of those shots being fatal.
But the MAGA faithful closed ranks, echoing the party line that she was a militant terrorist, albeit one with a dog in the back of the car, who smiled and said soothing words to her killer. Per usual, business remained silent as Good’s character was slandered. And so it looked as if the Trumpists would just bull through with impunity as they had many times before.
Krugman contrasts Good’s death with what happened when ICE shot and killed Alex Pretti, a legally armed.
Media coverage has been much clearer than the coverage after Good’s death. As I was writing this, the Wall Street Journal headline read “Videos Contradict U.S. Account of Minneapolis Shooting”. After some initial equivocation, the New York Times is calling out administration lies and featuring a chilling moment-by-moment analysis of videos showing what really happened.
Big corporations based in Minnesota, after staying completely silent, have finally said something, even if it’s just an anodyne call for “de-escalation of tensions.”
Centrist Democrats, who have spent weeks trying to ignore Minneapolis so they could talk about the price of eggs, are finally taking a stand and appear ready to vote against another round of DHS funding. And several Republicans are now speaking out.
The NRA and other gun groups are now calling for a full investigation of Pretti’s murder, angry that the DHS justifies the execution of Pretti because he was, entirely legally, in possession of a gun. Even Fox News’ s Maria Bartiromo, a tireless Trump cheerleader, sounded patently skeptical when questioning Kash Patel about DHS’s outlandish claims.
ICE remains in Minnesota. Several changes have taken place. The two agents who killed Alex Pretti are on leave. Border Patrol commander Gregory Bovino, a visible presence in Minnesota, left for California.
Trump has joked about not having elections in 2026. Jokes are Trump’s means of putting something out there to see who reacts. Trump also demonstrates no interest in states’ rights, the Constitution, laws, or checks and balances, except as props when he needs a word salad to rationalize events.
Mary Trump reminds us who Trump is in a Substack post, “The Tipping Point”. (Kudos to Nan for making me aware of it.)
When called to serve in Vietnam, he deferred five times. He and his father engaged in racist rental practices so egregious that they were sued by Richard Nixon’s DOJ in 1973. His businesses declared bankruptcy six times between 1991 and 2009. During the 2016 presidential campaign, he disparaged military officers who died while serving their country; mocked a disabled reporter; and insinuated that Sen. John McCain, a legitimate war hero, was a coward. In the Hollywood Access tape, he admitted to sexually harassing women. In 2023, a jury of his peers found him liable for defaming and sexually abusing E. Jean Carroll. A year later, another jury found that he had “acted in malice when he denied Carroll’s allegations” and awarded her $83.3 million. That same year, he was found guilty on 34 counts of falsifying business records (also by a jury of his peers) and his company was ordered to pay $450 million in damages.
Moving forward, we need to keep in mind what Trump did in business and life before.
Like, what’s information the Epstein Files reveals about Trump that he doesn’t want us to know?
There’s lots of food banks, and legal funds, so pick a domain of interest and give ‘em a hand if you can. I was pleased to see organizations that are taking care of the pets of people who have been snatched, too.
It can be overwhelming choosing just one, but any amount to any of them will be gratefully received.
Monday, January 26, 2026, has landed. Frigid cold holds much of the U.S. Ashland in Oregon remains 40 degrees and dry, but partly cloudy, with a high of 57 F expected this afternoon.
Much of my attention shifts between Minnesota, Trump in general, and the winter storm, Fern. My general reflections at this point make me think that the U.S. is in danger of becoming a wasteland, a rich center for the wealthy but a miserable place for the rest. As education and norms are peeled away and freedom is squashed, the future has a bleaker look to it.
For what, many of us ask? We know Trump is the figurehead and has enabled others to act on his behalf. More, the Project 2025 authors are driving it. Their intention seems to be, tear it all down, and then we’ll rebuild in an image of our own making. The image seems to be, believe in our God, buy our goods, and keep your opinions to yourself. In return, we’ll call you free, and remind that this is America, land of the free and home of the brave.
And if you resist, we will vilify, harass, and even shoot you. We will gas you and strip you of your dignity and rights.
To which We the People reply, bring it on.
Today’s music is brought to you by The Neurons. They identified “Baba O’Riley” by The Who as ideal theme music for this final Monday in January, 2026.
Out here in the fields I fight for my meals I get my back into my living I don’t need to fight To prove I’m right I don’t need to be forgiven
Sally, take my hand We’ll travel south ‘cross land Put out the fire, don’t look past my shoulder The exodus is here The happy ones are near Let’s get together before we get much older
So let’s continue getting together and stand up for the United States that we believe in, a nation where we can criticize the government without threats of lawsuits or violence, a nation of elected officials who believe they work for We the People to help us all rise and be stronger, safer, and freer, and not just a privileged few.
Hope it’s a grand, safe day for you, one that helps establish a firm foundation for the needs ahead. Cheers
Not my snow; photo from sis in Plum, a suburb of Pittsburgh, PA.
It’s Sunday, January 25, 2026, in Ashland — if I’m reading my computer right. I trust my machine to tell me the truth but as things evolve into greater complications, it’s not always trustworthy.
We have dry weather, sunshine, and blue skies. The temperature gap has returned. My home system shows it’s 25 F. Online cites the temperature as 29 but Alexa says it’s 40. High temperatures in the fifties are expected.
Two different issues draw my attention as the massive winter storm takes on most of the United States, and Minnesota deals with unrest after another ICE shooting. Fortunately, I have a cat.
Papi’s weather focus is extremely limited. He shows more interest in food, although, power to him, he really likes helping me with yardwork. If I’m out cutting things, pulling weeds, and so on, Papi’s steely green-eyed gaze inspects my work. Both annoying and cute, because I worry about him getting hurt.
He and I went out to salute the sun in the back, our habit going back for years. We came in, I fed him, then began preparing my breakfast. Through the kitchen window, I watched my neighbor across the street. Every day, he walks to the end of his driveway, faces the sun, and stands, eyes closed, for several minutes. Today, with this cold, he was returning to his house within two minutes — about the same amount Papi and I did.
Sis’s on-the-scene report from Pennsylvania said everything is closed, finishing, “Been snowing since it started, middle of the night. ‘Ooo, baby, it’s a white world,’ is the official song.” She sent a photo of her front view, with her son-in-law’s car parked in the driveway. The snow is expected to keep falling through Monday.
Eight southern states are suffering power failures from ice due to the storm. Hope people are able to stay warm and safe.
Likewise, I hope everyone in Minnesota is safe, and stays safe.
Today’s song was inspired by Papi and my wife. Papi wanted food and attention. My wife wants assistance with some running around. The Neurons responded to the exchanges by playing “I’m Your Puppet” by James and Bobby Purify. I admit, I looked up who performed it and turned it into a hit that I often heard on my transistor radio when I was young.
These were the lyrics in mind when The Neurons took the song to my morning mental music stream:
Your every wish is my command All you gotta do is wiggle your little hand ‘Cause I’m your puppet I’m your puppet
The lyrics were modified from hand to paw for Papi.
Let peace and grace finally track us down, stay a while, and restore some sense of optimism for the future. Cheers
Today, January 24, 2026, the news reported that ICE killed another American citizen in Minnesota.
As with the death of Renee Good earlier this month, Homeland Security claims the protestor, Jeffrey R Pretti, was obstructing justice and that ICE agents feared for themselves. Early video evidence of Pretti’s death shows something else happening than what Homeland Security claims, a disturbing and continuing trend. Watching Good’s death, many of us saw a woman driving away. Others claimed she was driving her car at the agent. Later evidence revealed that AI was used to alter the original video, obfuscating the truth.
Whatever circumstances surround Good’s death, the Trump administration closed ranks, blocking local and state investigations. Nothing released or transpired since then has given reason to believe an open and truthful investigation is forthcoming.
Trump has shaped this climate by previously and consistently spreading misinformation. Further, Trump’s pattern of comments raises concerns that government violence against Americans under his administration is part of larger and more dangerous intentions.
Trump suggested heavy Federal presence was needed in Los Angeles and Portland (OR) because the cities were on fire, stories debunked before any troops were deployed, causing his to wonder — why were they there?
Before Trump federalized Washington, D.C.’s police force, he claimed he needed to counter “rampant crime,” but statistics and studies didn’t support that reasoning. Trump claimed Chicago residents were “screaming for us to come” despite significant decreases in violent crimes.
In such an era, I worry the Trump administration will again stop any open investigation of Pretti’s death. In his second inauguration speech, Trump declared, “I want to be remembered as a Peacemaker and Unifier.” With actions speaking louder than words, that is not how I expect Trump to be remembered.
As a manager and retired senior NCO from the military, I learned to investigate mistakes to find what went wrong to prevent reoccurrences. As leader of the Federal government’s executive branch, Trump should welcome open and transparent investigations, and order changes as necessary to ICE’s methodology.
Without such investigations, my doubt grows that we’ll see meaningful change. Without change and clarity about what caused these deaths, I worry for my fellow citizens’ safety, and for the future of our nation.
Saturday came to Ashland dressed in the same weather that Friday wore. Coldish but clear, with sources reporting 36 to 46 degrees F in Ashland, with blue skies. We no longer have a stagnant air advisory and the high will be in the 50s.
As I watch the storm developing in the eastern U.S., I realize that I’ve taken on a new life as a tracker. My tracking life is an old life, but just freshly understood — tracking weather, prices, people’s health along with their moods and situations, and politics.
Sis reports what’s up with Mom, which is mostly moods and mental issues. The truth is, Mom’s issues made co-existing with her a struggle, no matter who it is. A sad trend, sure, but we’ve seen this happening for years. When her boyfriend, Frank, was alive, she complained about him, accusing the 95-year-old of being mean, cheating on her, and secretly plotting and planning unnamed things.
Mom’s prescriptions and credit cards are now the issue. Mom insists she doesn’t have a co-pay; she does until she maxes her deductible. Her credit card was blocked because Frank’s name was on it, too, and his family tried closing it. Sis reports daily rounds about the co-pay and credit cards. Mom is furious with sis because sis argues back and has the receipts, which shows what’s going on. Mom ends with telling sis that sis is being mean — just as Mom used to say about Frank.
As for politics…
Trump requires heavy tracking energy, as that meme shows. His logic defies logic, his history defies history, and his facts defy the truth. That shifts heavy lifting to those aware of these things — tracking them. We know the real story when he says that prescription drugs will be 1,000% (or more) lower or that he’s stopped hundreds of wars and saved millions of lives. We live the truth that the economy and the deficit are not rosy, as he declares.
The Davos show was interesting. According to some reports, he was expected to make an announcement about using 401(k)s to buy houses. But he never mentioned that, instead focusing on himself and disparaging the rest of the world, particularly our allies. Speaking in Switzerland, he said that we’d all be speaking German, if not for the United States, another testament to his vast wasteland of broken understanding.
So much of this places me in a waiting stage, waiting to see what happens with Mom, the economy, politics, the weather, and our life. I’d selected “Wind of Change” by the Scorpions as today’s theme music. It plays in my morning mental music stream, an homage to Francis Buchholz, the group’s bassist who recently died. Written in the USSR during perestroika, the song reflects the sense of change in the nation as realization arrived, the cold war is ending.
Look at the song’s lyrics:
The world is closing in, and did you ever think That we could be so close like brothers? The future’s in the air, I can feel it everywhere I’m blowing with the wind of change
Take me to the magic of the moment On a glory night Where the children of tomorrow dream away (dream away) In the wind of change
It’s about moods, expectations, and how they impact us. That’s why I think it perfect for today.
Stay warm, be safe, and keep tracking what matters to you. May the day bring you grace and peace. Cheers
Sunday, January 18, 2026, commenced as an extension of Friday and Saturday’s weather in Ashland. Dry, air stagnation continues from an inversion layer, making air unhealthy by trapping particles. Although now in the 30s to 40s — 32 degrees F at my house — blue sky and sunshine promise another venture into the sixties today.
Meaning temperatures in the 60s, of course, not the famous years of demonstrations, civil unrest, hippies, and war in the United States, the 1960s. Wait; that 60s may be coming, too, the way I.C.E. violently attacks We the People and Trump escalates military power to bully other nations.
As a 1960s teen, I watched confrontations between protestors and the Federal government on the television nightly news. Now, in 2026, I’m watching the news from Minnesota.
Minnesota has become the focal point of ICE tension in 2026. Trump ordered U.S. military troops in Alaska to be ready for deployment to Minnesota. Minnesota has National Guard ready in response to the ongoing unrest tied to ICE enforcement in Minneapolis.
That’s an interesting inversion of the 1960s, when state governments used national guard units to enforce segregation. Presidents Eisenhower (Republican) and Kennedy (Democrat) responded by Federalizing the national guard or sending in military troops to enforce court rulings.
Back in the 1960s, the perception was that states were resisting change and wanted to continue treating Blacks as lessor individuals, with fewer rights.
Now, Trump is trying to treat anyone who doesn’t support him and his policies as lessor individuals, with fewer rights, and using ICE to bully people into submission. Then, as now, race and power were key issues.
It’s not overly surprising. Progress is uneven. A relatively young nation — just 250 years old — the United States is still adjusting to this whole idea of We the People, with freedom, justice, and equality for all.
It’s a classic situation. Who has the most rights, Federal government, state government, or We the People? Trump’s posture is usually, “The State is Me, and I have the power.” He also claims that We the People gave him the power when he won the support to be POTUS, completely warping the concept that he’s the people’s servant.
After the morning news scan, The Neurons offer Dropkick Murphys and “Citizen I.C.E.” in the morning mental music stream. Not my usual genre, so I wasn’t familiar with the song, learning of it through Crooks & Liars. Watching the Minneapolis crucible to see what happens today, “Citizen I.C.E.” emerges as a worthy theme song.
May your day satisfy your needs today and start an upward trend of good things happening for you. I’m going to address my needs with a little coffee now, if you don’t mind. Cheers
Michael Seidel, writer 