ICE and snow, but not just the frozen kind. Can Donald Trump still make a political comeback? Let's hope not.

Well, folks, I don't usually get up on my soapbox, but now the time has come. 

It's high time for all concerned citizens to express our opinions, taking concerted action against Donald Trump and his coterie of enablers. He was actually elected president by a slim majority this last time, but his support has been sinking fast ever since.

And whatever has happened to Kamala? Is she planning a strategic comeback or has she decided to retire from public life? I wouldn't blame her for retreating to private life but would certainly vote for her again if she decides to run for president again. But if so. she does need to start appearing more in public now. 

Whatever has been happening in our country in Donald Trump's second presidency? Three more years are still left to go and he could.do considerable damage during that time. This is becoming an emergency. We need to start pushing back noe and keep on pushing back until he is gone, gone, gone from public life. The man is toxic!  Everything he touches turns to dust

Wash. Post, International companies cut off business in the U.S. because of ICE

Five-year-old Liam Conejo Ramos is now back with his family after he and his fatherr were released from ICE detention. He is only one of many children being detained by ICE, some of them already deported, even though born in the US. ICE has been detaining and deporting even more kids lately. 

Wash. Post, Measles cases identified at ICE’s largest detention facility for children 

First of all, ICE should not be detaining and deporting children. Seondly, all children should be vaccinated against measles, which can be deadly or result in lifelong problems.  

These practices must be remedied ASAP and we all have a responsibility to speak up against them. Two wrongs don't make a right, so we all need to support childhood vaccination and,also oppose the deportation of US-born children.

And, as ha been said before, our country and the world cannot afford to wait 3 more years for Donald Trump to retire from the presidency or perhaps even run for another political office. He seems unwilling or unable to correct his own behavior or to properly direct those working under his command. So Democrats, Independants, and even Republicans need to make sure that Trump is rendered ineffective by any and all means necessary! Those who voted for him this last time must make amends now for their mistake. I will do my very best via this blog, also by talking to our small circle of local folks. So dear readers, please step up to do your part. We all have a responsibility to remedy what we have now allowed to happen.

Please name one beneficial thing that Donald Trump has done this term for Americans or for anyone else in the entire world. Also name a few harmful things, a much longer list. Trump needs to be stopped right now and only American voters can stop him. We will have an opportunity soon at the upcoming midterms. But we should also start even now by just talking to people and making our views more widely known. 

Now, instead of answering reporters' questions, especially questions coming from female reporters, Donald Trump starts immediately criticizing them, as he did recently, faulting a woman reporter for not smiling.  

"I don't think I've ever seen a smile on your face,"

Well what is there to smile about? Of course, Trump failed to answer her question. 

Maybe Donald Trump cannot control his own mental decline and erratic behavior, so we voters and citizens just have to stop him. Of course, there are those in his administration trying to coverup and compensate for him, but they aren't doing very well. They write down what he supposed to say in speeches, but he usually goes off-script. 

So let's start right now planning how to defeat Donald Trump and his advocates and enablers at the midterms. I'm not talking about impeachment, just about old-fashioned voter opposition and electing candidates to work against him. 

Of course, if and when he loses at the midterms, Donald Trump will not blame himself or even his own associates, or take any lessons from the outcome, instead blaming "fake news"and the "lies" of his opponents. Trump still will have  supporters, but their numbers are shrinking.

So let's see what happens at the midterms. Let's hope American voters will show some common sense and take personal responsibility, because Trump can only go as far as we all let him.   

The Hill, Most voters say Trump doing worse than Biden as president: Poll 

Only one year into his present term, voters are already fed up with Donald Trump and his entire presidencial staff. Do we really have to endure all this for 3 more years? Can't we get Trump out any sooner? But, in that case, JD Vance would become our next president, then be able to run again. So do we actually want that either? Let's be careful what to wish for. 

Maria Shriver 'Translates' Trump's Announcement About 'Rebuilding' Kennedy Center: 'No One Wants to Perform There Any Longer'

No, not if it's now being called the "Trump-Kennedy Center." 

A lot can happen in the next 3 years, but it's unlikely that Donald Trump can revive the support that has put him into office this time around. He seems to be on a downward political trajectory and the Trump name is becoming almost toxic amid concerns about the man's failing mental and physical heatlh and regarding his many harmful and contradictory actions. Pretending that eveyrthing is really just fine doesn't cut it anymore.

Elon Musk spent another $10 million to keep the GOP in control of Congress

Can Musk's millions now save Donald Trump? 

Sorry to say that I have family members who bought 

a Tesla before Musk had become active in politics. He did design a pretty popular car, as now many years later, Teslas are still running well.  

Now Trump has warned about "bad things" happening, not specified, in talks with Iran. Trump is not really big on spcifics. 

Donald Trump appeared at a recent hearing with RFK, Jr, about the value of whole milk.  Then, on January 14, 2026, President Trump signed the "Whole Milk for Healthy Kids Act" bringing whole milk back to school cafeterias. (Whole milk does taste much better than skim in my own opinion.)

Doctor on How Screen Time Hurts Kids' Cognitive Development

4:56

Dr. Jared Cooney Horvath: 

Horvath told the US Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation that Gen Z intelligence dropped despite these teenagers and young adults spending more time in school than children did in the 20th century.

The cause, Horvath claimed, is directly tied to the increase in the amount of learning that is now carried out using what he called 'educational technology' or EdTech, which includes computers and tablets.
The neuroscientist explained that this generation has fallen behind because the human brain was never wired to learn from short clips seen online and reading brief sentences that sum up much larger books and complex ideas.

Here's message I just received, though only for Spanish-speakers concerned about Cuba. If a reader doesn't fall into that category, I won't try to explain, much too complcated. 

Encontraremos los cubanos de AQUÍ Y ALLÁ ..

ESA PERSONA … que LOGRE U•N•I•R•N•O•S

a todos bajo UN SÓLO PLAN .. ??

Lograremos ..ACEPTAR ..UNA SOLA VOZ ..para T•R•A•T•A•R …de reconstruir ..la destrucción

FÍSICA .. MORAL .. e .. INTELECTUAL del país y sus habitantes ..?

Nuestro carácter nos ha hecho ..TRIUNFADORES 

pero también ..ha sido el GRAN causante de nuestra DESDICHA …

Quizás aprendimos la lección en estos últimos 

64 años..!!

Por alguna razón SIEMPRE pienso en FRANCO y

ESPAÑA después de la guerra .. SERÍA .. algo así .. “por un tiempo” … nuestra “ única” SOLUCIÓN..?

PUPAMONTES 

//////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////

Many years ago, back when, as a single parent, I was traveling all over the world, volunteering in some 40 countries as an election monitor and human rights observer, my mother then asked me, "Can't you just wait until your children are older?" "Mom," I said, "the world doesn't adapt to my own personal schedule."

Cold aand colder; the case now for more immigrants

 

When we went out early this norning (Sunday, Feb. 1), the downtown temperature gauge showed 13 *F.  That;s rather nippy. 

Forecast (Feb 1): ~24°F/11°F. Very cold, sunny, and windy. So we actually did a tad better than that. 

Certainly the outdoor temperature affects computer function, as each evening, my whole system veers off in crazy directions, especially after dark. I simply cannot conrol it. But the phone always seems to be working properly in case of emergency. 

Groundhog Day 2026: [Feb. 2] Punxsutawney Phil sees his shadow, predicting 6 more weeks of winter 

For a second year in row under this administration, no Black History Month celebrations at all, none whatsoever, are being held at the Kennedy Center. [What is there to celebrate right now anyway?]

In fact, the Kennedy Center will be shut down for at least 2 years for "renovations." That will prevent any boycotts or possible disruptions by anti-Trump performers announcing their unwillingnes to perfrom at the "Trump-Kennedy Center." .

ICE confirms measles inside Texas detention center holding growing number of 

immigrant families

What a nightmare! The Trump administration's anti-vax and anti-immigrant policies, are combining now to wreak maxium damage on human life and health.

Wash. Post, Trump’s governing style hurts value of U.S. dollar, could hamper inflation fight

The dollar’s status as global reserve currency seems safe, but foreign investors are rethinking exposure to the United States.

Trump's governing style might now be characterized as "erratic". We never know quite what is coming next. 

NY Times, [Opinion] The Case for More Immigrants

I've already made the case myself on these pages for accepting more immigrants here in the US. We just aren't producing enough babies, though we cannot accept as many immigrants as would want to come. Once more newcomers start arriving again, it might actually be hard to stop the flow. 

In any case, certainly the US should not be deporting folks any more, espccially childen actually born on US soil. But under President Donald Trump, that actually has been happening. Birthright citizenship has not really been abolished, only in Mr. Trump's imagination. 

 LA Times, Ramos and father, upon judge's order, freed by ICE and back in Minnesota

The first sentence of the Fourteenth Amendment states: “All persons born or naturalized in the United States, and subject to the jurisdiction thereof, are citizens of the United States and of the state wherein they reside.” That includes you and me, also my son Jon born in Colombia, but who become a naturalized US citizen at an early age. 

Instead, let's just deport Donaald Trump now to whatever country would be willing to take him. 

Behind his back, Trunp's cabinet is now being called the "Cabinet of Morons." Some observers have also reportedly called Trump himself a "moron." Trump's behavior looks like a classic case of what used to be known as "senile dementia." How can we all get through 3 more years? 

SLATE

MEDICAL EXAMINER

It’s Time to Face the Big Question About Trump That No One Wants to Ask

Is he losing it? 

Trump 

has even talked about running as vice presidwnt on a future Republican ticket and 

how could any Republican presidential candidate possibly refuse him?  

So, are we may be stuck with Donald Trump until he finally goes on to meet his maker.

I am almost age 88 myself and hope to die knowing that Mr. Trump has definitely retired completely from public life. 

BBC, Israeli air strikes kill at least 32 Palestinians in Gaza, rescue officials say

Wash. Post, 32 people were killed in Israeli strike on Gaza

The US is supporting and financing Israel's campaign of civilian deaths in Gaza.

==============================================

Reading back issues of the New Yorker sent by my younger daughter, I feel somewhat alienated from the magazine now ever since moving to small-town West Vriginia. It's very subtle, but there seems to be a note of condensenation on some of its pages toward many people living right round here.

 Our social environment does influence us since we are all social creatures. I never felt that way reading the New Yorker when I lived back in Washington, DC. 

Friolenta

 

Brrrr! In Spanish, I am called  friolenta, that is, someone especially sensitive to cold. I should just live fulltime in the tropics or maybe in Florida or Hawaii, where I have daughters and also good friends. But now I've bought a house here in West Virginia where I live with my son and his dog Willow The is dog sleeping right next to me noe as I tap the computer keys. 

Here's the local forecast from Google: 

Based on current forecasts, Berkeley Springs, WV will experience very cold temperatures through early February 2026, with daily highs in the low 20s to mid-30s°F and nightly lows dropping into the single digits to teens. Conditions will range from sunny to partly cloudy, with a chance of precipitation increasing toward mid-week. 

I'm so glad to be back on the computer again after a serious glitch that apparently my 

daughter in Hawaii was able to fix remotely. But cold weather does seem to be affecting computer access.

 I also had experienced a bout of vertigo earlier in the day, just like 

 I had in Honduras for 2 days running during my visit there in June 2024. 

Fortunately, this recent episode lasted only a few hours. It's a very disorienting experience 

to feeleverything spinning all around you, keeping you off-balance, though without any pain 

or discomfort.  

When we drove past the Potomac River, we saw ice and snow out on top with water stilll

flowing underneath.

From a lifelong friend in Vermont, I jsut reeived a long message:

Thank you for your sweet memories of my mom, Wanda. The last weeks of her life were so hard for me and my husband in taking care of her, even with all the help we had, ao that it has been hard to remember the better times. Your words have helped me remember the better times. During her life, she was quite pessimistic and negative, without a sense of humor, but in her last years, she began to see the humor in life. My husband was very good about pointing out silly things she would say or do in a way that allowed her to see how foolish they were, and she could then laugh at them. It was shocking, and refreshing to see her laugh at herself. It was grand. 

Here is the photo of myself holding onto Jackie, the ram. My mother took that photo of me when I was age 9 and surely she sent a copy to her family in Egypt. I’m sure it must have shocked them to see such a thing. My mother's life in Egypt was so drastically different from our lives out here on the farm in southern Vermont.

Yet my friend's mother Wanda was lucid until the very end, although she always spoke English with an accent. She had been quite brave to go from her privileged status in Egypt to an unknwon life in rural Vermont with her new husband. He had married her after a very brief courthship in Egypt where they had met during his worldwide travels. It was a classic case of "love at first sight," They had 3 children. Mother Wanda lived long after the death of her husband to almost age 106. In her last days, she had 2 Spanish-speaking caregivers who had somehow made it to the family's remote rural Vermont farm. I spoke with them both by phone.  

So we still need immigrants like the 2 caregivers helping out my friends in Vermont because native-born Americans are simply not producing enough children to do the jobs that need to be done. Our US birthrate now only averages 1.6 children per woman, when 2.1 is needed just to keep our population at current levels. Immigrants have always helped fill in the gaps in this country and there is still room for more. Accepting more immigrants would be quite helpful, though not as many as would want to come. We certainly should not be actually deporting those who are already here. No workable system for screening and admitting immigrants has ever been developed anywhere. We could actually use a few moree right now in West Virginia, where the population is in decline and "help wanted" signs are posted everywhere. . 

DOJ Removes New Epstein Files That Mention Wild Trump Sex Allegations, Including Rape

What will happen to those files now is uncertain. Donald Trump would probably like to have them all immediately destroyed. 

\

Trump sues IRS and Treasury for $10 billion over leaked tax records

Donald Trump as the pressident is in charge of the government, so is he now suing himself since he is responisible for how the government actually operates? As president, he should have undertaken neausres to protect tax records.

How Trump Has Used the Presidency to Make at Least $1.4 Billion.

Dozens of faith leaders arrested in Washington protest against Trump immigration 

policie

Thousands rally in Minneapolis as immigration anger boils

Is this now a US civil war? People want to see criminals arrested, but not those who 

are peaceful though lacking legal status. 

                And people have not forgotten native-born US citizens killed by ICE. 

Chicago mayor tells police to probe allegations of illegal activity by immigration 

agents

Seattle's mayor has done the same. Is our country now embroiled in a civil war? 

                                    Neighbors introduce themselves during a constitutional observer training.

Wash. Post, Thousands of new ICE watchers hit the streets after two killings

Judge denies Minnesota’s request for immediate end to immigration enforcement surge

She rejected pleas from state officials who said the campaign was stepping on their 

sovereignty and endangering the public.

So it all depends on the judge hearing the case what the decison will be. Judges don't 

necessarily decide just according to the legal merits of a case, but also based on their own 

personal opinions and preferences. Justice is not blind. 

Trump wants to build a 250-foot-tall arch, dwarfing the Lincoln Memorial

Donald Trump may never have his face carved on Mount Rushmore nor win the Nobel 

Peace Prize, but he wants to leave his imprint on Washington, DC, 

Wash. Post, Kennedy Center has no Black History Month events following

 cancellations

=======================================

More now from the Epsein files:

• 

  Woman Told FBI Trump Abused Her at 13, Epstein Files Reveal
  She also claimed to haev bitten him in a very sensitive place. 
  
  Epstein Victim Gave Bombshell Testimony on Trump and Ghislaine

===================================

WML, a little girl actually born here in the US, was recently deported to Honduras. What did she do? Now the deportation of a 5-year-old boy, also born here, has been stayed. Donald Trump may want to abolish birthright citizenship, but it has not yet been abolished. Of course, members of his own family are completely exempt from any and all rules. Probably wife Melania is actually here illegally, as she came on a visitor's visa that then expired. But after that, she got pregnant by Donald Trump and had a son, so that was even better than a visa. Now let's just deport that whole Trump clan, including the Donald himself, and send them all back to Scotland, his own mother's birthplace. He himself should not have birthright citizenship according to the rules he wants to impose on everyone else.  

Judge orders US to release 5-year-old Liam Conejo Ramos and his dad from custody 

by Tuesday

======================================

What South Carolina’s soaring measles outbreak means for the rest of the U.S.

More than 840 measles infections have been reported in South Carolina, surpassing the tally in Texas last year.

OK RFK Jr. and Donald J. Trump, you know that many children will die and some will be affected for life. What about promoting routine vaccinations again for childhood diseases?  Vaccination doesn;t always prevent illness, but nearly always reduces the severity if it should still occur, something which actually happens only in a tiny fraction of cases. 

=============================================================

Fox News, 32-year-old woman found dead outside during winter storm, latest Kentucky death

She reportedly was found frozen to death in her own front yard. 

    ============================================================

Reuters, Cubans Oil Tanker Seizures:

 The U.S. has seized tankers (such as the Skipperccarrying Venezuelan oil intended for Cuba, which the Cuban government labeled "piracy"  

TThe New York Times, Cuba under siege as US stranglehold sets in

                    Is the US still at war with Cuba? Fidel Castro is now long gone.

=================================================================

Wash, Post, Israeli airstrikes kill 32 in Gaza, Palestinian officials say

NY Times, Trump Officials Bypass Congress to Push Billions in Weapons Aid to Israel

Israel is apparently still attacking Gaza and still killing civilians. With Donald Trump going crazy now all over the world, making abrupt decisions willy nilly, then now deciding to focus on his triumphal arch, we took our eyes off the ball on Israel/Gaza, giving Israel and Netanyahu free reign to commit war crimes. (Trump has a very short attention span,. Greenland now seems to be all but forgotten.) )

A friend and former neighbor back in DC likes to experiment in the kitchen. After all, everybody has to eat. She recently made an unconventional pizza which I am sorry not to

be there to actually try. Photos below show the pizza before and after baking 

it’s a pizza but w/ a lighter, airier crust, unlike the flat dense ones for standard pizza.  i used whatever i had lying around the house to make this.  my aim was to ‘master’ the dough for the crust, a combination of three diff flours (Italian bread flour, rice flour, and spelt).

           And what is this? I'm not quite sure, but  it has suddenly popped up, so

            here it is  now. .