Greetings Earthlings. We are bringing in the New Year with news of yet another invasive species; no it's not the present gold obsessed occupants of the White House but rather invasive golden oyster mushrooms or GOM. A new study finds it "is changing native fungal biodiversity as it invades. GOM has spread rapidly in North America and will continue expanding its range." (unlike MAGA that is losing its range by the day). Aishwarya Veerabahu, lead author of the study joins us to forage the facts. As always, we will also introduce you to our Fool-on-the-Hill and Those Whose Brains Were small as well as the ever present reminder that ''It's the Climate Crisis, Stupid'' and more but first it's time for.......Revenge of the Critters! Biker vs. Griz
Let's start out the New Year with a herd mentality of elected officials for our "Their Brains Were small And They Died" segment (even though they've yet to die)? It's actually quite easy 'cuz The Center for American Progress has done all the work with "A new CAP analysis finds that the federal government is rife with officials who deny climate change in leadership positions within the executive branch, presidential Cabinet, and Congress." Surprise! "These elected officials have also received a total of $51,449,854 in lifetime contributions from the fossil fuel industry. The....administration has created a government built on policies to dismantle climate science and appointed, and the Senate has confirmed climate deniers and skeptics to the Presidential Cabinet.... Even as the total number of members of Congress who overtly deny climate science has declined slightly, this analysis finds that in the current 119th Congress, climate deniers hold 69 percent of leadership positions in Congress, the executive branch, and the Cabinet." We may as well remind them in 2026 that "It's STILL The Climate Crisis, Stupid!"
She's back! This week's Fool-on-the-Hill is repeat offender Congresswoman Lauren Boebert who, in the service of gun-happy ranchers out West, has introduced the Pet and Livestock Protection Act. If "Rep. Lauren Boebert's legislation passes the Senate and becomes law, thousands more wolves will be in the crosshairs. This will open the door to recreational wolf hunting across the Lower 48 -- especially in the Upper Midwest states of Michigan, Minnesota and Wisconsin." notes Environmental Action. Only a fool would up the ante in The War Against Nature. Here's an Enviro Show Action Link.
Our Doublespeak of the Week comes from a podcaster who is on the case: "On September 22, 2025, [the] President signed an executive order “Designating Antifa as a Domestic Terrorist Organization.” A few days later, he issued National Security Presidential Memorandum 7 (NSPM-7) entitled “Countering Domestic Terrorism and Organized Political Violence,” which alleged without evidence that Antifa was responsible for a wide range of unrelated acts of violence such as the assassination of Charlie Kirk and anti-ICE protests. But as the Brennan Center for Justice explains, both former FBI Director Chris Wray and the Congressional Research Service have determined that Antifa does not exist as a group or an organization..." Actually a vast majority of our fellow citizens are opposed to the rise of fascism......in the Republican Party! BTW, this mentality has spooked Networks like CBS into censoring critical shows like "60 Minutes" and their recent exposure of the CECOT prison camp in El Salvador where ICE has sent innocent people. Thankfully the full show has been leaked HERE.
Our Critter of the Week is just right for this time and space. We could use a little magic these days and the ABC of Birds tells us: "Considered sacred by several Mesoamerican civilizations, the Resplendent Quetzal remains culturally significant to this day. The Resplendent Quetzal likely inspired Quetzalcoatl, the “plumed serpent” god of Mesoamerica. Legend has it that Quetzalcoatl helped create Earth. Rulers and nobility wore headdresses made from this quetzal’s shining green feathers, which symbolically connected them to the god. In some Mesoamerican cultures, it was considered a crime to kill a quetzal, so the plumes were procured by capturing the bird, plucking its long tail feathers, and setting it free. In several Mesoamerican languages, the term for quetzal can also mean “precious” or 'sacred'." The post goes on: "This spectacular species belongs to the trogon family, a group of colorful, fruit-eating birds found in the Americas, Asia, and Africa....The male Resplendent Quetzal is an unforgettable sight, shimmering with metallic greens and blues above and bright red below, and sporting a bristly-looking crest of golden-green feathers. During the breeding season, the male’s upper tail feathers grow into a flowing green train that can reach up to 3 feet long." You can hear clips of the Quetzal's song HERE.
How about we continue moving into 2026 with more good news? First off is this study just out showing "Rising levels of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere are a major driver of climate change. At the same time, higher CO2 concentrations can encourage plants to grow faster, which in turn can help slow warming by drawing more carbon out of the air." Too sciencey? How about “Billionaires Are Actually Good” - Stephen Colbert feat. Alan Cumming"? No? Maybe you need this Pep Talk? Or, we can just stick with good old panel cartoons like THIS or THIS. You know what they say about laughter, right? It is found in our.....
Quote of the Week......
“The human race has only one really effective weapon and that is laughter.”
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After our conversation with Aishwarya it's on to the Bus Stop Billboard:
Weekly. Here's Indivisible Northampton — Swing Left Western Mass's complete daily listing of all the pro-democracy events in WMass: https://in-slwm.org/wp-content/uploads/Calendar/cal.html. If you're looking for an easy weekday way to jump into the climate movement, you'll love the State House Stand Out! We gather at the Massachusetts State House between 10 am and 2 pm on Tuesdays and Thursdays. Volunteers stand together for 2-hour "shifts," either outside or inside depending on weather, and talk with visitors and State House staff about the Climate Crisis. And This: Western Mass General Strike is hosting drop-in sessions on Wednesdays, 6:00-8:00 p.m. at the Hadley Public Library for conversation and networking around general strikes and other forms of economic resistance. If you would like to get involved in organizing prior to that, contact us at wmgeneralstrike@proton.me. And This: Every Wednesday, 11am-1pm | Bearing Witness to ICE, Burlington, MA. Stand in solidarity outside the ICE Enforcement & Removal Operations Office. Together, we can show love and support for immigrants, express our shame at ICE, and bear witness to the cruel and unconstitutional actions of our government. Info/Sign Up. Fridays , 11:30 AM – 1 PM thru Nov 21: Stop Citizens Bank From Financing Private ICE Prison Standouts. At Public sidewalks on King Street in Northampton, in front of Stop and Shop Plaza (Citizens Bank has a branch inside Stop and Shop). Register HERE. Fridays 3:00 pm - 4:00 pm: Overpasses for Democracy Coordinated Visibility Standout, Wisdom Way Overpass on I-91, Greenfield. Join us for a coordinated event where Indivisible chapters across Vermont, Massachusetts, and Connecticut stage a massive bridge overpass banner event. Register here on Mobilize.us. ALSO: De-ICE Hanscom is excited to announce weekly afternoon standouts will take place every Friday from 1:30pm to 3:00pm at the Hanscom Rotary. The Hanscom Rotary is at the intersection of Hanscom Dr. and Old Bedford Rd. in Lincoln, MA. Please park along Old Bedford Road or Hanscom Drive without impeding traffic or blocking bike lanes. Folks can sign up for De-ICE Hanscom's contact list at this link. Every Monday, 11:30am. -12:30pm. Join us each Monday at the VA Medical Center to show your support for our veterans and federal workers. All the cars honking will brighten your day, too! Bring flags, signs, and friends! VA Medical Ctr, 421 N Main St, Route 9, Leeds, MA. Park in the VA Visitor lot or, if you have a sticker or are a Veteran, park in Look Park. Register here. Saturdays: Noon to 2pm. Weekly Standout at Pride for Migrant Workers, Sidewalk in front of Pride gas station, intersection of Routes 9 and Bay Road in Hadley, 25 Russell St. Hadley, MA 01035. & 2 to 4pm Peaceful Protest, Granby, MA Town Green, U.S. 202 & Connecticut 20, Granby. Go HERE. ALSO No Fear Street Theater stands out on Burlington Mall Road, Burlington, MA every Saturday from 11 am to 1 pm. with signs, costumes, and flags to show support for our immigrant neighbors & Let them know it's New Years at ICE! Caroling & Yuletide readings - English & Spanish, Sign Up HERE.
Tuesday January 6, 12pm-12:45pm. Real Solutions for Energy Affordability. Want to be able to speak with confidence about what policies will actually make energy affordable? The House energy bill is expected to reemerge in January. It is a disastrous combination of proposals that would take us back years on climate policy in Massachusetts, mixed with a few real solutions. We know the utilities are lobbying hard to roll back progress under the guise of energy affordability in this bill. Our voices are needed now more than ever to give our legislators succinct counterpoints to the utilities' arguments. We will be joined by Kyle Murray of the Acadia Center, who will present solutions backed up by expert analysis. Not sure you’ll be able to make it? Sign up anyway and receive the materials after the call. RSVP here
Wednesday January 7, 7 - 9 pm. Melissa Brown, a key advocate for passing the Newton Tree Protection Ordinance, will review the seventeen (17) tree bills filed this year in MA. She will tell us which remain, what they do, and how to help get them passed into law. Beacon Hill is infamously slow to pass bills. You can make a difference because it's the start of the election year for your State Representatives and Senators. In-person at Harvey St Co-housing Common Room, 175 Harvey St, North Cambridge, MA. (if bad weather, this will be Zoom only) Contact info@cambridge4trees.org
Thursday January 8, 3 to 4pm. Indivisible What's New for the New Year. Want to know? Go HERE.
Thursday January 15, 6:30pm - 7:30pm. Policy & Power: New Nuclear in Massachusetts? A Sierra Club conversation with the Executive Office of Energy & Environmental Affairs. Join Massachusetts Sierra Club leaders in conversation with Melissa Lavinson, Executive Director of the Office of Energy Transformation, and Weezie Nuara, Deputy Secretary for Federal & Regional Energy Affairs. Dialogue will focus on Gov. Healey’s proposed legislation to expand nuclear power’s contribution to the Commonwealth’s energy supply portfolio while eliminating the requirement for a statewide referendum on any new nuclear plant sited in Massachusetts. RSVP
Tuesday January 20, 2026, 2:00 p.m. “On January 20 at 2 PM local time, we will walk out of work, school, and commerce because a Free America begins the moment we stop cooperating with fascism. Wherever you are. Host an action at freeameri.ca. Check out the website.
January 27, 7:00 pm. via Zoom. We’re facing multiple crises, from an unstable economy to climate crisis to attacks on immigrants and others. How can we defend ourselves and neighbors and fight back, and still build power for transformative change? How can we move beyond our current polarization and develop a vision and strategy for an alternative that works for the majority? Can we build a world grounded in solidarity, community and sustainability rather than competition, individualism and waste? Stephanie Luce will share lessons from her co-authored book Practical Radicals, plus inspiring stories of resistance from around the country.
Tuesday February 17, All Day. National Day of Direct Action. FLARE and Citizens’ Impeachment are teaming up for a national day of action. Where Your representative’s office. “On February 17th, 2026, we will hold organized meetings with congressional offices in their home districts. This is an opportunity to show directly to their face that their constituents demand better. We will not be satisfied with empty promises. We want leaders who will honor their oath and do their job: Defending the Constitution by impeaching Donald Trump.” Website: citizensimpeachment.com
That's all for now. Let's talk next year and remember......Listen to Your Mother.
