On Wednesday, I was asked by a friend to do a favor that involved sitting in her house for a few hours. So I did. It was very hot outside, and she had robust a/c. When I arrived, the sky was clear and the sun, punishing. When I left around 6:30, the sky was overcast, not with clouds, but with smoke.
And now it’s Thursday morning, and Michigan has the worst air on the planet. Not the Midwest, not the entire country, the whole damn world. A quirk of the wind has swept wildfire smoke from Canada and Minnesota into our state, and the map footprint is eerie; of course there’s bleeding into other states, but the worst of it seems to stop at the state borders. Good news, Toledo! All the air-quality scales are pegged in the Hazardous zone. As bad as it is in Detroit, it seems to be even worse in the U.P. Here’s the Mackinac Bridge:
Another view:
We have our own a/c on, with the fan running constantly. Morning swim was cancelled. The lakefront park is closed. But never fear! John James, the frontrunner for the GOP nomination for governor, the emptiest suit that ever did empty, the man whose whole campaign is, to steal a phrase from Jon Stewart, “a noun, a verb and a helicopter*,” had this to say:
As Governor, I’ll put Michigan first, demand answers, and push Canada to take real action.
As the quip goes, tell me you know nothing about wildfires without telling me you know nothing without wildfires.
* James was a helicopter pilot during the Gulf War, or “Desert Storm,” as he patriotically calls it, every time. He brings it up…a lot.
In other news at this hour, while I was sitting at my buddy’s house yesterday, I did some rabbit-hole moseying, and came upon the latest from the Indiana Policy Review, which exists as a sinecure for the former opinion-page editor of my alma mater in Fort Wayne. He’s been there since roughly 1990, so that’s a pretty good sinecure. The fact the organization barely exists at all speaks more to the pity the wealthy founding families have for their pet mouthpiece, but never mind that.
This week’s column by him (the lower-case “tcl” at the end stands for T. Craig Ladwig) is remarkable for its naked bigotry and elevation of Indiana’s lieutenant governor, right-wing Christian scold Micah Beckwith, to something resembling relevancy. (It’s a quirk of Hoosier politics that the governor and lieutenant governor don’t necessarily run as a team, as they’re independently nominated by the party faithful. The gubernatorial candidate can make their wishes known, but the delegates don’t necessarily have to do their bidding. So in this case you get a more or less normal Republican serving with a lunatic wingnut like Beckwith.) Lately, Beckwith, a pastor of sorts, has been on about the Muslim Menace, and tcl is right there with him:
The need to confront the Muslim scourge in our cities is dividing the Republican Party — or so you would expect. In Indiana, however, only Lt. Gov. Micah Beckwith is speaking out while other GOP leaders sit silent for fear that Julia Carson’s grandson, Andre, will call them bigots.
Indeed, the governor upbraided Beckwith for not choosing his words more carefully, for not thinking before he speaks.
OK, if the governor wants a careful word choice, how about “seditious”? That’s when you demand that your religion exempts you from a society’s norms, mores, laws and core beliefs to the degree that you would overturn them to be replaced with your own.
Freedom of religion? Do you think the Founders had in mind someone like Genghis Khan, a devout follower of Tengrism, the shamanic religion that worships “the Eternal Blue Sky.” His armies killed as many as 40 million people, estimated to be 11 percent of the world’s population at the time.
It is terrifying to realize that the leading minds of our GOP are willing to abide an openly hostile, globally controlled Islam as a benign curiosity.
To use a not-that-great internet witticism twice in one blog, tell me you know nothing about American Muslims without, etc.
And no, I don’t know what Genghis Khan is doing in there. But I chuckled when, later in the column, he mentions “the unassimilable Muslim population.” I’d like to escort this elderly hayseed on a tour of Dearborn, Michigan. He’ll see some assimilated Muslims, oh yes he will. They make delicious hummus.
OK, gotta clean the house today. Company’s coming for the weekend.
Brandon said on July 17, 2026 at 1:23 am
That smoke is thick. I hope it clears soon.
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Mark P said on July 17, 2026 at 1:26 am
“Muslim scourge.” Can’t get much more bigoted than that without actually picking up the torch and pitchfork.
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Gretchen said on July 17, 2026 at 2:03 am
When they complain that others don’t assimilate, I wonder what their measure is. My grandson takes Irish dance classes and attends our local, very large, Irish Fest every year. His most recent Irish immigrant ancestor is his great-great grandfather. Is he assimilated or not?
I recently attended an Indian-American wedding. There was a Hindu ceremony with Indian clothes and music, and then a Catholic wedding in a cathedral with a white bridal gown, Mendelssohn’s wedding march and the Pachelbel Canon. Assimilated or not? The participants are healthcare workers and Finance bros on Wall Street. All born in the US or brought here very young, with New York accents. Seems pretty assimilated to me, but the groom wore a turban to the Hindu wedding. And a suit and tie to the Catholic one. How assimilated is assimilated?
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BigHank53 said on July 17, 2026 at 6:39 am
Hey, I can think of someone quite prominent who sincerely believes he’s exempt from society’s norms, mores, laws and core beliefs to the degree that he’d overturn them. Already has overturned them, in large part.
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nancy said on July 17, 2026 at 8:25 am
Gretchen, when I lived in Fort Wayne, I was gently wooed by an elderly gentleman in Berne (one county south of mine, for you civilians). He lived alone on a farm down there that had been in his family for at least 100 years. He told me that one reason for his shyness was that he hadn’t really learned English until he started school, that they’d always spoken “Swiss,” i.e. the pidgin German that the Amish around there use, in his home.
“Oh, so your family were recent immigrants?” I asked. No, he said, they’d been there for at least five generations previous.
So don’t talk to me about assimilation.
Oh, and as to the line about how Muslims refuse to abide by American laws, I’m sure he’s talking about :::ominous chords, music under::: SHARIA. A Muslim of my acquaintance rolled his eyes when I asked him about this, and explained that in this country, sharia is basically like binding arbitration for disputes between Muslim parties. For instance: Ahmed is recently arrived from Iraq and wants to open his own gas station. Because of usury prohibitions (and a lack of credit history, and collateral), he borrows money from his neighbor Mohammed, who’s been here long enough to gain some success. He falls behind on his repayments. Mohammed summons him to a meeting with the imam, who will hear both parties and work out a solution they both can live with. This may also apply in divorce, custody and other issues where you don’t necessarily want to involve the official authorities. And that is sharia. Terrifying, innit?
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alex said on July 17, 2026 at 9:12 am
The right-wing blather about assimilation is a red herring. Anyone who isn’t a strident Christofascist is unassimilated as far as Beckwith and Ladwig are concerned, and even then it don’t count if you ain’t lily white. All the scaremongering about sharia is no different than that about socialism; movement conservatives have been trained to react to these bugaboos like Pavlov’s dogs.
I’m venturing out this morning to water my plants. It’s kind of weird seeing a sepia-toned world through my windows. Here’s hoping the rain they promised later today will wash the smoke away.
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Dave said on July 17, 2026 at 9:35 am
I see that the car dealer senator from Ohio is introducing a bill to put sanctions on Canada because of the smoke.
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Mark P said on July 17, 2026 at 10:27 am
“Sharia law” for Jesus f’in Pete’s sake. The New Testament says exactly the same thing for. Here’s NIRV 1 Corintians 6: “Suppose one of you wants to bring a charge against another believer. Should you take it to ungodly people to be judged? Why not take it to the Lord’s people?”
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Jeff Gill said on July 17, 2026 at 1:11 pm
Columbus OH hit a record overnight around the 550s, the previous record was 200-something; it’s been coming down all morning, at least, and here in Brigadoon it’s at 210. We’re canceling earthworks tours outdoors today & my longer remnant tour tomorrow — no day for 3.5 miles on unshaded sidewalks. Forecast AQI in the 80s even after a front pushes through, and even 70 is considered high.
Micah Beckwith wants to make this being said out loud illegal; it’s not how I roll with Mohammed and all, but I’d say to Micah “be careful what you wish for, parson.”
Allahu Akbar! (God is the Greatest!)
Ashhadu anna la ila ill Allah. (I bear witness that there is no God but Allah.)
Ashhadu anna Muhammadan rasul Allah. (I bear witness that Mohammed is God’s Prophet.)
Hayya alas salah! (Come to prayer!)
Hayya alal falah! (Come to salvation!)
Allahu Akbar! (God is the Greatest!)
La ilah ill Allah! (There is no God but Allah!)
If it isn’t louder than the municipal noise ordnance permits, hey, you sing guys.
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Peter said on July 17, 2026 at 2:09 pm
After last night’s “speech”, I’m reminded of this joke from 1980’s Romania:
Every day, an older woman goes to the local news stand when the morning paper arrives. She buys a paper, looks at the front page, sighs, and throws the paper away.
This goes on for more than a month. One day, the news vendor asks her: “Comrade, why do you buy a paper every day, look at the front page, then throw it out?”
“Because comrade vendor, I’m looking for an obituary”
“But the obituaries are on the back page!”
“Believe me, comrade, the obituary I’m looking for will be on the front page!!”
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Peter said on July 17, 2026 at 2:13 pm
Oh, and that air! (or should I be Larry David and say Oy! that air…) I’m getting thisclose to retirement age, and we were thinking of buying a summer home around Marquette where we can have cooler days and cleaner air. Now what…might as well buy a home in Shreveport or Houston and get acclimated to my afterlife.
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Deborah said on July 17, 2026 at 2:31 pm
I saw a short clip of Trump speaking and I was particularly shocked at how poor his delivery was, he could barely read the teleprompter. I’ve seen him struggle before but this time it was way worse. He obviously never reads the speeches ahead of time. Plus I think his vision is bad but he’s too vain to wear reading glasses and he probably doesn’t wear contacts because he’s too much of a baby. He was also hoarse probably from screaming at everyone around him all day because he’s so freaked out about the Republicans losing the majority in the midterms.
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Dexter Friend said on July 17, 2026 at 3:11 pm
Deborah, you observed exactly what I did; Trump was all droopy and hoarse and looked exhausted. He also clearly said proof of citizenship will be required in November. This is a scare tactic to keep people away from polling places. Poor and working class people do not generally need passports, and a couple passports would take half a paycheck…no way. How many women have time to get proof of their birth name or pay for a copy of their marriage license, just to vote?
Of course Trump just said this, no backbone to it. This Fall, I will show my driver’s license (just got renewed) and vote. If I would need a worthless-to-me passport, I would not do it.
Another choking day here; I had chest pain just filling up the van yesterday, it was horrible. Toledo was really bad, actually, and we may have been worse, with a 561 rating at one time. Yesterday, my niece posted a haunting photo of the view from her high rise Chicago condo; it was grim, Willis and Hancock just a barely visible shadow, and this from the South Loop, close-in.
7.3 earthquake off Mexico and Guatemala, a big one indeed
And Sully the pilot has Alzheimer’s. Damn.
Jay the Toledo 13 weatherman just posted for us to be ready for possible tornados on Saturday.
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Deborah said on July 17, 2026 at 4:45 pm
I had no idea there could be this many earthquakes https://earthquake.usgs.gov/earthquakes/map/?extent=11.52309,-151.78711&extent=58.81374,-53.78906
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susan said on July 17, 2026 at 5:20 pm
Deborah, here’s an app that was created for US west coast earthquake notifications, but it shows earthquakes in real time world-wide.
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Deborah said on July 17, 2026 at 5:25 pm
I read where the cyclospora infestation may have started with a company that sells shredded lettuce to Taco Bell. If I find out I have it when the final test is complete, I want you to know that I’ve never been to a Taco Bell in my life and I’d certainly never go to one while I’m here in Santa Fe with all of the good Mexican food places around here., that’s blasphemy. Although there are 3 of them in Santa Fe, which seems preposterous to me.
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David C said on July 17, 2026 at 5:59 pm
It’s raining here and the forecast doesn’t call for smoke tomorrow. So knock wood, maybe we’re getting a break.
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Mark P said on July 17, 2026 at 6:59 pm
Deborah, a friend asked his brother, who has lived in NM for decades whether Hispanics ate at Taco Bell. He said, “Oh yeah, all the time.” I can promise I’ll never eat at Taco Bell if visiting him in New Mexico, but I eat at Taco Bell here in Georgia. It’s cheap and almost certainly more healthy than a hamburger joint.
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Brandon said on July 17, 2026 at 7:43 pm
The comments on the Amish piqued my curiosity.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Swiss_Amish
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Jakash said on July 17, 2026 at 7:50 pm
Enjoyed both your jokes @ 10 and 11, Peter.
Hell, Shreveport or Houston — at least you’d have better company in Hell, I imagine. Which recalls the Gen. Philip Sheridan zinger, a version of which is: “If I owned Hell and Texas I would rent Texas and live at the other place.”
Our air is much better at the moment (AQI 68), but I saw a screenshot last night of the AQI in Northbrook, a northwest suburb of Chicago. Uh, it read 919 at the time.
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alex said on July 17, 2026 at 10:19 pm
Everyone I know who has had the explosive shits vehemently denies ever eating at Taco Bell, and some I believe about as much as I do when they deny ever voting for Trump.
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ROGirl said on July 18, 2026 at 9:46 am
Current AQI is 85. It’s sunny, 80 and very humid.
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diane said on July 18, 2026 at 11:16 am
I had not heard Peter’s joke @10 before but just the other day a friend commented to me that she cannot wait for the big, beautiful obituary.
While there have been presidents that I detested, never did I think that I would feel like Romanians under Ceaușescu must have.
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Dave said on July 18, 2026 at 12:23 pm
What Diane said, I believe there’s not one day that there’s some point that I think, I really hate that man and I can’t understand why there’s others who can’t see all the damage he’s doing.
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basset said on July 18, 2026 at 4:31 pm
“Gently wooed,” what a way to put it… can you say more about that description?
Just back from two days in the hospital, heart stuff. Took Mrs. B to the oral surgeon, weak and massive sweating on the way… when we got there I looked bad enough that the surgeon took her out of the chair, put me in, hooked up the monitors and called 911.
Nothing life threatening, pretty much OK now but taking it easy for a few days.
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Julie Robinson said on July 18, 2026 at 7:16 pm
And you’ll be following up with a cardiologist, right, basset? I say this because a year ago today we brought Dennis back home from the hospital after a heart catheterization and insertion of two stents.
Since then he’s had quite the journey with rehab, new ways to eat, lots of meds, and finally his numbers are where they should be.
Because of this I know there’s much they can do to help. Please take care of yourself!
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dull_old_man said on July 18, 2026 at 7:48 pm
I saw a version of the looking-for-an-obit-on-the-front-page joke in the Reader’s Digest about FDR.
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basset said on July 19, 2026 at 7:07 am
Already started on that, Julie, and I expect to have one lined up tomorrow.
Maybe if I get a stent it’ll be made by Cook and there’ll be a part of me that is forever Bloomington.
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Deborah said on July 19, 2026 at 2:31 pm
I got a phone call this morning from the Dr (PA?) that I saw on Monday at the urgent care place. She had “results” from the cycolspora test. I say “results” because it was unclear, they said it was tentatively negative, because they said the specimen was insufficient in some respects. I have no idea what that means and neither did she. I asked if I should submit a new specimen and she said not to right now because things are leveling off. If it returns I should contact her. In the meantime she told me I should use a probiotic and recommended Kombucha or eat sauerkraut or get some probiotic yogurt. So I got Kombucha and sauerkraut and I’m drinking a kombucha now. It tastes OK, I could get used to it. I actually like sauerkraut, must be the German in me.
Weird that I got the call from the Dr on a Sunday morning. She also said I should schedule a colonoscopy when I get back to Chicago at the end of summer.
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Jeff Gill said on July 19, 2026 at 2:57 pm
My heart says Argentina, but my head says Spain.
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basset said on July 19, 2026 at 9:47 pm
Sauerkraut… tried making it on my own, didn’t go well. I did run across canned kraut juice in I think a Target grocery, should have bought more of it because all I can find now is on Amazon for something like $4 a can.
So if you were gonna invent a new kraut-based cocktail, what would be in it and what would you call it? Maybe something in a frosted collins glass with a Vienna sausage garnish and plain saltines on the side…
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