Israel Strikes Iran: On Friday, Israel launched military strikes on Iran. It targeted the country's nuclear sites and killed at least two of Iran's top military officials. The nuclear sites were those at the middle of Trump's nuclear negotiations with Iran. Apparently, Trump told Netanyahu not to target the sites since diplomatic proceedings were underway. Oopsie, Netanyahu did so anyway. However, two Israeli officials told Axios that Trump only pretended to resist the strikes in public. In private, he didn't say shit about not striking Iran. "We had a clear US green light," an Israeli official said. We are complicit. This marks the most significant military action against Iran since Iran's 1980s war against Iraq.

After the fact, Trump is now comfortably implicating himself in the military actions. 

 

 

 

These attacks mean Israel had a trove of secret information on Iran. Israel knew where the clandestine nuclear sites were and what the addresses of top Iranian military officials were. Then, Israel struck them with disturbing accuracy. Turkey's President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, notably a very sane, not tyrannical man, called the strikes a "blatant provocation."  

The Weather: It'll be cloudy, but not too cold. 

California Senator Detained at Noem's Press Conference: Sen. Alex Padilla, D-California, went to Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem's press briefing in Los Angeles. He tried to ask Noem questions and was forcibly removed from the room by several men, pushed to the ground, and placed in handcuffs. He is no longer detained. The incident made Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y. ill. "I just saw something that sickened my stomach. The manhandling of a United States Senator, we need immediate answers to what the hell went on," Schumer said. Yeah, get to the bottom of it, Chuck. Then roll up your sleeves and write a strongly-worded letter, or whatever it is the Dems do. 

Sen. Alex Padilla was just removed from Kristi Noem's press conference in Los Angeles (video: Bill Melugin/Fox News)

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— Phil Lewis (@phillewis.bsky.social) June 12, 2025 at 11:09 AM

One survivor on Air India crash: Thursday's plane crash killed more than 260 people, both passengers and people in the residential area surrounding the crash site. The death toll makes the crash the deadliest aviation disaster in over a decade. Of the 242 people on board, only one person, British citizen Vishwash Kumar Ramesh, survived. He had impact injuries including bruising on his chest, eyes and feet, but was lucid and conscious. He was seated in 11A. 

Boeing bows out: Our local beleaguered airplane manufacturer won't show face at the Paris Air Show after the deadly Air India crash killed 241 passengers. Boeing executives CEO Kelly Ortberg and head of commercial airplanes Stephanie Pope canceled their appearances. The crashed plane was a Boeing 787.

RIP NPR, PBS: A sad day for acronyms and for public media. The House voted to cut $9.4 billion in already-approved Congressional spending as part of stupid Department of Government Efficiency goals. Within the cuts are significant reductions billion to foreign aid programs and the Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB). That latter provides "money for National Public Radio and the Public Broadcasting Service as well as thousands of public radio and television stations around the country," according to the Associated Press. 

Broadcast on: KEXP, the beloved Seattle radio station exclusively for cool people, receives $700,000 a year in funding from CPB. To protest Congress's planned $1.1 billion in cuts to CPB, KEXP is hosting a marathon, 27-hour broadcast. It started on Thursday at 7 a.m. That means, depending on how early you're reading this, the broadcast is happening right now. The plan is to use the marathon session to raise awareness to the impact of these cuts. 

Are you ready for this weekend? Saturday's No Kings protests are scheduled nationwide. Seattle has two: One at Cal Anderson Park and one at University of Washington's Red Square. They're planned to run from 12pm to 3pm. Be safe out there. And tell Trump to kick rocks. 

Scheduled "No Kings" protests around the country.

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— Orange Dick Tater Hater (@realbiscuitspaw.bsky.social) June 13, 2025 at 3:10 AM

Tug-of-War: A federal judge ordered Donald Trump to return control of the National Guard back to California, a ruling that would go into effect Friday at noon. But, then late Thursday, a federal court of appeals judge blocked that order and will hold a hearing on the matter Tuesday. So, this weekend's protests in Los Angeles will maintain a military presence. I'm sure that will keep tensions low. 

Protect and Serve? The Brevard county sheriff in Florida warned protesters not to “throw a brick, a firebomb, or point a gun" at protests this weekend or they will be killed. He rattled off a list of protests actions and their police consequences. Among them? “If you hit one of us, you’re going to the hospital and jail, and most likely get bitten by one of our big, beautiful dogs we have here," he said. "If you throw a brick, a firebomb, or point a gun at one of our deputies, we will be notifying your family where to collect your remains, because we will kill you, graveyard dead." 

ICYMI: I went on KUOW's Soundside to talk about my investigation into the Washington Midsummer Renaissance Faire! Take a drink every time I say "kind of." Ugh. 

A delightful long read: The Intelligencer dives into Pete Hegseth and the imbeciles around him. It's fabulous. 

A song for your Friday: Another Les Mis banger. Well, aside from Russell Crowe's part.Â