BISBEE WIRE #106/BISBEE WIRE #106/ where to get your bod moving/Crosby denied/open house/streaming series/Pound Sand!/best ai chat
- fred
- 12 minutes ago
- 23 min read
editor: fred miller January 12 2026 #106/January 2026
Hello,
Bisbee Forward is having an informal open house Wednesday/Jan. 14th, 5:30-7:30 pm at the Pythian Castle, 37 OK St. The community-wide event will have light refreshments. The many businesses, long time and newish, that comprise the business group is hosting the gathering as an opportunity to informally talk together and for people to get to know members of the organization. It is a first effort in a community-wide dialogue about all things Bisbee. Hopefully council members, and non-profit folks, as well as residents will come. This year, 2026, will likely be the most pivotal year since I move here in 1994. There are a number of important changes that are occurring; the three term city manager is gone-a new one coming through a yet undetermined process, with the CM gone, the direction of tourism/visitation efforts is finally ripe for change, the city's economic situation has worsened, town is aging, the council is younger, many non-profits in our community are struggling to attract more and younger members as leaders are ageing. Just a few of the problems in our old beloved city. Our situation is occurring in an rapidly changing national, state, county environment of division, burgeoning authoritarianism, and wealth transfer. These are problems for sure, but they are opportunities to grow and do things differently, and I believe to flourish as never before. The formation of Bisbee Forward is important because some of the same conditions are present when we formed Better Bisbee, Better Together a decade or more ago. The formation of that business group, more narrowly foucsed on tourism, led to a period of cohesive marketing, a responsive tourism manager, and visitation polices that were based on the economic needs of the community. Those similar conditions also exist now, although the context has changed. The articulated beliefs of inclusiveness for all the community that Bisbee Forward has espoused is both new and welcome. So I urge you to join me and lots of other people at this open house, talk about your ideas, listen to these older and newer business people and let's move forward.
I left out at least one non-profit in my list last issue, Project Wildlife. Most of the organizations I listed along with some religious orgs, have provided the cultural and service infrastructure that have made living in Bisbee so satisfying and fulfilling. They need, and deserve, your support with volunteered hours, as well as dough. When you spend some time giving your labor in whatever form you can, you receive far more in return. I've included the list again at the end of this newsletter.
Thanks to JM and MR for your donation on January 2. I don't have your email addresses under your names to give you an individual thanks. Very much appreciated.
Erratum....I incorrectly stated that Bisbee Vogue had pickleball courts installed at Higgins Hill. Thanks to former mayor David Smith, who sent me a note saying that the pickleball courts were installed and the basketball court redone during his time in office by contractors paid for by a donor. BV had nothing to do with it. Bisbee Vogue, in conjunction with the Bisbee school district, has converted the former tennis courts in Vista Park to pickleball courts.
And speaking about pickleball...the really great, muy espectaular, KBRPickleball tournament will take place February 28. The website will have more details or email kbrpradio@gmail.com.
Gabby Giffords, one of the best of us, was shot and maimed 15 years ago at a meet n greet event in Tucson. Six people were killed and 13 wounded. She was our congressional representative at the time. I had the good fortune of knowing her both before and after she married Mark Kelly, now Senator Mark Kelly. Gabby was a wonderful presence and her political sky was unlimited, I think she could have been prez. She has spent arduous years of work relearning basic human stuff; speech therapy, motor control, and much of just how to live with reduced faculties, as she has partially recovered from the brain injury she suffered from being shot. She continues to inspire in many ways. If you ever have a chance to hear her in person, go. This is a news clip that gives a sense of her difficult journey and wonderful presence. fred
...............AROUND TOWN................
COUNCIL TO INTERVIEW, VOTE ON FILLING WARD 1 COUNCIL POSITION
Special Session of the council 5:30 Tuesday/13 to appoint new coucilperson for Ward 1 vacancy. Interviews will take place at 5:30, then a private exec session for discussion, and then back into special session for vote on whom to appoint. The following are the applicants and their application letters are here
Lori Reynolds, Amy Burkert, Boyd Nicholl, Michael D. Ablin, Robert R. Harmon, Beth Moorhouse, Adele Chernow.
The letters that were submitted were interesting and revealed different ideas about being a council person.
>Lori Renyolds, a retired occupational therapist and 5 year resident, thought that her experience with Bisbee Holistic Wellness Center would be helpful as a council person.
>Boyd Nichols-a former council person submitted the shortest letter, a 5-sentence letter stating his prior participation in several city government and non-profit positions experience.
>Amy Burkett wrote the strongest letter with a concise explanation of her professional experience, business ownership, & skills, with an emphasis on her accounting background. She mentioned her interest in infrastructure, economic resilience (a nice phrase) and strengthening communication between the city and residents. She was the only one who emphasized listening as a skill.
>Mike Ablin, owner of the Legion, mentioned his work in the community and a city commission as well as his business background. He appended a summary of his impressive contracting and business operations history.
>Robert Harmon mentioned budgeting and strategic planning skills in his bid for the seat. He also talked about his experience in the court and with arbitrations as well as his desire for the future health of the city and transparent governance.
>Beth Moorhouse, owner of Bisbee Brownstone Suites, detailed her experience in the longest letter submitted, that emphasized the importance of tourism to the city and her 30-year experience in the hospitality and travel industries. She also mentioned the lack of affordable quality housing as an issue she is concerned about. She touted her financial accounting background, expressed support for the opengov.com platform, and that she could help with improved communication about financial matters to residents.
>Adele Chernow in her letter, described her experience in mental health counseling and advocacy as well that she was the director of an agency. She mentioned her familiarity with the role of police departments and her experience working with law enforcement agencies.
++++++++++
ADELITA GRIJALVA TO VISIT BISBEE
Our congressional rep Adelila Grijalva will be in Bisbee, Wednesday January 21. 1-3 pm at the library/6 Main. This is an opportunity to talk with her about law enforcement cooperation with ICE, ask her to sign on as a support for immigration bill HR 4393, the Dignity Act, federal grants for Bisbee water/waste infrastructure, election security and ?????
++++++++++
VERIFY YOUR VOTING INFO
Verify your physical & mailing address, party affiliation, etc. using any of these methods. It takes just a couple of minutes.
Cochise County website: https://www.cochise.az.gov/925/Register-to-Vote-Online
Service Arizona: https://servicearizona.com/VoterRegistration/selectLanguage
AZ SOS website' "My Arizona Vote"
++++++++++
BORDER CHECKS NOW GOING INTO MEXICO
On Dec. 26, the Department of Homeland Security put in place a new rule forcing all non-citizens to allow themselves to have their photograph taken for biometric-data searches when they leave the country. This doesn't just mean people illegally in the country — it means all the millions of legal permanent residents and other visa holders, too."Although U.S. citizens are not covered by this rule, they may continue to voluntarily participate in the facial biometrics process at entry and exit," DHS said in a press release on the new rule. "U.S. citizens who prefer to opt out of the facial biometrics process may simply notify a CBP officer or airline representative and undergo manual inspection of their passport, as required for international travel."When people enter the United States, we increasingly open ourselves up to this sort of invasive inspection that goes beyond whether your documents are in order. But entering the country, it's something we expect. Now, the same is becoming true when people leave the country by land. For now, the policies are just focused on non-citizens, and they're irregularly applied. But it only takes one turn of the dial for us all to become subject to these same federal checks of our biometric data before we're allowed to leave the country.And then it's one more turn of the dial for personal connections or political viewpoints to be part of the screening. Tim Sellers https://tucson.com/news/local/subscriber/article_bf4872aa-441c-4169-90f4-9c843c1ae3ec.html?utm_source=tucson.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=top5
++++++++++
SPEEDING TICKET WILL JACK YOUR INSURANCE
According to a recent study by Lending Tree, speeding tickets increase auto insurance rates by an average of more than $1,000 annually for Arizona drivers. That is far higher than the national average of about $525 more per year.Arizona drivers' insurance costs increase by an average of 28% after receiving a speeding ticket for going 11 to 15 mph over the limit. AZ Central
.++++++++++
COUNTY OFFERS ONE DAY FOR HELP WITH LAW ENFORCEMENT/LEGAL ASSISTANCE/SERVICES
Cochise County will host its next Justice and Care Collective community event on February 4, 2026, The event allows individuals with eligible non-felony warrants to have their outstanding warrants quashed on-site and receive a new court date, helping participants move forward without fear of arrest. In addition to legal assistance, attendees will have access to a wide range of voluntary services designed to support stability, health, and recovery.Date: February 4, 2026Time: 1:00 p.m. – 4:00 p.m.Location: Cochise County Health & Social Services4115 E. Foothills Drive, Sierra Vista, AZ 85635Go here for the county press release
++++++++++
FREE BOOKS FOR KIDS
Among the many resources for children at the Copper Queen Library (learning kits, early literacy kits, pads, little book club, Brown Bag Craft kit, story times, and more) is a signup for the Dolly Parton Imagination Library. Participants get a free book every month. Go here for the library or signup on the DP website hereGARDENINGOne of my life's little irritations are fungus gnats in the house. Anita frequently sees me batting the air like a blind boxer in a fruitless effort to crush things I barely see. They come from soil in houseplants that have been replanted or, more frequently, over-watered. Linda Ly who has a very informative all-things gardening website called Garden Betty has several suggestions here. I'm going to try one or more of her suggestions, and if you gottum and try some of these techniques, please let me know if successful. I've found that her newsletter and website Garden Betty has been one of the most informative and useful gardening site I've used Even though she is in high altitude and short growing season, Bend Oregon, many of her articles can be used in our USDA zones which are Old Bisbee-Zone 8a: Average minimum winter temperatures of 10°F to 15°F and Warren/San Jose and surrounding areas-Zone 8b: Average minimum winter temperatures of 15°F to 20°F.++++++++++
PROWL GOING TO TOMBSTONE?
The organizers of the Prowl motorcycle gathering has been talking to the town of Tombstone about holding the event there. Tombstone event committee hosted the Prowl organizer Matt Romero and his family to talk about the location change. Recently Romero has said they are pausing the event in Bisbee to regroup. The Prowl has elicited support and opposition in the past couple of years when it has been held in the gulch. There has been no decision but Romero appreciated the support that came from Tombstone.
WHERE TO GO TO GET YOUR BODY & MIND MOVING
WORKOUTS
>>>>Exercise-aerobic/floor/strength, Mon Wed Fri at St. Pat’s rec hall from 8 AM to 9 AM. All are welcome. Parking is free. $2 James Coull and Jane Borger are the exercise leaders.
>>>>Sit N Fit, Mon Wed Fri from 9:00 - 10am, Lunar Studio /34A Brewery Ave in the gulch, Cardio, chair toning, stretching, $10 contact me, Caren Rahn, 520 3664744
>>>>Lunar Studio, 34A Brewery, aerial yoga, mixed apparatus, low pole. http://lunarstudiobisbee.com
>>>>Club Kilimanjaro upstairs. Strength and flexibility is 10 AM to noon Mondays at Aerial acrobatics, and stilting are available by appointment privately or in groups. www.aureliacohen.com 541-261-6558
>>>>Sonia Rita Wellness Weight lifting and body weight movements with multiple breaks! Mon, Wed, Fri 6am , every weekday 9am,Tues, Wed, Thur 5:30 pm. 50 Main St All skill levels and ages! 50 Main St! 7.50/class, 50/month (unlimited classes) New folks confirm a spot: text 808-896-8360
>>>>Exercise With Paz. Bisbee Senior Center, Tuesday and Thursday 10:00, free, all ages.
>>>>Tai Chi for beginners, St. Johns Hall, 19 Sowles, Wednesdays 5-6 pm, $5 class. Begins 1/14, but check w/Bill about later, as classes build
>>>>Tai Chi, Senior Center Tuesday/Thursday 9 am
GYMS
(Check your health insurance for coverage of gyms, and other self-care perks. These could include massage therapy and acupuncture along with other services. summary of benefits and coverage (also known as SBC))
>>>Arizona Street Fitness, 215 Arizona St. 520 353-2008 https://azstfitness.com/
>>>Jaguar Elite Fitness, Safeway Plaza, 520-432-0248 jaguarfitnesselite@gmail.com
>>>Lowell Gym, 66 Erie St. 24 hour access 505-720-9976
YOGA
Presbyterian Yoga Annex 24 Howell
<<Mondays, 4:00-5:00 pm $15 Gentle Chair Teachers: Co-Led alternating weeks by: Donnette Hill Walto, (315) 882-0900 and Nancy Pipkorn 520) 227-7252 nanranpip@gmail.comdonnettehillwalto@gmail.com,
<<Wednesday, 9:15-10:15 AM $15 Foundational Yoga, Co-led alternating weeks by: Amy Merkel(262) 330-4075 and Anna Hayes (520) 934-4453starfishyoga@yahoo.com
<<Gentle Yoga, 5:30-6:30 $12-$15, Nancy Pipcorn,
<<Fridays, 9:15-10:15 AM, $15, Kripalu Nature Based yoga, Donnette Hill Walto, (315) 882-0900 donnettehillwalto@gmail.com
Club Kilamanjaro, 24 Subway Street, upper level (stairs):
>>>8:30 - 10:00AM Yoga with Anna Teacher: Anna Hayes,(520) 934-4453
>>>5:30pm - 6:45 pm, Integral Flow, all levels. Amy Merkel,(262) 330-4075 starfishyoga@yahoo.com..........
HIKES
>>>The Muleteam hiking in the area around Bisbee AZ since 2000. Each Saturday a wide range of hikes averaging 4-7 miles roundtrip. Anyone is invited to join us, but each hiker is responsible for their own safety and comfort. Hike schedule is at muleteam.blogspot.com.
>>>Joe Flynn wife’s hikes https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=Flynn+hikes
..............EVENTS...............
January 13...Community Chorus, 24 Howell 6-8:00 pm, Open recruitment through 2/10. everyone welcome, no audition. More info hereJanuary 15...Pie & Sky, 518 Melody Lane, 6-8 pm. A talk on the Geology of Bisbee, and stargazing. January 17...Sound Bath, 3518 A Canyon De Flores, Sierra Vista, $30 info at 520-255-1519 or 520-378-0047February 8...For the Love of Music, Women's Club, 7 Ledge, 3 pm. February 28...The great, really good, spectac, one&only KBRP Pickleball Tourney!!!! More details coming soon..
.++++++++++
MEDIA MENTIONS
Shady Dell
Gretchen Baer/artist
..............COCHISE COUNTY................
Tom Crosby denied for the third time by the Supreme Court. Trial to begin February 9 in Maricopa court. KBRP will have a correspondent, Ali Morse, on site for reports. It outta be agains the law to take the same case to the supremes more once. Sheesh! Talk about spurious lawsuits and clogging the courts….https://www.myheraldreview.com/news/cochise_county/az-supreme-court-bats-down-crosby-s-legal-hail-mary/article_afddff65-b02a-4b76-a9ba-705868f493ed.html?utm_source=second-street&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=breakingnewsalerts&emailmd5=86133028c618af29dd87
++++++++++
GRAND JURY INDICTMENT SOUGHT FOR FORMER COUNTY ATTORNEY
The La Paz County Attorney's office sought and received a grand jury indictment of Paul Correa, once a top member of the Cochise County Attorney’s Office. The use of a grand jury indictment allowed the prosecution to move forward without requiring witnesses, including the young victims, to give public testimony at a preliminary hearing. Correa, 59, pled not guilty Jan. 5 in Cochise County Superior Court on charges of tampering with physical evidence, public sexual indecency, and harassment of a minor by surveillance. A pretrial conference is set for Februrary 17. Judge Henry Whitmer from Yavapai County has been assigned the case
++++++++++
AG SETTLEMENT WITH RIVERVIEW DAIRY INCLUDES $11 MIL FOR WELL DRILLING AND WATER ACCESS
Arizona Attorney General Kris Mayes announced a precedent-setting settlement with Riverview, LLP at a press conference in Pearce on Thursday, requiring the controversial dairy operation to reduce groundwater usage and provide $11 million for well drilling and water access for affected residents in Cochise County's Sulphur Springs Valley.
The agreement requires Riverview to fallow or transition 2,000 acres of irrigated farmland over 12 years and establish two $5.5 million funds to ensure continued potable water access for valley residents. The settlement addresses declining groundwater levels that have left numerous wells dry in the area. Go here for H-R article.
++++++++++
HUACHUCA WILDLIFE CAUGHT ON CAMERA
..........STATE..........
"POUND SAND"....SEC OF STATE FONTES RESPONSE TO FED SUIT DEMANDING AZ VOTER INFO
“They’re going to have to put me in jail if they want this information,” Arizona’s top elections official told Democracy Docket hours before his state was sued.Fontes was responding to a suit filed by the US Dept of Justice. Like all other ongoing DOJ cases, the lawsuit seeks a court order compelling election officials from each state to provide their full statewide voter registration list, including voters’ names, birthdates, residential addresses, driver’s license numbers and partial Social Security numbers. "...DOJ again invokes a “sweeping” interpretation of the Civil Rights Act of 1960 to argue that the attorney general has near-unreviewable authority to seize statewide voter rolls for “inspection, reproduction and copying.” The department claims the data is necessary to enforce federal voter roll maintenance laws, even as multiple states warn that producing the records would violate state privacy statutes and expose millions of voters to misuse." Go here for the Democracy Docket article.
++++++++++
THE LEGE!!! GET THE WEEKLY, REQUEST TO SPEAK, BILLS IN THE LEGE
>>>Be informed by reading the Weekly, a newsletter that winnows the lege bills. sign up here
>>>Go here for the initial take on the 2026 lege session and some of the bills going to committee.
>>>Comment on legislation with request to speak. Go here for how. Jan 19 is a training
>>>Some of the initial bills put forth are here Oppose them.
++++++++++
VACCINATION RATES IN ARIZONA
++++++++++
LAUGH OF THE DAY
Sen. John Kavanagh, who is now Senate Majority Leader, has introduced a bill to criminalize any attempt to "alter the temperature, climate, weather or intensity of sunlight" (from Camryn Sanchez, KJZZ). Kavanagh explained that the bill expresses his constituents' fear of chemtrails. Arizona can again claim the Laughingstock medal. (from CEBV)
..............EVERYTHING ELSE.............
AN OVERVIEW OF SURVEILLANCE AND A GROWING MOVE TO RESTRICT LICENSE PLATE READER
“We’re entering an increasingly dystopian era of high-tech surveillance,” Owen said. Intelligence sharing between various levels of government, he said, has “allowed ICE to sidestep sanctuary laws and co-opt local police databases and surveillance tools, including license plate readers, facial recognition and other technologies.”Go here for the Arizona Mirror article.
++++++++++
BEST AI CHATI
continue to explore using AI in different circumstances. It's a learning process. From the article..."... I now turn to different bots for different kinds of tasks. Here’s how that plays out in practice:"
· For writing and editing, I use Claude. It’s got a better turn of phrase, can occasionally crack jokes and is least likely to open emails with the soul-crushing phrase “hope you’re well.” In one of my tests — writing an apology letter — judge Pamela Skillings said Claude “communicates real human emotion and thoughtful consideration.”
· For research and quick answers, I use Google’s AI Mode — not the AI Overview that pops up in regular Google results, which is far less reliable. AI Mode, a chatbot-style search tool, can conduct dozens of searches before it provides an answer. That helps it give more up-to-date information, too: In my research test, it correctly identified currently recommended treatments for mastitis, a breast infection, while other bots offered outdated approaches.
· For working with documents, I use Claude. In my document-analysis tests, it was the only bot that never made up facts. When I asked the bot to suggest changes on a rental agreement, Claude’s answer came closest to being a “good substitute for a lawyer,” said judge Sterling Miller, a longtime corporate lawyer.
· For images, I use Google’s Gemini, which trounced the competition in every test I devised. When I asked the bots to remove one of two subjects from a photograph, the result was so convincing — including details like light bouncing from sequins on a dress — that judge David Carson, a photojournalist, said “wow.” He couldn’t tell Gemini’s output was AI-generated.
How to query a chatbot...Front-load your queries to a chatbot with as many details as you can think of, knowing that the AI might not stop to ask for some of them before trying to answer. Instead of “summarize this lease,” try “summarize this lease for a renter in D.C., flagging clauses about fees, renewal and early termination.” I’ve also added a “custom instruction” to my chatbots, telling them to “ask for clarification before answering if a prompt is vague.”
PUBLIC SCHOOL ENROLLMENT DROPS 100,000 IN A DECADE
The most recent figures from the state Department of Education show total enrollment in traditional public schools at 868,690. That compares with 928,526 five years ago and 962,277 a decade ago
.++++++++++
FILMS AND SERIES WE HAVE LIKED
Our idiosyncratic choices for some of what we have spent hours watching. Mostly series with a few films.SeriesDying for Sex HuluThe Lowdown” HuluHigh Potential HuluAbbot Elementary HuluWill Trent HuluThe Pitt on HBO MaxTask HBO MaxMare of Eastown HBO MaxSix Feet Under HBO Max (20 yrs old and still good) C. B. Strike HBO MaxSomebody Somewhere HBO MaxUnforgotten on PBSAdolescence NetflixDepartment Q NetflixLincoln Lawyer NetflixGreat British Baking Show NetflixCunk on Life NetflixBlack Rabbit NetflixSlow Horses Apple TVCemetery Road Apple TVBad Monkey Apple TVLandman Paramount+MobLand Paramount+Night Manager Amzn PrimeThe Better Sister Amzn PrimeFilmsSinners HBOMaxOne Battle After Another HBOMax (overrated, but still good)Ballad of Wallis IslandTrain Dreams
++++++++++
If you find the Wire useful and would like to donate to offset the cost of news subscriptions, use the QR code for Zelle with my email bisbeewire@gmail.com or send a check made out to fred miller, 39 Hazzard, 85603. I would appreciate it, thank you.
++++++++++
A partial list of non-profits that can always use a bit of help...Bisbee Bloomers/infoBisbee Coalition for the Homeless/infoBisbee Community Chorus/infoBisbee Library/infoBisbee Mining and Historical Museum/infoBisbee Restoration Museum/infoBisbee Science Lab/infoBisbee Senior Center/infoBisbee Wellness Initiative/infoBisbee Women’s Club/infoBisbee Vogue/infoBoys and Girls Club/infoCoaster Races/infoCochise Chess Club/infoCochise Harm Reduction/infoFriends of Bisbee Animal Shelter/infoFriends of the Copper Queen Library/infoFriends of Warren Ballpark/infoGoar Park lunches/infoKBRPradio.com/infoOld Bisbee Firewise/info
BACKGROUND INFO ON THE VENEZUELA INVASION
Attack on Venezuela.(V) ..The first justification was drugs, Fentanyl specifically. Oops Venezuela doesn't manufacture Fentanyl and doesn't act as much as a pass-through. Then it was cocaine. Oops, not manufactured either. Estimated 10-15% of the world coke, passes through V. Then it was OIL and that became the rationale. The US was going to take back 'our' oil. And lurking unsaid in the background, it's rare earth minerals. A lil background...In 2007 Hugo Chavez nationalized oil production and seized Companies like ExxonMobil and ConocoPhillips refused the new terms and had their assets seized, while others, such as Chevron and BP, accepted minority positions to remain in the country. Although compensation to the oil companies was mandated by international courts, V has paid only a few billions of the many owed to the companies. In a prememptive strike on January 9, the U.S. government signed an executive order to protect Venezuelan oil revenues from being immediately seized by creditors (like Exxon and ConocoPhillips) to prioritize economic stabilization first. Few mentions in the press or of by trumpies are V's minerals. Many minerals-including-rare earth minerals, as well as China's presence in V, were a contributing factor in attacking the country. The country holds Latin America’s largest gold deposits, estimated at more than 8,000 metric tons, as well as up to one million carats of rough diamonds, four billion tons of iron ore worth nearly $600 billion, and large reserves of bauxite needed for aluminum production. It also holds rare earth minerals, coltan, nickel, copper, zinc, tin, tungsten, and titanium. The country’s mining district is located south of the Orinoco River; an area largely unexplored and controlled by cartels and criminals. The country has deposits of gallium, germanium, indium, tantalum, and silicon used in advanced artificial intelligence (AI) chips and significant quantities of coltan, a metal used in smartphones, laptops, and electric vehicles. Coltan is also essential for manufacturing tantalum capacitors used in advanced electronic systems, including military communications equipment, missile guidance computers, and radar systems. thorium, a metal that can be converted into fissile uranium-233 and used as a nuclear fuel. Venezuela is also rich in so-called “clean” energy minerals like lithium, cobalt, and nickel that can help power AI data centers. Rare earth elements are essential for producing the permanent magnets used in precision-guided munitions, aircraft control actuators, and a range of military electromagnetic systems. China is embedded in V and holds near-total global control over the refining of Venezuela's rare earth minerals. Even if U.S. companies begin mining there, the raw materials are currently expected to be sent to China for processing. China also supplies telecom infrastructure, a national ID card, military training and is the countries largest trading partner. There are about 200,000 chinese living in V, down from 500,000. The decrease in Chinese nationals is because of the extreme problems with V's terrible economy as well as the US invasion. Most info from an article here and google's AI mode.
BACKGROUND INFO ON THE ICE INVASION ICE (Immigration and Customs Enforcement) is a part of the Homeland Security agency. ICE is the primary investigative and enforcement arm for federal laws governing customs, trade, and immigration in the interior of the United States. It is different than the U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) that is responsible for security at and between ports of entry, such as the actual borders and airports. ICE Employs over 20,000 people across 400+ domestic and international offices. In early 2026, the agency launched a massive recruitment campaign to further increase its agent count by 10,000. Their budget has risen from $9.6 billion in 2024 to $28.7 billion in 2025, and is proposed for another $30 billion (with supplemental funds) for 2026. Trump Ugly Bill (TUB) provided a massive, multi-year funding increase of $75 billion over four years for ICE operations, including $45 billion for detention capacity and $30 billion for enforcement and removal operations. Their proposed budget exceeds the entire federal prison system's budget request for FY 2026. While the current administration aims to prioritize "the worst of the worst," data shows that 72% to 73.6% of those in ICE detention as of late 2025 and early 2026 have no criminal convictions. Approximately 1.9 million people have self-deported. Reports from October 2025 through January 2026 indicate that the administration has limited the release of detailed, regular reporting. Organizations like the Migration Policy Institute and TRAC have stated that it is becoming "increasingly complicated" to verify government claims due to the selective nature of the data made public. There has been Contradictory Official Statements: In early 2026, DHS Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin faced criticism for dismissing data shared by the Cato Institute as "made up," even though the data was derived directly from official DHS documents. There have also been instances where DHS officials initially denied arresting U.S. citizens, only to have reports later show over 170 citizens had been detained. There are significant questions being raised about the agency's lowered recruitment standards. They have removed age caps, shortened training included half as much training on firearms and tactics, discarded Spanish-language proficiency requirements.
WHAT THE FUTURE HOLDS
The big question is what is the end game? When we were discussing this on the KBRP magazine, Mike Thornton proposed that the result of their actions through raids and forced traffic stops, and shooting people, these continual provocations is a way to cause an 'incident' where they will call for reinforcements, declare part of all of a city embargoed and 'temporarily' under control of ICE and military supplanting elected officials. That could entail suspending elections in a city, county, or state. Some more conspiritorial folks might look at the ICE raids as a precursor of postponing the elections or conducting elections under the cloud of military oversight of voting facilities. I personally don't think there is enough time to do that. But I've been wrong before. It is clear that ICE is designed to serve as the paramilitary wing of the government, much like the 'brownshirts" of Germany did. Causing disruption and violence against government opposition, particularly in the early days when they disrupted opposition (commies and sochies) groups. There is now legal precedent for that in the US. National Security Presidential Memorandum 7 (NSPM-7), titled "Countering Domestic Terrorism and Organized Political Violence". Directs Joint Terrorism Task Forces (JTTFs) to coordinate a national strategy to "disrupt networks, entities, and organizations that foment political violence". It allows the Attorney General to designate groups as "domestic terrorist organizations" based on activities that meet broadly defined criteria in 18 U.S.C. 2331(5). It also instructs the IRS to ensure that tax-exempt foundations are not "financing political violence or domestic terrorism," a move the ACLU and Cato Institute warn could be used to target civil society groups and activists.
WHAT TO DOAnother big question. More in the coming issues.... However if you ask AI this is what you'll get with much expansion on each of these points.
Opposition to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) raids in 2026 focuses on a combination of knowing and asserting constitutional rights, building community preparedness networks, and pursuing legislative and legal avenues. As always be knowlegable about what is happening, knowing what to do, and doing it.
.............. WORD...............
WORD ODYSSEYBritt HansonAbout words, their origins, and the stories behind them.(Former City of Bisbee attorney and Chief Civil County Attorney Britt Hanson wrote several columns about the origins of words or phrases, which appeared in the Tucson Weekly and the Sierra Vista Herald Review a few years ago. They are too good to be forgotten, so I will include them in most Wire issues.)
The Names of Continents (get my drift?)A friend asked me where the word Africa came from. I had to confess, I didn’t know. I then realized I didn’t know the origins of Asia or Antarctica either, which impelled me to plug that knowledge gap by doing a column on continents. So here we go, starting with continent itself, which means … being able to control bowel movements. Okay, it also means a large land mass. And yes, the origins of those two meanings are related. The Latin root is “continere”, meaning “hold together”. “Terra continens” referred to a chunk of continuous land, which we now use to designate the earth’s extraordinarily large, separate land masses. If you want to start a fight at a convention of geographers, ask this: how many continents are there? In the U.S., we are taught there are seven: Europe, Asia, Africa, North and South America, Australia and Antarctica. But a Russian, whose country spans both Europe and Asia, might conflate those two continents into one Eurasia. Some South Americans view the Americas as one continent because they are a continuous land mass. In fact, the Olympic flag has five rings representing five continents, treating the Americas as one and excluding Antarctica because it has no people. U.S. geographers treat the Americas as two because they sit on different tectonic plates. But today, I’m going with seven because that’s what I learned in 4th grade from Miss Fitch. The names of all seven, by the way, are from Latin or Latinized Greek, and all are feminine. We owe the origins of Europe and Asia to the ancient Greeks. They called their own lands, and those further west, Europe, separate from the lands across the Aegean Sea, which they called Asia, which included the Persian empire and lands to the East. Europe is from the goddess Europa, a Phoenician princess kidnapped by Zeus after he took the form of a white bull. Her name, Europa, probably meant wide-eyed, which is how she is usually depicted—and if you were abducted by a bull, you’d be wide-eyed too. Asia is first mentioned by 5th century B.C. historian Herodotus, who said that most Greeks believed it was the name of the wife of Prometheus, but that the Lydians thought it was from Asias, son of a Thracian goddess.Herodotus and later Greeks referred to North Africa as “Libya”, but after the Romans conquered North Africa, they called that province Africa, after semitic tribes who lived near Carthage. Africa later was applied to the whole continent.The naming of the Americas is controversial. In fourteen hundred and ninety two Columbus sailed the ocean blue—and discovered the New World. But the new lands were not named for him. That honor went to the Italian explorer Amerigo Vespucci, who quite likely made only one brief visit to Brazil in 1502. But he had a great publicist. Two letters, supposedly from Vespucci, but likely forged, greatly exaggerated his voyages. These letters found their way to German mapmaker Martin Waldseemuller. Believing that Vespucci discovered the new world, Waldseemuller Latinized Vespucci’s first name to “Americus”, then, to harmonize with Asia and Europe, feminized it to America—then put it on the map—literally. By the time Waldseemuller got wind of the mix-up, it was too late. His map had disseminated so widely that America had stuck.How about that huge island in the South Pacific? The Romans had a legend about a land far, far away, called “Terra Australis”, meaning southern land. When Europeans discovered this continent in the 17th century, some accounts used this name but feminized it to Australia, which has a better ring to it anyway. That name caught on and, in 1824, the British Admiralty formally gave this new land the name Australia.Antarctica? The “ant” is Latin for “in opposition to”, so Antarctica is on the opposite pole from the Arctic. “Arctic” goes back to Greek “Arktikos”, meaning “of the bear.” That’s not because the Greeks knew about polar bears. It’s because the constellation Ursa Major, which includes the Big Dipper and hovers in the northern sky, means “Big Bear" because supposedly it looks like one.That’s the seven continents, but remember that 250 million years ago, they were all one huge land mass, called Pangaia, from Greek meaning “one earth”.
Comments