1/17/2026
My Dear Friend & POTUS, DJT,
My view of the A’s billboard is obscured by super saturated air. I wish I knew more about chemistry & physics so I could conceptualize how & when fog forms. A deeper understanding of the phenomenon would help me appreciate our amazing atmosphere.
Did anybody at your EPA demonstrate reverence for our air when they talked about their decision to stop calculating how much money is saved in health care costs avoided & deaths prevented from air pollution rules that curb NOx & SO2? On the rare occasion that I clean, I freak out as I contemplate how the soot on my rag is also being are depositing in my lungs & I wish we were taking better care of our air.
OoM, did you know that according to estimates by Derek Alderman, a Geography prof at the TN U more than 1,000 streets are named after Martin Luther King Jr. around the world? He says they “are often important centers of African American identity, activity, & community… & solidify MLK’s place in the pantheon of American leaders.” Are you hoping to send a message to the folks of 2050 with the various things & places being named for you? Conspicuous consumption came to my mind as I passed buildings with your name in Manhattan last week. The new DJT boulevard from the airport to the Atlantic in Palm Springs also connotes wealth. Is that the message you’re hoping to emphasize for future generations?
Speaking of naming things for people, what do you make of the fact that MAH’s name is not on any streets, airports or buildings in Burma? We know he likes recognition so I suspect a cultural prohibition to naming places for living people. According to AI, “Buddhist teachings emphasize impermanence & non-attachment, and the focus is on spiritual principles like the Four Noble Truths, not on commemorating individuals through place names.” Perhaps he’s on to something.
As a quaker I prefer simplicity to opulence so would love to see you move in that direction. I’d also love to see you let go of your penchant for recognition so you can spend more time focusing on taking care of the poor folks in our country.
BYBS,
