What’s Everybody Reading?

I’m still working on “The Forsytes,” and eagerly anticipating beginning my niece’s book, “Reven Across Golden Skies”, but today I bought a book called “When Women Were Dragons,” and I’m really looking forward to that one, too. I might have to start a second book before finishing “The Forsytes” … Anyway, if you’re looking for something, the Smart Ones have a list for June:

June 2026 Queer Romances

by Dahlia Adler · Jun 5, 2026 at 4:00 am · View all 8 comments

Happy Pride Month, one and all! As usual, June is packed to the gills with queer romance, so selecting just five titles felt a nigh impossible task. While I’ve done it, I definitely encourage you to seek out the many more excellent-looking books gracing shelves this month and support as many queer creators as possible!

For the Bride

Author: Becca Grischow
Released: June 2, 2026 by Penguin Books
Genre: Contemporary Romance, LGBTQIA, Romance

From the author of I’ll Get Back To You, a sapphic enemies-to-lovers romance that follows a Type-A maid of honor setting out to do the most and a Type-B bridesmaid with her life only just put-together, who must put aside their animosity to plan the wedding of the summer

On the surface, Alice has her life together. She’s got a job in music she loves; she’s firmly sober; and she’s grateful to be back in the good graces of her ex-girlfriend-once-best-friend-now-literal-only-friend Gin. Just in time, too, because Gin’s getting married this summer! And Alice gets to be a bridesmaid.

If only the maid-of-honor wasn’t Renee Type-A, the opposite of her in every way, and a long-time Alice-hater who’s clung to her animosity like a leech. Every second Alice spends around Renee makes her feel like who she used to be, rather than the person she’s spent years trying to make herself into—and she doesn’t want to be reminded of her younger self any more than she wants to be thinking, more constantly than she wants to admit, about her hair, her lips, her wit…. No, Alice has her own stuff to figure out. She still loves music, but her career feels directionless. She’s grieving the loss of her father just a year ago, to alcohol. And then she finds out that her mother’s started to date her father’s ex-bandmate, which sends her reeling…and with the wedding just around the corner, she doesn’t want to bother Gin about any of it.

It’s pure chance that Renee runs into Alice, just when she needs someone the most—and suddenly, everything shifts. Neither of them are what they assumed the other to be. Over the days and nights they’re spending helping Gin throw a DIY summer wedding of epic proportions, Alice and Renee discover that though they have nothing in common—that might be precisely what each of them need. Heartfelt and hopeful, For the Bride is a banter-filled sapphic romance with deep emotional resonance about found family, second chances, and finding love in the unexpected.

Grischow’s sophomore romance revolves around bridal party hijinks, which is already one of my all-time favorite tropes, but this one gave me alllll the feels. Protagonist Alice is still grieving not just the loss of her father but his seeming unwillingness to even try to live for her, and while she herself has reformed from her hard-partying ways, she’s grappling with the visions and memories of her other people can’t seem to shake. It’s a really lovely coming-of-age story alongside a chemistry-filled opposites attract romance, and one of my favorite romantic reads of the year so far. (snip-ordering info on the page)

The Open Era

Author: Edward Schmit
Released: June 2, 2026 by Berkley
Genre: Contemporary Romance, LGBTQIA, Romance

Love evens the score between two tennis players in this stunning debut romance.

Recently-turned-pro tennis player Austin Hardy has been out since high school and it’s never been a big deal. That is, until he becomes the first openly gay man to compete in a Grand Slam tournament. Suddenly, being gay is a huge deal, with headlines to prove it.

Unprepared for this new spotlight, Austin’s anxiety disorder hits a breaking point, and he trips and falls at practice. Right next to the very attractive, very talented, and probably straight Diego Cruz, ranked second in the world.

The two professional rivals start a friendship off the court. But between their flirty banter, mixed signals, and looming showdown, Austin is thrown further off his game by Diego.

With the eyes of the world on Austin, the weight of history on his shoulders, and Diego across the net, he must decide whether love means nothing or if it means everything as he battles for the trophy during an electric two weeks at the US Open.

Look, I know everyone’s tired of “If you love Heated Rivalry, check out X,” but hear me out. Sports Romance. Rivals. Secretly getting to know each other and developing a physical attraction. Professional athletes of significant talent facing each other in a major competition. This is a debut that’s earned its comp to the series of the moment while also very much being its own thing, starring an already out tennis player who’s quickly rising in the ranks and being spread out over the considerably shorter time span of the US Open. I was a fan of this one from chapter one, and I’ll definitely be picking up whatever Schmit puts out next. (snip-ordering info on the page, plus More Books!)

This is how I am going to address ANTI-LGTBQ+ Christians…

I really enjoy how well someone who knows the bible and the meaning of the words of Jesus can turn the bible bashers arguments around on them to show support for the oppressed minorities. Hugs

[Sen.] Gallego Introduces Legislation to Crack Down on Billionaire Tax Loophole

Legislation would close the ‘borrow’ aspect of the ‘buy, borrow, die’ tax loophole used by the ultra-wealthy to avoid paying capital gains or income tax

WASHINGTON – Today, Senator Ruben Gallego (D-AZ) introduced the Redistribution Of Billions by Instituting New High-income Obligations on Overlooked Debt (ROBINHOOD) Act to close the ‘borrow’ aspect of the ‘buy, borrow, die’ tax loophole that is used by the ultra-wealthy to finance extravagant spending without paying income or capital gains taxes.

“Working and middle-class Americans are paying their fair share – they do it with every paycheck. But the billionaires in this country? They’re using legal loopholes and tricky accounting to finance private jets and yachts while most Americans struggle to afford healthcare and groceries,” said Senator Gallego. “My legislation closes a critical loophole and brings us closer to billionaires finally paying their fair share.”

Punchbowl News: Gallego targets ‘buy, borrow, die’ tax maneuver

The ‘buy, borrow, die’ tax loophole has three stages:

Buy: A wealthy individual buys, or is given as part of their compensation package, assets, such as stocks. This allows them to store and grow their wealth without paying taxes since the gains from these assets are considered unrealized.
Borrow: The individual then borrows tax-free cash loans, often backed by those assets, to finance their extravagant lifestyles. All the while, their assets continue to gain value.
Die: Finally, when they die, their assets are gifted to their heirs on a stepped-up basis, meaning their heirs can sell the assets without paying taxes on the capital gains accumulated during the individual’s life.

The ROBINHOOD Act closes this loophole by treating taking out a loan as a realization event, meaning the individual would have to pay taxes on capital gains equal to the loan amount. The provisions of the bill apply to taxpayers who have an income over $100 million and/or assets worth more than $1 billion.

You can find a one-page summary of the legislation HERE.

You can find a section-by-section explainer of the legislation HERE.

You can find the full text of the legislation HERE.

Companion legislation was introduced in the House by Rep. Dan Goldman (NY-10).

“While working, wage-earning New Yorkers pay income taxes on every single paycheck, billionaires live tax-free by borrowing against their stock portfolios, real estate holdings, and art collections without paying a dime in taxes on that money,” Congressman Dan Goldman said. “By restoring basic fairness to our tax code and making the ultra-wealthy pay their fair share and contribute what they owe, this bill will generate revenue to invest in universal pre-K, child care, and working families instead of subsidizing billionaires’ yachts and private islands. It’s long past time for the wealthiest people in the country to pay their fair share.”

Clay Jones + Open Windows

President Trump’s health is excellent

Maybe the First Lady is actually in charge

Ann Telnaes

I’m looking forward to the publication of Jake Tapper’s next book.

Pool for Fools

It’s getting deep

Clay Jones

For some bizarre reason that I don’t believe anyone has figured out yet, Donald Trump showed off a graph in the Oval Office, comparing the size of the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool to the size of skyscrapers. Seth Meyers said, “You’re not allowed to compare horizontal to vertical. If that was the case, I-90 crushes the reflecting pool.”

Trump showed off a chart which compared the freshly-painted 2,030-foot-long pool against the 1,451-foot-high Sears Tower in Chicago, New York City’s 1,454-foot Empire State Building, and the 1,776-foot One World Trade Center. Upon seeing these comparisons, many people said, “So what?” What does the length of the Reflecting Pool compared to the size of skyscrapers have to do with anything?

You can take this incident to point out how senile Trump is becoming, but it also proves that he is surrounded by enablers because somebody had to print this graph. He’s comparing a pool to buildings, horizontal to vertical. Michael Kosta of The Daily Show said, “I’d say you’re comparing apples and oranges, but at least those are fruits.” (snip-MORE)

Your Saturday Bird Post:

Black Skimmer

Rynchops niger

Wayaya (Wayampi)

Also Known As

Tayataya (Carib)
Pa’â guasu (Guaraní)
Iwenti (Palikúr)
Corta-Mar (Portuguese)
Rayador (Spanish)

About

A group of Black Skimmers in flight resembles an aerial ballet, circling, banking, and gracefully alighting as one. Although taxonomists place this unique, long-winged waterbird in a separate genus, it’s closely related to gulls and terns.

The Black Skimmer’s most striking feature is its gaudy red-and-black bill: Both jaws are long and narrow like a knife blade, with the lower jutting out well beyond the upper. Its unique appearance lends the Black Skimmer a number of evocative folk names, including Scissor-bill, Cutwater (Cortagua or Corta-agua in South America), and Seadog (after its calls, often compared to dog barks).

This odd bill is what affords these birds their distinctive foraging style, and the name “skimmer.” A feeding skimmer flies low over the water with its beak open and lower mandible partially submerged. Where a broader bill would send a continuous spray of seawater straight down the throat of another species, the uniquely narrow mandible of the skimmer cuts through the water like a fin. When the extended lower mandible touches prey, such as a small fish, the bill’s upper mandible snaps down, securing the bird’s meal.

Another remarkable feature of the Black Skimmer is its eyes, which have large pupils that can narrow to vertical slits, like a cat’s pupils. This adaptation compensates for glare off the water’s surface and may enhance the bird’s vision as it hunts in dim light or at night.

Threats

According to the North American Breeding Bird Survey, Black Skimmers have declined in the United States by almost 90 percent since 1966. This is largely due to habitat loss and human disturbance at nesting colonies. These birds are also affected by oil spills and chemical pollution in coastal waters, and may face additional threats during the breeding season with climate change as sea levels continue to rise. (snip-MORE)

Political cartoons / memes / and news I want to share. 5-6-2026

It is 4:34 pm here in my office. Today I was struggling. But before that I had written an email to Ali that I was doing so much better and wanted to tell everyone. I had to go out to get my morphines this morning so Ron could take Tupac to the vet. When I got home I did a few things. Then I started doing the dishes and laundry. But by 1:30 pm my pain became so bad I was in tears. I desperatly did not want to take more medications, I get set back on my getting better every time I have to do that just to function. The federal government is trying to force my pain doctors to lower my pain medications yet at my last virtual appointment my pain doctor noticed how much pain I was in and did not decrease my medications anymore saying she could justify giving me that which RFK Jr. the road kill harvaster wants to deny all of us in serious medical problems. Remember this guy was also a cocaine addict who talks about snorting drugs off toilet seats.

So when Ron Ron got home from mowing his sister’s lawn he found me limping and nearly in tears. He had me take my blood sugar and I was having an issue with low blood sugar which could explain why I was shivering. He had me take two glucose tablets and stop doing any more work. I had been doing dishes and folding clothing by using my very high rolling stool that I moved from kitchen to bedroom and back as needed.

Ron made supper and I want to let everyone know that even as I was in tears from pain I ate a lot of food for me. I had five slices of rare roast beef and three small baked potatoes with gravy and a small bowl of green beans. I took my evening insulin which I have not had to do a lot of as I was not eating. But Ron was concerned after I ate that I was still distressed. So I agreed to give up trying to make this post for the morning and just post what it is. I do have more to add to it but my pain is so bad that sitting in my desk chair is horrible for me. I will add them to the next day’s post.

I thank everyone who is worried about me and I love that everyone enjoys these cartoons / memes / news posts. But I did promise Ron I wouldn’t take more medication which will make me sick and eat into my meager supply and would go to bed. I will try to make a larger cartoons / memes / news post tomorrow. Best wishes, love, and hugs to all. Scottie

#anarchism from Anarchist Art

HUFFPOST: The Supreme Court Is Illegitimate

The Supreme Court Is Illegitimate
The court’s conservatives ripped the mask off the institution in a brief, unsigned decision allowing Alabama to use a racially discriminatory congressional map.

Read in HuffPost: https://apple.news/A9dKRFhu2RXyA5f42kwPKOQ

Shared from Apple News

Best Wishes and Hugs,Scottie

A Small Bunch Of Stuff

Life has been happening here with me this couple of weeks, and I have a few things I’ve picked up here and there to post when I’m busy. Most of this is positive, because why not?

Hey-today is World Environment Day! Let’s be proud to care for our home; we all get overheated.

June 5, [since 1972]

World Environment Day was established by the U.N. General Assembly to commemorate the opening of the Stockholm Conference on the Human Environment in Sweden.
The United Nations Environment Program (UNEP) was established as a result of the conference.

The 1972 Stockholm conference

UNEP’s mission: To provide leadership and encourage partnership in caring for the environment by inspiring, informing, and enabling nations and peoples to improve their quality of life without compromising that of future generations.

Each year World Environment Day adopts a different theme.

Gregory Natal.

Wouldn’t work on Ollie!

And finally, a story of theft that has worked out well, from the person whose work was stolen!

Now, all the reviews have happened, so you can just relax and enjoy a bit of justice!

Farming While Beige 14 hours ago

My book’s nearing the top 1,000 in all books on Amazon… this is nuts. https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0GBR2ZBCF#…

http://youtube.com/post/Ugkx4ERU1GoB4DsmLI_-MLNRSBtQ5f8EvrQn?si=VdQCJjNjD1X_YoIw

WH Scrubs “Woke” Quotes At Bunker Hill Monument – Joe.My.God.

Rather than fix the issues and problems people face the hateful people in the tRump administration are focused on returning the US to a regressive time when white males were unquestionably in charge and could do anything they wished to others who were not male with out rebuke. This is an attack on historical truths in favor of a ideology that prefers their fantasy to reality. Hugs

https://www.joemygod.com/2026/06/wh-scrubs-woke-quotes-at-bunker-hill-monument/

Best Wishes and Hugs,
Scottie