Unless you deliberately followed the space program, it wasn’t part of your regular news consumption.

Read more 👉 https://bit.ly/4vdqBwn

#Artemis #HumanSpaceflight

"I read a story about how the attorney general in my former home state disagreed with the governor’s ongoing reprieves for condemned inmates, calling it “a mockery of the justice system and of the dead.”" https://bit.ly/4mpsdza

#DeathPenalty #CapitalPunishment #JusticeSystem

If you're a 2SLGBTQIA+ writer: there are about 36 HOURS LEFT to submit your original fiction and poetry for Issue 2! Send us your work! 👀

Submit here: othersidespec.com/guidelines/

Map update

Storms, New Homes, and Newly Found Cousins – Bob Mueller A week of storms and milestones: an EF-1 tornado hits town, a son buys his first home, a dog recovers from surgery, and new cousins emerge.

An EF-1 tornado, a new house for one of our kids, a dog recovering from surgery—and a surprise discovery of more cousins.
It’s been one of those weeks.

www.bobmuellerwriter...

Nebraska Passes Landmark Legislation to Protect Homeschooled Children | Coalition for Responsible Home Education CRHE celebrates the organization’s inaugural legislative win   For immediate release April 17, 2026 Washington, DC - LB1224, introduced by Senator Megan Hun ...

Outstanding news out of Nebraska for homeschooled kids. This legislation prevents "reactive withdrawals" for 14 days & blocks perpetrators with specific convictions of crimes against children from homeschooling. Congratulations to CRHE on getting this legislation passed.

crhe.org/nebraska-pa...

‘That wasn’t me’: How facial recognition led to a woman being jailed for 6 months Kimberlee Williams, who lived in Oklahoma, was jailed after being accused of crimes in Maryland, a state she told investigators she had never visited.

Another #AIFailure, this time in facial recognition involving an Oklahoma woman.

www.washingtonpost.c...
or
archive.ph/pDQdR

"There’s also been a recent surge in social media posts about how states are adding the death penalty for certain crimes, and far too many people are far too excited about the idea." https://bit.ly/4mpsdza

#DeathPenalty #CapitalPunishment #JusticeSystem

At any rate, my point to this is that despite the mostly evangelical insistence when the Black Lives Matter movement sprang up that “All Lives Matter,” the use of the death penalty puts the lie to that statement.

Read more 👉 https://bit.ly/4mpsdza

#DeathPenalty #CapitalPunishment

Round 2 #OKWX

Tell Me About Your Unusual Hobbies – Bob Mueller A reflection on hobbies—from genealogy research & family history to RC planes & photography—and the deeper desire to uncover the stories behind the names.

This week’s #WWBC prompt got me thinking about hobbies—past & present. Genealogy is the big one, but there’ve been others along the way, from RC planes to photography.

Turns out what I really want isn’t just the hobby—it’s the stories behind it.

#hobbies


www.bobmuellerwriter...

Missouri is in the heart of the Bible Belt, and Christians love to kill the bad guy.

Read the full article: One More Reason the Death Penalty Needs to Go
▸ https://bit.ly/419HB8M

#DeathPenalty #JusticeSystem

Pope Leo for president? Meeting with Obama guru sparks speculation A recent meeting between Pope Leo XIV and Democratic strategist David Axelrod at the Vatican sparks some intrigue and slight political speculation.

Wouldn't that be an interesting turn of the table?

www.usatoday.com/sto...

OH: I saw an audiologist the other day, but I think I need to get a second opinion. Why on earth would she tell me I needed a heron egg?

Assuming we can generate rocket fuel up there, I think it makes sense to use the moon to launch missions deeper into the solar system.

Read the full article: The Moment Spaceflight Felt New Again
▸ https://bit.ly/4vdqBwn

#Artemis #HumanSpaceflight

Arbitrary Justice: Who Lives and Who Dies Under the Death Penalty – Bob Mueller The death penalty claims to deliver justice but its reality is shaped by arbitrariness, unequal standards, & whose lives society values most.

The death penalty is supposed to be the ultimate form of justice—but its application is anything but consistent.
When “heinous” and “atrocious” are subjective, who decides who lives and who dies?

👉 www.bobmuellerwriter...

Police destroyed innocent people's property—and left them with the bill. Will the Supreme Court step in? The Fifth Amendment's Takings Clause promises "just compensation" when private property is taken for public use.

Who should be responsible when law enforcement damages private property in pursuit of a criminal?

reason.com/2026/04/0...

New York wants a cut of Counter-Strike's loot boxes Attorney General Letitia James says they're illegal gambling. But the state seems more interested in untaxed revenue than consumer protection.

Are Counter-Strike loot boxes a form of illegal gambling? The NY Attorney General thinks so. Color me dubious.

reason.com/2026/04/0...

Twin Cities tow truck driver returns abandoned vehicles to families after ICE arrests Juan Leon sends a "chase" car to check out where abandoned vehicles are located and arranges discreet drop-offs. Since late December, he estimated they have dropped off 250 cars.

Look for the helpers. They're out there. #Minneapolis

There's a GoFundMe to support Leo's work, too.

www.cbsnews.com/minn...

www.gofundme.com/f/s...

She sat in a Tennessee jail for four months before Fargo officers picked her up on October 30.

Read more 👉 https://bit.ly/3PQYfaS

#Innocence #WrongfulConviction #AiMisidentification

Which is the more correct term?

The Moment Spaceflight Felt New Again – Bob Mueller Artemis II rekindles the wonder of human spaceflight, blending nostalgia, risk, and hope as we take our first steps back toward the Moon.

Artemis II felt different.
Not just impressive—emotional. After years of routine launches, this one brought back the nerves, the hope, the human element.
For the first time in a long time, I wasn’t just watching spaceflight—I was feeling it. 🚀


www.bobmuellerwriter...

In the 70s & early 80s, both of my parents smoked, about 3/4 a pack a day. I remember cleaning the windows & windshields in the cars & my dad being astounded by how much clearer they were. The paper towels were just gross when I finished. I didn't notice the smell so much til I was away at college.

Easter Sunday with Judas And The Walking Dead – Bob Mueller Join me as I share my thoughts about Easter. Was Judas really the bad guy? And are there zombies in the book of Matthew?

A look back at some of my #Easter musings.

www.bobmuellerwriter...

Good news out of Arkansas. The case came about in part because TST tried to donate their own statue and were denied.

arkansasadvocate.com...

"You'll be fine. Trust me."

Another very cool Artemis launch photo.
x.com/erikkuna/statu...

Fargo police refuse to apologize for jailing a Tennessee grandma on bogus AI evidence Police linked the Tennessee woman to a North Dakota fraud case using faulty facial recognition before the charges were dropped.

I've mentioned this case in my blog recently. Reason identifies the software as Clearview AI.

reason.com/2026/03/3...

Macanudo Comic Strip 2026-04-02 | Comics Kingdom Read the Macanudo comic strip from April 2, 2026, and check out other Macanudo comics by Liniers.

Interesting consideration.

comicskingdom.com/ma...

I am way more emotional about the Artemis launch than I expected.