State Of The North

Wednesday in Minnesota: The U.S. naval blockade of Iranian ports is now operational. Day one results: CENTCOM says zero ships made it past. But shipping trackers from LSEG and Kpler show at least three vessels - including two U.S.-sanctioned tankers - transited the Strait Tuesday. CENTCOM says those weren’t going to Iranian ports so they don’t count. Oil surged back above $100 a barrel. Iran called it piracy. China called it dangerous. Europe is already planning a postwar shipping coalition that deliberately excludes the U.S. Gas is still above $4. The ceasefire expires in six days. Trump says new talks “could be happening over the next two days” in Islamabad. Nothing is scheduled. Here’s what’s happening at home in Minnesota: 1. The Walz administration told the legislature Monday that Minnesota’s fraud payment tools aren’t working. The state can currently withhold payments for 60 days with a “preponderance of the evidence” standard. Walz wants the bar lowered and the time cap removed. This comes after KARE 11 revealed Minnesota has spent $20 billion on Medicaid programs now flagged as high-risk for fraud since 2018 - and after the main suspect in the largest Medicaid fraud prosecution fled the country. 2. The committee deadline for major finance bills is Friday. Two days. The anti-fraud package, the 340B hospital bill, the $100M Metro Surge relief bill, and the HCMC funding package all have to clear committee by then. 3. Ramsey County’s investigation into ICE agents for kidnapping, burglary, and false imprisonment is still developing. Five cases. Grand jury on the table. DHS still refusing to cooperate. 4. Three tornadoes confirmed in southern Minnesota from Monday. Amboy, Matawan, Elmore. 3-inch hail in Rice County. No significant injuries. 5. Your taxes are due at midnight. We cover this every morning. Free. No paywall. No corporate money. State of the North - hot takes, cold facts. File your taxes. Then tell a friend about us.

Here are three things that will happen: 1. DOJ will lose the Comey case. 2. In the next Administration, Comey will get a big monetary settlement for selective prosecution. 3. After this Administration ends, @DAGToddBlanche will get disbarred. 86 47

Top journalist Ana Kasparian exposes absolute insanity. The Trump administration gave a $17.4M no bid contract to renovate fountains. The exact same job under a competitive contract would cost only $3.3M. Washington is intentionally looting taxpayers to enrich their cronies.

They are killed for telling the truth about Palestine.

I’m Cuban. Waiting for the bombs from the genocidal Trump. The world will hate the U.S. the way it hates Israel. We’re ready to defend our land. To die for the homeland is to live 🇨🇺

Y'all are mad about low-income parents using SNAP to buy their children birthday cakes. I’m mad that Epstein and his rich friends were buying children.

“mulheres 30+ estão acabadas” Shakira aos 49:

This is the question worth asking every time a story like this comes out: if there’s no money for your health care, your kids’ schools, or the programs your family depends on, where is it going?      The Trump Administration just paid $17.4 million to fix two decorative fountains outside the White House. Three years ago, the same job was estimated at $3.3 million.       And guess what? The construction company that got the contract is the same one building Trump’s $400 million White House ballroom, and they got it without any competitive bidding whatsoever. The contract wasn’t even posted publicly, as required by federal law.      So how do you get from $3.3 million to $17.4 million? They added 27% for inflation. Then they added another 24% for inflation again. Then they tacked on additional charges that federal contracting experts said they had never seen before in their careers.      And the justification for bypassing the normal bidding process entirely? The fountains needed to be ready for America’s 250th anniversary. It’s worth noting that these fountains haven’t worked for nearly a decade. If the repairs were truly that urgent, why are they only fixing them now, and why are taxpayers footing a surcharge for the rush?      You are paying for this.   nytimes.com/2026/04/25/us/…

But everyone is still silent about it.

You know who didn’t blame Joe Biden for Spirit Airlines shutting down? Spirit Airlines.

Things that we’ve normalized that feel like robbery: Ticketmaster Fees 4pm Check-In 11am Check-Out Paying for Hospital Parking $40+ Hotel Parking $10 Mocktails $8 Coffee $5 Greeting Cards $5 Bottled Water $100 Bottles at the Club $20 Tequila Shots Tipping on To Go Orders Astronomical Student Loan Interest $2000 Daycare $45 For A Seat on an Airplane $75 For a Checked Bag Insurance WiFi What did I forget?

Good morning and Happy Sunday to everyone who agrees that, with Iran destroying 16 of our military bases in the Middle East, and STILL controlling the Strait of Hormuz, it's clear trump and Hegseth are LYING to us. It's a MASSIVE coverup.

This World Press Freedom Day we remember that Israel has killed more journalists in Gaza and Lebanon than all journalists killed in the World Wars I and II, Korea, US Civil War, Vietnam, Cambodia, Yugoslavia, Afghanistan, and Iraq. War crimes beget war crimes with total impunity

Jeffery Sachs: “Israel's doctrine is kill its adversaries. Kill them in mass numbers, kill the civilians, kill the women, kill the children. They don't discriminate between civilians and military targets. They leveled Gaza... It is a rogue, brutal regime...”

It's amazing that our government will tell you with a straight face that they can't fix basic problems in their own cities, but insist that if you just pay more in taxes, they can spread freedom and democracy abroad. It's even more amazing that anyone believes them.

Don't be indifferent to Lebanon Don't be indifferent to Palestine Don't be indifferent to Iran Don't be indifferent to Ukraine Don't be indifferent to Sudan Don't be indifferent to DR Congo We’ve normalized killing people to such an extent that it’s become extreme to oppose it

Professor Derek R. Peterson, a University of Michigan historian and MacArthur Genius Grant recipient, thanked “pro-Palestinian student activists” during a graduation speech today, for “opening our hearts to the injustices and inhumanity of Israel’s war in Gaza.” Peterson teaches history and African studies at the University of Michigan, where he also became chair of the faculty senate in 2025.

Assim gente, eu acabei de ver a Meryl Streep com 76 anos, Anne Hathaway e Emily Blunt com 43 anos e agora to vendo a Shakira com 49 anos... sinto muito por quem diz que mulher tem prazo de validade pq não sabem apreciar o quanto elas estao saborosas.

We live in a society, not an economy, and it's time policies reflected that.