Martin Longman

Pennsylvania

Blogging at Progress Pond (@PondProgress) and contributing editor at the Washington Monthly (@monthly): @[email protected] (on Mastodon) https://t.co/5MK6tbjmID

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Articles

Server/Database Problems

Dec 7, 2024 | progresspond.com | Martin Longman

We’ve been suffering pretty catastrophic database problems for the last few weeks, and we’ve had to do several restores that have erased both articles and comments. Nothing has worked to fix the problems so now we are doing a complete rebuild. It’s quite possible that the server will become disconnected to the database again one or more times before the rebuild is completed, so please be patient and maybe save any comments you care about so you can repost them later.
Some Health Insurance Decisions Make People Very Angry

Dec 4, 2024 | progresspond.com | Martin Longman

I don’t know why someone gunned down the CEO of UnitedHealthCare on Wednesday morning in front of a midtown Manhattan hotel. But I wouldn’t be shocked if it tracks back to some denial of coverage issue. When they apprehend the suspect, who escaped into Central Park on a rented CitiBike, we may learn more. Of course, this is a murder and there are no excuses that will justify it. But sometimes these health insurance executives make their own unjustifiable decisions.
I Would Have Lost All Respect for Biden If He Didn’t Pardon His Son

Dec 4, 2024 | progresspond.com | Martin Longman

I Would Have Lost All Respect for Biden If He Didn’t Pardon His SonPrime content is available to paid members, please upgrade Already a member? Log in here
I Would Have Lost All Respect for Biden If He Didn't Pardon His Son

Dec 2, 2024 | progresspond.com | Martin Longman

I Would Have Lost All Respect for Biden If He Didn’t Pardon His SonPrime content is available to paid members, please upgrade Already a member? Log in here
Ken Paxton Receives a Sermon from BooMan

Dec 1, 2024 | progresspond.com | Martin Longman

I’m not paranoid, but I did notice that just as I was getting a surge of Blue Sky followers coming over from Twitter, my database here at Progress Pond got badly corrupted leading to several days of downtime. It didn’t help that my son had a two-day soccer tournament in Lancaster County this weekend that made it difficult for me to address the problem. In the end, we had to use a backup of the database, which probably erased some people’s recent comments.
Episode 18 of The Progress Pondcast is Live

Dec 1, 2024 | progresspond.com | Martin Longman

In our first podcast since the devastating reelection of Trump (available at Spotify, Amazon, IHeartRadio and Apple), Brendan and I try to cheer everyone up at Rudy Giuliani’s expense. Then we turn our attention to Trump’s announced cabinet and the public’s inexplicable positive reaction. And we finish up on a positive note by discussing the potential of BlueSky to serve as a tool that can save both the traditional media and left-wing content producers.
Ken Paxton Receives a Sermon from BooMan

Nov 29, 2024 | progresspond.com | Martin Longman

There’s an interesting story in the Gospel According to Luke. In Chapter 4, after Jesus is done fasting in the desert for 40 days and 40 nights and being tempted by the devil, he returns to his hometown of Nazareth. On the Sabbath, he attends the synagogue and is invited to speak. He stood up to read, and the scroll of the prophet Isaiah was given to him.
Can Bluesky Help Lead a Left-Wing Comeback?

Nov 25, 2024 | progresspond.com | Martin Longman

I’m not paranoid, but I did notice that just as I was getting a surge of Bluesky followers coming over from Twitter, my database here at Progress Pond got badly corrupted leading to several days of downtime. It didn’t help that my son had a two-day soccer tournament in Lancaster County this weekend that made it difficult for me to address the problem. In the end, we had to use a backup of the database, which probably erased some people’s recent comments.
Could Rand Paul Be An Unexpected Ally For The Resistance?

Nov 20, 2024 | progresspond.com | Martin Longman

In May 2010, I was already anticipating a major drubbing for the Democrats in the upcoming midterms. But even without knowing the results of the elections to come, I knew that due to retirements there would be at least a 15 percent change in the makeup of the U.S. Senate. This infusion of Tea Party energy made me dubious that Sen.
Haberman and Swan Try and Fail to Adequately Report on Trump's Nominees

Nov 19, 2024 | progresspond.com | Martin Longman

In this New York Times piece on the radicalism of Donald Trump’s early cabinet nominations, I am going to give credit to Maggie Haberman and Jonathan Swan for trying, but the choices are so bad that even their best efforts can’t keep up. Take the example of Pete Hegseth, Trump’s selection to run the Pentagon.