Ted Johnson

I present myself as a wordsmith and a minor-league grammarian. Today I learned there's a difference between "compliment" and "complement."

I immediately taught this to my daughter to save her from this horror years from now.

https://www.merriam-webster.com/grammar/complement-and-compliment-usage-difference

#English #TodayILearned #TIL #Grammar #ImposterSyndrome #HalfHeartedFanatic

I found this old screenshot from 2015 of some of my FB friends who liked Donald J. Trump. I checked today.

1–3: Nope
4: Account deleted (in prison for far-right extremism)
5: Hides their likes
6: Accounted deleted (or they blocked me)

(This type of search is no longer supported by FB.)

#SocialMedia #Enshittification #Fecesbook #Trump #AntiTrump #AntiGOP #AntiMAGA #Republicans #HalfHeartedFanatic

"If you want what the radicals built" — a colorblind constitution — "you're going to have to take it the way they took it."

via bsky @tadstoermer.bsky.social

https://youtu.be/jvAuvG-5Ij0

#History #ResistanceHistory #TadStoermer #Racism #Racist #Antiracism #SCOTUS #SupremeCourt #HalfHeartedFanatic

RE: https://mastodon.online/@reclinernotes/116630522153108104

Scott Bunn is my personal favorite writer on music.

RE: https://mas.to/@HalfHeartedFanatic/116630079088466780

I'm proud to say that the guy with the beard in the green shirt is one of my best friends.

No-nonsense Malagasy commuter bikes at the Phyto-Logic nursery.

#Africa #Madagascar #Antananarivo #Malagasy #Bike #Cycling #CyclingLife #CommuteByBike #Photography #OriginalPhoto #HalfHeartedFanatic

Today I learned there are two famous Enos. One is a slow-dissolving low-stress presence that quietly neutralizes a body's internal turmoil. The other is a popular antacid in India.

At the Bollywood Spice Indian grocery store in Antananarivo.

#BrianEno #India #Music #Photography #OriginalPhoto #Africa #Madagascar #Antananarivo #HalfHeartedFanatic

New water bottle. We're going to need a bigger bottle cage.

(Actually it's the water tank for our upcoming vacation rental property in Ampefy. The bike is just there for scale.)

#Africa #Madagascar #Ampefy #Malagasy #Bike #Cycling #Brompton #CarryShitOlympics #HalfHeartedFanatic

More than 100,000 American Kids Had Parents Detained in Immigration Sweeps

Via mstdn @ProPublica

https://www.propublica.org/article/trump-immigration-child-parent-separation-estimates-brookings

#Fascism #Autocracy #Authoritarian #Project2025 #ICE #FuckICE #Trump #NoKings #NoMandate #AntiTrump #AntiGOP #AntiMAGA #Republicans #HalfHeartedFanatic

How could I NOT give it a taste? Maybe you high-end cat nuts have heard of "food grade" cat litter made from tofu residue, but just found out about it.

#Cats #Cat #CatLover #Catstodon #HalfHeartedFanatic #Photography #OriginalPhoto

"Ashes" — a scattering story

"Finally added to SoundCloud" No. 5 of 5

https://soundcloud.com/ted-johnson-872057533/ashes

#HomeRecording #Songcrafters #Music #Songwriting #HalfHeartedFanatic

Madagascar opposition moves to oust the current military leader president

https://www.africanews.com/2026/05/15/madagascar-opposition-moves-to-oust-military-leader-in-constitutional-challenge/

#Africa #Madagascar #Antananarivo #Malagasy #GenZMadagascar #Politics #Democracy #Justice #HalfHeartedFanatic

"Prevail" — Winning isn't going to happen. Prevailing feels less devastating than losing.

"Finally added to SoundCloud" No. 4 of 5

https://soundcloud.com/ted-johnson-872057533/prevail

#HomeRecording #Songcrafters #Music #Songwriting #HalfHeartedFanatic

"Have a Nice Visit" — a tourist pamphlet for future scavengers.

"Finally added to SoundCloud" No. 3 of 5

https://soundcloud.com/ted-johnson-872057533/have-a-nice-visit

#HomeRecording #Songcrafters #Music #Songwriting #HalfHeartedFanatic

"...constitutional referendum set for June 2027 and presidential elections to follow in October. "

https://www.africanews.com/2026/05/11/madagascar-presidential-election-scheduled-for-october-2027/

#Africa #Madagascar #Antananarivo #Malagasy #Politics #Democracy #Justice #HalfHeartedFanatic

"About Your Logo" — a song about a horrendous, um, logo. Featuring Andry Ramamonjisoa on Guitar

"Finally added to SoundCloud" No. 2 of 5

https://soundcloud.com/ted-johnson-872057533/about-your-logo

#HomeRecording #Songcrafters #Music #Blues #Songwriting #HalfHeartedFanatic

Madagascar: A constitutional referendum in June 2027 followed by a presidential election in October

Article in French
https://www.rfi.fr/fr/afrique/20260509-madagascar-la-c%C3%A9ni-annonce-un-r%C3%A9f%C3%A9rendum-constitutionnel-en-juin-2027-suivi-d-une-pr%C3%A9sidentielle-en-octobre

#Africa #Madagascar #Malagasy #GenZMadagascar #Politics #Democracy #Justice #HalfHeartedFanatic

I looked up and down the beach and realized this convergence would happen right in front of me. Foulpointe (Mahavelona), Madagascar, 10 years ago.

#Africa #Madagascar #Foulpointe #Mahavelona #Beach #Malagasy #Photography #OriginalPhoto #HalfHeartedFanatic

"Red Chair" A song about a chair that triggers a core memory.

I wrote this a long time ago. Finally recorded it last year.

Finally added to SoundCloud 1 of 5

https://soundcloud.com/ted-johnson-872057533/red-chair

#HomeRecording #Songcrafters #Music #Songwriting #HalfHeartedFanatic

One day, in the design department of a company that makes guitar straps, they were totally out of ideas.

#Guitar #Photography #OriginalPhoto #HalfHeartedFanatic

New fear unlocked. One of my dogs almost shat on my pedal board. Only got the cable jack.

#NewFearUnlocked #Dogs #Dog #DogLife #Dogstadon #Guitar #BassGuitar #GuitarPedals #HalfHeartedFanatic

As Madagascar moves closer to Russia, the EU ambassador defends Europe's role in the country

"90% of the aid, investment, and trade given to Madagascar comes from democratic countries. "

Article in #French
https://www.rfi.fr/fr/afrique/20260505-madagascar-l-ambassadeur-de-l-ue-d%C3%A9fend-le-r%C3%B4le-de-l-europe-dans-un-pays-qui-se-rapproche-de-la-russie

#Africa #Madagascar #Antananarivo #Malagasy #Russia #Politics #Democracy #Justice #HalfHeartedFanatic

Many Sundays I take a nap in the yard, and wake up under a dogpile.

#Dogs #Dog #DogLife #Dogstadon #Photography #OriginalPhoto #HalfHeartedFanatic

Russia offers to help Madagascar with electoral processes. Sounds legit.

Article in French:
https://www.rfi.fr/fr/afrique/20260501-madagascar-la-commission-%C3%A9lectorale-se-tourne-vers-moscou-et-suscite-les-doutes-d-ong

#Russia #Madagascar #Antananarivo #Malagasy #Politics #Democracy #Justice #HalfHeartedFanatic

Exactly.

HT xitter @LimeyLizzie

#Trump #NoKings #NoMandate #AntiTrump #AntiGOP #AntiMAGA #Republicans #HalfHeartedFanatic

Not forgetting Amazon Web Services (AWS)

By Mstdn @indivisibleteam

#Trump #NoKings #NoMandate #AntiTrump #oligarchy #plutocracy #broligarchy #kakistocracy #corruption #patrimonialism #HalfHeartedFanatic

I saw this guy's jacket, and took a photo from my bike as I passed by. It led me to a poem by John Giorno. Does this guy know?

The poem "Hi Risque":
https://youtu.be/qXDs5DaZiY0?t=66

#JohnGiorno #NSFW #Poetry #HIVAIDS #Africa #Madagascar #Antananarivo #Malagasy #Photography #OriginalPhoto #HalfHeartedFanatic

If this was the first thing you ever watched about Madagascar, you'd be less dumb. C+

It's... not bad, In spite of the AI narration. The tectonic geology is iffy. The natural history is not quite right (how lemurs arrived/evolved; the fossa is not a mystery to scientists). The human history is debatable (probably arrived 3000+ years ago).

https://youtu.be/Y_4X93eR7LM

#Africa #Madagascar #Antananarivo #Malagasy #HalfHeartedFanatic

Palantir's 22-point manifesto: the ramblings of a supervillian (i.e. a draft of the 2028 GOP platform?)

https://youtube.com/shorts/GK1Zx4wz4ZU

#Authoritarian #broligarchy #palantir #NoMandate #AntiTrump #AntiGOP #AntiMAGA #Republicans #HalfHeartedFanatic

What the French ???

https://www.africanews.com/2026/04/28/madagascar-expels-french-diplomat-amid-rising-tensions/

#Africa #Madagascar #Antananarivo #Malagasy #French #Politics #Democracy #Justice #HalfHeartedFanatic

"...many Americans seem to treat the outside as a terrifying obstacle to all of their plans — as long as they're not in a car..."

https://youtu.be/kpgrd6sTGFo

#PublicTransport #PublicTransit #SustainableTransport #Metro #HalfHeartedFanatic

I saw this on the ground. My first thought was, "It's a trap! A money tract. There's a Malagasy Gospel message on the inside."

Nope. It's a real 200 Ariary bill. Worth about 4½¢ US, and that's not nothing.

#Madagascar #Africa #Antananarivo #Malagasy #Money #Photography #OriginalPhoto #HalfHeartedFanatic

At the location of the White House correspondents’ dinner. The only joke will be that Trump is still president.

via threads @ledbydonkeys

https://youtube.com/shorts/lDSQgnwfX9Q

#Trump #EpsteinCoverUp #NoMandate #AntiTrump #AntiGOP #AntiMAGA #Republicans #HalfHeartedFanatic

Madagascar's PM meets with some Gen Z representatives, imprisons others...

Article in French:
https://la1ere.franceinfo.fr/reunion/madagascar-la-legitimite-des-representants-de-gen-z-venus-discuter-avec-le-nouveau-premier-ministre-interroge-1694795.html

#Madagascar #GenZMadagascar #Africa #Antananarivo #Malagasy #Politics #Democracy #HalfHeartedFanatic

I voted for this to happen to someone else.

https://youtu.be/kaAVnBdDqmQ

#LeopardsAteMyFace #Trump #NoKings #NoMandate #AntiTrump #AntiGOP #AntiMAGA #Republicans #HalfHeartedFanatic

Four-Barrel Fred and One On The Head. Not their actual names, probably.

#Africa #Madagascar #Antananarivo #Malagasy #Bike #Cycling #CyclingLife #CarryShitOlympics #HalfHeartedFanatic

I wasn't trying to impress anyone with one small bucket strapped to my bike. But some guy just had to one-up me carrying 4 55-gallon drums.

#Africa #Madagascar #Antananarivo #Malagasy #Bike #Cycling #CyclingLife #Brompton #CarryShitOlympics #Photography #OriginalPhoto #HalfHeartedFanatic

Virginia jalapeño peppers, with labeling in English, French, and Arabic, found by an American at an Indian grocery store, in Madagascar.

This is big deal for a kid from Arizona: A reliable source of jalapeños.

#Africa #Madagascar #Antananarivo #India #jalapeños #Photography #OriginalPhoto #HalfHeartedFanatic

Yesterday I learned about this 109-year-old famous anti-war poem, written by Wilfred Owen during World War I.

https://www.poetryfoundation.org/poems/46560/dulce-et-decorum-est

#Poetry #IranWar #TrumpWarCrimes #NoMandate #HalfHeartedFanatic

UPDATE: A second cast-off bra in my neighborhood. The movement is growing.

#Feminism #Africa #Madagascar #Antananarivo #Malagasy #Photography #OriginalPhoto #HalfHeartedFanatic

Pit bulls can also be passive aggressive.

https://makertube.net/w/rax4G4d7mdecVsdoj1StoY

#Dogs #Dog #DogLife #Dogstadon #HalfHeartedFanatic

You don't know how hard it was to find a sturdy floor pump in Madagascar 10 years ago! Impossible!

#Africa #Madagascar #Antananarivo #Bike #Cycling #CyclingLife #CommuteByBike #NotJustBikes #HalfHeartedFanatic

In a previous life I was a bike light specialist. And then I couldn't find any good lights in Madagascar. Suddenly this supermarket (Super U) has a great selection.

Reminiscent of Planet Bike products.

#Africa #Madagascar #Antananarivo #Bike #Cycling #CyclingLife #CommuteByBike #NotJustBikes #HalfHeartedFanatic

A Snickers knock-off in Madagascar.

What do you think of when you think of chocolate, peanuts, caramel, and nougat? Hunting of course!

#Africa #Madagascar #Antananarivo #Candy #Bike #Cycling #Photography #OriginalPhoto #HalfHeartedFanatic

L: A band logo I designed in high school. R: A meme allegedly posted by Iran recently. Any resemblance is purely coincidental.

(And it's "The Nutrients" not "The New Tyrants")

#TheNutrients #Music #Trump #IranWar #HalfHeartedFanatic

Fotsy finds herself in the vicinity of Utah without ever leaving Madagascar.

(We've been cutting sod from our yard to transplant to another yard.)

#Utah #Africa #Madagascar #Antananarivo #Dogs #Dog #DogLife #Dogstadon #Photography #OriginalPhoto #HalfHeartedFanatic

Isn't the Trump brand "Profound, staggering ignorance"?

https://youtube.com/shorts/SyhTBh0WOCM

#Trump #EpsteinCoverUp #IranWar #TrumpWarCrimes #NoKings #NoMandate #AntiTrump #AntiGOP #AntiMAGA #Republicans #HalfHeartedFanatic

"History will judge him" is asking the future to do what the present is refusing to do.

Via Bsky @tadstoermer.bsky.social

https://youtu.be/BzDC36Q53HI?si=qdxxCBd2FA7UzxdC

#History #Trump #IranWar #TrumpWarCrimes #NoKings #NoMandate #AntiTrump #AntiGOP #AntiMAGA #Republicans #HalfHeartedFanatic

A surprisingly substantive panel discussion on how the end of the petrodollar would threaten Social Security and Medicare (and the American hegemony in general).

via bsky @ms.now

https://youtu.be/No3f5DVqWpo

#Trump #Petrodollar #IranWar #MSNow #TrumpWarCrimes #NoMandate #AntiTrump #AntiGOP #AntiMAGA #Republicans #HalfHeartedFanatic

Madagascar has declared a state of energy emergency due to... Just enjoy the photo.

via bsky @BSfr

Story in French:
https://www.rfi.fr/fr/afrique/20260408-madagascar-l-%C3%A9tat-d-urgence-%C3%A9nerg%C3%A9tique-d%C3%A9cr%C3%A9t%C3%A9-en-raison-du-conflit-au-moyen-orient

#ActiveTransport #Trump NoMandate #AntiTrump #AntiGOP #AntiMAGA #Republicans #HalfHeartedFanatic