iiinova — where your digital self keeps evolving

Mark Welch @markwelch.bsky.social · 03/10/2026

30 days to Election Day (Nov. 3)! Register to vote by October 7. Vote early: Oct. 20 to Nov. 2.

Mark Welch @markwelch.bsky.social · 17/09/2026

Wow: quite a "content warning" to encounter in a book. Dreamslayer (2026) by A. K. Mulford link.amazon/B070Y3xCe @akmulford.com

"CONTENT WARNINGS:

"Suicide, violence, murder, gore, body horror, grief, death, abuse, imprisonment, coercive control, homophobia, drug use, addiction, hallucinations, domestic violence, spiders, monsters, disease, infection, drowning, cults, religious trauma, sexually explicit scenes and allusions to rape, forced pregnancy, and infanticide (not on page)."

Dreamslayer (2026) by A. K. Mulford.

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Mark Welch @markwelch.bsky.social · 26/08/2026

I've finished grouping my Kindle eBooks into "collections." It is possible that I will never finish reading all of them.

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Mark Welch @markwelch.bsky.social · 24/08/2026

"This Palantir Billionaire’s Passion Project is Criminalizing Homelessness" [Mother Jones] "Joe Lonsdale’s Cicero Institute lobbies to make sleeping outdoors a crime. Under [47], the federal government is listening." www.motherjones.com/politics/202...

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Mark Welch @markwelch.bsky.social · 22/08/2026

This describes the past 50 years of my life: "From those two books I discovered more authors to read from a variety of perspectives.... And then I read the authors those authors referenced, and then I read the authors those other authors referenced, and I kept learning."

This describes the past 50 years of my life:

"... That sounded pretty 'out there' to me at the time, so I grabbed it from the shelf. And to balance things out I also grabbed a book by Francis Chan that was written to debunk Rob Bell's book. From those two books I discovered more authors to read from a variety of Christian perspectives. I asked the ministers at my church for more book suggestions, and I read those too. And then I read the authors those authors referenced, and then I read the authors those other authors referenced, and I kept learning. I loved reading as a child but I had lost interest in junior high. In high school I couldn't make myself read even one assigned book. Now I was reading up to three books a week. I'd never been more passionate about anything in my life. A theme began to emerge the more I learned, the more I read ...."

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Mark Welch @markwelch.bsky.social · 17/08/2026

"White Women's Hospital" ? After spending 25 minutes searching for a parking space in a completely full garage, then the full parking lot. While rage-tromping the half-mile back to the ER, beyond a bush, I saw "White Women's Hospital." It was less offensive after I passed the bush.

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Mark Welch @markwelch.bsky.social · 17/08/2026

After spending 25 minutes searching for a parking space in a completely full garage, then the full parking lot. While rage-tromping the half-mile back to the ER, beyond a bush, I saw a building marked "White Women's Hospital" (Cox South). It was less offensive after I passed the bush.

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Mark Welch @markwelch.bsky.social · 17/08/2026

Today's reading distraction: "Planet of Exiles" (1966) by Ursula LeGuin. amzn.to/4bP82Xl This copy is 60 years old.

Book cover: "Planet of Exiles" (1966) by Ursula LeGuin. https://amzn.to/4bP82Xl

This copy is 50 years old.

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Mark Welch @markwelch.bsky.social · 12/08/2026

call or lobby your congressperson p.111 wheel of progress p.115 work on a campaign p.124 run for office p.144 3/3

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Mark Welch @markwelch.bsky.social · 12/08/2026

the Volun-tiers: p.89-94 postcards, text banking, phone banking,GOTV, canvasing why year-round canvasing matters p.103 ways to organize: grassroots, voter reg, union, party p.105-6 Attend town hall, city council, school board p.109, how to speak 2/3

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Mark Welch @markwelch.bsky.social · 09/08/2026

newrepublic.com/post/214111/...

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Mark Welch @markwelch.bsky.social · 06/08/2026

www.politico.com/news/2026/08...

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Mark Welch @markwelch.bsky.social · 06/08/2026

thedemocracyadvocate.com/elections/am...

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Mark Welch @markwelch.bsky.social · 06/08/2026

Wow, I haven't had such a strong reaction to a book in a while I wish I had the time & energy to write about the ideas in this remarkable book. I do want to insert these post-it notes into my ebook copy, before I have to strip them to return the library copy.

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Mark Welch @markwelch.bsky.social · 05/08/2026

Per Mo. Gov. Kehoe, 80% rejection is a mere speed bump: Amendment 5 "did not earn the support it needed." A5 would NEVER help Missourians "keep more of what they earn." A5 was to shift ANY gov't costs away from rich employers and investors, to be paid by workers, renters, and retirees.

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Mark Welch @markwelch.bsky.social · 05/08/2026

This barcode on a book confused me.

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Mark Welch @markwelch.bsky.social · 02/08/2026

"Amazon and Walmart AI shopping assistants can often detect when "Made in USA" product labels are false, but the big retailers are not using that technology to crack down on the listings..." www.newstribune.com/news/2026/ju...

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Mark Welch @markwelch.bsky.social · 30/07/2026

"The 7 Deadly Sins of White Christian Nationalism: A Call to Action" (2022) by Carter Heyward. amzn.to/3TpTmHP Re-sharing with Table of Contents in ALT text.

"The 7 Deadly Sins of White Christian Nationalism: A Call to Action" (2022) by Carter Heyward.
https://amzn.to/3TpTmHP

Re-sharing with Table of Contents in ALT text.

First Sin: The Lust for Omnipotence
Second Sin: Entitlement
Third Sin: White Supremacy
Fourth Sin: Misogyny
Fifth Sin: Capitalist Spirituality
Sixth Sin: Domination of the Earth and Its Creatures
Seventh Sin: Violence

First Call: Empowering One Another
Second Call: Embodying Humility
Third Call: Approaching the Blackness of God
Fourth Call: Empowering Women, Celebrating Sexuality, Affirming Gender Diversity
Fifth Call: Transforming Capitalism
Sixth Call: Belonging with Earth and Animals
Seventh Call: Breaking the Spiral of Violence

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Mark Welch @markwelch.bsky.social · 30/07/2026

Today's reading distractions: "Disarming Leviathan: Loving Your Christian Nationalist Neighbor" 2024 "The Religion of Whiteness: How Racism Distorts Christian Faith" 2024 "The 7 Deadly Sins of White Christian Nationalism" 2022 "Star-Spangled Jesus: Leaving Christian Nationalism"2024

Today's reading distraction: "Disarming Leviathan: Loving Your Christian Nationalist Neighbor (2024) by Caleb Campbell.
https://amzn.to/4fCKKVx

I wondered how these beloved Christians could give allegiance to a movement that blatantly disregards the true ways of Jesus and instead embraces the power of Leviathan....

It was in this apocalyptic season that I began to ask the Lord, "What should I do?"

FROM ENEMY COMBATANT TO MISSION FIELD

When I first encountered American Christian nationalism, I viewed it as a heresy to be destroyed and those who gave themselves over to it as enemies to defeat.... In my mind my powerful arguments would lead them to repent and return to the ways of Jesus.

My intentions were good. My methods, not so much.

By viewing American Christian nationalists as the enemy, I was taking the posture of Leviathan: a combative approach that created more divisiveness and frustration. This was the wrong mindset, but I didn't know it yet. Then, I had a mind-renewing, life-altering experience (what the Bible calls metanoia or "repentance"), which changed my approach and set me on the path to writing this book.

One of my favorite questions comes from a podcast called Make Me Smart. In each episode they ask their guests, "What is something that you used to believe that it turned out later you were wrong about?" I love that question because it assumes that we can change our beliefs, even on deeply held convictions. The Bible calls this the "renewing of our minds." The apostle Paul, writing to the Roman church, says, "Do not be conformed to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is-his good, pleasing and perfect will" (Romans 12:2, emphasis added).

I've had many mind-renewing experiences and pray for many more, by God's grace. The one that changed my trajectory came at the end of....

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Mark Welch @markwelch.bsky.social · 30/07/2026

Today's reading distraction: "The Day After: How to Wield Power in a Post-Trump World" (2026) by Brian Tyler Cohen. amzn.to/3Rp4AvD (Disappointing.)

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Mark Welch @markwelch.bsky.social · 24/07/2026

Today's reading distraction: "The Emergency Playbook: A Bunker-Free Guide to Disaster Preparation (2026) by Amy Edelman & Chris Begley. amzn.to/4fiUoxR

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Mark Welch @markwelch.bsky.social · 21/07/2026

Today's reading distraction: A phenomenal book: "The God Who Riots: Taking Back the Radical Jesus" (2022) by @DamonGarcia.bsky.social amzn.to/43uwfxA

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Mark Welch @markwelch.bsky.social · 13/07/2026

Missouri Amendment 5: "Pie-in-the -sky nothingness."

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Mark Welch @markwelch.bsky.social · 29/06/2026

An interesting take on the fraudulent power grab known as Missouri Amendment 5. shieldmaidensofmo.substack.com/p/amendment-...

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Mark Welch @markwelch.bsky.social · 29/06/2026

How we set up our LFL (Little Free Library), and why we stamp all the books. @littlefreelibrary.bsky.social www.markwelchblog.com/2025/11/29/s...

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Mark Welch @markwelch.bsky.social · 14/06/2026

Sunday Shelfie! Our Little Free Library in Springfield MO: map.lflapp.org/knthQmRquVb Free map of Registered LFLs: littlefreelibrary.org/map/ Free map app for Android or iOS: littlefreelibrary.org/app/

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Mark Welch @markwelch.bsky.social · 10/06/2026

No on MO 5 & 4 ! Missouri Amendment 5: Would - Phase out Income Tax; - DOUBLE current Sales Taxes; - Add new Service Taxes (prohibited in 2016); - Add sales tax on real estate purchases; and - Add sales tax on RENT! Missouri Amendment 4: Would END citizen initiatives! Vote NO !

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Mark Welch @markwelch.bsky.social · 03/06/2026

Missouri Amendment 5, which would phase out the state's income tax, is on the August ballot. Will it extend sales tax to residential rent payments?

Will MO Amendment 5 bring taxes on rent?

I want research & projections to offset the elimination of Missouri's income tax (Amendment 5 on the August ballot).

Missouri's income tax now brings $8.5 billion annually (two-thirds of all state revenue). The stated plan is to raise sales tax rates, plus extend the sales tax to services that are not taxed now.

But the math behind Amendment 5 does not add up.

It is estimated that each 1% increase in sales tax would raise about $1 billion, so an increase of 8.5% would theoretically offset the entire income tax.

But, since a large percentage of Missouri residents live near interstate borders, any such increase would drive many residents to shift their retail purchases to another state. Adding a tax on services (auto repair, dental work, &tc) could shift that activity across state borders.

I suspect that the only way to close the revenue gap will be to extend sales/service taxes to residential and commercial rent.

Rent is already the single highest household expense for working families. A tax on rental payments would also serve the oligarchs' goal of shifting taxes from the wealthiest to the poorest, from investors to workers.

What is the projected revenue for service taxes, both for the "most plausible" categories (auto repair, dental work, hair services, legal services) and for "even less popular" ideas (such as taxing medical services and, ultimately, taxing rental payments)?

I'm also aware that for Missouri workers who reside in another state, the MO income tax is collected and applied as a credit to their state-of-residence income taxes. Without any MO income tax, that entire amount would be paid instead to the state of residence, while the employee would pay very little sales tax in Missouri.

Amendment 5 proposes a regression from a middle-class economy to a more feudal system.

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Mark Welch @markwelch.bsky.social · 31/05/2026

Three of my Electronic Frontier Foundation @eff.org donor t-shirts. Unpacked after five years in storage, now sealed away again

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Mark Welch @markwelch.bsky.social · 31/05/2026

Message t-shirts, current rotation, May 2026. Still sorting through my stuff.

Some of the message T-shirts owned by Mark Welch, May 2026
(books) Love peace kindness change diversity unity compassion justice
(Books) Love peace inclusion kindness change diversity unity compassion justice accessibility
Missouri jobs for justice
Kindness peace equality love inclusion hope diversity
Science is real; black lives matter; love is love; women's rights are human rights; kindness is everything
The Constitution matters
Pussy hat on earth
Make America kind again
Where you can be anything, be kind
Be kind
Neurosarcoidosis (3 shirts)
Read Banned Books (not shown)

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Mark Welch @markwelch.bsky.social · 15/05/2026

Another LFL update: we removed the small shelf at the bottom, to fit more large-format picture books. We moved board books to the shelf above. We also have Spanish books on our rolling cart. Grandview Park Little Free Library #208480 N. Dysart Ave., Springfield MO map.lflapp.org/knthQmRquVb

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Mark Welch @markwelch.bsky.social · 12/05/2026

I added some nonfiction titles to our Little Free Library, including three excellent books (How Civil Wars Start, Weapons of Mass Delusion, and Caste) along with some awful ones. map.lflapp.org/knthQmRquVb

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Mark Welch @markwelch.bsky.social · 09/05/2026

During our trip to Saint Louis yesterday I took Kary to see Left Bank Books, and while she drove us home, I requested about a dozen of the books I saw from the library. Today's haul is pictured.