@LemonSlayer
@lemonslayer.bsky.social
When you're handed lemons, make lemonade! Veteran & Progressive. Like nearly everyone, a Subject Matter Generalist (SMG) on most things.
Via @oliverdarcy.bsky.social: www.status.news/p/david-elli... CNN reporters were not amused by David Ellison's op-ed in the NYT.
![The piece was "insulting," one CNNer told Status, adding, “We all have eyes and ears and see what’s happening at CBS. You can’t just write an op-ed and erase that.” Another CNNer said it was obvious to them Ellison "says whatever is best for him to get the merger through."
"The thing David Ellison seems to be missing is the wild mismanagement and disrespect that Bari [Weiss] has displayed at '60' and CBS," a third CNNer told Status. "These people just simply do not know what they are doing. We see it. And we don’t want it here."
Indeed, several CNNers said that Ellison's stewardship of CBS News had caused them to lose confidence in his ability to run a news organization and sour on his repeated assurances about respecting the independence of newsrooms. In The Times essay, Ellison wrote, "I understand that promises from an executive in the middle of a merger invite skepticism. So judge us by the year we just had."
But the last year at CBS News has been an unmitigated disaster. Most notably, Ellison allowed his handpicked news chief to take a sledgehammer to "60 Minutes," firing multiple correspondents and senior executives from television news' most prestigious broadcast—in most of the cases, without ever stating a cause for the dismissals. Beyond that, Weiss' tenure has been defined by her expunging those she is not ideologically aligned with, presiding over the worst ratings of the century for flagship programs like the "CBS Evening News" and "CBS Mornings," establishing a cozier relationship with an overtly corrupt White House, and sending employee morale cratering to astonishing lows.](https://cdn.bsky.app/img/feed_thumbnail/plain/did:plc:bbp2b224lro3bfnzcqwwnkfo/bafkreicybrw5xm7wnrleduxjtlfwlrcvjzs7qwwjijswwlluzh5x67iadi)
size of corp debt one rung above junk is close to record highs
Peter Navarro petitions for en banc review of his crim contempt conviction. Presses same issues DC Cir rebuffed in Bannon's case. But Navarro's case is weaker. Bannon followed (bad) legal advice. Navarro was too arrogant to even seek legal advice. storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.us...
Petition Filed – #1208875781 in United States v. Peter Navarro (D.C. Cir., 24-3006) – CourtListener.com
PETITION [2186647] for hearing en banc filed by Appellant Peter K. Navarro [Service Date: 08/04/2026 by CM/ECF NDA] Length Certification: This petition complies with the type-volume limitation of Fed....
storage.courtlistener.com
I am not sure it takes an expert in Persian history to get that killing the chief executive and entire leadership of a ruling regime will make whoever survives thirst for revenge. Especially if the killed leader’s son then takes over.
This column suggests that only Pirro’s critics would say she’s lying. Bullshit. Anyone who had competently read the court filings would.
Eric Columbus@ericcolumbus.bsky.social · 20h agoPirro "gave the White House a heads-up last week before filing the motion to dismiss the charge against Mr. Hearn in federal court, although it was not clear if Mr. Trump was briefed." www.nytimes.com/2026/08/04/u...
From the Center for Strategic and International Studies: Six Reasons Why the United States Is Low on Munitions www.csis.org/analysis/six...
Six Reasons Why the United States Is Low on Munitions
The Iran war has exacerbated the Pentagon’s shortage of key munitions, but it is not the only cause. There are also longstanding strategic, operational, and institutional reasons.
csis.org
Scott Horton@robertscotthorton.bsky.social · 21h agoThe US military has exhausted nearly 80% of its interceptors for a key missile defense system as senior US military commanders are warning that the Pentagon's munitions stockpile is "dangerously low," according to multiple sources familiar with the matter. cnn.it/4yZ1UWn
A deeply reluctant Judge Mehta has dismissed the Jan. 6 Oath Keepers case after DOJ moved to drop the seditious conspiracy conviction of Stewart Rhodes and others. "The court cannot write a different ending," Mehta writes. storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.us...
There's a throughline between the boat strikes, Maduro raid, Iran War, and domestic deployments of troops—Trump loves using the military to create a spectacle.
Brian Finucane@bcfinucane.bsky.social · 24h agoUsing National Guard soldiers as props in authoritarian theater is pricey. www.washingtonpost.com/national-sec...
The US military has exhausted nearly 80% of its interceptors for a key missile defense system as senior US military commanders are warning that the Pentagon's munitions stockpile is "dangerously low," according to multiple sources familiar with the matter. cnn.it/4yZ1UWn
US military has used up nearly 80% of key missile interceptors as commanders warn stockpiles ‘dangerously low,’ sources say | CNN Politics
The US military has exhausted nearly 80% of its interceptors for a key missile defense system as senior US military commanders are warning that the Pentagon’s munitions stockpile is “dangerously low,”...
cnn.it
It was clear from the get go that Trump did not and does not understand Iranian psychology.
Brian Finucane@bcfinucane.bsky.social · 21h agoForeign leaders can be so difficult when you kill their families and launch surprise attacks on their countries. www.nytimes.com/2026/08/04/u...
Expect there are a bunch of analysts in the IC who could explain the perspective of Iranian leaders to POTUS if he was willing to listen.
Foreign leaders can be so difficult when you kill their families and launch surprise attacks on their countries. www.nytimes.com/2026/08/04/u...
An Angry Trump Struggles to Understand Iran’s Defiant Leaders
Iran’s leaders have perplexed several American presidents, perhaps none more than President Trump.
nytimes.com
I love that photo of Trump celebrating with the crew that helped line the basin. Trump also drove his motorcade over the new coating. More pictures here: www.whitehouse.gov/gallery/pres...
NEW: The Reflecting Pool story is about Trump’s grip on reality, but the press corps won’t go there: presswatchers.org/2026/08/the-...
The Reflecting Pool story is about Trump's grip on reality, but the press corps won’t go there | Press Watch
Journalists are treating his ‘vandalism’ claim as if it were a normal, disputable argument. But it’s completely delusional.
presswatchers.org
Corporations, Not Immigrants, Responsible for Most Healthcare Fraud theintercept.com/2026/07/31/i...
Corporations, Not Immigrants, Are Responsible for Vast Majority of Healthcare Fraud, OIG Report Shows
Trump officials are focused on immigrants, but the Department of Health and Human Services report on healthcare fraud doesn’t even mention them.
theintercept.com
That is much closer to what the AGs wanted as opposed to Paramount’s request for a November trial date. It also places the Ellisons perilous close to the June must-close date. If this has to go through appeals following a bad ruling for Paramount, you could see Warner just demand its $7b kill fee.
George Pearkes@peark.es · 22h agothat's a long time to carry the deal financing huh *JUDGE SETS PARAMOUNT-WARNER BROS. MERGER TRIAL FOR MARCH 2027
A third detainee died after being held at Delaney Hall, according to Rep. Rob Menendez (D-NJ), who said the death wasn’t disclosed to the public by Immigration and Customs Enforcement because the agency recently changed how it reports deaths of detainees. www.thecityreporter.nyc/2026/08/04/t...
A Third Delaney Hall Detainee Has Died, New Jersey Congressman Says
Rep. Rob Menendez said ICE confirmed details of the death, which took place weeks ago, to him during an oversight visit to the facility on Monday.
thecityreporter.nyc
This is grim. Any why wouldn’t China do this when the US has proven repeatedly that it can violate international norms/law by targeting civilian infrastructure with impunity?
Foreign Affairs@foreignaffairs.com · 23h agoTo prepare for a possibility of a Chinese blockade by fire, “Taiwan should stockpile essential items, including the parts and materials needed to repair port infrastructure,” argue Eugene Gholz and Kerby Davis.
www.cnn.com/2026/08/03/p... Text-only version: lite.cnn.com/2026/08/03/p...
‘They are murder victims’: Senator suggests US strikes have killed people who weren’t involved in drug trafficking | CNN Politics
The US military’s strikes on alleged drug boats have likely illegally killed “individuals who are not involved in narcotrafficking,” Sen. Tim Kaine told the White House on Monday, following “a careful...
cnn.com
The entire point of demanding Pirro frame people for vandalism was to distract from the disastrous outcome of Trump's own corruption. And now Trump's pique with Pirro for not sustaining the frame job is distracting from the disastrous outcome of Trump's corruption. www.wsj.com/politics/pol...
www.cnn.com/2026/08/03/p... Text-only version: lite.cnn.com/2026/08/03/p...
Furious Trump is considering removing Pirro over Reflecting Pool filing, sources say | CNN Politics
President Donald Trump is considering removing Jeanine Pirro, the US attorney for the District of Columbia, over a Justice Department filing on the Reflecting Pool, two people familiar with his thinki...
cnn.com
Phillips P O'Brien explores the strategic brilliance of Pete Heegseth: The US has been forced to use expensive, advanced air-defense systems—such as Patriot PAC-3 missiles that each cost millions of dollars and have a long production cycle—to shoot down Iranian drones that cost $30,000 each
Why Is the U.S. Running So Low on Weapons?
Allies that depend on U.S. military equipment need a Plan B.
theatlantic.com
This Soviet Sub’s Bizarre ‘Double-Barrel’ Bow Was Built To Test Exotic Weapons www.twz.com/sea/this-sov...
This Soviet Sub’s Bizarre ‘Double-Barrel’ Bow Was Built To Test Exotic Weapons
The strange looking testbed helped develop Soviet submarine-launched missile-torpedoes during the Cold War. The bizarre testbed helped develop Soviet submarine-launched missile-torpedoes during the Co...
twz.com
The most dangerous of Trump's many delusions is this: he thinks that Russia, North Korea and China are his friends. In fact they are Iran's allies, and they are empowering Iran in its attacks on US military personnel.
Did Stan Woodward Get Paid Via the Proceeds of the Money Laundering that Todd Blanche Immunized? emptywheel.net/2026/08/03/d...
Did Stan Woodward Get Paid Via the Proceeds of the Money Laundering that Todd Blanche Immunized? - emptywheel
Were any of the people appointed to high positions in the current administration beneficiaries of the money laundering Blanche is attempting to immunize?
emptywheel.net