Mara
@maralinn.bsky.social
Half pessimistic doom-scroller, half social progressive. Ex-librarian into rug-hooking, cats, dogs, nature, classic film, Jeopardy, US politics, climate. I try to post/repost interesting things in addition to politics.
Ukrainian drone strikes on Yandex data centers in Russia did not cut “Russian bots” on social media by 50%. That fast-spreading rumor is misinformation. It’s based on a misleading, misread chart. A traceable series of high-profile accounts spread it, some with financial motivations to push junk.
Literally the only time I ever hear the name Shane Gillis is when he did something shitty on SNL over the weekend. Maybe SNL could stop inviting him to host and he could keep selling comedy specials to Cybertruck owners or whatever his deal is and the rest of us could forget he exists entirely?
This is a great reminder that, when the FBI raided Trump’s home, it found evidence of an actual crime: hundreds of highly classified documents that Trump stole when he left office.
The Associated Press@apnews.com · 13h agoBREAKING: Federal agents searched Minnesota Rep. Ilhan Omar's home as part of a criminal investigation, AP sources say.
Judge Reyes says that if her current order is violated by "even two seconds" that there WILL be contempt proceedings.
That's so many giant tortoises I love it. Also it's fascinating that the only places giant tortoises live are tiny islands
Scientists discover 180,000 giant tortoises on one Seychelles island
Free-roaming Aldabra population far exceeds human population of Seychelles after decades-long recovery programme
theguardian.com
Zelenskyy approval rating: 54% Trump approval rating: 32%
Aaron Rupar@atrupar.com · 2d agoTrump: “I think it’s time for Ukraine to get a new president”
Trump's suit appears to be part of Jos. A. Bank's Traveler line. The suit is listed as having been made abroad using a wool-polyester-spandex blend. The company describes it as having the "ultimate stretch" and was designed to minimize body odor.
So army regulation 190-55 states clearly that no recording device may be present at an execution, and no person under age 18 may witness it. The constitution bans cruel and inhumane punishment. What Hegseth wants to do is clearly illegal. Bureau of Prisons ban public executions. 1/2
USA TODAY@usatoday.com · 3d agoPresident Trump publicly endorsed the Pentagon's planned firing squad execution of a gunman who killed 13 soldiers during a 2009 rampage at Fort Hood, though the president did not weigh in on controversial plans to livestream it. 📸: Evan Vucci, REUTERS Read more: bit.ly/4yFOy0y
I'm a little unclear whether Trump's Russia diesel deal is even real. Russia's refining capacity has been devastated by Ukrainian drone strikes. Do they really have any surplus diesel to sell us?
The insanity is just A MONTH AGO the Congress passed a law to impose sanctions on any country buying Russian oil - and Trump turns around and does this. It makes US international relations into a farce that no one can take seriously. www.pbs.org/newshour/pol...
Senate passes sweeping Russia sanctions bill negotiated by the late Sen. Lindsey Graham
The bipartisan legislation, which passed the Senate 86-11, would penalize countries that continue to buy Russian oil, gas and other exports seeking to deprive Putin of revenues fueling the war.
pbs.org
❗️The US Treasury says OFAC is issuing a temporary license allowing Russian diesel onto the global market at Trump’s direction. The move comes weeks after Trump signed the Lindsey Graham Russia Sanctions Act, which threatens tariffs on countries buying significant Russian oil and gas. #Russia
Seems like employers being to hire and fire whomever they want is capitalism. And gender fluidity is libertarianism.
Aaron Rupar@atrupar.com · 4d agoQ: How do you define socialism personally? JD VANCE: I think in reality what it actually means in the American context is you want to replace American workers with foreigners workers, and you want boys to play in girls' sports
This is an excellent point. When pro-democracy, anti-corruption forces get power, they won't need elaborate new laws to start getting Elon Musk, Palmer Luckey, Peter Thiel, and other tech oligarchs out of government. They've almost certainly committed fraud and other already existing crimes.
The Bi of Hormuz@joshstein.bsky.social · 4d agoI agree with this completely, but I think we should also recognize the opportunity here. These three people will commit lots of demonstrable fraud in these contracting processes, and it provides a critical opportunity to for IGs and the DOJ to publicly address military industrial corruption.
Trump sends a worrying message suggesting he plans to commit suicide or resign on or after Nov 3. Oh, no.
This video of a Eurasian lynx (Lynx lynx) was taken by Sondre Eriksen Hensema (@itseriksen on IG). There are 4 species in genus Lynx & what's striking is that 2 of them are in North America, 2 in Eurasia... but the lynx line originates in Africa. Let's learn more about these right-sized kitties.
Law enforcement officers have been given federal orders and money to find and punish people espousing an assortment of disfavored views — from “anti-Americanism” to “extremism on matters of migration” — under the banner of fighting domestic terrorism. bit.ly/4AZMLoU
Co-opting Local Police to Suppress Dissent
A presidential order has activated the post-9/11 machinery of federal-state-local law enforcement cooperation to target the administration’s political opponents.
brennancenter.org
They will never stop propagating the same false claim, waylaid many times and derived from not even reading the study referred to, will they?
Marc Veldhoen@marcveld.bsky.social · 2w agoToo many abusing this study again put of bring stupid, counting on their followers not reading. The study shows 53% death after Ebola infection + Remdesivir. Ebola infection one was 66% mortality. They constantly lie, because they don't understand science or data. Antivax is a deathcult ideology.
Sure, let's collectively delegate the future of humanity to people like this. I see no issues.
🎃👻🧙♀️ Vio the VVitch 🧙♀️👻🎃@viothevvitch.myatproto.social · 5d agothis is so fucking sad
Give me your rested, your rich, Your already educated, yearning to breathe free, The elite human beings of your slightly chilly shore. Send these, the homeowners, flying first class, to me, I lift my lamp beside the golden door!"
Aaron Rupar@atrupar.com · 4d agoQ: You mentioned you want people like Elon Musk to come here, but he didn't build his companies overnight. So how do you decide who is the next Elon Musk? VANCE: One, does the person fill a position that simply cannot be filled by an American worker? Two, is this person a truly elite human being?
In July, I went to the NFL Flag Championships in Indiana to see the enormous boom in youth flag football in person. Turns out, girls love ball. My story leads off @bloomberg.com Businessweek’s November issue on women’s sports. Gift link: www.bloomberg.com/news/feature...
The NFL’s $192 Million Bet on Flag Football Is Paying Off With Teen Girls
The sport has seen unprecedented growth since the pandemic. Next up: The Olympics and a college campus near you.
bloomberg.com
If Democrats win, johnson will not be speaker at the point where they are swearing in the new Congress. They are sworn in by the speaker elect, who is chosen by the member elects
Aaron Rupar@atrupar.com · 5d agoSen. Thom Tillis says he expects there will be pressure on Mike Johnson to not seat the new Congress if Democrats win
Data center owners should pay for their electricity and any grid upgrades–not you. Our new permitting reform bill makes that mandatory.
What are the odds he’s been informed, but doesn’t remember because dementia is eating his short-term memory?
Headquarters@headquartersnews.bsky.social · 5d agoQ: A hurricane is forecast to hit the gulf coast this weekend, are you still planning to go to Alabama on Saturday? Trump: I hadn't heard about a hurricane. That's not good
“The cost of carrying oil from inside the Persian Gulf to China rose to a record $1.3 million a day Monday. “The rate averaged close to $60,000 a day last year.” www.bloomberg.com/news/article...
Iran Ramps Up Ship Attacks in Hormuz as Oil, Gas Flows Rise
Iran has increased the pace of attacks on tankers in the Strait of Hormuz in recent days, just as oil shipments through the world’s most important energy chokepoint approach prewar levels.
bloomberg.com
At a busy thoroughfare inside the European Parliament, passing politicians are now confronted with an 8.5-foot-tall statue of President Donald Trump, naked but for a thin layer of 23-karat gold leaf. https://cnn.it/4y31HQb
my friend @juddlegum.bsky.social has put together a cool new tool that allows you to photograph political mail and immediately learn who paid for it. Check it out here:
Who paid for this?
Find out who really paid for political mailers and TV ads.
paidforby.info