64 replies
  1. P J Evans says:

    I’ve read that there’s so much crime there that they have the occupying troops picking up litter.
    It’s unlikely that any of those who decreed/support the occupation will go outside and *notice* this.

  2. harpie says:

    The SSA whistleblower Marcy wrote about the other day has just resigned…and his e-mail announcing this is said to have quickly disappeared from the system.
    I’ll bring this to that 8/26/25 post.

  3. HonestyPolicyCraig says:

    The Minnesota shooter story is over the top for me. The Russian cultivation of this violent person is so concerning. And, that no one in the FBI or any federal agency is actively investigating this is beyond unacceptable.

    The Democratic sweep in Iowa is the canary in the coal mine. Republicans are not going to survive this. Or, they are going to need to stop the midterms. Then we have a zombie apocalypse and our marketplace will crumble. I guess I can smile about something? Take a gummie?

    • misnomer bjet says:

      The problem and thing to be prepared for (like ten years ago, but now or never, eh?), is the extent to which Republicans have used the distraction & excuse of Trump to take over the democratic opposition’s party apparatus; certainly not least of all by framing the debate at so-called liberal news organizations like NYT & MSNBC which so much of the ‘base’ rely on, directly and indirectly.

    • Rayne says:

      “accidentally” “incompetent”

      I call bullshit. This wasn’t any accident. It was deliberate. It was a compentent handjob for Putin.

    • MSanthrope says:

      Looks like a violation of criminal statutes, including the Intelligence Identities Protection Act of 1982, and Title 18, United States Code, Section 793.

      • wa_rickf says:

        Scooter Libby went to prison for it. Trump will circle the wagons around Tulsi – if he’s even still around. The internet was abuzz yesterday about his being MIA.

        • Peterr says:

          Scooter Libby was convicted for it, but Bush commuted his sentence and he never spent a day in prison. Then, when Trump came along, he gave Scooter a full pardon – likely an early example of pardoning someone because they were “politically motivated prosecutions” to borrow a phrase becoming more and more a part of Trump’s vocabulary.

        • wa_rickf says:

          @ Peterr August 30, 2025 at 11:50 am

          Thank you for filling in the historical background and context, once again. I have updated my mental notes.

  5. HonestyPolicyCraig says:

    https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/doge/social-security-whistleblower-submits-involuntary-resignation-citing-i-rcna228095

    This is not going well. We are headed to a zombie apocalypse. My wife, who had skin cancer removed- her doctor is creating a rich patient’s club. You pay to join the rich club and you get picked for appointments before the patients not in the rich club. She found another doctor.

    My wife’s doctor has turned into a zombie.

    The DC Takeover spoken at length in the Friday news summary is what I am easily and simply calling in my mind the zombie apocalypse. It makes things so simple for me. As soon as I encounter a self destructive USA citizen supporting the Republican agenda, I just say to myself, I am dealing with a zombie and walk away. The zombies are very dumb and slow. They are very easy to avoid. It has progressed from the MAGA cult to a zombie apocalypse.

  6. wa_rickf says:

    JD Vance: “God forbid, there’s a terrible tragedy, I can’t think of better on-the-job training than what I’ve gotten over the last 200 days.’

    Internet abuzz about Trump being MIA.
    https://metro.co.uk/2025/08/30/donald-trump-dead-rumours-hit-social-media-president-not-seen-public-days-24033638/

    Trump is hoping ending the Russian attack on Ukraine will get him into Heaven.
    https://youtu.be/t8k0DhsdMPo?si=RUpHrr1sx85kTgeA

    ======

    Doing a gazillion crappy things to people, and one possible “good ” deed (‘good’ remains to be seen how Ukraine fairs in the ended conflict – if it ever ends) is not necessarily the golden ticket to get in. My understanding is, deeds throughout life are evaluated.

    (Notice no mention of ending the Gaza tragedy is mentioned by Trump).

    • P J Evans says:

      There have been a lot of terrible tragedies in the last 8 months – since the election – and Vance has been absent for all of them.

    • BRUCE F COLE says:

      Just did a search for “where is Trump?” and the WH website came up:
      https://www.whitehouse.gov/live/

      In case they’ve refreshed it by the time y’all have clicked on it, it currently says:

      Stay tuned – we’ll be live again shortly.

      Heh. A defibrillator is in use?

  7. rosalind says:

    re. Marcy’s book “Anatomy of Deceit” that P J mentioned upthread: I have three copies of the book I’d be happy to send to anyone who is interested. I bought a bunch of copies to give out to friends and mail to my reps and still have a few on hand. could maybe coordinate through Rayne? dunno, but happy to mail out.

    • Mipiti365 says:

      I’d enjoy reading that!

      [Welcome back to emptywheel. Please use the SAME USERNAME and email address each time you comment so that community members get to know you. You published this comment as “Mipiti3” which does not comply with the site’s name standard; it has been edited to reflect your updated username you used in October 2022. Please check your browser’s cache and autofill; future comments may not publish if username does not match. /~Rayne]

      • Rayne says:

        Please let me know by reply to this comment if the email address you used on your comment is active/valid/working. I’ll reach out to you if it is, thanks.

    • -mamake- says:

      Rosalind, I’d love a copy. Don’t know if Rayne has time or interest in working this out but if okay I’m in.
      California local.

      • Rayne says:

        Please let me know by reply to this comment if the email address you used on your comment is active/valid/working. I’ll reach out to you if it is, thanks.

        • -mamake- says:

          Yes, it is. Thank you so much!
          Just read your other post and am so sorry re: the scare with your dad.
          May you both recover thoroughly and well!
          Mamake

          [Thanks – watch for an email from me shortly. /~Rayne]

    • Peterr says:

      It’s hard to believe that the Scooter Libby trial was 18 years ago. I can’t possibly be that old.

      Now if only those kids would get off my lawn.

      • rosalind says:

        fav memory: i was still on AOL dial-up. to watch Marcy’s nightly recap vids I had to hit play…then walk down to the corner store, buy dinner fixins, come home, make dinner, sit back down at computer and the buffering would just be finishing up. i’d hit play and watch while i ate.

  8. Sandor Raven says:

    Perhaps off-topic, but timely:

    “Nearly 1,000 ‘worker over billionaire’ actions planned for Labor Day in US”
    — The Guardian Fri 29 Aug 2025

    I believe that in Chicago this will take place at the site of the 1886 “Haymarket Affair”.

      • Sandor Raven says:

        Thank you for being there for us.

        It was a beautiful day in Chicago. Many more people were there than I expected … a shared humanity, sharing the streets, knowing that because kindness is free, it doesn’t cost anything to give it away.

  9. harpie says:

    https://bsky.app/profile/kyledcheney.bsky.social/post/3lxpbkvpmgp2t
    August 31, 2025 at 10:15 AM

    BREAKING: A federal judge has *blocked* the Trump administration from abruptly deporting 600 unaccompanied Guatemalan children — perhaps within a matter of hours — granting an emergency restraining order after advocates called the plan illegal + dangerous. [screenshot][link]

    NEW: Judge Sooknanan acted quickly to block as many as 600 Guatemalan children from being deported by the Trump administration without due process. A judge in Illinois took a similar step for 4 children whose lawyers sued Saturday.

    MORE: This is reminiscent of the emergency fight over Alien Enemies Act — an overnight lawsuit alleging abrupt deportations and violation of due process, quick restraining order by a judge, hearing set for the afternoon.

    We’ll learn more at 3pm.

    https://bsky.app/profile/kyledcheney.bsky.social/post/3lxpgctp7ce2f
    August 31, 2025 at 11:40 AM

    BREAKING: Judge Sooknanan says the children are being removed right now so has advanced today’s hearing to 12:30pm. [screenshot][link]

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