Skeets Of The Day

 

Start the steal, 2026 (and beyond) edition --

Journalists: please, please get ready for this in ADVANCE. We know Trump's going to claim "new evidence shows the 2020 election was stolen". You've got 3 days to write a story that confronts that lie head-on before he says it - pre-write this like an obit. America is begging you: plan ahead. 1/

[image or embed]

— capitolhunters (@capitolhunters.bsky.social) July 13, 2026 at 4:39 PM

 

Have we litigated this to death? Absolutely. Does it feel exhausting to have to do it again? Sure. But he's going to use these 2020 lies as an excuse for meddling in the 2026 midterms, so the lies need to be called out as obvious bullshit AND a direct threat to our political system.

— Kevin M. Kruse (@kevinmkruse.bsky.social) July 13, 2026 at 7:39 PM

 

Pin this. It will be a pivotal moment in Trump's move to steal the 2026 and 2028 elections. It will present lies that will be used to justify illegal actions to selectively disenfrachise voters. The next four months look like a historic threat to our democracy.

[image or embed]

— David Rothkopf (@djrothkopf.bsky.social) July 13, 2026 at 4:32 PM

ICE murders of innocent, "non-targets" continue --

 

ICE killed a Colombian man. He was legally authorized to work. His wife and 3-year-old daughter were in the car when ICE fired at least 5 times. He was not their target. Agents wore no body cameras. This is fascism. Prepare: PAXIS.app Keep it free: GoFundMe.com/PAXIS

[image or embed]

— Joe Walsh (@walshfreedom.bsky.social) July 13, 2026 at 7:16 PM

 

No hell too hot. www.sunjournal.com/2026/07/13/i...

[image or embed]

— Ben Collins (@bencollins.bsky.social) July 13, 2026 at 7:58 PM

 

Where is Susan Collins at today after the ICE shooting in Maine? Time to spin the wheel for her talking point.

[image or embed]

— Ron Filipkowski (@ronfilipkowski.bsky.social) July 13, 2026 at 8:26 PM

 

ICE will keep killing people as long as they think they can get away it and not a moment sooner than that.

— Charlotte Clymer (@charlotteclymer.bsky.social) July 13, 2026 at 8:17 PM

The rapist MF finally pays one of his judgements to E. Jean Carroll -- 

More than $80 million owed to Carroll is still in dispute in a different case.

[image or embed]

— Forbes (@forbes.com) July 14, 2026 at 11:05 AM

 

Hegseth compromised, and the Malignant Fascist's proposed protection racket -- 

Here's how the defense secretary's wealth manager helped lay the groundwork for Trump’s disastrous attack.

[image or embed]

— Mother Jones (@motherjones.com) July 13, 2026 at 10:23 PM

".. Gulf Arab energy exporters and Asian importers .. may balk at having to pay a 20% fee. That would add roughly $32 million to the cost of sailing the largest tankers .." @bloomberg.com www.bloomberg.com/news/article...

[image or embed]

— Carl Quintanilla (@carlquintanilla.bsky.social) July 14, 2026 at 8:34 AM

 

More outrageous batshittery from the insane insurrectionist Malignant Fascist -- 

 

Congress needs to dust off section 3 of the 14th amendment and kick that orange fuck out of the house that he’s been illegally squatting in. Enough already.

[image or embed]

— Greg Olear (@gregolear.bsky.social) July 13, 2026 at 9:08 PM

 

Corporate media fails again, New York effing Times edition -- 

 

As his confirmation hearing gets underway, a federal judge has referred Todd Blanche to the New York bar disciplinary committee for possible disbarment. But the NYT either didn't figure this out or decided it was news their readers really didn't need to know. More gross newsroom incompetence.

[image or embed]

— Scott Horton (@robertscotthorton.bsky.social) July 14, 2026 at 8:37 AM

MAGA states are at the bottom of good places to live.  Imagine that --

The Bottom 10 have one major thing in common. What... could... it... be? 1. Tennessee 2. Texas 3. Indiana 4. Louisiana 5. Georgia 6. Utah 7. Missouri 8. Alabama 9. Oklahoma 10.Arkansas #EverythingTrumpTouchesDies www.cnbc.com/2026/07/11/w...

[image or embed]

— Bob Geiger (@bobgeiger.bsky.social) July 13, 2026 at 12:46 PM

 The MF will accept any trophy, even this one --

A 10-foot-tall “Iran War Participation Trophy” dedicated to President Trump has popped up on the National Mall, the latest installment by a secret group of artists that criticizes the president. https://wapo.st/4vZXHj7

[image or embed]

— The Washington Post (@washingtonpost.com) July 13, 2026 at 4:15 PM

The Onion covers what Secretary "Brainworm" is doing now -- 

“Let’s see the Kennedy Curse try to take down a man with 92 billion lumens of photonic goodness surging into his taint,” the pantsless HHS secretary said as he triumphantly spread his legs from his perch on the tower’s boiler in conditions so hot a passing barn swallow was seen bursting into flames.

[image or embed]

— The Onion (@theonion.com) July 13, 2026 at 7:00 PM

 

 

Criminals Don't Need No Courts!

 

The corrupt and violent regime of the Malignant Fascist is vowing to dismantle the International Criminal Court in The Hague, Netherlands. Makes sense, since they'd be likely targets of war crimes prosecution, like their friend, Russian thug Vladimir Putin.  TIME reports:

"The State Department has launched a campaign to dismantle the International Criminal Court over what Secretary of State Marco Rubio called a threat to American sovereignty.

The campaign, announced on Monday, involves a 'whole-of-government response to systematically disable the ICC’s ability to operate, target American servicemen or officials, or otherwise threaten American sovereignty.' The Trump Administration is also urging other countries to join the campaign. [snip]

The court has, however, taken actions against President Donald Trump’s ally, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. It has also opened investigations into American actions overseas, including alleged war crimes committed by U.S. personnel in Afghanistan. Some human rights organizations and legal experts have also argued that U.S. strikes on vessels in the Caribbean and Pacific and the U.S. abduction of former Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro could fall within the ICC’s jurisdiction, as Venezuela is a party to the Rome Statute. The ICC has not opened a formal investigation into the U.S. conduct.

In an op-ed published in the Wall Street Journal on Monday, Rubio warned of 'a world in which U.S. soldiers, police officers, Border Patrol agents and elected leaders could be dragged before an international court, tried by judges from random countries across the globe, found guilty under international laws we neither consent to nor control.'” (our emphasis)

Li'l Marco Rubio may likely have his name on a list of alleged war criminals for his part in the MF"s illegal war on Iran and our logistical support for Netanyahu's decimation of Gaza.  The ICC seems to be more of a threat to the MF's inner circle than to "American sovereignty." 

Any nation that joins this sinister move is likely one committing crimes under the jurisdiction of the ICC.  Another lawless and cynical move from by far the most corrupt and criminal administration in U.S. history.

(photo: Rubio gesturing about how big a lie he's telling)

 

Trump Election Coup Plan Underway?

 

It seems the our would-be Marie Antoinette, the Malignant Fascist, is planning an address to the Nation on Thursday night to roll out a dog's breakfast of cherry-picked, debunked conspiracy scraps in an effort to de-legitimatize elections, sell his "SAVE America My Ass Act," and perhaps more:

President Donald Trump plans to claim in a Thursday night speech that newly declassified intelligence reports reveal a foreign nation’s plans to interfere in the 2020 presidential election, two White House officials told MS NOW on Monday.

Trump will be joined by officials including CIA Director John Ratcliffe, acting Director of National Intelligence Bill Pulte, FBI Director Kash Patel and Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin, according to one of the officials, who were granted anonymity to discuss the internal plans, MS NOW reported.

Trump earlier Monday afternoon announced on Truth Social that he “will be making a Speech to the Nation on Thursday evening, at 9 P.M. Eastern,” without providing further details.

Trump lost the 2020 race to President Joe Biden, but falsely claimed his defeat was due to widespread voter fraud. He continues to frequently claim that race and others were “rigged.” No credible evidence has been presented that widespread fraud affected the outcome of the 2020 contest; Trump and his allies brought dozens of court cases challenging the 2020 results in multiple states, but they were overwhelmingly rejected.

Numerous conspiracy theories persist surrounding the 2020 election, including several that allege foreign nations interfered to harm Trump’s candidacy.

There are other reports (from a "conservative" outlet, so take with lots of salt) that the MF plans to declare the elections of Georgia Democratic Senators Ossoff and Warnock illegitimate due to that same dog's breakfast of debunked conspiracy scraps.

Some threads:

1.  The MF, being a raging narcissist showing increasing signs of dementia, has been obsessed with the fact that he lost to "that guy" Joe Biden in 2020, and can't get it out of his warped brain;

2. The 2020 election was held while the MF was President, and his top Federal election security official said the election was free and fair, as did Georgia's Republican governor Brian Kemp and Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger.  It's curious that the only election the MF lost was one in which Republicans were in charge of the Executive Branch (in 2016 and 2024, Democrats held the White House, of course, and the MF won), and yet he claims that's when massive fraud took place;

3.  Raising debunked conspiracy theories at this time would suggest that the MF and his regime have a plan to declare a national emergency to (a) put aspects of the dead-in-the-water "SAVE America My Ass Act" in place prior to the mid-terms, and/or (b) to void a Democratic mid-term takeover of the House and possibly the Senate by declaring massive fraud. 

As several observers have noted:

With Lindsey Graham dead Trump doesn't believe he can pass the Rig the elections Act (SAVE Act) So his back up plan is to declare the election for 2026 illegitimate in ADVANCE. That makes it easier for Trump to reject the results. Trump will NEVER leave office peacefully!

— Dean Obeidallah (@deanobeidallah.bsky.social) July 13, 2026 at 5:53 PM

 

 

We'll see what the MF tires to pull on Thursday night.  Our inclination is that no sentient people will buy anything the pathological liar says, and particularly when he's focused on a free and fair 2020 election and not on their concerns.  But, forewarned is forearmed.

Oh, and Happy Bastille Day, MF!

 

Graham, McConnell, And Geriatric Politicians

 

ICYMI, Jon Stewart talks about the narcissistic sociopath Malignant Fascist's memories of Lindsey Graham, the hospitalization of democracy- destroyer Mitch McConnell, and the overall problem of geriatric politicians with power who don't know when it's time to leave the stage. 

QOTD -- Trump's $1.8 Billion Steal And His Lawyers Get Smacked Down

"... These facts lead to the inexorable conclusion that the 'settlement' terms, the individuals who signed the “settlement” as well as the putative beneficiaries of the 'settlement,' demonstrate a shared, unitary interest. And the unilateral revision and renunciation of the 'Fund' component of the “settlement” demonstrate the fact that all Parties were aligned, and ultimately, undifferentiated. This action was never about a party seeking judicial resolution of a legal issue or a factual dispute. The nature of the suit itself and the conduct of the Parties and counsel from its filing make plain that this was an attempt to use the Court to provide some legitimacy to an agreement to confer immunity to people and entities affiliated with the President and to earmark billions of dollars from American taxpayers to redress grievances not defined in the law. The President may be the functional 'dominus litus' of the Executive Branch, but as a party to a civil suit, he, as well as all the parties and lawyers before a court, are bound by the rules. Ensuring that our courts are used only for the express purpose created by the Constitution is the obligation of every judge and an obligation that this Court must discharge in light of the matter before it.

"In sum, the facts before this Court demonstrate there was never adverseness between the Parties; there was never a case or controversy; and there was never a question as to who would prevail." -- decision by U.S. District Judge Kathleen Williams, in President Donald J. Trump, et al. v Internal Revenue Service, et al., better known as Trump's self-dealing $1.8 billion weaponization and J6 seditionist payoff fund.  The Judge's order also referred Trump lawyer shyster Alejandro Brito to the Florida Bar Association for possible disciplinary action;  she also "ordered that a copy of her ruling be mailed to the State Bar of New York, of which Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche is a member, as well as to the District of Columbia Bar, of which Associate Attorney General Stanley Woodward is a member.”  Steve Benen has a brief history of the bogus, improper lawsuit here.

States Sue Over Paramount - Warner Bros. Merger

 

After the deranged and flailing Malignant Fascist's Justice Department quickly approved the merger of Paramount and Warner Bros. Discovery in June, California has now joined with eleven other states to block the merger of Paramount and Warner Bros. Discovery, which would put more major media outlets under the control of right-wing supporters of the increasingly deranged Malignant Fascist:

"A coalition of 12 state attorneys general is filing a lawsuit in federal court on Monday to block Paramount Skydance’s purchase of Warner Bros. Discovery on antitrust grounds, imperiling one of the biggest mergers in entertainment and media history.

The effort is being led by California Attorney General Rob Bonta, who is bringing the case in U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California, his office said in a statement. The lawsuit comes amid mounting opposition to the deal from Democratic lawmakers, studio executives, actors and others in Hollywood, who argue it would lead to sweeping job cuts and accelerate media consolidation that harms consumers and creative talent alike. [snip]

The prospective deal, which has received regulatory approval in more than 20 countries and is expected to close by the end of the third quarter, would give Paramount Skydance, helmed by CEO David Ellison, the ability to integrate his company’s namesake streaming service with HBO Max to create a new content platform boasting more than 200 million subscribers. [snip]

The merger has raised additional questions because it is financially backed by Larry Ellison — David Ellison’s father and a prominent ally of President Donald Trump, who has repeatedly attacked CNN and said he wants the network changed.

More than 4,000 Hollywood figures, including many stars who work in front of the camera, signed on to a prominent campaign opposing the transaction. 'We are deeply concerned by indications of support for this merger that prioritize the interests of a small group of powerful stakeholders over the broader public good,' the group has said. 'The integrity, independence, and diversity of our industry would be grievously compromised.'” (our emphasis)

Of course, one of the members of the "small group of powerful stakeholders" is none other than the MF himself, who wants to control not only the Paramount property CBS, but also Warner Bros. property CNN, and to skew its news coverage to be favorable to him like the Fox/ Newsmax / OANNs of the MAGAt propaganda echo chamber, as right wing oligarch Larry Ellison suggested.  No doubt the Ellisons will threaten to leave California and will pour their considerable resources into an appeal, as their cult leader the MF applauds from the sidelines.  They have to be defeated in their attempted takeover of media outlets in order to turn them into more MAGA propaganda outlets.

 

Skeets Of The Day

 

The Epstein-Trump files / stick it to Blanche! --

 

To be clear: As I say in the post, I don't think Trump fired Bondi to prevent sharing NM files. But I do think the NM files can be a politically damaging point of pressure for Blanche in this week's hearing.

[image or embed]

— emptywheel (@emptywheel.bsky.social) July 13, 2026 at 4:23 AM

 

Operation Epic Fail / "diplomacy" threatened 😏--

BREAKING: The U.S. and Iran each asserted Monday they controlled the Strait of Hormuz after a weekend of attacks stretching across the wider Middle East, further threatening any diplomacy to end the war.

[image or embed]

— The Associated Press (@apnews.com) July 12, 2026 at 11:36 PM

 

 Despicable Trump --

Trump approved disaster aid requests from six red states last week. Two days later, he rejected aid requests from four blue states. Not only is he punishing states who didn’t vote for him, he’s playing politics with people’s lives. Despicable.

[image or embed]

— Robert Reich (@rbreich.bsky.social) July 12, 2026 at 6:00 PM

 

Another ICE murder today --

Authorities say ICE shot and killed a person this morning in Maine. www.wmtw.com/article/signific...

[image or embed]

— Steve Herman (@newsguy.bsky.social) July 13, 2026 at 9:12 AM

 

I cannot emphasize this enough: At ICE, incompetence is the point. That's why Miller and Trump picked a jackass like Mullin to run the place. www.salon.com/2026/07/13/n...

[image or embed]

— Amanda Marcotte (@amandamarcotte.bsky.social) July 13, 2026 at 7:15 AM

 

Lindsey Graham and the rot of modern conservatism --

 

New in PN: Lindsey Graham and the rot of modern conservatism "Graham died a coward. From Gingrich to Trump, he embodied the movement-to-racket transformation of the GOP. Has America ever seen a capitulation so self-abnegating as his conversion from snarling Trump critic into swooning cheerleader?"

[image or embed]

— Aaron Rupar (@atrupar.com) July 13, 2026 at 7:32 AM

A key part of Lindsey Graham's legacy: when he called Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger to overturn the results of the 2020 presidential election. www.nytimes.com/2026/07/12/u...

[image or embed]

— Taniel (@taniel.bsky.social) July 12, 2026 at 12:59 PM

 

Michael Fanone's take on Lindsey Graham is one of the most powerful I've read:

[image or embed]

— Dean Obeidallah (@deanobeidallah.bsky.social) July 12, 2026 at 11:22 AM

 

... and how way too many media and Dems are treating his demise --

Deeply saddened to learn of the loss of my dear friend Satan, the Prince of Lies. Though we often disagreed about matters such as the appropriate role of torture in the afterlife, I will most remember how his quick wit and affable nature made our weekly golf outings a ritual. He will be missed.

— Jamison Foser (@jamisonfoser.bsky.social) July 12, 2026 at 11:57 AM

 

Russian military know-how.  Slava Ukraini! --

 

The Russian trainee barely missed his instructor.🤣

[image or embed]

— Sanho Tree (@sanho.bsky.social) July 12, 2026 at 2:23 PM

 

Once a weasel, always a weasel --

NEW: Michael Cohen has been meeting secretly with Trump. www.nytimes.com/2026/07/12/u...

[image or embed]

— Mueller, She Wrote (@muellershewrote.com) July 12, 2026 at 8:04 PM

 

And down goes human scum Conor McGregor! --

MCGREGOR took an L and a blown out Knee! Couldn't have happened to a better person!

[image or embed]

— Spicy Nurse🌶🌶🇦🇬🇬🇧 (@spicynurse38.bsky.social) July 13, 2026 at 12:34 AM

 

 

Ads Of The Day

 

No, we haven't gone commercial.  These are just a few of the many hilarious ads on the "InfoWars" parody website that "The Onion" has set up to mock the vile Alex Jones' original fascist, incel shitshow (h/t Silver Spring Bureau Chief Brian):

There's more where those came from, so enjoy.

Today's Tomorrow Cartoon: Poop Flinger

 

(click to enlarge)

We're living in a parallel earth, where a baboon is President, flinging his poop wherever he wishes.  Even his supporters will catch some if they get too close and upset him.  Tom's not the first one -- nor will he be the last -- to portray the unhinged Malignant Fascist as a baboon. 

Please consider supporting Tom's work by going here.

 

The Good, The Bad, And The Ugly

 

The good:

Lawmakers on both sides of the aisle celebrated the landmark bipartisan housing bill becoming law overnight Saturday despite President Donald Trump's refusal to sign it. 

The 21st Century Road to Housing Act aims to address the country’s housing shortage by increasing the supply of homes and overall homeownership. The legislation loosens regulations to encourage housing construction and limits Wall Street investors from buying homes that could go to families instead.

It passed in the Senate 85-5 and in the House 358-32, both veto-proof majorities, last month.

Trump said he was refusing to sign the bill because the Senate has not taken up the unrelated Save America Act which would make significant election and voting reforms, including requiring photo ID at polling places and proof of citizenship before a person could register to vote. The voting bill has been flatly rejected by Democrats and would require 60 votes to prevail in the Senate.

In a post on social media Friday, Trump said he would not sign "in PROTEST" over the Senate's inability to pass the voting bill.

Since the president did not sign or veto the housing bill following the 10-day window after Congress presented it to him, it became a law midnight Saturday.  [snip]

"Donald Trump couldn’t pick up the pen because he just isn’t interested in lowering costs for American families," Sen. Elizabeth Warren, of Massachusetts, the top Democrat on the Senate Banking Committee, said in a statement Saturday.

Sen. Catherine Cortez Masto, D-Nev., called Trump's delays in signing the housing bill "childish," and touted the law's benefits for Americans.

"This legislation is going to lower housing costs, build more homes, and ensure working families can afford to keep a roof over their heads," she said in an X post.

A failed attempt to hold the housing bill hostage to the Malignant Fascist's election- rigging "Save America My Ass Act."  This is also another case of a self-inflicted political wound for the MF, resulting from his extreme narcissism, stupidity, and moronic petulance.  Well done, MAGAts!

The bad:

For the Iranian regime, keeping a chokehold over the Strait of Hormuz has turned out to be more important than the tens of billions of dollars in sanctions relief from the Trump administration.

That is because Tehran is playing a long game. Iranian officials believe the country has finally emerged as a regional hegemon, after the U.S. and Israel failed to achieve their main goals in the war they unleashed in February. And, as long as Tehran cements this new status by securing permanent arrangements to control the vital waterway—and dominating the Persian Gulf economies along with it—then the rest, including American sanctions relief, will eventually follow.

“This is the only way: recognize the new Iranian order in the Strait of Hormuz,” warned Ebrahim Azizi, the head of the Iranian parliament’s national security commission. “The Strait of Hormuz will only open with ‘Iranian arrangements,’ not American threats,” added the parliament’s speaker and the lead negotiator with the U.S., Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf.

This attitude heralds a rocky future, with regular bouts of violence, continuing uncertainty for global energy markets and a Damoclean Sword of renewed strikes hanging over the Gulf monarchies.

“The Islamic Republic will become even more of a gangster regime. Its takeaway from the war is that concessions are won through coercion—by attacking its neighbors, threatening the Strait of Hormuz and driving up the price of oil,” said Karim Sadjadpour, Iran expert at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace. “Like Putin’s Russia, the Islamic Republic believes that its security depends not on the prosperity of its people, but on the insecurity of its neighbors.”

And, just like Russia in its own neighborhood, the Iranian regime views the oil-rich Gulf monarchies as belonging to its own natural sphere of influence—a sphere denied to it by American meddling ever since the 1979 Islamic Revolution.

Now that America has failed to protect these Gulf states from Iranian attacks, Tehran’s drive to institutionalize Iranian control over the Strait of Hormuz reflects its ambition to establish a new Pax Iranica in the Middle East. After all, the Gulf countries, to a varying extent, rely on the strait not just for their oil and gas exports, but also for other vital supplies, from consumer items to food...

We've been led to this strait (pardon the pun) by the complete incompetence of the MF and his tyro "negotiators" ("Javanka" Kushner and Steve "Witless" Witkoff) who were trying to get the semblance of a "win" from the MF's disastrous decision to go along with Bibi Netanyahu's fantasy to crush Iran with American air power.  Every day this malevolent moron is in power, America suffers irreparable harm.

The ugly: 

A Democratic senator on Saturday alleged that whistleblowers have detailed several problems stemming from rushed or improper reconstruction of the Kennedy Center, adding a new layer to the travails of the arts complex as President Donald Trump tried to seize control of it and its name.

Sheldon Whitehouse of Rhode Island said in a release on Saturday that he had received a whistleblower disclosure from the Government Accountability Project, a nonprofit whistleblower protection group, alleging that “the Center rushed a series of renovations driven by the President’s aesthetic whims and his desire to star in a series of televised events in December.”

“The Center’s subservience to the President’s desires and its corner-cutting contracting practices have resulted in steel columns that are rusting through fresh paint, a reflecting pool that may have to be torn out and rebuilt, and a brand-new bathroom floor torn out over an offending tile color,” Whitehouse continued. “This is waste, and it treats a national memorial to President Kennedy as if it were a private renovation project.”  [snip]

Whitehouse released a letter he wrote to the center’s executive director, Matt Floca, demanding answers by July 23. He said the whistleblower report included “firsthand accounts of multiple former Center project managers, supported by contemporaneous documents and photographs.” He also included an 83-page appendix full of internal center documents, emails and photos of apparently shoddy construction.

The allegations include that the center rushed work before it was authorized by Congress because it wanted it to be complete for Trump to accept the new FIFA Peace Prize that the soccer federation awarded him. In doing so, the letter alleges the center didn’t follow required contracting guidelines and wasted money replacing a bathroom because the president didn’t like the color and inking no-bid contracts. One $8 million contract to replace the concert hall’s floor went to a firm with no experience in concert halls, Whitehouse contended.

Well, well.  Imagine that.  Shoddy construction, cutting corners, no-bid contracts to unqualified contractors, wasting taxpayer dollars.  There's pay-to-play kickbacks written all over this, too.  Utterly on- brand for the MF and his corrupt regime. Exposure is the first step toward accountability, and there's so much to be accountable for in this corrupt fascist regime.

 

Across The Universe, Cont. -- Centaurus A

 

(click on image to enlarge)

From NASA/ ESA, July 6, 2026:  Annotated image of the active galaxy Centaurus A captured by the James Webb Space Telescope’s Near-Infrared Camera (NIRCam) and Mid-Infrared Instrument (MIRI), with compass arrows, a scale bar, and colour key for reference.

The north and east compass arrows show the orientation of the image on the sky. Note that the relationship between north and east on the sky (as seen from below) is flipped relative to direction arrows on a map of the ground (as seen from above).

The scale bar is labeled in light-years.

This image shows invisible near- and mid-infrared wavelengths of light that have been translated into visible-light colours. The colour key shows which NIRCam and MIRI filters were used when collecting the light. The colour of each filter name is the visible light colour used to represent the infrared light that passes through that filter.

[Image description: Annotated image of galaxy Centaurus A captured by Webb’s NIRCam (Near-Infrared Camera) and MIRI (Mid-Infrared Instrument), with compass arrows, a scale bar, and colour key for reference. A diagonal image of the galaxy stretches from the upper left to the lower right against a deep black background filled with tiny orange, blue, and white points of light. A band of golden-orange dust cuts across the middle of the galaxy, forming a distinctive parallelogram shape. Just above the centre, peach-coloured ribbons trace an S-shaped structure. The galaxy’s outer edges are reddish-orange. Below the image is a colour key showing which of Webb’s filters were used to create the image and the visible-light colour assigned. NIRCam filters, from left to right: F090W is blue, F187N is blue, F200W is cyan, F277W is yellow, F335M is orange, F444W is red. MIRI filters, from left to right: F560 is yellow, F770W is orange, F1000W is red.]

Credit:  NASA, ESA, CSA, STScI. Image Processing: A. Pagan (STScI), J. Depasquale (STScI), M. Garcia Marin (ESA Office at STScI)

 

QOTD -- Weaponizing Political Violence

 

"... Violence is a tool for disrupting elections. It can create an environment of fear and uncertainty that primes voters to believe conspiracy theories or false claims of fraud.

"We have already seen the Trump administration lay the groundwork: surveillance and intimidation of protestors and physical violence against the administration’s opponents. Violence can also serve as a pretext for the crackdown itself — a rationale for 'restoring law and order' that conveniently expands federal power over dissent. When Renée Good and Alex Pretti were killed in Minneapolis, video footage undercut the federal government’s claims of terrorism almost immediately, showing how far the official narrative had drifted from reality.  [snip]

"There is a lot each of us can do to help protect our democracy in this critical moment. Caring for our neighbors, engaging our communities, and finding ways to use our voices are all essential. As we confront the dual challenges of political violence and authoritarian attempts to weaponize it, being clear-eyed about both the real risks of violence and the risk of its exploitation is a responsibility we all share." -- Jennifer Dresden and Laura Livingston, in the "If You Can Keep It" Substack, on why it's vital that "Getting the Story Straight" on political violence is critical as head for the mid-terms.  The piece offers some advice on questions the media (and public) should ask in instances of political violence, such as the killings of innocent people like Good, Pretti, and now Lorenzo Salgado Araujo -- with subsequent official lies and blame-shifting -- by the Malignant Fascist's ICE/ Border Patrol thugs.  Forewarned is forearmed.

Today's Cartoons

 

(click on images to enlarge)

(Daniel Boris, @danboris)

(James MacLeod, MacLeodCartoons, Facebook)

(Bill Day, caglecartoons.com)

(John Cole, The Times-Tribune, Scranton, PA)

(Monte Wolverton, caglecartoons.com)

(Jimmy Margulies, King Features)

(Dennis Goris, @DennisGoris)

(Ratt, caglecartoons.com)

(John Darkow, Columbia Missourian)

(Benjamin Slyngstad, @slyngstad_cartoons)

(David Sipress, @dsipress)

Sunday Reflection: Quiet Desperation

 

“The mass of men lead lives of quiet desperation. What is called resignation is confirmed desperation. From the desperate city you go into the desperate country, and have to console yourself with the bravery of minks and muskrats. A stereotyped but unconscious despair is concealed even under what are called the games and amusements of mankind. There is no play in them, for this comes after work. But it is a characteristic of wisdom not to do desperate things..” --  Henry David Thoreau (7/12/1817 - 5/6/1862), from his naturalist book "Walden: Life in the Woods" (1854).

Also famous for his 1849 work "Civil Disobedience and Other Essays," Thoreau was noted for his acts of civil disobedience toward the government in protesting the Mexican-American War and the abomination of slavery. 

 

The One Big Beautiful Bill (For Billionaires) Act One Year Later

 

A little over a year ago, the Republican party/cult passed Public Law 119-21, which the Malignant Fascist had named "One Big Beautiful Bill Act."  A year later, we can survey the damage of the One Big Beautiful Bill (for Billionaires) Act so far:

One year after President Donald Trump signed the law he dubbed the “One Big Beautiful Bill” on the South Lawn of the White House, it has begun reshaping the country — altering who gets help from the government and who goes without.

The most consequential legislation of Trump’s second term reaches into nearly every corner of American life. It supercharges immigration enforcement, pouring billions into border security and deportations. It rewrites student loan rules. It dismantles tax incentives for electric vehicles and clean energy. It creates a national school-voucher tax credit.

And at its core is a seismic shift: extending roughly $4.5 trillion in tax cuts disproportionately benefiting corporations and the wealthy over 10 years while cutting about $1.1 trillion from healthcare and food assistance programs serving poor and working-class people.

It ultimately adds a projected $4.7 trillion to the national debt over the next decade.

Historians say the law represents a watershed moment in a decadeslong conservative effort to shrink the social welfare system built during President Franklin D. Roosevelt’s New Deal and expanded through Great Society legislation of the 1960s. To Chris Howard, a professor of public policy at the College of William & Mary and an expert on America’s safety net programs, the result amounts to “Robin Hood in reverse.”

“It deliberately targets some of the most vulnerable members of society,” he said, “while providing huge windfalls to the richest individuals and to big business.”

Supporters frame the act as a long-overdue correction. They argue it’s reducing dependence on government programs, rooting out waste, encouraging work and making American businesses more competitive. They point to larger tax refunds for many households — including the middle class — and an uptick in business investment as early evidence.

But many health policy experts, economists and antipoverty advocates see it as something else: one of the largest transfers of resources from low-income Americans to the rich in U.S. history.

Once all of the law’s major provisions are fully phased in, Congressional Budget Office estimates show, the poorest households will end up with roughly $1,200 less each year on average, while the wealthiest Americans will gain about $13,600.  [snip]

The law is also the legislative engine powering Trump’s mass deportation agenda, pairing an unprecedented expansion of immigration enforcement funding with cuts to healthcare and food assistance for many immigrants living in the U.S. legally.

Yes, billions to the ICE thugs, while taking health insurance and food out of the mouths of millions of Americans.  A few charts from the article:

 

 

 

The linked article goes on to explore, in greater detail, the shredding of the healthcare safety net, the "reverse Robin Hood" effect of the regressive tax cuts, SNAP cuts and growing hunger, and the racist immigration enforcement operation spearheaded by the murderous thugs of ICE and the Border Patrol.  

It couldn't be clearer that the Malignant Fascist and his Republican party/ cult have been benefiting the Epstein class oligarchy (most particularly the epically corrupt MF and his family) and making the rest of America suffer.  Meanwhile, while he builds gaudy monuments to himself with taxpayer dollars, the MF says"affordability" is a "hoax."  He also says "I don't think about Americans' financial situation."  Except, of course, his and his oligarch supporters.

 

(Photo:  Epstein class oligarchs & BBB beneficiaries at the MF's inauguration / Julia Demaree Nikhinson, AP)