Balloon Juice - Open Threads Archives

The Sorrow & The Pity (Open Thread)

by Betty Cracker| May 27, 202510:56 am| 194 Comments

Marcel Ophuls died on Saturday at age 97. He was an acclaimed filmmaker who documented the Holocaust in The Sorrow and The Pity and Hôtel Terminus.

In this NPR article on Ophuls, he addresses the subject of his famously lengthy films:

Ophuls knew that by creating hours-long documentaries, he ran the danger of “not only seeming pretentious, but being pretentious.” But, as he told NPR in 1978, “there’s a relationship between attention span and morality. I think that, if you shorten people’s attention span a great deal, you are left with only the attraction of power.”

Interesting theory, huh? I think many of us recognize that short attention spans are a huge problem, and the general public’s net capacity for focus is only more splintered today than it was when Ophuls made his observation in 1978.

Short of an electromagnetic pulse that knocks Fox News and “Apprentice” re-runs off the air and simultaneously kills the internet, freeing everyone from the sensation of fending off attacks from waves of angry geese 24/7, I don’t know how we fix it. Pity!

Open thread.

The Sorrow & The Pity (Open Thread)Post + Comments (194)

Tuesday Morning Open Thread: Here We Go Again

by Anne Laurie| May 27, 20256:50 am| 202 Comments

This post is in: Democratic Response to Trump 2.0, Music, Open Threads

(Lovely version of my favorite, “Chimes of Freedom”.}

House Republicans passed their bill that’d rip health insurance from millions and take food assistance away from millions including households with kids as young as 7 in the largest Medicaid and SNAP cuts in history – while giving giant tax cuts to the rich.

Thread on the next steps of the process.

— Bobby Kogan (@bbkogan.bsky.social) May 22, 2025 at 8:06 AM

The bill now goes to the Senate. Bcuz this is a reconciliation bill, it can’t be filibustered. This means that, even w/ all Ds opposed, Rs can pass it through the Senate on their own – as long as they follow the rules of reconciliation. This is the same process they used to try to repeal the ACA.

Rs will be allowed to skip the committee process and go straight to the floor. But before any voting can happen, they’ll need text, and Ds and Rs will comb through it & spend weeks debating every single part of it in front of the Senate Parliamentarian, arguing about whether they violate the rules.

This is adjudicated line by line, clause by clause, and sometimes word by word. Entire sections will fall out because they do not comply with the rules of reconciliation (like the AI section, for instance). Sometimes specific clauses or words will drop.

Eventually, Republicans will move to proceed, there will be 20 hours of debate split evenly (and Republicans can yield their 10 hours, so there really could be only 10 hours of debate), and then we go into vote-o-rama and then to final passage of the bill.

If Republicans know exactly what they’re doing and have pre-baked the politics and the language, the entire Senate process, from start to finish, could be less than a month.

This means we do not have much time to convince them to vote no.

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Importantly, there is a 0.00% chance the Senate version is identical to the House version, so the House will have to vote again (and they might even go to conference).

A lot of Republicans voted yes, assuaging worries by telling themselves it would change in the Senate. If the Senate can pass something, that will no longer be true. And so when it comes back through the House, it’ll be for real, and we’ll have another chance to defeat it there.

The most important thing you can do, by a parsec, is attend a town hall with your Republican Senator and with your Republican member of Congress. There is nothing more useful than spending even a minute talking face-to-face with them and telling them you do not want them to vote for this.

Calling your Republican Senate and your Republican member of Congress is also very useful. They need to hear from you. They need to know why you don’t want this to become law.

It is also useful to talk to your Republican governor because they talk to the Senators and House members and they have feelings about how this would negatively affect their citizens and how many costs it would push onto them.

This bill would cause so much additional suffering. It would be by far the largest Medicaid cuts in history, kicking millions off their health insurance and condemning thousands of those people each year to die due to lack of coverage.

(note the House-passed version is actually worse than this)

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— Bobby Kogan (@bbkogan.bsky.social) May 22, 2025 at 8:25 AM

It would also be by far the largest SNAP cuts in history, ripping food assistance away from millions, including households with children as young as seven years old.

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— Bobby Kogan (@bbkogan.bsky.social) May 22, 2025 at 8:26 AM

It will be a very hard fight to win, but it's worth it to try, because people matter.

We owe it to our family members who rely on Medicaid and SNAP. We owe it to our friends. We owe it to our neighbors. We owe it to the people we'll never meet.

— Bobby Kogan (@bbkogan.bsky.social) May 22, 2025 at 8:28 AM

Tuesday Morning Open Thread: Here We Go AgainPost + Comments (202)

Overnight Art Break Open Thread

by Rose Judson| May 27, 20254:16 am| 36 Comments

This post is in: Open Threads, Travel

Well, it’s “overnight” for you lot. Here it’s nearly 9 a.m. and the clouds are gathering. Glad I was able to take Friday off and go down to the Cotswolds with a friend. We visited Broadway Tower, an 18th-century folly – a fake “ancient” building – that a rich landowner had built for his wife. In this case, it’s supposed to be a Saxon tower:

Overnight Fever Dream Open Thread This particular folly has had a useful life, serving as a printing press, as a vacation home for a number of late-19th/early-20th century artists (including William Morris, Dante Gabriel Rossetti, and the American John Singer Sargent), and then as an observation post during WWII – the tower has clear views to the north towards Birmingham and Coventry, two industrial centers that the Germans bombed frequently.

For about 30 years there was an artists’ and writers’ colony in the town of Broadway, which entered around Sargent, Peter Pan author J.M. Barrie, and an actress-turned-society-hostess named Mary Anderson. Broadway Museum had some works by Sargent on display. I liked this sketch of Mary Anderson best:

Overnight Fever Dream Open Thread 2

Elsewhere in the museum there was a lot of material related to Broadway’s past as a key hub on the coaching network. I was particularly struck by this . . . horse? from an 18th-century painting.

Overnight Fever Dream Open Thread 3

That horse – if it is indeed a horse, and not some alien species – has Seen Things. That horse is all of us these days. Anyway, it was good to switch off after a very intense week of news, both here and in the US, and look at pretty things. And now here we go into another week, God (or alien horses) help us all. Open thread.

Overnight Art Break Open ThreadPost + Comments (36)

Monday Night Open Thread

by John Cole| May 26, 202510:12 pm| 52 Comments

This post is in: Open Threads

Would you look at the size of that fucking head? I took that earlier today while out mowing because even though it was a nice day, it was windy at times, and I knew my hair would be all blown out and there would be shit all over me. My hair is not actually all white, it just looks that way because a lot of it is bleached for the summer. Santa at his summer job.

Monday Night Open ThreadPost + Comments (52)

War for Ukraine Day 1,187: The Cost

by Adam L Silverman| May 26, 20257:38 pm| 8 Comments

This post is in: Foreign Affairs, Foreign Policy, Military, Open Threads, Russia, Silverman on Security, War, War in Ukraine

(Image by NEIVANMADE)

I’ll go through the butcher’s bill from Russia’s drone, missile, and bomb strikes on Ukrainian civilian targets after the jump, but I wanted to start with the Cost:

This is Maryna. Russia murdered her in the latest attack on Khmelnytskyi region.

Her parents are injured too, and her grandmother is in intensive care.

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— Kate from Kharkiv (@kateinkharkiv.bsky.social) May 26, 2025 at 11:35 AM

Today is International Missing Children’s Day. As a result of russia’s full-scale invasion, 2,243 Ukrainian children have gone missing. Every child must be returned home to their families, and russia must be brought to justice — for every life stolen; every family torn apart.

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— UNITED24 (@u24.gov.ua) May 25, 2025 at 10:59 AM

President Zelenskyy issued a very appropriate official statement for Memorial Day in the US:

Which is much more appropriate than what the President put out on his own social media site.

“Over 900 attack drones against Ukraine in just 3 days, plus ballistic missiles, plus cruise missiles — there is no military sense in this.”

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— WarTranslated (Dmitri) (@wartranslated.bsky.social) May 26, 2025 at 2:25 PM

Here is President Zelenskyy’s address from earlier today. Video below, English transcript after the jump.

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We Can See from the Information Obtained by Intelligence and from Open-Source Data That Putin and His Entourage Do Not Plan to End the War – Address by the President

26 May 2025 – 20:39

I wish you health, fellow Ukrainians!

Today, I held a meeting of the Staff. There were intelligence reports – very thorough ones. We discussed the overall situation: the war, Russia’s intentions, the capabilities of Russia’s troops and its military and industrial complex, as well as our ability to pressure Russia and disrupt its plans. We can see from the information obtained by intelligence and from open-source data that Putin and his entourage do not plan to end the war. There is currently no indication that they are seriously considering peace or diplomacy. On the contrary, there is ample evidence that they are preparing new offensive operations. Russia is counting on a prolonged war. And on their part, this is a blatant disregard for all those around the world who seek peace and are trying to make diplomacy work. I am confident that our partners’ intelligence services are having the same information, seeing the same facts – and it’s important that they do not turn a blind eye, but report to their leadership. The only thing that is needed now is absolutely honest conclusions and appropriate joint pressure on Russia.

All the more so as Russian strikes are becoming increasingly brazen and large-scale every night. Over 900 attack drones launched against Ukraine in just three days, along with ballistic and cruise missiles. There is no military logic in this, but it is a clear political choice – the choice of Putin, the choice of Russia – the choice to keep waging war and destroying lives. Recently, a meeting was held in Istanbul. Now the Russians are supposedly drafting proposals for a memorandum on peace. They’ve already spent over a week on this. They talk a lot about diplomacy. But when, in the midst of all that, there are constant Russian strikes, constant killings, relentless assaults, and even preparations for new offensives – this is clearly a diagnosis. Russia deserves full-scale pressure – everything that can be done to limit its military capabilities. I thank everyone around the world who understands this. New and strong sanctions against Russia – from the United States, from Europe, and from all those around the world who seek peace – will serve as a guaranteed means of forcing Russia not only to cease fire, but also to show respect. They all must respect the world. Putin must start respecting those he talks to. For now, he is simply playing games with diplomacy and diplomats. That must change.

Today at the Staff meeting, we thoroughly analyzed the consequences of Russian strikes, their drone tactics, and our responses. I instructed a significant increase in the production of our interceptor drones, and we will be engaging more funding from our partners to support this. Relevant updates are being prepared. I also ordered dedicated funding for Ukraine’s ballistic missile program to accelerate missile production. There was also a detailed report from Head of the Security Service of Ukraine Maliuk. There are some good results. Thank you.

And one more thing.

Today, I want to recognize our defenders of the sky. Over the past few days, our combat aviation pilots – flying F-16s and Mirages – have performed very well. A significant portion of the cruise missiles were shot down by them. Thank you! Also, the 11th Shepetivka Anti-Aircraft Missile Brigade, the 96th Kyiv Anti-Aircraft Missile Brigade, the 138th Dnipro Anti-Aircraft Missile Brigade, the 208th Kherson Anti-Aircraft Missile Brigade, and the 301st Nikopol Anti-Aircraft Missile Brigade – thank you for your precision! And my thanks also go to all units defending our skies – mobile fire groups, army aviation helicopters, and electronic warfare specialists. Thank you to everyone who is fighting for Ukraine! And thank you to everyone who helps.

Glory to Ukraine!

He also presented awards to members of the State Service of Special Communications and Information Protection Service on their professional holiday:

President Congratulates Warriors of the State Service of Special Communications and Information Protection on Their Professional Holiday and Presents State Awards

26 May 2025 – 16:41

President Volodymyr Zelenskyy presented state awards to servicemembers of the State Service of Special Communications and Information Protection of Ukraine, who recently celebrated their professional holiday.

The Head of State emphasized that thanks to the warriors of the State Service of Special Communications and Information Protection, Ukraine maintains reliable and systematic communications. In addition, these servicemembers actively contribute to national defense on the front lines alongside all other components of Ukraine’s Security and Defense Forces.

“Servicemembers of the State Service of Special Communications and Information Protection are involved in our combat operations across the entire active front – from the Mykolaiv region to the Kursk region. We thank you – and I personally thank you – for the combat achievements of the strike drone units of the Service. I thank you for restoring communications in combat zones and frontline areas. I thank you for carrying out tasks to protect our country in cyberspace,” Volodymyr Zelenskyy said.

The President underscored that Ukraine will remember every man and woman who gave their life in battle for our country. Those present observed a moment of silence in honor of the fallen.

Volodymyr Zelenskyy awarded the warriors of the State Service of Special Communications and Information Protection with the Orders of Danylo Halytskyi, as well as the medals “For Military Service to Ukraine,” “For Impeccable Service” (III class), and “To the Defender of the Motherland.”

Georgia:

“The labyrinth of stolen elections,” culminating in Putin. 😅

It’s Independence Day in Georgia, and day 180 of our daily protests!

The crowd is large on Rustaveli Avenue. Protesters have organized 6 marches, 7 public discussions, and 13 exhibitions.

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— Rusudan Djakeli (@rusudandjakeli.bsky.social) May 26, 2025 at 10:11 AM

Tens of thousands in Tbilisi cry out

“UNTIL THE END!”

At Georgia’s Independence Day, and Day 180 of uninterrupted protests.

New, free and fair Parliamentary elections!

Release of the political prisoners!

✊🏻🇬🇪🇪🇺 #GeorgiaProtests

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— Marika Mikiashvili 🇬🇪🇺🇦🇪🇺 (@marikamikiashvili.bsky.social) May 26, 2025 at 1:29 PM

Day 180. 🇬🇪’s Independence Day.

6 months of daily #GeorgiaProtests for free, fair Parliamentary elections and the release of the regime prisoners.

We won’t stop.

Friends can make it easier for us through sanctions, regime non-engagement, and ways to aid the civil society.

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— Marika Mikiashvili 🇬🇪🇺🇦🇪🇺 (@marikamikiashvili.bsky.social) May 26, 2025 at 1:04 PM

🇬🇪 Happy Independence Day!

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— Publika.ge (@publikage.bsky.social) May 26, 2025 at 12:10 PM

🔴 On Georgia’s Independence Day, the country marks the 180th consecutive day of #GeorgiaProtests.
Following the various marches and activities in #Tbilisi, crowds gathered on Rustaveli Avenue, where President
Zourabichvili and MEP @rjukneviciene.bsky.social addressed them.
#Georgia

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— Batumelebi&Netgazeti (@netgazeti.org) May 26, 2025 at 2:10 PM

Lithuanian MP Rasa Juknevičienė is in Tbilisi, attending a rally that is both a protest against the Georgian Dream party and a demonstration in defense of Georgia’s independence.

#GeorgiaProtests
Day 180

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— Publika.ge (@publikage.bsky.social) May 26, 2025 at 12:55 PM

At 21:00, Salome Zurabishvili will address the citizens, and Rasa Juknevičienė will attend her speech.

— Publika.ge (@publikage.bsky.social) May 26, 2025 at 12:58 PM

📷 Mindia Gabadze/Publika

— Publika.ge (@publikage.bsky.social) May 26, 2025 at 12:56 PM

President @Zourabichvili_S is addressing the public gathered for Georgia’s Independence Day.

I’ll provide key messages below.

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— Marika Mikiashvili 🇬🇪🇺🇦🇪🇺 (@marikamikiashvili.bsky.social) May 26, 2025 at 1:20 PM

Part 2/2.

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— Marika Mikiashvili 🇬🇪🇺🇦🇪🇺 (@marikamikiashvili.bsky.social) May 26, 2025 at 2:14 PM

1/ From Shevardeni gymnasts in 1919 to women honoring their legacy in 2025.

📸 May 26, 1919: Female athletes from the Shevardeni Sports Society, founded in 1918.
📸 May 26, 2025: Georgian women wear the uniforms of female gymnasts from the Shevardeni sports society.

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— Publika.ge (@publikage.bsky.social) May 26, 2025 at 8:51 AM

2/ 107 years ago, on May 26, 1918, the National Council of Georgia adopted the Act of Independence of Georgia and established the Democratic Republic of Georgia.

— Publika.ge (@publikage.bsky.social) May 26, 2025 at 8:51 AM

🔴 “May 26 is the Day of Restoring Georgia’s Independence. Congratulations!” – This was Batumelebi’s first front-page headline, 24 years ago today.

🔴 For the first time, the anniversary comes without its founding CEO, Mzia Amaglobeli – unjustly jailed, facing 4–7 years in prison.
www.freemzia.com

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— Batumelebi&Netgazeti (@netgazeti.org) May 26, 2025 at 7:46 AM

1/ A “Mzia Amaglobeli” corner has been set up on Rustaveli Avenue, where citizens can write letters to Mzia. May 26 also marks the birthday of the newspaper Batumelebi. Twenty-four years ago, on this date, Mzia Amaglobeli and Eter Turadze published its first issue.

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— Publika.ge (@publikage.bsky.social) May 26, 2025 at 10:01 AM

2/ Mzia Amaglobeli was arrested on the night of January 11–12, 2025, after slapping the head of Batumi Police, Irakli Dgebuadze. He is accused of assaulting a police officer and faces four to seven years in prison.

— Publika.ge (@publikage.bsky.social) May 26, 2025 at 10:01 AM

This, versus the rows of bodyguards the illegitimate PM had this morning at the “Independence Day March” that resembled more a GD family breakfast.

Legitimacy has no necessity of being armed.

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— Marika Mikiashvili 🇬🇪🇺🇦🇪🇺 (@marikamikiashvili.bsky.social) May 26, 2025 at 9:46 AM

“The people of 🇬🇪 should not be deprived of the opportunities associated with the country’s European path.”

On Georgia’s Independence Day, the leaders of the Weimar Triangle: Germany, Poland and France reaffirm their support for the European aspirations of the Georgian people.

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— Publika.ge (@publikage.bsky.social) May 26, 2025 at 7:33 AM

Thank you very much, @EmmanuelMacron, @donaldtusk, @_FriedrichMerz! We greatly appreciate and are inspired by your support. We also hope for the coalition of the willing led by WT for targeted sanctions to check & balance the regime. Sanctions work, but not after the regime has fully consolidated.

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— Marika Mikiashvili 🇬🇪🇺🇦🇪🇺 (@marikamikiashvili.bsky.social) May 26, 2025 at 7:30 AM

President Zelenskyy also made an official statement for Georgian Independence Day:

I congratulate the people of Georgia on Independence Day and sincerely wish for Georgia to be strong and prosperous. Ukrainians have always felt a warm emotional bond with Georgia.

Our country supported Georgia’s sovereignty and defence during the difficult time of Russia’s invasion in 2008. And we will always stand alongside you in our shared aspiration for a free and dignified life of peoples — all peoples of Europe, which cannot be imagined without Ukraine and Georgia.

I thank everyone who supports our people. Long live independent Georgia! Glory to Ukraine!

Germany, Britain, France, and the US:

Better late than never!

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— Kate from Kharkiv (@kateinkharkiv.bsky.social) May 26, 2025 at 8:25 AM

Germany’s Merz backs Ukraine’s long-range missile strikes on Russia

https://www.ft.com/content/808cb107-1330-42e0-8af2-13ba67a24f50

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— Financial Times (@financialtimes.com) May 26, 2025 at 1:55 PM

From The Financial Times:

Germany’s chancellor Friedrich Merz has backed Ukrainian military strikes deep into Russian territory, following his earlier commitment to supply Kyiv with German long-range missiles.

Germany, Britain, France and the US have removed all range restrictions for weapons delivered to Ukraine, Merz said on Monday.

Paris, London and Washington have supplied long-range missiles to Kyiv and have already allowed strikes in Russian territory.

But Merz’s stance contrasts with that of his Social Democratic predecessor Olaf Scholz, whom he replaced this month.

The former chancellor repeatedly rejected pleas from Kyiv and its allies to supply the Ukrainian armed forces with German Taurus missiles, which have an intelligent warhead system that can inflict huge damage to structures such as bridges and bunkers.

While Merz has decided to stop disclosing weapon deliveries since taking office — a stance in line with the “strategic ambiguity” approach of French President Emmanuel Macron — he had previously said he favoured deliveries of Taurus missiles to Kyiv if they were co-ordinated with European allies.

“There is no longer any range restriction on weapons delivered to Ukraine, neither by the British, nor by the French, nor by us, nor by the Americans,” Merz said at a conference in Berlin on Monday.

He added: “This means that Ukraine can now defend itself, for example by attacking military positions in Russia. It couldn’t do that until some time ago, it did do that with very few exceptions. [Ukraine] can do that now. In jargon we call this long range fire.”

The centre-right chancellor made his comments after three days of Russian air attacks on Ukraine that involved more than 1,000 drone and missile strikes.

Dmitry Peskov, President Vladimir Putin’s spokesman, said that decisions to give Ukraine longer-range missiles were “potentially dangerous” and could frustrate “attempts to reach a settlement” in Ukraine, according to state newswire Tass.

The 500km-plus range of the Taurus cruise missile is further than the Storm Shadows and Scalps supplied by the British and French and the Army Tactical Missile System (Atacms) provided by the US.

Those British, French and American missiles were first used against military targets inside Russia’s Bryansk and Kursk regions in November, when the respective governments quietly lifted geographical restrictions on their use.

Separately, Kyiv has also developed its own Neptune long-range missiles, as well as drones that target Russian territory.

Merz’s comments come as European leaders are racing to come up with a plan to increase pressure on Moscow, after US President Donald Trump signalled he is inclined to leave them to sort the conflict among themselves.

UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer will meet Merz in Aachen in western Germany on Thursday, where EU commission president Ursula von der Leyen is receiving the Charlemagne prize.

British officials said Starmer would talk to Merz about increasing economic pressure on Russia and ensuring Ukraine has the financial and military support it needs to maintain the fight.

Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy is due to travel to Berlin on Wednesday, according to Der Spiegel.

More at the link.

Holland:

🇳🇱🇺🇦 The last batch of F-16s of the Netherlands Air Force departs for Ukraine.

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— 🦋Special Kherson Cat🐈🇺🇦 (@specialkhersoncat.bsky.social) May 26, 2025 at 12:23 PM

🇳🇱The last Dutch F-16s destined for Ukraine have left the Netherlands. The aircraft left Volkel Air Base for Belgium today, where they are being prepared for delivery. In total, the Netherlands has donated 24 fighter aircraft to Ukraine. www.defensie.nl/actueel/nieu…

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— 🦋Special Kherson Cat🐈🇺🇦 (@specialkhersoncat.bsky.social) May 26, 2025 at 11:29 AM

The US:

I know I covered the statement in last night’s update, but this is an apt analysis in the second and third skeets.

Trump seems to be unable to put out a statement that criticizes only Putin. “Likewise,” he says of Zelensky, whose country is the victim of unprovoked Russian invasions,” the Ukrainian president “is doing his Country no favors by talking the way he does.”

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— Christopher Miller (@christopherjm.ft.com) May 26, 2025 at 1:31 AM

Trump appears to be referring to Zelensky’s remarks yesterday about Trump’s “silence” and lack of decisive action as Russia continued bombing civilians across Ukraine. The line was: “Silence of America, silence of others around the world only encourage Putin.”

— Christopher Miller (@christopherjm.ft.com) May 26, 2025 at 1:31 AM

It took Trump 24 hours after the biggest Russian air attack on Ukraine ever began to release a statement. When he did, he still managed to criticize the president of the country being bombarded.

— Christopher Miller (@christopherjm.ft.com) May 26, 2025 at 1:31 AM

Also, he is not helping.

Back to Ukraine:

The Air Force of Ukraine reports that last night, the Russians launched a record number of drones against Ukraine — 355 in total.

Of these, 233 were destroyed by firepower, and 55 were either lost due to location failure or suppressed using EW. Additionally, 9 X-101 cruise missiles were shot down.

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— WarTranslated (Dmitri) (@wartranslated.bsky.social) May 26, 2025 at 5:06 AM

A brief summary of our weekend here in Ukraine. How was yours?

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— Olena Halushka (@halushka.bsky.social) May 25, 2025 at 1:28 PM

Talks won’t bring peace.
Crippling russia’s ability to wage war will.
Amid all this buzz, Europe is being lulled into a false sense that peace is just around the corner.
But if you look closely, you won’t see peace — only the beast baring its teeth, preparing to strike and devour.

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— Olena Halushka (@halushka.bsky.social) May 26, 2025 at 10:38 AM

Vasyshcheve, Kharkiv Oblast:

At least 13 russian Geran-2 drones struck an industrial site and warehouses in the suburbs of Kharkiv last night, the prosecutor’s office reported. As of this morning, firefighters are still battling the blaze.

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— Iryna Voichuk (@irynavoichuk.bsky.social) May 26, 2025 at 3:36 AM

Police have launched an investigation into a war crime after a series of drone strikes hit a private enterprise in Vasyshcheve, outside Kharkiv, between 12:30 AM and 1:30 AM on May 26. The attack, suspected to involve at least thirteen Shahed UAVs, caused significant

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— Kate from Kharkiv (@kateinkharkiv.bsky.social) May 26, 2025 at 7:44 AM

damage to buildings and sparked a large fire that is still being extinguished.

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— Kate from Kharkiv (@kateinkharkiv.bsky.social) May 26, 2025 at 7:44 AM

Kyiv:

The warhead of an X-101 missile was found in the yard of a private house in the Kyiv region, according to the Mobile Rescue Center of the State Emergency Service.

Explosives experts transported the munition to a special site for disposal.

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— WarTranslated (Dmitri) (@wartranslated.bsky.social) May 26, 2025 at 6:02 AM

🐶🙏 A dog shelter in Kyiv during a nighttime orc air attack.

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— Vitalis Viva (@vitalisviva.bsky.social) May 26, 2025 at 3:43 PM

A different animal shelter in Kyiv was hit last night. The woman who ran it was sheltering and at least ten cats, as well as her disabled adult son. I’m not posting the skeet or the pics, but it appears the surviving animals have been taken for treatment, though the woman, her son, and an unknown number of the cats they were sheltering were killed. Evacuating even for temporary safety during the genocidal Russian strikes on civilian targets last night was difficult because the woman was sheltering the cats and because of her son’s disabilities.

Kyiv residents spend the night in the metro as heavy shelling continues.

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— WarTranslated (Dmitri) (@wartranslated.bsky.social) May 26, 2025 at 5:58 AM

Kupyansk:

Only 10% of Kupyansk’s infrastructure remains intact, says the mayor

Kupyansk has been relentlessly targeted, with Russian forces dropping over 200 aerial bombs on the city in May alone. This includes eight super-heavy bombs, each weighing

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— Kate from Kharkiv (@kateinkharkiv.bsky.social) May 26, 2025 at 8:32 AM

1.5 tons, according to Andriy Besedin, head of the Kupyansk City Military Administration.

Just in the last 24 hours, ten aerial bombs struck the city, one of them a super-heavy munition. These attacks killed two people, wounded three, and damaged over 40 homes.

— Kate from Kharkiv (@kateinkharkiv.bsky.social) May 26, 2025 at 8:32 AM

Since the beginning of the month, the toll has climbed to nine dead and 40 wounded. More than 500 private homes and 40 apartment buildings have been destroyed. In total, 90% of the city is either destroyed or damaged.

— Kate from Kharkiv (@kateinkharkiv.bsky.social) May 26, 2025 at 8:32 AM

🫡🇺🇦 A GUR driver evacuated an MRAP MaxxPro hit by the occupiers in the Kupiansk direction from the battlefield.
The scouts of Timur’s special forces unit went on a combat mission where the enemy hit the armored vehicle, but it drove to a safe place on 3 wheels, saving the lives of all the defenders.

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— Vitalis Viva (@vitalisviva.bsky.social) May 26, 2025 at 2:05 PM

Somewhere in/along the southern front:

🇺🇦🦾 Images of the destruction of russian “Shaheds” in the South from our border guards.
Combat work took place in Odesa and Mykolaiv regions during another air attack of orcs.

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— Vitalis Viva (@vitalisviva.bsky.social) May 26, 2025 at 12:43 PM

Bucha:

Just another morning when your neighbor is Russia: in the Bucha region, the engine of a Shahed drone fell right in the yard of a private home.

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— WarTranslated (Dmitri) (@wartranslated.bsky.social) May 26, 2025 at 7:48 AM

Belgorod Oblast, Russia:

An airstrike directly hit a Russian military outpost in the Belgorod region 👀

There are whispers that FSB officers may have been present at the location.

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— Kate from Kharkiv (@kateinkharkiv.bsky.social) May 26, 2025 at 1:42 PM

In Russia’s Belgorod region, a train was blown up by a bomb planted under the tracks in Novooskolsky district. Rail traffic is suspended, according to local officials.

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— WarTranslated (Dmitri) (@wartranslated.bsky.social) May 25, 2025 at 2:50 PM

Yelebuga, Tatarstan and Ivanov Oblast, Russia:

According to the head of the CCD, Andriy Kovalenko, despite Russian attacks, unidentified drones struck Yelabuga in Tatarstan, where “Shaheds” are produced, as well as a chemical plant in the Ivanovo region that manufactures components for Russian equipment and weapons, including missiles.

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— WarTranslated (Dmitri) (@wartranslated.bsky.social) May 26, 2025 at 4:57 AM

That’s enough for tonight.

Your daily Patron!

There are no new Patron skeets or videos tonight. Here is some adjacent material:

Dear Ukraine: please know that the world is watching. We see the horror of the recent drone attacks. We love you.

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— The Spirit of Lorenzo the Cat (@lorenzothecat.bsky.social) May 26, 2025 at 8:03 AM

May 20 – 21
My favorite soldier and i had a request to rescue 10 cats from the blockpost, from NGU military who couldn’t take care of adult female cats and didn’t TNR them on time.

2 adult ladies and 8 kittens delivered to the cat lady in Dnipro. 🐱💓

PayPal: [email protected]

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— Windy🇺🇦 (@sayravem.bsky.social) May 23, 2025 at 4:05 PM

Open thread!

War for Ukraine Day 1,187: The CostPost + Comments (8)

Monday Evening Open Thread: Kindness, the Underrated Virtue

by Anne Laurie| May 26, 20257:30 pm| 68 Comments

This post is in: Excellent Links

🧵Spotted on Market Day in Aotearoa New Zealand:
A vibrant woman (80s?) wearing a bright woolly jumper and neon blue glasses tells a friend: "I'm jumping out of a plane at two today! Skydiving for charity. My friend said to me, don't go to heaven yet Jan and if you do, come back quickly!" (1)

— George Penney (@georgepenney.bsky.social) May 23, 2025 at 9:22 PM

Any typos spotted in this post are skydiving exclamation points. If spotted, please give them a bite of cheese to quell any pre-plane-jumping jitters.

— George Penney (@georgepenney.bsky.social) May 23, 2025 at 9:22 PM

George Penney’s BlueSky feed is one of my favorite reliable on-line respites…

🧵I've been doing a lot of thinking lately about kindness since I've moved here to Aotearoa New Zealand and would like to share some thoughts. (Please bear with me!):
1. Kindness is learned. It's not innate. People are taught kindness by other people. We are creatures that learn by example.

— George Penney (@georgepenney.bsky.social) May 22, 2025 at 3:14 AM

2. Kindness is not a weakness. To thank people, to acknowledge they’re human, to perform small acts that barely cost the individual anything, but mean a lot to others, makes for a much stronger community.

3. Kindness is a long term investment. It doesn’t come with the quick thrill of a throw-away cruelty or snark. There’s no fire in the belly or roaring fuel-like rage. It’s quiet, its payoff is gentle. You sometimes never see the impact, or even feel it, but its tiny ripples can have large effects.

4. Kindness builds bridges between different groups, creating infrastructure for push-back and positive change. A society that values kindness is less accepting of the everyday casual–and calculated–cruelties the larger world throws around. A kind society resists normalising monstrousness.

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Monday Evening Open Thread: Kindness, the Underrated VirtuePost + Comments (68)

Great Read: He’s throwing WorldPride in Trump’s backyard. Who’s with him?

by Anne Laurie| May 26, 20251:01 pm| 47 Comments

This post is in: Excellent Links, LGBTQ Rights Are Human Rights, Show Us on the Doll Where the Invisible Hand Touched You

He’s throwing WorldPride in Trump’s backyard. Who’s with him?
www.washingtonpost.com/style/power/…

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— The DC Homos (@dchomos.com) May 26, 2025 at 11:30 AM

From the Washington Post, He’s throwing WorldPride in Trump’s backyard. Who’s with him? [gift link]:

Ryan Bos has a huge party to pull off — or several parties, spanning weeks and involving road closures all over Washington, more than a hundred contracts, 25,200 reusable drink cups, a 1,000-foot long rainbow flag and Shakira.

Bos is the executive director of Capital Pride Alliance, which this year is in charge of planning and executing the festivities around WorldPride, which run through early June. It’s a huge feat of logistics, and that’s before you consider the politics: This year, the LGBTQ+ celebration is being held in the backyard of a government that has targeted transgender rights and made major cuts to HIV prevention programs. At the Kennedy Center, President Donald Trump has promised “NO MORE DRAG SHOWS, OR OTHER ANTI-AMERICAN PROPAGANDA”; the alliance relocated some events from the arts institution to other venues “to ensure our entire LGBTQ+ community will be welcome.” Some corporate allies have withdrawn their financial support or asked not to be explicitly associated with the celebration.

The party is still very much on. But it’s not clear how many people, welcome or not, will ultimately decide to take part…

Bos is throwing a parade; corporate America is walking a tightrope. In February, the consulting giant Booz Allen Hamilton, which has millions in contracts with the federal government, canceled its sponsorship of the celebration. Deloitte, Comcast and Darcars chose not to donate as they had in years past… A handful of other corporate sponsors are still contributing, Bos said, but covertly. As in, they don’t want to be named or have their logos displayed.

“It’s somewhat counter to Pride,” Bos said in his office after the staff meeting. “You know, we appreciate their financial contribution. Pride is about standing up and affirming and being visible.”…

There’s still enough money in the coffers for the organizers to have put together a full program with some big draws. Among the marquee events is a concert by Shakira on May 31 at Nationals Park, preceded by 30 minutes of programming about Pride. On June 6, Jennifer Lopez is set to take the stage at RFK Stadium for a ticketed music festival; Troye Sivan will do the same on June 7. The rainbow-festooned parade floats will wend their way down 14th Street toward the Capitol starting at 2 p.m. that day, and a Doechii concert on Pennsylvania Avenue will follow on June 8. Bos said he didn’t know yet whether uniformed police officers would be marching in the parade — a subject of contention at other Pride festivals in recent years — but he said it would be part of the discussion with law enforcement, adding that, as a community, “I think we have to keep an open mind about this conversation.”

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Celebrations planned by certain subcommunities are already underway, including trans pride, Latinx pride, Black pride, API pride for Asians and Pacific Islanders, “silver pride” for older people, and (a new addition) military pride. Other events include a human rights conference and a protest rally.

But some queer people may not have much of a desire to make themselves visible here, now. In October, the D.C. mayor’s office said it expected up to 3 million visitors. In March, a Capital Pride Alliance official estimated that 1.5 million would come. Earlier this month, Bos said he has “no clue” how many people to expect. “I’m hopeful that we’re still going to surpass the million mark,” he said. The alliance purchased hotel blocks, but as of last week, “the hotel bookings aren’t where we expected them to be,” Bos said…

The Human Rights Campaign has fielded hundreds of questions from prospective visitors, said Brandon Wolf, the organization’s national press secretary. Wolf, a survivor of the 2016 Pulse nightclub shooting, was at a fundraising dinner in South Florida a couple of months ago, where guests asked him about where to party but also about how to stay safe if they went to pro-LGBTQ+ demonstrations in Washington. Wolf says he has reassured people that organizers are working closely with local D.C. police, “which, as we know, is different than federal agents,” but also that “you’ve got to look at your own circumstance.”

Beyond the Beltway, in states where local governments are also enacting policies targeting LGBTQ+ people, “the vibe is a turn-towards-my-nearest-neighbor type of care,” says Zooey Zephyr, a Democratic state legislator in Montana. She’s heard about LGBTQ+ groups in Montana organizing Pride events there, or working with local clinics to make sure LGBTQ+ people have health care, but not as much about WorldPride. “I don’t think that will be the primary driver for our community.” (Zephyr might attend the WorldPride rally, but she will otherwise be preoccupied with a fellowship at Harvard.)

So will this still be fun? “I think we make everything fun,” Wolf says. “That’s just who we are, right?”

Bos says he understands that people need to evaluate their own risks when deciding to attend WorldPride, but “this is not the time to retreat.”…

Great Read: <em>He’s throwing WorldPride in Trump’s backyard. Who’s with him?</em>Post + Comments (47)

“I was told there would be no fact checking.”

A sufficient plurality of insane, greedy people can tank any democratic system ever devised, apparently.

Good lord, these people are nuts.

Impressively dumb. Congratulations.

Balloon Juice, where there is always someone who will say you’re doing it wrong.

Motto for the House: Flip 5 and lose none.

“Just close your eyes and kiss the girl and go where the tilt-a-whirl takes you.” ~OzarkHillbilly

Only Democrats have agency, apparently.

The desire to stay informed is directly at odds with the need to not be constantly enraged.

Well, whatever it is, it’s better than being a Republican.

Nancy smash is sick of your bullshit.

The willow is too close to the house.

We know you aren’t a Democrat but since you seem confused let me help you.

Decision time: keep arguing about the last election, or try to win the next one?

I’m starting to think Jesus may have made a mistake saving people with no questions asked.

rich, arrogant assholes who equate luck with genius

Someone should tell Republicans that violence is the last refuge of the incompetent, or possibly the first.

Humiliatingly small and eclipsed by the derision of millions.

This chaos was totally avoidable.

So fucking stupid, and still doing a tremendous amount of damage.

Within six months Twitter will be fully self-driving.

Everything is totally normal and fine!!!

Historically it was a little unusual for the president to be an incoherent babbling moron.

A tremendous foreign policy asset… to all of our adversaries.

The Sorrow & The Pity (Open Thread)

Tuesday Morning Open Thread: Here We Go Again

Overnight Art Break Open Thread

Monday Night Open Thread

War for Ukraine Day 1,187: The Cost

We Can See from the Information Obtained by Intelligence and from Open-Source Data That Putin and His Entourage Do Not Plan to End the War – Address by the President

President Congratulates Warriors of the State Service of Special Communications and Information Protection on Their Professional Holiday and Presents State Awards

Monday Evening Open Thread: Kindness, the Underrated Virtue

Great Read: He’s throwing WorldPride in Trump’s backyard. Who’s with him?