Balloon Juice - Open Threads Archives

Good News, Bad News, Depending on Who You Are and How You Look At It

by WaterGirl| April 15, 20256:18 pm| 204 Comments

This post is in: Open Threads, Opposition to Trump-Musk, Politics

Update with Biden’s speech.

h/t NotMax

*****

FFOTUS has broken the record for worst approval rating of a President ever at this point in a presidency. The record he broke? That was his own record from 2017. Congratulations!

Not lookin’ too good for FFOTUS among Independents, where he is at -22. Not so good for him!

Net approval on the economy?

Not looking so good at -29, a drop of 30 points in the 5 years that have passed since he took office in January 2025.

Big surprise on tariffs!

How long before he hits the magic 27%?

So… good that people are starting to wake up.

Bad, I guess, that things are so bad that even the potentially clueless are getting a clue?

Certainly bad for FFOTUS!

*****

Can we talk about Independents for a minute? Because I don’t see how true Independents (who theoretically vote for the best candidate, regardless of party) could have thought he was fine to be begin with. My theory is that Independents are mostly people who don’t want to admit that they are mostly Republican.

I’ll close with the thought that if I’m right about that, FFOTUS is losing a lot of folks who voted for him, even if they voted for him on the down low.

Good News, Bad News, Depending on Who You Are and How You Look At ItPost + Comments (204)

The Uncanniest of Valleys (Open Thread)

by Betty Cracker| April 15, 202512:36 pm| 218 Comments

This post is in: Open Threads, Politics, Republican Stupidity

Regretfully, it wasn’t always so, but these days I try to stay away from criticizing people for how they look, dress or present themselves. Part of my reluctance is lack of standing as a somewhat slovenly person.

But mostly, it’s a fairness, relevance and (long!) belated maturity thing, a sincere belief that people should be judged by their words and actions, not their conformance to conventional beauty standards, wardrobe choices, weight, haircuts, etc.

If you sensed a BUT coming up after that preamble, you’re right because damn. (Via Driftglass)

Various MAGA celebrity before and after shots, showing plastic surgery

The “Mar-a-Lago face” phenomenon is ridiculous and superficial, but maybe it’s also something more:

Plastic surgeons told the Daily Mail the trend, with its “copious use of Botox, a Miami-bronze tan, puffy lips and silky-smooth skin” was “giving Trumpland an almost ‘plastic’ and ‘Real Housewives’ look”. The end result, said Salon, is faces “so fake-looking it’s uncanny, as if an AI image generator had replaced a person with an exaggerated version of themselves”.

It’s a tell that Trump is so fond of the word “fake.” There’s no one more fake than Donald Trump, a cowardly weakling who’s worshipped for toughness, a prolific liar who “tells it like it is,” a serially bankrupt, flailing nepo baby who played a decisive, self-made businessman on TV.

Trump is a ridiculous, deeply insecure and stupid loser when it comes to all of the human qualities that really matter. And yet he is skilled at mining the inexhaustible resource of grievance to acquire sufficient power to ruin a once great nation. The same can be said of Trump’s largest campaign donor.

This is where the MAGA aesthetic ceases to be a trend to be mined for cheap laughs. It’s AI slop made flesh, an incarnate denial of reality. And while sometimes that’s funny, it’s also dangerous. The loss of a shared sense of reality is a big part of what landed us in this fascist mess.

Perhaps unfairly, I experienced a similar wave of revulsion in reaction to this photo, ostensibly published to celebrate a “historic all-female space crew.”

Blue Origin all-female crew posing in glamorous bell-bottomed space suits in front of crew leaders's boyfriend's privately owned rocket.

I understand a couple of these women are actual rocket scientists and people with other talents. I’m unfamiliar with their politics, but I don’t assume they’ve all sunk to the same level of depravity as the individuals in the first photo, even if they voluntarily associate with Bezos.

But still, gross, and no thanks. I’ll celebrate a future all-woman crew that doesn’t get all glammed up for the launch and makes the trip for reasons other than celebrity self-actualization.

Open thread.

The Uncanniest of Valleys (Open Thread)Post + Comments (218)

Letter from Harvard: Turning Point? Tipping Point? Catalyst?

by WaterGirl| April 15, 202510:05 am| 250 Comments

This post is in: Open Threads, Opposition to Trump-Musk, Politics

Can we talk about the letter from Harvard, and the significance of this letter? Is it a turning point? A tipping point? Pivotal event? A catalyst? Something else?

Tipping Point: The point at which a series of small changes or incidents becomes significant enough to cause a larger, more important change.

Turning Point: A time at which a decisive change in a situation occurs, especially one with beneficial results.

Catalyst: A person or thing that precipitates an event.

Pivotal Event: Of crucial importance in relation to the development or success of something else.

Whatever we choose to call it, or however we choose to think of it, this is an important moment. We need to capitalize on this, make the most of this moment. How do we do that?

New York Times, via Hopium Chronicles

Harvard University is 140 years older than the United States, has an endowment greater than the G.D.P. of nearly 100 countries and has educated eight American presidents. So if an institution was going to stand up to the Trump administration’s war on academia, Harvard would be at the top of the list.

Harvard did that forcefully on Monday in a way that injected energy into other universities across the country fearful of the president’s wrath, rejecting the Trump administration’s demands on hiring, admissions and curriculum. Some commentators went so far as to say that Harvard’s decision would empower law firms, the courts, the media and other targets of the White House to push back as well.

“This is of momentous, momentous significance,” said J. Michael Luttig, a prominent former federal appeals court judge revered by many conservatives. “This should be the turning point in the president’s rampage against American institutions.”

Michael S. Roth, who is the president of Wesleyan University and a rare critic of the White House among university administrators, welcomed Harvard’s decision. “What happens when institutions overreach is that they change course when they meet resistance,” he said. “It’s like when a bully is stopped in his tracks.”

We should all read every word of this letter from Harvard President, Alan Garber

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Dear Members of the Harvard Community,

For three-quarters of a century, the federal government has awarded grants and contracts to Harvard and other universities to help pay for work that, along with investments by the universities themselves, has led to groundbreaking innovations across a wide range of medical, engineering, and scientific fields. These innovations have made countless people in our country and throughout the world healthier and safer.

In recent weeks, the federal government has threatened its partnerships with several universities, including Harvard, over accusations of antisemitism on our campuses. These partnerships are among the most productive and beneficial in American history.

New frontiers beckon us with the prospect of life-changing advances—from treatments for diseases such as Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, and diabetes, to breakthroughs in artificial intelligence, quantum science and engineering, and numerous other areas of possibility. For the government to retreat from these partnerships now risks not only the health and well-being of millions of individuals but also the economic security and vitality of our nation.

Late Friday night, the administration issued an updated and expanded list of demands, warning that Harvard must comply if we intend to “maintain [our] financial relationship with the federal government.” It makes clear that the intention is not to work with us to address antisemitism in a cooperative and constructive manner. Although some of the demands outlined by the government are aimed at combating antisemitism, the majority represent direct governmental regulation of the “intellectual conditions” at Harvard.

I encourage you to read the letter to gain a fuller understanding of the unprecedented demands being made by the federal government to control the Harvard community. They include requirements to “audit” the viewpoints of our student body, faculty, staff, and to “reduc[e] the power” of certain students, faculty, and administrators targeted because of their ideological views. We have informed the administration through our legal counsel that we will not accept their proposed agreement. The University will not surrender its independence or relinquish its constitutional rights.

The administration’s prescription goes beyond the power of the federal government. It violates Harvard’s First Amendment rights and exceeds the statutory limits of the government’s authority under Title VI. And it threatens our values as a private institution devoted to the pursuit, production, and dissemination of knowledge. No government—regardless of which party is in power—should dictate what private universities can teach, whom they can admit and hire, and which areas of study and inquiry they can pursue.

Our motto—Veritas, or truth—guides us as we navigate the challenging path ahead. Seeking truth is a journey without end. It requires us to be open to new information and different perspectives, to subject our beliefs to ongoing scrutiny, and to be ready to change our minds. It compels us to take up the difficult work of acknowledging our flaws so that we might realize the full promise of the University, especially when that promise is threatened.

We have made it abundantly clear that we do not take lightly our moral duty to fight antisemitism. Over the past fifteen months, we have taken many steps to address antisemitism on our campus. We plan to do much more. As we defend Harvard, we will continue to:

nurture a thriving culture of open inquiry on our campus; develop the tools, skills, and practices needed to engage constructively with one another; and broaden the intellectual and viewpoint diversity within our community;
affirm the rights and responsibilities we share; respect free speech and dissent while also ensuring that protest occurs in a time, place, and manner that does not interfere with teaching, learning, and research; and enhance the consistency and fairness of disciplinary processes; and work together to find ways, consistent with law, to foster and support a vibrant community that exemplifies, respects, and embraces difference. As we do, we will also continue to comply with Students For Fair Admissions v. Harvard, which ruled that Title VI of the Civil Rights Act makes it unlawful for universities to make decisions “on the basis of race.”

These ends will not be achieved by assertions of power, unmoored from the law, to control teaching and learning at Harvard and to dictate how we operate. The work of addressing our shortcomings, fulfilling our commitments, and embodying our values is ours to define and undertake as a community.

Freedom of thought and inquiry, along with the government’s longstanding commitment to respect and protect it, has enabled universities to contribute in vital ways to a free society and to healthier, more prosperous lives for people everywhere. All of us share a stake in safeguarding that freedom.

We proceed now, as always, with the conviction that the fearless and unfettered pursuit of truth liberates humanity—and with faith in the enduring promise that America’s colleges and universities hold for our country and our world.

Sincerely,
Alan M. Garber

What happens next is anyone’s guess. What’s your guess?

I think we need a Russian Warship, Go Fuck Yourself moment. Is this it?

We need to capitalize on this, make the most of this moment. How do we do that?

Letter from Harvard: Turning Point? Tipping Point? Catalyst?Post + Comments (250)

Overnight Open Thread: Dear Canada

by TaMara| April 15, 202512:30 am| 80 Comments

This post is in: Open Threads

Monday has come and gone. My Nuggets and Avalanche are in the playoffs, and my beloved Red Sox are already behind the Yankees. So, it is officially spring. I’m speeding down the road to the last chapters of my latest book, and my other work keeps me busy. I try every day to find something good.

Sometimes, it’s just the 5-year-old next door ringing my doorbell (I always know it’s him because I can’t see him at the window…yet) asking if we can take the dogs for a walk. Which, of course, we do. How could I refuse both his sweet request and my puppies’ soulful eyes begging for an adventure?

But like all of you, there is a darkness in the background that I cannot escape. I do my best to look after those around me who I can have a direct effect on – I live in a richly cultured neighborhood – I try to be a good neighbor. I worry.

Another week has begun, and we are left to ponder how best to address the dire situation we are in. I cannot stress enough how much you need to take care of yourself first, so you have the energy to take care of others when called upon.

***

Speaking of wonderful neighbors, one of our jackals shared this on FB, and I thought it was worth a share here.

Mar 12, 2025

220,926 views • Mar 12, 2025

Dear Canada, I felt compelled to make something. To stick up for, and to honour. To show our strength, beauty, genius, empathy, light and heart. I spent the past few weeks in my free time piecing this together. It’s a love letter, made with deep gratitude for the people and places of this beautiful land. Vive le Canada 🇨🇦 ❤️ ✌️ 💪

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Overnight Open Thread: Dear CanadaPost + Comments (80)

War for Ukraine Day 1,145: Russia Continues to Escalate Its Genocidal Strikes on Ukrainian Targets While Trump Repeats Putin’s Misinformation & Agitprop

by Adam L Silverman| April 14, 202510:08 pm| 23 Comments

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

I had a very long day, good day, but long, so am just going to run through the basics tonight.

Less than a day after Russia committed more genocidal war crimes by attacking civilian targets in Sumy during the morning of Palm Sunday, Trump decided to spread Putin’s misinformation and agitprop, as well as deny responsibility for anything.

Trump’s regime is once again blaming Ukraine. Trump promised to end the war within 24 hours but failed, as Putin simply refused. Perhaps you shouldn’t have caved to Putin so early in the negotiations. Weak and incompetent, surrounded by loyalists who only praise an unfit leader

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— Tatarigami (@tatarigami.bsky.social) April 14, 2025 at 11:35 AM

Trump has fully turned on Zelenskyy: “He’s always looking to purchase missiles. Listen, when you start a war, you gotta know you can win a war. You don’t start a war against somebody that’s 20 times your size and then hope that people give you some missiles.”

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— Aaron Rupar (@atrupar.com) April 14, 2025 at 11:56 AM

Ukraine didn’t choose to be invaded. In contrast, Trump initiated a tariff war, only to later backtrack after damaging global trust in the U.S and savings of regular Americans. And why pick a fight with the Houthis if you’re too incompetent to win it in the first place?

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— Tatarigami (@tatarigami.bsky.social) April 14, 2025 at 1:20 PM

Trump’s response to the Sumy attack is enraging, ignorant, parroting Russian propaganda and disrespectful to the victims & survivors. It’s unbearable cruelty on top of unbearable cruelty.

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— sianushka.bsky.social (@sianushka.bsky.social) April 14, 2025 at 2:30 AM

The Russians, of course, have already stated this was not a targeting error.

Earlier today, Trump claimed that the Russians “made a mistake” when they struck downtown Sumy with two missiles on Palm Sunday, murdering dozens.

Well, the Russian Ministry of Defense has admitted responsibility for the strike. not a mistake.

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— Kate from Kharkiv (@kateinkharkiv.bsky.social) April 14, 2025 at 10:10 AM

As I wrote last night, there’s nothing for the Ukrainians to negotiate here. Not a truce, not a ceasefire, not a negotiated settlement to Russia’s genocidal re-invasion even though any negotiated settlement would at least partially reward and encourage Putin. Nor is there anyone to actually negotiate with. You can’t negotiate with Putin and Russia, because negotiation for them is simply a tactic to buy strategic time for their next set of operations. You can’t negotiate with Trump and his people because they’re aiding and assisting Putin and Russia in regard to Ukraine and to attempt to strip Ukraine of assets as compensation for US military aid.

“We will reach a diplomatic resolution to this war. However, Ukraine will never recognize the occupied territories as Russian, despite any pressure.” – Volodymyr Zelenskyy in an interview with 60 Minutes on CBS News.
t.me/c/1377735387…

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— WarTranslated (Dmitri) (@wartranslated.bsky.social) April 14, 2025 at 6:13 AM

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

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For 34 Days Now, Russia Has Been Openly Refusing to Cease Fire – Address by the President

14 April 2025 – 20:23

Dear Ukrainians!

All day today, recovery efforts have been ongoing in Sumy following yesterday’s Russian ballistic missile strike – the rubble is being cleared. Nearly forty of the injured remain in hospitals, including children. Eleven people are in serious condition. Doctors are doing everything they can to help – to save lives. Every expression of support matters greatly right now – every leader, every country, every diplomatic representative who has spoken out – we see and hear everyone. Thirty-five people were killed by this single Russian strike – my condolences to all the families and loved ones. One hundred nineteen people were injured. And this was just one strike.

34 days ago, Ukraine responded positively to the U.S. proposal for a full and unconditional ceasefire – an end to all such strikes like the ones on Sumy, Kryvyi Rih, Dnipro, Kupyansk and Beryslav, and along the entire front line. And for 34 days now, Russia has been openly refusing to cease fire. Now – just as he has been for years – Putin remains focused on continuing the war. Focused on strikes like these. Focused on killing. Russian state propagandists are preparing their audience for the idea that negotiations and diplomacy will not bring any results. And there is only one reason for this – in Moscow, they are not afraid right now. And if there is no strong enough pressure on Russia, they will keep doing what they are used to – they will keep waging war. This has already become a Russian state habit – waging war against neighbors, exporting hatred, and destroying lives. We all want this to end. Peace is needed – and it must be lasting. That is why Ukraine always works constructively with its partners, in all formats that can bring security and restore peace. We are not just ready for peace quickly – Ukraine has never wanted this war, not for a single second. And every day, Ukraine defends life.

Now, following the strike on Sumy, nearly 50 countries and international organizations have spoken out in support of Ukraine. Heads of state, heads of government, heads of foreign ministries – I want to thank each and every one. The world knows the truth – what happened and who is to blame. And when the war ends, the world will clearly know: it happened because Russia, the aggressor, was forced into peace. The same aggressor that came to Ukrainian land in 2014 – 11 years ago. And it is important for everyone that it does not take more years.

Today, I held a meeting of the Staff. We are continuing the development of our army – forming a corps-level command system. Relevant reports were presented. Together with our partners, we are also laying the groundwork for a security contingent – a contingent with the participation of partners, which will maintain peace after this war. Meetings on this – on the contingent – are planned for this week. Today, we also outlined our foreign policy agenda for the coming weeks – we are working to secure air defense for Ukraine, to strengthen the resilience of our state and Defense Forces, and to ensure that diplomacy finally begins to bear fruit.

Glory to Ukraine!

60 Minutes broadcast their interview with President Zelenskyy yesterday. Here’s the video:

Georgia:

Oh wow! It’s actually more than I expected.
Lately, I allow myself to skip the days when I know there will be more people to do some life… 😁 and on those days, Rusudan’s posts are what I rely on.

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— Marika Mikiashvili 🇬🇪🇺🇦🇪🇺 (@marikamikiashvili.bsky.social) April 14, 2025 at 1:45 PM

Day 138. New, free & fair Parliamentary elections, and the release of the regime prisoners.

We cannot stop in our national freedom struggle.

Help us avoid costs by targeted sanctions, no handshakes with the regims, and calls for new elections. #GeorgiaProtests

📷 Giorgi Burjanadze

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— Marika Mikiashvili 🇬🇪🇺🇦🇪🇺 (@marikamikiashvili.bsky.social) April 14, 2025 at 3:26 PM

It will be a bigger protest tonight, Day 138 ✊🏻

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— Marika Mikiashvili 🇬🇪🇺🇦🇪🇺 (@marikamikiashvili.bsky.social) April 14, 2025 at 11:44 AM

1/ “Victory is in us, strength is in the students” – students, family members of prisoners of the GD regime, and other citizens gathered in the yard of Tbilisi State University.

This rally is connected to the ongoing protests that have been taking place in 🇬🇪 since Nov 28.

#GeorgiaProtests
Day 138

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— Publika.ge (@publikage.bsky.social) April 14, 2025 at 12:37 PM

2/ On Mother Tongue Day, students intend to walk the historical route that students and professors took on April 14, 1978, while defending the Georgian language within the USSR, from TSU to the Parliament.

— Publika.ge (@publikage.bsky.social) April 14, 2025 at 12:37 PM

The pro-European, anti-Russian protests have varied in size—sometimes more crowded, sometimes less—but for 136 days now, not a single day has passed without them.

#GeorgiaProtests
Day 136

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— Publika.ge (@publikage.bsky.social) April 14, 2025 at 2:58 PM

„Down with the rotten Russian empire”.
#GeorgiaProtests
Day 136

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— Publika.ge (@publikage.bsky.social) April 14, 2025 at 1:37 PM

I don’t know why Publika has the number of days of protest off by two in some skeets, but correct in other.

1/ In this photo, police officer Archil Antadze is pointing to the reddened areas on Irakli Dgebuadze’s face, allegedly caused when Mzia Amaglobeli slapped him.

📸 Natia Leverashvili/Publika

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— Publika.ge (@publikage.bsky.social) April 14, 2025 at 1:14 PM

2/ The trial of journalist and media manager Mzia Amaglobeli was held today. Police claim that after she slapped the Batumi Police Chief, his right cheek and ear turned red.

— Publika.ge (@publikage.bsky.social) April 14, 2025 at 1:14 PM

3/ Mzia Amaglobeli is charged with committing an act of violence and faces 4 to 7 years in prison for slapping the Batumi Police Chief.

— Publika.ge (@publikage.bsky.social) April 14, 2025 at 1:14 PM

“HE PUT DRUGS IN MY POCKETS” — Artem Graibul, a Russian arrested during the December protests in Georgia, held up this sign in court today as officer Jemal Mirazanishvili was testifying.

The officer claims he only filed the report. Artem says he planted the drugs.
📷: Publika

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— Rusudan Djakeli (@rusudandjakeli.bsky.social) April 14, 2025 at 8:56 AM

Germany:

⚡️ Merz signals Ukraine could use Taurus missiles to target Crimea, Kerch Bridge.

In an interview with ARD, Germany’s chancellor-in-waiting emphasized the need to support Ukraine in moving from a reactive to a proactive stance on the battlefield.

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— The Kyiv Independent (@kyivindependent.com) April 14, 2025 at 3:00 AM

From The Kyiv Independent:

Friedrich Merz, Germany’s chancellor-in-waiting, suggested on April 13 that long-range Taurus missiles, if delivered to Ukraine, could be used to target strategic Russian military infrastructure in occupied Crimea, including the Kerch Bridge.

The 19-kilometer-long (12-mile) Crimean (Kerch) Bridge, constructed following Russia’s illegal occupation of Crimea in 2014 and completed in 2018, serves as a vital supply route for Russian forces. The bridge has been targeted by Ukraine multiple times, suffering heavy damage in strikes in October 2022 and July 2023.

In an interview with ARD’s Caren Miosga, Merz emphasized the need to support Ukraine in moving from a reactive to a proactive stance on the battlefield, saying Kyiv must be equipped to “shape events” and “get ahead of the situation.”

“If things continue as they are, if, for example, the most important land connection between Russia and Crimea is destroyed, or if something happens on Crimea itself, where most of the Russian military logistics are located, then that would be an opportunity to bring this country strategically back into the picture finally,” Merz said.

While outgoing Chancellor Olaf Scholz has repeatedly blocked the delivery of Taurus missiles over his concerns about escalation, Merz has long criticized that stance.

With Merz poised to take office following his Christian Democrats’ election win, the decision to supply Taurus missiles could soon return to the political agenda. It remains uncertain whether his future coalition partners from the Social Democrats will back the move.

Merz also clarified that he was not calling for direct German involvement in the war but rather for arming Ukraine with the capability to take the initiative.

The German politician has previously voiced support for supplying Taurus missiles to Ukraine, stressing that such a step must be coordinated with European allies.

“Our European partners are already supplying cruise missiles,” he reiterated on April 13, citing British, French, and U.S. efforts. “If it is coordinated, then Germany should participate in it.”

Ukraine has already received U.S.-supplied ATACMS as well as SCALP/Storm Shadow cruise missiles from France and the U.K. Both Washington and London have permitted Kyiv to use these systems to strike targets within Russian-occupied territory, including Crimea.

The previous Biden administration and the U.K. also allowed strikes with long-range missiles against military targets on Russian soil in late 2024, namely in the Russian border regions of Kursk and Bryansk. Incumbent U.S. President Donald Trump has criticized the move.

In the interview, Merz condemned a Russian attack on the Ukrainian city of Sumy on April 13, which killed at least 34 civilians and injured more than 100, calling it “a deliberate and intentional serious war crime.”

“And I say to all those in Germany who naively call on (Russian President Vladimir) Putin to come to the negotiating table – this is the answer,” he said. “That’s what Putin does to those who talk to him about a ceasefire.”

Merz warned that Moscow interprets calls for peace as a sign of weakness.

“He obviously interprets our willingness to talk not as a serious offer to facilitate peace but as weakness,” he said, referring to Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban’s visit to Moscow last year, which was followed days later by a missile strike on a children’s hospital in Kyiv.

The Western diplomatic isolation imposed on Putin after the outbreak of the full-scale war seems to be unraveling as Trump has resumed direct diplomatic contact with Moscow in an effort to broker a ceasefire.

These efforts have largely stalled, as the Kremlin rejected a proposal by Washington and Kyiv for a full 30-day truce and continued in deadly attacks against Ukrainian cities and infrastructure despite a partial ceasefire agreed upon on March 25.

Back to Ukraine.

OTD in 2022 Russian warship Moskva, that was told “go fuck yourself”, went & fucked itself and sunk. By a country without a navy.

I remain a master strategist.

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— Darth Putin (@darthputinkgb.bsky.social) April 14, 2025 at 4:36 AM

In bowling they call it a strike.

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— 🦋Special Kherson Cat🐈🇺🇦 (@specialkhersoncat.bsky.social) April 14, 2025 at 3:04 PM

Interception of the Russian Lancet loitering munition. Also, a very rare case when the drone’s FPV camera continued to work for a couple of frames after detonation. t.me/toro_ua/725

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— 🦋Special Kherson Cat🐈🇺🇦 (@specialkhersoncat.bsky.social) April 14, 2025 at 2:34 AM

The Unmanned Systems Forces also showcased the maritime anti-ship drone “Aligator-9.”

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— WarTranslated (Dmitri) (@wartranslated.bsky.social) April 14, 2025 at 7:02 AM

Sumy:

As Ukraine mourns those killed in the russian missile attack on Sumy, russia has struck the city again with a drone strike.

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— Iryna Voichuk (@irynavoichuk.bsky.social) April 14, 2025 at 7:42 AM

Russia admits Sumy missile strike but predictably blames Kyiv and unloads a bunch of disinformation around it. Meanwhile, Trump can’t condemn the attack, instead calls it a “mistake,” falsely blaming Zelensky for starting the war. Latest with @maxseddon.bsky.social:
www.ft.com/content/edb5…

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— Christopher Miller (@christopherjm.ft.com) April 14, 2025 at 12:28 PM

From The Financial Times:

Donald Trump reignited his war of words with Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Monday, accusing the Ukrainian president of incompetence and blaming him once again for the outbreak of Russia’s full-blown war on his country.

The US president also criticised Zelenskyy’s continued requests for military support to help defend against Russian attacks like the ballistic missile strike on the north eastern Ukrainian city of Sumy on Sunday, which killed 34 people and injured 119 others.

“He’s always looking to purchase missiles,” Trump said during a press conference in the Oval Office.

The remark seemed to be a response to Zelenskyy’s comments to reporters in Kyiv last week, in which he said he was hoping to purchase upwards of $50bn worth of US military equipment, including Patriot air defence systems, in lieu of another aid package approved by Congress.

“Listen, when you start a war, you gotta know you can win a war,” Trump said. “You don’t start a war against somebody that’s 20 times your size and then hope that people give you some missiles.”

Trump’s response may also have been prompted by comments by Zelenskyy in an interview with the CBS 60 Minutes programme on Sunday.

“I believe, sadly, Russian narratives are prevailing in the US,” the Ukrainian president said. “How is it possible to witness our losses and our suffering, to understand what the Russians are doing, and to still believe that they are not the aggressors, that they did not start this war?”

Zelenskyy’s comments in February that Trump was “living in this disinformation bubble,” triggered a war of words between the two leaders that culminated in a disastrous televised clash inside the Oval Office a week later.

Trump subsequently ordered US military aid and intelligence-sharing with Ukraine to be cut off, but then reversed his decision.

On Monday, Zelenskyy responded to Trump’s renewed false accusation that he had sparked the biggest war in Europe in 80 years by insisting Ukraine remained committed to ending it swiftly.

“We are not just ready for peace quickly — Ukraine did not want a single second of war,” he said on Telegram.

“And when it ends, the world will know it was because Russia, as the aggressor, was forced to make peace. The aggressor who came to Ukrainian soil in 2014, 11 years ago,” he added, underscoring the fact that Russian President Vladimir Putin launched his war long before Zelenskyy was elected to office.

Russia earlier on Monday admitted to carrying out the ballistic missile strike on Sumy, but blamed Kyiv for the casualties.

Moscow’s defence ministry said it had struck a gathering of Ukrainian military commanders and claimed, without evidence, to have killed more than 60 servicemen.

It did not comment directly on the civilian death toll, but said Ukraine’s government was “continuing to use the Ukrainian population as a human shield by placing military facilities and holding events with members of the military in the centre of a thickly populated city”.

Putin’s spokesperson Dmitry Peskov told reporters Russia’s military “exclusively carries out strikes against military and military-related targets”.

Monday Night Post

by WaterGirl| April 14, 20259:11 pm| 95 Comments

This post is in: Open Threads

I have been searching for some fun thing for an open thread for the past hour or more, and no luck.

Surely there are some fun things out there that you can all share?

In the meantime, I see that Henry’s special allergy dry food is now up to something like $140 a bag. Holy cow!

As long as he’s got his babies, he doesn’t care.

Open thread.

Update: Found my favorite kitty video.

Monday Night PostPost + Comments (95)

Death & Taxes (Open Thread)

by Betty Cracker| April 14, 20253:21 pm| 204 Comments

This post is in: Open Threads, TV & Movies, The Horrors

During the wee hours last night, I nodded off on the couch while watching the season finale of “The Pitt,” a medical drama starring actor Noah Wyle that is set in a Pittsburgh emergency room. It premiered on Max this year.

Screen shot of actor Noah Wyle, who plays Dr. Robinavitch on The Pitt

My falling asleep is no knock on the show — it’s pretty good. I was just really tired.

But a couple of hours later, one of the dogs’ nostril hair-singeing farts jolted me awake, and I found that our streaming service had moved on without me and was now showing the first season of “ER,” a medical drama featuring Noah Wyle that debuted in 1994.

Actor Noah Wyle as Dr. Carter on ER.

It was like falling through a crack in the space-time continuum.

***

Last year, I did our taxes not long after being sprung from the hospital for the first time. I remember thinking, “Maybe I’ll be dead this time next year, and I won’t have to ever do our taxes again.” (Always looking for a silver lining.)

Well, the joke’s on me, but I got them filed on time again. Glad that’s out of the way. And as terrible as everything is right now, what with all The Horrors, I’m still grateful to be alive, taxes be damned. Thanks, science!

Open thread.

Death & Taxes (Open Thread)Post + Comments (204)

Keep the Immigrants and deport the fascists!

Republican speaker of the house Mike Johnson is the bland and smiling face of evil.

Wow, I can’t imagine what it was like to comment in morse code.

Come on, media. you have one job. start doing it.

He seems like a smart guy, but JFC, what a dick!

The world has changed, and neither one recognizes it.

If America since Jan 2025 hasn’t broken your heart, you haven’t loved her enough.

Celebrate the fucking wins.

Incompetence, fear, or corruption? why not all three?

The words do not have to be perfect.

Oppose, oppose, oppose. do not congratulate. this is not business as usual.

A democracy can’t function when people can’t distinguish facts from lies.

Speaker Mike Johnson is a vile traitor to the House and the Constitution.

This is dead girl, live boy, a goat, two wetsuits and a dildo territory. oh, and pink furry handcuffs.

JFC, are there no editors left at that goddamn rag?

75% of people clapping liked the show!

Just because you believe it, that does not make it true.

When do we start airlifting the women and children out of Texas?

Today in our ongoing national embarrassment…

“When somebody takes the time to draw up a playbook, they’re gonna use it.”

Fear or fury? The choice is ours.

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

One of our two political parties is a cult whose leader admires Vladimir Putin.

We will not go quietly into the night; we will not vanish without a fight.

Good News, Bad News, Depending on Who You Are and How You Look At It

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Monday Night Post

Death & Taxes (Open Thread)