Balloon Juice - Open Threads Archives

Open Thread: Womens’ Work, Raw Milk Edition

by Anne Laurie| September 4, 20251:27 am| 99 Comments

This post is in: Healthcare, Open Threads, Show Us on the Doll Where the Invisible Hand Touched You, Women's Rights Are Human Rights

When people say "We used to drink raw milk from our own cow and it was fine,"
That's… usually not the case!
In families w their own cow, the mom usually boiled it before using.
We just forgot bc that's a boring chore that mom did. And who pays attention to that?
youtu.be/vKDPast9WFk

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— Sarah Taber (@sarahtaber.bsky.social) September 3, 2025 at 2:30 PM

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Boiling milk before use was just what you did. They had dedicated cookware for it. (Specially shaped to contain boil-overs, which milk is really prone to.)
Household hygiene had SERIOUSLY high stakes back before hot running water & pasteurization.
That's… like… why they taught home economics.

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— Sarah Taber (@sarahtaber.bsky.social) September 3, 2025 at 2:30 PM

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The replies are amazing
90% "Yeah my family boiled the milk" and 10% "What are you talking about? We never did that."
Today is the day some people find out why the neighbors judged their great-grandma so hard for being a bad housekeeper : /

— Sarah Taber (@sarahtaber.bsky.social) September 3, 2025 at 5:44 PM

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Open Thread: Womens’ Work, Raw Milk EditionPost + Comments (99)

What a Day!

by WaterGirl| September 3, 202510:44 pm| 43 Comments

This post is in: Mostly Open Thread

The news today has really worn me down, so I’ll just share this awesome sign that frosty made for the event he went to yesterday.

And an old favorite.

Can we share positive news from today?

I know there was some, but right now I feel so weighted down with the bad stuff that I can’t really remember the good.

Let’s call this a Mostly Open Thread.

What a Day!Post + Comments (43)

War for Ukraine Day 1,287: The Day After the Onslaught

by Adam L Silverman| September 3, 20259:04 pm| 23 Comments

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

Other than answering a question from last night, I am just going to run through the basics as I’m fried.

Last night, Traveller asked:

I just happened to have the opportunity to show some people this evening the posts here on people sleeping and children holding classes in the subways of Kiev…(they have some association with missile defense…and so this was well directed anger or foreboding on my part).

Be that as it may, after discussing what struck the alleged Venezuelan drug boat…later I had to ask myself don’t we try to board boats for searching first?

But then there was you fine paragraph that I read much later, (now…lol)…that contained this sentence:

Everywhere else the front lines are everywhere and nowhere.

Now what am I do do with this?!? Yes, this is only my personal whining, I know this, but how do I process this? Yes, it is probably true….but it is very distressing…this is something I do not want to believe…even though people here could cite me a dozen examples where this is proved to be so…still, I don’t want to believe it.

I guess this is your headwind…I commend you for fighting the good fight even in the face of the constant fact that…people don’t want to believe this….even if it is so.

Half the planet’s population was meeting with Putin and glad-handing him this weekend.

I would say, “Damned if I know….” But it is more than that, this meeting is really worrisome.

Just sayin`

Best Wishes, (and though I may not say it as often as others, Thank You.) Traveller

PS Maybe also, How do I sell the above sentence to others? (when I myself are a hard sell?)

First off, you and everyone else are most welcome.

Let’s start with yesterday’s strike on the speed boat somewhere in international waters just outside of Venezuelan waters. The strike is definitely a war crime. It can’t be justified under Article 51 of the UN Charter, the Law of Armed Conflict, the US prohibition against assassinations, though I’m not sure this would even count as that, or any other rules of engagement I know of. If a vessel is suspected of smuggling drugs, weapons, people, or any combination, the standard operating procedure is to interdict it, board and search it, and make arrests and seizures if warranted. What I think is going on is that the Trump natsec team is trying to provoke Maduro into a military response. Every federal district and appellate court, including the 5th Circuit last night, have ruled that the Trump administration cannot justify it’s anti-immigrant actions with the Alien Enemies Act because Venezuela/Maduro is not invading the US via the Tren de Aragua gang. I’m pretty sure the Trump natsec team is convinced, specifically Stephen Miller who knows absolutely nothing about military matters and war, that if they can provoke a military response from Maduro that will be enough to get the Supreme Court to rule their way on this. They basically blew up a speed boat and everyone on it in a kinetic attempt at military deception (MILDEC).

The front lines are everywhere and nowhere because, while the nature of war is more or less immutable, its character and characteristics in the 21st century have evolved, as they always do, to meet the times. In this case war, especially as waged by Putin and Russia, is being waged through all the elements of national power and, in almost every case outside of Ukraine, the Sahel, and Syria, being waged through the elements of national power other than military power. Russia has fully weaponized diplomatic power, information power, economic power, financial power, intelligence, and legal power – the rest of the DIME-FIL. And because of the nature of 21st century life, much of the activities within and between those elements of power occur via the Cyber Domain, which means that the frontlines are everywhere and nowhere at the same time. The actual, state on state or private military contractor kinetic activities are not evenly distributed. They’re almost completely confined to Ukraine with a bit still going on in the Sahel.

This graphic provides a pretty good glimpse into what’s going on:

Putin today: “What we see now are never-ending attempts to fuel hysteria over Russia’s alleged intention to attack Europe.”

Russia: ramps up sabotage, espionage, and vandalism across Europe since 2022, targeting energy grids, railways, undersea cables, and military logistics

💁‍♀️

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— Kate from Kharkiv (@kateinkharkiv.bsky.social) September 3, 2025 at 2:36 PM

Here’s last night’s Ukrainian air defense tally:

526 drones and missiles Russia launched at Ukraine last night.
451 was intercepted.

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— Kate from Kharkiv (@kateinkharkiv.bsky.social) September 3, 2025 at 7:31 AM

And what the Russian attack looked like:

Russia launched a massive overnight attack on Ukraine with hundreds of drones and missiles, damaging civilian, railway, and energy infrastructure across several regions.

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— WarTranslated (Dmitri) (@wartranslated.bsky.social) September 3, 2025 at 3:18 AM

The Zelenskyy’s both had a very busy day.

President Zelensky travelled to Denmark today. Here is his joint presser with Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen. Video below followed by the English transcript of his prepared statement.

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Statement by the President of Ukraine During a Joint Press Conference with the Prime Minister of Denmark

3 September 2025 – 18:16

Dear Mette, dear journalists,

First of all, I’m grateful to all of you for your support. Thank you, Mette. Thank you for the invitation and for organizing such a very important meeting with all the Nordic-Baltic leaders: the President of Finland, the President of Lithuania, the Prime Minister of Sweden, the Prime Minister of Latvia, the Prime Minister of Estonia, and the Prime Minister of Iceland. Thank you for today’s meeting. Our format of Ukraine with the Nordic and Baltic states really works, and works in a way that also helps others set their priorities.

Last night, Russia launched another massive strike – nearly 500 drones and more than 20 missiles, including ballistic, mostly ballistic, by the way, this night. And these are now regular strikes – several times a week – and a clear signal that Russia rejects any attempt to end the war and wants to keep fighting. We have to assume this is the main Russia’s scenario now.

So, with today’s meeting we started a more concrete talk with all our partners on two things: defense now, while Russia’s war continues, and our defense in the future – the security guarantees we need, since Russia stays on its course.

As for our defense right now, I am very thankful to Mette, to the Prime Minister of Denmark, to Denmark and to all the people, for the clear leadership in funding our weapons production – this is already a historic contribution. Today, we discussed how to continue this work – in Ukraine, by investing in our production, and in the Nordic and Baltic countries, by boosting your defense capabilities. The first example is already in Denmark – a new plant for missiles and drones is being built there. Thank you, Mette, for your support. And we agreed that Latvia, Lithuanian partners, and others will follow the same way – and will build with Ukraine.

We also discussed the PURL program. In August, we filled the PURL program for American weapons, and it already has over 2 billion dollars. The goal is to add around 1 billion each month. I thank Denmark, Norway, Sweden, Latvia, and Iceland who are already in this program, and other partners. I also urged other partners from the Nordics and the Baltics to join. This program adds not only to our defense with crucial things like missiles for Patriots and HIMARS but also to our relations with the United States.

We also talked about boosting Ukraine’s air defense, this directly saves our lives. Together with Nordics and Baltics, we need to provide an additional Patriot system for Ukraine – this is critical, especially before winter. Russia keeps hitting our energy sector every day. We need enough capabilities to protect ourselves. Putin hopes winter will kill our people where his troops cannot reach. We cannot let that happen. Air defense is absolutely strategic.

We also coordinated our positions on new sanctions against Russia, as Mette said, and on work with other partners, especially America. We must all speak to all the partners – EU partners, Americans – with one voice, for our shared interests.

And now about the security guarantees. We are already working both within the Coalition of the Willing and bilaterally with partners on concrete security guarantees. We also have a solid basis in the form of bilateral agreements – including one with Denmark. And we share the view that Ukraine’s future security needs Article 5–like guarantees. Today, we discussed this in detail, with the possible contributions of each country. Now we will fill it with specifics – who does what on land, in the air, at sea, and in cyberspace. Our army is the core of this system – strong and large enough to resist Russia. This means weapons and financing, and we are working on it. We also have signals from the United States that it will provide a backstop – and this is important. And we also discussed the important role the EU membership will play in the holistic system of the security guarantees in the light of the current presidency of Denmark in the EU. And we are working together to open the clusters – it’s not simple, you know why – but to open the clusters by EU-27.

But the main task now is to force Russia to stop the killings and the war. Pressure is the key. Right now, Putin thinks he can get through the difficulties – but we know how to change this. The Russian economy is already in bad shape, with fuel shortages especially telling. Many Russian industries are in decline. Also telling are the labor shortages and Putin’s constant humiliations before China as he tries to sell them as much raw material as possible. All this speaks for itself. Sanctions are really working, and we must keep pressuring Russia with sanctions and tariffs until it understands that this war will end. We will work on this with other European leaders, with the G7 and G20, and, of course, with the US. Peace can only be a joint achievement. I am sure it will come.

Thank you, Mette, again for the invitation.

And here is his statement to the media at the start of his joint presser with French President Macron:

First Lady Zelenska and the School Nutrition Reform Team visited schools in Chernihiv Oblast today. Here’s the video of their visit:

And now I want pizza even though I’m not allowed to have pizza.

And here’s the video of her visit to the school shelter and the School of the Superheroes in Chernihiv Oblast:

Georgia:

It’s a crowded and very energized protest.

The just-a-tiny–spark-and-it-will-snowball kind of a protest.

Day 280 of #GeorgiaProtests

📷 MOSE

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— Marika Mikiashvili 🇬🇪🇺🇦🇪🇺 (@marikamikiashvili.bsky.social) September 3, 2025 at 2:36 PM

A large crowd on day 280 of uninterrupted, nationwide protests in Georgia. 🇬🇪✊

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— Rusudan Djakeli (@rusudandjakeli.bsky.social) September 3, 2025 at 1:52 PM

“No justice, no peace!”

For the 280th day, Georgians have blocked Tbilisi’s central avenue, this time in huge numbers. Protests continue in 8+ cities.

I didn’t expect such resilience from our society—but enough people see Georgian Dream as an existential threat.

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— Rusudan Djakeli (@rusudandjakeli.bsky.social) September 3, 2025 at 2:18 PM

You wouldn’t be surprised to know that Rustaveli Avenue is blocked in Tbilisi, Georgia for the 280th day in a row. ✅🇬🇪

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— Rusudan Djakeli (@rusudandjakeli.bsky.social) September 3, 2025 at 2:30 PM

Kakha Kaladze’s election headquarters is set to open on Melikishvili Avenue in Tbilisi. At the same time, citizens are holding a protest rally. Demonstrators are chanting “Russians,” and a large number of police officers have been mobilized.

#GeorgiaProtests
Day 280

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— Publika.ge (@publikage.bsky.social) September 3, 2025 at 12:58 PM

🟥After 11 pro-EU protesters were sentenced to 2 years each, families and supporters gathered outside the court. Mothers of prisoners of conscious unfurled a Georgian flag, vowing to drape it over each prisoner one day. “Fight to the end,” people chanted.
#RepressionInGeorgia

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— Batumelebi&Netgazeti (@netgazeti.org) September 3, 2025 at 8:34 AM

⛔️ #Tbilisi
Tension on Melikishvili Ave as #GeorgiaProtests gathered near the opening of GD’s mayoral HQ – just hours after 12 political prisoners were sentenced.

Heavy police were deployed. GD MEP Beka Odisharia confronted protesters, hurling insults & swearing as they called him “Russia’s slave”.

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— Batumelebi&Netgazeti (@netgazeti.org) September 3, 2025 at 2:21 PM

🗣️“Down with Russia’s rotten empire!” “No justice, no peace,” and other chants were heard as #GeorgiaProtests participants gathered on Melikishvili Avenue outside Kakha Kaladze’s campaign headquarters, then marched to Rustaveli Ave to join the daily protest on its 280th consecutive day.

#Tbilisi

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— Batumelebi&Netgazeti (@netgazeti.org) September 3, 2025 at 2:47 PM

This is so sweet. Former regime prisoner Giorgi Akhobadze, freed about a month ago, poses smugly next to another former regime prisoner Nika Katsia, freed today. 😁

📷 Gela Bochikashvili / RL

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— Marika Mikiashvili 🇬🇪🇺🇦🇪🇺 (@marikamikiashvili.bsky.social) September 3, 2025 at 1:41 PM

🔴Judge Jvebe Nachkebia has sentenced prisoner of conscience Saba Skhvitaridze to 2 years in prison in a politically motivated case.

The judge reclassified the charge from the original, which had carried a sentence of 7 to eleven years.
#RepressionInGeorgia #GeorgiaProtests

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— Batumelebi&Netgazeti (@netgazeti.org) September 3, 2025 at 3:02 AM

🆘 Judge Nino Galustashvili delivers a verdict in a politically motivated case against 11 pro-EU protesters, requalifying the charges and sentencing each to 2 years.

Some of them have testified about inhuman treatment in custody, including threats of rape.
#RepressionInGeorgia

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— Batumelebi&Netgazeti (@netgazeti.org) September 3, 2025 at 7:50 AM

🟥Judge acquits prisoner of conscience Nika Katsia, who spent 9 months in pretrial detention on drug charges he says were planted. Katsia has been released from the courtroom.

#GeorgiaProtests #TerrorInGeorgia #Georgia

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— Batumelebi&Netgazeti (@netgazeti.org) September 3, 2025 at 10:15 AM

What an incredible photo of Nika’s mom hugging her newly released son!

📷 Publika

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— Rusudan Djakeli (@rusudandjakeli.bsky.social) September 3, 2025 at 4:14 PM

Activist Mariam Mekantsishvili was physically assaulted by GD thug Beka Gotsiridze.

There’s a protest outside of Kakha Kaladze’s campaign office (mayor), where the regime is presenting their candidates for the sham local elections. #GeorgiaProtests

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— Marika Mikiashvili 🇬🇪🇺🇦🇪🇺 (@marikamikiashvili.bsky.social) September 3, 2025 at 12:25 PM

High-profile regime representative Beka Odisharia was confronted by protesters and escorted out by the abundant police.

“Traitor, Russia’s slave!”

Generous swearing can be heard. #GeorgiaProtests Day 280

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— Marika Mikiashvili 🇬🇪🇺🇦🇪🇺 (@marikamikiashvili.bsky.social) September 3, 2025 at 1:52 PM

High-profile regime rep. Beka Odisharia got escorted out of the party meeting while the crowds chanted the famous “F*ck all of the GD” song.

He also got called Russian and a traitor.

Odisharia seems to not be sober here, too. #GeorgiaProtests

📷 Anano Stark Samushia

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— Marika Mikiashvili 🇬🇪🇺🇦🇪🇺 (@marikamikiashvili.bsky.social) September 3, 2025 at 2:21 PM

The PRC:

Bloomberg published a conversation between Xi and Putin that was caught on a microphone accidentally left on during the parade.
www.bloomberg.com/news/article…

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— WarTranslated (Dmitri) (@wartranslated.bsky.social) September 3, 2025 at 8:39 AM

The Telegraph: China is secretly supplying Russia with drone parts worth at least £47 million, including engines, microchips, and carbon fiber, despite its claims of neutrality.
www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2…

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— WarTranslated (Dmitri) (@wartranslated.bsky.social) September 3, 2025 at 7:55 AM

Back to Ukraine.

This is Oleksandr Strafun immediately after returning from the hell of russian captivity — and then spending 2,5 months free, with his beloved woman Olena who has married him.

Love must prevail over russian rot and darkness.

Photo Hromadske.

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— Olena Halushka (@halushka.bsky.social) September 3, 2025 at 7:32 AM

Defense Blog — The Bohdana program has already reached substantial numbers: 345 wheeled versions of the howitzer have been produced across different chassis types, with an additional 100 towed guns completed. Current production is set at more than 30 units per month.

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— 🦋Special Kherson Cat🐈🇺🇦 (@specialkhersoncat.bsky.social) September 3, 2025 at 5:27 AM

SBS commander Robert “Madyar” Brovdi reported on August strikes against Russian oil sites: Afipsky, Unecha Transneft-Druzhba, and Syzran refineries were each hit twice. In total, 17 attacks disabled 24.2% of Russia’s refining capacity.

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— WarTranslated (Dmitri) (@wartranslated.bsky.social) September 3, 2025 at 4:42 PM

Kostiantynivka, Donetsk Oblast:

❗️ The last hospital in Kostiantynivka has shut down. Russia attacked it repeatedly, leaving the building without power or water. With no anesthesiologists, surgeons, or trauma doctors left, the hospital’s director said: “We can no longer provide help.”

— Iryna Voichuk (@irynavoichuk.bsky.social) September 3, 2025 at 2:49 PM

Russia murdered 9 people and wounded 7 others in Kostiantynivka, Donetsk region, according to the Regional Military Administration.

The Russian strike damaged two apartment buildings, a private house, a store, a shopping center, and five commercial pavilions.

— Kate from Kharkiv (@kateinkharkiv.bsky.social) September 3, 2025 at 10:59 AM

WARNING!! WARNING!! GRAPHIC IMAGERY!! WARNING!! WARNING!!

Russia is killing civilians in Ukraine every single day.

Today, nine people were killed and seven more injured in a russian shelling of Kostiantynivka, Donetsk Oblast.

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— Iryna Voichuk (@irynavoichuk.bsky.social) September 3, 2025 at 11:25 AM

Russia murdered 9 people and wounded 7 others in Kostiantynivka, Donetsk region, according to the Regional Military Administration.

The Russian strike damaged two apartment buildings, a private house, a store, a shopping center, and five commercial pavilions.

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— Kate from Kharkiv (@kateinkharkiv.bsky.social) September 3, 2025 at 11:01 AM

ALL CLEAR!!!!

Kharkiv:

WARNING!! WARNING!! GRAPHIC IMAGERY!! WARNING!! WARNING!!

Russia continues its bloody human safari in the suburbs of Kharkiv.

This morning, an FPV drone targeted a man riding his bicycle — killing him on the spot.

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— Iryna Voichuk (@irynavoichuk.bsky.social) September 3, 2025 at 5:45 AM

ALL CLEAR!!!!

Kupyansk, Kharkiv Oblast:

This is Kupyansk now. Once a peaceful town on the river in Kharkiv region, now its buildings are burned out shells.

Russia keeps striking it daily, and unless stopped, will likely raze it completely.

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— Kate from Kharkiv (@kateinkharkiv.bsky.social) September 3, 2025 at 11:42 AM

Kyiv:

Debris from a russian drone fell into a children’s playground and nearby yard, torching several cars in Kyiv region.

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— Kate from Kharkiv (@kateinkharkiv.bsky.social) September 3, 2025 at 7:29 AM

Zaporizhzhia Oblast:

This morning, Russian S-300 launcher and 9S36 radar were destroyed near the village of Alekseevka, Zaporizhia region. 40km from the frontline. Claimed to be somewhere near: (47.2743357, 36.5315939).

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— 🦋Special Kherson Cat🐈🇺🇦 (@specialkhersoncat.bsky.social) September 3, 2025 at 4:28 PM

Russian occupied Crimea:

Satellite imagery of the aftermath of a claimed strikes by new ‘Flamingo’ missiles on the Russian base in Armyansk, Crimea. Big crater is seen never the shoreline. Consistent with the declared one-ton warhead mass.

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— 🦋Special Kherson Cat🐈🇺🇦 (@specialkhersoncat.bsky.social) September 3, 2025 at 2:29 PM

That’s enough for tonight.

Your daily Bayraktar!

Bayraktar strikes Russian infantry on Tendir Spit. 7 Russian soldiers killed and 4 wounded.

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— 🦋Special Kherson Cat🐈🇺🇦 (@specialkhersoncat.bsky.social) September 3, 2025 at 4:05 AM

And a new Patron video!

@patron__dsns

Daily reminder: усміхайтесь частіше!🤭 #песпатрон

♬ original sound – bollybeo

Here is the machine translation of the caption:

Daily reminder: smile more often!🤭#песпатрон

Open thread!

War for Ukraine Day 1,287: The Day After the OnslaughtPost + Comments (23)

We Only Need Two More Republicans To Sign – Call, Call, Call

by WaterGirl| September 3, 20253:00 pm| 141 Comments

This post is in: Open Threads, Political Action, Politics

Less than two minutes in, they said they only need 2 more Rs to sign the discharge petition.

If the Rs were smart (we know they aren’t!) they would ALL agree to sign and then T couldn’t punish all of them!

Just 2 are needed. Let’s do this!

Link with contact info.

These women are brave enough to stand up there and announce that they will be creating and publishing their own lists. The least EACH OF US can do is make a few phone calls.

Let this from Nukular Biskits be your inspiration. If we all do this, we might just end up with 2 more Rs signing. Even one more R would perhaps encourage another one!

Called my 2 US Senators and US Representative (all Republicans). Results are as follows:

US Senator Cindy Hyde-Smith: No answer, went to voice mail. I can’t tell you the last time a live person answered the phone in her DC office. I have to wonder if she’s instructed her staffers to screen calls.

US Senator Roger Wicker: Asked what position/statement the senator had on Donald Trump ordering the US military to engage in hostilities against a civilian vessel in international waters. Was told the senator had provided no statement on that issue. I reminded staffer that this was a serious issue, Wicker knew these questions were coming and that he was doing his staffers a grave disservice by failing to provide them with at least an anodyne statement.

US Representative Mike Ezell: Asked if the representative was going to sign on to Discharge Petition 9 (Rep. Thomas Massie’s forcing the House to vote on release of the Epstein documents). Was told the representative had provided no statement on that issue. As with the staffer for Sen. Wicker, reminded staffer that this was a serious issue, Ezell knew these questions were coming and that he was doing his staffers a grave disservice by failing to provide them with an answer for constituents.

Open thread.

We Only Need Two More Republicans To Sign – Call, Call, CallPost + Comments (141)

Open Thread: These Men Are Not Gonna Live Forever

by Anne Laurie| September 3, 20251:55 pm| 102 Comments

This post is in: Dark Days Before the Dawn, Foreign Affairs, Open Threads

All of these therapies crashed and burned in clinic and most of the companies behind them have laid off 90-95% of workforce. You know, if you're curious.

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— Schnorkles O'Bork (@schnorkles.bsky.social) September 3, 2025 at 11:07 AM

Old men, especially old men with money and/or power, have always fantasized about living forever. But this is America, where there are lots of people with money & power, and if *they* can’t force the scientists to build them IMMORTALITY NOW…

(Of course, if you want to be a doomer, these particular old men have the power to make When I die, the world ends a nuclear reality, which is a different argument.)

Putin and Xi are both men who are not especially intelligent and wise and they are growing old, and they live in countries where people will say what they want to hear out of fear of being shot or exiled if they don't. *Of course* they both believe they will live forever.

— How Beautiful the Stars Are (@seed-corn-thoughts.bsky.social) September 3, 2025 at 11:47 AM

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Open Thread: These Men Are Not Gonna Live ForeverPost + Comments (102)

This will definitely make it go away…

by Betty Cracker| September 3, 202512:35 pm| 170 Comments

This post is in: Open Threads, Politics, Assholes, General Stupidity

I’m not a political communications professional, but this seems unwise…

Trump: So what they are trying to do with the Epstein hoax is get people to talk about that instead of speaking about the tremendous success like ending seven wars

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— Acyn (@acyn.bsky.social) September 3, 2025 at 11:56 AM

Narrator: Trump didn’t end seven wars.

I’ll spare you further clips of the mush-mouthed sleazebag, but here are some other whiny quotes from the same exchange:

This is a Democrat hoax. They’re trying to get people to talk about something that is totally irrelevant.

We are having the most successful eight months of any president ever. And that’s what I want to talk about. That’s what we should be talking about. Not the Epstein hoax.

I understand that we were subpoenaed to give files and I understand we have given thousands of pages of files. I think it’s enough because I think we should talk about the success that we are having.

Trump is deeply unpopular, and he’s trying to make a pedophilia scandal involving his close personal friend go away by calling it a “Democrat hoax” and whining about how he’s not getting enough credit for nonexistent accomplishments.

Maybe it’s wishful thinking, but I don’t think this will have the intended effect.

Open thread.

This will definitely make it go away…Post + Comments (170)

Wednesday Morning Open Thread: No Longer A Serious Country

by Anne Laurie| September 3, 20256:38 am| 239 Comments

This post is in: Open Threads

The US military will conduct a flyover of the White House and wider DC at 11am tomorrow (Wednesday).
Epstein’s victims will be holding a press conference on Capitol Hill around the same time.

— Mark Chadbourn (@chadbourn.bsky.social) September 2, 2025 at 1:31 PM

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Everyone should watch this and stop pretending this guy isn’t a grave threat to everyone’s health.

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— Patrick Chovanec (@prchovanec.bsky.social) September 2, 2025 at 5:35 PM

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52 of 53 Republican senators voted to confirm him.

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— Bill Kristol (@billkristolbulwark.bsky.social) August 31, 2025 at 10:24 AM

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The White House declares that it would be a “hostile act” if House Republicans voted for a complete release of the Epstein files. Trump seems desperate to cover up any connection with his friend who raped children.

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— Mark Jacob (@markjacob.bsky.social) September 2, 2025 at 10:32 PM

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Perfect encapsulation of the Trump administration: The guy suing Harvard for alleged antisemitism is a straight-up Hitler-admiring Nazi.
www.bostonglobe.com/2025/09/02/m…

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— Jonathan Cohn (@jonathancohn.bsky.social) September 2, 2025 at 7:42 AM

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This is legitimately insane in the like “Tsar taking advice from Siberian mystic” sense

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— Vituperative Erb (@vituperativeerb.bsky.social) September 2, 2025 at 11:34 PM

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I made this point over and over again in 2024.

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— Patrick Chovanec (@prchovanec.bsky.social) September 1, 2025 at 10:29 AM

—

By the way, we didn’t emerge unscathed. Over a million Americans died and the economy saw a historic collapse. That’s not to say Trump caused this, per se, but he certainly presided over it.

— Patrick Chovanec (@prchovanec.bsky.social) September 1, 2025 at 10:32 AM

Wednesday Morning Open Thread: No Longer A Serious CountryPost + Comments (239)

Sadly, there is no cure for stupid.

I did not have this on my fuck 2025 bingo card.

An almost top 10,000 blog!

Republicans don’t want a speaker to lead them; they want a hostage.

Usually wrong but never in doubt

We will not go back.

Roe is not about choice. It is about freedom.

People identifying as christian while ignoring christ and his teachings is a strange thing indeed.

This country desperately needs a functioning fourth estate.

Following reporting rules is only for the little people, apparently.

That’s my take and I am available for criticism at this time.

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

It may be funny to you motherfucker, but it’s not funny to me.

Those who are easily outraged are easily manipulated.

Stop using mental illness to avoid talking about armed white supremacy.

When they say they are pro-life, they do not mean yours.

the 10% who apparently lack object permanence

The snowflake in chief appeared visibly frustrated when questioned by a reporter about egg prices.

The lights are all blinking red.

There are times when telling just part of the truth is effectively a lie.

Imperialist aggressors must be defeated, or the whole world loses.

Dumb motherfuckers cannot understand a consequence that most 4 year olds have fully sorted out.

Jack be nimble, jack be quick, hurry up and indict this prick.

Hey hey, RFK, how many kids did you kill today?

Open Thread: Womens’ Work, Raw Milk Edition

What a Day!

War for Ukraine Day 1,287: The Day After the Onslaught

Statement by the President of Ukraine During a Joint Press Conference with the Prime Minister of Denmark

We Only Need Two More Republicans To Sign – Call, Call, Call

Less than two minutes in, they said they only need 2 more Rs to sign the discharge petition.

These women are brave enough to stand up there and announce that they will be creating and publishing their own lists. The least EACH OF US can do is make a few phone calls.

Open Thread: These Men Are Not Gonna Live Forever

This will definitely make it go away…

Wednesday Morning Open Thread: No Longer A Serious Country