Balloon Juice - Open Threads Archives

Open Thread: Waiting on the Friday Doc Dump…

by Anne Laurie| August 29, 20256:10 am| 117 Comments

This post is in: Healthcare, Open Threads, Proud to Be A Democrat, Trump Crime Cartel

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— Mike Luckovich (@mluckovich.bsky.social) August 28, 2025 at 4:48 PM

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BREAKING: Big moment as CDC staff stage a mass walkout.
They have lined the street outside its HQ to greet and salute the four top officials who have resigned in protest at RFK Jr’s attack on the agency’s science base.
(?? AP)

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— News Eye (@newseye.bsky.social) August 28, 2025 at 3:42 PM

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I have never seen so many public servants protest the mismanagement of a government. Trumpists will point to this as proof of the deep state, but the reality is that these are professionals who are desperately trying to get the public to understand how bad things are.

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— Don Moynihan (@donmoyn.bsky.social) August 28, 2025 at 3:09 PM

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CDC employees standing up and walking out in light of the mass shootings, firings, and *waves hands in the air* everything else.
#USAnotRFK
Lets gooooo

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— Katelyn Jetelina (@kkjetelina.bsky.social) August 28, 2025 at 3:00 PM

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Open Thread: Waiting on the Friday Doc Dump…Post + Comments (117)

Late Night Open Thread: Starship Troupe-ers

by Anne Laurie| August 28, 202511:36 pm| 37 Comments

This post is in: Criminal Justice, Excellent Links, Immigration, Justice

In a very quiet way, this article is quite terrifying.
www.theatlantic.com/politics/arc…

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— Molly McKew (@mollymckew.bsky.social) August 28, 2025 at 10:14 PM

But they all meant so well!… Gift link, “Who Wants to Work for ICE? They Do”:

Immigration and Customs Enforcement held a hiring expo this week outside Dallas at a place called the Esports Stadium. Set between the Texas Rangers ballpark and the roller coasters of Six Flags, the arena was built for video-game competitions, and a wall of bright-blue screens welcomed job candidates at the entrance. “With honor and integrity, we will safeguard the American people, our homeland and our values,” one message read. “Start your journey towards a meaningful career in law enforcement.”

ICE’s pitch for meaning and purpose seemed to draw in many of the applicants I met. Some were military veterans with combat tours in Iraq and Afghanistan who told me they longed for the camaraderie and sense of belonging they once had. Others said they were bored, or wanted to serve the country, or fill a hole in their life left by a failed marriage or the creeping regrets they felt in middle age after screwing up in their 20s.

Chris Freese, 34, who works in elevator repair, told me he wished he had joined the military after high school like his brother, who became an explosives expert in the Army. “I’ll do anything to help secure the country,” said Freese, who wore a T-shirt and cap emblazoned with the American flag, but had forgotten to bring his résumé. “If I don’t make it this time, I’ll keep trying,” he told me.

The Trump administration plans to hire, train, and deploy 10,000 new ICE officers by the beginning of next year, a frantic pace that would nearly triple the current workforce. The Department of Homeland Security is set to spend more than $40 million in the next several months on ICE recruitment, even as the department says it’s already received 130,000 applications. ICE had advertised same-day offers to qualified candidates, especially those with prior military service or law-enforcement experience, and a $50,000 bonus to sweeten the pot. In the parking lot were license plates from New Mexico, Tennessee, and as far away as New Jersey. Hundreds of applicants began lining up before the doors opened at 8 a.m., many in suits, with résumés and diplomas in hand…

The job-fair attendees I spoke with said the defend-the-homeland message and Donald Trump’s presidency were big draws. “I want to stand up for my beliefs and protect America from foreign invaders,” Brennan Sheets, 30, told me. “I’d like to be there for others who can’t defend themselves. God is pushing me down this path.”

Sheets, an Army veteran who has been working for a carpet-cleaning company, said he and his wife are expecting their first child, a daughter. The February 2024 murder of Laken Riley in Georgia by a Venezuelan man who was illegally in the country—which became a rallying cry among Trump supporters—“hurt my heart,” he told me. He was offered a job that afternoon…

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Trump’s funding bill set a goal of 1 million deportations a year. Despite a fourfold increase in immigration arrests in U.S. cities and communities, ICE is not on pace to meet that goal, with the latest data showing the agency on track for about 300,000 deportations during the 2025 fiscal year, which ends in September. The hiring surge will put Trump in position next year to deploy teams in far more Democratic-led “sanctuary” cities that limit police cooperation with ICE.

ICE has about 5,700 deportation officers nationwide. New entry-level jobs will pay roughly $70,000 to $90,000 a year, including overtime and cost-of-living adjustments, officials told me. Within Department of Homeland Security agencies, mass-hiring binges are viewed warily, and the rapid expansion of the U.S. Border Patrol a generation ago is still regarded as a cautionary tale. The Border Patrol lowered its hiring standards and ended up with more cases of employee misconduct and corruption.

Trump officials insist that won’t happen. They have slashed ICE’s 18-to-20-week training course to eight weeks (six days a week), waiving Spanish-language requirements, vehicle-pursuit courses, and other instruction. McLaughlin said new recruits will get the training they need on the job. Senior officials in each office will “mentor, coach and train agents and officers every step of the way,” she promised…

Financial incentives, though, were a powerful pull for many of the applicants I met. Kalvin Bayona, a barrel-chested 29-year-old who drove to the expo from his home in rural Louisiana, explained that he had been recently laid off from his job as a military police officer in the Army, after nine years. He and his wife had just purchased a home, and Bayona said he didn’t want to uproot his daughters. “I built this life up to where we are now,” he told me. “I don’t intend to lose it.”

Bayona grew up in Guam and joined the Army after high school, and said his job was eliminated as part of a new reorganization-and-job-reduction plan directed by the Pentagon. He could apply to be a police officer in Louisiana, but an ICE position would pay much more. (Bayona got an offer the next day.)…

David Recio, 48, was one of several attendees who were a little jarred by the anger. A former Marine, Recio had spent his career working as a welding inspector for the oil industry in South Texas. “I want to clean up the country from bad guys, the criminals, the cartels, the rapists,” he told me, somewhat defensively. “I’d do my job without cruelty, without hate toward any race or any ethnicity. I’d do my job with compassion. I wouldn’t throw women or children to the ground.”…

ICE officials said 2,500 applicants registered for the expo, and applicants streamed into the main hall throughout the day. Katherine, 33, had dropped out of the Marine Corps more than a decade ago due to a health emergency and recovered. Her daughter was a teenager now, and needed her less. Her job at a chiropractic clinic was dull. She shrugged at the protesters outside. “Some people don’t understand, but I fully support what President Trump is doing with ICE,” Katherine told me. “With what’s going on in the world, it’s necessary,” she said. “The U.S. needs to close the border and to be as safe as can be.”

Katherine hadn’t told her mother, who is from Lebanon, that she might join ICE, and wasn’t sure if she’d approve. Her mother was recently yelled at by a man furious at hearing her speak Arabic in public. Katherine said that it was not the first time her mother had been mistreated for being a foreigner. “I see both sides,” Katherine said. “I think I’ll be able to explain it to her.”…

Paul, 30, who was born and raised in Ukraine, serves in the National Guard. He said he would tell people back home in Chicago that he works “in homeland security.” Chicago is “one of the bluest cities,” he said, but he wants to stay in the city, to fight crime and “keep giving back” to his adopted country…

There were other naturalized citizens among the applicants. Farzana Pramanik, 38, who was born in Bangladesh and wore a head covering, told me she had no law-enforcement background, but speaks Bengali, and some Hindi, and said she thought she could help people in ICE custody who know only those languages. “I want to do something for this country and do something meaningful,” Pramanik told me. Even if it meant deporting people she thought she could help? “If I can help, at the end of the day, I can say I did something,” she said…

Late Night Open Thread: Starship Troupe-ersPost + Comments (37)

Gulf of Gavin Newsom

by WaterGirl| August 28, 202510:35 pm| 26 Comments

This post is in: Open Threads

I was looking at my open tabs to see if there was anything that would work well for a nighttime thread, and I came across this awesome image on a page where I kept a short clip of Jon Ossoff that I wanted to use at some point.

Have I ever mentioned that I 💕 Jon Ossoff? But I digress. I will share the clip of Jon Ossoff tomorrow, but here’s something fun for tonight.

I have no idea where this image originated, but I love it so much.

Sometimes the funny stuff is what keeps me going.

Is Gavin still doing his Trump mocking on social media? I haven’t seen any mention of that anywhere in a day or two, but I kind of hope he hasn’t stopped. So perhaps he’s still doing it, but the coverage has moved on?

Anyway, if you have any fun links and you want to share them here, we might see them again in a late night post!

Open thread.

Gulf of Gavin NewsomPost + Comments (26)

War for Ukraine Day 1,281: The Cost

by Adam L Silverman| August 28, 20259:57 pm| 10 Comments

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

(Image by NEIVANMADE)

The cost:

Russia murdered a 17 years old Maryna Hryshko in Kyiv today.

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— Kate from Kharkiv (@kateinkharkiv.bsky.social) August 28, 2025 at 1:15 PM

Death toll in Kyiv has risen to 21.

Twenty-one.

Russia killed 21 people. Just like that. No reason. No remorse.

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— Kate from Kharkiv (@kateinkharkiv.bsky.social) August 28, 2025 at 2:16 PM

Nothing new — but every time it’s still a shock how the free world has normalized russian 9/11-style attacks, giving it a free hand to massacre peaceful Ukrainians at will. But remember — unpunished evil always grows.

— Olena Halushka (@halushka.bsky.social) August 28, 2025 at 3:18 AM

Why are Western leaders protecting russia’s bloody money better than the lives of Ukrainian children? #makerussiapay

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— Olena Halushka (@halushka.bsky.social) August 28, 2025 at 8:34 AM

At night, the Russians carried out a combined strike on Kyiv’s residential areas, using Shaheds, Gerans, ballistic missiles, cruise missiles, and Kinzhals.

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— WarTranslated (Dmitri) (@wartranslated.bsky.social) August 28, 2025 at 3:09 AM

Here’s the Ukrainian air defense tally from last night/this morning:

The Air Force reported that today Ukraine came under attack from 598 drones and 31 missiles. A total of 589 enemy targets were shot down or suppressed.

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— WarTranslated (Dmitri) (@wartranslated.bsky.social) August 28, 2025 at 4:04 AM

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

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Russia Is Now Striking at Everyone in the World Who Seeks Peace – Address by the President

28 August 2025 – 20:14

Fellow Ukrainians!

All day today, rescue operations continued at several locations in Kyiv as debris was cleared after the Russian strike. It was one of the largest strikes. Nearly 600 drones and 31 missiles were launched, including ballistic ones. As of now, there are reports of 19 people killed in Kyiv – four of them children. My condolences go out to all their families and loved ones. This strike clearly shows that Russia’s goals have not changed. They want war – and they are striking not only our people, not only our cities and communities. Russia is now striking at everyone in the world who seeks peace. It is a strike against Ukraine. It is a strike against Europe. And it is also a strike by Russia against President Trump, and against other global actors. In Washington, we heard that Putin is supposedly ready to end the war – to meet at the leaders’ level and resolve key issues. But instead, he chooses ballistics over any real steps toward peace. He kills children in order not to talk about when and how peace will come. The problem is that he is not afraid to strike even against the leaders he makes promises to. And it is not only about the President of America. It concerns the countries that still trade with Putin – countries like China, or India, others in Asia, Latin America. With such strikes and such killings, Russia is simply drawing them into being its accomplices. Today, there were many principled reactions to this Russian evil – condolences to our people, our country. European leaders are principled in this, as are civil leaders and politicians in many countries. I am grateful to everyone in America who now felt how inhuman this strike is, and what desire for war stands behind it. Now, when everyone is trying so hard to end the war, Russia strikes ordinary houses, an ordinary city, deliberately, with swarms of drones, and then deliberately adds missiles, just to cause even more destruction. Kharkiv is suffering the same. Sumy. Kherson. Zaporizhzhia. Our cities and communities. A clear response of the world to this evil is needed. There are no deadlines that Putin would not break. There are no diplomatic opportunities that would not be ruined because of Russia. Strong steps are needed. I thank everyone who understands this. Sanctions are needed. Tariffs are needed against those who sponsor this war in one way or another.

Today, I spoke with Ursula von der Leyen – in particular about the new sanctions package and the coordination of our diplomatic efforts. I also spoke with President Erdoğan of Türkiye – specifically about how this Russian strike, at this very moment and with such brutality, proves that Putin respects none of the promises he has made. The world must compel him to keep his promises, compel him to end the war. I also had a conversation with United Nations Secretary-General Guterres in the context of his preparations for meetings within the framework of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation, which will be held in China. Unfortunately, it looks as though China is allowing Russia to wage this war. Despite many statements from China that the war must not expand and that a ceasefire is needed, no real strong steps have been taken. The global actors must be persuaded to act. The end of the war is possible – possible thanks to strength, strength and not words. Thanks to the strength of pressure on the only one who continues the strikes and drags out any settlement. Russia kills every day. Therefore, every day they must feel the pain for what they are doing. And this is possible. The world’s sanctions. Tariffs. Support for Ukraine. Our strong army. Our ability to defend lives and respond powerfully to the Russian war machine. Eternal memory to all whom the Russian state has killed.

Rescuers of the State Emergency Service of Ukraine, emergency crews, utility workers, medics, police officers – everyone who is needed, in every city of our country, in every community, helping people and protecting lives. Thank you. We thank all our warriors – each and every one standing in defense of Ukraine and Ukrainians. Thank you to everyone in the world who stands with us.

Glory to Ukraine!

First Lady Zelenska visited three schools in Cherkasy Oblast today. Video followed by the official write up.

Olena Zelenska Visited Three Schools in the Cherkasy Region Involved in the School Nutrition Reform

28 August 2025 – 18:45

First Lady of Ukraine Olena Zelenska, together with the team implementing the school nutrition reform, visited three educational institutions in the Cherkasy region where kitchen facilities and canteens were modernized as part of the reform. The visit took place with the participation of Deputy Head of the Presidential Office Viktor Mykyta and Deputy Minister of Education and Science of Ukraine Andrii Stashkiv.

All three institutions have adopted the “basic kitchen” model, where each school has its own kitchen facility. Two of them were funded through a state subvention, while another was financed from the city budget.

Olena Zelenska also took part in a meeting dedicated to the Strategy for Reforming the School Nutrition System.

“For many parents, the confidence that their children are guaranteed a meal at school becomes an important factor when choosing a community to live in. This means regional development, economic growth, and stronger communities. In addition, one of the main goals of the reform is equality. We want every child – regardless of whether they live in a large city or the smallest village – to have access to quality, safe, and tasty meals,” the First Lady said.

The First Lady thanked local officials in Cherkasy for their responsible approach to children and their needs. The city not only uses state subventions but also allocates its own funds to co-finance free meals for primary school students. In addition, six kitchen facilities have been renovated with city funds, and the construction of a culinary hub for training cooks has been launched.

“It is important that you are already working with parents and children: tastings, meetings with nutritionists, and educational materials will inevitably result in a change in the eating habits of entire families and generations in the future. Building a culture of healthy eating is our greatest investment today,” Olena Zelenska emphasized.

President Zelenskyy also addressed a coordination meeting with the leaders of Poland, Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia, and Denmark. No video has been posted yet, but here’s the transcript.

Address by the President of Ukraine at a Coordination Online Meeting with the Leaders of Poland, Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia, and Denmark

28 August 2025 – 23:10

Thank you so much.

Karol,

Dear friends – Gitanas, Edgars, Alar, dear Mette,

I’m glad to see you all.

Today in Ukraine, rescue operations continued all day after a Russian strike. A very brutal attack – in Kyiv alone, 19 people were killed, including 4 children, and many – dozens – wounded. There were nearly 600 drones, 31 missiles, including ballistic ones. Kyiv was hit hardest. Many buildings were destroyed or damaged. That includes the offices of the EU and the British Council in Ukraine, and the Embassy of Azerbaijan. And this, you know, is a very telling strike. This is Putin’s response to the world’s calls to stop the war. Russia refused to stop the killing – they even said “no” to President Trump.

We’re seeing negative signals from Russia regarding a possible leaders’ summit.

Honestly, we think Putin is still interested only in continuing this war. That’s exactly why we need new strong pressure on Russia – tough sanctions, strong tariffs, both from Europe and from America.

Karol, Mr. President, you’ll be in Washington, as you said, and that matters.

It’s important that President Trump sees we in Europe are united in our determination to end the war and ready to work together to bring the war to an end and ensure security. We agreed with President Trump that America will be part of the security guarantees. That’s good, and this is an extremely important decision. President Trump believes that Europeans should take the lead, but America is ready to be involved and help coordinate the process.

Our NSAs actively work – I hope all your countries will join this effort. We need solid and real security guarantees and a shared understanding that Putin deserves more pressure. So, I think it’s important that we send united signals.

If Putin has agreed to a bilateral or trilateral, then we must keep the pressure on – to make it happen. Only at the level of leaders can the war truly be ended.

When we were in Washington, President Trump and I agreed – just a couple more weeks, and it’s time to act. This Monday will be two weeks since our meeting.

Putin has not done what he said. It’s time to move. We need a strong joint signal. And it would really help if that signal also came from you, dear friends.

America is ready to stand with Europe – they underlined it – in providing security guarantees, so Europe must not miss this opportunity – it should define real foundations for joint action.

We all agree that the Ukrainian army will be the foundation of future security. This includes long-term funding for the Ukrainian military, arms deliveries, and weapons production.

So our lines of cooperation must remain active, and that includes the Danish model – thank you, Mette, again – and all the ways you’re involved in weapons production in Ukraine. And I’m truly grateful to the Baltic States. Our joint logistics effort with Poland also plays a critical role.

And when we talk about security guarantees, we need clear answers – who will help us defend on the ground, in the air, and at sea if Russia comes again. And how exactly you can take part – I’m asking you to define your role.

In the end, the U.S. and President Trump will also expect this from you – that every country in Europe clearly defines its contribution. And, of course, I ask you to think about it.

And I think that next week, we can have some details. The NSAs will prepare the basic infrastructure for security guarantees. It’s difficult, because our military guys, today they had a meeting again online. I think that without meeting at the level of leaders, we will not have it. To my mind, what I see, I hear a lot each day. Then I’ve had meetings with some chiefs of armies, Admiral Radakin came from the UK, etc. And really, I think that next week we can put on the table the basic infrastructure and then see the role for every country that is in the Coalition of the Willing. It’s not about three countries or five countries, you know them, E3, E5, etc. It’s about our 30 countries. We need all the countries on our side.

Thank you!

Georgia:

274th day of the #GeorgiaProtests. Every day a European flag is presented on the protest in the symbol of friendship and respect. Today it was the Italian flag🇮🇹.

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— László Róbert Mézes (@laszlorobertmezes.bsky.social) August 28, 2025 at 5:31 PM

Today was exactly 9 months of daily #GeorgiaProtests

The last several months have been more about uncovering “who is who” and “who’s capable of what.” It’s a process.

The regime’s visibly clumsy and troubled, meanwhile.

The public anticipates an intense autumn.

— Marika Mikiashvili 🇬🇪🇺🇦🇪🇺 (@marikamikiashvili.bsky.social) August 28, 2025 at 4:36 PM

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— Marika Mikiashvili 🇬🇪🇺🇦🇪🇺 (@marikamikiashvili.bsky.social) August 28, 2025 at 4:53 PM

Much gratitude! ❤️

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— Marika Mikiashvili 🇬🇪🇺🇦🇪🇺 (@marikamikiashvili.bsky.social) August 28, 2025 at 9:34 AM

Medical bandages, medical alcohol, single-use sanitary masks, etc…

These are the “evidence” of an “attempted foreign-directed violent coup” that the regime says was “funded” by the 7 NGOs whose assets have been frozen.

TV Imedi propaganda material…

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— Marika Mikiashvili 🇬🇪🇺🇦🇪🇺 (@marikamikiashvili.bsky.social) August 28, 2025 at 6:18 PM

According to the Criminal Code of Georgia:

Intentional murder is punishable by imprisonment for 10 to 15 years;

Trafficking of a minor is punishable by imprisonment for 8 to 12 years;

Intentional serious injury to health is punishable by imprisonment for 4 to 6 years; 1/

— Marika Mikiashvili 🇬🇪🇺🇦🇪🇺 (@marikamikiashvili.bsky.social) August 28, 2025 at 6:08 AM

Robbery is punishable by imprisonment for 7 to 10 years;

Rape is punishable by imprisonment for 6 to 8 years;

According to the Prosecutor’s Office of Georgia: 2/

— Marika Mikiashvili 🇬🇪🇺🇦🇪🇺 (@marikamikiashvili.bsky.social) August 28, 2025 at 6:08 AM

⭕️ Purchasing water goggles and protective masks for another person is punishable by Articles 318 (5 to 10 years), 319 (7 to 15 years) and 321′ (10 to 15 years) of the Criminal Code. 3/

— Marika Mikiashvili 🇬🇪🇺🇦🇪🇺 (@marikamikiashvili.bsky.social) August 28, 2025 at 6:08 AM

In other words: helping a person – buying a protective mask or glasses – is a much more serious crime than trafficking, rape, serious injury, robbery, and is equal to or even exceeds the intentional murder of a person.

Lawyer Saba Brachveli’s post. 4/4.

— Marika Mikiashvili 🇬🇪🇺🇦🇪🇺 (@marikamikiashvili.bsky.social) August 28, 2025 at 6:08 AM

The EU:

Do u think they’ll notice

— Mira of Kyiv 🇺🇦 (@reshetz.bsky.social) August 28, 2025 at 8:41 AM

“Putin must do the thing he has repeatedly refused to do.”

Not how you talk to dictators.

You say “Do this, or there will be these consequences.”

Anything less will be perceived as weakness, and encourage more aggression.

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— Euan MacDonald (@euanmacdonald.bsky.social) August 28, 2025 at 10:02 AM

Not sure if this is delusion, denial, or both.

The US:

Yep. He wanted Ukraine to surrender. Still does.

Doesn’t matter that for us, it means silent death in occupation. The only thing that matters is that he can stop hearing about Ukraine.

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— Kate from Kharkiv (@kateinkharkiv.bsky.social) August 28, 2025 at 2:22 PM

For the past half a year, Russian strikes on civilians have only grown more brutal for one main reason: while Putin slaughters children, Trump is busy bragging and signing photos with him.

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— 🦋Special Kherson Cat🐈🇺🇦 (@specialkhersoncat.bsky.social) August 28, 2025 at 2:17 AM

D*** f****** b****

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— Mira of Kyiv 🇺🇦 (@reshetz.bsky.social) August 28, 2025 at 4:09 PM

How many children were there in the oil refinery

— Mira of Kyiv 🇺🇦 (@reshetz.bsky.social) August 28, 2025 at 4:11 PM

Back to Ukraine.

🇺🇦 Ukraine ! Flight routes of Ukrainians UAVs:

🔺️Red – directions of movement of strike UAVs;

🔹️Blue – directions of movement of jet UAVs;

From Russian sources.
#Ukraine #Russia

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— Ukraine Support 🇺🇦 🇪🇺 (@blue24world.bsky.social) August 28, 2025 at 6:05 PM

❗️The Russians report another strike on the Druzhba oil pipeline.

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— 🪖MilitaryNewsUA🇺🇦 (@militarynewsua.bsky.social) August 28, 2025 at 3:41 PM

Hungarian authorities have put a ban on Robert “Magyar” Brovdi, Ukraine’s commanding officer of the drone forces, for entering Hungary and Schengen Zone. The Hungarian FM personally mentioned that Magyar will not be able to enter Hungary for years to come. Brovdi is Ukrainian with Hungarian roots.

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— (((Tendar))) (@tendar.bsky.social) August 28, 2025 at 8:32 AM

Mic drop!

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— Kate from Kharkiv (@kateinkharkiv.bsky.social) August 28, 2025 at 10:16 AM

Founder of Magyar Birds Robert “Magyar” Brovdi was banned from entering Hungary after Ukrainian attacks on the russian “Druzhba” pipeline.

His reaction on the video. Very based 🤌

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— Kate from Kharkiv (@kateinkharkiv.bsky.social) August 28, 2025 at 8:56 AM

Kyiv:

A permanent UN Security Council member bombed sleeping families in their homes in a major European capital this morning.

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— Kate from Kharkiv (@kateinkharkiv.bsky.social) August 28, 2025 at 8:08 AM

Less than two weeks after Trump rolled out the red carpet for Vladimir Putin on US soil, the Russian leader targeted central Kyiv — a European city of 4 million residents — with 32 missiles and 598 attack drones. This video shows 2 missiles striking Zhylianska St.

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— Christopher Miller (@christopherjm.ft.com) August 28, 2025 at 7:04 AM

Russia struck Ukraine’s civilian railway infrastructure — deliberately targeting a fleet of high-speed trains among other critical facilities.

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— Iryna Voichuk (@irynavoichuk.bsky.social) August 28, 2025 at 2:38 AM

A surveillance camera from a nearby store captured the moment a missile struck the residential complex in Kyiv 😨

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— Kate from Kharkiv (@kateinkharkiv.bsky.social) August 28, 2025 at 11:50 AM

Kyiv right now ‼️

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— Kate from Kharkiv (@kateinkharkiv.bsky.social) August 27, 2025 at 10:11 PM

Sound up!

People are trapped under the rubble of their apartment building in Kyiv, calling for help as a new batch of russian missiles approaches their city‼️

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— Kate from Kharkiv (@kateinkharkiv.bsky.social) August 27, 2025 at 10:23 PM

They were in the hallway when a Shahed drone flew into the apartment in Kyiv: a camera captured the strike from inside the home.

Despite the extensive destruction in the apartment, bottles of champagne survived.

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— WarTranslated (Dmitri) (@wartranslated.bsky.social) August 28, 2025 at 9:43 AM

The Sea of Azov:

In the Sea of Azov, near Crimea, Russian Project 21631 Buyan-M — a carrier of Kalibr cruise missiles — was struck by the “Prymary” unit.

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— 🦋Special Kherson Cat🐈🇺🇦 (@specialkhersoncat.bsky.social) August 28, 2025 at 4:32 AM

Samara Oblast, Russia:

There was some initial confusion over which refinery in Samara was hit. The first several tweets list it as the Novokuybyshevsk refinery, but it was the Kuybyshevsk refinery that was struck. They’re right across the street from each other.

Raging Inferno in russian Samara. 🔥

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— Kate from Kharkiv (@kateinkharkiv.bsky.social) August 27, 2025 at 10:30 PM

Ukrainian forces struck the Novokuybyshevsk refinery in Samara, Russia. According to local witnesses 17 UAVs struck the facility. Videos show the entire refinery being engulfed by fire and smoke.

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— (((Tendar))) (@tendar.bsky.social) August 27, 2025 at 11:37 PM

Already dawn in fascist Russia, Ukrainian drone attack on Kuibyshev oil refinery in Samara continuing, another direct hit on the burning facility.

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— Euan MacDonald (@euanmacdonald.bsky.social) August 27, 2025 at 10:48 PM

/4. More videos of the intense fire on the territory of the refinery.

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— 🦋Special Kherson Cat🐈🇺🇦 (@specialkhersoncat.bsky.social) August 27, 2025 at 11:47 PM

/5. Some Russian air defense can be seen trying to repel a drone attack on an oil refinery that is already completely engulfed in flames.

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— 🦋Special Kherson Cat🐈🇺🇦 (@specialkhersoncat.bsky.social) August 27, 2025 at 11:49 PM

/6. ‼️Important update. Kuybyshevsk Refinery, not Novokuybyshevsk Refinery, was subjected to a massive drone attack tonight. Both refineries are located literally across the street from each other, which is where the inaccuracy came from. Kuybyshevsk Refinery has a capacity of 7 million tons per year

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— 🦋Special Kherson Cat🐈🇺🇦 (@specialkhersoncat.bsky.social) August 28, 2025 at 12:12 AM

/7. Liyty kamikaze drone on approach to Kuybyshevskiy oil refinery breaks through Russian air defense.

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— 🦋Special Kherson Cat🐈🇺🇦 (@specialkhersoncat.bsky.social) August 28, 2025 at 12:17 AM

/8. Another POV on the Kuybyshevskiy oil refinery

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— 🦋Special Kherson Cat🐈🇺🇦 (@specialkhersoncat.bsky.social) August 28, 2025 at 12:55 AM

/9. Some more footage from the attack on the Kuybyshevskiy refinery

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— 🦋Special Kherson Cat🐈🇺🇦 (@specialkhersoncat.bsky.social) August 28, 2025 at 4:50 AM

Tver Oblast, Russia:

Ukrainian military intelligence operatives destroyed key infrastructure at the Tver railway junction, RBC-Ukraine reports. In a daring early-morning operation, explosives were planted beneath tanker cars and remotely detonated, severely disrupting rail logistics deep within occupied territory.

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— NOELREPORTS (@noelreports.com) August 28, 2025 at 11:51 AM

That’s enough for tonight.

Your daily Patron.

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

A feel-good moment among death and devastation in Kyiv this morning – a resident of an apartment building that Russia destroyed last night was reunited with her cat Semen. 🙏

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— Natalka (@natalkakyiv.bsky.social) August 28, 2025 at 8:13 AM

Open thread!

War for Ukraine Day 1,281: The CostPost + Comments (10)

Thursday Night Open Thread

by John Cole| August 28, 20257:15 pm| 113 Comments

This post is in: John Cole Presents "This Fucking Old House", Open Threads

So I woke up this morning with a headless bird next to me, and that was awesome. I blamed myself for not shutting the cat door before bed, cleaned up the mess, through the sheets and the mattress liner thing into the was, and thought to myself; “Well hello, Thursday, fuck you too.”

Later on in the day Maxwell’s new collar that I ordered arrived, and it is supposed to be ruffled to alert birds and animals and has a reflective liner, but his head is so big he looks like a full on clown:

He is not amused and I keep chiding him that he brought in on himself. Fucking Cat Wayne Gacy, the little bastard.

***

I noticed in the comments that commenter Eolirin is going through something and has a gofundme up, if you are so inclined. I wish i had a billion dollars and could just with a wave of the hand make problems like this go away.

***

This is a goddamned disgrace:

Despite the fact that Ashli Babbitt attempted to climb through a shattered glass door inside the U.S. Capitol as lawmakers fled for their lives during the Jan. 6, 2021, insurrection and ignored multiple commands to stand down before she was fatally shot, the U.S. Air Force has decided it will grant the deceased veteran a funeral replete with military honors.

The request, granted Aug. 15 by Air Force Under Secretary Matthew Lohmeier, reverses a Biden-era decision that had denied the honor. Babbitt illegally entered the U.S. Capitol during the mob assault, then-Air Force Lt. Gen. Brian Kelly said in a 2021 letter to the woman’s family. Honoring Babbitt, Kelly wrote, “would bring discredit upon the U.S. Air Force.”

This makes me just spitting mad and that’s all I will say about that.

***

Coming soon, more trans bashing (don’t click the link it is the washington examiner:

South Carolina filed an emergency application to the Supreme Court this week requesting that the state be allowed to enforce its law requiring students to use bathrooms corresponding to his or her biological sex.

The emergency request came on Thursday after the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 4th Circuit blocked the state from enforcing a budget proviso, which bans students from restrooms other than the ones that align with their biological sex, against a transgender minor student, identified as “John Doe,” earlier this month. South Carolina Solicitor General Thomas Hydrick argued the high court should stay the injunction and said the appeals court relied on a “discredited” appeals court opinion that goes against the Supreme Court’s recent rulings.

I am sure there is some originalist thinking somewhere that can get us a 6-3 win for the bigots.

***

We are officially four weeks from the wedding and I have been informed we are no longer serving the guests cake but instead will be serving cupcakes. Why? I do not know. I just do what I am told.

Earlier today Joelle was purchasing some tickets to a sportsball event we are going to attend, and this was our conversation:

Her: Do you care where we sit?

Me: It doesn’t matter, I will complain anyway.

Her: Yeah, you’re right.

I had stuffed cubanelle’s for dinner with a red sauce, and am going to go watch some more spooks. I am on Season 9 now.

Thursday Night Open ThreadPost + Comments (113)

I Keep Wanting To Ask How We Got To This Impossible Place, Even Though I Know the Answer

by WaterGirl| August 28, 20255:15 pm| 83 Comments

This post is in: Open Threads

It appears that good people staying in place in order to lessen the damage being done by the administration is no longer an option in situations where subject matter expertise is no longer valued. On the other hand, I am so glad that Lisa Cook is fighting to stay.

Excerpts from the resignation letter of the Director of the National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases at the CDC.

He did not mince words.

It’s worth a read.

The full letter is on twitter.

This decision has not come easily, as I deeply value the work that the CDC does in safeguarding public health and am proud of my contributions to that critical mission. However, after much contemplation and reflection on recent developments and perspectives brought to light by Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., I find that the views he and his staff have shared challenge my ability to continue in my current role at the agency and in the service of the health of the American people. Enough is enough.

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I am unable to serve in an environment that treats CDC as a tool to generate policies and materials that do not reflect scientific reality and are designed to hurt rather than to improve the public’s health. The recent change in the adult and children’s immunization schedule threaten the lives of the youngest Americans and pregnant people.

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The recent term of reference for the COVID vaccine work group created by this ACIP puts people of dubious intent and more dubious scientific rigor in charge of recommending vaccine policy to a director hamstrung and sidelined by an authoritarian leader. Their desire to please a political base will result in death and disability of vulnerable children and adults. Their base should be the people they serve not a political voting bloc.

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I am not sure who the Secretary is listening to, but it is quite certainly not to us. Unvetted and conflicted outside organizations seem to be the sources HHS use over the gold standard science of CDC and other reputable sources.

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The intentional eroding of trust in low-risk vaccines favoring natural infection and unproven remedies will bring us to a pre-vaccine era where only the strong will survive and many if not all will suffer. I believe in nutrition and exercise. I believe in making our food supply healthier, and I also believe in using vaccines to prevent death and disability. Eugenics plays prominently in the rhetoric being generated and is derivative of a legacy that good medicine and science should continue to shun.

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For decades, I have been a trusted voice for the LGBTQ community when it comes to critical health topics. I must also cite the recklessness of the administration in their efforts to erase transgender populations, cease critical domestic and international HIV programming, and terminate key research to support equity as part of my decision.

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Public health is not merely about the health of the individual, but it is about the health of the community, the nation, the world. The nation’s health security is at risk and is in the hands of people focusing on ideological self-interest.

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The recent shooting at CDC is not why I am resigning. My grandfather, who I am named after, stood up to fascist forces in Greece and lost his life doing so. I am resigning to make him and his legacy proud. I am resigning because of the cowardice of a leader that cannot admit that HIS and his minions’ words over decades created an environment where violence like this can occur. I reject his and his colleagues’ thoughts and prayers, and advise they direct those to people that they have not actively harmed.

Sincerely,

Demetre C. Daskalakis MD MPH

I Keep Wanting To Ask How We Got To This Impossible Place, Even Though I Know the AnswerPost + Comments (83)

Quiet Resistance

by WaterGirl| August 28, 20251:00 pm| 115 Comments

This post is in: Open Threads

Call it Quiet Resistance. Call it the Quiet Breakaway. Call it Soft Secession.

I am seeing 3 articles today all talking about the same thing.

It’s in Substacks: Chris Armitage and Dean Blundell.

It’s talked about on Reddit.

This feels legitimate to me. There aren’t references to “unnamed sources” or “some governors” etc. But I am not familiar with either of those names – are they legitimate sources?

Chris Armitage says:

Blue states are finally learning what red states have known all along: you don’t need federal permission to govern.

Behind closed doors, blue state leaders are planning. They’re war-gaming scenarios where federal agents show up and continue to transgress further and further past what is “legal.” Daily the courts are showing that that something is legal when Trump wants it to happen, and illegal when he doesn’t. How does a government function under these circumstance?

For many state Attorney Generals and Governors, the legal briefs are already drafted. The strategy sessions have been running since December. “We saw this coming, even though we hoped it wouldn’t,” former Oregon Attorney General Ellen Rosenblum told The 19th days after Trump’s inauguration.

This is what American federalism looks like in 2025: Democratic governors holding emergency sessions on encrypted apps, attorneys general filing lawsuits within hours of executive orders, and state legislatures quietly passing laws that amount to nullification of federal mandates. Oregon is stockpiling abortion medication in secret warehouses. Illinois is exploring digital sovereignty. California has $76 billion in reserves and is deciding how to deploy it. Three sources on those daily Zoom calls between Democratic AGs say the same phrase keeps coming up, though nobody wants to say it publicly: soft secession.

Not the violent rupture of 1861, but something else entirely. Blue states building parallel systems, withholding cooperation, and creating facts on the ground that render federal authority meaningless within their borders.

The infrastructure for this resistance already exists. Twenty-three Democratic attorneys general now gather on near-daily Zoom calls at 8 AM Pacific, which means the East Coast officials are already on their third coffee. They divide responsibilities and share templates for lawsuits they’ve been drafting since last spring.

Dean Blundell says:

“Soft secession” is the states’ constitutional, non-violent refusal to be commandeered by a president who wants to federalize local police, state services, and everything in between. It’s not breaking the Union; it’s using the Union’s own rules — anti-commandeering, state budgets, compacts, and relentless litigation — to protect the voters who actually elected these governments.

Dean Blundell names names: Governors and Attorneys General

You can spot the pattern across Illinois, California, Michigan, New York, Pennsylvania, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Colorado, New Jersey, Maryland, Arizona, New Mexico, Oregon and more:

Governors J.B. Pritzker (IL), Gavin Newsom (CA), Gretchen Whitmer (MI), Kathy Hochul (NY), Josh Shapiro (PA), Maura Healey (MA), Tim Walz (MN), Jared Polis (CO), Phil Murphy (NJ), Wes Moore (MD), Katie Hobbs (AZ), Michelle Lujan Grisham (NM), Tina Kotek (OR) — among others — have publicly framed their job as protecting residents from political federal overreach while keeping streets safe.

Attorneys General to watch: Rob Bonta (CA), Dana Nessel (MI), Letitia James (NY), Keith Ellison (MN), Phil Weiser (CO), Matt Platkin (NJ), Kris Mayes (AZ), Anthony Brown (MD) — a cross-section of the coalition that treats constitutional litigation like public-safety infrastructure.

I’ll write more about this in another post if it continues to look legitimate.

The other thing I want to do here today – in addition to putting this resistance on the table for discussion – is to remind everyone that a good number of the names we see above are people that we have supported with our political fundraising, either directly as candidates or by supporting boots on the ground organizations that helped get them elected.

So I also want to remind you all that what we did in 2022 and 2023 and 2024, and even already in 2025 has made a difference.

So I want to talk about our political fundraising.

First, I want to say that no one here should feel like they are expected to donate to anything, whether that’s to cover site expenses, to support our beloved Betty Cracker when she needed us, to support candidates and boots on the ground organizations.

Second, I want to say that recent fundraisers are going more slowly than before. If that’s because money is tighter, we totally get it, and no one should have to eat ramen noodles for a week in order to donate. If it’s because you are tired or feeling like it’s hopeless, then I want to say that this discouraging timeline isn’t the time to do less, it’s the time to do more. If it’s because you think I’m doing it wrong, feedback would be most helpful.

Here’s a quick overview of our guiding principles:

strategic races
great candidates or organizations
promoting communities of color or reaching voters who are otherwise underrepresented
often in swing districts
where our money isn’t like salt in the ocean

Here’s a quick overview of the big picture in 2025:

WI Supreme Court Seat
FL Special Elections
PA Supreme Court (young people)
Four Directions in Virginia (Native vote)
2 Key Virginia House Races (2 Black candidates)
National Ground Game in VA (young people)

We aren’t supporting NJ in their key races because even though Democratic victories are not at all certain. they are floating in money, and if the right people don’t win, it won’t be because we didn’t send them our $20k or $30k. It’s the same reason we didn’t raise funds for Beto or for Stacey Abrams – our money would be like salt in the ocean.

We make strategic choices because we want our funding to make a difference.

So we are making a hard push for Virginia – just like the Iowa results from earlier this week, they will help with good governance and help build a firewall – but they will also put the wind at our backs going into 2026. Results in Virginia and PA in November will help set the narrative as we head into 2026.

After the November 2025 elections, we plan to take a *3-month break from political fundraising until Feb 2026, when we will jump in again for 2026 – where the fight is literally for everything.

*baring unforseen circumstances

Anyway, I would welcome a discussion here.

Quiet ResistancePost + Comments (115)

One lie, alone, tears the fabric of reality.

Do we throw up our hands or do we roll up our sleeves? (hint, door #2)

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

Sitting here in limbo waiting for the dice to roll

We cannot abandon the truth and remain a free nation.

… gradually, and then suddenly.

“Facilitate” is an active verb, not a weasel word.

Every one of the “Roberts Six” lied to get on the court.

We still have time to mess this up!

Never entrust democracy to any process that requires Republicans to act in good faith.

They don’t have outfits that big. nor codpieces that small.

Pessimism assures that nothing of any importance will change.

We are aware of all internet traditions.

They traffic in fear. it is their only currency. if we are fearful, they are winning.

You cannot shame the shameless.

They love authoritarianism, but only when they get to be the authoritarians.

Polls are now a reliable indicator of what corporate Republicans want us to think.

If you still can’t see these things even now, maybe politics isn’t your forte and you should stop writing about it.

Our messy unity will be our strength.

Welcome to day five of every-bit-as-bad-as-you-thought-it-would-be.

This blog will pay for itself.

Keep the Immigrants and deport the fascists!

I like political parties that aren’t owned by foreign adversaries.

Russian mouthpiece, go fuck yourself.

Open Thread: Waiting on the Friday Doc Dump…

Late Night Open Thread: Starship Troupe-ers

Gulf of Gavin Newsom

War for Ukraine Day 1,281: The Cost

Russia Is Now Striking at Everyone in the World Who Seeks Peace – Address by the President

Olena Zelenska Visited Three Schools in the Cherkasy Region Involved in the School Nutrition Reform

Address by the President of Ukraine at a Coordination Online Meeting with the Leaders of Poland, Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia, and Denmark

Thursday Night Open Thread

I Keep Wanting To Ask How We Got To This Impossible Place, Even Though I Know the Answer

Quiet Resistance