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Come for the politics, stay for the snark.

Disappointing to see gov. newsom with his finger to the wind.

Hot air and ill-informed banter

“But what about the lurkers?”

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

The next time the wall street journal editorial board speaks the truth will be the first.

The fundamental promise of conservatism all over the world is a return to an idealized past that never existed.

Let there be snark.

Baby steps, because the Republican Party is full of angry babies.

“Until such time as the world ends, we will act as though it intends to spin on.”

Is trump is trying to break black America over his knee? signs point to ‘yes’.

They want us to be overwhelmed and exhausted. Focus. Resist. Oppose.

The rest of the comments were smacking Boebert like she was a piñata.

Fundamental belief of white supremacy: white people are presumed innocent, minorities are presumed guilty.

In my day, never was longer.

New McCarthy, same old McCarthyism.

So it was an October Surprise A Day, like an Advent calendar but for crime.

Wake up. Grow up. Get in the fight.

I swear, each month of 2025 will have its own history degree.

Fucking consultants! (of the political variety)

At some point, the ability to learn is a factor of character, not IQ.

Fight them, without becoming them!

It’s pointless to bring up problems that can only be solved with a time machine.

Marge, god is saying you’re stupid.

Russian mouthpiece, go fuck yourself.

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Open Thread:  Hey Lurkers!  (Holiday Post)

Open Threads

You are here: Home / Archives for Open Threads

Ohio and the Future of Democracy

by WaterGirl|  August 10, 20239:30 am| 127 Comments

This post is in: Open Threads, Politics

I can’t say it any better than Trae Crowder did.  Especially toward the end, he lays it all out in black and white.

“If the hearts of the people cannot be won, then the will of the people must be quashed.”

He ties together all the gerrymandering, voting restrictions, the big lie, January 6, everything.  Nothing we don’t already know here on Balloon Juice, but it’s really well done and he presents a compelling case in less than 2 minutes.

ON OHIO AND THE FUTURE OF DEMOCRACY pic.twitter.com/KgTDCLlmvJ

— Trae Crowder (@traecrowder) August 9, 2023

We have all the best people on our side.

Open thread.

Ohio and the Future of DemocracyPost + Comments (127)

Thursday Morning Open Thread: Monumental

by Anne Laurie|  August 10, 20237:02 am| 105 Comments

This post is in: Open Threads, President Biden, Proud to Be A Democrat, Our Failed Media Experiment

Biden surveys the Grand Canyon

“Don’t jump!” he yells over to the press pic.twitter.com/sDC0Z7cbuf

— Justin Sink (@justinsink) August 8, 2023

Before the speech, Biden recognized Jimmy McCain, the son of the last Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.), who was at the event. And when Biden signed the designation, he smiled and gave a pen to Sen. Kyrsten Sinema (I-Ariz.), a sometime-ally. https://t.co/e6yJL0UZrJ

— YvonneWingettSanchez ?? (@yvonnewingett) August 8, 2023

GRAND CANYON VILLAGE, Ariz. — President Biden, amid heat waves and fierce storms that are disrupting lives around the world, on Tuesday used this area’s historic lands and dramatic natural landscape as a backdrop for touting his administration’s efforts to invest in clean energy and combat climate change.

In remarks from the historic Red Butte Airfield, Biden highlighted his initiatives to protect and conserve natural resources and promoted his investments in climate action, at a time when polling has shown that many voters disapprove of his handling of climate change.

Biden also designated a vast area as a national monument to safeguard it from uranium mining. Local tribal leaders and environmentalists have said the move will protect aquifers and water supplies and honor long-standing Native American connections to the land.

“America’s natural wonders are our nation’s heart and soul — that’s not hyperbole, that’s a fact. They unite us, they inspire us. A birthright we pass down from generation to generation,” Biden said in a 15-minute speech Tuesday as red dust blew near an airstrip that Amelia Earhart and Charles Lindbergh once used. “Today marks a historic step in preserving the majesty of this place.”…

Biden said the new monument — called the Baaj Nwaavjo I’tah Kukveni, or Ancestral Footprints of the Grand Canyon — honors tribal nations and preserves “their shared legacy for future generations.” The move conserves nearly 1 million acres and advances his commitment to protect and conserve at least 30 percent of American land and water by 2030.

The name of the monument, the fifth that Biden has designated as president, is meant to reflect the significance of the area to various tribal nations. “Baaj nwaavjo” means “where Indigenous peoples roam” in the Havasupai language, and “i’tah kukveni” means “our ancestral footprints” in the Hopi language…

The president then went to a lookout point at the Grand Canyon and gave an interview to the Weather Channel to talk about the climate crisis…

The Biden administration on Tuesday also announced $44 million in federal funds that will be used to strengthen climate resilience in the National Parks system. The funds will go toward 43 projects across 39 states, as well as Washington, D.C., Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands.

“Preserving these lands is good, not only for Arizona but for the planet,” Biden said. “It’s good for the economy. It’s good for the soul of the nation.”

Much more at the (unpaywalled!) link.

It's official! Biden Designates Baaj Nwaavjo I’tah Kukveni–Ancestral Footprints of the Grand Canyon National Monument. He'll sign the proclamation at Red Butte, conserving ~1M acres of greater Grand Canyon lands sacred to Indigenous peoples. #KeepItGrand https://t.co/kx2BCjwBRh

— Grand Canyon Trust (@GrandCanynTrust) August 8, 2023

‘Opinions differ… ‘

Laura Ingraham claims Grand Canyon national monument is a Joe Biden scheme to funnel uranium money to Kazakhstanhttps://t.co/E8mpFxT0Tc

— Media Matters (@mmfa) August 9, 2023

Elsewhere:
Thursday Morning Open Thread: Monumental

(John Deering via GoComics.com)

Thursday Morning Open Thread: MonumentalPost + Comments (105)

It took Long Enough!

by WaterGirl|  August 9, 20237:09 pm| 169 Comments

This post is in: Open Threads, Politics

We knew the NY office was corrupt, but now this is finally seeing the light of day.  Halle-fucking-lujah!

https://twitter.com/MuellerSheWrote/status/1689388288380121088?s=20

(Business Insider)  h/t  rikyrah  who posted the link in the previous thread.

A veteran FBI counterintelligence agent says his supervisor told him to stop investigating Rudy Giuliani and to cut off contact with any sources who reported on corruption by associates of former President Donald Trump, according to a whistleblower complaint obtained by Insider.

The agent, who served 14 years as a special agent for the bureau, including a long stint in Russia-focussed counter-intelligence, claims in a 22-page statement that his bosses interfered with his work in “a highly suspicious suppression of investigations and intelligence-gathering” aimed at protecting “certain politically active figures and possibly also FBI agents” who were connected to Russian and Ukrainian oligarchs.

Those figures, the statement claims, explicitly included “anyone in the [Trump] White House and any former or current associates of President Trump.”

The statement, which was prepared for staffers of the Senate Judiciary Committee, was apparently leaked and posted in mid-July to a Substack newsletter. Insider has independently obtained a copy of the complaint and verified its authenticity, but has not corroborated all of its claims.

It took Long Enough!Post + Comments (169)

War for Ukraine Day 532: Zaporizhzhia in the Cross Hairs

by Adam L Silverman|  August 9, 20236:58 pm| 28 Comments

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

(Image by NEIVANMADE)

A quick housekeeping note added at 7:23 PM EDT: Hey NotMax and any of our other readers, commenters, and/or lurkers in Hawaii, please check in in the comments, let us know you’re okay, and let us know if you need anything!

The Russians just finished unloading on Zaporizhzhia:

Two killed. Doctors managed to save one life. pic.twitter.com/1aRKKhwNab

— Maria Avdeeva (@maria_avdv) August 9, 2023

Another missile attack by russian terrorists on the civil infrastructure of Zaporizhzhia. A church, shops, and a high-rise apartment building were destroyed.
Once again, they deliberately hit a peaceful city without any military value, only to compensate for their own defeats. As… pic.twitter.com/kuh7Q4SEgW

— Defense of Ukraine (@DefenceU) August 9, 2023

Another missile attack by russian terrorists on the civil infrastructure of Zaporizhzhia. A church, shops, and a high-rise apartment building were destroyed.
Once again, they deliberately hit a peaceful city without any military value, only to compensate for their own defeats. As of now, two people are reported dead. Rescue work has just begun.

Here is President Zelenskyy’s address from earlier today. Video below, English transcript after the jump. The awful dubbing is back. Sorry!

show full post on front page

The task of everyone in Ukraine is to increase the potential of our capabilities at the front and weaken the occupiers – address by President Volodymyr Zelenskyy

9 August 2023 – 22:34

Good health to you, fellow Ukrainians!

A brief report on the day. The key thing today is long and very detailed important meetings with our military.

First, there was the Staff. A special format – a narrow circle, only key people.

We analyzed the current situation at the front, the main directions of our offensive actions. What is going well. What needs to be reinforced. What we are planning for the near future.

There were reports from the Commander-in-Chief, the commanders directly responsible for the eastern and southern directions, as well as the report from the Chief of the Main Intelligence Directorate.

Separately, there was also a special communication between our commanders, the Head of the Office, international relations officials and partners to provide our warriors with ammunition and equipment.

Everyone in Ukraine has the same task: to increase the potential of our capabilities at the front and to weaken everything the occupiers are trying to use to put pressure on our warriors or restrict Ukraine.

Today we have good news from Germany – exactly what we agreed upon with Olaf Scholz. We have additional Patriot launching stations. Thank you very much, Olaf, for this – it is necessary to protect our people from Russian terror. I thank Germany and Mr. Chancellor personally for fulfilling this agreement – it will definitely save thousands of lives of our people. It will definitely bring us closer to creating a full-fledged sky shield for Ukraine. This will help people, cities and villages.

Today, Russian terrorists hit Zaporizhzhia again – an ordinary building was hit, a church and a residential building were damaged…

As of now, unfortunately, it is known that there are dead… there are wounded. My condolences to the families and friends who have lost their loved ones.

Every day, every week, we work to ensure that our defenders of the sky have more air defense systems and missiles for them.

Tomorrow I will continue this work, trying my best to provide more protection for the sky.

Our entire territory needs much more air defense systems than we have now. Step by step, we are turning this “much more” into concrete capabilities of our Air Force, our anti-aircraft gunners, our mobile firing brigades.

We are also preparing more specifics on modern fighters for our warriors: I have no doubt that F-16s will be in our skies.

I thank everyone who helps us protect people from Russia’s terror! Thank you to everyone who shares our aspiration for the complete liberation of Ukrainian land from the occupier!

Of course, I thank each of our soldiers, each sergeant, officer and general who give Ukraine the results it needs at the front! Today, I would like to thank the 35th separate marine brigade and the 55th separate artillery brigade. You are simply brilliant, warriors!

Glory to all those who are fighting for the sake of Ukraine, for the sake of each of us!

Glory to all who save lives! 

Glory to Ukraine!

This will help!

+2 Patriot launchers coming from 🇩🇪🇩🇪🇩🇪🇩🇪

— Illia Ponomarenko 🇺🇦 (@IAPonomarenko) August 9, 2023

You can find the full list of Germany’s military aid to Ukraine at the German Federal government’s Germany4Ukraine page.

We now have some confirmation of a rumored riverine attack by Ukrainian forces across the Dnipro River.

Kosachi Laheri:

Yesterday, a group of 18 Russian soldiers headed by Major Tomov, commander of 1882 Battalion, disappeared in the area of Kosachi Laheri, on the left bank of the Dnieper River. Tomov's group was reportedly ambushed after Ukrainians captured a radio station and requested "support".…

— WarTranslated (@wartranslated) August 9, 2023

Yesterday, a group of 18 Russian soldiers headed by Major Tomov, commander of 1882 Battalion, disappeared in the area of Kosachi Laheri, on the left bank of the Dnieper River. Tomov’s group was reportedly ambushed after Ukrainians captured a radio station and requested “support”.

The group apparently had mobile phones with detailed maps of Russian positions in the area.

Information about the incident was coming through all day yesterday, so we can bring more details now.

I suspect that we might soon see actual footage from the incident by Ukrainians if it was indeed a landing operation.

/2. https://t.co/iZjK5LJnOC pic.twitter.com/A55x6M6edm

— Special Kherson Cat 🐈🇺🇦 (@bayraktar_1love) August 8, 2023

/4. Sergeant Kozlov Vladimir Viktorovich – The first officially confirmed captured Russian from the left bank of the Kherson region as a result of the raid / operation of Ukraine. https://t.co/hab3hjYEY4 pic.twitter.com/zOTCbhCryu

— Special Kherson Cat 🐈🇺🇦 (@bayraktar_1love) August 9, 2023

Nova Kakhovka, Kherson Oblast:

A bit earlier today there were reports about the strike on Elektromash plant territory in Nova Kakhovka, Kherson region. Ukrainian sources reported that Russian command centre was targeted there.

P.S: Elektromash plant is known to be one of the favourite places for Russians in… pic.twitter.com/l3v0cacxFg

— Special Kherson Cat 🐈🇺🇦 (@bayraktar_1love) August 9, 2023

Moscow Oblast:

Meanwhile in Moscow Region.
Vladimir Putin’s Kyiv Will Fall Within 72 Hours, day 532. pic.twitter.com/xY0IPYCLUe

— Illia Ponomarenko 🇺🇦 (@IAPonomarenko) August 9, 2023

Major incident in Sergiev Posad, Moscow Oblast, today. Reportedly involving Zagorsky optics-mechanics factory. pic.twitter.com/mhVlJvt4Xi

— WarTranslated (@wartranslated) August 9, 2023

/2. More footage of explosion in Sergiyev Posad, near Moscow. ~520km from Ukraine border.
The cause is not yet known. But in the morning Russian media reported the drone attack on Moscow.
The plant is known for producing military optics for the Russian army. pic.twitter.com/bXj1vXMgwc

— Special Kherson Cat 🐈🇺🇦 (@bayraktar_1love) August 9, 2023

/4. Russian media claim – “the cause of the explosion in the hangar with pyrotechnics in Sergiev Posad was the "human factor".
A warehouse on an area of ​​1600 square meters reportedly destroyed.” pic.twitter.com/oYupYERT3N

— Special Kherson Cat 🐈🇺🇦 (@bayraktar_1love) August 9, 2023

/6. Suddenly, footages of shells scattered near the site of the explosion began to appear in the media. pic.twitter.com/X85JJHtL22

— Special Kherson Cat 🐈🇺🇦 (@bayraktar_1love) August 9, 2023

/8. Area close to the epicentre of the explosion pic.twitter.com/7K8q4QWDBS

— Special Kherson Cat 🐈🇺🇦 (@bayraktar_1love) August 9, 2023

/10. Video showing the power of the shock wave during the explosion. pic.twitter.com/AwIku3TPF9

— Special Kherson Cat 🐈🇺🇦 (@bayraktar_1love) August 9, 2023

Stavropol, Russia:

A video of a large fire in a military location in Stavropol region, Russia. pic.twitter.com/8YPeCtExoW

— Anton Gerashchenko (@Gerashchenko_en) August 9, 2023

Someone was asking about evidence for war crimes prosecutions.

A new exhibit at Ukraine's National Museum of World War Two History displays the handwritten diary of Olga Shevchenko, a russian literature teacher, which she kept during the occupation of Blahodatne, a village on the border of Kherson and Mykolaiv regions.
For months without… pic.twitter.com/x72FM6Jbbp

— Defense of Ukraine (@DefenceU) August 9, 2023

A new exhibit at Ukraine’s National Museum of World War Two History displays the handwritten diary of Olga Shevchenko, a russian literature teacher, which she kept during the occupation of Blahodatne, a village on the border of Kherson and Mykolaiv regions.
For months without electricity, running water, or food deliveries, risking their freedom and sometimes their lives every day, people protected their Ukrainian identity. Hundreds of thousands of stories like this will be told. And they will be used as evidence in court. As a lasting reminder of the war.

The Ukrainians are collecting and preserving it.

The cost part I’ve lost count:

40 days since Ukrainian writer Victoria Amelina ⁦@vamelina⁩ passed away killed by a Russian missile. —

On this 🎥 – June 2022, Vika meeting children of Kharkiv – when the city was half empty and often shelled. Kids are so attentive to her.. listen to her voice pic.twitter.com/eVOGzIs15i

— Volodymyr Yermolenko (@yermolenko_v) August 9, 2023

Patron is going to love this!

Ukrainian company “Pozhmashina” has developed a "heavy class pyrotechnic machine" specially designed for the needs of deminers of the State Emergency Service of Ukraine.

The vehicle was created on the basis of Daewoo, received a manipulator crane with a boom reach of more than 8… pic.twitter.com/BIwMLBXTYX

— Special Kherson Cat 🐈🇺🇦 (@bayraktar_1love) August 9, 2023

Ukrainian company “Pozhmashina” has developed a “heavy class pyrotechnic machine” specially designed for the needs of deminers of the State Emergency Service of Ukraine.

The vehicle was created on the basis of Daewoo, received a manipulator crane with a boom reach of more than 8 meters and a winch with a capacity of 9 tons.

As mentioned, the equipment was designed in communication with the State Emergency Service of Ukraine, taking into account their needs and experience,
https://mil.in.ua/uk/news/pozhmashyna-stvoryla-pirotehnichnu-mashynu-vazhkogo-klasu/

More details from the Defense Industry of Ukraine:

A new heavy-class pyrotechnic vehicle for rescuers was created in Ukraine by a local company.

The “Pozhmashina” company noted that they continue to develop, manufacture and provide the state with the necessary equipment.

A new vehicle based on Daewoo truck should greatly facilitate the demining of Ukraine.

“A completely new vehicle for us is a heavy-duty pyrotechnic vehicle. This car is able to save more than one life,” the company said.

Designers created a new vehicle after constant communications with sappers of the State Emergency Service of Ukraine.

The vehicle received a powerful crane manipulator with a boom out of more than 8 meters and a winch with a capacity of 9 tons.

An armored cabin with mine protection was installed on the Daewoo truck base.

“The protective panel is made of the best armored steel from SSAB,” the company emphasized.

The vehicle has convenient compartments that allow it to get to the necessary things and stand at full height in full gear without any problems.

The vehicle itself has additional hydraulic, power tools, gasoline and special tools, individual protective equipment, etc.

“We are already actively presenting our new product and collecting positive feedback from the teams of the State Emergency Service and sappers,” the company added.

Recall that Ukrainian manufacturers are ready to close the needs for the equipment for demining the territory of Ukraine from mines and unexploded shells.

There’s some more pictures at the link too!

That’s enough for today.

Your daily Patron!

There’s a new Patron slideshow at his official TikTok. Those don’t embed her, so click across to see it.

Open thread!

War for Ukraine Day 532: Zaporizhzhia in the Cross HairsPost + Comments (28)

Wednesday Evening Open Thread: Another Repub Russian Asset Heard From

by Anne Laurie|  August 9, 20235:38 pm| 71 Comments

This post is in: Open Threads

Holy crap. This is the other guy Kevin McCarthy said was on Putin's payroll besides Trump. https://t.co/lbfPgCNfcJ

— Harry Godwyn (@harrygod) August 9, 2023

If you put Rohrabacher in a novel, the character would be edited out as ‘too extreme’…

pic.twitter.com/meIRCiEXNb

— Kim (@Kimz620) August 9, 2023

Dirty birds of a feather. I’d forgotten the Rohrabachers switched coasts when he finally got too fragrant to keep his seat in California…

Wait. Dana Rohrabacher’s wife Rhonda Carmony—who pled guilty to felonies for election crimes—is opening a campaign office for RFK Jr.? 😵‍💫

Dana “Putin Pays” Rohrabacher is Erik Prince’s mentor and one of the most embarrassing Kremlin assets in American history. https://t.co/sUkjeSTVdp pic.twitter.com/CBD9dCbC23

— Jim Stewartson, Anti-disinfo activist 🇺🇸🇺🇦💙 (@jimstewartson) August 8, 2023

Rhonda (Carmony) Rohrabacher with Dennis Kucinich 🙄 at RFK Jr campaign event.

Is everyone familiar with Dana & Rhonda Rohrabacher’s history of running fake Dems in OC? #PutinHos 🤡🤡🤡 pic.twitter.com/oMlUeRinOt

— WaterBluSky 🇺🇸 🌻 🇺🇦 (@MsMariaT) August 7, 2023

The GOP Death Cult is the political equivalent of a mycorrhizal network — an extremely toxic version. Ninety percent underground, and invisible until the deathcaps pop up.

Erik Prince was Rohrabacher's intern

— Kay (@SecondLifeKay) August 9, 2023

Wednesday Evening Open Thread: Another Repub Russian Asset Heard FromPost + Comments (71)

Wednesday Morning Open Thread

by WaterGirl|  August 9, 202311:35 am| 321 Comments

This post is in: Open Threads

This has haunted me since I saw it last night.  I think he is totally right.

He is not “awkward” or “dorky.”

He’s SCARY AS FUCK. Sociopath in a hurry. https://t.co/ybJUt5CWbC

— Patton Oswalt (@pattonoswalt) August 8, 2023

Sociopath in a hurry.  Exactly right, and now I can’t shake it.

On a lighter note…

I have to say, I think they nailed it – 6 out of 6! 

Auto Draft 84

Lock em all up… pic.twitter.com/alCgi4DAlh

— Flowrchk ☮ (@flowabug) August 9, 2023

Trump really seems to be losing it. I want to say decompensating, but I’m not sure if it’s the right term.

 

Wednesday Morning Open ThreadPost + Comments (321)

Steve in the ATL: CHECK YOUR EMAIL ASAP!!!!!!

by Adam L Silverman|  August 9, 202310:35 am| 69 Comments

This post is in: Open Threads

Steve in the ATL: Check your email ASAP!!!!!!

 

That’s the post because sometimes he can take a week to check it.

So open thread for the rest of you.

Steve in the ATL: CHECK YOUR EMAIL ASAP!!!!!!Post + Comments (69)

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