While YR4 still has a nearly 97% chance to completely miss Earth in 2032, its odds of impact, which now stand at 3.1%, represent the highest risk level of any large space rock ever.
The chances of an asteroid striking Earth within the next decade has more than doubled in a matter of weeks, according to NASA astronomers. The asteroid, discovered just after Christmas and named 2024 YR4, could strike the planet in December of 2032, according to NASA’s Center for Near Earth Object Studies.
The government is scrambling to rehire federal workers fired from crucial jobs managing nuclear weapons and disease control, the White House insists Elon Musk is not the person running DOGE, and President Trump is spouting Russian propaganda as he seeks a deal with Vladimir Putin to end the war in Ukraine.
has there been any response yet by DODO on kinsinger’s recent observation that “Trump is surrendering America. Trump is the opposite of strong. He is a tiny, weak, small, scared, trembling, sissy, husk of a man. There is nothing manly about his fat, sweaty, smelly, gross, makeup’ed self. An absolute joke.”
IMO apoplexy will be an understatement, particularly for the “weak… sissy” part.
Gov. JB Pritzker really nailed it yesterday in his “State of the State” Address to Illinois Legislature:
“The seed that grew into a dictatorship in Europe a lifetime ago didn’t arrive overnight. It started with everyday Germans mad about inflation and looking for someone to blame.
I am watching with a foreboding dread what is happening in our country right now. The authoritarian play book is laid bare here. They point to a group of people who don’t look like you, and blame them for your problems. I just have one question: What comes next?
After we’ve discriminated against, deported, or disparaged all the immigrants, the gay and lesbian and transgender people, the developmentally disabled, the women, and minorities. Once we’ve ostracized our neighbors and betrayed our friends — after that, when the problems we started with are still staring us in the face, what comes next?
All the atrocities in human history lurk in the answer to that question. If we don’t want to repeat history, then for god’s sake, in this moment, we better be strong enough to learn from it.
If you think I’m overreacting and sounding the alarm too soon, consider this: It took the Nazis one month, three weeks, two days, eight hours and forty minutes to dismantle a Constitutional Republic. All I’m saying is, when the five-alarm fire starts to burn, every good person better be ready to man a post with a bucket of water if you want to stop it from raging out of control”.
Trump has reached foam at the mouth stage of venality. Turning his back on Ukraine and siding with Russia is a freedom destroying act against the nation. It may only be a little over a month, but it is time for the honest members of Congress to throw him out on his ass.
Many maggers appear to be still rationalizing. Cutting a wide swath through “government waste” and eliminating freeloaders is their long-held dream. They think it’s finally coming true and they don’t mind a little sacrifice of their own to achieve it.
anonymoustuff
1 day ago
Marco Rubios eyes have an awfully scary look these days
…can’t believe JD has the temerity to share a space with Zelenskyy, a man and a mouse
‘Authoritarians often disguise political purges as ‘cost-cutting’ or ‘efficiency’ measures. They claim the purges ARE about streamlining government but they are done to consolidate power. This is what’s happening now. And it’s only the start”. Stanford political scientist Adam Bonica
The DOGE firings have nothing to do with “efficiency” or “cutting waste.” They’re a direct push to weaken federal agencies perceived as liberal. This was evident from the start, and now the data confirms it: targeted agencies overwhelmingly those seen as more left-leaning. 🧵⬇️
President Zelenskyy has been one of the greatest leaders of our time, guiding Ukraine through the darkest period of its recent history, rising up to Russia’s unwarranted aggression, being an inspiration to the Ukrainian people and ensuring that Ukraine’s voice is heard on the world stage.
President Trump has dramatically shifted the direction of U.S. foreign policy in four short weeks, making the U.S. a less reliable ally and retreating from global commitments in ways that stand to fundamentally reshape America’s relationship with the world.
Run-of-the-mill maggers have no sources of knowledge beyond Fox and their social media. No books, no newspapers, no magazines, no unbiased media. They don’t know what they don’t know and wouldn’t believe it anyway.
“Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth is considering firing generals and top military officers as soon as this week, according to two Defense officials and three Congressional sources.”
Craig – Is that why tRUMPsky wants Hegseth to purge experienced Generals? To advance the New World Order? There is no way it’s the town drunk’s idea.
Coupled with the worldview of Curtis Yarvin, which seems to have informed the tech bros, the world is just a business; there will be a few CEOs/kings, and they will all be absorbed into one. “We are Borg; to resist is futile,” seems to be at the core.
With so many tech bros involved with tRUMPsky, I’m wondering more and more if it’s more than a thumb on the scale, but an intentionally-defective scale that kept Harris from her rightful place as POTUS.
Any chance the military will finally keep their oath to the US Constitution?
https://www.yahoo.com/news/zelenskyy-ukraine-received-us-76-184337849.html
“When I hear – both in the past and even now – from the US that America has provided Ukraine with hundreds of billions [of dollars] (177, to be precise, based on what Congress approved), as the president of a nation at war, I can tell you – we’ve received more than US$75 billion.” -President Zelenskyy
*** https://www.cfr.org/article/how-much-us-aid-going-ukraine
“A large share of the money in the aid bills is spent in the United States, paying for American factories and workers to produce the various weapons that are either shipped to Ukraine or that replenish the U.S. weapons stocks the Pentagon has drawn on during the war. One analysis, by the American Enterprise Institute, found that Ukraine aid is funding defense manufacturing in more than seventy U.S. cities.”
Ptobably a lot of MAGAt-y cities with factories employing MAGAts.
Ivy – It’s been decades, but I studied Russian for two years in college. I still have my wonderful textbook, which was written as graphic novelettes and fairytales and poems. Remember the movie “Red Dawn,” which seemed like such a silly premise? The rest of Europe might be speaking Russian, but the Americas will be forced into English only. Fewer languages, eugenics leading to less diversity. Humans will get even dumber.
“Astronomers around the world have warned the ‘God of Chaos’ asteroid could hit the Earth just four years from now, in 2029.”
“The ominous-sounding asteroid, whose scientific name is Apophis, which is the Egyptian god of chaos, has astounded scientists with its sheer size. The cosmic rock measures 450 metres by 170 metres…”
“ A 2024 study found that it won’t be until 2027 until we can fully rule out the asteroid colliding with the Earth, meaning there is a very real chance it could still happen. Predicting Apophis’s path with any certainty is currently incredibly difficult due to its proximity to the Sun, obscuring it from view.”
“When it finally emerges in two years, astronomers will be able to deliver their final verdicts on the likelihood of the so-called God of Chaos ending its path of destruction here. If it does pass the Earth, it will miss it with less of a distance than 20,000 miles, making it a sight to behold for NASA and amateur astronomers around the world.”
***
“Satellites can orbit at various altitudes, typically classified into three main types: low Earth orbit (LEO) at about 200 to 2,000 kilometers, medium Earth orbit (MEO) from 2,000 to about 35,786 kilometers, and high Earth orbit (HEO) which is above that. For example, geostationary satellites are positioned around 35,786 kilometers above the Earth’s equator.”
***
This is the asteroid I’ve been referring to over the past couple of years. Even if Apophis doesn’t hit Earth in 2029, there’s a ton of stuff in orbit that it can knock out of orbit, satellites can go offline.
“Billionaire Musk, Trump’s would-be budget-cutting and government-efficiency czar, also says there will be “no special cases” and “no exceptions” when he starts slashing federal spending after Trump takes office.
And he predicts he will need “a lot of security” personally because of the likely reaction to his policy moves.”
“Trump has already said he wants Musk to head up a commission on government efficiency. Trump says the billionaire tech entrepreneur would be his “Secretary of Budget-Cutting,” implying a possible cabinet position. Musk himself has described his prospective role as running a “Department of Government Efficiency,” though he admits the title is an inside joke — the acronym spells DOGE, the name of a cryptocurrency he has referenced often over the years.”
“Musk’s agenda is like your new family doctor promising a major dose of brutal chemotherapy when you are perfectly healthy and cancer-free.”
“It can hardly help that Trump and Musk themselves are billionaires, and wouldn’t experience any of the hardship predicted for ordinary Americans.”
“Musk told supporters that the measures were needed because of the crisis of the skyrocketing federal debt.
He compared the U.S. to an individual, even though a country that controls its own currency cannot go bankrupt because of owings to itself. At one point he said spending was “bankrupting the company,” before correcting himself and saying “country.”
“Musk did not address the issue of Trump’s proposed tax cuts, which the Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget says would add about twice as much to the national debt as the proposals of Democratic rival Kamala Harris. Musk’s concern with the ballooning national debt was focused entirely on cutting spending.”
***
Adolf is tanking the tourism industry. They want the economy to crash, so they can pick up the pieces for cheap. Space-X employees will snatch up some of those FAA jobs. Zero savings to taxpayers, just more for MuskRat…and maybe he gives a little kickback to tRUMPsky. Oversight and ethics aren’t a thing anymore.
The Honeymoon Is Over
A series of polls show Trump’s approval dropping into the mid-40s.
Most of his major efforts (gov’t cuts, USAID, tariffs, J6 pardons) are quite unpopular.
People don’t like what Musk is doing ~2-to-1.
And a rarity: Trump’s economic numbers are bad. https://wapo.st/41oUgFV
CNN’s Harry Enten: “The last day has been the worst polling day for Trump during his entire 2nd term.
-4 polls show his net approval rating underwater.
-The 3 polls with a trend line show his ratings going down.
-His one time strength (the economy) is now a weakness” https://x.com/ForecasterEnten/status/1892600212440453475
bId – sfb damaged the tourist industry the first time he got into the Oval Office. Rejecting people of any color than Titanium White, male, professing to be straight (wink, wink), and something religious, not RC, Jewish, or any other religion though, made it perfectly clear his intentions.
“Former NFL Player Chris Kluwe Calls on Democrats to Engage in ‘Civil Disobedience’ After Delivering Scathing Speech Against ‘MAGA’The 43-year-old was then arrested by officers and forcibly removed from council chambers”
“I want our elected democratic officials to start engaging in civil disobedience,” Kluwe said Wednesday in an interview with the Daily Pilot. “People need to be aware that what’s going on with this administration is leading us down a really dark path. Right now, no one is willing to step up and do that. So, if I want to ask them to do it, then I have to be willing to do it too.”
“Magical, Alluring, Galvanizing, and Adventurous,” is the full slogan MAGA was supposed to represent on the plaque, as reported by ABC7. The plaque was then unanimously approved by both Huntington Beach Community and the Library Services Commission, despite intense opposition to its design.”
“Unfortunately it’s clear that this council does not listen, so instead I’m going to take my time to say what MAGA has stood for these past few weeks. MAGA stands for trying to erase trans people from existence. MAGA stands for resegregation and racism. MAGA stands for censorship and book bans,” Kluwe said, before listing off various government offices that had been affected by the Trump administration’s mass layoffs over the past month.”
Kluwe further expressed his belief that the “Make America Great Again” movement was “explicitly a Nazi movement.”
“I will now engage in the time-honored American tradition of peaceful civil disobedience,” he told the council members.
That is a true patriot!
Below, is the response from a n@zi on the City Council. Conservative is a euphemism for dirty, scumbag n@zis. Got it!
“He wanted his five minutes of fame, and that’s what he got,” City Council member Gracey Van Der Mark told the Daily Pilot. “The city of Huntington Beach has always been conservative, and they tried to change that, and we’re just taking it back to the way it was. If I wanted to live in a liberal city with liberal values, I would have stayed in Los Angeles.”
Republican Sen. Mitch McConnell announced Thursday that he will not seek reelection in 2026, bringing an end to his decades-long career as a key power broker in the Senate. While he championed conservative causes, McConnell ultimately saw his influence challenged by the rise of Trump-era GOP populism.
“An 11-year-old Texas girl died by suicide after allegedly being bullied by her school peers over her family’s immigration status, according to her heartbroken mother.”
“They were going to call immigration so they could take her parents away and she would be left alone,” Carranza told CNN affiliate station KUVN.
The grieving mother did not address the family’s immigration status in the interview.”
WTF!?! Why would they even add that? Paperwork won’t get justice for their daughter, nor would it justify the end of her short life. So many folks identifying as n@zis…and some of them are in grade school.
“Trump’s popularity is slowly eroding, polls show. But his job approval could collapse if inflation reignites and if Americans begin to blame him for an economy with which they remain unhappy.”
Well, Adolf created the problem of DOGE/Elon, so he would normally point a tiny finger and dissolve/fire the entity he blames for his sinking popularity. Does DOFE/Elon already have control of out data/systems so Adolf can’t just use his normal ‘it’s not me, it’s them’ ploy? Most likely. Could he use threats of military intervention of him and his sprawling family, ya know, like a mob boss would? Most likely.
I mean if he wanted to swoop in like a savior to his MAGAts to give them back farm subsidies and Medicaid for seniors, and food for children, and why not throw in healthcare for all…to be paid for by billionaires, he’d become a hero and they’d let him have that 3rd term.
“It is time to begin preparations for deorbiting the @Space_Station. It has served its purpose. There is very little incremental utility. Let’s go to Mars,” Musk wrote at midday on Thursday.
The politics of this are complicated. President Trump could propose shutting down the space station, but the budget for the deorbit vehicle (which is necessary, otherwise the station might make an uncontrolled reentry over land) must be funded by Congress.
FFS! Patel confirmed. Not really surprised, but Republicans ARE with the Russians!
Stur-Joe-Neigh
1 day ago
Lee Atwater when dying had all kinds of expressed regrets about having been such an asshole and the gop just acted like “Lee Atwater? Who dat?” And drove their Hummers over his corpse.
Last edited 1 day ago by Stur-Joe-Neigh
anonymoustuff
1 day ago
Dems deserve blame for not rising to the moment and a complete lack of a national strategy
VA Chief Doug Collins emailed us vets saying DOGE was doing great work in the VA, and we were not to believe the media dissing DOGE. He praised them, and Trump.
Immediately, vets were telling how the VA had fired them instantly for poor performance.
Ann Arbor has taken massive firing hits I have heard but not confirmed yet.
Yes, Gov. Pritzker really laid into Trump. Brilliant.
Stur-Joe-Neigh
1 day ago
One big blame was appointing Merrick Garland, a totally stupid appointment…..anything he did would look like he was “getting even” .
The terms of the contract that landed at Volodymyr Zelensky’s office a week ago amount to the US economic colonisation of Ukraine, in legal perpetuity. It implies a burden of reparations that cannot possibly be achieved.
The Telegraph has obtained a draft of the pre-decisional contract, marked “Privileged & Confidential’ and dated Feb 7 2025. It states that the US and Ukraine should form a joint investment fund to ensure that “hostile parties to the conflict do not benefit from the reconstruction of Ukraine”.
The agreement covers the “economic value associated with resources of Ukraine”, including “mineral resources, oil and gas resources, ports, other infrastructure (as agreed)”, leaving it unclear what else might be encompassed. “This agreement shall be governed by New York law, without regard to conflict of laws principles,” it states.
The US will take 50pc of recurring revenues received by Ukraine from extraction of resources, and 50pc of the financial value of “all new licences issued to third parties” for the future monetisation of resources. There will be “a lien on such revenues” in favour of the US. “That clause means ‘pay us first, and then feed your children’,” said one source close to the negotiations.
It states that “for all future licences, the US will have a right of first refusal for the purchase of exportable minerals”.
Washington will have sovereign immunity and acquire near total control over most of Ukraine’s commodity and resource economy. The fund “shall have the exclusive right to establish the method, selection criteria, terms, and conditions” of all future licences and projects. And so forth, in this vein. It seems to have been written by private lawyers, not the US departments of state or commerce.
If this draft were accepted, Trump’s demands would amount to a higher share of Ukrainian GDP than reparations imposed on Germany at the Versailles Treaty, later whittled down at the London Conference in 1921, and by the Dawes Plan in 1924. At the same time, he seems willing to let Russia off the hook entirely.
President Zelensky himself proposed the idea of giving the US a direct stake in Ukraine’s rare earth elements and critical minerals on a visit to Trump Tower in September, hoping to smooth the way for continued arms deliveries. He calculated that it would lead to US companies setting operations on the ground, creating a political tripwire that would deter Vladimir Putin from attacking again.
Donald Trump told Fox News that Ukraine had “essentially agreed” to hand over $500bn. “They have tremendously valuable land in terms of rare earths, in terms of oil and gas, in terms of other things,” he said.
He warned that Ukraine would be handed to Putin on a plate if it rejected the terms. “They may make a deal. They may not make a deal. They may be Russian someday, or they may not be Russian someday. But I want this money back,” he said.
***
Orange Adolf can’t choke on a cheezeberder fast enough.
ps – Private lawyers? New York law? Joint investment group? <— ???
Frequently I see the general question showing up on various sites asking what do you watch to get away from all the stuff. I watch a lot of YouTube, boating, repair stuff, heavy equipment digging holes and a lot of other odd things. One channel worthy of being calm is the Repair Shop. A British program of restoration exports, repairing and restoring any manner of objects. The big drama is often regarding “can I fix this without it breaking?”. It is fun stuff too, with lots of British accents.
BB, I also find myself surfing YouTube on my TV for distractions. So much variety and easy flipping when attention span expires. Lately I’ve ranged from a Joey Bishop documentary (Frank Sinatra really was a dick) to the spooky future of AI and the political feud between Buddy Ebsen and Nancy Kulp (Miss Jane). Yes, even the Beverly Hillbillies not immune from our ideological divide.
Rep. Robert Garcia (D-CA) posted a letter he received from U.S. Attorney Edward Martin on Department of Justice letterhead asking about his attacks on Elon Musk.
“As a United States Attorney for the District of Columbia, I receive requests for information and clarification. I take these requests seriously and act on them with letters like this one you are receiving,” Martin began, not indicating who sent him the “requests.”
Garcia was accused of making a threat against Musk while analogizing the political battle between Trump and Democrats as a “bar fight.”
“This sounds to some like a threat to Mr. Musk – an appointed representative of President Donald Trump who you call a ‘d–k’ – and government staff who work for him. Their concerns have led to this inquiry,” Martin wrote.
On Bluesky, Garcia responded: “So if you criticize Elon Musk, Trump’s DOJ will send you this letter. Members of Congress must have the right to forcefully oppose the Trump Administration. I will not be silenced.”
Hmmm, it sounds like the fragile babies can’t handle someone else’s First Amendment rights.
anonymoustuff
1 day ago
“shrinking” (comedy/light drama) on appletv (yay free trial) is enjoyable but watching shows about psychotherapy just makes me more out of touch because most people can’t handle that kind of thinking
…am a sucker for shows about grieving and aging, Ricky Gervais’ “After Life” on Netflix is very good
Last edited 1 day ago by anonymoustuff
Stur-Joe-Neigh
1 day ago
I’m no help….alls I watch is the murder channel (True Crime Network…..”Dateline” and Doctor G on an endless loop) or Columbo. Though TBH I have just about maxed out on both like I did with Grit Network and the old westerns. Oh…..I’m still attracted to Svengoolie on Saturday. Last week was killer…..”Teen-agers From Outer Space”, an actual MGM 1959 product. That was right hip.
Last edited 1 day ago by Stur-Joe-Neigh
Stur-Joe-Neigh
1 day ago
It’s funny….with Columbo no matter if I’ve seen one a couple dozen times there is ALWAYS something’s new to see…..Never fails.
“Resident Alien” on Peacock (which was $30 for a year, and I got it just for the SNL concert) is a cross between “Northern Exposure” and “The X-Files.”
Next month, they are streaming “Wicked,” so I can sing along, unlike in the theater.
The Hitler descendants, what few there were, changed their names and vowed to remain childless so as to stanch the name of infamy. What other descendants may feel their name is so shameful, they must end it?
anonymoustuff
1 day ago
i haven’t watched “Resident Alien” but was happy to see Alan Tudyk (sp?) get his own show
“DOGE has triggered a wave of layoffs across the federal government.
“Late last night I took a call from a senior DOGE staffer. We spoke about some pressing tech issues and then he told me about threats against DOGE workers. It is despicable that these men and women are being threatened,” Martin said in the email.
Martin named the initiative “Operation Whirlwind,” saying Schumer, the top Democrat in the Republican-led U.S. Senate, is the subject of a threats investigation.
Schumer spoke out against Supreme Court Justices Neil Gorsuch and Brett Kavanaugh at a 2020 abortion rights rally by saying: “You have released the whirlwind and you will pay the price.”
Mmmm, Is it time for Operation Military Defend the US Constitution & End This Nightmare?
Interesting that NBC picked a clip of MuskRat being coherent and not searching for words, and prefacing all of the tRUMPsky BS with a headline that is nothing like the guts of the story, The house MAGAt thinks it’s all fine & good…and probably thinks there will be a $5,000 stimulus check from President Musk.
NBC is still claiming tRUMPsky demanded extra troops from Mexico, not Biden; they didn’t mention tRUMPSky killing the bipartisan immigration bill, either.
Tyduk is always a fave of mine, from “Firefly” to “Suburgatory.” Saw him as Sir Lancelot in “Spamalot” in 2005 on Broadway; he was swing for Hank Azzaria.
anonymoustuff
1 day ago
i saw the first run of spamalot
might have been opening weekend, i forget
Last edited 1 day ago by anonymoustuff
anonymoustuff
1 day ago
“released the whirlwind”
lol, retire
anonymoustuff
1 day ago
when Columbo says “there’s just one thing i’m having trouble with…” just start running, never say “oh, what’s that, Detective?”
Stur-Joe-Neigh
1 day ago
This is the original Levinson and Link Columbo which aired on tv in 1960 with a different actor playing Columbo than Falk. It was developed for a single run but then 10 or so years later they sold it again with Falk and Gene Barry playing the leads. It’s basically the same script.
The Wall Street Journal reports that Yaccarino and her lieutenants have been pressing Interpublic Group, one of the world’s biggest ad agencies, to get its clients to spend more money on X. Hanging over IPG’s head: a proposed deal to sell itself to rival Omnicom, which may need regulatory approval in the US.
IPG execs interpreted X’s messaging as a reminder that the Trump administration could slow down that deal, according to the Journal’s veteran ad reporter Suzanne Vranica, citing several unnamed people close to the matter.
A big media platform, whose owner is deeply enmeshed with the Trump administration, is — reportedly — telling companies to give it business, or risk government reprisal.
Here’s what Interpublic told me when I asked if the Journal’s story was correct, which is what it also told the Journal. I’m publishing the response in full:
Our role is to recommend the most strategic media investments to our clients. These objective recommendations maximize business outcomes for brands and audiences. We continually work with a cross-section of media partners and believe a broad range of options delivers the greatest value and efficiency for marketers. We do not make spending commitments on behalf of clients to any partner or platform, and decision-making authority always rests with the client.
You may notice that there’s nothing in there arguing that the Journal’s reporting — that Interpublic executives believe Yaccarino and Co. were telling it to spend more to keep out of trouble — isn’t true.
I’m assuming that wording is very precise and specific. But just to make sure, I followed up to ask if IPG wanted to offer any additional comment. I haven’t heard back. I also haven’t heard back from the X press office.
And just to beat this into the ground: I also haven’t seen any public concern from the Trump allies who regularly complain that media and tech platforms are biased against conservatives, or that they’ve been too cozy with Democratic lawmakers. You’d think they’d be very upset about suggestions that a big platform used its ties to the president of the United States to coerce advertisers.
“Truly disturbing report in the WSJ,” pro-Trump author Batya Ungar-Sargon wrote on X. “Lawyers at Twitter are threatening advertisers to spend more money on X ‘or else’ X owner Elon Musk will leverage his close relationship with Trump to torpedo mergers. This goes beyond a conflict of interest. It’s straight-up extortion.”
“Vox politics reporter Andrew Prokop asked, “Is the Trump Admin committed to tough antitrust enforcement due to the policy merits of the idea? Or do they view it as a useful tool with which they can conduct shakedowns?”
“Kennesaw State University political science Professor Jeff DeWitt posted a quote from Benito Mussolini: “Fascism should be more appropriately be called Corporatism because it is a merger of state and corporate power.”
***
Any and all advertisers on X should be boycotted…and I’d totally do that if I were on X and knew who they were…but I encourage others to do so.
“Elon Musk Is Trying to Buy the Wisconsin Supreme Court”
“Elon Musk and Donald Trump want a MAGA Supreme Court to ensure that maps are rigged to lock in power for far-right legislators; to overturn elections when they don’t like the results; and to suppress voters that don’t kiss their ring,” saidWisconsin Democratic Chair Ben Wikler. “Musk’s attempt to buy Wisconsin’s Supreme Court is a red alert that his attack on democracy isn’t limited to gutting the federal government. He wants it all.”
Elon should take ALL of the ketamine tonight. All of it.
Trump again raises idea of running for an unconstitutional third term
The suggestion followed a stretch of days in which Trump referred to himself as a king and quoted a dictator in suggesting that he was immune from following laws
President Donald Trump on Thursday again raised the prospect of serving for an unconstitutional third term, asking a crowd at a White House event whether he should run again and receiving audience chants of “Four more years!”
The suggestion followed a stretch of days in which Trump referred to himself as a king and quoted a dictator in suggesting that he was immune from following laws — all while his administration has continued pushing the bounds of presidential power.
Trump’s escalating rhetoric stoked further alarm among critics who say he is governing with an authoritarian playbook and fear he could attempt to seize power undemocratically, as he attempted to do after losing the 2020 election. The Constitution’s 22nd Amendment limits presidents from holding the office more than twice.
[…]
So when anyone suggests that this nightmare might be over in 3 years and 11 months, tell them not to get too comfortable with that idea.
Risk of asteroid YR4 hitting Earth in 2032 rises to record level
The chances of an asteroid striking Earth within the next decade has more than doubled in a matter of weeks, according to NASA astronomers.
The asteroid, discovered just after Christmas and named 2024 YR4, could strike the planet in December of 2032, according to NASA’s Center for Near Earth Object Studies.
meanwhile, colbert
The government is scrambling to rehire federal workers fired from crucial jobs managing nuclear weapons and disease control, the White House insists Elon Musk is not the person running DOGE, and President Trump is spouting Russian propaganda as he seeks a deal with Vladimir Putin to end the war in Ukraine.
the ‘roid not taken vs the road that was
in the current shell game eyes are on the shining shifting stories while the dismantling of democracy and usurpation of power is being ignored.
The asteroid can have Trump’s new world order
has there been any response yet by DODO on kinsinger’s recent observation that
“Trump is surrendering America. Trump is the opposite of strong. He is a tiny, weak, small, scared, trembling, sissy, husk of a man. There is nothing manly about his fat, sweaty, smelly, gross, makeup’ed self. An absolute joke.”
IMO apoplexy will be an understatement, particularly for the “weak… sissy” part.
Gov. JB Pritzker really nailed it yesterday in his “State of the State” Address to Illinois Legislature:
FULL VIDEO
Trump has reached foam at the mouth stage of venality. Turning his back on Ukraine and siding with Russia is a freedom destroying act against the nation. It may only be a little over a month, but it is time for the honest members of Congress to throw him out on his ass.
Only MAGAts approve of this monster. And it’s still the Economy, Stupid!
Maybe voters didn’t vote for this
asteroid for one, please
Hilarious headline, Pat. At first I thought you meant classic ‘rhoid rage of the Preparation H-variety. Lol
Thanks always for your daily efforts for us.
Another Musk explosion on the launch pad
folks i’m acquainted with are tuned out from politics and don’t want to hear about it from me, Kamala voter included
Many maggers appear to be still rationalizing. Cutting a wide swath through “government waste” and eliminating freeloaders is their long-held dream. They think it’s finally coming true and they don’t mind a little sacrifice of their own to achieve it.
Marco Rubios eyes have an awfully scary look these days
…can’t believe JD has the temerity to share a space with Zelenskyy, a man and a mouse
‘Authoritarians often disguise political purges as ‘cost-cutting’ or ‘efficiency’ measures. They claim the purges ARE about streamlining government but they are done to consolidate power. This is what’s happening now. And it’s only the start”. Stanford political scientist Adam Bonica
Richard Branson
President Zelenskyy has been one of the greatest leaders of our time, guiding Ukraine through the darkest period of its recent history, rising up to Russia’s unwarranted aggression, being an inspiration to the Ukrainian people and ensuring that Ukraine’s voice is heard on the world stage.
Trump has the lowest first-month approval rating of the last 10 presidents, except one: Him (44% in 2017):
At This Time in New Term
Obama, Feb. ’09 — 76%
Kennedy, Feb. ’61 — 72%
Carter, Feb. ’77 — 71%
Eisenhower, Feb. ’53 — 67%
Bush, Feb./Mar. ’89 — 63%
Nixon, Feb. ’69 — 60%
G.W. Bush, Feb. ’01 — 57%
Reagan, Feb. ’81 — 55%
Clinton, Feb. ’93 — 51%
Biden, Mar. ’21 — 51%
Trump, now — 47%
Trump, Jan./Feb. ’17 — 44%
CNN: https://x.com/jimsciutto/status/1892545884920877169
Trump’s Attack on Zelinsky Signals New World Order Taking Shape
https://www.wsj.com/world/trump-zelensky-foreign-policy-world-alliances-a3592bc4?reflink=desktopwebshare_permalink
Run-of-the-mill maggers have no sources of knowledge beyond Fox and their social media. No books, no newspapers, no magazines, no unbiased media. They don’t know what they don’t know and wouldn’t believe it anyway.
https://www.msnbc.com/way-too-early/watch/defense-secretary-hegseth-considering-firing-top-military-officers-232467525864
“Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth is considering firing generals and top military officers as soon as this week, according to two Defense officials and three Congressional sources.”
Craig – Is that why tRUMPsky wants Hegseth to purge experienced Generals? To advance the New World Order? There is no way it’s the town drunk’s idea.
Coupled with the worldview of Curtis Yarvin, which seems to have informed the tech bros, the world is just a business; there will be a few CEOs/kings, and they will all be absorbed into one. “We are Borg; to resist is futile,” seems to be at the core.
With so many tech bros involved with tRUMPsky, I’m wondering more and more if it’s more than a thumb on the scale, but an intentionally-defective scale that kept Harris from her rightful place as POTUS.
Any chance the military will finally keep their oath to the US Constitution?
Kudos to those who already learned to speak Russian.
https://www.yahoo.com/news/zelenskyy-ukraine-received-us-76-184337849.html
“When I hear – both in the past and even now – from the US that America has provided Ukraine with hundreds of billions [of dollars] (177, to be precise, based on what Congress approved), as the president of a nation at war, I can tell you – we’ve received more than US$75 billion.” -President Zelenskyy
***
https://www.cfr.org/article/how-much-us-aid-going-ukraine
“A large share of the money in the aid bills is spent in the United States, paying for American factories and workers to produce the various weapons that are either shipped to Ukraine or that replenish the U.S. weapons stocks the Pentagon has drawn on during the war. One analysis, by the American Enterprise Institute, found that Ukraine aid is funding defense manufacturing in more than seventy U.S. cities.”
Ptobably a lot of MAGAt-y cities with factories employing MAGAts.
Ivy – It’s been decades, but I studied Russian for two years in college. I still have my wonderful textbook, which was written as graphic novelettes and fairytales and poems. Remember the movie “Red Dawn,” which seemed like such a silly premise? The rest of Europe might be speaking Russian, but the Americas will be forced into English only. Fewer languages, eugenics leading to less diversity. Humans will get even dumber.
What a fiasco
https://www.birminghammail.co.uk/news/weird-news/god-chaos-asteroid-could-smash-31022556
“Astronomers around the world have warned the ‘God of Chaos’ asteroid could hit the Earth just four years from now, in 2029.”
“The ominous-sounding asteroid, whose scientific name is Apophis, which is the Egyptian god of chaos, has astounded scientists with its sheer size. The cosmic rock measures 450 metres by 170 metres…”
“ A 2024 study found that it won’t be until 2027 until we can fully rule out the asteroid colliding with the Earth, meaning there is a very real chance it could still happen. Predicting Apophis’s path with any certainty is currently incredibly difficult due to its proximity to the Sun, obscuring it from view.”
“When it finally emerges in two years, astronomers will be able to deliver their final verdicts on the likelihood of the so-called God of Chaos ending its path of destruction here. If it does pass the Earth, it will miss it with less of a distance than 20,000 miles, making it a sight to behold for NASA and amateur astronomers around the world.”
***
“Satellites can orbit at various altitudes, typically classified into three main types: low Earth orbit (LEO) at about 200 to 2,000 kilometers, medium Earth orbit (MEO) from 2,000 to about 35,786 kilometers, and high Earth orbit (HEO) which is above that. For example, geostationary satellites are positioned around 35,786 kilometers above the Earth’s equator.”
***
This is the asteroid I’ve been referring to over the past couple of years. Even if Apophis doesn’t hit Earth in 2029, there’s a ton of stuff in orbit that it can knock out of orbit, satellites can go offline.
https://www.marketwatch.com/story/kaboom-elon-musk-predicts-hardship-economic-turmoil-and-a-stock-market-crash-if-trump-wins-20483008
FROM OCTOBER, 2024:
“Billionaire Musk, Trump’s would-be budget-cutting and government-efficiency czar, also says there will be “no special cases” and “no exceptions” when he starts slashing federal spending after Trump takes office.
And he predicts he will need “a lot of security” personally because of the likely reaction to his policy moves.”
“Trump has already said he wants Musk to head up a commission on government efficiency. Trump says the billionaire tech entrepreneur would be his “Secretary of Budget-Cutting,” implying a possible cabinet position. Musk himself has described his prospective role as running a “Department of Government Efficiency,” though he admits the title is an inside joke — the acronym spells DOGE, the name of a cryptocurrency he has referenced often over the years.”
“Musk’s agenda is like your new family doctor promising a major dose of brutal chemotherapy when you are perfectly healthy and cancer-free.”
“It can hardly help that Trump and Musk themselves are billionaires, and wouldn’t experience any of the hardship predicted for ordinary Americans.”
“Musk told supporters that the measures were needed because of the crisis of the skyrocketing federal debt.
He compared the U.S. to an individual, even though a country that controls its own currency cannot go bankrupt because of owings to itself. At one point he said spending was “bankrupting the company,” before correcting himself and saying “country.”
“Musk did not address the issue of Trump’s proposed tax cuts, which the Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget says would add about twice as much to the national debt as the proposals of Democratic rival Kamala Harris. Musk’s concern with the ballooning national debt was focused entirely on cutting spending.”
***
Adolf is tanking the tourism industry. They want the economy to crash, so they can pick up the pieces for cheap. Space-X employees will snatch up some of those FAA jobs. Zero savings to taxpayers, just more for MuskRat…and maybe he gives a little kickback to tRUMPsky. Oversight and ethics aren’t a thing anymore.
The Honeymoon Is Over
A series of polls show Trump’s approval dropping into the mid-40s.
Most of his major efforts (gov’t cuts, USAID, tariffs, J6 pardons) are quite unpopular.
People don’t like what Musk is doing ~2-to-1.
And a rarity: Trump’s economic numbers are bad.
https://wapo.st/41oUgFV
BID, languages other than English are my favorite resource for understanding English.
CNN’s Harry Enten: “The last day has been the worst polling day for Trump during his entire 2nd term.
-4 polls show his net approval rating underwater.
-The 3 polls with a trend line show his ratings going down.
-His one time strength (the economy) is now a weakness”
https://x.com/ForecasterEnten/status/1892600212440453475
When my maggers start hedging, I’ll know their trumpymoon is over.
I want to see DODO unpopularity polls in the 20s or lower.
Dumbass forgot she’s in his Cabinet.
Trump: “I want to thank Kristi Noem, she’s doing a fantastic job as governor of South Dakota”
bId – sfb damaged the tourist industry the first time he got into the Oval Office. Rejecting people of any color than Titanium White, male, professing to be straight (wink, wink), and something religious, not RC, Jewish, or any other religion though, made it perfectly clear his intentions.
“Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker gives 2025 State of the State address”
Wish I had moved to Illinois.
BB – It looks like Adolf just confirmed your Alzheimer’s theory.
https://www.latintimes.com/former-nfl-player-chris-kluwe-calls-democrats-engage-civil-disobedience-after-delivering-576198
“Former NFL Player Chris Kluwe Calls on Democrats to Engage in ‘Civil Disobedience’ After Delivering Scathing Speech Against ‘MAGA’The 43-year-old was then arrested by officers and forcibly removed from council chambers”
“I want our elected democratic officials to start engaging in civil disobedience,” Kluwe said Wednesday in an interview with the Daily Pilot. “People need to be aware that what’s going on with this administration is leading us down a really dark path. Right now, no one is willing to step up and do that. So, if I want to ask them to do it, then I have to be willing to do it too.”
“Magical, Alluring, Galvanizing, and Adventurous,” is the full slogan MAGA was supposed to represent on the plaque, as reported by ABC7. The plaque was then unanimously approved by both Huntington Beach Community and the Library Services Commission, despite intense opposition to its design.”
“Unfortunately it’s clear that this council does not listen, so instead I’m going to take my time to say what MAGA has stood for these past few weeks. MAGA stands for trying to erase trans people from existence. MAGA stands for resegregation and racism. MAGA stands for censorship and book bans,” Kluwe said, before listing off various government offices that had been affected by the Trump administration’s mass layoffs over the past month.”
Kluwe further expressed his belief that the “Make America Great Again” movement was “explicitly a Nazi movement.”
“I will now engage in the time-honored American tradition of peaceful civil disobedience,” he told the council members.
That is a true patriot!
Below, is the response from a n@zi on the City Council. Conservative is a euphemism for dirty, scumbag n@zis. Got it!
“He wanted his five minutes of fame, and that’s what he got,” City Council member Gracey Van Der Mark told the Daily Pilot. “The city of Huntington Beach has always been conservative, and they tried to change that, and we’re just taking it back to the way it was. If I wanted to live in a liberal city with liberal values, I would have stayed in Los Angeles.”
Heartbreaking 💔
Republican Sen. Mitch McConnell announced Thursday that he will not seek reelection in 2026, bringing an end to his decades-long career as a key power broker in the Senate. While he championed conservative causes, McConnell ultimately saw his influence challenged by the rise of Trump-era GOP populism.
today’s meme…
CNN has sent Dr Sanjay to the unprecedented measles outbreak in Texas, while Trump and RFKJr say nothing and fire infectious disease scientists.
If Mitch wasn’t powerful enough to eliminate Trump, who did he think was going to do it?
I blame Mitch for the mess.
https://meadorfuneral.com/jocelynn-rojo-carranza/
Today is February 20th. January 20th seems like a million years ago.
Yesterday, another of Orange Adolf’s victims was buried. She was 11-years old. Eleven.
https://nypost.com/2025/02/19/us-news/11-year-old-texas-girl-dies-by-suicide-after-being-bullied-over-familys-immigration-status-report/
“An 11-year-old Texas girl died by suicide after allegedly being bullied by her school peers over her family’s immigration status, according to her heartbroken mother.”
“They were going to call immigration so they could take her parents away and she would be left alone,” Carranza told CNN affiliate station KUVN.
The grieving mother did not address the family’s immigration status in the interview.”
WTF!?! Why would they even add that? Paperwork won’t get justice for their daughter, nor would it justify the end of her short life. So many folks identifying as n@zis…and some of them are in grade school.
New York Magazine:
https://nymag.com/intelligencer/article/trump-approval-rating-polls-inflation.html?s=09
Maybe Yertle’s deathbed regret will be a cautionary tale to a few Repugz.
Well, Adolf created the problem of DOGE/Elon, so he would normally point a tiny finger and dissolve/fire the entity he blames for his sinking popularity. Does DOFE/Elon already have control of out data/systems so Adolf can’t just use his normal ‘it’s not me, it’s them’ ploy? Most likely. Could he use threats of military intervention of him and his sprawling family, ya know, like a mob boss would? Most likely.
I mean if he wanted to swoop in like a savior to his MAGAts to give them back farm subsidies and Medicaid for seniors, and food for children, and why not throw in healthcare for all…to be paid for by billionaires, he’d become a hero and they’d let him have that 3rd term.
https://arstechnica.com/space/2025/02/elon-musk-recommends-that-the-international-space-station-be-deorbited-asap/
“It is time to begin preparations for deorbiting the @Space_Station. It has served its purpose. There is very little incremental utility. Let’s go to Mars,” Musk wrote at midday on Thursday.
The politics of this are complicated. President Trump could propose shutting down the space station, but the budget for the deorbit vehicle (which is necessary, otherwise the station might make an uncontrolled reentry over land) must be funded by Congress.
BiD, what do you mean the god of chaos is hitting in a few years? he’s been here in the WH for a month now.
https://th.bing.com/th/id/OIP.OcYUnp4qwIIiZg2NcTyKCAHaFF?rs=1&pid=ImgDetMain
FFS! Patel confirmed. Not really surprised, but Republicans ARE with the Russians!
Lee Atwater when dying had all kinds of expressed regrets about having been such an asshole and the gop just acted like “Lee Atwater? Who dat?” And drove their Hummers over his corpse.
Dems deserve blame for not rising to the moment and a complete lack of a national strategy
VA Chief Doug Collins emailed us vets saying DOGE was doing great work in the VA, and we were not to believe the media dissing DOGE. He praised them, and Trump.
Immediately, vets were telling how the VA had fired them instantly for poor performance.
Ann Arbor has taken massive firing hits I have heard but not confirmed yet.
Yes, Gov. Pritzker really laid into Trump. Brilliant.
One big blame was appointing Merrick Garland, a totally stupid appointment…..anything he did would look like he was “getting even” .
On second thought, wouldn’t want to jinx it.
https://www.telegraph.co.uk/business/2025/02/17/revealed-trump-confidential-plan-ukraine-stranglehold/
Donald Trump’s demand for a $500bn (£400bn) “payback” from Ukraine goes far beyond US control over the country’s critical minerals. It covers everything from ports and infrastructure to oil and gas, and the larger resource base of the country.
The terms of the contract that landed at Volodymyr Zelensky’s office a week ago amount to the US economic colonisation of Ukraine, in legal perpetuity. It implies a burden of reparations that cannot possibly be achieved.
The Telegraph has obtained a draft of the pre-decisional contract, marked “Privileged & Confidential’ and dated Feb 7 2025. It states that the US and Ukraine should form a joint investment fund to ensure that “hostile parties to the conflict do not benefit from the reconstruction of Ukraine”.
The agreement covers the “economic value associated with resources of Ukraine”, including “mineral resources, oil and gas resources, ports, other infrastructure (as agreed)”, leaving it unclear what else might be encompassed. “This agreement shall be governed by New York law, without regard to conflict of laws principles,” it states.
The US will take 50pc of recurring revenues received by Ukraine from extraction of resources, and 50pc of the financial value of “all new licences issued to third parties” for the future monetisation of resources. There will be “a lien on such revenues” in favour of the US. “That clause means ‘pay us first, and then feed your children’,” said one source close to the negotiations.
It states that “for all future licences, the US will have a right of first refusal for the purchase of exportable minerals”.
Washington will have sovereign immunity and acquire near total control over most of Ukraine’s commodity and resource economy. The fund “shall have the exclusive right to establish the method, selection criteria, terms, and conditions” of all future licences and projects. And so forth, in this vein. It seems to have been written by private lawyers, not the US departments of state or commerce.
If this draft were accepted, Trump’s demands would amount to a higher share of Ukrainian GDP than reparations imposed on Germany at the Versailles Treaty, later whittled down at the London Conference in 1921, and by the Dawes Plan in 1924. At the same time, he seems willing to let Russia off the hook entirely.
President Zelensky himself proposed the idea of giving the US a direct stake in Ukraine’s rare earth elements and critical minerals on a visit to Trump Tower in September, hoping to smooth the way for continued arms deliveries. He calculated that it would lead to US companies setting operations on the ground, creating a political tripwire that would deter Vladimir Putin from attacking again.
Donald Trump told Fox News that Ukraine had “essentially agreed” to hand over $500bn. “They have tremendously valuable land in terms of rare earths, in terms of oil and gas, in terms of other things,” he said.
He warned that Ukraine would be handed to Putin on a plate if it rejected the terms. “They may make a deal. They may not make a deal. They may be Russian someday, or they may not be Russian someday. But I want this money back,” he said.
***
Orange Adolf can’t choke on a cheezeberder fast enough.
ps – Private lawyers? New York law? Joint investment group? <— ???
Frequently I see the general question showing up on various sites asking what do you watch to get away from all the stuff. I watch a lot of YouTube, boating, repair stuff, heavy equipment digging holes and a lot of other odd things. One channel worthy of being calm is the Repair Shop. A British program of restoration exports, repairing and restoring any manner of objects. The big drama is often regarding “can I fix this without it breaking?”. It is fun stuff too, with lots of British accents.
BB, I also find myself surfing YouTube on my TV for distractions. So much variety and easy flipping when attention span expires. Lately I’ve ranged from a Joey Bishop documentary (Frank Sinatra really was a dick) to the spooky future of AI and the political feud between Buddy Ebsen and Nancy Kulp (Miss Jane). Yes, even the Beverly Hillbillies not immune from our ideological divide.
https://www.rawstory.com/trump-justice-department-2671190340/
Rep. Robert Garcia (D-CA) posted a letter he received from U.S. Attorney Edward Martin on Department of Justice letterhead asking about his attacks on Elon Musk.
“As a United States Attorney for the District of Columbia, I receive requests for information and clarification. I take these requests seriously and act on them with letters like this one you are receiving,” Martin began, not indicating who sent him the “requests.”
Garcia was accused of making a threat against Musk while analogizing the political battle between Trump and Democrats as a “bar fight.”
“This sounds to some like a threat to Mr. Musk – an appointed representative of President Donald Trump who you call a ‘d–k’ – and government staff who work for him. Their concerns have led to this inquiry,” Martin wrote.
On Bluesky, Garcia responded: “So if you criticize Elon Musk, Trump’s DOJ will send you this letter. Members of Congress must have the right to forcefully oppose the Trump Administration. I will not be silenced.”
Hmmm, it sounds like the fragile babies can’t handle someone else’s First Amendment rights.
“shrinking” (comedy/light drama) on appletv (yay free trial) is enjoyable but watching shows about psychotherapy just makes me more out of touch because most people can’t handle that kind of thinking
…am a sucker for shows about grieving and aging, Ricky Gervais’ “After Life” on Netflix is very good
I’m no help….alls I watch is the murder channel (True Crime Network…..”Dateline” and Doctor G on an endless loop) or Columbo. Though TBH I have just about maxed out on both like I did with Grit Network and the old westerns. Oh…..I’m still attracted to Svengoolie on Saturday. Last week was killer…..”Teen-agers From Outer Space”, an actual MGM 1959 product. That was right hip.
It’s funny….with Columbo no matter if I’ve seen one a couple dozen times there is ALWAYS something’s new to see…..Never fails.
“Resident Alien” on Peacock (which was $30 for a year, and I got it just for the SNL concert) is a cross between “Northern Exposure” and “The X-Files.”
Next month, they are streaming “Wicked,” so I can sing along, unlike in the theater.
The Hitler descendants, what few there were, changed their names and vowed to remain childless so as to stanch the name of infamy. What other descendants may feel their name is so shameful, they must end it?
i haven’t watched “Resident Alien” but was happy to see Alan Tudyk (sp?) get his own show
https://www.reuters.com/world/us/washington-prosecutor-probes-threats-against-doge-names-schumer-target-2025-02-19/
“DOGE has triggered a wave of layoffs across the federal government.
“Late last night I took a call from a senior DOGE staffer. We spoke about some pressing tech issues and then he told me about threats against DOGE workers. It is despicable that these men and women are being threatened,” Martin said in the email.
Martin named the initiative “Operation Whirlwind,” saying Schumer, the top Democrat in the Republican-led U.S. Senate, is the subject of a threats investigation.
Schumer spoke out against Supreme Court Justices Neil Gorsuch and Brett Kavanaugh at a 2020 abortion rights rally by saying: “You have released the whirlwind and you will pay the price.”
Mmmm, Is it time for Operation Military Defend the US Constitution & End This Nightmare?
Interesting that NBC picked a clip of MuskRat being coherent and not searching for words, and prefacing all of the tRUMPsky BS with a headline that is nothing like the guts of the story, The house MAGAt thinks it’s all fine & good…and probably thinks there will be a $5,000 stimulus check from President Musk.
NBC is still claiming tRUMPsky demanded extra troops from Mexico, not Biden; they didn’t mention tRUMPSky killing the bipartisan immigration bill, either.
Tyduk is always a fave of mine, from “Firefly” to “Suburgatory.” Saw him as Sir Lancelot in “Spamalot” in 2005 on Broadway; he was swing for Hank Azzaria.
i saw the first run of spamalot
might have been opening weekend, i forget
“released the whirlwind”
lol, retire
when Columbo says “there’s just one thing i’m having trouble with…” just start running, never say “oh, what’s that, Detective?”
This is the original Levinson and Link Columbo which aired on tv in 1960 with a different actor playing Columbo than Falk. It was developed for a single run but then 10 or so years later they sold it again with Falk and Gene Barry playing the leads. It’s basically the same script.
https://www.businessinsider.com/elon-musk-linda-yaccarino-x-twitter-threaten-advertisers-government-ipg-2025-02
The Wall Street Journal reports that Yaccarino and her lieutenants have been pressing Interpublic Group, one of the world’s biggest ad agencies, to get its clients to spend more money on X. Hanging over IPG’s head: a proposed deal to sell itself to rival Omnicom, which may need regulatory approval in the US.
IPG execs interpreted X’s messaging as a reminder that the Trump administration could slow down that deal, according to the Journal’s veteran ad reporter Suzanne Vranica, citing several unnamed people close to the matter.
A big media platform, whose owner is deeply enmeshed with the Trump administration, is — reportedly — telling companies to give it business, or risk government reprisal.
And if that’s true, that goes beyond the performative ring-kissing we’ve seen from Big Tech and other business leaders in the last few months. And beyond the settlements Trump has extracted from the likes of Disney, Meta, and X itself.
Here’s what Interpublic told me when I asked if the Journal’s story was correct, which is what it also told the Journal. I’m publishing the response in full:
You may notice that there’s nothing in there arguing that the Journal’s reporting — that Interpublic executives believe Yaccarino and Co. were telling it to spend more to keep out of trouble — isn’t true.
I’m assuming that wording is very precise and specific. But just to make sure, I followed up to ask if IPG wanted to offer any additional comment. I haven’t heard back. I also haven’t heard back from the X press office.
And just to beat this into the ground: I also haven’t seen any public concern from the Trump allies who regularly complain that media and tech platforms are biased against conservatives, or that they’ve been too cozy with Democratic lawmakers. You’d think they’d be very upset about suggestions that a big platform used its ties to the president of the United States to coerce advertisers.
But there’s been nothing out of Jim Jordan, the Republican congressman who has spent years trying to root out supposed bias in Big Tech, and who now says he’s trying to root out supposed collusion between big advertisers to keep ad dollars away from X. (X is also making the same allegations in lawsuits it is filing against several would-be advertisers.) Nothing from Brendan Carr, Trump’s choice to run the Federal Communications Commission, who has said he wants to stamp out bias at big media companies and Big Tech companies. Nothing from Vice President JD Vance, who just lectured European leaders over the way they regulate social mediawhile complaining that Joe Biden’s administration “threatened and bullied social media companies.”
***
https://www.rawstory.com/x-advertising/
“Truly disturbing report in the WSJ,” pro-Trump author Batya Ungar-Sargon wrote on X. “Lawyers at Twitter are threatening advertisers to spend more money on X ‘or else’ X owner Elon Musk will leverage his close relationship with Trump to torpedo mergers. This goes beyond a conflict of interest. It’s straight-up extortion.”
“Vox politics reporter Andrew Prokop asked, “Is the Trump Admin committed to tough antitrust enforcement due to the policy merits of the idea? Or do they view it as a useful tool with which they can conduct shakedowns?”
“Kennesaw State University political science Professor Jeff DeWitt posted a quote from Benito Mussolini: “Fascism should be more appropriately be called Corporatism because it is a merger of state and corporate power.”
***
Any and all advertisers on X should be boycotted…and I’d totally do that if I were on X and knew who they were…but I encourage others to do so.
https://www.motherjones.com/politics/2025/02/elon-musk-is-trying-to-buy-the-wisconsin-supreme-court/
“Elon Musk Is Trying to Buy the Wisconsin Supreme Court”
“Elon Musk and Donald Trump want a MAGA Supreme Court to ensure that maps are rigged to lock in power for far-right legislators; to overturn elections when they don’t like the results; and to suppress voters that don’t kiss their ring,” saidWisconsin Democratic Chair Ben Wikler. “Musk’s attempt to buy Wisconsin’s Supreme Court is a red alert that his attack on democracy isn’t limited to gutting the federal government. He wants it all.”
Elon should take ALL of the ketamine tonight. All of it.
Wait, is 2028 going to be 2020 again? WaPo.
So when anyone suggests that this nightmare might be over in 3 years and 11 months, tell them not to get too comfortable with that idea.
NEW THREAD