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Bill Grueskin @bgrueskin.bsky.social · 6h

In the wake of the Hegseth/Pentagon press ban, I'm reminded of this section from Sebastian Junger's National Review essay, 2024.

www.nationalreview.com/magazine/202...

And then we invaded Iraq. Although I was drawn to the sheer magnitude and drama of the war, I didn’t cover it because I was personally so against our decision to invade that I didn’t think I could be objective. I still had high hopes for Afghanistan, but my optimism didn’t survive long. I spent a year embedded with a platoon from the 173rd Airborne in the infamous Korengal Valley, and our outpost was attacked almost daily. After one particularly fierce firefight, a special operator shook his head and said, “We’re never going to win this war until we admit we’re losing it.”

What he said shocked me: It was 2007, and questioning the war was still considered unpatriotic heresy. If you didn’t believe America was right and honorable in all things and would win any war it fought, you were basically siding with the terrorists. And yet here was a highly experienced soldier questioning exactly that. And that is the proper role of the press: to provide the kind of honest and brutal assessment that generals, politicians, contractors, and second lieutenants can’t because they’ll lose their jobs. The simple truth is that if you’re against the working press, you’re against protecting American soldiers from faulty weapons and bad decisions. No military or government will publicly examine itself for failures. Only the press — and internal whistleblowers — can do that.

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Unmikely @unmikely.bsky.social · 21h

Yep! Pretty bad times when even Trump knows he’s a freak. newrepublic.com/post/196955/...

Trump Doesn’t Like Stephen Miller Any More Than the Rest of Us

Donald Trump’s nickname for Stephen Miller reveals exactly what he thinks of his deputy chief of staff.

newrepublic.com

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Aaron Reichlin-Melnick @reichlinmelnick.bsky.social · 22h

This exchange lends a ton of support to this New York Times story from January that the White House previously denied. Trump reportedly joked in 2024 that Stephen Miller wants to purge the country of anyone who doesn't look like him — and Trump fully supports what he is doing.

“He has the president’s complete trust,” said Mr. McCarthy. “Trump’s complained about everyone. Never him.”
Mr. Trump may not complain about Mr. Miller, but he does occasionally poke at his obsession with immigrants — a hostility that goes far beyond Mr. Trump’s. In one meeting during the 2024 campaign, Mr. Trump said that if it was up to Mr. Miller there would be only 100 million people in this country, and they would all look like Mr. Miller, according to a person with knowledge of the comment. Karoline Leavitt, Mr. Trump’s spokeswoman, denied the account.

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Unmikely @unmikely.bsky.social · 23h

I love how Trump occasionally implies with trademark zero subtlety that Miller (who he calls “Weird Stephen”) is a Nazi and these assholes just laugh. “Ha ha, it’s funny because that crazy bastard would disappear, maybe even exterminate, half the country were it up to him, ha ha, so hilarious!”

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Unmikely @unmikely.bsky.social · 1d

I grew up in a military family and could be biased/naive, but I agree. I live in Chicago. What’s happening here is terrifying. Yes, politicization of the military is wildly dangerous. But the paramilitaries are already here. They know they’re being filmed abusing people, and they don’t care.

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Wesley Morgan @wesleymorgan.bsky.social · 1d

Chicago, LA, etc. have already become something that to me is more worrying than Trump’s “training ground for the military”: training grounds for a rapidly expanding parallel domestic paramilitary force—CBP—that lacks the military’s guardrails and is eager to do what the military is reluctant to.

Kori Schake @kschake.bsky.social · 2d

"The United States cannot remain a federalist system when soldiers from one state are sent to police another state against the explicit wishes of its elected leaders and when the justification for it is a lie.” @amandacarpenter.bsky.social

The ‘Chipocalypse’ is now

A training ground for the military?

www.ifyoucankeepit.org

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Unmikely @unmikely.bsky.social · 1d

So … given that the Trump admin and its surrogates can’t stop talking about No Kings, does that mean our esteemed friends in national mainstream media may give the massive crowds actual above-the-fold coverage this time?

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Unmikely @unmikely.bsky.social · 1d

In the 90s when the Rhino reissues came out I slowly replaced all my Elvis albums and gave the old ones to my sister. The Rhino “Get Happy” was the first time I heard Hoover Factory and the fantastic, angrier version of Riot Act. m.youtube.com/watch?v=UtUs...

Riot Act (demo)

YouTube video by Elvis Costello Rhino Bonus Discs

m.youtube.com

Unmikely @unmikely.bsky.social · 1d

A coworker of mine is in her 60s, lives in Chicago’s somewhat conservative SW burbs, voted for Dubya, loved John McCain. But she voted for Biden and Kamala. After the election she set up a HELOC bc she fears what’s in store for women. She’ll be there on 10/18, her first protest. Millions like her.

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Unmikely @unmikely.bsky.social · 1d

Ben Carson’s next!

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Heather Cherone @heathercherone.bsky.social · 1d

In the past 11 days, Department of Homeland Security Agents have used tear gas against the people of Chicago 4 times:
in Logan Square (Oct. 3); Brighton Park (Oct. 4); Albany Park (Oct. 11) and East Side (Oct. 14).
In all, 40 CPD officers have been exposed to the gas. @wttw.bsky.social

Federal Agents Deploy Tear Gas Against Crowd on Chicago’s Southeast Side

Federal immigration agents deployed tear gas on Chicago’s Southeast Side on Tuesday morning after a crowd gathered at the scene of a car crash involving those agents.

news.wttw.com

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Unmikely @unmikely.bsky.social · 2d

It’s the tech equivalent of corn syrup.

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Unmikely @unmikely.bsky.social · 2d

Bezos’ ideology is money. The ends justify the means. Maybe when he bought WaPo he wanted it to succeed, but he’ll ruin it to stay in favor with whoever’s in power. We must stop revering exploiters (billionaires), boycott their businesses, break up their monopolies, tax the shit out of their wealth.

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Celeste Labedz @celestelabedz.bsky.social · 2d

A lot of comments on Mars rovers or Moon landings, but it's important to remember that the planet NASA studies most is Earth. This is less about cutting flashy things like moonwalks and more about keeping communities in the dark on climate, weather, agriculture, pollution, natural hazards, and more.

Reuters @reuters.com · 2d

NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory to lay off about 550 workers reut.rs/4302N2L

NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory to lay off about 550 workers

NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory said on Monday it will cut nearly 550 jobs as part of a restructuring, not related to the current U.S. government shutdown.

reut.rs

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Unmikely @unmikely.bsky.social · 2d

I lived off the Brown Line 1998-2004. Then Red (2004-2020) and Blue (2020-present). My trains keep getting worse! Riding the Brown now to an appointment and it’s luxurious and beautiful. Hello Payton HS, hello Church Curve. Like hanging out with an old friend who’s changed some, but not too much.

Unmikely @unmikely.bsky.social · 3d

Never seen/noticed so many marathoners on the Monday after a Chicago marathon. Clark/Lake Blue Line was packed this a.m. with Ohare-bound travelers. Downtown, River Walk crowded with people wearing medals. Boat tours full. Wonder what these visitors think of the “Chicago’s a hellscape” narrative.

Taco Rio Riverwalk sign that says: “Got the bling? Save cha-ching! 50% off
MARATHON FINISHERS”

Unmikely @unmikely.bsky.social · 3d

My father served 30+ years as a USN submariner, retired a 3-star. He’s been to three protests, will be going on 10/18. A former bigwig, he knows his (red welfare state) senators and has written and called them to tell them they’re failing the American people. Fuck you Duffy, you lying piece of shit.

Protest sign that says:
“POLITICIZING OUR MILITARY IS DANGEROUS AND UNAMERICAN
John
33 YEAR NAVY VET”

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Unmikely @unmikely.bsky.social · 3d

It’s monstrous. My wife teaches at a CPS HS in West Town and the teachers there are volunteering to walk students to/from bus stops and the train. She teaches Spanish and half the kids in her Heritage/Speakers class are staying home out of fear.

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Unmikely @unmikely.bsky.social · 4d

I lived in Edgewater for 15 years. It’s so infuriating seeing these fascist pieces of shit terrorizing people in my beautiful old neighborhood. I live in Irving Park now. Yesterday we were at Independence Park enjoying the day with a bunch of other people while helicopters were buzzing all around.

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Unmikely @unmikely.bsky.social · 5d

“Exceptional” or “actively dying and only held together by Aricept, speed and spite,” who’s to say really?

Our virile president, playing the sports.

Bruising shows our supremely healthy boy shook a lot of hands that day.

Unmikely @unmikely.bsky.social · 6d

Whoops, Dementia Grandpa threw a China tantrum.

Unmikely @unmikely.bsky.social · 6d

These weak, anti-American liars have their latest coordinated talking point down. Meanwhile in reality, they’re holding — gasp! — this family-friendly event before the Oct. 18 March in Chicago. It’ll be the biggest yet, and they’re scared.

About this event
Before the big rally downtown, let's come together as a community to show that democracy lives right here - on our sidewalks, in our hearts, and in the voices of our kids.
Join us for Chalk The Walk, a Family-Friendly pre-No Kings Rally where we'll raise our voices with art, love, and unity. This peaceful event is our way of saying: we believe in a democracy that serves everyone.
Bring the little ones! We'll have:
- Sign-making stations & Chalk art and templates O Community-building activities for all ages
A mini-march for the whole family!

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The Daily Show @thedailyshow.com · 6d

The following is REAL footage from Portland, 2025. Viewer discretion is advised.

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Unmikely @unmikely.bsky.social · 6d

And wrote a fact-averse book defending torture. Super-principled guy. His book was published by Regnery Publishing, purveyor of prose by esteemed thinkers Ann Coulter, Ted Cruz, Newt Gingrich, Josh Hawley, Sarah Palin, Mike Pence, et al.
www.newyorker.com/magazine/201...

Counterfactual

A curious history of the C.I.A.’s secret interrogation program.

www.newyorker.com

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Unmikely @unmikely.bsky.social · 6d

Thank you.