Caffeine
@cffn.bsky.social
If a tree falls in a forest and no one is around to hear it, does it make a sound?
If the presidential approval rating drops through the floor and no one tracks it, is he still illegitimate?
If the presidential approval rating drops through the floor and no one tracks it, is he still illegitimate?
Gallup to stop tracking presidential approval ratings after 88 years
Public opinion polling agency says decision ‘solely based on Gallup’s research goals and priorities’
www.theguardian.com
February 13, 2026 at 4:04 AM
If a tree falls in a forest and no one is around to hear it, does it make a sound?
If the presidential approval rating drops through the floor and no one tracks it, is he still illegitimate?
If the presidential approval rating drops through the floor and no one tracks it, is he still illegitimate?
Wow, Trump really likes big, round numbers. Like being in (half of) the Epstein files a million times.
Trump is in the unredacted Epstein files "more than a million times," Raskin alleges
One document recounts that Trump said he "never" asked Epstein to leave Mar-a-Lago.
www.axios.com
February 11, 2026 at 7:50 PM
Wow, Trump really likes big, round numbers. Like being in (half of) the Epstein files a million times.
I think I can understand Pete Hegseth's kink. Dudes in dresses are hot!
Credit: 2krispii
Credit: 2krispii
February 10, 2026 at 7:25 PM
I think I can understand Pete Hegseth's kink. Dudes in dresses are hot!
Credit: 2krispii
Credit: 2krispii
Trump is out to kill the dollar. It's hard to imagine a different monetary order, The Fed not being the world's central bank.
And yet, the Arabs invented Algebra and were once the world's premier scientists. "Algorithm" is mispronounced "Al-Khwarizmi," the guy who developed computational math.
And yet, the Arabs invented Algebra and were once the world's premier scientists. "Algorithm" is mispronounced "Al-Khwarizmi," the guy who developed computational math.
February 7, 2026 at 6:47 PM
Trump is out to kill the dollar. It's hard to imagine a different monetary order, The Fed not being the world's central bank.
And yet, the Arabs invented Algebra and were once the world's premier scientists. "Algorithm" is mispronounced "Al-Khwarizmi," the guy who developed computational math.
And yet, the Arabs invented Algebra and were once the world's premier scientists. "Algorithm" is mispronounced "Al-Khwarizmi," the guy who developed computational math.
In the Vietnamese creation myth, a dragon prince met a bird princess on a land already inhabited by people. They got married and gave birth to a hundred eggs that hatched into a hundred sons. Eventually they parted, amicably, and the sons became leaders of the Vietnamese tribes. 1/
February 6, 2026 at 7:14 PM
In the Vietnamese creation myth, a dragon prince met a bird princess on a land already inhabited by people. They got married and gave birth to a hundred eggs that hatched into a hundred sons. Eventually they parted, amicably, and the sons became leaders of the Vietnamese tribes. 1/
In other words, I'm not sorry for what I did, I'm sorry it came out.
It makes me sick how many people were part of Epstein's circus, and how many more would have wanted to be. I'm sick that I probably interact with many who self-present as upstanding, not knowing how gross they really are.
It makes me sick how many people were part of Epstein's circus, and how many more would have wanted to be. I'm sick that I probably interact with many who self-present as upstanding, not knowing how gross they really are.
February 5, 2026 at 9:13 PM
In other words, I'm not sorry for what I did, I'm sorry it came out.
It makes me sick how many people were part of Epstein's circus, and how many more would have wanted to be. I'm sick that I probably interact with many who self-present as upstanding, not knowing how gross they really are.
It makes me sick how many people were part of Epstein's circus, and how many more would have wanted to be. I'm sick that I probably interact with many who self-present as upstanding, not knowing how gross they really are.
"Art of the Deal"
Russia says it is ‘no longer bound’ by nuclear arms limits as treaty with US ends
Russia on Wednesday said it was no longer bound by limits on the number of nuclear warheads under the bilateral New START treaty, which is set to end Thursday after the Trump administration failed to…
www.france24.com
February 4, 2026 at 10:01 PM
"Art of the Deal"
Tear gas is so bad, it's prohibited by the Geneva Convention. The US military is not allowed to deploy it against enemy combatants in actual warfare.
But somehow it's legal in the US. Congress and states need to legislate this now.
But somehow it's legal in the US. Congress and states need to legislate this now.
Just experienced the most intense tear gassing of my life by federal officers outside the ICE facility in Portland where marchers gathered. There was no fast exit as they indiscriminately threw loads of gas and flash bangs. Children were in the crowd screaming. @oregoncapitalchronicle.com
February 1, 2026 at 2:56 AM
Tear gas is so bad, it's prohibited by the Geneva Convention. The US military is not allowed to deploy it against enemy combatants in actual warfare.
But somehow it's legal in the US. Congress and states need to legislate this now.
But somehow it's legal in the US. Congress and states need to legislate this now.
Reposted by Caffeine
I wrote yesterday about Kevin Warsh, saying what everyone who really follows monetary debates knows: he's a bullshitter who uses big words to make incoherent arguments that always amount to stimulus for Republicans, austerity for Dems 1/
paulkrugman.substack.com/p/a-bad-heir...
paulkrugman.substack.com/p/a-bad-heir...
A Bad Heir Day at the Fed
No, Kevin Warsh isn’t qualified
paulkrugman.substack.com
January 31, 2026 at 2:39 PM
I wrote yesterday about Kevin Warsh, saying what everyone who really follows monetary debates knows: he's a bullshitter who uses big words to make incoherent arguments that always amount to stimulus for Republicans, austerity for Dems 1/
paulkrugman.substack.com/p/a-bad-heir...
paulkrugman.substack.com/p/a-bad-heir...
So, impeach, yes?
The new Epstein files production features numerous allegations made against Donald Trump and others.
January 31, 2026 at 12:02 AM
So, impeach, yes?
It used to be that journalists would have to travel all the way to Iraq to get kidnapped and sentenced for their profession. And government were the people who deployed hostage negotiators to get them back.
the arrest of journalists in minneapolis, including don lemon, is more evidence that the only move the administration knows how to make is to use force, and does not know how to respond when that force is met with defiance and indifference.
January 30, 2026 at 7:03 PM
It used to be that journalists would have to travel all the way to Iraq to get kidnapped and sentenced for their profession. And government were the people who deployed hostage negotiators to get them back.
Trump loots $10b directly from US taxpayers in his first year. That's equivalent to drawing a salary of $40 million every single work day, whether he works or golfs.
Trump sues IRS for $10B over leaked tax returns
Trump sues IRS for $10B over leaked tax returns
The leaks showed Trump paid no income taxes for 10 out of 15 years before his first election.
dlvr.it
January 30, 2026 at 11:01 AM
Trump loots $10b directly from US taxpayers in his first year. That's equivalent to drawing a salary of $40 million every single work day, whether he works or golfs.
Trump is a giant child pressing all the buttons on the economy like a toy box to see what will win him the next election.
Raise tariff to cut income tax, but inflation goes up, oops. Replace Fed Chair to bring down interest, but dollar tanks, oops. Go to war for popularity, markets go down, oops.
Raise tariff to cut income tax, but inflation goes up, oops. Replace Fed Chair to bring down interest, but dollar tanks, oops. Go to war for popularity, markets go down, oops.
January 29, 2026 at 4:29 PM
Trump is a giant child pressing all the buttons on the economy like a toy box to see what will win him the next election.
Raise tariff to cut income tax, but inflation goes up, oops. Replace Fed Chair to bring down interest, but dollar tanks, oops. Go to war for popularity, markets go down, oops.
Raise tariff to cut income tax, but inflation goes up, oops. Replace Fed Chair to bring down interest, but dollar tanks, oops. Go to war for popularity, markets go down, oops.
I miss the good old days when Customs and Border Protection were the guys fining you $50 for bringing meat snacks into the country.
January 28, 2026 at 12:04 AM
I miss the good old days when Customs and Border Protection were the guys fining you $50 for bringing meat snacks into the country.
It is insane that three weeks after the murder of Renee Nicole Good, we haven't heard anything yet about an investigation, by *anyone*, into her murder.
Why the fuck aren't Kristi Noem and Kash Patel hauled in front of multiple Congressional committees to testify under oath?
Why the fuck aren't Kristi Noem and Kash Patel hauled in front of multiple Congressional committees to testify under oath?
January 27, 2026 at 6:25 PM
It is insane that three weeks after the murder of Renee Nicole Good, we haven't heard anything yet about an investigation, by *anyone*, into her murder.
Why the fuck aren't Kristi Noem and Kash Patel hauled in front of multiple Congressional committees to testify under oath?
Why the fuck aren't Kristi Noem and Kash Patel hauled in front of multiple Congressional committees to testify under oath?
ICE tackled Alex Pretti and broke his rib (for peaceful patrolling) a week before murdering him. He was known to ICE by name.
ICE is building a database of peaceful protestors and labeling them as terrorists.
Everyone in the ICE command chain, all the way to the top, must be held accountable.
ICE is building a database of peaceful protestors and labeling them as terrorists.
Everyone in the ICE command chain, all the way to the top, must be held accountable.
Alex Pretti was in earlier confrontation with federal agents who tackled him, broke his rib, sources say | CNN
Federal immigration officials have been collecting information on protesters and agitators, sources told CNN.
edition.cnn.com
January 27, 2026 at 6:14 PM
ICE tackled Alex Pretti and broke his rib (for peaceful patrolling) a week before murdering him. He was known to ICE by name.
ICE is building a database of peaceful protestors and labeling them as terrorists.
Everyone in the ICE command chain, all the way to the top, must be held accountable.
ICE is building a database of peaceful protestors and labeling them as terrorists.
Everyone in the ICE command chain, all the way to the top, must be held accountable.
What is ICE doing at the Winter Olympics in Milan? Preventing American athletes from defecting?
US to send ICE agents to Winter Olympics, prompting Italian anger
The US federal agency says it will not play an immigration role at February's event in Milan-Cortina.
www.bbc.co.uk
January 27, 2026 at 2:41 PM
What is ICE doing at the Winter Olympics in Milan? Preventing American athletes from defecting?
This. "Free speech" is for speaking truth to power. Not for spreading hate and fascist propaganda. Shut X down. Don't buy a Tesla. Cancel contracts with SpaceX.
He's not a Nazi. He's *the* Nazi. Backed by the valuation of his companies, which you're contributing to if you use his products.
He's not a Nazi. He's *the* Nazi. Backed by the valuation of his companies, which you're contributing to if you use his products.
January 26, 2026 at 11:44 AM
This. "Free speech" is for speaking truth to power. Not for spreading hate and fascist propaganda. Shut X down. Don't buy a Tesla. Cancel contracts with SpaceX.
He's not a Nazi. He's *the* Nazi. Backed by the valuation of his companies, which you're contributing to if you use his products.
He's not a Nazi. He's *the* Nazi. Backed by the valuation of his companies, which you're contributing to if you use his products.
Any elected politician, Democrat or Republican, not putting out a statement, is not qualified for office. This is the minimum, basic, sane position.
Remember when people were getting fired because they weren't mourning *Charlie Kirk* enough?
Remember when people were getting fired because they weren't mourning *Charlie Kirk* enough?
Statement today from the Republican Governor of Vermont, Phil Scott:
January 25, 2026 at 10:56 PM
Any elected politician, Democrat or Republican, not putting out a statement, is not qualified for office. This is the minimum, basic, sane position.
Remember when people were getting fired because they weren't mourning *Charlie Kirk* enough?
Remember when people were getting fired because they weren't mourning *Charlie Kirk* enough?
TIL that the mafia puts extortion in writing, on company letterhead.
Blah blah we'll execute your residents until your governor surrenders citizens' right to vote blah blah.
Blah blah we'll execute your residents until your governor surrenders citizens' right to vote blah blah.
January 25, 2026 at 2:24 PM
TIL that the mafia puts extortion in writing, on company letterhead.
Blah blah we'll execute your residents until your governor surrenders citizens' right to vote blah blah.
Blah blah we'll execute your residents until your governor surrenders citizens' right to vote blah blah.
ICE runs recruitment campaigns to attract the worst of the worst. They hate the things that make good people good people. It's why they are killing the best of us. Be extremely careful out there.
How ICE is using far-right subculture to recruit
YouTube video by CBC News: The National
www.youtube.com
January 25, 2026 at 6:22 AM
ICE runs recruitment campaigns to attract the worst of the worst. They hate the things that make good people good people. It's why they are killing the best of us. Be extremely careful out there.
Renee Good was murdered by an agent who's been working for ICE for 10 years. Alex Pretti by an agent who's been working for Border Patrol for 8 years.
ICE / Border Patrol have been awful to immigrants this whole time. We're just now finding out because Trump turns them onto American citizens.
ICE / Border Patrol have been awful to immigrants this whole time. We're just now finding out because Trump turns them onto American citizens.
January 25, 2026 at 5:35 AM
Renee Good was murdered by an agent who's been working for ICE for 10 years. Alex Pretti by an agent who's been working for Border Patrol for 8 years.
ICE / Border Patrol have been awful to immigrants this whole time. We're just now finding out because Trump turns them onto American citizens.
ICE / Border Patrol have been awful to immigrants this whole time. We're just now finding out because Trump turns them onto American citizens.
Reposted by Caffeine
The safest thing for any American civilian to do at this point is to assume that every ICE or CBP agent you encounter is a pardoned violent January 6 insurrectionist with demonstrated homicidal urges toward those they disagree with politically and choose your actions accordingly.
January 25, 2026 at 3:27 AM
The safest thing for any American civilian to do at this point is to assume that every ICE or CBP agent you encounter is a pardoned violent January 6 insurrectionist with demonstrated homicidal urges toward those they disagree with politically and choose your actions accordingly.