Chrisella Herzog
@chrisella.bsky.social
Bluesky elder. Former journalist talking about politics, climate, and disinformation. #Sewist and #knitter
Reposted by Chrisella Herzog
Trump: The military is ready to launch a second attack if Venezuela doesn't start making money for U.S. oil companies fast enough www.washingtonpost.com/world/2026/0...
January 3, 2026 at 8:26 PM
Trump: The military is ready to launch a second attack if Venezuela doesn't start making money for U.S. oil companies fast enough www.washingtonpost.com/world/2026/0...
Reposted by Chrisella Herzog
Wrote a thing:
The carnage associated with fossil fuel is why speeding the transition to renewables is good for international stability as well as everything else. Fossil fuel is inseparable from violence, and dependence on it it has created a brutal world order....
The carnage associated with fossil fuel is why speeding the transition to renewables is good for international stability as well as everything else. Fossil fuel is inseparable from violence, and dependence on it it has created a brutal world order....
Five Facets of the Attack on Venezuela by the Rogue Nation the US Has Become
1
They are saying it baldly: this is an oil grab. There is a history of oil grabs going back to British imperialism in the middle east in the late nineteenth century and murders of Osage Nation triba...
www.meditationsinanemergency.com
January 3, 2026 at 8:28 PM
Wrote a thing:
The carnage associated with fossil fuel is why speeding the transition to renewables is good for international stability as well as everything else. Fossil fuel is inseparable from violence, and dependence on it it has created a brutal world order....
The carnage associated with fossil fuel is why speeding the transition to renewables is good for international stability as well as everything else. Fossil fuel is inseparable from violence, and dependence on it it has created a brutal world order....
Reposted by Chrisella Herzog
"Cognitively irresponsible" leaders do not want to explain themselves. They don't want to answer questions. They just want you to accept "because I said so" and have that be the end of the discussion. This is an autocrat. This is not a president.
Moulton: "When we had briefings on Venezuela, we asked, 'Are you going to invade the country?' We were told no. 'Do you plan to put troops on the ground?' We were told no. 'Do you intend regime change in VZ?' We were told no. So in a sense, we have been briefed, we've just been completely lied to"
January 3, 2026 at 8:31 PM
"Cognitively irresponsible" leaders do not want to explain themselves. They don't want to answer questions. They just want you to accept "because I said so" and have that be the end of the discussion. This is an autocrat. This is not a president.
Reposted by Chrisella Herzog
"The President in every possible instance shall consult with Congress before introducing United States Armed Forces into hostilities or into situations where imminent involvement in hostilities is clearly indicated by the circumstances." 50 USC 1542
News: Gang of Eight in Congress were only notified about Trump's Venezuela operation after it began, source familiar tells me. That means the heads of the Intelligence Committees in Senate and House were *not* consulted. Just crazy.
January 3, 2026 at 8:13 PM
"The President in every possible instance shall consult with Congress before introducing United States Armed Forces into hostilities or into situations where imminent involvement in hostilities is clearly indicated by the circumstances." 50 USC 1542
Reposted by Chrisella Herzog
The last of the communist regimes in Europe to fall was Albania (apart from the formal dissolution of the Soviet Union). Enver Hoxha had died in 1985 and though the party was mostly moribund at that point, they still had control over much of the press. Many didn’t know that the Berlin Wall fell.
January 3, 2026 at 4:26 PM
The last of the communist regimes in Europe to fall was Albania (apart from the formal dissolution of the Soviet Union). Enver Hoxha had died in 1985 and though the party was mostly moribund at that point, they still had control over much of the press. Many didn’t know that the Berlin Wall fell.
Reposted by Chrisella Herzog
There's a global solar energy revolution happening led by China and it should have been one of the biggest stories of 2025.
While the US is committing to a suicide pact with fossil fuels, the rest of the world is leapfrogging into cheap nearly limitless energy.
www.nytimes.com/2025/12/30/c...
While the US is committing to a suicide pact with fossil fuels, the rest of the world is leapfrogging into cheap nearly limitless energy.
www.nytimes.com/2025/12/30/c...
Cheap Solar Is Transforming Lives and Economies Across Africa
www.nytimes.com
January 2, 2026 at 5:54 PM
There's a global solar energy revolution happening led by China and it should have been one of the biggest stories of 2025.
While the US is committing to a suicide pact with fossil fuels, the rest of the world is leapfrogging into cheap nearly limitless energy.
www.nytimes.com/2025/12/30/c...
While the US is committing to a suicide pact with fossil fuels, the rest of the world is leapfrogging into cheap nearly limitless energy.
www.nytimes.com/2025/12/30/c...
Reposted by Chrisella Herzog
We are accelerating into the era of "Skynet has attained sentience and destroyed humanity but don't blame me, I just created it!"
And nobody in power seems to give a single solitary shit.
And nobody in power seems to give a single solitary shit.
Yes, Twitter and Musk themselves aren’t even attempting to apologize for “Grok creating CSAM” - but this too is an example of allowing a machine to take blame!
Who CREATED the machine that’s apologizing for its actions in a fashion that shifts blame to itself and not to its actual human creators?
Who CREATED the machine that’s apologizing for its actions in a fashion that shifts blame to itself and not to its actual human creators?
Ooh look, we’re seeing the “let’s attempt to deflect blame to the artificial construct that is The Demon Machine instead of the actual, breathing, fallible humans who made the Demon Machine” maneuver play out in real time!
January 2, 2026 at 6:17 PM
We are accelerating into the era of "Skynet has attained sentience and destroyed humanity but don't blame me, I just created it!"
And nobody in power seems to give a single solitary shit.
And nobody in power seems to give a single solitary shit.
Reposted by Chrisella Herzog
Heads up that this is authorization for Trump to create his own version of the Wagner Group. Which would bring the number of “armies” at his disposal to four:
*regular armed forces (most regulated)
*ICE (minimally regulated)
*private mercenaries (?)
*MAGA thugs/militias (rogue)
All pardonable
*regular armed forces (most regulated)
*ICE (minimally regulated)
*private mercenaries (?)
*MAGA thugs/militias (rogue)
All pardonable
S.3567
A bill to authorize the President of the United States to ...
SPONSOR: Sen. Mike Lee (R), UT
№ CO-SPONSORS: 0
STATUS: Introduced
LATEST ACTION: Senate - 2025-12-18 Read twice and referred to the Committee on ...
#Republicans
Details at congress.gov
A bill to authorize the President of the United States to ...
SPONSOR: Sen. Mike Lee (R), UT
№ CO-SPONSORS: 0
STATUS: Introduced
LATEST ACTION: Senate - 2025-12-18 Read twice and referred to the Committee on ...
#Republicans
Details at congress.gov
December 29, 2025 at 9:04 PM
Heads up that this is authorization for Trump to create his own version of the Wagner Group. Which would bring the number of “armies” at his disposal to four:
*regular armed forces (most regulated)
*ICE (minimally regulated)
*private mercenaries (?)
*MAGA thugs/militias (rogue)
All pardonable
*regular armed forces (most regulated)
*ICE (minimally regulated)
*private mercenaries (?)
*MAGA thugs/militias (rogue)
All pardonable
Reposted by Chrisella Herzog
Child exploitation content on X/Twitter sharply increased under Musk, who not only abruptly disbanded the group of volunteer experts advising the platform on child safety, image exploitation, and other abuses in 2022, but tried to blame them for the company's CSAM problem www.npr.org/2022/12/12/1...
January 2, 2026 at 1:57 AM
Child exploitation content on X/Twitter sharply increased under Musk, who not only abruptly disbanded the group of volunteer experts advising the platform on child safety, image exploitation, and other abuses in 2022, but tried to blame them for the company's CSAM problem www.npr.org/2022/12/12/1...
Reposted by Chrisella Herzog
New reporting says Don Jr. directly facilitated the pardon of a crypto whale who had promoted the Trump's family crypto. Jr. brought the pardon lawyer to the White House, and introduced him directly to his Dad. Pardon occurred right after. donmoynihan.substack.com/p/pardon-the...
December 27, 2025 at 6:14 PM
New reporting says Don Jr. directly facilitated the pardon of a crypto whale who had promoted the Trump's family crypto. Jr. brought the pardon lawyer to the White House, and introduced him directly to his Dad. Pardon occurred right after. donmoynihan.substack.com/p/pardon-the...
Reposted by Chrisella Herzog
“Trump just had the most lucrative year of his life. The president is now worth a record $7.3 billion, up from $4.3 billion in 2024, when he was still running for office. The $3 billion gain vaulted him 118 spots on The Forbes 400, where he lands at No. 201 this year.“
🚨 New: “Presidency Boosts Trump’s Net Worth By $3 Billion In A Year”
“Vaulted him 118 spots on The Forbes 400, where he lands at No. 201 this year.”
@danalexander21.bsky.social for @forbes.com
“Vaulted him 118 spots on The Forbes 400, where he lands at No. 201 this year.”
@danalexander21.bsky.social for @forbes.com
Trump Jumps 118 Spots On The Forbes 400 List Thanks To Presidency
Donald Trump lost money during his first term. Out of office, he found a formula for profiting off politics—now he’s piling up billions.
www.forbes.com
September 9, 2025 at 12:43 PM
“Trump just had the most lucrative year of his life. The president is now worth a record $7.3 billion, up from $4.3 billion in 2024, when he was still running for office. The $3 billion gain vaulted him 118 spots on The Forbes 400, where he lands at No. 201 this year.“
Reposted by Chrisella Herzog
“9 of the wallets, including some that hold Pepe-themed assets, held assets whose names are outright racist or anti-semitic. For example, one token is called “FUCK THE JEWS,” while another is simply the n-word. 4 others are variations on the word “swastika,” such as “Swasticoin” & “Swastika Coin.”
The Trump administration will do anything to rid this country of the slightest hint of anti-Semitism, unless anti-Semites have a million dollars available to bribe the president, of course.
50 Trump crypto dinner invitees hold tokens linked to alt-right symbols and racist language - CREW | Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington
Fifty of the $TRUMP memecoin dinner invitees hold crypto assets named for alt-right symbol Pepe the Frog as well as swastikas.
www.citizensforethics.org
May 23, 2025 at 3:05 AM
“9 of the wallets, including some that hold Pepe-themed assets, held assets whose names are outright racist or anti-semitic. For example, one token is called “FUCK THE JEWS,” while another is simply the n-word. 4 others are variations on the word “swastika,” such as “Swasticoin” & “Swastika Coin.”
Reposted by Chrisella Herzog
“World Liberty Financial has eviscerated the boundary between private enterprise and government policy in ways without precedent in modern American history.“
Millions of dollars “invested” in a basically worthless memecoin and the Trump family is simply raking it in.
Millions of dollars “invested” in a basically worthless memecoin and the Trump family is simply raking it in.
President Trump at once appoints the nation's top financial regulators & profits from one of the world's fastest growing crytpo companies. It's one of the most explicit financial conflicts of interest in presidential history. A NYT investigation published today digs into this nyti.ms/44KUVn8
Secret Deals, Foreign Investments, Presidential Policy Changes: The Rise of Trump’s Crypto Firm (Gift Article)
World Liberty Financial has eviscerated the boundary between private enterprise and government policy in ways without precedent in modern American history.
nyti.ms
April 29, 2025 at 11:03 PM
“World Liberty Financial has eviscerated the boundary between private enterprise and government policy in ways without precedent in modern American history.“
Millions of dollars “invested” in a basically worthless memecoin and the Trump family is simply raking it in.
Millions of dollars “invested” in a basically worthless memecoin and the Trump family is simply raking it in.
Reposted by Chrisella Herzog
As the year draws to a close, a crowd-sourced effort, as well as trackers from advocacy organizations and labor unions, show that the Trump administration has implemented roughly half of the goals laid out in Project 2025.
Tracking how much of Project 2025 the Trump administration achieved this year
As the year ends, The 19th takes a look at how the conservative policy wishlist for President Donald Trump’s second term affected women and LGBTQ+ Americans.
www.pbs.org
December 28, 2025 at 2:25 AM
As the year draws to a close, a crowd-sourced effort, as well as trackers from advocacy organizations and labor unions, show that the Trump administration has implemented roughly half of the goals laid out in Project 2025.
Reposted by Chrisella Herzog
I just taught my lecture course on mid-20th c US history, which starts with Harding and concludes with Nixon.
For the first time, I had to pause and stress that those scandals were actually shocking at the time and, what’s more, that Americans actually demanded people be held accountable.
For the first time, I had to pause and stress that those scandals were actually shocking at the time and, what’s more, that Americans actually demanded people be held accountable.
All of the money that changed hands in the Teapot Dome scandal totaled less than $10 million after adjusting for inflation, and it was considered so corrupt we still teach it in high school government classes a century later.
Corruption so pungent, it wafts right off the page:
Lobbyists who do pardon deals “say their going rate is $1 million. Pardon-seekers have offered some lobbyists close to the president success fees of as much as $6 million if they can close the deal.”
Gift link www.wsj.com/politics/pol...
Lobbyists who do pardon deals “say their going rate is $1 million. Pardon-seekers have offered some lobbyists close to the president success fees of as much as $6 million if they can close the deal.”
Gift link www.wsj.com/politics/pol...
December 27, 2025 at 9:30 PM
I just taught my lecture course on mid-20th c US history, which starts with Harding and concludes with Nixon.
For the first time, I had to pause and stress that those scandals were actually shocking at the time and, what’s more, that Americans actually demanded people be held accountable.
For the first time, I had to pause and stress that those scandals were actually shocking at the time and, what’s more, that Americans actually demanded people be held accountable.
Reposted by Chrisella Herzog
All of the money that changed hands in the Teapot Dome scandal totaled less than $10 million after adjusting for inflation, and it was considered so corrupt we still teach it in high school government classes a century later.
Corruption so pungent, it wafts right off the page:
Lobbyists who do pardon deals “say their going rate is $1 million. Pardon-seekers have offered some lobbyists close to the president success fees of as much as $6 million if they can close the deal.”
Gift link www.wsj.com/politics/pol...
Lobbyists who do pardon deals “say their going rate is $1 million. Pardon-seekers have offered some lobbyists close to the president success fees of as much as $6 million if they can close the deal.”
Gift link www.wsj.com/politics/pol...
Inside the New Fast Track to a Presidential Pardon
Even some of the president’s closest advisers have been surprised by a number of the recent series of pardons.
www.wsj.com
December 27, 2025 at 9:24 PM
All of the money that changed hands in the Teapot Dome scandal totaled less than $10 million after adjusting for inflation, and it was considered so corrupt we still teach it in high school government classes a century later.
Reposted by Chrisella Herzog
Now wait just a minute, I was reliably informed there were oodles of underemployed Americans lining up to take these blue collar jobs that pay $15+ an hour...
ICE raids appear to be 100% responsible for the current housing crunch in south Texas. Indeed, they have brought residential construction to an end.
South Texas homebuilders say ICE arrests have slowed work
More than 380 people attended an impromptu meeting that industry leaders in the Rio Grande Valley hosted to draw attention to the chilling effect ICE arrests have had on construction.
www.texastribune.org
December 28, 2025 at 4:20 AM
Now wait just a minute, I was reliably informed there were oodles of underemployed Americans lining up to take these blue collar jobs that pay $15+ an hour...
Reposted by Chrisella Herzog
If anyone has extra time on this holiday weekend, here's a talk where I take folks through this history (of rumor-spreading during crisis events) and connect it to how our information systems, politics, and (increasingly) values have been rewired, reconfigured, and turned on their heads.
A Spotlight on Rumors
YouTube video by UW (University of Washington)
www.youtube.com
December 27, 2025 at 1:36 AM
If anyone has extra time on this holiday weekend, here's a talk where I take folks through this history (of rumor-spreading during crisis events) and connect it to how our information systems, politics, and (increasingly) values have been rewired, reconfigured, and turned on their heads.
Reposted by Chrisella Herzog
The TLDR is that many of the people who gained influence by spreading political point-scoring bullshit during breaking news events are now embedded (often at the top) of many of our federal government agencies… so it’s not at all surprising to see “officials” sharing false speculation during crises.
December 27, 2025 at 4:46 AM
The TLDR is that many of the people who gained influence by spreading political point-scoring bullshit during breaking news events are now embedded (often at the top) of many of our federal government agencies… so it’s not at all surprising to see “officials” sharing false speculation during crises.
Reposted by Chrisella Herzog
Good article, but I think we could add that many of the current government officials & influencers spreading political point-scoring falsehoods during crisis events HAVE BECOME gov officials & influencers BECAUSE of their bullshit-spreading talents. System effects of rotten attention dynamics.
Government Officials Once Stopped False Accusations After Violence. Now, Some Join In.
www.nytimes.com
December 27, 2025 at 12:46 AM
Good article, but I think we could add that many of the current government officials & influencers spreading political point-scoring falsehoods during crisis events HAVE BECOME gov officials & influencers BECAUSE of their bullshit-spreading talents. System effects of rotten attention dynamics.
Reposted by Chrisella Herzog
This administration is animated by abuse
December 24, 2025 at 4:22 PM
This administration is animated by abuse
Reposted by Chrisella Herzog
The government has broad authority to control admission but courts have held *repeatedly*, over more than half a century, that the First Amendment bars the government from denying visas to foreign citizens simply because it dislikes what they have to say. 1/
www.nytimes.com/2025/12/24/b...
www.nytimes.com/2025/12/24/b...
They Seek to Curb Online Hate. The U.S. Accuses Them of Censorship.
www.nytimes.com
December 24, 2025 at 4:26 PM
The government has broad authority to control admission but courts have held *repeatedly*, over more than half a century, that the First Amendment bars the government from denying visas to foreign citizens simply because it dislikes what they have to say. 1/
www.nytimes.com/2025/12/24/b...
www.nytimes.com/2025/12/24/b...
My daffodils are coming up. My roses are probably going to bloom.
Salt Lake City is on track for its warmest December in more than 100 years, with highs in the 60s and little snow in sight. The unusual heat is causing plants and trees to bloom early.
SLC on pace for warmest December since tracking began in late 1800s
Salt Lake City is on track for its warmest December in more than 100 years, with highs in the 60s and little snow in sight. The unusual heat is causing plants and trees to bloom early.
www.sltrib.com
December 22, 2025 at 11:59 PM
My daffodils are coming up. My roses are probably going to bloom.
Reposted by Chrisella Herzog
Watching the spiked 60 Minutes episode on YouTube, thanks to @phillewis.bsky.social. It's not like the Trump admin didn't have its say. At about 4:15 mark, there is footage of Trump saying CECOT was "great facilities, very strong facilities"
www.youtube.com/watch?v=lenF...
www.youtube.com/watch?v=lenF...
WATCH: Segment CBS News Pulled From "60 Minutes"
YouTube video by Phil Lewis
www.youtube.com
December 22, 2025 at 10:53 PM
Watching the spiked 60 Minutes episode on YouTube, thanks to @phillewis.bsky.social. It's not like the Trump admin didn't have its say. At about 4:15 mark, there is footage of Trump saying CECOT was "great facilities, very strong facilities"
www.youtube.com/watch?v=lenF...
www.youtube.com/watch?v=lenF...
Reposted by Chrisella Herzog
“Earlier this year, the White House falsely claimed that millions of US taxpayers’ dollars were funding “sex changes” in Guatemala — a lie used to justify gutting USAID, which has provided aid worldwide for more than 60 years.”
www.latinousa.org/2025/12/12/s...
www.latinousa.org/2025/12/12/s...
How a White House Lie About “Sex Changes” in Guatemala Helped Decimate USAID - Latino USA
False U.S. claims about funding “sex changes” in Guatemala sparked controversy, hurt LGBTQ+ groups in that country, and undermined USAID’s global work.
www.latinousa.org
December 22, 2025 at 11:30 PM
“Earlier this year, the White House falsely claimed that millions of US taxpayers’ dollars were funding “sex changes” in Guatemala — a lie used to justify gutting USAID, which has provided aid worldwide for more than 60 years.”
www.latinousa.org/2025/12/12/s...
www.latinousa.org/2025/12/12/s...