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agastache.bsky.social
@agastache.bsky.social
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agastache.bsky.social
agastache.bsky.social @agastache.bsky.social · Apr 18
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jennamclaughlin.bsky.social Jenna McLaughlin @jennamclaughlin.bsky.social · Apr 18
My story breaking this news exclusively was 7K+ words and had almost all of this in it, and more:
www.npr.org/2025/04/15/n...
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davidsullivan.bsky.social
I'm not used to seeing my byline in a tabloid, but nonetheless glad to see the Boston Herald publish our op-ed on State's stupid and counterproductive visa policy for trust and safety workers.

lnkd.in/g5_U7QvR
clip of Boston Herald op-ed by Charlotte Willner and David Sullivan, "Visa misstep will help predators, scammers" available at https://www.bostonherald.com/2025/12/19/willner-and-sullivan-visa-misstep-will-help-predators-scammers/
December 22, 2025 at 5:09 PM
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katestarbird.bsky.social
Researchers find that influencers influence. New experimental evidence for old theories around opinion leaders, parasocial relationships, and persuasion, with implications for political messaging in our digitally connected era.

www.wired.com/story/the-mo...
The Most Powerful Politics Influencers Barely Post About Politics
New research shows that social media creators have enormous influence over their audiences' politics—especially those who don't normally share political content.
www.wired.com
December 18, 2025 at 3:51 PM
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reetamac.bsky.social
This thread!
dieworkwear.bsky.social derek guy @dieworkwear.bsky.social · 6d
A story I found about Haiti:

In 1999, a group of Haitians were tired of political disorder and dreamed of a better life in the United States. So they built a small, 23-foot boat by hand using pine trees, scrap wood, and used nails. They called the boat "Believe in God."
Some photos of Haitians running in the streets. There's smoke in the background. It looks like political disorder. A Haitian man stands next to a wall with some barbed wire behind him. The original Magnum caption said the man felt Haiti was a prison and he dreamed of making it to the United States. He wanted to be a rapper. Some men take a break from building a boat. A boat sets sail far off into the distance.
December 18, 2025 at 3:00 AM
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dieworkwear.bsky.social
The photos of those Haitian refugees was his first big break, as they earned him the Robert Capa Gold Medal award, which catapulted his career. But at the moment he took the images, he and the other men on the boat thought they were going to die.

He had this to say about the experience:
Excerpt from Magnum. The text is by Anderson: "“A couple of days into our journey, the boat began to sink. We were doomed and we knew it. We started saying goodbye to one another. Strangely, it was quite calm on the boat. There was not much to do except resign oneself to the inevitability of it all. Up to that point, I had not taken many pictures. Everyone on the boat knew I was a photographer, but it somehow had not felt right. It’s difficult to explain. But as the boat sank, David, the Haitian whom I had followed on this journey, said to me, ‘Chris, you’d better start making pictures. We only have an hour to live.’ And so, without much thought, I began making pictures. We were saved at the last moment by a US coast guard cutter that happened upon us, but that’s another story. Much later on, back home safe, I reflected on this question: why make pictures that no one will ever see? The only explanation for me was that the act of photographing had more to do with the explaining of the world to myself than explaining something to someone else. The pictures were about communicating something about my experience, not about reporting literal information. This would be the single most transformative moment of my photographic life.”"
December 18, 2025 at 2:43 AM
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boltsmag.org
Arkansas Governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders campaigned in 2022 on putting more people behind bars. After taking office, she spearheaded a bill limiting parole and bail. Her announcement of a new state prison has sparked fierce opposition in one rural county.
The Prison Next Door
How Arkansas’ secretive plan for a new state lockup angered people in a deep red corner of rural America—and changed how some see incarceration.
boltsmag.org
December 16, 2025 at 1:16 AM
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katestarbird.bsky.social
Since 2020, our team has iterated on a model for “rapid research” to help surface, analyze, & resolve rumors about election administration. This work demonstrates an innovative role for researchers to support public sensemaking during rapidly unfolding events.

uw.pressbooks.pub/rapidresearc...
Being Sensemakers: A Framework for University-Based Rapid Research of Elections, Crisis Events, and Beyond – Simple Book Publishing
A framework for university-based rapid research of elections, crisis events, and beyond
uw.pressbooks.pub
December 16, 2025 at 12:56 AM
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klasfeldreports.com
Good morning from Milwaukee.

The trial of Judge Hannah Dugan is scheduled to kick off today at 9 a.m. Central Time. Look out for coverage throughout the week on All Rise News. www.allrisenews.com/p/hannah-dug...
Rising This Week: The trial of Judge Dugan
Donald Trump's attacks on the judiciary head for a reckoning this week — in more ways than one.
www.allrisenews.com
December 15, 2025 at 2:15 PM
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davidjbier.bsky.social
On Dec. 4, DOJ labeled people who impede or "dox" ICE agents "domestic terrorists." I document how DHS believes following, recording, and protesting agents is "impeding," and has a policy of threatening & arresting ICE observers. That's unconstitutional. www.cato.org/blog/dhs-pol...
December 15, 2025 at 8:09 PM
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vermontgmg.bsky.social
From 2005 to 2012, one CBP officer or agent was arrested for corruption, crimes, or misconduct EVERY SINGLE DAY. By 2019, it had slowed to just one every 35 hours. Still a huge problem:
tusk81.bsky.social Gabe Ortíz @tusk81.bsky.social · 14d
“A U.S. Customs and Border Protection agent allegedly used his gun and badge to force his way into hotel rooms and rob and sexually assault at least four prostitutes in Chicago’s suburbs in 2022, according to federal charges made public Tuesday.”
chicagotribune.com Chicago Tribune @chicagotribune.com · 14d
Border Patrol agent charged with robbing, raping women in Chicago suburbs in 2022
December 10, 2025 at 11:14 PM
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crampell.bsky.social
According to a new court filing, the Trump administration has a six-page list of banned words that Head Start locations are forbidden from using when describing their programs.
Among the censored words: "disability," "race," "women," "trauma," "Gulf of Mexico." Short thread with the full list. 🧵
December 10, 2025 at 11:51 PM
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newsguy.bsky.social
Washington Gov. Bob Ferguson declares a statewide emergency in response to flooding occurring throughout the Pacific Northwest. www.king5.com/article/weather...
Statewide emergency declared in Washington as major flooding occurs
Gov. Ferguson is asking the federal government to approve an expedited emergency declaration for the 'extremely serious' situation.
www.king5.com
December 10, 2025 at 11:39 PM
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telliotter.bsky.social
New from me for the @wired.com Politics Newsletter. I broke down how the push to combine data across the government in the name of immigration enforcement has lots of possible unintended consequences, not just for undocumented immigrants, but for everyone.

www.wired.com/story/dhs-da...
The DHS Data Grab Is Putting US Citizens at Risk
As the US government rapidly merges data from across agencies in service of draconian immigration policies, citizens increasingly risk being caught up as well.
www.wired.com
December 10, 2025 at 4:59 PM
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emptywheel.bsky.social
I rediscovered this post I wrote in May, about how Trump has shifted the money the US used to spend on curing cancer into snatching your neighbors.

I think I'll keep harping on this point.

www.emptywheel.net/2025/05/09/s...
Stephen Miller's War on Cancer Cures - emptywheel
Stephen Miller is cutting your access to health care and cancer cures to pay to deport your nurse assistant and cancer researchers (and, given the unnecessary bump in DOD spending, to invade Canada to...
www.emptywheel.net
December 9, 2025 at 4:00 PM
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emptywheel.bsky.social
Peter Singer compares how much DOD is spending versus how much the imagined drug cartels are spending.

www.defenseone.com/ideas/2025/1...
The Pentagon has released few details about the 23 vessels it has blown up, but one was reported to be a civilian-type 39-foot Flipper-type motorboat with four 200-horsepower engines. A new one retails on Boats.com for $400,000, but the old, open-top motorboats in the videos must cost far less. The crew of the boats have been reported as making $500 per trip. On the other side of the conflict is certainly the most expansive–and thus most expensive–military deployments in history for a counter-narcotics mission. The first task force of warships deployed to the operation, which included an Amphibious assault ship and even a nuclear powered attack submarine, cost $19.8 billion to buy. They were later joined by the aircraft carrier Gerald R. Ford, which cost $12.9 billion to buy after $4.7 billion for research and development. Its three escorts pushed the purchase price of the Southern Spear fleet past $40 billion. This fleet is backed by at least 83 land-based aircraft that have been documented in the deployment so far, collectively worth at least $1.8 billion: ten F-35Bs ($109 million apiece), seven Reaper drones ($33 million each), three P-8 Poseidons ($145 million each), and least one AC-130J gunship ($165 million).
December 7, 2025 at 4:56 PM
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vermontgmg.bsky.social
In case you’re wondering why Pete Hegseth is freaking out about a congressional video reminding the military not to participate in illegal orders:
brandonfriedman.bsky.social Brandon Friedman @brandonfriedman.bsky.social · 25d
To put a finer point on this whole thing: "Two people with direct knowledge of the operation" — presumably uniformed military leaders — are accusing the U.S. Secretary of Defense of personally ordering specific war crimes. That's a historic accusation.
rgoodlaw.bsky.social Ryan Goodman @rgoodlaw.bsky.social · 25d
Textbook war crime/extrajudicial killing

"Two survivors were clinging to the smoldering wreck. The Special Operations commander overseeing the Sept. 2 attack ... ordered a second strike to comply with Hegseth’s instructions."

Report by @alexhorton.bsky.social @ellenwapo.bsky.social o.bsky.social
November 29, 2025 at 12:14 AM
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jessicacalarco.com
I can't decide whether this is doubling or tripling down on racism.
atrupar.com Aaron Rupar @atrupar.com · 26d
TRUMP: If you look at Somalia, they are taking over Minnesota.

REPORTER: What do the Somalians have to do with this Afghan guy who shot the National Guard members?

TRUMP: Ah, nothing. But Somalians have caused a lot of trouble. They're ripping us off.
November 28, 2025 at 1:21 AM
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joshtpm.bsky.social
‘Northern Exposure’ actor gave ICE agents in Redmond her tribal ID. They called it ‘fake,’ she says www.seattletimes.com/seattle-news... via @seattletimes
‘Northern Exposure’ actor gave ICE agents in Redmond her tribal ID. They called it ‘fake,’ she says
Indigenous actor Elaine Miles of "Northern Exposure" was detained by ICE at a Redmond bus stop. When she showed them her Tribal ID, they told her it was fake.
www.seattletimes.com
November 27, 2025 at 6:20 PM
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joshtpm.bsky.social
No one shld lose sight of the fact that the Guard was only in DC as part of an extended political messaging stunt. The shooter is guilty for the attacks/carnage. Donald Trump is responsible for them. This is the collateral damage of Trump abusing his powers as President.
atrupar.com Aaron Rupar @atrupar.com · 26d
Pirro: "These Guardsmen and all who are here to protect the District are the line that separates a civilized society from a barbaric one."
November 27, 2025 at 4:19 PM
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emptywheel.bsky.social
And Mike Johnson's sob story should be read in tandem w/@tressiemcphd.bsky.social's piece on how the right wing treats its talented women.

www.nytimes.com/2025/11/26/o...
Some of the most visible Trump groupies are members of government: Lauren Boebert, Nancy Mace, Elise Stefanik, Kristi Noem and, of course, Marjorie Taylor Greene. These women brought a certain amount of chutzpah to Trump’s brand, adding their feminine touch to his masculine politics of disruption, grift and sexism so that it looked less like scamminess and more like populism. In exchange, they rode Trump’s ideological coattails to power. This kind of professional coverture — where women rely on powerful men for their own professional status — can be heady. It’s not hard to imagine the onetime “South Dakota Snow Queen” Noem struggling with professional respect or the G.E.D. holder Boebert having few career options. And for many of them, betting on Trump did pay off. They did not just win elections and gain political appointments. They also became stars. But history can tell you what happens when a king graces a woman with new powers: When the king tires of her, her reign is over. Editors’ Picks On a Volcanic Caribbean Isle, 37 Beaches and Endless Views Wines, Spirits and More to Bring to Any Holiday Gathering What Is Agentic A.I., and Would You Trust It to Book a Flight? Viewing Greene’s newfound political trajectory as bravery assumes that she had something to risk in standing up to Trump. But it is just as likely that, like millions of women before her, Greene’s status with the king had already been degraded. Trump once described Greene’s frequent phone calls with great affection. This month he described them as a nuisance and her as a lunatic. It’s a classic breakup drama.
November 27, 2025 at 2:30 PM
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greggjlevine.bsky.social
I repeat, RFK Jr doesn’t have to say “I’m banning vaccines” to effectively ban vaccines. Exhibit umpteen hundred and sixteen (this happened the same day they appointed the anti-vaxxing snake-oil salesman above as deputy CDC head):
luckytran.com Dr. Lucky Tran @luckytran.com · 28d
The CDC has turned off its vaccine search tool.

The vaccines.gov site now gives an error when you enter a valid zip code.

They also removed text saying “Vaccines can help you stay healthy” and added a banner saying the site is being updated.
Vaccines.gov CDC The functionality of this website may be impacted while it is being updated. Find a pharmacy near you. Enter 5-digit ZIP code 10001 Search Please enter a valid 5-digit ZIP Code
November 26, 2025 at 9:39 AM
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andreapitzer.bsky.social
I wrote about "Quiet, Piggy," natalist movements, the denigration of women in authoritarian societies, the ways that women were treated not so long ago in the workplace (including me), and how you can push back against all that.
Quiet, Piggy
Trump's relentless campaign against women has shifted U.S. culture.
degenerateart.beehiiv.com
November 25, 2025 at 7:51 PM
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skiles.blue
Partisan messages like this violate the Hatch Act and, as nonpartisan civil servants sworn to uphold the law, we would never do this.

But conspiracy-brained people don't know we truly uphold the law, and in this case probably don't even know the law at all.
November 26, 2025 at 2:49 AM
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skiles.blue
They thought we, being radical leftists apparently, would put a "DOGE sucks" type of message onto government websites or into government communication systems

My evidence for that: the right did exactly this to government websites. So they were projecting what they planned to do onto us.
A banneer on the hud.gov website: The Radical Left are going to shut down the government and inflict massive pain on the American people unless they get their $1.5 trillion wish list of demands. The Trump administration wants to keep the government open for the American people.
November 26, 2025 at 2:44 AM
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lataco.bsky.social
DAILY MEMO: In Absence of Border Patrol, ICE and HSI Steps Up to Take Its Place

@eltragon.bsky.social
November 26, 2025 at 1:44 AM
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joshshepperd.bsky.social
A couple years ago I worked on 12 grants in my role as a task force director at the Library of Congress. This year, zero. We are going to lose a lot of our public memory. Which is at the crux of fascistic mobilization.
November 11, 2025 at 4:40 AM