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Reposted by Carolyn Paplham

Adam Serwer @adamserwer.bsky.social · 11h

www.wweek.com/culture/2025...

Can you put into words what that purpose is? You and the frog have really become icons of this protest.

There’s been a nice overall whimsy that has shown up. The frog is amazing. We had a bunch of other inflatable people here last night, too. I saw people playing Twister the other day.

What they rely on is fear. So by coming out in an absurdist manner, it speaks to them, to some extent, that we’re actually not that afraid.

It also dismantles their narrative a little bit. When they try to describe this situation as “war-torn,” it becomes much harder to take them seriously when they have to post a video saying [U.S. Secretary of Homeland Security] Kristi Noem is up on the balcony staring over the Antifa Army and it’s, like, eight journalists and five protesters and one of them is in a chicken suit.

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Juno Rylee Schultz @junoryleejournalism.com · 1d

David Simon, creator of ‘The Wire’, being interviewed by Ari Shapiro (NPR)

SHAPIRO: OK, so you've spent your career creating television without Al, and I could imagine today you thinking, boy, I wish I had had that tool to solve those thorny problems...
SIMON: What?
SHAPIRO: ...Or saying...
SIMON: You imagine that?
SHAPIRO: ...Boy, if that had existed, it would have screwed me over.
SIMON: I don't think Al can remotely challenge what writers do at a fundamentally creative level.
SHAPIRO: But if you're trying to transition from scene five to scene six, and you're stuck with that transition, you could imagine plugging that portion of the script into an Al and say, give me 10 ideas for how to transition this.
SIMON: I'd rather put a gun in my mouth.

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Carolyn Paplham @cpaplham.bsky.social · 2d

Mashiro was the inspiration for this chonky boi:

Carolyn Paplham @cpaplham.bsky.social · Sep 3

We all have our comfort foods, our comfort shows, and maybe even our comfort games (Breath of the Wild, anyone?)… and some of us have our comfort doodle subjects. One of mine just happens to be seals. I have drawn quite a few this year.

A highly stylized drawing of a delightfully fat ringed seal. The seal is grayish-brown in color and has a spots-and-rings pattern on its back. It sits against a bright blue background. The seal has a heart over his head because he loves you.

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Carolyn Paplham @cpaplham.bsky.social · 2d

Baby Mashiro from the Tokkari Center!! ❤️

I Post Animal Vids... 😊 @realjfairclough.bsky.social · 2d

Who's this adorable cutie??

😍😍😍😍😍😍😍😍😍😍😍

#bluesky #nature #animals #wildlife

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Carolyn Paplham @cpaplham.bsky.social · 3d

Water zones in Sonic games stress me the heck out. Teach your hedgehog how to swim, SEGA!!

#illustration #sonicthehedgehog #sonic #swimming #videogames

A drawing of Sonic the Hedgehog, wearing pool floaties on his arms and an inner tube around his waist, with flippers that share a color scheme with his normal shoes. He has a worried expression on his face—what has he gotten himself into now?

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Carolyn Paplham @cpaplham.bsky.social · 3d

Water zones in Sonic games stress me the heck out. Teach your hedgehog how to swim, SEGA!!

#illustration #sonicthehedgehog #sonic #swimming #videogames

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Carolyn Paplham @cpaplham.bsky.social · 7d

(This is the print of this seal that I will *hopefully* have with me on Saturday—this time I need the printer gods to smile upon me. So, uh, I’m not sure what my chances are, but we’ll see!)

The same seal from the event promo illustration, but without the event info. The seal is smaller and centered on the canvas.

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Carolyn Paplham @cpaplham.bsky.social · 7d

I will once again be tabling in the artist alley at the Brown County Library Pop Con—my favorite event of the year! It’s always such a good time, with so much to see and do. Locals, hope to see you there!

#characterdesign #seal #popcon #librarypopcon #indieartist

A simple illustration of a baby harbor seal chewing on its flipper (much like a human baby would suck its thumb). A yellow heart flats above its head. The illustration also includes information on the Brown County Library Pop Con, stating that the event is October 4th from 10am to 4pm, and that the illustrator will be in the artist alley and the seal on the illustration loves supporting artists. The promo image is punctuated by a bright red background.

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Carolyn Paplham @cpaplham.bsky.social · 7d

If you'd have told me a decade ago that John Cena would one day be one of my favorite actors, I never would have believed it

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Carolyn Paplham @cpaplham.bsky.social · 7d

(This is the print of this seal that I will *hopefully* have with me on Saturday—this time I need the printer gods to smile upon me. So, uh, I’m not sure what my chances are, but we’ll see!)

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Carolyn Paplham @cpaplham.bsky.social · 7d

I will once again be tabling in the artist alley at the Brown County Library Pop Con—my favorite event of the year! It’s always such a good time, with so much to see and do. Locals, hope to see you there!

#characterdesign #seal #popcon #librarypopcon #indieartist

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Carolyn Paplham @cpaplham.bsky.social · 9d

We loved having you, @geneha.com, and are so excited to have @lucyknisley.bsky.social next weekend! 😄

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Carolyn Paplham @cpaplham.bsky.social · 10d

I can absolutely understand why people are upset, but I don’t think her comments should overshadow the support she’s vocally given over the years.

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Carolyn Paplham @cpaplham.bsky.social · 10d

I saw someone on Twitter point out how she’s clearly mourning the loss of a relationship with someone she loved and respected, something many of us have had to do! She essentially lost jkr to a cult, and that’s a difficult thing to have to grapple with and heal from.

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Blair Shedd @onegemini.com · 12d

Since people are jiving with the "we want new stuff, jk" post, here's my original work. I will say it's hard to get out there, but those who have read it like it, and in some cases, REALLY like it. It's not the next big thing, but I hope you'll give it a try.

onegemini.com/digitalprevi...

Cover to The Worlds Between Us, Special Preview. A 21 page story excerpt from Chapter 1 of the book.

The cover features Incindifel and Sara. Digitally drawn.

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Claire Willett @clairewillett.bsky.social · 14d

reposting with alt text because I think the choice to include homophobia and transphobia in particular here is actually very much worth drawing attention to. nuns emphatically stating that those “do not reflect the qualities of a saint” is a very clear callout of Cardinal Dolan

<
Sisters of Charity, New York 20h • ©
Several of us watched Cardinal Dolan's recent FOX interview, where he referred to Charlie Kirk as "a modern-day St. Paul." The Cardinal praised Mr. Kirk's conviction and willingness to speak about the Lord and for being a model for young people looking for meaning in their lives.
We grieve every loss of life and unequivocally condemn the killing of Mr. Kirk.
What Cardinal Dolan may not have known is that many of Mr. Kirk's words were_ marked by racist, homophobic, transphobic, and anti-immigrant rhetoric, by violent pro-gun advocacy, and by the promotion of Christian nationalism. These prejudicial words do not reflect the qualities of a saint. To compare Mr. Kirk to St. Paul risks confusing the true witness of the Gospel and giving undue sanction to words and actions that hurt the very people Jesus calls us to love.
Just last week, Cardinal Dolan joined us in celebrating the 50th anniversary of the canonization of our Foundress, St. Elizabeth Ann Seton. Elizabeth's legacy is not one of exclusion or hatred, but of radical welcome, tireless service, and unwavering love of neighbor. Many of Mr. Kirk's words stand in stark contrast to the charity and compassion that defined those of Elizabeth Seton.

For generations, the Sisters of Charity of New York have cared for immigrant families arriving with nothing but hope.
While our direct service has changed, our commitment to those families endures. They deserve true examples of discipleship, not false prophets.
In this moment, we reaffirm our mission: to walk with all people who are poor and marginalized, to welcome immigrants and refugees, to defend the dignity of LGBTQ+ persons, and to labor for peace in a world saturated with violence. These are the marks of authentic discipleship. These are the qualities of saints.
We urge our Church leadership, including Cardinal Dolan, to lift up witnesses whose lives truly reflect the Gospel of Jesus Christ - lives of humility, justice, compassion, and peace.
We will continue to pray for Mr. Kirk, his family and for all who mourn his loss.
Leadership Team, Sisters of Charity of New York
Sr. Donna Dodge, Sr. Margaret O'Brien, Sr. Mary Mc Cormick, Sr. Mary Ann Daly, Sr. Sheila Brosnan, Sr.
Margaret Egan

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Joe Heller @joeheller.bsky.social · 15d

Today's Cartoon- This explains it

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Carolyn Paplham @cpaplham.bsky.social · 20d

That lower labs area tickled the same part of my brain that loves the furthest depths of aperture science yessss give me ALL the mysterious and impossibly deep basements

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Carolyn Paplham @cpaplham.bsky.social · 20d

Oh geez, that’s wild!! My sister got diagnosed with it as a kid (got her thyroid removed and everything), and it explained SO MANY weird little symptoms (and bigger, less-obvious ones) she was experiencing. I hope the diagnosis and treatment have you feeling better soon!

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Governor Tony Evers @govevers.wisconsin.gov · 21d

Here in Wisconsin, we will continue to follow the science to ensure Wisconsinites have access to the healthcare they need when and where they need it. That includes safe, effective vaccines.

www.wpr.org/news/tony-ev...

Gov. Tony Evers signs executive order on vaccine access amid federal uncertainty

Gov. Tony Evers signed an executive order Monday requiring insurance companies to continue covering COVID-19 vaccines as changes out of federal health agencies have restricted eligibility for the shot...

www.wpr.org

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Claire Willett @clairewillett.bsky.social · 26d

reposting with alt text because this feels incredibly significant. the right-wing disinfo machine means a lot of the people grieving Charlie Kirk never heard any of the things he said that would have tarnished his brand as Guy Who Just Wants to Have Dialogue Across the Aisle

One thing that has become really clear since yesterday is that we live in at least two different realities. Talking to a friend who only knew Charlie as a Christian motivational speaker because that's all that ever came across her feed. Showed me videos I've never seen before of him saying perfectly reasonable and empowering things.

I showed her videos she'd never seen before of his racism, misogyny, homophobia, advocating for violence against specific groups of people. She was horrified by his remarks about Pelosi's husband's attacker being bailed out and celebrated for his violent act. She was horrified by a number of things that he said, but she had never seen or heard them before, the same as I had never seen or heard the generalized clips of him sounding like a perfectly nice loving man and father.

Neither of us had a whole picture of this man. I mentioned he was a known white supremacist and she thought I was joking.

She talked about him giving a speech about finding your purpose and doing good in the world and I thought she was joking.

I saw why this friend was mourning the loss of a person she thought was a good person.
My friend, bless her, saw why I feel the way I do about him. We understood each other better. In spite of a multi-billion dollar internet machine specifically focused on keeping us apart. Because we talked to each other with the desire to listen and to learn rather than the desire to change someone else's mind or to be "right".

None of those motivational things he said change my opinion about him because they don't erase the negativity, the subtle calls for violence, the belittling and denigrating of other races religions genders etc. His negative and blaming comments about homeless people, the poor, and victims of domestic violence. His comments about rounding up people who didn't think like him and putting them in camps where their behavior could be corrected. That time he said empathy was a made-up word he didnt believe in. That other time he said the Civil Rights Act was a mistake. The time he said most people are afraid when they get on a plane and see that there's a black pilot. His anti-vaccination rhetoric and his active campaigning against people being allowed to wear masks for their own health. His open support of fascism and white supremacy. To me, all of those are fully unchristian sentiments. Those are undeniable and just one of them would be a deal-breaker for me. All of them together are a picture of a man who was polarizing,

enraged a lot of people and rightly so, but even with all of that I would never wish upon him or especially his children the end that he got.
Oh, and my friend had never heard, and God help me I don't know how she escaped the news, but she had never heard of the Minnesota legislators who were shot in June. The husband and wife and dog who were killed, one after throwing themselves over their child to protect the child. The other couple who somehow survived.

Politically motivated attacks specifically because they were democrats. She learned about those shootings that happened months ago because I showed her Charlie Kirk's comments about them. The kidnapping plot against a female Midwestern Democratic governor. The assassination attempt against Pennsylvania's democratic governor. All things Charlie had plenty to say about while supporting the Second Amendment and bashing the Democratic party. She didn't know about any of it because we're all living in two different worlds and none of us have the whole story.

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Carolyn Paplham @cpaplham.bsky.social · 26d

Oooh, need! I’ll have to snag that on the first.

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Carolyn Paplham @cpaplham.bsky.social · 28d

It has been a fun week of anxiety-so-bad-I-feel-like-I-could-throw-up from like three (no wait, four) different things.

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Amal El-Mohtar @amalelmohtar.com · 29d

Simply the best slide I have ever seen in a powerpoint presentation care of @premeemohamed.com’s talk at @banffcentre.bsky.social re: Putting the Science in Science Fiction

Text mounted on a screen reads as follows:

WHAT IS SCIENCE FICTION?

1. DOESN'T MATTER
2. WHO CARES
3. MARKETING DEPARTMENT'S PROBLEM
4. NOT YOURS

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Carolyn Paplham @cpaplham.bsky.social · Sep 5

he loves you too!!