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Reposted by Eric Shmeric

John Pfaff @johnpfaff.bsky.social · 13h

Um, ICE just coldly shot an unarmed PRIEST in the head w a pepper ball when he (and everyone around him) clearly posed no threat.

For the crime of … complaining about government policy.

Core 1A speech.

With cameras rolling, they’re sniping priests for sport.

Kurt @flglchicago.bsky.social · 15h

Here’s video of the incident

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Eric Shmeric @ericdienstfrey.bsky.social · 21h

Context: TX Republicans still haven't found children who died in the floods over the summer.

Robert Downen @robertdownen.bsky.social · 23h

Citing the “martyrdom” of Charlie Kirk, Texas AG Ken Paxton says his office is pursuing sweeping undercover investigations into “leftist” groups. “To those demented souls who seek to kill, steal, and destroy our country, know this: you cannot hide, you cannot escape, and justice is coming."

"Leftist political terrorism is a clear and present danger. Corrupted ideologies like transgenderism and Antifa are a cancer on our culture and have unleashed their deranged and drugged-up foot soldiers on the American people," said Attorney General Paxton. "The martyrdom of Charlie Kirk marks a turning point in America.
There can be no compromise with those who want us dead. To that end, I have directed my office to continue its efforts to identify, investigate, and infiltrate these leftist terror cells. To those demented souls who seek to kill, steal, and destroy our country, know this: you cannot hide, you cannot escape, and justice is coming."
The radical Left has incubated an environment where political violence is not only justified but celebrated and praised. In July, nearly two dozen armed leftists connected to various Texas-based Antifa-like groups ambushed an Immigration and Customs Enforcement ("ICE") facility in Alvarado, Texas. On September 10, 2025, a leftist assassin connected to the radical transgender movement murdered Charlie Kirk because of Kirk's bold support for truth, love of country, and unshakable faith. Two weeks later, another deranged leftist opened fire at an ICE facility in Dallas.
President Donald Trump has officially designated Antifa as a domestic terrorist organization and instructed his administration to "utilize all applicable authorities to investigate, disrupt, and dismantle any and all illegal operations — especially those involving terrorist actions — conducted by Antifa." Building on President Trump's bold actions, Attorney General Paxton has instructed his office to initiate sweeping investigations into radical leftist organizations engaged in or providing support to those performing political violence.

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Bookshop.org @bookshop.org · 1d

Can’t decide what to buy on Prime Day?

Try: absolutely nothing, and then go support indie bookstores instead 📚

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Sky Marchini @sky.skymarchini.net · 22h

Supreme Court: of course states can regulate, and restrict access to, medical procedures if there’s a compelling public interest

Colorado: (bans conversion therapy for minors)

Supreme Court: no not like that, we only meant abortion

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Eric Shmeric @ericdienstfrey.bsky.social · 23h

And the utility of calling things dogwhistles.

Eric Shmeric @ericdienstfrey.bsky.social · 1d

It's interesting how quickly people anchor meaning to her more ambiguous songs, though. The game of hiding and seeking for autobiographical elements invites this sort of confidence I think. But there's clearly a lot more going on in her lyrics.

Eric Shmeric @ericdienstfrey.bsky.social · 1d

Wild. I read the "Wi$h Li$t" one as everyone wanting to emulate her man/family because they're cool and hot. Not sure I see anything white supremacist in the other two, though like I said before, I think most of the songs -- especially Cancelled -- are written in character.

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Molly Jong-Fast @mollyjongfast.bsky.social · 1d

I’m sorry but the fact that this is not everywhere is kind of malpractice

Acyn @acyn.bsky.social · 1d

Trump on pardoning Ghislaine Maxwell: Haven't heard the name in so long. I’ll take a look at it. I’ll speak to the DOJ. A lot of people have asked me for pardons.

Reporter: But she’s convicted of sex trafficking

Trump: I’ll have to take a look at it.

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Christopher Webb @cwebbonline.com · 1d

THE CHICKENS ARE FINALLY COMING HOME TO ROOST

Ryan Walters is out & the investigation floodgates just opened. The Oklahoma AG launched a full audit of Walters’ entire tenure as Superintendent, and it’s about damn time.

Also the education dept website’s being scrubbed of his culture-war nonsense.
🧵

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Eric Shmeric @ericdienstfrey.bsky.social · 1d

I should check that out. Caryl Flinn many years ago gave an epic paper at MaMI on the history of yodelling to contextualize the shift from ironic to non-ironic yodelling in cinema. Kinda became obsessed after that.
youtu.be/cxUa2QCuq9M?...

Blue Yodel No. 2 by Jimmie Rodgers (1928)

YouTube video by Jimmie Rodgers

youtu.be

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Plenary Popehat Power @kenwhite.bsky.social · 1d

It’s important to flood social media and news channels with news about how ICE lies, so that potential jurors see it.

Chicago Sun-Times @chicago.suntimes.com · 1d

Body-camera video appears to contradict the government’s claim that Marimar Martinez, 30, drove toward officers before one of them opened fire at her late Saturday morning in Brighton Park, her attorney claimed.
trib.al/9Sxu9IN

Attorney for woman shot by Border Patrol claims officer said 'Do something b-----' before shooting

Body-camera video appears to contradict the government's claim that Marimar Martinez, 30, drove toward officers before one of them opened fire at her late Saturday morning in Brighton Park, her attorney claimed. A judge ordered Martinez and a co-defendant released pending trial.

trib.al

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Eric Shmeric @ericdienstfrey.bsky.social · 1d

Why is no one talking about how Taylor Swift yodels unironically in "Fate of Ophelia," and it sounds amazing.

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Eric Shmeric @ericdienstfrey.bsky.social · 1d

They voted for all of this. They just didn't think it would cost them money.

Rolling Stone @rollingstone.com · 1d

“I voted for none of this."

Prominent influencers, including Theo Von, Joe Rogan, and Andrew Schulz, are starting to distance themselves from the president they helped propel to the White House.

Story: www.rollingstone.com/politics/pol...

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Eric Shmeric @ericdienstfrey.bsky.social · 2d

... when she gives the recording industry one big FU -- like this album does -- is it authentic?

That said, "Father Figure," "Ruin the Friendship," and "Opalite" are objectively good songs. As are many of the others.

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Eric Shmeric @ericdienstfrey.bsky.social · 2d

... in some ways is par for the course for pop music, a genre heavily indebted to the talents of black artists despite white artists reaping more of the rewards. TS is a billionaire. That makes her fair game.

But yes, are they actually criticizing the album or the system? And, most importantly, ...

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Eric Shmeric @ericdienstfrey.bsky.social · 2d

...this debate has defined people's online identities (are you a Swifty or anti-TS?, etc).

This spills into politics as well, as those who don't like her also don't trust her politics (is she another white woman who claims to be lefty but who will throw black women under the bus?, etc). Which...

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Eric Shmeric @ericdienstfrey.bsky.social · 2d

My take is that it's an above-average TS album, not her best (Folklore is) but it's tighter and more coherent than her last several "pop" albums.

But, we're really debating whether TS deserves all the accolades when everyone knows of other artists who aren't as lucky. And...

Charlotte Clymer @charlotteclymer.bsky.social · 2d

I'm convinced that at least 75% of the discourse on The Life of a Showgirl has little to do with the album itself. It's an above-average record that's neither a masterpiece nor a bomb and being leveraged by many solely as a useful proxy for folks' competing resentments with the world and each other.

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Eric Shmeric @ericdienstfrey.bsky.social · 2d

Thank you. Criticizing the current system does not mean going back to earlier practices.

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MeidasTouch @meidastouch.com · 2d

They still haven’t found all the missing children from the floods. Why are they more worried about Illinois than about the children in Texas?

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Hausu M.D. 🎥👺📼🍉🖤 @suspiraserhead.bsky.social · 2d

The funniest thing about this is how legit terrified ICE looks.

competentposter @competentposter.bsky.social · 3d

wizard frog is insane

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Eric Shmeric @ericdienstfrey.bsky.social · 2d

I'll have more to say about this at some point. But I caution people from accepting the consensus narratives about her albums. These narratives form quickly, but they're questionable.

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Eric Shmeric @ericdienstfrey.bsky.social · 2d

This is where her fans do her no favors. Much of the backlash against Taylor is waged at the impression that her songs are self-obsessed and petty insults. They aren't. There's more going on in her songs. But ironically, her fans are denying these more complex takes.

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Eric Shmeric @ericdienstfrey.bsky.social · 2d

IMHO, many Taylor Swift fans adhere to the primacy of autobiographical meanings in her songs as form of gatekeeping. There's fun in applying knowledge of TS's bio to her lyrics, the meaning is often over-determined, and it pretends that only true fans can know what her songs are about.

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Senator Ron Wyden @wyden.senate.gov · 2d

They’re using American tax dollars to fund infrastructure in Argentina because that’s where they’re all going to flee when we kick them out of office

Ryan Grim @ryangrim.bsky.social · 6d

After announcing a $20 billion bailout of Argentina, the White House now says it's pausing $18 billion in funding for NYC infrastructure projects

Russ Vought would love nothing more than to tear this country down to its studs

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Eric Shmeric @ericdienstfrey.bsky.social · 2d

But I'm more interested in the white supremacist dog whistles in her lyrics. I didn't catch those and I'd be curious to read those takes.

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