Kate
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k8droste.bsky.social
Kate
@k8droste.bsky.social
reading, baking, art, archaeology, museums, sparkles, birds, politics
169/100 #BookSky 📚
This is the 3rd book in a series & I bet there could be more coming. It’s a rekindled romance, the tension being mostly stubbornness & lack of communication. Nice read though with generally likable characters. 📚💙
December 4, 2025 at 3:49 AM
Reposted by Kate
December 4, 2025 at 2:00 AM
Reposted by Kate
NEWS: The Institute of Museum & Library Services has restored ALL previously canceled federal grants to libraries, following a ruling by a federal judge in Rhode Island last month.

This is a massive win for libraries & communities in every state & territory!

Learn more: www.ala.org/news/2025/12...
December 3, 2025 at 10:18 PM
Reposted by Kate
12 former commissioners of the FDA came together to write a Perspectives piece for the New England Journal of Medicine; raising our concerns about recent changes to vaccine approval policy at the FDA and its implications for patients and public health.
December 3, 2025 at 10:28 PM
Reposted by Kate
This punitive policy jeopardizes housing for 1,100 Bostonians and nearly 4,000 people in Massachusetts, forcing thousands of vulnerable children and families onto the street during winter months. It is unconscionable. Housing is a human right.
December 4, 2025 at 1:45 AM
Reposted by Kate
Massachusetts Renters, stay warm this winter. It's your right.
December 3, 2025 at 4:54 PM
168/100 #BookSky 🎧
I liked this one, it was a short story that felt like a complete story. A bit sad though. 💙📚
December 4, 2025 at 1:22 AM
Reposted by Kate
“California Love” turns 30 today

“Pac had just gotten out [of prison] and he came by” my home studio, said Dr. Dre. “He heard the beat one time and just went straight to writing — no hesitation .. and did the whole thing in one take. The whole room knew right then it was something special.”
December 4, 2025 at 12:44 AM
Reposted by Kate
Seditious conspiracy is the most serious crime charged for Jan. 6, with Oathkeepers and Proud Boys leaders convicted.

Absurd accusations of sedition merely for saying troops should honor their oath and follow the law are not only meant to intimidate, they also aim to render the concept meaningless.
Scoop: FBI aims to escalate its inquiry into 6 Democrats who made video for troops by pressing domestic terrorism squad to launch a formal seditious conspiracy investigation. Washington Field Office leaders are pushing back b/c they don't see a crime. news.bloomberglaw.com/us-law-week/...
FBI Seeks ‘Seditious Conspiracy’ Probe of Democratic Lawmakers
The FBI is pressuring domestic terrorism agents to open a seditious conspiracy investigation into six Democratic lawmakers who advised military service members to defy unlawful orders, according to th...
news.bloomberglaw.com
December 4, 2025 at 12:44 AM
Reposted by Kate
The Democrats' response? Seems like silence. They're probably just working on a way to collaborate with this position in an attempt to get conservatives to like them.

Republicans are going to kill us all and Democrats are going to get us all killed.
Trump goes on another racist rant about Somalis: "Ilhan Omar should be thrown the hell out of our country, and most of those people -- they have destroyed Minnesota. It's a hellhole right now. Those Somalians should be out of here. They have destroyed out country ... go back to your own country."
December 4, 2025 at 12:15 AM
Reposted by Kate
In communities like Allston, rogue, masked agents are terrorizing our immigrant neighbors—glorified bullies masquerading as public servants.

They're abducting workers, violating civil rights, & ripping families apart.

We must protect our communities and reject this cruelty at every turn.
December 4, 2025 at 12:42 AM
Reposted by Kate
🚨BREAKING NEWS🚨

I’m partnering with Rep. Massie & @joaquincastrotx.bsky.social to introduce a War Powers Resolution that will force a vote in Congress to block Trump’s insane escalations against Venezuela.

No one except Trump wants this war—so I’m going to use every tool I have to stop him.
December 4, 2025 at 12:04 AM
Reposted by Kate
University of Alabama suspended publication of two student-run magazines, claiming they weren’t in compliance with federal guidance on DEI

“This is an attack on the student press and nothing less”
University of Alabama shuts down student magazines for Black students, women students
University officials told editors of Alice and Nineteen Fifty-Six that they believed they were out of compliance with Trump administration guidance on anti-DEI policies.
www.whatimreading.net
December 4, 2025 at 12:37 AM
Reposted by Kate
We’re so lucky that @portersqbooks.bsky.social arrived at University Hall at Lesley. Not only is the book selection amazing, the chocolate chip cookies at Page and Leaf cafe make the space even cozier.
December 4, 2025 at 12:27 AM
Reposted by Kate
Insanely perfect: fantastic little bouquet of flowers in a glass vase by Daniel Seghers of Antwerp, painter & Jesuit priest, whose day is today.
December 3, 2025 at 7:30 PM
Reposted by Kate
Tariffs would drive up costs for manufacturers in his district, former congressman Pete Hoekstra once testified. “Once lost, the jobs will not come back.”

Today, though, as ambassador to Canada, he has been a top defender of Trump's approach.

By @annaleighclark.bsky.social
In Congress, He Said Tariffs Were Bad for Business. As Trump’s Ambassador to Canada, He’s Reversed Course.
Pete Hoekstra once testified that “the market should dictate the price of steel, not the government.” But he now champions the Trump trade policies that are being linked to job losses in his former Mi...
www.propublica.org
December 3, 2025 at 7:53 PM
Reposted by Kate
A book from the 19th century that depicts the Rhine Valley by creating an impression of three-dimensionality and spatial distance.
@MasayukiTsuda2 #globalmuseum #books #travel #19thcentury
December 2, 2025 at 7:02 PM
Reposted by Kate
this is my #1 advice to grad students: anyone can reproduce jargon; the bigger flex is being able to make the argument in straightforward prose. clarity is indicative of deep thought and engagement. even chatGPT can write word salad.
i strongly, strongly believe that good writing is downstream of clear thinking and a strong understanding of the subject matter at hand. without fail, tortured writing comes from writers who don’t know and can’t think clearly about anything.
Oh man! This paragraph is brutal. The best thing about this review is it's not trying to be mean. It's just listing how bad the writing is.
December 3, 2025 at 7:36 PM
Reposted by Kate
The sleight-of-hand here - which Hawley understands but many people, including Trump, obviously don’t - is that deducting something on your taxes doesn’t magically mean uncle Sam pays for it. It just reduces the amount of income that is taxable. You still gotta shell out for whatever you deduct!
December 3, 2025 at 7:39 PM
Reposted by Kate
in other words, hawleys plan here is that if the median american family spends $25,000 on healthcare (around a third of their gross income!), the government will give them a $3000 tax break the following april. What a deal!
December 3, 2025 at 7:36 PM
Reposted by Kate
lets say you have a family of four making $85,000 on a w2 (no other income). Married filing jointly standard deduction is $29,200, meaning taxable income 55,800, fed tax on which is $6235.

Tiny Timmy gets sick, you deduct an addt'l $25k, new taxable $30,800, tax on which is $3235.
Hawley is pitching his colleagues — and Trump — on a new health care plan that would allow all tax payers to deduct up to $25K/person in medical expenses.

Hawley told us he recently discussed the idea with Trump: “I said...'no taxes on tips, no taxes on health care’, and he goes ‘oh I like that."
Hawley pitches new health care tax plan
The Missouri Republican is proposing making it easier for more tax payers to deduct medical expenses — and has pitched Donald Trump on the idea.
www.politico.com
December 3, 2025 at 7:36 PM
Reposted by Kate
They are beating people who maybe once had a broken taillight and sending them to foreign slave prisons while freeing the worst fraudsters and every corrupt pol. The juxtaposition is so stark and appalling.
NEW: The commutation Trump issued to David Gentile wipes away all further fines & restitution.

Gentile had been sentenced to 7 years for his role in a $1.6B scheme that defrauded thousands of investors.

Prosecutors had been seeking $15.5M in forfeiture.

www.justice.gov/pardon/media...
December 3, 2025 at 5:39 PM
Reposted by Kate
FUCK YEAH LET’S GOOOOOOOOO

Hard copy of @vox-magica.bsky.social’s new book and it rules
December 3, 2025 at 5:17 PM
Reposted by Kate
JOURNALISTS: It's essential to know how to cover the upcoming #CDC #ACIP mtg on the #hepB #hepatitisB #vaccine for newborns. Delaying the birth dose rec to 2 mos could cause 480+ deaths/yr. Check out this backgrounder for all the links & research you need. healthjournalism.org/blog/2025/12...
Why reporters should cover this week's CDC meeting on hepatitis B vaccine and more
The CDC will discuss its current policy of hepatitis B vaccination at birth and other recommendations from Dec. 4-5. Here's what to know.
healthjournalism.org
December 2, 2025 at 8:39 PM
Reposted by Kate
"This explains why the administration refuses to declassify the memo...If the public saw how flimsy the legal footing is, they’d see the president is using wartime powers he does not have to kill civilians he cannot legally target..." open.substack.com/pub/defiance...
NEWS: Leaked memo exposes flimsy legal basis for Trump boat strikes
DOJ's classified, "legal authorization" for the missile attacks is beginning to collapse.
open.substack.com
December 3, 2025 at 3:54 PM