It's the Ayatoll, again.

Apparently; I'm having it, and seeing other reports as well. We don't actually know the source of the problem, but it's a fair guess it's the same group that gave us last weeks problems.

“I believe that the creation of greater-than-human intelligence will occur during the next thirty years. I'll be surprised if this event occurs before 2005 or after 2030.” – Vernor Vinge

Four years to go.

More Bluesky problems, probably more Iranian hackers. Why do they have it in for us? We're a little tiny site and not particularly anti-Iranian

People are supposed to get teenage rebellion out of their system *as teenagers*, not carry it into adulthood. Perhaps we keep people from growing up too long.

He prevented the railroad workers from striking before Christmas and probably alienating a vast part of the public. Ultimately, he managed to get them what they were about to strike for. Biden was the most pro labor president since FDR.

It would only take a few numbers crossing party lines to impeach him, too. It would take more to remove him. Supermajority requirements are a problem.

What you call ruralism is similar to the Völkisch movement that the Nazis coopted into their ideology. The media you cite for some reason are for some reason fascinated with it.

"When a man starts to worry about his own identity he's lost it already."

Israel seems to be a type example in a nation going off the deep end into fascism, despite the high ideals of its founding and global support. (There were also of course much lower ideas and much darker reasons for the support.)

Opinion | Measles Took My Daughter. This Is What I Want Everyone to Know.

Oh god
www.nytimes.com/2026/04/21/o...

Israeli Soldiers Sentenced to Jail for Damaging Jesus Statue in Lebanon

Apparently anti-Christian bigotry. I'd really like to hear more about how and why.

Flu vaccine & Pete Hegseth:

Just a little prick, really.

On the vibecession…I suppose it's possible that after so many years of being down a little bit of hope could actually hurt.

It comes down to character, doesn't it? There are a lot of very good ideas and solutions even in the present awful state of the world. What there aren't are leaders of character and strength to put them into practice and a public of a character to support those leaders.

Except it was better for the bottom 50%. It was measurable. Wages and employment rose. It was the best labor market in a generation for lower income people.

Please. I don't understand why people feel this way but we need to respect reality.

I keep looking for signs of hope and I'm not seeing many. At best, things will get less bad.

@infinitescream.bsky.social

RFK Jr. is a guy who was meant to commit a series of themed animal crimes in Gotham City with the ultimate goal to “eat the Bat” before being subdued and returned to Arkham.

Nationalize Pantone.

We shall be reduced to doing our own colorimetry based on physical standards.

The Third Trajectory and Hopes for Rebuilding - emptywheel The global catastrophe Trump created in Iran may provide an opportunity to disrupt his authoritarian trajectory.

This is a long think piece, but I argue that Trump's Iran catastrophe may disrupt his efforts to consolidate his authoritarianism, but even more, may provide cause to go after his Tech bro donors and data centers.

The Third Trajectory and Hopes for Rebuilding

emptywheel.net/2026/04/21/t...

Yet again I remind everyone (as Elizabeth does in her very next tweet) that "foreigners are corrupting our pure blood with weakness & disease" is Fascism 101. Not some variant, not some metaphorically similar thing, not some echo -- the thing itself.

Could we just throw him in?

It's a smaller site without the resources of X or Truth or whatever, So it's an easier target.

I keep looking for signs that anybody who isn't just plain delusional is actually doing something about the current US leadership and there aren't any.

@infinitescream.bsky.social

Spiro who?

We still need a countercoup.

The people governing Iran now do not know peace.

The experts say not.

Who can say? But they've hated the US for decades; I don't think they will stop now.

They're not going to be able to clean up what's been done in Iran; if they're skillful they may manage to salvage something, and no doubt be blamed for it.

On the other hand, they may find themselves with a war they cannot stop and a need to raise taxes.

They want us hating each other.