I don’t think this is a pose but a progressive revolt against Benedict, led by a wing of the Church that had been marginalized. Francis opened the door and now Leo is putting wind in these clerics’ sails

why does this feel like one of those kids-read-the-news bits

Apparently a lot of museums are struggling in the post-COVID era; people got out of the habit of visiting. So they'd probably really appreciate your visit.

The bewildering reason behind Melania Trump's news conference Trump’s rule for “flooding the zone” has been straightforward: Whenever the subject that everyone’s talking about becomes too uncomfortable for him — he changes it. Too much Jeffrey Epstein? Send federal agents to Minnesota to brutalize American citizens. Too much brutality by federal agents? Fire the head of Department of Homeland Security and start a war with Iran. War goes badly? (Well, we’ll soon find out.) So, why did Melania Trump hold a news conference? Standing at a lectern in the Grand Foyer of the White House, the first lady labeled as “lies” unspecified allegations linking her to Epstein, and said they “need to end today.”“The false smears about me from mean-spirited and politically motivated individuals and entities looking to cause damage to my good name to gain financially and climb politically must stop.” But who’s even been thinking about Melania and her potential relationship with Epstein or Maxwell in the midst of Melania’s husband’s threat to obliterate 90 million Iranians? Who cares about Melania and Maxwell when the price of gas is through the roof? Why would anyone be interested in such “unspecified allegations” when Iran still possesses 970 pounds of highly-enriched uranium and now has more motive than ever to turn it into nuclear weapons? Besides, there hasn’t been the faintest whiff of scandal about the relationship between Melania and Maxwell, let alone Epstein. Back in January (which seems years ago), the Justice Department released an email Melania sent to Maxwell. But the email got little attention. It was part of millions of pages of correspondence released about the Department’s investigation into the disgraced financier. Also, the correspondence took place in 2002, more than two years before Melania became Trump’s third wife. There’s not even a smoking gun in her email. Melania merely expressed friendliness toward Maxwell and says she can’t wait to visit her in Palm Beach. Melania also refers to a “nice story about JE” in New York magazine — presumably the 2002 story in which Donald Trump indicated he knew about his former pal’s penchant for young girls. It was in that story that Trump boasted: “I’ve known Jeff for 15 years. Terrific guy. He’s a lot of fun to be with. It is even said that he likes beautiful women as much as I do, and many of them are on the younger side.” Granted, this quote suggests Trump was on to Epstein’s proclivities and may have even shared them. But the quote is old news. It’s been circulating ever since Trump was first discovered to be cavorting with Epstein. Why, then, did Melania hold this news conference? I can think of three possible reasons: 1. She was urged to do it as a way to revive interest in the Epstein scandal. You heard me right. The White House figures that Epstein is easier to handle right now than the fallout from the catastrophe of Trump’s war in Iran. Plus, Pam Bondi is gone and won’t be testifying, and the emerging regime at the Justice Department — Todd Blanche and Harmeet Dhillon — can more reliably be counted on to bury anything in the Epstein files that might incriminate Trump. In other words, a great way to change the subject. 2. Amazon is now in negotiations over streaming rights to Melania’s 2026 documentary Melania, which has been a box office bomb, grossing only $16.6 million worldwide against a massive $40 million production budget and $35 million in marketing, and leaving Amazon with a significant financial loss. Amazon and Bezos urged Melania to stir up publicity for herself, and what better way to get attention than to deny any relationship with Epstein? 3. Melania is p----- off at Trump for any number of things, and the news conference was a way of letting him know she’s capable of making his life miserable. What do you think? Robert Reich is a professor of public policy at Berkeley and former secretary of labor. His writings can be found at https://robertreich.substack.com/.

The bewildering reason behind Melania Trump's news conference

I'm one of those trans women. I worked ground ops for Artemis I.

I am torn between celebrating the success of my friends and peers and grieving how my dream of working for NASA was shattered by hateful assholes in Tallahassee

all these universities kept axing medieval history departments as if they thought tyrants beefing with the Pope was going to stop being relevant

I've studied so many concentration camps through history that held vulnerable people in just this kind of crowded squalor. You demonize people, you demand more arrests, this is what you get. It already has its own budget and its own momentum, and is on track to go much further, unless we stop it.

whomst amongst us tbh

Side-eying her eyes: Saint Lucy, painted by Francesco del Cossa of Ferrara. Today is his day.

In a country that took the humanities seriously, way more of the medievalists you’re seeking out to explain Avignon would have actual academic jobs.

Analysis Finds That Google's AI Overviews Are Providing Misinformation at a Scale Possibly Unprecedented in the History of Human Civilization A new analysis commissioned by The New York Times suggests that Google's AI Overviews are wrong an astonishing percentage of the time.

This is catastrophic.

White House Secures Foreign Steel for Ballroom Project

NEW: Trump accepted $37m worth of donated steel for his WH ballroom project from the Luxembourg-based company ArcelorMittal.

Days later, the WH made adjustments to Trump's tariffs that could benefit ArcelorMittal.

What a time to be alive

BREAKING: Iran President Pezeshkian releases a lengthy public letter addressed to the American people ahead of Trump's address, defending its actions, denying it poses a threat, and blaming the U.S. for escalating conflict—while warning that continued attacks will deepen instability and resentment.

No it’s not OK to call Jews slurs because of Gaza, same as going to the Hiroshima Peace Museum to remind everyone of Japan’s Imperialism would also make you a huge asshole.

We can agree on that much, right? You’re not making activism better, you’re making humanity worse.

I know I've said this a trillion times but I have to say it periodically to keep from going insane:

The right ran a huge, well-funded, & ultimately successful campaign to completely take over political media & the infosphere more generally. This is by far the most important political development...

Incredibly funny that the president of the United States can do this and retain command of the American Armed Forces, but I said it about a literal Nazi and got fired from a job writing superhero comics.

Lifelong public servant gets shit on.

Podcaster gets flags at half staff.

"The Emigrants" by Remedios Varo depicts a fantastical, mobile structure where figures appear to embark on a mysterious journey within a ship-like contraption enveloped in vibrant orange foliage and ethereal forms. Varo's Surrealist style captures themes of transition and exploration, reflecting her own often-nomadic life and deep interest in mysticism and inner worlds.

The emigrants
https://botfrens.com/collections/69/contents/20044

Hey cool so that’s like your 85th obvious war crime

I Read Lindy West's New Memoir About Her Marriage and... GIRL. How about we don't repackage emotional abuse as empowerment?

"Reasonable minds might wonder if [ethical nonmonogamy] can be ethical if your partner doesn’t want to do it. Luckily that question has been very well litigated, and the answer is no" fieldnotesforthebrave.substack.com/p/i-read-lin...

chains don't have personal values or lifestyles just fyi. good luck with the labor lawsuits kiddos

Duckworth: "If they're gonna retaliate, this is all on Donald Trump. He decided to do this."

Never trusted SURJ and am now feeling extremely vindicated

A foreign hacker likely has the Epstein Files.

The best way to prevent blackmail of government officials, such as trump and Howard Lutnick, would be for AG Pam Bondi to stop the cover up and release all the Epstein Files as required by law.

Who could possibly have foreseen that war on Iran would (a) make Iran retaliate by closing the strait of Hormuz, which (b) could disrupt world oil markets, enriching Russia and penalizing most everyone else?

Who, indeed, except EVERYONE WHO HAS EVER THOUGHT FOR ONE MINUTE about the situation.

we remain firmly on track for 'republican president leaves the country an omnishambles, next democratic president is punished for not cleaning it up fast enough'

Pope Leo fires San Diego bishop accused of stealing $250,000 Pope Leo has accepted the resignation of a Catholic bishop in ​San Diego who was arrested by ‌local authorities on suspicion of stealing $250,000 from his congregation, the Vatican announced on Tuesday.

Pope Leo fires San Diego bishop accused of stealing $250,000 reut.rs/4sI6d4B

A DOGE staffer assigned to the National Endowment for the Humanities to flag grants for "DEI" tries to explain what "DEI" is. This deposition is part of a lawsuit by the @acls1919.bsky.social, @historians.org and @modernlanguage.bsky.social.

come on, dawg