Nice time in Boston: A new mural in Dewey Square titled 'The Midnight Ride' by the wonderful street artist Rixy.
Bonus quote from the artist: "Colonial statues are so aggressive‚ A man on a horse. And poor horse, I want to be clear [in this mural] that they’re companions." https://archive.ph/546Us
It's simple. Overwhelming military power can be offset by guerilla activity, prepared retreat paths, surprise tactics, rallying support with propaganda and just outsmarting the bully.
Finland's military surprised and stalemated Stalin's much larger Red Army invasion back in the late 1930s.
Ho Chi Minh drove America right out Viet Nam.
George Washington lost every battle, save one, but managed to outlast the British Empire.
Sixteenth century Korea used a tiny navy to repel a much larger Japanese fleet and stop an invasion.
It happens.
All Iran has to do to get Donnie to agree to everything they want is to drag the whole thing on and wait for the approaching economic collapse to really start hurting. Their leverage only increases as the midterms approach.
Donnie has trapped himself in an impossible situation where Iran and Israel both agree on one thing....neither will allow Donnie to just walk away.
Jay Clayton also has no intelligence experienced, as required by law for the position. Also, he's only been in the position at the SDNY for a year, after being appointed by Trump initially in an "acting position" - and when that deadline approached, judges in the District Court for Southern District of New York voted to retain Clayton - so he never really went through a Senate "confirmation".
As it is, I see him being described as a "veteran prosecutor" - but he's never really prosecuted anyone. In private practice, he was a business lawyer, and at the SEC, he was mostly an administrator. Calling him a "seasoned prosecutor" ( another description I've seen ) seems to be solely based on his leading SDNY, which again is mostly an administrative position. In February, he also handed corporations a "get out of jail" card, allowing them to "self-report" any criminal violations ( including fraud ). I suspect this is just another reason Trump selected him.
Hegseth’s “Department of War” social accounts released a series of workout videos Wednesday featuring him doing training exercises with “warriors” (members of the military), this time at Guantanamo Bay. One video featured numerous shots of Hegseth and other men running, jumping and lifting amid a chorus of grunts and was quickly followed by another video of Hegseth giving a locker room-style speech about how the president has “got [their] backs” and is ready to “unleash” and “untie” their hands. It’s just the latest example of the MAGA-coded “masculinity theater” that’s becoming associated with Trump’s second term.
Ta, Evan. Ta, Martini. I slept late because I got to sleep late. Enjoying a lovely cup of green jasmine tea before breakfast while I watch the hummingbirds at their feeder. Adored and adorable husband Meccalopolis is driving up from school, picking up the dogs from daycare, then spending the weekend. I'll be staying Up Here to continue Ebony's care; she's improving a bit and sleeping a lot. Good day, beloved Wonketteers. We love and appreciate you all and we bless us all with love, health, peace, and grace.
Please, please stay safe. Wear a mask or two, wash your hands, sanitize when you cannot wash and let the sanitizer dry completely, stop touching your face, take Vitamin D, get a booster shot six months after your last and catch up on any other vaccines you need (and if there are children in your life, make sure they're vaccinated also, too), avoid indoor and crowded outdoor gatherings and when you must meet, remove masks only to eat, drink, and take quick photos, and stay the fuck away from us and anyone with whom you do not share a roof. Do this because you love yourself, and because we love you, too. Do this in memory of 27 Club member Treg and heroic Tony, Holly's pilot friend, among nearly eight million dead worldwide. Do this to honor the nurses and other frontline medical personnel (we adore you, all medicos of Wonkette, active and retired), especially ICU Hera Mrs Land Shark, RN. Stay safe.
"Secretary of State Marco Rubio signed a memorandum of understanding with Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) president Dana White on Thursday to "collaborate on the global growth of mixed martial arts." "We're excited about what this brand means about America's ability to expand and reach out to other parts of the world," Rubio said at the signing ceremony. "It will be an American company and an American brand—even if it may be their fighters—bringing this sport to these places, and that's the definition of American soft power."
"The White House is the people's house. It belongs to the people of the United States," Rubio said at Thursday's signing ceremony. "For them to be able to see this event with their White House in the background as part of our celebration of 250 years is a gift to the American people."
"Then, before signing the deal that will allow the use of “cage fights for diplomacy,” Rubio compared the UFC to the 1969 moon landing: “When President Kennedy announced that we were going to put a man on the moon and return them safely to the earth, no one thought that was possible, and we did it,” Rubio said. “We are a nation founded on doing what no one else dared to do, and no one else aspired to.” He added: “And at some level, that’s what this whole company, what UFC has been.”
"Less than a week after the pool was refilled, Washington Post photographers captured images of algae back in the newly resurfaced body of water. The Post reported that a large patch of algae near the World War II Memorial grew significantly larger during a rainy Wednesday.
In response to the Post’s inquiry, a Trump official passed the buck, claiming the algae was left over from the previous tenants of the White House. We are removing the algae, and the nanobubblers will maintain the pool and keep it algae-free. President Donald J. Trump is an expert builder who has fixed the Reflecting Pool for good, unlike the failed and extremely costly attempt by Obama and Biden,” the White House statement said."
Your hed gif cuties: https://martiniambassador.substack.com/p/rusty-spotted-kittens-at-the-frankfurt
And meme chat: https://open.substack.com/chat/posts/f3d945dd-63b0-44d4-aab9-9f84515e2aed?utm_source=share
Have a good weekend!
They may be tiny hunters
But I'll tell you I'm not shittin'
I think them to be cuties
I'm quite smitten with these kittens.
Kitteh Haiku:
Cats with their quick paws
They were worshipped in Egypt,
Easy to see why.
Play time!
I like their fancy goggles, also too.
Huh, they don’t look rusty to me.
They were just oiled.
LOL
You all can keep your Worldle.
I'd rather use Martini's hed gifs as a daily dementia test.
Today: Camel
Yesterday: Camel
Every day: Camel
I should be president.
Tabbies for Tabs!
Spicy kitties! Bon fin de semaine, Martini!
Terror Kittehs of The Forest!
Terror Kittehs will be the name of my neighborhood children's choir! Thanks, tehbaddr
Kitties!
Rustys never sleep!
Someone's going to have to find a way to buff out those rusty spots.
Did Hitler even make as much mess of the ‘36 Olympics as Trump is making of the ‘26 FIFA games?
While I know the stupid and the incompetence may well be saving graces for us, I think I could better adjust to constant scraping on a chalkboard.
At least Trump is too put off by the foreigner aspect of the World Cup to show up at it.
¡Debe bailar el vieneres!
Nice time in Boston: A new mural in Dewey Square titled 'The Midnight Ride' by the wonderful street artist Rixy.
Bonus quote from the artist: "Colonial statues are so aggressive‚ A man on a horse. And poor horse, I want to be clear [in this mural] that they’re companions." https://archive.ph/546Us
It's simple. Overwhelming military power can be offset by guerilla activity, prepared retreat paths, surprise tactics, rallying support with propaganda and just outsmarting the bully.
Finland's military surprised and stalemated Stalin's much larger Red Army invasion back in the late 1930s.
Ho Chi Minh drove America right out Viet Nam.
George Washington lost every battle, save one, but managed to outlast the British Empire.
Sixteenth century Korea used a tiny navy to repel a much larger Japanese fleet and stop an invasion.
It happens.
All Iran has to do to get Donnie to agree to everything they want is to drag the whole thing on and wait for the approaching economic collapse to really start hurting. Their leverage only increases as the midterms approach.
Donnie has trapped himself in an impossible situation where Iran and Israel both agree on one thing....neither will allow Donnie to just walk away.
Chewy the Newfie has numerous jobs in the family :-D
*watch the mini-vid clips, sound on
https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2026/jun/08/the-pet-ill-never-forget-chewy-dog-newfoundland
Jay Clayton also has no intelligence experienced, as required by law for the position. Also, he's only been in the position at the SDNY for a year, after being appointed by Trump initially in an "acting position" - and when that deadline approached, judges in the District Court for Southern District of New York voted to retain Clayton - so he never really went through a Senate "confirmation".
As it is, I see him being described as a "veteran prosecutor" - but he's never really prosecuted anyone. In private practice, he was a business lawyer, and at the SEC, he was mostly an administrator. Calling him a "seasoned prosecutor" ( another description I've seen ) seems to be solely based on his leading SDNY, which again is mostly an administrative position. In February, he also handed corporations a "get out of jail" card, allowing them to "self-report" any criminal violations ( including fraud ). I suspect this is just another reason Trump selected him.
As Glenn Kirschner explained at length last night, while throwing not a few f-bombs, he's never prosecuted so much as a parking ticket!!
I ❤️ the man for whom JUSTICE MATTERS!
Hegseth’s “Department of War” social accounts released a series of workout videos Wednesday featuring him doing training exercises with “warriors” (members of the military), this time at Guantanamo Bay. One video featured numerous shots of Hegseth and other men running, jumping and lifting amid a chorus of grunts and was quickly followed by another video of Hegseth giving a locker room-style speech about how the president has “got [their] backs” and is ready to “unleash” and “untie” their hands. It’s just the latest example of the MAGA-coded “masculinity theater” that’s becoming associated with Trump’s second term.
https://www.huffpost.com/entry/maga-masculinity-theater_l_6a29c786e4b01046d7167489?origin=home-life-unit
https://x.com/DOWResponse/status/2064728934646775950?s=20
https://x.com/DOWResponse/status/2064765596076589527?s=20
Ta, Evan. Ta, Martini. I slept late because I got to sleep late. Enjoying a lovely cup of green jasmine tea before breakfast while I watch the hummingbirds at their feeder. Adored and adorable husband Meccalopolis is driving up from school, picking up the dogs from daycare, then spending the weekend. I'll be staying Up Here to continue Ebony's care; she's improving a bit and sleeping a lot. Good day, beloved Wonketteers. We love and appreciate you all and we bless us all with love, health, peace, and grace.
Please, please stay safe. Wear a mask or two, wash your hands, sanitize when you cannot wash and let the sanitizer dry completely, stop touching your face, take Vitamin D, get a booster shot six months after your last and catch up on any other vaccines you need (and if there are children in your life, make sure they're vaccinated also, too), avoid indoor and crowded outdoor gatherings and when you must meet, remove masks only to eat, drink, and take quick photos, and stay the fuck away from us and anyone with whom you do not share a roof. Do this because you love yourself, and because we love you, too. Do this in memory of 27 Club member Treg and heroic Tony, Holly's pilot friend, among nearly eight million dead worldwide. Do this to honor the nurses and other frontline medical personnel (we adore you, all medicos of Wonkette, active and retired), especially ICU Hera Mrs Land Shark, RN. Stay safe.
Slava Ukraini. 🌻🇺🇦💙💛
"Secretary of State Marco Rubio signed a memorandum of understanding with Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) president Dana White on Thursday to "collaborate on the global growth of mixed martial arts." "We're excited about what this brand means about America's ability to expand and reach out to other parts of the world," Rubio said at the signing ceremony. "It will be an American company and an American brand—even if it may be their fighters—bringing this sport to these places, and that's the definition of American soft power."
"The White House is the people's house. It belongs to the people of the United States," Rubio said at Thursday's signing ceremony. "For them to be able to see this event with their White House in the background as part of our celebration of 250 years is a gift to the American people."
https://reason.com/2026/06/11/marco-rubios-cage-fights-for-diplomacy-are-another-form-of-crony-capitalism/
"Then, before signing the deal that will allow the use of “cage fights for diplomacy,” Rubio compared the UFC to the 1969 moon landing: “When President Kennedy announced that we were going to put a man on the moon and return them safely to the earth, no one thought that was possible, and we did it,” Rubio said. “We are a nation founded on doing what no one else dared to do, and no one else aspired to.” He added: “And at some level, that’s what this whole company, what UFC has been.”
https://www.huffpost.com/entry/marco-rubio-compares-ufc-with-moon-landing_n_6a2b32f2e4b0942fb776ec8b?origin=home-whats-happening-unit
I can't even come up with a coherent response to this, so outraged am I.
Idiocracy was not meant to be a tutorial, but here we are.
You know who else had concepts of a plan? Oh, wait, that was the same guy.
"Less than a week after the pool was refilled, Washington Post photographers captured images of algae back in the newly resurfaced body of water. The Post reported that a large patch of algae near the World War II Memorial grew significantly larger during a rainy Wednesday.
In response to the Post’s inquiry, a Trump official passed the buck, claiming the algae was left over from the previous tenants of the White House. We are removing the algae, and the nanobubblers will maintain the pool and keep it algae-free. President Donald J. Trump is an expert builder who has fixed the Reflecting Pool for good, unlike the failed and extremely costly attempt by Obama and Biden,” the White House statement said."
https://www.huffpost.com/entry/national-mall-reflecting-pool-donald-trump-renovations_n_6a2b8b61e4b0ba7a1fec36e0?origin=home-latest-news-unit
The front lines are safe now that Bob’s big boy is leading the charge
https://www.threads.com/@traciesearing/post/DZfF3xAEfLa?xmt=AQG0TE6S2Dui8smjV_9xL9Hg3LvaJU2hHGkS_7wF2ryr-q_wNfiuP9h3h5e_Rd3hnMpux9KW&slof=1
https://media.tenor.com/Ke_zVRcp1gsAAAAM/snl-mom.gif
OT, Minnpost Daily Glean topics: murder, murder, pointing a gun threatening murder...
https://www.minnpost.com/glean/2026/06/minnesota-lawmaker-attacks-vance-boelter-pleads-guilty-to-hortman-killings-hoffman-shootings/
Also too, RIP Brian Wilson
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1DnZLDTG7E4&list=RD1DnZLDTG7E4&start_radio=1
"TRUMP: It's a very strong memorandum of understanding".
WTF does "strong memorandum" even mean?