Reposted by John RefiorCatherine Rampell @crampell.bsky.social · 2hwhen your country's new accord on “super intelligence” misspells the country's name 1101564327
Reposted by John RefiorSergio Perez @sergioperez.bsky.social · 4hThis graph turns my stomach - why is the current government at war with some of our most vulnerable neighbors? I don't want hungry children in my city. I want my tax dollars to help them, and to fund efforts to go after corporations & others who created that hunger. 2169
Reposted by John RefiorReuters @reuters.com · 10hViruses run rampant across Havana as water, power fails reut.rs/3VaLvPkreut.rsViruses run rampant across Havana as water, power failsCuban housewife Yuamilka Hechavarria was asleep last Tuesday when water rushed into the cistern of the crumbling tenement where she lives in old Havana. 1212777
Reposted by John RefiorMike Zaccardi, CFA, CMT @mikezaccardi.bsky.social · 10hThe average length of joblessness is now more than six months, the longest since the mid-2010s outside the pandemic. @soberlook @economics thedailyshot.com/sub... 1146
Reposted by John RefiorTom Joscelyn @tomjoscelyn.bsky.social · 11hLet’s remember that Sen. Eric Schmitt is a white nationalist who employs other white nationalists while spreading white nationalist/racist conspiracy theories. missouriindependent.com/2025/09/15/m... White supremacists never fail to demonstrate how they’re inferior: 45693218
Reposted by John RefiorAlex Finley @alexzfinley.bsky.social · 10hEU finally sanctions Xenia Fedorova, meaning French oligarch Vincent Bolloré can no longer platform her on any of his media platforms, even if she appears from outside Europe (he can't pay her!). Here is some background: alexzfinley.substack.com/p/france-mov...alexzfinley.substack.comFrance Moves to Expel a Russian PropagandistWill the move set up a court battle to test the line between freedom of expression and protection of the constitutional order? 1136
Reposted by John RefiorEU Council @consilium.europa.eu · 24/09/2026The EU has sanctioned Xenia Fedorova for her role in Russia’s continued hybrid activities against the EU and its member states, and in particular for engaging in information manipulation and interference. Find out more ➡️ link.europa.eu/B3Gtxp 1268
Reposted by John RefiorNick Brumfield @nickjbrumfield.bsky.social · 15hThere are no US forces in Iraq for the first time in two decades I need people to remember this when some folks say deploying troops to Iran or Yemen will be a six month op.reuters.comUS forces exit Iraq after two decades, leaving opening for IranThe departure is celebrated as a victory by Iran and its allies who now have deep influence in the country where 4,500 Americans died during more than two decades of war. 59333
Reposted by John RefiorArtButMakeItSports @artbutmakeitsports.bsky.social · 29/09/2026Circus Performers, by Walt Kuhn, 1978, 📸 via @marisakabas.bsky.social 171121762594
Reposted by John RefiorZach Everson @zacheverson.com · 29/09/2026Here's a $20 million order, paid for by CBP's Office of Public Affairs, awarded to LMD Agency for a national media campaign starting on Sept. 20. The first pro-Trump ad aired on Sept. 23. www.usaspending.gov/award/CONT_A... 15481203
Reposted by John RefiorThe Guardian @theguardian.com · 29/09/2026New York man killed after bag caught in subway train doors, police saytheguardian.comNew York man killed after bag caught in subway train doors, police sayMan, 57, was reportedly leaving A train at Utica Avenue station when stuck bag dragged him back and on to tracks 1237
Reposted by John RefiorAaron Rupar @atrupar.com · 29/09/2026🤡 Schmitt beclowns himself 🤡 Schmitt concocted an elaborate conspiracy theory that Smith traveled to Atl for a Hawks game and to collude with Fani Willis, & flashed his "evidence" before accusing Smith of perjury. There's just one problem -- his facts were totally wrong. Here's the whole sequence: 2618208155651
John Refior @johnrefior.bsky.social · 29/09/2026"More than 20% of the F.B.I.’s work force has been assigned to immigration enforcement, pulling agents and analysts away from investigating public corruption, cybercrime, white-collar crime, drug trafficking and terrorism." www.nytimes.com/interactive/...nytimes.comInside Kash Patel’s F.B.I.: Meltdowns, Chaos, VendettasForty-five current and former employees on the changes they say are undermining the agency and making America less safe. 041
John Refior @johnrefior.bsky.social · 29/09/2026"Since taking office last year, FBI director Kash Patel — a fierce loyalist of President Donald Trump — has fired, demoted, or forced into retirement countless career employees" www.cnn.com/2026/09/26/p...cnn.comTwo senior FBI agents ousted over investigation into alleged harassing calls to wife of Trump adviser Stephen Miller | CNN PoliticsTwo veteran FBI agents overseeing counterterrorism operations in the nation’s capital have been removed from their jobs and reassigned over the handling of an investigation involving Katie Miller, the... 000
John Refior @johnrefior.bsky.social · 29/09/2026June 24: "FBI officials have informed some agents in recent days that they will be exempt from a mandate to focus part of their time on immigration enforcement given the elevated threat level from Iran" How nice of them.reuters.comFBI shifts some agents back to counter-terrorism following Iran strike, people familiar sayThe FBI has ramped up its efforts to monitor potential threats to the U.S. from Iran following President Donald Trump’s decision to attack the country’s nuclear facilities, two people briefed on the m... 000
John Refior @johnrefior.bsky.social · 29/09/2026"offices in the DOJ’s National Security Division have lost at least half of their employees, people familiar with the matter told CNN, including the office dedicated to counterterrorism. Senior FBI officials who oversaw counterintelligence and international terrorism efforts have been pushed out."cnn.comKash Patel gutted FBI counterintelligence team tasked with tracking Iranian threats days before US strikes, sources say | CNN PoliticsJust days before the United States launched a major military operation in Iran, FBI Director Kash Patel fired a dozen agents and staff members from a counterintelligence unit tasked with monitoring th... 000
Reposted by John RefiorKieran Healy @kjhealy.co · 15/09/2026The terrible prose is extruded using catalog copy and Wikipedia. Like the book club spam, you can see how the lack of an up-front ask is trawling for somewhat vain people who are susceptible to flattery, which of course excludes academic authors [puts hand to ear] sorry I’m just getting an update 0223
Reposted by John RefiorDavid Wessel @davidmwessel.bsky.social · 29/09/2026Cambridge political economist Helen Thompson: "I don’t think we’re ever really going back to a world in which the US acting as a guarantor of passage through the Strait of Hormuz can be taken for granted." www.ft.com/content/5ae5... 3143
Reposted by John RefiorRyan Goodman @rgoodlaw.bsky.social · 29/09/2026How clear is it that Trump's taxpayer funded ads are illegal? I explain why it is 10/10 clear. Senate in passing the law: Ban is designed to stop public funds used for "glorification" of an individual official. GAO: funds can not be used for "self-aggrandizement" nor partisan political purposes. 12233511060
Reposted by John RefiorReuters @reuters.com · 29/09/2026Shares of fast-fashion platform Shein fall 6% after quarterly profit slides 67% reut.rs/3VhYoqOreut.rsShares of fast-fashion platform Shein fall 6% after quarterly profit slides 67%Shares of fast-fashion retailer Shein dropped more than 6% on Tuesday after it reported a 67% fall in quarterly profit, fuelling investor concerns over margin pressure and slowing growth. 3161
Reposted by John RefiorEd Zitron @edzitron.com · 29/09/2026Reuters got some of the IPO docs. Anthropic is a total dog of a company. Spent $12.6bn to make $4.6bn in revenue in 2025, $7.33bn of which was compute costs. Operating loss of $8bn. Losses getting worse year over year. Amazing stuff www.reuters.com/business/fin... 17241321387
Reposted by John RefiorCosmopolitical 🇬🇱🇩🇰🇺🇸🇨🇦 @flashback21.bsky.social · 29/09/2026Seems like the most likely reason. Trump supports Russia. 012
Reposted by John RefiorReuters Legal @legal.reuters.com · 28/09/2026A jury in Santa Fe found on September 25 that Meta misled New Mexico residents in a case arising from allegations that Cambridge Analytica obtained data from millions of Facebook users without their consent. New Mexico's AG filed the lawsuit in 2021 reut.rs/47nJQZe 052
John Refior @johnrefior.bsky.social · 28/09/2026"Trump raised the prospect of the arms sales from the U.S. to its ascendant geopolitical rival, an unlikely offer that if consummated would upend generations of U.S. policy toward China and Taiwan and potentially expose U.S. technology to a potential foe." apnews.com/article/trum...apnews.comTrump asked China's president if he wants to buy US arms, ambassador saysThe U.S. ambassador to China says President Donald Trump asked Chinese President Xi Jinping if he wanted to buy weapons from the United States. 010
Reposted by John RefiorBaltic Takes (formerly badbaltictakes) @baltictakes.com · 27/09/2026The lack of a stronger international response to each escalation of Russian aggression, such as after Russia invaded Ukraine in 2014, and all that nonsense about resetting the relationship just reinforced its perception that it could keep escalating more. 1382
Reposted by John RefiorBaltic Takes (formerly badbaltictakes) @baltictakes.com · 27/09/2026Western and Russian thinking around Golden Arches theory had each taken the exact opposite lessons. The West thought economic integration restrained aggression, while Russia thought economic integration restrained any response to its aggression. 1365
Reposted by John RefiorZack Labe @zacklabe.com · 27/09/2026The last three months are the warmest on record globally, relative to every other June-July-August period since 1850. Data from NOAA/NCEI's NOAAGlobalTempv6.1.0. 9434211
Reposted by John RefiorBrennan Center @brennancenter.org · 27/09/2026Why is so much untraceable dark money flooding elections? Because the Supreme Court demolished campaign finance laws. bit.ly/4d1GYVrbrennancenter.org$1 Billion in Secret Cash Is Reshaping the MidtermsWe may never know where most of the money came from. 9195115
Reposted by John RefiorAlondra Nelson @alondra.bsky.social · 27/09/2026The idea that people want AI oversight to happen "all of a sudden" ignores years of research, warnings, and policy efforts. The delay hasn’t been a lack of awareness; it’s been because of years of industry lobbying against regulation, political resistance, and inaction. 37931244
Reposted by John RefiorNOELREPORTS @noelreports.com · 27/09/2026Russia’s Finance Ministry has proposed new tax increases, including higher levies on excess profits and a 22% VAT on cross-border e-commerce. Asked how this squared with previous statements that the tax burden would not rise, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov replied: “No comment.” #Russia 2233562
Reposted by John RefiorRyan Cummings @weakinstrument.bsky.social · 25/09/20261/2 Me+@jaredb-econ.bsky.social are out w/ a new piece examining how much revenue is needed to justify hyperscaler AI capex. We estimate that incremental AI revenue is currently b/n $86-$188.1B for the hyperscalers, but they need $13.1-$18.7 *trillion* over the next decade for that to pencil out. 5175
John Refior @johnrefior.bsky.social · 27/09/2026Seems like a stunning Freudian word salad from Trump today: "I'm rejecting the deal, they want to make a deal where they open the Strait immediately... they want to make a deal... but that deal would not be acceptable. And what they want to do is immediately open the Hormuz Strait" (see video)trumpisarussianasset.info 000
Reposted by John RefiorHoodlum 🇺🇸 @nothoodlum.bsky.social · 27/09/2026Denmark is trolling Trump. 29169162723
John Refior @johnrefior.bsky.social · 26/09/2026Remember when Trump ambushed world leaders at the G20 in Asheville by secretly inviting Russia? That was just a few weeks ago. www.nytimes.com/2026/08/31/b... #TIARA 120
Reposted by John RefiorSeth Cotlar @sethcotlar.bsky.social · 26/09/2026Joel Tenney is an Iowa pastor who gave the invocation for a Trump rally there in 2023. He's been to Mar-a-Lago and campaigned this summer with IA GOP gubernatorial Zach Lahn. He's got pics of himself with Trump and Vance. Oh, and also, he's an antisemitic white nationalist Holocaust denying Nazi. 16540208
Reposted by John RefiorAaron Rupar @atrupar.com · 26/09/2026Q: Will you coordinate with Zelenskyy that Ukraine could work toward Patriot missiles? TRUMP: I agreed with Zelenskyy that we talked about a lot of different topics. But you know what I want him to do? Make a deal. I want him to settle with Putin. 308795179
Reposted by John RefiorAaron Rupar @atrupar.com · 26/09/2026Trump: "I'm rejecting their deal. They want to make a deal where they open the strait immediately ... we're winning tremendously. We have total control of the Hormuz Strait ... that deal would not be acceptable. They want to immediately open the Hormuz Strait." 9682266640
Reposted by John RefiorClaudia Sahm @claudia-sahm.bsky.social · 26/09/2026“I don’t see this ending soon,” said Firrincieli. “Chaos increases prices.” Plenty of chaos from the White House: war, restrictions on immigrants, and tariff threats are all raising transport costs now. www.wsj.com/business/inf...wsj.comThe Cost of Transporting Pretty Much Everything Just Won’t Stop Going UpTrucking and cargo-shipping rates are at their highest levels in years—and it isn’t just because of the price of fuel. 26218
Reposted by John RefiorLarry Glickman @larryglickman.bsky.social · 26/09/2026Trump is doing his best to weaken and undermine higher education, an area in which the United States has been a global leader since World War II, with economic and other benefits that extend far beyond the students, staff, and faculty at universities. 6537108
Reposted by John RefiorLarry Glickman @larryglickman.bsky.social · 26/09/2026In what world is it the purview of the President/Executive branch “to force conservative cultural changes on academia‘? And why end the paragraph without noting that there is no legal justification whatsoever for Trump and his minions to “force cultural change” on institutions of higher education. 7692166
Reposted by John RefiorJanai Nelson @janainelson.bsky.social · 26/09/2026DOJ’s decision to end its involvement in more than 50 longstanding school desegregation cases is an indefensible retreat from federal govt responsibility to ensure the promise of Brown v. Board of Education is realized in classrooms across the country. www.naacpldf.org/press-releas...naacpldf.orgLDF Decries U.S. Department of Justice Dismissal of Over Fifty Federal School Desegregation CasesYesterday, the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) issued a misleading announcement, claiming that it had “ended” more than 50 federal school desegregation cases. The Legal Defense Fund (LDF) decried the... 25336
Reposted by John RefiorKevin M. Kruse @kevinmkruse.bsky.social · 26/09/2026Susan Collins is always horrified by the predictable results of her own vote, which means Mainers who genuinely care about Susan Collins should elect Troy Jackson as he won’t vote for things that wind up upsetting Susan Collins, unlike Susan Collins 804141948
Reposted by John RefiorKatie Bergh @katiebergh.bsky.social · 24/09/2026🚨New: With data added from more states, we now estimate that about 2 million fewer kids are receiving SNAP in the wake of deep cuts enacted in last year’s Republican reconciliation law. Overall, more than 5 million people have lost SNAP since July 2025. www.cbpp.org/research/foo...cbpp.orgSNAP Tracker: People Are Losing Food Assistance as the Harmful 2025 Republican Reconciliation Law Is ImplementedSNAP participation nationwide fell by roughly 5 million people (12 percent) between the law’s July 2025 enactment and May 2026, based on the latest month of data. 414298
Reposted by John RefiorDan Hirschman @asociologist.bsky.social · 25/09/2026“the Trump administration has implemented policies more extreme than those of even the AfD, the furthest-right of the European parties discussed, and has done so with the near-unanimous support of US Republicans.” crookedtimber.org/2026/09/25/n...crookedtimber.orgNY Times should look across the Hudson, not across the Atlantic — Crooked Timber 093
Reposted by John RefiorSergio Perez @sergioperez.bsky.social · 25/09/2026Absolutely awful. The judges on these cases should treat this for what it is: an unjust & politicized effort to give up the hard, painstaking fight to desegregate our schools.cbsnews.comDOJ says it's moving to end more than 50 decades-old school desegregation casesThe Justice Department said Thursday it was seeking to end more than 50 long-standing consent decrees dating back decades that sought to curb unlawful racial segregation that was prevalent during the ... 0146
Reposted by John RefiorAaron Reichlin-Melnick @reichlinmelnick.bsky.social · 24/09/2026Incredible. First Secretary Mullin claimed that DHS had identified 15,903 noncitizens on Nevada’s voter roll. Then DHS officials told a skeptical Nevada, no no no, that’s just people we flagged. Here are the names of 185 people we KNOW aren’t citizens. All 185 were citizens. DHS got 100% wrong. 21188053851
Reposted by John RefiorEric Columbus @ericcolumbus.bsky.social · 25/09/2026This is bad but *not* in violation of Judge Kelly's order. He ordered only that WH reinstate the "hard pass" held by MSNOW/CNN reporters that allows them access to WH grounds. He said nothing about access to specific events. But now plaintiffs likely will amend their complaint accordingly. 619149
Reposted by John RefiorKyle Griffin @kylegriffin1.bsky.social · 24/09/2026BREAKING NYT: The California Supreme Court just ordered a county sheriff to return about 650,000 ballots he seized from election officials as part of an investigation into voter fraud that state officials said had no basis in fact.nytimes.comRepublican Sheriff Illegally Seized California Ballots, Court RulesThe California Supreme Court ordered Sheriff Chad Bianco of Riverside County to return ballots to election officials after he confiscated them for an investigation. 1281787575