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spanishviolet.bsky.social
@spanishviolet.bsky.social
410 followers 1.1K following 87 posts
Reading (SF/fantasy - Wheel of Time; science & nature, history, biography), knitting, Star Trek & sci fi TV, birdwatching, politics, tarot.
Posts Replies Media Videos
Reposted
emilyhughes.bsky.social
pre-writing a devastating obituary for your enemy is god-tier hating of a kind you don’t often see anymore. renaissance haterism. beautiful stuff.
brittanytrang.com Brittany Trang @brittanytrang.com · 22d
A Sharon Begley byline, almost 5 years after her death.

Upon hearing the news James Watson had died, a STAT reporter said in our Slack, "I wish I could read what Sharon would have written."

Incredible news: Sharon in fact did pre-write a Watson obit. And it is masterful and excoriating.
🧪🧬🧫
James Watson, dead at 97, was a scientific legend and a pariah among his peers
James Watson, the co-discoverer of the structure of DNA who died Thursday at 97, was a scientific legend and a pariah among his peers.
www.statnews.com
November 9, 2025 at 12:55 AM
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cassiecreswell.bsky.social
Downstate IL in a town of 5,000 people: “100s of protestors lined Main St in Staunton with ‘Bring Him Home’ as their main rallying cry during an event Sunday in support of local restaurant owner Ismael Sandoval. Sandoval was taken into custody by ICE on Wed.” www.thetelegraph.com/news/article...
ICE detention sparks hundreds to Staunton rally for restaurant owner
Hundreds of Staunton residents rally for release of beloved restaurateur Ismael Sandoval
www.thetelegraph.com
November 4, 2025 at 1:58 PM
spanishviolet.bsky.social
Just recently got back into nail polish and I’m really enjoying how well this week’s color goes with my current shawl-in-progress! 🧶
#knitsky #wip #indienailpolish
Hand with nails painted in Terroir by Cirque Colors, a purple-brown perfect for fall, resting on a shawl in progress - pattern is Unwind by Tracie Millar - in green and purple/cream colored yarns from Trilogy Yarns.
November 4, 2025 at 7:07 PM
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katmabu.bsky.social
They just tear-gassed us. They tried to run us over in a van holding a peaceful protester. They shot us with pepper balls. They dragged another protester into the facility.
mulchy.bsky.social shawn @mulchy.bsky.social · Sep 19
moments ago, ice agents again came out of the broadview detention/“professing” facility to escort a silver suv out of the lot.

one of the agents picked up and threw congressional candidate kat abughazaleh to the ground.
September 19, 2025 at 1:54 PM
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andrewjweinstein.com
Only in America is the report of children being shot at school knocked out of the news by another shooting on the same day.
September 11, 2025 at 3:47 AM
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nationalsecuritylaw.org
The approaches to identical attacks are completely incompatible, because they focus on DIFFERENT PEOPLE. If a Republican is attacked, they focus on the attacker. What would make him do it? If a Democrat is attacked, they focus on the victim. What did they do to provoke it?
September 11, 2025 at 3:58 AM
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anamariecox.bsky.social
No elected official Democratic party will be as cruel about Kirk's death as Mike Lee was about the death of Melissa Hortman.

wisconsinexaminer.com/2025/06/17/s...
Republican Sen. Mike Lee of Utah took down X posts Tuesday making an apparent connection between Gov. Tim Walz and the man accused of shooting two Minnesota lawmakers and their spouses, and blaming “Marxists” for the murders. The change comes after blowback from Sen. Tina Smith and her staffers as well as Minnesota Democratic and Republican lawmakers. One X post said “Nightmare on Waltz Street,” with pictures of Boelter, who is accused of killing Minnesota Rep. Melissa Hortman and her husband, Mark, and shooting Sen. John Hoffman and his wife, Yvette, in the early morning hours of June 14. Boelter also went to the homes of two other state lawmakers that night; one house was empty, and at the other, a police officer pulled up to the house shortly after Boelter arrived, so Boelter left. Another Lee post read, “This is what happens When Marxists don’t get their way,” with a picture of Boelter.
September 10, 2025 at 11:05 PM
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knitmyworld.bsky.social
More consequences of the de minimis tax exemption going away under Trump's tariffs: www.yahoo.com/news/article...
#knitting #knitsky #tariffs
Knitters snagged by tariffs, as yarn brands pause shipments to U.S.
BROOKLYN, N.Y. - Autumn Larosa knows exactly what she’s looking for when she shops for yarn: Heavy enough to knit a warm sweater but light enough for a drapey shawl. Just the right shade of beige or b...
www.yahoo.com
September 6, 2025 at 12:31 AM
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garys79.bsky.social
From @hcrichardson.bsky.social

Sorry for the language, but WHAT THE FUCK, people?
Is this YOUR America?
August 28, 2025 at 12:26 PM
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jamellebouie.net
i find this image so fascinating. it is both a literal example of authoritarianism but also a second-hand reproduction of the aesthetics of other authoritarian states. it's like a simulacra of authoritarianism whose purpose is to attempt to make the simulacra real.
mclem.org Michael Clemens @mclem.org · Aug 28
This is a real photograph of Washington, DC this week, where the United States president has ordered military occupation in peacetime, and ordered the display of colossal portraits of himself.

www.wsj.com/politics/pol...
Washington, DC under military occupation in last August 2025, with banners proclaiming the absolute power of the primus inter pares
August 28, 2025 at 1:38 PM
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alyssaharad.bsky.social
This is a hell of a letter. “The intentional eroding of trust in low-risk vaccines…will bring us to a pre-vaccine era where only the strong will survive and many if not all will suffer….Eugenics plays prominently in the rhetoric being generated…”
donmoyn.bsky.social Don Moynihan @donmoyn.bsky.social · Aug 28
Full resignation letter from Demetre C. Daskalakis, a CDC leader, does not hold back.
"The recent shooting at CDC is not why I am resigning. My grandfather, who I am named after, stood up to fascist forces in Greece and lost his life doing so. I am resigning to make him and his legacy proud."
My resignation letter from CDC. Dear Dr. Houry, I am writing to formally resign from my position as Director of the National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), effective August 28, 2025, close of business. I am happy to stay on for two weeks to provide transition, if requested. This decision has not come easily, as I deeply value the work that the CDC does in safeguarding public health and am proud of my contributions to that critical mission. However, after much contemplation and reflection on recent developments and perspectives brought to light by Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., I find that the views he and his staff have shared challenge my ability to continue in my current role at the agency and in the service of the health of the American people. Enough is enough. While I hold immense respect for the institution and my colleagues, I believe that it is imperative to align my professional responsibilities to my system of ethics and my understanding of the science of infectious disease, immunology, and my promise to serve the American people. This step is necessary to ensure that I can contribute effectively in a capacity that allows me to remain true to my principles. The recent change in the adult and children’s immunization schedule threaten the lives of the youngest Americans and pregnant people. The data analyses that supported this decision have never been shared with CDC despite my respectful requests to HHS and other leadership. This lack of meaningful engagement was further compounded by a “frequently asked questions” document written to support the Secretary’s directive that was circulated by HHS without input from CDC subject matter experts and that cited studies that did not support the conclusions that were attributed to these authors. Having worked in local and national public health for years, I have never experienced such radical non-transparency, nor have I seen such unskilled manipulation of data to achieve a political end rather than the good of the American people. It is untenable to serve in an organization that is not afforded the opportunity to discuss decisions of scientific and public health importance released under the moniker of CDC. The lack of communication by HHS and other CDC political leadership that culminates in social media posts announcing major policy changes without prior notice demonstrate a disregard of normal communication channels and common sense. Having to retrofit analyses and policy actions to match inadequately thought-out announcements in poorly scripted videos or page long X posts should not be how organizations responsible for the health of people should function. Some examples include the announcement of the change in the COVID-19 recommendations for children and pregnant people, the firing of scientists from ACIP by X post and an op-ed rather than direct communication with these valuable experts, the announcement of new ACIP members by X before onboarding and vetting have completed, and the release of term of reference for an ACIP workgroup that ignored all feedback from career staff at CDC. Their desire to please a political base will result in death and disability of vulnerable children and adults. Their base should be the people they serve not a political voting bloc. I have always been first to challenge scientific and public health dogma in my career and was excited by the opportunity to do so again. I was optimistic that there would be an opportunity to brief the Secretary about key topics such as measles, avian influenza, and the highly coordinated approach to the respiratory virus season. Such briefings would allow exchange of ideas and a shared path to support the vision of “Making America Healthy Again.” We are seven months into the new administration, and no CDC subject matter expert from my Center has ever briefed the Secretary. I am not sure who the Secretary is listening to, but it is quite certainly not to us. Unvetted and conflicted outside organizations seem to be the sources HHS use over the gold standard science of CDC and other reputable sources. At a hearing, Secretary Kennedy said that Americans should not take medical advice from him. To the contrary, an appropriately briefed and inquisitive Secretary should be a source of health information for the people he serves. As it stands now, I must agree with him, that he should not be considered a source of accurate information. The intentional eroding of trust in low-risk vaccines favoring natural infection and unproven remedies will bring us to a pre-vaccine era where only the strong will survive and many if not all will suffer. I believe in nutrition and exercise. I believe in making our food supply healthier, and I also believe in using vaccines to prevent death and disability. Eugenics plays prominently in the rhetoric being generated and is derivative of a legacy that good medicine and science should continue to shun. The recent shooting at CDC is not why I am resigning. My grandfather, who I am named after, stood up to fascist forces in Greece and lost his life doing so. I am resigning to make him and his legacy proud. I am resigning because of the cowardice of a leader that cannot admit that HIS and his minions’ words over decades created an environment where violence like this can occur. I reject his and his colleagues’ thoughts and prayers, and advise they direct those to people that they have not actively harmed. For decades, I have been a trusted voice for the LGBTQ community when it comes to critical health topics. I must also cite the recklessness of the administration in their efforts to erase transgender populations, cease critical domestic and international HIV programming, and terminate key research to support equity as part of my decision. Public health is not merely about the health of the individual, but it is about the health of the community, the nation, the world. The nation’s health security is at risk and is in the hands of people focusing on ideological self-interest. I want to express my heartfelt gratitude for the opportunities for growth, learning, and collaboration that I have been afforded during my time at the CDC. It has been a privilege to work alongside such dedicated professionals who are committed to improving the health and well-being of communities across the nation even when under attack from within both physically and psychologically. Thank you once again for the support and guidance I have received from you and previous CDC leadership throughout my tenure. I wish the CDC continued success in its vital mission and that HHS reverse its dangerous course to dismantle public health as a practice and as an institution. If they continue the current path, they risk our personal well-being and the security of the United States.
August 28, 2025 at 11:28 AM
Reposted
motherjones.com
“They’re going to kill me here,” Neri Alvarado thought.

Alvarado was allegedly targeted by the Trump administration because of his tattoo of an autism awareness ribbon. Now, free from El Salvador's notorious CECOT prison, Alvarado wants the world to know what they lived through.
August 25, 2025 at 6:11 PM
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adamkeiper.com
"It's been nearly seven weeks. And they’re still looking for bodies."

This article uses the recent deadly flood in Texas as the jumping-off point for discussing the Trump administration's dangerously bad management of FEMA.

www.thebulwark.com/p/fema-feder...
It’s Hurricane Season. Do You Know Where Your FEMA Director Is?
Dark days at the disaster agency under Trump, with senior leaders gone, staffing down, and money not going out the door as expected.
www.thebulwark.com
August 23, 2025 at 1:39 AM
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conniemenefee.bsky.social
Zinnia & Ruby-throated Hummingbird (sitting down!)
🌿🪶
Pink zinnia with Ruby-throated Hummingbird landing Pink zinnia with a Ruby-throated Hummingbird sitting down Pink zinnia with perched Ruby-throated Hummingbird Pink zinnia with a Ruby-throated Hummingbird drinking from it while sitting!
August 17, 2025 at 12:53 AM
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johnraby61.bsky.social
Just saw these two beauties on the same flower. 🌱 🦋
August 14, 2025 at 7:58 PM
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notalegalrecord.net
WGBH building in Boston today
View of the WGBH building in Boston with an electronic marquee reading “Local. Trusted. Defunded.”
July 18, 2025 at 4:41 PM
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drruth.bsky.social
Striking. After Texas banned abortion, ER visits for early miscarriage rose 25% and blood transfusions surged 54%.

Doctors delayed care like D&Cs out of fear of prosecution. More women nearly bled to death. buff.ly/egXhmm7

#medsky #ObGynsky 🛟🧪
blood bag, ultrasound picture, chart up all in black and red tones.
July 19, 2025 at 6:38 PM
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dottiebair.bsky.social
I needed this reminder today. So I'm putting it back out there for the other weird ones who also need reminding.
July 18, 2025 at 2:08 PM
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rbreich.bsky.social
ICE detained a veteran and U.S. citizen for three days.

They didn’t let him contact his family or a lawyer. They didn’t let him change or shower. They didn’t give him a reason for his detention.

Under this regime, no one is safe. apnews.com/article/us-a...
Army veteran and US citizen arrested in California immigration raid warns it could happen to anyone
A U.S. Army veteran arrested during an immigration raid at a California marijuana farm says he was sprayed with tear gas and pepper spray before being dragged from his vehicle on his way to work.
apnews.com
July 18, 2025 at 5:02 PM
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scalzi.com
This article drives home the financial precarity of creative work, even among artists who have had their measure of fame.

www.rollingstone.com/music/music-...
July 17, 2025 at 4:13 PM
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jarjarfan69.bsky.social
Texas can't adequately warn people about deadly floods, but it can immediately let me know that a cop got hurt 250 miles away from me.
A "blue alert" from the state of Texas for an injury to a cop 250 miles away from where I live.
July 10, 2025 at 1:00 AM
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uncannymagazine.bsky.social
Don't forget that a certain BIG ONLINE RETAILER greatly damaged a bunch of SF/F magazines, including Uncanny Magazine, by taking away their subscription income. Today would be a PRIME day to stick it to that BIG ONLINE RETAILER by directly supporting Uncanny Magazine!!!!
uncannymagazine.bsky.social Uncanny Magazine @uncannymagazine.bsky.social · Jul 8
Space Unicorns! Uncanny Magazine Year 12: Fly Forever, Space Unicorns! Kickstarter is 41% towards funding. DON'T STOP US NOW BECAUSE WE'RE HAVING A GOOD TIME!!!! buff.ly/FTfV1GZ
Uncanny Magazine Year 11 Covers: The Duet by Nilah Magruder, Barbershops of the Floating City by Grace P. Fong, and Blessed Universe by Galen Dara.
July 8, 2025 at 4:27 PM
spanishviolet.bsky.social
My #showmeyourknits for both this week’s #wips theme and last week’s garter stitch - a Marlow shawl with yarn from the Frosted Stitch’s Spices collection. Not my usual colors, but I love the tonal variations! 🧶
Marlow shawl of garter stitch stripes and lace accents, pattern by Tamy Gore, in dark brown, green-yellow, and white stripes.
July 5, 2025 at 11:48 PM
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seizethememez.bsky.social
The image features a vibrant bouquet of various flowers, including red, purple, blue, yellow, and orange blooms, with green leaves and stems. The flowers are densely packed, creating a colorful and lively arrangement against a black background. Overlapping the floral design is bold white text that reads: "I WISH FOR YOU WHAT YOU WISH FOR IMMIGRANTS" The text is prominent and stands out clearly against the colorful backdrop. At the bottom, the word "TRANSPAINTER" appears, likely indicating the artist or creator of the image.
July 4, 2025 at 5:03 PM
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mollyjongfast.bsky.social
This is what I’m so worried about
aoc.bsky.social Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez @aoc.bsky.social · Jul 3
I don’t think anyone is prepared for what they just did w/ ICE.

This is not a simple budget increase. It is an explosion - making ICE bigger than the FBI, US Bureau of Prisons, DEA,& others combined.

It is setting up to make what’s happening now look like child’s play. And people are disappearing.
July 3, 2025 at 8:17 PM