The Countess

The brain is tricky as you age. It takes a real conscious effort to avoid that algorithm-induced time suck. I start out watching some Knitting videos and suddenly it’s 1 AM and all of the pimple popping vids are in my feed. It’s that or rug cleaning videos. Apparently I have a type 

Washington has discovered a brilliant financial strategy. Cut benefits for people who need them, cut taxes for people who don't, and borrow the difference from people who aren't old enough to vote.

Humiliating and dangerous: Trump has now finally just made America an ally of the Kremlin and is aiding Putin in his war against an American friend and partner. Shameful betrayal of a US friend, and pathetic submission to a US enemy. www.theatlantic.com/ideas/2026/1...

When Grammy-winning musician Rhiannon Giddens begins playing “Old Corn Liquor,” a traditional Black American folk tune, acclaimed Chinese pipa virtuoso Wu Man recognizes similarities to Chinese pentatonic music and spontaneously joins in. The joy on their faces says it all.

This was such a great answer from Abdul El-Sayed about his previous criticisms of President Obama.

The things old myths still have to tell us. brokenhand.substack.com/p/listening-... #booksky

Nothing divided the citizens more than “Citizens united” 😕 💰

No one will go to jail for stealing $10m from poor kids because Repubs in FL are above the law. But we can vote two of the thieves out in November: AG James Uthmeier and U.S. Senator Ashley Moody.

Welp, just got my first push poll for the upcoming midterms. There must be some kind of bonus for saying “Democratic Socialist “ as many times as possible.

Beautiful video released by the family of Dolly Parton

This is a beautiful essay on the possibilities that live within the dreaded blue book 

NEW AD: 14 years ago today, Ken Paxton stole someone's $1,000 pen. Today, Ken Paxton’s pen victim is endorsing James Talarico.

NEW: DHS spent months gathering information on dozens of Minnesotans as it sought to crack down on the state's anti-ICE protests, according to legal filings. Through the campaign, DHS collected information on constitutionally protected activities in churches, parks, schools and private group chats.

So my first attempt at the Sophie hood is- as per my usual method- wonky as heck but I think the addition of the eyelash yarn and daisies ( to cover a few little holes) more than make up for any deficiencies. #knitsky

Tales of everyday corruption. Pete Hegseth cancelled the $400,000 contract for making uniforms for the Blue Angels on the grounds that the contract with "The Sewing Box" was DEI since the firm is Black-owned. Instead, he awarded it to a Trump donor for $1,690,000, a 325% price increase!

I’m on a boat!

The most important democracy story of the day. www.democracydocket.com/news-alerts/...

First time using double points. Ribbing is wonky but I think it adds to the “background character from Les Mis” vibe that all fingerless gloves exude. #knitsky

#knitsky so my first attempt at mosaic knitting is pretty darn good. Was supposed to be a dishcloth but I decided it should be a clutch. Forgive the sewing- I really don’t know what I’m doing with sewing 😬

Stephen Colbert is a national treasure: The day after his show was canned after 11 years by CBS to appease a tyrant, he shows up on the Monroe, MI public access channel where he did his first Late Show broadcast in 2015.

"If we don't have immigration and population growth, the number of people who can pay off that debt just went down." That's the key mechanism.

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This is about fear,” Davis said. “Not just any fear — panic — the kind of panic that comes from 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue …Because when you can’t persuade the people, when you can’t inspire the voters, when you can’t defend your record, when you can’t ignore the Epstein files, you change the map.”

No one says it better than @rebeccasolnit.bsky.social

#howitstarted welp, I’m not going to get a Paul Hollywood handshake. My sister called it the Delicious Pink Cloud. My stepdad called it Recent Seismic Activity #howitsgoing

Been more than a year since I wrote this piece but I think it holds up. www.theatlantic.com/politics/arc...

"In other words, the perceived worth of higher education has waned just as women have begun to outnumber men within it. Is it really a coincidence?"

Simple information about what the SAVE Act would actually do to American voters. Tens of millions would lose their right to vote unless they spend lots of $$$ and jump through bureaucratic hoops before November.

Great questions…

So the Dow is not 50,000 anymore does that mean we get to see the Epstein files?

So I watched On the Beach last night on TCM. Told my husband it was the Mad Max prequel.

Call US Senators and tell them to vote against the SAVE Act. It has already passed the US House. In its current form, it means that 100 years after women earned the right to vote, we are facing down the implementation of a 21st century poll tax for women.

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I’m thinking of Maggie Smith’s poem ‘Good Bones’ bc I’m hosting my daughter’s birthday party while thinking about today’s murder by ICE, & bc, while I engage my kids to protest injustice, I can’t tell them HOW much I have in common w/ the last 2 people ICE has shot & killed bc they worry about me.

🚨HOLY CRAP. An ICE whistleblower just revealed a secret memo authorizing ICE officers to break into homes without a judicial warrant, which DHS's own legal training materials say is unconstitutional! ICE then hid the memo from the public, passing it along by word of mouth and private conversation.

Hey so this seems like something more people should be talking about 🤔 🗳️ www.npr.org/2025/10/23/n...

Baby blanket is done and before the baby arrived so I count that as a win #knitsky

George was just trying to get to work. ICE pepper-sprayed him, dragged him from his car, locked him in a detention center, and placed him on suicide watch. He even missed his young daughter’s birthday in the process. This man is a veteran and American citizen. Don't look away.

Stephen Miller said the quiet part out loud. Trump has “plenary authority,” then suddenly went silent. Their plan wasn’t to be public yet. Clearly, someone hit the panic button in his earpiece. It gets weirder: CNN uploaded the interview with the “plenary authority” comment edited out. 1/2

Well Cheetos don’t instantly decay on the walk from my car to the refrigerator so there’s that

@kairyssdal.bsky.social did you see this? Make it happen! www.instagram.com/reel/DPCkd9E...