Was Trump partying at Mar-a-Lago while US bombed Iran? We unpacked the claim
Mar. 3rd, 2026 12:57 am![[syndicated profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/feed.png){kind=small}
snopes_feedU.S. strikes on Iran began early Feb. 28. Trump spent the day at Mar-a-Lago and briefly stopped by a fundraiser as events unfolded.
snopes_feed
AO3
Mar. 2nd, 2026 08:15 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
settiaiPlease come back soon, AO3. I know it's not even been a full two days yet since the site started having issues, but I've missed you. Don't make me have to delve into the horrors that is FF.net in order to get my fanfiction fix.
(Honestly, I'm mostly amused that it's been working fine when I haven't been online but the moment that I had a free minute to try to pull up a fic, that's when it's gone down. There have been several times now where I've checked the status and it was just updated minutes earlier.)
(Honestly, I'm mostly amused that it's been working fine when I haven't been online but the moment that I had a free minute to try to pull up a fic, that's when it's gone down. There have been several times now where I've checked the status and it was just updated minutes earlier.)
live to fight another day...
Mar. 2nd, 2026 04:48 pmasakiyumeIn 2018, Wakanomori and I went for the first time to Colombia. We went just as an election was happening. We were in Bogotá, and we ended up walking through rallies for both candidates--the progressive ex-guerrilla and the conservative son of privilege. We ended up with some of the flyers for the progressive guy--they were bright and optimistic, and I made them into postcards:
We didn't know much about Colombian politics at the time, but we hoped he'd win:
But he lost. The conservative candidate, Iván Duque, won.
But then in 2022, the progressive ex-guerrilla won. And that's Gustavo Petro, who's in office now. So you know ... change does happen.
( My microfiction for today was partially inspired by the memory of picking up those flyers. )
We didn't know much about Colombian politics at the time, but we hoped he'd win:
But he lost. The conservative candidate, Iván Duque, won.
But then in 2022, the progressive ex-guerrilla won. And that's Gustavo Petro, who's in office now. So you know ... change does happen.
( My microfiction for today was partially inspired by the memory of picking up those flyers. )
Degrees Of Expectation
Mar. 2nd, 2026 11:00 pmnotalwaysworking_feed
When I was working at a bank, some colleagues said to my girlfriend and me that they would like to talk to us about a money-making opportunity at home. We reluctantly agreed, but only on the proviso that it wasn't multi-level marketing.
Well, it soon became clear on the day that it was indeed multi-level marketing. We weren't pleased.
Money Talks… But It Doesn’t Think
Mar. 2nd, 2026 09:00 pmnotalwaysworking_feedRead Money Talks… But It Doesn’t Think
We get through the order, and then this conversation ensues (please note we are thirty miles apart):
Me: "Okay, the total is $108 even."
Coworker: "Okay, am I taking cash or card?"
Initiating Potty Protocol
Mar. 2nd, 2026 06:55 pmnotalwaysworking_feedRead Initiating Potty Protocol
Manager: "I'm writing you up for not informing anyone about your bathroom breaks."
I made sure I talked to him directly over the next couple of days every time I had to go. And everyone in the store with their walkie-talkie on heard me.
Me: "Hey, manager, you needed to know when I'm going to the bathroom. I'm gonna go potty now. Thanks for asking about it."
This Store Requires A Pre-Pre-Pre-Reading
Mar. 2nd, 2026 05:00 pmnotalwaysworking_feedRead This Store Requires A Pre-Pre-Pre-Reading
Boss: "Actually, the account team is probably going to want eyes on it first, so we should get it to them on Tuesday so they can do a round of revisions."
Me: "...okay, that's getting a little tighter, but should be doable."
Boss: "Actually..."
snopes_feedIran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei died during U.S. and Israeli strikes on the Islamic republic on Feb. 28, 2026.
Did UN Security Council label Trump a 'war criminal' after Iran strikes? Here's the truth
Mar. 2nd, 2026 11:38 pmsnopes_feedThe United States has veto power in the U.N. Security Council, meaning it would need U.S. support to label Trump a war criminal.
snopes_feedU.S. Central Command said Kuwaiti air defenses shot down three U.S. fighter pilots in an "apparent friendly fire incident."
snopes_feedThe 2023 Wall Street Journal piece recirculated following the U.S.-Israel attack on Iran in late February 2026.
snopes_feedKirk's portrait appeared alongside images of education advocates Booker T. Washington and Catharine Beecher.
Hull Lifesaving Museum in Hull, Massachusetts
Mar. 2nd, 2026 04:00 pmatlas_obscura_places_feed
Massachusetts has a rich maritime history and the Hull Lifesaving Museum recalls an important part of that history: recognizing the efforts of brave rescuers embarking to save lives at the mouth of Boston Harbor. Housed in the former Point Allerton Life Saving Station, which opened in 1889, the museum honors those who risked their own lives to save others'.
Joshua James was the station's first keeper and saved an estimated 500 lives after ships wrecked while entering Boston Harbor. Heavy northeast storms imperiled many ships entering the harbor from the Atlantic Ocean as Boston established itself as one of the world's shipping hubs. James and his crews brought many mariners to safety.
The museum celebrates the legacy of these brave men and women, displaying many of the tools they used and thoughtfully recounting many of the rescues they completed. Guided tours are available.
Mhairi McFarlane, Witches, & More
Mar. 2nd, 2026 04:30 pmsmartbitches_feedHow to Lose a Lord in Ten Days
How to Lose a Lord in Ten Days by Sophie Irwin is 99c! I believe Lara mentioned this one in a recent-ish Whatcha Reading. It’s also a standalone historical romance.
From the Sunday Times bestselling author comes a delicious new romance…
He wants a wife. She wants to be jilted. This. Is. War.
Rich, handsome and titled Lord Ashford has every lady in England longing for his hand in marriage.
Everyone, that is, except Miss Lydia Hanworth – the only young woman Ashford wishes to marry.
Pressured into accepting Ashford’s proposal, the announcement must be kept secret for ten days. Can Lydia free herself from her obligations before the engagement is publicly announced, without ruining her reputation? You can achieve an awful lot in ten days, after all…
Mad About You
Mad About You by Mhairi McFarlane is $1.99! This is a contemporary romance about two strangers who become roommates and carry their own baggage around marriage and weddings. McFarlane’s books have been favorably mentioned on the site, but I see the common critique that they often contain more much serious topics than the covers/description imply.
International bestseller Mhairi McFarlane delivers a sharp, emotional new novel about a woman who calls off her engagement to “the perfect man” and moves in with a charming stranger who makes her question everything about her life, her past, and the secrets she’s kept for far too long…
Harriet Hatley is the most in-demand wedding photographer in town, but she doesn’t believe in romance, loathes the idea of marriage, and thinks chocolate fountains are an abomination. Which is why, when her long-time partner proposes, she panics. Suddenly Harriet is single… and living down the hall from her ex. She needs a new apartment, like, yesterday.
Enter Cal Clarke, a hopeless romantic who just experienced his own wedding-related disaster. Harriet and Cal are like chalk and cheese, but as they go from strangers to roommates to friends, it becomes clear they’re both running from something. When Harriet’s most heavily guarded secret comes to light, her world implodes. And Cal, with his witty humor and gentle advice, is a surprising source of calm at the center of the storm.
With her career, friendships, and reputation on the line, Harriet must finally face her past in order to take control of her future. Because if she’s willing to stop playing it safe and risk everything to share her truth, real love and happiness may be waiting on the other side…
An American in London
An American in London by Louise Bay is $1.99! Elyse mentioned this in a previous Hide Your Wallet and was tempted by the fake dating plot.
For a people-pleasing New Yorker and a disagreeable (if seriously hot) Brit, it’s love at fourth sight in a funny and emotional romantic comedy by a Wall Street Journal and USA Today bestselling author.
Tuesday Reynolds’s dreamy life in Manhattan has gone belly-up. Ditched by her college sweetheart and with her Wall Street banking job at risk, she’s off to London to prove herself to a new CEO. Plans change when Tuesday meets Ben Kelley, a wealthy, scowly, and movie-star-handsome stranger. He’s just missing one thing to make his professional dreams come true.
What does Ben need? Oh, just a fake fiancée to impress a duke and duchess. What’s in it for Tuesday? Enough money to put a down payment on an apartment back in New York, a new wardrobe, and a weekend in the country at the stately home of the duke and duchess. The Bridgerton vibes are absolutely off the charts.
Everything between Ben and Tuesday is completely professional, until the rehearsals for their weekend romance start to feel…almost authentic.
It’s official. Tuesday’s life has been hijacked by a rom-com scriptwriter. But the best love stories aren’t the ones on the big screen. Maybe they’re the real ones that sneak up on you when you least expect it.
The Witch’s Cottage
The Witch’s Cottage by Emberly Wyndham is $1.49! This is book one in the Season of the Witch series. It mentions a cozy, grumpy/sunshine pairing.
He mends her cottage, she mends his heart.
When Aurora Silvermoon inherits her auntie’s cottage in the cozy village of Faunwood, she’s thrilled. But when she and her talking cat familiar, Harrison, arrive in early spring, it’s a different story. The paint is peeling, the veranda is about to fall clean off, and there are literal holes in the roof. The cottage needs a lot of work before she can call it a home.
Enter Alden Stonewood, the grumpy village carpenter. Though he agrees to help Aurora fix up her cottage, he has no intention of catching feelings for the little green-haired witch. But every time she flashes him a freckled smile or hands him a cup of steaming lavender tea, his frozen heart melts a little more, and he’s not so sure he’ll be able to resist her.
Add Studio Ghibli, Stardew Valley, and a delicious dash of spice into a cauldron, and you’ve got Season of the Witch, a cozy witch romance series for readers who want all the cottagecore witchy vibes with low stakes and low stress. Each book guarantees a short, spicy romance with an HEA and a new love interest added with every novella. Content suitable for readers 18+.
Just like a bad plot, I won't tell you why
Mar. 2nd, 2026 03:29 pmsovayRabbit, rabbit! To inaugurate the spring month, it snowed flurrily all yesterday morning. This afternoon we are flooded with freezing sun. I can't believe Purim is already upon us. So many names need to be blotted out.
As of the start of the month, I seem to have had over a hundred-dollar drop in my Patreon membership without any notification of a mass die-off in subscriptions. Any suggestions on interpreting this deficit would be appreciated since it is my only steady source of income at the moment and we are so broke.
I am still feeling in something of a mental blast crater about the news. I have spent my afternoon on the phone.rushthatspeaks who also spent his afternoon on the phone is coming over and we are going to lie on the couch and complain about doctors and lawyers. And business executives.
As of the start of the month, I seem to have had over a hundred-dollar drop in my Patreon membership without any notification of a mass die-off in subscriptions. Any suggestions on interpreting this deficit would be appreciated since it is my only steady source of income at the moment and we are so broke.
I am still feeling in something of a mental blast crater about the news. I have spent my afternoon on the phone.
rushthatspeaks who also spent his afternoon on the phone is coming over and we are going to lie on the couch and complain about doctors and lawyers. And business executives.
Hedjog b flopp
Mar. 2nd, 2026 08:21 pmoursinTwo reading groups - one in person, one online - on consecutive days - plus various assorted frazzlements - has left me not feeling like coming up with the wonted witty badinage and repartee to delight dr rdrz.
(Who said 'What witty badinage and repartee'???)
Moderately entertaining coincidence: RL book group was being hosted in a part of London in which (lightly disguised) work discussed in online group takes place (snarked at by the author). I suspect it has changed Quite A Lot since those days....
***
Talking of London: Square Mile strikes back: how the City of London is fighting disinformation about crime. I discover from that that we have a Lady Mayor of London, and upon further research, she is not even the first woman to hold the office but the first to take the style of Lady Mayor, go her.
***
Do we not find it annoying when academic publishers do not reveal, until you have actually made a purchase, that their ebooks can only be consumed via their walled-garden app? In this particular instance at least the work was open-access and I had not taken a loss except in the expenditure of time in the process. But really. If you are offering your product as a ebook, I think this should be made clear from the outset.
Two new poems!
Mar. 2nd, 2026 08:18 pmswan_towerI am belated in posting about one of these -- but it turns out that's fine, because another one dropped just a couple of days later!
First up is "The Virtues of the Throne," a piece inspired by the Sanskrit text Siṃhāsana Dvātriṃśikā (rendered in the translation I have as Thirty-Two Tales of the Throne of Vikramaditya). It leans hard into the kind of rhythmic musicality you might expect from a song -- which is why it's appearing in 4LPH4NUM3R1C, a magazine that makes a point of offering both audio and text versions of its material! (Yes, this is the same place that published "The Great Undoing" a few months ago.)
And second, for a complete contrast, is the free verse piece "Core Sample" in DreamForge Anvil. This one is inspired by a piece of art created by Mark Garlick, and it's sorta science fantasy-ish.
Thanks to poetry generally being quicker to write than even short fiction, and therefore me having manymany opportunities to sub and sell it, there's more on the way. But that's it for now!
(originally posted at Swan Tower: https://is.gd/wW3ARE)
First up is "The Virtues of the Throne," a piece inspired by the Sanskrit text Siṃhāsana Dvātriṃśikā (rendered in the translation I have as Thirty-Two Tales of the Throne of Vikramaditya). It leans hard into the kind of rhythmic musicality you might expect from a song -- which is why it's appearing in 4LPH4NUM3R1C, a magazine that makes a point of offering both audio and text versions of its material! (Yes, this is the same place that published "The Great Undoing" a few months ago.)
And second, for a complete contrast, is the free verse piece "Core Sample" in DreamForge Anvil. This one is inspired by a piece of art created by Mark Garlick, and it's sorta science fantasy-ish.
Thanks to poetry generally being quicker to write than even short fiction, and therefore me having manymany opportunities to sub and sell it, there's more on the way. But that's it for now!
(originally posted at Swan Tower: https://is.gd/wW3ARE)