WTF-Beta

The architects of MAGA's media empire are in open revolt against President Trump, disgusted by his threat to destroy Iran's "whole civilization."

Why it matters: Trump's political strength has always depended less on party institutions than on a decentralized media ecosystem — podcasters, streamers and activists who translate his message to millions of loyal voters.

At the start of Trump's second term, that coalition was unified, powerful and certain: They had just delivered him the White House, and believed he would deliver for them.

Now the movement's most powerful voices are working to keep Trump in check if not bring him down outright, accusing him of betraying the "America First" promises that built the movement.

Zoom in: Each defection, taken alone, could be dismissed. Together, they could represent an existential threat to MAGA.

https://www.axios.com/2026/04/08/trump-maga-tucker-carlson-iran-war

Hallucinated citations are polluting the scientific literature. What can be done?
Tens of thousands of publications from 2025 might include invalid references generated by AI, a Nature analysis suggests.

https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-026-00969-z

For @bernard and other people who love vintage sewing machines:

https://www.doubleveil.net/zssmp/

I found Zorba's sewing machine page a number of years ago when I was looking for info on a Reversew machine...

Two eaglets have hatched!

https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2026/04/06/big-bear-eagles-cam-jackie-shadow-chicks-hatch/89481063007/

Here's his webpage:

https://www.doubleveil.net/

My gooseberries are almost settled into their new home, out of the large pots I had them in and into these new raised beds:

It's kind of cold out today but sunny, so I'll try to finish filling that bed up with compost and soil.

This morning's wake-up call for the crew was a message recorded by Jim Lovell a couple of months before his death last year.

“Hello, Artemis II! This is Apollo astronaut Jim Lovell. Welcome to my old neighborhood! When Frank Borman, Bill Anders, and I orbited the Moon on Apollo 8, we got humanity’s first up-close look at the Moon and got a view of the home planet that inspired and united people around the world. I’m proud to pass that torch on to you — as you swing around the Moon and lay the groundwork for missions to Mars … for the benefit of all. It’s a historic day, and I know how busy you’ll be. But don’t forget to enjoy the view. So, Reid, Victor, Christina, and Jeremy, and all the great teams supporting you – good luck and Godspeed from all of us here on the good Earth.”

Jim Lovell

https://www.nasa.gov/blogs/missions/2026/04/06/artemis-ii-flight-day-6-crew-ready-for-lunar-flyby/

@Bernard said:

The china is Lenox Rutledge

I recognize the pattern because it was one of my favorites, though I didn't recall the name!

When you lose a Texas Republican...

https://kfdm.com/news/local/beneath-the-office-rep-dade-phelan-slams-trumps-profanity-laced-easter-post-to-iran

Epic piano collector.

https://slippedisc.com/2026/04/death-of-an-epic-piano-collector/

@bernard You certainly know how to create a welcoming setting! Love the china and depression glass.

Nice work! And thanks for the recipe. Mr wtg loves anything lemon. And anything cheesecake.

From my Ukrainian friend, homemade paska. Think Ukrainian panettone, with a meringue frosting.

At first I thought they were plums, but those are two eggs dyed with hibiscus next to the paska.

@AndyD said:

What to do?

Somehow yelling and swearing at them doesn't seem like it would be very effective. Especially, according to him, after we've already obliterated them.

It's just a bit disconcerting to have a world leader having a temper tantrum(p) like a five year old...he's sounding desperate.

As you say, he often does unexpected things. And he hates being thought of as a loser. I just hope he doesn't do something monumentally stupid.

Can you say "completely off the deep end?" On Truth Social this morning:

Tuesday will be Power Plant Day, and Bridge Day, all wrapped up in one, in Iran. There will be nothing like it!!! Open the Fuckin’ Strait, you crazy bastards, or you’ll be living in Hell - JUST WATCH! Praise be to Allah. President DONALD J. TRUMP

https://www.theguardian.com/world/live/2026/apr/05/middle-east-crisis-live-iran-israel-us-war-trump-strait-hormuz-missing-pilot-downed

More changes at DOJ, including Cindy's former division.

https://www.cbsnews.com/news/white-house-shake-up-more-leadership-roles-justice-department/

Why didn't it occur to me until today that Artemis was Apollo's twin...

Photo titled "Hello, World"

More here:

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/ce8jzr423p9o

A new national University of Massachusetts Amherst Poll finds President Donald Trump’s approval rating has fallen to 33%, the lowest rating of his second term in office. The poll of 1,000 respondents, conducted March 20-25, finds Trump’s approval down five points from July 2025 and 11 points lower than last April.

“In the midst of skyrocketing prices, significant declines in the stock market, an unpopular war in the Middle East, a government shutdown that has led to lines at airports and nationwide protests against his presidency, it is no shock that President Donald Trump’s approval ratings have taken a hit in our latest polling,” Tatishe Nteta, provost professor of political science at UMass Amherst and director of the poll, says. “What is surprising, and of likely grave concern to the White House, are the dips in support from the very groups that helped Trump take back the presidency in 2024. Among men, working class Americans and African Americans, Trump’s approval ratings have dropped by close to 20 points since April 2025. Similar drops in support are also seen among moderates (down 18 points) and independents (down 13 points), key constituencies in Trump’s victory and in the upcoming midterm election.”

https://www.umass.edu/news/article/president-trumps-approval-sinks-33-new-umass-poll

@AndyD said:

Wet room, so practical, where the whole bathroom floor is waterproofed for a shower

A single story house about a block away from us was up for sale in the summer of 2024. The sellers had a child in a wheelchair and had created a wet room. We actually went to the open house and looked at the property but didn't actively pursue purchasing it. There was a bidding war, as seniors in our area are looking for a house just like it.

Missed opportunity. Oh, well.

@Mik said:

don’t let the guy talk you into steeper ramps.

Yea, I wasn't impressed with his methodology.

We have a largish front stoop. The step up from the driveway onto that stoop is 6", as is the step from the stoop up into the doorway. The porch is something like 55" from front to back, measuring from the front edge of the granite sill/threshold to the front edge of the porch. The contractor guy was trying to create a small (12") landing area at the front edge of the porch, which you get with a 3' ramp. That is clearly larger than if you have a 4' ramp.

I just line up from the driveway and push straight up and in. The 3' ramps would make that steeper, and based on my couple of attempts pushing the wheelchair up the 4' ramps, I don't think I could manage a 3' ramp. His "landing spot" isn't very useful.

Also, he measured his 3' from the brick on the house. The ramp is actually the hypotenuse of a right triangle, so he should have been measuring from the front edge of the granite door sill where the ramp sits, not the brick under it.

I think my approach is better, and it definitely is cheaper!

The White House is asking Congress to boost the US defence budget to $1.5tn (£1.1tn), a sweeping rise that would mark the largest expansion in military spending since World War Two.

It includes funding for the Trump administration's proposed Golden Dome missile defence system, as well as a boost in domestic production of naval vessels, including new Trump-class battleships.

The administration said it would pair the proposed increase with a call for cuts across domestic agencies, including eliminating some climate, housing and education programmes.

The request, which will need to be approved by the US Congress, is separate from the $200bn that the Pentagon has sought for the war in Iran.

A summary of the budget posted online notes that the cuts will be achieved by "reducing or eliminating woke, weaponised and wasteful programmes, and by returning local responsibilities to their respective governments".

US President Donald Trump has long signalled a desire to increase the defence budget and boost domestic defence manufacturing.

At a private event at the White House earlier this week - which was caught on camera - Trump said that military spending should be a national priority going forward.

"It's not possible for us to take care of daycare, Medicaid, Medicare, all of these individual things, they can do it on a state basis," the president said, adding that the focus should be on "military protection".

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/crr1q4kjvn2o