Cat In The Car

By Sniffles

The McCord Stewart Museum has a terrific exhibit on Montreal street photography right now. "Pounding the Pavement" looks at city street scenes through more than 400 images, by both photojournalists and professionals, dating from the 19th century to today.

There's this weird shot from 1982 (no, we can't explain it, and neither can the McCord) — and there are interesting photos of historical events, from the false-alarm V-E Day celebrations in 1945 (they had heard news of Germany's surrender a day earlier than it actually happened) to the massive "Non" demonstrations against Quebec independence 50 years later. (The 1995 separatist referendum failed by a whisker.)

What dawned on us when we were touring the exhibit today was that street photography might just be obsolete. After all, aside from news coverage — photos of parades, rallies, pro-Palestinian demonstrations, and the like — what kind of street scenes could photographers capture in 2025? Everybody would just be walking around with their heads down, looking at their phones. Are we right, or are we right? We cats HISS.

(IMAGE: Bertrand Carrière, Stanley Street, Montreal, from the series Chronique nocturne, 1982)

Luko Nails It, Too

 

Naomi Nails It

 

Happy Victoria Day!

Gosh, it's nice to be in Canada right now. Everything's more pleasant here. (Except for Leafs and Jets fans, of course.) We cats PURR.

(IMAGE: Brittlestar, taking his own advice and wearing something fun.)

Hang In There, Joe

By Hubie and Bertie

Some innocent soul on Bluesky tonight said that Jake Tapper should cancel his anti-Biden book tour now that the former President has been diagnosed with an aggressive form of prostate cancer. HA! Are you kidding?!?!?!? Jake Tapper is thrilled. Now, every story about Biden's prostate health can include a handy reference to Tapper's stupid book. Ka-ching for Jake! This is what journalism has sunk to.

Here's what we're thinking tonight. In September 2016, Benedict Donald promised to release his full medical records. We're all still waiting. Why aren't reporters constantly asking about that? Trump is continuing to say and do bizarre things — walking unsteadily, posting odd screeds on social media, acting like "groceries" is a new concept — and the press gives him a pass. But Dark Brandon has to prove every second of every day that he's mentally and physically competent. We'll never understand it.

Biden and Harris were a terrific team, and they did great things for our country. They rescued the US from Trump's COVID depression, created millions of jobs, gave thousands student debt relief, brought us $35 insulin, championed clean energy, put Ketanji Brown Jackson on the Supreme Court, and — to the delight of our net worth — presided over a booming stock market. Thanks to them, we were proud to be Americans again. We cats salute the old dude from Delaware who made us feel that way, and we send him all our love and support. And we PURR.

No More Nottoway

By Miss Kubelik

We cats are not generally in favor of historic places burning down, but we're willing to make an exception in this case.

Louisiana's Nottoway Resort, the largest antebellum plantation in the South, was destroyed on Thursday. Since it was marketed as a wedding and special-event venue with nary a mention of the suffering that enslaved people endured there, we're not crying salty tears over its obliteration. In fact, considering how much hostility the current Republican Administration shows toward Americans of color, it's easy to be sympathetic to all the local folks who posed for gleeful selfies with the burning plantation house.

Our country is so hell-bent on going to right-wing hell today that the loss of Nottoway, believe it or not, makes us cats grin. We don't actually love it. But this particular bit of karma makes us PURR.

"I Will Not Yield To Disrespectful Men"

By Zamboni

We've probably said this before, but when Bernie Bro-ette Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez was elected to Congress in 2018, our first thought was, "OMG, she's going to be a pain in the ass."

Boy, were we wrong. Totally wrong. AOC is so, so impressive.

From the moment of her arrival in 2019, she learned the rules of the House, worked with then-Speaker Pelosi and her fellow Democrats across the ideological spectrum, refused to take any bait from clowns like Marjorie Taylor Greene, and, without a lot of fanfare, went to work. Any time the spotlight was on her, it was usually because others shone it her way and not because she gratuitously sought it.

She's also grabbed headlines because she's particularly brilliant in Committee. (Like this example from yesterday.)

And there's an even happier ending: AOC's antagonist, Republican Congressman Randy Weber from Texas, ate some humble pie — to the chagrin of MAGAts everywhere, no doubt. "Alexandria, you didn’t deserve what I hit you with," he said. "I shouldn’t have done that and I apologize." Replied AOC, "I completely accept."

Emasculation complete — and well-deserved. We cats PURR.

This Swag Is Not Swell

By Baxter

As if Jeff Bezos hasn't given us enough reasons to stop buying stuff on Amazon, this comes along: The site is peddling fake ICE and border patrol merch for inadequately endowed white males who amuse themselves by acting like they have the authority to seize allegedly undocumented people off the streets.

The swag is on Etsy, too. This is distressing to all of us who buy from small businesses and creators on that site.

In hearings today, Congresswoman Julie Johnson (D-TX) said to Homeland Security cosplayer and famous puppy killer Kristi Noem: "Are you aware that ICE agent jackets are available on Etsy for $20? Anybody can throw a mask on and run around and terrorize people of color without any regard for the law because your agency does not have proper protocols to make sure your agents are clearly identified."

Nothing gives us a skeevier feeling than seeing those masked men grabbing people and hustling them off. Who are they? Hired guns from Erik Prince and Blackwater? Pardoned Jan-Sixers? Both? (We actually suspect the Jan-Sixers, because so many of them are out of shape.)

We've called out Etsy on social media but aren't expecting them to explain themselves or, better, take the merchandise down. Which means we'll have to seriously rethink patronizing that site anymore. Another thing Benedict Donald has ruined for us. We cats HISS.

Not On Our Summer Reading List

It's pretty rich that journalists are congratulating each other on the air for publishing unflattering books about Joe Biden — less than four months after he left office — when their failure over the last 10 years to cover Benedict Donald properly or hold him to account in even the slightest way helped elect him to the White House not once, but twice.

Also, we had a President in a wheelchair before. Worked out pretty well. We cats HISS.

"White Sox Or Cubs"?

By Sniffles

Right out of the gate, Pope Bob — oops, Leo XIV, of course — met with members of the media today, and guess what! He didn't ramble strangely about dolls and pencils. He didn't whine about "fake news." He didn't tell anyone they were a disgrace or should be ashamed of themselves for asking a question.

Nope, that's Benedict Donald territory — Chicago Pope knows better. In fact, he drew some applause by talking about journalists around the world who have been jailed for speaking truth to power.

"The suffering of these imprisoned journalists challenges the conscience of nations and the international community, calling on all of us to safeguard the precious gift of free speech and of the press," he said. "The Church recognizes...the courage of those who defend dignity, justice, and the right of people to be informed, because only informed individuals can make free choices."

Leo also asked the press to refrain from using divisive and combative language, which is a great suggestion that you shouldn't expect Rupert Murdoch or the British tabloids to take for one second. But shining a light on the 500+ reporters who have been hauled off to the hoosegow (or worse) is never a bad thing. It was also a reminder for all the privileged members of the corporate-owned American media who still haven't realized what Trump 2.0 means for them (and the country).

So far, so good on this new Pope, right? Today, he tactfully refused to pose for a selfie, but he did sign somebody's baseball! We cats think this should become a thing, and we PURR.