Rodger Payne
@rodgerp.bsky.social
Prof of intern'l relations at U of Louisville. SABR member, Jayhawk hoops fan, film buff, & beer snob. Sabbatical Spring 26: Copernicus Institute of Sustainable Development (U Utrecht).
Pictured: Blue Water Bridge linking Michigan to Ontario.
Pictured: Blue Water Bridge linking Michigan to Ontario.
Reposted by Rodger Payne
In Chicago, a Nativity scene features a zip-tied baby Jesus and Roman centurions in "ICE" vests.
Near Boston, Mary, Joseph, and Jesus are absent from a Nativity scene, replaced with a sign reading "ICE was here."
It's all part of growing religious blowback to ICE. religionnews.com/2025/12/05/i...
Near Boston, Mary, Joseph, and Jesus are absent from a Nativity scene, replaced with a sign reading "ICE was here."
It's all part of growing religious blowback to ICE. religionnews.com/2025/12/05/i...
ICE Nativity scenes: Churches reimagine Christmas story amid deportations
(RNS) — 'We know that Jesus was born into a Roman imperial occupation, and pretty much immediately becomes a refugee in Egypt, has to flee and faces political violence,' the Rev. Michael Woolf said.
religionnews.com
December 5, 2025 at 7:31 PM
In Chicago, a Nativity scene features a zip-tied baby Jesus and Roman centurions in "ICE" vests.
Near Boston, Mary, Joseph, and Jesus are absent from a Nativity scene, replaced with a sign reading "ICE was here."
It's all part of growing religious blowback to ICE. religionnews.com/2025/12/05/i...
Near Boston, Mary, Joseph, and Jesus are absent from a Nativity scene, replaced with a sign reading "ICE was here."
It's all part of growing religious blowback to ICE. religionnews.com/2025/12/05/i...
Reposted by Rodger Payne
The Inflation Reduction Act allocated $1.55 billion to mitigating methane pollution from fossil fuel infrastructure. Does anyone know how much of that money went out, where it went, or how much avoided methane pollution taxpayers got as a return on that investment? Surprisingly little info online.
December 6, 2025 at 10:55 PM
The Inflation Reduction Act allocated $1.55 billion to mitigating methane pollution from fossil fuel infrastructure. Does anyone know how much of that money went out, where it went, or how much avoided methane pollution taxpayers got as a return on that investment? Surprisingly little info online.
Can police stop Kavanaugh repeatedly because he likes beer so much?
Brett Kavanaugh sees no problem with this woman being forced to do this every day for the rest of her life
“Traumatized, humiliated, degraded.”
The nurse, a US citizen, 4’11”, 85 lbs, says she was following orders when she was dragged out of her car by masked immigration agents in Florida.
It was the 3rd time she had been stopped and told to produce ID.
Free link ⤵️
www.miamiherald.com/news/local/i...
The nurse, a US citizen, 4’11”, 85 lbs, says she was following orders when she was dragged out of her car by masked immigration agents in Florida.
It was the 3rd time she had been stopped and told to produce ID.
Free link ⤵️
www.miamiherald.com/news/local/i...
December 6, 2025 at 11:59 PM
Can police stop Kavanaugh repeatedly because he likes beer so much?
Reposted by Rodger Payne
BERMAN: Would it be legal for police in Arkansas to kill suspected drug dealers on a boat in a lake?
TOM COTTON: The premise of your question is not well-founded
BERMAN: The answer is no. It would not be legal to kill them.
TOM COTTON: The premise of your question is not well-founded
BERMAN: The answer is no. It would not be legal to kill them.
December 5, 2025 at 3:32 PM
BERMAN: Would it be legal for police in Arkansas to kill suspected drug dealers on a boat in a lake?
TOM COTTON: The premise of your question is not well-founded
BERMAN: The answer is no. It would not be legal to kill them.
TOM COTTON: The premise of your question is not well-founded
BERMAN: The answer is no. It would not be legal to kill them.
Reposted by Rodger Payne
Publishing all the other boat murder videos but refusing to release the one of the two survivors being killed is an admission they know exactly how bad it looks. There's no other distinction to draw there, no reason to publish the others while withholding that one.
December 5, 2025 at 2:32 AM
Publishing all the other boat murder videos but refusing to release the one of the two survivors being killed is an admission they know exactly how bad it looks. There's no other distinction to draw there, no reason to publish the others while withholding that one.
Reposted by Rodger Payne
You knew it, right? www.nytimes.com/interactive/...
ICE Arrest Data Shows Many Immigrants With No Criminal Record
In high-profile operations, more than half of those arrested had no criminal record, an analysis shows.
www.nytimes.com
December 4, 2025 at 8:59 PM
You knew it, right? www.nytimes.com/interactive/...
FBI tracked credit card usage and cell phone tower connections and had data from video surveillance and a license plate reader. It fits together as a puzzle in hindsight, but a lot of other people also dinged the cell towers and license plate reader that day.
UPDATE: Prosecutors helped ID Brian Cole Jr. as the suspected pipe bomber by tracing purchases he made in 2019 and 2020 that include all the components of the pipe bombs discovered outside the RNC and DNC. See the full complaint:
storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.us...
storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.us...
December 4, 2025 at 8:07 PM
FBI tracked credit card usage and cell phone tower connections and had data from video surveillance and a license plate reader. It fits together as a puzzle in hindsight, but a lot of other people also dinged the cell towers and license plate reader that day.
I don't think we've given enough attention to the fact that law enforcement is supposed to use force as a last resort.
The Coast Guard used to interdict alleged drug vessels and make arrests when warranted, perhaps even gathering valuable intelligence to arrest criminals higher up the chain.
The Coast Guard used to interdict alleged drug vessels and make arrests when warranted, perhaps even gathering valuable intelligence to arrest criminals higher up the chain.
8/ A public service reminder:
This entire exercise is an absurd, imaginary world for legal experts.
That's because the truth is:
It's not an armed conflict.
The laws of war thus don't apply.
The more restrictive rules of human rights apply.
It's extrajudicial killing under that law.
This entire exercise is an absurd, imaginary world for legal experts.
That's because the truth is:
It's not an armed conflict.
The laws of war thus don't apply.
The more restrictive rules of human rights apply.
It's extrajudicial killing under that law.
December 4, 2025 at 4:44 PM
I don't think we've given enough attention to the fact that law enforcement is supposed to use force as a last resort.
The Coast Guard used to interdict alleged drug vessels and make arrests when warranted, perhaps even gathering valuable intelligence to arrest criminals higher up the chain.
The Coast Guard used to interdict alleged drug vessels and make arrests when warranted, perhaps even gathering valuable intelligence to arrest criminals higher up the chain.
Reposted by Rodger Payne
I wish someone had thought to keep USAID alive by renaming it the Trump AID, or to keep VOA live by renaming it the VOT (Voice of Trump).
how utterly ridiculous
www.nbcnews.com/politics/tru...
www.nbcnews.com/politics/tru...
December 4, 2025 at 4:14 PM
I wish someone had thought to keep USAID alive by renaming it the Trump AID, or to keep VOA live by renaming it the VOT (Voice of Trump).
On sabbatical, I have been negligent in highlighting this excellent achievement.
Congratulations @busbyj2.bsky.social !!!
Congratulations @busbyj2.bsky.social !!!
Some news. My book on climate and security for Cambridge University Press is the winner of the 2026 Grawemeyer Award for Ideas Advancing World Order. Thrilled to be among the august company of previous winners. www.uoflnews.com/post/uofltod...
2026 Grawemeyer world order award winner explores the connection between climate change and security | UofL News
For his work to understand why climate change leads to negative security consequences in some places and not others, Joshua W. Busby, professor of public affairs at the University of Texas at Austin, ...
www.uoflnews.com
December 4, 2025 at 4:39 PM
On sabbatical, I have been negligent in highlighting this excellent achievement.
Congratulations @busbyj2.bsky.social !!!
Congratulations @busbyj2.bsky.social !!!
Reposted by Rodger Payne
George Will: "Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth seems to be a war criminal. Without a war. An interesting achievement."
Opinion | A sickening moral slum of an administration
Regarding Venezuela, Ukraine and much more, Trump and his acolytes are worse than simply incompetent.
www.washingtonpost.com
December 3, 2025 at 12:14 AM
George Will: "Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth seems to be a war criminal. Without a war. An interesting achievement."
"the One Big Beautiful Bill Act...eliminated civil penalties for noncompliance with federal fuel economy standards... the Act amends the language of the Corporate Average Fuel Economy (CAFE) statute to reset the maximum civil penalty to $0."
environmentalhealthsafetybrief.sidley.com/2025/07/08/c...
environmentalhealthsafetybrief.sidley.com/2025/07/08/c...
December 4, 2025 at 3:29 PM
"the One Big Beautiful Bill Act...eliminated civil penalties for noncompliance with federal fuel economy standards... the Act amends the language of the Corporate Average Fuel Economy (CAFE) statute to reset the maximum civil penalty to $0."
environmentalhealthsafetybrief.sidley.com/2025/07/08/c...
environmentalhealthsafetybrief.sidley.com/2025/07/08/c...
Something, something, something.... Most transparent administration.... gobbledegook.
MORE Breaking on MS NOW: Pete Hegseth refused an interview request for the Pentagon Inspector General's investigation into Signalgate, according to two sources who read and were briefed on report.
Hegseth would not turn over his phone, a source who read the report told MS NOW.
Hegseth would not turn over his phone, a source who read the report told MS NOW.
Breaking on MS NOW: The Signalgate report contradicts Pete Hegseth's claims he did nothing wrong. It shows he "violated policy by using a non-approved device," a source who read the report says.
Hegseth failed to preserve records. The report says he put the operations and service people at risk.
Hegseth failed to preserve records. The report says he put the operations and service people at risk.
December 4, 2025 at 3:24 PM
Something, something, something.... Most transparent administration.... gobbledegook.
Reposted by Rodger Payne
8/ A public service reminder:
This entire exercise is an absurd, imaginary world for legal experts.
That's because the truth is:
It's not an armed conflict.
The laws of war thus don't apply.
The more restrictive rules of human rights apply.
It's extrajudicial killing under that law.
This entire exercise is an absurd, imaginary world for legal experts.
That's because the truth is:
It's not an armed conflict.
The laws of war thus don't apply.
The more restrictive rules of human rights apply.
It's extrajudicial killing under that law.
December 4, 2025 at 2:34 AM
8/ A public service reminder:
This entire exercise is an absurd, imaginary world for legal experts.
That's because the truth is:
It's not an armed conflict.
The laws of war thus don't apply.
The more restrictive rules of human rights apply.
It's extrajudicial killing under that law.
This entire exercise is an absurd, imaginary world for legal experts.
That's because the truth is:
It's not an armed conflict.
The laws of war thus don't apply.
The more restrictive rules of human rights apply.
It's extrajudicial killing under that law.
Well that's....novel.
SCOOP: Sources tell me Donald Trump's name was added to the exterior of the US Institute of Peace building ahead of Thursday's peace agreement signing between Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), which will be held inside the building. Confirming if it's been officially renamed.
December 4, 2025 at 3:47 AM
Well that's....novel.
Reposted by Rodger Payne
Pleased to speak with @cbsnews.com about the legal issues raised by lethal maritime strikes.
"Murder on the high seas is implicated, conspiracy to commit murder outside of the United States, then murder is also an offense under the Uniform Code of Military Justice."
www.cbsnews.com/news/trump-h...
"Murder on the high seas is implicated, conspiracy to commit murder outside of the United States, then murder is also an offense under the Uniform Code of Military Justice."
www.cbsnews.com/news/trump-h...
Trump's Venezuela boat strikes fuel war crimes allegations. Are they legal?
Details about two strikes on an alleged drug boat on Sept. 2 have alarmed legal experts and lawmakers.
www.cbsnews.com
December 3, 2025 at 2:21 PM
Pleased to speak with @cbsnews.com about the legal issues raised by lethal maritime strikes.
"Murder on the high seas is implicated, conspiracy to commit murder outside of the United States, then murder is also an offense under the Uniform Code of Military Justice."
www.cbsnews.com/news/trump-h...
"Murder on the high seas is implicated, conspiracy to commit murder outside of the United States, then murder is also an offense under the Uniform Code of Military Justice."
www.cbsnews.com/news/trump-h...
Reposted by Rodger Payne
Not one of the bigger issues, but an annoyance of teaching composition in the age of AI is that I'm constantly uncertain of what the students know and don't know, which makes it difficult to calibrate my teaching choices relative to my perceived sense of their understanding.
December 3, 2025 at 4:40 PM
Not one of the bigger issues, but an annoyance of teaching composition in the age of AI is that I'm constantly uncertain of what the students know and don't know, which makes it difficult to calibrate my teaching choices relative to my perceived sense of their understanding.
How can states address climate change?
Carbon Majors 2023 Data Update March 2025:
"The CO2 emissions in the database accounted for 80.3% of global fossil fuel and cement CO2 emissions in 2023, with just 36 companies linked to over half of these global emissions."
influencemap.org/briefing/The...
Carbon Majors 2023 Data Update March 2025:
"The CO2 emissions in the database accounted for 80.3% of global fossil fuel and cement CO2 emissions in 2023, with just 36 companies linked to over half of these global emissions."
influencemap.org/briefing/The...
Carbon Majors: 2023 Data Update
A new briefing analyzing the latest emissions data from the Carbon Majors database.
influencemap.org
December 3, 2025 at 4:41 PM
How can states address climate change?
Carbon Majors 2023 Data Update March 2025:
"The CO2 emissions in the database accounted for 80.3% of global fossil fuel and cement CO2 emissions in 2023, with just 36 companies linked to over half of these global emissions."
influencemap.org/briefing/The...
Carbon Majors 2023 Data Update March 2025:
"The CO2 emissions in the database accounted for 80.3% of global fossil fuel and cement CO2 emissions in 2023, with just 36 companies linked to over half of these global emissions."
influencemap.org/briefing/The...
Reposted by Rodger Payne
The AP didn’t used to be known for saucy headlines, but that whole Gulf of Mexico thing must have unleashed their AhFuckIt gene.
apnews.com/article/dona...
apnews.com/article/dona...
December 1, 2025 at 1:36 AM
The AP didn’t used to be known for saucy headlines, but that whole Gulf of Mexico thing must have unleashed their AhFuckIt gene.
apnews.com/article/dona...
apnews.com/article/dona...
Reposted by Rodger Payne
GOP Rep. Don Bacon: "I don't think Secretary Hegseth would be foolish enough to make this decision to say, 'Kill everybody. Kill the survivors,' because that's a clear violation of the law of war."
November 30, 2025 at 4:38 PM
GOP Rep. Don Bacon: "I don't think Secretary Hegseth would be foolish enough to make this decision to say, 'Kill everybody. Kill the survivors,' because that's a clear violation of the law of war."
He's running.
Senator Cory Booker of New Jersey celebrated his marriage to his partner Alexis Lewis in an intimate ceremony in Washington, D.C. on Saturday evening.
Cory Booker Weds Alexis Lewis in a Private Ceremony
The couple married at a courthouse in Newark days before hosting an intimate wedding in Washington, D.C. on Saturday. They shared their wedding details exclusively with The New York Times.
nyti.ms
November 30, 2025 at 7:39 PM
He's running.
Reading a climate change article today and thinking about the fact that the politicians who deny climate data and models are largely the same ones shilling for AI.
They're often vax deniers too.
They're often vax deniers too.
November 30, 2025 at 7:00 PM
Reading a climate change article today and thinking about the fact that the politicians who deny climate data and models are largely the same ones shilling for AI.
They're often vax deniers too.
They're often vax deniers too.
Reposted by Rodger Payne
“Ah, just one more thing, sir. You’re blowing up those boats, saying they’re filled with drugs headed for the US. But then you go and pardon the guy who brought in 400 tons of cocaine. That’s billions of doses. Help me understand that.”
November 30, 2025 at 3:25 AM
“Ah, just one more thing, sir. You’re blowing up those boats, saying they’re filled with drugs headed for the US. But then you go and pardon the guy who brought in 400 tons of cocaine. That’s billions of doses. Help me understand that.”
Ok @profanity.accountant what if I'm clean but I repost others who are not.
November 30, 2025 at 4:02 AM
Ok @profanity.accountant what if I'm clean but I repost others who are not.
Reposted by Rodger Payne
this guy is betting on a future with accountability for today’s crimes, so we should too
Dimon on why JPMorgan Chase is not funding WH Ballroom:
We have an issue, which is anything we do, since we do a lot of contracts with governments here and around the world, we have to be very careful how anything is perceived, and also how the next DOJ is going to deal with it.
We have an issue, which is anything we do, since we do a lot of contracts with governments here and around the world, we have to be very careful how anything is perceived, and also how the next DOJ is going to deal with it.
November 29, 2025 at 7:56 PM
this guy is betting on a future with accountability for today’s crimes, so we should too