Topics — what's happening on Bluesky right now
Hantavirus outbreak aboard MV Hondius kills three, WHO says not a pandemic
scienceHantavirus outbreak aboard MV Hondius kills three, WHO says not a pandemic
At least three deaths and several confirmed Andes hantavirus cases on cruise ship MV Hondius; WHO urges monitoring but says no pandemic.
Southern states redraw maps in moves that reduce Black representation
politicsSouthern states redraw maps in moves that reduce Black representation
Alabama, Mississippi, Tennessee and others have pushed rapid redistricting plans that advocates say will curtail Black voting power.
Carolina Hurricanes beat Philadelphia Flyers, 4-1
sportsCarolina Hurricanes beat Philadelphia Flyers, 4-1
Canes win 4-1; Andrei Svechnikov scored a power-play goal and Nikolaj Ehlers added another to seal the game.
static.klipy.com
Sir David Attenborough marks 100th birthday; wasp named in his honour
natureSir David Attenborough marks 100th birthday; wasp named in his honour
Centennial tributes pour in and scientists named a parasitic wasp after Attenborough to mark his 100th birthday.
Viral line: the average American has three friends
cultureViral line: the average American has three friends
Hundreds of posts repeat the claim that the average American has three friends.
London local election results, Lib Dems gain in Sutton; Starmer vows to stay
politicsLondon local election results, Lib Dems gain in Sutton; Starmer vows to stay
Early London counts show Lib Dem gains in Sutton and mixed results across boroughs; Keir Starmer says he will not resign.
Ted Cruz says 'Trump Accounts' could be personal Social Security accounts
newsTed Cruz says 'Trump Accounts' could be personal Social Security accounts
Cruz framed Trump Accounts as individual Social Security‑style accounts, a potential step toward privatization.
Trump signs off on plan to fire FDA Commissioner Marty Makary
newsTrump signs off on plan to fire FDA Commissioner Marty Makary
WSJ says President Trump approved removing Makary after clashes over vaping, abortion and vaccine policy.
Furry Weekend Atlanta, vendor halls and fursuit Friday highlights
cultureFurry Weekend Atlanta, vendor halls and fursuit Friday highlights
Attendees post fursuit photos, vendor table locations, commission spots and aquarium meetups from FWA 2026.
Mortal Kombat 1 Definitive Edition adds skins tied to MKII movie
gamingMortal Kombat 1 Definitive Edition adds skins tied to MKII movie
Mortal Kombat 1: Definitive Edition is getting new content and character skins representing Mortal Kombat II film characters.
Interior Secretary Doug Burgum's 88-minute 'efficiency' speech
newsInterior Secretary Doug Burgum's 88-minute 'efficiency' speech
Interior Secretary Doug Burgum made staff sit through an 88-minute address touting 'efficiency', prompting staff mockery.
Critical Role Campaign 4, Episode 25 spoilers
tvCritical Role Campaign 4, Episode 25 spoilers
Episode 25 lays bare the Photarch’s plan, spotlights villain Yannessa/Halovar, and ends on a 'Grandma' fake‑resurrection cliffhanger.
Reform UK makes major gains in English local elections, wins Havering
politicsReform UK makes major gains in English local elections, wins Havering
Reform UK picked up dozens of councillors nationwide, took control of Havering and swept multiple seats in Hartlepool and Tameside.
US April jobs report shows 115,000 payroll gain
financeUS April jobs report shows 115,000 payroll gain
BLS: US nonfarm payrolls rose 115,000 in April; unemployment rate unchanged at 4.3%.
Princeton awarded grant to host FIFA World Cup 2026 watch parties
sportsPrinceton awarded grant to host FIFA World Cup 2026 watch parties
Experience Princeton wins funding to run campus watch parties as World Cup 2026 approaches.
nypost.com
No‑bid $6.9M contract turns Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool blue
newsNo‑bid $6.9M contract turns Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool blue
NYT: President used an emergency exemption to steer a $6.9M no‑bid contract to a contractor linked to his private pools.
Canvas hack strands students during finals, universities postpone exams
techCanvas hack strands students during finals, universities postpone exams
Canvas users hit a ransom message; multiple universities have paused or delayed finals and access to course materials.
New Star Fox game shocks fans, soundtrack added to Nintendo Music
gamingNew Star Fox game shocks fans, soundtrack added to Nintendo Music
Nintendo unveiled a new Star Fox entry; fans are split over redesigns as several soundtrack tracks hit Nintendo Music.
No‑bid $6.9M contract turns Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool blue
President Donald Trump used an emergency exemption to award a $6.9 million no-bid contract to renovate the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool, and the pool has been turned blue. The contract went to a firm the President said had worked on his private swimming pools, but the company's website shows no pool expertise and federal contracting records show the firm had never before held a federal contract. Skipping competitive vetting bypasses procurement safeguards and raises questions about workmanship, cost oversight, and politicizing a national memorial.
Trump decided to paint the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool blue. He handed out a no-bid $6.9 million contract to a company that worked on his own pools, using an exemption meant only to prevent “serious injury” to the government. The corruption is off the charts. www.nytimes.com/2026/05/08/u...
Ash484812Translation: most of that money is going to him
Gayle Harris11He doesn’t even have to hide the corruption anymore. I’m sick of the Republicans that find a way to justify his corruption.
MaTT FLaMMaBLe11We’re like one step away from him converting it to the Jaws ride.
Catherine8He could have used the Nat'l Guard or United States Army Corps of Engineers for this. At no additional cost to taxpayers. He never does anything unless there is something in it for himself. Kickbacks or favors. So here we are, removing food assistance for kids & paying $6.9Mil for pool painters.
Stuart L. Riley8What could possibly cause the Reflecting Pool to turn blue?
Francja Katzur8He wants historical slate and granite Executive Office Building painted white. IDK what’s worse, the fucking corruption or destruction.
Zaddock Fuller7Next Dem admin must either restore the reflecting pool, tear down ballroom/rebuild East Wing, tear down his arch, restore the Rose Garden, take his name off of buildings, or lose my vote in following elections. I will not condone gaslighting America's children into thinking Trump is a Lincoln.
Mark Fontaine6One thing you can say about Trump, he sure is transparent about his grift.
end times bacon5Corruption is an official act.
Paul5The USA is fucked. No unified country to take it on, just two opposed factions & a load of uninvolved people in the middle. Trump should be out of office, with Congress and the Senate exercising control. Instead Donald Trump, the world's biggest idiot, is calling the shots and that's all she wrote.
𝒩𝑜𝓇𝓂𝒶 𝒫4Unbelievable. He doesn't fucking own it or any of the National monuments! WTAF is he doing?! Fucking psycho, #PedophileRapist POS! 🤬
singerindy.bsky.social3o my lord gaud....it's not meant to look blue like a swimming pool.
lisao61.bsky.social3No on wants this. Why are taxpayers overpaying for ballrooms, painting, unnecessary (rose garden) pavement, all while kickbacks are happening. We know they are. Meanwhile we can’t afford healthcare.
Sam Godwell3think he took a 50% kick-back?
Tzarina2These national buildings/ monuments belong to the people of America, not to the asshole in the WH. He has no right to make these changes. Notice how he starts these changes without telling Americans. We find out only after the damage is done.
Gring 🇺🇦2I bet he never paid these guys to do his pools and got away with it by giving the no bid contract to do the reflecting pool. Let’s call it the Democrat party Blue Wave
Alexa Hawaii2He’s getting closer to wanting ice water.
President Trump wants the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool painted blue. He used an exemption to steer a $6.9 million contract to somebody he said had worked on his own pools, despite rules about how government money is spent, The New York Times found.
Mrs. Betty Bowers80I wonder what % this contractor Donald knows agreed to pay Donald for the no-bid (AKA “high-profit”) contract.
jaguarr 🐆22This dipshit thinks it's a swimming pool. The reflecting pool is meant to reflect the sky and the monuments around it, thus the dark bottom which enables the visual effect. Painting it blue will destroy the very quality the reflecting pool is named after in the first place.
Mina20The laws don’t seem to apply to Republicans.
James Neckbeard III15It looks terrible. More tacky garbage to fix later.
Dr Robin9Somebody is making a lot of money doing a lot of nothing taxpayers asked for.
kristinekenyon.bsky.social6The most corrupt government in US history. bsky.app/profile/kris...
Sandiemothragator6And he will get away with it
MMMurray6The US Treasury is Trump’s personal piggy bank. Corruption.
Anna Busy Bee4The corruption is staggering. Have you no sense of decency, USA?
Martin Gardner4If you'll pardon the expression, so "water wet" then.
Dhona3I am so sick of this Congress kowtowing to every lunatic idea this POS has. It's not a fcking swimming pool, it's meant to be meditative, a place for reflection, not some gaudy gilded maralogo cement pond. It's like the Clampetts moved to DC but with really schitty taste in design and way less class
vpo311.bsky.social3New headline - trump steals more taxpayer funds
Mad Mac's2"They also show that Mr. Trump’s plan does not address one of the pool’s main problems: faulty plumbing in its filtration system. As a result, experts said it was unclear if Mr. Trump’s pool would remain blue — or if it would soon be obscured by a recurring layer of green algae." Typical Trump.
🅹🅴🆁🅾🅼🅴 🅶🆄🆈2Are you really suggesting that Trump violated the law? ... AGAIN?
Jonathan C. Watson Photography2I’m so tired of this shite!!
Pineknee2I would have painted it for $6.8m
Kurk Nielsen2The next administration needs to claw back the tax $ given in these corrupt payouts.
President Donald Trump handed a nearly $7 million no-bid contract to renovate the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool to a contractor he said had worked on his private swimming pools — but the company's own website shows no expertise in swimming pools whatsoever.
blacksilverfire.bsky.social8And once again it's not his to be able to renovate or change anymore than it is w/ the White House. When he did that w/ the East Wing. That was already illegal in itself by trying to install the ballroom. A president is not the owner of the White House. They're a temp steward of the building.
Coherent Light6The Executive Branch should not be allowed to award contracts to anybody!
Fredxie5How much of the 7 million went into trump’s pockets. @schumer.senate.gov @hakeem-jeffries.bsky.social Might want to call out the corruption loudly. Most Americans don’t know the are the trump family piggy bank
MzKinn4So tired of being this great.
what the everloving fuck.3the district should not be the president's personal fiefdom.
Jack2This brings up serious issues besides the daily grifting we see in a regular basis from the kakistocracy. Suppose the "contractors" he is "hiring" aren't up to the work - a very possible scenario with this lunatic? It'll take decades to repair all the damage from his "upgrades".
C2C2And then the dumbass drove his motorcade on it damaging the cement foundation for a publicity stunt.
Purple Panther2Trump is a liar exhibit 1,658,291
flsucks.bsky.social2Their website is no more, probably and typically because they're completely unqualified..
udel99.bsky.social2This is par for the course with this administration. Throw this on the stack of other violations of federal procurement rules.
rsspbxx.bsky.social2Stop this disgrace, bill the orange to restore the dignity to the White House and the rest of the city.
Again, you might have to live in DC to have a visceral sense of how vulgar, cruel, corrupt, and destructive this is. But great story in @nytimes.com about latest MAGA assault on decency: Mar-a-Lago-ization of the Reflecting Pool, in front of Lincoln Memorial. www.nytimes.com/2026/05/08/u...
wu ming5how difficult will it be to remove all that crap once he's gone?
SteveG4It looks like crap so far. Bidders normally have to show that they have the qualifications to do the work, no-bid contracts skip that step. Chances are the work will be subpar, the color uneven, the materials cheap, and will be failing and require a complete overhaul within years. Trump speed!
Mad Mac's2And, essentially useless. "Mr. Trump’s plan does not address one of the pool’s main problems: faulty plumbing in its filtration system. As a result, experts said it was unclear if Mr. Trump’s pool would remain blue — or if it would soon be obscured by a recurring layer of green algae."
Brian Dear2Surprised the regime didn't insist on turning it red.
