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Observer of Interesting Times @ctoft.bsky.social · 22h

Because their last Big Idea for the campaign is to just keep repeating "I am going to give you money" and hope enough morons buy it.

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Observer of Interesting Times @ctoft.bsky.social · 23h

When has the combination of Ohio State and podcasting ever gone wrong?

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Observer of Interesting Times @ctoft.bsky.social · 07/10/2026

OK, I did not realize Aaron Sorkin directed The Social Reckoning as well as having written it. Not necessarily saying that's ominous -- The Trial of the Chicago 7 was fine -- but I suspect Fincher is going to be missed, not to mention my misgivings about spending any more time with Zuck.

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Jake Casella Brookins @casella.bsky.social · 06/10/2026

Whenever I visit, always struck by the disjunction between "Washington" the synecdoche for US empire and "Washington" the beautiful city for the people, just packed with public good and beauty, a promise to be something better. It's good to be upset about the latter's destruction.

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Jonathan Coe @jonathancoe.bsky.social · 06/10/2026

Ever since I first saw it, this scene has epitomised Amerlcan elegance for me. I wrote a short story about it for Radio 4 (never broadcast) and it's why I drink Gibsons even though nobody who works in a bar these days knows what they are. A perfect scene - RIP Eva Marie Saint.

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Observer of Interesting Times @ctoft.bsky.social · 06/10/2026

If that's going too far for some Dems -- and knowing Senate Dems I am certain it will be -- they can at least insist on getting someone in there who isn't a 35 year-old Federalist Society robot.

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Observer of Interesting Times @ctoft.bsky.social · 06/10/2026

The eternal double standard of American politics: conservatives can insult, and even welcome the annihilation of, left-leaning parts of the USA with little commentary; while "basket of deplorables" was the biggest scandal in the 2016 campaign.

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Observer of Interesting Times @ctoft.bsky.social · 06/10/2026

Go away and count your money, dipshit.

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Observer of Interesting Times @ctoft.bsky.social · 05/10/2026

The illustrations in "The Biggest Bear." In my defense, I was really young, and the bear was really big.

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Observer of Interesting Times @ctoft.bsky.social · 03/10/2026

They wouldn't have to play as much small ball if they weren't doing things like trading Junior Caminero for a bag of peanuts.

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Cheryl Lynn Eaton @cheryllynneaton.bsky.social · 02/10/2026

Part of me hopes they also called Jack White and he laughed and hung up.

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Observer of Interesting Times @ctoft.bsky.social · 02/10/2026

I thought Taylor Kitsch and Adrienne Palicki were going to be big, big stars (and in the case of MBJ that was beyond obvious). Landry I did not see coming.

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Observer of Interesting Times @ctoft.bsky.social · 02/10/2026

"What we believe is so unpopular we can't have it as part of an election campaign" goes hand in hand with the certainty that the federal courts will be bringing these policies to us anyway.

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Eric Haywood @erichaywood.bsky.social · 30/09/2026

MapQuest has the opportunity to do the funniest thing

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Observer of Interesting Times @ctoft.bsky.social · 29/09/2026

The best part of this is Schmitt's sputtering attempt to cut Klobuchar off once he becomes aware that he royally screwed up. Being schooled about sports nicknames by a female Democrat makes the humiliation even worse.

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Observer of Interesting Times @ctoft.bsky.social · 28/09/2026

Marchenko is a major talent, but he came up small in the playoff chase last spring (he obviously wasn't alone in that), and vocally didn't want to be in Columbus anymore. Getting people like that out of the Jackets organ-eye-zation has to happen in order to try to build something lasting.

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Observer of Interesting Times @ctoft.bsky.social · 28/09/2026

The ends of both Denver-Rams and Baltimore-Dallas were marred by really weak pass interference calls. I'm not a "let 'em play" guy, but that doesn't mean officials should be seeing things that aren't there.

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Observer of Interesting Times @ctoft.bsky.social · 27/09/2026

I think this keeps coming up not only because the song has set a record, but because unlike the other big country crossover hits of recent years (Wallen + Post Malone, Shaboozey), it doesn't make any gestures towards pop. Pop music-only people really might not come across it.

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Observer of Interesting Times @ctoft.bsky.social · 25/09/2026

Sitting here at the bar watching Team USA in the Presidents Cup, and lordy do we suck.

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Observer of Interesting Times @ctoft.bsky.social · 25/09/2026

Anyone that thinks The White Lotus is better than Deadwood or The Leftovers needs a brain implant.

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Observer of Interesting Times @ctoft.bsky.social · 25/09/2026

Thoughts on the 4 new Taylor Swift songs: Patient Zero: Been there done that, why does she still care about this shit? Cleveland!: Silly, not in a bad way Pink Clouding: Pretty good, likely to be overshadowed in this group Babylon: Seems to be the standout track

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Observer of Interesting Times @ctoft.bsky.social · 23/09/2026

You cannot overestimate how much the average "dispassionate" observer of American politics believes (and has at least since the '80s) that this is fundamentally a center-right country, that Democratic victories are aberrations, and that GOP victories represent a return to The Way Things Should Be.

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Ron Filipkowski @ronfilipkowski.bsky.social · 23/09/2026

L - Tom Emmer in 2024 on the House subpoenaing Hunter Biden. R - Tom Emmer today on why the House shouldn’t investigate Don Jr: He’s a private citizen.

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Observer of Interesting Times @ctoft.bsky.social · 22/09/2026

I don't think it takes anything away from the accomplishment to note that the pop chart is practically encased in amber these days. Four of this week's top 10 songs, including "Choosin' Texas," have been out since LAST fall. There's nothing new that's resonating with the pop audience.

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Observer of Interesting Times @ctoft.bsky.social · 22/09/2026

THESE PEOPLE ARE NOT REFUGEES. You don't have to use the bogus White House term.

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Observer of Interesting Times @ctoft.bsky.social · 22/09/2026

Straight white males are 1) definitely a minority and 2) even more of a minority if you're looking only at "people who write 'serious' books." "If a set of people doesn't look like the Trump cabinet, it's discrimination against white guys" is not a serious argument, but it sure is a popular one.

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Observer of Interesting Times @ctoft.bsky.social · 20/09/2026

Serious question: is there no way for the NFL to tweak a starting time when storms are predicted? They knew 24 hours ago it would start pouring rain right around 4.

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Observer of Interesting Times @ctoft.bsky.social · 20/09/2026

Pleased to see Democrats competitive in Ohio once again, but I sure didn't miss the nonstop ads -- now with ridiculously bad AI.

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Your Internet Friend Tom Tomorrow @tomtomorrow.bsky.social · 20/09/2026

making this my new email autoreply

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Observer of Interesting Times @ctoft.bsky.social · 18/09/2026

I've wondered this myself. Unlike, say, foreign policy issues, everyone has an opinion about how much things cost; you can't convince voters that prices that are objectively rising are actually dropping! But Trump et al. keep saying it.

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Comfortably Numb @numb.comfortab.ly · 18/09/2026

Post from Amy @lolennui.bsky.social

So cool that whenever someone asks the president, "did you eat the Lindbergh baby" he's like, "no but I'd be allowed to, I have the right to, I might do it later"

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Observer of Interesting Times @ctoft.bsky.social · 16/09/2026

Tough choice between this and the Flamin' Hot Cheetos movie.

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Observer of Interesting Times @ctoft.bsky.social · 16/09/2026

Move-outs outnumbering move-ins is a problem all over Middle America. Someone chooses to move to Iowa and gets attacked for it?

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gwen howerton @kissphoria.bsky.social · 16/09/2026

Texas Republicans sort of have an intractible problem this November: They're running on fixing all of these big problems and "saving Texas," but they've also been in power for 30 years. prospect.org/2026/09/16/o...

prospect.org

A Path to a Texas Breakthrough - The American Prospect

James Talarico is deploying his Christian faith in his bid for the Senate. But he’s winning because Texans have been pummeled by inflation and corruption.

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Observer of Interesting Times @ctoft.bsky.social · 15/09/2026

I eat chicken the same way and I've never won a damn thing.

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Brendel @brendelbored.bsky.social · 13/09/2026

It’s very important to know you can just tell them their questions are dumb. It’s what Trump does! He’s been very successful at it! The media decided to stop asking actual important things to him because of it!

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Observer of Interesting Times @ctoft.bsky.social · 13/09/2026

Jackie Young is having a huge weekend. 10 more minutes for Team USA.

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Observer of Interesting Times @ctoft.bsky.social · 13/09/2026

Ohio State has not been a second half team in the Day era. Their loss to Georgia 4 years ago was extremely similar, except that time the kicker choke was at the very end.

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Observer of Interesting Times @ctoft.bsky.social · 13/09/2026

Nine years in, I am starting to think your lessons are never going to catch on!

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Observer of Interesting Times @ctoft.bsky.social · 13/09/2026

That dumb son of a bitch is never going to learn.

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mattie lubchansky @mattielubchansky.com · 11/09/2026

bad news everyone. i wrote a program in qbasic that was just 10 KILL ALL HUMANS 20 GOTO 10 which means we are all going to die. does anyone want to give me 7 billion dollars

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Anne Applebaum @anneapplebaum.wsocial.eu · 10/09/2026

only fraudulent economists are allowed now?

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Observer of Interesting Times @ctoft.bsky.social · 08/09/2026

Spend 3 hours with the two people on earth who commit to the bit more fiercely than anyone else? Sign me up man.

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Observer of Interesting Times @ctoft.bsky.social · 08/09/2026

I remember Al Gore, in one of the 2000 debates, getting the job title wrong of the FEMA official he had accompanied on a trip to a disaster area. It "raised serious questions" about his honesty!

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Boo!-per Lund @cooperlund.online · 07/09/2026

This is true, and I think it’s worth adding that MAHA is based on the idea that there are healthcare options out there that are guaranteed to work and aren’t unpleasant that “they” don’t want you to know about. The lie is that there are miracles out there that don’t make you face tradeoffs.

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Observer of Interesting Times @ctoft.bsky.social · 06/09/2026

College football now has its own version of the 1972 Olympic Gold Medal game in men's basketball. Just corruption all around.

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