Unreconstructed Curmudgeon @ems1944.bsky.social · 11hMason couldn't run any faster trying to avoid coping with political realities. Where are the subsidies to come from in a city with an essentially fixed (if not falling) revenue base, massive pension liabilities, strident municipal unions, a failing education system, etc. et al? 000
Unreconstructed Curmudgeon @ems1944.bsky.social · 06/10/2026ICE is funded through the next fiscal year. Congress could try a recission, but that’s hard to get through 000
Unreconstructed Curmudgeon @ems1944.bsky.social · 04/10/2026Well said, but should be noted there's political benefit in expressing it as they have. 000
Unreconstructed Curmudgeon @ems1944.bsky.social · 04/10/2026I'm reasonably sure the NY Times editors understand exactly how embarrassing it is to do this. This isn't an editorial choice made by genuine editors. It's a corporate policy decision. No editor I know of....and I've known lots...would do this on their own. 010
Unreconstructed Curmudgeon @ems1944.bsky.social · 04/10/2026Er... Wally Shawn at the time was close to bankruptcy, terrorized by his lack of money, and anxiety-struck about how he was going to pay his bills. At least you got the "two [deleted] white men" right. 010
Unreconstructed Curmudgeon @ems1944.bsky.social · 04/10/2026OMFG!! You mean it was entertaining? Why...yes. 010
Unreconstructed Curmudgeon @ems1944.bsky.social · 03/10/2026They believe that. It's their only creed. Republicans, every man, women, & child jack of 'em, believes everyone should fend for themselves, that the best government is no government, or, at least, it's closest approximation. 001
Unreconstructed Curmudgeon @ems1944.bsky.social · 02/10/20262) won't accept, it doesn't work Japan has virtually no white citizens, if any. Ditto for Mali. AFAIK, it has none, but I could be wrong. 000
Unreconstructed Curmudgeon @ems1944.bsky.social · 02/10/20261) Visual differences have always mattered everywhere. Most countries are organized along ethnic and/or religious lines. That one population might assimilate where another doesn't reinforces my claim it's always a two-way street. If one side 100
Unreconstructed Curmudgeon @ems1944.bsky.social · 02/10/20263) Put it another way, Somalians and Haitians aren't different in any substantial way in the manner they've been targeted than previous members of the Biden administration, especially the DofJ. You can't serious want to argue Jack Smith hasn't been assimilated? 000
Unreconstructed Curmudgeon @ems1944.bsky.social · 02/10/20262) unlike Germany, for example, where the population refused acceptance to Jews etc. et al. Similarly, the Haitians were accepted within Springfield, Ohio. It wasn't a question of assimilation. It was a question of political persecution for strictly political aims. 100
Unreconstructed Curmudgeon @ems1944.bsky.social · 02/10/20261) I stand by my claim. Assimilation is always a two way street. In fact, Somalians are accepted socially almost everywhere they settled, including Minnesota and Maine. They're been successful assimilated. They're being persecuted specifically for specific political purpose. That's 100
Unreconstructed Curmudgeon @ems1944.bsky.social · 02/10/20262) As for your own statement, assimilated Jews in Western Europe, the US, Canada and elsewhere did markedly better than those forced to remain with in Eastern Europe and Germany. I'm sure you don't want to seriously argue otherwise. The evidence supports my claim assimilation is a two-way street. 100
Unreconstructed Curmudgeon @ems1944.bsky.social · 02/10/20261) Let's not cherry pick here. The focus is US assimilation, not European. What you're saying is irrelevant, a bit like claiming Armenian assimilation never happened anywhere else because the Turks killed so many of them. As it happens, both of those statements are true. 100
Unreconstructed Curmudgeon @ems1944.bsky.social · 02/10/20263) Immigrants that leave behind clothing and external differentiators manage far better than those who don't. PS. this is true for most of the world, not just here. 100
Unreconstructed Curmudgeon @ems1944.bsky.social · 02/10/20262) Same can be said of the Irish, the Italians, etc. Clearly, a more difficult process if one population looks markedly different from another, but still possible. Most Asians have assimilated well. I'll grant certain. areas less amenable to Asian populations than others. 100
Unreconstructed Curmudgeon @ems1944.bsky.social · 02/10/20261) Assimilation works from both sides. Jewish population, as an example, has both sides of it. Those Jews who became part of the reform movement and abandoned outward manifestation of their religion (i.e. Kippah, Tallis, Shidl) assimilated thoroughly. 100
Unreconstructed Curmudgeon @ems1944.bsky.social · 01/10/20262) If this goes to SCOTUS, as it must, it's an open question what happens 000
Unreconstructed Curmudgeon @ems1944.bsky.social · 01/10/20261) No question this is a staged rationale for inserting the DofJ into Georgia's election. I'm unclear what can be done to stop this. Presumably the Governor can sue, inserting the Georgia state government between this request and the courts. 110
Unreconstructed Curmudgeon @ems1944.bsky.social · 01/10/2026Not so much. Every study shows that when in combat most soldiers do NOT fire their weapons. Hijackings ended, assuming that's now passé, because it wasn't effective as a political tool any more. 000
Unreconstructed Curmudgeon @ems1944.bsky.social · 01/10/2026This has always been the plan, from Project 2025 to DOGE, to Brandi Buchman's insight Trump's operating a mafia-style bust-out. This makes him one of Putin's useful idiots (and possibly a controlled asset), but also makes him a tool of the extreme wealthy who have exotic ideas of their own. 010
Unreconstructed Curmudgeon @ems1944.bsky.social · 01/10/20261st cousin to Calvinism, and the removal of accountability. There's always choice, albeit often one Hobson could have structured. 010
Unreconstructed Curmudgeon @ems1944.bsky.social · 01/10/2026Buchman captures the while of it. If and when he's thrown out, there'll be nothing left but the embers left after the final arson for insurance money. 000
Unreconstructed Curmudgeon @ems1944.bsky.social · 01/10/2026‼️ Terrific insight. That's exactly what it is. 000
Reposted by Unreconstructed CurmudgeonPocket News 📰 @jeanpocket.bsky.social · 29/09/2026Today before Senate. 476154844850
Unreconstructed Curmudgeon @ems1944.bsky.social · 30/09/2026Thanks for this. Have just ordered Kindle edition. 000
Unreconstructed Curmudgeon @ems1944.bsky.social · 29/09/20262) As Litman points out, the DC Circuit vacated Naomi Rao's corrupt decision ending Boasberg's pursuit of a devious, wicked DofJ. Those words are called for. This is, in every way, good vs. evil. Tomorrow will prove consequential regardless of how it ends. 000
Unreconstructed Curmudgeon @ems1944.bsky.social · 29/09/20261) Litman makes persuasive arguments here, ones that would ordinarily find favor with any rational judge in previous times, but to lift a succulent phrase from Mathew Arnold's Dover beach, and put it to work in a modern framework, "we are here as an a darkling plain." 100
Unreconstructed Curmudgeon @ems1944.bsky.social · 27/09/2026:: gurk :: So...I wrote after reading the US had lost all the foursomes, that the current toxic socio/political environment was even affecting professional athletes. Seemed like good insight at the time I'll just show myself out...... apnews.com/article/pres...apnews.comAmericans rally in singles to win the Presidents Cup for the 11th straight timeThe Americans have won the Presidents Cup for the 11th straight time with another turnaround at Medinah. 010
Unreconstructed Curmudgeon @ems1944.bsky.social · 27/09/2026He not only kept his balance, he made it out of bounds, a most unJet-like play. Then, of course, Geno fumbled and lost the ball ending the game in a perfect Jets ending, So, in fact, tradition matters more than mere athletic skill. 010
Unreconstructed Curmudgeon @ems1944.bsky.social · 26/09/20262) easier it is to massively cover key precincts. IOW, while the point is sortta true, it also misleads, More money is better than less. 000
Unreconstructed Curmudgeon @ems1944.bsky.social · 26/09/20261) This isn't perfectly true. Penetration and frequency matter. It also matters when the buys were made. Early money can be much more important than later money if it can be used to freeze adversaries out of prime locations and time slots. Money also funds ground game. The more resources, the 100
Unreconstructed Curmudgeon @ems1944.bsky.social · 26/09/20263) OTOH, Prof. Law is expert and I'm not, so I'll be looking forward for clarification. These things seem closely related to me as a layman. 000
Unreconstructed Curmudgeon @ems1944.bsky.social · 26/09/20262) agreements there might have been otherwise were determinedly abrogated. Notably, the Civil War changed things for those previously enslaved, but did nothing, AFAIK, for Native Americans. 100
Unreconstructed Curmudgeon @ems1944.bsky.social · 26/09/20261) Not clear, precisely, how the expropriation of Native American land was "qualitatively" different from slavery. In both cases, power determined who got to seize what and for what purpose. In both cases, the Federal Government and the judiciary made much of it legal, and what laws/treaties 100
Unreconstructed Curmudgeon @ems1944.bsky.social · 26/09/2026Maybe I knew about this. It rings a shofar dimly, but most likely I was today years old when I learned of this. Loved the story of Nieman and Marcus. 000
Unreconstructed Curmudgeon @ems1944.bsky.social · 26/09/20262) athletic hierarchy, it's about mental/emotional readiness more than the physical. 000
Unreconstructed Curmudgeon @ems1944.bsky.social · 26/09/20261) No one escapes from the current nightmare US citizens are living through. Professional athletes are no more immune to the swirling toxicity than any of the rest of us. Anyone doubting this should consider at the top of every golf.com/news/preside...golf.comInside U.S. golf's latest foursomes nightmare: How shocking sweep happened | News | GOLF.comIt was a dream session for the Internationals — and a nightmare for the U.S. team. Here are five moments from Medinah that told the story. 100
Unreconstructed Curmudgeon @ems1944.bsky.social · 25/09/2026Marshall links to Marcy Wheeler's post in the body of his own piece. Read both. Breathtaking malice on the part of the government, and no simple way to hold people accountable. talkingpointsmemo.com?p=1558708&ut...talkingpointsmemo.comThe Broadview Six Case May Be About to Break OpenHere is a short update on the so-called Broadview Six case —... 021
Unreconstructed Curmudgeon @ems1944.bsky.social · 25/09/2026This may be O'Brien's most savage take on the Trump administration's continuing, one might even say, abject diplomatic humiliation. Worth remembering the ferocious contempt the US had for Chinese immigration in the 19th century. The worm turns. phillipspobrien.substack.com/p/its-not-th...phillipspobrien.substack.comIt’s Not That Xi Insults Trump Once...It’s that the Chinese are actively destroying the US global position while the US president bows and scrapes 000
Unreconstructed Curmudgeon @ems1944.bsky.social · 24/09/20263) Dems would rather govern amidst the rubble while pretending they're Unca Scrooge in the vault playing with their gold coins, then hold anyone to account. It's enough to make wonder whether there's anything in God's Great Green Earth to make either party pay attention to their constituents 000
Unreconstructed Curmudgeon @ems1944.bsky.social · 24/09/20262) ...but, man oh man, after watching the feckless Dems all these years still signing up for feckless lessons, I'm willing to accept she done seen what she saw. Sen. Duckworth imploring Dems not to impeach Trump...or anyone else for that matter....should Dems gain control says it all. 110
Unreconstructed Curmudgeon @ems1944.bsky.social · 24/09/20261) Hoo boy, Barker's complaints resonate. That's not to say she's not off the deep end, getting high on her own supply. Anyone who's lived within the Dem party and then decides to vote Trump has a screw loose somewhere. nymag.com/intelligence...nymag.comThe New Book Democrats Hate — and Can’t Stop Talking AboutEvan Barker quit the party and voted for Trump. Now she’s telling (a few) stories about what she saw. 100
Unreconstructed Curmudgeon @ems1944.bsky.social · 23/09/20262) Note: wealthy people still pay taxes. They *are* investing in PE, just as every other citizen does. The political question is how large that education should be, and should it be allocated? 100
Unreconstructed Curmudgeon @ems1944.bsky.social · 23/09/20261) You're missing the point. My position is that government should massively support public education without banning private educational organizations. Your's is banning all private education. 100
Unreconstructed Curmudgeon @ems1944.bsky.social · 23/09/2026Finland has an homogenous population of 5.7 million, about the size of Brooklyn and Queens put together. We've 325 million + people , 50 state governments, a Federal government, an. thousands of local ones.. This isn't a serious argument. 110
Unreconstructed Curmudgeon @ems1944.bsky.social · 23/09/20262) the curriculum. That's staring you in the face and you're still clamoring for 100% government-controlled education? 100
Unreconstructed Curmudgeon @ems1944.bsky.social · 23/09/20261) This is ludicrous, an unserious argument. Worse, it's an argument for pure, distilled fascism. So you want all education to be controlled by the state? Take a look at how Florida, Alabama, Texas, Mississippi and other states are controlling 100
Unreconstructed Curmudgeon @ems1944.bsky.social · 23/09/2026😳 :: frantically summoning paramedics ........ :: 000