Happy birthday to Jessica Lange, George Takei, and Luther Vandross.

Ossoff: "How does American politics really work? It's coin operated. Money goes in, favors come out. It's been running on secret money, corporate money, billionaire money ... all of this gave rise to a depraved president who exploits this rot to empower and enrich himself"

@pftompkins.bsky.social

RIP 😔

Former president Rumen Radev will win Bulgaria election, exit poll suggests SOFIA, Bulgaria (AP) — An exit poll in Bulgaria suggested Sunday that the center-left Progressive Bulgaria coalition led by ex-president Rumen Radev will be the winner of the country's parliamentary e...

An exit poll in Bulgaria suggested Sunday that the center-left Progressive Bulgaria coalition led by ex-president Rumen Radev will be the winner of the country's parliamentary election. https://to.pbs.org/4cytC1D

“Steal a little and they throw you in jail. Steal a lot and they make you king.” 🎸

One reason that we cannot have professional diplomats representing the interests of the United States is that it would disrupt a pattern of personal enrichment for the Presidents allies and families.

“They’ll come down fast. They’ll come down easy. Just like my approval rating.”

Guadagnino takes some really big swings. Doesn’t always get a hit, but respect the effort.

Is this a thing people say? The quality of Sister Souljah stand-ins is really declining

You’re either Catholic or you’re MAGA. You can’t be both. Same goes for Christianity, in general.

Former President Barack Obama met with New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani for the first time Saturday, joining preschoolers at a child care center for a book reading and singalong.

Source: Emma G. Fitzsimmons / NYT

Imagine if the mainstream media had 1/10th skepticism/cynicism for Trump that they have for Democrats. Trump lies and the media just nods and repeats him.

Air Canada will suspend flights to JFK for nearly 5 months as jet fuel costs soar Air Canada will suspend service to New York’s JFK International airport over the summer, the latest move in an industry struggling with high fuel costs and falling supplies.

Air Canada will suspend service to New York’s JFK International airport over the summer, the latest move in an industry struggling with high fuel costs and falling supplies.

Investors are due a brutal wake-up call as economic reality sets in — and there's nowhere to hide One portfolio manager warns that investors have "nowhere to hide" as markets face an economic wake-up call.

Investors are due a brutal wake-up call as economic reality sets in — and there's nowhere to hide

Adding Mejia to my 2028 VEEP WATCH.

a man in a suit and tie is holding a jacket over his shoulder ALT: a man in a suit and tie is holding a jacket over his shoulder

Vincent Vega stepping into Hegseth’s empty head:

BREAKING:

WASHINGTON (AP) - Democrat Analilia Mejia wins election to U.S. House in New Jersey's 11th Congressional District.

Has Trump ever filled a vehicle with gas at a gas station? How many times has Trump ever driven himself…anywhere? Does he even have a driver’s license?

DOGGETT: Were you shocked to see that 850 people who were suspended for fraud had been reinstated at all once?

RFK Jr: President Biden ...

DOGGETT: Reclaiming my time. Biden's administration suspended 850 suspected fraudsters. Yours let them go back to work

Grotesque: In a dispute over a will, two brothers including a retired Alabama state trooper now working at a federal courthouse, appear to have gotten their mother-in-law arrested by ICE.
Using the state to remove disfavored family members is the sort of thing that happens in totalitarian regimes.

They’re not going to intimidate THE POPE into silence.

Pope Leo XIV: Jesus told us, blessed are the peacemakers. But woe to those who manipulate religion and the very name of God for their own military, economic, or political gain, dragging that which is sacred into darkness and filth.

Pete Hegseth just threatened more war crimes, vowing to bomb Iran's energy infrastructure if it doesn't do the US's bidding. It's indescribably absurd to see this even as Mike Johnson is invoking Just War Doctrine to attack the Pope.

Me and Olivia Troye on this:

newrepublic.com/article/2091...

Stop Whining YouTube video by pnightmare89

Hegseth never stops whining. He’s like a basketball coach that loses a game by 25 points and blames the officiating (despite having more free throw attempts than their opponent). youtu.be/EL8e2ujXe8g

Bonus 220: Verify, Don't Trust Those who are starting to think about how to rebuild institutions that the current administration has undermined need to be clear-eyed about the prospect that their control of events will be fleeting.

The old Russian proverb that President Reagan parroted is “trust but verify.”

As I explain in today's bonus issue of "One First," a major theme of any future agenda for rebuilding the stability of our government institutions needs to be “verify, don’t trust":

www.stevevladeck.com/p/bonus-220-...

Hegseth is such a loser. Zero (0) charisma. No clue how to inspire. Just constant whining and false bravado. The worst defense secretary we’ve ever had.

Israeli attacks prevent Lebanese from burying their dead in ancestral lands Brothers Ali and Wael ​Sabbagh stood facing the remains of the building that contained their family home for more than 50 years.

Israeli attacks prevent Lebanese from burying their dead in ancestral lands reut.rs/4eowLUf

Labor Dept. Investigates Texts Among Secretary’s Family and Staff

“Ms. Chavez-DeRemer’s husband exchanged text messages with young female staff members, as did her father.”

Come on, now.

www.nytimes.com/2026/04/15/u...