From @mford.bsky.social:
"The goal of Trumpism, it could be said, is to create losers of us all. The political and economic project’s goal is not to materially improve its adherents’ lives." trib.al/2LQYAYd
In 47 years of tensions with the U.S. Iran has never closed the Strait of Hormuz until this war. Now the cease fire deal Trump likes gives Iran control of the strait. The deal makes no mention of nuclear weapons, Trump’s original explanation for attacking Iran. Incompetent!
Iran accepted Pakistan’s cease-fire proposal after frantic diplomatic efforts by Pakistan and last-minute intervention by China, a key ally, according to three Iranian officials. Iran’s national security council officially confirmed the agreement, casting it as a victory in which the United States accepted Iran’s term
Among the most important details of Trump's backdown: China intervened.
www.nytimes.com/live/2026/04...
The problem isn’t that two aircraft were shot down. The problem is that we aren’t psychologically or politically prepared to suffer any losses, because this entire war has been sold as a video game set on “easy” and not as a cause worth sacrifice.
This is a belated post because I watch 75% of my Phillies games on a slight delay these days, but I am STOKED. Nice to have something to get excited about after the last few games, and some good defense to balance out the sad defense.
It's been a long will-they-won't-they with Andrew Painter, and the Majors, but now I am Prepared to Be Obsessed.
- 8 Ks, 1 BB
- Threw six different pitches
- CSW% of 44-60% on Curve, Slider, Changeup, Sweeper
- Chase% of 44-50% on 4 Seam, Curveball, Changeup
- 2 curves for first pitch strikes
Happy to serve!
SUPERB.
I love Philadelphia so much ❤️
At the No Kings March in New York City today!
Nothing says "King" like having money to kill innocent civilians both distant and domestically, but not enough money to provide health care, education, or social services. All at great personal profit! #nokings
Additions:
You knew you wanted:
- Each outfielder making at least one competent catch
You didn't know you wanted:
- Me to be too concerned about jinxing to post about these things in real time
I had the most fun time on @partyofonepodcast.bsky.social with a very topical-to-Opening-Day sports hypothetical worldbuilding! We should still write this movie.
- Marsh hits two doubles!
And most importantly
- Jhoan Duran enters the game after there was initially no save opportunity going into the ninth, but still wins it 5-3, having struck out Ezekiel Duran in an epic DURAN-DURAN match up! That hungry wolf is eating a cheesesteak this time.
- 2025 NL Batting champ gets a hit on first pitch
- Stolen base (Stott)
- Marsh looking like he should just be an everyday player
You didn't know you wanted:
- *Justin Crawford gets TWO hits! In first two ABs!
- Alec Bohm opposite field home run! (already 9% of the way to last year's HR total!)
The Phillies Opening Day game had everything you knew you wanted, and everything you didn't know you wanted.
You knew you wanted:
- Sanchez 10 Ks, 6 shutout innings, Opening Day overreaction Cy Young forecasting
- First inning Schwarbomb
- Justin Crawford gets a hit w/ nice line drive launch angle*
Happy Opening Day to all who celebrate, from me in my Phillies jacket on the streets of New York! LET'S GO PHILLIES!
Oh, that's such a great theory! Not off base at all. I do think the gender divide ALSO applies, since of course, to this day, opportunities for mixed-gender baseball are pretty rare. Thanks for reaching out and sharing your thoughts!
Links to our "Charlie Brown's All Stars" episode of TMITTBG:
Apple: podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/t...
Spotify: open.spotify.com/show/0a8aiu5...
Thank you so much to HERO @benlindbergh.bsky.social for shouting out Take Me In to the Ballgame on Effectively Wild!
Listen in to him diagnosing the lack of hustle on Charlie Brown's team. Why do they yell at him when they're the ones making their pitcher field the ball? (IDEALLY DON'T DO THAT)
True! Although he'd be more of a risk for broken fingers if every pitch Charlie Brown threw didn't get hit for a dinger or a screaming line drive up the middle.
All available evidence shows that the US bombed an elementary school in Iran and killed more than 150 Iranian children.
Trump's reflex response to this evidence is to lie and claim that Iran has Tomahawk cruise missiles and that Iran bombed their own children.
Bellingcat analysis makes a strong case that a US tomahawk hit that girl's school in Iran, contrary to U.S. government claims
www.bellingcat.com/news/2026/03...
Ben is an 80-grade, Hall of Fame podcast presence and I'm so grateful to him for giving TMITTBG SO much of his time and his valuable, if seemingly infinite, brain space.
Among his 17 other podcasts, check out Plot Hole or Not Hole in a convo with Vince Gilligan here:
share.google/EsuLTA22yaLy...
It was an honor to have hero @benlindbergh.bsky.social on Take Me In to the Ballgame, talking about "Charlie Brown's All Stars," his lifelong love of "Peanuts," time-traveling mystery solving, and other delights!
Apple: podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/t...
Spotify: open.spotify.com/show/0a8aiu5...
So honored that @michaelwaterloo.bsky.social made my art (both acting and drawing) into more art (writing)! He's the best human, and truly, I can vouch for him being the perfect person to opine on anything Angel-Reese-related.
These are just a taste of how fun O'Brien's writing makes the telling of this story (and how fun it was to read aloud)!
Whether you're an audiobook boy or a print girlie, make sure you get your version of HEARTLAND this week!
HEARTLAND is OUT! @keithob.bsky.social 's account of Larry Bird & the 1979 ISU Sycamores is gripping, deep...and sometimes funny.
O'Brien's writing glides between the lyrical, the heart-pounding, & the wry. I highlighted some things on the pdf that made me chuckle as I prepped for the audiobook!
Truly, the money for that exists even when we couldn't POSSIBLY fund healthcare for our own citizens.
Neither the hypocrisy nor the observation of it is new, but I just keep thinking that it's "America First" when it comes to funding USAID's efforts to help people or helping Ukraine, but when it comes to killing innocent civilians abroad, oh, we ALWAYS have the money for that.
