So it’s a referendum about whether to have a referendum? Don’t really see the point of that - either have a referendum or don’t, why waste time voting about whether to have a vote about whether to secede?

Sorry what is his first name?

American politburo (pejorative)

Seems like anti-gerrymandering folks made a mistake passing legislation in easy states first. They need those states to wield the threat of gerrymandering to prevent the Republicans drawing absurd districts. Republican courts (where present) can use that legislation to keep Dems from balancing.

My “this is not a golden calf” t-shirt is raising many questions already answered by that same shirt

Potato and veggie frittata

So far The Test* works about 90% of the time * “does David Frum approve of this thing? If yes, it sucks.”

Awful lot of transport flight to the Middle East over the last two weeks. Americans are too irrational to “predict” their actions but that’s what you’d be doing if you planned to start fighting again.

This remains the funniest thing I’ve ever seen and it’s even funnier now that he’s mad at Trump

First working day on the balcony!

“Why are all the hooting freaks I’ve joined up with being so rude?”

All that money on Patriot batteries and stealth fighters and an Iranian F-5 (introduced in ‘63 or ‘64) still just flew right through and bombed an American base in Kuwait?

I think this war has somehow gotten stupider than it was at the beginning. Like, did he blow up a ceasefire negotiation that would have opened the Strait (his stated goal) because he decided to also blockade that same Strait, which he wants open?

I swindled this one

You can add a splash of orange blossom water and some lemon zest to your braised cabbage, they can’t stop you

It’s only been a week and a half but Chickpea (pictured) is so lonely, and therefore annoying, that we are fostering and hopefully adopting a friend for him named Mufasa (who, if they get along, will be renamed Moussaka).

Fried rice improving

Why does Kier Starmer even want to be PM - it isn’t like he’s trying to do anything.

Me: “the influence of capital on the courts is a long term thing, they don’t just rule with capital in every case” Meanwhile, John Roberts: “yeah so I just rule with capital every time” www.nytimes.com/2026/04/18/u...

Israel is going out of their way to piss off anyone who doesn’t already hate them

It won’t make anything better I just want to see Kier Starmer’s premiership fall apart for the content

New writing friend (well, new watching chess videos instead of writing friend)

American Century of Humiliation, right on schedule

Verily

Too many transport aircraft headed to the Middle East for the Americans to be planning on maintaining this ceasefire.

Sorry I’ve been assured by several political scientists that Victor Orban (who sucks, to be clear) had destroyed democracy in Hungary

This would put the Chinese in a position where they will have to respond.

So, is he saying the US Navy will stop Chinese ships? Because they will retaliate, and they’re a lot more competent than the Yankkkees.

So is Trump saying that the US Navy will stop allied ships because they have paid the toll to Iran to get through the Strait? Can’t imagine they go through with that, will go over poorly in every capitol that needs oil/fertilizers from the Gulf.

The thing about an imperial presidency is that, even if the Democrats sweep the House and Senate (to the extent that’s possible in one election), there’s basically nothing the legislature can do to counter-balance Trump.

Chickpea has been looking for Slim Jim all morning (he’s keeps sniffing the cat carrier we used to take Slim Jim to the vet)

Gulf states: wait are both sides blockading us now?

Trump starting a reverse-War of 1812 after American naval forces start stopping foreign merchant ships for dealing with an American enemy

My first shiva is for a cat (but what a cat)

Going to miss this guy

go off Pope

Very normal thing to say

Very happy it got warm enough for Slim Jim to spend a final afternoon on the balcony

Pakistan having to escort a diplomatic mission so the Israelis/Americans don’t just murder the diplomats is pretty wild

My dying cat decided to finally eat a little bit and I feel like I won the lottery

I agree with Alex Jones?!?

Withholding any strong opinions on a ceasefire that no one (not even the parties to the ceasefire) know the real terms of.

Americans, repeat after me: “ya Ali”

www.nytimes.com/2026/04/03/u... So, we're just not doing that whole Article 1 thing anymore, is that it?

Still very curious who was actually in charge on January 7th after they took power from Trump. The “official” story seems to be some combination of Pelosi, McConnell, etc. but I think that, practically speaking, it was General Milley.

Bet he said something like “all these plans for land operations are dumb as hell”

Can’t even argue the civilian damage is proportional to the military objective (and thus legal) if you openly admit that your real objective is just doing civilian harm.

lol let them fight

It’s only legal to strike civilian infrastructure where there’s a valid military objective (preventing resupply of forces in combat or preventing retreat, for example). That’s not the case here (there isn’t even any combat going on!) this is just a naked attack on civilian targets.