The expression “more Catholic than the Pope” comes to mind this morning.

Turbulent day here in Ann Arbor. - U-M’s brand new president, who started April 1, has been diagnosed with brain cancer and will not serve. - A tornado warned storm swept through overnight, tore part of the roof off Yost Arena and a local rink. Trees and power lines down across town.

Who else wants to quit Congress? Good time to do so to limit the attention.

There are three classes of intellects: one which comprehends by itself; another which appreciates what others comprehend; and a third which neither comprehends by itself nor by the showing of others; the first is the most excellent, the second is good, the third is useless. Machiavelli, The Prince

The UAW and the carmakers negotiate longer than the U.S. and Iran. Give me a break.

They need a rain out.

It’s an excellent silent movie, one the biggest ever made, and one of the last.

Posted: Lions, Towers & Shields 138, The Hot Ronald Colman. With @shelly.brisbin.net your host and @mickimaynard.bsky.social. theincomparable.com/lts/138. We recap Beau Geste. #TCMParty

I’ve had this conversation here in Michigan, and it’s true: politicians who do an end run around disgruntled voters at home and court the national media. Happening now. We see you doing it. As for media falling for it: make a couple calls back to their city, state or district. Won’t take much.

Was this the plan all along? Were the Soviets behind this? (Yes, I am old-school and still call them that.)

Big happy sigh of relief. They’re back.

For comparison, the Arc de Triomphe is 163 feet tall.

She’s had YEARS to say something. YEARS. I hate to be cynical, but it feels like an effort to deflect attention from the war.

Dollars to donuts he tried to muscle US Steel for it and they declined.

MICHIGAN WINS!

Come on boys, put this away. 💛💙

That’s us! 💛💙

The chest thump. 😂

OFF TO THE NATTY! 💛💙

Yax, you can have one of my ankles for 48 hours…

Even I did not expect Michigan to play this well tonight. 💛💙

With a shout out to SABR

You go @time.com

It’s great To be A Michigan Wolverine It’s great 💛💙

DC view: “He says he’s not running for president, but we’ll gloss over that and make him a potential candidate.” Real world view: it takes a ton of money to run. You’ll be on the road constantly. You’ll miss key family events. Not to mention fears for personal safety.

Low numbers are lucky!

This is going to be a mess and I bet it ends by Wednesday.

It’s a novel - and a movie. It has cars, clothes and acreage - if a swamp counts.

News report: the cholesterol test you’ve never heard of. Me, checking test results: sees it has been performed since 2015. Before your hot take, ask someone IRL.

Just a reminder that airports in the U.S. are considered secure zones. Everyone who works in an airport, or does business with an airport, such as fuel deliveries or concessionaires, goes through security checks. You don’t show up and hassle people. That will get you tossed in two seconds.

Who did you watch in the WBC? Some of this lineup.

BTS impressions: Seoul looked amazing. How injured is RM and what kind of last-minute staging changes were needed? I will get used to the new songs. Back when there was Army Twitter, tracks were shared lightening fast - not as much on Threads or here.

When I lived in Japan, my hosts took me to a small museum exhibit that showed the damage from the U.S. firebombing of Tokyo. They asked me beforehand if I wanted to go, and I said yes. While I was there, they apologized for any distress it was causing me. War is hell for all involved.

We had one in Ann Arbor in 2024. It was a student from China who thought he could register to vote because there was a drive on campus. One, for our whole city.

And remember: these numbers are likely to be revised.

I’m so happy for Team Venezuela. Passion, soul, determination.

Tuesday night will be like a home game for Venezuela and I can’t wait.

At one point, Dubai marketed itself as the perfect stop over between Europe and Asia.

In all the news chaos, you might have missed what Honda did. It’s been a shame watching them stumble. From my Intersection Newsletter. open.substack.com/pub/intermov...

I am very happy for Michael B. Jordan and the Oscars that Sinners won. I doubted it could take Best Picture given the Hollywood powerhouses connected with One Battle After Another. But it was my personal pick.

Thelma Ritter is the highlight of The Mating Season and she is underutilized.

I am confused. If Putin is calling the shots with Trump, why would he be trying to take us out? Or is it the scorpion and the frog?

Would you trust US intel?

It wasn’t one generation ago. More like two, or even three. As I learned when I researched my books, it was a narrow window when this was possible, about 30 years, from the late 1940s to the late 1970s. High interest rates and inflation bit into family incomes.

A big loss to CBS but I have no doubt @macfarlanenews.bsky.social will still be on our radar.

Current gas prices in France: The cheapest = $2.04 per liter or about $8.16 a gallon.

Just to refresh your memory: Friday’s open and close.

Good morning - or not.

Heads up for anyone traveling today: multiple airports report hours-long lines due to the government shutdown (two hours at Houston Hobby, three hours in New Orleans). PreChek is closed. Get there very early.