What's the most corrupt and unethical pair of senators to serve from the same state at the same time since WWII? And could they be worse than Cruz and Paxton? James Eastland and Theodore Bilbo seem to be the top choice. Jesse Helms and Lauch Faircloth, maybe? Jim Bunning and Mitch McConnell?

Some professional news: mershoncenter.osu.edu/news/mitchel...

This is really sad news. I switched to the history program after getting an M.A in American Studies at UT, but the broad training I got those first two years shaped my career significantly.

I really thought I would finish my career at OSU, but based on my LinkedIn page today, there’s another offer coming that I can’t refuse. I am guessing the Sox saw the grainy black-and-white film of me as starting second base in Little League in 1976, and have decided to make an offer.

Although you might not notice if you just glance quickly, there is in fact a slight size difference between Mitch Lerner and a former all-pro NFL linebacker.

You know what isn't fun? A steroid shot in your inner ear. I haven't has spins like this since I saw the Grateful Dead in NYC in 1988.

After a week off because of the weather, my art teacher wife returns to the classroom and is quickly given a reminder of the critical role our teachers play in molding the next generation of leaders.

I assume any time someone sees Les Miserables, they spend the next week singing "Do you hear the people sing," right? Because people at the gym gave me some strange looks today. I suppose they could be supporters of the monarchy of Louis Philippe (1830-48), but that feels unlikely.

I can only assume that Mother Nature, back in August, said something like: “Hell will freeze over before the Patriots play in the Super Bowl!”

Looks like Jets finally found a good QB! Of course, he is now playing for the Seahawks, but still...

I encourage everyone in central Ohio to be sure to have adequate supplies on hand for the upcoming storm.

Quite the statement from the Prime Minister of Poland

I have a google alert set up for my name to see when it pops up in the media. I am happy to report there has been a huge outbreak of references to "Mitchell Lerner" lately! I am not necessarily happy about why (to be clear, this is a different Mitchell Lerner). hudsonvalleypost.com/new-york-tea...

Thank god the patriots finally made it to the AFC championship game. It’s been a long period of suffering for we Pats fans. I mean, there are college students in Boston who were in high school the last time they got to see this! We surely deserve this after those arduous 6 years!

I had a very small part in making this happen. It’s pretty cool. www.cfr.org/ten-best-ten...

Sophisticated and cutting-edge analysis from the NYT! www.nytimes.com/2025/11/05/s...

A Bose-Einstein condensate is a phenomenon through which scientists dramatically slowed and even stopped light by creating ultra-cold atoms and shining a laser pulse through, causing the light to propagate at shockingly slow speeds. Still, it moved way more quickly than the movie “Smashing Machine.”

I know with great certainty that robots with AI will someday rise up and kill us all. But considering how awful the umpires are in the Red Sox-Blue Jays game, I think that if the first step toward the elimination of human life on earth is the rollout of robot umpires, I am in favor of it.

East Asianists: OSU is hiring in modern Japan! We prefer candidates with a chronological focus on years the Red Sox won the World Series and a methodological approach that emphasizes the immense contributions of short red-headed jazz fans, but we can be flexible! jobs.chronicle.com/job/37884726...

Texas hasn’t been really good since Vince Young and Mitch Lerner left for the next level.

Having the ball on the OSU 8 yard line and running the qb between the tackles three times is your weekly reminder that there is no IQ test to be a football coach.

So far, Arch Manning has sucked. I haven’t seen a much-hyped debut collapse this quickly since William Henry Harrison.

When Roman Anthony's new contract with the Red Sox ends, the Mets will still have one more year of paying Bobby Bonilla.

Roughly 100-120 billion people have existed on earth since its creation. With numbers of that magnitude, it seems possible that at least 2 or 3 or maybe even 4 people in that group were at one point as sick as I am right now. But, it's doubtful. Damn COVID! Someone bring me some horse de-wormer!

Monthly reminder: Many people have a book in them, but it takes a special kind of freak to leave the Land of Laziness, cross the Plains of Procrastination and Insecurity Mountain, find the Blade of No One Made You Do This, and use it to cut your chest open and yank that book out.

It has been the honor of my life to serve as Commissioner of BLS alongside the many dedicated civil servants tasked with measuring a vast and dynamic economy. It is vital and important work and I thank them for their service to this nation.

My week in Taiwan was great, but it also made me appreciate the simple joys of coming home to your loved ones. That's right: the air conditioner and I are going to spend some serious quality time together for the nest few days.

My week in Taiwan included meetings with officials from KMT and DPP as well as political activists, scholars, etc. I now feel ready to talk about the recall election results, if anyone wants an inside perspective. I can also talk about what it feels like to be roasted alive by the Taiwan heat.

I learned some really important things about diplomacy on my trip to Taiwan, but this lesson from the restroom at a prominent think tank is perhaps most impactful.

In case anyone is worried that I didn’t represent the finest Ohio fashions while I was meeting government officials in Taiwan.

So this weekend is my daughter’s bridal shower in Ohio and my wife just told me that the sewage line backup up in the basement this morning. I told her that the wine in the VIP lounge in the airport in Taipei was kind of warm so I was suffering too, but I don’t think it helped.

After last night’s win, the Red Sox—over their last 800 games covering almost 6 seasons—have 400 wins and 400 losses. That’s pretty incredible. And pretty depressing.

The Yankees finished the game with a bigger number than the other team. Unsure what this means. Will research.

Sure, sex is great but have you seen Spinal Tap on the big screen? I will be able to answer "yes" to that in about 5 hours, and I can't wait. One of the great mockumentaries ever made. It's an 11.

We base much of our political system on the idea that the Founding Fathers were brilliant people with a keen sense of what was needed for the nation’s future. But if they were so smart, why didn’t they declare independence in April? No one should attend an outside celebration in this heat.

Because I have nerve damage in both feet, I’m pretty selective about my shoes, and there’s one kind that I like enough so that I own two pairs of them. Unfortunately, when I packed for the conference that I am currently attending, I grabbed the two right shoes.

Checking out the very cool Star Trek exhibit at the Lancaster design museum. This quote is on the wall at the start. Gene Roddenberry was certainly prescient in a lot of ways.

Did they not invite Bobby Bonilla because he is still being paid by the team?

At boxing today, I sparred with a young woman who had had a good amateur boxing career. Of course, because of our different physical abilities, I took it easy on her. And by that I mean that every time her punches crushed my face, I pretended it didn't hurt that much, so she wouldn't feel guilty.

I worry a lot about the impact of AI and other emerging technologies on future employment opportunities. Truck drivers and waitstaff and writers and more are going to be replaced by robots. But, based on the baseball games I watched this weekend, robot umpires can’t get here fast enough.

Whatever you do, do it with the confidence of a terrible idea moving inexorably through the Texas Legislature.

I am checking out hotels for my trip to DC tomorrow. An online review for this one is generally positive, giving it an 8/10, despite noting that it has “too many rapes and robberies.” I suppose if there was a child sex ring or a slave labor camp, it might have fallen to a 7?

2025 Home Attendance Vs. Capacity (Rounded): 100% TB 94% LAD 91% PHI 90% SD 87% BOS 85% NYY ATL 84% NYM 83% SF ATH CHC 76% HOU 74% LAA 68% TEX 67% TOR 66% ARI 62% MIL 60% STL WSH 58% CLE 56% SEA 54% DET 52% COL 50% BAL 48% CIN 47% KC MIN 45% PIT 41% CWS 35% MIA

We are checking out this trendy new Asian fusion restaurant. I admit that I would feel better about it if they could spell “Buddha” correctly.

At boxing, we were working on footwork. The coach said when he yelled "right," to pivot clockwise. A couple of young kids kept messing up. Finally one of them asked what it meant to turn "clockwise." Someone mumbled about moving like hands on a clock, and the kid stared blankly. "Hands on a clock?"

I hate just about everyone who has ever played for the Knicks, coached for the Knicks, or even thought about playing or coaching for the Knicks. But Jalen Brunson can play for my team any time.

To all residents of Ohio, as well as those of southern Michigan, western Pennsylvania, and eastern Indiana: I’m sorry about the sneezing. Mitch

As the second half begins in the Cavs-Pacers game, Max Strus has a plus/minus rating of -30, and that's the best plus/minus of the Cavs' starters! I haven't seen a beatdown like this since Marianne Williamson entered the presidential race.