Hard Minutes

I adore him.

A large, legally permitted satirical statue of Donald Trump and Jeffrey Epstein appeared on the National Mall early yesterday one block west of the US Capitol Building, including a plaque indicating it was erected “In Honor of Friendship Month” (screenshots from a video by @penguinsix.bsky.social).

New statue on National Mall celebrates ‘long-lasting bond’ between Trump and Epstein Bronze statue by an anonymous creator shows the two men frolicking and holding hands with a foot kicked back in joy

“We celebrate the long-lasting bond between President Donald J. Trump and his ‘closest friend,’ Jeffrey Epstein,” a plaque at the bottom of the...bronze installation reads. A permit from the National Park Service will allow the statue to stay on the National Mall grounds through 8pm on Sunday.'

A statue of Trump and Epstein holding hands in D.C. is removed as fast as it appeared The statue of Trump and Epstein holding hands mid-frolic wasn't the first anti-Trump artwork on the National Mall in recent months. But it was the first to be removed, despite having a permit.

Check out photos of the statue Trump doesn’t want us to see
www.npr.org/2025/09/24/n...

MSNBC: ex-FBI Dir. James Comey expected to be charged with a crime by Trump administration, per reporting from @DilanianMSNBC and @CarolLeonnig.

This is a huge deal. Trump demanded DOJ charge Comey with something to get revenge. Now they are.

The rule of law is dead.

This prospect will replace Devils’ Luke Hughes if holdout continues Sheldon Keefe said the quiet part out loud.

Rude of Fitzgerald to pit one wolverine against another
www.nj.com/devils/2025/...

Nicklas Backstrom assists on both of Brynäs’ goals in 3-2 preseason loss to MoDo, has 4 points in first 2 exhibition games Nicklas Backstrom's impressive start to the preseason continued on Thursday. The former Washington Capitals centerman registered two assists in Brynäs IF's 3-2…

Good to see Backstrom on the ice again
russianmachineneverbreaks.com/2025/08/21/n...

Amid DEI attacks and dwindling sponsors, Hockey Diversity Alliance skates on The HDA recently held its first annual "Summer Fest" event in Toronto, hosting 250 young aspiring hockey players of various backgrounds.

"But the HDA’s broader corporate sponsorship base has dwindled in recent years, with only CCM, Canadian Tire & JumpStart remaining."
Great piece by @jkamckenzie.bsky.social on the Hockey Diversity Alliance, which continues its important work even as sponsors back out
www.nytimes.com/athletic/654...

A hockey mom's quest to make ‘the best neck guard’ — and get players to wear it

"Weiss believes in her neck guard. It has yet to catch on. Even her son will not wear it." - Fluto Shinzawa
www.nytimes.com/athletic/654...

Cosign @marklazerus.bsky.social: Writing — and the kind of thinking required to write well — is still an essential skill.

I hire recent college grads, and I always prioritize English majors (assuming I'm confident they didn't have AI do their coursework for them).
www.nytimes.com/athletic/652...

Flyers may or may not be better next season, but they should at least be more interesting The 2025-26 season will still be a transitional one for the organization, but there are reasons to believe it should be pretty intriguing.

Hope @kevinkurznhl.bsky.social is right that "the power play should already be better with Zegras and a more experienced Michkov on the top unit." Would love to see a competitive @nhl-flyers.bsky.social team next season!
www.nytimes.com/athletic/650...

How Sidney Crosby helped the Blue Jackets land their new head equipment manager The superstar placed a phone call to endorse Paul DeFazio, who was hired by Columbus after 25-plus years in the Penguins organization.

We know Sid hates change when it comes to his equipment, so good on him for calling Don Waddell to recommend that the Pens' #2 equipment manager be the #1 in Columbus.

Great story from @aportzline.bsky.social.
www.nytimes.com/athletic/649...

Narratively speaking, the tightest ending to this screenplay is probably the freed J6 protestors storming the White House to demand the release of the Epstein files.

Stop talking about Epstein!

Horse racing depends on immigrants who are suddenly working in fear The backbone of an American industry is the workers who care for racehorses around the clock at tracks across the country. Can a coalition of powerful stakeholders protect them?

The great and elegant Chuck Culpepper on the new dread that lurks at the barns and racetracks: www.washingtonpost.com/sports/2025/...

Private Equity Now Owns More Than 40 Minor League Baseball Teams, And The Number Keeps Growing | Defector Private equity is the steamroller that crushes all your favorite things. Journalism, for one, and also a once iconic toy store; even bowling these days. Now it has come for minor league baseball, wher...

"Private equity is the steamroller that crushes all your favorite things. Journalism, for one, and also a once iconic toy store; even bowling these days. Now it has come for minor league baseball" - @jenramose.online
defector.com/private-equi...

Sure, We Gained Our Independence, But We Lost The Ability To Make Anything As Good As ‘Taskmaster’ | Defector The Fourth of July is always there to remind us that we aren’t the country we fancy ourselves being, but this year’s national try-not-to-blow-your-hand-off munitions festival was even grimmer given…

'Taskmaster' is what comes of not being fixated on someone "winning" a thing, but rather the process that makes the winning worth the walk. defector.com/sure-we-gain...

Padilla: "What if I was outside a Home Depot, because I like to do some work around the house, not dressed in a suit. Would I be a target of ICE enforcement under Tom Homan? Probably. And it is just wrong."