Mark Lehman

The Moron Factory A short story

This is one of the funniest and most original short stories I’ve ever read. Weird and wonderful. By George Saunders, of course: www.theatlantic.com/magazine/arc... (Also… George Saunders in The Atlantic!)

“Dumbest Goddamn Student Ever” Ends Department of Education

Pete Buttigieg Slams Trump And Delivers A Message We All Need To Hear Onward.

Buttigieg is a rockstar.

One In Ten UB40 · Present Arms · Song · 1981

open.spotify.com/track/42DXaU...

Why the COVID Deniers Won Lessons from the pandemic and its aftermath

During the pandemic, vaccine rejection became a badge of group loyalty—one that ultimately cost many lives. “Why,” @davidfrum.bsky.social asks, “did political fidelity express itself in such self-harming ways?”

My Better Self Tennis · Young & Old · Song · 2012

open.spotify.com/track/5osJMG...

we must imagine Sisyphus posting through it

President Trump promised voters that he would enact policies to bring prices down on “Day 1.” Inflation figures released on Wednesday showed that consumer prices ticked up unexpectedly, with the cost of food at home, primarily eggs, as one of the biggest factors fueling the increase. nyti.ms/4hBg4nu

I'll go anywhere on behalf of a good cause - and that means engaging people across all the different platforms.

Good to be connected here, @maddow.msnbc.com and @lawrenceodonnell.msnbc.com.

JUST IN:

Federal judges orders HHS, CDC, and FDA to restore “by no later than 11:59 pm” today their websites and datasets to pre-January 30th status.

storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.us...

Bernie Sanders: "They will use the enormous media operations they own to deflect attention away from the impact of their policies while they entertain us to death."

Freeland: Our retaliation is going to be a lot more surgical than that. We are going to go after American stakeholders who matter to The White House. I have proposed a 100% tariff on all Teslas. I am calling on all the countries that are affected by this tariff to join us

youtu.be/AE1ct5yEuVY?...

Remember when George Conway (yes, that George Conway) insisted on taking President Clinton’s deposition in the Paula Jones case so it could be used as grounds for impeachment? 😅

Yeah. That’s where the Republicans lost their souls.

And be careful listening to George Conway.

We got a DOGE staff list. From a McKinsey alum to a former Clarence Thomas clerk, here are the workers powering Elon Musk's cost-cutting squad. A list of White House DOGE staffers shows about 30 young tech, finance, and legal professionals remaking the federal government.

Here's a list of DOGE staff, assembled and annotated by my colleagues at BI. Whatever you do, please don't share it.

www.businessinsider.com/doge-staff-l...

WATCH: Pete Buttigieg on why he regularly speaks on Fox News When Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg spoke at the Democratic National Convention in Chicago on Wednesday, he introduced himself with the line, "You might recognize me from Fox News."

Stop relying on friendly media like MSNBC! Be like Pete Buttigieg and bring reality to Fox News viewers!

www.pbs.org/newshour/pol...

Court Halt on Trump Cuts for Medical Research Is Extended Nationwide The federal order temporarily halts the Trump administration’s plans to slash $4 billion in overhead costs for research at universities and medical centers into diseases like cancer.

The freeze on NIH indirect cost cuts is now nationwide:
www.nytimes.com/2025/02/11/h...

"Giving a camera to Diane Arbus? Is like handing a live grenade to the vision of a child"- Norman Mailer

I feel that was a compliment.

the National Endowment for Eagles and Flags

🤷‍♂️

Don’t Know How To Keep Loving You Julia Jacklin · Crushing · Song · 2019

open.spotify.com/track/0h5icu...

"Armed with an AR-15, a 9mm, and body armor, he ambushed his victims, firing 30 shots and killing 4 in minutes before killing himself at the scene. Of note, when a domestic abuser has access to a gun, the victim is 5x more likely to be killed."

Won't Get Fooled Again - Original Album Version The Who · Who's Next (Deluxe Edition) · Song · 1971

open.spotify.com/track/0cJPLF...

Thick As Thieves - Peel Session, London / 1979 The Jam · Setting Sons (Super Deluxe) · Song · 1979

open.spotify.com/track/3wIAOO...

You don’t say…

Remember when Musk and Zuck were gonna maybe fight in a UFC cage match? We should get that going again.

Zuck hates Musk.
Altman hates Musk.
Like, every other billionaire hates Elon Musk?

Can they all just do a cage match, already?

@mcuban.bsky.social you down?

Pope rebukes Trump over migrant deportations and refutes VP Vance's theology In a strongly-worded letter to Catholic bishops in the United States, Pope Francis is taking to task the Trump Administration's stance on migrants, and that he's following what he calls a "major crisi...

In a strongly-worded letter to Catholic bishops in the United States, Pope Francis is taking to task the Trump Administration's stance on migrants, and that he's following what he calls a "major crisis" with the initiation of mass deportation.