John Halski

Meritocracy

Mariners celebrating on the field

Man and woman in the stands at the Mariners game

Way to go, #Mariners!

Maybe this is it.

Maybe I’ll just be at this stadium watching this game forever, and that will be what existence is now.

#GoMariners!

bsky.app/profile/john...

The Wizard speaking to the Tin Man

“Oh, Donald, don’t you see? The Nobel Peace Prize you’ve been seeking has been inside you all along!”

Everything is transactional to him. Everything is a zero sum game.

The concept of people doing what is right for its own sake is beyond his imagination.

As is the idea that someone could derive personal benefit and satisfaction from helping others.

Shout out to all the parents traveling with young kids, especially the solo parents.

I bet you’re doing just fine, I’m sure you’re doing your best, and you don’t control what anyone else thinks so tune out the noise and stay focused on your and your kid(s) needs.

You got this!

'When authoritarians seize power, it is crucial to recognize courageous defenders of freedom who rise and resist,' the Norwegian Nobel Committee said as it announced Maria Corina Machado as the winner of the 2025 Nobel Peace Prize

It’s comforting in these troubling times to know that our president is well good.

Mock the devil and he will flee from you.

New York City is the only place I know where you can walk around in a t-shirt with the city’s name on it, unironically, and people won’t assume you’re a tourist.

No place like it. Magnificent.

Someone saw SUPERMAN.

The headline “Hamas has ‘Been Fine’ According to ______” would be the end of any other person’s political career, if we weren’t living in The Upside Down and treating the President like a sundowning grandparent.

Republican Arizona lawmaker makes post calling for execution of Democratic congresswoman John Gillette on X called for ‘people like’ Pramila Jayapal to be ‘hanged’ in response to her video on anti-Trump protests

This is an outrageous threat of political violence against our Congressional Representative. These calls to action must stop immediately. www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025...

One of my “middle aged guy” hot takes is that if you’re not regularly riding mass transit, whether that’s a bus or a subway or something else, then you don’t really know the city or town where you live. You only know the bubble you’ve created for yourself.

Remember when calling people “deplorables” was outrageous and over-the-top?

YouTube video by PetShopBoys Parlophone Pet Shop Boys - Integral

“If you’ve done nothing wrong, you’ve got nothing to fear.” youtu.be/VckCoZkCEu8?...

UW students confront man who disrupted lecture with Nazi salute A man interrupted a UW psychology class with a Nazi salute; students quickly pushed him out.

Go Huskies! www.king5.com/article/news...

Jane Goodall is not going to stop inspiring us now.

Screenshot of USPTO website with notice at the top saying "At present, the USPTO will remain open and fully operational until further notice under operating reserves from the prior year’s fee collections."

With Alt text:

I guess it's something that the notice doesn't say something like "...unless Democrats do something stupid like refuse to comply with our incredible President. MAGA!"

A man standing outdoors, dressed in a dark suit and tie, with a solemn expression.

1 October 1854 | A Dutch Jew, Heiman Leefsma, was born in Opsterland.

In January 1943, he was deported to #Auschwitz and murdered in a gas chamber after the selection.
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Learn about the fate of Jews deported from the German-occupied Netherlands to Auschwitz: http://lekcja.auschwitz.org/32_en/

"Freedom is a fragile thing and it’s never more than one generation away from extinction. It is not ours by way of inheritance; it must be fought for and defended constantly by each generation, for it comes only once to a people."

Ronald Reagan, Inaugural Address as Gov of California (Jan 5, 1967).

BREAKING

A federal judge that the Trump admin's policy targeting pro-Palestinian students for deportation violated the First Amendment.

His blistering, 161-page ruling starts with a threat he received in chambers and his response.

CRESTRICTED] ORIENTATION FACT SHEET 64 WAR DEPARTMENT-WASHINGTON 25, D. C. • 24 March 1945 FASCISM! Note For This Week's Discussion: Fascism is not the easiest thing to identify and analyze; nor, once in power, is it easy to destroy. It is important for our future and that of the world that as many of us as possible understand the causes and practices of fascism, in order to combat it. Points to stress are: (1) Fascism is more apt to come to power at a time of economic crisis; (2) fascism inevitably leads to war; (3) it can come to any country; (4) we can best combat it by making our democracy work.

In March of 1945, the US Army issued this "fact sheet" to guide conversations with soldiers on the topic of fascism, paying particular attention to the ongoing threat that domestic fascist movements posed to the US. Their analysis of what a homegrown US fascism would look like is interesting.

Fun fact: if the feds use your copyrights or patents without permission, your only remedy is an action for damages (not an injunction) in the Court of Federal Claims. See 28 USC §1498.

Trademark suits are possible, with full remedies available. 15 USC §1122. But rare, for good reason.

Martin Prince with his hand raised dramatically into the air.

BEHOLD! The power of branding!

Slightly diminish a book

Vibes and the Art of Bicycle Repair

Subtly downgrade a band

Eight Inch Screws

To be fair, I believe that only the good ones die young.

Tell you, baby.

You know that only the good die young