Local Man

@King_FredII @PaulleyTicks @TheRickWilson Weird Al needs to remake Betty Davis eyes again.

@PaulleyTicks @TheRickWilson

BREAKING: Donald Trump meets privately with Kash Patel and Pete Hegseth to assure them their jobs are secure, amidst swirling rumors that they may be the next cabinet members to be fired.

@MichaelARothman As an Illinois hostage I thank you for this.

𝐈𝐋𝐋𝐈𝐍𝐎𝐈𝐒 𝐔𝐍𝐃𝐄𝐑 𝐏𝐑𝐈𝐓𝐙𝐊𝐄𝐑: 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐑𝐄𝐂𝐄𝐈𝐏𝐓𝐒 I’m generally annoyed by people in the public eye who I find to be hypocritical about who they are, what they believe, and their documented past and behaviors — so like the Newsom post I made yesterday, I decided to pick a couple new targets. Let’s start with good ole J.B. Pritzker. He likes to see himself in the spotlight, so let’s up the wattage on that and take a look at what’s there. Pritzker is a $𝟑.𝟗 𝐛𝐢𝐥𝐥𝐢𝐨𝐧 Hyatt hotel heir who wants you to believe he turned Illinois around. Before he launches his next political vanity project, every American deserves to see what he actually did to the fifth-largest state in the union. 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐓𝐨𝐢𝐥𝐞𝐭 𝐓𝐚𝐱 𝐒𝐜𝐡𝐞𝐦𝐞 Before he was governor, Pritzker bought a $𝟑.𝟕 𝐦𝐢𝐥𝐥𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐦𝐚𝐧𝐬𝐢𝐨𝐧 next door to his Gold Coast home in Chicago. In 2015, he had 𝐟𝐢𝐯𝐞 𝐭𝐨𝐢𝐥𝐞𝐭𝐬 𝐫𝐢𝐩𝐩𝐞𝐝 𝐨𝐮𝐭 so the Cook County assessor would classify it as “uninhabitable” — dropping the assessed value from $𝟔.𝟑 𝐦𝐢𝐥𝐥𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐭𝐨 $𝟏.𝟏 𝐦𝐢𝐥𝐥𝐢𝐨𝐧 (Cook County Inspector General). The inspector general called it a “𝘴𝘤𝘩𝘦𝘮𝘦 𝘵𝘰 𝘥𝘦𝘧𝘳𝘢𝘶𝘥” taxpayers. Total savings from the scheme: $𝟑𝟑𝟏,𝟎𝟎𝟎 in property tax refunds and reductions (Fox 32 Chicago). He repaid it. Federal investigators later opened a criminal probe into the tax appeals (Illinois Policy Institute). No charges were filed — but the man who would go on to lecture Illinoisans about paying their “fair share” literally removed toilets from a mansion to dodge his own property taxes. 𝐏𝐨𝐩𝐮𝐥𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐄𝐱𝐨𝐝𝐮𝐬 Since 2000, Illinois has lost a net 𝟏.𝟔 𝐦𝐢𝐥𝐥𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐢𝐝𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐬 to domestic outmigration (IRS). Under Pritzker alone, the bleeding accelerated. IRS data for 2022 shows 𝟖𝟕,𝟑𝟏𝟏 𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐢𝐝𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐬 𝐥𝐞𝐟𝐭 in a single year, taking $𝟗.𝟗 𝐛𝐢𝐥𝐥𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐢𝐧 𝐚𝐝𝐣𝐮𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐝 𝐠𝐫𝐨𝐬𝐬 𝐢𝐧𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐞 with them (IRS Migration Data). The income gap between those leaving and those arriving grew from $5,519 per person in 2010 to $𝟑𝟕,𝟗𝟐𝟐 𝐩𝐞𝐫 𝐩𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐨𝐧 in 2022 — meaning Illinois is hemorrhaging its highest earners. In 2024, 𝟗𝟓% 𝐨𝐟 𝐭𝐡𝐨𝐬𝐞 𝐥𝐞𝐚𝐯𝐢𝐧𝐠 fled to states with lower tax burdens (Wirepoints). Illinois already lost one congressional seat after the 2020 Census — it is on track to lose another in 2030 (Illinois Policy Institute). 𝐓𝐡𝐞 $𝟏𝟒𝟓 𝐁𝐢𝐥𝐥𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐏𝐞𝐧𝐬𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐂𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐫 Illinois has $𝟏𝟒𝟓.𝟓 𝐛𝐢𝐥𝐥𝐢𝐨𝐧 in unfunded pension liabilities — 𝟔𝟐% 𝐦𝐨𝐫𝐞 than California, the second-worst state (Equable Institute). Its pension systems are funded at just 𝟓𝟎.𝟖% — the lowest funding ratio in America. Unfunded liabilities as a share of GDP stand at 𝟐𝟏% — by far the worst figure in the nation (Americans for Prosperity). The median Illinois household already pays $𝟏𝟑,𝟎𝟗𝟗 in state and local taxes per year — $𝟒,𝟒𝟕𝟐 𝐦𝐨𝐫𝐞 than the national average (Tax Foundation). And Pritzker’s pension “reform”? He’s sticking to a plan that won’t fully fund the systems until 𝟐𝟎𝟒𝟓 (Capitol News Illinois). That’s not a fix. That’s a 20-year prayer. $𝟐.𝟓 𝐁𝐢𝐥𝐥𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐨𝐧 𝐌𝐢𝐠𝐫𝐚𝐧𝐭𝐬 — 𝟑𝐱 𝐖𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐓𝐡𝐞𝐲 𝐒𝐩𝐞𝐧𝐝 𝐨𝐧 𝐕𝐞𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐚𝐧𝐬 An estimated 𝟓𝟏,𝟎𝟎𝟎 𝐦𝐢𝐠𝐫𝐚𝐧𝐭𝐬 arrived in Chicago from the southern border. By the end of 2025, Illinois will have spent over $𝟐.𝟓 𝐛𝐢𝐥𝐥𝐢𝐨𝐧 on their care — roughly $𝟒𝟗,𝟎𝟎𝟎 𝐩𝐞𝐫 𝐦𝐢𝐠𝐫𝐚𝐧𝐭 (Illinois Policy Institute, Fox 32 Chicago). Over $1.6 billion went to migrant healthcare alone through July 2024 — “𝘧𝘢𝘳 𝘮𝘰𝘳𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘯 𝘰𝘳𝘪𝘨𝘪𝘯𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘺 𝘱𝘳𝘦𝘥𝘪𝘤𝘵𝘦𝘥” (Illinois Comptroller). For context, that $2.5 billion is roughly 𝐭𝐡𝐫𝐞𝐞 𝐭𝐢𝐦𝐞𝐬 what Illinois spends on veterans’ services (IL House Republicans). The state is spending three dollars on someone who crossed the border illegally for every one dollar it spends on someone who served the country. 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐁𝐮𝐬𝐢𝐧𝐞𝐬𝐬 𝐆𝐫𝐚𝐯𝐞𝐲𝐚𝐫𝐝 Boeing. Caterpillar. Citadel. Tyson. Guggenheim Partners. TTX. All gone. Boeing moved to Virginia. Caterpillar — headquartered in Illinois for nearly 𝟏𝟎𝟎 𝐲𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐬 — moved 230 jobs to Texas. Citadel CEO Ken Griffin took his $36 billion hedge fund to Miami, citing crime and a hostile business environment. Since 1994, Illinois has lost 𝟐,𝟔𝟏𝟔 𝐛𝐮𝐬𝐢𝐧𝐞𝐬𝐬𝐞𝐬 to other states, with the rate 𝐭𝐫𝐢𝐩𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐬𝐢𝐧𝐜𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐩𝐚𝐧𝐝𝐞𝐦𝐢𝐜 (Illinois Policy Institute). The Tax Foundation found Illinois’ business climate dropped 𝟏𝟎 𝐬𝐩𝐨𝐭𝐬 in five years — the only Midwestern state to decline — after Pritzker imposed $𝟔𝟓𝟎 𝐦𝐢𝐥𝐥𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐢𝐧 𝐧𝐞𝐰 𝐛𝐮𝐬𝐢𝐧𝐞𝐬𝐬 𝐭𝐚𝐱𝐞𝐬 during a pandemic recovery. When asked about Ken Griffin leaving, Pritzker’s response was essentially “𝘩𝘦’𝘴 𝘺𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘱𝘳𝘰𝘣𝘭𝘦𝘮 𝘯𝘰𝘸” to Florida (Free Beacon). That’s the governor of the fifth-largest state celebrating the departure of his wealthiest taxpayer. 𝐄𝐝𝐮𝐜𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧: 𝐒𝐩𝐞𝐧𝐝𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐃𝐨𝐮𝐛𝐥𝐞𝐝, 𝐒𝐜𝐨𝐫𝐞𝐬 𝐃𝐫𝐨𝐩𝐩𝐞𝐝 From 2013 to 2024, Illinois increased K-12 education spending by $𝟏𝟎 𝐛𝐢𝐥𝐥𝐢𝐨𝐧 — 𝐚 𝟒𝟒% 𝐢𝐧𝐜𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐬𝐞 — while enrollment 𝐝𝐞𝐜𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐞𝐝 𝟏𝟎% (Illinois Policy Institute). Chicago Public Schools saw instructional spending per student jump 𝟒𝟖% in four years — from $10,314 to $15,274 (CPS Data). The result? Roughly 𝐨𝐧𝐞-𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐫𝐝 of Illinois fourth and eighth graders score at or above proficiency in reading and math on the NAEP — a rate that “𝘩𝘢𝘴 𝘤𝘩𝘢𝘯𝘨𝘦𝘥 𝘭𝘪𝘵𝘵𝘭𝘦 𝘰𝘷𝘦𝘳 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘱𝘳𝘦𝘷𝘪𝘰𝘶𝘴 20 𝘺𝘦𝘢𝘳𝘴” (NPR Illinois). Both reading and math scores were 𝐝𝐫𝐨𝐩𝐩𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐛𝐞𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐞 𝐂𝐎𝐕𝐈𝐃. They spent billions more. They got the same results. In some cases, worse. 𝐓𝐡𝐞 $𝟓𝟖 𝐌𝐢𝐥𝐥𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐕𝐚𝐧𝐢𝐭𝐲 𝐓𝐚𝐱 In 2020, Pritzker spent $𝟓𝟖 𝐦𝐢𝐥𝐥𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐨𝐟 𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐨𝐰𝐧 𝐦𝐨𝐧𝐞𝐲 pushing a graduated income tax amendment he called the “Fair Tax” (NPR Illinois). Illinois voters rejected it — it got just 𝟒𝟓% of the vote, far short of the 60% supermajority needed to amend the constitution (WTTW). A $3.9 billion man spent $58 million trying to raise taxes on everyone else. The voters said no. His response? He warned of “𝘱𝘢𝘪𝘯𝘧𝘶𝘭 𝘤𝘶𝘵𝘴” — as if the state’s fiscal ruin was the voters’ fault for rejecting his plan. 𝐂𝐎𝐕𝐈𝐃 𝐋𝐨𝐜𝐤𝐝𝐨𝐰𝐧 𝐇𝐲𝐩𝐨𝐜𝐫𝐢𝐬𝐲 While Pritzker imposed a statewide stay-at-home order on 12.7 million Illinoisans, his wife and daughter were in 𝐅𝐥𝐨𝐫𝐢𝐝𝐚. When they returned, they went to the family’s 𝐡𝐨𝐫𝐬𝐞 𝐟𝐚𝐫𝐦 𝐢𝐧 𝐖𝐢𝐬𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐬𝐢𝐧 (Pantagraph, NBC Chicago). His defense? Taking care of horses is “𝘢𝘯 𝘦𝘴𝘴𝘦𝘯𝘵𝘪𝘢𝘭 𝘧𝘶𝘯𝘤𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯” (CBS Chicago). Meanwhile, small business owners were being fined for opening their doors. Restaurants were shuttered. Churches were locked. But the billionaire governor’s family was in Florida, then tending to their horses across state lines. Rules for thee. 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐒𝐀𝐅𝐄-𝐓 𝐀𝐜𝐭: 𝐂𝐚𝐬𝐡𝐥𝐞𝐬𝐬 𝐁𝐚𝐢𝐥 𝐢𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐌𝐮𝐫𝐝𝐞𝐫 𝐂𝐚𝐩𝐢𝐭𝐚𝐥 Pritzker signed the SAFE-T Act, making Illinois the 𝐟𝐢𝐫𝐬𝐭 𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐭𝐞 𝐢𝐧 𝐀𝐦𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐜𝐚 to abolish cash bail entirely (ABC7 Chicago). In November 2023, a suspect with 𝟕𝟐 𝐩𝐫𝐢𝐨𝐫 𝐚𝐫𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐭𝐬 who was out on electronic monitoring was caught on video 𝐬𝐞𝐭𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐚 𝐰𝐨𝐦𝐚𝐧 𝐨𝐧 𝐟𝐢𝐫𝐞 on a CTA train (ABC7 Chicago). Law enforcement across the state warned the law would put dangerous criminals back on the street. Pritzker dismissed the criticism. 𝐒𝐭𝐢𝐥𝐥 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐖𝐨𝐫𝐬𝐭 𝐂𝐫𝐞𝐝𝐢𝐭 𝐑𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐢𝐧 𝐀𝐦𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐜𝐚 Despite 10 credit upgrades under Pritzker, Illinois 𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐥𝐥 𝐡𝐚𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐥𝐨𝐰𝐞𝐬𝐭 𝐜𝐫𝐞𝐝𝐢𝐭 𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 of any state in the nation (Yahoo Finance). Its Moody’s rating of A2 sits 𝐟𝐢𝐯𝐞 𝐧𝐨𝐭𝐜𝐡𝐞𝐬 𝐚𝐛𝐨𝐯𝐞 𝐣𝐮𝐧𝐤 𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐭𝐮𝐬. Over the prior 15 years, the state received 𝟐𝟒 𝐝𝐨𝐰𝐧𝐠𝐫𝐚𝐝𝐞𝐬 (Illinois Policy Institute). During the Rauner-era budget impasse, both Moody’s and S&P dropped Illinois to one notch above junk — the 𝐥𝐨𝐰𝐞𝐬𝐭 𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐨𝐧 𝐫𝐞𝐜𝐨𝐫𝐝 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐚𝐧𝐲 𝐔.𝐒. 𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐭𝐞. Pritzker inherited a dumpster fire and brought it up to a controlled burn. It’s still on fire. This is J.B. Pritzker’s Illinois. The toilets were removed. The businesses left. The taxpayers fled and took $9.9 billion in one year. The pension debt is $145 billion and climbing. The migrants cost $2.5 billion — three times what they spend on veterans. The schools spent $10 billion more and got the same failing scores. He blew $58 million of his own money on a tax hike voters rejected, then blamed the voters. His family went to Florida while yours couldn’t go to work. And through it all — every dollar lost, every business gone, every resident who packed up — he still has the lowest credit rating in America. 𝐇𝐞 𝐝𝐢𝐝𝐧’𝐭 𝐟𝐢𝐱 𝐈𝐥𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐨𝐢𝐬. 𝐇𝐞 𝐢𝐬 𝐈𝐥𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐨𝐢𝐬’ 𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐛𝐥𝐞𝐦. 𝐀𝐧𝐝 𝐧𝐨, 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐨𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫 𝟒𝟗 𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐬 𝐝𝐨𝐧’𝐭 𝐰𝐚𝐧𝐭 𝐡𝐢𝐦 𝐞𝐢𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫.

@MichaelARothman I gave the perfect space for a gun closet, but my wife insists on calling it a "pantry". It's a struggle

I was accused of being a gun nut… That amuses me… all my guns were lost in a tragic fishing accident. I look to my left and notice some cases… don’t worry… they’re empty. 😀 Wife is yelling at me to put that stuff away… I yelled back that we need to build a walk-in gun safe in the next house… you know, as a memorial for the missing guns. 🤷♂️😏

@gunpolicy This is what I was expecting for Illinois. It sucks here.

California… Just, fuck you. No. fpcfreedomindex.org/state/californ…

Iowa…just wanted to say that we’re proud of you…let's get machine guns legalized next. fpcfreedomindex.org/state/iowa/

@RyanPreece_ @USA_Luge make sure Buescher isn't nearby.

Up in Lake Placid today. I’m going to try the luge.

@TheRisingSunIRL @MurrayHillGuy1 i dunno. I chased the chubby's too. didn't marry one though. well she weren't at the time.

@MurrayHillGuy1 As a black man, why are a lot of black men crazy about thicc and chubby white women specifically? I don't understand. And I've had two ex-girlfriends who were white!

The most secure relationships: White guy, Latina Japanese guy, Japanese girl Black guy, fat PAWG Jewish guy, Jewish girl Italian guy, loud crazy girl Greek guy, hairy girl Finance bro, blonde beautiful mid Irish guy, bartender girl Asian guy, nurse Puerto Rican guy, Dominican girl Tall guy, short girl under 5’1 (they only like tall guys) Gym bro, gym girl

@TitusPullo1125 @MurrayHillGuy1 bro.

@MurrayHillGuy1 6'7, ex wife was 5' even blonde mid. She was cheating on me for the entire relationship turns out.

@beinlibertarian You can't vote yourself out of a war. You can vote yourself into servitude though.

When you’re a millennial and tried voting Republican to keep you out of a war with Russia but now people are talking about a draft for Iran so you just become a villain

@MichaelARothman This is ancient lore. From the days before Facebook and Google I think. I first saw it on Fark.com

That's just wrong!

@UpdatingOnRome I've never studied this in depth but the pictures of the boats make me feel something

It’s an interesting conversation.

@HerrDoktorOben @TBYSTweet @travelingflying Hah we just leave it. they aren't our community. it's beyond fixing until they die out and the area gets gentrified.

@TBYSTweet @travelingflying I have to disagree. Until they police their own community, the "good ones" aren't good.

Chicago mayor Brandon Johnson called White people colonizers, and said Black people deserve reparations. “I believe we can call for Black liberation and reparations.”

@may_kergen @WallStreetApes if nobody is getting paid, where's the money going? x.com/nettermike/sta…

@WallStreetApes Only Republicans would think people need to get paid to stand in a street with homemade signs. Because heaven forbid you retards be able to pull something like that off yourselves. The complexity melts your brains.

A NGO was registering voters at the No Kings protests Americans asks to register as a Republican and they say you can’t, they’ll only register Democrats 🚨 Look at the banner on and behind the table, the NGO is called ‘Indivisible.” This NGO is funded by George Soros Soros was registering voters at No Kings Day

@ZahorskyDavid @WallStreetApes yeah. same for Illinois. but how can they bait without creating rage?

@WallStreetApes I'm in my office and don't have the sound on.. Did she literally say they are only registering Democrats because you don't choose a Party when you register in Washington State

@blkgunsmattr The good people at my local gun shop and ranges.

Who taught you about guns?...A parent, friend, mentor, or yourself?

@DGMRacingFL @Josh6williams @Optum @MartinsvilleSwy @MasonMaggio1 He's a good guy. Been following since he parked it a few years ago.

Ladies and Gentlemen, may we introduce you to @Josh6williams, a man of the people. 🫶

@MichaelARothman I knew she was up to something these past 30 years

𝐁𝐈𝐃𝐄𝐍’𝐒 𝐂𝐈𝐀 𝐂𝐋𝐀𝐒𝐒𝐈𝐅𝐈𝐄𝐃 𝐌𝐎𝐓𝐇𝐄𝐑𝐇𝐎𝐎𝐃 𝐀𝐒 𝐀 𝐒𝐈𝐆𝐍 𝐎𝐅 𝐖𝐇𝐈𝐓𝐄 𝐄𝐗𝐓𝐑𝐄𝐌𝐈𝐒𝐌 Newly released CIA documents reveal that the Biden administration identified 𝐦𝐨𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐡𝐨𝐨𝐝 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐡𝐨𝐦𝐞𝐦𝐚𝐤𝐢𝐧𝐠 as indicators of “white, racially, and ethnically motivated violent extremism.” Read that again. If you’re a mother. If you stay home to raise your children. If you prioritize your family — your own government considered you a 𝐩𝐨𝐭𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐢𝐚𝐥 𝐝𝐨𝐦𝐞𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐜 𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐫𝐨𝐫𝐢𝐬𝐭. This wasn’t some rogue analyst’s personal opinion. This was 𝐨𝐟𝐟𝐢𝐜𝐢𝐚𝐥 𝐂𝐈𝐀 𝐝𝐨𝐜𝐮𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 under the Biden administration. Taxpayer-funded intelligence agencies were profiling American women for the crime of being 𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐝𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐚𝐥 𝐦𝐨𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐬. They surveilled parents at school board meetings. They targeted Catholics at Latin Mass. And now we learn they flagged 𝐦𝐨𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐡𝐨𝐨𝐝 𝐢𝐭𝐬𝐞𝐥𝐟 as extremism. 𝐓𝐡𝐞𝐲 𝐝𝐢𝐝𝐧’𝐭 𝐣𝐮𝐬𝐭 𝐰𝐞𝐚𝐩𝐨𝐧𝐢𝐳𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐠𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐧𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭. 𝐓𝐡𝐞𝐲 𝐰𝐞𝐚𝐩𝐨𝐧𝐢𝐳𝐞𝐝 𝐢𝐭 𝐚𝐠𝐚𝐢𝐧𝐬𝐭 𝐟𝐚𝐦𝐢𝐥𝐢𝐞𝐬.

@s_tebeck @TiffanyxFong hell yeah

@NobodyHasSpoken @TiffanyxFong hell yeah

@TiffanyxFong Perfect stick...

@MichaelARothman I found you through the Yoder books, great series. The fact that you talk sense most of the time was a bonus.

It's interesting — I've been gaining attention recently doing everything opposite of what X's so-called best practices demand. My posts are supposed to be short. Pithy. Have a zinger. Maybe be a little outrageous. Instead, I decided long ago that short-form tweets aren't my thing. I migrated to Facebook, where I spent years carefully navigating the treacherous waters of censor bots that will misconstrue anything and slap you with the label of Nogoodnik for breathing wrong. I crossed 300,000 followers there — mostly because I was one of the few conservative voices who wasn't hair-on-fire. Undeniably conservative, mostly "conservatarian," but with a professional writer's instinct for communicating in the written form and an engineer's obsession with fact-checking and getting things right. It's only been this month that I've made a concerted effort to bring my work to X — but on my own terms. Long form. No extreme sensationalism. Stick to current events. I let a meme escape occasionally, and some formal science content, because I consider myself a science communicator as well as a political one. But I digress. If you're a new follower — welcome. Glad you found your way here. If you're an old follower — my hat is genuinely off to you. Very few people have the patience for someone who writes this much while shaking his fist at the sky. That is all.

@MichaelARothman Heinz started selling them in 1901 over there as a luxury item. They got popular and then WWI happened and they discovered it was a cheap meal. Yadda yadda. Now an institution. However their version is savory with less tomato and sugar.

In the UK (and various other countries who mimic their behavior) it's a thing to eat baked beans for breakfast... To be honest, the first time I encountered baked beans for breakfast was in a high-end hotel in Shanghai many many years ago... and when I saw that as one of the choices for the breakfast sides I just thought it was a weird translation error West-to-East, but clearly they styled the choices at least partially from UK norms. To most Americans (including myself) it seems a bit weird. Don't get me wrong, I actually like baked beans, but I'm not sure how or why that ever came to be. In America, we tend to eat that alongside barbecue and it's never really a breakfast staple. Anyone know how this beans as breakfast thing came to be?