Mark Trachtenberg

Just imagine the explosion of outrage on @foxnews and the weeks of Congressional hearings we would have had if President Obama had done this.

A painting of the end of meritocracy: A meeting of the two largest economies and not one woman at the table.

Yeah, I am never, ever going on a cruise.

While ordinarily newspapers censor the full horrors of such accounts from Oct 7, today the Daily Mail as hard as it is, publishes the details because unbelievably, some still question the largest slaughter of Jews since the Holocaust.  Even certain sections of the established media have suggested that the extent of sexual violence committed by the terrorists may have been exaggerated. The UN, too, dragged its heels in recognising the atrocities committed. It seems 'believe all women' did not apply in this instance. @AndyJehring Read the EXCLUSIVE report: online Link mol.im/a/15807431

Since Bush v Gore, the Supreme Court has demonstrated that their first rule is helping Republicans win. They are responsible for the loss of confidence in their impartiality. They are creating the demand for reform.

Supreme Court today: We'll allow Alabama Republicans to change the congressional map in the primary election even though absentee voting has literally already started Supreme Court last December: November's too late to strike down the GOP's map in TX's March primary election!!

Hamas is finally releasing death notices for commanders killed during the war. As has happened with both the PIJ and Hezbollah notices, they are finally admitting a lot of the people listed as journalists and included in widely cited lists were active terrorists.

BREAKING: Captured intelligence from inside Gaza, obtained by a Western intelligence agency and passed on to Israeli Kan News, shows the majority of Gazans want Hamas disarmed and removed from power. For two years, we were told that Gazans support Hamas. The new findings say otherwise. A majority want the weapons surrendered, and the war ended. Support for armed struggle is falling inside the Strip. Residents are openly searching for civilian leadership. Hamas knew, and they tried to hide it from the people who did support them. The “resistance” that Western activists romanticized for two years is being rejected by the population they claim to speak for. This is the part that won’t trend, because it ruins the script. Gazans were never a monolith. Given the chance to speak without a gun to their head, most want what anyone in their position would want. To bury their dead and rebuild their lives.

There must be a very effective witch out there casting spells on the #Astros.

This article by @baunov on the changing mood in Russia and Putin's seeming loss of his special touch is your must-read this weekend carnegieendowment.org/russia-eurasia…

@brianmctaggart After LMJ and Javier, I don't think Crane will ever again extend an Astros homegrown pitcher.

Lance McCullers Jr. vs. Dodgers: 2 2/3 innings 4 hits 6 earned runs 3 walks 3 wild pitches 4 strikeouts 1 HR 70 pitches (39 strikes) 92.5 max velo 7.41 ERA in 34 innings

Statement from The Atlantic's editor in chief Jeffrey Goldberg:

🇺🇸BREAKING: Someone placed a $920 million crude oil short at 3:40 AM. 70 minutes later Axios reported the US and Iran were close to a deal. Oil dropped 12%. The trade made $125 million in profit. Minutes after that Iran launched the “Persian Gulf Strait Authority” and oil surged 8%. $760 million placed before Trump’s last announcement. $920 million placed before this one. Every major announcement in this war has been front-run by someone who knew it was coming. What kind of war is this? This is more like a trading desk with an army. Never stop connecting the dots.

@brianmctaggart “Turn on your stations” —> throw shoes at TV

Astros have the bases loaded and no outs for Jose Altuve. Turn on your stations.

Trump’s net worth has nearly tripled in his second term, reaching $6.5 billion. His administration is the most brazenly self-enriching in American history. My @Morning_Joe Chart.

@AdamSpolane Unplayable. Looks like a first round bust.

Brice Matthews is now 0 for 19 with 14 strikeouts on fastballs with two strikes. He's 2 for 32 with two strikes overall

@stuzi_pants Mad Men. The Americans.

Started The Wire from scratch again last night. Managed three episodes in one sitting I still say that pound for pound it’s the greatest drama series of all time, just edging out Breaking Bad and The Sopranos Any other suggestions for one of the top spots?

So, per all available evidence, corrupt ICC prosecutor Karim Khan is alleged to have sexually harassed and assaulted a female Muslim colleague. He then tried to keep his victim from coming forward by leveraging arrest warrants against Israeli leaders. Finally, it now appears, based on the latest reporting in the WSJ and audio recording, that he had Qatar hire 2 private investigation firms to try to dig up dirt on his accuser. This is the same prosecutor who wouldn't bring any charges against Maudro while his sister-in-law served as a lawyer for that regime. The levels of corruption are insane.

@SleeperOrioles @SleeperAstros Glenn Davis, Pete Harnisch, Bud Norris, LJ Hoes, Cionel Perez!

Let's name some dudes who played for both the Orioles and Astros I'll take the obvious one, Trey Mancini #Birdland

This is shameful. Every American should be outraged--and saddened--at the devastation to the Voting Rights Act, to fair representation, to protections against race discrimination, to our democracy, to our history, to our country. Shame on the Roberts Court.