People are blowing this out of proportion I think, but a hot take I have on the Francesca Hong hoopla is that her seemingly just not liking holidays is actually a real political weakness in much the same way that Zohran being a true sports fan is an underrated asset.

Look man ten years ago the Dodgers had a homegrown team full of players they developed. They got cheated out of a ring and the team that did it got a weak ass slap on the wrist. If this is what "ruining baseball" looks like, the league ruined baseball first.

Greatest film of our generation

Scientist Scooby Doo Mixing Potions

ALT: Scientist Scooby Doo Mixing Potions

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roterote@roterote.bsky.social · 7d ago

Film you've watched more than six times with a gif. Hard mode: no Star Trek, Star Wars, LOTR, Marvel, Disney, or Ghibli.

Another substantial change over the last four years: lots of poké shops and ramen bars.

Clayton Becker@cnbecker14.bsky.social · last wk.

The actual biggest difference between the last time I was in Europe and now is that there seem to be Five Guys restaurants practically all over in all the large cities. I am not kidding.

The actual biggest difference between the last time I was in Europe and now is that there seem to be Five Guys restaurants practically all over in all the large cities. I am not kidding.

A single conversation with the average left-NIMBY is enough to convince you that they are genuinely just the most miserable people on earth man.

As a side note, I have been very impressed with the Dutch rail network on this trip. Incredibly easy to navigate, super frequent trains, and I have not experienced a single delay so far.

Clayton Becker@cnbecker14.bsky.social · 2w ago

At a wedding in the Netherlands for a friend from university, and I kid y'all not - at 6'2" I am, if anything, average height for this guest list. It truly is a country of giants.

At a wedding in the Netherlands for a friend from university, and I kid y'all not - at 6'2" I am, if anything, average height for this guest list. It truly is a country of giants.

I'm sorry. The Michael Jackson biopic made a billion dollars? Billion with a B?

Every accusation is a confession. www.nytimes.com/2026/07/24/b...

Trump Administration Admits Canceling Grants to States That Did Not Vote for Him

Federal officials said in court documents that they halted billions of dollars in funding for energy projects to states “based solely” on whether they backed President Trump in the 2024 election.

nytimes.com

I like coming here, and I genuinely enjoy it, but the one thing I will absolutely knock Europe collectively for is just how much harder it is to stay hydrated here while on vacation than basically anywhere in the states.

Lots of people making this about "overeducated, downwardly mobile" people upset that their education hasn't brought success, which, maybe? but imo a much clearer explanation here is that this group of people have both the personal experience of "just getting by" and the education to (1/2)

This kind of dense, walkable, mixed use urbanism is illegal to build in most American cities.

French teen spotted wearing an Orlando City kit. Total MLS victory.

Bistrot I am at in Paris inexplicably has most of their glasses come from noted Chicago brewery Goose Island.

Look I enjoy Troy (2004) as a fun, turn your brain off and watch Brad Pitt be pretty and manly sort of movie, but the effort by the right wing to cast it as some sort of masterpiece is very funny to me. It's just not that great a movie!

Saw the Odyssey. Phenomenal achievement of filmmaking. Ambitious, exceptionally executed, beautiful up on the big screen, and with a deep emotional core that epics of its scale often lack.

I know that he has hair because I've seen it several times, but Tadej Pogacar *feels* like he should be bald. I can't explain it but it's just not right that that man has hair.

Anyway, joking aside. People who pull the ladder up behind them are genuinely contemptible and should feel grave shame for their actions.

Clayton Becker@cnbecker14.bsky.social · 3w ago

How talking to people who moved to a place in the seventies and pulled up the ladder behind them feels.

My wife and I are watching Chef's Table and we get to the point where they show a bunch of dishes. She asks: "could you make something like that sometime? It looks pretty easy." Not so sure about that one hun. I don't think I can easily replicate a dish from a place with three Michelin stars.

How talking to people who moved to a place in the seventies and pulled up the ladder behind them feels.

I'd been ever so slightly underwhelmed by this season of game changer after last season's incredible lineup of games but then they swoop in with count the rice and just fucking knock it out of the park. They're mad! Mad I say!

Sorry but I have not been waking up at 6am on Saturdays for a decade to watch premier league games live to be called a casual by Europeans

Day Three of musing about how to connect the US' loss to Belgium to our housing policy convincingly. I'm not there yet but I'll let y'all know when I do.

*Obadiah Stain Voice*: I JUST WATCHED MEXICO PLAY THEIR GUTS OUT AND YOU'RE PASSING BACKWARDS IN THE 89TH MINUTE WHILE DOWN 3-1????

Obadiah Stane: Tony Stark Built This In A Cave

ALT: Obadiah Stane: Tony Stark Built This In A Cave

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Somehow this is Trump's fault. US were playing well every single one of their first four games. He gets involved and suddenly the team looks like they've never played together before

FWIW I think FIFA absolutely need to institute some sort of appeals and/or review process for red card offenses. Also England should definitely "appeal" Quansah's red card, which I think was given unfairly.

England very nearly got hosed there to be honest. The mexico penalty was so soft and frankly I think the Quansah red should have been a dark orange with the understanding that he gets subbed off soon

One thing it clear no matter how this ends: this Argentina side is not beating France if they meet them in the final