As an advocate at the UN, I followed positions of member states big and small. The two with the most-informed diplomats were Russia and Iran. They knew every policy and were extremely clever in their approach. Western diplomats rested on their laurels and were outmaneuevered time and again.

Jacob T. Levy@jacobtlevy.bsky.social · yesterday

How baffling that they refuse to pretend to have lost a war that they have actually won. www.nytimes.com/2026/08/04/u...

Reason #635,741,792 I hate cars: Got rear-ended at a stop light with an infant and 2 kids in the backseat. The driver said she had no idea what happened. She accidentally ran into us at full speed. Luckily we were in a pick-up truck. Otherwise I'm sure we'd have been injured. Thanks for trucks?

Pittsburgh, please take note! I'd love to take a cable car around town. The views would be stellar.

𝚃𝚊𝚛𝚊𝚜 𝙶𝚛𝚎𝚜𝚌𝚘𝚎 🚇@taras-grescoe.com · last wk.

I took a ride on #Paris's Ligne C1, Europe’s newest, and longest, urban cable car line. I was impressed! I write about the downsides and (multiple) upsides of aerial tramways as public transport in this week's HIGH SPEED dispatch #transit #france🇫🇷 www.highspeed.blog/up-where-the...

The Saifi Institute in Beirut just asked anyone who spent time at Torino and/or studying Arabic at Saifi between 2004 and 2015 to share their memories. I have too many! If you do, too, email them to info@saifiarabic.com

Retro Pittsburgh air quality out there.

TribLIVE@triblive.bsky.social · 3w ago

Here’s a look at the wildfire smoke that descended Thursday afternoon in Western Pennsylvania #smoke #pittsburgh #pennsylvania #wildfire #fire https://triblive.com/local/regional/wildfire-smoke-worsens-air-quality-across-pittsburgh-region/ 

Thrilled that @jamilahlemieux.bsky.social is coming to Pittsburgh to speak at City of Asylum! Couldn't be prouder to serve on the Board of an organization that brings so many wonderful authors to our city (in addition to hosting fabulous writers in residence). cityofasylum.org/program/on-t...

On Topic: America at 250 — Motherhood in America with Jamilah Lemieux ("Black. Single. Mother.") - City of Asylum

Our final America at 250 program offers a personal meditation on and tribute to Black single motherhood from Jamilah Lemieux.

cityofasylum.org

This is a lovely reflection on Pittsburgh's immigrant restaurateurs and the question of authenticity, but no story is complete without mentioning haluski. It's NOT Polish but considered so here. People can enjoy it either way but the defenders of haluski being Polish are ready to die on this hill.

Pittsburgh's Public Source@publicsource.org · 3w ago

Pittsburgh’s immigrant restaurateurs prove authenticity is as evolving as the American spirit.

Laos is the most heavily-bombed country per capita due to the 9-year US Secret War. The US dropped a planeload of bombs every 8 minutes for 9 years. 33% of Laos remains covered with around 80 million unexploded bombs that continue to kill and maim. This is a complicated situation on many levels.

Daniel Suitor@danielsuitor.com · 3w ago

this incredible article from Katelyn Vue at Sahan Journal (published in MinnPost) has some explanation. www.minnpost.com/metro/2026/0...

In Pennsylvania, you're guaranteed $7.25 an hour, which you can squander on unregulated skill games, or drive to one of five neighboring states to buy legal weed and boost their tax base. (I say "drive" because lawmakers couldn't even agree on the transit funding our communities need.)

@fox29philly.bsky.social · 3w ago

Gov. Shapiro has signed a finalized $50.8B budget into law. The bipartisan package leaves out his highest-profile priorities, including marijuana legalization, a wage hike, and mass transit funds.

I wish more journalists would point out that Sen. McConnell and Rep. Tom Kean (missed 4 months of work) are/were essentially on paid sick & medical leave. The same employment protection they’ve spent their careers blocking other Americans from having.

Every single reflection in this short video on the toll of taking care of our elders is spot on, so I recommend watching all of it. I did not realize how common my experiences (and feelings) were. I feel much better and worse now. Thanks for sharing!

Sarah J. Jackson@sjjphd.bsky.social · 4w ago

Sharing a gift link to this because I know when I was caretaking my mom every ounce of validation that I was doing something emotionally, physically, professionally and financially impossible helped me feel less alone

I can assure you that I care about a bunch of things that I will not be able to take action on. I am sure the same is true for you.

The holiday card I sent from Pittsburgh to Beirut in December arrived today! Just under seven months. Not bad. Last year it was returned with indecipherable writing in Arabic. The year before, I think it only took three months. Thanks to USPS and LibanPost.

I don't know but I just got email confirmation responding to the Trump account I applied for back in February (my kid qualifies for the free $1,000 so I'll take it). I guess them sending this email on the Sunday after July 4 is part of their comms strategy, too.

Laura Jedeed@laurajedeed.bsky.social · last mo.

Why are the Trump Account totes the EXACT SAME DESIGN as the bag I got at the Intercessors for America prayer event conference yesterday, where we (they) prayed to expel demonic communist forces from America and also for a Christian nation (Feature forthcoming for TNR in October)

I have lived in many cities and love all the transit systems equally, etc., but can say without hesitation that the DC Metro shop is by far the best. @mta.info @chicagocta.bsky.social and Pittsburgh Regional Transit take note!

Metro@wmata.com · last mo.

🗣️ Spread the word! Tomorrow, July 6, we’re reopening our restocked “50 Years of Metro” pop-up shop with more of select items at 8 a.m.! ️

You know who abhors AI? Every university student I've ever worked with (I work at a university). They say it's annoying to hear AI-generated presentations, do group projects with classmates who use AI, and "learn" from professors who accept AI slop. Maybe some like it l, but I havent yet met them.

Lauri Donahue@lauridonahue.bsky.social · last mo.

futurism.com/future-socie... lol

Exactly! An advocate's job is never done. The treaty banning landmines (and the norm against using them) was quite strong until Biden decided to send landmines to Ukraine, and then Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, and Finland left the treaty. (Shoutout to Lebanon for recently joining, though!)

Anna O. Law@unlawfulentries.bsky.social · last mo.

"It's over, right?" a journo asked me this morning about the birthright citizenship case. No. No legal or political result is final unless the losing side gives up fighting. They will try again. New prez, new judges. There's a social movement based on racial grievance + scapegoating immigrants.

When I lived in Lebanon, the US was funding bomb clearance and survivor assistance. And now Congress wants to undo that work, inevitably leading to further civilian harm that will once again require millions of dollars and years of effort to address.

Prem Thakker ツ@premthakker.bsky.social · last mo.

New: House votes 189-235 against War Powers Resolution for Lebanon. The resolution, led by Rep. Tlaib, would have limited Trump's ability to get involved militarily in Lebanon. 22 Democrats joined 212 Republicans against. Big shift from vote a few weeks ago, which was 92-324.

I make exactly one typo per post so everyone knows Im not using AI to generate them.

I love this! I'm so glad to know the Folklofe Festival continues. (I admit I find it a bit difficult to follow the Fourth of July plans in DC.) And I did take a moment to be sad about some people's rush to mock this, but I guess that's life in the fast lane or something.

amanda moore 🐢@noturtlesoup17.bsky.social · last mo.

I’m glad you guys all got your jokes in, but this was actually the National Endowment for the Arts stage and programming. Shaka Zulu was a 2022 NEA fellow. It’s a taste of what could have been, so if you hate this, you would’ve hated the Smithsonian Folklife Festival too! But the kids LOVED it.

"There's more to do than you think, and stuff takes longer than you think. But it's worth it. We might as well get to work and have fun doing it." Costa posts a lot, but I am confident saying that this will be the most important thing he'll ever say.

Costa Samaras@costasamaras.com · last mo.

Been writing and talking about this a bunch and there really is so much to do to build a better world for each other. There’s more to do than you think, and stuff takes longer than you think. But it’s worth it. We might as well get to work & have fun doing it. rooseveltinstitute.org/blog/buildin...

95% of recorded casualties from landmines, cluster munitions, and exploaive remnants of war across 40 countries were civilians. The majority were kids. 70% survived and need ongoing support. Will those who supplied the weapons clear them and support survivors? Better yet, end use altogether.

Landmine & Cluster Munition Monitor @minemonitor.bsky.social · 2mo ago

NEW: Our Preliminary Global Casualty Data for 2025 is out. Mines, cluster munition remnants & other explosive remnants of war killed and injured thousands across 40 countries last year.

Can't wait to read. Homey D. Clown and Firemarshall Bill dominated my PG County playground, Laura (Kelly Williams) from Family Matters went to my middle school, and Martin Lawrence went to my high school. The framing in this article is quite academic but I'll still to try reflecting on his charge.

Geoff Bennett@geoffrbennett.bsky.social · 4mo ago

I responded to a review of Black Out Loud in The Atlantic -- on fearlessness, creative freedom, what the book got right, and what it left out. This kind of conversation is exactly what I hoped the book would spark. Gift link: www.theatlantic.com/culture/2026...

"We want to build something, not just break something."

Aaron Rupar@atrupar.com · last mo.

Lander on comparisons between his flank of the Democratic Party and the Tea Party: "We're joyful about what it looks like to deliver. That is very different energy than what the Tea Party brought. We want to build something, not just break something."

It started with AOC back in 2018. I remember Joy-Ann Reid expressing shock that @aoc.bsky.social beat Crowley in the primary, but those of us in her district knew all along it would happen. Mamdani is helping build it, together with many other dedicated people working on this for a long time.

Joy-Ann Reid@joyannreid.bsky.social · last mo.

Mamdani is close to going 3 for 3 in his Dem congressional primary endorsements, unseating two incumbents and one incumbent's chosen successor. This is a huge moment that confirms that progressive populism is not a fluke among the Democratic base, and Mamdani is the party's legit star and kingmaker.

📣 We are now accepting applications for the 2026-2027 Emerging Experts Program. Learn more and register for our information session below! www.forumarmstrade.org/emerging_faq...

Emerging Experts FAQ

Forum on the Arms Trade Emerging Expert program FAQ (English-language program)

forumarmstrade.org

"The hardest part about defusing bombs underwater is finding them," explains Navy Explosive Ordnance Disposal tech (and NY Times journalist) John Ismay. Making the waters (and land) safe from mines is a long, slow, costly process. Hoping the Strait of Hormuz is cleared sooner rather than later.

John Ismay@johnismay.bsky.social · last mo.

A quick explainer on how Navy EOD Techs locate and clear naval mines, with cameo appearances of some great folks from EODMU-5 Det. 53 back in the day www.nytimes.com/video/us/pol...

New app: do you want to enable notifications? Me: I don't even want to have this phone

I Bought This After Elon Called That Diver A Paedo But Before He Did The Nazi Salute At The Inauguration

I'd like to read a NY Times "routine" article about Elon Musk. Where does he get his nails done, how often does he get massages, what does he cook for family dinner, etc.? Or is it just him taking recreational meds, hunched over his phone, occasionally eating Goldfish meant for one of his kids?

Charlie Warzel@cwarzel.bsky.social · 2mo ago

I wrote about SpaceX. SpaceX the rocket company, SpaceX the suspicious financial instrument for Musk to create value out of thin air. SpaceX the meme. SpaceX as the 7-headed hydra at the end of capitalism. (gift link) www.theatlantic.com/technology/2...