“Frankly, I don’t agree with anyone about Israel, so that can’t be the criteria for who we elect as mayor, because I don’t even agree with myself most days.” A truer more Jewish quote has never been given www.nytimes.com/2025/08/04/n... by @liam-stack.bsky.social

The highly infectious H5N1 strain has caused outbreaks across the country. Now, Long Island’s last duck farm must kill its entire flock and may go out of business, its owner said. @liam-stack.bsky.social reports for @nytimes.com:

100,000 Ducks to Be Killed After Bird Flu Strikes Long Island Farm

The highly infectious H5N1 strain has caused outbreaks across the country. Now, Long Island’s last duck farm must kill its entire flock and may go out of business, its owner said.

buff.ly

“President Bashar al-Assad has resigned and left Syria, Russia’s foreign ministry said on Sunday” www.nytimes.com/live/2024/12...

Syria Live Updates: Rebels Enter Damascus as al-Assad Appears to Flee

President Bashar al-Assad’s immediate location was not initially clear after rebels took control of Syria’s capital. Russia’s foreign ministry did not provide details on where he had gone, saying only...

nytimes.com

Apropos of nothing, thru my spouse‘s job we have “ good” insurance. 5yrs ago, I had knee replacement &they made me jump thru 1 million hoops ofc (& we were out of pocket $$$$ too). 1 month later, they sent me a 5-figure bill for the full amount. They *retroactively* unapproved it & demanded I pay up

Can we stop making live action remakes of everything and start making muppet remakes of every film and musical

Voters in Ireland have set the stage for a return of the grand coalition government that has led their country since 2020, resisting an anti-incumbent wave that has swept across the United States and Europe. www.nytimes.com/2024/12/01/w...

Ireland’s Main Parties Edge Out Sinn Féin, Early Election Results Show

At one level, the vote was an endorsement of continuity, but the stability in Ireland’s political center ground masked volatility on the fringes.

nytimes.com

Big Pharma is the only reason anyone still dies from HIV: “We have the means to eradicate AIDS as a threat to human life. Greed is keeping this from happening.”

Big Pharma Is the Only Reason Anyone Still Dies From HIV

We have the means to eradicate AIDS as a threat to human life. Greed is keeping this from happening.

newrepublic.com

A former Israeli defense minister who once served in Netanyahu’s cabinet had accused Israel of committing war crimes and ethnic cleansing in the Gaza Strip. “They’re basically cleaning the territory of Arabs.” www.nytimes.com/2024/12/01/w...

Former Defense Minister Accuses Israel of Committing War Crimes in Gaza

The comments by Moshe Yaalon were swiftly denied and condemned by allies of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of Israel, who said that they would hurt the country and help its enemies.

nytimes.com

A former Israeli defense minister who once served in Netanyahu’s cabinet had accused Israel of committing war crimes and ethnic cleansing in the Gaza Strip. “They’re basically cleaning the territory of Arabs.” www.nytimes.com/2024/12/01/w...

Former Defense Minister Accuses Israel of Committing War Crimes in Gaza

The comments by Moshe Yaalon were swiftly denied and condemned by allies of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of Israel, who said that they would hurt the country and help its enemies.

nytimes.com

At the 1992 RNC convention, some delegates held up signs that said “Thank God for AIDS” and “Family Rights Forever/Gay Rights Never.” Not exactly as catchy as “Mass Deportations Now,” but just as dehumanizing.

News Analysis: After 13-months of war, Hezbollah entered a cease-fire with Israel on Wednesday that it will struggle to convince anyone, other than its most fervent loyalists, is not in fact a defeat.

A Battered and Diminished Hezbollah Accepts a Cease-fire

nytimes.com

I have never seen a stage production of Wicked and I have only ever heard two of the songs, performed by drag queens. But somehow I know the entire plot? I think I must have absorbed it, osmosis-like, by drinking the tap water in Hell’s Kitchen

A cease-fire meant to end the deadliest war in decades between Israel and the Lebanese militant group Hezbollah officially took effect early Wednesday, less than a day after President Biden announced the deal and Israel approved its terms. Here's what to know.

The Israel-Hezbollah Cease-Fire: What to Know

Under the agreement, Israel will gradually withdraw its forces from Lebanon over the next 60 days, and Hezbollah will not entrench itself near the Israeli border.

nytimes.com

Greetings from Haifa! Today is day one of the Israel-Hezbollah ceasefire. There were several rounds of air raid sirens in Haifa last night but today the city is quiet.

When I joined Twitter many years ago my first, skeptical tweet said something like “Well, I’ve joined Twitter. My life feels no different.” The innocence of youth.