Craig M. Ranapia
@craigmranapia.bsky.social
1.9K followers 750 following 23K posts
"This heaven gives me migraine." Old enough to know better at the ends of the earth (New Zealand). I am large and contain multitudes, all of them intensely irritating. (Same-sex) married. Catholic. Conservative-ish. Cis-male. Jane Austen cultist.
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craigmranapia.bsky.social
Dear Disney:

I'll have really bad ideas for a fraction of what you're paying the dipshits currently doing rails of crystal meth in the executive washrooms.

Get your people to call my people! My DMs are open!
craigmranapia.bsky.social
n the end, I wonder if #TronAres is under-performing simply because Disney seriously misread the room's interest in a battle royale between two tech oligarchs for the heart and soul of a murder-y chatbot who's really into Depeche Mode.

[RP with typo corrected]

#FilmSky #MovieSky
craigmranapia.bsky.social
Anyone writing a memorial round-up of Diane Keaton's character in LOOKING FOR MR GOOD BAR as "unlikeable" has an open invitation to fuck off. Because I don't think the woman who is (SPOILER!) raped and murdered at the climax of two hours of relentless slut-shaming is the "unlikeable" role
So Maybe Lets Not Do That Fiona Frills GIF
Alt: So Maybe Lets Not Do That Fiona Frills GIF
media.tenor.com
craigmranapia.bsky.social
It really is depressing but utterly unsurprising watching the political pundit class have a hive brain-freeze at the sight of priests who see their ministry as a vocation rather than a clout-chasing grift.
a cartoon character says i don t understand
Alt: a cartoon character says i don t understand
media.tenor.com
craigmranapia.bsky.social
True - and it took a minute, but that "failed" 80's project eventually earned out and had an afterlife in so small part because (intentionally or not) it was endearingly goofy. Haven't seen this yet, but boy... did TRON: LEGACY take itself waaaay too seriously.
craigmranapia.bsky.social
Interesting framing of *checks notes* the Supreme Pontiff of the Roman Catholic Church issuing pastoral instructions to his bishops and talking about *re-checks notes* Catholic doctrine and practice, as he has absolute authority to do under canon law and two thousand years or so of precedent.
npr.org
NPR @npr.org · 1d
Pope Leo XIV weighed in on U.S. politics, saying that Catholic politicians must be judged on the full range of their policy positions and suggesting that the country's immigration policy is "inhuman."
Pope Leo XIV says 'inhuman treatment of immigrants' in the U.S. isn't 'pro-life'
Pope Leo XIV weighed in on U.S. politics, saying that Catholic politicians must be judged on the full range of their policy positions and suggesting that the country's immigration policy is "inhuman."
n.pr
craigmranapia.bsky.social
THIS. And guess who's going to be heading straight to Wellington on the scrounge when the streets are more pothole than paving and everyone is up to their arseholes in raw sewage?
fmacskasy.bsky.social
Tye upshot of all this?

Very simple.

As usual, New Zealanders want/demand amenities and infrastructure - but dont want to pay for it.

The Right know this, and exploit it.

www.rnz.co.nz/news/nationa...
Ratepayers rout mayors who imposed big rises
Newsroom projects that in 66 mayoral races, at least 31 communities have elected new mayors, with two more in the balance.
www.rnz.co.nz
craigmranapia.bsky.social
Can't stop giggling at culture warriors who constantly bitch about how "the left" is obsessed with identity politics and endless purity tests who can't explain anything they don't like without... well... ideological purity testing.

Every. Forking. Time.

variety.com/2025/film/ne...
‘One Battle After Another’ Is a Hit with Critics Because It ‘Aligns with a Leftist Sensibility,’ Says Bret Easton Ellis: ‘There’s a Liberal Mustiness to This Movie’
Bret Easton Ellis says critics love 'One Battle After Another' because it has 'leftist sensibilities.'
variety.com
craigmranapia.bsky.social
Nobody who's ever sweated blood for weeks over a work assignment that was barely glaned at by an asshole boss would be surprised by any of this. The increasingly intemperate terms with which some justices attack lower court decisions they find... ideologically uncongenial can't help either.
debpearlstein.bsky.social
Of all the news in this NYT survey of sitting federal judges - incl 47 of them think the SCt is mishandling its emergency docket - maybe the biggest is that 65 sitting fed judges (37D, 28R), folks circumspect for a living, responded to a NYT survey. Stunning. And a sign that something is very wrong.
Federal Judges, Warning of ‘Judicial Crisis,’ Fault Supreme Court’s Emergency Orders
www.nytimes.com
craigmranapia.bsky.social
The decadence of the Roberts Court should stand as a cautionary tale about the perils of getting high on your own hype, but it probably won't/.
leahlitman.bsky.social
More judges speak to the press (the NYT) about what a disaster the Supreme Court (specifically the shadow docket) has been - “incredibly demoralizing & troubling”; a “judicial crisis”; a “slap in the face to district courts.” www.nytimes.com/2025/10/11/u...
Excerpts Excerpts
craigmranapia.bsky.social
At least the one thing you could say about the original TRON is that, intentionally or not, it was kinda goofy in an amusing if insubstantial way. TRON: LEGACY wasn't, which really didn't help lift it above the general ruck of sequels/reboots nobody asked for.
craigmranapia.bsky.social
Ph'nglui mglw'nafh Cthulhu R'lyeh wgah'nagl fhtagn!
craigmranapia.bsky.social
YMMV, but I think we should put House Republicans on mute until they start showing up to do the job they're still being paid for.
atrupar.com
Emmer: "This is about one thing and one thing alone -- to score political points with the terrorist wing of their party, which is set to hold a hate America rally in DC next week."
craigmranapia.bsky.social
"In his house at R'lyeh, dead Cthulhu waits dreaming"
craigmranapia.bsky.social
Exactly! I'm sure someone is going to roll their eyes and go all "OK, Grandpa" but when it comes to museums and galleries I'd rather take a pass on "interactivity" and have space, physical and mental, to pause, look and think.
craigmranapia.bsky.social
THIS. Also, if Stephen Franks wants to keep raving about "deluded children" he should shut down his law practice and get cracking on doing the work to become a qualified and licensed practitioner of paediatric medicine. Though based on current form, he might have difficulty passing the ethics tests
pault.bsky.social
New Zealand doesn’t have a First Amendment — we have Parliamentary sovereignty and NZBORA. Our Parliament banned conversion therapy because it harms people. If Stephen Franks wants US-style “freedom” to abuse LGBTQIA+ kids, he can move there.

Absolutely, this dude utterly sucks!
Many will know a parent who may be doomed to this desperate state - with no way out. Even if they’ve  only permitted or aided their innocent child’s groomers without authorising surgery or drugs, some will be haunted. Can they undo the harm? Could they have prevented it? 

My firm is trying to help a number of parents who are doing all they can while they can to protect their deluded children. 
It is an outrage that the Parliamentarians who passed the conversion therapy ban, despite its direct conflict with freedom of speech, are tolerating the prevarication of Minister Doocey over dangerous ‘gender-affirming’ hormone ‘therapy’ for children

The US Supreme Court is likely to invalidate conversion therapy bans shortly, as contrary to the First Amendment (freedom of speech).
craigmranapia.bsky.social
Because libraries are magic (and a little bit spooky), guess what I'm #CurrentlyReading on Elmore Leonard's centennial? Cooler Than Cool: The Life and Work of Elmore Leonard (C. M. Kushins)

It really did just end up top of the library book pile this morning!

#BookSky #pukapuka
Cover of 'Cooler Than Cool: The Life and Work of Elmore Leonard' by C.M. Kushins. The image is a full length photo of Leonard - a late middle-aged white man in a trench coat, flat coat and tie. He has a nearly trimmed short beard and moustache and is wearing glasses. He is standing behind a pair of half open French doors.
craigmranapia.bsky.social
"What do you tell a man with two black eyes? Nothing, he's already been told twice."

Happy 100th birthday to ELMORE LEONARD, born on this day (October 11) in 1925. #BOTD #BookSky
Head and shoulder photography of Elmore Leonard, a middle-aged white man with a short salt-and-pepper beard and moustache, and round glasses. His hairline is receeding and long at the sides.
Reposted by Craig M. Ranapia
erinbiba.bsky.social
LMAOOOOO

A bunch of comedians tried to make up for their participation in the Riyadh comedy festival by donating their pay to Human Rights Watch and Human rights Watch was like “nah bitch we don’t want your dirty blood money” 😂😂 I’m dying
Human Rights Watch Doesn’t Want Any Riyadh Comedy Festival Money
Taking money from those who took money from Saudi Arabia would impact perception of the org’s independence.
www.vulture.com
craigmranapia.bsky.social
I know the United States of Amnesia has the sponge-like memory of a weed-pickled acid casualty, but since when has unpaid soldiers with access to weapons of war been a tale with a happy ending?
craigmranapia.bsky.social
Indeed. Perhaps I'm being somewhat naive, but I've long been convinced that if you try to do a justice system (however deeply flawed it is) on the cheap and nasty in any respect, cheap and nasty outcomes are what you get even when the people involved are doing their best.
craigmranapia.bsky.social
Say her name five times while looking into a mirror and report back what happens. Or don't. Probably don't.
craigmranapia.bsky.social
... on the docket, and because it was the District Court there's no chance of landing on some gnarly murder or complex fraud cause running for MONTHS as opposed to a week and half. But you do take it seriously when what you decide any which way has real and lasting consequences.
craigmranapia.bsky.social
Yeah, since I'm off the hook for a while to come it won't sound self-interested but I think jury service should be more generously compensated. It was a fascinating experience - and it was really endearing how seriously everyone took it. Thankfully, we didn't catch any of the sex crime cases...
craigmranapia.bsky.social
I've barely gotten used to the majesty that is the Portland Frog and now there's CHICKEN? Its like Beatrix Potter on 'shrooms.