Michael Blanding
@michaelblanding.bsky.social
Investigative journalist and author of The Map Thief (NYT bestseller) and In Shakespeare’s Shadow. Upcoming book explores Hobby Lobby, looted antiquities, and the rise of Christian Nationalism (PublicAffairs, 2026). www.michaelblanding.com
Pinned
COVER REVEAL! Proud to officially announce my next book, THE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO HOBBY LOBBY: Inside a Billionaire Family’s Quest to Craft a Christian Nation, to be published by PublicAffairs on July 14, 2026. #ChristianNationalism #Bible #Politics #Religion #ReligiousFreedom #AntiquitiesTrafficking
Reposted by Michael Blanding
Not only has he never looked at Don Jr. or Eric like this, he’s never been so happy to bask in JD Vance’s presence either.
He looks giddy. JOYFUL even.
Is Zohran a witch
He looks giddy. JOYFUL even.
Is Zohran a witch
November 21, 2025 at 9:42 PM
Not only has he never looked at Don Jr. or Eric like this, he’s never been so happy to bask in JD Vance’s presence either.
He looks giddy. JOYFUL even.
Is Zohran a witch
He looks giddy. JOYFUL even.
Is Zohran a witch
Novel idea in which two people out on dates with their AI companions meet cute and fall in love with each other, only to have their AI companions secretly plot revenge.
we are in hell. www.yahoo.com/lifestyle/ar...
The world’s first AI dating cafe is opening in NY this December
Imagine sipping a latte under dim lights—except your date isn’t across the table as a person, but glowing from your phone. This December, New York City will host the world’s first AI dating café, a cl...
www.yahoo.com
November 21, 2025 at 6:21 PM
Novel idea in which two people out on dates with their AI companions meet cute and fall in love with each other, only to have their AI companions secretly plot revenge.
Wow!
this is a stunning piece of data journalism/art/whatever.
omg they made Jeffrey Epstein Inbox Simulator '25 jmail.world
November 21, 2025 at 6:18 PM
Wow!
Reposted by Michael Blanding
This is...sort of brilliant.
November 19, 2025 at 12:56 PM
This is...sort of brilliant.
Reposted by Michael Blanding
Now THIS????
is a white man!
this is how you white man!!!!!!!!!
is a white man!
this is how you white man!!!!!!!!!
“I want their morale as low as possible because a team with low morale is ineffective.”
Meet the veteran who chases ICE on a scooter
Meet the veteran who chases ICE on a scooter
Meet the veteran who chases ICE on a scooter
Clifford “Buzz” Grambo patrols the streets of Baltimore to keep his neighbors safe—and make federal agents uncomfortable.
www.motherjones.com
November 20, 2025 at 2:57 PM
Now THIS????
is a white man!
this is how you white man!!!!!!!!!
is a white man!
this is how you white man!!!!!!!!!
Reposted by Michael Blanding
Excuse me, Mr Harari, but I can think of at least one animal that understands the concept of money
Dog Always Brings A Leaf To 'Buy' Himself Treats At The Store
This clever dog figured out how commerce works.
www.thedodo.com
November 20, 2025 at 3:54 PM
Excuse me, Mr Harari, but I can think of at least one animal that understands the concept of money
Reposted by Michael Blanding
this is the correct framing
Republicans vote overwhelmingly to pretend they want the Epstein Files released. www.axios.com/2025/11/18/h...
House votes to force DOJ release of Jeffrey Epstein files
While the vote marks an important step in backers' crusade to get the files released, significant barriers remain.
www.axios.com
November 18, 2025 at 7:55 PM
this is the correct framing
Reposted by Michael Blanding
A foreign country bribed the president with a bar of gold.
Where are my Originalists at?
Where are my Originalists at?
"It was tough to beat Apple, but the Swiss did it." said one administration official.
How the Swiss convinced Trump to drop tariffs with gifts of a Rolex desk clock and a 1 kg gold bar.
www.axios.com/2025/11/14/t...
How the Swiss convinced Trump to drop tariffs with gifts of a Rolex desk clock and a 1 kg gold bar.
www.axios.com/2025/11/14/t...
How to lobby Trump with Swiss precision: gifts, gold and gab
How the Swiss broke a diplomatic logjam on tariffs by arriving with tributes fit for a king.
www.axios.com
November 15, 2025 at 3:53 PM
A foreign country bribed the president with a bar of gold.
Where are my Originalists at?
Where are my Originalists at?
Reposted by Michael Blanding
Olivia Nuzzi got sent in to do a profile but it turned out she wanted to fuck the subject so we sent in Jacob Bernstein to profile her and it turns out he also wants to fuck the subject
you can’t be putting this in the paper (gift link but i do not recommend you use it www.nytimes.com/2025/11/14/s...)
November 14, 2025 at 5:42 PM
Olivia Nuzzi got sent in to do a profile but it turned out she wanted to fuck the subject so we sent in Jacob Bernstein to profile her and it turns out he also wants to fuck the subject
Reposted by Michael Blanding
NEW: The first two years of Massachusetts' millionaire tax has raised $3 billion more than expected.
And rather than driving the rich away, IPS researchers found that the number of millionaires has *increased.*
Tax the rich. Greg Ryan in @bloomberg.com:
And rather than driving the rich away, IPS researchers found that the number of millionaires has *increased.*
Tax the rich. Greg Ryan in @bloomberg.com:
Millionaire Tax That Inspired Mamdani Fuels $5.7 Billion Haul in Massachusetts
A millionaire levy in Massachusetts that New York City mayoral frontrunner Zohran Mamdani holds up as a model for taxing the rich has generated $3 billion more in revenue than expected without forcing...
www.bloomberg.com
November 12, 2025 at 4:01 PM
NEW: The first two years of Massachusetts' millionaire tax has raised $3 billion more than expected.
And rather than driving the rich away, IPS researchers found that the number of millionaires has *increased.*
Tax the rich. Greg Ryan in @bloomberg.com:
And rather than driving the rich away, IPS researchers found that the number of millionaires has *increased.*
Tax the rich. Greg Ryan in @bloomberg.com:
Reposted by Michael Blanding
emailing in a semi-literate manner isn’t a sign of stupidity, it’s another form of rich asshole arrogance because you don’t think you owe anyone coherent thoughts
November 13, 2025 at 3:27 AM
emailing in a semi-literate manner isn’t a sign of stupidity, it’s another form of rich asshole arrogance because you don’t think you owe anyone coherent thoughts
Reposted by Michael Blanding
FROM: [email protected]
TO: [email protected]
SUBJECT: re: can you print these pictures of donald trump with underage women
hello jeffrey my friend. no for some reason
TO: [email protected]
SUBJECT: re: can you print these pictures of donald trump with underage women
hello jeffrey my friend. no for some reason
November 12, 2025 at 10:33 PM
FROM: [email protected]
TO: [email protected]
SUBJECT: re: can you print these pictures of donald trump with underage women
hello jeffrey my friend. no for some reason
TO: [email protected]
SUBJECT: re: can you print these pictures of donald trump with underage women
hello jeffrey my friend. no for some reason
Reposted by Michael Blanding
Looks like a fascinating book.
COVER REVEAL! Proud to officially announce my next book, THE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO HOBBY LOBBY: Inside a Billionaire Family’s Quest to Craft a Christian Nation, to be published by PublicAffairs on July 14, 2026. #ChristianNationalism #Bible #Politics #Religion #ReligiousFreedom #AntiquitiesTrafficking
November 12, 2025 at 7:59 PM
Looks like a fascinating book.
COVER REVEAL! Proud to officially announce my next book, THE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO HOBBY LOBBY: Inside a Billionaire Family’s Quest to Craft a Christian Nation, to be published by PublicAffairs on July 14, 2026. #ChristianNationalism #Bible #Politics #Religion #ReligiousFreedom #AntiquitiesTrafficking
November 12, 2025 at 7:53 PM
COVER REVEAL! Proud to officially announce my next book, THE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO HOBBY LOBBY: Inside a Billionaire Family’s Quest to Craft a Christian Nation, to be published by PublicAffairs on July 14, 2026. #ChristianNationalism #Bible #Politics #Religion #ReligiousFreedom #AntiquitiesTrafficking
New Bluesky motto just dropped
all of you are very annoying but i also am very annoying
November 12, 2025 at 3:21 AM
New Bluesky motto just dropped
Reposted by Michael Blanding
all of you are very annoying but i also am very annoying
November 12, 2025 at 2:39 AM
all of you are very annoying but i also am very annoying
Reposted by Michael Blanding
The absolutely crazy story behind Trump's $2,000 tariff rebate checks
deanbaker22.substack.com/p/the-absolu...
deanbaker22.substack.com/p/the-absolu...
The Absolutely Crazy Story Behind Trump’s $2,000 Tariff Rebate Checks
Trump is seriously confused
deanbaker22.substack.com
November 11, 2025 at 12:29 PM
The absolutely crazy story behind Trump's $2,000 tariff rebate checks
deanbaker22.substack.com/p/the-absolu...
deanbaker22.substack.com/p/the-absolu...
Reposted by Michael Blanding
irony is dead
Three German universities offering post-docs for researchers "who cannot conduct or continue their work in the USA appropriately because of actual political pressure. "
www.uni-konstanz.de/zukunftskoll...
www.uni-konstanz.de/zukunftskoll...
Early Career Rescue Fellowship
www.uni-konstanz.de
November 11, 2025 at 7:54 PM
irony is dead
Reposted by Michael Blanding
On Wednesday, Conde Nast management illegally fired four union leaders. While our union fights these illegal dismissals, the “Fired Four” have been left with no severance or COBRA coverage. Please donate to help cover their living expenses at the link below.
Donate to Support the Fired Four: Alma, Ben, Jake, Jasper, organized by Louryn Strampe
On November 5, 2025, Conde Nast management illegally fired four union l… Louryn Strampe needs your support for Support the Fired Four: Alma, Ben, Jake, Jasper
www.gofundme.com
November 10, 2025 at 11:36 PM
On Wednesday, Conde Nast management illegally fired four union leaders. While our union fights these illegal dismissals, the “Fired Four” have been left with no severance or COBRA coverage. Please donate to help cover their living expenses at the link below.
Reposted by Michael Blanding
Gosh, the good thing here is that there’s already a framework to do just that, maybe they could call it The Affordable Care Act?
November 11, 2025 at 12:11 AM
Gosh, the good thing here is that there’s already a framework to do just that, maybe they could call it The Affordable Care Act?
Reposted by Michael Blanding
BREAKING: The Supreme Court DENIES former county clerk Kim Davis's request for the justices to take up her longshot bid to overturn 2015's Obergefell v. Hodges marriage equality decision. No justice even writes about the request.
November 10, 2025 at 2:34 PM
BREAKING: The Supreme Court DENIES former county clerk Kim Davis's request for the justices to take up her longshot bid to overturn 2015's Obergefell v. Hodges marriage equality decision. No justice even writes about the request.
Reposted by Michael Blanding
Loving today's news that the mysterious "fedora man" outside the Louvre heist was actually a 15-year-old museum visitor who dresses like a 1940s French detective all the time, just because. apnews.com/article/louv...
Fedora man unmasked: Meet the teen behind the Louvre mystery photo
Fifteen-year-old Pedro Elias Garzon Delvaux has become an internet sensation after an Associated Press photo captured him outside the Louvre on the day of a crown jewels heist.
apnews.com
November 9, 2025 at 12:16 PM
Loving today's news that the mysterious "fedora man" outside the Louvre heist was actually a 15-year-old museum visitor who dresses like a 1940s French detective all the time, just because. apnews.com/article/louv...
Reposted by Michael Blanding
Imagine being so bad at posting that you have to buy Twitter and change the algorithm to force people to read your shit, and then the world's best poster comes along and casually annihilates you in between parentheses.
November 9, 2025 at 4:10 PM
Imagine being so bad at posting that you have to buy Twitter and change the algorithm to force people to read your shit, and then the world's best poster comes along and casually annihilates you in between parentheses.
Reposted by Michael Blanding
This is, unsurprisingly, nonsensical. Is he suggesting eliminating health insurance and giving people a few thousand dollars instead? And then when they get a cancer diagnosis they just go bankrupt?
He is so unserious. That's why we are shut down and Americans know it.
He is so unserious. That's why we are shut down and Americans know it.
November 8, 2025 at 4:40 PM
This is, unsurprisingly, nonsensical. Is he suggesting eliminating health insurance and giving people a few thousand dollars instead? And then when they get a cancer diagnosis they just go bankrupt?
He is so unserious. That's why we are shut down and Americans know it.
He is so unserious. That's why we are shut down and Americans know it.
Reposted by Michael Blanding
"World's first potential trillionaire has killed 600,000 people, including 400,000 children" is the only headline that anyone should ever read about Elon Musk
One analytical model shows that, as of November 5th, the dismantling of U.S.A.I.D. has already caused the deaths of 600,000 people, two-thirds of them children. https://newyorkermag.visitlink.me/jUzNSc
The Shutdown of U.S.A.I.D. Has Already Killed Hundreds of Thousands
The short documentary “Rovina’s Choice” tells the story of what goes when aid goes.
newyorkermag.visitlink.me
November 7, 2025 at 1:33 AM
"World's first potential trillionaire has killed 600,000 people, including 400,000 children" is the only headline that anyone should ever read about Elon Musk