parenthetical
@middle8.bsky.social
Music, politics, baseball, art. Hates fake quotes. I need a crowd of people, but I can't face them day to day.
New (and old) music I recently internetted at robertbeverly.bandcamp.com.
New (and old) music I recently internetted at robertbeverly.bandcamp.com.
I have a close relative with a decades-old car-accident related lobotomy, PTSD from multiple violent experiences, dementia, and years of homelessness, who dwells on his traumatic experiences, and even he will sometimes focus on your wellbeing and sincerely mean it. That's how damaged Trump is.
One day, a neurological disorder will be named after Donald Trump for when a patient can't focus on anything but himself, but "acute malignant narcissism" is too mild a diagnosis.
Trump to child from Pennsylvania: Pennsylvania is great, we won Pennsylvania, actually three times. We won it a landslide.
December 25, 2025 at 2:43 AM
I have a close relative with a decades-old car-accident related lobotomy, PTSD from multiple violent experiences, dementia, and years of homelessness, who dwells on his traumatic experiences, and even he will sometimes focus on your wellbeing and sincerely mean it. That's how damaged Trump is.
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A senior ICE official just admitted in an evidentiary hearing in Kilmar Abrego Garcia’s case that someone else drafted his declaration in the case and he didn’t know what certain words meant.
November 20, 2025 at 5:18 PM
A senior ICE official just admitted in an evidentiary hearing in Kilmar Abrego Garcia’s case that someone else drafted his declaration in the case and he didn’t know what certain words meant.
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Before the midterms of 1866, President Andrew Johnson called his congressional opponents traitors and said they should be hanged.
Voters were so profoundly moved by his words... that they gave his opponents a supermajority in Congress, and the nation got the Fourteenth Amendment.
Voters were so profoundly moved by his words... that they gave his opponents a supermajority in Congress, and the nation got the Fourteenth Amendment.
November 20, 2025 at 3:33 PM
Before the midterms of 1866, President Andrew Johnson called his congressional opponents traitors and said they should be hanged.
Voters were so profoundly moved by his words... that they gave his opponents a supermajority in Congress, and the nation got the Fourteenth Amendment.
Voters were so profoundly moved by his words... that they gave his opponents a supermajority in Congress, and the nation got the Fourteenth Amendment.
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Seriously, this feels like the political comms equivalent of a successful Queer Eye makeover.
"So, Democrats have three words for this: no fucking way. It's literally life or death. We will not let Republicans blow up our health care system."
This is, hands down, the best comms work Chuck Schumer has done in YEARS. Surprisingly good.
This is, hands down, the best comms work Chuck Schumer has done in YEARS. Surprisingly good.
October 8, 2025 at 2:49 AM
Seriously, this feels like the political comms equivalent of a successful Queer Eye makeover.
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She. Is. So. Brave.
Kristi Noem confronts enemy combatants in the Portland war zone today.
October 8, 2025 at 2:50 AM
She. Is. So. Brave.
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Raskin: "It's not lost on anyone that shutting the government down allows them not swear in our new colleague, Ms Grijalva from Arizona, who would be the 218th signature to discharge the Epstein files and to put a vote on that on the House floor."
October 1, 2025 at 6:17 PM
Raskin: "It's not lost on anyone that shutting the government down allows them not swear in our new colleague, Ms Grijalva from Arizona, who would be the 218th signature to discharge the Epstein files and to put a vote on that on the House floor."
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Trump Audibly Counting Non-White Generals
September 30, 2025 at 2:15 PM
Trump Audibly Counting Non-White Generals
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Dear @apnews.com
The republicans control congress. Democrats did not vote down anything. If the GOP wanted to fund the government, they could have changed the rules to pass a CR with a simple majority like they did 11 days ago to approve 48 trump appointees at once.
Fix your headline.
The republicans control congress. Democrats did not vote down anything. If the GOP wanted to fund the government, they could have changed the rules to pass a CR with a simple majority like they did 11 days ago to approve 48 trump appointees at once.
Fix your headline.
BREAKING: Democrats vote down a GOP bill to keep the government open, putting it on track for shutdown after midnight.
Democrats vote down GOP funding bill, putting government on path to shutdown
Senate Democrats have voted down a Republican bill to keep funding the government, putting it on a path to a shutdown after midnight Wednesday.
bit.ly
October 1, 2025 at 12:33 AM
Dear @apnews.com
The republicans control congress. Democrats did not vote down anything. If the GOP wanted to fund the government, they could have changed the rules to pass a CR with a simple majority like they did 11 days ago to approve 48 trump appointees at once.
Fix your headline.
The republicans control congress. Democrats did not vote down anything. If the GOP wanted to fund the government, they could have changed the rules to pass a CR with a simple majority like they did 11 days ago to approve 48 trump appointees at once.
Fix your headline.
Reposted by parenthetical
Starbucks says surveillance clears an employee who’d been accused of writing “Loser” on a cup when someone ordered Charlie Kirk’s “favorite drink.”
The accusation was originally posted by a Republican party official. It forced the store to shut down for safety.
blockclubchicago.org/2025/09/19/v...
The accusation was originally posted by a Republican party official. It forced the store to shut down for safety.
blockclubchicago.org/2025/09/19/v...
September 19, 2025 at 10:52 PM
Starbucks says surveillance clears an employee who’d been accused of writing “Loser” on a cup when someone ordered Charlie Kirk’s “favorite drink.”
The accusation was originally posted by a Republican party official. It forced the store to shut down for safety.
blockclubchicago.org/2025/09/19/v...
The accusation was originally posted by a Republican party official. It forced the store to shut down for safety.
blockclubchicago.org/2025/09/19/v...
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If it's Tuesday, it must be Parenthetical. @middle8.bsky.social
One Hashtag To Rule Them All
Secretary Hegseth, poster boy for the right wing’s existential hashtag, rates his actual suitability for his position on a scale from 1 to 10.
first-draft.com
August 12, 2025 at 1:03 PM
If it's Tuesday, it must be Parenthetical. @middle8.bsky.social
Reposted by parenthetical
If it's Tuesday, it must be Parenthetical. @middle8.bsky.social
Why Is This Sign Illegal In Idaho?
Maybe it’s not that complicated.
first-draft.com
July 8, 2025 at 1:03 PM
If it's Tuesday, it must be Parenthetical. @middle8.bsky.social
My latest at First Draft. If you're like me, you've seen this kind of thing before and chalked it up to misdirected post-9/11 anti-Muslim sentiment. But as this MTG-wannabe reveals, even that version of bigotry was too charitable. first-draft.com/2025/06/09/u...
Upwardly Deplorable: Rep. Mary Miller
Right-wing America: When you care enough to attack someone because of their religion, but don’t care enough to learn squat about other religions.
first-draft.com
June 9, 2025 at 2:25 PM
My latest at First Draft. If you're like me, you've seen this kind of thing before and chalked it up to misdirected post-9/11 anti-Muslim sentiment. But as this MTG-wannabe reveals, even that version of bigotry was too charitable. first-draft.com/2025/06/09/u...
In this episode, we put the lie to the whole "if they would just do it legally" facade, but we also make room for a look at more than just "deportations."
Time For A Round Of “How Many Of Them Are White Folks?”
Because there’s nothing racists hate more than context and critical thinking. Take a moment to dip into some of both, won’t you?
first-draft.com
May 27, 2025 at 1:37 PM
In this episode, we put the lie to the whole "if they would just do it legally" facade, but we also make room for a look at more than just "deportations."
My First Draft column this week offers an excuse to delve into some Springsteen nerdery in the light of Trump's recent tantrums.
first-draft.com/2025/05/20/b...
first-draft.com/2025/05/20/b...
Bruce Opines, Trump Whines
Springsteen enters full DGAF mode and DJT can’t handle the truth. Read on for some fun comparison and Bruce background.
first-draft.com
May 20, 2025 at 1:45 PM
My First Draft column this week offers an excuse to delve into some Springsteen nerdery in the light of Trump's recent tantrums.
first-draft.com/2025/05/20/b...
first-draft.com/2025/05/20/b...
This week's column at First Draft checks in on candidate Spanberger as she tried to triangulate her way around the issue of Virginia's anti-union laws on her path to the governor's mansion. Included: two good maps and two good Pernice Bros. songs.
May 13, 2025 at 1:23 PM
This week's column at First Draft checks in on candidate Spanberger as she tried to triangulate her way around the issue of Virginia's anti-union laws on her path to the governor's mansion. Included: two good maps and two good Pernice Bros. songs.
My Tuesday evidence-based column -- Here's the scoop on how to tell the Biden Economy from the Trump Economy: One licked the relentless recession doomposters. The other one just bites. (Bluesky showing useful graph instead of pun-supporting photo of Joe w ice cream.) first-draft.com/2025/05/06/w...
Whose Economy Is It, Anyway?
The scoop on how to tell the Biden Economy from the Trump Economy: One licked the nattering nabobs of recessionary negativism with the softest landing in the world. The other one just bites.
first-draft.com
May 6, 2025 at 1:44 PM
My Tuesday evidence-based column -- Here's the scoop on how to tell the Biden Economy from the Trump Economy: One licked the relentless recession doomposters. The other one just bites. (Bluesky showing useful graph instead of pun-supporting photo of Joe w ice cream.) first-draft.com/2025/05/06/w...
The spud state is making the news for all the wrong reasons this year, but some folks are stepping up and doing the right thing. My Tuesday morning column offers the latest plus a little history on the side.
first-draft.com/2025/04/29/i...
first-draft.com/2025/04/29/i...
Idaho’s Incitements & Indictments
From GOP town hall thuggery to a Heil-Hitlering CEO, this year has brought its share of bad press, bad choices, and consequences to the hard-right Famous Potatoes state.
first-draft.com
April 29, 2025 at 1:24 PM
The spud state is making the news for all the wrong reasons this year, but some folks are stepping up and doing the right thing. My Tuesday morning column offers the latest plus a little history on the side.
first-draft.com/2025/04/29/i...
first-draft.com/2025/04/29/i...
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If people deny that Israel is for the Jews, they will be punished by our Antisemitism Task Force. And if they deny that it's for Jews so as to bring on the events of Revelations so Jews can be cast into Hell, they will be punished by our Anti-Christian Task Force.
by Donald Trump and Kristi Noem
by Donald Trump and Kristi Noem
April 23, 2025 at 1:34 AM
If people deny that Israel is for the Jews, they will be punished by our Antisemitism Task Force. And if they deny that it's for Jews so as to bring on the events of Revelations so Jews can be cast into Hell, they will be punished by our Anti-Christian Task Force.
by Donald Trump and Kristi Noem
by Donald Trump and Kristi Noem
No deep dive for my Tuesday column this week, more of an attempt to skim and scathe across recent events. Remember, kids, it's not Imposter Syndrome if you're really not qualified.
Can’t Shake Those Self-Oblivious Blues
Swift, Davies, Dylan, and Givens all do what they can to clue in POTUS and the cabinet, but some people just can’t take a hint.
first-draft.com
April 22, 2025 at 1:23 PM
No deep dive for my Tuesday column this week, more of an attempt to skim and scathe across recent events. Remember, kids, it's not Imposter Syndrome if you're really not qualified.
I heard that on separate occasions Hegseth texted the Joint Chiefs his lunch order, four dad jokes, and a request for short-term financial assistance from a Nigerian prince, so it seems like reasonable Americans should be able to just call this a wash and move on.
April 21, 2025 at 2:29 PM
I heard that on separate occasions Hegseth texted the Joint Chiefs his lunch order, four dad jokes, and a request for short-term financial assistance from a Nigerian prince, so it seems like reasonable Americans should be able to just call this a wash and move on.
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This is one of the most important pieces of journalism any of us will read this year. Shows exactly how policy is made now - a scrabble of advisors trying to push an unreliable executive to pursue their agendas, at a moment’s notice
www.wsj.com/politics/pol...
www.wsj.com/politics/pol...
April 19, 2025 at 10:45 AM
This is one of the most important pieces of journalism any of us will read this year. Shows exactly how policy is made now - a scrabble of advisors trying to push an unreliable executive to pursue their agendas, at a moment’s notice
www.wsj.com/politics/pol...
www.wsj.com/politics/pol...
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way too on point. Churchill put Mosley in prison for the duration of the war. Fascist quislings in waiting were a danger to the war effort. Sent the ex-King to be gov of Jamaica for similar reasons. None of this will end well.
Here's Palantir's Louis Mosley, grandson of Britain's most famous fascist leader, talking about the importance of AI, if you aren't convinced yet that this is one big co-ordinated push towards the destruction of everything good in life.
www.politicshome.com/news/article...
www.politicshome.com/news/article...
April 17, 2025 at 3:47 PM
way too on point. Churchill put Mosley in prison for the duration of the war. Fascist quislings in waiting were a danger to the war effort. Sent the ex-King to be gov of Jamaica for similar reasons. None of this will end well.
@pitcherlist.com Red Sox fan and fantasy mgr enjoying checking PL daily as usual. Noticing a couple remarks dinging the STL offense, and it's early and I'm not used to it either, but the Cards are MLB #1 OBP (#3 OSP) so far. In a QS league, OBP kills so I check it. Anyway, thx for the great work!
April 16, 2025 at 2:18 PM
@pitcherlist.com Red Sox fan and fantasy mgr enjoying checking PL daily as usual. Noticing a couple remarks dinging the STL offense, and it's early and I'm not used to it either, but the Cards are MLB #1 OBP (#3 OSP) so far. In a QS league, OBP kills so I check it. Anyway, thx for the great work!
Finally got around to watching The Old Man via Hulu. It was considerably better than expected based on the trailer from months ago that had turned me off. And not just because of the excellent surprise of hearing Joe Henry's voice at just the right time.
April 16, 2025 at 3:34 AM
Finally got around to watching The Old Man via Hulu. It was considerably better than expected based on the trailer from months ago that had turned me off. And not just because of the excellent surprise of hearing Joe Henry's voice at just the right time.