John McNaughton
@jmcna.bsky.social
Enlightenment Rationalist. Big John Dewey fan.
My vote for the "perfect marriage of lyrics, rhythm and melody" in an opening line has to go to Manfred Mann.
"There she was, just a walking down the street..."
"There she was, just a walking down the street..."
February 12, 2026 at 3:17 PM
My vote for the "perfect marriage of lyrics, rhythm and melody" in an opening line has to go to Manfred Mann.
"There she was, just a walking down the street..."
"There she was, just a walking down the street..."
I hear Rosie's Cantina is now an ICE detention center.
February 12, 2026 at 3:01 PM
I hear Rosie's Cantina is now an ICE detention center.
It's amazing to think that it's been 60 years now since the "66" of Brasil '66.
February 12, 2026 at 2:20 AM
It's amazing to think that it's been 60 years now since the "66" of Brasil '66.
To quote Gordie himself taunting an opposing player "Two of us are going into that corner for the puck. Only one of us is coming out."
Also, to Bobby Orr after he flattened him on his first NHL shift "Son, in this league we skate with our heads up."
Also, to Bobby Orr after he flattened him on his first NHL shift "Son, in this league we skate with our heads up."
February 11, 2026 at 8:37 PM
To quote Gordie himself taunting an opposing player "Two of us are going into that corner for the puck. Only one of us is coming out."
Also, to Bobby Orr after he flattened him on his first NHL shift "Son, in this league we skate with our heads up."
Also, to Bobby Orr after he flattened him on his first NHL shift "Son, in this league we skate with our heads up."
Quick,someone page Chris Christie. He's good with bridge stuff.
February 11, 2026 at 8:26 PM
Quick,someone page Chris Christie. He's good with bridge stuff.
The Jesuits vs. the Augustinians. Pope Leo the Wildcat alum is doubtless streaming the game from the Vatican.
February 11, 2026 at 2:33 AM
The Jesuits vs. the Augustinians. Pope Leo the Wildcat alum is doubtless streaming the game from the Vatican.
Amen, me too!
For all their faults (and there were many), the nuns and the Boston Irish Jesuits I had in parochial school, had a lunch-bucket view of morality and social justice without all the uppity pretense.
For all their faults (and there were many), the nuns and the Boston Irish Jesuits I had in parochial school, had a lunch-bucket view of morality and social justice without all the uppity pretense.
February 9, 2026 at 10:40 PM
Amen, me too!
For all their faults (and there were many), the nuns and the Boston Irish Jesuits I had in parochial school, had a lunch-bucket view of morality and social justice without all the uppity pretense.
For all their faults (and there were many), the nuns and the Boston Irish Jesuits I had in parochial school, had a lunch-bucket view of morality and social justice without all the uppity pretense.
Just imagine if Biden...Oh, never mind.
February 7, 2026 at 2:29 AM
Just imagine if Biden...Oh, never mind.
I believe it was Paul Krugman who coined the term "professional centrist."
The technique involves identifying the two sides of any issue, placing yourself in the middle, and then criticizing each side for being "too extreme". It has been a winning formula for Washington journalists for many years.
The technique involves identifying the two sides of any issue, placing yourself in the middle, and then criticizing each side for being "too extreme". It has been a winning formula for Washington journalists for many years.
January 31, 2026 at 4:13 PM
I believe it was Paul Krugman who coined the term "professional centrist."
The technique involves identifying the two sides of any issue, placing yourself in the middle, and then criticizing each side for being "too extreme". It has been a winning formula for Washington journalists for many years.
The technique involves identifying the two sides of any issue, placing yourself in the middle, and then criticizing each side for being "too extreme". It has been a winning formula for Washington journalists for many years.
Number 11: "a million dollar baby in a rawhide jacket".
Still one of the all time greatest TV western shows.
Still one of the all time greatest TV western shows.
January 26, 2026 at 7:51 PM
Number 11: "a million dollar baby in a rawhide jacket".
Still one of the all time greatest TV western shows.
Still one of the all time greatest TV western shows.
Cue the Star Wars Evil Empire theme.
January 22, 2026 at 1:50 PM
Cue the Star Wars Evil Empire theme.
I still believe the 2000 election (not 2016) was the turning point in the history of American democracy.
America was deprived of a great, visionary president. Instead with Bush, we got Dick Cheney, two costly forever wars and the Great Recession. We have still yet to recover from that disaster.
America was deprived of a great, visionary president. Instead with Bush, we got Dick Cheney, two costly forever wars and the Great Recession. We have still yet to recover from that disaster.
January 21, 2026 at 1:55 PM
I still believe the 2000 election (not 2016) was the turning point in the history of American democracy.
America was deprived of a great, visionary president. Instead with Bush, we got Dick Cheney, two costly forever wars and the Great Recession. We have still yet to recover from that disaster.
America was deprived of a great, visionary president. Instead with Bush, we got Dick Cheney, two costly forever wars and the Great Recession. We have still yet to recover from that disaster.
Or in the original German "Papieren, bitte!"
January 19, 2026 at 7:59 PM
Or in the original German "Papieren, bitte!"
The background to this matter is that the cities of Portland and Lewiston have relatively large Somali communities and rumors are flying that we are next on the ICE target list.
The mayors of these cities have already issued strong statements opposing ICE intervention. No one wants them here.
The mayors of these cities have already issued strong statements opposing ICE intervention. No one wants them here.
January 19, 2026 at 2:48 PM
The background to this matter is that the cities of Portland and Lewiston have relatively large Somali communities and rumors are flying that we are next on the ICE target list.
The mayors of these cities have already issued strong statements opposing ICE intervention. No one wants them here.
The mayors of these cities have already issued strong statements opposing ICE intervention. No one wants them here.
Hey don't forget us here in Maine, we're right next door. My brother lives in New Brunswick, so no more border crossings!
January 17, 2026 at 6:17 PM
Hey don't forget us here in Maine, we're right next door. My brother lives in New Brunswick, so no more border crossings!
And let's not even get started on the Oxford comma...
January 16, 2026 at 8:47 PM
And let's not even get started on the Oxford comma...
If only Gibbons were around to chronicle this final stage of the descent of the US from a Republic to an Imperial Empire.
January 7, 2026 at 1:44 PM
If only Gibbons were around to chronicle this final stage of the descent of the US from a Republic to an Imperial Empire.
With apologies to Sinclair Lewis, it is increasingly clear that Stephen Miller is now acting as Lee Sarason to Trump's Buzz Windrip.
January 5, 2026 at 11:49 PM
With apologies to Sinclair Lewis, it is increasingly clear that Stephen Miller is now acting as Lee Sarason to Trump's Buzz Windrip.
"I'd rather be in Philadelphia"
a man in a suit and hat is standing in front of a stained glass window .
Alt: a man in a suit and hat is standing in front of a stained glass window .
media.tenor.com
January 5, 2026 at 10:18 PM
"I'd rather be in Philadelphia"
Remember, it's a 17-game season now. Most of NFL history consisted of 14- and 16-game seasons, so lifetime records are qualified now.
January 4, 2026 at 9:57 PM
Remember, it's a 17-game season now. Most of NFL history consisted of 14- and 16-game seasons, so lifetime records are qualified now.
I hope the headline "Donald the Dove, Hillary the Hawk" follows Dowd to the grave and beyond.
Her bitter, personal vendetta against Hillary (and Al Gore before her) did more to give us Donald Trump than anything else. She and James Comey will go down in infamy as the ultimate Trump enablers.
Her bitter, personal vendetta against Hillary (and Al Gore before her) did more to give us Donald Trump than anything else. She and James Comey will go down in infamy as the ultimate Trump enablers.
January 4, 2026 at 2:51 PM
I hope the headline "Donald the Dove, Hillary the Hawk" follows Dowd to the grave and beyond.
Her bitter, personal vendetta against Hillary (and Al Gore before her) did more to give us Donald Trump than anything else. She and James Comey will go down in infamy as the ultimate Trump enablers.
Her bitter, personal vendetta against Hillary (and Al Gore before her) did more to give us Donald Trump than anything else. She and James Comey will go down in infamy as the ultimate Trump enablers.
As I always joke, it's all Anna Quindlen's fault. If she hadn't quit her NYT columnist job to write novels, Dowd would be an unknown gossip writer at Vanity Fair.
January 3, 2026 at 12:35 AM
As I always joke, it's all Anna Quindlen's fault. If she hadn't quit her NYT columnist job to write novels, Dowd would be an unknown gossip writer at Vanity Fair.
I have never felt more politically homeless.
December 31, 2025 at 6:58 PM
I have never felt more politically homeless.