Michael Skoien
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thebirdieking.bsky.social
Michael Skoien
@thebirdieking.bsky.social
Married 45 years, 3 children, 8 grandchildren. Still golfing and supporting Macalester - Go Scots! Chair-Athletics Adv. Board. Fear the Coo!! Avid reader, gardener and traveler. UofMN Pharm. Coll.; St. Thomas MBA. Retired Clin. Pharm/Pharma Executive
Reposted by Michael Skoien
This guy disarming the terrorist at Bondi Beach, Australia, can only be described as hero.
December 14, 2025 at 9:32 AM
Reposted by Michael Skoien
DHS ordering a church to take down a nativity scene!?

Wait, so is Trump waging a WAR ON CHRISTMAS!? I’ve been warned about this for years by Fox News!
ICE’s acting director ordered a Boston Catholic parish to tear down its Advent Nativity scene—stripped of baby Jesus and branded with the message “ICE WAS HERE.” The parish priest is refusing, citing he pope’s call to stand with migrants. It's another chapter in Kristi Noem's war on Christians.
“ICE Was Here”: Pope Leo-Inspired Nativity Scene Sparks MAGA Outrage
A Nativity scene missing Jesus — and marked with an “ICE was here” sign — has triggered cries of “politicizing Christmas.” The parish priest says he’s answering Pope Leo's call to welcome stranger.
www.thelettersfromleo.com
December 10, 2025 at 2:12 AM
Reposted by Michael Skoien
Just two miner lovers discussing miners.
December 10, 2025 at 12:57 AM
Reposted by Michael Skoien
It seems so painfully clear that Dems could blow this whole thing apart with just a couple weeks of sustained, disciplined messaging sowing distrust and paranoia in WH circles around 'Republicans all talk openly about how they lie and manipulate the dude who they know isn't all there anymore'
Awful: Trump just admitted in a new interview that he knows "very little" about the Honduran ex-president he pardoned. This guy trafficked a gazillion times more drugs into the US than anyone Trump has executed. Wrecks his case for the boat bombings.

New from me:
newrepublic.com/article/2041...
Trump Accidentally Sabotages Case for Bombings in New Interview Fiasco
The president’s claims about the boat killings and his pardon of the Honduran ex-president in a new Politico interview should finally convince Republicans that they, and we, must get to the bottom of ...
newrepublic.com
December 9, 2025 at 8:50 PM
Exactly. He already has enough toadies!!
All corporate CEOs should understand: If you agree to attend an event at the White House, you are very likely to be filmed nodding appreciatively at a delusional racist rant. If you're ok with that, go. If not, you probably should stay away.
December 4, 2025 at 2:42 AM
Sound judicial decision
December 1, 2025 at 4:47 PM
Reposted by Michael Skoien
On Chris Finch's lineup gamble that paid off beautifully for the Timberwolves
www.nytimes.com/athletic/685...
Timberwolves get best win of season as Chris Finch’s lineup gamble pays off
A lineup that had played together only 15 minutes before Sunday sparked an impressive victory over the Spurs.
www.nytimes.com
December 1, 2025 at 3:11 PM
Reposted by Michael Skoien
Fresh batch of Twins notes, including:

- Surprising early projections
- My new go-to metric GFGF
- 1B upgrade should be a must
- Jackson, Kreidler, Orze stats
- Intriguing non-tender options
- Falvey on 'the public sphere'

www.nytimes.com/athletic/684...
Minnesota Twins notes: Early projections, new additions, gut feelings and first-base options
FanGraphs' surprising view of 2026 Twins, what the first three offseason pickups bring to the table and a new way to upgrade the lineup.
www.nytimes.com
December 1, 2025 at 3:52 PM
Complete moron; aced that test
Trump on what his MRI was looking at:

“I have no idea…It wasn't the brain because I took a cognitive test and I aced it.”
December 1, 2025 at 4:41 PM
Reposted by Michael Skoien
"We followed everything we were supposed to do"

Legitimate green card applicants with US spouses are being
arrested by armed, masked men at scheduled immigration interviews, taken away from their children, sent to prison

www.nytimes.com/2025/11/26/u...
Green Card Interviews End in Handcuffs for Spouses of U.S. Citizens
www.nytimes.com
November 27, 2025 at 11:55 AM
Reposted by Michael Skoien
The House and Senate are both investigating Pete’s war crimes
November 30, 2025 at 12:28 AM
Reposted by Michael Skoien
This only happens one way. Every person that loves our country that lives in Tennessee's 7th congressional district gets out, stands in line as long as it takes on Tuesday Dec. 2nd, and votes for Aftyn Behn. www.politicususa.com/p/democrats-...
Democrats Are On The Cusp Of An Earthquake House Win In Tennessee
Democratic candidate Aftyn Behn is within two points in a Tennessee US House special election in a district that Donald Trump carried by 22 points in 2024.
www.politicususa.com
November 30, 2025 at 1:03 AM
The level of ineptitude displayed by the Badgers and Gophers should make Paul Bunyan blush
November 29, 2025 at 9:38 PM
After watching Minnesota Gophers football team self destruct at Wrigley Field and now seeing Wisconsin dominate Illinois I don’t see PJ Fleck’s team with little chance to keep the Axe.
November 23, 2025 at 3:27 AM
Reposted by Michael Skoien
It’s @willbunch.bsky.social, you’ve got to read it. ⬇️⬇️⬇️
The Epstein emails have damaged Trump beyond repair, because the public has now seen the gross moral rot behind Trump's presidency and the elites who prop it up (and fawned over a convicted sex creep)

Take your money out of AI and into pitchforks. My new column www.inquirer.com/opinion/epst...
Epstein’s emails are the end of America as they ruined it
If the evil banality of the world's most powerful people exposed in the Epstein emails doesn't cause a revolution, nothing will.
www.inquirer.com
November 16, 2025 at 9:25 PM
Reposted by Michael Skoien
Hey, just reminding you Charlie Kirk was an awful person that said hateful false things to other awful people. His espoused beliefs were anti-Christian and Turning Point USA is a dangerous organization grooming your kids.
November 15, 2025 at 5:04 PM
Reposted by Michael Skoien
Sweetheart, bless your heart.

You were fine with Trump going after innocent election workers, families of judges, rallying a mob that killed police officers.

But now that Daddy is upset with his girl, you are a victim.

Sorry, @RepMTG. We knew you before you were a virgin

x.com/RepMTG/statu...
Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene🇺🇸 on X: "I am now being contacted by private security firms with warnings for my safety as a hot bed of threats against me are being fueled and egged on by the most powerful man in the world. The man I supported and helped get elected. Aggressive rhetoric attacking me has historically" / X
I am now being contacted by private security firms with warnings for my safety as a hot bed of threats against me are being fueled and egged on by the most powerful man in the world. The man I supported and helped get elected. Aggressive rhetoric attacking me has historically
x.com
November 15, 2025 at 6:04 PM
Reposted by Michael Skoien
Remember: The richest 1% evade over $160 billion in taxes every year.

That amount would fund SNAP for a year with money to spare.

Ask yourself who the real freeloaders are.
November 14, 2025 at 7:45 PM
Reposted by Michael Skoien
Busy day today but note the U of Michigan consumer sentiment survey just reported its lowest reading in its 65 year history. Well done Donald!
November 12, 2025 at 6:44 PM
Reposted by Michael Skoien
November 7, 2025 at 12:57 PM
Reposted by Michael Skoien
One night recently, I got a Signal message

Would I be interested in seeing an internal Trump admin memo?

I said yes (duh). Then, I couldn’t believe what I was looking at.

The memo shows how the VA is making access to health coverage header for just one group:

Male vets w/ breast cancer….
November 1, 2025 at 4:59 PM
Reposted by Michael Skoien
Column from @leneal3.bsky.social: Derek Shelton’s hire as Twins manager follows in the same mold as Ron Gardenhire and Paul Molitor. www.startribune.com/neal-new-twi...
Neal: New Twins manager Derek Shelton, unlike predecessors, is not set up for success
Over the past 25 seasons, new Twins managers have inherited positive situations. Derek Shelton knows the territory, comes into a losing situation.
www.startribune.com
November 1, 2025 at 5:00 PM
Reposted by Michael Skoien
Serial liars claiming the power to kill anyone they say is “affiliated” with “narco-terrorist” groups are asserting that they have a right to kill anyone they feel like, since they have repeatedly been caught lying about exactly that (such as false accusations against Kilmar Abrego Garcia).
Awful: Pentagon officials told lawmakers Trump now claims authority to bomb people merely “affiliated” with “narco-terrorist" groups, Rep Adam Smith tells me. But under questioning, they wouldn't say what “affiliated” even means!

Lots of fresh info in my new piece:

newrepublic.com/article/2025...
November 1, 2025 at 2:02 PM
Reposted by Michael Skoien
Americans have been dragged, tackled, beaten, tased and shot by immigration agents.

They’ve had their necks kneeled on.

They’ve been held outside in the rain while in their underwear.

At least three citizens were pregnant when agents detained them.
More Than 170 U.S. Citizens Have Been Held by Immigration Agents. They’ve Been Kicked, Dragged and Detained for Days.
The government does not track how often immigration agents grab citizens. So ProPublica did. Our tally — almost certainly incomplete — includes people who were held for days without a lawyer. And near...
www.propublica.org
November 1, 2025 at 3:00 AM
ViQueens are a total shit show right now in all facets of the game. Unwatchable
October 24, 2025 at 12:55 AM