MBR
@flame89.bsky.social
Can’t say too much about my job these days but international affairs (especially Asia) is my specialty. I love films, novels, and history. Degrees from Oxford, Virginia Tech, and the London School of Economics. Opinions are entirely my own. He/him
Pinned
MBR
@flame89.bsky.social
· Oct 20
Every Republican President of my lifetime has ended their term with a higher unemployment rate than when they began while every Democrat has finished with a lower unemployment rate than they received - and yet the public almost always rates Republicans higher on the economy.
Reposted by MBR
For everyone working in democracy and human rights: if you’re still standing after this year, take a moment to thank yourself. It’s been a lot. But setbacks are temporary and our cause will prevail, because people everywhere want to live in freedom and dignity. Wish you all a hopeful Thanksgiving!
November 27, 2025 at 10:16 PM
For everyone working in democracy and human rights: if you’re still standing after this year, take a moment to thank yourself. It’s been a lot. But setbacks are temporary and our cause will prevail, because people everywhere want to live in freedom and dignity. Wish you all a hopeful Thanksgiving!
Reposted by MBR
My wife went through this process. It’s horrific that it’s being turned into a game of Russian roulette by ICE.
"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...
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 1:04 PM
My wife went through this process. It’s horrific that it’s being turned into a game of Russian roulette by ICE.
A great holiday film and one of the wittiest comedies ever.
Now playing (01:15 PM PST):
"Metropolitan" (1990)
By Whit Stillman
Runtime: 99 min.
"Metropolitan" (1990)
By Whit Stillman
Runtime: 99 min.
November 27, 2025 at 9:25 PM
A great holiday film and one of the wittiest comedies ever.
Reposted by MBR
The photos of the Hong Kong fire are heartbreaking. What makes it even worse is knowing that the lack of press freedom and the absence of democratically elected leaders will only hinder a real investigation and meaningful accountability. 香港平安！香港加油！
November 27, 2025 at 4:30 AM
The photos of the Hong Kong fire are heartbreaking. What makes it even worse is knowing that the lack of press freedom and the absence of democratically elected leaders will only hinder a real investigation and meaningful accountability. 香港平安！香港加油！
If there was a bipartisan consensus, why did only Dems charge the cases?
This kind of bothsidesism leads to people checking out of participating in politics. It’s toxic.
This kind of bothsidesism leads to people checking out of participating in politics. It’s toxic.
November 26, 2025 at 8:29 PM
If there was a bipartisan consensus, why did only Dems charge the cases?
This kind of bothsidesism leads to people checking out of participating in politics. It’s toxic.
This kind of bothsidesism leads to people checking out of participating in politics. It’s toxic.
Everyone be alert for what they may do next. Stay peaceful, don’t take the bait, and prepare for direct action.
November 26, 2025 at 8:11 PM
Everyone be alert for what they may do next. Stay peaceful, don’t take the bait, and prepare for direct action.
Reposted by MBR
Today I’m recommending that NYC’s pension fund boards drop BlackRock and 2 other (out of 49) public markets asset managers due to inadequate decarbonization plans.
Climate risk is financial risk – we need asset managers who will invest responsibly.🧵
www.bloomberg.com/news/article...
Climate risk is financial risk – we need asset managers who will invest responsibly.🧵
www.bloomberg.com/news/article...
NYC’s Lander Recommends Dropping $42 Billion BlackRock Mandate
New York City Comptroller Brad Lander is urging three of the city’s pension funds to drop BlackRock Inc. because of “inadequate” climate plans, the latest move to penalize investment firms for failing...
www.bloomberg.com
November 26, 2025 at 1:49 PM
Today I’m recommending that NYC’s pension fund boards drop BlackRock and 2 other (out of 49) public markets asset managers due to inadequate decarbonization plans.
Climate risk is financial risk – we need asset managers who will invest responsibly.🧵
www.bloomberg.com/news/article...
Climate risk is financial risk – we need asset managers who will invest responsibly.🧵
www.bloomberg.com/news/article...
Reposted by MBR
I hope folks realize that between Trump, Kushner, Hegseth, Witkoff, Noem, RFK, Jr., Kash Patel, and Tulsi Gabbard, this country is almost entirely undefended.
Q: Have you heard this audio that Bloomberg has of Witkoff coaching the Russians on how to appeal to you?
TRUMP: That's a standard thing. He's gotta sell this to Ukraine, he's gonna sell Ukraine to Russia. That's what a dealmaker does. I haven't heard it but I heard it was standard negotiation.
TRUMP: That's a standard thing. He's gotta sell this to Ukraine, he's gonna sell Ukraine to Russia. That's what a dealmaker does. I haven't heard it but I heard it was standard negotiation.
November 26, 2025 at 1:28 AM
I hope folks realize that between Trump, Kushner, Hegseth, Witkoff, Noem, RFK, Jr., Kash Patel, and Tulsi Gabbard, this country is almost entirely undefended.
No choice but to stan.
Good morning to Brazilian reporter Manuela Borges, who’s been waiting eleven years for this petty moment. ❤️ 🇧🇷
November 26, 2025 at 2:02 PM
No choice but to stan.
Reposted by MBR
Good morning to Brazilian reporter Manuela Borges, who’s been waiting eleven years for this petty moment. ❤️ 🇧🇷
November 26, 2025 at 1:04 PM
Good morning to Brazilian reporter Manuela Borges, who’s been waiting eleven years for this petty moment. ❤️ 🇧🇷
The United States is justly criticized for having learned the wrong lessons from the outcome of the Cold War. It should also be clear, however, that Russia and China also learned pretty terrible lessons from it as well.
November 25, 2025 at 11:34 PM
The United States is justly criticized for having learned the wrong lessons from the outcome of the Cold War. It should also be clear, however, that Russia and China also learned pretty terrible lessons from it as well.
It’s not so much one being made as one being released: the four hour cut of Blade Runner 2049. Villeneuve admitted it was “quite strong” but refuses to release it or any deleted scenes.
If you were a despotic president, what movie would you force Hollywood to make? I want to see Quentin's Star Trek movie or maybe Kill Bill Vol 3.
November 25, 2025 at 8:55 PM
It’s not so much one being made as one being released: the four hour cut of Blade Runner 2049. Villeneuve admitted it was “quite strong” but refuses to release it or any deleted scenes.
Reposted by MBR
Today marks the 3rd anniversary of the White Paper Protests- the moment a new generation of Chinese people began to wake up. Human rights may be in retreat in China (and globally) right now, but the seed planted by White Paper is still growing- quietly for now, but not forever. x.com/i/status/159...
x.com
November 25, 2025 at 5:01 PM
Today marks the 3rd anniversary of the White Paper Protests- the moment a new generation of Chinese people began to wake up. Human rights may be in retreat in China (and globally) right now, but the seed planted by White Paper is still growing- quietly for now, but not forever. x.com/i/status/159...
In one of the subreddits on AI that I’m in, someone asked if AI will allow us to converse with animals and I said no and got downvoted like hell.
November 25, 2025 at 4:26 PM
In one of the subreddits on AI that I’m in, someone asked if AI will allow us to converse with animals and I said no and got downvoted like hell.
Reposted by MBR
Anyhow, don't mind me, just wrestling with the mounting dread that the career I've dreamed of since I was 12 and spent the last 10+ years training for may be ripped away from me for the benefit of egos and wealth of the country's most painfully mediocre men, and there's not much I can do about it
November 25, 2025 at 3:56 AM
Anyhow, don't mind me, just wrestling with the mounting dread that the career I've dreamed of since I was 12 and spent the last 10+ years training for may be ripped away from me for the benefit of egos and wealth of the country's most painfully mediocre men, and there's not much I can do about it
How it started / How it’s going
November 24, 2025 at 9:33 PM
How it started / How it’s going
Reposted by MBR
Oh, Tish James case dismissed too. Now Miss Hannigan has to start her orphanage.
www.cnn.com/2025/11/24/p...
www.cnn.com/2025/11/24/p...
Federal judge dismissed indictments against Letitia James and James Comey | CNN Politics
A federal judge dismissed the indictments against former FBI Director James Comey and New York Attorney General Letitia James on Monday.
www.cnn.com
November 24, 2025 at 5:53 PM
Oh, Tish James case dismissed too. Now Miss Hannigan has to start her orphanage.
www.cnn.com/2025/11/24/p...
www.cnn.com/2025/11/24/p...
Reposted by MBR
CNN: Breaking news… this is big, we have learned that the justice department's case against former FBI director Jim Comey and the New York attorney general have both been dismissed
November 24, 2025 at 5:48 PM
CNN: Breaking news… this is big, we have learned that the justice department's case against former FBI director Jim Comey and the New York attorney general have both been dismissed
Reposted by MBR
Congressional redistricting is monumentally important. But for Black people in places like Fayette County, TN, it is the County Commn where the stakes are highest.
What SCOTUS does in Louisiana v Calláis may threaten Black representation across the rural South.
boltsmag.org/voting-right...
What SCOTUS does in Louisiana v Calláis may threaten Black representation across the rural South.
boltsmag.org/voting-right...
Black Residents in West Tennessee Just Won Fairer Districts. Now Comes SCOTUS. - Bolts
The Supreme Court may further erode the Voting Rights Act in an upcoming decision. Beyond affecting Congress, that would reverberate across local governments nationwide.
boltsmag.org
November 24, 2025 at 1:51 PM
Congressional redistricting is monumentally important. But for Black people in places like Fayette County, TN, it is the County Commn where the stakes are highest.
What SCOTUS does in Louisiana v Calláis may threaten Black representation across the rural South.
boltsmag.org/voting-right...
What SCOTUS does in Louisiana v Calláis may threaten Black representation across the rural South.
boltsmag.org/voting-right...
Just the dumbest fucking people I’ve ever seen. It’s beyond belief how people think they’re smart or funny or anything good.
Everything about this might be the saddest thing I’ve ever seen
November 24, 2025 at 3:26 PM
Just the dumbest fucking people I’ve ever seen. It’s beyond belief how people think they’re smart or funny or anything good.
Reposted by MBR
He is not the most powerful man in science. He is the most powerful man in pseudo-science.
He is not trying to lead our scientific institutions. He is trying to destroy them.
He is not trying to lead our scientific institutions. He is trying to destroy them.
Over many interviews, Robert F. Kennedy Jr. told Michael Scherer about how he plans to remake America’s public-health system. Can he lead the scientific establishment he’s spent much of his life crusading against?
Read more in our new cover story:
Read more in our new cover story:
The Most Powerful Man in Science
Why is Robert F. Kennedy Jr. so convinced he’s right?
bit.ly
November 24, 2025 at 2:16 AM
He is not the most powerful man in science. He is the most powerful man in pseudo-science.
He is not trying to lead our scientific institutions. He is trying to destroy them.
He is not trying to lead our scientific institutions. He is trying to destroy them.
I dare any reporter to ask Trump what anchoring means in negotiations.
Extraordinary (from BBC). Can any journalist really think this is what's going on?!
November 24, 2025 at 12:56 AM
I dare any reporter to ask Trump what anchoring means in negotiations.