All the days can’t suck, I told myself this morning, having accepted my morning mood (groggy, lousy) as payment for the joy of having last night’s dinner outdoors, on a restaurant patio on a glorious day, with two of my former colleagues from Bridge. Two of us were fired by the same asshole, so we had that to laugh about. There was a lot of laughing. I didn’t get home until close to 10, which meant I didn’t get to sleep until about 11, and Wednesday is my 4:20 a.m. alarm. Which explains the mood. But! It’s the last 4:20 alarm until September! So it’s not so bad.
Then I caught up on the comments and learned 4dbirds’ terrible news. Her name is Barbara. Barbara, I am so, so sorry. I’ll leave it at that, because there’s really nothing you can say after someone loses a child, other than that.
The drive to the restaurant last night sucked. It was in Plymouth, out in the exurbs, which meant I was facing construction and a blazing sun RIGHT IN MY EYES THE WHOLE WAY, aggravated by listening to a podcast recommended by someone in the comments a few days ago, the New Yorker Radio Hour interview with Dana White, president of the UFC. Dana is a good friend of the president, and assures us that he’s not a racist, not even a little. What about that video depicting the Obamas as apes, David Remnick pressed, gently. The Sgt. Schultz defense: “I don’t know about that,” etc. I laid this item on the table as I waited for my cocktail, and my former editor explained how this is exactly how good Germans were during the Holocaust. Yes, this is small talk with journalists, which is one reason I love my colleagues so.
Another reason I love them: Staff meetings like the one at CBS News about “60 Minutes” earlier this week, the one that led to Scott Pelley’s firing. I had to take Wendy to the vet yesterday, and briefly heard Mitch Albom kinda-sorta defending it, although it was hard to tell because as usual, he was playing the part of the Sensible Moderate, and also the Upholder of Decency and Good Manners. I gather Mitch found Pelley’s comments during the meeting very rude, as well as the secret recording of said meeting, and I rolled my eyes so hard I had to pull over until they rolled back and I could see through them again. How does the meme go? Tell me you’ve never been in a newsroom meeting without telling me you’ve never been in a newsroom meeting. They often go the way it did at CBS, or used to, before everyone was taught to keep their heads down, their tails tucked, and their mouths shut. People yell(ed) at their bosses in newsrooms, and that is a very good thing. A wise former editor explained it pithily: You can’t expect journalists to ask tough questions of public officials and other sources, without expecting them to ask a few of you, too.
OK, then. Just a few notes I’ve been collecting this week:
The new name for the fiasco formerly known as the Great American State Fair: Notapalooza. Har.
Zohran Mamdani continues to demonstrate fearsome political skills. Recall that the last time the president of the United States was surrounded by children, he tried to explain why Iran can’t have a nuclear weapon:
Today, I signed an Executive Order temporarily repealing bedtimes in the City of New York so that kids of all ages can watch our team in the NBA Finals.
As Mayor, you’re forced to make many difficult decisions. This was not one of them.
Go Knicks.
— Mayor Zohran Kwame Mamdani (@mayor.nyc.gov) June 1, 2026 at 3:39 PM
In case you were wondering whether Bill Pulte is qualified to be Director of National Intelligence, let me assure you from his native state: No. He is not.
Finally, dunno if this is paywalled or not, but Roy Edroso, who’s been covering conservative “culture” for years, did a really nice piece on that topic, earlier this week. If it is paywalled, let me assure you that Roy’s Substack is one that is absolutely worth your money:
But when the conversation turns to the arts, something to which the word “culture” more properly applies, conservatives get extra weird. Because, while their target audience may be unfamiliar with the people and trends conservatives like to slander, and thus may be easily convinced to suspect them, everybody likes to see a show or hear some tunes.
And conservatives don’t know what to do about that, especially now that casual sexism, racism, and other retrograde attitudes are less prevalent in pop culture than once they were. That’s why they’re always yelling that fun stuff is woke — Star Wars, Andor, that Odyssey movie where for some perverse reason they let a black lady play the most beautiful woman in the world. Occasionally they try to grab a toehold on entertainment things that seem “conservative” to them — like that weird delusion they recently developed that only the Right had the capacity to appreciate Sydney Sweeney’s tits.
But it always comes off creepy and sad. You might convince some people at least that trans kids on sports teams or bike lanes or vaccination drives or no-fault divorce are attacks on their way of life; but when you tell them the same is true of the movies they watch and the songs they dance to and the stories they read, voluntarily and with pleasure, your chances of success are exceedingly low. It’s like telling them it’s un-American to eat ice cream or take a bath.
OK, that’s it for me today. Gonna try to improve my mood, maybe with a bike ride to the library.
Sherri said on June 3, 2026 at 4:27 pm
Pelley could have been polite. He could have raised the issues in private with Bilton. Would that have kept him from being fired? Of course not.
When you’re more concerned about civility than the actual issues at hand, then you’re irrelevant. The Ellisons and Bari are intent on destroying journalism, and being civil about that just makes it easier for them.
366 chars
alex said on June 3, 2026 at 5:07 pm
I wouldn’t be surprised if the remaining correspondents buck Bari and Bilton and we see some more fights and embarrassing revelations. Pass the popcorn.
I think I’ve mentioned it before that I have a close friend who used to be a moderate liberal who somehow became radicalized by MAGA, and he keeps talking up Bari’s Free Press. I get solicitations to subscribe but the sample articles they send strike me as a bunch of white male grievance bullshit written by anti-intellectual intellectuals like Niall Ferguson. Or anti-intellectual asshats like Ben Shapiro, whose ravings are a big blot on my local paper.
My friend worked in IT for IBM and had to deal with a lot of people from India whom he disliked, and that may be part of it. One of his favorite disgruntled rants is about how straight women have taken over all of the gay bars in Chicago, though I’ve seen no evidence to suggest that any such thing is going on. He was also insistent that crime is way up in Chicago, and when I told him I’ve read otherwise, he was all “Fuck you, I live here and you don’t.”
I don’t know what turns someone into a conservative curmudgeon. Glad it’s not happening to me or anyone else that I know of.
1198 chars
Scout said on June 3, 2026 at 6:20 pm
I too just caught up on the comments. Barbara, (4dbirds) I am holding you in my heart as you navigate the loss of your daughter. I hope knowing you can share anything you want with this community helps a small bit.
214 chars
Julie Robinson said on June 3, 2026 at 6:59 pm
Yesterday, maybe Monday, the NYT interviewed Trump voters to see if they were upset about gas prices and the way he’s running the country. All but one acknowledged pain at the pump but still like him because he’s such a good businessman. The con job is complete.
I’ve also been feeling sour and sleeping poorly for myriad reasons. The visiting youth group and the interfering home pastor is one of them. They were supposed to have a service project for a group that provides groceries and clothing to those in need. He pulled them out because he looked at their website and took offense to a statement on bodily autonomy, which he equates as abortion support.
This group is doing tireless, amazing work. We’ve been in discussion to have them staff and expand our food and thrift shop ministry and I fear the relationship will be poisoned. It was especially important for neighbors who are in need and can’t afford Trump’s gas prices to drive across town to a food bank.
She’s been ready to break with the national church and this may be the final nail in the coffin. I’ve been ready since day one.
1107 chars
Peter said on June 3, 2026 at 7:12 pm
You could claim that Scott Pelley’s outburst (or rant, or diatribe) wasn’t polite, but how many of us were in the same situation, kept silent out of being polite, and got fired for not being a team player anyway? Scott only did what a lot of people only dream of doing when given the opportunity.
This is what put me in orbit: the new boss saying that he is “an investigative reporter and a storyteller.” No you dumbass, an investigative reporter can’t be a storyteller. You’re investigating something to get to the truth; you don’t make a story out of it, you REPORT on what you find.
Thank you for reading my rant.
623 chars
Deborah said on June 3, 2026 at 8:12 pm
I hear the Obama Library has opened in Chicago and my husband has been wanting to go see it, he’s still in Chicago for a few a weeks. I’m sorry I can’t go with him to see it just yet. I was going to go back to Chicago next weekend but those dates have changed.
LB and I are neck deep in reorganizing the garage in Santa Fe, it’s painful, we got rid of some really old wood shelves around the perimeter inside that have been falling apart and ugly as can be. I got metal shelves from Home Depot (Metro shelf types but knock-offs) and one box came without all of the connector pieces so that has been fun trying to get those so we can put all the shelves together. I was successful getting them just to dig them out of another box of the same product finally. Then getting someone to haul some trash away has been even more fun, but I got it done yesterday and the guy who came and cleared it away couldn’t have been nicer.
924 chars
Jeff Gill said on June 3, 2026 at 9:25 pm
Julie — gahhhhhhhhhh.
I got nothing better for that one.
60 chars
Sherri said on June 3, 2026 at 10:27 pm
I didn’t think it was possible for me to feel more cynical about church youth mission trips, but bailing on a service commitment because you didn’t like something vague on a website tops it. I guess they were afraid they’d catch abortion cooties.
(I have a problem in general with church mission trips like these: if the goal is to serve others and be exposed to different people, then wouldn’t it be more meaningful to do it in your own community, rather than parachuting in somewhere for a week with people you’ll never see again?
I’ve bitten my tongue bloody about this sort of thing.)
)
611 chars
David C said on June 4, 2026 at 6:17 am
I feel the same way about missionaries. Our niece taught at a mission school in Thailand. She was always asking for money to fund her. I always gave a token amount because that was the easiest way to keep peace with the family. But I never got over the thought that it would be cheaper and more effective to have hired Thais to do it. I always felt like it was funding someone’s extended vacation abroad.
404 chars
Julie Robinson said on June 4, 2026 at 7:58 am
Sherri and David,100%. My kids never did this, nor did I. I believe there are many paths to God, and would no more try to convert them than would want them to proselytize to me.
Yesterday they spent the day at an organization founded by three radical nuns back in the 70’s. They started out serving migrant farm workers and now fight for immigrant rights. Along the way they founded a medical clinic and credit union. The kids heard from a woman whose husband was deported and made backpacks for kids who have had a parent taken away.
Do these activities equal a mission trip? I would call them service projects.
I actually slept last night, and anyway there’s this, from the presumptive next mayor of Orlando: https://youtube.com/shorts/uBsbRvtqUEo?si=wEQDxZdftnATITZf. She’s the best.
798 chars
Mark P said on June 4, 2026 at 10:52 am
When I was a little boy, I attended a Southern Baptist church with a minister that everyone liked. He decided to leave his job as a pastor and become a missionary. To Rome, Italy.
179 chars
Michael said on June 4, 2026 at 1:25 pm
Mark P.
A MAGA deacon at our former church went on a trip to Rome. Upon his return, he breathlessly informed us that, according to their guide, there was not a single evangelical church in Rome.
I think that guide saw a sucker coming and reeled him in.
258 chars
Colleen said on June 4, 2026 at 2:10 pm
Scott Pelly was able to do what he did because he has something the rest of us don’t…Fuck You money. So I say good for him.
There’s a church in FW that is organizing against a resource center for the unhoused being established near their church. The children you know… I’m a Catholic, so what do I know, but wouldn’t Jesus welcome such a facility? I see it as a massive opportunity for young people to learn the value of supporting those less fortunate.
It’s St Paul’s downtown…I was married there. I managed to convince the pastor not to use “obey” in our vows…
581 chars
Julie Robinson said on June 4, 2026 at 4:56 pm
Colleen, I’ve been following that one too and it has contributed to my angst.
So everytime I feel that way I click on the youtube video above. Anna Eskamani gets a makeover from a drag queen, and they go out to canvas together. It’s hilarious, loving, and life affirming.
275 chars
David C said on June 4, 2026 at 5:00 pm
I worked with a guy who became a missionary to the UP. He didn’t appreciate me telling him weren’t going to put him in a pot and boil him. They were going to make pasties out of him.
182 chars
Jeff Gill said on June 4, 2026 at 5:35 pm
Missionary to the UP? That’s impressive commitment. But the Yoopers already have Paradise…
92 chars
Sherri said on June 4, 2026 at 5:50 pm
Good news! S&P Dow Jones is *not* changing its rules to accommodate the SpaceX IPO. They’re not going to let Elon use our S&P 500 Index funds to pump up his stock; SpaceX will have to wait a year, and be profitable, to enter the index.
Fidelity, though, is going to let people with as little as $2000 invested buy into the SpaceX IPO; usually, you need $500K invested to do such a thing.
400 chars
Brandon said on June 4, 2026 at 5:56 pm
The discussion about missionaries to Europe piqued my curiosity. Searching online for “Europe as a mission field” turned up this:
https://www.europeanmission.org/video/meet-andrew-birch
On another note, who has been watching the post-Colbert CBS late night programs?
268 chars
Julie Robinson said on June 4, 2026 at 6:15 pm
Many consider Europe a mission field due to very low church attendance. That’s in at least its third generation so I think the ship has sailed.
In the meantime the kids are here for a pool party and she invited her own youth group. They are integrating pretty well. 12 or 13 of them last time I poked my head out, and at least one chaperone in the hot tub.
We haven’t found anything good to watch since Colbert, just finished Hacks and are floundering.
459 chars
Jeff Gill said on June 4, 2026 at 6:37 pm
Shameless self-promotion, as we work on spreading awareness both of ancient earthworks (see the latest posts on TRP’s main page), and the hazards of hasty housing development on farmland:
https://www.thereportingproject.org/wandering-licking-county-another-sort-of-spring-rain/
280 chars
David C said on June 5, 2026 at 5:50 am
I’m thinking about retiring. I planned to work until I was 70, but things are changing in ways that I’m not happy with. Anyway, last night we were talking about if we went on a proper post-retirement vacation, where would we go. We both agreed that we’d like to see the Grand Canyon. The furthest west I’ve even been is Target Field in Minneapolis, so I don’t want my gravestone to read “He’s never been further west than Minneapolis”. But last night, as I was looking up at the ceiling instead of sleeping, I thought twenty years ago I could have stood at the rim and just thought “Wow”. Now, I feel like there would be just a bit of “jump” in my mind. I know I wouldn’t, but damn I hate nearly everything about living in this now.
732 chars
Jeff Gill said on June 5, 2026 at 7:39 am
David, go see the Grand Canyon. Watch a sunset there (or a sunrise if you can pull it off). Then make the big loop up through Bryce Canyon and Zion. Zion is the Grand Canyon in reverse: you drive in at the bottom, and if you want to hike, you hike up as far as you can do it, then it’s downhill back to the trailhead and shuttle bus. If you have the ankle strength & balance, take the Zion shuttle all the way up to the Narrows, then same deal: wade into the Virgin River, and hike as far up as you can handle, then turn and walk back with the water pushing behind you to the starting point. See the Mountain of Mystery looming over the narrowing canyon walls, get to where you can barely see sky overhead.
You’ll feel better, I promise. At least until you get back to your lodgings and open your browser to the NYT feed again.
834 chars
Dorothy said on June 5, 2026 at 3:03 pm
Barbara I am very sorry to learn about your daughter’s passing. I have been struggling to find the right words to say, but we all know there are no ‘right’ words. Please know that you’ve been on my mind and I wish I could offer more than platitudes and sympathy. Holding a hand and allowing someone to cry and rage is something I like to think I’d be good at. I’m sending you so much love – to all of your family.
David C – please make sure you go on that trip. Sedona is not far and that is equally spectacular to the Grand Canyon (well, maybe not EQUALLY but you should not miss a chance to see it). We went last September. I’d like to go back to the north rim someday before we get too old and decrepit.
My attempt at making you all smile: my 4 year old grandson had a ‘misfire’ so to speak in the bathroom at his dad’s home a few days ago. He went to his dad and hung his head, to tell him he missed some of the toilet and there was pee on the floor to clean up. “My penis just wasn’t listening!” is how he described the situation. Josh said he almost lost it but he was sympathetic and understanding to poor Jack. To all the guys here – sure hope you have 100% listening penises these days!
1228 chars