MNIK

@marknik.bsky.social

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I saved Latin. What did you ever do?

Screenshot of a post from Threads from the verified WSJ Opinion account. The post reads: “The best argument for confirming Todd Blanche is that a permanent Attorney General might have more stature to reject the wild ideas that are sure to come from the President.” Below is a preview image of Todd Blanche raising his right hand while wearing a dark suit and orange tie, with a linked headline: “Opinion | Todd Blanche’s Pitch for Permanent Attorney General.” The post has about 61.9K views, 99 likes, 1.4K replies, 97 reposts, and 28 quotes. At the bottom of the screen, a trending topic reads: “Tillis withholds Todd Blanche vote.”
Screenshot of the Atlantic’s website: “Don’t Bet Against Bari Weiss The new editor in chief of CBS News triumphs over her critics. By Caitlin Flanagan”
Graphic shared by the House Foreign Affairs Committee Majority showing a portrait of Donald Trump in front of an American flag and a faded Iranian flag background. Large text reads: "President Trump is ending the forever war that Iran has waged against America for the last 47 years." The post caption above says, "Thank you, @POTUS.”
Smartphone screenshot of a Google search interface showing suggestions under “See image results for.” The top suggestion reads “kathryn ruemmler husband” with a small headshot thumbnail of Jeffery Epstein.
A candid photo of three men at a dinner event. Two are seated at a round table covered with glasses and plates, and one is standing between them, leaning in and smiling. The setting appears to be an outdoor evening gathering with warm lighting and many people seated at tables in the background.
NYT Times link for a story “What is the National Guard?”
Music player screen on a smartphone showing Pat Metheny’s album “Bright Size Life.” The track “Sirabhorn” is playing, with the progress bar at 2:09 of 3:19. The album cover features a photograph of a lone tree in a field at sunset.
A New York Times mobile app screenshot with the headline: “Motive Sought in Minneapolis School Shooting That Killed 2 Children.” The subheadline says seventeen people were injured, fourteen were children and three were in their 80s, and officials were looking at the suspect’s social media content. Below the text, an image shows a police officer in a brown hat and uniform being hugged by another person.
Adorable cat with head on a pillow and blanket covering her body looking at the camera.
Poster for the B-movie “They Saved Hitler’s Brain”
A screenshot from NYT app displaying a headline that reads, “West Virginia Bans 7 Artificial Food Dyes, Citing Health Concerns.” The subheadline notes that at least 20 other states are considering similar restrictions. Below the text is a photo of brightly colored Froot Loops cereal.
Cover of Louis Menand's "The Free World"
While dudes for Harris hat with an “I voted” sticker on the bill.
Screen shot of the confirmation page for cancelled Washington Post subscription.
A black-and-white photograph of a quiet suburban scene, with a small house nestled among dense trees in the lower third of the frame. Above, the sky dominates, split by a single bold, vertical streak—likely a jet’s contrail—that rises dramatically from the horizon and seems to slice through the clouds. The stark contrast between the swirling dark clouds and the sharply defined trail adds a sense of tension to the otherwise calm setting. The trees, bare and full alike, frame the house, which sits quietly beneath a streetlamp, giving the scene a still, almost cinematic quality. The composition contrasts the grounded, domestic life with the vastness of the sky, hinting at a larger world beyond the immediate, familiar surroundings.
The photograph offers a quietly theatrical contrast between the unruly, bush-like curtains of greenery and the modest architecture nestled behind them. The frame feels like an inadvertent stage set, where nature has grown into an accidental proscenium arch. The structure itself—what looks to be a trailer, judging by the corrugated siding and narrow window—emerges as a simple, utilitarian object, made mysterious by its partial concealment. The image plays with the tension between what’s revealed and what’s withheld, asking us to lean in, to imagine what lies beyond. There’s a kind of generosity in the way the scene allows for contemplation: the unspectacular made poignant by the passage of time, a window that could be anywhere yet feels somehow specific, lived-in, and familiar. Much like art that thrives on the tension between the everyday and the extraordinary, the photograph resists the impulse to declare its meaning too loudly. Instead, it lets the viewer settle into a moment of privacy—an encounter between the exteriority of nature and the interiority of human life. It’s an image that, in its quietude, suggests how profoundly we rely on such boundaries to create meaning.
A photograph taken in early spring, showing a clear view of a bare tree with distinct branches in the foreground. The background includes a flat, muddy area, and the sky is overcast, indicating rainy weather. Raindrops are faintly visible on the foliage.
A view from the window of an airplane shows the wing extending out over an airport tarmac, with a lone ground crew member waving below. The scene is monochrome, giving a stark, atmospheric quality to the landscape.
The image shows a person seated in profile on the left side of the frame, with their head tilted slightly back and hand raised, perhaps brushing their hair or mid-motion. The background consists of a sleek, geometric wall, divided into large square panels, giving the image a minimalist and structured feel. On the far right of the frame, partially obscured by the wall, is another figure, seated and looking toward the camera with a neutral expression. The contrast between the two figures, separated by the geometric panels, creates a feeling of distance or isolation, despite their proximity. The overall tone of the image is quiet and contemplative.
A man in a dark suit stands in a lush garden, looking contemplatively to the side with his hands clasped behind his back. His curly hair blends into the surrounding foliage, creating a humorous visual effect as a dark patch in the plants mimics the shape of his head. The image is in black and white, emphasizing the contrast between the figure and the vibrant greenery, highlighting the playful relationship between the man and the natural setting.
Post columnist Cindy Adams or the Darth Vader without his helmet? It’s hard to tell them apart.
A black-and-white photograph of kindergarten painting smocks hanging behind a diamond-patterned wire mesh. The smocks, featuring playful patterns and vibrant folds, are draped and tied, creating a sense of texture and depth. The mesh acts as a barrier, giving the scene a feeling of preservation or protection, as if these well-used smocks are being stored after creative activities. The contrast between the soft, crumpled fabric and the rigid lines of the mesh adds an intriguing visual tension, while the overall scene evokes a sense of nostalgia for childhood creativity.
A black-and-white photograph taken inside a train, focusing on the interior seating. The foreground is blurred, creating a soft out-of-focus circular shape, while the sharp focus is on the back of an empty train seat. Beyond the seat, passengers are faintly visible, one working on a laptop, their faces obscured by the blur. Overhead, fluorescent lights illuminate the compartment, and luggage racks run along the ceiling. The composition gives a sense of movement and anonymity, capturing a quiet moment of travel with an intimate, almost abstract quality.
A black-and-white photograph of an arrangement of fake plants, featuring a variety of leafy stems and textured foliage densely packed together. The leaves, with their varied shapes and surfaces, overlap and create a rich tapestry of patterns and details. Despite the artificial nature of the plants, the intricate composition and play of light and shadow make them appear almost natural. The monochrome treatment enhances the textures, highlighting the veins and edges of the leaves, giving the image a sense of depth and complexity.
A black-and-white photograph capturing an urban scene through a semi-transparent mesh or fabric. The image shows a mix of architectural elements—a brick building and a stone facade—while the translucent covering creates a layered effect. Shadows and light play across the surface of the mesh, subtly revealing shapes like plants and parts of a building. The composition creates a sense of distance and depth, as if the viewer is peering through a veil or screen, making the everyday scene feel both abstracted and mysterious.
Image of the Mandalorian with “THIS IS THE WAY” beneath it.
Screenshot of Tidal app in iOS of Pat Metheny’s Son of Thirteen track being played from his Day Trip/Tokyo Day Trip album.
Wi-Fi settings on iPhone showing device connected to “FBI Surveillance Van” network.
Cover of 49th Parallel by the Neil Swanson Quintet featuring Joe Henderson
Clouds
Baghdad Bob
Ladder against a yellow two-story coach house
Tidal “Grown Jazz” playlist.