A story about two hitmen in a bar. Well done. My favorite so far.

A Clean, Well-lighted Place

A study of two people observing a suicidal old man. A character study. I don’t have much sympathy for people who contemplate or commit suicide. It’s a deeply selfish behavior. I think that’s what this story is about.

Now I Lay Me

I get the story. It’s about the things that go through the mind of someone in a hospital recovering from war wounds. It’s just okay.

Full text of Trump’s framework agreement to end Iran war : NPR

1. This agreement represents a significant concession of power to Iran. By treating them as equals rather than leveraging our military advantage, it completely undermines the strategic purpose of our intervention. If this was the intended outcome, we could have achieved it through diplomacy alone without the immense financial cost and use of limited military resources.

2. The language regarding nuclear weapons is entirely unenforceable. It merely “reaffirms” past commitments without establishing strict, verifiable mechanisms to prevent weaponization.

3. A 60-day window is entirely unrealistic to negotiate a comprehensive, permanent ceasefire given the complexity of the regional issues at stake.

4. We are committing to a $300 billion reconstruction fund and the immediate unfreezing of their international assets. Surrendering this leverage upfront removes any incentive for Iran to negotiate in good faith moving forward.

5. The “toll-free” status of the Strait of Hormuz is limited to just 60 days. After that, the agreement explicitly leaves the door open for Iran to impose transit fees, effectively granting them long-term economic control over a vital global waterway.

6. Overall, this is a profoundly weak deal for the United States that projects defeat rather than strength. It is difficult to understand the strategic rationale behind these concessions.