My wife wasn’t thrilled when I put this Lego Millennium Falcon on our wedding registry. To not seem completely self-indulgent, I told her I’d wait until we had kids to build it. Today, after 10 patient years, the adventure begins. #MayThe4th#MayThe4thBeWithYou
UPDATE #1: Kids started with Darth Vader and Chewbacca. Then fought epic battles and lost focus. 45 pieces down, 1209 to go. We have built something that looks like a chassis for the falcon. Will keep you posted on progress. This may take another 10 years
UPDATE #2: I heard some noise that woke me up at 630am and came downstairs to find my 5 yr old boy working on the Falcon by himself. He did a couple of big build steps all on his own. I’m a proud dad this morning.
UPDATE #3: My boys spent the day at school scheming a better way to organize pieces and settled on color coded. This allows us to be much faster. Love to see them problem solve and work towards efficiency. Kids were so happy when finished Stage 1 that they did celebratory dance
UPDATE #4: Millennium Falcon lego construction grinded to a halt as tensions flared in Kim household. Competition over sought after work assignments hit breaking point with complaints like “that’s my piece” “my turn” and “I want to do.” Mediators are hard at work to fix breakdown
Millennium Falcon Finished! The boys promptly asked if I can get the Falcon displayed in the Capitol building. Thanks everyone for cheering us along! I haven’t seen my wife this amused in a while. Boys are totally hooked on LEGOs. They are asking “what next?” Any thoughts?
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I was briefed today by President Zelensky’s office about Ukraine’s Operation Spiderweb drone attack on Russian aircraft and it really hits home how this operation will be studied for years to come as an example of a new era of warfare. Here’s what stood out: first, their motto. “SHOOT THE ARCHER, NOT THE ARROW.” THREAD
The motto of “Shoot the Archer, Not the Arrow” immediately conveys an advancement in their defensive tactics. Not just trying to defend against the artillery, but to hinder Russia’s ability to deliver that artillery in the first place and do substantial damage to its military capabilities. 2/12
Extraordinary ROI: Over 117 quadcopters at a cost of $2K each. The Ukrainians told us that 41 aircraft were destroyed or damaged at 4 Russian bases (Olenya, Belaya, Ivanovo, Dyagilovo). If these numbers are true, that would be $7B in damages caused by at least $234K worth of drones. 3/12
I worked at the National Security Council for 2 yrs and want to explain why yesterday’s decision to cut nearly everyone is dangerous. This purge will sacrifice our nation’s security so a handful of people can exert more political control. Here’s who wins and who loses. THREAD
WHY IT MATTERS: NSC doesn’t have armies/embassies; its power comes from controlling the Situation Room, meaning it’s the only entity that can force others to coordinate/debate. 2/13
I remember when DOD was hesitant to take action to stop a massacre on Sinjar Mountain but an NSC meeting in the SitRoom got everyone to support a plan that saved thousands of lives. 3/13
Stephen Miller said White House was “actively looking at” options to suspend Habeas Corpus/due process in times of invasion/rebellion. Just hours later Miller posts these lies…but look at how he’s lying - saying that Members of Congress “riotously stormed and invaded.” MORE 1/9
First, the Members of Congress were at the facility conducting an oversight inspection. They are permitted by law to do so (DHS Appropriations Act, 2020, Sec. 532)
Here is ICE guidance that acknowledges that Members can visit for oversight. Unannounced visits happen regularly. 2/9
The Members who showed up yesterday were given entry to the facility by ICE. They were already lawfully on the premises when the Mayor was arrested. They didn’t break in or invade. They in fact did conduct an official oversight tour of the facility. 3/9
This is the most telling photo I’ve seen — Trump/Vance berating a wartime leader fighting against invasion directly in front of a bust of Churchill. It looks like Churchill is seated in the back, watching Trump kill the very US-Europe alliance that Churchill helped forge. THREAD
Why was the Oval Office exchange so humiliating to watch? It’s because every American alive today was born after the Greatest Generation led America’s rise to global leadership. What we saw yesterday was a surrender that could very well lead to American decline. 2/10
What we saw was a retreat from three basic pillars of American leadership: reliability, values, and impact. These are pillars that have been built over generations - from Americans landing on the beaches of Normandy onwards. 3/10
As Trump and Musk gut USAID today, I think back to my first day ever working for the US gov, showing up at the Reagan Building to start at USAID. Shame on them for demonizing Americans who are serving our nation, often in difficult and dangerous places. THREAD
We can have a policy debate about how much to spend internationally or what programs to fund, but their hate and paranoia towards other Americans go much deeper. I’m proud I worked at USAID. 2/8
I worked in USAID/Africa bureau where we helped rehabilitate former child soldiers in Uganda, helped with an emerging famine in Malawi. Trump admin complains about China’s growing influence in Africa but then shuts down one of our best tools to fight this. 3/8
I just talked to the family of Officer Brian Sicknick, who was killed on Jan 6. He grew up in NJ, served his nation, but was assaulted and killed. His assailants sentenced to prison until pardoned by Trump. Let us lift up Sicknick’s name and memory: THREAD
Officer Sicknick’s family’s pain today was so deep. That Trump used his first hours in office pardoning so many involved in that attack on the Capitol including the two of the assailants that attacked Officer Sicknick. It was a betrayal. 2/7
Let’s lift up Officer Sicknick’s name. Let’s remind everyone that an officer was attacked and killed that day. Sicknick laid in state in the Capitol Rotunda, honored by our nation as lawmakers from BOTH sides of the aisle, and now those who killed him are free. 3/7