I think the lack of an exclamation point is a clue... No one knows who's behind Sacramento Valley billboard message to 80-year-old Democrat www.sfgate.com/politics/art...

Newsom barred from public address in Switzerland by the Trump administration International scoop from @asos.bsky.social www.sfgate.com/politics/art...

For decades, America's tech companies have deployed products with little regard to how they harm their users. That could end with ChatGPT. OpenAI is facing a multi-billion dollar legal risk that no one is talking about. A new one w/ @stephco.bsky.social: www.sfgate.com/tech/article...

Here's our story on Lincoln suspending its 2026-27 season, and Desmond Gumbs stepping down as head coach (but remaining as the school's athletic director), in the wake of our investigation into the program. www.sfgate.com/collegesport...

Here's a link to the story, which, again, is very well done: www.sfgate.com/tech/article... and a shoutout the reporters, Lester Black @leddder.bsky.social and Stephen Council @stephco.bsky.social

“ChatGPT started coaching Sam on how to take drugs, recover from them and plan further binges. It gave him specific doses of illegal substances, and in one chat, it wrote, ‘Hell yes—let’s go full trippy mode’” www.sfgate.com/tech/article...

"ChatGPT started coaching Sam on how to take drugs, recover from them and plan further binges. It gave him specific doses of illegal substances ... Then, last May, tragedy struck." Incredible piece of journalism from @leddder.bsky.social and @stephco.bsky.social: www.sfgate.com/tech/article...

A Calif. teen trusted ChatGPT for drug advice. He died from an overdose. www.sfgate.com/tech/article...

Public billionaire insanity intensifies: “Come watch me trip balls.” Marc Benioff and Naval Ravikant join Network State Cult member Bryan Johnson's livestreamed mega mushroom trip. www.sfgate.com/tech/article...

Introducing the FDA's new drug approval process... Marc Benioff joins wild hallucinogenic mushroom livestream www.sfgate.com/tech/article...

Almost like Modest Mouse wrote an entire album about this 30 years ago. Dying Shopping Malls Are the Roman Ruins of Our Civilization www.nytimes.com/2025/11/11/m...

"We are barely floating by on a week to week basis." via @leddder.bsky.social sfgate.com/cannabis/article/monterey-county-california-cannabis-decline-21141231.php?mrfhud=true

After Prop. 50 victory, Newsom vows Dems can ‘de facto end’ Trump presidency www.sfgate.com/politics/art...

The Republican healthcare plan decimates the finances of these middle class people. Over a million Californians are facing ‘catastrophic’ health care cost increases www.sfgate.com/politics/art...

This isn't surprising, but that doesn't mean it's not worth documenting fully. The terror is the point. 'Terrifying': Federal immigration agents found patrolling LA in horror masks www.sfgate.com/la/article/l...

The highly unusual donation ask is what makes this news, but the governor signing off with “Mad respect to all of you” is what makes it fascinating. 'You can stop donating now': Newsom doesn't want any more of your money www.sfgate.com/politics/art...

The tech giants are all-in on the oligarchy. Bay Area tech giants helping fund Trump's $300M ballroom www.sfgate.com/politics/art...

It has been a sad week, as news came that Terrance Alan, owner of @floredispensary & @cafefloresf in the Castro neighborhood has passed away suddenly.. 😢 Lester Black, @leddder.bsky.social of sfgate.com, has written a story, ⬇️, a review of Terrance Alan's life here in San Francisco ... 💚 🌉 🙏🏽

Pioneering SF activist accused of being part of the 'gay weed mafia' dies www.sfgate.com/cannabis/art...

Thank you to KQED for having me and hosting this really important conversation. We had some incredible on-air callers, including a mom who said her 17-year-old almost died from 7-OH and a man who said he fell into 7-OH addiction. Listen at the link below:

Calif. Republican Kevin Kiley is dealing with his long reelection odds by doing something hardly any Republicans in the US are willing to do: defy the party’s national leadership. by @leddder.bsky.social sfgate.com/politics/article/california-republican-shutdown-fights-21104952.php?mrfhud=true

This feels performative until you get to the healthcare subsidies and Epstein files... This 40-year-old Calif. Republican has become a 'nightmare' for DC leadership www.sfgate.com/politics/art...

Read the full story here:

Synthetic kratom is exploding in California, leading to overdoses and fears of a new opioid crisis. ✍️ @leddder.bsky.social

Is the AI boom driven by a spectacular technology, or just incestuous capitalism at its peak? There's a handful of executives and a few dozen board members controlling decision-making for so much of this economy, what could go wrong?

Newsom facing pressure to veto controversial cookware ban www.sfgate.com/politics/art...

In an unprecedented move, California authorities have declared kratom and synthetic kratom completely illegal, launching a major new crackdown on the drugs. www.sfgate.com/bayarea/arti...

Few things more satisfying than getting a correction demand, responding quickly, and never hearing anything back.

'All bets are off': AOC launches new ad supporting Prop. 50 www.sfgate.com/politics/art...

has anyone done work looking at the zero sum nature of the AI economy? It seems like best case scenario for the big AI firms is that their tech replaces white collar workers, making companies more profitable. But... AI works > high unemployment > economic recession > no ad dollars for Meta/Google.

Data centers are giving strong echoes of the subprime mortgage crisis. They're built using high interest debt under the promise that eventually AI becomes profitable. But if it doesn't? Good luck to the US tech economy. www.nytimes.com/2025/09/20/b...

Debates over the war in Gaza and homelessness have plagued a small California town council. Then an armed man showed up. Armed man arrested after storming California city council meeting www.sfgate.com/northcoast/a...

SF Supervisor Joel Engardio faces crushing recall loss in early vote returns www.sfgate.com/politics/art...

It's pretty incredible to see how fast conservatives are leveraging cancel culture against universities Calif. professors placed on leave for 'deeply offensive' Charlie Kirk comments www.sfgate.com/bayarea/arti...

She's a suburban soccer mom. Her downtime is spent chasing ICE officers out of LA. www.sfgate.com/la/article/a...

3 healthy California residents die after ingesting synthetic kratom www.sfgate.com/la/article/k...

You wouldn’t know it from the work boots or dirt smudged on his hands, but just seven months earlier, Slebir was the man responsible for riding a 10-story wave, unofficially the largest wave ridden in human history. via @leddder.bsky.social www.sfgate.com/sports/artic...

Marcela Hernandez, a director of organizing at Detention Watch Network, said the city is in violation of the law, as it never conducted the required hearings, and that CoreCivic is currently operating without a permit. via @leddder.bsky.social www.sfgate.com/centralcalif...

so honorable of Newsom to cancel his self-titled Fuck Around and Find Out political rally after a political assassination. Perhaps there's pitfalls to adopting internet speak. www.sacbee.com/news/politic...

Private prisons have become a vital tool for Trump's immigration crackdown. Critics say Trump is using an illegal detention facility in Calif. desert www.sfgate.com/centralcalif...

“Newsom doing a meme coin won’t highlight problems any more than a Newsom pickpocketing ring would highlight the problem of pickpockets. You can’t do a grift and say you were being ironic.” Newsom announces controversial meme coin www.sfgate.com/politics/art...

Some politicians are worried about homelessness and housing, others are worried about in-unit laundry. I guess it's just a question of priorities? Calif. Democrat goes viral for bragging about blocking affordable housing www.sfgate.com/politics/art...

It says a lot about the California that the state's most famous stoners had to leave to actually make money selling pot. Cheech and Chong built a $100M cannabis brand by ditching California www.sfgate.com/cannabis/art...

"As for Burning Man, at first mention Law makes the universal hand signal for jerking off. 'Burning Man is the least interesting thing I’ve been involved with,' he says." via @dangentile007.bsky.social www.sfgate.com/sf-culture/a...

There's really nothing fiscally conservative about the Republican party at this point. Intel Agrees to Sell U.S. a 10% Stake in Its Business www.nytimes.com/2025/08/22/t...

Early supporters for the redistricting campaign include Los Angeles businessman Bill Bloomfield, who gave $1 million to Newsom’s Ballot Measure Committee, as well as Gloria Page, the mother of Google co-founder Larry Page. via @leddder.bsky.social www.sfgate.com/politics/art...

It turns out Larry Page's mom is a major early donor for Newsom's redistricting campaign, and some Google cash is also in the mix. Major Bay Area companies are helping Newsom's anti-Trump gambit www.sfgate.com/politics/art...

We lost a real one. Bay Area surfer who broke a world record dies www.sfgate.com/sports/artic...

San Francisco has a black market for housing. That’s as bad as it sounds www.sfchronicle.com/opinion/open...

Sad I missed GD60, happy I could read this excellent Silas Valentino review: Deadheads reveal during SF finale why you 'never miss a Sunday show' www.sfgate.com/sf-culture/a...