It's good, folks

“With a single post or video, we can influence thousands of guests to try a food, drink, or experience in the parks,” she says. “I couldn’t, in good conscience, keep giving them free publicity knowing they don’t support free speech and are willing to bow to fascism."

Look, we don't know what a cow would do with a quarter-share of a stag, but we do know: "Numquam est fidelis cum potente societas." gnomai.com/stories/the-... #AncientBlueSky #ClassicsBlueSky #BlueSkyClassics

One thing here is critical. Democrats should only negotiate/talk whatever directly with Trump. Not Thune or Johnson. They're just Trump's messengers. Third tier members, at best, in the MAGA organization. www.nytimes.com/2025/09/20/u...

The firing of Jimmy Kimmel due to government pressure has rightly shaken those committed to free speech. Entertainers have always criticized politicians. The sign of a good politician who values free speech is to let them; only authoritarians take revenge - just ask the Romans./1

Earlier this year, ProPublica found that the sepsis rate in second-trimester pregnancy loss hospitalizations increased by more than 50% under Texas’ abortion ban. Here’s how we did our analysis. (Published Feb. 2025)

History often turns on unexpected pivots. The aspiring dictator has probed the limits of his power by getting a comedian fired. This has been met with significant pushback by both ordinary and powerful people. Tipping points like these can make a difference. 1/x

I watched WINTER KILLS (1979), a conspiracy thriller about the assassination of President "Kegan" in "1960"—or rather discovering the "truth" about it nearly 19 years later. 1/x

Dudes rock

Nancy BY Ernie Bushmiller September 20,1955

Two babies have died of Whooping cough in Louisiana, a vaccine preventable disease. All pregnant patients and their families should be vaccinated to protect the newborn. This is Louisiana's worst Whooping cough (pertussis) outbreak in 30 years. buff.ly/pez25q3 #medsky #pedsky🛟😷

This piece from @joshtpm.bsky.social is really good, has some great points about how all of us in opposition should think about respond to the Kimmel suspension:

“Fascist” and “Nazi” are the correct terms to use, because the fascists and nazis object to them. “Authoritarian“ is wrong because it’s too polite. It’s a Cold War euphemism for right-wing dictators that should have never come into general use.

Since many of us are cancelling streaming services, now might also be a good time to support writers and artists. Times are extremely tough for creatives, so why not buy a book, commission an art piece, sign up for a Patreon, tip your favorite creators. Everything helps.

I was reminiscing/lamenting to D a while ago about vinyl albums of yesteryear. I did a savage cull years ago; records not pristine enough to digitize went the way of all flesh (i.e. to Goodwill). That included my most-played albums. I filled the gap with digital copies but the loss was real. 1/2

Walz: This is North Korea style stuff. And it's being done because this is a weak, thin skinned man who's failing as a president. All of the things he promised are not happening. It's a it's our most cherished freedom to point out very clearly, this is a terrible president

I hope some newspapers use a crop where you can easily read the sign.

Disney are going to end up looking *really* stupid for overreacting.

A disorienting moment: Trump is consolidating autocratic power in areas where there's an easy path to do so. But in other areas he's facing deep institutional resistance and people are refusing to abandon the rule of law. Here he's weak and failing. Thoughts on that: newrepublic.com/article/2006...

Where the separate divisions of ANTIFA landed on the beaches of Normandy on June 6, 1944:

The findings “suggest that medical AI tools powered by LLMs have a tendency to not reflect the severity of symptoms among female patients, while also displaying less ‘empathy’ towards Black and Asian ones.”

This is something that I’m helping to run this fall: the Green Mountain Book Festival! This year’s headliner is @scalzi.com, and it will take place in Burlington VT on October 18th.

Today, September 19th is the birthday of the late, great Tanith Lee. Called both the Princess Royal of Heroic Fantasy and the Mistress of the Dark, she gave us tales of the weird, sword and sorcery, gothic, vampires, darkness, and desires. Happy Birthday, Tanith!

"Fascism is a temper tantrum disguised as an ideology" is a great line

"The proud spirit cannot endure to be mocked." —Thomas More

🖌️ ARTIST SPOTLIGHT🎨 Luis Melo ( @partyinthefront.bsky.social ) blew you away with his cover for NESS #7, and we're proud to say he'll be returning for intergalactic interior illustration duty on THE BARBARIAN AT DREAM'S END! See more & claim your copy here: www.backerkit.com/c/projects/b...

The ACLU has written a guide to basic protest OPSEC that addresses the very basic risk factors -- it's nowhere near fully comprehensive, but it's the absolute table stakes for responsible protest: aclu-wa.org/story/Protes...

The fragments of the Forma Urbis – the marble map of Rome made towards the end of Emperor Severus’ reign – set into Nolli’s beautiful 18th century map of the city is breathtaking. Fun to spot existing monuments but wondrous to see the now missing buildings. www.sovraintendenzaroma.it/content/il-m...

Luckily, Sinclair has a helpful database of all their stations, so you can see if they're operating in your area and respond accordingly. sbgi.net/tv-stations/

Inside you are two wolves

What can AI do for aging Americans? Fuck off, I should think.

Pope Leo XIV said a proposal to create an AI-version of him so people could have a virtual audience with the pope pretty much horrified him.

A perfect cartoon for the political moment, by Michael de Adder.

These are precedented times and the precedent is a loud ass warning www.nytimes.com/1939/02/04/a...

Just now, 11 state and city lawmakers were arrested by DHS police on the 10th floor of 26 Federal Plaza after a hour of demanding access to the ICE lock up on the same floor. @thecity.nyc

Hello #BookSky Tomorrow is now today!!! Can't make it into Boston? Good news, because we're broadcasting it on that series of tubes known as The Internet. Register for our crowdcast below!

I don't even like Jimmy Kimmel, guys. I don't think his show is very good. But I still voted with my wallet when Disney caved to fascism. We either stand together or kneel alone.

Finishing off this story today in my medieval legends class (a.k.a. "Wizards, Warriors, and Witches"). I like all the myths I teach but this is a story I'm always reluctant to say goodbye to, Conan. 1/2

NEW: ChatGPT is causing chaos in marriages, as one spouse becomes deeply fixated on AI therapy/advice/spiritual wisdom — alienating the other spouse and, often, resulting in divorce. In some cases, ChatGPT-enmeshed spouses are using the tech to bully their partners. futurism.com/chatgpt-marr...

Unhoused people told us they already feel like they’re seen as problems to be solved, not people to be helped. In reporting on the issue, we wanted to help ProPublica’s readers recognize the humanity of the people we had met and talked to. (Published Dec. 2024) By @nicolesantacruz.bsky.social

The Third Reich didn't last 1,000 years. Pinochet was ousted with a referendum. And the US isn't exactly dealing with the smartest, most competent fascists. Those of you insisting that 2025 is forever need to read a book, touch grass, go to therapy, anything other than trying to make others quit.

I cancelled my Disney+ bundle. I was going to tell them why, but the little radio-button survey at the end of process didn't have an option for "because network managers are quislings who support fascism".

Remembering how Jon Stewart spent all of last year telling me that he’d grown more nuanced and wise after his retirement and that Trump v Dems wasn’t as black and white as people claimed. What a ridiculous fuckwad he turned out to be.

"Upon conclusion of the walk, you shall receive an honorarium of one peanut-butter bone, on account of you being the smartest, sweetest, most perfect boy in the whole wide world."

I'm sorry, worldwide, irrevocable, non-exclusive, transferable permission to my voice and likeness? For what now? In any manner for any purpose??? This is in academia/.edu's new ToS, which you're prompted to agree to on login. Anyway I'll be jumping ship. You can find my stuff at hcommons.org.

None of the most prominent people talking about universities have any real idea what does and doesn’t happen in classrooms.

Some killings you're allowed to joke about.

Dog and sorcery: Dr. Reuben Sandwich (PhD, JD, DOG) poses with some recent and not-recent fantasy, Conan.

In the immediate aftermath of Charlie Kirk's killing, Donald Trump's advisors were sure who was to blame. Whether they actually were didn't, and doesn't, much seem to matter. www.wired.com/story/inside...

"We want to change the perception of journalists away from the elitist East Coast Democrat of yesteryear to the rabid logical fallacy machine of tomorrow. And at the Times, that dream isn’t too far in the future."