Leaving this here for no particular reason blockclubchicago.org/2025/11/19/f...

The Mayor has budgeted $5 million for a ShotSpotter replacement for CPD. You really could not have a clearer illustration of the choices between community resources vs state surveillance, and so far, as usual, the choice is state surveillance.

Some rare good news: Journalists at the PEN Guild won their arbitration case against Politico, which deployed two separate faulty AI products (a "report builder" and a headline and summary generator on the homepage) without their knowledge or input. That violated their contract, the arbiter found.

Mother Mary wearing a respirator to protect herself from tear gas. Baby Jesus with zip-tied hands. Masked centurions with green vests labeled “ICE.” This is how the Lake Street Church of Evanston chose to assemble its outdoor Nativity scene for Christmas.

One of us. One of us. futurism.com/future-socie...

this would be funny how dumb chatbots are if it weren't so horrifying

"All is lost" narratives are popular because people generally do not want to take action. Taking action is tiring so if all is lost, you are off the hook. Nothing is more seductive than not having to do anything.

HBO was already fucked after the discovery merger but now they are ultra fucked

ICYMI, my latest video with @bcmerchant.bsky.social in which I discuss Israel, surveillance, the luddites, the AI jobs crisis, Dune's butlerian jihad, and resisting the big tech agenda. Also reference the work of @hypervisible.blacksky.app, @edwardongwesojr.com @notechforapartheid.bsky.social

True story, if you say “Butlerian Jihad Now” three times, I am summoned. Bonus: great interview of @bcmerchant.bsky.social

The top podcasts playlist on Spotify wrapped is truly cursed

Is this enshittification?

Yeah because they went to business school and that’s what business school is (I say this as a graduate of business school)

we live in the dumbest timeline

It's no secret that Silicon Valley has gone fully mask off in favor of fascism and oligarchy. The veneer of idealistic futurism has been replaced by a technological playground catered to the whims of the ultra-wealthy. Has technology gone too far down this path? Should we...destroy the machines?

Bout to settle in for the night with this new doozy by @storieswetell303.bsky.social 🧐 youtu.be/hJ1CQaRSt_Q?...

@moreperfectunion.bsky.social has a great video about this youtu.be/aByWLQ7h2n0

For my Chicago neighbors, here's the petition to sign to oppose the delivery robots: nosidewalkbots.org

Preview of the upcoming video essay titled "Should We Destroy The Machines?" Watch the full video essay on Patreon now www.patreon.com/posts/should...

Every year around this time, I ask folks to consider doing something in support of Native people. This year, please join me in supporting the Native Organizers Alliance as they build grassroots power, defend Native voting rights, and equip our people for collective struggle through skill-building.

Is Santa Real? Many users feel they're getting presents from him. Scientists say it's time to consider whether they're onto something.

Almost like allowing 1,600 fossil fuel lobbyists come to a climate summit was uhhhh… a bad idea

Potential thumb for the upcoming video. It’s over an hour long and boy am I ready to be done

Jesus fucking Christ

new: i read the 2026 cook county budget so you don't have to. spoiler: more money for police and prosecutors (plus a lot of other stuff).

I don't know about you but the way my brain works is by analyzing the contents of the entire internet to make an educated guess about what word I should use next.

“I’m a nazi, sure. But I’m a liberal nazi.” She could’ve stopped there

Moments ago: tenants of the South Shore apartment building that federal immigration agents raided at the end of September held a presser to announce they're forming a tenants union. They're demanding, among other things, sewage removal and heat and electricity restroration. More updates TK.

Trump filling out his NYC DSA membership card to vote on primarying Jeffries right now

Glad we have our priorities straight 😭

I have also been wanting to go on a utopia kick. The obvious pick here—and my all time favorite novel—is Le Guin’s The Dispossessed. But this thread has some other good recs: Ian Banks, Becky Chambers, Kim Stanley Robinson. Anything I’m missing?

The actual secret to why I know stuff is that I ask a question any time I don’t understand literally anything. I don’t care how simple it is. Anybody who makes fun of you for asking a simple question likely doesn’t know the answer either

Your daily reminder that gen AI is a fascist project 🙂

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Truth: “In CA, many of Gov. Gavin Newsom’s top political advisors are now working for Silicon Valley interests, which may explain why Newsom—positioning himself as a hero of the resistance—has little to say about tech’s role in MAGA fascism.” @gilduran.com www.thenerdreich.com/silicon-vall...

European political scientists are blue in the face from constantly pointing out that accommodating the far right does not help centre-left parties win, and contributes to the rise of far-right parties. There's a mountain of data to support that. But no, the galaxy-brained strategists must be right.

The AI bubble may be about to bust. Peter Thiel has sold all of his Nvidia stock. We all need to say this very clearly: NO BAILOUTS FOR THEFT-TECH! Expropriate their asses instead. They stole from all of us and fully plan to burn the planet. They owe us - not the other way around. 1/3

Boy these local/state cops sure are making ICE’s job easy!!!

Starbucks workers across the country are on strike today. The reason is simple: after promising to bargain in good faith, Starbucks has stalled, stonewalled, and refused to negotiate a fair contract with union baristas. inthesetimes.com/article/star...

This was so much fun!!

Soft weak men who can’t handle Chicago winter 🥱 chicago.suntimes.com/public-safet...

Their consultants have told all of them to sprinkle "FIGHT" into their sentences. lol

they aren't scared of their base because the base always comes back to them.

"ICE’s surveillance platforms operate... as engines of biometric aggregation, connecting student visa monitoring, GPS tracking, travel histories, and multi-database bulk search functions into a system capable of mapping entire populations." www.biometricupdate.com/202509/palan...

Starbucks workers are ON STRIKE! Now is the time to tell everyone in your life to STOP BUYING Starbucks. www.nocontractnocoffee.org?utm_source=s...

The coordinated nature of this—none are facing voters in 2026—means that either Schumer approved it or failed in his job as Senate Majority Leader to stop it. Dems voting "no" get zero credit until they demand a change in leadership. Schumer out as Leader, Durbin out as Whip.

New from me in @newrepublic.com: “Primary Every Democrat.” If the current crop cannot demonstrate they care more about democracy than enjoying three-day weekends, we should flood the zone and challenge them all.

just saying: it's possible that "I'm gonna say i'm standing up for healthcare and feeding the poor, ride a wave of furious mass mobilization to huge election wins, then cave for zero concessions and go on vacation" is the beginning of a world-historical masterstroke. but also possible that it isn't,

IL residents - contact @durbin.senate.gov and tell him NOT TO CAVE www.durbin.senate.gov/contact/email

you can see why fascism is so popular when the other option is The Loser Party That Loves Losing