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Ben Applegate

@benapplegate.com

2K followers 1K following 3.3K posts

Director of publishing, editor, translator. Manga, democracy, civil rights, foster kittens, sci-fi, beer. Another world is possible. IDIC 🖖 He/him. Portfolio etc.: benapplegate.com

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Ben Applegate @benapplegate.com · 22h

Join me this Friday at North Bergen Township Hall to demand the mayor rescind his endorsement of self-proclaimed "100% MAGA" Jack Ciattarelli.

Fri 10/17, 11 am, tell Mayor Sacco DON'T BACK MAGA JACK.

actionnetwork.org/events/tell-...
#njpolitics #iceout #antifacscism

Tell Mayor Sacco: Don't Back MAGA Jack!

This is an EMERGENCY ACTION calling on Mayor Nick Sacco to rescind his endorsement of "MAGA Jack" Ciattarelli for governor. New Jersey is one of the top ten states most affected by ICE terror, and Hu...

actionnetwork.org

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Ben Applegate @benapplegate.com · 58m

They're acting like this is brand new but it's all the same shit Foucault, Arendt, Baudrillard take your pick have warned us about for decades, Dave it's just

SO

TIRESOME

Ben Applegate @benapplegate.com · 3h

What if instead of relying on human beings who may have unexamined prejudices, we use a machine that DEFINITELY does

Hypervisible @hypervisible.blacksky.app · 4h

Facial expressions common to all humans! 🙃

PainChek is one of these behavioral models, and it acts like a camera‑based thermometer, but for pain: A care worker opens the app and holds a phone 30 centimeters from a person’s face. For three seconds, a neural network looks for nine particular microscopic movements—upper‑lip raise, brow pinch, cheek tension, and so on—that research has linked most strongly to pain. Then the screen flashes a score of 0 to 42. “There’s a catalogue of ‘action‑unit codes’—facial expressions common to all humans. Nine of those are associated with pain,” explains Kreshnik Hoti, a senior research scientist with PainChek and a co-inventor of the device. This system is built directly on the foundation of FACS. After the scan, the app walks the user through a yes‑or‑no checklist of other signs, like groaning, “guarding,” and sleep disruption, and stores the result on a cloud dashboard that can show trends.

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Ben Applegate @benapplegate.com · 3h

Beef fat?? So you're telling me Twinkies are healthy? (Per the standards of our current ridiculous health secretary?) 🙃

Ben Applegate @benapplegate.com · 3h

And if you're in North Jersey and need a warmup, join this protest against the North Bergen mayor's endorsement of MAGA Jack: actionnetwork.org/events/tell-...

This Friday, October 17th! Tell Mayor Sacco: Don't back MAGA Jack! North Bergen Mayor Nick Sacco has endorsed 100% MAGA Republican Jack Ciaterrelli. Show up and say no to ICE and MAGA Jack! Friday, October 17th at 11:00 a.m. North Bergen Town Hall

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Reposted by Ben Applegate

Action Together New Jersey @atnj.org · 3h

Your task today:
Find your #NOKINGS protest and RSVP.
If you cannot go in person Perth Amboy is hosting an online event: www.mobilize.us/nokings/even...

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Ben Applegate @benapplegate.com · 6h

Cc @atnj.org

Ben Applegate @benapplegate.com · 13h

Did SimCity (2013) have credits? Anyway I fired it up a lot during the time it was only borderline playable

Ben Applegate @benapplegate.com · 19h

Support Rep. McIver next week in her fight against illegal arrest for exercising her right to inspect Geo Group's shameful ICE prison!

#ICEOut #njpolitics

We stand with Rep McGiver. Join us in standing with her during pre-trial oral arguments. Tuesday, October 21st 11:15 a.m. 50 Walnut Street, Newark, New Jersey

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Ben Applegate @benapplegate.com · 22h

Tell Mayor Sacco: Don't Back MAGA Jack!

actionnetwork.org

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Reposted by Ben Applegate

Texting Landlord Goodnight @colin.mahns.net · 5d

It might be surprising to hear that Nick Sacco, a Democrat, endorsed Jack Ciattarelli for Governor of New Jersey, but he explained his case to Jack via a voicemail left on the campaign line. Google "nick sacco voicemail" to find out what he said

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Ben Applegate @benapplegate.com · 1d

Jeez

Reposted by Ben Applegate

Anime Herald @animeherald.com · 4d

Samantha sent me some incredible news - we've reached 200 preorders for Anime Herald Magazine #1! 💖 Thank you so much.

Help support indie anime journalism by ordering your copy today

Digital copy ($15.75 USD): hera.fyi/buyahmag1dig 💻
Physical copy ($17.95 USD): hera.fyi/buyahmag1 📔

Cover art for Anime Herald Magazine, which features a tag that reads "Anime Herald Magazine - we speak otaku. No #001 Fall 2025, launch issue"

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Ben Applegate @benapplegate.com · 2d

Thanks for sharing the results of your important research (& happy birthday!)

Reposted by Ben Applegate

Pema Levy @pemalevy.bsky.social · 4d

Thanks to @onthemedia.bsky.social for a great conversation about how the Supreme Court is facilitating a “dual state” form of authoritarianism!

On the Media @onthemedia.bsky.social · 4d

📻On this week’s show: @gregsargent.bsky.social on Stephen Miller’s plan to “sleepwalk” America into authoritarianism; @pemalevy.bsky.social on the highest court citing the "dual state;" & @jakelahut.writes.news on the rise of the Ellisons' tech-media dynasty. https://lnk.to/onthemedia/bluesky

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Ben Applegate @benapplegate.com · 3d

Oops

Kaihatsu @kaihat.su · 3d

Even without looking at gameplay it’s easy to tell what it’s going for.

Ginkgo leaves are everywhere. Not just on the cover but also in the logo and display props.

Ginkgo trees aren’t native to Hokkaido - colonists brought over much later than the game’s setting of 1603.

Ben Applegate @benapplegate.com · 3d

I<3antifapope

Bill Kristol @billkristolbulwark.bsky.social · 3d

Pope Leo quotes Hannah Arendt:

“The ideal subject of totalitarian rule is not the convinced Nazi or the convinced Communist, but people for whom the distinction between fact and fiction and the distinction between true and false no longer exist."

www.cbsnews.com/chicago/news...

Pope Leo calls for news agencies to stand as bulwark against "post-truths," lies and manipulation

Pope Leo XIV has encouraged international news agencies to stand firm as a bulwark against the "ancient art of lying" and manipulation.

www.cbsnews.com

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Reposted by Ben Applegate

Disco Elysium Quotes @discoelysiumbot.bsky.social · 3d

PAIN THRESHOLD - Dance till you drop. Dance till you die, if you must.

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Reposted by Ben Applegate

Indivisible ❌👑 @indivisible.org · 3d

“No, Speaker Johnson — the No Kings rally on October 18 is not a hate America rally. In fact, it’s quite the contrary: It’s a love America rally.” #NoKings

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Ben Applegate @benapplegate.com · 3d

Most of what comes out of the Trump admin is "vice signaling" to their audience of freaks and assholes.

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Ben Applegate @benapplegate.com · 3d

It's a well-known cultural signifier regardless of the facts. Consider the number of lazy briss jokes in American comedy.

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Ben Applegate @benapplegate.com · 3d

It's just antisemitism with a bit more imagination.

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Ben Applegate @benapplegate.com · 3d

Important note: The English version we just announced will be a *casewrap hardcover*, not a jacketed paperback like the Japanese.

blauereiter @halcyonrealms.bsky.social · May 16

A flip-through preview of Shirow Masamune’s new art book, his biggest one yet. Large format softcover, 304 pages. I’ll review it soon. Purchase links below -

士郎正宗の世界展公式原画集 SHIROW MASAMUNE ARTWORKS IN THE SHELL -
AMZ JAPAN - amzn.to/3E0jaCU
CDJAPAN - shorturl.at/3XdFg

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Ben Applegate @benapplegate.com · 4d

They've never heard of Nuremberg

Ben Applegate @benapplegate.com · 4d

This series reliably makes me cry.

He's so, so good at this.

Zohran Kwame Mamdani @zohrankmamdani.bsky.social · 4d

UNTIL IT’S DONE, Ep. 4: Sylvia Rivera

In the 1970s, queer New Yorkers had been pushed to the margins of NYC. Our trans neighbors faced immense cruelty. But in Sylvia Rivera, they found a champion.

As we combat Trump’s politics of darkness, her legacy can light the path forward.

Ben Applegate @benapplegate.com · 4d

Happy last day of Banned Book Week! It's fun and educational that we've picked one week out of the year to "ban" books as a reminder of harmful restrictions on free expression that we've thankfully left firmly in the past.

....what's that? WHAT?

......oh dear.

bannedbooksweek.org/let-freedom-...

Let Freedom Read Day | Banned Books Week

bannedbooksweek.org