Erik McDonald
@erikmcdonald.bsky.social
Russian teacher in Minneapolis
xixvek.wordpress.com
xixvek.wordpress.com
Ironically I'm really getting into one of the recent translations of Crime and Punishment
Erik McDonald
Instead of a few more excellent but redundant versions of Dead Souls or Crime and Punishment, why couldn’t the same people give us the first translations of Pisemsky’s Troubled Seas, Khvoshchinskaya’s...
www.full-stop.net
November 21, 2025 at 6:25 PM
Ironically I'm really getting into one of the recent translations of Crime and Punishment
Reposted by Erik McDonald
Finally finished my blog post on the Minneapolis Mayoral Election and demographics. I posted it to an old medium account that I forgot I had. Let me know what you think. Here's what I found 🧵 medium.com/@damia025/pr...
November 20, 2025 at 8:52 PM
Finally finished my blog post on the Minneapolis Mayoral Election and demographics. I posted it to an old medium account that I forgot I had. Let me know what you think. Here's what I found 🧵 medium.com/@damia025/pr...
Reposted by Erik McDonald
If you look at our electorate in off-cycle years, we don't have a normal distribution. Instead of most voters clustering in the middle, our two biggest blocks are at the ends of our distribution. Neither end of the distribution has a majority on its own. Read the alt-text about building a majority.
November 9, 2025 at 6:25 AM
If you look at our electorate in off-cycle years, we don't have a normal distribution. Instead of most voters clustering in the middle, our two biggest blocks are at the ends of our distribution. Neither end of the distribution has a majority on its own. Read the alt-text about building a majority.
Listening to this and feeling good I kept my 5D chess thoughts about downballot ranked choice to myself
Secrets of Minneapolis Ranked Choice Voting (w/ Todd Schuman & Josh Martin)
YouTube video by Wedge LIVE!
youtu.be
November 4, 2025 at 11:22 PM
Listening to this and feeling good I kept my 5D chess thoughts about downballot ranked choice to myself
Reposted by Erik McDonald
here is steve minn telling jewish insider in may that he voted for donald trump three times. his company lupe gave $30k to safer hennepin. he also maxed out to jacob frey, shelley madore, michael rainville, josh bassais, tim peterson, and paula chesley this year
November 1, 2025 at 5:46 PM
here is steve minn telling jewish insider in may that he voted for donald trump three times. his company lupe gave $30k to safer hennepin. he also maxed out to jacob frey, shelley madore, michael rainville, josh bassais, tim peterson, and paula chesley this year
I like the rhyme mon chéri/стой мужик
ПЕРЕУЧЕТ — 2010-е кончились (артефакт 9)
YouTube video by ПЕРЕУЧЕТ
youtu.be
October 30, 2025 at 9:30 PM
I like the rhyme mon chéri/стой мужик
Reposted by Erik McDonald
Bulldozing encampments is as expensive as it is ineffective. 90% of people who are living in encampments are already on waiting lists for housing. Mayor Frey's approach is to make our unhoused neighbors invisible. That’s not a solution, that’s playing politics with people's lives.
October 29, 2025 at 9:20 PM
Bulldozing encampments is as expensive as it is ineffective. 90% of people who are living in encampments are already on waiting lists for housing. Mayor Frey's approach is to make our unhoused neighbors invisible. That’s not a solution, that’s playing politics with people's lives.
Reposted by Erik McDonald
I endorse Omar Fateh because I've been impressed with the drive & energy he brings to the campaign &, more importantly, to fighting for & with working people as a public official. At this moment we need leaders aligned with regular folks not wealthy interests, and Sen. Fateh is that kind of leader.
October 25, 2025 at 2:51 PM
I endorse Omar Fateh because I've been impressed with the drive & energy he brings to the campaign &, more importantly, to fighting for & with working people as a public official. At this moment we need leaders aligned with regular folks not wealthy interests, and Sen. Fateh is that kind of leader.
Reposted by Erik McDonald
I endorse DeWayne Davis bc I've been impressed w/ how he is bringing people together in his campaign & his mix of political experience & dedication to serving people in our community. He's shown a high level of integrity in how he’s navigated challenges in Mpls, & that's especially important now.
October 25, 2025 at 2:51 PM
I endorse DeWayne Davis bc I've been impressed w/ how he is bringing people together in his campaign & his mix of political experience & dedication to serving people in our community. He's shown a high level of integrity in how he’s navigated challenges in Mpls, & that's especially important now.
Reposted by Erik McDonald
James Sullivan Obit (2024-25) #pouroneout
Did anyone screenshot James Sullivan's obit before it got removed?
October 25, 2025 at 1:50 AM
James Sullivan Obit (2024-25) #pouroneout
It makes sense, but I never realized that хорошей поездки isn't just "have a good trip," but also "have a good ride" (on a horse, for fun)
October 25, 2025 at 12:35 AM
It makes sense, but I never realized that хорошей поездки isn't just "have a good trip," but also "have a good ride" (on a horse, for fun)
Reposted by Erik McDonald
Not very reassuring words from a man who runs a publication founded in order to provide a watchdog role against corrupt government and speak truth to power. Trusting Trump to “figure it out” is the height of cowardice + a total abdication of duty as a journalist. Honestly horrifying.
October 24, 2025 at 2:41 AM
Not very reassuring words from a man who runs a publication founded in order to provide a watchdog role against corrupt government and speak truth to power. Trusting Trump to “figure it out” is the height of cowardice + a total abdication of duty as a journalist. Honestly horrifying.
Reposted by Erik McDonald
Because the mayor forgot to mention it, I’ll remind folks that he vetoed the budget for the Dinkytown lights—champion led by @robin4mpls.bsky.social— because they were a “pet project.”
In just a month, Minneapolis has:
✅ Added safety lights in Dinkytown
✅ Opened hundreds of affordable homes
✅ Fought for stronger gun laws
✅ Installed a 3rd Narcan vending machine
✅ Brought thousands downtown
✅ Ranked #1 for women’s sports
And there’s more good stuff on the way.
✅ Added safety lights in Dinkytown
✅ Opened hundreds of affordable homes
✅ Fought for stronger gun laws
✅ Installed a 3rd Narcan vending machine
✅ Brought thousands downtown
✅ Ranked #1 for women’s sports
And there’s more good stuff on the way.
October 21, 2025 at 4:21 PM
Because the mayor forgot to mention it, I’ll remind folks that he vetoed the budget for the Dinkytown lights—champion led by @robin4mpls.bsky.social— because they were a “pet project.”
Reposted by Erik McDonald
I'm currently purchasing some Hegel translations that are only possible because there are English-language academics who are trained German studies with an understanding of the needs of an anglophone audience
If German departments stop training new PhDs, we will stop getting new translations
If German departments stop training new PhDs, we will stop getting new translations
Wow. Harvard nuking its PhD programs
- Science PhD admissions reduced by more than 75%
- Arts & Humanities reduced by about 60%
- Social Sciences by 50–70%
- History by 60%
- Biology by 75%
- The German department will lose all PhD seats
- Sociology from six PhD students to zero
- Science PhD admissions reduced by more than 75%
- Arts & Humanities reduced by about 60%
- Social Sciences by 50–70%
- History by 60%
- Biology by 75%
- The German department will lose all PhD seats
- Sociology from six PhD students to zero
Harvard FAS Cuts Ph.D. Seats By More Than Half Across Next Two Admissions Cycles | News | The Harvard Crimson
The Faculty of Arts and Sciences slashed the number of Ph.D. student admissions slots for the Science division by more than 75 percent and for the Arts & Humanities division by about 60 percent for th...
www.thecrimson.com
October 21, 2025 at 6:05 PM
I'm currently purchasing some Hegel translations that are only possible because there are English-language academics who are trained German studies with an understanding of the needs of an anglophone audience
If German departments stop training new PhDs, we will stop getting new translations
If German departments stop training new PhDs, we will stop getting new translations
This thread makes the Star Tribune front page look even worse. At least the note sending us to below the fold in the B Section wasn't behind the Bonfe ad.
October 19, 2025 at 3:03 PM
This thread makes the Star Tribune front page look even worse. At least the note sending us to below the fold in the B Section wasn't behind the Bonfe ad.
Buses running slow and lots of people at the stop, have to think that's a good sign for No Kings Mpls!
October 18, 2025 at 5:45 PM
Buses running slow and lots of people at the stop, have to think that's a good sign for No Kings Mpls!
Reposted by Erik McDonald
This is why I would trade Frey for a different moderate (like Jazz) in a heartbeat.
At the Ward 8 for a New Mayor rally last Saturday, Commissioner Angela Conley said the county's been trying to work with the mayor on homelessness for seven years and he's shut them out.
frey is talking about working with county partners extensively…
October 16, 2025 at 3:02 AM
This is why I would trade Frey for a different moderate (like Jazz) in a heartbeat.
Reposted by Erik McDonald
If I’m reading Kyle right, Frey admits failing to issue 100 housing vouchers *that are funded this year because he wants to kill the program next year.* (This is not Stable Schools, but for single folks.) This is unallotment Trump-style, especially since county/MPHA are in.
October 14, 2025 at 9:33 PM
If I’m reading Kyle right, Frey admits failing to issue 100 housing vouchers *that are funded this year because he wants to kill the program next year.* (This is not Stable Schools, but for single folks.) This is unallotment Trump-style, especially since county/MPHA are in.
Reposted by Erik McDonald
relaxed saturday evening reading through "women designers of book plates (1902)" and flipped past a couple of beautiful professional designs only to see this perfect plate by a young Miss Page
October 11, 2025 at 9:35 PM
relaxed saturday evening reading through "women designers of book plates (1902)" and flipped past a couple of beautiful professional designs only to see this perfect plate by a young Miss Page
We should both hire people who care about the lives and comfort of those who are at their mercy while detained, and make it so people who callously ignore medical emergencies never work in these fields again.
Kingsley Bimpong was jailed instead of hospitalized; video shows guards ignored his suffering for hours.
KARE 11 Investigates: Postal worker died after police mistook stroke for drug impairment
Kingsley Bimpong was jailed instead of hospitalized; video shows guards ignored his suffering for hours.
www.kare11.com
October 9, 2025 at 8:43 PM
We should both hire people who care about the lives and comfort of those who are at their mercy while detained, and make it so people who callously ignore medical emergencies never work in these fields again.
Reposted by Erik McDonald
“where’s the whale? did he get the whale yet?”
October 7, 2025 at 3:52 AM
“where’s the whale? did he get the whale yet?”
Reposted by Erik McDonald
There was a massive difference in the life of the average German between 1925, 1930 and 1935. That difference was not because the Nazi Party became more fascist over that period, but because a fascist movement was gained control over more state functions.
If we were living under fascism, none of you would be here daring to post things. You'd be erasing your social media accounts and keeping your head down; you'd know that peacocking your faux-bravery on a network would expose you to being disappeared.
You have no idea what "fascism" really means.
You have no idea what "fascism" really means.
the regime is zip tying toddlers and ripping them away from their mothers unclothed... calling it fascism upsets this neo-con.
October 5, 2025 at 6:37 PM
There was a massive difference in the life of the average German between 1925, 1930 and 1935. That difference was not because the Nazi Party became more fascist over that period, but because a fascist movement was gained control over more state functions.
"Sad marble angels brood like hens
over the grassy nests where nothing hatches.
(The angels could just as well be described as *vulgar*
or *pitiless*, depending on camera angle.)"
over the grassy nests where nothing hatches.
(The angels could just as well be described as *vulgar*
or *pitiless*, depending on camera angle.)"
I tend to think every nerdy trans woman should read Margaret Atwood's The Loneliness of the Military Historian and sit with it for a moment no matter what it is exactly she's nerdy about, but that goes double for you www.poetryfoundation.org/poems/47788/...
The Loneliness of the Military Historian
This is why few people ask me to dinner, though Lord knows I don’t go out of my way to be scary. If I roll my eyes and mutter, if I clutch at my heart and scream in horror like a third-rate actress ch...
www.poetryfoundation.org
October 2, 2025 at 6:16 PM
"Sad marble angels brood like hens
over the grassy nests where nothing hatches.
(The angels could just as well be described as *vulgar*
or *pitiless*, depending on camera angle.)"
over the grassy nests where nothing hatches.
(The angels could just as well be described as *vulgar*
or *pitiless*, depending on camera angle.)"
Not sure why it came up when I was searching for an 18c novel, but it's amazing that the Five Find-Outers and Dog series has been translated into Russian
October 2, 2025 at 6:12 AM
Not sure why it came up when I was searching for an 18c novel, but it's amazing that the Five Find-Outers and Dog series has been translated into Russian
“‘I got so much done. I got so much policy passed, I got really good budgets passed. I embedded some key racial equity things that it took a long time for Jacob to undo,’ [Betsy Hodges] says today, reflecting on her term.”
'Call It the Clown Car': An Oral History of Minneapolis's 35-Candidate 2013 Mayoral Election - Racket
Thirty-five candidates. Three dozen debates. Two unrelated pirate-centric elements. The first real test of ranked-choiced voting and, finally, a new mayor.
racketmn.com
September 28, 2025 at 10:53 PM
“‘I got so much done. I got so much policy passed, I got really good budgets passed. I embedded some key racial equity things that it took a long time for Jacob to undo,’ [Betsy Hodges] says today, reflecting on her term.”