Evan Urquhart
@evanurquhart.bsky.social
The personal account of Evan Urquhart of Assigned Media (assignedmedia.org), your trans news source.
I'd still rather be playing pinball.
I'd still rather be playing pinball.
Pinned
Evan Urquhart
@evanurquhart.bsky.social
· Dec 30
I just keep touching the stove to check if it's still hot
Reposted by Evan Urquhart
The gender verification checks on young girls by authority figures will produce many abuse of power and personal sanctity. Scandals that shouldn't need to be endured in order for "cw" to kick in...but they're coming and the *only* positive is they will touch every family with school age girls.
November 30, 2025 at 3:34 PM
The gender verification checks on young girls by authority figures will produce many abuse of power and personal sanctity. Scandals that shouldn't need to be endured in order for "cw" to kick in...but they're coming and the *only* positive is they will touch every family with school age girls.
It's hard to get used to the pace of conventional wisdom. Everyone is upset and talking about likely war crimes by the US navy, something I was very upset and concerned about in September.
Bc most people didn't seem too upset then I (wrongly) concluded the CW had embraced war crimes.
Bc most people didn't seem too upset then I (wrongly) concluded the CW had embraced war crimes.
November 30, 2025 at 2:40 PM
It's hard to get used to the pace of conventional wisdom. Everyone is upset and talking about likely war crimes by the US navy, something I was very upset and concerned about in September.
Bc most people didn't seem too upset then I (wrongly) concluded the CW had embraced war crimes.
Bc most people didn't seem too upset then I (wrongly) concluded the CW had embraced war crimes.
Reposted by Evan Urquhart
Great way to describe standing in a deep hole I guess
No value, no villain, no vision. Sounds like the tagline for the earnings call of a collapsing appliance retailer
November 30, 2025 at 1:58 PM
Great way to describe standing in a deep hole I guess
Reposted by Evan Urquhart
Thing is, we DID hear about it at his confirmation hearing.
Every single senator who voted to confirm Hegseth knew he held these views about the laws of war.
They voted to confirm him anyway.
Every single senator who voted to confirm Hegseth knew he held these views about the laws of war.
They voted to confirm him anyway.
Everyone should read this terrifying thread about Hegseth’s published views wrt war crimes. It’s pretty fucking radical …. We needed to hear about this in his confirmation hearing.
A chapter in Hegseth’s book is literally titled “More Lethality, Less Lawyers.”
It’s almost as if there were signs!
It’s almost as if there were signs!
November 29, 2025 at 6:01 PM
Thing is, we DID hear about it at his confirmation hearing.
Every single senator who voted to confirm Hegseth knew he held these views about the laws of war.
They voted to confirm him anyway.
Every single senator who voted to confirm Hegseth knew he held these views about the laws of war.
They voted to confirm him anyway.
One reason I was skeptical of LLMs is that I've been scraping out a life as a writer for nearly 20 yrs.
Do you know how cheaply and quickly humans will produce words for you? Or how little you have to increase the compensation to get very high quality words indeed?
I do. ☠️
Do you know how cheaply and quickly humans will produce words for you? Or how little you have to increase the compensation to get very high quality words indeed?
I do. ☠️
“AI sceptics” who work on policy and education continue to overestimate the utility of LLMs—portraying it as a potential revolution even as they warn against overhype—simply because they can’t see that generating seemingly coherent text has very little economic value, all evidence to the contrary
November 30, 2025 at 11:53 AM
One reason I was skeptical of LLMs is that I've been scraping out a life as a writer for nearly 20 yrs.
Do you know how cheaply and quickly humans will produce words for you? Or how little you have to increase the compensation to get very high quality words indeed?
I do. ☠️
Do you know how cheaply and quickly humans will produce words for you? Or how little you have to increase the compensation to get very high quality words indeed?
I do. ☠️
Reposted by Evan Urquhart
“AI sceptics” who work on policy and education continue to overestimate the utility of LLMs—portraying it as a potential revolution even as they warn against overhype—simply because they can’t see that generating seemingly coherent text has very little economic value, all evidence to the contrary
November 30, 2025 at 10:20 AM
“AI sceptics” who work on policy and education continue to overestimate the utility of LLMs—portraying it as a potential revolution even as they warn against overhype—simply because they can’t see that generating seemingly coherent text has very little economic value, all evidence to the contrary
Reposted by Evan Urquhart
The highest calling of journalism isn’t to tell two sides of a story.
The highest calling of journalism is to tell the truth.
And acting like a stenographer is a betrayal of your audience.
The highest calling of journalism is to tell the truth.
And acting like a stenographer is a betrayal of your audience.
Unfortunately, in US journalism it is considered neutral to spread a lie, but it is considered "biased" to call out a lie. So, there is a structural asymmetry that rewards colorful lies with virality.
November 30, 2025 at 7:49 AM
The highest calling of journalism isn’t to tell two sides of a story.
The highest calling of journalism is to tell the truth.
And acting like a stenographer is a betrayal of your audience.
The highest calling of journalism is to tell the truth.
And acting like a stenographer is a betrayal of your audience.
Reposted by Evan Urquhart
"Never spread the lie in the headline" should be a hard rule of 21st century journalism.
Research shows that repeating lies helps to spread them, and people read headlines more than they read stories.
Research shows that repeating lies helps to spread them, and people read headlines more than they read stories.
News media has to do better with headlines that present false and unverified public health claims.
November 30, 2025 at 1:10 AM
"Never spread the lie in the headline" should be a hard rule of 21st century journalism.
Research shows that repeating lies helps to spread them, and people read headlines more than they read stories.
Research shows that repeating lies helps to spread them, and people read headlines more than they read stories.
Reposted by Evan Urquhart
Federal immigration enforcement officials called off a planned raid on Canal Street today shortly before it was slated to begin.
New Yorkers who heard about the raid showed up at the garage where the feds had gathered, and as federal agents tried to leave, the NYPD cleared the way for them.
New Yorkers who heard about the raid showed up at the garage where the feds had gathered, and as federal agents tried to leave, the NYPD cleared the way for them.
November 29, 2025 at 7:34 PM
Federal immigration enforcement officials called off a planned raid on Canal Street today shortly before it was slated to begin.
New Yorkers who heard about the raid showed up at the garage where the feds had gathered, and as federal agents tried to leave, the NYPD cleared the way for them.
New Yorkers who heard about the raid showed up at the garage where the feds had gathered, and as federal agents tried to leave, the NYPD cleared the way for them.
Reposted by Evan Urquhart
600 ICE agents were supposed to be deployed to Canal Street. Hundreds of New Yorkers gathered instead.
Quick summary by me:
Quick summary by me:
November 29, 2025 at 6:55 PM
600 ICE agents were supposed to be deployed to Canal Street. Hundreds of New Yorkers gathered instead.
Quick summary by me:
Quick summary by me:
Reposted by Evan Urquhart
A🧵
This is profoundly irresponsible by AGSulzberger’s NYT, @by-cjewett.bsky.social +eds.
The normalization, “view-from-nowhere”, “born-yesterday”, stenography, “both-sides”, irresponsible headline are disgraceful.
THE story is the CDC&FDA are being destroyed by antiscience & Americans will die.
1/n
This is profoundly irresponsible by AGSulzberger’s NYT, @by-cjewett.bsky.social +eds.
The normalization, “view-from-nowhere”, “born-yesterday”, stenography, “both-sides”, irresponsible headline are disgraceful.
THE story is the CDC&FDA are being destroyed by antiscience & Americans will die.
1/n
November 29, 2025 at 5:40 PM
A🧵
This is profoundly irresponsible by AGSulzberger’s NYT, @by-cjewett.bsky.social +eds.
The normalization, “view-from-nowhere”, “born-yesterday”, stenography, “both-sides”, irresponsible headline are disgraceful.
THE story is the CDC&FDA are being destroyed by antiscience & Americans will die.
1/n
This is profoundly irresponsible by AGSulzberger’s NYT, @by-cjewett.bsky.social +eds.
The normalization, “view-from-nowhere”, “born-yesterday”, stenography, “both-sides”, irresponsible headline are disgraceful.
THE story is the CDC&FDA are being destroyed by antiscience & Americans will die.
1/n
Reposted by Evan Urquhart
@assignedmedia.org is another doing absolutely crucial work thanks to @evanurquhart.bsky.social and all those that contribute. Make sure you’re supporting them and in doing so, you are making a difference for folks who have been marginalized by our current media ecosystem for too long. No more.
Assigned
Founded by Evan Urquhart, Assigned Media is a news site dedicated to daily coverage of anti-trans propaganda and its effects.
www.assignedmedia.org
November 29, 2025 at 3:48 PM
@assignedmedia.org is another doing absolutely crucial work thanks to @evanurquhart.bsky.social and all those that contribute. Make sure you’re supporting them and in doing so, you are making a difference for folks who have been marginalized by our current media ecosystem for too long. No more.
Reposted by Evan Urquhart
This is sickeningly disgusting. The old media is dying while the new works its way into greater life. Subscribe and donate to publications doing the necessary work right now instead of running interference for fascists and dipshits. First off, @liberalcurrents.com, which is currently fundraising.
November 28, 2025 at 7:17 PM
This is sickeningly disgusting. The old media is dying while the new works its way into greater life. Subscribe and donate to publications doing the necessary work right now instead of running interference for fascists and dipshits. First off, @liberalcurrents.com, which is currently fundraising.
Reposted by Evan Urquhart
Fuel for my long held view that executives provide very little value and should be compensated around the middle of their org pay scale
A study by Dayforce shows 87% of executives use AI for work, compared to 57% of managers and just 27% of employees.
I think this explains the massive disconnect we see in how CEOs talk about AI versus everyone else. It also raises the question of how useful it truly is for frontline work?
I think this explains the massive disconnect we see in how CEOs talk about AI versus everyone else. It also raises the question of how useful it truly is for frontline work?
Execs are embracing AI more than their employees are, new research suggests
Research from HR software company Dayforce suggests that executives are leaning into AI far more than their employees.
www.businessinsider.com
November 29, 2025 at 3:52 PM
Fuel for my long held view that executives provide very little value and should be compensated around the middle of their org pay scale
Reposted by Evan Urquhart
The LGB Alliance are dangerous frauds.
Jenny Watson is being crucified by them for telling the truth.
Jenny Watson is being crucified by them for telling the truth.
I hadn’t realised but there’s a bit of a TERFy spat going on over at the other place.
Seems Jenny Watson has reported LGB Alliance to the Charity Commission over ‘safeguarding’ issues. And Linehan has waded in on her side.
Some of the TERFs are not happy! 😁
Seems Jenny Watson has reported LGB Alliance to the Charity Commission over ‘safeguarding’ issues. And Linehan has waded in on her side.
Some of the TERFs are not happy! 😁
November 29, 2025 at 2:55 PM
The LGB Alliance are dangerous frauds.
Jenny Watson is being crucified by them for telling the truth.
Jenny Watson is being crucified by them for telling the truth.
Reposted by Evan Urquhart
I didn’t want to overreact, and took time to read this. Having done so, I’m adding Northwestern to the list of places I won’t visit or speak. The concessions re: international students and gender-affirming care are not merely symbolic.
Here’s the text of the Northwestern settlement with the DoJ, which includes a $75 million financial component / payoff (cc @profmarkovic.bsky.social):
November 29, 2025 at 5:10 AM
I didn’t want to overreact, and took time to read this. Having done so, I’m adding Northwestern to the list of places I won’t visit or speak. The concessions re: international students and gender-affirming care are not merely symbolic.
Reposted by Evan Urquhart
The legal, media, and academic institutions capitulating to an authoritarian ordering payments for favorable treatment are damning themselves to irrelevance. They are destroying their institutions. They will be — and should be — shunned for failing in their most basic purposes for existing.
BREAKING: Northwestern University has agreed to pay the U.S. Treasury $75 million, over the course of three years as part of an agreement with the federal government to restore funding and end investigations into the university
Full statement from NU below:
Full statement from NU below:
November 29, 2025 at 1:37 AM
The legal, media, and academic institutions capitulating to an authoritarian ordering payments for favorable treatment are damning themselves to irrelevance. They are destroying their institutions. They will be — and should be — shunned for failing in their most basic purposes for existing.
Reposted by Evan Urquhart
Whoa.
Indiana Senate Republican Greg Walker “said he would have reported the alleged violation to federal authorities “if I thought that there was anyone of integrity in Washington that would follow through on my accusation ..”
@adamwren.bsky.social #redistrict
dailyjournal.net/2025/11/26/s...
@adamwren.bsky.social #redistrict
dailyjournal.net/2025/11/26/s...
November 29, 2025 at 12:33 PM
Whoa.
Reposted by Evan Urquhart
Don't worry, if you go to Northwestern, you can "choose to identify" as trans, you just can't live or use the bathroom there
"The agreement places no restrictions on our transgender community."
Except whether they can play sports, where they can use the bathroom or locker room, what kind of housing they can live in, and what healthcare they can receive.
Except whether they can play sports, where they can use the bathroom or locker room, what kind of housing they can live in, and what healthcare they can receive.
November 29, 2025 at 7:43 AM
Don't worry, if you go to Northwestern, you can "choose to identify" as trans, you just can't live or use the bathroom there
Reposted by Evan Urquhart
I keep thinking about the fact that "nearly one-third of the adult working age population [in the US] has a criminal record."
With numbers like that, this isn't a problem of individuals. This comes down to what our society calls "crime."
www.brennancenter.org/our-work/ana...
With numbers like that, this isn't a problem of individuals. This comes down to what our society calls "crime."
www.brennancenter.org/our-work/ana...
Just Facts: As Many Americans Have Criminal Records as College Diplomas
With as many criminal convictions as college degrees, it's more evident than ever why "ban the box" laws are important for the economy.
www.brennancenter.org
November 29, 2025 at 4:10 AM
I keep thinking about the fact that "nearly one-third of the adult working age population [in the US] has a criminal record."
With numbers like that, this isn't a problem of individuals. This comes down to what our society calls "crime."
www.brennancenter.org/our-work/ana...
With numbers like that, this isn't a problem of individuals. This comes down to what our society calls "crime."
www.brennancenter.org/our-work/ana...
Reposted by Evan Urquhart
the fact that dealing with rampant lying and its much worse downstream consequences involves cultivating values rather than just imposing formal frameworks or rules (legal or otherwise) is a tough pill to swallow for some. but it is indeed medicine
Pointing out that something is incorrect definitely isn't sufficient - the *culture* of "it is bad to make incorrect statements, good to promptly and clearly retract and apologize for them, and disqualifying to keep making them deliberately" is the framework needed for fact-checking to plug into.
November 28, 2025 at 3:40 PM
the fact that dealing with rampant lying and its much worse downstream consequences involves cultivating values rather than just imposing formal frameworks or rules (legal or otherwise) is a tough pill to swallow for some. but it is indeed medicine
Reposted by Evan Urquhart
Margaret Sullivan discusses the abysmal ethics of NYT's Epstein coverage, including the paper's radio silence following disclosure of the fact that its lead Epstein correspondent was seeking money from Epstein. The corruption goes far in explaining NYT's editorially deranged Epstein coverage.
Three lessons in unethical media behavior
Plus: Some moments that made me proud to be a journalist
open.substack.com
November 26, 2025 at 2:14 PM
Margaret Sullivan discusses the abysmal ethics of NYT's Epstein coverage, including the paper's radio silence following disclosure of the fact that its lead Epstein correspondent was seeking money from Epstein. The corruption goes far in explaining NYT's editorially deranged Epstein coverage.
Reposted by Evan Urquhart
there but for a bunch of fucking cowards go we
The same thing would have happened here, you know, had we actually locked the guy up like he deserves.
‘Foam that’s washed away’: support dissolves as Bolsonaro starts 27-year jail term | Jair Bolsonaro | The Guardian www.theguardian.com/world/2025/n...
‘Foam that’s washed away’: support dissolves as Bolsonaro starts 27-year jail term | Jair Bolsonaro | The Guardian www.theguardian.com/world/2025/n...
‘Foam that’s washed away’: support dissolves as Bolsonaro starts 27-year jail term
Brazil shows little sign of feared rightwing rebellion, with only a few die-hards protesting outside prison
www.theguardian.com
November 28, 2025 at 11:32 PM
there but for a bunch of fucking cowards go we
Reposted by Evan Urquhart
Jenny Watson spilling it on X
November 28, 2025 at 8:59 PM
Jenny Watson spilling it on X
This is entirely true. I will add I'm less pessimistic/alarmist than many people - I think the worst effects are temporary.
We're used to being surrounded by trustworthy photo and video, but that's so new. In the past people developed networks of trust and/or lived with uncertainty. We will adapt.
We're used to being surrounded by trustworthy photo and video, but that's so new. In the past people developed networks of trust and/or lived with uncertainty. We will adapt.
one insidious thing about gen AI is it's not just causing us to mistrust dodgy images, it's also making us mistrust images that look perfectly normal. this is gaslighting in a very literal sense bc the technology is undermining the trust we have in our own ability to perceive reality!
November 28, 2025 at 9:05 PM
This is entirely true. I will add I'm less pessimistic/alarmist than many people - I think the worst effects are temporary.
We're used to being surrounded by trustworthy photo and video, but that's so new. In the past people developed networks of trust and/or lived with uncertainty. We will adapt.
We're used to being surrounded by trustworthy photo and video, but that's so new. In the past people developed networks of trust and/or lived with uncertainty. We will adapt.