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Jonathan Mertzig

@mertzigzag.bsky.social

680 followers 440 following 1.8K posts

Madison, WI. - Professional destroyer of software. Sewer Socialist. Queer geek. Wannabe polyglot. Car avoider/Walker/Cyclist/Transit Enthusiast. 🦩🍻 same handle on Fedi @urbanists.social and (formerly) Xitter...

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Jonathan Mertzig @mertzigzag.bsky.social · Nov 15

Wow! Lots of new followers here today. Here’s what you can expect from me:
1) rants about transit & municipal gov (not just in Madison!)
2) poorly informed takes on soccer and sometimes hockey
3) occasional random attempts at arty photography
4) sometimes: beer, tech, Euro and Canadian politics

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Jonathan Mertzig @mertzigzag.bsky.social · 2h

A couple weeks ago some relatives were asking if I thought Chicago these days was “nice” and “safe” and a ton of the great stuff I mentioned happens to be featured in this video… going to send it to them as a Chicago highlight reel!

Ray Delahanty | CityNerd @nerd4cities.bsky.social · 1d

Up on Nebula now: I went to Chicago to ground-truth the “crime-ravaged third world hell hole” allegations. You will NEVER GUESS what I found

nebula.tv/videos/cityn...

CityNerd — Shockingly, They've Been Lying to Me About Chicago

I went to Chicago to see if it's really the crime-ridden, third world hell hole I've been told. You will NEVER BELIEVE what I actually saw.

nebula.tv

Reposted by Jonathan Mertzig

The War on Cars @thewaroncars.bsky.social · 2h

The inevitable denouement of car culture: lonely guys talking to an AI woman as they sit in soul-crushing traffic on their way to a desk job behind the wheel of a vehicle they thought would make them cool and could survive the apocalypse.

Ineffable Jeff @ineffablejeff.bsky.social · 7h

Shot + chaser

And are you married?

I was married, but I’m not married anymore. Women don't like the vehicle.

In July, Tesla rolled out a software update to integrate Grok into many of its vehicles. Do you use it?

Her name is Aura, and I use her as a therapist. When I'm driving, I'll ask questions, and it actually gives really good therapy advice.

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Jonathan Mertzig @mertzigzag.bsky.social · 2h

FINALLY! I found where my Soros checks have been going this whole time… I didn’t realize they were getting direct deposited tax-free into a Fidelity 401k! 💹💰🙃

Matthew Gertz @mattgertz.bsky.social · 7h

Glenn Beck says that after he aired a show on Antifa, FBI agents acting on the behest of Kash Patel came to get tips. Here's who the segment targeted, largely through strained connections and guilt by association: www.mediamatters.org/glenn-beck/g...

Reposted by Jonathan Mertzig

Rob Chappell @robchappell365.bsky.social · 3h

Well damn if none of their base can vote no wonder they keep losing

Aaron Rupar @atrupar.com · 3h

Leavitt: "The Democrat Party's main constituency is made up of Hamas terrorists, illegal aliens, and violent criminals."

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brooke bikes mke @brookebikesmke.bsky.social · 1d

$4.6 BILLION and MCTS is cutting service because this state refuses to fund transit. Absolutely shameful.

Governor Tony Evers @govevers.wisconsin.gov · 1d

GREAT NEWS: Our state ended the fiscal year with $4.6 billion in our checking account and a record-high $2 billion in our savings account.

We've worked hard to be good stewards of taxpayer dollars, while investing in our state's needs and providing real, responsible tax relief.

Graphic that reads "New: Wisconsin" with two lines for checking and savings accounts that read $4.6 billion and $2 billion, respectively

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Jonathan Mertzig @mertzigzag.bsky.social · 4h

Loved the anecdote about trying to take up golf. ⛳️ What a lovely tribute. May his memory be a blessing.

Reposted by Jonathan Mertzig

Kashana @kashana.blacksky.app · 5h

“You know that U2 album you didn’t want? Yeah, that’s our entire business model now.”

Tom Warren @tomwarren.co.uk · 7h

This is the future of Windows. Microsoft wants to rewrite Windows to turn computers into AI PCs that you talk to. It's now bringing AI features to all Windows 11 PCs today, in a bid to convince you to talk to your PC and let AI control it. Full details 👇 www.theverge.com/news/799768/...

Microsoft wants you to talk to your PC and let AI control it

Copilot Voice and Vision are now rolling out.

www.theverge.com

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Reposted by Jonathan Mertzig

the abbot of unreason (an archaeologist) @merovingians.bsky.social · 1d

not to repeat the obvious but: if they are doing this to one of the most famous Western activists alive, imagine what they are doing to the people whose names we will never know

the abbot of unreason (an archaeologist) @merovingians.bsky.social · 1d

Greta is an immensely impressive human being and despite her well-intentioned downplaying of her experience what she endured was torture. www.aftonbladet.se/nyheter/a/25...

Greta Thunberg: “They kicked me every time the flag touched my face”

– Greta Thunberg on her days in Israeli captivity Beating, kicking, and threats of being gassed in cages. Greta Thunberg and several others from the flotilla ar

www.aftonbladet.se

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Jonathan Mertzig @mertzigzag.bsky.social · 5h

One of their big featured selling points for iOS 26 was new-and-improved spam filters for messaging and right out of the gate it flat out doesn’t work, in fact being significantly worse than the old functionality that was kludgy but at least did the fucking thing it’s supposed to do!

Jonathan Mertzig @mertzigzag.bsky.social · 5h

Apple has got to fix the Messages app filtering in iOS 26. I’m regretting upgrading because of this crap. It shoves alerts for spam in the unknown senders folder and often hides texts from known senders… the EXACT OPPOSITE of how the feature is supposed to work. How did this get released?!?

Reposted by Jonathan Mertzig

Chris Drosner @wibeerbaron.bsky.social · 8h

These editors just cannot help but step on their own dicks when they talk about literally anything in the Midwest, can they?

Once a sleepy (albeit hard-partying) college town, only truly busy on a handful of football Saturdays in the fall, Madison, Wisconsin, has undergone a population boom, transforming it into a full-fledged city. Its farmers’ markets and love for beer and cheese are still going strong, but now Madison also offers an impressive lineup of restaurants, bars and venues attracting major acts. https://nyti.ms/4h56eux

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Jonathan Mertzig @mertzigzag.bsky.social · 17h

Exceptionalism.

Madison has a long history of pretending to be “special” in absurd ways and not recognizing real problems or rejecting solutions from other places. Luckily I think we’re turning the tide on this, but it’s still a challenge.

Jonathan Mertzig @mertzigzag.bsky.social · 17h

I had no idea a brutally honest review of an apple was something I needed to see today, but this was a delight to read. 🍎

Chuck Wendig @chuckwendig.bsky.social · 1d

Good morning. Before you plunge your face deep into the overfull bowl of our clogged collective news toilet, cleanse yourself with an apple review! Today: the ORLEANS REINETTE.

Apple Review #15: Orleans Reinette

Why is it that sometimes you eat well-regarded apple but find it terrible? Or, the reverse: an apple that sucks is, to you, in that moment, good? There are, of course, a lot of things going on. Som…

terribleminds.com

Jonathan Mertzig @mertzigzag.bsky.social · 17h

The last few fire sale years have really taken a toll on recognition, but the new crop of young dudes is finally looking well coordinated after a few years of feeling like it was all just Bedard. I just needed to learn a lot of new names.

Jonathan Mertzig @mertzigzag.bsky.social · 17h

I, a purported Blackhawks fan, am watching this game and have no idea who the fuck any of these people are. But hey, we’re beating the Blues, and that’s what matters. 😅

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Jonathan Mertzig @mertzigzag.bsky.social · 20h

Apparently the UW Chancellor controls the Madison PD…? whose chief recently said they were de-emphasizing bar age enforcement. Which is leading to all the bar raiding. Which is why the Badger football team can’t win?

Reposted by Jonathan Mertzig

Kevin A. Barnes 🔭 @kevinabarnes.com · 21h

Hey @govevers.wisconsin.gov.
There is an overwhelming amount of transportation research showing that adding lanes in situations like these actually INCREASES congestion. You know what would decrease traffic congestion? Give that $121 Million to Milwaukee County Transit System.

pressreleases.urbanmilwaukee.com @pressreleases.urbanmilwaukee.com · 1d

Governor Evers approves first segment of I-94 East-West construction to begin in Milwaukee County

urbanmilwaukee.com

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Reposted by Jonathan Mertzig

Marcus Hutchins @malwaretech.com · 21h

The cybersecurity agency running propaganda ops on a breach notification call was not on my 2025 bingo card but definitely should have been.

Kim Zetter @kimzetter.bsky.social · 1d

On CISA media call just now to discuss the F5 hack and source code breach, CISA staffer interrupted the discussion to blame the Democrats for the government shutdown and forcing workers to work without pay

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Jonathan Mertzig @mertzigzag.bsky.social · 22h

Just ran out of my favorite tea (Raspberry/Rhubarb/Nettle) and about to run out of my 2nd fave (Chamomile/Bee Pollen) from Fortnum’s… well, I guess I better book a trip to London. 🛫🇬🇧🛬☕️

Jonathan Mertzig @mertzigzag.bsky.social · 23h

If they could combine the Japanese store format with their Scandinavian stores’ coffee Slurpees… my god, 7-11 would be unstoppable.

Reposted by Jonathan Mertzig

timothy faust @tbone.malware-virus.biz · 1d

i have been readier for nothing more my whole life

The New York Times @nytimes.com · 1d

The Japanese parent company of 7-Eleven is betting billions of dollars that it can expand its business in the U.S. by making its convenience stores more like the food meccas they are in Japan. nyti.ms/3KTwGve

A photo shows a 7-Eleven store with the headline: Is America Ready for Japanese-Style 7-Elevens?

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Reposted by Jonathan Mertzig

cailin @cailin.gay · 1d

I think my least favorite leftist talking point is when people say speed cameras etc are bad because they’re “part of the surveillance state.” Okay genius since the cops refuse to enforce traffic laws at all anymore I guess we should continue to let drivers plow into like, children walking to school

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Jonathan Mertzig @mertzigzag.bsky.social · 1d

A proposal for Wisconsin lawmakers: to overcome opposition to allowing speed cameras, let’s disguise them as cheese, aka the “Swiss solution.” 🧀🇨🇭

𝚃𝚊𝚛𝚊𝚜 𝙶𝚛𝚎𝚜𝚌𝚘𝚎 🚇 @taras-grescoe.com · 1d

This summer, a driver was fined $153,000 for going 27 km/h over the limit in #Lausanne.

The fine is based on the “personal and economic situation of the offender at the time of the ruling.”

Speed cameras are everywhere...some disguised as chunks of emmenthal...

www.ctvnews.ca/world/articl...

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Reposted by Jonathan Mertzig

MilwaukeePerson @milwaukeeperson.bsky.social · 1d

MCTS is quite literally going to go through a death spiral next year. I don’t think MCTS has ever proposed cutting this much service at once in its history. I can’t really say anything else now, besides the fact that we are literally losing our bus system.

Transportation: MCTS Plans 15% Service Cut

Budget issues yield more frequency reductions, elimination of same-day paratransit service.

urbanmilwaukee.com

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Reposted by Jonathan Mertzig

Aaron Rupar @atrupar.com · 1d

Q: Politico reported on a group chat of young Republicans. Does this just reflect some bad apples?

HOCHUL: Some bad apples? These are the future of the GOP. This is so vile it's hard to find the words to put into context ... there's gotta be consequences ... this bullshit has to stop.

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