Shared courtesy of my Penn History colleague, Ben Nathans

This is a perilous moment for democracy in the United States, but I couldn’t be prouder of the Knight Institute’s work right now, and I don’t take for granted that we have the freedom and resources to do it. www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025...

The Virginia Senate just told UVA it’s not getting state funding if it accepts the compact since UVA exists to serve Virginia, its residents, & their interests—not be a tool of the federal govt. Scoop from our student newspaper, who’ve been doing vital reporting www.cavalierdaily.com/article/2025...

If you’re wondering why all of us are being compelled to “integrate AI” into our classrooms, our workflow, and our kitchen appliances…

It’s because the market is all in on tech and they put us in another “too big to fail“ predicament.

Glad that NYT went to some of the smartest, most clued in experts, @whitneyphillips.bsky.social who is the bomb when it comes to abusive internetting, and @shannimcg.bsky.social an expert in media and social media in politics.

Huge same. Metal af recovery. Much blood. But SO much better at breathing now

Without downloading anything, where are you mentally right now?

It’s real bad here folks

Monstrous.

"federal agents detained nearly every resident of the 130-unit building—including children and babies—placing them in zip ties and separating them by race into vans for more than two hours early Tuesday morning."

right? it's so clearly the inspiration

Texas once feared a phantom federal occupation. Now Gov. Abbott’s troops are helping carry it out under Trump. And Houston may be next, writes the Houston Chronicle editorial board. bit.ly/48Q3D5C

Danielle Allen fails the Lando test / lives out the Arrested Development meme: "A deal on the core principles in a compact could then become a framework for negotiating on legislation." Come ON. With this administration and this Congress?
therenovator.substack.com/p/why-im-exc...

Weaponized gratitude is a key tool in the abuser's toolkit. The goal is to convince the victim that they owe the abuser so much, they should feel guilty for wanting to complain.

These people do not get it — much of the public does. This belies not only a self protectionism but also a disconnect from the public.

Here's the assignment folks. Write op-eds for your local papers and campus newspapers too. Just. Say. No. This is a classic authoritarian move and risks the future of higher education and science and innovation in the US. Speak out today. No time to lose. www.nytimes.com/2025/10/02/o...

Not yet! Book workshop this morning, fly back tomorrow morning! But at least here in Illinois, I’ve had edible, even good, food! Plus I’ve been snuggling my friend’s new baby

Bingo

Glad you made it home!

I appreciate the clarity of this statement on Trump's attempt to further strongarm 9 universities, including my employer, from Penn faculty:
"When an invitation is accompanied by consequences for not accepting it, it is in fact a threat, not an invitation." aaup-penn.org/statement-by...

And it's not a one-time capitulation. If DOJ ever says you violated the vague and unconstitutional terms, they will take back ALL federal funds from that year and you have to return ALL private funding from donors who want their gifts back from that year. It's a never-ending protection racket.

It’s a 1️⃣-2️⃣punch: The State of Texas, the Regents, & the President dissolve the Faculty Council. Then Trump offers a compact that will affect academic freedom, curriculum, student recruitment, research priorities, the future of academic programs. Once faculty had a voice in such decisions. No longer.

NEW: In newly unsealed testimony, a SpaceX insider revealed that Elon Musk’s company had directly received money from Chinese investors, raising questions about foreign ownership interests in one of the United States’ most important military contractors.

Radical ties get you suspended at #UNC Chapel Hill—unless they’re to the Confederacy, in which case they get you $2.5 million to build a shrine to a secessionist monument.
🤔
#academicsky