H. Pike Oliver
@urbanexus.bsky.social
Interested in how built and natural environments can coexist and appalled by Trump 2.0. See my blog posts at https://urbanexus.com and learn about master-planned development on the Irvine Ranch in Southern California at https://thebigplanbook.com.
If Democrats regain power in 2028, which seems increasingly likely, they can’t do another Merrick Garland, repeating their past mistake of letting past lawbreaking go unpunished. Demanding accountability is the only way to restore faith in government.
paulkrugman.substack.com/p/doge-was-a...
paulkrugman.substack.com/p/doge-was-a...
DOGE Was a Harbinger of Trump’s Assault on Decency and Privacy
Democrats will have to repair the damage
paulkrugman.substack.com
November 29, 2025 at 9:25 PM
If Democrats regain power in 2028, which seems increasingly likely, they can’t do another Merrick Garland, repeating their past mistake of letting past lawbreaking go unpunished. Demanding accountability is the only way to restore faith in government.
paulkrugman.substack.com/p/doge-was-a...
paulkrugman.substack.com/p/doge-was-a...
In September 2025, eleven people were deported from the USA to a secretive detention camp in a forest in Ghana--Bundase Training Camp, some forty miles from Accra. www.newyorker.com/magazine/202...
Disappeared to a Foreign Prison
The Trump Administration is deporting people to countries they have no ties to, where many are being detained indefinitely or forcibly returned to the places they fled. Sarah Stillman reports.
www.newyorker.com
November 29, 2025 at 9:08 PM
In September 2025, eleven people were deported from the USA to a secretive detention camp in a forest in Ghana--Bundase Training Camp, some forty miles from Accra. www.newyorker.com/magazine/202...
When journalist Mary Bruce asked “the Bone Saw Prince,” Mohammed bin Salman, about intelligence concluding that he ordered the Khashoggi murder, Trump answered. “He knew nothing about it! You don’t have to embarrass our guest by asking something like that.”
sabrinahaake.substack.com/p/power-and-...
sabrinahaake.substack.com/p/power-and-...
Power and shame: Tracing Trump's billions through the Bone Saw Prince
Journalist Jamal Khashoggi on Jan.
sabrinahaake.substack.com
November 29, 2025 at 4:03 PM
When journalist Mary Bruce asked “the Bone Saw Prince,” Mohammed bin Salman, about intelligence concluding that he ordered the Khashoggi murder, Trump answered. “He knew nothing about it! You don’t have to embarrass our guest by asking something like that.”
sabrinahaake.substack.com/p/power-and-...
sabrinahaake.substack.com/p/power-and-...
In 1800, most of the world was desperately poor. In 1980, nearly half the world was desperately poor. Today, something like 9 percent of the world is desperately poor.
thedispatch.com/article/capi...
thedispatch.com/article/capi...
What About the Poor?
In discussing what’s wrong with capitalism, its effect on poverty is left out.
thedispatch.com
November 29, 2025 at 4:16 AM
In 1800, most of the world was desperately poor. In 1980, nearly half the world was desperately poor. Today, something like 9 percent of the world is desperately poor.
thedispatch.com/article/capi...
thedispatch.com/article/capi...
Here are two examples of urbanism nerds doing a great job with YouTube video explainers. www.urbanexus.com/pikeurbanexu...
Urbanism on YouTube — Urbanexus
Here are two examples of urbanism nerds doing a great job with YouTube video explainers. CityNerd - all things city and transportation Ray Delahanty’s CityNerd is a channel and community tha...
www.urbanexus.com
November 26, 2025 at 8:24 PM
Here are two examples of urbanism nerds doing a great job with YouTube video explainers. www.urbanexus.com/pikeurbanexu...
Door at Mountain Shadows Resort, Paradise Valley, AZ, USA (Phoenix area)
November 26, 2025 at 4:04 PM
Door at Mountain Shadows Resort, Paradise Valley, AZ, USA (Phoenix area)
CAR CRASHES AND MASKED ICE AGENTS -- This report of an incident in Mesa, AZ, USA comes with a depressing image of what the USA has become in less than a year of Trump 2.0 (courtesy of the Arizona Mirror and a witness) azmirror.com/briefs/ice-a...
ICE agents involved in another vehicle collision, this time in Mesa | Arizona Mirror
Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents collided with a car driven by a person they were attempting to apprehend in a Mesa neighborhood.
azmirror.com
November 26, 2025 at 2:48 PM
CAR CRASHES AND MASKED ICE AGENTS -- This report of an incident in Mesa, AZ, USA comes with a depressing image of what the USA has become in less than a year of Trump 2.0 (courtesy of the Arizona Mirror and a witness) azmirror.com/briefs/ice-a...
Follow the money from China's banks to where they lend abroad, as documented by the creative work of AidData, a research unit of the College of William & Mary in Virginia, USA. www.economist.com/graphic-deta...
Four charts show how much money China lends to the rich world
Many of the loans look harmless. But some are raising eyebrows
www.economist.com
November 26, 2025 at 2:24 PM
Follow the money from China's banks to where they lend abroad, as documented by the creative work of AidData, a research unit of the College of William & Mary in Virginia, USA. www.economist.com/graphic-deta...
This Russian soldier’s story highlights the gap in perspective between the USA and Russia. www.nytimes.com/2025/11/24/u...
He Saw the Best of America and Then Fought for Russia in Ukraine
www.nytimes.com
November 24, 2025 at 12:24 PM
This Russian soldier’s story highlights the gap in perspective between the USA and Russia. www.nytimes.com/2025/11/24/u...
Spoiler: We . . . Win? See this from JVL of The Bulwark open.substack.com/pub/thebulwa...
Spoiler: We . . . Win?
I come to you at the turning of the tide.
open.substack.com
November 21, 2025 at 8:51 PM
Spoiler: We . . . Win? See this from JVL of The Bulwark open.substack.com/pub/thebulwa...
Friday morning light over a damp desert around McDowell Mountain Ranch in Scottsdale, AZ, USA
November 21, 2025 at 2:13 PM
Friday morning light over a damp desert around McDowell Mountain Ranch in Scottsdale, AZ, USA
Saguaro cacti and an interesting cloud seen in McDowell Mountain Ranch, Scottsdale, AZ, USA
November 19, 2025 at 5:12 PM
Saguaro cacti and an interesting cloud seen in McDowell Mountain Ranch, Scottsdale, AZ, USA
This pro democracy media sources list has been updated to the top ten, briefly identifying: primary focus, style and tone, audience, key personnel, the URL, and reach/subscribers of each.
www.urbanexus.com/pikeurbanexu...
www.urbanexus.com/pikeurbanexu...
Pro-democracy media — Urbanexus
Top ten sources Independent newsletters and blogs have become essential voices in defending democracy, explaining complex legal issues, and providing context for current events. From historians to le...
www.urbanexus.com
November 17, 2025 at 2:13 PM
This pro democracy media sources list has been updated to the top ten, briefly identifying: primary focus, style and tone, audience, key personnel, the URL, and reach/subscribers of each.
www.urbanexus.com/pikeurbanexu...
www.urbanexus.com/pikeurbanexu...
There is a wonderful prayer at the bottom of this post by Anne Lamott on November 15, 2025, as a guest on Nadia Bolz-Weber’s substack, THE CORNERS.
thecorners.substack.com/p/anne-lamot...
thecorners.substack.com/p/anne-lamot...
Anne Lamott - Trust and Surrender
From Nadia:
thecorners.substack.com
November 15, 2025 at 3:08 PM
There is a wonderful prayer at the bottom of this post by Anne Lamott on November 15, 2025, as a guest on Nadia Bolz-Weber’s substack, THE CORNERS.
thecorners.substack.com/p/anne-lamot...
thecorners.substack.com/p/anne-lamot...
This chart illustrates why it is beneficial to have the vast majority of the population covered by health insurance. www.kff.org/health-costs...
November 14, 2025 at 4:42 PM
This chart illustrates why it is beneficial to have the vast majority of the population covered by health insurance. www.kff.org/health-costs...
From THE ECONOMIST, some perspective on why investors fear an AI crash.
November 12, 2025 at 1:04 PM
From THE ECONOMIST, some perspective on why investors fear an AI crash.
Veterans Day sunrise at McDowell Mountain Ranch in Scottsdale, AZ, USA
November 11, 2025 at 11:20 PM
Veterans Day sunrise at McDowell Mountain Ranch in Scottsdale, AZ, USA
The Unrequited Love Institute
An exhibit at the Phoenix Art Museum
An exhibit at the Phoenix Art Museum
Safwat Saleem
Safwat Saleem is a multidisciplinary American artist of South Asian and Muslim descent. His art gives visibility to immigrant narratives.
www.safwatsaleem.com
November 10, 2025 at 2:12 AM
The Unrequited Love Institute
An exhibit at the Phoenix Art Museum
An exhibit at the Phoenix Art Museum
