Lex
@lexberko.bsky.social
i like sounds and dogs and quilts.
used to work in media (atlas obscura, citylab). now i’m your friendly neighborhood audiologist.
chicago.
used to work in media (atlas obscura, citylab). now i’m your friendly neighborhood audiologist.
chicago.
Reposted by Lex
Stoked I got to write about the Dead’s appearance at the Muir Beach Acid Test for the new issue of @altajournal.bsky.social. Killer spread of stories. @passionweiss.bsky.social on West Coast rap, Paula Mejía on sunshine pop, & more.
Read them, then read me: www.altaonline.com/culture/musi...
Read them, then read me: www.altaonline.com/culture/musi...
December 23, 2025 at 3:32 PM
Stoked I got to write about the Dead’s appearance at the Muir Beach Acid Test for the new issue of @altajournal.bsky.social. Killer spread of stories. @passionweiss.bsky.social on West Coast rap, Paula Mejía on sunshine pop, & more.
Read them, then read me: www.altaonline.com/culture/musi...
Read them, then read me: www.altaonline.com/culture/musi...
i do not post on this app very much but this @propublica.org story stunned me and hit close to home as the daughter of someone with CF www.propublica.org/article/fda-...
Fighting for Breath: The FDA’s Lax Generic Drug Rules Put Her Life at Risk
Lung transplant patient Hannah Goetz’s life depended on the generic version of the critical drug tacrolimus. It was supposed to be equivalent to the brand-name medication — but the FDA doesn’t always ...
www.propublica.org
December 22, 2025 at 6:57 PM
i do not post on this app very much but this @propublica.org story stunned me and hit close to home as the daughter of someone with CF www.propublica.org/article/fda-...
Reposted by Lex
Pst.
The window for priority shipping from @bookshop.org is closing. Get that LOUD AND CLEAR order in ASAP—just a few hours left to order in time to receive by the holiday. Give the headiest gift of all this season.
bookshop.org/p/books/loud...
The window for priority shipping from @bookshop.org is closing. Get that LOUD AND CLEAR order in ASAP—just a few hours left to order in time to receive by the holiday. Give the headiest gift of all this season.
bookshop.org/p/books/loud...
Loud and Clear: The Grateful Dead’s Wall of Sound and the Quest for Audio Perfection
The Grateful Dead’s Wall of Sound and the Quest for Audio Perfection
bookshop.org
December 17, 2025 at 12:42 AM
Pst.
The window for priority shipping from @bookshop.org is closing. Get that LOUD AND CLEAR order in ASAP—just a few hours left to order in time to receive by the holiday. Give the headiest gift of all this season.
bookshop.org/p/books/loud...
The window for priority shipping from @bookshop.org is closing. Get that LOUD AND CLEAR order in ASAP—just a few hours left to order in time to receive by the holiday. Give the headiest gift of all this season.
bookshop.org/p/books/loud...
Reposted by Lex
I wrote about more music than ever this year at No Expectations, so I compiled what I think are the 100 Best Albums of 2025. If you don't recognize a lot of the names here, don't worry. That's the point. I hope you find something new to dig. www.noexpectations.fyi/p/the-100-be...
The 100 Best Albums of 2025
…According to some guy in Chicago. Plus, every album and more I recommended in No Expectations this year.
www.noexpectations.fyi
December 11, 2025 at 3:03 PM
I wrote about more music than ever this year at No Expectations, so I compiled what I think are the 100 Best Albums of 2025. If you don't recognize a lot of the names here, don't worry. That's the point. I hope you find something new to dig. www.noexpectations.fyi/p/the-100-be...
Reposted by Lex
Horrifying and cruel
Daycare Teacher Pulled Out Of Preschool By Armed Federal Agents, 'Traumatizing' Parents
The incident happened in front of parents and children at Rayito de Sol in North Center, a parent said. They believe the employee is legally allowed to work in the United States.
blockclubchicago.org
November 5, 2025 at 4:44 PM
Horrifying and cruel
Reposted by Lex
If you’ve spent time with LOUD AND CLEAR, let me again say thanks. If you haven’t yet, that’s cool too—it’s there for when the time is right. And if you’re looking for a chill holiday gift for that one heady relative, grab a copy here: static.macmillan.com/static/smp/l...
Loud and Clear
The full, untold story of the Grateful Dead’s “Wall of Sound,” an unprecedented and since unparalleled speaker system.
static.macmillan.com
November 2, 2025 at 10:48 PM
If you’ve spent time with LOUD AND CLEAR, let me again say thanks. If you haven’t yet, that’s cool too—it’s there for when the time is right. And if you’re looking for a chill holiday gift for that one heady relative, grab a copy here: static.macmillan.com/static/smp/l...
Reposted by Lex
Reposted by Lex
"ICE" is often used as a catch-all in casual conversation, but CBP are the ones who've been tear gassing neighborhoods. They're the ones who shot a community member in Brighton Park. They're the ones who paraded around the Loop with a camera crew. Making ICE operate more like CBP could be horrific.
NBC has a story on this as well already, and they've got an indicative quote as to how things will go:
"'The mentality is CBP does what they’re told, and the administration thinks ICE isn’t getting the job done,;' one of the DHS officials said. 'So CBP will do it." www.nbcnews.com/politics/imm...
"'The mentality is CBP does what they’re told, and the administration thinks ICE isn’t getting the job done,;' one of the DHS officials said. 'So CBP will do it." www.nbcnews.com/politics/imm...
Trump plans to install Border Patrol officials to lead a more aggressive migrant crackdown
The White House has approved a list of ICE leaders to be replaced by Border Patrol officials in coming days amid disappointment with arrest numbers.
www.nbcnews.com
October 28, 2025 at 1:18 AM
"ICE" is often used as a catch-all in casual conversation, but CBP are the ones who've been tear gassing neighborhoods. They're the ones who shot a community member in Brighton Park. They're the ones who paraded around the Loop with a camera crew. Making ICE operate more like CBP could be horrific.
Reposted by Lex
If you would like to support some of the families of people who have been abducted by ICE in my area during the recent federal attacks on our community that I've written about, local organizers have put together this trusted list of crowd funds.
Rogers Park Immigrant Families Need Your Support
Please give as you are able AND share this page! If you have friends and family asking how they can support Chicago in this difficult time, this is a way to directly support families. Go FundMe Link...
docs.google.com
October 23, 2025 at 4:13 PM
If you would like to support some of the families of people who have been abducted by ICE in my area during the recent federal attacks on our community that I've written about, local organizers have put together this trusted list of crowd funds.
Reposted by Lex
It’s hard to convey just how much Chicagoans are mobilizing against ICE. Don’t want to downplay the harm, or make it seem like a fair fight. But in neighborhoods across this city, ICE is getting chased by people blowing whistles and shouting. People are running TOWARD ICE to protect their neighbors.
October 22, 2025 at 12:12 PM
It’s hard to convey just how much Chicagoans are mobilizing against ICE. Don’t want to downplay the harm, or make it seem like a fair fight. But in neighborhoods across this city, ICE is getting chased by people blowing whistles and shouting. People are running TOWARD ICE to protect their neighbors.
Reposted by Lex
Chicago, stay strong and take care of one another.
For help for your family or to report ICE activities, call 1-855-435-7693 (HELP-MY-FAMILY)
Para ayuda para su familia ó para reportar actividades de ICE, llame al: 1-855-435-7693
National Lawyers Guild Chicago Legal Support Hotline: 872-465-4244
For help for your family or to report ICE activities, call 1-855-435-7693 (HELP-MY-FAMILY)
Para ayuda para su familia ó para reportar actividades de ICE, llame al: 1-855-435-7693
National Lawyers Guild Chicago Legal Support Hotline: 872-465-4244
October 4, 2025 at 6:21 PM
Chicago, stay strong and take care of one another.
For help for your family or to report ICE activities, call 1-855-435-7693 (HELP-MY-FAMILY)
Para ayuda para su familia ó para reportar actividades de ICE, llame al: 1-855-435-7693
National Lawyers Guild Chicago Legal Support Hotline: 872-465-4244
For help for your family or to report ICE activities, call 1-855-435-7693 (HELP-MY-FAMILY)
Para ayuda para su familia ó para reportar actividades de ICE, llame al: 1-855-435-7693
National Lawyers Guild Chicago Legal Support Hotline: 872-465-4244
Reposted by Lex
what the fuck. i still can't get over we have fucking nazis rolling around chicago kidnapping people and handcuffing kids, beating protestors, breaking into buildings and throwing gas grenades like every fucking day now. i love this city and they are fucking terrorizing it
October 3, 2025 at 9:00 PM
what the fuck. i still can't get over we have fucking nazis rolling around chicago kidnapping people and handcuffing kids, beating protestors, breaking into buildings and throwing gas grenades like every fucking day now. i love this city and they are fucking terrorizing it
Reposted by Lex
If anything good can come from my arrest, I hope it's that more people demand the shutdown of the Broadview ICE facility, where humans are treated like poorly kept animals. Stop the deportations. Demand the truth about Silverio's death at ICE's hands.
September 28, 2025 at 3:58 PM
If anything good can come from my arrest, I hope it's that more people demand the shutdown of the Broadview ICE facility, where humans are treated like poorly kept animals. Stop the deportations. Demand the truth about Silverio's death at ICE's hands.
Reposted by Lex
as someone with a lot of organizing experience, i can promise you that misinformation like this makes actual organizing more difficult. people don’t know what information to trust, and they’re also disincentivized to show up because they think there are blockades that aren’t actually there
September 7, 2025 at 6:20 PM
as someone with a lot of organizing experience, i can promise you that misinformation like this makes actual organizing more difficult. people don’t know what information to trust, and they’re also disincentivized to show up because they think there are blockades that aren’t actually there
Reposted by Lex
With credible reports that there will soon be a major increase in federal immigration enforcement activity in Chicago, I want to once again highlight the Family Support Network - a rapid response resource run by the Illinois Coalition for Immigrant and Refugee Rights (ICIRR). Use it if you spot ICE.
September 1, 2025 at 9:43 PM
With credible reports that there will soon be a major increase in federal immigration enforcement activity in Chicago, I want to once again highlight the Family Support Network - a rapid response resource run by the Illinois Coalition for Immigrant and Refugee Rights (ICIRR). Use it if you spot ICE.
Reposted by Lex
It's really hard not to earnest post right now about how much we love this city and how infuriating it is to see it under threat at the whims of a senile, racist lunatic
August 28, 2025 at 1:08 AM
It's really hard not to earnest post right now about how much we love this city and how infuriating it is to see it under threat at the whims of a senile, racist lunatic
chicago’s lookin really fucking beautiful this morning
August 21, 2025 at 11:39 AM
chicago’s lookin really fucking beautiful this morning
i laughed out loud when i saw the quote that leads this interview.
Sat down with Bill from Three Point Four to chat about the economics and process of writing a book, teaching journalism in the year 2025, and how to convert a Dead skeptic.
theloop.substack.com/p/i-always-t...
theloop.substack.com/p/i-always-t...
“I always tell my students that media has been in a state of crisis forever.”
The TPF Q&A with New York Times bestselling author Brian Anderson
theloop.substack.com
July 26, 2025 at 3:26 PM
i laughed out loud when i saw the quote that leads this interview.
Reposted by Lex
The way that I was raised, being Jewish meant believing that every human life was sacred; to save a single human life meant saving all of humanity. That no law or ritual was more important than saving a single human life.
It's unfathomable that any Jew can accept what Israel is doing in Gaza.
It's unfathomable that any Jew can accept what Israel is doing in Gaza.
July 25, 2025 at 3:15 AM
The way that I was raised, being Jewish meant believing that every human life was sacred; to save a single human life meant saving all of humanity. That no law or ritual was more important than saving a single human life.
It's unfathomable that any Jew can accept what Israel is doing in Gaza.
It's unfathomable that any Jew can accept what Israel is doing in Gaza.
Reposted by Lex
It’s worse than “Gaza is being starved and destroyed and no one cares.” It’s that hundreds of millions *do* care and are powerless to stop it. We need a world where that can never happen, where the masses actually have political power.
July 22, 2025 at 2:41 PM
It’s worse than “Gaza is being starved and destroyed and no one cares.” It’s that hundreds of millions *do* care and are powerless to stop it. We need a world where that can never happen, where the masses actually have political power.
vvvv pleased that someone is doing emergency & i
14. The Dismemberment Plan’s Emergency & I by Daniel Aaron
15. The Hold Steady’s Separation Sunday by Keegan Bradford and Levi Bradford
We hope you're excited to see some of these published in the series!
15. The Hold Steady’s Separation Sunday by Keegan Bradford and Levi Bradford
We hope you're excited to see some of these published in the series!
July 14, 2025 at 4:38 PM
vvvv pleased that someone is doing emergency & i
Reposted by Lex
I was knocked out by @thebanderson.bsky.social’s new Dead book
The Grateful Dead’s innovative sound system—the "wall of sound"—made them sound better than ever. It was also complex and expensive to maintain, catalyzing their first serious brush with burnout, writes John Hendrickson:
How the Grateful Dead Nearly Solved the Problem With Live Music
The band’s innovative sound system made them sound better than ever. It also nearly broke them.
bit.ly
July 10, 2025 at 4:38 PM
I was knocked out by @thebanderson.bsky.social’s new Dead book
my person is a new york times best-selling author 🥹
Pinching myself. LOUD AND CLEAR made the New York Times Best Seller List for Nonfiction. I’m grateful beyond words. If you purchased a copy, know it means the world.
www.nytimes.com/books/best-s...
www.nytimes.com/books/best-s...
June 26, 2025 at 1:03 AM
my person is a new york times best-selling author 🥹