Wandering Idealist
@tbriangreen.bsky.social
Higher education ombuds; ATLien; super curious; seeking wisdom.
Turning and turning in the widening gyre
The falcon cannot hear the falconer;
Things fall apart; the centre cannot hold…
The falcon cannot hear the falconer;
Things fall apart; the centre cannot hold…
Humans Have Shifted Earth's Rotation, Scientists Discover. Here's How.
Humans Have Shifted Earth's Rotation, Scientists Discover. Here's How.
Over the past few centuries, dams have pulled the poles a few feet off of Earth’s rotational axis.
www.404media.co
July 24, 2025 at 1:50 PM
Turning and turning in the widening gyre
The falcon cannot hear the falconer;
Things fall apart; the centre cannot hold…
The falcon cannot hear the falconer;
Things fall apart; the centre cannot hold…
Conservatives like Rufo are so angry that the federal government provides financial resources to universities—which they perceive as “left wing”—that they are willing to destroy those Universities.
March 16, 2025 at 2:27 PM
Conservatives like Rufo are so angry that the federal government provides financial resources to universities—which they perceive as “left wing”—that they are willing to destroy those Universities.
Reposted by Wandering Idealist
We can’t unsee what we saw this week.
“Senate Democrats didn't just squander an opportunity to rein in Donald Trump and Elon Musk. They confirmed all the stereotypes that have made them toxic to progressives and swing voters alike.”
Time for a rebellion. @brianbeutler.bsky.social
“Senate Democrats didn't just squander an opportunity to rein in Donald Trump and Elon Musk. They confirmed all the stereotypes that have made them toxic to progressives and swing voters alike.”
Time for a rebellion. @brianbeutler.bsky.social
A Betrayal
Senate Democrats didn't just squander an opportunity to rein in Donald Trump and Elon Musk. They confirmed all the stereotypes that have made them toxic to progressives and swing voters alike.
www.offmessage.net
March 14, 2025 at 3:14 AM
We can’t unsee what we saw this week.
“Senate Democrats didn't just squander an opportunity to rein in Donald Trump and Elon Musk. They confirmed all the stereotypes that have made them toxic to progressives and swing voters alike.”
Time for a rebellion. @brianbeutler.bsky.social
“Senate Democrats didn't just squander an opportunity to rein in Donald Trump and Elon Musk. They confirmed all the stereotypes that have made them toxic to progressives and swing voters alike.”
Time for a rebellion. @brianbeutler.bsky.social
At some point our generation (Xennials) are going to have to reckon with the fact that our childhood movies were incredibly dark and traumatic. A few examples:
The 1986 Transformers movie was intended as a product refresh to advertise the next season’s new lineup of toys.
Hasbro achieved this by having most of the show’s existing characters brutally murdered on-screen within the first half hour of the film in scenes like this:
Hasbro achieved this by having most of the show’s existing characters brutally murdered on-screen within the first half hour of the film in scenes like this:
March 13, 2025 at 1:14 AM
At some point our generation (Xennials) are going to have to reckon with the fact that our childhood movies were incredibly dark and traumatic. A few examples:
So…is the good news that my Bourbon is about to get a lot cheaper? (The bad news being…well, a lot of distillers might not make it.)
The US spirits industry is bracing for pain after the European Union targeted American whiskey in retaliation against President Donald Trump’s steel and aluminum tariffs. cnn.it/3DCaXER
March 13, 2025 at 12:42 AM
So…is the good news that my Bourbon is about to get a lot cheaper? (The bad news being…well, a lot of distillers might not make it.)
@jamellebouie.net Love this article--"constitutional rot" definitely describes where we are. I would add another factor/society indicator: the social-media-accelerated breakdown of our public forum.
www.nytimes.com/2025/03/12/o...
www.nytimes.com/2025/03/12/o...
Opinion | Where Are Trump and Musk Taking Us? (Gift Article)
A typology of constitutional crises and constitutional rot.
www.nytimes.com
March 12, 2025 at 8:43 PM
@jamellebouie.net Love this article--"constitutional rot" definitely describes where we are. I would add another factor/society indicator: the social-media-accelerated breakdown of our public forum.
www.nytimes.com/2025/03/12/o...
www.nytimes.com/2025/03/12/o...
Feels kinda glorious that the other site is down today (at least for me)
March 10, 2025 at 4:09 PM
Feels kinda glorious that the other site is down today (at least for me)
Everyone here should read/listen to the article for the tactics, Rufo’s mindset, and the objective. It’s radical destruction of the American higher education system. The calm of his voice is chilling as he describes it:
March 10, 2025 at 4:07 PM
Everyone here should read/listen to the article for the tactics, Rufo’s mindset, and the objective. It’s radical destruction of the American higher education system. The calm of his voice is chilling as he describes it:
I do not understand the point of these “conversations,” nor how they are composed. Gail is always saying “can’t wait to have x argument!” And then never has the argument. The whole thing reads like they wrote it by carrier pigeon.
www.nytimes.com/2025/03/10/o...
www.nytimes.com/2025/03/10/o...
Opinion | Trump Gave Us a Piece of His Mind (Gift Article)
The official and unofficial languages of the White House, decoded.
www.nytimes.com
March 10, 2025 at 2:21 PM
I do not understand the point of these “conversations,” nor how they are composed. Gail is always saying “can’t wait to have x argument!” And then never has the argument. The whole thing reads like they wrote it by carrier pigeon.
www.nytimes.com/2025/03/10/o...
www.nytimes.com/2025/03/10/o...
Would love @brianbeutler.bsky.social or @mattyglesias.bsky.social’s thoughts, but it seems to me that discussions like this one just suggest democrats should lie in ways that “make people feel good”
March 6, 2025 at 2:03 PM
Would love @brianbeutler.bsky.social or @mattyglesias.bsky.social’s thoughts, but it seems to me that discussions like this one just suggest democrats should lie in ways that “make people feel good”
Reposted by Wandering Idealist
Here's a list of DOGE staff, assembled and annotated by my colleagues at BI. Whatever you do, please don't share it.
www.businessinsider.com/doge-staff-l...
www.businessinsider.com/doge-staff-l...
We got a DOGE staff list. From a McKinsey alum to a former Clarence Thomas clerk, here are the workers powering Elon Musk's cost-cutting squad.
A list of White House DOGE staffers shows about 30 young tech, finance, and legal professionals remaking the federal government.
www.businessinsider.com
February 11, 2025 at 5:43 PM
Here's a list of DOGE staff, assembled and annotated by my colleagues at BI. Whatever you do, please don't share it.
www.businessinsider.com/doge-staff-l...
www.businessinsider.com/doge-staff-l...
Reposted by Wandering Idealist
Share away! Let’s break the pretend law.
Here's a list of DOGE staff, assembled and annotated by my colleagues at BI. Whatever you do, please don't share it.
www.businessinsider.com/doge-staff-l...
www.businessinsider.com/doge-staff-l...
We got a DOGE staff list. From a McKinsey alum to a former Clarence Thomas clerk, here are the workers powering Elon Musk's cost-cutting squad.
A list of White House DOGE staffers shows about 30 young tech, finance, and legal professionals remaking the federal government.
www.businessinsider.com
February 12, 2025 at 3:05 AM
Share away! Let’s break the pretend law.
Was hoping something like this would happen—glad it was so quick:
Judges aren't kidding around.
Federal judge not only just blocked Trump administration's attempt to cut NIH's funding of indirect costs (emergency motion for TRO was earlier today).
The judge has also imposed a reporting requirement to ensure compliance.⬇️
storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.us...
Federal judge not only just blocked Trump administration's attempt to cut NIH's funding of indirect costs (emergency motion for TRO was earlier today).
The judge has also imposed a reporting requirement to ensure compliance.⬇️
storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.us...
February 10, 2025 at 10:50 PM
Was hoping something like this would happen—glad it was so quick:
An excellent description of where we are, and roadmap to what we need to do:
www.nytimes.com/2025/02/07/o...
www.nytimes.com/2025/02/07/o...
Opinion | Now Will We Believe What Is Happening Right Before Our Eyes? (Gift Article)
There can be no appeasement. None.
www.nytimes.com
February 7, 2025 at 1:06 PM
An excellent description of where we are, and roadmap to what we need to do:
www.nytimes.com/2025/02/07/o...
www.nytimes.com/2025/02/07/o...
Isn’t all chess four dimensional?
McEnany On Gaza: Donald Is Just Playing 'Four Dimensional Chess' crooksandliars.com
February 6, 2025 at 7:34 PM
Isn’t all chess four dimensional?
Reposted by Wandering Idealist
McEnany On Gaza: Donald Is Just Playing 'Four Dimensional Chess' crooksandliars.com
February 6, 2025 at 7:25 PM
McEnany On Gaza: Donald Is Just Playing 'Four Dimensional Chess' crooksandliars.com
Reposted by Wandering Idealist
Elon Musk claims it’s a crime to publish the names of the engineers who work for him who have access to systems they shouldn’t. Here they are: Akash Bobba, Edward Coristine, Luke Farritor, Gautier Cole Killian, Gavin Kliger, and Ethan Shaotran. Come and arrest me.
February 5, 2025 at 12:42 AM
Elon Musk claims it’s a crime to publish the names of the engineers who work for him who have access to systems they shouldn’t. Here they are: Akash Bobba, Edward Coristine, Luke Farritor, Gautier Cole Killian, Gavin Kliger, and Ethan Shaotran. Come and arrest me.
Especially agree with point no. 5. Tech titans are the oil barons of our time, only orders of magnitude more threatening to democracy. Dems must rail against them. (I recognize the irony of posting this on social media, but these are the times we live in.)
This is v. good. Echoes a lot of things I’ve written in recent days at Off Message. Knock on wood but feels like a groundswell is building.
Five Things Dems Must Do to Fight Trump Now
The party is not helpless. In fact, Democrats have some effective tools at their disposal.
www.thebulwark.com
February 4, 2025 at 8:28 PM
Especially agree with point no. 5. Tech titans are the oil barons of our time, only orders of magnitude more threatening to democracy. Dems must rail against them. (I recognize the irony of posting this on social media, but these are the times we live in.)
Reposted by Wandering Idealist
Our deep dive into Musk's takeover: Even some officials who like what Musk is doing feel helpless to hold him accountable. His allies are diving in to agencies, gaining access to systems, planning layoffs, and proposing a sweeping AI initiative to review contracts. www.nytimes.com/2025/02/03/u...
Inside Musk’s Aggressive Incursion Into the Federal Government (Gift Article)
The billionaire is creating major upheaval as his team sweeps through agencies, in what has been an extraordinary flexing of power by a private individual.
www.nytimes.com
February 3, 2025 at 11:28 PM
Our deep dive into Musk's takeover: Even some officials who like what Musk is doing feel helpless to hold him accountable. His allies are diving in to agencies, gaining access to systems, planning layoffs, and proposing a sweeping AI initiative to review contracts. www.nytimes.com/2025/02/03/u...
Reposted by Wandering Idealist
An unelected shadow government is conducting a hostile takeover of the federal government.
DOGE is not a real government agency.
DOGE has no authority to make spending decisions.
DOGE has no authority to shut programs down or to ignore federal law.
DOGE’s conduct cannot be allowed to stand.
DOGE is not a real government agency.
DOGE has no authority to make spending decisions.
DOGE has no authority to shut programs down or to ignore federal law.
DOGE’s conduct cannot be allowed to stand.
February 3, 2025 at 11:27 PM
An unelected shadow government is conducting a hostile takeover of the federal government.
DOGE is not a real government agency.
DOGE has no authority to make spending decisions.
DOGE has no authority to shut programs down or to ignore federal law.
DOGE’s conduct cannot be allowed to stand.
DOGE is not a real government agency.
DOGE has no authority to make spending decisions.
DOGE has no authority to shut programs down or to ignore federal law.
DOGE’s conduct cannot be allowed to stand.
Truly a despicable example of both sides-ism:
February 1, 2025 at 12:30 AM
Truly a despicable example of both sides-ism:
I really hope my fellow progressives read this, and act on it. open.substack.com/pub/brianbeu...
A Sustainable Resistance
It will require both acceptance and a steely resolve to rebuild bigger and better.
open.substack.com
January 31, 2025 at 7:27 PM
I really hope my fellow progressives read this, and act on it. open.substack.com/pub/brianbeu...