Nick Carnes
@carnes.bsky.social
Author of White-Collar Government and The Cash Ceiling
Co-Editor of The Politics of the Marvel Cinematic Universe
Bio/Foster/Adoptive Parent
Co-Editor of The Politics of the Marvel Cinematic Universe
Bio/Foster/Adoptive Parent
Reposted by Nick Carnes
The 17 year old who had sex for money with Trump’s first nominee for Attorney General was in and out of a homeless shelter, working at McDonalds. and trying to save up for braces. (Gift link).
www.nytimes.com/2025/11/13/u...
www.nytimes.com/2025/11/13/u...
In Matt Gaetz Scandal, Circumstances Left Teen Vulnerable to Exploitation
www.nytimes.com
November 13, 2025 at 6:47 PM
The 17 year old who had sex for money with Trump’s first nominee for Attorney General was in and out of a homeless shelter, working at McDonalds. and trying to save up for braces. (Gift link).
www.nytimes.com/2025/11/13/u...
www.nytimes.com/2025/11/13/u...
Reposted by Nick Carnes
Well, it's a little clearer now why billionaires are so invested in technology that produces better written emails.
November 12, 2025 at 10:23 PM
Well, it's a little clearer now why billionaires are so invested in technology that produces better written emails.
Reposted by Nick Carnes
Me, in class:
November 12, 2025 at 7:27 PM
Me, in class:
Reposted by Nick Carnes
I would like to speak to the smug legalists who assured us this could never happen
The president is putting together his own police force to operate in cities, with few legal constraints
Trumpforce
The president is putting together his own police force to operate in cities, with few legal constraints
econ.st
November 12, 2025 at 5:52 PM
I would like to speak to the smug legalists who assured us this could never happen
Reposted by Nick Carnes
Academia is a meritocracy without bias, evidence from a former Harvard president.
November 12, 2025 at 4:43 PM
Academia is a meritocracy without bias, evidence from a former Harvard president.
Reposted by Nick Carnes
We knew that Trump was never a populist. In fact, he's the anti-populist: leaning into a corrupt kleptocracy where there are no consequences for the rich and powerful. These latest Epstein emails are yet another piece of evidence that that is his world.
November 12, 2025 at 5:34 PM
We knew that Trump was never a populist. In fact, he's the anti-populist: leaning into a corrupt kleptocracy where there are no consequences for the rich and powerful. These latest Epstein emails are yet another piece of evidence that that is his world.
Reposted by Nick Carnes
This describes basically the entire "rationalist" movement, starting from the 2000s, that morphed into the tech reactionary anti-democracy movement now.
We gotta have a clear term for people so cynical they become gullible.
November 12, 2025 at 5:33 PM
This describes basically the entire "rationalist" movement, starting from the 2000s, that morphed into the tech reactionary anti-democracy movement now.
Reposted by Nick Carnes
the bond franchise has already encountered and solved this problem
November 11, 2025 at 7:11 PM
the bond franchise has already encountered and solved this problem
Reposted by Nick Carnes
People who are scared of big cities have it backward. The closer you are to your neighbors the better you are at seeing them as human. The people who are scared of “random shootings” in the cities are also sniping lost teens in their driveways in the exurbs.
Still thinking about this story. Imagine how cooked your brain has to be on Fox News -- how terrified you have to be, every day in your isolated suburban castle -- to start *shooting* when you see brown people at your door, before the door is even open. We're such a nation of terrified cowards.
Cleaning worker who mistakenly went to wrong home fatally shot: Police
The shooting victim died from a gunshot wound to the head, the coroner's office said.
abcnews.go.com
November 11, 2025 at 6:48 PM
People who are scared of big cities have it backward. The closer you are to your neighbors the better you are at seeing them as human. The people who are scared of “random shootings” in the cities are also sniping lost teens in their driveways in the exurbs.
Reposted by Nick Carnes
NEWS: The UK is no longer sharing intelligence with the US about suspected drug trafficking vessels in the Caribbean because it does not want to be complicit in US military strikes and believes the attacks are illegal, sources familiar with the matter told CNN. edition.cnn.com/2025/11/11/p...
Exclusive: UK suspends some intelligence sharing with US over boat strike concerns in major break | CNN Politics
The United Kingdom is no longer sharing intelligence with the US about suspected drug trafficking vessels in the Caribbean because it does not want to be complicit in US military strikes and believes ...
edition.cnn.com
November 11, 2025 at 3:06 PM
NEWS: The UK is no longer sharing intelligence with the US about suspected drug trafficking vessels in the Caribbean because it does not want to be complicit in US military strikes and believes the attacks are illegal, sources familiar with the matter told CNN. edition.cnn.com/2025/11/11/p...
Reposted by Nick Carnes
‘Nickname’ is not ‘nick’ + ‘name.’
It was originally ‘ekename.’
‘Eke’ was the Middle English word for “also” or “in addition.”
Since ‘ekename’ began with a vowel, people used ‘an’ before it.
Over time, 'an ekename' became 'a nickname.'
It was originally ‘ekename.’
‘Eke’ was the Middle English word for “also” or “in addition.”
Since ‘ekename’ began with a vowel, people used ‘an’ before it.
Over time, 'an ekename' became 'a nickname.'
November 11, 2025 at 7:05 PM
‘Nickname’ is not ‘nick’ + ‘name.’
It was originally ‘ekename.’
‘Eke’ was the Middle English word for “also” or “in addition.”
Since ‘ekename’ began with a vowel, people used ‘an’ before it.
Over time, 'an ekename' became 'a nickname.'
It was originally ‘ekename.’
‘Eke’ was the Middle English word for “also” or “in addition.”
Since ‘ekename’ began with a vowel, people used ‘an’ before it.
Over time, 'an ekename' became 'a nickname.'
The most important thing you'll read all day
"The opposition couldn’t justify obstruction that would worsen immediate pain....Orbán was teaching them to surrender...By the time they realized they needed to fight, they’d already given away the tools to resist."
"The opposition couldn’t justify obstruction that would worsen immediate pain....Orbán was teaching them to surrender...By the time they realized they needed to fight, they’d already given away the tools to resist."
What’s the difference between compromise and capitulation? Compromise trades concessions. Capitulation pays ransom to stop deliberate suffering, and teaches your opponent that coercion works. There are effective responses to coercive bargaining. What we saw was not one of them.
The Compassion Trap: How the Shutdown Weaponized Democratic Values Against Democracy Itself
When Opposition Parties Stop Fighting Because the Cruelty Becomes Unbearable. And Why They Shouldn't.
open.substack.com
November 11, 2025 at 6:31 PM
The most important thing you'll read all day
"The opposition couldn’t justify obstruction that would worsen immediate pain....Orbán was teaching them to surrender...By the time they realized they needed to fight, they’d already given away the tools to resist."
"The opposition couldn’t justify obstruction that would worsen immediate pain....Orbán was teaching them to surrender...By the time they realized they needed to fight, they’d already given away the tools to resist."
Reposted by Nick Carnes
"What a terrible day to have eyes," said Toad.
November 10, 2025 at 11:38 PM
"What a terrible day to have eyes," said Toad.
Reposted by Nick Carnes
This a big deal: "China’s carbon dioxide emissions have been flat or falling for 18 months"
China's economy has grown by ~5% in the last year, so this comprehensively debunks the idea (again) that emissions are tied to growth. So yes, faster progress needed, but this is how you turn the corner.
China's economy has grown by ~5% in the last year, so this comprehensively debunks the idea (again) that emissions are tied to growth. So yes, faster progress needed, but this is how you turn the corner.
China’s CO2 emissions have been flat or falling for past 18 months, analysis finds
World’s biggest polluter on track to hit peak emissions target early but miss goal for cutting carbon intensity
www.theguardian.com
November 11, 2025 at 9:20 AM
This a big deal: "China’s carbon dioxide emissions have been flat or falling for 18 months"
China's economy has grown by ~5% in the last year, so this comprehensively debunks the idea (again) that emissions are tied to growth. So yes, faster progress needed, but this is how you turn the corner.
China's economy has grown by ~5% in the last year, so this comprehensively debunks the idea (again) that emissions are tied to growth. So yes, faster progress needed, but this is how you turn the corner.
Reposted by Nick Carnes
Just read a talk announcement about "AI" and K-12 education that looked like it maybe, maybe embedded a critical perspective but was still dressed up in the language of AI hype, presupposing both job market & education "reshaped by AI".
🧵>>
🧵>>
November 10, 2025 at 8:32 PM
Just read a talk announcement about "AI" and K-12 education that looked like it maybe, maybe embedded a critical perspective but was still dressed up in the language of AI hype, presupposing both job market & education "reshaped by AI".
🧵>>
🧵>>
Reposted by Nick Carnes
New from me today! An article at @lpeblog.bsky.social, about Trump's tariffs, Magna Carta, and why opponents of democracy always try to undermine the tax system.
lpeproject.org/blog/the-lon...
Also, I got to write this one sentence:
lpeproject.org/blog/the-lon...
Also, I got to write this one sentence:
November 10, 2025 at 3:53 PM
New from me today! An article at @lpeblog.bsky.social, about Trump's tariffs, Magna Carta, and why opponents of democracy always try to undermine the tax system.
lpeproject.org/blog/the-lon...
Also, I got to write this one sentence:
lpeproject.org/blog/the-lon...
Also, I got to write this one sentence:
Reposted by Nick Carnes
Is social media to blame for teens’ mental health decline?
Intuition says yes—but RCTs find only small short-term effects when users quit.
This new preprint argues these studies don’t prove social media isn’t to blame.
Here’s why: 3 reasons.
Intuition says yes—but RCTs find only small short-term effects when users quit.
This new preprint argues these studies don’t prove social media isn’t to blame.
Here’s why: 3 reasons.
November 9, 2025 at 9:16 PM
Is social media to blame for teens’ mental health decline?
Intuition says yes—but RCTs find only small short-term effects when users quit.
This new preprint argues these studies don’t prove social media isn’t to blame.
Here’s why: 3 reasons.
Intuition says yes—but RCTs find only small short-term effects when users quit.
This new preprint argues these studies don’t prove social media isn’t to blame.
Here’s why: 3 reasons.
Reposted by Nick Carnes
Loving today's news that the mysterious "fedora man" outside the Louvre heist was actually a 15-year-old museum visitor who dresses like a 1940s French detective all the time, just because. apnews.com/article/louv...
Fedora man unmasked: Meet the teen behind the Louvre mystery photo
Fifteen-year-old Pedro Elias Garzon Delvaux has become an internet sensation after an Associated Press photo captured him outside the Louvre on the day of a crown jewels heist.
apnews.com
November 9, 2025 at 12:16 PM
Loving today's news that the mysterious "fedora man" outside the Louvre heist was actually a 15-year-old museum visitor who dresses like a 1940s French detective all the time, just because. apnews.com/article/louv...
but it made me a list of things to pack for a trip one time
I honestly don’t get the value of this company. They hoover up energy and water. Their product constantly gets things wrong and, in extreme cases, coaches people into suicide.
And it’s all built on what seems to be malicious and vast intellectual property theft.
What does OpenAI offer the world?
And it’s all built on what seems to be malicious and vast intellectual property theft.
What does OpenAI offer the world?
“authors & publishers who filed a lawsuit against the Sam Altman-led firm have secured access to internal Slack messages… discussing the mass deletion of a pirated books dataset… A NY district court ordered OpenAI to hand over the communications regarding data deletion”
futurism.com/artificial-i...
futurism.com/artificial-i...
November 9, 2025 at 11:38 AM
but it made me a list of things to pack for a trip one time
Reposted by Nick Carnes
The machine learned how to get lots more money for the same old product.
It’s called Gausslighting.
It’s called Gausslighting.
November 7, 2025 at 12:46 AM
The machine learned how to get lots more money for the same old product.
It’s called Gausslighting.
It’s called Gausslighting.
Reposted by Nick Carnes
ok so i bought some consumer data and decided i'd test this single layer neural network with a linear activation function from the image below. after testing it against other algorithms i found that this estimator thing had the lowest variance of any linear unbiased training algorithm??
November 6, 2025 at 11:04 PM
ok so i bought some consumer data and decided i'd test this single layer neural network with a linear activation function from the image below. after testing it against other algorithms i found that this estimator thing had the lowest variance of any linear unbiased training algorithm??
Reposted by Nick Carnes
Excessive force. PERIOD!
They called them “violent mobs,” but the violence came from the guys with badges and body armor.
📌 Keep sharing videos, everyone, because they’re evidence.
They called them “violent mobs,” but the violence came from the guys with badges and body armor.
📌 Keep sharing videos, everyone, because they’re evidence.
November 6, 2025 at 1:02 AM
Excessive force. PERIOD!
They called them “violent mobs,” but the violence came from the guys with badges and body armor.
📌 Keep sharing videos, everyone, because they’re evidence.
They called them “violent mobs,” but the violence came from the guys with badges and body armor.
📌 Keep sharing videos, everyone, because they’re evidence.
Reposted by Nick Carnes
So who is responsible for creating the danger of people falling for random but authoritative sounding text as if it were legitimate advice?
The companies making the janky-ass products and claiming to be creating artificial gods.
>>
The companies making the janky-ass products and claiming to be creating artificial gods.
>>
November 6, 2025 at 1:12 AM
So who is responsible for creating the danger of people falling for random but authoritative sounding text as if it were legitimate advice?
The companies making the janky-ass products and claiming to be creating artificial gods.
>>
The companies making the janky-ass products and claiming to be creating artificial gods.
>>
Reposted by Nick Carnes
In an act of vile racism, Lauren Boebert went as a “Mexican” for Halloween to mock ICE victims.
Boebert donned a sombrero and wore a vile sign, meant to be read in a crude Mexican accent that stated, “𝗠𝗲𝘅𝗶𝗰𝗮𝗻 𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗱 𝗼𝗳 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗱𝗮𝘆: 𝗝𝘂𝗶𝗰𝘆. 𝗧𝗲𝗹𝗹 𝗺𝗲 𝗶𝗳 𝗷𝘂𝗶𝗰𝘆 𝗜𝗖𝗘 𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗶𝗻𝗴”
Boebert donned a sombrero and wore a vile sign, meant to be read in a crude Mexican accent that stated, “𝗠𝗲𝘅𝗶𝗰𝗮𝗻 𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗱 𝗼𝗳 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗱𝗮𝘆: 𝗝𝘂𝗶𝗰𝘆. 𝗧𝗲𝗹𝗹 𝗺𝗲 𝗶𝗳 𝗷𝘂𝗶𝗰𝘆 𝗜𝗖𝗘 𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗶𝗻𝗴”
November 3, 2025 at 2:19 PM
In an act of vile racism, Lauren Boebert went as a “Mexican” for Halloween to mock ICE victims.
Boebert donned a sombrero and wore a vile sign, meant to be read in a crude Mexican accent that stated, “𝗠𝗲𝘅𝗶𝗰𝗮𝗻 𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗱 𝗼𝗳 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗱𝗮𝘆: 𝗝𝘂𝗶𝗰𝘆. 𝗧𝗲𝗹𝗹 𝗺𝗲 𝗶𝗳 𝗷𝘂𝗶𝗰𝘆 𝗜𝗖𝗘 𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗶𝗻𝗴”
Boebert donned a sombrero and wore a vile sign, meant to be read in a crude Mexican accent that stated, “𝗠𝗲𝘅𝗶𝗰𝗮𝗻 𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗱 𝗼𝗳 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗱𝗮𝘆: 𝗝𝘂𝗶𝗰𝘆. 𝗧𝗲𝗹𝗹 𝗺𝗲 𝗶𝗳 𝗷𝘂𝗶𝗰𝘆 𝗜𝗖𝗘 𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗶𝗻𝗴”
Reposted by Nick Carnes
"Lauren Boebert's racially charged Halloween costume sparks backlash
Boebert dressed as a Mexican woman and her boyfriend as an ICE agent."
by ABC News
Boebert dressed as a Mexican woman and her boyfriend as an ICE agent."
by ABC News
Lauren Boebert's racially charged Halloween costume sparks backlash
Rep. Lauren Boebert is criticized for her Mexican woman costume while her boyfriend dressed as an ICE agent at a Halloween party on Friday.
abcnews.go.com
November 4, 2025 at 2:12 PM
"Lauren Boebert's racially charged Halloween costume sparks backlash
Boebert dressed as a Mexican woman and her boyfriend as an ICE agent."
by ABC News
Boebert dressed as a Mexican woman and her boyfriend as an ICE agent."
by ABC News