Chris Goodman
@cbgoodman.co
Associate Professor @ NIU. Public finance & local govts. Special districts, mostly. 🚴
📍 Chicagoland
🌐 www.cgoodman.com
📍 Chicagoland
🌐 www.cgoodman.com
Pinned
Chris Goodman
@cbgoodman.co
· Nov 12
Hi folks, Chris here.
I figure I should do one of these intro things. I'm a prof at NIU, studying special districts and/or state preemption (people typically know me for one or the other).
I post a lot about local govts, Illinois, and cycling.
Welcome!
I figure I should do one of these intro things. I'm a prof at NIU, studying special districts and/or state preemption (people typically know me for one or the other).
I post a lot about local govts, Illinois, and cycling.
Welcome!
True story: I gave my first draft of my dissertation to my advisor (in 2011ish) and she wrote on every single page. Probably the most common thing was fixing this. So, I went through 200+ pages and made sure the punctuation was inside the quotation marks. And I will never forget it.
Let my gravestone read "PUNCTUATION GOES INSIDE THE QUOTATION MARKS."
November 10, 2025 at 6:07 PM
True story: I gave my first draft of my dissertation to my advisor (in 2011ish) and she wrote on every single page. Probably the most common thing was fixing this. So, I went through 200+ pages and made sure the punctuation was inside the quotation marks. And I will never forget it.
Weird thing to throw out here on a Saturday, but Discord servers for your department? I don’t want to police a proto-social network, but I also want to give students (prospective and current) info in a place they want it. Yay or nay?
November 8, 2025 at 7:24 PM
Weird thing to throw out here on a Saturday, but Discord servers for your department? I don’t want to police a proto-social network, but I also want to give students (prospective and current) info in a place they want it. Yay or nay?
This is giving me some flashbacks of doing tax foreclosure research in Milwaukee.
Also, drinking Natty Boh in a bathtub as a stand in for champagne? Doesn’t get more Bmore than that.
Also, drinking Natty Boh in a bathtub as a stand in for champagne? Doesn’t get more Bmore than that.
November 8, 2025 at 4:39 PM
This is giving me some flashbacks of doing tax foreclosure research in Milwaukee.
Also, drinking Natty Boh in a bathtub as a stand in for champagne? Doesn’t get more Bmore than that.
Also, drinking Natty Boh in a bathtub as a stand in for champagne? Doesn’t get more Bmore than that.
The saddest thing I’ve done today is hit “cancel” on my public sector jobs day to-do.
November 7, 2025 at 2:39 PM
The saddest thing I’ve done today is hit “cancel” on my public sector jobs day to-do.
Republicans have been warning about socialism for years, but it turns out the call was coming from inside the house.
Trump to the Novo Nordisk CEO: "Maybe you should give us a piece of the company like I've been asking for."
November 6, 2025 at 9:46 PM
Republicans have been warning about socialism for years, but it turns out the call was coming from inside the house.
The one downside of caring more than a little about audio quality is that I have to wait for the heat to turn off before I can record anything. Trying to get rid of random HVAC noise is super annoying.
November 6, 2025 at 8:22 PM
The one downside of caring more than a little about audio quality is that I have to wait for the heat to turn off before I can record anything. Trying to get rid of random HVAC noise is super annoying.
Preaching to the choir here, but this shot up to the top of my podcast queue for this morning. I always appreciate @reckless.bsky.social's interviews on the subject.
The problems with AI in schools
Teachers had one big question: What are we even doing here?
www.theverge.com
November 6, 2025 at 4:50 PM
Preaching to the choir here, but this shot up to the top of my podcast queue for this morning. I always appreciate @reckless.bsky.social's interviews on the subject.
Alt phrasing: I don't think the ordering of the Articles is indicative of their importance. 🤦♂️
Q: What's your response to Gorsuch's expressing concern about Trump usurping congressional authority?
MIKE JOHNSON: I don't find myself in disagreement with Justice Gorsuch too often, but I think he missed the mark on this one
MIKE JOHNSON: I don't find myself in disagreement with Justice Gorsuch too often, but I think he missed the mark on this one
November 6, 2025 at 4:39 PM
Alt phrasing: I don't think the ordering of the Articles is indicative of their importance. 🤦♂️
Trying to take the Ron Swanson advice of "whole-ass one thing" to heart today. One thing at a time.
November 6, 2025 at 4:31 PM
Trying to take the Ron Swanson advice of "whole-ass one thing" to heart today. One thing at a time.
What is up with weird tech billionaires and wanting to build super secretive schools?
SCOOP (free, as it's FOIA-based!): I obtained 1,665 pgs of documents about "Bicken Ben," a growing private school the Zuckerbergs ran illegally out of their Palo Alto compound
Neighbors complained the school for years. Then, in 2024, they reached their breaking point:
www.wired.com/story/mark-z...
Neighbors complained the school for years. Then, in 2024, they reached their breaking point:
www.wired.com/story/mark-z...
Mark Zuckerberg Opened an Illegal School at His Palo Alto Compound. His Neighbors Revolted
Neighbors complained about noise, security guards, and hordes of traffic. An unlicensed school named after the Zuckerbergs’ pet chicken tipped them over the edge.
www.wired.com
November 6, 2025 at 2:13 PM
What is up with weird tech billionaires and wanting to build super secretive schools?
I appreciate that Ken has a brand. And that brand is attempting to meddle in places where he does not live and has no stake. Feel free to ignore entirely—we in Chicago learned this long ago.
Citadel CEO Griffin says the people of NYC deserve better than Mamdani's talking points reut.rs/4p0JaA9
Citadel CEO Griffin says the people of NYC deserve better than Mamdani's talking points
Ken Griffin, the CEO of Citadel, said on Wednesday he prays the policies that Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani uses to lead New York City are different from his talking points.
reut.rs
November 5, 2025 at 11:03 PM
I appreciate that Ken has a brand. And that brand is attempting to meddle in places where he does not live and has no stake. Feel free to ignore entirely—we in Chicago learned this long ago.
It's incredibly difficult to see how we move past this without some people serving significant jail time.
Bovino was asked in his deposition if that was still true — that all use of force in Chicago had been "exemplary."
Bovino says "no."
Then he's asked if some force had been "less than proper?"
Bovino: "All uses of force have been MORE than exemplary."
Bovino says "no."
Then he's asked if some force had been "less than proper?"
Bovino: "All uses of force have been MORE than exemplary."
November 5, 2025 at 8:50 PM
It's incredibly difficult to see how we move past this without some people serving significant jail time.
Maybe socializing an entire generation about how to use money in an environment of zero interest rates was a bad thing. TVM is a thing, non-zero interest rates are a thing, and borrowing can get unexpectedly expensive.
“.. the number of accounts shifting into serious delinquency—more than 90 days past due—ticked up to 5.33% .. with pretty much all types of debt showing a rise last quarter ..”
@barrons.com #NYFed
www.barrons.com/articles/fed...
@barrons.com #NYFed
www.barrons.com/articles/fed...
November 5, 2025 at 4:08 PM
Maybe socializing an entire generation about how to use money in an environment of zero interest rates was a bad thing. TVM is a thing, non-zero interest rates are a thing, and borrowing can get unexpectedly expensive.
Reposted by Chris Goodman
dawg not the steakhouse wedding font
November 5, 2025 at 3:33 PM
dawg not the steakhouse wedding font
When I teach budgeting, I have an assignment where one of the various options is using budget reserves to "solve" a short-term problem. Students often ask me what they should do, and I almost always respond with "Is it raining?"
It's raining, y'all. It's in the name.
It's raining, y'all. It's in the name.
Utah Senate Democrats are calling on the Legislature’s GOP supermajority to use rainy-day funds to make up for the unfunded portion of Utahns' SNAP benefits.
‘Food is not a privilege’: Utah Democrats tell GOP leaders to use rainy-day funds for SNAP
Utah Senate Democrats are calling on the Legislature’s GOP supermajority to use rainy-day funds to make up for the unfunded portion of Utahns' SNAP benefits.
www.sltrib.com
November 5, 2025 at 2:25 AM
When I teach budgeting, I have an assignment where one of the various options is using budget reserves to "solve" a short-term problem. Students often ask me what they should do, and I almost always respond with "Is it raining?"
It's raining, y'all. It's in the name.
It's raining, y'all. It's in the name.
One of the many reasons I held off on upgrading to macOS 26 was reports of weird audio issues. Since I spend a lot of time doing audio related stuff (videoconferencing but also lecture recording), I held off upgrading. Rogue Amoeba seems to think all is fixed, so I might dip my toes in.
MacOS 26 (Tahoe) Includes Important Audio-Related Bug Fixes
When you upgrade to Tahoe, you’ll benefit from multiple bug fixes. Be sure you move up 26.1 for the best experience.
weblog.rogueamoeba.com
November 4, 2025 at 10:40 PM
One of the many reasons I held off on upgrading to macOS 26 was reports of weird audio issues. Since I spend a lot of time doing audio related stuff (videoconferencing but also lecture recording), I held off upgrading. Rogue Amoeba seems to think all is fixed, so I might dip my toes in.
Oh no, I might have finally found the thing that kills off Things3 for me—robust task integration with Obsidian.
TaskNotes Documentation
Comprehensive task and note management with calendar integration for Obsidian
tasknotes.dev
November 4, 2025 at 6:12 PM
Oh no, I might have finally found the thing that kills off Things3 for me—robust task integration with Obsidian.
In IL, "General assistance" covers a lot of things, and helping people who are losing SNAP benefits is squarely in that wheelhouse—many townships, particularly the urban ones (but not exclusively), have extensive food pantries that operate outside the general assistance program.
Bloomington Township considers emergency relief for those facing SNAP cuts
Township supervisor Deb Skillrud says the program would provide temporary help to hundreds of families, who would be able to get between $200 and $500 per month — depending on the number of family mem...
www.wglt.org
November 4, 2025 at 4:00 PM
In IL, "General assistance" covers a lot of things, and helping people who are losing SNAP benefits is squarely in that wheelhouse—many townships, particularly the urban ones (but not exclusively), have extensive food pantries that operate outside the general assistance program.
Well, at least the .1 Apple updates were released such that I can probably hear John Siracusa tell me whether I can update to macOS 26.1 without much issue.
November 3, 2025 at 11:28 PM
Well, at least the .1 Apple updates were released such that I can probably hear John Siracusa tell me whether I can update to macOS 26.1 without much issue.
You know what the Wayback Machine is amazing for? Looking up old academic department websites. Basically, everyone from the early 2000s in my department is long gone, so this is like a time machine to what we were doing.
November 3, 2025 at 9:53 PM
You know what the Wayback Machine is amazing for? Looking up old academic department websites. Basically, everyone from the early 2000s in my department is long gone, so this is like a time machine to what we were doing.
I love occasionally forgetting and remembering that Alfred Molina is the guide with Indiana Jones at the beginning of Raiders of the Lost Ark. It brings me joy.
November 2, 2025 at 9:04 PM
I love occasionally forgetting and remembering that Alfred Molina is the guide with Indiana Jones at the beginning of Raiders of the Lost Ark. It brings me joy.
I love what Criterion or Arrow do for movies. However, we need a non-horror, cult classic distributor/restorer. I just want Zardoz on 4k!
(Yes, I’m a sucker for weird Sean Connery side projects. I just bought Outland on 4k.)
(Yes, I’m a sucker for weird Sean Connery side projects. I just bought Outland on 4k.)
November 1, 2025 at 4:33 PM
I love what Criterion or Arrow do for movies. However, we need a non-horror, cult classic distributor/restorer. I just want Zardoz on 4k!
(Yes, I’m a sucker for weird Sean Connery side projects. I just bought Outland on 4k.)
(Yes, I’m a sucker for weird Sean Connery side projects. I just bought Outland on 4k.)
When I lived in DC, I flew to ATL about every 3 weeks. Always the same schedule—6 pm flight on Friday, back on the last flight on Sunday. I often flew with elected officials, mostly Sen. Johnny Isakson. Other than the Congressional pin, you'd never know who they were. Social media has warped people.
October 31, 2025 at 8:57 PM
When I lived in DC, I flew to ATL about every 3 weeks. Always the same schedule—6 pm flight on Friday, back on the last flight on Sunday. I often flew with elected officials, mostly Sen. Johnny Isakson. Other than the Congressional pin, you'd never know who they were. Social media has warped people.
Ugh, I've been having an issue where my MacBook won't charge (or charges very little) when plugged into my dock. Turns out I had the Thunderbolt cable plugged into the wrong port, only feeding the computer 15 watts instead of the 87 watts it wants. 🤦♂️
October 31, 2025 at 6:19 PM
Ugh, I've been having an issue where my MacBook won't charge (or charges very little) when plugged into my dock. Turns out I had the Thunderbolt cable plugged into the wrong port, only feeding the computer 15 watts instead of the 87 watts it wants. 🤦♂️
Ah, it’s that time of year where a hot shower is insufficient to get warmer back up.
I like biking in the cold, but what your body does when it isn’t pumping blood at >130bpm is less than enjoyable. (All the shivers, if you’re interested)
I like biking in the cold, but what your body does when it isn’t pumping blood at >130bpm is less than enjoyable. (All the shivers, if you’re interested)
It seems I missed fall entirely. Straight from bibs/jersey to tights/thermal jersey. Boo. #cycling
October 31, 2025 at 4:23 AM
Ah, it’s that time of year where a hot shower is insufficient to get warmer back up.
I like biking in the cold, but what your body does when it isn’t pumping blood at >130bpm is less than enjoyable. (All the shivers, if you’re interested)
I like biking in the cold, but what your body does when it isn’t pumping blood at >130bpm is less than enjoyable. (All the shivers, if you’re interested)