Deb Chachra
@debcha.bsky.social
Engineering professor. Author of HOW INFRASTRUCTURE WORKS (on Riverhead in the US+, on Torva in the UK+). Interested in embodiment, materiality, metacognition, and systems. All enthusiasm is 100% genuine.
Reposted by Deb Chachra
"Due process is not a courtesy extended at the government's convenience. Due process is the condition that makes custody lawful in the first place."
Man, that right there is the whole ball game.
Man, that right there is the whole ball game.
"The authority the political branches possess over immigration does not include the power to seize liberty first and justify confinement later. Due process is not a courtesy extended at the government's convenience. Due process is the condition that makes custody lawful in the first place.”
Another memorable ruling out of West Virginia, where Judge Goodwin — a Clinton appointee — excoriates the treatment of ICE detainees.
"This is not what civil enforcement looks like in a humane system of government under law."
storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.us...
"This is not what civil enforcement looks like in a humane system of government under law."
storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.us...
February 11, 2026 at 5:52 AM
"Due process is not a courtesy extended at the government's convenience. Due process is the condition that makes custody lawful in the first place."
Man, that right there is the whole ball game.
Man, that right there is the whole ball game.
Reposted by Deb Chachra
English-only California: the golden state with Spanish place names removed. First map I ever commissioned, to commemoration of the 150th anniversary of the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo, whereby the US made Mexico give up its northern half, adding California and the Southwest to the Union.
February 10, 2026 at 1:44 AM
English-only California: the golden state with Spanish place names removed. First map I ever commissioned, to commemoration of the 150th anniversary of the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo, whereby the US made Mexico give up its northern half, adding California and the Southwest to the Union.
I don’t know who needs to hear this, but: You can make chocolate chip cookie dough, portion it out onto baking sheets, freeze it, and transfer the raw cookies to a container. Then bake them a few at a time, from frozen — warm homemade cookies in twenty minutes or so, whenever you want.
February 9, 2026 at 10:12 PM
I don’t know who needs to hear this, but: You can make chocolate chip cookie dough, portion it out onto baking sheets, freeze it, and transfer the raw cookies to a container. Then bake them a few at a time, from frozen — warm homemade cookies in twenty minutes or so, whenever you want.
About those electricity poles in Bad Bunny’s halftime show — the song is “El Apagón” (“The Blackout”) and the official music video was released as a 23min documentary, subtitled “Aquí Vive Gente” (“People Live Here”).
[and yes, there are English subtitles from ~4:30]
youtu.be/1TCX_Aqzoo4
[and yes, there are English subtitles from ~4:30]
youtu.be/1TCX_Aqzoo4
Bad Bunny - El Apagón - Aquí Vive Gente (Video Oficial) | Un Verano Sin Ti
YouTube video by Bad Bunny
youtu.be
February 9, 2026 at 2:00 PM
About those electricity poles in Bad Bunny’s halftime show — the song is “El Apagón” (“The Blackout”) and the official music video was released as a 23min documentary, subtitled “Aquí Vive Gente” (“People Live Here”).
[and yes, there are English subtitles from ~4:30]
youtu.be/1TCX_Aqzoo4
[and yes, there are English subtitles from ~4:30]
youtu.be/1TCX_Aqzoo4
Reposted by Deb Chachra
I will eventually shut up about this but Bad Bunny’s use of the power lines is an outstanding example of how to communicate about climate and energy issues. Not about who is the smartest nerd in the room and spewing numbers but about people’s actual lives. Genius.
February 9, 2026 at 2:29 AM
I will eventually shut up about this but Bad Bunny’s use of the power lines is an outstanding example of how to communicate about climate and energy issues. Not about who is the smartest nerd in the room and spewing numbers but about people’s actual lives. Genius.
I write and talk about energy and borders and that our collective infrastructure is how we take care of one another, and I like to point out that I’m just one of so many fellow travelers saying it in different ways. Today is a good demonstration of that. 😍💡
comment.org/care-at-scale/
comment.org/care-at-scale/
Care at Scale
Bodies, agency, and infrastructure.
comment.org
February 9, 2026 at 2:52 AM
I write and talk about energy and borders and that our collective infrastructure is how we take care of one another, and I like to point out that I’m just one of so many fellow travelers saying it in different ways. Today is a good demonstration of that. 😍💡
comment.org/care-at-scale/
comment.org/care-at-scale/
Reposted by Deb Chachra
Puerto Ricans have been fighting for energy democracy - the right to control their grid locally and build the clean energy future on the island - for decades. If you want to support an incredible effort, get plugged into the work led by Queremos Sol! queremossolpr.org
LO QUE TENEMOS
queremossolpr.org
February 9, 2026 at 2:32 AM
Puerto Ricans have been fighting for energy democracy - the right to control their grid locally and build the clean energy future on the island - for decades. If you want to support an incredible effort, get plugged into the work led by Queremos Sol! queremossolpr.org
If you’re thinking, “I should learn Spanish 🤔”, I highly encourage it.
Especially as someone who already has English, French, and Hindi/Urdu (so I recognised the cognates from the Arabic!), Spanish was an absolute joy to learn.
Also it’s just a goddamn beautiful language.
Especially as someone who already has English, French, and Hindi/Urdu (so I recognised the cognates from the Arabic!), Spanish was an absolute joy to learn.
Also it’s just a goddamn beautiful language.
I actually started learning Spanish when Hurricane Maria happened, and got funding to go to Puerto Rico for book research. Then covid happened and I never went but I still taught myself Spanish. And having the language (unsurprisingly) really opened a path into Latin American history and culture.
February 9, 2026 at 2:19 AM
If you’re thinking, “I should learn Spanish 🤔”, I highly encourage it.
Especially as someone who already has English, French, and Hindi/Urdu (so I recognised the cognates from the Arabic!), Spanish was an absolute joy to learn.
Also it’s just a goddamn beautiful language.
Especially as someone who already has English, French, and Hindi/Urdu (so I recognised the cognates from the Arabic!), Spanish was an absolute joy to learn.
Also it’s just a goddamn beautiful language.
Reposted by Deb Chachra
Commenting on energy injustice is now the floor for any halftime act.
February 9, 2026 at 1:33 AM
Commenting on energy injustice is now the floor for any halftime act.
Reposted by Deb Chachra
Reposted by Deb Chachra
Someone is going to write a dissertation about this half time show and I will read it.
February 9, 2026 at 1:29 AM
Someone is going to write a dissertation about this half time show and I will read it.
Reposted by Deb Chachra
Never thought this piece from 2017 would apply to the Super Bowl halftime show but here is some FURTHER READING
The Racist Supreme Court Cases That Cemented Puerto Rico’s Second-Class Status
The devastation wrought by Hurricanes Irma and Maria has reawakened many Americans to the existence of Puerto Rico as well as the archaic laws and...
slate.com
February 9, 2026 at 1:39 AM
Never thought this piece from 2017 would apply to the Super Bowl halftime show but here is some FURTHER READING
Reposted by Deb Chachra
Holding us accountable for the shameful failure to restore power to PR
February 9, 2026 at 1:32 AM
Holding us accountable for the shameful failure to restore power to PR
Reposted by Deb Chachra
america could be such a cool fucking place if we’d just let it be
February 9, 2026 at 1:32 AM
america could be such a cool fucking place if we’d just let it be
Reposted by Deb Chachra
REBUILDING THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEMS
February 9, 2026 at 1:30 AM
REBUILDING THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEMS
Reposted by Deb Chachra
thank you bad bunny for highlighting the importance of critical power distribution infrastructure bsky.app/profile/cost...
It’s the weekend everyone, so you know what that means. Time to drink two polar seltzers and do a thread on the power transformer shortage. Without transformers, we don’t get a clean energy transition. And as energysky knows, there’s been a shortage due to covid, supply chain, & labor constraints 🔌🔋
February 9, 2026 at 1:35 AM
thank you bad bunny for highlighting the importance of critical power distribution infrastructure bsky.app/profile/cost...
Reposted by Deb Chachra
Unless you are Puerto Rican, please do not use this as an opportunity to say that Puerto Rico should be a state, like maybe Google it before assuming anything
February 9, 2026 at 1:36 AM
Unless you are Puerto Rican, please do not use this as an opportunity to say that Puerto Rico should be a state, like maybe Google it before assuming anything
Reposted by Deb Chachra
Reposted by Deb Chachra
OK "god bless america" and then naming every country in the americas from south to north is absolute king shit
February 9, 2026 at 1:33 AM
OK "god bless america" and then naming every country in the americas from south to north is absolute king shit
Reposted by Deb Chachra
One of these days, people will look back on these sports betting ads like we do on the ads for patent medicines featuring cocaine.
February 9, 2026 at 12:31 AM
One of these days, people will look back on these sports betting ads like we do on the ads for patent medicines featuring cocaine.
Reposted by Deb Chachra
The oldest known image of an owl:
More than 30,000 years ago, someone skillfully scratched the figure of a long-eared owl (Asio otus) into the soft outer layer of the walls of Chauvet Cave, France. The owl is looking backward over their wings, head turned 180 degrees
carnegiemnh.org/ancient-owl-...
More than 30,000 years ago, someone skillfully scratched the figure of a long-eared owl (Asio otus) into the soft outer layer of the walls of Chauvet Cave, France. The owl is looking backward over their wings, head turned 180 degrees
carnegiemnh.org/ancient-owl-...
February 8, 2026 at 6:08 PM
The oldest known image of an owl:
More than 30,000 years ago, someone skillfully scratched the figure of a long-eared owl (Asio otus) into the soft outer layer of the walls of Chauvet Cave, France. The owl is looking backward over their wings, head turned 180 degrees
carnegiemnh.org/ancient-owl-...
More than 30,000 years ago, someone skillfully scratched the figure of a long-eared owl (Asio otus) into the soft outer layer of the walls of Chauvet Cave, France. The owl is looking backward over their wings, head turned 180 degrees
carnegiemnh.org/ancient-owl-...
Reposted by Deb Chachra
Since we're posting super bowls, I will post my favourite bowls that I own, my turquoise snowflake and Amish butterprint vintage pyrex.
February 8, 2026 at 6:04 PM
Since we're posting super bowls, I will post my favourite bowls that I own, my turquoise snowflake and Amish butterprint vintage pyrex.
Reposted by Deb Chachra
When you see unhoused people asking for money what you should see is a fracturing of the social contract where an issue (housing) that should be addressed on a municipal or statuary level is instead foisted on individuals in a way designed o put callouses on their souls
man I’m sorry to be all corny here but when I see a “the city is beautiful! There’s more to it than homeless people!” I gotta say you know who’s also beautiful? People who have no place to live & are trying to get by in a system that has turned its back on them & if you don’t see that that’s on you
February 8, 2026 at 5:29 AM
When you see unhoused people asking for money what you should see is a fracturing of the social contract where an issue (housing) that should be addressed on a municipal or statuary level is instead foisted on individuals in a way designed o put callouses on their souls