Erick
erickmerchant.bsky.social
Erick
@erickmerchant.bsky.social
Reposted by Erick
NEW: Since the start of this year, more than 600 immigrant children have been placed in government shelters by ICE.

That number, which has not been previously reported, is the highest since recordkeeping began a decade ago.
ICE Sent 600 Immigrant Kids to Detention in Federal Shelters This Year. It’s a New Record.
Under a zero tolerance policy, the first Trump administration separated immigrant children from their families at the U.S.-Mexico border. New data suggests separations are happening all over the count...
www.propublica.org
November 24, 2025 at 6:08 PM
Reposted by Erick
A trans teen in Iowa completed suicide after severe bullying by classmates and teachers.

"Miles’ death came a day after a substitute teacher refused to use his preferred pronouns."

It's the type of bullying @thefireorg.bsky.social and @aricohn.com support.

www.thepinknews.com/2025/11/17/m...
Heartbroken family of trans teen speaks out about how bullying led to his death
The family of trans Iowa student Miles Phipps has spoken out about bullying following losing their son to suicide. He was just 15-years-old.
www.thepinknews.com
November 23, 2025 at 7:18 PM
Reposted by Erick
Read all of this. This is everything and everybody we were trying to warn about.
NEW: When RFK Jr. first told Trump that Tylenol might cause autism, the president wanted to tweet out a warning. Kennedy told him not to do that. There was nuance, and the drug companies would push back. “I don’t give a shit about that,” Trump responded. www.theatlantic.com/magazine/202...
The Most Powerful Man in Science
Why is Robert F. Kennedy Jr. so convinced he’s right?
www.theatlantic.com
November 24, 2025 at 3:09 AM
Reposted by Erick
Hey I'd love if you took like 15 seconds and subscribed to get my writing in your inbox a few times a month. No upcharge, just good times. dansinker.com/follow/
November 23, 2025 at 2:57 AM
Jesus Denmark is racist af.
November 22, 2025 at 4:02 PM
Reposted by Erick
There should be a book (podcast, whatever) called “This Is What Life Used To Be Like “, and it should be required reading for everyone.
November 22, 2025 at 2:23 PM
Reposted by Erick
I wrote a little bit about the "missing heritability" question and several recent studies that have brought it to a close. A short 🧵
The missing heritability question is now (mostly) answered
Not with a bang but with a whimper
theinfinitesimal.substack.com
November 21, 2025 at 10:34 PM
Reposted by Erick
They line up perfectly.
November 22, 2025 at 2:32 AM
Reposted by Erick
“This Congressman Knows What Trump Told MBS After Khashoggi’s Killing. He Says the Public Needs to See the Transcript” 11/20/25 time.com/7335544/trum...
Exclusive: Congressman Plans New Push For Trump-MBS Transcript
Rep. Eugene Vindman will appear with Jamal Khashoggi's widow to push for release of a "shocking" transcript between Trump and MBS
time.com
November 21, 2025 at 5:16 PM
Reposted by Erick
Neither rain nor sleet nor ICE
A U.S. postal worker on Long Island is accused of trying to help a man escape from ICE custody earlier this month, according to a federal criminal complaint: https://gothamist.visitlink.me/YNagDp
US postal worker charged with breaking man out of ICE custody on Long Island
Police arrested the worker and the man she tried to free.
gothamist.visitlink.me
November 21, 2025 at 2:27 AM
Reposted by Erick
It remains a national shanda that we have totally moved on from the attempted and actual assassinations of elected Democrats, as if they never even happened. It's why we're here, dealing with this should-immediately-end-a-presidency stuff today.
A Trump supporter started murdering his way through an assassination list of Democratic law makers FIVE MONTHS AGO. He murdered my colleague Melissa Hortman, and her husband Mark — and attempted to assassinate my dear friend John Hoffman and his wife Yvette. I was also on the hit list. WTF
Insanity
November 20, 2025 at 6:48 PM
Reposted by Erick
A Trump supporter started murdering his way through an assassination list of Democratic law makers FIVE MONTHS AGO. He murdered my colleague Melissa Hortman, and her husband Mark — and attempted to assassinate my dear friend John Hoffman and his wife Yvette. I was also on the hit list. WTF
Insanity
November 20, 2025 at 5:56 PM
Reposted by Erick
we’re seeing dudes rocking at levels previously thought impossible www.motherjones.com/politics/202...
Meet the veteran who chases ICE on a scooter
Clifford “Buzz” Grambo patrols the streets of Baltimore to keep his neighbors safe—and make federal agents uncomfortable.
www.motherjones.com
November 20, 2025 at 3:13 PM
Reposted by Erick
We need a better term for depression. That’s played out. I suggest the Noble Sorrow™️
November 20, 2025 at 1:09 PM
Reposted by Erick
Stephen Miller said the Chicago building was “filled with TdA terrorists.”

DOJ prosecutors have not filed criminal charges or shown evidence that anyone arrested in the raid belonged to the Tren de Aragua gang.

With @frontlinepbs.bsky.social & @blockclubchi.bsky.social
“I Lost Everything”: Venezuelans Were Rounded Up in a Dramatic Midnight Raid but Never Charged With a Crime
Authorities said Tren de Aragua “terrorists” had taken over the building. A ProPublica investigation found little evidence to back up the government’s claims. For the first time, the Venezuelans arres...
www.propublica.org
November 20, 2025 at 2:40 AM
Reposted by Erick
NEW:

In 2024, Tierra Walker was sick and getting sicker. She was also pregnant.

She knew abortion was illegal in Texas, but thought there was an exception for women like her, whose health was at risk. Doctors told her there was no emergency.

Then she died.

www.propublica.org/article/texa...
“Ticking Time Bomb”: A Pregnant Mother Kept Getting Sicker. She Died After She Couldn’t Get an Abortion in Texas.
Walker is one of several women ProPublica found with underlying health conditions who died when they couldn’t access abortions.
www.propublica.org
November 19, 2025 at 11:08 AM
Full article if you disable js (or pay).
Trump Team Calls Maduro a ‘Cartel’ Boss. That Word Doesn’t Mean What You Think.

Venezuelans coined a figure of speech for the phenomenon of generals corrupted by drug money: “Cartel de los Soles.” Then the US started talking about it as a literal organization.

www.nytimes.com/2025/11/18/u...
Trump Team Calls Maduro a ‘Cartel’ Boss. That Word Doesn’t Mean What You Think.
www.nytimes.com
November 19, 2025 at 12:37 PM
Reposted by Erick
I don't know why the "Piggy" thing is bothering me so much. It's one more unforgivable thing in a list of 20,000 unforgivable things, but I've been mad about it for like 12 straight hours.
November 18, 2025 at 11:48 PM
My first table as a waiter I forgot to write anything down so I didn't know who had what. It was a disaster from there. So I just always tell myself it's someone's first day. If someone leaves a package in front of my storm door that opens out though I will curse about it. And then give them 5 stars
it is morally abhorrent to me to ruin the lives of delivery people by giving them bad reviews but if you pick up my pizza and I have to text you 40 minutes later about whether or not you’re going to bring me my food I’m going to bitch about it anonymously on the internet
November 19, 2025 at 4:51 AM
Reposted by Erick
I am increasingly of the opinion that people who change menus and look and feel of computer software just so that you know it's a new version should be personally forced to play tech support to my mother for five months.
November 19, 2025 at 4:10 AM
Reposted by Erick
New — I wrote about the myriad ways journalism’s moral rot manifests, and how our crumbling institutions have created the conditions for it to fester:
Moral rot in elite journalism is killing the whole field
The Nuzzi/RFK Jr. mess and the revelation of Esptein's journo pals lay bare a profound moral absence at the heart of our free press.
www.thehandbasket.co
November 18, 2025 at 10:03 PM
Reposted by Erick
It's not a foolproof plan but every political debate from now on should be a Normal Guy competition. Ask them to describe grocery shopping in detail. Talk about what it's like to have a friend
November 19, 2025 at 2:13 AM
Reposted by Erick
November 17, 2025 at 7:17 PM
Reposted by Erick
"People familiar with FBI security protocols said they were unaware of any other instance in which the girlfriends of top FBI officials received government-staffed security details..."

www.ms.now/news/kash-pa...
Kash Patel's girlfriend being protected by FBI SWAT agents as security perk
Agents on a detail with the country singer would presumably be unable to respond or delayed in responding to other incidents, according to sources.
www.ms.now
November 17, 2025 at 6:31 PM