Jesse Raber
@jraber.bsky.social
Working on a literary history of Chicago - Author of Progressivism's Aesthetic Education: bit.ly/2AhdjaH - Co-creator of the Chicago Writing Gallery at the American Writers Museum - let's talk about cooking, ceramics, ebikes
Today most ice seems to have sunk under the weight of overlying snow, leaving picturesque ice islands at shallow spots.
January 26, 2026 at 8:10 PM
Today most ice seems to have sunk under the weight of overlying snow, leaving picturesque ice islands at shallow spots.
Reposted by Jesse Raber
In case anyone was wondering how it’s going over on American Girl doll Instagram
January 25, 2026 at 10:21 PM
In case anyone was wondering how it’s going over on American Girl doll Instagram
Reposted by Jesse Raber
Crowd is massive, now overflowing Congress Plaza and taking up a block-long stretch of Michigan Avenue.
Reminder: this event was only announced yesterday.
Reminder: this event was only announced yesterday.
January 25, 2026 at 7:52 PM
Crowd is massive, now overflowing Congress Plaza and taking up a block-long stretch of Michigan Avenue.
Reminder: this event was only announced yesterday.
Reminder: this event was only announced yesterday.
Reposted by Jesse Raber
Good afternoon from downtown Chicago, where despite heavy snowfall, thousands have gathered for an anti-ICE/CBP demonstration in solidarity with the Twin Cities. More are still streaming in.
Lt. Illinois Gov. Juliana Stratton just addressed the crowd, and called for ICE to be abolished.
Lt. Illinois Gov. Juliana Stratton just addressed the crowd, and called for ICE to be abolished.
January 25, 2026 at 7:37 PM
Good afternoon from downtown Chicago, where despite heavy snowfall, thousands have gathered for an anti-ICE/CBP demonstration in solidarity with the Twin Cities. More are still streaming in.
Lt. Illinois Gov. Juliana Stratton just addressed the crowd, and called for ICE to be abolished.
Lt. Illinois Gov. Juliana Stratton just addressed the crowd, and called for ICE to be abolished.
Reposted by Jesse Raber
Finally made it to the head of the column. The lead vehicle is leading a chant of "abolish ICE, it's not that hard!"
Meanwhile visibility is dropping as the snow keeps coming down.
Meanwhile visibility is dropping as the snow keeps coming down.
January 25, 2026 at 8:42 PM
Finally made it to the head of the column. The lead vehicle is leading a chant of "abolish ICE, it's not that hard!"
Meanwhile visibility is dropping as the snow keeps coming down.
Meanwhile visibility is dropping as the snow keeps coming down.
*frozen moonscape intensifies*
January 25, 2026 at 6:54 PM
*frozen moonscape intensifies*
Reposted by Jesse Raber
People are rightly angry at the murders of Good and Pretti, and the fact they're on video in broad daylight surely contributes, but there's no avoiding how little mention of Keith Porter there is.
And ICE has shot or otherwise killed non-citizens, who are no less deserving of attention.
And ICE has shot or otherwise killed non-citizens, who are no less deserving of attention.
A Black man was killed by ICE (off duty) in Los Angeles on New Year’s Eve. And like Renée Good, he was an American citizen. But most people have not heard about Keith Porter.
I need y’all to realize this. Black people experience this lack of visibility all the time when it comes to being victims.
I need y’all to realize this. Black people experience this lack of visibility all the time when it comes to being victims.
January 25, 2026 at 12:06 PM
People are rightly angry at the murders of Good and Pretti, and the fact they're on video in broad daylight surely contributes, but there's no avoiding how little mention of Keith Porter there is.
And ICE has shot or otherwise killed non-citizens, who are no less deserving of attention.
And ICE has shot or otherwise killed non-citizens, who are no less deserving of attention.
Reposted by Jesse Raber
Nearly gasped when I saw the lake frozen over this morning, out to the horizon in some places. It always takes my breath away -- my favorite natural sight, and every time I see it now, I wonder if it's gonna be the last.
January 25, 2026 at 6:52 AM
Nearly gasped when I saw the lake frozen over this morning, out to the horizon in some places. It always takes my breath away -- my favorite natural sight, and every time I see it now, I wonder if it's gonna be the last.
Reposted by Jesse Raber
Saying there must be trials isn't just an emotive aspiration.
Congress can:
- Create a new court (complying w/ 6A jury vicinage)
- Give it jurisdiction over defined category of crimes
- Also create dedicated prosecutors for the same
- Strip SCOTUS of appellate jurisdiction
It can be done.
Congress can:
- Create a new court (complying w/ 6A jury vicinage)
- Give it jurisdiction over defined category of crimes
- Also create dedicated prosecutors for the same
- Strip SCOTUS of appellate jurisdiction
It can be done.
January 25, 2026 at 7:28 AM
Saying there must be trials isn't just an emotive aspiration.
Congress can:
- Create a new court (complying w/ 6A jury vicinage)
- Give it jurisdiction over defined category of crimes
- Also create dedicated prosecutors for the same
- Strip SCOTUS of appellate jurisdiction
It can be done.
Congress can:
- Create a new court (complying w/ 6A jury vicinage)
- Give it jurisdiction over defined category of crimes
- Also create dedicated prosecutors for the same
- Strip SCOTUS of appellate jurisdiction
It can be done.
Nearly gasped when I saw the lake frozen over this morning, out to the horizon in some places. It always takes my breath away -- my favorite natural sight, and every time I see it now, I wonder if it's gonna be the last.
January 25, 2026 at 6:52 AM
Nearly gasped when I saw the lake frozen over this morning, out to the horizon in some places. It always takes my breath away -- my favorite natural sight, and every time I see it now, I wonder if it's gonna be the last.
Been thinking about Augustine's privative notion of evil: that it's is an emptiness where good is supposed to be. That evil is very real, but is ultimately an absence, a vacuum. Dead eyes, cold hearts, spreading their emptiness everywhere, disappearing people.
Me my whole life: Nothing is black and white. You have to consider nuance
Now: We face a heinous, remorseless evil
Now: We face a heinous, remorseless evil
January 24, 2026 at 4:53 AM
Been thinking about Augustine's privative notion of evil: that it's is an emptiness where good is supposed to be. That evil is very real, but is ultimately an absence, a vacuum. Dead eyes, cold hearts, spreading their emptiness everywhere, disappearing people.
Reposted by Jesse Raber
Soren helped & encouraged many Chicago journalists (including me & @wttw.bsky.social) to join BlueSky — let’s help Pullman Arts recover from this and return the favor
Our community-run art gallery flooded. Building management will get the space back into habitable condition, but we lost a bunch of stuff and we're closed for who knows how long.
We're a tiny volunteer org that spends like $20K a year, so a $3,000 emergency is a big problem. Please help us out:
We're a tiny volunteer org that spends like $20K a year, so a $3,000 emergency is a big problem. Please help us out:
Donate to Help PullmanArts Recover From A Flood, organized by Soren Spicknall
On Thursday, January 22nd, our volunteer-run community art gallery flooded with … Soren Spicknall needs your support for Help PullmanArts Recover From A Flood
gofund.me
January 24, 2026 at 3:39 AM
Soren helped & encouraged many Chicago journalists (including me & @wttw.bsky.social) to join BlueSky — let’s help Pullman Arts recover from this and return the favor
Sunrise at ten below. Expected more dramatic sea smoke but you can at least see a few wisps of it blowing around over the water.
January 23, 2026 at 1:20 PM
Sunrise at ten below. Expected more dramatic sea smoke but you can at least see a few wisps of it blowing around over the water.
Reposted by Jesse Raber
This is more convoluted and involves more transvestism than expected
The unexpected answer to the question, Who was the Hyde in Hyde Park? #chicago patriciamorse.substack.com/p/who-was-th...
Who was the Hyde in Hyde Park?
A wander
patriciamorse.substack.com
January 22, 2026 at 3:45 AM
This is more convoluted and involves more transvestism than expected
Reposted by Jesse Raber
I've lived in Minnesota my whole life and have experienced some major cold snaps but this is the first time I've heard about exploding trees.
January 21, 2026 at 7:03 PM
I've lived in Minnesota my whole life and have experienced some major cold snaps but this is the first time I've heard about exploding trees.
Reposted by Jesse Raber
once again, I think I'm grateful to have long ago memorized W. H. Auden's "The Fall of Rome"
January 21, 2026 at 5:59 PM
once again, I think I'm grateful to have long ago memorized W. H. Auden's "The Fall of Rome"
63rd St always has the best ice
January 20, 2026 at 10:44 PM
63rd St always has the best ice
But it was not Too Cold to Go for a Walk. I think that first photo is a sundog? (The second one is just a regular dog.)
January 19, 2026 at 11:28 PM
But it was not Too Cold to Go for a Walk. I think that first photo is a sundog? (The second one is just a regular dog.)
As a Winter Man who's always saying things like "it's fine if you just layer up," it pains me to admit that it is, in fact, Too Cold to Go for a Run.
January 19, 2026 at 5:23 PM
As a Winter Man who's always saying things like "it's fine if you just layer up," it pains me to admit that it is, in fact, Too Cold to Go for a Run.
As a potter I think about this a lot ... and also about Karl Shapiro's poem "Manhole Covers."
(maybe of interest to #manholecovermonday folks)
(maybe of interest to #manholecovermonday folks)
January 19, 2026 at 1:46 PM
As a potter I think about this a lot ... and also about Karl Shapiro's poem "Manhole Covers."
(maybe of interest to #manholecovermonday folks)
(maybe of interest to #manholecovermonday folks)
Got a theory that this deliberate embrace of movie villaindom stems from the widespread right-wing opinion that Hollywood is one big Jewish conspiracy against the white race.
literally the villain in every movie ever
January 18, 2026 at 3:50 AM
Got a theory that this deliberate embrace of movie villaindom stems from the widespread right-wing opinion that Hollywood is one big Jewish conspiracy against the white race.
Reposted by Jesse Raber
this is the sickest shit ive ever seen
January 16, 2026 at 9:38 PM
this is the sickest shit ive ever seen
Reposted by Jesse Raber
Had an intriguing editorial discussion recently: how did people in the past talk about 'minutes' when they didn't have watches or standardised times? How does that affect your thinking?
Come down an Elizabethan/Jacobean rabbit hole with me.
1/
Come down an Elizabethan/Jacobean rabbit hole with me.
1/
January 17, 2026 at 10:34 AM
Had an intriguing editorial discussion recently: how did people in the past talk about 'minutes' when they didn't have watches or standardised times? How does that affect your thinking?
Come down an Elizabethan/Jacobean rabbit hole with me.
1/
Come down an Elizabethan/Jacobean rabbit hole with me.
1/
Reposted by Jesse Raber
Current* conditions near Bayfield, WI:
January 16, 2026 at 3:48 AM
Current* conditions near Bayfield, WI: