Louise Seamster
@louiseseamster.bsky.social
debt, development, infrastructure, the economics of racial inequality, and the myth of racial progress. I express my own views
Reposted by Louise Seamster
In the century leading up to 1975, nearly 6000 freighters went down in the Great Lakes.
The Edmund Fitzgerald was the last.
The last. In 50 years, not a single commercial freighter has been lost in the Great Lakes.
Why?
It's NOAA. Of course it's NOAA.
The Edmund Fitzgerald was the last.
The last. In 50 years, not a single commercial freighter has been lost in the Great Lakes.
Why?
It's NOAA. Of course it's NOAA.
November 11, 2025 at 1:50 AM
In the century leading up to 1975, nearly 6000 freighters went down in the Great Lakes.
The Edmund Fitzgerald was the last.
The last. In 50 years, not a single commercial freighter has been lost in the Great Lakes.
Why?
It's NOAA. Of course it's NOAA.
The Edmund Fitzgerald was the last.
The last. In 50 years, not a single commercial freighter has been lost in the Great Lakes.
Why?
It's NOAA. Of course it's NOAA.
Reposted by Louise Seamster
Maybe important to note it was the disruption in air travel that Democrats couldn't stand and not, you know, 40+ million people not knowing where their next meal was coming from.
November 10, 2025 at 1:13 AM
Maybe important to note it was the disruption in air travel that Democrats couldn't stand and not, you know, 40+ million people not knowing where their next meal was coming from.
Reposted by Louise Seamster
JUST IN: The Trump administration late Saturday directed states that they must "immediately undo" any actions they have made to provide benefits to low-income families via SNAP.
Trump tells states to 'immediately undo' steps to fund November SNAP benefits
The Trump administration late Saturday directed states that they must "immediately undo" any actions they have made to provide benefits to low-income families via SNAP.
n.pr
November 9, 2025 at 5:34 PM
JUST IN: The Trump administration late Saturday directed states that they must "immediately undo" any actions they have made to provide benefits to low-income families via SNAP.
You’d be paying basically interest-only for…a decade at least?
November 8, 2025 at 10:34 PM
You’d be paying basically interest-only for…a decade at least?
Reposted by Louise Seamster
okay one more thing, if the filibuster was so critical to the interest of small states, why is it that it didn't exist until the middle of the 19th century and wasn't actually used with any regularity until well into the 20th?
November 8, 2025 at 10:22 PM
okay one more thing, if the filibuster was so critical to the interest of small states, why is it that it didn't exist until the middle of the 19th century and wasn't actually used with any regularity until well into the 20th?
Reposted by Louise Seamster
"To obtain the capital they need, hyperscalers have leveraged a growing list of complex debt-financing options ... That shift is fueling speculation that A.I. investments are turning into a game of musical chairs whose financial instruments are reminiscent of the 2008 financial crisis."
Vibe shift.
Vibe shift.
Debt Has Entered the A.I. Boom
www.nytimes.com
November 8, 2025 at 8:12 PM
"To obtain the capital they need, hyperscalers have leveraged a growing list of complex debt-financing options ... That shift is fueling speculation that A.I. investments are turning into a game of musical chairs whose financial instruments are reminiscent of the 2008 financial crisis."
Vibe shift.
Vibe shift.
With only four future career choices I guess I’m going juice design
November 8, 2025 at 5:40 PM
With only four future career choices I guess I’m going juice design
Reposted by Louise Seamster
Went back to the history of the Sicilian Mafia to illustrate something obvious but worth stating explicitly: The Trump administration behaves like an organized crime syndicate running a protection racket, not a representative government www.theatlantic.com/ideas/2025/1...
November 8, 2025 at 2:02 PM
Went back to the history of the Sicilian Mafia to illustrate something obvious but worth stating explicitly: The Trump administration behaves like an organized crime syndicate running a protection racket, not a representative government www.theatlantic.com/ideas/2025/1...
Reposted by Louise Seamster
Ah. Private equity.
November 8, 2025 at 1:08 PM
Ah. Private equity.
Reposted by Louise Seamster
Let's see how many First Amendment violations we have in this one edict:
Religion ✔️
Speech ✔️
Peaceably assemble ✔️
Petition the government for redress of grievances ✔️
Press ❓(not quite, but they'll figure out a way)
Religion ✔️
Speech ✔️
Peaceably assemble ✔️
Petition the government for redress of grievances ✔️
Press ❓(not quite, but they'll figure out a way)
“Federal authorities told demonstrators Friday that there would be ‘no more prayer’ in front of or inside the Broadview ICE facility, in a move that mystified local leaders and raised legal questions.” blockclubchicago.org/2025/11/07/f...
Feds Tell Faith Leaders 'No More Prayer' Outside Broadview Facility
In a possible violation of the First Amendment, federal officials instructed demonstrators to stop holding religious gatherings outside the immigration processing facility in suburban Broadview after ...
blockclubchicago.org
November 8, 2025 at 1:31 PM
Let's see how many First Amendment violations we have in this one edict:
Religion ✔️
Speech ✔️
Peaceably assemble ✔️
Petition the government for redress of grievances ✔️
Press ❓(not quite, but they'll figure out a way)
Religion ✔️
Speech ✔️
Peaceably assemble ✔️
Petition the government for redress of grievances ✔️
Press ❓(not quite, but they'll figure out a way)
Reposted by Louise Seamster
In the name of protecting Jews, Jews have their funding cancelled, get kicked out of seminars, and are removed from leadership positions in Jewish Studies to be replaced by non-Jews.
Latest write-up about outrageous administrative over reach at IU. www.jta.org/2025/11/07/u...
In Indiana, a vaunted Jewish studies program is upended by red-state politics over Israel and speech - Jewish Telegraphic Agency
A leadership shakeup, a defunded graduate student and political pressure from above have turned a storied program into a flashpoint for Trump-era campus politics.
www.jta.org
November 8, 2025 at 3:58 AM
In the name of protecting Jews, Jews have their funding cancelled, get kicked out of seminars, and are removed from leadership positions in Jewish Studies to be replaced by non-Jews.
Reposted by Louise Seamster
An administration that for months claimed unilateral & absolute authority to shutter entire executive agencies suddenly finds without any agency to move money from one internal pot of money to another
November 8, 2025 at 12:55 PM
An administration that for months claimed unilateral & absolute authority to shutter entire executive agencies suddenly finds without any agency to move money from one internal pot of money to another
Reposted by Louise Seamster
ACLS Digital Justice Seed & Development Grants. (Due to ofa.acls.org by 9:00 PM EST on 11/20/25)
The ACLS Digital Justice Grant program supports projects that diversify the digital domain, advance justice in digital scholarly practice, contribute to understanding of racial & social justice issues.
The ACLS Digital Justice Grant program supports projects that diversify the digital domain, advance justice in digital scholarly practice, contribute to understanding of racial & social justice issues.
ACLS Online Fellowship and Grant Administration System
ofa.acls.org
November 8, 2025 at 2:13 AM
ACLS Digital Justice Seed & Development Grants. (Due to ofa.acls.org by 9:00 PM EST on 11/20/25)
The ACLS Digital Justice Grant program supports projects that diversify the digital domain, advance justice in digital scholarly practice, contribute to understanding of racial & social justice issues.
The ACLS Digital Justice Grant program supports projects that diversify the digital domain, advance justice in digital scholarly practice, contribute to understanding of racial & social justice issues.
Reposted by Louise Seamster
The Flex Loan, a new type of payday loan pioneered by Advance Financial in Tennessee, allows residents to borrow up to $4,000 at a 279.5% interest rate.
It has burdened low-income borrowers while generating huge profits for lenders.
(Published May with @tennesseelookout.com)
It has burdened low-income borrowers while generating huge profits for lenders.
(Published May with @tennesseelookout.com)
This Lender Said Its Loans Would Help Tennesseans. It Has Sued More Than 110,000 of Them.
The Flex Loan, a type of payday loan pioneered by Advance Financial, has burdened low-income borrowers while generating huge profits for lenders. Tennessee lawmakers declined to rein in the lending bu...
www.propublica.org
November 8, 2025 at 12:30 AM
The Flex Loan, a new type of payday loan pioneered by Advance Financial in Tennessee, allows residents to borrow up to $4,000 at a 279.5% interest rate.
It has burdened low-income borrowers while generating huge profits for lenders.
(Published May with @tennesseelookout.com)
It has burdened low-income borrowers while generating huge profits for lenders.
(Published May with @tennesseelookout.com)
the government is shut down, but what the government is working to do anyway is to fight an order requiring it to feed people
BREAKING: DOJ goes to SCOTUS trying to stop a district court order that USDA pay out full SNAP benefits this month.
The First Circuit denied an administrative stay, but has not yet ruled on the stay request. And, CNN reported that USDA is already processing payments.
DOJ went to SCOTUS anyway.
The First Circuit denied an administrative stay, but has not yet ruled on the stay request. And, CNN reported that USDA is already processing payments.
DOJ went to SCOTUS anyway.
November 8, 2025 at 1:17 AM
the government is shut down, but what the government is working to do anyway is to fight an order requiring it to feed people
Reposted by Louise Seamster
ICYMI: Microsoft’s charge “implies a more than $12 billion quarterly loss at OpenAI, said Firoz Valliji, an analyst at Bernstein.”
That “would mark one of the largest single-quarter losses for a tech company in history.”
@jessefelder.bsky.social $MSFT
www.wsj.com/livecoverage...
That “would mark one of the largest single-quarter losses for a tech company in history.”
@jessefelder.bsky.social $MSFT
www.wsj.com/livecoverage...
November 7, 2025 at 7:17 PM
ICYMI: Microsoft’s charge “implies a more than $12 billion quarterly loss at OpenAI, said Firoz Valliji, an analyst at Bernstein.”
That “would mark one of the largest single-quarter losses for a tech company in history.”
@jessefelder.bsky.social $MSFT
www.wsj.com/livecoverage...
That “would mark one of the largest single-quarter losses for a tech company in history.”
@jessefelder.bsky.social $MSFT
www.wsj.com/livecoverage...
Reposted by Louise Seamster
UT Austin is discussing eliminating or consolidating our departments of African American and African Diaspora Studies, Mexican/American and Latino/Latina Studies, and Women’s, Gender and Sexuality Studies. Here is what AAADS alumni have to say. 👏🏽👏🏽👏🏽
November 7, 2025 at 2:15 PM
UT Austin is discussing eliminating or consolidating our departments of African American and African Diaspora Studies, Mexican/American and Latino/Latina Studies, and Women’s, Gender and Sexuality Studies. Here is what AAADS alumni have to say. 👏🏽👏🏽👏🏽
Reposted by Louise Seamster
Let's go! The City of Cleveland - home to a public power utility - is one of the first in the nation i've heard of so far banning shutoffs during this federal shutdown crisis.
Public power can lead the nation in showing what democratic institutions can do to make our lives better.
Public power can lead the nation in showing what democratic institutions can do to make our lives better.
We're announcing a 30-day moratorium on utility disconnections.
The federal shutdown and cuts to SNAP benefits have placed an unfair and unexpected burden on households. No one should have to choose between keeping the lights on and putting food on the table.
The federal shutdown and cuts to SNAP benefits have placed an unfair and unexpected burden on households. No one should have to choose between keeping the lights on and putting food on the table.
November 6, 2025 at 8:07 PM
Let's go! The City of Cleveland - home to a public power utility - is one of the first in the nation i've heard of so far banning shutoffs during this federal shutdown crisis.
Public power can lead the nation in showing what democratic institutions can do to make our lives better.
Public power can lead the nation in showing what democratic institutions can do to make our lives better.
Reposted by Louise Seamster
It is *beyond* time for the “student distress” conversations and the “student success with AI” conversations in higher ed to reach each other
Another person who started down this path from the most “innocuous” advertised uses of ChatGPT: homework help. I have been struck by the cases of people getting lost in delusions after using this product for work or school: ie the use cases we are supposed to encourage as faculty.
November 7, 2025 at 1:29 PM
It is *beyond* time for the “student distress” conversations and the “student success with AI” conversations in higher ed to reach each other
Reposted by Louise Seamster
A family friend was telling us about what her husband shared about his experience in Broadview before he was deported back to Mexico. She's been sharing to friends and family because she's just in disbelief & horror what her husband told her. She wasn't able to talk to him until he was in Mexico.
November 7, 2025 at 3:08 AM
A family friend was telling us about what her husband shared about his experience in Broadview before he was deported back to Mexico. She's been sharing to friends and family because she's just in disbelief & horror what her husband told her. She wasn't able to talk to him until he was in Mexico.
Another person who started down this path from the most “innocuous” advertised uses of ChatGPT: homework help. I have been struck by the cases of people getting lost in delusions after using this product for work or school: ie the use cases we are supposed to encourage as faculty.
November 7, 2025 at 12:50 PM
Another person who started down this path from the most “innocuous” advertised uses of ChatGPT: homework help. I have been struck by the cases of people getting lost in delusions after using this product for work or school: ie the use cases we are supposed to encourage as faculty.
Reposted by Louise Seamster
1.This is not the only known example we know of ChatGPT cheering on a vulnerable young person to die by suicide, this time it is a recent Texas A&M grad
2. Every single university that has invited OpenAI into our midst should be asked to account for their choices.
www.cnn.com/2025/11/06/u...
2. Every single university that has invited OpenAI into our midst should be asked to account for their choices.
www.cnn.com/2025/11/06/u...
November 7, 2025 at 1:50 AM
1.This is not the only known example we know of ChatGPT cheering on a vulnerable young person to die by suicide, this time it is a recent Texas A&M grad
2. Every single university that has invited OpenAI into our midst should be asked to account for their choices.
www.cnn.com/2025/11/06/u...
2. Every single university that has invited OpenAI into our midst should be asked to account for their choices.
www.cnn.com/2025/11/06/u...
Reposted by Louise Seamster
Locking up the libraries.
The Tennessee Secretary of State handed public library boards that are eager to ban LGBTQ+ books–and particularly trans books–from their collections the biggest permission slip last week.
Rutherford County is *closing* libraries to remove books.
bookriot.com/rutherford-c...
Rutherford County is *closing* libraries to remove books.
bookriot.com/rutherford-c...
Rutherford County Library System (TN) Temporarily Shuts Down to Ban Books
Rutherford County Library System announced on social media a surprise shutdown of two libraries. Why? "Reviewing inventory."
bookriot.com
November 7, 2025 at 12:39 PM
Locking up the libraries.