Ben
@detben.bsky.social
Midwest princess 🍂
I have friends everywhere.
I have friends everywhere.
Reposted by Ben
When I hear arguments like "we're building the future, and isn't that the most effective altruism of them all?," I think of the billions spent on the Metaverse.
November 23, 2025 at 6:42 PM
When I hear arguments like "we're building the future, and isn't that the most effective altruism of them all?," I think of the billions spent on the Metaverse.
Reposted by Ben
People "opposed to the data center shared concerns about transparency, asked board members if they had signed non-disclosure agreements, and decried 'tech billionaires' coming into their rural community. Many are worried about potential impacts to the environment, groundwater and electricity rates."
Facebook owner’s $1B data center project prompts Michigan town to enact 6-month pause
A controversial proposal for a hyperscale data center, reportedly backed by tech giant Meta, has faced pushback in an historically rural Michigan community.
www.mlive.com
November 23, 2025 at 3:46 PM
People "opposed to the data center shared concerns about transparency, asked board members if they had signed non-disclosure agreements, and decried 'tech billionaires' coming into their rural community. Many are worried about potential impacts to the environment, groundwater and electricity rates."
Reposted by Ben
The US tech job market remains extremely weak—overall, employment only increased by 2k last month and is down 7k over the last year
That's not as bad as the worst of the 2024 tech-cession, but extremely bad compared to the 2022 boom or even pre-2020 norms
That's not as bad as the worst of the 2024 tech-cession, but extremely bad compared to the 2022 boom or even pre-2020 norms
November 20, 2025 at 1:50 PM
The US tech job market remains extremely weak—overall, employment only increased by 2k last month and is down 7k over the last year
That's not as bad as the worst of the 2024 tech-cession, but extremely bad compared to the 2022 boom or even pre-2020 norms
That's not as bad as the worst of the 2024 tech-cession, but extremely bad compared to the 2022 boom or even pre-2020 norms
Reposted by Ben
Dictionary day is finally here! The first new print M-W in more than 20 years
Merriam-Webster, the country’s oldest dictionary publisher which is headquartered in Springfield, just released an updated Collegiate edition with 5,000 new entries.
Merriam-Webster goes old school with first new hardcover Collegiate dictionary in 22 years
Merriam-Webster, the country’s oldest dictionary publisher which is headquartered in Springfield, just released an updated Collegiate edition with 5,000 new entries.
www.wbur.org
November 18, 2025 at 1:31 PM
Dictionary day is finally here! The first new print M-W in more than 20 years
Reposted by Ben
Do these people have any other talking points than "Muslim=bad"?
They're doing the "transing the gay away" conspiracy theory with an Islamophobic twist.
They're doing the "transing the gay away" conspiracy theory with an Islamophobic twist.
November 17, 2025 at 9:25 PM
Do these people have any other talking points than "Muslim=bad"?
They're doing the "transing the gay away" conspiracy theory with an Islamophobic twist.
They're doing the "transing the gay away" conspiracy theory with an Islamophobic twist.
Reposted by Ben
November 14, 2025 at 9:35 PM
Reposted by Ben
America's network of democratic alliances was a jewel. Never before had a great power relied on cultivating voluntary relationships, leading to the richest, most powerful country in history, and benefitting the world relative to the alternative.
Then America decided to throw it away. And for what?
Then America decided to throw it away. And for what?
Homan: "I don't think the UK is a friend to this country and friend of the president"
November 14, 2025 at 6:38 PM
America's network of democratic alliances was a jewel. Never before had a great power relied on cultivating voluntary relationships, leading to the richest, most powerful country in history, and benefitting the world relative to the alternative.
Then America decided to throw it away. And for what?
Then America decided to throw it away. And for what?
Reposted by Ben
NEW @motherjones.com: When a 16-year-old accused Russell Brand of rape, Megyn Kelly begged conservatives to condemn him.
Now, with Epstein, she’s claiming it’s not quite fair to call him a a pedophile because he was “into the barely legal type” of minors. ⬇️
www.motherjones.com/politics/202...
Now, with Epstein, she’s claiming it’s not quite fair to call him a a pedophile because he was “into the barely legal type” of minors. ⬇️
www.motherjones.com/politics/202...
Megyn Kelly suddenly finds pedophilia very hard to define
When a 16-year-old accused Russell Brand of rape, Kelly begged conservatives to condemn him. Now she's splitting hairs about men "into the barely legal type."
www.motherjones.com
November 13, 2025 at 10:46 PM
NEW @motherjones.com: When a 16-year-old accused Russell Brand of rape, Megyn Kelly begged conservatives to condemn him.
Now, with Epstein, she’s claiming it’s not quite fair to call him a a pedophile because he was “into the barely legal type” of minors. ⬇️
www.motherjones.com/politics/202...
Now, with Epstein, she’s claiming it’s not quite fair to call him a a pedophile because he was “into the barely legal type” of minors. ⬇️
www.motherjones.com/politics/202...
Reposted by Ben
~"people thought cars were going to destroy the American family, lol, can't listen to tech doom and gloomers"
Ok.
But people also thought they were dangerous and smelled bad, and actually those things did turn out to be real problems that took coordinated activism to address when they scaled
Ok.
But people also thought they were dangerous and smelled bad, and actually those things did turn out to be real problems that took coordinated activism to address when they scaled
November 13, 2025 at 6:59 PM
~"people thought cars were going to destroy the American family, lol, can't listen to tech doom and gloomers"
Ok.
But people also thought they were dangerous and smelled bad, and actually those things did turn out to be real problems that took coordinated activism to address when they scaled
Ok.
But people also thought they were dangerous and smelled bad, and actually those things did turn out to be real problems that took coordinated activism to address when they scaled
Reposted by Ben
The president of the united states is a pedophile rapist who was best buddies with Jeffrey Epstein and spent hours with an underage victim at Epstein's home. Now he's currently huddled in the situation room directing a cover up about it like it's a seal team 6 operation. Do I have that right?
November 12, 2025 at 7:48 PM
The president of the united states is a pedophile rapist who was best buddies with Jeffrey Epstein and spent hours with an underage victim at Epstein's home. Now he's currently huddled in the situation room directing a cover up about it like it's a seal team 6 operation. Do I have that right?
Reposted by Ben
every single one of these emails is someone I already hate messaging a notorious pedophile to say "Thanks for the great time! I had fun doing pedophile stuff with you. P.S. Trump was there with us the whole time"
November 12, 2025 at 9:51 PM
every single one of these emails is someone I already hate messaging a notorious pedophile to say "Thanks for the great time! I had fun doing pedophile stuff with you. P.S. Trump was there with us the whole time"
Reposted by Ben
it's not that i ever doubted that being a barista was a skilled position, but my year-long effort to try to produce a half-decent latte at home has convinced me that a good barista is easily more skilled than virtually every c-suite executive on the planet
November 11, 2025 at 3:58 PM
it's not that i ever doubted that being a barista was a skilled position, but my year-long effort to try to produce a half-decent latte at home has convinced me that a good barista is easily more skilled than virtually every c-suite executive on the planet
Reposted by Ben
The president of the United States is on his way to an NFL game after a weekend spent partying at his country club and fighting to starve poor Americans.
And Senate Democrats want to surrender to him?!
Fuck that and fuck them.
And Senate Democrats want to surrender to him?!
Fuck that and fuck them.
November 9, 2025 at 10:22 PM
The president of the United States is on his way to an NFL game after a weekend spent partying at his country club and fighting to starve poor Americans.
And Senate Democrats want to surrender to him?!
Fuck that and fuck them.
And Senate Democrats want to surrender to him?!
Fuck that and fuck them.
Reposted by Ben
Schumer and the Dems are about to teach Trump the lesson that they’ll cave whenever he abuses power to sufficiently hurt people.
November 9, 2025 at 9:45 PM
Schumer and the Dems are about to teach Trump the lesson that they’ll cave whenever he abuses power to sufficiently hurt people.
Reposted by Ben
Cursed uniform combination
November 9, 2025 at 9:34 PM
Cursed uniform combination
Reposted by Ben
John Calipari glowing over his first trip to MSU and mid-Michigan: "I can see why Tommy stayed here. And then this building? This is a great building." Says he's glad he brought Arkansas to MSU. "We learned."
November 9, 2025 at 2:39 AM
John Calipari glowing over his first trip to MSU and mid-Michigan: "I can see why Tommy stayed here. And then this building? This is a great building." Says he's glad he brought Arkansas to MSU. "We learned."
Reposted by Ben
Grateful for this Delta flight attendant for providing some clarity on the upcoming changes to flights during the holidays.
Listen in ⬇️
Listen in ⬇️
November 9, 2025 at 5:48 AM
Grateful for this Delta flight attendant for providing some clarity on the upcoming changes to flights during the holidays.
Listen in ⬇️
Listen in ⬇️
Reposted by Ben
just a small town boat
getting stuck in
SOUTH DETROIT
getting stuck in
SOUTH DETROIT
November 8, 2025 at 6:15 AM
just a small town boat
getting stuck in
SOUTH DETROIT
getting stuck in
SOUTH DETROIT
Reposted by Ben
40 years ago we’d have congressional hearings falsely accusing metal bands of putting backwards messages in their songs that told kids to kill themselves & now we have a planet-killing chatbot that’s all like “bet you won’t commit suicide chickenshit bitch” & the government is like here’s $5 billion
November 8, 2025 at 4:23 AM
40 years ago we’d have congressional hearings falsely accusing metal bands of putting backwards messages in their songs that told kids to kill themselves & now we have a planet-killing chatbot that’s all like “bet you won’t commit suicide chickenshit bitch” & the government is like here’s $5 billion
"It is also wrong to insult someone or to make an obscene gesture..."
But is it tho? I think its okay if its nazis, barb
But is it tho? I think its okay if its nazis, barb
Sandwich verdict wasn’t jury nullification. It was failure to prove the required “reasonable fear of physical injury” in a case where the agent was wearing A BULLETPROOF VEST. The only crime was the waste of resources on this case. My thoughts in @MSNBCDaily.
www.msnbc.com/opinion/msnb...
www.msnbc.com/opinion/msnb...
Opinion | The sandwich thrower was wrong. But Jeanine Pirro was, too.
To establish a forcible assault, jurors were required to find that Dunn caused “reasonable apprehension of immediate bodily harm.” That allegation was laughable.
www.msnbc.com
November 8, 2025 at 2:38 PM
"It is also wrong to insult someone or to make an obscene gesture..."
But is it tho? I think its okay if its nazis, barb
But is it tho? I think its okay if its nazis, barb
Reposted by Ben
Federal agents forbidding faith leaders from praying sounds like a violation of religious freedom.
But then I remember that “religious” means “white Christian identity politics,” and “freedom” means “Christian nationalists’ unrestricted ability to impose their beliefs on others.”
But then I remember that “religious” means “white Christian identity politics,” and “freedom” means “Christian nationalists’ unrestricted ability to impose their beliefs on others.”
Donald Trump's administration is banning prayer outside a public building in the Chicago suburbs. Super curious how the right wing - including SCOTUS- squares this with their claims that religious expression is under attack from the left...
blockclubchicago.org/2025/11/07/f...
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 2:25 PM
Federal agents forbidding faith leaders from praying sounds like a violation of religious freedom.
But then I remember that “religious” means “white Christian identity politics,” and “freedom” means “Christian nationalists’ unrestricted ability to impose their beliefs on others.”
But then I remember that “religious” means “white Christian identity politics,” and “freedom” means “Christian nationalists’ unrestricted ability to impose their beliefs on others.”
Reposted by Ben
Panera’s moderately caffeinated lemonade was loosely associated with 2 deaths before it was taken off market.
This article alone has 4 examples of ChatGPT encouraging young people to commit suicide, and OpenAI’s own public stats estimate over a million users discuss suicide with ChatGPT each week.
This article alone has 4 examples of ChatGPT encouraging young people to commit suicide, and OpenAI’s own public stats estimate over a million users discuss suicide with ChatGPT each week.
I fully believe in the corporate death penalty and believe we would be a better world if OpenAI lost its corporate charter and was forcibly dissolved.
www.cnn.com/2025/11/06/u...
www.cnn.com/2025/11/06/u...
ChatGPT encouraged college graduate to commit suicide, family claims in lawsuit against OpenAI | CNN
A 23-year-old man killed himself in Texas after ChatGPT ‘goaded’ him to commit suicide, his family says in a lawsuit.
www.cnn.com
November 7, 2025 at 10:56 PM
Panera’s moderately caffeinated lemonade was loosely associated with 2 deaths before it was taken off market.
This article alone has 4 examples of ChatGPT encouraging young people to commit suicide, and OpenAI’s own public stats estimate over a million users discuss suicide with ChatGPT each week.
This article alone has 4 examples of ChatGPT encouraging young people to commit suicide, and OpenAI’s own public stats estimate over a million users discuss suicide with ChatGPT each week.
Reposted by Ben
MSU and Penn State hockey put on a show Friday night. It deserved a larger audience, a Big Ten Network audience. Frankly, those watching Ohio State vs. Fort Wayne basketball on BTN deserved something better, too.
Column.
www.lansingstatejournal.com/story/sports...
Column.
www.lansingstatejournal.com/story/sports...
Couch: MSU and Penn State hockey put on a show Friday night. It deserved a larger TV audience.
MSU's series with Penn State features two of the top teams in college hockey and tons of NHL prospects. It deserves a bigger audience, a BTN audience.
www.lansingstatejournal.com
November 8, 2025 at 5:55 AM
MSU and Penn State hockey put on a show Friday night. It deserved a larger audience, a Big Ten Network audience. Frankly, those watching Ohio State vs. Fort Wayne basketball on BTN deserved something better, too.
Column.
www.lansingstatejournal.com/story/sports...
Column.
www.lansingstatejournal.com/story/sports...