Doug Lay
@douglay.bsky.social
Web geek since 1994. It’s too late to stop now. Interested in tech policy, music, Baltimore sports.
Driving north from Baltimore on I-83 you see signs for fireworks stores when you get close to the PA line.
Driving south from Harrisburg on I-83 you see signs for weed dispensaries when you get close to the MD line.
Gotta love federalism.
Driving south from Harrisburg on I-83 you see signs for weed dispensaries when you get close to the MD line.
Gotta love federalism.
November 17, 2025 at 8:34 PM
Driving north from Baltimore on I-83 you see signs for fireworks stores when you get close to the PA line.
Driving south from Harrisburg on I-83 you see signs for weed dispensaries when you get close to the MD line.
Gotta love federalism.
Driving south from Harrisburg on I-83 you see signs for weed dispensaries when you get close to the MD line.
Gotta love federalism.
Reposted by Doug Lay
Those claiming Dems should retreat on racial justice aren't hard-headed realists, they're pushing against the electoral tide rather than leaning into it. The story of Gen Z isn't about racist backlash or red-pilled young men. It's the most racially progressive generation in American history. 🧵
November 14, 2025 at 8:44 PM
Those claiming Dems should retreat on racial justice aren't hard-headed realists, they're pushing against the electoral tide rather than leaning into it. The story of Gen Z isn't about racist backlash or red-pilled young men. It's the most racially progressive generation in American history. 🧵
Reposted by Doug Lay
I have been actively watching contracts and surge funding over the last few days and what I would say to my friends in Baltimore is “be absolutely ready, right now.”
ICE poised to ramp up raids in Baltimore by Thanksgiving
The Trump administration has rush-ordered infrastructure to conduct raids, abduct residents, and detain people for months.
open.substack.com
November 7, 2025 at 10:40 PM
I have been actively watching contracts and surge funding over the last few days and what I would say to my friends in Baltimore is “be absolutely ready, right now.”
A guy who cared a lot about Baltimore. Gone way too young. At least he lived to see the city’s violence problem trend in the right direction, finally.
Breaking: Anthony Barksdale, Baltimore’s deputy mayor for public safety and a former deputy Baltimore Police commissioner, whose tenures in both roles corresponded with steep declines in gun violence, is dead at 53. W @emilyopilo.bsky.social www.thebanner.com/obituaries/a...
Anthony Barksdale, deputy mayor, dies
Anthony Barksdale, Baltimore City’s deputy mayor for public safety and a former deputy police commissioner, died Thursday. He was 53.
www.thebanner.com
November 7, 2025 at 2:10 AM
A guy who cared a lot about Baltimore. Gone way too young. At least he lived to see the city’s violence problem trend in the right direction, finally.
Will there be a 4th D’Angelo album? He was apparently working on some stuff with Raphael Saadiq. It would be a high bar to clear to stand with the other 3 records. www.youtube.com/watch?v=rejA...
D'Angelo and The Vanguard - Betray My Heart (Audio)
YouTube video by DAngeloVEVO
www.youtube.com
October 22, 2025 at 11:24 PM
Will there be a 4th D’Angelo album? He was apparently working on some stuff with Raphael Saadiq. It would be a high bar to clear to stand with the other 3 records. www.youtube.com/watch?v=rejA...
Reposted by Doug Lay
absolutely one of the most incandescent talents of his generation. made music for all time. a heavy loss.
October 14, 2025 at 4:23 PM
absolutely one of the most incandescent talents of his generation. made music for all time. a heavy loss.
Reposted by Doug Lay
Too many U.S. Attorneys have weaponized that horrifying statute for too many years. It was only a matter of time before it slipped into the arsenal of the worst political players.
I won't take responsibility. That's the American way, of course.
I won't take responsibility. That's the American way, of course.
@audacityofdespair.bsky.social any thoughts on this? 😑
Hold on.
Hold on.
Did ... did the Trump Administration get this whole thing about prosecuting people for mortgage fraud from The Wire?
They did, didn't they. Because the show called it "the headshot."
Jesus fucking Christ.
Hold on.
Did ... did the Trump Administration get this whole thing about prosecuting people for mortgage fraud from The Wire?
They did, didn't they. Because the show called it "the headshot."
Jesus fucking Christ.
October 9, 2025 at 10:05 PM
Too many U.S. Attorneys have weaponized that horrifying statute for too many years. It was only a matter of time before it slipped into the arsenal of the worst political players.
I won't take responsibility. That's the American way, of course.
I won't take responsibility. That's the American way, of course.
I think Bob Dylan has done at least 6 albums of other people’s songs. I can’t vouch for most of them but this one, from 1994, is pretty great. you can hear him reinventing his voice (seriously) on eerily moving old country blues songs. Plays a fine guitar too.
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/World_G...
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/World_G...
World Gone Wrong - Wikipedia
en.wikipedia.org
September 27, 2025 at 3:39 PM
I think Bob Dylan has done at least 6 albums of other people’s songs. I can’t vouch for most of them but this one, from 1994, is pretty great. you can hear him reinventing his voice (seriously) on eerily moving old country blues songs. Plays a fine guitar too.
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/World_G...
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/World_G...
I was yesterday years old when I found out that Marvin Gaye not only co-wrote Martha & the Vandellas' "Dancing In The Street" but also played the drums.
September 9, 2025 at 11:26 AM
I was yesterday years old when I found out that Marvin Gaye not only co-wrote Martha & the Vandellas' "Dancing In The Street" but also played the drums.
Reposted by Doug Lay
the crisis in which the University of Chicago is now engulfed -- one entirely of its own making, and which has led to the (hopefully temporary) suspension of admissions into numerous PhD programs in the humanities -- represents I think a seismic event in the history of American higher education
1/
1/
August 23, 2025 at 3:51 PM
the crisis in which the University of Chicago is now engulfed -- one entirely of its own making, and which has led to the (hopefully temporary) suspension of admissions into numerous PhD programs in the humanities -- represents I think a seismic event in the history of American higher education
1/
1/
N: Cullen, Scotland
E: Burano, Italy
S: Oranjestad, Aruba
W: Honolulu, Hawaii
E: Burano, Italy
S: Oranjestad, Aruba
W: Honolulu, Hawaii
Furthest I've been from home:
N: Malin Head, Donegal, Ireland
S: Montego Bay, Jamaica
E: Munich, Federal Republic of Germany
W: Hong Kong SAR, People's Republic of China
If Hong Kong is actually East, then my West answer would be Waimea Canyon, Kauaʻi, Hawaii.
N: Malin Head, Donegal, Ireland
S: Montego Bay, Jamaica
E: Munich, Federal Republic of Germany
W: Hong Kong SAR, People's Republic of China
If Hong Kong is actually East, then my West answer would be Waimea Canyon, Kauaʻi, Hawaii.
Furthest I've been:
N: Superior Minnesota
E: Japan
S: Kissimmee Florida
W: San Francisco California
N: Superior Minnesota
E: Japan
S: Kissimmee Florida
W: San Francisco California
August 8, 2025 at 2:59 PM
N: Cullen, Scotland
E: Burano, Italy
S: Oranjestad, Aruba
W: Honolulu, Hawaii
E: Burano, Italy
S: Oranjestad, Aruba
W: Honolulu, Hawaii
Reposted by Doug Lay
The great David Berman passed away on this day six years ago. I wrote this about him in 2024.
shorturl.at/4gQke
shorturl.at/4gQke
On "Purple Mountains," 5 Years Later
Revisiting One Of The Greatest (And Most Painful) Albums Of Recent Times
shorturl.at
August 7, 2025 at 7:22 PM
The great David Berman passed away on this day six years ago. I wrote this about him in 2024.
shorturl.at/4gQke
shorturl.at/4gQke
Reposted by Doug Lay
The NIH, which has faced major budget cuts, is now overwhelmed with submissions for grants because they’re getting spammed with AI generated applications
www.404media.co/nih-capping-...
www.404media.co/nih-capping-...
The NIH Is Capping Research Proposals Because It's Overwhelmed by AI Submissions
The NIH wrote that it has recently “observed instances of Principal Investigators submitting large numbers of applications, some of which may have been generated with AI tools."
www.404media.co
July 21, 2025 at 8:02 PM
The NIH, which has faced major budget cuts, is now overwhelmed with submissions for grants because they’re getting spammed with AI generated applications
www.404media.co/nih-capping-...
www.404media.co/nih-capping-...
A film you’ve watched more than six times with a GIF.
June 30, 2025 at 7:47 AM
A film you’ve watched more than six times with a GIF.
Reposted by Doug Lay
"I would prefer not to."
—Bartleby, the Scrivener
—Bartleby, the Scrivener
May 8, 2025 at 1:05 PM
"I would prefer not to."
—Bartleby, the Scrivener
—Bartleby, the Scrivener
Raised in Shaker Heights, Ohio. A Midwestern sound at heart, rooted in marching bands and county fairs as much as the blues.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=UaTT...
www.youtube.com/watch?v=UaTT...
Change Has Come (Live At The Village Theatre/1967)
YouTube video by Albert Ayler - Topic
www.youtube.com
May 10, 2025 at 7:08 PM
Raised in Shaker Heights, Ohio. A Midwestern sound at heart, rooted in marching bands and county fairs as much as the blues.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=UaTT...
www.youtube.com/watch?v=UaTT...
Reposted by Doug Lay
Playing .382 ball in Year Seven of a lose now / win later rebuild is more or less indefensible!
May 7, 2025 at 10:33 PM
Playing .382 ball in Year Seven of a lose now / win later rebuild is more or less indefensible!
Reposted by Doug Lay
There were 5 homicides in April in Baltimore. This is a new record for fewest homicides in a month in the city's modern history (since 1970). The previous low was 7, which happened in June of 1983, and April of 2014...
May 1, 2025 at 12:27 PM
There were 5 homicides in April in Baltimore. This is a new record for fewest homicides in a month in the city's modern history (since 1970). The previous low was 7, which happened in June of 1983, and April of 2014...
Polished LA studio rock at the tail end of the 80s with a twisted lyrical sensibility to keep things from getting too comfortable. I *think* Donald Fagen would approve. I like it a lot.
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/What_Up...
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/What_Up...
What Up, Dog? - Wikipedia
en.wikipedia.org
April 19, 2025 at 11:45 AM
Polished LA studio rock at the tail end of the 80s with a twisted lyrical sensibility to keep things from getting too comfortable. I *think* Donald Fagen would approve. I like it a lot.
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/What_Up...
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/What_Up...
Talking Shit About a Pretty Sunset
YouTube video by Modest Mouse - Topic
youtu.be
March 29, 2025 at 6:01 PM
This song has lurked around the edges of my brain since I first heard it 43 years ago. “Do it now, you know there’s never a next time.”
youtu.be/ywHE3aARjS8
youtu.be/ywHE3aARjS8
End of the Party (2012 Remaster)
YouTube video by The English Beat - Topic
youtu.be
March 15, 2025 at 3:38 PM
This song has lurked around the edges of my brain since I first heard it 43 years ago. “Do it now, you know there’s never a next time.”
youtu.be/ywHE3aARjS8
youtu.be/ywHE3aARjS8