Swedish Made Prius Enlarger
@ersatzverite.bsky.social
My name is Tristan Cohen, I live in DC and work at the Federal Energy Commission mostly on Eastern US issues.
Pinned
"What happened didn't matter, what it felt like was what mattered." was something an ex told me in a post-mortem on our break-up. At the time I thought she was insane, now I think it is one of the wisest things anyone has said about how we think about the world.
Step 1: Create a problem.
Step 2: Try and fix the problem in a way that is worse than if you'd never created it in the first place.
Step 3: ????
Step 4: Low income and efficiency industrial production jobs return to an economically depressed US!
Step 2: Try and fix the problem in a way that is worse than if you'd never created it in the first place.
Step 3: ????
Step 4: Low income and efficiency industrial production jobs return to an economically depressed US!
Trump: "I'm delighted to announce this afternoon that the US will be taking a small portion of the hundreds of billions of dollars we receive in tariffs ... and we're going to be giving and providing it to the farmers in economic assistance. We love our farmers. The farmers like me ... $12 billion"
December 8, 2025 at 7:54 PM
Step 1: Create a problem.
Step 2: Try and fix the problem in a way that is worse than if you'd never created it in the first place.
Step 3: ????
Step 4: Low income and efficiency industrial production jobs return to an economically depressed US!
Step 2: Try and fix the problem in a way that is worse than if you'd never created it in the first place.
Step 3: ????
Step 4: Low income and efficiency industrial production jobs return to an economically depressed US!
I can't say anything specific about IN, but for many years congressional maps were about incumbent protection bc aggressive partisan gerrymandering gives you thin margins. I can imagine some R legislators are starting to worry about aggressive redistricting and an unpopular regime.
An Indiana Republican senator, Mike Crider, confirms he's a 'no' on gerrymandering: indianacapitalchronicle.com/2025/12/08/a...
December 8, 2025 at 7:49 PM
I can't say anything specific about IN, but for many years congressional maps were about incumbent protection bc aggressive partisan gerrymandering gives you thin margins. I can imagine some R legislators are starting to worry about aggressive redistricting and an unpopular regime.
ICE building a time machine to go back in time and harassing Mary and Joseph is a (probably lame) comedy concept.
Sadism is the lifeblood of MAGA, and US government agencies are sanctioning this as an operating principle on a daily basis:
December 8, 2025 at 7:38 PM
ICE building a time machine to go back in time and harassing Mary and Joseph is a (probably lame) comedy concept.
The degree to which we've built impossible political processes that no one is willing to streamline is not understood.
The problems with *most areas of policy* in the US are mostly about political power - who gets to decide how something is done, what money is spent, and who gets to veto what project. "Technology" is just a pipe dream to abstract away from these questions
December 8, 2025 at 6:08 PM
The degree to which we've built impossible political processes that no one is willing to streamline is not understood.
I'm basically an open borders enthusiast. If you can get here and you aren't a criminal or whatever -- you're on the path to citizenship. But...
Birthright citizenship exists in like one other country, and is inconsistent with a controlled migration scheme. Its slavery roots have expired.
Birthright citizenship exists in like one other country, and is inconsistent with a controlled migration scheme. Its slavery roots have expired.
I'm going to say this once more:
The anti-birthright citizenship ppl aren't saying anything new or interesting or which hasn't been refuted for a year. You don't gain anything by amplifying them, and in fact you lose by making it seem like The Left is out to get them. Let them put it in a brief.
The anti-birthright citizenship ppl aren't saying anything new or interesting or which hasn't been refuted for a year. You don't gain anything by amplifying them, and in fact you lose by making it seem like The Left is out to get them. Let them put it in a brief.
December 8, 2025 at 3:50 PM
I'm basically an open borders enthusiast. If you can get here and you aren't a criminal or whatever -- you're on the path to citizenship. But...
Birthright citizenship exists in like one other country, and is inconsistent with a controlled migration scheme. Its slavery roots have expired.
Birthright citizenship exists in like one other country, and is inconsistent with a controlled migration scheme. Its slavery roots have expired.
Another toothless EO.
BREAKING: Trump says he will sign an executive order this week that will limit states’ ability to regulate AI.
December 8, 2025 at 3:27 PM
Another toothless EO.
So, I 100% agree with this take, but expertise doesn't always lead to good results. My understanding is that Bernanke raised interest rates moving the mortgage market collapse to the global financial crisis.
A Republican president once picked Ben Bernanke—a future Nobel laureate—because expertise mattered more than spin. That norm, picking Fed chairs for brains not loyalty, does more to protect your paycheck than any campaign slogan.
December 7, 2025 at 11:23 PM
So, I 100% agree with this take, but expertise doesn't always lead to good results. My understanding is that Bernanke raised interest rates moving the mortgage market collapse to the global financial crisis.
It's always Boulevardier season!!
It’s Boulevardier season!
A three-ingredient, perfectly cozy, gorgeously-hued cocktail that's become my absolute favorite. It's a cousin to the Negroni, but it uses bourbon or rye instead of gin. The result is more mellow and 100% perfect for right now.
smittenkitchen.com/2018/01/boul...
smittenkitchen.com/2018/01/boul...
December 7, 2025 at 11:19 PM
It's always Boulevardier season!!
I've prob seen Commando over 100 times. Citizen Kane of our time!
December 7, 2025 at 11:18 PM
I've prob seen Commando over 100 times. Citizen Kane of our time!
While at the Jimmy Carter library with friends, I explained how Nixon juiced the economy through loose monetary policy to keep the job market slow -- and how that (in part) lead to massive inflation that Carter appointee Volcker had to take extreme actions to resolve (while serving under Reagan).
December 6, 2025 at 3:14 PM
While at the Jimmy Carter library with friends, I explained how Nixon juiced the economy through loose monetary policy to keep the job market slow -- and how that (in part) lead to massive inflation that Carter appointee Volcker had to take extreme actions to resolve (while serving under Reagan).
On the one hand, it makes sense for SCOTUS to find that the racial gerrymander in TX was done for partisan gain -- which is allowable. OTOH, it is weird if the only form of racial gerrymander is allowed is if it is for partisan gain. Shouldn't you be able to gerrymander for other reasons?
December 6, 2025 at 12:50 AM
On the one hand, it makes sense for SCOTUS to find that the racial gerrymander in TX was done for partisan gain -- which is allowable. OTOH, it is weird if the only form of racial gerrymander is allowed is if it is for partisan gain. Shouldn't you be able to gerrymander for other reasons?
I wonder how many complaints Amazon is getting about Rufus. My guess is not many only because they make it very hard to communicate with them. But, Rufus sucks. Allow us to opt out of Rufus.
December 5, 2025 at 11:21 PM
I wonder how many complaints Amazon is getting about Rufus. My guess is not many only because they make it very hard to communicate with them. But, Rufus sucks. Allow us to opt out of Rufus.
It's amazing to me how many ppl invested with power and responsibility are desperate to bend the knee to whomever comes along.
December 5, 2025 at 6:54 PM
It's amazing to me how many ppl invested with power and responsibility are desperate to bend the knee to whomever comes along.
Republican health care proposals aim to reduce risk sharing, meaning that healthy ppl will pay less and sick ppl will pay a lot more. That's one way to approach the problem, but you get better health outcomes and lower total prices with risk pooling and monopsony price negotiation.
December 4, 2025 at 4:17 PM
Republican health care proposals aim to reduce risk sharing, meaning that healthy ppl will pay less and sick ppl will pay a lot more. That's one way to approach the problem, but you get better health outcomes and lower total prices with risk pooling and monopsony price negotiation.
I went to see David Byrne's new show. It fucking ruled. If you love joy, go see it. If you hate joy, please subscribe to my feed.
December 4, 2025 at 7:43 AM
I went to see David Byrne's new show. It fucking ruled. If you love joy, go see it. If you hate joy, please subscribe to my feed.
I don't now what they say in the article, but the premise of "hours of work to pay for X" is what underlies all constant dollar evaluations of purchasing power. It's really important.
Jeff Bezos and the Washington Post are at it again.
December 3, 2025 at 2:33 PM
I don't now what they say in the article, but the premise of "hours of work to pay for X" is what underlies all constant dollar evaluations of purchasing power. It's really important.
Given how things are going, Trump should really not want future Presidents to be able to rescind pardons.
BREAKING: President Trump declared that all of former President Biden’s pardons are now “invalid.” There is no legal mechanism for presidents to revoke their predecessors’ pardons but if Trump is taken seriously, thousands could be thrown into legal chaos.
Trump Claims Former President Joe Biden’s Pardons Are Invalid
Read more here.
www.democracydocket.com
December 3, 2025 at 2:04 AM
Given how things are going, Trump should really not want future Presidents to be able to rescind pardons.
How would Mike Johnson know how bad his day or night is? He never knows what is going on.
December 3, 2025 at 1:48 AM
How would Mike Johnson know how bad his day or night is? He never knows what is going on.
In his defense, I would have done almost anything to not have to listen to those yahoos blab on.
Donald Trump appeared to struggle to stay awake for the second time in a month on Tuesday.
Trump's eyes were cumulatively closed for ~6 minutes over roughly 75 minutes, per a Post analysis of multiple video feeds.
w/ @ddiamond.bsky.social & Natalie Allison
www.washingtonpost.com/politics/202...
Trump's eyes were cumulatively closed for ~6 minutes over roughly 75 minutes, per a Post analysis of multiple video feeds.
w/ @ddiamond.bsky.social & Natalie Allison
www.washingtonpost.com/politics/202...
December 3, 2025 at 12:25 AM
In his defense, I would have done almost anything to not have to listen to those yahoos blab on.
TikTok, YouTube, and social media in general are hard information sources to manage. That's not particularly controversial -- apparently unless you say that it involves anti-Israeli views.
Hillary Clinton blames TikTok and “totally made up” videos for young people’s views on Israel and Palestine.
She says social media influenced “not just the usual suspects” but also “young Jewish Americans who don’t know the history and don’t understand.”
She says social media influenced “not just the usual suspects” but also “young Jewish Americans who don’t know the history and don’t understand.”
December 2, 2025 at 10:42 PM
TikTok, YouTube, and social media in general are hard information sources to manage. That's not particularly controversial -- apparently unless you say that it involves anti-Israeli views.
Working in the energy sector, it's hilarious how many ppl think that new nuclear is a viable thing. I would love for it to be true, but I see no evidence that it will be a substantial factor in the next ten+ years.
December 2, 2025 at 9:47 PM
Working in the energy sector, it's hilarious how many ppl think that new nuclear is a viable thing. I would love for it to be true, but I see no evidence that it will be a substantial factor in the next ten+ years.
Some enterprising House D should be proposing a law to require all public data taken by DOGE be stripped from the various IT systems and derivative products with severe sanctions -- including jail time for executives -- if the products are not destroyed.
November 29, 2025 at 4:32 PM
Some enterprising House D should be proposing a law to require all public data taken by DOGE be stripped from the various IT systems and derivative products with severe sanctions -- including jail time for executives -- if the products are not destroyed.
AI in search mostly rips off Wikipedia, it would be nice if there was a Wikipedia owned AI -- although they don't make any money from clicks so ... maybe it doesn't matter.
November 29, 2025 at 1:34 AM
AI in search mostly rips off Wikipedia, it would be nice if there was a Wikipedia owned AI -- although they don't make any money from clicks so ... maybe it doesn't matter.
Reposted by Swedish Made Prius Enlarger
Abraham Lincoln, 1855.
www.abrahamlincolnonline.org/lincoln/spee...
www.abrahamlincolnonline.org/lincoln/spee...
![I am not a Know-Nothing. That is certain. How could I be? How can any one who abhors the oppression of negroes, be in favor or degrading classes of white people? Our progress in degeneracy appears to me to be pretty rapid. As a nation, we began by declaring that "all men are created equal." We now practically read it "all men are created equal, except negroes" When the Know-Nothings get control, it will read "all men are created equal, except negroes, and foreigners, and Catholics." When it comes to this I should prefer emigrating to some country where they make no pretence of loving liberty -- to Russia, for instance, where despotism can be taken pure, and without the base alloy of hypocracy [sic].](https://cdn.bsky.app/img/feed_thumbnail/plain/did:plc:egd33s7iuqsmwlwab6mbtrqi/bafkreiaaicjid4jg3oongeah73ukqvwsqv4vwbp75q4f755nldtcfermhi@jpeg)
November 28, 2025 at 3:01 PM
Abraham Lincoln, 1855.
www.abrahamlincolnonline.org/lincoln/spee...
www.abrahamlincolnonline.org/lincoln/spee...
I hadn't really considered the difference in scale. Makes me less concerned about the coming AI correction.
The residential mortgage market was simply like 2 orders of magnitude bigger than the tech debt right now.
Like people are talking about 3 trillion in tech debt by 2028. There was 10 trillion in MBS in 2008 (not including the private insurer issues, weird derivatives).
Like people are talking about 3 trillion in tech debt by 2028. There was 10 trillion in MBS in 2008 (not including the private insurer issues, weird derivatives).
November 28, 2025 at 7:47 PM
I hadn't really considered the difference in scale. Makes me less concerned about the coming AI correction.