Katy Hermann Shea
@katyhermannshea.bsky.social
I like to read and then discuss what I read.
Chicago bias
Chicago bias
Reposted by Katy Hermann Shea
We might not be able to watch “A Charlie Brown Christmas” around a TV together like we once used to, but we can still listen to its classic soundtrack—that rare artistic artifact that transcends what it was made to accompany, writes Anna Holmes:
The Sound of a 'Charlie Brown' Christmas
Growing up, my holidays were profoundly shaped by the soundtrack to a classic animated special.
bit.ly
December 24, 2025 at 3:45 PM
We might not be able to watch “A Charlie Brown Christmas” around a TV together like we once used to, but we can still listen to its classic soundtrack—that rare artistic artifact that transcends what it was made to accompany, writes Anna Holmes:
Reposted by Katy Hermann Shea
Bitterly cold temperatures in #Chicago this weekend will put many of our neighbors at risk. #Mayfair Presbyterian Church is providing an overnight warming center both Saturday and Sunday nights. Not everyone who needs help will ask for it, so check in with the folks in your 'hood!
December 12, 2025 at 1:32 AM
every article, music highlight, and gift rec in here is perfect, had to pause and remind myself it is catered specifically to me, Chicagoan. God bless local journalism
We try our best to be ethical consumers, but falling into the traps of daily convenience is all too easy. During the holiday season, we hope to help you avoid that with this year’s gift guide full of Chicago small businesses and local nonprofits to donate to. https://bit.ly/4rnNUld
December 9, 2025 at 3:48 AM
every article, music highlight, and gift rec in here is perfect, had to pause and remind myself it is catered specifically to me, Chicagoan. God bless local journalism
sometimes the conspiracy theory guy from high school who posts bananas ig rants is cooking and you gotta hand it to him
December 1, 2025 at 1:24 AM
sometimes the conspiracy theory guy from high school who posts bananas ig rants is cooking and you gotta hand it to him
Reposted by Katy Hermann Shea
Opinion: What we are witnessing in Chicago today — the increasingly militarized immigration raids — is not simply a matter of law enforcement. It is a test of conscience. This is not the first time Chicago has faced such a test.
Chicago is choosing justice over fear, as it has in the past
In 1850, the federal government deputized local officials to enforce slavery. In 2025, it demands cooperation in deportation. Chicago resisted nearly two centuries ago, and it still is today.
trib.al
October 13, 2025 at 9:44 PM
Opinion: What we are witnessing in Chicago today — the increasingly militarized immigration raids — is not simply a matter of law enforcement. It is a test of conscience. This is not the first time Chicago has faced such a test.
Reposted by Katy Hermann Shea
i desperately want everyone involved in the destruction of USAID to have to, st the very least, answer to the american people for the suffering and misery they have caused apnews.com/article/myan...
Starving children screaming for food as US aid cuts unleash devastation and death across Myanmar
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio has repeatedly said “no one has died" because of his government’s decision to gut its foreign aid program.
apnews.com
October 8, 2025 at 2:59 PM
i desperately want everyone involved in the destruction of USAID to have to, st the very least, answer to the american people for the suffering and misery they have caused apnews.com/article/myan...
so many gorgeous thoughts in here
“Nearly a century later, “Nadja” still matters because it reminds us that true self-discovery derives not from grand visions or spiritual transformation but from these small interactions with the mundane that hint at the enchantment of an otherwise banal world.”
“Nearly a century later, “Nadja” still matters because it reminds us that true self-discovery derives not from grand visions or spiritual transformation but from these small interactions with the mundane that hint at the enchantment of an otherwise banal world.”
Feed: "NYT > Books > Book Review"
By: Ben Libman on Saturday, June 28, 2025
By: Ben Libman on Saturday, June 28, 2025
Book Review: ‘Nadja,' by André Breton
André Breton’s 1928 novel “Nadja” pays homage to a great love and to a great city.
www.nytimes.com
August 22, 2025 at 3:26 PM
so many gorgeous thoughts in here
“Nearly a century later, “Nadja” still matters because it reminds us that true self-discovery derives not from grand visions or spiritual transformation but from these small interactions with the mundane that hint at the enchantment of an otherwise banal world.”
“Nearly a century later, “Nadja” still matters because it reminds us that true self-discovery derives not from grand visions or spiritual transformation but from these small interactions with the mundane that hint at the enchantment of an otherwise banal world.”
Reposted by Katy Hermann Shea
Two weeks ago: “The Committee to Protect Journalists is gravely worried about the safety of Al Jazeera Arabic’s Gaza correspondent Anas Al-Sharif, who is being targeted by an Israeli military smear campaign, which he believes is a precursor to his assassination.”
August 10, 2025 at 11:24 PM
Two weeks ago: “The Committee to Protect Journalists is gravely worried about the safety of Al Jazeera Arabic’s Gaza correspondent Anas Al-Sharif, who is being targeted by an Israeli military smear campaign, which he believes is a precursor to his assassination.”
Reposted by Katy Hermann Shea
Thank you to @nytimes.com & Cara Buckley for the wonderful feature on Vermont Green FC and our community of climate action engaged fans.
We're honored to be highlighted in the "50 States, 50 Fixes" series, featuring impactful climate stories in every state.
We're honored to be highlighted in the "50 States, 50 Fixes" series, featuring impactful climate stories in every state.
This Vermont Soccer Team Plays for the Planet
www.nytimes.com
June 25, 2025 at 5:58 PM
Thank you to @nytimes.com & Cara Buckley for the wonderful feature on Vermont Green FC and our community of climate action engaged fans.
We're honored to be highlighted in the "50 States, 50 Fixes" series, featuring impactful climate stories in every state.
We're honored to be highlighted in the "50 States, 50 Fixes" series, featuring impactful climate stories in every state.
Reposted by Katy Hermann Shea
We are living through one of the more febrile periods of the nuclear era, @jeffreygoldberg.bsky.social writes. The world is locked in a game of nuclear roulette—and the only way to win is to stop playing.
Nuclear Roulette
The only way to win is to stop playing.
bit.ly
June 26, 2025 at 10:08 AM
We are living through one of the more febrile periods of the nuclear era, @jeffreygoldberg.bsky.social writes. The world is locked in a game of nuclear roulette—and the only way to win is to stop playing.
a tangent, but makes me think about why liberal arts degree is relevant & why ‘philosophers’ (& ethicists) should still be a job, not just for elites.
This isn’t my area, I liked the article because it was pretty even handed in reporting, but who is thinking about regulating/morality of cloning?
This isn’t my area, I liked the article because it was pretty even handed in reporting, but who is thinking about regulating/morality of cloning?
Americans still find animal cloning creepy, but it’s happening every day. Bianca Bosker reports on the big business that has sprung up to produce faster horses, superior cattle, and immortal pets: https://theatln.tc/rVE7gSNC
July 8, 2025 at 3:04 PM
a tangent, but makes me think about why liberal arts degree is relevant & why ‘philosophers’ (& ethicists) should still be a job, not just for elites.
This isn’t my area, I liked the article because it was pretty even handed in reporting, but who is thinking about regulating/morality of cloning?
This isn’t my area, I liked the article because it was pretty even handed in reporting, but who is thinking about regulating/morality of cloning?
“In 2008, desperate for cash, Chicago privatized its parking meters, selling off the rights to all the revenue for 75 years to a group of investors” - minor point in overall article, but we don’t hear enough about the ramifications of this in Chicago - mass transit and budget implications continue!
Increasing inequality; the privatization of infrastructure, security, finances—we’ve seen this before, Cullen Murphy writes. Are we headed for a new feudal age?
Feudalism Is Our Future
We may already be entering a new dark age.
bit.ly
June 29, 2025 at 2:29 PM
“In 2008, desperate for cash, Chicago privatized its parking meters, selling off the rights to all the revenue for 75 years to a group of investors” - minor point in overall article, but we don’t hear enough about the ramifications of this in Chicago - mass transit and budget implications continue!
my birthday party theme tonight, ending with karaoke of course
June 21, 2025 at 7:43 PM
my birthday party theme tonight, ending with karaoke of course
Reposted by Katy Hermann Shea
In the spring of 2008, I feared America was on the verge of war with Iran — and, believing that it’s good style to get to know people before you bomb them, I made “Rick Steves’ Iran,” a one-hour special that could (and would) only debut on PBS. Sadly, this special has become pertinent again today.
Iran
Join Rick as he explores the most surprising and fascinating land he's ever visited: Iran. In a one-hour, ground-breaking travel special on public television, you'll discover the splendid monuments of...
www.ricksteves.com
June 17, 2025 at 9:18 PM
In the spring of 2008, I feared America was on the verge of war with Iran — and, believing that it’s good style to get to know people before you bomb them, I made “Rick Steves’ Iran,” a one-hour special that could (and would) only debut on PBS. Sadly, this special has become pertinent again today.
wow love seeing someone I’ve listened to for 15 years profiled in the Atlantic and the raw context of the new album, a re-listen incoming for biblical level mourning
(agree she’s “one of rock’s best kept secrets” but I only need her to be kept secret from the transphobes, more success for Ezra!)
(agree she’s “one of rock’s best kept secrets” but I only need her to be kept secret from the transphobes, more success for Ezra!)
"There’s a lot of fists in the air in our culture, and I’m a little fatigued in the arm area."
I spoke with Ezra Furman about protest music, defeat music, and life as a trans person right now: www.theatlantic.com/culture/arch...
I spoke with Ezra Furman about protest music, defeat music, and life as a trans person right now: www.theatlantic.com/culture/arch...
‘What If I Don’t Keep Feeling Strident?’
For years, Ezra Furman’s music embraced protest and defiance. Now she’s striking a different chord.
www.theatlantic.com
May 24, 2025 at 10:34 AM
wow love seeing someone I’ve listened to for 15 years profiled in the Atlantic and the raw context of the new album, a re-listen incoming for biblical level mourning
(agree she’s “one of rock’s best kept secrets” but I only need her to be kept secret from the transphobes, more success for Ezra!)
(agree she’s “one of rock’s best kept secrets” but I only need her to be kept secret from the transphobes, more success for Ezra!)
Reposted by Katy Hermann Shea
Great piece on a Central Valley town that traded local news sources for Facebook groups and right-wing influencers, leaving residents questioning what’s actually true. A microcosm of what’s playing out across America www.nytimes.com/2025/05/03/t...
How Misinformation and Partisan ‘New Media’ Changed a California Town (Gift Article)
Residents of Oakdale, Calif., have abandoned traditional media outlets for a mishmash of online sources. These days, they’re often not sure what information to trust.
www.nytimes.com
May 3, 2025 at 7:13 PM
Great piece on a Central Valley town that traded local news sources for Facebook groups and right-wing influencers, leaving residents questioning what’s actually true. A microcosm of what’s playing out across America www.nytimes.com/2025/05/03/t...
Reposted by Katy Hermann Shea
The incredible work of 2 Kresge grantees is featured in @nytimes.com 50 States, 50 Fixes, a series highlighting environmental solutions. In New Orleans, the work of Water Wise Gulf South on green stormwater infrastructure solutions to reduce flooding shows effective ways to mitigate climate change.
Fighting Louisiana Floodwaters With Patches of Green
www.nytimes.com
April 25, 2025 at 6:34 PM
The incredible work of 2 Kresge grantees is featured in @nytimes.com 50 States, 50 Fixes, a series highlighting environmental solutions. In New Orleans, the work of Water Wise Gulf South on green stormwater infrastructure solutions to reduce flooding shows effective ways to mitigate climate change.
Reposted by Katy Hermann Shea
“Every time we — and especially those with power and authority — make ourselves into obstacles, we also make it a little less likely that the administration’s authoritarian fantasy becomes our reality,” writes our columnist Jamelle Bouie.
Opinion | Trump Wants You to Think Resistance Is Futile. It Is Not.
Every time we make ourselves into obstacles, we also make it a little less likely that the administration’s authoritarian fantasy becomes our reality.
www.nytimes.com
April 23, 2025 at 9:35 AM
“Every time we — and especially those with power and authority — make ourselves into obstacles, we also make it a little less likely that the administration’s authoritarian fantasy becomes our reality,” writes our columnist Jamelle Bouie.
Reposted by Katy Hermann Shea
House GOP hopes to eliminate funds for efforts to reconnect communities & improve access.
Projects that could lose fed funding include:
—Austin I-35 deck
—Atlanta Beltline south
—Buffalo Bailey Ave BRT
—Chicago Blue Line improvements
—Philly Chinatown Stitch
—Seattle Stride BRT
& many more
Projects that could lose fed funding include:
—Austin I-35 deck
—Atlanta Beltline south
—Buffalo Bailey Ave BRT
—Chicago Blue Line improvements
—Philly Chinatown Stitch
—Seattle Stride BRT
& many more
Reconnecting Communities projects are under threat. Here is what’s at stake and where: - Transportation For America
On April 30, the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee will look to cut billions in funding to enact the President’s agenda through the budget reconciliation process. They plan to repeal u...
t4america.org
April 29, 2025 at 2:43 PM
House GOP hopes to eliminate funds for efforts to reconnect communities & improve access.
Projects that could lose fed funding include:
—Austin I-35 deck
—Atlanta Beltline south
—Buffalo Bailey Ave BRT
—Chicago Blue Line improvements
—Philly Chinatown Stitch
—Seattle Stride BRT
& many more
Projects that could lose fed funding include:
—Austin I-35 deck
—Atlanta Beltline south
—Buffalo Bailey Ave BRT
—Chicago Blue Line improvements
—Philly Chinatown Stitch
—Seattle Stride BRT
& many more
AI art is for losers and we all need to keep chanting it.
For today's New York Times Magazine I made my contribution to Ghibli AI meme discourse, arguing that (1) Ghibli memes suck (duh) but more importantly (2) they help us understand the Trump regime's spectacle-based approach (and our whole dematerialized image-feed culture).
Why the White House Started Making Deportation Cartoons
The Trump administration hasn’t yet delivered huge deportation numbers — but it is using the internet to provide regular deportation spectacles.
www.nytimes.com
April 21, 2025 at 3:46 PM
AI art is for losers and we all need to keep chanting it.
Reposted by Katy Hermann Shea
When Donald Trump changed sides in Russia’s war against Ukraine, Republicans acted as if nothing had changed, George Packer writes. It takes a special talent to betray an entire worldview without missing a beat: theatln.tc/xklVmUH6
March 25, 2025 at 8:15 PM
When Donald Trump changed sides in Russia’s war against Ukraine, Republicans acted as if nothing had changed, George Packer writes. It takes a special talent to betray an entire worldview without missing a beat: theatln.tc/xklVmUH6
Reposted by Katy Hermann Shea
This is a fabulous piece, full of the mystery and heart of American lore, the promise of country and community and story itself, and a tour de force dive into belonging — and also I would read a grocery list if @shamblanderson.bsky.social wrote it
I wrote about my favorite guy, the Old Leatherman: a mysterious 19th-century folk hero who walked a 365-mile loop, obsessively, through NY / CT. He wore a homemade leather suit and slept in caves. Newspapers published endless gossip & fan fiction about him. I walked his route & sat in his caves.
Following in the footsteps of the Old Leatherman, a sort of real-life Northeastern Sasquatch, gave one writer an excuse to step outside of his own life.
March 18, 2025 at 9:24 PM
This is a fabulous piece, full of the mystery and heart of American lore, the promise of country and community and story itself, and a tour de force dive into belonging — and also I would read a grocery list if @shamblanderson.bsky.social wrote it
quick and excellent summary of how Trump admin is throwing out decades of deterrence policy work. John Hersey’s ‘Hiroshima’ should be required reading for all, more nukes is more risk of reoccurrence.
March 22, 2025 at 8:16 PM
quick and excellent summary of how Trump admin is throwing out decades of deterrence policy work. John Hersey’s ‘Hiroshima’ should be required reading for all, more nukes is more risk of reoccurrence.
Reposted by Katy Hermann Shea
Along with the capitulation, this is the worst part.
The relentless focus on process and “bipartisanship” rather than articulating the substantive issues with the bill and articulating a substantive alternative
The relentless focus on process and “bipartisanship” rather than articulating the substantive issues with the bill and articulating a substantive alternative
The Senate Democratic Caucus was unified on a ‘clean’ one-month CR that would have kept the government open and given Congress time to negotiate bipartisan legislation. I’m disappointed that our Republican colleagues wouldn’t join us in that effort.
March 14, 2025 at 10:58 PM
Along with the capitulation, this is the worst part.
The relentless focus on process and “bipartisanship” rather than articulating the substantive issues with the bill and articulating a substantive alternative
The relentless focus on process and “bipartisanship” rather than articulating the substantive issues with the bill and articulating a substantive alternative