Laura Wenus
@laurawenus.bsky.social
Journalism multihyphenate. Last name rhymes with "menace"
• Co-founder, @newsrelaynetwork.bsky.social
• Independent editor
• @spj-norcal.bsky.social board; FOI committee co-chair
Formerly: SF Chronicle, SF Public Press, KALW, Mission Local
• Co-founder, @newsrelaynetwork.bsky.social
• Independent editor
• @spj-norcal.bsky.social board; FOI committee co-chair
Formerly: SF Chronicle, SF Public Press, KALW, Mission Local
good to see a local community paper going strong (Southside Pride, vol. 35, issue 7)
July 12, 2025 at 4:58 PM
good to see a local community paper going strong (Southside Pride, vol. 35, issue 7)
starting things off talking about screwups with @mattkiser.bsky.social who tells us about sending out an edition of @whatthefuckjusthappenedtoday.com consisting entirely of lorem ipsum text.
which is funny but this is about building trust by *owning our mistakes*
which is funny but this is about building trust by *owning our mistakes*
July 10, 2025 at 3:29 PM
starting things off talking about screwups with @mattkiser.bsky.social who tells us about sending out an edition of @whatthefuckjusthappenedtoday.com consisting entirely of lorem ipsum text.
which is funny but this is about building trust by *owning our mistakes*
which is funny but this is about building trust by *owning our mistakes*
moment of appreciation for this genius sign engineering — it is WIMDY in SF this time of year so this is v clever
June 14, 2025 at 9:57 PM
moment of appreciation for this genius sign engineering — it is WIMDY in SF this time of year so this is v clever
Civic Center is, um, a bit full. Saw organizers in high viz vests directing foot traffic along one side of the plaza as the tail end of the march streams in, ostensibly to prevent super intense crowding
June 14, 2025 at 8:58 PM
Civic Center is, um, a bit full. Saw organizers in high viz vests directing foot traffic along one side of the plaza as the tail end of the march streams in, ostensibly to prevent super intense crowding
I'm not a great crowd counter but thassa lotta folks
June 14, 2025 at 8:37 PM
I'm not a great crowd counter but thassa lotta folks
No Kings march in San Francisco: a band is playing, people are blowing bubbles, and the procession seems to stretch from Dolores Street all the way to City Hall
June 14, 2025 at 8:31 PM
No Kings march in San Francisco: a band is playing, people are blowing bubbles, and the procession seems to stretch from Dolores Street all the way to City Hall
Organizers outside SF immigration court, who rapidly pulled together a protest in response to ICE arrests here this morning, have announced that hearings for the rest of the day have been canceled by a judge
June 10, 2025 at 9:00 PM
Organizers outside SF immigration court, who rapidly pulled together a protest in response to ICE arrests here this morning, have announced that hearings for the rest of the day have been canceled by a judge
vibe check on the RFK Jr. coverage in my skyline
November 15, 2024 at 8:24 PM
vibe check on the RFK Jr. coverage in my skyline
Action items for EPA:
- A Day One executive order to set up “pause and review” teams and reconsider the structure of the agency. Affecting everything from major rules to grants to budget.
- Suspend + review activities of EPA advisory bodies
- Repeal/reform of the Global Change Research Act of 1990
- A Day One executive order to set up “pause and review” teams and reconsider the structure of the agency. Affecting everything from major rules to grants to budget.
- Suspend + review activities of EPA advisory bodies
- Repeal/reform of the Global Change Research Act of 1990
October 16, 2024 at 12:46 AM
Action items for EPA:
- A Day One executive order to set up “pause and review” teams and reconsider the structure of the agency. Affecting everything from major rules to grants to budget.
- Suspend + review activities of EPA advisory bodies
- Repeal/reform of the Global Change Research Act of 1990
- A Day One executive order to set up “pause and review” teams and reconsider the structure of the agency. Affecting everything from major rules to grants to budget.
- Suspend + review activities of EPA advisory bodies
- Repeal/reform of the Global Change Research Act of 1990
- wind down "area studies" and require at least 40% of funding to go to international business programs that teach free markets and economics
- eliminate, and prevent from existing again, the "list of shame" of colleges that sought a religious exemption from Title IX
- eliminate, and prevent from existing again, the "list of shame" of colleges that sought a religious exemption from Title IX
October 12, 2024 at 8:46 PM
- wind down "area studies" and require at least 40% of funding to go to international business programs that teach free markets and economics
- eliminate, and prevent from existing again, the "list of shame" of colleges that sought a religious exemption from Title IX
- eliminate, and prevent from existing again, the "list of shame" of colleges that sought a religious exemption from Title IX
He even says "gender radicalism" abroad has resulted in outright *bias against men.*
There are no examples given and no citations for this claim, in case you're wondering.
There are no examples given and no citations for this claim, in case you're wondering.
September 21, 2024 at 1:49 AM
He even says "gender radicalism" abroad has resulted in outright *bias against men.*
There are no examples given and no citations for this claim, in case you're wondering.
There are no examples given and no citations for this claim, in case you're wondering.
Now this part, I don't even know how to *try* to interpret:
He says we need to restore Defense Intelligence Enterprise critical thinking, and that a "customer-based model" is currently in place, creating conflicts of interest. I guess the customer is policymakers?
What on Earth does this mean.
He says we need to restore Defense Intelligence Enterprise critical thinking, and that a "customer-based model" is currently in place, creating conflicts of interest. I guess the customer is policymakers?
What on Earth does this mean.
August 23, 2024 at 8:05 PM
Now this part, I don't even know how to *try* to interpret:
He says we need to restore Defense Intelligence Enterprise critical thinking, and that a "customer-based model" is currently in place, creating conflicts of interest. I guess the customer is policymakers?
What on Earth does this mean.
He says we need to restore Defense Intelligence Enterprise critical thinking, and that a "customer-based model" is currently in place, creating conflicts of interest. I guess the customer is policymakers?
What on Earth does this mean.
The section on acquisitions has some practical stuff, like keeping procurement and R&D contracts from taking so long to carry out that they become irrelevant.
The rest of it I would characterize as "kick the military industrial complex into higher gear."
The rest of it I would characterize as "kick the military industrial complex into higher gear."
August 21, 2024 at 7:01 PM
The section on acquisitions has some practical stuff, like keeping procurement and R&D contracts from taking so long to carry out that they become irrelevant.
The rest of it I would characterize as "kick the military industrial complex into higher gear."
The rest of it I would characterize as "kick the military industrial complex into higher gear."
Day 22 of posting about Project 2025 until I finish reading it
Christopher Miller, once defense secretary, starts off by emphasizing that the military is "a deeply troubled institution" for reasons ranging from flawed accountability systems and wasteful spending to ... equity and vaccine mandates
Christopher Miller, once defense secretary, starts off by emphasizing that the military is "a deeply troubled institution" for reasons ranging from flawed accountability systems and wasteful spending to ... equity and vaccine mandates
August 21, 2024 at 12:33 AM
Day 22 of posting about Project 2025 until I finish reading it
Christopher Miller, once defense secretary, starts off by emphasizing that the military is "a deeply troubled institution" for reasons ranging from flawed accountability systems and wasteful spending to ... equity and vaccine mandates
Christopher Miller, once defense secretary, starts off by emphasizing that the military is "a deeply troubled institution" for reasons ranging from flawed accountability systems and wasteful spending to ... equity and vaccine mandates
Maybe this is dumb but it's bugging me: Anyone know where these pics of MAGA folks with the "JD Vance Full Family Kit" cups are originally from?
They blew up yesterday on socials, then some tabloids picked them up. They don't look AI, but something feels off. Then again, why would anyone fake this?
They blew up yesterday on socials, then some tabloids picked them up. They don't look AI, but something feels off. Then again, why would anyone fake this?
August 20, 2024 at 12:49 AM
Maybe this is dumb but it's bugging me: Anyone know where these pics of MAGA folks with the "JD Vance Full Family Kit" cups are originally from?
They blew up yesterday on socials, then some tabloids picked them up. They don't look AI, but something feels off. Then again, why would anyone fake this?
They blew up yesterday on socials, then some tabloids picked them up. They don't look AI, but something feels off. Then again, why would anyone fake this?
The Biden administration reversed Vought's 2020 move. So now of course in Project 2025, he's saying it needs to be reinstated, and if a potential director isn't willing to do that, it's a deal-breaker.
August 7, 2024 at 8:33 PM
The Biden administration reversed Vought's 2020 move. So now of course in Project 2025, he's saying it needs to be reinstated, and if a potential director isn't willing to do that, it's a deal-breaker.
also thought it was interesting that the Director of the Office of Management and Budget should basically be the President's brain:
August 7, 2024 at 12:52 AM
also thought it was interesting that the Director of the Office of Management and Budget should basically be the President's brain:
Another refrain of the idea that career civil servants, federal agencies, federal departments, and expert authorities are unaccountable and get in the way of the *elected* executive's ability to enact an agenda
August 7, 2024 at 12:43 AM
Another refrain of the idea that career civil servants, federal agencies, federal departments, and expert authorities are unaccountable and get in the way of the *elected* executive's ability to enact an agenda
Chapter ends on what I find to be a head-scratcher: A note that credits multiple writers but cautions the reader that the chapter author, Rick Dearborn, "alone assumes responsibility for the content of this chapter, and no views expressed herein should be attributed to any other individual."
August 5, 2024 at 9:38 PM
Chapter ends on what I find to be a head-scratcher: A note that credits multiple writers but cautions the reader that the chapter author, Rick Dearborn, "alone assumes responsibility for the content of this chapter, and no views expressed herein should be attributed to any other individual."
well of course there's repeated insistence that everyone should at all times conform to the law and the Constitution. If you're alluding to the immunity ruling and its implications, I was struck by this, in the section about the White House counsel's office:
August 1, 2024 at 1:11 AM
well of course there's repeated insistence that everyone should at all times conform to the law and the Constitution. If you're alluding to the immunity ruling and its implications, I was struck by this, in the section about the White House counsel's office:
Day 8 of posting about Project 2025 until I finish reading it
I seem to be getting to the part focused on "the Administrative State," which Heritage would like to see dismantled. They use the term to refer to civil servants, bureaucrats, and departments that interpret/carry out policy.
I seem to be getting to the part focused on "the Administrative State," which Heritage would like to see dismantled. They use the term to refer to civil servants, bureaucrats, and departments that interpret/carry out policy.
August 1, 2024 at 12:39 AM
Day 8 of posting about Project 2025 until I finish reading it
I seem to be getting to the part focused on "the Administrative State," which Heritage would like to see dismantled. They use the term to refer to civil servants, bureaucrats, and departments that interpret/carry out policy.
I seem to be getting to the part focused on "the Administrative State," which Heritage would like to see dismantled. They use the term to refer to civil servants, bureaucrats, and departments that interpret/carry out policy.
So yes, the link between Trump and Project 2025 is undeniable. To be more precise, though, Vance didn't write the foreword. The "revolution will remain bloodless if the left allows it" guy did. And *that* guy wrote a *different* book, to which Vance *did* write the foreword.
July 31, 2024 at 3:53 AM
So yes, the link between Trump and Project 2025 is undeniable. To be more precise, though, Vance didn't write the foreword. The "revolution will remain bloodless if the left allows it" guy did. And *that* guy wrote a *different* book, to which Vance *did* write the foreword.
About the connection to Trump: Roberts told the Times in January that Heritage is “institutionalizing Trumpism,” which includes Project 2025. When Trump disavowed the project, Roberts said "no hard feelings" because he gets that it was a "political tactical" decision.
July 29, 2024 at 8:12 PM
About the connection to Trump: Roberts told the Times in January that Heritage is “institutionalizing Trumpism,” which includes Project 2025. When Trump disavowed the project, Roberts said "no hard feelings" because he gets that it was a "political tactical" decision.
This strategy isn't unique to him but he's very good at it: agree to an interview, act genial, then throw little barbs at interviewers to destabilize them and redirect. Here he is in the Times taking a jab at the formulation of a question about Heritage's plan to get rid of ~50k civil servants.
July 29, 2024 at 7:55 PM
This strategy isn't unique to him but he's very good at it: agree to an interview, act genial, then throw little barbs at interviewers to destabilize them and redirect. Here he is in the Times taking a jab at the formulation of a question about Heritage's plan to get rid of ~50k civil servants.